Untitled Sermon (26)

The Gospel is About People, not Property

Romans 14:13-19 “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”

We do not need more stuff to serve Jesus

As far as we know Jesus himself had limited possessions

Matt 8:20 “And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.””

When We Lack Wisdom, We can Ask God

Worldly wisdom says you need a plan even when God calls! Godly wisdom says the planning is done if God Calls!

James 1::5-8 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

god’s wisdom is generous. He will give it to us in good measure

we can trust that God will not be stingy and give it wisdom. While we may have to look for it, he promises to get it when we look with

James 3:17-18 “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

worldly wisdom is used to tear down and belittle others opinions

Godly wisdom is used to invite others along to find God’s best

The attributes that the scriptures give for God‘s wisdom should be our attributes when we are walking in it

Four eyed fish slide

God asks us “Do you trust Me?”

Trust in God is not optional for the Christ follower

Years ago, Monroe Parker was traveling through South Alabama on a hot day. He stopped at a watermelon stand, picked out a watermelon, and asked the proprietor how much it cost. "It’s $1.10," he replied. Parker dug into his pocket, found only a bill and said, "All I have is a dollar."

"That’s ok," the seller said, "I’ll trust you for it."

"Well, that’s very nice of you," Parker responded, and picking up the watermelon, started to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" the man behind the counter demanded.

"I’m going outside to eat my watermelon." "But you forgot to give me the dollar!"

"You said you would trust me for it," Parker called back.

"Yeah, but I meant I would trust you for the dime!"

"Sir," Parker replied, "You did not trust me at all. You were just going to take a ten-cent gamble on my integrity!"

You cannot trust Him just a bit!

John 9:6-7 “Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”. So he went and washed and came back seeing.”

Jesus could have easily healed the man on the spot

Sometimes miracles are about trust and obedience

We should ask “How does this build the Kingdom Of God?”

Many years ago, a man was hired an experienced guide to lead him on a hike into the Swiss Alps. After many hours, they came to a high and remote mountain pass. To the man’s dismayed, he saw the path had almost been washed out. What could he do? To the left was a sheer rock cliff, to his right, a precipice that dropped nearly 1000 ft. Looking down, the felt his head growing faint and his knees beginning to buckle. At that moment his guides shouted, "Do not look down or you are a dead man, keep your eyes on me, and where I put my feet, put yours there as well."

Matt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”