Remain Grounded in Faith

Reading Scripture with Honest Eyes

Pastor Scott began our time in Luke 6, reading about the wise man who dug deep and built his house on rock. He paused over the words, 'when a flood occurred,' not if. Life's storms are not an exception; they're expected. We heard a plain truth: following Jesus means our foundation will be tested, not just admired on sunny days.

He told us, 'It's scriptures like this that I come across that brings me back.' The gift, he said, is in letting God's word cut right to the heart. With real vulnerability, Pastor Scott described knowing verses as a child, but not yet understanding how to let God teach him to live. His gratitude for grace was the starting point: 'I'm thankful for his grace and his mercy and his word that brought me back and taught me how to live.'

The World We See Now

There was a shift as he named what burdens him about our present time. Violence and disregard for life, not just in headlines but worldwide, feel overpowering. He spoke directly about the temptation to talk politics, but insisted, 'what I've noticed is that human life has become something that is not important to people.'

Rather than simply criticizing the culture, he led us to examine what scripture says about living when society is losing its anchor. He made clear, with sorrow, that the church cannot afford to paper over wrong. Instead, we are called to acknowledge both historical and present reality, a faith that works in storms, not just in theory.

He remembered stories from his younger days in Indiana, sharing with humor and honesty how what once seemed normal now looks clearly broken. It was not just nostalgia: it was a warning that just because something feels familiar doesn't make it right. 'When I look at younger Christians today, what I want them to understand is all this stuff that you're seeing happening in this world that might seem normal to you, this is not normal.'

The Church as Family, Not Show

Pastor Scott distinguished between the visible church and what he called the 'church that actually exist. This is the church of Jesus Christ that actually does what the Lord calls them to do.' Our faith is lived, not just professed. But the visible church, he cautioned, is often distracted by non-essentials, divided, or pulled away from the foundations that have lasted for centuries.

He challenged us: 'You believe the word of God. You're going to believe the apostles' message, and you better believe that Jesus doesn't change, even though...the church presents a Jesus who's always changing. That's culture.'

Paul’s Warning to the Thessalonians: Remain Grounded

Turning to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Pastor Scott walked us through Paul’s pastoral heart for a suffering, confused church. He explained how Paul reminded them that persecution was no surprise; suffering often follows those who cling to Jesus. Paul’s message: justice lies not with the world’s courts, but finally with God, who knows and will set things right.

'I want you to understand God is going to take care of those who do good to you and those who do harm to you. That's how it'll be.'

The Rebellion Will Come: What Does That Mean for Us?

He pressed into Paul's language, specifically, 'the rebellion' instead of just a general sense of rebellion. This is not vague spiritual slippage, but a real turning away that precedes Christ's return. Pastor Scott traced the pattern through scripture: when God’s people turn away, when leaders go soft on clear commands, when the world grows unmoored from truth, it’s all connected.

He pointed out that we see this pattern in history, when those trusted to uphold justice turn away, 'probably in the rebellion you're going to see where government authorities are no longer enforcing the law.' He described a picture of society where human life loses value, connecting abortion, violence, and the diluted witness of the church to a much older and deeper problem.

'Apparently in the last days, many Christians are going to reject Jesus Christ. That's the word of God. We can talk about that afterwards. It's not much of a warning if nothing can really happen to us, is it?'

The Spirit of Lawlessness Is Already at Work

With clear concern and a refusal to sensationalize, Pastor Scott described what Paul calls 'the man of lawlessness.' Importantly, he noted Paul’s insistence that the spirit of this lawless one is 'already at work.' This is not just about a future individual, but a present reality: anything that undermines Christ’s authority, even within the church, carries this spirit.

He did not skip over complexity, offering two interpretive options, one literal (a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem), one more spiritual (the church, as God’s people, being where the lawless one works). What matters, he insisted, is not drawing charts about the end times but knowing how to stand now. He underlined:

'The only way that you can overcome that is to remain grounded in your faith.'

We heard his heartbreak at how many say they love Jesus but disregard what scripture says. 'If you're going to remain grounded in your faith and you don't believe what the word of God says, I don't know how you're going to remain grounded in your faith.'

The Great Lie and Our Response

He focused next on Paul’s warning of a 'great lie.' Focusing closely on the passage, Pastor Scott explained that the deepest deception is a claim to God’s place, a willingness to accept someone or something else as Lord. He explored how 'signs and wonders' can mislead, and challenged the church to become people who love truth, not just chase experiences.

He gave honest stories of walking with families through the end of life, reflecting on how some, even in the shadow of death, refuse Christ. His point: refusing or loving truth is an active choice. 'They refused to love the truth and so to be saved. That's what he's saying.'

Pastor Scott echoed warnings from the Old Testament, seeing a parallel in how people who delight in injustice or resist God’s ways can become unable or unwilling to hear or see truth. Here, too, he stressed that God’s judgments are not haphazard but are the distilling of choices people have made.

Living It Out: Remaining Grounded in a Shifting World

We left with a sober hope. Pastor Scott invited us to examine ourselves, not just the noisy culture around us. He called us to personal action: read the word, pray, worship, pursue the sacraments, disciple children, and commit to a faith that is lived, not just professed.

He ended with urgency for parents, especially those whose children were being baptized: 'Do not let them think that no matter what they do from this point on, they're always going to have a pass to go to heaven. ... You need to know this morning that what we're doing is we're committing these children to the Lord. He's changing them and we're going to train them up and disciple them because we're going to make sure that they're remaining grounded in their faith as well.'

Let us remain grounded, not as those who drift with every wave, but as those who dig deep, pray, and help each other stand. Some of us might need to come home to Christ. Others may need to renew a neglected faith. None of us can do it alone.

Discussion Questions

1. Where do you sense the spirit of lawlessness or the great lie trying to unsettle your faith right now?
2. How can we help each other remain grounded in both scripture and the lived presence of Christ, not just tradition or opinion?
3. What habits or commitments could help you or your family stay rooted in Christ as the world grows more unsettled?