Embracing Weakness: God's Call and Glory
Summary
In this sermon, I was reminded that God does not call us based on our merits, prestige, or abilities, but rather because of our weaknesses. God is not interested in our greatness, power, talents, abilities, goodness, righteousness, popularity, education, or smarts. Instead, He is interested in our weaknesses, as it is for these that He died on the cross. It is because we come to the cross with our weaknesses, not hiding any of it, that God saves us. We are like clay, formed and fashioned by the very hands of our maker, God Himself, but marred by sin. We are delicate, breakable, frail, mortal, sinful, fragile, and imperfect. These are the things we try to hide, but it's what we are.
The sermon further emphasized that God does not despise our weaknesses. When He calls us, He knows exactly what we are. He knows we're just clay, just an earthen vessel, and that we're weak. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. The kingdom of God is about greatness, but not our greatness. It's about glory, but not our glory. There is one who is the greatest in the kingdom of God, but it's not us, it's only the one who sits on the throne.
Key takeaways:
- God calls us not because of our strengths or abilities, but because of our weaknesses. He is interested in our weaknesses, not our greatness or abilities ([37:12]).
- We are like clay, formed and fashioned by God Himself, but marred by sin. We are delicate, breakable, frail, mortal, sinful, fragile, and imperfect ([37:54]).
- God does not despise our weaknesses. When He calls us, He knows exactly what we are. He knows we're just clay, just an earthen vessel, and that we're weak ([38:44]).
- The kingdom of God is about greatness, but not our greatness. It's about glory, but not our glory. There is one who is the greatest in the kingdom of God, but it's not us, it's only the one who sits on the throne ([39:32]).
- God can work with weakness, but He can't work with pride. He gets glory in our weakness, but He gets no glory in our pride ([40:16]).
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 18:1-4 - Jesus teaching about becoming like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. #!!30:35!!#
2. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 - Paul's teaching about God choosing the weak and foolish things of the world. #!!35:03!!#
3. Isaiah 64:8 - The prophet Isaiah's declaration of God as the potter and humans as the clay. #!!28:56!!#
Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 18:1-4, what does Jesus mean when he says we must become like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven?
2. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, what does Paul mean when he says that God has chosen the weak and foolish things of the world?
3. In Isaiah 64:8, how does the metaphor of God as the potter and humans as the clay relate to our understanding of our own weaknesses?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does becoming like a child relate to acknowledging our weaknesses and dependence on God?
2. How does God's choice of the weak and foolish things of the world challenge our understanding of strength and wisdom?
3. How does the metaphor of God as the potter and humans as the clay shape our understanding of God's sovereignty and our human frailty?
Application Questions:
1. Can you identify a recent situation where you felt weak or foolish? How can you see God's grace at work in that situation?
2. How can you cultivate a childlike humility and dependence on God in your daily life?
3. In what ways can you acknowledge and embrace your weaknesses as opportunities for God's grace to be displayed in your life?
4. Can you think of a specific situation where your pride or self-reliance hindered your relationship with God? How can you approach similar situations differently in the future?
5. How can you encourage and support others in your group when they are struggling with their own weaknesses?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Our Weakness
God does not despise our weaknesses, but rather, He uses them to demonstrate His power and grace. When we acknowledge our weaknesses and bring them to the foot of the cross, we allow God's grace to work in us and through us. This is where we find our true strength and purpose. [53:18]
2 Corinthians 12:9 - "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."
Reflection: How can you embrace your weaknesses and allow God's grace to work in you this week?
Day 2: God's Grace in Our Failures
Even in our failures, God's grace is present. Like Peter, we may feel like the greatest failures, but God's grace is always ready to call us back. It is in admitting our failures and weaknesses that we stay close to the cross and receive the grace we need. [52:38]
Lamentations 3:22-23 - "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: How have you experienced God's grace in your failures?
Day 3: God's Strength in Our Weakness
Our strength is nothing but God's grace. When we admit our weaknesses and rely solely on God's grace, we find our true strength. This is the power of the cross at work in us. [49:05]
Isaiah 40:29 - "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
Reflection: How can you rely more on God's strength rather than your own this week?
Day 4: God's Glory in Our Brokenness
God takes our brokenness and uses it for His glory. He sees our problems and shortcomings, and instead of dismissing us, He uses us for His purpose. It is through our brokenness that God's power and grace are revealed. [41:32]
Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Reflection: How can you allow God to use your brokenness for His glory?
Day 5: God's Grace is Sufficient
God's grace is sufficient for us. It is His grace that saves us, strengthens us, and sustains us. When we rely on His grace and grace alone, we give God the glory. [44:12]
Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Reflection: How can you rely more on God's grace in your daily life?
Quotes
1. "Weakness is not necessarily an issue with God, but pride is. In fact, a child is seen as much weaker than an adult and yet Christ calls for us to become just like small children because he can work with weakness. He, in fact, gets glory in our weakness, but he can't work with pride. He gets no glory in our pride." - 32:03
2. "God does not despise your weakness. In the gospel text of Matthew, Mark, and Luke there is a very cringy conversation that becomes an argument among the disciples in which they argue among themselves over which of them might be the greatest in the kingdom of God." - 29:50
3. "God doesn't despise anybody's weakness, but he does want you to be very aware of it and that by admitting your weakness you might stay close to the Cross by which you'll receive the grace that you need in your time." - 53:57
4. "Any strength in me is his grace for I'm just a weak human being a clay vessel that is all just an earth and vessel so desperate need of God's strength is grace and grace alone is what I need." - 49:05
5. "I don't believe that his repentance was just over his sin that night but I believe it had much more to do with the fact that his pride deceived him into thinking he was anything more than just an old weak human being because that's all he was that's all he would ever be on this Earth a weak human being from which nothing good would ever come forth unless the grace of God would have its way." - 52:00
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