A Worthy Goal…

Shackleton announcement, “Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.” But 1,000s se to go because was with Shackleton. How many of us would answer an ad that said, “Men and women wanted for a building project. You will be under constant attack from a unseen enemy. You may be misunderstood by your fellow workers. You will not seen the end result of your labors, nor be rewarded until your work is completed. You may lose everything.” But if we are Christians this is what we have signed up for.

I. What's Better than Being, “The Friendliest Church…”?

A. A Historic and Timely understanding of “Church”

1. The idea of “church” was so new in the 1 st Century that Christians did not know what to do.
a. Early on the believers in Jesus were Jews.
1) ( Acts 2:5, 41 ), “Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven
… then those who had received his words were baptized, and there were….”
2) These continued to follow the style of temple/synagogue worship. – ( Acts 3:1 ), “Now Peter &
John were going up to the temple at the 9 th hour, the hour of prayer.”

b. But later many Gentiles were added to their number.
1) ( Acts 11:20-21 ), “…came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus …
and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.”
2) Thus, a new way of serving God (neither Jewish nor pagan) – had to be created, thus, church!

2. For this heterogeneous group of believers, God had to give them a new way of seeing themselves.
a. ( I Tim. 3:15 ), “I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of
God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”
1) Today also: old/young, rich/poor, black/white, educated/ not – but we are one grand mixture for God!
2) All are united by our faith in Jesus. – Now also united by the plan God has for His people.

B. God has a Goal for His Church…

1. “But the goal of our instruction is love ,” (v. 5a)
a. Love = “Doing what is in someone else's best interest, in spite of what it might cost you.” – ( quote Jn. 3:16 ).

b. Clearly, this kind of love is sacrificial – ( Eph. 5:2 ), “Walk in love, just as Christ also loved
you, and gave Himself up for us, as an offering and a sacrifice to God.”
2) Yet, God warns us of believing that sacrificing ourselves for others is what He desires. -
( I Cor. 13:3 ), “If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but
DO NOT HAVE LOVE, profits me nothing.”
3) Thus, love is not only about the “cost” – but also about “their best interest.”

c. God's people have always believed that it's in everyone's best interest – to be in a right relationship with Jesus!
1) A love for each other – ( Jn. 13:35 ), “By this all men will know you are My disciples, if you have….”
2) A love for the lost – ( Mk. 12:31 ), “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
3) Thus, only by helping others come to that right relationship – will the issue of “cost” enter the picture.
4) The Christian who truly loves others – will consider no cost to be too great – to help others get to heaven!
5) Therefore, what's better than being the “friendliest church” – would be a group of God's people – who
truly LOVE others enough – that they don't consider any cost too great – to help them get to heaven!!!

2. “But the goal of our instruction is love FROM A PURE HEART,” (v. 5b)
a. Clearly, a pure heart is precious to God, ( quote Matt. 5:8 ), “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall....”
1) “Something that is “pure” – has had anything that would defile it or make it impure removed.
2) The purification process is frequently painful.
a) ( Jms. 4:8 ), “Draw near to God & He will draw near to you. – Cleanse your hands you
sinners, and purify your hearts you double-minded.” .
b) Jesus encouraged this, ( Rev. 3:18 ), “I urge you to buy from Me gold refined by fire”

b. Only those whose hearts are pure – can love others the way God desires.
1) This is not easy. – Yet it is possible for those who are willing to do “Whatever It Takes!”
2) ILLUST.: Read “Whatever It Takes.”

3. “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE,” (v. 5c)
a. Our “conscience” is our “inner judge.” – It approves when we have done right & accuses when wrong.
1) ( Rom. 2:15 ), “… conscience bearing witness & their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending..”

b. Our conscience is our “internal judge” – but it is NOT our final Judge!
1) ( Acts 23:1 ), “I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” REALLY
a) See Acts 7:58, b) Acts 26:10, c) Phil. 3:6
2) How is this possible to do what is evil – while having a “good conscience”? – A conscience
can be defiled, ( Titus 1:15 ), “To the pure all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and
unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.”
3) Over the course of time – a defiled conscience can become hardened, ( I Tim. 4:2 ), “…the
hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.”

c. A “good conscience” however, understands the role of God's grace in our salvation:
1) We are saved - not in trying, but by TRUSTING! – ( Eph. 2:8-9 ), “For by grace … not of works”
2) We are saved not by our merit – but by God's MERCY! – ( Titus 3:5 ), “He saved us; not on…”
3) We are saved not by our doing – but by His DYING! – ( Jn. 12:24 ), “Unless a grain of wheat…”
4) Only those who have a “good conscience” – can love others the way God desires!

4. “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and a SINCRE FAITH.”
a. “Sincere” comes from a Latin word, meaning, “without wax.” (Explain: wax used in cheap pottery).
1) The strange doctrines Paul warned Timothy about ( v. 3 ), - referred to the legalistic teachers.
2) These are the ones who, ( v. 7 ), “?...wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not
understand what they are saying – or the matters about which they make confident assertions.”
3) There are three characteristics of the legalist:
a) They take what is accessible – and make it unattainable!
b) They take what is a blessing – and make it a burden!
c) They take what is simple – and make it complex!

b. Those whose faith is sincere – are the ones who can love others the way that God desires!

CONCLUSIONS:

1. Members: What's better than being “the friendliest church?” – Being one that loves others as God desires for them to be loved!

2. Guests: How are you doing? Is your heart pure, your faith sincere, and your conscience good???! – ( I Pt. 3:21 ).