2nd January 2024

2nd January 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 1v3-11 & Proverbs 23v23)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


It was my pleasure to travel to Lissara on New Year's Eve known by some as Old Year's Night. While there I preached my final sermon of 2023 with Philippians 1v3-11 as my text. I wanted to remind the Crossgarians that Christ has begun the work in them, He continues the work and He will surely bring it to completion at the last day. With that stated I then assured the fellowship of my prayers in 2024. How will I be praying for Lissara and Edengrove in this new year? I'll be praying Philippians 1v9-11.


Paul takes great delight in the Philippians (v3 & 8) for they partnered with him in the Gospel from the first day of his ministry (v3-5) and so he calls upon the Lord and seeks the good of his brothers and sisters in Philippi.


How did Paul pray? Essentially he asked that the Philippians would grow in love, knowledge and discernment (v9). Paul hoped that his friends would grow in their love for the Lord, each other and that they would be wise as to know what is excellent in this fallen world (v10). Such a prayer is both timeless and increasingly relevant and I pray that we would see it answered in our fellowships in 2024.


God willing our new series each Lord's day will be on the book of Ecclesiastes. Famously Ecclesiastes declares that all is vanity, all is meaningless! It is one of Solomon's three books full of God's wisdom and I trust that the Lord will use the ordinary means of preaching to grow us up in knowledge and discernment.


We aren't looking for Bible facts to impress our friends at the next table quiz. Instead we desire the life changing wisdom of God. There are many who know all sorts of things about God without ever fearing Him but we know that is the path of the fool. Solomon once wrote "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1v7) To fear the Lord is to know Him and love Him and so from this place of fear, we seek wisdom and discernment.


This world is dark indeed but the Lord has not left us rudderless. He has given us everything we need in His church to grow us up in Christ exalting wisdom. The church is the place where we can buy wisdom (Proverbs 23v23) and in our lives we refuse to sell such wisdom. This doesn't mean that we never pass on the truth of God's Word. We freely share Christ every single day but we must never sell God's wisdom replacing it with the world's fading glory.


So brothers and sisters, may we hunger for such wisdom in 2024, may we pray Philippians 1v9-11 for ourselves and our fellowships and may we be found pure and blameless at the day of Christ (v10). To the glory and praise of God. Happy new year. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q31 What is effectual calling? Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
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