The Nothings of Unrestraint (Part Three) by Dr. Rod Mattoon

About this sermon

* James 1:26—If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. If your religion does not affect your mouth, then it is futile and powerless. It is of little value if you lie and deceive yourself or others. For example, consider the hypocrisy of the person who made this statement: “As A Christian I Have No Duty To Allow Myself To Be Cheated, But I Have The Duty To Be A Fighter For Truth And Justice.” Who in the world made that statement? The answer is the tyrant Adolph Hitler. Hitler was no Christian at all. His profession of being a Christian was vain. He was also a man who lacked self control. His tongue led to the deaths of millions. In 2006, Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia desired to touch the world for Jesus Christ. The church had a media ministry that caught the world by surprise with the Christian film they made entitled Facing the Giants. In September of 2008, they released the film Fireproof. The lead role was played by professional actor Kirk Cameron, known for his work on program Growing Pains. Kirk volunteered to work for free, but his star status did not assure him a role in the movie. He was auditioned and then put through a spiritual interview. Kirk talked about the process. The interview shows that the church was concerned about actors with self control and Christian integrity. They looked for those whose faith was genuine and not vain. Kirk was boldly and bluntly asked, “Is there anything going on in your life that might cause God to remove His hand of blessing on this project? We don't want any hypocrites. So if you're involved in drug or alcohol problems, or you're sleeping around or have issues with morality, tell us now so we can find a different actor.” That’s pretty clear, to the point, and exactly what was needed. The two brothers, Alex and Stephen Kendrick who wrote, produced, and directed the film did not want anything involved in the film that would hurt the cause of Jesus Christ. These two men demonstrated that spiritual purity was more important than the popularity and power of a well-known actor. They wanted an actor that was the real deal, a genuine, God-honoring Christian who met business for God. Kirk assured them he was and has honored the Lord with his life. He continues to be dedicated to the Lord today. These two stories illustrate the importance of restraint and the devastating effect of unrestraint. In this message, we continue to address the consequences of lacking self control. This 39-minute message was preached on Sunday night, February 20, 2022, at Lincoln Land Baptist Church in Springfield, Illinois.