Morning thoughts from Pastor Tim

What do you get out of a sermon?
It’s funny how what is said and what is heard is often two different things.
I recall the time that I was preaching on the grace of God and had mentioned that salvation is by grace plus nothing else.
There is nothing we can do to earn God’s love, deserve His forgiveness, or get His salvation.
I pointed to the offering plate and said, “If you think you’re doing God a favor by giving your tithe; if you believe that God favors you more by putting something in the plate then you may as well keep it. God is not interested in your tithe as a means to please Him or attain His favor. It’s God’s grace for you plus nothing else.”
After the service was over an elderly gentleman accosted me in the parking lot and asked if I said they should quite tithing?
“If you think you’re buying God’s favor…YES!” I said.
His response was, “I never thought I’d hear a preacher tell us to quit tithing!”
His missed the message because he quit listening.
It doesn’t only happen with sermons but with your daily conversations with others.
And it happens more often with a conversation with God.
We tend to hear only what we want to hear and ask opinions only when the answer agrees with us.
Ezekiel was told, now the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.” Ezek 12:1-2
There’s the case where Jesus told a man what it took to have eternal life but when the young man heard what He had to say he went away sorrowful. Matt 19:22
When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” Matt 19:25
On the cross Jesus said, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” Matt 27:46-47
So next time you hear a sermon, next time you get an answer to prayer, or next time you’re talking with your neighbor, listen carefully!