The thing I hate about sharing from a stage, is if you’re anything like me, when I’m sitting in the congregation, I expect the person bringing the message to know what they’re talking about and be living it out in their lives. But what you’re about to find out is that I am a fellow struggler, a man in need of God’s grace as much as anyone.
If you know anything about me, you know I’m not much of a sports fan. I stopped playing little league in the first or second grade, and I understand very little about baseball, basketball, or football. But in the course of doing my job, sometimes I have to pretend as if I am interested. I will never forget one Arkansas game last season when the ump made a call that Coach Dave Van Horn didn’t agree with. He came out of that dug out with a look of seething rage and he got up in that umpire’s face and was eventually thrown out of the game. I was shocked by his reaction and lack of sportsmanship. I was stunned by his obvious lack of self control. I remember nothing of the highlights from that game. I couldn’t tell you if Arkansas won or lost. But I do remember the coach’s reaction. I know nothing about Coach Van Horn. He may be one of the greatest guy’s on the planet, he may love his family more than anything, he could be a Christian. But what I do know is that what happened that day just a few minutes out on that field shaped who I believe him to be. Kind of scary, huh?
In Acts chapter 16 Paul is on his second missionary journey and he has brought Silas along with him as his traveling companion and helper. At this time they’ve traveled to Philippi where they’re spending several days with the believers there. One day as they’re going down to the place of prayer a demon-possessed slave girl begins to follow them shouting that they “are servants of the Most High God and they have come to tell you how to be saved”. And this goes on day after day until Paul just can’t it anymore and he commands the demon to come out of her. Now, this of course doesn’t sit well with her masters who see her as their meal ticket. So, they dragged them before the judges and accused them of treason against Rome. Here’s what happened next:
23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw all the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
The thing I take away from Paul and Silas’ jailhouse rock experience is this: all eyes and ears are on you. Look carefully, read it slowly, or you’ll miss it. Verse 25 says “…and the other prisoners were listening.” All eyes and ears were on them. The other prisoners were watching and listening to see how Paul and Silas were handling this. How were they reacting to being thrown into prison unfairly? The Bible says, “They were praying and singing hymns to God.” Now, I don’t know about you, but if I’m in prison I’m probably going to be more concerned with my one phone call. I’m going to want everyone to know about the great injustice that has been done. My first thought isn’t that I’m going to praise God and seek Him. But should it be? Look at what happens…a mighty earthquake causes the prison doors to fly open and the prisoners’ chains to fall off. Because of what the jailer saw and experienced by watching and listening to these two men, he and his entire household were saved. That’s what the Bible says. This man’s reaction to how Paul and Silas dealt with a difficult situation was to ask, ‘What must I do to be saved?’
The small group that I am a part of at my church recently read a book by John Piper entitled, Don’t Waste Your Life. Piper quotes 1 Peter 3:15 which reads, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.’ He then asks: Why don’t people ask us about our hope? Why don’t people ask us about our hope? Piper gives the obvious answer…probably because we look as if we hope in the same things they do. We act and react just like them, and they are
looking and listening. All eyes and ears are on you…all eyes and ears are on me. We have a responsibility as believers, and I think if we look the same, we have only ourselves to blame.
My friend Mark’s little boy is 18 months old. I don’t really understand why he won’t just say Mason is a year-and-a-half, but apparently you go by months until you’re two. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll understand when I have kids, but anyway he was telling me that a few weeks ago he was changing Mason’s clothes for bed. They were in the living room, and when Mark had gotten him into his p.j.’s, he handed him his clothes and said, ‘Mason go put your dirty clothes in the hamper.’ Now, up until that night Mark had just always gone and put Mason’s clothes in the hamper as he went to put him down for the night. He had never said anything to him, never tried to teach him, to get him to grasp the concept. Truth be told, I think he was way more concerned about him ‘getting’ the potty than picking up his dirty clothes. But Mason took the clothes in his hand and went to put them in the hamper. How did he know? He knew because he had watched what his dad had done with the dirty laundry. He had seen Mark take his clothes night after night after night and deposit them in the same container, the same way, every day. I don’t think Mason even knew what the hamper was. He just knew what to do because he had been watching his dad. Mason’s eyes and ears were on Mark.
Here’s why this is important to me: because this is the single greatest conviction in my life right now. It may or may not surprise you, but I can go from ZERO to ANGRY in less than 60 seconds. There are times when the smile that you see staring back at you from the TV isn’t authentic. It’s about as fake as Shake N’ Bake is real home cooking. As quick as I was to judge, I can relate to Coach Van Horn. The newsroom is my baseball field. There are two things that make me really angry. When I’ve put a lot of time and effort into something and it goes wrong or when something happens that makes me look stupid. Inevitably, one of the two happens frequently at my job. Not long ago we were in the middle of the show and something went wrong. I don’t even remember what it was. When the camera switched off of me, you could read my reaction on my face. I didn’t even try to hide how I felt about what had just happened. The producer came in my ear said something like, “Wow! The wrath of Jared.” Not long after that, I got the director’s attention so I could give him the heads up that I was changing something; a simple courtesy. But he responded with, ‘Who are you?’ I laughed it off as a joke, as if I didn’t know what he meant. But, I knew.
For me it’s anger…maybe for you it’s gossip. Sometimes I think word spreads more quickly in the church than it does in the world. Perhaps some struggle with living faith out in their lives during a difficult time. Whatever it is for you, they all ruin His reputation in the world. What we do will never change who God is. Our actions will never have an impact on His holiness. But what we do and say does have an impact on how people see and perceive who He is. That is our responsibility, and more often than not we take it too lightly.
Sometimes we forget that ‘the other prisoners are listening.’ They are listening, hoping to hear about freedom from their struggles. They know we claim to have been saved, yet instead of seeing us living as if we are set free, they see us wearing the very same chains in the very same way.
I think the hardest thing for me to admit is that we cannot do this on our own. I’ve tried. Paul said ‘What I don’t want to do, I do…What I do want to do, I don’t do.’ Apart from God there is no good in us.
If I wanted to grow grapes on my own, all alone I couldn’t. Only a grape vine can produce the fruit that I desire. It’s the same with the Holy Spirit. If we want to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control, then we have to be connected to The Vine. Jesus says, ‘I am the Vine and you are the branches.’ What happens to the branch that is not connected to the vine? It withers up and dies. The fruit rots.
A grape vine will only produce grapes. It will not produce tomatoes or squash. It is incapable of producing anything else. In the same way, the Vine that is Christ will only produce the fruit of His Spirit in our lives. He will not produce anything else. If we are connected to Him, we will produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Several months ago I was up at the church and just happened to be sitting in on a conversation that turned to something that had happened out on the golf course over the weekend. Our senior and executive pastors are huge fans. I’m really glad that I was there that day because I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have heard the story, and I know that I wouldn’t have heard it told this way. Ed, the senior pastor was telling about how he and the guy he was playing golf with were out on the course playing one of the holes when all of a sudden this golf cart comes flying over the hill, screeches to a halt in front of them, and an angry guy jumps out screaming, cursing, and threatening them. From what they could gather, a stray golf ball had hit his wife, and he was ready to hit someone. Ed said the situation escalated to the point that the guy was so mad that he actually took a swing at him. Of course, everyone on staff asked the obvious question, did you swing back? Now at this point it would appear as if he would be justified. Whatever happened, even if it was their ball to begin with was an accident. But Ed said, “No, I just put my hand out to stop him.” Ed said that he was reminded of he was and kept thinking that if this man’s wife was hurt they needed to make sure that she was okay. He said, I thought, ‘What is it in this man’s life that’s causing him to react this way?’ Clearly, it came across Ed’s mind that he’s the pastor of one of the largest churches in the city and that whatever happened out on that golf course wasn’t going to stay out on that golf course. But I think when Ed said that he remembered who he was, I think he also meant he remembered WHO’s he was. He was reminded that he is a Christ follower, and that other people were watching and listening to see what he was going to do.
We were once prisoners, enslaved to sin, but thanks be to God he broke the chains we were in. So I challenge you this week to live as if all eyes and ears are on you…because they are. The world is watching and listening. Will they see and hear Christ, or will they see and hear you?
If you know anything about me, you know I’m not much of a sports fan. I stopped playing little league in the first or second grade, and I understand very little about baseball, basketball, or football. But in the course of doing my job, sometimes I have to pretend as if I am interested. I will never forget one Arkansas game last season when the ump made a call that Coach Dave Van Horn didn’t agree with. He came out of that dug out with a look of seething rage and he got up in that umpire’s face and was eventually thrown out of the game. I was shocked by his reaction and lack of sportsmanship. I was stunned by his obvious lack of self control. I remember nothing of the highlights from that game. I couldn’t tell you if Arkansas won or lost. But I do remember the coach’s reaction. I know nothing about Coach Van Horn. He may be one of the greatest guy’s on the planet, he may love his family more than anything, he could be a Christian. But what I do know is that what happened that day just a few minutes out on that field shaped who I believe him to be. Kind of scary, huh?
In Acts chapter 16 Paul is on his second missionary journey and he has brought Silas along with him as his traveling companion and helper. At this time they’ve traveled to Philippi where they’re spending several days with the believers there. One day as they’re going down to the place of prayer a demon-possessed slave girl begins to follow them shouting that they “are servants of the Most High God and they have come to tell you how to be saved”. And this goes on day after day until Paul just can’t it anymore and he commands the demon to come out of her. Now, this of course doesn’t sit well with her masters who see her as their meal ticket. So, they dragged them before the judges and accused them of treason against Rome. Here’s what happened next:
23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw all the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
The thing I take away from Paul and Silas’ jailhouse rock experience is this: all eyes and ears are on you. Look carefully, read it slowly, or you’ll miss it. Verse 25 says “…and the other prisoners were listening.” All eyes and ears were on them. The other prisoners were watching and listening to see how Paul and Silas were handling this. How were they reacting to being thrown into prison unfairly? The Bible says, “They were praying and singing hymns to God.” Now, I don’t know about you, but if I’m in prison I’m probably going to be more concerned with my one phone call. I’m going to want everyone to know about the great injustice that has been done. My first thought isn’t that I’m going to praise God and seek Him. But should it be? Look at what happens…a mighty earthquake causes the prison doors to fly open and the prisoners’ chains to fall off. Because of what the jailer saw and experienced by watching and listening to these two men, he and his entire household were saved. That’s what the Bible says. This man’s reaction to how Paul and Silas dealt with a difficult situation was to ask, ‘What must I do to be saved?’
The small group that I am a part of at my church recently read a book by John Piper entitled, Don’t Waste Your Life. Piper quotes 1 Peter 3:15 which reads, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.’ He then asks: Why don’t people ask us about our hope? Why don’t people ask us about our hope? Piper gives the obvious answer…probably because we look as if we hope in the same things they do. We act and react just like them, and they are
looking and listening. All eyes and ears are on you…all eyes and ears are on me. We have a responsibility as believers, and I think if we look the same, we have only ourselves to blame.
My friend Mark’s little boy is 18 months old. I don’t really understand why he won’t just say Mason is a year-and-a-half, but apparently you go by months until you’re two. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll understand when I have kids, but anyway he was telling me that a few weeks ago he was changing Mason’s clothes for bed. They were in the living room, and when Mark had gotten him into his p.j.’s, he handed him his clothes and said, ‘Mason go put your dirty clothes in the hamper.’ Now, up until that night Mark had just always gone and put Mason’s clothes in the hamper as he went to put him down for the night. He had never said anything to him, never tried to teach him, to get him to grasp the concept. Truth be told, I think he was way more concerned about him ‘getting’ the potty than picking up his dirty clothes. But Mason took the clothes in his hand and went to put them in the hamper. How did he know? He knew because he had watched what his dad had done with the dirty laundry. He had seen Mark take his clothes night after night after night and deposit them in the same container, the same way, every day. I don’t think Mason even knew what the hamper was. He just knew what to do because he had been watching his dad. Mason’s eyes and ears were on Mark.
Here’s why this is important to me: because this is the single greatest conviction in my life right now. It may or may not surprise you, but I can go from ZERO to ANGRY in less than 60 seconds. There are times when the smile that you see staring back at you from the TV isn’t authentic. It’s about as fake as Shake N’ Bake is real home cooking. As quick as I was to judge, I can relate to Coach Van Horn. The newsroom is my baseball field. There are two things that make me really angry. When I’ve put a lot of time and effort into something and it goes wrong or when something happens that makes me look stupid. Inevitably, one of the two happens frequently at my job. Not long ago we were in the middle of the show and something went wrong. I don’t even remember what it was. When the camera switched off of me, you could read my reaction on my face. I didn’t even try to hide how I felt about what had just happened. The producer came in my ear said something like, “Wow! The wrath of Jared.” Not long after that, I got the director’s attention so I could give him the heads up that I was changing something; a simple courtesy. But he responded with, ‘Who are you?’ I laughed it off as a joke, as if I didn’t know what he meant. But, I knew.
For me it’s anger…maybe for you it’s gossip. Sometimes I think word spreads more quickly in the church than it does in the world. Perhaps some struggle with living faith out in their lives during a difficult time. Whatever it is for you, they all ruin His reputation in the world. What we do will never change who God is. Our actions will never have an impact on His holiness. But what we do and say does have an impact on how people see and perceive who He is. That is our responsibility, and more often than not we take it too lightly.
Sometimes we forget that ‘the other prisoners are listening.’ They are listening, hoping to hear about freedom from their struggles. They know we claim to have been saved, yet instead of seeing us living as if we are set free, they see us wearing the very same chains in the very same way.
I think the hardest thing for me to admit is that we cannot do this on our own. I’ve tried. Paul said ‘What I don’t want to do, I do…What I do want to do, I don’t do.’ Apart from God there is no good in us.
If I wanted to grow grapes on my own, all alone I couldn’t. Only a grape vine can produce the fruit that I desire. It’s the same with the Holy Spirit. If we want to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control, then we have to be connected to The Vine. Jesus says, ‘I am the Vine and you are the branches.’ What happens to the branch that is not connected to the vine? It withers up and dies. The fruit rots.
A grape vine will only produce grapes. It will not produce tomatoes or squash. It is incapable of producing anything else. In the same way, the Vine that is Christ will only produce the fruit of His Spirit in our lives. He will not produce anything else. If we are connected to Him, we will produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Several months ago I was up at the church and just happened to be sitting in on a conversation that turned to something that had happened out on the golf course over the weekend. Our senior and executive pastors are huge fans. I’m really glad that I was there that day because I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have heard the story, and I know that I wouldn’t have heard it told this way. Ed, the senior pastor was telling about how he and the guy he was playing golf with were out on the course playing one of the holes when all of a sudden this golf cart comes flying over the hill, screeches to a halt in front of them, and an angry guy jumps out screaming, cursing, and threatening them. From what they could gather, a stray golf ball had hit his wife, and he was ready to hit someone. Ed said the situation escalated to the point that the guy was so mad that he actually took a swing at him. Of course, everyone on staff asked the obvious question, did you swing back? Now at this point it would appear as if he would be justified. Whatever happened, even if it was their ball to begin with was an accident. But Ed said, “No, I just put my hand out to stop him.” Ed said that he was reminded of he was and kept thinking that if this man’s wife was hurt they needed to make sure that she was okay. He said, I thought, ‘What is it in this man’s life that’s causing him to react this way?’ Clearly, it came across Ed’s mind that he’s the pastor of one of the largest churches in the city and that whatever happened out on that golf course wasn’t going to stay out on that golf course. But I think when Ed said that he remembered who he was, I think he also meant he remembered WHO’s he was. He was reminded that he is a Christ follower, and that other people were watching and listening to see what he was going to do.
We were once prisoners, enslaved to sin, but thanks be to God he broke the chains we were in. So I challenge you this week to live as if all eyes and ears are on you…because they are. The world is watching and listening. Will they see and hear Christ, or will they see and hear you?
