Beautiful feet

Posted by David Whitten on September 16, 2011 under Staff |

Beautiful Feet

R0mans 10:13-15

Matthew 28:18-20

You may have noticed but I choose to wear flip flops this morning. Some of you have already made some comments. But the reason I wanted to ware flip flops is because 1. They are way more comfortable then my other shoes and also 2. I wanted to show my beautiful feet.

I know rather bold, right? I think pretty highly of my feet. Just look at them! Beautiful right? Actually I can think many other adjectives to describe these things on the end of my legs; Smelly, hairy, scary nasty, ugly hideous are a few that may come to mind. But because I come to you with the message of the gospel God calls them beautiful.

Turn with me to Romans 10:13-15 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

You see, Since I am bring the gospel this morning I have beautiful feet!

Seriously, Is there a more beautiful sound then someone confessing the name of Christ. I tell you, according to Luke 10:15 This brings heaven to its feet and results a glorious sound from the angels. When a person comes to Christ there is a mighty battle won. That is what makes feet beautiful.

I want to challenge you to have beautiful feet. Everywhere you go, to all the people you know, may your feet be beautiful.

But you say that’s the preachers job, and to some extent that is true. I was charged in my ordination to preach the Gospel of Christ founded solidly on the Word of God. But all of us were given a charge we may have forgotten. This charge comes from Christ. These are the last words he said while he was on earth before he ascended.  Please turn to

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Could it be any clearer? Jesus wants us all to go and tell others about him. However to a great number of Christians, Jesus’ Great Commission has become the Great Omission.

Why? Why if we know that Jesus offers eternity to all who call on him why wouldn’t we share what with others? People we love, people we work with every day. People we live with? Why would we keep this good news to ourselves.

Let me share some possible reasons why we may not share the Good News with others

1. We are afraid

There many things people fear when talking about Jesus to their friends and loved ones. We fear being labeled a Jesus freak, we fear the ridicule of being called a crazy.  That is a valid assumption, The truth is that you will probably be considered a bit kooky in the eyes of this world when you start talking about Jesus. People in the world have always been offended by the name of our savior

This nothing new nor should it be something unexpected. Jesus said that people would treat you un kindly when you spoke about him.

John 15:20 ²⁰ Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.

We should expect some critsim when we speak on behalf of Christ. If we are made fun of and called names for the profession of our faith isn’t it a small price compared to the sacrifice he made for us?

Besides, there is a blessing promised for those who undergo such persecution.

Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

True we may fear telling others about Christ but let me remind you there is a promised reward for those of us who speak boldly about our savior. You have nothing to lose but a reward in heaven to gain.

Fear may be one reason some do not share the gospel but I don’t think that is the main reason. Let’s look at others.

2. We are ashamed

Jesus said something about those who are ashamed of him….

Mark 8:38, If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Those are some powerful words. They should be headed for those who stay silent because of shame

But I don’t think the problem is that we are ashamed of Christ. I think we are either ashamed of ourselves because of the way we live our lives or we are ashamed of other Christians.

It is easy to feel a level of shame in the world when so many Christens have given Christianity a black eye. It is hard to declare openly you are a Christian when others before have burned bridges. Some Christians have either been fanatical and poured down judgment without mercy on non-believing people. Who can blame people outside of Christ for being critical of Christians because many have acted meanly to them. The thing about these type of Christians is that they are not very Christ like.

Weather they act like the world’s judge or they simply act just like the world. DC Talk on their Jesus freak CD plays this quote by Brennan Manning that says “The greatest single cause of atheism today Is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips Then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. - Mohandas Gandhi

Many Christians have given a lot of people outside of Christ a lot of reason to be skeptical of Christians.

This however is not a reason to ignore the charge to go in to all the world. Our best option it to hold our head high and tell them the truth of the gospel of peace, not as some fanatic but as a concerned friend who is not judging them, as a friend who is loving them.

Philippians 2 teaches us to conform to the pattern of Christ. This is most important when reaching out to those out side of Christ. listen to Philippians 2:1-5

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

When we reach out to people outside of Christ we must reflect Christ.

Even though this may be a problem it is not an excuse for us not to share the gospel.

We are commanded to tell the message of Christ and to teach all things he has commanded. Jesus gave no exceptions we must do it. There is a world what will perish if we remain silent.

As much as being ashamed of other Christians who have gone before us with an unloving message of Christ and have made is ashamed to be called a Christian. I don't think this it the main reason Christians don’t tell others about Christ. I believe the next reason gets a little closer

3. We think someone else will do it

Somewhere we got the idea that there are some who are qualified to tell people about Christ and others who aren’t qualified.

Many Christians think it is someone else’s’ job to tell people about Christ.

It is often thought that people who are not trained in biblical studies are not qualified for telling others about Christ.  Listen, you don’t have to be preacher or Sunday School teacher to tell others about Jesus.

It is not your Sunday school teacher’s job to tell the people you have interaction with every day about Jesus.

Your preacher is not called to go to your home or place of work or live in your neighborhood to tell the people who surround you about Jesus.

That, my friend, is your job.

That is why God has placed you where you are. A lot of people think that they don’t know enough about the bible to tell others about Jesus. All you need to know your unique story about how Christ has made a difference in your life. No one can tell that story better then you.

When you reach out to the people around you with your unique story you are spreading the gospel. That is evangelism. You might be surprised how powerful your story is.

Luke 12:8-9

“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. ⁹ But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.

Though many have used this reason for not sharing the gospel I don't this is the most prevalent reason. The number one reason why we keep the gospel to our selves

4. We don’t believe it’s true because of that we have believed a lie

If we are truly honest with ourselves we will discover the major impediment in the Gospel is a lie that we have believed. I am afraid that many of us have believed that a good and loving God will not really send people to hell.

If we remove the doctrine of hell from our belief system then we remove our responsibility to save people.

• Look at this way, say that we went to the beach I brought my surf board and you brought your beach umbrella, chair and binoculars.

When we get to the beach you set up your chair and umbrella and you are gonna take it easy on the beach, I on the other hand am gonna attempt to surf. so I paddle out, there are no waves breaking near the shore so I chase the waves a little further out. I am just waiting for the perfect wave. you take you binoculars to see how I’m doing and I’m just floating along. Then you spot behind me the dorsal fin of a shark swimming up behind me. I am completely unaware that my life is in eminent danger.

What will you do in this situation.?... right, you are gonna scream, jump up and down to get my attention. You wouldn’t worry about what others would say about you. You wouldn’t be ashamed that you are calling for help for your friend…, you are going to tell a life guard, you are gonna do anything possible because you strongly believe is you sat silent I would most defiantly be killed by the shark.

Where is that urgency with the gospel? If we truly people will go to hell, People we care for and even love. Why aren’t we jumping up and down sounding the alarm of danger for those who are perishing unless we really don’t believe they are perishing, or we don’t care. I think we have somehow believed that people are not going to go to hell.

I believe a false doctrine has snuck in to our hearts and minds that make us think that our God who is full of grace and mercy would not possibly send people to hell.

We may not openly agree with Rob Bells of this world but our actions when it comes to the gospel hum the same tune.

Rob Bell's is the Pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan church attracts 7,000 people each Sunday. It is a “seeker friendly” church and relays on relevance to the sacrifice the truth of the gospel.

Listen to a direct quote  from Rob’s book “Love Wins” (in his preface pg ix)

Will only a few select people make it to heaven, and will billions and billions of people burn forever in hell? And if that's the case, how do you know? How do you become one of the few? Is it what you believe, or what you say, or what you do, or who you know, or something that happens in your heart, or do you need to be initiated, or baptized, or take a class, or converted, or be born again? How does someone become one of these few? And then there's a question behind the question—the real question: What is God like? Because millions and millions of people who were taught that the primary message, this center of the Gospel of Jesus, is that God is going to send you to hell unless you believe in Jesus. And so what got subtly sort of caught and taught is that Jesus rescues you from God. But what kind of God is that that we would need to be rescued from this God? How could that God ever be good? How could that God ever be trusted? And how could that ever be good news?

It is this kind of false teaching that has been filtering in to our churches in the name of relevance that has numbed our urgency with the gospel.

The Truth says

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jn 14:6

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ - Matthew 7:22-24

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God                                                         unless they are born again. -  John 3:3

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.                                   - Matthew 7:13-14

Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”  He said to them,  “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,                                                                                                              because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. -  Luke 13:23-24

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish Luke 13:5

The truth is in direct opposition to the false teaching coming out of the pulpits and books of some so called preachers. The Truth says that without Christ every man and woman is hopelessly helplessly headed to hell.

We must let the truth depart from our lips to save them who have not heard the truth of God’s word.

Watch this Video   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONROQBrbZU8

I’ve seen some beautiful feet before and those feet belonged to people who I am very glad they walked in to my life.

• I can remember the beautiful feet of Ms Cameron who invited me to church,
• I remember the feet of Karl Marwitz who taught my Sunday school class
• I remember the beautiful feet of my preacher Terry Tuttle who immersed me in to Christ.
• And the list goes on (I can mention list many who influenced me Gary Birch, Keith Butermyer, Bill Griffin, John Winstead, Shelby Ethridge, Howard Morris, Ralph Carter, Paul Wright, John Mendell, Michelle Davis, Beth Dodson and of course Carol Whitten ) these are those who told me the truth no matter what. And I am forever grateful they stood on those beautiful feet and shared words I needed to hear no matter what I had to say.

Won’t you choose to have beautiful feet? I guarantee you that those who hear your message will forever grateful you walked in to their lives.

Let me ask you this, wouldn’t you rather someone you know who needs to be save laugh in your face, slam the door turn around and walk away or make fun of you instead of them asking you why you never told them at the Lords return?

May you Have Beautiful Feet.