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God's Good Work in Us
Sermon by John O. ReidDespite the privileged position of our calling, God does not cut us any slack in terms of trials and tests to perfect us. We must accept God's sovereignty.
Confidence
Sermon by James BeaubelleGod makes His people complete through the testing of their faith, a process that produces patience and allows that patience to have its perfect work so that they may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. This divine work is part of His ongoing stewardship as Creator, begun when He formed humanity in His image and likeness, and it continues as He sustains life, determines times and boundaries, and draws people to seek and find Him. The same testing that confirms His confidence in their obedience also strengthens their confidence in His promises, enabling them to rely on Him regardless of circumstances and to grow in holiness and joy through the work of Jesus Christ. Trials endured under His faithful oversight therefore serve a dual purpose: they reveal the depth of commitment on both sides of the relationship and they transform incomplete faith into mature character marked by endurance, trust, and the ability to perform good works that please Him. In this way the testing that brings completeness is inseparable from the larger purpose of building an unshakable confidence between God and those He has called, so that His covenant blessings may rest upon them and their lives may glorify Him.
Persistence
Sermon by John O. ReidPersistence is impossible without a transcendent and ardent vision, which prevents us from casting off restraint and gives us the will to keep on.
Still Producing Fruit?
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod promises to complete the good work He has begun in His people until the day of Jesus Christ. He supplies every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, furnishing Christ Himself, His revelation, and His Spirit as indispensable tools for producing fruit. These gifts enable believers to labor in the field of their conversion, whether that period spans fifty years or fewer, so that they may be cut off at harvest like the wave sheaf and raised to glory. God works alongside His people at every stage, pruning branches that bear fruit so they may yield more and much fruit. He strengthens them with all might for patience and longsuffering with joy, filling them with the knowledge of His will in wisdom and spiritual understanding. As they walk worthy of Him and perform every good work, they increase in the knowledge of God and grow strong in faith. This cycle of knowledge applied in service refines character, solidifying endurance so that fruit remains. The Father is glorified when His people abide in Christ and bear much fruit that endures, proving they are His disciples. Those who remain connected to the vine cannot fail to produce, for apart from Him they can do nothing. Thus the process of sanctification advances steadily toward completion, culminating in the inheritance of the saints in light and the praise of God.
Knowing, Following, and Striving for Christ
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsOur goal is to know Christ on a personal basis, knowing the power of His resurrection. This knowledge should be a practical understanding of His power.