WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
October 22, 2006 PM
Sermon Outline
MK 3:19B-21
INTRO: "I just don't care what other people think," we may have said on occasion. Such an exasperated rejoinder may come out of a variety of circumstances ... usually, I would think, when we have been reminded that other people are observing us or that we may be injuring our influence by our words or behavior. The truth is that most of us probably do care what other people think about us. And conformity is the proof of this. If we did not care, we would not conform to society's norms or to fashion's dictates. There may come those times, however, when a devoted child of God behaves according to the dictates of conviction ... and people think things of him which may be biased or twisted. Our text is an illustration of "what other people think".
I. WHAT DID PEOPLE THINK ABOUT JESUS?
A. From our text...
1. "...he is beside himself..." - lit. "he is out of his wits"
2. this was apparently the assessment of friends
3. this assessment resulted from His preaching and its fruits - He was so busy and so pressed that "they could not so much as eat bread" - they thought He had lost touch with reality
B. From Mt 11:19
1. "...and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber..."
2. but they had also claimed John the Baptist "hath a devil" (v. 18)
3. enemies, the unbelieving will say whatever suits their purpose - and you really have no control over what they think or say
C. From Jno 8:48
1. "...say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?"I
2. Jesus was convicting people of their sin ... their dishonoring God
3. their response was an insult and an accusation - "He is demon possessed and is being critical of good people who serve the Lord"
D. From Jno 10:20
1. "He hath a devil, and is mad..."
2. His uncompromising message and conviction resulted in mixed opinions
3. but everyone had an opinion
E. From Jno 8:41
1. a stinging opinion ... Jesus was born of fornication, illegitimate
2. there seems to be no limit to what some might think of one who chooses a life of goodness and conviction!
3. not everyone would think this ... but some did ... and for selfish reasons
II. WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF US
A. Note some texts suggesting this
1. Acts 10:22 - of Cornelius (a Gentile soldier in Roman army)
2. Acts 22:12 - of Ananias (a preacher of the faith in Christ)
3. 1 Tim 3:7 - of elders (notice that this includes people out of Christ)
4. 3 Jno 1:12 - of Demetrius (of all men and the truth)
B. Obviously, "reputation" is the subject here ... and is important
1. ones reputation is most assuredly an important thing - guard it
2. give no one just cause to question your integrity, your reputation
3. recall 2 Cor 2,3 - Christians are "open letters" about Christ - we most certainly want nothing to compromise the "reading" of the letter
4. so, 1 Pet 2:11,12 - let your life be proof of your goodness, conviction!
III. BUT WE CANNOT ALWAYS CONTROL WHAT OTHERS THINK OF US
A. Jesus certainly discovered this to be true
1. day by day, Jesus demonstrated love and compassion
2. but his life was a testimony against the "religion for show" of His day
3. and his message was in contradiction to the erroneous views held by so many - His passion for God and His conviction for truth brought conflict
B. And we will doubtless discover this to be true
1. it is not something which is easy to accept - that people might think strange things about us simply because we try to live as He would have us live
2. and this may be especially difficult for our young people - "everybody else is doing it" ... but conviction based in truth keeps me from doing it
3. Jno 15:19 - here is a reality of discipleship of which Jesus warned - there will come those times when your being His disciple will not be easy!
CLOSE: Some people thought Jesus to be insane. There were those who thought the apostle Paul had lost his mind. But what they thought and what was truth were not the same thing. Live your life with devotion and conviction ... and know assuredly that living to bring God pleasure is what really matters about your life.
Cecil A. Hutson
22 October 2006