Today we conclude our “A Journey Into Joy” Series, not because we have exhausted the material that is to be discovered in Philippians but because we are moving on from it.

If you forget everything that I have said in this series and can only remember one thing, please remember, “Joy Is A Choice!”

Choosing to rejoice, which is an expression of joy, is imperative to fulfillment, contentment, peace, and even our witness is affected by the levels of joy we show!

In chapter 4, Paul examines how we live in Joy in a world that does not always lend itself to joyfulness. Some Kingdom principles will help secure our mind in joy when we apply them to our everyday practices.

So we are talking today about Confirming Christian Community – the Secure Mind!

We have looked at Chapter 1 and a Single-Minded Focus on the Gospel as the key to joy.  We looked at Chapter 2 and a Servant Mindset for the doorway to joy.  Today we look at Chapter 3 and the Spiritual Mind that is the realm of joy.  Kingdom Citizenship is the realm in which Christians live to begin experiencing the kind of joy that God has for us.  This picture of joy is a process of deepening that Jesus laid out in Matthew’s Gospel 16:23 & 24, when He rebuked Peter for trying to dissuade Him from the purpose of the cross saying, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, (and then He explains why Peter is an offense) for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

SHOW LESSIf the Gospel of Christ is the “Key to Joy” then “Serving Others is the Doorway” through which we must pass to experience practical joy in our daily, practical lives.  The gospel is the work God does in our lives when He saves us.  Serving others is what we do because we are saved.  The “World System” is engulfed in selfishness.  The “Gospel System” is engaged in serving others, and Christ is the greatest example of what it means to be a servant.  Every society faces the problem of selfishness because by or very nature, we humans are given to selfishness.  We are born with a tendency in the direction of self-centeredness.  The only cure for selfishness is a heart that is surrendered to serving Christ through serving others.

In this fourth installment of our new series on the Authority of Jesus, Pastor Rex leads us through a study of the text from Matthew's Gospel in chapter 9. As Chapter 9 opens, Jesus has just left the confrontation with the demoniacs of Gadara.  In that event, Jesus had confronted one of the terrible results of sin and that is a life that is completely controlled by sin and the power of darkness.  Now Jesus comes and he confronts the source of human suffering and brokenness…SIN!  The church must come to grips with the reality of sin and its power in the lives of people who surrender to it.  Paul addressed the issue of sin in Romans 6.

In this third installment of our new series on the Authority of Jesus, Pastor Rex leads us through a study of the text from Matthew's Gospel in chapters 8 and 9. We look into the topic of Jesus’ authority and includes a confrontation of His ultimate authority and the established system of religion. We look at the topic of Jesus’ authority and includes a confrontation of His ultimate authority and the established system of religion. In today’s study, we look at several different events that continue to expose Christ’s authority in everyday circumstances.

In this new series on the Authority of Jesus, Pastor Rex leads us through a study of the text from Matthew's Gospel in chapters 8 and 9. We look into the topic of Jesus’ authority and includes a confrontation of His ultimate authority and the established system of religion. We look at the topic of Jesus’ authority and includes a confrontation of His ultimate authority and the established system of religion.

Matthew 8 & 9

In part one of this new series on the Authority of Jesus, Pastor Rex leads us through a study of the text from Matthew's Gospel in chapters 8 and 9. We look into the topic of Jesus’ authority and includes a confrontation of His ultimate authority and the established system of religion. We look at the topic of Jesus’ authority and includes a confrontation of His ultimate authority and the established system of religion. 

Chapters 8 & 9 deal with the category of Christ’s authority and also with our faith. Matthew combines several events together to expose Kingdom authority over sickness.

We conclude our series, Thy Kingdom Come, from Pastor Rex Keaton. This is the relating of the story of the King’s background, birth, and beginning. There is a reason that God chose this time in history to reveal His kingdom. The Romans who controlled the world at that time had not only laid the groundwork for the spread of the kingdom but had prepared His people to be ready to receive their Messiah, even though many did not choose to believe in Him. The story of Jesus is filled with adventure from His conception as an embryo to his return to heaven as the Risen Savior. In the Gospel of Matthew, the life of Christ is tied to the history of the Jewish people. If you read the Gospels you will find action and adventure on every page. Sometimes it is a lesson that He teaches or a miracle that He performs but it is always moving, flowing with purpose and life-giving words. In Matthew's Gospel and chapter 6, Jesus is focusing on our motives. From a human perspective, we can only see “What” people do.  From a divine perspective, God can see “Why” people do what they do. This is one of the reasons that in the next chapter Jesus is going to teach us not to judge. Because action many times betrays intention. With our limited humanity, we can do things at times that turn out so wrong, but we meant them to turn outright. So, in this passage, Matthew’s record Jesus addresses both actions, which are very important, but He also addresses intentions, which only He truly knows. Now you understand that we are breaking into the middle of a lesson that Jesus is already involved in teaching so without an introduction Jesus launches in to further “Kingdom Concepts” that He wanted us to know.

We continue our series, Thy Kingdom Come, from Pastor Rex Keaton. This is the relating of the story of the King’s background, birth, and beginning.

There is a reason that God chose this time in history to reveal His kingdom. The Romans who controlled the world at that time had not only laid the groundwork for the spread of the kingdom but had prepared His people to be ready to receive their Messiah, even though many did not choose to believe in Him.

The story of Jesus is filled with adventure from His conception as an embryo to his return to heaven as the Risen Savior.

In the Gospel of Matthew, the life of Christ is tied to the history of the Jewish people.

If you read the Gospels you will find action and adventure on every page. Sometimes it is a lesson that He teaches or a miracle that He performs but it is always moving, flowing with purpose and life-giving words.

In Matthew's Gospel and chapter 6, Jesus is focusing on our motives.

From a human perspective, we can only see “What” people do.  From a divine perspective, God can see “Why” people do what they do.

This is one of the reasons that in the next chapter Jesus is going to teach us not to judge. Because action many times betrays intention. With our limited humanity, we can do things at times that turn out so wrong, but we meant them to turn outright.

So, in this passage, Matthew’s record Jesus addresses both actions, which are very important, but He also addresses intentions, which only He truly knows.

Now you understand that we are breaking into the middle of a lesson that Jesus is already involved in teaching so without an introduction Jesus launches in to further “Kingdom Concepts” that He wanted us to know.

We continue our series, Thy Kingdom Come, from Pastor Rex Keaton. Because the nature of His Kingdom is spiritual the example of His triumph will be spiritual. He does not exemplify for us how to win a war with armies and weapons of military might but rather how to overcome the great spiritual battle of the human condition and that is a temptation to sin or yield to Satan’s suggestions.

As we enter the next section or chapters of Matthew Jesus has come through His temptation in the wilderness and is now ready to teach and launch a teaching ministry.

Matthew is depicting Jesus as the King of the Jews and here he captures the picture of a wise and benevolent King sharing His design and desire for the subjects or citizens of His kingdom.