Wesley Chapel Podcast

In this passage, Paul questions the Christians if they have believed in vain, because there is a danger that our faith can become empty, and less fervent. Have you built your life on the Gospel? The Gospel changes everything. Does it change how you view everything in life? We are to remember the simplicity of the Gospel, and to be aware that we can fall away from this. Examine your heart--how firmly do you believe that Christ died for your sins, that He was buried, rose again, and was seen by others? The doctrines revolving around the Gospel should challenge our natural views. Wrestle with these questions. What are your true inner beliefs of the resurrection? Without the resurrection, our faith is useless and there is no salvation for man. I would only live for myself in the here and now, and we would have no hope. The resurrection is the power of God, so we can have a present confidence and assurance in what God has done. How does the truth of the resurrection affect how you live and think? The resurrection assures us that this life is not all that there is. This present security leads us to a greater responsibility--to love others, to do what is right, to call out what is wrong, and to call others to repentance. Because of the Gospel, we also know that our future is certain. This leads us to live now in freedom, investing our lives around the Gospel. As Christians, we understand our life in the context of the Gospel. All enemies in this life will be put under God’s feet. Have a vision of God’s future--He will destroy all things of sin, death and decay. We are going to inherit a different world. This should lead us to live in hope now!

In this passage, Paul questions the Christians if they have believed in vain, because there is a danger that our faith can become empty, and less fervent. Have you built your life on the Gospel? The Gospel changes everything. Does it change how you view everything in life? We are to remember the simplicity of the Gospel, and to be aware that we can fall away from this. Examine your heart--how firmly do you believe that Christ died for your sins, that He was buried, rose again, and was seen by others? The doctrines revolving around the Gospel should challenge our natural views. Wrestle with these questions. What are your true inner beliefs of the resurrection? Without the resurrection, our faith is useless and there is no salvation for man. I would only live for myself in the here and now, and we would have no hope. The resurrection is the power of God, so we can have a present confidence and assurance in what God has done. How does the truth of the resurrection affect how you live and think? The resurrection assures us that this life is not all that there is. This present security leads us to a greater responsibility--to love others, to do what is right, to call out what is wrong, and to call others to repentance. Because of the Gospel, we also know that our future is certain. This leads us to live now in freedom, investing our lives around the Gospel. As Christians, we understand our life in the context of the Gospel. All enemies in this life will be put under God’s feet. Have a vision of God’s future--He will destroy all things of sin, death and decay. We are going to inherit a different world. This should lead us to live in hope now!

This vision of Isaiah occurs at the time of the fall of the Northern Kingdom. The Israelites had refused the Lord, so a strong and mighty nation would take them over. The darkness would not remain forever though--this was a message of hope to the people. Isaiah describes the region of the people as dark and very unlikely to have any light or hope, but it was to this group of oppressed people that the Lord would first shine a great Light. This is true of all of salvation--God pours His grace and mercy on those who are oppressed and to those most desperate. The light shines on those who, in humility, see their need for this light. The Gospel is most magnified when we see on whom He has shown a great light. It doesn’t matter who you were before Christ. Christ becomes for you your righteousness and sanctification. The only hope for us is the light of Christ. Never underestimate the power of God to make a life new--even if you are the most unlikely. There is a transformation after regeneration. God will undo everything that sin has done by His grace and mercy. Christ brings joy to His people through His Gospel. Before Christ, we are slaves to sin and under the yoke of bondage, but through the Gospel, we are set free. Deliverance is a remarkable act of God and of His power. To those who are oppressed, God promised that a Child would be born--Christ. Before salvation, the pressure and burden is on our shoulders, but when we come to Christ, He takes the burden and places it on His shoulders. He will reign forever and His Kingdom will never be destroyed. Christ brings peace to the believer. In any area that you’re in darkness, allow the light of Christ in.

This vision of Isaiah occurs at the time of the fall of the Northern Kingdom. The Israelites had refused the Lord, so a strong and mighty nation would take them over. The darkness would not remain forever though--this was a message of hope to the people. Isaiah describes the region of the people as dark and very unlikely to have any light or hope, but it was to this group of oppressed people that the Lord would first shine a great Light. This is true of all of salvation--God pours His grace and mercy on those who are oppressed and to those most desperate. The light shines on those who, in humility, see their need for this light. The Gospel is most magnified when we see on whom He has shown a great light. It doesn’t matter who you were before Christ. Christ becomes for you your righteousness and sanctification. The only hope for us is the light of Christ. Never underestimate the power of God to make a life new--even if you are the most unlikely. There is a transformation after regeneration. God will undo everything that sin has done by His grace and mercy. Christ brings joy to His people through His Gospel. Before Christ, we are slaves to sin and under the yoke of bondage, but through the Gospel, we are set free. Deliverance is a remarkable act of God and of His power. To those who are oppressed, God promised that a Child would be born--Christ. Before salvation, the pressure and burden is on our shoulders, but when we come to Christ, He takes the burden and places it on His shoulders. He will reign forever and His Kingdom will never be destroyed. Christ brings peace to the believer. In any area that you’re in darkness, allow the light of Christ in.

There is always a constant danger in the life of the Christian to become entangled again and forget the simplicity of the Gospel. As humans, we are all prone to trying to work for our salvation. We place standards on ourselves and others and it perverts the simplicity and freedom of the Gospel. The Gospel to be a means of freedom. Do you walk in this freedom? Do you share this freedom with others? Legalism is not necessary for salvation. Don’t attach anything to the Gospel or to your salvation. Your understanding of the Gospel should fill you with joy, not dread. When you war within yourself between accepting the freedom of the Gospel, and wanting to work for your salvation, you create strife within yourself. But the Gospel is to bring you to peace! Don’t burden yourself or others with standards of self-righteousness. These standards and pressures will affect our relationships, our ministries, and our jobs. Our freedom has already been earned by Someone else; we only need to accept this freedom. We can’t earn our freedom with our own works. We are free only in Christ. Don’t expect something greater than necessary in yourself. The only thing that ultimately matters is faith working through love. Is it difficult for you to accept the freedom of the Gospel? Rest in grace and in the sufficiency of Christ. Address influences, unconfessed sins, and principles that go against the Gospel. You must be free in Christ in order to serve and love one another. Freedom individually leads to freedom corporately. We have been called to liberty! Stand fast in this liberty!

There is always a constant danger in the life of the Christian to become entangled again and forget the simplicity of the Gospel. As humans, we are all prone to trying to work for our salvation. We place standards on ourselves and others and it perverts the simplicity and freedom of the Gospel. The Gospel to be a means of freedom. Do you walk in this freedom? Do you share this freedom with others? Legalism is not necessary for salvation. Don’t attach anything to the Gospel or to your salvation. Your understanding of the Gospel should fill you with joy, not dread. When you war within yourself between accepting the freedom of the Gospel, and wanting to work for your salvation, you create strife within yourself. But the Gospel is to bring you to peace! Don’t burden yourself or others with standards of self-righteousness. These standards and pressures will affect our relationships, our ministries, and our jobs. Our freedom has already been earned by Someone else; we only need to accept this freedom. We can’t earn our freedom with our own works. We are free only in Christ. Don’t expect something greater than necessary in yourself. The only thing that ultimately matters is faith working through love. Is it difficult for you to accept the freedom of the Gospel? Rest in grace and in the sufficiency of Christ. Address influences, unconfessed sins, and principles that go against the Gospel. You must be free in Christ in order to serve and love one another. Freedom individually leads to freedom corporately. We have been called to liberty! Stand fast in this liberty!

The Lord brings Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones to reveal to him a vision. The dry bones showed the state of Israel at the time. In this valley, after God showed Ezekiel the full extent of the situation--there were very many bones, and they were very dry--He asks him, “Can these bones live?” The obvious answer is, “No.” But it is the Lord who makes alive, who heals, and who makes whole. We must know and remember the Word of the Lord. Dry bones made alive can only be done by the Lord. It will be done by God’s power alone. What does the valley of dry bones before you look like? How impossible is your situation right now? God will give us more than we can handle to show us that we can’t do it on our own. We don’t have what it takes to help our situation, so our situation points us Godward. We are to trust in God, not in ourselves. When the Lord calls upon a servant to do an impossible task, it is to show His power. He asks us to work according to His power, not according to our power. Ezekiel had to be obedient to the call of the Lord and in faith do what God was commanding him. Even if the call seems absurd, trust God and obey by acting upon the command. We are to live every day in dependence upon the Lord. God called Ezekiel, and now calls us, to prophesy (or preach) to those around us, and to pray that the Holy Spirit would do the work. The source of new life is the Holy Spirit. An active faith in the power, promises, and providence of God will help us in trouble and despair. God displays to us who He is by His incredible acts. Don’t forget the testimonies of the Lord! Acknowledge His daily providence! Take your eyes off yourself and fix them on the Lord!

The Lord brings Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones to reveal to him a vision. The dry bones showed the state of Israel at the time. In this valley, after God showed Ezekiel the full extent of the situation--there were very many bones, and they were very dry--He asks him, “Can these bones live?” The obvious answer is, “No.” But it is the Lord who makes alive, who heals, and who makes whole. We must know and remember the Word of the Lord. Dry bones made alive can only be done by the Lord. It will be done by God’s power alone. What does the valley of dry bones before you look like? How impossible is your situation right now? God will give us more than we can handle to show us that we can’t do it on our own. We don’t have what it takes to help our situation, so our situation points us Godward. We are to trust in God, not in ourselves. When the Lord calls upon a servant to do an impossible task, it is to show His power. He asks us to work according to His power, not according to our power. Ezekiel had to be obedient to the call of the Lord and in faith do what God was commanding him. Even if the call seems absurd, trust God and obey by acting upon the command. We are to live every day in dependence upon the Lord. God called Ezekiel, and now calls us, to prophesy (or preach) to those around us, and to pray that the Holy Spirit would do the work. The source of new life is the Holy Spirit. An active faith in the power, promises, and providence of God will help us in trouble and despair. God displays to us who He is by His incredible acts. Don’t forget the testimonies of the Lord! Acknowledge His daily providence! Take your eyes off yourself and fix them on the Lord!

We, as Christians, must ask ourselves some questions--what is my purpose in this church? Why am I here? As a church, we are not to just be conservative and moralists. We are to be a refuge and shelter for others. Each of us interact with ourselves, with other believers, and with the world around us. As we are bound together with Christ, we are now to bind ourselves to the church body as well to protect each other. We are each partly responsible for the spiritual welfare of the others in our church body. An isolated faith is like dead faith. God is our Father, so we are all of the same family. This should thrust us toward oneness and union with the body. Joy is the result of oneness--this is Christ’s purpose in what He prays in John 17. Am I a means of joy to those around me? Openness and vulnerability are keys to joy. Jesus also prays that we are kept from the evil one, not that we are taken out of the world. We are not to disengage ourselves from the world, but to meet the world with our imperfections. We are to go out and be the salt and light of the world. But we are also not to be conformed to this world. Jesus prays that we be set apart, just like He set Himself apart. The purpose of our unity as a church and with God is so that the world may believe in Jesus. Our lives and love for each other are to be a representative of the love of God. We are to do away with biases and be brought into oneness in heart and desire. Unity is promoted by humble service. Commitment to each other and having preference for others first is not easy, which is why Jesus prays for us. Unity with Christ, with each other, and with the world will show the world the love of Christ.

We, as Christians, must ask ourselves some questions--what is my purpose in this church? Why am I here? As a church, we are not to just be conservative and moralists. We are to be a refuge and shelter for others. Each of us interact with ourselves, with other believers, and with the world around us. As we are bound together with Christ, we are now to bind ourselves to the church body as well to protect each other. We are each partly responsible for the spiritual welfare of the others in our church body. An isolated faith is like dead faith. God is our Father, so we are all of the same family. This should thrust us toward oneness and union with the body. Joy is the result of oneness--this is Christ’s purpose in what He prays in John 17. Am I a means of joy to those around me? Openness and vulnerability are keys to joy. Jesus also prays that we are kept from the evil one, not that we are taken out of the world. We are not to disengage ourselves from the world, but to meet the world with our imperfections. We are to go out and be the salt and light of the world. But we are also not to be conformed to this world. Jesus prays that we be set apart, just like He set Himself apart. The purpose of our unity as a church and with God is so that the world may believe in Jesus. Our lives and love for each other are to be a representative of the love of God. We are to do away with biases and be brought into oneness in heart and desire. Unity is promoted by humble service. Commitment to each other and having preference for others first is not easy, which is why Jesus prays for us. Unity with Christ, with each other, and with the world will show the world the love of Christ.