Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Topic: How to

Introduction:

• Illustration: May begins with an extended anecdote of his college professor, a man who professed great godliness and spirituality but who showed a distinct lack of love and kindness to others.

• Acts 10:38

• 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

• Big Idea: True spirituality is defined not only by how good you are, but how good you are to others.

• We need to be committed to the goal of spirituality.

• We need to be disciplined.

• We need to be consistent.

• We need to be teachable.

• There is something much more important than any of these—love.

• 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

• God's primary concern for your spiritual growth is not how much you know, but how much you love.

• 1 Corinthians 8:9

• Illustration: May demonstrates a misapplication of Christian freedom by describing a conversation with a man convinced that marijuana usage was biblically justified.

• It's not about how many "questionable" activities you can get away with; it's about being able to recognize the impact your actions have on others.

• Illustration: May tells the story of Ernestine Bradley, the daughter of Nazis, who was so empathetic toward the Jewish people that a rabbi offered to defend her, saying, "She is one of us."

• Being spiritual is not just about how good you are, it's about how good you are to others.

True spirituality is evidenced by sacrifice.

• 1 Corinthians 8:13

• When someone else's spiritual health is at stake, you must be willing to sacrifice your freedom for their benefit.

• Illustration: May illustrates the concept of sacrificing freedom for others through the personal story of eating with a friend who considered eating pork to be sinful.

• True spirituality is evidenced by a willingness to sacrifice so-called freedoms for the sake of a fellow Christian.

• Don't make the mistake of thinking your asceticism makes you spiritual.

• There are some people who may disapprove of something you do, and it doesn't cause them to question the validity of their faith, it causes them to question the validity of your faith—ignore them.

Conclusion:

• In living the Christian life, we strive to become good, we strive to become holy, we strive to become like Jesus.

• If you want to be like Jesus, it's not merely a question of how good you are, but how good you are to others.