Introduction
I. Did you ever notice those words that are written on the outside mirror of your car?
A. On many of those mirrors are the words to the effect, “Objects may be closer than they appear.”
B. What those words are saying is that
1. “This mirror gives a distorted view of reality” or
2. “This mirror does not reflect an accurate reflection of reality.”
C. In order to give a broader view of what lies behind, those mirrors are convex, or rounded out and what you see, is not necessarily what you get.
II. Mirrors can be like that.
A. Perhaps some of us are old enough to remember those so called, “Fun Houses.”
B. Often Fun Houses had a section that would include mirrors that were bent or warped.
1. When you looked into them, you saw yourself, you just didn’t see yourself as you really were.
2. What you saw reflected in those mirrors was not an accurate representation of the truth.
a. Maybe you looked larger than you actually were, and some of us certainly don’t need that.
b. Maybe the reflection you saw was actually smaller than you really were, and some of us may not even want that.
C. Fun house mirrors actually reflect who we are, it is just that what we see is distorted, and not an accurate reflection.
III. In his epistle James must have had something similar in mind for he writes - “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:22-23, NASB)
A. James says,
1. Looking into the Word of God,
2. Examining the Word of God,
3. Perhaps even Believing the Word of God must be followed by a change of action.
B. Now often we look at that passage, and beat ourselves up to one level or another because we can all look at areas in our lives where we have been less that faithful to what we know is truth.
1. Certainly we can all do that to one extent or another, BUT
2. There is another truth that is contained in what James has written here.
IV. As I think about the coming months ahead of us as a church, I want to be honest with you and say, “I have times when I am nervous.”
A. I mean flat out scared.
B. I say things like,
1. Who am I to attempt to lead our church through rebuilding?
2. I don’t have the talents to do this.
3. I don’t have the training to do this.
4. I’ve never done this before, so what do I think I am doing?
V. Sometimes we say things like that in life.
A. I’ve never done this before!
B. I can’t succeed in this!
C. I don’t have the ability to do that!
VI. We are fearful to step into the unknown, because our internal mirrors, the things we have heard said to us and about us tell us that we are not really worth very much.
A. Often over the course of our lives, words have been spoken to us that have distorted the reality of who we are, and what we are capable of being and doing.
B. And all to often, over the course of our lives, the words that our minds are reflecting become our reality.
VII. James says the person that looks into the Word of God, and then does not apply what he has seen is like a person that looks into a mirror and then forgets what he looks like.
VIII. James says, the person that looks into the Word of God, and then does not apply what he has seen is living in light of a distorted reflection of the truth.
IX. James says, that the person that looks into the Word of God, and does not see who they really are is has forgotten who God has made him to be.
X. I believe James is also saying that many of us are brokenhearted and wounded by what the world has reflected to us, and what we really need is to have our hearts mended, and our wounds bound.
A. The writer of Psalms says that there is a person that has seen so much worth in us that He was willing to die for us.
B. The writer of Psalms says in chapter 147:3 "God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
XI. Yet, how does God heal us and bind us?
A. I believe one major method God uses is to change our way of thinking.
1. Psalm 23:7 reads - "For as he thinks within himself, so he is."
a. If I think I cannot accomplish a certain thing, there is very little chance I ever will.
b. If I think I am incompetent, odds are I will appear incompetent to others.
B. The bible says, “As a man thinks, so he is” but the Bible also says, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
1. Do you see what God is saying here,
2. Be transformed, by renewing your mind, by renewing the way you think.
XII. This morning I want to share with you “Five Truths of Who We Are, Because of the Grace of God.”
XIII. If we can grasp these truths, we may just be amazed at what God can accomplish in and through us.
Truth #1 - I Am Acceptable
I. This is a pretty important point for us to consider.
II. Let me ask you, “What are some things that people do in order to be accepted by others?”
A. Certainly many of us consider the clothing we choose to wear.
1. At most awards ceremonies, what is most talked about?
a. Not the body of work a person has done,
b. Not really even what they may have done in order to receive the award.
c. NO. On the red carpet, fashion is the most important item.
2. Young girls, and not so young girls spend millions of dollars every year buying magazines that tell them how to dress.
3. According to “wikiepedia”, this is the list of currently published magazines dealing primarily with fashion.
B. Sometimes we will embellish the facts, or withhold certain information about our jobs, in an attempt to be accepted.
C. Sex, sometimes is done as a means of acceptance.
D. We would probably list hundreds of things people do, all to one degree or another as a means of acceptance.
E. I can well remember what it was like to line up to be chosen to participate on a certain team, and not be chosen until last.
1. It hurts when you are not accepted.
2. No one wants to be chosen last.
III. But listen to what God says in Romans 15:7 - Romans 15:7 "Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God."
A. Circle "accepted".
1. Notice there is no condition.
2. It doesn’t say, "Christ will accept you if you go to church every week."
3. It doesn’t say, "Christ will accept you if you promise to be perfect... if you keep the Ten Commandments."
B. Christ acceptance of us is unconditional, that means not based on anything we say, do or have to offer.
IV. Listen to Psalm 27:10“For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the Lord will take me up.” If God accepts me and you don’t, that’s your problem.
A. Even if those we once considered our closest friend reject us, God will never reject you.
B. By God’s grace we are acceptable.
Truth #2 - I Am Valuable
I. Value is determined by two things.
A. Who owns it, and
B. What is someone else willing to pay for it.
II. The Barrett Jackson car auction is world famous for getting large prices for restored automobiles.
A. I sometimes watch it on speed channel and am amazed at what people will pay for an old car.
1. Everyone once in a while though, they will sell a car for an extraordinary price, not so much based on what the car is, but based on who owns it.
a. They will say, “This car comes from Reggie Jacksons collection” and an immediate jump in price happens.
b. “Don Johnson drove this car on the television show” and the value increases by thousands.
III. Now listen to what John wrote in 1st John, chapter 4, verse 4 - 1 John 4:4 "You are from God, little children...”
A. Another word, often used for “from” in that verse is “belong”
B. You belong to God.
IV. Imagine your value.
V. When you come to Christ and say, "Jesus Christ, I accept Your gift of salvation, I accept Your gift of grace," and you step across a line.
A. God puts you in His family.
B. All of a sudden you now belong to God.
C. Everyone is created by God but everyone does not belong to God.
1. Only those who say “I accept Jesus as my savior” belong to God
2. If you’ve done that, you belong to God.
3. That means you are priceless.
4. You are valuable.
VI. The second thing that determines value is, what is someone willing to pay for it.
A. Maryann and I stopped at a yard sale a couple of weeks ago because they had a baby crib for sale, and we thought it might be good in our nursery.
1. I expected to pay 20, maybe 30 dollars for it.
2. When we asked, the owner said, “I wouldn’t take anything less than 80.00 for it.”
3. What was that cribs value.
a. To the owner not less than $80.00
b. To me, not more than 30.
4. I would imagine he still has the crib, or put it in the trash; now it’s worthy nothing.
VII. But God says we have great value.
A. How do I know this? -
B. Listen - You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. (1 Cor. 7:23, NASB)
C. And what was that price?
1. The death of God’s own son.
2. The fact that when Christ was on the cross, God the father was forced to turn his back on him, because of the sin Christ carried for us.
VIII. You and I have great value.
A. We belong to God,
B. Because He paid a great price to receive us.
Truth #3 - I Am Lovable
I. Everybody wants love,
II. Everybody needs love,
III. And when we think of love, from the human perspective, what do we think of
A. “I will love you if...”
B. More today than ever, it seems like, “I will love you as long...”
C. We talk about marital love as needing to be a 100% love.
1. You give 50%
2. I will give 50%,
3. Together that equals 100%.
4. The implication is, if you don’t give your 50%, then I don’t have to give mine, and therefore, we can call it quits.
IV. What is it about God’s love that is different?
V. Let me give you two quick facts about God’s love that we need to hold on to.
VI. Consistent love.
First, God’s love is consistent
A. Listen what God says in Jeremiah, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” “Jer. 31:3, NASB"
B. The love that God has for you is not based on you giving your 50%.
C. In this passage, God is making specific reference to Israel’s time during the exodus.
1. If we recall, Israel was somewhat less that committed to God.
2. In fact, all people that call God theirs, are somewhat less that fully committed, 100% of the time.
D. Yet God said to them, and to us, “I have love you with an everlasting”
1. Never ending
2. Not works based,
3. Not a lovability based,
4. But rather, “everlasting” without end love,
E. Just because I want to.
F. God’s love is consistent, based solely on the fact that God is love.
G. And since God’s love is consistent, it is also unconditional.
Second, God love is unconditional,
VII. Listen to what Christ said in Luke 6:35-36 - “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High: FOR He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
A. Did you catch that “For He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.”
B. The intent, “God loves even those who do not demonstrate love toward Him.”
1. Love does not mean correction.
2. Love doesn’t even mean that we are loved in the way that we want.
C. The idea is that God loves us, without respect to what we have done, are doing, or will do.
D. I believe this even carries the idea that God loves those that will eventually end up eternally separated from Him.
1. That separation is not a demonstration of a lack of love,
2. It will be the continuation of a life spent separated.
VIII. God does not love like man.
A. God loves us consistently,
B. God loves us unconditionally
C. God loves, because of His grace.
Truth #4 - I Am Capable
I. This is one that I have to continually remind myself of.
A. Sometimes I live with the mirrored reflection that says,
1. You can’t do that.
2. You aren’t smart enough to make that happen.
3. You aren’t capable of that.
4. Who do you think you are?
B. But this is what Paul says in Philippians chapter 4:13 "I (You) can do all things through Him who strengthens me.“
II. If that verse is true, then I can do anything that God has called me to do, and so can you.
III. I had breakfast with a friend on Friday, and as we talked, I was reminded that the times that I get in the most trouble, and accomplish the least are those times when I have the greatest doubts about God tells me.
IV. When we listen to God, and rely on His strength, we can accomplish much.
V. When we fail to listen, and when we rely on our strength, we are prone to fail.
A. I admit,
1. When I pray for God to bring 150 people into this church, I am scared to death.
2. When I pray and ask God to raise up small group leaders, that mirror in my mind says, “But He can’t use you to prepare them.”
B. But when I believe that God wants to accomplish great things in our midst, I believe that I am more than capable, more than a conqueror, and so are you.
VI. What is God asking of you?
A. He will not ask you to take on more than He is prepared to make you capable for.
B. We can’t do anything we want to do, but we are certainly capable of doing all that He want’s us to do.
Truth #5 - I Am Forgivable
I. How many of us need forgiveness?
A. Forgiveness from a spouse
B. Forgiveness from a child,
C. Forgiveness from someone that we have hurt,
D. And often that forgiveness is refused.
II. I read this story, that I do not believe is true, this past week, -
A. A man was driving up to his home in the mountains when he ran out of God.
B. He got out of the car, but forgot to set the brake, and his car ran off the mountain.
C. He decided to continue walking to his cabin, and a storm came in, he got soaked, and just as he got to his cabin, lightning struck, and burned it to the ground.
D. His response,
1. Why me?
2. Why me Lord?
E. Then a response from heaven; “Because some people just tick me off.”
III. Sometimes we feel like that.
A. I guess God must be mad at me.
B. He’s finally had enough, and now He’s paying me back.
IV. But listen to what God says in Isaiah 43:25 "“I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”
V. And hear what Paul writes in Ephesians 1:4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,"
VI. God has emotions; maybe even anger
A. But the Bible is the story of the depth of God’s love for us.
B. There is nothing that we can do, or not do, that God is not ready to forgive.
C. God’s forgiveness is totally based on His grace; His desire to forgive.
VII. God’s forgiveness brings us into an eternal relationship with Him.
VIII. The only question left for us is, “What will you do with God’s grace gift?”
