October/18/ 2015 Filed in:
Church SinsChurch Sins
Part 6
Arrogance
2 Corinthians 12:20 “For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.
Isaiah 14:13-14 “You said in your heart, I will ascend to Heaven. I will raise my throne above the stars. I will sit enthroned on the mount of the assembly of the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High.”
3 questions about pride.
1. What is it?
Pride = Pride is when we think we are hot and we are not.
3 kinds of pride…
a. I’m better than you
b. I can handle it myself
c. It doesn’t apply to me
2. What does it do?
Pride produces conflict.
Proverbs 13:10 “Pride only leads to quarrels.”
Proverbs 28:25 “He that is proud at heart stirs up strife.”
b. Pride prevents growth.
Proverbs 3:7 “Don’t be wise in your own eyes.”
Proverbs 10:17 (LB) “Anyone willing to be corrected is on the pathway to life. But anyone refusing has lost his chance.”
Proverbs 11:2 (NCV) “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
3. Pride precedes failure.
Proverbs 16:18 “Pride leads to destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
I Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time.”
3. How do we get rid of pride?
Start looking up.
I Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do yo have that you did not receive and if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not.”
Mark Batterson “Every blessing that is not turned to praise turns to pride.”
2. Start looking around
Rick Warren “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it just thinking of yourself less.”
Luke 14:11 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
October/11/ 2015 Filed in:
Church SinsChurch Sins
Part 5
Gossip/Slander
2 Corinthians 12:20 “For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.
Proverbs 18:8 “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.”
James 3:5-6 “the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
3 questions.
What is it?
Gossip and slander = passing on information when you are neither part of the problem or part of the solution.
2. What does it do?
a. Stirs up problems
Proverbs 26:20 “Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.”
b. Separates friends
Proverbs 16:28 “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.”
b. Reveals Character
James 3:2 “For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.”
Matthew 12:34 “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.”
Matthew 15:19 “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.”
c. Removes us from God’s presence
Ephesians 4:29-30 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Proverbs 6:16,19 “There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, 18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, 19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.”
I Corinthians 6:10 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
3. How do we stop it?
a. Is my conversation helpful or hurtful?
Ephesians 4:29-30 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Everything that we say should be true, not everything that is true should be said.
Colossians 4:6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
b. Am I making private matters public
Proverbs 11:12-13 “It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. 13 A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.”
Proverbs 29:9-10 “When arguing with your neighbor, don’t betray another person’s secret. Others may accuse you of gossip, and you will never regain your good reputation.”
c. Am I permitting others to gossip
Proverbs 17:4 “Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.”
What you permit you promote.
Proverbs 20:19 “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.”
Matthew 12:36-37 “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”
October/04/ 2015 Filed in:
Church SinsChurch Sins
Part 3
Anger
2 Corinthians 12:20 “For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.
1. What is the cause of my anger?
A. Pain
B. Frustration
Ecclesiastes 5:16-17 "As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain since he toils for the wind? All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger."
C. Fear
D. Discontentment
James 4:1-2 “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”
2. What is the cost of my anger?
A. Anger causes smart people to do stupid things
Proverbs 14:17 "A quick tempered man does foolish things.”
B. Anger hurts our relationships
Proverbs 30:33 “For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”
C. Anger leaves room for sin in our lives
Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."
James 1:19-20 "My dear brothers, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”
3. How do I correct my anger?
A. Delay it
James 1:19-20 " Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."
B. Dismiss it
Ephesians 4:2-3 "Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace."
C. Direct it
Mark 3:5 "He looked around at them in anger and deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man…stretch out your hand…he stretched it our and his hand was completely restored.
Matthew 21:12-14 "Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[a] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[b]”"
1 Timothy 2:8 “ Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.”
