121 Podcast: Recent Episodes
121 Community Church
When the truth of the Gospel meets the Thessalonians, there is an incredible reaction of power.
What if the future you're stepping into requires wisdom you don't yet possess? As AI reshapes our world with incredible speed, Eric discusses how Genesis 1 anchors our humanity. We're made in God's image to reflect, relate, and create, not outsource our souls to machines. Through practical questions and real ministry examples, this message equips you to navigate AI's promises and pitfalls without losing what makes you uniquely human. Ready to steward technology instead of being shaped by it? Watch now and discover how to stay grounded in truth while the world chases artificial everything.
Hope can be uncertain if it is wishful thinking, but hope can be certain when grounded in the right reality.
To have a global heart, Jesus’ prayer for unity, love, and glory among believers is a powerful help to that end.
While we can easily forget those who are on global mission, Jesus gives us meaningful ways to pray for those who are sent abroad.
The mission of God will be accomplished as we first and simultaneously seek Him in prayer.
God’s mission is worldwide in scope, and He gives us the power to carry out His mission.
When it gets scary to do the tasks that God has for us, there is a powerful promise of His presence that puts courage into us for the task.
Part of the great commission is to make disciples AND teach them to obey the Lord and his Word. How do we do that? How can we learn to obey Him and grow in obedience?
Baptism is a decisive marker for a person who has become a follower of Christ, and there are a wide range of views on baptism that have created challenges over the years for Christians.
Sometimes we shrink to what God is doing to our small area, but God has a far greater task for us that includes all people groups in the world.
Sometimes people have in their minds that it is other people’s responsibility to help people grow in their Christian faith, when in reality it is every Christian’s job to help others grow in Christlikeness.
Authority can be viewed either positively or negatively, and it is understanding and yielding to the authority of Jesus that enables the best life possible.
Living SENT begins with loving God with all in devotion, and practically that flows into loving our neighbors both near and far.
As Christians, each of us ought to live with a mindset of being SENT with the message of Jesus, and the enduring motivation comes from a love for God.
Our Human Condition - Deserving of WrathGrace Extended - Through Faith, Not by WorksOverflow of Grace - A Life on Mission Marked by Peace
Circumstances often drive whether we have joy or not, and the reality is that joy is possible in Christ regardless of circumstances.
We often spend our lives searching for peace in a variety of ways, and we ultimately discover the true peace we are after is found in Christ alone.
Isaiah, foretelling Jesus’ coming, tells us "those in darkness will see a great light." What does that mean for us? As we see how God brings light out of darkness, we see this is the story of our faith - Jesus came as the light of the world to bring peace and joy to us. But it doesn’t stop there, He then uses us to bring that same light to others.
While we often try many ways to work through life’s different situations, the most powerful way is prayer and confession.
We all face challenging moments in our lives, and God’s way for us to face these moments is the way of steadfast patience.
Wealth in and of itself is not a problem, but there is a stern warning when wealth is not used God’s way.
There are a variety of thoughts about what it means in judging people, and God has clear descriptors of what the truth is regarding judging.
A person can either live by the wisdom of the world which leads to division or to the wisdom of God which leads to peace.
We all play favorites, but when we favor some, we dishonor others, dishonor God, and contradict the gospel. Only by seeing how Jesus favored us over himself, can we move past favoritism and love others fully.
The question is not have we heard the Word of God, but are we doing what we hear God say from His Word?
We will all face a variety of trials in life, and God has a purpose and a way for us to move through the trials well.
The most practical thing we can do is deeply reflect on the detail of God’s eternal plan of salvation.
"We are not inviting people to join a club. We are inviting them to know the Savior."
This Sunday Fouad Masri was our guest speaker. Fouad is the founder of the Crescent Project, a ministry that seeks to reach and connect with Muslims, building bridges to salvation.
Judgment is an uncomfortable topic, and yet Jesus speaks of it often and with clarity in how to be ready.
There are so many unknown circumstances in family life, and there is a deliberate choice to serve family joyfully in the unknown.
When culture challenges our core beliefs, it is good to have examples of godly resolve to keep us from compromising.
Discipling and Investing in other people to be followers of Jesus and leaders for Jesus can be both rewarding and disappointing.
“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Our tendency might be to bear the burdens of others on our own, but God has a better way for us to bear the burdens of others together.
There is a sadness in a no or indifference to musical worship, and a deep joy in yes to musical worship.
The safest place to be, even when it does not make sense, is right in the middle of God’s will.
Since the resurrection is true and Jesus is alive, now what? Jesus commands us to go into the world.
Just like the disciples we are tasked to go into the world WITH Him and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. As believers, we have been commissioned to play a part in God’s rescue mission for the world.
Following the crowd is convenient, yet the way of Jesus is the way of conviction. And a life of conviction is costly.
Life is full of a mixture of both failure and faithfulness, and Jesus is the ultimate in faithfulness and restoring us to do the same.
There are times when life’s pressures are intense, and Jesus shows the way in how best to handle intense pressure.
We are all devoted to something, and we believe the most fulfilling devotion is to Jesus Christ!
Parables help us to clearly understand the depth of meaning behind a story. In Mark 12, we see God's provision and patience with His people. We also see how our fallen nature leads us to reject God's messengers and ultimately Christ Himself. The response to the realities of this story is an urgent repentance and seeking after Him through grace in faith.
We are all people of faith, and the biggest question to consider is what kind of faith is it.
We all ultimately follow someone, and we believe that the One worth following is Jesus!
Excellence in Everything is about giving God our best, not to impress others, but to reflect His greatness. Each person is different, what is your best?
Would you say you zealously embrace and engage in God's beautiful design of the church to partner in ministry?
It is easy to live in artificial relationships, yet the greater and more meaningful way to live is in authentic relationships.
Every person has thoughts on authority, and we believe the best place to thrive is under the authority of God and His Word.
We have the opportunity to influence culture either for the demise of our children or the flourishing of our children.
Everyone lives for something, and on this 25th anniversary of 121 Community Church we believe the best something to live for is Jesus Christ!
Often times people dismiss the demonic forces active in our world, but we find Jesus both acknowledging and having power over these dark forces.
There are some moments in life that are life-altering for the good, and encountering the real Jesus is one of those life-altering moments!
When we don't properly equip our kids about their faith, they often end up being inarticulate and can't defend it. It stops making sense to them on an intellectual level, and they start to walk away from it because they don't understand why they ever believed in God in the first place. Brett Kunkle walks us through what to teach our kids, why we believe in God, and how to explain our faith to our kids so they will be able to grow in knowledge and understanding of God, have a deeper relationship with Him, and ultimately experience His love for them.
We are all guilty of stealing, because we treasure things and doubt God’s provision. But when we treasure Jesus, we move from taking to trusting. And finally find life and freedom.
Often times, in our culture, we do not honor our parents well, but God says that we are to honor them and that actually brings life to us.
People are often devoted to many things, but God says ultimate devotion belongs for Him.
The 10 Commandments might seem like rules from a bygone era, but there is so much more to them. As Christians how should we understand them? God’s Commands are good, bringing freedom, not bondage. And they are important for us today, confronting us and showing our need for a savior.
Sometimes we are not sure what how to communicate our faith to someone else, and one way to figure it out is through faithful praying for both the one sharing and the one who does not know Christ.
Some people’s faith is such that the outflow is inconsistent with the truth of God’s Word, but biblical, practical faith flows well from being obedient to sound teaching from the Word.
The beauty of the gospel is preserved through our conduct in handling relationships, even the most difficult of relationships.
It is way too easy to live as unbelievers do in a culture opposed to the things of God, but we are called to live in a totally different way in response to the unbelieving culture.
Sometimes we wonder how to be godly men, and God gives us a clear path for how to be a godly man.
False ideas will come in and destroy families and churches, and God gives clear direction on how to protect families and churches from these false ideas.
Leadership has fallen on hard times - people are often cynical and distrustful of leaders. But God shows us that Godly Leadership in the local church is good and He tells us what to look for in a godly leader. These qualities are not just for leaders they describe a life lived in light of His goodness.
There are so many false ideas of God in our culture, understanding and articulating truth is critically important.
Sometimes we wonder why we would worship God, and God graciously invites us in to worship Him and gives us the why.
I am a fan of muscial theater. Musical theater when done at its best takes aspects of our lives and shows them in a different way to evoke emotion out of the audience and in turn give us new insights into our own lives. That’s what the best ones do. One of the most popular Broadway shows ever did something very different to invoke thinking about our time. The show opens with it’s main characters all on stage and they pose a question to the audience.. essentially the question is – given that there are 525,600 minutes in a calendar year, how should we spend them? How do we measure a year? I think this is a good question for us to consider today. As we approach the new year, it’s a great time to reset and refocus. A conversation I keep having with people has been around Time.. Many of us are feeling much anxiousness because of our calendars and but our solutions don’t seem to fix it.. How do we make sure we aren’t at a similar spot a year from now? How can we make sure we get the most out of this year? Thankfully God gives us insight into this dilemma in the oldest Psalm recorded in Psalm 90 to help us spend our time wisely and if we can do this again and again we can look back on 2024 and say It was a really good year. 1. Realize our time is short (Psalm 90:1-11) Genesis 3:19 ; Romans 6:23; Ecclesiastes 7:2-32. Seek God’s wisdom with our time (Psalm 90:12-15) John 15:3;Romans 5:83. Focus on God’s purposes with our time (Psalm 90:16-17) Romans 8:31-32
It is good to ponder and linger and think on what we will do with the the simple truth of Jesus having been born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died on a cross, and rose again on the third day.
The season between Thanksgiving and Christmas can often be filled with more grief than joy, and there is a way to find both grace and hope in the midst of the grief.
While we may often think the people who are the good and best among us do not need a Redeemer, we discover that even the best among us do in fact need a Redeemer.
Main Texts - Matthew 1:1-3; Genesis 38 :1-30
Additional Verses
Isaiah 49:7-10
Psalm 78:67-72
Ephesians 2:7
Jude 1:24-25
Revelation 5:1-5
Intro –It’s that time of the year we are, it’s the Christmas season! It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s a time for family traditions and family gatherings, movies about families. I love all these things, but it’s not always that way.. For many of us, there can be this tension because our families aren’t perfect and harmonizing over a grand piano.. Christmas can be hard because it magnifies much of the brokenness of the world and our lives.
Introducing the series, looking at the woman in the line of Jesus. There is a lot of brokenness in this genealogy, and maybe none more than the first woman mentioned, Tamar.. However, in the midst of the brokenness we see God turns the broken pieces into displays of His Glorious grace.
- A broken family (Genesis 38:1-11)
- A pattern of brokenness (Genesis 38: 12-21)
- A redeeming moment (Genesis 38:24-26)
- A family line changed forever (Genesis 38:27-30)
Judah becomes the son that receives the blessing from Jacob. The kingship line comes from his line and from this line will become the obedience of all people.. Genesis 49:10.. and at the end of history, it is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, that is the only faithful one to open the scroll.
Close – One of my favorite Christmas traditions we have as a family is our tree. ... Each ornament has significance for our family and many of them tie back to moments in our past. You know what Is interesting though, we don’t have any ornaments from horrible moments in our past.. I don’t have any ornaments that show the times I failed as a husband or father..
That is exactly what this genealogy in Matthew is.. It’s a family tree of God displaying the broken past that the savior has come from. It shows all of man’s actions that seek to cause evil and chaos will ultimately be used for God’s good glory. All the brokenness of our selves are made new in Christ and then displayed for a world to see they can have HOPE because Jesus, the son of God.. from the line of Judah by way of Tamar.. was born..
Sometimes we wonder if God is for us or not, but the reality is He fights for us all the time.
Misunderstandings can easily disrupt relationships, and we have really helpful resources to work through misunderstandings that will preserve the relationship.
What does it look like to follow the Lord God fully?
Be content to wait on the Lord (John 10:27-28)
Follow the Lord with your whole heart (personal relationship)
Follow the Lord for all the days of your life (Colossians 1:23)
Follow the Lord even if we have to stand alone (Numbers 14:10)
Follow Jesus by the power and strength of His Spirit (Numbers 14:24)
What makes the difference in a day that does not go well, and then those few days that are over the top amazing?
While it is difficult to discern what is true and what is deceptive in our culture today, God has given us a way to navigate through the deception and live in truth.
We can easily drift from obedience to God’s commands for a variety of reasons, and He gives a way back through renewal and favor.
How do we rebound when it seems we are faithfully following God’s design and then everything goes awry?
Sin is Always a Big deal. It captures our hearts and breaks our faith. While the consequences may be devastating, God’s grace is an even bigger deal.
While things in life might look formidable, God has unusual pathways to overcoming those obstacles.
When we are ready to roll, sometimes God says, “Hold on,” there are a few thing to get settled before moving forward.
With our tendency to forget God’s faithfulness and desires for us, meaningful reminders are helpful to remember and to spur us on to faithfulness to Him.
While we would prefer to see how life circumstances will completely play out, God invites us to follow His lead and take one step at a time in faith.
While we may think we or others are so bad that we are past the point of God’s rescue and help, we see once again that God rescues and does significant work in the most unlikely of people.
While it may seem daunting when God gives us assignments that are scary, He also gives us the courage and means to carry out His assignments.
There is power in remembering, and one of the best ways to remember what Jesus did for us is through the Lord’s Supper.
Sometimes it is difficult to know how to tell our Christian story, and we see an excellent model for how to do so in the latter part of Acts.
The difference in some people finishing the Christian race well, and other people finishing the Christian race poorly comes down to one thing.
Every person is in a different place in how they relate to Jesus, and from the Scripture we can more easily tell where we currently are in relation to Him.
With so many ideas taking root in the culture that are contrary to Christianity, how do we bring the message of Jesus into the conversation?
The longing we have inside of us for a loving father is actually the longing for our Father God who is the most amazing father ever!!
Main Text – Acts 16:1-40Additional VersesGalatians 2:3 1 Cor 9:22-232 Timothy 1:5Titus 2:3-5Psalm 24:1Genesis 12:2-3 Romans 12:3-82 Timothy 1:132 Timothy :142 Timothy 4:7- Who are three individuals that have had a significant impact on your life? - Now, who are 3 life defining moments for you? -Think about event moments most responsible for making who you are todayGod’s has called his church to be on the move making a difference wherever they are.. He is using us to make a difference in the lives of others. 1. In the next generation: 16:1-5 God calls us to make a difference in the next generation. God will use the older generation to identify and help grow the giftings in the next generation. 2. Where You are needed: 6-10 God calls us to make a difference in places often times not where WE want to, but rather where we are most needed3. Making a Difference using Your resources: 11-16 God gives us resources to use not for the building up of our own kingdoms, but rather making a different for His kingdom 4. In Dark and Hard places: 16-34 God specifically uses his people to make a difference in dark and hard places. Close- Leave an Impact: 35-40When we are living on mission for Jesus, God uses us to leave an impact that is felt for many years to come.
Main Text – Acts 15:1-41
- A Slight Shift
We first see one of the warning signs of mission drift starting to happen with the slight shifting in theology and how are we actually saved.. (Acts 15:1-5)
- A Direct Approach (2-6)
Once mission drift is spotted it must be met with a direct approach. We can’t just ignore it and hope it goes away. It must be met head on to course correct or
the mission is in danger of being completely adrift
- Courageous Leadership (6-21)
It takes courageous leadership to course correct back to the central mission. Fear of man is one of the strongest reasons mission drift goes un corrected. We must be courageous in our convictions to hold firm to the mission of Jesus.
- A More Unified Mission (22-33)
Whenever Mission Drift is corrected, an amazing thing happens.. everyone becomes more unified and the mission advances stronger than before.
Close (36-41)
This is a great reminder for us as a church to keep the main thing the main thing. We tend to drift away from Jesus ultimate mission and get focused on other
issues.. Luke shows us a great example at the end of this chapter where that we can disagree, yet still be united together.
Luke tells us about a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that then leads to them separating from each other. They had been so close with each other on virtually almost everything, been though so much recently and they end up splitting from each other? Did they forget the mission? No, they disagreed over
something that ultimately was a tertiary issue.. They split but were still united with the Mission of making disciples of Jesus in all nations. Their split lead to
more believers, more churches, and more glory to God.
Nothing can stop God’s Mission
Focus on the Kingdom of God and do what He has called us to do and go where He has called us to go.
God set apart and sent Paul and Barnabas to bring freedom to the Gentiles. In the same way, he sets us apart, and sends us into specific places to bring freedom to people who are captives – many of whom don’t even know it. We carry a timeless message of freedom and forgiveness to people that stirs them to either jealousy or joy.
We live in a world that often values material possessions, status, and personal gain over the pursuit of truth and love in Christ. By investing in children's spiritual growth, we can experience the profound joy of seeing our children living for Jesus Christ.
It is possible for those who wonder, doubt, or seem like they know that we can know with confidence what happens after death.
What if there was a way to genuinely know our purpose in life at all times regardless of circumstance or vocation!
Brandon Smeltzer shares how we can look at politics and government through a Biblical lens.
So many people want to be near Jesus or His teachings, and yet only a few are really all in on Him.
There are a dizzying amount of ideas about sexuality and gender today, and there is a way to think about these things that brings real life to all involved.
With all the negative possibilities that go with social media and entertainment, there is still plenty of excellence and beauty to be enjoyed in those same realms.
There appears to be a smattering of definitions of love and how feelings play out in our lives, and there is also a way to have clarity on what love is!
There are consequences to the cultural lens that says it is my truth or your truth, or the Scriptural lens that says that God Himself is truth.
Imagine if we would acknowledge the kind of purity that God is what impact that would have on all of our lives for the good.
In a crazy, unstable and constantly changing world (often not for the good), there is an unchanging God who helps live with confidence and stability.
Sometimes people believe they are in control, yet the reality is God is the One who is in control of all things.
The Bible has been attacked for centuries and is often dismissed as “myth.” But as we follow Peter’s lead and look at evidence we see that there is something unique and incredible about this book. In fact, the most reasonable conclusion is that it actually is the very words of God.
When feeling fragile and down in life, there is a real strength and stability that comes from being in and under God’s Word!
Let's think about why it even matters that we trust the Bible for the way we see reality.
The culture around us continues to move full speed ahead in the opposite direction of God, and there is a way to live confidently graciously and fully in the midst of the opposition.
With the New year ahead of us, it has become easy to look ahead with some fear of what might come because of the past few years. Many people have lost so much joy and excitement and are now just trying to survive the day.
If we aren’t careful we will give way to cynicism and shrink back from using our biggest witness to others, our unshakable JOY. Jesus wants to shift our focus and give us a new perspective for the year ahead. A perspective that allows us to move into any unknown fixing our eyes on who He is and how He will always provide!
Imagine if wonder was recaptured in the depths of a person for what is true and the wholehearted worship that would follow!
It would seem that a life of joy is not always possible because of life circumstance, yet it really is possible to live a life of joy in spite of our circumstances.
The love of God is unique, great, and once you have received it, you cannot help but sing about it.
Sometimes life and life’s circumstances are such that fear and despair are overwhelming, yet we find again and again that in Christ we have a hope that overcomes fear and despair.
When confronted with the hardness of our broken reality, we should look up, pour ourselves out, tether to the truth, and ultimately trust amid the Tension.
Sometimes we walk in a slumber in the mundane, yet there is an awe and wonder to which we can be awakened and invigorated.
The good news of Jesus does not always travel fast, but when it does it is just pure fun to watch it rapidly change lives!
People will not often agree with the people we associate with, but God will give us what we need in the moment to thoughtfully respond.
One meaningful way God helps us maintain an ongoing rest in Him is through varied friendships.
While rest is possible in an ongoing way, there are a number of enemies to rest with which to contend.
Some would say it is not possible to live life in a state of rest, but if we walk in the right rhythms rest is possible at all times.
In the midst of a crazy, busy and constantly connected world, it is possible to stay in a steady state of rest.
Some people try to manipulate God for personal gain, while others are simply grateful for God Himself.
No matter how gracious and wise someone in Christ is, opposition can still be expected.
For our graduates and all those supporting them, it takes a resolved heart to follow after God’s Heart!
There are varying thoughts and definitions of love, and God graciously gives us a true working definition of love by which to live.
You have a gift, don’t waste it – we are to be good stewards of God’s grace, using our gifts to serve each other and glorify God.You have a gift, don’t waste it – we are to be good stewards of God’s grace, using our gifts to serve each other and glorify God.
God utilizes the metaphor of the body to give a clear picture of how He intends the church to function in a healthy way.
No matter the efforts of people to stamp out Christianity, the good news of Christ and the work of God are unstoppable.
When it gets difficult to walk in our Christian faith, we turn to the early followers of Jesus for encouragement to stay the course and be even bolder in our faith.
Sometimes God is doing things at such an explosive pace that the only thing left for someone to do is to express wonder and awe at God Himself!
While everyone searches for freedom in different places, we find how to really live free in the leaders of the early church.
While a large number of people in current culture would prefer we stop speaking about and living for Jesus, there are compelling reasons why we cannot stop speaking about Him.
What do we do with the idea that is so unsettling to many that Jesus is the only way to salvation?
Sometimes we languish through our days with a parched soul not knowing that there is a path to a refreshed life.
Sometimes we may wonder why is it that we would praise and thank God, yet we find in the psalms the incredible joy that comes from this kind of praise.
We are not always sure if our prayers are life-giving or not, yet there is a way to know that our prayers are life-giving.
Sometimes when we ask why pray we are not recognizing that the real battle is not between people but the unseen battle in the spiritual realm.Sometimes when we ask why pray we are not recognizing that the real battle is not between people but the unseen battle in the spiritual realm.
Sometimes we struggle in knowing why or how to pray, and we find that the struggle diminishes the more we are inside the Word of God.
God tells us that we should pray with open eyes, for open doors, intentionally investing in outsiders.
“Prayer is the only entryway into genuine self-knowledge. It is also the main way we experience deep change—the reordering of our loves. Prayer is how God gives us so many of the unimaginable things he has for us. Indeed, prayer makes it safe for God to give us many of the things we most desire. It is the way we know God, the way we finally treat God as God. Prayer is simply the key to everything we need to do and be in life.” – Tim Keller
In the midst of all the unhealth in our cultural moment, there is real health available in God’s design for the church.
How did we get here? THIS MOMENT. It is because the Disciples of Jesus had a Clear Mission to be a witness, and they:
-
started with keeping the main thing, the main thing
-
They remained Dependent upon the Holy Spirit
-
Knew Exactly who they were
-
Trusted in the promises of God
It is good to periodically check our hearts on whether or not we are generous givers in the way that God expressed His generosity to us.
We often find ourselves in pain, difficulty, or crisis and are not sure where to turn, but we have ways to be a help whatever the situation might be.
So many in the world are curious and desperate for good news, and we have the best news of all for those who desire it!
While there are many motivations to serve one another, there is a motivation that Jesus gives that is totally unique to the Christian.
Hosea is an incredible story of restoration in the midst of marital unfaithfulness. God uses this picture to show us His radical love for us as He restores us from our wandering and unfaithfulness to Him.
God challenges us to give Him our best.
What we give God reflects our attitude toward Him. The Bible says our lives should be a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1-2). What areas of your life (family, job, money, praise and worship, good works, witnessing to unbelievers) are you not giving your full heart to God?
God is just and must judge all sin, but he is also merciful and sent his Son so that we could avoid his divine wrath.
God’s compassion towards certain kinds of people can make us uncomfortable, and even more uncomfortable when He tells us to move towards people we dislike with His same compassion.
For anyone who has strayed away from God, the prophet Joel describes the way back to Him!
True joy is found in worshipping Jesus. We worship him by giving of our entire lives to Him. We live our lives for Christ by living lives of sacrificial service.
You cannot and will not give your body as a living sacrifice unless you know what it took for Jesus to pay the price for sin
When you worship Jesus, you then see there is no greater joy than sacrificial service.
There is often a mystery as to why life unfolds the way it does, and there is a meaningful and joyful way to embrace what comes in the time it comes.
We sometimes think we cannot bring our questions of unbelief to God, yet we see again and again that we can and that is actually the way forward in a great relationship with God.
List of Books:
Messy Grace - Caleb Kaltenbach
Out of a far Country - Christopher Yuan
The secret Thoughts of an unlikely convert ) - Rosaria Butterfield
A Transgender‘s Faith - Walt Heyer
The Third Option - Miles McPherson
Under our skin - Ben Watson
Live not by lies - Rod Dreher
A practical guide to culture - John Stonestreet
Evidence that demands a verdict - Josh McDowell
Once there has been betrayal, is it possible to restore the relationship?
Jim Newheiser, Professor of CounselingCharacteristics of worldly sorrow:
- Self-focused; self-protective.
- Doesn’t primarily hate the sin; hates the consequences of sin.
- Blame-shifting.
- Resents accountability.
- Impatient – demanding to be trusted and restored immediately.
- Focuses on the sins of others.
- Criticizes the disciplinary process.
- Unchanged (hard) heart.
- No fruit.
Characteristics of godly sorrow:
- Focused on God and other person; well-being of others is first priority
- Hates the sin itself; accepts the consequences of the sin.
- Fully accepts responsibility.
- Seeks accountability.
- Patient.
- Focuses upon their own sin.
- Submits to the disciplinary process.
- Changed heart.
- Fruit.
Sometimes it is hard to put the pieces together in understanding the Christian message, but there are some ways to help people put those pieces together.