Sermon 3/5/06 – Flaws – 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Flaws
“The Lord is faithful, who will
establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
I confess that I have flaws. Do you have them? As an
only child; one who spent several years in hospital beds and wheel chairs, I
learned to play solitary games in my room and later on, played in the back yard
a lot, especially when my parents were arguing. I remember as a teenager,
wondering with embarrassment, WHEN would I grow up? (and I confess that to some
extent, I am still wondering). It pleases me that Jesus said, “unless
you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of
heaven” (Matthew 18:3). If it were any other way, I would not make it.
I never fully outgrew the need for games like I played
when I was little. I can be writing a sermon or a Bible study for awhile, and
then reach a point where I get stuck, and what do I do? – Well, I often play a
solitary video game, like the card game, “Hearts,” on the computer! Have you
done that? For me, it’s familiar and comforting. – Two hours of work on a sermon
and then 15-minutes on a crossword puzzle or Sudoku! Computers are made for
people like me. And praise the Lord, the “kingdom of
heaven” is, too!
Oh, yes, I pray, read God’s Word and love the Lord, but
like us all, I have the problem of being human and my standing in the body of
Christ is only by God’s grace. I have – flaws. The sad thing is that we “ALL
fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
It’s interesting how, when you’re doing something by
yourself, like shooting baskets in practice for basketball, or kicking a soccer
ball into an empty net, you can get the illusion that you’re pretty good at it.
But get into a real game and you’ll find out the truth! Playing the “hearts”
game, I reached a point where I almost always won! But then, one day, I became
cocky and thought I was getting VERY good at what I was doing.
The computer has an additional “button” built into it at
the factory, called “INTERNET hearts” and I thought, “I’ll give it a try!”
Instead of the other “players” being fictional characters made up by the
computer, this time they were apparently real people! I can do this, I thought!
But I couldn’t. - One of those players squashed me like a bug! I not only lost,
I lost badly! At that moment I left the illusion and saw the reality – In the
“real” world, I’m not as good as I think I am! But as in our Scripture for
today, we find a deeper reality - “The Lord is faithful,” and even when are
insufficient, He “will establish you” in what’s really important in life.
In Scripture, in God’s Word, He reveals His love for us
in countless ways, including parables and direct expressions of His love, summed
up in the death of Christ on our behalf. One way to catch a glimpse of His
immeasurable love is to view ourselves from His perspective. Our lives are
temporary, like the “grass” that “withers”
and is soon gone (Isaiah 40:6-7). He compares us to “lambs”
(Isaiah 40:11); cute, but unintelligent little creatures that lack the sense to
stay with the Shepherd. “Nations” impress us, but
to Him they are “a drop in the bucket” (Isaiah
40:15). From His vantage point, we are like “grasshoppers”
(Isaiah 40:22), who do no good and eat-up the King’s crops!
How we really are is seen in contrast to God Himself,
and when we make that comparison, it is the beginning of understanding. He “neither
faints nor is weary” (Isaiah 40:28), but to us who simply TRUST in Him,
He gives EVERYTHING that is important in life, including “power
to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength”
(Isaiah 40:29). He gives; we receive. We are more helpless than we could ever
imagine, but He is STRENGTH for people like you and me! Think of it! “Those
who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings
like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”
(Isaiah 40:31). We are not as strong as we think we are, but HE is strong. We
need Him. We need the Lord.
In reality, you and I are flawed little beings who don’t
last very long and get lost easily. We insist on making our own choices and tend
to run away from the Shepherd who is our only hope. We eat up the King’s
resources, giving Him little to no credit for what we have received, even though
He has done everything for you and me.
Much like those “real people” on the computer who helped
me understand I’m not as good at “Hearts” as I thought, we are NEVER as good as
we think. There are supernatural forces arrayed against us, that we don’t see or
understand. Our Lord DOES see and He is protecting you, day and night; right
this minute, whether you know it or not.
The Apostle Peter, who knew the danger of the unseen,
but very real enemy; gave this advice: “Be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We are little and flawed. The
enemy is flawed also, but he is large. Someone loaned me a badge, years ago,
which I returned, but wished I still had it. A friend named Marty re-created it
for me, and that badge is next to my computer. The badge contains these words: “Do
not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and go good with
ketchup.” Only the Lord Jesus Christ can save us and protect us. Without
Him, you won’t make it. With Him, you will.
It’s a dangerous universe out there. We often are
unfaithful and like those “lambs” mentioned
earlier, we roam out of the safety of the pasture, away from our Shepherd and
into trouble. But as our Scripture for today reveals, “the
Lord is faithful,” though we are not. He will bring you home and “establish
you,” even when you wander off.
God is in charge and He RESCUES you and me, out of His
love. As flawed men and women, we don’t run things very well. If we were in
charge, we’d probably declare a factory recall and create some other race of
beings that would do the job better. But God loves us and does not want us to be
destroyed. Remember, our most basic flaw is that we tend to be unfaithful.
Praise God, for “the Lord IS faithful.” Yes, we do
have flaws, but He who died for you, “WILL establish you
and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3). Even when
everything goes wrong, He who loves you will bring you through.
Lord, I love You and I trust in You now. I am flawed,
Lord, and need You. Please forgive my sins, my tendency to wander from the
safety of Your love. I am Yours – forever. Thank You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
