Sermons at Graham Emmanuel

Stephen Angliss | Jesus told His disciples that those who believed in Him without seeing Him are blessed. Peter commends the Christians in Asia Minor for their faith without ever having seen Christ, even in the midst of suffering. Join us to find out how Christians are called to love and believe in Christ and the blessings that come through that.

Paul continues to describe the sufficiency of Christ to empower believers to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” The next “in him” statement Paul makes about Christ is that believers are baptized in Christ. Find out what it means to be baptized in Christ and its relationship to Christ’s death and resurrection. 

Synopsis: As Paul explains the various ways in which Christ is sufficient as the source of Christians walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, Paul specifically reminds the Colossians that they have been circumcised “in Christ.” By doing so, Paul makes important claims about the source of a Christian’s spiritual identity and spiritual security.   

Paul breaks down Colossians two into two parts. After commanding the Colossians to “walk in Christ” in verse 6, Paul spends the first half of the chapter describing the sufficiency of Christ to enable believers to do so. In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul explains how God is filled in Christ, how believers are filled in Christ, the difference between those two kinds of fillings, and its implications for the role of depending on Christ in the Christian life.  

After Paul gives his first command in the entire letter for the Colossians to walk in Christ in the same way they received Him, Paul then gives a warning by telling them to watch out for those who wish to take them captive by ideas that may sound good but are not centered in Christ. 

Paul gives the mission statement of his letter in Colossians 2:6-7. While in Colossians 2:6 he urges the Colossians to walk in Christ in the same way they accepted Him, in Colossians 2:7 Paul describes specifically how they are to “walk in Christ.” Namely, by being “rooted,” “built up,” “established,” and “abounding in thanksgiving.”  

Paul begins the main body of his teaching in his letter to the Colossians by stating that, based on everything that he shared thus far about Christ and the Colossians’ belief in Him, that they should now live in a way that reflects that belief.  

To prevent the Colossians from being swayed from their firm faith and good order by worldly ideology, reminds them that all that there is to learn and grow in spiritually can be found in Christ. In doing so, Paul reminds Christians today of the centrality of Christ, not just in salvation, but in the entire process of spiritual growth. 

Paul explains his own struggle to present believers as mature in Christ, specifically that the Colossians and Laodiceans will be spiritually encouraged, united in love, certain in what they know, and have a knowing relationship with Christ. In doing so, Paul sets a blueprint for the goal of all church members. 

Paul ends chapter one of his letter to the Colossians by describing the kind of strenuous work that should be done by all Christians for the sake of presenting each other mature in Christ. Find out how this impacts the way Christians should serve each other in the family and the local church.

Paul describes his ministry as one which involves a “mystery.” That is, Paul says that the Church is now functioning in a new phase of God’s plan to fix a broken world, a plan that includes all people, including Gentiles, and is accomplished through Jesus Christ.

  After teaching on Christ and the Gospel, Paul begins to describe his personal spiritual journey to the Colossians by describing his suffering as service for their sake, and in imitation of Christ’s suffering. This provides a good example of how Christians should serve each other the way Christ served the Church on the Cross.

Paul makes a stunning statement about salvation. After saying that Christ reconciled believers in His flesh even while they were being estranged from Him and hostile in mind in vs. 21-22, Paul then states that believers will only stand before God as “holy and blameless” if they continue in the faith. Find out what Paul means by that and what it says about salvation by grace alone through faith alone.

Paul ends this ancient hymn on the doctrine of Christ by proclaiming the Son of God as not just the cause of creation and the Church, but also the cause of reconciliation between sinful creation and a holy God by being the dwelling place of God and the sacrifice by which peace was restored between God and His enemies.   

Paul ends this ancient hymn on the doctrine of Christ by proclaiming the Son of God as not just the cause of creation and the Church, but also the cause of reconciliation between sinful creation and a holy God by being the dwelling place of God and the sacrifice by which peace was restored between God and His enemies.   

As Paul explains the importance of Christ in this ancient hymn, he has explained the importance of the Person of Christ (v. 15), the importance of Christ in creation (v. 16-17) and now the importance of Christ in the Church. In doing so, Paul helps the Church understand how they should conduct themselves in a way that is honoring to Him.  

In a moment of uncertainty, God gives Moses certainty about the kind of God Israel has as their Lord. After telling Moses that Pharaoh’s hard heart is for God’s greater purpose in revealing His might, God reaffirms to Moses who He is, and what He has promised to do for Israel even before they came to Egypt. Join as we reflect on these reminders of God’s attributes that were given for believers today just as much as it was given to Israel when it was originally written.   

After hearing God’s command to let His people go, Pharaoh cruelly increases Israel’s workload, leaving Moses to wonder why God would have him deliver a message that would not be accepted. Find out God’s response and what it says about what God expects of His people even amidst bad circumstances.  

Once Moses returns to Egypt, he has three interactions with people who all hear the commands of God. Some choose to obey, some choose not to obey. The way each person responds to God’s Word reveals how they feel about God. Join us as we study three examples of faith—both good and bad, and see how faith is connected to action.   

As Moses prepares to return to Egypt, God reiterates His message to Pharaoh, this time with the promise that if Pharaoh disobeys, that God will punish him by taking his firstborn son. Later God approaches to execute Moses for his sin but is appeased when Moses’ firstborn son is circumcised. Both situations illustrate God’s wrath towards sin and foreshadow His provision of a substitute through the “Firstborn.”  

This week, we see that God’s sufficiency, not only answers all of Moses’ objections to his call, but also demands our response.

God’s actions are a result of His attributes. After revealing in crystal clear form exactly who He is, God is now going to reveal to Moses exactly what He will do in Egypt. By perfectly laying out the details of the upcoming Exodus, God shows that He is sovereign over all, and that salvation is always a total work of God alone. Come learn from God’s Word with us how believers should respond to God’s sovereignty over all things.  

A lot of meaning is bound up in a name. As God commands Moses to go to Egypt to deliver His people, Moses responds by first asking, “Who am I?” and then asking, “Who is God?” By asking the name of God, Moses asks for God to intimately reveal the kind of God He is—His nature, characteristics, and attributes. God, instead of smiting Moses, graciously gives His name, I AM WHO I AM—the name “Yahweh.” As a result, God reveals for all the generations that follow both who He is and how people should respond to Him.     

Who do you believe God is? In the burning bush, God reveals Himself in a way never before seen since the Garden of Eden. By appearing to Moses, God reveals His plan of salvation for the Israelites by first revealing Himself. In doing so, God shows that His salvation is a result of His holiness, and what He does, and How people should respond to Him, is always on the basis on the kind of God He is.  

After four hundred years of Israel’s suffering, slavery, and genocide in Egypt, and after Moses’ exile in Midian, the story pauses to reflect on Israel’s suffering as they cry out to God. Despite all circumstances, God hears their cries, and remembering His promises to their forefathers, takes concern for them. Even when God feels distance, He knows. Join us as we dwell on the promises of God’s loving character.  

Three times Moses tries to save people. Three times in ends in disappointment. In a world of suffering, everyone wants to be rescued. But like Moses, the world tries in vain to do what only God can do: save people. Join us and find out how Moses’ failed attempts to save God’s people point to the true Rescuer sent by God to save people from their sins: the risen Jesus Christ.  

Is God working even when He is not seen? In Exodus 2:1-10, God is never mentioned, yet in every detail, God is mightily working to bring about His mercy to His people. By studying the birth of Moses, find out how God manifests His might in all things to bring about His mercy.  

Who do you fear more? God? Or other humans? Out of an ungodly fear of man, Pharaoh persecutes the Israelites because of their increase in numbers, and attempts to recruit Hebrew midwives to kill the Israelite newborns. But the Hebrew midwives fear of God compels them to obey the Lord instead of the king, and God blesses them as a result. Find out what this reveals about how God expects His people to act in a world of suffering.  

Exodus continues the story of God's people, the Israelites, and the Lord's fulfillment of His covenant to Abraham. Exodus begins with a reference to how God multiplied the sons of Jacob and protected them in Egypt. In doing so, He reveals Hos nature as a God who keeps His promises across generations.

As Paul ends his letter to Philemon, he speaks not only to the individual, but to the entire church meeting in Philemon’s house. He bids farewell by mentioning names that represent the themes of Paul’s letter, namely, the need for one’s new identity in Christ to impact the way one interacts with others: in a way personified by Christ’s grace.  

Paul instructs Philemon on how, as a child of God, he should receive his runaway slave, Onesimus. By commanding Philemon to receive Onesimus as more than a slave, but as a brother, forgiving his debts, and graciously accepting him into his home. In doing so, Paul commands Philemon, like all Christians, to relate to believers in a way that illustrates the Gospel and imitates what Christ did for the lost.      

Instead of commanding Philemon, Paul instead chooses to humbly encourage Philemon to allow Onesimus to work with Paul in ministry. In doing so, Paul provides a model for how Christians should regard themselves and others in light of their new identity in Christ, with humility towards themselves, affection towards others, and respect towards authority.

This week in the study of Philemon, we walk through verses 4-7 and discuss how all that we do is not just in response to what God has done for us, but in reverence for God.    

In a compassion letter to the Colossians, Paul sends a short letter with Onesimus to Philemon, a Colossians who hosts a church at his home, and also the slave owner of Onesimus. In this extraordinary letter, discover how Paul calls the church at Philemon’s home to re-calibrate their understanding of identity within the community of Christ.    

Paul ends his letter, not by focusing on himself, but by focusing on those working with him for the sake of the Gospel, and those at Colossae who share that same purpose. In doing so, Paul pulls the curtain to reveal the work of the early church and provides a model for how the Church today should collectively encourage each other in the work of the Gospel. 

As Paul concludes his letter, he ends with final exhortations focused on one theme: advancing the Gospel. Paul calls to Colossians to be watchful in prayer, especially praying that God will provide opportunities for His Word to be shared. Paul also urges the Colossians to live in such a way that fulfills this prayer by treating non-believers with graciousness.  

In a world of slavery in the ancient Roman Empire, as many as 30% of the population were slaves, including in Colossae. Without ever endorsing the institution of slavery, Paul instructs both slaves and masters to honor God by seeing themselves as spiritual slaves and Christ as their Heavenly Master. In doing so, God teaches Christians today how to honor Christ as the ultimate authority in all the spheres of authority that life offers.  

Parenting is a form of worship. That’s what the Apostle Paul tells the Colossians in his letter to them. After commanding Christians in Col. 3:17 to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” he gives specific examples of how to do that within the family. In Col. 3:20-21, Paul addresses children and teaches them the importance of obedience, and he also teaches fathers the importance of instilling a love of obedience in their children. Join us in our expository study of Colossians! 

Jesus commands His followers to abide in Him. But what does it practically mean to abide in Christ? As the New Year begins, join Pastor Stephen in looking at what Scripture says about how a follower of Christ can abide in Him in the upcoming year.    

Jesus said that all of Scripture speaks concerning Him (Lk. 24:27). Paul said that the Old Testament is our guardian is to lead us to Christ (Gal. 3:24). As Pastor Stephen concludes his series on the Nativity, discover what all of Scripture has to say about Jesus, and how God expects us to respond.  

Mary is an inescapable character in the story of Christmas and a controversial religious figure. Instead of ignoring her, Christians should look to the Bible to discover the remarkable role Mary plays in fulfilling a plan of redemption that God started in Genesis and ended in Revelation. Join us to discover how God used women, pregnancy, and childbearing to bring about salvation.  

The Magi are a classic feature of every Nativity set. But although they are typically seen as just another prop to a biblical story, their coming and adoration of the child Christ as King holds huge implications, not just for biblical prophecy, but also for how God’s people should understand Christ today in their own lives.    

Luke chapter 2 is traditionally called the “Nativity” because it reveals the origins of how Christ came to Earth. But the details surrounding His birth—the shepherds, the wise men, Bethlehem—all represent a fulfillment and allusion to biblical teaching from the Old Testament. Find out how God used shepherds to reveal Himself in the Bible long before the birth of the Good Shepherd.   

The word “nativity” means “place of origin.” Many people celebrate Christmas with a Nativity set, but few recognize the biblical origins of each element of the events leading to the birth of Christ. All the details of Christ’s birth are more than just cute details of a story, they represent significant biblical meaning predicted throughout the entire Bible. This morning, learn about the biblical story of Bethlehem throughout the Bible and what it teaches us about the character of God. 

Paul gives specific examples of ways in which Christians should do everything in word and deed in the name of Jesus as Lord. After calling wives to submit to their husbands, Paul continues by calling on husbands to love their wives, specifically in a manner that is not bitter towards them. 

After Paul’s climactic call for the Colossians to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord by doing everything in the name of Jesus as Lord, Paul follows up after Col. 3:17 with a few succinct examples of how the Colossians can practically apply that verse in their lives. The first command is to wives. Specifically, for wives to submit to Christ by submitting to their husbands.  

Paul ends his instruction to the Colossians on “how to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Col. 1:10; 2:6) by commanding them to do everything in the name of Jesus as Lord of their life. Find out what it means to receive and walk in Jesus as “Lord” and the impact it should have on your life.  

After telling the Colossians to make “the peace of Christ” the ruler of their hearts, he now tells them to make “the Word of Christ” dwell in them in a way that is abundant and pours over into others. Paul describes how this happens in two ways: first in teaching others with the Word of God, and second in displaying thankfulness through singing songs and hymns. Watch along to find out more about how this impacts the Christian life.  

Paul continues his instructions to the Colossian Church on how they can “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Col. 1:10) by telling them, after putting on love, to let “the peace of Christ rule in their hearts.” Join us as Pastor Stephen explains the biblical concept of peace, and what it means for Christ’s peace to rule within us as individuals and as a church Body.  

As violence continues in the Middle East, many wonder what impact the world’s events have on what Scripture teaches about Israel. In this special sermon, Pastor Stephen surveys the story of God’s people from Genesis to revelation, and in doing so, points to how believers should think about God and Israel in these days and the days to come.