If Jesus is what we need most, and according to Jesus, the Psalms are about him, then we need to know where to find Jesus in the Psalms. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Summer in the Psalms, Vol. 3
TEXT: Luke 24:44
TITLE: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. Jesus is the Righteous Sufferer in the Psalms
II. Jesus is “the Lord” of the Psalms
III. Jesus is the Ultimate King in the Psalms

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

ILLUSTRATION: Where’s Waldo search path optimization

“Whether you’re a Where’s Waldo fan or not, I have good news this morning. You don’t need to create a search path optimization to find Jesus. Jesus tells you right where he can be found. In a critical moment of sorrow, doubt, and confusion, Jesus brought clarity by showing [the disciples] himself in the Psalms. In essence, Jesus is saying—the Psalms are about me.”

“Today, minus the algorithms and big data, I want to show how we find Jesus in the Psalms. The Psalms are about Jesus. And if Jesus is what we need most, and according to Jesus, the Psalms are about him, then we need to know where to find Jesus in the Psalms.”

“A constant theme in Psalms is suffering. Psalm after psalm, we hear the voice of suffering. It’s a big reason we are drawn to the Psalms. We can all relate to suffering.”

“Most of the time, that voice belongs to David. But whoever the voice belongs to, there are a handful of commonalities:

• In contrast to their enemies, they are seen as righteous

• As dark as their prayers get, they are filled with unshakeable hope

• Their prayers reveal a faith-filled expectation, a confidence that God will vindicate them in the end”

“These are the prayers of those who suffer as sinners should suffer, but in their suffering, they look to God as a righteous person should.”

“But there is only one truly righteous person. There is only one person whose suffering is truly unjust. There is only one person whose confidence in God is unshakeable. Jesus Christ is the Righteous sufferer in the Psalms, not because of or for himself, but for us.”

“Example 1: Acts 2:25-31—When Peter explained the resurrection and vindication of Jesus in his great sermon in Acts 2:25-28, he quoted the hopeful words of the suffering king in Psalm 16 to show that David was not referring to himself but to Jesus.”

“Example 2: Nowhere is Jesus as the righteous sufferer of the Psalms more clear than in Psalm 22, which starts—My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Not only are the incomprehensible horrors of God’s wrath poured out on Jesus at the cross revealed, but Christ’s vindication through his resurrection is revealed in 22 when Hebrews 2:11-13 says the words—I will tell of your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you, words spoken by Jesus—are a fulfillment of a to a victorious Jesus.”

“We could go on and on—Psalm 6, Psalm 69, Psalm 18, Psalm 31—over and over, the Psalms prophetically point us to Christ as the ultimate Righteous Sufferer.”

“Over and over, the Psalms say something of God that the NT attributes to Jesus, particularly as the one who rules and judges the world. It’s paradoxical. The one who in his full humanity had to learn the Psalms as a boy is, in his eternal divine nature, “the Lord” of the Psalms appointed to be the Judge of all as King of kings and Lord of Lords.”

“Psalm 94:1 describes the Lord as the God of vengeance who will one day give his enemies what they deserve. When Paul impresses the importance of sanctification and the pursuit of holiness in 1 Thessalonians 4, he says in 6 that Jesus himself is the Great Avenger of all things.”

“Psalm 7:9 and 26:2 talk about God as the one who tests the minds and hearts of people and judges their works. Of course, John wrote in Revelation 2:23 that the risen Jesus declared to the church in Thyatira that HE is the one who searches the mind and heart and judges them by their works.”

“The clearest passage that reveals Jesus is the Lord of the Psalms is in Hebrews 1, where the author quotes Psalm 102—read 102:24-27.”

“What a tremendous celebration of the eternal nature and purposes of God. Creation is wearing out and fleeting, but He stands unchanged by time, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Behold your God!—Now turn to Hebrews 1:10-12.”

“In a letter meant to show the supremacy of Jesus in and over all things, the author identifies Jesus as the Lord of Psalm 102, who created all things and one day will roll all things up like a garment as the unchanging Lord of the universe.”

“In a world filled with injustice, this truth applies every day. We must remember we’re not in heaven yet. We can and must trust the Lord with people and situations that seem unfair or unjust, knowing the Lord of the Psalms will return one day, and when he does, he will bring ultimate and final judgment, making all things right.”

“David, the loudest human voice in the Psalms, was God’s chosen King for His people. But when we read the Psalms we find another king, a future king, a greater king.”

“Psalm 110, Tom’s text next week, is one of the foremost messianic texts in the OT. It is also the most quoted psalm in the NT.  The LORD says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool…(5) The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. Jesus quoted these verses In Matthew 22, Mark 12, and Luke 20 to show the Pharisees the authority,  greatness, and ultimate kingship of the messiah, even over David.”

“In each of those gospels, just a few chapters later, Jesus quoted Psalm 110 as an indirect affirmation to the high priest’s question—Are you the Christ, the Son of God? In Acts 2:34-35, Peter connects Psalm 110 to the gospel. Four times, the writer of Hebrews connects Psalm 110 to show Jesus as the supreme prophet, priest, and king. Paul repeatedly alluded to Psalm 110 in places like Romans 8:34, 1 Corinthians 15:25, Ephesians 1:20, and Colossians 3:1 to show that Jesus is seated at God's right hand. Simply put—Psalm 110 is about Jesus as the ultimate king in the position of cosmic power at the right hand of God.”

“This is why we should love the Psalms. Not because they are relatable but because they are redemptive. Not because they are poetic but because they are prophetic, pointing us to our living and lasting hope in the King of kings, Jesus Christ.”

“Kings make decrees. Jesus, the King of kings, Lord of lords, the innocent suffering one, has said the Psalms are about me. Look for me in Psalms.”

“If you want maximum benefit and fruit from the Psalms this summer, we all do—look for Jesus. You don’t need a search path optimization chart to find him. He’s there on every page as the Righteous Sufferer, the Ultimate King, and The Lord. Not because of original language or the NT writers say so, but according to his own words—These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled—Luke 24:44”

QUOTES:
Hans-Joakim Kraus- “If the prayer language of Israel expresses the collective troubles, the sufferings of those forsaken by God, which far transcend the specific destiny of an individual, then, according to the testimony of the early church, it is Jesus alone who fulfills this claim. He not only identifies himself with all the suffering that finds expression in the Psalms uttered in the presence of God, but also he alone is the servant of God, in whose life and death are fulfilled all the sufferings of all those who cry out in prayer. He alone is able to take upon himself the indescribable totality of what it means to be forsaken by God and to be far from his presence.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Hebrews 12:2-4
Psalm 2
Acts 13

APPLICATION:
Don’t settle for David’s suffering. Everyone suffers. Suffering is an inescapable reality of living in a fallen world. One way we deal with suffering is by finding comfort and hope in the examples of others who have suffered (2 Corinthians 1:4). But human experience is not the ultimate answer, even a man like David who suffered well because he always allowed his suffering to lead him to God. But we cannot settle for David’s suffering as our hope. Be it your own suffering or the suffering of others, look to the One who suffered beyond what you will ever suffer for you.

Take time this summer to study NT quotes and allusions to the Psalms. As a pastor, I love a good commentary. But the Analogy of Faith says Scripture best interprets Scripture. The NT is the best commentary on the Psalms. Make it easy. Start with the footnotes in Bible. There are four or five just on Hebrews 1 alone.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Come Thou Fount
My Redeemers Love
The Wonderful Cross
God Of Every Grace
Glorious Christ

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 110

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

Today, we want to present three reasons why you should bother with the Psalms for another summer. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Summer in the Psalms, Vol. 3
TEXT: Ephesians 5:18-21
TITLE: Why Another Summer in the Psalms?
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. The Psalms Promote Godliness in Our Lives
II. The Psalms Teach Us How to Engage with God (prayer and praises)
III. The Psalms Connect Our Lives to Christ

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

“Of course, the ultimate answer to the question—Why another summer in the Psalms?—reaches far beyond pastoral goals. We are spending another summer in the Psalms because they are essential to a healthy, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled life that pleases and glorifies God. So much so that the NT, as we just read, assumes the Psalms would be central to the individual believer’s life and the church's corporate life.”

“We just spent the last five weeks talking about sanctification. We are being conformed to Christ as we pursue holiness in the power of the Spirit. Godliness is the point of the broader context of Eph 5 and Col 3. In both passages, Paul exhorts us to live for the glory of God. “

“Ephesians 5

• Paul begins Ch 5 by saying—Be imitators of God

• In 2, he exhorts us to walk in love as Christ loved us

• Then, in 3-15, Paul says to resist sin by walking in the light

• All this is summarized in 15-17 when Paul commands us to reject foolishness and pursue what is wise in the eyes of the Lord.”

“Colossians 3

• In 1-4, we are told to set our minds on or identify with Christ.

• Then Paul says go to war with your sin in 5-11

• In 12-15, Paul says killing sin isn’t the end; pursue righteousness”

“Both texts go on to describe what characterizes a Christian household. But before they do that, they put the psalms in the center of the activity.”

“Teaching, admonishing, singing, and addressing one another with the Psalms. The Psalms are so much more than an inspiring verse of the day that makes us feel better without demanding much from us. They offer us the perspective, wisdom, and hope we need to live godly lives pleasing to the Lord. The psalms are the very voice of God comforting, edifying, instructing, and exhorting us to godliness.”

“Psalm 128 teaches a husband and wife the key to a healthy marriage is fearing the Lord. Psalm 46 comforts the anxious soul with God’s sufficiency and trustworthiness in times of trouble. Psalm 14 warns the young person against worldly ambition. When I was in secular workplace, Psalm 73 instructed me how to fight greed and view worldly success and all its sparkle: But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went to the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end—Psalm 73:16-17.”

“The Psalms encapsulate the whole of Scripture, God Himself bringing us into a deeper understanding of what He is like and what He desires from and for us.”

“Eph 5:18—Do not get drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit. Paul exhorts us to pursue the power of the Spirit daily and to live under no other influence but the Spirit in every aspect of life. In Col 3:16, Paul exhorts us—Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly. The word dwell means to be at home. In other words, we are to give the gospel and God’s word unrestricted access and freedom in our hearts. Like telling a guest our home is your home, truth should feel right at home in our hearts. In one sense, Eph 5 and Col 3 are two different exhortations. But ultimately, they are getting to the same matter, which Christopher Ash describes as “A rich and full indwelling of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, given by the Spirit through the word of Christ.”

“More than mere commands, these exhortations remind us that as God’s people, we are Spirit-filled people. And as Spirit-filled people, we exist in an intimate relationship with God. And he desires that we engage with Him.”

“So it’s no surprise that in Eph 5 and Col 3, Paul immediately exhorts us to the Psalms. Why? Like no other book in the Bible, the Psalms reveal God being engaged by His people, particularly through their prayers and praises. We learn how to engage with God in gratitude and hopefulness even in our most desperate moments in Psalm 13—How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? And yet it ends—I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

“From beginning to end, we learn how to engage with God from a genuine and grateful heart in good times and bad times, in tragedy and triumph, in loss and gain.”

“One reason we love the Psalms is that they portray human emotion in such a relatable way. But the Psalms do more than portray emotion; they show us how to express our feelings. The Psalms turn our prayers of desperation into life-giving praises, not by manipulation or threat but by presenting our reality according to God’s character and purposes.”

“The psalms also teach us how to engage with God through praise and worship. Over the years, I have learned so much from reading, studying, and meditating on Psalms like 145-150 about my liberty to worship God as He desires to be worshipped, from the heart with exuberant, faith-filled, joyful expression.”

“Simply put, the Psalms are God saying—Pray to me this way. Praise me this way! Engage with me this way!”

“Colossians 3:16 says—Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly—How?—teaching and admonishing one another—with what?—in part, with the psalms. Whether studying the Psalms, teaching the Psalms, or singing the Psalms, the Psalms enrich our understanding of a Christ-centered life.”

“We will take a closer look at this next week, but briefly:

- The Psalms reveal our need for Christ inherently.

• Who can truly be the Psalm 1 person? 

• Who treasures and keeps all God’s commands as Psalm 119 says it should be treasured and obeyed?

• Psalm 49:7 says—Truly no man can ransom for another, or give to God the price of his life—no one but Jesus that is. 

In life, there are some things we should never do alone. Chief among them is approaching the Psalms. Never go to the Psalms without Jesus—The Perfect Man!

- The Psalms link us to Christ intimately.
David's physical and spiritual struggles are unique and, at the same time, ordinary. He had his place in time and calling in life. But sin, temptation, sorrow, and suffering are the same today as yesterday. Whether it’s the fight of a downcast soul for hope and faith in Psalm 42, the humility to bow one’s heart in repentance in Psalm 53, or courage in the valley of the shadow of death in Psalm 23, the Psalms draw our hearts to Jesus as our all in all.”

“Why another summer in the Psalms? They connect us to Christ, teach us how to engage with God, and promote godliness.”

QUOTES:
Hans-Joakim Kraus- “This reminds us that the Psalms are not the aimless expression of an emotion-filled faith and that in the Psalms we do not hear human voices raise to express noble thoughts but rather the voice of God Himself who speaks in His Spirit to human hearts, to exhort and comfort, to instruct and assist.”

John Calvin - “They will principally teach and train us to bear the cross…so that the afflictions which are the bitterest and most severe to our nature, become sweet to us, because they proceed from Him.”

Gary Millar - “The psalter as a whole provides us with the most detailed and sustained treatment of how God’s people can, should, and must call on Him.”

Christopher Ash - “When the charismatic movement swept across British and North American Christianity in the 1960s, one of the sad consequences was the loss of proper emotion in some conservative churches. In reaction against errors in parts of the charismatic movement, in which emotion became disordered emotionalism, those who defined themselves as conservative or classical evangelicals sometimes retreated into a spiritual life with very little emotion. This was a strange historical anomaly for those whose forefathers had been nicknamed "enthusiasts," and it meant that a young Christian in a conservative church might look across the street at the emotion of a charismatic church and wonder, by contrast, if his or her own church had room for emotion at all. The Psalms show us how to develop strong and godly affections—and indeed, fierce and healthy aversions as well. They train us to avoid both the unpredictable reefs of error and the deserts of a dusty orthodoxy. For the Psalms perfectly combine thought and feeling, theology and prayer, longings and realism, the subjective and the objective.”

Deitrich Bonhoeffer - “Whenever the psalter is abandoned, an incomparable treasure is lost to the Christian church. With its recovery will come unexpected power.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 5:19
Colossians 3:16

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
He Is Our God
Jesus Paid It All
Christ Is Mine Forevermore
When We See Your Face

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Luke 24:44 - Finding Christ in the Psalms

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

Our hope of being like Christ tomorrow compels us to live like Him today! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sanctification: Being Conformed to Christ
TEXT: 1 John 3:2
TITLE:   No Higher Destiny
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Our hope of being like Christ tomorrow compels us to live like Him today!

POINTS:
I. Our Reality Today
II. Our Promise for Tomorrow

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

ILLUSTRATION: Sabbatical as fuel to work hard

“The principle is central to our daily sanctification. John is writing this letter to give assurance—5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

“In this section, he builds their assurance around their current sanctification and God’s future promise of their glorification. If I had to sum the message up in one sentence, it would be this: Our hope of being like Christ tomorrow compels us to live like Him today!”

“What sustains and compels us to abide in Christ with faith, joy, and obedience as our cooperation with the Spirit’s sanctifying work? Far more powerful than a temporary sabbatical, the answer is—Our hope of eternally being like Christ.”

“Our text begins with an identity statement—We belong to God. By faith in Jesus, we are the adopted children of God. We didn’t earn it. We didn’t achieve it. God was under no obligation to make us His. He would have been perfectly just to leave us in our sins and under His eternal judgment. Instead, He mercifully gave us the privilege of spiritual adoption, sonship, and heavenly inheritance. His activity toward us is summed up with one word in 1—See what kind of LOVE the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

“God’s amazing love is the basis of our sanctification. Through the gospel, we are living expressions of the OT promise to Abraham progressively revealed through the patriarchs, kings, and prophets of Israel and ultimately focused and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Loved by God as His very own children, we are called to live as members of the holy and heavenly family of God. We live as God calls us because we belong to God as His beloved children.”

“We’ve had some great application in this series. Tim’s questions last week were beneficial. But when we humbly apply from the heart what we’ve been taught, we aren’t just applying principles; we are reflecting our true nature in Christ.”

“Before we had hope in Christ, we only loved sin. But a fruit and effect of our union with Christ is that we are learning to hate our sin and love righteousness because it’s in our new nature. As it says in 2:29—there’s only one explanation for those who love and pursue righteous living—they must be born (nature) of God. So, we say progressive sanctification is simply becoming who we already are.”

“I want to care for those who have sat through this sanctification series yet you are discouraged by your current progression in holiness. There are sins you doubt you will ever overcome. Instead of conviction, condemnation fills your heart. TAKE HEART! If your hope is in Jesus, you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit is at work in you, and you are becoming more like Jesus.”

“If that’s you, pray, thanking God for forgiving you when you fall into sin. Ask God to restore your delight in His ways and your hope in the Spirit’s preserving power so that it fuels your perseverance.”

“As beloved children of God, the Holy Spirit is progressively making us more like Jesus Christ through our daily trials, suffering, and obedience. But like a good infomercial, John says—Wait, there’s more!”

“John says there are things we don’t know about Christ’s appearing. But this we know: At his return, something amazing beyond amazing will happen—We will see Jesus and become like him. It’s the remarkable promise of glorification for all who have been justified (Rom 8:30).”

“We already belong to God. We are already being made in the likeness of Jesus. That’s our reality NOW, and it’s an inexplicably wonderful reality. But the future—the NOT YET—holds something infinitely better for us. We will see Jesus, and in the twinkling of an eye, we will become like him. In the words of Anthony Hoekema—perfect and total likeness to Christ, and therefore to God.”

ILLUSTRATION: Xander excited to show me artwork

“What gets you excited in life? If not this, then the gospel is not functioning as it should in your life. Jesus became like us so we could become like him. Nothing can compare to what awaits every Christian when Jesus finally appears in glory. We will see him, and in seeing him, we will become like him in every way.”

“Think about the promises and implications of those passages: 

• No more sin (desire/ability)

• Sickness and suffering, weakness and weariness, disease, and death—gone (imperishable)

• Our knowledge of God, which will be continual but never complete—free from error  

• Our worship of God—unhindered with undiminished joy”

“On the day Jesus returns and our faith becomes sight—we will become like Him. We will never become him. Our personal identity will remain forever. Jesus will always be the God-man; we will always simply be man. Jesus will always be the Saving One; we will always be the saved ones. Jesus will always be the worshipped one; we will always be the worshipping ones. Jesus will always be the Lamb who was slain; we will always be the ones for whom the Lamb was slain. But, we will share in his glory, reflect his glory, and proclaim his glory perfectly in every way.”

“I tried to think how I could explain or illustrate the link between seeing Jesus and immediately becoming like him. But I can’t, except to say such is the power of seeing our glorified Savior in his true majesty. We will see Jesus, and the effect of seeing the One who is, according to Hebrews 1:3, the radiance of God’s glory and exact imprint of His nature will be an immediate and complete transformation into who we were created to be.”

“This is our ultimate and eternal destiny, and there is no higher destiny in the universe. What did you want to be when you grow up? Who do you want to be like? I went through phases. First, it was Fonzie then John Elway, and now I just want to be like Tim. God has so much better for His people!”

“God has made us His, justifying us by faith in Jesus. Now, His Spirit is sanctifying us, transforming us into the image of Jesus. His target is the heart, His instrument is His Word, and His means is the church. All this with one great goal—Our glorification to the eternal praise of His glory.”

QUOTES:
Wayne Grudem- “Glorification is the final step in the application of redemption. It will happen when Christ returns and raises from the dead the bodies of all believers for all time who have died, reunites them with their souls, and changes the bodies of all believers who remain alive, thereby giving all believers at the same time perfect resurrection bodies like his own.”

John Piper - Jesus’ presence is what makes heaven, heaven

Anthony Hoekema - “When our sanctification will have been completed, we shall be wholly like Christ in his glorification. Then we shall not only see him face to face, but shall totally and undividedly live to the praise of the glory of his grace without end.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 15:49-52
Colossians 3:4
Philippians 3:20-21
Revelation 21:4

APPLICATION:
Christian, there is no higher destiny and no greater promise! How often do you think about it? If you’re like me, the answer is not nearly enough. There is so much to think about and do every day. Life is full of temporary and ultimately insignificant distractions. Here’s our application:

Distract yourself daily with the promise of heaven

• Spend time in the texts we visited today

• Don’t be afraid to imagine heaven with your sanctified imagination

• Read Randy Alcorn’s In Light of Eternity

• Take care lest there be an unbelieving heart in you by filling it with the promise of heaven

• Encourage others with heaven

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
All Creatures Of Our God And King
How Great (Psalm 145)
O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
Help Us See Christ
When We See Your Face
God Is For Us

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Ephesians 5:18-21 - Why Another Summer in the Psalms Matters

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

With the weightiness of Israel’s example, knowing Jesus is greater than Moses and the towering warning in V. 7 drawn from Psalm 95, the author of this passage in Hebrews is going to WARN,  ENCOURAGE AND CHALLENGE the people reading this letter and you and I with two action items that will serve as our two points. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sanctification: Being Conformed to Christ
TEXT: Hebrews 3:12-13
TITLE:  Sanctification Practices
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: The gospel gives power for believers to intentionally pursue and practice sanctification.

POINTS:
I.  THE PERSONAL CALL TO CARE
II. THE CORPORATE CALL TO EXHORT

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

“…with serious Biblical history behind the author’s letter and with a small band of believers struggling to persevere in the faith, the author gives some God breathed out words to the struggling believers and to us today.”

“Once again, God’s Word targets the heart. TAKE CARE. The action here is to take care.  To persevere you will need to take care.  Take care is defined as … you guessed it, guarding your heart.  Once again, we see God’s wisdom through another Biblical author targeting the heart of the believer.”

“LEST THERE BE IN ANY OF YOU AN EVIL, UNBELIEVING HEART. We are to personally care for and guard our hearts.  Guard from what?  From unbelief or as the author says – guard yourself from an evil, unbelieving heart. God calls us to personally guard our hearts from the worst of all situations.  An evil, unbelieving heart. God does not waste words in the Bible.  He uses two words here that are synonymous.  Evil, unbelieving heart.”

“Take a close look at Israel’s example then compare to your personal experience and if you’re honest, unbelief – or actively believing untruths about God can quickly creep in.  We are to TAKE CARE that this doesn’t happen. Taking care means to seriously guard your heart on what you take in and what you begin to believe.”

“For every believer, the enemy is sin. It’s not the American moral decline over the past two generations.  Is it the garbage that’s on the TV these days?  Is it the public school system polluting our children?  No, the greatest threat to you in persevering in God’s truths, guarding your heart is what Chris Lundgaard in our book of the quarter says “the enemy within.” Your greatest enemy to your faith is not out there, it’s your own heart.”

“Theologians call it REMAINING SIN.  We’ve heard that in the gospel the PENALTY OF SIN has been removed.  We’ve heard that Christ’s work on the cross has removed the POWER OF SIN to rule our lives but we’ve also learned that progressive sanctification is working in our lives until we have the PRESENCE OF SIN removed at glorification.”

“PC ILLUSTRATION w Mike Bullmore.  Church, the call to personally care, to personally guard what you believe about God is absolutely the wisdom of God to fight our chief enemy.  EVERY SQUARE INCH OF YOUR GROWTH IN SANCTIFICATION WILL BE HARD FOUGHT.”

“REMAINING SIN is our biggest enemy.  This letter is written to Christians.  The original audience is believers struggling to trust God at His word.  To persevere in the midst of trouble and persecution. The author doesn’t draw their attention to external realities but to calls them to personally care and guard their hearts.  REMAINING SIN is the enemy within.”

“LEADING YOU TO FALL AWAY FROM THE LIVING GOD. So we are to take care, why? Here’s the warning.  Look at the 2nd part of V. 12.  An evil, unbelieving hearthas consequences.  You must personally take care, guard your heart because there are serious consequences. What’s the worst case scenario?  An unbelieving heart leads you to fall way from the living God.”

“The gospel saves and sanctifies.  The Cross is sufficient to preserve us.  As we learned last week, God’s word is sufficient.  By God’s grace, He breaks the penalty and power of sin.  He gives us His word.  He gives us His Spirit to take up residence.  He also gives us one another.  This is the other tool the author points their attention to. Our practice begins personally, but then moves to a Biblical call to help you guard your heart.”

“V. 13 We are to exhort one another every day.  There are approximately 100 uses of “one another” in your Bible.  59 of them are in the context of living together as God’s children.  The practice of guarding vs. indwelling sin involves relationships, personal relationships.”

“EXHORT means to warn, encourage and correct.  The context here is the local Church.  You can’t EXHORT another person and fulfill this part of your sanctification by attending a conference once a year.  You can’t benefit from God’s grace through people in your local Church if you watch the Sunday sermon at your home.   In our Church, we prioritize Sundays and give ourselves to smaller, Comm Groups to build relationships and position ourselves to EXHORT ONE ANOTHER.”

“Specifically in our text the call is to EXHORT one another, every day.  This magnificent, Christ-centered letter is written to a Church, a group of believers at risk of drifting away.  Just like you and I at times are at risk, so is the recipients of this letter.  After calling them to TAKE CARE, now the author warns them to exhort one another every day.”

“This aspect of your sanctification takes some work.  The call here is to personal relationships, trusting relationships.  It’s a call to build relationally, invest in relationships.”

“You must know people and they need to know you if you expect any sanctifying fruit in EXHORTING one another. EXHORT one another EVERY DAY.  That is why God has ordained the local Church to be that place for proximity to others – proximity for doing the ‘one another’s.’”

“To EXHORT means to warn, encourage and correct.   Our relationships in the Church should be filled with consistent and regular encouragement to each other.  I hope we are a Church that is growing in both looking for and communicating to people encouraging evidences of God’s work in a person’s life.  Looking for it AND encouraging people.  That’s one aspect of EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER.”

“EXHORT also means to warn or correct.  That’s not just the job of your Pastor’s or your CG leaders.  When was the last time you called a brother or sister in the Church and asked “hey just wondering what’s going on cuz I haven’t seen you in CG for a while?” Do you love your brother or sister enough to inquire about something you’ve heard or seen that may be sinful or a distraction in their relationship with Jesus?”

“When you hear us use the phrase “living out life together” think WE’RE CALLED TO EXHORT ONE ANOTHER.  Hopefully that’s in a relationship where you’re bound together in mission, you know each other at some level. You won’t find this in an online Bible study. The para Church ministry falls short when compared to a local Church that gathers each Sunday in person, Comm Groups, outreach events, like pop up pizza stands or going out on a Sat morning to talk to our neighbors about an invitation Sunday or when you consider the times you’re together for birthdays, baby showers, Forge/Woven events, etc.”

“AS LONG AS IT IS CALLED TODAY. Israel had their now but not yet. Every Christian alive today lives in the now but not yet. As long as it is Today, we are called to exhort one another. But notice what the end of V. 13 says. READ IT. So that none will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. God’s wisdom.  God’s why.  We are to exhort one another – daily – not because this is nice religious activity.  No, this is the wisdom of God to guard us from the deceptive, hardening effects of sin.”

“Sin is subtle and deceitful.  That’s why we can drift so easily. That’s why our hearts can slowly but definitely get hard toward the things of God.  For example, your appetite for God’s Word isn’t the same as it was year ago. Your love to gather with your Church has slowly and gradually diminished.  Your conscious slowly gets insensitive to sin.  Confession is without sorrow.  Gradually, you are no longer amazed by grace.  You see, sanctification is actual growth in God-likeness.  You become more and more like Jesus.  You’ve been DECLARED righteous by God, but now, by His grace, the work of the Spirit and His Word, you actually become more holy, more Christ-like.”

“This is all done and lived out with loving brothers and sisters who are on mission together with you- your local Church.  Why do we need others?  We don’t see all we need to see.  We don’t detect when our hearts get hard.  We don’t notice that we are resistant to repentance. In most cases we are blinded to our blindedness!! That’s why we need each other.”

CREAM CHEESE IN THE MUSTACHE ILLUSTRATION

“I will believe my own lies.  I will have a flattering assessment of myself. Assume some things.  Assume you have cream cheese on your mustache.  Assume others see it.  Assume they are reluctant to say something.”

QUOTES:
Paul Tripp- “Personal insight is the product of community.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 10:6
Hebrews 3:7
James 4:1
Galatians 5:16–17
Ephesians 4:29
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

APPLICATION:
Q. How do you take care of your heart?  How do you regularly stir up affections for Jesus?

Q. What is your commitment to Sunday’s gathering?  How much do you guard your Community Group schedule?  The local Church is God’s tool to put us in proximity with one another.

Q. Have you ever intentionally reached out to a CG member, friend or spouse and given them permission to tell you that you have cream cheese on your mustache?

Take some time this week and re-examine how you guard Sunday gatherings and Community Group times in your calendar.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Reformation Song
Our Song From Age To Age
A Christian's Daily Prayer
Show Us Christ
As You Go

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
The Goal: 1 John 3:2

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

The Holy Spirit, God's manifest presence in the world, takes people who have been transformed in Christ and progressively transforms them to Christ through the Word of God. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sanctification: Being Conformed to Christ
TEXT: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
TITLE:  Transforming Words for Transformed People
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God's Word is God's words for our sanctification

POINTS:
I.  God's Sanctifying Word
II. The Word's Sanctifying Work

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

”(16) All Scripture is breathed out by God. This is an astounding claim—God speaks to us. Think about that—the God who…speaks to us.”

“God has been speaking since the beginning of time:
- Creation
- Adam
- To and through Moses (Ten Commandments)
- Through the OT prophets—Thus saith the Lord
- Through Jesus, the living Word of God.”

“Now, to the degree God has chosen to reveal Himself to us, the Bible is the fullness of God's self-revelation, telling us what He is like, what He has done, what He desires, and what He has promised.”

“What does breathed out by God mean? It means God breathed out (expire) His words into (inspire) the minds and hearts of chosen writers to reveal precisely what He wanted to reveal about Himself and His purposes, not as robots, but through their personalities, abilities, and experiences. Theologically speaking, this is inspiration, the work of the Holy Spirit that ensures the writers wrote precisely what God intended.”

“What does all mean? Paul and Timothy did not have the whole canon of Scripture—Paul's reference to the sacred writings in 15 references the OT. But the NT itself, and its writers, affirm that all Scripture means the Old and New Testament.  In 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter calls the writings of Paul Scripture. In 1 Timothy 5:18, Paul quotes the words of Jesus as Scripture. Paul even speaks of his own words as the commands of God in 1 Corinthians 14:37. All means the whole Bible, the 39 books of the OT and the 27 books of the NT as originally written, every word and part is entirely and equally breathed out by God.”

“God's Word is God's Word. This is the basis for what Paul says next.”

“In 14-15, Paul reminded Timothy how the Scriptures made him wise for salvation. His point is that the Scripture reveals our need for a Savior and who that Savior is. In this way, the Bible is a powerful means by which God brings people to salvation. But Paul also points us to the Word for sanctification. In 10-12, he talks about living and continuing to live a godly life in Christ. How? (14) by continuing in the Word of God. That's the language of sanctification. If we are called to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, how do we know, where do we go to learn what that looks like?”

“God knows exactly what we need, even more than we do. It’s right here (Bible). His promises fuel our perseverance in godliness. His commands put us back on the right path. The examples of His people that went before us affirm our faith and strengthen our hope. The Bible is God's primary tool for transformation in our lives. Jesus himself affirmed this when he prayed for his disciples after he was gone: Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth—John 17:17”

“The Word of God is profitable. Or, given the fact that the Scriptures are God-breathed and make us complete, we could say even stronger—they are sufficient. What is God's Word sufficient for? Paul mentions four things that fit in two categories.”

“The context Paul was speaking into was Timothy's battle with false teachers. So Paul tells Timothy—(16) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof. The Bible is the only true source for teaching sound doctrine. Whatever doctrinal books you enjoy learning from, they must be rooted in the Bible. Why? Because the Bible alone is breathed out by God. Not the church fathers’ writings. Not the systematic theologies. Not the creeds and catechisms. Those books deepen and broaden our understanding of God's Word, but God's Word alone is sufficient to teach us sound doctrine.”

“That makes the Bible our best ammunition for—notice what Paul says next—reproofing or rebuking the false teachers and preserving sound doctrine. This is why just a few verses later in Ch. 4, Paul tells Timothy to fight the false teachers and protect the church by doing one thing—Preach the Word!”

“Doctrine is critical if God is progressively sanctifying our hearts. Wrong doctrine leads to wrong living. So Paul's progression is intentional.”

“The word correct means to straighten out. It implies the same idea of reproof only in regard to behavior. God's Word straightens out our behavior. It puts us back on the right track, which is righteousness. In this way, as Paul says, it trains us in righteousness by correcting us and showing us the right path. The truth is we don't drift to straight, i.e., God's ways. But God is merciful, and in His deep love for us, He uses His Word to turn us right-side up when our sins turn us upside down. This is precisely what Scripture teaches: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and Spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart—Hebrews 4:12”

“The author of Hebrews reminds us that we can't escape the Word. Acting as God Himself, it exposes us. It reveals our hearts. It has its way with us, exposing and correcting our hearts. Scripture sanctifies by guarding our hearts: How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your Word….I have stored up your Word in my heart Psalm 119:9, 11”

ILLUSTRATION: Psalm 1 man like a healthy tree planted by streams of water

“It pleases and glorifies God to work through the means of His Word as we give ourselves humbly to preaching and personal time in the Bible, praying and trusting the Holy Spirit to illuminate our minds so we can understand, treasure, and obey His Word and become more like Jesus, the true Psalm 1 man.”

“This is the effect in 17. In a phrase—Spiritual Maturity. In a word—Sanctification. Capable for all that our Savior has for us and calls us to, foremost, living a life of godliness.”

“Are you confident in the power and sufficiency of God's Word for your Holy Spirit-empowered sanctification? You should be. We all should be because God's Word is God's words for our sanctification.”

QUOTES:
SGC Statement of Faith - “As we devote ourselves to God's Word, we commune with God himself and are fortified in faith, sanctified from sin, strengthened in weakness, and sustained in suffering by his unchanging revelation in Scripture.”

Sovereign Grace Catechism, Question 61 - “How do we grow to be more like Christ? A) Compelled by grace and dependent upon the Spirit, we joyfully devote our lives to God and his purposes, striving for holiness in every area of life. The primary instruments for our sanctification are the Word of God, prayer, and fellowship, which train us to glorify God, love others, and testify to Christ in the world.”

Charles Spurgeon - “This volume is the writing of the living God; each letter penned with an almighty finger, each word in it dropped from the everlasting lips, each sentence was dictated by the Holy Spirit…Everywhere I find God speaking; it is God's voice, not man's; the words are God's words, the words of the Eternal, the Invisible, the Almighty, the Jehovah of the earth…The Bible is a letter from Him, and we prize it beyond the finest gold.”

SGC Statement of Faith - “All of Scripture is breathed out by God, being accurately delivered through various human authors by the inspiration and agency of the Holy Spirit. We therefore receive the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament as the perfect, infallible, and authoritative Word of God.”

Charles Spurgeon - “The prayerful study of the Word is not only a means of instruction, but an act of devotion wherein the transforming power of grace is often exercised, transforming us into the image of him whom the Word is a mirror.”

John Stott - “Let the Word of God make you a man of God! remain loyal to it and it will lead you on into Christian maturity.”

Kevin DeYoung - “Sanctification will be marked by penitence more than perfection.”

APPLICATION:
1. Study and memorize passages that deal specifically with your besetting sins.

• Anxiety

• Greed

• Lust

• Gluttony

• Bitterness

• Impatience

Learn to ask yourself—What does the Bible say about that? 

2. Live in the indicative as you pursue the imperative

• Paul's pattern

3. Prioritize putting on righteousness—This not that

1. Colossians 3:5-17

2. Ephesians 4:25-32

3. Romans 12-14

4. Park in Proverbs
John Calvin said—Scripture contains a perfect rule of a good and happy life. You want a good and happy life? Park in Proverbs! It's a treasure for sanctification because it corrects and trains us in godliness for so many areas of life in a joyful and hopeful way. 

5. Read the Bible with a contrite spirit (Isaiah 66:2)
Repentance is a primary mark of the Spirit's work of sanctification because it's the pathway to genuine growth.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Bless The Lord O My Soul (Psalm 103)
His Mercy Is More
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)
Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
Your Words Are Wonderful (Psalm 119)

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
The Church: Hebrews 3:12-13

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

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

By Lundgaard, Kris A.

Buy on Amazon

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

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

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.

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