Illuminate Community Church

07/26/20 - Philemon - Reconciliation and Forgiveness

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Our current time reminds me of this opening line to Dicken's classic work. Admittedly, it feels more like the worst of times as we look into the future. But we must not forget that the God of history, the present and the future sits on the throne. The question has been asked - What will the future of the church look like? Church online is a blessing for many during this season and yet I wonder if it isn't adding to what many have already viewed as a convenience rather than a necessity. What will be the trajectory of relationships if the body does not habitually come together? The results are predictable because the fact is, we were not created to do life this way. (Remember the first "not good" of creation was that man was alone.) We cannot lose our dependance on one another because this will lead to a loss of relationship. I have seen lifelong friendships come to an end over one social media post. The devil horns we see above each other's heads tend to grow when we lose face to face interaction.

Tucked away in the New Testament is a short and intensely personal letter. It's not packed with theology and you won't find it at the top of most preaching lists. It is however, one of my favorites - Philemon. It reminds us that life is about relationships. First and foremost there is your relationship with God. If you get this right then all other relationships can be made right. Made right doesn't mean made easy but when Jesus enters our lives everything about us is radically changed. Philemon's story tells us how to restore and maintain what we were created for - relationship.

07/19/2020 - Do The Math

07/12/2020 - Go Home!

7/5/2020 - How To Be Generous - Philippians 4:10-20

My friend told me he wanted to know everything Jesus taught. I said it might surprise you to know that one-fourth of the time he spoke about money. He said, "Really? What else did he talk about?" One of the effects of the gospel going deeper into our souls is that it frees our fingers to loosen their grasp on our stuff. Generosity is one of the great evidences of truly being a disciple of Jesus Christ. But for the Christian, the issue is not just that we give, but how...

“God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9:7.

Christian generosity happily finds its' motivation from Jesus himself — our Savior, Lord and greatest treasure — demonstrated the ultimate in generosity in coming to save us...

“Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” 2 Corinthians 8:9.

If Jesus is in us, then increasingly such an open-handed tendency will be in us as well. We don't own anything. Instead we steward what we've been given. This leads to freedom.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

Since our treasures reveal our hearts and our hearts are idol making machines then money reveals our idols. So we need help. Paul gives it to us in two simple paragraphs as he concludes his letter to the Philippian church. Contentment, needs vs wants, and the sacrifice of Jesus compel all believers to be generous stewards. Remember, the theme of the book of Philippians is joy and joy comes when you share with others!

06/28/2020 - How To Be Stable In Unstable Times - Philippians 4:1-9

There have only been a few times in my life when I've been far away from any city lights. When this happens there is one thing that cannot be ignored. One thing that screams for my attention. So I stare into the night sky filled with stars. It's awesome. The vastness of just that little slice of God's universe is an overwhelming thought. From our position on earth, there is one star perfectly placed by God that holds special significance. We call it Polaris, the North Star. Before the compass or sexton sailors used that fixed point to determine direction. Now more than ever we need a North Star in life. Of course, God has given it to us in his son Jesus Christ. I love what C.S. Lewis said...

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Our exhortation from the Apostle Paul this week is a great one. Every single one of life's challenges is to be seen from a cosmic perspective. In other words, look up to the sky and remember that from heaven we await a savior who will transform our bodies. We will be in a place that is unbroken and untouched by sin's weariness. So let's put our earthly circumstances into that eternal perspective and find the path to joy on earth.

06/21/2020 - Press On - Philippians 3:12-21

Last week, we read about Paul's desire in Philippians Chapter 3 to know Christ by stating that He counted all as a loss for the value of knowing Jesus. He stressed that his supreme goal was to have righteousness, which only comes through faith in Jesus. In other words, Paul exchanged his work for the work of Jesus on the cross. He also said he wanted to know the power of His resurrection and to share His sufferings, even in His death. This is Christian maturity.

Our past can be a weapon. It can make us think that our future is determined by our former failures. Paul’s attitude toward pressing on to a goal is humble in that he does not consider himself perfect. He said that it was wise for him to forget things that are behind and reach forward for the prize that lies ahead, which is a divine call of God through His son, Jesus Christ. Paul also stressed the need for those who were mature to have the same mind and follow his example.

Can you see the tears streaming down Paul's face as he sends a heartfelt warning to those who do not walk properly by setting their minds on earthly things and making greed their god? He reminded the church at Philippi that a Christian’s true citizenship is in heaven, not on earth. As a matter of fact, Paul said, Jesus Christ will transform our bodies to conform to His glorious body upon His second coming.

Christian, your past does not determine your future. Stop feeding the monster that believes this. Every Biblical hero except Jesus was formerly rebellious to God in some way. Every human heart is crooked but in God's hands the crooked heart is made to draw straight lines!

06/14/2020 - Knowing Jesus - Philippians 3:1-11

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Philippians 3:8-9

​Sometimes it's hard to believe God accepts us as we are. We put in the work of salvation in hopes that God will put a smile on his face. Or perhaps we work so that he can be in our debt. Many people will say, "If I'm basically a good person then God will be duty-bound to throw open the gates of heaven for me!" Sometimes we make the relationship with our creator feel more like an employee to an employer. The challenge is that success is a moving target. How do we know if we've really been good enough? How do we know for sure that we have put a smile on God's face? This is a recipe for an anxious life of uncertainty. In the end, what we've done is put our hope in ourselves only to be devastated and worn out. We take our deep habit to gain approval from others and we apply it to the God who created us. This proves to be a fickle faith.

So let's take a breath and remember Paul's words above. There is a righteousness that has already been secured on our behalf. Jesus did it on the cross. All of the work that Paul put in as a religious zealot counted as nothing when it comes to earning God's favor. No longer did Paul want a righteousness of his own. This could also be called self-righteous. Instead, God wanted a pure heart that is dependent upon faith in Jesus. The pressure is off. The love is on. We now find our motivation to please God because of Christ's sacrificial work on our behalf.

06/07/2020 - Work Out What God Is Working In - Philippians 2:5-30

Last week, we received Paul's exhortation to think of others as more important than ourselves. This could not come at a better time. The injustices we've seen in our country have shaken our silos. God's people must lead the way by searching our own hearts, bearing one another's burdens and bringing the Gospel message of repentance, reconciliation and restoration. Paul reminds us that humility is the key to unity. We need help in the form of an example and of course, we have it in Jesus. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone modeled His heart? There's a simple Greek word Paul uses to describe Jesus's selfless action and it packs a punch - kenosis.

We often think about what Jesus gave up to come to earth. He had all the rights and privileges of deity and he set them aside and was born in a stable. But Jesus didn't just leave things behind. He also added. Jesus added to His divine nature a human nature as He humbled Himself for us. Jesus went from being the glory of glories in heaven to being a human being who was put to death on the cross.

“Taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” In the ultimate act of humility, the God of the universe became a human being and died for His creation. Philippians 2:7-8

Jesus took on human nature with all of its limitations, except with no sin. In humility he died for us, so we can live for him. His obedience to God's plan inspires us. Let's be honest. Sometimes we Christians are whiners. We have forgotten the unfathomable good will shown to us through our savior's obedience to the Father. Our obedience causes us to shine for others says Paul. This implies that people need to be shown the way. People are watching you Christian. Perhaps now more than ever they are asking questions – Does Jesus make a difference? Is Jesus real? Does he change anybody? What does a faithful Jesus follower look like and how does he or she influence culture? Paul says that when it comes to following God, "Please shine like stars!" Show them how Jesus lights our path and can light theirs too.

05/31/2020 - Humility Creates Unity - Philippians 2:1-4

Memorial Day has reminded us of sacrifice. We are thankful for those who have given their all for the country and people they love. Sacrifice never comes easy and that is why Paul's letter to the Philippians holds what might be the two most challenging verses for fallen humans. What do you think?
 
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

We are called to find ways to serve and bless our brothers and sisters in Christ. According to Paul this is the secret sauce to a healthy and thriving church. Simply put, humility creates unity. The church can be a fragile thing. Pride and arrogance on the part of a few can undermine what takes years to build and mature. So how do you get the resources to pursue the unity that comes from humility? Every one of those resources comes from Jesus. You can't be humble without contentment. Jesus gives us contentment. You can't be humble while being insecure. Jesus gives us security. You can't be humble without having a model. Jesus is our model.

Jesus prayed for you and me. He prayed for those who would come to know him. Of all the requests he could make on our behalf, he asks this of the Father...
 
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20-21
 
You can't be humble without experiencing humility from others. Jesus will humble himself all the way to the cross so that you can believe he was sent by God!

05/24/2020 - How To Die - Philippians 1:15-30

It's been said that all of man's life is one long attempt to avoid death. But then someone you love dies. You attend the service honoring his or her life. Depending on your age, you might think for longer than a minute about your own memorial and then you push it aside. Still, someday people will be talking about you in the past tense. The apostle Paul was faced with this thought time and again. Perhaps now more than ever because he is a prisoner of Rome and that usually doesn't end well. Especially for a Christian living under the reign of Nero. Paul reveals his attitude...

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

In other words, he's saying, "It doesn’t matter if I live or die, either way, I win." Paul's worldview allowed him to face anything. His circumstances didn't define him, rather his faith defined his circumstances. You see Paul has answered the question, “What am I doing here? Why am I on this planet?” His outlook was both realistic and hopeful as if to say, "Death is not bothersome and yes life is hard, but I don’t want you to be discouraged because of me. I'm doing fine; I know why I'm here and I know where I'm going!" This is a cause for a great celebration my friends. Jesus has answered life's most pressing questions for you and me!