My Heart for Hope City | Phil Kniesel

This week, Pastor Phil shares his heart for Hope City and prays a powerful prayer over our church inspired by Paul’s words in Philippians 1. He reminds us that God has already begun a good work in us, and He’s not done yet. Even when we feel stuck, abandoned, afraid, or like failures, God continues His work until the day of Christ Jesus.

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Transcript

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- Hey, this is Phil Kal, lead pastor at Hope City Church. Thanks for tuning into our podcast. My prayer is that this helps and encourages you, gives you some practical ways to live out your faith and ultimately fills you with hope. Enjoy the message.- Have you ever bought something and opted for the cheaper version? You know, we did that upon getting married with a set of kitchen knives. There's knives and then there's knives, if you know what I mean. What we got this all in one block, which had about five knives, and the bonus was we got some scissors with it, right? The knives, they were useless. We couldn't slice through a tomato without squishing it in our hands. Opting for the cheaper version typically gives us a less than satisfactory experience, but we tend to do this with our spiritual lives. We live on clearance rack choices, on decisions that barely work because we've opted for less than we've been in a series entitled Bigger Than Us, where we've been examining what makes our church, our church, and the macro things that we are about. We have this massive vision to reach 1% of greater Edmonton and have them make the best decision of their life to follow Jesus. We believe that God wants to bring a next into every person's life no matter where they may be. And we adamantly believe that each person is gifted from God with something to make the world better. And we believe this because our lives, our church and all that we are about need to be bigger than us. In a world consumed with me, myself and I, Christians think differently. Christians live differently. Christians view things differently. And so I wanna ask you a question. If you could pray one prayer for Christians today, what would you pray for across all our campuses? Maybe hands up. How many of you would pray for peace? How many would pray for courage? How many would pray for unity? How many would pray for strength to endure? By the way, you know I read just this past week that China has outlawed any Christian activity online, which includes streaming services and whatnot. And it just reminded me again, that church, we need to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. Today I want to share a prayer I have for you. Now, full exposure. I typically plan the messages for our Sunday services about a year in advance. What I do is I go away and I pray for our church. I take a week to seek God. I listen to him, I ask him, what does our church need to hear in the seasons ahead? So that means today's talk was planned a year ago. I just felt like that God wanted me to share my heart, my prayer for you hope city and and I feel that the words he instilled back then are right in line with what is happening in our current times. It's amazing how God does that. It's actually pretty cool. Now this prayer comes from a prayer. The Apostle Paul prayed for a church found in Philippi and it's recorded in the New Testament book of Philippians. Now at the time of writing this letter, this you know, just encouragement to the church, Paul was in prison. He was in prison for speaking about Jesus and he deeply loved this church in Philippi. Listen to how he starts this letter. He says, I thank my God every time I remember you in all my prayers for all of you. I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, there's this sense of joy, this sense of thankfulness. Paul has a pastor's heart here in hopes today I wanna say this, it's a complete joy to pastor you. I love you. I brag about you as a church. I'm grateful for how you follow Jesus and how you're so outward minded. I'm grateful for the desire you have, just like the early Christians to partner with the gospel and make Jesus known. And everything we do around here, our expansion, our campuses, our programs, our weekday ministries, our Sundays, it's all about making Jesus known. And I'm just so thankful that you come alongside of that. Paul continues here and he says, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. That's actually a verse you should memorize. There's so much truth, hope, and power in those words, being confident of this meaning I know that. I know that I know He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Now Paul is referencing the work of God saving grace in their lives. God has started a good thing in them and that's started through salvation, their belief that Jesus is Lord and their confession, that God raised them from the dead. But it's not just a one-time decision and that's it. It's the start of God doing a work in their lives that continues until the day of Christ Jesus. Meaning until Jesus returns. Paul is writing this as a call to the church in Philippi to just hang in there for the long haul. No one knows when Jesus will return, but our Christian faith is based on that very thing. One day he will. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. But until that day comes, God wants to do a work in you. And so hope city don't doubt that he has started it and he wants to continue it. His work of grace and mercy in your life is an illustration of that. The fact that you are here joining us at a campus or online, the fact that you're trying to live your life for him, the fact that you're reading the Bible and praying and the fact that you want his ways in your life illustrate that he's working in you, but it's not done and it won't be done until he comes again. See, we're all in this process called sanctification, meaning we're all continually being shaped to be more and more like Jesus. God is still working on and in your life. Now, maybe for some of you the key is to allow God to begin to work in your life, to begin his work of grace. And that starts with a choice with you saying, Jesus, I believe in who and who you are and all that you've done. But church, listen, if you're feeling stuck, God's not done yet. If you're feeling abandoned, God's not done yet. If you're feeling afraid he's not done yet. If you're feeling like a failure, he's not done yet. If you're feeling like you're on top of the world, he's not done yet. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. And following these words, Paul drops a prayer for the Christians in Philippi. Now remember he's in prison and what you will see is that he's not asking them to pray for his release or for his comfort or even for his circumstance to change. He's not reaching out to them and making this about him. This is what he prays. Let's read it, Philippians one verse nine. And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. That's an incredible prayer and hope. Say that's the same prayer, I'm praying over you. You see, I don't want your faith to be low grade, a cheaper version picked up on the clearance rack type of faith. I want your faith to be real, vibrant and meaningful. And so let's unpack what this prayer means and why it's so important for you. There's three things here that I believe will take your faith deeper and make it more real. Three things I am praying over you. And the first one is this. I pray that you would turn up the volume on love. See, our world is noisy. It detracts, it distracts, it influences what we listen to. The loudest affects and directs us. And this is so prevalent, especially on social media. I mean even myself sometimes I can get sucked into it and then the algorithms go wild and all of a sudden I'm living in this echo chamber. There's noise everywhere. And many times the loudest voice in our culture is one of hate and division. And Paul prays for their love to abound more and more. This is a love that increases beyond all measure. It's a wording that insinuates a love that overflows. It cannot be contained. It's like pouring over the edges. The Greek word for love here, Greek'cause that's the original language, is agape. This is the highest form of selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial love. And in scripture it's often used to describe the love of God for humanity. Agape love is the deliberate choice to seek the wellbeing of others and to seek God without expecting anything in return. And then Paul tells us here in this prayer what this love entails. He says, he actually brings some descriptors to it. So he says, I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and in depth of insight. Now, knowledge refers to knowing God more. It refers to a personal relationship with God through Christ Hope City. Listen to me, there is nothing more important in your life than to know Jesus. There is nothing more vital than to make him your number one priority. And my heart is that you would know Jesus more, that your knowledge of him would increase, that your love for him would overflow. That you would have this hunger, this desire that you would say like the writer of Psalm 42, ask the dear pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you, my God, my soul, thirsts for God, for the living God. There is this deep desire. My prayer is that you would be desperate for God, that you would fall to your knees and you would cry out to him and you would say, Lord, I seek you for all that you are and all that is within me. That you would stay in this posture until you have met with him that you would say, Jesus, I wanna know you come and move in my life. Come and change my heart. I wanna know the depth of the knowledge of following you. I wanna be walking in the fullness of your strength. I wanna be formed. I wanna be shaped by you. I desire your Holy Spirit to mold me, move in my life, move in my heart. I don't wanna put anything before you. God, I wanna make you Lord over all, help me to trust you. Help me to rely upon you. Help me to know your word Jesus in all things, through all things and with all things my life is yours. You pray that church, you pray with that earnestness, you pray with that passion. Here's what I can promise you. God's gonna meet you. God's gonna show up in your life. God's gonna move in your heart and you will overflow with love for him. Turn up the volume of love for God in your life. That's the knowledge part. May your love abound more and more in knowledge and in depth of insight. Death of insight refers to all situations involving your conduct. It's moral discretion, it's practical concrete judgment. It's really how you treat others. Now here's the thing, and I'm just gonna say it at times, people will drive you crazy. People will say something or do something that you don't agree with. And this prayer from Paul is calling Christians to grow in love. It's asking for warmer and wiser love. A love that abounds in discern is a love that grows up. It studies God's word, it engages with people and uh, it applies both truth alongside of grace. And this kind of love is not about winning or losing. This kind of love is just about being present, about bringing hope, about bringing life not death. Division is so loud these days. It's everywhere. And sadly it's even in the church. May we be people who are overflowing with love. May we be people who yes, stand on biblical principles. However, remember it's not about winning an argument. So let's replace venting with blessing and try this. If someone is under your skin, I challenge you to pray for them to bless them instead of talking bad about them. Imagine, okay, imagine if a church of our size went out and turned up the volume on love, Paul at another time to a group of Christians in Corinth said this one Corinthians 13, if I speak in the tongues of men or of angels but do not have love, I'm only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. If I have the gift of prophecy and con fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. You know what he's saying? If I look like the best Christian in the world, if I'm doing all the right stuff, if I'm just leaning in right everywhere where I'm supposed to, but I don't have love, it means Jack. This is what he says next. He describes love. Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails hope city, my prayer is that you may turn up the volume on love for God and for others. Secondly, my prayer is that you would choose the better. Yes, Paul says it this way. Let's go back to his prayer. Okay, so he says, this is my prayer, that your love may a bound more and more in knowledge and in depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. There's this thought in these words of being able to choose what is most excellent or what really matters. It's this I, this idea of testing and selecting as Jesus followers. We don't just avoid what's wrong, we prioritize what's best. And so that means we make choices that most honor Jesus. And here's the thing, every single one of us, we make daily choices. Not all of them are choices between right and wrong. Growth in the Christian life goes beyond sin and health and moves into choosing between good and best. It's not just living your life within the parameters of what's allowed. It's living with the mindset of what's best and why should we do this. Paul says so that we may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. Again, he's referencing the second coming of Jesus that's twice in like a few verses here and he's making a point. We should live our lives in such a way that we're always ready to meet Jesus. And that means our choices matter. We wanna continually choose what is best because it brings purity, which is what forms Christ in us and it keeps us blameless. And that word insinuates something that doesn't cause others to stumble and in fact blesses them. So here's a grid to work through when you make decisions, four questions you can ask yourself to help you choose the better. Yes. Number one, is it true? Meaning is it aligned with scripture? Number two, is it loving? Does it seek another's good? And not just my preference? Number three, is it wise? Is it the right timing or what are the consequences? And number four, is it best? Is this the optimal decision, not just a decent one? Is it true? Is it loving? Is it wise? Is it best choosing the better? Yes is all about growth. And Christian character actually reminds me of this incident that occurred in the life of Jesus. And the writer Luke records this moment. Jesus was visiting the home of Martha and Mary and Martha was all distracted and worried because dinner preparations needed to be made. Jesus was coming for dinner so she was like totally fixated on everything that needed to be done. You know the napkins folded the right way, the utensils on the right side of the plates. Make sure the house is clean, the right tablecloth, whatever you get it. Mary, she didn't worry about any of that. She just sat with Jesus listening to him. And so Martha complaints to Jesus and says, get Mary to help me Jesus. To which Jesus says this, Martha. Martha, I love that he says her name twice. You know why?'cause it's like this. Phil. Phil, he got her attention and this is what he said. You're worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed. Or indeed only one Mary has chosen what is better and it'll not be taken away from her. Mary chose what is better. The writer of Hebrews says this, anyone who lives on milk being still an infant is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. So discernment grows and grows as we continue to choose the better. Yes. And so what are some better yeses you can make this week instead of doom scrolling on your phone the better yeses. Intentional time in scripture listening to worship music or praying instead of living with a scarcity mindset. The better yes, is contentment and steps of generosity. Instead of allowing your job to take up every waking moment, the better Yes is spending intentional time with your family Hope city. My prayer is that you would turn up the volume on love that you would choose the better. Yes. And thirdly, my prayer is that you would walk the talk. There's nothing more confusing or debilitating for the world than those who say they follow Jesus but live differently. Paul's prayer said it this way, that we would be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ. What does that mean? It means we're not expected to do outside of Jesus. It means when we have a relationship with Jesus, the fruit of righteousness becomes an automatic byproduct. John and disciple of Jesus quoted Jesus saying these words, I'm the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit apart from me. You can do nothing. The fruit of righteousness shows that wisdom is real and wisdom is guiding our lives. So it's integrity at work, it's doing the right thing, even when it costs it's purity. In a sexualized world, it's reconciliation with those we've hurt. It's practicing hospitality across differences. See, righteousness is not just a mindset, righteousness can be seen. That's why it's called the fruit of righteousness. It's walking the talk. And the best descriptor we have of this is when Paul described what this fruit looks like, it's in the book of Galatians and he calls it the fruit of the spirit. And this is what he says. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance or patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These type of things. Okay? They become an outward manifestation of an inner transformation. They are the visible byproducts of our life in Jesus. They are the fruit. These things are righteousness. And so you don't just say you're a Christian, you look like one. You don't just claim you love God. Others notice you love God. You don't just profess Jesus. You bring Jesus to every conversation, every place, every encounter. You walk the talk. You know, it actually amazes me how after Jesus ascended to heaven that he left the spread of his movement to his followers. He says, you'll have the Holy Spirit and with his help, I need you to go and be my disciples telling the world about me. He could have chosen any way, but he chose to use you and he chose to use me. Why? Because it changed. Life is the best representation of how God changes lives. A redeemed life is the best testimony of how God redeems lives. A forgiven life is the best picture of how God forgives lives. My prayer is that your faith in Jesus is not just a uh, when I'm in church type of thing or something that you do once in a while. My prayer is that you would really walk the talk that the fruit of righteousness is noticed in you, in your words, in your actions, in all that you do. Hope city, may you be a billboard for Jesus that attracts others to him. And so that means you have faith in the fear. It means you have hope in the despair. It means you have peace in the hurt. It means you have confidence in the insecurity. You have trust in the unknown. You walk the talk. And here's why all this matters. Here's the crux of it all. I wanna ask to go back to Paul's prayer. And this is kind of like the bottom line. Why? And I'm gonna read you this whole prayer again. It's Paul, and this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and death of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Did you catch that last line to the glory and praise of God? See, our lives as Jesus followers are meant to be lived so that God receives the glory every single di time. See, don't miss this. The point isn't that you become a polished version of you. The point in all this, in all of our life is to honor him. It's to the glory and to the praise of God. Hope city. This is so much bigger than us. This is all for him and unto him and ultimately for his glory. And so hope city. When I pray over you and over our church, I don't just pray for full seats. I pray for full lives. Lives overflowing with the kind of love that thinks and chooses and bears fruit. I pray that we would not be known for slick programs or professional takes, but we may be known as people who love Jesus passionately. And our love is so evident that it makes Jesus hard to ignore in our city. My prayer for you is that you would turn up the volume on love, that you would choose the better. Yes. That you would walk the talk and that you would do it all for the glory and the praise of God. Paul, he sums it up well in his letter to the Christians in Rome, he says this, for from him and through him and for him are all things that includes your life. To him be the glory forever. Amen. Amen means so be it. I want us to close today by singing a song as a prayer. You may or may not know it and that's okay. The words simply say this, you are worthy of it all. For from you are all things. And to you are all things which includes my life, God and all that I am and all that I wanna do. You deserve the glory. And so I'm gonna ask you to stand if you are able to. And I am asking you to make this your prayer. Either listen to the words or sing along. Catherine, come and lead us.- You're worthy of it.- Sing this to him. You are worthy of it all. God,- You're all things into, you're all things. You deserve the glory.- Sing it again. You are worthy of it all. God, my entire life, all that I am are worthy- Of it all.- Yes Lord. You're worthy.- You're you're worthy, worthy of it all.- Praise God- For from you're all things and all things you deserve. The glory- Sing day and night let incense rise. Let's sing this to him.- It's- All about how we live our lives- Day and night.- It's kind of saying all the time in every season, God, and through every season, all of my life, all that I am, let it be unto you. God.- Yes, let's- Sing it again. Make this your prayer.- And- It's him. It's- Day- Ing. You are worthy of it all.- You're worthy of it all.- Bless you God. You are worthy. You are worthy. You- Are- Yes. God, our entire lives are man uss worship to you.- From you're all things to you, all things. You deserve the glory.- Let's sing it just with our voices. Church. Let's raise it up Now. You are worthy. You are- Worthy.- Sing city.- You're worthy of it all. And for from you're all things. You are all things you deserve. The glory- God, we truly say that you the one who sits on the throne forever are worthy of it all. You're worthy of all praise, all glory and honor. And we join with the elders and say, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. And we wanna be a church God who just lives that out in all of our lives. In everything we do and everything we say. May we be men and women who turn up the volume on love. Lord, first for you. Help us to love you with our heart, soul, strength and mind. God, help us to know you deeply. Help us to walk in that assurance of what it means to follow you in this intimacy and in this relationship with you God. And then help us to love others. Lord, strengthen us that we may be your salt and your light to the world around us. Help us in our decisions. God. We want to choose the better yeses in our lives. One that just puts you first ones that honor you, help us in that God. And may we truly live out our faith to the glory, to the praise, and to the honor of you. God, You are worthy of all things. And so we just give you our lives. We live our lives for the glory and praise of you. You know, maybe you're uh, maybe you're joining us today and you've never made the decision to follow Jesus. Friend, I want to tell you, Jesus went to the cross to die for your sins. He rose to offer you life, both now and forever. And the greatest journey of your life, the most important journey and decision of your life begins by just saying, Jesus, I believe in who you are. I know that you are God's son and that you raise from the dead and that you died to forgive my sins. And if you want to make that decision and begin that journey of living life with him, I'm just gonna pray a prayer that helps you put into words the beginning of that. So if that's you online in the house, just pray with me. Jesus, today I see my need for you. And I thank you for going to the cross, for dying for my sins. I thank you for rising and offering me life and hope both now and forever. And so today I put my faith in you today. I put my trust in you and help me to make you Lord and leader of my life, help me to understand what it means to live for the glory and praise of you. And so I just give you all that I am. And I just ask that you lead me from this day forward. God, I pray over every individual, every couple and every family. I ask that as they go into this week, they may just experience the nearness of you. I pray that you guide 'em through every circumstance, every situation, every decision. Holy Spirit, I pray for wisdom. I pray for your anointing and your guidance. I pray that they know that they have a God who is for them and they can depend upon you at all times. Through all times. And I pray that these men and women of Hope City may truly love God, love others, and live their life in a way that brings glory and praise and honor to you. You. And so I pray this over them in the powerful, wonderful, and incredible name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. If you um, prayed the prayer of surrendering your life to Jesus today, I wanna say way to go. I proud of you for doing that. I would love it if you could scan the QR code on the screen or on the seat back in front of you there. We would love to get a digital booklet inside of your hands that talks a little bit more about knowing and following Jesus. And also just connect with you.'cause we'd love to get to know you in a church this size. If you're joining us in the house here at Mel Woods and you want prayer over anything, we're gonna have a team available here at your front left. And they would love to pray over and for you, hope City know this. Love you guys lots, pray over you a lot. And I just want to speak Paul's prayer one more time over you in closing today. And this is my prayer for you, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and the praise of God. Amen. Hope city go be a nuisance to the devil this week. Thanks for being here. Have a great Sunday.