Worship Service 02/25/2024

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 25:

Theme: Understanding the Mind of People-Pleasers

Notes:

The Mind of People-Pleasers

“…the fear of man is a snare, whoever trusts in the Lord will be saved.”

1. They desire and value man’s opinion over God’s opinion
2. They fear man’s displeasure rather than the displeasure of God
3. They are trying to find something in people that they can only get from God
   • Satisfaction
   • Security
   • Significance
4. They please people so they can ultimately please themselves

We can have freedom from people-pleasing

1. There is a high price of being a people-pleaser
   • It will bring you into bondage to every person you try to please
     • Romans 6
   • It will cause you to forfeit the honor you seek
     • Matthew 6
   • It will blind you to your sin–or drown you in it
     • Matthew 23
     • People will often lay expectations on you–that they will not help you to accomplish
   • It will deceive you into believing other people’s opinion about you instead of God’s opinion about you
     • John 5
   • It will rob you of peace and joy in Christ

Remember some things

1. Remember the high price of being a people-pleaser
2. Remember that it is impossible to please people

Replace some things

1. Replace the lust for people’s approval with love for God’s approval
2. Replace wrong values
   • Replace your temporal earthly value system with an eternal heavenly one
     • Colossians 3
   • Replace your people evaluation system
     • People-pleasers often look at people the way they think people look at them
     • Pray for people–for their good

Why love God’s approval?

1. When we choose to please God and not man, we only have one master
2. The One you please will not judge you for what is on the outside but that which is in your heart
   • Psalm 145
3. The One you please will not be influenced by talebearers, gossips, or false accusers
4. The One you please is unchanging
   1. Malachi 3
5. The One you please asks of you that which ultimately brings you joy

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