Heritage Baptist Church of Frankfort IL

After coming out of the heights of the glories of Christ and His work, Paul challenges the believers into action. Believers who have their focus and faith in Christ will perform the salvation that they have been given. It is not a solo endeavor on their part. God is the one who energizes the will and powers the actions of believers as they reflect Christ to each other and the world.

Abraham serves as the grand example of faith in this chapter. He showed faith in two things in which we have faith: faith in a heavenly city and faith in a bodily resurrection. He acknowledged that he was a stranger and pilgrim in this world. He trusted that God could raise His son from the dead.

Jesus warns people that have right words and deeds that they may not make it into heaven. Only the ones that do the will of the Father make it into heaven. What is the will of the Father? For one to believe on Jesus alone. Many people are religious and sing right doctrine and talk about God, but they will miss out on heaven because they never entered into a relationship with God through Jesus. This is why in the end He will say, "I never knew you."

The believers at Philippi were having some difficulty getting along with one another. The solution was to get their focus back on Christ. They were to live and think like him. This passage contains one of the most concise passages on the whole character and life of Christ. He serves as a pattern for all who follow Him.

Abraham had several promises from God. One was a land that would be his. The other was a promise of children that would lead to a great nation. The land promise did not happen during Abraham's lifetime. However, he was looking forward to a greater promise of a city that was eternal in the heavens. The child promise took a miracle of God, but Abraham and Sarah had faith in the promise of God.

The previous passage reminded us that many are on the broad path to destruction. Why is that? One of the reasons is that many people have false prophets that are calming their fears and directing them to destruction. False teacher can be identified by their words and their works. It is the responsibility of the disciple to be aware of those false teachers and reprove their teaching.

Paul wanted the believers to stand together and bring him joy as they displayed the gospel. It was possible for them to do this because they had received blessings from God and other believers. However, they had a responsibility to maintain unity with one another while serving with humility to one another.

Noah is the first example in the Scripture who moves to action because he believes God's Word. The things he was told by God were incredible to comprehend. He still responded in obedience. He serves as an example for modern believers who have God's Word. It says things that cannot be confirmed by human observation, yet we must believe what God says and then live in a way that displays that faith.

What does it require of a ministry to do what they have been called to do? It starts looking at life with the eternal why. Why do exist? It is to follow Christ and call others to follow Christ.

A person who is looking to make disciples that follow Christ will do several things. In this passage of Colossians it makes clear that prayer for others and opportunities is vitally important.

Though a young church the church at Thessalonica was a disciple-making church. They had the ultimate end in view while they ministered to others in their daily activities of life. They serve as an example of what believers should be like.

This is the verse from which people get the Golden Rule. This is what Jesus had been working up to as a climax for His sermon. His followers were to live this out. This was not a standard, as many see it, of how to gain righteousness. It is the standard that believers should seek to display. They are to do good in all of their relationships as they try to point people to Christ. This is the greatest display of righteousness.

Gospel citizenship requires the believer serve and soldier. Just as Paul suffered for gospel advance, the Philippian church needed to be united in the Spirit while focused on Christ. They were not to run when faced with opposition to their gospel citizenship. They needed to recognize that suffering for the gospel is normal.

Enoch had a shortened life in comparison to those around him. However, God used him as example of faith that believes that God is and the rewarder of those that diligently seek him. His faith lays out how the just live by faith. They live this life in constant fellowship with God in preparation for constant fellowship with God in eternity.

Prayer had already been taught in the Sermon on the Mount. This section is not a repeat of the same information. Jesus emphasizes the relationship that believers have with God. Prayer helps a believer to relate to God. They build the relationship by going to God.

This message was part of the Easter Sonrise service. It reminds us of the prophesied death and victory of the Messiah.

This passage is about a disciple's relationship with unsaved people who live their lives with an animal-like passion. The believer has a responsibility to give the good news, but at certain times, the believer does not give the gospel with certain people. This does not mean that believers do not come back to that person at a later time with the gospel.

Paul's circumstances could have dictated his life. However, He had a proper perspective of life and death. His life was about Christ, and to die was eternal gain. His life was important because of his impact on others, but if he was called glory, he would not be disappointed.

Abel's story is not long in Genesis, yet God chose him as the first example of living by faith. He worshipped God with a faith that saw Him as truly existing and rewarding those that diligently seek Him. Cain, his brother, worshipped by ritual and necessity. In the end Abel's testimony has spoken through the ages, though he died young.

This famous passage is one of the most misused passages in the world. However, the passage does have something to do with discernment and judgment. Jesus used this passage to address the responsibility that we have toward fellow believers to help them after we have work on ourselves.

Paul had a view of his circumstances that helped him rejoice in the worst of circumstances. He viewed his imprisonment as an God-appointed opportunity to advance the gospel into places it had never been. Paul rejoiced when the gospel advanced even though some pushed forth the gospel for personal reasons.

This chapter gives us examples of people who lived by faith. However, it starts some characteristics of faith. Faith that holds to God even though those truths are not sight is worthy of honor from God. The first thing that all people must have faith about is creation. Faith is required to believe that the worlds were framed by God.

Paul's prayer was that believers would have a love like Christ. For it to have full impact on others it required boundaries of knowledge and discernment for it to flow in the proper direction.

In the previous section believers were warned not to give up their faith in Christ. In this passage the believers are reminded that the Christian life is not easy. It is like a marathon race with ups and downs. However, like all believers of the past, the believer runs their race by faith in Christ. "The just shall live by faith." God is delighted with those who do not turn back.

Paul's letters often start in a similar pattern. He introduces the letter and then moves into his prayer for his readers and thanksgiving for what God is doing in their lives. Paul had much to thank God for in the lives of the Philippian church. They were reflecting God in their lives.

This section of warning was important for the readers. They were being pressured to give up Christ and go back to their old life. This passage serves as a warning to not abandon Christ. The danger is that it is impossible for a person to come back from a decision like this. (Note: God can do impossible things in saving souls.) Everyone who hears this passage needs to hold the more firmly to Christ.

Fasting is not a regular part of modern Christian culture. It is a forgotten discipline. Fasting is not about keeping oneself away from certain things. The focus of fasting is on God. Fasting allows for the clearing away of things that cloud our vision of God.

This letter of friendship and challenge to the Philippians has given much encouragement to believers throughout the years. However, this book is not just about joy. It emphasis Christ and the gospel as well as the way that we think. In the end this letter emphasizes that right thinking about Christ brings real joy.

This section is one of transition. For chapters Hebrews has spoken of the better high priest and the better sacrifice. Because believers have these two thing, they should do certain things in response to this knowledge.

The Corinthian church was spiritually gifted. However, they weren't using their gifts to help others but to shine glory on themselves. Paul reminds the congregation that their gifting is not important, but the focus. Love is needed to effectively impact and help the lives of others.

The Old Covenant required the giving of sacrifices again and again. The priests did the same work day in and day out. However, their work did nothing to change the heart. The work of Christ was a one-time sacrifice that could change the heart. This is the delight of the New Covenant. No more was there a need for continual sacrifices that did nothing.

The second part of the Disciple's prayer deals with three different requests that the believer can make. Confession of sin is definitely part of prayers as well as the request for daily help.

David's enemies come into focus. They are plotting for a slanderous strike against David. However, they ignore the truth that God is well aware of their plans. David asks God for clear help. In the end David's cry changes from prayer to praise.

The New Covenant is the replacement for the Old Covenant under Moses. Both covenants required blood sacrifice to seal. However, the New Covenant only required one sacrifice. The death of Christ on the cross was the only sacrifice needed to open the way into the inheritance for believers. Many people today in "churches" try to re-sacrifice Christ. They misunderstand that there is no need for priests or more sacrifices. Jesus offered one sufficient sacrifice.

This example of prayer is often called "The Lord's Prayer". However, it should be called "The Disciple's Prayer." It gives a pattern not just a memorized prayer. The first three sections of the prayer work at getting the disciple in line with God's plans and will. Prayer plays a role in our attitude toward God.

David is away from home and away from the tabernacle of God. He is escaping his enemies including some family members. Even though he is one of the driest climates in the world, David still pursues a personal knowledge of God. To David God is more than life itself. He wants others to have the same kind of passion for God.

The Old Covenant under Moses had a tabernacle that God instructed to be built. However, access was limited the further one got into the tabernacle. The tabernacle was a shadow or patterned after heaven. The priests were even limited in their access. However, Jesus Christ, the priest of the New Covenant has eternal access in the true tabernacle of Heaven. He has allowed access for anyone under the New Covenant of His blood. This access come with a change of heart due to the sacrifice of Christ, something the Old Covenant could never do.

Jesus challenges His followers to be real in the realm of religious worship. One of those areas that people tend to show off is in prayer. Prayer is not for the audience around you, but for the Father. He is the focus of your attention in prayer.

The old covenant of Moses had proven ineffective. God was able to keep His side of the covenant, but the people failed again and again. A new covenant was needed that transformed the hearts of the people so that they could keep the covenant. This is why a new covenant was needed.

David once again finds himself in a situation where he needs help. He looks to God only for help. "Surely" and "only" are seen six times in this Psalm. It reminds us that men always fail, but God is a solid rock. This message should be proclaimed for all to know that God is worthy of waiting upon.

This sermon covers the theme for the year at Heritage. It goes along with our mission statement but places more emphasis on our responsibilities in the church.

This psalm was written while David was away from Jerusalem. He may have been at battle and surrounded by enemies. His desire is to find refuge in His God.