Hebrews 5:13-14, Job 12:11-12, Philippians 1:9-11, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
March 16, 2026
preached by Pastor Ryan Bouton
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Time of Reflection Quotations

“People who can’t reconcile either their own or anyone else’s faults suffer tremendous isolation because they are unable to attach to real, whole people who are both good and bad. The ideals of what ‘should’ be get in the way. Perfectionists demand that their friends be perfect. Initially, when they click with someone, they will experience a wonderful honeymoon period, full of discoveries about ‘all the things we have in common’ and how ‘compatible’ they are. Then a conflict will arise. They will start to see the other person’s faults: they’re always late; they don’t listen well; they are too controlling. Suddenly the perfectionists are confused and disappointed. Someone they’d believed in, hoped for, expected more from has seriously let them down. And they tend to leave and reenter the fruitless, futile search for the ideal. Since safe people aren’t perfect people, they are disqualified, and the perfectionist goes on alone.”

~ Henry Cloud, Safe People

“I felt sure that the creature was what we call ‘good,’ but I wasn’t sure whether I liked ‘goodness’ as much as I had supposed. This is a very terrible experience. As long as what you are afraid of is something evil, you may still hope that the good may come to your rescue. But suppose you struggle through to the good and find that it also is dreadful?”

~ Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

“Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior? You threaten me with a fire that burns for a season, and after a little while is quenched; but you are ignorant of the fire of everlasting punishment that is prepared for the wicked.”

~ Polycarp (AD 69-155), Christian bishop of Smyrna, in The Martyrdom of Polycarp

How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation? That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend to it with diligence, (Pr 8:34) preparation, (1Pe 2:1,2) and prayer, (Ps 119:18) receive it with faith, (Heb 4:2) and love, (2Th 2:10) lay it up into our hearts, (Ps 119:11) and practice it in our lives. (Jas 1:25)

~ The Advanced Catechism from The Family Devotional Guide (2002), adapted from Spurgeon’s Catechism (1855), an adaptation of the Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)

Sermon Passage

Hebrews 5:13-14, Job 12:11-12, Philippians 1:9-11, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (ESV)

Hebrews 5

¹³ for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Job 12

¹¹ Does not the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
¹² Wisdom is with the aged,
and understanding in length of days.

Philippians 1

⁹ And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

2 Corinthians 11

¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.