A short letter, written to a young church, planted in a dark & decadent culture. They're trying to do God's work, but they need wisdom, insight, and encouragement to keep going. Where do we even begin?

As always, Paul begins with grace. 

Hide & seek is a game we've all played, and some pretty epic hiding spots have been found over the years.

But none of them tops the place where Paul and his friends were hidden. 

The only thing worse than being picked last is not getting picked at all.

Thankfully, the One choosing teams isn't too concerned about how good we are. He just wants as many players on His team as possible. 

Grace is amazing, but is anyone really aware of how amazing it truly is?
Liberation, emancipation, freedom...there's really nothing like it!

Maybe the ones who know best are the ones who used to be slaves. 

What if God had a will? The kind where, in the end, whoever's name was written in it was destined to get a whole bunch of cool stuff...

Wouldn't you want to know what you were going to inherit?

If the Apostle Paul came to church taking prayer requests, what would you ask him to pray for? Good health, a better job, a lovely family?

It's probably best that Paul never asked people what they wanted.

He always prayed for what they needed. 

Whether speed & agility, or X-ray vision, every super-hero has super-natural power.

And while the same could be said of Christians,

not all of them are aware of the supernatural power they have.

A lot of people, when they're dying, wish they could start over in life and make all kinds of changes. But even if they were allowed to make those changes, who's to say they wouldn't make the same mistakes all over again? Sometimes it's just better to let God give you a new life. He loves being merciful to corpses like us. 

Some people might encourage you to forget your past, especially the scary parts. But the Apostle Paul isn't one of them.

In fact, he would remind you of some of the worst things you've ever experienced. 

Some guys go to prison for murder, others for theft. But the Apostle Paul was incarcerated for something altogether unheard of.

He was in prison for loving his friends. 

You can be unaware of the chord progressions in the National Anthem, or the name of Mark Twain's first cat and it would hardly make a difference.

But to be ignorant of Christ's love is to miss out on everything the Christian life offers.

The very thought of it brought the Apostle Paul to his knees. 

A hundred years ago nobody would've imagined that we'd be flying across the ocean, communicating via satellite, or harnessing atomic energy. Yet here we are.

And if mankind is able to achieve such things, what can God Almighty do?

Well, there's really only one way to find out... 

Single-parent homes, divorce rates, and church denominations all prove how difficult it really is to stay together.

In a world where loyalty is increasingly rare,

what will it take to stand united with the people we claim to love? 

Rabid individualism has nearly destroyed what Jesus died to build.

Many a church lies in ruins because its members couldn't see eye to eye anymore.

What will it take to maintain the unity Christ established long ago?

What's the greatest gift you've ever received?

A new bike? A video game console? A timely word of encouragement?

If you can't remember what it was, you might ask yourself whether you're a Christian yet.

What are you looking for in a church, good child-care? Invigorating worship? Warm handshakes & friendly smiles?
And what if the only thing Jesus gave you were men who refused to coddle you, insisted on training you, and put you to work without pay?

Sometimes it's hard to tell the church from a day-care:

Most everyone you meet is crawling, falling, or crying. 

They're babies when they arrive, and they're babies when they leave.

What must we do, as children of God, to move beyond the nursery?

In some cases, people have been in captivity for so long that, once they're released, they find themselves wanting to return.

The same thing can happen to Christians.

After living so long in the dark, it's tempting to go back. 

If you're like most people,
you're probably not too interested in changing they way you are.

But if those around you are like most people, they probably wish you would.

It's hard to tell who people really are when they don't dress like they should.

Maybe it would help if Christians took of their old costume and put on a clean uniform. 

Sex doesn't always equate to love. In many cases, it's the exact opposite.

And though it's hard to admit, loveless sex can be lethal.

What society needs more than ever is to crawl out of the gutter,

and learn how to walk in love. 

With light bulbs, neon signs, and LED's, our world has more artificial illumination and less true light than ever before. And it's only getting darker.

As the world grows less interested in truth,

it's vital that the children of God continue to walk in the light. 

What is it that makes one wise? Is it a Harvard degree, a high I.Q., or philosophical wit? Some think wisdom comes with age, others would say it's genetic luck, Eve thought it came through an apple. But despite the differences in opinion, most people agree, you'd be a fool to pass it up if it were offered. 

Green tea prevents prostate cancer and good hygiene prevents disease. Health experts tell us that regular exercise can prevent death.

But Eve's submission to Adam could have prevented all of those things. 

A second century Roman senator spoke to husbands about unfaithful wives saying, "kill them". First century Judaism said, "divorce them". Surah 4:34 in the Quran says, "beat them". But Jesus simply shows husbands how to "love them". 

At Christmastime, children often wonder what they can give to their parents.

The Apostle Paul says obedience is worth considering.

And it's a gift every child can afford. 

In fact, it'll cost them dearly if they don't obey their parents.  

Sometimes, slaves revolt against their masters. But that's what whips are for, right?

Other times, masters abuse their slaves. But that's what trade unions are for, right?

Wrong. The Word of God has a better answer for all your vocational woes.

If an astronaut doesn't wear the right gear into outer space, they'll merely suffocate. If a scuba diver doesn't use his equipment, he drowns.

But when a Christian refuses to put on the whole armor of God, all hell breaks loose. 

This sermon will be delivered next week

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