Not very often do you hear people boast in what they are lacking.  I cannot remember the last time a presidential candidate approached the podium only to expound on their weaknesses and shortcomings while trusting that a message with that kind of humility would certainly win them the election.  Or a coach approach his nationally ranked team on the edge of a championship rant about how lacking and foolish the team is but trusting that they would win in spite of those deficits.  It’s not natural for us to boast in our weaknesses, to be vulnerable to others, or to claim foolishness in our strategies.  Why? Because the world expects great things to come to those who have a report card defined by strength, intelligence, popularity.  And so the story goes on in culture of the countless settings for rhetoric, fireworks, and flashy words we get behind to win the people, the moments, and the influence.

The Apostle Paul had a different approach when it came to the ministry of the gospel.  He would write to the church at Corinth the following: “Brothers, consider your calling: not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen the world’s foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world’s weak things to shame the strong. God has chosen the world’s insignificant and despised things – the things viewed as nothing – so He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something, so that no one can boast in His presence. But from Him you are in Christ Jesus, who for us became wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption…” (1 Corinthians 1: 26-31). In this portion of his letter (1 Corinthians chapters 1 & 2) to the church he would remind them that God uses His Son, His Word, and His Spirit to bring about eternal accomplishments in the world. God would use a foolish message, the gospel, delivered in a foolish means, preaching, proclaimed by foolish people, his disciples, to redeem and sanctify unrighteous people.  Paul would further explain that he himself would serve the gospel as a foolish man, with little brilliance and much weakness, only to witness the power of God transform the lives of many.

May passages like this be a reminder to us all that God uses the faithful. He isn’t looking for the smartest, strongest, or the most popular to accomplish His work.  He can take a foolish person like myself, delivering a message that is foolishness to the world, to accomplish an eternal work in others because His Son, His Word, and His Spirit have the power to overcome all our collective weaknesses. May you be encouraged this week to trust God and His sufficient power to accomplish much in your life and through your life.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Nick

The Apostle Paul would write to the church in Philippi with great joy and prayer for them as his tone. He writes “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you..” (Philippians 1:3) as a strong indicator of his true affection for the believers who had proved themselves faithful to the gospel. After his initial greeting and praise of the church in chapter one it is only fitting to be encouraged by the rest of the letter as he continues to express great joy and enthusiasm for the advancement of the gospel and the clear blessing the church has received from The Lord. These deep feelings of affection Paul has for the believers in Philippi leads him to exhort them in their endurance and sufferings for Christ as they live with great enthusiasm for the kingdom.

As I read the book of Philippians I am always encouraged. Encouraged by Paul’s joy, encouraged by Paul’s exhortation, encouraged by Paul’s deep affection and longing for the believers, and I am encouraged by the believers “partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Philippians 1:5). It is a wonderful thing to see believers of a local church sharing, hoping, enduring, and loving one another because of the gospel and for the sake of the gospel. Paul understood this marvelous beauty, which is why he says “And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing, in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11).

As we look towards a special day in the life of our local church, FBC Seminole, it should bring great excitement to us that we would take a day to share, hope, endure, and love one another by celebrating what the Lord has done in the lives of many.  I Love My Church Sunday will be filled with testimonies of those who have been deeply and forever impacted by the “fruit of righteousness” that has manifest itself in FBC Seminole through the work of Christ and His faithful believers. I trust you will join me and others in this day of celebration as we praise God for His glorious blessing, The Church.

I Love My Church,

Pastor Nick