My 3/1/15AM sermon, Introduction to the I Am’s from John 20:30-31 is now online. This sermon introduced a sermon series our church is pursuing through the Easter season on the 7 I Am’s of Jesus in John’s Gospel. Here’s a helpful chart overviewing where we’re headed:
My hope through this sermon was to help people connect to John’s purpose: that we may see Christ and believing in Him, we may have life in His name. Hope you have a great Sunday.
Here’s a video by Elizabeth Wood for our 2013 Ladies Christmas Tea. This, in particular, is a worshipful trip into Christ’s glory…
2013 Christmas Tea from Phil Auxier on Vimeo.
On the cusp of the customary All Saints Day
The Christ-i-an kinsfolk made mocking display.
These children of light both to tease and deride;
Don darkness, doll down as the sinister side.
In pre-post-er-ous pageants and dress diabolic,
They hand to the damned just one final frolick.
You see with the light of the dawn on the morrow,
The sunrise will swallow such darkness and sorrow.
(HT: Tony Reinke)
My 12/9/12AM sermon, Sharing Flesh and Blood, from Hebrews 2:14-18 is now online. This sermon is the second of four during my Christmas In Hebrews series, highlighting truth about Jesus becoming man from the book of Hebrews. The sermon, specifically, highlighted the benefits that believers receive because Jesus was born in the flesh: we receive the destruction of death, deliverance from death’s fear, and Jesus’ work as High Priest.
It was encouraging for me to think about how Jesus had to be born to make these realities, well, ahem, reality. If Christ doesn’t come and live these out, then I am left to fight death myself or I am left to be high priest (or at least rest in someone who does the job better). But, Jesus came and finalized the work of a High Priest. He put death to death. In Christ, then, especially during His incarnation, we have great hope for living and benefit in amazing ways.
I hope you’re being encouraged in these truths this holiday season.
My 10/7/12AM sermon, Eternal Jesus, Eternally Saving from Hebrews 13:7-12 is online. The big point of the sermon was how we need to keep committed to the truth of the Gospel. The Gospel of grace is a message that doesn’t change. We must continually hold before us what God has done for us in Christ and it is through that truth that our hearts are strengthened. We have a singular access to God in Christ. And, Jesus’ work to save has changed us. These truths were what we reveled in yesterday.
In the evening, we gathered for a church picnic. Always a fun time of fellowship.
Hope you had a great Lord’s Day.
My 7/8/12AM sermon from Hebrews 12:3-4 was entitled Consider Jesus. In this sermon, we were built and further equipped in running our race of endurance by considering Jesus and His suffering. One part of this was encouragement: so that we don’t grow weary or fainthearted. And, the other part involved focusing us in our present circumstances, helping us keep our circumstances in perspective. Today, if you’re weary, fainthearted or just stumbling in running the race of endurance, consider Jesus and find hope for your perseverance.
In late May, I began 202 days of journaling through the 404 verses of the final book of the Bible, Revelation. To go along with my personal study and preparation to preach through this book in 2013, I’m trying to tweet something from every verse. Today I finished chapter 1. Here’s a compilation of my tweets followed by the reference.
The final book of the Bible is a singular revelation of a specific person: Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1)
John was qualified to capture this b/c he saw it (Revelation 1:2)
If you apply yourself to study the final book of the Bible you’re promised a blessing (Revelation 1:3)
God: the timeless One (Revelation 1:4)
Jesus is a Sovereign Savior (Revelation 1:5)
Because of what Jesus has done for His people, He’s worthy of all worship forever. (Revelation 1:6)
Jesus is surely returning and everyone will know! (Revelation 1:7)
The Lord God Almighty is everything. (Revelation 1:8)
As Christians, we partner together in Jesus, which means tribulation, a kingdom & endurance. (Revelation 1:9)
Sundays are great days to devote ourselves to seeking the Spirit. (Revelation 1:10)
God’s revelation of His Son is meant to build up churches. (Revelation 1:11)
God means to clearly communicate through His Word. (Revelation 1:12)
Jesus, the Son of man, dwells among His people. (Revelation 1:13)
Jesus is wisdom personified. (Revelation 1:14)
The work and the word of the Son of God are powerful and effective. (Revelation 1:15)
Jesus is radiant in His people through His powerful word. (Revelation 1:16)
A revelation of Jesus will drive us to our knees in worship. (Revelation 1:17)
Jesus lived, died and lives forevermore with all authority over eternity. (Revelation 1:18)
God has always clearly articulated who He is for people in His Word. (Revelation 1:19)
God sometimes unveils mystery for the good of His people. (Revelation 1:20)
You can’t get away from Jesus at Easter. Yesterday, at Crestview, my sermon was entitled Jesus Christ Our Lord from Romans 1:3-4. In this sermon, I tried to give an overview of who Jesus is and how this relates to the special nature of Easter. Specifically, we saw that Jesus is God’s Son, fully man and declared powerful in His resurrection. Hope you had a great Easter Sunday.
It seems that with all the church’s preoccupation with keeping “Christ” in Christmas (which is a good thing) we can be dangerously close to missing Him ourselves. I could agree more than with what Jared Wilson recently wrote in a post entitled This Christmas, Don’t Let Jesus Distract You from Jesus. He writes:
There is a great danger this Christmas season of missing the point. And I’m not referring simply to idolatrous consumption and materialism. I’m talking about Christmas religiosity. It is very easy around this time to set up our Nativity scenes, host our Christmas pageants and cantatas, read the Christmas story with our families, attend church every time the door is open, and insist to ourselves and others that Jesus is the reason for the season, and yet not see Jesus. With the eyes of our heart, I mean.
I suppose there is something about indulging in the religious Christmas routine that lulls us into thinking we are dwelling in Christ when we are really just set to seasonal autopilot, going through the festive and sentimental motions. Meanwhile the real person Jesus the Christ goes neglected in favor of his plastic, paper, and video representations. Don’t get distracted from Jesus by “Jesus.” This year, plead with the Spirit to interrupt your nice Christmas with the power of Jesus’ gospel.
I wonder if we aren’t guilty of missing the True Light of this season ourselves? So how about it? Will you “plead with the Spirit to interrupt your nice Christmas with the power of Jesus’ gospel”? Do this and see if this doesn’t end up being a Christmas you’ll always remember.
My sermon, The Word, from John 1:1-2 is online. The sermon sought to show how Jesus, the Word became flesh, has always existed in personal relationship to the Father and is God. It was a message that should give good theological support structure to those amazing promises we love about how God will never leave us or forsake us. I hope it was encouraging.
In the evening, our church gathered to Hang the Greens. Always a good time of fellowship and service, we enjoyed time with other people in the church.