ChatGPT Sermon?

 This is scary guys.  I recently tried ChatGPT, a artificial intelligence software that can be accessed on the internet.  I asked it to write a sermon on the love of God. . . AND IT DID!  Since today is Monday and I often post other people's thoughts, I thought I'd post the sermon from ChatGPT.  I even asked it to write a prayer and pick a song to go with it. . . AND IT DID!  I can't begin to imagine what amazing and truly truly terrible places this kind of technology will lead us.  Anyway, enjoy!

Me:  write a sermon on the love of God

 ChatGPT's answer:

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, I want to talk to you about the love of God. We all know that God is love, and His love is beyond our understanding. The Bible says in 1 John 4:8, "Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love." God's love is the foundation of our faith, and it's the reason we are here today.

God's love is unconditional. It's not based on our performance or merit. In Romans 5:8, the Bible says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." We didn't deserve God's love, but He loved us anyway. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. This is the ultimate expression of love.

God's love is also eternal. It never fades or runs out. In Jeremiah 31:3, the Bible says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." God's love for us is not temporary or fleeting. It's a constant presence in our lives.

God's love is also inclusive. It's not just for a select few. In John 3:16, the Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." God's love is for everyone, regardless of their background or status. It's available to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Finally, God's love is transformative. It changes us from the inside out. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Bible says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" When we accept God's love and surrender our lives to Him, we are transformed. We become new creations, and our lives are never the same.

So, brothers and sisters, let us never forget the love of God. It's the foundation of our faith, and it's the reason we are here today. Let us embrace God's love, and let it transform us from the inside out. And let us share God's love with others, so that they too may experience the unconditional, eternal, inclusive, and transformative love of our Heavenly Father.

May God bless you and keep you, now and always. Amen.

Write a prayer to go with this sermon

 ChatGPT's answer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We come before you today with hearts full of gratitude for your love. Your love is beyond our understanding, and yet, you pour it out on us without reservation. You loved us before we were even born, and you continue to love us today.

Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. Thank you for the ultimate expression of love that He showed us on the cross. Thank you for your grace, which makes it possible for us to be forgiven and to have eternal life.

We pray that you would help us to never forget your love. Help us to remember that your love is unconditional, eternal, inclusive, and transformative. Help us to embrace your love, and let it change us from the inside out.

We also pray that you would help us to share your love with others. May we be a light in the darkness, and may we show your love to those who are hurting and in need. May your love be the foundation of our relationships, and may we love others as you have loved us.

Thank you for your love, Lord. We pray that you would help us to live our lives in a way that honors you and brings glory to your name. May we never forget the love of God.

In Jesus' name we pray,

Amen.

What is a worship song that would go with this sermon?

 ChatGPT's answer:

One worship song that would go well with this sermon is "How He Loves" by David Crowder Band. This song beautifully captures the unconditional and transformative love of God, as well as the way that His love changes us from the inside out. The chorus of the song says:

"He loves us, oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us, oh, how He loves"

This simple yet powerful chorus reminds us of the depth and magnitude of God's love, and it can be a great way to respond to the message of the sermon. The song also includes verses that speak to the way that God's love reaches beyond our understanding and how it brings us to our knees in worship:

"He is jealous for me Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions Eclipsed by glory and I realize Just how beautiful You are And how great Your affections are for me"

Overall, "How He Loves" is a powerful and moving worship song that would be a great addition to a service focused on the love of God.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyedxYR05Es 

Noah – Has God Changed?

Genesis 6:9-22 - This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.  Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence.  God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt.  So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!

“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior.  Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.  Leave an 18-inch opening[f] below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.

“Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die.  But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives.  Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood.  Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive.  And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”

So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

 

This is not a children’s story.  If you back up and see the larger implications, it is a disturbing story that goes basically like this;  God is grieved that humanity has become so violent that He decides to wipe them out except for one good man and his family.  In other words, God will become violent to deal with violence.  This is hard for some to hear, but the implication made by this story (and others in the Old Testament) is what keep many people from even giving faith in God a chance. 

But the God I have come to know in an intimate way is not violent.  I’m guessing many of you would give witness to the same.  The God I know has answered my violence with a call to lay down my weapons.  God has taught me the way of peace although my heart often still tries to go to war.  God has forgiven my warring ways and showed me the more excellent way of Love.

What happened?  Has God changed?  Did the violent Hebrew God of Noah give up His warring ways and “become” the loving, gracious, and forgiving God that I (and millions of my brothers and sisters) give witness?  That argument has been made many times but every time it is championed, it ultimately is ruled heresy.  “God is and always has been the same” is the conclusion every time.  So if God has not changed, what HAS changed?

It is our collective understanding that has changed, not God.  The people who told the story of Noah spoke of God as they understood God.  There was a terrible flood and they sought to understand why such a horrible thing happened.  I understand their thinking because, despite what I know, I sometimes want a divine reason for horrible things like floods (and pandemics) happening.  But Jesus has taught us that God is not the perpetrator in these natural acts of violence.  God is WITH US in the midst of them. 

If there was “one righteous man in all the earth” right now, it would not be me.  If Noah’s story were playing out in 2020, I would not be invited onto the ark.  But God has saved me nonetheless.  God is not who the tellers of Noah’s story say God is, PRAISE THE LORD! 

 

Prayer:  God, may my understanding of who are always be growing, expanding, and deepening. Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for those in the path of the violent storms this summer

 

Song:  This is a repeat, but I can’t not use it for today:  “Praise the Lord” – Crowder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhP8orOTHis

Forgiving God?

 

Job 19:25, NIV - I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

 

The quote above is from Job.  Job has lost everything and the really disturbing thing is that it is clear from the story that Job’s suffering was allowed by God.  This has proven to be an ultimate challenge to Job’s faith, and at times, Job has very strong words for God.  He cannot reconcile the suffering he has experienced with the God he thought he understood.  Job is at odds with God.

                It is possible for us to find ourselves in the same boat from time to time.  Things happen that cause us to question and even be angry with God.  Many of the central characters of scripture have found themselves in this position as well (Moses, Joshua, Jeremiah and others).  The first 50 Psalms express this disoriented, disillusioned, and even sometimes angry faith of the authors.  Jesus himself quotes a Psalm when He cries out from the cross, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” To the extent that we have ever felt that we needed to “forgive” God, we are not alone. 

                Here is some guidance gained from the book of Job that helps us work out our difficult issues with God.  First, be real.  God is able to hear you unedited feelings and comments.  God is able to handle us being angry and not return our anger and pain with retribution or punishment.  God’s love for us endures even the worst we can throw at it.  Along these same lines, honestly address our issues with God trusting that God can take them and help us move through them to a better relationship with God.  We trust God to get us to a better place.

                Be patient.  Wait for God to respond with faith that the response will indeed come.  God has proven faithful in the past and there is no reason to expect anything different now.  Often, what we will find is that God was not we thought He was.  Job, after encountering God says, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.”  As Job’s story concludes, he finds that he has discovered an even deeper faith and trust in God.  The same should be the vision for us as we move through difficult periods in our relationship with God. 

                God loves you with an everlasting and unshakable love.  To the extent that you feel lost from God, know that God is searching/reaching out for you.  God is not your enemy or foe; God is your Ally and Friend.  God is your Helper, not you punisher or destroyer.  God’s plans for you are good.  Whatever the problem is you have with God, God can help you overcome it.  Trust that.  Expect that.  Move forward knowing the way will be cleared for you. 

 

Question:  Do you have any uncomfortable feelings for God that you need to work through with God?

 

Prayer:  God, I cannot hide the difficult issues I have in my heart with respect to You.  Help me feel the safety to be able to open up completely to You and trust you to respond compassionately.  Remove the clouds of doubt, confusion, and anger.  Heal my heart and our relationship. Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for people you know who don’t have any kind of relationship with God.

 

Song:  Praise the Lord – Crowder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c-9LxROAkI

Forgiveness is a Process

 

1 John 1:8-9, The Message -  If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—simply come clean about them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.

 

Forgiveness is most often not an event

Movies, books, love songs and other media often characterize forgiveness as a moment.  After an eternity of fighting and struggle, the two estranged friends or lovers have a profound experience that enables them to see the world and their relationship in a different way.  They realize their feud has been senseless and then there is a touching moment of forgiveness – the actual words “I forgive you,” an embrace, a kiss or some combination of the three. The reality of forgiveness is mostly less dramatic and much more difficult.  Calling forgiveness a process or a journey is more generally accurate.

It’s not that it can’t happen in a moment, but that’s the exception. In Paul Young’s The Shack, God the Father is answering a question Mac has about this process:

“You may have to declare your forgiveness a hundred times the first day and the second day, but the third day will be less and each day after, until one day you will realize that you have forgiven completely.”

Even the way God’s forgiveness seems to be more of a process than a specific moment in time.  God’s forgiveness is instantaneous, but our acceptance of that forgiveness is almost always a gradual embrace.  Typically, our cognitive assent to the idea that God does indeed forgive our sins precedes our actual experience of feeling fully forgiven.  God’s grace is surprising.  It does not feel natural that God would not hold our sins against us or “remember them no more” as we talked about yesterday.  We may have to remind ourselves that the grace has indeed been given to us.  In fact, my encouragement to you today is adopt the practice of reminding yourself that God has forgiven you. 

                At the end of each day, as you reflect on the last 24 hours, take a solemn moment before you close your eyes and actually say the words, “God has forgiven all of my sin, thanks be to God.”  I will warn you.  If you never done this, it will feel awkward at first, maybe even disingenuous.  But stay with it.  It begin to make it’s way into your mind and heart.  It’s a process.  Let God’s forgiveness soak in at the end of each day.  See how it changes your outlook.

 

Question:  How deeply do you trust that God has indeed forgiven you of all sins?

 

Prayer:  God, You have forgiven all of my sin, thanks and praise be to You.  Help me believe in and trust your forgiveness. Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for each of your household members today.  If you live alone, pray for your closest neighbors.   Amen.

 

Song:  Forgiven – Crowder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ZWEO36jok

Trial Before Pilate – Part 1

 

Trial Before Pilate – Part 1

 

Matthew 27:11-14, NIV - Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.  Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”  But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

 

Silence.  The chief priests make their charges concerning Jesus before Pilate and Jesus’s response is silence.  Before this moment, Jesus has always had the perfect response.  He would return their questions with a vexing question on His own.  He would tell a parable that would make them look silly.  Jesus always knew the perfect way to return the advances of His enemies.  But now, with His life in the balance, silence. 

This response, too, is perfect.  Trials are always all about guilt or innocence.  There are arguments concerning the charges.  Are the charges legitimate?  Can they be substantiated by facts?  Trials are usually much more contentious than this one.  But Matthew makes it clear that this trial is not about any of that.  This is about Jesus voluntarily giving His life away.  Surely, He could have said something that would have prompted Pilate to release him.  But His mission was to give His life, and so for that, words were not necessary.  Matthew wants us to see what he saw that day. . . God in the flesh refusing to defend Himself and voluntarily submitting to be executed. 

Why would God do that?  If you’re expecting a nice and neat couple-sentence answer in this short devotional, I’m afraid you will be as disappointed as Pilate was in the face of Jesus’s silence.  Millions of pages of writing have been devoted to that question since Jesus stood before Pilate and I suspect that many more will be written before Jesus returns.  While I have greatly benefited from reading several thousand of those pages devoted to this question, I still have no easy answer.  Why would God submit to be killed by those created by God?

I don’t think the answer is supposed to be easy.  I’m not even sure having an answer to that question is as important as continuing to ask the question.  No other religion on earth claims that God would do such a thing, so it’s only Christians that even ask this question in earnest.  In a very real way, asking this question is what makes us Christian.

For me, continuing to ask this question has brought me closer to the heart of God.  I have encountered and internalized many beautiful answers, but all of them put together don’t seem to put the question to rest.  There is still more to know.  So I keep asking the question with an open heart.  I’m sure I will continue to ask it for the remainder of my days.  I feel quite sure that even on my last day, there will be more to know.  Praise be to the God who agreed to die for those God created. 

 

Question:  Why would God willingly submit to death at the hands of human beings?

 

Prayer:  God, we see Your love for us in Jesus’s death.  We see our salvation in Jesus’s death.  We see Your heart and character in Jesus’s death.  But we see even more than all of that is Jesus’s death that defies answers or words.  We continue to seek You in Jesus’s death.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for God to bless people you know who practice other faiths.

 

Song:  Praise the Lord – Crowder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c-9LxROAkI