March 9th: The True Markers of Christian Authenticity
In the forthcoming sermon at Middletown Baptist Church on March 9, 2025, Pastor Josh Massaro will present a thoughtful examination of the credentials of a certified Christ follower, as articulated in Second Corinthians, chapter 11. This engaging discourse will confront the reality of false teachings that have infiltrated the church, as Paul himself addressed in his epistle to the Corinthians. The pastor will elucidate the nature of authentic Christian leadership and the vital importance of discernment in the face of misleading ideologies that seek to undermine the truth of the Gospel.
The crux of the sermon lies in understanding that true credentials are not defined by societal standards of achievement, such as education or personal accolades, but rather by the trials and tribulations endured in the pursuit of faith. Paul’s assertion that his struggles and persecutions serve as the foundation of his legitimacy as an apostle will resonate deeply with congregants. Pastor Massaro will articulate how these experiences reflect a commitment to Christ that transcends mere professional qualifications, inviting listeners to consider their own life challenges as vital components of their spiritual growth and testimony.
As the sermon progresses, attendees will be encouraged to reflect on the overarching theme of reliance upon the power of Christ in the midst of adversity. The narrative will not only highlight the burdens that accompany a life of faith but will also celebrate the greater reward found in serving God faithfully. This message aims to inspire a deeper understanding of the Christian walk, prompting each individual to examine their personal testimony and the authenticity of their faith in a world that often prioritizes superficial credentials over genuine spiritual depth.
Takeaways:
- In our upcoming sermon, we will examine the credentials that define a true Christ follower.
- Pastor Josh will emphasize the importance of enduring hardships as a measure of faith and commitment.
- The Apostle Paul demonstrates that spiritual struggles often outweigh worldly achievements in importance.
- This week, our focus will be on the defense of truth amidst false teachings that infiltrate the church.
- We will learn that the true burden of a Christ follower is caring for the spiritual needs of others.
- Join us as we explore how serving God brings greater rewards than any earthly experiences.
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00:00 - None
00:14 - The Credentials of a Certified Christ Follower
00:28 - Defending the Truth in Corinth
01:04 - Paul's Struggles and the Value of Difficulty
01:57 - The Credentials of a Certified Christ Follower
02:11 - A Blessing to Begin
Speaker A
Pastor Josh here.
Speaker A
I would like to give you a preview of our Sunday morning service on March 9th here at Middletown Baptist Church.
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We're going to be continuing our study in Second Corinthians, and we're going to be in Second Corinthians, chapter 11.
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And we're looking at here this week the.
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The credentials of a certified Christ follower.
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Paul is continuing his defense of the truth here in the Church of Corinth.
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And there have been some false teachers that had slipped into the church.
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And so Paul is defending his ministry.
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He's ultimately defending the truth of Jesus Christ.
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And he is explaining that, hey, to be a true Christ follower, you have to have some credentials.
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And these false teachers were not matching up to that.
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These false teachers were seeking after the things of this world and not the things that God has called us to follow.
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And Paul goes through many of the things that give him the credentials, and he doesn't use things that we would think.
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He doesn't talk about his education.
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He doesn't talk about his wisdom.
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He doesn't talk about his talents.
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He talks about actually his struggles, the things that he's burdened with in his life, physical struggles, persecutions, being left out into the ocean, being shipwrecked, all these different things he talks about.
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And, and so what do we learn from that is we learn that there is more value in understanding the difficulties that we're facing in Christ instead of our own good works.
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And so ultimately, Paul recognizes that the biggest burden that he has is for the church, for their spiritual needs, and he points everyone back to the power of Christ.
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Meaning, hey, I can go through all these hardships knowing that there's the bigger picture of serving the Lord and there's a greater reward in the.
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In the service to God, greater than anything we can experience here on this earth.
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And so we're going to be talking about that.
Speaker A
The credentials of a certified Christ follower.
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Hope that we can see you on Sunday at 10:30.
Speaker A
If not, we live stream on YouTube and Facebook and we repost the sermon on Mondays here on the podcast channel.
Speaker A
We hope that you have a wonderful weekend.
Speaker A
God bless.
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