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A
GATEWAY SERMON
SUMMARY
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AUDIO
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Nuking
negativism
Jerry
Varnado,
pastor
Gateway
Church,
Athens GA
November
2, 2003
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- Main
Scripture text:
Philippians
4:8-9.
- See
that half-glass of water I put
on a table in the center of
the sanctuary? Some people
would say it's half-full of
water. Others would say it's
half-empty.
- Those
who see it as half-full
probably tend to see the
positive side of things,
focusing on possibilities
rather than problems. Those
who see it half-empty probably
tend to focus on the negative
-- problems, difficulties,
things that could go
wrong.
- Yes,
we need realists in the church
who can see and assess
potential dangers and
problems. What we must avoid,
however, is constantly
dwelling and focusing on the
negative.
- Paul
says in Philippians 4 to focus
on things that are "of good
report." He said that in a
cultural context in which
Christians were under constant
pressure; many were persecuted
or killed for their faith.
- Paul
knew that constantly focusing
on the negative dulls our
spirit and blinds us to
possibilities and the power of
God. When that happens,
challenges we could overcome
become mountains we can't
climb.
- Sometimes
negativism will disguise
itself as prudence, a quality
the Bible encourages. In
Numbers 13, when it was time
for Israel to enter and fight
for the Promised Land, ten of
the 12 guys sent on the
scouting party came back and
said, "There's no way. We
can't win this fight."
- God
had promised the land to them,
but they let negativism rule
their lives. The people
refused to go in and take the
land. They ended up wandering
in the desert for forty years
until all the negative
thinkers had died off.
- An
important point: our positive,
possibility thinking must be
rooted in God's revelation and
purpose for us. If He calls us
to do it, we can do it.
- How
do we get free from
negativism? Paul says we can
choose
what we think about and that
we should think positive
things. Indeed, God made us
and equips us for positive
achievement.
- Positive,
possibility thinking starts
with knowing what the Bible
declares about those who
follow Christ: We are loved by
God, adopted as His children,
co-heirs with Jesus to all the
glory of the Kingdom of God.
We've been endued with power
so that in all the problems
and pain of life we are more
than conquerors through Him
who loved us. Indeed, we can
do all things through Christ
who gives us the strength!
- John
the Baptist said Jesus would
separate the wheat from the
chaff. I don't think that's
talking about judgment. I
think it's talking about
sanctification.
- Wheat
has a husk around it -- the
refuse that encases the
kernel. When Jesus looks at
us, He looks past the husk,
past the the refuse we all
carry around. His focus is the
kernel of wheat within. Jesus
focuses on our potential in
God -- and that is the way we
should see others and
ourselves.
- We
shouldn't live in denial about
our shortcomings or about sin.
But we our focus should be on
what people can be in God
rather than what they are in
the world.
- Positive,
possibility thinkers don't
wring their hands and say,
"Look what the world has come
to." Rather, they raise their
hands and shout: "Hallelujah!
Look what has come to the
world: a savior who is Christ
the Lord!"
- Is
the glass half-empty or
half-full? I'm endeavoring to
leave my negativism behind.
Let's press on together with
God, mediating on what is of
good report, looking for the
potential in every person --
and the possibilities and
opportunities in every
circumstance.
Supporting
texts: Numbers
13
| Luke
3:15-18
| Romans
8:20
A
mp3 audio file of this sermon is
here.
(Download
to a PC by right clicking on the
link and choosing "Save Target
As." Mac users: click, hold, and
choose "Download Link to Disk."
Depending on your connection
speed, the file may take several
minutes to
download.)
An
audio tape of this sermon is
available
free of charge (U.S. requests
only).
Request
a tape by calling
or writing the Gateway Church
office.
Please specify tape number
031102a: Nuking
Negativism.
©
2003 Gerald R.
Varnado
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