First Free Rockford Sermons

Moses’ early life is filled with lessons for us today. When trials, pain and bewilderment arise—and they inevitably do—where do we fix our eyes? We know the Sunday School answer, but how do we truly let God use suffering to form us into the people he made us to be?

Most of us aren’t very good at confronting people, even when it’s a needed and godly response. With gentle wisdom and humility, confrontation can be one of the most loving things we can do for a fellow believer – or that they can do for us.

We can be so dazzled by someone’s giftedness and charisma that we miss trickery and treachery lurking behind. Paul challenges the Corinthians to consider the whole picture in both ourselves and others. There is indeed a place for boasting — but in our weakness, as a pointer to Jesus.

For Christians, especially leaders, criticism will come. Some of it will be unjust. In this section of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul exemplifies valuable principles for how to respond, or not respond, when our critics are wrong. And, he shows how to keep our focus pointed in a better direction.

Let’s get one thing straight: God doesn’t need our money. But by allowing him to deepen our generosity, it becomes our joyful response to the gospel. And, it’s a major way God builds his kingdom and releases his abundance to the world.

The way to a joy-filled life is countercultural, both in Paul’s time and for us today. In a chapter that drastically changes the mood of this letter to the Corinthians, Paul maps out three steps to serve the Lord with joy. None are especially easy—but the rewards are great.