Attending to God's Words and Doctrine
The sermon emphasizes the importance of humility, obedience, contentment, and spiritual maturity in living a virtuous and religious life.
Clement of Rome preaches about the early Christians' humility, obedience, generosity, and deep desire to do good. They were content with God's provision, filled with His doctrine, and focused on His sufferings. They experienced profound peace, were filled with the Holy Spirit, and earnestly sought God's mercy for any transgressions. They were united in prayer for the salvation of all, sincere, forgiving, and abhorred division. Their lives were marked by kindness, virtue, and reverence for God's commandments.
Text
Moreover, you were all distinguished by humility, and were in no respect puffed up with pride, but yielded obedience rather than extorted it, and were more willing to give than to receive? Content with the provision which God had made for you, and carefully attending to His words, you were inwardly filled with His doctrine, and His sufferings were before your eyes. Thus a profound and abundant peace was given to you all, and you had an insatiable desire for doing good, while a full outpouring of the Holy Spirit was upon you all.
Full of holy designs, and with true earnestness of mind and a godly confidence, you stretched forth your hands to God Almighty, beseeching Him to be merciful to you, if you had been guilty of any involuntary transgression.
Day and night you were anxious for the whole brotherhood, that the number of God's elect might be saved with mercy and a good conscience. You were sincere and uncorrupted, and forgetful of injuries between one another. Every kind of faction and schism was abominable in your sight. You mourned over the transgressions of your neighhours: their deficiencies you deemed your own. You never grudged any act of kindness, being "ready to every good work." Adorned by a thoroughly virtuous and religious life, you did all things in the fear of God.
The commandments and ordinances of the Lord were written upon the tablets of your hearts.
Sermon Outline
- Humility and Obedience
- Contentment and Peace
- Spiritual Maturity
- Brotherly Love and Kindness
- Anxious for the whole brotherhood
- Sincere and uncorrupted, forgetful of injuries
- Ready to every good work
Key Quotes
“Content with the provision which God had made for you, and carefully attending to His words, you were inwardly filled with His doctrine, and His sufferings were before your eyes.” — Clement of Rome
“Full of holy designs, and with true earnestness of mind and a godly confidence, you stretched forth your hands to God Almighty, beseeching Him to be merciful to you, if you had been guilty of any involuntary transgression.” — Clement of Rome
“You were sincere and uncorrupted, and forgetful of injuries between one another.” — Clement of Rome
Application Points
- Cultivate a spirit of humility and obedience in your daily life.
- Practice contentment and gratitude for God's provision.
- Strive to be sincere and uncorrupted in your relationships, and seek to forgive and forget past hurts.