How Do You Respond When You Are Disappointed by Other Christians?

Greta would like to ask a number of questions as we begin the sermon today. Have you ever been disappointed by the way that a Christian in God's Church has conducted himself or herself? I'm sure that from time to time we've all been disappointed by the actions of some of our brothers and sisters in the faith. But let's narrow the focus of that original question down just a little bit. Have you ever been disappointed with the conduct of a fellow Christian with a high degree of visibility in the Church? Maybe a song leader, maybe a sermonette man, maybe a deacon or a deaconess, or even an elder or the pastor himself? Let's continue to narrow the focus on these questions and ask even more specifically, have you been disappointed by the actions of the leadership of God's Church? I'm talking about beyond that of the local leadership. Jesus Christ had a great deal of instruction for those who had hurt the little ones in the faith. Now, by little ones where Jesus Christ was in no way trying to look down on anybody, obviously Jesus Christ loved everybody. He came to die for humanity. The terminology there is used to show the vulnerability of God's people, and all of us have our vulnerabilities. These little ones are greatly loved by God. Jesus Christ came to give His life for these little ones. And we see something very interesting as an example in Matthew 18. Let's turn to Matthew 18. Starting here in verse 1. Matthew 18 verse 1. At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Now, there is something that we should take note of. Here's a great question being asked of Jesus Christ. Who is the greatest? What qualifications does it take for us to be the kind of people, the kind of individuals God wants to reward and have a responsible position in His kingdom? Jesus called the little child, verse 2, A little child unto him, and said to them in the midst of him, Misdem, said, Surely I save you, unless you are converted, and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. There is a conversion process that needs to take place, and we need to become like little kids. We discussed that in times past about the outlook that a little child would have. We don't need to reiterate that here.

Verse 4, Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives a little child like this, in my name, receives me. So here an emphasis is made about the example, the greatness of the little ones, the humble ones, the teachable ones, the ones that follow dad. When dad says, Here is the way we need to go, the ones that were moldable and changeable. These are all aspects of what we need to be as the little ones.

But let's move on a little further here in verse 6. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses, for offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offenses come. Probably all of us in this room have experienced offense at the hand of a brother or sister in the faith. And notice to the degree that Jesus Christ, in my Bible, this is red letter, it's all red lettering here, notice the degree Christ as we need to root out those kinds of actions from our lives.

He says, verse 8, If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off from before you. It is better for you to enter into life named or lame, rather than having two hands or two feet be cast into everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It's better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes be cast into hellfire.

You know, the idea here is not that Christ wants us to start severing limbs. Gouging out eyes, ripping out ears, that's not the point. The point is, if we have attitudes, if we have thoughts that are hurtful to us and others, we need to get those out of our hearts and minds. We need to purge all of that. Because if we don't, we're hurting ourselves. Mr. Luecker and his letters recently have discussed with the church the issue that we have some that are causing others to doubt, to have mixed feelings, hurting the faith of some.

That should not be. Brenda, how do you and I respond when we are disappointed with those around us? Could be a fellow brother or sister? Could be the local church pastor? Could be those who are in leadership positions in the church?

How do you and I respond to being disappointed with other Christians? I would have to be honest with you and admit to you that right now, I'm disappointed with a lot of my peers. A great many of them. My point today is in this question, the theme of the sermon is this, how should a Christian respond when we are disappointed by the actions of other Christians? How should we respond? I've given us a great deal of thoughts, particularly since the Feast of Tabernacles, and as I was thinking about this and meditating on this, asking God for help on this topic, the thought came to me that focus is so very key for all of us.

I began doing some research, and when I was on the internet looking at various things regarding focus, I found some interesting material that I would like to share with you. In the introduction to their book, The Power of Focus, the two co-authors, Jack Canfield and Mark Hansen, creators of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and many of you are familiar with that, Chicken Soup for the Soul series, a very powerful series. In the introduction to their book, The Power of Focus, they say this, and I quote, Remember, it's all about focus. The main reason most people struggle personally and professionally is lack of focus.

But I think that that is also a truism spiritually. The reason we struggle personally is lack of focus. Where should our focus be? How do we have the proper focus?

We understand we go to God's Word, we go to God for understanding the basics of focusing, but specifically, what are the nuts and bolts? I mean, we know we understand broad stroke, yeah, we go to the Bible, but how exactly and where exactly? There's another book out, it's called A Bias for Action, How Effective Managers Harness Their Willpower, Achieve Results, and Stop Wasting Time. If you're not getting all this, this will be on our local website. A lengthy title, A Bias for Action, How Effective Managers Harness Their Willpower, Achieve Results, and Stop Wasting Their Time. By Heinke Brach and Sumatra Gushaw, they provide a three-part explanation, which I believe is not just good for managers, it will be good for us spiritually if we take heed of this.

They say achieving focus takes place in three ways. I quote, number one, first, rather than merely reacting to developments as they arise or meeting routine requirements, focus managers are goal-oriented. They have clear ideas about what they're striving for. Brethren, if we want to be the Christians God wants us to be, if we don't want to find ourselves being so disappointed and disheartened by other people, we need to focus on the right thing. We'll get to that a little bit later on.

Secondly, the book goes on to say, focus requires that a manager is intentionally channeling all activities toward achieving the desired goal. That means taking the time to reflect regularly on your own behavior, being willing and able to choose what you do and what you do not do each day. Focus behavior does not emerge by chance, nor from the moment.

So, number one was being goal-oriented, and number two was focused behavior, moving toward your goal. Third, the book says, focus requires personal discipline. That means protecting yourself against the unusual noise of everyday demands or exciting opportunities that will invariably tug at your attention and emotions. It also means not allowing resistance to keep you from pursuing your goal.

So, you are, number one, are goal-oriented. Number two, you have got focused behavior heading toward that goal. And number three, you've got personal discipline that will not sidetrack you from looking at that goal and working toward that goal. Now, this is true for managers in the workplace. I say that these are tremendous spiritual principles that we can incorporate in our lives as well. But again, we know we look into the Bible, but where specifically? Where exactly do we look for this sort of thing? As I did further research into this topic, I came across a couple of quotes I really thought helped put things in a proper perspective for us. Taylor Benson said this, it is during our darkest moments we must focus to see the light.

During our darkest moments, we must focus to see the light. Isn't that so true? When you're in the midst of whatever the trial or challenge you're facing, we need to focus so we see the light. We can focus on all the wrong things. We can focus on all the dark things, all the negative things, all the horrendous things, all the challenges, but we need to focus to see the light. Who is the light for a Christian? It's God the Father and Jesus Christ. In their word, the Bible. Harry Emerson Fosdick said this, no steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated, and disciplined. Once again, I think that is so true. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated, and disciplined. Little did he know that he was basically quoting this book that I've just made mention of, to be focused, dedicated, and disciplined.

So for you and I as Christians, where do we find this? Where do we find our goals, our focus, our discipline? Brethren, God does give us an answer, and I want to discuss that with you today. God has lovingly and thoughtfully outlined for us as Christians key concepts to keep us focused on. These things are needful for our physical as well as our spiritual success. If you and I focus on what I'm going to be giving you today, in the way I'm going to give it to you today, I think that even though you and I still will have disappointment with brothers and sisters in the faith, that disappointment won't lead us out of the church. That disappointment won't cause us to be so disheartened we would want to do nothing and give up. If we focus on what we're going to go through today, which, my great mind is God who's giving it to us, but if we focus on what God has for us today, then we can deal very successfully with disappointment in other people. Where do we find this outline? Something that you, each and every one of you, knows like the back of your hand. We find that outline in God's Holy Day plan. And today we're going to look at God's Holy Day plan, but we're going to look at it a little bit differently than we normally do. Bear with me as we do this. We're going to focus on the concepts of each of these holy days or festivals. We're going to talk about Passover as well. Passover is not a holy day, it's a festival, to be clear. We want to focus on the key concepts that each of these steps in the plan of salvation bring to us. Because each one of these steps brings us a mindset that helps protect us from the destructive nature of disappointment and discouragement in other people because of other people. In other words, what we're going to do as we look at the holy days today, the festivals of God, we're going to learn to view all of human activity through God's perspective.

Let's learn to view all of human activity through God's perspective.

Let's begin with the Passover. The theme for the Passover is God's love and forgiveness of fallible mankind. And please keep that in mind. Mankind is fallible. If you and I are disappointed in some people, well, you know, we're all fallible, aren't we? The one that you aren't right now feeling disappointed in, they're fallible, but you know something? So are we. God's perspective is every human being who's ever lived is fallible. Every human being is in need of forgiveness. It's not just that, you know, we socially blunder. We sin. We have need of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Let's keep that in mind as you and I get disappointed. And I know this sermon is probably more for me than any of you. Because as I see what some of my peers are doing, it makes me not only disappointed, but extremely upset and mad. It makes me really upset and angry. But I've got to remember that just as I am imperfect, just as people are probably disappointed with me, and I'm disappointed with other people, you know, God's disappointed in some ways with all of us, because we're all fallible. We all are sinful. We all have need of the grace of God in our life. The Passover also, if you want to look at another way of saying what is the theme for Passover, it's God's gift of a new life in Christ. God's gift of a new life in Christ. I don't know about you, but every day I am in need of that another page in that new life. Every day I need God's grace.

Now what I've done for each of these Holy Days and festivals is to take those three points that we talked about earlier, a clear goal, focused behavior, number two, and number three, personal discipline, and we're going to take a look at some scriptures that deal with each and every one of these. Hopefully it won't be too pedantic for you, but I'm hoping this will be something that helps really ground us through some, maybe some even more challenging times ahead. So when we look at Passover, what is a clear goal? And again, we're looking at the Holy Days now in terms of other people. We understand we are to keep the Holy Days. That's not the issue I'm discussing here today. The issue is, okay, how do we cope with disappointment in the flaws of mankind? Well, we're going to look at God's Holy Days. We're going to see mankind from God's eyes as we look at each Holy Day. A goal as we look at Passover. Let's look at Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3.

Verse 12, Colossians 3, 12.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and long suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you must also do.

So here we see what Jesus Christ has done for us, and what God's perspective is as to how we should do the other guy. The guy or the lady we're disappointed in, that we are to put on tender mercies. Do you need tender mercies? I do. Do they need tender mercies? Yeah, I bet you they do. Tender mercies and kindness and humility. Why humility? Well, because we too have feet of clay, don't we? Meekness, which means being able to be taught. Do we know everything? Are we always correct? Is every assumption we make right? Is every decision we make, you know, the thing that is the best? No. We're imperfect people. That's why we've got to pass over. And to be long suffering. It says, if anyone has a complaint, which means there are some really real issues here. And brethren, when I'm talking about, you know, being forgiving and loving as Christ is, I'm not saying that there aren't real issues. I'm not saying that what some people are doing is okay. We're just going to forget. No. What some people are doing may be very wrong. Very, very wrong. We're not giving anybody a pass on that point. But what we are saying is, in our hearts and minds, if we're going to be the Christian people God wants us to be, we've got to unleash the anger, the upset, the poisons that may be in us that Satan would want to have us be weaned on. We need to let that go. We'll talk more about the other people's issues as we continue on with the sermon today. So I'm not saying that we're condoning anybody's action here. I'm saying, here's what you and I need to do, as what the Bible says. We need to have this is the ultimate goal, to be loving and forgiving just like Christ. That's the lesson of Passover for us along these lines today, these very specific lines I'm talking about. So that's our goal. Let's take a look at some focused behavior here. Let's go over to Matthew chapter 6.

Matthew chapter 6. Here we've got the model prayer.

People call it the Lord's Prayer. Here we've got focused, a focused prayer life. These are things that Christ said. And again, in my Bible, this is all red lettering. This is an outline. These are very important points. Not that we bring up in every prayer, but these are certainly things we want to cover with God from time to time. In many cases, many of these things every day. But notice what it says here in verse 12. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Now, this is a focused behavior. We are to be thinking about this issue, but don't we all ask for forgiveness every day? So this is a focused behavior we want to do on a daily basis. We want to ask for forgiveness of our sins, but it says, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. So God here is saying a part of our focused behavior is the idea that we need to be forgiving people. We drop down to verse 14. For if you forgive men, their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.

So here is a very focused behavior that we need to on a daily basis for what is going to help us individually. You know, our forgiving the other guy, the other guy might not even care. They might not even know. The other guy might even be long dead. Maybe they have hurt you in so many ways and they have already passed from the scene, but the hurt lingers. You can't be reconciled to them. They're gone. Or maybe they're alive and they don't care. We do this because it's good for us because God says this is the way a Christian lives. This is a focused behavior. Now, in terms of a personal discipline, you know, we've got a goal. We've got something we're going to focus on. Now, here's the discipline part. Let's go to Matthew chapter 18. Matthew chapter 18. And in verse 21, Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? You know, is there a limit to my mercy? You know, one to seven. That's not too lengthy. What did Christ say? Verse 22. And Jesus said to him, I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. The concept there is we keep on forgiving. That is a discipline. That's something we keep on doing. I'm not going to read the rest of the story here, but you can go through verses, the rest of the verses, the rest of the chapter, and it just talks about an example about, you know, God has forgiven us. We need to turn around and forgive other people. Again, we're not condoning sin. Only God forgives sin. We can't forgive the other people's sin. We don't condone any wrongdoing. But, you know, in terms of us making sure our heart and our mind is right with God, this is something we do.

So the first thing we look at here is Passover. We look at the other guy in light of the story of the Passover, in light of forgiveness, in light of realizing people, and we included, are very fallible. Let's move on to the Days of Unleavened Bread. Again, we're doing this all in the light of our looking at people through the light of what these holy days represent. Days of Unleavened Bread, the theme would be removing sin and replacing sin with God's righteousness. Removing sin or replacing sin with God's righteousness. Not our righteousness, God's righteousness.

Or, if we wanted to talk about that new life we have in Christ that was given to us at Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread show us how to live that new life in Christ. We were given new life at Passover. Days of Unleavened Bread show us how to live that new life in Christ.

And note here, the Days of Unleavened Bread, they're talking about sin. We're not talking about a matter of a difference of opinion. Well, I like vanilla versus chocolate. No, we're talking about sin. We're talking about real sin. Many years ago, Herbert Armstrong was asked, how did he deal with his enemies? And the way Mr. Armstrong said he dealt with his enemies was that he prayed that God would work in their minds and hearts. That God would begin to open their eyes to see the truth of a point of Scripture. Maybe they would be working toward conversion. If they weren't working toward conversion, at least they would see a portion of the Word of God and a truth of that portion that would change their interaction with Mr. Armstrong. So, in short, Mr. Armstrong, what he did with his enemies is said, you know, Father, the best way for them no longer to be my enemy is for them to understand the truths of the Bible.

Now, that's a very powerful, I feel, a very powerful way of looking at people who are doing you harm. They're wanting to do you harm, and you're wanting to make sure that God is blessing them so they'll know to do right. That's a really fine, proactive approach to dealing with people that we are disappointed in. In actions that might discourage us. But let's take a look, again, at the clear goal, at the focused behavior, at the personal discipline when it comes to the days of Unleavened Bread and our interaction with other people. The goal, let's look at 2 Corinthians chapter 7.

2 Corinthians chapter 7.

Here's a section of scripture I use all the time when I'm counseling people for baptism. It is so important. It is so profound. We're not going to get into verse 11 here, which gives a biblical set of guidelines, seven different fruits, to show whether you repentant or not. It's not just for people who are coming to baptism, it's for every Christian at all times. How do we know if we're truly sorry and repentant on any given point? Well, verse 11 gives us seven fruits. But we're not going to even go there. Let's take here in this chapter and start with verse 9. It says, Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance, for you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us and nothing. Currently we're going through 1 Corinthians in our in-home Bible studies, and 1 Corinthians is the strongest, most corrective letter Paul ever wrote. The church in Corinth was a mess. Now, the church in Corinth had, you know, people aren't all good or all bad. Paul begins his letter there to the Corinthians talking about the fact that they were God's people. They were called by God. They were set apart by God. They had many good fruits. They came short of no gift. I mean, there was a lot of very positive things happening. But on the other hand, the people in Corinth were into personalities. They were into divisions. You know, I'm of Paul. I'm of Apollos. I'm of Cephas. I'm of Christ. There was division there. There were doctrinal issues there about the Passover. They were not treating the Apollo to say, you know, some of you were asking for healing. You're not being healed because you're not living properly. You're not treating one another properly. Your prayers can't be healed. Answer because of this. So there were some issues there. So Paul had to write a very corrective letter. That's why he says, I made you sorry. I made you sorry. But he says, you know, I don't regret that because you needed that. You needed a wake-up call spiritually. Verse 10, For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted. Well, that's a powerful series of thoughts there, isn't it? The right kind of sorrow produces the right kind of repentance leading to eternal life. But notice the end of verse 10. But the sorrow of the world produces death. You know, the sorrow of the world is the sorrow that many people experience where they they feel remorse about something. Their emotions tug. Their emotions tug at them. Maybe their conscience tugs at them. But then after a while their emotions were thin on that point and their conscience maybe become seared and they move on. You can't live on your emotions. They're important. We don't want to deny them. We don't live on that. But it says here that, you know, our goal, the days of the lemon bread, our goal here, our focused behavior, is that we are going to remove sin from our lives.

And if we have disappointment to the place where we think our brothers or sisters are the enemy, that is sin. If we start getting to the place where we feel that way about other human beings, that's why last week we gave a sermon about how our enemy is Satan the devil. That's our enemy. Our brothers and sisters may be doing things that we're disappointed in. They may be doing things that are wrong. They may even be doing things that are sinful. But we have to remember who the real enemy is. And the real enemy is not our brothers and sisters. The real enemy is Satan the devil. And we need to make sure we get sin out of our lives. That's our goal. That's God's perspective as he looks at the days of the lemon bread. Let's remove that unrighteousness. Let's now look at the focused behavior. We see this here in Romans chapter 7. Romans chapter 7. Now, perhaps the section of Scripture that you and I think about so many times. This is not a section of Scripture where we need to go into all sorts of commentaries. We don't need to look up to Greek here. When Paul says what I'm about to read, we understand this.

You don't even need to have much of an education to understand this. I think you could be in early grade school and understand this. Romans chapter 7 verse 15, For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice. But what I hate, that I do. Do you really need to be a Greek scholar to understand that one? I don't think so. Here's a man saying, I struggle against myself. I struggle against, you know, the god of this age who wants me to go away that's not in my best interest. And too many times he says, I fail. Verse 16, If then I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now it is no longer I who do it, but the sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me that is, in my flesh, nothing good dwells.

Now here's an apostle. Here's a man that wrote a significant portion of the New Testament. He says, in him nothing good dwells. So, brethren, can it be easy for us to be disappointed in other imperfect people? Yeah. But aren't we imperfect too? And again, I'm not trying to say everything is, you know, equal, you know, everybody's doing what they're doing just equal to mine. I'm not saying that either. But I am saying that we need to focus on the idea that our brothers and sisters are not the enemy, and that we also have issues too. For I know that in me that is, in my flesh, nothing good dwells. For to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do. But the evil that I will not do, that I practice.

I'm sure Paul was disappointed at himself from time to time, just as you and I are disappointed in ourselves. But notice the conclusion here in verse 24. O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. What was Paul's focus? Paul's focus was not on his own fallibility. His focus was on the fact that he has a Savior who will forgive him and will give him the strength to carry on. Now he does need to be repentant.

You know, as Jerry was talking about in the sermon that earlier today, it's not just a matter of Lord, Lord, it's a matter of doing, also doing, what God says to do. It's a matter of faith and works. Not faith or works. Faith and works.

And brethren, very frankly, what we're seeing here in Romans chapter 7 is the fact that every human being is a work in progress. So when you and I are disappointed in other Christians, whether they be just the person sitting next to you or somebody running the church, let's all remember that each and every one of us is a work in progress. Now in terms of personal discipline, let's go to 2 Corinthians chapter 10.

2 Corinthians chapter 10.

2 Corinthians 10. Verse 3.

2 Corinthians 10. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments in every high thing that exalt itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Here is something... here is a... we are going to discipline ourselves, you know, talking about how we need to bring things into the obedience of Christ. Isn't that what the Days of Unleavened Bread picture? We're getting sin out and we're replacing it with God's righteousness. And it says here in verse 5, we are going to cast down arguments in every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Everything. And if Satan is speaking words in your ears or mind so that we are looking down at our brothers and sisters and we're wanting to hate them or it's us versus them, then that's something we need to be very aware of. And we need to bring every thought into the captivity of Jesus Christ.

Let's move on to the next holy day, which would be Pentecost. Pentecost, the theme of Pentecost, is the giving of God's law and giving of God's Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, we receive God's law in the Old Testament and the New Testament and receive God's Holy Spirit. Or another way of looking at this, and again I'm giving a parallel narrative here revolving around the new life we have in Christ. Passover showed God giving us the gift of a new life in Christ. The Days of Unleavened Bread showing how we are to live that new life in Christ. And Pentecost shows that God is giving us the power to live that new life in Christ. He's giving us the power. We certainly need His power to live that new life in Christ.

So once again, we'll look at the goal, the behavior, and the discipline. When it comes to this, again we're using the Holy Days as a template to examine our behavior toward our brothers and sisters in the faith. The goal is found over here in Ephesians chapter 4. As I've said to you on so many occasions, I think if you had to narrow the Bible down to one verse, that would give the mission statement for any Christian would be the verse we're about to read.

Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 13. To me, this is the heart and core of what you and I as Christians are all about. Till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Our ultimate goal is to be Christ-like.

Now, am I saying we should never be disappointed in one another? Of course not. We're going to... I'm disappointed in a number of people right now. Was Jesus Christ ever disappointed in people? I bet you He was. But that didn't make him say, well, I'm disappointed. Or forget my mission in life. I'm not going to go die for these people. I'm disappointed in those people. No, He didn't do that.

Christ was a man acquainted with sorrows. I'm sure He was disappointed. When people couldn't pray with Him for one hour as He's about to give His life for them and about to go through unspeakable torture for them and they couldn't stay awake to keep Him company, I'm sure that was disappointing. But that didn't cripple Jesus Christ. And it shouldn't cripple us. You know, Christ is our ultimate yardstick. The goal is to be Him. Let's take a look at our focused behavior in Philippians chapter 3. And I'll be going to Philippians chapter 3 on several more occasions. You've got a little something to stick in there. You might stick it there because we'll come here now and come back a time or two after. Philippians chapter 3, the goal is to be Christ-like, the focused behavior. You see here in Philippians chapter 3 starting in verse 8. You know, the prior part of this chapter, He's talking about all the physical things He can glory in. He says, that's nothing. The physical things I had, that's nothing. Verse 7, He says, what things were gained to me, these things they counted a loss for Christ. Yet indeed, verse 8, I count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I might gain Christ. Now, we talk about perspective. That's a tremendous perspective to keep us on an even keel. Verse 9, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. Boy, there we have it, don't we? We want God's righteousness that comes by faith. This is something that we are going to ask God to help us with. Help us increase in faith. Help us to have the proper knowledge. Verse 10, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and a fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death. You know, a couple of weeks ago we talked about Romans chapter 12 and verse 1, how we are to be a living sacrifice. We talked about what it means for us to bear our cross daily. The cross was an instrument of death, and Paul says he was conformed to Christ's death, which meant that he was going to use Christ as his ultimate yardstick, not an human being.

When you have faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ, you are never going to be disappointed in God or Christ. Never! Well, people in church fail us? Absolutely. Well, we fail ourselves. Absolutely. There's not a human being walking that hasn't failed themselves or other people. But God doesn't fail us, and Christ doesn't fail us. And Paul says, you know, one of the things about Pentecost, as we focus here, we focus on Christ as the goal, we focus on, you know, if we want yardstick religion, here's the yardstick right here. His name is Jesus Christ. It's not other human beings. John chapter 13 shows the discipline we need. As we look at this whole concept of looking at people through the eyes of, in this case, Pentecost, John chapter 13, a new command, again, my Bible and red letters, a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as, as I have loved you, that you also love one another by this, by what? By the kind of love we have, a Christ-like love, by this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Brethren, how did Jesus Christ love those around him? Was he disappointed in people? Yeah, big time. But did he love them? Yes. Did he serve them? Yes. Did he dedicate his life to them? Yes. Were they imperfect and doing things that were contrary to their own best interests and what the Christ would have them do? Yes. But was Christ still dedicated to them? Yes.

So we need to be disciplined in the idea that we just can't walk away from our brothers and sisters, even though it's so tempting. You know, they're disappointing us. They are all sorts of problems to us. And the easiest thing, the cowardly thing for us to do, is simply walk away. Jesus Christ never walked away. He never walked away from these kinds of things. He never walked away from any challenge. And neither should we. Let's move on to the Feast of Trumpets.

The theme for the Feast of Trumpets is the return of Jesus Christ to establish the kingdom of God on earth.

The return of Jesus Christ to establish the kingdom of God on earth. The theme for Trumpets is a theme of government.

If we're looking at the parallel discussion I've got here, it's regarding the new life in Christ. It would be the new life in Christ made available to the governments on earth. The new life in Christ made available to the governments on earth.

I would say this, in our circumstance, that we want to look at Trumpets through the eyes of God in terms of our church government, our church leadership.

We certainly want to be the kinds of leaders, the kinds of beings that we will be in the millennium. We want to rule. We want to serve as today in God's government, in God's church, as we will in a time when Christ establishes the millennium. Let's take a look at Hebrews 11, the faith chapter.

Hebrews 11.

Verse 8, So here's a man of faith. He's following God, even though he doesn't know where God wants him to go. It's an article of faith here, but you know he's going to do this because he understands who God is. And it says here, he's living like a foreigner.

Verse 10, Brother, in our focus, let's again talk about the church specifically here in government, our focus is not to want our way. Our focus is to want God's way, whatever way that is, God's way.

And that's a, well, it can't be my, if you would, you know, kind of like certain political figures, if they would just do it, they would see how good it is. Well, unfortunately, we've had some of that in the church now. We've got to wean ourselves from that and think about life through the holy days and what God is trying to show us here. And the Feast of Trumpets shows God's government, the preeminence of what God desires, not, you know, what we desire. Same chapter we dropped down to verse 13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. You know, we in the ministry don't own the brethren. We, you know, we are to be helpers of joy. We are not here to be giving our own way. We are here to be seeing what is God's way, and let's follow that. We are to be strangers and pilgrims along those lines. For those who say such things, verse 14, declare plain that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had been called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire it better. That is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them. Yeah, these spirit beings who are going to be in the millennium, God realized, you know, you've come through the wars. You put everything in second or third or fourth place. You made sure that your priority was me, in my government, my way. And that's what we need to do in God's church today. A goal. We want the government of God ruling in our lives, just as it's going to happen when Christ returns. Focus behavior. Let's go back to Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians chapter 3.

This time we'll be dropping down to verse 12. Philippians 3.12. Not that I have already attained, or I'm already perfected. You know, Paul was a man who had a great deal of respect in the church of God, but he wanted everyone to realize, hey, look, I'm not perfect. I have not arrived. They say, I have not arrived. Not that I have already attained, or I'm already perfected, but I press on, but I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to apprehend it. So here he repeats it again. I do not count myself to apprehend it, but one thing I do for getting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God and Christ Jesus.

He had a focus. The goal is the kingdom. His focused behavior was he was not going to let anything stand in his way of getting to God's kingdom. But you've got to do it the way God says to do it.

Verse 15, therefore let us as many as are mature. Now, how do we know if we're mature? Well, here's an indication. How you and I are steadfastly progressing toward God's kingdom. How much of a focus do we have on God's kingdom? The more focused on that, the more mature we are, the more we put everything else back down the priority list. Therefore, let us as many as are mature have this mind. What mind? The mind we see in chapter 2, verse 5. The mind of Christ. Let us have Christ's mind. And if in anything we think otherwise, if in anything we don't have the mind of Christ, God will reveal us even to you. Now, if we're straying, if we're really trying to do the right thing, we're not going to be blinding ourselves or allowing Satan to blind us. God will say, you know, you're getting off track, you know, you're really, you're really keeping a good attitude here, but you're going off track. So God will bring us back. Verse 16, nevertheless, does it agree that we've already attained, you know, where we already are in life, where God has brought us to this point, let us walk by the same rule. We know what we need to do. Let's be about our Father's business. Let's do it.

Let us be of the same mind. Over here in 2nd Timothy, we see just how seriously Paul took this. Let's take a look at personal discipline. We certainly see this in the life of Paul. 2nd Timothy, chapter 4. You know, Paul coming to the end of his life, a life that was full, robust, serving the great God, making sure he had his priorities where they should be. I'm sure there were plenty of people Paul was disappointed with, but did Paul say, you know, I'm disappointed with my, all the people who have left me, and I'm just going to quit. I'm just going to sit on the sidelines. I'm going to go over in the middle of the infield and just lay down.

Paul didn't keep his eyes on other people. He realized he had a calling. Brethren, you've got a calling. You've got a high calling. You've got a holy Don't allow what other people do to deflect you from how you can serve and how you honor and love God. 2nd Timothy, chapter 4, verse 6. For I'm already being poured out like a drink offering. You know, Romans, chapter 12, verse 1, talks about being a living sacrifice. Here he's talking about how he's already being offered up. In a time of my departure is at hand. He realized he had but a short time left on this earth. I have fought the good fight. You know, he's been proactive. He's not a passive man. I've fought the good fight. I have finished the race. Despite being disappointed with people from time to time. Perhaps people he really thought very highly of. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Father, there is later for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous shall give me on that day. And not to me only, but also to all who who have loved his appearing.

The Apostle Paul had a trumpet's point of view as you look at other human beings, as you look at life through the eyes of God. But let's look at the day now of atonement. David Tolman pictures the time where Satan sins and the responsibility for his sins are placed on his head. Satan sins, the responsibility of Satan's sins. You know, the Passover pictures when God Christ takes care of our sins, but God is a very holy God. Every sin has got to be accounted for. Passover accounts for human sin. Atonement accounts for Satan's sin. And that has to be, just God has to account for all sin. Satan's sins and responsibility of his sins are placed on his head. And the parallel thought we have here, talking about the new life we have in Christ, humanity's new life in Christ now pours forth without the influence of Satan.

New life in Christ without Satan's influence. How beautiful is that time going to be? Let's look at Revelation chapter 20.

Verse 2 and 3. He laid to the dragon that serpent of old, who was the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottom of spit and shut him up and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more, till a thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. A goal here is the binding of Satan.

That's the goal.

Let's take a look at our focused behavior here in Ephesians chapter 4. Because there's a certain behavior that goes with this, so far as the Christian is concerned. We see this in Ephesians chapter 4.

In verse 27. Ephesians 4, 27, where it says, nor give place to the devil. Nor give place to the devil. In Revelation chapter 20, Satan is bound by one of God's servants. In Ephesians chapter 4, we are the servants who are to bind Satan in our hearts and minds. We want to make sure he doesn't get loose. That he doesn't destroy us. That we don't follow his dictates.

We are to bind Satan from allowing his influence to make us go in a direction we shouldn't be going. Again, Satan is the real enemy.

When we're disappointed with people, realize that sometimes, as human beings, and we've all been there, every one of us have done things that are not in our best interest or those around us. There have been times in all of our lives, Satan has got a toehold in there and caused us to do things that are disappointing.

So let's look at human beings through the Day of Atonement and realize that not everybody has bound Satan in their life like they would like. Is Satan perfectly bound in your life, or is he still galloping around? Do you still have a lot of issues? Do you still have a lot of problems? I do. I've got my share of things. I've got a fight. He's not like Revelation 20 in my life yet, but that's what I need to be working toward. But we're all on this continuum. Through this whole discussion today, we all are on this continuum. And where you are, be thankful for where you're at, but other people may be either in front of you or behind you. And so we can't be so self-righteous and say, well, why can't they just see it? Well, did you always see yourself perfectly clearly? Have you always been able to repent on every issue perfectly clearly, or did it come a certain thing as stages for you? Again, let's see people through the Day of Atonement, through the fact that there isn't a time when Satan is bound, and there will come a time when those people who you were disappointed in, they'll see better. They'll see differently. And maybe it's us who need to see differently. Who's to say that we always have it right? What did David say? Father, help me see my secret sins, my secret faults. We can be deluded. We can be deceived. Satan is still alive. Well, just because we're baptized in a church doesn't mean we can't be deceived.

Two chapters over here in Ephesians 6. Ephesians 6. Looking at a personal discipline. Our goal is to bind Satan. Our focused behavior is, we see in Ephesians 4, that we are going to work and not giving Satan place. But here is a discipline we see in chapter 6 of Ephesians verse 10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. If we think we're going to go up against Satan with our own smarts, our own talents, and win out, forget it. It's not going to happen. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles or the schemings of the devil. Verse 12 is so important for a perspective. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Brethren, if you and I wrestled against flesh and blood, then maybe we could win out. But we're not. This is something that's bigger than us. We're not wrestling against other brothers and sisters in the faith someplace that we're disciplined. That's not the issue. Again, I'm not trying to condone anybody's actions or inactions. I'm not trying to condone anything one way or another here. But we have to look at the power behind the scene. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. We're fighting something spiritual.

Therefore, verse 13, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.

We have to be disciplined every day before we go out to battle. We've got to put on that armor. Every piece of that armor. If we don't put on every piece of that armor, we're liable to fall victim. You know, I don't have this in my notes. I should have just one of these things God's inspiring at the moment here. But somewhere back in the recesses of my mind, it seems to me I remember that one of these Spanish canista doors, I forget which guy it was, but he went into somewhere in Mexico, I believe. He had all of his paraphernalia on, but he forgot to put on a certain part. Or there was some sort of vulnerability, and one of the natives blew a dart. I think he hit him in the back of the knee. Everything else was covered with all this armor. He had all his weaponry to all those guys. But the blow of the dart went into the back of his back of his knee and killed him. There was a little vulnerability there. When you and I go out in the world to face Satan, we need to make sure we are clad in the whole armor of God. That we don't leave anything be. We take it all. Okay, let's move on. Time is running here. Feast of Tabernacles. We want a Feast of Tabernacles point of view as we look at our brothers and sisters in the faith. Feast of Tabernacles theme is the thousand-year rule of Christ in the saints. The thousand-year rule of Christ in the saints. Or, as we were looking at the New Life in Christ scenario, the New Life in Christ universally taught and lived by all. The New Life in Christ universally taught and lived by all. Let's take a look back at the book here of Habakkuk.

You know, the book you study all the time. You know exactly where that's at. You don't have to go to the table of contents and see what page number it is. Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 14, a beautiful scripture which we read so many times at the Feast of Tabernacles.

Back at chapter 2 and verse 14, where it says, For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. We look forward to the time where God's knowledge covers everything, where Satan is no longer there to influence people. And we simply go with what God says to do. That's the goal for us even today. To permeate our life with the truth of God. To allow the truth of God to cover our souls completely like the water covers the sea. That's our goal. Our focus behavior. Let's go one last thing. It's one last time here. One last time to Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians chapter 3.

And verse 20. Philippians 3, 20. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. So just as our goal is to be filled with the knowledge of God, our focus behavior is that we are focusing on the return of Jesus Christ. To save humanity for himself. And brethren, as we look at our brothers and sisters in the faith who we might be disappointed in, let's remember that all of us, even not only the people we're disappointed in, but us ourselves, we ourselves, we need to be saved from ourselves. We need the kingdom of God to come. So when we focus on people and their faults and their failings, and it's so easy for us as carnal human beings to do that, people who've got carnality in us, we are Christians, we do have the mind of God, mind of Christ, but because of our, you know, with the carnality that Satan would like to introduce into the story, it's so easy for us to look at the failings and failures of others, but you know, God is going to rescue the whole world. He's going to rescue us as well. Not just the people we're disappointed in, but us as well, because you know, as disappointed as we are in some people, they probably are just as disappointed in us.

Personal discipline here regarding the feast found over here in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5.

2nd Corinthians chapter 5.

Well, here's some marching orders, you know, a feast of tabernacles perspective. You know, when we go to the feast, we realize we're strangers and pilgrims on the earth. We go to temporary dwellings.

2nd Corinthians 5.17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. We're new in Christ. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things are becoming new. But notice, it says, all things are becoming new. Remember that continuum. Where are you right now? Are you at, where are you on that, you know, this range of what you recalled at one point? Christ comes at the end point, and where are you on that continuum? You're in a process of growing and developing and maturing. You may be ahead of some people, but behind other people. We are becoming new. We became new in one sense and one fell swoop when our sins were forgiven. So that is true in that one sense, but as you and I progress and mature, that is a painful, painstaking process. It takes time. Verse 18, 2 Corinthians 5, 18, Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

Matthew 18 is still very true. Galatians chapter 6 is still very true. We have the ministry of reconciliation. We don't have the ministry of, let's call it the vision. We don't have the ministry of, let's put doubt in people's minds. We don't have the ministry of, yeah, but here's what I say. No, we've got the ministry of reconciliation. Verse 19, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

If we're disappointed in somebody, have we gone to them in the spirit of Matthew 18? Have we gone to them in the spirit of Galatians chapter 6? Have we ever gone to them, or do we just talk about them behind their back?

Now, any of us can be guilty of that. Verse 20, Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us, pleading God, God pleading through us, we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. Be reconciled to God. We are to live as ambassadors of a new and bright way of life.

If we're disappointed, okay, fine. Let's do something about that. Let's deal with that in a positive, biblical way. Lastly, we've got the last great day. The last great day, pictures of time, the theme. All those who have never had an opportunity for salvation will have an opportunity for salvation.

Or the corollary thought there, talking about the new life in Christ. The new life in Christ is offered to all who have ever lived. Every human being will be offered a new life in Christ.

Revelation chapter 20.

Revelation chapter 20.

Verse 11. Then I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. All people from all times who have ever lived, small and great. Whether they be somebody who died early on, you know, they were just an infant, or somebody who lived a ripe old age and became some person of note. No matter who, whoever lived will be standing before God. And the books were opened. That's important. The word there for books is biblios. Biblios. Talking about the Bible. The Bible is now being opened to this group. The Bible had not been opened to them in the past. The Bible was opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. This is one of the reasons why we know these people never had a chance at salvation. The Book of Life had been closed to them. So now the Bible is open. The Book of Life is opened. And it says here, and the dead were judged. Maybe a better word, a word we would relate to a little better here. And they were evaluated. They were evaluated according to their works by the things which were written in the Bible, in the books. Just as you and I are being evaluated right now by the things that are written in the Bible.

There are those who we're disappointed in right now. I've said this in any number of ways today, but things, their mind has not been opened maybe to see where they're coming from. They are so convinced in their own mind of the rightness of their cause. That maybe they're blinded and just can't see the other side of the story, or they can't see the other person's point of view. And they're blinded. The things are closed to them. They feel they are doing God's service. You and I might very much disagree, but they feel they're doing God's service. Again, this is where we begin to put in some of those other lessons. We begin to think about the Passover. We begin to think about being merciful to them, and so forth. And again, not condoning things, but being merciful in terms of our point of view toward them.

Now, a focused behavior here we find over in James. I've talked about Matthew. I've talked about Galatians. We'll be reading Galatians here in just a little bit. Let's go over to the book of James, James chapter 5.

Very end of the book, James chapter 5, verse 19. Here is a focused behavior. Last Great Day, showing a time where people finally have their eyes open to see the truth.

Verse 19, bread, and if anyone among you wanders from the truth... Stop for a moment. Have you ever wandered from the truth? I think every one of us has wandered from the truth. I'm talking about us as converted Christians. If anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, back in the spirit of Matthew 18, back in the spirit of what we're to read in just a moment in Galatians chapter 6, if someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns the sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Here is a focused behavior that we go to our brothers and sisters that we may be disappointed in. We have a conversation with them. Now let's turn to Galatians chapter 6.

Very powerful section of Scripture. We just don't use this in the church as much as we should. It takes courage to use this section of Scripture. It takes courage to use Matthew 18.

It's not for the faint of heart. Galatians chapter 6 and verse 1. Brethren, if man is overtaken in any trespass, overtaken. Again, can you and I be overtaken? Of course we can. If we be caught or overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual. Now who's a spiritual person? Well, the spiritual person is a son or daughter of God. Somebody who has the Spirit of God in them. Or even with them. Which means all of us in this room are spiritual. You who are spiritual restore. Notice the idea. Restoration. You restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness. Consider yourself lest you also be tempted. Humility dictates we consider ourselves. Let's not be high and mighty. Let's not be arrogant because we've got our own feet and toes of clay. But in the spirit of gentleness, consider yourself lest you also be tempted. And verse 2 are to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Bear burdens. Helping bear that burden. Helping people to see, if possible, the error of their way. Not just sitting back and being disappointed, but actually doing something about it in a constructive, biblical way. Brethren, at the beginning of this sermon, I asked, have you ever been disappointed by some Christians? Maybe a brother or a sister in the faith. I asked, maybe, have you ever been disappointed by a person with high visibility in the local church? I even asked if you had been disappointed by the leadership beyond the local church, maybe the corporate leadership of the church. Today we've taken a look at how you and I should respond at disappointment with other Christians. We've taken a good look at the Holy Day structure that God has given us. The Holy Days tell us so very much, but this last week as I was contemplating what to say and how to bring this message, God, I think, inspired me to say, well, let's take a look at something that's foundational. As foundational is the Holy Day plan of God, and that speaks to how we should live our life in so many ways. Each of those festivals, each of those Holy Days, shows a frame of reference in which we are to think. It shows us what we are to properly focus on and how to properly focus. One final scripture for today is found over in Hebrews chapter 13. Let's turn there in closing. Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5. Hebrews 13, 5. Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Again, God can be disappointed in us. Think about your reactions in mind. Think about the way you've lived your life and the way you've fallen short all of your foibles and difficulties in all of mine. And yet God says, I will not leave you or forsake you. Why? Because we're his sons and daughters. You don't leave forsake your family. Not even when time goes bad. Frankly, when times get bad, you tend to dig in even more.

Verse 6. So he may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what can man do to me.

Well, brethren, hopefully this has helped. If you've got questions on some of the things I've said today, please make it a point to either see me afterwards or give me a phone call or maybe you can set up an appointment. We can talk individually.