Control Thyself: The How and the Why

Control Thyself: The How and the Why

Author: Highland Park United Methodist Church - Dallas, Texas April 28, 2025 Duration: 33:16

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

Over the past year, we’ve been learning what it means to cultivate lives that bear the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and finally, self-control.

Self-control is about mastery over our own desires. It’s the strength to say “yes” when everything in us wants to say “no” and to say “no” when our impulses push us toward “yes.” In Romans 7, Paul describes the tension between his intentions and his actions—he wants to do what is right but often ends up doing what he hates. That struggle is one we all know. The irony is that we cannot truly develop self-control by relying on ourselves. Only God can put to death those desires that have the potential to enslave us and help us cultivate lives in which we grow in the fruit of the Spirit.


The HPUMC-Cornerstone Sermons (Contemporary Worship) podcast brings the weekly message from the contemporary worship service at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas directly to you. This isn't about dry theological lectures; it's about experiencing the energy and connection of a live service, where ancient scripture meets the complexities of modern life. Each episode features Bible-based preaching delivered with a relatable and modern voice, intentionally crafted to bridge the gap between Sunday and the rest of your week. You'll hear sermons that tackle real-world issues-faith, doubt, relationships, purpose, and social responsibility-with practical wisdom and spiritual depth. This audio extension of the Cornerstone service is for anyone seeking a thoughtful, engaging exploration of Christianity that feels both grounded and genuinely relevant. Whether you're a longtime believer, someone re-examining your spirituality, or simply curious, this podcast offers a consistent source of reflection and challenge from within a vibrant, believing community. Tune in for a regular dose of inspiration that aims not just to inform, but to transform daily living through a contemporary lens on timeless truth.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

HPUMC - Cornerstone Sermons (Contemporary Worship)
Podcast Episodes
Claim Joy: A Final Thought [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:46
Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Throughout this sermon series, we have learned that joy is not dependent on our circumstances. But how do we claim joy in the midst of uncertainty or challenges? In Act…
Claim Joy: What Paul Knew [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:40
Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. The apostle Paul knew one thing about how to cultivate joy that we so easily miss today. In his last meeting with the elders from Ephesus, Paul charges them to watch ov…
Claim Joy: At a Funeral [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:15
Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. You don't have to be Christian to experience joy. However, the joy that is offered by Jesus is unique in that it does not depend on circumstances and it can coexist wit…
Cultivate Joy: Claim Joy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:39
Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. In Nehemiah 8, we find the people of God celebrating and praising God with the completion of the wall in Jerusalem. However, when the priests read the Law, they became…
Cultivate Love: The Next Generation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:25
Click/tap here for the Sermon Reflection Guide As we conclude our series on cultivating love, we focus on what has been and will continue to be the guiding principle for cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives:…
Cultivate Love: But, Jesus! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:23
Tap/click here for the sermon reflection guide! In John 15, Jesus identifies himself as the true vine and explains that we, as the branches, must stay connected to him in order to bear fruit. To be the kind of people for…
Cultivate Love: How to Forgive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:32
Click here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Forgiveness is foundational to the Christian life and yet, it is often misunderstood. This misunderstanding creates one of the greatest obstacles to cultivating love in our…
Cultivate Love: 3 Steps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:24
Click here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What is love? It’s a word we often use, but do we really know what it means? Although the ancient Greeks had several words for love, “agape” is the term that appears 259 ti…
Cultivate: Growth Inhibitors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:44
Click here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. When teaching about the Kingdom of God, Jesus often spoke in parables in order to cause people to reflect and think about his words. In this week’s sermon, we focus on Jesu…
Cultivate: How to Grow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:18
Click here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. As followers of Christ, we choose a life marked by the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). How…