10.28.2018

 

 

SERMON SUMMARY: 

As Christians, we confess that “in God, we trust!” But what happens when our faith in the Savior becomes mingled with a faith in the little “saviors” of our culture? Do our lives suggest that we trust in God alone, or in “God plus fill-in-the-blank”? Come hear what Jesus has to say to a compromising church as we continue our series in Revelation.

 

 

REFLECTIONS:

We take pride in our tolerance of the excesses of others…But love detests what destroys the beloved. Real love stands against the deception, the lie, the sin that destroys…the more a father loves his son, the more he hates in him the drunkard, the liar, the traitor…Anger isn’t the opposite of love. Hate is, and the final form of hate is indifference…to be truly good one has to be outraged by evil.

—Rebecca Manly Pippert, Hope Has Its Reasons

 

In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair…the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.

—Dorothy L. Sayers

 

 

SCRIPTURE:

Psalm 106:6-8, 13-14, 28-29, 34-36, 39-40, 44-45, 47

6 Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
7 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
8 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.

13 But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
14 But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert;

28 Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
29 they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.

34 They did not destroy the peoples,
as the Lord commanded them,
35 but they mixed with the nations
and learned to do as they did.
36 They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.

39 Thus they became unclean by their acts,
and played the whore in their deeds.
40 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people,
and he abhorred his heritage;

44 Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
when he heard their cry.
45 For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

47 Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.

 

Revelation 2:12-17

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

 

 

CONFESSION OF SIN:

God, our Father,
We confess that we have doubted your Word and your promises. We have compromised the truth by turning to the idols of our culture for help and comfort.

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

silent confession

Jesus, Bread of Life,
We confess that we have hungered after the pleasures, prestige, and possessions of this world rather than trusting you to fulfill our deepest longings.

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

silent confession

Spirit, our Helper,
We confess that we have tried to fabricate meaning and security through our jobs, our friends, and our projects rather than resting in the promise of your kingdom.

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

silent confession

Triune God, have mercy on us and cleanse us from our sin according to your steadfast love.

Amen.

 

SONG TO CONSIDER:

I will build my house
Whether storm or drought
On the rock that does not move
I will set my hope
In your love, O Lord
And your faithfulness will prove
You are steadfast, steadfast

By the word you spoke
All the starry host
Are called out by name each night
In your watchful care
I will rest secure
As you lead us with your light
You are steadfast, steadfast

I will not trust in the strength of kings
On your promise I will stand
I will shout for joy,  I will raise my voice
Hallelujah to the Lamb!
You are steadfast, steadfast

In the moment of emptiness
All was fulfilled
In the hour of darkness
Your light was revealed
In the presence of death
Your life was affirmed
In the absence of holiness,
You are still God.

You are steadfast, steadfast
You are steadfast, steadfast.

WRITTEN BY SANDRA MCCRACKEN, LESLIE JORDAN AND JOSH SILVERBERG (WITH ADAPTATIONS FROM HENRI NOUWEN)