Get Your Root Out Of Poison

Introduction

Duct taping fruit onto a tree, especially an unhealthy tree.

One, I’m not going to eat that fruit.

Two, that fruit isn’t going to make that tree any healthier.

Authentic change occurs from the inside out.

Matthew 12:34 ESV

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Should work itself out in two very specific ways:

The Two Wings

Two wings of a plane. Must have both wings!

Orthodoxy

Orthopraxy

1 Tim. 1:3-7, “3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”

Vv. 3-4. Orthodoxy. Right teachings. False teachings abound!

Pluralism

Jesus as “good”

Fenced Christianity (Jesus is for people “like” me.)

"You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do."

-Anne Lamott

Vv. 5-7. Orthopraxy. “We’re saved by grace, so how you live doesn’t matter.”

Pure heart, Good conscience, Sincere faith lead to LOVE!

Examples of wrong living in vv. 8-10

1 Timothy 1:8–10 ESV

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,

Notice the variety of degree of sin.

This is the ranking that we give them

Equality in their depth of sin

Sin is Sin is Sin.

Keeping a Pure Root

Psalm 1:1–4 ESV

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

There is a progression towards evil and destruction.

Walk

Stand

Sit

A Progression towards evil. Like a pumpkin vine.

It shows the power of incremental change - for good or for ill.

Instead,

Put your root in something worthwhile.

Conclusion

Returning to 1 Timothy 1 -

1 Timothy 1:18–19 ESV

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,

Shipwreck of their faith.

Costa Concordia

Costa Concordia. 13 Jan 2012. 4,252 on board. 30 dead. 2 unrecovered. 64 injured.

People aren’t lining up to get back on that boat!

What about your faith?

Matthew 7:15–20 ESV

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

People are watching. Evaluating.

Does your faith represent the security that is in Jesus?

Or more like the Costa Concordia?

Does the plane of your faith have both wings intact?

Effects:

Personal

Community

Witness