LISTEN
This sermon was preached by Tim Simmonds at the CCM:Kingsway site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 17th June 2018.
SERIES
This message was part of the ‘SERIES NAME’ series, preached at Christ Church Manchester’s church in Burnage in EARLY/MID/LATE YEAR. The full series included the following sermons:
BIBLE VERSES
This sermon was based on Philippians 1:1-2
Greeting
1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
KEY POINTS
Believers in Jesus Are Not Meant to Exist Alone.
- We could isolate ourselves from other believers if we wanted to but we would be incomplete and our experience would be incomplete. We cannot be disciples on our own.
- There is power in the gathered body. Unity brings fruit, life, freedom and advances the Kingdom.
- The Philippian Church began with a slave girl who had been set free from a demon, a rich Jewish business woman with her whole household and a jailor and his family. It was diverse in culture, gender, ethnicity, experience and social status.
- Paul knew the need for the church to be in unity and he knew how difficult this was so he spoke into it.
What You Say About Yourself Matters.
- Paul introduces himself as a servant of Christ Jesus. He is stating that he is not his own. Paul knows his identity is in the fact that Christ is his master. Unity begins with ‘I am owned by Jesus’.
- Paul intentionally humbles himself. He is not putting himself above others or pointing out how much they could learn from him.
- Unity can mean that you lose out so that others can win. Unity comes when we put God first, then we raise others up before considering ourselves.
What You Say About Others Matters.
- Paul doesn’t give himself a title here, which he does in many of his other letters. However he does recognise the titles of those he is writing to, saints, overseers and deacons.
- Paul intentionally raises up those he is addressing. He acknowledges who they are and reminds them that they are saints together, called out by God.
- We need to be intentional about how we speak about others. It is culturally acceptable to talk people down but in the church we should be doing the opposite.
- We need to think the best of others and honour them above ourselves.
MORE SERMONS
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