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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:
Why You Need Guardrails in Your Life
What would it take to STAY IN God and not waver. Not sin back and forth. Not be a wishy-washy Christian. Not to be a hypocrite. Not to revert back to a lifestyle of sin.
Today, let’s talk about Guardrails. Guardrails are barriers that keep you from going into a danger area. They are before you get to the danger. They are set up in areas that you could technically drive in, but are warning you to not go any further. They cause a little bit of trouble before you get into a lot of trouble.
Proverbs 22:3 The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it
Most folks in here (if you were honest) would admit that the biggest trouble you have been in could have been avoided if there were guardrails or boundaries or habits that you participated in.
Bankruptcy, affairs, addictions, violence, lashing out, sticking your foot in your mouth, cheating, stealing…any sin. That one thing you wish you could take back!
Today, I am not going to give you a bunch of rules or clearly define the guardrails for your family.
There are some guardrails in scripture, but practically, we all need to examine our life and establish guardrails that are from our heart and intricately connected to our heart…forever.
I want to give you the premise of WHY we have them and then give you the freedom to work them out with your family.
Let’s begin with this simple premise:
Why Your Family Identity Matters
Here are sermon notes for Don’t Duck Your Dynasty | Week One
Over the Next Four Weeks, we are going to focus on the gospel in relation to our FAMILY LIFE. You have a heritage. There is a lineage that you came from and through you more will come.
Don’t Duck Your Dynasty! Will you have a Dynasty?
Dynasty= series of members of a family who are distinguished for their success, wealth, etc.
You WILL be successful at passing down certain attributes to your future family members!
What will those attributes, habits, and characteristics be?
When the Israelites had been ushered into the Promised Land, their leader gave them a strong message. It was a choice. You can serve the God who promised us blessing, delivered us from slavery in Egypt, gave us the Holy Land OR you can serve the local gods of the Canaanites.
Joshua 24:14 “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (NLT)
Who does your family serve? Here is a question that you could ask yourself that will probably answer it clearly:
What is it that makes your family proud? What is your family known for? With what do you identify with first, second, third, etc?
Are you most proud to call yourself:
- a man or a woman
- Hispanic, Black, White, Asian
- College educated
- Republican or Democrat
- Self-made
- Man’s Man
- Independent
- Ecology conscious
- Cowboy, Texan, Spur, Longhorn, Aggie
What energizes you the most? When are you most offended? What part of your life do you DEFEND the most?
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 