Sunday, November 1, 2009

Sermon: Sin difficult to overcome: Gossip

8/30/09
Habitual Sin most difficult to overcome: Gossip
Romans 1:18, 28-32 - The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Carl Sandberg wrote: “There is an eagle in me that wants to soar; but there is also a hippopotamus within me that wants to wallow in the mud.” GOSSIP is that Hippopotamus within that wants to wallow in the mud. Gossip is one of those habitual sins which is most difficult to overcome because it’s a natural past time.

1. What is Gossip?
• Scriptures take gossip seriously
• Romans 1:18 – The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness
 Suppress the truth
• 2 Corinthians 12:20 – For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
 “whisperer” is the original word used
 Done under secrecy
 Hint of evil in others
• Psalm 41:7 – All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying
 To imagine the worst in me
• 2 Thessalonians – We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies
• 1 Timothy 5:13 – Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.
• It is stated in the old testament, that God hates a false witness
• Proverbs 6: 16-20 – There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
 We have the most difficulty with these
• Gossip: white lies

2. What does gossip Accomplish?
• Gossip can kill a person’s reputation , prevent a sense of communion
• Proverbs 11:13 – A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret
• Proverbs 16:28 – A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends
• Gossip pushes and guides in the wrong direction

3. Why do people gossip?
• We know we shouldn’t
• Psychologists say its because:
 people are bored with their own lives
 People have a great desire for attention
 Prestige
 Have something that no one else has and want to share it
• People who gossip, according to research, have an inferiority complex
• People gossip for the desire for security
 Maybe we are insecure about ourselves

4. What can one do to overcome gossip?
• To overcome gossip
a) The bible says bring every fault in obedience to Christ
 2 Corinthians 10:5 – We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ
 We cant keep the thought coming to our mind, but we can bring it into captivity
b) Lean on the Holy Spirit
 John 14:25-27 – "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”
c) Think the best of all people, different challenges
 Ephesians 4:25-29 – Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He has who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
 We don’t want to be judged on the 5% times we have been bad, but on the 95% we have been good
 Ephesians 4:14-15 – Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ
 Don’t borrow trouble
 Luke 6:41-42 – "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”
 Rather than borrowing trouble, pay attention to your own business


• Mind your own business
• Gossip is a serious business
• God says: Your mind can be redirected, bring it in obedience to Christ

Until we can love others as God love s them, we cannot judge others as God judges them. ~ Dr Phil Lineberger

No comments:

Post a Comment