Today we’re going to talk about examining yourself and seeing what is in you. I it Christ? Or selfish ambitions?
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
Do you see Christ in yourself?
When I was in college, some of the best advice I received was to get to know my college professors. By getting to know them, they also got to know me and I became friends with some of them. I cared about them and they cared about me and would sometimes even give me guidance on what to study for.
Do you know God? Can you answer questions about Him or about our faith? See 1 John 3: 14-15.
Are you living out your faith?
There is a growing sector of the middle class that is actually homeless right now because they can’t afford a house. There are growing shortages of food, formula, and other items as well. It is the church’s job to step up and meet needs.
When you see a need, what are you doing to meet it? Life isn’t all about us, we need to be the hands and feet of Jesus and show his love in a practical way to those around us. See Mark 4:3-9 and 15-20. V 19 reminds me of the American church.
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Are you “fertile ground”?
- Packed soil – hearing, but not receiving
- Rocky soil – spring up quickly, but fall away when troubles come
- Thorny soil – worry and things choke out the seeds
- Fertile soil – manure or rotten, decayed matter (compost) It’s dead things and we must die to ourselves daily
Galations 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness
Matthew 28:19, 20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.