Seft-Testing Self Examination
2 Cor. 13:3-6
Intro:
1. Russ tests precious metal>>
2. Trace tests the performance of his electronic gates.>>
3. Rod tests the accuracy of shooters>>
4. Paul tests the working of air conditioners>>
5. Davy tests the performance of Fire extinguishing equipment
6. Two weeks ago we learned that God always tests us when He blesses us.
a. When we look to the Apostle Paul we find that testing is a necessary part of our walk with the Lord.
b. We are to be always testing the truth.
c. We are to be always testing our experience
d. We are to be always testing ourselves.
READ TEXT:
2 Cor 13: 3 I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak in his dealings with you; he is a mighty power among you.
4 Although he died on the cross in weakness, he now lives by the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak, but we live in him and have God’s power--the power we use in dealing with you.
5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test.
6 I hope you recognize that we have passed the test and are approved by God.
The problem we have with our text is that:>>
I. RATHER THAN TESTING OURSEVES WE WOULD RATHER
TEST OTHERS.
A. “Beginning at Jerusalem” is beginning at the right place.
1. Luke 24: 47 With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem:
’There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.’
2. Acts 1: 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
3. Our Jerusalem is our own lives and homes!
B. Before we test others we need to first know ourselves.
1. To determine the shortcomings of others is easy, but to determine our own shortcomings is not pleasant.
C. What should be our first priority is not whether our brother’s faults are true but whether ours are.
D. We as humans are quick to give advice to others and pass judgment.
1. Matt. 7: 2 For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.
II. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY TO OURSELVES THE
SAME TEST WE APPLY TO OTHERS
Illustr. An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions. Later, they passed some people that remarked, "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk." They then decided they both would walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So, they both rode the donkey. Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.
The boy and man said they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.
MORAL????
You can’t please everyone but you need to please the Lord
A. Paul was not what Corinthians thought he ought to be
1. It was because they were not what they ought to have been.
2. A blind man is a poor judge of color
B. We have to take the log out of our own eye before we can see clearly.
1. Matt. 7: 3 And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying, ’Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?
2. Someone with sin in their life denouncing another’s sin is not edifying.
III. THE MOST IMPORTANT TEST IS THE ONE FOR
OURSELVES
A. We test ourselves often but usually it’s in an area that is not that important.
B. The first test we need to give to ourselves is whether or not we’re saved!
1. Matt 7: 21 "Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ’Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.
C. What questions should we ask ourselves?
1. Do we repent when we sin?
a. De we know that all sin is against God?
b. Do we hate sin and want to be freed from it?
2. Is our faith a living faith?
a. Abraham>> expd
b. Moses>> expd
c. Mary the mother of Jesus>> expd
3. Paul showed how faith is related to salvation.
a. He taught that commitment to faith in Christ involves
(1) Obedience,
(2) Living by God’s Word as revealed in the Bible (1 Thessalonians 2: 13 And we will never stop thanking God that when we preached his message to you, you didn’t think of the words we spoke as being just our own. You accepted what we said as the very word of God--which, of course, it was. And this word continues to work in you who believe.
(3) Being willing to serve others, even to the point of self-sacrifice
4. Is the proof of our faith demonstrated by the fruits of our life?
James 2: 26 Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds.
a. If our faith isn’t accompanied by works then it is no faith at all and we flunk the test!
b. If we are in Christ then we must be subject to God, always trying to do His will in everything we do.
c. All of us are imperfect but having been born again we are to walk in newness of life.
IV. HOW CAN WE TEST OURSELVES
A. By prayerful self examination.
1. Prayer is the start of any examination of ourselves because When we pray, God is active in our testing!
2. We need divine help in really knowing ourselves
a. Matt 10: 30, And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.
B. By comparing our hearts, our lives , and even our heads with God’s Word.
1. Not by comparing ourselves to others!
2. In the Scriptures we have already determined what we should believe, feel and do!
C. Rom 8: 9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature.
You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)
Conc.
1. Before God can bless us we must first test ourselves to see if we are in the faith.
2. We are in the faith, if the lord of faith is in us!
