How do Christians change?
How do we become more and more like Jesus?
How does God work in and mature a follower of Jesus?

These questions, and many others like them, emerge in our lives and in our church in many contexts: at lunch with a Christian friend who may be struggling, in our Community Groups, in our fellowship, and in counseling. In these contexts, much is discussed regarding our need for change and growth. 

In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus reveals a profound truth about us. The heart is the issue, and this is one of the hardest things to accept. We are quick to assign blame. At times, we are blind to the fundamental truth that the bad fruit we bear in our lives is the result of what is in our hearts. The core issue is not the difficult situation or trial. It is not a particular person. It is my heart, and it needs to be changed. But, trusting that God is right on this matter, we have real hope that our hearts will experience real change for His glory.

Over the years, our church has come to deeply appreciate an illustration and approach that helps us speak to Gospel hope and change in our discipleship, fellowship, Community Groups, etc. This illustration, or model, is The Three Trees. Authors Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp introduced us to this illustration, and we have used it for years. Let me be clear. The Three Trees is simply a model. It is not the life-changing word of God. No model is. With that said, The Three Trees model has at it very heart, THE “tree”... the Cross… the Gospel that is the hope for our real change. This model is Gospel-centered. 

We are providing you this graphic (created by CCEF) of The Three Trees model along with its companion application questions - “Helping People Make Gospel Connections.” We encourage you to use this in your study and application of God’s word on the matter of the heart and change.

Also, we highly recommend this outstanding book by Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp - “How People Change”. Real hope for real change by the power of the Gospel is offered by the authors of this book. There they unpack the The Three Trees in depth.

A Closing Encouragement from Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp: “Our hearts, once under the domination of sin, now are the dwelling place of Christ, the ultimate source of righteousness, wisdom, grace, power, and love. Our hearts can respond to life in brand new ways because we are no longer dominated by sin, but we are liberated by the gracious rule of Christ. We base our lives on the fact that because Jesus lives in us, we can do what is right in desire, thought, word, and action, no matter what specific suffering or trial we face.”

The heart is the center of our being. The heart is the real you as you really are. There is a connection between who we are on the inside and the lives that we lead. Whatever fruit we produce is rooted in the true condition of our souls. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sanctification: Being Conformed to Christ
TEXT: Luke 6:43-45
TITLE:  Sanctification - It’s About The Heart
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: God’s target in his gracious work of sanctification is the heart.

POINTS:
I. Sanctification - God’s target is the heart
2. Sanctification - God’s desire is a good heart

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

”Last Sunday, we began a five-part series on Progressive Sanctification. Progressive Sanctification is the process described in Scripture whereby God is progressively freeing us from sin and making us more like Christ.”

“We learned that the earthly Christian life is lived out between two realities: conversion and death, and in between is a life of Sanctification that begins the moment we are saved and ends the moment we die. Sanctification is at the heart of everyday life for Christians, making it a big part of our lives together as a church, from personal fellowship to CGs to counseling.”

“Each week, we will unpack one aspect of Sanctification: 
( TODAY ) God's Target—The Heart
God’s Tool—His Word
God’s Means—His Church
God’s Goal—Our Glorification.”

“A sanctified heart produces a sanctified life. Jesus’ words to those gathered to hear some of the most important words regarding the nature of man and their desperate need for a savior! We are going to unpack this and find that THE matter Jesus now raises is IT’S ABOUT THE HEART.”

“Look again with me at verses 43 and 44. Jesus, using a horticulture illustration, reveals something about the heart of men and women that is simple yet profound. Your heart is a rooted tree that “bears/produces fruit (good or evil).” The Root of the person is the Heart. The Fruit is how we live, what we think, believe, and do.”

Illustration - the Bottle of Water. “What is inside is who we are (our hearts) - situation hits - and “we” (our hearts) spill out.”

“The heart is the center of our being. The heart is the real you as you really are. There is a connection between who we are on the inside and the lives that we lead. Whatever fruit we produce is rooted in the true condition of our souls.”

“There is no disconnect between our hearts and our actions. Sadly, we don’t see that the two are inextricably connected… after saying something ugly or hurting someone, we say, “That’s not who I really am. You know my heart.” Christ says the opposite: What you do and say, IS who you really are, because it comes from the very nature, root of who you truly are.”

“Look with me now at the end of Vs. 45 - Jesus declares: ‘...for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.’ Let’s take a moment and consider how our mouths reveal what our hearts are really like.”

“Of course, God wants our hearts, but we have to see that something is wrong, and we tend toward trying to fix it ourselves. [REMEMBER THESE TRUTHS FROM LAST WEEK’S SERMON]
Hebrews 12:14—We are to strive for holiness
2 Peter 1:5—We are to make every effort to grow our faith 
1 Timothy 4:7—Train yourself for godliness
1 Timothy 6:12—Fight the good fight of faith by fleeing unrighteousness and pursuing righteousness”

“1. Fruit Stapling is a futile (the temporary fruit will rot and the bad fruit will produce)
2. Fruit Stapling is self-deceiving (we blindly believe that this will actually work and will bring lasting change)
3. Fruit Stapling is deceptive to others (we deceive others into thinking that all is good when it’s not)
The problem is that the tree root is bad. The problem is the heart, and a bad heart will never bear good fruit.”

“Examples of our ‘fruit stapling’:
In Counseling and discipleship, we at times bypass the heart problem (the heart/root sinfulness of idolatry, evil desire and cravings, selfishness, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, self-worship, fear, worry, hatred, idleness, stealing, deception, greed) and we staple fruit on - ‘giving more,’ deleting apps, doing something nice for someone, smiling more, leaving a love note, turning off the TV earlier in the evening…
In parenting, we stop short of the heart problem (the dishonor, disobedience, selfishness, anger, loving the world, demanding their own way… and our provoking them wrath, our rage, impatience, ) and we staple fruit on - now go hug your little brother, give him your toy, be nice, say your sorry, ‘is that the way you are supposed to talk to mommy,’ … ‘I’m sorry I raised my voice son’ we effectively give them miniature pruning clippers and cute little staple guns and small bucket of staple ready apples. All the while, never getting the problem of the heart, and wondering why we continue to produce bad fruit. Wondering why when our kids get older, they wander off into the world.”

“God desires your heart bearing true everlasting goodness. He desires holiness. He wants men and women after His own good heart, in the likeness of His precious and holy Son, Jesus. Just look back a few verses in Luke Chapter 6: Vs 27-31, 35, beginning with LOVE and capping it all off with ‘Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.’”

“The doctrine of regeneration is glorious in that God, in love, calls a people to himself whose hearts cannot and will not be good, and births in us new hearts, empowered by the presence of the Spirit. Beginning with this new birth of new hearts, God begins the ongoing process of a full renovation of our hearts - His glorious work of sanctification. It’s glorious because He gets what He desires, a people with good hearts called by His glorious name, now being made holy to glorify Him forever.”

“The Cross of Christ changes EVERYTHING and has the power to restore, forgive, and redeem any situation. It is HERE at the cross that THE heart work in God’s sanctification is done. We bring the heat/situation to the cross. We behold the Son of God bearing ALL situations and sinful actions and responses on Himself, turning away the wrath of God by receiving it Himself. Through faith, our heart of stone becomes one that can change and is willing to change.”

“That Good News remembered and applied day after day is what changes you. Application of the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit and the daily promised grace brings about this change.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 15:18
Ezekiel 36:25-27

QUOTES:
Philip Graham Ryken - “...we all produce the kind of fruit that is in our hearts to grow. The heart is the center of a person’s being—the real you as you really are. Jesus said that a good life comes from a good heart, whereas an evil heart inevitably produces an evil life. There is a living, organic connection between the people we are on the inside and the lives that we lead out in the world. Whatever fruit we produce—whether good or evil—is rooted in the true condition of our souls. We can only produce the kind of spiritual fruit that it is our nature to produce.”

Paul Tripp (Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands) - “Pretend that I have an apple tree in my backyard. Each year it buds and grows apples, but when the apples mature, they are dry, wrinkled, brown, and pulpy. After several years, I decided that it is silly to have an apple tree and never be able to eat its fruit. So I decided that I must do something to ‘fix’ the tree. One Saturday afternoon, you look out your window to see me carrying branch cutters, a staple gun, a step ladder, and two bushels of Red Delicious apples into my backyard. You watch as I carefully cut off all the bad apples and staple beautiful red apples onto the branches of the tree. You come out and ask me what I am doing, and I say proudly, ‘I've finally fixed my apple tree!’ What are you thinking about me at this point!? It is clear that if the tree produces bad apples year after year, there is something wrong with the system of this tree, right down to its very roots. I won't solve the problem by stapling apples onto the tree. What will happen to those new apples? They will also rot because they are not attached to the life-giving roots of the tree.… The problem with much of what we do to produce growth and change in ourselves and others is that it is nothing more than ‘fruit stapling.’ It is a "sin is bad, so don't do it" view of change that doesn't examine the heart behind the behavior. Change that does not reach the heart rarely lasts; it is temporary and cosmetic.”

APPLICATION:
Q. What does the fruit reveal about MY life?
Q. What comes out of MY mouth?

Q. What does a good heart in God’s eyes look like?
Galatians 5:22-24
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Root, Fruit, and the Gospel Illustration and Model to Apply to Life’s Situations
1 - Heat/Situation- What happened? Who was involved? What was the effect on you?
2 - Bad Fruit- How did you react/respond? What have you said and thought?
3 - Bad Root (1st Tree) What do you want, fear, or believe? What lies are you believing about God, yourself, and others?
4 - Consequences - What are the results and consequences of MY sinful response?
5. The Cross (2nd Tree) - At the cross, Jesus paid the price for all of our sins and forgives us an immeasurable debt of sin. He sacrificed His life for us and saved us even when we were enemies. He reconciles us (former enemies) to Himself. How does this reality affect your circumstances and your heart? Will you turn from the lies you have practiced and believe? Will you believe the truth of the Gospel?
6. Good Root (3rd Tree) - What truths do you now believe about God, others, and yourself? What hope do you now have in this situation? What does Scripture now encourage you to desire, fear, and believe?
7. Good Fruit - The LOVE of God is shed abroad in your heart, molding it into a Heart of LOVE that now is able and willing to cover a multitude of sins. You now believe and trust God. You believe that He has power to change others. Forgiveness, humility, servanthood, goodness, burst forth.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Come Praise And Glorify
God Is Faithful (Psalm 114)
Your Words Are Wonderful (Psalm 119)
The Steadfast Love of Christ
O Great God

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
The Word: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Enemy Within: Straight Talk about the Power and Defeat of Sin

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that! 

membership class

Sundays, April 27th, May 4th, May 25th, & June 1st

The Bible uses imagery like the body, a family, a building, and a household to describe the church. Our lives are being knit together. We are connected. We need one another. This is why we practice church membership, so everyone who calls Sovereign Grace Church their church can enjoy the benefits and blessings of being part.

Our Membership Class started last Sunday, April 27, but there is still time to jump in! If you are interested in membership at Sovereign Grace Church, or if you want to learn more about our church, please CLICK HERE.

woven ladies brunch

We’d love for you to join us for a WOVEN Ladies Brunch on Saturday, May 10, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM.

Come enjoy a morning of food and fellowship! Cathy Letkeman, who serves on our Worship Team, will be teaching our women on the topic of "A Woman's Devotion As Her Worship of God," providing Gospel hope in our struggles with the idols of our hearts that are unique to women. 

All women are invited! Bring your teen daughters, friends, and family.

mother’s day celebration

Join us after the service on Mother’s Day, May 11, for a special gift just for you.

Your kindness, patience, and sacrifice for your children are a reflection of God’s love for us! Moms, we are praying that you are encouraged and strengthened by the grace of God this Mother's Day.

sermons in the psalms: volume 3

​Over the summer, our sermon series will take us into the Psalms again with "Sermons in the Psalms: Volume 3," starting on June 1st! Join us as we dig deeper into the life-giving Psalms together.

Eastside Community Group

Please continue to pray for our Eastside Community Group! Pray that the Lord would draw our Eastside neighbors to this community group.

This special group meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month at 7pm at Coffee X Change. If you know anyone on the Eastside who might be interested in visiting or joining this group, please feel free to invite them and let Derek know!

Check out our EASTSIDE COMMUNITY GROUP webpage for more details.

Today, we begin with God’s Design for Sanctification—The Roles. We start here because if we get the roles wrong, we get everything wrong. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sanctification: Being Conformed to Christ
TEXT: Philippians 2:12-13
TITLE:  Working Because He Works
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Because God works, we work.

POINTS:
I. Our Efforts
II. God’s Power

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

”Today, we begin a five-part series on Progressive Sanctification. Progressive Sanctification is the process described in Scripture whereby God is progressively freeing us from sin and making us more like Christ.”

“Why a series on Sanctification? It’s simple. The earthly Christian life is lived out between two realities: conversion and death. In between is a life of Sanctification that begins the moment we are saved and ends the moment we die. Sanctification is at the heart of everyday life for Christians, making it a big part of our lives together as a church, from personal fellowship to CGs to counseling.”

“Each week, we will unpack one aspect of Sanctification: 

• God's Target—The Heart

• God’s Tool—His Word

• God’s Means—His Church

• God’s Goal—Our Glorification

Today, we begin with God’s Design for Sanctification—The Roles. We start here because if we get the roles wrong, we get everything wrong.”

“Because God works powerfully in our Sanctification, we work persistently for our Sanctification.”

ILLUSTRATION: Airplane wings

“Imagine the plane again, but this time, you’re not in it; you’re on top of it. As you look down at the wings, one wing has the word Dependent written on it. The other wing says Discipline. Two wings, two words—Dependent Discipline. Spiritually speaking, you need both wings to fly in Sanctification. You need the wing of Dependence and the wing of Discipline.”

“Our passage begins with the word Therefore, which makes it a response to 6-11. Jesus obediently condescended to save sinners, and God eternally exalted him for it. Therefore, offer your lives to God through grace-fueled, sober, and hopeful obedience—Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”

“What does Paul mean? Paul is not saying—Work for or toward your salvation as if God meets us halfway. Jesus did His part, and now you do your part. He is not saying—Now that you have received the gift of salvation, work to preserve it or prepare to lose it. Paul tolerated a lot in the churches he served (Corinth), but did not tolerate a works-based approach to God. Paul excoriated the church in Galatia for their arrogant legalism, saying in Galatians 3:3—Are you so foolish, what the Spirit began in your hearts are you now perfecting with your hands?”

“The context isn’t conversion; it’s obedience (12). Jesus did two things on the cross: he paid the penalty of sin for us, and he broke the power of sin over us. But we live in a fallen world where the presence of sin remains and will remain until the glorification of God’s people at the return of Jesus. Until that day or the day we die, the Holy Spirit is sanctifying us.”

“Two distinct yet inseparable spiritual realities, two sides of the same coin, define every believer—Justification and Sanctification.”

“Justification describes your position before God in Christ. It has nothing to do with obedience. The moment you have faith in Jesus through the miracle of regeneration, you are declared righteous, holy and blameless, justified before God (Rom 5:1). Your justification is immediate, complete, and permanent. No matter how much you obey and grow spiritually throughout your Christian life, you will never be more justified than you were at the moment of your conversion, when all you knew was that Jesus saved you.”

“Sanctification describes your practice or how you live before God based on your justification. Where justification is immediate, Sanctification is a process. The moment you are declared righteous, the Spirit begins the lifelong process of conforming your life to the image of Christ. While you can never be more justified over time, you will be more sanctified as you give yourself to grace-motivated obedience. This is why we call it progressive Sanctification. In a sense, Sanctification is simply becoming who we already are in Christ.”

“IMPORTANT: Your justification always leads to your Sanctification. It is never the other way around. The moment we flip them, we enter into a legalistic works-based salvation, and we will be confused about the Christian life, frustrated with the Christian life, and unfruitful in the Christian life.”

“To work out your salvation is to live out of the good of and according to your justification. Our salvation is not something we simply possess. Our salvation is an unchanging reality we express and experience as we give ourselves to the Spirit’s work of Sanctification through joyful and sober obedience SO THAT we may grow and mature in our salvation—Become more like Christ, which is God’s ultimate pleasure for you in this life.”

“You have a hand in your spiritual growth. We must work on our walk with the Lord, constantly cultivating our salvation and vigorously aligning our attitudes and actions with Christ. In the words of John Owen—God works in us and with us, but never without us.”

“Scripture bears this out.

• Heb 12:14—We are to strive for holiness

• 2 Pet 1:5—We are to make every effort to grow our faith 

• 1 Tim 4:7—Train yourself for godliness

• 1 Tim 6:12—Fight the good fight of faith by fleeing unrighteousness and pursuing righteousness

Colossians 3 describes our work as day-by-day vigorously putting off, actually killing sin and putting on righteousness. We aren’t called to change ourselves. We aren’t self-sanctifiers. God is the Chief Sanctifier. We’re called to a life of grace-motivated obedience, which God uses to transform us into the image of Christ.” 

“Just as we begin to feel the weight of 12, that three-letter word that begins 13—for—suddenly transfers the weight and emphasis to God. To the one who spoke and things came to be; the one who set the moon and stars in place and continually sustains them in their place; the one who powerfully raised Christ from the dead, ascended Him to His side, and exalted above as Lord of all. The one who is outside of time and space and is at work in your space and time.”

“The idea here is not that God is pursuing holiness for us as if we sit back, relax, and do nothing. God’s commands are not hollow. What God calls us to we are responsible for! However—and this is a huge however because it is where we find our confidence, assurance, and perseverance for our work in Sanctification—in our working, we can be sure God is at work in us, empowering and enabling us, supplying us with the necessary and sufficient grace to make our efforts possible,  effective, and Christ-exalting.”

“Notice the comprehensive nature of God’s work in 13—God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. In any work, there are two principles: the will and the power to carry out the will. Paul says God is the lead player in both.”

“God is not only empowering my doing; He is empowering the willing behind my doing—God is at work in you, both to will and to work. God enlivens my desires to please Him with my life. God is at work transforming my affections toward Christ so that my actions will be increasingly characterized by what is pleasing to Christ.”

“Now, the effect is two-fold for us. First, you are not alone in your call to be holy. God doesn’t do the work He calls us to do. But He does promise to be with us in power. So, you rely on and rejoice in God’s empowering presence as you work hard at living the Christian life. Second, you can forget about getting any credit for the godly fruit in your life. God always gets the game ball. Our Sanctification requires conscious effort, but that effort is informed by the truth that without Christ, we can do nothing, so he alone deserves the glory.”

QUOTES:
John Murray - “God's working in us is not suspended because we work, nor our working suspended because God works. Neither is the relation strictly one of cooperation as if God did his part and we did ours so that the conjunction or coordination of both produced the required result. God works and we also work. But the relation is that because God works we work.”

J.I. Packer - “Regeneration is birth; Sanctification is growth. In regeneration, God implants desires that were not there before: desire for God, for holiness, and for the hallowing and glorifying of God's name in this world; desire to pray, worship, love, serve, honor, and please God; desire to show love and bring benefit to others. In Sanctification, the Holy Spirit "works in you to will and to act" according to God's purpose; what he does is prompt you to "work out your salvation" (i.e., express it in action) by fulfilling these new desires.”

Moises Silva - “While Sanctification requires conscious effort and concentration, our activity takes place not in a legalistic spirit, with a view to gaining God's favor, but rather in a spirit of humility and thanksgiving, recognizing that without Christ we can do nothing and so he alone deserves the glory.”

John Murray - “All working out of salvation on our part is the effect of God's working in us...We have here not only the explanation of all acceptable activity on our part but we also have the incentive to our willing and working. ... The more persistently active we are in working, the more persuaded we may be that all the energizing grace and power is of God.”

APPLICATION:
All this will be unpacked over the next four weeks. Today, I want to equip us for the series in two ways

1. Know Your Heart

   When it comes to sanctification, I think most of us fit into one of two categories:

   Legalism

   If you are aware of 12 at the expense of 13, you have probably drifted away from Christ into legalism. Legalism is relating to God through your efforts for God. It’s arrogant, deceptive, and subtle. But it is detectable. If your first response to obedience is I have to do this rather than I get to do this. If spiritual weariness and drudgery characterize you. If the Christian life seems like a joyless duty, legalism has a hold in your heart.  

   Licentiousness

   If you are aware of 13 at the expense of 12, you have probably drifted away from Christ into licentiousness. Licentiousness is an apathetic attitude toward Christian obedience in the name of grace or inability. It leads to worldliness, strips you of joy in Christ, and produces an unfruitful Christian life because it’s a perversion of grace and distortion of the gospel. It arrogantly mocks Christ and all he is and did according to 6-8; it defies God’s love, and it is a refusal to do in this life what all will do when Jesus returns according to 10—bow at the name of Jesus.

2. Anchor your heart

   Whichever category you are in, you have lost sight of the precious truth of justification.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Grace Alone
We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)
It's Your Grace
All I Have Is Christ
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
The Heart: Luke 6:43-45

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Enemy Within: Straight Talk about the Power and Defeat of Sin

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

On this Easter Sunday, the question is—Where is my hope? Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

EASTER SUNDAY 2025
TEXT: John 11:25-26
TITLE:  The Best Day of the Year
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. A Hopeless Situation
II. A Hope-Filled Proclamation
III.A Hope-Giving Demonstration

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes, and text emphasis, are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

”Resurrection Sunday is the best day of the year. Those angelic words—He is not here. He has risen!—thunder true hope to all the world. On this Easter Sunday, the question is—Where is my hope? Hope is critical to life. Hope keeps us moving forward. Hope gives us life and strength to carry on. Everyone is searching for something to pin their hope on. Everyone needs hope.”

“Of course, we place our hope in many things. At times out of ignorance, at other times out of desperation, but we all put our hope in something. Relationships. Leisure. Education. Medicine. Behavior. Money. Rules. Staying numb. Sooner or later, those things will leave us feeling horribly hopeless. And as Proverbs 13:12 says—Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”

“In pursuit of true hope, we look to a familiar story in the gospel of John. Our passage is wedged within the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.”

“In verses 1-4, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus was gravely ill. They had seen Jesus heal before, so they sent the word of Lazarus to Jesus, believing that he would come quickly and heal their brother. Jesus responded that Lazarus's illness would not lead to death but the glory of God. How encouraging is that!”

“In verse 5, it says that Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. One would think he would go to Lazarus immediately. He didn't. Jesus decides to wait a couple of days, according to verse 6. When Jesus decides to make the short trip to Lazarus, his disciples try to change his mind because of the danger to Jesus. Jesus' response is puzzling—read 9-16.”

“Jesus is speaking very cryptically. His illness does not lead to death. He has fallen asleep. Lazarus has died so that you may believe it. Something is brewing. Never a dull moment with Jesus. But Jesus finally arrives on the scene in 17; it's too late. Lazarus has been dead for four days. It seems like a very hopeless situation.”

“Not all Jews believed in a resurrection on the final day. The Pharisees did, but the Sadducees didn't. But Martha did believe, saying in 24—I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. What follows in our text is stunning; look at 25—I am the resurrection and the life. This is the fifth of seven I Am statements by Jesus. Claims of deity connected to real-life situations during his ministry. Take note: Jesus doesn't say I will raise Lazarus on the last day. He says—I am the resurrection and the life.”

“Don't miss this. Some in this story are focused on the past—Lazarus would still be alive if Jesus had come immediately. Martha is focused on the future—I know my brother will rise in the resurrection on the last day. But Jesus is focused on what is in the present. He is drawing the audience to himself by identifying, not with a theological teaching or future event, but with the very event of resurrection and the reality of eternal life.” 

“Jesus is saying—Martha, I'm glad your eschatology is sound, but believe in me today. I don't just teach the resurrection—I am the resurrection. I don't just preach God's power for life—I am God's power for life. Jesus' claim is not a job description; it's a self-revelation of the One who doesn't just do glorious things; he is glorious—I AM the resurrection and life.”

“Now, Jesus expands and explains this astonishing statement when he says in 25, look at it with me—Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. At first read, this sounds confusing and even contradictory: whoever believes, though he dies, and in the next breath, everyone who believes shall never die. Which one is it? Do we live or die?”

“Ephesians 2 says once we were spiritually dead in our sin. We were alive physically but dead spiritually. But God, who is rich in mercy, resurrects us spiritually, giving us eternal life in Jesus. The moment you are saved by grace, you have beaten death. You still die physically, but spiritually, you never die. Physical death cannot destroy the eternal spiritual life that comes by faith in Jesus. The day this body dies is not the day I die.”

“The day my physical body dies is the day I come into the most excellent and glorious awareness of reality. I will live in the majestic presence of my Savior, first in spirit, then on that great resurrection day when Christ returns, in a glorified body in the new heaven and earth.”

“This is the height of hope! We have an intuitive sense of eternity, a God-given awareness that there is something beyond this life. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says—God has put eternity into man's heart. So philosophers have philosophized, and spiritual gurus have speculated about it throughout the ages. Even the ancient man Job wondered: If a man dies, shall he live again?—Job 14:14”

“Jesus, the Giver of eternal life, says—Yes, Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

“The commanding voice of Jesus, not whispered, but the text says with a loud voice, echoed into the tomb—Lazarus, come out. The voice of God Almighty, who spoke creation into being with the power of His word, speaks with that same power—Lazarus come out.”

“At his divine command, Lazarus's brain began to work; his rotting flesh began to heal, the air started to pump through his lungs, and blood pulsing through his veins once again, strength returned to his ligaments and muscles. And even after four days in the grave,  Lazarus walked out of the tomb alive as a display of God's undeniable power and glory.”

“What a preview to an even more glorious resurrection. The Giver of Life would die on the cross to secure the forgiveness of sinners. But three days later, wrapped and sealed in his own tomb, God rolled the stone away, and Jesus walked out of the grave, defeating sin and death forever for all who believe in him. And Christ's physical resurrection is the first fruits of ours. This is why the resurrection is the most crucial event in history. The empty tomb validates all Jesus claimed about himself—like I am the resurrection and the life—and it is God's cosmic AMEN to his atoning work on the cross that guarantees our physical resurrection to glory as forgiven and justified children of God.”

“Consider the most hopeless situation in your life right now. If God can raise Jesus from the dead, he can handle your circumstance! Do you believe this?”

QUOTES:
R.C. Sproul - “The greatest enemy of man, that enemy that hangs over every human being like the sword of Damocles every day of our lives, the ultimacy of our own personal death, which threatens everything that we do, everything that we say, everything that we learn with ultimate chaos, with what the existentialists call the abyss of non-being, of annihilation—that enemy is conquered by the resurrection.”

APPLICATION:
Darkness doesn't have the last word. Death isn't victorious. Victory comes by faith in the victorious Savior. Jesus is alive and his resurrection is our resurrection and life!

Do You Believe This? Here is the question everyone has to answer. Look at the end of 26—Do you believe this?

If you are not a Christian, the question is—Do you believe in Jesus as the only one who grants and guarantees eternal life with him? I want you to notice what Jesus says at the end of verse 44. What a picture of the gospel. Like Lazarus, you are dead in your sin and without hope. You can do nothing to make yourself worthy of and alive to God. But Jesus died in your place and rose from the dead. And just as he cried—It is finished—the empty tomb is God's declaration—It is sufficient! Today, through the gospel, Jesus calls to you—Come out. Turn from your sin and trust in Jesus, the only source of spiritual life. Through faith, he will unbind and loose you from the grips of sin and hell, setting you free and making you alive forever! His resurrection and empty tomb guarantee it—Will you believe?

To my Christian friend, the application is—Keep believing! Even on this side of the cross and empty tomb, with the Scriptures in our hands and the Spirit in our hearts revealing and guiding us, hope can be elusive. Does true hope seem elusive you today? The resurrection reminds you that your hope in Jesus is real. Your faith is not in vain. Your life is not a house of cards. The tomb is empty, and Jesus is alive. That means your sins are COMPLETELY forgiven. The power of death is TRULY broken. The penalty of sin is FULLY paid. God's love is ETERNALLY yours, and one day, you WILL live in Christ's glorious presence. But that eternal perspective the empty tomb brings is not simply a promise for an amazing future; it's a gift for today:

• The empty tomb ensures you He is there! He is Faithful! He is sufficient! 

• The empty tomb ensures God's promises are Yes and Amen! 

• The empty tomb ensures His throne is approachable as the place of unfailing mercy and all-sufficient grace! 

• The empty tomb ensures your forgiveness and justification before God is full, final, and forever!

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Sing
Rise My Soul The Lord Is Risen
Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
Because He Lives

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
The Roles: Philippians 2:12-13

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Enemy Within: Straight Talk about the Power and Defeat of Sin

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

We are excited to sing a new song on Easter Sunday called, Rise My Soul The Lord Is Risen. This song celebrates the resurrection and reminds us of the hope it brings. Not only a future hope of our resurrection, but a hope that is alive and powerful as we walk out our faith today. What a hope we have in a Risen Savior!

I hope this song encourages you as we head into Easter Sunday. I cannot wait to gather with our church and sing praises to our Risen Savior!

Link to Listen & Learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq9imtMQ3eU

Lyrics

Verse 1:
Rise, my soul, the Lord is risen
Come, behold the empty grave
See the place where darkness laid Him
Sing for only hope remains
Hallelujah, praise forever
Death defeated and life restored
By that great immortal power
Christ is risen, arise, my soul

Verse 2:
Rest, my soul, the Lord is risen
Love's redeeming work is done
Now the Father sees His children
As He sees His sinless Son
O the wonder, O the glory
That same favour is now my own
Shame behind me, grace before me
Christ is risen, arise, my soul

Verse 3:
Peace, my soul, the Lord is risen
Come and have your hope renewed
For this trial is brief and fleeting
Tears will turn to glory soon
Shout with joy and sound the triumph
Let the music of heaven roar
Let the boast of death be silent
Christ is risen, arise, my soul

Verse 4:
Rise, my soul, for I am risen
Seated now with Christ my Lord
As my life belongs to heaven
Fear shall hold its sway no more
Onward, upward, toward the treasure
Filled with courage and endless hope
For this truth is mine forever
Christ is risen, arise, my soul

The more central God's gospel generosity is in your life, the more radical your generosity will be toward others. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Acts 20:32-35
TITLE:  Redeeming Grace and Radical Generosity
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Radical generosity is the fruit of redeeming grace.

POINTS:
I. Keep Believing the Gospel
II. Live Radically Generous Lives
III. Paul's Personal Example

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes, and text emphasis, are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

”Our section of Scripture today is known as Paul's farewell. In 25 and again 38, it says these men would never see Paul's face again. This moment marked the end of Paul's church planting work. In Ch. 21, Paul goes to Jerusalem where he is arrested, an arrest that, in God's providence, saved his life and set him on a course to Rome, where he wished to share Jesus with the Emperor. But in Ch 20, Paul summons the Ephesus pastors to come to see him in Miletus, which is a 50+ mile trip. As he leaves them, he has a few things on his heart.”

“First, in 18-27, he reviews the grace in his ministry and where the Spirit was now leading him. He was going to Jerusalem, not knowing what would happen there. Sound familiar? Think eastside church plant—We are Going Not Knowing what will happen. Then, in 28-31, Paul charges them as pastors to protect the church against fierce wolves, i.e., false teachers and divisive people.”

“Finally, in our text, 32-35, and if we're honest, this is a surprise, Paul exhorts them—wait for it—to generosity. That's right, Paul's final words to these men were simple—It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

“To the degree you understand that you are an undeserving sinner saved by the infinitely generous grace of God is the degree to which radical generosity will characterize your life. The greater your grasp on the profound reality that you have an eternal inheritance in heaven that will blow your mind, the more generous you will be with your temporary earthly inheritance. The more you look up, the more open your hands become.” 

“What would your final words to friends you love dearly be? Paul says—Radical generosity is the fruit of redeeming grace.”

“The first thing I want you to see is what Paul says is in 32: I entrust you to the gospel. I set the gospel before you. I want you to remember the gospel. I want the gospel always to be front of mind and heart. I want you to be shaped by the unmerited favor God has shown you in the gospel. I want the reality that you are a sinner saved by grace to touch every area of your life. I want your short time on earth to be informed by your eternity in heaven. Keep the main thing the main thing, and the main thing is the gospel, which all of God's Word points us to—I commend you to God and the word of his grace.”

“That's the last thing Paul says to these men he loves—Live generously. Interestingly, those aren't Paul's words. According to the end of 35, they belong to Jesus. When and where Jesus said this, we don't know because, and I think it's the only instance, these words aren't recorded in the gospels. It's a simple yet powerful call to live radically generous lives. So, Paul's final message is this—Keep believing the gospel and live radically generous lives. Here's the question: Are those two different subjects? Are they disconnected thoughts - Keep believing the gospel and live radically generous lives. They are not.”

“Paul didn't live a greedy life; he lived a generous life because that's what Apostles do? No, because of the grace of God toward him in the gospel. That's the transforming power of the gospel—Saving grace produces radical generosity. We see this connection in other passages.”

“Paul's exhortation is significant. Whether it's time, money, or possessions, generosity can be pushed out by greed—I keep instead of give. As the antithesis to the gospel, greed is serious because it is the fruit of idolatry. Idolatry is treasuring something more than I treasure Christ. Greed is the expression of the treasuring.”

“Greed is also subtle. If you are committing adultery, you know it. You don't need me or anyone else to tell you. However, greed can be difficult to detect. No one has ever come to me and said—Pastor, I struggle with greed. Can we meet?  I don't think that's because we're absolutely free of greed. There's a reason Keep believing the gospel and live radically generous lives are Paul's final words to these pastors. There's a reason Jesus spent more time teaching about money and possessions than heaven and hell combined, including—It is more blessed to give than to receive. Greed affects us all.”

“We are prone to put the burden of proof on giving rather than keeping. Too often, our starting place is Why should I give? instead of Why would I keep? …Here's the word that exposed my greed: Effortlessness.”

“That's what greed looks like in my life. That greed reveals my idol of leisure and having nice things so I can look successful. Maybe yours is different. The call to steward what God entrusts to you is applied by saving every penny you get. Someone else can help those in need. Someone else can bless others. Someone else can financially support your church's gospel mission. You have a plan to control your world and secure the future you have always dreamed of, and nothing gets in the way. That's greed that reveals your idols of control and security. Here's the truth about idols—they control us.”

Illustration: Little Shop of Horrors— Giant Fly-trap yelling ‘Feed me

“So it goes with the greed and idolatry in our own lives. So, how do we put greed to death and grow in generosity? We could:

• Force the will—Just be generous

• Play on emotion—Think of all the sinners your church can reach through your generosity

• Work the mind—What's the best return on my money

Or we could do what Paul does—I commend you to the gospel:

• Set your mind on the things above where Christ, your inheritance sits, and one day will return to you (Colossians 3:1-4).

• Fix your focus on Jesus, who, though he was rich, became poor so that you, by his poverty, might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

• Have the mind of Christ, who left the glories of heaven, condescended to your world to become a servant and die to secure your highest good—eternal salvation (Philippians 2:5-8).

• Jesus, who was without sin, became sin, for you, so that you might know the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

• In Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and lavished us with the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1).

“What do those passages have in common—they reveal how deeply Jesus treasures you. Let that sink in—Jesus, the sovereign and supreme Lord of all, treasures you. He came for you, was spent for you, and will return for you because he treasures you. How do you measure that? You can't. But you can treasure him back by allowing his redeeming generosity toward you to pour out in radical generosity toward others.”

“Generosity isn't ultimately about a transaction of time, possessions, or money. Radical generosity is a disposition of the heart consumed with the generous love of God in Christ.”

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “In effect, Paul says, I have not tried to build an earthly fortune. I have not coveted anyone's gold. I have not been in this religion business to become wealthy. The reason I have not done that is I have had my eyes set upon the inheritance laid up for me in heaven.”

John Piper - “If you believe that the wealth of God's grace and the glory of his inheritance are so immeasurable that giving is more blessed than getting, the root of covetousness is severed, and the branch of greed dries up and dies.”

APPLICATION:
Further Study:
- In 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul links the generous giving of the Macedonians and Corinthians to the inexpressible gift of Jesus Christ.
- As the early church grew, Luke gives progress reports in Acts 2 and 4, highlighting the centrality of the gospel and the radical generosity toward one another.

Today is Palm Sunday. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey just days before he would give himself to the most radical act of generosity to mankind—His life-giving death on the cross and his justifying resurrection from the dead.

This Easter, I invite you to evaluate your generosity in light of the cross and resurrection.  

• Where is your generosity effortless and where does it take much effort?

• Where do you put the burden of proof, giving or keeping? 

The answers will reveal your treasure and expose your idolatry. That's hard, but it's good. It will prepare you to apply the good news of God's generous love toward you so that your generosity can increasingly become a radical act of grace in response to grace. 

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
It Was Finished Upon That Cross
Man Of Sorrows
Jesus Thank You
We Receive

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
EASTER SUNDAY - John 11:25-26

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Enemy Within: Straight Talk about the Power and Defeat of Sin

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

Heaven is the place we will finally and fully bask in the fruit of our reconciliation. Until that day, we have been given the ministry of reconciliation with one another. It’s messy work, but where would we go? We’re family, and Jesus is worthy of it all. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Philemon: Redemption and Relationships
TEXT: Philemon 1:17-25
TITLE:  Reconciling Because We Have Been Reconciled
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Forgive because you’ve been forgiven. Forgiven people are forgiving people. Reconciled people are reconciling people.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes, and text emphasis, are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

”In my 30 years as a Christian, 20 of those in pastoral ministry, I have seen countless people come and go from the church. Some for good reasons and in good ways, but if I’m honest, most for bad reasons and in bad ways. In my mind, so many of the bad departures boiled down to one thing—An unwillingness to reconcile.”

“The church is God’s spiritual family; sinners saved by grace and brought into supernatural relationships with one another. And yes, just like any biological family, God’s family gets messy. If you’re new around here, I promise you, at some time, someone in this room will sin against you. Here's the question: When that happens, what will you do?”

“Will you reconcile or run? Will you forgive or flee?  It's human nature to run. But nothing is more out of step with the gospel than an unwillingness to reconcile with a fellow believer because, in the words of John Calvin— The gospel is the embassy of reconciliation.”

“This couldn’t be clearer in Philemon’s situation. We find his situation coming to a head in 17.”

“Paul uses the word partner to describe their relationship. It’s a powerful term that encompasses every aspect of their relationship. In one sense, they are partners in that they are co-laborers in the gospel. But more than business partners, they are brothers in Christ. At the deepest level, their partnership is expressed in their fellowship. They forgive one another. Encourage one another. Spur one another on. Correct one another. Enjoy one another. Challenge one another. Remember 6—koinonia is a gospel fruit that characterizes God’s people..”

“Paul says, just as you would receive me as a gospel partner, receive Onesimus. Welcome him as you would welcome me. Hug him as you would hug me. Take joy in him as you would take joy in me. Labor with him as you would labor with me. Be hospitable toward him as you would me. Look down at 21.”

“Paul was hoping to come to Colossae. When he did, the expectation, as partners, was hospitality. One can imagine what Paul’s stay with Philemon may have been like. Breaking bread. Catching up. Celebrating gospel grace. These men would have respected, enjoyed, and expressed gratitude for each other. Paul says I won’t be there this time, but Onesimus will—Receive him as you would receive me.”

“You know the story, so you know this is a big ask. Onesimus has sinned against Philemon in numerous ways. The nature of the Greco-Roman master-slave relationship demanded Philemon punish Onesimus. Besides guarding his reputation in the community, making an example of Onesimus would make him think twice about what he had done, and it would deter others from doing the same, showing everyone who is boss.”

“Here’s what’s hard for us to get our arms around—It doesn’t matter. What Onesimus did doesn’t ultimately matter. Here’s what matters: Paul, Philemon, Onesimus, and the entire church in Colossae, listening to this letter being read, believe their faith in Christ has made them one. Notice Paul’s language: (20) Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. (23) Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus.”

“Their union with Christ was center stage. This is an application of what we learned in the longer letter to the Colossians: Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all—Colossians 3:11 ESV”

“If Christ is all and in all and we are in Christ, then Christ in one another is all that should matter to us. Paul knows that Christ in Onesimus is all that matters.”

“The If in 18 shouldn’t be seen as casting doubt on whether or not Onesimus wronged or stole from Philemon. Given the context of a desperate runaway slave, it’s very likely Philemon was robbed, even if it was Onesimus’s service. Paul doesn’t give us details, but the church likely knew the details. What we do get is astounding. Paul says—Whatever he owes you, charge it to me. I’ll pay his debt in full. However he has wronged you, I will make it right so that the two of you can enjoy sweet fellowship in Christ. And did you catch what Paul said at the end of 19.”

“Do you see what Paul does here? He reminds Philemon of the basis of their relationship. In doing so, he moves Philemon from being a creditor to a debtor unable to pay the spiritual debt he owes Paul, i.e., he shared the gospel with him. Don’t miss the miracle of grace here.”

“In 18-19, Paul, in a sense, becomes Christ to Philemon. He becomes a mediator between them. Paul owed Philemon nothing, yet he took Onesimus's debt upon himself. He paid it in full so that Philemon, who could never repay Paul the spiritual debt he owed him, could now regard Onesimus as owing him nothing. What a profound expression of imitating Christ and living out the gospel. We are the spiritual debtors, and sin is our currency. Our sin against a holy God is an unpayable debt. As Romans 3 says—All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and no one can remedy their situation by the works of the law. That was Paul. That was Philemon. That was Onesimus. That was us.”

“Jesus, who owed God nothing; he was without sin, took the debt of our sin and paid it in full on the cross. Just as Philemon should regard Onesimus as owing him nothing because Paul paid it all, we owe God nothing because Christ paid it all.”

“This is the good news of the gospel we hope to bring into our relationships with unbelievers. It’s also the good news that shapes our relationships with one another. 1 Corinthians 15:1 says we stand in the gospel, meaning we keep believing it, living it, and allowing it to inform lives, including our relationships, even the most difficult ones.”

“Forgive because you’ve been forgiven. Forgiven people are forgiving people. Reconciled people are reconciling people. However you want to say it, the gospel is the basis for it. And, the gospel is powerful enough for what we cannot do on our own. Paul’s conclusion is telling. Paul knew Philemon. Most of all, he knew God would provide all the grace for Philemon to see his situation with a gospel-centered perspective of his difficult situation. You can hear it in his conclusion.”

“The Yes that begins 20 is emphatic. It's as if Paul says—Great! I'm glad that’s settled. I can’t wait to see you and Onesimus and all the Colossians. The guys say hello!”

“Forgiveness and reconciliation are the difficult expressions of our fellowship with one another. It can be overwhelming and seem unattainable. That’s because we’re proud. I think the other person is the chief of sinners, not me. We want to dump all the blame on the other person. We believe we are owed something. We believe vengeance is ours, not the Lord’s. We don’t want to pay the price that forgiveness requires, which is absorbing the hurt and embracing the offender. So, we disappear, disavow, or disassociate.”

“Illustration: Driving modes for different conditions: Rock, Sand, Mud, Snow - We must guard against making those kinds of distinctions in our fellowship based on how people treat us—them, but not them.”

“Here’s the truth: If we can’t forgive and reconcile with one another, we don’t have true fellowship. Forgiveness is the test of true koinonia. Here’ another truth: Only the gospel, not our reconciliation skills, is powerful enough to move our hearts to GENEROUSLY forgive one another.”

“When we see ourselves and one another as underserving recipients of the gospel, by God’s grace, we are enabled to do what seems humanly impossible and powerfully demonstrates the light of Christ’s glory and heart of God’s love!”

“God loved us enough to send His only Son. Jesus treasured us enough to give his life for us. In this broken world, the Spirit moves among us, empowering us to be reconcilers. And heaven, oh, heaven is the place we will finally and fully bask in the fruit of our reconciliation. Until that day, we have been given the ministry of reconciliation with one another. It’s messy work, but where would we go? We’re family, and Jesus is worthy of it all.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 5:1
Colossians 2:13-14

APPLICATION:
In response to our text and Philemon as a whole, I want to leave us with two questions:

1. Who is your Onesimus?

   Is there someone you are challenged to forgive and need to reconcile with and restore your fellowship? I’m not going to unpack the theology and practice of forgiveness here. For your application, I encourage you to go to our website and listen to the FORGE teaching on being peacemakers. It will equip and encourage you to pursue reconciliation with your Onesimus. And we need to be encouraged, don’t we? In the words of C.S. Lewis: We all agree that forgiveness is a beautiful idea until we have to practice it.

2. Who do you need to be a Paul to?

   Paul loved the Lord. He loved Onesimus. He loved Philemon. He loved the fellowship their shared life in Christ brought them into. That included the hard parts of fellowship. His appeal wasn’t easy. He chose his approach and words carefully. 

   Are you aware of a brother or sister stuck in unforgiveness and struggling to fellowship with someone because of an offense? Part of your fellowship with that person is to GO be Paul to them. GO be Christ to them. Allow yourself to be used by God as an instrument of reconciliation. If you need help, your pastors are eager to help you. 

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
How Rich A Treasure We Possess
Grace Alone
Christ Is Mine Forevermore
Christ Our Glory
Is He Worthy

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Acts 20:32-35 - The April Offering

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

The Enemy Within: Straight Talk about the Power and Defeat of Sin

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

Philemon is in a difficult situation. His runaway slave has returned home—as a brother in the faith! How will he respond? Will Philemon receive Onesimus into fellowship or exclude him from fellowship? Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Philemon: Redemption and Relationships
TEXT: Philemon 1:8-16
TITLE:  Fellowship That Overcomes
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA:

POINTS:
I. A Foundation of Love
II. A Christ-Centered Perspective
III. A Conviction of God’s Sovereignty

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes, and text emphasis, are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.

”Last week, we saw how Paul prayed for Philemon in 6—May the fellowship you share with others because of your union with Christ be powerfully effective. In 7, Paul followed that prayer with praise for how powerful and effective Philemon’s fellowship had already been in the Colossians church. To know Philemon was to be encouraged, corrected, and cared for in Christ. Rich koinonia characterized Philemon.”

“Philemon is in a difficult situation. His runaway slave has returned home—as a brother in the faith! How will he respond? Will Philemon receive Onesimus into fellowship or exclude him from fellowship? I want to begin by asking you to do something the Spirit has already moved me to do this week: Will I receive ___________ (multiple names?) into fellowship or exclude them from fellowship?”

“It’s easy to fellowship with the person in lockstep with you. What about a fellow believer you’ve been in conflict with, who is very different from you or is just a difficult person for you, so it’s easier to disconnect from them? Will I receive that person {give them a name and face) into fellowship, or exclude them from fellowship?”

“Here’s what our passage holds out for us: three things that must characterize our hearts if we are to glorify God in our fellowship in difficult situations.”

“Paul was an apostle. And as an apostle, his words carried authority. He alludes to this authority when he begins by saying—though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required. Paul could have commanded Philemon to forgive and receive Onesimus. Instead of demanding, he appeals. The foundation of his appeal is love—(9), yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you.”

“Love is the brand of the Christian life. That doesn’t mean Christian Duty is wrong. To the contrary, it’s biblical. But as a motivator, the law is much weaker than love. Paul is after much more than compliance. Remember his prayer in 6—the sharing of his faith, his fellowship with the saints, would become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in them for the sake of Christ. Paul’s desire for Philemon is a broader and deeper experience of the life he shares with his fellow believers. We see this a few verses later.”

“Paul’s point is that taking Philemon back in complete forgiveness as a brother in Christ must come from a believing heart, not a heavy hand. It needed to come from a heart of love, not a forced necessity. It needed to express the love Paul celebrated in 7 that flowed from Philemon’s faith in and love for Jesus Christ.”

“That’s so important. The cross positions us, and the Bible commands us to live a shared life of fellowship. Praying for one another, gathering with one another, carrying one another’s burdens, reconciling, and being peacemakers with one another, to mention just a few of over 35 one another’s, Scripture commands us to participate in our shared life in Christ.”

“But that duty becomes delight when it’s grounded in love—even the difficult expressions of our fellowship, like forgiving and reconciling with someone who has sinned against us. Duty will only get you so far, but love patiently perseveres, bearing and enduring all things, making our fellowship effective for the glory of Christ.”

“This is the first time Paul mentions Onesimus. In 15, we learn that Onesimus fled Philemon. Verse 18 suggests Onesimus may have been caught stealing from Philemon. Perhaps that’s why he fled—the gig was up. Whatever the circumstance, now 1300 miles away in Rome, he crosses paths with Paul. Paul shared the gospel with him, and Onesimus was saved. Notice how Paul speaks about him.”

“In 10, he refers to Onesimus as his child. The man who came to Paul as a fugitive slave is now his spiritual child. Notice what Paul says in 12.”

“There is deep affection and brotherly love between the two men. Paul isn’t just playing mediator; he is a brother in Christ. Onesimus is a changed man. Somehow, Onesimus crossed paths with Paul. They begin to talk, and Paul finds a way to share the gospel with this fugitive. Perhaps Onesimus had a moment of vulnerability and let Paul in on his situation.”

“Did Onesimus argue or believe immediately? Did they meet repeatedly or just once? We don’t know. We do know that, like the prodigal son, Onesimus is not the same person who fled Colossae. He is transformed by the saving grace of God.”

“Paul makes a play on words here. Onesimus means useful. But up to this point, he has only been useful to Philemon and only for earthly matters. Regarding Philemon’s true work of advancing the gospel and building the church, witnessing to the lost, a work he passionately shares with Paul, Onesimus has been useless as an unbeliever. But now, he joins the heavenly ranks of laboring for eternal things in Christ, which is exactly what he’s been doing in Rome.”

“Was he still a runaway slave—Yes. Did he still need to return and reconcile with his master, Philemon—Yes. But he is not returning home the same person. He had a completely new standing before his master: he was now a brother beloved, identified with Paul, and therefore accepted. If Philemon’s fellowship was going to be effective with Onesimus, it would begin here—A Christ-centered perspective of Onesimus.” 

“Imagine the moment Philemon and Onesimus are in the room. Whatever the moment was like, it had to be complicated. Paul’s words in 15-16 are meant to help Philemon see this problematic situation with the eyes of faith needed for effective fellowship with his new brother in the Lord.”

“Onesimus decided to make a run for it. But without mitigating his guilt or dismissing Philemon’s disapproval, Paul helps Philemon see this through the lens of God’s providence. He helps Philemon interpret this difficult situation through the sovereign hand of God, who is constantly working all things for Philemon’s good (Romans 8:28).”

“This is God’s doing. Onesimus fled from Philemon. But ultimately, God took Onesimus from Philemon. Why? Onesimus was gone for a little while—that you may have him back forever (play on words), not as a slave but as a beloved brother. As a slave in a Christian household, who knows how many opportunities he had to believe. Hearing the gospel in the home. No doubt, church members are praying for him. In God’s design, it took running away 1300 miles smack dab into Paul. Why? God’s plan for Onesimus!”

“Paul could have turned Onesimus in. Instead, he shared Christ with him and said you need to return and make things right. That’s who you are now. You serve a new Master. You do all things for the glory of your heavenly Master. For Philemon, he gets to experience the most powerful fellowship he has ever experienced—forgiving and receiving a runaway slave, no longer as a slave, as his beloved brother in Christ, serving the same Master he serves.”

“To this world, what Paul was asking Philemon to do was revolutionary. But in the kingdom of God, what’s revolutionary is not outwardly following a set of rules but living in step with the realities of the gospel from a changed heart. And today, we must be reminded of the same gospel reality that defines us. Do you want to know how to impact the world? We don’t start revolutions. We fellowship with one another in brotherly love, even with the most difficult or different person because they are a brother or sister in Christ, and our relationship is a providential outworking of God’s sovereignty in our lives. How powerful is that? This is how God changes us and the world.”

QUOTES:
John Woodhouse- “The effectiveness of the fellowship believers share is seen most clearly in difficult situations, where this fellowship changes things in unexpected ways.”

Geoffrey Wilson - “If this letter presented no revolutionary challenge to the social structures of the day, the implications of its teaching were bound to prove fatal to slavery in the end

APPLICATION:
- Will I receive ___________ (multiple names?) into fellowship or exclude them from fellowship?

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)
Sing
Here Is Love
Help Us See Christ
There is One Gospel

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
GUEST PREACHER - Rich Richardson

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life

By Tripp, Paul David

Buy on Amazon

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that! 

regional assembly of elders (RAE)

The pastors will be attending the RAE in California from March 27 to March 29.

Please pray for them as they are cared for and encouraged by other pastors in the Sovereign Grace Churches West Region!

SG Youth Chili & Pie Competition Fundraiser

SGYouth’s FOURTH annual Chili & Pie Competition Fundraiser is March 30, after the service!

The rules are simple, SIGN UP, BRING YOUR BEST, and the church will vote for the winners. If you want to compete but haven't signed up yet, CLICK HERE.

Not competing? No problem! Just come hungry and enjoy the delicious chili and pies. All proceeds will support students in our youth group attending the Sovereign Grace Regional Retreat this July. See below to find out more about Youth Camp!

Baptism Sunday

Baptism Sunday will be on April 13 after the Sunday morning service!

A light lunch will be provided.

If you would like to be baptized, or if you want more information, please contact Pastor Tom.

You can also check out this blog post written by Pastor Derek titled “The Importance and Joy of Baptism Sundays” HERE.

Good Friday service & Easter Sunday service

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are just around the corner! Join us for the Good Friday Service on Friday, April 17 at 7 PM as we come together to worship Jesus and reflect on His sacrifice on the cross.

Then, come back for our Easter Sunday Service on Sunday, April 20 at 10 AM as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior!

This is a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and family to worship with us!

Forge

FORGE speaks into the lives of men regarding the church, family, work, and leisure.

Save the date for the next FORGE meeting on April 26. All men are invited. More details to come.

Check out the past FORGE teachings HERE.

Sovereign Grace Regional Youth Retreat

The next Sovereign Grace Regional Youth Camp is Jul 11-14 and Registration is NOW OPEN! The theme of this year’s youth camp is “Christ Over All”!

To sign up or find out more, please CLICK HERE!

*Early Bird Registration ends on March 31!*