Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton
Text: I Timothy 4:6-12
I. I had someone ask if a person should be baptized if it was known that he was living with his girlfriend, but not sleeping with her
A. If we accept that this was the actual situation, the problem remains that neighbors and friends in the world would assume that sex was taking place, if for no other reason than that this is what they would do in a similar situation.
1. Most likely if we turn the situation around and ask what this person would assume about some couple he knew, he would likely draw the same conclusion.
B. Being a Christian is a declaration that Christ is our Lord and Master - Matthew 10:32
1. How can that testimony be pure if we give the impression that we are sinning?
2. We should be free from sin - Romans 6:1-7
II. There is a song in our books that speaks to this matter: “Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen” (392)
A. “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wonderful passion and purity,
May His Spirit divine
All my being refine,
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.”
1. Christ is our example. It is what people mean when they ask “What would Jesus do?” - I Peter 2:21-25
a. In prophecy of Jesus - Psalms 85:13
b. We ought to walk just as Christ walked - I John 2:6
2. Jesus lived without sin. While we cannot achieve sinlessness, we ought to strive to stay out of sin - I John 3:5-10
3. The teachings of the Holy Spirit, sent by Christ, molds us and refines us - John 16:7-8
a. The result of the Spirit’s teachings - Galatians 5:22-25
4. Thus, how we live is how we teach others. Jesus cleans us up and beautifies us. We in turn adorn Christ’s teachings with our example. We make it attractive to others to follow Christ
B. “When your burden is heavy and hard to bear,
When your neighbor refuses all your load to share;
When you’re feeling so blue,
Don’t know just what to do,
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in you.”
1. When we talk about examples, we aren’t focusing on the good times.
a. People in the world are nice when everything is going their way
b. What makes you stand out as a Christian is how you handle the hard events in life - I Peter 2:19-20
c. How do you treat others who don’t treat you well? - Luke 6:32-36
2. True, we ought to help bear burdens - Galatians 6:2
a. But how do we behave when we get no help?
C. “When somebody has been so unkind to you,
Some word spoken that pierces you thro’ and thro’,
Think how He was beguiled,
Spat upon and reviled,
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in you.”
1. Here we move from people ignoring you and not helping you to people who are actively making your life miserable - Matthew 5:44-48
2. Here again, Christ gives us the example to follow - I Peter 2:23
3. David’s example - Psalms 35:11-16
4. The expectation is to do good because it is the right thing to do - I Thessalonians 5:15
D. “From the dawn of the morning to close of day,
In example and in deeds and in all you say;
Lay your gifts at His feet,
Ever strive to keep sweet,
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in you.”
1. Be different from the world - Ephesians 4:31-32
2. We were once like the world, so let’s show the world the way out - Titus 3:1-8
III. A person baptized, not knowing that he needs to change hasn’t been fully taught.
A. It isn’t enough to bring someone to the waters of salvation until they are convinced they need to change.
1. After Peter told the people that they needed to repent and be baptized, his teaching did not stop there - Acts 2:40-41
B. Christians are a changed people - I Peter 4:1-7
