Tawa Baptist

John’s Humility

Scripture: John 3:22-30

Video Link: https://youtu.be/yDbL-iH2iQg

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • John’s humility
  • How is humility formed?
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Imagine a can of peaches. Most people would agree the contents are more important than the label. The quality of the peaches inside the can matters more than the picture on the outside because you don’t eat the label, you eat the peaches. The label is still useful though, provided it is accurate.

(I’ve always found this brand to be good by the way.)

Today we continue our series on John the Baptist. Last week we heard about John’s magnum opus, his great work, of preparing people for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus.

This morning we take a look inside the can of John’s character. John has the label of a wild man, living in the desert, preaching hell fire and repentance. But, underneath the tough exterior, there is a winsomeness to John which is quite lovely. From the gospel of John chapter 3, verses 22-30 we read…

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

This reading from John’s gospel gives us a glimpse inside John the Baptist’s character. What we find in the can, is not peaches, but the fruit of humility.

John’s humility:

Mother Teresa had this to say about humility…

Humility is the mother of all virtues… It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed, you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint, you will not put yourself on a pedestal.

Mother Teresa is not just speaking for herself here. She is reflecting Christian wisdom gleaned over centuries. Humility is about being completely honest with yourself. It’s about knowing who and what you truly are. Having an accurate estimation of yourself in relation to God and others. Humility, therefore, is about being real, authentic. 

Being humble is not about being self-effacing. Often, in kiwi culture, we cut ourselves down before anyone else has a chance. But humility, in the Bible, is not the same as self-sabotage.

A humble person is quietly self-affirming. They have a healthy self-awareness, without being self-absorbed. In other words, a humble person knows their own imperfections and limitations but still accepts themselves.

John the Baptist was humble. He knew who he was and what he was in relation to Jesus and others. 

After Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in the night, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside where they spent some time baptising people. Jesus’ disciples happened to be baptising in the same area that John was baptising, because that’s where the water was.

You may remember John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. It was a sign of surrender to God and making a fresh start in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

By having his disciples baptise people, Jesus was showing his support for John’s ministry. Jesus was not competing against John. They were on the same team, like a batting partnership in cricket. 

As sometimes happens with intense religious people, who insist on being right, an argument developed between the disciples of John the Baptist and a certain Jew over ceremonial washing. We don’t know who this Jew was or precisely why he took issue with John’s baptism.

Given the details are not mentioned, it doesn’t matter, which serves as a lesson to us. Some things are not worth dwelling on or arguing about. A humble person knows when to let it go and walk away.

John is not drawn into a pointless argument. He is walking humbly with God. John is secure in the knowledge that he is doing what God wants him to do. He doesn’t have anything to prove.   

John’s disciples are not so secure. They are concerned that Jesus’ disciples are baptising more people. John’s disciples were loyal to John and felt jealous on his behalf, because Jesus was becoming more popular.

But John’s ego is not bruised by Jesus’ success. John is not proud. He is humble. John knows what he is in relation to Jesus. John replies with an accurate estimation of himself…

“A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’…”                     

In some ways, we are like tea pots. The tea pot does not make the tea. The tea pot is simply a vessel for holding and pouring the tea. Nor does the tea pot have any ownership rights over the tea. The very purpose of the tea pot is to share the tea.

In this analogy, God is the one who makes the tea. The tea pot (that’s each of us) can only receive what is given from heaven. As the apostle Paul said,

‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us’.

John was successful in the sense that people came to him in their thousands to listen to him preach and to be baptised. But that success wasn’t because of John. That success was given by God.  John was under no illusion. He knew that people came to him because he was serving the heavenly tea of God’s word. And he served the tea hot, not lukewarm.

In verse 29, John offers this metaphor to describe his relationship with Jesus.

29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

The bride in John’s analogy is the nation of Israel and the bridegroom is Jesus, the Messiah. The friend is John the Baptist. John is like Jesus’ best man at the wedding between the Messiah and Israel.

Notice here how humility opens the door for joy. The best man is not envious or covetous. He does not want to keep the bride for himself. The best man is happy to see his friend get married. 

As I’ve said before, joy is the positive energy that comes from hope. John has been waiting and listening for Jesus to come and be united with Israel. Now that is finally happening, John’s hope is realised and his joy is complete.  

John is genuinely pleased that the people are flocking to Jesus, for that means John has done his job.

And so we come to some of the most winsome words in the whole Bible. John says of Jesus, in verse 30: He must become greater; I must become less.

The best man has a key role to play in assisting the groom, both before the wedding and on the big day itself. But once the ceremony has taken place and the speeches are done, the best man slips away. After all, it was never about the best man.

He must become greater; I must become less, reveals more than just humility; it also reveals John’s self-giving love for Jesus. “It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent.”

John willingly gave his time and strength to prepare the way for Christ. And he was glad to give up his popularity for the sake of Jesus. Eventually he would give up his freedom and his life also. 

He must become greater; I must become less.

When I reflect on what that means for us, I am mindful of the people Tawa Baptist has donated to other churches and to the work of mission over the years. We have given away some of our best and brightest for the greater good of God’s kingdom. We have become less so that Jesus would become more.

Thinking on a personal level, He must become greater; I must become less, is the process of a lifetime really. It describes the journey of faith. Very few people give their whole life to Jesus all at once. Most of us give ourselves to Jesus incrementally (bit by bit). 

We do well to remember, with thankfulness, those who have acted as a John the Baptist in our lives; introducing us to Jesus and then becoming less so he can become more.

We do even better to consider who we might be a John the Baptist for.

If you are a Sunday school teacher or a youth group leader or a parent, then you can be like John the Baptist for those in your care. You know you won’t have these young ones forever. They will grow up and move on. But while they are with you, you can point them to Jesus.  

Likewise, when you point friends, neighbours, work colleagues or school mates to Jesus, through winsome words and deeds, then you are being a John the Baptist for them. May God bless you with joy as you become less and Jesus becomes more.    

How is humility formed?  

Some of you may wonder, how is humility formed? How can I become humble, like John? Well, the Spirit of God can develop humility in all manner of ways. I don’t think there is a formula to it necessarily.

But that’s not particularly helpful to you, so let me suggest three things that I’ve observed (anecdotally). Among other things, humility is formed with acceptance, with the wilderness and with a personal experience of grace.   

Humility is about being completely honest with yourself; telling yourself the truth. Being honest with yourself goes hand in hand with accepting yourself. To not accept yourself is to live in denial of who you really are.

If the can contains peaches, then it is best to accept that fact. Nothing good comes from pretending the can contains something else, like boysenberries.   

John the Baptist was honest with himself. He knew he was second fiddle to Jesus and he accepted that fact. At no point did John entertain a Messiah complex. He never let his early success get the better of him. He never lied to himself or misled anyone. 

Accepting yourself is not as easy as it sounds, especially if there are parts of yourself that you don’t like that much.  It helps to have one or two significant people in your life who know you and accept you for who you are.

I imagine John found acceptance from his parents Zechariah and Elizabeth. They knew who their son was and why he was born. So John likely grew up with a strong sense of his own identity and purpose.

Who is it that sees you and gets you? Who is it that speaks the truth to you, in a gracious way, in order to keep you honest? It might be a family member. It might be your partner in marriage. It might be a friend or a teacher or your spiritual director. Value that relationship, take care of it.

Humility is like walking. It requires us to keep our feet on the ground and to stand upright. Walking humbly is not something we can do alone. No. We walk humbly with God. Ultimately, it is God’s love for us, his presence with us, that enables us to accept ourselves and keep our feet on the ground.   

The wilderness is also helpful in forming humility. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness for much of his life. The wilderness has its own way of lending perspective. When you are in the desert or in the mountains or out on the open sea, you learn that you are not in charge. The wilderness is in charge.

It is humbling to walk the length of the valley leading up to Franz Joseph glacier, with sheer cliffs either side of you, and realise how small you are in comparison to the powerful ice that has carved a valley out of rock over millions of years.

Young men are seldom honest with themselves. Young men often think they are bullet proof. When we were still at school, my friends and I used to go kayaking on the Wairoa River in the Kaimai rangers, near Tauranga. One day one of the members of our canoe club was swept under a ledge and drowned. The force of the water (a grade 5 rapid) held him there.

He was an experienced paddler who had run that particular rapid many times before and he respected the river, yet it claimed his life. It was a sad day. A humbling way to learn we were not in charge. The wilderness was in charge. 

A third thing that helps to form humility is a personal experience of grace. When someone bestows on us an honour we know we don’t deserve. Or when they treat us with a generosity we have not earned, that is grace. If you let that grace touch you deeply enough, it has a humbling affect.

John the Baptist was humbled by a personal experience of grace when Jesus came to be baptised by him. John feels unworthy of the honour and tries to deter Jesus saying: “I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?”

Now this is remarkable. John was a holy man. He lived a pure life and had a far better moral compass than most. Yet, despite his righteousness, John did not rely on his own goodness. John knew that he was from earth while Jesus was from heaven.

But Jesus says to John: “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented. What else could he do? To deny Jesus would be out of line, it would be arrogant. John is humbled by Jesus’ grace.    

We can be humbled by grace in all sorts of ways. To receive forgiveness, when you know you were wrong and are genuinely sorry, is to be humbled by grace.

To realise the privilege of receiving a good education, when others who went before us were denied the opportunity, is to be humbled by grace.

To recognise you have a choice over which career path to follow, when most of the world does whatever job they can to survive, is to be humbled by grace.

I feel humbled by grace watching the news at times. Seeing pictures of the death & devastation caused by the earthquake in Turkey & Syria, is sobering. Then there is the suffering of the people in Ukraine. Thousands of lives lost and homes destroyed, in winter.

I know New Zealand has suffered its own trauma in recent times, but I still reckon most of us who live here have won the lottery, even without buying a ticket. We have much to be thankful for. I am humbled by God’s goodness and grace for us in this land.

Opportunities to grow in humility are all around, if we don’t let a sense of entitlement get in the way.

Conclusion:

When we look inside the can of John’s character we find humility. We also find love. As the apostle Paul says in 1st Corinthians 13…

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

John was patient, waiting and listening for Jesus. John did not get angry when Jesus became more popular. John was not proud or boastful. Nor was John envious of Jesus. John had the humility to be honest with himself and to rejoice in Jesus’ success.

Being honest with ourselves requires each of us to ask: What is in the can of my character? And do the contents of that can match the label?

Let us pray…

Father God, we thank you for those people who have acted like a John the Baptist in our lives, introducing us to Jesus, then becoming less so he can become more. Help us to be a John the Baptist for others. Give us the grace to be honest with ourselves and true to you. May we always be motivated by love. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What is humility? Why is it important to be honest with ourselves? What is in the can of your character? And do the contents of that can match the label?
  • Discuss / reflect on John’s metaphor in verse 29. E.g. What does the analogy mean? What is the relationship between humility and joy? How does humility make love real, devoted and ardent?
  • What might it look like for us to become less, so that Jesus becomes more? 
  • Who has acted as a John the Baptist in your life? Give thanks for them. Who can you be a John the Baptist for? Pray about this.
  • How is humility formed? How can we become/remain humble? 
  • Who accepts you? Who is it that sees you and gets you? Who is it that speaks the truth to you, in a gracious way, in order to keep you honest? What can you do to take care of that relationship?
  • Take some time this week to consider God’s grace in your life. Let the reality of that grace touch you deeply. Let grace humble you.  
Tawa Baptist

Winsome

Scripture: 1st Peter 2:11-12

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Soul Wars
  • Brace your soul
  • Winsome Witness
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

You may have noticed our church carpark has some potholes. For some reason fixing church carparks did not really come up when I was studying theology. Fortunately, we have a roading expert in our congregation who is able to help us with this. Apparently the base course, underneath the tar seal, has disintegrated in places.

Base course is a kind of pebbly gravel that can be compacted down to provide a hard base, while at the same time allowing drainage. The base course is like the foundation for the car park. The tar seal sits on top of the base course. Apparently, it is not as simple as filling the potholes with more tar. We need to re-lay the base course and get the foundation right first.

The other thing I’ve learned about car parks, in this process, is that tar seal does not cope very well with water. If there is a crack or a leaky join in the tar seal and water gets underneath, you end up with another hole.

Why am I telling you this? Well, partly to make you aware of the health & safety risk. Please watch your step in the car park. But also as an illustration for the sermon. Our lives are a little bit like a car park. Just as a carpark has an inside and an outside (or an underneath and a surface), so too we have an inner life (a base course) and an outer life (the tar seal on top),

The quality of the surface (what we present to the world on the outside) depends very much on the what’s going on underneath. If our base course has eroded, if we have lost our inner foundation, then pot holes will appear in our life.

Today we continue our series in the New Testament letter of first Peter, focusing on chapter 2, verses 11-12. In today’s two verses Peter talks about taking care of our inner life (the foundation) so that we can relate to the world (out there) in a way that gives a winsome witness.

From 1st Peter chapter 2, verse 11, we read…      

11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,to abstain from sinful desires,which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deedsand glorify Godon the day he visits us.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Soul Wars

Peter addresses his readers as ‘Dear friends’ in verse 11. This is literally beloved. There is a tenderness from Peter here. He is not writing to tell anyone off or set anyone straight. He is writing to encourage and empower. Peter also addresses his readers as foreigners and exiles, which signals that he is going to talk about their relationship to the world.

Those who have been listening to this sermon series on-line will know how Peter has been using the Jewish exile as a metaphor for his first century readers’ situation. Just as ethnic Israel was separated from its homeland and scattered throughout the world in a hostile environment, so too the early Christian church was separated from the heavenly Jerusalem, scattered throughout the Roman empire.

As Karen Jobes observes, Peter is calling his readers to recognise they are living in an alien place that has different values and practices than those appropriate for the people of God’s holy nation. Visiting strangers and resident aliens respect, appreciate and value their host land but, at the same time, maintain their own distinct identity within it. [1]     

Peter’s instruction to his readers is to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. This is clearly about one’s inner life, the base course underneath the tar seal. If we harbour sinful desires, they cause moral erosion and potholes.

To ‘abstain’ means to distance oneself. Peter is not telling us to distance ourselves from the world, no. Rather he is saying, distance yourself from sinful desires. The real enemy is not out there. The real enemy is inside of us.   

We notice here the influence of Jesus’ teaching on Peter. Jesus taught his disciples to be salt & light in the world. And in the same sermon (in Matthew 5 & 6) he went on to warn against sinful desires. (And I paraphrase here…)

Don’t harbour anger or resentment against your brother or sister because that leads to murder.

Don’t look at anyone lustfully, because that leads to adultery.

Don’t swear an oath, because actually you cannot change a hair on your own head. Just let your yes be yes and no be no.

‘Sinful desires’ is more literally desires of the flesh. The flesh is the human nature apart from God. Desires of the flesh are not limited to sins of the physical body like drunkenness or sexual immorality. Sins of the flesh may also include social sins like slander and envy.

When you are excluded and alienated and misunderstood by your neighbours, as Peter’s readers were, temptation may come in the form of a desire to be accepted or liked by others. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be liked unless it leads us to compromise our values and morals; then it becomes sinful.

Peter says these sinful desires war against our soul. A war is something more serious and more prolonged than an isolated conflict or a random fight. A war is messy and painful and it is constant, relentless.

With modern warfare it is not clear who the enemy is. You cannot always see the enemy. Likewise, we cannot always see our sinful desires until they are on top of us. Not all our desires are sinful but some are. We might think a desire is wrong when actually it is friendly. Or we might think a desire is innocent enough, until it opens fire on our soul.

This war is against our soul. In the Bible the human soul can have more than one meaning. Your soul can refer to your life force, your true inner self, that vitality which flows through your veins like blood. But the soul can also refer to a person’s whole self – including your body, mind and personality.

The two definitions are related. Anything that harms your life force is going to harm your whole self. In verse 11 Peter is essentially urging his readers to practice self-control.

Brace your soul

Sometime in the next several months we hope to install some steel bracing on the side walls of this auditorium. We have to wait for it to come from overseas. The bracing will give the building greater support and strength in an earthquake. The human soul is little bit like a building. It needs bracing and support, to stand firm through the storms and earthquakes of life.

There are five basic things we can do to brace our soul in the war it faces against sinful desires. To help us remember these five things I’ve come up with an acrostic which spells the word brace. Boundaries. Rhythm. Awareness. Commitment. And Enjoyment.

Firstly, to strengthen our soul in the fight, we need to have good boundaries. This means putting a fence at the top of the cliff and not looking over it. Stay as far away from the cliff edge of sinful desire as you can.

The sorts of boundaries one puts in place will differ depending on the situation. If alcohol is a problem for you then you may have the boundary of not going to the pub or avoiding social occasions that could involve lots of drinking.

When it comes to relating with people of the opposite sex standard boundaries might include avoiding secret meetings, being careful not to speak in innuendo and not to make comments which might give the wrong idea. Best to keep things professional and above board.

One boundary, which is often neglected these days, is the Sabbath boundary. We seem to have lost our understanding of sacred time – a day set apart for God and rest. We get sucked in by the illusion that working harder will make us more secure, but work is a bottomless pit. You never get ahead by working on your day off. It’s called the law of diminishing returns. The longer you work the less value you get for the overtime. Not respecting the boundary of a Sabbath usually leads to the sin of resentment, among other things.       

Rhythm is the R in our brace acrostic. Rhythm and routine support the energy of your soul. Rhythm provides a sense of security and momentum. One of the detrimental effects of Covid has been the disruption to people’s natural rhythms. Many people feel more tired because Covid has derailed their rhythm.

Important daily rhythms include sleeping and eating and working at regular times. Sunday worship is an important weekly rhythm for Christians, one which (in recent years) has been disturbed by things like Sunday trading and sports. We also have rhythms in the church calendar with the celebration of communion, Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and ordinary time.

Boundaries and rhythms naturally complement each other. The Sabbath boundary is also a sacred rhythm.

The A in the brace for your soul stands for awareness. Self-control requires self-awareness. Each of us is vulnerable but not in the same way. You have to understand where the chinks are in your armour and take care to guard your heart. When you know how you are wired, where you are strong and where you are weak, you are better equipped to give your soul what it needs.

If you are an introvert, then you know that being alone is what recharges your emotional batteries. So after a busy week working with people you take care of yourself by planning a quiet weekend. By the same token, too much time on your own is not good for you either. Even introverts need social interaction.

Sometimes our weaknesses hide within our strengths. People who are strong on empathy can become super sensitive to what others say when they are under stress. Likewise, people who are strong analytical thinkers can become quite rude and insensitive when they are under pressure.

It is helpful to be aware of when your soul is entering the red zone, because that is often when you are especially vulnerable to sinful desires. Just slow down. Take care of yourself. Allow time to restore the balance. 

One also needs an awareness of others and the time and place in which we live. Being a Christian is not as easy or socially acceptable as it was 30 or 40 years ago. Being a Christian can sometimes feel like picking your way through a mind field. You have to be aware of where the unexploded ordinances are. We have to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.  

Awareness is essentially about being present in the moment. Not second guessing that conversation you had with someone yesterday and not getting three steps ahead of yourself about what might happen tomorrow. But staying present to your environment, present to others and present to your own feelings.

The C in brace is for commitment. If we are to win the war which constantly wages against our soul, we need to be committed over the long haul. The war we are in is a marathon, not a sprint.

Commitment to God, protects your soul from the sin of idolatry. Commitment to your husband or wife protects your marriage and your family. Commitment to other Christian believers protects our collective identity and our sense of belonging. Commitment to our neighbour’s well-being protects the wider community and our reputation.

We cannot commit to everything. Commitment is about making a decision which is in line with our core values and staying true to that, win or lose. Commitment requires courage.

The E in our brace acrostic stands for enjoyment. Every soldier needs some R&R. You cannot function on high alert all the time.

There is an old Proverb which says: ‘Do you have honey? Eat as much as is good for you.’ Abstaining from sinful desires does not mean abstaining from all pleasure or enjoyment. Not all desires are bad. God wants us to enjoy life. If we are to abstain from sinful desires, then we need to nourish our souls with wholesome things.

Find enjoyment in simple things. Maybe your honey (your enjoyment) is found by spending time in your garden. Or maybe you get satisfaction from baking or working with wood. Maybe you enjoy walking on the beach or in the mountains or watching the sunrise. Treat yourself and your husband or wife to a nice meal out occasionally. There is nothing sinful about these sorts of things. 

Now obviously with each of the words in our brace acrostic we want to avoid extremes. Jesus always observed moral boundaries but there were times when he crossed social and cultural boundaries for the sake of others. Our rhythms and routines sometimes need to be interrupted. Too much routine puts you in a rut. Likewise, too much self-awareness can become self-absorption, just as too much enjoyment can turn life rotten. And some commitments can become harmful, if overdone, and may need to be dialled down or let go of altogether.

The point is you need to be on your own side if you want to win the war against the flesh. And you do that by bracing your soul with good boundaries, healthy rhythms, awareness of yourself and others, commitment to well-being and enjoyment of simple things. 

Winsome witness:

Having addressed his readers’ soul wars, in verse 11, Peter then encourages us to winsome witness.

In verse 12 Peter writes: Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deedsand glorify Godon the day he visits us.

If verse 11 is about our inner life, then verse 12 is about our outer life – our witness to the world.

Unbelievers in the first century, viewed Christians with suspicion and hostility because Christians were different and did not conform to their ways. Since believers did not honour the typical Roman or Greek gods, the general population saw them as evil and a threat. [2] Consequently, Christians of the first century were falsely accused of doing wrong.

Despite the prejudice Christians faced, Peter is not thinking in binary categories that characterise society as evil and the Christian community as good. [3] Real life is more dynamic than that. 

By instructing his readers to live good lives among their pagan neighbours Peter is recognising that non-Christian values overlap in some ways with the values of Christian faith. We (the church) are in agreement with the world on some things. Peter believes there is enough light in non-Christians for them to see the goodness of Christ in us.  

Therefore, Peter’s advice is not to withdraw from the world, nor to conform to the world’s expectations. Rather we are to let our good deeds do the talking. Show the world, by our example, that their prejudice is misplaced and the very people who once maligned us will glorify God on the day he visits.

The day of God’s visitation could refer to the day of judgment when Christ returns. Or, it could refer to the day of salvation when those who are not yet believers put their faith in Jesus.      

The main point here is that we are to be a winsome witness. Winsome is a word we do not hear that much these days. To be winsome is to be attractive or charming or appealing in a fresh and innocent way.

Winsomeness is not loud or self-conscious. Winsomeness is pure and authentic. Winsomeness can be easily overlooked because it is not self-promoting. It is beautiful to those who have the eyes to see it.

When Joseph’s brothers came to him for forgiveness, Joseph said: ‘Am I in the place of God. What you intended for harm God used for good.’ Joseph’s grace for his brothers was winsome.  

When Naomi left Moab to return to Bethlehem, Ruth said: ‘Wherever you go I will go there with you.’ Ruth’s loyal love for her mother-in-law was winsome.

When an angry crowd brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, the Lord said: ‘Whoever is without sin can throw the first stone.’ And the crowd left one by one. Jesus’ wisdom in handling that situation was winsome.

When Robyn was pregnant with one of our daughters a boy in her class lost the plot and punched her in the stomach. When I heard what had happened I was livid. But Robyn’s response was to show kindness to the boy. She had no problems with him after that. Robyn’s gentleness with that child was winsome.  

Recently we were invited to a friend’s house for lunch. I was admiring my friend’s handiwork in the garden and he showed me some small kowhai plants. He had grown those plants from seeds I had given him the Christmas before. My friend’s patience in growing the kowhai plants from seed was winsome. It encourages me to think he carries those qualities of care and nurture and winsomeness into the men’s Bible study he leads.

Last year I was lucky enough to perform a dedication ceremony for a two year old child. At the end of the dedication, when I was giving the blessing, the child spontaneously threw her arms around my neck and gave me a hug. It touched my heart. Her innocence in giving me a hug was winsome.

There is a man in our community who visits his wife in the local rest home twice a day. You often see him walking to and from the home. This man said to me once, ‘I have learned what it means to cherish my wife’. His faithfulness in visiting his wife is winsome.

I could go on but you get the point. Actions speak louder than words. We are not to be self-promoting. We are to be a winsome witness to the world. Our deeds are to be attractive, appealing, fresh and innocent. In this way we glorify God.   

Conclusion:

This morning we have heard about taking care of our inner life (the foundation of our soul) so that we can relate to the world in a way that provides a winsome witness.

This is not easy. In fact, Peter likens it to a war. Not a war against society but rather a war against our own sinful desires for the sake of society.

There may be times during this war when we lose the odd battle. There may be times when we give in to temptation, when sin (in whatever form) gets the better of us. Do not be discouraged. We have a Saviour who understands and who cares for us and who is ready to forgive. God’s grace is sufficient for you. Ultimately, those who are in Christ are on the winning side.

In relation to this life’s struggle, I like what Winston Churchill (who struggled with depression) said: “Success is never found. Failure is never fatal. Courage is the only thing.”

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • In what ways do we recognise Jesus’ teaching in Peter’s words in verses 11-12?
  • How is the base course (the foundation) of your life at present? Are there any particular ‘desires of the flesh’ that you feel more vulnerable to? What strategies do you have for guarding your soul against these? If you don’t have any strategies is there someone you trust who could suggest some helpful strategies?  
  • What do you think Peter means by the human soul?
  • Thinking of the BRACE acrostic (Boundaries, Rhythm, Awareness, Commitment and Enjoyment), which aspects are you relatively strong in? Which aspects could do with some work?  (You might want to ask someone who knows you well to see if they agree with your self-assessment.) 
  • Can you think of an example of someone being a winsome witness, either from Scripture or your own experience?

[1] Refer Karen Jobes’ commentary on 1st Peter, pages 165-166.

[2] Refer T.R. Schriener’s commentary on 1st Peter, page 122.

[3] Refer Karen Jobes’ commentary on 1st Peter, pages 170-171.