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How to be a "Friend of Sinners"
Responding to Gay Marriage #2
Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."
How do we become like Christ in this? How do we love people who are not like us?
1. Be unafraid to ______________________.
Galatians 2:11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.
12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all...
1 Corinthians 5:9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--
10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
2. Ask questions & really ___________________________.
3. Be _________________ without being ______________.
John 8:10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
4. Remember that God is __________________________ ______________.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
5. Be full of _____________________________.
Acts 11:24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
______________________
HANDOUT
______________________
How to be a "Friend of Sinners"
Responding to Gay Marriage #2
Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."
Jesus friend of sinners
we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name
but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus friend of sinners
the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to you
but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up
i'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands
and a heart divided
Oh jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours
1. Be unafraid to be with them.
Galatians 2:11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.
12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all,
Religious pressure. Lot's of people have given in to it...
There's a time where you have to cut yourself from certain people in order that you may not be drawn back into sin. But don't get the idea that this means that holiness is somehow cutting yourself off from all sinners.
1 Corinthians 5:9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--
10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
2. Ask questions & really listen to them.
"There's no attraction to women there, no more than a cow." Now, before you get offended and horrified, I wish you could have seen the despair in his eyes when he said that.
Talking on lunch breaks, I wish you could have heard the pain from his life.
The sexual abuse.
The fear of coming to church.
The fear of being rejected.
3. Be truthful without being mean.
John 8:10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
4. Remember that God is working on them.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
God is at work in convicting and tugging on every person... you get to participate in His work in them.
In the last 12 years of pastoring, I have deal with several young men who struggled with same sex attraction... I've been privileged to sit across a lunch table from them and cast the vision for a future life with Jesus, to give them a picture of what could be.
5. Be full of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 11:24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
When you're full of joy, and love until the love of God just oozes out of you... it's attractive. There will be those who fight against it -- they did against Jesus, too. But there will be others who respond.
JENNY PATES TESTIMONY
I just wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed that article on Gay Marriage. I appreciate your loving outlook on this matter. Don't ever give up on the gays.
This July 20th, I will have been back to the Savior 1 year. I once live in this life with my partner for 8 years, she left and then I had an adulterous relationship for 1 year.
Prior to all that, I lived a life of adulterous affairs from the time I was 15 years old. ... My twin prayed hard for me. She prayed that I would lose my desire for the relationships I was in and God heard her.
Darrell, there was not ONE day that went by in the whole 10 plus years that I was backslid, that the Holy Spirit did not chase me down. The minute I got out of bed in the morning and even when I was asleep and He woke me up, HE WAS THERE! I had panic attacks ALL the time (I was afraid of death and hell) Darkness filled my soul and home.
When we got home from that funeral, I told my girls, "Im getting back to God, I miss him." It was fear of hell and missing Him that got me. I would sit out on my porch in the middle of the night and cry to Him, "Please help me get out of this mess." I was so depressed everyday and every day I feared death. I stayed drunk to drown out reality and God but He was there:0) He NEVER left me alone! Never give up on them. Yes, they are mean and their thoughts are way off but they are depressed, unhappy, lonely and all that!
...
I love him even though I think he hates Pen and I at times because we are Christians now. God loves us and He wants everyone just to love Him back. He loved me even though I ran from him and spit in His face and said terrible things to Him. His mercy is so amazing to me!
Becky (my ex)came to me once and told me she was scared of going to hell and that she was scared if the Lord came back. Now this girl has been gay since she was a little girl she says and she claimed that God is not going to punish her because of who she loves. I would show her what the Bible said about Homosexuality and she couldn't argue that (they all would laugh at me because I was a lesbian and telling them what the Bible said) But for her to be afraid, I would have never thought that EVER in her.
...I know ones that have been deep into it for years and they give a glimmer of hope in what they say from time to time. I came back.
There is hope for them, don't give up on them! I thank God over and over that He literally chased me down, day after day after day! Regina and Sheryll Lynn would come to see me and they were so nice. They prayed for me and they were my friend no matter how I was living. Even now, sometimes I think women don't want to be around me because of my past but your mom and sister are constantly hugging me and they don't care or think im dirty.
The minute I gave my heart to Jesus July 20th 1014 at that alter at your dad's church, I meant business with God. Cris had to move out of my home (we were not married), I had a wonderful bon fire in 90 degree weather to rid my home of witch, magic junk! The wardrobe changed, the cigarettes went in the trash before I even left the house to go to church. The drinking stopped, drugs stopped, cussing stopped and now I am getting ready to cry.
I get blessed when I think about what He has done for me!!! I never want to forget what he brought me from! I could be dead and in hell were it not for His mercy!!! I became a new creation, and I meant and still mean business! He loved you and me and I just want more than anything to love Him intimately and to love what He loves and that is humans.
He created us for his pleasure and that is so beautiful! If they will just get a TASTE of Him, oh boy they would NEVER go back! Get old fashioned holiness. Let Him live in you and walk with Him everyday.
WOW, to have that is beyond my thinking. For Him to live inside of me HA!!! Hallelujah! He is so good!
I do not mind at all [if you share my story]. I am not ashamed at what God has done for me and I know that true Christians love me regardless of what I have done. Sin takes a person farther that what they will ever dream of. I remember my uncle telling me when I was a teenager, "Jenny, if you don't serve God at a young age, you will never know how far sin will take you." Of course I knew it all and am like, "Whatever, I will never do a lot of sin!" Well look where it took me. Children out of wedlock by two different men, one verbally abused and the other physically abused, affairs that I cannot even count, alcoholism, drug addiction, homosexuality, abortion, lying, cheating, stealing and some sins only God knows about. When you choose not to serve Him the life that you reap BUT he forgave and now I get to live with Him forever and so can they if they will just get to know Him. He is so loving and kind and beautiful. I cant even think of an earthly word that is beautiful enough to describe Him! I hurt Him and he still loved me.
Now you see why my heart gets so overwhelmed when I think of Him and I want to help rescue as many as I can for Him because he rescued me.
God bless you and your ministry. Thank you for loving people like the old me.
