Fan, Fanatic, or Faithful

Hello men, the outline for Thursday's Power Lunch is copied below. It deals with the level of our relationship with Christ and how that impacts us and everything we do. Hope that you find it helpful as you grow in Christ.

God bless, Billy

REAL Men

Fan,
Fanatic or Faithful?

3/11/10

I. Differing levels of relationship with Christ

A. Fan

Ø Admires Him and thinks He is a good teacher

Ø Secular or nominal believer or, just a seeker

Ø Knows about Christ; does not know Him

Ø Void of any meaningful power or peace - impotent spiritually

Ø Life looks like most unbelievers

Ø Life is suffered and is an endurance contest

Matthew 7: 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

B. Fanatic

Ø Knows some truths and uses them as weapons to show superiority, gain power over others and gain acclaim/wealth

Ø Judgmental, insensitive, over bearing and condemning

Ø Known for what they are against –show intolerance and self-righteousness

Ø Start most religious wars

Ø Appear to be overly Christian; actually, are not nearly Christian enough

Ø Become modern day Pharisees

Matthew 23: 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. 16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, 'If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; 21 and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22 and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. 23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

C. Faithful

Ø Look an awful lot like Christ

Colossians 3: 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Ø Do what Christ did

John 14: 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Ø Knows the truth and is set free by it (also, sets others free)

John 8: "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Ø Lead full, robust lives – full of godly power

John 10: 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Philippians 4: 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.