FBC Benbrook Sermons

A Martyr's Prayer for Non-Martyrs

For me, Christ is gain both in living and in death. Paul’s conviction that life for him was Christ and that eternal life was guaranteed for him through Christ, enabled him to desire for Christ to be honored in his body, whether that resulted in life or death. This martyr’s prayer challenges even those of us who may never be called to be martyred to live a life worthy of the gospel. (Philippians 1.19-26) November 17, 2024

Through Your Prayers

The apostle Paul was confident that he would be delivered not only through the work of the Holy Spirit but also through the prayers of the saints. The way in which God exercises His sovereign rule over creation through the prayers of His people is a manifold mystery, indeed. But given the way the apostle Paul speaks about prayer, our neglect of striving prayer not only limits God’s divine activity in this world but also silently participates with the rebellion against His sovereign rule over creation. (Philippians 1.19) November 10, 2024

Proclaiming Christ

Paul wanted the saints in Philippi to know about a unique situation: some fellow Christians were preaching Christ from jealousy and selfish ambition, actually hoping to cause Paul more pain and turmoil in prison. This disturbing story challenges us to ask the Holy Spirit to convict us of any jealousy and selfish ambition so that we do not reap the fruit of disorder and every evil thing. (Philippians 1.15-18) November 3, 2024.

The Apostle Paul vs. the NRTADV

The apostle Paul wanted the saints in Philippi to know that what had happened to him, from his many imprisonments and beatings to the various near death experiences, had really served to advance the gospel. As a result, the gospel had reached the halls of power in the Roman Empire, and many of them had become believers. His testimony is challenging to us today who really want Jesus to make our life better and easier. What must take place within our own hearts to ask the Lord to use our circumstances to advance the gospel, regardless of how difficult they may be? (Philippians 1.12-14) October 27, 2024

My Thanksgiving and Prayer

The apostle Paul had fond memories of the church in Philippi, and he prayed for them often. His prayers began with thanksgiving that flowed into intercession. He was thankful for, and asked God for more of, their abounding love, their spiritual wisdom, the fruit of their righteousness in Christ, their hope in the full gospel, and their desire to bring glory to God. On the 20th anniversary of my tenure as Pastor of FBC Benbrook, I take the opportunity to give my thanks to God for His manifold grace upon this church and to lead the church to pray for more and more of His grace. (Philippians 1.12-14) October 20, 2024.

To Defend and Confirm

In today's sermon, we are reminded of the importance of guarding our faith and the challenges we face in a world where many are deconstructing their beliefs. We recognize that the term "deconstruction" has gained popularity, often leading individuals away from the orthodox Christian Gospel and towards a rejection of faith altogether. We are called to defend and confirm our faith, understanding that questions and doubts are a normal part of our spiritual journey, but we must seek deep answers rather than settle for shallow ones. As we prepare for the spiritual battles that lie ahead, we are encouraged to engage with the core issues of the Gospel, knowing that it is through Christ that we find true life and purpose. Ultimately, we affirm that the Gospel is worth defending and sharing, as it brings abundant life to all who believe. (Philippians 1.7) October 13, 2024.

God Finishes What He Starts

One of the great promises in the Bible is that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” In this sermon, we lift up this promise and examine it from various angles, the many good works of God that He brings to completion. We also examine how the completion date of the day of Jesus Christ changes our hopes. Finally, we wrestle with a couple of truths that we need to accept in order to fully rest under this promise. (Philippians 1.6) October 6, 2024
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In our journey through life, we often find ourselves starting projects or endeavors that we never see through to completion. This is a common human experience, often due to limited resources, changing desires, or simply biting off more than we can chew. However, the promise we find in Philippians 1:6 offers us a profound contrast: God is not like us. When He begins a work, He sees it through to completion. This assurance is rooted in His sovereignty and faithfulness, qualities that are unchanging and eternal.Paul's confidence in this promise is not based on wishful thinking or subjective feelings. Instead, it is grounded in the objective truth of God's character and His past actions. Paul has experienced God's sustaining grace and knows that the work God begins, whether it be the gift of life, our salvation, or our sanctification, will be brought to completion at the day of Christ. This completion is not something we will necessarily see in our earthly lifetime, but it is assured in the eternal timeline of God's plan.The promise extends to various aspects of our lives. Firstly, the gift of life itself is a work that God began and will sustain until the day of Christ. Our daily prayers for provision, protection, and wisdom are rooted in the confidence that God is actively involved in our lives. Secondly, our salvation is a work that began with Christ's sacrifice and continues as we are being saved and will be saved from the wrath of God at the final judgment. Thirdly, our sanctification, the process of being made holy, is ongoing and will only be completed when our sin nature is fully redeemed. Fourthly, the good works we are created to do are part of God's plan, prepared in advance, and will continue to bear fruit even after our earthly lives end. Lastly, the work God began in the church will also be brought to completion, as the church continues to bear fruit and witness until Christ's return.To rest under this promise, we must embrace the eternal perspective, recognizing that the completion of God's work is not confined to our earthly timeline. We must also accept that suffering is part of the process, trusting that God is with us through every trial and tribulation. This promise is a source of hope and assurance, reminding us that God is faithful and will complete the good work He has begun in us.

What Jesus Prays for Us

On the night of His arrest, Jesus prayed for His disciples, and for all those who would become a disciple, in what many refer to as the “High Priestly Prayer.” In this prayer, we see Jesus’ will for us and the specific things we should be praying for so that we are praying according to His will. (John 17) September 22, 2024.
 
Summary:
This sermon explores John 17, the longest recorded prayer of Jesus, often referred to as the High Priestly Prayer. This prayer is profound as it captures Jesus praying for Himself, His disciples, and all future believers, including us. We explored the mystery and beauty of God praying to God, emphasizing the triune nature of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and how this mystery enriches our understanding of prayer. Jesus' prayer reveals His deep desires for His disciples: that they would know His words, be kept in His name, be unified, experience divine joy, be protected from the evil one, be sanctified, be sent into the world, and ultimately be with Him in glory.We also discussed the relative value of prayer, addressing the question of why we should pray if Jesus and the Holy Spirit are already interceding for us. Prayer is not meaningless; it is a divine invitation to participate in God's sovereign work. Jesus commands and invites us to pray, indicating that our prayers are significant and impactful. We examined different types of prayer—conversational, focused, persevering, and thanksgiving—and encouraged finding a personal prayer style that fosters a deeper relationship with God.Finally, we turned Jesus' prayer into practical guides for our own prayer lives. By aligning our prayers with Jesus' desires as revealed in John 17, we can pray confidently, knowing we are praying according to God's will. This approach helps us grow in our prayer life, ensuring that we are not only praying for ourselves but also interceding for others in a meaningful way.

Hated and Helped

Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for what would happen after He returned to the Father. First, the bad news: the world would hate them just as it hated Jesus. They have been called out of the world, are no longer following the course of the world, and are now follower a new Master. But the good news is that the Holy Spirit is coming, and the Holy Spirit would bear witness to the Son through them. The Spirit continues to be at work convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. How does these two truths encourage us as we bear witness to Jesus in a world that hates Him? (John 15.18-16.11) September 15, 2024.

The Paraclete

Between the Last Supper and His arrest in the Garden, Jesus taught the disciples about the coming Holy Spirit, another paraclete. The gift of the indwelling Spirit of God is one of the greatest aspects of the Christian gospel. But who is the Spirit, what does the Spirit do, and how can we experience more of Him? (John 14.15-31) September 8, 2024.