The Importance of Christian Character

The Importance of Christian Character

Galatians, II Peter 1, I Corinthians 13, Colossians 3, Ephesians 4

Matthew 5:1-16

Introduction to Jesus’s sermon on the mount.

Matthew 4:23,24 healing diseases

God met with Moses on a mountain to give him the law

3 Applications…

He repeats the word blessed

Fulfill

Be a person of influence

BE Attitudes

Blessed are those who know their need of God

Isaiah 6 humbling himself

Peter when he realized he needed the grace of God in His life.

Through Christ we are made rich, but we must realize that we are in poverty and in need of Christ before they receive Him

You ant to be blessed?

Be poor

Be humble

Blessed are those who mourn, He will comfort them.

II Corinthians 7

Blessed are the meek

            Meekness – Greek – a horse that is not wild but can now be ridden

            Those who are under authority

            Under authority – David, Moses, Joseph

            Jesus was meek, He was under the authority

Matthew 5:20

Influencing our World with the Gospel

How do we reach people for Christ in the world and culture we live in?

Can you imagine a community being thankful for a church?

Can you imagine a community changing because a church was present?

Matthew 5:13-16

The Biblical Mandate

“You are the alt of the earth…”

Salt was very rare and sometimes used as money.

3 Significant meanings of salt

       1. Purity

       2. Flavor – or savor – most food need a little bit of salt, as well we as        Christians can help enhance the world.

       3. Salt was a preservative – we are a to preserve as well.

The World at the time of Christ and the world now

       - The authority structure

       - The culture is all about me

       - All truth is relative

              John 3:3

              John 17:17

              John 14:6

It is almost as if we are in a Christian bubble.

Studies indicate that 60% of people today believe that their church is irrelevant.

Many times the salt would become un-pure and then the salt lost it’s savor and usefulness.

We will never be salt if we are ok with the way things are.

Churches have done one of 4 things to bridge the gap.

       1. Try to become very culturally relevant. The choice to become more    contemporary. The offering is giving to God without     commitment.

       2. A motivational type of presentation a promise of health and      wealth.

       3. We need to love teaching the word, most who love teaching the       word don’t live any differently around us.

       4. Stay on the course

       “What happened in the 50’s and 60’s worked so if that time        comes back we will be in the cutting edge”

I Corinthians 9:19

       Each verse Paul identifies a different group. He did this because he wanted to reach them with the gospel. He does what he can with each group to win them for Christ.

How does this apply to us today?

       Somehow we must reach across the divide. We must try to reach the lost. God is using us believers as bridges to help the lost. We need to discover what Gift God has given to us to help bridge the gap. Once we build