Acceptance – 3

Text: Romans 12:9-21, Psalm 34:13-15, Romans 14:19

Last session we talked about acceptance as in “not judging”, or, the absence of a negative behavior. Today, Id like for us to look at constructively and consciously “accepting” others. In other words, positive action.

We’re still in Romans today, but we’ll be a page or two farther back. Please read Romans 12:9-10.

If you read it in the King James Version, you would have encountered the word dissimulation, which means hypocrisy.

In other words, don’t just pretend to love your neighbor… actually do it! Put the others’ needs and desires ahead of your own (vs 10).

Psalm 34:14 “Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” NLT

Actively seek peace in your relationships.  Sometimes it may take some doing, but when we seek the Lord, and put others first, this will come a whole lot easier. See in the next verse how following Christ’s example teaches us how to be sensitive of others?

Q: In Psalm 34:15 & 17, how does the Lord respond when we cry out?

Q: In Psalm 34:15, is God sensitive to the needs of others who are below Him?

Read 1 Timothy 1:5.

Q: In 1 Timothy 1:5, what type of heart are we to love with?

How can we achieve love from a pure heart toward people we would really rather steer clear of?

Christ.

The only ever answer to that is Christ. Remember what He says in Matthew 19:26:

Matthew 19:26 “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” NKJV

He will give you the strength and opportunity to love up on those people. He wants us to accept, and in doing so, to love others. Jump back a few verses to Matthew 19:19.

Q: How much are we to love others?

As much as we love ourselves.

If you’re like most, that’s an awful lot.

And it can be really hard to love some people sometimes. Isn’t it interesting that it is sometimes harder to accept people who hurt us, even though Christ – who was hurt by them even more badly – readily accepts, even before they ask? (Romans 5:8)

Baby steps. Prayer and baby steps out of the norm.

So what are some steps to take in the process?

We’ve already looked at some in the past few sessions. One of the baby steps toward actively reaching out and accepting others is forgiving them. Whether or not they ask. That is a big way to reach out.

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." NASB

And then, back in Romans 14 again – read verse 19:

Romans 14:19 “So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.” NLT

I see two steps here, do you?

Q: What are the two steps?

Seek peace.

Edify one another.

Seek peace! Or, in the KJV, “follow after the things which make for peace.”

Build them up! Edify one another.

Note: this is not the same word as 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ‘edify’ which means to build. This edify means foundation; confirmation.

DO: Think and pray about what ‘seeking peace’ might look like for you. Write down some possibilities.

DO: Right below that, make a list of ways to edify them.

You may find, as I did, that the first list led to the other, and they sortof morphed in the middle.

Let’s take a moment to look through some other verses on the matter.

Ephesians 4:12-13, 29 “Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ… Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.’” NLT

2 Corinthians 12:19b “…We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification.” NKJV

Romans 12:18 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” NASB

Romans 15:2 “Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.” NASB

If you haven’t already, please read the remainder of our text from Romans: Romans 12:9-21.

This is what your list should be looking like – your list on how to edify. Did you have to add to yours a little? I did. From Romans 12, especially.

Let all things be done for edifying.

Pray.

Bless them.

Rejoice with them.

Be humble.

Don’t seek revenge.

Seek peace (there it is again!)

Feed.

Give drink.

Be overcome with good.

And lastly, because it sums it up so well, look at Ephesians 4:29, 4:12-13.

Speak good. Speak grace.

Edify until there is true unity and harmony among you.

Until you measure up to Christ.

Set Free 6 - Battling Perfection part 3

Today’s the day we bring it home. Perfectionism stops here.

Our text today is Galatians 5-6. (Specifically 5:1-8, 13, 15-18, 25-26; 6:1-3, 7-8, 14-18)

Read as much as you can and we’ll begin.

Galatians 5:1-2 “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.” NLT

Now replace “circumcision” with something on your list. (If you’re just joining us, read about the list here)

Look closely again at Galatians 5:2 and 5:6. Do you see the contrast?

It’s either one or the other. You can’t have such a focus on being perfect all the time- if we rely on one good thing (i.e. church going, good deeds, serving in poor countries, etc) to give us good brownie points with God, then Christ is no benefit to us. According to verse 3, if we are counting on good things to give us good standing with God, then we would have to uphold every. part. of. it. Every single rule. And let’s face it. We will fail.

On our own.

So would we rather try (and inevitably fail?) or would we rather choose to humbly accept (and know that it’s fail-proof)? Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

We are called to the latter. Called to freedom.

I don’t believe in destiny, but this is the closest thing to it in my opinion – God’s will.

Galatians 5:13 “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” NLT

1 Timothy 2:3-4 “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” NASB

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” NKJV

So how do we pull it all in to the reality that is the every-day of this flawed world?

We will be tempted. Tempted to try to carry it on our own. Do perfection by ourselves. It will likely even be second nature to many of us – especially people pleasers, checklist people, and those with OCD tendencies.

Just remember (as God does, thank Heaven! Psalm 103:14) that we are human and we will fail. Others around us will fail.

Enter grace.

Enter Holy Spirit – for any holy living – actual holy-living comes from the overflow; comes from the Holy Spirit in us. Choose to surrender to His desires.

Galatians 5:16 “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” NLT

Your natural human tendencies will likely be opposite that of the Spirit. Actually, there is no ‘likely’ about it. They will be. God says so. (5:17)

See our flesh-tendencies in verses 19-21 and contrast them to the Spirit-tendencies in 22-23.

 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.” NLT

Indeed, we are new. Because it’s not us anymore.

If we keep our focus on our actions being prodded by Christ, keep in mind that it is the Spirit doing it. Picture yourself the latex glove, and God and His Spirit the careful surgeon. The glove doesn’t get the credit or the blame, does it?

Galatians 5:26 “Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.” NLT

Galatians 6:3 “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” NASB

Keep a careful watch this week on our actions. If it is better this week to push pause on a particular ministry until you can determine your motive, I think God would honor that decision. He hates pride (Prov 6:16-17), and so if you need to take a step back to determine whether your service to Him is done out of pride or not, please do. Because you’re not fooling God. Galatians 6:7-8

Q: Do you think that self-imposed standards are always a matter of pride?

Q: Why or why not? Explain. (Use the space in your journal and share in the comments here.)

In my opinion I don’t think they always are. Sometimes we can set up rules to protect ourselves or others, just because we know our own flaws and tendencies and sometimes it is easier to draw the line at a safe distance from the actual breaking point.

Just bear in mind this picture. We are branded by faith. What we do because of that (or in spite of that) does not define us. It may show others Christ’s work in us, to God be the glory, but it does not make us who we are. Christ’s brand alone does.

We are His, and we are covered by His grace.

Let’s act like it; let’s allow that grace for ourselves and let’s allow that grace for others.

Galatians 5:14 “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”” NLT

John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”” NASB

Galatians 6:17 “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.” NASB