Christianity after Conversion (part 3)

SERMON RECAP:

I hope you found the sermon, “Christianity After Conversion,” beneficial. (see part 1 & 2)

The battle within every Christian is real (Romans 7:14-25). We need to have a core group of believers where we can talk honestly and openly about how we are dealing with the struggle between the sinful nature and the Spirit (Gal 5:17).

Christianity is unique from all other faiths because of the gospel. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

We don’t have to pretend in front of others that we have it all together. The reason we come to Jesus in the first place shows we are struggling sinners in need of grace.

The gospel is not your best will power, self effort or determination. That will only put you in the vicious cycle of motivation –> condemnation –> rededication.

I do not preach self esteem. I preach Christ and him crucified. It’s not about having a high view of ourselves. (Job 42:5-6, Isaiah 6:1-7, Romans 7:24) It’s about having a high view of Jesus. We do not boast or rejoice in ourselves. Rather, we boast in and rejoice in Christ.

Christians grow in increasing awareness of their own unholiness in light of God’s holiness. As the awareness of the chasm between us and God increases, Jesus/the cross/the gospel increases, is magnified, is more treasured and cherished in our lives. This in turn brings God glory.

I’d love to hear how the sermon’s message impacts you.

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Christianity after Conversion (part 2)

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Christianity After Conversion (part 1)

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Worship, Theology, and Idolatry

“Worship without theology is bound to degenerate into idolatry.” -John Stott

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Excerpt from my upcoming book, “Pointed Nails” (3)

Topic: On happiness and contentment

I would have to decide to be happy, but not in the flaky fake way. You know, the kind when people say they’re fine, but really they’re dying inside. Now I’m happy, but for the longest time I could never find happiness no matter what lengths I’d go to. It wasn’t about accumulating more, more, more. It was about being content with what you already have. Can you be content as you currently are? The world around me changed for the worse, and the circumstances that surrounded me were suffocating me with gloom. The part that matters however is not how your surroundings change. It’s how you change.

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Excerpt from my upcoming book, “Pointed Nails” (2)

Topic: Recognizing and respecting the humanity in the other person.

Souls commit crimes of disrespect against other souls. But the weight such language carries never rests squarely upon the offender’s chest. He falls asleep at night just fine. His mind is unworried, and he is at peace with his place in the world. In all his days he does not consider the world he’s creating does violence against another’s humanity. This is because he views no soul in the other. He cannot even imagine a soul. A soul in the other is too unthinkable. It is altogether laughable to the person in such a lofty, educated, and wealthy position. And so, the crime is born.

Blind to humanity, the arrogant decree the other is not as highly evolved. Dehumanizing ensues. The snobbish quickly create labels and categories for these sub humans, so they can file away the drain. They flick the lint off their tie, shoe away the fly, and move on with their noble life.

Other people’s souls are more important than my material gain.

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Excerpt from my upcoming book, “Pointed Nails”

Indictment on churches today:

What am I doing here? If I want light-hearted chit chat I could find a gas station, fill up my tank next to a complete stranger and have a three minute conversation. This whole scene of superficiality and Sunday morning make up and dress up is an embarrassing indictment of what passes as fellowship. We are in real trouble if I can liken what passes for Christian fellowship with mundane conversations at the gas pump. Christianity faces problems on multiple fronts. Fellowship is one of those problems. “Christian fellowship” has eroded down to “gas pump fellowship.”

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The Daily Need of the Gospel

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Baxter on Preaching

“I preach as if to never preach again, I preach as a dying man unto dying men.”- Richard Baxter

“he preacheth not heartily to his people that will not pray for them” – Richard Baxter

“Screw the truth into men’s minds.” – Richard Baxter

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Richard Baxter quotes

“Christ leads me through no darker rooms than He went through before.” -Richard Baxter

Be careful how you spend your time: Spend your time in nothing which you know must be repented of. – Richard Baxter

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