Message: "Godly Sorrow" (2 Cor. 7:10-11) by Nick Holden

Message: "Godly Sorrow"

Text: 2 Cor. 7:10-11

Teaching: Nick Holden at Faith Baptist Church during a Saul Syndrome Conference in April 2008

Why do THEY Come? (Part 3)

*This series is used in our Pre-Revival Conference material called

The Saul Syndrome: Sixteen Indicators of a Wayward Heart

Seven different and distinct groups of people that USUALLY attend or belong to a local church. Part 3

6. Community Minded Group: (They are a group of people who have a civic mindset about attending the house of God. A sense of community is at the core of their desire to fellowship. They want to belong to a place that has good morals and feels like everyone should be one big community no matter what you believe in. Their standard is measured by the peace of those who are gathered and not the plumb line of God’s Word. Jesus is a major part of their conversations and social life, but this is the problem. Why is this a problem? He’s not their Life as with the Christ Magnifiers. These serve well as long as everything goes their way) (i.e.. Martha, Luke 10:40-41)


7. Christ Magnifiers Group: (They are a group of sanctified, surrendered, submissive, and serving stewards. These disciples honestly desire for Jesus to set their daily agenda and sanctify all their actions. Why do they want Him to do so? He is their Life and He satisfies their deepest affections. They love the Author of the Word of God. They long for His Authority over their life. They lean on the Authenticity of God's Word and live for the Advancement of His kingdom agenda. They are a living sacrifice that has come to the house of God to worship the God they fear and to give of themselves to serve His people. They consistently glean truth from the presence of God through His people and for His glory. They abide in the Vine and stir others on to love and good works. These are true soul-winning/disciple-makers living in the beauty of simplicity. They are single minded in their pursuit to seek first the King of Glory and His righteousness; therefore they believe in lifestyle worship, repentance, fellowship, and discipleship (the ministry of reconciliation) while progressively growing in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.) (i.e.. Mary, Luke 10:39,41 i.e.. John, John 19:25-27)


What Group Do YOU Fit IN? (Prayerfully, if you're not living in number seven you will lay your life down to Jesus and the demand of His Gospel. (Mark 8:34-28) If you are lost (ie... perishing because from an eternal perspective you're in a vast wilderness with no means to survive its desolate conditions as a result of sin's destruction, and with no hope of escape; therefore being lost in this place of sin you are as sure as dead unless you are found). The problem is not with what you do but it is what you are: You are SIN! It's YOU not what YOU do that's the problem. What you do is a result of who you are. Yet Jesus knows YOU are the problem and He still gave His life to rescue you from yourself. Jesus looks past what you have done or goes beyond the sins you have committed in order to deal with the iniquity/wickedness of your fallen and sinful nature. (Micah 7:18-20) We, natural men and women, are normally overcome with the actions of men more than the issues of their heart. Jesus is not deterred by your sinful actions. He took your sin upon the cross so He could deal with the root of your sinful acts. Why? The Father couldn't look past your sin so He gave His Son to satisfy His wrath that you deserve. Your sin condition had you separated from God and condemned to death. Yet God the Father established a very important and eternal truth when He gave us His Son. He established and settled it for all eternity that He loves us with an everlasting love. And because of such a great love He gave to us His Son, Jesus Christ, even though we were hostile enemies to His purpose and pleasure. Salvation is always about God and will forever be about Him and His grace. Because Jesus was without sin when He took upon the fullness of God's wrath, He also supplies the favor necessary to be forgiven and reconciled to a Just and Holy God. To do this He has to change us from the inside. He gets to the root of our sin problem; US! Have you heard Him call you to follow Him? Have you answered His demand of repentance? Have you turned to trust and follow Jesus? Has He delivered you from yourself and darkness? If He has this would mean that you have turned from your sin and self-centered living in order to place your life at the mercy of the Lord. Jesus gave His life for your life! If He's interrupted you and invaded you by His grace surrender to His call today and set your life at His disposal. Give yourself to Him today and forever! I'm not asking you if you placed your faith in a decision you made, or plan you trusted or even a prayer you prayed but have you been set free from everything and everyone to follow the Greatest Interrupter that has ever lived, Jesus Christ? Can you believe the right plan and not be saved? Yes! Many have believed the plan of salvation but do not have a personal relationship with the Person of salvation, The Lord Jesus Christ. Plans, prayers, and decisions are not what saves. It's Jesus who saves! And if anyone is ever saved it is by the grace of God the Father and the gift of grace by Jesus Himself. Salvation is for God's glory and our good both now and forever.

(2 Cor. 5:14-21 ; Luke 14:26-33)

Why Do THEY Come? (Part 2)

*This series is used in our Pre-Revival Conference material called The Saul Syndrome: Sixteen Indicators of a Wayward Heart

Seven different and distinct groups of people that USUALLY attend or belong to a local church. Part 2

4. Caring Missions Group: (They are a group of people who, characteristically, have more love and loyalty to the church locality and building than for Jesus and a humble and holy approach to His Truth. Their ear is always in tune to listen for problems going on in other peoples lives because they “CARE.” They know everything you need to know about everyone and the problems with people, world events, and worldly things, especially things of no eternal value. The danger is that they are not tuning to God’s Word and allowing the Truth to set them free. Their counsel is carnal being gleaned from a worldly philosophy, therefore it aids and comforts the wicked in their wrong doing. They tend to over look sin and fail to truly help people be set free in Christ, yet they will continue to tell others how concerned they are over the condition of their church, community and country. They want everyone else “fixed”, yet they have no sound Biblical wisdom and lack discernment. Their catch-all answer for everyone and everything is “They just need to LOVE everybody.” Holiness is not their passion and their honest opinions are only descriptive of what they see and not prescriptive; therefore they provide no eternal counsel. Their advice is very deceptive because it's usually given with "CARE." If empty traditions of men are characteristically their aim and authority they have never been truly transformed by the redemptive grace of God.) (i.e.. Hymenaeus, Alexander & Philetus, 1 Tim. 1:18-20 ; 2 Tim.2:17 i.e.. Savage wolves Acts 20:29-32 i.e.. Natural brute beast 2 Pet.2:12-22 )

5. Controlling Manipulators Group: (They are a group of people who have deeply rooted and ungodly motives to control the direction of the church and the people whom God has anointed to lead His flock. They will criticize, if necessary, to undermine the integrity of Christ centered leadership by questioning the motive behind every dollar spent, the reason for ministries that they do not approve of, while at the same time acting super spiritual and divinely concerned about the “path their Church is going.” They make an effort to secretly find others to join them in controlling and manipulating the direction and ministries of the church. These, who love to have the preeminence, appear to be deeply devoted and righteous men and women that know how to persuade and convince the immature. Some are very good at being "unnoticed" by the majority as a controller. They know how to flatter people to gain information about meetings and messages given by the pastor or other leaders in their absence. This is a dangerous group that can hinder ministries if not dealt with properly because they are normally well liked by the majority, i.e.. Caring Mission and Community Minded) (i.e.. Judas John 12:4-6 i.e.. Diotrephes 3 John v.9,10)

What Group Do YOU Fit IN? (Prayerfully, you're not in any of the five already mentioned in this series. If you are turn to Jesus. This would mean that you must turn from your sin and self-centered living in order to place your life at the mercy of the Lord. Jesus gave His life for your life! If He's interrupted you and invaded you by His grace surrender to His call today and set your life at His disposal. Give yourself to Him today and forever! (2 Cor. 5:14-21 ; Luke 14:26-33)

[Come back tomorrow for part 3; groups 6-7]

Why Do THEY Come? (Part 1)

*This series is used in our Pre-Revival Conference material called The Saul Syndrome: Sixteen Indicators of a Wayward Heart

Seven different and distinct groups of people that
USUALLY attend or belong to a local church. Part 1

1. Careless Morals Group: (They are a group of people who have no real sense of why they have come to the House of God. They have followed the crowd or family and they have no real grip on why they should fellowship with believers. The youth and children can easily fall into this category when following other youth to church. This group is simpleminded and foolish and have not been under any conviction of their spiritual state.)

(i.e. Simon Acts 8:9-25 ; By-stander Luke 9:59)

2. Curious Motives Group: (They are a group of people who are curious about this “Jesus” thing or what a church has to offer them. They may have just moved to an area or leaving another church and are motivated by curiosity. Some will sense a need to live right so they come to see what the church is all about. Young married couples can find themselves in this group but may not be ready to pay the cost of following Jesus.)
(i.e. Rich Young ruler Luke 18:18-23)

3. Crisis Management Group: (They are a group of people who are usually in trouble and they are looking for help. They were brought up in the Caring Missions or Community Minded home and told the church would always be there when you needed her. They have a variety of troubles; from kids, finances, marital, or in trouble with the law. Some have lost a job or a spouse. This group is looking for the church to help them with a quick fix and not Jesus. When the problems are fixed to their satisfaction they are out the door until the next crisis. (i.e. The fearless seeker Pr. 1:28, 29-31)

What Group Do YOU Fit IN? (Prayerfully, you're not in any of these three. If you are turn to Jesus. This would mean that you must turn from your sin and self-centered living in order to place your life at the mercy of the Lord. Jesus gave His life for your life! If He's interrupted you and invaded you by His grace surrender to His call today and set your life at His disposal. Give yourself to Him today and forever! 2 Cor. 5:14-21)

[Come back tomorrow for part 2; groups 4-5]