Sermons About Sanctification
Grow [a journey towards Christlikeness] : Becoming what we already are
One challenge of pursuing spiritual growth is that unless we continually remind ourselves of the Gospel we can very easily and unintentionally fall into moralism, self-help, and a mode were we just grit our teeth and say “we’ve got to do better.” To avoid this trap, we must remind ourselves daily of the depth, beauty, richness, and everyday applicability of the grace by which we are saved.
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Grow [a journey towards Christlikeness] : Repentance
The first words of Jesus’ first recorded sermon are “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 4:17). The Christian life begins with repentance—a changing of one’s mind and purpose. But, repentance is more than just the starting point. Martin Luther, the great reformer, put it this way: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent,’ he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” In this second sermon of the Grow series, we unpack what it means to walk in repentance as a Christian.
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The Mystery of Godliness
What is the key to living for Christ? I don't know if there is a single key, but I believe that the Apostle Paul gives us a major one as He writes to the young pastor Timothy. In the midst of a letter filled with instruction about living and leading in a godly way Paul inserts a short statement about the nature of Christ and His ministry. Why does he do this? I believe that it is a key and as we seek to understand Paul and how he presents the Gospel in other letters in our New Testament we can unlock one of the greatest incentives to living a godly life..
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Walking by the Spirit Part 2
Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit as he discusses the shape our freedom is to take. The indwelling Spirit leads us to obey God out of love, in part by leading us to a greater knowledge of God and our position in Christ. We are responsible to keep in step with Him that Christ may be formed in us.
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Sanctification
The church has taken sanctification and twisted it to mean separating ourselves from all unrighteous people, including those of the world who do not know the saving grace of Jesus Christ yet. This is wrong, and here's why.
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Tests of Love for God (Psalm 119:129-136)
There is little that amazes us anymore. With the advent of television, movies, and computer animated images, our senses have become dull, this is why the entertainment industry constantly has to come up with something more and more fantastic. And the advancements in technology that allow you to hold a little device in your hand and talk to anybody, anywhere in the world – or send pictures, or information back and forth at the touch of a button, is an amazing reality that has simply become common place. And unfortunately the effect this has is to lessen our amazement with the reality of God and the redemption that is reveled on the pages of Scripture. -This is the danger that lies before us – that we can fail to be amazed at God; to be amazed at His Person; amazed at His work –where a recounting of the gospel is simply dull reminder of information that has long sense failed to stoke the embers of our heart; we get used to all the things we have heard before. So, we must come again to God’s Word and measure the spiritual temperature of your heart; and Ps. 119:129-136 gives us opportunity to do just that. And this brings us to the question I will place before you this evening –What are the expressions of the heart to the Word of God that measure your love for God? Well, Psalm 119:129-136 provides an answer to that question, by giving 3 responses of your heart that measure your love for God. They are 1) Amazement at God’s revelation, 2) Zeal for complete holiness, and 3) Brokenness over all sin.
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Walking By the Spirit Part 1
Paul moves from our great privilige to our great responsibility- to walk in/by the Spirit. It is founded on the graces of justification & adoption, and is the grace of sanctification. It has both positive and negative aspects: the fruit of the Spirit & the putting to death of the desires of the flesh. This sermon covers putting sin to death.
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Freedom-Faith In Partnership with God - Galatians #12
What makes the Christian faith like no other? The good news of God’s grace is the bold claim that we are accepted by God not because we “follow the rules” or “fit the mold” but because Jesus gave his own life to rescue us. But many of us are still trying to earn God’s love with our performance rather than living in the freedom that Jesus has provided for us. In Galatians, Paul warns against the danger of religious systems that value people on grounds of accomplishment or status or cultural agreement. These things lock away our freedom in the futility of legalism, moral superiority and cultural arrogance. Focusing on either the racial/ethnic/cultural superiority or the moral successes of good works denies the gospel and divides Jesus’ followers. Join us as we explore how God offers us true freedom in Jesus and how the freedom of Christ transforms our hearts, our minds and lives.
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Pursuing Growth in Godliness (2 Peter 1:1-11)
Peter reminds us that Jesus has secured our faith, righteousness, grace, forgiveness, and sanctification. Grounded in this, he urges us to persevere and grow in godliness, in the completely sufficient power and grace that Christ has provided.
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A Culture of Growth
Discipleship. It's a Christian buzz-word, but what does it look like? If we're honest, doing this well is a major challenge for churches. In this message we study an important passage from Ephesians 4 that points us to what a culture of growth and discipleship should look like in a healthy church.
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