Just a couple of quotes I ran into or was it across.
The Gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trails.
Time is the coin of life. Only you can determine how it will be spent.
Which is more evident of being a Christian, Baptized or Attitude?
Introduction: Baptism is a testimony not a form of salvation but the statement of. Baptism announces that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Your sins are forgiven, you have been born-again and you are now buried in Christ Jesus and raised in His likeness. Everyone should be baptized as quickly as possible after they have been saved. Baptism is a one-time act but attitude is an act of a life time. Baptism announces the new birth for the church to see, attitude exposes the new creature for the world to see. So which projects the most evidence of the new creature?
(Intent): The purpose of this sermon is not to argue demonical teachings but is solely for the benefit of the most awesome people in the state of Arkansas those that sit on the beautiful padded pews of Harvest Fellowship Church and those that are watching via internet. God is going to pour out a “surprise blessing” on all of them.
(Intro. Continued) The Bible records a command by our Lord found in Matt 28:19, 20. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. KJV The importance of baptism is discussed adamantly in all four Gospels and numerous times in the Epistles. But in my thinking there remains a very important question. Which is the greater testimony, baptism or attitude? I think we can say that without a doubt both are a sign or signs of the true believer.
Signs following believers are discussed in Mark 16:17-18 as miraculous deeds that believers perform as they announce and show evidence of the kingdom of God. That the same power that was demonstrated by Christ is now to be used by those that believe. Paul stated in 1 Cor 2:4-5
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Attitude: What is Attitude?
The dictionary gives several different meaning and positions of attitude. 1) A position assumed for a specific purpose. 2) A mental position with regard to fact or state, a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state. 3) A negative or hostile state of mind. 4) A cool, cocky, arrogant or defiant manner. Also listed involves the position of an aircraft determined by its relationship between its axis and its reference datum such as the horizon. Everyone has an attitude, some filled with lover and compassion. Some filled with hate, strife and condemnation and most likely, without cause, they just like to hate.
I want to talk about the effect of an attitude and its rewards.
1. Attitude toward God: A godly attitude effect all of self and every aspect of our future. A godly attitude determines our position with God. How do we feel about God? Do we love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul as commanded in the first commandment of the Ten Commandments or do we put other gods before Him. Which determines and exposes our relationship with God. An attitude of a daily, intimate and personal relationship with Christ produces an attitude of understanding with Love, Joy, and Peace that naturally flow from us to others. There are those that have been baptized but still are as mean as a junk yard Rottweiler that hasn’t eaten in several days. Think you may live next door to someone like that or could they attend your church? Then there are those that are the sweetest people and nothing changes their attitude. An attitude is not just a personal matter that effects only you but it effects all those around you. It effects those you work with, those you may go to school with, or play with or in the church. Attitudes lead back to a person’s relationship with God. A person that harbors or tries to hind a bad attitude toward God is a walking time bomb that could explode at any time without warning.
2. Attitude toward Marriage: When one person of the marriage has a bad attitude, it can cause turmoil within the home sometimes on a daily basic. One partner is not happy and has thoughts of something or even someone different. They wait to jump at every un-agreeable word or even an expression. But when both partners have a bad attitude, it can be all hell exploding without gates or walls. This is very sad, very tragic and also dangerous. Sometimes a lot of this chaos can be brought on by just one partner having an unbelieving attitude toward God. That one individual effects and threatens the entire partnership of the marriage and the future of off springs of that union.
3. Attitude toward Kids: The attitudes of the parents or parent creates the environment in which the kids are raised and develops their values of marriage. If a person prostitutes themselves to another for selfish fleshly gain then more than likely the children will follow in the footsteps that will lead them down the same path. The children are shown the values of marriage by the attitudes of the parents or parent that have a disrespectable attitude toward God. If the father abuses the wife chances are the daughter of such marriage will also marry a man that will abuse her. This chaotic environment will only continue to create a person with a life of very little happiness, oppressed with depression misled by anxieties with little hope of a change. Why do I say that? So many people in this position, looking for a way out will turn to religion hoping to find freedom only to find more bondage but of a different sort but still bondage.
4. Attitude toward your neighbor: The Book of Luke chapter ten, reflects the attitudes of three people as they came upon a certain man who was wounded and striped of his goods leaving him half dead. After a lawyer, who knew exactly what was written in the law tried to temp the Lord in asking, “Who is my neighbor? The Lord did not argue but answered the lawyer and all those listening with a parable. Some may think that the Lord just brushed the lawyer and his question of little importance. He starts off with a generic description he referred to as a “certain man” which could be anyone. This man most likely didn’t live next door to any of the three mention. I am inclined to believe that a neighbor is not just the one that lives next door or even on the same block.
a. The first is a Priest. Now we would assume that all priest have been baptized in one form or another. This passage being a parable, it is a teaching tool which Christ used many times in His ministry and implied that the “certain man” was a neighbor. So here comes this baptized Priest. He saw the man, half in the ditch and half out. The man didn’t cry out for help because he was half dead. This could also refer to someone that need help but can’t muster up the courage to ask for fear of self-image or rejection. Scripture says that the Priest passed by on the other side. He didn’t even slow down to look. Why did this professed man of God, dressed in his priestly garb, cross the road away from the certain man and continued his journey. He may have even broke into a run. Avoiding the need and the needy? What was this priest most memorable testimony? Was it the merits of his baptism and righteousness or was it the act of his attitude. Really, he did not have an attitude that reflected the personality of the God or the teachings of His Word.
b. Then here comes the Levite. This man most likely also had been baptized. This man was more religious that most others. This man being a Levite had his living furnished. He never had to mow the tabernacle yard or clean the floors or walls. Everything was done for him. But this guy being a little more religious than the priest, did stop and take a look at the half dead man then continued traveling on the other side of the road following the path of the priest. Attitudes draw support. The priest blazed the path or trail and the Levite followed. His attitude jelled with the Priest for both took the same path, away from the neighbor and his need which demonstrated their love for their neighbor and the Lord God.
c. Here comes the certain Samaritan. The Samaritans though their ancestors were Jewish, were a race of people mixed with other races. Partly due to their pedigreed, and their pagan religious practices they were considered impure and were shunned by the Jewish people. But done the less, here comes old Sam with his beast, riding or walking the scripture doesn’t say. When he saw the injured man compassion filled his heart. Old Sam went to him, poured in oil and wine, bound up the little fellers’ wounds put him on his own beast and took him to the local Motel 6 where a light had been left on for them. Old Sam even left more than enough money for an extended stay.
Old Sam took pity on him. he had compassion on him. Old “not good enough” Sam looked beyond himself without concern of the cost or the appearance. He responded to the imminent need with an attitude of compassion.
All of these actors had an attitude. The robbers had an attitude of selfishness, concerned only for their need, too lazy to work and earn their needs. The Priest had an attitude. What he was thinking or why he did what he did is not mention. He could have been concern about his image, but for sure he had an attitude His attitude could have cost the “certain man” his life. The Levite also had an attitude. Much like the Priest and the robbers, none of which had much concern about the “certain man” condition or his welfare. The Samaritan had an attitude also. I think his may have been developed by his past. But his attitude was “Your Past Doesn’t Matter” He reached out to a man in need and what the man’s back-ground was didn’t matter. Whether or not Old Sam had been baptized or not but his attitude was much more of a testimony of his character than his baptism.
So is baptism a more valuable asset and a more sufficient testimony or does attitude over shadow baptism and show the true character of a person being a more powerful testimony?
ATTITUDE, ATTITUDES EVERYONE HAS AT LEAST ONE! WHAT DOES YOUR ATTITUDE EXPOSE ABOUT YOU?
Do you love God with all your heart all your soul and all your mind? Do you love Him so much that you are excited getting to go to Sunday school, can’t wait till Bible Study on Wednesday Night, and praise the Lord we now have prayer meetings on Monday and Saturday evening.
How much do you love your neighbor? When the last time you just checked on your neighbor? Have you ever offered to give them a ride in your beast to the House of God? When was the last time you lent a helping hand in their time of sickness?
YOUR ATTITUDE IS THE LOUDEST VOICE YOU HAVE. WHAT IS GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR HEARING FROM YOU?
