2020 Soul Detox

I. 2020 Soul Detox

1. Tension: Don’t Dwell on 2020, But Also Speak to Real Needs

2. What is the State of Your Soul After the Events of This Past Year?

3. Christians Make a Practice of Searching Their Hearts Before God.

Illustration: My Frequent Blood Work

II. 6 Fatal Toxins

Bitterness: sour spirit & sour speech (Aristotle: “an embittered & resentful spirit which refuses to be reconciled”)

Wrath: passionate rage (hot)

Anger: settled & sullen hostility (cold)

Clamor: raised voices in a quarrel, shouting & screaming at each other

Slander: speaking evil of others, especially behind their backs, destroying their reputation

Malice: ill will, plotting evil against people

III. Why Should We Not Accept These as Inevitable? (The Love of Unity)

Temptation: “It is What it is.”

Unity is Massively Important to Paul & Jesus.

A Unified Church is What We Long to Experience. I Often Hear: “The Church is So Divided,” But They Are Divisive!

But We Can’t Have It Unless the Hard Work is Done on Our Own Hearts.

Illustration: Battling These Things Can Feel Like Playing Whack-a-Mole

These Toxins are Enemies of Unity. You Will Never Win a Battle if You Don’t Know What the Enemy Is!

Illustration: It’s Not OK. Not Even a Little Bit.

IV. The Necessity of Grace & Our Cooperation With Grace.

Grace for Repentance:

Defining Repentance: to turn

To Really Repent, We Have to Learn to Hate These Toxins.

Turn From Something, But You Must Also Turn To Something.

Grace for Imitation:

“Imitation” in Our Context Sounds Like “Knock-off Brand” or “Cheap Imitation” or “Mystery Meat”

Be Kind to One Another (Kindness is Often Chosen Rather Than Felt)

Be Tender-Hearted Toward One Another (lit. “act with grace” Overlook Minor Offenses i.e. Communication)

Forgive One Another (Withholding Forgiveness is One of the Most Arrogant Things We Can Do)

Grace for New Life:

God Doesn’t Hold Bitterness Toward Us. He is Affectionate & Merciful.

God Withheld His Wrath & Anger From Us. Jesus, God Himself, Took It in Our Place.

If God Clamored Against Us, We Couldn’t Take It. Instead, He Rejoices Over Us With Singing.

The Lord Doesn’t Slander Us, But Gives us a New Reputation.

God Doesn’t Feel Malice Toward Us. He Has No Ill Will: He is Working All Things Together for Our Good.

V. Jesus Can Deal With the Ugliest Parts of Our Hearts & Minds