Do the Right Thing!

 

Pastor Randy Thornton, Grace Church Senior Pastor  

On Sunday, June 22, 2014, at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., the church’s senior pastor, Randy Thornton, preached on “Do the Right Thing.” Here is an abridged, edited version of that sermon.  

“In those days [Old Testament time] there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25 ESV).

They followed their own moral compass. Many of us want the freedom to do what we want, when we want, and with whom we want. It all begins with these words: “I don’t want to be told what to do.”

James 4:1 (NIV): “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something, but you don't get it. You kill and you covet, but you can't have what you want. You quarrel and you fight. But you have not because you don't ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” 

We have added, “as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.”

There is a Las Vegas advertisement slogan that goes like this: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

That’s not true.

When women have gained rights they have had to fight for them. When men throughout history have done what they thought was right in their own eyes, women became “objects, possessions.” When men do what is right in their own eyes, women always suffer. You can’t do what’s right in your own eyes without eventually hurting someone.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 16:25).

Eventually you hurt “you,” and, eventually, the thing you started in order to give you freedom is the thing that soon masters and controls your life. Your choice to do what you want doesn't work for people on the other side of the coin; judges, social workers, and teachers have to deal with the consequences of people’s actions.

“He who tries to conceal his sins cannot prosper, but he who admits them, confesses them, forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry with the Lord (Proverbs 19:3).

What relationship do you have that needs to be severed?

“Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20).

Some of us have unhealthy relationships that are hurting us: Facebook, wrong friends, business partners, buddies, dating relationships. Some of us need to make a break from the world.

The thing that has mastered you started as an expression of your “freedom” when you said, “I want to do what I want, when I want, with whom I want, and I don’t want to be told what to do.”

Your choice to do what you want “hurts.” It hurts you; it hurts those around you; it hurts those who love you; it hurts those who follow after you.

What if you were given 30 days to live? We’re all going to die, someday.

“Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

The truth is – it could happen at any time.

“LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath” (Psalm 39:4-5 NLT).

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

All of us have lost loved ones – old and young. We all wish we could have one more conversation . . . one more hug . . . tell them, “I love you.” I know that once we stand before God, we’re going to see how important relationships are to Him. How do we make relationships right? What adjustments should we make now?

We should ask these questions.  

1. What relationship needs to be initiated?

Some of you need a relationship with God, a relationship that doesn’t exist yet, but you need it. I’m not talking about a relationship with a church or religion. You need a relationship with God. Others of you need people in your life.

“Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25 NLT).

Some of you need to get involved in a small group. We call them Life Groups.

2. What relationship needs to be nurtured?

“Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:13-15).

What relationship needs to be nurtured? Is it with God? Does it involve your marriage? Do you need to rekindle your love with a family member whom you haven’t talked with for a while? . . . with your children?

“[God] will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:6).

What do you need to do?

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil . . . If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:17-18).

It’s critical that we walk in forgiveness.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12 KJV).

Forgive the person or people for the specific things they did.

Here are three secrets to forgiveness:

Forgive selfishly. I know that sounds strange, but the main reason we should forgive is that we need it so badly ourselves. When you forgive, you’re letting the offender off the hook . . . and you’re letting yourself off, too!

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

How much has God forgiven you of? We really don’t have the right to hold anything against anyone, if we want to receive forgiveness from God.

Forgive freely.

“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’” (Luke 23:34).

Just say what you need to say. Don’t analyze it; don’t try to make sense of it; look past it; and forgive people. Rip up the IOUs you have held over them—set them free from ever owing you anything.

Forgive repeatedly.

“Peter asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No.’ Jesus replied, ‘seventy times seven!’” (Matthew 18:21-22 NLT).

Break the instant replay button-quit rehearsing and reliving the situation.

Today we’re asking ourselves . . . What relationship needs to be initiated? What relationship needs to be nurtured? What relationship needs to be restored?

Again . . . Forgive repeatedly.

Choose to release any negative expectations regarding a person or situations involved. (This is where judgments “over” a person need to be released.)

Ask God to help you change your heart toward the person. Ask God to give you His view of that person.

WOW! It starts with "Lord, I choose to forgive; help me to forgive FULLY!" In doing this, we release ourselves from them and release them from us. Just say what you need to say.