Properly Approaching (American)privilege-5 Series

PROPERLY APPROACHING PRIVILEGE-V

—Matthew 21:33-46

OR:

A CHRISTIAN APPROACH To AMERICAN PRIVILEGE

Attention:

Your Deacon Chairman—Jack—He, above all other people I can think of, is absolutely adamant about FBCC offering three services a week! He will be at every single one of those services if at all possible! Likewise, there is no valid excuse from you for not being there as well.

Jack takes the ‘PRIVILEGE’ of free, open, public worship very seriously...as we all should!

Need:

Christians, like many Americans, can center their Privilege & Pride upon illegitimate sources.

Thru this parable, Jesus highlighted/clarified a proper approach to a God-ordained privilege.

There is a Proper(Christian) Approach to Privilege.

What is a Proper/Christian Approach to Privilege?

Or

How should Christians approach their God-ordained privilege?

9 approaches to American privilege.

We have previously discovered that we must

Approach our privilege with...

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT(:33a)

2. RELIABILITY/Trustworthiness(:33b)

3. AVAILABILITY(:34)

4. HUMILITY(:35-39)

5. SENSIBILITY(:40-41)Logic/Reasonableness

6—Approach your privilege with...

BUILDING(:42)

Explanation:(:42)Edification/Construction

:42—“Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

Jesus quotes from Ps. 118:21-22...

...But :23 will be familiar to most American Christians as it is the focus of a song, ‘This Is The Day’...It reads, “This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice & be glad in it.”...

...So that the focus of that praise is upon God’s choosing Jesus to be the Cornerstone.

“Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:...”

Jesus asked if they had never read the Scriptures. Their actions revealed that they were unaware of basic biblical truths &/or their application.

Are YOU aware of ‘basic biblical truths &/or their application’?...

...If not, why not?

Rom. 10:6-10—“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or,” ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth & in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus & believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, & with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

You’ve heard these things, these truths, about God & His desire & design. You don’t have to fetch them elsewhere! Heed what God has said & continues to say...Repent & turn to Jesus!

“Never”—oudepote—Adverb—1) Never. Strong—Not even at any time, i.e. Never at all. Used 16X.

From—oude—1) But not, neither, nor, not even. Strong—Not however, i.e. Neither, nor, not even.—&—pote—1) Once i.e. Formerly, aforetime, at some time. Strong—indefinite adverb, At some time, ever.

“Read”—anaginwskw—Verb—1) To distinguish between, to recognize, to know accurately, to acknowledge; 2) To read. Strong—To know again, i.e. by extension--To read. Used 33X.

Lit.=‘To Know again/In the midst of Knowledge’

From—ana—1) Into the midst, in the midst, amidst, among, between. Strong—a primary preposition & adverb; properly--Up; but by extension(used distributively)--Severally, or locally--At(etc.).—&—ginwskw—1) To learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel; 2) To know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of; 3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man & a woman; 4) To become acquainted with, to know. Ginwskw denotes a knowledge grounded on personal experience. Strong—To "know"(absolutely) in a great variety of applications & with many implications.

“In”—en—

“Scriptures”—grafh—Noun Fem.—1) A writing, thing written; 2) The Scripture, used to denote either the book itself, or its contents; 3) A certain portion or section of the Holy Scripture. Strong—a document, i.e. Holy Writ(or its contents or a statement in it).

“‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone...”

Jesus said that the very “stone” “rejected” by the builders would become “the chief corner.”

The chief corner(-stone) was employed in order to affect the soundness of an entire structure. Careful attention was given to it’s geometrical shape, & it’s being properly leveled, as well as it’s being properly & permanently set...

It was carefully laid first, before any other stone, because every other stone was ‘trued’ to the precision of the cornerstone.

*It is always more difficult to build than to tear down or destroy!...Although both need to occur!

“Stone”(See :44)—liyov—Noun Masc.—1) A stone—1a) Of small stones, 1b) Of building stones, 1c) metaph.--of Christ. Strong—apparently a primary word; A stone(literally or figuratively). RWP—Liyov is a loose stone in the path.

“Builders”—oikodomew ALSO oikodomov(Acts 4:11)—Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masc.—1) To build a house, erect a building—1a) To build(up from the foundation), 1b) To restore by building, to rebuild, repair; 2) metaph.--2a) To found, establish, 2b) To promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness, 2c) To grow in wisdom & piety. Strong—from the same as oikodomh; To be a house-builder, i.e. Construct or figuratively--Confirm.