The Jesus Correction
Passionate Purpose
In Jesus’ time on Earth, He wasn’t interested in token gestures. He didn’t care about outward behavior. He shook up anyone whose faith was lukewarm, and He brought hope to the broken, the lost, and those tangled in sin by showing them what true worship could be.
In this series, we’ll go beyond the simple words or phrases that we often use to loosely describe what it means to follow Christ, and open ourselves up to discover the knots in our lives that Jesus wants to correct, so that we can live an authentic faith. We will leave with an understanding of the roadblocks Jesus wants to remove from our spiritual walks as well as a renewed.
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Week 1: The Worship Correction
Week 2: The Purpose Correction
Week 3: The Hypocrisy Correction
Week 4: The Pride Correction
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INDIFFERENCE
Gifts Ignored
The gift of Christ ignored
Imagine Jesus—Steps out heaven—Holy—Endures torture.
You experience forgiveness of sins. Life to the full. Living word at fingertips—Access to God through prayer. Charges you with spiritual purpose—Gives you same spirit that rose Him from the dead.
Our Response: “Meh”
Meh generation
Go day in day out—without him crossing your mind.
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Worship is the unbridled expression of who we have been made to be.
Purpose is the life’s order of worship (how and what)
Spiritual Indifference kills purpose and worship!
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If we are to walk out our purpose and find the rhythms of abandoned worship, we have to rid ourselves of spiritual indifference.
Jesus can not have a collection of spiritual indifferent members of His church.
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Our nations faces one of its biggest challenges.It cannot continue to be indifferent to the very spiritual foundations non which it was founded. It can not continue to be indifferent to the maker of the universe and the one whom He sent.
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John 17:3
And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth
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Jesus wrote a letter to 7 churches
He corrects each one of them.
Revelation had both a current and a future relevance.
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Laodicea: wealthy city, 35 years earlier destroyed earthquake.
Rebuilt (over compensated): Theaters, Stadium, Lavish public baths, Shopping centers. (Vegas, Dubai)
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Major problem: Inadequate water supply
Pipe in water from Colossae or Hireapolis
Colossae cold (Mountain),
Hireapolis—Hot Springs.
Both had purpose—Cool and refreshing—Hot and medicinal.
By the time the water got Laodicea—Dirty, Tepid—Lukewarm.
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Revelation 3:15-16
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16
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Indifferent: Spiritually Stale, Depressingly Detached.
Doesn’t just turn Jesus’ heart—Turns his stomach—Spit you out.
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Our very purpose is what creates the abundance in the life that Christ came to give us.
Jesus’ passion for you is unbridled and He knows that indifference to Him will rob you of life.
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Become stale toward Christ indifferent to the fruit of His gift and muddied by the opinions and situations of this world and we become purposeless and listless OR we become passionate about inconsequential things.
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TWO CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL INDIFFERENCE
(LACK OF PURPOSE)
1. SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’
But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked…. Rev 3:17
I’m good: Coffee, iPhone, Amazon Prime, Netflix
I can answer some of the questions of the universe
I am generally a good person.
You have worldly wealth—Spiritually bankrupt.
Lives are full of stuff—Empty of meaning.
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2. DISTRACTIONS OF THIS WORLD.
But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Mark 4:19
Bills pay. Places be. People meet. Selfies take!
Dishes—Laundry—Kids to school—Oil change—PTA.
Save the unborn. Save the whales—Stop using plastic.
The blues wave, the red resistance, global warming, 10 – 14 days, lock down, the Chinese, Georgia, and those crazy people who insist on OR who refuse to wear masks.
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LIVING WITH LUKEWARM INDIFFERENCE
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2 Timothy 3:1-5
You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
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1. We’re more concerned with impressing people than living for God.
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2. We’re obsessed with life on earth (in the now)rather than eternity.
What I have over what I’m called to do
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1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
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3. We rationalize sin and live without truly fearing God.
Not as bad as others—Not hurting anyone—One thing.
Say: Selfishness isn’t big. Everyone gossips. White lies
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4. We believe in Jesus, but we rarely share our faith.
Matthew 10:32-33
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
Jesus said if you confess me—But if you don’t…
Confessing, expressing Jesus with passion and purpose fulfills Jesus’ purpose of building our relationship with the Father.
Sharing our faith is one of the greatest things we can do to build our relationship with the Father
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5. We only turn to God when we need him.
Rather than seeking him daily—We seek him when he benefits us. God with benefits
He’s a tool we use when we need—Not a God I fear and worship.
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6. We’re not much different from the world.
Watch same movies, Enjoy same music, Same morals (same choices)
Before long: Raise kids same way, chase after money just as hard, we divorce as often.
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Indifference doesn’t just break Jesus’ heart
Makes him want to vomit.
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REIGNITING THE SPIRITUAL FIRE
Word, Pray, Witness, Fellowship, Give, Worship, Turn from sins
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EVERY DAY, DO SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES FAITH.
5 year journal: Study—Workout—Evening home.
Do one thing today that you thought impossible yesterday
One thing that took faith.
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Stand up for something even though I know I’m going to be mocked.
Give when it’s a stretch for me to give—trust God.
Apologize to someone—Forgive when you don’t feel it.
Volunteer to pray out loud at next life group. (Go to small group)
Reach out to someone that God put on my heart even though….
Expose yourself to something that breaks your heart.
Pray for something that’s impossible.
Attempt something you could never do without God’s help.
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BEING SPIRITUALLY ENGAGED HURTS
Lie most believe: Easier not to care. Better to not get involved.
It’s better to hurt with a purpose than to exist without one.
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Revelation 3:19
19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. (Faith)
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Everyday do something that requires faith:
Become more concerned with what God is calling you to than what people think about you.
Suddenly you are living for what lasts—rather than for what doesn’t.
Instead of rationalizing sin you confess them, become vulnerable and discover the power that Jesus brings through our weaknesses.
You find boldness. You are bold in the Spirit not timid because of indifference.
You turn to God when you need him—Daily—Moment by moment.
You are different—you are a follower of Christ.
You are different because you are IN Christ
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1 Chronicles 16:25-36 (New Living Translation)
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
He is to be feared above all gods.
The gods of other nations are mere idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!
Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and joy fill his dwelling.
O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him.
The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!
Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
and rejoice and praise you.”
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who lives from everlasting to everlasting!