|
Home |
|
|
|
EdgemereBC |
|
|
Sermon Notes |
|
|
Oct 12 '08 |
|
|
|
Oct 05 '08 |
|
|
|
Sep 07 '08 |
|
|
|
Aug 24 '08 |
|
|
|
Aug 17 '08 |
|
|
|
Aug 10 '08 |
|
|
|
Jul 20 '08 |
|
|
|
Jun 22 '08 |
|
|
|
Jun 08 '08 |
|
|
|
Morning Sermons |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||||
|
|
|
| ||
Aug 10 '08
(A Series of Sermons on Building Character in Your Life)
Rev. Erik O. Garthe, Pastor - Edgemere Baptist Church
Message #6 ... August 10, 2008
“It Fulfills All of Its Duty”
Jeremiah 17:10
The history of our mistletoe tradition is worth hearing. It dates back to the Druids in Northern Europe. They believed mistletoe had curative power and thought it could even cure broken relationships. When two enemies found themselves under a tree with mistletoe above, they saw it as a sign from God that they should lay down their weapons and be reconciled. When missionaries moved into Northern Europe, they realized this was a perfect symbol for what occurred on that first Christmas. Christ’s birth ushered in the opportunity of reconciliation between man and God, so the mistletoe offered a powerful tool for communicating this truth. Today we associate the greenery with romance, but its deeper meaning provides a reminder of what God has done through the birth of his Son.
[Share background of Jacob and Esau story]
What did Jacob actually do to turn his brother from hatred and plans of murder to forgiveness and brotherly affection?
(Jacob and Esau went from bitter hatred to embracing one another and weeping on each other’s necks in full forgiveness.)
The steps that brought about this reconciliation provide guidelines for reconciliation within all our relationships:
a. Reconciliation is usually motivated by God dealing with unresolved offenses …
i.e. Jacob deceived his father and fled; he lived the next twenty years in continual conflict with Laban, his father-in-law. When he finally fled from Laban, he had to face the victim of his deceit, his bitter brother Esau.
b. Reconciliation will take place only if God causes it to occur …
See Genesis 32:11
11 "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.
Jacob followed the instruction we learn in James 5:16b – “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
c. Reconciliation must involve making restitution for what we have taken or damaged …
Jacob knew he had to give an unexpected gift, and make restitution to Esau. See Genesis 32:13-15
13 So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.
See Proverbs 21:14
“A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.”
d. Reconciliation requires turning pride into a spirit of serving ...
Jacob told his herdsmen to identify him as Esau’s servant rather than his brother. When Jacob finally met Esau after crying out to God, making restitution, he demonstrated humility by bowing before Esau. God blessed the changed attitude of humility by causing Esau to fully forgive and release Jacob from the wrong he committed.
Reconciliation is the calling of every believer and is a clear teaching of the Word of God:
• 23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24)
• 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, (Ephesians 4:26)
• 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:25–27)
• 16 "This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. (Acts 24:16)
• 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:17–18)
Note: most offenses involve wrongdoing by both parties, but the one who is more spiritual will initiate reconciliation.
In Proverbs 18:19, God uses a significant analogy to describe a person who has been offended: “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle.”
In the days of walled cities, there were only three ways to conquer the city …
1. Storm the walls—this involved a bloody battle and often ended in failure.
2. Knock down the walls—this was a major operation and required huge war machinery.
3. Watch for someone to leave a door open in the walls and to go through that door to conquer the city. This was the most effective!
Generally speaking, when seeking reconciliation, it is best to make an appointment with the individual and meet face to face. When a personal meeting may create problems, make a phone call. Ask a close friend of the offended person for a suggestion of a good time to call. The important thing is to make sure you do it.
o Your sincerity will be instantly discerned.
i.e. the prodigal son carefully chose his words of reconciliation: See Luke 15:18-19
18 ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."’
When we are prepared to make reconciliation, God will do whatever is necessary to make it happen.
Responsibility … is knowing and doing what both God and others are expecting of me.
o The Biblical word translated “duty” describes the concept of responsibility.
The Greek word is opheilo … it means to owe or goodwill due.
(It is also translated as ought, due, need, and bound.)
An important aspect of responsibility is being personally accountable for our thoughts, words, actions, attitudes, and motives.
"Accountability breeds responsibility." Stephen Covey (author, management expert) [Men of Integrity, May/June 2006, p.6/29]
We are responsible for our thoughts, 2 Corinthians 10:5
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
We are responsible for our words, Matthew 12:36–37
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
We are responsible for our actions, 2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
We are responsible for our attitudes, Psalm 34:13
13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
We are responsible for our motives, Jeremiah 17:10
10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
We've all played Rock Paper Scissors for fun, but it's serious business in Japan. The game's roots stem from the ancient Orient and it is still used today as a method for resolution. It's not uncommon to see people play each other for the last seat on public transit, and then abide by the outcome. In the Orient people believe this common ritual is about skill rather than luck. For this reason they feel responsible for either winning or losing. The outcomes of our life have more to do with personal responsibility than random luck. [USA Weekend, 10/27/6, p.15]
On September 22, 1998, Daniel Crocker confessed to a murder he committed nineteen years prior. Nobody had tracked him down, it just came from the conviction God had placed on his heart. At the age of thirty-eight, with a wife and two young children, Crocker practiced what he had read in Proverbs 28:13, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” Nineteen years earlier, Crocker had been on a three-day LSD high when he killed nineteen-year-old Tracy Fresquez after meeting her briefly at a convenience store. Few clues were left behind, and detectives admitted the case would have never been solved had Crocker not made his confession. Not long after that murder on October 6, 1979, Crocker realized he had to make serious changes in his life. He quit using drugs and returned to the teachings of his Christian parents. He got involved in a church and started studying God’s Word. By 1986, he married a woman from his church and they started a family. During the summer of 1998, Crocker and his wife came to a consensus agreement that he needed to confess his crime. He said good-bye to his two children and wife, then boarded a flight from his home in Virginia and flew to Kansas City. A prearranged meeting with prosecutors took place shortly thereafter and now Crocker is serving time in prison. He will not be eligible for parole until 2008. His lawyer, Tom Bath, is amazed at Crocker’s confession. He said, “I have never seen anybody willing to risk so much to take responsibility for what he’s done.” District Attorney Paul Morrison admitted, “I’ve never seen anything like this.” Crocker simply says, “It is hard for me and my wife and our children, but it is the right thing to do.” Daniel Crocker understands that the truth sets us free, even if it means suffering the consequences of our deeds. (John 8:32). [Houston Chronicle, Sept. 26, 1998, p. 21A]
How Responsible Are You?
Do you pay the debt of love that you owe to every other believer?
Do you set aside personal pleasure that could cause a weaker brother to stumble?
Do you look for ways to lay down your life to benefit fellow Christians?
Do you take control of your thoughts, words, actions, attitudes, and motives?
Do you seek to meet the practical needs of other believers?
Do you give support to those who minister to you in the Word?
 |