Prayer, Media, New Year Essentials 2019, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

This morning we continue our new year essentials sermon series. This four-week series addresses important themes we must repeatedly return to for the glory of God, the good of others, and our ongoing transformation. Today we will consider how to reboot our prayer life at the start of a new year. We know prayer is important, but there is a lot that wars against us to keep us from praying. So, how do we move forward? That’s what today is all about.

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Even though preaching the Gospel landed Paul in prison on numerous occasions, as we’ll see today in his closing remarks in Philippians 4:10-23, he is content for “to live is Christ and to die is gain”. His final remarks are fitting given that the intent of his letter was to both thank the Philippians for their generous support and to further encourage them to allow the supreme worth of Jesus to frame their every day lives. As he signs off he teaches us some important lessons, in light of the supremacy of Jesus in all things, about our contentment, our cash and our view of the local church.

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

In Philippians 4:2-9 we are nearing the end of Paul's letter to the church. He continues his encouragement to “press on toward the goal” with some final pastoral words addressing the everyday needs of the church. Paul urges the church toward their identity as the redeemed people of Christ, one body and one family, through pressing in on our relationships with one another to achieve unity. He reminds us to press on in joy, making Jesus the center of our existence. Finally, he encourages us to press on reasonably, not letting anxieties steal our peace, but through prayer and thanksgiving approach God with our requests, and turn our focus to the good and true excellencies of our Lord.

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Last week we looked at Philippians 3:12-4:1. We will be revisiting the same passage today, though from a different angle. In this passage Paul is encouraging us to press on, strain forward and persevere as we follow Jesus. Last week we looked at “why” we should do that (i.e. our motivation). Today we will look at the “how”. Practically, what does it look like to “press on” to make Jesus our own?

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Today in our study of Philippians we have reached chapter 3:12 – 4:1, in which Paul is exhorting us, amidst the many varied difficulties and discouragements of life, to keep trusting, straining, and pressing on to know Jesus and, one day, be with him. The summary statement of this passage is in verse 12, “I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me His own.” Paul describes our condition outside of Christ as those who through indifference to Christ and dedication to our own appetites and desires have become enemies of the cross, headed toward destruction with eyes fixed on earthly things. But, in Christ we are described as citizens of heaven, our hope found in our savior who will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body, and because of this hope can stand firm in the Lord.

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

In Philippians 3:1-11 we get to the heart of Paul's letter to the the church at Philippi. Here Paul explains that one of the primary ways we display the all-sufficiency of Jesus is by trading in our bankrupt self-righteousness for His perfect righteousness. We are all asking at some level the questions of what our purpose and place is in life, and as humans the default mode of our hearts is to find worth in our works. Paul warns against adding our own merits to those of Christ however. In order to gain Christ we must put no confidence in our own efforts, but rather count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus and being found in His righteousness.

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Paul explains the supreme worth and incomparable beauty of Jesus and asserts that “To live is Christ, and to die is gain”. Therefore, he writes in order to call the Philippians – and us – to live in such a way that we put Jesus’ worth on display in our daily lives. Today, in Philippians 2:19-30, we reach a summary section that points to the lives of two men who exemplify this life: Timothy and Epaphroditus. This section gets us asking some important questions: What is my life really about? What, and for whom, am I living for? Am I available to Jesus and others? Am I faithfully stewarding my God-given gifts and resources? Do I have a real concern for others?

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

In Philippians 2:14-18 Paul continues the call to live in a way that displays the supreme worth of Jesus through the simple command to, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing”. In this way the children of God shine as lights in the world. Throughout the bible we see the history of God's people and the affect of a grumbling, dissatisfied, critical heart. In grumbling about life, our hearts are ultimately saying they are critical of God and His sovereignty. In Jesus, however God's people have the assurance that He is working all things together for our good, and because of this are called to a discerning, defiant, hope-filled optimism that shines the reality of Christ as a light in the world.

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Today, in Philippians 2:12-13, we see a topic that is of great importance, relevance, and gravity. The matter that Paul discusses here is something that we come up against every day: What is our role in following Jesus and what is God’s role? To what extent is our growth, maturity, and battling sin our responsibility and to what extent is it God’s responsibility? If we exert effort as we follow Jesus are we being self-righteous legalists or is that simply an appropriate expression of faith?

Media, Philippians, Sermons | by Pastor David Parker

This week, in Philippians 2:1-11, Paul continues the theme of love and unity, but directs our attention to Christ, as the perfect example of humility and sacrificial love. Because of Christ’s example, we can not only have confidence in his work on our behalf, but we can also take comfort in knowing the whole reason that we celebrate Christ at Christmas is because He was, is, and will always be the perfect God man. It’s easy to find joy in the superficial, but our true Joy will only be found when we recognize the humility and service of our great God and King.