Delta Church - SPI

Philippians 1:18-26

Rejoicing even from his current situation has now led to Paul rejoicing in the what’s to come. He is awaiting trial. He doesn’t know whether that trial will lead to life or death. But still, Paul rejoices. Why? Because whether by life or death, Paul is confident Christ will be exalted through him. Once again, we cannot help but see Paul’s Christ-centered joy reverberating through the text. He is a man who knows what he is living for. And Paul’s unshakable ambition forces two big questions into our laps—“What do you live for? What will you live for?” If we asked Paul, he would say—“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (21). From this text, it is obvious that Paul’s longing would be for us to see Jesus as the defining purpose of life and death. So if Paul were to ask you—“What do you live for?”—how would you answer him? Main Idea—A church bound together by the gospel rejoices to see Jesus as the defining purpose of life and death

Philippians 1:12-18

What would Satan love more than anything? He would love for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be chained. Why? Because the gospel is Satan’s undoing. Truly, he is a defeated foe. But in his defeat, our enemy still schemes. And if Satan can hinder the advance of the gospel—he will try. If he can use difficult circumstances in our lives—he will. If he can use the fetters of fear—he will do so. If he can use the bonds of sinful motives—he will do it. But what Paul wants the Philippians to see is this—there ain’t no chains gonna hold the gospel down. Ultimately, nothing will stop the gospel’s advance. In this we can rejoice. Main Idea—A church bound together by the gospel rejoices that the gospel cannot be chained.

Philippians 1:9-11

Philippians 2:9-11

The Father exalted Christ and gave Him a name that is above every name. Grounded in Philippians 2:9, this truth anchored Charles Spurgeon amidst the Surrey Gardens tragedy and remains our bedrock today. This "therefore" redirects our gaze from temporal trials to the eternal throne, providing the hope necessary to navigate life’s most chaotic seasons.

Our response is the joyful surrender of every competing allegiance. We recognize Jesus as Lord not just in a future reality, but as a present proclamation that dictates our daily conduct. This surrender requires a rejection of personal selfishness and a commitment to proclaim the Gospel. By bowing the knee today, we align our lives with the Father’s glory and find the strength to follow the Shepherd through every trial.

Philippians 1:3-8

Paul’s aim is not merely to show that joy begins in the gospel. He wants to also unpack how the joy we have in Jesus works itself out in everyday life. Wasting no time, Paul moves to how a gospel-bound church is marked by specific elements of joy. Christians are not against pleasure and satisfaction. We simply believe lasting joy is found in a different source—the inexhaustible treasures of our Savior. This is where Paul’s alien-like joy is grounded. So as Paul begins his outburst of joyful thanksgiving, it is as if he wants us to ask ourselves as a church—“What are the elements of joy that bind a gospel-formed people together?” Main Idea—A church bound together by the gospel finds joy in prayerful partnership and in God’s finishing work.

Acts 16.11-34, Phil. 1.1-2

Hearing the gospel. Believing in Jesus. This is the way of salvation. And it’s they way we see when the gospel of Jesus first crashes upon the shores of Europe at Philippi. Paul received a vision to preach the gospel in Macedonia. And it was this preached gospel that the Lord was going to empower so that spiritually lost, sin-blind sinners could be found and see the way of salvation in Jesus Christ alone. Over the past two weeks we established that the path of life is fullness of joy in God. But this begs the question—“Where does the journey of enjoying God begin?” With no hesitation, the believers at Philippi shout—“The journey of joy begins in the gospel.” All we have to do is look at the transformed lives of a religious woman, a slave girl, and a jailer at Philippi.

2 Peter 1:3-11

Psalm 16:1-11

This sermon kicks off our series into Philippians. But before we get there we need to ponder who we are as everyday disciples. As such we are created to enjoy God and from that place of joy progress in the faith. Paul will specifically highlight this in Philippians. So to set the stage for this beautiful relationship we begin with one of the most glorious places where we see joy in God on display—Psalm 16. From this text we learned this main idea—When I believe there is no good apart from the LORD and trust him as my all-satisfying portion, I discover the fullness of joy in the LORD.

Psalm 28:1-9

Have you ever felt like God was not hearing your prayer? That's a devastating feeling? But lave you ever felt like God was not hearing your prayer while you were obeying His command to wait on Him? That makes the silence even harder? If you've ever been here, then you already understand why Psalm 28 follows Psalm 27. Psalm 27 ends with one of the Bible's clearest commands—“wait for the LORD!” But when Psalm 28 opens, David cries—"O LORD, my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me." Apparently David has been waiting. And he’s been waiting long enough that it now feels as though God has gone silent. The question is—What do you do when it feels like God is silent while you faithfully wait? When God seems silent in times of waiting, I can trust He still hears my prayers.

Psalm 27:1-14

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Many of us have heard this phrase before. And in one way or another, many of us may have even counseled someone along these lines. But while there is a measure of truth in this phrase, what if there is a better path forward when the going gets tough.

In a nutshell, this phrase is basically saying—“When life gets hard, the answer is to become stronger.” The subtle implication is that the strength you need is found within you. But along comes Psalm 27 calling us down an entirely different path. Forsake self-confidence and rest in God-confidence. Main Idea—When my confidence is grounded in who the LORD is, I can take courage in my troubles and wait for the LORD to act.