Compliment someone

• Bible connection
  • Luke 6:43-45
  • Romans 12:9
  • Matthew 12:34-35
  • James 1:26
  • Ephesians 4:29
  • Hebrews 3:13
  • Hebrews 10:24-25
  • Complimenting others exhorts and encourages others. It takes the spotlight off us.
  • Luke 19:6 – The example of Zaccheus.
  • John 4:29 – The example of the Samaritan woman at the well.
  • Hebrews 13:1
  • Matthew 12:36
• Why is this hard?
• Why is it hard to accept a compliment?
• How can we improve on giving compliments, exhortation, and encouragement?
  • Golden Rule: Treat other people the way you would like to be treated.
  • Show interest in other people’s interests.
  • Philippians 4:8 – If we focus on positive things like this, complimenting others is so much easier.

• Ephesians 2:5, 8-9 – Does grace mean we have no role in salvation? Faith clearly has a role in salvation. God provides salvation through His grace, but it is on us to receive it.
• John 3:16; 8:24; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:21 – What faith does for the believer.

Faith alone is not sufficient

• Romans 10:9-10
• If salvation is dependent on confession, confession is not a “work” because we know that works don’t save us (Ephesians 2:8-9)!
• Acts 2:37-38 – Peter didn’t tell them to do nothing because they had already been saved. Acts 3:19-20
• Mark 16:15-16 – Belief and baptism are both equally required for salvation.
• Isaiah 59:16 – God’s own arm provided salvation, but we may accept it.
• Acts 9:18; 22:16 – Saul had been repenting and fasting for three days, but was not forgiven of his sins until he was baptized.

• Titus 3:5
• Ephesians 5:26 – This may also be a reference to baptism, indicating that baptism is a work of Jesus.
• Ephesians 2:10

Mediator

• I Timothy 2:5
• Mediator – one who goes between two parties to reconcile them.
• Hebrews 8:13
• Moses was mediator of the Old Covenant. God spoke to man through Moses. Through Moses, people could approach God. Moses made this communication possible.
• Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant. Jesus makes it possible for man to approach God.
• We must be careful not to equate the mediator with the intercessor. Jesus on earth was a mediator – not intercessor.
• Hebrews 8:4

Sacrifice

• Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:22
• Hebrews 10:1-10
• II Corinthians 5:21 – Jesus did not take on the guilt of our sins. He became the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus knew no sin.

High priest

• Leviticus 16:12-34 – The high priest was to offer the blood sacrifice at the mercy seat of God and make intercession before God.
• Hebrews 7:24-25 – Jesus is our high priest.
• Hebrews 9:24-28
• Romans 8:27, 34, 26

Savior

• Matthew 1:21; Luke 19:10; Titus 2:12-14
• Matthew 11:28-30

Judge

• Jesus is going to be our judge!
• II Corinthians 5:10; Acts 17:31; Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 6:46; I John 1:8-10

Take the lowest place

• Put others first.
• Luke 14:7-11
• This has spiritual implications, not just physical ones.
• Esther 6 – Haman’s bad example.
• Proverbs 15:33
• Mark 9:35 – To get the best position, start out with humility and serving others.
• Luke 17:7
• Matthew 16:1-16
• Matthew 25:34-40

Consider the other side

• Apollos, Aquila, and Priscilla are good examples. Aquila and Priscilla did not look down on Apollos because of what he did not know. They helped him learn what he was missing!
• III John 1:9-10 – Diotrephes refused to listen to the other side.
• I Kings 21:17-29 – King Ahab had a major life event change his point of view. He humbled himself.

Disagree respectfully

• II Timothy 2:23-26
• I Peter 3:14-15
• Acts 26:24-29 – Paul responded very calmly.