Trending - Week 5 - St. Peter - Pastor Tim Glende
Trending
Week 5 - St. Peter
Pastor Tim Glende
Good morning. Once again, welcome to something that's trending. Our technologies, not always on top of things. The last few weeks we are at week five of our sermon series, “The trickiness of half-truths”. And I pray that over the course of the first four weeks. That you have had an opportunity to at least stop and pause and think. Maybe it's a stone as I mentioned in week number one that's been put in your shoe, something uncomfortable, something that you thought about that. You've wrestled with. My guess is maybe over the course of the four weeks and the topics we've had from “Be you”, to “Love is love”. “Science is real”. “God told me”, you maybe had some questions answered and maybe you're still left with some questions.
And that's why it's so important to be doing a series like this. To understand that things throughout time and history trend. And some of them as we have seen are not just new trends or current trends, but they've been around for a long time. And that's exactly the importance of not allowing the trends to get the best of us, but allowing God's truth to speak to us.
Each and every week is, I have preached. I've kind of had a phrase to put in front of you, is to remind you the why behind the series? I tweaked it a little bit today to just remind. You don't simply trust. What's trending. The world would fear you in a direction. I majority of people might believe something to be true, but don't just trust what's trending.
But as we've dug into this and throughout the entire series, what we want to do, as, as Christians is trust, the word, God is sending.
What is God saying? What does God tell me? What does the Bible speak to you on this topic?
And I pray, that's what you've been finding.
Like a lot of times what people will say, when there are things that are trending, they'll say, well, I don't agree with that because my church says,
And I hope that your church lines up with the word, but I hope that what you find from your church, our church. Is that the things that we are talking about the truths that we are? Proclaiming are not just a position we have or we've come up with, but they come from God.
That's really the ultimate Authority. That matters. And today's trending that is so vitally important to remember and get right.
And so I'm excited that you're here because I think what you're going to find is today's trending is kind of like the conjunction to the last two for sure that we've had. Like be you and love is love, are trending phrases that a lot of us have heard. And a lot of us know are important to wrestle with and discuss, but if we don't have the and of today's message,
Sometimes those trending freezes and people who follow the world's trend. If we don't understand today's well. There's a whole lot of damage and danger that is still done. Except those two and hold them up as true, but if we don't follow through with today's relational, peace to those real and relevant issues.
God would tell us, we're missing.
The truth.
Which is why I'm glad that you're here. And I pray. My goal today is to give you some truths till if you understand, better understand, the trickiness of today's trending phrase and not just some truths, to help. You know, is this a trend that I should be?
Willing to follow. What are the truths that I need to know? What are the tricks as a part of it? But even more importantly the application that God would have us take away. Because it really applies to how we deal with in face of a whole lot of other trending phrases and beliefs in our world today. Which is why I want to start with this phrase because I believe it sets the stage for the trickiness of today's trending.
“Who am I to judge?” Because it's probably a thought that you've had a statement, you've made. It's definitely one that you've heard.
And perhaps right next to John 3:16. This Bible verse is the most well-known. Maybe even more quoted verse because Believers and unbelievers alike. Love it. It's why this trending has been around for so long, their words of Jesus himself, Jesus himself said, Do not judge. Or you too. Will be judged.
So you might be saying, pastor, Tim the training phrases, who am I to judge? And Jesus himself. Utters the words in The Sermon on the Mount, do not judge. Therefore. Amen, case closed. It's true.
Is that the whole context of that verse?
When Jesus says do not judge, is he saying eliminate judgment completely from your life?
Or is he addressing something different? Not the Judgment itself, but the heart of the judger, the mindset and the attitude of the person casting judgment.
Because the reality is, If we are not to judge, all of us are, Are probably down the road of? Having to admit that's impossible. Like simply put we judge all the time, don't we? Like all of you have judged at some point in your life who you've trusted with your social security number. Or the three digit code on the back of your credit card. Can I give it to them or not? Are they trustworthy? That's a judgment? Anyone who's ever raised kids, as judge the person that they've allowed in their home to be a babysitter, right? You, you maybe ask them questions. Do you, have you taken some CPR classes? Do you know how to make a meal or are you responsible? You've judged?
And if we're not to judge. Like what is there to be said, then of a world in which we live where where people have? I've acted out and lived in ways that are racist.
What about people who abuse? Someone else? Verbally or physically a child, a spouse?
Like, if we're not to judge. Then those things just get to go on and no one can do anything or say anything about it.
So there's got to be more to it, right?
And not only is that the reason why it's so tricky because Christians and non-christians alike will point to Jesus and and those three words, but
The other elements of the world in which we live at that, make it so challenging.
Like, the individualistic society that, that were a part of the American culture, where You is something that has risen to the top. I guess I'll live my life. You live your life. Who am I to judge?
Or what does that phrase trend?
Because you probably don't want to be judged either.
And you know how we sometimes walk away from judging others.
I won't judge you if you won't judge me. There's so many underlying issues of the human heart. The human mind, the trickiness of this trend is Is really something where instead of trusting the trendy and we need to listen to the word. God is sending on the topic of judgment and judging.
Which is why I want to give you for takeaways for truths that I believe the Bible highlights in regards to judgment and The Business of judging.
And I hope that you'll find in it, the biblical truth. The word God is sending so that it can help you. Help me help our church. In a world where so many things trend do not fall prey to this trend.
And then give you some reminders about what it looks like from God's perspective after those truths, if you see them, believe them. What God would have you apply based on them? So when I give you is the truth and some verses and discuss some leading into those takeaways at the end yours truth. Number one. If you're filling in the notes, when it comes to judging and The Business of judging is God's business.
The Bible says so. I want to be clear. I want to be straightforward on it. The Bible tells us over and over again. From beginning to end. You can find passages all over the Bible that God is the ultimate judge.
You look at few of the references. I put just two of them up there. It's God who judges writer says he brings down one and he exalts another. In the New Testament, James the half brother of Jesus says, there's only one lawgiver and judge.
One is able to save and to destroy. So in a very narrow sense, who am I to judge? In a very narrow sense. When I look at those verses I have to say, I'm not God. God is the ultimate judge.
And I like James' passage because I think it reminds, highlights the very specific application that we want to keep in front of us. There's one, lawgiver. He's God.
He establishes. What is right and wrong? And he is the only judge. In other words, what is the basis for his judgment? What is the thing that he'll use to judge? He'll use his word. The laws. He's given the commands. He's laid out the words that that we know have been inspired by him to decipher where people stand. The Bible paints the picture that at the end of time, God himself is going to come back. And Jesus is going to judge. He's going to separate believers from unbelievers.
And you can't miss that point in the pages of scripture. That God will judge on the basis of his word. Who ends up with him and It is saved, and who ends up in hell and is destroyed.
And as that sinks in God's the judge. We also need to have another truth alongside of it because that can be really scary, right? Like if you're sitting there and you're looking at your life, if you're looking at over the last few weeks and the trends that we've talked about, who of us, hasn't fallen, prey to the trickiness of them. Or maybe before, as we confess their sins and you came into church today.
And you talked about your thoughts. Words and your actions of this last week and yoora tracing your steps and Hearing that God judges.
It's hard in the heart.
Which is why it's important to remember that judging is is God's business. But also remember this about the business of God. God is in the people business. The you and me business.
They want you to remember some important things about that business.
That's important to him and for us to know. God, our savior wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. It's why we've tackled the trending series and talked about the trickiness of it. He wants us to know the truth. He wants all of us to be saved.
And you're how all of us are saved. There's one God, and one mediator between God and Mankind. The man Christ Jesus. Who gave himself as a ransom for all people?
See, God knew that the punishment for sin when it entered the world through Adam and Eve was death and the ultimate punishment that we deserve was not just physical death, but spiritual death and separation from God. And so God stepped in, and he sent his one and only son, the same person who at the end of time will judge.
How about themself in came to Earth to be a ransom for you and for me? To pay the price, we couldn't pay.
To be our mediator with God.
And God wants you and me to celebrate that truth. That's the business that he is in. The one who's the lawgiver, and the judge, and has the ability to save, and Destroy sent. His only son into this world, so that you and I might be saved.
We also know the Bible says this clearly.
But not everyone will go to heaven. I called Jesus paid for the sins of all people of all time. Not everyone ends up with him.
Unbelief rejection of God. Following our own path. Not repenting, turning from sin, but living in it and say no to God.
Leads to spiritual death.
This is exactly what the prophet Ezekiel said. And it's found on the other page of the scriptures that God is in the people business, sent people over and over and over and over again. Both Old Testament and in the New Testament and the New Testament Christians, and he has told his people to preach a message of repentance. To do a 180 from sin and and turn and follow God. I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the South and Lord repent.
Live.
And that God who's in the people business?
Does not walk here on planet Earth does not visibly talk to people face-to-face and call them to repentance. So, how does that message? Get out that reminds people of the one who judges, who shares that people the basis for his judgment found in the word. Point people in the direction of the only solution and salvation is in Jesus and calls to repentance. Addresses sin and talks about Grace. Speaks 200 proof truth and 200 proof Grace. It's why truth number three is so important. That judgment is God's business and God's in the people business. We need to connect the dots and remind yourself that God's business that people business is the church, Capital C is business. God entrusted that job to the church, his business. He's giving you and me the message of sin and Grace. He's given you and me the knowledge by the power of the Holy Spirit to know the truth that alone sets people free. That message of judgment. God has entrusted the church if you forgive anyone's sins. Their sins are forgiven. Jesus said this on Easter Sunday. If someone confesses it and comes to you and repents of their sin. The Church offers forgiveness. That's what pastors do on behalf of their church. That's why each and every week. We do the words of sin and Grace, I forgive you, your sins. By the authority of God. And if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. If someone says, I don't care, I'm going to do it my way. I know what God says, but I'm going to choose this or not forgive, if you do not forgive them. We call them the binding, loosing key in catechism class.
And the Apostle Paul called the early Christian Church in Corinth to carry that out. They were two thousand years ago. A people who fell prey to the trending and the trickiness of, who am I to judge? There was sexual immorality within the church. 1 Corinthians 5, you'll hear of the situation and the story and it's not a pretty picture and and Paul calls them out because they were doing nothing about it.
Who are we to judge? Paul said the church. What business is it of - the judge? Those outside the church, Paul says. Are you not to judge those inside? God, the ultimate judge will judge those outside people who don't believe people who are not inside of the Church of God. Expel the wicked person from among you.
Like Paul says, you are the church. And it's your business to judge.
Because you are the spokesman for God.
Which leads to the number four. Which is so important to consider it in light of Jesus words. And in fellow those words of Paul and these other purposes in Scripture. Judging one another. Is our business. Like the Bible is very clear for Christians. He's called us to judge one another. The pages of the Bible are filled with what other passages, love one another you're in fellowship with one another do life with one. Another, when we talk about judgment when God calls the church to carry out his business. He's talking about you and me living life together and doing that with one another.
I want a fellow Christian is is walking down the path that leads away from God when a fellow Christian is sinning against the lawgivers commands and guidelines, you and me who have been entrusted with the word are called it to speak the truth. The judge. My Jesus said do not judge. When you look at that. He was not. He was not calling out the action of judgment. He was calling the attitude of the heart.
The plank out of your own eye before you pull the speck out of the other person. We're going to address that in our action steps, at the end of what God would have us consider in light of this. But the Bible is very clear about judging one. Another brothers and sisters fellow Christians. If someone gets caught in a sin and one of another of you, you live by the spirit, should restore that person. Gently. If your brother or sister sins, Matthew 18 says go and point out their fault. Just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. The Bible. Very clearly says, when someone who is a fellow believer, when someone who is a Christian, someone who is a member of the church, someone who, who believes in God and confesses, God is straying from God is sinning against God. Seek them out and and speak the truth to them and love with the goal of restoration with the goal of winning them over. I think those trees are so important. We're going to come back to me just a second, but I want to stop because I think those last two points that God's business is the church's business and judging one. Another is our business. Why? This trending gets so hard?
Like why is it that you don't do that?
With one another.
I think one of the underlying issues is this reality of the lies that we believe that we long for people's approval, that.
We don't want to lose the one another.
And so, we're more concerned about our relationship.
That we are concerned about their relationship with God.
And I know that, because I feel that.
One of the things I hear a lot of people say, Pastor, who am I to judge? I don't know, the Bible.
The odds are pretty good if you went through. A confirmation class of some kind, as a kid or a starting point class as an adult you You know, the Commandments.
You know what? God says is right and wrong. You're equipped to judge.
But, you know, very clearly what God says is, we've talked about over the last few weeks about identity about sexuality, but what God says about it.
The boundaries God puts around at the blessing, God longs to give in it and yet.
So sadly, all too often we remain silent because we don't want to judge.
I would argue that. It's a sinful nature trade of cowardice often times.
Because we fear losing.
Relationships here.
And I need you to hear those words of white. God says business. The business of judging is ours because Restoration and winning someone over. Is so important.
And I want to put that on your heart.
And I don't want to do that. Losing sight of. The one who had you on his heart.
Like Jesus is the one who God has said, will judge.
You know what that judge doesn't want to do.
Have you go to hell? It's why I came.
It's why he endured the very pain of Hell on the cross. So that you would endure, the pain of judgement. Like, if all of us were judged on the basis of what we've done, we'd be lost. By grace, through faith. We know that we're judged not on our own deeds, but on the, The amazing love of Jesus Christ and his deeds.
And his work. And his actions.
And remember what business God is? Truly in. When we talk about him judging in the church judging and you and I judging He's in the people business the Salvation business.
Which is why the next time you, You wrestle. With the question. Who am I to judge? I pray, you answer.
The question for yourself.
While part of the church.
And I'm a connected to these. One another's who God has brought me into a family with. And call me to judge. Speak the truth in love.
But I'm not going to mince words. I know that that's hard.
It might be one of the hardest things to do.
Like, it's hard for me as a pastor.
Because I'm a human just like you.
Which is why I want to give you two takeaways today to help you applying that truth. If it's our business to judge one another, I want to remind you of the how. And the why. The how and the why the biblical truth behind it, here's two verses that will help answer the question how to make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy like God wants us to be at peace and got also wants us to be holy. That's the balancing act of judging right? He calls for Holiness and he Longs for peace without Holiness. No one will see the Lord without repentance without trusting in the Lord without faith in God. See to it. That no one falls short of the grace of God.
Don't want everyone to miss out on it. Here's the Apostle Paul in the book of Ephesians. He says we’ll no longer be infants tossed back and forth by the waves blown here and there by the wind of teaching in the cunning and craftiness of people have deceitful scheming. We won't fall prey to the trickiness of the trends. Instead, here's how to speak the truth in love. We will grow to become an respect the mature body of him. Who is the head? That is Christ, Our Savior. Our God, the judge. When we do these things, we will grow into becoming in every way, respect the mature body of him. Who is the head?
How that I don't want you to forget when it comes to judging. So Jesus was addressing in when he said do not judge. Don't forget the how Judge, biblically, not worldly.
Judge spiritual matters. Not worldly matters. Judging biblically begins with God.
So if you're thinking of how it looks like a judge, biblically, write the word god down. What does God say about this topic? What truth is God layout that is right and wrong. What is it? That God says judging biblically begins with God who he is, what he's done, what he says. The next step in judging biblically is first point the finger at yourself.
That's Matthew 7. Judge yourself. Like if the standard for judging was being sinless, none of us could judge.
But God says judge yourself first so that you can understand your sin. So it in doing it, biblically you come with humility.
You don't bring a hammer just to make yourself feel good. You use the law to convict?
But not to puff yourself up.
God, then you, then them, one another.
And biblical judgment always leans toward the goal of Grace.
Why did you catch that in those verses. When God says that your business and my business is judging one another, winning them over. Is the goal. Gentle restoration is the goal? That's not a hammer. That is love. That's speaking the truth. Don't mince words. Use the word speak. Clearly speak directly, but never lack in love.
Because love is from God.
See biblical judgment is way different than worldly judgment. Worldly judgment is about the person. Casting it. I'm better than you. I'm looking down on you. I know more than you. Biblical judgement is. I love you.
And judges with the “why”in mind. And that's what I want to leave you with. When we talk about judging, who are you to judge? God calls you to judge. Remember the how But never forget the why I tell you that, in the same way. There will be more rejoicing in heaven. Over one sinner, who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Like Luke chapter 15 is filled with three amazing Parables of Jesus about the Lost coin, the lost sheep, the lost son.
And they all end that way. My God wants all people to be saved. But God says there is a party in heaven. When when someone was on the wrong path, someone who is going away from God, repents and turns. There's more rejoicing in heaven, over one sinner. Who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. The role that God has given to you and me cause a celebration and rejoicing on the streets of Heaven, the angels in heaven rejoice.
I've been to a Packer game. I've heard 85,000, erupt in rejoicing, when a pass goes over the top into the hands of the receiver and they cross the goal line. Like, its deafening.
I want you to have that. Why in mind?
So, don't forget the why. It's hard. It's difficult. It's challenging. Apply the how, but never forget the why? Because “later lasts longer”.
Any parent would step in if their child said, I'm going to drop out of high school because you would say, “Don't. Finish. It matters. There's so many years that follow later lasts longer than the here and the now,
And how much more should the same be true. When we see someone going down a path sinning against God. Leads them away from eternity. Maybe for his paternity spending it separated from God.
Remember God, our savior wants all people to be saved later. Last longer. It will be hard. It will be challenging.
That's why God wants you to understand the trickiness of the trend.
Like I said at the beginning, it's the conjunction. Trending.
“Be you.”
The trending would say. “But who am I to judge? “
The truth of God, the word he's sending would say. Judging is our business. Amongst one another.
Because later lasts longer. He wants the people. You love the people that he loves. To be with him. For eternity.
