What is the key to living the Christian life? What sustains us in our suffering? How do we overcome accusations from the devil, the conscience, and world? It isn’t based on what we do, but in remembering and applying who Christ is to us, and who we are in Him. In this section of the Apostle Peter’s letter, he is reminding these suffering saints these truths to encourage and sustain them in a world hostile to Christ and His people.
Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
Jim Sole
In this sermon Pastor Jim begins an exploration of the most personal of letter written by the Apostle Paul; Philemon. In this letter we will be exposed to a great model of how to pray for one another and how the Christian life is to be lived with one another; in love and mutual encouragement.
What is the goal of being a Christian? What motivates us to continue on in this life of warfare? The Apostle Peter provides both answers in the opening of chapter two of his letter. In identifying the goal and motivation of the truly born again individual, he unfolds for us the wonderful privileges of conforming to and knowing Christ – the sum of the Christian’s life and experience.
This sermon was given on “Reformation Sunday” 2017, so named in honor of the greatest movement by God since the introduction of Christianity in the 1st century. The Protestant Reformation was the church’s recovery of the absolute authority of Scripture, the centrality of Biblical preaching, and congregational singing. In honor of our heritage from the Reformation, we will celebrate the doctrines that shook the world – Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (God’s Glory alone).
In this sermon, Pastor Jim concludes our study of the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers. He identifies and discusses what Paul indicates are the end goals in all our praying; Christ-like conduct, a fruit-bearing life, and deeper intimacy with the Lord.
In this message Pastor Jim continues exploring our born again conduct by identifying means of putting away sinful attitudes and actions. This includes three characteristics that are always present in a true desire for God’s Word and growth. Individuals who have been born again by God’s Spirit through His Word live radically different from the world. Their conduct is not merely moral, but holy. The means of living out this life of holiness is the same means one becomes a Christian – the Word of God. And any spiritual growth begins with desire for the Word.