Walking with Integrity

Summary

The sermon emphasizes the importance of living a righteous life and walking with integrity, as outlined in four scriptural passages. It discusses the concept of righteousness, which includes living uprightly, being truthful, and showing compassion. The preacher highlights the struggle between human desires and divine guidance, urging listeners to make righteous choices and trust in God's plan. Drawing from passages in Ezekiel, Psalms, Second Corinthians, and the Gospel, the sermon calls for surrendering to God's will, avoiding unrighteous actions, and being a living example of integrity for future generations.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The sermon emphasizes the importance of righteousness and integrity in one's life, drawing from various passages of the holy scriptures.
• 🔍 Righteousness is defined as living an upright, truthful, and compassionate life, which includes giving to the poor and needy, and treating all with respect and dignity.
• 🚶‍♂️ 'Walking with Integrity' means embodying all aspects of righteousness in daily life, such as being truthful, just, and loving towards others.
• 🛑 The sermon warns against the pursuit of personal gain through unrighteous means, which can lead to moral downfall and spiritual peril.
• 📜 In Ezekiel, it is stated that living a righteous life leads to life, while unrighteousness leads to death, underscoring the eternal consequences of our choices.
• 🕊 Psalm 146 highlights the importance of trusting in God rather than in the fragile plans and thoughts of humans, which can lead to unrighteous actions.
• ✝️ Second Corinthians discusses the idea of surrendering one's own thoughts and plans to God to avoid falling into unrighteous ways and to maintain integrity.
• 🤔 The sermon encourages self-reflection, asking whether our outward actions match our inward thoughts and whether we are living a life of integrity.
• 🐟 The gospel passage about Jesus and Peter teaches the lesson of humility and the creative ways God provides for our needs, even using a fish to pay the temple tax.
• 🙌 The sermon concludes with a call to action to surrender to God, trust in His creative provision, and to live as an example of integrity for future generations.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the sermon based on the provided transcript?

The main theme of the sermon is the importance of living a righteous life with integrity, as guided by the holy scriptures.

What does the term 'righteousness' refer to in the context of the sermon?

In the context of the sermon, 'righteousness' refers to living an upright life that is truthful, just, compassionate, and good, including giving to the poor and needy, and treating others with respect and dignity.

How does the sermon define 'walking with integrity'?

Walking with integrity, according to the sermon, means embodying all aspects of righteousness in one's life, such as being truthful, just, and loving towards others, and it is likened to walking like Christ.

What role do choices play in living a righteous life, as discussed in the sermon?

Choices play a crucial role in living a righteous life, as they determine whether one is living righteously or falling into unrighteous ways. The sermon emphasizes the importance of making choices that align with righteousness.

Why do people sometimes fall into unrighteous ways according to the sermon?

People sometimes fall into unrighteous ways because they are in pursuit of achieving or gaining something, like money, respect, or position, and they resort to unrighteous methods to achieve these goals.

What does the sermon suggest about the consequences of living an unrighteous life?

The sermon suggests that living an unrighteous life leads to perishing, both in the sense of spiritual and possibly physical death, as one falls into their own sins and wrongdoings.

How does the sermon relate the story from Ezekiel to the concept of righteousness?

The sermon relates the story from Ezekiel by stating that if one lives a righteous life, they will live, but if they live an unrighteous life, they will perish, emphasizing the simplicity and directness of this principle.

What does the sermon say about trusting in God's timing and plan?

The sermon states that often people fail to follow righteous ways because they don't trust in God's timing and plan, instead relying on their own fragile thoughts and plans or the influence of others.

How does the sermon interpret St. Paul's words in 2 Corinthians regarding thoughts and righteousness?

The sermon interprets St. Paul's words in 2 Corinthians as a call to surrender all thoughts and plans that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, to avoid falling into unrighteous ways and to walk with integrity.

What lesson does the sermon draw from Jesus' interaction with Peter about paying the temple tax?

The sermon draws a lesson about humility and righteousness from Jesus' interaction with Peter, highlighting that Jesus chose not to offend others and demonstrated creative ways to fulfill obligations while living among them.

What is the final call to action for the congregation in the sermon?

The final call to action is for the congregation to surrender all unrighteous thoughts and choices, trust in God's creative provision, and live a life of integrity and righteousness as an example for future generations.