Wilson Community Church Sermons
Web Site: Wilson Community Church
Total Sermons: 37
Total Amens: 2
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The Mark of Patience
Patience - (Greek: makrothumia) makro - long in distance or duration; thumia - heat, passion, suffering, anger. makro + thumia - long suffering, slow to anger, slow to lose one's temper or passion. To have a long fuse. How long is your fuse? In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he challenged them to live according to what they had received. He told them to “put off the old self” and to “put on the new self.” One of the marks of the new self that he told them to bear was the mark of patience. As Christ followers and as those who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit we can yield our lives to the Spirit’s calling and exhibit the mark of patience.
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The Mark of Peace
As we discuss the third mark of authentic Christians, we complete the first triad of love, joy, and peace. These three graces were often grouped together by Paul and other early Christians. Some say they cover the whole range of Christian existence. The fabric is built up, story upon story. Love is the foundation, joy is the superstructure, and peace the crown of all. Peace - (Hebrew: shalom; Greek: eirene) The Hebrew shalom occurs more than 250 times in the Bible. It is rich in meaning. It is used as a courteous greeting, an expression of health and well-being, safety, good relations between peoples and nations, quiet tranquilility and contentment, friendship, wholeness, soundness, and completeness. It also has theological implications. God is described as shalom (Judg. 6:24) and as the only true source of it. Shalom is a description of one's future with God. The Greek eirene in classical literature denoted the opposite of war or conflict. Later, it came to describe a harmonious state of mind, an imperturbability that could exist irrespective of external circumstances. In the NT it became vested with the overtones of meaning from shalom as well. The distinctive difference about eirene in the NT is its mediation through Jesus Christ.
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The Mark of Joy
The apostle Paul was concerned about the joy of the church at Galatia, he asked: "What has happened to all your joy? ...” (Gal. 4:15). Joy vs. Happiness - Joy is better than happiness. Happiness depends upon happenings. It comes from the word "hap" which means "luck, happenstance"; you're just lucky, fortunate, and happy. Happiness is external; joy is internal. Happiness is based on circumstances and when they change you're not happy anymore; joy is based on Christ. Happiness is based on chance; joy is based on choice. As a Christian, you can choose joy. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he taught them to find their joy in the Lord at all times. We can know the joy that depends on the Lord and not on our circumstances.
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The Mark of Love
In 1st Corinthians, Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about this first mark of the fruit of the Spirit. Paul told them that love is the greatest mark of all. We can bear this authentic mark of God’s Spirit in our lives. We can have lives marked by Christ’s kind of love.
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Bearing the Marks
In our postmodern world authenticity is becoming increasingly important. Today's generation has largely rejected the idea of absolute truth, but they are still interested what is real. Do you feel that your life is an authentic or real representation of a Christ-follower? Are you the real deal? What makes us real? Is it Belief? Behavior? Or is it Becoming like Jesus? Is it our character? In the book of Galatians, Paul told the Christians in Galatia that the only way to live out authentic Christianity was to walk in the Spirit and so bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. Paul taught that following Christ was more than an outward keeping of the law. Christians are to show forth the character of God. We can allow the Lord to give us these nine marks of authentic Christian character, so that we are like Christ, not just in what we believe, or in what we practice, but in our very nature.
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Fulfillment
Fulfillment. What does it mean to be fulfilled? What does it mean to experience the abundant life, a life that is full and overflowing that is promised by Jesus? Do you ever feel empty and powerless? Do you dream of living a life of fulfillment, a life filled with passion and purpose? In the apostle John’s first letter, he told his hearers that they could know and rely on God to give them His Spirit and His love to empower their lives to fulfill His purpose for them — that they would be like Him. We can know and rely on God’s Spirit and love to empower us to fulfill His purpose.
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Acceptance
Acceptance. Whether you’re a teenager in Jr. High or moving into a new neighborhood, you want acceptance. Do you ever feel distant from God? Does the shame and guilt of sin ever make you feel this distance? As if God doesn’t accept you any longer? What do we do as Christians when we sin? In the apostle John’s first letter, he told his hearers that they could know and experience God’s love and acceptance as those who were in the “fellowship” of the Father and Son and with one another. We can know and experience the love and acceptance of God in our lives.
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Confidence
Do you have proof that you are a citizen of heaven? Do you have confidence that you are a citizen of God’s Kingdom? Many struggle with doubts in this area. In the apostle John’s first letter, he told his hearers that they could have “confidence” that they were members of God’s eternal Kingdom by receiving and believing in His Son, Jesus. We can know this confidence that comes from receiving and believing in Christ as our Savior. The text gives four steps to having confidence and assurance of your salvation.
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Faith Like a Child
Jonathan Minter teaches from the words of Christ found in Matthew that answers the question: "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus said that to be the greatest we must become like a little child. We must have faith like a child.
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Mission Report: Chandler Bryant
Testimony of Chandler Bryant about his 10 week summer project with Campus Crusade for Christ.
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