Sermons About Paul
We Study Because We Love Jesus
People who love Jesus love the Church because 'she' is His body. As we all know, churches (i.e., local congregations) are made up of imperfect people...so relationships are difficult. Yet we are called to be at peace with one another. That command (it is not a suggestion but a command) raises a slew of questions. One question is, "How can someone be at peace with others if they are not at peace within their own person?"
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An Unusually Wonderful Day
As followers of Christ, God wants for us to join Him in the mission of "reconciling the world to himself", and entrusts to us the ministry of reconciliation. When we partner with God in this great venture, we are promised to experience some unusually wonderful days of both sowing seed and participating in the harvest. One of the evidences of the gospel at work in our lives is seen in our intentionality to share the gospel with others because, as Paul says, "the love of Christ controls us."
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Sacred Joy: Philippians 2.1-4
Last week in Philippians, Paul began his plea for unity in his letter to the church at Philippi. He called for them with one spirit and one mind to strive together for the faith of the gospel. He continues this week with this central plea, longing for them to be of the same mind. This week we will see Paul explain this unity. We will see the why, what and how of unity. Unity is a work of God and the church needs this great work.
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Titus Session #1
This is the audio from Session #1 of our Rooted event on November 6th, 2009. This session covers the first chapter of Titus.
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The Church of Thyratira: Revelation 2:18-28
In America, most of us have not been physically threatened for our faith. However, like the church at Thyratira, I would argue that most of our greatest temptations to compromise stem from either economic or social pressures. The church today is radically tempted to compromise by valuing the same things that the culture around us values. We serve a God who calls us to consider everything rubbish in order that we might gain Christ and be found in him. We cannot cling to the values of this world and still hold fast to the righteousness of our savior. Jesus offers us himself. Jesus calls us live lives of repentance, constantly letting go of our sin and clinging to his blood, shed on the cross for our sin, to forgive us and give us his perfect righteousness.
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The How and Why of Salvation
Ephesians 2:8-10 Martin Luther was perhaps the most devout monk in the Catholic church. As devout as he was, Luther struggled with a guilty conscience to the extent that he was constantly accounting, confessing, and punishing himself for his sins. In spite of this, he could never find peace. However, by studying the Word of God directly, Martin Luther discovered that men are saved by God's grace rather than by their works. This truth lay in stark contrast to what the Catholic church was teaching. As a result, a great reformation was launched when Luther published his 95 theses, which documented the inconsistencies between the teachings of the Catholic church and the truths of God's Word in the Bible. Among the many verses in the Bible pertaining to salvation, one of the best known passages is found Ephesians 2:8-10. In Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus, he gives a clear explanation of God's plan for salvation - specifically, how and why a person is saved. Paul also teaches us about the relationship between faith and works and warns us all about the heretical beliefs of legalism (it is possible to do good works to earn salvation) and antinomianism (it is possible to be saved without doing any good works), for either of these beliefs can consign a person to hell. In combating these heresies, Paul recognized the importance of maintaining a balance between the truths that a person is saved by grace apart from good works and a person who is saved will do good works. In Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul placed these two vital truths side-by-side to provide us with a clear understanding of the role that faith and works play in God's work to save and sanctify us. He explains 1) How we are saved - Justification (vv. 8-9), and 2) Why we are saved - Sanctification (v. 10). We are God's workmanship and it is God Who works within us. We were created by God in Christ Jesus for good works - not as a result of works, but for good works. By studying the Bible, the reformers came up with a marvelous phrase to describe how faith and works work together. "A person is justified by faith alone, but faith that justifies is never alone." So, the reformers are reminding us that saving faith is always followed up and expressed by a life of good works. This spiritual concept signifies that we are totally dependent on God for our salvation as well as our spiritual development, which in turn, is exemplified by good works within us. Paul effectively stated his (and our) position before the Lord in 1 Corinthians 15:9 (NASB): "For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." You are what you are by the grace of God and the grace of God alone!
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Sacred Joy: Philippians 1.27-30, 3.18-20
As we continue in Paul's letter to the church at Philippi we ask the following question this week: How shall we live in response to the glorious gospel? Paul commands a certain conduct from the believers in Philippi. It is a life lived as one who is a citizen of heaven. Too many times our conduct reflects a mind that is on the earthly instead of on the kingdom of heaven. What if we lived differently? What if our mind was on Christ and the kingdom of heaven more often? What if we thought biblically and lived biblically? How would our lives look then? Our prayer as we look at Paul's letter together this week is that we would strive together to live lives that promote the gospel. Just think, what if we really did this?
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