Let Us Not

While preparing a sermon I was using my search feature in

which I came across an interesting word group.

A. The word group was: “let us not”.

1. I was too busy to do anything but notice this

at the time, but later on I was able to get back

to this word group to see, upon further

scrutiny, if what I thought at first was as

interesting under closer inspection and study

.....and it was.

I have preached a message in the past, entitled: “Let Us”.

A. I am quite sure that many of you might remember

it....as I preached it three times, by mistake.

1. You have my word....that shall not be

repeated.

As the title very clearly spells out.....that sermon was

dealing with an admonition of the writers of the Bible

to Christians.....a call to action, if you will.

A. As with all calls to action, we can take them in

a positive or negative light.

ex. What if I said, “let us be more loving”?

1. Some would take this as a call to improve in

this area.

2. Others would see this as an insult....personally

directed towards them...that they,re not loving

1. Whether things are viewed as a positive or a

negative can have a great deal to do with

the attitude in which we approach the subject.

“Let us not” can also be viewed as a negative sermon, but

again.....it’s going to be all in the attitude that you approach

it with.

A. If I said “let us not jump into a pit with five

million fire ants....or ten thousand snakes”.....

would you consider that to be a negative

warning?

1. Why sure you would....it IS A NEGATIVE

WARNING.....BUT WITH POSITIVE

RESULTS.

a. Let us approach this message in the

same way.

I. Romans 14:11-12 - 12So then each of us shall give

account of himself to God. 13Therefore let us not judge

one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a

stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

A. Now.....I know that you have heard this all before.

1. This means that we are now and have....every

since we last heard this passage...

NO LONGER JUDGING.....BAD

THOUGHTS, ATTITUDES,

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT OUR FELLOW

CHRISTIANS?!

a. That is great!!.....now I can believe that if

I have preached on a subject, everyone

is going to adjust their lives, so as to

conform to the Word of God.

1.) But you will have to bear with us...

it takes a lot longer for some of us

to start doing what the Bible

commands us.

B. The title of my first main division is actually....

the Word of God.

1. It is a command of God.

a. It doesn’t much matter whether one

agrees with the command or not.....it

doesn’t much matter if that person

can reason away every part of this

command away....or not......it still is the

command of God.

1.) The only thing a person should be

concerned with is this.....”Am I

trying to judge another person?

Do I think that I know what that

other person’s heart is really like?”

C. This passage informs us that each one of us

will give an accounting of ourselves to God.

1. The following sentence, then, grows out

of the first sentence.....it is this (in my

own words)...then we shouldn’t have

time nor the audacity to sit in judgment

on others.

a. On top of that....we better not be the

cause of another Christian brother

or sister stumbling because of our

faulty judgments.

** “Let us not not judge one another anymore”......I know

that someone might want to reason or argue this

statement, but I think that it is quite loud and clear.

1. My question isn’t whether God really means this

the way that it appears.....my question is this.....

“Am I still jumping to conclusions.....getting

attitudes....and passing judgment on my fellow

Christian”?

II. Gal. 5:24-26 - 24And those who are Christ’s have

crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we

live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not

become conceited, provoking one another, envying one

another.

A. Again, a pretty thorny passage.

1. I know that I received the Holy Spirit when

I was converted to Christ (Acts 2:38).....but

I also know that this same Spirit of God can

also depart my Temple.

a. I can know that I live in the will and

direction of the Holy Spirit, if I live, and

conduct my life (walk) in ways that are

pleasing to the Holy Spirit.

1.) If my prayer life is alive and active

in the Holy Spirit.

2.) If the fruit of the Holy Spirit is

a part of my everyday walk.

3.) If I am not starved or dead from