The Lie of Self-Betterment

"When an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.  Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there.  And the last state of that person is worse than the first." Luke 11:24-26

If I had had to summarize the Christian faith in one simple phrase I would choose "reliance in Jesus".  Our culture screams "no, I will rely on myself!"  Just as Psalm 14:1 states, "The fool has said in his heart, no God!" So we aim at self-betterment with seven point sermons on how to be better.  The problem is if you are honest, you suck at being better.  You try for awhile and fix some weird area in your life, only to have seven more problems come shake your life to the core.  Unless Jesus is my source of strength and power in my life there is no bettering.  If I become "so called" better on my own, it really isn't better because I am simply doing it to show you how I  am so much more better than you.  The better that Jesus wants for us is love.  Not love like the world thinks, but love like He thinks.

How do you know if you are living independently of Jesus?

1.  Repentance is not your life.  Instead, you seek to have a "good week" and when you think you do it's time for Jesus to hook you up in the blessing compartment.  (All of life is faith and repentance). We don't typically think of repenting from our self-atoning self sufficiency. So when we fail, we distance our selves further to prove to the Lord we are good to go on our own strength.  We do this by beating ourselves up, disciplining ourselves, and putting up fences everywhere.  This looks spiritual to our friends but it is really unashamed pride.

2.  Spiritual disciplines seem like drinking cough syrup.   If I pray, read my Bible, and am in community because I know I should do these things verses seeing them as how I breathe I have ceased to understand my need for Jesus and his grace.

3.  You only believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Bible.  Without the Holy Spirit we cannot live the Christian life.  Jesus made the disciples wait in the upper room to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus lived out his entire earthly life in the power of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 61). Jesus broke away and prayed in order to be strengthened on a regular basis.  He considered it more important than physical food.  Many Christians are simply Christian Atheists when they ignore their need to wait upon the Lord for his direction, strength, and empowerment.

4.  Worship Is Not Exciting.  When you find your righteousness, strength, purpose, value, and direction in Jesus you simply desire to worship him because he is real.  You are encountering him and therefore you are not ashamed to express his name publicly.  You know with certainty that what he said is true, "whoever confesses me before men, him shall the son of man confess before his Father and the holy angels in heaven."