Category Archives: Sermon Notes
How Superstition Has Crept into the Church
RELIGIOUS SUPERSTITION strips away the whole concept of relationship.
With superstition, God is no longer your father, and you are not his child. Instead, God is a magician. You have to say the right recipe prayer and it will unlock some secret door of heaven and all of the sudden YOU will get what you want. People often read the Bible from a selfish perspective as if the end objective or Goal is about you. As if the story is about you.
Here are 3 areas that I believe superstition has crept into the church. After I describe them, I will give my thoughts on the truth of the Gospel. Click here to hear my sermon on the topic.
1. Power of Tongue (good or bad) or the Power of your Speech
I actually read this phrase on church website last week. It summarizes the belief of the “Power of the Tongue” –
“What you say is what you have! The sum of where you are today, good or bad, is the sum of what you have been saying.”
People that believe this statement have taken a few scriptures and turned them into a superstitious ritual of getting what YOU want out of life.
Just a quick question before we go any further: If everything that comes out of your mouth is immediately becoming fact, then who is God? You. Whatever God speaks happens. Therefore, if whatever you speaks happens then you are God.
How Does Superstition Affect Your Faith?
We are started a new sermon series this weekend, called VERY SUPERSTITIOUS! Where is our fear and faith based?
Let’s talk about some of the most common bad luck and good luck traditions that we have.
Bad Luck – broken mirrors, open umbrellas inside, walking under ladders, black cat crossing, spilled salt, placing purse on floor, saying something positive will jinx, itching ears is gossip about you, Next week we are going to talk about OJO! Get ready for that one!
Good Luck – rabbit foot keychain, picking up coins, 4 leaf clovers, wish on a falling star, wish on birthday candles (don’t tell anyone), wishbone at thanksgiving, itching palms means money,
Another tradition that we have in our culture is saying “Bless You!” after someone sneezes. Some people are automatic blessers. Others are familiar blessers. Others never say bless you. Sometimes I’m not sure if I will say it or not. Do I say it? Do I not say it? If the situation is reverse and I just sneezed, I wait to see if anyone will bless my sneeze. When no one blesses me… #smh
Superstition= a belief or notion (not based on reason or knowledge) in the significance (positive or negative) of a thing, action, habit, etc.
(A belief that you have that something is good or bad based on no reason or knowledge.)
Most of you probably aren’t sidetracked too much with the ones we have talked about already. So, Let’s broaden the spectrum a little bit.
While studying and researching this sermon series has been brutal! As soon as I feel like I have a grasp on it, it see slivers of superstition rooting itself all through our society. It is like a spider web sneaking across all parts of our lives.
Many unmerited beliefs are classified as “false religions”. We recognize some of these superstitious things as other religions. Some we would classify as witchcraft, weird, strange.
However, where it affects our congregation and San Marcos is where the influence of these belief systems have been integrated into the Christian church.
Throughout the centuries, people have taken the message of Jesus and allowed:
How to Fight with your Spouse and WIN
Click here for a podcast of this message.
What is Winning and Losing when it comes to Fighting with Family? Unhealthy couples fight to be right. Healthy couples fight for resolution.
Dr. John Gottman: can watch a couple for 90 seconds and know if they are going to make it.
Proverbs 27:15 a continual dropping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
It is better to have severe hemorrhoids than to live with a jerk of a husband. Erica 2:4
We all Fight.
Erica and I have fought a lot in 15 years of marriage. We have disagreed over making the bed, buying clothes, how to discipline kids, and pretty much anything else you can imagine.
All couples will fight because we are sinners. However, Healthy couples fight fair.
James 1:19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
3 Rules to Fight Fair
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Stop to Listen Carefully – quick to listen
We are often quick to prove our point. We are wanting to get a word in edgewise.
Proverbs 18: 2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
If you feel like you have to prove your point or get something across, then you are believing a lie about God. That he is not capable to defend you or make the situation right. Or that God is not the one who gives you strength and credibility.
Prove to your Spouse that you are Quick to Listen:
- Repeat back to your spouse what he or she just said. It lets them know what you just heard. It keeps it focused on the topic at hand. “I understand why you feel this way when I do _______”
- Validate the fact that the feeling is there! Whether you agree with it or not. This is crucial.
When you don’t feel like you are being heard, you will feel helpless and like there is no hope.
All In | Week Four | Sermon Notes
ALL IN | Week Four
We are going ALL IN! A decision that changes everything. This could be the moment that changes your life forever! The right direction tomorrow begins with the right decision today.
If you are just getting back to church in 2014, we want to welcome you to go All In with us! Come and Follow Christ with us!
We are accustomed to “Following” – social media. I’m in. I’m out. I’m in. I’m out. I “like you” because you might could help me out.
Following Christ is completely different.
I have Decided To Follow Jesus – The lyrics are based on the last words of a man in Assam, north-east India, who along with his family was converted to Christianity in the middle of the 19th century through the efforts of a Welsh missionary. He was called to renounce his faith by the village chief. His response, “I have decided to follow Jesus”. In response to threats to his family, he continued, “Though no one joins me, still I will follow.” After his wife was executed for her faith, he was being led to his death, the man declared, “The cross before me, the world behind me.” This display of faith is reported to have led to the conversion of the chief and others in the village.
Mark 8:34 If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross (Luke added the word ‘Daily’) and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
We are a big church with a lot of people on different parts of the faith journey. We continually want you to take this following seriously.
As a pastor, it’s my job to show you what it looks like. Where ever you are…find yourself and take the next step.
When you loose your life, you will find it. If you continue to save your life, you will loose it.
Rick Warren broke down the steps like this:
- Crowd – “Come and See”
first appeal from Jesus was to the “crowd” – everybody come and see. Free coffee, take care of your kids, hangout, low commitment. Jesus did the same thing. Jesus first message to Peter was ‘come and see’. He filled his boat full of fish! Jesus was appealing to the crowd (miracles).
Take a few months if you need to. To see if this is what you want to do, don’t give, don’t serve. Just come see. THEN, there is a point when the next step is join:
- Congregation– “Come and Join”
- First: Join JESUS! I want to be in the family of God! Follow him. Trust in His good news.
- Second: Join PSM. When you join Jesus it is natural to join a church! Let me just say something that most pastors probably wont say. “I know you are not always going to be here.” My job is not to get you to stay at PromiseLand San Marcos. You are going to move, die, change churches, whatever. My job is not to keep you here. My job is to outline the way while you are here. So, here is the point, if you are here, JOIN UP. This is not a lifelong commitment, but it is a commitment. While I am here in San Marcos, I will be a part of a local congregation. Learn from, be accountable to, serve in, give to. At some point, join up with the group and be a part. Next week is 101.
- Committed – “Come and Grow”
Salvation and joining a church is not the end of the line, it is the beginning of the journey!
Maybe that means to start reading the Bible on regular basis. Go on the City and find a daily reading schedule.
Join a PromiseGroup.
Dig into the 21 day prayer and fasting thing. If you don’t know how to pray, then just come and watch others pray. Get a prayer guide and let us show you.
We are inviting you to go to the next level. Jump in on the Growth Track 101, Essentials 201, Discover 301
Robin Steele 