Do Right!

DO RIGHT

TEXT:

James 4:17

INTRODUCTION: (Preached at 1998 NM HonorBound Men’s Retreat)

A. I’VE BEEN ASKED TO TEACH A SESSION ON INTEGRITY

1. To me there are two words which totally sum up integrity.

2. Those two words are the two biggest words in the English language.

3. They are DO RIGHT! (Can I have a good Amen?)

I. JUST DO RIGHT!

A. DON’T COMPROMISE! JUST DO RIGHT!

1. It’s important for men to have integrity.

2. It’s important for men to stand for principle!

3. It’s important for men to DO RIGHT.

4. Too many are laying down for convenience instead of standing up for principle.

5. Instead of asking ourselves, "What’s the right thing to do?"

6. Too many ask, "What’s the most convenient thing to do?"

B. DON’T RATIONALIZE! JUST DO RIGHT!

1. We have a man in the Whitehouse who has lost his integrity. (This was written when Bill Clinton was President)

2. Our President has had a sexual relationship with a young woman.

3. A young woman who was young enough to be his own daughter.

4. A young woman who was young enough to be your daughter.

5. He sexually exploited her and told her that it was not a sin.

6. Later, he told a Grand-Jury that it was NON-SEXUAL CONTACT!

7. What would he call it if someone did to Chelsea Clinton what Bill Clinton did to Monica Lewinsky?

8. I’ll tell you what he would call it! …exactly what he would call it! He would say, "THAT’S WRONG!" …WRONG, WRONG, WRONG…!

9. No corporate executive, no military officer, no counselor, no preacher, no pastor could dare to think that he could get away with our President’s behavior.

10. If it was wrong for Gary Hart, then it’s wrong for Bill Clinton.

11. If it was wrong for Bob Packwood, then it’s wrong for Bill Clinton.

12. If it was wrong for Jim Bakker, then it’s wrong for Bill Clinton.

13. If it was wrong for Jimmy Swaggert, then it’s wrong for Bill Clinton.

14. You don’t redefine it!

15. You don’t rationalize it!

16. It’s just plain WRONG!

II. IT’S HARD TO DO RIGHT

A. IT EVEN COST GOD SOMETHING TO DO RIGHT

1. Ever since Adam fell in the garden, it’s been hard to do right.

2. His disobedience brought spiritual death on all of mankind.

3. Adam’s sin in the garden brough instant fear, guilt, and hiding.

4. Ever since, it’s been easy to do wrong and hard to do right.

5. It wasn’t easy for God to find a way to save lost mankind.

6. It cost God something to pay for our sins.

7. It cost God the death of His only begotten Son!

B. IT COSTS US SOMETHING TO DO RIGHT

1. Jesus made it plain that anyone who follows Him will pay a price!

2. Jesus made it plain that anyone following Him has to carry a cross.

3. Anyone who wants to live a godly life will suffer persecution.

4. We often struggle with ways to get out of being persecuted.

5. We make excuses for not standing up for the right

6. We make excuses for not standing against the wrong.

7. We rationalize that everybody knows when they are doing wrong.

8. Why do I need to take the chance of being persecuted.

9. I’d just rather not cause any trouble!

10. You know, hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil!

11. Let’s see what Jesus had to say about it.

12. Jesus said:

John 15:18-20

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…

13. A famous preacher once said:

The measure of a Christian’s tribulation, persecution, and opposition in this world is exactly equal to the measure of his uncompromising stand AGAINST that which is WRONG and FOR that which is RIGHT!

14. Why should men risk persecution? Because that’s what it takes to take a stand.

15. Why should men take a chance on someone getting upset and labeling them with a "holy roller attitude"? Why take a chance on being called a "Holy Joe"? Because that’s what it takes to make an impact on the world in which we live.

C. NOT MANY ARE TAKING THAT CHANCE TODAY

1. Samuel stood up to King Saul.

2. Nathan stood up to King David.

3. Elijah stood up to King Ahab.