COMMITTING OURSELVES TO EXCELLENCE IN THE LORD’S WORK
2 Tim. 2:15.

A. God has never done or made anything that was not characterized by superlative goodness and
excellent quality: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good,”
Gen. 1:31.
Unfortunately, however, the words excellence and quality sometimes cannot be used to describe the products of our efforts — occasionally we slip into the habit of doing things in a careless, inferior way.
a. But in the Lord’s work, of all things, it should constantly be our aim to do the very best we
are capable of.
(A) Should we not be motivated by a commitment to excellence in the work of the Lord?
(1) In regard to the Lord’s work, Two basic attitudes are possible: One of these tends
toward mediocrity.
(a) There is a certain disposition that is concerned with nothing higher than
“getting by.”
(2) This attitude is content with a relatively low level of quality. Nothing is aspired to beyond what is “adequate” or “good enough.”
(2) With this attitude, we offer work and service to the Lord that are inferior even by human standards. Hag. 1:4; Mal. 1:8.
(2) What object lesson was God teaching by requiring Israel to offer the first and best of what they had physically — if not that we ought in all things to “give of our best to the Master”?
(3) Solomon advised: “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase” Prov. 3:9.
John Stuart Mill once observed that, “The general tendency of things throughout the world is to render mediocrity the ascendant power among mankind.” That’s just another way of saying we have a tendency to be stingy.
“Mediocre” is defines this way: of moderate to low quality; average or inferior.
Mediocrity is to human endeavor what entropy is to physical systems.
“Entropy” is a measure of the disorder in a system.
It increases when things are left to themselves and no energy is introduced from outside the system.
In our work, when we take the course of least resistance and do only what is easy, mediocrity increases. Without a conscious effort to rise above it, we are left with a “lowest common denominator” quality of thinking and living.
In regard to less?than?excellent work in the church, people have been overheard to say, “Oh well, it’s only the church.”
What kind of attitude is reflected in such a statement? More importantly,
What would be the results of such an attitude in the Lord’s work?
b. The other basic attitude promotes excellence rather than mediocrity.
(1) Rather than a contentment with mediocrity, we should have a commitment to excellence in whatever we do. Eccl. 9:10; Col. 3:23-24.
(1) Should we not have higher standards of excellence in the Lord’s work than in our own endeavors? 1 Cor. 15:58; 2 Cor. 9:6.
(1) Our English word “pride” can mean a sinful attitude toward oneself — but we also use it to mean self?respect. A sense of one’s own proper dignity or value, pleasure or satisfaction taken in one’s work.

(2) Is there not a good sense in which it can be said we ought to “take pride” in what we do in the Lord’s work? Gal. 6:4.
(3) Zenith, the electronics manufacturer, says in its advertising: “The quality goes in before the name goes on.”
(2) What should be the quality of the work that we attach the Lord’s name to?
(1) Don’t we have a duty to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things?” Tit. 2:10.
(2) Quality knowledge, quality principles/convictions, quality actions.
(2) A commitment to excellence (or the lack of it) often shows up most clearly in the way we do the “little” things.
(1) Should we not have a high commitment to excellence in Our individual work as Christians? Our work as a congregation?
(1) A commitment to excellence requires extra effort, carefulness and hard work
are required. Do we see that in this congregation? Eph. 5:15; 2 Tim.
2:15.
(2) Our first goal in life is striving to “give of our best to our God and Jesus.”
(3) It makes a big difference how high our goals are in the work we do for God.
(2) When it comes to our work for God, always shoot for the moon. If you miss, the worst you can do is land among the stars.
(1) It is not a shame to fail. But it is shameful to aim low.
(2) Wherever the Lord’s work is concerned, “good enough is not good enough!”
(3) We should always work as those who do “not need to be ashamed,” 2 Tim. 2:15.
(3) Nothing but the best is good enough for the Lord who gave His life for us.
(1) It is exact as the apostle Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ constrains us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 7/01 /2001 pm