Curmudgeons in the Church
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a Crusty, Ill-Tempered Old Man
a Crusty, Ill-Tempered Old Man
derived from the intransitive verb…curr meaning the murmuring sound of a dove.
TWo old men on the muppets.
Dubois - Valley Dairy...
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW
WENHEM TAKES GOOD AND BAD AS A MERISM (EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN)
EVE SAW THE TREE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW EVERYTHING...OMNISCIENCE
MAN'S DESIRE FOR GOD AT THE FALL BECOMES A DESIRE TO BE GOD.
THE MOVE IS SUBTLE THAT PRODUCES CONFUSION.
CAIN LATER KILLS HIS BROTHER NOT IN A PREMEDITATED STATE, BUT IN A MOMENT OF LOSING CONTROL...SO THE PROBLEM OF THE SITUATION IS NOT THAT MAN CAN REASON EVIL, BUT THAT HE CAN'T REASON OUTSIDE OF HIS OWN SELF INTERESTS.
SOME SEE THIS AS SEXUALITY...
BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
MARTIN BUBER
GOOD AND BAD REFERS TO THE OPPOSITES LATENT IN CREATION THAT CAN BE ASSESSED AS GOOD OR BAD DEPENDING ON THE PERSPECTIVE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME MAN BEGAN TO EVALUATE LIFE, CREATION...WHAT WAS GOOD AND BAD WHAT WAS BENEFICIAL...ETC. BEFORE ADAM AND EVE JUST ACCEPTED CREATION WITH NO DISTINCTION. GOD KNEW ALL OF THIS. NOW MAN KNOWS THIS.
FOUR VALID REASONS FOR THIS INDEPENDENT EVALUATION IDEA.
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,
What is meant by Judgment.
Judgement usually arises from a self-centered source
seeking to assign blame - …everyone is blaming everyone else.
Whereas
Discernment arises from Humility and the desire for what will make things better…and encourage the body.
Each of us tends to be either people of Grace or People of Truth…that’s why we have boards and Leadership Teams.
Judgement vs Discernment.
The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
Don’t Judge the World
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
Don’t Judge with Haste
Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
When you judge with haste you judge by
Appearances
Without all the truth...
And you judge with Discrimination
We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
1 Cor 10.8-10
Illustration: Pastor’s wife with the pencil.
Don’t Judge with Haste
Appearances
Without all the truth...
Illustration: Pastor’s wife with the pencil.
Leave Judgment to Elected Leadership
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
Leaders are called upon to exercise discipline and make discerrning judgment.
Jesus was the perfect balance between Truth and Grace.
Each of us tends to be either people of Grace or People of Truth…that’s why we have boards and Leadership Teams.
Don’t Judge the Heart
You are not to judge what you cannot see.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Judge as you would be Judged.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
Children judge parents until they become one.
We judge pastors until we have that role.
Judge yourself
But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
People Pleasers.
If you want to be a curmudgeon…be a curmudgeon
on your own life.
HUMILITY
Paul is an example of this when he cites that at times he didn’t receive payment for ministry though he was certainly authorized to do so.
He was ll things to all people.
He talks about the incredible freedom we have in Christ, yet humility is willing to suffer restraint so that no one rejects the gospel because of what they see in us.
So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
1 COR 6.4-8
WHY DO YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS.
YOU JUST MIGHT BE SAVED FROM A HEART ATTACK.
I REMEMBER SOME YEARS AGO A NURSE TELLING MY THAT AN IRATE ANGRY MAN STORMED INTO THE HOSPITAL AND IN A TIRADE TOWARD ANOTHER PERSON....THEN HAD A MASSIVE CORONARY.
WHAT YOU SAY MATTERS?
IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE WOULD ALL APPLY THE SCRIPTURE TO OUR LIVES ON A CONSISTENT BASIS.
IMAGINE THE FREEDOM OF THE LORD’S TABLE.
EVERYTHING IS RIGHT AS FAR AS IT IS POSSIBLE IN YOU.
QUESTIONS:
Do you tend to be a person of Grace or a person of Truth?
How are you doing at discerning your friends…knowing they will determine the outcome of your life?
What do you tend to judge in others?
When was the last time you had an introspective look at your own life?
When you come to this table this morning, are you at peace as far as it is possible with all of your relationships?
Is there someone you need to forgive?
Is there someone of whom you need to ask forgiveness?