Confidence In Christ

 

This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on Oct 31st 2021 by Christy Thomas via zoom.
.This is the debut preach of Christy Thomas.  We at Word of Grace, believe in discovering, developing and deploying people in their gifts. We are encouraged by the number of trainees who are growing strong the living and preaching the Word.

 For the audio & video please click here.  To listen to the worship please click here.

When I asked Colin what I should preach on, He asked me what my life verse was?

So, today, we will be looking at Phil 1: 1-11, and I have titled my message “Being confident in Christ”.

Introduction: Before we can get into the text, let's take some time to understand the background of this letter.

Where do you think Paul was when he wrote this letter to the Philippians?

Paul writes the letter to the Christians in Philippi during his Roman house arrest which is described in Act 28:30-31 NKJV - 30

When did Paul start the church in Philippi?

Paul founded the church in Philippi 11 years before this letter to the Philippians.

What was Philippi know for?

Philippi was “the place where the armies of Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius in the decisive battle of the second Roman civil war in 42 B.C.” (Hughes) Because of this, many Roman soldiers retired in the area, and Philippi was proud of its Roman connection.

How did this church start? Acts 16:13-40

Through Lydia, God opened the door to a church plant in Philippi. This is how the first church was established in the continent of Europe.

Do you find anything strange in verse 13? Why do you think they met at the riverside?

It was because there were too few Jews and they did not have a synagogue to assemble. But that did not keep them from coming together in prayer!

Amazing, what an example to set isn’t it?

We too have so many opportunities to grow in our faithfulness to pray and intercede. We have the 24x7 prayer chain, we have 3 days prayer and fasting. So, lets be like these faithful men and women and take every opportunity set before us to pray and intercede.

Let’s be a people and a church who continue steadfastly in prayer.

This is the background to this letter to the Philippians.

 

Phil 1:1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

1.    Being confident of our identity in Christ: Paul opens the letter by addressing all the believers as saints. That is our identity too, when we have put our faith in Christ Jesus as the one and true God, we become His saints. 1 Peter 2:9 says 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Our actions didn’t make us saints. But Christ’s actions did. He deposited His righteousness into us when we put our faith in Him. In the traditional churches, only certain people could be elevated the position of a if they met certain criteria. But the bible calls each and everyone of us as saints!

Let’s be clear here, our identity is that we are saints when we have placed our faith in Christ. But the reality is that we do sin, and that process of becoming perfect as He is perfect is called sanctification. This will be completed only at His second coming!

How do we apply this to our lives?

We don’t have to look down upon ourselves! We are saints in Christ! A few Sudays ago, Colin reminded us that we were created a little lower than the angels! Science and the world want us to believe that we are only a little above the animals, but the Bible says that God sees believers as saints!

Phil 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2.    Being confidence of our peace in Christ: Right at the outset of the letter, Paul gives them his greeting of grace and peace that comes from the Father through His son Jesus. We need to recognize this too, that we can have grace and peace only in Christ Jesus. All worldly substitutes that offer these are just counterfeits that will give way in due time!

Are there areas in our lives where we need His peace in our lives?

Let’s remember to surrender those areas to God, be thankful to Him for His blessings and receive His peace which surpasses all understanding!

Phil 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

Paul is very grateful for the Philippians because they have very generously supported his ministry even during their own time of lack:

Like the Philippian church, we too at WoG church have been reaching out to people in need, through the JoG. We have impacted 6 pastors and their families, many widows and families! So, if there are any who are yet to join the JoG, let’s do so now!

Are we placing our confidence in Christ for our finances?

This confidence is shown when we are faithful in bringing our tithes and offering to God.

And when he remembers the Philippians in prayer, it is joy that fills him. Amazing that he should be filled with joy considering he is writing from prison! During one of our GYM meetings, one of my GYM members mentioned that they maintain a testimony journal! The book has become so big over the years. It is a reminder of how faithful God is! So, Esther and I also have embarked on the same journey to maintain a testimony journal! In this fast-paced world, we need to take time to write down those things where God has intervened in our lives. And as we go through the list, joy will fill our hearts. Paul was not just happy because they supported him financially, but because they partnered with him in spreading the gospel from the start!

How are we partnering with WoG church to spread the gospel?

We have so many opportunities to invite people to our services on Friendship Sunday, Christmas, Easter. I pray that each of us would go out of our way to invite people to these services. We never know whose heart God would open to receive His gospel!

This brings us to the text for today!

Phil 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

This scripture became my life verse in in June, 2015. I was in a real mess in my career. I had graduated in 2012 and started working the same year. But I was so confused and spoilt that I ended up quitting my first job in 13 months. After being born-again in October, 2009 I lost track. It was in 2014 that I made a covenant with God-it was going to be only Jesus from then on! I placed my confidence in Christ alone. I cleared the exam for Vellore Institute of technology and on the morning of the interview this verse was my morning meditation. For the rest of the day, I kept repeating this verse in my mind continuously! Instead of dwelling on how I gave the interview, I kept repeating this verse to my self. When the results for the interview was announced, I came first! This was the first time I had come out first in anything I attempted! I learned the power of holding on to scripture and placing my confidence in Him!

3.    We need to place our confidence in the God who completes what He begins! Which is called the process of sanctification.

Phil 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

This one scripture talks about 3 fundamental doctrines in the Bible:

1.    Salvation: the good work that He began in us

2.    Sanctification: the process He is doing in us to become Holy like He is.

3.    Glorification: When God perfects us at the second coming of Christ.

What is this good work that God did and when did he start the good work in you and I?

What is this good work that God did?

The good work He did in our lives is when He orchestrated our lives to bring us to that point where we received Him as Lord and savior.

Jn 6:29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.”

I was born again during a youth camp in October, 2009. I didn’t become perfect on the day I was born-again. But God started a process. Today, I have grown so much in my walk with God than when I started out in 2009! That was how my journey started! That’s how God started His good work in me.

When did he start the good work in you and I?

Ep 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

So, you see, even before the world was created, He knew that you and I were created to be His children.

Charles Spurgeon says it this way, “The work of grace has its root in the divine goodness of the Father, it is planted by the self-denying goodness of the Son, and it is daily watered by the goodness of the Holy Spirit; it springs from good and leads to good, and so is altogether good.”

So, is being born-again the start or the end of our Christian journey?

It’s just the start!

The end of our Christian journey is the second coming of Christ when we will be perfected!

Between the start and the end, what are we called to do?

In 1 Corinthians 15: 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Phil 1: 7

From these two scriptures, we get a glimpse of God wants us to live out our lives between the start and the end:

Are we longing for fellowship?

Psalm 133: 1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Are we longing to have fellowship in our GYM’s?

We are so blessed that we can at least meet virtually. I remember once I met a customer at work who shared that ever since the pandemic hit, the church he went to completely stopped house fellowships. Their Sunday service was just a one-sided conversation!

Are we calling up people to stay in connection with them, to encourage people when they are not keeping well?

Has our love for each other grown?

Are we walking the extra mile to provide food for those who are sick and suffering in our midst? We have so many opportunities to reach out to those in need in our church.

I encourage each of us to show our love for each other, especially in times of need!

Another thing we need to do between the start and the finish is give up sin habits!

Are we continuing in the same sin habits we were in before we were born again? Have we picked up new sin habits after our conversion?

James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

It’s good to have a close circle of friends in church whom we can be accountable to. It will help break sin habits as we pray for one another!

Are we bearing fruits of righteousness? 

Rm 12:9- 21 gives us a list of things we need to do as a Christian: loving one-another, to abhor evil, ministering to those in need, to repay evil with love, etc.

This brings us to the last question, when will the good work he began be completed? Or glorification.

Paul reminds the believers that the good work God began would be completed on the day of the Lord, referring to Jesus’ second coming. And the way Paul used the phrase was to show that Jesus’ second coming was at hand and not some day in the distant future.

1 Cor 1:8

II Thess 5:5 

The only thing the Bible is clear about Jesus’ second coming is that even the son doesn’t know when that day is.

Mark 13: 32

So, in conclusion lets remember to put our confidence in Christ for our identity, our peace and our sanctification!

 

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is a part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

Press on - 2020 | Colin D

This message was preached by  Colin D at Word of Grace Church on January 5th, 2020 To listen/download the audio please click here. 

Phil 3:12-16- “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”

1. We have not arrived: Apostle Paul is writing and says, I have not arrived. Are you happy with the way you have lived your Christian life? What grade would you give yourself. We have not arrived. Think about Paul. 2 Corinthians 11 talks about what Paul accomplished. V 23 - 28 “Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.” Have any of us experienced any of this? He suffered for the gospel. But he kept a godly Christ like attitude. In the Philippians  were suffering, beaten, in stocks, and in prison yet praising God! He has given his life for the gospel. But he says I have not arrived. So we have not arrived. 
2. Press on: extreme effort is needed in order to grow in our 
1. Pail says I need to put in maximum effort to progress. Lots of people show up to gym for the first week of the year and then quit. But we can’t give up. So that can be our New Years resolution. 
2. There is a difference between a marathon and a sprint. You need to pace yourself in a marathon, but for a sprint we press on. Giving everything we have. That’s the picture of what God wants us to press on in our Christian life. 1 Timothy 6:12 - you don’t find fighters fighting casually. 
3. What can hinder us? 
1. Forget what lies behind - everyone would have regrets. But it’s gone. We need to be straining in what is ahead. What’s done is done, now we have to run. 
2. Straining forward - implies extreme effort.  It is to stretch. God wants us to exert effort. 
3. To take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took of me: Paul was a persecuter of the church. And Christ took hold of him on the road to Damascus. He lived his lived to fulfil the reason for that. When did God take hold of you? That is for a purpose. Romans 8: 29- 30 - predestined to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus. That’s the goal. The things along the way are good, but that’s not the ultimate goal. God will allow us to go through whatever is needed to become like Jesus. Just how a diamond is formed, God has taken hold of us to and is fashioning us to make us like Jesus. Blessings and trials come together. Rick Warren author of purpose driven life says had many blessings from this work, but the same year his wife got cancer. 

What can we do? 

• We could read through the Bible. What is a spiritual goal you can attain for this year? Something that will take effort and stretch you. 
• Do something that involves people. Make it a goal to spend time with one another. 
• Be in some way involved in taking the gospel to the end of the world. 

What are the commitments you’re going to make this year? Jesus took hold of you for a purpose and has great plans for you. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom in this. 

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is a part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

Unity in the Church: Part 3 | Daniel Macleod

This message was preached  by Daniel Macleod at The Regions Beyond Conference 'the HUB' in November 2017 and the video replayed at Word of Grace Church on January 21st, 2018. To listen/download the audio please click here. To listen to the Sunday's worship and prophetic contributions please click here.

7 declarations for a United church- these are not suggestions, but declarations:

1.      A people who take on jobs they don’t want to do if it means our church will thrive. Jesus wanted the cup taken away but did his father’s will. We may not all work in our sweet spot of gifting. The church is built on hundreds of mini-sacrifices for each other’s success.

2.      We are a people who will say sorry quickly- Not waiting for the other person to respond. In church, people will annoy you and you will annoy them. As a leader, he is the first to apologize. Leaders take on more criticism than they deserve. That’s what Jesus did.

3.      We are people who build up the church and not our self-esteem- I’m not earnestly desiring more gifts so that I can feel good about myself. It is for the edification of the body.

4.      We are a people who are happy for our names to be forgotten- “ Good to great”- it rises and falls on the leadership. An iron strong will to see the company thrive. CEOs who are humble. How much should this be true of the church- that we are willing to work hard for her success even if we don’t get noticed.

5.      We are a people who do not have to defend our reputation- George Whitfield when people criticized him said “ Let my name perish but let Christ be crucified”. You don’t need to defend yourself.

6.      We are a people willing to give our position to another- whether it is passing on the baton, or there is a more gifted person, this is the reality of the church. Settle in your heart now how you will respond.

7.      We are a people who celebrate the success of others in front of them and behind their backs with genuine joy- especially when they are doing as well at something that you do too.

We disappear in this world if we do all the above. But it says, therefore God exalted Jesus to the highest place. If we forgo glory in this world, there is a glory that awaits us. Revelation 3:21- Jesus will say come and sit at my throne. Look at what was done. You name is written in the Lambs book of life.

Discussion points:

1.      Evaluate yourself on all the above points. Be as transparent and honest as you can before God. Share one thing that you heard that touched you deeply.

2.      If your groups evaluate each other. If you have seen a person doing any of the above can you encourage them by telling them that you have noticed “so and so” about the person?

3.      Share in your groups 2 things you will do differently as a result of hearing this message.

4.      From the above, which area are you putting into practice, and in which ones are you struggling? Maybe you could share this with your spouse or friend and ask them to hold you to account so that you could grow in that area.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.

Unity in the Church: Part 2 | Daniel Macleod

This message was preached  by Daniel Macleod at The Regions Beyond Conference 'the HUB' in November 2017 and the video replayed at Word of Grace Church on January 14th, 2018. To listen/download the audio please click here. 

Source of Unity:

Philippians 2:3 roughly translates to- we are here for one another’s success. Think about others- other church plants, others’ finances, fatigue etc. If I am doing that to others and all are doing to each other we have a wonderful matrix of unity and a body of powerful witnesses. Paul wants to send Timothy because there is “No one like him”. 

Don’t you want that reputation? Always be there for the other person.

This is not a try harder message. We need to beware of pride creeping into our hearts- we may think we try harder than most.

We need to be baptised afresh into the God we love. Paul reminds us of who we are in Christ. When we are in Christ we should automatically become like him. We should know Him deeply in our hearts.

Phil 2:4-8- It comes in these 4 verses. If you want prominence, hierarchy etc. there is nothing higher than Jesus. In Isaiah 6:1- he saw God high and lifted up. In Colossians 1:15-18 he is called the image of the invisible God. But in Phil 2:2, He became a servant. He emptied himself of his glory and majesty that would attract us to him. He came as a peasant boy born out of wedlock. He acted as a servant. Every time anyone tried to give Him empty glory, He walked away. He knew his role was to descend and not to ascend. Rejection marked his ministry.  

In Phil 2:3-4 it says that he was obedient to death and rejection. To the point that even His father forsook him- left destitute to die alone- from the highest highs to the lowest lows.

The cross is not an exalted thing. He was crucified like a common criminal. We would not have even realized it was him. He did this all for you and me. This was the way He walked and this is the way we should walk in our communities.

Points for Discussion:

1.      We say we are a part of an apostolic movement/ group of churches. Is there anything that we do at Word of Grace reflective of that value?

2.      How can we as individual members of Word of Grace and collectively do something to express the biblical value.

3.      What does being there for one another look like? Give concrete examples.

4.      Have you been there for your brothers and sisters? Have you felt supported as well?

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.

Philippians: Part 24- How to be content and the power of Divine provision | Colin D

This message was preached  by Colin D'cruz at Word of Grace Church on February 12th, 2017. To listen/download the audio please click here. To listen to the Sunday's worship and prophetic contributions please click here

In the Bible, there are some favourite verses people memorise. Two of them are Phil 4:13 and 4:18.

Phil 4:10-20 “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia and he ends up going to Philippi. In acts 16, we see the church being planted. He meets Lydia and gathers a people. Paul preached the gospel. Not only did they believe but they were baptised in water soon after. Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, and a miracle takes place there. They start praising God and the foundations of the prison were shaken. The jailor gets saved through this miracle. At that time of the night, the jailor and the whole family came to the Lord. Persecution continued in the church.

As he is writing this letter, he is in Rome. Paul is thanking them for the gift they sent.

1.      Concerned as the Philippians were concerned- He rejoices that the Philippians have renewed their concern for him. At the beginning, the Philippians sent him gifts to help him preach the gospel again and again. He tells them that there is an account in heaven and this money is a fragrant offering to God. they were not just concerned with their local church. We can become very concerned about our own church, but we need to make sure that the gospel goes to the ends of the earth. We need to be concerned about the people who are lost all over. we can do one of three things:

a.      We can go

b.      We can pray

c.      We can give

The Philippians were also concerned for one another. I want to commend this church for being concerned for one another’s needs.

2.       Content as Paul was content- are you saying, if only I had, the latest phone, or little more money, or a life-partner... Discontentment hits the rich and the poor. Someone asked John Rockerfeller, how much money do you need to be content? He said, just a little more than what I have. Contentment is something Paul had to learn. Our circumstances don’t determine our contentment. He was content in plenty and in need. There is an old puritan saying- “ he sat down to a meal of bread and water. He looked up, gave thanks and said, all this and Jesus too!” If we live by our desires, we will never be happy. It is not having everything you want, it’s wanting everything you have.  Paul went to great lengths to preach the gospel, and he said, in every situation, I am entrusting to God. 3 things we’ve got to be discontented with:

a.      With seeing people with needs around us

b.      With the lost-ness of the world. People without Jesus are going to hell. Your neighbour, your colleague at work or your friends at college- what are you doing to tell them that Jesus died for them. We cant be content with the lost-ness of the world

c.      With our own imperfections. We press on to become more and more like Jesus.

3.      Confident in God’s care- In verse 19, he said, my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. How can we receive that Promise? When we say, God I am living for you. It will cost! Philippians were the most generous church in the New Testament. These were extremely poor people. But they excelled in rich generosity.

Let’s be concerned as the Philippians, content as Paul, and confident in God’s ability to care for us. God doesn’t give us stingily, he gives abundantly.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.