Soul Shift: Me to You / Message #2

August 19, 2012

Soul Shift: ME to YOU / Message #2

Mark 9 – 10

Scott Howard

The Unholy Trinity:  Me, Myself, and I

Twice, Jesus informed the disciples that he was going to be betrayed, killed, and then be raised from the dead.  And both times, the disciples were not paying attention, they were thinking about themselves.

“He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.   They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.’…They came to Capernaum.  When he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’  But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who among them was the greatest.”   --- Mark 9:31, 33-34

“’We are going up to Jerusalem,’ Jesus said, ‘and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law.  They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him.  Three days later he will rise.’  Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him, ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’  ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked.  They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’ “   ---Mark 10:33-37

Ø  What does Selfishness look like?

·         Sin  à  Sin is wrapped in self.  We rebel because we  want to satisfy our own desires.

·         Discontent  à if we try to satisfy ourselves, we are never truly happy, we’re still miserable and left wanting more

·         Impatience  à what I want, when I want it; and I’ll be frustrated if I don’t get it, or if someone else has it

·         Greed  à I want more things, I’m entitled to more things---focused on me

“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”                    ---James 3:16   (also read Luke 12:13-21  the parable of the Rich Fool)

·         Lying  à Deceiving and Manipulating…”if you really love me you’ll…”

·         A Critical Spirit  à “my ideas are better”

·         Look out for ourselves first

·         Hold grudges

Ø  What are the Results of Selfishness?

·         I lose my sense of Caring à about other’s needs, about God’s will –James 4:1-3

·         I lose my Joy  à again, if we try to satisfy ourselves, we are never truly happy  --Proverbs 18:1

·         I lose my Freedom  à  in a world focused on me, I don’t see the bigger picture and other opportunities, I’m in a “me” bubble

·         I lose my Connection with God à I’m selfish with my time, I don’t take time to pray, read the Bible, go to church

“There is no room for God in he who is full of himself.”

Ø  How can we be Delivered from Selfishness?

·         Pray For it à “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.”  --Psalm 119:36

·         Put God First  à “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”  --2 Cor 5:15  --Also read Luke 12:22-34

·         Be Generous  à generosity is the opposite of selfishness

·         Practice Humility  à “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”  --Matthew 7:12   --Also read Philippians 2:3-8