(His) Story: His People's Purity

·44 min·4 clips

Scott Fidler jokes about people in his room after a year of Zoom, then shares a plane scare with NBA star Eric Gordon.

Scott Fidler begins the sermon by humorously noting the transition back to in-person gatherings after a year and a half of Zoom, sharing a personal story about a flight to Indianapolis where he met Houston Rockets player Eric Gordon and experienced engine trouble. He welcomes online and new attendees, explaining City Life Church's hybrid model. Fidler introduces the series on Ephesians, providing background on Apostle Paul's historical existence and the archaeological evidence of his burial in Rome. He reads Ephesians 5:1, emphasizing the call to imitate God as beloved children, linking it to imitating Jesus as the image of God. Fidler paraphrases Ephesians 5:2-10, outlining ethical guidelines like avoiding immorality and greed, but stresses that Christianity aims for conformity to Jesus' character, not just ethics. He addresses the realism of this goal by citing Paul's transformation from persecutor to martyr and Peter's denial to crucifixion, showing change is possible. Fidler defines sanctification as God's will from 1 Thessalonians 4:3, distinguishing it from justification (past salvation) and glorification (future perfection). He critiques modern church focus on justification or glorification over sanctification, referencing the Methodist movement. Using a golf story from Palm Springs involving a raw burger and a lost ball, Fidler illustrates three stages of sanctification: unmasked feelings, masked responses, and heart-level congruence. He connects this to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, where perfection means alignment of heart and action. Fidler explains sanctification as a joint venture between human effort and God's work, using life's trials as refining tools. He argues sanctification transforms the world, unlike justification or glorification, and addresses holiness versus hypocrisy. The sermon ends with Jesus' promise in Matthew 5:6 that those who hunger for righteousness will be satisfied, followed by a prayer.

As heard by us

A pastoral sermon presents sanctification as the stated direction of Christian life.

Scott Fidler frames sanctification as a clear expression of God's will for Christian life, drawing on 1 Thessalonians 4:3 and Ephesians 5:17 to shift the question of guidance from careers, marriage, and direction toward becoming more like Jesus in love, righteousness, and…

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Why you'd press play

Press play when questions about God's will need a more foundational answer than a career, marriage, or next-step decision.

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