July 7, 2024
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus
“I am weak but Thou art strong”
Sermon by Rev. Trip Porch
July 7, 2024 Based on 2 Corinthians 12:2-10
I am not a morning person.
Despite working in a profession that requires me to be on and functioning in the morning and living in a family entirely made up of morning people… I am not a morning person.
It’s just not my natural rhythm. When I am up early my brain drags, my processing is slow, and of course I am often irritable. But at night, the opposite is true. As my family is winding down, showing signs of being tired and irritable… I’m alert, I’ve got energy, my synapses are quick and I’m ready to tackle anything.
As a night owl, I have always felt envious of people who seem to have this superpower of getting up early. Like my night owl-ness is some sort of great weakness I have, and if only I could figure out how to overcome it, I could better exist in the world. Like anyone who is a morning person has just somehow cracked their code and worked really hard to get up and because of that are somehow better people. If only I weren’t so weak, or so lazy, if only I had more drive to work on my flaws, I could be like them. As though that’s what the people who are up and at the gym at 5am have done, they’re just better, they’ve powered through and overcome this weakness that I have, and I am somehow less than. But of course this isn’t entirely true. There are certainly people who are superhuman, who have worked really hard to overcome their weaknesses but there are also just people who are morning people, who wake up early naturally, it is who they are.
I heard a theory once that tried to explain why this phenomenon exists. Why there seems to be this clear divide in humanity? Why are some people so exhausted in the morning but wide awake at night when some are the exact opposite exists too... with folks rising bright eyed before dawn and crashing by the end of day? Why, evolutionarily, there are some people in humanity that are morning people and some that are night owls. The theory suggested these are traits we evolved living in community as a survival mechanism. Why are some people night owls and some morning people?
Because morning people need to go to sleep early… and in community they rely on folks who are able to stay up late to keep watch and stay alert for predators. Why are some people morning people? Because those night owls need to crash eventually.
I am not sure how scientifically proven this theory is, but I like it, because it allows me to recognize that something I’ve always considered to be a weakness is like that for a reason. That I am the way I am on purpose, and you are the way you are on purpose. And the only way it makes sense is when we work together. When I am weak in the morning you are strong, and when you are weak at night, I am strong.
In our scripture today, Paul boasts about being weak. He celebrates his imperfections, he’s proud of the fact that he is a broken empty vessel. And why? Why would someone boast about being imperfect? Why would weakness be something to be celebrated?
He argues that it's precisely through our weaknesses that God's grace shines the brightest. That our weakness is actually a gift because it allows us to be human, to have limitations, to be who we are and allow God to fill in the rest. Just like I wouldn't be the night owl I am without the morning people in my life, and vice versa. It's in recognizing our imperfections that we see how we truly need each other and, more importantly, we see how we truly need God's grace.
What is it within you that you have always considered a weakness or failure? What is it you’ve been envious that others have because you don’t see that within yourself?
Paul tells us, that it is in our weaknesses that God's power is perfected.
We are not meant to be all the same. We are created with different rhythms, different strengths, and yes, even different weaknesses. And this is a gift, because It is in this diverse beautiful tapestry of humanity that God's grace shines the brightest.
We may never get to the where Paul is, where he is boasting, celebrating, and proud of his weaknesses. But I think a starting place that is universally good for everyone, is to get comfortable with our weaknesses. To name and acknowledge the fact that we can’t be everything to everyone at every time. We are human, we are weak and this is a gift. Because God’s grace is sufficient. Where our weakness begins is exactly where God meets us. And in community with God and with one another, we can be limited, and weak, and tired, and broken, and not only survive, but thrive.
So let us embrace our inner night owl, our inner morning lark, and all that falls in between. Let us celebrate the fact that we are who we are and recognize that it is in our differences that we find true community and true dependence on God.
Let us go forth, not striving to be someone we are not, but embracing who we are, weaknesses and all, knowing that God's grace is sufficient.
Amen.
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE “Prelude and Fughetta” Healy Willan
INTROIT “God Welcomes All” John Bell
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
One: This is the day that the Lord has made
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it
*CALL TO WORSHIP
One: We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
All: and our praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
One: Tell the next generation:
All: Our God will be our guide forever.
One: Come, all you people,
All: Come, let us rejoice in the grace of God.
*HYMN 833 “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go” ST. MARGARET
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION written by Moira Laidlaw Jessica VonZastrow
One: Merciful God, of what do we boast?
Can we truly say with Paul that we do not boast about ourselves or our
achievements?
Does the danger in such thinking lie in the next step—
the thought that we can do anything, or all things—by ourselves?
All: Forgive us the times when we ignore you, O God,
and depend on our own strength to do things our own way.
One: Paul talks about power being made perfect in weakness.
All: Forgive us for believing that we have to be hard and domineering
if we want to get ahead in life.
One: Paul says that he boasts of his weaknesses
so that the power of Christ may dwell in him.
All: Forgive us when we use our power selfishly or aggressively, ignoring that
indwelling, Christ-given power which frees us to be vulnerable…
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*RESPONSE OF PRAISE 205 “Ubi Caritas” x3 UBI CARITAS
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
ANTHEM “How Firm a Foundation” arr. Paul E. Koch
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 NRSVUE
I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows--. And I know that such a person was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.
On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
Holy Wisdom, Holy Word
Thanks be to God
CHLDREN’S MESSAGE Jeremy Carroll
SERMON
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
*HYMN 649 “Amazing Grace” AMAZING GRACE
TIME OF OFFERING online giving is available at www. indianolapres.org/give
OFFERTORY “Morning Has Broken” arr. Lani Smith
COMMUNION
INVITATION TO THE TABLE
GREAT PRAYER
SHARING THE BREAD AND CUP “Give Thanks” GIVE THANKS
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Generous God; at this table and in this life over and over your grace sustains us, over and over your love provides for us, over and over your arm steadies us. Thank you for creating a world that is more than sufficient for life to flourish. Amen.
*HYMN 774 “There is Now a New Creation” STUTTGART
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE “Trumpet Rondo” Fenton Gordon
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452