In Philippians 3:17-4:1, the apostle Paul shows himself to be both a fighter and a lover. He wasn't hesitant to call out false teachers, but he did so "with tears." In many ways Paul points us to Jesus, the ultimate Fighter-Lover. In this message Pastor Mike addresses the topic of spiritual warfare and how we must discern the difference between theological truth and error...but always in a spirit of humility.
When we look at our past, we either build ourselves up, or we beat ourselves up. In order for us to move on from our past, we must realize two things: we are imperfect, and we have a God of grace. Listen now as Seth Hammond encourages us to kiss the past goodbye.
The writer of Philippians, the apostle Paul, had one driving ambition in life: to know Christ. In Philippians 3:10, Paul expresses his desire to "know Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings." What does it mean to know Christ? Why is it important? And how does one strive to know Christ more and more? In this message, Mike Osborne gives answers to each of those questions from God's Word.
In this message Pastor Mike Osborne says that everybody needs to know the gospel. Christians need to know the gospel so they can live out of it everyday and be ready to share it with unbelievers. Non-Christians need to know the gospel they can consider its claims for themselves. This is the third of a 3-part mini-series in which Mike explains each element of the good news of Jesus Christ and challenges believers to extend the "lifeline" to people who need to know Christ.
In Philippians 2:12-18, the apostle Paul calls believers to obedience, but gives us an offer we can't refuse: God promises to work in us that which he expects of us. This is the truth behind the famous prayer of St. Augustine, "Give what you command, and command what you will." RTS student and UPC intern Chuck Bergen delivered this message about joyful sacrifice.
On Easter Sunday 2012, Pastor Mike Osborne gave this message on the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Listen for three benefits of the exaltation of Jesus Christ.
Can you imagine a group of diverse people living in humility toward one another? That's exactly what God calls his people to in Philippians 2:1-11. Apparently there was interpersonal conflict in the church in Philippi, just as there is interpersonal conflict everywhere you look today. The Apostle Paul points to Jesus as the Model of humility. The more deeply you get the gospel, the more empowered you will be to "get low" before other people.
Like many Americans today, Nicodemus was well educated, wealthy, and successful; however, although he knew a lot about God, he didn't quite understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. In a conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus described the power of the Holy Spirit, the good news of God's grace, and He encouraged Nicodemus to believe. What ends up happening to Nicodemus? Listen now to find out.
If Christians are going to effectively make disciples, they must be able to communicate the gospel message clearly and in a relevant manner to non-Christians. In this message (Part 2 of "What Is the Gospel?"), Pastor Mike Osborne explains two of the three main parts of the good news about Jesus: our fallen condition and God's gracious solution.
In this message, Pastor Mike Osborne challenges the church to be faithful in evangelism. A topic that often stirs guilt feelings and insecurity, evangelism is nonetheless part of our calling as followers of Christ. Mike explains several keys to becoming more committed to and confident in spreading the gospel.
In this message, the first of a new series on Philippians, Mike Osborne gives an overview of the book and then teaches on prayer from Paul's prayer for the Philippians. You will learn how Paul prayed for his friends back in Philippi and what it was that motivated him to pray so frequently, intelligently, and confidently.
This is the last message in Pastor Mike Osborne's 7-part series on the attributes of God. In this sermon from Psalm 145, Mike teaches on the importance of knowing that God is good and two ways God's goodness is revealed in Psalm 145. "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him" (Psalm 34:8).
This message focused on the prayer of the apostle Paul for the believers in Ephesus in Ephesians 1. Among other things, Paul prayed that they would know (experientially and intimately, not just abstractly) the incomparably great power of God. The power of God is available for Christians if only they would trust God and step out in faith. Be encouraged and challenged to be a person who lives as though nothing is too hard for God.
This message in the series, "Behold His Glory," is about the beauty of God. How can God, an invisible being, be seen as beautiful? David in Psalm 27 certainly thought God's beauty worthy of praise and pursuit. In his Word, his works, and his Son, God is beautiful to those who know him.