Thorns Among the Roses
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
Sermon Summary
The sermon emphasizes the importance of rightly handling the Word of God, using the analogy of a rosebush to distinguish between the clear, beautiful truths of Scripture and the more challenging, thorny passages that require careful interpretation.
The pastor highlights that our beliefs about the resurrection should profoundly impact how we live today, encouraging us to live in light of the hope of eternal life through Christ. He warns against ignoring difficult passages, such as 1 Corinthians 15:29 about baptism for the dead, explaining that Scripture must interpret Scripture and that clear teachings about salvation—by grace through faith—guide our understanding, not extra-biblical practices or misinterpretations.
The sermon also stresses the danger of twisting Scripture and the importance of faithfully teaching and modeling biblical truth, especially to our children, so they learn to handle God's Word with care.
Ultimately, the message calls believers to live lives that reflect their resurrection hope, waking up from spiritual complacency and living in a way that honors Christ’s reign and victory over death.