90 likes | 316 Views
Discipleship – Traps and Treasure. Discipleship traps and treasures. We contend to be better disciples As we strive to submit more, serve more, love more, minister more As we pursue discipleship with everything we are, the enemy has laid land mines to try to ensnare us.
E N D
Discipleship traps and treasures • We contend to be better disciples • As we strive to submit more, serve more, love more, minister more • As we pursue discipleship with everything we are, the enemy has laid land mines to try to ensnare us. • The list is known as the 7 deadly sins. • The list is not from one place in scripture, but a compilation from traditional church history
Spiritual Pride • They only talk about “spiritual things” to be perceived as spiritually mature • They fear confessing their faults one to another • They downplay sin to minimize its role • They want to be seen as a great disciple • God’s offer and antidote – humbly recognize that every good part of you came from Him (Jam 1:17)
Spiritual Greed • The disciple can become dependant on the “feeling” of devotion • They focus on the affect of devotion, not the substance of the devotion • They want more and more, but for their benefit, not for Him • God’s offer and antidote – A removal of feeling, and an offer of simplicity (Psalm 46:8-11)
Spiritual Lust • The delight of the Spirit is pure and true love • The delight of the flesh is lust • The Spirit grows in love, the flesh battles back with impure thoughts, temptations, fears • God’s offer and antidote – an offer to replace lustful temptation with self control and peace (2 Cor 10:5)
Spiritual Wrath • If we have seen the goodness of God, but it is taken away for a moment of refinement • Wrath is the child who throws a tantrum when the bottle is taken away from us • We think we did something wrong, we grow impatient and struggle to “do things” to earn His goodness, His attention • God’s offer and antidote – Patience and trust – contentment – Psalm 4:4
Spiritual Gluttony • A desire to consume more “Christianity” • A hope that the right conference, the right teacher, the right books, the right event will fulfill the disciple • Consuming, self centered, indulgent pursuit • God’s offer and antidote – A forced fast of consumption, to break the selfish and offer selflessness – moderation (Psalm 41)
Spiritual Envy • A disciple who is distracted by the ministry, calling, and function of others • An inability to rejoice in another’s progress • A desire to have a “higher calling” • God’s offer and antidote – He can discipline by removing what we’ve been given. He offers gratitude and joy (Matthew 25:14-30)
Spiritual Sloth • When the Spirit filled life does not yield funand excitement – a disciple can grow lazy • What’s the good of doing it, if I don’t see some benefit. Why bother…. • We allow our thoughts of weakness to become actions of weakness • God’s offer and antidote – He offers strength for our weakness (2 Cor 12:9)