Valley Church Clinton
Authentic Faith | January 11th, 2026
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  • Goodness Of God
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  • How Great Thou Art
  • Introduction
    Good morning Valley Church Clinton! I know we’ve been teasing this for a while now, but the day is finally here.
    Today, were starting our sermon series in the book of Philippians. This short letter is one of my favorites, if I’m even allowed to say that, because it’s so practical and convicting in how Christ expects us to live the Christian life.
    And I think it’s appropriate to start this sermon with something extremely controversial, buckle up, get ready -
    Coming off the Christmas season, it comes up in my household every year and I have to awkwardly address it. It’s a belief in a higher power that I have to navigate really really carefully with sincerity.
    It’s the belief in Santa Clause.
    Now, I’m not against your household perpetuating a belief in Santa. But in my house, the tables have turned.
    See, there’s no longer the need for me as their father to tell them about Santa, or convince them that he’s real. I don’t have to do it.
    I don’t have to put out cookies, or make fake flour footprints on Christmas eve, or put corn on my roof for Rudolph.
    No, every year this is how the conversation goes:
    “Dad, is Santa real?”
    “No he’s not” “But, it’s fun to pretend he is”
    And a few seconds of pondering goes by, kind of like Marys pondering these things in her heart.
    And after a while, after careful logical though in the brain of my 4 year old,
    “Hmm, yes he is”.
    Then they just walk away. Like, they’ve already made up their mind, I’m wrong, they’re right, and they move on with their day.
    And I remember being a kid, and Santa was obviously a belief, and every year I was told to be good, or else, because he was checking his list twice.
    And every year, belief in Santa informed my behavior and decisions.
    Faith that Santa would bring me gifts if I was good made me be good. It made me choose how to behave for at least a month, Lord bless my parents.
    See, there’s something to genuine belief. And we all have something we genuinely believe in.
    I believe the sun will rise tomorrow, so I’m going to go to bed and get a good night of sleep so I can participate in the day tomorrow.
    I believe my paycheck will come on Friday, so I’m going to work this week looking forward to that.
    I believe, most of the time, that my car is going to start when I turn the key over.
    And our belief, our faith in Jesus works the same way.
    We do things with the assumption, the faith, that Jesus is who he says he is. With the assumption that he will one day come back.
    With the belief that what we’re doing here, as a church, as a people of God, is working for God’s eternal Kingdom and is sharing the gospel of Christ that has the power to save souls.
    And this, this authentic faith and genuine belief, this is what started the church in Philippi.
    So, without further ado, I’d like to invite Stacye up to read Philippians 1:1-2
    Please stand for the reading of God’s word.
    Mow, I know what you’re thinking - what on earth do those two verses have to do with genuine faith?
    Well church, I’m glad you asked. Because we need to enter into the world of the Philippians.
    Let’s dive into their story.

    The Story of Philippi

    So, we’ll begin our dive actually in a different book of the Bible that I’ll reference a few times throughout this sermon, so if you want to turn to the book of Acts, in chapter 16, and thumb that page, we’ll be flipping back and forth.
    Here’s what it says:
    Acts 16:1–5 CSB
    1 Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers and sisters at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
    So, Paul is here on his second missionary journey. Here’s the map of where He went on this journey:
    So, according to Acts, Paul goes to Lystra, picks up Timothy. Then it says they continued on toward the region of Phrygia and Galatia, or at least they tried to, but they were forbidden by the Spirit to go into Asia.
    Interesting.
    Then they tried to get to Asia again, and remember, this is what Paul wanted to do. We wanted to go to Asia with the gospel of Jesus, but he was blocked at every entry point.
    Now, check this out, they continue their westward journey, the opposite direction of Asia, and went to Troas after they passed through the region of Mysia.
    Troas was a port city, and the most obvious route was to stay in Troas for a few days and catch a boat, turing eastward, and going back into Asia.
    But, as they were staying in Troas, listen to what happens:
    Acts 16:7–10 CSB
    7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
    And where is Macedonia?
    Well, look right across the sea, and you’ll a region called Macedonia with a little town called Philippi. This is where the Spirit led Paul and Timothy, and also Silas was with them,
    And they cross the ocean, on a wing and a prayer because of Paul’s vision, and find themselves in the Roman colony of Philippi.
    And when they get to the city, they would’ve probably known what to expect.
    Because Philippi was under the control of Rome, it was actually kind of like mini-Rome.
    See, if you remember back to our Christmas series, we talked about Mark Antony and Octavius fighting a civil war with Brutus and Cassius who assassinated Julius Caesar, and ultimately would win the war which caused Octavius, named later Caesar Augustus to become to emperor.
    Now, people had been fighting over Philippi for a few hundred years, one of which was Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, who took it over and humbly named it after himself.
    Fast forward a few hundred years, Mark Antony and Augustus would win the war and claim Philippi as a Roman colony, and this is really important for a few reasons:
    One is that they stocked this city to the gills with retired war vets. People who fought in the war for Augustus were given a home here. There was an extreme sense of pride, extreme nationalism.
    This also brought on what’s known as the Imperial Cult, or Caesar worship. It’s funny to me that he’s now known for a salad dressing, but at one point, he was worshipped alongside the other gods.
    So, you get this town of extreme Roman pride, who wanted to only speak Latin, proud of winning the war, comfortable, and that’s mixed with Greeks, who spoke Greek (also pridefully) and weren’t too keen on the Romans coming in, taking over, forcing religion and language.
    But, although there was this mixture, this melting pot of cultures, language and religion, everyone seemed to get along and keep the peace.
    Because the thing about Macedonia, and especially Philippi, is that it was a perfect outpost.
    Being on the port, Roman citizens and nobility could go in and out and travel to Italy quite easily. This doubled for commerce, there was easy access to all kinds of markets.
    The Egnatian Way, a major roadway that connected all of Europe, went straight through Philippi.
    There was gold and silver abundantly, the agriculture was fantastic and the ground was fertile.
    This is what Paul, Timothy and Silas were walking in to. People who greatly valued their heritage, their nationality, their government and citizenship.
    A city who valued it’s jobs, and commerce, and ability to work and make money.
    And this, these kinds of people, they’re highlighted in the book of Acts because Paul fiercely cares about people.
    So, let’s take a look at the people Paul met in Philippi.

    The People of Philippi

    After a few days in the city, this is what happened.
    Acts 16:13–15 CSB
    13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
    So they go out to pray on the Sabbath, and they find a lady named Lydia. And Lydia sold purple cloth.
    Now, this Thyatira city, kind of like Idaho is know for potatoes, it was known for purple dye. And purple cloth was extremely expensive and sought after, which means Lydia was doing okay for herself. She’s described here as God-fearing woman who is praying with a group down by the river.
    And this tells us two things:
    is that Lydia is a Gentile, a Greek, a non-Jewish woman who has been attracted to the Jewish God and teachings.
    is that there aren't enough Jewish men to form a Synagogue there in town, this the praying down by the river.
    Makes me think of the SNL bit - if you don’t have a synagogue, you’re gonna end up in a prayer group down by the river.
    But I digress.
    So Paul, being Paul, started talking about Jesus and Lydia’s heart was opened, and her and her whole household was baptized.
    And there you have it - the first recorded Christian convert in Europe.
    Then, Lydia invited them all to her home. Now, this was totally against Jewish customs, but thank God she invited them there,
    Because here we see the inception of the Philippian church. And this will be really important later, so but a pin in this story.
    At this point, were cheering on Paul, everything is working out for the best, they’re gaining numbers, the Spirit is moving.
    But, things take a turn for the worse.
    This is what happened next:
    Acts 16:16–19 CSB
    16 Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God.” 18 She did this for many days. Paul was greatly annoyed. Turning to the spirit, he said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.
    And after this, of course, Paul and Silas were severely flogged, it says, and thrown in jail. And I hope you caught why - because this poor woman that was possessed and enslaved was free, and her masters could no longer make a profit.
    This is human depravity at its finest.
    So, Paul and Silas were put into the innermost prison cell, which is where all the waste and sewage ran into in the basement of the prison.
    And this is where we meet our last character in the story.
    Acts 16:25–34 CSB
    25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. 33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. 34 He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.
    From suicidal to saved. From killing himself, to a household of baptism and salvation.
    What an amazing story.
    This is where Paul was led by the Spirit.
    Not everything was good. In fact, there were some really awful things that happened as a result of Paul taking his companions to Europe.
    But often, following the call, the vision, the leading and prompting of the Spirit, it doesn’t look like what we expect.
    It’s not comfortable, and it’s not meant to be.
    But one thing I can say for certain, without a doubt,
    Is that real fruit comes from genuine faith

    Real Fruit Come From Genuine Faith

    Real, eternal, God-ordained results absolutely come from real belief and authentic faithfulness.
    Just take a look back at our passage for today:
    Philippians 1:1–2 CSB
    1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
    Paul isn’t writing to Lydia, or the jailer, or the previously enslaved woman.
    Who is he writing to? All the saints in Philippi, the overseers and deacons.
    That means there’s a group, a church that’s formed, a community. With leaders, and overseers, and deacons who take care of people.
    And do you know why? You know why the church exists and can receive a letter?
    Because Paul followed the Spirit of God, and trusted Him when he was blocked from entering Asia, and trusted the vision that God provided to sail into Philippi.
    Because Timothy knew the Scriptures and uprooted his life to go follow this Rabbi Paul around who once killed Christians in the name of God.
    The church exists because Lydia overheard a conversation and her heart was opened, and gave up her old way of life to be baptized into a new life, and opened her home to become the church.
    Which, by the way, came in handy because Acts 16:40 says this:
    Acts 16:40 CSB
    40 After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house, where they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and departed.
    That means Lydia had converts, she had brothers and sisters in Christ. The church was growing.
    It exists because of the witness of Paul driving out a demon, and a slave woman being released into new life.
    Because a suicidal jailer listened to Paul in desperation, and asked “what can I do to be saved”. And baptized his entire household.
    These acts of faithfulness, these people of genuine belief caused the church to expand and win more souls for the kingdom of Christ.
    Which by the way, I haven’t even mentioned the fact that Paul is sitting in a jail cell as he writes this letter, likely with Timothy as a secretary. And upon competition of the letter, the church in Philippi sends a guy named Epaphroditus to deliver Paul’s belongings, give Paul some money, and deliver the letter back to the church.
    And along the way, he gets sick and nearly dies, because the travel isn’t exactly easy.
    All this to say, the church in Philippi witnessed Paul and Silas beaten, persecuted, nearly die, and then as a reward for being released from prison, would see Paul thrown back into prison for his faith.
    But does that stop them?
    No.
    Because whatever faith they have, whatever belief in the gospel Paul brought them, it was real.
    Authentic. Unwavering.
    So much so that they themselves were willing to endure. They were willing to send their beloved Epaphroditus who nearly died, just to continue on the mission of Jesus.
    The church in Philipi embodies what Jesus says in Matthew 17 ,
    Matthew 17:20 CSB
    “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
    So my question, this morning, as a church and as a people who claim Christ,

    Are We building a church of genuine faith?

    Are we a people who are shaped by our belief that Jesus is Lord?
    Are you, am I, a person what really and faithfully believes in their heart that Jesus is who he says he is?
    Do our behaviors, decisions, desires, does the fruit we bear match the salvation Jesus offers?
    Because the reality of it is we get caught up. Sure we believe in Jesus, but he’s over here. Or in the forgotten corner of our mind. Or we believe in Him on Sunday when everyone is watching, but that’s the extent of our faith.
    Like the people in Philippi, we place our faith in nationalism, in the security of our government. We place our faith in our business, our job, our money.
    We place our faith in our way of life, our social circle, our walk, our means, our outlook.
    And what we try to do is bundle that up and give it to other people, as if Jesus was only a means to our life as we want to live it in our comforts and desires.
    As if anything we do is better than salvation through Jesus Christ.
    That’s not what we see in the early church. That’s not what we see in Philippi.
    What we see is meeting people where they are. Sharing our faith where other people are.
    Did Timothy and Paul walk into Philippi and set up a synagogue and try to attract people to it? No.
    They met Lydia by the river, and spoke to her. Didn’t judge her for being a woman, they weren’t threatened by her wealth. She needed God, and Paul had the good news.
    Was the slave woman who followed Paul around, obviously knowing the truth about God, did Paul send her away or try to avoid her? No, he healed her and drove out her demon. Which didn’t benefit him in any way.
    Paul could have let the jailer, who ordered their capture and torture, he could allowed him to fall on his sword and run out of the jail, scott free. But what did Paul and Silas do?
    They shared the gospel, right where they were, in a chaotic scene. Their captor, they stuck with him, went to his house, and that resulted in his entire family being baptized.
    This is true faith in Christ. Meeting people where they are, living life with people who just need Christ.
    Because the start of the church in Philippi was a a single, gentile businesswoman, a demon possessed slave woman, and a suicidal jailer.
    Too often we get comfortable living in our bubble, our social circle, and we put ourselves in a lofty position. After all, I’m a Christian, I’ve made it, I have a blessed life, but pay attention to how Paul and Timothy greet the church in their letter:
    Philippians 1:1 NASB95
    1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
    I used the NASB95 translation because that word: bond-servants, also translated as slaves, or servants, it means they’ve sold their life, their soul to Christ Jesus.
    This is more than a stance that they aren’t allegiant to Caesar, which most of Philippi would have been,
    What it is is a leveling of the playing field.
    Paul is no better than Lydia, than the jailer, than a slave.
    He writes something similar in Galatians:
    Galatians 3:28 CSB
    28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.
    Is this how you live? Is this your version of genuine faith?
    Because let me tell you, there’s a world out there in desperate need of hope. Of joy.
    There are people that come through these doors with real problems, real needs, a real longing for someone who can fix everything.
    There are people in your lives, people you encounter everyday that aren’t in your perceived social circle. That you completely have looked over.
    But real faith and real Jesus culture demands that no one is overlooked, or undervalued, because we are all slaves to Jesus Christ, that is our position.
    So, as followers of Christ, if we want to build this church, if we want to win souls for Christ, if we want to level the playing field and make our church and our homes where anyone is welcome regardless of their social status, there is only one thing to do:
    We must

    Live by faith

    Habakkuk 2:4 CSB
    4 Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.
    This says it all. Our ego, our pride, our lack of integrity is unrighteous.
    But. The righteous one will live by faith.
    Paul didn’t plan on going to Europe, he didn’t want to go to Philippi.
    But much like Paul’s journey, our journey is often unexpected. Meandering. Tense. Painful.
    But we must live by faith, authentic faith. Genuine belief. That is what causes change, and growth, both in your life and to the kingdom.
    Eventually, we have to stop worrying so much about the destination and look up where we are, where God had put us.
    Because so often, due to our circumstances, we stop looking up. We get to the river, because there’s no where else to pray, and we miss Lydia.
    We get so wrapped up in our “goal”, we miss meeting with a women to drive out a demon.
    We’re so despondent in jail that we stop sharing Christ with our captors…
    The point here is that in every waking moment of our lives, no matter where we are, we have a mission to faithfully live out.
    Wanna know where your mission field is? Do you want me to revel it to you? Look down at your feet. Then look around wherever you may find yourself this week.
    That is your mission field. The gospel doesn’t rest, your faith doesn’t take a break.
    And that’s the beauty of a faithful church. We come together, regardless of our social status in life, to worship Jesus who came down and submitted to death on a cross for us.
    Faith alone will accomplish the task God laid before us. And sure, it may result in persecution, it may result in uncomfortableness. In pain and suffering.
    We may get blocked from going certain places, unsure what our next step is.
    But just as faithful we are the the sun will rise tomorrow, we are faithful that Jesus is the only way to salvation, and we will continue to stand on that truth and proclaim it to any ear that will listen.
    So, church, lets look up, open or eyes to those who aren’t like us, and continue to be guided by our authentic faith in Jesus.
    Let’s pray.

      • Acts 16:1–5CSB

      • Acts 16:7–10CSB

      • Acts 16:13–15CSB

      • Acts 16:16–19CSB

      • Acts 16:25–34CSB

      • Philippians 1:1–2CSB

      • Acts 16:40CSB

      • Matthew 17:20CSB

      • Philippians 1:1CSB

      • Galatians 3:28CSB

      • Habakkuk 2:4CSB

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Valley Church Clinton
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