Sermons About Participation
Gather
As a church we desire to be REAL people making a REAL difference in a REAL world through the power of Christ, but most of the time we don’t think that we have what it takes to make a real difference. There is an order to the process. It all begins with the power of Christ being unleashed in our lives. The power of Christ is unleashed as we become G4 followers of Christ who: GATHER corporately for celebration and teaching, GROW spiritually through community, GIVE sacrificially in service to the church, and GO unashamedly with the gospel into the world. Desiring that we would see the power of Christ unleashed at Harvest Pointe, our 2008-2009 Church Goal is that…Each One of Us Would Take Our Next Steps in Becoming G4 Followers of Christ. Throughout this series we will explore the four elements of being a G4 follower of Christ and how we can take our next steps in each one of them.
0 Amens
Philippians 1:3-6 - Joyous Thanksgiving
In American Society we are tempted to domesticate the Gospel through secularization, self-indulgence, and pluralism. We don't want to abandon Christianity but we marginalize and privatize it. We are more concerned about being comfortable and secure than with the truth of the Gospel. Paul's thanksgiving was joyful in the fact that the Philippians did not marginalize the Gospel of Christ but in fact participated in it. Gospel Fellowship always exceeds all earthly fellowship because it is rooted in God in an eternal quest. We see Paul’s thanksgiving grounded in 3 things: 1) A Thankful Remembrance, 2) A Thankful Fellowship, and 3) A Thankful Confidence or Assurance. It is not your grip on God that has made the difference or will make the difference in your life, but God's grip on you. In these 3 verses you learn not to be confident in your goodness, character, history, perseverance, but in God. Paul's joy and thanksgiving comes not because he attended a hotdog fellowship with the Philippians but because they suffered for something Greater - the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is God's work in us that is a cause for great thanksgiving. Is God Working in you so that you? If he is you will be participating in the Gospel.
0 Amens
