Who are you Living For? Living for God’s Glory, Not Man’s
Notes
Transcript
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
TITLE: WHO ARE YOU LIVING FOR? LIVING FOR GOD'S GLORY, NOT MAN'S
INTRODUCTION
GOOD MORNING, BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. I AM BLESSED TO BE STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY ON THIS SPECIAL SUNDAY IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
AS WE GATHER HERE AT 201 WAYNE STREET…SPANNING ACROSS DIFFERENT AGES FROM 22 TO 80, WE ARE REMINDED OF THE RICH HISTORY, STRUGGLES, AND TRIUMPHS OF OUR ANCESTORS WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO STAND HERE TODAY.
IT IS A TIME TO REFLECT ON OUR HERITAGE, HONOR OUR ROOTS, AND GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS THROUGH IT ALL.
TODAY WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON A POWERFUL VERSE FROM THE BOOK OF GALATIANS, CHAPTER 1, VERSE 10. THIS VERSE REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING FOR GOD'S APPROVAL ABOVE ALL ELSE, EVEN IN THE FACE OF SOCIETAL PRESSURES AND EXPECTATIONS.
AS AFRICAN AMERICANS, WE HAVE FACED COUNTLESS CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES THROUGHOUT HISTORY, BUT THROUGH IT ALL, WE HAVE FOUND STRENGTH IN OUR FAITH AND IN GOD'S UNWAVERING LOVE FOR US.
LET US DIVE INTO THIS VERSE TOGETHER AND DISCOVER WHAT IT MEANS FOR US AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY.
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
LIVING FOR GOD'S APPROVAL
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN JUDGES US BASED ON OUR OUTWARD APPEARANCE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, EDUCATION, AND SO MUCH MORE. SOCIETY TELLS US THAT WE MUST CONFORM TO CERTAIN STANDARDS IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED, RESPECTED, AND SUCCESSFUL. BUT AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, WE ARE CALLED TO A HIGHER STANDARD – A STANDARD SET BY GOD HIMSELF. WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE IN A WAY THAT PLEASES GOD, NOT MAN.
IN THE CONTEXT OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE ARE REMINDED OF THE STRUGGLES OUR ANCESTORS FACED AS THEY FOUGHT FOR EQUALITY, JUSTICE, AND DIGNITY.
THEY FACED OPPRESSION, DISCRIMINATION, AND VIOLENCE, YET THEY STOOD FIRM IN THEIR FAITH AND THEIR BELIEF IN GOD'S PROMISE OF A BETTER TOMORROW.
THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THEIR WORTH AND IDENTITY WERE NOT DETERMINED BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN OR THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS, BUT BY THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
AS WE REFLECT ON THEIR LEGACY, LET US ASK OURSELVES: ARE WE SEEKING APPROVAL FROM THE WORLD OR FROM GOD?
ARE WE CONFORMING TO SOCIETAL NORMS AND EXPECTATIONS, OR ARE WE STAYING TRUE TO OUR BELIEFS AND VALUES AS CHILDREN OF GOD?
NOW I KNOW…..
IT CAN BE TEMPTING TO SEEK VALIDATION FROM OTHERS, TO FIT IN AND BE ACCEPTED BY SOCIETY, BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT AS SERVANTS OF CHRIST, OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO PLEASE HIM.
REV. DR. MARTHA SIMMONS…AUTHOR, MENTOR AND CREATOR OF THE WOMEN OF COLOR IN MINISTRY PROJECT ….SAYS WE SPEND OUR LIVES CLIMBING ONE LADDER OR ANOTHER….LADDERS OF INDUSTRY, POLITICS, ECONOMICS….ALWAYS SEEKING TO ASCEND TO HIGHER HEIGHTS. BUT WE HAVE A LOVING GOD, WHO AFTER CREATING US, DESCENDED TO SAVE US. GOD CAME LOW FOR YOU AND ME. GOD GOES LOW FOR US…. SO WHEN YOU ARE CLIMBING HIGH, REMEMBER OUR GOD WHO CAME LOW.
THE APOSTLE PAUL, IN HIS LETTER TO THE GALATIANS, REMINDS US OF THIS TRUTH. HE BOLDLY PROCLAIMS THAT IF HE WERE STILL TRYING TO PLEASE PEOPLE, HE WOULD NOT BE A SERVANT OF CHRIST.
PAUL UNDERSTOOD THAT THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS, NO MATTER HOW INFLUENTIAL OR POWERFUL, WERE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. HE WAS WILLING TO STAND FIRM IN HIS FAITH, EVEN IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION AND OPPOSITION.
IN THE SAME WAY, WE TOO MUST BE WILLING TO PRIORITIZE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE. WE MUST NOT COMPROMISE OUR BELIEFS, VALUES, OR INTEGRITY IN ORDER TO GAIN THE APPROVAL OF MAN.
AS AFRICAN AMERICANS, WE HAVE A UNIQUE HISTORY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE THAT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED AND EMBRACED, NOT DIMINISHED OR HIDDEN IN AN EFFORT TO CONFORM TO SOCIETAL STANDARDS.
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
EMBRACING OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST
AS WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH, LET US REMEMBER THAT OUR IDENTITY IS FOUND IN CHRIST ALONE.
WE ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE IN HIS IMAGE, WITH PURPOSE, DIGNITY, AND WORTH.
WE ARE NOT DEFINED BY OUR PAST OR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT BY OUR FAITH IN GOD AND HIS LOVE FOR US.
WE ARE PART OF A RICH TAPESTRY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE OVERCOME ADVERSITY, FOUGHT FOR JUSTICE, AND INSPIRED FUTURE GENERATIONS TO DO THE SAME.
IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS, WE ARE REMINDED OF GOD'S CREATIVE POWER AND LOVE FOR DIVERSITY.
HE CREATED ALL OF US IN HIS IMAGE, WITH UNIQUE GIFTS, TALENTS, AND EXPERIENCES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE BEAUTY AND RICHNESS OF THE WORLD.
AS AFRICAN AMERICANS, WE BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND VOICE TO THE WORLD, ONE THAT IS ROOTED IN OUR HISTORY, CULTURE, AND FAITH.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO EMBRACE WHO WE ARE AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY.
WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR ANCESTORS, ACKNOWLEDGE THE STRUGGLES THEY FACED, AND HONOR THE LEGACY THEY HAVE LEFT BEHIND FOR US TO CARRY ON.
WE SHOULD NOT BE ASHAMED OF OUR HERITAGE OR TRY TO CONFORM TO SOCIETAL STANDARDS THAT SEEK TO DIMINISH OUR UNIQUE IDENTITY.
MARCUS GARVEY ONCE SAID….BLACK SKIN IS NOT A BADGE OF SHAME, BUT RATHER A GLORIOUS SYMBOL OF NATIONAL GREATNESS.
IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, WE READ ABOUT THE EARLY BELIEVERS WHO CAME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND CULTURES, YET WERE UNITED IN THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST.
THEY WERE EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BOLDLY PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL AND SHARE GOD'S LOVE WITH OTHERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, ETHNICITY, OR SOCIAL STATUS.
THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THEIR IDENTITY WAS NOT FOUND IN THE WORLD, BUT IN CHRIST ALONE.
AS WE GATHER TOGETHER AT 201 WAYNE STREET AND ONLINE, ALL OF US DIFFERENT IN AGE AND BACKGROUNDS, LET US REMEMBER THAT WE ARE ALL EQUAL IN GOD'S EYES.
WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD, LOVED AND VALUED BEYOND MEASURE. LET US EMBRACE OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST AND STAND FIRM IN OUR FAITH, KNOWING THAT WE ARE CALLED TO A HIGHER PURPOSE AND DESTINY.
COMMITMENT TO CHRIST OVER CONFORMITY TO CULTURE
WHILE IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEEK GOD'S APPROVAL ABOVE ALL ELSE, WE MUST ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES AND TEMPTATIONS THAT COME WITH SEEKING MAN'S APPROVAL.
IN A WORLD THAT VALUES SUCCESS, WEALTH, AND POWER, IT CAN BE EASY TO COMPROMISE OUR VALUES AND INTEGRITY IN ORDER TO GAIN THE APPROVAL OF OTHERS.
WE MAY BE TEMPTED TO CONFORM TO SOCIETAL NORMS, TO HIDE OUR TRUE SELVES, OR TO COMPROMISE OUR FAITH IN ORDER TO FIT IN AND BE ACCEPTED.
Colossians 3:23-24
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
THE APOSTLE PAUL FACED SIMILAR CHALLENGES DURING HIS MINISTRY. HE WAS PERSECUTED, MOCKED, AND REJECTED BY THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND AUTHORITIES OF HIS TIME.
YET, HE REMAINED STEADFAST IN HIS FAITH AND HIS MISSION TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SOCIAL STATUS OR BACKGROUND.
HE UNDERSTOOD THAT SEEKING MAN'S APPROVAL WOULD ONLY HINDER HIS ABILITY TO SERVE GOD AND FULFILL HIS CALLING.
AS AFRICAN AMERICANS, WE HAVE FACED SIMILAR CHALLENGES THROUGHOUT HISTORY. WE HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED, DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, AND DEHUMANIZED BY SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE.
YET, WE HAVE PERSEVERED, FOUGHT FOR JUSTICE, AND OVERCOME OBSTACLES THAT SOUGHT TO DIMINISH OUR WORTH AND DIGNITY.
WE HAVE FOUND STRENGTH IN OUR FAITH, IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IN OUR SHARED HISTORY OF RESILIENCE AND HOPE.
AS WE NAVIGATE THE COMPLEXITIES OF SEEKING MAN'S APPROVAL IN A SOCIETY THAT OFTEN DEVALUES OUR WORTH AND CONTRIBUTIONS.….
LET US REMEMBER THE WORDS OF JESUS IN MATTHEW 6:33: "BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL."
WHEN WE PRIORITIZE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE, HE WILL PROVIDE FOR OUR EVERY NEED AND SUSTAIN US THROUGH EVEN THE MOST DIFFICULT OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
CONCLUSION
BROTHERS AND SISTERS….. LET US TAKE TO HEART THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL IN GALATIANS 1:10. LET US REMEMBER THAT OUR WORTH AND IDENTITY ARE FOUND IN CHRIST ALONE, NOT IN THE OPINIONS OR JUDGMENTS OF OTHERS.
LET US STAND FIRM IN OUR FAITH, KNOWING THAT WE ARE LOVED, VALUED, AND CHERISHED BY GOD.
AS WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH, LET US HONOR THE SACRIFICES, STRUGGLES, AND TRIUMPHS OF OUR ANCESTORS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US.
LET US LEARN FROM THEIR EXAMPLE OF FAITH, COURAGE, AND RESILIENCE, AND CARRY ON THEIR LEGACY WITH PRIDE AND GRATITUDE. LET US SEEK GOD'S APPROVAL ABOVE ALL ELSE, KNOWING THAT HE IS OUR ULTIMATE SOURCE OF STRENGTH, HOPE, AND LOVE.
MAY WE CONTINUE TO EMBRACE OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST, CELEBRATE OUR UNIQUE HERITAGE, AND STAND FIRM IN OUR FAITH, NO MATTER THE CHALLENGES OR OBSTACLES WE MAY FACE.
MAY WE BE A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS, AND A BEACON OF HOPE FOR ALL WHO SEEK GOD'S TRUTH AND LOVE.
AND MAY WE ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT WE ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE IN THE IMAGE OF A GOD WHO KNOWS US, LOVES US, AND CALLS US HIS OWN.
I BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS FULL OF EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO LIVED FOR THE LORD AND DID NOT LET MAN STOP THEM FROM LIVING FOR GOD’S GLORY..L
COME HERE NOAH…
HE WAS A MAN THAT WAS OBEDIENT…SERVED THE LORD….BUILT AN ARC WHERE THERE WAS NO WATER TO BE FOUND…..PEOPLE MADE FUN OF HIM….LAUGHED AT HIM….AND THE LORD SPARED HIS AND HIS FAMILY’S LIVES FROM THE FLOOD…..
HE WAS LIVING FOR GOD’S GLORY..
WHO ARE YOU LIVING FOR?
COME HERE ABRAHAM…HE LEFT HIS HOME LAND….TO GO TO WHERE THE LORD CALLED HIM….HE WAS OBEDIENT …AND TRUSTED IN GOD…AND HE BECAME THE FATHER OF ALL NATIONS….
HE WAS LIVING FOR GOD’S GLORY..
WHO ARE YOU LIVING FOR?
COME HERE RUTH….SHE LIVED AND SERVED THE LORD…HER AND HER MOTHER IN LOVE …..WAS BLESSED AND HAD A GOOD LIFE…SHE LIVED FOR THE LORD’S GLORY….
WHO ARE YOU LIVING FOR?
COME HERE JOB…..HE LOST ALL THAT HE HAD ….WAS TOLD TO CURSE GOD AND DIE…..BUT HE LIVED FOR GOD’S GLORY…AND WAS BLESSED DOUBLE FOR HIS TROUBLE….
WHO ARE YOU LIVING FOR?
COME HERE THREE HEBREW MEN….
THEY DIDN’T BOW DOWN TO SERVE AN IDOL GOD….THEY LIVED FOR THE LORD….AND THROWN IN THE FURNANCE….AND THE LORD DELIVERED THEM FROM THE FLAMING FIRE…
THEY LIVED FOR GOD’S GLORY
WHO ARE YOU LIVING FOR
COME HERE DANIEL…..WAS TOLD HE COULDNT PRAY TO THE MOST HIGH GOD…BUT HE PRAYED ANYWAY….
JESUS….WHO CAME TO THIS EARTH AND SERVED THE LORD…..SAID NOT MY WILL BUT THY WILL DONE…..