Sermons

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You Do Not Understand Now

Jesus is not primarily rude, but His commitment to truth leads Him to express how little we understand. This is especially evident during His “Last Supper.” Here is a special appeal for us to pay attention.

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Famous, For Our Forbearance?!

Seeking fame for itself would be problematic, but God says Christians should be well-known for something … our gentleness or forbearance. Too often we are known instead for fighting, about big & little things. “The Lord is near” reminds us to take this charge seriously.

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The Search for Meaning in Life

The author of Ecclesiastes, in his reflection on life in a fallen world, asks, “What is ultimately meaningful in life?” Attempting to find meaning in wisdom, pleasure, or our labors for their own sake is ultimately vanity. It is only when we find our meaning in God that we find true fulfillment in these things.

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Joy, To This World, Today?!

In a world-age like ours, with so many troubles, how can we find joy?! Chapters 1-3 of the epistle to the Philippians gave us many reasons to know that God is for us, then comes this clear command TO rejoice. We must. The joy of the Lord will come out of us too, as part of our public witness, a stark contrast to common despair.

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Harmony and the Gospel Cause

Euodia & Syntyche were in disharmony over some matter which could have destroyed a local church and more. Paul makes clear that all in that church were to help them restore peace. This is beautiful.

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Understanding Our Standing

What Paul writes to the saints in Phillipi could be truly taken as Jesus’ words to us: “Therefore, My brothers & sisters, whom I love and long for, My joy & crown, stand firm in Me, My beloved ones.”

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Exemplars, Enemies, Eternals, Elohim’s Exertion

The norm in this “age” of the church is that the Lord will provide worthy examples for us to follow even as we will be tested by enemies of the cross. We need a faith that includes power to discern AND to walk out the faith-filled life.

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Onward and Upward

Onward & upward is often used as a throwaway line, for ‘keep going.’ For Paul, this attitude of full-speed cooperation in the Spirit pertained to the reason Christ laid hold of him in the first place.

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It Really Is Who You Know!

Christ is enough! Paul leads us in renouncing everything else, especially those aspect of false righteousness which actually compete against our intake of the real gospel. There is great joy in such a trade-off, so there is no need to go back.

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Look Out, Look Out, Look Out!

A drastic change of tone, halfway through this letter suggests Paul has received word about heretics troubling the church. Peaceable Paul has very harsh labels for these ‘dogs’ and their ‘careless cutting.’ Then he hauls out his old resume, when he was living in/for the flesh. But now, he puts no confidence in it.

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