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Church Sins

Church Sins Arrogance

Church 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.”

Church Sins Gosspip/Slander

Church 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.”

Church Sins Anger

Church 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.”

Church Sins Selfishness

Church Sins
Part 4

Selfishness


2 Corinthians 12:19-21 (NLT) 19 Perhaps you think we’re saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you. 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. 21 Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.”
Selfishness- acting or thinking of one’s own well-being alone.
Six ways to tell that you're selfish:

  1. You like being in control and find it difficult to compromise.
  2. Giving and sharing do not come easily to you.
  3. Putting your partner's needs first — before your own — is very difficult.
  4. You hear constructive criticism as personal attacks.
  5. You become moody when others have the spotlight.
  6. Forgiving others is difficult.
Examples of Selfishness:
Cain

Ahab
James and John
The Older Brother of the Prodigal

David
Luke 10:38-42 (NLT)38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

3 thing we need to do to beat Selfishness:
  1. Remember Presence of God.
2 Timothy 3:2-4 ESV “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

  1. Remove every distraction.
Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
  1. Rearrange the priorities in my Life
Philippians 3:7-8 NLT “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.”
The opposite of selfishness is selflessness.
John 3:30
“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
Philippians 2:4 ESV “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

1 Corinthians 10:24 ESV “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”

Philippians 2:3-4 ““Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”



“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” –John Wesley

Church Sins Jealousy

Part 2: Jealousy

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. Why is jealously a big deal?

James 3:14-15 “But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.”

verse 16 “ For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

JEALOUSY = resenting God’s goodness in other’s lives while ignoring God’s goodness in my own life.

2. What does jealousy do in our lives?

Proverbs 14:30 “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.”

3. How do we get rid of jealousy?

A. Stop comparing ourselves.

2 Corinthians 10:12  “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

Galatians 6:4 “Each one should test his own actions without comparing himself to somebody else.”

B. Start celebrating God’s goodness in others.

Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn”

I Samuel 23:17 “Jonathan said.. Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you”

C. Start embracing God’s blessing in our own lives.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 “Better what the eye sees than a roving of the appetite. This, too, is meaningless. It is a chasing after the wind.”


I Thessalonians 5:16 “ Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”



Church Sins Quarreling 

Church Sins 
Part 1
Quarreling 

2 Corinthians 12:19-22 “19 Perhaps you think we’re saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you. 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. 21 Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.”

4 reasons for quarreling.

1. Pride.

Proverbs 13:10
“Pride leads to arguments…”

Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves…”

2. Selfishness.

James 4:1 MSG “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.”

3. Anger.

Proverbs 29:22 “An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.”

4. Wrong focus.


Titus 3:9 “ But stay away from those who have foolish arguments and talk about useless family histories and argue and quarrel about the law. Those things are worth nothing and will not help anyone.”

I Corinthians 1:10 “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

3 things about unity.

  1. Unity is powerful.

Genesis 11:6
“The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.”

Psalm 133:1-3 “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.”

2. Unity must be protected.

Ephesians 4:2 “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

3. Unity is found in aligning under God’s purposes.


Ephesians 4:15-16 (NCV)
“Speaking the truth with love, we will grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head. 16 The whole body depends on Christ, and all the parts of the body are joined and held together. Each part does its own work to make the whole body grow and be strong with love.”