Almost Gospel - Week 3 "The Gospel of Moralism"

Almost Gospel - Week 3 "The Gospel of Moralism"

WEEK 3 – "The Gospel of Moralism"                               The Lie: "Being Good, Is Good Enough" Opening Reading: John 8:1-11 The Three Sayings 1. Cleanliness is next to godliness.  2. Spare the rod, spoil the child.  3. Hate the sin, love the sinner.  These three sayings focus on external behavior while missing heart transformation.   Big Idea: Jesus did not come to IMPROVE behavior; He came to TRANSFORM hearts.   Teaching Movements: "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Point 1: God cares more about inward holiness than outward appearances. * Matthew 23:25-28 – Woe to you Pharisees; you clean the outside of the cup, while the inside is full of greed and self-indulgence.. * Psalm 51:10 – Create in me a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit Clean HANDS without a clean HEART accomplish nothing. What the Bible actually emphasizes: * Purity of heart (Matthew 5:8)  * Inner holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16)  * Spiritual cleansing (Psalm 51)  God is far more concerned with INWARD TRANSFORMATION than OUTWARD TIDINESS.   "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Point 2: Biblical discipline is discipleship. * Hebrews 12:5-11 – Endure hardships as disciple, if you are not disciplined you are not legitimate sons and daughters of God * Ephesians 6:4 – Fathers do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them, bring them up in instruction and discipline that comes from the Lord God's model is not PUNISHMENT but FORMATION. Many assume this comes directly from Proverbs. The exact phrase originated in a poem by Samuel Butler. It comes from the epic-length 17th-century poem ”Hudibras”, written by Samuel Butler (1612-1680), a cheeky British poet who enjoyed mocking religious extremists and hypocrites.[1] [applewebdata://D1BB770C-6536-4E9A-898F-B49683B472F4#_ftn1] Proverbs does discuss discipline (Proverbs 13:24), but its advice is the OPPOSITE. 24The one who will not use the rod hates his son, but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.   "Hate the sin, love the sinner." Point 3: Grace and truth belong together. * John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and made His home among us… * Luke 5:31-32 – Healthy people don’t need a doctor, the sick do… The phrase "hate the sin, love the sinner" is not Scripture. Jesus did something better. He LOVED SINNERS while CALLING THEM TO REPENTANCE. While many view it as a useful summary of Christian ethics, the phrase itself never appears in Scripture. The concept has historical roots reaching back to thinkers such as Augustine of Hippo. It’s from St. Augustine. His Letter 211 (c. 424) contains the phrase Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum, which translates roughly to “With love for mankind and hatred of sins.” The phrase has become more famous as “love the sinner but hate the sin” or “hate the sin and not the sinner” (the latter form appearing in Mohandas Gandhi’s 1929 autobiography).[2] [applewebdata://D1BB770C-6536-4E9A-898F-B49683B472F4#_ftn2]   Gospel Invitation Religion says: "Clean yourself up." Jesus says: "Come to Me and I will make you new."   Conclusion: The false gospels of self-reliance, comfort and moralism are all inverted remnants of the truth; in reality… 1. We are WEAKER than we think.  2. God is WISER than we think.  3. Grace is GREATER than we think.  [1] [applewebdata://D1BB770C-6536-4E9A-898F-B49683B472F4#_ftnref1] https://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2017/11/spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child/ [2] [applewebdata://D1BB770C-6536-4E9A-898F-B49683B472F4#_ftnref2] https://www.catholic.com/qa/who-said-love-the-sinner-hate-the-sin

Parable of the Bike

Almost Gospel Week 3 Opening Parable

Almost Gospel - Week 2

WEEK 2 – "The Gospel of [self]Comfort" Opening Reading: Romans 8:26-28 These three sayings distort God's purposes in su=ering and hardship. The Lie: "God Exists to Make My Life Easier" Core Passage: Romans 8:18-30 Big Idea: God's goal is not our COMFORT, but our CONFORMITY to Christ. Exegesis Romans 8:18-30 – helps break down the misrepresentation of Romans 8:28 Teaching Movement Saying 1: “Everything happens for a reason” Not everything that happens is good. • Acts 2:23 Evil is genuinely evil. Not in the Bible. Romans 8:28 is often mis-paraphrased this way, “God works all things together for my(our) good” , but the verse says something much richer: "God works all things together for good for those who love Him..." The Bible does not teach that every event is good. It teaches that God is sovereign enough to redeem evil, su=ering, and tragedy for His purposes. Saying 2: “This too shall pass” Temporary su=ering is not meaningless su=ering. "This too shall pass" isn't Scripture. I believe Gandalf better says it in his epic battle with the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-Dum “you cannot pass” {four times by the way book, not the one usage from the movie of “you shall not pass”}. But: • Revelation 21:4 God uses su=ering as formation. Not in the Bible. The phrase has roots in ancient Middle Eastern wisdom traditions.- Originating from medieval Sufi poets like Attar of Nishapur, the phrase is famously tied to a fable about a king who asked his wise men for a ring with an inscription that would keep him grounded in both bad times and good. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. Dietrich Bonhoe=er, “The Cost of Discipleship” Saying 3: “God works in mysterious ways” God's ways are often hidden but never absent. Not in the Bible. The expression itself, is actually a misquotation of the hymnist William Cowper. The proper quotation is actually “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.” It is found in the Hymn that is titled, “God Moves In a Mysterious Way” from 1774. • Isaiah 55:8-9 Mystery is not abandonment. Again, the great theologian Gandalf the Gray says it this way, “A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.” The concept is biblical; the quotation is not. Practical Application When life hurts – Instead of asking: "Why did this happen?" Learn to ask: "How is God meeting me here?" Invitation At Calvary, God transformed history's greatest evil into history's greate

Almost Gospel - Week 1

WEEK 1 – "The Gospel of Self-Reliance"                    The Lie: "I Can Do This" Core Passage: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10   Big Idea: The Christian life is not about becoming strong enough FOR God; it is about becoming dependent enough ON God.   Teaching Movement Point 1: God helps those who help themselves. On the contrary, God helps the helpless. He is near to the brokenhearted.  Example: Israel at the Red Sea * Exodus 14:13-14 – Stand firm, see the Lord’s salvation, He will accomplish, He will fight for you (you must be quiet)  * Romans 5:6 – We are helpless, Christ salvation is our help NOT IN THE BIBLE. This saying is often attributed to Scripture but is more commonly associated with ancient Greek thought and later popularized by Benjamin Franklin (Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1730’s). The exact phrasing is actually attributed to English political theorist Algernon Sidney 1698. What the Bible actually teaches: God often helps those who cannot help themselves. * Psalm 121:1-2 – Our help comes from the Lord, not from ourselves or our circumstances * Isaiah 41:10 – Our strength comes from the Lord, life is in His’ power and His’ strength * Romans 5:6 – We are helpless, Christ salvation is our help The gospel itself is built on the reality that we were helpless apart from God's grace.   Point 2: God won't give you more than you can handle. The opposite is true, God often allows more than we can handle. * 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 – We were completely overwhelmed, beyond our strength * Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near the brokenhearted, He saves those crushed in Spirit NOT IN THE BIBLE. This is probably the most common misquotation among Christians. People often derive it from *1 Corinthians 10:13*, which speaks specifically about TEMPTATION, not SUFFERING. What the Bible actually teaches: God regularly allows circumstances that are beyond our ability so we learn dependence upon Him. * 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 – We were completely overwhelmed, beyond our strength * Judges 7:2-3 – In “success” man often elevates themselves, over God, in “victories” The biblical message is often: "You cannot handle this alone, but God can."   Point 3: Follow your heart. Your heart is a poor compass. Do not lean on your own understanding, RELY ON HIM.  * Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is more deceitful than anything else, who can understand the heart * Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust your heart with the Lord, do not rely on your own understanding THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. This phrase is everywhere in modern culture. What Scripture says: "The heart is deceitful above all things..." (Jeremiah 17:9) The Bible consistently teaches: * Trust God above your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6)  * Submit your desires to God's will  * Allow God to transform your heart  The biblical message is closer to: "Follow God, HE will lead your heart with truth."   Point 4: To thine own self be true. The truest version of yourself is found in Jesus. * Luke 9:23 – To follow Jesus is to deny ourselves. Take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus * Galatians 2:20 – I am crucified in Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me SHAKESPHERE, NOT SCRIPTURE! The phrase comes from Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3. It is spoken by the character Polonius to his son Laertes before Laertes leaves for France. The famous line appears in a longer speech: "This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." The Biblical Contrast The Bible approaches the self very differently. Scripture certainly values integrity and sincerity. For example: * Matthew 5:36-37 – We should not rely on ourselves, but let our integrity come from the Lord * Ephesians 4:25-27 – Do not lie, do not give power to mistrust. Be angry, but don’t sin * Acting out of impulse comes from Satan the Father of Lies  Again, Scripture is remarkably skeptical about the human heart as the ultimate source of truth.   Gospel Invitation: The world says: "Believe in yourself." Jesus says: "Come to Me."

Real Men, Follow Him - Father's Day 2026

Title: Real Men, Follow Him                       Text: Luke 9:23-25   Opening (Problem, Facts, Hypothesis) The “solution” to many of our problems within this shattered world, in which we all share, sits in this room RIGHT NOW! What if we took the call of Jesus to “Follow Him (Daily)” seriously in every detail of our lives? Then we would be the spark of change this world needs, based on the most basic and fundamental call of discipleship from Jesus (Follow Him).    Three Marks of a Man Who Follows Jesus 1. Let God Be Your Direction (v23) "If anyone wants to come after Me..."  2. Pick Up Your Cross Daily (v23-24) "...deny himself, take up his cross daily..." Sin says, "My will be done." Discipleship says, "Your will be done." The first sin in Eden was humanity attempting to occupy God's throne (Genesis 3:1-7). The first step of discipleship is climbing off that throne. 3.    Be a Dad Worth Celebrating (v25) "...what good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose themselves?" The Context Provides The Prescription (Revisit, THEN, Luke 9:22) Jesus doesn’t ask us to do anything He hasn’t already done Himself. He lived in the same way and same temptations of this life in the incarnation, and yet He was without sin. The Christian life is not merely admiration of Jesus. It is participation in the pattern of Jesus. Cross before crown. Death before resurrection. Surrender before glory.   Challenge Today we are giving every man three gifts. Each gift represents a challenge. First, a Compass. – Let God be your direction. -       Stop following the crowd. -       Stop following culture. -       Follow Jesus. Second, a Cross. – Pick up your cross daily. -       Choose surrender over selfishness. -       Choose obedience over convenience. -       Choose Christ every day. Third, a Trophy. – Be a dad worth celebrating. Not because you are perfect. Because you consistently point your family toward Jesus.