How High Is Your A.Q.? │ Msg 11/14

1:49 We're going to see today where such acceptance comes from as we read from chapter 13. I'm going to read John 13, verses 18 to 30. And I will use these verses as the basis of our reflection on this rare virtue increasingly absent in our world today. Join me as I read John 13, 18-30. I'll be reading from the New Living Translation. I am not saying these things to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. but this fulfills the scripture that says, the one who eats my food has turned against me. I tell you this beforehand so that when it happens, you will believe that I am the Messiah. I tell you the truth.

2:44 Anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the father who sent me. Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me. The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, Who's he talking about? So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, Lord, who is it? Jesus responded, It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.

3:41 And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, hurry and do what you're going to do. None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. So Judas left at once, going out into the night. All the way through school we were given a special examination to determine how well we were able to handle facts. This examination did not determine everything about us, certainly didn't touch on our emotional lives or the way we make practical decisions.

4:44 but the exam helped us know how we thought in a logical fashion. These exams followed us from one step to the next in our education, and our teachers were able to know how well we were progressing with our intelligence.

5:05 In fact, most of you know your IQ score. maybe it would be safe to say the great majority of you know your score unfortunately we tend to read more into it than we should this came home to me when i was at home living with sharing the same room with my brother whom some of you know, and he is a highly intelligent fellow. In fact, when he first began at Rice University for his college education, the word got back to me that his IQ was approaching genius. Seriously. It made me want to move out of the room, frankly. And a short time after, he discovered my IQ, and as I recall, he did move out of the room when he found that out.

6:06 But that's really unfair because an IQ exam doesn't tell you everything there is to know about a person. In fact, it doesn't even tell you anything about their attitude, which is so important in a workaday world. And yet we continue to hang on to the score we think must be so high in order for a person to really be considered an intellectual success. Now there's another exam I want you to take today, and it's the kind of exam that you have to score for yourself. And I suppose there's not really any gauge to go by, except maybe on a scale of 1 to 10, you could come up somewhere in between those two numbers and determine how you rate in your AQ, your acceptance quotient. What do I mean by acceptance?

7:11 Well, let me give you a definition that I have come up with that seems to describe what I'm trying to say this morning. Acceptance is the ability to receive another person without inner restrictions or outer requirements. Thank you. The inner restrictions would be in the realm of prejudice. The outer requirements would be in the realm of performance.

7:47 In other words, if somebody comes into this fellowship, this assembly, or in a circle where you're gathering regularly, does he have to go through or does she have to pass through a period of time before that person feels accepted by you? Do the prejudiced areas of your life bristle in such a way as to convey to that person you're not really in yet? Now, I'm not talking about someone who comes to be a pastor on the staff or someone to be a mate for life. I'm not referring to that kind of involvement. and I'm talking about just in everyday Christian fellowship, does an individual have to pass through a screening period of proving himself or herself before they're really in?

8:55 Now you see what I mean by acceptance. Listen to this comment. It isn't mine. It's outstanding. Acceptance means you are valuable just as you are It allows you to be the real you You aren't forced into someone else's idea of who you really are It means your ideas are taken seriously since they reflect you You can talk about how you feel inside and why you feel that way and the other person really cares. Acceptance means you can try out your ideas without being shot down. You can even express heretical thoughts and discuss them with intelligent questioning.

9:51 You feel safe. No one will pronounce judgment on you even though they don't agree with you. it doesn't mean you will never be corrected or shown to be wrong. It simply means it's safe to be you and no one will destroy you out of prejudice. Isn't that good? It's safe to be you and you won't get rejected because you are. Let me give you a couple of guidelines, or maybe three to be exact, in the area of clarifying what I mean by acceptance. First, acceptance does not nullify discernment. A mark of Christian maturity is discernment.

10:48 When you accept someone, it doesn't mean you are blinded to that person's weakness. but it means you tolerate it. It means, in fact, you love that person just as much as if he didn't have the weakness at all. Acceptance, however, doesn't nullify discernment. Neither does it, secondly, deny depravity. Now, it's true that nobody is perfect. And if you're looking for a series of perfect people with whom you can have that fellowship, It's going to be an awfully lonely crowd. You're going to be all alone.

11:30 Acceptance, however, doesn't deny depravity. It recognizes all men as sinful. And it leaves a lot of room for cracks in the character. While it doesn't deny depravity. Now third, let me give you a positive. it gives unlimited freedom for individuality. When you have an air of acceptance and it's genuine, a person can be himself or herself, and both of you are absolutely at ease. Think about your family right now, your kids, your parents from the other side. Think about your realm of in-laws. Think about your work.

12:26 These chunks of time where you spend and invest your life. Are you known as a person with a high AQ? Think about the family of God and your willingness to reach out and make room for those that are unlike you or even the majority opinion that pervades this assembly. Now, I want you to take the exam today because only you can grade your paper. It'll be revealed as we turn to John chapter 13, verses 18 to 30, and some related scriptures. So pay close attention during the exam, will you?

13:23 I don't want you to miss any of the questions. And not all of them are going to be asked by me. The Lord Jesus is spending the last meal he ever spent on earth before the cross with his men. He and 12 men are sitting around a table or reclining at the meal. He has just washed the disciples' feet. All 12 disciples have clean feet. And then he said something to Judas in the washing that needed to be clarified a little later on after the time he washed their feet. I should say he said something to Peter. He said to Peter, Peter, you are all clean. You yourself, but not all of you.

14:20 In other words, Peter, your relationship with me is secure. You're walking with me. You believe in me. Your heart and mine are in lig together. We are one in heart, one in purpose, one in go. But that doesn't say the same for all of you. In fact, a little later on, Jesus called one of the disciples the son of perdition, referring, of course, to Judas. Now, he comes back to that issue in verse 18, and he clarifies it. I do not speak of all of you, he repeats. I know the ones I have chosen, but it is that the scripture may be fulfilled. Then he quotes a verse from the Old Testament.

15:16 He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me. Meaning what? Meaning somebody sitting around the table eating bread is in fact in the process of betraying me. And he claims that scripture that night because it was appropriate.

15:40 Now, let me give you a couple of truths about the traitor. And no two men ever said eyeball to eyeball who were more different than Jesus and Judas. Think about it. Here is the Savior and the traitor. the impeccable, perfect son of God and the depraved son of perdition, Judas.

16:16 It almost seems to be in Congress that you could say he was a disciple and a traitor. But it's true. Like Benedict Arnold. You can check Webster's biographical dictionary and find his name listed, the dates of his birth and death, and then you will find the words American Army Officer, comma, Traitor, period.

16:49 And then some information about his past, but those are the most important things. They don't fit together. An American army officer and traitor don't go together. Ah, until you come to Benedict Arnold. Then they do. Judas, born, died, disciple of Jesus, comma, traitor, period. That's what we have in Judas.

17:19 Now, the first thing I want to clarify about Judas, and Jesus makes it clear from the scripture quotation, is that he was committed to betraying when he came to the table that night. He had committed himself to it. He wasn't a puppet of sovereignty, I might add. Judas, in his heart, had made a decision to reject the Savior. He had determined before he came to the table, I will carry it through.

17:52 A little later on, when Satan entered him, he became the puppet at that point of the wicked one. But up until now, I see Judas fulfilling scripture, not only in reality, theoretically, but also by choice on his own. He's already made his decision. And the second thing I want to say is that he was a first-class hypocrite. Judas, on the surface, looked like a disciple. But underneath, he was a decaying, sinful man. He was the traitor on the inside. Now, there is no way under heaven that you and I can know the real heart of another person. God tells us that.

18:47 Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. For all you know, you're sitting next to someone that you have felt all of your life or perhaps a great deal of your time here at the church is a staunch believer in Jesus Christ, but you don't know. You have no way of knowing the real condition of anyone else's heart but your own because you haven't the ability to x-ray the soul like God. And that's the way it was with the disciples. except Jesus knew totally the condition of Judas. He had the ability to see into his soul and he knew in his heart was the heart of a betrayer. But I want you to see how he accepted him. That's what I want you to glean. He didn't put him at the back of the room.

19:41 He didn't ask him to eat outside on the porch. He was around the table. Look at the treatment Judas got. Look at the verse 21. When Jesus said this, he became troubled in spirit. And he testified. And he said, truly, truly, I say to you that one of you will betray me. See that sentence? The Greek says, one from among you. Meaning, not just one you run with, but one from this group. And that provoked a question-answer period. Am I the one? The disciple perhaps felt who wrote the book at the time. Maybe John felt, well, I subconsciously may be going through motions I don't realize. Being imperfect, perhaps the last few days have appeared as though I'm turning traitor. Is it I?

20:36 And another one said, am I the one? Matthew asked. And John asked. And I imagine even Judas, with clean feet, asked, is it I? You see, verse 22 tells us they were at a loss to know of which one he was speaking. He was troubled, and they wanted to know who is it, who is the traitor. now the treatment that was given Judas is revealed in the the seating arrangement around the the table that night maybe it was in a u-shape or maybe it was in the form of a of long pallets that they they rested on but they were reclining at a table they leaned on an on an elbow and ate with the free hand that they had.

21:31 And I want to show you something that is perhaps missed by many who think of the Lord's table. Look at verse 23. There was reclining on Jesus' breast one of his disciples whom Jesus loved. Well, the identity of that one is John, who wrote the book. He refers to himself as the one Jesus loved. Now, more than likely, you have never eaten a supper leaning on somebody else. We don't eat like that. But in those days, they did. They reclined. I wish I could demonstrate it for you, but you need to lay down on one side and rest on an elbow and have a hand free to put food in your face. And that's exactly the way they did it.

22:23 So when you would be close around the table, your head would be in the upper torso area of the one next to you. Got it? You just sort of got it together around a meal, and that's what they did that evening. Now we're told that John was in that area of Jesus' body. Jesus is at the host place of the table. He's in the middle. And John and Jesus are able to have a close communion together. Here is John leaning on Jesus, as it were. And you see, in that intimate position, all he had to do was just sort of glance up over his shoulders. And Jesus could look down, they could meet eye to eye. And it would just, just with those very slight words, you could communicate easily. You're just face to face.

23:18 And that's what it means. Let's read on. Verse 24, Simon Peter, therefore, gestured. Notice that now. See, Jesus was troubled, and Simon didn't want to probe Christ. And so he said to John, he gestured to him, tell us who it is of whom he is speaking. It was sort of like this. Here's Simon. He said, Ask him who it is. That kind of a thing. Ask him. Got it? He's across the table. Peter is saying to John, ask him who it is. And so John, being over here by Jesus, just sort of leans up and says, Who is it, Lord? It's just a most beautiful description that John puts it. He just says, Lord, come on.

24:15 Who is it? And so Jesus answers him back. Verse 26. It is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him. Ah. Now Jesus says to John, he doesn't look up so that everybody around the table gets the message, which explains why they were confused. he just says to John, John, I'll give him the morsel. It's bothered some people that the disciples didn't all immediately understand the traitor.

25:02 Please understand two things. First of all, Jesus never announced it loudly to everybody. And secondly, Judas was the most trusted man of the band. He held the money box. He would be the last choice anybody had. I have an ear problem, and I have a perforation in my drum on the right ear, about 80% to 90% perforation. So I have a hard time hearing. And my family jabs me at times because I go on with the problem and I don't get the thing worked on. And so at times around the table, we'll be talking and I won't get what one of the children says. And I'll say, oh, what'd you say? And the answer will be, get your ear fixed. That's what I said, you know, get it fixed. Well, it's sort of like that here, except they weren't close, so they couldn't hear.

25:59 And the table may be spread out a ways. And so they didn't hear what he said. In fact, I don't think John even got it together at the time. as I gave him the morsel. One man writes this. It's a fine insight.

26:22 It is the place of Judas at the table that is of special interest to the reader. It's quite clear that Judas was in a position in which Jesus could speak to him privately without the others overhearing it. There is a kind of private conversation going on between Jesus and John and Judas. Now, if that be so, there is only one place in which Judas could be sitting. He must have been sitting on Jesus' left so that just as John's head was in Jesus' breast, now listen, Jesus' head was in Judas' breast. And the revealing thing about all this is that the place on the left of the host was the place of highest honor, kept for the most intimate friend.

27:26 Ah, but there's more than that. For the host to offer the guest a special tidbit or morsel or morsel from the dish was again a sign of special friendship. Isn't that something? Here is Jesus at the table hosting the meal, talking with John and saying, look, I'm going to dip the morsel and I'm going to give it to a very special guest.

28:00 How high was his AQ? In a scale of one to ten, I'd rank it about twelve. What's a morsel? Well, it was sort of a first century sandwich. Piece of unleavened bread, slab of roasted lamb, some bitter herbs, another piece of bread dipped in the keroshef, the dip. And all of it spoke of that relief from bondage in Egypt years ago. dipping it into it was like you dip a chip into some onion dip or sour cream dip. They dipped it in and then handed that morsel to a very special guest at the table. You want to know the truth about it? If the disciples had known, oh, Judas wouldn't have had a chance in a lifetime to live through the meal.

29:02 And if a Judas could be known in this assembly, he hasn't got a chance. because we don't relate well with those that are different from ourselves, which is the whole point of the illustration I'm making. Jesus gave him the dip, and he took it, and I'm convinced he choked it down, but something happened. It says he took it, and he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. No question. There's another Judas in the band, but he's not the one. This is Judas Iscariot. Notice verse 27. There is a change in the traitor. Here we have a case of actual satanic possession. It's an incredible phenomenon.

29:58 Must have been something to experience. Satan then, after the morsel, He then entered into him, and notice on the heels of that very statement, Jesus says to him, what you do, do quickly. There's a change in acceptance, no longer acceptance. Why? Because at that moment, it was a settled, absolute, determined conviction filled with the presence of Satan that betraying Christ was, in fact, his only goal. And he moved right on into the steps. In fact, it says he went out and it was night.

30:52 the night was bright compared to the heart of Judas you see I'm making an issue of it because there is a place where discernment steps in and says no longer is there room for fellowship and that's true in the family of God may I add and don't forget it no matter how I may apply the message in broad liberal terms in a moment don't forget what I'm saying right now In the New Testament, it is clearly set forth that the church is to maintain a distinctive purity. If there are those that are engaged in a life of looseness and attempts are made to restore them and they reject those attempts, those individuals in a spirit of humility on the part of the administrators are to be set aside and disciplined.

31:55 2 John tells us that the church cannot tolerate the cults that do not exalt Christ. In fact, it says don't even open your doors to them. Don't even fellowship with them. 1 Corinthians 5 clarifies that there was a man in the assembly of Corinth who was living in known sin. And Paul says he needs to be put out from among you. So let it be clearly remembered that at times this matter of acceptance is to be gauged on the basis of scriptural discernment. And that is never easy to carry out. But it's necessary for the maintenance of purity. In fact, you could wrap it all up in the terms of 1 Corinthians 15.33. Bad company corrupts good morals.

32:52 And on the basis of that basic principle, Jesus said to Judas, Judas, be on your way. You're committed to it, take off, do it fast. Now, let me come back to the other side. And don't forget what I had just said. There is a place for restoration. There is a place for scriptural, uncompromising restoration, restoration, at least the attempts to restore, and if not followed through, disciplining. Now, the reaction of the traitor is that he left and carried out his plan, which was predictable. I want to apply this message in the area of fellowship, in the area of acceptance, in your heart and in mine. There are three areas that I would like to use as a basis for application.

33:57 And I am concerned about all three, not simply here, but in Christian circles, marked by a conservative doctrine. And I would not want that doctrinal stand to change in any way. That is the major tenets of our doctrinal position. But I think it is possible, and I would love to go on record as saying it is possible to have a conservative doctrine and a very liberal fellowship. And I, in fact, see that in the life of Jesus. Surrounded by the doctrinal vultures of his day, the Pharisees. They couldn't believe that he rubbed shoulders with the sinners, sinners in their concept, and had time for those that they simply didn't have room for.

34:54 So here's the first. The first is an unwillingness to accept people without partiality. That's the first application. It is of concern to me, as we begin to gauge ourselves in our AQ, that we have marked off a prejudiced box. And before a person can enjoy fellowship, just in our circles, he's got to get into the box and stay there. Look at James chapter 2, verses 1 through 4, or a biblical basis, And then I'll even apply it down to the raw edge.

35:46 James 2, 1. My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. Look at that. Our faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And may that never be confused. He is our Lord. He is our God. He is the preeminent one. He's the head of the church. But holding on to that faith does not mean that you sustain an attitude of favoritism toward others. The next verse. If a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes. Got the picture? And you pay special attention to one who is wearing the fine clothes.

36:39 And you say, here, sit in a good place, and you say to the poor man, you stand over there or sit down by my footstool. Got it? Have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Yes, you have. The usher who sizes up a person and says, hey, he's got cash. Let's give him a good seat. but then spots a minority and says, oh man, what's he doing here? Sit down over there, preferably in the narthex, so you won't be in the way. You won't clutter up the place. Verse 9, if you show partiality, you're committing sin and you're convicted by the law as transgressors. Look at that.

37:30 I know this is going to stretch some who hear this. For example, if an individual has a background of divorce, God help him finding fellowship in a church of a very strong conservative doctrine. if a person has a background of mental illness or emotional trauma, and that individual really and truly wants to be a part, but the story gets out, how can he ever possibly make it? If his lifestyle is different from yours, if he votes to the right further than you, or to the left further than you, or carries on a business that's different than yours. That's awfully hard for that person to feel absolutely a part of the ministry.

38:28 You know where it even touches? If a person is never married and he's older. I had a man tell me whom I married some time ago to a gal somewhat near his age. They were both in their 30s. He says, well, I'll tell you, one of the most difficult things to put up with is hearing people say, what's wrong with you? What is your attitude toward an individual who has never been married and is in his 30s or 40s? Something have to be wrong with them? I frankly know a lot more things wrong with those that are married in their 20s than some that are single in their 30s. if a person is minority it's pretty hard to wedge into this place any place that holds to our doctrine how about long hair I know it hurts to hear it but how about it heard about a fellow the other day that told his son look son look up to your great granddad there's a godly man Methodist minister Now there's the guy to look up to and the kid was upstairs cleaning the attic came across a picture of his great-granddad Hair down to his shoulders the kid had long hair. So he says hey dad look here's my idol Put the picture up son. Don't don't fiddle around with that picture No room for that. How come they got to cut their hair to certain length in the 1700s? It was one length The 1900s. It's another What's the big deal on the hair?

40:08 You see, we cover that up, though. We don't want that to be known. For example, the guy who wrote this poem, Paul's girl is rich and haughty. My girl is poor as clay. Paul's girl is young and pretty. My girl looks like a bale of hay.

40:28 Paul's girl is smart and clever. My girl is dumb, but good. But would I trade my girl for Paul's You bet your life I would. Oh, man, just give me a chance. But you know who doesn't know it is his girl. See, he doesn't let her know that.

40:54 We hide it. Oh. What's your attitude really toward people who just aren't like you? Bunch of wild-looking people coming into this place some Sunday, sitting down in the chair you've occupied or the few you've had for years and years and take your spot. What's your attitude? How did that get in here? Or, well, I knew we were going liberal. the way Swindoll's been preaching lately no wonder they're coming in like that or is it man I'm glad he's here to hear about Christ wow I bet it's the first time in his life he's ever heard a clear cut message of the Savior God help him to be responsive grade yourself how high is your aq second an unwillingness to accept another style without criticism an unwillingness to accept another style of message without criticism now i'm not saying another message I'm referring to a message that presents Jesus Christ as Lord, as preeminent.

42:26 He is the central figure of the Bible and therefore the central figure of the message. But it's put together in a different garb. And so you fight the problem of exclusivism. You know, I prefer this and that's fine to prefer it. But you travel and you go to another area where there is a different kind of ministry. And if you don't watch it, you'll nitpick the message to death because of a few little differences. Such as the guy wears a robe.

43:03 Now why would that affect us if he wears a robe? What do you care if he wears Bermudas? What does it matter? What does it matter if the person has a different look? What does it matter if they don't believe in having a choir? Christ is preached.

43:23 There's a pride of style. There's a pride of size. There's a pride of exclusive philosophy. even pride of personality or minor areas of theology. You discover a person is post-trib, well, God help him to be heard all the way through by you. Jesus said in Mark chapter 9, Oh, don't hinder them. Paul even says in Philippians 1, And look, some are preaching out of a selfish motive. But Christ is preached. Oh, may he be exalted.

44:10 See, there are some people who even say when they hear, is he Calvinistic? No, he doesn't have to be Calvinist. That's all. Is he not Calvinistic? That's the other side. I mean, you can't win. Oh, how about the area of his plan toward the future? His whole scheme of eschatology. He's got a fit.

44:40 I'm talking not about a pastor. I'm talking about group sharing. He's got to be in the box or we don't have room. You wonder why the lost world watches us like ducks and says, oh, no way. You know, this needs some real soul searching. You know you feel that way. I'm just gutsy enough to say it. That's the difference. You know that's what's going on.

45:14 Now, deep down inside, you don't have to be ecumenical to be liberal in your fellowship. God guard us against it. The most sterile places I know are doctrinally accurate, right down to the last icicle of truth. There's a third while you're grading your paper, unwillingness to accept offenses without holding a grudge. Wow. Somebody hurt you around the church?

45:59 Well, I'm never going back to that church. Boy, they got people that just do you wrong. Well, I just have to say, stick around. You'll have more wrong done. It'll just happen again. If you're looking for the perfect church, don't join it. You'll ruin it. You see, this whole area of offense, you know who suffers the most? You do. Because of an unforgiving spirit. And it eats like an acid.

46:38 You know what? Jesus washed Judah's feet. Would you? Knowing in his heart that he would be the traitor. He says, give me your feet, Judas. Let's get them cleaned up. Oh, that's beautiful. What a forgiveness. You say, what in the world does this have to do with missions?

47:03 Well, I've just come in the back door, frankly. I pulled a surprise tactic on you. You see, these are the reasons people don't go to the field. Personal Prejudice a different style. You've got to be broad to minister. Or being willing to overlook petty things to get the job done all the way through these fellows and gals ministry this summer. I've heard them say, well, I just had to go right on. It didn't fit like I planned. In fact, some things were sort of hurting. I went right on. You know what I fought with when I was in Venezuela? one of the things is the personal prejudice of the American mindset.

47:55 And you have to give it up. Has to be under the cross. Even the offenses. Lord, that person offended me, but my, that helps me understand how you must have felt at the cross. When they covered your body with saliva. And they punched you until you no longer looked like a human being in your face. And you died for them. Oh, help me to know what it is like to go right on against those kind of offenses. Thanks for designing it for me to learn this way.

48:34 I'll tell you, I may go down, but I'll go down swinging. I believe in this with all my heart. And you know what? I don't think it's that much different than what you really want to believe in. But you've been afraid.

48:56 Relax. We're going to keep on preaching this book. And we're going to see lives changed. Hopefully without some restrictions that keep people away. you don't even have to be something to fellowship at this place you can just be a sinner like the preacher and come right on in How high is your IQ? How high is your AQ? That's what really matters. Let's bow together this morning. A message like this obviously deserves some of you because you reveal it in your face. but there are some here that are touched by it.

49:58 It's to you especially I direct these words. God might be getting your attention in this service and saying to you, I want you in my service outside the land of America.

50:19 You're just forging out some plans in your mind and maybe just getting underway in a business or a profession. and you realize that's the reason I haven't really been sensitive to your world plan, Lord. I've just been basically selfish. Now, let me say, don't turn that off. That's what God's saying. You've never trusted the Lord Jesus, I can assure you, only he can take away the prejudice and remove the bitterness of an offense. Only he can give you the flexibility of enjoying another style.