Scripture 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Cheryl Platvoet-Sansing
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I should be doing some work outside because it is such a
beautiful day. But I'm not! Took dad out for a ride this morning. Came home and
decided to sit outside on the deck and watch the birds and squirrels instead!
The Apple blossoms smell so good! With 6 Apple trees, it's very fragrant out
here!
Revelation
2:1-7
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words
of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven
golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and
your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have
tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown
weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first
love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things
you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your
lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the
practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will
give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
FIRST LOVE WITH ANYONE
Jesus
commends them for being morally tough and theologically strong, but reprimands
them for forgetting their first love and says do the things you did at first.
Consider almost any relationship in life - be it a job, a friend, a boyfriend,
a wife - when it begins, there is often this pleasant joy with little
expectation - just joy, that evolves into love and reveals itself by simply
spending time together. As time goes on, the love does not become weaker, but
often becomes different - spending time is sometimes done out of duty with no
joy or no feeling of love. Spending time together just for the sake of being in
each other’s presence is no longer necessary - you know you love each other.
FIRST LOVE WITH GOD
Transfer
that idea to your relationship with God. At first, it was enough just to spend
time with Jesus - you didn’t have to work so hard or stress over how well you were
doing or if you were doing enough or if God is pleased with you. It was simply
a joy to be in relationship with Jesus - to be in his presence and that joy
became love. But then you got busy doing things - noble things and ignoble
things - things for God, things for others and things for yourself. It didn’t
mean you loved God less, but the joy did seem to fade. Worship became routine
more than that great anticipation of being together.
SERMON PREPARATION
I
like to begin my sermon preparation on Monday - this week I did not get started
till late Wednesday. So instead of stressing over it, I went to the park near
the water and just sat in the presence of Jesus. It wasn’t immediate, but in a
little bit of time, the anxiety of starting so late went away - that didn’t
mean there was no work to do on a sermon, it meant a couple hours intentionally
in the presence of Jesus is worth way more than many hours in my study.
I
sat and watched people cast - yep they had fishing poles but they weren’t
fishing - if by fishing we mean catching fish. They were just casting - dozens
of people. After an hour or so I asked one if
there were any fish in the pond and the
response was - well, I think those guys caught one. I asked, do they
stock the pond? Yes. Have they stocked it yet? I
don’t know. I don’t think so. What kind of
fish do you catch out of here? Honestly, I don’t know. They
were standing and sitting and casting. Not everyone at the park were casting -
others were walking - a group of 5 girls all looking down at there phones on a
beautiful day, others were pushing strollers and some were taking pictures of
one another.
Jesus
was there - I mean Jesus was there - I know he was, I spent time
with him. What I don’t know is whether anyone else knew he was there. They were
in a pleasant place doing enjoyable activities - nothing wrong with that - but
for me, I was practicing FIRST LOVE. I was doing the things I did at first - I
was simply worshipping Jesus - not trying to learn something - not trying to do
something - not trying to get something - just spending time in His GRACE. In
that moment, some words of Jesus came to me, but I could not remember where or
when he said them so I made a mental note to look it up later. Those words from
Jesus were: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness." But which gospel were those words from? NONE
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
To
keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great
revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to
torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he
said to me, "My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's
sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in
difficulties. For when I am weak, then I
am strong.
When did Jesus say- “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power
is made perfect in weakness.”? Paul
quotes Jesus - but we don’t know if it was part of an earlier document that the
gospel writers didn’t include, that Jesus spoke directly to Paul again, that
Paul heard it in a dream. We just don’t know - but what we are…is privileged to hear these words from
Jesus that would have otherwise been lost. And powerful words they are.
PROBLEM - WEAKNESS / SOLUTION - GRACE
When you are stressed, perplexed, overwhelmed,
confused, doubtful, anxious, penned in on every side, when you feel weak - it
is very difficult to worship. Grace is the solution.
To learn the definition of God's grace, it is wise to
understand the Greek and Hebrew words behind this term.
GRACE DEFINITIONS IN OT AND NT
A prominent Old Testament word describing God's grace
is chesed. This word speaks of deliverance from enemies,
affliction, or adversity. It also denotes enablement, daily guidance,
forgiveness, and preservation.
The New Testament word is Charis. It focuses on the provision of salvation.
Grace means God’s love in action towards men who deserved
the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners
who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending His
only Son to descend into hell on the cross so that we guilty ones might be
reconciled to God and received into heaven. ‘God has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him’.
YOU SAY MESSAGE
Grace says you are loved even if you don’t feel a
thing. Like right now in worship - you may not FEEL God’s love, but take a
moment and recognize that you are loved by God anyway. God is loving you in
this moment. Jesus death 2000 years ago is providing you forgiveness right now.
Jesus’ resurrection is your guarantee for eternal life. Jesus is fighting for
you to have an abundant life in the hear and now. Wow - even if I don’t FEEL
it, the grace of Jesus can still be overwhelming.
Grace says you are strong even when
you are weak. Therefore I will boast all the more
gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. You don’t have the mental or emotional
capability to make it through the day - yet God says check this out - my
strength will show up though your weakness. What you cannot do on your own God
does through you - that is Grace.
Grace says, even though you have again
fallen short of God’s ideal, he holds you close, forgives you, and sets you
back on the right path again.
Grace says, even when you feel you
don’t belong - you are His. You may feel you don’t belong with others in your
family, your neighborhood, your school, your work, your church, or even in
God’s kingdom. You may feel alienated and Jesus says - You do belong, not
because you have earned it, but simply because you are mine.
Think about that. Grace or JESUS says
you are loved even when you don’t feel it, Jesus says you are strong even when
you feel weak, Jesus says I hold you close you even when you fall short, Jesus
says when you feel you don’t belong, I am yours! Does the Revelation First Love
text and the power in weakness 1 Corinthians text bring you to a place of
worship? Does what Jesus says to you right now - My grace is sufficient for
you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Can you to feel joy that you are simply
in His presence? And no more than that is needed?
MEDITATION ON THE PRESENCE OF JESUS
Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this p_______!
PLACE - PERSON
- PEOPLE!
YOU SAY
I keep fighting voices
in my mind that say I’m not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know (ooh oh)
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know (ooh oh)
You say I am loved
when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe
The only thing that matters
now is everything You think of me
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity, (ooh oh)
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity, (ooh oh)
You say I am loved
when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
And You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
Oh, I believe
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
And You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
Oh, I believe
Taking all I have and
now I'm laying it at Your feet
You have every failure God, and You'll have every victory, (ooh oh)
You have every failure God, and You'll have every victory, (ooh oh)
You say I am loved
when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe
Oh I believe (I), yes
I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
Oh I believe (oh)
What You say of me (I)
Oh I believe (oh)
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