Sermon Transcript
Auto Generated
Sun, May 26, 2024 10AMPM • 1:01:44SUMMARY KEYWORDSgod, Jesus, people, light bulbs, point, blesses, vanity, verse, scriptures, ministry, sermon, reward, bible, Matthew, worship, call, die, superiority, Galatians, interest
Good morning.
Welcome. If you're new here among us, my name is Gene I serve here at C3 church as your pastor. And I hate changing lightbulbs. It's a great way to start a sermon, isn't it? Just thinking about that, especially if they're up high, says something you need to know about me. It's really important, right? So if a light bulb goes out, it's never convenient, right? So light bulbs never go out? Well, for me, like right before you want to go to bed, like all of a sudden, the light bulb goes out. Perfect timing, I don't even have to do the light switch, right? No, it's when you need the light bulb to be on. Right now, it's never convenient time to get a ladder if they're up really high. It's never convenient when somebody puts the box of lightbulbs back without any light bulbs in them anymore. So things like that kind of annoys me. So very often, I'll just let the light bulbs go out. And just let God do the work. Open up some more curtains, we're in the Sunshine State. There you go. And my excuses. Well, I'm saving electricity until the AC bill comes, right. So if you live in Florida, you know what that's all about. But there is one place that I do not recommend that you just open the curtains. And that's the bathroom, right? So especially if you live really close to somebody else. Not always a good idea. So let me tell you a little bit about my bathroom, and the light bulbs in there. So we have two vanities and in our bathroom. And I didn't share really any of this with my wife. So she's getting really nervous right now. So we have the man vanity, and you can tell like when you walk into a house, you can tell the man vanity and the woman vanity why? Because the man vanity is much smaller, right? So there's like no room on it for anything. And it's a little taller because men are usually tolerate I kind of noticed that when I had to use her vanity for a while. The other thing is, it's anywhere from three to 73 times as large as the man vanity, right? And it like, just has all kinds of stuff. And it's where I'm going to stop. It has all kinds of stuff on it, just stuff that I don't even know what it's for. I don't know how someone uses that much stuff, like in one day or even a week, right bunch of stuff. But the funny thing about the two vanities is mine has three light bulbs above it, as well as fixtures, three light bulbs above it. So does hers. Right? So piqued my interest too? Well, I'll tell you why. But anyway, it's just kind of above that. So maybe it's like a developer joke or something like that they're like, or give her all this mirror space. And it's like endless mirror space too. But she doesn't need to see any of that stuff over there. So my light bulbs decide to die one by one. And the reason I was like looking scoping out Herbold was when my brother died. So I was trying to switch them out. But I didn't do that I just because I don't like changing them remember, alright, so my boss said, but here's the thing about at least the first light bulb that die. In my vanity, it had a sick sense of humor about death. It really did. In here's the thing, it decided to die on me but behind my back. And I'll explain to you how this happened. It was really weird. So and I didn't know what's going on. So I don't know the light bulbs going just keep this in mind as I tell the story. But every time I decided to wash my face, the light bulb decides to flicker. Right? I don't know that right? Just keep this in mind. Now, if you're alive for like two minutes and 36 seconds, you know that with your eyes closed? You can still sense light, right? But I forgot that. So here's what's going on. Remember, that's the backend. So this is going on, like every time I going to wash my face. Delightful. So I don't know. It's delightful. So I'm getting older and so I began thinking I'm dying. So no, is this some kind of brain flicker? Now that's not a real thing. It's largely a self diagnosis because I've never died before. Right? So almost. But I think like maybe this is one of the ways in which you could die. So every time it's like Did they did it and I kind of get up do I call a doctor? No, of course not. Right? So it's just going on for it. I'm not ashamed to say about a month I'm like about a month this thing is so it's dying this really long but I think it's keeping itself alive by making me think that I'm dying right? So the ball just kind of keeps going on and on until one day the ball decides to say some last words that's it decides it's done with me. It's going to go so I'm in sync and it starts like flickering like crazy. This is way more than before it's good again. Again, I forgot that fact about your eyelids and how they work right so I'm down there washing my face and it's just outrageous like I'm like it's time to meet Jesus. This is it like visit face. I'm going so come up out of the water you're not Jesus right because I'm not dead. It's just the mere right that so it disappointed me that's a good exercise for you guys though. Just look at them. Hear and Say you're not the Lord, right? So just kind of thinking it's good for everybody, right? So we can glean something useful out of this. So, here's what happens. Then I noticed the light bulbs out and I figured it all out in a matter of seconds. Right? So, here's another thing about getting older. You forget stuff really fast. Like it's amazingly fast. You know, I was just thinking about something. And I'm like, so anyway, from the time it takes to get from the bathroom to the kitchen, which is like three seconds, not a big house. Like I forget, like, every time I look at the light bulb, well, I got to change the light bulb. Don't steal Heather's. Okay, let's go get one. What was he doing? You know what I mean? I have no idea I get in the kitchen. There's so many things in the kitchen. That's it, right. Now, here's the other thing about getting older. And there's just a couple of things. But this is like, Well, anyway, you remember these things at like, absurd times all the wrong times. Right? So you know how there'll be saying, oh, did you hear who passed away recently? That involves many bulbs. Because the bulb died. So triggered something there. Right? You know, so like, hey, bulbs and cheese. So here's the thing. This is great. And this is one of the other good things about getting older like you don't really have to speak anymore, right? Your face does all the speaking for you. Right? So my wife does this like my remember my script. You got the scriptures wrong face. I'm like, right. So you do that, like you get scripted. That's the look. But my wife and she's great at speaking complete sentences with her face. It's amazing. Alright, so the first word that comes out of her face right is now if you're from New York, don't do that to anyone you will get in a fight. Because and say the way I teach you how to do it though the W H and the angle really fascinate lead up to a hard T.
But
you know what? I mean? I don't know if it's a New York thing, but grew up with it. Right? So she's adopted it from California, ruined in New York spent enough time there to just like scramble a brain up. So she starts talking to me like the next thing she's saying with her face all in a split. Second is Are you crazy? And I can't read your mind. Right. So that's all happening in this because I just remember what happened. She's talking about someone dying or something else. And I'm saying vanity bowls, right? So do I explain myself? Absolutely not. Not at all. No, no, no. Right? Because it's another cool thing about getting older. You just don't have to explain yourself anymore. It's amazing. Right? So I'm taking full advantage of that. So I remember I'm like, Yeah, vanity bowls. Ones that think they're better than the other ones.
There are a lot of jokes inside again, like, you know, and here's the thing. I'll say it again, if I threw some bad words in there, you guys would be rollin. Right? So that's you guys. We like to clean up. It's your fault that that wasn't funny. Anyway. We're, we're in our series, we're going to get to the Scriptures. To scripture series. This is where we're looking at commonly misused verses of the Bible, right? So I give a lot of analogies, you have the fortune cookie analogy I gave you right? So it's kind of like, you just get fed that verse, you read it and then apply it to whatever it is that is convenient for you. Right? That's one thing, the junk drawer. Not that scriptures are junk. I thought that was a pretty good illustration or so. But anyway, not that they're all junk, but they're randomized, right? So you get all these random scriptures in there and they're just thrown in there, you have no idea what they go to anymore. So that's kind of what we're looking at here. Today's verse, we're going to get right into it. Matthew 514 You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that can not be hidden. No one likes a lamp and it puts it under a basket instead a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your good deeds shine out for all to see.
Okay, now this is how
and maybe not a lot of you are very guilty of it right so this is just something you can shame other Christians for later for using this it's just giving you ammo sometimes it's about collecting gathering weapons and ammo, right? So. So this is often used when like people are giving to the needy, giving the needy people right to missions, things like that, like certain ministries. And so how the verse is typically translated is this is how there's the translation of the verse typically, right? Make sure you get pictures of yourself doing everything for the needy, right, that's what it is. And furthermore, be sure to post it on social media, right? That's kind of what this is how this is translate so they get out of it. And again, so this is basically the selfie justification verse right? So this is or versus this is what you're looking at here. Now. Let's back up and we'll look at the context a little bit. This is within the sermon on the mount right best sermon ever by Jesus Matthew chapters five through Oh, seven, right. So we're kind of at the beginning ish of the sermon, but we didn't let him finish. So what we do when we do this kind of thing is we show up late for Jesus sermon, right? Totally disrespectful, show up late for a sermon, and then get what we want and leave early, right? So we're done, or geez, I know you're still talking, but I got what I wanted. I'm going to go take some pictures of myself helping the poor. Alright, so we don't let him finish. That's, that's what's going on here. So there's a danger in those verse or verses of the day, he's going to finish. So here's a couple of things. I have read the Sermon on the Mount. So you guys as a church, if you've been here for a little while, you know that, right? So I'm big on reading larger passages of Scripture, larger sections, that's a good thing. We are not going to do that today. Because I want to take you we're going to go to other places in the Sermon on the Mount. But I'm going to take you to other places which help clarify this in the full context of the Word of God. But I told the Bible study Hey, read Matthew, chapters five through seven. I'm encouraging you guys. Hey, read Matthew, chapters five, seven, right? So just some encouragement just because I'm not reading the whole thing today does not let you off the hook. Right? So I expect you to read this so you really understand. Alright, so with that being said, if we do begin at the beginning of the sermon, let's just kind of take a look at how Jesus blesses the congregation and sets us up right. So here's the thing, Matthew, five, three, God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for their inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, or they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs, God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say, all sorts of evil things against you, because you're my followers. Be happy about it. Be very glad, for a great reward awaits you. And heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it's lost its flavor. Can you make it salty again, it will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. Okay. So if you remember last week, sermon, something should stand out to you right away. Jesus is contrasting right things here, things in heaven things. Here are two different things and things and haven't, right. And so did you notice, like, we talked about suffering, right? What's happening here, this is all these conditions of suffering here and you say you're blessed. When you're going through those things. You're blessed. It's all good, because you got to reward in heaven. And that's where you should be focused. Alright, so you get how Jesus sets all this up. He's kind of getting you thinking, right? This sounds like really crazy, right? So the average listener today, right, but he's setting you up for something. He's, he's building it here. So the kingdom of heaven. So it says a lot about humility, purity, peace gate and being blessed when we're humiliated, like, really bad time, because your reward awaits you in Heaven. Just remember that. So Jesus starts by letting us know, we need to be humble. And we might get humiliated for the kingdom sake. Right. So here we go. We were at verse 13. So let's just before we turn the page, let's just continue, we'll look at what we looked at for Matthew 514. You're the light of the world like this. This was right after the Salt Lake City on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket and said, a lamp is placed on his stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father, did you notice something different? I added what everyone took out. They didn't add it. I just kept the verse there. There's a so that statement that everybody leaves out when they say it, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. That's what you're looking at in the Bible, right? So when someone says like, so that right, you got to kind of pay real close attention to what it says after that, because it illustrates the point of what was said previously, right. So that there's a purpose to this, what he's saying here. So the purpose is not about you at all. It's about your heavenly father getting the glory, not you. So it's not about getting attention. It's about giving attention to God. That's what these verses are about. Now, if we just simply turn the page, Jesus will clarify even more, just in case you got it wrong. Matthew six one, watch out. Don't let your good deed. Do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others, for you will lose your reward from your Father in heaven. Let's see what the face and everything when you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do blowing trumpets in the synagogues in the streets to call attention to their acts of generosity, I tell you the truth they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, your Father who sees everything will reward you. Is that some clarification? They're probably right. Don't let anyone see or even gives a consequences. Not like hey, right now it no or you will lose your reward in heaven. It's a kind of a good one right for kids. Put your phone we're going to start bringing that into the children's put your phone down. Are you going to lose your reward in heaven? said Pastor Jean. Remember what Jesus said, When he set this up? Right? What was the so that so that your Father in heaven gets all the glory, right? So it's all about these things in heaven. That's why we're not to be trying to rob Fraser glory from God. And why is it bad? Well, because you're not filling that basic Christian requirements. Humility. What did he start with all that humility? Now, when we keep reading, so I'm just going right along, we're going to go to the next verse, right? So Matthew six, five, he continues, when you pray, don't be like the hypocrites, who love to pray publicly on street corners, and in synagogues, where everyone can see them, and tell you the truth. That is all the reward they'll ever again, catching a theme here. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private, then your Father who sees everything will reward you. It's kind of repetitive, isn't it? Alright, so we shouldn't be getting the point yet. We shouldn't be drawing attention to ourselves. It's not bad, just like pray for someone or whatever. There's a point here, right? Don't do it to draw attention to yourself. Right? Don't do it to be superior to someone else. Right. So that's where he's going with this. And I've seen people both give and pray, to kind of do that right to draw attention to themselves, and be superior to other people through that, right. But the thing is, look, don't draw outside yourself. God will take care of that. Right? And his timing when he wants to, right, he'll take let him do it. He sees it. He will reward you again, don't rob that praise or attention from God, just do your thing. And get out. And here's the thing, just so you know, this is the problem. It doesn't continue to say, and this is what people do like that. Jesus will say something very definitive people. Yeah, but that's when I stopped listening. Right? Yeah. But like, no, no. Right? So but if you need more attention, then God has already given you, right? If you need more praise and approval from other people except God, right? If maybe he isn't fast enough for you, or God isn't gratifying enough for you go ahead and do it
doesn't say that.
We need to remember that. So this is one of the points that Jesus criticizes the religious leaders on if we keep reading Matthew 23 Five, everything they do is for show on their arms. They were extra wide prayer boxes with scripture verses inside and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table banquets and the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces and to be called rabbi. Sound like some people in church today?
Yeah, kind of. But Jesus is the opposite. John
541, your approval means nothing to me. Because I know you don't have God's love within you, For I have come to you in My Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet. If others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder Can you can't believe for you gladly honor each other. But you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God. clarified Correct. Right. didn't care about that. He's God, serve God. That's all we should care about. Now, this is reiterates, I'm going to go through some places. If we keep reading where it's reiterate, it's super, super redundant. I'm not going to do all of them. But just to give you enough, just kind of contextualize a little bit. So we're not just dropping verses out there. But Colossians Paul reiterates this, right so you read a section where he's talking about familiar relationships, but also when you see in the New Testament, like slaves and masters think in today's context, employees, employers, it's not about what Racism here. It's about commerce. So think about it like that. And that's the context. That's what's happening here. Colossians 323 Work willingly. And whenever you do as though you are working for the Lord, rather than for people, remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as you reward and the master that the master you are serving is Christ. Okay, similar thing here, when you're working for the Lord, even when you're serving people. Now, it's kind of interesting way to think of it think of this in a couple different ways. But Matthew 25, if you remember, Jesus talks about coming and judging the world, and the sheep and the goats. You don't want to be a goat, right? Why? Because well, what is he said, says, Well, you know, he's all these states of being right. So when I was hungry, thirsty and naked and imprisoned, sick, right, you didn't come visit me, you didn't give me what I needed. And then they're like, Lord, when did we ever see you like that? When you did it to the least of my brothers, you did it to me. It's an important thing to remember. So really important. That's lines up perfectly with that Galatians? Three, right. So it's not super long, you get the six chapters, but give it a read sometime. It's kind of funny, like, So what they're talking about is, Paul is basically there's false teachers of that day coming around saying that you need to be under the Law of Moses sounds like the main topic of discussion, as he kind of rails into him pretty good. And especially the teachers and the false teachers that are, like espousing this teaching. He even over these issues now that Peters doing it, but Peter like changes his behavior, depending on who he's with. So Paul even calls out, Peter, if you think about that for a second, right? Like, he's like the lead apostle, he doesn't care. He just calls him out. Really crazy, right. But it's interesting to note through this discourse, this book of the Bible is bookended by two similar like trains of thought, I want you to see him both because when you read the whole letter, you kind of get it right. So we'll look at both of them. Galatians 110, obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people. But if God, if pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant. So at the end, Galatians 614. As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified. And this world interest in me has also got Paul literally does not care about getting the approval of people at all, again, read Galatians, it'll be very clear to doesn't care. Quick disclaimer. He can be all things for the sake of the gospel. But we do read that first Corinthians nine, he can do all things. So he meets people where they are, right. But there's a big difference between people pleasing, right, which is kind of all about you when you think about it. And being all things for the sake of the Gospel, meeting people where they are, which is not about you at all. So there's a big difference, right? So it's what we're talking about here, Paul's not being mean, chase people away. He's talking about a bunch of people calling themselves Christians, right. So he's kind of laying into him. First, as long as they're suffering by their own people, the Jewish people decide to become Christians, and now they're suffering persecution, because of it. Again, false teachers a real big deal, and the Bible. So he's explained to them like we didn't come to you preaching with any deceit or false motives. First Thessalonians 244. We speak as messengers approved by God, oh, God, to be entrusted with the good news. Our purpose is to please God, God, not people, he alone examines the motives of our hearts, never wants to be tried to win with flattery, as you well know. And guys are witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money. As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else. So there it is, right. The point of all of these instances, were not to seek the approval of people. And that's a really countercultural thing, isn't it? So really different, but especially using it as a guise for spreading the gospel, or doing things in ministry, that we see that a lot like getting attention, and they use these things as a guise to kind of like, well, that's why I'm doing it. No, we're going to seek the approval of the one alone whose opinion matters. And in doing so, the natural byproduct, is doing what Jesus commanded, loving others. Right? That's it. So if you kept reading the Sermon on the Mount, you get to Matthew seven, verse 12, golden rule, right? So what did he actually a very strong statement in Greek, this is the Law and the Prophets. It doesn't say anything else. This is the long route that you will treat other people the way you want to be treated. So basically, what Jesus is saying there in the Bible is like loving people is the Bible. Like that's kind of what he said. That's how you summarize them. So you want someone just love people. That's it, you'll get it right if you do that. So we looked at the full context here and counsel of God's word, we see that we're called to be humble, right? And put our own interests aside, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, God is just using us get ahead of our own interest, the byproduct will just simply be sacrificial living and loving others, it's going to happen, right? If we're just living for the kingdom of heaven, we're serving God. That's what just happens naturally, it doesn't have to be forced, right? God will take care of the rest. Now, I've said this before I use the scriptures a lot because it's, it's very interesting without getting on a tangent, like, if I call them baptismal prerequisites or requirements, a lot of people don't understand, like, what, I can just run through the water and jump in here you can, but it's not going to stick. Because you, you didn't read what I call, like churches said, like the fine print, like this becomes the fine print. And that's a problem. And this becomes a fine print, we've got a problem, right? So I like to usually meet with people before they get baptized, and just tell them all the things that Jesus said, Right? Not to scare them away, but so it sticks, right? And then work with them. Like, hey, if you have some areas, you're going to need help with, let's get you have the buddy system going on. Let's help you alright, so that people are prepared. It's a serious commitment and covenant that you're making to the Lord, right? So you kind of want to under infant like knowledgeably, and Jesus does this again and again, again. So this is like scripture I use, I just, I want to share it with you again, with this in mind, I use it a lot, but it's true. So what you have happening here in this particular discourse is Jesus is telling his disciples that he's going to suffer like he's telling, he's going to suffer and die. Right? So he's telling him this, and Peter tries to stop them, right? Say that, Lord, it's not going to happen. Jesus rebuke we
owe Peter, Get behind Me, Satan.
Fear gets beat up a lot in the Bible, right? Hidden behind Me, Satan, right? You don't have God's interests in mind. You have man's interest in mind. Right? So again, another contrast here, they says Matthew 1624, then Jesus said to His disciples, if any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way. It literally says, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. Alright? So one thing I believe it or just off top my head, because someone might argue this and I just thought, then Jesus said to His disciples, and Matthew, I believe it's mark where it says, And Jesus said to the disciples and the crowd, okay, so before you get the idea going, well, that's just as disciples, right? It's everybody. He's saying it, everybody, it's for everyone. Right? So there's a couple of prerequisites here, did you notice it? Deny yourself get rid of the concept of you deny yourself talk about counterculture? Deny yourself, right? Pick up your cross was that say, we talked about this? You're probably going to have to suffer for me in one way, shape, or form or another? Jesus is saying death? He just goes right? No fine print here. Right? He's just like, he doesn't go oh, you know, it might not be death, guys. Like don't worry about that right? Now, that's what we do today. Don't worry about that. The cross, it's an old thing, you know, you're probably not going to have to worry about that. Jesus, he doesn't do that. Right. He takes it to the worst possible imaginable death. That's his warning. Doesn't sound very much like you know, like monitoring. It's crazy that we laugh, right? Like some of you baptized, okay, you're ready to totally deny you like, this is not about you, and you're probably going to die a horrible death. You know, like, Okay, that's good.
That's Jesus baptism.
Something to think about right? All right. If you try to hang on to your old life, you'll lose it. But if you give up your life so here, he's doubling down, he's not making any apologies, you will save it. What are your benefit if you gain the whole world, but lose your own? Like it says literally in Greek life, like putting mean soul eternal life? Is anything worth more than your soul? So do you see the prerequisites? Right? The point the sacrifice, which is how you should be living as a living sacrifice Romans 12 We shouldn't be living that way. Well, the sacrifice has no concept of self
that's it. Christianity in a nutshell, right there. All right.
So let's take a look at some consequences. Yeah, it's going to get a little worse for it gets better just naturally happens. It's been here for a while you know that. Let's take a look at some consequences for disobeying Jesus's command. So let's say we're like, Yep, okay, I'm Jesus follower. I'm a Christian. Okay. So back to Galatians. Again, contrasting the fruit of the spirit with the sin of the flesh, right? They're at war with one another Galatians 519. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear. Sexual immorality, impurity. lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger. selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness and wild parties and other things like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God. That's scary. So there's the kingdom of God again, you notice that, and here's how you lose it. I remember that from the Sermon on the Mount, right? And you will lose your reward in heaven. Jesus said,
consequences. Interesting.
So here's the thing I want you to just take. That's up good. So you look at the list. Here's what most hypocrites will do. They'll pick something like the sexual sin, right? That's the one they're going to and that's worse than all of them. But where does it say that? Now, if you're really good with the Bible, First Corinthians six, right, so no other sin defiles the body so much? Yes.
Okay, cool. It's bad. But then
pick another one. Right? Whatever you like. But the sexual sin for example, it's right up there. With quarreling. It's right up there with outbursts of anger.
It's right up there with jealousy.
And it's up there with selfish ambition, right? When we tie it to what did Jesus say? Deny yourself. So if you're having selfish ambition, you will not inherit the kingdom of God, why? Paul is saying you might not be a Christian. That's what he's saying. Because Jesus already told you in order to be one, you don't have that anymore. That's crucify
God. Think about it, right?
So when we're guilty of like, selfish ambition, we're guilty of self worship, are guilty of trying to be God. It's the devil's trap. From the beginning. He uses it and knows it. Adam and Eve. What were they promised? If you eat the fruit? What you'll be like God, knowing good and evil.
Cool. Right?
I want to be like God. There you go. First mistake. Now here's the thing, the devil uses it knowing it will have the ironic effect of self destruction. He knows it. He wants to ruin you. So what did he say? You're
going to be like God, get ahead of other people. get interested in
yourself. I know what Jesus said. But he didn't mean it. So it brings me to a word that nobody likes. And so I'm going to spend some time talking about narcissism. I'm going to give you the definition, or talk a little bit about this. So you're going to see here, excessive interest or admiration of oneself. It sounds like the self worship thing, right? But go down selfishness, entitlement, right. So self centeredness. It's all in their self worship. That's interesting. If you know anything about mythology, Narcissus, he, he becomes so obsessed with his This is like the fable become so obsessed with his reflection in the water, that he starves and dies, right? So he forgets to eat and drink, he dies, so it ruins him. So that's what narcissism implies. So when you're saying like, if you say someone's a narcissist, or they're narcissistic, you're implying it's ruining you. It's not just that they're doing it's that it's ruining you in one shape or form or another could be as simple as I don't like you because you're a narcissist. But it's having some kind of very negative effect as well on the individual. That's the implication with that word, so use it right. So self worship is self destruction right? Now. It seems that today, and maybe a lot of people here are guilty of that. But it just seems to me that today our mirror right, our reflection or narcissist reflection, is social media. It seems as if that's the place where a lot of people are falling into that trap. Right? So and indeed, remember those selfies I talked about? Right? So social media leads to a lot of ironically self destructive behavior. It really does. When you step back, I don't know if you're, like, I've kind of done this I, you know, my daughter makes like those sermon video clips and puts them up on the internet. I put them up on the Instagram, whatever. But that's it. And Facebook, we're out, like, done out of there. Right. So I was like, by you know, we're gone. We have like the old page up. It's like a glorified photo album, right? Like, I don't like spending a lot of time on there. Right? But when I observe it, like trying to amplify themselves or whatever they're destroying. I look at some of the things people post and I'm like, like, it's just unreal. Then they think like It's awesome. It's amazing. So we see the ironic consequences, right? They think this is great. It's not. Right. So there's a lot of problems. There's, first of all, there's ironic isolation that people do on social media, right? We say we're living in the light, right? But we're isolated, but we're actually living in the dark when we're on there all the time, right? But we project all this light. But in reality, hypocrite like, you're not alone at all. anxiety, stress, depression, right? So we're, we're going to post this to be an encouragement to everyone. Well, that's not why you posted it. But like, you know, to be an encouragement to everyone like sure backhanded encouragement, right? But then what do we do? We end up stressing ourselves out when we post that encouragement, because we knew is antagonistic and now we have to monitor to the comments. That's fun. All right. stressed, disturbs your peace? Were peacemakers. Right? Because that post had a lot to do with bringing peace to the community as a whole. I don't think so. You know, that wasn't the intended purpose. But the irony is what it disrupts Yorkie. So when you go on, I'm just going to say you because I'm talking to someone out there needs to hear it to you. So, but anyway, you as a blanket term, right? That's what goes on. Right? So when you passive aggressively, you do this stuff and manipulate I'm going to pretend right to be a peacemaker. It comes right back on you, doesn't it? The stone that you tried to roll again, someone else crushes you. Self worship is self destruction. Social media is a major outlet for the sinful behavior that we talked about in Galatians. If we go back there, which leads to why and you will lose your reward. Never I'm not saying anything. The Bible doesn't say, when those sins are the motive for posting these things. it nurtures them, right? So it was on their envy and jealousy. Right? So remember, post about our stuff, knowing that there are some poor people looking at our page who can't afford that stuff. Okay, you're nice, right? I still be inquiring about our opinions about us. I think about my opinion. I'm always right, because I'm like, God, I have the knowledge of all good and evil. I know everything. I'm never wrong. outbursts of anger. It's all about our self righteousness. outbursts of anger ever see people have those online, because it's all about our selfish ambition. Right, which is a sin. And when we use the Scripture, we looked at today, the twisted scripture for today as a guise for doing all of this, it's actually worse. Because not only is it narcissism, it's manipulation.
Worse, right?
We're just using God at that point. Let me use some scriptures to justify my sinful behavior.
Yeah, not great.
Okay, so we see this in church as well. And this is where it gets a little bit more annoying, because I can turn off like social media and ignore you. I can't remember a time someone didn't go on a mission trip and just didn't take any pictures at all. I can't think of it, right or just didn't even tell anybody. I was going because the Lord is going to see it. It's all about that person that I'm serving in that country or those people and spreading the gospel. Can't be about like painting a house that's been painted 10 times already to people like who've already heard the gospel. So I can come back and show you the slideshow presentation. Yes, PTSD, that will never happen again. We've let that happen. And it was just a sin fest. That's what that was looking at us. Look at us. Like, it's never going to happen again. No. See it a mission to selfies right. Some ministries, right. See it all the time seems like it's impossible, like for Christians to just go and feed some poor people or something like that, without taking pictures of them doing it. Right. and posting it on social media. Totally disobeying what Jesus actually said, missing the entire point of what he said in the sermon. All right, and then you get one. I think this one's funny. And I'm just going to riff on this because it's really funny. And you guys maybe you've got it. Maybe you've seen people who've done it, but it's really it's kind of easy to detect and they don't know it is which is so funny. But people, bro, I'm going to go over there and hand out some water bottles and you get a picture of me doing it right so it's not a selfie. All right, but you set it up. Your do that. Okay? You know, but I've ever seen people do that, right? Like to take the pictures, but you posted it. What's the difference? Like somebody else took that picture? I'm going to make sure I share it. Like,
who are you fooling?
Right anyway? So it's worse again, narcissism plus manipulation, right? false humility. So here's the thing. Why do we seek this attention from other people? If it's not we, whatever. Why do people seek this attention from other people? Why? Well, they're filling a god hole. They're filling a space, which God should be occupying. That's it. They're filling is. Why because if God's attention is enough for me, then it's enough for me. I don't seek it for him. Anyone else? Has to be like, you kind of got to do that for preaching messages like this. He better be enough at this. And Tony Johnson. Right. So that's it. God, Johnson, maybe best like come on now. And then I like, Yeah. Three of you. But you get my point, right? It's enough. And even if they weren't a mending anything, if you know me, I'm going to keep going. Because I'm going for him. Do I get it right? All the time? No, ask my wife. Right? Right. No, I don't always get it. Right. But I try. Or at least I come to a point where I remember waits, stop God's enough. He's enough. If my relationship is that deep with him, I don't need to think about a marriage. Right? You see dicey Pastor, I see bad marriages all the time. What do they do, they start seeking approval and attention from other people, because the wife or the husband is not enough. That's the problem. That's what that's the root of it. And so you would say, it's not a good relationship, or it needs repair. Same thing with God, when God is not enough. That relationship is either not there, or it needs repair. That that's it. That's the bottom line. So it's really sad. It's really sad, especially when I see people in ministry doing it because it is just a dead tell that this person does not have a good relationship with God yet they're going around, right? Like saying I Do I Do I Do. I do. I do. I do. Maybe you're saying I do so much, because you're proving it to yourself. Right, all these like, just constantly, like blowing it up all over the place, but it has to have you in it. It's a problem. Right, we need to be in the process of developing that relationship that is pursuing, remember last week, the unseen things of the faith, not trying to be seen.
That's the point. So faith is all about.
Now, that was maybe you right, or somebody else, right? So it's the effect that it has on us. Not fully, I would say that to people when they're in sense of like, like, when I'm trying to make friends. I don't, but I'm not like, like, You're not fooling anyone. Right? Like, ask my wife and daughter, like, You're not fooling anybody. You're wearing your sin. Right? So it's coming out. I know it's there. Right? So that's, you know, a lot of people don't understand, really aren't any victimless crimes. and selfish ambition is not a victimless crime. It's not. So here's the thing, I'm going to throw something out there. And I'm going to do so with a disclaimer. And here's the thing it gets, like, I try not to do this a lot. Why? Because so it's kind of a test. Because when I throw out some kind of very countercultural thing, which the Bible is I do it every Sunday. But when it's about something that some people might be worshipping a little bit, they get really offended. And it's kind of like I can tell what they really worship when they get offended. Like what you're that's what you're going to get offended about, right? What you really worship. So if I like knock something like so anyway, like that is like in the world, like is really important to people that make fun of it. But then I talk about a lot of really important stuff, like Biblical stuff, and the person doesn't remember any of that, then comes up to me with a complaint about the one worldly thing I not. I know what they worship. It's bad. So I'm just careful. Like think carefully. Now I'm going to make a statement. Make a statement. And you got to think about now here's the first problem with the statement and make is that people generally don't read the Bible. So that's going to be for many people, the first problem with it, but if you have like the Bible in recent memory, nine out of 10 people have the Bible like that. When I Throw this out. There they go. The first the first thing like the little bit of the face. But then you're right. It's funny to think of it that way. So here's this thing. Competition is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. Competence competition is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. Now let's just look at the definition of compete. Let's put it up. Lots of dictionary today.
Right? So to strive to gain or win something.
And I would add here, right to be very interested in something here so badly that you want to defeat someone by defeating or establishing superiority over others or trying to do the same. Does that sound anything like Christianity? No, somebody say no. Right? I have to rebuke you. So now where your mind goes is sports? Are you going to watch sports? I'm like, that's what you worship or so there you go. Right. But, but Gotcha. Right. And that's why you didn't talk. I can tease don't you? But anyway, right. So but in our okay. So, in our context, today, it's especially about like, yes, you can play sports. Right? You're right. You can play sports, you can watch sports, right? Just don't be that interested in them when you're willing to like, but that's for fun, right? But think about it in our context today. You know, just that selfish ambition, right? So what are we going to do? We're going to defeat other people. We're going to defeat them. We're going to be superior than some other people. I'm going to go out today and be superior to other people. Said no Christian ever, right? It's not a Christian virtue. The whole thing is packed with things that are actually sinful. It's not good. Again, you can watch sports, you can play sport. This is very difficult for many, but when they know the Word of God, it's very convicting. Why? Because Christianity, as we've seen in the text today, right? It's all about yielding. It's all about submission. Right? So very simple things. Right. So it's all Christianity, like summarize it, like holding a door open for someone and letting them through, like paying their meal. That's Christianity and action. We don't start about getting our first right, girl as it was, you guys had amusement parks, watch yourself. Right, but it's not about that. What's your Christian is like, whatever, you know, we don't care. I don't being first. Go ahead. All right, was Jesus say those who want to be first will be last. So it's all over the place? Philippians comes to mind, right? There's about Jesus make your own attitude like Jesus, what? Who is humble? Go back. He starts the whole thing. Philippians two, right. Don't just look out for your own interest. Look out for the interest of others. So it's all over the New Testament, especially right? So there you go. Because here's the thing, your selfish ambition will, again, provoke those bad traits and others. So jealousy and envy. Look how great I'm doing and I'm much better than you I'm doing. Okay, I would just simply call that not very nice. Not very nice. Alright. Promotes anger, right? We're supposed to be peacemakers though. We're not supposed to be provoking any anger at all. We're not supposed to be creating divisions, member divisions was in there. Right? leading people into arguments, making others feel less than there's no Bible to say, but if you know, whatever it is, right, like, but if your politics are really important to you, go ahead and defend everybody doesn't say that. It's not in there. It's not even implied. In fact, just the opposite, is commanded. Or to put aside those interests, and put the gospel first and foremost,
within these guidelines peacefully, lovingly, meeting people where they are not. But anyway,
there's another effect and loop back to the missions. So patronizing
or patronizing? Tomato tomahto.
I don't know. I'm going to say patronizing. I'll stick with that one. Yeah. So if you don't know what that means, it's apparently being kind or helpful, right, but betraying a feeling of superiority, and other words, superiority like, Hey, look at me. Now. Where do we see this right? In admissions A lot, right? Look at me and how much I have helping this poor fellow here. You know? And what do we do? Right? So we come in and we're not going to dare stay longer than four days where a one week, and then we're going to go back to our luxury. Maybe we never see them again, I don't care. The important thing is that you saw me with them
patronizing. That's what that's called or patronizing. Right. But what did Jesus say, don't know, selfies don't but we broadcast the sin. It's amazing ministries. Same type of,
I'm going to go to this homeless camp, right. And I'm going to take make sure everybody knows, everybody in church knows I went, we're going to do it as a group, right? And then we're going to post pictures of it in church. And this is what we did make sure I'm in the picture. Ready to feed some homeless people? My question is, how many rooms? Are there in your house? Are there any unoccupied rooms? Where did you like? Did you just leave them in the woods? Or did you bring anyone back? Now, I say this with hyperbole because we're not all equipped. And I'm serious. That is funny. But we're not all equipped to deal with that. So a lot of times people are in that situation, because there's another situation, right, that's what we tried to get under here at the church. So maybe a substance abuse problem and mental health problems, something like that might not be safe, right, maybe you're a single female, or you go to extra, but you probably don't want to fight the guys over. So yes, there are some logistics, we have to be careful, but you get my hyperbolic point. But point is that you're happy to go visit for a minute, right? Give some food and water and get back to your AC. First thing, you're going to get in the car, and you're going to go get that on social media as quick as I can, right. The other thing, too, is a manufactured point of superiority. That's what this is. That's where you're coming from when you do that. And the other thing is, what you're doing is you're labeling people instead of loving them. And that brings me to another point, just so you kind of know a little bit about that there's all firms something that we're doing, that we're not doing any more, and why we do things the way we do. So we had a homeless ministry for about three years, I think, in this church. And your first reaction, if you don't know me, would be you don't have one anymore, you know? Right? Explain this to labeling, right. So these, this ministry for the homeless people, that's what we're going to do. And so we did it for about three years. And there were a lot of problems as a pastor that I saw with it. First of all, the enabling was off the hook. We were like, literally killing people. So just enabling them in their situation, right. So that was not good. We want to get under this problem. The other thing is, and this is what a lot of them who were running, it didn't figure out that I knew from day one is that it was nurturing a horribly sinful superiority complex. It was not good for our people. I could find myself looking at the homeless people. And look at the people running the ministry thinking people running the ministry are way worse off. Blessing are you who are poor, because you may not think these people here are a bunch of Pharisees. Because under the guise of being helpful, like they are making sure that like, everybody sees it on the internet, then and they're now pressuring other members to do it, when it may not be their ministry. Like if you don't do this, Hey, started coming after me. I'm like, Oh, my gosh, well, here's what Pastor we don't see you doing. We don't see you doing we don't see you doing it, right. That's why you don't see me. Because go talk to the homeless people. They'll tell you I spend time with them. I just make sure that no one sees me doing it. That's why, right. So superiority complex. And in three years, we saw maybe one person out of like I saw somewhere between 30 and 50 people come out of homelessness one. And then when I approached them and said, Hey, this is not a good batting average. We need to really get under this situation. I want to start more recovery programs here. Get the A rooms in here, start doing things. I'm going to start scheduling meetings with everybody and you know who your because I got to figure it out. Right. Well, developing partnerships with David Lawrence center, all these other people. We're going to help them out. They were gone in less than a week. They weren't gone in less than a week why? My ministry, Pastor genes threatening to take away my ministry, my title, my superiority, gone in one week at the notion of actually being able to help with anybody. Amazing. So what we do here is get rid of all these ministries except calling everything a ministry. You don't need a title. We don't even we just if we behave like a family and make people a part of, instead of apart from, or maybe some stuff will start getting done. Maybe we won't feel superior or just feel equal their part, they just have problems like we do. You don't have any problem. I have plenty of problems I told you about my lightbulbs, right? So you know, I've got problems right? There just, but we all do stop it. Right? They just have a certain set of problems. It just happens to present worse than you want to Sunday, at least they're not a hypocrite. Right? That's the way we need to think. So just be humble. And just make them a part of the family. And that's how we do it. And people instead of being labeled, they are loved. You're not known by like what ministry you need. Well, that's the homeless ministry. That's what there is. Now, no, we're all family. We're Christians, we're brothers and sisters. And we just happen to go through some bad things here and there. Okay, so everyone's equal here. It's a family of faith. So as I wrap it up, ultimately, when we give our lives to Jesus, we expect to see a changed heart. That's what we expect to see. And it's going to be really different from the rest of the world. That's what happens when you really get baptized, the Holy Spirit comes in there, and you just start to kind of see it. Sometimes it's a little gradual, it's okay. But you start to see things differently, God, now you have the Holy Spirit in there, he starts to go, Yo, did you see what you did there, you're going to get some built in accountability over stuff like that. Right? He brings to light the motives, like the true motives of your heart. And that's when things improve.
We will seek that approval from God, when he's in you, right when he's talking to you, and you have that relationship, instead of people whose voice will be much louder. And the other thing will be satisfied, satisfied with his praise. People who don't have relationship, I feel so sorry for them. You can hear his praise for you. You can hear well done good and faithful servant. If you can't hear that there's no relationship. You need to hear that.
You talked about Romans last week, I want to kind of close with this and so interesting, right? That the beginning of Romans, if you know it really well, he seemed God is evident to everyone. There you go. Trust me, you'll make himself known, right? We're just little magnifying pieces. starts out that way. But the point of Romans is that these Jews in these Gentiles, they're having superiority, complex problems with each other, the Jews because they had the law, and all these rituals, like basically what we would think of as religious right? So we have a religion, and the Gentiles was like, Ah, we're going to we don't need to do any of that stuff. And they're going back and forth. So Paul is basically leveling the playing field. But he's talking about the concept of having a circumcised heart sustaining the Jewish people, okay, you know, this, this is your nothing one he was a Jew is that outwardly, it's inwardly. That's what matter, right? So it speaks a lot into our lesson today. Right? You're not who you are as a Christian, but what you're presenting outwardly. One who's a true Christian is one who's changed inwardly and won't need to do any of that stuff. And so it's interesting verse, Romans 229, latter half of the verse, a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. We often take on the role of God, right? We force things instead of just having faith, whether it be treating others lovingly, regardless of race, socio economic status, again in the church are all the same. Whether it be serving those in need those who are hard to serve, or employers, even our enemies which were supposed to serve. We do it all, seeking praise from God, not even from them.
Doesn't matter. Our reward is and haven't. We serve Him as if we're serving the Lord Himself. Right with this faithful desire to please God. No selfish motives, just faithfully doing, knowing when to get out of the way, let God do the rest and being at peace with all of it. For his glory, not our own. And just this major point, with the joy of salvation, outweighing anything this world has to offer.
So, I want to invite you, up to you too. pray together with me from Psalm 51. So I'm going to put it up on the screen. You want to pray it in your heart. pray out loud.
Psalm 51 said,
create in me a clean heart, O God, me knew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence and do not take away your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you.
In Jesus's name, Amen.
Good morning.
Welcome. If you're new here among us, my name is Gene I serve here at C3 church as your pastor. And I hate changing lightbulbs. It's a great way to start a sermon, isn't it? Just thinking about that, especially if they're up high, says something you need to know about me. It's really important, right? So if a light bulb goes out, it's never convenient, right? So light bulbs never go out? Well, for me, like right before you want to go to bed, like all of a sudden, the light bulb goes out. Perfect timing, I don't even have to do the light switch, right? No, it's when you need the light bulb to be on. Right now, it's never convenient time to get a ladder if they're up really high. It's never convenient when somebody puts the box of lightbulbs back without any light bulbs in them anymore. So things like that kind of annoys me. So very often, I'll just let the light bulbs go out. And just let God do the work. Open up some more curtains, we're in the Sunshine State. There you go. And my excuses. Well, I'm saving electricity until the AC bill comes, right. So if you live in Florida, you know what that's all about. But there is one place that I do not recommend that you just open the curtains. And that's the bathroom, right? So especially if you live really close to somebody else. Not always a good idea. So let me tell you a little bit about my bathroom, and the light bulbs in there. So we have two vanities and in our bathroom. And I didn't share really any of this with my wife. So she's getting really nervous right now. So we have the man vanity, and you can tell like when you walk into a house, you can tell the man vanity and the woman vanity why? Because the man vanity is much smaller, right? So there's like no room on it for anything. And it's a little taller because men are usually tolerate I kind of noticed that when I had to use her vanity for a while. The other thing is, it's anywhere from three to 73 times as large as the man vanity, right? And it like, just has all kinds of stuff. And it's where I'm going to stop. It has all kinds of stuff on it, just stuff that I don't even know what it's for. I don't know how someone uses that much stuff, like in one day or even a week, right bunch of stuff. But the funny thing about the two vanities is mine has three light bulbs above it, as well as fixtures, three light bulbs above it. So does hers. Right? So piqued my interest too? Well, I'll tell you why. But anyway, it's just kind of above that. So maybe it's like a developer joke or something like that they're like, or give her all this mirror space. And it's like endless mirror space too. But she doesn't need to see any of that stuff over there. So my light bulbs decide to die one by one. And the reason I was like looking scoping out Herbold was when my brother died. So I was trying to switch them out. But I didn't do that I just because I don't like changing them remember, alright, so my boss said, but here's the thing about at least the first light bulb that die. In my vanity, it had a sick sense of humor about death. It really did. In here's the thing, it decided to die on me but behind my back. And I'll explain to you how this happened. It was really weird. So and I didn't know what's going on. So I don't know the light bulbs going just keep this in mind as I tell the story. But every time I decided to wash my face, the light bulb decides to flicker. Right? I don't know that right? Just keep this in mind. Now, if you're alive for like two minutes and 36 seconds, you know that with your eyes closed? You can still sense light, right? But I forgot that. So here's what's going on. Remember, that's the backend. So this is going on, like every time I going to wash my face. Delightful. So I don't know. It's delightful. So I'm getting older and so I began thinking I'm dying. So no, is this some kind of brain flicker? Now that's not a real thing. It's largely a self diagnosis because I've never died before. Right? So almost. But I think like maybe this is one of the ways in which you could die. So every time it's like Did they did it and I kind of get up do I call a doctor? No, of course not. Right? So it's just going on for it. I'm not ashamed to say about a month I'm like about a month this thing is so it's dying this really long but I think it's keeping itself alive by making me think that I'm dying right? So the ball just kind of keeps going on and on until one day the ball decides to say some last words that's it decides it's done with me. It's going to go so I'm in sync and it starts like flickering like crazy. This is way more than before it's good again. Again, I forgot that fact about your eyelids and how they work right so I'm down there washing my face and it's just outrageous like I'm like it's time to meet Jesus. This is it like visit face. I'm going so come up out of the water you're not Jesus right because I'm not dead. It's just the mere right that so it disappointed me that's a good exercise for you guys though. Just look at them. Hear and Say you're not the Lord, right? So just kind of thinking it's good for everybody, right? So we can glean something useful out of this. So, here's what happens. Then I noticed the light bulbs out and I figured it all out in a matter of seconds. Right? So, here's another thing about getting older. You forget stuff really fast. Like it's amazingly fast. You know, I was just thinking about something. And I'm like, so anyway, from the time it takes to get from the bathroom to the kitchen, which is like three seconds, not a big house. Like I forget, like, every time I look at the light bulb, well, I got to change the light bulb. Don't steal Heather's. Okay, let's go get one. What was he doing? You know what I mean? I have no idea I get in the kitchen. There's so many things in the kitchen. That's it, right. Now, here's the other thing about getting older. And there's just a couple of things. But this is like, Well, anyway, you remember these things at like, absurd times all the wrong times. Right? So you know how there'll be saying, oh, did you hear who passed away recently? That involves many bulbs. Because the bulb died. So triggered something there. Right? You know, so like, hey, bulbs and cheese. So here's the thing. This is great. And this is one of the other good things about getting older like you don't really have to speak anymore, right? Your face does all the speaking for you. Right? So my wife does this like my remember my script. You got the scriptures wrong face. I'm like, right. So you do that, like you get scripted. That's the look. But my wife and she's great at speaking complete sentences with her face. It's amazing. Alright, so the first word that comes out of her face right is now if you're from New York, don't do that to anyone you will get in a fight. Because and say the way I teach you how to do it though the W H and the angle really fascinate lead up to a hard T.
But
you know what? I mean? I don't know if it's a New York thing, but grew up with it. Right? So she's adopted it from California, ruined in New York spent enough time there to just like scramble a brain up. So she starts talking to me like the next thing she's saying with her face all in a split. Second is Are you crazy? And I can't read your mind. Right. So that's all happening in this because I just remember what happened. She's talking about someone dying or something else. And I'm saying vanity bowls, right? So do I explain myself? Absolutely not. Not at all. No, no, no. Right? Because it's another cool thing about getting older. You just don't have to explain yourself anymore. It's amazing. Right? So I'm taking full advantage of that. So I remember I'm like, Yeah, vanity bowls. Ones that think they're better than the other ones.
There are a lot of jokes inside again, like, you know, and here's the thing. I'll say it again, if I threw some bad words in there, you guys would be rollin. Right? So that's you guys. We like to clean up. It's your fault that that wasn't funny. Anyway. We're, we're in our series, we're going to get to the Scriptures. To scripture series. This is where we're looking at commonly misused verses of the Bible, right? So I give a lot of analogies, you have the fortune cookie analogy I gave you right? So it's kind of like, you just get fed that verse, you read it and then apply it to whatever it is that is convenient for you. Right? That's one thing, the junk drawer. Not that scriptures are junk. I thought that was a pretty good illustration or so. But anyway, not that they're all junk, but they're randomized, right? So you get all these random scriptures in there and they're just thrown in there, you have no idea what they go to anymore. So that's kind of what we're looking at here. Today's verse, we're going to get right into it. Matthew 514 You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that can not be hidden. No one likes a lamp and it puts it under a basket instead a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your good deeds shine out for all to see.
Okay, now this is how
and maybe not a lot of you are very guilty of it right so this is just something you can shame other Christians for later for using this it's just giving you ammo sometimes it's about collecting gathering weapons and ammo, right? So. So this is often used when like people are giving to the needy, giving the needy people right to missions, things like that, like certain ministries. And so how the verse is typically translated is this is how there's the translation of the verse typically, right? Make sure you get pictures of yourself doing everything for the needy, right, that's what it is. And furthermore, be sure to post it on social media, right? That's kind of what this is how this is translate so they get out of it. And again, so this is basically the selfie justification verse right? So this is or versus this is what you're looking at here. Now. Let's back up and we'll look at the context a little bit. This is within the sermon on the mount right best sermon ever by Jesus Matthew chapters five through Oh, seven, right. So we're kind of at the beginning ish of the sermon, but we didn't let him finish. So what we do when we do this kind of thing is we show up late for Jesus sermon, right? Totally disrespectful, show up late for a sermon, and then get what we want and leave early, right? So we're done, or geez, I know you're still talking, but I got what I wanted. I'm going to go take some pictures of myself helping the poor. Alright, so we don't let him finish. That's, that's what's going on here. So there's a danger in those verse or verses of the day, he's going to finish. So here's a couple of things. I have read the Sermon on the Mount. So you guys as a church, if you've been here for a little while, you know that, right? So I'm big on reading larger passages of Scripture, larger sections, that's a good thing. We are not going to do that today. Because I want to take you we're going to go to other places in the Sermon on the Mount. But I'm going to take you to other places which help clarify this in the full context of the Word of God. But I told the Bible study Hey, read Matthew, chapters five through seven. I'm encouraging you guys. Hey, read Matthew, chapters five, seven, right? So just some encouragement just because I'm not reading the whole thing today does not let you off the hook. Right? So I expect you to read this so you really understand. Alright, so with that being said, if we do begin at the beginning of the sermon, let's just kind of take a look at how Jesus blesses the congregation and sets us up right. So here's the thing, Matthew, five, three, God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for their inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, or they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs, God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say, all sorts of evil things against you, because you're my followers. Be happy about it. Be very glad, for a great reward awaits you. And heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it's lost its flavor. Can you make it salty again, it will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. Okay. So if you remember last week, sermon, something should stand out to you right away. Jesus is contrasting right things here, things in heaven things. Here are two different things and things and haven't, right. And so did you notice, like, we talked about suffering, right? What's happening here, this is all these conditions of suffering here and you say you're blessed. When you're going through those things. You're blessed. It's all good, because you got to reward in heaven. And that's where you should be focused. Alright, so you get how Jesus sets all this up. He's kind of getting you thinking, right? This sounds like really crazy, right? So the average listener today, right, but he's setting you up for something. He's, he's building it here. So the kingdom of heaven. So it says a lot about humility, purity, peace gate and being blessed when we're humiliated, like, really bad time, because your reward awaits you in Heaven. Just remember that. So Jesus starts by letting us know, we need to be humble. And we might get humiliated for the kingdom sake. Right. So here we go. We were at verse 13. So let's just before we turn the page, let's just continue, we'll look at what we looked at for Matthew 514. You're the light of the world like this. This was right after the Salt Lake City on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket and said, a lamp is placed on his stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father, did you notice something different? I added what everyone took out. They didn't add it. I just kept the verse there. There's a so that statement that everybody leaves out when they say it, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. That's what you're looking at in the Bible, right? So when someone says like, so that right, you got to kind of pay real close attention to what it says after that, because it illustrates the point of what was said previously, right. So that there's a purpose to this, what he's saying here. So the purpose is not about you at all. It's about your heavenly father getting the glory, not you. So it's not about getting attention. It's about giving attention to God. That's what these verses are about. Now, if we just simply turn the page, Jesus will clarify even more, just in case you got it wrong. Matthew six one, watch out. Don't let your good deed. Do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others, for you will lose your reward from your Father in heaven. Let's see what the face and everything when you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do blowing trumpets in the synagogues in the streets to call attention to their acts of generosity, I tell you the truth they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, your Father who sees everything will reward you. Is that some clarification? They're probably right. Don't let anyone see or even gives a consequences. Not like hey, right now it no or you will lose your reward in heaven. It's a kind of a good one right for kids. Put your phone we're going to start bringing that into the children's put your phone down. Are you going to lose your reward in heaven? said Pastor Jean. Remember what Jesus said, When he set this up? Right? What was the so that so that your Father in heaven gets all the glory, right? So it's all about these things in heaven. That's why we're not to be trying to rob Fraser glory from God. And why is it bad? Well, because you're not filling that basic Christian requirements. Humility. What did he start with all that humility? Now, when we keep reading, so I'm just going right along, we're going to go to the next verse, right? So Matthew six, five, he continues, when you pray, don't be like the hypocrites, who love to pray publicly on street corners, and in synagogues, where everyone can see them, and tell you the truth. That is all the reward they'll ever again, catching a theme here. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private, then your Father who sees everything will reward you. It's kind of repetitive, isn't it? Alright, so we shouldn't be getting the point yet. We shouldn't be drawing attention to ourselves. It's not bad, just like pray for someone or whatever. There's a point here, right? Don't do it to draw attention to yourself. Right? Don't do it to be superior to someone else. Right. So that's where he's going with this. And I've seen people both give and pray, to kind of do that right to draw attention to themselves, and be superior to other people through that, right. But the thing is, look, don't draw outside yourself. God will take care of that. Right? And his timing when he wants to, right, he'll take let him do it. He sees it. He will reward you again, don't rob that praise or attention from God, just do your thing. And get out. And here's the thing, just so you know, this is the problem. It doesn't continue to say, and this is what people do like that. Jesus will say something very definitive people. Yeah, but that's when I stopped listening. Right? Yeah. But like, no, no. Right? So but if you need more attention, then God has already given you, right? If you need more praise and approval from other people except God, right? If maybe he isn't fast enough for you, or God isn't gratifying enough for you go ahead and do it
doesn't say that.
We need to remember that. So this is one of the points that Jesus criticizes the religious leaders on if we keep reading Matthew 23 Five, everything they do is for show on their arms. They were extra wide prayer boxes with scripture verses inside and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table banquets and the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces and to be called rabbi. Sound like some people in church today?
Yeah, kind of. But Jesus is the opposite. John
541, your approval means nothing to me. Because I know you don't have God's love within you, For I have come to you in My Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet. If others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder Can you can't believe for you gladly honor each other. But you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God. clarified Correct. Right. didn't care about that. He's God, serve God. That's all we should care about. Now, this is reiterates, I'm going to go through some places. If we keep reading where it's reiterate, it's super, super redundant. I'm not going to do all of them. But just to give you enough, just kind of contextualize a little bit. So we're not just dropping verses out there. But Colossians Paul reiterates this, right so you read a section where he's talking about familiar relationships, but also when you see in the New Testament, like slaves and masters think in today's context, employees, employers, it's not about what Racism here. It's about commerce. So think about it like that. And that's the context. That's what's happening here. Colossians 323 Work willingly. And whenever you do as though you are working for the Lord, rather than for people, remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as you reward and the master that the master you are serving is Christ. Okay, similar thing here, when you're working for the Lord, even when you're serving people. Now, it's kind of interesting way to think of it think of this in a couple different ways. But Matthew 25, if you remember, Jesus talks about coming and judging the world, and the sheep and the goats. You don't want to be a goat, right? Why? Because well, what is he said, says, Well, you know, he's all these states of being right. So when I was hungry, thirsty and naked and imprisoned, sick, right, you didn't come visit me, you didn't give me what I needed. And then they're like, Lord, when did we ever see you like that? When you did it to the least of my brothers, you did it to me. It's an important thing to remember. So really important. That's lines up perfectly with that Galatians? Three, right. So it's not super long, you get the six chapters, but give it a read sometime. It's kind of funny, like, So what they're talking about is, Paul is basically there's false teachers of that day coming around saying that you need to be under the Law of Moses sounds like the main topic of discussion, as he kind of rails into him pretty good. And especially the teachers and the false teachers that are, like espousing this teaching. He even over these issues now that Peters doing it, but Peter like changes his behavior, depending on who he's with. So Paul even calls out, Peter, if you think about that for a second, right? Like, he's like the lead apostle, he doesn't care. He just calls him out. Really crazy, right. But it's interesting to note through this discourse, this book of the Bible is bookended by two similar like trains of thought, I want you to see him both because when you read the whole letter, you kind of get it right. So we'll look at both of them. Galatians 110, obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people. But if God, if pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant. So at the end, Galatians 614. As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified. And this world interest in me has also got Paul literally does not care about getting the approval of people at all, again, read Galatians, it'll be very clear to doesn't care. Quick disclaimer. He can be all things for the sake of the gospel. But we do read that first Corinthians nine, he can do all things. So he meets people where they are, right. But there's a big difference between people pleasing, right, which is kind of all about you when you think about it. And being all things for the sake of the Gospel, meeting people where they are, which is not about you at all. So there's a big difference, right? So it's what we're talking about here, Paul's not being mean, chase people away. He's talking about a bunch of people calling themselves Christians, right. So he's kind of laying into him. First, as long as they're suffering by their own people, the Jewish people decide to become Christians, and now they're suffering persecution, because of it. Again, false teachers a real big deal, and the Bible. So he's explained to them like we didn't come to you preaching with any deceit or false motives. First Thessalonians 244. We speak as messengers approved by God, oh, God, to be entrusted with the good news. Our purpose is to please God, God, not people, he alone examines the motives of our hearts, never wants to be tried to win with flattery, as you well know. And guys are witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money. As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else. So there it is, right. The point of all of these instances, were not to seek the approval of people. And that's a really countercultural thing, isn't it? So really different, but especially using it as a guise for spreading the gospel, or doing things in ministry, that we see that a lot like getting attention, and they use these things as a guise to kind of like, well, that's why I'm doing it. No, we're going to seek the approval of the one alone whose opinion matters. And in doing so, the natural byproduct, is doing what Jesus commanded, loving others. Right? That's it. So if you kept reading the Sermon on the Mount, you get to Matthew seven, verse 12, golden rule, right? So what did he actually a very strong statement in Greek, this is the Law and the Prophets. It doesn't say anything else. This is the long route that you will treat other people the way you want to be treated. So basically, what Jesus is saying there in the Bible is like loving people is the Bible. Like that's kind of what he said. That's how you summarize them. So you want someone just love people. That's it, you'll get it right if you do that. So we looked at the full context here and counsel of God's word, we see that we're called to be humble, right? And put our own interests aside, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, God is just using us get ahead of our own interest, the byproduct will just simply be sacrificial living and loving others, it's going to happen, right? If we're just living for the kingdom of heaven, we're serving God. That's what just happens naturally, it doesn't have to be forced, right? God will take care of the rest. Now, I've said this before I use the scriptures a lot because it's, it's very interesting without getting on a tangent, like, if I call them baptismal prerequisites or requirements, a lot of people don't understand, like, what, I can just run through the water and jump in here you can, but it's not going to stick. Because you, you didn't read what I call, like churches said, like the fine print, like this becomes the fine print. And that's a problem. And this becomes a fine print, we've got a problem, right? So I like to usually meet with people before they get baptized, and just tell them all the things that Jesus said, Right? Not to scare them away, but so it sticks, right? And then work with them. Like, hey, if you have some areas, you're going to need help with, let's get you have the buddy system going on. Let's help you alright, so that people are prepared. It's a serious commitment and covenant that you're making to the Lord, right? So you kind of want to under infant like knowledgeably, and Jesus does this again and again, again. So this is like scripture I use, I just, I want to share it with you again, with this in mind, I use it a lot, but it's true. So what you have happening here in this particular discourse is Jesus is telling his disciples that he's going to suffer like he's telling, he's going to suffer and die. Right? So he's telling him this, and Peter tries to stop them, right? Say that, Lord, it's not going to happen. Jesus rebuke we
owe Peter, Get behind Me, Satan.
Fear gets beat up a lot in the Bible, right? Hidden behind Me, Satan, right? You don't have God's interests in mind. You have man's interest in mind. Right? So again, another contrast here, they says Matthew 1624, then Jesus said to His disciples, if any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way. It literally says, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. Alright? So one thing I believe it or just off top my head, because someone might argue this and I just thought, then Jesus said to His disciples, and Matthew, I believe it's mark where it says, And Jesus said to the disciples and the crowd, okay, so before you get the idea going, well, that's just as disciples, right? It's everybody. He's saying it, everybody, it's for everyone. Right? So there's a couple of prerequisites here, did you notice it? Deny yourself get rid of the concept of you deny yourself talk about counterculture? Deny yourself, right? Pick up your cross was that say, we talked about this? You're probably going to have to suffer for me in one way, shape, or form or another? Jesus is saying death? He just goes right? No fine print here. Right? He's just like, he doesn't go oh, you know, it might not be death, guys. Like don't worry about that right? Now, that's what we do today. Don't worry about that. The cross, it's an old thing, you know, you're probably not going to have to worry about that. Jesus, he doesn't do that. Right. He takes it to the worst possible imaginable death. That's his warning. Doesn't sound very much like you know, like monitoring. It's crazy that we laugh, right? Like some of you baptized, okay, you're ready to totally deny you like, this is not about you, and you're probably going to die a horrible death. You know, like, Okay, that's good.
That's Jesus baptism.
Something to think about right? All right. If you try to hang on to your old life, you'll lose it. But if you give up your life so here, he's doubling down, he's not making any apologies, you will save it. What are your benefit if you gain the whole world, but lose your own? Like it says literally in Greek life, like putting mean soul eternal life? Is anything worth more than your soul? So do you see the prerequisites? Right? The point the sacrifice, which is how you should be living as a living sacrifice Romans 12 We shouldn't be living that way. Well, the sacrifice has no concept of self
that's it. Christianity in a nutshell, right there. All right.
So let's take a look at some consequences. Yeah, it's going to get a little worse for it gets better just naturally happens. It's been here for a while you know that. Let's take a look at some consequences for disobeying Jesus's command. So let's say we're like, Yep, okay, I'm Jesus follower. I'm a Christian. Okay. So back to Galatians. Again, contrasting the fruit of the spirit with the sin of the flesh, right? They're at war with one another Galatians 519. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear. Sexual immorality, impurity. lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger. selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness and wild parties and other things like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God. That's scary. So there's the kingdom of God again, you notice that, and here's how you lose it. I remember that from the Sermon on the Mount, right? And you will lose your reward in heaven. Jesus said,
consequences. Interesting.
So here's the thing I want you to just take. That's up good. So you look at the list. Here's what most hypocrites will do. They'll pick something like the sexual sin, right? That's the one they're going to and that's worse than all of them. But where does it say that? Now, if you're really good with the Bible, First Corinthians six, right, so no other sin defiles the body so much? Yes.
Okay, cool. It's bad. But then
pick another one. Right? Whatever you like. But the sexual sin for example, it's right up there. With quarreling. It's right up there with outbursts of anger.
It's right up there with jealousy.
And it's up there with selfish ambition, right? When we tie it to what did Jesus say? Deny yourself. So if you're having selfish ambition, you will not inherit the kingdom of God, why? Paul is saying you might not be a Christian. That's what he's saying. Because Jesus already told you in order to be one, you don't have that anymore. That's crucify
God. Think about it, right?
So when we're guilty of like, selfish ambition, we're guilty of self worship, are guilty of trying to be God. It's the devil's trap. From the beginning. He uses it and knows it. Adam and Eve. What were they promised? If you eat the fruit? What you'll be like God, knowing good and evil.
Cool. Right?
I want to be like God. There you go. First mistake. Now here's the thing, the devil uses it knowing it will have the ironic effect of self destruction. He knows it. He wants to ruin you. So what did he say? You're
going to be like God, get ahead of other people. get interested in
yourself. I know what Jesus said. But he didn't mean it. So it brings me to a word that nobody likes. And so I'm going to spend some time talking about narcissism. I'm going to give you the definition, or talk a little bit about this. So you're going to see here, excessive interest or admiration of oneself. It sounds like the self worship thing, right? But go down selfishness, entitlement, right. So self centeredness. It's all in their self worship. That's interesting. If you know anything about mythology, Narcissus, he, he becomes so obsessed with his This is like the fable become so obsessed with his reflection in the water, that he starves and dies, right? So he forgets to eat and drink, he dies, so it ruins him. So that's what narcissism implies. So when you're saying like, if you say someone's a narcissist, or they're narcissistic, you're implying it's ruining you. It's not just that they're doing it's that it's ruining you in one shape or form or another could be as simple as I don't like you because you're a narcissist. But it's having some kind of very negative effect as well on the individual. That's the implication with that word, so use it right. So self worship is self destruction right? Now. It seems that today, and maybe a lot of people here are guilty of that. But it just seems to me that today our mirror right, our reflection or narcissist reflection, is social media. It seems as if that's the place where a lot of people are falling into that trap. Right? So and indeed, remember those selfies I talked about? Right? So social media leads to a lot of ironically self destructive behavior. It really does. When you step back, I don't know if you're, like, I've kind of done this I, you know, my daughter makes like those sermon video clips and puts them up on the internet. I put them up on the Instagram, whatever. But that's it. And Facebook, we're out, like, done out of there. Right. So I was like, by you know, we're gone. We have like the old page up. It's like a glorified photo album, right? Like, I don't like spending a lot of time on there. Right? But when I observe it, like trying to amplify themselves or whatever they're destroying. I look at some of the things people post and I'm like, like, it's just unreal. Then they think like It's awesome. It's amazing. So we see the ironic consequences, right? They think this is great. It's not. Right. So there's a lot of problems. There's, first of all, there's ironic isolation that people do on social media, right? We say we're living in the light, right? But we're isolated, but we're actually living in the dark when we're on there all the time, right? But we project all this light. But in reality, hypocrite like, you're not alone at all. anxiety, stress, depression, right? So we're, we're going to post this to be an encouragement to everyone. Well, that's not why you posted it. But like, you know, to be an encouragement to everyone like sure backhanded encouragement, right? But then what do we do? We end up stressing ourselves out when we post that encouragement, because we knew is antagonistic and now we have to monitor to the comments. That's fun. All right. stressed, disturbs your peace? Were peacemakers. Right? Because that post had a lot to do with bringing peace to the community as a whole. I don't think so. You know, that wasn't the intended purpose. But the irony is what it disrupts Yorkie. So when you go on, I'm just going to say you because I'm talking to someone out there needs to hear it to you. So, but anyway, you as a blanket term, right? That's what goes on. Right? So when you passive aggressively, you do this stuff and manipulate I'm going to pretend right to be a peacemaker. It comes right back on you, doesn't it? The stone that you tried to roll again, someone else crushes you. Self worship is self destruction. Social media is a major outlet for the sinful behavior that we talked about in Galatians. If we go back there, which leads to why and you will lose your reward. Never I'm not saying anything. The Bible doesn't say, when those sins are the motive for posting these things. it nurtures them, right? So it was on their envy and jealousy. Right? So remember, post about our stuff, knowing that there are some poor people looking at our page who can't afford that stuff. Okay, you're nice, right? I still be inquiring about our opinions about us. I think about my opinion. I'm always right, because I'm like, God, I have the knowledge of all good and evil. I know everything. I'm never wrong. outbursts of anger. It's all about our self righteousness. outbursts of anger ever see people have those online, because it's all about our selfish ambition. Right, which is a sin. And when we use the Scripture, we looked at today, the twisted scripture for today as a guise for doing all of this, it's actually worse. Because not only is it narcissism, it's manipulation.
Worse, right?
We're just using God at that point. Let me use some scriptures to justify my sinful behavior.
Yeah, not great.
Okay, so we see this in church as well. And this is where it gets a little bit more annoying, because I can turn off like social media and ignore you. I can't remember a time someone didn't go on a mission trip and just didn't take any pictures at all. I can't think of it, right or just didn't even tell anybody. I was going because the Lord is going to see it. It's all about that person that I'm serving in that country or those people and spreading the gospel. Can't be about like painting a house that's been painted 10 times already to people like who've already heard the gospel. So I can come back and show you the slideshow presentation. Yes, PTSD, that will never happen again. We've let that happen. And it was just a sin fest. That's what that was looking at us. Look at us. Like, it's never going to happen again. No. See it a mission to selfies right. Some ministries, right. See it all the time seems like it's impossible, like for Christians to just go and feed some poor people or something like that, without taking pictures of them doing it. Right. and posting it on social media. Totally disobeying what Jesus actually said, missing the entire point of what he said in the sermon. All right, and then you get one. I think this one's funny. And I'm just going to riff on this because it's really funny. And you guys maybe you've got it. Maybe you've seen people who've done it, but it's really it's kind of easy to detect and they don't know it is which is so funny. But people, bro, I'm going to go over there and hand out some water bottles and you get a picture of me doing it right so it's not a selfie. All right, but you set it up. Your do that. Okay? You know, but I've ever seen people do that, right? Like to take the pictures, but you posted it. What's the difference? Like somebody else took that picture? I'm going to make sure I share it. Like,
who are you fooling?
Right anyway? So it's worse again, narcissism plus manipulation, right? false humility. So here's the thing. Why do we seek this attention from other people? If it's not we, whatever. Why do people seek this attention from other people? Why? Well, they're filling a god hole. They're filling a space, which God should be occupying. That's it. They're filling is. Why because if God's attention is enough for me, then it's enough for me. I don't seek it for him. Anyone else? Has to be like, you kind of got to do that for preaching messages like this. He better be enough at this. And Tony Johnson. Right. So that's it. God, Johnson, maybe best like come on now. And then I like, Yeah. Three of you. But you get my point, right? It's enough. And even if they weren't a mending anything, if you know me, I'm going to keep going. Because I'm going for him. Do I get it right? All the time? No, ask my wife. Right? Right. No, I don't always get it. Right. But I try. Or at least I come to a point where I remember waits, stop God's enough. He's enough. If my relationship is that deep with him, I don't need to think about a marriage. Right? You see dicey Pastor, I see bad marriages all the time. What do they do, they start seeking approval and attention from other people, because the wife or the husband is not enough. That's the problem. That's what that's the root of it. And so you would say, it's not a good relationship, or it needs repair. Same thing with God, when God is not enough. That relationship is either not there, or it needs repair. That that's it. That's the bottom line. So it's really sad. It's really sad, especially when I see people in ministry doing it because it is just a dead tell that this person does not have a good relationship with God yet they're going around, right? Like saying I Do I Do I Do. I do. I do. I do. Maybe you're saying I do so much, because you're proving it to yourself. Right, all these like, just constantly, like blowing it up all over the place, but it has to have you in it. It's a problem. Right, we need to be in the process of developing that relationship that is pursuing, remember last week, the unseen things of the faith, not trying to be seen.
That's the point. So faith is all about.
Now, that was maybe you right, or somebody else, right? So it's the effect that it has on us. Not fully, I would say that to people when they're in sense of like, like, when I'm trying to make friends. I don't, but I'm not like, like, You're not fooling anyone. Right? Like, ask my wife and daughter, like, You're not fooling anybody. You're wearing your sin. Right? So it's coming out. I know it's there. Right? So that's, you know, a lot of people don't understand, really aren't any victimless crimes. and selfish ambition is not a victimless crime. It's not. So here's the thing, I'm going to throw something out there. And I'm going to do so with a disclaimer. And here's the thing it gets, like, I try not to do this a lot. Why? Because so it's kind of a test. Because when I throw out some kind of very countercultural thing, which the Bible is I do it every Sunday. But when it's about something that some people might be worshipping a little bit, they get really offended. And it's kind of like I can tell what they really worship when they get offended. Like what you're that's what you're going to get offended about, right? What you really worship. So if I like knock something like so anyway, like that is like in the world, like is really important to people that make fun of it. But then I talk about a lot of really important stuff, like Biblical stuff, and the person doesn't remember any of that, then comes up to me with a complaint about the one worldly thing I not. I know what they worship. It's bad. So I'm just careful. Like think carefully. Now I'm going to make a statement. Make a statement. And you got to think about now here's the first problem with the statement and make is that people generally don't read the Bible. So that's going to be for many people, the first problem with it, but if you have like the Bible in recent memory, nine out of 10 people have the Bible like that. When I Throw this out. There they go. The first the first thing like the little bit of the face. But then you're right. It's funny to think of it that way. So here's this thing. Competition is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. Competence competition is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. Now let's just look at the definition of compete. Let's put it up. Lots of dictionary today.
Right? So to strive to gain or win something.
And I would add here, right to be very interested in something here so badly that you want to defeat someone by defeating or establishing superiority over others or trying to do the same. Does that sound anything like Christianity? No, somebody say no. Right? I have to rebuke you. So now where your mind goes is sports? Are you going to watch sports? I'm like, that's what you worship or so there you go. Right. But, but Gotcha. Right. And that's why you didn't talk. I can tease don't you? But anyway, right. So but in our okay. So, in our context, today, it's especially about like, yes, you can play sports. Right? You're right. You can play sports, you can watch sports, right? Just don't be that interested in them when you're willing to like, but that's for fun, right? But think about it in our context today. You know, just that selfish ambition, right? So what are we going to do? We're going to defeat other people. We're going to defeat them. We're going to be superior than some other people. I'm going to go out today and be superior to other people. Said no Christian ever, right? It's not a Christian virtue. The whole thing is packed with things that are actually sinful. It's not good. Again, you can watch sports, you can play sport. This is very difficult for many, but when they know the Word of God, it's very convicting. Why? Because Christianity, as we've seen in the text today, right? It's all about yielding. It's all about submission. Right? So very simple things. Right. So it's all Christianity, like summarize it, like holding a door open for someone and letting them through, like paying their meal. That's Christianity and action. We don't start about getting our first right, girl as it was, you guys had amusement parks, watch yourself. Right, but it's not about that. What's your Christian is like, whatever, you know, we don't care. I don't being first. Go ahead. All right, was Jesus say those who want to be first will be last. So it's all over the place? Philippians comes to mind, right? There's about Jesus make your own attitude like Jesus, what? Who is humble? Go back. He starts the whole thing. Philippians two, right. Don't just look out for your own interest. Look out for the interest of others. So it's all over the New Testament, especially right? So there you go. Because here's the thing, your selfish ambition will, again, provoke those bad traits and others. So jealousy and envy. Look how great I'm doing and I'm much better than you I'm doing. Okay, I would just simply call that not very nice. Not very nice. Alright. Promotes anger, right? We're supposed to be peacemakers though. We're not supposed to be provoking any anger at all. We're not supposed to be creating divisions, member divisions was in there. Right? leading people into arguments, making others feel less than there's no Bible to say, but if you know, whatever it is, right, like, but if your politics are really important to you, go ahead and defend everybody doesn't say that. It's not in there. It's not even implied. In fact, just the opposite, is commanded. Or to put aside those interests, and put the gospel first and foremost,
within these guidelines peacefully, lovingly, meeting people where they are not. But anyway,
there's another effect and loop back to the missions. So patronizing
or patronizing? Tomato tomahto.
I don't know. I'm going to say patronizing. I'll stick with that one. Yeah. So if you don't know what that means, it's apparently being kind or helpful, right, but betraying a feeling of superiority, and other words, superiority like, Hey, look at me. Now. Where do we see this right? In admissions A lot, right? Look at me and how much I have helping this poor fellow here. You know? And what do we do? Right? So we come in and we're not going to dare stay longer than four days where a one week, and then we're going to go back to our luxury. Maybe we never see them again, I don't care. The important thing is that you saw me with them
patronizing. That's what that's called or patronizing. Right. But what did Jesus say, don't know, selfies don't but we broadcast the sin. It's amazing ministries. Same type of,
I'm going to go to this homeless camp, right. And I'm going to take make sure everybody knows, everybody in church knows I went, we're going to do it as a group, right? And then we're going to post pictures of it in church. And this is what we did make sure I'm in the picture. Ready to feed some homeless people? My question is, how many rooms? Are there in your house? Are there any unoccupied rooms? Where did you like? Did you just leave them in the woods? Or did you bring anyone back? Now, I say this with hyperbole because we're not all equipped. And I'm serious. That is funny. But we're not all equipped to deal with that. So a lot of times people are in that situation, because there's another situation, right, that's what we tried to get under here at the church. So maybe a substance abuse problem and mental health problems, something like that might not be safe, right, maybe you're a single female, or you go to extra, but you probably don't want to fight the guys over. So yes, there are some logistics, we have to be careful, but you get my hyperbolic point. But point is that you're happy to go visit for a minute, right? Give some food and water and get back to your AC. First thing, you're going to get in the car, and you're going to go get that on social media as quick as I can, right. The other thing, too, is a manufactured point of superiority. That's what this is. That's where you're coming from when you do that. And the other thing is, what you're doing is you're labeling people instead of loving them. And that brings me to another point, just so you kind of know a little bit about that there's all firms something that we're doing, that we're not doing any more, and why we do things the way we do. So we had a homeless ministry for about three years, I think, in this church. And your first reaction, if you don't know me, would be you don't have one anymore, you know? Right? Explain this to labeling, right. So these, this ministry for the homeless people, that's what we're going to do. And so we did it for about three years. And there were a lot of problems as a pastor that I saw with it. First of all, the enabling was off the hook. We were like, literally killing people. So just enabling them in their situation, right. So that was not good. We want to get under this problem. The other thing is, and this is what a lot of them who were running, it didn't figure out that I knew from day one is that it was nurturing a horribly sinful superiority complex. It was not good for our people. I could find myself looking at the homeless people. And look at the people running the ministry thinking people running the ministry are way worse off. Blessing are you who are poor, because you may not think these people here are a bunch of Pharisees. Because under the guise of being helpful, like they are making sure that like, everybody sees it on the internet, then and they're now pressuring other members to do it, when it may not be their ministry. Like if you don't do this, Hey, started coming after me. I'm like, Oh, my gosh, well, here's what Pastor we don't see you doing. We don't see you doing we don't see you doing it, right. That's why you don't see me. Because go talk to the homeless people. They'll tell you I spend time with them. I just make sure that no one sees me doing it. That's why, right. So superiority complex. And in three years, we saw maybe one person out of like I saw somewhere between 30 and 50 people come out of homelessness one. And then when I approached them and said, Hey, this is not a good batting average. We need to really get under this situation. I want to start more recovery programs here. Get the A rooms in here, start doing things. I'm going to start scheduling meetings with everybody and you know who your because I got to figure it out. Right. Well, developing partnerships with David Lawrence center, all these other people. We're going to help them out. They were gone in less than a week. They weren't gone in less than a week why? My ministry, Pastor genes threatening to take away my ministry, my title, my superiority, gone in one week at the notion of actually being able to help with anybody. Amazing. So what we do here is get rid of all these ministries except calling everything a ministry. You don't need a title. We don't even we just if we behave like a family and make people a part of, instead of apart from, or maybe some stuff will start getting done. Maybe we won't feel superior or just feel equal their part, they just have problems like we do. You don't have any problem. I have plenty of problems I told you about my lightbulbs, right? So you know, I've got problems right? There just, but we all do stop it. Right? They just have a certain set of problems. It just happens to present worse than you want to Sunday, at least they're not a hypocrite. Right? That's the way we need to think. So just be humble. And just make them a part of the family. And that's how we do it. And people instead of being labeled, they are loved. You're not known by like what ministry you need. Well, that's the homeless ministry. That's what there is. Now, no, we're all family. We're Christians, we're brothers and sisters. And we just happen to go through some bad things here and there. Okay, so everyone's equal here. It's a family of faith. So as I wrap it up, ultimately, when we give our lives to Jesus, we expect to see a changed heart. That's what we expect to see. And it's going to be really different from the rest of the world. That's what happens when you really get baptized, the Holy Spirit comes in there, and you just start to kind of see it. Sometimes it's a little gradual, it's okay. But you start to see things differently, God, now you have the Holy Spirit in there, he starts to go, Yo, did you see what you did there, you're going to get some built in accountability over stuff like that. Right? He brings to light the motives, like the true motives of your heart. And that's when things improve.
We will seek that approval from God, when he's in you, right when he's talking to you, and you have that relationship, instead of people whose voice will be much louder. And the other thing will be satisfied, satisfied with his praise. People who don't have relationship, I feel so sorry for them. You can hear his praise for you. You can hear well done good and faithful servant. If you can't hear that there's no relationship. You need to hear that.
You talked about Romans last week, I want to kind of close with this and so interesting, right? That the beginning of Romans, if you know it really well, he seemed God is evident to everyone. There you go. Trust me, you'll make himself known, right? We're just little magnifying pieces. starts out that way. But the point of Romans is that these Jews in these Gentiles, they're having superiority, complex problems with each other, the Jews because they had the law, and all these rituals, like basically what we would think of as religious right? So we have a religion, and the Gentiles was like, Ah, we're going to we don't need to do any of that stuff. And they're going back and forth. So Paul is basically leveling the playing field. But he's talking about the concept of having a circumcised heart sustaining the Jewish people, okay, you know, this, this is your nothing one he was a Jew is that outwardly, it's inwardly. That's what matter, right? So it speaks a lot into our lesson today. Right? You're not who you are as a Christian, but what you're presenting outwardly. One who's a true Christian is one who's changed inwardly and won't need to do any of that stuff. And so it's interesting verse, Romans 229, latter half of the verse, a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. We often take on the role of God, right? We force things instead of just having faith, whether it be treating others lovingly, regardless of race, socio economic status, again in the church are all the same. Whether it be serving those in need those who are hard to serve, or employers, even our enemies which were supposed to serve. We do it all, seeking praise from God, not even from them.
Doesn't matter. Our reward is and haven't. We serve Him as if we're serving the Lord Himself. Right with this faithful desire to please God. No selfish motives, just faithfully doing, knowing when to get out of the way, let God do the rest and being at peace with all of it. For his glory, not our own. And just this major point, with the joy of salvation, outweighing anything this world has to offer.
So, I want to invite you, up to you too. pray together with me from Psalm 51. So I'm going to put it up on the screen. You want to pray it in your heart. pray out loud.
Psalm 51 said,
create in me a clean heart, O God, me knew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence and do not take away your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you.
In Jesus's name, Amen.