The Moody Church Sunday Morning Podcast

In the fourth and final chapter of Philippians, we come to several well-known, popular “coffee cup” verses. The problem with “coffee cup” verses is that they are divorced from their context and setting. And this is often a recipe for misapplication. These verses from Philippians 4:1-9 might at first glance appear disconnected and disjointed, but there’s a cohesive flow of thought running through these verses; once you see the connection, you can’t unsee it. Everything here is thematically linked together. This passage opens with Paul’s entreaty that these women find a way to make peace with one another, and then his two paragraphs of commands which follow are each capped off by a promise of God’s peace which will be theirs if they follow the commands. Do you see the theme that’s connecting all this? Peace within the family of God. Satan loves to sow discord and disunity into the church. He’s not creative, but he’s effective. So how can we move towards peace with our Christian brothers and sisters? Paul gives us 3 keys to peace-filled relationships: Remembering our Family: When we’re wounded, we tend to cave-in on ourselves. We become self-absorbed. Paul is counteracting that sinful tendency towards self-absorption by reminding us that we are children of God. There is gospel connection that binds us to one another. Because in Christ, we are bound together as forever family. When we realize this, we can set aside squabbles within the larger context of the saving work of Christ which echoes into eternity. Requesting of our Father: The Lord is our Joy, our life, our everything. So don’t let personal conflict steal your joy. Your joy comes from drawing deeply of the resources that are yours in Christ and pursuing him every day of your lives. In conflict, not only do we become self-absorbed, but we tend to become self-reliant, assuming that it is our responsibility to get what we want. Anxiety is symptomatic of self-reliance. Paul counteracts the sinful tendency to self-reliance and anxiety by encouraging us to pray in God-reliance which leads to peace. In Christ, we entrust our heart’s desires to God. Refocusing our Framework: When we’re in conflict, we tend to villainize the other person. We tend to think about the things that justify our poor treatment of them. Paul counteracts this sinful tendency towards self-justification by refocusing the framework. Instead of reducing someone to the sum-total of their failures, look for glimpses of Christ in them. In Christ, we attend to God’s good work in one another. Takeaway: Brothers and sisters, let us agree in the Lord.Who do you need to apologize to?

Who do you need to forgive?

With whom do you need to make peace? Philippians 4:1-9

Who do you want to be when you grow up?  It’s not just a question for children, it’s a question for all of us. Because, if God has given us new birth by grace through faith in Jesus’ life substituted for ours on the cross, and if God has then filled us with his Holy Spirit who is teaching us to walk in His ways, and if every moment of every day is an opportunity to be with Jesus and learn from Him how to live so that we are transformed increasingly into the image and likeness of Jesus, then we are all in fact still growing up. We all have a whole lot of maturing ahead of us if we are to become gloriously like Jesus forever. In this passage, the Apostle Paul explores spiritual maturity with 3 vital insights: The Pursuit of Maturity: Spiritual maturity is not a destination, but a pursuit. This side of glory, we will never fully arrive, because we’re a work in progress. This is the process of being progressively conformed to the image of Christ. The Pattern of Maturity: Spiritual maturity is less taught and more caught. Imitation is the key to maturation. Be ever careful who you keep your eyes on. We become what we behold. This is why Paul warns against those who we shouldn’t imitate. The Prospect of Maturity: Spiritual maturity is living here, while belonging there. We reside as citizens on earth, but we belong as citizens of Heaven. The way of Jesus is to be in the world, but not of the world. Jesus showed us the way through the Incarnation when He embodied both presence and holiness at once. This is the call to live as fully engaged citizens of earth, whose real, true, ultimate home and allegiance belong to our citizenship in Heaven. We are to be in the world but not of the world. Takeaway: stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. Philippians 3:12-4:1

On reformation Sunday, Pastor Lutzer returns to the pulpit for a special message from Romans 3. How can we be right with God? Our corruption before God is seen by what we seek (v. 11), what we say (v.13), where we go (v.15), and what we see (v.18). Only God can solve our dilemma: we are saved by God, from the wrath of God, for the glory of God. The cross, like a prism, reveals God’s incredible attributes to us:It magnifies the justice of God

It magnifies the grace of God

It magnifies the glory of God The bottom line: God purchased us at high cost for Himself, saving even the worst of sinners. Romans 3:19-26

One of the most important questions of life is: Who am I? We all wonder who we are at the core of our being. So much hinges on how we answer this questions: our sense of self, our identity, our being, all inform how we behave, which in turns forms who we are becoming. In this passage from Philippians, Paul is going to take us back to the basics of our identity.   There are three basic identity formation strategies we can employ to attempt to gain a sense of self, and Paul is going to walk us through each of them: Affirmation—Looking to Others: In this paradigm, we find our sense of self in the approval of others. This approach results in number problems, such as anxiety, exhaustion, and instability. Paul speaks to a better approach: your identity and joyous life is found, not in the approval of anyone else, in Christ alone.

Achievement—Looking to Self: In this paradigm, we find our sense of self in succeeding on our own terms. This approach also has a number of problems, like fragility, inflated self-esteem, and crushing pressure. Another fallacy with self-expressed identity, common to the modern church, is that we try to find our sense of self in being true to ourselves. The result is often insecurity, instability, and dissatisfaction.

Abiding—Looking to Christ: In this final paradigm, our identity and joyous life is found—not in looking to others or to ourselves—in looking at to Christ alone. For Paul, he’s no longer resting on his own righteousness, his own standing, his own identity, because Christ’s identity has become Paul’s own past, present, and future reality. On the cross, Jesus exchanged identities with us; He took our sinful identity and gave us His own righteous identity in exchange. The result? We can now be affirmed and approved by the ONE person in all the universe whose opinion matters most! Takeaway: Is your identity durable? Is it solid, unshakable, lasting, glorious, everlasting? C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity Your real, new self (which is Christ’s and also yours, and yours just because it is His)…It will come when you are looking for Him. Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favourite wishes, every day and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fibre of your being and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in that long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else… Philippians 3:1-11 To watch the Living The Message conversation about this sermon, visit : https://youtu.be/d1b5q4hZdYA

In this sermon we come to one of those sections of the Bible that we might be tempted to skip over. At the end of Chapter 2 in Philippians, Paul takes 12 verses to describe his travel plans along with the travel itineraries of two other individuals: Timothy and Epaphroditus. Why should we care? By the end of this message, you’ll be glad you didn’t skip over this section! Timothy and Epaphroditus are sent to Philippi by Paul to serve on 3 different levels: Emissaries: In the first century world, news traveled by means of couriers sent from place to place with letters in hand. So at the first and most basic level, Timothy and Epaphroditus serve as couriers on the Via Appia and Via Egnata, because they are reliable and trustworthy men who Paul can count on to get the job done. Encouragers: These are no emotionally uninvolved postmen, simply conveying unknown letters from stranger to stranger. No, these are brothers in Christ who care dearly for one another and for their respective communities. So, these men were sent not only as letter carriers, but to embody the love and affection that binds Paul and the Philippian believers together in Christian friendship. In essence, these men are representatives of spiritual affection and friendship. That is a model for what the church needs today: embodied encouragement shared through being together in worship, community, and service. We’re better together! Exemplaries: Finally, Paul sends Timothy because he there is no other equal who cares for the Philippians like Paul. Timothy exemplifies the genuine concern for the welfare of others, the embodiment of Christlike love and others-centered humility. In essence, Timothy is embodying what Paul is exhorting in the book of Philippians! We too are called to be imitators of Christ. But sometimes that seems like a lofty or intangible goal. Which is why God gives us people like Timothy and Epaphroditus and Paul, to show us what Christlikeness looks like in real, everyday life. We learn by imitation, by patterning ourselves after others and following in their example. Takeaways: Who am I imitating? Who is imitating me? The person you will become is directly linked with the heroes you admire and the friendships that you cultivate.Philippians 2:19-30 To watch the Living The Message conversation about this sermon, visit https://youtu.be/EL5sGixFSRM.

Who is the greatest person you’ve had the privilege of knowing? Not the most glamorous, but the greatest. You see, there’s a difference between glamor and greatness. Glamor impresses from a distance; greatness impacts up close. Glamor is on the outside; greatness is on the inside. Glamor draws attention to itself; greatness focuses attention on others. All the marketing in our society emphasizes glamor as the ideal for us to pursue. But at a funeral, we talk about something very different as an indicator of life’s significance. We don’t talk about glamor, we talk about the ideals of greatness: friendship, tenderness, selflessness, sacrifice, generosity, care, faithfulness, love. And all those things have one thing in common: humility. Here’s what’s amazing: this kind of true greatness we so admire in others is the very thing God intends to grow in us by His Spirit, conforming us to the image of Christ, that we might share in His glory and joy forever! God intends to make us people of true greatness, people who are servant-hearted and humble just like Jesus. That kind of greatness is the theme of Philippians 2:1-18. In this passage, we explore 4 key themes about God’s view of greatness: The Priority of Greatness: God desires a united family filled with humble love. Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if our church lived like that? It would be a taste of heaven!

The Model of True Greatness: Jesus calls each of us through the cross to glory. There is so much in us that needs to die in order that the true greatness of the life of Christ might come alive in us. But how do we do this?

The Secret of True Greatness: The key to transformation lies in obedient surrender. We obey, but not in self-effort; it’s in active dependency and surrender to the Holy Spirit of God who is working in us. We surrender, but not passively, because we surrender to the leading and desires of the Spirit, yielding to His direction.

The Beauty of True Greatness: Becoming truly great like Jesus means going against the flow. If we’re going to become truly great like Jesus, it’s going to mean going against the flow. Takeaways: True greatness means becoming a servant of all. Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. – Mark 10:42-45 Philippians 2:1-18

Are we sure of God’s love for us? God wants us to be certain of His love for us. In this sermon, special guest Dr. Ray Ortlund, Jr., walks us through a life changing passage in Romans 8. Here, the apostle Paul asks four questions about the personal and powerful love of God for the underserving.If God is for us, who can be against us?

Will God give us all things?

Who will condemn those whom God has chosen?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? The gospel question for us is this: are you willing to be loved endlessly by almighty God above? This has nothing to do with our performance. In fact, God does not limit his love for failures like us. God loves you personally, limitlessly, and powerfully, so that you’ll love Him too. Romans 8:31-39

Can you see the Apostle Paul in your minds’ eye? He’s under house arrest in Rome and manacled to an Imperial Guard. He’d appealed to Caesar, but now he’s wasting away, stuck in an endless line of bureaucratic delays. He has no idea how Caesar will rule on his case. He might be set free, or he might be executed. His very life hangs in the balance. And yet, in this passage from Philippians 1:18-30, look at how joyous Paul is in the middle of so many life and ministry setbacks. He’s so resilient, vibrant, courageous, steadfast, and undaunted! And it’s not because he’s ignoring reality. He says, “I very well may die here.” He’s utterly realistic about his suffering, and yet over-flowingly joyful. This man knows how to live! What’s his secret? In this sermon, we will learn that to live a live worthy of the gospel means that Christ becomes our: Reason for Rejoicing: We delight in the glory of Christ which has become our greatest joy in life and eternity.

Purpose in Living: We invest in the mission of Christ which has become our greatest endeavor in life and eternity.

Meaning in Suffering: To live for Christ means we will suffer for Him. For those who are children of God in Christ, suffering is not punitive but purifying. We endure in the grace of Christ who has become our greatest treasure in life and eternity. Takeaway: When Christ is our reason for rejoicing, our purpose in living, and our meaning in suffering, then as the Apostle Paul put it, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:18b-30 To listen to Living the Message podcast answering questions about this sermon, subscribe at: https://www.moodychurch.org/podcast/

In 1961, at the start of training camp, Vince Lombardi walked into the locker room of the Green Bay Packers and spoke what would become one of the most iconic lines in sports history: “Gentlemen, this is a football!” He was reminding them of the fundamentals. He was going back to basics. It’s easy to forget the basics, to neglect the core disciplines of a winning team. Lombardi knew no amount of trick plays or player talent would matter if they didn’t master the basics of the game. And the same thing is true of our Christian lives. If we want to be joyously in love with Jesus, overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit, growing together as the family of God, we must be engaged in the bases of life with Jesus. It’s time to get Back to Basics. And to help us do that, I know of no better place to turn than to the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, because it’s all about getting back to basics of following hard after Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit and the interdependencies of life in the family of God. For followers of Jesus, the Gospel, the Good News that God is reconciling all things to himself (including us!) through His Son, Jesus. The Good News that changes everything. In these verses, we'll discover 4 fruits of the Gospel in our lives: Our Gospel Family: The gospel enfolds us into uncommon unity. One of the ways you know the gospel is at work is that it brings together people who would never otherwise hang out with one another. Will we allow the gospel to redefine our social circle?

Our Gospel Charity: The gospel infuses in us unexpected affections. The gospel of grace forges deep connections between members of the body of Christ. It teaches us to love one another with the love of Christ himself. Will we allow the gospel to realign our hearts’ affections?

Our Gospel Destiny: The gospel is ushering us to unforeseen glories. The Gospel has bound us together as a family, and given us the affection of Christ for one another, so that the love of Christ might abound in our lives and sweeping us along toward this common destiny of being conformed to the image of Christ to the glory and praise of God! Will we allow the gospel to refocus our dreams?

Our Gospel Priority: The gospel empowers us for unselfish mission. The gospel teaches us to gladly serve and sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. Will we allow the gospel to reprioritize our lives? It is the good news of Jesus that changes everything. Philippians 1:1-18

Music has a way of connecting to our emotions in wonderful ways. Some music helps us rejoice or relax, and other music is deeply therapeutic. Psalm 42 is a therapeutic song, written from the perspective of someone who is desperate for spiritual healing, desperate to be delivered from their spiritual depression. When our souls are desperate for God, what should we do? Maybe you’ve felt like this in your spiritual life: your prayers feel like they’re bouncing off a glass ceiling, your Bible reading feels like wasted time, you’re craving some experience of God, but right now you’re dry and empty. It may not be you today but at some point we all face moments like this, and statistically right now it’s those around you, your family, friends and neighbors. Whether it’s you or someone you're called to love, the way toward soul-sustaining water, is found in Jesus. Water for desperate souls is found in...the community of Jesus

the promises of Jesus

the cry of Jesus

the hope of Jesus Psalm 42