A place where everyone can fit in Romans 15:7
Before my sermon, I showed a video clip from bluefishtv.com entitled "Fitting In" this hilarious video clip was a great lead in for my message!
A. “Fitting in” …in the Church
You can fit in at most churches if you live like most Christians.
Quietly attend worship once a week because it’s just something you do.
Don’t be overly expressive or emotional if you want to fit in.
Listen to the sermon attentively but be careful or it will sink in.
The key to fitting in at church is accepting one another:
Everyone is a unique creation of an almighty God.
Everyone: the church is for everyone.
Believer and unbeliever
Rich and poor
Red, yellow, black and white
Old and young
Extroverted and introverted
Unique: We are all different.
Different personalities
Different Strengths
Different experiences
Different burdens
Different blessings
Creation: Everyone has the fingerprint of God on their souls.
God has created each person, knows them inside out.
God has created each person and has dreams for them.
God has created each person and so they have
incredible value.
When we realize this, it changes how we see and treat each other.
Accept one another. See them for who God has made them to be.
There is a place for everyone in our church. God does not turn anyone away. He accepts all who come to him. How can we ever turn anyone away?
B. “Fitting in” …in the Lord
Give Up and Commit
GIVE UP grumbling! Instead, "In everything give
thanks." Constructive
criticism is OK, but "moaning, groaning, and
complaining" are not Christian
disciplines.
GIVE UP 10 to 15 minutes in bed! Instead, use
that time in prayer, Bible
study and personal devotion.
GIVE UP looking at other people’s worst points.
Instead concentrate on their
best points. We all have faults. It is a lot
easier to have people overlook
our shortcomings when we overlook theirs first.
GIVE UP speaking unkindly. Instead, let your
speech be generous and
understanding. It costs so little to say
something kind and uplifting. Why
not check that sharp tongue at the door?
GIVE UP your hatred of anyone or anything!
Instead, learn the discipline of
love. "Love covers a multitude of sins."
GIVE UP your worries and anxieties! Instead,
trust God with them. Anxiety is
spending emotional energy on something we can do
nothing about: like
tomorrow! Live today and let God’s grace be
sufficient.
GIVE UP TV one evening a week! Instead, visit
some lonely or sick person.
There are those who are isolated by illness or
age. Why isolate yourself in
front of the "tube?" Give someone a precious
gift: your time!
GIVE UP buying anything but essentials for
yourself! Instead, give the money
to God. The money you would spend on the luxuries
could help someone meet
basic needs. We are called to be stewards of
God’s riches, not consumers.
GIVE UP judging by appearances and by the
standard of the world! Instead,
learn to give up yourself to God. There is only
one who has the right to
judge, Jesus Christ.
Commit
I recently joined the First Place for Men group.
The focuse is spiritual and physical health.
The Nine Commitments of First Place
Attendance
Encouragement
Prayer
Bible Reading
Scripture memorization
Bible Study
Live It Plan
Commitment Record
Exercise
These are some of the same commitments we need with the Lord.
C. “Fitting in” …in the world. (Slide #8)
Card from a new Christian teenager.
If you fit in with the Lord, you will not fit in with the World.
If you fit in with the world, you will not fit in with the Lord.
Too many Christians think they can fit in with both groups.
There is a difference between being in the world, and being of the world.
Imperfect up people felt more comfortable around Jesus than righteous people.
Blind, crippled, prostitutes, religious curious, political leaders, demon possessed.
Why do imperfect, sinful people feel so uncomfortable in the church today?
Jesus accepted them and let them be real. He didn’t condone, but he didn’t condemn.
We need to let people be real. In May we are going to be in a series…Desperate households.
We are going to deal with real issues that imperfect families and Christians deal with.
D. “Fitting in”…in your relationships.
Unconditional Love
Complete forgiveness
No strings service
Courageous Honesty
Committed Fellowship
A place where everyone can fit in.
God has created each of us for his glory, for his purposes.
He leads us to the church and to others to impact lives for him.
He has put us in the world because that is exactly where he needs us to be.
He promises us a place of eternal celebration, a place where everyone who seeks him is accepted and fits in.
