1 / 14

Elephant in the Living Room

This insightful text discusses the tendency to ignore problems in life likened to elephants in the living room, drawing parallels to biblical stories and modern-day challenges. From doctrinal issues in the church to family struggles like rebellious teens and marital discord, it encourages facing and addressing these elephants for healing and growth. How to initiate repentance and salvation are also highlighted, emphasizing the importance of confronting difficult truths. Through pertinent examples, it offers guidance on acknowledging and dealing with the elephants in our own lives.

alair
Download Presentation

Elephant in the Living Room

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Elephant in the Living Room Ignore it – It will go away Sunday, May 1, PM

  2. Introduction • We use other phrases • Skeletons in the closet • The King has no clothes • Shady family tree • Ignore it – It will go away

  3. Introduction • Many try to pretend a problem does not exist • We hope the problem will just disappear. • Are there elephants in your life?

  4. Grecian Widows • Apostles were busy • Preaching, teaching, baptizing • Doing the command of Jesus • Greek speaking widows were neglected, ignored • They were an elephant in the early church’s living room

  5. Achan’s Elephant • Joshua 7:10-11 • Achan stole – gold, silver, garment from Jericho • The spoils belong to God • Achan hid the goods under his tent

  6. Achan’s Elephant • Achan pretended that everything was OK • The next day Israel lost 36 men is a battle • Why? There is sin in the camp • There is an elephant under the tent

  7. Elephants in the Church • Doctrinal Issues • Salvation – baptism • Worship – Music, Communion, Giving • Fellowship with error • Moral Issues • Abortion • Homosexual issues

  8. Elephants in the Church • Internal Stress • Long-term grudges • Personality clashes • Strong Opinions

  9. Home / Family / Marriage • Are there any elephants in your living room? • Every family has a “horse theif” in the family tree • We say, “Skeletons in the closet”

  10. Home / Family / Marriage • Today there are family elephants • Wild Teens – Drugs, Stealing, Truancy, Fornication • Parents – Argue, Alcohol, Violence, Sexual Abuse • Marriage – “On the rocks”

  11. Repentance • Matthew 18:17 - And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

  12. Repentance • Matthew 18:17 • If he refuses to hear you - - • They are ignoring the elephant • If he refuses to repent - - • He has an elephant in the living room

  13. Salvation • Some think they don’t need salvation • I’m a good person • Hebrews 2:3a - how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

More Related