CHOICES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Get Used to Different! #2
Pastor Corey Mantz
Woodland Church
Sunday, August 14, 2022
(Matthew 22:37-40, NLT) “Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
1. Choose relationships over rules.
(Matthew 22:39) Love your neighbor as yourself.”
(James 2:8-9, NLT) “Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.”
Choose the good of the other person.
God’s Word shows what is good.
Grace, mercy, and peace abide with those who live in truth and love.
(2 John 3, NLT) “Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.”
2. Choose authenticity over appearance.
(Matthew 23:5, NLT) “Everything they do is for show.”
Trust God’s Word over my emotions
(Isaiah 1:18, GW) “Come on now, let’s discuss this!”
(1 John 2:6, NLT) “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”
3. Choose righteousness over respectability.
(Matthew 23:6, NLT) “And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.”
Joseph is a good example. He chose integrity.
Integrity in Hebrew is to become complete, to finish in purity
(Psalm 25:21, NLT) “May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.”
Growthwork:
1. Who do I need to show kindness to this week?
2. Choose to be a passionate follower of Christ.
3. Am I living a credible life?