John 1:45-51 (NIV) 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?"Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Lenses that form views:
1. Education- How and what we learn.
2. Experience- How life/ people have treated us.
3. Emotions - How we feel.
We see what we value
illl…..Count the red eyed Emojis.
Values form our Views.
The problem: Lenses are subjective
They are not always an accurate view of reality.
The lenses we look through as followers of Christ.
1. Reality/ The Truth
Truth is not a virtue.
The Truth is. Love does.
“Love may open the door but it’s truth sets us free.”
Truth carries authority.
How are you exposing yourself to truth?
Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) 1 Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
2. Jesus
We value what he values.
Colossians 2:6-9 (NLT) 6 Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. 8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
3. The Word of God
We trust the word of God because it’s timeless, flawless and faultless. Not because we like it but because it is reliable.
“God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick.”- Somebody
If its God’s word then it carries authority.
-The way we govern our life.
-The way we shape our views
Filtering our filter:
1. Careful HOW you listen.
Luke 8:18 (NIV) Consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."
2. Get in the word.
The word cleanses our lense.
Ephesians 5:25-26 (NLT) Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.
3. Commit yourself to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus.
Our Values develop our Virtues.