Pastor Tim Patoka When the Lord Comes Near, He Humbles His Enemies
3rd Sunday of Advent December 12, 2021
The Lord Will Come and Humble His Enemies Philippians 4:4-7 1) The Lord’s Coming Brings Christians God’s Unsurpassable Peace 2) Christians Wait for the Lord’s Coming With Changed Attitudes and Actions As someone who has taught a number of lessons in a lot of different settings, I have found it interesting to notice how certain things can affect what happens in the classroom. You have the size of the class that changes what you do whether it be 5 students or 50. You have the age of the students to take into consideration, whether it be grade school, high school, or adults. And there’s also how much people want to talk about the subject that determines if it’s going to be a lecture, small groups, or a free-wheeling discussion. But one thing that cuts through every variable is how closely the teacher expects their students to follow the rules. And if there are behavior issues and the teacher needs to raise their voice or enact disciplinary measures, 9 times out of 10 it will be so quiet afterwards that you could hear crickets chirping. Everyone is going to be doing what is told and expected of them. While this usually humbles the unruly student, it brings comfort and relief to the student who has followed their teacher’s expectations. Relief in knowing that they have nothing to fear from the teacher and comfort in knowing that those who go against what the teacher says will pay the price. In many ways, we can see the same thing happening with God and what he expects of his children. What is it that the Lord will do when people go against his wishes to humble themselves through repentance before he comes near? For those who haven’t already humbled themselves, the Lord will humble them with his consuming fire and judgment to their everlasting shame. While this certainly sounds the warning bell for those who are opposed to Jesus, it is welcome news for we who believe. Because it is through the Lord’s coming to humble his enemies and deliver his enemies that we receive God’s unsurpassable peace that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. And with this peace in place, we then live out our days until the Lord comes again with changed attitudes and actions. 1) The Lord’s Coming Brings Christians God’s Unsurpassable Peace When we earlier read these verses from Philippians chapter 4, you perhaps recognized the final verse where it says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 EHV) This is how I typically end my sermons where I remind you 1