Common Sense, Uncommon Faith

Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

0 ratings

· 127 views

Notes

Transcript

Matthew 24:4–8 NKJV

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

We are facing difficult and challenging times -

not completely unprecedented

There are different opinions about what we should do, and how.

Today is Palm Sunday - And yet there were no Palm branches being waived this morning -

Some people think how could we even think about waiving a Palm branch with all this Corona virus going around

Others may think, how could you not?

To be honest with you, it makes me sad....

what are we celebrating on Palm Sunday?

Is it nothing less than how that Jesus Christ himself rode triumphantly into Jerusalem - knowing full well He would be crucified

but He went anyway. Why can’t we?

He wept over Jerusalem becasue they did not understand the time - they understood the worldly things - they were concerned about Rome… But they missed what really mattered

Will we do the same thing?

Corona Virus is a Real Danger

To be very clear, I do not believe that this thing is not real. It is very real.

People are dying, and many more are sick.

Yesterday’s statistics: Total cases worldwide 1.2 million, USA = 311,637. China 81,669

Total deaths worldwide: 64,788, USA= 8,454, China = 3,329

it is very contagious, there is a risk that we should all take seriously

But we must keep things in perspective.

Know the times, and remember the Lord.

Some people believe that their best chance of protection is to follow the rest of the world

Others believe that their best chance of protection is in the Lord

Each should live by their convictions of faith

That does not mean that the person of faith should be flippant or foolish

Thou shall not tempt the Lord they God

nevertheless, if there is a cause, a purpose, a reason, then you should not fear.

Gathering in groups just to prove we can would be foolish

Gathering together to call upon God in times of distress is incredibly wise, even in the danger of coronavirsu

assembling together for the purpose of strengthening our faith, edifying one another, and keeping one another encouraged in this trial, is wise

confronting our fears for the purpose of ministering to the lost, and even tot he sick, is faithful, and should be demonstrated in these times, by those who have faith.

What about Common Sense?

We have received a lot of criticism for not closing our doors

I personally have been called names, accused of being bullheaded, and fanatical, among other things

And some people are genuinely angry with me.

To those people: I am sorry you feel that way. I truly am, but I believe that you are misguided.

One person wrote this on a Facebook post “. I live and walk by Faith in my Lord and Savior but, common sense has to come in to play at some point.”

I thought about that statement for some time. It so accurately sums up the difference between my world view and his.

In saying that, I do not mean him any disrespect.

But his statement is precisely the opposite of what I believe is true. It is the turning of things upside down

His statement is flawed on several points:

First, he attempts to separate faith from sense, as if they were opposed to one another, which they are not.

Then, he attempts to rank the two with faith somehow being lower if priority than this sense, or common sense as he calls it

So that, in a case where common sense and faith do seem to conflict, one must choose what he calls common sense.

So if I were going to look at his statement and explain my view it would be this:

He says that “I live and walk by faith in my Lord and Savoir, but common sense has to come into play at some point.

I would say: I have and live by common sense all the time, but the faith of my Lord and Savoir has to be supreme at some points: Especially points when there is danger, when there is cause to fear, when we don’t know what to do

. I live and walk by Faith in my Lord and Savior but, common sense has to come in to play at some point.”

It is precisely at these times when faith must prevail, at least among the faithful.

So, think about it: Common sense according to the dictionary is: sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence.

in other words, it is the ordinary sense that should be common to all normal people. If you don’t have common sense you are flawed.

Uncommon Faith

Faith on the other hand is not common. In fact, among those who are faithful, it is “peculiar” separate, and unusual

2 Peter 2:9 NKJV

9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

1 Peter 2:9 NKJV

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

We are called out of darkness, into light

We are called out of darkness into light - we must proclaim His praises

Faith is not inferior to the common sense of the world - on the contrary:

1 Corinthians 1:18–21 NKJV

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Isaiah 55:10 NKJV

10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,

Isaiah 55:9 NKJV

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

So faith is higher than the knowledge of this world. Common sense, always, faith when it matters

It is easy to live by faith when it isn’t challenged, when it agrees with what is not faith.

Jesus told peter :

Acts 10:15 NKJV

15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

Use Wisdom, be Lead by Faith, by the Spirit.

This is not to say that anyone who doesn’t go to church lacks faith

Some people should not go to church

those who are sick - call me, and I will minister to you

Those who are at risk - unless God has led them otherwise

Those who are afraid, whose faith weak

This who are not coming for the right reason in the first place

those just coming for the social benefit

those coming only out of religious works

Those coming to be seen, or in pride or arrogance

Those who are angry that we are open - stay home - watch online.

But this certainly is not true that those who go to church are lacking in common sense:

Blanket statements like that only reveal the ignorance and faithlessness of those who make them

2 Thessalonians 2:4 NKJV

4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

1 Thessalonians 2:2–4 NKJV

2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. 3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. 4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

Those who should come to church in these times:

The faithful, who are coming to openly worship God in the sight of men, in the face of danger, for the glory of God

Those who believe that there is a God given purpose in our coming together to worship, and such a purpose that cannot be live streamed

Consider the witness of so many millions of people who have hazarded their very lives to come together and worship the Lord for centuries

Following is an excerpt from David Platt’s book “Radical”

“Imagine all the blinds closed on the windows of a dimly lit room. Twenty leaders from different churches in the area sat in a circle on the floor with their bibles open. Some of them had sweat on their foreheads after walking for miles to get there. Others were dirty from the dust in the villages which they had set out on bikes early that morning.

They had gathered in secret. They had intentionally come to this place at different times throughout the morning so as not to draw attention to the meeting that was occuring. They lived in a country in Asia where it is illegal for them to gather like this. If caught they could lose their land, their jobs, their families, of their lives.”

Consider the risk of these brothers and sister. Why was their meeting so important to hazard their lives

We used to celebrate such faith --- as long as it was over there --- and no risk to us.

Is our faith really faith at all?

Others who should be in church:

Those who believe that God may use them to help another,

those who believe that someone may get saved.

Those who are terrified of this virus, and the times, and are looking for something from God, someone from God, that is real and faithful

How can we leave the Church without a witness becasue we are afraid

Consider Jesus with the leper: He touched him.

Those who do come must do so reverently:

We should not be here flippantly

We should be aware of the gravity of the situation, and be moved by faith

The difference between St. Patrick, and the snake handlers

We should be reverent - grave - concerned - desperate for God

1 Corinthians 2:3–4 NKJV

3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

In weakness, and in fear, in much trembling. Come like that.looking to Jesus

And it doesn’t stop with this church building. We are all Christians. The Church is us.

How has God called you to be a witness for Him in these times?

Can you call someone and talk to them about Jesus?

Is there someone you need to go and see, someone who is lost, but now is their time, if you go - even in the danger of it.

Are you praying? Maybe you could call people to pray online - Facebook live for instance.

Essential Services

What are “essential” services?

Doctors, Nurses, Janitors, Grocery Stores, McDonald’s, and not the Church?

Really? So we can’t live without all these things, but we can live without faith?

We can live without assembling ourselves together?

Can we live without church?

Throughout history, in times of trouble, the church came together, calling upon God

God has promised that if we do so, he will hear form heaven and heal the land

I believe that Church is an essential service.

You may not believe that. There were many who believed differently than Jesus

On Palm Sunday, at His triumphal entry, there were many people who wanted Jesus to silence the Christians:

Acts 10:15 NKJV

15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

Luke 19:39–40 NKJV

39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Jesus said that if they would stop, even the stones would cry out. He will not be silenced. He will always have a witness in the earth.

“ they should be

I understand if you don’t feel called to go to church. Or if you are afraid, of even offended. But don’t try to stop me.

Don’t believe that you should have a right to hinder those who do worship Him this way

The bible says that there will come a day when His people cannot have church meetings, when there is not a witness ...

And in that day, like Jesus said of the stones, God will send angels to continue to proclaim - but woe to us at that time

Revelation 14:6 NKJV

6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—

Revelation 14:5–7 NKJV

5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. 6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Revelation 14:6–8 NKJV

Revelation 14:6–9 NKJV

6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” 8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” 9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,

Revelation 14:6–10 NKJV

So in closing I exhort every one of us to

Have common sense

Also have wisdom, and use it.

Live by uncommon faith, and declare it.

Related Media

Related Sermons