BIBLICAL VIEW | ASHAMED (3)

1. Introduction

a) Ashamed...to be embarrassed or guilty because of one's actions, characteristics, or associations.

b) Synonyms: sorry, shamefaced, abashed, sheepish, guilty, contrite, remorseful, repentant, penitent, regretful, rueful, apologetic.

2. Would you be ashamed to hire Paul to be your Pastor?

a) Paul's resume...
 
i) Look at Paul's record. Would you, or your church hire this man? Probably not...
 
2 Corinthians 11:23-28New Living Translation (NLT)
 
²³ Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! 
 
I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
 
Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
 
Three times I was beaten with rods.
 
Once I was stoned.
 
Three times I was shipwrecked.
 
Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.
 
I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas.
 
And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.
 
I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches."

ii) A great resume, Paul!

iii) No wonder the church has so little impact in the earth today. Millions coming to Christ - filling huge auditoriums - but so few are "transformed" as Peter and Paul.

iv) That's what Paul feared.

b) Eve...
 
i) Eve gazed upon the fruit from the wrong tree.
 
ii) Somehow, we are deceived that the world has the answer for the church!
 
iii) We try and bring the world's music and theater into the services, instead of prayer, fasting and weeping at the altar of GOD. 
 
iv) When Eve gazed on the fruit from the wrong tree, she was deceived into thinking that "what looks good, is good" - The outside of the fruit looked great.

@1. The trouble was - Eve could not see what was inside.

@2. Only GOD can see below the surface.

@3. Human beings do not have the ability of knowing what lies under the surface

@4. That's why we need GOD information. GOD would have been glad to tell Eve.

@5. Eve ate it all up...

@6. Not knowing by sight that it was contaminated fruit.

@7. She gave fruit to her husband - "Where was his head at?" Why did Adam not question her? Why did he not challenge her? Why did he not refuse - he was the one that GOD told not to eat of anything from that tree...

@8. The serpent still occupies the tree of the "knowledge of good and evil"

@9. Yet people keep eating of the fruit of it...not knowing the fruit is poisoned.

@10. Where are the Peter's and Paul's today?
 
 1 John 2:28 New International Version (NIV)
 
²⁸ And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.