Ghosts of Christmas Past
Crazy, he had nobody open them up to Proverbs. OB The Book of Proverbs.
Yak should go to Middle your pie. right near there to do the Bible new Christian You take out your listening guide. It's attached more one sheet announcement sheet. And so it's a little bit of a change just for the next few weeks. You have noticed that I might not even be a little offended talk about overcoming offenses.
Be right now. It's an object lesson as much as the Practical helper us-soviet Proverbs Chapter 19 today or in the game a very brand new series called the
Today we're looking at overcoming offenses before we could go in on a Friday one last time with us before we moved into this type of worship music. How much do Jordan career pray for a young lady together? I'm her name is Christy. I was able this week along with Luke. We are out at Starbucks and whatever the share Jesus Christ with her on the entire gospel with her friends with her, I don't know if she received Christ or not, but she seemed very interested in what the gospel had to offer to her, and she never heard the gospel forever. She's 25 years old on West Commercial and prayer during this time. We'll pray for Christine Braswell Chicago for your love. Thank you for allowing us to be here. Thank you for your word is perfect Truth for our lives. We do lifts up Christy to you father in. What was planted in the way of gospel see father? That might come to be watered and then harvested God unto salvation to her life on the privilege. It is to share your your mess is a true that help. Your God is truly a privilege not to continue just give us opportunities and all the more as the day of your return her draws near again as we looked at your word intently God today, but I'm asking you last have Open Hearts to receive what it is that you want us to hear this morning. None of us are here by accident or coincidence bother you have it all here for a specific reason and that is to hear from you today. You allow me to indicate your truth in a manner that brings you honor and Glory here today. So foggy love you. We thank you Jesus that I prayed all God's people said amen are awesome Christmas. It's only 16 days away. Have you guys go to a small Panic just now? It's going to be okay if there's all your shopping done. How do you prefer the thrill of the last minute? Like that's me right there. I was hoping there's like something here in like pressure on the last minute if you can conquer the world is amazing, but it is the season how do you notice go to Christmas is a time if I were just talked about this than LifeProof today is a time to 10. My soap opera Campbell things are going. Crybaby I don't know Alabama is playing in the national title you like it's going well at the same time like you. Arkansas Razorback then I mean, you're just always there.
Incredibly painful this time of year during Christmas time. We're going on this series of the next couple of weeks. So next week. I'm going to talk about something that we all do to one degree or another I was talking about the feeling from shame. That's what we talkin about next week menu. Lusby internalized shame as something that we did and we think because I did not think I'm a bad person isn't working. A lot of God's word to speak to us directly in our hearts in order to be healed from that from Shane next week week number three will be coming in and we talked about overcoming labels. So actually Luke and I I will be cool preaching that message W really great, but we all pick up different labels based on what someone else tells us about ourselves when we carry those labels and those labels that can limit us and our walk with Christ. If you're not careful the show with God self 3 2 weeks from now we will discover how God labels us and so is critical in understanding that and overcoming the labels that we choose to hear. I want to talk about a go so that Syria's is the Ghost of Christmas Past. So I want to talk with one that's haunted me for years and it still tries to work its way to my life from time to time. It really God's not a great work in my life. And in my heart on this should I really just want to share I'm out of what I've learned. And so today I will talk about overcoming offenses know how many of you know, someone who is easily offended. Go ahead raise your hand if you know someone who's some of you aren't raising your hand and I think it's because that person seated right next to you if that's the case go ahead and look at but me and it just blink twice if that's the case. I'll see you there. It's going to be okay with people who are easily offended some of you, you know, you're that person like yes, that's me 100% I have a person who is easily offended for years and years. That's me. Like I was an easily offended person and I was recognizing sorry to recognize this, but the little things were starting to weigh me down. Maybe you're right. Just a little bit something insignificant is eating your lunch today. You walked in this room offended. You been offended this week, maybe like me. You're driving your car in Spokane on I-90 anywhere near merge lane. Write irritating my good friend Daniel. He taught me a trick. He was riding around with me one day and noticed this he said pastor just bless people. So I just spend all day in traffic just bless you people left and right. All right major, like a guy that will show you in this video here. Maybe you're kind of like this guy. So let's watch what this guy does while he's at work.
What's the weather like?
Really use the crosswalk. I will hit a pedestrian. I wouldn't hit a pedestrian.
So maybe you're kind of like that guy. Maybe you're trying to have a conversation with someone in the whole time. They're just on their phone doing this number that doesn't happen. What is the generational thing by the way, it's pervasive among everyone. Okay, I speaking of the phone right a super easy now with technology to find new and creative ways to be offended, isn't it? I put your Apple maybe all of the generation that your friend doesn't follow you on Instagram, right? They don't like but but wait don't you like all their post but they're not following you feel like I'm not even worthy of being followed. What's the deal or would you call you? But they don't comments are even worse. They follow you and then one day they don't like what happened man. I thought we were closer than that. How do you send out a text message in the person slow to respond? No way today. I see how it is. All right, I'm a I'm a 24-hour worthy of the 24-hour text. That's awesome or better yet. They start to respond and you can see the little conversation. But right now there's a bubble. I see the bubble and then the bubble goes away. There's no message that comes back like but I saw the bubbles. I knew you were applying. You dumped me right in the middle of a text. What's that about? My personal favorite they just don't respond at all. Maybe what I want. Maybe I just need counseling this morning, but I get really offended at some of the smallest little things and then Christmas rolls around right grocery stores around that same person is always late. And I say a person never brings any food, but somehow they always bring the Tupperware with them. Right. You don't want to talk about you know that person right the day they don't bring anything, but I probably didn't take your time with me or home with them. What is that about? Call Mann Christmas time or try this one on for size your run the table. It's Christmas Eve all set down. And then the passive aggressive parenting tip comes across the table of. That's a good one. Isn't it supposed to be a time? When we honor Christ the most it quickly becomes a very destructive time and Christmas time. They can be really really tough and we all run the risk of going into this time that's reserved for honoring the birth of Jesus Christ. And why we're opening gifts. We have a closed heart towards someone that were called to love. You end up celebrating the love of Christ where you hate someone that's very close to you. You enjoy the grace of God, but you don't extend it out to others. So there's an idea I learned it recently. I want to share with you on this very powerful idea. And it goes like this your life is too short and you're calling is too great to live offended your life is too short and you're calling is too great to live offended. Look at Proverbs Chapter 19 Verse 11 wrist start here and we're making our way through to the Old Testament the Proverbs 19:11 says a person's inside gives him patience and his virtue is to overlook an offense I think about it. What is why the Bible tells us that life is like a Miss. We're here to Delaware going tomorrow. Why passes fast? I mean where in the world did 2018 go? It's almost over. Yeah, I know educated sure, but I don't know much will that help people all the time? I might be educated really not that smart. So there's three things though that I know for certain God's ear these three things into my heart and it's like this heaven is real hell is real and life is short heaven is real hell is real in life is sure these three things they Propel me and living out my calling not convinced that God has a great calling on my life. And I know that each and everyone in this room that you have a great calling on your life as well. Think about it every single one of us. We are called by God to go into the world and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are called to be the light of the world were called to be Salt and Light in the world. We reflect the love of Christ when we come in contact with others where the hoes at. of Jesus What a great calling. So we each have on our wives so life is too short. My calling is too great to be offended by something small or something. You can do I doubt if you're taking notes small people carry big offenses small people carry big offenses and I refuse to be a small person and I refuse to let small people get to me and here's why we're going to look at it here here today together. We're going to learn how to let it go how to let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Why why do we need to let it go cuz life is too short and iCarly is too great. Look at Proverbs 19:11 again.
It has his virtue to overlook an offense. We are recognized that overlooking an offense is not the same as pretending like it never happened. It's not the same as sweeping it under the rug is not the same as Billing at No to overlook an offense is a choice that we get to make us a choice to let it go and that is a form of forgiveness is a decision that you're going to rise above and you're choosing in the moment not to let that thing and here's a bank not to let that thing make its way and take root in your hearts.
The word for overlooked in the English language. It comes from two Hebrew words and their translated overlooked when can buy these two words literally mean to pass over to pass over your virtue. The word of God says, it's your virtue to pass over an offense. To get a brother in your report to Rise Above It spiritually to get closer to God. So close to God that you're not going to be low enough then to let a meeting with little offense take a walk and distract you from God's calling on your life. Rene Descartes said whenever anyone has offended me I try to raise my soul so high the offense can't reach it. Fresh Brothers and Sisters life is too short and are calling is too great to let something small distract us from shopping so big it is a big thing to go out into the world of the push back Darkness with a white of the Gods. What's a big thing? I said the word Party tour. Shopping with Xfinity expending energy upon that's something worth being tired over at the end of the day that's worth sweating over the big call it in your body or not. Do you like not the little things that so easily way is down the distract us a given off course. I'm going to cover into points today in a smaller things that I want to deal with the heavier since this. And I know that there's many in the room. I mean I change all the time Christmas brings out the worst in all of us. It brings out the best someone in but the worst on the other hand and I know in this room today, there's some of us were hairy heavy. We're carrying some heavy emotional baggage this time of year. Like I know it.
At and some of you in the room you're carrying a load that you were never designed to carry.
Tel Aviv, you've been through so much hurt and so much pain. And you bring that in with you today, and I am not going to be insensitive about that. I recognize that but I want you to understand something you're in the right spot if that's the case today. I want to tell you another thing friend. God wants to help you with that. Jesus wants to carry that for you. If you'll let him do that. Now, I beg you to that one employee to do lunch Let Jesus. Will you let Jesus do that for you today? If you're taking notes, the first thought is this is actually in at your listening guy. There's a statement that I want you to look at and it says this with God's help. I am getting over this way to God's help. I am getting over this. It's on the screen. Say it with me today with God's help. I'm getting over this. So the first thing is with God's help. I'm getting over being easily offended with God's help. I'm getting over being easily offended turn over the New Testament to the Epistles to the book of Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 4 you will be spending a little bit of time here in Ephesians and then we'll be going over the Romans. So Ephesians chapter 4 and all these will be up on the screen for you today to look at it as well. Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1 and 2 therefore the prisoner for the Lord
I heard you to walk worthy of the calling you have received with all humility and gentleness with patience accepting one another in love that when I asked you this morning. Are you perfect.
Chilling follow-up question. Do you want others to be patient with you? When you mess up you want others to extend Grace your direction sooner. We all want that. Listening that's the case that you need to be patient with others. You need to extend Grace to others. We need to recognize we all need to recognize this this morning then when someone has a bad day.
What's someone animals they have a bad response or they seem uncaring or unkind or unfriendly when they seem short or inattentive really seem to lack empathy. We need to recognize that they're bad response. It's not about you, right there bad response is not about your back. It might have anything to do with you.
Please ask ourselves. I wonder what they're going through. I wonder what's got them bother. I wonder what this time of year means to them. I wonder if this time of year it triggered something in there where they lost someone close to them and that person is not around in this time of year. And I grieving process is ongoing and all those emotions. What do the Forefront I wonder what's going on with them why they responded that way. What's the best not about you? It's really not being easily offended. It's part of a toxic thought pattern. And it's rooted in one place and one place only and it's rooted in Pride.
And it's toxic thought pattern leads to drinking from this toxic. Well a personal comparison. Look in the fusions same chapter chapter 4 just a little bit further down verses 11 through 13 and I'll explain this says that he personally gave some to be Apostles some prophets some evangelists some pastors and teachers for the training of the Saints and the work of ministry to build up the body of Christ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God Son growing into a mature man with a stature measured by or no shirt or against or compared to the fullness of Christ or Christ phone. It's your friend. If you are easily offended it's because you're comparing yourself to the wrong person right now because you're comparing yourself to the person who's trying to offend you later. Try maybe the love yourself comparing yourself to them. And you determine that you are better than that individual. Who are they to speak to you that way? Who are they to treat you this way too early to cut you off entry. I said you're the broken driver after all.
listen when we understand this will begin to get over it. When someone transgresses against you compare yourself to the one who died for your transgressions.
When someone transgressions against you compare yourself to the one who died. For your transgression anyone had a right to the easily-offended it would have been Jesus. And he had to walk around with 12 chuckleheads for 3 and 1/2 years. These guys after the most absurd questions like hey, hey Jesus when we get to heaven like can I sit on your lap to my my brother said that you're right. I was that what kind of a question is that?
Me Jesus could have been easily offended and always use all the cross that I see. He's bringing his last Jedi. She's taking the punishment for our sin and the transgressions that are are also barely said he's buried them in when he's been insulted and when he's been mopped instead of being offended. What does he do? He cries out by leopard gecko born For they know not what they do. So if you want to compare yourself to someone and as these thoughts are flying through your brain, if the person is in front of you and that person you feel like you're offending you stop comparing yourself today, you're measuring yourself against the Run standard according to the word of God. You need to measure yourself against the fullness of Christ is a dollar stature. How do you measure up to Jesus?
Listen, if you go to bed a little children, you'll understand this little children get easily offended. Don't they?
So don't be a little child, right? That's what this fast is a features and say we are to pursue spiritual maturity and if we're going to get there, I'm not only individually but collectively as the body of Christ as a church if we are to be mature if we be effective for the kingdom of God then with God's help we have to get over the small offences.
It's just a piece of paper. I promise it's going to be okay. It's only temporary measure to at that.
Ephesians 6:12 illustrates exactly what this is all about. We think it's about you and me or me and you or them and us or them against us or our party against their party or our group against their group looking Fusion 6 in illustrator help you see where the true battle is. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 and says our battle is not against flesh and blood. But against the rulers against the authorities against the world powers of this Darkness against the spiritual forces of the evil in heaven. That's where the battle is not against one another. So let's put down our weapons and let's start praying for one another and building one another up. Look up Romans chapter 14. Just over to the Lost Romans chapter 14 and verse 12.
Cheshire so then each of us will give an account.
his neighbor to God of that person who offended them to God. I know each one will give an account of himself. To God you will not give an account to God for someone else's actions. So why are you okay with playing God by demanding a reckoning from someone else? That's absurd. Well, they don't apologize for me. I'm just going to his I'm loud then but I just can't there's got to be over there for a while.
Who are they to say that to me? They just went did you fill in the blank?
Look at Romans 14:19. So then we must pursue what promotes peace and what build up one another.
Maybe if we focus more on building other people up instead of tearing people down. Maybe if we expand all of our energy in the area of mutual edification, maybe then we wouldn't have another enough energy left to live up there. I don't know about you. I don't have enough room in my emotional budget right now to live offended. I don't I'm sorry. I shall not.
What's God's calling is to great. Heaven is real hell is real life is short.
2012 Bentley Havana's choice, we can rehearse or we can release we can rehearse or we can release most of us. We choose the reverse option. We were horse what happened while she said this and then he did that and it maybe this and I'm going to say this and blah blah blah blah blah in our head and we were her sit over and over and over. And we rehearsing in our heads until it penetrates and takes root in our hearts. And bitterness Sprouts out of that. And unforgiveness, they get us the blossom in that place. And division runs right pins out of that position. It's a dangerous option to rehearse to Hertz.
It wasn't God doesn't want you to be imprisoned by unforgiveness or bitterness. He does not want you to rehearse he wants you to live in Freedom. That means you have to choose to release instead of rehearse to release instead of rehearsing. You can only release listen you can only release when God's help you don't have enough strength in you to do it without Christ in to do without God's help shrink that only he provides and enables you then to release as he released. Listen refusing to release and to forgive is the poison you drink expecting the other person to die.
Liber Jesus forgave you. Jesus forgives you Jesus will continue to forgive you. So you must if you claim the name of Christ. You have to learn how to forgive why Jesus forgives you have to learn how to release you have to make this a spiritual discipline in your ride to practice forgiveness.
Forgiveness is not a one-time act forgiveness is a process and everyday have to make that choice to release the hurt to release the pain to release the damage.
If healing is going to take place. And as you practice and you have to practice and it's not fun most practice isn't you've ever played team sports, you know practice is the worst we practice what we can play on it and there's one more thing on the Plainfield that it isn't practice but it's only a lot of fun on the Plainfield if we put it in and practice. So as you practice this releasing as you practice this forgiveness, eventually you'll be able to say that I'm over it. I'm over it. I'm over there. So I'm over that. I'm a different person by the grace of God.
And how does you conquer the small offences that allows you didn't attack on and take on the big one the big offenses. So with God's help I'm getting over the big offenses. Alfred Joseph of the Old Testament had to do and we've been learning about him most of us in our life groups me and they will have the right to rehearse it. It would have been Joseph write his own brother. They drove into a ditch and I don't know like where you and your siblings are like the fights that you got into but last I checked I only know they got sold into slavery by your own family members. Just saying if you did come quietly will Council later will help you with that. He was falsely accused by Potiphar's wife. Joseph was and he's thrown into prison.
But God is good all the time Joseph. He goes from the pit and from prison and he goes to the Palace. He become second-in-command overall Egypt. There's a famine in the land of three Joseph gift of dream interpretation. Only the Egyptians have food at that time. So Joseph's brothers I come and I want to buy food from the Egyptians and I thought that Joseph was gone. I thought the Joseph was dead. But Joseph was alive and Joseph recognized that he sees them. He recognizes them and he has an option on my moments. He could ride a horse or he can release.
You can exact revenge or you can forgive and mad that must have been hard and a tumultuous time of wrestling with emotions and wrestling with her and all that coming back tomorrow again seen his own family in Years yet to see his father dancing anime years ago, and it was his fault.
Sometimes you can do everything right and you're still going to be in a pit and you're still going to be in prison.
But that doesn't give you then a right to rehearse and it'd be better and to hold on. if used to release
What if Joseph had rehearsed?
What if he was able to exercise Revenge instead he released and the results brothers and sisters Redemption for the human race. You see God use this moment in history pivots and to move the course of history in order to produce Jesus Christ as savior of mankind a Joseph and exacting Revenge field killed his brothers. He would have killed one of his brother's name Judah
If you look at the Chiefs will Luke in the third chapter, you'll see that the Life of Christ can be traced through this brother of Joseph name Judah.
Which that allowed Joseph the other the words towards the end of his wife what you meant for evil God for good. What is now being done? The saving of many lives Genesis chapter 50 verse 20 She John Joseph calling was to great. to live offended there's a wife was far too short. friend brothers and sisters your life is too short you're calling is too great to live offended. It is.
So this Christmas season?
We need to practice the discipline of overlooking offenses. So are burnt you that this takes place this ability to overlook offenses is a virtue that comes only from God and it brings much glory to God.
We need to do this if we want to let the Ghost of Christmas Past who want to keep them from Haunting us anymore. We need to realize that life is too short you're calling is too great to live offended. Let's pray. Let's go to God In Prayer all heads bell all eyes closed as we move into a time of response. Maybe maybe you can't release what you want to this morning baby. You spent so much time and so much energy rehearsing that it's hard for you to release listen to him this time response. Ask God for his help.
What are you can't do that this morning because you don't have a relationship with Jesus yet. That can change that can change right here. And right now I'll be up in front at love to visit with you about that and get you started on the Journey of healing where you experience the Forgiveness of God.
Maybe this morning, you know that you make something rights between you and someone else in your family or between you and someone else in the church family or between you and a friend baby need to pick up a phone to make a phone call this afternoon. Maybe you need to set up a coffee meeting this week.
Well, don't don't let your joy be taken.
Life is too short and your calling is too great to live offended. Play pray for us and after I'm done praying I will stand together and we'll sing and I'll be up front. I love to visit with you and you can just step out and come and I'll help you for whatever it is that you need today to go leaders come.