by David Scott Robertson
"Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1
The Apostle Paul wrote the words quoted above.
Now there was a man worth following.
But even Paul was only worth following as He followed Jesus.
"You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit" (I Thessalonians 1:6).
What about you?
Are you worth following?
Could you rightly say with Paul, "follow my example as I follow the example of Christ"?
What if everyone in the church was like you?
What if everyone's financial stewardship matched yours?
Do you tithe? Do you give offerings above the tithe?
Could the church afford to pay the mortgage?
Could they pay the preacher and his staff?
Could they afford to keep the utilities on?
Would there be any money for missions?
What if everyone in the church served like you?
What if everyone's faithfulness level matched yours?
Could the church staff its classes with teachers like you?
Could they staff their nurseries?
Could they offer children and youth ministries?
Could they prepare communion and keep the building clean?
Would the needs of the poor and underserved be met?
Are you available or too busy for God's work?
What if everyone in the church won souls like you?
What if everyone's heart for evangelism matched yours?
Would the church be growing?
Would it even exist in ten years? (Experts report that there's nearly a 10% annual attrition rate in most churches.)
Would the kingdom of God be expanding?
Would people be added to the church daily such as should be saved?
Would there be more new believers on December 31st than January 1st of the same year because of your compassion (and corresponding action) for souls?
What if everyone in the church discipled people like you?
What if everyone's passion to make disciples matched yours?
Would there be any new disciples?
Would the harvest be conserved and retained?
Would there be any new leaders emerging?
Would there be a new crop of excited and motivated Christians ready to carry out the vision to win more souls and make more disciples?
What if everyone in the church had your zeal for God's work?
What if everyone's level of commitment to the vision matched yours?
Would they submit to the leadership of the church?
Would they support the church in prayers, attendance, giving, and participation in the vision?
Would they be "pillars in the house of God" that can be built on
Or would they be so unreliable that the leadership could not go forward with the God's plan because they never would know whether you were really in or really out?
If I were to follow your example,
How would I do on the Day of Judgment?
What would Jesus say to me when it's my turn to give an account for my life on earth?
Would He be able to say "well done, good and faithful servant" or "you buried your talents in the ground"?
Let me ask you again…
Are you worth following?
None of us are worth following if we live carnal, self-centered lives.
But anyone who makes it their determined goal in life to be like Jesus...
To do the works of Jesus in the power of the Spirit…
To fulfill His vision to win souls and make disciples (the Great Commission)…
And to love the Father and love our neighbors (the Great Commandment)…
That person is worth following.
DSR
4/28/03
Monday, April 28, 2003
Monday, April 7, 2003
Why Opinion Polls Mean Nothing to Me
by David Scott Robertson
How do Americans feel about President George W. Bush?
The Opinion Poll says…
Do Americans support the war in Iraq?
The Opinion Poll says…
How many feel that Osama bin Laden and his followers are a threat to world security?
The Opinion Poll says…
I am not impressed or influenced by what the opinion polls say.
To me, they are not a valid representation of the facts or the truth.
Granted, they can be useful as a “perception meter” but perception is not, in fact, reality.
Why do I believe this?
Because the undeniable, unalterable, indefensible truth is that man is fickle.
That truth has been effectively demonstrated throughout history since the dawn of time.
A crowd can be easily manipulated, intimidated, and/or influenced to react to carefully presented stimuli intended on evoking a certain emotion or response. This statement is not an opinion, it is a fact. Let me prove it to you.
Here are three examples (cited from the Bible, the inerrant, inspired, infallible Word of God) among billions that illustrate that God knew what He was talking about when He wrote that “a fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions” (Proverbs 18:2).
EXAMPLE #1: ACTS 14:18-19
The scene: The Apostle Paul and Barnabas are in Lystra preaching the Word of God. Paul sees a man lame from birth and heals him on the spot by the power of God. The crowd reacts saying “the gods have come down to us in human form!” (v.11). Paul and Barnabas tear their clothes in protest and with many words are scarcely able to restrain them from sacrificing to them. We pick up on the fickleness of public opinion in verses 18-19:
(Acts 14:18 NIV) Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
(Acts 14:19 NIV) Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.”
It took only one verse to go from the crowd wanting to sacrifice to them to Paul being stoned to death!
This is why opinion polls mean nothing to me!
EXAMPLE #2: LUKE 4:16-30
The scene: Jesus is in His hometown of Nazareth publicly reading Isaiah’s writings at church on the Sabbath.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (vs. 18-19).
Jesus, rolls up the scroll and comments: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (v 21).
Now here’s what public opinion indicated: “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips…” (v. 22).
Five verses later, after Jesus makes one comment, the “amazed crowd” was furious and filled with murderous thoughts about Jesus: “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff” (v. 28-29).
No wonder Jesus boldly decried opinion polls when He said: “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26).
This is why opinion polls mean nothing to me!
EXAMPLE #3: MATTHEW 27:20-25
The scene: Jesus amazed the multitudes time and again throughout his public ministry. At one point, they wanted to forcibly make Him their king (John 6:15). He had healed their sick bodies, fed their hungry stomachs, blessed their children, spoke with authority such words as had never been spoken, and invited them to experience Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Yet in spite of all the signs and wonders and authoritative expounding of the scriptures proving that He was the Christ, at the moment of truth, carnal and jealous religious leaders were able to effectively manipulate public opinion:
(Mat 27:20 NIV) But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
(Mat 27:21 NIV) "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered.
(Mat 27:22 NIV) "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!"
Jerusalem Opinion Poll: How many here today think it would be a good idea to kill the Son of God?
Yes – 90%
No – 10%
“But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand” (Luke 23:23-24).
This is why opinion polls mean nothing to me!
Jesus knew that opinion polls mean nothing. One moment the crowd could be laying palm branches and clothing on the road welcoming the Messiah into their town and lives declaring:
"…Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew 21:9).
Not too many days later the opinion polls took a drastic turn causing many of these same people who welcomed Him with shouts of joy to say:
"…Let his blood be on us and on our children!" (Matthew 27:25).
No wonder Jesus “…would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man” (John 2:24-25).
This is why opinion polls mean nothing to me!
DSR
4/7/03
How do Americans feel about President George W. Bush?
The Opinion Poll says…
Do Americans support the war in Iraq?
The Opinion Poll says…
How many feel that Osama bin Laden and his followers are a threat to world security?
The Opinion Poll says…
I am not impressed or influenced by what the opinion polls say.
To me, they are not a valid representation of the facts or the truth.
Granted, they can be useful as a “perception meter” but perception is not, in fact, reality.
Why do I believe this?
Because the undeniable, unalterable, indefensible truth is that man is fickle.
That truth has been effectively demonstrated throughout history since the dawn of time.
A crowd can be easily manipulated, intimidated, and/or influenced to react to carefully presented stimuli intended on evoking a certain emotion or response. This statement is not an opinion, it is a fact. Let me prove it to you.
Here are three examples (cited from the Bible, the inerrant, inspired, infallible Word of God) among billions that illustrate that God knew what He was talking about when He wrote that “a fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions” (Proverbs 18:2).
EXAMPLE #1: ACTS 14:18-19
The scene: The Apostle Paul and Barnabas are in Lystra preaching the Word of God. Paul sees a man lame from birth and heals him on the spot by the power of God. The crowd reacts saying “the gods have come down to us in human form!” (v.11). Paul and Barnabas tear their clothes in protest and with many words are scarcely able to restrain them from sacrificing to them. We pick up on the fickleness of public opinion in verses 18-19:
(Acts 14:18 NIV) Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
(Acts 14:19 NIV) Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.”
It took only one verse to go from the crowd wanting to sacrifice to them to Paul being stoned to death!
This is why opinion polls mean nothing to me!
EXAMPLE #2: LUKE 4:16-30
The scene: Jesus is in His hometown of Nazareth publicly reading Isaiah’s writings at church on the Sabbath.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (vs. 18-19).
Jesus, rolls up the scroll and comments: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (v 21).
Now here’s what public opinion indicated: “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips…” (v. 22).
Five verses later, after Jesus makes one comment, the “amazed crowd” was furious and filled with murderous thoughts about Jesus: “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff” (v. 28-29).
No wonder Jesus boldly decried opinion polls when He said: “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26).
This is why opinion polls mean nothing to me!
EXAMPLE #3: MATTHEW 27:20-25
The scene: Jesus amazed the multitudes time and again throughout his public ministry. At one point, they wanted to forcibly make Him their king (John 6:15). He had healed their sick bodies, fed their hungry stomachs, blessed their children, spoke with authority such words as had never been spoken, and invited them to experience Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Yet in spite of all the signs and wonders and authoritative expounding of the scriptures proving that He was the Christ, at the moment of truth, carnal and jealous religious leaders were able to effectively manipulate public opinion:
(Mat 27:20 NIV) But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
(Mat 27:21 NIV) "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered.
(Mat 27:22 NIV) "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!"
Jerusalem Opinion Poll: How many here today think it would be a good idea to kill the Son of God?
Yes – 90%
No – 10%
“But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand” (Luke 23:23-24).
This is why opinion polls mean nothing to me!
Jesus knew that opinion polls mean nothing. One moment the crowd could be laying palm branches and clothing on the road welcoming the Messiah into their town and lives declaring:
"…Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew 21:9).
Not too many days later the opinion polls took a drastic turn causing many of these same people who welcomed Him with shouts of joy to say:
"…Let his blood be on us and on our children!" (Matthew 27:25).
No wonder Jesus “…would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man” (John 2:24-25).
This is why opinion polls mean nothing to me!
DSR
4/7/03
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