A Convictional People
Notes
Transcript
Intro - Recap the last two weeks.
United People - Gospel
Generous People - Giving of Love, Commitment, and Monies
Judge Illustration
Today we are looking at: A Convictional People
Convictional means in this context that: There is enough evidence in your life to be declared guilty for what you believe.
Church Covenant Paragraph 3
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotion; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred acquaintances; to walk carefully in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to live a life according to…(Eph. 5:15-18)
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
If we are to be a convictional people and live out our faith
Look carefully how you walk - vs. 15
Head on a swivel football
We see this in our Church Covenant so we must be a people that come back to two questions that this text imposes upon us.
1. Am I wise or foolish? (vs. 15-17)
Contrast
Be wise not unwise
make the best use of your time
Don’t be foolish
know the will of the Lord
OT Wisdom = Two Ways Tradition
15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Wisdom was always connected to right living. Here we see Paul giving this contrast in our text. So where do we find this wisdom to live by?
1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Are you wise or foolish? Are your convictions directed by God’s Word which gives wisdom or worldly thoughts?
2. Am I filled or controlled? (vs. 18-21)
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
Contrast
Drunk with Wine - debauchery - lack of control - poor decisions
Filled with Spirit - be filled - passive
Sealed vs. Filled
Results of being filled with Spirit
Worship
Amongst Others
To God
Thanksgiving
Not Grumbling
Submission
To each other
Christians who are convictional in their lives are wise and filled with the Spirit.
Those who are not walking carefully are using worldly wisdom and having a lack of self-control. We must be careful to not allow our convictions make us legalists all the while our hearts are far from God.
We must be a people whose convictions and works are driven by wisdom that is founded in our faith as we are filled with the Spirit. Without this foundation we are religious zealots and not Christ followers.
So how do we respond to this?
Am I wise or foolish?
Godly wisdom vs. worldly wisdom
Am I filled or controlled?
sealed - GOSPEL
filled - asking to be filled since we leak
Am I guilty?
Am I convictional?
is there evidence to convict me?
if you are wise and filled there will be.