What Did You Learn In Church Today?

[DragonFox91]

A message board I used to post had this topic. I loved that topic because it helped keep me accountable. I'm surprised there isn't a similar thread anywhere on this Christian forum. I'll post it in this Singles section, although it really could go anywhere.

Today I listened to the sermon at my parent's church:

The pastor has a story he's told before. I don't know if it's real but he's told it before. A man finds out he has to have backsurgery & will be out of commission for 4 months, he's been laid off due to downsizing, and then when he gets home, he finds a note saying she left him & everything is gone except for one chair, they moved his stuff out while he was at work. Then when he goes to call his parents & let them know, he has a voice message from them saying they're moving to Phoenix 800 miles away. He goes to church the next day & is disappointed & discouraged because he thinks the sermon has nothing to do w/ everything life just threw at him.

The sermon was on you go to church to serve God & to be w/ God. Churches are too worried about being perfect. Martin Luther said when the word of God is preached, demons are set loose.' The demons say 'This isn't what I came for. I'm not going to sit here & listen to this. This is useless to me.' We don't go to church to get all our needs from God. That could be why many people don't go to church, because their idols get destroyed. We may expect to get contempation at church, but sometimes we get what we don't expect.

The Scripture reading was from Mark when Jesus drives out a demon at the synagogue, an unusual place to be driving out demons b/c it would disrupt the peace.

 

[com7fy8]

I think you may put this in "Daily Devotionals" where ones may share the devotional things they have recently been blessed with in church . . . or, maybe, during Net presentations.

Through a Christian TV broadcast, I got the message that we need to move according to our unity with one another, and not only try to make things happen.

 

[DragonFox91]

I'll just leave it here for now. If it struggles w/ responses, I'll make a new one in Daily Devotions.

 

[DragonFox91]

The sermon was on the book of Joshua. The Israelites take the Promised Land from the Canaanites w/ Joshua leading. Key stories: Joshua parting the Jordan River, Rahab, the fall of Jericho, the sun stands still, the dividing of the lands to the tribes.
Joshua is a foreshadow of Christ, Rahab's part of his genealogy. The pastor says that Jesus makes an appearance to Joshua, but I question that. It could be him, but I don't think it's clear if it is.
The pastor says God was patient w/ the Canaanites but they child sacrificed. Rahab demonstrates God's grace & offered the Canaanites a chance for repentance.
The dividing of the land shows God's faithfulness & he keeps his promises. That's an application. He keeps promises. Also, we need to be strong & courageous to be able to carry out God's mission. Success comes when we depend on God & obey him. Christ leads so we must follow him for his purposes & not our purposes. Also, things take time.

Sunday school was on Matthew. The theme/lesson continues to be how Christ wasn't who the Jews were expecting. The application is my life may not be how I expect or want but it may be to God's plan/purpose/glory. We spent a lot of time on Jesus clearing the temple, & how Matthew's account shows that he healed there, which teaches the purpose of worship places, not just what it's not.

 

[sampa]

loved that topic because it helped keep me accountable.

great topic! I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday after church. But things got carried away and busy after was study and such.

Our pastor spoke about Philippians 1:14 and to name your chains, what you which wasn't there... But could be used for the glory of God. I watched online while he told those that were in person to write on these gray pieces of paper and hang them in the back of the church as reminders.

This is relating to how Paul was in chains, but it gave him far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

Immediately for me my chains were concerning the relations that never produce a lasting relationship that leads to marriage. But looking back and in my life, it has been used for the glory of God and I definitely been able to reach into the lives of other hurting single Christians. It's for his glory that I continue to work out my salvation and His purpose in my life.

The pastor told us to pray for opportunities to share Christ through the pain or chains that we have. He was talking about how pain speaks to people and opens doors that usually aren't there when things are great.

 

[DragonFox91]

Today I listened to the service of the church my parents go to.

The reading was from Isaiah how God tells us he’s in control no matter who’s in power & is above princes. The Exiles are frustrated. Are they getting worse then they deserve? God sends them Isaiah as a prophet. He didn’t come down to them like Jesus’s baptism, like what they probably would’ve wanted. Isaiah tells them they need to remember God. The countries oppressing Isreal are nothing compared to God. He prophecies a message they should be familiar w/. Sometimes we don’t need a miracle but an old message. 2 fundamentals: God is great & he is good. God never promises no difficulties, just resources, the strength, & what you need to make it thru. Nothing is greater or compares, including our problems that may control us, to God.

 

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

I got there late. But from the 10 or 15 minutes I was able to get in, I learned of God's never-ending love for me despite my sin. It was enough, that during invitation time, I went forward and balled my eyes out at the altar, giving Him everything.

 

[Isaiah 2:22]

I watched my parents church's stream on Sunday. It was about the types of love and how agape is like a fulfillment or completion of all the human forms of love. Apparently this sermon just happened to fall on Valentine's Day too. They didn't plan it that way because they are reading through the entire book of Romans at the moment. Thought that was rather amusing.

 

[DragonFox91]

The sermon was about Judges. The people would go thru a cycle of Idolatry - Oppression - Repentance - Deliverance - Blessing. The Judges would lead them. The sermon summarized some key judges: Deborah, Samson, Gideon.
Lessons: We must resist the empty promises of culture. God's way is the best way. We must remember God's plan. God raises & casts down human leaders for his purpose.
Each of the judges points to Jesus who is the great deliverer. Jesus fills the need for a eternal king.

Sunday School we went thru Luke. The theme continues to be how he wasn't what the people were expecting or wanting. We covered parables about the poor, & back then the people had thought if you were poor, it meant God didn't like you b/c he didn't bless you, but Jesus taught God loved them too. Application: God loves you no matter your circumstance. God may do things you're not expecting or wanting

 

[DragonFox91]

Listened to parents church service:

The sermon was from John when Jesus calls the disciples. When he says ‘follow me’, from a Jewish perspective at the time, that was out of the ordinary because the students training to be rabbis would choose the rabbis & the rabbis would really test the students to make sure they were the best. Jesus chose nobodies. We’ve replaced being a fan of Jesus (knowing a lot about him) but don’t know him. Jesus doesn’t want fans, he wants disciples. We are scared of restructuring our life b/c it’ll change us. We follow other things: the world or the status quo for example. We put Jesus #3 or #4. If we want change, we need to be faithful.

 

[DragonFox91]

I wonder if Mods could be so kind & move this thread to Daily Devotionals?

 

[HARK!]

MOD HAT ON

MOD HAT OFF​

 

[Unqualified]

I didn’t go to church on the 21st or last Wed. I have been home with a possible exposure to Covid. I was sick and had a fever but it lasted only a week and wasn’t that bad. So maybe not corona virus. I studied John chapter 17 for a couple weeks though. Jesus prayed for Himself and the apostles and disciples and those who would be saved by the Apostles word. But not the world.


I think it’s important when we get sick to quarantine for maybe two weeks to keep everybody safe. It may have been only a cold because I had a flu shot but if you develop symptoms better to be safe.

I miss church and feel sorry for those of you whose churches are not meeting. I feel the need to get fed by my pastor and the part of the word we are on. I see other pastors and hear prophecies from the Bible on YouTube, but I think the local church is important if it’s a good one.

 

[DragonFox91]

Sunday sermon was on Ruth. I don't fully understand that book, but here's the applications: . We're all at the bottom in God's eyes like Ruth so we are all in need of redemption. We need to let go of our ego & submit to God's will & commands like Boaz. We need to allow ourselves to be led into uncomfortable situations, & willing to sacrifice time, money, energy, & our lives.

We learned about Hesed, which I believe is a kind of love. Hesed is submissive, sacrificial, & redemptive.

Sunday School we had a guest speaker. It was on the Creed of Chalcedon, which confirmed a lot of truths on who Jesus is, that he's God. It debunked a lot of heresies like that Jesus is a god or he's half of God. I think the application is since therefore Jesus is God, we should listen to what he says. I did good participating & talking to the others at my table. I wanted to ask 'since the Creed of Chalcedon was so long after Jesus's life, why were they still debating that stuff?' I know a lot of unbelievers think a lot of what we believe was confirmed too long after Jesus lived so I think it would've been a good question for the group. But we ran out of time.

I didn’t go to church on the 21st or last Wed. I have been home with a possible exposure to Covid. I was sick and had a fever but it lasted only a week and wasn’t that bad. So maybe not corona virus. I studied John chapter 17 for a couple weeks though. Jesus prayed for Himself and the apostles and disciples and those who would be saved by the Apostles word. But not the world.


I think it’s important when we get sick to quarantine for maybe two weeks to keep everybody safe. It may have been only a cold because I had a flu shot but if you develop symptoms better to be safe.

I miss church and feel sorry for those of you whose churches are not meeting. I feel the need to get fed by my pastor and the part of the word we are on. I see other pastors and hear prophecies from the Bible on YouTube, but I think the local church is important if it’s a good one.

You can post what you listened to online if you want.

 

[DragonFox91]

Sermon, we learned about being a believer shouldn't be easy

Sunday School, we read thru the Passion in Mark. We touched on the 'extended ending' of it. The teacher believes that it most likely was a really late addition & when you read Mark, you should meditate on it before reading the extended ending, b/c the book's theme is lost when the extended ending is included.

 

[DragonFox91]

Sunday we went thru Acts, stopping at each section that it talks about how the believers are added, then multiplied. The application is how much would the church grow if even just one of us added one believer.

 

[DragonFox91]

Service we went thru the Chronicles.

It was written for a post-exile Israel. It reestablishes identity, by giving genealogies & pointing to the importance of Jerusalem & the Temple. The Ark in the Temple, the descending fire of God upon the sacrifices, & the filling of the Temple w/ God's glory reminds them of their special relationship w/ God.
It gives direction. Faithfulness & dependence on God results in blessing. Unfaithfulness ends in disgrace. Ignoring & neglecting God's correction & instruction leads to ruin. God's law must be kept central! A strong, loyal, self-sacrificing community is necessary for success. God will respond to his people when they acknowledge & repent of their sin.
The musicians, gatekeepers, priests, Levites, & officials responsible for worship in the Temple are given emphasis. David's song reflects the heart that characterizes true covenant faith.
It recounts past times of spiritual awakening & revival to encourage people to the same.
It gives hope, like the covenant promise to David.
"Reform" is a main theme. It's possible to come back!
"If they turn....I will heal" speaks directly to the post-Exile people.
Chronicles is placed at the end of the Hebrew Bible, showing the people they're not at the end of the story.
The emphasis on David's line & the priest line points to Jesus. & the hope of a future Temple points us to Jesus as well b/c he's the true Temple.

Sunday School, we went thru more heresies of Jesus. Him being just a good, moral teacher doesn't line up w/ almost all of his teachings. If he was just a good, moral teacher, he wasn't very good at it!

 

[DragonFox91]

Sermon was on Luke

He was a Gentile, a physician, a historian, & a traveler.
His Gospel's angle is on the humanity of Jesus. He shows Jesus's pattern in prayer, & the Ministry of the Holy Spirit

A key theme is Jesus is savior of the world. He came to bring salvation to all people. It was foreshadowed, pronounced, & demonstrated. Jesus showed concern for the disabled, the disreputable, women, the spiritually oppressed, children, the poor, & nations.

Luke shows The greatest salvation is accomplished thru Jesus's work on the cross. He is the suffering Messiah, the greater Exodus, the journey to Jerusalem, & the only true peace.

Those who wish to receive salvation must turn to Jesus in humble faith. This is shown in Luke thru the test of John's baptism, the parable of the great banquet, the parable of the lost son, the rich man & Lazarus, the Pharisee & the tax collector, & two criminals on the cross.

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I also listened to a sermon. It was on the feeding of the 5000 & Jesus walking on water. Both stories would have had signifiance to the original people because they are similar to Moses. (feeding of people (by manna) & a water crossing (parting the sea)).

 

[DragonFox91]

2 weeks ago the sermon was on the events that led up to the Flood.

God's grace is seen even in judgement. Society needs to be aware of judgement. There are limits to God's patience w/ depravity & only he knows those limits. Judgement is always consistent w/ the sin, & he informs man of judgement.

Sunday School was on Colossians. Put to death impurity, passion, evil desires, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, & lying. Put on compassionate hearts, humility, meekness, patience, bearing w/ one another, forgiving each other, love, the peace of Christ, thankfulness, the Word of Christ dwelling in you, teaching & admonishing each other, singing psalms, & doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

[DragonFox91]

The sermon was on Romans.

It was written by the apostle Paul to a diverse group of Christians in Rome. It was written out of a broader context of Christian community to establish the church in the unity of the gospel.

It starts with an overview of the Gospel.

It teaches the need for the Gospel to Gentiles & Jews.

It teaches the Gospel's provision: justification (a new status), santification (a new trajectory), & glorification (a new future)

It teaches the response to the Gospel. To live with a humbe recognition of your interdependent role in the body, to love each other as family, to live at peace even with those who mistreat you, to submit to human authority, to behave decently, to tolerate those with differing opinions, to put up with those who are not spiritually mature, & to carefully guard the unity of the church.

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Sunday School was on the different heresies of the Trinity & how hard it can be to explain w/out invoking a heresy.