1 Kings 1:5-8

 

This morning we begin a new study,

And it is one that is extremely intriguing to me.

 

We are going to study 1 & 2 Kings.

 

Since I have been here, we have not yet studied a book like Kings.

Kings is written as a narrative. (story)

 

And so as you read the story as a whole,

You must then determine what the main point is.

 

AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU,

It is NOT about the men who were the actual kings of Israel and Judah.

 

In fact, they aren’t even the main characters.

The book doesn’t divide based on certain Kings,

It divides based on the prophets of God.

 

In 1 Kings the prophet Elijah emerges as the hero…

In 2 Kings his protégé Elisha emerges as the hero…

 

What these books are really about is the importance of God’s word.

 

With some notable exceptions 1 & 2 Kings focuses

Primarily on wicked Kings who led God’s people astray,

And the prophets of God that called the people back.

 

And so the themes of this book are simple:

SEEK THE PRESENCE OF GOD

OBEY THE PRECEPTS OF GOD

TRUST THE POWER OF GOD

 

And as we study these two books,

These themes will continually rise to the top.

 

This morning we begin our study at the end of the life of David.

He is very old, and the end of his life near.

READ: 1 Kings 1:1-4

 

You can see that not only is the King old,

But it blatantly obvious that he is about to die.

And so the entire country knows that Israel is about to have a new King.

 

Now the decision should have been a slam dunk decision.

God had already named the next King.

 

1 Chronicles 28:1-8 “Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that served the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the overseers of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, even all the valiant men. Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brethren and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. “But God said to me, ‘ You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ “Yet, the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. “Of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. “He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him. ‘I will establish his kingdom forever if he resolutely performs My commandments and My ordinances, as is done now.’ “So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek after all the commandments of the LORD your God so that you may possess the good land and bequeath it to your sons after you forever.”

 

And so, there is no reason why the nation should have had any confusion

It had already been announced that Solomon would become king.

 

BUT SOMETHING HAPPENS

In steps a Usurper

 

No doubt, in order to thwart God’s eternal plan,

Satan rises to the occasion with the intent of

Usurping God’s throne with his own chosen King.

 

Now Satan is never mentioned anywhere in our passage,

But upon studying this text, you will find his fingerprints everywhere.

 

He is at work to mess up God’s plan.

And his puppet of choice is one of David’s sons known as Adonijah.

 

AND THE MAIN SATANIC ATTRIBUTE WE FIND IN OUR TEXT

IS THAT OF ARROGANCE.

 

So this morning let’s talk about “The Kind who Exalted Himself”

#1 THE EVIDENCE OF ARROGANCE

1 Kings 1:5-8

And as we look at these 4 verses,

You will see his arrogance in 3 ways.

 

1) HIS ASCENSION (5)

 

Notice what it says immediately about Adonijah.

The Scripture says he “exalted himself”

How did he exalt himself?

He said, “I will be king.”

 

He even took the next step and “prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him.”

 

And so you see the rise of Adonijah.

No one told him he was king.

No one asked him to be king.

 

He granted himself the position.

“exalted himself”.

 

AND THIS IS EXTREMELY FOOLISH FOR ANY MAN.

For no one has the right to be his own judge.

 

Paul wrote this about himself.

1 Corinthians 4:3-4 “But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.”

 

HAVE YOU EVER FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION WHERE THEY WANT YOU TO EVALUATE YOURSELF?

 

But I always find that strange, and difficult to answer.

Because while we do examine ourselves regularly to push ourselves to improve, it really doesn’t matter if we declare ourselves acceptable.

 

You see, some day when you stand before God,

He is not going to hand you his evaluation sheet and say,

“Here, you fill this out.”

 

You are not your own judge.

It is God who rewards, and it is God who punishes.

 

But Adonijah wasn’t concerned about that.

• He wasn’t concerned what God thought.

• He wasn’t concerned about who God wanted.

• In his eyes, he thought he would make a good king, and so he assumed the position for himself.

 

That is a major fingerprint of Satan.

Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.”

 

And it is the same attitude of Adonijah.

 

We see his arrogance in his ascension.

2) HIS ASSUMPTION (6)

 

Some would ask, why in the world would Adonijah

Assume that he had the right to become king?

There were three things that caused him to think that way.

 

HIS BEAUTY

“And he was also a very handsome man”

 

Apparently when Adonijah looked at himself in the mirror,

He just assumed he looked like a king.

 

It was not hard for him to picture himself wearing a crown

Being led through the streets with fifty men to run before him.

In his mind he looked kingly.

 

That was one of Satan’s dowfalls.

Ezekiel 28:11-13 “Again the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared.”

 

Just like Satan, apparently Adonijah’s beauty went to his head.

 

And we do this all the time.

We think we are someone important because of outward success.

Beauty or Wealth or Wittiness or Ability

 

But we would do good to remember that the true Judge

Is not impressed with any of those things.

 

1 Samuel 16:6-7 “When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

 

Dizzy Dean once coined the phrase, “If you can do it, it ain’t bragging.”

 

Well, that might be true,

But just because you can do it, doesn’t mean God is impressed.

Do you think God is impressed because you have long golden hair?

Do you think God is impressed because you have 10 million dollars?

Do you think God is impressed because you can throw a baseball 100mph?

Do you think God is impressed because you kick a football?

 

Your outward attributes are not what impresses God,

But they certainly can lend to arrogance.

 

Adonijah’s beauty caused him to assume he deserved to be king.

 

There is more that led to his assumption

HIS STATUS

 

Notice what verse 6 says about him, “and he was born after Absalom.”

 

WHAT DOES THAT MATTER?

2 Samuel 3:2-4 “Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;”

 

David’s oldest son was Amnon.

But remember, he raped Absalom’s sister Tamar, and Absalom killed him.

 

David’s second son was Chileab (called Daniel sometimes),

And most scholars believe Chileab died in his youth.

 

David’s third son was Absalom, who also tried to usurp the throne,

But he was killed by Joab while hanging in a tree by his hair.

 

And the fourth son was Adonijah.

“he was born after Absalom”

 

That means that Adonijah was the oldest.

And by his calculations his status

Gave him the right to the throne of Israel.

 

This is also one of Satan’s fingerprints.

Ezekiel 28:14-17 “You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you. “By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you.”

 

Satan had that same high position, and thought that entitled him to more.

No doubt Adonijah had the same thoughts.

Because of his status as the only son, he thought it entitled him to more.

 

We would do good to remember

That we are entitled to nothing on this earth but judgment.

It is only by God’s mercy that we ever receive anything good.

 

But Adonijah looked at his status and assumed he should be king.

 

And there was one more thing that attributed to this arrogant assumption

HIS FREEDOM

 

Notice how verse 6 begins, “His father had never crossed him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?”

 

I suppose you could pin the blame on David here for not taking charge,

But let us not forget that David is barely alive,

And probably didn’t know a whole lot about the situation.

 

But either way, Adonijah took his father’s silence as approval.

 

Notice how Satan operated.

Ezekiel 28:18-19 “By the multitude of your iniquities, In the unrighteousness of your trade You profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you. “All who know you among the peoples Are appalled at you; You have become terrified And you will cease to be forever.”‘”

 

Satan just continued to take liberty,

And because he was not immediately destroyed he assumed it must be ok.

 

And people do this today.

They take the fact that God doesn’t immediately stop them

As though God were giving them permission.

“It’s easier to get forgiveness than permission”

“God hasn’t convicted me of that yet.”

 

That is an arrogant assumption.

 

It is not God’s job to give permission or deny permission

For every thing you think you want to do in life.

 

He gave us His word, and He expects that you will have enough fear and reverence that you will make sure you don’t cross Him.

 

David had already announced that Solomon would be king,

That should have been enough.

 

But because David didn’t immediately stop him, he assumed it was ok.

So we see evidence of his arrogance

Through his ASCENSION and through his ASSUMPTION

 

There is a third area that we see evidence of his arrogance

3) HIS ALLIANCE (7-8)

 

Notice what it says.

“He had conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest”

 

If Adonijah really wanted to know if he should be king, why not seek God?

At least, why not talk to David.

 

Adonijah did neither.

Instead he had already “conferred” with two other men.

 

This is not seeking God, this is scheming.

He was working stealthily.

 

Even though God and David had already revealed the next King,

Adonijah was so certain that he deserved the position

That he was willing to lie and scheme to get it.

 

It is an arrogant man that thinks he knows more than God,

And is willing to scheme get his way over God’s way.

 

Yet this is precisely how Satan works.

Psalms 10:8-11 “He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the hiding places he kills the innocent; His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate. He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his lair; He lurks to catch the afflicted; He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net. He crouches, he bows down, And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones. He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.”

 

That is precisely what Adonijah is doing.

And you will notice that there were some who recognized his evil plot.

 

(8) “But Zadok the priest, Behaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.”

 

There were those who saw through his little plan, and would not help,

But it did not stop Adonijah.

HE WAS FILLED WITH ARROGANCE.

• Because he was beautiful…

• Because he was the oldest…

• Because he thought he could get away with it…

He willingly sought to usurp the plan of God and the throne of David.

And it appears as though it is working.

 

The Evidence of Arrogance

#2 THE EFFECT OF ARROGANCE

 

At this point in the story, Nathan realizes what is going on.

READ: 1 Kings 1:11-12

 

Nathan goes to Bathsheba and gives her some counsel.

 

In short, she is to go in to King David and ask him if he really intended to make Solomon King, and then to inform him of all that Adonijah is doing.

 

And while she is giving this report,

Nathan will come in an confirm her words to the king.

 

And this is precisely what they did.

 

Now David vows to Bathsheba that Solomon will be king,

And notice what he does.

 

READ: 1 Kings 1:33-35

 

Now that is the way to become King.

 

Later that day, as all the commotion of Solomon’s coronation would break out, Adonijah and his guests were in the middle of their celebration.

 

READ: 1 Kings 1:41-43

 

He is so arrogant, he can’t imagine anyone else undoing what he has done.

 

Well, once the news spreads what David has done,

All of Adonijah’s followers flee

And Adonijah runs to the temple and takes hold of the horns of the altar.

 

Solomon then offers mercy.

READ: 1 Kings 1:52-53

 

NOW IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED THERE.

Adonijah should have learned his lesson.

 

But arrogance has a way

Of not letting a person accept disappointment.

 

So, after David dies, Adonijah tries it again.

 

READ: 1 Kings 2:13-25

 

And now you see the effects of arrogance.

All because Adonijah was unwilling to accept God’s will,

And thought he deserved better.

 

It is no wonder that when Solomon penned the book of Proverbs,

He made so much reference to arrogance.

He had seen firsthand the effects or pride and arrogance on a life.

 

Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.”

 

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.”

 

Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.”

 

Proverbs 25:6-7 “Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of great men; For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.”

 

Jesus taught this very same truth.

Luke 14:7-11 “And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

In fact, the New Testament also teaches:

1 Peter 5:5 “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

 

In our lives we must understand something.

God is God, and He is the sovereign ruler over this world.

 

• When creating this world, He did not ask for your input.

• While sustaining this world, He does not ask for your help.

• He does not need your advice, nor does He require your counsel.

 

In fact in Romans we just learned:

Romans 11:34 “For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?”

 

 

 

The Lord said through Isaiah:

Isaiah 55:8-11 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

 

God does not need your help, nor does He ask for it.

All God asks is that you humble yourself

Under His mighty hand and trust His word.

 

This is the one thing that Adonijah would not do.

He could not help but think that God had made a mistake

And so he took matters into his own hands.

 

This morning, as we begin our study,

I want to ask you to do what Adonijah would not,

 

Humble yourself under the mighty had of God.

Seek His will for your life.

And follow His will whatever that might be.

 

And that begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

Do you realize that there is no more arrogant decision you can make than the decision to reject Jesus?

 

Not only are you rejecting God’s ordained plan of salvation,

But you are also saying you can do it on your own without any help.

 

And that is arrogance which will end in destruction.

• Only Jesus lived a sinless life…

• Only Jesus shed His blood for you…

• Jesus is the ONLY way for salvation…

 

This morning humble yourself under God’s mighty plan,

And let God exalt you at the proper time.

 

James 4:6-10 “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

 

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’”

 

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.”

 

Where to Stand

Philippians 4:1-9

January 19, 2014

 

One of the things we are all aware of in our day and culture

Is that Christianity is under attack.

 

We have not yet experienced these attacks in a physical sense here in America, but certainly we know that the ideologies of true Biblical Christianity are being attacked.

 

It is a regrettable reality in our world that many have lost sight

Of exactly what Christianity is supposed to look like.

 

To call yourself a “Christian” in today’s culture is such an open ended term that many people still won’t know what you are talking about.

 

In our day we see “Christians” who:

• Feel no need to attend church

• See no need for practical holiness

• Deny the relevance and authority for Scripture

• Embrace the possibility of salvation in other religions

• Follow teaching meant only to bring prosperity to self

• Reject doctrine and follow experience

• Etc. etc. etc.

 

No doubt in your desire to follow Christ

You have at one time or another in life become frustrated with others

Who call themselves “Christian” and yet do not resemble

What Scripture calls a Christian in any regard.

 

And so naturally the Scripture calls us to stand for true Christianity

 

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

 

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

 

Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

 

Ephesians 6:11-13 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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.

 

Philippians 1:27 “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;”

 

Colossians 2:5 “For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.”

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

 

2 Thessalonians 2:15 “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”

 

1 Peter 5:12 “Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!”

 

Jude 3-4 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

 

We are called to stand for the truth, and to stand for Biblical Christianity.

 

But before we are able to stand for Biblical Christianity,

We first have to make sure we have a good handle on what it is.

 

WHAT ARE THE IRREDUCIBLE MINIMUMS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?

What are the Christian “bare necessities”?

 

• Certainly we can’t just listen to our own passions…

• Certainly we can’t just define Christianity by what we think it is…

• We must look to Scripture to find this answer

 

Well, Paul does a wonderful job in helping us answer those questions.

What we have in these 9 verses is a list

Of the irreducible minimums of the Christian life.

 

Paul makes that clear in verse 1

“Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”

 

• Obviously you see Paul’s AFFECTION for the Philippians, twice calling them

“beloved”

 

• Obviously you see Paul’s ATTRACTION to the Philippians, calling them his

“joy”

 

• And you see Paul’s APPRECIATION to the Philippians, calling them his

“crown” indicating that they are his reward for a hard run race.

 

Without a doubt Paul is concerned about this church.

 

So it is important to Paul that he make sure that the Philippians

Fully understand what is expected of them.

 

So he says, “in this way stand firm in the Lord”

 

He is not just talking about how to stand (we see that in Ephesians 6),

But he is talking about WHERE TO STAND.

 

In other words, you may compromise in some areas, but not these areas.

The realities I’m about to reveal to you are non-negotiable,

They are the irreducible minimums of the Christian life.

 

This is where you must drive your stake in the ground

This is a hill on which to die.

 

There are 6 of them.

The Christian:

#1 LIVES IN HARMONY

Philippians 4:2-3

 

Another way to put this is “unity”.

We are to stand for unity in the body.

 

Ephesians 4:1-3 “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

 

Unity or harmony is not an optional reality in Christianity.

It is not a bonus – It is a necessity.

 

Our culture has done more to embrace personal freedom

Than any other culture before us.

 

We are a people obsessed with our own personal rights.

And if you want a fight, just try to take those rights away.

(speech, guns, etc.)

 

And while I love my personal freedoms, I do understand that

These can certainly get in the way of my harmony with others.

 

Galatians 5:13-15 “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.”

 

Insisting on personal rights and preferences

Is a quick way to kill harmony with those around you.

 

But living in harmony with other believers is not an option.

 

• We saw that in chapter 2 where Paul continually told us to

“consider others as more important than ourselves”

 

• And we see it here as Paul says, “live in harmony”.

SO LIVING IN HARMONY IS NOT AN OPTION

(obviously doctrine and theology matters, we are only talking about issues of style)

 

And that is seen here in Paul’s public confrontation of two women.

“I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.”

 

We don’t know who either one of these ladies was.

• However, since in verse 3 Paul seems to include them in his list of “fellow workers” it is not far-fetched to wonder if these ladies weren’t there from the beginning.

 

• At the very least these were two important or leading women in the Philippian church.

 

And these ladies had issue with one another.

• Now, it is fair to assume that the issue wasn’t doctrinal, or else Paul most certainly would have addressed the doctrine and even sided with one or the other.

• No, this is a rift, a feud, a petty fight

• These two women just didn’t get along.

 

Maybe their personalities clashed…

Maybe they disagreed on music styles…

Maybe their kids competed in school…

 

Who knows, but whatever it was, this women did not get along.

And their contention threatened the ministry of the church.

 

And so Paul publicly (and I’m sure embarrassingly)

Called these women out by name.

 

They needed to get over it and “live in harmony”

 

And you will notice in verse 3 that this was NOT just a personal issue.

“Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”

 

People often wonder who “true companion” is.

The best explanation is that the Greek word for “true companion”

Should be left untranslated.

 

The Greek word is SUZOGUS and it means “true companion”

 

Most likely Paul was speaking to a man named Suzogus who was probably an elder or deacon of the church. And Paul wanted this man to “help these women” accomplish the goal.

 

The point is that it is not ok for people in the church

To be in the midst of a feud or discord.

After all didn’t Jesus say?

John 17:22-23 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

Or

 

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

 

Being at odds with a brother or sister in Christ is not acceptable.

Harmony is an irreducible minimum.

 

We are to stand firm against disharmony

And we are to help those who have fallen into to it to fix it.

 

And incidentally that does not mean choosing to avoid each other

Hebrews 10:24-25 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

 

That means the Christian who chooses to skip church and

“worship on his own” is sinning and forsaking the fellowship.

 

A Christian lives in harmony with other Christians.

 

#2 REJOICES REGARDLESS

Philippians 4:4

 

Obviously rejoicing has been one of (if not “the”) major theme of Philippians.

 

A believer is required to “rejoice always” and in case you missed it the first time, “again I will say, rejoice!”

 

• This is an irreducible minimum of Christianity.

• This is an area where we stand firm.

• This is an area where we draw our line in the sand.

And we say, it is not ok for a Christian to live their life without rejoicing.

 

A bitter, angry, ungrateful Christian is in fact a contradiction.

• Have we not been chosen?

• Have we not been forgiven?

• Have we not been redeemed?

• Do we not have an inheritance?

• Are we not secure?

• Is God not promised to work His good pleasure in our lives?

 

Those realities demand rejoicing from a believer.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice always;”

And that rejoicing is not just during the good times.

James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

 

A believer even rejoices in hardships

Because of the deep understanding that God is

Using those hardships to accomplish His purpose in our lives.

 

So whether good or bad, a Christian rejoices.

 

Like Paul who could rejoice while in prison

Because it opened opportunity for others to hear the gospel.

 

Now please understand we are not talking about an emotion here.

We are not talking about a feeling.

(aka “I don’t feel happy” or “that doesn’t make me feel joyful”)

 

We are talking about a mental reality, not an emotional feeling.

 

John MacArthur defined joy like this: “…joy is not a feeling; it is the deep-down confidence that God is in control of everything for the believer’s good and His own glory, and thus all is well no matter what the circumstances.”

(Philippians commentary pg.273)

 

That we understand.

It’s not that my circumstances make me happy,

It is that I can rejoice in the fact that God is control of them.

 

It is similar to the mindset of job,

Who although he lost everything could still fall down and worship God.

 

Who told his wife, “shall we not accept good from the hand of the Lord and not adversity?”

 

Who said:

Job 19:25-26 “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. “Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God;”

 

And this attitude is a non-negotiable.

We are not allowed to let our Christianity be without rejoicing.

 

A True Christian Lives in Harmony & Rejoices Regardless

 

#3 DISPLAYS GRACE

Philippians 4:5a

 

What does Paul mean when he says, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men”?

 

This phrase “gentle spirit” is actually a tough one to translate

As there really isn’t an English word that does it justice.

EPI-EIKES in the Greek

 

Various Bible translations translate it many different ways.

 

The NASB (which I read) translates it “gentle spirit” or “gentle”

 

Others translate it “sweet reasonableness” or “generosity” or “goodwill” or “friendliness” or “magnanimity” or “charity toward the faults of others” or “mercy toward the failures of others” etc.

 

To aid understanding…

 

In two places it is used as a contrast of other attributes.

1 Timothy 3:3 “not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.”

 

1 Peter 2:18 “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.”

 

• Paul used it as the opposite of being “pugnacious” (lit. a fighter)

• Peter used it as the opposite of being “unreasonable”

 

Other places it is used in a list of synonyms

Titus 3:1-2 “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.”

 

There it is used in a list with being “peaceable” and “showing every consideration”

 

For me the best definition for the word

Would be summed up in a statement Jesus made.

 

Matthew 7:12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

 

It simply means to not be an unreasonable fighter,

But to be a considerate, peace loving person

Who is infinitely concerned about others.

 

I just chose to use the word “grace”

That a true Christian should always DISPLAY GRACE

 

Christians are NOT allowed to be rude or mean or violent tempered

Or unreasonable or hard to get along with.

 

Christians must be selfless, forgiving, charitable,

Understanding, kind, friendly.

 

To put it simply, gracious.

After all, it was the very nature of our Lord to be this way.

 

Yes, at times His message was harsh, but He was not.

Matthew 12:18-21 “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM IHAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES. “HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. “A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY. “AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.”

Jesus lived in such a way,

That even the most base and outcast around Him felt hope.

He lived with grace.

 

A Christian Lives in Harmony, Rejoices Regardless, Displays Grace

#4 TRUSTS GOD

Philippians 4:5b-7

 

First Paul reminds us that “The Lord is near”

 

That is not a time reference, but rather a position reference.

The Lord is close by

The Lord is with you

 

That is a vitally important thing to remember.

It allows us to “Be anxious for nothing”

 

Literally, don’t worry.

 

Matthew 6:25-34 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “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. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

 

Worry is the opposite of faith.

Instead of worrying, why don’t you try trusting God?

 

Trust His provision

Trust His protection

Trust His character, nature, and promises

 

The world is where panic is found.(Gentiles seek these things)

Not the Christian.

• Our daily goal is not to store food – God provides food

• Our daily goal is not to secure clothing – God provides clothing

• Our daily goal is righteousness and His kingdom

 

“Be anxious for nothing”

 

Christians are not allowed to get caught up in fear and worry.

Why?

Because “The Lord is near.”

 

So instead of living in fear and worry and anxiety, what do we do?

“but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

 

Instead of worrying we give our problems to God.

We trust Him with the outcome.

We request to Him.

 

We do so in a spirit of gratitude, not in one of discontentment,

But we lay our burdens at His feet.

 

Is this not what Jesus promised?

“Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”?

 

Did Peter not say?

To “cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you”?

 

If a believer can’t trust God

What makes him different from those in the world?

 

And when we do trust, God gives peace.

(7) “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

God gives the peace to sleep with Jesus in the middle of the storm.

A peace “which surpasses all comprehension”

 

In other words it doesn’t make sense to the outside observer.

 

Not only that, but that peace “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

The word for “guard” there is a military term.

The noun form of that word is actually the word for a garrison or fort.

 

2 Corinthians 11:32 “In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,”

 

 

And the Bible says that when you resist anxiety and instead trust God,

He will then guard your “hearts and minds”

 

“hearts” is KARDIA which refers to man’s vital center.

It is all his mental and moral activity.

 

“minds” is NOEMA which refers to thoughts.

 

And the idea is that when you determine to trust God,

He puts a guard over your thoughts to keep you from worrying.

 

He protects you from the anxiety.

(I’ve seen this so much in my life,

Where God just gives a peace in the midst of uncertainty)

 

But the point is that this trust is an irreducible minimum for the Christian.

CHRISTIANS TRUST GOD

 

Live in Harmony – Rejoice Regardless – Display Grace – Trust God

 

#5 CONTEMPLATES TRUTH

Philippians 4:8

 

Paul uses the word “Finally” to bring this thought to a fitting climax.

He is finishing up his thoughts on in what ways we are to stand firm.

 

And here it has to do with our mindset.

You will notice at the end of verse 8 he says, “dwell on these things”

 

That is such an important statement.

 

You cannot separate the importance of thinking and discernment

And mental exercise when it comes to Christianity.

 

In this life we get in trouble when we allow ourselves

To be ruled by our emotions or our experiences.

 

A Christian is called to ponder, analyze, search, study.

 

• We “test everything and hold fast to what is good and abstain from evil”

• We are “transformed by the renewing of our mind”

• We “study to show ourselves approved”

• We “set our minds on things above”

 

THE PROCESS OF THINKING IS IMPORTANT TO CHRISTIANS

 

Paul says

“whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

And I won’t go over the whole list,

For we might find many things that fit various words.

 

However, we only find One who fits them all.

That would be the Living Word who is Christ.

 

We “dwell” on Christ.

And the only place we can do this is in His word.

 

One of the problems with Christianity today,

And one of the reasons for all the misguided Christians

Is a major failure to do this.

 

People have stopped doing the work of dwelling on the word of God.

 

2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

 

Proverbs 2:1-5 “My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.”

 

But make no mistake about it, it is work.

Bible study is not easy.

 

The writer of Proverbs likened it to mining for hidden treasures.

You don’t pull a diamond out of the rock

Without swinging the pick a few times.

 

But Christians must do the work of Bible study.

Why?

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

 

You can’t be like Christ if you don’t know who He is.

You can’t obey the commands if you don’t know what they are.

 

The height of your worship,

Will never out travel the depth of your theology.

 

THE CHRISTIAN CONTEMPLATES TRUTH

They do not let it go – the dwell on it.

 

Lives in Harmony, Rejoices Regardless, Displays Grace, Trust God, Contemplates Truth

#6 PRACTICES OBEDIENCE

Philippians 4:9

 

And this is obvious.

For we are not those who merely hear the word

But refuse to do what it says.

 

James said the man who hears but doesn’t do is deluded about His Christianity.

 

James 1:22 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

 

Paul says, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, PRACTICE THESE THINGS”

 

Christians are those who obey the truth they have learned.

That is an uncompromising attribute of Christianity.

 

For when we walk in obedience “the God of peace will be with you.”

 

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

• Well, ever walk in disobedience?

• Ever feel conviction instead of peace?

 

Ok, then you know exactly what it means.

When you walk inside the will of God, His peace abides on you.

 

And listen, I know we covered a lot and probably moved a little faster over some of these than you wanted to.

 

But I want you to see it in a complete thought.

“in this way stand firm in the Lord”

 

These are the non-negotiables.

These are what makes us Christian.

 

If you lose any one of these,

You are compromising Christianity in a way God did not intend.

 

So we may give on certain areas, but we never give here.

 

• Christians Live in Harmony

• Christians Rejoice Regardless

• Christians Display Grace

• Christians Trust God

• Christians Contemplate Truth

• Christians Practice Obedience

 

If you let any one of them slide, you are not living like a Biblical Christian.

That is what it means to be Christian in this life.

 

Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”