A Life of Nobility: How to Please God and Man

I.       Why do I need to please God and man? Can’t I just live for myself?

A.     When I was little, I thought that humans are always selfish. Everyone should live for himself. If I am happy, all should be happy. Later on, I learned that a selfish person does not have any friends at all.

B.     In the OT, God wanted us to care for the poor and the needy ones.

C.     In the NT, Jesus summarized the commandments into two: love God and love man. And He lifted up the standard of the commandments.

D.     “We…[shall] not to please ourselves.” (Rom 15:1ff)

1.        Man has responsibilities in the family. Ex. Can a husband simply leave home for his own pleasures?

2.        Man has responsibilities in society. Ex. Can a man simply leave litter in the highway?

3.        Man has responsibilities in the church. Ex. Jesus said to Peter that he should strengthen his brother after returning.

E.     If one is a self-centered person

1.        He is a lonely man. (Lk 19:1ff)

2.        He is a man who forgets grace.(2Sa 25:15-18).

3.        He is a foolish man.(Lk 12:17ff)

4.        He is a proud man. (Is 14:12ff)

F.      We should have the minds of our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not look for His own interests. (Phi 2:4f) Paul said that to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Paul said that if his eating meat would cause his brethren stumble as a result, he won’t eat it.

II.    Is it possible to please both God and man? What if there is conflict?

A.     Those who please God will be loved by godly people.

1.        Jesus found favor in front of man and God as He grew up. (Lk2:52)

2.        Samuel, at a young age, found favor in eyes of man and God. (1Sa2:26)

B.     Those who love man will gain favor in God’s eyes. (Pr 14:1)

1.        When Cornelius showed great love toward man, angels said that his prayer was heard by God. (Ac10:1ff)

2.        Dorcas loved many widows in her life. Many mourned for her when she died. God showed favor to her by resurrecting her. (Ac 9:36ff)

C.     If no one loves you, do you think that God will love you? (1Sa25:17,38)

D.     If someone wins the hearts of all people, including wicked ones, do you think he will be loved by God? (Lk 6:26)

It is impossible to please all men.

E.     If conflict comes, we shall choose to love God, instead of man.

1.        Jesus said that those who love their families more than me cannot enter the heavenly kingdom of God. (Mt10:37)

2.        Paul said, “for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ..”(Ga1:10)(2Co 5:9)

3.        Peter said, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God?” (Ac 4:19)

4.        The problem nowadays is that man is visible and bad. God is invisible and good. So a lot of times, man chooses to please man, not God. They hope that God will forgive them. And they know that man cannot forgive them.

III. How to please God and man?

A.     To please man.

1.        We shall start from honoring our parents. (Eph 6:1ff)

 a.      It is the first commandment for loving man. It is the first command with a great promise.

 b.      By being righteous men, we can please our parents. (Pr. 23:24f)

 c.      By listening to them in the Lord, we can please our parents. (Eph 6:3f)

2.        We shall love our neighbors as ourselves. (Lk10:27)

 a.      Who is our neighbor? The one who cares much for you. The one who loves you without expectation. (Lk10:36f)

 b.      We should not expect close ones to love us as neighbors, but as themselves.

3.         We shall love the workers of God. (2Ti5:17)

To receive workers is to receive the grace of God. (Mt 10:40ff)

4.        We shall love man for the purpose of God. We want to please man, because we want to please God. We cannot please man for the sake of pleasing man. (Mt10:40).

B.     To please God.

1.        To love God, one must keep the commandments of God. (Jn 14:21) (1Jn 5:3)

 a.      Jesus set a good example. The Father says, “This is my beloved son.” (Jn5:19f,30)

 b.      Jesus and the rich young man. Jesus looked at him and loved him. (Mk10:21) because this man had abided in God’s commandments since he was young.

2.        To offer our bodies as living sacrifices.

 a.      God was pleased by the sacrifices of Noah. (Ge 8:21)(Ezk 20:40f)

 b.      But obedience to God is better than sacrifice. (Ps 50:8-14)(Ge 4:7)(1Sa15:22)

3.        To please God, we must use our totality. (Mk12:28f)

 a.      Jesus wanted the rich young man to follow him. (Mk10:21)

 b.      When we follow Jesus, He will be pleased, and we will receive 100 times on earth, and eternal life in heaven. (Lk18:29f)

 c.      Some youths dedicate two years of their lives for Jesus. It is a very good experience. With proper training, one can perform a beautiful service in his life.

C.     Do not let mercy and truth to depart from you; then, you will please man and God. (Pr3:3f)