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A Heart of Love, A Passion for Truth

Sunday, February 12, 2023
Pastor Jojo Ma

Weekly Bulletin | Worship Lyrics

Philippians 1:7-8

 

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

I.          A Heart of Love
II.        A Sharing in Grace
III.       A Passion for Truth

I.         A Heart of Love
7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart…8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Phil 1:8 KJV For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

First, love this church by praying for and with others.

Second, love this church by overlooking offenses and forgiving others.

Eph 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Assume the best of others, examine your own heart, think about being tender-hearted, and then go directly to the person and just talk as loving believers in Christ with the aim to forgive and reconcile.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart…8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

This is what it means to be gospel-centered. We live out of the good news. We love out of the good news.

II.        A Sharing in Grace
7…for you are all partakers with me of grace…

First, our support for missionaries must focus on faithfulness, not fruitfulness. In other words, we are not “success” driven.

Second, our support ought be much more than money.

The Philippians believed that the gospel ministry was a 100% effort for 100% of them, so Paul thanked God for every single one of them.

7…for you are all partakers with me of grace…

III.      A Passion for Truth
7…both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

It’s the Greek word ‘apologia’. It means a defense or an answer, especially a verbal response.

1 Pet 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

2 Cor 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Acts 17:16-17 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

Christian apologetics is that field of study that aims to give intellectual reasons for faith, answers for faith, and a defense of the faith. And every Christian ought to be engaged in apologetics to some degree.

Loving God with our feelings won’t get us far. We need to love God w all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. So church and parents, take theology and apologetics and the Christian worldview very seriously.

Book Recommendation -> Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith by Greg Bahnsen

7…both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.