OUTLINE FOR OPEN CELLS

(Week of 1 /3 – 1/9, 2010)

“Icky World”

Subject - Certain baseline attitudes currently dominate modern culture. These attitudes, such as a critical attitude, produce "isms" (criticism) and generate more followers (critics). Although it is a rather "icky" world, we can fortunately choose our "ic." It isn't easy to arrest negative and destructive attitudes and replace them with positive ones, but the benefits to us, our families and our society are immeasurable. What goes around comes around . . . and around . . . and around . . . and around.

I. America, the land of the free and the home of the critic; commentaries without solutions.

A. critic - a person who tends too readily to make, captious, trivial, or harsh judgments; faultfinder.

1. apt to notice and make much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please.

2. proceeding from a faultfinding or caviling (complaining) disposition: He could never praise without adding a captious remark.

3. apt or designed to ensnare or perplex, esp. in argument: captious questions

B. "A friend is a lot of things, but a critic isn’t." (Bern Williams) . . . other quotes

1. (Prov. 17:17) "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity."

2. "Love is the prerequisite for speaking the truth." (Edwin Louis Cole)

II. The Pharisees, critics par excellence, produced a critical generation.

A. Webster's - pharisaic, pharisaical; hypocritically self-righteous

B. Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and doctors of the law constantly criticized the methodology and conduct of Jesus and His disciples. Ironically, they were only insulted by His miraculous successes and growing reputation, never seeming to question within themselves why they had no similar experiences.

1. "Any jackass can kick a barn down, but it takes a carpenter to build it." (Sam Rayburn)

C. (Matt. 9:1-8) Jesus is criticized for extending forgiveness, the very purpose for which He came, even though the results of forgiveness given fully and freely are miraculous.

D. (v. 14-17) Even the disciples of John were skeptical and critical toward Christ and His disciples.

E. (11:1-6) John himself questions the true nature of Jesus, even after he had born witness of His identity at the Jordan. (3:14, John 1:29)

F. (11:11-19) A critical generation will be critical of whatever methodologies or practices are employed. It has simply become a part of their innate makeup. Their spiritual leaders had released a national spirit. Can spiritual leaders in America release and engender a new national spirit over our land?

1. "Don't be a cynical and disconsolate preacher. Don't bewail and moan. Omit the negative propositions. Challenge us with incessant affirmatives. Don't waste yourself in rejection, or bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

III. God, cosmic critic or loving friend and Father?

A. It has been my personal experience and observation of many Christians that; we can never do enough nor do it well enough to "earn" the favor, love, acceptance and forgiveness of God.

B. (John 14:6-9) The true nature of the Father was revealed in the works of the Son. (v. 11)

C. (Matt. 5:16) The true nature of the Father is revealed through the works of His children.

D. (Eph. 1:3-9, 2:9-10) The works which flow from our being His workmanship are generated not by our own efforts, but by being granted acceptance through Christ's own work.

E. The world needs to see our good works, not hear our critical words.