Strength in Christ

Our culture avoids weakness. We don’t want to be known as weak, so we don’t admit weakness, and we seek to hide weakness. The apostle Paul saw things differently. In 2 Corinthians 12:10 he said, “I am well content with weaknesses.” Paul could say such a thing because he knew the power of God. Earlier in 2 Corinthians 12:9 Paul quoted God who said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” The power of which God spoke is the emphasis of Ephesians 1:19-23. There, Paul defines the power of God by emphasizing the resurrection and Jesus’s sovereignty. This is the power that is perfected in our weakness. But it takes embracing weakness to find it. We’ll never see strength perfected in our weakness if we can’t admit that we’re weak—that we need God. In another place Paul emphasizes that we aren’t adequate in ourselves; otherwise, we would consider things as coming from ourselves (2 Cor 3:5). This is the attitude that believers in Jesus Christ must have, never self-reliant, always God-reliant. And why wouldn’t we be? Imagine having the power that sovereignly created and upholds the universe working in you. Imagine having the power that raises the dead working in you. If our power is equivalent to getting a boost to climb a high fence, God’s power is equivalent to a rocket blasting into outer space. Nothing can hold us back. Don’t miss out on the mighty power you have in Christ by settling for your own power. We’re weak, yes, but God is strong, and knowing His strength will transform us to “lay hold of that for which also [we were] laid hold of by Christ Jesus,” the glory of the resurrection of the dead. When I am weak, then I am strong, strong in Christ. –Pastor Rory Martin

Sunday at Liberty

9AM: Josh De Leon–Questions About Evil (& Good), 2

10AM: Pastor Rory–Ephesians 1:19b-23–Strength in Christ (sermon notes)

6PM: Missions Emphasis Night–Gladys Aylward