SPEAKER_01: This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God.
SPEAKER_01: For more information about Grand Parkway, visit GrandProquay.org.
SPEAKER_02: Amen.
SPEAKER_02: Let's pray.
SPEAKER_02: Heavenly Father, indeed, there are some things that we just cannot fix.
SPEAKER_02: And so, Lord, we turn our eyes to you here this morning.
SPEAKER_02: And Father, I pray, Lord, that as we fix our gaze upon the glory of Jesus Christ, that we would behold you through the gospel that is ours in Him.
SPEAKER_02: And Father, help us to see that it is you, that you are a strong tower for us here today.
SPEAKER_02: So, Father, help us to switch our gaze from what's in front of us, the problems that are in front of us, to you and to behold you, that you are the God who is bigger than all things.
SPEAKER_02: So, Lord, help us to see and to believe and to uh take hold again of the good news of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: And Father, we pray all this in the precious name of Christ.
SPEAKER_02: And God's people said, Amen.
SPEAKER_02: Amen.
SPEAKER_02: My name is Julian Silise, and I'm the spiritual formation pastor here at Grant Parkway Baptist Church.
SPEAKER_02: And we are so glad that you are here to open God's with us here this morning.
SPEAKER_02: So if you have a Bible, you can turn to Philippians chapter one.
SPEAKER_02: Philippians chapter one.
SPEAKER_02: Today I want to look at having gospel perspective.
SPEAKER_02: We want to look at Philippians chapter one and we want to see God's word show us what it means to have gospel perspective.
SPEAKER_02: We're gonna begin in verse 3 shortly.
SPEAKER_02: And as you're making your way there, I was thinking back to last year when I met somebody that was new here at our church, and they were also new to the area.
SPEAKER_02: And I began to think, oh, you know, I wonder if there's anybody else that's new to the area as well.
SPEAKER_02: And listen, if you're new here, you may not know this, but just a little over an hour away, there is a great beach town.
SPEAKER_02: There's a beach nearby.
SPEAKER_02: Uh Galveston Island is a great beach town to visit.
SPEAKER_02: Now you need to bring your snorkel and your goggles because the white uh sand is beautiful and the clear water is wonderful.
SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be great.
SPEAKER_02: In fact, Charles Barclay, he's a famous NBA uh star, former star, he said that it's his favorite beach, and so you're gonna love it.
SPEAKER_02: You're gonna love it.
SPEAKER_02: But seriously, though, if if you live here long enough, you know that hurricanes often come our way.
SPEAKER_02: And there was one hurricane back in 2008 by the name of Hurricane Ike.
SPEAKER_02: And uh many of you may remember that day.
SPEAKER_02: The wind, the rain, the flood, it just caused so much devastation to uh the town of Galveston.
SPEAKER_02: There's these beautiful Victorian homes, neighborhoods, flowers, trees, and more importantly, lives were lost during that hurricane, which was no respecter of persons.
SPEAKER_02: And one of the things I think about is that sin is a lot like that, is it not?
SPEAKER_02: Sin, whether it's the sin that we commit or the sin that's committed against us, the devastation, the collateral damage can be overwhelming as it leaves much devastation in its wake.
SPEAKER_02: And friends, we are in need of divine rescue, are we not?
SPEAKER_02: But there is good news for us in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: There is a God who has worked to defeat sin, who has worked to defeat death, Satan, our greatest enemies, and he is making all things new.
SPEAKER_02: In fact, he is making all things new through that work of redemption through Christ our Lord.
SPEAKER_02: But sometimes, that good news, which is ours in Christ, sometimes it can be eclipsed by what's in front of us, the bad news that's in front of us.
SPEAKER_02: And we can forget what is ours in Him.
SPEAKER_02: We can forget that good news.
SPEAKER_02: We could not see it as we turn our eyes to something that's imminent or present in front of us.
SPEAKER_02: And today we want to look at God's word together, and we want to lift our eyes from the source of our despair, and we want to set our eyes back upon the gospel of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: Our main focus today is gonna be in Philippians chapter 1, verse 6, but I want to read with you verses 3 through 11 for some context.
SPEAKER_02: Look at God's word with me, beginning in verse 3.
SPEAKER_02: It says, I thank my God in all remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making uh of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
SPEAKER_02: And here it is, verse six, and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
SPEAKER_02: For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
SPEAKER_02: This is God's word.
SPEAKER_02: And here's our big idea for today.
SPEAKER_02: And this comes from verse six.
SPEAKER_02: And this is our call as well.
SPEAKER_02: Look up and see the good work that God began in you, he will be faithful to complete at the day of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: He will be faithful to complete at the day of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: Here in verse six, we are able to gain gospel perspective.
SPEAKER_02: And we are able to get gain gospel perspective in three parts.
SPEAKER_02: First, we see the surety of God's good work in us.
SPEAKER_02: Second, we will see the completion of that work.
SPEAKER_02: And third, we will see the day of that completion, which is the day of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: So, in order to get gospel perspective today, we need to see that God's work is sure and good.
SPEAKER_02: His work will be completed, and it will be complete on the day of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: Let's look at each of these and break them down together.
SPEAKER_02: But first, I want you to know this.
SPEAKER_02: If you are discouraged here today, if you're discouraged by what's in front of you, then maybe we need to step back and see things in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: And we begin to do that when we believe that God's good work is sure.
SPEAKER_02: When God's good work is sure.
SPEAKER_02: This is the first thing we want to see in verse six.
SPEAKER_02: Look, God's good work is sure.
SPEAKER_02: This is what Paul wanted the Philippian church to believe.
SPEAKER_02: He says, I'm sure of this.
SPEAKER_02: I know that God began a good work in you.
SPEAKER_02: And this is what I believe God wants us to see here today.
SPEAKER_02: For those of us who are in Christ Jesus, God has begun a good work in us.
SPEAKER_02: The church at Philippi, they were concerned about the Apostle Paul.
SPEAKER_02: Some of you saw it here in the text, and it's all throughout Philippians.
SPEAKER_02: The Apostle Paul has been imprisoned.
SPEAKER_02: He's imprisoned, and they're concerned for him.
SPEAKER_02: And they're concerned that this great, the Apostle Paul, how can God use him when he's bound up in prison?
SPEAKER_02: And this was a big blow to the morale of the church.
SPEAKER_02: This was the discouragement that was in front of them.
SPEAKER_02: This was the thing that was eclipsing their joy.
SPEAKER_02: And this is why Paul is writing to them.
SPEAKER_02: He wants to renew their perspective.
SPEAKER_02: He wants to encourage them to see the truth of what God is doing through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: In fact, he says this in the next verse in verse 12, when he says, I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
SPEAKER_02: He further explains how others are becoming aware of his suffering, others are seeing his imprisonment, and how that's giving them confidence to go out and proclaim Christ.
SPEAKER_02: And so Paul is writing, he says, Hey, I know you're seeing what I'm going through, but I'm writing you this letter and I want you to know that God is still at work.
SPEAKER_02: And look at the bigger picture.
SPEAKER_02: God has taken my imprisonment and he is using it.
SPEAKER_02: He is using it to bring about his will through his church as people are becoming more confident to go and proclaim Christ.
SPEAKER_02: In other words, Paul may be bound, but God is not bound.
SPEAKER_02: God may be bound, sorry, Paul may be bound in chains, but God is unbounded and he is still working.
SPEAKER_02: You see, gospel perspective helps us to be aware of what God is doing in the bigger picture.
SPEAKER_02: God can use Paul's chains and he can use Paul's pen.
SPEAKER_02: He's writing to them with this letter and he's saying, Hey, I'm still praying for you.
SPEAKER_02: I still want to minister you.
SPEAKER_02: Here's what you need to know, here's what you need to see, what God is doing, even through my chains.
SPEAKER_02: And so the apostle Paul is using his pen to write them and to let you know, hey, I'm still alive and I'm still praying for you.
SPEAKER_02: God is at work in me, God is at work in the world, and God's still at work in you.
SPEAKER_02: Dear church, don't forget, God began a good work in you.
SPEAKER_02: Be sure of it, that God is working.
SPEAKER_02: How many of you need to be reminded of that here today?
SPEAKER_02: That God is still working.
SPEAKER_02: How many of you with your limited vantage point?
SPEAKER_02: Maybe you're seeing only what's in front of you, but stepping back and having gospel perspective could be a great help to you to see that God is still at work in the grander scheme of things, that God is still at work in the world, God is still at work at Grand Parkway Baptist Church, and God's still at work in you.
SPEAKER_02: This is God's word for us.
SPEAKER_02: His work is good, his work is sure.
SPEAKER_02: But how do you know what is that good and sure work of God?
SPEAKER_02: God's work is sure and good because the sinless Son of God took away your sin at a cross outside of Jerusalem.
SPEAKER_02: God's work is sure and good because Jesus rose from the dead.
SPEAKER_02: And now that message has come to you by the power of the Spirit.
SPEAKER_02: God's work is sure and good because though you were dead in your trespasses and sins, God made you alive through Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: God's work is sure and good, and he's at work in you.
SPEAKER_02: This is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it's yours, all of you who hold tightly to him and dear to him by grace through faith.
SPEAKER_02: Paul knew that if the Philippians were focused on his imprisonment, or if they were focused on their disunity, or if they were focused on anything else that was taking their eyes off of Jesus, then they would have despair.
SPEAKER_02: But God's writing to them and he's telling them, hey, no longer despair, have hope.
SPEAKER_02: Have hope that God is at work.
SPEAKER_02: Look and see, focus on what God is doing around the world through the gospel, the advancement of the gospel.
SPEAKER_02: So he wrote to restore the perspective in the sure work of God in Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: You know, one of my favorite sports is uh basketball.
SPEAKER_02: And when you're playing basketball, um, sometimes when you're on offense or defense, you're just focused on maybe what you can do.
SPEAKER_02: Sometimes you're focused on what others are doing, you're trying to maybe run a play, um, sometimes you're running zone, but still your perspective is uh limited.
SPEAKER_02: But you know, a coach who's on the sidelines, he can see the bigger picture.
SPEAKER_02: He can see the clock, he can see the score, he can see all that's taking place.
SPEAKER_02: And so when you take a timeout or in between corners, when the team gathers around, the token the coach is helping them see the bigger picture.
SPEAKER_02: And what players have to do and what a team has to do is they have to begin to understand the perspective of the coach.
SPEAKER_02: And there has to be trust there so that they can then go out and play the way that the coach is instructing them to.
SPEAKER_02: Friends, I want to let you know that God's word provides for us the bigger picture that we need, it provides for us the perspective that we need.
SPEAKER_02: And it's only with a gospel perspective can we look at what we're going through or what's in front of us and see the bigger picture.
SPEAKER_02: The hope that the Lord wants us to have can only come to us through the lens of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: His work is sure, his work is good, and God wants to encourage us with that here this morning.
SPEAKER_02: He began a good work.
SPEAKER_02: And second, we see this in verse six.
SPEAKER_02: He will bring it to completion.
SPEAKER_02: This is the second thing we want to see today.
SPEAKER_02: Look, God will bring his work to completion.
SPEAKER_02: In verse six, Paul wanted them to see that what God began in them, he will be faithful to complete.
SPEAKER_02: And this helps us to see that that Jesus Christ, who won our redemption at the cross, listen, he's gonna be faithful and complete that work and take us all the way home.
SPEAKER_02: He's gonna take us all the way home to the eternal kingdom.
SPEAKER_02: There is something so securing about that, is it not?
SPEAKER_02: That this is something that God has done and that God is doing, something that God started with me and he's going to be faithful to complete it.
SPEAKER_02: He's gonna finish what he started.
SPEAKER_02: That's incredibly securing.
SPEAKER_02: I know, I don't know about some of you, but I know going through a time where I thought it all depended upon me.
SPEAKER_02: As if I had to do something to earn it and to keep it.
SPEAKER_02: But I want to tell you the scriptures show us that we could do nothing to earn it nor to keep it.
SPEAKER_02: And here's the good news for us that God began it and he will be faithful to complete it.
SPEAKER_02: That is incredibly good news for us here today.
SPEAKER_02: That completion, what does it look like?
SPEAKER_02: It concludes with a new and glorified body, a resurrection body like that of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: That is what we're looking forward to.
SPEAKER_02: But between now and then, God's work is continuing in us.
SPEAKER_02: He's continuing to deliver us from sin and the power of sin.
SPEAKER_02: He's continually changing us and transforming our lives to reflect that of our Savior Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: God is at work through what we call this work of sanctification.
SPEAKER_02: The Lord is continually working in our lives.
SPEAKER_02: And the more that we learn about God's work, the more we discover that indeed I had no contribution there at the cross.
SPEAKER_02: I had no contribution in God giving me new birth.
SPEAKER_02: And I won't have any contribution when the Lord raises my body to a new body when he returns.
SPEAKER_02: It's going to be all the work of God.
SPEAKER_02: Think of it this way: you have about as much involvement in your second birth as you did your first birth.
SPEAKER_02: All right?
SPEAKER_02: And the same will be true when the Lord returns.
SPEAKER_02: But Paul does want them to know that listen up, when it when it comes to your sanctification, God just didn't stop and say, okay, it's all on you now, get to work.
SPEAKER_02: No, God is still at work.
SPEAKER_02: God, by his grace, is still at work in your life to change you and to make you more like Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: God is not passive, he's active.
SPEAKER_02: In the same way, this is the part where the Lord does call us to be active as well.
SPEAKER_02: He doesn't require us to be passive, it's not just the complete work of God and we just kind of float along.
SPEAKER_02: And the Lord calls us to work out what he is working within.
SPEAKER_02: This is the language that Paul uses in chapter two.
SPEAKER_02: If you are in your Bibles, you can just turn, look at there.
SPEAKER_02: Look at verses 12 through 13.
SPEAKER_02: Paul says this.
SPEAKER_02: He says, Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and tribbling.
SPEAKER_02: For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
SPEAKER_02: Did you catch that?
SPEAKER_02: You see what God is doing in verse 13.
SPEAKER_02: He is working in you.
SPEAKER_02: He is working his will and good pleasure.
SPEAKER_02: And now he calls us to work out what he is working within.
SPEAKER_02: In other words, we cooperate with God's sanctifying grace in our lives.
SPEAKER_02: As the Lord gives us his word, he also gives us the strength to work out what he is working within.
SPEAKER_02: You know, this reminded me a little bit of coloring with my oldest daughter.
SPEAKER_02: Uh, how many of you have ever colored with a three-year-old before?
unknown: Yeah.
SPEAKER_02: I remember uh she had this trolls coloring book, and we would open it up and put it on the floor, dump out some crayons, and uh we would get to work coloring.
SPEAKER_02: You know, I'd be on one side coloring one side of the page, she'd be on the other, coloring the other side.
SPEAKER_02: And uh she would get a color and she'd just go to town scribbling, you know, and uh she said, Look, dad, I color.
SPEAKER_02: I said, Oh, that's so pretty, that's great.
SPEAKER_02: You know, me on the other hand, I'm like outlining the shapes, I'm gonna color, color it carefully, and I'm thinking, oh man, this is gonna be a masterpiece.
SPEAKER_02: But uh, but I remember one day I thought, I want her to really enjoy what it means to truly color.
SPEAKER_02: I want to teach her how to color.
SPEAKER_02: I want her to know what it means to color in the lines.
SPEAKER_02: I want her to see what it's like to complement colors and to create something beautiful.
SPEAKER_02: And so I not only gave her my word, I also gave her my hand.
SPEAKER_02: I gave her the word, say, Ivy, I want you to color into the line.
SPEAKER_02: But if I only gave her that instruction, she would just look at me and say, Dad, I can't color in the lines.
SPEAKER_02: To which I would apply, I know you can't, but with my help, you can't.
SPEAKER_02: So what I did is I I took her hand in mine and I say, Look, this is how you do.
SPEAKER_02: This is how you were meant to color.
SPEAKER_02: Friends, I want to share something with you today.
SPEAKER_02: There's somebody here, you've been coloring the outside the lines with your lives, and God is saying to you, you don't have to do that alone.
SPEAKER_02: I want to give you my word, but I also want to give you my hand.
SPEAKER_02: Put your hand in his and let him teach you the way you were meant to color.
SPEAKER_02: This is God's sanctifying grace at work in you, and he's calling you to work out what he is working within.
SPEAKER_02: And only gospel perspective can make clear the relationship of God's work and your work in his work.
SPEAKER_02: God's work involves a new birth, it involves our glorification.
SPEAKER_02: But God's work, it also involves his sanctification, his work in which he's completing in you now.
SPEAKER_02: But when will that day be?
SPEAKER_02: When will it come?
SPEAKER_02: When when it when will it be finally completed?
SPEAKER_02: It will be completed at the day of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: This is our third and final move that we see in verse 6.
SPEAKER_02: Dear church, look forward to the day of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: Look forward to the day of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: Paul, he has several three themes throughout this letter here in Philippians.
SPEAKER_02: One of those themes is the day of the Lord.
SPEAKER_02: And according to God's word here, uh and elsewhere as well, Jesus declares that he is going to return.
SPEAKER_02: And when he does, he's gonna bring with him the consummation of the kingdom.
SPEAKER_02: He's going to bring the new heavens and the new earth with him.
SPEAKER_02: And so we look forward to that day because it's the day of our complete rescue.
SPEAKER_02: It's the day of our complete redemption, it's a day that's to come where all things will be forever changed by the power and glory of Christ.
SPEAKER_02: Paul mentions this theme elsewhere throughout Philippians.
SPEAKER_02: And I just want to glance at these real quickly, just to kind of give you uh just some perspective.
SPEAKER_02: We see this as we read in uh verses 9 through 10 in of chapter 1.
SPEAKER_02: Paul says, It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless.
SPEAKER_02: For here it is, the day of Christ.
SPEAKER_02: Chapter 2, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
SPEAKER_02: Chapter three, but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: Chapter 4, rejoice in the Lord always.
SPEAKER_02: Again I will say, rejoice, let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
SPEAKER_02: The Lord is at hand.
SPEAKER_02: As Paul is writing to them, he wants them to have this gospel perspective that involves the full and completion of his work, which is going to come at the Lord's return.
SPEAKER_02: This is a day that is imminent, a day that is sure, a day that's going to come in the future.
SPEAKER_02: And so he wants them to look forward to it.
SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be a day where all wrongs will be made right.
SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be a day where all that's sad will become untrue.
SPEAKER_02: And in that day, it will be a day of ultimate justice, where the righteous are vindicated and where the unbeliever is judged.
SPEAKER_02: In that day, God is gonna take all the havoc that the hurricane of sin has brought, and he will remake us, he will complete us, make us pure, make us whole, make us radiant with the glory of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: And so Paul says, look forward to that day.
SPEAKER_02: Here's gospel perspective.
SPEAKER_02: God began a good work in us, and he's going to complete it, and he's going to complete it at the day of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: So let that day begin to inform your day today.
SPEAKER_02: If this is true of us now and in the future, should that not have influence on who we are today and how we are Act today, how we live today, how we hope today, that anticipation, it brings sanctifying grace in our lives as well.
SPEAKER_02: Do y'all remember when the Portellos was being built over here off of 99 in West Airport?
SPEAKER_02: The one that's in front of Costco there.
SPEAKER_02: Some of you guys may have eaten there, you may have driven by that.
SPEAKER_02: I remember when they started construction there, and uh, you know, when there's new construction going up, you drive by and you're like, hmm, I wonder what that's gonna be.
SPEAKER_02: And then you see that gray building uh get set up.
SPEAKER_02: And I remember talking to some friends, and they're saying, Oh yeah, that's gonna be a Portello's.
SPEAKER_02: It's a chain that that uh began in Chicago, it's gonna be really good.
SPEAKER_02: I was like, all right, that sounds good.
SPEAKER_02: And then every time I drive by, you know, I'm looking and seeing their development and drive by and say, oh man, that looks good.
SPEAKER_02: I can't wait, you know, try it out.
SPEAKER_02: I'm intrigued.
SPEAKER_02: And the more that I drove by, the more I began to anticipate what was coming.
SPEAKER_02: And even though it was just a concrete building and and there was development taking place, that Portellos, it was already, but not yet.
SPEAKER_02: It was here, but not yet complete.
SPEAKER_02: But I kept anticipating what was to come because I was ready to enjoy what I kept looking at.
SPEAKER_02: And friends, I want to tell you when you behold what's yet to come and you look forward to what you're about to enjoy, you anticipate it.
SPEAKER_02: You look forward to it.
SPEAKER_02: And we have something better than a new restaurant coming.
SPEAKER_02: We have the glory of Christ that is surely ours in Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: We need to turn our eyes and see that there is a glorious day to come, and it's going to make all the difference.
SPEAKER_02: And that difference uh begins even now with us as he continually works in us.
SPEAKER_02: So, what is taking your eyes off of Christ here today?
SPEAKER_02: That's a question I have for you.
SPEAKER_02: What is stealing your attention from the glory of Jesus Christ?
SPEAKER_02: What is taking your eyes, what is eclipsing the good news that is yours in Christ Jesus here today?
SPEAKER_02: Let me encourage you, friend, turn.
SPEAKER_02: Turn your eyes and see the good news of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_02: Look at what God began in you, and look that he will be faithful to complete what he began in you.
SPEAKER_02: You see, he takes all that sin has destroyed, and all that has been broken.
SPEAKER_02: He takes all that has been violated and he restores, he makes anew, he recreates and fashions anew, he brings true and lasting and beautiful change.
SPEAKER_02: After Hurricane Ike came through Galveston in 2008, much of the city was damaged and it began to go through the rebuilding phase.
SPEAKER_02: One of the things that were damaged along with these homes were these beautiful trees in neighborhoods that uh began to uh be a spy of just uh a sore sight, basically.
SPEAKER_02: But there were some homeowners in the East End district and they thought, you know, what if we took these symbols of destruction, those trees that were half-torn in structure, and what if we made them symbols of renewal?
SPEAKER_02: And so they began to commission artists to take these damaged trees and to make them into beautiful pieces of art.
SPEAKER_02: And here we have uh on the screen here for you some trees to kind of show you a little bit uh of what they did.
SPEAKER_02: By the way, you can take a self-guided tour in Galveston and see all these pieces of art, which was a fun thing to do with your family.
SPEAKER_02: But as you you see these pieces of art from these damaged trees, you see that what was once damaged, what was once broken, what was taken and formed into something beautiful.
SPEAKER_02: Isn't that what the gospel is for us?
SPEAKER_02: Isn't that what God is doing in and through us?
SPEAKER_02: Taking all that sin has damaged and broken, and the Lord takes us and fashions us and makes us into something new and beautiful.
SPEAKER_02: And he's not done yet.
SPEAKER_02: But he will complete it, and he'll complete it at the day of his return.
SPEAKER_02: Friends, what if we believe that here this morning?
SPEAKER_02: What if we truly believed that the Lord is at work in us to take all that sin has devastated and took from us?
SPEAKER_02: What if the Lord is taking us and using that somehow for his glory and his good?
SPEAKER_02: That's the power of the gospel at work in us.
SPEAKER_02: So we no longer have to focus on the problems that are in in front of us.
SPEAKER_02: We no longer have to be stuck in the swamp of despair.
SPEAKER_02: We can take our eyes and we can look and see what God is doing and have gospel perspective here today.
SPEAKER_02: The Lord's at work, he began something in you.
SPEAKER_02: And if you're here today and you're saying that's not me, I want to tell you he can begin a good work in you today.
SPEAKER_02: And he'll be faithful to complete it.
SPEAKER_02: And he will complete it at the day of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02: I want to allow the Lord just to continue just to minister to you here today.
SPEAKER_02: And one of the ways we like to do that is to give you some space to have time for some mental worship.
SPEAKER_02: And I love that the rain is coming in the background, but would you let these questions just minister to your heart here this morning?
SPEAKER_02: Would you take some time to seriously answer these questions in your heart?
SPEAKER_02: Let's take a few moments to do that.
SPEAKER_02: Let's pray.
SPEAKER_02: Heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, for your word.
SPEAKER_02: We would be lost without the good work of Jesus Christ and your word for us here today.
SPEAKER_02: But Father, today we take hold of the truth in the word that you've given to us and that is ours through Christ our Lord.
SPEAKER_02: Lord, for those of us who who are faith this week here this morning, would you meet us in our weakness?
SPEAKER_02: Would you help us with our lack of faith?
SPEAKER_02: Father, we want to say that I do believe, but yet help me to believe.
SPEAKER_02: Father, we look to the way that you have been at work.
SPEAKER_02: For those of us who've seen your hand, and Lord, we want to trust in you again today.
SPEAKER_02: We want to renew our hope in you again today.
SPEAKER_02: And Father, we pray, Lord, that though we may not see what's ahead of us, we don't have the perspective we need or the vantage point that we need, Lord.
SPEAKER_02: We want to trust that you can see all things, you know all things, you know best.
SPEAKER_02: And so we want to trust in you, Lord.
SPEAKER_02: We want to put our hands into your hands and say, Lord, here.
SPEAKER_02: We take your word, we take your hand, and we ask that you lead and you guide and you strengthen in the way that only you can.
SPEAKER_02: Father God, we give you all the things, all the praise and all the glory.
SPEAKER_02: It's all yours.
SPEAKER_02: It's in Christ's name I pray.
SPEAKER_02: Amen.
SPEAKER_02: To keep you informed on all that's going on in the life of our church, we'd like to provide for you uh some video announcements, and so we can turn our attention to the screen.
SPEAKER_02: We can see that.
SPEAKER_00: Here's what's happening at Grand Parkway Baptist Church.
SPEAKER_00: The blood drive will be on campus today from 12:30 p.m.
SPEAKER_00: to 3:30 p.m.
SPEAKER_00: inside of the student building.
SPEAKER_00: Every drop counts.
SPEAKER_00: Are you looking to grow deeper in God's Word and build meaningful connections and community?
SPEAKER_00: At Grand Parkway, we invite you to join a Sunday adult Bible study class.
SPEAKER_00: Our classes are tailored by age and life stage and meet during both the 9 a.m.
SPEAKER_00: and 10:30 a.m.
SPEAKER_00: hours.
SPEAKER_00: Each season, we journey through the grand narrative of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, retelling God's incredible rescue plan for his people.
SPEAKER_00: Finally, Pine Cove is bringing all their fun and amazing staff back to Grand Parkway.
SPEAKER_00: Campers will encounter Jesus through Bible study, worship, and meaningful time with their counselors while enjoying plenty of exciting camp activities.
SPEAKER_00: This program is designed for kids currently in kindergarten through fourth grade and will run from June 16th through the 20th from 9 a.m.
SPEAKER_00: to 4 o'clock p.m.
SPEAKER_00: each day.
SPEAKER_00: For more information or to register for these events, please visit our website at grandparkway.org.
SPEAKER_00: If you have any questions or want someone to pray for you, find one of our pastors at the front of the stage at the conclusion of our service.
SPEAKER_02: Amen.
SPEAKER_02: The sanctuary, the the those that are representative here, they're just out to my right here, your left.
SPEAKER_02: And it's a great ministry.
SPEAKER_02: You know, not everyone may be called to foster, but we can all help to make a difference in the lives of children in our in our neighborhoods, in our county.
SPEAKER_02: And so a great ministry that we can find out more about here outside uh the doors here.
SPEAKER_02: Um also, if you're visiting with us, we want to say thank you for visiting with us.
SPEAKER_02: If you can text the word welcome to that number there, we would love to have a record of your visit.
SPEAKER_02: For those of you that came to worship through tithes and offerings, there's some drop boxes there at the back.
SPEAKER_02: Uh, feel free to worship that way as well.
SPEAKER_02: But at this time, will you please rise and stand?
SPEAKER_02: Would you hold out your hands like this?
SPEAKER_02: We'd like to conclude our services with a spoken blessing.
SPEAKER_02: Behold your God who finishes all that he starts.
SPEAKER_02: He is the potter, you are the clay, and he's fashioning you to look more like Jesus Christ in the day to day.
SPEAKER_02: Will you go now and live with that perspective in mind in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit?