Category: Sermon Post

  • OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN: Philippians 3:20-21


    OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN: Philippians 3:20-21


    OUTLINE

    I. SAINTS SET THEIR MINDS ON HEAVENLY THINGS (v. 20a)

    II. SAINTS GLORY IN THEIR SAVIOR (v. 20b)

    III. SAINTS’ GOD IS THE LORD JESUS (v. 20c)

    IV. SAINTS’ END IS GLORIFICATION (v. 21)

    V. SAINTS SET THEIR HEARTS ON JESUS’ SECOND COMING (v. 21b)

    DISCUSSION

    I. In verses 20-21, how are Christians contrasted with those that walk as enemies? Think about the contrast Paul is drawing. According to verse 20, what is a Christian’s “end”? What is a Christians “god” or “Lord”? What do Christians “glory in”? Are you awaiting your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ?

  • A PASTOR MUST BE QUALIFIED: 1 Timothy 3:1-7

    A PASTOR MUST BE QUALIFIED: 1 Timothy 3:1-7

    A pastor must have the desire, character, diligence, experience, reputation, and giftedness necessary to fulfill the noble task of shepherding the flock of God that He obtained with His own blood.

    INTRODUCTION

    I) The words Overseer, Elder, and Pastor are used interchangeably in the New Testament (1 Peter 5:1-2)

    II) There must be a plurality of Pastors (Acts 20:17)

    III) Pastors must train up pastors (2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:5)

    IV) Women are not pastors (1 Timothy 2:12)

    V) Pastors must meet the God-breathed qualifications and be appointed by Pastors (Titus 1:5, 1 Timothy 4:4; 1 Timothy 5:22; Acts 13:3)

    MAIN POINTS

    I. AN OVERSEER MUST HAVE THE DESIRE NECESSARY TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD (v. 1)

    II. AN OVERSEER MUST HAVE THE CHARACTER NECESSARY TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD (v. 2-3)

    III. AN OVERSEER MUST HAVE THE DILIGENCE NECESSARY TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD (v. 4-5)

    IV. AN OVERSEER MUST HAVE THE EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD (v. 6)

    V. AN OVERSEER MUST HAVE THE REPUTATION NECESSARY TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD (v. 7)

    VI. AN OVERSEER MUST HAVE THE GIFTEDNESS NECESSARY TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD (v. 2)

  • ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST: Philippians 3:17-19

    ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST: Philippians 3:17-19

    OUTLINE

    I. Imitating mature christians is a great help in following Christ
    (v. 17)

    II. Rejecting the example of false christians is a great help in following Christ (v. 18)

    III. You must reject imitating those whose end is destruction
    (v. 19a)

    IV. You must reject imitating those whose god is their belly (v. 19b)

    V. You must reject imitating those who glory in their shame (v. 19c)

    VI. You must reject imitating those who set their minds on earthly things (v. 19d)

    DISCUSSION

    I. According to verse 17, what is one of the means of grace in Christian sanctification? Are there mature men or women in your life that you can look to as examples and guides? Why is it important to have godly examples, according to verse 18?

    II. In verse 19, how does Paul define those that “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ”? Work backwards in verse 19 and write down the progression, starting with “minds set on earthly things.”

  • HOW AND WHY YOU MUST PRESS ON: Philippians 3:12-16

    HOW AND WHY YOU MUST PRESS ON: Philippians 3:12-16

    DISCUSSION

    I. What has Paul not “already obtained” in verse 12? Does this mean he is not yet justified or does he mean something else? How does the rest of verse 12 help clarify?

    II. What do we learn about the motivation for the pursuit of holiness from verse 12—why does Paul “press on to make [perfection his] own”?

    III. According to verse 13-14, what does Paul “do”? What is it that “lies ahead” that Paul is “straining forward to”? What exactly is the “goal” and “prize”?

    IV. What is Paul getting at in verse 15-16?

  • THAT I MAY KNOW HIM: Philippians 3:10-11

    THAT I MAY KNOW HIM: Philippians 3:10-11

    OUTLINE

    I. Knowing Jesus more is the highest internal goal of a saint (v. 10a)

    II. Knowing Jesus more imparts resurrection power to saints (v. 10b)

    III. You will know Jesus and his power more as you share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death (v. 10c)

    IV. You will know jJsus fully, when he vindicates all your sufferings, becoming like him in his death (v. 10c)

    V. You must persevere in the faith—you will persevere only by fixing your eyes on Jesus (v. 11)

    DISCUSSION

    I. In verse 10 Paul returns to the subject of knowing Christ Jesus. By what “means” does Paul desire to “know him”? Why do you think Paul wants to “attain the resurrection of the dead”?

  • THE SURPASSING WORTH OF KNOWING CHRIST: Philippians 3:8-9

    THE SURPASSING WORTH OF KNOWING CHRIST: Philippians 3:8-9

    OUTLINE

    I. Knowing Christ Jesus is worth more than everything else put together (v. 8a)

    II. Knowing Christ Jesus makes everything else put together look like trash (v. 8b)

    III. The worth of knowing the supremely worthy Christ (v. 9)

    DISCUSSION

    I. What does Paul “count as loss” according to verse 8? Why does he “count everything as loss”? Does he say this theoretically or from experience, according to the rest of verse 8? Why has Paul “suffered the loss of all things”?

    II. Read verse 9. What does it mean to “be found in him”? What is the wrong source of our righteousness before God? Where must our righteousness before God come from? What does our righteousness before God “depend on”?

  • Q9. ARE THERE MORE GODS THAN ONE?

    Q9. ARE THERE MORE GODS THAN ONE?

    ANSWER: There is but one only, the living and true God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10)

    My aim is to give you three points of instruction and seven points of application concerning God being the only God—the living and true God.

    INSTRUCTION

    I. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD

    “There is but one only.”

    Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”

    II. THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD 

    “the living and true God.”

    Jeremiah 10:10 “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.”

    Psalm 71:19 “Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?”

    III. THERE ARE MANY SO-CALLED GODS THAT ARE FALSE

    1 Corinthians 8:5-6 “For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

    I) There are traditionally named false gods. 

    In the Scriptures: Amon (the chief god of Egypt), Asherah (a Canaanite goddess), Ashtoreth (a goddess of war and fertility), Baal (a Canaanite and Phoenician god of fertility and rain), Baal-Zebub (a popular deity of the Philistines), Bel (the chief deity of Babylon), Chemosh (the chief god of Moab), Dagon (worshipped in Babylonia and Philistia), Molech (the chief deity of Ammon), Tammuz (a Babylonian fertility god) Zeus and Hermes (Zeus was the patron god of the city of Lystra and his temple was there. Hermes was Zeus’ attendant and spokesman). Artemis (Artemis was the Greek name for the Roman goddess, Diana). Castor and Pollux (the two “sons of Zeus”, regarded as the guardian deities of sailors). 

    II) There are created things that are trusted and bowed down to as false gods

    Power, entertainment, popularity, beauty, comfort, substances, family, religion, science, sex, money, self.

    III) There are perversions of the one true God in the theological cults.

    Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the New Apostolic Reformation (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).

    IV) There are perversions of the one true God in the minds of men.

    In the beginning, God created man in His own image, and man has been trying to return the favor ever since.

    APPLICATION

    I. IF YOU TRUST IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN JESUS, YOU ARE TRUSTING IN SOMETHING WORTHLESS

    Jeremiah 2:5 “Thus says the Lord: ‘What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?’”

    II. IF YOU TRUST IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN JESUS, YOU ARE TRUSTING IN SOMETHING THAT CANNOT PROFIT

    Jeremiah 2:11 “Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.”

    Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

    III. IF YOU TRUST IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN JESUS, YOU ARE DOING GREAT EVIL

    Jeremiah 2:13 “for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

    IV. YOU MUST TURN FROM IDOLS TO SERVE THE LIVING AND TRUE GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

    1 Timothy 2:5-6 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

    1 Thessalonians 1:9 “[Christians have] turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

    Acts 14:15 “we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.”

    V. IN CHRIST, GOD MUST BE THE CENTER OF YOUR AFFECTIONS, LOVE, FEAR, AND JOY

    Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

    VI. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST BE THANKFUL THAT JESUS HAS SAVED YOU BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER GOD THAT CAN SAVE

    John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

    VII. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST TELL OTHERS THAT THERE IS ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MAN, JESUS CHRIST

    John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

  • YOU CANNOT SAVE YOU: Philippians 3:4-7

    YOU CANNOT SAVE YOU: Philippians 3:4-7

    OUTLINE

    If anyone could justify themselves through their privileges or achievements, it was Paul (v. 4).

    I. Your religious actions cannot save you (v. 5a)
    II. Your family cannot save you (v. 5b)
    III. Your rule keeping cannot save you (v. 5c)
    IV. Your passion cannot save you (v. 6a)
    V. Your own righteousness cannot save you (v. 6b)

    You can only be saved by counting all of your privileges and achievements as loss and trusting in Christ alone (v. 7).

    DISCUSSION

    I. What is Paul getting at in verse 4? Read verses 5-6. In what ways does Paul show that if anyone were to have “confidence in the flesh” it would be him? What do all of these things mean? Is your experience consistent with Paul or do you find yourself in a different place when looking at your life?

    II. After Paul details all of the “gain” he had—reasons he has to place “confidence in the flesh”—what conclusion does he come to in verse 7? Can you, with Paul, say “I count everything as loss for the sake of Christ”? How is this the path to true joy?

  • Q8. WHAT IS GOD? (TRUTH)

    Q8. WHAT IS GOD? (TRUTH)

    ANSWER: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

    My aim is to give you six points of instruction and six points of application concerning God being infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in truth.

    INTRUCTION

    I. GOD IS TRUTH

    JOHN FLAVAL: “[Truth] is an essential property of [God’s] nature, whereby He is perfectly faithful in Himself, and in all that He hath spoken.”

    THOMAS BOSTON: [God’s truth] is that perfection of His nature whereby He is faithful, and in Him there is no falsehood.”

    Titus 1:2 “God…never lies.” Q. Why? A. Because He not only tells the truth but He Himself is truth.

    Deuteronomy 32:4, “A God of faithfulness (truthfulness) and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”

    God the Holy Spirit is called “The Spirit of truth”
    John 14:17, 15:26, 16:33 “The Spirit of truth”

    God the Son is called “the truth”
    John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

    THOMAS WATSON: “There is nothing true but what is in God or comes from God.”

    THOMAS BOSTON: “All God’s works are true and real things, not chimeras or appearances. He executes true judgements, grants true deliverance, works true miracles; His mercies are true mercies, and His comforts are true comforts. He does not deceive or delude His people with vain shews and appearances.”

    II. JESUS IS FULL OF TRUTH

    John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

    Jesus says, “Truly” at least 30 times as He teaches, in the book of Matthew alone.

    III. GOD’S WORD IS TRUTH

    Psalm 18:30 “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”

    Psalm 119:60 “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

    I) God’s Historical narrative is true. II) God’s prophetic predictions are true. III) God’s commands are true. IV) God’s warnings are true. V) God’s promises are true.

    IV. GOD’S TRUTH IS ETERNAL

    Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his [truthfulness] to all generations.”

    V. GOD’S TRUTH IS UNIVERSAL

    John 17:17 “Your word is truth.”

    VI. SINNERS SUPPRESS THE TRUTH

    Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” 

    Q. Why is the wrath of God revealed from heaven against those that suppress the truth?

    Romans 1:21 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him…”

    APPLICATION

    I. THERE WILL BE WRATH AND FURY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT OBEY THE TRUTH

    Romans 2:8 “for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”

    II. YOU MUST HEAR THE WORD OF TRUTH AND BELIEVE ON JESUS CHRIST

    Ephesians 1:13 “In [Christ]…when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”

    Q. What is this “gospel of you salvation”?

    Ephesians 1:7 “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

    III. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST KNOW THE TRUTH AND SO BE SET FREE FROM SIN

    John 8:31-32 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

    IV. IN CHRIST, GOD SANCTIFIES YOU IN THE TRUTH

    John 17:17 “sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth.’

    V. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST IMITATE GOD IN TRUTHFULNESS

    Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor…”

    FLAVAL: “Truth and sincerity of heart is that which is most suitable and pleasing to God.”

    VI. IN CHRIST, THE PROMISES OF THE GOSPEL ARE AN ACHOR FOR YOUR SOUL, BECAUSE GOD IS TRUTH

    Micah 7:19 “He will again have compassion on us;
        he will tread our iniquities underfoot.
    You will cast all our sins
        into the depths of the sea.”

    God promised Abraham offspring and gave it because He is true.

    Romans 4:20-21 “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. “

    God promised meat and gave it because He is true.

    Numbers 11:23 “And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

    God promised Canaan and gave it because He is true.

    Joshua 21:45 “Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.”

    God promised rest and fulfilled it because He is true.

    1 Kings 8:56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant.”

    God promised the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent and did it because He is true.

    Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”    

    In Christ, God has promised your justification has done it because He is true.

    Romans 4:5 “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.”

    In Christ, God has promised your sanctification and is doing it because He is true.

    1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

    In Christ, God has promised your glorification and will do it because He is true.

    Romans 8:30 “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

    Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

    In Christ, God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you and will uphold it because He is true. 

    Hebrews 13:5 “[God] has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

    In Christ, God has promised to take you to be with Himself and will do it because He is true. 

    John 14:2-3 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

    In Christ, God has promised this eternal covenant and even swore an oath by Himself. He will not turn back because He is true.

    Hebrews 6:19 “We have this (the truthfulness of God) as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.”

  • TRUE AND FALSE CHRISTIANS: Philippians 3:1-3

    TRUE AND FALSE CHRISTIANS: Philippians 3:1-3

    OUTLINE

    I. TRUE CHRISTIANS REJOICE IN THE LORD (v.1a)

    II. TRUE CHRISTIANS LOOK OUT FOR FALSE CHRISTIANS (v.1b-2)

    I) You must look out for those that teach salvation by works (v.2a)
    II) You must look out for those that brag about themselves (v.2b)
    III) You must look out for those that make a big deal of outward signs (v.2c)

    III. TRUE CHRISTIANS HAVE HAD THEIR HEARTS CHANGED BY GOD (v.3a)

    IV. TRUE CHRISTIANS WORSHIP GOD BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD (v.3b)

    V. TRUE CHRISTIANS BRAG ABOUT CHRIST JESUS ALONE (v.3c)

    VI. TRUE CHRISTIANS PUT NO CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES (v.3d)

    DISCUSSION

    I. After giving the Philippian Christians many commands, as well as setting before them the shining examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus, what does Paul “finally” command in verse 1? Why do you think he says, “To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you”? What should we learn from this repetition?

    II. Next, Paul turns but briefly to warn the Philippians of the false apostles that they are no doubt already aware of. *note the brevity of his warnings concerning these false teachers. If they were truly a threat to the Philippians Paul would have undoubtedly spent more time writing about them as he did to the Galatians.
    What does he call them in verse 2 and what do these terms indicate? How are true believers (“we”) contrasted with these false teachers in verse 3? According to the last part of verse 3, what marks all true believers in Jesus Christ? Do you put “confidence in the flesh” or do you “glory in Christ” alone “by the Spirit of God”?