Growing a Love for People

Harris Creek

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Growing a Love for People

Philippians

October 11, 2020 • Jonathan Pokluda • Philippians 1:1–11

Do you ever look back on life to a season when you had a close group of friends? When you always had someone with you no matter what life threw your way? Do you want to have that today and in the days ahead? As we start our study on the book of Philippians, JP shows us how to grow our affections for others as he teaches through Philippians 1:1-11.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- The first thing you are going to see out of the gate when reading Philippians is how much Paul loved the church at Philippi.

- The gospel is more powerful than the sin of materialism and the power of demonic forces…it cannot be stopped.

- One of the most common features—behind the gospel itself—of successful life groups is they embrace the fact that community is forged and not found. They understand that to have successful community you must learn to love one another.

- Grow love for people by partnering with them in the gospel.

- As a Christian, every relationship can be summed up in one of two groups: You are either partnered with them in making God known or you are partnered with God in helping them know Him.

- If you want to grow affection for someone, be careful with your thoughts. What you think about them will shape how you feel toward them.

- The memories you feed determine the emotions you feel.

- Grow love for others by seeing them in a process.

- You doubting that someone would respond to the gospel is not doubting them, it is doubting God.

- Being frustrated with someone’s sanctification process—the process of them becoming more like Jesus—is like assuming their journey is already over. That God is already done with them.

- If you are going to be naive about anything, be naive because you are so full of faith that God can change anyone.

- When we come to know Jesus, sometimes God takes sin and struggles away immediately, and other times it it takes time and a journey to continue to become more like Jesus.

- God is not naive to our sin, He’s just paid for it.

- It’s one thing to tell someone you are praying for them, but it’s completely different to tell them what you are praying for them.

- One of the most common reasons for conflict is simply a misunderstanding.

- We are as divided as we are as a country because everyone is listening to their own feedback loop and simply trying to win arguments with people who have differing beliefs, rather than listening and seeking to understand why someone believes what they do.

- Sharing the gospel with everyone you come in contact with is normative for a Christian. Compartmentalizing your faith to a time slot on Sunday is never what God had in mind.

- Grow love for others by praying for them.

- Your church are the people you gather with week in and week out as a life group, not a room full of people you don’t know when you gather corporately once a week.

- How can you better partner with your life group to advance the gospel this week?

MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

- Suggested Scripture study: Philippians 1:1-11; Acts 16:11-40; Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 5:17

- Sermon: Community-Centered

- Sermon: Missional

The Greatest Apologetic?

December 20, 2020 • Jonathan Pokluda, Nate Hilgenkamp • Philippians 4:14–23

Do you ever look back on financial decisions with regret? Made a choice that you thought would be good but turned out poorly? How did it affect your ability to be generous? As we finish studying the book of Philippians, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches us about generosity and its relationship to the gospel. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Being generous isn’t about the amount of money you have or don’t have, give or don’t give. -“Yet” is never going to come on this side of Christ’s return. -Generosity is at the heart of the gospel. -The most generous moment in human history was 2,000 years ago when Christ went to the cross. -We often think, “How much do I have to give?” whereas God thinks, “What’s the most I can give?” -Generosity pleases God. -God doesn’t want our money, He wants our heart. (It’s not our money http://anyways...it’s His!) -Money makes a terrible master. -Generous people are happier people. -Our God is generous. -God delights in being generous toward us. It can look different at different times (physical, material, spiritual, etc.), but He loves to be generous toward us! -Most of us have more excess than we want to admit. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES -Suggested Scripture Study: Philippians 4:14-23; Ephesians 5:1-2; Matthew 7:9-11 -Sermon: Finding Contentment -Sermon: The Peace that Follows Belief

Finding Contentment

December 13, 2020 • Jonathan Pokluda • Philippians 4:10–13

Do you struggle with discontentment? Or better asked, where do you struggle with discontentment? Where in life are you most often discontent? As we continue studying the book of Philippians, JP teaches us the secret of contentment found in Philippians 4:10-13. KEY TAKEAWAYS -What we need for contentment is available for us at all times. -Contentment is not found in others. -We don’t use people and love stuff, we use stuff and love people. -When you give someone the control of your emotions you have made them your god. -People will let you down consistently until Jesus returns. -Who controls your contentment? What should you do about it? -Contentment is not found in circumstances. -When you make circumstances your god you will be let down time and time again. -God rarely changes our circumstances, rather, He changes us in our circumstances. -What is God teaching you in the midst of circumstances you want to change? -Christians are called to bloom where they are planted (regardless of the circumstances). -Contentment is not found in stuff. -Every Black Friday, most of us search the ads looking for something to need. Not something that we need, but something to need. Don’t buy that lie! -The rich are infinitely better off than the poor because while the poor think more money will make them happier the rich know better. -Philippians 4:13 doesn’t teach you can hit a home run because of Jesus, it teaches that you can endure any and all suffering because of Jesus. -Contentment is found in Christ alone. -When you find yourself really wanting something, pray to God that you’d want Him more. -You belong to God and God is enough. -If you dig deeply wherever God has you you will find whatever it is He wants you to find. -The gospel is not simply fire insurance to avoid hell someday when you die, it affects everything about every thought, decision, and action of your life right http://now...today! MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES -Suggested Scripture Study: Philippians 4:10-13; Galatians 1:10; Hebrews 13:5: 1 Timothy 6:6-8 -Sermon: The Peace That Follows Belief -Sermon: Distractions on the Journey Home

The Peace That Follows Belief

December 6, 2020 • Jonathan Pokluda • Philippians 4:4–9

Do you get stressed easily? 2020 has likely caused most of us to get stressed more than normal. What causes stress in your life? As we continue studying the book of Philippians, JP teaches through Philippians 4:4-9, showing us a 2,000 year old answer to today’s problems and stress. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Pay attention to what you pay attention to. -This world is not our home and we are not home yet. Our citizenship is in heaven! -The behavior (rejoicing and being gentle) that follows belief (the Lord is near). -Joy is an emotion (noun), but rejoicing is a choice (verb). You can choose to rejoice at any point in time. -We typically believe the answer to worry and anxiety is control. Gentleness admits that you aren’t in control and that God is in control. -What do you want to be doing when Jesus comes back? Regardless of what you are actually doing when He does come, you want to be found believing and trusting that He is in fact coming back. -The Bible—written 2,000 years ago—teaches what science is now discovering to be true about the human body and mind. -Do not be anxious without prayer. In a matter of two verses, Paul instructs us to pray four times! -The peace that follows prayer. -It takes the same amount of energy to pray as it does to be worried. -Christians have the supernatural ability to turn worry into prayer. Add “God, help us with ______” to the front of anything you are worried about. -Prayer changes everything. -Some of the most popular apps in 2020 (meditation apps) are simply encouraging us to do the very thing Paul instructs us to do 2,000 years ago while in a Roman jail cell. -Fix your mind on who you are and on Whose you are. -The peace that follows practice. -The teaching from this passage is not a one and done application. It’s something you practice day in and day out. -Practice is the ability to apply what you’ve learned. A doctor—medical practice—practices what they learn and gets better as they hone their craft. -Anxiety is contagious. Be careful of whose practice you are following. -People today are spending billions of dollars to create an angst in you to buy their product (which won’t actually solve that angst). -Your mind is a storage container. Think of it like a filing cabinet. What kind of thoughts (files) are you filling your mind with? -Who is your role model? One of the most impactful things in life is who you spend your time with. -Our behavior follows our belief. Peace follows prayer. Peace follows practice. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES -Suggested Scripture Study: Philippians 4:4-9; 2 Peter 3:8-9; Philippians 2:20; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:15; Galatians 3:26-28; 2 Corinthians 11:16-29 -Sermon: Peace From Heaven -Sermon: Distractions on the Journey