Pastor's Corner: WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?

[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 easil...

  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...

  THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE KING, PART 1: A Son and a Servant Philippians 2:19-24 Introduction : In the epic trilogy; The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkein told a story of the battle of good against evil. A team was assembled to strike a blow against the forces of darkness and cast the ring into the fires of Mordor, “The Fellowship of the Ring.”  In that epic each one who had a part in the fellowship had a role to fulfill. They were all different, but they were all needed, and each had a part in the unfolding story. We have a part in a far greater story, a true story planned by God Himself. Instead of “The fellowship of the ring,” I’ve titled our next two sermons in Philippians, “ The Fellowship of the King .” I’ll call part 1, where Paul speaks of Timothy, “ A Son and a Servant .” Of course, Jesus is Lord, and The Lord is our King!         Shockingly, the King came as a servant, gave his life for us, and was exalted to the right hand of the Fa...

  Shine Christian, Shine! (or, “God’s Cure for Spiritual Myopia”) Philippians 2:14-18 Introduction: Before our granddaughter got glasses a few years ago, for some time we had noticed her squinting to see things in the distance. She was hesitant about the idea of glasses at first, but when she put on her new glasses, she just couldn’t stop smiling! She said, “Everything looks so clear!” Myopia is a common eyesight problem, and figuratively speaking, it is common in the Christian life as well. We can get so distracted by the struggles of life in a fallen world that are right in front of us, that we can easily lose sight of the bigger picture . Paul used that imagery as he prayed for the Ephesians in Eph 1:16-20, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,   17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,   18 having the eyes of your hearts enlig...