Making Sense of the Present in Light of the Future

in
Speaker: 
Andrew Fountain
Date: 
Sun, 2018-03-18

Sermon Outline - Making Sense of the Present in Light of the Future

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Outline

  • Recap Parts 1–4
  1. There are two worlds, old and new creation
    and the Christian participates in both
  2. Paul’s Attitude to heaven
  3. How does this speak to us?

Recap

  • The most remarkable thing about Philippians is how Paul opens up his heart and his emotions
  • Paul tells us that his effection towards them is actually Jesus’

Philippians 1

  1. I thank my God every time I remember you.
  2. I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you
  3. For it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart...
  4. For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
  • Third week:

Philippians 2:1-11

  1. If then therefore there be any encouragement in Christ,
    if any comfort from his love
    if any fellowship in the Spirit
    if any deep affection or compassion
  2. Complete my joy by having the same mind & heart
          having the same love
          united in soul
          in one mind & heart
  3. not from rivalry or conceit
          but in humility counting others
                more important than yourselves.
  4.             Each of you should be concerned
                not only about your own interests,
          but also the interests of others.
     
  5. May this mind & heart be in you that was in Christ Jesus

Song of Jesus

  1. Who, being the form and reality of God
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be grasped
  2.       but poured himself out,
          taking the form and reality of a servant,
          being born in the likeness of men
                and seen with the appearance of a man
  3.             he humbled himself
                becoming obedient to the point of death
                      even death on a cross
  4.             Therefore God super-exalted him
                and gave him the name
                that is above every name,
  5.       that at the name belonging to Jesus
          every knee will bow
          in heaven and on earth and under the earth
  6. and every tongue confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord
    to the glory of God the Father.

AMF

  • Last week:

Philippians 2:12–13 ESV

  1. …work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
  2. With awe and wonder, keep working at achieving spiritual health within your community

Overview of the Passage

The Two Creations

The Two Creations

Flesh and Spirit

Flesh and Spirit

2. What is the Attitude to heaven taught by this passage?

Outline

  1. There are two worlds, old and new creation
    and the Christian participates in both
  2. Paul’s Attitude to heaven
  3. How does this speak to us?
  • Get this—this is a key point today:
    • Instead of thinking of now being the normal, and what will heaven be like?
    • We must look at our present circumstances in the light of heaven. Heaven is the normal.
    • Use it as a flashlight to examine our present lives
  • e.g. I watched Scotia Plaza being built

Scotia Plaza

Scotia Plaza

Image source: Pinterest

  1. Try to figure it out from what was happening
  2. Look at the big sign with the architect’s impression

Scotia Plaza

Scotia Plaza

Image source: Scotiabank

Romans 13

  1. Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
  2. Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
  3. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Colossians 3

  1. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
  2. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
  3. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

3. How does this speak to us?

  1. As a community
  2. As individuals

Live your life now in the light of the finished product

Updated on 2018-04-01 by Andrew Fountain