Self Control-Week 3

MISSIONS UPDATE:

Our missionaries are Dan and Jen Chaloner, in italy.

Ministry focus:

1. Creating a 24/7 online outreach ministry that clearly presents the Gospel.

Forming strategic partnerships with church networks to connect seekers with local congregations for discipleship and support.

Supporting church-planting efforts where no local church exists, helping new communities of faith take root among those eager to know Jesus.

UPDATE - they met with a local youth camp director named Daniel Roberts who is definitely under spiritual attack (the mayor of his town tried to reign him in on extreme, trumped up charges, before the mayor was arrested for trying to extort people to pay his brother’s ‘business’!). This camp director needs prayer for success, as well as for health issues.

Dan’s family is gearing up for his kids to be in summer camp all summer back in Canada. And they are also getting connected with some skilled volunteers who are able to help out with some ministry projects they are working on.

1 Corinthians 9:19–27 NIV

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

There is something in this world that I am terrified of.

Spiders.

But my daughter loves them. So to her, I need to discipline myself to be Dad, Friend of Spiders.

Because I want better for my kid. I want them to grow up well balanced and healthy. And maybe if she makes friends with spiders, if there’s some great spider uprising, she’ll be spared.

Paul basically says -

I have freedom, but i exercise self control, for the sake of winning others to the gospel

Salvation is this journey from slavery to sin, to freedom in Christ. And we might be tempted to just end it there.

But Jesus says - ‘go out and make disciples’. And paul says - that involves controlling ourselves, making ourselves slaves to everyone to win as many as possible.

Self control and discipline empowers evangelism

There’s a simple reason for it, that maybe we don’t give enough thought to.

Philippians 2:5–8 NIV

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

So basically - Jesus HAD the right to stand above all people and all things.

But in the incarnation, he became like us.

We are called to do the same. Rather than try and occupy some lofty position, we’re supposed to make ourselves like servants.

Self-control as evangelism means we

Have the discipline to be present without judgment - and without personal corruption

Paul practices the discipline of being able to enter into other people’s lives and circumstances without judgment, while still keeping ourselves pure

STORY - as a youth pastor, the staff helping someone sort out their disastrous house

We think the last part of this verse (run in such a way as to get the prize) is completely off topic the first part of this verse. Beginning of chapter 9, paul is talking about having given up his right to receive a living from the people he’s preaching to, because he’s compelled to preach and wants to make it as easy as possible.

Then he says this

Then he spends the entirety of chapter 11 talking about battling temptation - specifically tied to our freedoms and how we serve other people. So chapters 9 through 11 are one gigantic conversation about how we can focus the most on the other person, serve that person the most, do whatever we can to reach THEM - and discipline ourselves so that we don’t disqualify ourselves in the process.

Look at the life of jesus! He spent so much time with tax collectors and prostitutes and sinners, not just preaching and healing but also eating and hanging out, that the pharisees straight up called him demon possessed.

There are only two people in the bible that Jesus, unprompted, straight up said, ‘Yes, absolutely, i’m the messiah’. The woman at the well (explain) and the man born blind (explain - John 9).

If we want to see the greatest moves of God in our church that we’ve ever seen - we need to go out there! We need to drop everything, and discipline ourselves so that we can focus on entering into the world around us. (Luke 15:7 “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” )

God working IN you is amazing. But if you want to see that ‘good stuff’, the big stuff - let God work THROUGH you IN someone else.

Self control makes us fruitful - not ‘others control’

2 Peter 1:8 NIV

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.

Self control is what makes our ministry fruitful - not OTHER control

STORY - a time something happened that seemed like a big deal, but i was cool and calm because i knew exactly how to handle it, so people didn’t have to worry.

WE may think it’s that ‘off person’ in the room that’s throwing stuff off. The person who doesn’t know how to do it right - or is actively doing it wrong. What we don’t realize is, the full power of God is in the room - specifically to reach that person. They aren’t the one the spirit is avoiding - they are the one the spirit is trying to reach the most!

When it comes to those circumstances, the bible’s advice is clear - we need self-control, patience, humility, etc. Basically - we need to make sure our SELVES don’t get in the way of God working through us.

Self-control as evangelism is about

Reversing that initial question. Not, what external things do I need to feel better? (Hint - none). It’s about asking

What do people need from me - and how can I discipline myself to do it?

what things do THEY need to hear the gospel clearer? and how can I discipline myself to be that?

We worry that if we change the method, the form, the power will be lost. But the power is not in the method - it’s in the message.

And the worst part - if we’re not willing to change the method, they just might miss the message. (STORY - apple stores used to have a policy to never kick anyone out unless absolutely necessary. Youtuber brought in a goat). They didn’t want to miss a sale - we don’t want to miss a salvation.

Remembering that we live by the light of Christ - and others are in the dark

Recognizing that we’re the ones that have the real power - not only the power to live, but also the power to change

How can we expect others to reign in themselves - if we can’t do it?

We have the power to be beyond all the things that plague most people. Demands of preference, self-centeredness, idolatry.

We can often lose sight of how different things were before Jesus. And we live in a world where a lot of society has rejected him. And that causes big problems for people.

It’s like being judgmental of a drowning man, or a starving person and how they act.

Don’t get me wrong - we believe all sin (ours AND theirs) fundamentally come from us, and we’re the bad guy in the story. But Jesus took compassion on the bad people (Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ). Even from the cross, he cried out, father, forgive them, they do not know what they’re doing.

STORY - summer student taking communion ‘wrong’

God can work in you - and through you in others

Romans 5:8 NIV

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The amazing news here is, God has the radical power to change your circumstances and life trajectory.

But not only that - he can work through you to help other people too.