Sermon Notes

Here's some excerpts from a sermon titled "Mind Your Own Business", preached by an elder at SCC on Feb 4, 2004

Some one liners from the message:
Your opinion makes you the highest peak in a mountain range of self-interest.

You cannot afford the high cost of opinionated living.

The following are the message points with the preaching notes following the heading

1. Your opinion prevents you from seeing as God sees.

Rom. 11:25 Paraphrase:
"I really don’t want you to miss out on the great truths God has in store for you, so don’t slip into the blinding conceit of arrogantly placing much value on your own opinions".

Your opinion blinds you to the truth. It’s a primary form of self-deception. It causes you to make excuses for yourself, blame others, criticize others, and refuse to embrace correction.

The people with the least amount of knowledge have the most opinions.

People who insist on holding and expressing their opinions hinder their own growth, and the progress of those closely associated to them. If they are Christians, they hinder the progress of the company they are part of. Opinionated people are rebellious people. They hold onto their way of thinking in opposition to the real truth. They refuse to change their mind, and, therefore, their conduct.

2. Opinions are often evidence of conceit.
3. Opinions place you where you have no authority and cannot use your faith.

4. Opinions make you an opponent instead of a partner.
People who express their opinions are not happy or fulfilled. They are stepping outside of the metron (measure, purpose, ordained extent of influence) of their life. They are “out of joint.” The inevitable result is strife.
• People of opinion are meddlers. They stick their nose into situations that are none of their business. “So, Brother Soandso, what do you think about the discipline the volleyball team received/the tournament being cancelled/the way things are being run in the Academy?” I DON’T! Sure, I have a mind, and if, at the appropriate level, my input is required, I’ll contribute it, but if it’s just my opinion, I’ll make it very clear that’s exactly what it is, nothing more.
• If you don’t have the authority to solve it, don’t think about it or develop opinions about it. “Well, if it was me, I’d do it different.” That’s why it isn’t you!
• How to progress:
- shut your mouth,
- mind your own business,
- stay faithful.

5. Opinions cause you to think about the wrong things. Phil. 4:2,4-8

Opinions hamper your freedom to rejoice. They frustrate your ability to be thankful.
They hinder your prayer life. They prevent you from enjoying the peace of God in your daily walk.

6. Opinions are the chief cause of strife in the body.I Cor. 1:10

As a believer, you should never stoop to defending the “right” to hold or express your opinion. Believers who live in righteousness (wise to their [real] rights) do not ever need to hold and express an opinion. The only thing truly worth holding to and standing up for is the truth. Truth always proves itself, even to the doubter or unbeliever. The first sign that you are wrong in your thinking is when you get defensive and upset about anyone or anything that contradicts what you believe.
<like the reaction that this same elder gave me during a counselling session when I brought up an issue regarding church authority>
• You do not have the right express your own opinion. You do have the right to insist on the truth.
• Your opinion prevents you from submitting to proper authority.
• Your opinion is based on your perspective. If you will choose to see what your pastor/leader sees, you will have the same opinion your pastor/leader has. It all boils down to humility and submission, which is entirely your responsibility.
• Holding to your opinion is an expression of arrogance and unteachableness. It makes you the final authority in your life. It prevents God’s authority from working in your life and prospering you.
• The most rebellious people are always the most opinionated people.

• You can be wrong if you want to, but it will cost you dearly.
• Opinionated people are not truly people of the Word. The Word softens and tenderizes and adjust the believer. It exchanges the need to be right for the desire to be pleasing to God.

He concluded the message with this uplifting statement:
Humble yourself, repent and change now, or some of you won’t be here much longer. You cannot be a hindrance to the body and remain here much longer. We’re on an exciting, incredible journey, and we’re going together. God will remove you, or you will pull yourself out in frustration and discontent. And, never forget, the way you exit is the way you will enter.

So much could be said.......

He said, "The first sign that you are wrong in your thinking is when you get defensive and upset about anyone or anything that contradicts what you believe." I wonder if the second sign is preaching a message about it?

I also take comfort in his statement that "Truth always proves itself, even to the doubter or unbeliever."