Not So Secret Sauce pt 3
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
What’s your favorite recipe?
What’s your favorite recipe?
A few years back… I think it was Jeff Foxworthy that gave a recipe for chili: “Take all the hot s__t you can find… Put it in a pot and cook it for a long damn while!”
I love that recipe!!!
Because… It’s short, sweet, and simple!
My favorite bread recipe is Irish Soda Bread.... Any guess why?!
This is what the recipe says:
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
(add raisins, nuts, etc… to your liking)
Directions: (now don’t mess this up!) Combine all ingredients in a bowl… stir slightly… pour “dough” out on floured surface… knead 4 times… bake!
Super quick - Super easy - and it tastes great!
Now, let me tell you why I like Peter’s recipe…
Look at 2 Peter 1:3-8
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sound familiar?!?!?!
Peter says: “Take your life… add to it Faith… add goodness… add knowledge… add self-control… perseverance… godliness… mutual affection… love… the more the merrier!!! Shake it all up, and… Viola! The Holy and Abundant Life!”
Today, we’re going to loo at one of what Trevor Miller calls “keystone ingredients”… and that is “self-control.”
Peter says: 2Pet 1:5-6
2 Peter 1:5–6 (NIV)
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
Self-control is one of the “keystones”… if not THE Keystone… of the Holy Life.
A Keystone is the stone right in the middle of an arch that holds it all together. Without the keystone, the whole arch will fall apart.
The same is true with the Christian walk… Without the keystone — without self-control — our whole walk will fall apart.
Self-control is the “key” that holds holiness together… Without it, we fail at love… we fail at goodness… we fail to even follow Jesus…
Every one of us has probably found ourselves in a situation where we had to exercise self-control, and probably failed!
I know I did… (my drinking before meeting Mindy)
Every recovered addict will tell you… it is not the habit we have to control… it is the “cravings”…
You see… The cravings that we experience in life are what cause us to make bad decisions… These cravings are not limited to just food, alcohol, drugs, etc…
The truth is, we crave all kinds of things in life… We crave intimacy… control… status… power… money… fame… We crave the ideal mate… the ideal church… the ideal god…
Without self-control, any one of these cravings can take us to some pretty dangerous places!
You see…
A craving is a powerful desire for something… It can be overpowering because we believe that “that thing” will bring us fulfilment.
What does Peter say?
“Add to your Faith, goodness, and godly knowledge, SELF-CONTROL.”
We Have To Control The Craving… or the Craving will Control Us!
The only thing that can truly fill us is a deep, abiding connection with God.
That is where life is found!
Cravings just leave us wanting more!
Without self-control, we are a danger to ourselves… and a danger to others… Because we will use others to satisfy our cravings.
How often have you found yourself failing to practice self-control?
Guess what? You’re not alone!
Look at Rom 7:15-20
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
The Apostle Paul even struggled with this…
Good News!!!!
According to God’s Word… Self-control is not something we have to muster up on our own… It comes from the Holy Spirit!
God tells us that we need to practice self-control, and then…
God gives us the power to say “no” to the things we should say “no” to… and “yes” to the things we should say “yes” to…
Look at Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Notice… Paul doesn’t say “the FRUITS of the Spirit”… He says the “FRUIT” of the Spirit…
Self-control is a part of the Fruit produced by a Holy Life…
Self-control is a byproduct of our submission to Christ!
James Boice tells the story of William Wilberforce and his friend William Pitt the Younger, the Prime Minister of England…
Wilberforce, a strong Christian, had tried unsuccessfully to get his friend Pitt to go and see the preacher Richard Cecil. Pitt was a nominal Christian… he went to church, but didn’t do anything else…
Wilberforce thought the preaching of Cecil might help awaken saving faith in his friend’s heart… so he kept asking…
Finally, Pitt agreed to go.
The two sat and listened to a powerful and wonderful message of the Truths of God… Wilberforce was convinced that his friend would sense the truth and embrace it wholeheartedly… but…
As they left service, Pitt turned to Wilberforce and said, “You know, Wilberforce, I haven’t the slightest idea what that man was talking about.”
Boice’s conclusion is this: “Clearly, Pitt was as deaf to the Spirit of God as if he were a physically dead man.”
Is that us?! Are we so caught up in our cravings that we are deaf to the Spirit of God?
A lack of self-control causes deafness to God…
Look at Proverbs 25:28
28 Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.
In the ancient near east, a city’s most reliable protection was its walls.
Walls make sure that anyone trying to enter is “vetted and checked”… Walls provide protection…
Without walls, the city was vulnerable to attack and destruction… This was a part of the concern that drove Nehemiah to approach the Persian King about the condition of Jerusalem.
The people were unprotected and vulnerable…
The same is true with our lives… Without self-control, we neglect the Spirit of God working in us and through us… we are left exposed.
Self-Control is our Protection Against Temptation.
A lack of self-control reveals itself in our lives in different ways.
A lack of self-Control looks like falling into temptation on the computer… or cell phone… allowing ourselves to look at explicit material…
It looks like neglecting our health…
It looks like an inability to control ones tongue… gossiping…
Self-control is critical when it comes to living in holiness.
It is a struggle we ALL face!
Look at Rom 8:5-6
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Do you remember Boice’s conclusion about William Pitt?
“Clearly, Pitt was as deaf to the Spirit of God as if he were a physically dead man.”
That is Paul’s point!
14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
In Romans, Paul was writing to a culture that had a “do as you please” mentality. It was a city that was morally and spiritually bankrupt… because of the inability to practice restraint!
Their montra, “Pax Romana” — “keeping the peace is all that matters.” So… “Anything goes as long as it doesn’t interfere with the peace...”
Sound familiar?
Our world does nothing to help us with self-control.
Look at Romans 8:5-6 again…
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Paul says, “A person with his/her mind SET on the things of the flesh… the pleasures of this world… CANNOT accept the things that come from God. They are foolishness to him…”
It comes down to a choice!
On what will we feed?
Do we feed the desires of the flesh. or do we feed the desires of the Spirit?
Destructive choices begin in the mind!
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
When we entertain sinful thoughts… the mind can easily move to actions of the same kind.
The result of these fleshly “cravings” become physical action, which leads to spiritual death.
A lack of self-control robs us of the life God wants for us.
BUT… The result of the desires of the Spirit is life and peace!
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
The enemy wants us to give in to our cravings… to lose the life God desires for us… But Jesus wants to give us life!!!
It all depends on which we feed!
An old Cherokee grandfather was teaching his grandson about life. He said:
“A fight is going on inside your mind… It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity. guilt. resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
“The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, patience, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”
“This fight is going on inside you — and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson said, “I see… but which wolf will win?”
The old man smiled and replied, “The one you feed, son, the one you feed.”
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
A renewed mind is a surrendered mind.
We have a choice each day on what we will allow into our minds and hearts.
Too many of us allow our minds to be filled with negativity… with fear… with pride… with arrogance… with anxiety… (shameless aside)
What do we have to fear?!?
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
If our life is hidden with Christ, then we have literally nothing to fear! We have been given perfect peace… in Him!
We can give all that stuff that steals our joy and destroys our peace… and surrender to the leading of Jesus.
I’ve noticed something in my life… When I feed the Spirit and practice self-control… It gets easier to feed the Spirit and practice self-control next time…
The key is limiting the negative effects of sinful choices and increasing the positive outcomes through self-control.
The “secret” is actually pretty simple and straightforward… yet so many people fail to discover it.
Instead… They just sort of “flounder around,” making their choices, and never taking the time to practice self-control… Because of this. they always seem to be struggling…
And when those “bad times” hit, what do they do?
They blame others… they blame their bosses… their co-workers… their family… They blame God!
When a little self-control would change everything!
One of the problems with self-control is… we often do not consider the long-term effects of our daily choices.
We get fixated on the immediate.
We must discover the power of delayed gratification.
The Power of Delayed Gratification.
This is the message that almost every parent in the room has tried … or is trying… to teach their children…
Our children need to learn this axiom, but… SO DO WE!!!!
There was a study done by Walter Mischel at Stanford in the 1960’s, looking into the main qualities people need to succeed in life. The experiments came to be called “The Marshmallow Experiment”…
Check out this video…
Mischel observed the children from his experiment over a period of 40 years, here’s what he concluded:
“The children who were willing to delay gratification and waited to receive the second marshmallow ended up having higher SAT scores, lower levels of substance abuse, lower likelihood of obesity, better responses to stress, better social skills, and generally better scores in a range of other life measures.”
The University of Rochester later repeated the experiments with a twist…
They separated the children into two groups.
Group 1 was given unreliable experiences prior to the Marshmallow Experiment…
Group 2 was given very reliable experiences prior to…
What they found was:
— 1st group didn’t trust the offer and ate the MM immediately…
— 2nd group trusted and gained the reward…
Our life experiences define our perception of things… AND how we respond to them…
But let me tell you… We are NOT stuck!
We can change!!!
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
and
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
BUT… We can’t do that on our own!
And that’s the Good News… We don’t have to!
Look at Phil 4:19
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Let me tell you… “My God will.... “
When we look to Jesus… When we give Him our complete trust… He helps us to combine and mix these ingredients into our lives!
2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.
3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
— You lack Faith… ASK!
— You lack Goodness… ASK!
— You lack Knowledge… ASK!
God WILL help us to learn self-control … if we ASK!
Self-control in one area of your life can spill over into other areas of your life as well… Practicing regular times of Bible study and prayer has a positive effect…
Practicing regular exercise has a positive effect…
Investing in your marriage can have an incredibly positive effect…
Humbling yourself and being a follower instead of seeking to be the leader can have a positive effect…
There are times when God wants to use us as leaders… there are times that God wants to use us as servants to help other leaders… and there are times God tells us to WAIT!!!
What we do in those times… has a powerful impact on our lives!
Learning to submit to the power of God’s Spirit in your life will develop the self-control that is necessary to Holiness!
Let me tell you…
We have a God who loves us…
Who will never leave us alone…
— He was there with Adam and Eve in the Garden… AND AFTER!!!
— He was with Noah on the Ark...
— He was with Daniel in the Lion’s Den…
— He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace…
— He was with Paul on the road to Damascus…
— He was with Peter in prison...
HE WILL BE WITH YOU!!!!
He sees our sin… He knows the chasm it puts between us and Him… He gave us a way to remove it!
Jesus didn’t live, die, and return to Heaven to leave us where we are… He didn’t sacrifice Himself to leave us to our own feeble attempts at a full life…
He did it for us! So we could come to His table… So we could spend eternity with Him… AND (now here’s the awesome part!)… He walks us to that table!
That is the communion we celebrate!
(communion)