Unfortunately, there are erroneous
beliefs about God and Christianity that have snuck their way into modern church
culture. These popular phrases or ways of thinking are in direct conflict with
what scripture actually teaches. This 5-week series looks at different phrases
the Bible doesn’t actually say, comparing them to what the Bible actually does say. This guide comes with a passage,
topic, and “big idea” of the sermon. Also included under each week is a list of
ideas, illustrations, and talking points to help you prepare for your message.
Our aim is for this guide to spark your imagination, assist you in planning
your sermon, as well as offer a boost to your study time.
Week 1 God helps those who help themselves | Matthew
6:25-33 (4/18/17)
In this passage, Jesus calls for
us to seek after the kingdom of God first, not ourselves; if we do, everything
else in life will fall into place. Our modern culture idolizes self-sufficiency.
Everyone needs to take care of themselves, first. Look out for number one.
Focus on your needs before anyone else’s needs. God’s plan for our lives is the
exact opposite. Focus on the kingdom first, and God will take care of your necessities.
Following Jesus is about living a selfless life. The key to this passage is
verse 33. If we focus on seeking God, there will be nothing in life we need to
worry about. Our relationship with God needs to be our top priority.
Week 2 Obedience always leads to financial blessings. | Philippians
4:10-13 (4/25/17)
As Paul
illustrates in his own life, when you
rely on God, you will find satisfaction in whatever situation (good or bad)
that life hands you. There are some individuals and groups who believe
that putting faith in Christ entails automatic financial blessings and favor.
Their picture of an obedient, Christian life is one full of wealth, happiness,
and relative ease. This simply, isn’t true. Take Paul’s life, for example (2
Corinthians 11:16-33). In this passage, Paul writes that there have been
times in his personal life where he had much, and times where he had little.
God taught him how to find joy in both situations. He can handle anything in
life through Christ’s power. It’s easy to trust that Paul means what he says
when we realize he’s writing this letter from prison. This passage
provides a context for the often misused: “I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.” Christians often quote this phrase believing that with
Christ on their side, they will find success in all their endeavors. What Paul says
is nearly the opposite. Paul can handle the times that feel like success and
the times that feel like failure because he relies on Christ for strength. Much
of the prosperity gospel is meant to give hope to those who come to Christ,
when, in reality, it can cause unnecessary doubt. If the apostle Paul was not
secure in his theology, he might feel shame for the hard times. “I must not be
a very good Christian if I’m going through this.” There could be people in your
congregation with the same fears because of the trials in their life.
Week 3 Do not judge others. | 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 (5/2/17)
Paul
emphasizes to the Corinthians that God
set up the church as a family where brothers and sisters in Christ should hold
each other accountable. While Jesus does say in Matthew 7:1-6, “Do not
judge,” it is not meant, as some treat it, to be a blanket statement for all
forms of judgement—as if we are all to mind our own business and never get
involved in the lives of those around us. Jesus, in Matthew 7, is teaching
against an inappropriate form of judgement. He’s warning against hypocrisy. Do
not judge others as if you have the authority of someone who is perfect. In
I Corinthians 5, Paul calls out the church in Corinth for their pride in the
fact they weren’t judging a man in the church for having a sexual relationship
with his father’s wife. Paul expects the couple to be removed from the church
before their behavior causes more people to sin. There are a few
distinct characteristics of this situation that warranted the type of church
discipline Paul calls for. It was public knowledge. Everyone knew what was
happening. It was consistent. This was not a one-time affair, but an ongoing
relationship. It was unrepentant. In the eyes of those participating, there was
nothing wrong with this wicked and destructive behavior. In vss. 9-13, we
see that this situation is the result of the church not looking out for each
other. They were concerned with not associating with sinners outside the church, but forgot to take
care of the sin inside of the church.
If someone claims to be a brother or sister in Christ, but their consistent
fruit shows otherwise, it’s important to address that situation before it hurts
others. This will also, hopefully, bring the wayward souls back into the fold.
God formed the church for community, accountability, and honesty. We must
be willing to submit ourselves to this design.
Week 4 Suffering always comes
from sin. | James 1:2-4 (5/9/17)
No matter what the cause of our trials,
we know that God will use it to strengthen our walk with Him. Job’s three
friends wrongly claimed his suffering must be a direct result of sin. Many
Christians deal with other believers in the same way. An article from Bradley
Hospital gives helpful advice for talking to children about tragedy. It ends
with this paragraph. “Finally, remember that tragedy is a part of every
life—the job of parents is not to shield their children from tragedy, but to
help their children become resilient enough to survive it. This is not often a
job that anyone can do alone, and if you need help, ask for it, from friends,
family, clergy, or helping professionals.” Job never found out why he was
suffering. There’s not a point in the story where he learns about the
conversation between God and the Devil. Things might happen in our lives where
we never get to know why. But we can hold onto the fact that God will use them
for good anyway.
Week 5 God won’t give you more than you can handle. | 2
Corinthians 1:3-11 (5/23/17)
God will give you more than you
can handle, but He will never give you more than He can handle. Paul felt like his affliction was more than
he could handle, and he wanted to be open about his experience (vs. 12). All
throughout 2 Corinthians, Paul makes a point to boast in his weakness and his
need to rely on God for strength. It is easy for a Christian to talk themselves
into thinking that a having weakness makes them a bad Christian. In actuality, recognizing
your own weakness is an essential part of growing in your walk with Christ. When
Jesus is the Lord of your life, you are trusting Him enough to hand over
control of everything. You no longer rely on your strength to get through difficult
times. God does the heavy lifting. Most of us could never complete two-hundred
push-ups, but if we trust the strength of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to do the
push-ups for us, then no amount of push-ups could stress us out. Paul
leads by example in boasting in his weakness and need for God to get him
through trials. If we want our church culture to be that of Christ followers
willingly admitting their weakness and need for God’s strength, it starts with
us wisely doing so from the stage.