Is There a Job Description for Christians?

Happy Sunday. Years ago, a good friend of mine was promoted to a new position in his company. It was a brand new position without a job description, so his bosses told him to write his own job description. Can you imagine? Now, my friend was very conscientious, and he did everything that he could to exceed his comp expectations.

Do you think that some people who claim to be Christians try to write their own job descriptions? Sadly, I think so. Today it's tragic to see some Churches and even denominations drift so far from the Bible that they they seem to be writing their own rules.

I remember as a kid that one of my Sunday school teachers was gone one Sunday, to never return. It seems that he abandoned his family and ran off with a secretary. I was young, but I remember then wondering, can I claim to be a Christian and live any way I please, do anything I want? Shouldn't Believers be different from the rest of the world?

So what's the Bible say about our job description, how we are to act? In Matthew 7, Jesus spoke clearly. In verse 17 he said, "A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit." And verse 21, Jesus said, "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter."

And you likely remember these words from verses 24- 27 of Matthew chapter 7. There in The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on Solid Rock. Though the rains come in Torrance and the flood flood waters rise and the wind beats against that house, it won't collapse, because it's built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on Sand. When the rain and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."

It is most clear that Jesus had great expectations for the behavior of his people. We should have a belief that behaves. Now, many are confused by this. Some argue, "I thought salvation was a gift. Can't I just believe?" James 2:17 addresses this when it tells us, "Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." We all must change.

Are there exceptions? Now, my answer may surprise you: yes, there are. The thief on the cross comes to mind. People with deathbed conversions qualify. Children who die before the age of accountability would make it. But for the rest of us, we cannot write our own Bible. We must follow the expectations given us. We have no excuse.

Jesus said this in John 14:15: "If you love me, you will keep my Commandments." What Commandments is he speaking of? The Ten Commandments from the Old Testament? Yeah, we should follow those, but there are more, many more. I'll get just a few.

Listen to these words from Colossians chapter 3: "If you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things of the Earth. But now you yourselves are to put off all of these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Don't lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man. As the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on Tender Mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so all you also must do. But of all, but above all of these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you also were called in one body, and be thankful."

Now, if you want to dig deeper, read Colossians chapters 3 and 4, and then look at Ephesians chapter 4, 5, and 6. They give a pretty good job description.

I remember standing in a hospital with a family years ago after the death of an older woman, and her kids, all adults, asked me to officiate her funeral. And they asked me, "Do you think that Mom was a Christian?" A't that sad? They didn't know. It seemed she wrote her own job description. Her kids were confused. They were all dedication, dedicated Christians, and they had no idea about their mother.

Our Christianity should be obvious. It reminded me of the old question: if Christianity were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you? I pray you know the answer. Go live like Jesus would have you live. Follow his teaching. Be different.

Pray with me. Father, forgive us if we settle, if we at times live just like the rest of the world. Now, we've all done that, I suppose, at times, but there's forgiveness, and there's new days and New Beginnings. Let this be one for for all of us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

God bless. Thanks for joining me today. Have a great weekend.