He’s Human...Philippians 2:19 – 30.

Pastor Ernest L. Williams Sr. • October 2, 2021

A Word on Remaining Hopeful… Romans 8:22 – 25


March 21, 2021 Ernest L. Williams, Sr.


Hope here is the desire for God’s completed work of redemption for his creation and his redeemed. This

hope is not fantasy hope that has no foundation of support, or evidence: historical, observable, and

measurable. This is how we define and separate fact from fiction. But we have this in the faith of Jesus

Christ. And we know that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.


Paul is simply saying that believers ought to be hopeful in Christ’s return. We can put our hope in that

because historically and observably, Christ did come once. 1 Tim 3:16, “And without controversy great is

the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached

unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”


New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce says that of the 5000 Greek manuscripts of the NT, dating back as

early as about AD 350, verses a few hundred copies of Greek classics, Herodotus, and others, historians

and scholars love to debate the validity of the NT, but very few question these other writings that are in

fewer number than the NT. These scholars argue against the dating of the NT writing from the actual

setting. Strangely, the variant of time differential for the earliest NT manuscripts are about 200 years

removed verses most of the Greek classics are over 1300 years later than the originals. I ask you, which

source would you rely on?


Romans 8:22 – 25 does not put hope in fortunes, friends, physical strength…Paul’s hope in this text is in

the faith of Jesus Christ. I submit, it is when your hope is in faith, God can nurture our fortunes, friends,

family, and physical strength.


Why remain hopeful? We have evidence:


1. Christ came and died on Calvary, buried, resurrected, and ascended back on high. I believe it. If the

Coronavirus could start from one place in one person, in China and cover the entire globe in a year, how

much more could the atoning sacrifice of one on the cross of Calvary after 2000 years now affect the

world?


2. If all of the evidence before us is valid: His first coming, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, the

giving of the Holy Spirit, then there is only one that remains, His return. That is the essence of Romans

8:22-24. And it is why Paul can declare in that same chapter, All things work together for good…


The Bible is definitive with respect to our hope:


And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And

patience, experience; and experience, hope. Rom 5:3-4


I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait,

and in his word do I hope. Psalm 130:5


Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath

begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3


But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that

asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. 1 Peter 3:15


There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. Ephesians 4:4


To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27


The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and

what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:18


Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all

things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:6-7


Titus 2:13, Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour

Jesus Christ;

1 Tim 1:1, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus

Christ, which is our hope;


My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweatest

frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.


Because I have hope in Christ, I like Paul, can now fight the good fight of faith. I may be going through it

now, but I got hope and it is the hope in Christ that keeps me going…

Our Sermons

How do I project Jesus through me in my community?

By Pastor Ernest L. Williams, Sr. • January 20, 2023
How do I project Jesus through me in my community? How to take Jesus to the street? Tuesday, September 6, 2022 A. Be Intentional (Ephesians 4) 1. Start by telling the truth (stop lying), vs. 15. 2. Put off the old man and put on the new man, vv. 22, 24, 25. 3. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, v. 23. 4. Learn how to get angry without sinning, v. 26. 5. Stop being lazy, stealing and get a job, v. 28. 6. If you don’t have anything encouraging to say, shut up! V. 29. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” B. Be Available (Mark 5:18, 19) 1. How to take Jesus to the street? First, we must get him in the home. 2. Booker T. Washington said, “Cast down your bucket where you are!” No need to do anything extra, in the areas where you reside and work or go to school or serve, live for Christ. In Mark 5, the Lord healed a lunatic man who lived among the tombs. This man wanted to be with Jesus. “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mk 5:19). 3. The woman at the well was available. 4. When the Lord got ready to enter into Jerusalem, Jesus told two of his disciples that they would find a colt and its ass tied. Jesus told his disciples to loose him and let him go. The colt was available. A Roman centurion, who had great faith was available. Even the rooster that crowed when Peter denied the Lord, was available. Jesus calmed the waves and the wind one day: even the winds and the sea were availability. 5. Jesus told Peter and John to go into Jerusalem and they would see a man bearing a pitcher of water. The man was available. C. Be Relevant 1. Jesus, the apostles, and the NT writers addressed issues that people were facing and could relate to. Many in our Christian circles are not reaching people because our methods, not message, are out of date. It took a pandemic to force many of our churches to use technology. 2. Why is it that many of our churches are one man shows with just one pastor that is hired by the church. We need to have an elder board with various “paid” pastors on staff to meet the growing needs of our community. Our business model in the church does not work. Here is one reason why it doesn’t work: It's not biblical! 3. Jesus came to die for sinners because that was and still is the current pandemic: sin. However, the church focuses more on the cross and little emphasis is placed on the fact that Jesus will return to receive his church. Our message, if it is to be relevant, must be balanced. Conclusion  Let us learn to pray this prayer before we leave the home: Lord provide the platform for me to let you shine through me. Lord I give my mind, my abilities, my words, and my deeds as service to you in this day. Lord, help me to be available for my spouse, family, pastor, church family, to people in my community, those on my job, school, or to a stranger that I may meet today. Father, I know that no encounter is an accident. So, Lord, help me to be intentional with my words, thoughts, and actions, that I may minister grace to the hearers and so someone will come to know the love of your Son Jesus Christ through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Three Signs of a Joyful Spirit: Live, Give, and Forgive

By Pastor Ernest L. Williams, Sr. • January 20, 2023
The Three Signs of a Joyful Spirit: Live, Give, and Forgive Luke 6:20 – 38 September 4, 2022 Ernest L. Williams, Sr. In some translations, the word in Greek for “blessed” is translated as “happy.” Could Jesus be saying to the crowd in his sermon on the plains to be happy? (See v. 17 compared to Matthew’s sermon on the Mount, Matt 5). True joy contains living, giving, and forgiving. Illustration Proverbs on laughter. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Prov 17:22). A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken (Prov 15:13). All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast (Prov 15:15).  Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad (Prov 12:25). Dea. Jacque’s funnies!  Three surprises in heaven! 1. LIVE a. In verses 21 to 26, Jesus speaks to true blessings, but he also balances a happy life with warnings. 2. GIVE a. In verses 28 – 35, Jesus speaks to the nature of giving. b. A true sign of a person’s joy is seen in their giving. c. Paul speaks of allowing yourself to be defrauded in order to win souls for Christ: Luke 6:28, 29; compare with 1 Cor 6:7. i. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? d. The Golden Rule, v. 31. e. Give, looking for nothing in return, vv. 32 – 35. 3. FORGIVE a. Verses 36 – 36. b. One attribute of forgiveness is giving. Conclusion Vv. 22 – 23. We rejoice because our reward is in heaven. Job said, “my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high” (Job 16:19). Jesus told the disciples after they had returned from preaching and healing, that they should rejoice not because of what they could do, but rejoice because their names have been written in heaven. I sing because I am happy, I sing because I am free. His eyes are on the sparrow, and I know he watches over me!
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