Being Around People-While Still Being Sane! - Part B

Based on firsthand experience only was the worst person you know you you are the worst person in the world you know and I am the worst person in the worst is when I approach people cognizant of my own baggage my own sin. I will approach them differently and that is exactly what Paul did in the New Testament.

He writes things like this. I am the least of all the apostles and I am not even worthy to be called an apostle were all flawed people and that means our relationships will ever be perfect but if you live by God's word can build bonds that are rooted in love, redemption and forgiveness today on connect with Skip Heitzig Skip explores the biblical truths that can help you maintain healthy relationship. Now we want to tell you about a resource that will help you grow stronger in your faith reading the Bible can lead to asking serious questions like is the rapture real or overcome anxiety. These two questions are among those answered in Pastor Skip picks a new DVD of four impactful messages I skip.

I think, imagine knowing somebody who knows everything about. Now imagine somebody who knows everything about you and loves you and that's what were dealing with and we deal with the knowledge of God. This collection of some of Pastor Steph's most memorable teachings also includes what most people don't know about heaven and our thanks for your gift of $25 or more to connect more people to God's life changing word visit connectwithskip.com/offer to get online securely or call 800-922-1888, 800-922-1888 and request your copy of Pastor Skip Philippians chapter 2 Skip Heitzig to starts today start. Jesus was humble Jesus was lonely mind want to see if you go to verse five taken a little funder away from next week. That's where we'll be able to look at. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of man and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross so let me sum this little point up by saying this. Humility is the grace that becomes the grease so that the gears of relationship can turn smoothly. Humility is the grace that becomes the grease so that the gears of relationships can turn smooth. Do be humble. Second on the due list, do be respectful.

You'll notice that Paul says let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Now he qualifies out in the next verse.

Let each of you look out be on the lookout not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. I like the way the message translation renders this forgetting ourselves long enough to land a helping hand. Here's how it works but they were together. If we were together. I always put myself first and you always put yourself first to collide with the problem. But if we were together I put you first, and you put me first. Along just fine would be, preferring one another to be esteeming one another.

Our relationship is going to flourish. I heard about a youth pastor who went to a Special Olympics for children and these handicapped kids will compete in different events.

What was the 220 R – and the race began in a boy name Andrew took the lead. He was 50 yards out in front of everybody else in the pack and kept gaining more and more as he went until he turned up the final round for that last little leg of his lap as he was making the final turn little Andrew ahead of everybody else look down on the track and noticed his good friend had fallen in the race and was hurt on the ground at that point Andrew stopped and he looked at the finish line and he looked down at his friend and everybody in the process.

Andrew run, but Andrew didn't run Andrew walked over to his friend heard on the ground while people passed them by lifted up his friend or people passed them by, and took his hand took his arm and walked with his friend and came in dead last.

Everybody in the stands. They understood what was going on. They applauded form, but he came in the last walking his friend just so he could finish at all what what Andrew discovered is what a lot of us so often forget that. Is that sometimes finishing first isn't the most important thing helping somebody finish at all is I bet you've heard the name Leonard Bernstein. You've heard of him because he was really the first American conductor and musician that achieve worldwide acclaim on his level. He was a conductor. He was a director of an orchestra back was a conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He wrote the musical score for many Broadway plays by mention the volume be familiar with them. What Leonard Bernstein was once asked one day.

What is the hardest instrument to play, to which he said the second fiddle. The second fiddle and he explained he said I can get plenty of first violinist, but to find somebody who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm that is a problem that is a problem. So let us let each esteem others. Let's look out for others interests. Now, as I say these words and as I said as I thought of some I thought this a good point in this preach as well but it doesn't practice easy. I mean you are to go out in a few minutes go out get busy with our lives and do other stuff and chances are we are all going to forget this. Even if we take a few notes because esteeming other people greater than ourselves is so against our human nature. How are we even did a pull that off me.

Who does that lives that way were we esteem others better.

Always looking out for other people. I mean it's good it's it's over commanded to do, but how do we do that it's awfully difficult to do. It's extremely difficult. How do we do it may give you little help a little hint of what might be helpful. The one person in all the world that you know better than any other person assume you know better yourself.

You know you better. You know how you think you know what you're tempted by you know what you like and what you hate.

You know what you really feel like even though you might look good on the outside. You know who you are on the inside so I'm looking at you all your beautiful good Bibles your hairs done nicely. Most of you probably all the good, but I don't really know. You know, I know me. I know me and I know what I made him and I know my failures and I know my temptations and I know my own pride in my own junk so if I approached people while I'm cognizant of my own shortcomings, failures, and sin. I went to approach people differently. I'm a new approach people humbly because here's life based on first-hand experience only was the worst person you know you you are the worst person in the world that you know of, and I am the worst person the world that I know I'm the worst. And so what when I approached people cognizant of my own baggage my own sin. I'll approach them differently and that is exactly what Paul did in the New Testament. He writes things like this. I am the least of all the apostles and I am not even worthy to be called an apostle. Now I think Paul you like the greatest dude ever elect the greatest Christian I know of is on the lease of the apostle not even worthy to be called an apostle and the rights in another place. I am the least of all the saints, because I persecuted the church of God. He's approaching them carrying what he knows about himself and his he does that deflated him. That's how you can help esteem others better than yourself. So don't be selfish.

Don't be prideful to be humble to be respectful. Those are the basics of great relationships. Those of the do's and don'ts. Now let's look at the first two verses and consider the basis of its the why for all the what we just covered. And here's the first reason the reason that we should be humble, humble and not prideful. The reason we should esteem others better is if there's a reason number one because the world will provide that was the first word in verse one of chapter 2 was the first work shouted out what is it therefore begins a chapter without work I made the first conversation you had this morning with your spouse or your child or parent or whatever. The first thing did you say therefore you don't begin the day. That way, therefore, connects a previous statement and brings it into the present tense you say. Therefore, when you're talking about something and you want to use that as a reference for why you should do something now so he begins with her therefore and we need to find out what it's therefore so we go back to verse 27 where we were last time. Chapter 1 verse 27 only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ of the weather. I come and see you are in Madison.

I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your enemies. Your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God for you.

It is been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now here is an therefore in other words, here's what Paul is saying you and Phillippi are already suffering because of all of the selfishness of the unbelieving world around you who hate the gospel message and they are attacking you in their persecuting you and you are experiencing that conflict. So the people of this world are consumed with their own agendas their own desires policy don't add that don't add that since the world is persecuting the church.

The church shouldn't persecute the church see Jesus said this in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

This is the reason it is so awkward when Christians fight each other because were copying the world is the world that persecutes us. Let's not add to that Paul's whole point in the therefore is since selfishness is all around you. It certainly shouldn't be among you, therefore so. Reason number one. The basis of these great relationships is because the world will not provided and the church should number two because you belong to Christ, you should be humble with other people because you are a Christian. And so he says if therefore there is any consolation in Christ may see the little word if it could be better translated since because the ideas if, and it's true. Or, since it is true, since you are consoled by belonging to Christ rightly belong to Christ. Philippians 11 says the Philippians are in Christ Jesus you are in Christ Jesus. He loves you he forgave you he wash her sins away. He promised you have been one translation puts it this way. If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ then you are to be humble then you ought esteem others better than yourself.

So here's the deal I can get along with you even though your imperfect. You can get along with me even though I know I am so imperfect and a wife is Jesus can get along with all of us and were all imperfect. That's the idea that this does this thought so because the world won't provided because you belong to Christ. There's 1/3 reason because his love is the catalyst because his love is the catalyst.

Please notice there is any consolation in Christ, if there is any comfort of love whose love always spoke about Christ's few words back. So this is Christ's love for us. In other words, if if Jesus loving you has made any difference at all in your life then it will show up in your humility, which by the way, brings up a good question, what difference has Jesus loving you made in your life. It's a good question to think about what difference is all the love that Jesus has given your way. What difference it made in your life is to make you more loving.

John 316 for God so loved the world that he gave as his love for you made you more giving more loving, so that's the basis of our relationship.

I can accept you because Jesus has accepted us. I heard about a lady. She works in a nursing home and that she has made it her mission to sit with people who are dying. If there is no family member present. She feels that life is sacred, a gift from God and she believes that nobody should die alone and she wants to demonstrate that love for the dying so that they leave the world in the presence of somebody who cares and loves that's powerful. So Jesus is in me than his love will come through me there's 1/4 and final reason because were spiritual family verse one again there is any consolation in Christ there is any comfort of love here is if there's any fellowship of this spirit and that he amplifies that if any affection and mercy now and Phillippi.

I mentioned that things were not perfect. They were there were problems that they were experiencing. There were two dividing forces and Phillippi that are true of every single church. First of all, there were false teachers on the outside. Second, there were fighting members on the inside. The false teachers will be discussed in chapter 3 verses one and two, Paul calls them dogs and evil workers is to be a lot of fun.

We get to chapter 3 policy disconnect, come unglued. Then we get to chapter 4 and we discussed, we discover the fighting members.

There's two gals one name. The only the other names sent to K these two gals in the church and Phillippi have got a lot of people on their side and their creating a division, the parties spirit so the fellowship is being hurt. It's always been hurt when that happens, here's the deal.

There is always pressure from the outside for the church.

Always every church every place in the world. Every generation for the last 2000 years the world has always been against the church. Unbelievers will always mock Christians believe unbelievers will always challenge our faith. But if that is compounded when our own spiritual family is dysfunctional.

It makes matters much worse. So here's Paul's point, we are right fellowship of this spirit were in Christ were related by blood, his blood is wash all of us were fellowship in the spirits of the same Holy Spirit lives in me is the same Holy Spirit lives in you.

As Paul said in first Corinthians 12 by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body you know we have all heard of reports of families who quarrel amongst themselves until somebody from the outside attacks the family.

Then they all somehow galvanize together because don't you say that about my mom or my brother and they'll resolve the conflict to fight the greater conflict I just want you to know that everybody needs a family anybody needs a group where they can be loved and accepted and taught and held accountable so to sum it all up. Be humble, be helpful being noble. For the sake of the Church of Jesus Christ which he purchased with his own blood he did it. This is not our six is now if that were to happen, and Phillippi.

That would just push Paul's joy over that topic. What he says in verse two fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, that's interesting. Paul Artie said he was joyful, no matter what Paul Artie said you can lock me in prison on joyful you can beat me up. I'm joyful as my joy is in the Lord, you can a people's talk smack about me and products slur my reputation around town.

I'm joyful anyway. But now he says but here's a way I could actually be more joyful fulfill my joy or complete my joy.

So Paul is saying man if you guys were humble with each other and you esteem others better than you esteem yourself that be the icing on the cake for me and that I would be the cherry in the coke that would be the whipped cream on the apple pie. I would fulfill. I would complete my joy by the way we relive that way you know who else would be really really really really joyful. You would be we all would be all of us would he verbally said before that the more you do as you please. The less you are pleased with what you do think about that statement. The more you live as you please. The less you will be pleased with what you if you live for self. It's all about you and your agenda in your comfort you being happy you getting your way, you will become a miserable person. I want to close with an illustration of that and I will close its by Bernard rim lend Bernie was the director of the Institute for Child behavior research. He conducted a study at the end of the study concluded the happiest people in the world of the homeless people in the world.

So he did a study are related to each person in the study involved was asked to list 10 people that he knew best and label them happy or unhappy so you think of 10 people you know and label with happy unhappy unhappy unhappy happy happy you have a 10 people then you go to the list again and label each one is selfish or unselfish using the following definition of selfishness. Here's his definition. I'm quoting a stable tendency to devote one's time and resources to one's own interests and welfare and unwillingness to inconvenience oneself or others." In categorizing the results Ramblin found that all of the people labeled happy were also labeled unselfish and he wrote and I'm quoting those whose activities are devoted to bringing themselves happiness are far less likely to be happy than those whose efforts are devoted to making others happy. And then he concluded with a remark that I thought you would find interesting. He said, do unto others as you would have others do and do you know who said those words Jesus said those words in the sermon on the mount. He had to go through all study to figure that out, and he sounded out and he said do unto others as you would have others do indeed solicit the quickest road that joy is humility Boulevard the quickest road to unhappiness is the freeway of self. And if you get on that freeway of self in order to discover its impact its bumper-to-bumper people or nasty the gestures – you out and there's a lot of people on you get on Humble Blvd., Lomeli Road that wraps up Skip message from the series technical reading the stories of the Bible is a very good thing. Walking where the stories took place. Is that a whole another level Skip Heitzig is planning his next tour and you can be on the invitation from Skip urine for an incredible time as we travel throughout Israel and experience the culture that's so unique to that country. Now I've been to Israel and number of times over the years and I can honestly say that visiting the places where the events of the Scriptures unfolded where Jesus lived taught and healed. It just never gets old will start on the Mediterranean Sea and head north. Seeing places like Caesarea and Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River will spend several days in and around Jerusalem and see the temple mount Calvary, the garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of olives and much more. This remarkable itinerary is made richer with times of worship, Bible study, and lots of fellowship. The Bible will come alive to you in a way it never has before. I hope you'll join Lenny and me on what is always an unforgettable trip. I can't wait to see you and is this dream can come true for you. Start planning and saving them to Israel with Skip Heitzig information, inspiration, cruises.com/C that's inspiration cruises.com/sing ABQ tuning again tomorrow.

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