Sunday, August 12, 2007

Galatians 5:1-12 Sermon

In the most non-flattering way, I just want to thank God for you, Jordan, and for your obedience to the Lord in preparation for the sermon this morning. It was evident that you had sought the Lord's face concerning the text. Being pointed to Christ under the preaching of the word is invaluable and necessary for sanctification. Nathan and yourself have been careful and diligent with the preaching of the word, and I truly thank God for placing my family among that kind obedient diligence. May God continue to give you favor in sermon preparation for the spiritual health of Grace Church and its visitors. I was encouraged to seek God for my benefit and challenged to prepare excellently for the preaching of His word. May the Lord lead me to place His yoke of freedom around this baby oxen neck.

Anyone wanting to comment further concerning this morning's sermon to continue to spur one another on please do so by replying to this post.

1 comment:

JS said...

Amen! I too echo Bryan's words. Once again, by God's grace, I left our meeting with freshly stirred affections for Christ .

I was reminded as I listened to the sermon this morning of a prayer Jordan lifted up months ago while preaching on 2 Peter 1:16-17 - He pleaded with the Lord "to grab us by the back of our shirt collars and drag us up the Mount of Transfiguration that we might behold a glimpse of the glory of Christ and be transformed". I thank the Lord for His kindness this morning in giving us that kind of glimpse through the preached Word.

It continually amazes me to see God's Providence in linking corporate prayer and sermon texts together. As it was pointed out in the corporate prayer preparation this morning, God is so gracious in laying nuggets of gold for us (in Christ), enabling us to find them, [why?] so that we continue to go harder after Him. What a parallel to Galatians 5:6 - The only thing that matters: Faith working through love. Yes. Faith in God which is motivated by love for God, which is motivated by God [the great Giver!] first loving us. How? By sending His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. By His grace may we see and experience the depth of His love afresh that we might cling to Him all the more! Enable us O God to find the nuggets of gold that are in your Son Christ!

I too mean this in the most non-flattering way. I want to be careful not to fan the flames of pride. I thank the Lord for the leadership at Grace. That He has given us three men who diligently and lovingly shepherd the flock, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those alloted to their charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. To God alone be the glory for providing leadership that not only tell us what it means to "keep standing firm in Christ", but also prove it in their example to the flock.

May we seek His face all the more! Let us be the people of Psalm 105:3-4 and seek His face continually!