Living With THE New Attitude
Living God’s Way – part 7
1 Peter 4:1-11
We’re back…
What an awesome time Laurie & I had on our trip out west. It was a lot of fun and as always is the case with us, we had many adventures and crazy stuff happen a long the way, which I am sure you will hear about over time… It’ll kind of just trickle out of us over the coming weeks..
Last Saturday night – I went to church at Saddleback Community Church (church that is sponsoring the 40 days of purpose). Rich Warren had a pretty good message. In his message he shared how he had just came back from a trip to a maximum security prison up north. A prisoner were 2 inmates last spring did the 40 days of purpose campaign… They now have a church – of 150 people… About 70 guys have been baptized into Christ… A revival is starting in that place as guys from all the different gangs are coming to Christ… IMAGINE - -f we put our hearts into this 40 days as much as these prisoners did – what we could see happen here…
AND – on Sunday morning…we went to Mosaic (Seizing your divine moment). It was awesome too… - Erwin Mcmanus was kicking off a message series that Sunday called One Unbelievable Life…
BUT - one of the biggest highlights of the trip was to see up close God’s incredible creation – it was the main reason for the trip. AND – for me seeing that creation began as we took off on our flight out of Atlanta and it ended as we lifted off Friday from LAX in California.
YOU KNOW - I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing what our God & Father simply spoke into existence. The variety, the beauty, the colors…
Flying above an ocean of clouds as far as the eye can see never gets old to me… AND - when I looked down at that sea of white - I told Laurie that my Father made that…
AND - looking down from the plane at the huge mountains (dry & rocky) and that flat barren wilderness that went on for miles and miles was awesome too… It was a different kind of beauty.
We walked through a forest fall of giant red woods stretching out into the sky – some as old as 1200 years…
AND – we got to do what I had always wanted to do… Drive up the pacific coast in a convertible… It was so awesome– it was unbelievable… I felt like a 4 year old a Disney world… The blue ocean, the rolling hills, the tall mountains, the jagged rocks, the crashing waves… went on for mile after mile from LA to SF… it just blew me away. Most of the time I didn’t even know which way to look (to the right – to left – in front of me or behind me…)
ON – our way back to LA on Thursday, we found a place where we could drive down to the beach right below the cliffs… we grabbed our chairs, went our separate ways with a beach chair and Larry Crabbs book, The Pressures Off – there’s A New Way To Live…
It was unbelievable… sitting there… right in the middle of the waves crashing, the blue skies, the rugged cliffs… At one point I sat on this huge rock – with waves crashing around me… I looked down and on this rock – there were small plants growing in some of it’s cracks… Our God is a God of life and you see that life everywhere – you just can’t stop it…
WELL – I think it’s time for me to leave what Steve & Laurie did for their summer vacation (but I have a slide show for those who want to hang around for a couple of hours after church)..
OKAY – today is our 7th week in our message series on 1 Peter. A letter written by that great fisherman… A man who like us - knew both the thrill of victory & the agony of defeat…
• A man who knew what it was like to walk on water – and who also knew what it was like to sink into the crashing waves…
• A man who knew what it was like to leave everything to follow Jesus and who also knew what it was like to deny even knowing him…
• A letter written by a man who loved Christ and loved his church so much that he died for them (crucified upside down)… \
What an amazing letter this is, that Peter wrote to a bunch of beaten down, beaten up & persecuted believers in the first century.
NOW – if you know even a little about me as a teacher – you know that I love review… “YES - my name is Steve and I love review – review is always good. BECAUSE - we forget stuff far too easily.
AND – do you know what? I stand in some pretty good company. YOU SEE – Peter, was a guy who also loved to review things. CHECKOUT – what he wrote in 2 Peter 1:12-15;
“12I plan to keep on reminding you of these things--even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth. 13Yes, I believe I should keep on reminding you of these things as long as I live. 14But the Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that my days here on earth are numbered and I am soon to die. 15So I will work hard to make these things clear to you. I want you to remember them long after I am gone.”
NOW – I do not plan on dying or going away any time soon.. BUT – with that strong biblical mandate behind me, I say - let’s do a quick review of where we have been AND what we have learned – over the last several weeks as we have studied this awesome God-breathed book (and if you were not here for all the previous message tapes are available)…
FRIENDS – I really pray that you have been paying attention… BECAUSE – our journey in 1 Peter has been incredible. It has been full of challenging, uplifting, relevant and life changing truths… about living God’s way. (Which I contend IS not only the way God has commanded us to live BUT is the best way to live)
Peter during the last 6 weeks has reminded us; taught us, given us and has challenged us…
He has REMINDED US – that we are God’s people….
“We are God’s People!”
AND – friends being God’s people comes with some awesome benefits… BECAUSE when you are God’s people: IT MEANS…
You are not home yet;
You are born again into a living hope,
You have an inheritance that can never be destroyed,
You are protected by God’s power,
Your hard times can purify our faith
You are saved…
AND – Peter has TAUGHT US many important things….
He has taught us to think right about ourselves…
LISTEN - for many of us in this room who we think we are is not who we are… YOU SEE – because we (grew up in and live in) an imperfect world we have distorted images of ourselves… FRIENDS – you need to see yourself as God sees you. AND – when you look into that mirror you will be compelled to say;
I Am Not Alone;
I Am Acceptable;
I Am Valuable;
I Am Forgivable;
I Am Here For A Purpose…
AND – Peter has also taught us how to diffuse conflict in our relationships…
In week 3; Peter told us that if we would put these 7 attitudes into our relationships it would diffuse conflict… those 7 attitudes are…
• Work, sympathy,
• compassion, loyalty,
• humility,
• mouth management
• and forgiveness?
Peter has also CHALLENGED US during the last several weeks
He has challenged us;
TO - be holy, to be different then the world
TO - stay away from temptation
TO - show respect for all authority
TO - act right in our marriages
and TO – seek God in our suffering
AND finally Peter has GIVEN US the key to lasting hope
MAN - what an awesome message Peter had for us about hope on August 31st. FRIENDS - in week six, Peter told us how to build a hope that will last – a hope that is made (not of sticks and straw) BUT of brick… A hope that if you remember is BOTH storm proof and wolf proof…
LISTEN – the wolf can huff and puff as much as wants – and the storms can blow as hard as they desire BUT when our hope is built on the solid brick of God’s power promises – it will stand… AND – it will stand by a lot more than the hair on your chinny chin chin…….
AND – what are those power promises to build your hope on…
• God is watching over you
• No one can really harm you
• God will reward your suffering
• Christ has brought you safely home to God
• Christ has total control of everything
WOW! Talk – about a ride. What an incredible 6 weeks it has been as we have unpacked 1 Peter. 6 weeks full of;
• great, huge, immense,
• vast, enormous, massive,
• extensive, expansive, titanic, colossal, monumental
• whopping, walloping, AND thundering - truths of God…
WELL FRIENDS – we have some more unpacking to do today. Our message this morning is entitled, Living with THE new attitude… Our text is 1 Peter 4:1-11
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude…
OKAY – I want to stop right there for a moment. AND – ask a few questions.
What are we to do? Arm ourselves?
Arm ourselves with what? The same attitude
With whose attitude? With the attitude of Christ.
AND FRIENDS – when you are getting ready to go into battle against a powerful enemy; it really is a good idea to arm yourself…
IN – the movie, ‘The Lord Of The Rings, The 2 Towers’ – the armies of Rohon are about to do battle with a powerful enemy. The armies of _____________________ have marched against and have surrounded them at a place called helms deep. They are outnumbered and soon the battle will begin. THEREFORE - it was time for them to arm themselves.
SHOW CLIP
UNDERSTAND – when you are about to go up against a powerful enemy – unless you want to be defeated you will arm yourself.
FRIENDS – like the people of Rohon who were preparing for a battle at Helm’s Deep; we too face a powerful enemy…(he’s real he is not just a character in a book or movie) AND – we must not deceive ourselves into thinking that this enemy is going to allow you & I to live God’s way, without a fight.
CHECKOUT – how Paul describes YOUR enemy in Eph 6:12
12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms
QUESTION – is what Paul said true? That’s some pretty scary stuff… THEREFORE - I think it would be a pretty good idea to arm ourselves…
AGAIN - Peter writes in verse one of our text…
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude…”
QUESTION – have you ever thought of the attitude of Christ as being a weapon? I never have… BUT – according to Peter, the attitude of Jesus is a weapon, a powerful weapon, one that we need to arm ourselves with.
AND – if you and I re going to arm ourselves with Christ’s attitude, we need to know what that attitude is… SO – just what is the attitude of Christ? WELL - In Philippians chapter 2; we find the answer…
Go ahead and turn there…
“5Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 6Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 7He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. 8And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross. Phil 2:5-8
QUESTION – did you see Christ’s attitude in those verses?
LISTEN – if I were asked to define in one word the attitude that God the Son demonstrated ( all the time, in all circumstances and with all people) when He walked this earth, it would be the word, ‘selflessness.’
UNDERSTAND NOTHING – Jesus ever did was for Himself - nothing. Jesus was always, AND I MEAN always focused on other people and what He could do FOR them (talk about being counter-culture)…
OKAY – here’s the point IF you and I want to be able to live God’s way we MUST arm ourselves with this same attitude… we must arm ourselves with ‘selflessness’
IN FACT – it is not even a matter of whether you want to live God’s way or not… YOU SEE – if you are a believer God has already commanded you to have this attitude of selflessness… NOT only here in 1 Peter, BUT - in many other places as well… let me read just a few.
“Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” – Lk 9:23
“Great crowds were following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, "If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me.” Lk 14:25-27
“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them.” 2 Cor 5:15 (NLT)
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20
AGAIN – we have a powerful enemy.. An enemy who seeks to destroy us – and enemy who seeks to destroy our lives and the lives of those around us. AND – God is telling us through Peter that if we want to defeat this enemy we must be armed with the right weapon.
AND FRIENDS – God knows the exact weapon that with defeat our enemy – the attitude of Christ, the attitude of selflessness.
UNDERSTAND – selflessness is what always has and always will defeat this enemy.
BUT – if we are honest most of would have to admit that it is really hard to be unselfish. Denying ourselves does not come naturally or easily.
AND – sometimes – even when we think we are being unselfish we really are not. YOU KNOW – it’s amazing how much of what I do (though camouflaged so well) is really about me. I MEAN - there are times when I am totally convinced that someone else is being selfish (and I’m the giving and noble one) when in reality the selfish one is me.
LET – me give you a brief recent illustration…it happened on our trip to California. NOW – driving in a car, for hundreds & hundreds of miles… For hours & hours each day. Sometimes all day – is my thing.. it’s not Laurie’s thing…
BUT – she did it because she loves me… and she knew it’s was something I really wanted to do… AND - here’s where my selfishness started to blossom and bloom… YOU SEE – almost right out of the gates I started to get ticked at Laurie, because she did not have as much fun doing the stuff that I love to do. AND – I was convinced that I was the unselfish one. AFTER ALL – all I wanted was for her to have a good time.
Then on Monday morning God taught me something; after I received that divine slap across the head I wrote the following in my journal…
Lord, I am on the deck at the Hotel and you taught me something powerful. That I am being selfish with Laurie right now. The things I want to do – that are not her things NOT ONLY do I want her to do them but I want them to be her things as well.
AND – I convinced myself that I am the one who is being so unselfish here. What a joke… How deceptive self is.
FRIENDS – I don’t know about you but I find trying not to be selfish – to be very difficult and frustrating. AND – do you know what else, every time I think self is gone – it comes roaring back in like the monster in cheap horror movie (Michael Myers just won’t stay dead).
LISTEN – IF you desire to be unselfish – IF you are frustrated by how hard selfishness is to overcome… YOU are in the right place at the right time… BECAUSE - God through Peter is going to give us some practical advise – that have the potential to bring about some incredible life change…
Peter in our text is going give us 7 things that we can do every day that will help us arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ, SO THAT – when we face the enemy we will defeat him.
UNDERSTAND - when you and I practice these things, when we do them – we are just like ___________ in the 2 towers suiting up for battle… PICTURE – yourself as you do these 7 things suiting up for war… or landing death blows on our enemy.
AND – let me add this to fire you up even more – FRIENDS - there is tremendous freedom in arming yourself with the attitude of Christ. YOU SEE – when life is no longer all about you… when you are no longer driven to satisfy the desires of the flesh – some serious chains are loosened.
The title for today’s message is, “Living THE New Attitude.”
Prayer…
FIRST – when we are armed with the attitude of Christ we will…
Just Say No To Sin…
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.”
CIRCLE - done with sin
QUESTION – what did Jesus do when he was tempted by satan? He just said NO!
ONE DAY - satan comes up to Jesus… YOU SEE - satan knows that Jesus is about to begin His ministry – a ministry designed to destroy him.. SO – satan who had been waiting for this moment ever since the garden comes up to Jesus…
TURN – to Luke chapter 4
Jesus - satisfy your fleshly hunger – NO!
Jesus – here you can have all the wealth & riches of this world, anything you want – NO!
Jesus – you are the Son of God (right?) show people how powerful & great you are – NO!
LISTEN – like Jesus we are to be as Peter says in verse one, done with sin
AND UNDERSTAND – if you do not stop sinning you will never be armed with ‘selflessness.’ BECAUSE – all of your sin at it’s root is about you…
QUESTION – what is the middle letter of the word sin? “I” UNDERSTAND – sin is a major eye problem. LET’S – take a look at that massive list of sins that Paul recorded for us in Galatians 5. And as I read them you will see that every single one is about satisfying the desires of self…
“The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, worshipping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, feeling envy, being drunk, having wild & wasteful parties, and doing other things like these…” Gal 5:19-21 (NCV)
LISTEN – the root cause, the core, the lifeblood of sin is selfishness…
NOW – in our text Peter says 2 things about being done with sin…
#1 – he says that you already spent enough time there.
For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.”
I’d to read verse 3 from the message bible…
You’ve already put in your time in that God-ignorant way of life, partying night after night, a drunken and profligate life. Now it’s time to be done with it for good.
HEY – I think Peter is right… Now it’s time to be done with it for good.
#2 – Peter says that you can say no to sin
NOW – not every time.. BUT – you can say no a lot more than you do now…
How? BY - saying NO the Jesus way…
QUESTION – what helped Jesus say NO… 2 things…
FIRST – Jesus hung out with God… (just spent 40 days with God). DO YOU – hang out with God NOT, just to check off some religious ritual off your list… BUT – to be in His presence just to get to know Him…
And SECOND – Jesus allowed suffering to teach his body something
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.”
LISTEN - suffering (if we let it) can teach our bodies that they are not in control… UNDERSTAND – our bodies always desire to do what they want… BUT – when we suffer (for what ever reason) many times the fulfillment of those desires is blocked..
AND - Peter when that happens use that suffering to teach your body that life IS NOT simply about satisfying the desires of the flesh…UNDERSTAND - suffering can be used to teach our bodies that they are not in control…
That is exactly what Paul had in mind when wrote these words in 1 Cor chapter 9;
Saying no to sin will help you have the attitude of Christ…
AGAIN – we will never be perfect at this (not in this life) BUT each time you say no you give self a death blow.
SECOND – when we are armed with the attitude of Christ we are
Not Wrongly Influenced By Others…
“4Of course, your former friends are very surprised when you no longer join them in the wicked things they do, and they say evil things about you. 5But just remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead. 6That is why the Good News was preached even to those who have died--so that although their bodies were punished with death, they could still live in the spirit as God does.” (NLT)
QUESTION – have other people ever influenced you to do something wrong?
TO;
get drunk, get high, cross sexual lines, gossip, lie, cheat, cut school, break the law, give people a hard time?
AND – when you give into that wrong influence who are you ‘really’ doing it for? For them? NO – you are doing it, for you.
YOU SEE;
Either it was something you actually wanted to do it anyway >>> which is for you
OR – you did because you were concerned about what the other person would think about you – you were concerned about your image… AGAIN at it’s core this is still all about you…
IN – the coming weeks when you find yourself in one of those situations (and you will – when someone is trying to get you to do wrong)… STAND FIRM – do the right thing and once again you will give another death blow to self…
As God’s people we are called to arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ – we called to arm ourselves with selflessness… AND – the 3rd thing that we can do that will help us to be armed with this attitude is TO;
Pray As If The End Is Near…
Peter writes;
”The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray…”
CIRCLE - The end of all things is near
QUESTION - IF we really believed that the end was near would our prayers be any different? THINK ABOUT IT…. IF you really believed in your heart that Jesus was returning this Friday – would your prayers be any different this week THEN they were last week? Guaranteed!
LISTEN – though sad the truth is, our prayers often reveal just how selfish we really are. QUESTION – who do you spent more time praying for yourself or for others?
WHO – did Jesus spend more time praying for, himself OR others? AS – His earthly end drew near… Who did he pray for? CHECKOUT – John 17 this week and you will see that in the garden Jesus prayed for basically three things; for his disciples, for us and for God’s will to be done…
NOW - the early church believed that the end of all things was near – and they prayed much differently then the church prays today. WHEN – persecuted, when beaten, when threatened with and when actually murdered they did not pray for God to remove their hardships – INSTEAD - they asked God to help them be faithful..
FRIENDS – we need to change the way we pray…AND – reminding ourselves that the end of all things is near…WILL give us the proper motivation…
AND – the Lord’s prayer will give you the proper pattern…
Start by praising God
Then ask for His name to honored in your life
Pray for the advancement of his kingdom of His will in the hearts of people by name…
Ask God for help for the present day
Ask God to help to stay away from sin
And pray for the strength to forgive those who hurt you
LISTEN – every time you;
• Say NO to sin
• Refuse to be wrongly influenced
• Pray as if the end is near
YOU arm yourself - just a little bit more with the attitude of Christ, and you become less selfish….
NEXT – Peter says that to arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ we must…
Love Other People Deeply…
Peter writes in verse 8 of our text….
8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
NOW – this is not the first time Peter talked about loving others deeply in 1:22 he wrote;
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”
AND – John Peter’s fishing buddy wrote the following in 1 John chapter 3;
16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
(note this is not just talking about taking a bullet for someone – it’s talking about laying down ourselves for someone.. and then he gives an example of this)
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (why would someone not help someone out – because they are selfish)
18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth
LISTEN – love is most definitely not selfish… IN FACT – real love, God’s kind of love is pretty much the exact opposite of selfishness… AS - I read that classic passage on love found in 1 Corinthians – you see, God’s description of a selfless love.
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.
This week you can arm yourself with the attitude of Christ by loving others deeply… LOOK at this passage and pick out and specifically DO - one of these acts of selfless love… (maybe patient – do an act of kindness or forgive someone who hurt you)..
AND – as you do know that you are smacking your enemy up alongside the hit with the attitude of Christ…
BUT HEY – don’t wait until this week.. how about doing loving someone deeply today.. right after our service…
NEXT – to arm yourself with selflessness you need to
Open Up Your Homes…
Peter writes;
“Open your homes to each other. Without complaining..” (NCV)
NOW – opening up our homes, at it’s root is really about letting people into our lives…
AND – this is definitely something Jesus did… When you read the gospels you see that people were always coming up to Jesus. Huge crowds great needs… Sometimes when Jesus tried to get away for awhile people found out where he was going and they would follow him…
UNDERSTAND - opening up our homes – letting people into our lives is something all believers should do AND – it is something that pastors and elders must do…
QUESTION – what keeps people from opening up their homes, what keep them from letting people into their lives…. ‘selfishness.’
NOW UNTIL – I married Laurie I for the most part was living in disobedience to this command… Why? BECAUSE – I was selfish, my live was my life and my stuff was my stuff (how mature…)
BUT NOW….
OKAY – a real quick side note… It’s actually the flip side to opening up our homes…LISTEN - if you are trying to die to self – make sure that you are not being selfish about coming into someone’s home or life… don’t take it for granted, don’t get so use to that you no longer appreciate it…
“Open your homes to each other. Without complaining..”
Peter says that this will help you arm yourself with Christ’s attitude…
Peter says that the way to defeat our enemy is to arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ..
AND – every time;
• Say NO to sin
• Refuse to be wrongly influenced
• Pray as if the end is near
• Love others deeply
• Open up your homes
YOU – arm yourself with selflessness…
NEXT – you arm yourself with the attitude of Christ when you;
Try To Out Serve Others…
AND – this is exactly what Jesus did…
LISTEN – God the Son – literally out served everyone in sight… One of the most powerful examples besides the cross is found in John chapter 13…
TURN – to John 13:1-17
LISTEN – everyone of us have been given gifts, talents and abilities that we are to use to serve other people. God did not give you those things just for you – he gave those to you for him… Peter writes;
10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides,
Imagine what a church could do, what they could accomplish IF everyone had the attitude of Christ and tried to out serve each other…
Imagine – if this community of believers
Imagine IF every member of Central came here not to have people serve them but to serve other people…
The last point in your outline – is that we arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ when; we
Seek No Personal Glory
Peter writes in verse 11;
“so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
CIRCLE - “so that in all things God may be praised
In all things who should be praised?
QUESTION – do you like the praise of men? Do you ever do things for your own glory?
I do and I hate myself for it.
I hate how I can so quickly become the focus of what I do.
I hate how I can at times turn a conversation in a such a direction that people praise me
God gives us a pretty strong warning about praise in Proverbs chapter 27;
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.”
Peter says that the way to defeat our enemy is to arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ..
AND – every time;
• Say NO to sin
• Refuse to be wrongly influenced
• Pray as if the end is near
• Love others deeply
• Open up your home
• Our serve others
• Run away from personal glory
YOU – arm yourself with selflessness… the one weapon that can and will defeat your powerful enemy.
IN – the movie the 2 towers ____________ suited up and fought the battle holding on not just to a sword BUT to a promise… A promise that _________ would return at dawn…
SHOW CLIP….
FRIENDS – as we live this life as we do battle with our enemy… We hold on not just to the attitude of Christ BUT we hold on to a promise… ONE DAY – our savior will return and One day Jesus the morning star will appear on the horizon to take us home…
AND – when he takes home the war with self will be over… In heaven selfishness will finally be dead.
BUT until he comes we must continue to fight – we must continue to arm ourselves BECAUSE – when we are armed with the attitude of Christ – God’s gets all the glory and people are saved…
