Sermons
We are in the middle of a sermon series we have called ROAD map – Rhythms Of All Disciples. We want to have a chance to check our daily and weekly rhythms to make sure they are healthy spiritually so we can grow in Christ.
Daily habits of praying and reading (or listening to) the Word.
Weekly habits of gathering, being accountable, some sort of fast and sharing our faith.
How are you doing with those rhythms?
Not good? Then you especially need today’s message, which is about loving accountability.
Accountability is a word that scares many.
If you are long in the tooth, you may well remember the heavy shepherding movement of the 1970’s which is where accountability slipped into control. It got crazy – people needed to check every decision out with their pastors! Which is wrong!
An other reason is that many of us are used to surface level conversations.
“How are you?” we ask
“Fine” – we reply.
But did you know that “fine” stand for Freaked Out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional.
Husbands have you learnt that when your wife says she is fine. You are…
in big trouble!
There’s five reasons why accountability is about as possible as a pork sausage in a synagogue.
1. Brits hate conflict – we generally don’t want to confront or be confronted. It’s not comfortable for many of us to ask or be asked probing questions about how we are doing. Brits tend to be more reserved and we don’t always say what we mean. We beat about the bush. In my book Friends, Food and the Gospel I reprinted some of the British Translation guide. Which helps explain what we mean. When a Brit says “That’s a brave idea”, others think we are commenting on how courageous a proposal is, when what we really mean is that is the stupidest thing we have ever heard! When we say “Very interesting”, my German friends probably think I’m impressed, when I actually probably mean it’s nonsense. We hate conflict.
2. People don’t realise that Christianity is a community project. As a culture, we have bought into Western Individualism, thinking it’s me and my faith, it’s personal, it’s between me and God, whereas the New Testament has 57 different “one another” commands that are anything but individualistic. Confess your sins to one another, bear with one another, encourage one another and so on.
3. Some think that accountability is only about behaviour modification – stopping certain bad habits. It’s only for those struggling with lust or porn or drinking too much and such like. But accountability is also giving account for my abilities! It’s as we will see in the Scriptures spurring one another on to good deeds that will make a difference.
4. Lots of us don’t have any quality friendships where we can be accountable to one another. Either because you don’t have many friends, or all your friends are struggling with the same issues you do – misery loves company!
5. We’ve not been very good at discipleship. That’s 1-4 in a nutshell.
We need accountability – accountability relationships.Let’s see why from Scripture
Satan wants us to stumble – looking for loners 1 Peter 5:8
“Be sober-minded. Be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Animals stay in packs, because they know that predators like lions, go for the stragglers and loners. We need to others around us, that encourage us, speak the truth to us, and rebuke us. If we buy into Western individualism and stay clear of others getting close then we are really vulnerable to attack.
One of the devil’s schemes is to isolate us and make us feel that we are alone with our bad habits and struggles. When the truth of 1 Cor 10:13 is “no temptation has seized you, except what is common to man. God is faithful he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
One of God’s ways out is loving accountability
Keeps us soft Heb 3:12-13
“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.”
Loving accountability provides the encouragement to keep our hearts soft, unhardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Being accountable to someone is not going to people with the same struggles as you – those are friends because misery loves company.
3 deacons met up and where sharing and confessing to one another.
1st one I’ve been stealing from the collection – he repents they pray.
2nd one I’ve been sleeping with some of the women in the congregation – he repents and they pray
3rd one I’m a gossip and I don’t want prayer!
Confess our sins too James 5:16
James exhorts us to confess our sins to each other. That’s loving accountability as long as it is not the church gossip!
You won’t get free until you are in relationships that hold you accountable.
Satan loves us to keep things hidden, where he can be victorious in the dark. When we confess sin to someone else, we bring it into the light and most often the sting of feeling hopeless and bound to repeat is broken.
We need people that will ask again how we are really doing with that temptations, so we don’t do it again! We kinda want to be a bit nervous about meeting up!
Without counsel we fail Prov 11:14
I love the way the Message puts it “Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.”
Make plans, get godly counsel! Don’t be like Comedian Spike Milligan once said “we haven’t got a plan so nothing can go wrong!”
Accountability helps us to win Prov 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens iron”
It took me a while to get the hang of sharpening kitchen knives. You have to get the angle just right and rub the knife up against the sharpening iron lots of times. It takes off the bluntness, sharpening the edge again. And what a difference for slicing tomatoes! It can’t be pleasant for the knife at the time, but a difference! The knife wins!
Accountability enables us to sharpen one another. It doesn’t feel too nice! But it will sharpen you.
The world is watching Matt 5:16
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”
The world is watching – they want to see that Christianity makes a difference to its followers. We need accountability to help us make sure the light is shining brightly.
There’s some crazy conspiracies floating around that gullible Christians have bought into. The world looks and laughs. This week I asked someone to take down a social media post that had attracted some bonkers conspiracies in the comments. It was making Christianity look foolish and not the right kind of foolishness that Paul talks about. Trouble is that without loving accountability people can slip into foolishness. I’m so grateful to the eldership team that I keep accountable to!
The next thing loving accountability does is make us
Account for our abilities – Stirs us up and encourages us Heb 10:24,25 – they will celebrate the wins. They will weep when you weep, rejoice when you rejoice!
Accountability isn’t just for those struggling with bad habits like lust. Accountability also offers us the chance to account for our abilities. As I’m discipling people now, I use the COST acronym to set goals each week and see how each of us are doing with the goals – How will you Connect with God, What do you need to Obey this week., who will you Share the gospel with and who will you Teach what we just talked about. As I prepare this, one of my Obey goals for the growing in God – mission course was to fast 2 meals in a day. The loving accountability we are beginning to grow in the group means I better had!
When you are accountable to someone, you want to be a bit nervous – you know when you tell them they are going to say “You are better than that”
I’d argue we all need a Paul – someone more mature, who has been round the block and who we would submit too.
We need a Barnabus – a peer, a running partner so we can go further and faster in the things of God
And a Timothy – someone you are pouring your life into.
I am more and more using COST as I’m discipling
Connect with God this week?
Obey – what do you need to obey from this message?
Share – who will you share God’s love and the gospel with?
Teach – who will you teach this too.
So this week – how will you connect with God?
What do you need to obey from this message?
Who will you share your faith with this week?
Who can you teach this message to?