A Reverent Scout
The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member.
Text: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. – Mark 12:30
The scout oath is . . .
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
The Boy Scout Law
A Scout is:
Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.
The Boy Scout Motto is . . . Be Prepared!
The Boy Scout Slogan is . . . Do a Good Turn Daily.
The Scout Law is a guiding light to millions of Boys & Men throughout the World Today, but the principles of the Law come from ancient days.
Exodus 20:16
A Scout is Trustworthy.
Thou Shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Luke 16:10
A Scout is Loyal.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Deuteronomy 15:11
A Scout is Helpful.
For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
Psalm 133:1
A Scout is Friendly.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Ephesians 4:29
A Scout is Courteous.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Proverbs 12:10
A Scout is Kind.
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Ephesians 6:1-3
A Scout is Obedient.
6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
6:2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Proverbs 15:13
A Scout is Cheerful.
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Proverbs 6:6-8
A Scout is Thrifty.
6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
6:7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
6:8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
Deuteronomy 31:6
A Scout is Brave.
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Psalm 24:3-5
A Scout is Clean.
24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Mark 12:30
A Scout is Reverent.
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
The word “reverent” means to be very respectful, and worshipful.
The first point that I want to make this morning is that we need to . . .
1. Revere the people of God
Exodus 20:12 says that we are to honor and revere our parents. This is the right thing to do.
Romans 12:10 tells us to “be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
This is a great principle for relationships. If more people would revere or respect other people above themselves, more people would get along better with each other.
2. Revere the places of God
Luke 19:45-46 Then he (Jesus) entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be a house of prayer'; {Isaiah 56:7} but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'" {Jeremiah 7:11}
Our Lord Jesus Christ was angry with those who were taking advantage of people’s circumstances and cheating them out of their money in a holy place that was designated as a house of prayer.
3. Revere the things of God
It would be good for all of us to revere the Ten Commandments that God gave His chosen people at Mt. Sinai. Our moral law code is founded upon these laws of God. They are . . .
1) You shall have no other gods before me
2) You shall not make for yourself an idol
3) You shall not misuse the name of the Lord you God
4) Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy
5) Honor your father and your mother
6) You shall not murder
7) You shall not commit adultery
8) You shall not steal
9) You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor
10) You shall not covet what your neighbor has
At Matthew 22:34 we read that Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment in the Law, and Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Our Lord summed up the Law of God by saying love the Lord your God above everything else and love each other as much as you love yourself.
4. Revere God above all things
Proverbs 3:9 “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops”;
This proverb tells us that we are to revere God above everything else. He deserves our gifts, our tithes, and our offerings. But most of all He deserves our hearts. We should strive to please the Lord with our lives above everything else.
At Hebrews 5:9 it says that Jesus Christ is the source of eternal salvation for all who will obey and come to Him by faith to be saved.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The only way to receive God’s forgiveness and be made right with God is through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Because of your sin you deserve eternal condemnation, but by the grace of God you can receive mercy and forgiveness through the blood of Christ.
Our God deserves worship and reverence for no other reason than because of who He is.
Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
But we also know that our great Creator God made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and covered by the precious blood of Christ.
Revelation 5:12-13 “In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
The Scout Beatitudes
Blessed are the Scouts who are taught to see beauty in all things around them...for their world will be a place of grace and wonder.
Blessed are the Scouts who are led with patience and understanding... for they will learn the strength of endurance and the gift of tolerance.
Blessed are the Scouts who are provided a home where family members dwell in harmony and close communion...for they shall become the peacemakers of the world.
Blessed are the Scouts who are taught the value and power of truth...for they shall search for knowledge and use it with wisdom and discernment.
Blessed are the Scouts who are guided by those with faith in a loving God...for they will find Him early and will walk with Him through life.
Blessed are the Scouts who are loved and know that they are loved...for they shall sow seeds of love in the world and reap joy for themselves and others.
