sermon 2009/2/22

DATE: 2009/2/22
SCRIPTURE READING: Hebrews 10:32-39
SERMON: Be a Man of Integrity
讲道题目: 做个有诚信的人
A man of integrity is one who is true to himself; to his God; and to his fellow men. He prays like the Psalmist did, “let the Lord judge the peoples. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.”(Psalm 7:8)
Integrity is a searching word. It probes us at every level of our personal, social, and religious life. The high summons of God is that we become truly integrated personalities.
I. A man of integrity is emotionally true to himself. Emotional integrity is an imperative. Parents and teachers alike have been too little concerned about this aspect of life. The disciplines of home and school have been aimed to promote social behavior but have neglected the emotions which determine behavior. Children have been taught how to think but not how to feel. As a result the emotional life of an individual is in anarchy. Love and hate, fear and confidence, desire and aversion are in perpetual conflict. Only a man of integrity can acknowledge the true feelings to himself.
II. A man of integrity is intellectually true to God. Intellectual integrity is too often neglected if not scorned. We use our minds to discover the facts which please us and ignore those which disturb our complacency. We put interpretations on our experiences which inflate our spiritual pride but which are not justified by critical intelligence. We do not set our wits to work on a problem at all, trusting God to guide us. We fail to realize that God has never offered to be a guide to lazy minds. Loving God with all our minds means using our minds to discover truth. Unless we love truth we do not love God, for God is truth. Unless we accept our responsibility to learn his truth for ourselves and to receive truth from whatever source we do not love God, for all truth is God’s truth. Frightened obscurantism and blind faith are not integrity but the absence of it.
III. A man of integrity is morally true to others. Moral integrity is often less realized though perhaps more appreciated. We are all sinners. Some find it difficult to admit that. The Pharisee is still among us: “God I thank thee that I am not as other men.” However others of us are ready to confess moral failure. That confession is both intelligent and honest. But it also means that we have not achieved integrity; a part of us condemns what another part of us indulge, and that is a wretched state of soul. No one is as miserable as the man who must point an accusing finger at himself. No scorn wounds like self-scorn. No accusation slays like self-accusation. Abraham Lincoln knew the transcendent importance of moral integrity: “I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me.” When one is his own friend, when one can be at home with himself, all of him, then one knows the true meaning of integrity. Then one can be a friend both to God and to men.

A man of integrity is a man who is sincere and trustworthy. He knows what he is doing. When he starts a job he will not leave it undone until it is completely finished. A Christian is a man who by the grace of his saviour Jesus Christ does the will of God until his life purpose is accomplished. In Hebrews 10:36, it says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” The mission of a Christian is to accomplish the will of God. This is the way to heaven, the fulfilment of the covenant and the assurance of blessedness. Such undertaking is not easy because selfish desire always gets in the way. Pride and self centeredness may not seem to be obvious sins. But when we recognize they are derived from the flesh, we know they are in conflict with the will of God. Do we listen to the voice of our earthly nature or do we listen to the voice of the Divine will? This is a stern and hard spiritual war we have to fight everyday. If we don’t stand up against the foe, we will never be able to advance in our spiritual pilgrimage.
The foremost important procedure is to recognize that God’s way is the best way. God’s will is the best will. Even though sometimes our way seems to prevail over God’s way, yet eventually we reap failure and disaster. The outcome produces nothing for us in this life. Not to mention in the life after. So lets not pray for our own will be done. Pray for God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Why wouldn’t we pray for God’s will be done? The reason is not because we don’t know His will. It is because we don’t want His will be done. We do not want to surrender our will under God’s will. It is time we should ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for us and grant us that willingness. In Romans 8:27, it says, “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” If we surrender our will to Jesus, then he would, “equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him.” (Hebrews 13:21)
A man of integrity will see to it that God’s will be done. He will not rest until he finishes his job. “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.” (Acts 13:36)
Amen.
Sermon Synopsis:
A man of integrity is one who is true to himself; to his God; and to his fellow men.
I. A man of integrity is emotionally true to himself.
II. A man of integrity is intellectually true to God.
III. A man of integrity is morally true to others.
A man of integrity is a man who is sincere and trustworthy. He knows what he is doing. When he starts a job he will not leave it undone until it is completely finished. A Christian is a man who by the grace of his savior Jesus Christ does the will of God until his life purpose is accomplished.

讲道大纲
一个有诚信的人是一个对自己，对神，对别人，都绝对真诚的人。
（一）一个有诚信的人能够在情感上面对自己。
（二）一个有诚信的人能够在理智上面对上帝。
（三）一个有诚信的人能够在道德上面对别人。
一个有诚信的人是一个忠实可靠的人。他知道自己在做什么。他开始了一件工作，一定把它做完才会离开。一个基督徒就是靠着救主耶稣基督的恩典，贯撤始终，完成上帝在他生命中要完成之旨意的人。

Pastoral Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. Help us to direct all our living—what we think, say, and do—so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised.
Your kingdom come. Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to you. Keep your church strong, and add to it. Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force that revolts against you and every conspiracy against your Word. Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it you are all in all.
Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Help us and all people to reject our own wills and to obey your will without any back talk. Your will alone is good. Help us one and all to carry out the work we are called to, as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven.
Let us pray for those who suffer from illness, Elderly Sister Wu Huang Mei Jin, Elderly Sister Zhu Ying, the family of Brother Pan Wen. People who suffer from the pain of memory, from torture, from victimization, especially those hurt by the church or its members…
Let us pray for those who are hungry, or homeless, or poor, and for those who are unemployed, like people in the oil industry in Alberta, people in the auto industry in the US, or people who are exploited…
Let us pray for the coming of justice in the world, assured by the recent visit of the US President Barack Obama, that USA and Canada will continue to lead the world in freedom and democracy, we offer what we have, and receive what we need of the earth’s beauty…
Let us pray for peace that is a just reconciliation, in the Middle East, in Afghanistan, in Iraq etc.,
Let us pray for the earth on which we walk and to which we will one day return…
God our creator, you made all things in your wisdom, and in your love you save us. We pray for the whole creation. Overthrow evil powers, right what is wrong, feed and satisfy those who thirst for justice, so that all your children may freely enjoy the earth you have made and joyfully sing your praises.
Now teach us how to pray by reciting the Lord’s prayer…