“You Can Bear It” Series #4
"BRAND BEARING!"
TEXT: Gal.
6:12-17; 2 Cor.
11:23-33
INTRO: Americans
are "brand" conscious! When people
are talking about products they have bought recently one of the first questions
that come up are “What brand did
you buy?”
We
have come to identify many products simply by their "brand" names ... and in
some cases even the quality of something by a certain "brand" name! We often judge the level of
sophistication of people by what "brands" they own or
use!
1.
If your car is a “Cadillac” or a “Yugo” it tells others
something.
2.
If you’re wearing a “Wall Mart” special versus an “Olli Cassini” outfit
says something about you!
3.
Do you mow your yard with a “K-Mart” tractor or a “John
Deere?”
4.
Young people are very conscious about the brands of jeans, shirts, shoes
etc. It can make a difference on acceptance or
harassment in some teen circles!
Whether we know it or not we carry a "brand" of
Christianity around ... and the type of brand we carry can make a big difference
in our witness!
Ever
notice how some items have become synonymous with their brand name ... to
“Xerox” means to copy, but it is really just a brand of copiers. Someone may ask you “do you need a
“Kleenex?” -- Meaning a tissue of course; but that is really the brand name of a
tissue. Someone might ask if you
have bought any “Levi’s” lately, but what they really mean is simply jeans.
Or you might be asked if you want
some “Jell-O” -- although that is actually a brand of gelatin. These product brands have become so
associated with the product that they are synonymous with
it!
This
is true with us too ... we are to bear a "brand" ... the brand is "Christianity"
and it is synonymous with Christ!
The world therefore expects a certain quality to our life, a certain
value system if we proclaim ourselves "Christians," etc. Thus we must be careful to not follow the
crowds of this world, but to follow the cross of
Jesus!
PROP.
SENT: The Bible teaches us that we
are to bear the brand of the cross in our lives ... a brand that is recognizable
to the world that we belong to Christ and not this
world!
I. FOLLOWING THE CROWD! Gal.
6:12-13
A.
Conformists
Gal. 6:12
1.
This group of religious leaders was trying to force the new believers to
be circumcised, to conform to accepted religious practices of the day ... all
for one reason, to avoid being persecuted in their new
faith!
a.
They wanted to be Christians but not be radical and change too
much!
b.
They didn't mind being branded a "Christian" but they didn't want to be
rejected or persecuted by their old crowd, and living by faith
alone!
2.
The Judaizers were not prepared to be different from their society, a
society which put great emphasis on
circumcision.
a.
To reject this ritual put yourself at risk in a Jewish society, of being
rejected!
b.
This meant you would suffer financially, socially, and even
relationally.
c.
Most of the trade guilds were Jewish; and those relationships worked
through the Jewish faith.
3.
All this was an attempt to look good outwardly, to conform to accepted
practices.
4.
The goal of these Judaizers was conformity to their culture, not the
cross of Jesus!
a.
They had embraced the cross of Christ ... they were believers, but they
were burdened down with finding acceptance by the world around
them!
b.
It was not “bad” things that they were burdened down with, just
unnecessary things that didn’t truly matter
anymore!
ILLUS: D.L.
moody one time made this point in this
preaching, he showed up on the platform to preach with a huge, heavy knapsack on
his back
...
one which was
so heavy he could hardly move. As
he walked slowly and with difficulty across the platform he asked the
congregation, "Do you think I could preach like Jesus wants me to preach with
this load on my back?" Then he
added, "The things I am carrying around are not what
you might think ... it is not alcohol, tobacco, or a pair of dice, I am carrying
really fine things; precious things to this world and you and me, clothes and
harmless things. Some of you are
trying to serve Christ while you carry a lot weights on your back. Jesus said you must be different,
'separated' from the world. You
must leave some otherwise harmless things beyond!" In our passions to be like the world, we
may succeed so much that we are laden down with heavy weights that affect our
identification with Christ and the cross!
This is more likely the case with Christians than outright sins! We identify with Christ, and yet try and
please the world to escape persecution! –
Source Unknown
5.
What happens when a product doesn’t match up to its name brand
identity?
a.
It is usually recalled or
replaced!
b.
Every company is sensitive about putting out a product that doesn't live
up to its name!
c.
These brand name companies have only one desire ... to make sure their
product measures up to their reputation, not that of someone's
reputation!
ILLUS: Some
years ago, a Buddhist who had made a very careful study of Christianity, and
particularly of Christ, said to a Christian regarding his findings: "your Christ is wonderful, oh, so
wonderful; but you Christians, you are not like Him!" Whose brand do we carry?? – Source
Unknown
6.
How many of us today sacrifice our witness by conforming to world
standards so as not to appear too weird or
strange?
a.
If a brand has enough faulty products on the market, the name brand will
eventually be used for ridicule!
b.
Years ago in the 1960's products from Japan were ridiculed because of
their cheap quality ... Japan mass produced everything so quickly to break into
world markets that quality was often lacking, it became a negative statement to
refer to something as "made in Japan"
... the brand of the country became a ridiculed device because of its
association with cheap products!
(By the way, Japan recognized this
and changed dramatically to improve quality on their electronics and cars, etc.
... today the idea of something electronic made in Japan is taken in a very
positive way!)
c.
Has this happened to modern day Christianity ... have we conformed to the
world so much that Christianity is ridiculed
today?
d.
Are there churches and Christians so much like the world that you can't
tell the difference?
B.
Carnality
Gal. 6:13
1.
Paul now mentions the fact that those who are trying to make them conform
to the Jewish laws to avoid persecution themselves don't even obey those same
laws!
a.
The Judaizers were playing a common game, the "numbers
game!"
b.
If they could add up all the converts they had circumcised they could
brag and prove how effective they were!
c.
They avoided however the fact that they themselves didn't obey the same
law that circumcision brought others
under!
2.
They were more concerned about appearing to be accomplishing something,
without having to examine the heart
issues!
a.
It is not difficult to make someone learn how to appear as a
Christian outwardly!
b.
But getting others to be "like
Christ" is another story!
3.
Since circumcision was widely regarded in Jewish society as an important
thing, the more believers they could get to be circumcised the more successful
these men would appear to the Jewish society around them ... though breaking the
laws of Moses was a common experience among them
all!
a.
Remember, these Judaizers were Jewish men who became believers ... but
wanted to keep their old ways intact!
b.
This marriage of rituals with righteousness just didn’t
work well! (It never
does!)
4.
We don't need to please the world, but we do need to please the
Lord!
5.
It is
not enough to talk about the cross and believe in it, we must practice the cross
of Jesus every day in our society ... ultimately our actions will speak louder
than our words!
ILLUS: Major
Osipovich was an air force pilot for the former USSR. He was scheduled to give a talk at his
children's school about peace, a subject dear to his heart for the future of the
world. In order to give this talk
during the day however, he had to request a switch from day duty to night
duty. This was approved and he
found himself on September 1, 1983 flying the skies over the eastern ridge of
the Soviet Union ... the night a Korean Air Lines flight numbered KE007 strayed
into soviet air space. Through a
number of mistakes and poor judgment, he followed orders to shoot down the plane
sending 240 passengers to their deaths and creating an international incident
that pushed world powers to a stand-off in hostility! Though
he was scheduled the next day to
talk
on
peace, his actions diminished his vision and talk! –
Source Unknown
II. FOLLOWING THE CROSS Gal. 6:14-11; 2 Cor.
11:23-33
A. Commitment
Gal. 6-14-16
1.
The focus of a Christian’s life is that of the
cross:
a.
Meaning death of
self!
b.
Meaning
humility!
c.
Meaning forgiving
others!
d.
Meaning a priority of God's ways
over man's ways.
e.
Meaning sacrificing our will for
God's will on earth, as it is in
heaven!
2.
Christianity without the cross is a contradiction in
terms!
3.
Paul would boast about nothing and in nothing except the cross of Jesus
Christ!
a.
It wasn't how many followers Paul could
make that counted; it was how many followers Christ could make that
counted!
b.
Paul took no personal glory in accomplishments the world might have
praised him for ... only those things which directly pointed to the cross of
Jesus gave him satisfaction!
4.
Circumcision was nothing to Paul ... it was neither good nor bad on its
own, and to him it did not matter, but the cross of Jesus
did!
a.
For instance: Paul refused
to have Titus circumcised because of pressure from ungodly leaders to conform to
the world standards!
b.
Yet Paul had Timothy circumcised to avoid this issue as they traveled on
his missions trips ... not to conform to the world, but to avoid this as an
issue period.
c.
The Judaizers were clearly forcing this issue of conforming to soften
their own lives from cultural opposition ... clearly stated in verse Gal. 6:12!
5.
Paul's commitment was to the cross ... circumcision either way was
meaningless!
6.
Our commitment to the cross of Jesus must be absolute if we are to avoid
conforming to this world!
ILLUS: A house
church in the city under the old Soviet empire had been given a single copy of
the gospel of Luke. Since it was
rare to get the Word of God in their language, they took this copy and tore it
apart by pages, giving several pages out to different ones. The plan was to have each memorize their
parts, then trade, and eventually know the whole gospel by heart. On Sundays they would arrive in small
numbers scattered over several hours so as not to draw attention to their
gathering ... then when everyone was there they would quietly sing, pray, and
preach. One Sunday as they sang,
the door was pushed opened and in walked two soldiers with automatic weapons at
the ready. One shouted, “all right,
everybody line up against the wall.
If you wish to renounce your commitment to Jesus Christ leave now!” 2 or 3 people slipped out quietly. A few more reluctantly left a few
seconds later. Then shouting at
them again a soldier said,
"this is your last chance, either turn against your faith in Christ, or stay and
suffer the consequences!” Another
left, and finally in embarrassed silence, 2 more left covering their faces with
shame. No one else moved! Parents with small children trembling
besides them looked down on their children as if to comfort them ... they fully
expected to be shot or imprisoned.
After a few moments of silence, the other soldier closed the door and
said “keep your hands up … but this time in praise to our lord Jesus Christ my
brothers and sisters!" We too are
Christians, we had been sent a couple of weeks ago to another house church to
arrest the Christians, but instead we were converted. We have learned by experience however,
that unless people are willing to die for their faith, they cannot be fully
trusted!” This is why they came in
as they did! Would we have
stayed? –
Source Unknown
7. Notice Paul stating "peace and
mercy" to the ISRAEL
OF GOD! Gal.
6:16
a.
A clear cut reference that the
uncircumcised Gentiles were just as much a part of Israel as the circumcised
Jews!
b. This was a clear cut put down
to these Judaizers that wanted to make circumcision a "must" for all believers along with faith in
Christ!
8.
Paul recognized that it was only the cross of Christ that matters for
salvation!
a. As he said in Gal. 6:15b, "what counts is a new
creation!"
b. Following the cross is all
that counts in the end!
9.
The formula of "peace and mercy" can only be experienced by
those who are committed to the cross and not conformity to
codes!
B.
Cost! Gal. 6:17; 2 Cor.
11:23-33
1.
"Finally," Paul says, "let no one-cause
me trouble!" ... in other words, "don't give me
a hard time or give anyone else a hard time trying to force us to conform to
what you want!"
a.
Paul would not put up with those who will impose their own ideas of
spirituality on others ... usually these codes were done with arrogant pride and
self-righteousness.
b.
Paul had no time for those in the body of Christ who feel the need to
push others into their own concepts of what it means to be
spiritual!
c.
Paul had spent too much time preaching the cross to deal with those who
would add their own agendas to being a
Christian!
d.
Paul was only interested in having believers conform to one thing; the cross of Jesus! And a cross meant death of self; death
of "my way."
2.
And he had proof to this demand, he himself had the marks in his own body
of just such a commitment!
a.
Unlike these Judaizers that wanted to be careful not to suffer
persecution, Paul had proof of his commitment to the cross ... all over his
body, he suffered persecution!
b.
Paul would accept rejection and persecution if it meant being faithful to
the cross of Christ!
3.
Notice Paul's list of "marks" upon his body in 2 Cor. 11:23-33 (read about his being flogged, exposed,
beaten, and imprisoned, etc.)
a.
Paul was circumcised ... yet he suffered! He suffered not because of circumcision,
but because of faith in Christ!
b.
Paul bore the brands of true faith!
c.
the word “brand” or “marks” here in Greek was “stigma” … he was a marked man to the world …
proof of his ownership by Christ was the wounds he bore! He wore the "stigma" of being a true follower of
Christ!
d.
These marks were like “brands” on cattle, it proved who owned
them!
e.
Persecution is the hallmark of being a
Christian!
(1.
The world will not be happy with real
Christianity!
(2.
We have a message of "sin and
righteousness!"
(3.
This doesn't always fit the politically correct environment we are living
in today ... when nothing is supposed to be a sin
anymore!
(4.
We may have to bear the mark of being a Christian
today!
4.
A Christian can take anything the world can dish out ... if our
commitment is uncompromising!
a.
We may bear the marks from the process; brokenness, rejection, pain,
etc.
b.
But we must not give in or
conform!!!
c.
The world can be moved by a true commitment to Christ, they are not moved
by watered down Christians, or legalistic ones! Some Christians worry more about
someone's drinking alcohol than they do about their own gossiping, anger,
etc.
ILLUS: Franklin
Graham (Billy Graham's son) went to Rwanda with his organization called
"Samaritan's Purse" to offer practical help during the crisis there. The shock of the horrible conditions
there were amazing! He and several
others noticed a seven or eight year old girl rocking back and forth singing
softly while she hugged a blanket!
She was singing in French and so they didn't know what she was
singing. This little girl had
watched her entire family get hacked to death by machetes, she alone lived, now
alone rocking back and forth singing something. She just kept singing the same thing
over and over again! Finally, he
found a rebel soldier nearby smoking a cigarette and so he asked him what the
little girl was singing. He
listened to her for a little bit and responded, "I don't know ... something
about Jesus." They asked him again
to listen for everything. Leaning
over he listened and then said, "She's singing something like, “Jesus loves me,
this I know ...” over and over again!"
This little girl, who knew Jesus, now bore the marks of her faith ... but
her faith remained nonetheless ... could we say the same? – Source
Unknown
5. The cost is
there:
a.
Conforming to the world now will take the pressure off here and now, but
will leave you poor later!
b.
Commitment to the cross now will create pressure today, but will leave
you with joy later!
6. What tattoo are you
wearing? Do you have the brand of
Christianity clearly visible to others?
ILLUS: When
I (Dennis Marquardt) was a youth
pastor in the Washington DC area I filled 8 glasses with all different brands of
dark cola ... only one cup had the real Coke Cola in it, the other colas were
all odd brands. They all looked the
same and fizzed the same. They were
unmarked glasses and I asked several teens to come up and sip them and tell me
which one was the "real coke cola" ... every teen figured it out and got the
right answer by simply tasting them.
They knew what the "real thing" was when they tasted it -- in spite of
all the colas looking and fizzing alike.
This is true with Christians in this world too ... we might not outwardly
look very different, but this culture will know the real thing when they taste
our brand of Christianity!
-- Dennis Marquardt
CONCLUSION: Brands identify ownership! We live in a society that is very "brand" conscious. When the world looks at us, what do they see ... what "brand" of faith? Do they identify us simply as "religious" or as a certain denominations, or of a certain political persuasion ... or are we "branded" as "CHRISTLIKE!" Do we "bear" in our bodies the marks of the cross of Jesus ... which includes sacrifices and service!?