No Timeouts
George’s world is exploding. For how many years he’s had a small close circle of friends – Jerry Kramer and Elaine – they hung out and socialized together. That was his world. Then he met Susan and began dating her. That created a new world that wasseparate from that other world populated by Jerry Kramer and Elaine and in Georges’ mind those two worlds would remain separate and independent and never meet. All that began to disintegrate when Jerry suggested to Elaine that it might be a nice gesture to invite Susan out for lunch
- It’s called “compartmentalizing”.
- Compartmentalization: The ability (tendency) to segregate the different parts of our lives so that one does not intrude on or have an impact on another.
- Our life, like a house is made up of series of separate and distinct rooms that really don’t overlap. You have your job room, home room, church room, school room, friends room etc. and they remain somewhat separate from one another. Doors we move.
- Can be positive : Enables us to avoid distractions and devote the necessary focus and energy on the task at hand. Emotional.
- For example, if I board an airplane, I want to make sure that if the pilot had an argument with her husband that morning, she can comp. those emotions, so it does not adversely affect her flying. I want her to be going through the check list before take-off rather than the checklist of things she wants to say to her husband. When Dr. Walsh did Erik’s heart procedure when he was young, I want his undivided attention on Erik, rather than thinking about an investment deal he was just offered.
- Downside can occur when we can almost different people with different values depending on what setting we are in. In the 1990’s when President Clinton got caught up in the Monica Lewinski scandal many said that Clinton was the expert on comp. life, so one did not seem to impact the other.
No Timeouts
- One person talked about the fact that he was one person at work, another and home and a third with friends. He said he could be five different people in five different settings –
They all contained fragments of me, hidden beneath my attempts to be something I was not, in order to gain the acceptance of others.
- Negative: Hypocrisy that results when what is believed to be right, good and/or true is applied in some parts of our lives but ignored or redefined in others.
- Live a double life Two or more sets of ethical/moral Standards
- Godfather Michael Carleone is the new Don. Alternating screen. One Baptism as godfather to nephewvowing belief in God and rejecting devil
- halfscreen violence carrying out his orders to murder potential rivals.
B. If you google “compartmentalizing our spiritual lives, the number of hits you get (over 2 million) alerts you that that this is a serious issue in the church.
1. Negative: Christ’s Lordship and the living out of biblical truths, values and priorities are only acknowledged and lived out in certain “spiritual” settings and times.
2. Act one way in church and in other “religious settings” but then a different way at others times. Two ways of living, two sets of friends.
Result is a life of inconsistency and hypocrisy. One youth minister sounds alarm:
I’ve grown up hearing Christians talk about their “church life” or their “spiritual life,” as if it were separate from their “whole life.”We have different hats we wear on our jobs, in our homes, in our communities, in our churches, on our athletic teams, etc. Having various talents, abilities, or functions in society is fine. (But) Compartmentalization can lead to justifying behavior that is not Christ-like. It can lead to confusion and inconsistency.
As a youth minister, I’ve seen hundreds of teenagers who had been at wild, alcohol-laden parties on Saturday night sitting in the pew singing “Oh How I Love Jesus” on Sunday, and not think anything of it. I’ve heard of business people doing things that bordered on unethical at their jobs but “at church” would scoff at the idea of doing anything unethical. The disconnect happens when we compartmentalize our lives.
It is this issue that lies at the heart of our fourth “Life-Sign” of People of the cross, that in the words of Mike Wittmer, Professor of Systematic Theology at Grand Rapids Theological SeminaryThere are no time outs in the Christian life.
Background
A. Series “Becoming People of the Cross” based on Matthew 16.
1. People of the cross choose to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, their crucified savior; “dying to self”, relinquishing control of one’s life, and following Jesus fully and whole-heartedly as Lord.
2. People of the cross walk with others in growing Dependence upon Devotion to and Delight in Jesus Christ resulting in greater conformity to His Character and commitment to His Cause
B. Seven Life-Signs
1. Three Weeks ago: People of the cross affirm the authority of the Bible as God’s Inspired Word; faithfully studying and humbly living out its life transforming truth. (Mind, Heart and Will)
2. Two Week: People of the cross live in and thus are nourished and transformed by daily communion with God through prayer, worship and other spiritual disciplines.
***Advance inward transformation to outward transformation
3. Last Week (Pivot) : People of the Cross “Hunger and Thirst after righteousness; joyfully surrendering and submitting to God in all things. - No Show Grow Know
No Timeouts
Note: Feeling overwhelmed with all that is thrown at you. “Compassion Fatigue” So many needs in world, get overwhelmed and C.F. so we do nothing. Being a disciple; being a person of the cross is a journey made up of many small steps.
People of the Crossintegrate and engage all of life under Christ’s lordship and His call to integrity and servant-hood.
Living out 1 Cor 10:31 and Colossians 3:17 Not just religious
Integrate: A healthy balance is maintained between every area of life and our God-given responsibilities that go with them.
--Different parts of lives (hats) Work, Home, church, Friendship etc.-
---Line up in list with God at top. Some help
- Pie Chart – Integrate Christ is Lord in and over all things
- What we do? Depending on life station looks different. Empty nesters/retired vs. young family with kids vs. Single person
- When? Fixed discretionary
- How much time/energy
- To integrate our lives we need Wisdom:
1. Proverbs 2:1-11
2. Proverbs 3:5-6
Godly Wisdom to allocate appropriate resources (e.g. time, money) so that no aspect of lifesuffers and each has a place in our schedule where it enjoys top priority.
Godly wisdom to know when to say “Yes” and when to say “No” so that the good never crowds out or diminishes the best.
No Timeouts
HBS and job considerations.
Sunday Conflict
People of the Crossintegrate and engage all of life under Christ’s lordship and His call to integrity and servant-hood.
- Pie Chart Christ is Lord in all things
- How – How do I live out Christ’s Lordship in my life in each of these areas of life.
WORK
Seeing how the Lordship of Christ gives purpose in what I do based on the value I provide for God, myself and/or the common good.
- 4th century father: Perfect life and the Permitted life
- Christian faith help give meaning?
- Dave Blanchard Blanchard Coffee – Creating process from whole raw green beans to coffee. Encourages people to sit and tal,
- Real Estate in AZ caught up in housing boom going further and further out. Bust! Now focus on underdeveloped under served in city, bringing life
B.Integrity (work)
1. Consistent all the way to the core
a. Jordan’s furniture radish and carrot illustration
b. Biblical morality and values run right to the core. Cannot Compart. Because it is too much a part of who we are.
2. Integrity includes
a. Honesty b. Faithfulness c. Excellence
d, Courage (Doing right regardless of consequences
No Timeouts
C. Servanthood: Humbly meeting the needs of others through the exercise of my power and/or abilities.
1. People Deserve it matter – Bear the image of God and are objects of the love of God
2. Christ’s teaching and example demand it.
Matthew 20:25-28
Not just for church leaders but all leaders
As business leaders are equipped to see their leadership as means to care for others made in the image of God, a profound mystery is revealed. In an age where employers are known for using and leveraging “human resources,” what a wondrous reality that the God of the universe does not leverage us, but instead had designed us to be objects of his mercy and grace.
Can you imagine what people world think if they could work in a business where their Christ-centered employer lovingly and selflessly provides for, protects and guides the employees of the company? A business leader that leads to provide for others rather than exploit others for personal gain honors God in ways other cannot. (Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck Designed to Lead)
Back in 2002, people asking, Who is Robert Hansen? Trusted FBI agent, devoted family man; a man very open about his Christian faith
Or is he Robert Hansen Convicted Criminal, charge with espionage?
I think Bob was able to bifurcate his life; to compartmentalize his life, deluding himself into thinking that espionage was simply an exciting intellectual challenge that had nothing to do with leading a good, moral Christian life.
Not us. People of the Cross Integrate and Engage….
Small Group Study Questions
1. It might be good to check with people to see if any are feeling overwhelmed and to encourage them not to get discouraged. Remind them that the Christian life is a journey made up of small gradual steps. It helps to focus on relatively simple “next step” decisions.
2. The theme centered on “compartmentalization” What’s at issue here?
3. In what way is compartmentalizing acceptable? How do you see in your life where you act or speak differently depending on the setting? Any problems?
4. Read 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:17. How do these lay the ground work for concerns and dangers in compartmentalizing?
People of the Cross integrate and engage all of life under Christ’s lordship and His call to integrity and servant-hood.
Integrate
A healthy balance is maintained between every area of life and our God-given responsibilities that go with them.
1. Many, when they rank the importance of different areas of life, make a column with “God” at the top and the rest below. How can this be helpful? What are the limits?
2. How is the pie chart with areas of life over which is stated, “Christ is Lord in and over all things” helpful? How is that in harmony with 1 Corinthians 10 and Colossians 3?
3. Using the 2 “Godly Wisdom” statements below, (You can look up and read the passages out of Proverbs)have people walk through the areas of their lives and evaluate how they are doing. Is there an imbalance? Do they need to devote more/less time or energy to one or more? (Hopefully they’ve already done some preliminary thinking on this)
Godly Wisdom to allocate appropriate resources (e.g. time, money) so that no aspect of life suffers and each has a place in our schedule where it enjoys top priority.
Godly wisdom to know when to say “Yes” and when to say “No” so that the good never crowds out or diminishes the best.
Engage How do I live out Christ’s Lordship in my life in each of these areas of life?
Note: Here you will have to judge where people are in life and what areas to focus on. For many it would be work, since they spend the majority of their waking hours on the job. Try to be flexible so as not to exclude anyone. The questions below have a particular focus on work, but friends might be another avenue worth pursuing.
Often we ask someone, “What do you do?” Maybe a follow up questions could be “How does your faith inform you as to how you do it?
1.How does your faith shape how you view your work? How the Lordship of Christ gives purpose in what you do based on the value you provide for God, yourself and/or the common good. (Note: Here you challenge them to think about their job. In what way does their work have value? Are they just a teacher, an accountant, etc. or can they see it differently as a Christian?
2. What does integrity mean? How are you challenged to display Honesty, Faithfulness, Excellence and Courage? In what ways do you see the “culture” of your work (accepted practices, values and priorities; how “success” is defined) in conflict with your Christian faith? How do you respond?
Servanthood:Humbly meeting the needs of others through the exercise of my power and/or abilities.I(read Matthew 20:25-28)
3. In what way(s) can you express Servant-hood to those around you? What are the biggest challenges or risks if you do so?
What are one or two steps you’d like to prayerfully pursue in light of this lesson so that you can “glorify God in all things” and “do all in the name of Jesus”? How can others support and pray for you?