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Weekend Recap – Union With Christ

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As I was reflecting on Sunday AM’s events, I am still a bit awestruck by the implications of what it means to be united to Christ. The sermon, Union, from Colossians 2:20-23 is now online. The sermon really talked about the effects that being in union with Christ has upon the believer. Specifically, our connection with the world is severed and we are given real, effectual help in fighting sin. The challenge is that many of us think that we can defeat sin in our own ability. We need to remember that it is all Christ. As we received Christ Jesus, the Lord, we are to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith, just as we were taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7). Let’s look to our union with Christ and find it to be sufficient for our fight with sin.

Weekend Recap – Growth & Mission

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This weekend, we had a great Lord’s Day. In the morning, we met together, celebrated the Lord’s Supper, looked at Growth from Colossians 2:18-19. This sermon really pointed conclusively to how central Jesus must be in the life of the church. We major on too many minor things. As we are severed from our Head, we lose vitality. Holding tight to Christ is key.

And it was very fitting that in God’s providence we got in small groups in the evening to discuss mission. Great stuff. Hope you enjoyed your Lord’s Day.

Weekend Preview (5/23) – Growth & Mission

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This video will be referred to in the opening of my sermon. In the AM, we will be looking at Colossians 2:18-19. The verses end with “growing with a growth that is from God.” There’s lots of huff and puff about church growth that isn’t rooted in the Bible. It seems that Paul is under the impression that growth from God is related very closely to holding tight to Christ as the Head. We will conclude our time Sunday morning with the Lord’s Supper.

In the PM, we will meet in Small Groups, continuing our study of the Gospel Centered Life curriculum. This week we are on Session 7 – Mission.

Weekend Recap – Substance & Sacrifice

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The sermons from this past Lord’s Day are up and online…

In the AM, we looked at Colossians 2:16-17 and how Christ is more substantial for our justification than health or religion. The sermon was called Substance. The big question I gave at the end of the sermon was: “Why be content with the shadows when you have substance available?”

In the PM, we gathered to look at Sacrifice, Jesus in the OT story of the institution of Passover in Exodus 12:1-13. What stuck out to me was how Jesus was the perfect protection and provision for sinners.

Weekend Preview – Substance & Sacrifice

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This Lord’s Day, Lord-willing, we will be looking into Colossians again (specifically Colossians 2:16-17) and how Jesus is the substance over against all kinds of expressions of justification. Plan to come Sunday AM ready to boast in the Gospel.

On Sunday PM, we continue our walk through the OT, looking for sightings of Jesus and are in Exodus 12, and how the Passover implementation points to Christ. If possible, read through this chapter and prepare your heart to worship Jesus.

Weekend Recap – Alive

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Today’s sermon, Alive, from Colossians 2:13-15 is now online. It was amazing, in this message to unfold what God has done to make us alive in Christ. My two applications from Charles Simeon were:
What a wonderful sight is the cross of Christ!
What folly it is to suffer ourselves to be diverted from it!

To put it simply, God has snatched us from death, cancelled our debts and vanquished our enemies in Christ. Is there really anything else?

Weekend Preview – 5/9/10

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As we prepare for the Lord’s Day this weekend, we will be looking at Colossians 2:13-15 in the AM service (PM Services will be cancelled for Mother’s Day). The focus will be on how God has made us spiritually alive in Christ. Here’s an excellent quote from Peter O’Brien, NT Scholar extraordinaire, on the truth of this passage:

Christ is the One whom [the Colossians] received as Lord. Let them continue to live in Him, for He is the One in whom the entire fullness of the Godhead dwells, the One in whom they had been made full, the person in whom they have been incorporated in death, burial, resurrection. It is in Him they have been raised and given new life. What really matters, then, is Christ and Christ alone.

Well said. Plan coming to focus on all that really matters, then, this Lord’s Day.

Weekend Wrap Up: Jesus, Our Everything

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Enjoyed a great Lord’s Day boasting in Jesus…

In the morning, new classes started in our Adult Sunday School. My morning message from Colossians 2:11-12 pointed to how we are likened to Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. The sermon, Gospel Likeness, is now online.

The PM service went well, too. We looked at how the OT story of the Exodus (God’s deliverance of His people out of Israelite bondage) pointed to Jesus. That sermon, Jesus, Our Deliverer, is also online. One highlight from the evening was singing “All I Have Is Christ” with the people of Crestview. It was a great cap on the day. Here’s a video in which you can hear it for free:

All I Have Is Christ from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Thanks to Justin Taylor for giving links to the music as chord chart or 4 part harmony.

Weekend Preview – SS, Circumcision, Rescue & Simplicity

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This Sunday, May 2, we have a lot happening.

First off, we have new adult SS classes starting. Conor Eastman will be teaching Piper’s video curriculum Let The Nations Be Glad and Ron Rhoades will be walking through the Parables of Jesus.

During the AM service, I will be preaching a sermon entitled Gospel Likeness from Colossians 2:11-12. A recent journal article (for those scholarly among my readership) was on this passage. It’s entitled “Does Baptism Replace Circumcision? An Examination of the Relationship Between Circumcision and Baptism in Colossians 2:11-12.” The thrust of this message will be how we display a Gospel Likeness to Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection.

In the PM service, we continue to walk through the Old Testament looking for sightings of the Savior. And we will be looking at how God rescuing His people out of Egypt in Exodus 3 pointed to a Savior who would come and rescue us from sin.

Finally, my Men’s Theology class will discuss “What’s God Like?” Part of the homework included reading Kevin DeYoung’s post The Simplicity of God and answering the question, “How does this affect the way you think about God?”

It looks to be a full day, then. Prepare your heart in prayer, asking God to be our strong tower that the righteous run to and are safe (Proverbs 18:10).