SUPERSIMBO

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” Titus 3 : 1-11

There are some challenges here for you and I……..the bloggers/tweeters/facebook-ers…………

“……speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” 

I’ve not always watched my conduct in these areas…..how about you?

“…..avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless”

I’ve certainly been slack here……..posting foolishly and entering into quarrels…….

These are certainly some things for me to re-consider now and while on my break from blogging/twitter/facebook in July……..what about you?

I didn’t take notes during yesterdays sermon…..after lunch I was reading some more of Matt Chandlers book ‘The Explicit Gospel‘

And, as if I needed to be reminded of this point……which I did……..and I do, continually………he just described the closing & main thrust of the sermon better than I could have…….

“God doesn’t need sacrifices. God is saying, (in Isaiah 1: 10-12) “I don’t need your bulls. I don’t want your goats. You’re missing the point. I’m trying to communicate to you how disgusting  and how horrible and how costly your sin is before me. And instead of feeling the weight of that and actually repenting, you just keep doing what you’re doing, all the while bringing me goats and bulls like that’s what I really want. They’re like a wife beater who brings his wife flowers. She doesn’t want his stupid flowers. She wants him to repent; she wants to be honoured.

The same thing plays out even to this day. Christ’s work demands the response of faith, but we want to make donations. It is astounding how many evangelicals are not doing Christianity at all; they’re doing the Levitical priesthood. They’re trying to offer God good behaviour so he’ll like them.”