Quit expecting to wake up in heaven
Quit Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 12 viewsWe should quit the idea that church is supposed to be a perfect place, with perfect people and perfect ministry. Our notion of "perfect" isn't necessarily what God thinks anyway.
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People aren’t perfect
People aren’t perfect
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Our true self surfaces when things don’t go our way. Our response to others says more about us than it does about them.
Too many times Christians we’ll decide church isn’t for them because people within that church don’t measure up to the their perceived view of rightteousness.
The only perfect person in our church is Jesus
The only perfect person in our church is Jesus
People fail
People fail
Our understanding is limited
Our understanding is limited
We have to be very careful about the judgments we make, especially regarding our fellow brothers and sisters in christ. We are called to love not to judge. Often we see in life is only a snapshot and we judge based on a notion that what we perceive in the moment is “how things are and how they’re going to be. But the reality is many things are in transition and what we are in not what we will be. Only God sees and knows the final product. So what we deem bad, God may see as good.
We are called to loyalty & love
We are called to loyalty & love
Not to criticism and judgment
Not to criticism and judgment
James 1:19-26 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”
for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
In our perceived sense of righteousness the circumstance or the person becomes “wrong” or “bad” and therefore we deceive ourselves and think it’s okay to judge, complain, spread rumours, gossip, or whatever to express our own sense of righteousness and the evil wrong nature of the person or the issue.
As if somehow we should be living in heaven now and its supposed to look like what I say it should.
As if!
It’s not our responsibility to Judge but rather to love and be loyal.
You are only responsible for your response
You are only responsible for your response
Not judgement and/or criticism.
Our reaction to the perceived imperfections around you says more about ourselves than those perceived issues.
Are we expressing God’s love?
Are we being Loyal?
trans: So what are we to do?
Attack the problem, not the person
Attack the problem, not the person
Many times a perceived problem or issue is God’s speaking to you about meeting a need, serving…about you and ministry that God is calling you into.
Always in loyalty and love
Conclusion
Conclusion
So the real issue isn’t about the fact that people and circumstances aren’t measuring up. Welcome to the universe before heaven comes down! No the real issue is about a lack of love and loyalty among we that call ourselves followers of Jesus.
Maybe a ministry that isn’t perfect? Judging it, complaining about, thinking about quitting it or even leaving because it’s not good enough or maybe it doesn’t exist and you think it should?
Maybe a person you’ve decided to be disloyal too because we somehow it’s okay because they don’t measure up to our standard?
Make it right this week. Use this time, this place to allow God to continue His work in you.