On Sunday, June 21, 2020 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Philippians 3:1-16.  This message was part 2 in the “Greater Than” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to this sermon for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also see the sermon audio and video to listen to/watch, download or share.

 

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Philippians 3:1-16
3. If you were to tell your life story, what are the 2-4 things that someone would HAVE to know about you to understand your story?
4. Paul found his personal resume was a LOSS compared to the surpassing VALUE of knowing Jesus.  Paul was saying that all the things in his life (good and bad) do not compare at all to the magnitude of knowing Jesus Christ.  To what degree can you make a similar statement about your own life?  To you, is Jesus greater than all else?
5. Challenges and difficulties in our life are an invitation to get to know Jesus more (as we fellowship with Him in the midst of our suffering).  Has there been a tough time in your life where you have gotten to know Jesus better and depended upon Him deeper because of the challenges you were facing?
6. To what degree are you tempted to “look back” in your life (either to revel in the good or wallow in the bad)?  To what degree in life are you tempted to look around and compare yourself to others?  How would pressing on toward Jesus allow you to continue to grow in the midst of a hard season of life?
7. What stands out to you most from this passage?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen to the message offline, click the link:

Greater Than #2 6.21.20

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the sermon video, watch the YouTube video:

 

Big and small … tall and short … expensive and cheap … all these terms are relative; they require a standard to determine their meaning.

How do I know something is big?  Well, I compare it to something else, and that comparison determines the scale.  If the scale is comparing an elephant to an ant, then the elephant is big and the ant is small.  BUT, if I am comparing an ant to an atom, then the ant is big and the atom is small.

How do I know something is tall?  Well, I compare it to something else, and that comparison determines the yardstick.  Compared to my son, I am tall … while compared to Shaquille O’Neil, I am short.

How do I know something is expensive?  Well, I compare it to something else, and that comparison determines the value.  Compared to the biggest house in Norman, my house is modest … but compared to where the majority world lives, I live in a mansion.

I share these examples today to set the stage for part 2 of our “Greater Than” series this Sunday at Wildwood.  This week we will be looking at Philippians 3:1-16.  In these verses, the Apostle Paul tells us that compared to the value of knowing Christ, everything else in his life is loss.  Paul is saying that the blessings he has known based on his nationality, religion, work ethic, family, etc. are absolutely NOTHING compared to knowing Christ.  Paul had spent the first long season of his life comparing his achievements against his past performance and the performance of his friends … therefore somethings were “wins” and others were “losses.”  But after Paul came to know Jesus Christ, the scale shifted.  Instead of comparing the events of his life to each other, he compared them to Christ, and found them ALL worthless compared to the One who was WORTHY.

All of us need to hear Paul’s reflection on this topic, because all of us are tempted to find our worth in what we do.  But there is a better yardstick for us to measure our lives by … not so much what we do, but Who we follow.  Join us Sunday in our 8AM (outside), 9:30 and 11:00AM (inside) or 9:30AM livestream – wildwoodchurch.org/live – as we explore this further.  See you Sunday!

On Sunday, June 14, 2020 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Philippians 1:18b-26.  This message was part 1 in the “Greater Than” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to the sermon for personal reflection or group discussion.  Also, you will find the sermon audio/video and slides to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read Philippians 1:18b-26
3. What are some of the tough circumstances you are facing right now?  Do you find it difficult to have joy in light of the difficulties you are dealing with?  Why or why not?
4. Have you ever had a time when someone prayed for you and it was a great encouragement?  Describe that time?  Who are you praying for right now?
5. What are your thoughts about death?  Are you scared to die?  Why or why not?  In what way could it be considered “gain” to die (if you know Jesus)?  Have you trusted in Christ for your life after death?
6. How would you answer the question, “To me, to live is ____________?”
7. What would it look like for your life to be about glorifying Jesus and serving others?  What changes would you need to make in your life?
8. What stands out to you most from this passage?  Any particular takeaway?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen access audio to listen to offline, click the link:

Greater Than #1 6.14.20

 

To listen online, use the media player below:

 

To watch the video stream of the worship service, access YouTube video below:

This spring has been a time of loss, hasn’t it?  What we thought we had in February has been exchanged for something different over the past 90 days.  

• Some of you have lost loved ones to disease … and lost the chance to mourn them in a memorial service.
• Some of you have lost your job amidst a pandemic.
• Some of you have lost savings as your income froze for months and you hope it will soon thaw out.
• Some of you lost the notion that “all is well” in our country … as racial unrest, political differences, and demands for change have forced hard conversations everywhere we turn.
• Some of you lost sleep over the stress of the moment.
• Some of you lost your graduation ceremony.
• Some of you lost your dream wedding with all your friends in attendance.
• Some of you lost your mind, yelling at the TV over current news developments.

And on, and on, and on it goes.  This spring has been a time of loss.  BUT, what if there is something gained in the midst of this time?  What if God is doing something great in this moment, through all these trials?  What if the uncertainty of this spring leads you to a certain understanding of your eternity in Christ?  What if …

What if what we gain in this moment is GREATER THAN what we lost?

This is the question we are going to be asking the next two weeks at Wildwood Community Church as we look at two passages from Paul’s letter to his friends at the church in Philippi.  In the midst of a time of great personal loss (arrest, imprisonment, impending martyrdom, etc.) Paul says that he “will  rejoice” (Philippians 1:18).  How could he rejoice in a time of great trouble?  Well, he explains that in this letter.  

• In Philippians 1:18-26, he describes how his understanding of life (and death) allow him to GAIN JOY, even if he LOSES HIS LIFE.  
• In Philippians 3:1-16, he describes how he can GAIN JOY, by deepening His relationship with Jesus, even if he LOSES RELIANCE ON HIS RESUME.

Over the next two Sundays at Wildwood, we will look at those two passages together to see how we can also have JOY in the midst of this season of loss.  After all, what we gain in Christ is far GREATER THAN what we lose.  

Hope to see you this Sunday, June 14, in one of our 4 morning worship opportunities:

• 8:00AM – Outside in-person service in Wildwood’s back parking lot (by Children’s building)
• 9:30AM – Indoor in-person service in Wildwood’s worship center
• 9:30AM – Livestream online at wildwoodchurch.org/live
• 11:00AM – Indoor in-person service in Wildwood’s worship center

Please join us Sunday in one of our “All-In” worship services!  No children, student, or adult classes meeting on site, but worship services for the entire family!  See you Sunday and bring friends!