'Character Counts' - I Samuel 16:1-13 October 1, 2006

This entry was posted on 9/29/2006 11:17 AM and is filed under Sermon Feedback.

This is a new sermon series on King David.  I felt led to revisit his life because he is such a great example of one who has a heart for God even when he 'blows it.'  I am looking forward to this study and hope you benefit from it as well.  I have asked a few questions below to start the conversation this week, but please comment on what you want.

Do you think our world (America) is getting morally, spiritually worse? 
Are we living in a day of 'spiritual vacuum'?  Why?

What are the influences that make us focus so much on 'externals'?

What inner character qualities do you think matter to God?


Why is integrity such an important quality? 

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• 10/2/2006 10:44 AM Andre wrote:
  I think that there is a spiritual vacuum in our world at present. Just last night I had a great conversation with a seeker in which I shared with him how I think that the consumeristic society we're a part of is causing us to revert even more into individualism. This is key because it cuts us off from relationships which are essential for spirituality.
  For example, 100 years ago, the food I bought came from my friend's grocery store down the street, I got my news from the local hangout, my horseshoes were made by my blacksmith friend, etc... In other words, the things I consumed were connected to my immediate world. They were connected to stories I was familiar with - there was a personal dimension to my purchases.
  Now, I buy my food at Wal-Mart and don't realize that it was harvested by migrant workers who are barely subsisting, I get my news from the internet, and I drive alone in my car. We have succeeded in isolating ourselves and disconnecting from the world around us.
  This affects spirituality in reference to what we spoke about two weeks ago - we are relational creatures by definition. Whenever we are not in relationship, our humanity and our spirituality is compromised.
  I know this is kind of philosophical, but I really think it is a major issue in the church. We need to make sure that we are providing a relational, real life community that people can come into and thereby experience God. The more we give into consuming and comfort, the more we separate from the stories that link us together.
  This is one reason why the "Christian West" is so hated by those in the East. Though I obviously believe that Jesus is the one true God and that the East needs Him, I do think that they are right on in this regard.
  Let us worship the Creator and not His creation - or our own for that matter!
  Reply to this
• 10/2/2006 1:22 PM Chris wrote:
  my comment is more about a comment that was made, i to have heard that children of believers are not staying in the fold but i wonder if it might have something to do with lack of positive options for the worlds distractions. A good example would be the radio, most teens and kids i know would not want to listen to 104.9. But if they had a station like K-LOVE to listen to like i did growing up it might make a difference, if you look at the messages out there in every format-Movies, TV, Radio, even the news, what are we as a Christian society putting forth as options. I feel the family and the churches need to start investing in Home Missions, bring forth change through a counter message to the worlds view in the same format the world uses. Todays big thing is MY SPACE on the internet. What are we as Christians putting forth as options for our teens, When I was a teen I had Christian per pressure to counter all the negative per pressure in the world. I could turn my radio to a Christian station and hear Gods word in a format at excited me. I truly feel we need to focus attention on giving our kids positive per pressures to counter the worlds
  Reply to this
• 10/6/2006 9:02 AM Janine wrote:
  In reference to Andre's comments about the tendency to individualism in our society, which is real. Computers and technology have made it possible to "avoid community" and live increasingly insular, self-centered lives. In light of what happened in the Amish community this week, though, it's clear that even in a very close-knit community - without the distractions of modern life - real problems exist. The tragedy was shocking, even more so because we expect that kind of thing to happen in large, impersonal cities, not bucolic communities with horses and buggies. I'm not sure how this relates to the spiritual vacuum question - except that the perpetrator of the crime was quoted to have said to have been "bitter at God" because one of his children had died in childbirth. Of course this is an extreme example, but perhaps one of the reasons a person might walk away from believing in God has to do with personal tragedy or pain that they may have never resolved -- which may cause them to be bitter or indifferent to the things of God.
  Reply to this
  1. 10/6/2006 6:26 PM Lizajayne wrote:
     I do think that in many ways we are living in a spiritual vacuum or black hole - where even the Light that shines from the hearts of God's children seems to be swallowed up by the darkness.
     
     Rich's questions this week were divinely timed to coincide with an awfully sad seven days in America. When Janine mentioned reasons people might turn from or against God I couldn't help but think of the Christian group that wanted to protest at the funerals of the Amish girls, claiming on television that God directly caused the tragedy because of His anger at the USA and Pennsylvania's Governor. It is fair to assume that millions of unbelievers watched that program and were hardly encouraged to run into the merciful arms of God.
     
     This is a multi-layered problem. I believe most Christians that know the Lord and the saving power of Jesus Christ see the "imbalance" (to put it mildly) of that organization's message. But also at work here is the media's love of such flat characters and its hostility toward Christianity. Besides, a scary "zealot" draws excellent ratings. In today's busy world, messages of hope and light can hardly compete with the power of sensational images and sound-bytes.
     
     As for being disconnected from one another, I will go one step further and suggest we are disconnected from ourselves as well. I see a culture that picks and chooses pre-packaged morality and ideology based on transient emotions. Rarely do you find a person reflecting on or researching a idea, opinion or moral choice. Very few people know what their heart desires or longs for, they just keep feeding the animal, without ever asking "What is it you need?"
     
     Regarding integrity, real people, not perfect people, but real people who follow the Lord and honestly accept responsbility when they stray, are what unbelievers notice. Surely its not the only reason integrity matters but I believe its one of them.
     Reply to this
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