Attitude of Reverence

Introduction

Attitude is everything!

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The Gospel Song

Holy God, in love, became

perfect man to

bear my blame.

On the cross He took my sin.

By His death I live again.

How we view everything in life is dependent upon our attitude. May I also say that in large part, our attitude about anything revolves around what we do with the person and work of Christ. How we choose to live in light of who He is and what He has done.

Imagine a little red wagon, it is beautiful. It has a shinny paint job with Radio Flyer written on the side. I personally used this wagon for everything as a child. I hauled all kinds of unimaginable things in this wagon. But one day I decided to customize my red wagon with artwork. I found a paint marker in dad’s tools and turned my wagon upside down. I drew all over that beaten up red wagon.

My sister was mortified by what I had done, which really helped me for a while.

Expectation of Unity

Phil. 2:1-4

Philippians 2:1–4 AV 1873

1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Christlikeness

Christ the transforming Light

Touches this heart of mine

Piercing the darkest night

Making His glory shine.

—J. Wilbur Chapman

1 John 1:4–9 AV 1873

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

How we treat each other should reflect the way that Christ treats us. Forgiveness is always an option! Our motive should start with how can I be unified with this brother, not how are we different.

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Christlikeness

Life is an adventure in forgiveness.

—Norman Cousins

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Christlikeness

Christlikeness

Exodus 2:1–6; Isaiah 49:15; Matthew 15:32; Luke 10:33–34; Romans 1:1–7

Life is an adventure in forgiveness.

—Norman Cousins

Christ the transforming Light

Touches this heart of mine

Piercing the darkest night

Making His glory shine.

—J. Wilbur Chapman

Example of Humility

Philippians 2:5–11 AV 1873

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching The Manger and the Cross

The Manger and the Cross

Dag Hammarskjöld, former secretary-general of the United Nations, wrote in Markings, a manuscript that was published after his death: “How proper it is that Christmas should follow Advent. For him who looks towards the future, the manger is situated on Golgotha, and the cross has already been raised in Bethlehem.”

John 3:30 AV 1873

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

The Gospel Song

Holy God, in love, became

perfect man to

bear my blame.

On the cross He took my sin.

By His death I live again.

Examination of Myself

Philippians 2:12–13 AV 1873

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Phil. 2:12-13

Phil.

Philippians 1:21 AV 1873

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 3:8–10 AV 1873

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Philippians 3:18–19 AV 1873

18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Phil. 3:18-19

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Defiance toward God

Defiance Toward God

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishment the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

William E. Henley324

Galatians 2:20 AV 1873

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Decisions

Decisions

It may be true that there are two sides to every question, but it is also true that there are two sides to a sheet of flypaper. And it makes a big difference to the fly which side he chooses!318

Jim Elliot, a dedicated missionary in Ecuador who was killed by the Auca Indians in 1956, said it well: “Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.” (Cited by Elisabeth Elliot, The Shadow of the Almighty [New York: Harper & Row, 1979], p. 59.)319

Conclusion:

You have your red wagon with all the writing of your life on it and so does someone else. How can we both use what we have for the glory of the Lord together? Are we starting out with a reverence for Christ and consequently a respect for each other?

We see an EXPECTATION OF UNITY, EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY, have you EXAMINED YOURSELF?