Webster Baptist Church
Youth Group: November 9
  • Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me
  • Have a student come up and read the Scriptures
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    Philippians 1:18–26 ESV
    What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
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    Define Joy:
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    JOY
    J esus
    O thers
    Y ourself
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    We are going to continue to see this modeled to us as we work our way through Philippians.
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    Today, we are going to see how God is at work in how we work. Essentially, we are talking about the strenuous parts of being a Christian.
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    The truth we are working from:
    The things that God wants to do through you and with you are greater than all other things you could do in this world.
    Why?
    Because the things that God wants you to do are aligned with His ultimate goal in this world…
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    Making Jesus famous is God’s # 1 goal in this world.
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    But the reality is...
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    What I hope for you to see tonight:
    Main Idea
    The Work God wants to do through us isn’t easy because...
    It is Spiritual
    It is Sacrificial
    ​
    Making Jesus famous is God’s # 1 goal in this world.
    The Work God wants to do through us isn’t easy because...

    God’s Work Through You is Spiritual

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    Philippians 1:19 ESV
    19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
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    So guys, when you read this verse...
    Consider the two things Paul is saying:
    The Philippian church is helping Paul by praying for him.
    The Holy Spirit is partnering with their prayers.
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    If you think you are unable to be a part of the amazing things God is doing in this world you need to learn that the most amazing things God is doing are invisible!
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    Our tendency is to think that the most useful and most powerful soldiers for Jesus are the ones who get up in front of us on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday night. But, really, their success is dependent upon your prayers!
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    Most of the time helping someone looks like praying for them
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    How many of you kids pray for me and what I’m doing right now?
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    Here’s what we need to start doing:
    We need to reorder our thoughts on what it means to do great things.
    Seeing as God’s work is spiritual, we need to understand that the greatest use he has for me is prayer.
    Prayer is working in the Spiritual realm
    Prayer’s power means I’m dependent upon God and He’s not dependent upon me.
    We need to start praying for each other regularly.
    Pray by name
    If you’d like to begin praying for the people in this room by name, let me know and I’ll give you a list of names!
    Pray for this time we have together.
    ​
    ​
    We need to reorder our thoughts on what it means to do great things.
    Seeing as God’s work is spiritual, we need to understand that the greatest use he has for me is prayer.
    Prayer is working in the Spiritual realm
    Prayer’s power means I’m dependent upon God and He’s not dependent upon me.
    We need to start praying for each other regularly.
    Pray by name
    If you’d like to begin praying for the people in this room by name, let me know and I’ll give you a list of names!
    Pray for this time we have together.
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    God’s work through you is spiritual
    ​
    The Work God wants to do through us isn’t easy because...

    God’s Work Through You is Sacrificial

    Turn your attention to Paul again.
    Philippians 1:20–24 ESV
    20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
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    Look at the two ways he expects and hopes for Christ to be honored in him:
    By life
    By death
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    Both of these things are sacrificial to a degree. While also beneficial to a degree.
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    Christ’s honor in his life means…
    Beneficial: Paul stays alive and doesn’t endure a very painful death.
    Sacrificial: Paul labors with Jesus to grow and help others.
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    Christ’s honor in his death means…
    Sacrificial: Paul endures a painful death that inspires other Christians to see how worthy Jesus is.
    Beneficial: Paul would leave this earth and be with Jesus in heaven.
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    Every person in this room has a selfish human nature they are fighting.
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    Do you find it easy to...
    Pray for others?
    Give your money to someone in need?
    Do what your parents ask you the first time?
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    This idea of honoring Christ through our working is always sacrificial to a degree. And that means your flesh isn’t going to like it.
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    You will be tempted to give into your fleshly desires.
    Mark 14:38 ESV
    38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
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    Paul said similar in Romans 7.
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    Here is what we need to start doing:
    Remind ourselves every day that we need the Holy Spirit’s help to sacrifice our desires for God’s glory and other people’s good.
    This is humility. Because you are acknowledging that you can’t do it without God’s help.
    Pride would believe that you are able to be sacrificial because you are awesome. YOU’RE NOT!
    When it comes time to serve someone we need to listen to and believe the Holy Spirit’s voice telling us to sacrifice our desires.
    We all know what is right and wrong. As Christians, we have God’s Spirit with us to remind us throughout the day what is good and what is evil.
    We need to say NO to our flesh! Say YES to the Spirit.
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    God’s work through you is sacrificial
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    Main Idea
    The Work God wants to do through us isn’t easy because...
    It is Spiritual
    It is Sacrificial
    ​
    ​
    But here is something encouraging...
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    We can have confidence in God’s working because...

    God’s Work Through You is Sure

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    Philippians 1:25–26 ESV
    Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
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    When you are surrendered to God’s purpose for your life you can have confidence that He will accomplish His goals through you.
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    Ephesians 2:10 ESV
    10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
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    God’s work through you is sure.
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    Main Idea
    The Work God wants to do through us isn’t easy because...
    It is Spiritual
    It is Sacrificial
    ​
    We can have confidence in God’s working because...
    3. It is Sure
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    Summary:
    God’s Work Through You is Spiritual
    God’s Work Through You is Sacrificial
    God’s Work Through You is Sure
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    All of these things: Spiritual Work, Sacrificial Work, Sure Work… All of them are seen in the Life of Jesus.
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    In fact, Jesus is the only person who was able to do them perfectly. He had a nature that only desired to do Spiritual work. He did not have a desire to reject the Sacrificial nature of his work. And he understood that God’s will was Sure. So much so that he surrendered his life to death on our behalf because he was confident of His resurrection.
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    My Main Takeaway
    Because God’s work through me is spiritual, sacrificial, and sure, I am now going to….
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    Grow Group Questions
    What do you normally pray for?
    Are you interested in serving in the church or youth group? (Computer, reading scripture, announcements, cleaning up, etc.)
    What are the God glorifying things you find easy to do?
    What are the God glorifying things you don’t find easy to do?
    Do you ever know in the moment that you are saying “no” to God when you are given the opportunity to do his work and will?
    How can your Grow Group be praying for you about this?

      • Philippians 1:19NIV2011

      • Philippians 1:20–24NIV2011

      • Mark 14:38NIV2011

      • Philippians 1:25–26NIV2011

      • Ephesians 2:10NIV2011

Webster Baptist Church
websterbaptistchurch@gmail.com
828.586.4459
https://wbc-sylva.faithlifesites.com
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