—Home Church Sermon—
The Lesson for today is to BE AWARE of the lessons that you have learned, and are still learning today.
Be aware that some of them may be either partially or totally wrong.
We are always learning lessons whether we realize it or not.
Some of these lessons are taught and some are caught.
Some learned the easy way, some the hard way.
Regardless, God wants us to see things clearly.
So the question to ask yourself is:
“Did I” or “Did I not” actually learn lessons correctly?
The following humorous examples can be used to evaluate if we have learned God’s truths correctly or not.
THE LESSONS I (DID/DID NOT) LEARN FROM MY PARENTS
WHAT I (DID/DID NOT) LEARN ABOUT PRAYER
When you spilled your drink on the carpet
(where you were not supposed to be drinking it)
they said,
"You better PRAY the stain will come out of the carpet."
Wrong Lesson:
1. Prayer is only to get you out of trouble.
Correct Lesson:
1. Prayer is conversation with God about anything. It is not just limited to when you are in trouble.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in EVERY SITUATION, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” -Philippians 4:6
What area of your life are you “in trouble”?
If you have not talked to God about it, why not?
What other things can you talk to God about?
Things I’m Thankful for…
Things I “appreciate” about God (love, kindness, patience)…
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the privilege of being able to pray to you about EVERYTHING big or small.
WHAT I (DID/DID NOT) LEARN ABOUT LOGIC
From their decisive words, "Because I said so, that’s why."
Wrong Lessons:
1. You and your ideas are not important.
2. The person in authority is, you are not, so shut up and do what you are told.
3. Accept things without asking for clarification.
Correct Lessons:
1. Your ideas ARE important, and it MAY BE alright AT TIMES to ask for clarification if you don’t understand the rationale.
2. Sometimes others have not thought through their positions and don’t want to be challenged. You have to decide whether it is worth it or not to try getting an answer.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us…”
-Deuteronomy 29:29
“The Lord works out everything to its proper end…”
-Proverbs 16:4
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for being in control of all things.
Help us to trust in you in the areas that you choose not to fill in all of the details as to what is happening.
Help us to accept the times in our lives when if seems like your answer to our questions is, “Because I said so”.
WHAT I (DID/DID NOT) LEARN ABOUT FORESIGHT
"Make sure you wear clean underwear,
in case you’re in an accident."
Wrong Lessons:
1. Be paranoid every time that you go out because there is an accident waiting around every corner for you.
2. Do people think that I wear dirty underwear all of the time?
Correct Lesson:
1. Don’t be paranoid with worry about negative things happening in the future.
2. Do plan ahead.
3. Be balanced about the future.
“I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” 28 “And why do you worry about clothes?... 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” -Matthew 6:25-34
“A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn't…”
-Proverbs 13:16
Prayer:
Lord, we are comforted about the fact that you know the future. Help us to be balanced in our planning for the future, but at the same time, not worrying about it.
WHAT I (DID/DID NOT) LEARN ABOUT PERSEVERENCE
"You’ll sit there ’til all that spinach is finished."
Wrong Lessons:
1. It is a “sin” to leave uneaten spinach.
2. “Sitting” makes it (spinach) taste worse.
Correct Lessons:
1. While not eating spinach may not be a sin, disobedience is.
2. There are times that you will need to do something that you don’t want to, but it is good for you.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give up.” -Galatians 6:9
Prayer:
Lord, we thank you that you did things while on earth that were not pleasant for you, yet you did them anyway. Thank you for the cross. Help us not to become weary in doing the hard things that we are called to do as Christians.
WHAT I (DID/DID NOT) LEARN ABOUT WEATHER
"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."
Wrong Lesson:
1. Tornadoes can destroy the inside of a room, but not the outside of the house.
Correct Lesson:
1. Word pictures (illustrations) can be beneficial in getting a point across.
Jesus used many parables (picture stories)
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for giving to us all of the pictures of your love and grace in the Bible.
Thank you for Baptism (signifying the cleansing of our sins)
Thank you for Communion (signifying forgiveness from your shedding your body and blood for our forgiveness).
Help our lives to be a sign pointing people to your love and grace.
WHAT I (DID/DID NOT) LEARN ABOUT THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
Wrong Lesson:
1. Your parents hate you and don’t want you around.
Correct Lesson:
1. Your parents simply are upset with something that you did or did not do.
Jesus, “is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters…”
-Hebrews 2:11
Prayer:
Lord, help my self-image to be based on what you think and say about me and not what others (who will at times find me an inconvenience to them) think or say.
Thank you for calling us your brothers and sisters.
WHAT I (DID/DID NOT) LEARN ABOUT ENVY
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful Parents like you do!"
Wrong Lesson:
1. I “envy” other kids and want to be them so that I don’t have to deal with my parents.
Correct Lesson:
1. Parents can feel unappreciated.
2. Focus on the positive and appreciate what you have before it is gone.
Even Jesus was not accepted or appreciated in his own home town.
“Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.
-Luke 4:24
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for accepting me by grace.
Thank you for giving to me faith to believe in your grace.
Help me to fully appreciate others with no prejudice.
Help me to be more aware of the lessons that I may have learned wrong in the past.
Help me to daily learn lessons that are caught and taught.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen!
God Bless,
Pastor Dave
Word of Life Church
17525 W. Bell Rd.
Surprise, AZ 85374
