March 31, 2012 - Church at Worship

Sermon: "And Another Idea That Didn’t Help Any: Achieving Last-Generation Perfection Part 9: Seven Ideas That Ruined the Church . . . 
and Two Others That Didn’t Help Any" - Randy Roberts

Pastoral Welcome: Darold Retzer

Children’s Feature: Dustin Aho

Baptism: Del Yvonne Sklar, Richard Geddes Thatcher - Beth Gilbert

Meditation:

I have yet to learn that there is a single passage in Scripture which teaches that a literal perfection, a complete and entire freedom from sin, in thought, or word, or deed, is attainable, or has ever been attained, by any child of Adam in this world. – J. C. Ryle
 
The main evidence that we are growing in Christ is not exhilarating prayer experiences, but steadily increasing, humble love for other people. – Frederica Mathewes-Green
 
Perfection, in a Christian sense, means becoming mature enough to give ourselves to others. – Kathleen Norris

Scripture Reading: Romans 3:21–24, TNIV - Hannah Thornton
Sermon Notes: 

Does God expect us to become perfect? Will there be a generation of totally perfect
people waiting to meet Jesus when he returns? If such is the case, how does one
become perfect? What exactly is perfection?

On the other hand, does God even care if we continue to fall and fail? Once we are
his children, does it matter if we mess up at times? Are we doomed to always and
ever participate in a sin-and-repent cycle?

The above questions represent the two ends of the continuum on the matter of
Christian growth and development. They are important questions. Many grew up
in settings where one end or the other was the predominant way of thinking. If you
grew up in the first, your Christian walk was likely dominated by fear and guilt. If
you grew up in the second, your Christian walk may have been characterized by a
lackadaisical attitude about matters of spiritual growth.

What does the Bible teach about such things? Those who adhere to perfectionism
accuse those on the other end of the spectrum of not caring whether or not they
grow in their faith. Those on the other end accuse perfectionists of holding up an
unattainable goal.

Is there another path? We examine this vital issue today in this last sermon in the
series, “Seven Ideas That Ruined the Church …And Two Others That Didn’t Help
Any.”

Yours in the grace of Jesus.

Randy Roberts
Senior Pastor

Note: Baptisms and Child dedications are in the extra section in the DVD