Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Titus 3:14: Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
Christianity is diverse - so many different people, and so many different backgrounds.
Old and Young
Rich and Poor
Saved Long and Saved a short period of time
However, no matter what the circumstances, we all come here and set everything aside to worship Jesus Christ.
(STORY OF ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CONFERENCE IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN)
There are so many different types of people churches today - notice I didn’t say christians, because not everyone that goes to church is a christian - AMEN?
We’re going to be taking a look at tonight the different types of people that are in our churches across America today - allow God to search your heart tonight, and make sure that one of these people isn’t you...
1. Chompers - Ineffective people in church
These people bite off more than they can chew. It’s like a person with no teeth trying to eat a steak - not only does it hurt them, but it’s ineffective.
These people are so busy doing their own thing that when it comes to God’s Kingdom they are completely ineffective.
These people could be effective in every other aspect of their life, but when it comes to God, they are completely non-effective.
These people tend to take on so much, that they get overwhelmed.
It takes a mighty organized person to take off all kinds of tasks and still be able to keep God first.
I firmly believe that you can come to church to worship the church and not worship God. The "church" is one of the biggest idles in society today.
We have to worship the Christ IN the church, not the Church of the Christ - AMEN?
It’s hard to prioritize, but we must in everything, no matter how much we’re doing for God, keep Him first.
2. Chicken Fried Steak - All that and a bag of chips people
These type of people in churches are arrogant and self-centered. I’m glad that I don’t feel that spirit here, but it’s easy to get that way. Just think of it this way...if you are telling someone how much the church is growing, and you’re saying it to glorify yourself, you are being the Chicken Fried Steak person.
These people are arrogant, and confident on the outside, but they’re nothing on the inside.
You can have every material thing, but if you don’t have Jesus, it’s all for nothing. We must remember that pride goes before the fall.
These people drag others in churches down. The "followers" (we’ll talk about them next) get this attitude that so-and-so has it all together - because everything on the outside seems to be fine. And they try and emulate them, and from the beginning, they have a warped view of what a real, true christian is.
We have to make sure that we are remaining humble, because we are only here because of the grace of God and for no other reason, and we have to remember that always
Zechariah 4:6 - "it’s not by might, nor power, but by MY spirit says the Lord of hosts."
Remember that he who humbles himself will be exalted and he who exalts himself will be humbled.
3. Copycat - Followers of action and example people in church
These people probably scare me the most, because if they get to following someone that isn’t a real christian, they are doomed, and in my opinion, they are the hardest to bring back.
If they’re "model citizen" is singing, then they will sing. If they’re clapping, then they’ll clap.
Philippians 3:12 says, "not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that which Jesus Christ took hold of me."
Our goal in life should not be to see how much we can be like other people, but how much we can be like Christ, AMEN?
It’s ok to follow someones example, but your goal shouldn’t be to be like them, but it should be to be like the God in them. I can lead by example, but at the same time be saying, I’m who I am because of Jesus Christ, and if YOU allow Him to change you, the same could be said for you.
I’ll coin this phrase tonight - "COPY CHRIST" - don’t be a copy cat, be a copy-Christ
4. Constituents - the people who are the voice of the church
Some feel that their opinion should be so valued next to other people. A perfect example is the young lady that thought she was the final liason in between the churchs pastor and God. She told the pastor that she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was supposed to ask for donations for green carpet downstairs. The pastor, amused at the young woman, looked at her, and said, "um...sister, this is a one-story church!!!"
We have to make sure that we don’t become ambassadors and constituents of the church, but that we become ambassadors of Jesus Christ.
II Corinthians 5:20 says, "We are therefore Christ’s Ambassadors as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf - be reconciled to God."
We have to be the voice of Christ, and His children and constituents.
5. Complimentary Breakfast People - want it all people
These people want their cake, and to eat it too. They want their lives set before them the same way in the same fashion.
What these people fail to realize is that you get what you pay for. I’ll go a step further by adding a letter in that phrase...you get what you pray for.
We have to make sure that our sacrifices are meaningful, and that we aren’t wanting something at a no-cost. We don’t have to pay the price of our salvation, but we do have to pay the price of growing, and we do have to pay the price of seeing our friends and family members come to Jesus Christ.
6. Couch Potatoes - Lazy people in churches today
These are people who are not really caring about what’s going on - they are just coming to come to church and to say that this is their church home.
They’re lazy and bored Sunday after Sunday and Wednesday after Wednesday --
Don’t ever NOT do something because you think that it doesn’t make a difference, because it does.
Don’t continue to sit on the couch thinking that someone else will do it, because if everyone had that attitude then nothing would ever get done.
These people on the couch are comfortable with where they are at. They’re on the couch observing and being the cheerleader that everyone wants to hear on the sideline. We have to make sure that we are NOT this person.
7. Crybaby - people who complain in churches
It takes more of a person to not complain about it, then it does for them too. I know this is a touchy subject, because I can feel the tension in the room right now.
We have to make sure that instead of crying because things aren’t going the way that we want them, and start crying about the lost people that don’t know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and who are on their way to hell.
Remember John 11:35 - Jesus wept - if He did it, we should have that same heart and be able to too.
8. Last but not least - the CONTAGIOUS person
We’ve heard this term used many times before, but it’s time that we start seeing it manifest in this church. We have so much to be thankful here, but the fact of the matter remains that as of right now, we all need to be contagious.
Contagious:
Attitudes
Hearts
Minds
Wills
We need to have contagious faith, so that others might be caught up with us. We have the awesome priviledge of calling ourselves true children of God - and we need to with all of our hearts and souls take advantage of that.
So often times we hear of epidemics of the flu and epidemics this, and infections of this and that. It’s time that the world and especially Pomona Kansas start seeing an epidemic of JESUS CHRIST - somebody say Amen!
Tonights altar call is very simple -
Find a place to pray -
Ask God -
1. Am I a chomper who bites off more than he can chew?
2. Am I a chicken fried steak who thinks they’re all that and a bag of chips?
3. Am I copying others or copying Christ?
4. Am I being a constituent to the church or a constituent for Christ?
5. Am I being a continental breakfast church member - wanting everything nice, simple, and for free?
6. Am I a couch potato - lazy and bored in church?
7. Am I a crybaby crying for my will, or for lost souls?
8. Or am I contagious, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to the whole world with my actions, my life, and my words.
Which category are you in tonight? We don’t have to go through each individually - but understand something - no matter what background, no matter anything else prior to right now, we all have one thing in common - faith in Jesus Christ - let’s be contagious for Christ.
