Inside-Out Way of Jesus - Part 2

HUMBLED TO BE EXALTED

Faith is an inside-out job.

The way to greatness is not up; it's down.

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:  “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.  Luke 18:9-10 NLT

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!  Luke 18:11 NLT

Things we might say or think that express this attitude:
*You're not going to talk to me like that.
*I'm not going to be the one to apologize.
*It's not me, it's you.
*It's not fair.
*Did you hear about...
*I don't need help.

When we focus on our faith on the outside:
    -We turn our faith into a performance.
    -We compare ourselves to others.
    -We put our confidence in our accomplishments.    

I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ Luke 18:12 NLT

God is not impressed with those who want to impress Him.

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’  Luke 18:13 NLT

I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  Luke 18:14 NLT

When we humble ourselves, that draws God's attention.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.  Philippians 2:5-8 NLT

Ways to humble myself:
- Voluntarily confess sin
- Give selflessly and anonymously
- Treat others better than myself
- Be willing to ask for help

Philippians 2:9-11 NLT

What credit do you get for kneeling when it's impossible to stand?

Inside-Out Way of Jesus - Part 1

BROKEN TO BE WHOLE

Jesus: I know you’ve been taught that it’s all about  what’s on the outside.  That’s not what it’s about.  It’s all about what’s on the inside, and it’s what’s on the inside that comes out.

Jesus wants:
    *authentic worship
    *an intimate relationship
    *brokenness

When Jesus looks at broken, He sees beautiful.

A sinful woman anoints Jesus’ feet - Luke 7:36-50

Who would you rather be in this story?

If you want to be made whole you’ve got to be broken.

The less you see it in yourself, the more you need it.

“The power of vulnerability.”  Brene Brown

God makes the broken whole through Jesus Christ.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,  a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.   Isaiah 53:4-6 NLT

We are made whole because He was broken.

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.”  So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel.  But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message:  “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay?   Jeremiah 18:1-6 NLT

The very thing you wish was not true about you, if you let Me, can be turned into something beautiful. It’s more valuable than before.

God doesn’t work around our brokenness; He works through it.

Bad Blood - Part 4

SHAKING THE DUST OFF

How long does it depend on me?

When does my continual extension of assistance become irresponsible.

Foolish people continually behave in ways that hurt themselves or others.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believe is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.  Galatians 6:1 NLT

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2 NIV

We are responsible to help carry any burden that has become too big.

If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.   Galatians 6:3 NLT

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.   Galatians 6:4 NLT

I should not ask you to help me carry something I myself am not carrying.

For each one should carry their own load.  Galatians 6:5 NIV

We are responsible to help carry each other's burdens and we are responsible for carrying our own load.

When we feel responsible for carrying one another's load, we rob them of experiencing the outcomes of their decisions.

Unconditional love necessitates conditional assistance.

*Set a boundary.

*Be accountable to someone.

You will never passively find what you are not actively pursuing.

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Romans 15:5-6 NLT

Bad Blood - Part 3

A CONVERSATION OR A CONFRONTATION

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him what he did without other people hearing it. If he listens to you, you have won your brother back again.   Matthew 18:15 NLT

But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other people with you. Every word may be remembered by the two or three who heard.   If he will not listen to them, tell the trouble to the church.  Matthew 18:16-17 NLT

You have heard that men were told long ago, ‘You must not kill another person. If someone does kill, he will be guilty and will be punished for his wrong-doing.’  Matthew 5:21 NLT

But I tell you that whoever is angry with his brother will be guilty and have to suffer for his wrong-doing. Whoever says to his brother, ‘You have no brains,’ will have to stand in front of the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be sent to the fire of hell.  Matthew 5:22 NLT

In order to connect with God, they had to make things right with God.

If you take your gift to the altar and remember your brother has something against you...  Matthew 5:23 NLT

...leave your gift on the altar. Go and make right what is wrong between you and him. Then come back and give your gift.  Matthew 5:24 NLT

Why should you go?

Before making things right with God, you have to make things right with others.

When should you go?

When you've been wronged, you take the first step.

When you've wronged, you take the first step.

How should you go?

You make it right by confessing you were wrong and repent.

When you've been wronged, you take the first step - forgive.

When you've wronged, you take the first step - repent.

Three Steps to Repentance:
*take full responsibility for your wrong
*make no excuses for your behavior
*layout a plan for your change

Reconciliation requires us to turn a confrontation into a conversation.

How to go: immediately, directly, humbly

Making peace with others clears the path to peace with God.

Bad Blood - Part 2

HOLDING ON

Who else is suffering from the consequences of your bad blood?

Bad blood is costly and complicated.

It costs you peace and it complicates other relationships.

The path of peace is paved with empathy.

Forgiveness is the vehicle to move you down the path.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.    Romans 12:18 NIV

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.   Romans 12:19 NLT

Revenge is not just the external retaliation but the internal celebration of their misfortune.

"Unforgiveness" is a failure to believe what God says.

Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”   Romans 12:20 NLT

God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.   Romans 2:4 NIV

What do you do about your bad blood?
    *accept the apology that you never received
    *give them the blessing that they never received

Do not let sin have power over you. Let good have power over sin!  Romans 12:21 NLT

Peace begins when your demand for payment ends.

Who do you need to forgive?
    *forgive the debt
    *take the first step

You will never passively find what you do not actively pursue...so pursue peace.

"God, would you help me see them the way You see them?"

Bad Blood - Part 1

THE EMPATHY LENS

Bad blood can affect any relationship.

The quality of our lives is only as good as the quality of our relationships.

Happiness comes from peace with God, myself and others.

You can have peace about the relationship even without peace in the relationship.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Romans 12:18 NIV

The pursuit of peace, even without the promise of peace, is not a pointless pursuit.

The step that all of us can take...empathy

4 Qualities of Empathy:
*take on their perspective as truth
*suspend my judgement
*recognize their emotion
*communicate that emotion
    Theresa Wiseman

Sympathy is acknowledging what the other person feels.

Empathy is feeling what the other person feels.

In a difficult relationship, empathy can be the key to opening a dialogue that leads to a healthy relationship.

Empathy is the first step of first-aid for bad blood.

Have you done everything you can do to feel it from their side?

Is it possible that their behavior has a logical explanation?   To them? 

"Human beings are the only creatures who are able to behave irrationally in the name of reason."  Ashley Montague

Walk around.     Write it down.

Jesus is God's exclamation point of empathy.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.    Hebrews 4:15 NIV

When you make the long walk of empathy, you are mirroring what Jesus did for you.

Who Needs God - Part 6

I DO

You can belong before you believe.

Self-deception always take us in a bad direction.

I don't believe it.  I don't want to believe it.

If God...
    I'm guilty.    
    I'm accountable.
    I'm wrong.

The real issue is my resistance, not God's existence.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  Romans 5:8 NLT

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.  Romans 5:11 NLT

You cannot have a relationship with someone you do not sacrifice for.

If God... 
    There's forgiveness.
    There's relationship.
    There's truth.

And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6  NLT

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  James 4:7  NLT

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.  James 4:8  NLT

Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.   James 4:9  NLT

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. James 4:10  NLT

Who Needs God - Part 5

In - Justice For All

If He's good, He would. If He could, He would.

Extraordinary suffering often leads to extraordinary confidence in God.  

There is no rational argument against the existence or involvement of the God of Jesus based on injustice in the world.

Injustice in the world calls into question the justice of God, not the existence of God.

Why do we assume if there is God, God must be good and just?

The justice-and-dignity-for-all version of God was introduced to the world by Jesus.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  1 John 4:7-8  NLT

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.  This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.   1 John 4:9-11  NLT

The best way to rid the world of injustice is to rid the world of God.

Once there is no objective standard for justice, injustice ceases to exist.

Jesus brought us God's love.  But that's not all he brought.

There is no justice without judgement.

For I have come to save the world and not to judge it.  John 12:47  NLT

Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  Luke 18:7  NLT

But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”  Luke 18:8  NLT

If anyone had a reason to stop believing in God because of injustice, it was Jesus.

If you genuinely care about justice you should want Christianity to be true.