Guarding Self-Respect – Part 4: You Are Somebody
Know this: You are still somebody. You are the marvelous product of an infinite God’s creative genius, and He doesn’t make cheap stuff. Yes, a sin defect showed up in you as in everyone else. But the Lord went to great pains to correct that problem as well. Why? Because you’re someone special.
The world may say you’re just another nameless nobody.
You’re not handsome.
You’re not beautiful.
You’re not brilliant.
You’re not highly talented.
You’re not wealthy.
You’re not famous or powerful.
Maybe you’ve been lead to believe you’re second class because:
You’re not employed.
Or you’re not married.
Or you’re not white.
Or you’re not male.
Or you’re not a graduate.
Or you’re not an adult yet.
Or, for one reason or another, you’re not worth paying attention to!
To survive those kinds of messages, you need to keep telling yourself the truth.
I am somebody.
I am not a product of mere time and chance.
I am God’s child, by birth and by rebirth.
I have great value.
I should not sell myself short.
I must guard my self-respect.
I won’t always be in this tough spot.
The Lord is working in my behalf—I know He is.
I am a favorite of my wealthy Father.
In fact, I have a robe, a technicolor dream coat He’s holding for me.
And I will live this day with that truth fixed in my mind.
I would be a fool to do otherwise.
“Know this …” writes the psalmist, and I repeat his words. “Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His.” Reciting words of affirmation, as Jesse Jackson taught, was a survival skill for many poor blacks in the 1960’s. Today, this skill can prove a valuable help for another wide swath of God’s people, as they say to themselves, Know this: I am somebody! I am God’s child.
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
