Is The Real You The Right You?
Preaching
Shaking Wolves Out Of Cherry Trees
And 149 Other Sermon Ideas
Purpose Statement: Do we know who we really are, and more importantly, what we can become?
Remember the situation concerning the animal cage at the zoo with the sign on it that read, "The most dangerous animal in the world"? In the cage was a mirror. Some introspection or self-examination could reveal some real surprises about ourselves. The better the Christian knows himself or herself and his or her potential, the healthier their spiritual life will be. James 1:22-25 discusses how hard it is to know ourselves unless we listen to God and then practice being what God wants us to be. Do you know your many selves?
a. As you see yourself. There is a side of us that only God and we know. Many people do not like who they think they are. This often comes from perceptions of how we think the world perceives us, and we want to come across much better.
b. As others see you. You never know for sure exactly how others view you; you can only suspect. We ask our best friends subtle questions hoping for some glimmer. It is important to us as social animals to be accepted by some valued group and feel that we belong and are worthy.
c. As you want others to see you. We wear masks and try to fool other people in order to give a better impression of who we are. This image we want to portray to others changes radically depending on who those others are. Being a hypocrite means trying to convince others you are something that you are not. However, when the motive is good, such as trying to make a Christian witness, or seeking to help another when you know it is the right thing to do, even when you don't want to, that is not hypocrisy.
d. As God sees you. God knows the real us better than we know ourselves -- and God loves us anyway. The fact that we are human beings qualifies us for respect and love. God forgives and renews our spirits.
e. As God wants you to be. God has a plan for our potential as we were created "in God's image" (Genesis 1:26-27, 31). The trick is to find that image God knows you can be! We aren't very successful at this endeavor. (Teens get involved in drugs and other undesirable behavior supposedly seeking "to find themselves." That has become just a handy catchphrase to excuse unwarranted activities.) God can start with the unlikely and make us very lovable. Moses was disabled. Ruth was a foreigner. Paul was "afflicted" with a serious health problem. David was small and ruddy -- and a wicked sinner. Mary was very poor. Peter was impetuous and clumsy. Matthew was a traitor. John the Baptist was eccentric.
Remember the situation concerning the animal cage at the zoo with the sign on it that read, "The most dangerous animal in the world"? In the cage was a mirror. Some introspection or self-examination could reveal some real surprises about ourselves. The better the Christian knows himself or herself and his or her potential, the healthier their spiritual life will be. James 1:22-25 discusses how hard it is to know ourselves unless we listen to God and then practice being what God wants us to be. Do you know your many selves?
a. As you see yourself. There is a side of us that only God and we know. Many people do not like who they think they are. This often comes from perceptions of how we think the world perceives us, and we want to come across much better.
b. As others see you. You never know for sure exactly how others view you; you can only suspect. We ask our best friends subtle questions hoping for some glimmer. It is important to us as social animals to be accepted by some valued group and feel that we belong and are worthy.
c. As you want others to see you. We wear masks and try to fool other people in order to give a better impression of who we are. This image we want to portray to others changes radically depending on who those others are. Being a hypocrite means trying to convince others you are something that you are not. However, when the motive is good, such as trying to make a Christian witness, or seeking to help another when you know it is the right thing to do, even when you don't want to, that is not hypocrisy.
d. As God sees you. God knows the real us better than we know ourselves -- and God loves us anyway. The fact that we are human beings qualifies us for respect and love. God forgives and renews our spirits.
e. As God wants you to be. God has a plan for our potential as we were created "in God's image" (Genesis 1:26-27, 31). The trick is to find that image God knows you can be! We aren't very successful at this endeavor. (Teens get involved in drugs and other undesirable behavior supposedly seeking "to find themselves." That has become just a handy catchphrase to excuse unwarranted activities.) God can start with the unlikely and make us very lovable. Moses was disabled. Ruth was a foreigner. Paul was "afflicted" with a serious health problem. David was small and ruddy -- and a wicked sinner. Mary was very poor. Peter was impetuous and clumsy. Matthew was a traitor. John the Baptist was eccentric.
