Sunday Recap 9-23-12

Morning: The sermon, "Expressing Gratitude," looked at Philemon 1:4-7. I this passage, Paul teaches us how to let people know that you appreciate them. He calls us to:

1. Express your gratitude to God first.

     Paul expresses two reasons for his gratitude:

     a. their faith in Christ Jesus

     b. their love for all the saints

2. Ask God to build them up. 

This verse is a difficult one to translate. 

The ESV says: "and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ"

The HCSB says: "I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ."

The NLT says: "You are generous because of your faith. And I am praying that you will really put your generosity to work, for in so doing you will come to an understanding of all the good things we can do for Christ"

The KJV says: "that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

James Dunn, a commentator, says Paul is asking that Philemon's shared experience of  a common trust in Christ might become effective in the knowledge of all the good which was their common lot as Christians.

In other words, Paul's hope is that Philemon's faith will continue to deepen even as it widens. He is part of a story larger than himself, and the more he participate in that story, the more he will come to know the main character, Jesus Christ.

3. Tell them how they have impacted you.

Paul says Philemon gave him great joy and encouragement, but not personally. It was due to Philemon's work with other.

Application:

1. Thank God for the people he has put in your life.

2. Pray for them.

3.Let them know about it.

4. Do you have fellowship in the common Christian faith?

Evening: The lesson, "Weary and Worn Out," focused on Proverbs 30:1 (ESV). This passage reminds us that we need to look to the Lord to strengthen us through rest.

I recently read an article by Dr. Zach Eswine concerning being worn out. You can read it here. It has helped to shape this message. Fatigue is more than just feeling tired. It's a tiredness that won't go away, even when you try to rest. We can experience fatigue both physically and mentally. Some symptoms' include:

Irritability, Anger, despair, depression, sleeping too much, insomnia, hasty decisions, poor judgment, and cloudy thinking.

 Maybe you feel like the author. The key is to figure out what is causing the problem, so you can get things balanced again. Some questions to diagnose the cause:

Have you been working a lot lately?

Have you dealt with a lot of emotional stress lately?

Have you done a lot of good that has gone unnoticed?

Have you started something new?

Are you trying to take God's place?

What else is going on in your life

Application:

Rest--nap, sleep,

Exercise

Pray

Talk

Laugh

Fellowship