sunday's scuds (may 18, 2008)

It's week two of the WHAT LIES BENEATH series. Last week we learned that you can't be spiritually mature unless you're spiritually healthy. We also learned that "Christians," in many cases, don't live lives that are much different from those who do not claim to be Christians. We learned that we have to deal with things "below the surface" if we want real, lasting change that leads to emotional health and spiritual maturity. Here are this week's scuds:

• We like to see other people mess up. And since we don't "have all our stuff together," we like to point out what's wrong with other people's live, exposing the fact that they don't have all their stuff together either.

Three falsehoods we tend to believe:

1. I am what I do. Who I am is attached to what I do. (Performance)
2. I am what I have. Who I am is attached to what I own. (Possessions)
3. I am what other people think. (Popularity)

• Some of us in this room are addicted to what other people think about us. When this happens you end up developing a false self. You live an inauthentic life.
• True freedom comes when we no longer need to be special in somebody else's eyes...we just know that we're loved and valued by God.
• When Satan tempted Jesus, everything that he offered Jesus was offered in the form of a short-cut. Everything Satan offered Jesus, God ultimately gave to Jesus...in his time and in his way, with way better results, and lasting impact.
• God wants you to grow up and in order for you to grow up, you need to know yourself.
• Authentic people can withstand pressure.
• If you are true to who God created you to be, you will be misunderstood. because your ultimate allegiance is to Christ.
• When you become the real you, you'll make a lot of people uncomfortable...because there aren't a lot of "real" people out there.
• If you're willing to go beneath the surface of your life, you're going to encounter some ugly stuff.
• But God offers you a safety net: it's called his unconditional love.
• Because of Christ's death and resurrection, I can be free to become ME!
• Most of us in this room are not as free as Jesus died for us to be. God wants you to be free.