Real Life Community Church Richmond, KY

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We pause our normal series to clarify why our church exists and what it means to live as real followers of Jesus together. Philemon becomes a mirror that tests whether our faith is real through belief in Christ, relationship with God, obedient action, and steadfast love for God’s people. 

• our mission under the global mission to glorify God and make Jesus known 
• the danger of fraudulent Christianity and self-deception 
• why Philemon is a practical case study of real salvation 
• real faith defined as belief in the gospel of Jesus’ death and bodily resurrection 
• relationship with God as Father shown through personal communion and prayer 
• obedience and changed life as evidence that saving faith is real 
• four faith-shaped actions: sacrifice, participation, service, obedience 
• love for the church as family rather than spectatorship or consumer choice 
• treating believers with dignity and equality across social and cultural lines 
• a sober final question: do you truly know the Lord 

Now I want to invite you down to the altar if you need the Lord today or have any other need that you want to pray for. 

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Why does the next achievement, purchase, or stage of life never quite satisfy? Beneath our restless pursuits lies a longing for Eden—the peace, fulfillment, and fellowship with God we were created to enjoy. In Genesis 13–14, Lot chooses a valley that looks like paradise, while Abram trusts God’s promises and worships at the altar. Their paths remind us that paradise cannot be found apart from God. Through Jesus, we experience fellowship with God now while awaiting the day He makes all things new.

Genesis 13

So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

See the sermon study guide here: https://myrealchurch.org/teaching/genesis-part-12-chasing-eden/

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The Christian life isn't always picture-perfect. While we often see the highlights of other believers' lives, Scripture gives us an honest look at the struggles, failures, and imperfections of God's people. In Genesis 12 and 13, we discover that even Abraham, the great man of faith, experienced unexpected trials, struggled with fear, and made sinful decisions that endangered those around him. Yet Abraham's failures did not nullify God's faithfulness. Through this account, we are reminded that the Christian life is not defined by our perfection but by Christ's unwavering grace. Our journey may contain both beautiful and broken snapshots, but one thing remains constant: God is always faithful.

Genesis 12:7-13:4

12:7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.
10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.
2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD.

See the sermon study guide here: https://myrealchurch.org/teaching/genesis-part-11-snapshots-of-the-christian-life/

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God's call to Abraham marks a turning point in the biblical story of redemption. Despite Abraham's pagan background, God graciously called him into a personal relationship and invited him to participate in His redemptive plan. God's call was gracious, costly, personal, and missional—ultimately pointing to Jesus Christ, through whom all nations would be blessed. Abraham responded with faith, obedience, patience, and worship, even when God's promises seemed impossible or their fulfillment was far away. Like Abraham, we are called to trust God's promises, follow Him wherever He leads, and worship Him even while we wait.

Genesis 12:1-9

12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

See sermon study guide here: https://myrealchurch.org/teaching/genesis-121-9-gods-call-our-response/

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The people of Babel were united, ambitious, and productive, but they built in disobedience to God, seeking security and a great name for themselves. God scattered them, frustrating their plans and restraining what their rebellion could become. At Pentecost, God began gathering people from many nations through the good news of Jesus. The question for us is not whether we will build something with our lives, but whose purposes we are building for and whose name we hope to make great.

Genesis 11:1-9
1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

See the sermon study guide here: https://myrealchurch.org/teaching/genesis-part-9-the-tower-of-despair/

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We all love the idea of a fresh start—a new year, a new job, a new relationship, or a new beginning. But fresh starts can change our circumstances without changing our hearts.

That’s exactly what we see in the story of Noah. After the flood, Noah steps into a new world with a fresh start, but it quickly becomes a familiar story of human sin and brokenness. Genesis 8–9 ultimately points us beyond Noah to Jesus—the One who gives us new hearts and promises a truly new creation.

Genesis 9 and 10

See sermon study guide here: https://myrealchurch.org/teaching/genesis-part-9-fresh-start-familiar-story/

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In a generation marked by rebellion and wickedness, Noah stood apart as a man who walked with God. He was not sinless, but by God’s grace he lived by faith, with integrity and obedience. Noah listened to God’s Word, trusted His warnings and His plan of salvation, proclaimed righteousness, and responded to God’s grace with worship. Like Noah, Christians are called to resist the pressure of the crowd and walk faithfully with God—even when that path is difficult and unpopular. Noah was delivered through a wooden ark; we are saved from judgment through the wooden cross of Jesus Christ.

Genesis 6:9-8:22

See the sermon study guide here: https://myrealchurch.org/teaching/genesis-part-7-walking-with-god/

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We talk about why a holiday, a Sabbath, or even a vacation can leave you worn out when your heart still feels restless. We open Jesus’ invitation to “come to me” and show how grace lifts the yoke of legalism, shame, and performance so you can finally breathe. 
• Labor Day irony and the difference between physical rest and soul rest 
• How Sabbath keeping can still feel crushing when the heart is in turmoil 
• Jesus’ direct invitation as personal access rather than a religious system 
• Why works-based religion and extra-biblical rules create burden and shame 
• The qualifier for the invitation: spiritually hungry, thirsty, burdened people 
• What it means to “come to Jesus” through the yoke image 
• Casting off the yoke of earning favor and putting on Christ’s easy yoke 
• Modern forms of legalism and why grace leads to joyful obedience 
• A closing story of long-term fear replaced by assurance and rest 
Come to me, all you who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest 

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The flood account confronts us with both the seriousness of human sin and the holiness of God. Genesis 6 reveals that human wickedness is widespread, deeply rooted in the heart, and expressed through sexual immorality and violence. Yet God does not respond impulsively. He is patient with sinners, grieved by their rebellion, and just in His judgment.

But judgment is not the only thing we see in this story: “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Noah was not spared because he was perfect, but because he received God’s grace and responded by walking with Him. The shocking part of the flood narrative is not that God judged the world, but that He mercifully spared anyone at all. Just as Noah’s family was saved from judgment through a wooden ark, we are saved from the judgment to come through Jesus Christ and His wooden cross.

Genesis 6:1-9

1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

See the sermon study guide here: https://myrealchurch.org/teaching/genesis-part-6-the-shocking-grace-of-the-flood/

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Genesis 4–5 presents two families moving in two very different directions. Cain chooses a path of self-exaltation, violence, and rebellion against God, and those patterns intensify in the generations that follow him. Seth’s line, by contrast, becomes associated with calling upon the name of the Lord, walking with God, and ultimately hoping in God’s promise of deliverance.

These two paths are vividly seen in the two men named Lamech. Cain’s Lamech boasts in violence and vengeance, while Seth’s Lamech speaks words of hope over his son Noah, believing God will bring comfort to a cursed world. Cain’s line ultimately ends in destruction at the flood, while Seth’s line continues through Noah and eventually leads to Jesus.

The choices we make are not an island. They can influence our families for generations. The question is not simply, “What will I accomplish?” but “What kind of legacy will I leave?” May our lives point those who come after us not toward our own name, but toward the name of Jesus.

Genesis 4:17-5:31

4: 17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives:

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
24 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold,
then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.”

25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.




5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. 3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. 5 Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.
6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. 7 Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.
9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. 10 Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.
12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.
15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.
18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch. 19 Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.
28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” 30 Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

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