This past weekend, in my message "A Crash Course in Christlike Living," I explored Ephesians 4:17-5:20. One part of my message that I had to drop because of time was a discussion of how spiritual growth toward Christlike living occurs. Many times, when we want to become more like Christ, we simply read the Bible …
We Belong to God: John Calvin on the Duty of Believers
As I read through John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion this summer, occasionally I am sharing sections that strike me with particular force. Here is Calvin reflecting on the summary of the Christian life beginning in self-denial in order that the life of Christ might spring up within us by God's grace. Even though the …
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A Letter from Prison (Philippians, pt 5)
This is the fifth in a series of posts on Paul's letter to the Philippians. These posts are written from devotional reflections on the Scripture. Paul is driven by an all-consuming desire to know Christ. In one sense, Paul already knows Christ, as he writes: "I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth …
A Letter from Prison (Philippians, pt 3)
This is the third in a series of posts with thoughts from Paul's letter to the PhilippiansA Letter from Prison (Philippians, pt 1). These posts are personal reflections taken from devotional reading of the book. I have always been captured by Paul's statement in Philippians 2:12-13: Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed …
Peter: God’s restoration in failure
This past weekend in my message, "The Good News of New Beginnings," I didn't make my way into all the detail I had planned in the new beginning of Peter from his failure. Here are my sermon notes from that section, exploring Jesus' restoration of Peter from the failure of his denials. I hope this …
Matthew Erickson 