Dan Henderson

Blessed Are The Flexible?

Mp3 audio sermon

Presented at Milam St Church of Christ in July 2010

Blessed Are The Flexible?

Blessed Are The Flexible?

A church sign in Canada read: (2000)

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape."

Flexibility is needed in our personal relationships.

There is some need for give & take. We must bend to avoid causing strife with others.

But there are times when flexibility is not desired, in fact will be detrimental to our well being.

Not being "bent out of shape" means we retain our shape even though we may temporarily adjust.

In order for a knife smith to reach master craftsman status, among other things, his knife must be able to bend to 90deg without breaking, and then return to its original, straight, condition.

Some Flexibility is Commendable

When we refuse to consider others we do not have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:3-11 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Bereans were commended as they were willing to listen first, then compare to the Scriptures to determine if the message was genuine.

Acts 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Wisdom from God is marked by a willingness to yield

James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Gentiles were rebuked because they were unwilling to be agreeable

Romans 1:32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Such is caused by self-centeredness

We are to love our neighbor as ourself

Matthew 22:39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

We must remain flexible in relation to others and in our attitude toward God's will for us, so that we may do what He wants

Some Flexibility is Disastrous

An unbeliever sees no absolute truth or finality to what the Lord revealed.

We cannot be flexible in relation to what God has revealed.

God's Word Will Not Change

God has revealed His Word for us in full

2Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Ephesians 3:8-10 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Jude 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

There is no reason for us to look for an updated version.

Truth Is Narrow And Unyielding

A rose by any other name is still a rose

A young boy missed a problem in math class, and asked his father to see if he would get it correct.

Teacher said, "If we call his tail a leg, how many legs will this dog have?"

Father answered, "That is simple math, we add them up and we get 5."

Son replied, "You missed it too, just because we call a tail a leg does not make it a leg."

Truth Does Not Change

The declaration of Peter is still true today

Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

Paul's statement regarding the one body, the church is still true.

Ephesians 2:16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call--

1Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

That obedience is the path to God is still true

Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

Man may have changed his ideas, but God's Truth still stands firm

The Gospel of Christ Allows No Other

Galatians 1:6-8 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

All attempts to change the gospel are for the purpose of pleasing men. God will bring destruction on those who do such.

The path laid out by God is the only path we can follow. God knows the way to Himself; our duty is to simply follow the path He has shown

We should be flexible in our dealings with our fellow men, Understanding that we are no better than they.

We must be willing to change (flexible) when we see something amiss in our life as we compare it to God's Word.

Yet, we cannot vary from the Truth God has revealed.

Are you flexible in areas where it is desired?

Are you immovably focused on God's Revelation?

From an article by Bobby Graham