"You Are a Wanted Man"

You Are A Wanted Man

(2 Cor. 12:14-15)

Introduction:

A.  As a teenager in high school, several of us were given the opportunity to preach a sermon on Sunday night.  The person who worked with us was a member of the congregation who loved young people and wanted to see us spiritually succeed.  We each had 10 to 15 minutes to speak.  I worked hard on my lesson.  I wanted it to be good.  I wanted my dad to be proud.  I really thought more about what my family thought of me than about God.

B.  As a child people still knew the name John Dillinger.  The knew about the “lady in red” and the death of John Dillinger outside a movie theater in Chicago.  With all the evil of this man, the federal government classified him as “Public Enemy #1” and placed wanted posters around Indiana looking for information on his whereabouts.

C.  I then reminded the people of another wanted sign; one that was done by our military.  On this sign was a picture of “Uncle Sam” pointing his finger at you and the caption said, “I want you.”  I pointed at the congregation and boldly said, “You are a wanted man.”  Just as John Dillinger was wanted by the government and the Uncle Sam wants to enlist men to serve the army, you are a wanted man.  In that lesson I talked about how both Satan and God wanted us, but we had decided who we would serve.  It wasn’t the greatest sermon that I have ever preached, maybe a little “shallow and emotional” as my family called it, but it was a lesson that spoke to me.  I was a wanted man; wanted by God.

D.  Now, here I am 25 years later, and I find myself preaching a similar lesson based upon a text by Paul.  Paul has a great love for this congregation, but at the same time feels hurt by them.  He has given so much to the ministry in Corinth and has no problem continuing to give, but what he wants from them, not even him personally, but Jesus, is them personally.  God is not after our possessions but us.  You are a wanted man.  Does it take money to run a congregation?  Yes.  Is there a need for finances if you want things to collectively help the body of Christ?  Yes.  But Christianity is not about your money.  The truth is, if God has you, he will have all you – money, home, car, talents, abilities, and time.

I.  What Is Yours

A.  I love Paul’s phrase, “I don’t seek what is yours.”  We have been challenged by the question before, “What brought you here today?”  Did you come out of duty or desire?  The struggle that some Christians face is learning the balance between duty and desire.  While God does not need my money, God is interested in how much I need my money.  That is point Paul is trying to get across.  He was not interested in getting something from them financially.  There were some in the preaching field of that day whose motive was money, but Paul was not one of them.  In fact, Paul would often not seek the financial help of the local congregation when ministered to them, but allowed others to help fund his ministry.

B.  But he challenges them to think about the “yours” aspect.  The very thought of that phrase can condemn me.  One of the first words a small child learns is “mine.”  As we grow older we become protective of what is “mine.”  When we are able to work and afford nicer things, the “mine” syndrome doesn’t get any better.  Then comes a preacher who starts talking about God and how everything belongs to him, and I am think, “He wants what is mine.”  Shame on me for being so selfish and tied to this world that anything I have would cause me to think evil of my brother’s motive, especially one whom I have seen does not take from me, but gives to me.

C.  Paul says I want something, but it is not your possessions.  I am tight-fisted with my possessions.  I have worked too hard for someone to come and try and guilt me out of them.  I come to Jesus and ask for eternal life and I hear him say, “give everything to the poor and come and follow me.”  I can’t do that.  God, those possessions are “mine.”  Jesus sits in my home and I try hard to fix the best meal I can.  I clean the house, fix up the yard, put out the best china, but nobody is there to help.  The one person who should be helping me is sitting in the living room gabbing with Jesus while I do all the work.  Tell her to help me!  Jesus replies, “Martha, Martha.  You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.”  It is not wrong to own a nice home.  It is not wrong to make a good income.  It is not wrong to want to present Jesus a good meal.  When the things become center instead of Jesus, we have a problem.  “I am not after your possessions.”  What Paul desires, what Jesus desires, what God desires, what the Spirit desires is you.

II.  Wholehearted Devotion

A.  This is much harder than I thought when I preached, “You are wanted man” twenty-five years ago as a teenage boy.  “I don’t want what is yours, but you,” Paul says.  In fact Paul goes on to say that he would gladly give for them.  He doesn’t want to be a burden to them.  Paul did not steal from them for personal gain before as others might say of him, but gave only of himself.

B.  Paul wants them to understand that God is seeking them, personally.  He wants you, personally.  Why is that concept so hard for people to understand?  Has the church so pushed “give me your money” that the Christian world has never heard God say, “give me you?”  The call is for whole-hearted devotion.  It is for me and you to surrender everything to God, for nothing we possess is worth having if God is not in it.

C.  When Paul talks to slaves he says something I believe every Christian needs to hear and live.  Listen to Col. 3:23-24.  Whatever work you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men.  What an attitude of devotion.  God, I won’t hide my money from you.  God I won’t hide my family from you.  God I won’t hide this church from.  For I cannot hide them from you anyway.  But instead, Lord, I give my money, family and this church to you.  I know it is not my things you desire, but I have kept from you the greatest thing you do desire – me.  Now I freely and wholly give myself to you.

D.  When Paul struggles knowing if he will live or die, he writes to the Christians in Philippi and says (Phil. 1:27-30).

Invitation:

A.  It is not your possession God desires, but you.  You are a wanted man.  As a Christian we can answer that calling by God and sing to him, “All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give.”  I surrender all.  Brethren, let these words be truly spoken when you sing them.  Let them ring from your heart and be seen in your lives.

B.  Let today be the start of a new era in your Christian life.  If you have been holding out on God, hold out no longer.  If you have been so afraid that God or this church is after your things, keep them.  But let me tell you.  When you give your life wholly over to him, you won’t be able to keep anything.  It all belongs to Him.