Sermons
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Sermons |
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Sermon preached by John Cooper at Christ Church on 21/4/02. It was on the topic of 'groaning or praying' and was given at the morning service. The day's Bible reading was from chapter four of the book of 1 Peter and reading from verses 1 to 11. |
Reading:
Main
Themes: The NHS, like every other organisation these days, is preoccupied with management theory. Who has not heard the terms accountability and responsibility in their work places? But have you ever thought how they might apply to church life? What are our responsibilities to God and to each other? After all the two great commandments are to love God with all our hearts and our neighbours as ourselves. Ultimately of course our accountability is to God. Because He loves us Jesus suffered death to do away with sin (verse 1). And although the grave consequences of our sin have been removed we still have a responsibility to God to live according to His will rather than to live purely for our own wishes and desires (verse 2). You see the good news about Jesus is change. It is astonishing that the same Peter, who was so foolish in Christ's lifetime, could turn out to be a man of such wisdom and authority. It was at Pentecost, when he received the Holy Spirit, that the change came about. Likewise we can now, through the Holy Spirit, live better lives ourselves. Of course our friends and relatives will never understand that we do not have the same interests and priorities as they do (v4). We will be accused of being kill-joys and probably also hypocrites (and often with some foundation). However the time will come when they will have to give an account of their behaviour to God (verse 5). What a terrible position they will be in if we do not give them some explanation of the hope that is in us. What are the responsibilities of the preachers and those leading the services? Are we any better than the rest of you? Of course not! I am merely trying to use a gift I believe I have to help others. But there are three things I have to bear in mind. Firstly I must not say what I think but what the Bible says. I have to 'speak the very words of God' (verse 11). This means a sermon should be rooted in scripture. It cannot be on a hobby-horse of mine. There is an urgency to preach the the message of forgiveness to people whilst they can hear it. Secondly it is all too easy to become proud if you stand up here 'performing'. But I know that I am a sinner just like the rest of you and I need your support and prayers. Arrogance and pride are terrible in a preacher. The third thing I need to bear in mind is related to this issue of humility. Although I might be able to deliver wonderful sermons, and the church be enthralled every time I speak, it is worthless if I do not show love. And I realise I frequently fail at this. Now what are your responsibilities towards Tim (the vicar) and the Readers? I know the love of Jesus covers a multitude of sins (verse 8) which actually means true love will overlook the neighbour's faults. But how prepared is the congregation to forgive us when we do or say something that is wrong? I have had a lot of criticism in the past about how I have led services. I have had a lot of favourable comments about my sermons especially if I have used humour in them. Unfortunately the humour seems to have been a turning off issue for others. Perhaps if I was more loving and lovable these issues would not arise. In verse 7 it says: 'Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray'. Are you clear-minded and do you pray? When I was younger I was taught that you should arrive at church ten minutes before the service was due to start and spend the time quietly in prayer both for the ministers and for yourself so that you would be in the right frame of mind for the service. I think I am correct in saying that the only people in church this morning ten minutes before the start of the service were those actually involved in it. Nowadays it seems that we need triumphal songs to get us supposedly worshipping. And prayer has gone out of the window. Recently I had to say 'good evening' three times at the start of an evening service but still one conversation carried on. The service seemed quite irrelevant. On another occasion I could not get through the front door of the church because people talking together were blocking the entrance. And these were not visitors to the church but people of long-standing. Do we expect to meet with God here? Do we ask Him to settle our minds so that He can speak to us? Do we pray for the preacher that he might bring the passage alive for us? Perhaps all the criticism that characterises the church might disappear if we spent more time in prayer. I repeat verse 7: 'Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray'. Of course serving God is more than just performing up front. We all have gifts that can be used to serve others (verse 10) and they should be used faithfully (verse 10) without grumbling (verse 9). What I am advocating is a fundamental change in the way we view church life. The end result of going to church should be 'that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ' (verse 11). When you leave this church today think if you have actually praised God in it but, if not, why not. Think back to Good Friday. Remember the cross. Think of the nails being driven into the hands and feet of Jesus - think how He suffered for our sake. Think how He loves us. Correspondingly we need to try to love others, almost all the New Testament writers agree on this. Verse 8 says 'Above all, love each other deeply...'. No matter what else we do, we need to love each other both those within and those outside the Church. But love is not easy. I hear a lot of platitudes about it. In verse 3 Peter describes what the early Christians were like: 'living in debauchery; lust; drunkenness; orgies; carousing and detestable idolatry'. Yet Jesus loved them and so did the early Christians who witnessed to them. Jesus loved and loves the unlovely. Do we? ref: 02/2
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Web page last updated 04 Jul 2009 |
