Live What You Claim

1st John 1:5-10

¡§Live what you Claim¡¨

¡§The world changes when Christians live what they claim.¡¨

FCC ¡V Piggott

5.18.03

Intro: (Start With Blank)

It is not what men eat but what they digest that makes them strong; Not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; not what we preach but what we practice that makes us Christians.

I have a question for you ¡V are you being real? Is the person you appear to be this morning the same person you were last night? I am not suggesting that you put on some happy face and make everything appear to be wonderful when it¡¦s not. I am simply asking a very hard question ¡V are you being real.

There is a Christian CD the title of the CD is ¡§Myself When I am real¡¨ ¡V

Sometimes not being real can get us into trouble. Sometimes it¡¦s more of a headache than anything. I didn¡¦t appreciate my mom¡¦s cooking till I went to college. In fact I would recommend that if you have problems getting your children to eat what you fix send them to college for a week or a month. Suddenly the meatloaf you make isn¡¦t so bad.

My mom ¡V for some reason thought that I liked cocoanut cream pie. She had it in her mind that I liked that specific kind of pie. I can¡¦t stand cocoanut. The cream part was always really good if you could get past the cocoanut. Sometimes it¡¦s easier just to tell the truth ¡V EVERY SINGLE time I went home, or we¡¦d visit her on the weekend. Possibly just at random she¡¦d show up with this fresh cocoanut cream pie. I should have just told her the truth. I wonder how many apple pies she would have made. She would have done the same thing only it would have been a treat. The neighbors loved her, and we did too.

Discussion:

God had a need to show us something. God had a need to show us himself. He sent Jesus to come and give us an example on how to live. He built up for himself disciples and apostles gifted in different directions, gifted in different areas to show us about the church. It is one thing for me to ask the question of you ¡V are you being real ¡V it¡¦s completely another to ask the question of myself. It¡¦s one thing to tell you to get involved in the church, the youth, VBS, Camp if I am not active in those things as well.

Jesus giving us the perfect example came to earth as a man to live and eat and breath and have all the physical limitations of any human being so that we could know God cares for us and about us. He didn¡¦t have to but he did anyway. Our heavenly father loves and cares for us.

God sent his one and only son as a man, not for show, not for judgment, not for anything else but to change us. God¡¦s one desire is that we change, not to become something we aren¡¦t but to become everything he wants us to be. (Advance)

The world changes when Christians live what they claim. (Advance)

Turn with me to 1st John 1:5-10 (read)

Our scripture this morning hopefully will give us some insight on being real. It is my prayer this morning that you will leave here more real with God. I pray that impacts your desire to do things for him, and for his people. (Advance)

The first step this morning to living what you claim is to walk.

I. Walk (5-8)

A. Not physical as much as it is spiritual

1. Are you telling the world that you believe something and doing something just the opposite?

2. Are you trying to grow in your relationship with Christ?

a) This isn¡¦t trying to be seen in the right place at the right time

b) This isn¡¦t trying to avoid the wrong places

c) This isn¡¦t hide the beer the preacher is here

3. Is your walk with Christ dependent on other Christians?

a) In some ways that¡¦s a good thing

(1) Need for fellowship

(2) Need for encouragement

(a) ¡§Young adult¡¨ class ¡V excellent example ¡V not really a complaining session but just a time of encouragement for people who are in the same position you are in. (Advance)

b) Your walk with Christ is personal

(1) It shouldn¡¦t be something you do just for show

(2) It¡¦s a communion between you and Jesus.

(3) You are responsible for yourself ¡V

(a) You are also responsible for your bother and sister in Christ.

Remember the story of Cain and Abel? The two sons of Adam and Eve. They offered sacrifices to God ¡V one was accepted, one was not. Cain, the older brother was mad at the younger brother because Cain¡¦s sacrifice to God wasn¡¦t accepted. (Advance)