Acceptance (Youth)

Intro

Word I hear thrown around a lot:

Aceptance

We need to be accepting of all kinds of people, all kinds of beliefs, all kinds of lifestyles, etc....

Religion - Coexist sticker

Gender/Sexuality - Acceptance people for who they are (pride month)

It sounds obvious, it sounds like it’s the most loving thing to do right? To affirm and accept people.

But we have to know what that means, and what it doesn’t mean.

Certain words can mean different things, to different people, and so confusion erupts.

From a Christian perspecitve, what does it mean and what should it look like?

I want to come at it from two different angles

God’s acceptance of us

Our acceptance of others

What does it mean when we say, “God accepts you as you are?”

John 3:16

John 3:16 (ESV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 1:3–5 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Here is the blessing of acceptance - God has accepted us in Jesus before we get all our mess together.

Gospel message is that we need a Savior

It’s recognizing that sin is a problem, and that we need someone to save us from it.

Religion in general tells us that we need to earn our way to God…heaven is found through being a good person.

Christianity says:

Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

When we place our trust in Jesus, we are accepted by Him.

Importance of Acceptance:

Peer Pressure has it’s power in our desire to be accepted

We’ll do what it takes to fit in

We’ll change who we are, so that others will accept us, but maintaing something that we are not is exhausting.

Sometimes we treat God like a form of Cosmic Peer Pressure

I have to act, look, or be a certain way before God will accept me.

Now, God does call us to a standard. He does call us to forsake certain things that feel like they are a part of us, because they stem from our sinful nature.

But his acceptance precedes his call to a standard

Timothy Keller said, God sees us as we are, loves us as we are, and accepts us as we are. But by His grace, He does not leave us where we are.

When you come to God in repentance, He accepts you, and then He starts working within you to change you.

Acceptance by God is not a justification to live however you want.

Some people will treat the love and acceptance of God like an insurance to live however they want.

That’s just who I am

I was born this way

God’s grace covers me so I can do what I want

Another way to say this is God acceptance doesn’t mean agreement.

In fact there is a lot about you and I that needs to change…God doesn’t agree with our sin

But he loves us, so He made a way for us to be saved.

Understanding acceptance by God is so important because the freedom you have in your heart as you pursue holiness in God, will be determined by whether you view acceptance by God as coming before or after you get things together.

Acceptance of others

Speaking to Christians

Hammer

Hollow

Helping Hand

ABC’s of salvation

Admit - We are sinners in need of Savior…that I can’t fight my way to forgiveness.

Believe - That Jesus died for your salvation and forgiveness.

Confess - Confess him as Lord of your life. “I’m not perfect, but I give God the permission to change me and my desires” “I submit myself to the life God wants me to live.

Dear Lord Jesus I believe you're the son of God. I believe that on the cross you took my sin, my shame, and my guilt, and you died for it. You faced hell for me so I wouldn't have to go. You rose from the dead to give me a place in heaven, a purpose on earth, and a relationship with your father. Today Lord Jesus I turn from my sin to be born again. God is my father, Jesus is my savior, the Holy Spirit is my helper, and heaven is my home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.