Sermon Notes – July 5, 2020

Date: July 5, 2020
Topic: Relationship Matters
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:1-11 (NRSV)
Messenger: Rev. W. George Lewis
URL: https://youtu.be/ug57LdEpQ4g

Proposition:

Until we begin to discover the depth of God’s amazing grace, our lives will routinely strive for the treasures which fades with the passing of time.

• Each day of our lives we experience relationship of one kind or another.
• Every relationship has a desired goal
• Therefore, spend time getting to know all you can possibly know about each other before making that commitment

• Paul listed his accomplishments and said he counted it all as nothing compared to what he had learnt about Christ (vs 4 -8)
  • Relationship with Jesus helps us to develop right perspectives about our accomplishments and associations
• Nothing is wrong with accomplishing things!
• Every life that is ruled/governed by the flesh/the law, produces very little benefit
• The only thing that will last is salvation
• Every life that is ruled by faith in the Son of God produces new options and possibilities
• Paul carefully avoided creating a timetable.
  • Timetables aren’t as important as we make them seem as it’s more about what we do with the time and how we grow rather than how long it takes. Some people take less time and some take more.
• In order to serve Christ in a manner that meets his approval,
  • Paul (we) must constantly and consciously declare that material things are of lesser worth than spiritual things
  • It must be by deliberate deduction. Paul made the choice
  • It means total surrender of self (vs 8)
    • Christ is of superior worth and I have traded all for Him
  • Stop being self righteous
  • Stop depending on the law, for the law is weak (vs 9)
  • Start connecting to the principle of faith (for if it is not faith it is sin)
    • without faith it is impossible to please God
  • Take time to be with the Lord
  • Surrender to the will of God
• When we are in Christ there are some health benefits
  • We experience Happiness
  • long life
  • graceful aging
  • Restful sleep (He is my watchman and protector)
  • Laughter