Oxymoron Christianity

Oxymoron-figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.

Jumbo shrimp

Act Naturally

Numbing sensation

Free will

Passive Aggression

Same Difference

Country Music

Crash landing

Work party

Plastic glass

Alone in a crowd

Freezer burn

Found missing

Pretty ugly

Head butt

These terms are in direct conflict of each other when said together.

•                It's so easy to follow what everyone else is doing, it's so easy to just drift along with what culture and society feeds you.

•                It so easy to fake relationships so hard to be real.

This month we are going to deal with some issues that Christians are supposed to have the upper hand on.

Romans 12:8 (NLT)

"If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."

•                Non-serving Christian is oxymoronic terminology.

•                Non-giving Christian?

•                Selfish Christian?

•                Unforgiving Christian?

                       UnChristlike Christian?

•    They've already coined the phrase and pinned down a name for people who don't love or believe in God, nonChristian, unbeliever.

•    These terms are like light and darkness, good and evil wrapped up in the same creation, can't happen!

•                Jesus Christ was the most unselfish, forgiving, serving, giving person that ever walked the earth. How does selfish and Christian make its way into the same sentence, it can't!

1.           Be Encouraging.

•    The word encourage literally means to pour in courage, inspiration, and confidence.

•                I see people with talents that God has given them that they refuse to use for Him.

•                I see people refusing to tap into their God ordained, God given potential therefore allowing them to remain ordinary, unproductive, and utterly deceived.

2. Be giving.

•    Give to get?

•    Give to get credit?

•    Give to get a pat on the back?

•    Or give to be honored by God Himself?

Matthew 6:1-4 (NLT)

"Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. [2] When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do-blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. [3] But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. [4] Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you."

•    When you give, not if.

•                When-denotes a specific moment in time.

•    Give not because your coaxed or made to or rewarded but do it because God sees everything and He will reward you.

•                Give because you trust in God, give because He will prove Himself to you in your giving.

•                If you never give how can God prove to you that He will give you in abundance.

•                How can He rebuke the devour-er for your sake?

•                How can He make you the head not the tail, first not the last, blessed and not cursed if you refuse to test Him in the area of giving? 

3. Lead.

•    Lead is a God word, lead is a Christ word lead is a word of service, fortitude, compassion and destiny.

•                A non-leading Christian would be a Christian unsure of their faith, confused about their belief, uncertain of their assurance in God.  

•    God doesn't want you to lead just so you can complain about the way things are but that you would do something about it!  

•                If He called you to it He will lead you through it.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

•    If you allow God to begin a work in you He will complete it.

•    God called leaders to lead, so lead because leadership requires action!

•                Lead-to go before or show the way.

•    Who are you going before who are you showing the way?

•                I'll show you the way to worship, I'll show you the way to give, I'll show you the way to serve, to forgive, to honor, to respect, I will show you cause I'm living that!

•    Is the path you are choosing safe, reliable, will it destroy or bring confusion?

•    If so that's not a Godly path.

•    Lead like your going somewhere, lead cause you know the way, lead cause you want to offer the right path.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NLT)

"For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. [17] Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. [18] So encourage each other with these words."

•    Live in anticipation!

•                317 times in the New Testament heaven or the 2nd Coming (rapture) is mentioned.

•    Heaven is real declare it, live it out, talk about it!

•                Live like your going to it!

4. Be kind, gladly.

•    Attitude is a decision that doesn't have to reflect my circumstances. Attitude will determine success or failure.

•    Being kind is attribute that culture, society, and all of humanity desperately needs to learn.

•                Customer service is an art nearly buried and lost eternally.

•    I've never seen a generation be so angry, disappointed, and frustrated so early in life.

•                This generation is getting older younger, getting faster quicker, they're getting sadder sooner, they're staying younger longer.

•    Being kind is the way of Christ, it's the way of God, it's the way of His Spirit.

•                Jesus died for you but will never force you to believe it, never pressure you to receive eternal life, and will never stop loving you.

•                God chose to break sins hold on us, He chose to allow us free will, He chose to give us a bright hope and a future but will never enforce that path upon us, He only offers it.

•    The Spirit of God is a gentleman, He will never demand you to change. He will offer help, offer strength, offer power to overcome but all has to be chosen by you.

Proverbs 11:17 (NLT)

"Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you."

•                This is pretty straight forward.

•    Reward you, or destroy you.

Ephesians 4:30-32 (NLT)

And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. [31] Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. [32] Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

•    The way we live is our guarantee of our belief and confidence in God or lack thereof.

•                The Spirit of God is a person of the Godhead, He can be distressed, He can be ignored, He can be disregarded, He can be disrespected, He can be quenched.

•    The guarantee of my salvation is the Spirit of God in me.

•    The Spirit of God can also be encouraged, He can be helpful, guiding, be embraced, be held in high esteem, be respected, and be fanned into a roaring, blazing, consuming fire in your life.