WHAT IS GROWING IN THE NEST?

This morning’s sermon began with a cuckoo bird.

Some cuckoos lay an egg in another bird’s nest and leave it there to be raised. The cuckoo chick hatches early, demands food, and can eventually take over the space meant for the other birds. The bird caring for it keeps feeding it, even as it grows bigger than the nest seems able to hold.

I wondered where our pastor was going with that story. Then we opened the book of Galatians.

Paul had helped establish the churches in Galatia, but other teachers had come in behind him. They told believers that faith in Jesus was not enough and that they also needed to follow requirements from Jewish law, including circumcision. What sounded like an addition to the gospel threatened to take its place.

Paul did not treat this as a small disagreement. “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel,” he wrote. Then he made clear that this “different gospel” was no gospel at all (Galatians 1:6–7).

That word deserting stayed with me. Paul saw that their trust was being drawn away from Christ Himself.

He knew the appeal of being able to point to one’s own obedience. In Philippians 3, Paul listed everything that once gave him standing under the law. Yet he counted it all as loss compared with the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” He wanted to be found in Christ, with righteousness that comes through faith, rather than a righteousness he could claim as his own (Philippians 3:7–9).

Our pastor also pointed us to the motives Paul described. Some of these teachers wanted to “make a good showing in the flesh.” They wanted people to follow them and wanted something they could boast about (Galatians 6:12–13). Their message could sound religious, confident, and convincing. That did not make it true.

So how do we listen carefully without simply becoming suspicious of everyone?

We do what the Bereans did when they heard Paul preach: they examined the Scriptures to see whether what they were hearing was true (Acts 17:11). We take seriously John’s instruction: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

I found myself thinking about how easily I can accept something because the person saying it sounds certain, or because I have heard it repeated often enough. It takes more effort to pause, open my Bible, ask questions, and examine what is being taught. Yet if I care about Christ and His church, that effort matters.

The cuckoo bird was a strange image to carry home from a Sunday sermon, but I think I will remember it. It made me ask what I might be feeding without realizing how much room it has begun to take. What beliefs have I accepted without examining them? Am I giving the gospel of Christ the place that belongs to Him?

Thank you for the Word this morning and for reminding us to remain rooted in Scripture. I pray that we will know Jesus more deeply, recognize what draws us away from His grace, and have the courage to hold fast to the gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Today also brought a joyful moment for our church. Congratulations, Rob, on becoming a deacon! Your willingness to serve means so much to this congregation. I pray God gives you wisdom, humility, strength, and joy as you care for His people. May we support you in that work and continue growing together as a church grounded in Christ and His Word.