INTRODUCTION:
One definition of “Excellence” is “the possession chiefly of good qualities in an unusual degree; surpassing virtue, merit, worth, value”.
From a biblical standpoint what does excellence mean?
The Greek word for excellence used in the New Testament comes from the word perisseu which means to have in abundance, to increase, to surpass. Biblical excellence is to do your best with what God has given you.
Excellence does not mean success. Brian Harbour in Rising above the Crowd commented: “Success means being the best. Excellence means being your best.
Success, to many, means being better than everyone else. Excellence means being better tomorrow than you were yesterday. Success means exceeding the achievements of other people. According to Paul Borthwick, “Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.”
To achieve excellence there must be discipline and tenacity of purpose.
3 arears we must live an excellent life
1. OUR WALK WITH GOD – 1 Thessalonians 4:1
“Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.” (NASB)
God hates mediocrity. He told the Laodicean church that their halfhearted, lukewarm lives disgusted Him. (Revelation 3:15) He expects us to live lives that exalt Him.
Colossians 1:10 (NASB) “… walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Those who excel in their walk with God live by Biblical principles, not by emotion, by peer or familiar influence and pressure, nor by personal comfort or self-gratification.
2 John 1:6a “This is love that we walk according to His commandments…”
We must choose to dismantle the unnecessary things in our lives that hinder our living an excellent life in our walk with Jesus.
We must learn to let go of activities, commitments, relationships, and interests that aren’t producing fruit in our lives.
1 Timothy 6:11 “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness…”
2. OUR WORK FOR GOD – Colossians 3:23-24
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
"Excellence is taking every assignment seriously for the glory of God." --Kent Crockett
Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.”
Is what you are doing and how you are doing it propagating and promoting the gospel or otherwise?
1 Samuel 12:24 “Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.”
3. OUR WORSHIP OF GOD – 2 Chron. 2:4-5
“Behold, I am building a temple for the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to Him, to burn before Him sweet incense, for the continual showbread, for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, on the New Moons, and on the set feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel. And the temple which I build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.”
Christ deserves the very best from us.
Excellence in worship is not optional. The two cannot be separated.
Hebrews 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
In worship, excellence is offering the very best to God, and striving to become better. It is taking that which we have been given and, with hearts focused on the one who gave everything, and returning the gift to God as an act of worship. It is not about being the best. It is about offering our best.
Malachi 1:14 “But cursed be the deceiver who has in his flock a male, and takes a vow, but sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished — ‘For I am a great King,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and My name is to be feared among the nations
Do you possess the right attitude in your worship of the living God?
Wrong attitude is when you place other things above the worship of God.
Right attitude is when you place the living God above every other thing in your life.
Conclusion
Bill Hybels, founder of Willow Creek Community Church, had this to say about excellence. "Good enough is just not good enough when it comes to honoring God through the Church. In response to his holiness and greatness, in gratitude for his monumental sacrifice for us, our attitude ought to be to pay tribute to him with the best we can offer. Not obsessive perfectionism, but an attitude of excellence that permeates all we do in the Church and in our personal lives. What we do as Christians reflects on the Christ we serve."