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In week 1 of our series, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky reminds us that the Christian life often runs against what feels natural. In Philippians 1:1–26, Paul shows that God Himself will complete our sanctification and that hardships are not setbacks but tools to advance the gospel. Even when people act from selfish motives, God can still use their efforts for His glory. Paul goes further, declaring that to die as a Christian is actually better than living, because death brings us into the presence of Christ. This first message set the foundation for the whole series by calling us to see suffering, struggle, and even death through the lens of God’s greater purpose.

Scripture References: Philippians 1:26, Psalms 37:5-6, Romans 8:29

From Series: Philippians: A Call to Counterintuitive Living | More Messages from Pastor Bartley Sawatsky

From Series: "Philippians: A Call to Counterintuitive Living"

Renew Church explores why the way up is down, how worldly loss becomes spiritual gain, why it’s a privilege to suffer, and other counterintuitive ideas from the book of Philippians. Written during imprisonment, Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi remains one of the most unexpectedly uplifting books in the Bible. You’re invited to discover the ways of Jesus and see why they stand apart from conventional thinking.