ABC's of Leadership: Accountability
ABC's of Leadership • Sermon • Submitted
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Matthew 12:15-37
Matthew 12:15-37
Welcome:
Subject: Accountability (You can’t deny the stats)
Pray:
C4 has a high ratio of men compared to other churches and that has affected how we communicate the gospel. For example, Instead of life groups or small groups we have huddles. Our huddles are lead by captains who have a coach as their ministry team mentor.
As I look around the room, I can’t help but notice the fact that we have several generations of people here today. Some of you are from the Dr. J era. If we were to discuss the greatest players of all time, you might mention one of his contemporaries.
In my generation, everyone wanted to be like Mike. We wear his shoes, his warmups, and his hair style. Some even by choice. We are certain that he is the GOAT!
Meanwhile, there’s a newer generation who will sell their birth right for a ticket to see Lebron James dunk a basketball. They will not only quote his stats, but they can tell you every basketball team he’s ever played for since his first little league game.
It is true that some have more championships than others. As we compare rings, trophies, and awards it would seem that there are more than a few points to argue one’s position as to who is the real MVP. But there is one thing that all of these men have in common that no one can take away from them.
We can’t see it, but we know they got it. We can’t touch it or measure it, but we know it belongs to them. There is without question, within the souls of each of these men, the spirit of a champion.
There is a drive to win, a desire to achieve, a refusal to lose. Their reputation goes before them. Their record speaks for itself. The truth about these men are, they were the greatest in their time.
The truth of our opinion is that they are just that. Opinions. They are preferences based on perceived facts. We all have those. This is nothing new. In fact, people have opinions about God based on perceived facts and have been doing so since the beginning and opinions have a way of getting us into trouble with God.
An opinion had Adam and Even eating off the forbidden fruit. An opinion had folks worshiping Baal. Opinions made Joseph consider divorce when Mary was pregnant with Jesus. And opinions made religious folks call this same Jesus, a demon. Some opinions don’t matter. But other opinions can cost us for an eternity.
Matthew 12:22-37
Matthew 12:22–37 (NIV)
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.
23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?
27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.
34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.
37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
That was true for them then, and it is true for us now. Ladies & gentlemen, we serve a God whose record says it all. He’s done things no one else has ever been able to copy. He created galaxies out of nothing.
He spoke the sun, moon and stars into existence and with nothing but his bare hands, he made man in his own image and likeness.
This same God wrapped himself in flesh and dwelt among his creation in order to not only save us from death, but to remind us of God’s image. To show us who and what we were created to be.
Yet, some of us treat Jesus with the same contempt that we treat the so-called goats that are claimed by a generation other than yours.
When they speak his name, you get upset. When they sing his praise, you plug your ears. If they wear his brand, you step on his shoes. You’d rather see him die than raise the dead.
We are like the pharisees who apposed the true King. We are like the harassers who hated the Messiah. We are like the ones who, after seeing Jesus restore a man’s withered hand, plotted to kill the healer.
We even resist the ones whom he has sent. But I believe there’s a few people in this room who would say, “I know the God that I serve and I believe he knows what’s best for me.”
I believe there’s a few folks in here who can look back over the history of this church and say that God has never failed his people. He has never broken his promise. He might work through different personalities, he might employ different methodologies, and he might even use some wild creativity.
But the same spirit that moved in the hearts of men to plant this church is the same spirit that is in the hearts of men to water it and tend to it, and prune it, and plant again. And we know this because the record shows that God is faithful to give the increase. Seed, time, and harvest all belong to God.
I need a few people in here to say God, don’t let my opinion keep me from my purpose. Shut my mouth if it ain’t you. Anoint my lips when it is.
So, here we are, ladies & gents, at a critical juncture where we must choose our words carefully. Will we say what God is saying or will we speak like snakes?
As we evaluate the works God has done through our brothers and sisters, will we criticize or will we confirm that this is God’s doing?
Will we divide the Kingdom or do we stand on The Lord’s side? Whatever we choose, we must remember the words of Christ who said
Matthew 12:36-37
36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.
37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
So, as God continues his work, I’m asking to to say only what He says because there is safety in His word. Build each other up. Encourage one another. Speak well of the brethren and let truth in love shout louder than any word that tears down. Because at the end of our lives, we will be held accountable for every word we’ve spoken that does not add value. And since each of us will have to give an account, we might as well start our deposits now.