Liked (Session 2)

Bridge Weekend! How was your time at the Host homes? Awesome!

Review: God likes you! You don’t have to impress Him.

Here is my main point for today! Yesterday we talked about how you do not need to impress God, he already likes you because of the value you hold- since He created you.

On the flip side of the coin, I realize that many of us actually care way to much about what other people think about us, therefore we spend a lot of our time and energy trying to fit with the crowd and impress other people. So here is my main point:

Main Point: No everyone will like you, you cannot impress everyone.

Everyone wants to be liked. It can be tempting to go out of our way to get people to like us and what we are doing.

Society would have you believe that its approval is what gives life meaning.

I love what Craig Groeschel said: “Becoming obsessed with what people think is the quickest way to forget about what God thinks.”

People pleaser? Leah testimony

“Opinions are like armpits, everyone has two and the both stink”

God does not share the same opinion of you that others do. He thinks the world of you, and He is pleased with the way He has created you, unique from anyone else.

The problem is that we do not hold God’s opinion about us as highly as people’s opinions.

One way to not become obsessed with what people think is to not let anyone who doesn’t know your value determine your worth. We talked about this yesterday but is worth repeating.

When you start seeing your worth, you’ll find it harder to stay around people who don’t. It is up to you to be aware of your worth, as given by God, and to conduct yourself accordingly. The Bible is the best way to see, learn and understand your position in Christ, once you have surrendered to Him. SUNDAY SCHOOL

Being aware of your worth will also impact your priorities, self-esteem, self-control, how you pour into others and ultimately your direction in life.

One of the concepts I want you to start understanding is the idea of the Kingdom of God. We have been created to give glory to God and expand His kingdom.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 “16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

You need to remember that even Jesus experienced this. No everyone liked him. Jesus did not come to Earth to be liked. He never altered and He stayed on His course of bringing glory to God the Father.

Jesus did have some intensely devoted followers who followed Him to their deaths, though. Why do you suppose that was? What made Him so likeable and worth following? What do we have to be like so we can be like Him?

Jesus was authentic. (Oakley Glasses from Mexico)There was nothing false or fake about Him. He was always honest in presenting the gospel. Although He may not have always been viewed as nice, as Christians we know that sometimes to be truly effective, the Word has to cut.

He never did anything wrong. He never broke a single law. He never said a single thing that was incorrect or untrue. Wouldn’t you love it if you knew everything ever said to you was true? I love honest people. I do not like trying to decipher if what someone is telling me is true or not. Nobody likes that. We like genuine, honest people, and Jesus was the most genuine, honest person who has ever walked the Earth.

Matthew 11:29 “29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Jesus was also gentle. (Strenght under control) Sometimes, we feel like we cannot be ourselves when we are feeling down. People may judge us or not want to be around us, because we make them uncomfortable. Jesus allowed people to come to Him in the lowliest of states. He was always kind and gentle to those who were hurting. That wasn’t characteristic of rabbis in that day. They were rigid and more focused on the rules one must follow to be their disciples. That’s what the yoke was. It was a set of standards one had to follow if he wanted to be a rabbi’s disciple. Jesus didn’t need anyone to get better or be a certain way before following Him. He would gently accept anyone.

Jesus was also eager to help others, even when it was inconvenient for Him.

Jesus displayed that being loved by His Father was more important to Him than being liked by people.

Jesus wasn’t worried about pleasing Himself or with others’ being pleased with Him. Being liked for His own sake didn’t matter to Him. Being liked for our own sakes shouldn’t matter to us, either. I understand that seeking to be liked for the glory of God and the benefit of others is admirable. It can both grow you in your walk of faith and endears others to you. It cannot be our main focus, though. We can’t live to please other people.

Galatians 1:10 “10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Sometimes getting people to like you and having God be pleased with you will be mutually exclusive. They don’t always work in tandem.

We have to learn to desire to please Jesus by being likeable like He was by living like He did.