Embracing Virtue

Lesson Transcript

Well, good morning. Every time I come down here, I always think you guys are bigger than you are. And then I show up, and there's not as many of you as I think. I guess there's a few missing, and I see Edsel's not here, and John and a few people. So maybe there's more missing than I realize. So welcome. Glad to be here. And you know, I was thinking, Jillian and I actually couldn't remember the last time we were here on a Sunday morning.

We couldn't come up with a date, time, and my timeline is a little weak anyway, so my memory's just bad that way. But you know, I was 18 years old when I started coming here. I'm 51 now. And I actually when you talk about coming in this morning, being in somewhere, I walked in the building this morning, and I have a lot of memories, a lot of good memories. Some of you I used to know very well. Some of you I look at and I don't know who you are that well.

Some of you grew up and as Elden Elvy says, "You're going to grow up and tell me what to do soon." And I always had to chuckle at that. Yeah, they'll just grow up and tell me what to do. But I have an appreciation for especially the elder people that is from this congregation. I feel like in many ways next to my parents, you guys gave me a foundation to Christianity that I have been able to take and to build on, and of which I'm very, very grateful to you for that. And you know who you are.

So when I walked in here, I saw some changes. Looks like Wendell and I is keeping up. We both have these things. And I started looking around, and there's people joining me. So that's a good thing. Now, some people don't like change. And it's interesting how some individuals express a dislike for change, but I have found myself over the years embracing it. In my perspective, life without change would be a dull and terrifying prospect.

I believe that change is the catalyst for growth, the force that propels us toward development, and the medium through which we mature. Consider a scenario of someone you knew in their youth, and after two decades or 20 years, when you meet them, you almost fail to recognize them due to their profound changes that they've undergone. There's a sense of awe and appreciation for the positive transformation.

On the flip side, meeting someone after the same period, only they find them unchanged, can be very disappointing. That's why I believe if we're not experiencing change, there's a reason for concern. Stagnation in contrast to transformation should be viewed with a degree of trepidation. So let's embrace change, for I believe it's the ever-present companion on our journey to development and maturity in Christ.

Today, I would like to invite each of you to embark on a journey with me this morning through some hallways of what I believe to be overlooked yet a profound concept. The concept is virtue. In the early years of Christianity, believers faced significant challenges and persecution. However, their commitment to virtue, as outlined in various biblical teachings, plays a crucial role in shaping their character and the community's character.

One notable aspect was the emphasis on virtues like love, kindness, and forgiveness. Even in the face of adversity, early Christian writings such as letters from the apostles like Paul and Peter highlight the importance of virtue in daily life and interactions within the community. For example, during persecution, early Christians were known for their unwavering faith and forgiveness towards those who mistreated them.

Stories circulated about individuals who, rather than retaliating, responded with acts of kindness and compassion, embodying the virtues promoted by their faith. Their collective commitment to virtue within the early Christian community contributes to the endurance and spread of Christianity during a time of significant challenges and opposition. The emphasis on virtue, I believe, became a hallmark of their identity and a testament to the transformation power of their faith.

So let's unravel this narrative together this morning. The title of my message is Embracing Virtue. As I've embarked on this journey to understand virtue, there was a peculiar realization that came upon me. And in many ways, it was the infrequency of sermons dedicated to what I believe is this profound theme of virtue. And so I'm done this morning. I'm hoping to create a picture of what virtue is, a bigger picture and yet a consolidated picture.

Why I wonder, is this word not woven more seamlessly into our spiritual conversations? As we explore this morning the landscape of virtue, let's pause and consider its role in the Kingdom of God. Reflecting on our values, we realize that what we hold dear becomes an integral part of our daily conversations and our daily actions. I've always been a curious person all my life. I believe that curiosity is one of the most subtle and yet powerful forces that we as humans have.

I believe it emerges as a central figure in our story this morning. It is the spark that ignites the flame of appreciation for virtue. Today, our shared objective is simple. It's to kindle within each of you a genuine love for virtue. But as in any story, awareness must precede affection. As I venture deeper into the puzzle of early Christian texts, the word virtue echoed repeatedly from every writer I read.

It was as if these writings were attempting to communicate through a luminous tapestry of words what virtue truly is and its profound place in the Christian life. As I dove into the scriptures, particularly in relation to virtue, a profound understanding unfolded before me. Its significance, its implications, and purpose of virtue became far more expansive than I originally grasped. Recognizing its profound impact, my natural inclination led me to further explore the insights of early Christians.

Confronted with this curiosity, as I hope I can make you curious, I took on the challenge of immersing myself into the scripture and the pages of commentary of early Christian writings, determined to unravel the true essence of virtue. My father has played a pivotal role in igniting my passion for history, particularly devolving into the early Christian narrative and the writings of the early church.

He instilled in me that belief that within these ancient texts lie untapped insights and profound understandings about the history of our faith once delivered. Few contemporary minds grasp these depths, and it falls upon us to unearth these pearls from history and the scriptures. Throughout my life, starting about the age of 18, I've intermittently engaged with early Christian writings. I'd pick them up, set them down, revisit them in a continuous cycle.

Within this ongoing exploration, the term virtue emerged persistently. Their collective endeavor sought to articulate the essence and the significance of virtue in the Christian life, fueling once again my curiosity. An interesting aspect of the word virtue is a perspective I've cultivated about it, much like gazing into the vastness of the universe where everything continues to expand into bigger and bigger and bigger, and it becomes massive proportions, so big we can't actually comprehend.

Considering virtue is like turning the telescope Hubble in the opposite direction. It's the concept of exploring seemingly small elements, unraveling into a tapestry of complexity, each microscopic detail contributing to a profound and impactful whole. And I love when you look at something small, it continues to get bigger and bigger, and its impact when everything that's happening, it's much greater than we realize. And virtue is like that. So what is virtue?

A quote I have, and I forgot to write down where I got this from, so I apologize. This isn't mine. But it says this: "Knowledge cannot be virtue because it is not within us, but it comes to us from without. But that which is able to pass from one to another is not virtue because virtue is the property of each individual." Another definition: "The quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong." I'm going to read some scripture verses now to try to place it and help you understand what virtue is.

This is where I wish I had a PowerPoint. I think it would be easier. You guys need to invest in one. Second Peter 1:3. I'm going to read Second Peter 1. You can turn there. I'm going to read 3 through 8. No, I'm sorry. I lied. 3 through 10. And as you read it, I want you to look for the word virtue.

"According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge." It goes in her hand.

"And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness. And to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity." Now listen to this next verse very close, carefully. "For if these things be in you and abound expand, they make you that ye neither shall be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." There's a lot of stuff happening in these verses.

"But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off." I think it's interesting that it says he cannot see afar off. I think it's one of the beautiful things about being a Christian and you develop your character and understanding of God and His kingdom. I think it's one of the difference. You can actually see a little further than the rest. Verse 10. "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling an election sure.

For if you do these things, you shall never fall." I'm always amazed at that. You shall never fall. You shall abound. You'll be fruitful. You'll have more knowledge, more understanding. I mean, what more do you want as a Christian? This is what people talk about, experiencing. I believe it's through the lens of understanding what virtue is. You don't need to turn to this. I'm going to go to Philippians 4:8. Just read one verse.

It says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, all those, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things." Use your mind. I'm going to jump gears with virtue, and I'm going to read three verses that Jesus talks about virtue, and this is to capture what virtue is. And this is a little bit on another level.

So Luke 16:19 is what Jesus says, "And the multitude sought to touch Him, for there went virtue out of Him and healed them all." Do you have that kind of virtue? Luke 8:46, "And Jesus said, 'Somebody hath touched Me, for I perceive that virtue is going out of Me.'" Mark 5:3, "And Jesus immediately knowing in Himself virtue had gone out of Him, He turned about in the press and said, 'Who touched my clothes?'" What I take from that, you will not hide virtue. You either have it or you don't.

The beautiful thing is you can do something about it. The exciting thing is it's up to you to do it. So as we explore the meaning of virtue, I want you to I want to untangle a 30-day block in your mind to help you comprehend what virtue is. So when you look at your calendar, most months have 30 days, right?

I want you to think of seeing each day as a virtue to be explored, to be understood, and then as you make it a reality in your life, only then do you start to get a glimpse of why virtue was a hallmark of Christianity. This is where I had I wish I had a PowerPoint. So I put together 30 virtues. I'm going to do the boring thing of reading them, okay? If you could see it, it would be better. I'm not using that board either. I can't write. I love spell check. One: day one, faith. Day two, love.

Hope, wisdom, humility, compassion, patience, justice, integrity, obedience, temperance, gratitude, forgiveness, kindness, gentleness, peace, joy, courage, generosity, truthfulness, faithfulness, self-discipline or self-control, meekness, long-suffering, diligence, righteousness, holiness, purity, contentment, piety. That's only 30. I want you to think of this as a snapshot view of virtue. This snapshot is to help us understand what virtue is.

However, as I hinted before, virtue is much more than knowledge or understanding a definition. As you drill down into each day and contemplate each virtue, and as you start to put on, as the scriptures tell us, we're to put on these things, it begins to open up the powerful microscopic world of virtue. This is where the hard work of laying down your foundation of Christianity starts. This is what will build your foundation of character, as someone mentioned in Sunday school.

And I want you to think of virtues in a very specific way. I found this interesting. I want you to think of virtues as keys, and I think this is the next step in realizing and understanding virtue. I want us to think of it in two ways. Number one, keys that open gates to the kingdom of God. Number two, mysteries that reveal secrets of the kingdom of God. As we examine each virtue, we realize how that each corresponds to a key in the kingdom or a mystery in the kingdom of God.

Unveiling each key and unveiling each mystery, I believe, is a diverse aspect of heavenly access. I recently well, so I don't know how many of you know this. I don't tell this to everyone, but it might be getting out. About a year or so ago, I tell people I had a midlife crisis. So I got all excited about my health and said, "Don't if you want to know the details, go talk to my family," but I'm one of these crazy 50-year-olds right now.

So I got interested in being healthier, tried to lose this weight thing, and I had little success. That was good as seeing some Martin boys running around here. They've been doing good. But I get into eating healthy, cutting out sugar and all this unhealthy stuff. I've really started to feel good, started taking some supplements and doing some other things, working out. In honesty, in the last year, I went from a 65-year-old to a 35-year-old. I've never felt better in my life. It's been pretty amazing.

But that produces funny things. These other 50-year-olds hear about it, 60-year-olds, and they start calling you and asking you what you did. I got a couple of phone calls, and I found this interesting. So I start telling them what I'm doing, and it's funny to me. They are like, "You mean you got to do that the rest of your life?" I was like, "Oh, I didn't even think about doing it the rest of " so the rest of my life, I'm 50, 60, 70, 80, 90. I don't know. If I'm lucky, I get 50 years. 50 years for good health?

Who cares about doing it the rest of your life? And I thought about that when I thought of people wanting to be Christians and wanting to pursue virtue and taking this 30-day thing and putting a discipline into your life of learning to dow in on virtue. Do you want to do it the rest of your life? I'm like, "Without hesitation, I'll gladly do it. If I become virtuous in the kingdom of God, someone that God can honor, I mean, do you want that?" You're not thinking, right, if you don't. A quote.

"And perhaps also, each virtue is a kingdom of God, and altogether are a kingdom of the heavens." So each virtue is a kingdom of God. Altogether is a kingdom of the heavens. "So that according to this, he is already in the kingdom of the heavens, who lives according to the virtues. So that according to this, the saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,' is to be referred not to the time, but to deeds and dispositions, for Christ, who is all virtue, has come and speaks.

And on account of this, the kingdom of God is within His disciples, not here or there." It's a quote from Origen. Powerful. So my goal this morning was to ignite your curiosity. I'll let you answer that. So that you pursue virtue in order that you become a lover of virtue. "Therefore, as the knowledge of good and evil is not virtue, so the doing that which is good and abstaining from evil is virtue. And yet knowledge is not united with virtue; that knowledge precedes virtue.

And virtue follows knowledge because knowledge is of no avail unless it is followed by action. That is virtue." So as we think about virtue being keys that unlock the kingdom, I'll read two interesting verses, Matthew 16:18 and 19. "And I tell you, as Peter and Onis Rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." You can open things with keys. Keys give access to things that are locked. That is virtue. Luke 8:10, "Knowing mysteries of the kingdom of God," and he said, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others, parables, that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand.

To those who have keys, they can know the mysteries of the kingdom of God." It says, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom." That's amazing. It's through virtue. I think there's a symbolism between virtue and keys and mysteries. You may choose to explain the keys of the mysteries away. That's fine.

I've chosen not to because I believe the symbolism between virtue being keys to gates and opening gates and mysteries opening secret vaults is not only beautiful but compelling and powerful, and it opens the secrets of the kingdom of God. I believe for us to understand virtue is, in a large part, to be successful as a Christian. What makes virtue intriguing? It's not its narrowness, but rather it encompasses everything about a Christian.

It's the big picture of something before you're inspired to do the personal thing or the daily thing - let me word that - if you don't understand the picture and what it is and what it represents, there's no way you're going to make it a daily discipline. There's no way. My goal is to inspire your curiosity to see the big picture and then make it a daily discipline so that you become virtuous. Knowledge cannot be virtue because it is not within us, but it comes to us from without.

But that which is able to pass from one to another is not virtue. I know I'm repeating myself, but I want to make sure you remember this because virtue is the property of each individual. I'm going to go down through a list to create another picture in your mind, the difference between virtue and vice. And I think this helps categorize. Virtue is perpetual. It's constant without intermission, okay? So it's ongoing. Vice, in contrast, are temporary and short duration.

Virtue is characterized by mildness and tranquility of the mind. Vice, as described as commotions of the soul. The uninterrupted duration of virtue indicates that the soul, when possessing virtue, remains permanent. Vice fortifies the mind with a perpetual guard against vices. Vices, being contrary to virtue, are commotions and disturbances of the soul. I think that's powerful. Vices being disturbances of the soul. Commotions. Man, does that fit our world?

"The fruits and reward of vices, such as pleasures, are short-lived and temporary. The fruit and reward of virtue are described as everlasting. While vices provide immediate advantages, the benefits of virtue are future. Virtue, once acquired, does not withdraw or leave its position. The reward of virtue is said to occur after death, as virtue is never ended except by death. In fact, the highest office of virtue is undergoing death." I want to think about three things in closing. Why virtue matters?

I think we need to be approaching God with virtue. I believe that virtue and wisdom are portrayed in Scripture as essential conductors and priests for approaching God. The pursuit of virtue. The pursuit of virtue is to avoid approaching God in unworthiness and impurity. Growing in virtue. Starting with piety, individuals are encouraged to earnestly aspire to this virtue. In fact, the passage suggests that focusing on piety, other virtues will naturally grow and become more accessible.

A lot of writers that I read put piety as the mother of virtue. Piety is emphasized as the beginning and the end of all virtues. It is described as the foundational virtue that creates a love for righteousness and all other virtues. So I close by giving you the homework for 2024, the 30 virtues that I gave you, to begin each day with a virtue and a concentration. If you go through 30 of them, you only have the opportunity to do that 12 times in a year, of which I am happy and grateful to do it the rest of my life.

Thank you.