My Way, or God's

 

Sermon July 11, 2021

My Way. Or God’s Way. 

You can listen to this message here: https://youtu.be/rJ1CnLECnKg

 

Before I read our text from Romans I want to introduce the theme for today’s message with the lyrics of a song written by Paul Anka, to be sung by Frank Sinatra. I’ve mentioned this song before and I do so again now because it demonstrates precisely why the country and yes, many parts of the Church, is in such terrible spiritual shape.

 

Surely, this has got to be the saddest and most spiritually harmful songs Sinatra ever sang. “I Did it My Way” became his signature song and is become the anthem of many people, even in church pews, of all places.

 

At the memorial service for Sen. John McCain in August of 2018, Sinatra's "My Way" played as the casket was carried out of North Phoenix Baptist Church. And according to a report in the online publication, Daily Mail, Sinatra’s song is now among the favored songs played at funerals.

 

Did you get that? The favored song at funerals is not a Christian hymn that speaks of the love and mercy and the promises of God for eternal life. No, instead it’s the spit-in-God’s face song that has its very roots in the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden.

 

Here are the lyrics. If you have never listened closely, please pay attention now:

 

“And now, the end is near, and so I face the final curtain. My friend, I'll say it clear, I'll state my case, of which I'm certain. I've lived a life that's full. I traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

“Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do, and saw it through without exception. I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway, and more, much more than this:
I did it my way

“Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew, when I bit off more than I could chew, but through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way.

“I've loved, I've laughed and cried, I've had my fill, my share of losing. and now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing to think I did all that, and may I say, not in a shy way, oh, no, oh, no, not me. I did it my way

“For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has not. To say the things he truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows and did it my way.

The title of my message today is simply, “My way, or God’s way?” Such is the question that Israel faced, as I will demonstrate in a moment. And such is the question YOU AND I face this afternoon.

 

Our text comes from sections of Romans 9 and Romans 10. Here is the section from chapter 9: I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. (Verses 1-5)

 

And then Romans in 10 in which Paul explains WHY Jews then – and Jews today and everyone else who insists of living life their way – why they are lost and without hope of eternal life.  

 

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. ³ For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. (10:1-3)

 

God makes it clear through the apostle that the Jewish nation – God’s Chosen People – who did not seek or serve God the way God told them to seek and serve – they were lost.  The were lost in Paul’s day, and they are lost in this day. It ought to make our blood boil to hear people in pulpits and in palatial church offices opine that Jews are saved simply because they are Jews. That’s like saying just because a person in baptized that they are guaranteed heaven, regardless how they live.

 

But from cover to cover of the Bible, God tells it differently. God tell us salvation is not only God’s idea, but that salvation is granted us by God when we do things His way, and not ours.

 

God taught the great King David that lesson several times in his life. Let me tell you of one of those lessons. It has to do with David and the priest Uzzah. You can find the story in 2 Samuel 6.

 

In this section David and all Israel were celebrating before the Lord as they were bringing back the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. They had placed the Ark on an ox cart to transport it back into the city. But as they drew near the oxen stumbled and knocked the Ark off balance. Uzzah the priest reached out to keep it from falling. But, the writer tells us: “The anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him . . . and he died.”

 

Now, if that’s all we know, then we should have some questions, not the least of which would be: Why did God kill His priest for trying to protect the Holy Ark?

 

But now look at the sequel to this story in the 15^th chapter of 1 Chronicles, especially verses 11-15 where we are told that after Uzzah’s death, David again decided to bring the ark to Jerusalem. But this time: “David called for . . . the priests, and for the Levites . . . and said to them . . . because you did not carry it at the first, the Lord our God made an outburst on us, for we did not seek Him according to the ordinance.”

 

I want to repeat that last statement of the text. David recognized God struck down His priest because they “did not seek Him according to the ordinance.”

 

In other words, only after Uzzah’s death did the priests transport the Ark God’s way – not their way. It was only after Uzzah died that they inserted poles into the rings of the Ark and carried it on their shoulders – as Moses had commanded 500 years earlier (see Ex 25:10-14 and Num 4:6-15).

 

The Holy Spirit tells us repeatedly through the Scriptures what He said to Saul through the prophet, Samuel: “Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is no less a sin than divination, and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.”  (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

 

So, back to the issue Paul talks about in Romans 9 and 10. Israel had a zeal for God. Many Jews and Gentiles today have a zeal for God. But, as Paul says, Not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to  establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

 

In other words, an ox cart, or poles? My Way, or God’s Way?

 

People all over the world – even in the Church – still think they need to work their way to heaven, to establish their own righteousness instead of doing it God’s way – which is only, only by obedient faith in Jesus. 

 

Look with me at what Paul tells us here in chapter 10 of Romans:

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek [Gentile], for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (10:9-15)

 

No distinction between Jew and non-Jew. God loves every one of us. And so, the promise is to everyone – that being ALL who call on the Lord for salvation HIS way will never be disappointed or cast from His presence.

 

THAT is why evangelism was so important to the heart of Paul – and why it is so important to the heart of God – so people understand the difference between doing things My Way, or God’s Way.

 

With the subject as serious as salvation, God is always straightforward. It never took a PhD in theology to figure out what God requires of all who wish to be saved. He leaves no room for question or confusion. Paul’s comment here to the Christians in Rome is the same as his comment to the Philippian jailer who asked him and Silas, “What shall I do to be saved?” And they answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:30-31).

 

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But what does it mean to believe in Jesus? According to Scripture, the belief that saves is NOT merely an intellectual assent. Intellectual assent, by itself, is worthless. St. James in his epistle tells us, “The demons believe – and they tremble.” (James 2:19). 

 

No, in context with the whole of the Old and New Testaments, belief that means anything of eternal value is synonymous with obedience.

 

And let me make a quick side-bar comment also about ‘faith.’ Faith that saves us is NOT a leap in the dark. God gave us brains and He expects us to use our brains to seek truth. That’s why God called the citizens of Berea “more noble’ than those of Thessalonica. Why?  Here is what it says in verse Acts 17:11 and 12: “For they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore many of them believed . . .

 

The Bereans believed because they first used their brains to investigate whether what Paul told them was truth. And when we finally settle on God’s truths, it’s important that we TELL others of our faith in Jesus.

 

And now back to the text: For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

 

Listen, Christianity is not a private thing. It is not something we do only on Sundays. If we really have a salvific faith, then we will make open acknowledgment, open confession of our faith.

 

And let me add, if we do not feel comfortable in telling others of our Jesus, and what He has done for us, then we ought to examine our faith to make sure it is not merely an intellectual assent.

 

Listen, Paul knew what he was talking about when he tells us “Whoever will call on the Lord WILL be saved.” The man who did his best to meticulously follow the 613 laws of Torah, and who was so zealous for God that he became a murderous persecutor of Christians – Paul, who called himself the chief of sinners, he knew what he was talking about when he said, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 

That means you. And me. And everyone else in this building. No exceptions.

BUT, and now we circle back to his heart – and God’s heart – for evangelism.  Paul continues in verses 14 and 15: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

 

If we do not tell them – who will?

 

Some of you remember this song by Fanny Crosby:

 

Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.. . .

 

Tell of the cross where they nailed Him,
Writhing in anguish and pain;
Tell of the grave where they laid Him,
Tell how He liveth again.
Love in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see;
Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
“Love paid the ransom for me.”

·         Refrain:
Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.

 

Listen, I am not at all trying to lay a guilt trip on anyone. But I am trying to URGE you to take an active role in sharing Christ with others if you do not already do so. Ask God for SUPERNATURAL boldness to simply invite others to join us for Bible study, or for the Sunday message. Or you can give them any of the books I’ve offered you for free.

 

Let me conclude with this final word: Too many people even in the church, whether consciously or unconsciously, are content to live according to the attitude inherent in Sinatra’s song: “For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has not. To say the things he truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows and did it my way.

God forbid it Lord, that any of us should continue to live life our way, and not His. We cannot earn salvation. At its most fundamental level, salvation has nothing at all to do with our way, with our good works, our efforts, even when our intentions are commendable.

 

No, salvation is granted to only those who seek it God’s way, through His gift to us through our obedient trust in the sacrificial atonement for our sins that Jesus paid.

 

 If we believe it – then let’s not keep it to ourselves.