Tag Archives: Christ

February 20, 2025 · 9:00 pm

Anxiety

13 Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more. 14 For he comes out of prison to be king, Although he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun; They were with the second youth who stands in his place. 16 There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

Characteristic 4—Power Does Not Bring Peace

Solomon concludes this portion of text by reminding everyone of the meaninglessness of human power and authority. God does raise up leaders and He ordains human governments. But, power and prestige do not bring lasting peace and joy.

Only Christ can bring these gifts to us.

Kings come and go and kingdoms will ultimately cease. To trust in human power and authority is a foolish venture. It is certainly “vanity and vexation of the Spirit.”

There is more to the story. The good news of the gospel tells us that Jesus entered into “life under the sun.” The Word of God teaches us that Christ lived for our righteousness, died for our sins, and was raised again on the third day. And that all who believe in Him and trust in Christ shall be saved.

It is life in Christ that brings ultimate joy, peace, and hope. Life under the sun is helpless, senseless, and totally unfulfilling. Life in Christ gives us God’s presence, God’s power, and God’s promises. Life on this planet does not have to be dull and monotonous. Through Christ, we can have strength, love, and abundance. As Paul proclaims in 1 Corinthians 15:57, “thanks be to God who gives us the victory.”

Tony French

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February 3, 2025 · 9:00 am

Unchanging

God is immutable. In His essential nature and person, God never changes. He works in different ways at different times. But, He never alters or wavers in His attributes and in who He is. Consider the following…….

**God’s Power Never Changes

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

Romans 1:16

**God’s Word Never Changes

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

Isaiah 40:8

**God’s Character Never Changes

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

**God’s Promises Never Change

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 

2 Corinthians 1:20

Tony French

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March 18, 2024 · 9:00 am

Christ’s Work

A Believers identity in Christ means they are…………….

**Saved

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21

**Sealed

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise,

Ephesians 1:13

**Sanctified

Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11

**Sent

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Tony French

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January 4, 2024 · 9:00 pm

No Favoritism

1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”

James 2:1-3

The Apostle moves to the subject of favoritism in chapter 2. James condemns favoritism in all its forms in these verses. The particular emphasis seems to be on class and financial status in verses 2-3.

This Scripture teaches us to treat others justly and equally. Everyone is to be treated with dignity and grace no matter the differences in societal class, money, or position. In the church, everyone is a part of the body and no one is more important or less important.

Christ is the head of the church and all who make up that body are saved and sanctified forevermore. Even our guests who are not a part of the church should be treated with dignity and love. No one is favored above the others. The ground is level at the foot of the cross.  

Tony French

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November 20, 2023 · 9:00 am

Incarnation

One of the great tenets of the Christian faith surrounds the person of Jesus Christ. We proclaim that He is all God and all man. Somehow, through the miraculous power of God, Jesus received humanity in the incarnation.

Today, let us think about the one who came to identify with us. He felt the emotions we feel and Christ experienced life as we experience it. Let us look as some examples.

**He became hungry.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.  Matthew 4:1-2

**He became tired and rested.

So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.  John 4:5-6

**He was thirsty at times.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

John 4:7

**Jesus cried.

“Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.

The mystery of the incarnation is deep and profound. Jesus experienced the entirety of humanity and yet remained without sin for us. He loves us today. And He understands because, He’s been there.

Tony French

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October 5, 2023 · 9:00 pm

Joy In The Trouble

James , a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

James 1:1-3

The Book of James was written around 45-50 AD according to most scholars and teachers. The date of this writing makes it one of the earliest (if not the first) of the inspired writings of the New Testament. It was most likely written by James, the brother of Christ (Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:18) and has been attributed to him in most every point in church history.

The recipients of the book are primarily first-century Jewish Believers. The reference to the scattered tribes of Israel in James’ day makes this point clear.

The book of James deals with practical matters and expressions of Christian living. James is not bereft of doctrine and didactic teaching as the book contains both. However, the emphasis seems to be on how to live out one’s faith day by day in light of the doctrine that has been revealed.

The Principle that James first takes up is this—problems are a part of the Christian life. Life is difficult. Life is hard. I know those statements are actually understatements, but, they make the point of these verses clear. It is not a matter of if, but, when troubles come to our lives. The Bible never sugarcoats the trials and tribulations of life. It is wonderful to know that Christ is with us in the midst of these calamities. It is great to realize that we are not alone.

James tells us that God’s uses problems (tests) in order to grow our trust in Him. We learn to trust Him more and more as He brings us through each trial and each heartache. Problems are a part of life, but, God is not using them to destroy us. He is using them to grow us and make us more dependent on Him.

Tony French

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September 7, 2023 · 9:00 pm

The Mind of Christ

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 2:16 that Christians have been given the “mind of Christ.” He takes that principle further by instructing Believers to live in that reality in Philippians 2. “Let this mind be in you” is the command given to God’s people. Let us examine three precepts about Jesus life that He demonstrated for us. And may we pursue the mind of Jesus in our own lives as well.

First, Jesus was willing to serve. Christ served by teaching, healing, and loving the outcasts. Then, He took upon Himself the posture of a servant and completed His earthly ministry dying as a common criminal for the sin of humanity. He served the people of the world by giving up His life for them. Greater love cannot be shown. (John 15:13)

The Savior also humbled Himself. Christ left behind the glory that is rightfully His as the Son of God and took upon Himself human flesh. He humbled Himself and condescended to this planet so that those who believe might be saved. He lived for our righteousness so that we might be made righteous through His life. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Finally, the Son of God fulfilled the will of His Father. Even though Jesus is co-equal with the Father, nevertheless, He was obedient unto death for our salvation. Jesus is our example of obedience and we ought to follow that trajectory in our lives as well.

One day the entire world will acknowledge Jesus as Lord. There is coming time in which every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess the lordship of Christ. Christian, let us acknowledge the glory and lordship of the Savior every single day. It is the least that we can do.

Tony French

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July 24, 2023 · 9:00 am

God Is………..

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,

Nahum 1:7

The Lord is good and perfect in all of His ways. His goodness remains in all times and in all places. The Lord is good, great and holy forevermore.

The Lord is protects His people. Even during times of difficulty, Jesus is our refuge who never changes. He is our place of safety in a dangerous world.

The Lord cares for His children. He knows those who trust in Him. And Christ never forgets His own.

The Old Testament prophet gives us great truth here. God is good, protective, and compassionate towards those who are His. That truth is what we need to live for Him each day of our existence on this planet.

Tony French

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July 13, 2023 · 6:00 pm

Obey

 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:15

As Jesus’ teaches in Scripture, He calls for a response. His teaching has authority and power. It cannot be ignored. The hearer will either reject Christ’s teaching or follow Christ and be changed. There is no middle ground.

The same is true of us. We have a choice to make when confronted with the truth of God’s Word. We will obey it or we will forsake it. Jesus gives a helpful, practical principle to drive home His point in this verse of the Bible.

What will you do with Jesus’ message? Will you appropriate it and obey it? Or will you reject the Word of the Savior?

Tony French

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May 25, 2023 · 9:30 pm

Avoid Hypocrisy

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?

Matthew 7:3-4

Here is the heart of the matter about this passage in Matthew 7. Jesus’ main point is characterized in these two verses. His main point is don’t be a hypocrite.

We must deal with our own issues before we can help others. We must remove the plank (hyperbole) from our own eye before we can remove the speck from the eye of others.

Hypocrisy (pretending to be something you are not) is very offensive to Jesus. It was one of Christ’s main criticisms of the religious leaders of His day. Very little seemed to raise the ire of Christ more than hypocrisy.

“Lord, help us to be authentic and gracious in our dealings with all. Help us to discern with purity and righteousness. Grant us the wisdom to be who you have created us to be in Christ Jesus!”

Tony French

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