Almost Honest Christians - Week 2 - St. Peter - Pastor Tim Glende
Almost Honest Christians
Week 2 - St. Peter
Pastor Tim Glende
Don't worry. I already called Pastor Bill into my office. It's okay.
Welcome to week 2 of Almost Honest Christians. Like, if we put a list together of the things that we don't like to do, and I guess all of us would have some things that are unique to us. Like, I know a whole lot of you love fixing things. Working on things have gifts and skills for it. Would love to spend three or four hours and your garage. I don't there's some of you love mowing the lawn. I don't. There are some of you think shoveling your driveway is the greatest thing ever. I don't think we can disagree on a lot of those things listed, might be different. All the things we don't like to do but my guess is there are certain things that if I ask you, would you say you don't like to do this? Don't want to do this.
It's on your list would be the same as mine. In fact, I'd probably argue that 99.9% of most people would have a few things on their list that are in common, like, when it comes to household chores, like I've never once in my life from the time I was little to. Now when I'm 50, if I ever heard myself, my wife, my kids or my parents ever say, hey, when we divide up these jobs, you know, which one like let me be the one who cleans the toilets. Like no one wants to do that. Or how about when you go to the doctor for certain tests? Like just be honest, like ladies when you have to have some of those tests at the doctors go in like a mammogram or some of you. If you've reached the golden age of 50 and you have to go in and have a colonoscopy like after you're done you get out the medication on medication wears off. I've never once heard a doctor, tell me, no offense ,doctor, that a patient said to his doctor, that was the greatest experience of my life. Can I come back next week for another? If there are certain things that we would say, we don't like, Like right now you're all getting your W-2s or 1099s. You're getting your paperwork together. You're getting ready to take it off either to your tax person or do the daunting task of doing it on your own. None of you are asking the government to come back in six months and make you go through it again. We are certain things we just don't want to do taxes, probably on the list. But, we have to. Like, even those things that make the list of things we don't like to do. Whether it's the chores at home, whether it's the test that doctors do, whether it's the payment of taxes and getting all that stuff together. They might not be enjoyable, they might not be light. It might not be fun, but we need to do them.
And that's today’s Almost Honest Christians topic.
Like last week we began talking about confession and, and doing that as hard, but I think all of us, understand the wind from doing it in church. Regularly, like being honest with God, confessing our sins solving, the faithfulness of God, I struggle at times to be open and honest with it, but we can see the wind of it, like, spiritually, it's free. The Joy, the peace, the hope, the great news of what God has done for us and we do that. There's a big win and we get the LIE.
But today's topic probably is at the top of the list of spiritual things that Christians don't want to do. Confront.
And I'm not talking about confrontation in general. There are some of you here who love to push buttons and love confrontation and love, disagreements, and love arguments. I've heard talking about that kind of Confrontation like the debates that took place this week. On all the talk shows regarding who's the greatest of all time in basketball, like LeBron James. Now, the scoring record title holder People are still compared to Michael Jordan, like we're not talking about that kind of Confrontation. We're talking about spiritual confrontation.
Like when Sid happens confrontation,
And that's why this topic made this series, because almost honest Christians need to admit this reality. That there is a sinner that you are not confronting. Maybe someone in your group your life script that you've done life with for a long time right now and you know their sin is happening that they're continuing in it that they haven't repented of it and you're not confronting it.
For some of you, it's your spouse. Like, you know, That the things that they're doing are not godly. It goes beyond what God wants them to do or they're not doing the things God has called them to do it. And yet you're letting it slide.
There's some of you here who have friends who, you know, are Crossing Lines in different ways with different things. And yet, you haven't spoken up. I want you to think about that person in that situation, me. Maybe right now, in your life, all your friends, all your family, the people in your life group, they all have it so together that none of them qualify as that. I'm really honest. I doubt it.
And here's why. Because I'm an almost honest Christian in regards to confronting
And that's what we have to get honest today about this topic, about this issue. What does God say about it? What does God want us to know about it? So that instead of being almost honest, we can be honest.
Because there are some pretty big Stakes involved.
Now, here's the thing. As you heard the list, are you thinking about the list of Things that may need to be confronted that you're not. If you have an individual in mind, I first want you to think about the why that's the case that you're an almost honest Christian when it comes to confronting. Like some people when it comes to confronting go biblical, the Bible says, do not judge only God gets to judge. Therefore confrontation is not my gig, it's gods. Some of you why you don't do it as because You know, you should see what's going on but you're not sure if you maybe just ignore it, you let it slide, they'll figure it out. You won't have to confront them because someone else will or or they'll wake up. For some of you, a lot of you, me, it's fear. Like, oftentimes confrontation, when it comes to sin, involves the people that are closest to us, like the ones, under our roof, the ones we interact with the people in our group, the people that know us best and we know best And so if we confront that friend about their lifestyle choices, we are afraid that we're going to lose that friendship. So we don't
Or maybe if you're like me, your fear is, I know I want to do it. I know I need to do it. I'm not sure how to do it and I'm afraid that I might be legalistic and do it incorrectly. It stops me from doing it.
All of which leads me to this honest truth. I don't know what it is. It's your why behind the not of Confrontation and being an almost honest Christian? But I want to be honest, I want to give this to you. I don't want to sugarcoat it anyway. Confronting isn't easy. It's not.
It's not easy. Like it's funny people, you love and people that are important to you, it's not easy.
Like, I get it. I understand it. I don't want to minimize that in the least.
But you know what God says about it? Do it. Be courageous. And the Bible says, Confront. Confronting isn't easy. But you know, what's not also biblical.
It's easier to talk about that person than to talk to that person.
That's not biblical. That's honest.
It's easier to ghost them, then to go to them. And that's not biblical either. If we're honest.
What's easier is to vent about them to gossip about them to slander them that it is to confront them.
And none of those things are Godly even though they're easier.
See. The truth is a lot of times the waves we handle confrontation or don't handle confrontation. It's just as sinful as the Thing, that we need to confront.
Which is why we at 922, we think it's time for us, to be honest.
Look, God calls us to do and have a very unclear understanding of Of want to confront how to confront and why they confront .
Because it isn't easy. And that's my goal for you. Today is to answer those three questions from the Bible. So that you know the honest words of God, this isn't a pastor’s this isn't a church's belief, this is the biblical belief on confrontation because God wants us to be honest. Christians question number one whom and what should we confront? It is important to get, right? Even though you might think you know the answer I want to give you a little bit of information and things to remember to passages that help answer the question. If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, Galatians 6, you heard before, brothers and sisters, are someone who is caught in a sin. You live by the spirit should restore that person the two answers to those questions whom and what should we confront? Here's the whom: God calls Christians to confront Christians. Because I need to hear this, sometimes, we don't do that. It's hard to confront the Christian, the person that we know, the person that we do life with and sadly, sometimes we go after the people who aren't Christians. Like God did not call you to confront your unbelieving boss, who's sleeping with someone you work with, it's wrong, it's immoral. And there might be workplace issues that need to be reported but confronting his sin one-on-one going to that person and say, “You're sinning. You're violating God's word, stop. Don't do it anymore,” standard that he lives by is not God's word. You are misapplying confrontation. But so many of us love to confront the unbeliever versus the believer.
God's talking about Christians confronting fellow Christians. That's who God calls you to confront. Not your atheist, brother-in-law. Not the boss, not that person, your neighbor, Christians Christians. By every measure, you can look at the verses and say it's brothers and sisters. People have a close relationship with people that you're doing life with. But you might know someone who's a Christian who lives in California, who posts something on social media. It might not be your job to confront them. Like, you don't have a relationship with them, you don't know all the answers. You can't have a face-to-face go to, like, God, can concurrently call Christians to confront the Christians that they do life within that, they know.
Cause them to confront fellow Christians and confront sin.
Sin. Like the Ten Commandments What God Says to do and not to do when they don't do it or are doing it sin.
That calls you to confront them when their sin is against you, personally, when you've experienced it, Right? So it's real to your relationships are in danger yours with them with others, maybe with God or sin that they're caught him. Can I need you to hear this? Like every time you go out with friends, you shouldn't be on the alcohol Patrol. Like if your idea of getting drunk is more than one drink, but they have two or maybe three, maybe they get a little close, but it's only one time be careful, they might not be sitting. Like caught in a sin means ongoing, repeated, unrepentant. Like they know it or maybe don't know it. They're struggling with it and you see it over and over and over and over and over again and they have not repented of it.
Like care about your brothers and sisters, speak and analyze the people that you know, But don't lead with hammers over things. You're not sure are sinful, and definitely do not believe it's your job to confront things that are preferences and opinions. And not biblical truths.
Like politics.
Like when you call someone out for sinning because they voted for that person and that party God does not say that. Knock it off.
Like you have conversations about it, you should debate it. What? You believe you should look for an elected official but politics nowhere in the Bible, does it Define a partier and individual as a sinner? Whether it's alcohol, whether it's dancing, whether it's, you know, this letter, another thing, there are some areas that you need to be careful with Because you have a preference in an opinion and it's not a fact. Confront sin. If you need to review what it is Sir with Exodus 20, the ten commands will give you a pretty good idea.
In regards to sexuality in regards to how people honor and use God's name in regards to How people speak of others, it's full of a whole lot of great things. I can start to be your guide. If you're not sure, ask if I'm not going to be the first one to go because God says that's your job, but if you went to a passage it says, I'm trying to figure out what's right or wrong in God's eyes. In regards to this topic, can you help me? We will confront Christians as Christians and confront sin.
But before you do the confronting of a fellow Christian, I need you to stop and pause and understand the how because it might be far more important than anything else you hear today. Like, here's our God says about how we should confront.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust, in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? What can you say to your brother? Let me take the speck out of your eye. When all the time, there is a plank in your own eye, you hypocrite. First, take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Notice what it doesn't say and what it does say, It doesn't say because you have a big old. Plank in your eye. And they only have a spec, you don't have to do it.
But because you have a big plank in your eye, you better do something else first.
Get down on your knees. And be humble with God.
Like before you confront someone else's sin, confront your own sin, Like own, it acknowledge it. Do what we did in week number one, confess it. Like get your heart in the right place, be humble. Because you know what happens? When you confront when you don't do that, You lead with the hammer. Your goal is to bring that person down to their knees and make them feel some pain at that is not godly. Nor is it anything close to Godly confrontation? Be humble.
They go back to the ones we read before. See how the end just between the two of you like, make it personal? This is one-on-one, don't talk about them, don't slander them. Go to them and be honest. You will live by the spirit, and should restore that person. Gently, like, your heart should be in the right place. And the words that you lead with, should not come in so strong and so hard.
That's what's important. And what your goal is can't happen.
Don't make assumptions about people, hold of motives, but tell them the truth, be honest. This is what you did. And it hurt me. My guess is maybe you didn't intend to, but this is how I felt. This is what I saw. Are you hurting? Are you struggling? How can I help you? Like be honest, be humble. And loving confrontation involves two hundred proof, Grace and Truth.
And no one modeled those things better than Jesus.
Like Jesus was always honest and Jesus always confronted with Grace and Truth.
Like, think about how he confronted Peter the night before he died. Came with the truth.
And with 100% honesty. Think about how he could have confronted the adulterous woman when the people wanted to stone her and by right by law, they could have Jesus confronted them and said you, who is without sin cast the first stone, when they didn't? He looked her in the face and said they're gone and neither do I condemn you. Grace. But go and sin, no more. Truth. Because the reason why the Pharisees didn't like Jesus, but the sinners did. Like, it's not that he didn't confront them. It's that he came honest. But also came with 200 proof truth, and Grace.
Which really kind of gets into the LIE. Behind the front is probably the most important thing you can think about. They just think about how many passionate confrontations you have about things that matters to God.
I think about the last confrontation you had with that person, about politics or sports, or your favorite teams. Like, like, how deep the conversation went, how long you argued the case, how much you are willing to carry out that confrontation, and it had nothing spiritual at all at stake.
Why does God want us to confront? Because there's something he's passionate about. You. And me. And them. Because eternity is at stake, eternity. Because someone is caught in a sin if they're unrepentant of a sin. If they don't turn from that sin, like if they'd rather live in it, then stop doing it. The Bible is filled with pastors that talk about Where that leads. Leads to hell.
Like the person who says, We can go on sinning because Grace might increase, God Says by no means We died to sin. So those who live for him? No longer live for themselves, the Bible is filled with all sorts of reminders of why. But if you wantt any other, why, than me saying so, look there.
Like the why of Confrontation is found in the very true that Jesus confronted sin head on to pay the price that you and I couldn't pay so that we could spend eternity with God. He wants all people to be saved. And that person that you're not confronting or that person that you are willing to confront is someone who is precious to God. In eternity is at stake. And, He said it if you go, if they sinned, go and just between the two of you, if they listen, in other words, if they take it to heart, they apply the truth. You have won them over. James, her half brother, adds a little flavor to it. Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their ways. If someone is wandering from the truth, will save them from Death, Eternal death and covers over a multitude of soup although to his sins. Eternity is at stake. Jesus says why confront the Bible says. Because if not turned from the error of their ways, if they remain caught in their sin, they are not one over but they are lost.
Don't sweep it under the rug, don't overlook it, the grandchild or child that you have that is openly and willingly violating God's Word and you don't speak into it. They are endangering their souls. I know you can say, someone else down the road, will confront them. What I can guarantee you is one day, they will be confronted by God himself. And there are only two options and things you will hear on that day: “Away from me” or “Welcome, the kingdom prepared for you.”
Like there aren't multiple choices. It's not all the above. If it's either or
Take the heart, the LIE.
And if you have to confront, remember the why? And if you are the one being confronted, it'll be very easy to be defensive to shift the blame to point the finger to judge them back. Remember the why?
Remember the why, they love you.
And they're less concerned about being right.
Because they're concerned about you being right, with God.
Maybe they help you remember the why.Is this STP equals LTP. Like confronting is hard, it is not easy. There will be some pain involved for you in doing it. You might risk losing relationships. There might be some pain involved for the person you confront because they're going to deal with it but that is only short-term pain. It is short-term pain and short-term pain is worth it. When long term pleasure, eternity with God, is the truth that happens. Because we obviously can be true. If you don't go through with it, if you don't do it, if you avoid it, if you leave it to somebody else that person will remain caught in that sin, that person might continue to have some short-term pleasure, but it will be long term.
And God doesn't want that for you or for them. Which is why God wants us to be honest Christians, and why we want our church would be filled with people who are courageous and willing to confront.
Because I know why. And when they do, they understand how. Because they know who.
They know you.
So can I put this on your heart?
I know these situations are hard. I know they are all unique but can I convince you the next time that you think that situation is one that you can could should confront that when you hem or haw as you pray about it, Like, if you get to that point because you've seen it enough times and, you know, it, you know what the Bible says about it. It's not your opinion. It's not a matter of preference. It's the truth and God's calling you to be honest. Remember this.
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
I know that because I didn't much like it when I've got openly rebuked by my friends.
My human heart wants to push back. Doesn't want to listen.
But I'm thankful for that confrontation. And I pray that you can say the same in your life, both past, present and future. Because an open rebuke from a friend is better than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend.
If our church and our relationships are made up of friends like that.
If they wound us so that we can be healed. We are all blessed.
And you don't have to do it alone because the one who is ultimately faithful who for wounds and confronts the cross for you and me promises to be with us promises to bless us. I want you to remember why.
Eternity is at stake. And he wants all people to be saved.
