Posts with the category “grow-discern”

Summary of the MessageEven as our dark night experiences are emotionally straining, by his word Christ shows us that our weakness has an important theological purpose: to showcase his strength in our weakness. When we internalize this word from Christ, our souls are not only healed in our troubles, but we are brought to praise. Our lament is transformed into hymns of rejoicing. Key Sermon Points1....  Read More

Summary of the MessageIf dark nights of sin and suffering are truly grace in disguise, how do we find hope in the midst of seasons of tremendous hardship that can feel unbearable and seem meaningless? Key Sermon Points1. Suffering in this life is inevitable for the obedient Christ follower. Paul says that our outer self is wasting away (2 Cor. 4:16). Over time our bodies will break down, our bones...  Read More

Summary of the MessageSin is a subject that we often want to avoid. Ignoring it may be just as big of a problem as committing it. There is great danger in ignoring sin in our lives but there is unsurpassed joy to be found in repentance. Key Sermon Points1. Our natural/fleshly response to sin has always been to attempt to cover it up which results in hiding from God's presence (Gen. 3:7-8)2. We dec...  Read More

Summary of the MessageIn response to our dark night experience, Christ does not simply promise to eradicate those difficulties, but instead invites us to himself to learn from him and acquire his character in an apprentice relationship. This is an invitation to discipleship, where we take on the humble character of Christ. Key Sermon Points1. All of us are broken so Christ invites us all (v.28)The...  Read More

Summary of the MessageOur difficult and challenging experiences are often referred to as a "dark night" when the effect of them leads to discouragement and places our faith at risk. Even though there is real spiritual peril in the dark night experience, we are usually led into them by God for our spiritual growth. So then, dark nights are actually grace in disguise, and God's word exhorts us to re...  Read More

Summary of the MessageGod’s economy is not based on human effort but is instead entirely fueled by divinegrace. In the provocative Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, Jesus shows Godgracious generosity to those who need him and respond to his call to the kingdom. Thisis particularly encouraging for those who feel that God’s grace has passed them by.Jesus makes clear that far from that, grace i...  Read More

Summary of the MessageGod’s vision for the church is grounded in his calling her to be a theological statement about his own glory and wisdom. Indeed, the power of the gospel is seen most keenly in the character of the church. Because of this grand purpose, Christ himself supplies his church with the resources to change the saints into servants with hearts like his so they can serve one another, h...  Read More

Summary of the MessageThe Scriptures are the single most important literary resource for the Christian. Yet statistically, many seem to only experience the sacred words of God in an unmethodical way. In a world of constant devices gnawing at our spirit man/woman, we see that the greatest antidote is not based on a set of rules or practices but on how the scriptures help bolster the Christian into ...  Read More

Summary of the MessageSacred spaces and practices, such as temples or churches, and the ways we serve God there, help us to both encounter and understand the distinctive holiness of God. Sacred spaces enable us to approach God properly, and more than that, as embodied human beings they provide us with concrete ways to experience and worship him. Key Sermon Points1. Sacred spaces and practices are ...  Read More

Summary of the MessageWhen we encounter the loss of fruitfulness and the experience of grace due to God’s discipline, if we humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and repent, he promises to forgive and spiritually restore us. We should be mindful of this during both spiritual success & lows. Key Sermon Points1. HumilityHumility is about subduing one’s pride in self-denying loyalty to God & his w...  Read More

Summary of the Message2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that the Lord relentlessly searches the earth to give His strength to those who are fully committed to Him. What does it look like to be one of those who the Lord will find to be whole-heartedly committed? The 41 year reign of King Asa recorded in 2 Chronicles 14-16 helps answer that question by providing helpful examples of both faithfulness and fa...  Read More

Summary of the MessageIn Romans 12:1, Paul exhorts his readers to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord as the only reasonable response to the rich mercy he has lavished on us. Romans 12:2 shows us that we are able to do such an extreme act by having our minds renewed and becoming like the mind of Christ. Key Sermon Points1. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transf...  Read More

Summary of the MessageGod has been abundantly merciful to us through the grace he has extended to us by his Son. That mercy includes his justifying us when we were guilty, empowering us to be freed from bondage when we were sinful, and promising us that he will use all things in our lives as expressions of those abundant mercies. Therefore, let us consecrate our lives fully to him. Key Sermon Poin...  Read More

Summary of the MessageThe reality of the judgment is something every Christian should be mindful of, and all ofChristian ministry is intended to prepare us for that day. In our passage, Paul prays for his Philippian readers to be ready for that by developing discernment or the ability to practically approve spiritual excellence. Key Sermon Points1. Paul prays for abundant loveWe should recall that...  Read More

Summary of the MessageDespite the good faculties God has given human beings as his image bearers, human giftedness and wisdom are not sufficient faculties for understanding God's values and aims in this world. We can only adequately understand the gospel and its implications for us through the enlightening and teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. Key Sermon Points1. The gospel and spiritual truth...  Read More

Summary of the MessageThe key to being a transformational church is having a gospel culture that is grounded in the priority of peace that leads to expressions of praise and gratitude. This requires decisive work, but when the church fruitfully pursues peace and allows the gospel to set the agenda for its fellowship, it will be a light that leads people to Jesus and their trusting in him. Key Serm...  Read More

Summary of the MessageDespite the common experience of Christians struggling with sin, we are assured by God's word that we can practically defeat sin. That doesn't mean that we will be sinless, but by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, sin can be weakened and utterly put to death in the life of the Christian. Key Sermon Points1. My being raised with Christ does not eradicate my earthly na...  Read More

Summary of the MessageIf we are going to move beyond spiritual mediocrity, we must take the essential step of "cleaning house" in our lives, those things which detract from the Lord's preeminent place. As we make those necessary changes, we begin to experience spiritual flourishing. Key Sermon PointsPreliminary Point:  Spiritual mediocrity is normal, but it is not normative1. God's word disrupts t...  Read More

Summary of the MessageThough spiritual community and relationships are essential to our spiritual growth, we need to cultivate our direct and personal reliance on the Lord through the practice of solitude. God is calling us into a quiet and restful relationship with him, which is how we gain increased confidence in his ability to deliver us from the many things that threaten our faith and our live...  Read More

Summary of the MessageFasting is a spiritual discipline characterized by self-denial and serious God-centered devotion. When seeking God, it is either 1) used to cultivate humility or 2) performed organically out of an inner state of lowliness and/or godly sorrow. It is, all at once, a tool, a response, and a sign, that reinforces our ongoing reliance on God. Key Sermon Points1. Fasting is a form ...  Read More

Summary of the MessageSpiritual Disciplines are not about creating a lot of do’s and don’ts. In our text, we explore the space that speaks to the mental stream or thought life of the believer. God enables the Christian not only to flourish, but to be an actionable witness to the world. Let us consider the exhortation of Paul from our passage as a reminder and encouragement that when we set our min...  Read More

Summary of the MessageDespite having ample evidence and knowledge of the power of prayer available to us as believers, why do so many of us fall short of the prayer life that God wants to have with us? David's declaration in Psalm 27:4 can be instructive here when he reveals that there is one thing that he desires above everything else: to dwell in the house of the Lord forever, gazing upon his be...  Read More

Summary of the MessageIt is normal for followers of Christ to find themselves in difficult circumstances, but it is also normal for God to deliver them out of those circumstances. Biblically we see this is one of the ways he proves his commitment to his people. Earnest prayer is his prescribed way of unleashing his deliverance presence and power. Key Sermon PointsThe church that earnestly prayers ...  Read More

Summary of the MessageThough anxiety is a common problem, it is also a soul-threatening problem. The Lord does not intend for us to be bound up in excessive and debilitating worry. His prescription for anxiety is prayer. Prayer in anticipation of our being heard and answered - prayer that is a spiritual balm to the heart and mind. Key Sermon Points1. Jesus is calling you out of worry:Since anxiety...  Read More

Summary of the MessageThe power of God's word to change us into Christlikeness is only unleashed when we live by his word, and that will only happen when we are motivated by a genuine love for God which then leads to our meditating on his word, soaking it into our souls. But it is not enough to know this in principle; we must also have a plan for practicing it in our daily lives. Key Sermon Points...  Read More

Summary of the MessageThe proper response to the warning passages we see in scripture is to make every effort to obtain the promises God has given us, and the way we do that is by grounding our confidence and hope in the word of God. But the word of God is more than something we merely reference or that we try to follow, it is the very power of God to change us into Christlikeness.  Key Sermon Poi...  Read More

Out of our longing for Christ, his gospel, and people, God intends to grow us into a glorious house in which he will dwell in this broken world.  Read More

Confidence is essential to the Christian life and is fundamental to our spiritual growth. We need to be confident of who we are in Christ and able to develop that confidence by taking the necessary actions with the right mindset that moves us toward Christlikeness.  Read More

The very presence of Christ is the source and aim of our Christian growth. Christ is present in all the activities and practices he has called us into, what are often called sacraments. That presence in our lives is most expressed in Christ’s Lordship in our lives.  Read More

The Holy Spirit warned believers to guard their faith so that they would avoid being carried away to spiritual ruin. This involves not only being vigilant to guard our hearts, but is also a charge to grow.  Read More

Even though spiritual immaturity is a mortal threat to the faith of Christians the Holy Spirit’s response is not to condemn us or to send us back to spiritual kindergarten but instead he exhorts to step into maturity. Surprisingly, the path he lays out for us is to move beyond the foundational principles of the gospel and embrace all that it means to be a mature Christian in this broken world  Read More

In order to become mature in our faith, we must recognize that spiritual immaturity is a mortal threat to Christians - it is vital that we recognize that we will drift away from God if we are not continually drawing closer to him.  Read More