LifePoint Church in Greenville, SC

Sermons by Phil Pike

The Comfort of the Incarnation

Date: December 18, 2022

The good news of Christmas is for those who are tired of seeing sin and bad news everywhere, especially in themselves. It’s easy to become weighed down and discouraged by the constant battles of this life, but having the assurance that—because Christ came the first time, He is most certainly coming again—fills us with comfort and hope. We can look beyond the unrest that we see around us and that we sometimes see within us, and we can be comforted by the guaranteed promise of His return and the eternal life that awaits all those who have trusted in Him as their Savior! Do you have this comfort today?

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The Cost of the Incarnation

Date: December 11, 2022

Imagine how shocked we would be to hear that all the world’s richest, most powerful people had abandoned their fortunes and moved into the worst part of town without even a penny to their name! We simply couldn’t imagine anyone doing that, and yet, someone actually did. When Jesus came to earth to rescue mankind from sin, He had to lay aside His glory and splendor, and He had to exchange His royal title as the Son of God to be called a lowly Son of man. He lived a life of poverty, ridicule and rejection, and in the end was put to death like a criminal. It cost Him everything to die for us… is it costing us anything to live for Him?

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The Mystery of the Incarnation

Date: December 4, 2022

As we celebrate Christmas, let’s remember that there is something far more important than that baby in the manger, the shepherds in the fields and the wisemen bringing gifts. The fact is, if that baby wasn’t truly the Son of God in the flesh, then all those events are meaningless. Some religions say that Jesus was nothing more than a good teacher, but how can we prove otherwise? Is there a reason why the only one who could forgive sins and redeem fallen man had to be both fully God and fully man? Join us for today’s message as we explore the most important doctrine in the entire Bible — the Incarnation of Christ.

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Desperate for Jesus

Date: November 27, 2022

In our culture of platform building and rising celebrity status, we forget that Jesus values the least. He places honor on the poor, the broken, the messy, and the marginalized. Lepers in Jesus’ day were outcasts of society. They had absolutely no status and were looked down on as untouchables. Yet, when Jesus encountered 10 lepers pleading for help, He treasured each one of them, heard their cries, and healed them. All of us can identify with those lepers more than we may realize. Our lives have been eaten away by sin and we desperately need Jesus to cleanse us. Are you desperate enough to call out to Him for help and receive the healing He offers?

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The Hope that God’s Judgement Brings

Date: November 6, 2022

As God’s children we sometimes choose to disregard His commands and go our own way. If we continue to ignore His calls to repent, He will send discipline into our life to correct us, like any good parent would do. Feeling God’s discipline is never pleasant and it might even make us think that He doesn’t love us anymore, but the one who is disciplining us is the same loving Father who is always working for our good. If you’ve been away from God and feeling the sting of His chastisement, come back to Him today. Behind the dark clouds of God’s judgement is the sunshine of forgiveness and hope!

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Are God’s Judgements Fair?

Date: October 30, 2022

Some people think that God is being unfair when He dispenses justice and judgement, yet they also think it’s unfair when justice and judgement are not handed down to someone who has wronged them. God has put certain unbreakable physical laws in place, and He has also put immutable spiritual laws in place… break either of them and you will suffer the inevitable consequences. Is there something you feel that God has been unfair about? Always remember that His law is perfect and His judgements are always right, even if it doesn’t feel that way. Be assured that you can trust Him, regardless of how things look today.

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Are You Cheating on God?

Date: October 23, 2022

Millions of people have experienced the sickening heartache of discovering that their spouse has been unfaithful to them. It is a pain that cuts very deep, leaves scars and destroys lives. In the Bible, God describes His people as His bride who has continuously committed adultery with other lovers. The anguish God feels is almost unbearable to read. Sadly, you and I are all guilty of the same thing because sin is spiritual adultery. Through the vivid imagery of the book of Hosea we get a sobering look at what our sin actually does to God, and we hear once again the call to return to Him and make things right.

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The Problem with Religion

Date: October 16, 2022

We attend church faithfully every Sunday. We sing the songs, we serve in various ministries and we give our tithe. As far as we’re concerned, those things prove that we’re a “good Christian.” But the Bible says we can do all those things and more, and not be godly at all. That’s the problem with religion. It fools us into believing that as long as we’re checking things off our spiritual todo list, we must be right with God. The only true and accurate assessment of our spiritual condition is when God measures us against His perfect holiness. That’s when we suddenly recognize our true condition and our desperate need to be found in the righteousness of Christ! So, what benchmark are you using to determine your standing before God?

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You Can’t Fight God and Win

Date: October 9, 2022

For decades a systematic effort has been underway behind the scenes to remove God from every facet of our society and destroy the moral foundation of the United States. We can now clearly see and feel the disturbing effects of that endeavor because we are living in a society that has launched an all-out war against God and His Word. God has been removed from our schools and our government, millions of innocent babies are being murdered, pressure is increasing against churches, and the very definition of the family unit has been ridiculed and dismantled. It seems that God has turned our nation over to the vileness that it craves. What will it take for America to regain God’s blessing and protection, or is it too late to even try?

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Broken But Blessed

Date: October 2, 2022

One of the most remarkable details about the life of Christ is often overlooked. The Bible tells us that on the same night Jesus was betrayed; on the same night Peter denied Him; on the same night he was falsely accused, beaten and spat upon… he gave thanks. He gave thanks! How was He able to be thankful even when facing the most excruciating trial of His life? It’s because He trusted His Father’s plan completely and He knew with absolute certainty that even when He was being broken, the very trial that was breaking Him had already been blessed by His Father. We are also called to give thanks in all circumstances, but do we have that same level of trust in our heavenly Father’s plan for us?

You may find this sermon on a similar topic helpful: “Remembering What God Has Done for You”

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Prepare to Meet Your God!

Date: September 11, 2022

No parent enjoys disciplining their children. It grieves us when they sin and have to be corrected. Throughout history God has disciplined His wayward children in hopes of bringing them back to Him. They refused to listen, so eventually God had to give this heartbreaking conclusion: “You have not returned to me… now prepare to meet your God!” That is a sobering statement, and we all need to be prepared for that day! When God looks at your life, would He have to conclude that you have not returned to Him? Why not come back to Him today while He is still calling?

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When God’s Patience Runs Out

Date: August 28, 2022

Have you noticed how easy it is to take your relationship with God for granted when everything in life is going well? We continue going to church, singing the songs, serving here and there… but we’re really just going through the motions. In those times, we usually don’t even hear God’s gentle calls for us to return to Him, so He sometimes has to send stronger warnings our way. God is so patient with us, but a day is coming when His tender calls will end and we will hear the Lion roar instead! That will be a terrifying moment that none of us want to face! Don’t wait that long to get your heart back to where God wants it to be. Respond to His call while there is still time.

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