ULTIMATE CHARACTER

Character Tour 8 of 8

December 9, 2007

mikematijevich

mmatevich@aol.com

Intro:

*            Two Things about our society: (1) Like to travel (2) We all made up of different kinds - character.

Series @ Character Tour…

            Saw some awesome characters WITH some awesome character.

1.            DISCIPLINE- Daniel:  Went DEEP with Discipline- because of a regimented DIET, PRAYER

            "Discipline": doing what you ought to do- so you can do what you want to do.

2.            Endurance - Noah: Started & engaged in endurance- 100 yr. project.

            "Endurance" - stampeding through the stopping points of life.

3.             COURAGE - Joshua & Caleb: drew a line in the sand & stood against peer pressure.

            "Courage" - the God-given ability to draw that line in the sand & to stand for what you believe.

4.            VISION - David: Took on Goliath - How? Because he was a man of vision.

            "Vision" - "Seeing the transparent in the apparent"

5.            CREATIVITY - God: The Trinity… Father created it; Son modeled it; Holy Spirit empowered it.

            "Creativity" - "Riding on the ragged edge of innovation."

6.            LOVE - Hosea: Supernatural love for a whore.

            "Love" - "A commitment followed by living in the grip of grace."

7.            ORGANIZATION - Moses: Trying to get 2million Hebrews to the Promised Land (Jethro)

            "Organization" - "A decision followed by a process."

Character: "An outward reflection of an inward connection."

*            What's up with that?

2 Corinthians 3:18

The THEOLOGICAL ANCHOR of the definition of character.

2 Cor. 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changedinto the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

*            (No mask, Metamorphosis- to transform from the INSIDE OUT (only once in the bible)

***            Thus - Character: "An outward reflection of an inward connection."

*            Jesus is true Character- He offers a character exchange.

            The moment I bow the knee to Jesus WHAT happens?

            My flawedcharacteris transferred over to His shoulders &

            His flawlesscharacter is transferred over to my shoulders…

*            He places the Holy Spirit in me & gives me the power to live His character out.

***            The Holy Spirit gives me:

            1.            The discipline to LIVE CHARACTER out

            2.            The ENDURANCE to carry character THROUGH

            3.            The COURAGE to STAND character UP

            4.            The VISION to SEE character ON

            5.            The CREATIVITY to MOVE character AROUND

            6.            The LOVE to GIVE character AWAY

            7.            The ORGANIZATION to get character DOWN.

*            That happens the moment we are born-again… the Metamorphosis -CHANGE.

*            With a lack of CHARACTER in the world - It really means a LACK of Christ!

Today COUPLE THINGS ABOUT CHARACTER…

I.            True character surfaces during crisis mode

            1 Peter 1:6-7 Peter is the expert about messing up- trials

" Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"

           

            A.            Trials will come - "If need be"- sometimes I need trials to reveal my character

                                    Discipline - sometimes God disciplines us when we mess up

            Ps. 119:67 "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word."

                        1.            Trials for Preparation- for this life & the one to come

                        2.            Trials for Prevention - from falling, sinning

NOTE:            Talk to older mature Christian they will tell you - character developed during trials.

           

            B.            Trials come in various STYLES - (clothing in this room- various)

                        1.            Trials are unique- to fit you!

            C.            God controls the trials- (1:7) (He knows what you can & can't take)

Note:            Refining gold of the refiner- when He can see his reflection in the gold.

So character surfaces in crisis mode… Get that downloaded in your heart today.

II.            TRUE CHARACTER IS MORE ABOUT THE WALK THAN THE TALK

            A.            Character is NOT PASSIVE (a verb)

            *            What if Jesus had been PASSIVE?

                        Jesus has character - a Warrior, A Mighty Savior, A man's man. (He did the WALK)

*            Our culture is the exact opposite of God's Character:

            In light of the 7 character qualities of God:

            1.            Discipline- we tend to applaud laziness, doing just enough to get by.

            2.            Endurance - we have a country full of quitters, divorce, etc

            3.            Courage- we are a people of relativism (No absolutes)

            4.            Vision- we can't past the moment

            5.            Creativity - we (the church)

            6.            Love- we wait for an emotion, or connect it to sex

            7.            Order- The world is in chaos.

      Isa 5:20 "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

*            Imagine if God took the believers' out- what would this world look like?

            Imagine if God took the strongest people out of this church.

            Imagine if God took out the strongest Christian in your family.

WHAT would happen to this world?

What would the church become?

What would you become?