01/24/2024
I Think I’m Better Because I’m Afraid I’m Not
The "roots of self-righteousness" is not a sense of superiority and achievement. Quite the opposite. Judgmental people look down on others in order to try and bolster their own self-esteem. We create pecking orders and hierarchies of moral or religious achievement so that we can have concrete proof that we are okay—that we are at least better than obvious ‘sinners.’ The whole nature of judgmentalism flows from our fear that we are not good enough, attractive enough, accomplished enough, popular enough, or loveable enough.
That’s where the gospel of Jesus Christ comes in.
Of course we are not enough. We never have been and never will be. But the good news is that we don’t have to be. God is more than good and graceful enough for all of us. The goodness and unblemished character of Christ is imparted to us in that mysterious exchange which takes place on the cross of Calvary. He became poor so that we could become rich; he became one of us so that we could become One with God. We are loved and appreciated and cherish because we are sons and daughters of the Most High King and when we accept our place as heirs to the Kingdom and live out our royalty in our love for others then we become so much more than we ever could have become on our own.
There is no need to look down on other human beings. People are people—each and every one of us a mixed bag of one degree or another. We are called to look eye to eye, heart to heart with those God has put in our lives. And to appreciate the many and varied differences between us as part and parcel of the gift of life.
Archived Posts
Matthew 24: One More Thing...
I sometimes stumble on old documents I’ve created but have completely forgotten about. I cannot remember why I created them or what purpose they were originally supposed to serve....
Keeping the Church Doors Unencumbered
Sunday, we considered Jesus’ disruptive actions in the Temple in light of his frustration with keeping gentiles from worshipping in their designated courtyard. We then reflected on how we still tend to throw up roadblocks to those who don’t normally attend church. I found the following, but didn’t have space for it in the sermon. It’s provocative and worth chewing on for a while.
What Was the Crowd Celebrating on Palm Sunday?
I came across this list which feels a little like a "Greatest Hits of Jesus' Ministry". I share it with you today for your inspiration and edification. Enjoy!
The Best Kind of Trouble-maker
While working on this last week’s sermon I was looking through Phillip Yancey’s excellent book—The Jesus I Never Knew—when I came across a section that I found profound. It didn’t quite fit my sermon, but it caught my eye enough that I copied it down.
Practical Tips To Avoid Judging Others
When I research a sermon, such as Sunday’s message on judgmentalism, I always try to think through some practical steps or tips in how to implement God’s desire for our lives. I rustled together a herd of ideas this week and I offer them to you.
The Shepherd, the King, and the Rescuer
God has got a long list of names, but some of those names are better than others. There is a small child who thought God’s name was Harold since the Lord’s Prayer includes the phrase “Hallowed be thy name.” When you think of all the scriptures that are most likely to be memorized you would have to include Psalm 23, The Lord’s Prayer, and John 3:16. The danger for us is our tendency to focus on the wrong thing.
Old Jokes Are The Best Jokes
Sunday morning, we took a look at Jesus’ command to make our enemies into neighbors and loving our neighbors as ourselves. One of the obstacles to doing this is our growing sense of tribalism—whether it’s a political, socio-economic, or even theological tribe.