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Do The Right Thing
Contributed by Jeff Pearce on Jun 25, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: BEING A GOOD INFLUENCE FOR CHRIST IN YOUR HOME, COMMUNITY, AND CHURCH.
DO THE RIGHT THING
INTRO: WHY DO WE PAY SO MUCH ATTENTION?
1: EYES ON OTHERS
A) WE LOOK AT OTHERS POSSESSIONS
B) WE LOOK AT OTHERS GAINS
C) WE LOOK AT THEIR GOODS AND BADS
POINT: WE LOOK AT OTHERS AND WE TEND TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETER OR NOT THEY ARE GOOD PEOPLE OR BAD PEOPLE, HOLY OR HEATHEN, WE SEEM TO PAY SO MUCH ATTENTION TO OTHERS LIVES WE FORGET TO LOOK AT OUR OWN.
2: HELPING OTHERS WHEN WE NEED TO HELP OURSELVES
A) WE SEE PEOPLE AND THEIR PROBLEMS
B) SOME FEEL AS THOUGH THEY CAN HELP
C) RIGHTFULLY SOME CAN
D) BUT EVERYONE HAS AN OPINON
POINT: EVERYONE IS AN EXPERT, A MARRIAGE GURU, A DIETIAN,OR EVEN A DOCTOR. IN SOME CASES PEOPLE FOCUS TOO MUCH ON OTHERS AND NOT ENOUGH ON WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR ON HOME WITH THEIR OWN FAMILY. PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK TO THEIR OWN FAILURES AND DEFEATS AND LEARN HOW TO SUCEED THEM AND GROW FROM THEIR TRIALS AND HANDLE WHAT’S AT HOME BEFORE TRYING TO COOK IN SOMEONE ELSES KITCHEN!!
BODY: ROMANS 14:10-13
1: WHY ARE YOU JUDGMENTAL?
A) IN MOST CASES THINGS PEOPLE ARE MOST JUDGMENTAL ABOUT ARE THINGS THEY STRUGGLE WITH THEMSELVES.
B) THE SCRIPTURE SAYS WHY DO YOU REDUCE YOUR BROTHER TO NOTHING?
C) PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES, THEY DO STUPID THINGS
POINT: PROBLEM IS THE REST OF US THINK WE ARE THE JUDGE THE JURY AND THE EXECUTIONER. PART OF JESUS’S GREAT COMMANDMENT WAS TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF. WE SEEM TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH THAT WE SAY WE LOVE GOD AND THAT WE LOVE OTHERS BUT WE TEND TOO DWELL ON PEOPLE’S PAST SIN AND PRESENT DAY PROBLEM.
2: GRASS IS JUST GRASS
A) SIN WILL CAUSE US TO LOOK ON OUR BROTHER’S POSSESSIONS
B) WE SOMETIMES TEND TO THINK THAT OTHERS BLESSINGS ARE BETTER
C) THE OLD SAYING GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE
POINT: THE DEVIL IS THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION HE IS SET ON CONFUSING US AND CAUSING US TO SLIP AND FALL ON OUR JOURNEY WITH CHRIST. SIN WILL CREEP IN AND IT CAN COME IN MANY FORMS AND FASHIONS. POINT IS GRASS IS JUST GRASS. THE OTHER SIDE OR WHATEVER IS JUST THAT THE OTHERSIDE. SIN WILL CLOUD OUR JUDGEMENT AND MAKE US BELIEVE THE WORLD HAS SOMETHING BETTER TO OFFER THAN WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED.
3: WE INFLUENCE OTHERS
A) THE WAY WE LIVE
B) THE THINGS WE SAY
C) PLACES WE GO
D) THE DECISIONS WE MAKE
POINT: THE BIBLE SAYS TO NOT MAKE AN OCCASION TO FALL IN A BROTHER’S WAY. TO NOT PUT A STUMBLING BLOCK IN OUR BROTHER’S WAY. SOME THINGS WE DO MIGHT BE OFFENSIVE OR HURTFUL TO SOME WHO ARE AROUND US. WE SHOULD SEEK TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND HAVE AS MUCH OF A POSITIVE INFLUENCE AS POSSIBLE.
CLOSING: SACRIFICE
1: ROMANS 15:1
A) WE THAT ARE STRONG
B) SOME CHRISTIANS ARE MORE MATURE
C) SOME ARE NOT
D) THE SEASONED VETERAN OF THE FAITH SHOULD HELP TO BEAR THE INFIRMITIES OF THE WEAK
POINT: HOW YOU DEAL WITH PEOPLE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL WILL MAKE A HUGE IMPACT ON HOW THEY SEE CHRIST. DOING THE RIGHT THING EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT BENEFICAL TO YOU IS SHOWING NOT ONLY SACRIFICE BUT ALSO HUMILITY AND THOSE ARE TWO BIG CHARACTER TRAITS OF JESUS CHRIST.
2: RIGHT THING/ HARD THING
A) IT’S HARD TO SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE
B) HARD TO ALLOW SOMONE TO HAVE THE LAST WORD AT TIMES
C) KEEP IN MIND THOUGH HOW YOU ACT AND RESPOND WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
D) GOOD OR BAD
CONCLUSION: IT TAKES HURTING AT THE HANDS OF THOSE YOU LOVE SOMETIMES, IT CALLS FOR ALLOWING THOSE WEAKER OR LESS MATURE TO SEE YOU IN HUMILITY. THE RIGHT THING IS NOT ALWAYS THE EASIEST BUT IT IS ALWAYS THE BEST FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST.