outline for A Better Way

A better way

Introduction: First, I want to say, I believe that this is God’s word. It is the truth. The ultimate and complete truth. I believe we as Christians are to stand for and on the truth. Make a stand. believe it and put it into action. We are not to rationalize it or change it to make us more comfortable. It never changes. I want to begin that way because of what I may say in the message, I don’t want it to sound like we should not make a stand for the truth. But have you ever been in church stuff and believers are making doctrinal stand and it turns out divisive or unhealthy. I want us to look at “ A Better Way to stand for the truth. I have seen and I have done the right thing in the wrong way and it is wrong. We must learn to do the right thing in the right way. I have found that doing this the right way is sometimes slower, more time consuming, more arduous. It probably will not be done correctly by our natural nature. It needs to be done prayerfully, wisely and lead by the Holy Spirit.

Christians were first called Christians at Antioch. Mostly intended to derogatory.

Christian means to be Like Christ. Followers of Christ. disciples of Christ, followers of the way. Christian also means little Christs. If we are believers, shouldn’t we be gradually becoming like Christ? Our character more like His. Shouldn’t we be becoming more like Him everyday?

Is it possible for us to become like Christ?

Is it possible for us to have some of Christ’s character traits.

Is it possible for us to have all of Christ’s character traits.

What are the reasons of excuses we could give for not having the character if Jesus?

Jesus was the son of God. There is no way for me to do life like Jesus.

But we do have the Holy Spirit.

I am not perfect and Jesus was.

What kind of words describe Christ’s character?

Strong, loving, teacher, wise, gentle, caring, patient

fruit of the Spirit.Galatians 5 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control

The purpose of this message.

To look the character of Jesus and understand the example He has been for us for the purpose of us doing the same and being the same way with others.

One character trait of Jesus is patience. Do you agree. I asked the Elders in a devotional thought, Who was Jesus least patient with? And who was He most patient with? I have been pondering this since.

Jesus was the least patient with religious leaders.

pharisees

Sadducee

money changer in the temple

Why was he so impatient with all these

Math 23:1-15

Math 23:23-28

preached what they did not practice, deeds to be seen by others, robes of honor, place of honor, hypocrites, clean on the outside and dirty on the inside,

They we judgmental, controlling, demanding attention

They were selfish and prideful.

Who was He most patient with? sinners. Everyday people who knew they were sinners.

Zacchaeus or other tax collectors Luke 19:1-10

chief tax collector, rich

unpopular

natural response is to ignore and keep on going

Jesus stopped, spent time with him, ate with Him.

woman at the well John 4:4-26

Jesus asked for a drink of water and started a conversation to explain eternal life to her.

woman caught in adultery John 8:1-11

He who is without sin cast the first stone. and He started writing in the dirt again. He calmed the situation. Gave everyone a chance to examine themselves. He showed love and still told the woman to go and sin no more.

Jesus was most patient with everyday people who knew they were sinners. Who knew they were imperfect. Who when He had a discussion with was open, humble and appreciative of Him. They listened and He listened to them.

Sometimes I think we may be more like the religious leaders that Jesus was so frustrated with than those who knew they were sinners. Have you ever notice how impatient Christians are with each other? How quick we are to judge each other? And how easily we can get our feeling hurt by something someone says or does. Then we fume and stew and talk to others about how wrong the other person was.

They were proud and pompous.

We are not like that are we? but we do need to be right and prove it. We do like to be noticed and thought well of.

arrogant and did things to be noticed by people

they wanted power and control.

most conflicts in churches are usually really over power and control. We just make it look like doctrinal issues.

they thought they were right.

we don’t have that problem? we just know we are right.

I remember my friends arguing over different interpretations of scripture

they were educated, smart and wanted to be admired and recognized for it.

Are we like the pharisees and the religious leaders Christ was so impatient with.

How could we be like them. It couldn’t be possible. What are some of the issues and ways we may be like them?

When we disagree on some doctrinal issues

once saved always saved

gifts

Calvinism

end times

women as pastors

When we seek positions to be noticed.

When we really want control but rationalize with the bible

When we want to live how we want to and don’t want anyone to tell us differently.

When someone hurts our feeling by saying something wrong or uncaring and we react with emotion instead of patience. Our pride is hurt.

When we think we know the bible better that others.

When we know we are right.

How can we be like those Jesus showed so much patience. How can we show that or be that with others?

be humble, a servant

know we are all sinners saved by grace. no one can boast

listen, spend time with others

slow to speak and anger

forgive because we are forgiven

know the truth but be patient with those in a different place

act on the truth don’t react to situations

What defines us and should unite us as believers? Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God. He came to earth. Lived the perfect unstained life. Died on the cross and raised from the dead. conquered death.

That should unite us but instead we get angry, judgmental about all of the differences we have with each other.

If we itemized every persons full doctrinal beliefs and scriptural interpretations I expect none would be exactly the same. We come from different backgrounds. We have been believers different amounts of time. We are all growing in understanding everyday. How can we expect to be all the same.

We should make doctrinal stands for correct doctrine. and stand against incorrect doctrine and false teachers. but most of the time in a church, we are not false prophets. We are sometime just in a different place in our growth and maturity. We may just come from a different background. There is a better way to stand for the truth with true fellow believers.

I say this today because I believe at this time, we need each other more that ever. We have to be united in Christ. Pulling together not apart. I am convinced we are in the last days. How many more we have no one knows but our time is getting shorter. Our time to reach the lost is going to close at some point. We have to show the real truth to the world around us now. We are coming to a time when it could get more difficult for believers. We need each other. Bound together with strong cords. We need to stop looking at our differences and unite with true believers under the headship of Christ.

read Romans 12:9–21

b. possible read 2 Tim 2: 24-25 and 1 Peter 3:8-9

Closing

We are to stand for truth, but as Christ did. With love, patience, kindness. It is harder and not natural for us. It is because of the flesh or old nature that we sometimes react to fellow believers like we do. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we must stand for His truth with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. By our natural selves we may just be at time like the pharisees. This tears us apart, divides us and leads us to living lives separated from each other and not living the truth. We may know the truth but to live the truth we must live it together. We need each other now more than ever.