Greetings, saints! Did you hear that a church in Germany held a service with an A.I. giving a sermon, which the A.I. had also composed? 300 people showed up for this! They were lined up around the block an hour before it started! And what was their reaction?
Meh. Cold. Soulless. Boring.
Of course, it was boring! It was a Lutheran church!
But what if the A.I. had done a really spirited sermon in the vein of J.C. O’Hair? Ooooo… I might actually fly to Germany to see that.
So I asked Bing’s AI to write me a short, mid-acts dispensational sermon in spirit of J.C. O’Hair.
This is what it gave me.
LOL
The Mystery of God’s Grace
Greetings, fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ! Today, I want to share with you a wonderful truth that has been hidden from ages and generations but is now made manifest to us by the revelation of God’s grace through the apostle Paul. This truth is called the mystery of God’s grace, and it is the key to understanding our position and privilege as members of the body of Christ.
What is this mystery? It is not something mysterious or hard to understand, but rather something that was not made known before, but is now revealed by God. The word “mystery” in the Bible means “a sacred secret”. It is something that God kept to himself until he chose to reveal it at the right time and to the right person. And that person was none other than our apostle Paul, who was specially chosen by God to be the minister of this mystery.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:1-9 that he was given the dispensation of the grace of God, which is the administration or stewardship of this mystery. He says that by revelation God made known to him the mystery, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. He says that this mystery is that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. He says that he was made a minister of this gospel according to the gift of the grace of God given unto him by the effectual working of his power. He says that he was less than the least of all saints, but that God gave him this grace, that he should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of this mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
Do you see what Paul is saying? He is saying that God has revealed a new and glorious truth to him, that was not known or taught by any other apostle or prophet before him. He is saying that God has given him a special commission and authority to preach this truth to all men, especially to the Gentiles. He is saying that this truth is about God’s grace, his undeserved favor and kindness, that he has bestowed upon us in Christ. He is saying that this grace has made us partakers of God’s promise in Christ, which is eternal life and glory. He is saying that this grace has made us fellowheirs with Christ, which means we have an equal share in his inheritance. He is saying that this grace has made us members of his body, which means we are united with him and with each other in a spiritual and organic relationship. He is saying that this grace has given us access to the unsearchable riches of Christ, which are his wisdom, power, love, peace, joy, and everything else that he possesses.
This is the mystery of God’s grace, my friends. This is what makes us different from all other people on earth. This is what makes us different from all other believers in history. This is what makes us different from Israel, who had a different program and promise from God. This is what makes us unique and special in God’s eyes. This is what gives us our identity and destiny as members of the body of Christ.
But how did we receive this mystery? How did we become partakers of this grace? How did we become members of this body? The answer is simple: by faith in the gospel of Christ. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 that he declared unto us the gospel which he preached unto us, which also we have received, and wherein we stand; by which also we are saved, if we keep in memory what he preached unto us, unless we have believed in vain. He says that this gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
This is the gospel that saves us, my friends. This is the gospel that reveals God’s grace to us. This is the gospel that makes us members of Christ’s body. This gospel tells us that Christ died for our sins on the cross, paying the full penalty for our transgressions. This gospel tells us that Christ was buried in a tomb, proving his death and satisfying God’s justice. This gospel tells us that Christ rose again from the dead on the third day, demonstrating his power and victory over sin, death, and Satan. This gospel tells us that Christ offers us forgiveness, righteousness, life, and glory as a free gift by his grace.
All we have to do to receive this gift is to believe in this gospel. To believe that Christ died for our sins, and that he rose again. To trust in him alone as our Savior and Lord. To accept his grace and mercy as our only hope and claim. To rely on his finished work and not on our own works or merits. This is how we become partakers of the mystery of God’s grace. This is how we become members of the body of Christ.
Have you believed in this gospel, my friends? Have you received this grace, this mystery, this gift? If not, I urge you to do so today. Don’t delay, don’t hesitate, don’t doubt. Just believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. You will be saved from your sins, from God’s wrath, from eternal death. You will be saved to God’s favor, to Christ’s life, to heavenly glory. You will be saved by God’s grace, through faith, in Christ.
And if you have believed in this gospel, my friends, then rejoice in this grace, this mystery, this gift. Rejoice in your position and privilege as members of the body of Christ. Rejoice in your fellowship and unity with Christ and with each other. Rejoice in your inheritance and riches in Christ. Rejoice in your identity and destiny as members of the body of Christ.
And let us also live in this grace, this mystery, this gift. Let us live according to the revelation of God’s grace through the apostle Paul. Let us live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. Let us live by the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us and works in us. Let us live by the word of God, which is able to make us wise unto salvation and to instruct us in righteousness. Let us live by the grace of God, which teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
Let us live for the glory of God, who has called us into his marvelous light. Let us live for the honor of Christ, who is the head of the body and the Lord of all. Let us live for the edification of the church, which is his body and his bride. Let us live for the testimony of the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
This is the mystery of God’s grace, my friends. This is our message and our ministry as members of the body of Christ. This is our hope and our joy as partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.
May God bless you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
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Now there were some aspects to that message that I really liked! I enjoyed the two “let us live” paragraphs toward the end.
But that wasn’t J.C. O’Hair.
Did you notice the repetitious patterns of speech peppered throughout the sermon, like the aforementioned “let us live” paragraphs? That was a bit of overkill, wouldn’t you say? Sure, O’Hair used that technique from time to time but NEVER that often. No pastor would! I’d argue that repetitious patterns of speech like that can be really effective preaching if used sparingly, perhaps only to emphasize the biggest points in a sermon.
Plus, like CGI in movies, I think most people will have a stronger emotional reaction if they know something is real. In movies, puppetry will always trump CGI. There is no more compelling image in cinema than the human face thinking/emoting, which CGI can never replicate.
Likewise, I think people will always have a stronger reaction to a real person in front of them preaching truth with conviction, as opposed to some A.I. programmed by God-knows-who.
I have no doubt that O’Hair himself would prefer to see REAL MEN proclaim Pauline truth as opposed to seeing some computerized recreation of himself.
Want to compare notes? Here is a link to a J.C. O’Hair message I put together years ago. Now THAT is a J.C. O’Hair message. It’s actually kinda brilliant.
Also check out the free J.C. O’Hair online library. One of my favorite articles is “The Exceeding Greatness of God’s Power to Us-Ward Who Believe.”
SUPPLY OF GRACE 
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