This sermon is based off of a few ideas in Craig Groeshel’s book “The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn’t Exist.” Zondervan, 2010. ISBN: 9780310332220
CHRISTIAN ATHEIST: CHANGE
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
INTRODUCTION I
The sermon series we are going through right now is based on a book on Christian Living by pastor Craig Groeschel. I have found this book to be fascinating because of the title and also quite applicable based on the topics he covers. I love how he describes people who “believe in God, but live as if He doesn’t exist” as “Christian Atheists.” That definition and the word “Atheist” is used differently than we are used to and it is offensive. It is offensive to us especially when we read the book or we are confronted with a sermon about these issues that perhaps we are a Christian Atheist!
In the beginning of the book, Craig Groechel recounts a conversation with a young woman in which she says, “I know my life doesn’t look like a Christian’s life should look, but I do believe in God.” The he writes, “Welcome to Christian Atheism, where people believe in God but live as if he doesn’t exist.” (page 14) I agree with him on the next page when he says, “Christian Atheists are everywhere. There has to be a better way to live.” (page 15)
Why do I mention all of this? Because when I was reading the book last year, the chapter on change is the one that convicted me the most. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. I also live as though He cannot change me. I do. I feel powerless when it comes to my sin and I have often said to God in prayer, to myself, and to my wife that God doesn’t really want to change me because He hasn’t. I read this chapter last year and I am still relying on Him to change what I think and believe about change. All I am trying to say is that I am preaching to myself this morning more than I am preaching to you. This one hits me.
INTRODUCTION II… HEARD IT ON THE NEWS
http://www.mommyish.com/2015/02/06/family-stages-kidnapping-to-scare-their-child/
I heard on the news this past week, that a family in Missouri staged a kidnapping of their six year old son because they felt he was too nice and wanted to teach him a lesson about strangers. They had a coworker lure the child into his truck and drive off with him. Once the child was in the truck he was told he would never see his family again and that he would be “nailed to the wall of a shed.” The coworker flashed a gun and bound the boy’s hands and feet, covered his face and drove him around for a while. While the boy was blindfolded, he was unknowingly taken to his home, where his aunt removed his pants and told him he could be sold into sex slavery.
Would you agree that perhaps some changes are in order for these folks?
http://www.970wfla.com/articles/local-news-124415/three-victims-suspects-named-in-moon-13237797
I heard on the news Tuesday morning that three people were killed in the Moon Lake area in West Pasco County in a shooting. It was a tragedy, but I also heard that drugs or the selling of drugs were involved somehow. I feel sorry for their families that they have to endure this loss and death.
Would you agree that perhaps some changes are in order for these folks?
http://www.970wfla.com/articles/local-news-124415/two-found-in-garbage-truck-after-13243042
I heard on the news on Wednesday morning that a couple went partying and gambling at the Hard Rock in Tampa Tuesday night and decided to sleep off their alcohol in a dumpster. Wednesday morning they were dumped along with the trash into the trash truck. The garbage truck operator heard yelling and banging coming from inside the truck. They were taken to TGH with back pain.
Would you agree that perhaps some changes are in order for these folks?
We all have things, issues, decisions, people, and habits in our lives that we want to change. A person who is at all self-aware understands that they are not perfect. As a Christian, we understand that we are not perfect and neither are the people in our lives. Sometimes we hit a point at which we realize we absolutely need to change.
We must change our attitude and our heart.
We must change our habits.
We must change the words that come out of our mouths.
We must change what our eyes see and what our ears hear.
We must change friends.
Whatever we discover we need to change in our lives, it is never easy! Jeremiah 13:23 remind us that change is a most difficult process when it says, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.” Change often comes with great effort and a large amount of grief.
This morning we are going to talk about change in our lives. You see, sometimes we who believe in God live as though He doesn’t exist and as though He cannot change us. We openly and fervently believe in God, but when it comes to changing our attitudes, our habits, our words, or anything else about us we know doesn’t measure up… we feel God falls short. We don’t believe He can change us. This morning we are going to talk about the lie we tell ourselves and the truth the Bible tells us.
I. THE LIE WE TELL OURSELVES
So what is the lie we tell ourselves? Overall, the end result of the lie we tell ourselves is that change is impossible. We look at our lives, our history, think about our future, and we conclude that change for us simply will not happen. We say to ourselves: “I’ve tried to change, but I can’t. Nothing ever works for me. This is just the way God made me.” (page 135-136)
First, we tell ourselves “I’ve tried to change, but I can’t.” Changing aspects of ourselves is perhaps the hardest thing to do in life. We try and fail and we feel like because we have failed, that change is not possible. This part of the lie is based on the devil-given temptation to stay exactly who we are and not move forward. Stay addicted and bound.
Stay angry or unhappy.
Stay stuck or making poor decisions.
Stay disobedient and sinful.
Stay lustful.
Stay broken.
It is always more comfortable to stay who we are even if it is unholy, uncomfortable, unhappy, or unhealthy. We end up having a false belief based on a lie that change for us is impossible.
Second, we tell ourselves “Nothing ever works for me.” No matter the situation or the habit or the malfunction, there are many avenues to change and not all of them work. Not only that, what works for one person to change may not work for us! This is the frustrating part about change… the solutions to change are often as unique as the people who are trying to change. This part of the lie is based on our past failed efforts to change. We end up having a false belief based on a lie that change for us is impossible.
Third, we tell ourselves “This is just the way God made me.” Of all the parts of this lie, this is the part that is based on excuses. We have tried to change, but have failed to do so… and so we erroneously believe that God wants us this way. We end up using God as an excuse to not change. This is a lie from the pit of Hell. We end up having a false belief based on a lie that change for us is impossible.
ITEMS WE WANT TO CHANGE
“Addicted to caffeine and would like to change that”
“Addicted to smoking cigarettes or cigars and would like to change”
“I’d like to change that I have to have at least one alcoholic drink when I get home”
“I gamble and it’s a problem that needs changing”
“I have a constant bad attitude and it needs to change”
“I hate that I always blow up in anger and it needs to change”
“I must have my phone with me at all times and it has mastered me”
“I am overweight and it never seems to change”
“I am a workaholic and I’ve tried to change but haven’t”
“Lusting is a constant pastime, need to change that”
“I hate my job and it needs to change or I do”
“I hate my boss and either she needs to change or I do”
“I use my VISA card way too much and that needs to change”
“My expectations of others are never met and I’m always hurt in relationships… ‘gotta change”
II. THE TRUTH THE BIBLE TELLS US
So what is the truth the Bible tells us?
To be honest, there are several passages that speak about change in a round-about way. I immediately thought of Mark 10:27 which tells us matter-of-factly, “Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." This verse echoes the same thought found in Matthew 17:20, Matthew 19:26, Luke 1:27, and Luke 18:27. Those verses though do not exactly talk about God, but do describe for us the same principle we find in the passage we will specifically look at today.
READ 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10
“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12 describes for us some absolute truth for us to anchor ourselves to as we think about change. In our discouragement over not being able to change, this Bible passage shares with us important Truth that combats the lie.
First, we find out in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God’s grace is “sufficient for you [us].” What does that mean? It actually means several things, but to me that means that when I fail to change, and I do… when you fail to change, and you do… that there is grace waiting for us from God on the other side of failure. Not an “I told you so.” Not a “you should know better.” Not a “come on and get it already.” Grace. God offers us grace and forgiveness in our failure to change. Does that mean I don’t have to change because I know grace exists? No! Does that mean I just fail so I get grace? No! Is grace an excuse? No! Romans 6:1-2 supports this idea and shares with us, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” Grace enables us to move forward one step, backward two steps, forward another step, and eventually get to our destination. I believe without grace it is impossible to actually change because none of us change perfectly on the first try. Grace is freedom to change.
Second, we find out in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that the power to change rests with Jesus Christ. God says specifically in this passages that “my power is made perfect in weakness.” I love how the MSG puts this phrase, “My strength comes into its own in your weakness.” Even at the end of verse 9 the Apostle Paul says that “Christ’s power rests on me.”
What does that mean to rely on the power of Christ? We know based on the first part of verse 9 that grace fills in our gaps. We cannot change instantly everything about ourselves and God allows us the time and energy and effort to change to be more like Him. What we also need, in addition to grace, is God’s power working in us. “You may not be able to fix everything, but you can do something. Do what you can today. And rely on God to do what you can’t.” (page 141). As a believer, we must do our part, and rely on God to do what we cannot because the only way we ever have the willingness to change or the ability to change is because of the power of God in us.
APPLICATION
At the end of most sermons I always ask the question of myself, what am I supposed to think? What am I supposed to do? What about me needs to change because of what I’ve read? I hope you ask those questions every time you read the Bible or every time you hear a message preached.
1. Identify where you need to change. Maybe you’ve failed 100 times or maybe you have never tried.
2. Think deeply and pray and identify where the lie is active/prevalent in your life.
3. Think deeply and pray that God would help you believe the Truth: only God can change you.
4. Do something and take some step in the right direction.
5. Let God fill in where you can’t and allow Him to change you.
CONCLUSION
