Sunday Sermons
What People Need
What People Need
Obviously, people need deliverance from their sins. Solomon, the wisest mere man that ever lived said, "For there is no man who does not sin" (1 Kings 8:46). Paul echoed this in his letter to the Romans when he noted, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Just a casual look at any list of sins, such as Galatians 5:19-21 will reveal that all of us, including the entire human race struggles with such things. And we must honestly admit that all too often such things get the better of us and as a result cause many problems in our lives, families and relationships.
I am impressed that Christianity is the answer for this need. In reference to sin, the Bible does not say, "Just try harder". Neither does it advocate denying the reality of such things. Rather, it offers genuine and true forgiveness. Can anyone really doubt that God in the flesh on the cross dying for our sins will fail to provide an adequate forgiveness? (Isaiah 53:5; Romans 5:6-8). In addition, this is not just a one-time forgiveness, but rather a forgiveness that is available for the humble for their entire lifetime on earth (1 John 1:9).
They Don't Need More Advice, They Need Good Counsel
The fantastic news that is good counsel is available: May I pause and stress good counsel. For the world is filled with people who are more than willing to give us advice and share their opinion or "wisdom" with us, yet it is really bad advice (Psalm 1:1). By contrast to the bad advice, there is an abundance of real wisdom that is available: "A man of understanding will acquire wise counsel" (Proverbs 1:5). "But a wise man listens to counsel" (Proverbs 12:15). "Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days" (Proverbs 19:20). "In abundance of counselors there is victory" (Proverbs 24:6). In fact, such wisdom and counsel is pictured as shouting in the public square and appealing for people to come and listen (Proverbs 8:1-5).
"Don't Preach to Me"?
One challenge that we face in our times (and other generations have faced it as well). Is that we have a number of people who do not want anyone to "preach" to them or "sermonize". Sometimes it is said that we cannot argue anyone into heaven. I have mixed feelings about that statement. Yes, on the one hand people are turned off by someone who comes across really strong and pushy, or immediately gets in their face. Yet on the other hand I see Jesus and the apostles debating, reasoning with, and even arguing with people (Acts 6:9-10; 17:1-3). Obviously, we are not to be ungodly in the way that we present the truth, and seek to patiently help people see where they have made some wrong turns in their thinking, but we will need to present some arguments from Scripture. Because in order to become a Christian I must own up or see the where my current thinking is not in agreement with the truth.
They Have Problems Too
On the surface it might appear that they don't have any problems. In fact, God's people in the past have often looked at unbelievers who were very prosperous and wrongly assumed that everything in their lives was going perfectly smooth (Psalm 73:3-5). Yet we know better. The sowing and reaping principle is true no matter who you are (Galatians 6:7). People might be able to put up a good front, but sin takes a toll on everyone (Romans 1:27 "receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error"). Eventually, living apart from God does catch up to a person. With God, one is simply unprepared for the various challenges and twists and turns of life. "We grope along the wall like blind men, we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at midday as in the twilight, among those who are vigorous we are like dead men. All of us growl like bears, and moan sadly like doves" (Isaiah 59:10-11). Thus, every marriage eventually faces challenges, so does every parent. Everyone must face the reality of mortality in their own family, among their friends and even in their own life. And material prosperity and comfort does not fix the problems. Among the comfortable there are many divorces, adults and kids with addictions, and so on. Since we already know that problems lie underneath the surface of their lives, we need to be ready to listen (James 1:19). It is not all listening. Every now and then we will encounter the person who just wants to talk but never wants to change.
Sin is Proof of Unmet Spiritual Needs
Someone has noted that just about every work of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 is a perversion of something good. In his time Jeremiah spoke of people who were attempting to find happiness and fulfillment apart from God. Here is how God described the situation: "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13). Thus, the person in sin is really trying to find what only God can offer, that is real fulfillment, lasting satisfaction, and true happiness. The dangerous thing about sin is that if offers just enough pleasure that it tricks people into thinking that it is the ticket to lasting happiness (Hebrews 11:25-26). Thus, we understand the sinner. He or she has been deluded and tricked into following a counterfeit happiness. In fact, most of us understand this delusion, and at some point in the past had even followed the same dead-end path for a while (Romans 6:21).
Understanding
Understanding the situation of the lost is not the same as approving of their choices. There can be no approval for what is wrong (Ephesians 5:12). Yet, we all understand how a person, without God could end up in such a mess. We do understand the appeal of the lies that the devil offers, we do understand the appeal of various temptations, we do understand why people jump for immediate gratification. Such understanding is demonstrated by patiently seeking to teach them a better way (2 Timothy 2:24-25). When this passage talks about being "kind", it does not mean approving of their wrong ideas or habits. Rather it means being "kind" as we attempt to help them out of the delusion they are under. Such kindness is manifested in, "Hey, I have time for you". "I have time for your questions". "Come over to my house, let's go out to lunch and talk".
They Have Fears
The dangerous thing about fear is that it can keep a person in a lost condition. Revelation 21:8 speaks of the "fearful" not making it to heaven. We often encounter people in the Bible who did not come to Jesus because they were fearful of losing something (John 9:22-23). The fears of the non-Christian include:
1. Will I become a religious nut?
2. Is this all too good to be true? Am I falling for just one more scam that exists out there? Will I end up wasting the best years of my life following something that isn't true?
3. Will I miss out? Will I miss all the fun?
4. Will I lose friends and family? Will I become an outcast?
The good news is that we can answer many of these fears by the life that we are currently living. "Does it look or sound like I am a nut?" "Does it look like I am missing out?" "Does it look like am I not having any fun?" "Does it look like I do not have any friends?" Then, we can answer other fears by appealing to reason and Scripture:
1. "Does this sound too good to be true? Or, is God being honest with you about the cost?" Luke 9:23-24
2. Is this some fly by night offer, or has this been around for a long time? Does the Gospel has a credible track-record.
3. Am I telling you anything that you cannot clearly read in the Bible?
4. Is the Bible offering us a lot of really weird and impractical teachings, or honest, reasonable and truthful teachings?
5. Is everyone lived like this, would the world be a better place or a worse place?
Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net
