Sermon Notes—“Examine Yourself”

August 2, 2015

KLC 2015 Theme: Seeking His Kingdom

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” - Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

**Lesson Text**

1 This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 2 I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them— 3 since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God. 5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. 10 For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

2 Corinthians 13:1–10 (ESV)

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 (ESV)

**Examine yourself. Is your life characterized by:**

1. Penitence - meaning sorrow over sin. Someone who is spiritually alive has a disdain for sin. When one sins, they repent because they hate the sin so much.

2. Righteousness - meaning doing what is right. God’s Standard. Our lives should reflect God’s standard. Others should be able to see you doing what is right. 

3. Submission - meaning being able to Yield to God’s authority. Also being able to submit to those in authority (i.e. - the Government)

4. Obedience - Meaning do what God says to do. Even when there is No understanding of what God says. God does not owe us an explanation. 

5. Love - God is love and if we are His children, we should walk in Love. Love is an outgrowth of your relationship with God. 

* - List from John MacArthur, “2 Corinthians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary.”