Is Modesty Important to Jesus?
HANDOUT FOR SERMON: Is Modesty Important to God and God’s People? November 20th, 2022, Manchester, TN 9:30 a.m. service
Introduction: Last Sunday we studied about “The Embodiment of Christ in Us.” We learned that we are to be a representation, manifestation and declaration of God in the world. This is seen as we put off the “old man” and put on the “new man.” Our lesson today will build further on this concept. I plan to present 2 or 3 lessons related to the concept of “modesty” and “moderation” that God speaks about in His word. Today’s lesson is part 1 on the topic of modesty
Lesson:
1.MODESTY STARTS IN THE HEART. We must have a modest heart! What words come to mind when you think of this word? These words come to mind: honor, reverence, and respect. As God’s people we need to be honorable people, with a reverent heart and become a respectable person. Modesty is MUCH more than clothing, what you wear or do not wear. Modesty goes beyond and much deeper than outward apparel. The ability to change what happens outwardly will only happen if you change what is on the inside, in other words change the heart!
Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16, Matthew 5:1-9 When Jesus presented His foundational teaching on the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 5, we learn that His disciples are to be “salt” and “light” in the world. Jesus was addressing the influential force and good His people were to have upon the world. What did Jesus begin His message with? Was it “salt” and “light?” NO-Jesus starts with the HEART (a heart that desires to please God!).
Why did Jesus start with the heart? Mankind must start by looking inwardly, introspectively, before ever striving to be “salt” or “light” in the world! Blessed are the poor in spirt, the humble, those aware of their own imperfections, smallness, and unworthiness. We need to understand that everyone of us are totally dependent on God’s goodness, mercy, and grace. Who are YOU on the inside? What kind of person are YOU internally-that is where we start in our relationship with God.
Modesty is the way we show our faith to the world. There is a difference between moral attire and immoral attire, modest behavior and immodest behavior and God is concerned about attire, but even more about behavior and YOUR HEART! There must not be separation between your heart and your body!
2. YOUR BODY IS A VESSEL FOR GOD! Did you realize that your body is a container, it is a vessel? God made it this way. It is designed by God to be filled with the love of God, the mind of Christ and with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 teaches that we fill our body with the Spirit and the result will be the “fruit of the Spirit,” with what He produces in our lives and with this fruit, that is the way we become “salt” and “light” in a dark world.
Scripture: Ephesians 5:17 We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
What happens when the vessel is dirty and unclean on the outside? Or both on the inside and outside? Your physical body is a beautiful container. Your body needs to be honorable, respectful and a beautiful container that represents the beauty of God to world. You have tremendous value to the Lord; your body has purpose! Humanity makes us runs off into sin and degradation and we mess ourselves up. However, JESUS WANTS US BACK! He wants to redeem us. He wants to cleanse us, so we become a vessel of honor and useful for the Master use and purpose.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-12, 2 Corinthians 4:7-11
Our mission and purpose is for us to be “earthen vessels” for God! Let the power of God shine through us. Let people see Jesus through YOU. We carry about in our bodies the mind of Christ, the life of Christ and the death of Jesus Christ.
CONSIDER THREE SCRIPTURE THAT SPEAK OF MODESTY.
Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:9-10, 1 Peter 3:3-5, 2 Timothy 2:20-26
Making a claim of godliness, professing godliness: 1 Timothy 2:9-10
The beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit: 1 Peter 3:3-5
Who are YOU on the inside: 2 Timothy 2:20-26
The main context of the letters of 1 & 2 Timothy is about leading and bringing people to Christ and salvation. God wants all men to pray! God wants all men to be saved! 1 Timothy 2 is about leading people to God. Jesus came to seek and save the lost and so should we. Jesus was a peacemaker and so should we be. Men and women alike are to use their bodies and minds to lead people to Christ. Both genders should profess “godliness” and be beautiful in the way God wants us to be beautiful! Men and women’s mission is to lead people to Christ.
The main context of God’s letters of 1 & 2 Peter is about giving glory to God. Christians are to live to bring glory to God. Our vision and purpose are to get other to focus UPWARD and choose to live in a way that God is glorified. God tells us to be holy for He is holy. We are to be a reflection of God for the purpose of glorifying God! (Please take note of and read: 1 Peter 1:1-15, 2:9, 4:7-11, 4:16.) We don’t go down under the water (baptism) to become a “Sunday Christian!” We become a Christian to help lead others to Christ and to glorify God!
Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:20-26 – WHO ARE YOU ON THE INSIDE?
Let us be useful for the Master, v. 21
Flee youthful lust and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace.
Avoid foolish & ignorant questions (things that cause strife & contention).
Be not quarrelsome, but gentle to all v. 24
A disposition of humility when correcting, be able to teach and do it with patience. V.25
Why behave in this manner? Because our goal is to lead others to Christ! v.26
CONCLUSION: There are probable some “bad” people in the word, but as for me I can’t think of ever meeting “terribly bad and evil people,” yet, but I have met LOTS of ENSNARED PEOPLE in my life! When I meet such, I am moved with pain, sadness but also compassion! I try to interact with them with the “heart of Jesus.” My goal and purpose is to help those who are “ensnared”. Through a modest heart, with modest behavior and a modest appearance, I try to get others to “come to their senses” and turn to God.