Skip to main content

Posts

Prayer, Peace, and the Presence of God - Philippians 4:6-9

 Peace, Prayer, and the Presence of God Philippians 4:6-9 We are nearing the end of the letter Paul wrote to the Philippians, and the admonitions he gives will reflect the themes we’ve seen in his letter. I would invite you to take 45 minutes or so, and prayerfully read through this epistle from beginning to end. You know some of the setting that we’ve been able to gleen over the past months, the imprisonment of Paul, his love for the believers in Philippi, their ministry to him despite the hardship they  were enduring along with the other churches of Macedonia. We’ve been encouraged by the faithfulness of Epaphroditus and Timothy, faithful co-workers of Paul, and an example to the church. We also got a glimpse of an internal conflict between two sisters in Philippi, women Paul knew to be believers and who he had served with and appreciated for their faithful ministry in the Lord, but who for some reason had separated from each other. No church is perfect, right? But even in this cha
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

Let's Keep the Peace! - Philippians 4:1-5

 Let’s Keep the Peace! Philippians 4:1-5 Introduction: Another election day is history, democracy at work! Hopefully the results will be certified, and the transition will go peacefully. The intensity of the rhetoric leading up to the election, and even the violence and threats of violence we have seen, may make us echo the words of the song writer, “There is no peace on Earth, I said…” We pray for order, but we are not surprised by the tribulation around us. After all, our Lord said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” But what about in the church? I am not talking about theological crises and reformation. Why in the church, among evangelical believers, do we see disagreement and conflict? Can we live together peaceably even when we disagree? What do our neighbors see, on the outside looking in? Remember Paul’s exhortation back in Phil 1:27,  “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that y
Post a Comment
Read more

Run with Endurance! - Philippians 3:12-4:1

RUN WITH ENDURANCE! Philippians 3:12-4:1 Introduction: The Philadelphia Marathon is just a few weeks away. I will not be running this year (nor have I ever, nor do I plan to in the future!). My son-in-law will be running, and my younger brother has run six times in the past. I’ve adapted the title of my message to the coming marathon, as Paul uses the imagery of running, pressing on, and enduring in the Christian life. As we are getting to the end of Philippians, we see an emphasis, in these final admonitions, on Paul’s concern for practical Christian living. Perilous times will come! In the light of the Gospel, how then should we live? Paul frequently uses several “athletic metaphors,” like “fighting the good fight” or “running a race with endurance.” The paragraph today uses the imagery of a runner, pushing toward the finish line, striving with every fiber to win the race set before him.   Context: Paul has just urged the Philippians to guard the truth of the Gospel and to not fall i
Post a Comment
Read more

What Really Matters: The Surpassing Value of Knowing Jesus - Philippians 3:1-11

[My apologies for the formatting issues, I am not sure what is going on. If you would like a PDF of the message email me and I will get it to you later today. SN]  What really Matters: The Surpassing Value of Knowing Jesus Philippians 3:1-11               I think we’ve all heard the saying, “No news is good news.” It strikes me that it seems at times we can interpret that differently: No news (that is, none of the news the media is reporting) is good news!  What really matters, after all? We can be so addicted to our comfort and sense of security as Americans in the 21st century, that it is easy to forget that we are pilgrims in this fallen world, and even the best moments we experience today are only a glimmer of what God has for us! We were created for eternity. It is not a sin to have material blessings and to own property in the world. We want to remember that ultimately, we will live in the New Heaven and the New Earth! We can easily get so focused on the superficial and neglect w
Post a Comment
Read more

The Fellowship of the King, Part 2: Saved to Serve - Philippians 2:25-30

  THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE KING, PART II: Saved to Serve Philippians 2:25-30 Introduction : In the Lord of the Rings trilogy each character had a role to fulfill if the mission was to succeed. Last week, in Part 1 of the “Fellowship of the King,“ we saw that We too have been called into the Fellowship, tasked with carrying out God’s mission as a disciple who makes disciples. Epaphroditus was not a Paul, or even a Timothy, but he was a faithful servant… “The Fellowship of the Ring” was a great story, but the “Fellowship of the King” is a world-changing mission. In this “Fellowship” we all have a role to fulfill,   a contribution to make to the unfolding plan of God. We are a team – each of us unique, different, and gifted, to complement one another and to serve together in God’s mission. You were created by God and uniquely gifted to fulfill a specific and important role in His mission in the world. God uses ordinary people like us in the extraordinary program of building His church.
Post a Comment
Read more