A Place Where Everyone Can Fit In

A place where everyone can fit in Romans 15:7

Before my sermon, I showed a video clip from bluefishtv.com entitled "Fitting In" this hilarious video clip was a great lead in for my message!

A. “Fitting in” …in the Church

You can fit in at most churches if you live like most Christians.

Quietly attend worship once a week because it’s just something you do.

Don’t be overly expressive or emotional if you want to fit in.

Listen to the sermon attentively but be careful or it will sink in.

The key to fitting in at church is accepting one another:

Everyone is a unique creation of an almighty God.

Everyone: the church is for everyone.

Believer and unbeliever

Rich and poor

Red, yellow, black and white

Old and young

Extroverted and introverted

Unique: We are all different.

Different personalities

Different Strengths

Different experiences

Different burdens

Different blessings

Creation: Everyone has the fingerprint of God on their souls.

God has created each person, knows them inside out.

God has created each person and has dreams for them.

God has created each person and so they have

incredible value.

When we realize this, it changes how we see and treat each other.

Accept one another. See them for who God has made them to be.

There is a place for everyone in our church. God does not turn anyone away. He accepts all who come to him. How can we ever turn anyone away?

B. “Fitting in” …in the Lord

Give Up and Commit

GIVE UP grumbling! Instead, "In everything give

thanks." Constructive

criticism is OK, but "moaning, groaning, and

complaining" are not Christian

disciplines.

GIVE UP 10 to 15 minutes in bed! Instead, use

that time in prayer, Bible

study and personal devotion.

GIVE UP looking at other people’s worst points.

Instead concentrate on their

best points. We all have faults. It is a lot

easier to have people overlook

our shortcomings when we overlook theirs first.

GIVE UP speaking unkindly. Instead, let your

speech be generous and

understanding. It costs so little to say

something kind and uplifting. Why

not check that sharp tongue at the door?

GIVE UP your hatred of anyone or anything!

Instead, learn the discipline of

love. "Love covers a multitude of sins."

GIVE UP your worries and anxieties! Instead,

trust God with them. Anxiety is

spending emotional energy on something we can do

nothing about: like

tomorrow! Live today and let God’s grace be

sufficient.

GIVE UP TV one evening a week! Instead, visit

some lonely or sick person.

There are those who are isolated by illness or

age. Why isolate yourself in

front of the "tube?" Give someone a precious

gift: your time!

GIVE UP buying anything but essentials for

yourself! Instead, give the money

to God. The money you would spend on the luxuries

could help someone meet

basic needs. We are called to be stewards of

God’s riches, not consumers.

GIVE UP judging by appearances and by the

standard of the world! Instead,

learn to give up yourself to God. There is only

one who has the right to

judge, Jesus Christ.

Commit

I recently joined the First Place for Men group.

The focuse is spiritual and physical health.

The Nine Commitments of First Place

Attendance

Encouragement

Prayer

Bible Reading

Scripture memorization

Bible Study

Live It Plan

Commitment Record

Exercise

These are some of the same commitments we need with the Lord.

C. “Fitting in” …in the world. (Slide #8)

Card from a new Christian teenager.

If you fit in with the Lord, you will not fit in with the World.

If you fit in with the world, you will not fit in with the Lord.

Too many Christians think they can fit in with both groups.

There is a difference between being in the world, and being of the world.

Imperfect up people felt more comfortable around Jesus than righteous people.

Blind, crippled, prostitutes, religious curious, political leaders, demon possessed.

Why do imperfect, sinful people feel so uncomfortable in the church today?

Jesus accepted them and let them be real. He didn’t condone, but he didn’t condemn.

We need to let people be real. In May we are going to be in a series…Desperate households.

We are going to deal with real issues that imperfect families and Christians deal with.

D. “Fitting in”…in your relationships.

Unconditional Love

Complete forgiveness

No strings service

Courageous Honesty

Committed Fellowship

A place where everyone can fit in.

God has created each of us for his glory, for his purposes.

He leads us to the church and to others to impact lives for him.

He has put us in the world because that is exactly where he needs us to be.

He promises us a place of eternal celebration, a place where everyone who seeks him is accepted and fits in.