Today's sermon was awesome! Last night was fun too!
October 07, 2007
Just got back from hearing a great sermon by my very funny Pastor, Jim Mackinga, over at Bay Cities Community Church in Redondo Beach. He kept asking the church to give him affirmations that we were with him so finally I yelled out "Amen Brother" and everyone laughed. I felt a little embarrassed afterwards, but sometimes I just do stuff without thinking. Still working on that.
In any case, here's the sermon notes in case you're wondering why I thought it was so good ok? Jim's been preaching on Why People Drift From God and this was part 3 of his series "Staying Close to God."
Here's the wrap-up of the 2 previous sermon notes in case you missed going and are curious to know what he shared:
How to Know I'm Drifting
1. My interest in God's word decreases.
2. My prayer life loses it's passion.
3. I no longer go to church
4. We stop investing in God's kingdom
5. We stop talking to others about Jesus
6. We begin to compromise our priorities
7. We no longer feel close to God
The Consequences of Drifting
1. Our conscience becomes less effective
2. Our life stops being faithful
3. Our level of love, joy & peace declines
4. Our prayers lose their effectiveness
5. We ask for God's discipline
6. We can wreck our life and our faith
7. We will feel shame when we meet Jesus
8. We can lose our rewards in heaven.
Now for this morning's message:
What Causes us to drift
1. Forgetting that I'm in a spiritual battle.
Galatians 5:17:
17For the
sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit
what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each
other, so that you do not do what you want.
Romans 7:18:
18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
2. Failing to remember who I really am.
Who we really are
A. My life is willing to serve Christ
2 Corinthians 5:15:
15And he
died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves
but for him who died for them and was raised again.
B. My life is changed
2 Corinthians 5:17:
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
C. My life now represents God.
2 Corinthians 5:20:
20We are
therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
D. My life brings his message to the world.
2 Corinthians 5:21:
21God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
WHAT CAUSES US TO DRIFT
3. Potential negative influences of others.
1 Corinthians 15:33:
33Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." This one was a great point! Jim said the reason we need to stay away from bad company is that we can't handle it! Don't buy the lie you can hang with bad people and not be affected! Protect yourself with wisdom.
Helped me to realize that some of the guys I was hanging out with in Hollywood when I lived up there weren't always the best influences for me. Now that I'm way down here in the South Bay I don't see them at all or very infrequently and as a result my life is more Godly.
Just last night I was talking to one after coming home from the fun night out celebrating one of my neighbor's birthdays and he was totally talking sexual to me. I told him this booty was not for sale and then he asked if he could just lease it. Totally cracked me up, but sorry, no. I'm wanting now to wait for my husband to enjoy sex because it's too painful the other way. What a novel concept, eh?
Back to the message.
4. Loving the world's ways (is another way we are caused to drift away from God)
1 John 2:15:
Do Not Love the World
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
5. Giving into small temptations (Jim said we DO need to sweat the small stuff because most people make small bad choices that slip into bigger issues - oh how true is this one!)
Hebrews 3:13:
13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
6. Doubting that God really cares for me (when troubles hit us.)
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
Fear the LORD
12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
7. Insisting on having God on my terms.
1 John 5:21:
21Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Jim said this is when people pick and choose when and what they worship and not honoring God.
Then he closed the sermon with this little story that really touched my heart in light of my involvement in the art world right now. I'm going to horribly paraphrase so bear with me.
There was an older man and a son who had acquired an amazing art collection that was worth millions of dollars. The son went away to fight in the military and soon after the father received notice that his only son had been killed.
He was mourning the loss of his son on Christmas day when there was a knock at the door. When he opened it there was a soldier standing there who had been saved when the son died helping him. He had with him a crude painting he'd created of the son's likeness which the father promptly hung on the mantle moving major artwork that was worth a lot more money.
He communicated with the soldier and then sat the rest of that Christmas morning staring up at the portrait of his beloved son. Years passed and the father died. Everyone in the art world was excited to see about his art collection so when the auction house announced they were selling the work the place was packed with eager buyers.
The auctioneer held up the first painting which was the portrait of the man's son and said, "What am I bid? $100?" The room became indignant with the crowd's impatience to get on to the "real" art. "We didn't come for that, we want to see the father's collection," someone yelled from the audience.
The auctioneer calmly replied, "We need to have someone buy this before I can go on. This was the father's wishes in his will." Finally a man held up his paddle, "I'll buy it for $50 because I knew the son and would like to have that painting." The crowd was relieved that the auction could then continue.
However, the auctioneer said, "Okay, the auction is over." The crowd was shocked. Why do you say that? What's going on? They murmured. The auctioneer explained, "Whoever wants his Son, gains the whole collection."
I just thought that was such a beautiful analogy of God's love for us. He wants us to desire his Son and then He will give us the whole world! So, with that, I'll let you enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
I have a lot to do to get ready for. Take care!
Sounds like a great sermon. Thanks for sharing!!!
Posted by: SolShine7 | October 07, 2007 at 09:37 PM