Rev. David Holwick D
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
January 28, 2001
1 John 1:8-10
|
I. School teachers see it first-hand.
A. Most have told me teaching is harder than it was years ago.
1) Kids have changed. Not dumber, but resist authority.
2) No matter what kids do, a parent will stand up for them.
a) Little incentive for kid to change.
B. President Truman's motto is appropriate: THE BUCK STOPS HERE.
(see article at bottom of sermon)
II. Blame is like margarine - it is easy to spread.
A. Artful dodgers.
1) Understating the severity. (politicians excel at this)
a) "Mistakes were made." By whom?
2) Non-apologies.
a) "I'm sorry you felt hurt by what I said..."
1> Note - I'm sorry YOU... is not an apology.
b) Repentant people say "I'm sorry I..."
3) Deflection.
a) "The Devil made me do it."
b) Biology is a popular culprit.
1> I did nothing wrong - animals do it all the time.
2> Darwinism has been used as a justification for rape.
According to one researcher, rape is a male's
strategy for increasing his genetic posterity.
A book titled THE CRIMINAL PERSONALITY was written
by Stanton Samenow and Samuel Yochelson.
In it the authors describe their careful study of 250
habitual criminals.
When they began, the authors held the conventional view
that criminals are victims of abuse and deprivation.
They were looking for the social, psychological, or
economic factors that could be said to "cause" crime.
To their surprise, they couldn't find any.
They did find one thing that habitual lawbreakers had
in common, though.
Given a choice, they chose to break the law.
People do have that freedom.
You and I have that freedom.
But our actions always have consequences.
We live in a moral universe where truly no one is an
island.
Christians believe that people are accountable for their
actions.
#2900
4) Victimology.
a) Blame the group, not the self.
b) We get used to being victims and don't trust change.
1> Palestinians and Arafat are a prime example.
They are so used to being victims they seem
incapable of taking bold, positive steps.
B. Roots are in Eden. Genesis 3:12-13
1) Adam said, "The woman you put here with me - she gave me..."
a) Note he is blaming God as well as Eve.
2) Eve blamed the serpent.
3) Neither wanted to accept responsibility for disobeying a
direct order from God.
III. Spiritual consequences of blame.
A. We are guilty of hypocrisy. Matthew 7:3,5
1) We are quick to see faults in others.
2) But we must admit our own faults before we can help others.
B. We deceive ourselves. 1 John 1:8
1) The longer we absolve ourselves of blame, the more difficult
it becomes to be honest with ourselves about our sins.
2) An addiction to blame can halt any chance of change.
C. We call God a liar. 1 John 1:10
1) Blaming others is a way of saying we have not sinned.
2) This dishonesty stands in opposition to the kind of
honesty Christians are called to exhibit in life.
IV. Moving beyond blame.
A. I need to admit my problem to myself.
1) Be responsible for negative actions.
a) Pay the price, if necessary.
2) Break sinful habits and relationships.
a) Sorrow will not lead to repentance if you are still
chained to temptation.
b) Hardest part of gospel is our need to break close ties.
c) Seek out others who are trying to overcome same issue.
B. I need to admit my problem to God.
1) Confess sins.
2) Ask him for divine help.
3) Study Bible for insight into problem.
C. I need to admit my problem to others who are affected.
1) The value of genuine confession.
2) More than saying, "I'm sorry."
3) Seek to heal wounds with positive actions.
V. The goal of growth.
A. Personal responsibility goes beyond the negatives.
1) Take responsibility for positive growth in your life.
2) What kind of person do you want to become?
3) What are you doing to arrive there?
B. Only you can change you.
1) Even government is finding that it cannot help people
who don't want help, according to Newsweek.
A recent anti-poverty program called the Comprehensive
Child Development Program found this out.
Very poor families were given a special counselor who
helped them with drug counseling, found work for them
and generally tried to improve their lives.
Were these families better off after 5 years?
Yes.
However, other families who were just as poor but did not
have a personal social worker were also studied.
Economically and socially they ended up at the same level
as those who were coddled.
Basically, $900 million made no difference.
Robert Samuelson's conclusion?
WHAT PEOPLE DO FOR THEMSELVES MATTERS MORE THAN WHAT
GOVERNMENT TRIES TO DO FOR THEM.
That is true for everyone, not just the poor.
Maybe the government, or your family, or a neighbor can
help you, but only YOU can change your life.
#4266
Oprah Winfrey says,
"My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for
your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you
in the best place for the next moment."
#16741
2) Make positive, and verifiable, goals for your life.
3) Keep a journal of your successes and failures.
C. You don't have to go it alone.
1) The wisdom and assistance of others can be a big help.
2) Make yourself accountable to someone.
a) They can see your blind spots.
b) Helps to judge your own progress.
c) Make sure they are a person who accepts the Christian
worldview.
VI. Take charge of your life - before it is too late.
A. We only have one life so we better get it right.
B. When we die and stand before God, we stand alone.
1) No spouse, no pastors, no parents to intercede for us.
2) We alone will be accountable for our words and actions.
C. What kind of life will you present to Almighty God?
=========================================================================
Sermon is heavily dependent on article "Free Admission" by Sandy Shephard
in Discipleship Journal #117, May-June 2000, page 95.
SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 2900 "Waking To A World Upside Down," Dynamic Preaching, Seven Worlds
Publishing; June 1, 1993. Charles Colson is the original
source.
# 4266 "Judgment Calls: Investing In Our Children," by Robert J.
Samuelson, Newsweek magazine; February 23, 1998, page 45.
#16741 "Quotes On Personal Responsibility," Messages From the Masters;
Editor: Jim Rohn; October 11, 2000.
These and 17,500 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
=========================================================================
Source - http://www.trumanlibrary.org/buckstop.htm
"THE BUCK STOPS HERE"
The sign "The Buck Stops Here" that was on President Truman's desk in his
White House office was made in the Federal Reformatory at El Reno,
Oklahoma. Fred M. Canfil, then United States Marshal for the Western
District of Missouri and a friend of Mr. Truman, saw a similar sign while
visiting the Reformatory and asked the Warden if a sign like it could be
made for President Truman. The sign was made and mailed to President on
October 2, 1945. Approximately 2-1/2" x 13" in size and mounted on
walnut base, the painted glass sign has the words "I'm From Missouri" on
the reverse side. It appeared at different times on his desk until late
in his administration.
The saying "the buck stops here" derives from the slang expression "pass
the buck" which means passing the responsibility on to someone else. The
latter expression is said to have originated with the game of poker, in
which a marker or counter, frequently in frontier days a knife with a
buckhorn handle, was used to indicate the person whose turn it was to
deal. If the player did not wish to deal he could pass the responsibility
by passing the "buck," as the counter came to be called, to the next
player.(1)
On more than one occasion President Truman referred to the desk sign in
public statements. For example, in an address at the National War
College on December 19, 1952, Mr. Truman said, "You know, it's easy for
the Monday morning quarterback to say what the coach should have done,
after the game is over. But when the decision is up before you -- and on
my desk I have a motto which says 'The Buck Stops Here' -- the decision
has to be made." In his farewell address to the American people given in
January 1953, President Truman referred to this concept very specifically
in asserting that, "The President -- whoever he is -- has to decide. He
can't pass the buck to anybody. No one else can do the deciding for him.
That's his job.
The sign has been displayed at the Library since 1957.
________________
(1) Mitford M. Mathews, ed., A Dictionary of Americanisms on Historical
Principles (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1951), I, pages 198-199.
HolwickID #19155
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
Created with the Freeware Edition of HelpNDoc: Free HTML Help documentation generator