What A Good Sermon Looks Like!

Image result for may your faith not rest in men's wisdom

 1 Corinthians 2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
This is one of my favorite passages from the apostle Paul.  It is a good one to memorize.  In it we see Paul's humility and dependence on Christ for all he does.  Paul doesn't claim to be an eloquent speaker or masterful presenter, but he simply preaches Jesus Christ and him crucified.  A lot of times we try to get too cute in our preaching with the perfect joke or analogy, but it is the gospel preached in the power of the Holy Spirit that brings people to Christ.  
The message of Jesus and him crucified is not often a popular message.  People would rather hear a "feel-good" sermon which says if you follow God and Christ your life will be successful in all ways.  There is only one problem with that message, it is not the message Jesus preached.  Of course, Jesus preached abundant life, but it came through the cross.  Jesus teaches us to lay down our lives to find it, and to die to ourselves to truly live.  
And this is where the Holy Spirit comes in.  As we surrender our lives we are available so the Holy Spirit can work through us.  We like to say we need to "get out of the way".  To "let go and let God."  And specifically as Paul preaches he is totally reliant on the power of the Holy Spirit to bring His message. He knows it is not how great of a speaker he is, but his total dependence on God's power.  Most importantly one is trusting in God but not a charismatic personality.  We can see how that has been a problem in the church.  
When you feel weak this week it is a good time to go to God and allow your weakness to show God's strength.  In this way you will point to Christ and His strength! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why a...
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the...
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in ...
Read more