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Philippians






Passion, Purity, and Marital Fidelity


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHILIPPIANS

Joy in Jesus

 

 nbsp;

The
Proclaim Commentary Series

 

 

 





THE PROCLAIM
COMMENTARY SERIES

 

 



 


PHILIPPIANS

JOY
IN JESUS



 

 

 

 


NEW TESTAMENT

VOLUME 11

 

 

 

MATTHEW STEVEN
BLACK

 

 

 

 

 

 





















WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON



Philippians: Joy in Jesus
(The Proclaim Commentary Series)

Copyright © 2021 by Matthew Black

ISBN: 978-1-954858-17-6 (Print)

978-1-954858-18-3
(eBook)

 

Proclaim Publishers

PO
Box 2082, Wenatchee, WA 98807

proclaimpublishers.com

Cover art: The Ruins of Philippi

 

Unless otherwise quoted, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible
(The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001, 2016 by
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Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James
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Notes: (1) Ancient quotations have been at times changed
to the ESV as well as some archaic language updated, and additional phrases
added for clarification. At times verse references (non-existent until recent
times) have been interspersed as well to guide the modern reader. (2) We have
done our best to be careful in footnoting. Due to the nature of the sermonic
material, various items are quoted freely, and may not have proper footnoting.
If any great error is noticed, please contact the publisher, and it will be
remedied in whatever way is available to us.

 

First Printing, October 2021

Manufactured in the United
States of America



 

 

 

 

______________________________

 

Dedicated to my precious daughter Katie. You shine the joy of

Jesus into a dark world.

______________________________

 

 





 

CONTENTS

Introduction.. 19

Author, Date, Place of Writing.. 19

Message.. 20

1 | Philippians 1:1-2 Joy in Jesus.. 21

Background of Philippians. 21

Philippi 22

Paul’s
“Lonely” Imprisonment
23

The
Macedonian Call
24

Thankful for Our Family Tree! (1:1-2) 25

People in
God’s Family
. 25

Slaves. 27

Saints. 27

Elders and
Deacons
. 27

Purpose of
God’s Family
. 28

Thankful for our Family Story (1:3-8; Acts
16)
28

A Dear Family. 29

A Divine
Family
29

A Diverse
Family
. 30

Lydia the
Fashionista
.. 31

The Slave
Girl
. 32

The
Ex-Military, Blue Collar GI
. 33

Applications. 34

1 – Attitude
is everything
. 34

2 –
Loneliness is a mindset
34

3 – Christian
community is rich
. 35

4 – Focus on
Christ, not on circumstances
35

2 | Philippians 1:3-8 The Joy of
Christian Maturity
.. 37

Gratitude Marks the Mature Christian (1:3) 39

Gratitude for
People
. 39

Gratitude in
Remembering
. 41

Remembering
Grace
. 41

Remembering
Forgiveness
. 42

Remembering
Love
. 44

Fellowship Marks the Mature Christian
(1:4-5)
45

Fellowship
Promotes Prayer
45

Fellowship
Promotes Joy
. 46

Fellowship
Promotes Partnership
. 47

Obstacles to
Corporate Fellowship
.. 47

The Mission
of Christian Fellowship
. 48

Confidence Marks the Mature Christian (1:6) 49

Confidence in
God’s Character
49

Confidence in
God’s Commencement
49

Confidence in
God’s Completion
50

Love Marks the Mature Christian (1:7-8) 52

Love is Deep
for the Mature Christian
. 52

Love is
Sacrificial for the Mature Christian
. 53

Love is
Supernatural for the Mature Christian
. 54

3 | Philippians 1:9-11 Rooted in
Loving One Another
.. 55

Our Love Should Be Plentiful (1:9a) 57

An Abundant
Love
57

An
Affectionate Love
58

An Assorted
Love
. 58

Our Love Should Be Perceptive (1:9-10a) 60

Love’s
Knowledge
. 60

Love’s
Discernment
61

Love’s
Excellence
62

Our Love Should be Productive (1:10-11a) 63

A Growing
Readiness
63

A Growing
Purity
. 64

A Growing
Righteousness
64

Our Love Should be Purposeful (1:11) 65

Through Jesus
Christ
65

For God’s
Glory
66

4 | Philippians 1:12-18 Joy in
Setbacks and Suffering
.. 67

The Gospel Advances with Past Setbacks
(1:12-14)
69

Setbacks are
Planned by God
69

Paul’s
Salvation Planned by God
.. 70

Paul’s
Suffering Planned by God
.. 70

Setbacks Can
Advance the Gospel
71

Advancing the
Gospel with Roman Soldiers
. 72

Setbacks Can
Make Us Stronger
73

Stronger in
Evangelism
.. 73

Stronger in
Faith
.. 74

The Gospel Advances with Present Setbacks
(1:15-18a)
75

In Setbacks,
we Look to God’s Sovereignty
. 75

In Setbacks,
We Look Past Man’s Selfishness
77

The Gospel Advances with Future Setbacks
(1:18b-21)
77

In Life or
Death Christ is Glorified
. 77

 

5 | Philippians 1:18-26 To Live is
Christ
. 81

The Christ Life is the Joyful Life (1:18-19) 83

A Choice to
Rejoice
83

Tw0 Reasons
to Rejoice
. 83

Rejoice in
the Prayers of the Saints
. 84

Rejoice in
the Help of the Holy Spirit
. 85

Rejoice in
Your Final Deliverance
. 85

The Christ life is the Purposeful Life
(1:20-21)
86

A Clarifying
Purpose
86

A Magnifying
Purpose
87

An
All-Consuming Purpose
87

The Christ Life is the Longing Life
(1:22-24)
88

We Long for
Spiritual Fruit
88

We Long to be
Present with Christ
89

Death Will Be
an Encounter
. 89

Death Will Be
Much Better
. 90

We Long to
Camp Out
90

The Christ Life is the Growing Life
(1:25-26)
91

Growth in Joy 91

Growth in
Glory
92

6 | Philippians 1:27 Walk Worthy of
the Gospel
. 93

The Exhortation to Walk Worthy (1:27a) 94

An Important
Exhortation
. 94

A New Mindset 95

A Divine
Imperative
. 96

The
Unrepentant Sinner
. 96

The
Self-Righteous Sinner
. 97

The Humble
Saint
98

A Glorious
Gospel
98

Ways to Walk Worthy (1:27b) 99

Walk in
Consistent Obedience
99

A Cosmic
Consistency
. 100

A Growing
Consistency
. 100

A Militant
Consistency
. 102

A Persevering
Consistency
. 102

Walk in the
Fear of God
. 103

Adam in the
Garden
. 104

Joseph in the
Old Testament
. 104

Walk in Unity 105

Unity Flows
from the Holy Spirit’s Work
. 105

Unity Flows
from Hard Work
. 105

Unity Flows
from Our High Calling
.. 106

 

7 | Philippians 1:27-30 The Courage
to Suffer
.. 109

Have Courage to Suffer with Faithfulness
(1:27)
111

Faithfulness
is Manifested by Spirit
111

Faithfulness
Marks the New Birth
112

Faithfulness
Moves Us to Victory
. 112

Scriptural
Examples
. 113

Applications. 113

Have Courage to Suffer with Forcefulness
(1:27)
114

Pictures of
Forcefulness: Soldiers & Athletes
114

The Power of
Forcefulness
116

Have Courage to Suffer with Fearlessness
(1:28)
116

Courage is a
Sign for the Saved
116

Courage is a
Sign for the Lost
117

Have Courage to Suffer with Favor (1:29-30) 118

We are
Favored with the Ability to Believe
118

We are
Favored with the Ability to Suffer
119

8 | Philippians 2:1-11 Every Knee
Shall Bow
.. 123

The Power for Humility (2:1-4) 125

Look to the
Truine God
125

We are
Encouraged by the Son’s Sacrifice
. 126

We are
Comforted by the Father’s Love
. 126

We are
Enriched by the Spirit’s Fellowship
. 126

We are
Supported by the Church’s Sympathy
. 127

Love the Body
of Christ
127

Be Harmonious
Together
. 128

Be Humble
Together
. 128

Be Helpful
Together
. 129

The Pathway to Humility (2:5-8) 129

Have the Mind
of Christ (2:5)
130

Consider the
Humility of Christ (2:6-8)
131

He
Relinquished His Place (2:6a)
. 131

He Refused
His Privileges (2:6-7a)
. 133

He Restricted
His Presence (2:7b)
. 134

He Realized
His Purpose (2:8)
. 135

The Practice of Humility (2:9-11) 135

The Father
Exalts Christ
135

All People
& Angels Exalt Christ
136

All Confess
Christ as Yahweh
. 136

9 | 1 Peter 2:12-13 How Can I
Change?
. 139

Spiritual Growth is Personal (2:12) 141

A
Transcendent Labor
141

A Strenuous Labor 142

A Personal
Labor
144

A Practical
Labor
145

Spiritual Growth is Progressive (2:12) 146

Justification:
An Event
147

Sanctification:
A Journey
. 147

Glorification:
Our Final Destination
. 148

Spiritual Growth is Praise-Driven (2:12). 149

The Focus of
Our Praise
149

The Fear of
Our Praise
151

Spiritual Growth is Predestined (2:13) 151

God’s Plan
Reaches Beyond Time
151

God’s Plan
Requires Your Cooperation
. 152

God’s Plan
Guarantees Your Growth
. 152

God’s Plan
Rejects Laziness
153

Tension in
Evangelism
.. 153

Tension in
Sanctification
. 153

10 | Philippians 2:14-18 Be an
Influencer!
. 155

We Live the Life (2:14-15) 157

An Appreciative
Life
157

A Hopeful
Life
. 159

A Happy Life 160

A Blameless
Life
. 161

We Shine the Light (2:15b) 161

Shine Amidst
Sinners
162

Shine as
Stars
163

Stay Bright! 163

We Speak the Word (2:16) 164

The Power of
the Word
. 165

The Word’s
Supremacy
. 165

The Word
Spoken
. 166

The Purpose
of the Word
. 166

The Practice
of the Word
. 168

We Sacrifice for the Kingdom (2:17-18) 169

Resolve to
Sacrifice
. 169

Rejoice in Sacrifice 170

11 | Philippians 2:19-30 Models of
Ministry
. 171

Paul: A Model of Selflessness (2:19-21) 172

The Joy of
Selfless Ministry
. 173

Radical
Selflessness is Seen in Paul
. 174

Joy is the
Mark of True Discipleship
.. 174

The Hard Work
of Selfless Ministry
. 175

Metaphors for
Discipleship Imply Work
. 175

Models for
Discipleship Require Work
. 176

The Reward of
Selfless Ministry
. 177

The Reward of
Reproducing a Pastor
. 177

The Reward of
Reproducing a Church
.. 178

Timothy: A Model of Service (2:19-24) 178

Big Vision
Service
179

Excuses for
Small Vision
.. 180

Big Hearted
Service (2:20-21)
181

Timothy’s
Imprisonment
182

How to
Maintain a Big Heart (And Avoid Burnout)
. 182

Big Dividend
Service
183

Epaphroditus: A Model of Sacrifice (2:25-30) 183

The Example
of Sacrifice
183

The Honor of
Sacrifice
186

12 | Philippians 3:1-3 Increase Your
Joy
. 189

Increase Your Wellspring of Joy (3:1) 191

The Reason to
Rejoice
191

The Command
to Rejoice
192

The Choice to
Rejoice
193

The Safety of
Rejoicing
. 193

Increase Your Watchfulness of Joy (3:2) 195

A Description
of Joy Stealers
195

Dogs. 195

Evil Doers. 196

False
Teachers
. 196

Watch Out for
Joy Stealers
196

Increase Your Worship through Joy (3:3) 197

A Sensitive
Heart
198

A
Spirit-Filled Heart
199

A Crucified
Heart
200

13 | Philippians 3:4-11 The Great
Change
. 201

Life Before Christ (3:4-6) 202

Impressive
Beginning
. 202

Impressive
Nationality
. 203

Impressive
Lineage
. 203

Impressive
Upbringing
. 204

Impressive
Standard
. 205

Impressive
Sincerity
205

Impressive
Morality
206

Paul Had
Everything But Jesus
. 206

Everything
Minus Jesus Equals Nothing
.. 207

Coming to Know Christ (3:7-9; Acts 9:1-5) 207

We Know the
Reach of Christ
207

A Surprising
Love
. 209

A Saving Love. 210

A Love
Embraced through Faith
. 210

We Know the
Riches of Christ
211

We Know the
Righteousness of Christ
212

Growing in Christ (3:10-11) 213

14 | Philippians 3:10-16 Pressing On
to the Prize
. 217

Run with Ambition (3:10-11) 219

A Personal
Ambition
. 219

Knowing
Christ Personally is Objective
. 219

Knowing
Christ Personally is Subjective
. 220

Knowing
Christ Personally is Progressive
. 221

Knowing
Christ Personally is Substantive
. 222

A Powerful
Ambition
. 222

A Passionate
Ambition
. 223

A Prayerful
Ambition
223

What is Certain. 224

What is Not
Certain
. 224

Christianity
is a Lens, Not a List
224

Run with Endurance (3:12-14) 225

Enduring with
A Proper View of the Present
225

Paul is
Humble
. 225

Paul is
Hungry
. 226

Enduring with
A Proper View of the Past
227

Enduring with
A Proper View of the Future
228

Run with Grace (3:15-16) 229

Grace to
Engage
230

Grace to
Persevere
. 230

15 | Philippians 3:17-21 Citizens of
Heaven
.. 233

Citizens are Disciples (3:17) 234

A Disciple is
Counter Cultural
236

A Disciple is
a Prototype
. 236

A Disciple is
a Partner
237

Citizens are Discerning (3:18-19) 238

Discerning
But Compassionate
239

Discerning In
Enemy Territory
. 239

Discerning
Idols of the Heart
241

The Destiny
of Idolatry
. 241

The Demand of
Idolatry
. 241

The Depravity
of Idolatry
. 242

The Desire of
Idolatry
. 242

Citizens are Devoted (3:20-21) 243

Devoted to
our Homeland
. 243

Devoted to
our King
244

Devoted to
Our Future
244

16 | Philippians 4:1-5 Disarming
Disharmony
. 247

A Big Heart (4:1) 249

A Big Heart
Because of Our Family
249

A Big Heart
Because of Our Future
251

A Big Heart
Because of Our Focus
251

A Warm Embrace (4:2-3) 253

Embrace in
the Lord
254

1. Go
straight to Jesus.
. 255

2. Deal with
your own heart: repent & forgive
. 256

3. If you
need to talk, have the right attitude.
. 256

4. If you
know someone is offended, fix it.
256

5. If you
need help, get it.
257

Embrace Help. 257

A Lasting Joy (4:4-5) 258

Joy In Christ
Enriches My Own Heart
258

Joy In Christ
Enriches the Hearts of Others
259

Joy In Christ
Encourages Us That Time is Short
259

17 | Philippians 4:4-9 When Panic
Attacks
.. 261

The Terror Defined.. 262

The Terror Described Physiologically. 262

The Terror Described Personally. 263

Rejoice (4:4-5) 265

Rejoice in
the Lord
. 265

Rejoice
Always
266

Rejoice Again
and Again
267

Rejoice Restfully 267

Rejoice
Expectantly
. 268

Rest in God’s Peace (4:6-7) 268

God’s Rest
Should Be Universal
269

There is a
Healthy Fear
. 269

There is a
Sinful Fear
. 270

God’s Rest is
Possible
271

Focus on
God’s Care
. 271

Focus on God’s
Supply
. 271

Focus on
God’s Final Plan
.. 272

God’s Rest is
Delightful
272

Renew Your mind (4:8-9) 273

The Practice
of Mind Renewal
273

The Power of
Mind Renewal
274

18 | Philippians 4:10-14 Happy in
Jesus Alone
. 275

Happy in Christ with or without People
(4:10-11)
276

The Principle
of Happiness with People
277

The Practice
of Happiness with People
. 278

The Person
that Gives True Happiness
279

Happy in Christ with or without Money
(4:12-13)
280

Happy in Christ with or without Trials
(4:14)
281

God is in
Control of Trials
281

Trials are a
Test for the False Convert
282

Trials are a
Gift for the Believer
282

God’s Plan
for Your Trials
283

19 | Philippians 4:15-23 Growing
Through Generosity
.. 285

People and
Money
. 287

The Bible and
Money
. 288

Giving Grows us through Partnership
(4:14-17)
288

The Power of
Partnership
290

How Do I
Partner with People for the Gospel?
. 290

The Fruit of
Partnership
. 291

Giving Grows us through Worship (4:18) 292

A Full
Payment
293

A Fragrant
Offering
293

David’s
Generosity
. 294

Your
Generosity
. 294

Giving Grows us through Stewardship
(4:19-23)
295

God’s Care
for You
. 295

We Care about
God’s Glory
. 295

We Care for
God’s Family
. 296

 





ABBREVIATIONS

Common

cf – Latin “conferatur”, compare, or see, or
see also

ff – and following (pages or verses)

i.e. – Latin “id est”, that is

e.g. – Latin “exempli gratia”, for example

Books of the Bible

Old Testament










































Genesis

Gen

Exodus

Exo

Leviticus

Lev

Numbers

Num

Deuteronomy

Deut

Joshua

Josh

Judges

Jdg

Ruth

Rth

1 Samuel

1 Sam

2 Samuel

2 Sam

1 Kings

1 Kgs

2 Kings

2 Kgs

1 Chronicles

1 Chr

2 Chronicles

2 Chr

Ezra

Ezr

Nehemiah

Neh

Esther

Est

Job

Job

Psalms

Psa

Proverbs

Pro

Ecclesiastes

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Song

Isaiah

Isa

Jeremiah

Jer

Lamentations

Lam

Ezekiel

Eze

Daniel

Dan

Hosea

Hos

Joel

Joel

Amos

Amos

Obadiah

Oba

Jonah

Jonah

Micah

Mic

Nahum

Nah

Habakkuk

Hab

Zephaniah

Zeph

Haggai

Hag

Zechariah

Zech

Malachi

Mal



 

New Testament






























Matthew

Mt

Mark

Mk

Luke

Lk

John

Jn

Acts

Acts

Romans

Rom

1 Corinthians

1 Cor

2 Corinthians

2 Cor

Galatians

Gal

Ephesians

Eph

Philippians

Phil

Colossians

Col

1 Thessalonians

1 Thess

2 Thessalonians

2 Thess

1 Timothy

1 Tim

2 Timothy

2 Tim

Titus

Titus

Philemon

Phm

Hebrews

Heb

James

Jas

1 Peter

1 Pet

2 Peter

2 Pet

1 John

1 Jn

2 John

2 Jn

3 John

3 Jn

Jude

Jud

Revelation

Rev



 

 

Introduction

 

 

 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will
say, rejoice.

Philippians
4:4

 

 

T

he book of Philippians overflows with joy and thanksgiving.
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi to thank them for a gift. He reported the
joyful news that Epaphroditus, who had brought their gift to Paul, had
recovered from his illness and was returning to Philippi. Paul said that he had
learned the secret of being content in any situation, and he told them about
his situation in prison. He expressed joy that more people were hearing about
Christ even if some were proclaiming the gospel with bad motives. Wanting the
Christians in Philippi to be unified, he challenged them to be servants just as
Jesus was when he “himself emptied” and became a man rather than clinging to
the rights of his divine nature (2:1–11).

Author, Date, Place of Writing

The early church was
unanimous in its testimony that Philippians was written by the apostle Paul (cf
1:1). Internally the letter reveals the stamp of genuineness. The many personal
references of the author fit what we know of Paul from other New Testament
books.

It is evident that Paul
wrote the letter from prison (cf 1:13-14). Some have argued that this
imprisonment took place in Ephesus, perhaps c. A.D. 53-55; others put it in
Caesarea c. 57-59. Best evidence, however, favors Rome as the place of origin
and the date as c. 61. This fits well with the account of Paul’s house arrest
in Acts 28:14-31. When he wrote Philippians, he was not in the Mamertine
dungeon as he was when he wrote 2 Timothy. He was in his own rented house,
where for two years he was free to impart the gospel to all who came to him.

Many of the Philippians
were retired military men who had been given land in the vicinity and who in
turn served as a military presence in this frontier city. Their pride in Roman
citizenship brings Paul to say that our citizenship is in heaven (3:20). That
Philippi was a Roman colony may explain why there were not enough Jews there to
permit the establishment of a synagogue and why Paul does not quote the Old Testament
in the Philippian letter.

Message

Philippians is one of
Paul’s most informal letters. With this church he did not feel the need to
assert his apostolic authority. His overflowing love for them is obvious. He
even allowed them to send him money (cf 1:5,7; 4:15), which was very
unusual for him.

Joy in suffering is the
overwhelming theme of this letter. Paul is imprisoned, yet he uses the term for
joy (noun and verb) over sixteen times. His peace and hope were not based on
circumstances, but on knowing Christ (3:10) and pursing that prize as his
highest ambition. All was dung compared to this goal (3:8).

There is an element of
false teaching present in the church (cf 3:2, 18-19). These heretics
seem to be similar to those in the churches of Galatia, who were called
Judaizers. They insisted that one had to become a Jew before one could be a
Christian. There is also a conflict resolution needed in this letter (4:1-5).

This letter includes an
example of an early Christian hymn, creed, or liturgical poem (cf
2:6-11). It is one of the finest Christological passages in the entire New
Testament (cf Jn 1:1-14; Col 1:13-20; Heb 1:2-3). Paul uses it as an
example of Christ’s humility to be imitated by every believer (cf
2:1-5), not primarily in a doctrinal sense.

In a book of 104 verses,
Jesus’ name or title occurs 51 times. It is obvious who is central in Paul’s
heart, mind, and theology.

 

I was personally moved by
Paul’s desire to apprehend Christ as he himself was apprehended by Christ
(3:12). This was the prize Paul was reaching for. Paul was clear that knowing
Christ is a lifelong endeavor. We are called to know him more and more each day.

Matthew Steven Black

Elgin, Illinois

October 1, 2021



 

 

 

 

 

1 | Philippians 1:1-2

Joy in Jesus

 

 

 

Grace to you and peace from God our

Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians
1:2

 

P

aul’s overarching concern in Philippians is with the gospel, a
word that appears more in Philippians than in any other letter (per hundred
words), as scholar Gordon Fee points outs.
[1] The word “gospel” means
“good news”. The theme of the book of Philippians is “joy in Jesus.” Joy comes
through sharing in Christ’s presence in a new community that God has created
through the gospel.

There is almost no
correction in the book of Philippians. It is a book that is written to maturing
Christians. The key to Christian maturity we find in this letter is to: rejoice
in the Lord. Get your focus off yourself; get your focus off your
circumstances, and rejoice in Christ, in your forever family, and in all the
spiritual blessings God has given you. We see this taught and lived out in this
letter.

Background
of Philippians

Paul is going to have a
number of things to say about his forever family in Jesus. Here is a guy who
should be, by all accounts, absolutely depressed because of loneliness. He has
nothing that you and I would seek to cure our loneliness. He’s writing from
prison. He has no wife. No kids. No grandkids. No home. No hometown he can
return to. No home church that is nearby (he was sent from Antioch). He’s in
prison. He’s not in proximity with people.

Philippi

His friends are far away in
a town called Philippi. Philippi was founded by the father of Alexander the
Great, Phillip II of Macedonia. It had a population of about 2000 people. It
became established because it was considered a port city, not too far from the
Mediterranean Sea. It also was supplied with gold mines nearby.

Paul is writing the
Philippians a letter from Rome where he is imprisoned. There in the cell he is
shackled next to a Roman soldier under house arrest. It’s normally a lot worse,
but Paul is a Roman citizen. There he can receive guests and write letters.
He’s wrote four letters called the “prison epistles”: Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, and Colossians.
[2] He doesn’t have a lot in
common with these people. Most are married. He’s single. Many of them have
children. He doesn’t. They are going to work. He’s going to jail, right?
They’re really at different phases of their life. And he writes them a letter,
as a friend, and he talks about how much joy he has because of their Gospel
partnership with him. Here is a striking fact in our text: Paul is not lonely. He rejoices in the
fellowship he has with God’s people everywhere. He rejoices that God is
building his community, his forever family, even though he’s in prison. As
Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it” (Mt 16:18). He rejoices in Christ who said, “I will never leave you
nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5).

Paul was never totally
alone, because Christ was always with him. Paul reminds us that joy isn’t
derived from comfortable circumstances, but from a living, encouraging
encounter and communion with Christ.

 

Philippians
1:1-11 │
Paul and Timothy,
servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are
at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace
to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I
thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always
in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because
of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it
to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is
right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my
heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my
imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God
is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ
Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may
abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so
that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and
blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with
the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the
glory and praise of God.

Why are we people so
lonely? Theologically, to get you to understand why we’re in this state, I’ll
briefly summarize for you the Bible’s teaching of why isolation, loneliness, is
our state. And that is, to begin the character of God. God, by definition,
according to Scripture, is Trinitarian in nature. One God, three persons.
Father, Son, Spirit. Mysterious? Indeed. But the Bible says that within the
very character of God, there is love, community, respect, relationship. God
never gets lonely. God did not make mankind because he was lonely. That would
be impossible since God is completely fulfilled within himself. God made man
for his glory.

Loneliness is ultimately
caused by sin which separates us from God. That’s why even if you are in a
crowd of people, you can feel lonely. You can be a mother in the home with a
husband and many children and be lonely. The cure for loneliness is salvation
in Jesus. When you come to know Jesus, he takes away your sins. He takes away
the separation. He unites you with himself and you are adopted and chosen into
God’s family. You are never alone again. And at that moment God brings you into
fellowship with all Christians. Fellowship
is sharing in the presence of God.

Paul’s “Lonely” Imprisonment

Paul is sitting in prison,
facing death, lonely, hurting. He is hungry. He is broke. He is beaten. He is
probably sick, and he writes a letter to his friends. And he opens with this
word to explain to the depth of the relationship that they have in their Gospel
partnership. He opens with this. “Grace to you.”

Paul knew about the grace
of God. He spoke of it at every opportunity. He was under house arrest in Rome,
and he shared his testimony of Jesus “throughout the whole imperial guard”
(1:13). The imperial guard, known as the Praetorians, were the elite of the
Roman army and were paid double a normal soldier’s wage for their service.
There were 10,000 specifically to guard the emperor of Rome. Paul’s testimony
spread throughout the Praetorian Guard, and even saints deep in “Caesar’s
household,” i.e., those in and about the emperor’s palace and among his family
(4:22).

Paul was held a bit at
Caesarea Maratima on the Coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the capitol of Judea
at the time. He was likely held there in a broken cistern that is still there
today. There is even a plaque there dedicated to Pontius Pilate. He was then
transferred to Rome and was there under house arrest for two years (Acts 28:30)
with some of the imperial guard, very elite. Paul was a Roman citizen and got
great treatment. Non-Roman citizens, even of high status, were often harshly
treated. In contrast, house arrest was typically more comfortable for the
prisoner, who was usually physically chained to a guard but could still host
visitors.

Upon entering the city of
Rome, “Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment” (Acts 27:1) handed Paul
over to the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard (the commanding officer). The
official duty of the Prefect was to keep in custody all accused persons who
were to be tried before the Emperor. “Now when we came to Rome, the centurion
delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to
dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him” (Acts 28:16).

Paul had been delivered to
the Praetorian Guard to await trial before the Emperor. Paul is twice referred
to as having been “bound in chains” (Acts 28:20; Eph 6:20). The chains referred to were a short length
of chain by which the wrist of a prisoner was bound to the wrist of a soldier
who was guarding him, so that escape was impossible, both for Paul, and the guard!

The Macedonian Call

Every congregation has a
beginning. The church at Jerusalem began on Pentecost with the coming of the
Holy Spirit and the preaching of the apostles (Acts 2). The church in Samaria
began with Philip’s preaching the word (Acts 8). The church at Philippi began
with Paul hearing the Macedonian call (Acts 16:9). Paul and his team of
missionaries were going to circle Asia and head back East, but the Holy Spirit
forbid them to preach in Asia and Bithynia. The Spirit gave Paul a vision of a
man saying, “Come over into Macedonia, and help us” (Acts 16:9).

And they went through the region of
Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word
in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they
attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow
them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to
Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man
of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia
and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision,
immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had
called us to preach the gospel to them. —Acts
16:6-10

In obedience Paul, Silas,
Timothy, and Luke went straight through Asia to Macedonia (modern day Greece,
Macedonia and Bulgaria). It seems the Lord wanted the gospel to impact
Philippi, an important port city. For the first time the gospel was preached in
Europe. Paul shared a special friendship with the Christians at Philippi. That
friendship started in a strange way, which is described in the 16th chapter of
Acts. Paul and his companions had been on a missionary journey. They had an
itinerary—they knew where they were going. Bithynia was the next place on the
list. They travelled so much and were ready to go east to Bithynia. But when
they tried to enter Bithynia, Acts says, “the Spirit didn’t allow them” (Acts
16:7).

Then, during the night,
Paul saw a vision of a man from Macedonia begging him, “Come over into
Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). Paul and his companions caught the next
ship to Macedonia, and proceeded to Philippi, its leading city.

Thankful
for Our Family Tree! (1:1-2)

People
in God’s Family

Every
family has its structure. You have mom and dad, children, sometimes Grandma and
Grandpa. Everyone knows their place. Ten years ago, my oldest brother gave me
the book of the genealogy of my family. How many of you have done research in
your family tree? You can find interesting characters in every family tree.

Growing up, I remember listening to stories from my
grandfather, Charles Cunningham Black, who everyone called “Scottie” because he
was from Scotland, born in 1899. “He was 15 years old when he joined the
British Army and fought in World War I. His sister Mary signed the papers for
him so that he could get away from his father, who he didn’t get along with. He
was caught in a battle and spent 3 months in a prison camp. After the war ended
he was sent to Cairo Egypt.”
[3] Once his service was ended he opted to go to the United
States. He landed at Ellis Island on the 4th of March, 1923. Later
he would put on three round exhibition fights for Al Capone, who paid him $50 a
night (a very good wage back then!).

Genealogies are fascinating! On my grandmother’s side, I found
out that 150 years ago (in 1866), my great grandfather Henry Becker moved to
248 North Street, Elgin, Illinois, about 2 miles from where I presently live.
[4] Some of my ancestors were saved in the Great Awakening under
the preaching of John Wesley. People used to say they that my family [the Butt
family] were born with hymnbooks in their hands – “singing instead of crying!”
[5]

My mom had a great aunt (through marriage). We all think our
Aunts are great! Unfortunately, this great aunt was an outlaw. So I’m also
related to Belle Starr, one of the most famous female outlaw in the Wild West.
[6] In 1941 a famous movie was made about her.

As I went back, I found out I’m related to James Scott, Duke
of Monmouth whose father was King Charles II of England (through Lucy Walter –
via the Vanstone / Butt families
[7]).

Of course, my most famous relative is James Scott, Great
Grandson of King James I (King James Bible fame). Duke James Scott of Monmouth
(a protestant) actually tried to usurp the throne from his uncle King James II
(a catholic).

We don’t choose our family, that’s for sure! But we also don’t
choose the church. Jesus promised: “I will build my church and the gates of
hell will not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18). As Paul writes to these
Philippian friends, let’s look at the family structure.

Slaves

Paul and Timothy are
writing, and they introduce themselves as slaves [doulos] of Jesus.

Philippians 1:1a Paul
and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.

Though we are sons
spiritually, adopted into the family of God, when it comes to obedience and
holiness, we are slaves of righteousness for Christ.

Timothy had a very special
relationship with Paul. Though he was somewhat young, he radical commitment to
Christ and was Paul’s spiritual son in the faith. This is a beautiful picture
of spiritual leadership. At other churches, they have to say, we are God’s
ordained apostles, but here, we have a church that is spiritually mature, and
you see this in so many ways in this letter. When leaders are good and gentle
and kind, you know you have a mature church. You see this tenderness in all of
Paul’s letters. He says, I’m a slave of Jesus. I want to wash your feet, like
he washed his disciples’ feet.

Saints

Philippians 1:1b Paul
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi.

Who are these people he
calls “saints”? A saint is simply a “holy one.” It means “one separated unto
God, set apart for God’s service.” If you are a Christian, then you are a
saint.

Elders and Deacons

Philippians 1:1c with
the overseers and deacons.

These saints at Philippi
are overseen by the pastors and elders. The word overseer here is one of many
words used for elders: pastor, bishop, overseer, teacher, shepherd. These are
all good words used for the same office. It had been 12 years since the
jailhouse conversion of the Philippian jailer, the slave girl, and Lydia and
her family, and now there is an established church in Philippi. There are
elders overseeing them. There are deacons caring for the needs of congregation.
We don’t know who these church leaders were. Perhaps one of the elders is the
Philippian jailer. It’s been 12 years since the night he was converted.

Purpose
of God’s Family

Paul greets the
Philippians with gospel words:

Philippians 1:2 Grace
to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace is not only God’s
unmerited favor but also his infinite power to help his children. Peace is that
reconciliation with God. We are no longer enemies but have been brought into a
sweet relationship with God through his Son Jesus. So we get an example of how
God grows the church here and around the world. How does Jesus build his church?
First through the grace and peace of conversion. That’s how Paul starts his
letter off.

Have you been converted?
Have you placed your faith in Jesus? Are you a saint? This position of
sainthood is not like in the Roman Catholic church where has to prove that
you’ve done two authentic miracles before you are canonized as a saint. To be a
saint, you need trust Christ with repentant faith, and your robe of sin is put
on Jesus, and he robes you in his righteousness. That’s sainthood, and it is
possible through a total surrender to Christ. You surrender your sin to him,
and you receive his righteousness. You are justified before a holy God because
of the blood of Christ.

I want you to remember the
words of Jesus who said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18). Jesus promised to build his church but let
me show you how it began.

Thankful for our
Family Story (1:3-8; Acts 16)

We read of Paul’s deep
affection for the Philippians. This was a ragtag church when it started, but
don’t judge the finished product by the ingredients. There is a cooking show
called Chopped. It’s a favorite of mine because they take all these
diverse and strange ingredients, and the challenge is to make an inviting and
edible dish. They usually are able to accomplish it, but you can’t judge the
finished product on the initial ingredients. You have to wait for the reveal.

A
Dear Family

Philippians 1:3-5 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.

Paul has such affection
when he remembers his forever Philippian family. As Paul mused in his Roman
cell, his mind ranged across Italy and the Adriatic to Macedonia and over the Via Egnatia to “little Rome,” the
pretentious Roman colony of Philippi—and the beloved faces of Lydia and her
clan, the jailer and his family, Euodia and Syntyche and Clement and scores of
others who had been added to the church. And Paul smiled as he writes about his
gratitude for this sweetheart church.
[8]

Paul’s little epistle to
the church at Philippi is overflowing with terms of deep affection. These
expressions of love begin in Paul’s opening thanksgiving for God’s transforming
work in the Philippian believers: “I hold you in my heart” (1:7); and then “I
yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (1:8). Later he will call
them “my beloved” (2:12) and “my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and
my crown” (4:1). Not only does Paul speak tenderly to this church, he also
spares them the sharp scolding that he felt compelled to speak to others.
Clearly, the church at Philippi has a very special place in Paul’s heart.
[9]

A
Divine Family

Philippians 1:6 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.

God’s going to finish the
work. Some of what he has to work with is lumpy or difficult. But he’s the
Potter, and we are the clay. The context makes it clear that the one who began
this good work is God himself. The good work in view is the entire work of
salvation from beginning to end, stretching from initial regeneration and
justification to final glorification (cf Rom 8:29–30; Eph 1:3–14).
[10]

Paul is confident as he prays, with a confidence
not based on the Philippians’ own abilities or past achievements, but on the
power and love of God and because God can be relied upon to bring what he
begins to completion. When we see
that God has begun a good work in people’s lives, we can be sure that it is his
purpose to continue—that can always be our confidence in praying for our
fellow-Christians.
[11]

The day that the completed
work of God will be admired is “the day of Christ Jesus” or what we might refer
to as his Second Coming. In that moment we will bear the image of Christ’s
character perfectly. Sin and Satan will be no more. Believers are “predestined
to become conformed to the image of God’s Son” (Rom 8:29), because “in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1
Cor 15:52). “We know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we
shall see him as he is” (1 Jn 3:2). Finally, God’s work in us will be finished!
No more trials. No more growing. We will be fully mature in Christ, reflecting
the image of our glorious Bridegroom.

A
Diverse Family

Philippians 1:7-8 It
is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my
heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming
the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God
can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Paul has this deep
affection. He compares his love for the Philippians to Christ’s love, it is so
strong. Paul can remember how extraordinary this church is. I want to look at
it from Acts 16. In the Jewish Mishnah (collection of Jewish history and
traditions) it is said that a Jewish man would thank God daily for three
things: that he was not a woman, a slave, or a Gentile. That’s interesting
because that was the founding group for the Philippian church.

Lydia
the Fashionista

If we look to Acts 16,
Lydia we find is from Thyatira, but has a home in Philippi. She’s a rich woman.
She has a booming business in selling purple fabric for clothing. A “seller of
purple” (Acts 16:14) meant Lydia sold purple clothes or cloth. At the time,
such clothes were so expensive they were only worn by royalty and the rich.
Let’s read about her. They came to a city, it says in Acts 16:12, named…

…Philippi, which is a leading city of
the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this
city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went
outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of
prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come
together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia,
from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper
of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by
Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her
household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful
to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. —Acts
16:12-15

Thyatira and Philippi are
cities with booming economies. Lydia then is basically a Greek fashionista,
CEO, on top of some fashion empire. Today we might say she has a house in
Chicago and in Paris. She’s a serious mover in her world. Isn’t it wonderful
that God can humble someone like Lydia? She’s what the Bible calls a
“God-fearer.” Here’s what that means. She’s rejected paganism and polytheism.
She does not believe that there are dozens of gods: god of the wind, the rain,
the purple cloth; god of the sea, god of the fashion world… She’s come to
believe there is only one God ruling the universe. So a God-fearer is that she
is a monotheist. She’s in the synagogue. She’s listening to the teaching of the
Jews. She’s trying to live a moral life. I want you to see how God goes after
her. She is an intellect. She is a seeker. She understands the law, if she
knows the Torah. She knows she needs forgiveness. She knows she needs a blood
sacrifice. She needs atonement. She needs to be justified before God. But she’s
confused.

Enter Paul. He enters into
what is basically a women’s Bible study and pauses the Kay Arthur or Nancy
Leigh DeMoss DVD and begins to teach them. Paul basically connects the dots for
them. God opens her eyes. Lydia is a thinker. She’s an intellect. She’s a God fearer.
She is listening to the word of God, and she experiences the wisdom of God when
God opens her eyes. After her conversion, she “constrained” the missionaries to
use this house as a base of operations, so it must have been much larger than
needed. Her home in Philippi became the place where the new church met (Acts
16:40).

The
Slave Girl

Back in Acts 16, we are
introduced to a slave girl. She’s manic. She’s mental. She’s possessed by a
demon. She’s making tons of money for her handlers. She’s following Paul and
Silas and Luke around, causing trouble. She’s interrupting and screaming
speaking of Paul and his Savior Jesus. That sounds good, but it’s not. She’s
screaming and causing a scene for them. This is an evil spirit that has her
tongue. Let’s read about her.

As we were going to the place of
prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination
and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She
followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the
Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And
this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned
and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to
come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. —Acts 16:16-18.

I love what the Scripture
says. Paul was “annoyed.” He had a holy annoyance. Don’t misunderstand. Paul is
a man filled with the Holy Spirit. He knows what this girl needs. He is annoyed
that this girl is under the power of the wicked one. She needs to experience
the power of the gospel not merely through wisdom, which she knew and had been
spouting off about. Mere knowledge was not enough to convert this girl. She
needed to experience Christ as the power of God. So Paul commands the demon to
come out of her. There’s convert number two. The slave girl is converted
through the power of God.

This conversion eventually
causes a riot, because the gospel has major economic consequences for the city
of Philippi. Even though Paul is a Roman citizen, he is thrown into prison with
Silas. It seems Luke and Timothy are in Philippi, but they are not arrested. But when her owners saw that their hope
of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the
marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had
brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are
disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that
are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The
crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them
and gave orders to beat them with rods.23 And when they
had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the
jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order,
he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the
stocks (Acts 16:19-24).

The
Ex-Military, Blue Collar GI

So here we have an
introduction to our Ex-Roman military Philippian jailer. He’s likely a GI, a
Roman soldier that is now a warden. He’s a tough guy. We know that because he’s
supposed to keep Paul and Silas safe, but he tortures them.

Not only does he beat
them, but he puts them in stocks. Now when we modern people think of stocks, we
think of the 1700s when a person would have their hands and their head
restrained by stocks. The Roman practice of stocks was not nearly as kind.
Stocks in Roman practice was a form of torture in the prisoners would be
shackled to the wall in painful positions.

This jailer is not just
keeping them safe. He’s torturing them. He’s going above and beyond in making
sure they never want to cause a problem in Philippi again. But something
happens.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and
suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the
prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened,
and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27 When the
jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword
and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had
escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm
yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the
jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear
he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he
brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And
they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and
your household.”32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him
and to all who were in his house.33 And he took them the
same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at
once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up
into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his
entire household that he had believed in God. —Acts
16:25-34

God delivers them, and the
Philippians jailer and his whole family come to know the Lord.

Applications

Let me leave you with some
applications.

1 – Attitude
is everything

So what is Paul’s attitude
when he’s in jail? We can hear his heart in the book of Philippians. If they
want to kill him, he says, “To die is gain.” If they want to beat him, he says,
“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” If they set him free, he
says, “For me to live is Christ.” If they torture him, he breaks out in prayer
and singing, and brings an earthquake to the entire jail complex. You are a
Christian. God is working through you. One of the great marks of God on your
life is the joy of knowing Jesus. Look at Paul: joy doesn’t come from your
circumstances – it comes from your walk with Christ.

2
– Loneliness is a mindset

As we have created
technology to connect more and more people, ironically, loneliness has
increased. I want to share with you a set of statistics from the book called, Bowling Alone. It’s authored by a
professor at the Harvard Business School, and he traces a decline in friendship
and relationship, and an increase in loneliness and isolation over the course
of the last 25 years, roughly.

He says an evening with
the neighbors is down 33 percent. And many of us don’t even know our neighbors.
We don’t know who they are. You’re just, “That’s the weird guy. He mows his
lawn in dress socks. Over there is the loud guy: he talks loud; his music is
loud. There’s the angry lady. She’s always yelling at people. We don’t even
know who they are, you know? As Christians, we need to take the time to get to
know our neighbors. Lots of Christians complain about loneliness. But Proverbs
tells us: “A man that has friends must show himself friendly” (Prov 18:24).

3
– Christian community is rich

God’s family is diverse.
Look at the Philippian church: it started with a woman, a slave girl and a
Gentile jailer and his family. Let us enjoy the diversity of every ethnicity
under heaven. Let us remember that “Grace erases race.” We celebrate our
ethnicity, but we also remember we are all the same blood. There is one human
race. Let me challenge you, if you are struggling with loneliness, start
getting to know people. Don’t just stay in your comfort zone hanging out with
people just like you. If you are young, love on an elderly person. Next time
you have lunch out, invite someone completely different than you.

4
– Focus on Christ, not on circumstances

One thing we have in
common with all Christians is a radical focus on Christ. Paul doesn’t begin
this letter bemoaning his prison sentence. He starts out rejoicing with a heart
filled with grace and peace. That’s how Paul greets his friends in Philippi.
Paul is focused on Christ in grace and peace. Are you walking in the power of
grace? God’s grace is forgiving enough to cleanse you of your sins and powerful
enough to give you the strength to live the Christian life. Can you testify
that the grace of Jesus is sufficient for every test and trial to give you joy?

A lot of people talk about
the grace of God. But you will know you are enjoying the grace of God when you
experience the peace of God. Are you walking in God’s peace? Do you have a
clean conscience? Is there any sin that is condemning you in your conscience?
Remember what Paul says:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 4:6-7

Or as Paul says a few
verses earlier, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (4:4).
Joy comes from Jesus. Jesus is what brought this congregation together. Jesus
is what fills us with joy. Paul is in prison, and he has such joy knowing what
Jesus is doing in this congregation.

Conclusion

Where is your joy? Where
is your focus? If we focus on each other, we will be discouraged, but if we
focus on Christ, we will rejoice! In the local church we have so much
diversity, just like the Philippians church. We have people who were raised in
different parts of the world, people of many diverse contexts, family
backgrounds. We are a church that looks like heaven from every tribe, tongue,
language and nation. Let us act like we are from heaven, by focusing on Christ.
What is your family story? How you came to know Christ may have different
details, but one detail is always the say: we found our joy in the love and
forgiveness of Jesus! Tell that story everywhere!

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

2 | Philippians 1:3-8

The Joy of Christian Maturity

 

 

 

And
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to
completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians
1:6

 

I

am so glad to be saved.
Where would any of us be without Jesus? The joyful life is the mature life.
It’s a life of constant growing and changing. The Bible not only commands
Christians to grow, it promises that every Christian will grow in grace and be
conformed to the image of Christ. Peter says, “Grow in grace and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 3:18). Paul says in
Romans 8:29 that all Christians are predestined “to be conformed to the image
of God’s dear Son.” That means you were meant to grow! The growing life is the
joyful life.

Something that brings me
joy is when I think about the maple tree that my brother David planted at our
home in Oak Forest, Illinois when we were kids. David was so proud of that
tree. He planted it and watered it. He watched it grow. My dad wasn’t so fond
of that tree. When he noticed it in the corner of the yard, he didn’t want it
there, and so he took the lawn mower and cut it down. But David kept watering
it. Eventually the seasons changed and underneath the ground during fall and
winter and spring, that root system grew. By late spring, my dad just gave up
and let the tree grow. Today, that tree is so big, you can see it from the
satellite photos. That maple tree refused to die. There was such life in it
that it kept growing.

That’s what happened when
you came to know Christ. There was a principle of life in you that guarantees
that you will grow in God’s grace and into the image of Christ. That’s the
joyful life. No matter what is happening. No matter what trials or burdens, you
can have joy because God is growing you. He’s making you stronger. If you’ve
gone astray, he’s bringing you back. You are God’s child. He’ll never let go of
you. That’s the theme of our passage today.

Philippians 1:6 And
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it
to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

In his letter to the
Philippians, Paul emphasizes joy in the life of the Christian. In fact, he
spoke of gladness, joy, and rejoicing some sixteen times (1:4,18,25;
2:2,17,18,28,29; 3:1; 4:1,4,10). The word for joy simply means, “the experience
of gladness.”
[12] Paul speaks of a
Christian joy that is informed by God’s love and sovereignty. Thus with Paul
joy “is an understanding of existence that encompasses both elation and
depression, that can accept with submission events that bring delight or
dismay, because joy allows one to see beyond any particular event to the
sovereign Lord who stands above all events and ultimately has control over
them.”
[13] True biblical joy, is a
“quality or attitude of delight and happiness, which is ultimately grounded in
the work of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Let us notice four fruits of
joyful living in Christ from the letter to the Philippians. The Bible commands:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will
say, rejoice. —Philippians
4:4

Paul goes on to say in
4:6-7 to be anxious for nothing and be prayerful and joyful in everything.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

— Philippians 4:6-7

Paul is not talking about
sweeping our problems under the rug, but having a deep, rich, abiding joy in
Jesus. Because of Jesus we can be filled with joy in every circumstance.

Philippians 1:3-8
I
thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always
in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because
of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it
to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is
right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my
heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my
imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God
is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Paul demonstrates
Christian maturity. The mature life is the joyful life. You cannot be joyful
unless you are growing and changing in Christ. Paul gives us four areas of
Christian maturity. They are really marks of a God-focused life. A God-focused
life will bring you joy. The first mark of a joyful, God-focused life, is
gratitude.

Gratitude Marks the Mature Christian (1:3)

Gratitude
for People

What was it about those
folks in Philippi that brought Paul so much joy? First, he had happy memories
of the people. Look at how Paul begins his gratitude:

Philippians 1:3 I
thank my God in all my remembrance of you.

What were Paul’s happy
memories? He had no regrets, he nursed no ill feelings, he struggled through no
unresolved conflicts. He looked back over a full decade and when he thought of
the Philippians, he laughed with joy! “I’m so thankful!” Gratitude is at the
very core of what it means to understand grace. However bad your day is going,
your year is going, your life is going – you are not in hell! Amazing grace how
sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! Wow, God is so good. Gratitude.
It’s one of the main mark that you are maturing in Christ. Are you a grateful
person?

Ingratitude was at the
heart of the fall, and at the heart of what’s fallen about us to this day. Adam
and Eve thought God was holding back goodness from them. Ingratitude led to the
very first sin and to all sin (Rom 1:21). Gratitude takes nothing for granted.
It acknowledges each favor, each gift—both big and small. It also recognizes
the giver—the relative who shows her love by giving you a gift; the friend who
remembers to call you; the person who gives you a compliment or goes out of his
way to invite you to go for a walk on a beautiful day; the spouse or friend who
brings you a cup of coffee when you’re exhausted, cooks you a fine dinner, or
throws a party for you.

When we stop to think
about it, we have received many gifts from many people, and especially from
God. We have much to be thankful for.And Paul says: “When I pray to God, I just
tell him how grateful I am for you!” Were there difficulties? Yes! That
Philippian jailer beat Paul’s body bloody. But now, what a joy that he worships
God. You better believe he brought some difficult baggage into the Christian
life, but Paul sees the end result for the whole church. He sees them growing
and changing in Christ. God’s going to finish the work, he says (1:6).

I wonder how many pastors
can say that about former churches they have served? Could you say that about
former friends you have had? Or places where you have worked? Are yours happy
memories? Unfortunately, the memory of certain people makes us churn. When we
call them to mind, they bring sad or disappointing mental images. Paul knew no
such memories from his days in Philippi.
[14]

I want you to know
something. This gratitude isn’t a platitude. People are hard to love. Look in
the mirror. Are you easy to love? The Philippian church was not perfect.
Imagine the baggage of the Philippian jailer and the slave girl. Yet Paul was
sincerely grateful for them—all of them! Look at the phrase “all of you” in
verses 4, 7, and 8.

Based on chapter 2, this
church needed to continue to grow in humility, and in chapter 4, some
individuals needed a pastoral rebuke, yet Paul was grateful. The conflict
didn’t crush his gratitude. That’s impressive. That’s instructive. That’s
hopeful. If you’re a super-critical person, always focusing on what’s wrong,
then you won’t be a grateful person. Don’t look for perfection before you show
gratitude; look for evidences of grace in people’s lives. Be quick to thank God
for Christian virtues in others and remember that sanctification is a slow
process.

Do you give thanks to God
in prayer for others? Paul rarely thanked God for things. Paul thanked God for
people, who, despite whatever trouble they may have been to him, remained a
source of joy and thanksgiving. Paul even wrote a word of thanksgiving for the crazy
Corinthians (1 Cor 1:4)!

Do you allow conflict to
crush your joy? Don’t misunderstand. Paul doesn’t overlook the conflict; he
addresses it. He doesn’t say he enjoys conflict. He simply is able to rejoice
in the Lord despite the conflict. This again shows us that we had better have a
well of joy that is much more satisfying and sustaining than a fountain filled
with comfortable circumstances to stimulate joy. You must go to the gospel for
this kind of joy.

Gratitude
in
Remembering

Look at how Paul begins
his gratitude:

Philippians 1:3 I
thank my God in all my remembrance of you.

Remarkably, Paul is filled
with joy while in prison. Do you find this challenging? I do. Do you think you
need something other than Jesus to find real joy? Better-behaved kids? A better
job? A different address? More vacation time? In America we often think
“bigger” is the answer—bigger house, bigger muscles, bigger church, etc.—but
what we really need is a bigger vision of God. Nothing else is an ultimate
source of joy. You can have all of those and never know this joy. If you have
everything but Jesus, you will be longing for more. If you have nothing but
Jesus, you have everything you need for joy. Look at the decadence and the
excess of modern culture. None of it provides what people desire.

Remembering
Grace

Paul had an attitude and
practice of gratitude. He knew that though people are sinners, and sheep
sometimes “bite”, that God was not finished with the Philippian church yet. Why
was Paul so filled with joy when he remembered the Philippians? Was this a
perfect church with perfect people? No. Why was he grateful? He chose to notice
and focus on God’s gifts. These people were once pagans. Now they were growing
in Christ (1:6, 9-11). They were once proud, and now they were putting on
humility (2:1-11). They were now pressing on to the mark of the high call of
Christian maturity (3:14-16). They were growing in their thought life and
thinking on whatever was true and honorable, just and pure (4:8).

Paul must have often
remembered that, after he left Macedonia, the Philippian church was the only
one that helped him financially (4:15-16). Those devoted believers continued
their generosity by contributing toward the collection Paul made for the needy
believers in Jerusalem (2 Cor 8:1-5).
[15]

Remembering
Forgiveness

Paul didn’t just think
about gratitude, he walked in it. He practiced it. He wasn’t someone to hold on
to bitterness or unforgiveness. Rather than be bitter or gossip, he went to the
source if he had a problem. That’s how you maintain joy. Do you have a problem
with a church member or a leader at Living Hope? Are you nursing a hurt? You
cannot be hurt and be joyful at the same time.

Focus on the good things
God is doing! Make sure you are bold enough to bring your hurt to the person
who hurt you. If you are talking about it with others, you are likely guilty of
gossip or slander. It’s not right. Don’t wait for the person to come to you if
you are hurt. The Bible commands us to go to the person who hurt us. The person
who is hurt is required to go according to Matthew 18. Go and tell your dear
brother or sister who hurt you about the hurt. Be ready to forgive. Listen to
the wise words of Jonathan Edwards:

Proud people tend to speak of others’ sins,
the miserable delusion of hypocrites, the deadness of some saints with
bitterness, or the opposition to holiness of many believers. Pure Christian
humility, however, is silent about the sins of others, or speaks of them with
grief and pity. The spiritually proud person finds fault with other saints for
their lack of progress in grace, while the humble Christian sees so much evil
in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very
busy with other hearts. He complains most of himself and his own spiritual coldness
and readily hopes that most everybody has more love and thankfulness to God
than he.
[16]

One of the best stories of
the difficulty, but joy of forgiveness is one told by Corrie Ten Boom. She had
seen her sister die in the Ravensbruck concentration camp. She was telling
about it at a church after the war in Munich, Germany. It was there she saw one
of her tormentors during the war. She says:

It was in a church in Munich where I was
speaking in 1947 that I saw him – a balding heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a
brown felt hat clutched between his hands. One moment I saw the overcoat and
the brown hat, the next, (at least in my
mind, I saw
) a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and
crossbones.

Memories of the concentration camp came back
with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of
dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past
this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath
the parchment of skin.

My
sister
Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home
during the Nazi occupation of Holland. This man had been a guard at Ravensbruck
concentration camp where we were sent.

Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out:
“A fine message, fraulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our
sins are at the bottom of the sea!”

It was the first time since my release that
I had been face to face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

“You mentioned Ravensbruck in your
talk,” he was saying. “I was a guard there. But since that
time,” he went on, “I have become a Christian. I know that God has
forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from
your lips as well. Fraulein – again the hand came out – “will you forgive me?”

And I stood there – and could not. Betsie
had died in that place – could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the
asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he
stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the
most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it – I knew that. The
message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have
injured us. “If you do not forgive men their trespasses,” Jesus says, “neither
will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Still, I stood there with this coldness
clutching my heart. But forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can
function regardless of the temperature of the heart. “Jesus, help me!” I prayed
silently. “I can lift my hand. I can do that much. Lord, you supply the
feeling.”

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my
hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took
place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our
joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being,
bringing tears to my eyes.

“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all
my heart!”

For a long moment we grasped each other’s
hands, the former guard and former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so
intensely as I did then.
[17]

What a joy it is to forgive. What a pure
joy that now Corrie could remember that this former soldier’s sins were cast
into the bottom of the sea of God’s forgetfulness. What a pure joy that she
could remember they are together in the kingdom of God. Joy is not there
because we tuck others’ sins under the rug. The joy of remembering our brothers
and sisters is there because we forgive them as we are forgiven.

Remembering
Love

Paul talks about the
messiness of loving Christ’s bride and preaching his gospel. Consider the pain
Paul experienced in 2 Corinthians 6. He didn’t hold it against anyone, but
actually rejoiced that he could lay down his life for Christ.

As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by
great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings,
imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by
purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine
love; by truthful speech, and the power of
God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the
left; through honor and dishonor, through slander
and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as
unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as
punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always
rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet
possessing everything.

—2 Corinthians 6:4-10

Paul never let the
conflict that the truth brings stop him from loving God’s people. Truth brings
conflict. Look at the Philippian jailer who beat Paul and Silas before he came
to salvation. Look at the slave girl that harassed Paul and his team for days
before she was converted. People come with baggage. If you love people, you
have to be patient with their baggage. You come with baggage. But we thank God,
like Paul did, for every remembrance. Because one day the war will be over. One
day we will see Jesus. One day we will all be presented blameless to Jesus
Christ. Paul could see that day coming. It filled his heart with gratitude for
the Philippians. One way you can tell if you are growing in Christ is if you
are grateful. In order to be grateful to people, you have to be forgiving and
tender and kind in your heart to them (Eph 4:22-31).

Fellowship Marks the Mature Christian (1:4-5)

Fellowship
Promotes Prayer

Paul begins to tell of his
prayer life. He fellowships with God and rejoices over his fellowship with the
saints in Philippi. Paul was never too busy to pray and thank God. That’s the secret
behind Paul’s joy. He prayed without ceasing. E. M. Bounds was right when he
said: “He who is too busy to pray will be too busy to live a holy life.”
[18]

We cannot life a joyful
life without fellowship with God. We are so weak and easily overcome. Life is
impossible, wouldn’t you agree? We are so weak. We were never made to walk this
life alone. That’s why the person who is growing in Christ is a person of deep
prayer. You know the importance of prayer. You feel your weakness. To pray you have
to be humble. There is a humility to the person who prays. Listen to Paul.

Philippians 1:4-5a Always
in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer.

Prayer indicates our
weakness. Paul attributes all the success of his life and the Philippians to
God. That’s what gratitude and prayer are all about. We can preach and teach
and spend hours preparing. But the truth is: I did nothing. You did nothing.
The word of God did everything. Jesus is absolutely correct when he says,
“Without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). How weak Paul was. He considered
himself “the chief of sinners.” He was often given pain in his life that left
him feeling debilitated. Look over at 2 Corinthians 12. Paul says:

To keep me from becoming conceited because
of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in
the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming
conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about
this, that it should leave me. But he said to
me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so
that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the
sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships,
persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. —2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Pain drove Paul to prayer.
And even in the pain, Paul started rejoicing. “Lord thank you for this thorn in
my side.” Maybe that thorn was the difficult situations in the Corinthian
church that tore him up. Maybe it was physical. But even the pain led him to
rejoice in his weakness. His weakness helped him to know Christ better! Prayer
is a place where we can rejoice and thank God that we are not alone. We have
fellowship with God. We are never alone. But we also have fellowship with
people.

Fellowship
Promotes Joy

Paul’s great prayer focus
is on his partnership with the Philippian church. He’s so thankful to be united
with them in Christ. His joy began the first day he met them until now. Listen
to Paul.

Philippians 1:4b Making
my prayer with joy.

What does “gospel
partnership” mean? Paul really believed he was on a mission together with all
the Christians everywhere, including the Philippians. Partnership from the Greek koinonia
(cf 1:5,7; 2:1; 3:10; 4:14,15). We
often translate it as “fellowship.” It means “sharing in the presence of God”
and sharing in his presence with each other.

We need this fellowship.
It’s what makes life satisfying. When you are dying, you don’t say, “Bring me
my high school or college diploma.” You don’t say, “Bring me my trophies from
third grade or my awards from work.” No. You want people. We all want to have
those intimate connections with people. Fellowship is knowing God is near and
knowing his people are near.

Fellowship
Promotes Partnership

Philippians 1:4 Because
of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

This koinonia – this gospel partnership meant they supplied prayers,
missionary helpers, and also financial support.

And you Philippians yourselves know
that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church
entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. —Philippians
4:15

It seems the fellowship
they had with Paul included communication, financial support, expanding the gospel,
etc. We can also imagine that Paul must have sent workers to Philippi to train
the elders and the deacons. Fellowship means that we are one in Christ. There
is a divine unity that we have in the Spirit of God that brings us together.
Fellowship with Christ brings great and inexpressible joy! Though you have not
seen him, you love him.

Though you do not now see him, you believe
in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. —1 Peter 1:8

Fellowship with God is
more to be desired than the greatest of earthly delights.

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

—Philippians 3:10

But fellowship always
extends to the Body of Christ. We are one in Christ. We enjoy fellowship
together. There is a personal partnership in God’s forever family, where we
share in Christ’s fellowship by coming together. That’s why we gather on Sunday
mornings and for small groups and for times of prayer and instruction. Jesus is
present with us.

Obstacles
to Corporate Fellowship

At least four obstacles
will keep you from having such enjoyable and edifying relationships as a
Christian: sensationalism, mysticism, idealism, and individualism.

Sensationalists don’t find Christian
community exciting enough to participate in it. However, the Christian life
isn’t about shock and awe, but lowly acts of service and love (Phil 2:3-4),
which are extraordinarily significant. In other words, we fellowship at church
for the presence of God, not a light show or a rock concert. God is here.
That’s more than enough!

Mystics make the Christian life into a series of
quiet times, isolated from the rest of the church. They desire to live a “me
and Jesus” kind of Christianity without the church. But Christianity is “we and
Jesus,” not just “me and Jesus.”

Idealists struggle in Christian community because
they have, in the words of Bonhoeffer, a “wish dream” of what the church ought
to be, and it never lives up to their expectations.
[19] The idealists are never
satisfied with any church. Let me just say that if you come to church for
Jesus, with your eyes on Jesus, Jesus and Jesus alone will satisfy you.

Individualists fall prey to culture that only enjoys
community online. Privatization coupled with this technological video-game
culture kills people’s ability to relate to others. We have a culture of “busy
loneliness”: people do a lot of stuff, but they remain extremely lonesome.

The
Mission of Christian Fellowship

Ultimately, fellowship has
a mission: to bring Christ to every creature. You need gospel partners, those
united together in Christ by the Spirit, from every tribe and tongue, who live
on the gospel. These are friends that will fall and fail but who need the same
grace and mercy of Jesus that you need. You need more than friendships; you gospel
partners who are on mission with you.
[20] Godly fellowship does not
just result in deep friendships, and a deep walk with God. If you fellowship
with God and others, you will share that presence with the lost and expand the
kingdom of God. Ultimately, we are partnering with God to proclaim his gospel
to lost sinners. You will also partner by giving to others who are going to
places you cannot go.

Now it’s not just our
gathering together in fellowship and preaching and teaching the word in
Christian fellowship or even giving to missions that advances God’s kingdom.
It’s God himself who has to work in us for real transformation. Mature, joyful
Christians have a deep confidence in God. Confidence is another sign of the
mature and joyful life.

Confidence Marks the Mature Christian (1:6)

Paul’s confidence in God
was a settled fact. He knew that God was at work and in control. He was
confident that God was bringing about whatever was happening for his glory.
When we possess that kind of confidence, we have a solid platform built within
us—a solid platform upon which joy can rest. This is a glorious mark of
Christian maturity.

Philippians 1:6 And
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it
to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Confidence
in God’s Character

Philippians 1:6b He
who began a good work.

Paul’s confidence was much
more than human hope; it was the absolute confidence that comes from knowing
and believing God’s promise that the God who began a good work in him will
perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Salvation is wholly God’s work, and
for that reason its completion is as certain as if it were already
accomplished.
[21]

The focus is on the word completion. God will finish his work in
you. That’s what he promises. How do we know? He gave his only Son to guarantee
it. Travel back in your mind to the cross where Christ was crucified. See the
Savior lifted up, paying for the sins of the world. There were seven sayings
that Christ uttered from the cross, commonly called the seven last words of
Christ. One of them our Lord cried out was a single word, Tetelestai! Translated, it means, “It is finished!” Telos is the
root Greek term, the same root of the word translated perfect. Paul was saying,
“He who began a good work in you when you were converted ten years ago,
Philippians, will bring it to completion. It will be finished! Jesus will see
to it. And that gives me joy.”

Confidence
in God’s Commencement

Philippians 1:6b He
who began a good work.

Paul had no trouble persuading
himself that God had begun a good work in the Philippians. God began the work.
Yes Paul planted, others watered, but it was our great God who gives the
increase (1 Cor 3:6). The apostle could see plenty of proof that the dear
Philippian believers were soundly saved. Their outward good works were evidence
of the inward good work begun in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. Their good
works had not resulted in salvation (an impossibility), but their good works
had resulted from salvation (an expectation). God puts a new heart in each
believer. Out of that heart comes the fruit of the Spirit. God is at work.

The good work of God
begins in us when the Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence in our hearts.
He brings with Him the life of God: eternal, immaculate, spiritual life. We are
immediately aware of this new life by a fresh consciousness of the old life (Rom
7). The world becomes aware of this new life when love breaks through: love for
God, love for God’s people, love for lost people, love outflowing as a result
of life infilling.
[22]

Confidence
in God’s Completion

Philippians 1:6c
He will … bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Christ will complete his
work in every child of God. We are predestined for holiness. We see God’s predestination unto holiness for
all genuine Christians in Romans 8:28-30. We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. All who God “foreknew” and “called” and “justified
(i.e. all true Christians) are predestined to live in some measure of holiness
and blamelessness, being “
conformed to the image of his Son.”
Who is Paul talking about? Again, it must be emphasized that Paul is speaking
of all true Christians without exception. All who are predestined are called.
All who are called are justified. All whom God justified, he is conforming to
the image of his Son, and he will one day glorify them with a sinlessly perfect
nature and body in glory. Paul is referring to the entire glorified church of
God and only those in that Body. When Jesus comes again, God will unveil his
completed work in every believer, and the work is so amazing that if you could
see a glorified saint, you might be tempted to bow down and worship him or her,
they would be so amazing. C.S. Lewis imagined what it might be like.

The dullest most uninteresting [believer]
you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would
be strongly tempted to worship…
[23]

Every selfish part of our
character, God is removing, and one day, it will be completely removed. Paul is
teaching us that God’s not just powerful to save you from the penalty of
sin when we called on him for salvation as Savior and Lord. He is powerful to
save you from the power and place of sin through the ongoing
process of growth in the Christian’s life (cf Phil 2:12).
[24] Indeed, “Sin is no longer
your master…. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace” (Rom 6:14,
NLT). Since God began a work
of Christian growth, he will complete that growth, not only removing the
penalty of sin and the power of sin, but at the day of Christ Jesus, the second
coming, he will remove the very presence of sin all together. During
this life we can be free from giving in to temptation, but temptation is still
all around us. Can you imagine, when we see Jesus face to face, that there will
be no more temptation? No more harassment from Satan. No more spiritual
warfare. The war will be completely won, and we will live forever in the fruits
of Jesus’ victory! Paul reminds us that we do have ultimate victory so that we
will live in that victory right now.

You want a fresh burst of
encouragement? You may be stuck in neutral in your growth in Christ. You were
growing but now you’ve stopped. You’ve hit a wall. The Lord has not folded his
arms and looked the other way. Find encouragement in this firm confidence: The
One who began a good work in you will bring it to completion; he will finish
the task. He’s not done with you. He’s not done with your family. He’s not done
with your church. He will bring the work he’s begun to completion. Each day, he
is there to guide you by his hand and even carry you to a place of complete
victory over sin. We may stumble into sin here and there because of our
ignorance, but no Christian should live in it. We may step in the “cow dung” of
sin here and there, but we don’t move into the pigpen and roll in the dung. We should
seek to live now with the confident mindset of our final victory against sin at
all times.

Love Marks the Mature Christian (1:7-8)

Finally, the last mark
Paul mentions in verses 7-8 is affection. Love. Isn’t that the ultimate mark of
Christian maturity? Name all the virtues of Christian maturity. Paul says, you
can prophesy, you can have faith to remove mountains, you can have hope and
full assurance of salvation, but the greatest of these is what? Love. Paul has
a deep love for his church family in Philippi that he compares to the love of
Christ.

Philippians 1:7-8 It
is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my
heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my
imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God
is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Love
is Deep for the Mature Christian

Philippians 1:7a It
is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my
heart.

Paul’s love was deep and
consuming for the Philippians. He had mature love, based on God’s everlasting
love. I’ve heard God’s people say or at least imply: “I love God. I love
walking with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I just don’t like his people all the
time.” Mature love from a believer is never divorced from the Body of Christ.
It’s always intimately connected to our union with Jesus Christ. Cyprian (c.
200) said, “He cannot have God for his Father who has not the Church for his
mother.”
[25] John said it simply:

We know that we have passed out of death
into life, because we love the brothers. —1
John 3:16

Paul was not like that. He
always looked at people through the lens of God’s work in them. It’s easy to
get down, depressed, bitter, and jaded in close relationships. There are toxic
emotions that we all experience which threatens our love for one another.
Bitterness, discouragement, and just plain giving
up
will rob us of our joy. Paul had a sweet love for the people at Philippi
that we can learn from. Paul says, “I hold you in my heart” (1:7), and “I yearn
for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (1:8). It was right for Paul to
love the Philippians this way because he loved them with a deep, agape love.

The term Paul uses to draw
attention to his affection is, literally, the Greek word for “bowels.” He says,
in essence, “I love you with all my bowels.” That would not be a flattering
statement for a modern believer, but in the first century it was believed that
the intestines, the stomach, the liver, even the lungs, held the most tender
parts of human emotions. That explains why this joyful man would use “bowels”
in reference to “affection.” He says, in effect, “As I share with you my
feelings, I open my whole inner being to you and tell you that the level of my
affection is deep and tender.” Too many people live with the inaccurate
impression that Paul was somewhat cold and uncaring. Not according to this
statement; in fact, quite the contrary! When he was with those he loved, Paul
went to the warmest depths in conversation and affection.

Love
is Sacrificial for the Mature Christian

Philippians 1:7b For
you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment
and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

Mature agape love is
always self-sacrificing. Paul gladly sacrificed for the Philippians while he
wrote them under Roman imprisonment. Paul’s circumstances at the time he wrote
this letter were dire. He was imprisoned in Rome, possibly facing execution. As
it turned out, he was released from this imprisonment, but he was not certain
that would be the case when he wrote Philippians. He was under house arrest
(Acts 28:23, 30), chained at every moment to a Roman solider from Caesar’s
Praetorian Guard (Acts 28:16) to prevent any possibility of escape. Paul
languished there, unable to do the work he loved.
[26] Nevertheless, his heart
overflowed with joy that both the Philippians believers and Paul could together
partake of God’s grace and love in two vital ways: in both apologetics
(defense) and in evangelism (confirmation of the gospel). Paul affirmed
that the Philippian church selflessly and sacrificially stood by him to give
encouragement, to help alleviate his suffering, and to meet his needs in every
way they could. They were his spiritual partners, partakers of grace with him,
in the fullest sense. They exercised mature love, gladly sacrificing for one
another.

Love
is Supernatural for the Mature Christian

Philippians 1:8 God
is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

All
of the believers at Philippi, with no exceptions, were the objects of Paul’s
great affection, an affection so deep and pervasive as to reflect that of
Christ Jesus himself. It was enhanced and enriched by their warm and
compassionate care for him that touched him so deeply. It was, in fact, a
supernatural affection, instilled by the Lord both in his heart and theirs.
[27]
It was no less than “the love of God [that had] been poured out within [their]
hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5). Paul wrote of this God-given love to
the Thessalonians:

Now as to the love of the brethren, you have
no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to
love one another. —1 Thessalonians
4:9

Conclusion

Are you growing
spiritually? Are you living the joyful life? It begins with gratitude. As you
grow in Christ so will your gratitude grow. So will your fellowship with God
and others grow. So will your prayer life grow. So will confidence in God’s work
grow. So will your deep love for fellow Christians. Real maturity in Christ is
seen in making much of Jesus.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 | Philippians 1:9-11

Rooted in Loving One Another

 

 

 

It
is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all
discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and

blameless
for the day of Christ.

Philippians
1:9-10

 

P

aul has a special relationship with the Philippian church. As
I read this and studied this passage, I noticed the primary words in the
passage have to do with Paul’s emotions for the Philippian church: Feel, heart,
longing, affection, love. Paul has a peculiar relationship with the churches
that can be described by love. We might think that because of his important
position as apostle, he was disconnected or heartless, or aloof. Perhaps his
urgency was so great, maybe he didn’t have much time for vulnerability and
emotion. What we find in this passage is that Paul was not disconnected of
aloof. He was passionate for God’s people. He had a heart that was filled with
love for those who were under his care.

Sometimes there are Christians that they are
virtually devoid of emotion. They belong to what I heard someone refer to as
the “First Church of Christ Frigidaire.” Paul is not part of the frozen chosen.
He is chosen, but he is very much thawed out, filled with the living love of
Jesus!

Philippians 1:9-11 And
it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with
knowledge and all discernment, 10 so
that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and
blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with
the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the
glory and praise of God

Paul is moved with
deep love for the Philippian believers. His affections and emotions are running
over – so much so that he prays for this church. That’s one of the marks of
really loving one another: prayer. Most people never associate prayer with pop
music, but there is an interesting country song that’s been around for a few
years by a guy named Jaron Lowenstein. And it’s a song called “I pray for you.”
It’s a song based upon the bitter breakup that he had with his girlfriend, and
he puts an interesting twist on prayer.

He
said, “I haven’t been to church since I
don’t remember when. Things were going great till they fell apart again. So I
listened to the preacher, he told me what to do. He said, you can’t go hating
on others who have done wrong to you
. Sometimes
we get angry, but we must not condemn. Let the good Lord do his job and you
just pray for them
.”

So
his chorus is, “I pray your breaks go out
running down a hill
. I pray a
flowerpot falls from a windowsill and knocks you in the head like I’d like to.
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls. I pray you’re flying high when
your engine stalls. I pray all your dreams never come true. Just know wherever
you are, honey, I pray for you
.”

I
pray that none of us pray that way! That’s the point, real prayer is soaked in
love. We often say that we love one another, but do we really? Do we truly care
about our brothers and sisters? Love is the distinguishing mark of a Christian.

Jesus
said, “by this all men will know you are my disciples, by the love you have for
one another” (Jn 13:35). The most important expression of our Christian faith
is love. Love is the hallmark of their faith, right? He said, “now abide faith,
hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor 13:13). The apostle
John said,

We
know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. —1 John
3:14

Dwight
L. Moody once said something interesting. He said,

There
is no use trying to do church work without love. A doctor or a lawyer may do
good work without love, but God’s work cannot be done without love.
[28]

Our Love Should Be Plentiful (1:9a)

Christians should be growing in love more
and more.
I love gardening. I don’t get to do it a lot. But I love
planting a seed and watching it grow. In this text, we understand the power of
love. Love grows us into the image of Christ.

An Abundant Love

The
first attribute of Christian love is this: our love should be plentiful. Look
at verse 9 and notice the goal of Paul’s prayer:

Philippians
1:9a
And
it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more.

The
word “abound” means to super abound or to exceed a fixed number or a fixed
measure. Do you agree that it is hard to love? Love is not just some robotic
duty. We are commanded to love, but our love must be sincere. What would you
think of my love for Jill if I told her “Happy Anniversary” and gave her flowers?
And she said, “Thank you.” But I said, “Don’t mention it. I have to do it. God
commands me to love you.” That’s not true love.

Should
we obey God? Yes! But God doesn’t just want to change our actions. He wants to
transform our hearts. “Let love be without hypocrisy” (Rom 12:9). God wants our
love to be genuine. Paul it seems is referring to the specific demonstration of
love to one another within the church. I don’t think he’s speaking of loving
God, though that’s of highest importance. I don’t think he’s speaking of loving
the world of lost people in evangelism, but that’s important as well. I think
he is specifically speaking of loving God’s people, the church. Why do I say
this? Because he writes the same thing almost in 1 Thessalonians 3.

May the Lord make your
love increase and overflow for each other.

— 1
Thessalonians 3:12

So
many times in marriage or in the church or anytime you get close to someone,
you are going to get hurt. Remember we are all porcupines.

An Affectionate
Love

How
can Paul tell us to abound in love? How can our love be plentiful? To learn to
love, let’s look at Paul as an example. He’s already told them: “I long for all
of you with the affection of Christ Jesus” (1:8). Longing or yearning has the
idea of homesickness. “I am homesick for you,” he says in effect, “restless
till we can be together again.”
[29]

The
word affection is a very powerful word. Literally Paul says, “I love you with
the bowels of Jesus.” The love of Christ in Paul was so powerful that it was as
if as though the heart of Jesus had taken over.
[30] This was the way people expressed
themselves in ancient times. It was like saying, “I love you with all my guts.”
the word splanchna (“bowels” or
“affections”) is used as a metaphor for one’s deepest inner affections.
[31] But this word bowels, or affection, is a
very intense word. It was saying, I love you with the powerful love of Jesus. I
love you so much it hurts! The power of the gospel is shown in the supernatural
affection that it produces, not only for Jesus Christ himself, but also for
those who belong to Jesus Christ.
[32]

An Assorted Love

So
as Paul thinks of how much he loves the Philippians, he prays that their love
for each other may abound through various families and cultures. We already
know a slave girl is there. A business woman name Lydia is there. We also have
a soldier there. And Paul prays for them all.

Philippians
1:9a
And
it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more.

As
I said before, the word “abound” means to super abound or to exceed a fixed
number or a fixed measure. Local assemblies of Christians should display a
loving unity not explicable along merely sociological lines. The world is
separated by race, economics, and politics. Not so in the church. Our race is
that we are covered with the blood of Christ. Our economics is that we have
treasure laid up in heaven. Our political affiliation is that we bow our knee
to King Jesus. People who have little or nothing in common on economic, social,
political or ethnic bases are brought together by the Holy Spirit in unified
devotion to Christ and the advance of his gospel.
[33]

Interesting,
one of the Church historians named Tertullian writes that the Roman government
was disturbed about the early church. Christians were increasing in number by
leaps and bounds. Because they wouldn’t take even a pinch of incense and put it
before the image of the emperor, the Romans felt they might be disloyal. Spies
went into the Christian gatherings and came back with a report something like
this:

These
Christians are very strange people. They meet together in an empty room to
worship. They do not have an image. They speak of One by the name of Jesus, who
is absent, but whom they seem to be expecting at any time. And my, how they
love him and how they love one another.
[34]

Interesting
that an unbelieving spy in a Christian congregation made note of the fact that they loved one another so intensely. So
take that little test in your mind right now. And ask yourself this, “Does my
own love abound?” Would that be a word that describes the expression of your
love? Think about your marriage. Is your love toward your spouse an
abounding love? Or in your home toward your children, or toward your parents,
or among your friends? Would you say that that is a good description of your
own love experience in your life? 

Are
you the kind of person that love just keeps growing and growing in love and
abounding more and more? You say, is that even possible? Well, yes, it is
possible. It is possible because in Romans chapter 5 Paul said, “the love of
God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5). The love
of God has been poured out or literally it gushes out. It implies there is no
limit to it at all. What that means then is that we have an unlimited capacity
to love. If you’re one of those type of people, and I’ve met a few, who
say I’m just fresh out of love, I’ve loved all the love out, I’ve got no more
love to give. It’s all gone now. I say, well, you need a better connection.
Because the love of God gushes out, is poured out by the Holy Spirit. And last
time I checked, he never ran out. Is your heart growing bigger and bigger?
The more you love Jesus, the bigger your heart will grow.

Our Love Should Be Perceptive (1:9-10a)

Love has boundaries. Now watch what the
apostle does. You know, Paul could have just said, I pray that your love may
abound still more and more period. He tells us exactly how our love
should abound: in knowledge and discernment and excellence.

Philippians
1:9-10a
And
it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with
knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve
what is excellent.

There
are two banks for the river of love: knowledge and discernment. You see,
overflowing love sounds really great, but it is like a river. And if that water
has free flow without any direction or discretion, it can hurt people.

A
couple years ago the three rivers that surround my sister’s town in Louisiana
overflowed their banks. They had a hundred-year flood. It destroyed her home.
My sister was huddled with her children in her car and someone came and rescued
her. And it was all because of a river that overflowed its banks. Water is a
blessing, but that much water that just flows wherever it wants to, can destroy
people’s lives. And so too with love. Real biblical love is not just pure emotion.
Agape love is informed by the truth and knowledge of the Bible.

Love’s Knowledge

Philippians
1:9a
And
it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with
knowledge.

What
is knowledge? To be a Christian one must come to know the truth. You must know
and believe the gospel that the blood of Jesus cleanses you and makes you right
with God. That’s knowledge. In order for love to be informed, we need to have
knowledge. Discernment is to go a step further and “grasp the significance” of
something. To really love as Jesus loves, we must know how to discern and apply
the knowledge of God’s word.

Just
because you “feel” something is God’s will doesn’t mean it is. Love has a riverbank
that guides it: knowledge. Biblical knowledge is a “lamp” unto your feet and a
“light” to your path. Discernment helps you choose the way. You can say you
love God and others, but you cannot actually love God and others without
counseling yourself with the word of God. If you don’t counsel yourself with
God’s word you will just do what’s in your heart man, whatever you feel like
doing. That is the most dangerous, irresponsible thing you could ever do. And
you would be a dangerous person to live that way. So many people allow
themselves to be counseled by their selfish wicked heart. They end up in a
disaster.

When
we add knowledge to our love, it means we are constantly counseling ourselves
with the word of God and disregarding what our hearts are telling us. How do we
let knowledge guide our love? You can’t trust your heart. Our heart of our old
nature is “deceitful and desperately wicked above all things: who can know it?”
(Jer 17:9). We are called to “trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not
to our own understanding” (Prov 3:5-6).

Instead,
we inform our love by constantly counseling ourselves with the word of God. You
may feel that love is letting another Christian do whatever he or she wants to
do. That’s where you need knowledge. The knowledge of Matthew chapter 18 where
Jesus said, “sometimes the most loving thing you can do is to confront
another brother or sister.” And that’s love. So mature love is not
sentimentality, nor is it emotion. It has banks and the first bank is knowledge.
The second is discernment.

Love’s Discernment

Philippians
1:9c
And
it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with … all
discernment.

Love
needs a direction. There needs to be discernment. Sometimes love needs to be
tender. Sometimes it needs to be tough. As love grows, knowledge grows. We need
to grow in our knowledge of Christ. We need to grow in “all discernment” as
well. Every parent knows this, that love is expressed in different ways at
different times to the same child. One day a parent will give a gift to a
child. Another day a parent will spank a child. Both are legitimate expressions
of love. 

Another
example is that of Jesus Christ. Sometimes He’d heal a person, another day he
would overturn the tables in the temple and with a whip drive out the money
changers. Both are expressions of love but in two different contexts. One
day Jesus would say to the crowd, “You are blessed.” Another day he’d look at
another crowd filled with Pharisees and say, “You whitewashed sepulchers.” Both
are expressions of love from the one who is the Author of love himself. 

Love’s Excellence

Philippians
1:9-10a
And
it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with
knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve
what is excellent.

As
you grow in love, you will grow in knowledge and discernment. And you will be
able to test what is the very best to give glory to God. As you activate a wise
kind of love, you will “approve things that are excellent” (1:10).
Godly
love leads to a balanced life of excellence, a life engaged in the things that
matter. We need to test and examine all things to see if they rise to the
worthy standard of God’s excellence.

In verse 10 we see a wonderful byproduct of
love guided by knowledge and discernment: testing and approving that which is
excellent. Excellence is referring to us mere mortals reflecting God’s
refulgent excellence, his glory, his beauty. Approve the things that really
matter. What are you allowing in your life, your marriage or singleness, your
job, your mind, your thoughts, your actions? Are you allowing things into your
life that matter? Are you reflecting God’s glory in everything? Do you have a
life of excellence?

At Philippi, love showed itself to be of the
very essence of the new nature given to the believer. No sooner had Lydia
become a Christian than she pressed Paul and his company to become her houseguests.
No sooner had the jailor become a Christian than, though he had earlier
fastened the apostle’s feet in the stocks, he began to bathe his wounds.
[35]

Now most of us know that the most frequently
used Greek word for love in the New Testament is what, tell me?
Agape. Agape is the Greek word for love that expresses God’s love for us.
Generally, love for one another is to be at that supreme, superior, that’s what
we aspire to, agape love. Well, make sure that your agape isn’t
sloppy. Don’t love with sloppy agape. Sloppy agape is saying you love
somebody but it’s really a selfish love. I’m going to do something or say
something because I don’t want to be disliked by that person. That’s sloppy
agape. 

Our Love Should be Productive (1:10-11a)

The
excellence of love has a profound effect on our character. Love grows us.
The effect of living a life of
love is profound.

Philippians 1:9-11
And
it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with
knowledge and all discernment, 10 so
that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for
the day of Christ, 11 filled with
the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the
glory and praise of God.

A
Growing Readiness

Notice there is a there is a program of
growth, starting with a seed of “love abounding more and more” (vs 9) and
ending with a harvest of being “filled with the fruit of righteousness” (vs
11). Paul takes this metaphor of growth very seriously. Why? Because Christian
growth, says Paul, is for the day of
Christ
, that is, with a view to Christ’s Second Coming.

Philippians 1:10b
So that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and
blameless for the day of Christ.

Those who are truly born again have the love
of God poured into them by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5). But we have to stir up that
love, getting ready for Jesus’ coming. Jesus can return any moment, and we must
be prepared for him. The responsibility to be ready for his coming is wholly
ours. Does this in any way contradict the truth we noted at verse 6, that
salvation is all of God (“He who has begun a good work will finish it”),
leaving no room for effort or contribution from us? Certainly not! Paul says
later: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it
is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure”
(2:12-13).

Remember the grace which saves is also the
grace that energizes through the Holy Spirit. The free gift of salvation is a
gift of new life. The Christian, saved by grace, demonstrates the authenticity
of what has happened by exercising new energies in the Spirit.
Consequently—Paul prays that love may abound more and more. It is our
responsibility to stir up love and affection for fellow Christians.

The word of God calls all Christians to
act—to work, run, imitate, to be a soldier, athlete and farmer. We are called
to a life of good works planned out by God for those whom he has re-created in
Christ (Eph 2:10). In other words, it is by obedience—active,
costly, personal, voluntary, disciplined obedience—that we enter into conscious
experience of what our salvation in Christ means. This is why the Bible can say
that God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey him. “God has given the Holy
Spirit to those who obey him” (Acts 5:32). In other words, you can recognize
those who have the Holy Spirit by their lives of obedience.

A
Growing Purity

Philippians 1:10c Be
pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

Love affects our character. When love
abounds in us, we are able to test and approve and examine what is excellent,
what is best. And the result is that we are pure and blameless. Pure refers to
our inward character. Blameless
refers to our outward character.

The word referring to our pure inward character
has to do with integrity. The idea is a sincere life. The word here means
literally: “without wax.” Some of you speak Spanish. The word sincere comes
from the Latin – sin cera – which
means without wax. Back in the day
deceitful merchants would fill in the flaws of a clay vessel – the plate or the
cup – with wax to hide the cracks. The Christian is “sin cera” without wax. We
live a life of integrity because the love of Christ has changed our inward
character.

As I said before blameless refers to our outward character. Daily we put off old
habits and put on new habits. We put off gossip and put on godly and edifying
speech. We put off bitterness and put on tenderness, kindness, and forgiveness.
We put off fear and put on faith. We put off worldliness and put on love for
God. Every day our heart and life are more and more conformed to Jesus.

A
Growing Righteousness

Love brings a wonderful harvest of
righteousness. When love abounds more and more, you become “filled with the
fruit of righteousness.”

Philippians 1:11 Filled with
the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the
glory and praise of God.

You say, “Pastor Matt, will I really be
filled completely with the fruit of righteousness?” Sanctification is a promise
that comes “through Jesus Christ.” We grow in the Christlike righteousness as
we take hold of Christ. John Owen says, “The Holy Spirit will not move you as a
Christian until you first take hold of the means of grace. Rather, he is
communicated through the means of grace.”
[36] Therefore,
we seek to encounter Jesus through all the ways Jesus reveals himself (the
means of grace). What does he mean? You will not grow in love without those
things (the means) through which God gives grace. How do we encounter Jesus? Here
are a few ordinary ways we encounter God: study the word, preaching of the word,
fellowship, baptism, communion, prayer, evangelism. We could go on and on, but
this is how you are going to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that
comes through Jesus Christ” (1:11a). God’s love through the Holy Spirit is
productive in the believer’s life. We are always making progress as we come through Jesus Christ.

Our Love Should be Purposeful (1:11)

Excellence
is attained through Christ alone.
Paul says this purity and
righteousness of life “comes through Jesus” and bring praise to God.

Philippians 1:11 Filled with
the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the
glory and praise of God.

Through
Jesus Christ

You say, “How can I have this life of love?”
Turn your eyes upon Jesus. This life of excellence is not attainable through
human power or manipulation. There must be a sincere surrender to the Lordship
of Jesus. Jesus paid it all. So come and see what God can do for you. What has
he done for you. Do you see it? What has he done that would make you love him
more and more? Our God is about redeeming your wrecks. He’s about making beauty
from ashes. Do you know this one who is the rose of Sharon? He can make your
stinking life clean and smell good, with the aroma of righteousness.

For
God’s Glory

The purpose of all love as a Christian is to
glorify God. You know how I know that? Because that’s the purpose of all life.
All of life is to glorify God. I exist to glorify God. I do. In Revelation 4
the 24 elders bowed down saying “for thy pleasure all things were created.”
That’s why I exist. Paul says: “Whether you eat or whatever you do, do all for
the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). Whatever you do, all things, for the glory of
God. Loving is under the category of all things. Whatever you do, do all for
the glory of God. So now we have the ultimate test to know if this expression
of our love is approved or not. And it’s simple. Does it glorify Jesus Christ?

Conclusion

What joy Paul had to write the Philippian
believers. That joy came from an overwhelming love not based on us. We have so
many sins and mistakes. If you want to truly love someone whether they are a
brother in Christ or a lost person, a family member who is hard to love, there
is a way to love them. Think of them as saved and one day fully glorified. God’s
still working on me. Have patience with me. Love me in spite of me. Can I tell
you that Jesus was a carpenter? He is the best carpenter, isn’t he? He’s not
done working on you. It took him just six days to make the moon and the stars,
but he’s still working on you and me!

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

4 | Philippians 1:12-18

Joy in Setbacks and Suffering

 

 

 

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and
rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that
I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of
selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ

is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

Philippians 1:15-18

 

 

I

t’s funny when we come to the day to set back clocks, and I have a sermon
on setbacks! For the 100th year, we turned our clocks back an hour, banishing
the gloom of dark mornings but robbing us of those beautiful daylit evenings.
We gain an hour of sleep, but we lose an hour of daylight in the evening. Some
people get frustrated with the falling back and the Springing forward. One
thing we can do with Daylight Savings Time is blame Canada. They started it in
1908, a hundred years ago. It’s Canada’s fault.

For some of us, the best thing about Daylight
Savings time is that the clock in your car and microwave are finally correct!
There are consequences that go with having earlier sun downs. Today, sundown is
at 4:43pm. That means at 5pm tonight, it’ll look like midnight, but it’ll only
be 5 o’clock!

According to a government survey—74 percent of
Americans say a lack of daylight affects their mood and their productivity.
John Sharp, M.D., psychiatrist on faculty at Harvard Medical School, who helped
with the study says, the darkness of winter “really affects us and can cause
people to be irritable, sleepy, and want to quit the day earlier. It’s easier
just to shut it all down at 5pm.”
[37] Some of you are asking, “What do I do if I’m just
grumpy all year long?!” Seriously, the darkness of winter has an adverse effect
on some people. Think of it, back in June, we had 15 hours of daylight. Today
we have only 10. By the end of the year we’ll have only 9 hours of daylight.
Because of the lack of daylight for the next three months, some people get the
winter blues, and many of them do what all sane people should do in these
Chicago winters: they move to Florida. All in favor? Say Amen!

As we look to the book of Philippians, we know it’s
not just winter that might dampen our mood. There are some serious dark and
cold circumstances and setbacks in our lives that very well might steal our
joy. I don’t want that to happen. You don’t want that to happen. And you know
what? God doesn’t want that to happen. In the passage before us, we are going
to see how the greatest setbacks. What is a setback? The dictionary defines
setback as “an obstacle to progress; a reverse or defeat.”

I came across a website for the criminal justice
system, called corrections.com, in which this statement was on it. Most
prisoners are unhappy. And many of them are unhappy all the time. Many
contemplate or attempt suicide or self-mutilation. The suicide rate for
American prisoners is between 5 to 15 times greater than it is for the general
American population. I’m sharing that with you to begin with, because I just
want you to keep in mind that we are reading the letter of a prisoner. It’s no
joke to be in prison. Paul is in prison as he is writing the book of
Philippians. In fact, he writes four prison epistles: Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians and Colossians. Being in prison is very difficult. Yet Paul is
filled with joy. Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians from prison,
under house arrest. He’s got a Roman soldier chained to him 24/7 for more than two
years. This seems like a major setback for the gospel. Yet Paul says: my
setbacks, past, present and future are really advances for the gospel. What?!
That sounds extreme. Yet that’s exactly what Paul says. Let’s read about it.

Philippians 1:12-21 I
want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has
really served to advance the gospel, 13 so
that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to
all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And
most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment,
are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some
indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.16 The
latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense
of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of
selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my
imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way,
whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through
your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will
turn out for my deliverance,20 as it is my eager expectation
and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with
full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my
body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to
me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

The Gospel Advances with Past Setbacks
(1:12-14)

Setbacks are Planned by God

You may be a Christian and in a terrible
circumstance. Perhaps your circumstance is stealing your joy. Isn’t it true
that sometimes things happen to us in our past that set us back and steal our
joy? Paul was a man who would not allow his joy to be stolen. How? He believed
his setbacks were planned by God.

Philippians 1:12 I
want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has
really served to advance the gospel.

Paul’s
Salvation Planned by God

He says, what’s happened in my life seems to be
something to steal my joy, but it’s not. It seems like something that would
make the gospel decline, but it’s not. It’s actually working to advance the
gospel. This was true of his former life. He says in Philippians 3:8, “I count
everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my
Lord.” It’s all garbage compared to knowing Christ. Can we all agree that all
our past failures as well as our past successes are equally refuse compared to
knowing Christ? But Paul goes further. Here is a terrible, difficult
circumstance that puts Paul in jail. It looks like the prospects for the gospel’s
advance are declining. It looks like the gospel is in a downturn. Paul’s in
jail. The chief leader for the gospel is in chains. What a set back! Paul says:
no. It’s not a setback. It’s a steppingstone. It’s an advance.

Paul’s
Suffering Planned by God

Here’s what happened. After Paul’s third missionary
journey, he goes back to Jerusalem. He’s warned in advance by the Holy Spirit
(Acts 20:23) that he’s going to have trouble in Jerusalem and get arrested. According
to Acts 21:27-36, Paul’s in the temple area with another fellow going through a
ceremonial ritual. Some of the leaders spot Paul there. They start a riot, and
they attack him. A Roman soldier arrests Paul—not to punish him, but to protect
him from the mob—he takes Paul, is about to have Paul beaten. Paul pulls his
Roman citizenship card out and says, you can’t beat me. I’m a Roman citizen.
And everywhere Paul goes, he preaches the gospel – he tells his story. He’s in
the barracks in Jerusalem, and he tells his story, “As I was on my way and drew
near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around
me…” (Acts 22:6).

He is then taken from Jerusalem to Caesarea by the
sea, where he spends two years. And he goes through three trials in two years.
He stands before Felix, and he tells his story (Acts 24:24, Felix “sent for
Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus”). He stands before Festus
and King Herod Agrippa, and he tells his story (Acts 26:12ff, “I journeyed to
Damascus … 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light
from heaven, brighter than the sun”). And after two years, he finally says, I’m
done. This judicial process is crazy. I appeal my case to Caesar in Rome. Every
Roman citizen had that right. So they put him on a ship. It is not a cruise
ship. It’s not a Princess Cruise. It is the Prison cruise ship! And they send
him to Rome. He almost doesn’t make it to Rome. The ship sinks. He has to swim
to shore. Paul made sure all the prisoners were accounted for. But he finally
goes to Rome, where he’s put in jail again – under house arrest.

Setbacks Can Advance the Gospel

All of that is under this banner, Paul says, “the
things which happened to me” (1:12). A lot had happened to Paul. Now that set
of circumstances is enough to change any joyful person into a depressed person
quickly. But not Paul. He’s not depressed. How could he be depressed? The gospel
is going forth. He’s telling the gospel everywhere to kings and governors, to
fellow prisoners, and eventually to Roman soldiers when he’s put under house
arrest. Paul says: these things are not a defeat or a setback. They are an
advance.

The Greek word for “advance’ means a forward
movement overcoming any kind of obstacles. Obstacles are involved. God can use
setbacks to put you in a position to actually advances the gospel overcoming
any obstacles. The word for advance was used of pioneers cutting undergrowth away,
so you could walk with ease. It was also used for soldiers advancing against an
enemy. This advance of the gospel was a forward movement overcoming all
obstacles.

Did you ever get into superheroes when you were a
kid? Are some of you still into superheroes? My son Evan’s favorite superhero
is Captain America. My favorite has always been Superman. I love to tell Ava my
superman jokes. What does Superman use to eat his cereal? A Super Bowl. Ok
I’ll quit while I’m ahead. I like Superman because he’s the man of
steel. You can throw anything at him, and he crushes it. Throw volts of
electricity, and he absorbs it. There is no possible challenge. Superman has
one weakness though. Remember what it is? Kryptonite.

Our God has no weakness. When we totally commit our
lives to him, he can absorb any setback and turn it into a steppingstone. Daniel’s
lions were not a setback but a steppingstone for the faith of the King of
Persia. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego looked done for in the fiery furnace.
But God turned that setback into a great victory! Joseph had setback after
setback, from the pit to slavery to the prison. But God turned that setback
into a steppingstone to the palace. Moses had a setback at the Red Sea. But God
through Moses said, “Stand back and see the salvation of the Lord!” Job lost
everything. What a setback. But look what God did. God turned his setback into
a comeback. Today Job’s life encourages suffering people more than any book in
the Bible. God doesn’t want you to be a dropout when the setback comes. He
wants you to be a billboard of his sufficient grace! And now, though Paul was
in prison, he was advancing the gospel like never before. Here we have two ways
the gospel is advanced through setbacks while Paul is in prison.

Advancing the Gospel with Roman Soldiers

For Paul, his setbacks opened the door for an
audience of Roman soldiers to hear the gospel and believe on Christ. God’s plan
has been furthered for the palace guard. How many Roman soldiers were coming to
the Christian churches in Rome? None. How many Roman soldiers were they
reaching before Paul was imprisoned? If you count the Philippian jailer,
supposing he was at one time a Roman soldier, it’s about one! Isn’t God’s grace
amazing? What looks like a setback is actually an advance.

Philippians 1:13 So
that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to
all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

The whole imperial guard was reached with the gospel.
The Imperial Guard was the elite personal soldiers for the emperor. There was
about 10,000 of them in the Roman Empire. They were the bodyguards of the
emperor. Now Paul is incarcerated in Rome. He’s not in the palace. He’s in
a rented home likely provided by another believer or a church, the Book of Acts
tells us (Acts 28:30). Paul is chained to a guard 24 hours a day in a rented
house. But the people chained to him are the elite soldiers of the Imperial
Guard. That would be like being chained to the Secret Service or to the CIA,
the elite of the elite. 

Here’s the issue. Roman soldiers were unlikely to
go to Paul’s evangelistic talks. These were men who were rough and hard
hearted. They weren’t philosophizing about eternal life. After their shift they
were ready for a beer at the pub. They were ready for the equivalent of a game
of pool. They weren’t about to seek out a converted Jew and talk to him. So God
says, “That’s fine, but I want to evangelize the soldiers, and I have an
unusual turn of events for you Paul. Since they’re not coming to the Bible studies,
I’m going to send the evangelist apostle to them.” This isn’t a prison ministry
where Paul gets to walk in and walk out. He’s going to be incarcerated with one
soldier after another being chained to Paul. Wow!

How does God advance the gospel with this great
setback? Paul’s chained to these Roman soldiers. Think of what it was like to
be chained to Paul the Apostle for six hours. That’s how it worked. There are
24 hours a day. Four soldiers chained six hours at a time to Paul. Paul
couldn’t eat without being chained. He couldn’t sleep without being chained.
Everything he did 24 hours was chained to a guard. Now we often think, oh, Paul
was in chains. But think of it the other way. So was the soldier. 

Can you imagine what it’s like to listen to Paul?
What do you think Paul brought up during those six hours? The gospel: “Jesus
died for sinners. Jesus can forgive you. Let me tell you about this Jesus. I
was walking on the Damascus road…” You couldn’t shut him up. Paul talked a lot
about his conversion. Have you ever shared with somebody in a conversation, and
you bring up the gospel? They don’t like what you have to say. So they walk
away. Paul’s audience of Roman soldiers couldn’t walk away. Talk about a
captive audience.

Setbacks
Can Make Us Stronger

We see the gospel has done it’s work so that the
whole palace guard knows he’s imprisoned for Christ. Some of them are getting
converted. The gospel is advancing. The Roman Christians as well are now
beginning to speak more boldly without fear. As a result of these setbacks,
with Paul in jail, they are growing in their faith and boldness.

Philippians 1:14 And
most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment,
are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Stronger
in Evangelism

Christian brothers would visit Paul in his
confinement. They didn’t have seminaries and Bible colleges to train people
back then. Their great theologian was in prison. With a Roman soldier looking
on and listening, Paul would speak to the brothers who would visit him. He
would encourage them to speak boldly. He would pray for them when they
departed. “O God, I thank you that you put me in here. And I thank you that my
brother came to see me. And I thank you for the guy that’s chained to me here
Lord. And I thank you that he’s got to hear everything we’ve said. And I thank
you for the soldier earlier in the day, on the day shift, he got to hear it
too. O God you are in control.” The brothers left Paul, and they must have been
like “Did you see that Roman soldier, how he was listening? God opened his
heart. We too can witness like Paul.”

Maybe that Roman soldier went to the local pub, and
he says, “You know we have got one weird guy I have to guard at the moment.”
And here’s this timid Christian. And he’s sitting over in a corner and
overhears all this. And there’s a courage that rises in him, “But he’s quite a
man you know.” And he finds stirring and rising within him a renewed
confidence. And he speaks the word of the gospel there in that pub without
fear. God is surely with Paul in his circumstance to give him boldness. God is
most certainly with me in my circumstance. I need to be more bold in the faith.

We’ve got to get over our fear and realize that God
is in control of your setbacks. We can’t shut down in our trials. We’ve got to
reach out for that grace. Share Christ. Be bold. He’s got you just where he
wants you. He wants you to use your setback to show the strength of God and to
embolden his people.

Don’t let your setback hold you back. Let it make
you more bold. Paul was in a terrible circumstance. God was not so interested
in changing Paul’s circumstance. Sometimes God puts us in very difficult places
in our lives. Our prayers during those times is “God get me out of this and
then I’ll be an effective witness.” God’s logic is very different from our own.
We assume if we are going to be effective Christians, the circumstances have to
be right. But God is concerned with making really effective Christians even if
the circumstances are wrong. That’s why we shouldn’t spend so much time trying
to change our circumstances. We need to get on with sharing the gospel whatever
our circumstances are. That’s what Paul did.

Stronger
in Faith

God’s given you a setback. He doesn’t want you to
change your circumstances, but he wants you to trust him with a living faith. He’s
growing your faith in him. Are there any circumstances or setbacks that are too
hard for the Lord? Have faith. He’s working all things together for your good,
for the kingdom’s growth, and for the glory of his name. God wanted some Roman
soldiers saved, so he sovereignly placed Paul in jail through a setback. It
looks like a setback, but it’s really a comeback. What is your setback? Speak
it in your mind. You know what it is. For Paul it was a prison. He looked at
what had put him there in his past. He didn’t regret how things turned out. He
said it actually advanced the gospel. What’s your setback in the past that you
wish you could change? Maybe the Lord is turning your setback into a mission
field. Do you believe God can turn your setback into a triumph for the gospel?

For me, there have been times in my life I wish I
could change the time of my conversion. I wish I had Christian parents that
cared for me. I have so much baggage from my childhood. It’s painful. But you
see the Lord took my pain and turned into his gain. Because of my own pain I
feel other people’s pain. I have empathy for people. That pain helps me to
listen to others. I don’t want anyone to live without Christ, so it emboldens
me to speak the gospel with deep compassion.

You’re the same way. God’s in total control of your
past. He wants you to turn your setback into a mission field. Maybe you had an
awful childhood. Maybe you were raised in a false religion. Maybe you were on
the streets at a young age. Maybe you saw your parents get a divorce. Whatever
your setback, God wants you to use it to advance his cause, his gospel. Jesus
died for sinners. There are plenty of people who are hurting and need someone
like you to listen to them and then to give them the hope of eternal life in
Jesus. God is in total control of your past, present and future if you are his
child. Acknowledge that. Realize he’s advancing the gospel through your pain
and setbacks.

The Gospel Advances with Present Setbacks
(1:15-18a)

The
advance of the gospel must shape how we evaluate our present circumstances.

In Setbacks, we Look to God’s Sovereignty

Paul is in jail, and he
can do nothing about those in the church who are making the gospel about
themselves. He sees that some preach Christ with wrong motives (like envy and
rivalry and self-promition). But he’s not out of sorts. He remembers others who
love him and know as he says, “I am put here” for the gospel.

Philippians
1:15-16
Some
indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.16 The
latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense
of the gospel. 

You’d
think that if God wanted Paul to defend the gospel, he’d certainly get him out
of prison. From the outside it looked like Paul was being put on the shelf. And
people using his imprisonment to promote themselves, even “thinking to afflict
[Paul] in [his] imprisonment” (1:17).

“He’s not
preaching right, that’s why he’s in prison.”

“There
must be sin in his life.”

“We have
a more holy way of living than Paul.”

“Paul’s
not as articulate as our pastor.”

“He’s got
such a far-reaching ministry, he must be compromising for so many to come to
Christ.”

And they
were causing him harm and gossiping and making stuff up about him.

One
factor that controlled Paul’s thinking is the sovereignty of God. Paul had planned
to go on from Rome to Spain
, Gaul, the frontier lands along the Rhine, and lands where Huns and
Goths and Vandals sat in pagan darkness. The islands of Britannia also
beckoned. His plans for evangelism had been as wide as the world.

But Paul was in chains. A lesser man would have
questioned God’s ways, fretted over his enforced inaction, and perhaps become
embittered. Not Paul! He knew his chains were divinely planned and God made no
mistakes; he knew God had not lost control.
[38]

God put Paul there in the prison. God is in
control. It’s not just true for Paul or special people. It is true for every
believer, for in each and every case “he who began a good work in you will
carry it on to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6). God rules. The
pressures of life are the hands of the Potter, who is also our Father; the
fires of life are those of the Refiner (Mal 3:3).
[39]

Our setbacks form us to be what God wants us to be.

A man long ago said, “I watched some stone workers
hewing an odd-shaped stone as it lay on the ground.

“What are you going to do with that?” someone
asked.

“We are cutting it here, so it will fit in up
there,” the worker answered, pointing to an opening high on the tower of the
great building.”

That’s what God is doing with our setbacks. He’s
forming us. He’s shaping us. Trust God’s sovereignty. He knows what he’s doing
for you. But he’s also doing something for this lost world through you.

In Setbacks, We Look Past
Man’s Selfishness

Paul is in jail, and he sees that the church is in
trouble. There are factions and people promoting themselves more than Christ.

Philippians 1:17-18a The
former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking
to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that
in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in
that I rejoice.

There was envy, rivalry, and selfish ambition.
There were those even in the early church that wanted their brand of
Christianity. They were preaching the gospel, but saying perhaps that theirs
was a more pure form of the gospel or of holiness. It even says they were
“proclaiming Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to
afflict me in my imprisonment” (1:17).

There were and are those in the church that get
their eyes more on their own ministry than on Christ. Isn’t that strange that
ministry itself can be an idol. We have to be careful. There are some that
promote Christ for their own selfish ambition. They promote Christ because they
want to be known as a great evangelist or a great teacher. And they were
saying, “Our church is the best church. You don’t want to go to that church
down the street. They don’t have the gospel as clear as our church.” Paul
exposed these false motives, as he should have. But he didn’t go negative. He
says, “I rejoice” that Christ is proclaimed!

The Gospel Advances with Future Setbacks
(1:18b-21)

The
advance of the gospel must shape how we evaluate our future circumstances.

In
Life or Death Christ is Glorified

Paul now turns to the future. What’s the worst that
could happen? Well Paul prays for his deliverance, but he is content with
either life or death. Because of contentment, he is able to rejoice whether he
glorifies God by living or by dying. Paul can’t help but rejoice.

Philippians 1:18b-21 Yes,
and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your
prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out
for my deliverance,20 as it is my eager expectation and
hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage
now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or
by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die
is gain.

Paul says, I’m not afraid of the future because
whether by life or by death, I want to honor and glorify Christ. “For me to
live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21).

As a Christian, you don’t have to worry about the
past, the present, or the future because whatever you are going through is
there to set you up to glorify God. Honor him. He’s sovereign in your setbacks.
What’s the absolute worst thing that could happen to Paul or to you? Death.
Death is victory for the Christian. No matter what happens, in life, I will
honor Christ. I will spread his gospel. In death, I will be with Christ, what
could be better?! You need to have a Philippians 1:21 outlook on life. All is
gain. To live is Christ and to die is gain! Romans 8:29-30 says the same. All
things work together for your good and God’s glory for the child of God.

What about you? Is Philippians 1:21 your motto? My
friend, if you’re not ready to die, you’re not ready to live. If you don’t know
Christ, your you can advance your career, your family, your finances. But if
you don’t know Christ, your greatest setback will be death. If you are without
Christ today, you need to come to him. Believe that he died for your sins and
rose again for you. Your sins separate you from God, but Christ will cleanse
you of your sins and bring you to God.

Conclusion

When I was in high school, I was defensive end for
the Ponchatoula Green wave in high school. Our goal was to sack the
quarterback. One game we found a weakness in the offensive line. My friend
Bobby Smith sacrifice himself and throw himself against a couple of the front
linemen, and I would one of us would sack the quarterback and advance our team!

Maybe God has you in a place of sacrifice and
suffering. You feel like your pain is in vain. But really, it’s a way that God
can advance the gospel. Any pain you have is there to advance the gospel for
his glory. Remember in your setbacks there is no obstacle that can hold you
back the gospel. Your setback is a mission field. Preach Christ! Remember Jesus
said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against
it” (Mt 16:18).

 





 

 

 

 

 

5 | Philippians
1:18-26


To Live is Christ

 

 

 

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21

 

T

he
passage before us is all about the struggle in our hearts to want to be in
heaven. Paul is under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier. He wants to
depart, but he also wants to preach Christ.

About ten days ago, I was reminded of the
preciousness of this verse. I was turning left onto a side road near our church.
My car was stationary, and all the sudden a big Ford F-350 careened into me at
almost full speed, pushing me into oncoming traffic. That’s when another truck
smashed into me head on. I thought I was going to die. In that moment, I had no
fear of dying. I felt the overwhelming love and grace of God. But this text has
renewed meaning to me. “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Near
death experiences help us to gain perspective as to what is important in life
and in death.

Make no mistake: the only thing that matters in
life and in death is Jesus Christ – not what is your stock portfolio, the size
of your family, your wealth or how many vacations you’ve been on. The only
thing that matters is your union with Christ. That’s what Paul says: “For me to
live is Christ and to die is gain.” What does Paul mean when he says: “to live
is Christ”? How do you live Christ? He’s talking about his union with Christ.

According to Wayne Grudem union with Christ is “the
fact that we are in Christ, Christ is in us, we are like Christ, and we are
with Christ.”
[40]
In other words, union with Christ is our nearness to God through Christ. We are
united to God in Christ. He is with you, before you, behind you, above you, below
you, and inside you. Everything that happens in your life is God working good
for you by bringing you nearer and nearer to him. No matter what is happening
in your life, God is working it out for your good and his glory.

And we know that for those who love God all things work
together for good, for those who are called according to his
purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he
also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. —Romans
8:28-29

Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear
him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who
seek the Lord lack no good thing. —Psalm
34:9-10

 

I’ll say it again: the only thing that matters in
life and in death is Jesus Christ. Someone once said, “Only one life, ‘twill
soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” True statement. The only
life worth living is the Christ-centered life. This was Paul’s creed. That
creed was expressed to the church in ancient Philippi, located in the country
of Turkey today. He said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21).
This should be our purpose statement. It’s our doctrinal statement. It’s our
creed. It’s our purpose. How can I live a meaningful life for Christ? Paul
gives four pillars in the passage.

Philippians 1:18b-26 Yes, and I
will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your
prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this
will turn out for my deliverance,20 as it is my eager
expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that
with full courage now as always Christ will be honored
in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to
me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am
to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I
shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between
the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for
that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more
necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I
know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in
the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause
to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

The
Christ Life is the Joyful Life (1:18-19)

A
Choice to Rejoice

Philippians 1:18b Yes, and I will rejoice.

Despite what is happening in life, I have cause for
rejoicing. Despite of my circumstances. Despite my failures and pride, I can
rejoice. Make the choice to rejoice. Paul was under house arrest in Rome, and
he could have chosen worry, anger, and a whole slew of toxic emotions. He chose
to rejoice. We need to choose to rejoice in every circumstance. Paul elaborates
further in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say,
Rejoice.” There are many reasons to rejoice, but Paul’s main reason is that he
is eternally connected to Christ, and so are you if you have entrusted your
life to him. “For me to live is Christ.” Therefore, rejoice. Everything that
happens in your life is a sovereign act of God designed to draw you nearer to
him. And it ends in a fully realized union with Christ: “For me to live is
Christ and to die is gain.”

Tw0
Reasons to Rejoice

Paul could choose to rejoice because God was going
to work everything out for his salvation and deliverance into the arms of
Jesus. There is coming a day when we will all hear, “Well done, good and
faithful servant.” We will hear that because of the work God began in us and
promises to complete when Jesus returns in glory (1:6). There are many ways
that God is doing this good work in us, so there are many ways in which we all
ought to daily rejoice. Can I show you several things you should rejoice in
right now?

There are two things that Paul says will “turn out”
for his “deliverance” so that he will not be ashamed when Christ comes: help
through
prayer and help through the Holy Spirit. God is working on our
behalf through both human and divine means.

Rejoice
in the Prayers of the Saints

Philippians 1:18b-19 Yes, and I
will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your
prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this
will turn out for my deliverance.

God promises to sustain you through the prayers of
the saints. That’s what he promised Paul and that’s what he promises you. We
all have a responsibility to pray for one another. The prophet Samuel once
said, “God forbid that I should sin in ceasing to pray for you” (1 Sam 12:23).
There are many kinds of prayer but praying for the saints is called
intercession. We are called to listen to the prompts of the Spirit to pray for
one another. Pray for one another. God is working your final deliverance
through the prayers of the saints. Rejoice that God’s people are praying for
you. So much of the prayers that take place for you are anonymous. You don’t
even realize all the prayers that are going up for you. Rejoice! Prayer changes
things. Prayer is working on your behalf. The fountain of all prayer is the
ministry of intercession going on right now by our Lord Jesus. And his prayers
are moving in all of us who know the Lord. His prayers move in us to pray for
one another. Listen to the voice of the Spirit in you to pray for the saints
around you.

We have in our local church in northwest Chicago an
example of miracle working prayer. A man named Mike Moffat, around 30 years
old, father of two, was given two weeks to live. He needed heart surgery, a
kidney transplant and a liver transplant. Within a day or two of a time of
prayer and fasting for him he got word that he would have surgery on his heart.
By the end of the week he suddenly had a liver and a kidney doner. I gave him
the new nickname: Lazarus. . received the prayers of the saints. God heard our
prayers and has sustained our brother.

I want you to understand that God uses our prayers.
You may say, if God is sovereign why do I need to pray? Because in God’s sovereignty
he has chosen to use secondary means. He has chosen to accomplish his will
through the requests of the saints. Therefore, if you do not pray, God will
accomplish his will another way. We do not serve a God of fatalism. You need to
understand that. God uses secondary means, like the things you do, in order to
accomplish his will. This does make him less sovereign; it demonstrates how
gracious and kind God is to use broken people like us. But there is another
reason to rejoice. Not only in the prayers of the saints, but also in the help
of the Holy Spirit.

Rejoice
in the Help of the Holy Spirit

Philippians 1:18b-19 Yes, and I
will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your
prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this
will turn out for my deliverance.

God promises to sustain you through as well through
the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. What a precious title for the Holy
Spirit. This was Paul’s help, and this is your help. God’s grace is sufficient
for you, and that sufficiency manifests in your life through the ministry of
the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works in you both conviction and comfort. God
is working on our behalf through both human and divine means. The divine means
is the Holy Spirit.

Dear saint, you have been sealed with the Holy
Spirit (Eph 1:14). The Spirit in you is God’s mark of ownership. He’s not
abandoned you. He is the Helper. He is your Comforter. He is here to help you
grow in Jesus. He is continually giving you either comfort in righteousness
or conviction of sin. Respond to him continually. That’s your help. He’s
always helping you – never condemning you. There is no condemnation (Rom 8:1),
but you need to respond to his ministry in you. Rejoice child of God. Through every
circumstance and everything that occurs in your life is God the Holy Spirit is communicating
with you. Yield to his ministry. What is he doing, but making you conformed to
the image of Jesus? The blood of Christ has accomplished it, and the power of
the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is working in you. Receive the help
of the Spirit of Christ. Rejoice in his help! You are not alone. You are never
alone!

Rejoice
in Your Final Deliverance

Paul says because of the prayers of the saints and
the help of the Holy Spirit, “this will turn out for my deliverance” (1:19b).

Philippians 1:19 This will turn out for my
deliverance,

The Christ-centered life is built on joy. Paul
says, “Yes, and I will rejoice” (1:18b). I’ll rejoice because no matter what
happens, I will finally one day be delivered. I will cross over the River
Jordan to the Land of Canaan where I will live with my Lord Jesus Christ. It’s
a long journey on this side of the Promised Land, but I’ll get there.

The journey of this life in the flesh is long and
tedious, but I have a promise that God’s working in me for my deliverance
through the saints’ prayers and through the help of the Holy Spirit. I am not
alone. I am never alone. God is with me. The saints are praying for me at all
times. Jesus is making this happen in heaven through his ministry of
intercession.

The
Christ life is the Purposeful Life (1:20-21)

A
Clarifying Purpose

So many people struggle with direction for their
life. How do they know what is wise, what is God’s will? Paul didn’t have that
problem. Knowing and loving Christ gave deep clarity to the purpose for his
life. Paul says in 1:21, “For me to live is Christ…” That is a purpose in life
that brings clarity.

Philippians 1:20-21 As it is
my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all
ashamed, but that with full courage now as
always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by
death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is
gain. 

Paul begins by saying he wants to live his life in
such a way that he will not be ashamed at the Lord’s return. That’s his “eager
expectation and hope.” The language of hope here is a settled conviction. Hope
in the Greek mind is not wishful thinking, but a settled and sure expectation. Everything
he did in life was with the end in view. Paul walked in the presence of the
living Christ with an expectation that Christ could return at any moment. It
was his enthusiastic expectation.

When I was a child, I always enthusiastically
awaited the first snow of winter in Chicago. I never knew when it was coming,
but there was never a doubt that it would indeed come. That hope, was not
wishful thinking, but a settled hope that it would definitely come. Only the
timing was uncertain. It had snowed every winter from the beginning of my life.
It never disappointed. Those first flakes of the winter season are always large
and bring wonderment to the soul. So it is with the child of God, we eagerly
await the coming of our King Jesus. It’s not a questionable expectation—not if,
but when! And it is far more certain even than the winter snow in Chicago.

Paul hope painted everything else with the color of
the second coming. His language of expectation is one that has the second
coming always in the mind of Paul. This has the idea of “watching something
with the head turned away from other objects.” Paul’s attention is wholly
occupied with one thing, to the exclusion of others.[41] Paul has one single
passion: to live a life that honors Jesus Christ.

A Magnifying
Purpose

Paul says, I’m going to “honor Christ in my body,
whether by life or by death.” Some translate the word “honor” as “magnify.”
That’s a helpful illustration. Sometimes we tend to magnify lesser things in
our lives, and we find ourselves entrenched in anxiety, frustration, and even
despair. Not Paul. His purpose magnified Christ to the point where he had an
enthusiastic and eager expectation and hope. His purpose brought an
exhilaration to his life. Whatever difficulty in life or even events that
brought him to the point of death, Paul could always say: God is bigger.
Honoring Christ was the express motive of his life. Christ’s sovereign power
and guidance of his life brought him great hope.

Christ is already all in all. He is everything. But
so many people are blind to his majesty. It is the Christian’s duty to open
their eyes and magnify Christ to them. With Paul, we must magnify him to the
world. “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” As magnificent as Christ
is, in reality he is diminished in the hearts and minds of the world. They
don’t see reality. So daily, I’m going to open up reality to the hearts and
minds of the lost by magnifying Christ. In every little thing, I’m going to
demonstrate the greatness and glory of Christ in my life.

An All-Consuming Purpose

Christ is worthy of magnifying with our whole heart
and life. Therefore, we sign on with Paul’s creed in 1:21, “For me to live is
Christ and to die is gain…” Everything I do is Christ in me and Christ for me.
Why do I hunger so much for holiness? For me to live is Christ. Why do I care
about advancing the gospel? For me to live is Christ. Why do I constantly yield
my life to Christ to do what he wants? For me to live is Christ! Everything I
do is for Christ. Everything he brings in my life is for the magnification of
Christ. Hallelujah.

Paul says, “For me to live is Christ and to die is
gain…” When I die, I meet Christ. When I die, I have no more sin or sorrow.
When I meet Christ, I can cast my crowns before him. The world cannot take what
is most precious to the Christian. You can take my life, but then: “to die is
gain.” To die is to gain all of heaven, all of Christ. That’s what heaven is.
It is gain. Not because of the streets of gold or the river of life or the
cities with music that is beyond anything I’ve ever heard. It’s not heave
because of the marriage supper or the trees with 12 different kinds of fruits.
Heaven is heaven because of Christ. I want to be in heaven because he is there!
He is my “exceeding great reward” (Gen 15:1). For the saint, death is never to
be feared. Death is an entrance into perfect life without sin. Death is gain
since sin’s penalty is removed, sin’s power is defeated, and sin’s presence is
banished.

The
Christ Life is the Longing Life (1:22-24)

Philippians 1:22-24 If I am to live in
the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose
I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two.
My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far
better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on
your account. 

Paul is learning contentment, to continue to live
in this body of flesh, on this rebellious sinful earth, but he is determined to
live out God’s purposes. We will live here one day on a renewed earth, but
right now we are waiting for Christ to wipe out all sin from the world at his
second coming. As a Christian, your ultimate citizenship is not in this earth.
You are just passing through. You are a citizen of heaven. In Philippians 3:20-21,
Paul says, “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will
transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the
power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” This world
is not our home. We long to be with Christ. We don’t look for full satisfaction
in this life. We can only enjoy the good gifts God gives us in this life in
relation to our faith in Christ. We fear God and we enjoy his good gifts. But
this is not our long-term home.

We
Long
for Spiritual Fruit

In God’s perfect plan, we are here on this earth
only temporarily. The main reason we remain here on earth is for what Paul
describes as “fruitful labor.”

Philippians 1:22 If I am to live in the flesh, that
means fruitful labor for me.

If I’m going to be camping out here on earth, then
I need to see spiritual growth in my life. Christ has delayed his coming
because he wants us to bear spiritual fruit. That’s a massive part of the
Christ-centered life. The Christian is not comfortable in this present
rebellious world. The popular culture resists glory of Jesus Christ. We are
called to work hard and give all our effort and labor to bear fruit from the lives
who will be raised from death to life.

We Long to be Present with Christ

If I’m going to be camping out here on earth, then
I need to see spiritual growth in me and in you and all around. That’s a
massive part of the Christ-centered life.

Philippians 1:23 I desire to depart and be with
Christ, which is far better.

Wouldn’t you agree? It’s so much better to be
without sin, without sickness, and all the effects of sin and rebellion. It’s
so much better to depart and be with Christ. I love the word “depart.” It means
to be “unloosed” from your burdens (analuó = I unloose for
departure). This word was used by three different people groups in antiquity.
It was used when
sailors would unloose the moorings from the dock when they
were ready to sail from one port to the next. It was used of
soldiers when they would depart from one campsite to
another. We are just camping out in this life. A camping tent is a good
description of our physical body. We are so preoccupied with our tents. Like
our bodies, a tent gets old. It wears out (2 Cor 5:1). And then it was used of
farmers when the yoke was lifted from the work animal at
the end of the day. The animal was unloosed from the harness. Jesus used this
analogy to encourage us to allow Him to rule our lives (
cf Mt 11:29). When our yoke is removed, we get to enter the kingdom of
heaven (cf Mt 25:21, 23). Dear child of God, to be loosed from the burdens of
this life is far better than remaining here. We all long to depart to be with
Christ, though it is necessary to remain here on earth for the evangelization
of sinners and the sanctification of the saints.

Death Will Be an Encounter

Our departure to be with Christ will be an
encounter. It is not the departure that makes the death of a believer sweet; it
is the arrival! Heaven is not about what’s there; it’s about who’s there. Of
course, there will be family and friends, but the main attraction is our
intimate, face-to-face encounter with Jesus. Heaven’s main attraction is God,
not stuff (
cf Jn 14:3; 2 Cor 5:8; 1 Thess 4:17). The stuff is
just the wrapping paper. God is the gift!

Death
Will Be Much Better

Meeting Christ in death will be so much greater
than anything in this life. Paul says in 1 Cor 13:12, “we see in a mirror
dimly, but then face to face….” Right now, life has so many heartbreaks and
difficulties. It’s like trying to see through a broken mirror. But one day we
will see Christ face to face. Paul saw heaven for a moment, and it was too much
for him to even explain (
cf 2 Cor 12:1-4). Truly, “eye has not seen nor ear
heard” the glories of heaven. As Paul says, departure from this earth is far
better for all of us.

We Long to Camp Out

I love the language here. To remain means to “camp
out” a little longer. The longing is not for camping out, but for greater fruit
for the Philippians account. Paul says we are just “camping out” on this old
earth awaiting the new creation. Paul says: it’s necessary to camp out a little
longer.

Philippians 1:24 But to remain in the flesh is
more necessary on your account.

Remember Paul is a tentmaker. The word “remain” is
from his tentmaking vocabulary. It literally means to “camp out.” This life is
a temporary campout. I don’t mind sleeping on the ground for a night or two,
but I’m always ready to sleep in my own bed. I don’t mind the rustic
facilities, but I’m so glad for the comfort of my own home. I like camping. But
I like it for about a day or two. Maybe a week if we are hunting. But then, I
need to get back home. Some of you ladies, your idea of a good camping trip is
roughing it at a hotel or motel for a weekend. No matter who you are, camping
is only good for a short amount of time, but then you are ready to go home.

Paul was good with camping out because he saw it as
necessary for the growth and sanctification of the Philippians. Right now we
are just camping out, but soon we will be home. We long for home, but for now
it is necessary that we be on earth, camping out for a little while longer so
that we can grow and change into the image of Christ. We need to grow in our
relationship with the Lord and fulfill God’s kingdom purposes of evangelism and
discipleship. He would have his heaven full.

Remember, we are to live a life that is
incarnational for sinners, just like our Savior did. Jesus “camped out’ on this
earth for a short time in order to rescue sinners. We are carrying on Jesus’
rescue mission. We are the ones to run into the burning buildings of people’s
lives. That’s why we remain camping out.

The
Christ Life is the Growing Life (1:25-26)

Growth in Joy

Philippians 1:24-25 But to remain in the
flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of
this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for
your progress and joy in the faith.

The reason for Paul to stay “camping out” on
earth is for the Philippians growth and progress in joy in the faith. Paul is
“convinced” that remaining on earth will result in the sanctification of the
saints. We should all be enthusiastically expectant of this.

It’s easy for us to be discouraged with so many
circumstances of life, but Paul will not allow himself to go there. He is
focused on the Philippians’ growth in joy. Paul is convinced that it is better
for the overall plan of God to be “all there” while he’s on earth. He’s not a bystander
but is engaged in the Christian life with “fullness of joy” (Psa 16:11).

Joy is one powerful aspect of the fruit of the
Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Indeed, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and
drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).
Joy is a major experience in the Christian’s life. That doesn’t mean we don’t
lament (the Psalms help us to weep over the brokenness of this life). Jesus said,
“Blessed” or “happy” are “those who mourn” (Mt 5:3). The point is the
Christian’s joy does not come from the circumstances of this life, but the
beauty of Christ, which never changes. Peter tells us that though you don’t see
Christ right now, “you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is
inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Pet 1:8). The Christian breathes the
air and atmosphere of glorified joy. We are “seated in the heavenly realm”
ruling and reigning with Christ (Eph 1:3).

Growth in Glory

Philippians 1:26 So that in me you may have
ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you
again.

Paul wants to remain in the flesh in order to
magnify Jesus in the saints. When they saw Paul they could only give glory to
God. Here was this self-righteous sinner, now humbled. Glory is all about what
Jesus has done. He’s done it all! Living for the glory of Christ is the only
life worth living.

One of my dearest friends is Ahmed Joktan. He is
the son of the Meccan mufti in Saudi Arabia (like a cardinal or archbishop in
Islam). He is cousins with five of the jihadist 9/11 hijackers. God saved him,
and every time we see each other, I have “ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus”
when I see how God can save anyone. Let us glory in Christ for the work of
salvation and sanctification that he is doing in each one of us. He will
complete that work (1:6).

Conclusion

During the civil war, there were so many
millionaires in the south. They all had confederate money. When the North won,
all those millionaires became bankrupt. That’s how people are without Christ.
They think they have so much, whether it be money, reputation, security,
popularity in this life. But there’s coming a day when we die. For me to live
is Christ and to die is gain!

Life in Christ is amazing. I wouldn’t have it any
other way. But when we depart, that’s when all we’ve done for Christ will come
to be so valuable. And those who do not have Christ will all be bankrupt. For
those in Christ, in life, we are rich, and in death we are rich in the Lord.
For the lost, you finish and lose everything.

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

6 | Philippians
1:27


Walk Worthy
of the Gospel

 

 

 

Only let your manner of life be worthy of
the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may
hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one
mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

Philippians 1:27

W

 

hen I was a child we moved to Louisiana, and I had
to walk according to a different culture. To be accepted and appreciated, I had
to learn that new culture. I had to learn how to say ya’ll. I had to learn how
to eat crawfish. I had to learn how to swim with water moccasins and
alligators. I learned a new culture. I walked according to the atmosphere of
that culture. In a sense I had a new culture and citizenship in Louisiana. I
was now south of the Mason Dixon line. In Philippians 1:27, we are taught that
we have a new culture and a new citizenship. We are growing each day more and
more, learning to walk worthy of that citizenship in the New Jerusalem.

Paul lays the foundation
in Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21). What
an amazing life philosophy! Paul now begins to tell us how to live a
Christ-centered life, a humble life, worthy of the gospel from 1:27 through
chapter 2 and verse 18. Paul has told us: to live is Christ, and now he tells
us how to live the Christ exalting life. This passage is both a threshold and a
launching pad. You pass the threshold into a building, a new place. You enter
in. We need to enter into the Christ exalting life. Paul is commanding us to
enter in. But then it is a launching pad. He takes us to new places with
Christ.

Philippians 1:27-30 Only let your
manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I
come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing
firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith
of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your
opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of
your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been
granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him
but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the
same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

We are presented with two
things here: you have to choose daily to walk worthy, and second that worthy
life brings conflict and difficult consequences that might frighten you. We are
called to choose to walk worthy no matter what the difficulties.

The Exhortation to Walk Worthy (1:27a)

An Important Exhortation

Paul begins with a plea.
It’s hard to see in our English translation with the word “only,” but Paul is
saying: what I’m about to tell you is the most important think you need to
remember as you live the Christian life.

Philippians 1:27a Only let
your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Sometimes we use the word only to simply introduce a new thought.
There are other times when we use the word only
as a way to describe singularity: like only child. Here Paul is using this word
to underscore the weight of supreme importance. It is sometimes translated,
“above all else” (NLT, CEV). This is something that should singularly describe
a Christian’s life: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of
Christ…” (1:27; cf Gal 2:10, 5:13). ‘This one thing and this only.” Nothing
else must distract or excuse them from this great objective; above all, living
out the gospel must be their all-embracing occupation and focus.[42]

If you go back and look at
the previous verses in chapter 1, Paul has said not to be overly concerned
about him since his difficulties and imprisonment are not setting the back the
cause of Christ, but advancing it, working out for the furtherance of the gospel.
We learned that no matter what we are going through in life, however hard or
confusing, God will use it to advance the gospel. Christ will build his church,
and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He then gives the motto of
every Christian: “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21).

And now as a good
disciple-maker, he wants the Philippians to live this way too. He says whether
I die, or whether I live, let this one thing be your concern. He says: this is
of supreme importance. Above all, more important than anything else you do:
“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” (1:27). Walk
worthy saint of God. Christ is worthy. Exalt him in your life. Exalt him in how
you live.

You may remember when you
came of age, 12 or 13 years old, and mom and dad said, “Whatever you do, don’t answer the door for strangers.” Or, “Whatever you do, you need to be in bed
by 9pm.” This is of supreme importance. Above all, this is important. That’s
the sense Paul introduces this section. Above all, walk worthy of Christ. Exalt
Christ in your life. He’s going to tell us how to do that from here through
chapter 2:18.

A
New Mindset

Paul says: “Only let your manner of life
be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” (1:27).
The word, “let your
manner of life be” (π
ολιτεύεσθε)[43]
is one word in Greek. We get our word “politic” from this word. It means to
live out as a citizen. And here it’s a present imperative, a continual command.
Above all else, what you should be constantly doing is living out the gospel as
a heavenly citizen. It’s the same root word as Philippians 3:20 when Paul says,
“Our citizenship is in heaven.” Let your political mindset, how you operate, be
geared toward your heavenly home. In other words, the key to walking worthy is
adapting to a new homeland. You have a new heavenly citizenship. You need to
adapt to your new homeland. Christ is your home. Abide in him and he in you.
Christ is your culture.

A Divine Imperative

When Paul turns his
attention to the Philippians, he does not plead with them. He does not beg or
entreat them. Instead, in the full consciousness of his authority as an
apostle, the Spirit of God breathes out Scripture through Paul and commands us
to walk worthy of the gospel. He is not asking them, he is giving a command
that says: if you truly belong to Christ, then submit yourself to his way of
living.

When the letter was
brought to the Philippian church, perhaps by Epaphroditus (2:25) and this
letter was read before the congregation, they knew it was from God. It was a
divine imperative. “Only let your
manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” (1:27).
Paul
was binding their consciences to these words. We cannot live whatever way we
want. We must live a life in submission to Christ. He died and rose again. I
deserve hell, but now I belong to him.

This command is a present
imperative tense (in Greek). In other words, we are to make this our constant
goal. It’s just as the 1st question in the Westminster Catechism:
What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and love him forever. Above all
else we are to live a life that points to the glory and worthiness of Christ.
It’s not to be lived out only on Sunday, but every day.

Let me pause here and ask
you by way of application, what is your response to God commanding you to do
something? When you hear the voice of God in Scripture, what is your response?
Nothing is more effective in uncovering the state of the human heart than our
instinctive reaction to a word from God. Your reaction to God’s command reveals
your heart. What is your reflexive reaction in the presence of a word from God
that comes as a command? Few things are a more accurate indicator of the state
of your heart.

The Unrepentant Sinner

If you sit here this
morning as an unrepentant, unregenerate man or woman, boy or girl, then nothing
more quickly brings to the surface the state of your soul and your standing
with God than a command from God. Almighty God says, “This you must do!” And you
think you can ignore it. In the language of Pharaoh, you say: “Who is the Lord that I should obey him?” (Exo 5:2).
“Who is this God that wants to tell me
how to live? I’ll just ignore him. I’ll just act as if I’ve never heard God’s
voice.”
That kind of reaction to God’s voice exposes a heart of stone. The
state of the unbeliever is hardened and opposed to God. We are all born this
way: dead in sin, with a stony heart. God’s commands are not important to the
unbeliever. The unconverted person can take or leave what God says. The lost
person is not committed to a life of hearing and obeying God’s word because by
nature, he’s at war with God. “The mind-set of the flesh [the lost person’s nature] is hostile to God because it does not
submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so” (Rom 8:7, CSB).
Furthermore, the Bible tells us that every lost person on the planet knows God
but is pushing down and suppressing the truth of God’s glorious existence (Rom
1:18-20).

I wonder, what was your
instinctive reaction when I said, this is not only of crucial importance, but
to walk worthy of the gospel is a divine imperative? It’s weighty. God is
saying: I have a right to regulate and
direct your life
. What is your reaction to that? Do you groan? Do you push
against his commands? Are you at your core uncomfortable with God’s sovereign
right as King to direct you? If so, face what you are: a rebel against a God of
love. An enemy of God. And in that condition, under the wrath of Almighty God,
unless you repent and believe the gospel. When we become children of God, the
state of our heart is changed to one of love and joyful obedience. Where is
your heart. God’s divine imperatives are lovingly embraced by his children. He
has revealed his infinite love is such a way, that we are compelled by joy to
follow whatever he says to do.

The Self-Righteous Sinner

When the self-righteous
sinner hears God’s commands, he might delight to hear it and add it to his list
of things to do. He might look at others like the Pharisee and say, “I thank
you that I’m not like that sinner over there. I know and try to follow God’s
commands.” When the self-righteous person hears God’s command, he looks at it
as another rung in his self-made ladder to heaven. Every precept or rule is
another step of his ladder in which he himself can climb into heaven. He is
utterly self-deceived, thinking his own performance is the basis of a right
standing with God. When such a person hears a divine imperative, many times he
has a reaction that seems to be very positive. “Wonderful, now I know something
else that will make me right with God.”

We all have this
self-righteousness in us, and it blinds us. Self-righteousness is like eating
from a nice plate but never cleaning it. You pile on good food to a plate
crusted with dry and decaying food that you never washed off. So you have good
food that is mixed with the hardness and crustiness of a dead and decaying
heart of pride. The heart is hard and cannot receive God’s commands in the way
they were intended. The humble saint knows we can never come into God’s
presence in the filthy rags of our own righteousness.

The Humble Saint

When the Christian hears
the divine imperative, he or she melts. We have the presence of God indwelling
us. The Spirit speaks and convicts when the word is preached or read or
listened to. The humble saint hears the command to “walk worthy of the gospel”
and treats sin as deadly. It is our sin that put Jesus on the Cross. The humble
saint takes sin seriously. Treat it
as the thing that it is. All sin receives the wrath of God. We take God
seriously when he says he hates something. He hates sin. Sin destroys.

Imagine that in front of
your house were a four-lane highway. Imagine that for a year, the highway was
uninhabited. It was safe to play on. Your kids play on it. Neighborhood kids
are all over the highway. No problem, right? But then one day a sign goes up.
On such a date traffic will commence. That day comes and your children are no
longer safe on the highway. You would do whatever it takes to keep a dear child
from losing their life right? How much more important is your soul and their
soul? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to walk in a way that is worthy
and that will not soil the glorious reflection of Christ in your life?

A Glorious Gospel

We are called to walk
worthy of the gospel, the good news that we need a Savior, and God has sent us
the Savior we need. he says, “I am the way.” He’s not a way or a good way, he’s
not the best way, but the only way! He’s the way, the truth and the life, and
no one comes to the Father except through him. Walking worthy of the gospel
means believing the gospel. The good news begins with bad news: you are a
helpless unworthy sinner. You need a Savior.

 

Walk worthy. That’s what
Paul says. Receive it. What an honor. What a privilege. Christ is worthy.
Revelation 5:12, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches
and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” He’s worthy of your
life. He’s worthy of your total commitment. He’s worthy of your serious and
radical sacrifice. He’s worthy of your time and your life. He’s worthy of every
second of every day. He’s worthy of your love. He’s worthy of your strength.
Give him your life. If you are young, he’s worthy – serve him your whole life.
Start young. If you are old, it’s not too late! It’s never too late! He’s
worthy.

Ways to Walk Worthy (1:27b)

Paul is a clear-headed
preacher and a wise pastor. He doesn’t just present the principle that Christ
is worthy of your life. He actually tells us in what ways Christ is worthy. He
doesn’t just tell us to walk worthy. He tells us how. He gives at least three
ways we are to walk worthy.

Philippians 1:27 Only let your manner of
life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of
you that you are standing firm
in one spirit, with one
mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

Walk in Consistent Obedience

The first way Paul
intimates that we walk worthy is consistent obedience. Paul begins by saying:
“whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are
standing firm…” (1:27b). If you are aiming for a life worthy of the gospel, the
apostle points to a life of obedience. There is a pattern of life that does not
depend on human accountability. The fact that Christ is King and omnipresent
and indwelling us through the Spirit, is enough to motivate the Christian to a
consistent pattern of obedience. What is that pattern? It involves first: a consistent pattern of obedience
to Christ. Paul says I desire to know – whether in person or by someone else
visiting you (like Epaphroditus) who observe your pattern of life—I want to
know that you are standing firm in consistent obedience. Live out the love of
Christ. Live out your devotion to Christ. He is worthy.

A Cosmic Consistency

Paul exhorted the
Philippians in a way which would have appealed to them. What he said,
literally, was: “Exercise your citizenship worthily for the gospel of Christ.”
Our consistency comes from a cosmic focus: we are citizens of a heavenly
kingdom. We can be so focused on meaningless things, but we need to lift our
heads up to the heavens.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things
that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set
your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

—Colossians 3:1-2

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient
doors, that the King of glory may come in. —Psalm
24:7

Lift up your head to the
New Jerusalem, child of God. That’s where your citizenship is. This way of
speaking would have been easily understood by the Philippians. Philippi was a
Roman ‘colony’, a title seen as one of the coveted prizes of the Roman empire.
‘Colonial’ status meant that the people of Philippi were reckoned as Roman
citizens. Their names were on the rolls at Rome; their legal position and
privileges were those of Rome itself. They were a homeland in miniature. But
all this is also true of them spiritually as men and women in Christ. Grace has
made them citizens of a heavenly city; in their far-off land they are an
outpost of the heavenly homeland, the New Jerusalem; heaven’s laws are their
laws, and their privileges, its privileges. The life worthy of the gospel where the exalted Christ, the exalted Lamb who
was slain, forms the focal point of all life.[44]

A Growing Consistency

Paul says whether I am
present or absent, I want to have a report that you are living a consistent
life, worthy of the gospel you claim to believe. What does this mean? It means
that as the people of Philippi faced their trials and temptations, and as we
and face our trials and tests, and frustrations and fits and frames of mind, we
would consistently be choosing to obey this command to live a life worthy of
the gospel. Paul’s hope was though all the trials and tests come, it would be
reported to him that the Philippians are living lives worthy of the gospel.

Where is our hope? In
ourselves? No! Our emotions and circumstances are sometimes like a roller
coaster. We change. But there are changeless things in this universe you can
anchor your soul to. Is the hope of the gospel changeless? Yes! Is Jesus
Christ’s position as King of kings changeless? Indeed! Anchor yourself to that.
God’s promise to give you sufficient grace to live a consistent Christian life
is changeless as well. There is a consistency in the believer’s growth. It’s
not the same rate for everyone. It’s not perfection. It’s not that there are no
ups and downs. There are dry periods and times when our growth is arrested and
stunted. But the overall pattern of gospel living is clear: Paul says:
“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of
Christ,” that is, “Let it be consistently
worthy (1:27), that whether I drop in to see you or Epaphroditus travels to
Rome to give me a report in this rented house where I am imprisoned, that I may
hear of your consistent obedience. That is what will gladden my heart. Amidst
all the changes in society, changes in your circumstances, all of the ups and
downs in your emotional state, and all the changes that life constantly brings
– among all that, I want to hear above all else, that you are a consistent
people.” We are far from where we ought to be, but we are also so far from
where we once were. We were dead in sin, now we live. We were blind, now we
see. John Newton, author of Amazing Grace, said it this way:

I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am
not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once was, and
by the grace of God I am what I am.

Are you consistently
growing in your character? Are you more humble when you are right? Is it your
attitude in an argument with your spouse or close friend that you are like the
one who is wrong? When you are accused of some fault, do you say, “I’m the
problem. It’s me O Lord.” Spurgeon said, “If anyone thinks ill of you, do not
be angry with him; … If you have your moral portrait painted, and it is ugly,
be satisfied; for it only needs a few darker touches, and it would be still
nearer the truth.” When you are accused, realize you are much more sinful in
God’s sight than in man’s sight. Are you growing in your reliance of the grace
of God in trials? Are you growing in self-denial and seeing consistent victory
in Christ? The pattern of your growth and obedience is to be consistent.

A Militant Consistency

How desperately this world
needs to see Christians who are consistently reflecting Christ. Are you
committed? Are you all in? We are to “endure hardness as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ” (2 Tim 2:3). A soldier can’t be allured by civilian life. “No
soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one
who enlisted him” (2 Tim 2:4). Or are you controlled by something other than
the lordship of Christ? We live in the generation of feelings. Everyone is led
by the rudder of their emotions. The mark of our culture is hedonism and
narcissism and serving self. And you cannot allow this world’s culture to put
its imprint on you. If you let self dictate whether or not you serve God, then
the mark of your life will be inconsistency. What about you? Are you
predictable? Do people see a godliness in you that is consistent? Father,
mother, do your children see in you a consistent humility? Are you consistent
in the right ways? Is there a growing kindness? Is there an increasing love for
the all the brothers and sisters, not just the one’s that are easy to get along
with? Is there a consistency in your service for Christ? Are you helping in one
area of the church, and you are comfortable, but are you ready to grow in
another area of ministry? You need to be willing to stretch and grow in your
service.

A Persevering Consistency

As a Christian, when you
feel like giving in the towel and quitting, it is the Spirit who comes and
brings a militaristic resolve never to quit. He comforts us. He puts a divine
and holy ambition to persevere no matter how hard it gets. Consistency is the
mark of grace in our lives. By God’s grace we can “stand firm” in the hope of
the gospel. No matter what comes, we can say with Job, “Though he slay me, yet
will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). We “press on toward the goal” of knowing
Christ (Phil 3:12-13). “Having put my hand to the plow, I will not turn back.”
That’s Paul’s great passion and concern for the Philippians. It’s the burden of
these pastors and elders. We long for your consistent character in the gospel.

We avail ourselves of the
means of grace, not because our flesh feels like it, but because we must. The
very happiness of our soul depends on it. But our flesh, the sinful, selfish
part of us, constantly fights against our best motives. The spirit is willing
but the flesh is weak. So we go to pray, because God told us, “Men ought always
to pray and not to lose heart” (Lk 18:1). So we pray whether we feel like it or
not. And soon we do feel like it. Soon we are delighted in prayer. We meet with
the congregation for fellowship and preaching not because we feel like it. God
commands us not to neglect meeting together for worship, but to do so more and
more as we see the Day of Christ approaching. We fellowship and worship not
because we feel like it, but because God commands it. And once we are here, we
are so glad we are so glad we’ve come. We don’t always feel like doing what we
ought to do. The flesh is weak. But once we do obey we are so glad we did. The
joy of the Lord is our strength. We meet him in the midst of obeying him. We
don’t wait for a certain feeling to obey God. We obey. We are to walk worthy,
and the first way Paul says we can do that is consistency. He wants to see
Christians standing firm in the gospel.

But now we come to the
second mark of the worthy walk: fearing God. This is the heart of the passage.
The pattern of obedience is not only to be consistent, but it is to be carried
on in the fear of God. The external mark is consistent growth and obedience,
but the inward engine is a heart fears God and melts before his presence.

Walk in the Fear of God

Paul says: it’s not about
human accountability that makes us walk worthy. Whether we have human
accountability or not, we walk worthy of the gospel. We have a far deeper
motive for walking worthy of the gospel: We fear God. We are aware of the
presence of God. It’s not about Paul’s apostolic presence that motivates the
Philippian believers. It’s the fear of God.

Philippians 1:27 Only let your manner of
life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and
see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one
spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the
gospel.

Paul was aware of the
danger that his presence as a man of God might greatly influence the measure of
the Philippians’ obedience to the revealed will of God. Whether Paul was there
or not, he wanted to see them “standing firm” and “striving side by side”
because of the fear of God. He comes back to this theme in verse 12 of the next
chapter:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed [consistency], so now, not only as in my
presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to
will and to work for his good pleasure.

—Philippians 2:12-13

You see what he is saying?
Your walking worthy of Christ is not mainly due to human accountability. It’s a
much deeper motive: You are aware of the God who is working in you! You are so
aware of this you tremble and fear.

Adam in the Garden

It’s not our human
accountability that transforms us, it is the living God. If our striving for a
life worthy of the gospel is material altered by our spiritual guides, we have
yet to walk in the fear of God. You cannot walk worthy of the gospel without an
acute sense of the presence of God. There is a fullness in God that is
forfeited by sin. We saw this in the life of the first man. When he sinned, and
paradise was lost, the most important thing that was lost was Adam’s communion
with God. He was out of delightful submission to the will of God.

When Jesus died and said, Tetelestai, “It is finished,” God ripped
the veil from top to bottom and opened paradise again. We can worship him now
within the veil. We are interdependent in the Body of Christ, but human
accountability is not what is most important. We need to have the powerful and
glorious presence. At times we seem to lose the fear of God. When I come from
my devotions and come to breakfast, and my wife burns my pancakes, and I make
some snide comment, I have left the presence of God behind. If I go to work,
and I start hating my job or my boss or a co-worker, and I’m filled with
annoyance with someone created in the image of God, I’ve stopped fearing God. Remember
the words of Solomon in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Joseph in
the Old Testament

Joseph in the Old Testament knew the fear of God. When he was
tempted by Potiphar’s wife, and she daily tempted him and said, “Lie with me”
what was his response. Here is a man living in the fear of God. Listen to him:
“How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9). The
fear of God is an expression that describes an experience of the awe and
majesty of the living God. We can know concepts, but God wants us to know him
personally.

Walk in
Unity

The next thing we see
flows from the first. Unity comes from the fear of God because God’s fear
promotes a deep and profound humility in our hearts. “The sacrifices of God are
a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psa
51:17). Unity always comes from humility. Paul’s goal is for them to walk
together, standing firm in the gospel and serving together side by side in the gospel.

Philippians 1:27 Only let your manner of
life be worthy of the gospel of Christ… with one mind striving
side by side for the faith of the gospel.

Unity Flows from the Holy Spirit’s Work

We already have this
unity, but we need to guard it. It was given to us as a gift from the Holy
Spirit when we were born again (Eph 4:1-3). Proud people don’t serve together.
Proud people fight. Humble people have the humility to serve together with “one
mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.” Disciples of Jesus do
life together. We are no possessive of any ministry. We are glad to serve
wherever needed. This humble attitude comes from a fresh vision of his holy
presence. Ask him to humble you. It’s what we need. You are either humble as a
child of God or you will be humbled. “God resists the proud but gives grace to
the humble” (Jas 4:4).

Unity Flows from Hard Work

“Standing firm” is military
language. Paul wants to hear that they are “standing firm in one spirit.” There
is a place in our lives where we do not bend. We are standing firm in the gospel.
To walk worthy of the gospel goes against this world. There is so much coming
against us.

Philippi is a Roman
colony. That’s a high privilege. They value the citizenship privileges given in
that status. Philippi was also a military town, heavily populated both by
active-duty troops and by retirees from service in the Roman legions. Some of
the church’s Philippi’s members would have been active and retired soldiers and
would associate vivid combat memories with Paul’s words. If the military works
hard at keeping in unison. Putting their shields together. Following commands
of the general, so we as Christians should stand firm in one spirit, the Holy
Spirit. We should follow his commands in the word and in through his voice in
our conscience.

Steadfastness is an
Olympic term. Then Paul says we are to work hard at unity as an athletic team
does. “…with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.” The
word “striving” is derived from a root that sometimes refers to athletic
competition. Not far south of Philippi is Achaia. Before the Olympics came to
Athens, they began in Achaia. This was a town known for their athletic teams.
Everyone does their part, but they all work together.

“Side by side” is a
military term. Ancient Greek athletics developed out of military training for
combat, as we still see today in sports such as the javelin, the hammer, the
discus, and wrestling. Here, Paul is thinking in terms of mortal combat. The
Roman soldiers had to march “side by side” together in war. He paints the
picture of an advancing line of Roman legionnaires, their long shields forming
both a seamless wall before them and a “roof” over their heads against the
enemy’s arrows and spears. His point is: “Don’t let the opposition divide you!
Instead, let the pressures from your opponents draw you together in a deeper
and stronger unity! Paul will develop this theme more fully in 2:3 – “Do
nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant
than yourselves” (2:3). He’s going to show us how to do that in chapter 2, we
are to imitate Christ who being in the form of God humbled himself and chose
not to submit himself to becoming a man! It’s hard work to be unified! Walk
worthy “…with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.” It’s
a battle.

In a war you don’t have
time to look at your own self of lick your own wounds. You march forward
together helping each other. This is military language. You leave no one
behind! You’ll have to battle your flesh. You’ll have to battle wrong thoughts
about people. You’ll have to instruct yourself and renew your mind (Eph
4:22ff). It’s hard work to stay unified. Brothers and sisters, we are to be
advancing, side by side for the faith of the gospel.

Unity Flows from Our High Calling

We stand firm like a
soldier. We strive side by side like athletes. Why? For the faith of the gospel.
What is the gospel? It is the Good News of the substitutionary atonement. It’s
so simple a child could understand: Jesus died for my sins. That’s the gospel.
God’s wrath is satisfied. My hell is paid for. Christ died and rose again for
my justification.

What is faith? Faith is
trust. Faith is not twelve steps – it’s one step: surrender. It’s a total trust
and surrender to the fact that Christ, who is exalted God would humble himself
to die in my place for my transgressions. Now this high calling isn’t just
individual, it’s corporate. We have a responsibility for one another. I am
responsible to walk with you side by side and serve together for the faith of
the gospel. Your burdens are my burdens and my burdens are yours. Together is a
wonderful word. As we learned early, it is the Spirit of God that put us
together. Let us rejoice and serve along side one another, exalting Jesus
Christ!

Conclusion

Walk worthy saints because
Christ is worthy. He is exalted. Recognize that. He is worthy of your life and
energy and all that you are and have. Walk in consistent obedience. Walk in his
fear. And in humility let’s walk and serve together side by side for the gospel.

 





 

 

 

 

 

7 | Philippians
1:27-30


The Courage
to Suffer

 

 

 

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of
Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.

Philippians 1:29

C

 

an I ask you a question? Are you encouraged in
your walk with God? You ought to be. Yet so often we live in fear. That is not
the will of God. So often we do not walk worthy of the gospel because we are
afraid. I think of Simon Peter. In fear he denied the Lord three times. But
something transformed him. With faith he saw the risen Lord, and he became
courageous! All the apostles were transformed by faith after the resurrection,
and they became tenacious for the gospel. The love of God invaded them, and they
were transformed.

What is it that makes us
courageous? I believe the Bible answer is faith. That’s what God told Joshua.
And 365 times, God tells us “Fear not”! It’s always “fear not, and trust in
me.” Don’t lean to what you see but look to me. Get your reality from me. If
you lack courage, it’s because you lack focus. Where does courage come from?
And how do you get it when you need it, when some fear towers over you and
threatens you, and you feel like cowering and fleeing into some place to hide?
It

Let us consider what it
means to walk worthy and how exactly we attain that. I want to walk worthy of
that high call in Christ. I need courage. Christ is our mighty champion. He’s
already triumphant. How can we have the courage to walk worth? Four pillars of
courageous faith that will give you strength as you suffer for Christ: faithfulness,
forcefulness, fearlessness, and favor.

Philippians 1:27-30 Only let your
manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I
come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing
firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith
of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by
your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction,
but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it
has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe
in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged
in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still
have.

As we guard our unity in the
Spirit, there will is always intense spiritual opposition. We will indeed
suffer. Live up to your heavenly citizenship. “Live as citizens of heaven in a
way that is worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Live up to your heavenly calling.
Live up to your union with Christ. Live in the power of Christ. Be lifted up by
grace to walk according to that high calling. Yet, the moment you begin living
for Christ, opposition comes. Paul says don’t be “frightened in anything by
your opponents” (1:28a). “Don’t be intimidated by your enemies.”

Paul commands us to walk
worthy of the gospel. A literal translation would be: “Live up to your heavenly
citizenship, worthy of Christ’s gospel.” You are united with Christ. Walk
worthy of your union. You are a member of God’s family. Walk worthy. You are
adopted. Walk worthy! You are one with Christ. Walk worthy. When Christ died,
you died with Christ. All your sins are fully propitiated. The wrath of God is
satisfied for every transgression today, yesterday, forever! You are fully
forgiven by our compassionate and tender heavenly Father. When Christ was
resurrected, you were raised with him by the Spirit. Keep getting to the higher
ground of the holy life. This is a gift from God. He has given you “everything
you need” for life and godliness. When Christ ascended to the Father’s right
hand, you ascended with him. You are “seated in the heavenly places” (Eph 2:5).
Now you must set your mind on heavenly things, not on things on the earth (Col
3:1ff). When Christ comes again, you will be glorified like him. Walk worthy of
the death, resurrection, ascension, and second coming of Christ. Can we walk
worthy of these great realities even if we are suffering terribly? Yes! And we
do that first with a focus on faithfulness.

Have Courage to Suffer with Faithfulness (1:27)

Philippians 1:27 Only let your manner of
life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and
see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one
spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the
gospel.

I’m convinced that what
the world needs is to see a Christian whose character is bold and courageous,
who is living a consistent life of holiness, whose life manifests sheer
faithfulness! Christians in America are comfortable. We have forgotten Christ’s
call for us to take up our cross and suffer. Paul says to the Philippians, you
need to be united like soldiers, “standing firm in one spirit.” We need to be
united like athletes, with “one mind striving side by side for the faith of the
gospel.” We are to be faithful to Christ in all things.

To be faithful means to be
loyal, constant, staunch, steadfast, resolute mean firm in adherence to
whatever one owes allegiance. For the Christian, this firm adherence is not
from our own power, or faith in ourselves, but we are filled with faith in
another’s power. We are filled with faith in Christ who has infinite power. The
faithful one is the faith-filled Christian!

Faithfulness is Manifested by Spirit

Notice Paul says: “Stand
firm in one spirit” (1:27c). Hold your ground in one spirit! How is that
possible? How can people with such differences, with so many different ideas to
be “in one spirit”? How can you please all the people all the time? If you’ve
ever thought of trying it, don’t do it. It’s impossible. It was Abraham Lincoln
who said, “You can please some of the people all of the time, and you can
please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the
people all of the time.” And if you can’t please all the people all the time,
how are you going to keep everybody in one spirit of unity? I’ll tell you:
there’s only one way. When one Holy Spirit is allowed to be and do what he
wants to be and do in every one of our spirits, then we will strive side by
side together. That’s what Paul is asking for. It’s my spirit abandoned to the
Holy Spirit. It’s realizing the Christian next to me is in exactly the same
place. “Stand firm in one spirit.” Faithfulness! The Spirit will bring it.

The faithfulness that
characterizes the Christian flows from my surrender to the Holy Spirit. This is
the kind of unity and faithfulness the Spirit of God produces in the heart of
the child of God.

Faithfulness Marks the New Birth

Faithfulness is a fruit
the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). The faithful, consistent life is a gift that comes
from resting in the Spirit of Christ. All believers will experience the
faithfulness that comes out of a new heart. Remember what was prophesied 2600
years ago. It was prophesied in Ezekiel that the Spirit would come and take out
our “heart of stone” and put in a “heart of flesh” in the gospel times that we
are in, and it has happened (cf Eze 36:25-27). God’s word is true. We
are seeing God’s faithfulness to his word right now. God promises to give you a
faithful heart. It’s not something you can work up. It’s a miracle of God’s
revealed word to your heart. You believe, and you are changed. He put in us a
faithful heart. He joins us to a body of believers with faithful hearts.

Faithfulness Moves Us to Victory

Paul tells us “stand
firm”! The athlete rejoices in a win. The soldier rejoices in victory. We have
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hold your ground! Be united in your
battle: fight the good fight as God’s army. “The gates of hell shall not
prevail,” so go forward no matter what and build Christ’s church. When I think
of the fruit of faithfulness that the Spirit produces, I have to remember one
of David’s three mighty men named Eleazer.

He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were
gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10
He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand
clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and
the men returned after him only to strip the slain.

—2 Samuel 23:9-10

Eleazer was with David
when they battled against the Philistines. The Bible says that the battle was
so fierce that the rest of David’s battalion withdrew, but Eleazer kept
fighting against 800 men! They had to pry that sword from Eleazer’s hand. He
lost all vision for everything else except one thing: faithfulness. He knew he
had the victory because of the Lord. What courage in his great and mighty God
he had! What a mighty man not just for David, but a mighty man of God. His
fellow soldiers came to take the spoil, but only after Eleazer cleaned the
Philistines’ house (so to speak)!

The courage to remain
faithful always comes from faith in another. You are powerless, but God is
infinite in power. Is there this faithful tenacity to move forward in your
life? What are you ceding to the enemy of your soul? What have you given up on
in your life of holiness? We are called never to give up, but to be faithful. Don’t
you know that the Lord can “restore the years that the locusts have eaten”?
Don’t you know that God can “make beauty from ashes”? You need to look in faith
to the one who makes us faithful. Jesus says, “Without me, you can do nothing”
(Jn 15:5). The prophet Zechariah said, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my
Spirit, says the Lord” (Zech 4:6). The Lord said to Paul, “My grace is
sufficient” and “when you are weak, you are really strong… my strength is made
perfect in your weakness.”

Scriptural Examples

God can take a puny David
and defeat a prideful Goliath! How? David had a great God who can defeat
giants! God can take a “has bin” named Moses and turn him into a prophet
through which the entire Egyptian army is defeated. How? Moses had a great God
who made Moses one of the most faithful man in the Old Testament. Simon Peter,
what a big mouth he had! What an unstable personality! God can take a bumbling
Simon Peter and turn him into a faithful apostle who preaches Pentecost. God
can take you wherever you are, and whatever you are going through and
make you faithful. How? Through faith in his power, God can make you strong. We
have no power without the Lord. “Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in
vain who build it” (Psa 127:1). “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Neh 8:10)
“I can do all things (context: in all situations) through Christ who
strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). I know you hear God’s voice right now, Christian.
Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me” (Jn 10:27ff). God is
talking directly to you today, and you need to stop trying to live in the power
of your own faithfulness.

Applications

So, you say, how can I lay
this foundation of courage in my life? Surrender to the power of our great God!
He is able! Surrender and rest in him! That’s where faithfulness comes from! Whatever
it is that keeps your from consistency, God’s got you. That’s where you have to
begin. God’s bigger than your flesh, the world, and the devil. “Greater is he
who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 Jn 4:4). God wants you to be
faithful in every area of your life. It’s going to take courageous faith to be
faithful. It’s not about small you, but our great God! Perhaps you’ve neglected
the greatness of God in your life. I’m calling you to step up and step out in
reliance on your great God! Step out on faith and be faithful in your quiet
time with God: in prayer, and in the word. Be faithful in pursuing your spouse
if you are married. Be faithful in your purity. Be faithful in giving God the
firstfruits of all that he gives you, in tithes and offerings. Be faithful in
your finances. Don’t cheat the IRS. Don’t cheat God either. Be faithful in
assembling together at church, small groups, home fellowships. Be faithful
brothers and sisters to walk with integrity, according to your heavenly
citizenship. What this world needs to see is Christians who are ruggedly
faithful to the Christ they say they believe in. We need to follow him
faithfully, not in our own power or pride, but in weakness and humility. “He
must increase, and I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). That’s the secret to
faithfulness.

Have Courage to Suffer with Forcefulness (1:27)

Philippians 1:27 Only let your manner of
life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and
see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one
spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the
gospel.

Forcefulness comes so easy
for some and hardly at all for others. Stand firm. Don’t move! Don’t give any
ground to the enemy! We have to be forceful and disciplined. Forcefulness is
not always looked upon well, but we must insist on being forceful, living from
a heart of conviction, and moving in the power of the Spirit.

Pictures of Forcefulness: Soldiers & Athletes

Paul says we are to be
“striving together for the faith of the gospel.” What does it mean, striving
side by side? It’s the word we get our English word, “athletics”. It has to do
with wrestling. Paul says, “I want to see all of you, like soldiers, holding
your ground with one spirit.” At the end of his life, Paul says, “I have fought
a good fight, I have run the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). Paul
tells the Philippians: I want to see you lined up like athletes: wrestling and
winning against the forces of darkness. We need to be weapons in God’s hands,
ripping people from the fires of hell. “The gates of hell will not prevail”
because Christ said, “I will build my church.”

We need to be like
athletic fighters and not give in to the philosophies and fears of this world.
There needs to be a forceful presentation of the gospel of Christ where it’s
needed most. In the Olympic games that Paul is referring to, the wrestling
event was quite different. The wrestlers lined up shoulder to shoulder and
battled against the other team. At the given signal, they went at it, one
united front against another. The only way the gospel is going to get to the
uttermost parts of the earth so that every creature hears the gospel, is when
everyone in the local church realizes we are competing on the same team. We
cannot do this alone. We must insist on unity and togetherness. Put aside all differences
among you. Cover offenses with love. Put the great looming glory and love of
God before you!

Like an athlete wrestler,
we need to deny self for the entire team. An athlete is a person who denies
self. We have to have the courage to say no to worldliness and no to personal
ambition. Our ambition must be for Christ. We must be forceful with ourselves
because of love for Christ. Jesus in order to follow him, you have to daily
attend your own funeral: If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Lk 9:23).

An athlete is a person who
trains. On Olympic teams, they are to train together. An athlete is a person
who willing to cut out unnecessary things. There’s a courage to it. There’s a
competition. There’s a drive, a forcefulness we must have. We must deny self
like an athlete. “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the
rules” (2 Tim 2:5). Paul says:

Do you not know that
in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?
So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete
exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable
wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not
run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But
I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching
to others I myself should be disqualified. —1 Corinthians
9:24-27

The Power of Forcefulness

Forcefulness is necessary
personally, but also corporately. Forcefulness can be seen as a negative thing.
Why is it necessary for Christian conduct? Because you must have a tenacity and
a forcefulness when it comes to unity. Paul says, “I want to see the same kind
of abandonment and self-denial an athlete has for the unity of the gospel!” But
it’s not merely on an individual level. “With one mind striving side by side
for the faith of the gospel” (1:27). Have the same discipline that an athlete
would have. The ancient wrestler-athlete had to be forceful when it comes to
unity. There must be a grittiness. There must be a firmness when it comes to
unity. We are going forward together. We are not leaving anyone behind. We must
fight side by side together against the enemy.

Have Courage to Suffer with Fearlessness (1:28)

Fear is a very real
experience for all people because of the fall, but God does not intend for any
of his children to be fearful, though we often are. You must not live in fear
because fear destroys unity.

Courage is a Sign for the Saved

Philippians 1:28 And not frightened in anything
by your opponents.

God never tells us to be
afraid of anything, except to fear the Lord. And that fear of God is not a
servile fear, but an awe and reverence for the greatness and goodness and
majesty of God. God calls us to an audacious faith and courage. Remember the
words of God to Joshua? “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do
not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go” (Josh 1:9). Or remember the words of Isaiah. This ought to
breed courage in us:

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called
you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm
you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame
shall not consume you. For I am
the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt
as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. —Isaiah
43:1-3

Indeed, we are told by
John the apostle that “all cowards shall have their part in the lake of fire”
(Rev 21:8). This infers that all of God’s people have the courage that is
gifted to us by the Spirit, else it would not be an evidence of the new birth.

Courage is a Sign for the Lost

Philippians 1:28b This is a clear sign to
them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 

The word Paul uses for
“clear sign” is interesting. It was used by Caesar to determine the fate of a
gladiator. At the Roman Colosseum, if a gladiator was seriously wounded or
threw down his weapon in defeat, his fate was left in the hands of Caesar. The
emperor could give him the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.” That’s what this clear
sign originates from. In other words, as Christians go forth into the world,
their fearless unity, their love for one another, is a “clear sign” – literally
a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” for the eternal destiny for all around. Paul put
it this way: when we go out into the world, “we are a living letter, known and
read by all men” (cf 1 Cor 2:15-16).

Hear what Paul is saying.
Don’t be frightened by your enemies/opponents. You are giving off an aroma that
makes some of them want to persecute you and even kill you. You are a signpost
for God to those who are lost, a warning sign that they are perishing. Some are
going to “see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Others
are going to hate you and mob you. There will be both rioting and rejoicing.
Paul was attacked by a mob at Thessalonica. He was again attacked by a mob at
Ephesus. He had to be lowered down a wall in a basket in Jerusalem because
people wanted to kill him. At the end of the day, your example of
Christlikeness is meant to warn and awaken the lost to come to Christ.

The fact that you are
being oppressed by the enemy on all sides is a sign of what’s coming. It’s a
harbinger of the future. For the lost, their hatred of Christ a sign of their
destruction, but for you persecution is a sign of your salvation. Although it
seems now that the church’s opponents have the upper hand, their current
persecution of believers, whether severe or mild, is a harbinger of a radical
reversal to come. It is actually “a clear sign” of the enemies’ own impending
destruction and of believers’ eventual rescue by God himself (1:28).

Have Courage to Suffer with Favor (1:29-30)

We can have courage to
walk worthy because the battle is won, and the winning of it does not come from
us. It clearly comes from God. “It has been granted” speaks of God’s gifts of
grace. We might say that each one of us is truly “blessed and highly favored.”
Spiritually speaking, we are embarrassed with riches.

“Has been granted” is from
charizō, which is from the same root as the noun charis (grace) and
literally means “to give, render, or grant graciously.” In his sovereign grace,
God gave believers the marvelous gift of faith to believe in him (cf Eph
2:8-9). We have everything we could ever need in Christ (2 Pet 1:3; Psa 23:1). We
are enriched. We have an unlimited spiritual arsenal to fight the enemy. We are
indeed blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Paul says to the
Philippians, we have been enriched in two ways. Here Paul mentions two gifts.
One is obvious. The other is a surprise.

Philippians 1:29-30 For it has been
granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him
but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in
the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

We are Favored with the Ability to Believe

Faith is a gift from God,
so no one should boast (Eph 2:8-9). Because of man’s inability to please God,
this gift of faith is an obvious necessity. There is a pattern of worthy conduct
that characterize heaven’s citizens (Phil. 1:27). Yet the gospel is not a set
of responsibilities to be fulfilled. It is good news to be believed—the joyful
report of a mission accomplished on our behalf despite our unworthiness and
helplessness. The ability to believe in Christ is one of two gifts of grace
that come from God, according to this text (1:29–30). These two gifts—faith and
suffering—are Paul’s explanation of his concise but momentous assertion that
our final salvation will be “from God” (1:28). In Christ, the Christian is
infinitely blessed with every spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3-9). Consider how
infinitely blessed we are to be chosen in Christ from the foundation of the
world.

Rejoice in your election!
God has chosen you. It is not there to ask whether or not you are elect. That
is a futile question. Ask yourself, is Christ the only Savior? Could I forsake
him and go back to the world? Who gave you that faith to keep you? What a gift!
If you have the faith to believe in Christ’s atonement for your sins, then God
has graciously opened your eyes. This is God’s electing grace. Before we could
ever choose him, he chose us. Indeed, “we love him because he first loved us”
(1 Jn 4:4, KJV). Further, Jesus said in John 6:37, “All that the Father gives
me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” The giving
precedes the coming. The Father must give us to the Christ. You were given to
the Father in eternity past, long before you ever believed. We are to walk
worthy, but there is nothing to boast in. Your faith comes from the Father.
It’s a gift. “It has been granted to you to believe in Christ.”

We are Favored with the Ability to Suffer

We can have courage
because the battle is won, and the winning of it does not come from us. It
clearly comes from God. “It has been granted” speaks of God’s gracious gifts.
We are not surprised by the first gift: faith, but certainly suffering is a
gift we would want to give back!

Philippians 1:29-30 For it has been
granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him
but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in
the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Paul says, we are “engaged
in the same conflict” as he is. Remember Paul was imprisoned and beaten with
Silas in Philippi. But that suffering was a gift. Paul and Silas sang in the
jail that night and the walls of the prison shook with an earthquake of joy and
fell down. We rejoice in suffering because we are counted worthy to suffer for
Christ. There are various ways we suffer in the Christian life. There is the
suffering of persecution. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim 3:12). As you bring the word of the gospel to
the world, you will suffer. They will reject you. There will be some rioting,
but there will also be rejoicing! There is the suffering of trials. “Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,3 for you know that
the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (Jas 1:2-3). It’s when
troubles come that your endurance has a chance to grow! There is the suffering
of God’s compassionate chastening. “Whom the Lord loves, he chastens” (Heb
12:6). Sometimes God lays us up to draw us closer.

Your suffering is a gift
from God! You are going to suffer so much in this life, and there is a reason
for that. It is so show that you are “going to be saved” (1:28), “and that from
God” – that is, by God himself. You are so weak. Your suffering is so great.
There is no way you could save yourself. God’s going to make that clear through
the gift of suffering.

Why does God call
suffering a gift? Think about what suffering does to us. It humbles us. Job
said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). James said,
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you
know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (Jas 1:2-3). Suffering
builds faith. It helps you draw near to God. It strips you of everything so
that you will draw near. It humbles you. It produces strong and steadfast
faith.

There is satanic attack
daily. You are not home yet. You are in a war zone. Where is your focus? You
need to focus on your heavenly home with Christ in his new creation. It is a
fatal mistake to assume that God’s goal for your life is material prosperity or
popular success as the world defines it. The abundant life has nothing to do
with material abundance. Faithfulness to God does not guarantee success in a
career or even in ministry. Never focus on temporary crowns.

Paul was faithful, yet he
ended up in prison. John the Baptist was faithful, but he was beheaded.
Millions of faithful people have been martyred, have lost everything, or have
come to the end of life with nothing to show for it. But the end of life is not
the end!

For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on
things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot
be seen lasts forever. —2
Corinthians 4:18, GNT

When life gets tough, when
you’re overwhelmed with doubt, or when you wonder if living for Christ is worth
the effort, remember that you are not home yet. At death you won’t leave home —
you’ll go home.

Conclusion

You need to have courage
to walk worthy. No matter what happens, courage comes from faith in a big God.
If you lack courage, you need to refocus and recalibrate. Turn your eyes upon
Jesus. He’s the one who chose you and he’s the one who holds you.

In the 1940s, children
across America would have to go through wartime drills. In schools everywhere
they would have wartime tests where the alarm would go off, warning of a
possible approaching bomb. The children would have to get under their desks or
go to a shelter. They were never quite comfortable.

Dear saints, we are not
home yet. We will suffer on this earth. But let us rejoice that we are counted
worthy to suffer for Christ. We are counted worthy in Christ to go through
every trial, every difficulty for a goal. That goal is that we would know the
nearness of God, know his majesty and fear, know the conviction and comfort of
the Holy Spirit, and as a result, be transformed. Walk worthy saints, even in
the midst of your suffering. If you lack courage, refocus on Christ. Turn your
eyes on our victorious Savior and King!

 





 

 

 

 

 

8 | Philippians
2:1-11


Every Knee
Shall Bow

 

 

 

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him
the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Je-sus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue
confess that Jesus Christ

is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11

D

 

o you ever feel stuck? There’s a behavior that you’ve tried to stop, but
you just can’t seem to do it. There’s a negative thought-pattern that you have
attempted to move on from, but nothing you try ever works. There’s a
relationship that you want to repair, but despite all your best intentions,
nothing seems to make things better. You want to change, but you feel… stuck.
[45]
When we think of the church at Philippi, we usually think of it as Paul’s
sweetheart church, with a message of joy, and that’s true. But there were
several places of “stuckness” that needed to be undone.

When
Epaphroditus brought a generous gift from the church in Philippi, and good news
of the church’s concern for Paul, he also brought the bad news of a possible
division in the church family. Apparently, there was a double threat to the
unity of the church; false teachers coming in from without (Phil. 3:1–3) and
disagreeing members within (4:1–3). What Euodia (“fragrance”) and Syntyche
(“fortunate”) were debating about, Paul does not state. Perhaps they both
wanted to be president of the missionary guild or the choir!

Paul
knew what some church workers today do not know, that there is a difference
between unity and uniformity. True spiritual unity comes from within; it is a
matter of the heart. Uniformity is the result of pressure from without. This is
why Paul opens this section appealing to the highest possible spiritual motives
(2:1–4), that of honoring the triune God and seeing Christ humbled to the
lowest place, and then exalted to the highest place (2:5-11).
Where are you stuck? The
pathway to getting unstuck is seeing the glorious Christ in all his glory.

Philippians 2:1-11 So if there is any encouragement
in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit,
any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by
being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of
one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition
or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than
yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his
own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have
this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who,
though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking
the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And
being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God
has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above
every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every
tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As we
look at Philippians 2:1-4, I am reminded of Peter’s words in 1 Peter 5:6,
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the
proper time he may exalt you.” You could summarize these verses as “Get low so
God can exalt you and use you.” As Paul writes the Philippians, he wants them
to grasp how to be humble like Christ. In 2:5-11, Paul then shows us Christ’s
journey of humiliation to exaltation. It is a journey we are all called to
follow.

Someone might say: You
know I just can’t be humble. That’s just not who I am. It’s not in my
personality. My dad had a hot temper, and I have one. I’m just being myself. If
I act humble, I will squelch who I am. We all have the command and the ability
to be humble. The command is in verse 5: “Have this mind among yourselves,”
that is, the mind of Christ. He humbled himself though he was God. In verses
1-4 Paul tells us we have the ability to be humble because we are born-again.

The
Power for Humility (2:1-4)

We have the ability to be
humble because we have been regenerated. Have you been touched by grace? Then
you’ll be able to have a gospel humility, gospel transformation, gospel fruitfulness,
and gospel friendships. That’s what we are going to talk about through
Philippians 2. It’s all about what the gospel produces in our lives. We won’t
be stagnant. We won’t be untouched. If we’ve been touched by God and touched by
grace, people around us will know. Your family and friends will see it. With
God’s touch comes gospel growth and gospel blessing.

Paul begins by letting us
know the obvious: we need to live in the blessing by placing our focus on the triune
God, and not on ourselves. That’s usually the secret to contentment. Don’t
focus on your singleness if you are single. Don’t focus on your marriage if you
are married. Don’t focus on your job primarily or your bank account or //you
fill in the blank//. Get your heart focused on the triune God who loves you.

Look to the Truine God

Focus on God. The triune
God. That’s where Paul goes. He focuses on what every true and genuine believer
experiences. He basically says: if you are a born again believer you will be
committed to the triune God and to the church. He gives four gospel
assumptions: you are committed to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and you
are committed to the church. These are gospel realities. He says:

Philippians 2:1-2a So
if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love,
any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete
my joy by being of the same mind.

This is a similar trinitarian
formula that Paul uses in other places. Paul constantly invokes the triune God.
For example, he blesses the Corinthians in a similar way. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
all” (1 Cor 13:14).

We
are Encouraged by
the Son’s Sacrifice

Philippians 2:1a So
if there is any encouragement in Christ.

Christ spoke of our unity
being like the unity between the Father and the Son. “Holy Father, keep them in
your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
12
While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given
me” (Jn 17:11-12). Are you discouraged with life? Are you frustrated? Fighting?
Despairing? Don’t be proud. Humble yourselves in the presence of Christ. Be
encouraged that he died for you. Christ is God the Son. He has all the
attributes of deity because he is God. “Is there any encouragement in Christ”?
Yes! There is if you are born again. When Paul says if, he’s saying, if there
is any encouragement in Christ, and there
certainly is if you are born again.

We
are
Comforted by the Father’s Love

Philippians 2:1b So
if there is … any comfort from love.

Then Paul asks is there
“any comfort from love”? He does not supply what love or where it is coming
from, but because of the other Trinitarian formulas in Scripture, it seems
obvious that this is referring to the comfort we receive from God. Aren’t you
comforted by the love of God? He chose you before the foundation of the world.
He predestined you to be conformed to the image of his Son. He loved you with
an everlasting love. Doesn’t that comfort you? Focus on the unmerited love and
favor you are receiving right now by God the Father. You have the love of the Father
– just as he said to his son this is my son in whom I am well pleased. That’s
what God says about you because of Christ. 

We are Enriched by the Spirit’s Fellowship

Philippians 2:1c So
if there is… any participation in the Spirit.

Paul wants us to know that
since we are united to Christ, we participate in the very harmony of the
Trinity. Paul asks is there “any participation in the Spirit”? Here the word is
“fellowship” or in Greek, koinonia. The idea is “sharing in the presence
of God.” If you are a true believer, you share in the presence of God through
the Holy Spirit. You are united to the living God. You are one with the Father
and Son and Holy Spirit.

So think of it now. Is
there “any encouragement” in Christ’s sacrificial atonement for you? Is there
any comfort from God’s everlasting, electing love for you? Is there any deeply
satisfying fellowship in the Spirit? In other words, are you experiencing the triune
God as a born-again believer? Paul mentions one more thing. It’s a beautiful
thing. He has us focus on the church’s affection and sympathy.

We
are Supported by the Church
’s Sympathy

Philippians 2:1d-2a So
if there is… any affection and sympathy, complete
my joy by being of the same mind.

Paul asks, “Is there any
affection and sympathy” for the brothers and sister in Christ’s church? Here
Paul appeals to the divine compassion and mercy that came from Christ himself
to us at salvation and now passes through us to others.
[46] Are you as committed to
God’s forever family as Christ is, laying your life down and holding the church
up? Are you totally committed to the body of Christ? Paul says the best thing
you can do to reflect the triune God is to be one with each other as you are
one with the triune God. There are hints of Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John
17, in his plea to the Father for the unity of his people. Paul here joins that
plea.

Of course, these are four gospel
assumptions. Ok Paul says, if these four commitments are genuine because that’s
what God does in your heart as a believer – he puts those commitments there –
if these things are true and present, then fulfill my joy and be unified.

Love the Body of Christ

Paul says, if the gospel
has truly taken root in your life, then complete my joy by carrying out three
practical gospel responsibilities that will enrich your unity and fellowship
with the body of Christ.

Be Harmonious Together

Philippians 2:2 Complete
my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full
accord and of one mind. 

We must be one in mind. These believers were to
be “like-minded” and to have “the same mind.” This has to do with agreement in
doctrine and creed. They were to hold to the same creed and embrace the same
tenets of truth that they had been taught from the very beginning. No matter
what liberal, free-thinking theologians may say, there is no spiritual unity
without doctrinal oneness. When it comes to fundamental doctrines, A. T.
Robertson said Christians should be “like clocks that strike at the same
moment.”

We must be one in heart. The world needs Jesus.
Christians are to have the “same love”, not loving the same things but
possessing the same love. They are to show that God’s love is flowing in them
and through them. Love God and one another and the lost world because of our
need in Christ.

We must be one in soul. The phrase “of one
accord” literally means to have “joint souls.” We ought to all have the same
soul when it comes to service for Christ. We have the same destiny in heaven
and should be working together on earth. We are to be soul brothers, in harmony
with all God’s people!

Be Humble Together

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but
in humility count others more significant than yourselves
.

Each one of us is
responsible for the unity of the body. If we do not take ownership over our own
spirits and dispositions, there will be no unity in the body. Paul challenged
each one that he or she was not to do anything “through selfish ambition or
conceit.” This is a warning against a competitive, selfish spirit. Selfish
ambition is a work of the flesh, according to Galatians 5:19–20, and is behind
the petty squabbles and fights in so many churches today.

Besides the Lord Jesus
Christ, Paul himself stands out as one of the true examples of this humility.
During his third missionary journey, he referred to himself as “the least of
the apostles” (1 Cor 15:9). Later, during his first Roman imprisonment, he
described himself as “the least of all the saints” (Eph 3:8). Toward the close
of his life, he wrote to Timothy and confessed that he considered himself the
chief of sinners (1 Tim 1:15). These were not statements of false piety but
represented Paul’s attitude toward himself as he viewed the totality of the
body of Christ. There was no pride or arrogance about his many accomplishments.
He truly considered others better than himself. Harmony, humility, and now let’s
see how helpfulness are all signs of unity.

Be Helpful Together

Philippians 2:4 Let
each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests
of others. 

If a Christian values his
brother highly and is practicing the spirit of humble-mindedness, he will
naturally be looking for ways to help others. Are you one who has a diligent
hand and a servant’s heart? Christ, when he wanted to show humility, he put on
a servant’s towel. For the “Son of man came not to be served but to serve and give
his life a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45). Those who heed these words of Paul have
the larger view of life. The view that seeks one’s own things tends to
narrowness, selfishness, bigotry, smallness, and meanness of soul. The view
that seeks to promote the interests and well-being of others leads to largeness
of life both here and hereafter.
[47]

One thing I love about Christ’s
church is the servant’s attitude I see in healthy congregations. Don’t be
afraid to be all in. I love to see believers discipling each other and lifting
each other’s burdens in your local church. Truly humble people are
“self-forgetful” and are not concerned with being possessive over a ministry or
taking things personally when criticism may come. Because we do not look to our
own interests, we have thick skin and a big, tender heart as we see and meet
the needs of others.

The
Pathway to Humility (2:5-8)

Have you been touched by
grace? Then you’ll be able to have a gospel humility, gospel transformation, gospel
fruitfulness, and gospel friendships. That’s what we are going to talk about
through Philippians 2.

Philippians 2:5-8 Have
this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who,
though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking
the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And
being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death on a cross. 

Have
the Mind of Christ (2:5)

We are called to have the
mind of Christ. Wow. Live with Christ’s mindset, because, look at this: it’s
already yours. It belongs to us by family right. We’ve been adopted into God’s
family.

Philippians 2:5 Have
this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

To demonstrate how we are
to walk with the humble mind of Christ, Paul gives us what most Bible teachers
believe to be an ancient hymn of the early church in verses 6-8, rightly
referred to as “The Christ Hymn”. In all of Scripture, these verses stand
unparalleled in their majesty. We see the great position of Christ and how he
laid that glory aside for a robe of humble humanity. If Christ was willing to
humble himself in this way, how much more should we be willing to humble
ourselves? Let us be like Christ. Let us put on his mind! As Paul S. Rees says:

The
occasion and meaning of this eloquent outburst are simple and clear. “Don’t
forget,” cries Paul, “that in all this wide universe and in all the dim reaches
of history there has never been such a demonstration of self-effacing humility
as when the Son of God in sheer grace descended to this errant planet! Remember
that never—never in a million æons—would he have done it if he were the kind of
deity who looks ‘only to his own interests’ and closes his eyes to the
‘interests of others!’ You must remember, my brethren, that through your union
with him, in living, redemptive experience, this principle and passion by which
he was moved must become the principle and passion by which you are moved.”
[48]

Consider
the Humility of Christ (2:6-8)

Now Christ says to us in
so many places: “Follow me.” He says “Go and make disciples out of all
nations!” So if we are learners and disciples of Christ, then we need to follow
his journey. We are united to him, so let us follow him.
[49]

He
Relinquished His Place (2:6a)

Look at the prominence
that Christ enjoyed before the foundation of the world.

Philippians 2:6 Who,
though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped.

Who is Jesus? He was “in
the form of God.” The Word “was” means to live or exist or to be. This is not a
transitive verb. There’s an act of being and existing here. Jesus existed in
his very nature as God. The word “form” is morphe
or “by very nature” Jesus is God. It is directly parallel in the Greek to
“equality with God.” This verse is talking about Christ’s pre-existence. That
is before the world began, Christ existed because Christ created the world.

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He
was in the beginning with God. All things were made
through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. —John
1:1-3

Jesus claimed
pre-existence with the Father
, co-equality in power and
glory. In his high priestly prayer in John 17, Jesus prays: “Father, glorify me
in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world
existed” (Jn 17:5). Before the world began, Jesus shared in the glory of the
Father. Now if any one of us would pray that way it would be downright
blasphemy. It would be lunacy. But it’s not blasphemy or lunacy because Jesus
is deity! Look at the exalted position Jesus relinquished!

Jesus claimed to be
without sin.
Listen to him in John 8. He said, “Can any of you prove me guilty me
of sin? If you cannot, why won’t you have faith in me?” (Jn 8:46).
Wouldn’t
that be something for a man, 33 years of age, come along and declare: “Who of
you have ever seen me commit a sin”? If I said that you all would jump up
pretty quickly and say, “I have.” If you don’t know me then ask my wife and
children. They’ll tell you. I’m a sinner. You’re a sinner. But Christ, though
he was “tempted in every way, just as we are, yet he did not sin” (Heb 4:15,
NIV). He hungered and thirsted. He was tempted. He was a man, just like you.
But he did not sin. He was fully man. But he was more than that.

Jesus claimed to be God. Once in a while you might
meet someone who will try to convince you that the Bible does not teach that
Jesus is God. But the Bible consistently affirms what Paul was telling the
Philippians: No one has seen God at any time. Jesus said … “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). John
said, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he
has made him known” (Jn 1:18). Paul said, “He is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn over all creation” (Col 1:15). And, “in him [Jesus]
all the fullness of God [fullness of divinity, of a divine nature] was
pleased to dwell” (Col 1:19). Paul says to Timothy, “And without controversy
great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim
3:16). Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am” (Jn 8:58).

Who is Jesus? He claimed
to the Great I Am who existed before Abraham and who appeared to Moses. Listen
to Christ: “Before Abraham was, I am. [I
am in eternal existence
].” No wonder the leaders got angry and tried to
throw stones at Jesus when he claimed pre-existence in John 8. No wonder they
gathered stones in the Temple to stone him (Jn 8:59). No wonder they tried to
kill him and eventually crucified him. He stood up and said, “I am God.” Was
he? Was he who he claimed to be? He never had a formal education. Yet 2000
years later billions are talking about him.

Some said he was a
lunatic. Was he mad? He claimed to be God! Was he mad? Some said he was a liar
from the devil. They said, “You’re nothing but a liar and a devil.” He made a
claim of equality with God. Is he a liar? Was he trying to deceive the crowds? Jesus
Christ is not a lunatic. He’s not a liar. He then, must be Lord of all. He
raised the dead. He did things only God could do. He made the blind to see. The
elements of the wind and the sea obeyed him. They obeyed their Master because
he created them.

Who is Jesus? That’s the
question. We can’t escape him. He’s everywhere. Our greatest philosophers write
about him. Our greatest historians write about him. Our greatest poems are
about him. The greatest music sings his praises. Our greatest architecture is
dedicated to him. Time itself is divided by him.

Who is Jesus? He had all the
characteristics of a man. He was fully man. Yet he is more than a man. What man
can say that he existed before he was born. Jesus is the eternal self-existent
one. He is the uncaused cause of everything. By him all things were created.

Jesus’ birth was not the
beginning of his existence. Jesus sexists from everlasting to everlasting. He’s
the first and the last, the beginning and the ending, the Alpha and Omega. He
planned it all, he executed it all, and all things are maintained by the word
of his power and will. What mere man can control the laws of gravity. Christ is
God. He controls the seasons. He brought this polar vortex of negative 50 below
and he’ll bring it up this week to 50 above. And one day he’ll burn it all up.

But he relinquished that place.
He gave up the outward manifestation of his deity. And though he continued to
be God of all, he robed that fact in the likeness of sinful humanity, yet
without any sin. Jesus relinquished his place and left heaven and came down
here.

He Refused His Privileges (2:6-7a)

Jesus had every right to
continue in the exterior manifestation of his glorious person, but he chose to
let that robe of glory go and put on a robe of lowly humility. Look at the
prominence that Christ enjoyed before the foundation of the world. Before he
came into this world the Bible says he refused his privilege.

Philippians 2:6-7a Who,
though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied himself.

Though Christ continued to
be God, he refused to hold on to the outward glory as God. The word “a thing to
be grasped” carries with it the idea being “held on to for one’s own advantage”
(as the NIV translates it). He refused to hold on to his outward glory for his
own advantage but divested himself of that glory by veiling himself with human
flesh in order advance others. He’s God, but he doesn’t count his privileges as
deity as something to be held on to and guarded at all costs.

Paul goes even further:
“he emptied himself” (2:7a) J. B. Phillips translated the phrase this way: “He
stripped himself of all privilege.”
Christ divested himself not of his deity, but of the outward and independent
use of his divine attributes. Instead, he submitted himself fully to the Father
and used his divine attributes as directed by his Father. His food, as he said,
was “to do the will” of his “Father who sent” him.

God the Father planned
that his Son would be robed and divested of his outward glory that people on
earth wouldn’t recognize him. Isaiah said, “he had not beauty that people would
desire him” (Isa 53:2). He wasn’t displaying the glorious nature of his being.
He divested himself of the outward manifestation of his glory except at the
Mount of Transfiguration when his clothing shine because he was unveiling his
glory to his inner circle of Peter, James, and John.

He
Restricted His Presence (2:7b)

Philippians 2:6-7a He… emptied
himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness
of men. 

Christ took on the nature
of a slave. When Christ took on the “form of a servant [slave],” he adopted the
nature and being of a slave. The sovereign became the subject. He did this by
taking on a human nature. This taking on was an emptying, as Christ so
dramatically demonstrated when he stripped himself in the Upper Room and washed
the disciples’ feet. Christ did not exchange
the form of God for the form of a slave. Rather he manifested the form of God in the form of a slave.
[50]

One of the most overlooked
aspects of our Lord’s coming to earth is the restriction that it placed on his
presence. When we read of Christ “taking the form of a bondservant, and coming
in the likeness of men,” do we understand that Jesus gave up his unbounded
universal freedom, instead being confined in a human body that in turn was
confined to a country no bigger than Palestine? When we are told that Jesus
took the form of a bondservant, the same word is employed that describes Jesus
as being in the form of God. Jesus was in the form of God and He took upon himself
the form of a bondservant. His human nature was authentic in substance and
reality. C.S. Lewis said it this way:

The Eternal Being, who knows everything and
who created the whole universe, became not only a man but (before that) a baby,
and before that a fetus inside a Woman’s body. If you want to get the hang of
it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab.
[51]

He
Realized His Purpose (2:8)

The descent bottoms out as
we read about Christ’s purpose of dying and giving his life to atone for the
sins of the world.

Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even
death on a cross. 

The death of Jesus Christ
was not an accident. It was in the program of God from before the foundation of
the world. Nearly one-third of the material in the Gospels is devoted to his
days in the shadow of the cross, because the very purpose for his coming was
his death. The writer of the book of Hebrews made it very clear that our Lord
was made man for one supreme reason: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little
lower than the angels, for the suffering of death … that he, by the grace of
God, might taste death for everyone” (Heb 2:9). “Inasmuch then as the children
have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that
through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the
devil” (Heb 2:14). Paul sums it up for the Corinthians. “For he made him who
knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him”
(2 Cor 5:21, NKJV).

The Practice of Humility (2:9-11)

We have a great motivation
to be humble here today: Jesus is Lord! He has no competition. Because of Jesus
humble death on the cross, death is defeated, and Jesus is exalted. We should
live a life of devotion, reverence, and worship for our Lord Jesus Christ. He
is worthy that each of us should bow the knee and proclaim him as Lord.

The Father Exalts Christ

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God
has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above
every name.

Look back to Christ’s
resurrection. He defeated death. God exalted him and gave him a name above
every name. This great doctrinal passage is a systematic Christology. Here we
learn of Christ’s preexistence, his incarnation, his humiliation, his
crucifixion, and now his ascension and exaltation.

The ascension of Christ at
the end of forty days is clearly documented by Luke in Acts 1:9–11. Liberal
scholars like to say the ascension was just a story told to express the way the
church felt about Jesus at the time of his death. But Luke’s record is an
eyewitness account of the ascension of our Lord into heaven. In fact, Luke
employed five different terms for “sight” to assure the historicity of this
event. We are told that the disciples “watched,” that he was “taken up … out of
their sight,” that they “looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up,” that
the angels asked them why they were “gazing up into heaven,” and that they were
told that the same Jesus would return to earth in like manner “as you saw him
go into heaven.”

All People & Angels Exalt Christ

Philippians 2:10-11 So that at the name
of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The ascension was the
beginning of his exaltation, for Christ is now seated at the right hand of the
Father in heaven. Paul looked beyond this day, however, to a yet future day
when every knee will be made to bow before him, and every tongue will be caused
to confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. At the mere mention
of his name, everyone above the earth will bow, including all the good angels
and all the redeemed who have died before Christ returns. Everyone on the earth
will bow, including all human beings. Everyone under the earth will bow,
including all the inhabitants of hell and all the evil angels. And in that
moment, the cycle will have been completed. The One who was humiliated will be
exalted. The One who was brought low will be raised up high and revealed to be
the King and God of all creation.

All Confess Christ as Yahweh

Philippians 2:11 And every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

All will make the
universal confession: Jesus Christ is Lord. This comes from Isaiah (45:23), and
it refers to Yahweh. Paul’s language is unmistakable. All kings and presidents
all flesh, both rich and poor will bow with all angelic beings, and we will all
confess that Jesus Christ is Yahweh.

Peter put it this way:
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt
you in due time” (1 Pet 5:6). James said, “Humble yourselves in the sight of
the Lord, and He will lift you up” (4:10). Three times in his ministry Jesus
spoke on the text: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted” (Mt 23:12; Lk 14:11; 18:14). Since Christ humbled himself,
we must be willing to humble ourselves, and as we continue to live in humble
obedience to his will, we can anticipate our moment of exaltation some future
day.

Before God can bless us,
we need to be completely humbled. We need to see the majestic exaltation of
Jesus and take the low position as he did. Consider some Scriptures. “When
pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Pro 11:2). “Pride
brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor” (Pro 29:23). “Humility
is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life” (Pro 22:4).
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up
in due time” (1 Pet 5:6). “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble
themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I
will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land”
(2 Chron 7:14). “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes
before honor” (Pro 15:33).

Conclusion

Christ is exalted! Bow the
knee before him. No other mind should be in the Christian but the mind of
Christ. We should all be robed in humility and meekness before him. He is King
of kings. We are his humble servants. We are God’s children. If you are without
Christ, turn to him now. Whether you do it now or when it is too late, you will
still have to bow before your Creator and God, Jesus Christ. Every knee shall
bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.



 

 



 

 

 

 

 

9 | 1 Peter 2:12-13

How Can I
Change?

 

 

 

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

for it is God who works in you, both to will

and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12-13

H

 

ave you ever set out to help someone, not really
knowing what you were doing or how you were going to do it? Have you ever tried
to tackle some gnawing problem in your own life but didn’t have a clue about
how to get started? Christopher Columbus experienced this problem when he set out
to find a westward passage to Asia. Because he had little idea about what he
was doing, someone proposed the following award in his memory for those who
emulate him. I had to laugh when I heard of the parodied
“Christopher Columbus Award.”


Citation: This award goes to those who, like good old Chris,
when they set out to do something, don’t know where they are going; neither do
they know how to get there. When they arrive, they don’t know where they are,
and when they return, they don’t know where they’ve been. (Source Unknown)

Tragically, many
Christians set out in life with little more understanding of what they are
doing than had Mr. Columbus. While he possessed no accurate charts to lead him
to Asia, the journey that we take as believers was very carefully mapped out
for us by the Captain of our salvation. [52]

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my
beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my
presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to
will and to work for his good pleasure.

Paul’s pattern in all his
letters is to explain doctrine, and how it leads to duty and doxology. Paul
says: Christ humbled himself for you. He was obedient unto death for you. He is
exalted and ruling the world for your good. Therefore: what? Because Christ is
your substitute and saves you from the wrath of God, and because he is your
Lord: King of all kings and Lord of all lords: therefore… “work out your own
salvation in fear and trembling” (2:12b).

Information should always
lead to transformation. Is Jesus exalted on high? Is that seen in your life? If
what happens on Sunday doesn’t change our Monday, then our Sunday doesn’t
matter. We are not here just to sit and soak, but to live changed and abundant
lives because of Jesus Christ. Seeing the glory and wonder of his cross and
sacrifice for me changes everything. Seeing his exaltation in heaven changes
and transforms me. I no longer want to worship the things that are in this world.
I want to worship him.

Christ died and rose again
not only for our justification, to make us right with God, but for our
sanctification—to make us conformed into his image. Let’s get on the edge of
our seats and be ready to live differently. Let’s be changed into Christ’s
image.

Christ laid aside his
divine prerogatives. He emptied himself of his right to defend himself.
Remember he said, “Are you not aware that I can call on my Father, and he will
at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions [50 to 100K] of angels?” (Mt 26:53). He refused to defend himself or
stand up for his divine rights as God, but instead was obedient to the Father,
even unto death on a cross.

Spiritual Growth is Personal (2:12)

This is your own
salvation. It’s your walk of sanctification. This is different than
justification. In justification, we are passive, dead in trespasses and sins.
In sanctification we are very much alive and applying the redemption we have in
Christ to life. Christ did it all in justifying us. Now we cooperate with God
in our sanctification. Having been made alive, we work out our salvation by the
grace and power of God working within us. God’s work in us results in hard work
through us.

A Transcendent Labor

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as
you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more
in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Spiritual growth is a
personal submission to the sovereignty of God. Paul wasn’t concerned with the
Philippians pleasing him. He wanted them to please God when there was no one
around. He wanted them to practice the presence of God.

God is sovereign. He’s put
you where he’s put you in order for your maximum growth. We believe this right?
This is the truth of Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that for those who love God
all things work together for good, for those who are called
according to his purpose. 29 For those whom
he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of
his Son.” Some days the state you are in is hard. I’m not talking about the
cold winters in Illinois. I’m talking about marriage or singleness. It’s hard
to be single. You feel left out in a couple’s world. But let me remind you that
Jesus was single. Paul was single. Being single is hard in some ways. Yet Paul
says it’s better to be single so you can dedicate yourself to unhindered
service for Christ. Well, maybe you say, if I was only married to a really
godly spouse, I’d be able to better grow. Nope. That’s not how it works. If you
are not growing now, you won’t grow if you are married. The same could be said
about married people. I’d grow if I had a better spouse. Nope. Sorry. God gave
you the spouse he gave you for maximum growth. God is sovereign, and the only
way we can grow is by practicing the presence of God. It’s not about pleasing
people or pastors. It’s all about pleasing the Lord.

What exactly does it mean
to work out our salvation? It means the degree to which you yield to the
indwelling Spirit impacts the work he’ll achieve through you and the changes he
will affect in your life. You need to yield and choose to cooperate with the
Spirit. Paul says in Galatians 5:16, “Keep in step with the Spirit.” God’s
Spirit transcends our thoughts, our heart, our every action.

A Strenuous Labor

Philippians 2:12b Work out your own salvation…

Spiritual growth is a
strenuous labor. It requires hard work. Are you going to add to your faith or
not? Christ asks the question, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do
what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). In other words, salvation always results in the
believer working hard, following the Lord in obedience. Peter says in 2 Peter
1:5, “make every effort to add to your faith…” Growing in godliness is hard
work. There is no place for laziness. We must exert ourselves to obedience with
diligence. The believer is anything but passive in sanctification. And because
our eyes have been opened to the absolute joy in Jesus, we know there is no
happiness outside of growth. Look how Peter describes spiritual growth. It’s
enlightening.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to
life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his
own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us
his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may
become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the
corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For
this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with
virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge
with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness
with godliness, and godliness with brotherly
affection, and brotherly affection with love. For
if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being
ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For
whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having
forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore,
brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling
and election, for if you practice these qualities, you will never
fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for
you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. —2
Peter 1:3-11

This is hard work. If we
don’t work hard, Peter says we’ll be ineffective, unfruitful, so nearsighted we
are blind. We’ll could even forget we are cleansed from our former sins. Instead,
we need to work hard and practice these qualities so that we never fall and
backslide.

Spiritual growth is
compared to an athletic event. Paul said, “train yourself for godliness” (1 Tim
4:7). “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the
faith” (2 Tim 4:7).

Spiritual growth is
compared to a battle or war. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that
you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to
stand firm” (Eph 6:13). Paul says, “I have fought the good fight” (2 Tim 4:7). “Endure
hardness like a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim 2:3, KJV).

Spiritual growth is like
working a mine, a field. Paul says: “work out your own salvation.”
Interestingly, the word translated “work out” was the same Greek term popularly
used for “working a mine” or “working a field.” In each case there were
benefits that followed such diligence. The mine would yield valuable elements
or ore. The field would yield crops. All the properties are there to prosper,
but you have to work it. Paul’s point is clear: As we work out our salvation,
we everything we need to grow in Christlikeness.[53]
God’s given us the seed, but we need to water it and work it so it will grow.
God’s given us the mine, but we need to retrieve the precious metals to enjoy
their riches.

In another place Paul
says: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with
all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Col 1:28–29). Paul toils.
Paul struggles. If we would do good for others, so must we. Do you ever
wonder how to exercise spiritual power? Maybe people will tell you, “Eat this.”
“Say these words.” “Pray this prayer.” “Read this author.” “Have this
experience.” “Go to this conference.” “Look inside yourself.” But no! Spiritual
power is exercised in strenuous self-giving service for others. The word for
struggling in Colossians 1:29 can also be translated as “agony.” Which is to
say, agony rather than ecstasy is the way to spiritual power. Do you want to
know the power of God and a faith that works? Then give yourself over to the
struggle of working for the good of others, even as Christ himself worked and
struggled for our good. True Christian faith is not lazy faith. It is
faith that works, like Paul’s.[54]

A Personal Labor

Philippians 2:12b Work out your own salvation…

Spiritual growth is a
personal responsibility. When Paul says “work out your salvation” he’s
referring to an aspect of our salvation that we might call “sanctification” or
simply spiritual growth. We are
called to work hard at our own spiritual growth. Paul says you are called to
“work out your own salvation.” It’s intensely personal. God put his Spirit in
you. The living God has indwelt you. Your mom and dad can’t live this out for
you. Your pastor, your spiritual leader, your teachers cannot live this out for
you. It’s on you. Work out at your own salvation, your progressive spiritual
growth. It’s personal. It’s your personal responsibility. No one else can walk
with God for you. This is your walk. So, work, because God works in you.

It’s your responsibility
alone to grow in Christ. Listen, there are people that you will look to in the
Christian life, that will let you down. There will be others that you really
want to help you, but they are unavailable. Ultimately, your growth in Christ
is your responsibility.

You cannot tie your growth
in Christ to anyone else. Pastors are great. Godly examples are fantastic.
Teachers are heroic. Parents who love Jesus are indispensable. But at the end
of the day, you must trust in Christ and in Christ alone. “There is one mediator
between God and man, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5). And salvation comes by
him and him alone.

Here’s the point: if you
are not changing, it’s not anyone else’s fault. If you are not growing and
changing, it’s on you. Spiritual growth is your responsibility. If you aren’t
growing, you can’t blame it on anything but you. I’m not growing because I’m
single. If I only had a spouse. I’m not growing because of my marriage. If I
only had a better spouse. I’m not growing because of my church. If I only had a
better pastor. I’m not growing because of my job. If I only had a better job. I’m
not growing because… you get the idea, right? Spiritual growth is your
responsibility. You are called to “work out your own salvation.” It’s a
personal commitment.

I think about my
responsibility to grow in relationship with my wife. It’s personal. Just
imagine that Jill and I are getting ready for date night. And I say, “Jill, I
know it’s date night, but I’m going to have William take my place. He’ll be
just as good as me I promise…” Which one of you could take my place? No, no,
no! That’s not really how it works. The relationship can only get better and
grow if I take personal responsibility to shepherd Jill and care for her and
listen to her. It’s intensely personal. I’ve got to commit for it to flourish.

It’s the same way with
God. No one is going to grow for you. If you are not growing in your walk with
Christ, it’s not anyone else’s fault but yours. Sure other people can help you,
but you are ultimately responsible for your growth. Growth has to be a priority
in your life whether on not that person you’ve depended upon is there or not.
You have to make this decision to prioritize your walk with God to “work out
your own salvation.” Ultimately Christ will build his church. Your ultimate
shepherds are not on the elder team at your local church. As elders and pastors
we do our best, but we are all sinners. There is only one truly Good Shepherd,
and his name is Jesus Christ. Christ is the vine and you are the branches. You
must be sure you are connected to the vine. You must be sure you are walking
closely with him.

A Practical Labor

Here
is a few suggestions on how you can grow. Now realize that you cannot do any of
these things in your own power. It is the Spirit of God in you that works as
you strain and agonize toward a goal. It is not our own power that can do
anything. Jesus says, “Without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). We must
struggle, as Paul said, “with all his energy that he powerfully works within
me” (Col 1:29). With that in mind, be Spirit-filled in some of the following
activities. Read the word – choose a topic or a book study or a Bible plan but
get into the word! Get involved in ministry – don’t just sit on your spiritual
gifts. Use them! Pray – pray privately. Join the prayer mid-week prayer
meeting. Fellowship – join a small group. Have church folk over to your home.
Bring a meal to a sick person. Start a journal to record your spiritual growth
– take notes for sermons and teachings. Record answers to prayer. Disciple a
young believer – some of you know the Bible so well, but much of your knowledge
is wasted. Find a new believer and begin praying for them. Have them over. Go
through a book of the Bible together. Go through a basic discipleship study
with an elder or spiritual leader.

Spiritual Growth is Progressive (2:12)

Philippians
2:12-13
Therefore,
my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my
presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to
will and to work for his good pleasure.

Wayne
Grudem says in his very helpful Systematic Theology:

Sanctification is a
progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and
like Christ in our actual lives.
[55]

We
are to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ” (2 Pet 3:18). Paul says growth is a process. “And we all, with unveiled
face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same
image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is
the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18). To continue to grow you need to daily be “renewed in
the spirit of your minds” (Eph 4:23).

Why do we need to work out
our salvation? Isn’t it already “worked out”? Didn’t Christ do that on the
cross? Isn’t our salvation finished? Yes, from God’s perspective, our salvation
is finished. Christ gave the victory shout from his cross: “It is finished!” In
that sense we are complete in Jesus. But we need to see our salvation from a bird’s
eye view: past, present, and future.

Theologically, we can
speak of our salvation in the past, present and future. The Bible says “by
grace you have been saved.” That’s justification. The Scripture also
says you are “being saved” – day by day you are being conformed to Christ’s
image. That’s sanctification. One day, when Christ returns, your
salvation will be complete, and you will be given a renewed, immortal body that
cannot sin, like Christ’s glorious body. That’s glorification. Calvin
said, “salvation is taken to mean the entire course of our calling, and that
this term includes all things by which God accomplishes that perfection to
which he has determined us by his free election.”[56]

Justification: An Event

We considered Christ humbling
himself to the point of death on the cross – he was obedient unto death. It is
finished. My justification is complete. I’m saved. I’m completely righteous in
Christ. Nothing can separate me from the love of God in Christ. That’s glorious
news. Can I ask you, have you been born again? There is a sense in which our
salvation is an event. It is a line of demarcation. You pass from death unto
life. You are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of his
glorious Son. You turn from idols to serve the living God. You are born-again.
That’s an event. That’s our justification. We trust in Christ’s work on the
cross, and sin is finished for us. He made an end of sin for us. There is now
no penalty for sin, no condemnation. We are perfectly holy and righteous before
God. We are adopted into his family. Now we can never work for this. We have to
receive the perfect work of Christ by faith. Justification is not at all by
human effort, but by the free gift of God.

Sanctification: A Journey

But there is a part of our
salvation that is unfinished and incomplete because it is a process. The
penalty for sin is removed, but the power of sin is being removed as a process.
There is a salvation that God has worked in us, but now he wants to work it out
of us. We call that progressive sanctification. It doesn’t happen overnight. We
are “being saved.” We are “predestined to be conformed into the image of God’s
dear Son” (Rom 8:29).

So the second part of our
salvation is a work deep in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. As many are
purchased by the blood of Christ will be, throughout their lives, renewed in
the spirit of their mind. The Spirit of God in regeneration indwells the
Christian and creates in him or her a new nature. But the old nature is never
completely eradicated. It stays around like a little monster that terrorizes
us. We have to put it to death by choosing to obey God’s word and rely on the
Spirit’s infinite power in us. There is a fierce battle every day for the
Christian. It’s hard work. That’s what this text is all about. The seed that
the Spirit plants in us is his own presence, and He is perfect. But the process
is not perfect. It takes place at different speeds for people.

So when we are born again,
we are like a baby or like a tree, and we need to grow! Our new nature has all
the elements of perfection, but it needs to be (as our text says) “worked out
with fear and trembling.” There is a seriousness and a sweat and a deep
divinely authored commitment that God gives every Christian to grow in Christ.

God has already worked in
us first and given us everything we need in his Spirit and in a new heart and a
new nature to overcome the old nature. No longer can sin ever have complete and
total dominion over us. Even in Christians who backslide, they never stop hearing
the voice of the Spirit and their own conscience. So as we look at these
verses, Paul is not telling us to work out our justification that we have
already obtained by Christ’s blood. Christ did it all. We can add nothing to
that. We are perfectly righteous before the throne of God in heaven because of
Jesus. But what we are talking about is your inner spiritual life. God has wrought something powerful and
eternal in you. That’s something that can never be undone. You are loved and
perfect before God’s throne. But now you have to take what God has done in you
and “work it out.”

Glorification: Our Final Destination

And one day Christ will
come, and we will be perfected in his likeness. I can’t wait for that day!
That’s called glorification. It’s our final destination. When you look at
Romans 13:11, Paul says that our salvation is nearer to us now than when we
first believed. What does that mean? It is nearer to us now than when we first
believed? It doesn’t mean that we are still working on our salvation, trying to
earn it. That is not what it means. Instead, what it means is the future
glorification, culmination of our salvation, is still to come, and we are now
closer now than when we first believed. I am guessing, by the nature of the
fact that you are breathing this moment, that you haven’t experienced that
final facet of salvation, but it could be today. For all who have been born
again, I remind you that there is coming a day when we will see his face, and
we will be reconciled to God in his fullness forever.

We are talking about our
sanctification. And the real question is: as a Christian, how can I change? Now
if you are not a Christian, you cannot change in any meaningful eternal way.
You are dead in your trespasses and sins. But if you are a new creation in
Christ, you will be growing and changing every day. Your spiritual growth is
progressive. We all know you can’t pay anyone to get in shape for you. You
can’t pay someone to eat right for you. No one can exercise for you. You can be
very rich and very out of shape. Paying someone else to exercise doesn’t get
you in shape. If they could pay someone to exercise for them, they would. It
doesn’t work that way. Same goes for our spiritual life. It’s your soul. It’s
your life. It’s your vitality. How strong do you want to be in your walk with
God?

God’s
given you the
all
the tools you need for spiritual growth
.
Work out your
own salvation, for God is working in you. God’s given you everything you need
to for spiritual growth. You are blessed with “every
spiritual blessing” in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3). You have “everything for life
and godliness” (2 Pet 1:3). You have been made to be “partakers of the divine
nature” (2 Pet 1:4). “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psa 34:10).

You may not progress at
the rate of everyone else, but every Christian will grow. It’s a promise. We
need to recognize that there are different speeds of progress in growth in the
Christian’s life. Growth is not always at the same speed. There are many falls
and times when a Christian grieves the Holy Spirit along the way. We cry out
all along the way, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body
of death?” (Rom 7:24). And that is the whole point. A genuine Christian is
constantly aware of his sin. He is constantly clinging to Christ as the only
Savior and way of escape.

Spiritual
Growth is Praise-Driven (2:12).

Working out our salvation
is easier when we are supervised, but Paul says we
can’t rely on human supervision
alone.

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my
beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my
presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to
will and to work for his good pleasure.

The Focus of Our Praise

Paul says your spiritual
growth is not about my human supervision. He says: whether I’m with you as an
apostle or away, whether I live or die, in my presence, but much more in my
absence, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Why fear and
trembling? Because it’s God who you are focusing on. There is an awe and wonder
that God is working in us. It’s for “his good pleasure.” It’s because God is
always present. We are aware of his presence with us. Human supervision alone
is not enough because we are wayward. “All we like sheep have gone astray…”
(Isa 53:6). We are, as the hymn says, “prone to wander.” We need the active
ministry of the Holy Spirit in us.

Anyone remember gym class?
You remember Physical Education class? Get going with some calisthenics. The
gym teacher says, “Do 30 jumping jacks.” And you get going and start trying to do
them. While the teacher is there you there doing them, but when the teacher
goes around the corner, you stop. For some Christians, that’s their
Christianity.

Sunday morning comes
around. We are praising God. We are in the word. We are in prayer. Monday morning,
Tuesday morning… not happening. The pastor’s not there to help you. Hopefully
you have some people in your life to propel you forward spiritually, but you
can’t ultimately depend on that. That’s why Paul says, “but much more in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” All the more, you need to focus on God with “fear and
trembling”! It’s hard to grow spiritually when no one’s around, but perhaps the
most important part of your walk is what happens when no one’s around to remind
you. No one else can walk with God for you.

Ultimately my most
powerful motivator for spiritual growth has to be the glory of God. My
motivation cannot be to be approved by my spouse or my church. My motivation
can’t be to change my situation or change another person. My motivation has to
be the glory of God. “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to
the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). We can’t grow by focusing on people. We must
focus on God. Look at Christ’s example. Look at the majesty of God. Enjoy the
comfort of the Holy Spirit as he speaks to you and guides you through the word.
If you start looking at people, you will become bitter and despairing, and you
will lose focus.

Isaiah got a vision of
God, and he preached to a whole nation, even though they were disobedient. When
you get a vision of God, and an awareness of God’s presence, you overcome your
sinful desires. You cannot listen to your flesh. Your emotions, Ephesians 4
says are deceitful. Your heart still lies to you. You can’t trust your heart. That’s
why if you want to grow spiritually you need the word of God. You’ve got to get
an awareness of God.

The Fear of Our Praise

Growing
Christians have an awareness of God’s presence
.
There is a
seriousness. It’s a priority not because of Paul who may or may not be with
them. It’s a priority because God is always with us. That’s the reason there is
this awe and seriousness.

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my
beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence
but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to
will and to work for his good pleasure.

The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom. A growing Christian understands that there is an
awareness of God that breeds fear, but not slavish dread. The fear of God is an
awe and reverence for God. The question is asked in Hebrews 2:3, “How shall we
escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” Christians understand and
treasure Christ. They fear not honoring him. They tremble at that. Paul is not
advocating a slavish terror, but a wholesome self-distrust. The Christian
should fear lest his will not be continually surrendered to Christ, or lest the
carnal traits of character should control the life. He must fear to trust his
own strength, to withdraw his hand from the hand of Christ, or to attempt to
walk the Christian pathway alone. Such fear leads to vigilance against
temptation, to humility of mind, to taking heed lest we fall.

Spiritual
Growth is Predestined (2:13)

Philippians 2:12b-13 Work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it
is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

God’s Plan Reaches Beyond Time

Why do I say your salvation
is predestined? God made this promise in so many places in Scripture. You are
saved by grace through faith, “not of works.” Yet… “God has foreordained your
good works that you should walk in them” (Eph 2:10). “You are predestined to be
conformed to the image of God’s dear Son” (Rom 8:30). “God chose you before the
foundation of the world that you should be holy and without blame before him”
(Eph 1:4). The Apostle Peter said: We are “elect…according to the foreknowledge
of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus
Christ” (1 Pet 1:1-2).

God’s Plan Requires Your Cooperation

So how can I change? The
answer: you cooperate with the grace of God. The only way you can work out your
salvation is if God is working already in you. You work out what God is working
in you. When you were born again, you were given the down payment of your
salvation: the Spirit of God. You got your first installment of heaven (Eph
3:14). The Greek word for our work and God’s work is the same. We get our word
“energy” or “energize” from it. God energizes your work. His Spirit indwells
you.

God’s Plan Guarantees Your Growth

A true child of God is
“predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son” (Rom 8:29). The Apostle
Paul was comforted by God’s promise to sanctify his people. “I am sure of this,
that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion
at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). Paul also said, “Now may the God
of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul
and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thess 5:23-24).

Long ago, God made a
promise to guarantee your spiritual growth. He told the Prophet Ezekiel: “I
will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will
remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27
And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and
be careful to obey my rules” (Eze 36:26-27). King David said, “The steps of
good man
are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. 24 Though
he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for
the Lord upholds him
with
 His hand” (Psa 37:23-24). God works out what he has already
worked in you. What has he worked in you? A new heart. He’s put his Spirit in
you. Now, your “body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit” (2 Cor 6:19).

He works in you by his
Spirit so that you can have total victory in any area of your life. Once you
have trusted Jesus as Savior, you can begin living out what He’s given you,
which is his abundant life. If you’ve given your heart to him, the Holy Spirit
now indwells you—he is with you forever. It is God’s Spirit working in and
through you that empowers you to live out your salvation.

God’s Plan Rejects Laziness

There is great tension in
spiritual growth. Our justification is all God. We are dead in our trespasses
and sins. He has to raise us from the dead. But once we are alive in Christ, we
are to apply that redemption. That’s spiritual growth. Let me show you the
tension in the Scriptures. If my sanctification is predestined, why do I need
to work it out? The answer: God is working out his sovereign plan through you.
The point is, because you have a new heart with new desires, you want to
work out his plan through your life.

Tension in Evangelism

Jesus says, “I will build
my church…” right (Mt 16:18)? But then he tells us to build and to “Go into all
the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15) and “make
disciples of every nation” (Mt 28:20). Paul says, “God gives the increase…” but
that’s not how evangelism works. We don’t sit around saying: well God gives the
increase. No, we strategize and go and preach. “Some plant. Some water. God
gives the increase.” God gives the supernatural growth (1 Cor 3:6-8).

Tension in Sanctification

It’s that way in our
spiritual growth. We plant and water every day through prayer, the word,
fellowship, instruction and teaching in the word. And God has to speak. To
understand the principle of working out our salvation, remember what we learn
from Ephesians 2:8-10. It says there that our salvation is “not of works,” but
that we are “created in Christ Jesus” as a new creation “for good works”. Do
you see the balance? God plants a seed in us, but we are called to water it. As
we water it, God gives the supernatural growth. Paul says, “I am the least of
the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder
than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with
me” (1 Cor 15:9-10). Paul worked so hard, but the power and ability to work
came from God. We see the same thing here in Philippians 2:12-13. You have to
“work out” what God has already “worked in” you. Work out your spiritual
growth. Cultivate the life of Christ in you. God is working right along with
you.

Conclusion

This is your own
salvation. It’s your walk of sanctification. No one else can walk with God for
you. This is your walk. Be encouraged to work, because God is working in you 24
and 7. One hundred per cent of the time, God is working in you his will and his
good pleasure. We are called to “work out” what God has “worked in”! Amen!

I love remodeling. Years
ago, we remodeled our church’s parsonage. It was completely dilapidated and
destroyed. What a joy that one of our deacons got a group of guys from Leopardo
construction in Chicago to volunteer. Over the course of a month. The materials
were supplied, and we worked hard to remodel the entire place. What a
reconstruction project. We supplied the materials, but Leopardo supplied the
workers. They went according to the plans of our architect which were
formulated before they even began to work.

The Father is our
architect. Jesus provided all we need through his death to reconcile us to God
and grant us all the power we need through the Holy Spirit. The Lord has sent
his Holy Spirit to remodel your life. He’s given you everything to transform
you. He wants you to participate. He’s the great architect. Are you following
him? Are you working out what God has already worked in you?

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

10 | Philippians
2:14-18


Be an
Influencer!

 

 

 

Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without
blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among

whom you shine as lights in the world.

Philippians 2:14-15

 

I

magine what it would be like to live in complete
darkness. We sometimes fear in modern times what might happen if the electric
grid was attacked or if it failed. But think about this. The electric lightbulb
wasn’t invented until 1882 and wasn’t in widespread use until 1900. In 1925,
less than a hundred years ago, only half of the homes in the U.S. had access to
electricity. I think we agree that being in darkness is a terrible thing. We
are grateful for modern electricity. But how much more grateful are we for
spiritual light? Having a connection to God in your spiritual darkness makes
all the difference.

Light is essential to our
existence on the earth; most of us know that. Light is needed for the process
of photosynthesis for plants. We need it to navigate through our lives. There
are objects in front of us. Daniel 12:3 says, “Those who are wise will shine
like the brightness of the heavens. And those who lead many to righteousness,
like the stars, forever and ever.” Physical light might be the greatest
physical influencer of the world. If that is so, spiritual light is even more
important.

We are called in
Philippians 2 to influence the world. Four illustrations are given: life,
light, word, and sacrifice. Paul says live the life. Shine as the stars. Speak
the word. Give yourself as a sacrifice. We are called to influence the world to
come to Christ and see people converted and transformed. You are a part of this
if you are a Christian.

God fills us with his
Spirit to grow his church. We are to help and love and disciple one another.
But we must break out. We must not hide our lights under a bushel. The light
shines, and the darkness cannot overcome it. You are not only to disciple one
another. You are to make disciples of all nations. We’ve got to break out of
the realm of this church and shine our lights in the world. That’s what this
passage (Phil 2:14-18) is all about. We are not just in this world to become
intelligent Bible scholars. We are called to make disciples. True disciples of
Christ make other disciples.

Philippians 2:14-18 Do all
things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that
you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without
blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom
you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast
to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud
that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even
if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial
offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise
you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

It’s interesting that
after some of the highest and holiest verses in the Bible (2:1-11), Paul’s
application is “stop complaining.” We are naturally bent inwardly. Dear
friends, the world will never be reached if we are self-focused. Satan’s plan
for us is to remain focused on our own hurts. If you can’t get over your hurts,
you will never get a heart for the world. Stop complaining and fighting. Absorb
the hurts and serve! “Serve the Lord with gladness” (Psa 100:1). Lay down your
life for the world.

The most sobering reality
in the world today is that people are dying and going to hell today. Your
family. Your friends. Your children. They may be going to hell. If you don’t do
something, they will depart from you forever. You will never touch them and
hold them. Jesus’ marching orders were for us to go!

Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole
creation.

—Mark 16:15

Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come
in, that my house may be filled. —Luke
14:23

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. —Matthew
28:19

God says to Isaiah, “Who
will go for us?” (Isa 6:8). “How shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom
10:14). “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17).

We are going to see four
activities we can do to bring the gospel beyond the boundaries of your local
church and your family.

We Live the Life (2:14-15)

We are to be different
from the world. We are to glow in the dark. It doesn’t help if you shine the
light right into people’s faces. It also doesn’t help much if you shine your
light into the light. Before you do anything in evangelism, you have to live a
life of contentment in God. You have to understand the joy of the Holy Spirit.

An Appreciative Life

Philippians 2:14 Do all things without
grumbling or disputing.

Complaining is a
contradiction of Christian joy. Complaining stops your spiritual growth. It
stops the witness of your life to the world. It hinders the gospel. This comes
right after Paul says: work out all that God is working in you. Complaining
stops the process. We are to be positive, hopeful people. Yes, we confront sin
and error in our lives, but we have the good news. We never have anything to
complain about.

Complaining sees only the
little idol in front of you. “I want something” and if you don’t get it you
complain. It demonstrates a cold, self-centered heart. Complaining stops the
work of God. It also stops our light from shining. Once you start complaining,
you’ve stopped reflecting Jesus. Jesus said we are not to hide our light under
a bushel. That’s what complaining does. It stifles the work of the Holy Spirit.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot
be hidden.15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a
basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In
the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may
see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. —Matthew 5:15-16

There was a man driving
his car. A woman was driving behind him in another vehicle. They were at a
stoplight. When the light turned green, the man in the lead car did not look
up. He was looking down, maybe at his phone. But he didn’t go. It’s green. But
his car didn’t go. The lady in the car behind him did see it. And she let him
know that she saw by honking the horn. She honked her horn. But the guy in the
lead car didn’t budge, didn’t move, didn’t look up. So she honked it again.

She’s getting a little mad
at this time, rolled down her window and yelled. Nothing happened. But just
when the light turned yellow, right before it turned red, he looked up, noticed
it, and zoomed through the intersection, leaving the woman to go through another
whole light cycle. Well now, she’s fuming. And she rolls her window down, puts
her arm out, and gives a certain gesture. I don’t need to go any further than
that. She yells some very choice words, ranting, raving, pounding the steering
wheel. And just then, she noticed a police officer with a gun pointed saying, “Ma’am,
I want to see both hands. I’m going to open the car door with your hands up. I
want you to get out of the vehicle.”

So she gets out of the
vehicle. The police puts her arms behind her, puts her in handcuffs, and takes
her to jail. She’s in a cell for two hours. After two hours, that same police
officer lets her out and says, ma’am, I’m very sorry for the misunderstanding.
But you just have to know that, as I was listening to the words you were saying
and I was watching the gesture you were making, and I was watching you ranting,
and raving, and going through those contortions, and I had also noticed on the
back of your vehicle the What Would Jesus Do? Bumper sticker, and the little
Chrome fish that’s on your trunk, and the Follow Me to Sunday School license
plate holder. Naturally, I assumed that you had stolen the car. Fair enough,
right? The message on the back of the car was very different from the message
coming from inside the car.

Grumbling and complaining
do not add to the light. The wording here is very similar to Exodus when the
children of Israel were complaining against God. Complaining is whining
selfishly. That’s adding darkness to the darkness. We are called to shine the
light by giving hope. What does complaining do? Does it edify? Does it help
people be conformed to Christ’s image?

Complaining is calling too
much attention to the darkness without any solution. We are gospel people. We
are good news people. Complaining is nothing but the bad news. If we call
attention to a problem, we as Christ’s people give the good news.

Complaining is the
opposite of rejoicing. We are not to be grumbling against our brothers and
sisters or questioning the wisdom and care of God. It is the opposite of
working you’re your salvation in God’s strength. Christians should be the most
joyful human beings on the planet. We are not getting what we deserve.

We should “rejoice in the
Lord always, and again I say, rejoice” (Phil 4:4). When we complain we are
questioning the goodness of God. “Whatever we do, it should be “all for the
glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). When we see something wrong, Christians are to be
a part of the solution. Sometimes Christians are like a person with limburger
cheese stuck up their nose. Everything stinks. Instead, we ought to be the most
hopeful people. We are those who have the aroma of Christ. We believe Christ
can do anything since he raised us from the spiritually dead.

We are to be “good
newsers” not complainers. The fruit of the Spirit does not include complaining.
Complaining is the fruit of impatience and self-centeredness. We should notice
problems, but our attitude should be always hopeful.

A Hopeful Life

Philippians 2:14 Do all things without
grumbling or disputing.

The Bible commands us to
be hopeful Christians, not complainers. “All things work together for good!”
(Rom 8:28) is still a part of our Bible. “For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord, plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer
29:11). “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will
he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom 8:32).

Something happened last
year, called an eclipse. We could see that an object much, much, much smaller
than the sun could actually block the Earth from the rays of the sun. So it
passed between the Earth and the sun blocking the rays. And in some places, it
was a total eclipse. It’s marvelous to see that. Now, what happened last year,
that eclipse, must never happen with us. We must never block the glory of the
son, S-O-N, the Son of God. In all of his radiance and glory, we by our lives
must never diminish that glow. But we should reflect that glow.

Complaining keeps us from
using our spiritual gifts. When you see a problem, it’s never ok to complain.
It’s time to love and to disciple. What does complaining point to? It points to
an eclipsed heart. Complaining points to a heart that is not willing to do what
it takes to make disciples.

A Happy
Life

Paul
begins by saying how different Christians should be. We are not ones who are
complaining. As Christians, we have the ability and opportunity to be
God-focused instead of self-focused.

Philippians
2:14
Do all things without
grumbling or disputing.

We
as Christians have nothing to complain about. We bring to light things that
need change, but never for the sake of being negative. Christians ought to be
positive people. We ought to be the most joyous people on the planet. Complaining
reveals a discontented soul. A healthy Christian has a heart that is always
full of praise!

We
are called to a certain attitude of service in all the things we do. As we are
working out what God has worked in, we are to have a level of joy and gladness.
“Serve the Lord with gladness” (Psa 100:1). “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Neh 8:10). “Let
everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!” (Psa 150:6)

We
are like “lights” in a dark world. This begins by having a life free from
complaining and filled with gratitude. The “all things” that the Christian is
to “do” is a broad, all-inclusive statement that encompasses all things that
God calls us to do in our lives—at home, work, school, church, and play, and in
all areas of marriage, parenting, friendship, and ministry. There is nothing in
our lives that is not touched by an attitude of blessing and not complaining.
[57]

We
are not self-focused but others-focused. We have nothing to complain about. We live a life with the aroma of Christ
because we want those who are stranded in sin to find life and liberty in Jesus
Christ. We will take aggressive, God-sized, impossible steps of faith that he
might do more and more and more.

When
you get your eyes on what God can do, you live a very happy life. It’s not about
what we can do, but what God has done. That’s why Christians no they have
nothing to complain about.

A Blameless Life

Philippians 2:15 That you may be blameless and innocent, children
of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted
generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

Blameless means we have a
good outward testimony. Innocent means we have a godly inward character. Both
your outward testimony and inner life are godly. That’s how you shine. We as
Christians want to shine as lights in a dark world. We go to church. We hear
the truth. We drink it down and eat it up. But we are not just intelligent
heathens. No, we are transformed believers. We are born again to newness of
life. And we know that it’s not just the preacher who has the hot mic. You as a
Christian have a hot mic 24/7. People see how you live. Christians live
blameless, bright lives in the world.

We are those who live
upright lives of holiness because Christ lives in us. We don’t want to sin. We
don’t need to sin. We have the power not to sin. When we live in holiness, we
are not only happy, but we are blameless. People ought to look at your life and
say: why do you follow the rules? Why do you get the permit for your house when
others sneak around the permit payment? Why do you punch out on break when
everyone else milks the clock? Why do you obey the traffic laws? Why do you
Christian young men guard your purity and the purity of the girls around you?
It’s because we as Christians believe Christ is with us through the Holy
Spirit, and therefore, we live blameless lives. We practice the presence of
God. Why do we live lives of such carefulness? Because Jesus Christ has raised
us to new life. We can’t afford to present a cheap Savior. He gave all so that
we could be transformed. We don’t have a pretend gospel. Our message really is
good news!

Now the next point that
Paul makes is, instead of complaining about the darkness, shine your light!

We Shine the Light (2:15b)

Philippians 2:15b Children of God without
blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom
you shine as lights in the world.

We shine as lights in this
dark world. The spiritual and moral darkness of the surrounding society may
give the impression that you are the
misfits. But that is only the darkness talking. God has made you the new norm.
You are the new creation. God is making you into beacons of light, reflections
of Jesus who is the Light of the World (Jn 8:12), in a midnight sky. The darker
the social setting around you, the brighter your Savior shines through you.” We
are to fulfill our place as lights in the world. Lights are used to make things
evident. Lights are used to guide. Lights are used as a warning. Lights are
used to bring cheer. Lights are used to make things safe.[58]

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. —Matthew 5:16

Shine Amidst Sinners

Philippians 2:15b Children of God without
blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom
you shine as lights in the world.

We are like ships on the
ocean. To be effective, we have to keep the ocean out. We are called to be
“fishers of men”, but in order to be effective we have to keep our boat in the
ocean but keep the ocean out of the boat.

A Christian lives a life
that is distinct from the world in several ways. We are to keep the ship in the
ocean and the ocean out of the ship, so to speak. If you have a boat, you can’t
tread water. You’ve all heard the story of the Titanic. It’s was the unsinkable
ship until it hit an iceberg. It’s only unsinkable if you keep the ocean out of
the ship. The simple way to state this is that we are to influence the world
without being influenced by the world. Listen to Jesus’ high priestly prayer:

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but
that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They
are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.17 Sanctify
them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you
sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

—John 17:15-18

How effective is a boat on
dry-dock? It’s sad to see a boat on shore. A lot of Christians are like boats
on shore who are highly equipped to catch fish, but never go out to the ocean. There’s
no fishing going on. There’s no effectiveness. Sometimes we are insulated at
church discipling each other in the gospel. We should do that but that’s not
our full mission. We are called to reach the world and make disciples of all
nations. We need to get off the shore and get into the ocean of lost people.
With boldness and love we need to shine the light of Christ. You will not be
happy as a Christian if you are insulated, gazing at your belly button. What
are some ways we can be inwardly focused in an unhealthy way?

Shine as Stars

Philippians 2:15b Children of God without
blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom
you shine as lights in the world.

This necessitates
interaction with non-believers. You are children of God who are living without
blemish “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation” and you are among
them shining “as lights in the world.” You cannot reach people who don’t know
Jesus if you don’t know people who don’t know Jesus. Who are you loving? Who is
your light shining upon? “Not lights
merely, but luminaries, heavenly bodies.”[59]
This seems to be in reference to Daniel 12:1-2.

Stay Bright!

How do Christians get spiritually
dim so suddenly? Some who shined so bright are now barely shining at all. They
are present at church, but maybe their heart is somewhere else. Be careful not
to allow yourself to have a slow fade from being on fire to a barely burning
light. Consider some warnings not to let your light go out. How does our light
slowly go out?

Over focus on theology without application.
Healthy theology should always lead to doxology and evangelism. We ought to be
praising our God and proclaiming our God to the nations. I enjoy a good debate,
but if that debate doesn’t end with us marveling and praising God to the point
where our hearts are broken for the nations, we can turn even good theology
into idolatry. Don’t do that. The point of the study of God is to bring you to
a place of praise and to equip you to reach lost people all around you.

Always learning, never
discipling. If you are constantly studying but never teaching, you’ve got a
problem. Every true disciple of Christ is a disciple maker. The word “disciple”
means “learner.” So you should be learning so that you can teach others.

Always preaching, never
praying. Always walk in the reality that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Confessing sin far more
than praising God. You should be praising God and interceding 90% of the time
and confessing sin about 10%. Holiness requires confession of sin, but
hyper-scrupulousness never helped anyone.

Focus on the shame of the
past instead of the joy of now. We can experience shame in any area of
life, but we don’t have to let it keep us company or define us in the future.
Shame should be something we learn to walk through and come out on the other
side of, remembering that mistakes and failure are often among our greatest
teachers. Remember no matter what that you are being conformed into the image
of Christ (Rom 8:28-30). Rejoice in the Lord always because he’s loving you
through every circumstance, sin, trial or victory.

Letting the judgment
passages define you more than the grace passages. Many people who are not
growing have a wrong view of God. They think God is there to punish them. We
must always read the Bible allowing the grace passages to overshadow the
judgment passages. The law is never there to merely condemn us (Jn 3:16-18) but
to lead us to Christ (Gal 3:24).

Dear saints, look deeply
into the grace of God. The more you gaze into his beauty, the brighter your
light will shine.

We Speak the Word (2:16)

Philippians 2:16 Holding fast to the word of life, so that
in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain
or labor in vain.

Along with the metaphor of
stars shining in the sky is the holding forth or display of the word of God. It
means both to grasp and to display. Paul labored more than all the other
apostles. He worked harder, went farther, suffered more than all the rest. Of
course, it was all by the grace of God. But he says, he’s not just laboring for
the Philippian believers to have Bible knowledge. The goal is for them to make
disciples that he may be proud of what Christ has done in them at the day of
Christ.

The Power of the Word

What’s Paul’s pride and
glory on the day of Christ? It’s disciples who are making disciples. What makes
disciples to be so strong and fruitful? It’s the power of the word of God.

Philippians 2:16 Holding fast to the word of life, so that
in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain
or labor in vain.

As believers live in a
dark world, Paul says that they must be “holding fast the word of life” (2:16).
“Holding fast” (epecho) more correctly
carries the idea of “holding on by holding forth.” It carries the idea of
“putting something on display.”[60]
The concept is not merely that we would have a tenacious grip on the gospel but
would also extend it to others. We must always be presenting the gospel of
Jesus Christ to others with whom we have contact. Healthy disciples are those
who make disciples.

The Word’s Supremacy

The Bible here is called
the “word of life.” It is the only way the disciple can change into the image
of Christ. It rests supreme above all other methods of change. The disciple
(learner, follower) of Christ has an unbreakable connection with God through
his word. God’s word gives life in so many ways. First there is the word’s
power to regenerate. We have been “born again… through the living and abiding word
of God” (1 Pet 1:23; Jas 1:18). Then there is the word’s power to transform us.
God’s word keeps us from sin (Psa 119:11) and changes us into the image of
Christ (2 Cor 3:18). There is the power of God’s word to protect us as an
offensive spiritual weapon called the “sword of the Spirit.” God’s word has the
power to renew your mind, change your heart, and tear down strongholds. It will
cast down sinful reasonings. The word has the power to give life as we feed on
it day and night (Psa 1:1-3), and as we receive it as our food and spiritual
milk (Mt 4:4; 1 Pet 2:2). It will transform your behavior from the inside out.

The Word Spoken

And here in Philippians
2:16, Paul says we “hold fast” to the word of life. It is literally “on display”
in our life and on our lips. Paul asks, “how are they to hear without someone
preaching” (Rom 10:14). That means we can’t be content with just knowing the
power of the word. We must proclaim it. We must hold it forth and “speak the
truth in love” (Eph 4:15). It’s merciful to warn sinners of hell and invite
them to heaven and eternal life in the new creation.

The Bible, and
specifically the message of the gospel that gives life if we preach it. This
Bible alone is powerful, “living and active” (Heb 4:12) and imparts spiritual
life. God says, “My word does not return void” (Isa 55:11). “Faith comes by
hearing and hearing the Word of Christ” (Rom 10:17). “The gospel is the power
of God unto salvation” (Rom 1:16). The word of life is so powerful that it
gives us eternal life.

The Purpose of the Word

Why do we hold fast and
hold forth the word of life? What’s the purpose of the word? Paul tells us that
he’s preparing a people for the day of Christ, when Jesus returns in power and
glory, and all people, great and small, appear before the tribunal of Christ.

Philippians 2:16 Holding fast to the word of life, so that
in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain
or labor in vain.

We all prepare for
important events. The athlete prepares for his competition. The mother prepares
dinner for her family. The builder prepares the foundation so he can build a
structure on it. The teacher prepares the lesson for her class. Some people
even hire a preparer for tax day! All things are worth preparing for, but
nothing is more important than preparing to meet the Lord face to face on the
day of Christ.

He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by
the man he has appointed. —Acts
17:31

God will bring every deed into judgment, including every
hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. —Ecclesiastes
12:14

It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment.

—Hebrews 9:27

There is coming a day John
says when people will be “calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and
hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of
the Lamb’” (Rev 6:16). But for believers, it will be quite different. The
apostle John says that the day will be infinitely glorious. Transport yourself
there as you listen to John’s words describing what the day of Christ will be
like for all of God’s people.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell
with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them
as their God. He will wipe away every tear from
their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be
mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed
away.” And he who was seated on the throne said,
“Behold, I am making all things new.” —Revelation
21:3-5

We are all looking forward
to that day when we see Jesus. But as believers, we often forget that even
though it is a great day of rejoicing, it is also a day of examination. There
is no condemnation (Rom 8:1), but our good works and gospel fruit will be
examined by Christ, and we will be rewarded. That’s what Paul is talking about
when he speaks of “running” or “laboring in vain.”

According to the grace of God given to me, like a
skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is
building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For
no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which
is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the
foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each
one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will
be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each
one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built
on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If
anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be
saved, but only as through fire. —1
Corinthians 3:10-15

As believers, we don’t
just want to “be saved, but only as through fire.” We want to have golden
crowns to cast at the Savior’s feet. Christ did all the work for us to be
saved, but he calls on us to bear fruit that we may glory in what Christ has
done through us. Being saved “only as through fire” does not mean the believer
has no fruit, but the fruit is weak. It’s “wood, hay, and straw.” This speaks
to our heart motives behind our fruit. God is not simply looking for outward
works, but he “looks on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7).

The Practice of the Word

Philippians 2:16 Holding fast to the word of life, so that
in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain
or labor in vain.

Paul says the word of God
is important because it brings glory to Christ on judgment day. Unless the
Philippians are holding forth the word of life and putting it on display to
others, Paul says: my ministry of discipleship is in vain. It’s a failure. Paul
knows he will have invested his life well if those he has ministered to
continue to be faithful witnesses of the word. Paul only thinks himself
successful if the Philippians are reproducing themselves by making disciples
with the word of life. We all must be those who not satisfied with merely
hearing the word, but being doers, practitioners of the word (Jas 1:21-25).

On that last day, God will
review every minister’s work. He will reward them according to their
faithfulness. The bottom line is that we are to be making disciples, putting
the word of life on display for others. We are to be holding fast the word by
holding forth the word. We are called to be fishers of men. If we just gather
our boats on dry land and compare our fishing equipment, we are failures. This
is what Paul is saying. “My pride, my joy on the day of Christ is you making
disciples.”

Same goes with us. If we
at our local church are merely a theology factory, we have failed. We need rich
theology, but if we are here just showing off our Bible equipment to each
other, we are failing at the mission. The mission is not to make disciples of
each other. Yes, do that. Mentor each other. If you don’t, you will fail at the
larger mission. But don’t just be content edifying each other. Yes that’s
absolutely vital, but go beyond that and reach others for Christ.

Our mission is missions.
Our mission is Christ’s mission: make disciples of all nations. Make disciples
of every creature. How can we do that. Here are some ways we can all make
disciples. Reach: share your testimony. Share the gospel. The first
thing you teach is the gospel to anyone who doesn’t know it. This means the
whole world. Read: if you are a mom or dad, start reading the Bible out
loud with your family. Teach: discipleship is teaching. Teach the Bible
to anyone. Teach what you know. Be willing to correct and rebuke. Discipleship
means we stand up in love for Bible principles. This begins in the home and
spreads to our friends and acquaintances. Model: be open about what you
are learning with other believers. Be open about your failures and your
repentance with your close circle of peers and mentors. Be hopeful to those
younger in the faith that the word is sufficient. Love: iron sharpens
iron. All this is done in humble love. We are not showing off knowledge. Our
goal is always to give hope and to edify the body in love. Forgive:
“Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet 4:8).

Let me mention that if you
are saved you should be doing some form of all of these. There is always
someone that doesn’t know what you know. If you know that Christ is Lord and
Savior, you know so much more than the great majority of the world. Shine your
light! Speak the word!

We Sacrifice for the Kingdom (2:17-18)

Resolve to Sacrifice

Philippians 2:17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink
offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice
with you all.

One of the greatest ways
to be an influencer for the kingdom is to pour your life into others. The Bible
demands all Christians everywhere to participate in life-on-life discipleship.
That’s the theme of the book of Acts. Paul was glad to pour his life into the
lives of everyone around him. Paul was resolved to be poured out as a drink
offering for the Philippians. A drink offering was a God-ordained sacrifice
that was poured on top of an animal sacrifice (Exo 29:38-41). Wine was poured
either in front of or upon the burning animal. As the wine vaporized, the steam
rose upward. This symbolized the rising of the sacrificial offering to God. So,
Paul’s life is being poured out upon the lives of the Philippians. Their hearts
and souls are being mixed together in the gospel.

Paul was glad to pour out
his life as a sacrifice for all the believers. He was joyful. Paul was under
house arrest in a rented house in Rome. He had a Roman soldier chained to him.
The Philippians knew he could be put to death at any time. He was glad to give
his life for the cause of Christ. How about you? Do you know the Christian life
is a life of sacrifice? Jesus is worthy of your sacrifices.

Rejoice
in Sacrifice

Philippians 2:18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Paul says, “Rejoice with
me” for the honor of sacrificing for the kingdom. That’s discipleship. The
Philippians might have been terribly sad, since Paul is writing this letter
from prison. But Paul says, “It’s an honor, and you should rejoice with me! Be
glad when I sacrifice for the kingdom.” Saints, it’s a joy to sacrifice for the
kingdom, isn’t it? It’s a joy we all share. Few commands could be more
practical for our Christian lives. Rejoice when it hurts to serve God. Be glad
when you are stretched to the limit. Don’t complain. “Be glad and rejoice with
me,” Paul says. Ministry can be hard and grueling, but there is no room for
complaining—only rejoicing and more sacrifice. Why? Because we get to boast in
Christ at the end of the day. When we see Jesus, we won’t be complaining about
how hard it was and licking our wounds from ministry. No, we will be rejoicing
and amazed that God could use such poor sinners such as ourselves to do such
amazing work. Rejoice that you are a tool in God’s hand!

Even if you cannot rejoice
in your circumstances, you can rejoice in the Lord and his sacrifice for you. The
Father gave his best offering as payment for your sins (Rom 8:32). You can
rejoice in God’s high and holy standard met by the blood of Jesus. You can
rejoice in God’s limitless goodness. You can rejoice in God’s amazing grace.
You can rejoice in God’s perfect sacrifice. You can rejoice in God’s abundant
supply. Jesus paid it all. What a sacrifice!

Conclusion

Be an influencer. Today,
that word might have very different meaning. People want to be “influencers”
through social media for the latest styles and comedy. They want to be
influencers of music and even politics. But the Lord is calling us to be a very
different kind of influencer. Live the life of Christ. Shine the light of
Christ. Speak the word of Christ. And display the sacrifice of Christ. That
will prepare people for the day of Christ far more than any self-consumed
social media post. Influencing people for heaven is hard word. It will entail
far more than a paragraph on Twitter or a pic on Instagram. God wants you to
pour your life out into another life today. Shine, speak, live the life of
Christ. That’s the best way to have fruitful labor that will bring God glory in
the day of Christ.



 

 

 

 

 

11 | Philippians
2:19-30


Models of Ministry

 

 

 

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you
soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no
one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 

Philippians 2:19-20

 

W

hen we speak of ministry, we are
talking about the hard work of discipleship. What is discipleship?
The word disciple means “learner.” To make a disciple is teach and model Jesus
so that they become like Jesus. Discipleship is the teaching and modeling in
life to help people become more like Jesus. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,
“Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.” We
can’t wait until we’ve got everything perfect with our lives. Every Christian
here needs to make disciples now. Listen to Francis Chan to describe the nitty
gritty of discipleship.

With discipleship, your problems are not just your
problems—ultimately, they belong to the church body that God has placed you in.
You are called to encourage, challenge, and help the other Christians in your
life, and they are called to do the same for you. If you wait until all of your
own issues are gone before helping others, it will never happen. This is a trap
that millions have fallen into, not realizing that our own sanctification
happens as we minister to others.[61]

At the end of Philippians 2 (vs 19-30) we have a beautiful
description of three ordinary men doing world changing ministry. Again,
ministry is the work of discipleship. We are all called to do it. We are called
to make disciples of all nations. That’s why we come to know three men who are
men of great joy and who love making disciples. Let me introduce you of three
ordinary models of extraordinary joy for ministry: Paul, Timothy, and
Epaphroditus.

Philippians 2:19-30 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you
soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For
I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your
welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests,
not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know
Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has
served with me in the gospel.23 I hope therefore to send him
just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I
trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. 25 I
have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and
fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to
my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been
distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he
was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me
also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the
more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again,
and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in
the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he
nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what
was lacking in your service to me.

In our study we see three models of joyful Christian ministry—Paul:
a model of selflessness, Timothy: a model of service, and Epaphroditus: a model
of sacrifice.

Paul: A Model of Selflessness (2:19-21)

The apostle Paul had a selfless spirit that drove his joy in
ministry. When you lose focus on yourself, and you have a big vision of God and
his plan moving forward, you are truly joyful. God is in the business of moving
mountains. He’s in the business of raising the spiritually dead. He loves doing
the incredible and unfathomable in people’s lives. It’s easy to be selfless
when your eyes are focused on a big God. We serve a great God, amen?

Some of you know that I have a twin sister. I also have two
twin brothers who are 12 years older than me. My twin sister loves horses. We
always had friends in the Wilmington and Kankakee area that had a horse ranch.
We loved riding horses. When we were 9 years old, my sister and I moved to
Louisiana. For our first horse ride in the bayou the spooked and took off
wildly. My sister lost the reigns, and the horse ran wild for what seemed like
forever but was likely 15 minutes. I remember we had to chase the horse with
the car until a horse trainer was able to grab the horse and halt it. In those
moments we were thinking very carefully and clearly about how to rescue my
sister. That’s selflessness. Paul the apostle modeled it for us.

There’s a clarity to our vision when we completely forget
ourselves and concentrate solely on the task before us. It’s an energizing
feeling to be so focused on someone else that there is no thought of our own
welfare, predicament, or problems. Though it seems ironic, it’s a blessed
state, far more meaningful than when we are obsessed with our own trials and
tribulations. Paul is the model of a selfless servant of Christ. He’s so
concerned about others that is not overcome by his own difficulties and
sorrows. We see this in verse 19.

The Joy
of Selfless Ministry

Paul is under house arrest, and what is his joy? Keeping his
best friend and ministry partner with him? No. What would make him rejoice is
seeing the Philippian believers encouraged by Timothy.

Philippians 2:19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you
soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

This is what makes Paul joyful: a selfless spirit. Seeing
others happy in Christ cheers Paul’s soul. Paul is ready to pour himself out
like a drink offering for the faith of the Philippians (2:17-18). Life in
Christ is worth risking everything. It’s worth being radical. No matter what
happens you win. “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21).

Radical Selflessness is Seen in Paul

The extreme to which Paul adhered to this selflessness is, in
fact, shocking to modern sensibilities. The great apostle tells the Romans that
he wishes he could cut himself off from salvation if in doing so he might save
Israel (Rom 9:3). Again, let’s not quickly pass over this. Paul was fully aware
of the total horrors of hell—the physical pain, the emotional angst, the
spiritual alienation—yet still he proclaims, “I wish I could be damned in hell
for all eternity, if in my damnation the rest of the people of Israel could be
saved.”[62]

Here is Paul 800 miles away from Philippi, and the one he calls
“my son” and says, “I have no one like him” (2:20a) and “you know Timothy’s
proven worth” (2:21a) and yet he says: “I’m going to send him to you, just as
soon as I know my fate” (2:23). Paul’s going to die within three years. He’ll
be released for a year or so and then back to a deeper darker prison (the
infamous Mamertine prison in Rome).
Here’s the point: in Paul’s hour of need he sends his most valued partner
Timothy to Philippi to care for them. He’s going to send the only one he trusts
to the people he loves: the Philippians. Paul is selfless: focused on the needs
of others.

Selflessness starts
first at the cross of Jesus. It’s at the heart of being a Christ follower. “For
they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (2:21). If you
want to see Christ’s interests, you have to look at the cross. He gives his
life away. Discipleship is a selfless endeavor. It’s going to mean giving your
life away in teaching and modeling Christ for others. This selfless sacrifice
should give you joy!

Joy is the Mark of True Discipleship

There ought to be a joy about our ministry. We all have
favorite flavors. Some of you like sweet. Some of you like savory. Some of you
like spicy. Some of you like mild. If Christians have a flavor, it would be
joy! Do you have a joyful spirit in your ministry?

The great Methodist missionary to India (called the Billy
Graham of India), E. Stanley Jones, said, “When I met Christ, it was as though
I had swallowed sunshine.”[63]
Isn’t that a great statement? He was speaking of the joy that he experienced in
meeting Jesus Christ. And then there was C.S. Lewis, a person that we’ve all
probably read, that great British scholar, who said, “Joy is the serious
business of heaven.”[64]
While I believe that joy is sometimes quite fleeting on earth. Do you find
ministry a hassle or a joy? What greater business is there in heaven or on
earth? When one sinner repents, all heaven rejoices! Shouldn’t we be rejoicing?

The
Hard Work of Selfless Ministry

Selfless ministry is hard work. Paul didn’t just bury his
talent. He didn’t bury the treasure of the gospel. He was constantly raising
people up and turning them into leaders. We are all called to do the hard work
of discipleship, investing in each other. Paul did that with Timothy.

Philippians 2:20-21 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely
concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek
their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 

Timothy was uniquely in tune with the Philippians because he’d
been around Paul so much. He had a “father-son” relationship with him. Do you
know how much time it takes to raise up disciples? We are called to duplicate
ourselves. Paul did that with Timothy.

Metaphors
for Discipleship Imply Work

Consider how much work
discipleship is. The Scriptures compare it in many ways. Discipleship is like a
father-son relationship. With them from cradle to maturity. You know why
Timothy was selfless when everyone else was “seeking their own interests”?
Because Paul was selfless. Timothy has a huge heart of compassion because his
father in the faith has a huge heart of compassion. Making disciples is far
more than a program. It’s like a father-son relationship. It takes a lot of
time. It is the mission of our lives. It defines us. A disciple is a disciple
maker. How much work does a father or mother put into a child? You’ve got to
clothe them and keep them clean and do everything for them at first. You are
with them at all their important milestones.

Discipleship is like being
a fisherman (cf Mt 4:19). A fisherman must fish at all hours. Sometimes
you fish all night till people start responding to the Holy Spirit. We are not
only fishers of men in evangelism but in discipleship. We have to keep going
after people. We could add to this a similar picture of the shepherd going
after the sheep. Discipleship is like being a slave of all (Mk 9:35). A servant
has no rights. We give up our rights. We work all hours. Discipleship is like a
bearing a cross. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and
mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own
life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come
after me cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:26-27).

We as disciples are the
salt that is constantly preserving people’s lives with truth. We are the light
that is constantly shining into the darkness of confused souls helping them see
and follow Jesus. As disciples we are like a body that works together. Like a
bride that is always faithful to her groom. Like a temple that perpetually is
inhabited by the living God. All of these metaphors imply the constancy of the
work of discipleship. We don’t just do discipleship on the Lord’s Day.
Discipleship is not a program. It’s a life. We live life together.

Models for
Discipleship Require Work

Why was this tiny church
having a global impact all the way to Rome? They weren’t a mega-church. They
understood the joy of ministry. It takes every member involvement. Every member
needs discipleship. What are some practical ways we can do discipleship? Let’s
consider several.

Establish
a discipleship group. Be in contact with at least one or two other person every
day (Heb 10:24-25). Everyone should have a little discipleship group. We’ll
call it D-group for short. Who’s in your D-group?

And let us consider how to stir up one
another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all
the more as you see the Day drawing near. —Hebrews
10:24-25

Surely these verses are not only referring to meeting together on
the Lord’s Day, but also more and more privately. With text messages, cell
phones and video chats, we should be in continual contact discipling one
another throughout the day. Pick at least one or two people for your D-Group.
Usually, these start organically.

Pray. Prayer takes hard work. Jesus said that we “ought always to
pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1). Pray for specific needs for your D-group
throughout the day. Abide and shine. Make sure you are meeting with God,
abiding with him. The goal of discipleship is to know God better and help
others know him better (Phil 3:10). Being a disciple of Jesus means that we are
being transformed into his image. God wants to change us so much that it
intrigues others.

Do life together. Do lunch. Men, do basketball, or something.
Ladies, do whatever women do. Invite each other to your home. Worship,
fellowship, pray at your church together. Reach out. Invite people to church.
Give out gospel tracts. Give your testimony. Pick up your phone. Be
approachable. Be cheerful when you answer the phone. Call fellow believers.
Pick up when they call. Follow through. Don’t just start this. Finish it.
Persevere together.

The
Reward of Selfless Ministry

Look at verse 25 and consider the reward for selfless ministry.
Paul has invested in the pastor of the Philippians, Epaphroditus, and now they
are investing in him by sending him to minister to Paul. Paul taught the
Philippians well. He poured out his life out for the Philippians, like a “drink
offering” (1:17). In return, they were pouring their lives out for him by
sending him their pastor. He says,

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my
brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister
to my need. —Philippians 2:25

Paul as a selfless disciple produces a selfless church in
Philippi.

The Reward of Reproducing a Pastor

Epaphroditus seems to be the pastor at Philippi. Paul is
reproducing here and in all the churches. Paul relied entirely on God to do the
reproducing. He would say, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the
increase” (1 Cor 3:6). As we are faithful to be selfless, God will indeed give
the increase. And so it seems he did with Epaphroditus at Philippi. Later on,
John Chrysostom (349-407) lists all the pastors of Philippi, and he names
Epaphroditus as the pastor there at the time of the letter.[65]
Epaphroditus is here called “your messenger” which could refer to him not only
as Paul’s emissary but the Philippians’ pastor.

He obviously has a very special relationship with the church as
a whole since Epaphroditus is heartbroken that his church is worrying about him
because he was near death in bringing a love offering and correspondence from
the Philippian church to Paul. Paul says: “I am well supplied, having received
from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent” (4:18).

The Reward of Reproducing a Church

What a reward Paul had from this little church, that they would
send their pastor to him. Philippi was no mega-church. The church at Philippi,
though well-known and influential, would eventually grow to a modest size of at
most 75 people amidst a town of 10,000.[66]
Though modest in size they did big things for God and for the kingdom. They
would grow somewhat rapidly. In the next century they would grow to be close to
1,000 people. The reward of discipleship is making disciples. The model is
presented to us by Paul in Ephesians 4.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets,
the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to
equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body
of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the
faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to
the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

—Ephesians 4:11-13

Timothy: A Model of Service (2:19-24)

Timothy is mentioned twenty-four times in Paul’s letters and is
identified with Paul in the writing of five letters.[67]
Timothy was one of the better known of Paul’s companions. His mother (Lois) and
grandmother (Eunice) are both model Jewish women and are named in 2 Timothy
1:5. His father was Greek (Acts 16:1) but since he likely died when Timothy was
quite young, the boy was raised by his godly mother and grandmother, who gave
him a good working knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures (2 Tim 3:15).[68]
Timothy was Paul’s son in the faith and seems to have been converted at the
time of Paul’s first missionary visit to Lystra and Iconium. Paul may have
recovered from his stoning at Lystra in the house of Timothy’s mother.

When Paul chose Timothy to be one of his companions on his
second missionary journey, the apostle had Timothy circumcised to make him more
acceptable to the Jews (Acts 16:1–4). Remember, Timothy is half-Jewish. He
wanted to reach his own people. Paul always approached the synagogue
congregation first when he entered a new town.[69]

Timothy is willing to do anything for Christ. He’s willing to
be sent. He’s a minister to Paul in Rome where the apostle is under house
arrest. Yet he’s genuinely concerned for the welfare of the Philippian church.
Paul writes about his son in the faith here in Philippians 2:19-24.

Philippians 2:19-24 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you
soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For
I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your
welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests,
not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy’s proven
worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the
gospel.23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see
how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord
that shortly I myself will come also.

Big Vision Service

Timothy had a big vision view of ministry. We read Paul’s words
and think nothing of the journey Timothy has to embark.

Philippians 2:19 I hope in the Lord
Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of
you.

This is an 800-mile journey on foot. He couldn’t look up Air BnB
to find a place to stay. There were no Ubers or Internet. He had to figure this
out. But Timothy was willing to travel and to pay a price for his service to
Christ because he had a big vision of a big God. Timothy likely got to know
Paul as Paul was nursed back to health after being stoned to death in Lystra.
It was probably in Timothy’s home, where his mother Lois and grandmother Eunice
took care of the apostle. Timothy heard the stories for the gospel going
forward.

Timothy put himself last. It was a great joy for Timothy to serve
the Lord. He was glad to be submissive in his service to the apostle Paul.
Timothy was willing to be sent all around the Roman Empire on behalf of Paul.
He was submissive to Paul, “as a son with a father” serving with the great
apostle (2:22). Timothy served the Lord wherever Paul directed. And it really
was the Lord directing them. It was often scary to go to the difficult
situations. Paul was constantly encouraging Timothy. (“God’s not given you a
spirit of fear…”).

Discipleship and growth are not at all possible without a big
vision. To be a disciple is to be a learner. You need to see how others serve.
Timothy was willing to submit and learn how to serve from the tutelage of Paul.
Who are your teachers at Living Hope? Normally, it’s pretty hard to program
something like this. It has to happen naturally. But once you’ve found someone
to help disciple you, you can get some accountability.

Excuses for Small Vision

No one has pursued me for discipleship. Who
pursued Paul? He met with the Lord for three years before anything happened.
That should not be the norm. But then he met Barnabas and received direction
from Aquilla and Pricilla.

Greener grass syndrome.
“I’ll find a better discipleship situation elsewhere.” That mentality always
hurts yourself and Christ’s church. If you want greener grass, water your own
grass. Find ways to do discipleship. Persevere. Don’t ever, ever, ever give up.

I can’t disciple someone
because I still have faith struggles. This one’s a classic. We think we
must operate at some higher level of spirituality to make disciples. Listen, we
are not perfect saints; we are forgiven sinners. What matters
is who we follow together–he’s got enough perfection for all of
us. Don’t let this excuse keep you from obedience.

I don’t know enough. While
teaching and learning are central to discipleship, we don’t need to know
everything. Invite people into places where you are learning and praying and
serving. And as you do that, your own learning will accelerate quickly.

I don’t know what to
do. Discipleship is not complicated; it’s not about a technique or
methodology. Wondering what to do? Here’s my thing: just start. Invite
a friend to discuss spiritual things. Take someone to church with you. Pray for
a friend. Learn along the way. It’s not nearly as complicated as you think.
It’s simply helping someone take the next step after Jesus.

That’s the pastor’s
job. I love this one. As a pastor, I want to laugh out loud, mostly
because it’s so absurd. All disciples must make disciples. Pastors help us
become better disciple-makers, so we can all do our one job.

I don’t want to
be presumptuous. Actually, it’s not called presumption to help
someone follow Jesus–it’s called loving obedience. Remember: any trace of
presumption or hierarchy is evidence that you’ve forgotten what’s going on: we
are not making people our disciples but disciples of Jesus.

I’m not an academic. You
don’t need to be. In some circle’s discipleship has, unfortunately, become a
kind of rigorous academic program–read these 40 books, pray 2 hours a day, etc.
Discipleship is not primarily academic, though it includes loving God with our
whole mind, as well as heart, soul, and strength. In the end, we are not
becoming religious eggheads who know stuff but passionate followers of
Jesus who serve him in the world. Be who you are.

I tried that once and it
didn’t go well. Yep. Sometimes things don’t go well. That’s just true. And we
learn through it. But stopping because it didn’t work out well? I don’t think Jesus
left us that option.

I don’t have
time. Then your priorities are wrong. At any job, how long would we last
if we kept ignoring the one thing we had been tasked to do, claiming we don’t
have the time for it?

I don’t feel I have much to give. This one really shuts
people down, and often includes a combination of excuses. Here’s the fact: none
of us have that much to give, but by the Holy Spirit can give through us. Keep
your relationship with Jesus in focus, and simply share where you are growing.
Let Jesus be the giver.

I don’t want to. This final one isn’t an excuse–it’s flat out
disobedience. If we are honest, there are times when we hear Jesus’
commission to us and we reject it. We don’t want to. What do we do with
that? We need to repent, reconnect with Jesus’ heart for people, and get on
with the task at hand. Because in the end, we only have one job. Are we
getting it done? 

Big
Hearted Service
(2:20-21)

Timothy cared about the church! There was no one like him, who
is genuinely concerned for the Philippians’ welfare (2:20). Timothy was not the
pastor at Philippi, but he loved that small church with a big heart. Listen to
Paul’s evaluation of Timothy’s big heart.

Philippians 2:19-24 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely
concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek
their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 

When we serve the Lord, it takes thick skin and a big heart.
Timothy wouldn’t stop loving the saints at Philippi. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
famously said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Timothy was
willing and able to die without becoming bitter or jaded by ministry. How is
that possible? How do you remain “genuinely concerned” for the church when you
are constantly suffering?

Timothy’s Imprisonment

Timothy is willing to care for the Philippians welfare no
matter what the risk. The author of Hebrews records that he had been imprisoned
and will be released. Who knows what all he’s gone through for the saints?

You should know that our brother Timothy has been released,
with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. —Hebrews
13:23

How to
Maintain a Big Heart (And Avoid Burnout)

Keep your eyes on Jesus! Sinners sin. People will always fail
themselves, the Lord, and you. Jesus will never fail you.

Stay humble. Most of the time when we are angry or dejected it
is because of self-worship / idolatry. Humility and the fear of the Lord are
necessary to keep perspective when people fail you.

Rejoice in God’s love. Remember at the end of the day you are
loved. He’s not willing that any should perish, and that means he’s not willing
you should perish.

Remember you are not the Savior. You can’t do it all. Delegate.
Say no to things. Get proper rest. You are only human.

Take risks and see God break through. We have a big God who
does big things in people’s lives if you ask him. You need to take some risks.
Have people over. Hand out a gospel tract. Introduce yourself to someone new at
church. Sit in a different section of the church. Pray specifically and see God
answer prayer.

Big
Dividend Servic
e

If you will invest in
others, God will give you dividends! Paul invested in Timothy, and it really
paid off.
Timothy cared about discipleship. He learned from Paul to do
whatever it takes to disciple others. Paul says I have no one like him.

Philippians 2:22-24 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a
son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.23 I
hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I
trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

Timothy is joyfully
serving Paul and the church, and most of all the Lord, and his service is
valuable. Timothy became a disciple of proven worth. Paul was eager to have him
minister to the Philippians, and then Paul was looking forward, if it was the
Lord’s will, to join reunite with Timothy in Philippi. What great dividends
Paul had with investing in Timothy. If you invest in others, God will give you
dividends!

We have to be willing to put ourselves out there in service.
And without real big vision, big hearted service, there will not be big
dividends. What is your proven worth to God’s kingdom? When you are spoken
about by other members of this church or any church you are in, do they say: I
know this man or this lady’s proven worth! They are profitable.

Epaphroditus: A Model of Sacrifice (2:25-30)

Epaphroditus had been sent to Rome to minister to Paul, but
shortly after arriving the the Philippian pastor becomes terribly ill.
Ultimately, he recovered, but not before a long struggle where he lingered at
death’s door. News of his illness might have traveled back to Philippi, and the
man was concerned that his friends back home would be worried about him.
Furthermore, when he returned earlier than expected, some might think he
returned as a quitter, so Paul was careful to write strong words in his
defense.

The Example of Sacrifice

Philippians 2:25-27 I have thought it necessary to send to
you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and
your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has
been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was
ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had
mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow
upon sorrow.

I love how Paul describes Epaphroditus: “my brother and fellow
worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger…” (2:25). The church of
Philippi was the first church that Paul founded in Macedonia and likely in
Europe (cf Phil 4:15; 1 Thess 2:2;
Acts 16:11-12). This was a very new church, and they wanted to send their
pastor to Paul. One the way he almost died: he was ill, near to death (2:27,
30).

In those days when people visited prisoners who were held captive
under Roman authority, they were often prejudged as criminal types as well.
Therefore, a visitor exposed himself to danger just by being near those who
were considered dangerous. Paul says:

…he [Epaphroditus]
nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what
was lacking in your service to me (2:30).

The Greek term Paul uses here for “risking”—paraboleuomai—is one that meant “to
hazard with one’s life . . . to gamble.” Epaphroditus did just that.

Riskers for Christ: Parabolani!

In the early church there were societies of men and women who
called themselves the parabolani for
Christ
, that is, the “riskers for Christ.” They ministered to the sick and
imprisoned, and they saw to it that, if at all possible, martyrs and sometimes
even enemies would receive an honorable burial. For example, in the city of
Carthage during the great plague of A.D. 252, Cyprian, the pastor of Carthage,
showed remarkable courage. In self-sacrificing love for his flock and the
world, he took upon himself the care of those sick with the plague and
encouraged his congregation nurse them and bury the dead. What a contrast with
the practice of the heathen who were throwing the corpses out of the
plague-stricken city and were running away in terror![70]

As Christians, we are the Parabolani for Christ. We are
the Riskers for Jesus! We’ve got to be there sacrificing our lives like
Epaphroditus. Yes, it’s inconvenient and even dangerous, but that’s the true
display of love for one another.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if
you have love for one another. —John
13:35

Epaphroditus wasn’t extraordinary among Christians. We
shouldn’t look at him as a rare case. This is the commitment we are all called
to. He was a pastor who became a messenger for Paul. Before email, cell phones
and text messaging, people had to deliver messages by hand.

You don’t have to be a hero to be part of the Parabolani
for Christ! Moms, you are a risker for Christ every time you share the gospel
with your little ones. You are a risker when you carefully nurture them in the
Scriptures. You are standing against the cosmic powers of darkness. You are a
hero! Dads, you are a risker for Christ as you stand against this emasculated
age and lead your wife and children. Singles, you are a risker for Christ as
you remain pure in this lascivious age of filth. As you make wise media
choices. All of us are riskers for Christ when we pick up the phone and call
each other outside of Sundays and shepherd each other.

This reminds me of the six-year-old girl who became deathly ill
with a dread disease. To survive, she needed a blood transfusion from someone
who had previously conquered the same illness. The situation was complicated by
her rare blood type. Her nine-year-old brother qualified as a donor, but
everyone was hesitant to ask him since he was just a lad. Finally, they agreed
to have the doctor pose the question. The attending physician tactfully asked
the boy if he was willing to be brave and donate blood for his sister. Though
he didn’t understand much about such things, the boy agreed without hesitation:
“Sure, I’ll give my blood for my sister.” He lay down beside his sister and
smiled at her as they pricked his arm with the needle. Then he closed his eyes
and lay silently on the bed as the pint of blood was taken. Soon thereafter the
physician came in to thank the little fellow. The boy, with quivering lips and
tears running down his cheeks, asked, “Doctor, when do I die?” At that moment
the doctor realized that the naive little boy thought that by giving his blood,
he was giving up his life. Quickly he reassured the lad that he was not going
to die, but amazed at his courage, the doctor asked, “Why were you willing to
risk your life for her?” “Because she is my sister … and I love her,” was the
boy’s simple but significant reply.

So it was between Epaphroditus and his brother Paul in Rome, and
so it is to this day. Danger and risk don’t threaten true friendship; they
strengthen it. Such friends are modern-day members of the parabolani, that reckless band of friends—riskers and gamblers,
all—who love their brothers and sisters to the uttermost. Each one deserves our
respect. When we need them, they are there. I have a few in that category.
Hopefully, you do too.[71]

The Honor of Sacrifice

Philippians 2:28-30 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may
rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive
him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for
he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete
what was lacking in your service to me.

Paul says we should honor men like Epaphroditus, not because he
is a pastor but because of their sacrifice. In this world, those who are
honored are those who seem to take, take, take. The richest and the most
glamorous are always honored in a pagan culture. But not in the church. Paul
said, Epaphroditus was a man to be honored because of his sacrifice.

We believe Christians should live by a code of honor. Hopefully
you honor those in authority over you whether you agree with them or not. We
need to have a code like Daniel who served pagan kings. We should have a spirit
of honor and gratitude that marks our lives. We say thank you to any elected
officials. We say thank you to those who protect us day in and day out: police,
fire fighters, our military.

Paul’s argument is that this honor should extend to the church
of Jesus Christ as well. We should show honor one to another. Epaphroditus was
willing to give his life. Paul says let’s honor him. Paul was willing to give
his life. Let’s honor him. Let’s all give our lives for each other. Let’s honor
each other. This is sacred ground. Let’s work out our salvation with fear and
trembling because Christ gave his life for us. Above all, let’s honor Christ! How
about you? Do you honor those who are investing in your lives? Do you honor
each other?

Conclusion

Here are three great men of joy in ministry. How they loved
serving the Lord. We are also called to serve the Lord with gladness. Let’s
close with a powerful and important Psalm.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve
the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know
that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are
his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter
his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to
him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his
steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. —Psalm 100:1-5

By God’s grace saints, let us serve the Lord with gladness!

 



 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

12 | Philippians
3:1-3


Increase Your Joy

 

 

 

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To
write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

Philippians 3:1

 

D

o you ever feel like you are losing your joy? Joy
is the birthmark of the birthright of the child of God. And if you’re not
living a life of joy you’re living beneath your privileges as a Christian.

When I was a kid, my
family visited Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s amazing how people go
crazy over this person, Elvis Presley, who is dead. People go crazy over the
silliest things. In Philippians 3 Paul has crazy love for Jesus, who is alive.
This is the love we need also. This passage is extremely important because it
tells us what it means to know Jesus, what it means to find eternal salvation
and ultimate satisfaction in life.

What do you treasure? Is
there anything of surpassing value? Is there anything that deserves our life-long,
passionate pursuit? The answer is yes. Paul describes it later in this chapter:
“More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the
surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (3:8). Paul reminds us that
nothing on earth compares to the joy knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior. You will never regret pursuing Christ.

Did you know the most
attractive quality of our life in order to bring people to Jesus Christ is the
joy that we have? The people that you work with, if they can see that joy in
you, the people that you go to school with, the people that you worship with. That’s
the reason I want our services to be services that are marked by joy,
enthusiasm, and happiness. I’m not talking about cheerleader enthusiasm. The
real meaning of the word enthusiasm is in God, in Theos.

We ought to worship the
Lord with gladness. It’s all right for a mortician to be a mortician there, but
we haven’t come to mourn a corpse today. We’ve come to hail a risen conqueror.
His name is Jesus, and he is alive this morning in each one of us who knows
him.

The Bible is the
sufficient word of God, but I think many Christians don’t know how to utilize
it. So many Christians lack joy. What do you do when you are down and
despairing? You’re depressed. Maybe you say, “That’s never happened to me,
Pastor.” Well, just hang on. Give it time. It happens to all of us.

How do you get up when
you’ve fallen and think you cannot get up? I’m not talking about having fallen
physically, but emotionally, spiritually, when you’re down and don’t seem to be
able to recover. Now I’m not just talking about feeling bad about certain
things.

Somebody asked a lady,
“What do you do when you get, down?” She said, “When I get down, I get a new
pair of shoes.” Her husband said, “I wondered where you’d gotten that amazing
collection.”

Whether we actually live
with joy or allow something to take it from us is a choice each of us makes
every day. Living with joy is a decision we make again and again as we’re
continually faced with joy stealers such as worry, bitterness, guilt,
negativity, and busyness. The Psalms are filled with joyful passages to
encourage us. But you know Philippians is a book of joy. Let’s look at three
ways in Philippians 3:1-3 how you can increase your joy.

Philippians 3:1-3 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To
write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look
out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who
mutilate the flesh. For we are the
circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in
Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.

Increase Your Wellspring of Joy (3:1)

What is the wellspring of
joy? It’s a relationship with Christ. We are united with Christ, but we need to
practice the presence of God in a practical way. We need to rejoice in every
circumstance, however difficult, that Christ is with us and guiding us through
it.

Philippians 3:1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To
write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

“Finally” does not mean to
indicate that Paul has come to the end of this letter. This is only the halfway
mark in the book of Philippians! There will be another “finally” to come (4:8).
This word “finally” could be translated “moreover,” “furthermore,” “so then,”
or “now then.” He’s reviewing the main theme here. I’m going to say it and say
it again and again and again and again. This is so important: Finally, most
importantly, rejoice in the Lord!

A Christian possesses joy
that the world never knows. Many assume that the opposite is true. They think
the Christian life is one of drudgery. They presume we live an antiquated life
in which we deny ourselves every pleasure. But nothing could be further from
the truth. The Christian life is filled with unspeakable joy that far surpasses
anything that anyone in this world could ever know. In fact, knowing Jesus
Christ is the only source of true and lasting joy that there is.

The Reason to Rejoice

We have a reason to
rejoice: the Lord (3:1). The sphere in which joy is found is in a relationship
with the Lord Jesus Christ. True joy is a gift from God that only he can give.
The psalmist declared, “You have put gladness in my heart” (Psa 4:7). And, “In
your presence is fullness of joy” (Psa 16:11). This joy is produced by the Holy
Spirit in the believer. Paul writes, “The kingdom of God is … joy in the Holy
Spirit” (Rom 14:17). Again, “The fruit of the Spirit is … joy” (Gal 5:22).
There is not one drop of real joy to be experienced apart from him. All joy is
in the Lord.

“The joy of which Paul
writes is not the same as happiness (a word related to the term
‘happenstance’), the feeling of exhilaration associated with favorable events.
In fact, joy persists in the face of weakness, pain, suffering, even death.”[72]
We are called as Christians to focus on a sovereign, loving God who is
superintending every detail of your life. There is a joy, a happiness in Christ
that cannot come from the world. Your circumstances, your emotions, your money:
nothing can take away the sense of contentment in Christ. Joy is a matter of
focus. Consider Paul’s plea to the Colossians.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the
things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of
God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on
things that are on earth. For you have died, and your
life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who
is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in
glory. —Colossians
3:1-4

True joy is not dependent
upon circumstances. Neither does it come from the things of this world.
Authentic joy comes from having a personal relationship with God through Jesus
Christ. Real joy comes from knowing the Lord. This source of joy rises above
our circumstances and cannot be drained by the surrounding situation. It is
available in good times and difficult times, in prosperity and poverty. No
matter what transpires in someone’s life, they can know joy.[73]

The Command to Rejoice

It is a duty for us to cultivate this joy. We must daily put a stop
to any tendency to murmur and complain about life. Instead we should praise! We
must resist the temptation to depression and melancholy as we would to any form
of sin.[74]
We are commanded to rejoice. Paul says it in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the
Lord, always, and again I say, Rejoice.”

The grammar here is
interesting. “Rejoice” (3:1) is in the continual present tense. The means that the Philippian Christians, and we,
are always to be rejoicing in the Lord. We are to rejoice not only on Sunday
morning in their church gathering, but throughout the week in our homes and workplaces.
We are to be always rejoicing in every circumstance of life. We should rejoice
in good times, as well as bad times. We should be glad not only in prosperity,
but in poverty and hard times. Rejoicing is to be our habitual emotion as
Christians. What about when I’m sad? Can I rejoice in Jesus when I’m sad? Jesus
commands us to do so.

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when
he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he
opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed
are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” —Matthew 5:1-4

In addition, “rejoice” is
in the imperative mood. That means “rejoice” is a command to be obeyed. It is
an act of the will in choosing to obey God. To rejoice in the Lord is the
responsibility of every Christian to choose to obey. Paul is commanding his
readers to rejoice. They may not have felt like rejoicing, but that did not
give them an excuse to mope around. That would be living in disobedience to
this command. Believers are always to rejoice in the Lord. There are reasons
why we become discouraged, some of them significant. But there are always
greater reasons to rejoice. God does not command what he does not make
possible.[75]
Rejoicing for a Christian is God’s will.

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing,18 give
thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you.

—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The Choice to Rejoice

The truth is when we
understand Romans 8:28-30, that God is using every circumstance to make us like
Jesus, then we can make a choice to rejoice. This verb “rejoice” is in the
active voice. This means Christians must take action to rejoice. We are to take
charge in this matter. We have this obligation to direct our minds and hearts
to rejoice in the Lord. We are the only ones who can fulfill this. God will not
do this independently of our making this choice to rejoice in the Lord. When
Paul states this in the active voice, this could be translated, “I command you
to be always making every effort to be rejoicing in the Lord.” We are to make
every effort to choose joy in Christ.

The Safety of Rejoicing

Paul says, it is safe to
rejoice. He says, “I keep writing to you the same thing: rejoice, rejoice,
rejoice.” It’s no trouble for me, but for you it is safe. Why would he say
that? A joyful focus on Jesus keeps you moving in the right direction. All sin
(complaining, anger, anxiety, despair) gives a place for the devil to counsel
our hearts (Eph 4:26-27). You can just imagine, here is Paul, he’s chained to a
soldier. He’s saying these words, and Epaphroditus (the pastor of Philippi) is
writing them down. It’s almost as if he can see the Philippians’ eyes rolling
as he brings up joy again.

Philippians 3:1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To
write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

This is not tedious. I’m
not a broken record. It’s not like I’ve run out of stuff to say. Actually, it
is safe. Why is it safe? You can’t apply what you don’t remember. The Bible
teaches us many of the same things over and over again. Why? Because we are
forgetful creatures. If we don’t constantly shore up spiritual truth that we’ve
heard before that we will forget it. If you don’t hang on, and anchor down, and
remind yourself of the things you learn they’ll slip away. They say we only
remember a small percentage of what we hear. The statistics are actually a bit
depressing for a public speaker. Twenty-five percent (25%). You retain 25% of
what you hear if you hear it twice. So Paul is constantly repeating it:
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice! He does it because we are so prone to
forget. When we forget to rejoice we get into a lot of trouble. How do we stay
safe in joy? One way is by saturating our mind with the promises of God.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God. —2
Corinthians 7:1

Joy keeps us protected
from so many sins of our own fallen spirits. “The joy of the Lord is my
strength” (Neh 8:10). What are some sins that take away our joy? Sinful anger
(Eph 4:26-27, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your
anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil”), self-pity,
bitterness, worldly curiosity, constant amusement, laziness, lust, fear, overly
downcast spirit. You can think of many more! Joy protects us from falling into
all of these and more.

Spurgeon said, “Glory be
to God for the furnace, the hammer and the file. Heaven shall be all the fuller
of bliss because we have been filled with anguish here below; and earth shall
be better tilled because of our training in the school of adversity.”[76]

Increase Your Watchfulness of Joy (3:2)

Paul says, we need to
watch out for those things and people that can steal our joy. Paul’s main
concern is the false teachers who threaten to steal the joy of the Philippians.
They are the Jewish teachers who are saying you need to keep the law to be saved.

A Description of Joy Stealers

Philippians 3:2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the
evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

“Look out!” Be on guard!
False teachers are coming. Now, what Paul was telling us is this: that some of the
meanest people in the world are in the world of religion. And, Paul says,
“Beware.” Don’t you think just because a person is religious, he’s nice. You
will find more meanness in the world of religion than perhaps anywhere else. It
was a religious crowd that crucified Jesus. And so, the Apostle Paul says,
“Beware of dogs.”

I heard about a missionary
one time that was accosted by a lion. And, the missionary was afraid the lion
would devour him, and he was hoping for some kind of mercy when he saw the lion
fold his big, massive paws in front of him, bow his head reverently, and start
to move his lips as though he was praying. The missionary said, “Can it be—a
Christian lion?” But then, the lion noticed that the missionary was looking
somewhat relieved, and the lion said, “Don’t get your hopes up, I’m just asking
the blessing before the meal.”[77]
Now, there are some people who may act very religious, but they’re very cruel
and very ferocious.

Dogs

These false teachers are
first referred to as “dogs.” This reference is not to a domesticated house pet,
but to wild scavengers. These false teachers are like vicious, wild dogs that
roam the streets in packs from one garbage dump to the next, devouring what has
been thrown away. In this hunt, they attack innocent people and spread disease.
These corrupters of truth feed on the trash of false doctrine. They spread the
deadly disease of doctrinal error and moral decadence. They were marked by the
uncleanness of their own immorality. They are vicious in character and attack
the sheep. They are vile in their motives and filthy in their conduct.[78]

This description says it
all. These are wild animals seeking only for themselves. The people Paul was
referring to were very smooth Bible teachers. They were gentle on the outside,
but when you got too close to them, they took advantage of you like a wild dog.
These “dogs” do not give you hope in Christ but wound you.

Evil
Doers

Paul further refers to the
false teachers as “evil workers.” This speaks of their evil character, as well
as their endless industry in spreading more bad character which ends in bad
morals.[79]
Bad doctrine always leads to bad living.

False Teachers

These false teachers are
also the “false circumcision” (NASB), which explains what they teach and impose
upon others. The religious rite of male circumcision was taught in the Old
Testament as a sign of God’s covenant with the nation of Israel (Gen 17). The
death of Christ fulfilled the meaning of circumcision (Col 2:10-14). But these
Judaizers were attempting to keep people under the old covenant by requiring
their followers to be circumcised. Thus, Paul refers to them as the false
circumcision.[80]
The point is: false teachers steal your joy. They’re going to take the
spotlight off of Christ and onto themselves. Be careful, because many will use
even good doctrine to

Watch Out for Joy Stealers

What are some things that
steal our joy? There are so many temptations. The key to joy is a radical focus
on Christ; it’s what the Old Testament prophets called “the fear of the Lord.”
We are to practice the presence of God. So really the question is, what gets
our focus off of Christ? Because that is what steals our joy. Let’s look at a
few possibilities.

Bad teaching about God. For
example, the false idea that God is mad at his children. No, there is no
condemnation (Rom 8:1). God doesn’t punish his children. He disciplines them so
that he might lavish his love on them. Get your view of God right. Exodus 20:3,
“You shall have no other gods before me.” You don’t get to decide what God is
like. He is a loving God and the shepherd of all his children.

Lack of daily
worship/prayerlessness. You are a pillar of fire, child of God. When you leave
your worship behind, you are like a dry, empty temple. “One thing have I asked
of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in
his temple” (Psa 27:4).

Passive men (and women).
If you know the right thing to do and you don’t do it, it’s sin (Jas 4:17).

Grudge holding (Eph
4:26-31). Be the first to say, “Forgive me.” Defuse anger quickly so you can be
a blessing in the relationship.

Gossip. Manufacturing
gossip or words that tear down the reputation of others will never add any joy
to your life. On the other hand, when you use your words to build into the
lives of others you bring joy to you and them as well. Psalm 40:3, “He put a
new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and
put their trust in the Lord.” Gossip tears down. Praise and encouragement
builds up.

Approval seeking. Being
liked by everyone is so overrated. It’s much better to have God’s approval and
love others from a genuine place, instead of neediness.

Negative self-talk. We
often let lies from Satan or others sneak in and destroy us. Instead, preach
the word to yourself! Let God’s word pour in and over and through your life.

Living in the past. You
are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). We are to forget that which is behind and
reach forth to the high calling of God, which is to know Christ (Phil 3:13-14).

Fear of the future.
Whatever your future holds, it means conformity to Jesus! (Rom 8:28-30).

Increase Your Worship through Joy (3:3)

Paul says, true Judaism,
the true Israel or circumcision are those “who worship by the Spirit of God.”
Paul gives us the key to worship. The first is circumcision of the heart. We
have to have a sensitive, heart, cut by the word.

A
Sensitive Heart

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who
worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put
no confidence in the flesh.

What is Paul talking
about? What is circumcision? Circumcision in the Old Testament was the cutting
of the male foreskin as an outward sign of being set apart from the sinful
world, in the service of the living God. It was a ritual that indicated what
must happen to the heart. In itself, circumcision brought no redeeming value.
It did not save, nor did it sanctify. It was a picture of what must take place
in the heart. Circumcision stressed that there must be a cutting of the sinful
heart that is hardened by sin. Getting close to God requires the cutting of the
heart. Isn’t that what you want? Our hearts need circumcision. Theologically
this refers to the life-giving power of the Spirit in the heart to make you
alive to God. But we need a constant cutting of the word and the Spirit. The word
is the sword of the Spirit, and it is “sharper than any two-edged sword.” Is
your heart getting cut by the word? A baby doesn’t circumcise himself. That’s
why we need each other.

The Bible is life-giving,
called the “word of life” (Phil 2:16). The disciple (learner, follower) of
Christ has an unbreakable connection with God through his word. The word is a
living, active double-edged sword that pierces “to the division of soul and of
spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and
intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12-13). The word is “like a fire” (Jer 23:29a).
The Bible is a mirror that reveals (Jas 1:23). God’s word is milk that
nourishes us (1 Pet 2:2, “…like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the
word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation”). The Bible “is a
lamp to my feet, and a light to my path”). We have been “born again… through
the living and abiding word of God” (1 Pet 1:23). God’s word is a weapons chest
that keeps us from sin (Psa 119:11). God’s word is an offensive spiritual
weapon called the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6:17). You are blessed only as you
“meditate on God’s law day and night” (Psa 1:2).

We need discipleship
groups. What do I mean? This is outside the small group ministry where you are
staying accountable with two or three other brothers or sisters throughout the
week. Paul says, “We are the
circumcision, who worship…” You can’t do this alone. We must worship together.
We must allow God to cut into our hearts. Paul said to Timothy: “…what you have
heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who
will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2). There are four levels of
discipleship going on. Paul, Timothy, faithful men, others. That’s how our
D-groups ought to function.

A
Spirit-Filled Heart

Philippians 3:3a For we are the circumcision, who
worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus.

Circumcision refers to the
sensitivity of the heart. It has the idea that your heart is cut and sensitive.
Are you often wounded and healed by the word of God? How do you know you are
living with a heart unhardened by the world? If the word of God doesn’t lead
you to worship, something is wrong. You see we all have a worship disorder. We
want to worship the creation above our Creator. Our fallen natures want to
worship comfort over our Creator. We would rather have self-worship over Christ
our Savior.

Do you worship by the
Spirit of God and glory in Christ? Are you Spirit-filled? What are some
indications in Scripture that you are Spirit-filled? Ephesians 5:18 commands us
to “be filled with the Spirit” and the following evidences are named: speaking
Scripture (Psalms, hymns…) to each other (Eph 5:19a), singing in your heart to
Jesus (Eph 5:19b), giving thanks (Eph 5:20), a spirit of humility and
submission (Eph 5:21), the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), boldness (Acts
4:31, “…they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the
word of God with boldness”), joy (Acts 13:52, “And the disciples were filled
with joy and with the Holy Spirit”), conviction of sin (Jn 16:8, “And when he
comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment),
supernatural comfort, reminding you of God’s promises (Jn 14:26, “the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he
shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you”), prayer (Jude 1:20, “Pray in the power of the
Holy Spirit”), and a peaceful heart. If a person is filled with the Holy Spirit
he will not necessarily be noisy, highly excited or full of physical strength.
The Spirit-filled life is a life of calm poise and quiet confidence (Isa 30:15,
“…in quietness and in trust shall be your strength”). Remember the Holy Spirit
manifests his form as a dove at the baptism of Jesus. Consider that “the wisdom
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy
and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (Jas 3:17). Are you worshipping in the
Spirit throughout the day?

A
Crucified Heart

Philippians 3:3c │ Put no confidence in the flesh.

The idea of no confidence
is elsewhere illustrated as crucified. Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with
Christ…” We have to cut ourselves off from the unholy things of the world. The
Lord says, “Be holy as I the Lord am holy.” What does it mean to be holy? It
means to be set apart for God’s glory. Everything you do as a Christian should
be holy and honoring to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says even our eating and drinking
should bring glory to God. Your attitude to your wife and to your church family
ought to be a holy cheerfulness. There is no excuse. We must “put no confidence
in the flesh.” Growth in grace is not going to happen by your own efforts.
Effort must be supernaturally empowered by the Spirit of God. You can only go
forward on your knees as it were with a spirit of worship. Don’t trust
yourself. Get into a life-on-life discipleship environment.

Conclusion

Here are three pathways to
joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength! Let me tell you the story of a recent
wrestling match with my son William. I was a bit proud and wanted to show him
that I still had it. My son is only 15 years old, but he towers over me at 6
foot 4 inches. He is strong, but I knew I could still take him down. Boy was I
wrong. I had my daughter Kristen film it, and she is of course forbidden from
sharing it with anyone. But what occurred surprised me. In less than a minute
my powerful son very gently grabbed me and carefully laid my shoulders on the
ground, like a gentle giant. He didn’t want to hurt me. What happened? How did
he get so strong? He grew!

We also need to grow in
the joy of the Lord. This is how we know we are maturing in Christ. Our
maturity is seen by our level of joy in the Spirit. No matter what the
circumstances, a Christian has the supernatural ability to rejoice.

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

13 | Philippians
3:4-11


The Great Change

 

 

 

 Indeed, I count everything as loss
because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For
his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish,

in order that I may gain Christ 

Philippians 3:8

 

E

very believer has a testimony of how they came to
faith in Jesus Christ. In these verses, Paul presents his to us. Any testimony
of true faith in Christ has three parts: my life before Christ, how I came to
know Christ, and my life after knowing Christ. In a testimony, we always have
an B.C. and an A.D. part of our lives. BC: “Before Christ” and A.D., “After
Deliverance.” Do you have that kind of testimony of your conversion?

Philippians 3:4-9 Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh
also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have
more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people
of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the
law, a Pharisee;as to zeal, a persecutor of the
church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever
gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed,
I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things
and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and
be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the
law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from
God that depends on faith.

Life
Before Christ (3:4-6)

Paul explains his life
before his conversion in verses 4-6. Here Paul describes his old existence
before he met Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:4 Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh
also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have
more: 

What Paul means is, If
mere religious efforts could gain anyone acceptance with God, then I am at the
head of that list. Put another way, If anyone could find salvation through his
self-righteousness, that was me. He lists all the things in which he once put
his confidence. Yet Paul was completely wrong about trusting in all his good
works. Isaiah says anything we do to gain or merit God’s love and acceptance
are nothing but filthy rags. Remember the words of Isaiah, “But we are all as an unclean thing,
and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa 64:6a,
KJV).
In verses 5 and 6, Paul notes seven different facts in which he
once trusted, none of which could commend him before God.[81]

Philippians 3:5
C
ircumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the
tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee.

Impressive Beginning

First, Paul explains that
he had the right beginning. He was “circumcised the eighth day” (3:5). No Jew
could have a more proper beginning than this. The Mosaic Law required that on
the eighth day, a baby boy would be circumcised, which was the cutting of the
male foreskin and the sign of the covenant. This ritual signified that there
must come a time in which the heart of the individual must be circumcised as
well. There must come the reality when that child is set apart by the Holy
Spirit unto God. Circumcision was a religious ritual practiced by Israel with
the significance that the heart must be cut by the word of God. Paul had the
sign of the covenant. What a great beginning. Paul’s parents loved him. But no
parent’s love is great enough to save that child. We must each personally know
the love of Christ. Though Paul had a great beginning, he is lost, lost, lost.
Being born in the right home, with a Christian family cannot save anyone.

Perhaps you also had the
right beginning. Maybe you were brought to church from the time you were born.
Maybe you were sprinkled as an infant. Maybe you were dedicated to the Lord in
a special church service. Whatever might have happened to you in your
childhood, none of these things can give you a right standing before God.

Impressive
Nationality

Second, Paul had the right
nationality. He was born “of the nation of Israel” (3:5). Sure, he was born in
Tarsus, a Roman city, to Jewish parents who possessed Roman citizenship, but he
also had citizenship in the nation of Israel, as a true Hebrew. Israel was
God’s chosen nation. God made his covenant with Israel through Abraham and
promised that Christ would come through his family. To be a member of Israel
was to inherit a great privilege (cf
Rom 9:4-5). God placed his own presence among them and visited them in a fiery
pillar of glory, day and night in the Tabernacle and Temple.

The people of Israel were
privileged to receive the Scriptures for the whole world. No other nation had
such an advantage through access to the word of God. God gave his law, he sent
his prophets, and he gave his commandments, all to the chosen nation of Israel.
Paul was born in the nation that was chosen to guard and keep the word of God.
But that’s not enough.

Our country has so many
Bibles. No one in the history of the world has had access to such knowledge of
God. But knowledge alone can’t save anyone. It takes a trust, a full surrender
to Christ. Paul had not surrendered. He was lost, though he had a fantastic
homeland of Israel.

Impressive
Lineage

Third, Paul testifies that
he had the right lineage: he was “of the tribe of Benjamin” (3:5). This was an
impressive tribe to be from for a number of reasons. Benjamin was the favorite
son of Jacob and Rachel after Joseph was taken to Egypt. Benjamin was also the
tribe of the first king, King Saul, after whom Paul was named after. His Jewish
name is Saul, and his Hellenistic or Greek name is Paul. So Paul is named after
the first king of Israel. Then, of the twelve tribes of Israel, Benjamin was
one of the two elite tribes that mostly stayed faithful to the Lord. They were
one of the two tribes that remained loyal to King David’s descendants when the
kingdom divided; together, they formed the southern kingdom of Judah.

In the land assigned to
Benjamin the capital city, Jerusalem, was situated. So, it was in the land
assigned to Benjamin that the Temple was built, and the sacrifices were made.
Paul was not only an Israelite; he was from an impressive tribe. Many today
presume that the spiritual lineage of their family tree will give them a right
standing with God.

Impressive
Upbringing

Fourth, Paul adds that he
was “a Hebrew of Hebrews” (3:5). Though Saul born in Tarsus as a Hebrew, but he
was raised in the capital city of Israel, in Jerusalem. Paul was not just as a
Hebrew, but “a Hebrew of Hebrews” – everyday worshipping at the Temple in
Jerusalem. Every day he wasn’t just at a synagogue, he was at the Temple.

To be “a Hebrew of
Hebrews” means Paul was raised according to strictest Hebrew tradition. He was
reared in a Hebrew home and learned the Hebrew language. According to his own
testimony (Acts 22:3), Paul would have begun his studies of the Hebrew
Scriptures (likely around age 15) in the city of Jerusalem under the greatest
Hebrew scholar of his time, the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel.

We find his own testimony
in Acts 22:6, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this
city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the
law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.” Gamaliel
was like the Yoda of rabbis! And Paul was training to be the next great rabbi
of national renown. This was a true Hebrew of Hebrews.

Saul was also a member of
the elitist of the elite of Hebrews, the Council of the Sanhedrin (See Acts
6:12; cf 6:15; 7:58). The Sanhedrin
was the governing body of 70 elders who
ruled the Jews
. When Stephen the first Christian martyr was stoned, they
brought him before the Sanhedrin, who charged him guilty, and to be put to
death by stoning. Paul was so much “in” in the Sanhedrin, that he was the chief
witness who actually held the coats of those who stoned Stephen.

You couldn’t get any more
Hebrew than Paul was. He was a die-hard Hebrew. He was as religiously a Hebrew
as anyone could possibly be. Maybe you can relate to this. Maybe you also had
the right upbringing. Perhaps you were raised in a Christian home and attended
a Christian school, and maybe you even learned the truths of the Bible as a
young person. While these are all good things, none of them are able to save
you. They are worthless if they don’t point you to Christ.

Impressive
Standard

Fifth, Paul had an
impressive standard by which he lived. “As to the Law [he was] a Pharisee”
(3:5). According to the Jewish historian Josephus, there were about 6,000
Pharisees during the time of Jesus. The term Pharisee meant “separated one”.
These were the most elite religious Jews. These were the rock stars of the
religious world. Paul was one of them.

What does this say about
Paul? As a Pharisee he was an expert in the Old Testament Scriptures. Pharisees
took the Bible literally. They believed it. They read it. They studied it for
hours every day. They taught it. They preached it. They applied it. They enforced
it. They were fiercely devoted to upholding the word of God. Moreover,
Pharisees sought to live the Bible with all their might. So it was with Paul
before his conversion; he was a walking, talking storehouse of Bible knowledge.
Paul knew the Scriptures inside out. Maybe you are committed to the teaching of
the Bible. Perhaps you know it well. Perhaps you teach it to others or preach
to your church. But even this, while noble and commendable, cannot save you.

Impressive
Sincerity

Sixth, Paul had a powerful
passion and sincerity. He adds that he was, “as to zeal, a persecutor of the
church” (3:6). Zeal was considered the highest virtue of the Jewish faith. It
meant simultaneous love and hate. It meant that you loved God so much that you
hated whatever threatened that love. This is a wonderful virtue, but because
Paul is a human, his zeal went wrong. Shockingly, all this amazing religion put
a twist on the Scriptures that blinded him to the true Savior. Before Christ,
Saul loved his Jewish faith so much that he hated the very Jewish Messiah
Jesus! How much zeal did Paul have? He tried to kill Christians and succeeded.
He admits to it in Acts 22.

In one synagogue after another I imprisoned
and beat those who believed in [Christ]. 20 And when
the blood of Stephen [God’s] witness was being shed, I myself was
standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who
killed him. —Acts
22:19-20

Paul had authority to put
people to death because he was an officer of the Sanhedrin, the most powerful governing
body of the Jews. He was there as the primary witness at Stephen’s death. Paul
was not lukewarm about anything he did, and certainly not about religion. Paul
was not apathetic, nor was he a “half in, half out” type of person. He was full
of zeal and passion for holy things. He was filled with sincerity, so much so
that not only did he love what he believed to be right, but he hated what he
was convinced was wrong. From this character came his violent persecution
against the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Impressive
Morality

Seventh, Paul had a high
standard of morality. “…as to righteousness under the law, [I was] blameless”
(3:6). He wasn’t just concerned about the ten commandments; he was diligent
about keeping all 613 laws prescribed in the Levitical law code. He was like
the rich young ruler who said, “All these I have kept from my youth up” (Lk
18:21). These laws all pointed to the beauty of Jesus Christ, but Paul was so
focused on the law that he missed Christ.

Had we been there, we
would have stood back and looked at the life of before-conversion Paul and
concluded that here was a straight arrow if there ever was one. He sought to
live by the standard of God’s law. He was outwardly moral. He was extremely
upright. He was serious as one can be about God’s law. But he was lost. So
lost. He was dead in his sins. He “had a form of godliness, but denied it’s
power” (2 Tim 3:5).

Perhaps you are like this,
too. You are well known as a good man or woman. You take following the Bible’s
commands very seriously. But this too will not save you. Paul had all this
morality, but Christ got a hold of Paul, he called himself the “chief of
sinners” (1 Tim 1:15). Compared to Christ Paul’s righteousness (and our own
righteousness) is filthy rags (Isa 64:5).

Paul
Had Everything But Jesus

Paul appeared to have
everything going for him before conversion. If anyone could have ever earned
their way to heaven by their own religiosity, Saul of Tarsus would have been
exhibit number one, and at the head of the line. This man who would become the
apostle of Christ had an impressive beginning, nationality, lineage,
upbringing, standard, sincerity, and morality. But before his conversion he
hated Christ, and he killed Christians.

Everything
Minus Jesus Equals Nothing

You see, Paul had
everything except for one thing. He had everything… except Jesus Christ. Here
is the ultimate math equation for your life: everything minus Jesus equals
nothing. If a person does not have Christ, they have nothing. Paul had
everything except everything that he needed. Everything minus Jesus equals
nothing.

How does this first part
of Paul’s testimony compare to the first part of your testimony? Could it be
that you once were lost in religion? Perhaps you were sincere about spiritual
things, but sincerely wrong. Could it be that this describes where your life is
at this moment? Maybe you are reading this and coming to the realization that
you are a religious person but have never been personally converted to Jesus
Christ. If so, it is important for you to know where you stand. A right
diagnosis, it is said, is half the cure. But it is only half. You need to
experience what now follows.

Coming to Know Christ (3:7-9; Acts 9:1-5)

Next Paul describes what
happened to him at conversion, when he came to know Christ.

Philippians 3:7-8 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for
the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss
because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For
his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish,
in order that I may gain Christ.

In one second, Saul of
Tarsus was changed. One glimpse of Jesus made him see that everything he used
to love and live for was human excrement and worthless compared to the
surpassing worth of knowing Christ. Once he met Christ, Paul was never the same
again. So before we begin looking at the next verses, we need to see how Paul
was introduced to the worth of knowing Christ, so that he was willing to
forsake everything for Christ. In coming to know Christ, we know the reach of
Christ, the riches of Christ, and the righteousness of Christ.

We Know
the Reach of Christ

Consider
the long reach of Christ to bring sinners to himself. Wherever you are, he will
find you. The reach of Christ is beyond what we can imagine. He leaves the
ninety and nine to find the one lost wandering sheep. Do you remember when he
found you? He calls to you: “Come to
me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).
He’s
calling you right now. His says to his servants and ambassadors, “Go out to the highways and hedges and compel
people to come in, that my house may be filled” (Lk 14:23).
The Bible
says God’s reach is so long! “God
demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us” (Rom 5:9). He is “not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9).

Wherever you are, God’s reaching for you. He reaches out to
rebellious Israel: “I will not execute
my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim [Israel]; for I am God and
not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath” (Hos
11:9). “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal
us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up” (Hos 6:1).
God’s
reach is so far, he can reach every person. Jesus was “crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of
death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Heb
2:9).
Wouldn’t
you agree that God has a far reach?

God’s reach is so far that
he grabbed the worst self-righteous legalist who was later nicknamed, “the
chief of sinners.” God has a longest arm in the universe. He’ll find you wherever
you are. He’s after you with his unrelenting love. Our
Lord has a far reach. He’s got a long arm. “Is there anything too hard for the
Lord?” (Jer 32:27). “Is the arm of the Lord too short that it cannot save?”
(Num 11:23).

God’s long arm of love for Saul of Tarsus is on full display
in
Acts
9. Here is probably the greatest conversion ever recorded. We see the
unrelenting love of God coming after Paul. Look at this. Paul is killing
Christians, and the Lord tracks him down, not to destroy him, but to save him.
Look at our loving God!

But Saul, still breathing
threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord
, went to the high
priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues
at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women,
he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and
suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And
falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you,
Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” —Acts
9:1-5

A Surprising Love

What a surprising day it
was that Saul of Tarsus was saved. God is going to show his love to a man that
hates his dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ. We read in Acts 9:1, “But Saul,
still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord …” Here we
see his zeal as a persecutor of the church. Paul was adamantly opposed to
anything that did not adhere to his religious traditions in Judaism. He “went
to the high priest and asked him for
letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging
to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts
9:1-2). The early Christians were referred to as those belonging to the Way,
because they walked the narrow path headed to life. They lived according to the
word of God in a dark and devilish generation—like stars shining in the dark.
But Saul was in the darkness at this point—and so if he found any belonging to
the Way, he was determined to “bring them bound to Jerusalem.” He wanted to
drag them back and have them stand trial, with the hope of putting them to
death. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, had recently been stoned to death,
with Saul standing by approvingly (Acts 7–8). Who was to know what Christian
would be next? Who could know that Paul would one day become a martyr for Jesus
Christ himself?

“Now as he went on his
way, he approached Damascus” (Acts 9:3), about 150 miles north of Jerusalem,
when “suddenly a light from heaven shone [flashed] around him.” This light was
the Shekinah glory of God—the very presence of the living God—shining brighter
than the sun in the sky. Saul woke up that day wanting to persecute the church,
and by midday, he was part of that church of Jesus. He woke up a persecutor and
went to sleep a precious, adopted child of God!

Every conversion occurs
suddenly. Every new birth occurs suddenly. It is not a process over a long
period of time. There may be a process that leads up to conversion, but there
is a moment, there is a time, when we cross the line; we step out of the world
and step into the kingdom of heaven. This event, which we read of in Acts 9, is
when Paul entered through the narrow gate leading to life.

This was not only a
surprising day, it was a day when Saul met the Savior. Saul fell to the ground
and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul.” It was repeated with intensity:
“Why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). The glory of God shines, and we find
out who Saul is persecuting: Jesus of Nazareth. To persecute the church is to
persecute the Head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus lives in the
church as he indwells the true believers of the church. To come against the
church of the Lord Jesus Christ is to come against Christ himself.

A Saving Love

God’s reach is so far for
this self-righteous Pharisee, that in a moment, Saul of Tarsus is converted.
This was the day of salvation for Paul. We know because of what Saul called
Jesus. He cried out, “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:5). Paul’s resistance against
Jesus Christ was over. The Lord answered: “I am Jesus, whom you are
persecuting.” Jesus personally introduced himself to Saul of Tarsus. God
appears to a man named Ananias (different
from the other Ananias from Acts 5
) in a vision and says that Saul of Tarsus
“is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings
and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

God’s love transforms us
at a point in time. In that moment when he met Jesus, Saul didn’t know his
great future. He simply understood that he was face to face with the King of
heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ. Instantly, he saw that he had been wrong all of
his life. In that moment, Saul was apprehended by God, and he yielded.
Immediately, he confessed the lordship of Jesus Christ. He knew he was Lord!
Who are you? he asked. But he called him Lord. He knew he was Lord. In that
split second, he became a believer in Christ. He laid down his life at the feet
of the Lord Jesus Christ. You may not know the very moment you were saved, but
there is a line of demarcation in the Christian life. There is a moment when “you turned away from idols to serve the
living and true God” (1 Thess 1:9, NLT). “He… delivered us from the domain of
darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:13).
Saul
of Tarsus stepped across the line by faith and became a true follower and
disciple. In that instant, Saul was converted by the grace of God.

A Love Embraced through Faith

Saul came “by grace,
through faith” (Eph 2:8-9). He saw that he was wrong. He realized he was
hateful. And this hateful man embraced the love of God, by grace through faith.
Works couldn’t get him anything but filthy rags.

What
is faith? I’ll tell you it’s not complicated. Jesus said, it’s so simple, that
if you come to him, you have to have the faith of a little child. Let me tell
you what faith is in a simple way. Faith is a surrender to the love of God in
Christ. It’s a trust and a surrender to the fact that Jesus, in his death, gave
himself up willingly for you. “God so loved [put your name] that he gave his
one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). That’s faith. Surrender to God’s love. Stop
trusting in your own ability to make God love you. You don’t have to fix
yourself up first. God already loves you. Surrender to that love, and he’ll fix you up
.

We Know
the Riches of Christ

In coming to know Christ,
we know the reach of Christ, but we also know the riches of Christ. Let’s go
back to Philippians 3, and realize that something beautiful happened that day.
Paul’s day of conversion was also a day of accounting. Paul calculated the
worth of knowing Christ. He says, nothing can compare to the worth of knowing
Jesus!

The forceful phrase indeed (3:8) is an untranslatable string
of five Greek particles (lit. “but indeed therefore at least even”). It
strongly emphasizes the contrast between the worthless efforts we make to clean
ourselves up that do not impress God, compared to the incalculable worth of
knowing Christ.[82]
Paul is saying, this equation is
important! Paul
begins,

Philippians 3:7-8 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for
the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss
because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For
his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish,
in order that I may gain Christ.

Religiously, Paul looked
rich, but he was spiritually bankrupt. Knowing Christ is worth losing
everything! That’s Paul’s conclusion. Let’s consider the comparison: In Christ,
I have…. everything: total righteousness, a perfect record, adoption
into God’s family , abundant life now, and eternal life at death. Without
Christ, I have… excrement. “All of the cherished treasures in his gain
column suddenly became deficits.”[83]
Paul must have been thinking about what Isaiah said: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa 64:6a). Paul says, “I
count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3:8).

All of those things Paul
listed before—self-effort and religion, upbringing and nationality—he used to
think they would gain him entrance to heaven. But they were not gain in the
eyes of the Almighty. And so, having encountered Jesus, he said, “those things
I have counted as loss” (3:7b). They are loss, literally worthless. He says
they are rubbish. Literally he calls them human excrement.

We Know
the Righteousness of Christ

In coming to know Christ,
we know the righteousness of Christ. Paul mountain top of joy is found in verse
9: to be found in Christ! And to be found in Christ is to have his perfect
righteousness applied to you.

Philippians 3:9 │ And be found in him, not having a righteousness of
my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in
Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

What an exchange! My rags
for his robe of righteousness! How does this happen? It’s something that I need
to rest in. It’s something Christ has already done. It’s a righteousness that
comes from Christ. It’s just like Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for
us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).

We are righteous in
Christ! It reminds me of the little girl who was allergic to bees. One sting of
a bee would take her life in less than an hour. One day she was riding in the
car along the highway with her daddy. In the car flew an angry bee with a big
stinger. The little girl began to panic. She began to wail. Daddy! A bee!
Daddy, I could die. Daddy, is that bee going to sting me? Oh Daddy, I’m so
afraid! She cried and she wailed. The bee buzzed around the car,

The angry bee harassed the
father, and as soon as he could cupped that bee in his hand. He could feel the
angry hornet hitting the inside of his hand. He would not stop. And then….
“Ouch!” yelled the father. He felt that stinger in his hand and let the bee go.

The bee flew erratically
by that little girl again. She was terrified! The bees gonna get me Daddy!

The father showed black
stinger in his hand to his daughter. Sweetheart, that bee cannot hurt you. Soon
he’ll die. I took the stinger for you.

That’s what Christ has
done. He’s taken the sting of death for you. Paul quotes Hosea 13:14, “O death, where is your victory? O death,
where is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55).
The sting of death is defeated!
Jesus has taken on our filthy rags and given us his robe of righteousness!

Growing in Christ (3:10-11)

We will look at this more
in depth in our next study, but what Paul says: knowing Christ is the abundant
life! This is the way to live! We were never truly alive until we experienced
the resurrection of Christ.

Philippians 3:10-11 │ That I may know him and the power of his
resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his
death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the
resurrection from the dead.

This is our life after
coming to know Christ. It is growing in our relationship with the Lord. We are
going to have an entire message on this next week, but for now, understand that
conversion is just the beginning. We are to be like Paul in 2 Corinthians 3.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

—2 Corinthians 3:18

How do we get there? I
want to know Christ better! I want to grow in knowing Christ. We long to know
Jesus better. Paul says, “that I may know him and the power of his
resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…”
(Phil 3:10). God says, “Draw near to me and I will draw near to you” (Jas 4:8).
How can we draw near to our precious Lord? Here
are ten practical ways to
know Christ better.

Come with total surrender to Christ’s love. This is another
way of expressing true faith in Christ. Faith is a radical surrender of all you
are and all you have to the love of Christ. This is the first baby step. Faith
is not a work. You simply give your life unconditionally to God to love you. Do
that now.

Come to God’s word hungry. God is ready to satisfy you and
renew your mind. Psalm 1:2-3 says growth comes through the slow meditation and
consideration of God’s word. The Bible is a book of God’s love on every page
(that’s why it’s called ‘good news’). Experiencing God’s love is the key to joy
and growth. Take it slowly. You are probably more wounded than you care to
admit. You can’t feed a steak to a person in the ICU. Let God heal you through
knowing Christ.

Come to Jesus needy. Remember intimacy is more than knowledge.
There are many who “worship what they do not know” (Jn 4:22). Never in the
history of the Christian church has so much theological knowledge been
available to so many people as it is today. You can have an encyclopedic
knowledge of Scripture and miss Jesus (Jn 5:39–40). Biblical knowledge that
actually drives us to trust in Christ
is better than the finest gold (Ps 19:10). Knowing Christ better means being
vulnerable, humble and honest when we come to the word. Assume you are not
righteous in yourself. Come in need of the Physician to heal you.

Find his wholeness in your brokenness. Every kind of
brokenness you experience can lead to a corresponding blessing if you’re
willing to die to your own: will, goals, dreams, desires, expectations, plans,
rights, and reputation. If you choose to die to yourself, God will pour out
blessings like a character that reflects His own, a witness that leads to other
people’s lives being transformed, and rewards from God himself.

Find his nearness in your loneliness. No one understands your
struggles more than Jesus. He “tasted death for every man” (Heb 2:9). This is
the ultimate expression of love. Jesus gave all that he had (which is
everything) to know you intimately.

Come ready for radical sacrifice. Knowing such a loving Savior
demands sacrifice. All should know his love. All should be sacrificed so that
the whole world may know. Sacrifice all for knowing him and sharing him with
others.

Come ready for joyful holiness. Knowing Christ means union
with him in death and resurrection. You have to die to anything that is unholy.
God’s glory is pure, sincere, good, and holy. It is love and kindness. It is
totally selfless. Holiness is doing everything for the glory of God. You are
chosen, separated and called for the God’s glory. Cut off all that does not
honor him.

Stand for Christ, and stand alone if you must. Be willing to
stand out and speak up for Jesus in all areas of your life, and with whoever
you meet. Take a strong public stand for the uniqueness of who Jesus is; for
the truth of the entire Bible; and for the necessity of living a life of
integrity, purity, and humility in order to please God. 

Seek him, find him, and praise him for answered prayer (Mt
7:7). We serve a God who moves mountains. Our great God woke up balancing the
200 billion galaxies that contain 200 million stars each. That’s just an
estimate. He did that before you ate breakfast. Praise him! Watch him work. He
has unlimited resources.

Live moment by moment, looking to Jesus. Bring Jesus home.
Don’t just be a Sunday Christian. Don’t just be a Christian when you are in
public or in church. Live honorably and walk humbly at home. Lay your life down
for those closest to you at home first. Live a life of integrity in your
private life. Let Jesus by his Spirit fill you in your free hours.

Jesus stands ready to help
you come closer. He says, “Come
to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”
(Mt 11:28-30).

Conclusion

In Christ alone we stand.
Not in any righteousness of our own. Christ is so merciful to reach us. What a
testimony you have if you know Christ! The more you draw near to Christ, the
more you are going to want to tell others. I hope God is forming your
Discipleship Groups of 2 or 3 others that you can shine your light with. I pray
as you draw near to Christ, both individually and together, that the light of
Christ will shine and you will “make disciples of all nations” teaching all
people about the love of God seen in Jesus Christ. Isn’t he wonderful?

When I was a kid, I worked
as a cook at Ponderosa Steakhouse. I hardly knew the Bible because I was a
brand-new Christian. One thing I did know was the Roman’s Road: a list of
verses through Romans that clearly explained the gospel. Though I knew very
little, every time I was on break, I shared what little I knew. I would sit
down at the break table and open my Bible. Almost every single time, I had
someone sit down across from me and ask me, “What are you reading?” I didn’t
know much, but I shared with them what I knew. I knew how someone could come to
Christ. I pointed every single worker and manager to Jesus Christ in that
restaurant, though I knew very little. If you know the gospel (Jesus died for my sins), then you know
enough to tell someone. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature” (Mk 16:15, KJV).

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

14 | Philippians
3:10-16


Pressing On to the Prize

 

 

 

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and
straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal
for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 3:13-14

 

H

ow do we run the race of life with joy? Paul
equates the Christian life to a race, and he says, don’t look back but look
ahead to the goal of knowing Christ more and more. One of the problems that
most people have on this earth is that they are running the wrong race. They
are not even in the “knowing Christ” race. They want a house, a wife, kids, the
job, the vacations. There is nothing wrong with living life, but these things
in life are gifts, not gods. Our driving focus in life cannot be founded on any
of God’s gifts to us. God is the foundation. If you build a house and make the
wall materials the foundation, your house is going to sink. You need something
strong: something concrete. The concrete we build on in this life is knowing
Christ.

You’ve got to get into the
race by believing the good news. If Jesus’ death for your sins and resurrection
for you is good news, then you are believing. You entrust your life to him. Being
born again means that you entrust Christ to live in you by his Holy Spirit by
believing the good news that Jesus died for you. Paul explains all this in
Philippians 3:1-9. It’s our filthy rags for his robe of righteousness. Paul
says in Philippians 3:10-11, knowing Christ is my greatest ambition. He knows
him, but he wants to know him better.

One of our greatest
enemies in life is complacency. What
is complacency?
Complacency is defined by the dictionary as a “smug
satisfaction.” It’s to look at your life. Saying “I’ve achieved enough. I’m
doing ok. I’m doing enough.” Paul’s going to give us the remedy. Paul is
sitting in a rented home under house arrest, chained to one of Caesar’s elite
guards. He’s there 24/7 stuck in Rome. He can’t go anywhere. But he says, I’m
running a race. I’m not satisfied. I’m not complacent. I want more. Now
remember, Paul is in shackles under house arrest in Rome. His friend, the
pastor of the church at Philippi, Epaphroditus is with Paul as he’s writing
this letter. He’s going to bring the letter of Philippians back to Philippi.
And Paul gives us some amazing verses about running the race and gaining the
prize.

Maybe someone should
remind Paul that he’s in prison. Paul says: we need to run the race! We need to
endure! We need to press on to the prize. Listen to this man who hated
complacency. Paul might have been shackled, but he knew the gospel is
unshackled.

Philippians 3:10-16
That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may
share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the
resurrection from the dead. 12 Not
that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press
on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not
consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what
lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of
the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this
way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that
also to you.16 Only let
us hold true to what we have attained.

How do we press on?
Persevere? We are told that “for the righteous falls seven times and rises
again” (Pro 24:16). No matter how many times we fall and fail, there is a holy
ambition to know Christ in the heart of every Christian. Paul’s desire was to persevere
to know Christ and to be like him. No matter what held him up or made him
stumble, he was always getting up again for that prize. How can I run my race
with great joy? We run with ambition, endurance, and grace we strive for the
prize of knowing Christ better.

Run
with Ambition (3:10-11)

Philippians 3:10-11
That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may
share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that
by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

In the church of Philippi,
as well as many of the other churches scattered throughout the Roman Empire,
the churches were connected to believing Jews because that’s how Paul would
start his church planting endeavors. He would begin in the synagogue. Sadly,
there were some of the Jews that didn’t think it was enough to know Christ
alone. They wanted to add to what Christ did. Paul talks about these kinds of
false teachers and compares them to wild “dogs” who had selfish motives and
lives that were evil and not holy (3:2). Our joy is not to increase in
religious knowledge, but to know Christ. That’s what Paul says was his personal
ambition.

A Personal Ambition

Philippians 3:10a │
That I may know him.

What a wonderful ambition:
to know Christ! We cannot know God the Father except through Christ (Jn 14:6).

Knowing Christ Personally is Objective

And Paul had an objective
faith in a righteousness outside of himself. That’s where we must be unshakable
in our assurance. It is by grace we are saved through faith in Christ: his
righteousness, his substitutionary atonement on the cross. He bore the full
wrath of God for us. Hallelujah! Therefore, to know Christ, we must come to him
by an objective faith. We must surrender to who he is and what he has done: his
person and work. Everything else, compared to knowing Christ is merely dung (cf
3:8-9).

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing
worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered
the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain
Christ and be found in him, not having a
righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes
through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith”
(3:8-9).

We come through his
righteousness, and not our own. We come as sinners to a righteous God who is
willing to make us righteous through the blood of Christ. Do you know him? Have
you come to this wonderful realization that you come to a holy and perfectly righteous
God in all the rags of your sins? Are you trusting and fully abiding in him?
Are you righteous today in with an alien righteousness? Do you stand before God
in the righteousness of Christ? You come by faith.

Knowing Christ Personally is Subjective

Possessing Christ’s
righteousness by faith was not an end but in fact for Paul was the starting
point. Indeed, how could anyone ever get satiated with our infinite Redeemer?
Never. Paul’s emphasis here is on gaining a deeper knowledge and intimacy with
Christ. Having been converted, Paul suddenly had a new hunger and ambition in
life. He wasn’t studying books about doctrine or systematic theology because
there was none. Upon conversion, he wanted not just to know his faith rested
objectively in the death of Christ, but subjectively in a relationship with
Christ. He knows him, but he wants to know him better!

To understand the
difference between an objective and subjective faith, consider your parents.
Objectively you know that they will always be your parents. There is a
biological tie to them. Now subjectively, you may do something to hurt their
hearts. They may need to correct you. They may need to discipline you. But you
are still their child. So it is with our relationship with Christ. Through
objective faith, you are born again into God’s family. No one and nothing can
change that. “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom
8:1). Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ. Our faith is in
Christ alone and we are assured of his righteousness and perfection. That can
never change. But our relationship with God, on a practical level, changes all
the time. There is a subjectivity to our intimacy with Christ. Sin can get in
the way of our communion and intimacy with God. Objectively our standing is
absolutely perfect for those whose faith is in Christ. But subjectively, our
progress at times will be interrupted. We will progress. Of course, he promises
to keep us from falling away (Jude 1:24-25). But there are times we may need
correction. Like a good Father, God will guide his children home. He may need
to correct us, but he will never stop being our good, good Father. There’s an
intimacy, a revelation of Christ to every child of God that needs to grow and
grow and grow. Paul says to the Galatians:

I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was
preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For
I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received
it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

—Galatians 1:11-12

Knowing Christ Personally is Progressive

The word “to know” is not
merely intellectual, but to know intimately, to know the finest details, to
feel or touch, to appropriate and understand the weight of knowing that person.[84]
The ideas is “that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately
acquainted with Christ, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the
wonders of his Person more strongly and more clearly” (Amplified Bible). Spurgeon
writes…

Paul means, “That I may know him more than I now do;” for he
knew him …but he felt as if he had not begun really to know Christ. He was like
a child at school, who has learnt to read and to write, and knows so much that
he begins to want to know more.

From the moment of his
conversion on, the purpose of Paul’s life was “that I may know him” (3:10). If
he already knows Christ, why does he want to know him who he already knows? The
answer is that he wants to know Christ more deeply and have a more intimate
relationship with him. He wants to learn more of his teaching and draw closer
to his heart. He wants to enter into a closer, experiential fellowship, a more
intimate communion.

We have the same desire of
Enoch of old in the Bible. “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God
took him” (Gen 5:24). Enoch had such a close walk with God, that God translated
him directly to heaven without dying. Wouldn’t that be amazing. We want to be
transformed into his likeness. I wish it could happen like Enoch, but Paul
tells us how transformation comes in 2 Corinthians 3. Walking with Christ
transforms us. Paul compares Moses knowledge of God with the New Testament
Christian, and says we have the great Moses beat! “And we all, with unveiled
face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed
into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this
comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Cor 3:18).

The more we know Christ,
the more we are transformed into his likeness (2 Cor 3:18; Rom 8:29-30). We are
called to grow in knowing Christ. Paul, though he was a mature man of God, was
like a schoolboy when it came to knowing Christ. He felt like he was just
getting started.

We must be like the woman
with the issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus garment. She wasn’t
content to be like the throngs around him but pushed through the crowd to touch
his garment. And power went out of him. That’s what we need. Push through child
of God. Whatever trial; whatever difficulty. Don’t let it stop you from knowing
Christ deeper. Don’t let the world stop you from touching him. You need to feel
his virtue healing you. The personal ambition of every Christian is to know
Christ. We know him objectively, but we want to know him personally and subjectively,
applied to our own lives.

Knowing Christ Personally is Substantive

Knowing Christ is not
superficial, but extensive and deep and satisfying. It’s like the difference
between seeing a photograph and knowing the real person. You can possibly see a
ton of video and photos of my wife and see and know more about her
scientifically and aesthetically. You can study what she’s done or written or
said. But no one can know here like I know her as my wife. No one is a friend
to her like I am. No one can know her in marriage like I know her. We have a
one flesh union. We know the highs and lows the failures and victories.

You can say you know
Christ and have scientific knowledge, but do you know him intimately? Are you
walking with him? Now intimate knowledge must come first from objective
knowledge. You cannot know him intimately until you first know him objectively,
that is you know who he is, his person, and what he has done, his work. But now
knowing him, I want to know him better. That’s my highest personal ambition.

A
Powerful Ambition

Paul says, my personal
ambition is: I want to know him. How
Paul? In what way? “I want to know him and…

Philippians 3:10b │
…the power of his resurrection.

This ambition of knowing
Christ is not only personal, but it’s powerful. Our faith in Christ is lived
out in supernatural power. Dear ones, the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ
from the dead lives in us. Paul talks about this resurrection power for every
Christian in Ephesians as “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us
who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in
Christ when he raised him from the dead” (Eph 1:19-20).

I don’t have to think
anything is separating me from knowing Christ: I can’t say that sin on Satan or
my family or my own weakness is keeping me from knowing him fully. In Christ, I
have the power of the resurrection. In that power there is no weakness. I can
live the victorious Christian life in the power of the resurrection of Christ.
The only thing separating me from a consistent Christian life is a daily
surrender to that power found in Christ by faith.

Dear saint: you are
guaranteed victory in this life. There is no sin Christ did not die to conquer
in you.

A
Passionate Ambition

Philippians 3:10c │
And may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

This ambition has one
passion: die to this world and live to God. Now, what does that mean—how do I
become “like him in his death”? It doesn’t mean that you could die for sinners.
He died alone; nobody could do that for him. But what it means is that, when he
died for me, I died with him. His death had my name on it. And, if I want to
know him, I have to say no to me and yes to him. I have to die to myself. I
have to die with Christ. I have to be buried with Christ, that I might be
raised with Christ. I want to know him personally. I want to say yes to Christ
and no to me. Someone said it this way: “When self is on the throne, Christ is
on the cross. When self is on the cross, Christ is on the throne.”
[85]

A
Prayerful Ambition

Philippians 3:11 │
…that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Until the resurrection
from the dead, we are called to “walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4). It’s a
prayer. I want to walk like I’m going to rise!

What is Certain

Paul’s prayer is that he
might be ready at the second coming of Jesus, when God raises all his people
from the dead. Paul was awaiting that moment when:

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we shall be changed… 54 … then shall come to pass the
saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. —1 Corinthians 15:52,
54

Paul knows what is
certain: the resurrection of the dead. The dead in Christ shall rise! What is
uncertain is the pathway there. Our
resurrection from the dead is certain at Jesus’ second coming. We know that for
certain. Paul knew that for certain.
Jesus taught this truth: “I am the
resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live even if he dies” (Jn
11:25). Christ promised his disciples, “Because I live, you will live also” (Jn
14:19). It is the resurrection of Jesus that gives us such a glorious prospect
beyond the grave.

What is
Not Certain

What is not certain is the
means by which he brings us. It’s like Job said: “…he knows the way that I
take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold” (Job 23:10). We don’t
know the way and the means he takes us, but he know! Until the resurrection
from the dead, we are called to “walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4). It’s a
prayer. I want to walk like I’m going to rise! I’m not certain of all the
trials and tribulations I have in front of me, but I know who is with me, and I want to walk today like I’m going to rise
when Jesus comes
.

Christianity is a Lens, Not a List

So Paul says, I want to
know Christ in power, being alive to God, and in Christ’s suffering and death,
being dead to the world. In everything that happens, I see Christ! “By whatever
means possible, I am looking forward to the resurrection when Jesus comes
again.” For Paul Christianity is a lens, not a list.

We come to our lives and
whether we are caring for the children until they fall asleep in our arms, or
we go to our job and work hard we seek to know Christ and his glory in
everything. It’s not like I have God at the top of my list and then I’m done.
God is on every part of my list, so that by whatever means possible, I am
looking to that trumpet sound when I see Jesus. C.S. Lewis said it this way: “I
believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I
see it, but because by it I see everything else.”[86] I see
all things through the lens of knowing Christ. If I’m changing a diaper or
rocking a child to sleep, driving to work, or figuring out a job for my boss, I
see all things by the light of knowing Christ. I want to know him. I’m alive to
God and dead to this world.

Run with Endurance (3:12-14)

Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect,
but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his
own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have
made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining
forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward
the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul is not complacent
when it comes to his Christian life. Remember, he’s under house arrest in Rome.
He’s got shackles on. But he compares his life to running a race. Maybe someone
should tell Paul he’s in prison. He should be more realistic. But Paul won’t
have any of it. He says I press on toward the goal for the prize of Jesus. I
want to know Jesus and do his will. The Christian life is so difficult. How can
I run so as to win the race? I can never do it in my own strength. How can I
run with endurance?

Enduring with A Proper View of the
Present

Paul has a powerful way of
getting rid of complacency in his life. He knows he’s perfect in Christ, but
he’s not yet perfect in this life. He’s perfect in Christ, but he knows he
falls far short of that perfection in this life. Paul says in verse 9: I’m
perfect in Christ. But here in verse 12, he says: I’m not perfect. Which is it
Paul?

Paul is Humble

Philippians 3:12a │
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect…

Paul has been made perfect
in the righteousness of Christ (3:9), right? Why does he say I’m not already
perfect? Paul I’m confused. Paul is positionally righteous in Christ, just like
you are, amen. That means all your sin is forgiven: past, present, and future.
That’s good news isn’t it! That’s the gospel: Jesus died for my sins. “There’s
now therefore no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). For God’s
children, the good news really is good news. It’s the best news ever. The rest
of the world yawns at the gospel, but God’s children shout and dance. We
rejoice at the good news.

So why does Paul say, “I’m
not already perfect”? It’s because while he’s positionally perfect and
righteous in Christ (justification), he’s in a process of being made
practically righteous in this life. Each day we are being conformed more and
more to look like Jesus in our hearts and lives. That’s sanctification. When it
comes to his sanctification: Paul is not satisfied. He’s not complacent. We
must never think we are anywhere near where God wants us to be in the Christian
life. Despite having seen Christ in visions, been taught direct revelation from
him, and walked closely with him in suffering, Paul says, It’s “not that I have
already obtained this or am already perfect…” (3:12a). Paul says: I want perfection, but I’m still so far from
it. I have not already obtained perfect knowledge of Christ
. Paul says this
in other places, that in this life we “we see in a mirror dimly,” but one day
we will see Christ “face to face” (1 Cor 13:12).

We must always have a
humble view of where we are. I think of the great evangelist George Whitefield.
Around his 54th birthday, after making it through a dangerous storm on a ship,
George Whitefield wrote in his diary, “Oh, to begin to be a Christian.”[87]
That’s his goal. He had been preaching for over 30 years and was greatly used
of God. But at 54 years, he says, “I want to begin to be a Christian.”

Paul is Hungry

Philippians 3:12b │
But I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his
own. 

At present Paul says, “I press
on…” Like an athlete wanting to win a championship, Paul is never satisfied
with where he is. “I press on!” He’s hungry! I press on to “make it my own” or
“to seize the perfection of knowing Christ”. I want to seize the one who seized me. I reach after Christ who has reached me!

Paul says, “I press on to
make it my own…” Make what his own? The perfection of knowing Christ. Paul
wants to seize the knowledge and relationship he will have with Christ in the
resurrection right now. On the day of Christ’s second coming, we will know
Christ perfectly. We should reach after Christ now in that way!

The verb translated press
on (diōkō) is the same one Paul used
in 3:6 to recall that he persecuted the church in his pre-conversion days. He
persecuted or literally “pressed on” the church. With the same tenacity, Paul
now “presses on” to know Christ. The same kind of commitment that once drove
Paul on to stamp out Christianity now drove him on to proclaim it everywhere.
[88]
So Paul says: I want to seize
Christ the way he seized me!
Paul had one consuming passion: I want to take hold of Christ the way he
took hold of me.
I want to embrace the one who embraced me! He’s made me
his own, and I want to live like Christ is my own. Paul is hungry: I want to
seize him who seized me!

In the present life, we
are pressing on, driven to know Christ and seize him who seized us. That’s our
goal. Do you remember the way Christ took hold of you? He wants you to take
hold of him. That’s what we are to do now in the present. But what about the past?
Sometimes the past can slow us down.

Enduring with A Proper View of the Past

Philippians 3:13 │
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I
do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.

While I’m looking to seize
Christ, Paul says, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have fully made Christ
my own.” He’s made me his own! Glory to God! But I’ve not yet fully made him my
own. I want that more than anything, but I’m not there yet. I haven’t fully seized
Christ. I’m not there yet. So what should I do? Should I bemoan this fact?
Should I be in despair?

No! This one thing I do: I
forget the past. I have to forget what lies behind. While the verb rendered
forgetting (epilanthanomai) can refer
to having no memory of something, here the verb has the softer sense of pay no
attention to.[89]
After all, Paul has just finished listing his past accomplishments (3:5–6).
These past accomplishments are among what lies behind.[90] His
persecution of the church and great failures of Christ are also what lies
behind.

Jesus said, “No one,
having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of
God” (Lk 9:62). The runner in a race cannot afford to look back. He will lose
his speed, lose his direction, and, if he is not careful, lose the race. This
is not an easy assignment for any of us. It is the result of a decision we
make. We simply decide that we will not be controlled by our past.[91]
What was done was done! Both the heartache of the former life and nostalgia of
the “good ole days” of his Christian life would paralyze him in terms of what
God wanted in the future. Every day was a new adventure.[92]

How do we apply this? Race
cars have no backup camera. Don’t get stuck in your failures. Don’t rest on your
victories. First of all, we must forget our failures.
If we look at our past failures as opportunities to learn and grow, then it is
all right to remember them. If we allow them to fill us with despair and
defeat, we must forget them. In other words, we may allow our failures to teach
us but not to terrorize us. But then, don’t rest in your victories. Yesterday’s power is not sufficient for this hour. When
David was supposed to be out winning more victories he was at home, and his
pride led him to great failure. Don’t rest in your victories. Surge ahead to
higher ground!

Enduring with A Proper View of the Future

Philippians 3:13b-14
Straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of
the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Not only to I forget the
past, but I strain with all my might to the future. I strain forward to what
lies ahead…. I exert myself to the uttermost. Paul strains forward to the
prize! This word “strain forward” is particularly graphic, bringing to mind the
straining muscles, clear focus, and complete dedication of the runner in his
race to the prize. Both mental and physical discipline were necessary.[93]

What’s the “prize” that
lies ahead in the future? What goal is Paul pursuing? Based on the previous
passage, it’s a fuller knowledge of Christ. It involves gaining Christ. That’s
what Paul wants—to know Christ more and more; and in knowing him more, he will
become more like him. This pursuit is a lifetime adventure. To illustrate this
pursuit, Paul uses athletic imagery to convey his passion for the Savior.
Be careful that you don’t
adopt a passive attitude about the Christian life. Growth in Christlikeness
isn’t an impassive stroll. The New Testament uses disciplined athletic imagery
elsewhere to describe the effort involved in growing in Christ. Consider just
two of them:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only
one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete
exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable
wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not
run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But
I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching
to others I myself should be disqualified. —1 Corinthians
9:24-27

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so
closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of
the throne of God. —Hebrews
12:1-2

Now that’s passion!
Running, exercising self-control, not running aimlessly, not boxing the air,
disciplining one’s body—all of this displays the apostle’s passion.

Run with Grace (3:15-16)

We are called to run this
race not only with patient endurance and ambition, but with grace. There are
false teachers among them who want to legalize everything. We can’t do that.
Look how gentle Paul is with his fellow runners.

Grace
to Engage

Philippians 3:15 │
Let those of us who are mature think [attitude]
this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal
that also to you.

He was always thinking
about others in the race. In Paul’s last words on the earth (book of 2
Timothy), Paul is thinking about all his brothers and sisters.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith: Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing.

—2 Timothy 4:7-8

Paul knew he was not
running alone. Paul challenged the Philippians to come down from the grandstand
and get in the race. Some of them, of course, were already in it and were doing
well; he described them as “perfect”—that is, mature or initiated. Paul
encouraged these faithful brethren to be of the same mind as himself: to forget
what had already been attained, to set new goals, to run to achieve them, and
to keep their eyes fixed on Christ.[94]
Those who are truly mature will have this humble mindset. We’ve not yet
attained, but we are hungry to get there.

Paul says to those who are
“think otherwise” than running the race to get involved. Paul was so gracious
in how he challenged them to get off the grandstands and get involved. Are you
maturing in Christ? Keep going! If not, get involved. Paul did not lay down any
laws. He called those who are truly saved to run toward maturity, and he
trusted God to reveal his will to every child of God. The Spirit of God is
working in us to know him and the power of his resurrection. Are you stuck in
your spiritual life? Get involved. Let the Spirit lead you to an encourager.
Let someone know you are struggling.

Grace
to Persevere

Are you running
faithfully? Don’t be discouraged.

Philippians 3:16 │
Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Keep going. Life is short.
We will be home soon, so so soon! Christ is worthy! “Don’t be weary in well
doing” (Gal 6:9). By God’s grace we will, as Paul urged us, persevere. We will
to hold true to what we have attained.
“Hold true” (stoicheo)
means “to walk in line with.” It is a military term that pictures soldiers
marching in a row. The idea is to keep in step with what is required. The
Philippian believers must march in formation with the word of God. They must
stay in step with the same truths which Paul had earlier taught them.[95]

Let’s live what we say we
believe. Christ has attained true and perfect righteousness for us and he
possibility of a higher and holier walk with him. I’m not giving up. I want to
seize him who seized me. My eye is no the prize!

Conclusion

In the 1986 New York City
Marathon, almost 20,000 runners entered the race. What is memorable is not who
won, but who finished last. His name was Bob Wieland. He finished 19,413th—dead
last. Bob completed the New York marathon in 4 days, 2 hours, 47 minutes, and
17 seconds. It was unquestionably the slowest marathon in history—ever. So,
what is it that made Bob Wieland’s marathon so special? Bob ran with his arms.
17 years earlier while in Vietnam, Bob’s legs were blown off in battle. He sits
on a 15-pound saddle and covers his fists with pads. He uses his arms to
catapult himself forward one arm-length at a time. At his swiftest, Bob can run
about a mile an hour, using his muscular arms to catapult his torso forward. He
advances one “step” at a time. Bob Wieland finished four days after the start. What did it matter? Why bother to finish?
There is a victory to experience in just finishing the course.[96]

The Christian life is much
like this. the Bible says, “Many who are first will be last; and the last,
first” (Mt 19:30). It will take another world to determine who the real winners
are. One thing Bob Wieland was not: complacent. He would not take not make
excuses. He saw the goal before him, and one arm length at a time, he completed
the race in four days. We don’t know how long our race is dear saint, but of
anyone in the world, we have no excuse for complacency. Look at the prize we
have: knowing Christ. Is there any greater goal?





 

 

 

 

 

15 | Philippians 3:17-21

Citizens of Heaven

 

 

 

Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his
glorious body, by the power that enables him

even to subject all things to himself.

Philippians 3:20-21

 

H

ave you ever been home sick? I used to serve at a
Christian camp in Pennsylvania. We had an Indian theme, so I was Chief Matt at
Mountainview Bible Camp in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This was part of my time at
Child Evangelism Fellowship, and we would go street to street in Philadelphia
and all around the state pointing kids to Christ. Then for two weeks, these
kids got to go away from the city streets to a Christian camp. It was so
amazing since some of them had never seen so many trees and wilderness before.
But you know as fantastic as this was for them, many of them would get homesick
after a few days. They’d have to go see Nurse Ginny. Nurse Ginny would play
ball with them or get their minds off of their homesickness.

As Christians we are
homesick for heaven, aren’t we? If you are a person who has entrusted your life
to Jesus, this world is not your home. Anytime you travel overseas, a passport
is required. Your passport is a document of citizenship, denoting your country
of origin and permanent residence. Your name is written on that document along
with your place and date of birth. Jesus said that our “names are written in
heaven” (cf Phil 4:3; Lk 10:20)
because we have been born again. That makes us tourists and foreigners here on
earth. This world is not my home, I’m just passing through. I want to encourage
you as citizens of heaven in how though we are homesick for heaven, we can bring
the culture of heaven to earth through the gospel.

Philippians 3:17-21
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who
walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many,
of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as
enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is
destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame,
with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our
citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly
body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him
even to subject all things to himself.

Why did Jesus leave us
behind? Why couldn’t we go to heaven immediately after we were saved? Why do we
have to wait? Because we are called to “make disciples of all nations” (Mt
28:18-20). This is logical in the passage. Paul has just said, we have a high
calling of knowing Christ better (3:10-16). Now we need to do the work of
discipleship. Listen to Paul.

Citizens
are Disciples (3:17)

Listen to Paul talk about
discipleship.

Philippians 3:17 │
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who
walk according to the example you have in us. 

We are no longer of this
world. We are to be looking to another world. We are to keep your eyes on those
who are looking to another world. As citizens of heaven, we are from another
world. Because of that we are called to bring the kingdom culture of heave to
earth. We are called to pray and live God’s will: “Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven” (Lord’s Prayer, Mt 6:10). Since coming to Christ, we are no
longer of this world. We no longer have the world’s culture. The Holy Spirit
has moved in to our hearts. Jesus says we are no longer “of this world.”

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the
world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of
the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They
are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

—John 17:14-16

We are to be importing the
culture of heaven to earth. The citizens of Philippi knew how to import
culture. They would bring the culture of Rome to the Greek people. The
Philippians had the great honor of holding Roman citizenship. This was not just
a perk, but they imported the culture of Rome. They brought in the language of
Rome which was Latin instead of Greek. They imported the values of Rome to
Philippi. They lived as citizens of the city of Rome among the Greek people of
Philippi.

Paul says something that
the Philippians could relate to: I’m looking to Christ for my culture. I’m
importing the kingdom culture of heaven to earth. He says: “Join in imitating
me!” I’m a kingdom citizen. I’m a citizen where Jesus Christ is absolute King
and Sovereign. He’s the ruler of my life. He is Lord and Christ. Those were two
titles used for Caesar. That’s what Caesar Augustus began. He said he was a god
and should be worshiped. He’s Lord and Christ. What blasphemy. Only Jesus is
Lord and Christ! We need to bring that kingdom culture here to earth.

Paul had seen the risen
Christ. The risen Christ lives in all of us. “Keep your eyes on those who walk
according” to another kingdom (3:17). Walk with all those who have Christ
ruling as Lord in their hearts. That’s our culture.

What is culture? Merriam
Webster defines it: “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices
that characterizes any given group of people.” Here’s another: “enlightenment
and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training.” Have
your eyes and tastes been enlightened and trained by heaven? Paul says: the
culture and atmosphere and values I’m importing are from heaven. Follow those
who follow Christ. This is the principle of discipleship. Jesus said, “It is
enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher” (Mt 10:25). As the
twelve were to follow the teaching and example of Christ, so the Philippians
were to follow the same in Paul. During his first trip to Philippi, Paul became
their teacher, and they his disciples.

A
Disciple is Counter Cultural

Let me add as kingdom
citizens, we are to be counter cultural! The world worships itself. We reject
self-worship. We are counter cultural. The world is all about conforming us to
its culture, but Christ dwells in us to be counter cultural. Isn’t that what
the Spirit tells us in Romans 12?

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and acceptable and perfect. —Romans
12:2

As disciple makers, we are
culture makers. We are not just importing a set of values, but we are offering
a Person to people. When the Person of the Holy Spirit reveals the love of the
Father to you, you can cry out: Abba!

The world is constantly
trying to conform us to the culture of hell. It’s very deceptive. Most of the
entertainment of the world, television, YouTube, and social media is trying to
conform you to a system that is in rebellion against the living God. We stand
against this world, and daily we have to renew our minds, renew our friends and
influences. We need to examine who’s influencing our thoughts. We need to get
the culture of heaven in your heart. Don’t miss what Paul is saying here.

Philippians 3:17 │
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who
walk according to the example you have in us. 

To be a disciple of
Christ, we have to be disciple makers. This was Jesus’ last command, his
marching orders: “Go make disciples of all nations…” (Mt 28:18ff). The
Christian life was not just theory and doctrine to Paul. He and all faithful
Christians are the living example of the spiritual instruction we bring to the
world.[97]

A
Disciple is a
Prototype

Philippians 3:17 │
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who
walk according to the example you have in us. 

Paul has just said he’s
not perfect, and he’s not already attained, but he does say that Christians
should be prototypes. The Greek word Paul uses for “example” is tupos. It means a prototype or a mold
that imprints something, leaving a pattern or print on the object. How has
Christ left a pattern and print on your life? Are you courageous and bold
enough to live in such a way that leaves Christ’s imprint on others? How should
you and I leave a pattern or print on the lives of people we influence?

At the end of college I
worked as an iron worker on the south side of Chicago. National Bullet Proof.
When we were building Sox park, the cell, or whatever it’s called now, we put
in bullet resistant ticket booths. Every deal tray had the stamp of our company
on it. I had a prototype with our name: National Bullet Proof. Hey, we are all
prototypes. We are to have the imprint of Christ on our lives. And we are to be
intersecting and impacting the lives of those around us.

A
Disciple is a Partner

Philippians 3:17 │
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who
walk according to the example you have in us. 

Can I just say, you can’t
do this alone. You need brothers if you are a man and sisters if you are a
woman to hold you accountable to that imprint of Christ. Join! Keep your eyes
on those who walk according to the example you have. Like Paul, we are
foreigners on a pilgrimage toward paradise, and we have a passport of
citizenship. As Christians, we should have a certain walk (lifestyle) that
characterizes our citizenship. As citizens, we need partners in our walk, those
who motivate and encourage us and keep us accountable. We can’t grow well
without other Christians investing in us. And to really grow, you need to be
helping others grow. In other words, who is discipling you? Who are you
discipling? Back to the race analogy, we need to show others in the Body how to
train and how to run the Christian race. We are all trainers.

What you have heard from me in the presence of many
witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others
also.Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ
Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian
pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An
athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It
is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the
crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you
understanding in everything. —2
Timothy 2:2-7

Two things stand out in
these examples: Discipline and Integrity. This is the key to discipleship. To
be a disciple is to be a learner. A soldier, an athlete and a farmer have one
thing in common! Discipline! That’s part of the word “disciple.” Discipline is
to be faithful to a task. Does that describe you? Are you helping others to be
faithful? Are you disciplined and predictable and faithful? What makes us
faithful? It’s the power of the Holy Spirit that works within us. Without that
power we cannot run the race. Are you helping others to serve faithfully?

Are you disciplined in
your life? Do you have the spiritual disciplines in your life. Are you
regularly eating the word of God to such an extent that it makes you want to
read more. If there’s no hunger for the word and for fellowship with the Lord
or fellowship with godly guys or godly girls.

Soldiers, athletes, and
farmers have integrity. Why? Because they put in the work. If a soldier doesn’t
train he dies. If athletes don’t train, they lose. If farmers don’t plant, they
have no crop. We have a lot of work. When you are at home married men, you need
to love your wives. You need to be praying with your wife. You are warriors.
You are God’s men. You need to be a good soldier of Christ, a good athlete, a
good farmer of Christ! Ladies, invest in your husbands. You can start with
being content in Christ. Don’t look for your contentment in your spouse.

Citizens
are Discerning (3:18-19)

In contrast to those who
are running the race with patience, being transformed into Christ’s image
through resurrection power and suffering with Christ in this life, there are
those who live as enemies of the cross.

Philippians 3:18 │
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with
tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

There are those who Paul
calls enemies of the cross. He has tears. What’s causing his sorrow? It seems
there were men and women who once fellowshipped with the saints there in
Philippi, but they fell away. They were not “all in.” They were what Jesus
called “stony ground hearers.” They were not “all in”. That’s something to cry
about. They didn’t think about their legacy, and they fell away. They just
added Jesus to their lives. Listen, Christians are folk who are all in. That doesn’t
mean we are perfect, but we believe Jesus is a perfect Savior! The only fear
ordained by God is the fear of God, and when you fear God, you don’t fear
anybody else.

Discerning But Compassionate

Paul seems to be referring
to people had at one time attended at the church of Philippi, but who have
fallen away. They are bothering the faithful race of the Christians there.

Philippians 3:18 │
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with
tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

C.T. Studd said, “Some
want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue
shop, within a yard of hell.”
[98] The fact that there are
eternal residents of hell dwelling on earth with us right now ought to cause us
great concern.

Paul’s heart was that of a
soul winner. His heart broke for the enemies of the cross among his own people.
“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me
witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great
sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I
could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the
sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom 9:1-3).

Discerning
In Enemy Territory

Often when we come to
Christ, there is this unrealistic expectation that things are going to be
easier than they are. Can you relate? But the Spirit tells us through Paul we
are in enemy territory.

Philippians
3:18 │
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell
you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Paul says, one of the
hardest things about discipleship is that you have to stay faithful in enemy
territory. That means you need to expect war in a warzone.
Who were these enemies of
the cross Paul was speaking of? Most believe these were either legalistic
Jewish false teachers or loose antinomian Gentiles who had fallen away. Paul
had warned the believers of Galatia that there were some Jews who wanted to
avoid being persecuted for the cross and that they hoped to “boast in your
flesh” (Gal 6:12–13). So it is conceivable to apply the marks that Paul lists
in Philippians 3:18–19 to Judaizers.[99]
They wanted religion in order to promote themselves. They thought they were
very special and did not want to suffer.

Probably these were
Gentiles who had professed faith in Christ. They had made a big splash in the
church. Maybe became members. But Paul says with tears: they have fallen away
and become enemies of Christ. Wow. How can someone who professes Christ just
fall away? How hard is it to do discipleship when Satan is busy trying to
thwart our purposes? There are those among them that once walked among those in
the church but are now “enemies of the cross of Christ.”

Think of Demas. He was a
companion of the apostle Paul, but Paul says, “Demas, in love with this present
world, has deserted me” (2 Tim 4:10). Are there some who sometimes we allow
into the church because they seem to have a solid testimony, but then they fall
away. Sadly yes. And we should have great tears for them. Even Jesus had one of
his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who fell away. Judas was from such a prominent
family and was the only one of the twelve who was from the Jerusalem area. The
rest were from Galilee.

Philippi was a small
place. Likely these men had regular contact with most of the congregation. The
intensity of Paul’s tearful grief indicates that their apostasy had been a very
personal loss to Paul. Literally Paul says, “I speak weeping.” There were tears
as this letter was written. Evidence that these former converts had become
“enemies of the cross of Christ” is indicated by the way they now walked.[100]
John Calvin said, “They pretended to be friends; they were, nevertheless, the
worst enemies of the gospel.”[101]

Just saying you are a
Christian doesn’t make you one. A person who truly believes in the death and
resurrection of Christ and trusts in him with saving faith walks a certain way.
Paul says: there are many whom I weep over, because the are no longer following
Jesus. In fact, they walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Old Testament people of
faith “walked with God” (Gen 5:22; 6:9; Mic 6:8). They were instructed to walk
in the ways of the Lord (Deut. 8:6; 10:12; 30:16; 1 Kgs 2:3; etc.), and not to
walk “in the way of sinners” (Psa 1:1). In other letters, Paul’s shift from
expounding God’s saving work to enjoining our fitting response was marked by
his summons to a new way of “walking”: “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in him” (Col 2:6); “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling
to which you have been called” (Eph 4:1). Those saved by grace through faith
are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to walk in good works (Eph 2:8–10). We are no longer to “walk as the Gentiles do” in mental
darkness, calloused consciences, and insatiable sensual appetite (4:17–19).[102]

Discerning
Idols
of the Heart

You don’t want to become
the wrong prototype. Everyone on earth is being imprinted and impacted by
something. Paul uses the “enemies of the cross” as bad examples, or a bad
prototype. They are bad because of what they worship.

The Destiny of Idolatry

3:19a │ Their
end is destruction.

Ultimately, spiritually
deaf and blind people end up destroyed in hell. Whatever is Lord of your life
determines your destiny. There is only one Lord that leads us to eternal life.
If you serve idols, they will send you to hell. We are doing discipleship and
ministry on the edge of hell. Everyone who does not have Jesus as Lord is from
hell and are living their hellish life before us.

The Demand of Idolatry

3:19b │ Their
god is their belly. 

Idolatry is a slave
master. Jesus said that There are only two prototypes: those conformed to the
world (worshiping idols), and those conformed to Jesus Christ (worshiping God).
Again, remember Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind.” The human heart can never be fully
satisfied by anything in this world. Human appetites become slavery for the
unbeliever.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of
human hands. 16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have
eyes, but do not see; 17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor
is there any breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them
become like them, so do all who trust in them. —Psalm
135:15-18

Bottom line: When you
trust in yourself, worship your own understanding, or worship things that
should be gifts from God and you turn them into your little god and savior,
then you become like those idols. Your eyes become blind to God’s beauty. Your
ears become deaf to God’s word. You speak but you have no life in your heart.
You feel dead.

Sin is a worship disorder.
What is it that leads people to hell? “Their god is their belly” (3:19b).
That’s self-worship. We can’t be ruled by our own appetites or our own way of
thinking. We are those who have denied ourselves and followed Christ. We are
those who lean not to our own understanding. We have put off the old life and
put on the new life, renewed in Christ. We have turned from idols to worship
the true and living God.

Self-worship is the root
of all idolatry. Ezekiel 14:3, “Son of man, these men have taken their idols
into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their
faces.” Idolatry blocks your view of God. Idols are those things we turn to
instead of God. If you are looking to others for your contentment, or if you
are looking to this world for satisfaction and contentment, you are worshipping
self.

The Depravity of Idolatry

Philippians 3:19c │
And they glory in their shame.

Instead of blushing, they
now glory in moral wickedness. I have seen this with my own two eyes. They may
not have had good answers in the church. Maybe they got hurt in life. But now,
life hurts so much that they turn to shameful things to take away the pain. The
more pain comes, the more they turn to immorality. They shame pushes them to
more and more desperate measures. They keep turning their conscience off
further and further.

The Desire of Idolatry

Philippians 3:19d │
With minds set on earthly things. 

Virtually everything draws
the lost person toward possessions: things that have price tags, things that
are tangible, things that can be owned and must be maintained. In the words of
Paul, they “set their minds on earthly things.”[103]

We must be discerning.
There are enemies of the cross of Christ all around us. We must be influencing
them, not them influencing us. We must warn them of their fate. Their idolatry
leads them to destruction. As citizens of heaven, instead of being discouraged
or dragged into the world by them, let us “shine our lights” that they might
come to know Christ and glorify our Father in heaven!

Citizens
are Devoted (3:20-21)

We look to the day when
Jesus comes and changes our culture permanently.

Philippians 3:20-21
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will
transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the
power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

He’s going to wipe out the
culture of rebellion on this earth and bring his kingdom here. Every knee shall
bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Devoted to our Homeland

Philippians 3:20a │
But our citizenship is in heaven.

We can’t wait for this day
when Jesus comes again! But until then, our devotion is to our homeland. Our
citizenship is in heaven! Paul directs our eyes to the prize of the upward
call: here is the finish line! Paul says earlier that we should do the best we
can to be a prototype of a Christian so that others can follow us as they
follow Christ.

The city of Philippi was
named after King Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. It was a
prosperous Roman colony, which meant that the citizens of Philippi were also
citizens of the city of Rome itself. They prided themselves on being Romans (cf
Acts 16:21), dressed like Romans and often spoke Latin. No doubt this was the
background for Paul’s reference to the believer’s heavenly citizenship
(3:20-21).

Since our citizenship is
in heaven, we ought to be importing the culture of heaven to earth. We do that
by walking with the risen Christ. It’s not just behavior, but he wants our
hearts. The best way to walk with Christ is a life of constant communion and
prayer. Read his love letter to you every day. He loves you. Bring him your
struggles.

Then it is our
responsibility to bring others into Christ’s kingdom. Thankfully, the Holy
Spirit indwells all who come into the kingdom. That’s where the real kingdom
change comes in the hearts of people. It’s through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
He gives witness to our spirit that we are children of God.

Devoted to our King

Philippians 3:20b │
And from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are patriots of our
earthly homeland. We want our country to thrive. But above all, we are patriots
of heaven, with our ultimate allegiance given to Jesus Christ.
We are awaiting our
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. While we are waiting, we are supposed to be
doing the work of verse 17. We are to be discipling other around us. We are to
be growing and walking in the Spirit. Waiting for our Savior is hard. It’s hard
to be away from home. It’s hard to be homesick. It’s tough to undergo culture
shock. We are to be importing the culture of heaven to earth. God is growing us
as citizens of heaven. But while we are waiting God is doing a great thing.
Some of you are struggling. You are tired. You are exhausted. You are hurting.
You want Christ to come again, but you just don’t know what

We are like those little
baby eagles in the nest. We love the comfort. That’s how it is when first get
saved. We feel so loved. It’s so amazing. But then the mama eagle pushes the
little eaglet out of the next. Is that a sign of rejection? No! It’s how we
learn to fly! Some of you are falling from the nest. And for us as Christians,
falling from the nest is not a one-time experience. Over and over and over we
experience. Using the nest illustration, let me say that Jesus is coming again
to bring us back to the nest.

Devoted to Our Future

Philippians 3:21 │
Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious
body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to
himself.

This world is not all
there is. There is so, so much more. There is coming a day when Christ will
come with power and glory to rescue us from this mess. While they are still
living in Philippi, Paul therefore reminds them that they must eagerly wait
with great expectation for Jesus Christ to return from heaven. In that moment,
he will appear and take them to their eternal home. When that happens, all will
be changed. When Jesus comes, we are glorified. That means that we are going to
have a new body that does not sin. We are going to have the perfect strength
the Lord without any sin, distraction, or limitation. God has the power to do
this, because all things are subject to him! He upholds everything by his
power. He loves you and has the power to sanctify you and glorify you.

Conclusion

Are you homesick for
heaven? Import heaven’s culture into your own life. We get all four seasons in Chicagoland,
don’t we? We had winter in the early morning. By the time we get out of church
it’ll be spring with 50-degree weather. This afternoon we’ll have summer. And
this evening we will have Fall. The seasons change, don’t they? But Jesus never
changes! He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Let’s bring his kingdom culture
to this earth and make disciples of all nations!

 

 





 

 

 

 

 

16 | Philippians 4:1-5

Disarming Disharmony

 

 

 

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long
for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 

Philippians 4:1-2

 

H

ow about you? Do you know the Christian life is a
life of sacrifice? Jesus is worthy of your sacrifices.

 

In a parable she entitles
“A Brawling Bride,” Karen Mains paints a vivid scene, describing a suspenseful
moment in a wedding ceremony. Down front stands the groom in a spotless
tuxedo—handsome, smiling, full of anticipation, shoes shined, every hair in place,
anxiously awaiting the presence of his bride. All attendants are in place,
looking joyful and attractive. The magical moment finally arrives as the pipe
organ reaches full crescendo and the stately wedding march begins. Everyone
rises and looks toward the door for their first glimpse of the bride.

Suddenly there is a
horrified gasp. The wedding party is shocked. The groom stares in embarrassed
disbelief. Instead of a lovely woman dressed in elegant white, smiling behind a
lacey veil, the bride is limping down the aisle. Her dress is soiled and torn.
Her leg seems twisted. Ugly cuts and bruises cover her bare arms. Her nose is
bleeding, one eye is purple and swollen, and her hair is disheveled. “Does not
this handsome groom deserve better than this?” asks the author. And then the
clincher: “Alas, his bride, the church,
has been fighting again!”[104]
Calling them (and us, the church) Christ’s bride, the apostle Paul writes to
the Ephesians:

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave
himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that
he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or
wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

—Ephesians 5:25-27

What a wonderful plan but
hardly a realistic portrayal. I mean, can you imagine what the wedding pictures
would look like if Christ claimed his bride, the church, today? Try to picture
him standing next to his brawling bride. It is one thing for us to survive the
blows of a world that is hostile to the things of Christ, but to be in
disharmony with one another, fighting and arguing among ourselves. It’s just
unthinkable.[105]
Unthinkable and unnatural though it may seem, the bride has been brawling for
centuries. We get along for a little while and then we are back at each
other’s’ throats. After a bit we make up, walk in wonderful harmony for a few
days, then we turn on one another. We can switch from friend to fiend in a matter
of moments. It’s not what God planned. He has something better for us. But we
have to realize what love is. Love means we’re family. It means we’re committed
to each other. Sometimes a children’s comic strip can bring it down to earth so
we can understand.

In a “Peanuts” cartoon,
Lucy says to Snoopy: “There are times when you really bug me, but I must admit
there are also times when I feel like giving you a big hug.” Snoopy replies:
“That’s the way I am… huggable and buggable.”[106]

Philippians 4:1-5 │
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy
and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I
entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes,
I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have
labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the
rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice
in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let
your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.

How can you disarm the
disunity and division that so easily disrupts us in our homes, in our church,
and in our community? What are the tools that protect us from getting
distracted from the wrong fight? We need a big heart (4:1), a warm embrace
(4:2-3), and a lasting joy (4:4-5).

God wants to carry us
forward in this community. He wants to fill this place with people who love
him. He wants to bear fruit through us. Now we can say: it’s not about numbers.
And you are right. But it is about people: people with souls. They are dying
and going to hell. The Father in heaven has sent his Spirit into our hearts to
pour out his love to this lost and dying world. Do you want a church that moves
when God moves? Then we can’t be blocked from blessing by interpersonal
conflict. We need to learn to fight for God and not with each other. In
Philippi, you have two women who were once warriors for Christ who are now
warring with each other. And the first thing Paul says is: you have to have a
big heart.

A Big
Heart (4:1)

Listen to Paul talk about
how he personally thinks about the church at Philippi. Paul’s a man who’s been
hurt a lot. He’s been stoned. He’s been falsely accused by churches. He’s been
hurt in so many ways by the churches. But he’s a man with a gigantic heart.
This is a major mark of how the world knows that we belong to Jesus. “By this
all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another” (Jn 13:35). Paul loves his fellow believers in Philippi. Listen to
him.

A Big
Heart
Because
of Our Family

Philippians 4:1a │
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for.

The love is genuine
because this is Paul’s forever family. Part of our justification is not only
that we’ve been counted as righteous in God’s law court. It’s more than that.
The result of justification is an adoption proceeding. We have been adopted in
to God’s forever family. That’ll make your heart grow big!

He calls them family: my
brothers (and sisters). Is there a more intimate term than calling each other
family. Ten billion years from now, we will be family. Let’s treat each other
as family. Family means vulnerability. I usually lock my front door. Actually,
we have several locks, how about you? But you: my beloved brothers and sisters
in Christ, you are welcome into my house. No locks for you. You are my family.
I love you. I esteem you.

God has adopted us into
his family. He has given us a love far greater than anything in this selfish
world. I not only love you my brothers and sisters, I long for you. Your
fellowship enriches me and builds my faith up. I grow closer to Christ when I
am with you. I learn more about his beauty and riches in your fellowship. We
are family: forever and ever we will always be God’s children. That makes my
heart grow big for you.

Now if we really are
brothers and sisters, you can’t close your heart to me. I cannot close my heart
to you, amen? Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the
least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). Instead of gossip or
hurt or simply ignoring one another, we are called to fellowship and work
together. Let’s bring heaven down to earth. We can’t live according to earth’s
rules. When disharmony comes, let’s be bold and forgive. Let’s be strong and
move on. Let’s be family and build each other up. We can’t just pick and choose
which part of the body of Christ we will fellowship with. Think through the
congregation here at Living Hope. Who are you not treating as a brother or a
sister? Is your heart growing smaller and smaller when it comes to one person
or another?

I challenge you, if the
Holy Spirit truly lives in you, stop resisting his conviction. Stop resisting
his movement on your heart to love that person who hurt you in this church.
They hurt your feelings. They gossiped about you. They have ignored you. In the
name of Jesus forgive them. By the power of the resurrection, go to them today.
Love on them today with Calvary love. You may need to tell them: “I forgive
you.” You may have some reconciliation that needs to happen. Do it.

As you do it to them,
Jesus says, “You do it unto me.” Are you ignoring Jesus? Are you putting off
Jesus? If that person who hurt your feelings is family with Jesus, then they
are family with you. Stop living in disharmony. Stop living with a small heart.
Get it right, child of God. Stop cherishing that sin of bitterness.

Husbands and wives, are
you living in harmony at home? Stop cherishing hurt. If Jesus loves your
spouse, you should too. If Jesus laid down his life for your spouse, you should
do the same. If Jesus has tender emotions toward your spouse, you should also
ask God to make your heart tender. You can’t just ignore a brother or sister in
Christ. You are commanded to love them and long for them.

A Big
Heart
Because
of Our Future

Philippians 4:1b │
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy
and crown.

When he calls them his
“joy and crown”, he’s thinking of the tribunal of Christ, when we all see
Jesus. Paul had planted and watered, but God gave the increase (1 Cor 3:6).
Paul will receive a crown just for planting and watering, like all of us. Here
the “crown” is the stephanos, the
wreath awarded to the victor in the games (not the diadēma, the symbol of sovereignty).[107] As
we invest our lives in those around us and we see God work, we will receive a
reward.

Don’t miss this: the reward is not something that will pass away.
Paul is saying that the Philippians themselves are his reward. On the day Jesus
returns, their lives will be totally healed and restored. That will be reward
enough for Paul. And that is our reward together: to see each one of us perfect
in his sight when he comes again! If that doesn’t grow your heart to be so big,
I don’t know what will. That means your neighbor sitting next to you is your
crown and your reward. Turn to your neighbor and say: you are my crown.

A Big
Heart
Because of Our
Focus

Our focus is standing firm
in Christ so that he can carry us forward. Standing firm never means standing
still. As Christians, we don’t want to be stagnant. God is never stagnant. He
carries us forward when we focus on him. He wants us to find healing and power
in our focus on him.

Philippians 4:1c │
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy
and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

What does it mean to
“stand firm…in the Lord”? In one sense it means it’s in the power of the Lord,
not in myself. This is very similar language to Ephesians 6. We are to put on
the whole armor of God. Ephesians 6:13-14, “Therefore take up the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore…” and
put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel shoes
(boots), the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit
(word of God).

The imagery of standing firm is gaining ground
in victory. We stand firm in the Lord who gives us the victory. He’s already
won! Many Christians don’t realize everything we need for victory in this life
is something you already possess in Christ, you just need to learn how to use
it.

It’s like the sweet spot
for the clutch of a manual transmission for a car. It’s hard at first. But you
need to get habituated to it. It’s hard to go from neutral to first gear. And
then learn all the gears. But once you do, you get used to it. Christians love
holiness like race car drivers love speed! God is on the move. He wants you to
be happy in him. He never changes. If you want to be happy, you have to submit
and stand firm in the sovereign Savior who loves you and gave his life for you.
Surrender to wherever he is taking you. He’s working it all out for your good
and his glory.

We can never compromise
with the enemy. He wants to get you off that “sweet sopt” of holiness. He want
to strip you of your Holy Spirit power. We can’t use his tools of bitterness
and hate and grudge holding. Our enemy is the world, the flesh and the devil. This
is war. The enemy doesn’t want to play nice. He wants to destroy you. You
cannot negotiate with a terrorist because he wants to devote you to
destruction. We must devote our enemies to destruction. So Paul says in
Ephesians – “Stand Firm”. We might say today: “Don’t retreat!” We Christians
are like soldiers who refuse to turn back. We cannot retreat. We have an enemy
that God wants to win over to himself. We can’t have friendly fire if we are
going to convert the enemy. The Spirit says: stand firm.

I want you to understand
that standing firm does not mean standing still. We need to stand firm in the
Lord because indeed, he is carrying us forward. A focus on the Lord gives us
spiritual stability.

Are you stuck in your walk
with God? Some people are stuck because they are lost and dead in their sins.
They have no real walk with God because they have never been born again. The
Spirit says, “stand firm in the Lord.” You can’t stand firm unless you are
first in Christ. Remember this: there’s no meaningful change without Christ in
your life. So you know Christ. What are somethings that slow you down
spiritually? You may be stuck or spiritually unstable for a number of reasons. You
know Christ but you have a sin in your life that is holding you hostage. You’ve
tried everything but you don’t know what to do. There’s an important
relationship in your life that brings you constant hurt. Perhaps you have
isolated yourself from others, and you have little to no fellowship. Maybe you
have distorted thinking like a bad record that plays over and over again. Perhaps
you have impaired hearing, and the word no longer has its impact because you
are overwhelmed with the background noise of fear, or anger. You’ve lost your
focus.

Whatever the reason your
stuck, right now is your moment to get unstuck. You don’t have to be stuck
anymore. Whatever your problem, Jesus is the answer. “Stand firm in the Lord!”
Stop trying to change yourself. You say: that’s
too simple
. Nope. It’s not. That’s your problem. You think you need to jump
through hoops. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Mt 6:33).

Seek Christ through all
the means of grace. If it’s isolation: experience Christ in Christian
fellowship. If it’s a sin in your life: experience Christ in heartfelt
repentance in prayer. Christ has set you free. Experience Christ as the good
Shepherd in Christian counsel and accountability. If it’s a hurtful
relationship, bring Christ there. You may need a counselor or a pastor. Get
Christ in that relationship. That’s actually what Paul is about to say. Paul
brings up two women in the church who can’t seem to get along: Euodia and
Sytyche, otherwise affectionately known as: “You Odious” and “Soon Touchy.”
These are actually two very honored, very godly women in the congregation, but
they’ve gotten their eyes off of Christ.

That brings us to a second
mark of spiritual stability: not only do we need a big heart, we need a warm
embrace.

A Warm
Embrace (4:2-3)

Most of the time,
spiritual instability comes because of the inability to get along with other
saints. We need to learn to fight for God and not with each other. We need to
have thick skin and a very big heart. With that big heart, we need to embrace
each other as family, and in union with Jesus Christ.

In verse 1, we noticed it
was love by which the world would know we are Jesus’ disciples. But now he
gives another mark of a healthy vibrant church that reaches the world: unity.
At the bare minimum, it means that when the general calls us to fight for him,
we will miss the call if we are fighting against ourselves.

Philippians 4:2-3 │
I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes,
I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have
labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the
rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Embrace
in the Lord

Philippians 4:2 │
I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

Unity in the church comes
because of our union with Jesus Christ. One of the main themes of the New
Testament is that we are in union with Christ. We are in Christ. That happens
because God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are dwelling in me. We are indwelt
by the Triune God. Jesus said, it is not only our love that will show his glory
to the world, but also our unity will show the glory of God to the world. Jesus
said, “…that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,
that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent
me” (Jn 17:21). You can have love without unity, but you cannot have real unity
without love. I loved my friends when I was a kid, but there were times we did
not get along with each other.

When I was a kid, my
friends and I would go to the wrestling mats at the Oak Forest Park District
and fight it out. When I moved down south, it seemed like we boys fought for
the fun of it. We’d hit each other and wrestle, and then we’d be best of
friends. That’s kinda how boys are. But you know, we fight in the church
sometimes. This little church in Philippi was graced by two magnificent women,
Euodia and Syntyche, whom Paul memorably described here as having “labored side
by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow
workers, whose names are in the book of life” (3:3). These two were no weak
sisters by any means because Paul’s description employed a gladiatorial term,
better rendered as “fought side by side with me.”[108]
These women had been in the same conflict with Paul against the evil one, and
now they were fighting with one another, so much so they need an apostolic
rebuke.

Their fighting was holding
back the forward progress of the gospel. These women have done fantastic work
with Paul and Clement, but they seem to be willing to halt the work of the Lord
by their disunity. They’re thinking of themselves. Look at the history of
Euodia and Syntyche, they worked together in spreading the gospel. Most of all
their “names are written in the book of life.” Yet conflict is now defining the
relationship.

Sometimes our conflicts
can be mountains that get in the way of what God wants to do in our lives. When
I was in Spain we would have to drive through the Pyrenees Mountains on the
border of Spain and France. Anytime there was an accident, traffic came to a
standstill. This happened quite often. Finally, they built a superhighway above
the mountains, and this never happened again. God says there is a way to drive
on the superhighway. I love the verse in Matthew 17, “If you have faith like a
grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to
there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Mt 17:20). Can
I ask you a serious question? What disagreement is holding you back from god’s
kingdom purposes? Are you willing to walk by faith to remove those mountains of
strife and disunity in your life? Do you just say you believe the Bible or do
you really live by it? Well here are a few steps of obedience when there is
spiritual instability in your life between you and another brother or sister in
the Body. How do we remove these mountains of disunity?

1. Go straight to Jesus.

When we are offended, the
first thing we need to do is to go straight to the Lord. “Be angry and do
not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give
no opportunity to the devil” (Eph 4:26-27). “When my heart is overwhelmed: lead
me to the rock that is
higher than I” (Psa 61:2, KJV). You’ve got to get your heart right with the
Lord or you are just going to pour gasoline on the fire. Let the Lord give you
a love for the one who has offended you. At the very least, you are to love
your enemies.

2. Deal with your own heart: repent &
forgive

And while you are with Jesus,
get your heart right. Deal with your heart. There is probably a very big log in
your eye. That’s how Jesus describes it. “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let
me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own
eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of
your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your
brother’s eye” (Mt 7:4-5). My own heart is the problem (Jer 17:9). I cannot
lean to my own understanding (Pro 3:5-6). Where does conflict come from? James
4:1, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this,
that your passions are at war within you?” You do what you do because
you want what you want. “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart,
and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart
come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false
witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a
person…” (Mt 15:18-20). Sinful desires come from the heart. We do what we do
because we want what we want. The only thing that can change our heart (and the
desire therein) is the word of God. When you are offended, go to the Lord right
away. Repent first of your own sin. “For if you forgive others their
trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but
if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses” (Mt 6:14-15).

3. If you need to talk, have the right
attitude.

Often we are willing to
talk, but we end up making the matter worse. “A brother offended is harder to win
than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle” (Pro 18:19,
NKJV). “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a
manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing
with one another in love, eager to maintain the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:1-3).

4. If you know someone is offended, fix it.

If you suspect you may
have offended someone, it’s a good idea to find out – and fix it! In fact,
Jesus thinks you need to tend to that before you worship him. “If you are
offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has
something against you, 24 leave your gift there
before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and
offer your gift” (Mt 5:23-24).

5. If you need help, get it.

Get help when you need it.
If you’ve tried to reconcile and it hasn’t worked, don’t give up. In fact we
are commanded to bring another person into it if things aren’t working. Look
over at Matthew 18.

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his
fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained
your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take
one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by
the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he
refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to
listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a
tax collector. —Matthew 18:15-17

You may have to get a leader,
elder, or biblical counselor involved, but work at it until it is resolved.
This is not just a suggestion but a command.

Embrace
Help

I want you to see that
Paul specifically says we all need help. These godly women need help. As
disciples of Christ we should embrace help. You can’t live the Christian life
alone. We all need help in the realm of conflict. He himself is helping them.
Look how he helps them: he points their gaze to the cosmic realm: “they labored
(literally fought) side by side with me in the gospel…whose names are written
in the book of life.”

Philippians 4:3 │
Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have
labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the
rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

They need to stop fighting
on earth so they can fight for the cosmic, kingdom realm. These women need
help. They need a reminder to set their minds on things above (Col 3:1). Paul
is saying: There’s a place. There’s a Person in whose presence things don’t
just stay the same. There’s a place where someone sits on a throne who says,
“Behold I make all things new” (Rev 21:5). Do you know what that means? In the
Lord’s presence, things don’t just stay the same. They get stronger. They get
newer. They get fresher. They get brighter every second. Forever. Triple every
second, and on it goes.[109]
We need to get into God’s presence and see where he moves us. Let go of these
“lesser things.” Why are you so worried about these lesser things? Do you have
hurt? Get into God’s presence. Be renewed. Be strengthened.

That’s actually how Paul closes
this section in Philippians 4:4-5. He says whatever you do: rejoice in the
Lord! I love that command. God wants your happiness.

A
Lasting Joy (4:4-5)

Philippians 4:4-5 │
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let
your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.

Paul basically says in
verse 4: stop your pity party. Get your eyes off yourself and get your eyes on
Christ. It’s a flesh defeating focus!

Joy In Christ Enriches
My Own Heart

Look at this command:

Philippians 4:4 │
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

We’ve got to get our focus
off of self and onto the Lord. Joy does not come by focusing on personal hurts.
Bitterness never brought anyone closer to Jesus. I want a Psalm 115:1 kind of
heart. It reads, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” You
can be sure when ministry or anything becomes about our personal hurts, we are seeking our own glory when we need to be seeking
God’s greatness and power. When we start focusing on the Lord, something
amazing begins to happen in our hearts: we begin to rejoice! Focus on his love
for you. Isn’t it amazing “there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus” (Rom
8:1)?

I’m
so glad he saved my soul. He’s the Lord of creation, the God of beauty and
majesty, the Savior of humanity. He is awesome in power and glory. He used all
that power to pour out his love for me. I’ve got so much to rejoice about that
I don’t have time for pity parties.

Joy In Christ Enriches
the
Hearts of Others

Paul
then moves from our walk with God
(rejoice) to our walk with other people
where he says: “be reasonable.” You can tell who is really rejoicing in the
Lord by our personal relationships. That’s what Paul says in verse 5. A person
who really walks with the Lord has a reasonableness, a gentleness, a meek
disposition that is unaffected by the drama and chaos of human interpersonal
conflicts and offenses. There’re too many people that don’t know Jesus for me
to take offense and have self-pity! Listen to Paul’s next instruction
:

Philippians 4:5a │
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. 

Here he directs our
attention from the Lord, the source of our joy, to other people, who are often
the source of our stress. The key term, which the esv conveys as
“reasonableness,” which means: “clemency, graciousness, forbearance,” or even
“magnanimity.”[110]
The term refers to the calm and kind disposition that enables a person to
offer a nonviolent, even generous, response to others’ aggression. Aristotle
explained this “gentle reasonableness” as a
willingness to forgo one’s own rights according to the letter of the law
.[111]

Here Paul expands the
circle of those to be treated “gently” beyond the borders of the church. We are
to display such forbearing kindness to “everyone,” including those who are
making our lives miserable. As children of a Father who sends sunshine and
rainfall on the just and the unjust (Mt 5:45), as brothers and sisters of the
beloved Son who died for us while we were his enemies (Rom 5:10), believers
should extend kindness rather than retaliation to those who harass and oppress
them.[112]

Joy In Christ Encourages Us That Time is Short

Philippians 4:5b │
The Lord is at hand.

Paul concludes this
section with the most hopeful words in the Bible: “the Lord is at hand” (4:5).
There’s coming a day when all conflict is ended. Don’t get hung up with
conflict. Move on. Don’t get weighed down with bitterness. Look up! Look up
saint! Your redemption is nearer than ever. He’s coming soon. Indeed, you can
almost see him in the clouds: “The Lord is at hand!”

Conclusion

What is it that is holding
you back? We are called to be fighting for the Lord not fighting with each
other. Our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil.

When I was a kid, my Uncle
Lew had a big yacht that we would sail on Lake Michigan. He would take us to
wonderful places on that yacht. We would see other boats. And sometimes we
would go to another bay and stop and see the sights. There are so many things
we saw. I could never have seen those marvelous places without Uncle Lew’s
yacht. One summer, we had to delay our sailing because there were some repairs
to be made. The ship was leaking. My cousin Russ had to repair the ship. God
wants us to set ourselves for sailing. He wants to use you in ways both big and
small. Are you ready to set sail? You can’t set sail if there’s a hole in your
ship. Get things right today. Get that heart of yours repaired. God wants to
use you. Let’s set sail!

 



 

 

 

 

 

17 | Philippians 4:4-9

When Panic Attacks

 

 

 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses

all understanding, will guard your hearts and

your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

 

A

nxiety is a serious problem in the world today. As
a young person, my mother worked at a video store, and she would bring home
worldly and wicked materials for me
to watch when I was only 11 and 12 years of age. To make things worse, I dealt
everyday with the personal plague of fatherlessness. There is no worse plague
that is destroying our nation than fatherlessness. Beyond that because my
mother fended for herself, we would move constantly. We moved to a new location
and a new school about once a year.

All
of this severe culture shock left me at age 12 in the seventh grade with what
might be described as PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For three years
of my life, age 12 to 15, I was plagued with almost constant terror. What I
want to consider tonight is that because of regeneration you can be free from
crippling fear. It’s what I call terror. There are times in life when we are
controlled by crippling fear, anxiety and worry. I want to share an extreme
example from my own life so that you can have hope and a strategy to be free
from fear.

The
Terror Defined

What
I went through was not your ordinary anxiety, I have come to understand that I
have endured PTSD most of my life. PTSD is normally thought of as something
soldiers have because they keep replaying the terrors of the battlefield. The
truth is PTSD is not a disease, but simply a description of symptoms. I want to
encourage us this morning that God’s word is powerful enough to help us trust
in God no matter what we feel like. Let me be clear, I am not saying that a
person can always be free from the feelings of fear and anxiety. What I am
saying is that no child of God ought to be controlled by them. Jesus said, we
cannot have two masters. If Christ is our master, then fear cannot be our
master.

Let
me describe what I have gone through most of my life so that I can give you
great hope in the gospel to transform you from a slave to fear to a slave of
Jesus. I can remember the moment my fear began. It was the 1980s. It was
September 1986. I was just beginning the seventh grade. In the 1980s there was
all kinds of talk about HIV and AIDS. I watched TV incessantly. My parents
would use the television to babysit me my whole life.

I
was very self-conscious because all my friends had dads and guns. I am the
youngest in my family. I have brothers that are over a decade older than me.
For my 12th birthday they bought me a 22 semi-automatic rifle with a scope. I
would go hunting with my friends, but I had an irrational fear that because I
didn’t have a father, I would somehow turn out wrong. I began to feel such
terror. I thought I would become like the people in the pornographic videos I
saw. I did not have thoughts of sensuality, but terror. I later came to find
out that my mother showing me those porn videos was really a form of abuse. I
was terrorized by this abuse and it led me to an even bigger problem. The fear
would not go away. I was afraid of so many things.

The
Terror Described Physiologically

Where
did the terror come from? Physiologically, this experience of terror is caused
by a buildup of a stress hormone called cortisol. This is what causes the
symptoms of PTSD. In combination with that, there is another stress hormone
called adrenaline (also known as epinephrine). The cortisol produces a feeling
of doom, and the adrenaline is a fight or fight hormone that causes a feeling
of terror.

That’s
the pathology of fear, but I want to tell you from a firsthand basis what I
experienced for three years as a child, and I have had to learn how to cope
with these things from the word of God as a Christian.

The
Terror Described Personally

What
began as a fear of being different, became all the more destructive as I became
a slave to fear for three years. I would try to do anything to get rid of it.
It led me from being an honor roll student to me failing my classes. It led me
to fornication, alcohol, and drugs at a very young age. I wanted to do anything
to get rid of the fear.

The
fear was so powerful that I lost my appetite and at times vomited at the
feeling of fear and terror. I often had thoughts of suicide. I was constantly
tired. My body felt like I was beat up constantly, so I had a daily feeling of
exhaustion, like someone constantly running in terror 24/7. The nights were the
worst. For three years I was often so afraid that my clothes were soaked with
sweat, and at the times of most intense terror, as a teenager I would curl up
in the fetal position next to my mother.

As
I said, I turned to the world for relief. I was afraid of pornography because
they caused me terror, but I destroyed my life and the lives of girls through
fornication. I would often become intoxicated as a junior higher with wine that
was readily available where we lived in the Bayou of Louisiana near Lake
Ponchatrain. That went on until September of 1989, when a group of evangelists
from the Assemblies of God (The Power Team / Strike Force) preached the gospel
to me at a large evangelistic event. At that moment the entire focus of my life
was radically redirected. I was born again. For many years the terror and fear
I experienced in such a defeated and devastating way was now left behind. I now
had heavenly joy in Christ. My sins were forgiven. I was a new creation. I was born
again!

So
that means all my fear and terror went away, right? No. For over a decade I was
free from crippling fear. From the moment I was born again at age 15 (September
1989) until I had been one year on the mission field of Spain as a missionary
church planter in the Basque Region of Spain in September of 2002, I was
completely free from crippling fear. One day while I was in Sunday School in
Spain, enjoying the teaching, all the feelings of terror and crippling fear
came back. There was no trigger, but there were physiological reasons it all
returned. Physically, because of culture shock and the intense pressure of
living in a new culture and learning a new language, the cortisol in my body
built up to a crisis level which released a rush of adrenaline in me, that gave
me a feeling of terror and put me in “fight or flight” mode.

Because
of the adrenaline I could not sleep. I called my pastor in the United States.
He told me to cling to Christ, which I tried to do. Days went by with very
little sleep. I kept getting worse. My wife was getting very worried about me. Imagine
being terrorized … your life continually threatened … your heart gripped with
fear. Imagine every day … waking to the thought: what if this fear never goes
away? It’s terrifying. That’s what I was experiencing. Now maybe you can’t
relate to that, but I’m pretty sure you’ve suffered with anxiety and worry to
some degree. What can we do when panic attacks? How can we find God’s peace in
the storm? What is the answer? We find it in Philippians 4:4-9.

Philippians 4:4-9 │ Rejoice
in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let
your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do
not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to
God. And the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever
is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever
is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of
praise, think about these things. What you have
learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these
things, and the God of peace will be with you.

How should we respond when
anxiety harasses us? Often the panic attacks and lasting PTSD symptoms that
come from stress (flooding the body with cortisol and epinephrine) are
absolutely paralyzing. These “fight or flight” hormones are good to deal with
emergencies, but if a person is not able to move on, they will weigh a person
down and even paralyze a person emotionally. I read somewhere a good
illustration: “Ducks walk out from a lake, flap their wings, and they fly off.
When you face something stressful, you need to be able to shake it off and move
on with life.” Philippians 4 helps us “shake it off”!

They put on cigarette
packages that, “Smoking may be hazardous to your health.” And, I want to tell
you, dear friend, that wrong thinking can also be hazardous to your health. And
so, this morning, we’re going to have “a check-up from the neck up.” We’re
going to find out if you have healthy thinking. There are times when
troublesome circumstances interrupt the normal flow of events. Paul gave three
commands to help the readers solve these: rejoice (4:4-5), rest in God’s peace (4:6-7), renew your mind (4:8-9).
[113]

Rejoice
(4:4-5)

Now, the Bible says, “As a
man thinks, so is he” (Pro 23:7). I just want to ask, is Jesus Lord of your
heart? Then you should be rejoicing.

Rejoice
in the Lord

Paul tells us what to do
when panic attacks. Have you ever had a panic attack? Listen to Paul.

Philippians 4:4a │ Rejoice
in the Lord. 

If you’ve ever suffered
from panic or worry or serious anxiety, when you hear Paul, you might not like
his advice. It sounds simplistic and dismissive. Just trust God! Well, we
already know that.

A popular song when I was
growing up was: “Don’t worry, be happy!” That was the that song. But for the
person who struggles with worry, such counsel is sadly so simplistic, it’s
almost cruel.[114]
Paul’s advice seems trite when we hear it, but it’s true. But let me say it a
different way: Don’t magnify your problem. Magnify the Lord. I love what the
David says in Psalm 34:3, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his
name together.” God is so big compared to your problem. When you put our
awesome, amazing, infinite God next to your problem, the problem, no matter
what it is, seems small.

Isaiah tells us in Isaiah
40, who can we compare God too? There’s no one like him. He “sits above the
circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who
stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell
in” (Isa 40:22).

When God humbled King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the king praised God and said in Daniel 4:35, “All
the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to
his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and
none can restrain his hand….” Do you believe that God is absolutely sovereign?
Isn’t he a good Shepherd for all those who entrust their lives to him?

When panic attacks us, the
first thing we need to do is rejoice. Do you know that God is in control no
matter what is happening in your life? He’s sovereign over your circumstances.
Rejoice! God doesn’t command us to rejoice in circumstances. Sometimes we weep
over our circumstances. He does tell us to rejoice over our pain and our
heartbreaks. What does he say: Rejoice in the Lord! Jesus is the Source of our
joy! “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Neh 8:10).

Do you feel weak,
overwhelmed, discouraged? Joy never comes by looking at how good or bad our
circumstances are. Circumstances change. Joy comes from one source: focusing on
the sovereign Lord who never changes.

Rejoice
Always

Philippians 4:4b Rejoice in the Lord always.

Paul now gives us the
divine command: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” This means we have a reason for
joy always. Our joy doesn’t depend on our circumstances. He loves you, with an
unchanging love, therefore you can rejoice always. Our joy is to be in the
Lord, and it is to be unchanging. The circumstances of Paul’s life reminded him
of the joy available in the Lord, and he wished that joy for them as well. Paul
knew that no situation is beyond the Lord’s help. Christians can always rejoice
in that, if nothing else.

Rejoice: God’s love for
you is never changing. Rejoice: We love him because he first loved us. His love
is unconditional. Romans 8 says there is nothing that can separate you from the
love of God in Christ Jesus. Why should we rejoice? Because of his great love
for us!

Romans 8:31-39, “What then shall we say to these
things? If God is for us, who can be against us?32 He
who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not
also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall
bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who
is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was
raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for
us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your
sake we are being killed all the day long we are regarded as sheep to be
slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him who loved us.38 For I am
sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor
things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in
Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Rejoice Again and Again

Paul then repeats what he
has just said.

Philippians 4:4c Again I will say, rejoice. 

Again, Paul says, rejoice.
What’s the point? We need to hear this reminder again and again and again. Rejoice!
Ah, I see you’ve forgotten, so I’ll say it again: rejoice!
We are creatures
that are prone to forget, so Paul knows, and we all know we need this constant
reminder. When everything is hard and you are down, you need to remember to
rejoice. There is not a moment in our lives as believers that we should not be
rejoicing in Christ. This is particularly true when we are going through a
trial. “Blessed are they that mourn,” our Lord said (Mt 6:3). We are to rejoice
even when we are mourning. Why? Because the Lord is in control, working all
things all for our good and his glory.

Rejoice Restfully

Rejoicing leads to a very
peaceful, joyful soul. Look at what he says:

Philippians 4:5 │ Let your
reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.

The Lord is near. His second
coming could be today! He’s returning for us out of this great big mess. That
reality has a calming effect on us: it makes us reasonable. It literally means
“having a gentle, considerate spirit.” There is a peace that calms the noisy
soul!

What is reasonableness?
It’s the opposite of this is a noisy soul. This reasonableness is a reflective,
peaceful soul. Paul goes from rejoicing to reasonableness, or gentleness is
another way it could be translated. There is a sense of calm and reason and
gentleness is the idea. There is a meekness and quietness that comes over us
when we are sweetly resting in Jesus. The opposite of the reasonableness is a
chaotic noisy soul.

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest
you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” —Isaiah 30:15

Do you have a quiet soul
that comes from rejoicing in the Lord? If not, I want to give you some
instructions as to how to get God’s peace and rest in it.

Rejoice Expectantly

Philippians 4:5b │ The Lord is at hand.

There ought to be no
worries for the true believer in Christ. The Lord is at hand! Amen?! Whatever
you are worried about, remember it may not happen for a number of reasons,
chief of which is the second coming of Jesus! He’s coming again saints. Every
eye shall see him, even those who pierced him and put him on the cross. Every
knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that he is Lord and God. Some will
enter into the new creation with joy, while others will depart into everlasting
fire. If you are in Christ today, rejoice! Your redemption draws near. Christ
is coming victoriously, and we who know him will join him. Suddenly, in the
blink of an eye, we will see him. The living and the dead will be brought
before him. Those who know him will reign with him forever and ever. Amen!
Rejoice!

Rest in
God’s Peace (4:6-7)

Of all the blessing Jesus
wants to give you, he says “Come unto me, and I will give you rest.” He wants
to give you rest. We can be very chaotic when we are worried, but God moves in
the rhythm of grace. He says, “Be still and know that I am God.” He says to the
wind and waves: “Peace be still.” God’s best for us is unhindered communion and
fellowship with him. Remember Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden of
Eden in the cool of the day. That’s God’s best for us. Satan wants to take it
away. Paul mercifully warns us: be anxious about nothing.

God’s Rest Should Be Universal

Philippians 4:6a │ Do not be anxious about anything.

There
is some worry, fear and anxiety that is sinful
. But some fear is healthy. I have a healthy fear of
lions. I like to obey that sign at the zoo: “Keep Your Hands Away From The
Lions’ Cages.” I think it’s good to have a healthy fear of heights, so you
don’t get near the edge of the Grand Canyon. That would be a stupid way to die,
right? God gave us the capacity to fear for a good purpose: to keep us safe.

There is a Healthy Fear

God gave us every emotion
for a proper use, to be helpful to us and honoring to him. Because of fear we
are able to escape injury and dangers that otherwise would destroy most of us
before we reached maturity. There is a good kind of care for responsibility and
a good kind of fear that will keep us from getting torn to pieces. We are also
called to have a healthy fear of God (Pro 1:7).

But what about fear and
anxiety and worry that cripples us? There is a kind of fear that can lead us to
despair, or anger, or depression. The key with sinful fear, is we need to know
how to identify it. The question you must ask yourself if you are fearful or
anxious in a way that goes beyond healthy concern is: what am I afraid of? Anxiety
is sinful because it causes you to worship something other than God. Do you
want comfort, people pleasing, a lack of someone’s anger… what is the idol you
are worshipping? Are you trying to get peace apart from God? Often you cannot
shake them and sometimes you may find yourself doing all sorts of things that
you do not want to do to try and keep the fear at bay. Indeed, fear may get
such a tight grip upon you that at times it may seem to be some powerful force
from the outside that takes you captive.

When Paul says never to be
anxious, what is he getting at? Why can’t we worry about everything? I mean, I
think I’m pretty good at worry. When I was a kid, I was afraid of getting lost,
so much so that my mom called me a “worry wart.” I was afraid I would get lost,
especially when we would visit my dad in downtown Chicago at the First National
Bank. But I remember when my mom promised me that she would always find me if I
got lost, I got over it. When we would go to Venture, I remember I would even
get lost on purpose just so I could hear my mom’s name over the intercom:
“Barbara Black, please come to the front desk and pick up your child. Barbara
Black…”

There is a Sinful Fear

Worry robs us of God’s
peace and rest. God wants us trusting him in his perfect peace at all times.
When we are worrying, we are demonstrating our lack of trust in God. Why would
worry and anxiety be so sinful? Because we become afraid when we magnify
anything to be bigger than God. Anxiety, therefore, is idolatry. If you are
worried, then you are making something bigger than God in your life. Nothing
should control you outside of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Master of
everything, right? Do you remember the story of Jesus and his disciples on the
sea? He’s the master of the sea. Remember they thought they were going to die?
The storm was so high. They said, “Master, don’t you care that we perish?” And
remember what Jesus did? He commanded the wind and the waves: “Peace be still”
and they obeyed his voice. Jesus is the only Master worth serving, amen? Jesus
is bigger than your circumstance.

Jesus said we can only
have one Master. If you try to have two masters (Mt 6:24), it will tear you in
two directions. “A double minded person is unstable in all their ways” (Jas
1:8). When we are controlled by fear, anxiety or depression we will often let
fear be our Master. I need to stay in bed. I can’t get up to go to work because
I’m so depressed. I can’t produce at work like I used to. I’m just giving up on
work. I can’t wear that shirt because it reminds me of the trauma and fear. I
can’t go down that elevator, can’t go that way to work, can’t…. etc. I will do
anything to get rid of this fear (drink, entertainment, lust, even anger, etc.).
We as Christians cannot think this way. We have one Lord. We cannot be slaves
to fear. We have to have the mentality: “I am going to serve Jesus however he
leads me no matter what I feel like.” I’m going to trust that Jesus is good! Jesus
alone is my master. Fear is not my master. Choose to do what Christ commands
you no matter what you feel like.

Worry is an idol, a Lord
that wants to master you. The first commandment is that we cannot worship
idols. Worry is putting the weight of the world on your own shoulders. Martin
Luther said, “Pray and let God worry.” There is only one God. He can rule the
world all by himself. He doesn’t need your help. How many things are we
supposed to worry about? He says, “Don’t worry about anything.” God tells us 365 times in our Bible not to fear or
worry. We forget don’t we? Worry is a master that is defeated by submitting and
swearing allegiance to another Master: Jesus. Jesus is the only one that can
carry your burdens. That’s why you are called to prayer and thankfulness.

God’s Rest is Possible

How do we find rest? Focus
on God’s care, his supply, and his plan.

Philippians 4:6 │ Do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

It is always great when
someone in research science spends time and money to prove something that we
knew all along. In a study done at the University of Exeter researchers have
found that “the brain response to a perceived threat is stopped when we are
reminded that we are loved and cared for!” Who knew? How do we find rest? We
find shelter in the most high God. We find shelter in the in the Shadow of the
Almighty.

Focus on God’s Care

Prayer: What is prayer, but
communion with a God who loves you? The first way to rest in God is: worry
about nothing; pray about everything. It’s a moment by moment trusting in God.
God says to us in Isaiah 26:3, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is
stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Again in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for
I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I
will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Anxiety leaves
when we realize we can take shelter in God by “prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving.” This is formal language, so let me say it plainly: God wants
your heart. He wants to be God of your heart all by himself. He wants to rule
your heart by his love.

Focus on God’s Supply

Supplication means that God will
supply, no matter what you are going through. God will be there. He’s bigger
than your problem. He’s going to give you grace sufficient for the trial. He
will do it in his way and in his time.

Worry is a sin because it
tries to find shelter in someone or something else than God. Paul here tells us
not to be anxious and worried, trying to hurry God’s plan. His timing for
supplying your need is absolutely perfect. The goal is not to remove the
problem, but to humble you. He wants you to know he cares so much that you will
start rejoicing when you give your heart and your cares to him. “Humble
yourselves…casting all your care on him for he cares for you.” (1 Pet 5:6).
Prayer is an act of humility. It’s saying, I don’t have the answers! God
will supply the grace you need in this trial. Paul testifies about God’s grace.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing
greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a
messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three
times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But
he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my
weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

—2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Focus on God’s Final Plan

Thanksgiving is the realization of joy
when you realize God’s never going to leave you! He’s got plans for you. You
are in those plans. His final plan is that all would work out for your good and
his glory, conforming you to Jesus (Rom 8:28-29).

God’s Rest is Delightful

What happens when we let
Jesus be Master over our lives? The peace of God protects you and guards you!

Philippians 4:7 │ And the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Where does the peace of
God come from? It comes from a God who guards us with his love.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide
in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to
the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom
I trust. —Psalm
91:1

You and I serve a God that
is so big, his protection of you passes understanding. In order to have that
peace, you’ve got to magnify the Lord over your problems. You will not be
disappointed if you let God guard your heart and mind. He’ll give you a peace
that passes understanding. The answer to anxiety is the peace of God.

Paul made three statements
about this peace. First, it is divine peace. He did not envision a situation
where circumstances changed, or external needs were met. This peace was a
characteristic of God which invaded the Christian. Second, it “transcends all
understanding.” “Transcends” means “excellent.”[115]
Third, it guards and protects our hearts and minds from worry. Do you have the
trust that God loves you? That perfect love of God casts out all human fear. It
protects your heart from worry.

Renew
Your mind (4:8-9)

The key to having long
term peace is mind renewal.

The
Practice of Mind Renewal

Look at how Paul says, we
need to be done with lesser things. We need to think on things that are true
and excellent.

Philippians 4:8 │ Finally,
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any
excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

There are eight standards
of mind renewal found in this verse (true, honorable, just, pure, lovely,
commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy). You see the problem with anxiety and
fear is that our mind is often defiled, and we need to renew our minds.

Put off your old
self, which belongs to your former manner of life
and is corrupt
through deceitful desires,23 and to be renewed
in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put
on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true
righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Truth:
God is sovereign and I’m in control of my own emotions. I am not a victim. God
is using all things for good. So much of what causes us to worry is simply not
true. 80 to 90% of what brings us into panic never happens. We need to think on
what is true. Honorable: I know who I am in Christ. I am a saint. God
has blessed me with all spiritual blessings. I am a child of God. I am
honorable and will think on honorable things. Just: God is just to
forgive me. God is just to give me a harvest of righteousness if I obey him. Pure:
We are to think on things that glorify the Lord. Is there anything you are
ashamed to have in your thoughts? Get rid of it. Lovely: This is not
just beautiful things, the most beautiful, but also dwelling on God’s love. Commendable:
This means we think the very best about people. We are not gossips but think
things that are of good report. Excellence: This means virtuous, or the
very best. Often, we use our eyes and ears for garbage cans, and we wonder why
we don’t have peace. Praise-worthy: This speaks to something that
everyone would agree is good and godly. Put that in your
mind. The Psalmist
(likely David) described it in Psalm 1.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of
the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the
seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the
law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He
is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in
its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
—Psalm
1:1-3

The
Power of Mind Renewal

Jesus said we can only
have one Master. If you try to have two masters, it will tear you in two
directions. A double minded person is unstable in all their ways.

Philippians 4:9 │ What
you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice
these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Look at Paul. Follow him
as he follows Christ. Christ was in the midst of the storm and he was sleeping.
The disciples had to wake him up. Yet he woke up and controlled the wind and
the waves. Paul was in so many trials and tribulations. He says to rejoice!
Rest in God’s peace! Renew your mind. Let’s make this our practice, and the
“God of peace will be with you.” Amen!

Conclusion

When panic attacks, it’s
all about focus. Isaiah gives us a simply understanding of all that Paul said
to the Philippians. Isaiah says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind
is fixed on you because he trusts in you” (Isa 26:3). Do this, according to
Paul by learning to rejoice, rest in God’s peace, and renew your mind. And
God’s peace will guard you!



 

 

 

 

 

18 | Philippians
4:10-14


Happy in Jesus Alone

 

 

 

I have learned in whatever situation I am to
be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any
and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty
and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through
him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:11-13

 

E

veryone is seeking for happiness in the world
today. I can remember a popular song when I was a child: “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” I believe most people
are looking for happiness and love in all the wrong places. The point of this
morning’s message is simple: Happiness, real joy is found in Jesus Christ alone.
Everyone and everything else is offering a happiness or love that will quickly
fade away. Looking for ultimate happiness anywhere else but in Christ is
idolatry. But people are looking everywhere for happiness.

I read an article about
Madonna, and her greatest shock when she reached stardom was that she was not
much happier than when she was poor. She couldn’t believe that you can have all
this money and fame and success and be so miserable.

People play the lottery
because they think money will bring them instant happiness. So many people who
win say over and over that winning the lottery was the worst thing that
happened to them. For example, Jack Whittaker won $314 million in 2002. Within
4 years, he had gambled it all away. Several stories I read about lottery
winners say that some even committed suicide before they could spend all the
money. Yet people think money and fame can make them happy. How many
professional athletes made millions in the NFL or NBA or in boxing, and are
today flat broke?
What is the answer for happiness? What is the secret
to infinite happiness no matter what is happening in our lives? We find it in
Philippians 4.

Philippians 4:10-14
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived
your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no
opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in
need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I
know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every
circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger,
abundance and need. 13 I can do all
things through him who strengthens me. 14 Yet it
was kind of you to share my trouble. 

It is Christ alone that
can make us happy. In fact, we can be happy in Christ alone with or without
people (4:10-11), money (4:12-13), trials (4:14). We see the secret of
contentment laid out over and over again in the book of Philippians. “For to me
to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (1:21). He says, “I have suffered the
loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”
(3:8). “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection” (3:10). Paul
says he’s in a race to gain “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus” (3:14). You get the idea. Happiness is not in the pursuit of things on
this earth. Lasting and meaningful happiness is found in Jesus. This is Paul’s
point here in Philippians 4.

Happy
in Christ with or without People (4:10-11)

People were very important
to Paul. He laid down his life over and over again for people. Paul wrote 13
books in our New Testament. He has taught the Philippians about the importance
of people and how we relate to each other in the Body (1 Cor 12; Rom 12). But
you know as well as I that even the best of people on this planet let you down.

Philippians 4:10-11
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived
your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no
opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in
need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 

A decade has passed from
the time Paul went to Philippi to plant the church and got thrown into
Philippian jail and got beat up. At first, they were able to support Paul even
when he left Philippi, went over to Thessalonica. They sent aid as he said a
couple of different times. Supported him through that, but something happened.
And we don’t even know what it was that happened. They lost touch somehow. But
Paul was not disillusioned. His trust wasn’t in people. It was in his Savior
and God. He will later say: “But my God will supply every need of yours
according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (4:19).

The
Principle of Happiness with People

People – friends and
family – are wonderful, but can’t do what Jesus can do. Jesus is “a friend who
sticks closer than a brother” (Pro 18:24). He’s the one that says, “I will
never leave you or forsake you” (Heb 13:5). Listen, ultimate happiness doesn’t come
from your spouse, but from our ultimate Spouse and Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.
Ultimate happiness doesn’t come from your friends, but from the Friend of
sinners, Jesus Christ.

Paul, as you know was in
Rome under house arrest (Acts 28:17-31). He’s in a situation where he is never
alone. He’s got a Roman soldier attached to him 24/7. Every four hours it’s a
new soldier. That’s six different soldiers he’s chained to every day. He’s got
people visiting him all the time. Some of you would love that. You love people.
Some of you love privacy. Paul had no privacy. Even those who love people need
privacy and alone time. Am I right? Paul learned whatever state he was in to be
content. Whether he was with people or not with people. He didn’t need people
to be happy. Paul says was big on the fact that the Philippians sent their
pastor, Epaphroditus, to see him. The Philippians loved Paul and sent their
pastor, a letter, and a financial gift to him while he was under house arrest.

Philippians 4:10-11
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived
your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no
opportunity.

They had been concerned
but didn’t have an opportunity to help him. Now Paul wasn’t upset while he was
waiting that first year in his “prison” in a house in Rome. He wasn’t saying:
“Those Philippians forgot about me. God must not love me. God’s people must not
love me.” No, Paul’s happiness was not dependent on people. Can we agree that
people are important in our lives? We need people. You cannot be a lone ranger
Christian and obey God. You need people. You need the local church. You know
how it is. Maybe you’ve been providentially hindered from coming to church for
a week or two. It has a major effect on your life. We can all agree that the we
need God’s people. It’s sometimes hard to get to church, but we are always glad
when we are here. But people are needy. People are sinners. People are not
always safe. We are all sinners right? When you look in the mirror, you know that
you are a lot of work. You sometimes are a big mess. Don’t be surprised when
people around you are a big mess as well.

The
Practice of Happiness with People

So what’s the answer? Paul
gives it to us right here.

Philippians 4:11 │ Not
that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I
am to be content. 

We shouldn’t look to other
people where we need them in some ultimate way. We need them generally speaking
to help us grow and change in Christ. People can’t give you ultimate happy.
Don’t look to people for happiness. Do you see this theme in Scripture? So many
people get all messed up every two years when we have elections. Listen. God is
in control, not man. Don’t trust in mankind. They will let you down.

Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no
salvation.

—Psalm 146:3

Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in
man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from
the Lord… Blessed
is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree
planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream.

—Jeremiah 17:5, 7-8

You must not find your
happiness in people. It’s wonderful to be around people. It’s wonderful to be
alone and have your privacy. Don’t find your happiness in either. You can’t go
to either extremes. Don’t look for happiness in your spouse or in your friends,
or in your church. The ultimate source of happiness is Christ. Don’t think by
being married you’ll finally be happy. That’s idolatry. Don’t think, “If I
could just be single and alone, I’d be happy.” That’s idolatry too. Being with
people or alone does not get anyone ultimate happiness. Happiness comes from
the Lord. Remember, “the joy of the Lord is my strength” (Neh 8:10).

The Person that Gives True Happiness

People are a blessing.
They are going to help you grow and hold you accountable. But they are also
going to mess up and disappoint you. They will at times hurt you. The answer is
not to get so upset that you cut yourself off from people or that you try to
find your happiness in people by being with them all the time. Find your
happiness in Jesus Christ alone. He alone can give us contentment.

Philippians 4:11 Not that I am speaking of being
in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to
be content. 

Paul has been in a lot of
messed up situations. People have really hurt Paul. Demas forsook him, falling
in love with the present world (2 Tim 4:10). Here is a list that still falls
short of all he suffered from people. It comes from 2 Corinthians 11. Paul
labored for people. He was beaten and given “stripes above measure.” He was put
in “prisons frequently.” He faced death often at the hands of people. He
“received forty stripes minus one” from the Jews on five different occasions.
Three times he was “beaten with rods” by these people he was trying to reach.
Once, he says, “I was stoned” to death by the people he was trying reach. Three
times, he says “I was shipwrecked” trying to reach people for Christ. God
raised Paul from the dead. And he goes on: “…a night and a day I have been in
the deep, in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in
perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city,
in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false
brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst,
in often fastings, in cold and nakedness” (2 Cor 11:23-33). All this for and
because of people. Paul was even abandoned by most of his friends while
imprisoned (2 Tim 1:15). Wouldn’t you think Paul would give up on people? No!
His happiness wasn’t in people but in Christ. Do you see? You can’t have your
happiness in people or else you will be very disappointed.

Happy
in Christ with or without Money (4:12-13)

Now, Paul wasn’t trusting
in money either. He was happy the Philippian church brought him a gift. It
helped meet his needs. But Paul is not trusting in money. He is trusting in the
Lord. He’s learned the secret of contentment. It’s that he’s happy no matter
how much or how little he has.

Philippians 4:12-13
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every
circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger,
abundance and need. 13 I can do all
things through him who strengthens me.

Paul has been brought low.
He’s been well taken care of at times. His happiness does not depend on his
poverty or prosperity. His secret to happiness is found in verse 13, “I can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It’s hard to serve God without
any money. It’s also hard to serve God with a lot of money. Both are hard, but
we have the power and strength of Christ whether you find yourself poor or
rich.

Money and wealth and
blessing is not where you find happiness. “No one can serve two masters, for
either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the
one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Mt 6:24). Your goal
cannot be to gain money. That’s idolatry. Your goal is to serve the Lord Jesus
Christ. Money will not make you happy. The goal is to be content with what God
has given you.

Would you agree that God
is sovereign over your money? What does the Bible say is the best view to have
of money? It’s sovereignly given. Don’t be anxious about money because God
loves you and will provide for you. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Mt 6:33). Or as
Paul says to Timothy, “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim
6:6).

I need to know that there
is no more gracious, forgiving, merciful and kindhearted being in all the
universe than God almighty. The tragedies of sin are unspeakable. But “where
sin abounds, grace much more abounds” (Romans 5:20). Solomon, in the book of
Ecclesiastes, is eminently qualified to tell me that life without my Creator,
who I know from the New Testament is Christ—life without Christ is empty and
futile – meaningless! What is Solomon saying? He’s not a bitter old man
just being pessimistic and grouchy. He’s warning here. He’s essentially saying
that whatever is done selfishly and simply to enjoy as an end in and of itself
always disappoints. In other words, the promises of money, sex, and power are
all empty outside of God. The New Testament carries this theme in many places.
One obvious one is – Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” What’s the answer?
Nothing. Me gaining the whole world will be vanity! It’s all vanity without
Jesus! Take the world but give me Jesus.

Paul tells us what he
thinks of earthly riches compared to Christ back in Philippians 3:7-8,
“Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed,
I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things
and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Christ’s life,
death and resurrection is so much better than money. Whatever money can buy, Christ’s
life and death bought you infinitely more.

Happy
in Christ with or without Trials (4:14)

Paul is writing from a
Roman jail cell in a rented house. One thing you don’t hear is grumbling. Paul
is not complaining about his circumstances. He trusted in a Sovereign God. Are
you a grumbler? Remember Paul had said, “Do all things without grumbling or
disputing” (2:14). Are you entitled? Paul was a grateful person.

God is
in Control of Trials

This life is filled with
troubles and trials. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But
take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). Trials and difficulties will
come. Those who put their happiness on having a trouble-free life will be
terribly disappointed. Paul understood that his happiness was not based on
trial-free living. He put his trust in a sovereign God who is working “all
things together for good…” that we “might be conformed to the image of his dear
Son” (Rom 8:28-29). Remember what James, the pastor at Jerusalem has told us.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various
kinds,for you know that the testing of your
faith produces steadfastness.And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing” (Jas 1:2-4). The Philippians sent their dear pastor
Epaphroditus to visit Paul, and it relieved him that this Philippian pastor
would share in Paul’s trouble. That sweet Philippian church sent their pastor
and sent a gift as well. Paul says:

Philippians 4:14 │ Yet
it was kind of you to share my trouble. 

Here was Paul in Rome chained to a Roman soldier. He’s
giving thanks. He’s thinking of others. He’s basically writing a thank you
note. He’s not grumbling. He’s not complaining. He’s not doubting God’s
goodness. He’s not leaving the faith.

Trials
are a Test for the False Convert

Remember the parable of
the sower. Trials test whether your faith is genuine. Lots of people get
excited about the cross but not all endure to the end. Why is that? In Matthew
13 you have a parable of the heart. It compares the heart to different soils.
Many people are rocky ground hearers. They hear the word of God and rejoice,
but then they fall away. Listen to Jesus in Matthew 13:

What was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the
word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures
for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word,
immediately he falls away. —Matthew
13:20-21

There are some who are
false converts in the church, and false converts are revealed through trials
and tribulations because they fall away. If you read Matthew 7, Jesus tells us
that some of these false converts are pastors and preachers. I’ve seen them
myself. When things are good, they continue, but when things are hard, they
fall away. Jesus will say to them, even though they’ve preached the word,
“Depart from me, I never knew you” (Mt 7:21-23).

Trials
are a Gift for the Believer

For the believer, trials
are a gift from God, given to us to draw near to him, to humble us and to pry
the idols from our hearts. Trials put us in the fire and purify us. Job said,
“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as
gold” (Job 23:10). The way that we all take is conformity to Christ. God is
melting us and molding us through the tragedies and difficulties in our lives.
I’ve seen some of you go through the most horrendous trials, and you have drawn
near to God. It’s amazing! You have the true mark of God dwelling in you. I
will tell you this, for some of you, the world is not worthy of you, the way
you have endured suffering (Heb 11:38).

God’s
Plan for Your Trials

Paul knows that “all
things work after the counsel of God’s own will” (Eph 1:11). God is sovereign
over my circumstances. We can face all these challenges and trials, successes,
and failures with and because of Jesus. We need to be reoriented from
circumstance-sufficient, self-sufficient, creation-sufficient to
Christ-sufficient. We can be content in all circumstances when we are content
in Christ because Christ is with us in all circumstances. He’s got a plan to
conform us to himself. That means God is bigger than your trials. Cling to him
in your trials.

Conclusion

The average American home
is 1,000 square feet bigger than it used to be 40 years ago even though our
families are smaller. The average American diet has 500 more calories per
person than it was 40 years ago. I think that shows. The average American
turned a wheel multiple times to call someone 40 years ago. Now we have smart
phones that give us access to virtually any medical information or person in
the world, and it fits into the palm of our hand. Life expectancy has gone up
over a decade in the last 40 years. Emissions have plummeted in the last 40
years. Yet with all this more and better stuff, we are more unhappy than we’ve
ever been. That’s because stuff can’t get you happiness. People can’t give you
lasting contentment. People will fail you. Money will fail you. Trials will
come. But Jesus Christ will never fail you. He is the same yesterday, today and
forever!





 

 

 

 

 

19 | Philippians
4:15-23


Growing Through Generosity

 

 

 

My God will supply every need of yours according to

his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

 

O

ften, we don’t think of the subject of joy when it
comes to our finances. Honestly there are great worries and concerns,
especially if you have children in your care. We worry about medical bills,
paying off college debt. We hope we can keep a job, get a raise, or get a
better job. Some worry if they’ll have enough for retirement. People are
worried about credit card debt and bad financial decisions they’ve made. Most
of us really want to be generous. God gave so much to us. We want to put God
first. “Seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things shall be
added unto you” (Mt 6:33). Let me just mention I am grateful to be living in
the most prosperous nation at the most prosperous time in the history of the
world. I’m also very sobered at the truth that our Lord gave us: “To whom much
is given, much will be required” (Lk 12:48). With that in mind, wouldn’t you
agree that although maybe you are already a generous person, that you want to
grow in generosity. The passage we are looking at this morning teaches us a
great truth.

Generosity is an important
indication of your spiritual growth in Christ and maturity. What does that
mean? It doesn’t mean that if you give a lot of money that you are spiritually
mature. That’s not true. Plenty of bad people give lots of money to
philanthropic causes. What I am saying is that if you are growing spiritually
you will grow in generosity. Your heart grows bigger and bigger as you grow in
Christ. Jesus teaches us this. “Where your treasure is there your heart will be
also” (Mt 6:21). If you love self, that’s where your treasure is. If you love
God and his kingdom and his causes, that’s where your treasure will be. What
does your bank account say that you love? When we came to know Christ, he gave
us a new heart that is totally surrendered to him. That’s the heart of faith.
His Spirit is united with our spirit and Christ becomes head of our lives.
Christ puts off the old life for us and he gives us a new life to live. And one
of the results is a heart of generosity.

I prayed for my sister to
be saved for ten years. One of the first things she told me after her salvation
is: “I can’t wait to tithe this Sunday.” She had given her all to Christ, and
one tangible way she could demonstrate Christ’s ownership and lordship over her
is giving the firstfruits of her labor. All God’s people have this spiritual
desire within them.

We have some amazingly
generous people in our church, both rich and poor. But it might surprise you
that some of the poorest people in our church are the greatest givers. I don’t
know what people give, but I know that I’ve been shown such generosity
personally by some of the poorest people in our church. I could tell you
amazing stories.

I’ve seen people in our
church give cars away. I’ve seen them give houses away. I’ve seen poor people
in our church give all they have to the kingdom. I’m amazed and blessed at the
generosity of our congregation. It shows that there are some very spiritually
mature people in our church. I also think that we have a long way to go as far
as spiritual maturity in our church. And as we grow deeper and closer in
Christ, I believe he will give each of us here a breathtaking ability to give
generously, no matter what our financial profile may be.

One awesome example of a
very poor church that became breathtakingly generous is the church at Philippi.
This is our last message in this book. Remember Paul is writing from what is in
essence a prison. He’s in a rented house (Acts 28:30) in Rome, chained to a
Roman soldier 24/7. There are six shifts, four hours a piece. Pastor
Epaphroditus shows up, having risked his life. Epaphroditus faithfully
delivered the financial gift from his home church and then went above and beyond
the call of duty. In his fervor to serve the Lord by hand-delivering this gift
to Paul, Epaphroditus became seriously ill and, in fact, almost died (2:25-30).
And now, Paul, as he closes this letter, recognizes their exemplary spiritual
maturity and highlights three areas they have glorified God by their
generosity: partnership, worship, and stewardship.

Maybe you have really been
convicted and burdened that you want to be more generous and a better steward
of all that Christ has given you. I know I want to be a better steward! Well
let’s stand and listen to what Paul says in Philippians 4.

Philippians 4:14-23 │ Yet it was kind of you to
share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians
yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left
Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and
receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica
you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not
that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your
credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more.
I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you
sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to
God. 19 And my God will supply every need of
yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our
God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet
every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All
the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. 23 The
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Why is giving so vital to
the Christian life? It’s a major part of our growth in Christ. It shows us we
are partnered with God and not the world. It put’s God first in worship. It
shows we have kingdom priorities. We grow in partnership (4:15-17). We grow in
worship (4:18). We grow in stewardship (4:19-23).

People and Money

I heard about an elderly
gentleman who had married a beautiful young girl, but he was worried that
perhaps she married him because he had so much money. And so, one day, he said,
“Tell me the truth, sweetheart. If I lost all my money, would you still love
me?” And she said, reassuringly, “Oh, honey don’t be silly. Of course, I would
still love you. And I would miss you terribly.”

Seriously though, the
church of Philippi is the most generous church in all of the New Testament.
They are repeatedly extolled for being good stewards, for being generous
givers. For example, in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, they are lifted up as an example
to the Corinthian church of what a good, giving, generous, church should look
like and how it should conduct itself. The rich Corinthians are not very
willing to help Paul as he gathers an offering for the poor Jerusalem saints,
but the Philippians, being the poorest of the poor are always giving so much.

The Bible and Money

The Bible talks a great
deal about money. About 800 times, in fact, scripture speaks of money, wealth,
finances, possessions, and the like, between the Old and the New Testament.
Furthermore, Jesus teaches on finances and wealth about 25 percent of the time,
which means were I to speak of money as much as Jesus, we’d take one whole
Sunday a month and I would just talk about money.

So we come to one of three
motives we have for generosity. When you really love someone, it’s easy to give
to their ministry. That’s the motive of partnership. The Philippians loved
Paul. Remember he risked his life to bring the gospel to them. He was in the
prison, beaten and bloodied with Silas. He was singing. You had Lydia the
seller of purple that had been converted. You had the slave girl that had been
converted. Now you have a Phillippian jailer and numerous others who are
connected in their hearts with Paul. They love him. That brings us to the first
motive of giving.

Giving Grows us through Partnership (4:14-17)

The Philippians entered
into partnership with Paul’s worldwide and world changing ministry. How? They
contributed financially in a sacrificial way for Paul.

Philippians
4:14-17 │
Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And
you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when
I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and
receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica
you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not
that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your
credit.

Look at their pattern of
giving in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 from the churches of Macedonia.

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that
has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their
abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of
generosity on their part. For
they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their
means, of their own accord, begging
us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the
saints— and
this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and
then by the will of God to us.

—2 Corinthians 8:1-5

They were the poorest of
all the saints, but they gave the most! The churches of Macedonia included
congregations at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. There was constant war
going on in Macedonia with the Romans. This is like the Afghanistan or Syria of
the Roman Empire. Not only that, there was a great persecution against
Christians. They were stripped of everything, but they desired above all to
give to Paul. The prosperous Corinthians didn’t give to Paul. It was the poor
Philippians. I find that so interesting and intriguing, don’t you?

Philippians 4:15-16 │ And you Philippians yourselves
know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no
church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you
only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for
my needs once and again.

How is it that the poorest
of the poor have such a stellar generosity? The secret? Love. They love Paul.
We are to love God’s servants. We have 20 missionaries. I believe God would be
pleased if everyone of us got connected with each of them. Now it might be
impossible to get connected with every one of them, but what if you chose one?

The Philippians gave so
much and were such amazing examples of sacrifice even though they were the
poorest of the poor because they had a personal connection with Paul, more than
the rest of the churches. No other church entered into partnership with him in
giving and receiving, except the Philippians only. That’s amazing. The
Corinthians didn’t. Other prosperous churches were too busy with their own
prosperity. But the suffering churches. The Macedonian churches. The Philippian
church. They entered into partnership with Paul. Why? They loved him. Perhaps
Lydia was still there. Perhaps the slave girl that came to Christ was still
there. Maybe even the jailer was still there. They were all so thankful for
Paul’s ministry because they were connected.

The Power of Partnership

When Paul had to leave
Macedonia because of persecution, the only church that helped Paul and his
fellow missionaries was the Philippian church. Why? Partnership. Where ever
Paul was they found him and gave him financial support and fellowship at times.
It had been ten years since Paul had been in Philippi, but that relationship
was lasting. The power of partnership is that it is lasting. When you really
get to know someone, years can pass, and you feel like not a day has gone by.
There were years when they did not see Paul’s face, but they kept him supplied.
They met his needs. They sent financial support. This has some implications for
us.

How Do I Partner with People for the Gospel?

We are called to partner
in the gospel with people. The great commission has at least three
implications: evangelism, church planting, and the training of leaders. Paul
was evangelizing. Paul was planting churches. Paul was training leaders for gospel
ministry. Each of our twenty missionaries is in one of these three primary
areas of the great commission work. Not all of us are called to be evangelists,
though some of you have that gift. We all evangelize but not all of us hold an
office of evangelist. We are not all planting churches or training leaders, but
we are called to partner with people who do these things.

Personal contact. You can
do that by encouraging our missionaries by email or WhatsApp or Skype. I love
that. I’m in contact with some of our missionaries personally every week. We
are all called to do that.

Personal prayer support.
One of the best things you can do is to pray for our missionaries. Look over
their requests. Pray for them.

Personal visit. You
should, if you are able plan on every so often taking a trip on the mission
field to visit a missionary. The first time you do it, it will change your
life. You will never feel disconnected again from that missionary.

Personal support. I think
we should all do this. I know of many great churches that support their
church’s missionary program above and beyond their tithes and offerings. We
should all do this. One way you can do this is to choose a missionary and adopt
them. Mike Klikas did this for me when I was in Spain. He and his family
supported me with special gifts, like Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce. You can’t guy
that in Spain. He sent me and my family Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce! Now that was a
bonus, but he and others supported our family financially. He would write me an
email from time to time encouraging me. Who’s your missionary? Adopt one.
Support the missions program of the church and designate over and above your
tithe for a missionary you adopt from our church. When you enter into
partnership with a missionary, they become part of your family. Pray for them.
Contact them. Go out and see them. Support them. Write and encourage them.
Partner with them.

The Fruit of Partnership

What’s the fruit of this
partnership?

Philippians 4:17 │ Not that I seek the gift, but I
seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

Paul says, “I’m not
seeking a gift” (4:17). “I don’t need your financial support.” He’s just told
us: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (3:11). He knows
that it’s God who supplies his needs. He’s not ever in actual need. God will
always supply. But Paul’s motive is to credit fruit to their account. This is a
banking term. It means compounded interest. It signifies continuing multiplication that creates compound spiritual interest
credited to their account.[116]
I love this spiritual banking equation. It means Paul is reaching people who
are reaching people, but your investment is getting compounded interest to your
own account. You have a part. You are holding the ropes for our missionaries,
our pastors, our local church. You are holding the ropes.

He says no other church
has entered into partnership with giving and receiving. This financial support
has a profit, a receiving. It means they invested with money but they received
souls to their account. They could not physically go with Paul, but they could
support his ministry, and that fruit, that receiving was laid up to their
account. When we give of ourselves to the work of the gospel around the world,
God counts that as fruit to our credit. Isn’t that an amazing promise? I can’t
go to Uganda. But I can encourage and give toward the amazing gospel work of
reaching orphans for the kingdom. And that fruit abounds to my account. There
are going to be orphans in Uganda waiting for us at the gates of heaven thanking
us for partnering with our missionaries there who shared the gospel with them,
opened their homes for them.

I can’t live in Spain
right now, but God is reaching people through our missionaries there in Spain.
There are people flowing through Spain from all of Latin America, Africa and
Europe that will be so grateful when we meet them in heaven. I’m not there and
you’re not there, but God is crediting fruit to our account because of our
sacrifice. Listen, pray, give, and go! Pray daily for those preaching. Give
generously. And go! Go visit them. If God stirs you up, then go and train to
preach the gospel. Go over there and do the work yourself if you can! That
would be the most glorious offering you could give: yourself.

So let me ask you: Are you
growing spiritually? There are many marks of spiritual maturity. Maybe you have
the fruit of Bible knowledge and knowledge of walking with Christ and the fruit
of the Spirit. You say: Pastor Matt, my whole character is changing day by day
into the image of Christ! Praise the Lord! The Bible says in Psalm 1:1-3 that
the blessed may meditates on the law of the Lord day and night, and it says
you’ll have lasting fruit that doesn’t wither.

Do you have fruit that God
is crediting to your account because of your generosity towards missions and
missionaries? Do you know our missionaries? They are doing all they can to
reach out to us, but are you reaching out to them? Here are some ways you can
partner with our missionaries. Let me review them. Personal contact: Email, Skype,
FB messenger. Now in the day of internet, we can personally contact our
missionaries. Get to know them. Pray for them: we are designing a daily
missionary prayer book that you can use each day of the month and pray for
missions. Adopt a missionary: Give financially to missions. Adopt a missionary
to give to. Go! Go visit them! You’ll never be the same!

Another way your
generosity helps you to grow, Paul says, is worship.

Giving Grows us through Worship (4:18)

Paul now comes to a second
reason why giving is so vital to our spiritual growth: the motive of our giving
is worship! David speaks of the benefit of worship in two ways: as a payment
and as an offering.

A Full Payment

Philippians 4:18a │ I have received full payment,
and more.

Paul gave everything to
the Lord, and God was over abundant in supplying all his needs. Paul says,
“I’ve received full payment, and more” (4:18). Paul gave his life to the Lord,
and the Lord took care of him. He’s basically saying, “I’m living an abundant
life that is full and overflowing!”

Can you agree that if you
give your all to the Lord, he’ll take care of you? God’s on payment system is
not like this world. If you put him first, he’ll take care of you. Malachi 3
says that God will rebuke the devourer if you put him first. Often when we
sacrifice for God by faith, he’ll stretch the paycheck. Can you testify? God’s
accounting system is so different than our accounting system. But the people
that were providing for Paul’s needs are here painted as worshippers. The reason
we give to God is not mainly because we need to keep the lights on here at
Living Hope or in all the churches and evangelists and training centers we are
supporting around the world. We give to God. It’s our worship. It’s our love
offering to God. It’s our way of putting God first. That’s how Paul describes
it.

A Fragrant Offering

Philippians 4:18b │ … I am well supplied, having
received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice
acceptable and pleasing to God.

The picture suggested by a
“fragrant offering” is that of the Old Testament’s burnt offering in which the
offering was consumed, so that a sumptuous roast-like aroma rose up to God as
an acceptable and pleasing sacrifice.[117] If
you were to go by the Tabernacle or Temple in the Old Testament times, you
would smell the sweetest smell of bar-b-que. It would be the most wonderful
aroma of the best grill out you can imagine. God loves the aroma of a generous
heart!

Paul’s main concern is to
express that their financial giving to his work serves a much higher purpose
than simply meeting his needs. Their stewardship is an act of worship that is
being given to God. Here is the ultimate purpose and the greatest motive for
our financial giving to gospel ministry. More than meeting the needs of God’s
ministers, the highest aim is the pleasure it brings to the Father. Such
sacrificial gifts are offered as an act of worship that brings pleasure to God.
When you realize that your financial support of God’s servants is a fragrant
sacrifice that brings great pleasure to God, you will find you are a
sacrificial giver who can be classified as what Paul called a “cheerful giver”
(2 Cor 9:7).[118]

David’s Generosity

Remember what David said?
When he wanted to offer an offering to God, a man named Araunah the Jebusite
wanted to give the king the altar on Mount Moriah and the animal offerings for
free. David refused and purchased a very important piece of land. It was in the
very center of Jerusalem which would later become the Temple Mount. David said,
“I will not offer to the Lord that which cost me nothing” (2 Sam 24:24). God
desires us to give our all to him.

God loves a cheerful
giver. So if you have a grumpy, stingy heart, I beg you, please do not give to
this church or any other church. That kind of giving does not please God. God
wants us to see what a joy it is to give. Giving is an act of worship. David
understood that. God doesn’t want our tokens. He wants our heart. And if we
give our heart to God, he’ll have our treasure too.

Your Generosity

God loves the aroma of a
generous heart! Of course, God’s not mainly impressed by the amazing smell of
the Old Testament animal sacrifices but of the generous heart behind the
sacrifice. That’s what God finds well-pleasing and fragrant. Can I ask you a
question? What does God smell when he smells your heart? Is your heart filled
with the well-pleasing aroma of sacrifice? God says: I love the aroma of a
generous heart! A generous heart is a fragrant offering to me! What about you?
What’s your heart smell like?

I love my daughter Katie.
She’s here for the summer and then she’s taking her sister and heading to South
Carolina for college. But when Katie was a little girl, her greatest compliment
was to walk right up to you and tell you, “You smell good!” That’s a pretty
good compliment. That’s what God says when he sees the generosity of your
heart. He says, “You smell good!” God knows our heart. Your gifts to him are a
sweet-smelling sacrifice to him for his glory and kingdom.

Giving Grows us through Stewardship (4:19-23)

Finally, we see that the
last motive of sacrificial generosity is one of stewardship. You understand the
principle of stewardship right? It means: I own nothing. God owns everything.
Let’s say that together: I own nothing. God owns everything. Turn to your
neighbor and say: God owns everything. Amen.

God’s Care for You

So here’s the first
principle of stewardship: God will take care of you.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every
need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

I love the words of CH
Spurgeon. He says:

“In all of my years of service to my Lord, I have discovered
a truth that has never failed and has never been compromised. That truth is
that it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out
give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to
give back to me much more than I gave.”

Can you testify to that?
Amen. You can’t out give God. He promises to take care of you. But remember the
context. They are giving money out of their poverty. They are sacrificing. They
will not give God what cost them nothing. When you give like that, God promises
to give more than you. He will provide according to his riches in glory in
Christ Jesus. You are united with his Son. He’s not going to neglect his Son.

We
Care about God’s Glory

God cares for us, and we
care for his glory. That’s what Paul says. I want God to get the glory for
everything. This giving is not about getting our name in print.

Philippians 4:20 │ To our God and Father be glory
forever and ever. Amen.

Our giving is always for
the glory of God, amen?! Our motive in giving is to magnify the Lord, to expand
his kingdom and glory. Our motive is that all nations everywhere would worship
him!

We
Care for God’s Family

Paul says, our primary
motive is the glory of God, but our secondary motive is the love of the saints.
This comes out in his final good bye to the Philippians. He says:

Philippians 4:21-23 │ Greet every saint in Christ
Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All
the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. 23 The
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

This isn’t just Paul
saying goodbye, but within this goodbye is the family ethic. For Paul, the gospel
is not merely a religion, but a family. He calls them brothers (and sisters).
This is about connection to the saints. He greets them. He encourages them that
the kingdom is expanding even in “Caesar’s household”. The soldiers were
getting converted! That’s joyous. Caesar’s household is now our household.
Caesar’s family were really considered the unreachables. Who could ever reach
them? Paul’s arrest and imprisonment for two years were not in vain. People in
Caesar’s household: the soldiers, perhaps some in the emperor’s own family were
now worshipping Christ. Whatever your set back, God’s got a purpose for it.

Conclusion

As we close, I want to
make this message personal to us all. We’ve had the amazing privilege in the
last seven years to bring on 3 pastors. We began at Living Hope 7 years ago
with 20 missionaries that we still support to this day.

 

 

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You
may obtain this and many other fine resources made available by Proclaim
Publishers by contacting us:

 

Web:

proclaimpublishers.com

 

Email:

contact@proclaimpublishers.com

 

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Mail
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Soli Deo Gloria

 



[1]
Gordon Fee. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians,
vol 14, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids,
MI: Eerdmans, 1995) 82.

[2]
You can remember the prison epistles with the mnemonic device: General Electric
Power Company, the initials for the prison epistles – Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, and Colossians.

[3]
Charles Black. “We Relate” From werelate.org. http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Charles_Black_%2811%29
. Accessed December 8, 2012.

[5]
Hannah Butt Taylor Letter. “We Relate” From werelate.org. http://www.werelate.org/wiki/MySource:Srblac/Hannah_Butt_Taylor_Letter
Accessed December 8, 2012.

[6]
Alma Becker. “We Relate” http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Alma_Becker_%282%29
. Alma Becker was married to Jack Reed. Jack’s uncle was James C. Reed, whose
mother was Myra Maybelle Shirley, AKA Belle Starr.

[8] R. Kent
Hughes, Philippians: The Fellowship of the Gospel,
Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007), 24.

[9] Dennis E.
Johnson, Philippians, ed. Richard D. Phillips,
Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, 1st ed., Reformed Expository
Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2013), 21.

[10] Matthew
S. Harmon, Philippians: A Mentor Commentary,
Mentor Commentaries (Great Britain; Ross-shire: Mentor, 2015), 84.

[11] Francis
Foulkes, “Philippians,”
in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century
Edition
, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers
Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1250.

[12]
Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. A
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian Literature
,
3rd ed.(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1077.

[13]
G. F. Hawthorne. (2004). Philippians,
Vol. 43 (Dallas: Word, Inc., 2004), 21.

[14]
Charles R. Swindoll. Laugh Again Hope
Again: Two Books to Inspire a Joy-Filled Life
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Kindle Edition) Kindle Locations 495-497.

[15] John F.
MacArthur Jr., Philippians, MacArthur New Testament
Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2001), 20.

[16]
Jonathan Edwards. Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion
in New-England
(Boston: Kneeland & Green Publishing, 1742), 202.

[17]
Corrie ten Boom. “I’m Still Learning to Forgive” Guideposts Magazine. Copyright
© 1972 by Guideposts Associates, Inc., Carmel, New York 10512.

[18]
E.M. Bounds. Purpose in Prayer (New York: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1920),
105

[19]
Bonhoeffer. Life Together, 27.

[20]
Francis Chan and Tony Merida. Exalting
Jesus in Philippians
(Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) (Nashville,
TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2016), 25.

[21]
MacArthur, Philippians, 26.

[22] John
Phillips, Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository
Commentary
, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel
Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Php 1:6a.

[23]
C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses (New York:
HarperOne, 2001), 45.

[24] Moises
Silva, Philippians, WEC (Chicago:
Moody, 1988), 51–52.

[25]
Cyprian of North Africa (c.200) in Edward White Benson. Cyprian: His Life,
His Times, His Work
(New York: The Macmillan Company, 1897), 183.

[26] MacArthur,
Philippians, 17–18.

[27] Ibid.,
32.

[28]
D.L. Moody in William R. Moody. The Life of Dwight Lyman Moody (New
York: Revell, 1900), 140.

[29] J. A.
Motyer, The Message of Philippians, The Bible
Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1984), 54.

[30] Ibid., 55.

[31] J.
Phillips, Exploring Philippians, Php 1:8.

[32] Harmon, Philippians,
95.

[33] Ibid.

[34]
J. Vernon McGee. John, Thru the Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1995), 69.

[35] Motyer, Message
of Philippians
, 55.

[36]
John Owen. Works, Volume 3, “Mortification of Sin” (Carlisle, PA: Banner
of Truth, 1966), 554. (Originally published in 1656).

[37]
Manning-Schaffel, Vivian. “The Clocks ‘fall Back’ Sunday at 2:00 a.m. Here’s
How to Survive the Darker Days.” NBCNews.com. November 03, 2018. Accessed November
03, 2018.
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/clocks-fall-back-daylight-saving-time-ends-sunday-here-s-ncna930016.

[38] J.
Phillips, Exploring Philippians, Php 1:12.

[39] Motyer, Message
of Philippians
, 65.

[40] Wayne A.
Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical
Doctrine
(Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity
Press; Zondervan Pub. House, 2004), 840.

[41] Motyer, Message
of Philippians
, 86.

[42] Motyer, Message
of Philippians
, 92.

[43]Kurt Aland
et al., The Greek New
Testament, Fourth Revised Edition (Interlinear with Morphology)

(Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1993), Php 1:27.

[44] Motyer, Message
of Philippians
, 93.

[45]
Timothy S. Lane, Unstuck: A Nine-Step Journey to Change That
Lasts
(Epsom, UK: The Good Book
Company, 2019), 2.

[46] Hughes, Philippians,
75.

[47] J.
Phillips, Exploring Philippians, Php 2:4.

[48]
Paul S. Rees. The Adequate Man
(Westwood, NJ: Revell, 1959), 43.

[49]
The six-step outline is adapted from David Jeremiah. Count It All Joy: Discover a Happiness That Circumstances Cannot Change
(Elgin, IL: David C. Cook, 2016) 90-92.

[50] Ibid.,
84–85.

[51]
C.S. Lewis. Mere Christianity (New
York: Collier Books, 1952), 154-155.

[52] Jim Berg,
Changed Into His Image (Greenville, SC: JourneyForth, 1996).

[53]
Charles R. Swindoll. Laugh Again (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 97.

[54]
Mark Dever. Discipling (9marks: Building Healthy Churches) (Wheaton:
Crossway, 2016), 30-31.

[55] Grudem, Systematic
Theology
, 746.

[56]
Silva. Philippians, 118-119.

[57]
Steven Lawson. Philippians For You: Shine
with joy as you live by faith
(Blue Ridge, VA: The Good Book Company, 2017),
111.

[58] David
Guzik, Philippians, David Guzik’s
Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2013), Php 2:14–16.

[59] Ibid.

[60]
From Mounce: “to hold out, present, exhibit, display.”

[61]
Francis Chan. Multiply: Disciples Making
Disciples
(Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2012), 55-56.

[62]
Gary Thomas. “The Joy of Selflessness.” Gary Thomas Ministries. April 28, 2016.
Accessed March 01, 2019.
http://www.garythomas.com/free-resources/the-joy-of-selflessness/.

[63]
E. Stanley Jones. The Way (Nashville:
Stone & Pierce, 1946), 70.

[64]
C.S. Lewis. Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly
on Prayer
(San Diego: Harvest, 1964), 92-93.

[65]
Le Quien, Oriens Christianus, II
(Paris: Ex Typographia Regia, 1740), 67.

[66]
Eduard Verhoef. “The Church of Philippi in the First Six Centuries of Our Era” (Maartensdijk, the Netherlands:
University of Pretoria, 2005), HTS Theological Studies 61, no. 1
& 2: 565-92.

[67]
D. Jeremiah. Count It All Joy. 131-132.

[68] J.
Phillips, Exploring Philippians, Php 2:19.

[69] Ibid.

[70]
William Hendriksen, “Philippians,” New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House,
1962), 144–45.

[71]
Swindoll. Laugh Again Hope Again, Kindle Edition.

[72]
MacArthur. Philippians, 216.

[73]
Lawson. Philippians, 136.

[74] Guzik, Philippians, Php 3:1–2.

[75]
Lawson. Philippians, 138-139.

[76]
Charles Spurgeon, “The Minister’s Fainting Fits,” in Lectures to My Students (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2008), 191.

[77]
Adrian Rogers. Sermon, “The Things that Really Count” (Memphis, TN: The Adrian
Rogers Legacy Collection, 2005), Philippians 3:1-9.

[78]
Lawson, Philippians, 142-143.

[79]
Ibid.

[80]
Ibid.

[81]
This section is adapted from Lawson. Philippians,
152-153.

[82] MacArthur,
Philippians, 234.

[83]
Ibid., 234.

[84] Joseph
Barber Lightfoot, ed., Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians,
Classic Commentaries on the Greek New Testament (London: Macmillan and Co.,
ltd, 1913), 150.

[85] Adrian
Rogers, “The
Crucifixion of King Self,”
in Adrian
Rogers Sermon Archive
(Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Php
2:1–11.

[86]
C.S. Lewis, Weight of Glory: And Other
Addresses
(San Francisco: HarperOne, 1976), 140.

[87]
John Gillies, Memoirs of the Life of the
Reverend George Whitefield
(Ann Arbor, MI: Text Creation Partnership,
2009), 246.

[88] J.
Phillips, Exploring Philippians, Php 3:12b.

[89] Harmon, Philippians,
356.

[90] Ibid.

[91]
D. Jeremiah. Count It All Joy, 172-173.

[92] Richard
R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon,
vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman
Publishers, 1991), 139.

[93] Ibid., 139.

[94] J.
Phillips, Exploring Philippians, Php 3:15–16.

[95]
Lawson, Philippians, 171.

[96]
Steven J. Lawson, In it to Win It: Pursuing Victory in the One Race that Really
Counts
(Eugene, OR: Harvest
House Publishers, 2013), 174.

[97]
Lawson, Philippians, 172-173.

[98]
Charles Thomas Studd in Janet & Geoff Benge, C.T. Studd: No Retreat
(Seattle, WA: YWAM Publishing, 2005), 150.

[99] D.
Johnson, Philippians, 231–232.

[100] Hughes, Philippians,
157.

[101] John
Calvin, The Epistles of Paul to the
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996), 107.

[102] D.
Johnson, Philippians, 230.

[103]
Swindoll, Laugh Again, 166.

[104] Karen
Mains. The Key to a Loving Heart
(Elgin, IL: David C. Cook, 1979), 143–44.

[105] Swindoll, Laugh Again, 175.

[106] Ibid., 176.

[107] F. F. Bruce, Philippians, Understanding the Bible Commentary
Series (Peabody, MA: Baker Books, 2011), 137.

[108] Markus Bockmuehl. The Epistle to the Philippians, Black’s
New Testament Commentary (London: A & C Black Limited, 1998), 258.

[109] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon
Archive
(New York
City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

[110] BAGD, s.v. epieikeia and epieikēs,
292.

[111] Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, 5.10.8, cited in G. Walter Hansen, The Letter to the Philippians, PNTC
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009), 288n40. See John Reumann, Philippians: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary,
AYB (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008), 611–12.

[112] D. Johnson, Philippians, 267–268.

[113] Outline
from Melick, Philippians, 148.

[114] Robert
D. Jones, “Getting to
the Heart of Your Worry,”
ed. David A. Powlison, The Journal of Biblical Counseling, Number
3, Spring 1999
17 (1999): 21.

[115] Melick, Philippians, 149.

[116] Hughes, Philippians,
192.

[117] Fee, Philippians,
451.

[118] Lawson,
Philippians, 222.