This week we are joined by Guest Speaker Chris Broom from our Manchester congregation. He will lead us in a message called “For Your Progress & Joy In The Faith” from Philippians 1:22-26 as we enjoy the next in our “Boast in the Lord” monthly sermon series. Join us for our Sunday service as we celebrate, worship, and take communion together.
Worship is led by Simon Phillips of our Glasgow Church worship team.
Message Summary & Reflection
Chris Broom delivered our third “Boast in the Lord” message for 2023 using the scripture Philippians 1:21-26; and the title, “For your progress and joy in the faith”.
Chris initially challenged us as a congregation to think whether we could say truthfully that we believe “there is nothing good in me except God”. If we can’t say that, we don’t understand. Every good gift is from above, from the father of the heavenly lights (James 1:17). So when there is anything good in me, I can boast in Christ.
Chris told us that when he first visited the International Churches of Christ, in New York City in 1990, he saw an energy and zeal and passion that was contagious.
Our faith should be infectious and contagious.
Why is this so different from other churches? Because all the members are committed to the word of God being the standard for their lives. Surrender to the accountability of the word of God is what produces the special-ness (Chris preached on the power of the Word of God last time he was in Glasgow).
When he writes Php 1:21-26, Paul is under house arrest & doesn’t know if he is going to live or die. To live is Christ and to die is GAIN. Chris suggests that the devil wants us to think that dying is not gain. If we think that dying is gain, then we can boast in God. Death is “better by far”. Heaven is better than anything on earth… BY FAR.
But to NOT die can be for the “progress and joy in the faith” of other people. Others would progress more when Paul was around because Paul’s boasting in the Lord was contagious.
Everything on earth is STBA = Scheduled to Burn Anyway! [Mt 6:19] The only thing that will still exist at the end of time is your soul and my soul.
- You can boast about your car till it’s stolen.
- You can boast about your girlfriend till she cheats on you.
- You can boast about your house until it burns down.
- But you can boast about God in life or in death.
Paul’s only concern was for the spiritual well-being of those he loved and discipled.
This is borne out by 1 Thess 1:4-8. We should only live among the disciples for their progress & joy in the faith.
Scriptures Shared In This Message
This message will focus on the scriptures featured below:
- Philippians 1:22-26
