sermon summary: 2 ways to live
I’ve given myself some time to think about how Sunday went. I preached from Hebrews 12:15… “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled.”
The basic thrust of my message was that there are two ways to live: one is to live by grace; the other is to live by willpower and effort. We are surrounded and filled with unpleasant things, which I summarize as sufferings (external) and sin (internal). These are “bitter”. It is one thing to recognize this and to observe it dispassionately. It is another to allow these things to sink in until they sour us to the point where we resign ourselves to a hopeless fatalism. This is where trouble sets in because we’ve allowed the bitter things to define life and ourselves. This leads, finally, to defilement where we are polluted into believing that this is who we are and always shall be, as well as everyone else.
The human response to this cycle is either resignation… to just give in and let it take its course; or to fight against it with an effort that can be religious or disciplinarian. This whole human enterprise is useless. As we learn elsewhere, it is not by might nor by power. It is not by human effort or even desire. These fail and perish with use. We should know that by now. The only response is to “obtain grace”. Not just live in it or near it or to understand it, but to “get” it! The cross of Christ negates all our efforts at conquering the bitter things in ourselves and in our world. Grace says that we are forgiven and that the transformation comes from another source other than our willpower and our efforts. It is from God through Christ on the cross, and its power makes new creations out of us.
So as I write this, I realize that my frustration in trying to communicate this on Sunday still remains. I am intuitively convinced that this is true, but it is deeper than I am able to articulate with clarity. Maybe soon.
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I have been thinking on this “grace” thing for a week or so, I keep reading on it…. Can I hear your sermon on the church website?
I read this this week: … the only people who are really hungry for grace, who really want it, are broken people! People who’ve come to the end of themselves, who realize they can’t do it on their own; they’re broken and can’t fix themselves! In A.A. terms, they’ve “hit bottem.” People like that are not only ready for grace, they’re desperate for it. They also end up being very grateful.
Jacquelyn, that makes sense to me. I think, though, that people that have experienced grace after being really hungry for grace, can recognize the need for it after they have “hit bottom,” and not only continue to pursue it, but to extend it to others.
Still thinking about Hebrews 12:15
…As long as we are full of ourselves, everything in us will be shocked by faults in other people. If we are convinced that nothing is our rightful due, then nothing will make us bitter. If we think often of how destitute we are, we will become merciful toward the weaknesses in other people. — Francois Fenelon
all good
Im tired of living in lamentations! Lamantetions is one side of truth not all. Yes, there is suffering and all the other shit that comes with the church, but what about the other positives that our ours in Christ? The abundant life?
Oh that? Just look in nakedpastor’s Categories and scroll down to “The Church Homogenous” lol kidding
Seems clear enough to me. The weakest of the churches that I’ve attended have all had a resounding theme among their leaders. “I’m to set in my ways. That’s just the way it is”. or “That’s just the way we do things”. The full weight of the tragedy is how the unwillingness to seek grace, leads so many others to bitterness. Just a thought.
a good thought chris