Trusting in the Lord

Message by Christoph Zurcher

Scripture: Isaiah 26:3-4; Philippians 4:4 & 7

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Using God’s promise to Abram and Sarai in Genesis as an example, Christoph shows us the importance of trusting completely in Him.

He Became One of Us – The Pre-Christmas Story

Message by Dru Johnson

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Why did the entire French village of Le Chambon shelter 5,000 Jews from the Nazis?

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-8 – “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (English Bible Version)

Introduction to Proverbs

Message by Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

First in a 10-part series on Proverbs

Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7

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Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,  But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Solomon the author

Solomon means “peaceable” (2 Samuel 12:24)
Son of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:24)
Becomes king over Israel (1 Kings 1:30-53)
He rules the kingdom by wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-9)
He is the wisest man in his day (1 Kings 4:29; 1 Kings 10:1-6)
Prolific writer and composer (1 Kings 4:32)
He is a man of great wealth (1 Kings 10:14-23)
Commissioned to build the temple (1 Kings 5:5)
Great downfall (1 Kings 11:4-5)

The book of Proverbs – Proverbs is “wisdom” literature

• philosophical wisdom
• practical wisdom
• truisms not promises
• principles more than methods

Proverbs is all about wisdom (Proverbs 4:7) - wisdom, understanding, instruction, knowledge

Wisdom is not “intellect” but “life smarts”
The wisdom of Proverbs is anticipated in Jesus (Colossians 2:3)
Wisdom is living your life under the Lordship of Christ

Wisdom begins with the “fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 1:7)
The “fear of God” is both an Old and New Testament concept
(2 Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Peter 1:17)

Charge of the Light Brigade

Guest Speaker, Dale Pugh, regional supervisor to missionaries at World Indigenous Missions (WIM).

Scripture: Philippians 2:14-16

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(The YouTube video played at the beginning of the message can be found here.)

Philippians 2:14-16 – Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Five ways or styles you can employ to share your faith from Bill Hybell’s book Contagious Christianity:

• Direct Approach is a clear message straight to a person you may or may not know. I have no problem using this one and it seems to go along with my personality type. This approach also worked well when someone told me about the Lord.
• Intellectual Approach is more of a teaching style. Many times it can be used in an indirect way. For instance make a comment about a current event using Bible knowledge. You don’t even have to tell the person you are using Scripture. You can talk about an issue using God’s wisdom. This will open them up to the Gospel message.
• Testimonial Style – If you meet someone who does not know the Lord or knows very little about him you can simply state something God has done for you. This approach is powerful because no one can argue with a person testimony.
• Invitational Style – You do not have to give the message of salvation to a person, just invite to a place were that message will be given.
• Serving Style – Serving people in love is a great way to demonstrate the Gospel message. Many times people will then ask why you are serving.

Three practical steps you can take  –

1. Go to website and listen to this message again.
2. Pray for God to raise you up as a worker in His harvest.
3. Get the book “Just Walk Across the Room” by Bill Hybels and read it.

Where Is Jesus Today?

Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

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Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11 and Luke 2:10-11

The apostle Paul makes it clear in Philippians 2:5-11, that the counterpart to the humble incarnation of Christ is His glorious exaltation as Lord preeminent. As the second member of the Trinity, Jesus Christ ruled from eternity past as God exalted in Glory. He then humbly entered into history as a man to identify with us. Throughout His life on the earth, Jesus repeatedly said that following his death, burial and resurrection, he would ascend back to heaven where he had come from.

The Christmas Story? A too familiar story!
Luke 2:10-11, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Where Is Jesus Today?

lsaiah’s vision foreshadow’s John’s vision
(Isaiah 6:1-59 Revelation 19:11-16)
“By ascending, Jesus took the risk of being forgotten.” – Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

Jesus has returned to where He had come from.
(Acts 1:10-11)

Jesus is in heaven with all of God’s people who have died before us.
(Ephesians 4:8; Hebrews 12:1)

Jesus is sitting on a throne at the Right Hand of God where He rules as sovereign Lord and King.
(Psalm 110; Hebrews 8:1)

Jesus is interceding as our Mediator!
(1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25; Ephesians 2:6)

Jesus is with us as we bring the good news to others.
(Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus is in heaven preparing a place for you.
(John 14:2-3)

Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart!
(Revelation 3:20-21)

The Meaning of Jesus Birth, A Humble God Drawing Near

Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

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Scripture: Luke 2:1-7 and Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11 is one of the most significant portions of Scripture on the person and work of Jesus.  Verses 5 – 11 are considered to be a First Century creedal hymn that the church would use in worship. But Paul has a very practical purpose in mind.   Paul appeals to the church to look at the life of Jesus Christ and follow His example. And its here we find this incredible example of humility. The life of the Lord Jesus Christ is first and foremost about humility.

1. Humility honors God and causes the church to be strong.

Philippians 2 3-4  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Pride is the greatest enemy to humility. (John Stott)

2. The Incarnation shows Christ as the most humble man in history.

Philippians 2:5-7  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

3.  The humble circumstances of Christ birth demonstrate true humility!

Caesar Augustus, Quirinius
Joseph & Mary, Bethlehem

4. The greatest act of humility was demonstrated in the Cross.

Philippians 2:8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus humbled himself…
For our glory (Hebrews 2:10)
To reach the lowest places in our heart (Hebrews 2:11)
To humble us (Psalms 34:18)
To help us have humble ministry (Luke 4:18)

A Call To Excellent Christianity (Part 1)

Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

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Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3

This introduces a new section in the epistle that carries through to the end of the letter. Paul gives us specific exhortations that direct believers toward spiritual excellence in their Christian walk.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 – “Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;“  It is this exhortation that the rest of letter is built upon. There are five key thoughts expressed in these opening verses that help us understand how we can excel in our Christian walk and bring pleasure to God.

Progress

Verse 1 – “that you should abound more and more,”

Priority

Verse 1 – ” just as you received from us”

Philippians 3:13-14 – “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Power

Verse 1 – “we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus”

By virtue of being “in Christ” our life is now totally immersed in all that Christ has accomplished on the Cross. So that our Christian walk and experience becomes an extension of God’s grace and power in our lives..

Principle

Verse 2 – “For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.”

Purity

Verse 3 – “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;”

Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.  (Westminster Shorter Catechism)