Phil Auxier's Blog
My 11/3/19 AM sermon, Passion for God’s Presence from 2 Samuel 6, is now online. We’re back in 2 Samuel for the weeks leading up to Advent. And, this sermon dug into David bringing the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. Many of the applications related to corporate worship. I hope this sermon encourages you.
I’ve been so well served over the past couple of weeks.
First off, Meghan and I were able to attend the Here We Still Stand Conference on October 15-20. This was held in beautiful San Diego, CA. We enjoyed the time together to rest, enjoy California burritos, take in the conference, and get some time away from our children. It was a blessing for us to also get to hang out with some old and new friends.
Kole Farney preached Matthew 7:13-14 on The Narrow Way the Sunday we were returning from the conference. It was an encouraging word to consider Jesus’ standard for His followers.
Yesterday, Luke preached on No Lasting City from Hebrews 13:14. Luke’s friendship, honesty, and living what he believes are some great benefits from God. This sermon gave some vulnerability and helped us chart a course forward in following Christ.
So, these are some blessings I’ve been reveling in. Check out these links and maybe you could be encouraged as well.
My 10/13/19 AM sermon, Greater and Greater (2 Samuel 5), tried to make sense of all the kingdom snapshots we received as David finally became king over the people of Israel (not simply ruling over the house of Judah). One common refrain was how God seemed to be the one pulling all the strings, completely in control. So, this sermon was an attempt to pull back and see how God might be more deeply worshipped as we see Him at work. I hope this sermon encourages you.
My 10/6/19AM sermon, Stronger and Stronger (2 Samuel 3-4), is now online. I named this stronger and stronger because chapter 3 begins telling us that the house of David was growing stronger and stronger. And, the sermon focused in on the waiting game that comes when David, who was living life in the promise that he would be God’s king, had to deal with all kinds of things that might thwart God’s plan (they didn’t, by the way). So, I hope this sermon encourages you as you wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises.
For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been doing some sermons to continue our series in 1 and 2 Samuel and specifically, digging into 2 Samuel.
On 9/22/19, I preached a sermon How the Mighty Have Fallen from 2 Samuel 1. This sermon got into David getting news of Saul’s death and his immediate response of grief as well as his honoring God’s name.
On 9/29/19, I preached a sermon called Walking in God’s Promises from 2 Samuel 2. This sermon got at the challenges that come when we live in light of God’s promises to us. In David’s case, he was promised a kingship, but it didn’t come until years after Saul’s death.
I hope you’re enjoying the series on 1 and 2 Samuel and finding benefit in it.
My 9/8/19 AM sermon, The King Is Dead (1 Samuel 31/Wrapping Up 1 Samuel), is now online. This was a weird sermon because the content was Saul’s death, the Philistine desecration of his body, and how some men from Jabesh gave him a proper burial. But, I do think it had content that helped wrap up the book and help us remember some of the big themes. I hope it encourages you.
My 9/1/19AM sermon at Crestview Bible Church, Reacting In Crisis (1 Samuel 29-30), is now online. This sermon dug into the way God rescued David out of his predicament of having to fight for the Philistines. As God was rescuing him, unfolding for us, the readers, are some amazing applications related to how we can react in godly ways when a crisis comes our way. Often, we respond with not too much active thinking about what living would look like. We tell ourselves cliches like “this too shall pass” or “this is so unjust” as if these have the power to help us at the moment. And so, I offer this sermon as a way to shape your living so that when the day comes, you’ll be able to stand. I hope it helps.
My 8/25/19AM sermon, Spiritual Desperation from 1 Samuel 28:3-25, is now online. What a passage? I bumped into a friend this week and they asked if I was preparing a sermon and I said, “Yes, on maybe one of the weirdest in the Bible.” They asked, “Which one is that?” I said, “You know that one where a king of Israel goes out and seeks out a medium to conjure up a spirit to give him advice?” She said, “I’m not familiar with that one.” Um, yeah.
So, my sermon sought to apply Saul’s spiritual desperation to us readers. Spiritual desperation often emerges out of crisis, so we should seek God now. And, it can lead to misguided actions, so remember that God’s Word is sufficient. I’m hoping this sermon is helpful.
Of course, questions have come as our curiosities are aroused. Things like: Where’d Samuel come from? Where would Saul and his sons soon go? Is this possible? I think Eric Ortlund said it best: “This narrative is more concerned to show us Saul’s downward spiral in contrast to David in chapter 31 that to answer our questions about divination or the afterlife.”
I hope the sermon serves you well if you give time to listening to it.
My 8/18/19AM sermon, Into Enemy Land (1 Samuel 27:1-28:2), is now online. This sermon used 27:1 with David talking to himself and acting as a springboard to dissecting the results that come with discouragement. We underestimate how powerful discouragement can be in our lives. So, I’m hoping this sermon gives you some comfort as you navigate these things in your life.
My 8/11/19AM sermon at Crestview, God’s Plan God’s Way 3 from 1 Samuel 26, is now online. This was the third trial of David in the wilderness. And, this one showed some outcomes of what we can expect as we trust in the Lord and go about living out God’s plan in God’s way. The big takeaway for me here got at trust issues. If I trust God, then I will willingly yield to His bigness, see my faith emboldened, and have hope. So, I hope this sermon encourages you in this regard.