Understanding what’s right and what isn’t                                  

Aristotle:  “What kind of person shall I become?”

Are you and I trustworthy?

“Save me O Lord from lying lips and from deceitful tongues”     Psalm 120: 2

Christians are called to speak the truth. Colossians 3: 9-10

Often we’re so busy protesting our innocence that we don’t even notice our lack of integrity.

“I’ll pray for you!”  Do you?

The journey to integrity requires the cultivation of a desire.

I must want to be honest more than I want to do well.  It’s a choice.

The world doesn’t need people who have Christian stickers on their cars, Christian jewellery around their necks, Christian phrases on their lips if they don’t have the love of Jesus in their hearts.

Jesus is the only person in the New Testament to use the word “Hypocrite” to describe those who do notpractise what they preach

Archaeologists have excavated sepphoris.  Housed a giant amphitheatre. Actors were called “Hypokrites” because they wore masks. The sting this word would carry for religious leaders who thought themselves devout was doubly painful.

                                        Matthew 23: 13

The greatest talk ever given on goodness and integrity:                                                         

 The Sermon on the Mount:

     “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God”

     “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God”             Matthew 5: 8-9

 “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away!”            Matthew 5: 29

Is Jesus actually proposing mutilation?

Some people in Jesus’ day defined goodness in terms of sin avoidance.

The Blind and Bleeding Rabbis.

Jesus says that your eye, hand or foot are not the problem.  The problem is the heart.      Matthew 15: 19

Integrity and goodness comes from letting God deal with our hearts so that we really want to honour God.

True repentance never leads to despair.  It leads home.  It leads to grace.

Better than everything is staying close to the Grace Giver, Jesus.

 “The most important part of the training of the Twelve was one which was perhaps at the time little noticed though it was producing splendid results – the silent and constant influence of His character on them.  It was this which made them into the men they became.”

                          James Stalker.  Preacher.