bro.rory, Author at FBC Spur

God did what?

January 29, 2014 By bro.rory

“And God blessed Noah…” (Gen. 9:1)

God blessed Noah? No, no, no, that can’t be right. Shouldn’t it say Noah blessed God? I mean didn’t God just warn Noah about the coming flood? And didn’t God just carry Noah through the great flood? And didn’t God just provide a new clean earth for Noah to live on?

No, Genesis 8 says that Noah built an altar for worship. Genesis 9 should say that Noah blessed God and sang a great song of deliverance for all that He had done.

And yet, that is not what Genesis 9 says. There in black ink on white paper it clearly says that God blessed Noah. And his sons… And if that is not all, God actually told them to “be fruitful and multiply”. What?!?! I thought God was sorry that He had made man? I thought God was grieved over man? I thought God just purposely destroyed all flesh?

Well, He did. But apparently God is in to second chances. And what a second chance this is. Not only be fruitful and multiply, but God places man above the animals, provides that man can eat animals (but if an animal kills a man, that animal is to be killed), and protects man from murder.

Why would God all of a sudden be so interested in the well-being of man? The answer is grace. Judgment is when you get what you deserve. Mercy is when you don’t get what you deserve. Grace is when you get what you don’t deserve, and that is certainly true for man.

And if that weren’t enough still God actually threw away His ace in the hole. Now imagine I were God (and you can praise God that I’m not!) I most certainly would not have done what God did. He promised Noah He would never flood the earth again and even put a rainbow in the sky as a sign of the promise. Not at all what I would have done. If, and I mean a big if, I was going to give humanity a second chance the last thing I would do is take away the biggest stick in my bag. No, every time man got out of line, I’d just let is sprinkle until they repented. And with this power over them, I’d control them for eternity! But not God. He is gracious. He gives a second change (which we don’t deserve), He determines never to flood the earth again (which we don’t deserve), and He puts a sign of remembrance in the sky to settle our fears every time it thunders (which we don’t deserve). GRACE

So next time you see a rainbow, don’t think of the gay and lesbian movement, see it as God intended it. The rainbow is God’s official sign of grace (Revelation 4:3, 10:1).

What about the cross? I thought it was the sign of grace. No, no, no, no – the cross is a sign of judgment. That is why the world hates the cross. The cross reminds us of God’s propensity to judge sin, even when it is on His own Son. Yes we do find salvation through the cross, but it is still a sign of judgment.

The rainbow is God’s sign of grace. The next time you see one, tell Him thank you for being gracious to you by not treating you as you deserve!

Grace to You!

What does Philippians 4:13 mean?

January 29, 2014 By bro.rory

“I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me”

Popular words. It seems any time a receiver catches a touchdown pass he quotes Philippians 4:13. It seems any time a baseball player hits a home he quotes Philippians 4:13. In fact this verse has been used as the verse that apparently lets a Christian do anything through the strength of God.

Can I submit to you that this isn’t at all what Paul is talking about. (A reminder that context matters) Paul is not talking about ability in this passage, but rather contentment.

He says, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (4:12-13)

Paul is not saying that any feat is attainable through God’s strength. If that were true the preceding verses would be about how he escaped prison and did it all through God’s strength.

PEOPLE USE THIS VERSE TO SAY THAT GOD SUPERNATURALLY PROVIDES FOR MY LACK, WHEN IN REALITY PAUL IS SAYING THAT GOD SUPERNATURALLY HELPS ME BE CONTENT WITH MY LACK.

The issue is contentment! Without a doubt contentment is the forgotten attribute of our society. We talk of grace, hope, love, mercy, faith, and even a little about patience, but contentment is forgotten. And it is a shame, for it is important to God.

(Luke 3:14, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, Matthew 6:19-24, 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4)

And while contentment is most certainly difficult to demonstrate, it is possible. There is strength available! It is the strength of Isaiah 40:31, it is the strength Paul prayed that the Ephesians would have (3:14-16), it is the strength Paul used while dealing with his thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:9-10) and it is the strength by which we stand against the enemy (Ephesians 6:10).

In fact a better translation of that verse is “I can handle all things through Him who strengthens me.”

So the next time you find yourself in a position of need or are hardship. The next time the finances are low or the resources are bare, or you just don’t have everything you want. Trust me when I tell you that through Christ you can handle it. God may not swoop in and instantly fix your situation, but He will give you the strength to somehow be ok with it. Even sinners are happy when they get what they want, but a true expression of Christian life is when we are content even when we don’t!

Grace to You!

The Church at Philippi (Philippians 1:1-2)

January 29, 2014 By bro.rory

AUDIO COMING SOON! (Philippians 1:12 and following contain audio)

The Church at Philippi

Philippians 1:1-2

September 8, 2013

Well tonight we are going to begin a new book study together,

And probably a book that you are already pretty familiar with.

Philippians is one of the more popular books in the New Testament.

Partly because it is short and

Partly because it contains one of the most well-known verses in the Bible.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

The reason we are studying it is because it follows

A natural chronological flow from what we’ve been studying.

We have most recently been in the book of Acts and followed the ministry of Paul right up to arrest, trial, and now incarceration in Rome.

Last Sunday night we read in Acts:

Acts 28:30-31 “And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”

Well, while Paul was there in Rome,

Aside from ministering to all who came to him,

Paul also continued to remember the churches where he had been.

So while Paul was in Rome he wrote 4 prison letters.

• He wrote Ephesians

• He wrote Philippians

• He wrote Colossians

• He wrote Philemon

And since we have already studied Ephesians together (all be it 10 years ago) we are going to begin a study of Philippians.

BUT TONIGHT WE BEGIN PHILIPPIANS.

And before we get into a verse by verse study of this wonderful letter

I always like to make sure and take a “bird’s eye view” first.

I’ve told you before, but it is always important in these studies to first see the forest before you start examining each individual tree.

• It is important to know who wrote the letter, and the circumstances of their life at the time.

• It is important to know who the letter was written to, and their circumstances at the time.

• And it is important (as best we can) to know the main reason why the letter was written.

I always envision there being one real catalyst to the writing of a letter.

• The author heard something…

• The author remembered something…

• The author experienced something…

That stirred his spirit to sit down and say,

“You know I think I’ll write them a letter.”

Now he may indeed speak of more in the letter than that initial prompting, but there had to have been at least one thing that prompted his writing.

So, before we dive far into the text, let’s examine some of those things.

Well first, as you already know, the author was Paul, and you know his circumstances.

He has been on quite a three year journey.

It started with a commitment to deliver an offering to Jerusalem

To help the saints who were there.

• Despite numerous warnings, Paul pressed on and arrived in Jerusalem.

• Once he arrived he was forced to humble himself and partake in some Jewish customs to pacify the Jewish believers who were there.

• Upon rendering these customs he was apprehended, beaten, and eventually arrested.

• He had three bogus trials and ultimately appealed to Caesar

• After a shipwreck, a snakebite, and a winter in Malta, Paul arrived in Rome

That began his two year prison stent.

And so Paul’s setting is not hard to figure.

This man has walked through his share of frustration and suffering.

When he writes at the end:

Philippians 4:12 “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”

We have some pretty good insight as to how he “learned” contentment.

This man has all the experience and criteria in the world

To be able to write to others in difficult circumstances.

And that brings us to the RECIPIENTS of this letter.

You probably remember how the Philippian church began.

Paul was on his second missionary journey,

Just after he and Barnabas had parted company.

And Paul was sort of roaming around Asia looking for a place to minister,

But was not having much success.

Acts 16:6-8 “They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.”

Paul had sort of zig-zigged north and south from the east to the west all across Asia minor and was now pressed against the Aegean Sea without a place to go.

That is when he saw the vision.

Acts 16:9-10 “A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

At that point Paul crossed into Europe and came to the city of Philippi.

The unique thing about Philippi was that even though it was not in Italy, it held the distinction of being a Roman city and thus enjoyed all the Roman benefits.

It’s nard hard to understand then,

That Philippi had a lot of Roman patriotism.

They had Roman patriotism, but not much Jewish patriotism.

When Paul arrived in Philippi and stayed for several days in the city,

But found no synagogue there.

10 Jewish men were required to have a synagogue and Philippi obviously did not have that many,

• So on the Sabbath Paul went out of the city to the river and found a group of Jewish women gathering for a place of prayer.

• There Lydia was saved.

• Shortly after Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl and was indirectly thrown in prison as a result.

• That night God sent an earthquake to deliver Paul and Silas, but instead of escaping Paul witnessed to the jailor and the jailor and his whole family were saved.

These were the beginnings of the church in Philippi.

The woman Lydia and the Philippian jailor.

And then Paul left.

The other fact we know about the Philippian church

Is that they were a poor congregation.

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians he references the offering

That he was taking to Jerusalem when he was arrested.

He wrote:

2 Corinthians 8:1-6 “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.”

They were a church described as a church in “deep poverty”

And yet despite their poverty, they were a very generous church.

Not only giving to this offering,

But even later in the letter to the Philippians Paul writes:

Philippians 4:15-16 “You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.”

And that really tells a tremendous story as to who these believers were.

They were poor, but they were obviously grateful

For the salvation that God had bestowed upon them,

And they definitely wanted to do their part in helping the growth of the kingdom.

Their offering is comparable to that of the “widow’s mite”.

Now some other things we learn about this church from this letter.

• One positive thing is that unlike the rest of Paul’s letters the Philippians had warranted NO REBUKE.

The only negative incident occurs at the end of the letter

When Paul addresses a riff between two of the leading women.

Philippians 4:2 “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.”

But beyond that, this church had no issues.

They were faithful believers.

• Now they did face STRUGGLES.

We find in chapter 1 that they dealt with opposition to their ministry.

Philippians 1:27-28 “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents — which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.”

Their faithfulness to God was certain to come with opposition and they faced it.

Paul instructed them not to let the presence of opposition

Discourage or alarm them.

Their opposition as merely a sign of doing things the right way,

But they faced it none the less.

• In chapter 3 we find that they were also dealing with the same FALSE TEACHERS that seemed to plague all the churches.

Namely those Judaizers that sought to convince everyone to live by the flesh.

Philippians 3:2-3 “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,”

And that gives you insight as to the type of church we are dealing with.

It is a faithful church that faced plenty of hardship and opposition.

Not only did they deal with poverty, but also false teachers.

Now why did Paul write them a letter?

• Certainly he loved them as he mentions in chapter 1.

• Certainly he desired to encourage them as you see throughout the letter.

But perhaps the main reason Paul wrote was out of GRATITUDE.

Philippians 4:10-14 “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.”

The Philippians had managed to send a gift to Paul all the way in Rome

And he rejoiced in their faithfulness.

This is a church that had touched Paul’s heart

And Paul rejoiced to tell them that God would bless them for it.

So we have here a very positive, encouraging, and gracious letter.

Paul is thankful for this church and sends a letter back

To encourage them to continue to be a great church.

And as he writes to this end, one theme seems to continually reemerge. That theme is JOY & CONTENTMENT.

I say joy & contentment, but Biblically speaking the two are almost identical.

Both represent a determined happiness in one’s present circumstances.

They indicate a person who has learned to enjoy where they are in life.

And no doubt this was a relevant letter from an experienced writer.

The Philippians were poor, and Paul was in prison.

He knew about joy in adversity, he knew about being content,

And he writes to a church that also needed to know it.

15 times in this letter we here Paul use the word “joy” or “rejoice”

From this letter comes the famous verse:

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

It was a command given independent of one’s circumstances.

• It didn’t matter if they were rich or poor…

• It didn’t matter if they were loved or ostracized…

• It didn’t matter if they had false teachers or not…

• It didn’t matter what they faced…

Still they were commanded to rejoice.

And throughout the letter we hear Paul command joy and exhibit it.

THIS LETTER THEN IS AN ENCOURAGING ONE.

We have a faithful apostle in tough circumstances,

Encouraged by a faithful church in tough circumstances.

And so this faithful apostle writes to this faithful church

To encourage them by saying, regardless of our circumstances

We all have a reason to rejoice.

AND THAT IS A GOOD MESSAGE ISN’T IT?

Regardless of our circumstances we all have a reason to rejoice.

In fact, this is one of the ways that believers

Distinguish themselves from the world around them.

Worldly joy is forever linked to circumstances.

• The world rejoices when they win, or get what they want, or experience the right emotion or mood.

• But let their circumstances change and instantly the world goes into rage, and discontentment, and depression, etc.

That is what sets believers apart.

We have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling inside of us

And one of His fruits is “joy”.

And the reasoning isn’t hard.

• On your worst day, when all is crashing around you.

• On your worst day as a believer you must realize that you still have it better than you deserve.

• You are still alive,

• You still have forgiveness of sin,

• You still have a Savior who lives you,

• You still have a home in heaven,

• You still have a body of believers to encourage you.

Regardless of your hardship, you are not alone,

You are not forgotten, and you are not finished.

A believer can always find reason to rejoice.

I’m mindful of Job.

He had a couple of really bad days.

Lost his livestock…

Lost his children…

Lost his health…

Lost his high reputation…

But Job responded:

Job 1:20-22 “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”

Now, was Job happy?

Absolutely not.

But don’t confuse happiness and joy.

• Happiness is an emotional response of the flesh to favorable circumstances.

• Joy is a spiritual response of the Spirit regardless of circumstances.

Joy is a deep-seated satisfaction

That despite my circumstances God is enough.

It is what Asaph prayed:

Psalms 73:25-28 “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.”

Asaph’s joy and contentment ran together.

And that is what Job had.

He certainly didn’t like his circumstances

But he never grew dissatisfied with God.

And that is part of the message that Paul has for the Philippians,

And I think it is a message we could always stand to hear.

Now tonight I just want to quickly give you the introduction to the book.

This is really Paul’s greeting, but it also manages to

Give a good foundation to the letter.

Paul ultimately wants the Philippians to rejoice.

The first two verses remind the Philippians of four reasons they have to rejoice.

#1 THE LORD THEY SERVE

Philippians 1:1a

“Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,”

We’ve talked about this type of introduction before.

• Paul could have referred to himself as their apostle or their father or their mentor or their leader.

• He could have boasted in his great education or vast missionary experience.

But he chose merely to identify himself as a bond-servant.

The phrase is rooted in an Old Testament reality.

In Exodus 21 Moses explains that after a Hebrew slave serves for 6 years, on the 7th he must be set free.

The only objection is if the slave chooses to voluntarily stay and continue to serve out of a love for his master and family.

If he chooses to do this, the master takes the slave and pierces his ear with awl and that man becomes a slave perpetually. He becomes a bond-slave.

That is how Paul identified himself.

At his highest peak he was nothing more than a servant of Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:5 “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.”

Now just being a servant was not something to boast in

Unless your master was someone worth boasting about.

And that was true not only for Paul but for all Christians.

Paul’s Master was “Christ Jesus”

“Christ” of course is another name for “Messiah”

Paul was a servant of THE King.

Paul was in the direct service of the Savior of the World.

Paul answered directly to the Most High God.

That is far from a service, that is a privilege.

And incidentally it is a privilege shared by every believer.

WE CAN REJOICE BECAUSE OF WHO WE SERVE.

We serve a Risen Savior

We serve a Victorious King

We serve a Gracious Master

We serve a Returning Conqueror

We serve a Faithful Friend

We serve a Merciful Redeemer

To be considered a Christian is a very high honor.

When all else fails and all around you is falling,

Rejoice in the fact that we are servants of the King.

Paul reminds of: The Lord they Serve

#2 THE LIFE THEY’VE RECEIVED

Philippians 1:1b

“To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi”

Again, I’ve told you this before,

But it is such an important reality to remember.

Too often today we hear believers boast in the fact that they are sinners.

“I’m just a sinner”

“We’re all just sinners”

Now, I understand the implication.

• That is saying that I am unworthy, and that is true.

• None of us earned our salvation.

None of us had any merit by which Christ should have chosen us.

BUT HE DID

And when He did, He didn’t leave you as a filthy sinner.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

Yes you were a sinner.

You were as vile as the most vile.

You were as filthy as the most filthy.

All your righteous deeds were like a filthy rag.

BUT…

“but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

We saw a practical illustration of this a couple of Wednesday nights ago

When we studied Zechariah 3.

There we saw Joshua the high priest standing before God

And Satan there accusing him of sin.

The problem?

Joshua was sinful.

He was clothed in filthy garments.

But Christ interceded for him,

And Christ imparted new righteousness to him.

Zechariah 3:4-5 “He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.” Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by.”

Joshua was filthy, but not anymore, he was washed.

And you, you were filthy, you were a sinner, but you were washed.

WHAT ARE YOU NOW?

“saints”

Not by your own doing, but by His doing.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

You were made new.

Before you were a sinner who occasionally did good things.

Now you are a saint who may occasionally do bad things.

But we aren’t talking about what you do,

We are talking about what you are.

Colossians 1:13-14 “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

It’s important that you know what you are, so you’ll act like it.

Too often believers today want to identify with sinners.

When the goal should be exemplify the power of Christ to change a life.

WE ARE NOT SINNERS ANYMORE – WE ARE SAINTS!

You want something to rejoice about?

Rejoice about that.

Regardless of your circumstances rejoice that God took a filthy sinner like you and washed him until he was a saint.

The Lord they Serve

The Life they’ve Received

#3 THE LEADERS THEY FOLLOW

Philippians 1:1c

“including the overseers and deacons”

Now certainly these men were also part of the saints

But Paul goes out of his way to mention that they do exist.

Remember this was a town with such a small Jewish population that

They didn’t even have ten Jewish men to form a synagogue.

And yet as the church, not only had God supplied men, but enough men to have “overseers and deacons”

These were the men whom God used to give leadership to the church.

The “overseers” were those who did just that.

They oversaw the church, they were the elders

Whom Paul said in 1 Timothy 5 “rule” the church.

They were those mentioned in Hebrews 13:17

As those who “keep watch over your souls”

They were the Holy Spirit appointed shepherds who guarded the flock.

The “deacons” were the servants of the flock.

Those who took care of the ministry needs

Like waiting tables and feeding the widows.

And these believers should rejoice that they are there.

• I am thankful for those people in my life who take time to guide and encourage me.

• I am thankful for those people in my lie who serve my interests to help me be who God intends me to be.

And on your worst day you can rejoice in that too.

You have a church family.

You have a pastor, you have deacons.

You may walk through hardships, but you won’t walk through them alone.

Paul reminds them of:

The Lord they Serve

The Live they’ve Received

The Leaders they Follow

#4 THE LIBERTIES THEY ENJOY

Philippians 1:2

What is God supplying?

“Grace…and peace”

Don’t ever forget the value of those.

Walk through a hardship, walk through a trial, and next to total deliverance there is nothing more valuable than “grace…and peace”

And our God supplies them.

• He gives grace that is sufficient.

• He gives peace that passes all understanding.

And what a tremendous reminder that is to those in hardship.

So you’re in poverty…

So you’re facing opposition…

So you’re confronted with false doctrine…

Isn’t it wonderful to know that the God of the universe

Has not abandoned you, but is in fact “FOR” you.

And that is a reason to rejoice.

1 Peter 5:10 “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

And so there you get just a brief glimpse of this letter to the Philippians.

They were a poor church facing hardship,

But they were a faithful church and had reason to rejoice.

You have reason too.

• You serve the Lord of Lords

• You have been given new Life in him

• God has supplied you with those around you to look after your soul

• And in your struggle He will supply grace and peace

“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, ‘Rejoice’”

Praying for the Philippians (Philippians 1:3-11)

January 29, 2014 By bro.rory

AUDIO COMING SOON! (Philippians 1:12 and following contain audio)

Praying for the Philippians

Philippians 1:3-11

September 15, 2013

Without a doubt one of the simplest

Yet most important spiritual disciplines is that of prayer.

We have at our disposal, access to the God of the universe,

In order to petition His help into our present situations.

And that means one of the greatest gifts we can give to fellow believers

Is to petition God’s help into their present situations.

We know prayer is effective.

James 5:17-18 “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”

We know that prayer is commanded.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing;”

And we know that God delights in our prayer.

Luke 18:1-8 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘ Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

So we all know that prayer is an important aspect of the Christian life.

And we could spend time looking at the life of Jesus.

Not only did He continually petition the Father,

But His role as our intercessor is one of the most valuable assets we enjoy.

We love it when people pray for us

We certainly are called to pray for others

However, at times we can feel a little incompetent in our prayer life.

• It’s not that we doubt the power of prayer…

• It’s not that we doubt the faithfulness of God to answer prayer…

But sometimes it is just so hard to know what to pray for.

In fact often times our prayers are limited either to the lost, or to the sick.

Obviously they need it, but one of the reasons for this

Is because at least with them we know what to pray for.

But sometimes we find it more difficult for our brothers and sisters

Who don’t have any obvious needs.

They aren’t lost… They aren’t sick…

What do I pray for you?

What do you pray for me?

Well to some degree we never really know what to pray at all.

(even for the lost and the sick)

Romans 8:26-27 “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

There are some issues that become obvious to us,

But there are many that we just don’t or can’t know.

And for that the Holy Spirit steps in, who knows the perfect will of God,

And He prays according to God’s will for us.

However, we still want to pray.

• We are still called to pray without ceasing.

• We are still called to intercede for one another.

• We are still called to devote ourselves to prayer.

So the question remains: what do I pray for?

How do I pray for other believers?

Well, to gain some insight in this regard tonight we look at Philippians 1.

Here we have Paul outlining his prayer life for the Philippians.

Here is a great place to start.

I want you to recognize 3 things about the way Paul prayed.

#1 A THANKFUL PRAYER

Philippians 1:3-6

Paul here has a thankful prayer.

And specifically he is thankful for God’s PAST and PROMISED work.

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,”

And we gave the background last week so I won’t carry you through all of that again.

And you remember that in Philippi there was no synagogue,

There were only a few women meeting for prayer outside of the city limits.

But God began to move in a special way.

(When we studied Acts we even talked about God’s providence in Philippi)

Acts 16:13-14 “And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.”

Lydia was the first ever convert from Europe.

But did you notice how Lydia came to have faith in Christ?

“the Lord opened her heart to respond”

The only reason anyone in Philippi believed

Is because God started breathing life into that place.

Remember what we learned in Ephesians

Ephesians 2:1-5 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ( by grace you have been saved),”

No one comes to Christ apart from God opening their heart.

God did that for Lydia.

Remember the next recorded convert in Philippi?

The Jailor

How did he get saved?

• Well God sent an earthquake.

• Then God working through Paul and Silas caused this jailor to see something

different and want to be saved.

There is only one reason there is a church in Philippi.

That reason is the sovereign hand of God.

So it is only fitting that when Paul begins praying for the Philippian church the first thing he does is thank God for them.

Every time he remembers that church, he was moved to gratitude

Toward God for the word He did in starting that church.

“always offering prayer with joy in my ever prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Paul said every time I pray for you, I thank God for you.

Because He not only made you a church, but obviously caused you to be a participant in the gospel and the gospel ministry.

• It was God who opened their hearts to believe.

• And it was obviously God who moved in their hearts to contribute.

None of those things were normal human desires.

None of those things were the result of human ingenuity.

The Philippian’s were an example of God’s work in the lives of people.

And that wasn’t all.

(6) “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Paul knew that God wasn’t finished.

It is another foundational truth in regard to God’s sovereignty,

That God finishes what He starts.

Romans 8:29-30 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

None fall short of that.

If God begins a good work, God finishes that work.

He has no scrap pile of broken people that He just had to toss aside.

He finishes what He starts.

And so when Paul thought of the Philippians

The first thing he had to do was stop and thank God for them.

• God was the reason they were saved

• God is the reason they served

• God is the reason they are secure

Now there is a way to start your prayer for fellow believers.

• Thank God for saving them.

• Thank God for prompting them to serve.

• And thank God for promising to finish His work on them.

Pray thankfully!

A Thankful Prayer

#2 A JOYFUL PRAYER

Philippians 1:7-8

Now you will notice Paul starts out saying, “For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all”

Feel what way?

Look back up at verse 4, “always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer”

When Paul thought of the Philippians,

He was not only moved with gratitude to God,

But was also overcome with joy.

He rejoiced when he thought about the Philippians,

And here he says, that joy is only natural.

“It is only right”

So Paul prayed thankfully because of God’s Past And Promised Work.

Here Paul prays joyfully because of God’s Obvious Grace.

(7) “For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.”

Now on one hand we are thankful for grace

Because of the salvation it produces.

We are all saved by grace, and just the thought of it should obviously lead to rejoicing.

But that is not all that Paul has in mind here.

• Paul didn’t just use grace to get saved.

• Grace was important in his life in far more ways than that.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me — to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

That grace came in response to a trial.

I firmly believe there is a grace that can only be known through hardship.

There is a grace that you just can’t partake of unless you are suffering.

For example:

• You can’t know God is provider, if you’re never in need.

• You can’t know God as healer, if you’re never sick.

• You can’t know God as defender, if you’re never in danger.

There are certain avenues of grace you just can’t enjoy unless you suffer.

Paul had this partly in view later in this letter when he says:

Philippians 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;”

Again, there is a fellowship in suffering.

We understand this.

Every year Spur has a relay for life.

And cancer survivors walk a lap around the track.

There is a fellowship among that group

That those who have never had cancer can never know.

It is the same way with the grace Paul refers to in 2 Corinthians 12.

It is a grace given in response to suffering.

I also want you to recognize the effect of that grace in Paul’s life.

2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

What did that grace produce in his life?

Strength.

So we know about salvation.

That is grace given in response to faith that produces forgiveness.

But this grace is given in response to suffering

And it produces strength.

This caused Paul to boast about his weaknesses

And be well content with his hardships.

That is what Paul is talking about here in Philippians.

The Philippians were “partakers of grace” with Paul.

Not just salvation, but also the grace

That is given in response to hardship.

For notice what he says:

“both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.”

There was a fellowship forged between these two

Through common suffering and common grace.

And the result?

(8) “For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

The result of this fellowship of grace was tremendous love.

There was joyous fellowship between the two.

• So when Paul prays, He prays with gratitude, thanking God for what He did in the lives of the Philippians and for what He will do.

• And when Paul prays, He prays with joy because of the fellowship forged through suffering and the common grace they understand as well.

Now, when you pray for your brothers and sisters.

First, thank God that they are your brothers and sisters.

He is the only reason they are saved.

And when you pray, pray with joy over them

Because of God’s obvious grace in both of your lives.

• These people have walked with you through various hardships and trials…

• These people were in the same fire with you a number of times…

• And they know about God’s grace in those situations just like you do…

• There is a fellowship there…

• There is a camaraderie there…

So when you pray for them, pray thankfully and pray joyfully

A Thankful Prayer A Joyful Prayer

#3 A FAITHFUL PRAYER

Philippians 1:9-11

Now we actually get to the specifics of the prayer.

• I get it that we are supposed to be thankful…

• I get it that we are supposed to rejoice…

BUT WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PRAY FOR IN THEIR REGARD?

Well, here it is.

Now first I want you to notice the faithful nature of Paul’s prayer.

“And this I pray”

• He doesn’t promise to pray…

• He doesn’t intend to pray…

• He doesn’t hope to pray…

• HE PRAYS

In verses 3 and 4 he said:

“in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer…”

The implication is that every time I remember you, I pray for you.

Paul was faithful to pray for the Philippians.

WHAT DID HE PRAY?

“that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,”

What is he talking about?

• He is talking about their love for Christ.

• He knows they are real.

• He knows they’ve received grace.

• He knows they love Christ.

But he wants their love to “abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment”

What does that mean?

Let’s see if we can illustrate this a little.

• I love my wife.

• And I want to love my wife in such a way that she knows I love her.

So what do I do?

FIRST I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT MAKES HER FEEL LOVED

(Read a good book called “the Five Love Languages”)

Gifts

Service

Words of Affirmation

Physical Touch

Time

If I really want to show love to her,

I had better find out how she feels loved.

I HAD BETTER GET TO KNOW HER

My love has to “abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment”

I have to learn what was pleasing to her.

That is what Paul is praying for the Philippians.

I want you to love Christ, but I want you to love Him in knowledge.

I want you to strive to know what pleases Him.

To the Colossians Paul said it like this:

Colossians 1:9-10 “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

Paul was praying that the Colossians would get knowledge

So they would know how to love.

That is what he is praying for the Philippians.

So Paul wanted their love to “abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment”

WHY?

“so that you may approve the things that are excellent,”

In other words, I want you to know Christ better

So that you will have a better grasp on what is pleasing.

Let’s go back to the illustration of our spouse again.

I got to know her better so I could have a handle on how she feels loved.

Now Carrie’s love language is service.

But let’s say it’s “gifts” just to make an easier illustration.

So I learn that I need to give Carrie a gift.

WHICH GIFT?

Well, that is why I got to know her.

I talked to her, I walked with her, I listen to her

So that when I come across a potential gift

I will be able to either approve it as something she will like,

Or disregard it as something she won’t like.

(And she will tell you – just 4 months early)

So it is with Christ.

I spend time with Him, finding out the things He desires.

So that in this life when faced with decisions I will be able to “approve the things that are excellent”

Well, Paul says here, I want you to pay attention

So that you will know how to live a life that pleases Christ.

WHY?

“in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.”

Now you understand this too.

• Guys you didn’t pay attention, so you didn’t get the right gift.

• Instead you brought home the “slap chop” you bought on TV and the moment

arrives, you give the gift….

And you can see it on your wife’s face.

That is not what she wanted.

Oh she said she liked it, but you know better.

On that day, you were not blameless.

You messed up and you knew it.

• Your love didn’t abound in real knowledge…

• So you weren’t able to approve what was excellent…

• And now you aren’t found blameless when you stand before her…

Well, as humans we do this a lot, and that’s part of being human.

But what Paul is hoping for is that when we stand before Christ

We won’t have any of those moments.

He is praying that we will know what Christ likes

So that we can approve what Christ wants,

And having done it to stand before Him blameless.

And he even explains what blameless is

(11) “having been filled with the fruit of righteousness [good works] which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Paul wants the Philippians to stand before Jesus blameless,

Having pleased Him, full of good works which He enjoys,

And fully glorifying to God.

Now there is a way to pray for your fellow believers.

• Pray faithfully for them every time you remember them.

• Rejoicing in the common grace they share with you.

• Thanking God for saving them and continuing to work on them.

And since this is God’s desire,

Pray that they will get to know Christ better,

And will thus be able to live a pleasing life,

So that they can stand before Christ blameless, full of good works,

Having glorified the Father.

So we don’t have to know specific needs to be faithful in prayer.

We are given an example of how to pray for each other.

Philippians 1:3-6 “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

The Fruit of Contentment (Philippians 4:10-14)

January 29, 2014 By bro.rory

The Fruit of Contentment

Philippians 4:10-14

January 26, 2014

As you know Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians

In large part as a response letter to the visit from Epaphroditus.

Epaphroditus was a member of the Philippian church, and he was entrusted to take a gift from the Philippians all the way to Paul in Rome.

It is likely that while he was there Epaphroditus also informed Paul of

• The opposition they were facing,

• The threat of the false teachers,

• And even the lack of harmony between Euodia and Syntyche.

In response to that visit Paul wrote this letter.

• To encourage them in their opposition

• To encourage them in their discernment

• To encourage them in their attitude

• To encourage them in their harmony with one another

And, as we find here to encourage them in regard to contentment.

Certainly in this letter Paul would want to mention

The gift that the Philippians gave him.

The fact that he waits until the end of the letter already

Does an adequate job of revealing that Paul’s first concern for the Philippians

Was not what he could get from them.

He doesn’t even mention the gift until he has faithfully and sufficiently

Dealt with the spiritual issues they were dealing with.

But now Paul is closing the letter and he turns to his portion

Where he will tell them thank you.

What is so interesting about this “thank you” portion is that Paul’s primary purpose for being thankful is not at all what you would think.

I’m sure the Philippians envisioned Paul

In that Roman apartment, on house arrest, chained to the guard, and thought “He must be hurting so badly and just begging for someone to help him”

I know I would certainly view people in Paul’s condition like that.

(namely because that is probably how I would be)

But that wasn’t Paul.

Paul had an attribute that served him well in times of hardship.

That attribute was CONTENTMENT

I think I can safely say that

CONTENTMENT IS THE FORGOTTEN VIRTUE OF OUR DAY

• We talk often of love

• We talk often of grace

• We talk often of mercy

• We talk often of forgiveness

• We don’t even mind a little patience

But take a quick look at our society and it becomes quickly clear,

That contentment is not something we are interested in.

Most people today are in a rat race trying to figure out

How they can constantly get more.

And not just more, but the latest version of more.

First I have to get it

• Then I need a second one

• Then I need a bigger one

• Then I need a faster one

• Then I need a more efficient one

• Then I need a cooler looking one

• Then I need one like yours, because yours is better than mine

Our society has forgotten about contentment.

But rest assured, God has not.

When John the Baptist preached to the centurions he said:

Luke 3:14 “Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”

The writer of Hebrews said:

Hebrews 13:5 “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”

God has always cared about contentment.

Paul wrote to Timothy:

1 Timothy 6:6-10 “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Godliness is valuable IF it is accompanied with contentment.

See a lack of contentment will eventually

Pull you away from a pursuit of godliness.

It’s just plain impossible to concern yourselves with righteousness

And gaining the world at the same time.

Matthew 6:19-24 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

That is why Jesus would go on to say:

Matthew 6:31-33 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

John would echo that thought:

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

As would James:

James 4:4 “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

In Luke’s gospel Jesus gave a penetrating parable to reinforce this issue:

Luke 12:13-21 “Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘ You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

And you see where we are coming from here.

You cannot love God and the things of the world.

You cannot seek God and the things of the world.

You can only seek one of them

And then (get this) you have to be content with the other.

That means that you are either content in your circumstances

Or you are content in your relationship with God.

Now we know which Paul wanted don’t we?

He already told us what he was pursuing.

• He wanted to know Christ.

• He wanted to gain the righteousness which is according to faith.

• And even though he hadn’t obtained it yet, he was reaching for it.

Paul was content with the things of the world

And this allowed him to pursue the things of God.

Contentment matters.

Perhaps the story of the Rich Young Ruler ends differently

Had he been a man content with less.

(Zaccheus was and the story ended well for him)

• Matthew was content with a tax business

• Peter was content without a fishing boat

• James and John were content without their father

A person has to choose if they will be content in their circumstances

Or content in their relationship with God.

Contentment matters.

We are called to have it.

For godliness is a means of great gain

When accompanied by contentment.

But godliness without it is certainly lead you to ruin.

• Remember Gahazi (the servant of Elisha) who chased down Naaman that he might receive payment and inherited his leprosy?

• Consider the Pharisees who Luke says were “lovers of money” and how their life ended in destruction.

Jesus said it best when He asked:

Matthew 16:26a “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Contentment matters.

So, obviously we should do some thinking about it.

• What does contentment look like?

• How does one achieve it?

Well I think we can confidently answer both of those questions

In our text tonight.

When I first started working on this, I was really trying

To give some profound points about what was going on.

But it seems to me, you’ll have to be content with simple ones.

For tonight we see three simple realities about the contented person.

What is the fruit of contentment?

There are three here

#1 JOY

Philippians 4:10-11

Now we do need to clarify the point a little, but in a very simple sense

You can see that one of the attributes of contentment is joy.

Paul said, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me;”

Paul is rejoicing

After all we are commanded to rejoice always

He received the gift (and we don’t know what it was),

And when he did he wrote this letter saying that he was thrilled.

Now even in the first line of verse 10 we see that

Paul was NOT REJOICING about what he received,

But rather he was rejoicing that they “revived” their concern for him.

The Greek word for “revived” is a horticultural term

Speaking of when a plant brings forth flowers.

Their concern finally bloomed.

You can plant flowers and you know they are flowers,

But until they bloom they don’t look like much more than a weed.

Paul is rejoicing that their concern

Has finally come to the forefront and has bloomed.

Before they were like a flowerless plant:

“indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.”

• Maybe they were too poor to share (we know of their poverty)

• Maybe they had no way to get the supplies to him

• Maybe they didn’t know where he was

For whatever reason, the Philippians had not recently been able to help,

But once they had the “opportunity” they seized it

And their concern for him was in full bloom.

And there is a spiritual reality to be seen there.

Luke 16:10-13 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? “And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

People all the time live under this self-deluded assumption

That if they had more they would give more.

But listen, generosity has nothing to do with wealth.

You are either a giver or you or not.

If you think in your heart, I’ll give when I get ahead,

I can confidently say you will never give.

If you aren’t faithful with a little, you will never be faithful with a lot.

And that is Jesus’ point.

God can tell if you love Him or love money

Regardless of whether or not you are rich or poor.

Well the Philippians came through.

They gave, when they had little, and they gave when they had a lot.

And their giving caused Paul to rejoice.

However, it is so important to understand WHY he was rejoicing.

Many would immediately assume it is because he received some supplies that would make his life more comfortable.

Many would assume that he was rejoicing in the gift.

(11) “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”

Paul says, “I am rejoicing true enough, but it is not because I finally have something I wanted.”

You will see next week that Paul’s rejoicing had more to do

With the spiritual state of the Philippians.

Philippians 4:17 “Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.”

Paul wasn’t rejoicing in what he received, he was rejoicing in the fact that

The Philippians were generous, and what that meant for them.

John said:

3 John 4 “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”

Paul told the Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 3:8 “for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.”

The rejoicing came as a result of the faith and obedience of his spiritual children, not because he received something he wanted.

And Paul explains that:

“for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”

Now that is a good explanation of contentment.

Contentment is not dependent upon circumstances.

If circumstances can make you discontent, then you are not content.

The Greek word translated “content”

Here is only used here in the New Testament.

And it is a word that literally means “self-sufficient” or “adequate”

It speaks of one who “needs no assistance” because he already has enough.

And Paul basically is describing the reality that

He has learned not expect or depend on anything else.

What he already has is enough.

(pretty impressive statement for a man in prison on limited rations,

Chained to a Roman centurion 24/7)

We would say that this is a person who has

Learned “to make do” with what they have.

The solution to their life is not found in getting something else.

Now, you may remember that Paul was not always this way.

Romans 7:7 “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”

Paul used to be a covetous man.

• He used to be a man who did not see what he already had as adequate.

• He used to be a man who was very discontent, coveting what others had.

But here he says, “I have learned to be content”

One can only imagine the lessons God used

To teach Paul this priceless attitude.

2 Corinthians 11:27 “I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.”

Without a doubt God used those things to teach Paul contentment.

He had to learn it.

In other words contentment is not natural to the flesh.

We learned a couple of weeks ago

About people who are enemies of the cross.

Paul described them like this:

Philippians 3:19 “whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.”

The natural man is not content

You did not come into this world content

Contentment must be learned and Paul said “I have learned” it.

That means that Paul was not sitting in his quarters moaning and wishing and begging for more supplies or better circumstances.

He never mentioned it and he wasn’t even thinking about it

Because he was content with what he had.

He rejoiced but not about getting stuff.

And that is a contented person.

Joy.

They aren’t bitter, even when they don’t have all they could have.

Joy is a fruit of contentment.

#2 FAITH

Philippians 4:12-13

Now Paul just said that he learned contentment.

And that education certainly came through a few life experiences.

“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”

I would say most of us are half-way there.

We know how to get along in prosperity and how to be filled

And how to have an abundance.

It’s the other three circumstances on that list we struggle with.

But Paul had been cold and hungry and alone

And shipwrecked and beaten and in danger.

And through those times he learned how to be content.

• He learned how to be self sufficient

• He learned how to “make do”

And notice here what he says he learned.

“I have learned the secret…”

Hey, now we’re getting somewhere.

WHAT’S THE SECRET?

(13) “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Perhaps the most misquoted verse in Scripture.

• A wide receiver scores a touchdown

• A bull rider stays on for 8 seconds

And they all point to Philippians 4:13

They use that verse to mean the exact opposite of what Paul meant.

People use that verse to say that God supernaturally provides for their lack, when in reality Paul is saying God supernaturally lets me accept my lack.

A better translation of that verse is:

• “I can handle all things through Him who strengthens me.”

• “I can endure all things through Him who strengthens me.”

And that is what Paul is saying.

He says I learned the secret of contentment,

And that secret is that God infuses strength

For any situation into His children.

We learned last week that in the midst of anxiety

He can give a peace that is beyond comprehension.

Now we learn in the midst of any need He can give strength to endure.

And Paul knew all that because he had so often been without.

It’s the old adage – “You don’t learn Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”

Paul prayed for this same thing for the Ephesians:

Ephesians 3:14-16 “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,”

It is the same strength we need to stand against the schemes of the devil:

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”

It is the strength Isaiah spoke of:

Isaiah 40:28-31 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”

It is the strength Paul learned about through the thorn in his flesh

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

• It is not human strength

• It is not will power

• It is not fortitude

• It is supernatural, divine strength, which God infuses into His children

It is His strength to endure any situation,

Any hardship, any amount of lack.

And Paul says when I learned that God has strength for me

That is greater than my own,

I realized that I could handle any situation thrown my way.

I realized that I was no longer dependent on outer resources.

I was no longer constantly in need of food.

God has strength available to allow us to endure any hardship.

And when I learned that, I was content with what I had.

Now, don’t turn Paul into more than he was.

This does not mean Paul completely took his eye off of human necessity.

Acts 18:1-4 “After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.”

2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.”

Paul still knew what it was to work

Paul still knew what it was to earn money and buy food

We aren’t saying he just dropped it all sat down

Waiting for God to supernaturally take care of everything.

What we are saying is that

Even when Paul was put in a position where there was nothing he could do to change his circumstances, he had faith that God would supply the strength to endure it.

He was content

He wasn’t worried

He had faith.

And that is a fruit of contentment.

• Contented people have joy

• Contented people have faith

They aren’t disgruntled due to their lack of supply

And they aren’t worried about it either.

They have joy and they have faith

#3 GRATITUDE

Philippians 4:14

Now if you aren’t careful you could almost read what Paul has said up to this point as though he would rather not have received anything.

You know it almost sounds like he is saying,

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’m good”

But that is not at all what he is saying.

In fact he was very appreciative.

He just wasn’t desperate for it.

He actually tells the Philippians:

“Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.”

Look, don’t misunderstand, what the Philippians did was a good thing.

What the Philippians did was the right thing.

After all Jesus said:

Matthew 25:37-40 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”

The writer of Hebrews said:

Hebrews 13:3 “Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.”

Paul himself wrote:

Romans 12:10-13 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”

So it is clear that what they did was the right thing to do.

And Paul is appreciative.

And this gratitude is a fruit of contentment.

Notice what Paul did not do.

He did not say, “Thank you so much for the stuff you sent, if it is possible next time could you also get me some…”

That is what discontented people do today.

You can give them something, but it is never enough.

There is always “Could you also?” coming later.

That is what can make things like benevolence difficult.

It is impossible to meet the needs of a discontented person.

“The leech had two daughters; give and give”

Sooner or later you have to just stop, because they never will.

Paul however was not like that.

He was grateful for whatever,

But even more grateful for the heart of the person who gave it.

With him, it really was the thought that counted.

And that is contentment.

So look at your life.

• Are you joyful in your circumstances? (even bad ones)

• Do you have faith that God can supply strength to endure?

• Are you grateful for what you have and not constantly begging for more?

That is a contented person.

And it is a virtue that God requires.

If you aren’t, then learn the secret.

Learn that God will take care of you and find contentment where you are.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

God did what?

What does Philippians 4:13 mean?

The Church at Philippi (Philippians 1:1-2)

Praying for the Philippians (Philippians 1:3-11)

The Fruit of Contentment (Philippians 4:10-14)

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