Pastor Pat Edwards 7/16/2006
Grace Baptist Church in Bountiful, Utah

Recently I was surprised by an impromptu poll I did with the deacons. If I had observed them carefully I wouldn’t have been surprised but I let my pastoral concern blind me temporarily. The question I asked them was, "When you leave the church after being involved in ministry do you feel energized or drained." I asked them that because they are among the most active members of the congregation and I was concerned about the work load they carry. Without a single exception every one of them responded that they feel energized by their service. I was, of course, grateful for their response and realized at the same time that their attitude was demonstrated in their behavior. In other words, they were generally upbeat, good natured and helpful. If I had been watching closely I wouldn’t have had to ask the question.

But that’s not always the case is it? Sometimes people involved in ministry do lose heart and energy. Sometimes they’re honest about it and sometimes they try to hide it or they act fine with the church body but in a small group or with friends they vent their frustrations and bitterness. We know then that what they do is not ultimately for the Lord because his approval isn’t enough - they want the approval of other people or they resent the fact others aren’t "doing enough."

This is a missions message although up to this point it may not sound like it. But trust me, it is because the spirit in which we serve usually determines whether what we share is really good news or not.

11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

A summary of these verses tells us: The Good News - our Old English word "gospel" - is available to all. It says "anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Next we are told that is because there is no difference between people, we’re all the same. The Jews believed the greatest difference possible between people was religious - not gender, racial, economic, educational, social or any of the other distinctions people often make. So when the scripture says there is no difference between Jew and Gentile that statement destroyed what many perceived to be the greatest barrier between peoples.

The Lord blesses all who call on him and saves everyone who does call on him for salvation. But people can’t - or won’t - call if they don’t believe. And people can’t believe unless they’ve heard the Good News. And they can’t hear the Good News unless someone tells them. And someone can’t tell them if he or she isn’t sent to do that. That’s why the Apostle Paul concludes, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Today I want to ask if your feet are beautiful. My feet are really ugly. Because of polio and various surgeries one foot is two and half sizes larger than the other one. The short one has a high arch and the big toe’s joint has been frozen so it won’t bend. The longer foot is totally flat, has a floppy big toe that I can’t control and the ankle collapses inward. My wife on the other hand has gorgeous feet, perfectly proportioned with wonderful skin tone and color. But hopefully you all know that the apostle is not talking about the physical characteristics of your feet or my feet. Instead he’s declaring that feet that carry good news to those who have never heard are beautiful despite callouses, bunions, athlete’s foot or ingrown toenails.

I want to talk more about these spiritual feet but before I do I want to reflect on the good news that’s being carried by them. What is the good news? I think too often we only share half the message. It is more than forgiveness of sin and a future in heaven; it’s being born again right now into a new way of living right now because of a relationship with Jesus right now.

Why do I think we’re only sharing half the message most of the time? Because of the people that are being produced by that message. The rate of divorce and sexual promiscuity among people who claim to be evangelical Christians is the same as the national average. Obesity, materialism, pornography all appear to be rampant among Christ’s followers and of course the list is much longer than that in case I missed your particular sin. Without going into any more detail, simple observation and detailed surveys indicate many who claim to follow Jesus, who are supposed to be carriers of "the good news of being born again right now into a new way of living right now because of a relationship with Jesus right now" don’t experience the good news they’re trying to share with others.

Once we profess faith in Jesus - who he is and all that he did - the Bible tells us there is evidence we’ve been born again. One evidence is fruit, specifically the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5.22-25: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Those who belong to Jesus, who have trusted in him have crucified the passions and desires of the sinful nature. Instead of those passions and desires we experience the fruit of the Holy Spirit living in us. But the fruit is more than evidence - it’s also blessing. At least anyone who has discovered joy or peace or self-control or any of the other fruits knows what a blessing it is to live that way.

We aren’t going to examine all the fruits today but I want to focus on the first two, love and joy. And now I’m talking specifically to the ten of us who will be serving in Rwanda. As we go let’s make sure our lives are living proof of the good news. Make sure that those children we’ll be providing a vacation Bible school for see the reality of the good news in your lives. It seems appropriate our lessons will focus on 1 Corinthians - the love chapter. And as we go I ask us to remember Jesus’ words in John 15.9-14. 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.

These verses talk about those first two fruits, love and joy. The truth of God’s love experienced in Jesus brings joy. That’s the equation many followers of Jesus miss. We get so focused on head knowledge, on debating issues like how the gifts of the Spirit work or how the final days will unfold or what political party we should belong to that we have little time for sacrificial service like Jesus rendered to us. We think that in order to grow we need to add a third Bible study to our schedule rather than loving service to others. And we don’t have or radiate the joy Jesus wants to give us from his own personal supply. You’ve heard me say this before but let me repeat it. This week ask people you know what they think of when you say the words, "evangelical Christian." See if they say words like "servant, loving, joyful, kind?" Or do they use terms like "right-wing, judgmental, Republican, anti-abortion, gay rights?" Are we known for our love, our service, our joy or for our political positions and voting record? Now you personally may demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit but do you make sure people know Jesus gave them to you? And do you wait for them to comment on these qualities or do you make claims that they might not see evidence of?

Joy is not something you can fake or get from a box or a can. Love is not something you can legislate. Those of us who are preparing to go to Rwanda and those of you who remain behind need to beg God to do the work necessary to bring those fruits forth in your life. You don’t beg because God is resistant but because he needs to know you desire a life like his more than anything else this life offers. Unfortunately many who claim to follow Jesus don’t really hunger for a Christlike life so the good news they bring isn’t all that good and their feet really need a good washing to get rid of the worldliness that clings to them and causes them to stink.

So let me summarize what I’ve been trying to say. The behavior and attitudes we demonstrate to these children will testify to the truth of the good news we declare. But this doesn’t mean we’re perfect - far from it. For we will fail at times since the sin nature still has influence in our lives. But how we respond to our sins and human weaknesses is also a testimony of the good news. The fruits of the Spirit are often most visible in the midst of problems. Do you apologize after getting cranky because you’re tired and uncomfortable in a hot, humid climate? Do you humbly admit when you’re wrong and ask for forgiveness? Do you listen to one another and take directions graciously? Your response to sin and weakness demonstrates the value of the good news to people struggling with the same issues in their lives.

Jesus came to forgive sin but his reason for doing so was that we could be restored to fellowship with him and a godly life. The good news is not as much about getting rid of sin as living life with the Lord. The concluding verse of the last passage I quoted reports Jesus declaring, 14You are my friends if you do what I command." To live with Jesus we have to live like Jesus. That is the good news and I pray during our time of service to the children and others who cross our path we will have the most beautiful feet in the kingdom. And we can have that if when times get tough, we bow our heads and look at our feet.