CORINTH

Sermon Notes

June 15, 2025

 

“Scripture Sinkholes & Doctrine Dilemmas” Pt. 4

     During this sermon series, we’ve invited folks to let us know questions they have about scripture, church doctrine, and generally, the “stuff” we do in church.  Today we will cover the elements we include as Sunday morning worship, forgiveness, the “fear” of the Lord, and other odds & ends.

     Looking at the church bulletin-you will notice different categories.  “Call to Worship” is intended to focus us, to call us together for the task at hand. “Words of Confession” enables us to empty our arms of the sin we carry so we can better receive what God has for us during worship.  “Words of Assurance” features words and scripture that remind us of God’s forgiveness.  Our sacraments (baptism, holy communion) are means of grace through which the presence of God becomes known to us, as we align ourselves to God’s purposes.

    As for forgiveness, in Jesus’ reply to Peter, we are to forgive “7 X 77 times.”  7 represents “perfection” in scripture.  But forgiveness is hard sometimes, particularly for those who have been abused.  It’s not as if we have a “forgiveness button” on our chest we can push to complete the transaction.  Instead, I believe Jesus is asking us to choose the road of forgiveness, recognizing the journey will include hills and valleys.  Forgiveness lightens our load while also lightening the load of those we are forgiving.  Praying for strength and encouragement provides a power that assists us in forgiving.

     As for “fearing the Lord,” no, we aren’t asked to be scared of God.  In Hebrew language, the word fear is akin to “respect.”  So in these instances, we can replace the word “fear” with “respect.” 

     “Why do churches have stained glass?”  Stained glass creates a light that is to symbolize the beauty of God’s presence.  In addition, in medieval times when literacy rates were low, images in stained glass helped to teach the biblical stories. 

     “What do the initials HIS mean, often included on tables, crosses and banners in church?”  The IHS on a cross is a shortened version of the Greek name for Jesus, ΙΗΣΟΥΣ (Iēsous), which is a monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus. It's a symbol of devotion to Jesus Christ.

     “Why is a fish a symbol of Christianity?” The fish (Ichthys) is a symbol of Christianity because the Greek word for "fish," Ichthys, is an acrostic for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" (ΙΧΘΥΣ). Early Christians used this symbol as a secret way to identify themselves during times of persecution.