Welcome to the Potter's House Salmon Arm Podcast. We are a Bible-Believing Church located in
beautiful British Columbia, Canada. We are proudly part of the Christian Fellowship Ministries
with 3,000 churches around the world. We are a church focused on world evangelism, discipleship
and church planting. Here we will share recent sermons from P.H.S.A. Church and other sermons
from throughout our fellowship. I am Pastor David Bickford and I will be your host for this
podcast. I thank you for listening today and we hope these messages are a blessing to you and
bring you closer to God. Hello and welcome to the P.H.S.A. Podcast. My name is David Bickford. I'm
the pastor at the Potter's House Church in Salmon Arm and located in beautiful British Columbia.
And I thank you for joining me today. So my message today is going to be called A Worthy Standard.
We're going to look at God, Israel and the elect. So our jumping off text today will be Romans 12,
one through two. And so I want to take a look at before we jump into the text though, the Roman
Army standards. The signa militaria or the military standards served as landmarks between
different Roman units serving as rally points in the chaos of battle. The various units that made
up the Roman Army needed some kind of recognizable symbol to be followed in the confusion of combat.
So it was very important that the naked eye could see and know what it was for. On the morning of
19 February 1945, the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions invaded the islands of Iwo Jima as part of General
MacArthur's island hopping campaign. The small island lies 660 miles south of Tokyo, Japan.
The 28th Regiment of the 5th Marine Division was ordered to capture the extinct volcano of the
southern tip of the island named Mount Siribachi. The Marines reached this base, or the base of the
volcano on the afternoon of 21 February and by nightfall on the next day, the Marines had
surrounded, had the mountains surrounded. The flag raising earlier on the morning of the 23rd,
the flag raising was earlier on the morning of the 23rd and the Marines from the Easy Company
2nd Battalion started to climb the volcano. By 10.30 they had reached the top and erected a small
American flag. But later that afternoon, six Marines raised a much larger, more visible flag.
The second flag raising is what is depicted in the monument at Arlington, Virginia.
So what does this have to do with the Roman Army standards? Well, everybody needs something to
look towards. Everybody needs something to resonate with and militaries on the battlefield,
they constantly need to be able to know the direction they're heading. They need to know
the state of the Army. And so the Marines on Iwo Jima, they needed to be able to understand what
was happening for both their own morale and to affect negatively the morale of their enemy.
By seeing the American flag on top of that mountain and by making it a larger flag that
was more easily recognizable gives great boost in morale or in enthusiasm to those fighting
on the American side because they can see that success or victory is at hand. Whereas the Japanese
military, they would see that as defeat, something that is hurting their goals, leading them
closer towards defeat. So let's look at our scripture that we're going to start with today.
And again, that's Romans 12, one through two. So if you had the time to look it up,
you could follow along with me. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual
worship, your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal
of your mind and by the testing that you may discern what is the will of God and what is good
and acceptable and perfect. The definition of a standard is a conspicuous object or something
established by authority, a model or an example. And the definition of worthy is something that is
valuable, honorable, meritorious, fit or safe, or deserving. So when we think of the text or the
title of this message being a worthy standard, we are looking for something that is both valuable
and established by authority, something that is honorable, something that is a model or an example
for us to look at. And what the American flag meant to those fighting men during the
battle of Iwo Jima, that is exactly what that embodiment of the flag meant to them, is something
to be valued to them. It was a worthy standard because it was valuable and established their
authority on that island. So let's look at in terms of our Christianity, that God himself is the most
worthy of standards. From the beginning of time, God intended to provide us with this standard
of himself. A worthy standard to look to as an example, he desired us to be in direct relationship
with him so that in the beginning we were able to commune with him directly and in the Garden of
Eden before sin entered and polluted our world, the standard was God himself and he was the most
worthy of standards. We know that God had a direct relationship with man because of Genesis 3,
8 through 9. It says, the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord as he was walking in the
garden. In the cool of the day, they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden,
but the Lord God called to the man, where are you? It was at this time that sin had just entered
into the world, we can no longer be directly in the presence of God because of our first sin. God
not wanting man to be separated from forever, you know, from his presence. The whole Bible, both old
and new, is part, is God's plan to bring man back into that direct relationship with him.
The entirety of the Bible is focused on this initial first sin,
has disrupted the goal that God wanted for man, so he has created
a way for us to come back into relationship with him. But just like Adam and Eve needed a covering
to hide their nakedness, we too need something to cover our sin. And so God accomplished that
in Christ, when Christ died for our sins and then rose again to bring us back into relationship with
God. God uses many standards. The rainbow, for example, is a sign of God's covenant that he will
never again destroy the earth by flood. You can see that in Genesis 9.13. The placement of the
twelve stones in the River Jordan to remind the Israelites of the crossing that God had provided
them as a sign in a memorial in Joshua 4.3-7. So another standard that was used
by God was actually the nation of Israel itself. God's promise to Abraham and his descendants,
the Israelites, were meant to be a standard or a focal point for all humanity, and to this day,
they are still meant to be that in large part. A small group of people,
they are still meant to be that in large part. A small group that can never be overlooked for even
through the ages and everything they've gone to, they are still God's chosen people.
In Genesis 12.1-3, it says, Now the Lord said to Abraham, Go from your country, your kindred,
and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation.
I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who
bless you and him who dishonors you. I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
This was God's purpose for Israel. His purpose was to use Israel as a blessing
for all other nations and all other peoples.
An example of God's never-ending love for his people, his mercy and his dedication to those
who will turn to him as their father. God repeats this promise again to Abraham and his descendants
throughout the Old Testament. You can see it repeated in Genesis 13, 14-17, again in Genesis
15, 18-21, again and again and again in chapters 17, 18, 28, and on. You see God promise this
covenant relationship with Israel, with Abraham's descendants. It becomes a theme of Israel's
psalmist and the prophets in Psalm 2, verses 1-12 and in Psalm 22, verse 27.
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families and nations will
bow down before him. Isaiah brings this up in chapter 25, verses 6-8, again later in chapter 42
and on. Micah brings it up in chapter 4, verses 2-3. The God of Israel is the God of all nations,
and will therefore bless the people of all nations. Even though Israel routinely did not live up to
the expectations that God still kept his promise to them, and to this day they are still an example
to us of God's never-failing love. That does not mean bad things are not going to happen.
It means that God will never leave us. He will always be looking for ways to bring us back into
relationship with him. During the time of the exile in Jeremiah, we can read from Jeremiah 29,
4-7, it says this, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have
sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat
their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives from your sons and give
your daughters into marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there and do not
decrease. It's a good one to keep in mind for today, do not decrease. But seek the welfare of
the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare
you will find your welfare. That's a good thing for Christians to grab ahold of right there.
It says for us not to decrease. That means you are meant to have kids and to be bountiful
and increase. But not only that, but it says to seek the welfare of the city where you live in.
Even as an exile and as Christians, we're all citizens of heaven and we're emissaries of that
kingdom here on earth. So when we are in these places that have fallen into much depravity,
it's important for us in Christian kindness to remember to pray and intercede on those places
where we live to the Lord on its behalf. Israel used many standards to remind them of these
standards, to remind them of the important covenant relationship they had with God.
Moses had his 10 commandments. The judges are tied to repentance. So Israel would falter
and they would end up in some sort of calamity and then God would raise up a judge. And the judge
would be able to use the covenant relationship to bring people back into repentance and right
relationship with their Lord and God would free them. And eventually even the kings and the
prophets were used as a guide on or a standard for the people of Israel to live to. Now, as we know,
not a lot of the kings ended up being good kings, but there's always King David, King Solomon. There
were kings that were standards. And that brings me, and it's a bit of a shorter message today,
but it brings me my next point, which is we, the elect, the promises fulfilled in Christ.
And that's something we have to remember as, you know, as I, as I preach to you today,
is that the promises of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Christ. Why does the New Testament
start out with genealogies in Matthew one versus one through 17? That is to tie the standards of
Israel to the promise of Christ. Christ becomes our highest and most worthy of standards. And it's
through that promise that we've been grafted into the covenant with God and Israel. We have been
made part of God's promise through his son, Jesus. In Romans 11, verses 17 through 22, it says this,
if some of the branches have been broken off and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted
in among others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself
to be superior to those other branches. If you do consider this, you do not support the root,
but the root supports you. You will say then, branches were broken off so that I could be
grafted in. Granted, but they were broken off because of unbelief. And you stand by faith.
And you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the
natural branches, he will not spare you either. This is something we need to take into our hearts.
We are grafted in because of God's grace.
We need to remember that there's a standard to live up to. Now, I don't stand here today to
tell you that you have to be perfect to be Christian. Far from it, we are saved by grace
through the blood of the Lamb. But that doesn't mean that God stopped providing us standards to
try to live up to. And to be Christian is to be Christ-like. And our emphasis should be on
becoming more like Christ, not more like our individual selves. Now, I know that's going to
rub a lot of people the wrong way because I'm an individual and I want to do what I want to do.
You can battle that with your own salvation, but the Word of God tells us that we are meant to be
more like Christ. We are meant to move in that direction, not our own direction, but in Christ's
direction. Peter writes a letter to the Christians as an introduction and he calls them exiles.
1 Peter 1.1. We live as exiles, our citizenship is in heavens,
and heaven, and we know that Philippians 3.20. And until Christ returns, we continue in this
cultural exile living here on earth. We must also be an example and a standard to sacrifice
because now we move from looking at the standards of God, of Israel, and then of Christ to now
we have to make ourselves a standard so that others will also find their way to Christ.
In our text, Romans 12, one through two, again it says,
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, by the testing you may discern what is the will
of God and what is good and acceptable and perfect. We need to focus in on humble service
in the body of Christ. You could see that in Romans 12, three through eight.
We also need to present ourselves in kindness to our neighbors. We have to have
love in action. And you could see that in Romans 12, nine through 21. In Romans 13, eight through
10, it says, love fulfills the law. Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to
love one another. For whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments you shall not
commit adultery, you should not murder, you should not steal, you shall not covet, and whatever other
command there may be are summed up in this one command. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of law. So I've heard this
recently and it resonates with me and I want to share with you is the fact that
Jesus says to sum up all the commandments that love your neighbor.
So he tells us that that is such a critically important thing and what love really is is a
commitment. It's a commitment to do right. It's a commitment to do no harm.
But he also tells us that with the great commission to preach the gospel.
So you have to remember that there's a standard to abide by. You love
by showing that you're standing, but not partaking
in the fallen nature of man, but rather in kindness and gentleness and meekness.
Being there for your neighbor, being there for your even your enemy.
We are called to be the standard. So what do we have to do?
Well, first, we must repent of our sins, accept Christ as our savior.
That's the first thing is understanding that you're not perfect. That's what that means.
No man has ever you live the life pure of any sin outside of Jesus Christ.
So that understanding and if you really understand that, you're not perfect.
So that understanding and if you really think about it, there's a lot of people get hung up on
this. I think, well, I'm not a sinner. Well, have you ever told a lie? Have you ever had
in what you'd even consider an evil thought, a negative thought that you kind of thought about
and dwell on a little long because Christ tells us that if if a man even looks at a woman in lust,
he is committed adultery. So therefore, we know as Christians that the human heart is wicked
above all things. I know the world wants to tell you to look into the inner light that's in you,
but I would contest that and say when you look at human history, whenever man or woman,
you know, mankind or looks internal to themselves and does only what they feel is right for
themselves, it doesn't turn out well for society.
Because humanity is falling. So if you ever had a speeding ticket, if you ever jaywalked,
if you ever broken a law of any kind, you ever said a mean thing to somebody, well, then you've
fallen. And that is evident in your action. It doesn't mean that you're the worst person on the
planet. It just means that that's evidence of sin that's in your life. And so you have to repent
of that sin, except Jesus Christ, your Savior, because what that means is you're saying, I want
to do better. I want to live to a higher standard. That's what it means. And Christ is the highest
of standards. So you accept Christ as your Savior, because he intercedes for you on behalf of the
Father. This is what brings us back into that direct relationship of God the Father through
Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We must live a life that is an example to the society we
live in. We are no longer citizens of this world, but rather of heaven. We are no longer citizens
of this world, but rather of heaven. We are emissaries to a fallen world. This doesn't mean
that we rebel against all of society, but rather we live like the Israelites in Babylon that we
read about in Jeremiah. We do the right things because they're right. We live according to the
biblical standard because it's right. We don't partake in the wickedness of the world, but we
stand as salt to the world. In our text from Romans, and I'll end with this, it says,
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercy of God to present your bodies as living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. And I emphasize this as my closing.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
by the testing that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
We all have standards we live by. You might be living by the standards of this world.
You might have made your own standards up that you hold yourself to, but then you have other
standards you hold others to. Your standards for others might be way up here, but your standards
for yourself may be way down here. The hard part about being a Christian is that Christ says our
standards are up here. Now we're saved by grace, but we're constantly shooting for that standard
that's way up there. That's the struggle of Christianity, but that is also the beautifulness,
the beauty of grace, because you don't have to be perfect to be saved, but in salvation you strive
for perfection. So with that, if I could have you're not driving every head bowed, every eye closed,
and I just give you that invitation again that if you're not saved, you can signify that in
your spirit and you can repeat this prayer after me and say, Dear Lord God, I know that I'm a sinner,
but I know that your son Jesus Christ died for me and I repent, I turn from my sins,
and I accept Jesus as my Savior and I give my life to him. And Jesus, mighty name, I thank you for
your salvation. Amen. Simple prayer, very powerful. If this message is resonated with you today,
I just appreciate it if you reach out and say something. I thank you for the time that you've
given me today and I look forward to the next message and I hope that you're blessed this week.