Looking In, Looking Around, & Looking Up

Introduction

Throughout this week, the morning sessions are going to be taught by several different people. But the subjects that they are going to deal with are practical topics. They are relevant to the things that you have faced, are facing, or will face. Issues such as:

Transgender, and Same-Sex Attractions; Abortion; Addiction & Social Media; and something that many of us face, Depression & Anxiety.

In the afternoon sessions we want to take some time to help us begin to think practically about how each one of us can practically deal with these subjects—from a Biblical perspective.

Last night Russ, made a couple of interesting statements that I hope you keyed in on. The first one:

John 3:16, Nothing More, Nothing less, Nothing else!

The second statement that I hope you keyed on is:

Complaining is equal to Rebellion. When I complain, I am rebelling against God. That means when I am complaining about my Gender, I’m rebelling. When I’m complaining about my family, I’m rebelling, When I’m complaining about anything I’m rebelling.

So how do we change our thinking? How can we “rethink” ourselves? We can begin to change our thinking when we change the order of the lenses that we look through.

What are the lenses through which we filter our lives? I believe there are three of them. We use these filters are our plumbline.

The three filters are actually ways we an look are: In, Around, and Up. So for the next couple of minutes let me lay the groundwork for these three views.

Looking IN!

Let’s see how many of you agree with these statements:

In everything you do, follow your heart!

You should chase your dreams!

No matter what, be true to yourself!

These are all statements that most Americans would accept as true statements. The problem is that each of these statements is about ME!

These statements can lead to the belief:

I determine what is right or wrong for me.

What makes me happy is the MOST important thing.

Along those lines, my FEELINGS are considered above everything else.

When we look inward we are trying to uncover what is the most important thing to us. What is it that makes me tic!

The big problem is that what makes you tick, constantly changes. What makes you tic today may not make you tic tomorrow. How we feel, what makes us happy, what we think is right and wrong today—all of these things are constantly changing!

There is a bigger problem with this view because of what God’s Word has to say in Proverbs 14:2,

Proverbs 14:2 NIV

Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

And repeated in Proverbs 16:25.

Proverbs 16:25 NIV

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Now here’s an interesting point—when God repeats something in scripture it is usually REALLY important.

So the first filter is to look inside. Now don’t misunderstand me, looking in has its place, and it can be useful—it just can’t be the only filter.

Looking Around

The second filter is looking around us and see what the people around us think is true, right, good. Or to see how we should think. Today, looking around comes at through so many means. Movies, music, and television where the ones that were there when I grew up—and I’m much older than Greg! In fact, when Greg was 7 years old, I was graduating from High School.

Today, you have so many more sources. There are still the big three—movies, music, and television—but they are no longer the big three.

What other influences are there today that tell you what those around you believe? [Entertain questions]

Peer pressure

Internet

Social Media

I believe that these are now the big three and what used to be the big three are now less important—still there, but less important. Greg shared 1 John 2:15-16.

1 John 2:15–16 NIV

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

Loving the world and the things in the world.

Lust of the flesh—things that make you feel good.

Lust of the eyes—the things we see and want!

Pride of life—things that bring attention to ourselves.

That means that who you listen to is important. If you surround yourselves with foolish people—they will lead you into foolishness. Surround yourselves with godly people will lead you into godliness. Have you ever noticed that when you’re at camp it is easier to be excited about following Jesus than when you are at school?

So again, looking around is not necessarily bad or wrong to do. It all depends on the group of people to whom you listen.

Looking UP

The third filter is looking up—that is we look up to see what God has to say about a subject. Greg talked about three doubts:

Did God really say?

But it doesn’t look like it is fun?

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In John 15, Jesus is talking to his disciples on the night that he was betrayed—it is part of what is called the “Upper Room Discourse.”

If you have a Bible turn with me to John 15.

John 15:1–2 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Jesus is the vine.

God the Father is the gardener.

Two kinds of branches connected to the vine.

Branches that bear no fruit—it says the gardener cuts it off—it can also mean He lifts it us—or ties it up. In caring for a vine, sometimes they tie up the branch, off the ground so that it has a place for the fruit to hang.

Branches that are bearing fruit—that branch the gardener prunes it—He cuts it back, he trims off those parts that are not growing fruit.

The final thing I want us to see is found in verse 3.

John 15:3 NIV

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Through Jesus, you are already acceptable to him!