Sermons – Page 19 – Somerset Church of Christ

March 10, 2022

Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace

Paul wrote to the Corinthians to tell them about the thorn in his flesh: “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep my from becoming conceited” (2 Cor. 12:7). Paul twice mentions not becoming conceited, or wrapped up in himself. This was why the messenger of Satan was harassing Paul.

Paul response was to beg God to remove this thorn: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'” (vs. 8, 9). Grace means a gift, or having favor towards someone. It’s a leaning in to someone because you care about them.

We may never know exactly why God didn’t remove this “thorn” from Paul, but we know that God allowed Paul to be harassed by Satan and that God’s favor rested on Paul regardless of this harassment. It’s a reminder of the power of God’s grace in our times of weakness. God’s grace is abundant, and is sufficient!

March 1, 2022

Christ Is Our Advocate

Most people don’t have the gift of confession. When people sin, they keep those sins close to their heart. Spilling our guts isn’t the first response when we sin against God and others. But what is the proper response? John says that Jesus is our advocate with the Father when we sin: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1 ESV).

When we sin, Jesus should be the first one we turn to in confession. Jesus is our advocate when we sin. In other words, he will make the right judgment because he is close to us. That’s what an advocate is. It’s someone who tells someone else what to do in a time of crisis. Their judgment in the matter is important because they intimately know the person for whom they are advocating.

John goes on to say that people who say they know Jesus but don’t keep his commandments are liars. So how do we really know Jesus, our advocate when we sin? “By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:5, 6). The more we look like Jesus the more we know him, and the more we know him the more we look like him.

February 23, 2022

Beware of the Hypocrisy

In the gospel of Luke Jesus had just given a very lengthy rebuke of the pharisees and lawyers. He was addressing their hypocrisy for essentially putting on a show and requiring all kinds of things from the common people while they themselves didn’t follow their own rules.

After a crowd pressed in on them to the point that people were being trampled, Jesus spoke to his disciples and said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops” (Luke 12:1-3 ESV).

In other words, people will recognize hypocrisy. Whatever is happening in the dark reveals where your heart is. Unlike the Pharisees, Jesus is telling people to be the same wherever they are. He gives this message to his disciples because it was especially important for them to model consistent, moral behavior. There is a reckoning that is happening among religious leaders who privately are harsh and abusive but publicly look squeaky clean. Jesus was warning his disciples to remain holy at all times for the sake of the kingdom.

February 9, 2022

Don’t Pass Judgment With Those Whom You Disagree

inspirational quote spelled out with board game letter tiles

Paul spent a lot of time in his letter to the Romans addressing issues that the church was facing. Rome had gone through a dark period when Emperor Claudius expelled Jews from the city. When the Jews were finally able to return, there appears to have been a rift between Gentile and Jewish Christians. It’s easy for division to happen when people feel excluded. This is magnified when we make people feel bad for their differing opinions on how we please God and keep a clean conscience.

Paul said, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him” (Romans 14:1-3 ESV).

Paul goes on to give other examples but concludes that, no matter what we decide on these issues, nobody should pass judgment on the other. The reason is that we all live and die to God, not ourselves. God judges us. Paul said that we should place no stumbling block in front of others because the kingdom of God is “of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (vs. 17). Finally, Paul says, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (vs. 19).

February 2, 2022

When a Morale Boost Is In Order

we ll get through it lettering text on black background

King David is quite possibly the most infamous king to ever live on the planet. Jesus, the Savior of mankind, came from David’s lineage. We all know the king wasn’t without his problems. Infidelity, poor decisions, fleeing from his enemies and abandoning his people–are just a few of the major problems David caused. Possibly the worst, and one that had lasting effects, was when David mourned for his wicked son Absalom.

David had been forced out of Jerusalem and only had a few loyal people willing to fight for him. Even still, when Absalom died David threw himself down and mourned, even saying that he wished he would have died so Absalom would have lived. This brought the morale of his troops to an all time low. Joab intervened and rebuked David: “For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you. . . now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now” (2 Samuel 19:6, 7 ESV).

David did muster up the strength to talk to his troops and encourage them. Eventually they fell back in line and supported David, but David’s poor leadership led to many great losses, including the loss of morale. Right now morale in our nation is at a very low low. There is a lot of heartache going on in the lives of many and, like David, we need to encourage each other whether we feel like it or not. People need to know they’re not alone. They need to know that we stand beside them. There are many ways we can encourage people who are suffering and we need to go the extra mile to do so. The Lord will bless those efforts. He always has.

January 24, 2022

Have Mercy On Me!

low angle shot of a beggar holding a cardboard sign with the word help

Luke records a touching story of a blind beggar. Beggars were no more respected than they are today. We even have a derogatory nickname for them: bums. But beggars have one goal in this life–survival. Beggars are under-privileged because of life circumstances. Some have medical or mental conditions that render them unable to get or maintain jobs. Without income, nobody can eat or have a safe place to live.

When Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind beggar found out that Jesus was passing by. “And he cried out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'” (Luke 18:38 ESV). And the people who were in front rebuked him and told him to be quiet. “But he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!'” (vs. 39). Jesus commanded that the man be brough to him and he asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The man goes on to ask for his sight to be restored. This was a huge ask, and clearly the man believed Jesus could do it. He could have asked for immediate needs like food, water, and shelter. But instead he asked for his sight to be restored so he could work and be productive. Jesus, of course, restores the man’s sight. He went on to follow Jesus and glorify God. We should have the same attitude of Jesus, offering mercy to the people who are most in need.

January 19, 2022

Love Needs Readjusting

We have an idiom in the West, to “fall out of love.” Merriam-Webster simply defines the idiom this way: “to no longer feel romantic love for someone.” Even the definition seems cold and detached. What if there is actually no such thing as falling out of love? What if, instead, we lose focus and perspective on what love really is? Is it possible that love needs to be readjusted, and readjusted often?

I think that’s what was going on in 1 Corinthians 13 when Paul reminded the Corinthian church about what true love requires. The Corinthians didn’t fall out of love with each other. Instead, they lost focus on what true love really looks like. Paul says, “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:3-7 ESV).

Paul very patiently readjusted their vision of love. Love was reignited in the Corinthian church. People began to treat each other with kindness and respect again. We need reminders often that love is a beautiful thing and it requires us to treat one another with all patience and kindness. When we do that, God’s love shines in us.