The New Normal

I’m trying something new today. I’m simply posting my notes from today’s message. I don’t know how often or how helpful these may be to anyone..but here they are. Any feedback you have would be helpful.

These are my notes from (01/29/2012) Pastor Gary Thompson’s message about acceptance.

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:7)

1. We like the idea of being accepted. 

Demi Moore quote. “there’s something wrong with me.”

Good thoughts on acceptance not being approval of wrongs but receiving someone despite their wrongs.

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15:11-24, 30-32 NIV)

2. But we all have acceptance issues. 

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ (Luke 15:25-30 NIV)

RACE

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28 NIV)

We all perceive Jesus in our own ethnicity. Partial to our own culture and ideas about God. But God sees no color.

Church needs to get over racial issues.

ECONOMIC

If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:3, 4 NIV)

Some “rich” people see poor people as needy because of something they have done to themselves.

Some “poor” people have a predetermined mindset that rich people don’t care and are selfish.

All people need Jesus..regardless of $$$

SPIRITUAL

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV)

Judgment..we use outward appearances..but God looks inward.

We don’t have the ability to judge a mans heart (his salvation).

3. So we need to look at people the way God does. 

But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15:30-32 NIV)

Dead and alive!!!!

Lost that are found!!!

That’s it. We’re either dead and still dead or we were once dead and are now ALIVE!!

We ALL were once lost! So we shouldnt judge the lost but rather welcome them in like a hospital welcomes the sick.

The church should be a place of NO judgment. We should accept everyone as they are and work together towards holiness.