Pastor Alex Pacheco
June 29, 2008 - W0826

Remember me?  “Get it?  Got it.  Good!”  Yes, I’m known for that line but it’s not mine.  I got it from someone else but I thought it fit really well with our Christianity.  I love Pastor Elwin.  You know his story.  It’s always good to be around someone who loves the Lord like he does.  I love Pastor Wayne as well.  He lead me to the Lord years ago.  He even got sick for me…on my boat – ever saw turn really green?  He did it so he could share the Lord with me!

My wife Berna and I have been praying for the President.  He’s looking really old because of all the weight he bears on his shoulders.  I recently saw a survey that asked people what trait they most admire/desire in a superior or leader.  Of the 200+ characteristics named, the most common response was integrity – someone who lives an integrated, whole and consistent life.

How many of you came to church today?  That seems like an obvious question but it’s not.  I’m here to tell you that you came to school this morning, not church.  You are here today to learn something, and church will start when you walk out of these doors! 

In my “B.C” – or Before Christ – life, I used to think everyone else had to get their acts together – my wife, my kids, my friends, etc.  But once I met Christ, that all turned around.  I started to realize that I needed to get my act together!

How many of you have used GPS?  If you don’t know what GPS is, it stands for Global Positioning System and it’s a tool that gives people step-by-step directions to wherever they want to go.  In addition to helping people get to where they need to go, it’s a wonderful tool that helps save marriages!

The best GPS in world is the Lord Jesus Christ; He is the best provider of direction if we’re willing to follow Him.

My wife may have fell in love with me because of my good looks but after years of being together with someone, it is one’s character that one sees.  Today I am here to tell you that it is never too late to worry about, fix, or change your character.  No matter what has happened in the past or how old you may think you are, it is never too late to build on or improve your character.

Today we are talking about character through the study of three gentlemen by the names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and a king by the name of Nebuchadnezzar. King Nebuchadnezzar built a 90 foot statue of himself and commanded all of his subjects to bow down and worship him (his statue.)  He told everyone that when the music plays, they must all worship him – and they did, except the Jewish men by the names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  They refused to bow down to him.  Nebuchadnezzar was furious!

Let’s pause here and consider, “What does it look like to live a life of integrity?”  The first key to a life of integrity is…

1.     KNOW WHAT’S RIGHT AHEAD OF TIME.

In life, you will encounter lots of decisions along the way.  It is important that you have the wherewithal and commitment to navigate the minefields of this world. 

THIS IS THE TEST OF CONVICTION.

That is true of the three young men we talked about.  They had set their course and would not compromise.

My mother was a wonderful Christian woman.  Before I became a Christian, my mother gave us a family bible.  It was a BIG bible.  We put it on the coffee table in the middle of our living room.  I told the kids, “Don’t touch the bible!  It’s holy!”  The kids would walk around the table, being sure not to disturb the bible.  My wife Berna would dust the bible to be sure that it was always treated with the respect that it deserved!  The bible is “holy” we thought.  Little did we realize that the bible wasn’t really holy until it was opened, ingested, and then sent forth from/shared by us.

It is so important to give our children the moral compass they need to navigate this life. “You shall have no other gods before Me.  You shall not make for yourself and idol in the form of anything in heaven above, or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them” (Ex. 20:3-5 NIV).

There are so many gods in our lives; we talk more about those (e.g., our jobs, our cars, our hobbies, etc.) than God.  At New Hope, we constantly emphasize the need to read and absorb the bible into our lives.  “I did not speak in secret or hide My words in some dark place.  I did not tell the family of Jacob to look for Me in empty places. I am the Lord, and I speak the truth; I say what is right” (Is. 45:19 NCV).  We believe that God has spoken and give us His word and means what He said.

What happens when you enter a dark room and turn on the lights?  Cockroaches flee, right?  The same is true of demons when you bring the light of Jesus into your life through His word.  What else happens when you turn on the lights?  It becomes easy to see!  Things become so simple.  He makes things so simple.

“As Your words are taught, they give light; even the simple can understand them.” (Ps. 119:130 NLT)

“I thought about my life, and I decided to follow Your rules.” (Ps. 119:59 NCV)

These men were set.  Things were so simple for them.  They knew what to do.  They knew what was right. 

“O Nebuchadnezzar we don’t need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace the God we serve is able to save us from it and He will rescue us from your hand, O king.” (Dan. 3:16-17 NIV)

Knowing what is right ahead of time is the first key to living a life of integrity but just knowing what is right is not enough, the second key is…

2.     DO WHAT’S RIGHT EVERY TIME.

It’s one thing to know what is right but you also need to have the courage to act on it.

THIS IS THE TEST OF COURAGE.

When I face tough situations, I ask myself, “What is right?”  We must know what is right ahead of tie so when we are faced with situations, we know what to do.  Then, we need to do what is right because God is right!  Get it?  Got it.  Good!

“You will be safe, if you always do right, but you will get caught, if you are dishonest.” (Prov. 10:9 CEV)

This scripture confirms that you will be safe if you always do right, but also notice what the second half of this passage says, “…but you will get caught if you are dishonest.” 

We must do what is right but sometimes there’s a cost to do that.  Look at this:

“But even if He doesn’t do that.  Even if He doesn’t rescue us, we want you to know, O king, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Dan. 3:18 NIV)

They drew the line and were willing to do what was right.  God says that more than anything else – including coming to church or tithing – He wants you to do what is right.  And…

3.     BE GRACIOUS ALL THE TIME.

THIS IS THE TEST OF COURTESY.

“Instead, by speaking the truth in the spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.”   (Eph. 4:15 TEV)

It’s about doing the right thing in the right way and with the right heart.  Everything in our culture says, “Don’t take anything!  Don’t let someone push you around!  Stand up for your rights!”  That’s what I used to think in my B.C. days but after Jesus, the messages we should be hearing are, “Be kind.  Demonstrate patience.  Serve those who have wronged you.”

“For God is pleased with you when, for the sake of your conscience, you patiently endure unfair treatment.  Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong.” (1 Pet. 2:19-20a NLT)

What this passage is telling us is that you don’t get credit for being patient [for Jesus] when you’re a jerk.  So here’s how the story ends (local style) …

King Nebuchadnezzar tells the guys, “Get the imu ready!  Throw in more rocks and kiawe wood!” but Nebuchadnezzar is confused because when he looks in the furnace, he see four people:   the three Jewish men and a heavenly figure…

When you choose to do what is right, I can’t promise you anything perhaps with the exception that Jesus will be by your side every step of the way.  So live a life of integrity:

Know what is right ahead of time.

Do what is right every time.

Be gracious all the time.

Get it?  Got it. Good!

DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS

1.      What are some of the things you know are right?

2.      Share about a time when your conviction was tested and what happened.

3.      When is it hardest to do what is right?

4.      What can you to strengthen your courage to do what is right every time?

5.      What does it mean to be gracious all the time?

6.      How will your graciousness affect the lives of others?