The vulnerability of Christ and the cynicism of His people

Scott Sutton • December 22, 2021

Vulnerability is not something that we find explicitly stated in Scripture. However, the essence of vulnerability permeates throughout God’s design for us as members of one another in community as well as in the example set for us by Jesus. At Crosspoint, one of our core values is “Being KNOWN”. 


In Brad Hambrick’s little book titled “Vulnerability”, he defines it as “the willingness to take the risk of allowing any event, belief, preference, interest, or emotion of your life to be 'on the table' when it is useful to glorify God by encouraging a fellow believer, allowing a fellow believer to encourage you, or evangelizing an unbeliever. It is this disposition that breathes the life of authenticity into relationships and allows them to be mutually enjoyable, enriching, and character-shaping.” 


Christmas is a celebration of vulnerability. In the fullness of time, God took the form of a baby and became someone that we could hurt. He came not to be served but to serve. Now, those who are in Christ “empty ourselves” and “count others as more significant than ourselves.” 


Sadly, some of us have tried the vulnerability thing and we got hurt. We put ourselves out there, joined a church, served whole-heartedly, confessed our sin and, in the end, it all fell apart. I have heard story after story of those whose deepest hurts have come from the ones they were doing life with in the local church; or others whose deepest hurts came from someone professing to follow Christ, but in the end, hurt them.


That hurt is real.


Cynicism creeps in and, over time, causes us to believe lies like… “People are only motivated by self-interest… people are not trustworthy… this thing will fall apart at some point regardless… why waste my time? Why be vulnerable?” 


What cynical lies are you believing? 


Dorothy Sayers helps us with those lies with this truth: “Jesus was born in poverty and died in disgrace, and thought it was worthwhile.” 


If you struggle with cynicism… with wondering if any of this is worthwhile… remember that Christ thought that you were worthwhile. He made himself known to us. He washed the feet of one who would betray him. Matthew 24 reminds us that part of enduring to the end is making sure that our love doesn’t grow cold. People whose love has grown cold are cynical, not vulnerable. That is not meant to minimize your hurt or how you may have been victimized. It is meant to remind you that the vulnerability of Christ makes it so that you no longer have to wear that guilt and shame. You no longer have to be defined by your sins or your wounds.


According to Tim Keller, one of the gifts of Christmas is that “the unassailable and omnipotent God became a baby, giving us the ultimate example of letting our defenses down.” 


Jesus, in the Beatitudes, says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Hambrick defines this as “realizing and accepting that life requires more than I have to give.”


Or to say it another way, “Life is too hard. I can’t do this by myself.”


Maybe life has taken so much from you that your defenses are up and vulnerability seems foolish. Cynicism has become a way to survive.


If you fear the world and those who are in it… if you are crippled by the reality that life requires more than you have to give… allow Christ to encourage you with his own words this Advent season,


“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”


One of the gifts of Christmas is vulnerability, because this world is not our home.

Freed to Serve

April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

Cornerstone

April 22, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

Born Again

April 16, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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