Sermons Christ Community Church: Daytona Beach, FL

Everybody loves the story of the scrawny kid with the slingshot and a handful of rocks who takes down the giant. The story of David is one of the most interesting in Scripture. As one author summarizes his uniqueness: you begin with the fact that David was the least impressive of his brothers, his father's last choice and yet God's first choice. He had uncanny skill to write poetry and make beautiful music but also to become a fearsome warrior and a powerful king. We see in David qualities we wish we could have and weaknesses we hope we never discover. Most important, we are invited to learn from him about true strength.

This is a psalm of thanksgiving, a psalm of celebration, not of mourning or desperation. David is looking back over his life and remembering how God has protected him through severe struggles. David lost a son at a young age, he was pursued by King Saul and had to run for his life. He spent much of his life being pursued by enemies and having to go into hiding, even running for his life from one of his own son, Absalom. But yet, despite what he had been through he can now look back and safely say that his dependence is on the Lord’s protection and provision.

Some people say the Bible's view of life is simplistic. If someone messes up the devil made them do it. That would be a simplistic view. But the Bible's view is actually the most developed, complex and complete view of the issues of life. The Bible recognizes sociological issues, psychological issues and physical issues. Those are all aspects of our “struggle with flesh and blood”, but Scripture also recognizes the spiritual dimension; the spiritual forces of darkness.

Some people think of their work as just the unfortunate price they have to pay to live and enjoy life. Others make a different mistake. They divide life into two separate categories; the secular and the sacred. In this view, the spiritual things are important and the physical things are simply necessary. And so we wind up saying and thinking things like: "My job keeps me from doing what really counts for God." But what Scripture shows us from Genesis to Ephesians and beyond is that God wants our relationship with him to be completely interwoven into our everyday work. Your work is too large a slice of life to separate it from your relationship to God.

We are looking at money and giving in light of three things: the reality of creation, the tragedy of sin and the grace of redemption. If we look at any of the issues we struggle with in life; money, sex, power, family, whatever; we can know three things. First, that fact that we are created in the image of God sheds light on how we think about this issue. Second, this thing has been affected by sin and that sheds light on this issue. Third, you know that the grace of redemption has the potential to transform how we understand and relate to this issue.

When God made us in his image He made us for community with himself and each other. When you become a Christian God restores you to relationship with Him and includes you in a community of people who believe in him and belong to him. God wants us to treasure the community he gives us by guarding our unity with each other.

If you are a Christian then you are an ambassador for God no matter where you are. You are entrusted with the mystery of the gospel. We need fearless boldness and God-given wisdom, so we pray for words to be given to us as we open our mouths.

The true sweet spot for healthy church growth is found in a proper understanding of Jesus being the head of the body and our responsibility to labor for the body.

When you pray, instead of just coming to God with a grocery list, ask him to fill you with His Spirit. Then pray with a heart dependent on his help, open to his correction, listening for his deeper wisdom as you pray. When you pray like that there is a clarity that comes. Your desires are purified. Your sins are revealed. You have a deeper wisdom in your prayers for others. There is more hope and faith behind your prayers. Sometimes you receive guidance for the things that you should do or say, and sometimes you find your prayers are taken in a completely different and surprising direction from what you had expected.

Whether you are still exploring Christian faith, or you have already embraced Christian faith, it is important to understand that to have faith in Jesus and to follow him is to live a profoundly spiritual life.