Philippians 2:5-11 Matthew 7:21-23

I cannot put into words how honored, grateful, and how unbelievable it is for me to be standing in this pulpit. I never fathomed that I would stand here before all of you. I want to thank you for allowing me to be here today. It is with great honor that I deliver this message to you today, but I will do so with apprehension and trepidation. I do not feel this way because I am concerned about how you will receive or react to what I speak here today, but I do so out of a fear of our Heavenly Father. The punishment for twisting the word is more than I could possibly bear. With that being said let us go to the Lord in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord we come to you today with thankful hearts for this day and this opportunity to praise and worship you. Lord, I pray that the message that I speak today is from you and not of my own understanding but an understanding that you have revealed to me. Lord, I pray that this message would reach anyone who needs it Lord. I understand that I’m not here to save anyone, but to deliver your message. I pray that you would open our hearts and minds to hear, understand, and receive here today. Lord, I pray for those who are sick and in need of your healing hand. Above all Lord, I pray that you are glorified here today. In Christ’s precious and Holy name I pray, AMEN.

Exegesis vs Topical Sermons

Exegesis allows a deeper study of scripture, its better for a pastor of a church to preach in an exegesis form so that greater context of scripture can be taught and learned.

Topical Sermons are dedicated more for fill in work or conferences or revivals with numerous pastors preaching. They address a specific topic that can be addressed from multiple books and multiple verses, this is something that can do one of two things either build a strong sermon that can prove a point needing to be made but it can do the opposite and turn scripture away from its intended meaning. The more scripture I use from multiple sources, the higher risk I have of deviating from the truth. This is what can be terrifying for a man in my position.

I only have one goal here in this pulpit and that is to bring Glory to my Father in Heaven, if in the process of my attempts to glorify Him, I plant seeds or make someone proud of me then so be it, but if my main goal deviates from the glorification of the Lord then I must step away from this calling. With that being said, Let us pray.

D. Today, I will be delivering a topical sermon, I ask that you be in prayer that I will not take scripture out of context and that I may speak truth.

Turn with me to Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5–11 KJV 1900

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.