1.  Raising The Bar

Quite honestly, I didn’t steal the title of this section from Pastor Bob’s current series.  This title was in the working for a long time now.  I first purchased cell phone when I was working for AT&T.  As a dutiful employee, I chose them as my carrier. Hey for $19.95 a month for employees I couldn’t resist. One problem. The service at the time was crappy. You probably know the more bars that show up on your cell phone, the stronger the signal. Quite often, I couldn’t get more than 1 bar in the places I needed to use my phone! Verizon at the time touted the best reception in the area. Even though service would cost me twice as much as AT&T, I jumped on it and I’ve been a happy Verizon customer since.  As a contractor for AT&T I should mention that service has gotten much better.

I imagine this section will ruffle a few feathers. In fact, I’m sure at this time I’m going to eat some humble pie here myself!

Myth: We can lower our standards on Sunday

You don’t have to raise your hands for these questions.

How many of you regularly show up late for work?

How many of you show up late for church?

How many of you get your kids to school late?

How many of you show up late for Sunday School?

Would you take a cell phone call while in a meeting with your supervisor?

Would you take a cell phone call during a church service?

Talk about Sunday school opening, activity in the sanctuary from the back, cell phone stories, bathroom breaks, people not showing up when Pastor Bob is gone.

Why don’t we give worship/Sunday school the same priority?

When you are repeatedly late for church or take cell phone calls during worship, what are you telling others about how you feel about God?

Reality: We should raise our standards on Sunday

Check out Hebrews 10:19-25

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

What are some key points of this passage?

We have the privilege of coming before Jesus. We can do this at home and as we worship in church.

    The influence of Islam is growing in this world, so is intolerance toward Christianity. The Pope not too long needed to apologize to Muslims for using a medieval quote decrying the brutality of Islam.  We may not always have the privilege of meeting together without fear of persecution! Treasure this privilege

We should spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

When you are habitually late, take phone calls during worship, or don’t show up because you don’t like the speaker, how are you encouraging others to make God a priority in their lives?

Senior saints setting good examples: Crawfords, Millie Wiley, Wes’ mom, the Waltons

Meeting together should be a regular part of our lives

Not doing so becomes a habit.

What obstacles can someone face in getting to church or Sunday school on time?

How can those obstacles be overcome?

How can you avoid cell phone interruptions?

Unless you’re a senior citizen or have a bladder control problem, you shouldn’t be taking a bathroom break during church.

How can you avoid bathroom breaks?

Where is this place?

Humble pie time. Jonathan to the bathroom then me!

Men’s retreat

Look, it’s going to happen from time to time. We know that sometimes for some unforeseen reason you’ll end up late to church. You drank a huge mug of coffee on the way to church and you really have to go.  Just don’t make it a habit.

Note too that we should raise our standards as we serve God in our ministries.

What would you tell someone who says that they can lower their standards for God?

What can we do to raise our standards?

2.  Only On Sunday

            Myth: God doesn’t expect us to be like Jesus

Has anyone ever heard of Bonnie Hunt?

Actress/Comedienne, offbeat

In the movie, “Stolen Summer,” she played the mother in an Irish/Catholic family “Jesus gave his life for you … the least you can give him as an hour Sunday morning.”

Can anyone relate to this one?

A college student I worked with … “I’m a good Catholic girl … I go to Mass every Sunday .. what do you *!#@$ing think?”

Lest you think I’m picking on Catholics, my wife, was ridiculed by her family who attended a church of Protestant denomination. Her family often, said we can’t possibly be like Jesus. They attended church on Sunday and drank to excess during the week.

There are Catholics and Protestants alike who  feel that they must be in church on Sunday but anything goes during the week because they find it impossible to live up to God’s standard.

Are they right, is it impossible for us to be like Jesus?

Depending on how you look at it, the answer is YES!

Jesus was sinless. And we all sin.

Romans 3:23

23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

If your definition of living the Christian life is going to church, it can’t be done.

            Reality: God expects us to be like Him

With respect to sin, a Christian IS expected to be like Jesus.

Ephesians 1:4 (New International Version)

New International Version (NIV)

4  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Colossians 1:22
But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

1 Peter 1:15
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;

We are saints – sanctified, made holy. We need to endeavor to lives worthy of our calling.

3.  I’d Rather Laugh With The Sinners Than Cry With The Saints

            Myth: The sinners are much more fun

Billy Joel wrote a very popular song back in the 70’s – Only The Good Die Young. It was a very catchy tune about a guy trying to seduce a Catholic woman. While the goal of the song is definitely out of line with what the Bible preaches about sex before marriage, it accurately describes the perception many have of the Catholic faith and more broadly, Christianity.

“Those stained glass windows you’re hiding behind, they never let in the sun.”

Some believe that if you’re a Christian, that fun of any kind is off-limits.

Conversely, many in the secular world look for fun in all the wrong places!

What are some unbiblical ways people like to have fun?

Pre-Marital Sex

Emotional Complications – HOUSE

1 in 6 people have an STD

Debauchery – ever been around a drunk person, alcoholism

Wife Swap

Pornography

WCHR Example

Reality: We should have fun!!

Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

Guidelines:

The Bible lays out God’s expectations for us – sex must happen only when married, we shouldn’t drink to get drunk.

We shouldn’t do anything that will cause us to stray from God.

1 Corinthians 10:32
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—

Nor should we do anything to cause anyone to stumble or compromise our witness to others.

LVC Story – Johnson’s Bar

Good examples: bowling, Pastor Bob – motorcycle ministry, going to a club to hear a friend play

For me – music in the backyard with the kids – playing praise songs, but also a top 40 radio station from England, AAA music, country music as well.

How Do You Like To Have Fun?

Conclusion: We’ve spent this last quarter describing the misconceptions both believers and non-believers have about God and the Christian faith. The point of this lesson was not just to have a lively discussion of these issues but to equip you to discuss these issues with your church family and with those we hope will enter the Kingdom of God – to help you take God and the Christian faith out of the box the world has put them in. I hope I’ve accomplished this goal.

You can access these class notes from the front page of our website, lifeatcalvary.com.