Life Church Message 2008-04-20 - The Standard (Part 14)

The Standard - Mat 5 - 7 (continued)

For God Or For Show? - Mat 6:1-24

Passage

Alms (Giving) - Mat 6:1-4

Prayer - Mat 6:5-15

Fasting - Mat 6:16-18

Treasures - Mat 6:19-24

Exegetical Idea: Don't perform your good deeds for public approval.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

We like public approval and we want to "belong".

We like to spend time with people who are impressed by us or who most easily make us feel accepted. These are not necessarily the people who will enable us to experience the greatest growth.

We need to focus on confronting what's really going on "beneath the covers" rather than on putting up a front.

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Charity as a form of public relations

Religious praying in church

Religious fasting in church

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector - Luke 18:9-14

Parable of the Rich Fool - Luke 12:13-21

Lazarus and the Rich Man - Luke 16:19-31

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

"Be careful not to . . ." - Mat 6:1

If you want it to count with God then do it right!

The world can see our hypocrisy.

Homiletical Idea: Are you doing it for God or for show?

Purpose

Understand the difference between doing things for public approval and doing them for God's approval.

Recognize when you're doing things for public approval.

Stop doing "acts of righteousness" for public approval and instead do them only for God's approval.

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables

Make sure people do something with the word God gives you for them.

Put God First

Where Are You Storing Your Treasure? - Mat 6:19-24

Passage - Mat 6:19-24

Exegetical Idea: Where should you store your treasure? In heaven, where your heart should be focused.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Our hearts will be drawn to wherever we accumulate the things we value. We need to ensure that our hearts are drawn to the one we intend to serve - God.

This instruction was being given to disciples - men and women who had already made a commitment to follow Jesus.

Jesus focused on negative behaviors to avoid because the context of their ministry together provided the positive behaviors they were to adopt.

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Yes - personal story.

Parable of the rich fool - Luke 12:13-21

Lazarus and the rich man - Luke 16:19-31

Danger of pursuing riches - 1Tim 6:3-10

Command those who are rich - 1Tim 6:17-18

Rich will fade away - James 1:9-11

Listen you rich people - James 5:1-6

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Our possessions can steal our hearts away from the Lord.

Homiletical Idea: Store up heavenly rather than earthly possessions.

Purpose

Understand how our possessions and the things we do to get them affect our spiritual lives.

Choose behavior that will keep our hearts focused on God.

Breakdown

The wrong process:

You accumulate treasure on earth

Your heart becomes increasingly focused on your stuff

You increasingly become a servant of money

You stop being a servant of God

The right process:

You accumulate treasure in heaven

Your heart becomes increasingly focused on heaven

You increasingly become a servant of God

How do you store up treasure in heaven?

Use wealth to win people to Jesus - Luke 16:1-15

Fund ministries that win people

Fund your own ministry to win people

Don't worry about taxes - Rom 13:1-7

Don't Worry - Mat 6:25-34

Passage - Mat 6:25-34

Exegetical Idea:

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

God will take care of our needs so we should not allow them to distract us from serving him.

This instruction was being given to disciples - men and women who had already made a commitment to follow Jesus.

Jesus focused on negative behaviors to avoid because the context of their ministry together provided the positive behaviors they were to adopt.

God doesn't deal well with second place -

No other gods - Ex 20:1-6

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Yes - God has taken care of us personally.

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Worrying about our own needs will make God's Word unfruitful in our lives - Mat 13:1-9, 18-23; Luke 8:4-15

Homiletical Idea: Attend to God's business first.

Purpose

Understand how to put God's business first.

Practice putting God's business first.

Breakdown

Break the progression that leads to serving money.

Stop prioritizing your material well-being

Start prioritizing God's Kingdom - put God's business first.

What does it mean to put God's business first?

Key Areas:

Your possessions

Give God the best of the first - Ex 23:19; Ex 34:26

Take God's portion out of your account ASAP.

"Complete Business" - a business with boundaries.

Store up treasure in heaven.

Use wealth to win people to Jesus - Luke 16:1-15

Fund ministries that win people

Fund your own ministry to win people

Don't worry about taxes - Rom 13:1-7

Your time

Your relationships

Your goals

Resources For Putting God's Business First:

You need the following:

Kingdom consciousness

Kingdom context

Kingdom comrades

Actively cultivate a Kingdom consciousness

The Word

Prayer

Worship

Fellowship and Relationship Building

Holiness

Serving

Discipleship and Evangelism

Establish a Kingdom context first

Your congregation

Other believers who are also putting God's business first

Establish Kingdom comrades as soon as possible

Your life group - the team you serve on

Chase God's "dream" - then your own.

What will you look like in your new setting?

A follower of the traditional "make money" script?

A Kingdom agent?

The choice is yours!

Preparation

Expository Preaching

Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers.

Select the Passage

Study the Passage

NIV

Hebrew Study Bible

KJV

The Message

NASB

RSV

Discover the Exegetical Idea

Subject

Tools: How, Who, What, When, Where, Why

Complement

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Formulate the Homiletical Idea

Determine the Purpose of the Sermon

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables

Make sure people do something with the word God gives you for them.

Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose

Outline the Sermon

The Standard - Mat 5 - 7 (cont.)

Don't Judge

Passage - Mat 7:1-6

Related texts: Luke 6:37-42

Exegetical Idea:

Subject: Who is qualified to judge someone else's problems?

Complement: The person who has already dealt with his/her own problems.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

You will be judged by the same standards and to the same degree that you judge others.

Only share truth with those who can appreciate and receive it.

Giving people (unbelievers) more truth than they can handle can be dangerous to you.

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Yes - I've experienced hypocritical judgement (give example).

I've judged hypocritically - criticizing Y re sex with F.

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Hypocritical judgement hurts rather than helps.

It deceives us into thinking that we are doing better than we actually are.

Some people try to divert attention from their own shortcomings by judging the shortcomings of others.

Homiletical Idea: Stop - the life you judge may be your own!

Purpose

Make people aware of when they are judging others.

Make people judge themselves before judging others.

Breakdown

Explain the text

Explore the experience of being judged by a hypocrite.

Cite the portrayal of religious hypocrites in the media.

Do you want to be a part of this pattern?

Ask, Seek, Knock

Passage - Mat 7:7-11

Related passages: Luke 11:1-13

Exegetical Idea: Pursue God persistently because he wants to bless you with good things.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Even unjust people respond to persistence, how much more will our loving Father?

God rewards persistence.

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Things I've prayed for for years that have eventually happened:

Agreement with my wife.

Knowing God's voice.

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

You can have the blessing - it's your choice!

Homiletical Idea: Keep pursuing God!

Apple, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie

Purpose

Understand the importance of persistence in pursuing God.

Develop a lifestyle of persistence in pursuing God.

Breakdown

Explain the text

Contrast the pursuit of easy things vs. hard things

God is call for a people who will "go for the gold"

Golden Rule

Passage - Mat 7:12

Related Passage: Luke 6:31

Exegetical Idea: Do to others what you want them to do to you.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Homiletical Idea: Treat other people the way you want to be treated.

Do Right Woman, Do Right Man

Love On A Two Way Street

Purpose

Make sure you treat others the way you want to be treated.

Breakdown

Narrow Gate, Narrow Path

Passage - Mat 7:13-14

Related Passages: Luke 13:22-30

Exegetical Idea: Many people find destruction but only a few find life.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

The journey to destruction has a wide starting point and lots of options along the way.

The journey to life has only one starting point and few options along the way.

The path and the gate are similar.

Have you ever had trouble looking for a side street on your way to somewhere you've never been before? Finding it requires your full attention.

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

A relationship with God must be on his terms.

God calls the shots

Jesus is the only way - John 14:1-6; Acts 4:8-12

Continue the way you started - Col 2:6-7

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

If you don't stay focused on the right path you can miss it altogether.

Even many churchgoers miss the path because they lose sight of what Jesus actually said.

Homiletical Idea: Long and Winding Road

Purpose

Understand the narrow nature of our Christian walk.

Walk consistently with this understanding.

Breakdown

Explain the passage.

Christianity is not a "do your own thing" movement.

Following Jesus requires focus and paying attention.

Following Jesus requires self-denial and restraint.

Following Jesus means walking where your errors can be seen.

Contrast narrow and broad starts to spiritual life.

Contrast narrow and broad spiritual journeys.

Illustrate using Joe Sumrell's demonstration.

What approach are you taking?

Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)

Scripture References: Mat 7:1-14

Are you aware of anyone having judged you recently? How so?

Have you judged someone else recently? How so?

Have you given dogs what is sacred or pearls to pigs recently? How so?

How persistent are you in asking, seeking, knocking, and pursuing God?

Do you treat others the way you want to be treated? Give an example.

How do the narrow gate and path apply to your life as a Christian?

Witnessing Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings

Make sure that everyone knows about Life Church 101:

Saturday April 26, 2008 - 10 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

Other witnessing / works activities as determined by your life group leader.

The Standard (Part 14) - Narrow Gate and Narrow Path

Pastor Rocklyn Clarke - Sunday April 20, 2008