NOW THAT I AM SPIRITUAL

 

Matthew 26:31-35

Introduction—Jesus had clearly said in Vs. 31—“All ye shall be offended…”

1. He even said it is a fulfillment of prophecy—Vs. 31—“…for

   it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the

   flock shall be scattered.”

2. He even gave the promise, Vs. 32—“But after I am risen

   again, I will go before you into Galilee.”

3. “But (Mr. Spiritual) Peter answered and said unto him,

   Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I

   never be offended.”

   a. The presumptuous person imagines he can do everything,

      and can do nothing; thinks he can excel in all, and excels in

      nothing: promises everything, and performs nothing.

   b. The humble man acts a quite contrary part. There is nothing

      we know so little of as ourselves—Nothing we see less of

      than our own weakness and poverty. The strength of pride is

      only for a moment.

4. Peter seems to feel that he is made out of a different kind of

   stuff than all the rest.  In fact, “…he spake the more

   vehemently.” (Mark 14:31)

5. Everyone of us who has been saved, at the first, vowed we

   would never backslide.

6. After 36 years of preaching, I’ve seen this “Now-That-I’m-

   Spiritual” feeling come upon just about everybody.  It grieves

   and quenches the Spirit.  I’ve seen them testify, teach and 

   sing with the Superior Attitude.

   a. Mt. Pisgah—I told my wife (we were in the midst of great

      growth at the church), “Honey, there must something wrong

      with all these other preachers, maybe they just need some

      tact.”  Needless to say, all hell broke loose the next week at

      the church.

   b. All of a sudden, we become intensely spiritual and

      everyone else seems commonly carnal.

7. Many have thought they have had a “new experience with

   God” when the only thing that happened was a “new

   estimation of themselves.”

8. When somebody meets God, it is not “Wow is me!” but

   “Woe is me!” (Isaiah 6:5).  It is not a “Performance” but a

   “Prostration.”

9. When somebody meets God, it is not “Hallelujah it’s me!”

   but “I fell at his feet as dead” (Revelation 1:17).  Spirituality,

   like humility, runs away from self-attention, self-interest or

   self-notice.  Like the man who wrote the book: “Humility and

   How I Obtained It.”

I. FALSE SPIRITUALITY

   A. Based on Feelings—I heard one of the wickedest, most

      judgmental, critical gossiping women I’ve ever met say,

      “That service made goose bumps all over me.”  Goose

      bumps are merely a roughness of the skin produced by

      erection of hair follicles by little muscles reacting from

      cold, fear, or a sudden feeling of excitement.  (They mistake

      God for the “air conditioning or being afraid or an

      emotional high)

   B. Based on Faithlessness—False spirituality is experienced

      Centered.

      1. Be cautious of the person who says, “God told me thus

         and so!” Illustrate—I had a member one time who said

         “She was God!”  She wound up in the State Mental

         Hospital with a nervous breakdown.

      2. Write this down—148 A.D.—All 27 books of the N.T.

         had been accepted as the Word of God.

      3. Any message that God has to convey is going to come

         through the Bible in such a way that faith is required to

         receive it.

      4. No Faith—No Facts!  Why?  There will be times when

         God will be obliged to shut us up to Himself with no

         feeling, no emotions, and no experiences to reassure

         us…only faith in His unchanging nature.

   C. Based on Fraternities—A fraternity is a society with only

      the “elite” as members.

      1. This group has “spiritual gauges” to certify one’s

         spirituality.

      2. Usually one person is “the gauge.”  The Bible says, “And

         be not conformed to this world…”—“to fashion or shape

         one thing like another.”  We are not “rubber stamped” but

         have soul liberty.

      3. Illustrate—I know a preacher who jumped on a plane

         only to find out in mid air, it was the wrong plane.

   D. Based on Foolishness—The foolishness is that false

      spirituality has a high and mighty attitude.

      1. Attitude—Now that I’m spiritual, I must find someone

         who is as spiritual as I am with which to fellowship.

      2. My Church is not spiritual enough for me.  My preacher

         cannot help me because I am more spiritual than he.

      3. Illustrate—I had a man who thought the S.S. literature

         was too simple for him, and he brought his own lesson. 

         The danger in that is false doctrine can be taught.  He had

         his own agenda, scheme.

      4. Illustrate—I had a teacher who corrected everyone—

         That is the preacher’s job.

   E. Based on Fickleness—Since the “now that I’m spiritual”

      person runs on feelings, moods, and impressions there is not

      much dependence on regularity of discipline.

      1. They have no regard for their Church—They have a take

         it or leave it attitude—They can come or go.

      2. They have no sense of duty or loyalty to the Church.

      3. Illustrate—Sometimes being the pastor of a church is like

         a man married to Liz Taylor—You don’t know who she

         will be shacking up with next or married to next.

   F. Based on Frustration

      1. Being impatient, they do not “tolerate” another point of

         view.

      2. They lack love and gentleness toward those “less

         spiritual.”

      3. Illustrate—A critical member said one time, “Preacher,

         you’re getting kind of fat.”  I told her, “I’m fat and you’re

         ugly but I can go on a diet.”

   G. Based on Fabrications

      1. When someone disagrees with them, they say something

         like this, “God’s going to judge you.”

      2. They become disillusioned because when things don’t go

         like they “feel they should,” they become discouraged and

         disappointed.

      3. Illustrate—I had a member that said, “God told me, I’m

         supposed to be the pastor of this church.”  (The outcome

         —I stayed and he was committed to the psychiatric wing

         in the State Mental Hospital).

II. FACTUAL SPIRITUALITY—Based on the Word of God

   A. Based on Discernment—I Corinthians 2:15—“But he that

      is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no

      man.”

      1. Discerns problem persons, principles, and practices.

      2. “Judgeth all things”— He examines, scrutinizes,

         convinces, reproves all things—Meaning he does not

         make “rash or quick” judgments.  Illustrate—A Deacon

         came running down the aisle, screaming, “I’m going to

         kill you.”

      3. Where does the spiritual man get this discernment? 

         I Corinthians 2:13—“Which things also we speak, not in

         the words which man’s wisdom teacheth; comparing

         spiritual things with spiritual”—Simply, before I make a

         judgment call, what does the Bible says about this?

      4. Unlike the non-spiritual man who makes judgment calls

         and does not care what the outcome.

      5. The “spiritual man” is the man distinguished as being

         ruled by the Spirit.

      6. The “spiritual man” is an enigma to the worldly and the

         carnal minded Believer.  Because the Spirit does not

         “cater” to the flesh.

   B. Based on Duty—Galatians 6:1—“Brethren, if a man be

      overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an

      one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou

      also be tempted.”

      1. Two suppositions by the spiritual man

         a. Christians might not be perfect—“…if a man be

            overtaken”

         b. Christians might be overtaken in a fault—Fault is to

            signify a vessel being suddenly agitated and whirled by

            the waves, and then dashed on the rocks.

         c. Illustrate—A man rebelled against me.  I called one

            preacher seeking counsel and he said, “Vote him out,

            now!”  Another preacher said, “The battle is the Lord’s.” 

            Two weeks later, the man had a heart attack and

            apologized for his rebellion in the hospital.  He became

            a very close friend.

      2. Two suggestions about the spiritual man

         a. He will “restore such an one in the spirit of

            meekness”—Instead of being like the super spiritual

            “priest and Levite”—He will be the Good Samaritan.

         b. He will be “looking himself over,”  as to how he would

            want to be treated if overtaken impulsively in a wrong.

         c. He will be “looking himself over” and examining

            himself as to his own weakness to sin.

   C. Based on Design—I Peter 2:5—“Ye also, as lively stones,

      are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer

      up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

      1. The Church is seen as transcending the glory of the

         Jewish Temple.

      2. The church of God is a spiritual house to offer up spiritual

         sacrifices.

         a. Bodies—Romans 12:1           

         b. Praise—Hebrews 13:15

         c. Giving—Philippians 4:18

      3. Illustrate—Sacrifice is the gauge to spirituality—Dr.

         Percy Ray gave all his offerings, lived in a small house

         with just a few pieces of furniture.  He was the most

         spiritual man I ever met.

   D. Based on Doctrine— 1 Corinthians 3:1-2—“And I,

      brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as

      unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you

      with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able

      to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”

      1. Meat is a Message— Hebrews 5:13—“For every one that

         useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he

         is a babe.”  A willing dumbbell who will not learn beyond

         “salvation.”

      2. Meat is a Maturity—Hebrews 5:14—“But strong meat

         belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by

         reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both

         good and evil.”

      3. Illustrate—I was preaching in a Camp Meeting and one

         man was shouting amen very loud.  His shouting sounded

         like a “cracked bell”.  I was grieved in my Spirit.  God

         impressed me to preach on tithing.  Immediately the man 

         shut up.

      4. Point:  If preaching on a certain subject shuts you up,

         you’re not spiritual.

Conclusion—What is a spiritual man?

1. Controlled by the Spirit to not make rash decisions.

2. Critical of no one, realizing he could fall.

3. Constantly sacrificing, putting others above himself.

4. Concentrating on learning—Commitment to grow in grace

   and knowledge.