Podcasts about philippian christians

Philippians 4:4-7 The Philippian Christians were facing difficulties on two fronts. They were living in a city known for its coarseness and hostility to the Gospel. They were also having inner conflicts which threatened their very existence. False teachers were a threat to the Gospel (3:17-19), and disagreements among believers were a threat to their testimony in a hostile world. The secret to the "peace of God" (4:7) from the "God of peace" (4:9) is determined by how one thinks.

The Philippian Christians were facing difficulties on two fronts. They were living in a city known for its coarseness and hostility to the Gospel. They were also having inner conflicts which threatened their very existence. False teachers were a threat to the Gospel (3:17-19), and disagreements among believers were a threat to their testimony in a hostile world. The secret to the "peace of God" (4:7) from the "God of peace" (4:9) is determined by how one thinks.

Paul's letter to the Philippian Christians was intensely personal. It had been some ten years since Paul had started this first church on European soil. Paul, in his Roman captivity, had learned of the persecution in which the church was suffering. He used his present situation to encourage his fellow believers to live victoriously in their plight. In order to grasp Paul's passion for the ministry, let us dig deeply into his thoughts using methods of Bible study: Exegesis: the act of drawing out the meaning of a specific text to determine what the author originally intended to communicate Hermeneutics: concerns interpretation; establishing principles or rules for understanding and interpreting texts Homiletics: the art and science of preaching, specifically the study of composing and delivering sermons

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:4-5). Paul begins to wind down his letter to the Christians in Philippi by returning to his opening theme. In the first few chapters, he has told us of the mindset of Jesus (i.e. humbling himself to the cross and submitting himself to the Father alone rather than his own recourse). Paul wrote how he sought to live out of this mindset of Jesus. He also included how the Philippian church and those within it experiencing fights and division (like Euodia and Syntyche) should live out that Jesus-mindset, as Kyra elaborated on yesterday. Having said all this, Paul returns to the theme of joy. This is where he began by mentioning his joyful prayers for the Philippian Christians. He was thankful for their partnership in the Gospel and for God's work in them that God would see to completion. Now he invites the Philippians into the same prayer saturated with joy. Today let's reflect on the joy. An antidote to the mistrust of fellow Christians that breeds division like that between Euodia and Syntyche is a healthy joy in the Lord. In the angel's Christmas announcement to the shepherds, they said, the Gospel is “good news of great joy for all people”. When our joy evaporates or is replaced by fear, doubts, or suspicions, it is an indicator that our own heart needs tending in the presence of God. Only then can we engage fruitfully again with fellow Christians.  We need to receive again the good news of great joy in our hearts. Then, as we encounter others, what spills out of us is a joyful, Gospel word. How do we do that? Let me suggest a few ways. One is simply by practicing. If we don't feel joyful, we should rejoice and giving thanks to God anyway. It's often the case that working a habit like rejoicing, even when we aren't in the mood for it, can serve to usher our emotions gently along until we do begin to feel it. We can use the last few Psalms to get started. Another way to find joy in the Lord is to remember that “the Lord is near.” Even when everything else might feel like its coming undone or when it feels like there are enemies all around—a recognition of the presence of God in that place can change things.  Even valleys of death's shadow can be transformed into an experience of God's care and provision when we remember that he is there, too. Meditation on Psalms 23 or 121 are helpful here. A third way to renew our joy is simply by talking to God.  We call that prayer. But that's for tomorrow. This kind of joy in Christ enables us to make known the mind of Christ to those around us. The Greek word translated as gentleness can also mean forbearance or tolerance. A willingness to let things go or to delay our reaction or desire for retribution. Doing so offers a gracious, merciful forbearance as God has done for us.  Again, we can do this because the Lord, who has displayed his gentle forbearance with us, is near.  It's a cause of joy. A cause for taking on the same mindset. So, rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So, you too should be glad and rejoice with me (Philippians 2:16b-18). We are still following Paul's reflections on ‘working out our salvation with fear and trembling'. This phrase does not mean nervous apprehension with which the guilty face a judge. Rather, it expresses the awe that we experience in the presence of God. Now we discover that this fear and trembling includes joy; the deep, foundational joy of the Christian life. The salvation process in which we participate along with the Holy Spirit is worked out in all circumstances, even in pain, suffering, loss, death, prison, uncertainty, perplexity. It is not that we are glad for the pain, but we know the suffering is temporary and God is at work within it. So, even during unpleasant circumstances we know the ‘joy of our salvation' (Psalm 51:12). This joy does not ignore the suffering of loss or the darkness of depression. It does not suggest that every Christian should be happy every day. Rather, it comes with the sacrifices we willingly make for the sake of the gospel. It is the joy that comes when our sacrifices result in others entering the shalom of God's kingdom. In Hebrews we read, “For the joy set before him, [Jesus] endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:2). Our salvation was wrought through the shame and suffering of this cross. Christ's suffering also stands as an example for us to follow. He endured the torture, at least in part, because he knew the joy salvation would bring to us. Likewise, we are called to suffer for the sake of the gospel because of the joy it will bring to others. Here is an element of the Christian faith that we may resist. My parents speak of the sacrifices they made to establish churches and Christian schools and to send out missionaries. They would go without for the sake of the kingdom. Have you made such a sacrifice? Take some time to reflect on this. Let the Holy Spirit speak truth to you. The Philippians have done much and sacrificed much to aid Paul in his proclamation of the gospel; he names this “the sacrifice and service coming from your faith”.   In Leviticus, there are several passing references to a ‘drink offering', commonly understood as a small and final offering. It was still common practice in pagan rituals in Paul's day. He alludes to his potential death as but ‘a drink offering' added to all the sacrifices the Philippian Christians have made for the gospel in the process of “working out their salvation with fear and trembling”. He will be glad to give his life for the sake of the gospel in addition to all that the Philippians have given. Paul views the Philippians' continued obedience and steadfastness amid persecution as an offering to God of greater worth than the offering of his own apostolic labors—labors that may end in his death. We have no animals to bring but we do have a sacrifice acceptable to God. The gift of a life of obedience—character-building, holiness and witness—the life to which our faith prompts us. This is our priestly service to God. May we all joyfully offer it to him. As you contiue to work out your salvation, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:18-21). Yesterday, Kyra adeptly explored Paul's ability to rejoice in the proclamation of the gospel, even when that proclamation comes from impure motives. This rejoicing leads him to reflect on his current situation: imprisonment for the gospel. He expects deliverance by either of two means: release from prison or death. It doesn't matter which. Both are a good end if he does not bring shame to Christ. Is Paul being flippant about his life? Does his life have only marginal value? Not in the least! To understand this, we remember the first great commandment, “love the Lord our God will all of our being” (Mark 12:30). This includes our bodies. Secondly, we recall Jesus words in Luke 9:23, “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Since he met Jesus on the road to Damascus Paul has been practicing this kind of life. He has been dying and rising with Christ. Daily denying himself. Daily loving God with his body. Daily facing death for and with Jesus. Daily experiencing Christ's new life. His life hinges on his Lord's death and resurrection. Having daily lived this kind of life, Paul is convinced that through the prayers of the Philippian Christians and the Holy Spirit, God will deliver him, either by release from prison or by death. Following Jesus, Paul has daily picked up his own cross—a thorn in the flesh, enduring suffering and hardship, bearing grief, tending to difficult relationships, repenting from sin. In this work of dying to self: relinquishing control, admitting weakness, grieving well, turning from sin, offering forgiveness and blessing to enemies—Paul has learned what it means to face death well. To face it, indeed, with hope and trust that the Spirit works to bring the new life and fruitfulness of Christ in every circumstance. As he writes in 2 Corinthians 4:10-11, “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.” That's how Paul lived. Paul knows the Lord may secure his release from prison. Even so, he will die soon. He knows that. He is an old man. But, since he has lived for many years, picking up his cross daily, dying to himself with Christ, and thereby, discovering the new life of Christ in his own body, he can rejoice. He has discovered that dying to self always leads to new life in Jesus. The future holds no fear for him: he will keep living for Christ or gain all the glories promised for believers. An old Christian tradition says that the role of the church is to prepare us for a good death. When we live for ourselves, life is always too short. There is never enough time to satisfy our itches. Death cannot be good. When we live for Christ by dying to self, then life and death are not so different. Then physical death is just another way of dying to self to be filled with the life of Christ. Do you live in this way? Do you already now practice for a good, Christian death? If not, you can start today. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

Maybe you feel like you're alone making major decisions or struggling through transitions, changes, and challenges. And if so, you might wonder, “Where is God?” Is God on the sidelines, judging how well you're doing or does God jump in and do it all for us? God cares about this world and God has chosen to change individual people, to give them life by the Holy Spirit, so that as God's people, the church can be the change that God wants to bring about in this world.   God empowers, energizes, puts in us new desires and new abilities, but it's not coercive.  God has begun a work in us and God will continue that work and at the same time, Paul repeatedly encourages the Philippian Christians to choose to live the way God is calling them to live. 

Maybe you feel like you're alone making major decisions or struggling through transitions, changes, and challenges. And if so, you might wonder, “Where is God?” Is God on the sidelines, judging how well you're doing or does God jump in and do it all for us? God cares about this world and God has chosen to change individual people, to give them life by the Holy Spirit, so that as God's people, the church can be the change that God wants to bring about in this world.   God empowers, energizes, puts in us new desires and new abilities, but it's not coercive.  God has begun a work in us and God will continue that work and at the same time, Paul repeatedly encourages the Philippian Christians to choose to live the way God is calling them to live. 

I recently heard a story of a young couple who began to feel that their well-funded, organized, all-American lifestyle was starting to feel empty and meaningless.  So, they decided to have children, which ultimately didn't work out, as they could not conceive.  The next step for them was taking care of foster children and then adopting a couple of their foster kids.  Along the way of working in the foster care system, though, they recognized an ongoing problem:  most of the young, single mothers who were losing their kids to foster care did not have the ability or resources to do anything for themselves and improve their lives.  They began to form a plan for how they might affect a change to this problem.             The couple came up with an idea: they would open their home to the foster system, but instead of just taking in a child with an at-risk mother, they would bring the mother, with her child, into their home for the long term!  They would nurture and care for the child and nurture, support, and train the young mother to care for her own child.  This was an intrusive, complicated, expensive, and life-changing decision on their part – and they were convinced this was what God was calling them to do!             Their experience with the young mother they 'adopted' and the mother's baby was heartwarming.  It was busy and expensive, of course, and interrupted their home life more than they could have imagined.   But the positive results were priceless.  They formed a forever bond with the young mother and her child and helped her navigate young motherhood.  Too, when the young mother began to respond to their nurture and instruction, she grew and matured and took on characteristics that would benefit her and her child for the rest of their lives.  Another thing:  the young couple performing this 'ministry' to a young family were growing in their faith due to how God worked through their efforts and prayers. As the mother said, she spoke of how she felt God's presence in her life, "I'm just loving him more and more each day."   What a lesson in real-life ministry!  When people give of themselves in ministry, they benefit those they serve and grow in their faith as they serve others, open their lives to those in need, and trust in God for strength and guidance. This is precisely what the Bible teaches!             In the book of I Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul speaks of how God had worked in these very ways.  The Christians in Philippi had given to his ministry, and when Paul worked in the distant city of Thessalonica, peoples' needs were met, they were nurtured in their faith, and those who worked the ministry were blessed.  Paul wrote this, first in Philippians 4: 15-16, "And you also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from 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."  Paul here commends the Philippian Christians for their giving to his missionary efforts in Thessalonica.  Later, in his letter to the new Christians, he wrote, "You also became imitators of us. . . so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia."  I Thessalonians I:6-7.  Paul commended the Philippian Christians for giving to the ministry in Thessalonica. He then commended the Thessalonian Christians, who had received generous gifts from the Philippians because they had grown in the faith and were great witnesses of the power of the Gospel!              When you give, others are healed; when you give, you are also healed.  This is just one of the reasons God wants us to give to others all our gifts and possessions!              Please give – that God might work in your lives and the lives of others – it is part of God's plan for his people.   Your support is invaluable in spreading the message of our ministry. By sharing our podcasts with your friends and family, you play a significant role in building a community of believers who find strength in our shared faith. We sincerely appreciate your contributions and urge you to inspire others to join us in this mission. Your involvement is significant and integral to our ministry's success, helping to keep our community connected and thriving.   Your financial contributions are the backbone of our ministry. They enable us to run outreach programs, maintain our facilities, and provide resources for our community. Your generosity is a testament to your commitment to our mission, and we deeply value your role in making this ministry a reality. Your contributions are used with transparency and accountability, making a real difference in the lives of those we serve. You can contribute here https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   To stay updated on all things FBC, download our App here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms are not just for information but also for engagement. 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Rather than focusing on perfection, we should pursue what is right and abide in God's grace. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org! ~~~ What changes do you need to make this NEW year? Some of mine are obvious, others might not be so easy to see. I'm not talking about resolutions, but with each NEW day, we are given an opportunity to CHOOSE to take steps toward change we want to see in every area of our life. The new year is a great time to self examine a bit and look back at where you've been, maybe hold up a mirror and see where you are and then pray about where God would have you be or even go! Caution! This is a process that often requires you to be mean to yourself just a bit. Seriously! We settle into comfortable rhythms and routines, which could be doing more harm than good. We desire physical health, joy and fulfillment in our work and at home, spiritual maturity, community and authentic relationships but we aren't taking the steps to MOVE in the direction to get there! When your car is out of alignment, you know it. You have to work harder to keep it between the lines. It's pulling one way and you keep bringing it back to center. In the same way, when something is out of sync in your LIFE, you know it. But often we keep living with it that way. We choose to ignore it, which leads us to gradually drift off course and the constant pull and stress of it all wears us down. There are changes you know you need to make right now that you can see and then there are changes you need to make you maybe can't see. Thankfully, the one who knows you and loves you best can not only reveal what those are but He will give you the grace and strength you need to take the steps that lead to change. Philippians 3:12-16 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Paul was in prison when he wrote this encouragement to the Philippian Christians! And he still had a perspective of pressing on and taking HOLD of all God had called him to. He wanted to finish well. He was focused. He was disciplined. He wasn't pulled to the right or left. He knew the direction he was headed. He would not be paralyzed by his past or discouraged by the present. He saw beyond it. He had a kingdom perspective. His purpose was clear because it had been revealed through Christ Jesus. Paul was far from perfect, but he didn't focus on that! He focused on what he knew to be true and he kept taking the steps he needed to press on. That's where discipline comes in. You move when you don't feel like it. You stand firm when those around you are falling away. You make changes in areas of your life you need to make to honor God in all you do. Paul took the step of aligning his life to God's way and God's word.  He took the step of pursuing righteousness. Even in prison, he took the step of NOT complaining and NOT giving up. He lived his life for Jesus alone and in doing so he encourages you and I today to do the same. That's the truth. It's not about perfection, it's pressing on each and every day pursuing what is right and as we do, we'll begin to see change in our life as we abide in God's grace along the journey. I'm Lori Cline.

Philippians was written during Paul's first Roman Imprisonment and is known as a 'Prison Letter,' along with Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. The Church at Philippi had sent Paul a gift by way of Epaphroditus, their messenger. Epaphroditus had become sick in Rome and the Philippian Christians were concerned about him. The theme of the book is "joy," or "rejoicing in the Lord." The word 'joy' in its various forms occurs 16 times. There were also perils to watch for, because there were enemies of the church, both inside and outside. Paul warns the Philippians of the present dangers of a self-seeking attitude and an attitude of pride, both of which could lead to harmful divisions. FaithLife Christian Ministries: Download our Free App: https://get.theapp.co/hghq Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/faithlife-christian-ministries/id1606442323 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithlifecm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithlifecm?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== X: https://x.com/faithlifecm Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithlife-christian-ministries-82ab77191/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FaithLifeChristianMinistries Website: https://faithlifecm.com Donate: https://subsplash.com/u/faithlifechristianminist/give

Philippians was written during Paul's first Roman Imprisonment and is known as a 'Prison Letter,' along with Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. The Church at Philippi had sent Paul a gift by way of Epaphroditus, their messenger. Epaphroditus had become sick in Rome and the Philippian Christians were concerned about him. The theme of the book is "joy," or "rejoicing in the Lord." The word 'joy' in its various forms occurs 16 times. There were also perils to watch for, because there were enemies of the church, both inside and outside. Paul warns the Philippians of the present dangers of a self-seeking attitude and an attitude of pride, both of which could lead to harmful divisions. FaithLife Christian Ministries: Download our Free App: https://get.theapp.co/hghq Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/faithlife-christian-ministries/id1606442323 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithlifecm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithlifecm?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== X: https://x.com/faithlifecm Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithlife-christian-ministries-82ab77191/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FaithLifeChristianMinistries Website: https://faithlifecm.com Donate: https://subsplash.com/u/faithlifechristianminist/give

Philippians was written during Paul's first Roman Imprisonment and is known as a 'Prison Letter,' along with Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. The Church at Philippi had sent Paul a gift by way of Epaphroditus, their messenger. Epaphroditus had become sick in Rome and the Philippian Christians were concerned about him. The theme of the book is "joy," or "rejoicing in the Lord." The word 'joy' in its various forms occurs 16 times. There were also perils to watch for, because there were enemies of the church, both inside and outside. Paul warns the Philippians of the present dangers of a self-seeking attitude and an attitude of pride, both of which could lead to harmful divisions. FaithLife Christian Ministries: Download our Free App: https://get.theapp.co/hghq Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/faithlife-christian-ministries/id1606442323 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithlifecm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithlifecm?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== X: https://x.com/faithlifecm Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithlife-christian-ministries-82ab77191/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FaithLifeChristianMinistries Website: https://faithlifecm.com Donate: https://subsplash.com/u/faithlifechristianminist/give Table Talk with Yvette Gallinar: https://www.instagram.com/yvette_gallinar/ https://www.facebook.com/yvettegallinar https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/table-talk-with-yvette-gallinar/id1729036339 https://rumble.com/user/tabletalkwithyvettegallinar https://x.com/Yvettegallinar https://www.youtube.com/@tabletalkwithyvettegallinar

Philippians was written during Paul's first Roman Imprisonment and is known as a 'Prison Letter,' along with Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. The Church at Philippi had sent Paul a gift by way of Epaphroditus, their messenger. Epaphroditus had become sick in Rome and the Philippian Christians were concerned about him. The theme of the book is "joy," or "rejoicing in the Lord." The word 'joy' in its various forms occurs 16 times. There were also perils to watch for, because there were enemies of the church, both inside and outside. Paul warns the Philippians of the present dangers of a self-seeking attitude and an attitude of pride, both of which could lead to harmful divisions. Message Points: 1. Be United in Spirit 2. Be Humble and Selfless 3. Obedience is Paramount 4. Quit Complaining FaithLife Christian Ministries: Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/faithlife-christian-ministries/id1606442323 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithlifecm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithlifecm?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== X: https://x.com/faithlifecm Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithlife-christian-ministries-82ab77191/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FaithLifeChristianMinistries Website: https://faithlifecm.com Donate: https://subsplash.com/u/faithlifechristianminist/give

Listen along as Mike Gaston teaches through Philippians 4:1-3. Notes//Quotes: Phil 4:1-3 - Zyler   Slides Philippians 4   Slide 1   Big Idea:   Our understanding of beautiful theological truth must be accompanied by healthy personal relationships.   An application of powerful theology (v 1)   An intervention for healthy relationships (v 2-3)     Slide 2    JPEG of Selah Suite wall coming by email     Slide 3   For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?  For you are our glory and joy.   1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 Slide 4   “The Greek word for crown … was commonly used to denote the festive garland, worn as a sign of gladness, or the wreath awarded to the victor of the athletic contest. If the metaphor is to be applied here, it means that the Philippian Christians would be regarded as his ‘reward,' the seal of his apostleship … at the last day, the triumph of grace would be seen in the perseverance of the saints to the inexpressible joy of their spiritual mentors.” Ralph P. Martin     Slide 5   Two pics of Gettysburg, side by side, coming by email               Slide 6   “Paul's willingness to call out two women when he knew the letter would be read to the whole congregation demonstrates the fact that he cared more about the unity of the church than about the church having a superficial, “everything is going to be alright” sentimental warmth. Paul's most joyful letter expresses his willingness to do the hard work of pursuing unity rather than just papering over problems… Paul tells them to agree in the Lord. And he urges the church to help them. He doesn't say, “Hey everyone else, stay out of it. It's none of your business!” He expects the church to be involved in bringing about reconciliation. Why? Because of the gospel. The church is made up of the servants of the Lord. We are servants of Jesus Christ. We should be of the same mind because we love the same God. We believe in the same Jesus. We're indwelled by the same Spirit. Reconciliation isn't easy, but pursuing it says something about the power of the gospel. So let's be Christians who are so steeped in grace that we pursue unity in the church and with other people. Let's be willing to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work of reconciliation or to get involved and help other people reconcile because we want people to see what it looks like when grace reigns supreme.” Trevin Wax, The Gospel Coalition   Slide 7 “People know Jesus, not just by what we say, but how we live. The way we serve one another, love one another, bear with one another, rejoice with one another, weep with one another, everything we do with one another is either evidence for or against the reality of the Gospel. In the 3rd Century, Christian Theologian Tertullian recorded how the pagans surrounding the church in North Africa exclaimed, “See how these Christians Love one another!” Love has been, and always will be, the sign of Christian maturity and evidence of the Gospel.    Andrew McClure   Slide 8   Big Idea:   Our understanding of beautiful theological truth must be accompanied by healthy personal relationships.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippian Christians telling them how to pray right, what to think about, and how to live, to experience the God of peace.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippian Christians telling them how to pray right, what to think about, and how to live, to experience the God of peace.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippian Christians telling them how to pray right, what to think about, and how to live, to experience the God of peace.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippian Christians instructing them how to deal with their worries.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippian Christians instructing them how to deal with their worries.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Philippian Christians instructing them how to deal with their worries.

Welcome to Day 2335 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Philippians-10 The Cure for Anger and Anxiety – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/11/2023 Joy in Sharing – The Cure for Anger and Anxiety Philippians 4:1-9 Last week, we focused on Standing Firm without Standing Still in a message titled Hanging Tough and Looking Up. Today, we begin the last section of Philippians, Joy in Resting, and specifically focus on how we often fight for peace /when we have already been given The Cure for Anger and Anxiety. Today's scripture passage is Philippians 4:1-9 on page 1829, in your Pew Bibles. 1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Final Exhortations 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.   In Philippians 4, Paul puts the finishing touches on his symphonic “Ode to Joy” with a soaring, moving, inspiring conclusion. Some of the most quoted, best-loved passages of Scripture are found in Philippians 4—as are a few obscure lines. We also get a sneak peek into the lives of some Philippian Christians and their real-life conflict. In this final chapter, Paul argues that there is joy in resting. He includes perhaps the finest passage on contentment in all the Scriptures, and this contentment is the essence of joyful living amid a restless world. Whether the cause of our unrest is disunity (4:1–3), anxiety (4:4–7), lack of peace (4:8–9), discontent (4:10–13), or need (4:14–19), Paul encourages believers to find Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered joy in resting in God, and God alone. “Stand firm in the Lord!” (Stay True to the Lord NLT) With this command, Paul begins to wrap up his letter to the Philippians. But what does it look like to “stand firm”? Psalm 1:3 describes this well:  They are like...

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:4-5)   We are back to finish off the letter to the Philippians now that our Vibrant Weekend and Prayer Guide have finished up!  We find ourselves flipping a new page in the Philippian letter.  Paul has taken the first few chapters to tell us of the mindset of Jesus (i.e. humbling himself to the cross and submitting himself to the Father alone and not to his own recourse), how he himself has sought to live out of this same mindset of Jesus, and how the Philippian church and those within it experiencing fights and division (like Euodia and Syntyche) should live out that Jesus-mindset too. Having said all that, Paul returns to the theme of joy.  This is also where he began back in chapter one as he told of his praying in joy for the Philippian Christians, thankful for their partnership in the Gospel and for God's work in them that God himself would see to completion.  Even as Paul rejoiced in his prayers, now he invites the Philippians into the same.  Joy and prayers.  We'll come to the praying part tomorrow.  Today it's enough to talk about joy.  One of the most significant antidotes to the mistrust of our fellow Christians that breeds division like that between Euodia and Syntyche, is a healthy sense of the joy of the Lord.  If we remember the angel's announcement to the shepherds that we heard last week: the Gospel is good news of great joy for all people.  If we somehow recognize that our joy is gone or has been replaced by fear, doubts, or suspicions, it is an indicator that our own heart needs tending in the presence of God before we can engage fruitfully again with our fellow Christians.  We somehow need to receive again the good news of great joy in our own hearts so that what spills out of us in encounter with others might also be seen and heard as a joyful, Gospel word.  How do we do that?  Many ways.  One is simply by practicing.  If you don't feel joyful: try rejoicing and giving thanks to God anyway.  It very often is the case that working a habit like rejoicing for an extended period of time, even when we aren't emotionally in the mood for it, can serve to usher our emotions gently along until we do begin to feel it.  Another way to find joy in the Lord once again is to remember and to seek to trust that indeed “the Lord is near.”  Even when everything else might feel like its coming undone or when it feels like there are enemies all around—a recognition of the presence of God in that place can change things.  Even valleys of death's shadow can be transformed into an experience of God's care and provision when we remember that he is there, too.  Of course, a third way to renew our joy is simply by talking to God.  We'll touch on that more tomorrow.  This kind of joy in Christ makes it possible to make known the mind of Christ to those around us.  The word Paul uses to describe it here is “gentleness.”  Another word for that gentleness Paul tells us to make evident to all, is forbearance.  A willingness to let things go or to delay our reaction or desire for retribution.  Doing so offers a gracious, merciful forbearance as God has done for us.  Again, we can do this because the Lord who has displayed his gentle forbearance with us, is near.  It's a cause of joy.  A cause for taking on the same mindset.  So: rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh… (Philippians 3:1-3). As Pastor Anthony mentioned yesterday, the opening words of this chapter echo the beginning of the letter. But they also appear to introduce the second half. When Paul mentions repeating himself, it is not clear whether he is referring to what came before or what comes after. I think it is helpful to remember that this is a letter, not a theological treatise. Paul is not a professor delivering a lecture from a distance, but a pastor writing to a congregation dear to his heart. As Paul begins to address the issue of false teaching, his tone changes. Clearly, he is upset with these people and the things they are teaching. But I think there is more. He is warning the Philippian Christians not to believe these things; it will rob them of their Christian joy. We must recognize that we do not know who these people were. They are not named, nor does Paul give their teaching a specific title. By referring to them as dogs, evildoers, mutilators of the flesh, it is abundantly clear he passionately opposes them. In his day, dogs were not pets, but scavengers, roaming the streets rummaging through garbage in search of food scraps. Often roaming in packs, they could be dangerous. What these people believed will become clearer later in the chapter. For today, it is sufficient to say that they believed in Jesus Christ's saving work, but also that believers needed to adhere to certain elements of the Mosaic laws to be real Christians. The big issue in Philippi was circumcision. For Gentile Christians to be genuine, they needed to get circumcised in the flesh. These teachers denied the sufficiency of the work of Christ; to be righteous before God, one also needed to be circumcised. Paul refuses to give them the dignity of being true followers of Moses. At times, the Israelites had placed such confidence in this physical mark they felt their election was secure even if they worshipped other gods. In response, their prophets reminded them that the physical rite should be symbolic of a deeper commitment. They called this commitment “circumcision of the heart,” and they looked forward to a time when God would circumcise the hearts of his people so that they might be committed to him (Jer. 4:4; cf. 9:25; Deut. 30:6). Paul believes that this time has arrived, and that circumcision of the heart is the critical qualification for entrance into God's new people. Physical circumcision is now irrelevant (Colossians. 2:11-12). Those led by the Spirit are the true circumcision. Paul mentions three things that characterize such people. One, they serve God by his Spirit. The word serve is often translated worship, in that through the Spirit, we ‘offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God' (cf. Romans 12:1). Two, that we boast in Christ Jesus, meaning that we rely totally on the work of Jesus for our salvation. Here is the root of our Christian joy. Our place with God and among his people is settled by our faith in Christ. We don't have to do a thing but believe. This leads to Paul's third point, we put no confidence in the flesh. The reference here is primarily to getting circumcised to be counted among the faithful. But there is probably more. Any stock we place in our pedigree, intellect, spiritual practices, or heritages is ruled out of order. There remains a tendency to put stock in things in addition to Christ. In the past, Christian Reformed folks often questioned the salvation of other Christians because they didn't believe what we believed, nor did they practice the faith the way we did. In challenging these false teachings, Paul desires to bolster both the confidence and the joy of the young believers in Philippi. I encourage you to take some time to consider where you find your joy and comfort. Further, identify some things that you might inadvertently be adding to your faith in Christ.

Most of us don't realize just much of our lives come down to our own personal choices. We have far more power over how we handle our everyday experiences than we give ourselves credit for. Why wouldn't we claim this power so we can better influence our path? Because we subtly and regularly fall into habits of thinking that lull us into a lukewarm and compliant attitude of submission. The Apostle Paul was all about helping us, as his fellow disciples of Christ, challenge the status quo and reset our minds so we can daily think and choose with spiritual clarity. Much of the letter he wrote to the Philippian Christians focused in on the adverse conditions in life and how to think through them. Examining this letter is the first step to better focusing our Christian thinking! The Apostle Paul really loved his fellow Christians at Philippi. While on house arrest under Roman guard, he wrote them a comprehensive letter concerning their Christian growth and development. One of his conclusionary teachings in this letter is found in the commonly read verse of Philippians 4:8. Paraphrased it says, "Finally, whatever is true, honorable, right, pure lovely or of good report, if there is anything excellent or praiseworthy, dwell on these things." This letter to the Philippians is a tutorial on several of the high standards that true discipleship requires. Paul showed us how to handle limiting circumstances by talking about his own imprisonment. He implored all of his brethren to work through their issues in a unified fashion. He focused us on the importance of leaving our old standards of success behind and instead seeking success in a life of sacrifice. These and many other teachings were all in place to address the building up of a mature Christian mind. A special list Paul then gave us the list of things he pointed us to and what we should dwell upon. This was no mere listing of nice things to preoccupied us. This was a list of solid, connected, sequential and spiritually-sound priorities. Dwelling on them meant we were to use them as solid foundation stones of our Christian lives. First on this list was the instruction to dwell on what is true. As we dig more deeply into his teaching, we realize the apostle was pointing us not to general worldly truth, but to godly eternal truth. All of the rest of his “think about this” list had its foundation in this solid beginning. Check out our May 15, 2023 podcast, “We Are What We Think About, So What Are We Thinking About? (Part I)” for more. After comprehensively summarizing the letter to the Philippians, we delve into the meaning of what is true, what is honorable, what is right and what is pure. What we find is the beginnings of a profound and life-altering approach to setting our minds up for true Christian thinking. Join us as we begin to learn what to think about and how to think about it!    

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So, you too should be glad and rejoice with me (Philippians 2:17-18). We are still following Paul's reflections on ‘working out your salvation with fear and trembling'. Or, as Pastor Anthony said yesterday, ‘working out what Christ has worked in'. As we have noted before, ‘in fear and trembling,' does not mean nervous apprehension with which we face a judge when we are guilty of a crime. Rather, this phrase expresses the awe that we experience in the presence of God. Now we discover that this fear and trembling includes joy; the deep, foundational joy of the Christian life. The salvation process in which the Spirit and the Christian both participate is worked out in all circumstances, even in pain, suffering, loss, death, prison, uncertainty, perplexity. It is not that we are glad for the pain, but we know the suffering is temporary and God is at work within it. So, even during unpleasant circumstances we know the ‘joy of our salvation' (Psalm 51:12). In yesterday's devotion, we were brought back to Israel's wilderness wanderings. In today's verses, Paul picks up a different image introduced during those years, namely, sacrifices made to God, especially freewill and thank offerings. We will get to that in a moment. First, these words from the book of Hebrews, “For the joy set before him, [Jesus] endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:2). Our salvation was wrought through the shame and suffering of this cross. However, for the writer of Hebrews and for Paul, the cross is more than just the instrument of salvation. Christ's suffering also stands as an example for us to follow. He endured the torture, at least in part, because he knew the joy salvation would bring to us. Likewise, we are called to suffer for the sake of the gospel because of the joy it will bring to others. Here is an element of the Christian faith that we may have lost touch with. My parent's generation speak of the sacrifices they made to establish churches and Christian schools and to send out missionaries. They often went without because they believed God called them to make sacrifices for his kingdom. Are we willing to make those kinds of sacrifices today? Take some time to reflect on how much you have sacrificed for the sake of the gospel. Let the Holy Spirit speak truth to you. Now, back to the sacrifices of Israel. If you don't know much about them, read the book of Leviticus. After a few chapters, you'll get the picture. The Philippians have done much and sacrificed much to aid Paul in his proclamation of the gospel; he names this “the sacrifice and service coming from your faith”.  In Leviticus, there are several passing references to a ‘drink offering'. It is not well explained, but the common understanding is that these were poured on the altar as a small gift to wrap up the offerings that had been made to God. It was also a common practice in pagan rituals in Paul's day, so the Philippian Christians would have understood his reference. Paul knows that he may soon be executed for the gospel. He alludes to his potential death as but ‘a drink offering' added to all the sacrifices the Philippian Christians have made for the gospel in the process of “working out their salvation with fear and trembling”. He will be glad to give his life for the sake of the gospel in addition to all that the Philippians have given. Paul views the Philippians' continued obedience and steadfastness amid persecution as an offering to God of greater worth than the offering of his own apostolic labors—labors that may end in his death. We have no animals to bring but we do have a sacrifice acceptable to God. The gift of a life of obedience, character-building, holiness and witness—the life to which our faith prompts us. This is our priestly service to God. May we all joyfully offer it to him.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. (Philippians 1:27-30)   Paul had just concluded in the previous verses that “he knew that he would remain and continue with them.”  Now he says something quite different.  Now it's qualified, uncertain.  “Whether or not I come,” he says.  Paul is driving at something deeper here than travel plans.  He does not desire that the faith of the Philippian church should be dependent upon him, but rather upon Christ.  He desires that in the way they suffer and in the way that they contend for the faith of the gospel—as athletes working together side-by-side on one team—that in this, the society and even the persecutors around them might see Christ.   When neighbours look at the Philippian Christians, their witness should not be to Paul or Paul's support, or Paul's strength of faith, but rather to Christ.  This will be the witness, the sign to these others that they might be destroyed.  It's not that the church is to preach this destruction and it's not that the church is to seek to enact it by being cruel or retaliatory toward those that persecute them.  Rather, in the way that these Christians bear their suffering in the same humble way of Christ, they are to witness to the fact that there is something they have in God through Christ that is greater than any threat of life or death that the state or the world around them could hang over them. Older baptismal traditions have a beautiful way of symbolizing this.  There's a old stone baptistry in Philippi where those being baptized would walk down steps into the waters of a running river.  They would take off their old clothes as they descended into the water—a sign of dying to themselves and their old way of life in the death of Christ.  Then, having been baptized, they would walk up the other side out of the water.  On their ascent, they would be given a new white robe signifying the new life of Christ to which they had just been united.  It was a mystery to Caesar and his subjects as to why the Christians could stand and face martyrdom willingly, even with joy.  But the thing is, you just can't scare dead people.  These Christians were already dead in the death of Christ.  They had nothing to fear.  All that was on display within them was the life of Christ then: the joy, peace, patience, and persevering love—all the fruit of the Spirit. We too are baptized saints: baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  To those around us—whether we are suffering or living in relative peace and joy—do they see this clear witness to Christ within us?  That we are a people who live without fear?  That contend together as one for the faith of the gospel?  That live in the fruit of the Spirit and the life of Christ no matter what we face?  Paul's prayer and invitation is that we do.   

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:4-6)   Three interesting tidbits of church life spill out in this second item Paul gives thanks to God for in his prayers for the Philippians.  Firstly, he's giving thanks to God because of the Philippians' partnership in the Gospel.  The word used for partnership is the word often used for community, communion, fellowship, or sharing.  With the Philippians however, it was quite tangible.  They were together in this ministry of spreading the good news of Jesus.  As we hear at the end of the letter: this little church had often supported Paul—right from the very beginning—through gifts and encouragement in times of need as he went about his missionary work.  The Philippians were invested in this spreading of the gospel—partnering as full communion partners in the work of sharing the good news of Jesus.  Secondly, what the Philippians were working out in partnership with Paul, were the very same things that God was working into them.  The Gospel was being knit into the lives of the Philippian church through a sharing in the sufferings of the cross and the joys of the new resurrection life of Jesus: a dying and rising, a taking up the cross and following.  God had once and for all saved these people through Jesus, and through the Spirit, God would continue to sanctify these people into the likeness of Jesus until the day of Christ's return.  Paul was confident of this, and the gospel he preached everywhere confirms it.  As does Jesus in John 5:17, where he says: “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”  Thirdly, when these threads were taken together as the gospel's fruitfulness in the life of the Philippians—for Paul, it was a cause for joy.  Even if church life still had conflicts, even if Paul was in prison and being poured out like a drink offering, even if hardship faced the daily life of the Philippian Christians—even still—God was at work, and what God was working into them was working itself out in a good word about Jesus that they, by their very life, were living. It's true: church life is not always beautiful.  At times we fight.  At times we feel in the cultural minority and rather ineffective.  At times our heroes and leaders in the faith fall or are lost.  But that does not mean that God is not at work or that his church is no longer fruitful.    No matter how dark the situation, there is always a reason for joy and thanks before God.  Because God always carries on his work.  And if God is any God at all: the gospel news of Jesus that he works into us cannot but be fruitful as our life is lived out.  Ultimately, Paul can give joyful thanks and we can too, because the emphasis does not rest finally on our work, but on God's.      

This past Sunday was Easter Sunday!   Praise God we will be gathering as a Waterbrooke family to celebrate the triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over sin and death as He rose victorious from the grave! Our sermon title is "The Power of the Resurrection". We will be studying Philippians 3:7-10 and seeing why the apostle Paul was overjoyed as he wrote this letter even while in prison for Christ.  Paul repeatedly urges the Philippian Christians in this letter to rejoice in the Lord. Why? It is because the resurrection is not just a fact but it is a force for freedom in the life of the Christian. Jesus' resurrection completely frees us from some of the things that leave us joyless because of guilt and shame, fear and disappointment. The Philippian Christians were faced with opposition from the religious forces and the political forces that surrounded them. Yet Paul, who knew both of those pressures in his past and in the present, was free! He was freed by Christ to live for Christ without fear of man or fear of failure.  What about you? Do you have the joy of the Lord this Easter? Do you feel truly free from the pressures without and from the pressures within? Come this Easter and celebrate the Power of the Resurrection. Your life can be completely different than it's ever been because of the resurrection of Jesus. Looking forward to a great celebration together this Sunday morning!

#083 Welcome to Episode #083 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our eleventh mini-series. This mini-series is entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode we're going to overview the book of Philippians which has been noted as one of Paul's most personal letters. Philippians was written by Paul around 62 AD while he was in prison in Rome. In four short chapters Paul gives an account for his prison circumstances and then appeals to the Philippians to have the Mind, Knowledge, and Peace of Christ. When reading it you get the sense that Paul was writing to genuine supporters of his ministry who he hoped to encourage and bring joy into their own adverse circumstances.Paul openly expresses his affection for the Philippian Christians as they have demonstrated consistency in their testimony of Christ and financial and prayerful support for he and his ministry team. He lovingly encourages them to continue their pursuit of both the person and power of Christ through their thoughts and actions.While we are in overview mode, if you've done much work in discipleship, you'll likely recognize many of the passages we'll be going over today. So sit back and enjoy the listen as we get started with Paul's opening salutation. ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_59f113df39ad4a169a7d47667c3ee1e0.pdf

At the beginning ofthe New Year, many people make New Year resolutions which are usually forgotten about in a day or two. The Apostle Paul tells the Philippian Christians how they are to live their lives at all times.

It’s been said that there are two types of people in the world. I’m not talking about the “Haves” and “Have Nots” or introverts and extroverts. There are “Here I am!” people and “There you are!” people. The “Here I am!” people walk into a room with a look-at-me attitude and a mouth full of their accomplishments. But “There you are!” people walk into a room and immediately show genuine interest in somebody else. They inquire about and ask questions to really get to know someone, to make a deep connection. God is in the business of turning “Here I am!” Christians into “There you are!” Christians. In today’s passage, Paul reminds the Philippians they are to treat one another with humility and love, just like Jesus. He begins in verse one with four rhetorical questions reminding the Philippian Christians that, since they have received these things, what follows is how they must behave. Paul says that his joy is complete when believers live in unity with one another (v. 2). But how are they to do that? By becoming “There you are!” people. Paul says that unity comes when each person cares less about themselves and more about the people around them (v. 3). Being humble is a daily choice to give glory to God and credit to others for our accomplishments. It is seeing others as Christ sees you, as someone who has value and importance. One of the best ways you can value one another is by caring about what other people care about (v. 4). Perhaps that means taking an interest in someone else’s hobby or maybe it is really trying to understand someone else’s background and situation. Whatever it may be, try being humble like Jesus and become a “There you are!” person the next time you go somewhere. >> Which type of person are you? Read the next seven verses as Paul describes the attitude Christ had when coming to earth. Allow Him to be your guide on the road to humility.

This Bible study covers a prayer from the Apostle Paul for the Christians in Philippi. In the prayer Paul asks that these Philippian Christians will have love that abounds, that they will discern what is best, and that they will be filled with the fruit of righteousness. This is a prayer for God's Glory in them.

How should Christians relate to beauty and ugliness? For that matter, how should followers of Jesus relate to truth and falsehood? To begin to answer these questions, I look to Philippians 4:5-9 where the Apostle Paul writes about what we think about and how we feel, as well as what our expectation of benefit should be when our hearts and our minds are oriented and calibrated correctly. "Let your reasonableness be known to everyone," he says. And I take this as a mandate to reasoning and logic out loud and in the open. Next Paul reminds the church at Philippi that "The Lord is at hand," and to not be anxious. Instead, we are to present our requests to God "by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving." Then Paul says to think on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. And what if we made the study of all these things a systematic and logical thing within the broader context of love for and devotion to the Almighty? As it turns out, I think this is precisely what historically happened, and that the same explains the rise of advanced sciences in the West in a way those pursuits and their codification did not happen outside the influence of Theology being "the queen of the sciences." Moreover, given such an origin story for the scientific method, the advanced sciences cannot long be sustained in a practically beneficial way except in the context in which they arose - love for God and love for our neighbor. But we must believe that truth, honor, justice, purity, and loveliness - also alternatively known as beauty - are real things that exist in order to think on them, much less make an orderly and productive study of them. This is just another way of saying that this presumption to God's glory is the root of scientific research. So also, what follows in Paul's letter to Philippian Christians about practicing what we have learned, received, and heard, plus the promise of the God of peace being with us, is the basis for practical sciences to the end of developing technology useful to craftsmanship and human flourishing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/support

Series: Building Unity Through a Common MissionService: Sun AM WorshipType: SermonSpeaker: Philip WilliamsThis sermon is from the last half of Philippians 4 where Paul describes the gift that the Philippian Christians had sent him. 

One of the most moving moments in Paul's letters is recorded in the opening verses of Philippians. Paul is in prison. The Philippian Christians have sent word to encourage Paul, to let him know that they are praying for him. What they hear back from Paul is his own words of encouragement to them: God is at work even in this dismal situation of prison. Therefore, do not be afraid. Rev. Tom Are journeys with Paul who has left us these words of encouragement. Our scripture reading is Philippians 1:12-14. Support the show

A Sermon for Palm Sunday Philippians 2:5-11 & St. Matthew 21:1-17 by William Klock Two Gospels in one service!  We began this morning reading St. Matthew's account of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  It wouldn't be Palm Sunday without that Gospel, without waving our own palms as we sing “All glory, laud, and honour”.  This is the Sunday we hail the King.  And then St. Matthew's Passion narrative.  That long reading that we all join in.  The one time of the year when we literally put ourselves in the biblical story.  (Did you know that tradition goes back to the Middle Ages?  Choristers would sing the various parts that today we hand out to members of the congregation.  That tradition was carried on in the Lutheran churches of the Reformation and gave us the great Passion oratorios by the likes of Bach.)  Today's Gospels powerfully show us Jesus and, even if we miss the other services and lessons of Holy Week, they lead us right to Easter.  But they do not stand alone.  As powerful as the readings from St. Matthew are, our Epistle today, the lesson from the second chapter of Philippians, is the lens through which we read the Gospel.  St. Paul tells the same story, but in a very different way.  What's remarkable to me is that what took Matthew two long chapters to tell—we only read the second of those two chapters this morning—what took Matthew two long chapters to tell, St. Paul summarises in a mere thirty-six Greek words as he tells us about the servant-king.  Most scholars think that verses 6-11 of our Epistle were actually an early Christian hymn, maybe even written by St. Paul himself.  Whatever the case, this poem brilliantly and succinctly sums up who Jesus is as it draws on both Israel's story and the story of the whole fallen human race.  It opens the Passion narrative of the Gospel-writers and shows us the theological cogs and gears inside—and, I think most importantly, it tells us what to do with it. In today's Gospel Matthew shows us the King.  For most of us Christians, we know the story, we know that Jesus is a different kind of king than earthly kings, but Palm Sunday comes around every year and makes sure we don't take that for granted.  The lessons ought to prompt us to think about what a king is, because, as St. Paul reminds us today, who Jesus is says something powerful about who we are as his people and what sort of life and character ought to be manifest in us. So what is a king?  What's a king like?  Today we might think of some of the modern kings of the world—or queens.  Today they're mostly figureheads and public servants.  Five years ago, when our own Queen turned ninety, the Bible Society published a commemorative book titled “The Servant Queen and the King She Serves”.  In it the Queen spoke of her faith and how it shapes her role as monarch.  But the title highlights the role we expect of modern monarchs.  Today's kings—or their viceroys—may open Parliament, but they make no decisions.  That's for the legislators.  When there's a war modern kings stay home and work to bolster the morale of their people.  Politicians make declarations of war, generals plan strategy, and soldiers go off to fight.  But ancient kings—kings in Paul's day were very different.  Alexander went off at the head of an army and conquered most of the known world.  The Emperor Augustus headed an army that ended the Roman civil war and brought peace to the empire.  Alexander and Augustus did great things—and because of what they'd accomplished, both believed they had a right to divinity.  They didn't serve God; they were gods.  They claimed that right because they had taken charge, destroyed their enemies, and wrestled whole empires into peace with the threat of further violence.  Why was Rome at peace under Augustus?  Because he'd destroyed his enemies once and any would-be future enemies knew he could probably do it again.  Kings and emperors grasped at divinity, men like Pharaoh and Alexander and Caesar.  Even many of Israel's own leaders in the Old Testament, in Jesus' day, and in Paul's grasped for power—even for divnity in all but name.  Jewish leaders knew better than to claim divinity like the pagan rulers did, but they grasped at the same power that Caesar held and they sought to control the reigns of empire in the hopes of one day climbing to the top of the heap. And yet this was not just the problem of kings or would-be kings.  Brothers and Sisters, this is the problem of the whole human race.  Ever since Adam believed the serpent's lie and grasped at divinity for himself, we humans have been doing the same in one way or another.  We fight, we kill, we steal, we cheat, we do whatever we can get away with to look out for ourselves, to get what we want, to climb to the top of the heap. Look at the book of Genesis.  Adam rebels and in a single generation brother is murdering brother.  Noah comes along in Chapter 6 and his story is introduced by the announcement that the earth was filled with violence.  Noah was the only righteous man left.  And so the Lord destroyed all but Noah and started over.  But even the righteous bear the seed of humanity's fall.  Only a single chapter separates the story of Noah from story of the Tower of Babel.  Once again the human race lost all knowledge of God and sank into pride, idolatry, and sin.  And yet this time the Lord did something different.  Out of the darkness the Lord called Abraham.  The Lord's solution to humanity's problem was to call forth a people for himself, a people who lived in his presence for the life of the whole world, a nation of servants.  Long before Isaiah's song of the Suffering Servant was claimed by Jesus, Israel understood this to be her unique role. But, of course, like Noah in his day, Israel suffered from the same problem as the rest of humanity and so Paul uses this hymn in our Epistle, in Philippians 2, to show us the solution.  Look at Philippians 2:6-8 where Paul writes these words about Jesus. Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  (Philippians 2:6-8) God humbled himself.  Jesus, who the hymn says was in the form of God, who was in some way God himself, emptied himself to take on Adam's flesh and Israel's servant role.  Paul is clear that this doesn't mean that Jesus ceased to be God or that he gave up his divinity in some way.  Just the opposite.  Jesus actually shows us what true divinity looks like.  It doesn't look at all like Adam's grasping or Pharaoh's grasping or Alexander's grasping or Caesar's grasping at power, authority, or divine prerogative.  Instead, true divinity is revealed as God humbles himself for the sake of his rebellious people and offers himself as a sacrifice for their sins.  It's utterly backwards to anything humanity ever expected.  Humans are supposed to offer sacrifices to the gods to placate their anger, but this God—the one, true God—instead offers himself as a sacrifice on our behalf and he does so out of love. Think of today's Gospel.  Jesus was rejected.  At the time, almost no one could accept that this is what divinity looks like, that this is what God would do.  When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the people may have thought it weird that he rode a humble donkey, but they expected him to finally start an uprising—to bash some Roman and Herodian heads and to set things right.  When later that day he flipped the tables in the temple and drove out the merchants, people were sure that this was it.  Jesus was ready to clean house.  But then it didn't happen.  He got the people's hopes up.  Here, finally was the Messiah.  But—apparently—not.  At least that's how most of Jerusalem took it.  Jesus' own people, in anger, cried out for his crucifixion.  As far as they were concerned, he was a blasphemous impostor.  He rode into the city as the Messiah, but then he let everyone down.  Even the servant people themselves could not understand the serving God. And yet, it was there all along in Israel's Scriptures.  Matthew tells us that Jesus' entry into the city on a donkey fulfilled the prophecies of Isaiah and Zechariah.  He cites Zechariah 9:9, but what's interesting is that it's the next verse, Zechariah 9:10 that points to the significance of the donkey.  Matthew's first readers would have known this.  Not knowing the Old Testamant like they did, we probably don't.  Here's what Zechariah writes: I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim          and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off,          and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea,          and from the River to the ends of the earth. The Lord's King would not come in might, but in humility.  He would not come with the cavalry or an army of chariots.  He would not come with a bow, ready to do violence.  Just the opposite—and just as we see in the Gospels.  By humbling himself he would take his throne and bring peace to the nations.  His rejection and death would qualify him for the role and by his resurrection alone would he defeat his enemies and take is throne.  It's right there, but almost no one could see it. But, of course, God knew this and so the hymn turns on verse 9. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:9-11) The people crucified Jesus as a false messiah and God overturned their verdict against him.  Precisely because Jesus had humbled himself and taken on the role of the suffering servant for the sake of his people, God raised him from the grave and exalted him to his right hand—God declared Jesus to be the world's true King so that in time every knee will bow and every tongue confess—that one day everyone will acknowledge that Jesus is creation's Lord—and that in this God will be supremely glorified.  This is how God sets creation to rights, this is how God sets fallen humanity to rights: Not by charging in with a sword, but by submitting himself to the cross—by allowing evil and death to do their worst, by dying himself, so that he can pass through to the other side and leave them powerless over him—and then powerless over all those with him.  This is the new exodus that leads, not through the Red Sea, but through death itself to the life of God. Now, back to verse 5.  Paul doesn't simply tell us this so that we better understand who Jesus is and what he's done.  That's important, but Paul has a very practical reason for writing this to the Philippian Christians.  Remember that who Jesus is, what kind of King he is, tells us what sort of people we are or should be as his subjects.  He writes: Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus… “Have this mind among yourselves.”  Jesus' people are to “have this mind among yourselves”.  That's why he's done what he's done, to solve the problem that began when Adam grasped at divinity for himself.  As we identify with Jesus, we become a part of the renewed servant people of God.  We are forgiven our past grasping, our past selfishness, and are filled with God's own Spirit.  As the Spirit turns our hearts and minds to the self-giving God, we become a people whose chief characteristic is self-giving humility.  As we pass through death to ourselves we come out the other side alive to God.  The Spirit works a miracle in our hearts, he purges us of selfishness, of that powerful desire to grasp at whatever we can for our own benefit, and places in us a desire for God, a desire to please God, a desire to do the things that please God.  In Jesus and the Spirit we finally become that servant people. What does that look like?  Well, it looks like the fruit of the Spirit.  We're the people who should be characterised by love, by joy, by peace, by patience, by kindness, by goodness, by gentleness, and by self-control.  There are all sorts of things that ought to mark out the people of God, but first and foremost, it's these seven fruits of the Spirit by which we should be known.  They don't grow all at once.  The Spirit plants them, but they require cultivation by the means of grace—by the sacraments, by immersion in the word, by prayer, and by fellowship with each other.  They grow.  And the more we put them into practise the more they grow and multiply in us and in our brothers and sisters.  It starts here in the Church.  Brothers and Sisters, Paul wrote these words as an exhortation to the Philippians to be that servant people God has created for the life of the world.  We can't be that people for the world when we aren't first the people for each other in the Church. Here's how he put it to the Ephesians: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  (Ephesians 4:1-3) Even in the Church it's easy to forget who we are in Jesus.  It's easy to act out of selfishness or anger or fear.  It's easy to be impatient with each other.  So, Friends, remember the Servant King.  When you're tempted to act out of anger or fear, when you're tempted by impatience with a brother or a sister, when you've been wronged and all you can think about is righting the injustice, think of our King riding on the donkey, our King mocked and scourged, our King on the cross—for our sake.  There we see humility and gentleness and patience as he bore with his sinful people out of love, eager to reconcile us to himself, eager to establish a new people united in the Spirit.  And it's in that that we see God glorified as never before or since. Let's pray: Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for mankind you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility:  Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

An Upside Down World— Hello and welcome to the show today. Before we dive into our study of Acts 17 today, I'd just like to say how fascinating it is that today in our increasingly god-less society (where belief in the Christian God is being systematically attacked) at the same time you have an ever-increasing awareness that there is a deep brokenness in our world. It doesn't matter who you are talking to or what positions they hold to; what their world-views even are. There is not a person alive who looks at our world today and says "this is exactly how it is supposed to be.” Even those who claim there is no god and who's worldview claims that everything has come about out of chaos, is naturally uncomfortable with that chaos. They crave order; a higher standard. And one might argue that the fact that they are craving for something greater than what we experience in this world is evidence that there is a standard outside of ourselves to which all things were designed to conform to. But many people don't make that logical deduction. Now Christians understand this better than most because the Bible reveals to us that the world was in fact created by a benevolent God; and it was created perfect. However, because of the fall of mankind, the world fell under a curse. And that curse has twisted everything around, turning the world upside down to where we find ourselves trapped in a world system that is hostile to God. Where People Walk Upside Down— In the classic children's novel Alice in Wonderland, Alice follows a white rabbit into a hole and suddenly falls down towards a world of chaos (wonderland). And she is falling and falling for a long time. And while falling, she says “What if I should fall right through the center of the earth... oh, and come out the other side, where people walk upside down.” Now to us that is silly. But when she eventually comes to Wonderland, she does discover a land filled with people who are upside down; not physically, but mentally. Nothing makes sense in Wonderland. Nothing is logical. And that (sadly) is what our world seems to be becoming more like every single day. And Christians, who carry the Gospel to people into our world find that their light is hated by the darkness (John 3:20). People who are living in Wonderland are committed to the ways they are living their lives and are deeply threatened by anybody who challenges them, even though Christians are not (as claimed in this passage) trying to turn the world upside down, but rather are trying to turn the world right side up. But when we do that; when we upset the system and disturb the comfort of sinners, we are going to meet resistance; sometimes violent resistance. And this has been the case stretching all the way back to the Old Testament. Elijah— In the book of 1 Kings you remember that king Ahab, who was more wicked than all of his predecessors, was sitting on the throne of Israel. And to make matters worse, he was married to Jezebel, who was the wicked daughter of the pagan king of Sidon and incredibly wicked herself. And she incited Ahab and caused him to lead Israel into idolatry. Now God sent a man by the name of Elijah (a man whose name literally means "Yahweh is God”) to confront Ahab. And Elijah declares that there will be a drought that will strike Israel. And when Ahab and Elijah eventually meet face to face, the exasperated Ahab exclaims, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17). In other words, it is not his fault but Elijah's! Jeremiah— Another King that we read about in the book of Jeremiah is the last king of Judah, Zedekiah. Jerusalem had been besieged by Babylon, but now the Babylonian army has withdrawn temporarily to deal with the threat of Pharaoh's forces (Jer. 37:11). But despite this, Jeremiah insisted that Judah would fall and anybody remaining in the city would be killed either by the sword, by famine, or by pestilence. And a group of court officials were infuriated at Jeremiah and dragged him before King Zedekiah, beseeching the King, saying “Please, let this man be put to death, for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.” (Jer. 38:4) And so we see that because Jeremiah was willing to proclaim God's message to His people, because they had an upside-down perspective, they accused him (basically) of treason. Amos— During the period of the divided kingdom there was a prophet of God by the name of Amos, who was a native of the southern kingdom of Judah. However, God sent him to the northern kingdom of Israel with a message of doom. But it says in… Amos 7:10-12 (NKJV)— 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, And Israel shall surely be led away captive From their own land.' ” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos: “Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, And there prophesy. A Recurring Pattern— You see, Amos was turning Amaziah's world upside down, and Amaziah wouldn't have it. Now these are just a few examples. But you can see this pattern all over. Joseph is thrown into pit and prison for dreaming. Daniel is thrown into the lion's den for praying. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. Wherever we look in scripture and find men and women proclaiming God's message, we most often find them suffering because of their message. And Jesus tells us why this is in… John 15:18-21 (NKJV)— 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. Disturbers of The Peace— And we definitely see that here in the book of Acts as  Christians (like Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke) face that same enmity from the world, as in every city they minister in, there is often first a positive response to their message followed by a subsequent disturbance from those who do not want to face the truth and turn away from their sin to Jesus Christ. And this missionary team has most recently left Philippi (where their ministry upset the pagan Greeks) and now they are moving on to the next city, where they will encounter similar resistance. It says in… Acts 17:1 (NKJV)— 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. From Philippi to Thessalonica— Now note the shift back to the third person, which seems to signify that Luke stayed behind in Philippi to minister to the Church there. As a Gentile, he would have been less of a target and therefore a good man to choose to do that. It is also possible that Timothy (a half-Jew) remained behind as well. But the rest of the team moves on. And so [Leaving Philippi, the missionaries traveled southwest along the important Roman highway known as the Egnatian Way, through Amphipolis and Apollonia]. Now they don't seem to have ministered in Amphipolis and Apollonia, likely because there were no synagogues in those cities and Paul no doubt expected the Philippian Christians to carry the message to them. [It was Paul's policy to minister in the larger cities and make them centers for evangelizing a whole district (see Acts 19:10, 26; 1 Thess. 1:8).] And so they move on to Thessalonica. And these places were somewhat far apart from each other. [Amphipolis was about thirty miles from Philippi, Apollonia about thirty miles from Amphipolis, and Thessalonica just under forty miles from Apollonia. The narrative implies that they made the journey from Philippi to Thessalonica in three days, stopping for the night at Amphipolis and again at Apollonia. If so, they covered about thirty miles a day, leading some commentators to speculate that they traveled on horses (perhaps supplied through the generosity of the Philippian church). {And that is because} It is difficult to imagine that Paul and Silas, weakened by their beating at Philippi, could have walked nearly one hundred miles in three days.] But whatever the case, they arrive at Thessalonica. Thessalonica— Now Thessalonica was the capital and most important city of Macedonia and had a population of about 200,000 people. It [was a major port and an important commercial center.] And it has remained a significant city in Greece even up to the present day. And when they arrive there, Paul does what he always does when possible; he goes to the local synagogue and begins to courageously proclaim the Gospel. It says in… Acts 17:2-3 (NKJV)—  2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” A Dialogue— Now that word “Reasoned” [is from {the Greek word} dialegomai, from which the English word dialogue derives.] And so Paul is not standing up and delivering a long lecture, with his listeners just sitting and listening. No, this was a discussion; a dialogue. Paul is fielding questions, which was (by the way) how teaching was done in Jewish culture, and how Paul typically ministered in synagogues (cf. Acts 18:4,19; 19:8–9). And that is why, if we are going to be effective witnesses for Christ, we need to be able to answer people's questions about our faith. Coffee & Questions— Some time ago I had the opportunity to witness to a young man in a coffee shop. He used to be a Christian (even a youth pastor) but eventually left the faith because he had questions that Christians he knew wouldn't answer and actually looked down on him for having. And so I talked with him for a few hours and did my best to shed light on those issues for him. I didn't ridicule his views, but simply offered insight where I could in a way that made him feel heard. And he said that he never had anyone talk with him like that. But the conversation ended by his saying he was going to start going back to church. All because of one conversation! And that has always reminded me of 1 Peter 3:15, which says… 1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)— 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; Prepare to Answer— And so let us be men and women who are prepared to engage with people, answer their questions, and present the reasons for our faith. Who knows? Some may just choose to follow Jesus because of you. Let's be faithful witnesses this week. Amen.

What does it mean when Paul says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" in Philippians 4? Does it mean that through the power of positive thinking, with a sprinkle of Godly goodness, we can accomplish anything in this life? Or is there something deeper, more spiritual, at the heart of his statement. Frank Foreman shares the final message in our current sermon series as a summation of Paul's writing to the Philippian Christians.

What does it mean when Paul says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" in Philippians 4? Does it mean that through the power of positive thinking, with a sprinkle of Godly goodness, we can accomplish anything in this life? Or is there something deeper, more spiritual, at the heart of his statement. Frank Foreman shares the final message in our current sermon series as a summation of Paul's writing to the Philippian Christians.

What gives us confidence? Is it when we are thoroughly prepared for what we face? Is it when we feel our God-given talent gives us the ability to do whatever we are called to do? According to the Apostle Paul, confidence in Christ leads to potential suffering. His message to the Philippian Christians was clear that the stuff of this life--good or bad--pales in comparison to what is to come in eternity. That's why we can have such confidence in Christ! Frank shares the truths of this passage in Philippians 3 this week.

What gives us confidence? Is it when we are thoroughly prepared for what we face? Is it when we feel our God-given talent gives us the ability to do whatever we are called to do? According to the Apostle Paul, confidence in Christ leads to potential suffering. His message to the Philippian Christians was clear that the stuff of this life--good or bad--pales in comparison to what is to come in eternity. That's why we can have such confidence in Christ! Frank shares the truths of this passage in Philippians 3 this week.

Audio Transcript: Good morning. Hello. Welcome to another online edition of Mosaic Boston, Brookline. If you are tuning in online, live, thank you so much. We're so glad you're here. Take a couple moments say hello in the chat below. If you are at the beach while we are watching online, enjoy. But thank you for listening after you came home, or on the ride back, and paying attention. With that said, would you please pray with me over the preaching of God's Holy Word?Heavenly Father, we love you and we thank you. We thank you for the gift of life. We thank you that you have designed us to be people who live lives of joy rejoicing in you, and we experience the utmost joy when we are the absolutely, absolutely closest to you. And Lord, show us that often, the fact that we don't pursue you, the fact that we don't press into you, the fact that we don't strain forward, and press ahead to get as close to you as possible.That's actually the cause of so much of our unhappiness, our sadness, our depression, our anxiety. And show us today that the secret to joy is pursuing Christ, who pursued us, pursuing Christ to His perfection. And as we get closer, we get perfected. And as we get perfected, we get more and more whole. And you give us a holistic health, which leads to joy.I pray that you give us these secrets, and give us the power of the Holy Spirit, not just to understand it with our minds, but to receive them with our hearts. And also, empower us to live this out with our wills, our actions. And Lord, I pray that you bless our time, the Holy Word, we're so thankful for it. We pray this in Christ's name, amen.One my favorite things about living in the city, living in Boston is every spring, I love that the Boston Marathon passes right by my street. I live in Pleasant Street, and the runners come right down Beacon Street. It's always amazing. The city is energy packed. It's incredible energy, incredible feel and emotion. And my favorite of all the Boston marathons was the 118th Boston Marathon of 2014.And I remember distinctly because that Easter Sunday was April 20th, the day before the marathon. And for the first time, we were meeting at the Fenway Regal movie theater, and for the first time, we moved the Easter service from theater seven to the biggest theater they had. It was an act of faith. We had no idea how many people would come, and we had hundreds show up. The energy was amazing.And we had dozens of people in the blue little jackets from the Boston Marathon. We've prayed over them. It was incredible. But that marathon was particularly memorable, and emotional because it was the year after the Boston Marathon bombings were three people were killed, and many were wounded. And the whole marathon, and the build up to it was incredibly emotion filled.And in a story book ending, the winner of that marathon, Meb Keflezighi, 38 years old. He was actually the oldest man to win the marathon in 83 years, and the first US citizen to win it since 1983. And he ran with the names of the victims written on the corner of his bib. And as he approached the finish line in Back Bay in Copley Square, as he approached the finish line, there were chants of USA.And as he crossed the finish line, an incredible triumph and joy. He raises his hands. He raises his fist, his arms, and almost collapses, but keeps going. Incredible. I love that. What a memory. Let me ask you, how did he feel when you crossed the finish line? You already know the answer. Triumphant joy, just exploding with joy. Let me ask you a question. How did he feel while he was running it?How did he feel in preparation for the Boston Marathon, the tens of thousands of hours that he hit the pavement by himself with nobody watching, just driving himself pressing into the goal, the purpose that he set for himself full tilt with every nerve, every ounce, every muscle, every fiber of his being because he had a purpose in mind. And the purpose was to win.And this is incredible. This is incredible story in it of itself. But this is actually analogy, the metaphor the St. Paul uses to describe the Christian life. That there's a starting point, and there's a finish line, and in the middle, this is what our life is. You become a Christian, that's the starting line. Scripture talks about this as justification that you are made righteous, just by grace through faith in Christ.And the end is glorification, where you have a brand-new redeemed body just like Christ's resurrected body. But in the meantime, we are called not just follow Jesus slowly. It begins with a walk just like a child crawls and then walks. But then the Lord says, we are to seek maturity, and we are to run after Christ in an ultramarathon way. And this is important because St. Paul says, I'm pursuing perfection in the text that we're going to read today.And this is important because Jesus didn't call us to be good. He actually called us to be perfect. And the closer you get to Jesus, the more you realize how much you lack perfection, and there's this holy tension between a Christian getting more holy, and realizing how unholy he or she is. And the godliest Christians are still so very aware of imperfections.Still, there's a tinge of disappointment in themselves, a personal frustration that fuels them forward to pursue Christ who is perfection. The closer you get to Him, the more perfect you get as you understand your imperfections, which fuels you to keep following him more. This world isn't heaven, we know that. And Robert Browning put it like this. He says a man's reach should exceed his grasp, else what is heaven for?A man's reach should exceed his grasp, meaning I am reaching for a higher-level amount of holiness than I can ever grasp in this life. But that reaching, that hunger, that desire for it is what actually transforms us. Today, we're in Philippians 3:12-21. Would you look at this incredible text with me? Philippians 3:12-21.Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I've made it my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind, and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with mindset on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.This is the reading of God's holy, inerrant, infallible, authoritative word may write these eternal truths upon our hearts. So, what must I do in order to become perfect as the Lord calls us to become? And the word perfection actually means completeness or wholeness. Assuming that we have, presupposing that we have brokenness in our lives, in our hearts, and we know each one of us do if we're honest with ourselves.So, how do we get that perfection? Well, this frames up our four points for today. Number one, acknowledge imperfection. Number two, press on for perfection. Three, keep growing in maturity, and four, remember what's at stake. One is acknowledge imperfection, you see this in verse 12. How honest St. Paul is with himself.Not that I've already obtained this, or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. If anybody qualified as a candidate for perfection besides Jesus Christ, St. Paul was number one, the most likely candidate. He had a spotless spiritual resume on the outside as he told us verses four through six.And then, after becoming a Christian, he pursued sanctification 30 years. This is where he is in his life. He's been a Christian for 30 years. He's already written half of the New Testament. He's planted churches in all four regions of the Roman Empire. He's giving everything, sacrificed everything to follow Christ. A good friend, a member of the church invited me to mass challenge, which is a startup incubator just to see his office.And in the bathroom, there's a sign that says everybody wants to change the world, but no one wants to change the toilet paper. And that's where we find ourselves in the culture. Everyone wants to change everything. No one wants to change the little things. St. Paul actually focusing on the little things, and the most important thing, the gospel actually changed literally, had a global impact with his life.And still, he says I'm not perfect. He still says I have a long way to go. And this is one of the lessons that we can extract from this text is that successful people never stop growing, always developing. They're always expanding, learning. He said I haven't obtained this. I'm not perfect. I don't consider it my own. And actually, verse 13, there's two emphatic personal pronouns before the verb.He says, brothers, I, even I, I, even I have not yet grasped it. Incredible spiritual humility that he learned from time with Christ. Dear friend, do you willingly acknowledge your own imperfections, your own flaws, your own sins? Are you willing to own your mistakes? Are you willing to face your faults, not just to excuse them, not just to play the victim card?And we can do this by the power of the gospel. Because when we acknowledge our sins, and when we show remorse for them, contrition over them, when we repent, there's always grace. Sometimes, we tend to think too highly of ourselves. Romans 12:3, for by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.But to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. What he's talking about here is, can you look at yourself with an honest self-assessment? This is called self-awareness to do, an inventory of your life on a regular basis. Sober self-reflection, as Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."And why are we talking about this? Usually, this topic comes up January 1st, or the first Sunday of January New Year's resolutions, like inventory of life. By the way, this is the last Sunday of June, meaning the year is almost halfway over. This is a perfect opt and what a half a year it's been. This is a perfect opportunity to stop, and pause, and say, "Where am I? I need to do a self-inventory." Where am I? Where do I want to be? Where do I need to improve? What am I glaring weaknesses? What are my shortfalls? What are the things that I need to work on? What are my blind spots?Where do I need growth as a person, as a human being, as a Christian, as a friend, as a son, as a daughter, as a husband, as a wife, as a church member, as a child of the family of God, as a student, as a professional? This is a personal inventory. Where do I need to change? And by the way, how thoroughly am I talking about? Like this, do an inventory of yourself as thoroughly as you do an inventory of others.And each one of us, we do, we can see other people's glaring blind spots when they can't, and we feel that. We see them imperfections, and we criticize. With that same perspective, with that same magnifying glass, do an inventory of your life. The first step to pursuing perfection or wholeness, progress in the faith is to acknowledge that you haven't arrived.And this is what it means to grow in faith. Because you know what happens when we think we have arrived, you become proud, and complacent, and you stop moving. Growth always begins in the mind. It's a change of thoughts that leads to a change of feelings, that leads to a change of action. So, thought, I need to keep growing, I need to keep running, I need to keep pressing ahead.Feelings, I want to be the person that God has created me to be. I'm not that yet. Actions, what do I need to work on by God's grace? Philippians 3:15, let those of us who are mature think this way, starts with the mind, and if anything you think otherwise God will reveal that also to you. And by the way, this is so contrary to many people, but many actually Christians in the church.Today, a lot of Christians would rather pretend to be a healthy Christian. We'd rather pretend than change because change always takes work. It's painful. And yes, we're all sinners. Yes, we have problems. Yes, we struggle with doubts. For some people, reputation is more important than transformation. And St. Paul gives us an example of incredible honesty with himself.And by the way, this is a mark of maturity in the faith. There's absolute transparency. This is where I am. This is what I'm struggling with today, this week. And you voice it to other believers, and you ask them to pray for you. And what that does is that gets them to open up as well, and you together can fight the good fight of faith. Proverbs 28:13, whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.Don't conceal, instead confess and forsake. Seasoned Christians are acutely aware of inadequacies of what you need to work on. And mature Christians don't just say, "Oh, look how far I've come." That's nice. That's good. But you also have to say in the same breath, look how far I have to go. Philippians 3:12 St. Paul says, not that I've already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own.Because Christ Jesus has made me his own. I press on. I overextend myself. I go for it with all I've got. I throw myself into this straining with every nerve, ounce, muscle to reach the price. Incredible intensity, maximum effort, he understands that there's no gain without pain. It's so counterintuitive because one of the idols in our culture is comfort.So, for us, if we idolize comfort, then the opposite of comfort is pain. If we worship comfort, we only pursue comfort. We develop a resistance, a lack of tolerance for pain. And therefore, we don't accomplish the purpose that God has for us. We understand that the most valuable things in life always take pain, work, sacrifice.To create something, to build something, to become a person who edifies others, adds value to their lives, and to serve others, to give to others, which is actually a greater blessing. It's more blessed to give than to receive. What's your motivation St. Paul? That's why whenever you see a driven person, you're like, "What are they motivated by? What gets them up in the morning? What is it?"St. Paul says, this is my motivation. Verse 12, not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but press on to make it my own because Christ has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. He starts with that. He says, Christ made me his own. I am reaching to grasp the righteousness that God has for me because Christ has already grasped me, made me righteous.And this is the interplay between justification and sanctification. Justification is monergistic. Yes, I'm dropping a big theological word on you. You can look it up. monergistic, meaning one way, justification, God says, I choose you, I regenerate you, I change your heart from stone to flesh. Now, you're mine. Now, you're a Christian. It says if He grasped us, as we're running the wrong way, turns us around and now, we're running for Him.That's monergistic justification. Sanctification is synergistic. There's an interplay between God's will, God's energy, God's desire, God's Holy Spirit, and our effort. We can't earn our salvation justification. However, there is an effort to our sanctification that there are things that we have to do. The metaphor for justification in scripture is accounting. You were in sin. God takes your sin upon himself and Christ on the cross.By grace through faith, He recommends you or accounts to you a righteousness that is not your own. That's justification, it's an accounting term. However, what St. Paul is doing here is talking about sanctification, and he doesn't use an accounting term. He's using analogy. He uses an athletic analogy. And athletes know this, if you want to win, you have to experience pain, discipline yourself in absolutely every single facet of life.So, it begins with acknowledging our imperfection, but it doesn't stop there. He continues and talks about pressing on for perfection. So, press on for perfection. Point two, Philippians 3:13, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the price of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. By the way, this is totally unexpected in our culture.Our culture stops at point one and says, "Yeah, I'm not perfect. Yeah, I acknowledge that I'm not perfect. Yes, I have things to work on." And we stopped there. St. Paul says, "No, no, I don't stop there. I'm not perfect, but I pursue perfection." The fact that he has not accomplished these goals actually motivates him, it actually energizes him.Starkly different from our culture, which uses our imperfections as a justification to stay in them. We use our sin as a justification to continue sinning more. I'm not perfect, and I can't stop what I'm doing. So, I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing. St. Paul says no, no, if you are a Christian, you have no excuse to remain in habitual sins, to remain in sins that dog you, and plague you for years. They keep you ensnared for years.He says fight the good fight, turn to Christ, repent of sin, ask for more the Holy Spirit, put a plan into place of how you're going to wage war on the sin on a daily basis. And he uses his sin, everything that he's done in the past, and he uses that as motivation to pursue perfection. He says but one thing I do, I press on, I press on, it's a present tense verb meaning continuous action. I keep pressing on.And by the way to press on. This is the same word that he used in verse six when he says as the zeal, I persecuted the church. As the zeal I pressed on to get the church. What's he doing? St. Paul is a master wordsmith. Every single word matters. Every single word is planned, and he's filled with the Holy Spirit. What's the Holy Spirit doing through St. Paul's gifts and talents? This is a wordplay.It's a play on what he said. He's saying with the same passion, with the same zeal that I persecuted the church, I am pursuing Jesus Christ, and His righteousness, and I'm trying to make that my own. With the same passion that you pursued sin before meeting Christ, with that same zeal, with that same energy, with that same planning, and you know what I'm talking about.Prior to meeting Christ, there is this part of our imagination that's fallen, where we plan things to do, we plan ahead to sin more, to put ourselves in a position where we provide for the flesh. And he says no, in the same way, you need to plan for sanctification. You need to plan for holiness. Tonight, how am I going to plan to wake up tomorrow, and pursue Christ to fight flesh, and be filled with the Holy Spirit?And what's his trick? St. Paul, how do you do that? And he says this one thing, I do, I do one thing. What do I do? I forget and this is verse 13. This one thing, I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. This is his trick. That St. Paul only do one thing in his life. No, of course not. He did lots of things. But he did everything he did with one purpose, to glorify Christ to the maximum, and to share the gospel.He says this one thing, I do, I proclaim Christ and Him crucified, meaning everything he did in the church as he evangelize, apologetics, as he wrote epistles, as he quipped leaders in the church, and plant the churches, as he defended the faith before kings, and before centurions. Everything he did, he did with one purpose in mind, and how did he make sure that every single detail his life was aligned with that purpose?He says, I forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, forgetting and straining forward. This is important. Because St. Paul, actually, he had a past, what a past he had. Not only did he persecute the church, but as a young man, he was actually present. When the first martyr of the church was executed with stones by the Pharisees, St. Paul was there guarding their clothing, probably looking on with glee, and then he used that to go and persecute church.Did he have a past? Yeah. I was actually talking with someone this week, and we were talking about God, talking about faith. And he said, I got a past. Bad, I got a rap sheet. I said, well, what did you do? And his response was other realm, and it was on text, it was R-E-A-L-mmmmmmm, other realm. And I don't know what that means. But I will tell you this. St. Paul's other realm was worse than that.Because most likely, he was a murderer of Christians. He would take fathers, mothers out of homes to go and imprison them. And ultimately, they were executed for being Christians. And St. Paul says, I forget what's in the past. I forget all the bad things I did. I forget all the defeat that debilitates, and I forget all of my heartbreaking sin, my guilt, my grief, my grudges. And I also forget all the good things I've done, all of the wins.Because sometimes, wins actually drag us down. You get to a place where you did great for the Lord today, and you're like, "Yeah, I did really good." And you take your foot off the gas of continuing pressing forward. He says, I forget what's in the past, I'm not manipulated by my memories, I leave the past in the past. And by the way, this is what we talked about last week. He says every day, I count my gains as losses in order that I may gain Christ more.So, every day, he would sit down and tally up, look at the gains that he had for Christ, all the wins that he had. And he would transfer that to the lost column. And what that does is it empties up the gain column to get more of the Holy Spirit, more of Christ for the next day. You do that one day. The next day, your gain column is a little wider, it's a little bigger, so you can actually do more.Because what happens is if you follow Christ full tilt like this today, tomorrow, you're going to wake up, and you're going to be just a little stronger. And here, I want to use the term compounding sanctification, compounding sanctification. It's like compounding interest, compound interest, you know how that works? Compounding interest, if you don't know how it works, it's incredible.It's where you invest, and you make money, interest off of what your investment. And then, the next year, you make interest off the interest in the compounds. The same thing happens with sanctification. The more you pursue Christ today, the easier it is to pursue Christ tomorrow. So, perhaps you're in a place, and you walk with the Lord where you're like, "I can never even imagine freedom from this particular sin.I can never imagine not wanting this. I can never imagine the taste buds of my soul being so recalibrated that I want the good things, not the bad things. I want the helpful things, not the harmful things." And St. Paul says this is the trick. The trick is I forget what lies behind the good, the bad, the ugly, everything, and the wind. And I press on, I press forward to what lies ahead. That's what gave him power to run the race with Christ.And this is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, one of my favorite passages. He says do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So, run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So, I do not run aimlessly. I do not box as one beating the air. But I disciplined my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.Incredible. By the way, St. Paul must have been a fan of sports. And I miss sports so much. I can't wait for sports to be back. I'm praying with all I got that the NFL season is going to start on time. I'm going to root for the Pats, of course. Tom Brady, maybe a little, I don't know. I've forgiven him just a little bit. But St. Paul uses these metaphors because he says that's how you understand self-control and self-discipline.Luke 9:62, Jesus said, no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. You can't drive a car looking in the rearview mirror, you can't run a race looking backwards. Yes, we definitely learn from our mistakes and our setbacks. But we move forward with those lessons, not with shame, and guilt, and anxiety over the mistakes. We tend to remember things that we should forget.We tend to dwell on our shame and our sin in the past. Why do you keep remembering the things that God has already forgotten? When you repent of sin, God chooses to forget that sin. He cast it behind himself, he cast it into... scripture says as far as the east is from the west, and this is by the way, is a mark of maturity that you're always looking forward, not back. You don't look back to spiritual victories, you don't look back to spiritual defeat.My parents were moving a couple years ago, and we went to help them clean out. It was their house in Cranston, Rhode Island before they moved to Jamestown, and we were in the basement helping them clean out. And my wife was with me, and she discovered my closet growing up. And by this time, we were married, I think 12 years or something.And there's a there was a box with all of my trophies from football, from wrestling, from baseball, from rugby, from all over this. And she walks out in amazement holding this box, and she's like, "Why have you never shown me this?" And I was like, "Baby, because that was high school. And I'm no longer in high school." I never want to be like Uncle Rico. You know who Uncle Rico is? Napoleon Dynamite.That's the guy who lives in a van, and he's always videoing himself throwing footballs, and says he can throw footballs over a mountain, and he's a middle-aged man still living this glory days of high school. Some of you perhaps have something similar happened spiritually where you had a time when you were on fire for the Lord. And you live in those glory days. Remember what I did for Christ?St. Paul never stayed there. What are you doing for Christ today? What are you doing for His glory and His kingdom today? And by the way, looking forward, one of the reasons why we don't look forward, and press forward, and have a forward-thinking mind. For many of us, it's because we live in a culture where youth is an idol. We idolize youth, and therefore a lot of people have a hard time aging.And we can't look back and reminisce. We can't stay there. It leads to this place where we don't enjoy what God has for us today. And I love Proverbs 31:12, and this is the wise woman, the Proverbs 31 woman, strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She laughs the time. God has given me grace today. God will give me grace for tomorrow.And how do I press on for perfection? The key is verse 12, not that I have already obtained this, or I'm already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. What's this? What's the it? What's the object? Philippians 3:11, by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead.In Paul's mind, the resurrection from the dead, that's the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that's the price. So, Paul is pressing in to get Christ, to get the resurrected Christ get His power. Paul pursues perfection by pursuing Jesus. Paul pursues perfection by pursuing the light of Jesus. And he does this into his old age, and that's what gives him strength to keep going.Point three is keep growing in maturity, knowledge, your imperfections, press forward to perfection, and then keep growing in that maturity. Verse 15, let those of us who are mature think this way, and if anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.I love the fact that he talks about maturity here. When you keep running after Christ by acknowledging imperfections daily, and pursuing perfection by pursuing Christ, that grows you in maturity on a daily basis. And St. Paul says, those of us who mature, we are to think this way. My daughter Milana, she's three years old today, Thursday, the day I'm preaching, this is June 25. You will listen on Sunday.But today Her birthday. And I she's turning three, she turned three, and I love the age of three. That's one of my favorite ages. Now, I'll tell you why. Because now she's in a place, and I've seen this with all four of my daughters. She's now in a place where she is growing in self-sufficiency. She's growing in maturity. She can feed herself. She knows when she needs to go to the bathroom.She can articulate what she wants. She can actually help around the house, and clean up her room. She doesn't scream as often when she doesn't get what she wants, or when she hears the word no. When you become a Christian, dear friend, you are a baby Christian. It's okay to be a baby Christian. You need someone to carry you around. You need someone to feed you, milk you.You need someone who care for you and serve you. Dear Christian, it's not okay to stay there. And I'll just be the real talk right here. A lot of the Christians I know, because of this extended adolescence in our culture, a lot of Christians I know, they stay in this little infant baby toddler child stage of Christianity. Yeah. I've got enough to get to heaven, but you don't continue to grow.And here's how you know that you are an immature Christian. How do you react when you hear the word no from someone in the church family? Number one. Number two, what kind of food do you prefer? Milk or like the mushy baby food? Or have you now gotten to a point where you love spiritual meat, steak as I call it? Children, immature Christians, they need to be served, all of the attention is on me.It's as if I am the only one that exists. That was Milana up until the age three. She's still almost there. Hopefully, we're trying to grow. And part of maturity is you now look to the needs of other people, you now want to serve other people. My daughter, Sophia is there, she's already serving, she's already caring. And that's what it means to grow in maturity. And how do we do that?We do that by pursuing maturity through God's word. Colossians 1:28-29, Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. That's the goal St. Paul says of the ministry. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. He says this is the goal of my ministry.This is the goal of our ministry is to get you to a place where you begin to serve, where you begin to feed yourself, where you begin to care for yourself, and when you begin to feed others, and care for others. And the best way to grow in this attainment, grow in this maturity is to find heroes in the faith. And that's why St. Paul says brothers, join in imitating me. Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.This is what I talked about a couple weeks ago that there's things in Christianity that must be taught. And there's things in Christianity that must be caught, where you begin to emulate the example of other people. And this is how I seek to grow in my own life. Look at the people who are few steps ahead of you and emulate them.One of my favorite heroes in the faith, and each one of us should have heroes in the faith is George Mueller, who devoted his life to preach the gospel, and also care for orphans at age 71. He wrote a letter to some of his students at age 71. He said, you know what's the key to my success? Scripture and prayer, and he said I've read the Bible cover-to-cover over 100 times.That's incredible, over 100 times, and he said, every time it's been as if I'm reading for the first time, every time it's refreshed me, and encouraged me. What an example. What an example. Can someone look at your spiritual disciplines, scripture prayer, fasting, silence, and solitude, giving, serving, worshiping the Lord?Can someone look at your clear spiritual disciplines and say, "I want to emulate that?" With George Mueller, I want to emulate him. Every Christian, you need to know that there's always someone watching you. There's always someone following you in some sense. Right now, someone's following and you looks to you to show them the way. Someone prays because they've heard you pray.One of my favorite prayer warriors is my Uncle Victor in DC. Actually, I pray in the same temple as he prays because I've never heard someone pray as passionate as he did, and he is a hero in the faith. Someone is watching you fight the good fight, fighting your battle. Someone wants to be like you, and your Christian walk, and they're cheering you on. Someone sees Christ in you and admires your strength.Someone is borrowing your faith when they don't have any. Someone believes you're the best Christian they know, and that's so true in Boston, Massachusetts. Someone is hanging tough because you're standing tall. If someone's smiling when they think of you. Someone is thanking God for your friendship. Someone is following you. So, keep going. Don't let them down, and keep growing in maturity. Keep growing the people around you in maturity.And number four, remember what's at stake. Verse 18, for many of whom I've often told you, and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to himself.Paul says, watch those who are worthy of imitation, and weep over those who are not. And he's talking about them as enemies of the cross of Christ, the cross of Christ is the general principle of the Christian faith. It's at the very center of what we do. 1 Corinthians 1:18, for the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.The cross tells us that there's nothing that we can do to save ourselves. The cross tells us that only God can save us. The cross tells us that God, His son died on a cross in excruciating pain, physical, and excruciating pain, spiritual in order to pay the price for our sin. Meaning, we can't save ourselves, and there's two categories of people who are enemies of the cross.Number one, it's legalist. And he talked about beware of the dogs, beware of the evildoers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh. That's the beginning of chapter three. It's people who say the cross isn't enough for salvation, we must add works to it in order to be justified. Says that's an enemy of the cross because you're saying Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient.The other group of enemies of the cross are those who are licentious, legalists, and those who are licentious. Meaning, these are people who say, "Oh, God forgives me of all my sin. Now, I can live any way I want, and God will just continue to forgive me." And St. Paul says, "No, you don't understand the cross." You don't understand that the sacrifice that was made, how precious the blood of Christ was.And he didn't just die on a cross to forgive you of sin. He died on the cross to free you of sin. And he says stop diminishing the value of the cross, and he says their end is destruction as verse 19, destruction here is talking about eternal punishment. It's not temporal punishment. It's destruction, not annihilationism. You don't cease to exist, but you experience the wrath of God, you experienced His judgment.And anytime I talk about the clear teaching about the judgment, for those who reject the gospel, I get pushback where people say, I can't believe in a god like that. But if you reject mercy, you can't expect mercy. If you reject mercy, you don't get mercy. So, receive mercy today. This is the beauty of the gospel. You ask for forgiveness. You repent of your sin. You turn to Christ.All of your sin is blotted out, everything, your whole other realm, rap sheet, everything is forgiven, receive it now. And if you don't receive that mercy, judgment is coming. Jonathan Edwards, commanded this sermon to you. It's called The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners, in which he argues, sin against God is a violation of infinite obligations.Therefore, there's an infinitely heinous crime. It's an infinitely heinous crime deserving an infinite punishment. We sinned against an infinite God. And that's an infinite crime, therefore, there's an infinite punishment, and that's a place called hell. And by the way, the destruction, the enemies of the cross, he says their appetite is their god. Their belly is their God. What's he talking about here?That's verse 19. What's he talking about? Is he talking about gluttons, or is he talking about just people who pursue sensual pleasure, or sexual morality? Yes. That's an outward working of something that happened on the inside. And in the context, this belly or this appetite is actually a synonym for the heart. In the ancient world, they felt with their innards, with their bowels.And what he's talking about here is emotions. He's talking about feelings, when feeling is not facts, when emotion is not truth, govern and regulate our life. When we pursue that which feels good, instead of that which is good. That's what he's talking about. And often, that leads to physical and ultimately spiritual destruction. And they get to a point where they glory in their shame, quagmire in a cesspool of shame.Where people take things that are shameful, sinful, hurtful, harmful, and we actually present them as good. We take bad things, and present them as good things, and whoever calls the bad things bad things is actually a bad person. That's where we are in our culture. And in Philippians 3:20, he says, but our citizenship is in heaven.And from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to himself. He's talking to Philippians, who treasured Roman citizenship, and he says Philippian Christians, remember that your identity is not in Roman citizenship, Americans, your identity is not in your American citizenship.Primarily, it's in Christ. We are first Christians, second Americans. And he says we're citizens of this other kingdom. And from it we await Christ will come and power and glory. He's talking about the Second Coming, which is one of the most frequently emphasized truths in scripture. It's in every book of the Bible, except for Galatians, Philemon, and 2 and 3 John. Scripture talks about it all the time.And the same way that Jesus promised He'll come the first time, and He did. He promised that He will come in the second time and He will. C.S. Lewis writes in Mere Christianity, if you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.And when it comes to the second coming of Christ, there's two truths that we see here. That our bodies will be transformed, our lowly bodies will be transformed into a body like His glorified, our current bodies are subject to disease, death, sin. He says there will be transformation, not just outwardly, but also inwardly. Then we'll never be able or desire to sin. And second of all, he says, Christ will subject all things to Himself.So, if we are not willingly subject to Him in this world, we will be forced into subjection in the next one. Everybody will bow in knee before Jesus. He will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I can't wait. So, make certain dear friend, that you today are in submission to Jesus Christ as Savior, and as Lord so that when He comes, He is your Savior and not your judge.The four points, if you missed them, acknowledge imperfection, press on for perfection, keep growing in maturity, and remember what's at stake. That's what leads to wholeness or perfection. Robert Murray M'Cheyne said, "Lord, make me as holy as a redeemed sinner can be." Keep on the path, keep running your race, and keep your eyes on the prize who is Christ.The more you get of Him, the more perfected you become, and the more joyful that you feel just like Meb as he crossed the finish line of the 2014 Boston Marathon. That said, would you please pray with me. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. And Lord, I pray that you give us strength to lay aside every weigh and sin, which clings so closely.And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus Christ, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, what a God you are. We love you, we praise you, we glorify you, we honor you, and we pray all this in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Audio Transcript: Good morning. Welcome to another online service of Mosaic Boston, Brookline. Hope you're well. Hope you are abiding in the Lord, rejoicing in him, meditating in the gospel, and being filled with the Spirit daily. So happy that you are tuning in with us. Would you please pray with me over the preaching of God's holy word?Heavenly Father, we pray that you bless our time in the word today. You have, every single week during this crisis. We felt it. People are being ministered to by your word and we're thankful for that. And I pray today, Lord, encourage us in the faith. I pray, Lord, encourage us with the example of Jesus Christ who came not to be served but to serve. Encourage us with the example of St. Paul who did the same. He served. Encourage us with the examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus, godly people, godly men who gave everything, sacrificed everything in order to encourage the faith of others, in order to plant the seed of the gospel, in order to plant churches. Lord, bless our time in the Holy Scriptures and continue to edify and encourage each one of us so that we can edify and encourage one another. And we pray all this in Christ's holy name, amen.The title of the sermon today is Here to Serve. The whole text that we are about to read is about service, sacrificial service. St. Paul writes this letter to a church in Philippi, a church that he planted with Timothy. Together, they planted it. And the church is growing and as the church grows, there's potential for disunity, for division. And this is what Satan does. One of his strategies. One of his stratagems is to sow seeds of division. So St. Paul writes this letter and says, "There's nothing more important than the gospel because there's nothing more important than Jesus." And there's nothing more important than people meeting Jesus. So there's nothing more important than for us to devote our lives to get the gospel to people. And we do it together as brothers and sisters partnering in the gospel, getting the gospel to people living in a manner worthy of the gospel. And the greatest example of this is Christ himself.Christ goes from the highest of heights to the lowest of depths in order to serve us, in order to save us. So we're in chapter 2 today. The concluding part of chapter 2 of Philippians, it's started with a glorious text, a gloriously Christological vision of who Christ is, what he did in his incarnation, and how that applies to our lives.Last week, we talked about the interplay between God's sovereignty and our responsibility. God work salvation in us. He gives us that gift. We are to receive that gift, receive and believe. And as we do, we then work out our salvation. God gives us grace but we use that grace, so it's not in vain. So we work as hard as we possibly can. And then from that, from that glorious part of the chapter, St. Paul moves to something that seems at first reading so mundane. He shows us a travel itinerary of a few gentlemen. Why St. Paul, why this text? What does it have to do with our lives?Well, what St. Paul is doing is he's illustrating the points that he just made about Christological service, serving like Christ served. About the interplay between God's sovereignty and human responsibility. And then he shows the example of two godly men who are mirroring, they're reflecting that Christ-like service, they have the heart of Christ. They are here to serve.And the other thing I want to just point out about this travel itinerary is these are real people in real time, in real places. And why is that important? It's important because the New Testament is grounded in real history, in real time, in real space. The gospel is rooted in world history, not mythology. These are real people with real lives, and real emotions, and real pain, and real desires, and hopes, and dreams. The gospel is relevant to them, therefore it's relevant to us. It applied to them. It applied to us. We see if someone got sick, someone couldn't come because they had to be in a different place. People had friends. St. Paul had friends and counted on them like we count on our friends. There's deep fellowship, there's deep emotion here. They lived in the same world that we live in. They're in real history. They're real human beings. These are real lives with real stories.The New Testament is a testimony. It's an account, a historically verifiable account of extraordinary things that happened to ordinary people when they submit their lives to God, in service to him, in service to people. That's where we find ourselves today in Philippians 2:19-30. I'm going to start reading with two verses that we ended with last week, verses 17 and 18, because it all flows together. Would you look at the text with me, Philippians 2:17?"Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I'm glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me. I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father, he has served with me in the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me. And I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill."Indeed, he was ill, near to death. "But God had mercy on him and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me." This is the reading of God's holy, inherent, infallible, authoritative word. May he write these eternal truths upon our hearts.Three points today, we'll talk about the servant's heart, the servant's hardship, and the servant's honor. The context is that St. Paul is in prison in Rome and the Philippians, the church in Philippi, the Philippian Christians take up an offering for St. Paul to meet his monetary needs and they sent it through Epaphroditus who volunteers for the job to travel 800 miles. It took at least six weeks over rough terrain. And on the way, he catches some sickness, some disease, some infection, and it was almost deadly it brought him to the brink of death. But Epaphroditus persists in spite of the pain.Why are we talking about a guy named Epaphroditus? And we need to remember this guy's name, it's important. Because St. Paul knows that the faith, the Christian faith, can't just be taught. It also must be caught. Taught and caught. It's both. He's not just giving them words of faith. He's giving them a real life, flesh and blood examples of this is how you live this out. I know my walk, maybe you can relate, my walk in the faith. I have been impacted by the scripture. I have been impacted by the books of theology, thousands of books of theology that I've read. I have also maybe even more so been impacted by godly people in my life whom I saw serving, whom I saw pouring themselves out for the faith of many, whom I saw sacrificing.I saw this with my parents. I saw this with my dad. I saw this with my uncle. After college, I moved down to Washington, DC for my first job out of college. And I got to live with my uncle who was a church planter in Washington, DC, and my aunt. And I lived with them for a month, and I saw on a daily basis how much they sacrificed, how they worked, how they served one another, how they served their children, how the children served the parents. Incredible gospel-centered family, incredible gospel-centered church. I saw them doing uncomfortable things, getting out of their comfort zone.We would do street evangelism. This is a Russian church, and we would go to on Saturdays, I would work a full week, on Saturdays, I would go to the Russian store and evangelize. Try to share the gospel with these people going to the Russian store. Really uncomfortable, but powerful in bringing many to faith. Moved down to North Carolina, Raleigh-Durham area for seminary. And I remember Andy Davis and his family, and I remember the saints at FBC Durham sacrificing, daily serving one another in radical ways. And that right there ignited a fire in me to give my life to the Lord, to serve him with everything I've got.This week, my wife and I, we celebrated, actually yesterday, Wednesday. You're listening on Sunday, celebrated 14 years of marriage. Praise God. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord, and thank you, Tanya, for your patience and forbearance. But in my wife, I see this heart of service. I've always seen this heart of service. She would give everything she has to those in need, be it family or not. The gospel has to be both taught and caught, and that's why we have the example here of people who have Christ's heart.Jesus didn't just come to be served but to serve. To give his life as a ransom for many. Therefore, dear Christians, service for us isn't an option. There's not elite levels of Christians like Navy SEAL Christians who serve and the rest of us are served. No, if you're a Christian, you're called to serve. And the reason why we have to be called to serve and reminded of this, because it doesn't come naturally. It's hard and you got to develop a heart of service, it has to be cultivated. And I think about it like this.Two weeks ago, we talked about developing the mind of Christ, thinking Christ's thoughts with him. That's how we discern what God's will is, by the transformation of our mind. But also, we have to develop not just the mind of Christ but the heart of Christ. A heart of Christ that beats intact with him. His heart that was poured out, that bled for others. It was that heart that motivated his hands. We need to develop both the head of Christ, the heart of Christ, and the hands of Christ. But today, I want to focus in here. I'm going to focus on developing that heart of Christ.Look at St. Paul in this text, how often he mentions Christ in talking about travel itinerary, which almost has nothing to do with the Lord seemingly. Okay, verse 19, "I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you." What an interesting phrase. Now I hope to send Timothy to you soon. I hope in the Lord, in the Lord Jesus, what a phrase. Look at verse 24, "And I trust in the Lord that shortly, I myself will come also." I trust in the Lord, meaning if it's the Lord's will. So for St. Paul, every day as he's making plans, as he's thinking what he's going to do in the near future, the Lord and his will informs every decision he makes. It's not just simply common sense, not just simply what he thinks is best, what his wants or his desires are, but he submits everything to the Lord and his will.And he mentions Epaphroditus here, that Epaphroditus got better from his illness. And he doesn't just say, "Oh, thank goodness that Epaphroditus got better." He doesn't say, "Thank goodness," he says, "Thank God." Thank God. Look at verse 27, "Indeed he was ill, near to death but God had mercy on him. Not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow." God had mercy on him. God extended his life. Verse 29, "So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men." In the Lord, I hope, I trust in the Lord. God is in control. God is the one who extends mercy by extending life, so receive him in the Lord.The heart of St. Paul is focused on Christ, his heart beats intact with Christ. Jesus is at the center of everything that St. Paul does, thinks, plans, desires, wants. Jesus is at the center. His whole life revolves around Christ. Christ is the focus point. And this is how you develop the heart of Christ. What does Jesus want? What does Jesus love? What does Jesus desire? I want to desire those things. Timothy's focus was the same, it was on Christ. Look at verse 21, "For they all seek their own interest, not those of Jesus Christ, but you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father you served me with the gospel." We all have our own interests, every single one of us. And here St. Paul says there are some Christians in Rome at that time, they're believers. They've confessed, they've professed believing in Christ. But still, he's not number one.For them, they can't say that, "For me to live is Christ." Their interests are higher. Their own personal interests are higher than the interests of Christ. This is why I'm talking about developing the heart of Christ. Your interests are those things that you love more than Christ, which actually is a form of idolatry. But Timothy, no, Timothy, he doesn't seek his own interest. He seeks those of Christ by serving in the gospel with St. Paul. And by the way, Timothy was with Paul when they first visited the Church when it was first founded. So St. Paul knew that if I send Timothy to the Church in Philippi, they will be encouraged by his presence. St. Paul says, "I trust in the Lord that I too will come to see you." Meaning, "I hope that I get to travel 800 miles, six weeks over rough terrain, risking life and limb just to be with you. Just to be in your presence. That's how much I love you." And by the way, this has to inform our ecclesiology what it means to be a church, brothers and sisters.I'll tell you, there's people on staff I haven't seen in person since early March. Pastor Andy, I haven't seen in person since March. I get to see him on video once or twice a week. And I'm telling you, I miss him. I miss you, Pastor Andy. Hope you're doing well. Caleb, I saw at my brother's wedding. Raquel, I got to see as she was standing outside of Ruggles Baptist Church at my brother's wedding also. And I'm telling you when I saw them, and perhaps you can relate, when I saw them, it was a treat. It was a gift. It was a gift for the eyes just to be in the presence of this person. There's something there.Yes, online. Sure. We're thankful we can do this. We're thankful we can do CGs via video. We're thankful. But it's not meant to be a substitute for the greatest present that there is, which is each one of us, of our presence. Our presence is a present from the Lord for one another. So that's why I can't wait to finally meet in person, and I trust in the Lord it will be soon. Epaphroditus has the same focus. His heart beat with the heartbeat of Christ. He pushed himself almost to the point of death to bring a gift to St. Paul. The gift of the finances from the Church of Philippi but also the gift of his own presence. And then we see the heartbeat of Christ in Epaphroditus in that when he hears that the church in Philippi heard that he was sick, he's distressed over their distress. And this is incredible.Not only is he sick physically, but he's emotionally sick and worried that these people are sick and worried over him reveals a servant's heart. Verse 25, "I thought it was necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need." Epaphroditus brought this gift and he completed by his presence what the Philippians could not by their absence. Verse 30, "For he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me." And I like this word here for service and minister. Both come from the Greek word liturgia, we get the English word liturgy from. And in secular Greek, the word was used of a man or a person who out of love for his city, out of love for the gods, would give a lavish, generous financial gift to the city or finance a great drama, or outfit a battleship. Meaning this was sacrificial.So we see that Epaphroditus is a minister. He sacrificed much offering, everything for Christ. And this is what it means to develop a heart of service. And also, a servant of Christ is willing to go anywhere that Christ sends, anywhere that Christ sends. Do you think it was easy for Timothy to leave St. Paul's side? No. No, of course not. Look at that relationship, verse 22, "But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel," they loved each other. They had a relationship where St. Paul was a spiritual father and Timothy was a spiritual son to St. Paul.But God was calling Timothy to make this trek to sacrifice, to leave his comfort in order to bless others. That wasn't easy, but it was the Lord's will. Do you think it was easy for Epaphroditus to leave the comforts of home? Take this difficult journey to Rome? No, it wasn't easy, but it had to be done. Do you think it was easy for Paul to leave the comforts of Judaism, the comforts of his faith, and his family, and everything, and to be a missionary? No, of course not. But Jesus said, "I have a mission for you. You are my servant." And a servant gets sent wherever the master says to go.So I wonder, have you ever, and by the way, this is an important question. Have you ever said, "Lord, I will go wherever you tell me to go. Lord, I'm willing to go wherever you tell me to go"? He's told me, I'm here. The question I'm wrestling with is, "Lord, am I willing to stay where you've called me to go?" And perhaps that's what many of you are wrestling with. There's other places to live where you can be much more comfortable, perhaps less useful for the kingdom. It's an important question, "Lord, am I willing to go? Lord, am I willing to stay once I am where you've called?" And the servant who has the heart of Christ is willing to go and willing to serve anyone. Timothy served Paul and then he has to go and serve the Philippians. Epaphroditus served the Philippians, now he's willing to serve Paul.Now there's an incredible story of Philip who has a flourishing public ministry of the gospel preaching in Samaria. And then Jesus says, "No, I want you to leave this great ministry where perhaps you can build a platform for yourself, and I want you to go and preach the gospel on a deserted road to reach the Ethiopian eunuch. I want you to go preach the gospel to this one person." Are you available to go where perhaps you won't make the great name for yourself? A servant doesn't care about their own name. A servant cares about the name of the master and servants put others ahead of themselves. Paul's in prison facing execution. He's encouraged by Timothy's presence and understandably he could say, "No, I can't send Timothy. I need him with me now ministering to my needs." He says, "No, I'm putting the Philippians' needs ahead of my own and the Philippians serve Paul financially. And they sent Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus is willing to serve and go to the brink of death, obviously sacrificing for others.Contrast it with these people who are, in verse 20 and 21, are not concerned for their welfare. Look at verse 20, "For I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Christ." Now this is a little difficult to understand because we're talking about the church in Rome. And the epistle to the Romans was written five years before this. Romans 16, St. Paul has a whole list of specific Christians whom he admires, and appreciates, and genuinely thanks for their faithfulness. But most likely, once they came to faith, they were dispatched or sent to other cities. That's why he doesn't have anyone other than Timothy and some of these people who care about only their own interest.The other thing I just want to point out here about the heartbeat of Christ, Jesus deeply loved. He deeply loved his disciples. He deeply loved the people around him in a true, tangible, visible, emotional love. And there's so much love in these verses. It oozes with a bromance, of brotherhood, of fellowship. That's the word, not bromance, brotherhood, it's a brotherhood. Epaphroditus here longs for the Philippians. He's distressed that they're distressed. And the word here's the same word that's used for Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane who was distressed. It's deep emotional pain. The Christian life, my friends, is not stoicism. We have felt emotion, deep, raw emotion, rollercoaster of emotion during this time and that's okay. That's good to feel that emotion. It's good to feel that grief, that tenderness, even tears, sorrow, even slight anxiety.And by the way, this is interesting. That St. Paul says this in verse 27, "But God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow." St. Paul felt sorrow and "I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious." This is fascinating. St. Paul, did you know at the time of your writing Romans 8, which you gave us, Romans 8:28, "For those who are called by God, predestined by God, and who love God, all things work together for the good"? Didn't you know that St. Paul? Don't you know that your troubles are actually, God is going to use those troubles? There's a purpose in your pain. Didn't you know that St. Paul?St. Paul, didn't you know what you're about to write in chapter 4 where it says, "Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, present your requests to God"? Didn't you know that? Don't be anxious, you're about to write us? And now you're telling us about your anxiety? Well, this is fascinating. And by the way, anxiety isn't something that you can just suppress. It's not something you can just truncate. It's not something you can just turn off. It's something that we battle or something that we strive to replace with joy, with peace, with tranquility. That doesn't mean in this fleshly body, in this sinful world that our anxiety is just immediately gone completely. Now it's a battle for joy. It's a battle for peace on a daily basis. And St. Paul's not afraid of expressing those deep feelings. And as he does, the Lord uses it to minister to others.So the servant of God is willing to go anywhere, love anyone, and sacrifice anything because they have the heart of Christ. Timothy gave up his interest, Epaphroditus almost lost his life. Paul to the Ephesian elders said this in Acts 20:24, "I do not count my life of any value, nor is precious to myself. If only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." St. Paul said, "My life is of no value to me. There's something more important than my life and that's Christ. For me, to live as Christ and die." Again, St. Paul did pay the highest price. We don't know if he ever saw the church in Philippi. Verse 24, he says, "I trust in the Lord that shortly, I myself will come also." Most likely he didn't. And this was part of God's plan for him.The Lord when he called St. Paul to himself and met him on the road to Damascus, and St. Paul was blinded and then God tells Ananias, "Go now and minister Paul," to pray over him. But this is what God tells Ananias in Acts 9:15, "But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.'" God gives St. Paul the gift of salvation. And he gives him the gift of suffering, as we talked about in chapter 1.And for the Christian, yes, death is sad but we don't grieve as those without hope for the saint. Death is a blessing, it's a home-going. Why did I spend so much... This is a typical Pastor Jan. Most of the time of the sermon, I'm going to spend in point one. Why did I do this? Because we can't talk about the servant's hardships and the servant's honor without focusing on the servant's heart. If your heart isn't motivated by love for Christ, you won't be able to endure the hardship. And if you're just motivated by the honor that you will get, you won't be able to endure the hardship. Your heart needs to be filled with the love for Christ.As a Christian, if you're motivated by anything else than Christ, you will burn out in your spiritual walk. You'll burn out and you'll bum out. Why? Because it's hard. You'll get angry by the way people treat you, by the way... You get hurt. You'll grow weary and frustrated by hardships and sacrifices. You'll quit in disgust and disappointment. If serving for any other reason than love for Christ, if you have any other reason than love for Christ who loved you, gave himself for you, you'll give up. But if you are fueled by constantly being captivated by love for Christ, by the love of Christ, it changes everything.A servant's heart and then, point two is a servant's hardship. There's no service without sacrificing, and sacrificing is hard. It's even painful. Philippians 2:27, "Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him. Not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow," meaning, I've already got sorrow. I'm in prison, I'm facing execution, I'm being persecuted, and the death of Epaphroditus would have mounted that sorrow. Verse 25, "I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my needs." How does he describe the Christian life? Work and fight, worker and soldier, that there's work to do to be a Christian, to live on mission. And that there's a fight to battle. This is war.In all my years of being a minister, in all my years of being a Christian, I have not felt demonic oppression. I've not felt it as tangibly, as powerfully. I've not been as sensitive to it as I do today, in the world, in the nation, in our city, in my own life. We're at war. And war is hard. No one goes to war because it's easy. Look at St. Paul and his own life. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.He chronicles his hardships, "Are they servants of Christ? I'm a better one. I'm talking like a madman. With far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received the hands of the Jews the 40 lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, and hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there's the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches."Anytime I read that passage, I walk away and saying, "My troubles are nothing compared to this guy's." And as he's enduring all of that, he's got a love for the church that keeps him going. Soldiers into a boot camp to learn how to endure hardships and battle. And servants we must train. When war comes, that's when we're ready. And today, we're going through a season that we've never lived through. Unprecedented is the word, I can't wait till we go back to precedent times. I miss those. But this is what we've been training for, for the hardships. Philippians 2:22, "But you know Timothy's proven worth," he's been proven. His worth has been approved by testing. That's the same word that's used in Romans 5:3-4, "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." Proven worth and proven character. That's the same word here in the Greek.A product is tested before it's sold to prove that it's reliable. Cars need to go through crash testing. And that's how you know it's reliable. St. Paul had persecution, hardship, from without, from within, from above. From without, this is the persecution from the Roman Empire. From within, Christians who are motivated by selfish ambition and envy, criticizing St. Paul. And from above, demonic warfare, and he's being pressed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-10, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies." We are spiritual war.I've been hearing this from a lot of people. I've been saying this a lot. Like nothing makes sense. I don't know what to believe, whom to believe in the news. I don't know what's true. I don't know what's being spun. I don't know what's being exploited in order to create some political advantage. I don't know. Nothing makes sense. But you know what hasn't changed? The truth of God's word, the truth of the gospel, and that we are at war. One of the reasons why things don't make sense in the physical realm is when people around us don't understand that there's a spiritual realm. Yes, it looks like we are at war here with one another. But that's because there's war above us, and we need to be encouraged that we know who wins.I've read the end of the book. The Book of Revelation, I know, Jesus wins, and we can be encouraged with that. But we are at war, Ephesians 6:10-20. I'm going to read the whole passage because it's so relevant for us today. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand or be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace."In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication to that and keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me and opening my mouth boldly, to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I'm an ambassador in chains, that I may declare boldly, as I ought to speak."Spiritual warfare that culminates in St. Paul's action. He says, "What is the action?" It's to speak the gospel boldly. Timothy did not look to his own interests, he looked to the interests of Christ. Many of us are afraid to speak the gospel to our unbelieving neighbors, and friends, and colleagues, to speak the truth of the gospel. Because our primary interest is to be liked. We want to be liked by the people around us but that's not the goal. That's not the goal, to be liked. The goal is to be loved. And the way that people can truly love us is when they are transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. So how do we wage the spiritual war? By loving people and telling them the good news of Jesus Christ. Why wouldn't you become a Christian? Why wouldn't you want all of your sins forgiven? Why wouldn't you want to spend eternity with God in paradise where he is at the center?I want to point something out about Epaphroditus risking, Philippians 2:29-30. "So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me," risking. The word for risking in the Greek literally means hazarding his life, gambling. It's a gambling term, it means that he's willing to roll the dice. He's willing to roll the dice with his life, because he sees the pot in the middle. He's willing to risk his life because he knows the reward is greater than the risk. The reward is greater than the risk when you trust in Christ.Blaise Pascal and his Pensées, he had this thing called the Pascal's Wager, in which he said, "Every single person alive today is gambling with their life." And this is the wager, "If God exists, and I live for Him, I have to, in the short term in my life sacrifice finite pleasure, finite comfort. I have to lose something in the short term in order to gain something infinite in the long term." That's the wager. Others are wagering. And they're saying, "No, no, God does not exist. Therefore, in this life, I'm going to live any way I want for my pleasures as if I'm my own king. And I'm risking being miserable in all of eternity, I'd rather be happy as I defined it in the short term." And what he's saying is if like everyone's playing, everyone's gambling, if it turns out there is a God, if it turns out that there is an eternity and that we are eternal souls living in bodies, and we didn't submit to them now, we lose, and we lose for eternity. We lose infinitely. But if you win, you gain everything.I've been watching the Facebook news feed, Sundays, and I get to see who enters the chat, who watches with us. And I've been seeing a lot of my friends from high school, a lot of my friends from college, a lot of my neighbors, and I'm so thankful for that. And from the bottom of my heart, I welcome you. And from the bottom of my heart, I'm calling you to realize the greatness of God and the greatness of his gospel. That God gave his son Jesus Christ to die for my sins and your sins, sins of the whole world, and whosoever believes in Christ shall have eternal life forever, sins forgiven. You'll have blessing in this life. Yes, there are sacrifices. Yes, there are hardship. But there are things that make us stronger and draw us closer to Christ, which is the greatest blessing that there is. It's the greatest deal in the history of all deals.Jesus says, "Come to me, submit to me, give your heart to me and I give you myself," which is better than anything and everything in the world. So it's a no brainer, you should become a Christian. Everyone should. So why go through the hardship? Because you're motivated by Christ, you're motivated by his heart. And you also go through the hardship because there is a servant's honor, that God does honor his servants.And this is point three, the servant's honor, we don't seek honor for ourselves. I want to point that out, but we seek honor for the Lord and the Lord loves to share the honor. The Lord is a generous God who wants to honor his servants. Look at 1 Samuel 2:30, "Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel declares, I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever, and now the Lord declares, far be it from me, for those who honor me, I will honor and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed." And what an interesting thought of a glorious God of the universe, likes to honor, loves to honor. When we honor him, he honors us. 2 Timothy 4:8. "Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing." So any hardship that we face will be well worth it when we see his face, when we see the face of God.Matthew 25:21, "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over a little and I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'" The Lord wants to honor his servants, he does, and he will. Paul honors Timothy also by sending him as his representative. Paul honors Epaphroditus by his commendation. In Philippians 2:29, he says, "So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men," honor such people. And by the way, Paul is doing what he's telling them to do. He's honoring these godly people, godly men in this letter. He admires these brothers, appreciates them for their sacrifice, for their faithfulness.James Fraser of Brea, he says this, "The size and the substance of the spirit of a man's soul is at once seen by the spontaneity, and the generosity, and the exuberance, and the warmth of his praises. Just as the smallness, and the stinginess, and the sullenness, and the mulishness of another man's soul is all disclosed to us by his despicable ingratitude to all his benefactors. Almighty God Himself inhabits the praises of Israel. And to praise, and with your whole heart, all those men and women and children who deserve praise at your hands; that, already, is a certain contribution toward your praise of God."What a text. You got to go back and you got to analyze this text. By the way, James Fraser of Brea, I commend you, I salute you, James. What a quote, what a paragraph. And the alliteration, oh my, the pair-off, phenomenal.Here's what I want to say about honoring one another. I grew up in a Slavic church. I grew up in a Slavic church in Providence, Rhode Island. And in Slavic Baptist culture, there's some quirks. There's a lot of quirks. One of the quirks is that they would have a special music time or like special participation. There's the worship, there's the choir singing, there's the sermon. There were actually three sermons. Our service is like three hours. And someone would come up to sing, someone would sing a song.And there would always be a group of people in the church that wanted to clap, that wanted to honor these people for doing a tremendous job. And then, in every conference I've ever been to, Slavic conference, there's always a contingent of people who say, "No, no, no, don't clap, instead, say Praise God." Interesting if you analyze it, and the fear was if you clap for these people, or you say thank you, or you admire, or you say good job. The fear was, they're going to lose their reward in heaven. And by honoring them, we're not honoring God. So let's not even think about them. Let's just think about God.And I understand the heart behind, the heart is that you don't want to breed narcissism, you don't want to inflate the ego, and you don't want to detract from God's honor. No. But this is what this quote is saying, James Fraser, and this will be seen in the text. "We honor God by honoring people." When we see people reflecting God, and we honor them for that, we're actually saying, "You know what? Good job, and God great job because you created this person, and you filled them with the spirit, and you gave them these gifts and abilities. It's not theirs. But they're working. They're working hard at this." And Scripture is full of compliments paid by saints one to another. Thanksgiving for help, for love, for service, for generosity, and the Lord does this himself.The Lord often praises his servants without even drawing attention to the fact that they couldn't do anything apart from him. This is fascinating. Look at Job 1:8, "The Lord says to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?'" That's what he's saying, "Check him out. He's doing a great job." Look at Numbers 12:3, and by the way, this is one of my favorite texts in all Scriptures. "Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth." Who wrote the book of Numbers? Moses. So Moses is literally sitting there, and he's saying, "Moses is the most meek person on the face... I am, Moses is the most humble person on the face of the Earth." Now you read that, and it's humorous. It's actually hilarious. Because to say I'm the most humble or the meek man is actually showing that you're far from it. But what's going on here?The Holy Spirit says, "Moses, write this down." Moses was like, "I can't write this down." God's like, "Write this down, because I've noticed something in you, Moses. I want others to see it and I want others to emulate you." God praises Noah for being righteous in this generation. God called Solomon very great, even majestic. Jesus commends the woman of great faith. He notices the widow's generosity as she contributes two mites. Jesus marvels at the fate of the centurion. Jesus affirms Nathaniel for not being a hypocrite.The woman with the alabaster jar who goes and she gives Jesus her life savings in this ointment and to anoint him for his burial and his disciples start grumbling, led by Judas. They said, "Imagine how many people we could have fed if we had taken this alabaster jar and actually sold it," and Jesus says this. He says, "Why do you trouble this woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told the memory of her."It's so important for parents to say, "Good job," to your children, to say, "I love you and I appreciate you." Kids are born with a profound need to be loved and appreciated. And it's devastating when they don't receive it, the love, the praise, the appreciation, and so much of our brokenness, personal brokenness, brokenness in the society. It's because kids have grown up without parents telling them, "I love you. I appreciate you." Without fathers saying to daughters and to sons, "I love you and I appreciate you. I'm so proud of you." Hardly anything has greater influence in our emotional and spiritual welfare. Why? This is so important. Why does every single one of us, why do we crave this appreciation and love? It's because we're created in the image of God, was a Triune God, and in the Trinity, in the internal councils of the Triune God, this praise, appreciation, love, compliments, all circulating all the time. It's what God is. It's what God does, because God is love.It's the Father saying, "Son, great job." It's the Holy Spirit saying, "Father, Son, great job." It's Jesus saying to the Holy Spirit, "Great job in filling people. Great job in anointing people. Great job in building the church." And Jesus and the Holy Spirit's saying to the Father, "Great job. You're great, Dad. Thank you."What keeps the praise from being man-centered? How do we make sure that our praise of people isn't fueling narcissism or inflating ego even with our kids? It's when we say great job because of a great God. Great job because of a great God. This is St. Paul, he said this about him. He, actually, he honored himself, which it's crazy, but he did. He honored how hard he worked. He said, "I am what I am by the grace of God. It's all God, Great God. But his grace in me wasn't in vain. I worked harder than the rest of them. But it wasn't me, it was the grace of God." Great job, Paul. Great job, God. Praise God. That's how, we deflect the honor to the Lord. So honestly, practice this in your families. Husbands, admire your wife, speak appreciation, honor, love. Saying, "Baby, you're doing a great job, tremendous job." And wives, honor your husbands by telling them, "I respect you. I see the sacrifices that you're making for us."Parents, admire your children, appreciate your child. Tell your children they're beautiful. My youngest, Milana, whenever she dresses up and she knows she looks good. First step, she goes to the mirror, she looks at herself. She says, "Hmm, hmm." And then she goes into my room and she just stands there. And what's she doing? She's waiting. She doesn't just want me to see, she wants me to speak. I always say, "Baby, you look so beautiful. Wow. That's amazing." By the way, all of my daughters do that. By the way, my wife does that as well. Tell people that you love them. Tell people that they're beautiful. Tell people that you appreciate them. And obviously, we don't overlook harmful behavior. This isn't flattery or fawning. We encourage the good, we discourage the bad.We're not called to inflate egos, but to encourage servant's heart. By the way, this admiration is generous spirit. This mutual appreciation, it engenders unity. There's nothing that unites like this in teams, in companies, in families, in the church. Honor. And here, one more really important point I want to make. Speaking of unity. Speaking of the climate we're in now. I've seen what's happening now. I've seen this before. It's happening now in the church. Churches around the nation. I've seen this before. I saw this in 2016, summer of 2016. Brothers and sisters in the church, when they realize that their brothers and sisters do not vote like they do, that infuriates so much that they leave the body. They left this church and they left the church. I've seen that.When your politics are the reason why you can't love brothers and sisters, that you're not serving the Lord primarily. There's a Lord higher than the lord. So as we engage in politics and political discourse, let us never forget that there's a higher kingdom and we're not citizens of this world. We're citizens of that kingdom, and there's nothing more important than to be united by the gospel of Jesus Christ, extending honor to one another, and respect, and civility, and kindness, most importantly, love. And I will say this as we talk about, as you make political statements online, as you make political statements to one another, make sure don't forget Romans 13. Romans 13:7, "Pay to all what is owed to them. Taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenues are owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed." That's everybody. In particular, in that context, it's those in authority over us.We can disagree with those in authority over us. We can do everything that we can in order to get someone else in authority over us. But whoever is in authority over us now, there is an honor and respect that they are due for the office. So be careful of the way that you talk of those in authority or those potentially in authority because Romans 13:4 says, "He is God's servant. For an allotted time, God has a certain purpose for this." And in that context, it was Nero, who was a terrible, terrible, terrible king. But there was an honor. Ecclesiastes 10:20, "Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king. Nor in your bedroom, curse the rich for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. Give honor to those whom honor is due."In conclusion, when you live like this with a servant's heart, enduring a servant's hardship, to receive a servant's honor, you will live a life where you will be missed when you're gone. And that's how Jesus lived. Jesus had a servant's heart, the greatest servant's heart. Jesus endures servant's hardships, he endured the greatest hardship and Jesus received a servant's honor, the greatest honor and name that is above every name, but today, however, he isn't missed. You know why? Because he came back from the dead and we have the presence of Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit with us. Amen. Hallelujah. Let's pray.Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time and the word. What a rich word, always is. And we pray, Lord, that you cultivate in us a servant's heart, to give us the strength to endure a servant's hardship. And, Lord, we long for the day when we get the servant's honor and we thank you for honoring us even now. Give us a grace so that we honor one another as brothers and sisters, in partnership with the gospel. And we pray that you expand your kingdom even in this time, especially in this time, and I pray that the gospel continues to go forth and we pray all this in the beautiful name of Jesus Christ, amen. Hallelujah. Amen.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+1%3A27-30&version=ESV (Philippians 1:27-30) Dear friends, I love being a citizen of the United States. Yes, it has its flaws, but those flaws are few in comparison to the benefits and blessings I've received as a citizen. As you know, part of being a citizen is not only receiving blessings and privileges, it also involves responsibility and duty. It means paying taxes, participating in our community, serving our country, and being respectful and honest. Participate in the country. I have a dual citizenship, by the way. Maybe you do too. Anyone who is a believer in Jesus Christ has another citizenship far greater than any other. It's heavenly citizenship. And, as a citizen of God's kingdom, I also have received many spiritual blessings and privileges that I enjoy: a restored relationship with God, forgiveness for my sins, a cleansed conscience, the promise of eternity. And I also have duties and responsibilities as a citizen of this heavenly kingdom. That's what the apostle Paul tells us in our passage for today from Philippians. Let me just set this up for you little bit: Paul's been telling these folks of how he's rejoicing because the gospel's advancing, even where he is, and he's in a prison in Rome. He reports in his letter that he's been using his uncomfortable circumstances to bring Christ Jesus to the soldiers guarding him and that the whole Praetorian Guard has now heard about Jesus from Paul. And not only that, the Christians in Rome who had been kind of shy are now sharing the gospel of Christ more boldly, as they're inspired by Paul. And Paul tells these Philippians that he's all in when it comes to the gospel, “for to me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Now he turns the conversation away from himself, today, in this passage to the Philippian Christians (and to us as well) as he writes, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel; conduct yourselves in a way that honors Jesus your King and represents Him well in this world of ours.” Paul was actually talking citizenship. The verb, “let your manner of life be”, is literally “live as citizens”. Live as citizens worthy of the gospel, he says, the gospel of Christ. He's telling us it's important to conduct ourselves as good citizens of the kingdom of Christ. We're His representatives in the world. You do that, first of all, with your character, and then also with your conduct. Paul keeps going, he says Conduct yourself this way so that whether I come to you or am absent I may hear these things about you. That you are living life in a manner worthy of the gospel; that you're living like our king Jesus would live, with a loving attitude, with kindness, and mercy, and grace, and truthfulness, and goodness , and integrity, and humility, and compassion towards others, and obedience to the great commandment to love God and love neighbor. Because how you act does say a lot, it tells the real story. He says it's also a continual standing firm in striving for the faith of the gospel. We're to be evangelistic, called to spread the gospel of Jesus to other people. To intentionally, boldly, and gently sprinkle our conversations with others about Jesus and what He did for us at the cross and tomb. To tell others the good news of God's kingdom plan of salvation. To invite people to turn to Christ and receive the forgiveness of sins. Paul says as you're doing those two things, it's so important that you do them together, as the church. It's too hard to do this alone. He says, “I want to hear that you're standing firm in one spirit, striving side-by-side for the faith of the gospel.” That striving side-by-side is a term from the world of athletics. He's talking teamwork — everyone working together as a team for the advancement of the gospel in your community. We need to stay connected to one another, doing His work together, not only as a show of strength, but it's a source of needed strength...

The Philippian Christians had learned the secret of joyful, liberal financial giving. The church in Philippi had taken up an offering to give to Paul, in prison because of his faith. Paul wrote back to the church and expressed his joy (see verse 10). Joy, or its derivative, occurs almost 20 times in this letter. Have you discovered the joy of giving? In what ways can giving make you a joyful person? Gary Hardin “Our consumer-oriented society pressures us to place too much value on material things, to the point that our joy is based on how much we have. This approach to life results in chronic dissatisfaction. We never seem to have enough.” Unknown

Introduction: The Information Age So turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. We are looking this morning at verses 6-16. We live in an age, relentlessly hungry for information. Some people even call it the information age. It was born by digital technology which has resulted in remarkable devices like the smartphone. It's amazing what these things can do. Search on Google, some words of archaic medieval poem, and it comes up in like three-tenths of a second. It's more than just freaky fast, it's just simply freaky. Google's supercomputers handle 40,000 search queries per second on average, 3.5 billion searches every day, and 1.5 trillion searches a year on average. So there's this relentless thirst for knowledge, for facts. And it extends to an instantaneous awareness of current events. An earthquake in Haiti, or popular uprising in Venezuela, the death of a celebrity, all of it coming to us in real time, as it's happening. This is the power of these smartphones. Data shows that by next year, there may be as many as 2.5 billion smartphone users worldwide. Yet for all of this amazing access to knowledge, there's an appalling lack of wisdom. The world continues to go on, in its foolishness, acting like there is no God, acting like there are no 10 Commandments, that there is no death, and no Judgment Day that follows. The gospel of Jesus Christ is being heard every single day by more people than ever before, in history, but it's also being rejected by more people than ever before in history. Now, the text that we're going to look at today explains why. Look at verse 14. "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned." But we who are Christians, we have been rescued from that spiritual darkness. And we have been specifically rescued from our darkness by the Holy Spirit of God. And so this morning we as Christians are going to celebrate the sovereign work of the Spirit in our lives. That He was able to speak into the darkness of our hearts, and show us Christ. And He's still doing that, He's going to continue to do that, as long as we live. This is the ministry of the Spirit of God. We're going to continue to follow the argument of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 1 and 2 as he wrote to the Corinthian church concerning the wisdom of God in the cross, and we're going to see specifically the ministry of the Spirit and delivering that wisdom to us. I. The Deep Mystery of God is Infinitely Wise The deep mystery of God is infinitely wise. Paul is tracing out for the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1-2, the apparent foolishness of the Gospel. And he's done it for a very clear reason because the Corinthians, like all Greeks, loved human philosophy, they loved human wisdom, they were enamored with it. Greek philosophy was their glory, it's what made them shine in the world. And Paul is seeking to expose their pride, their arrogance, the utter foolishness of human wisdom. And so he's been revealing effectively the competing systems of wisdom here. God's wisdom versus man's wisdom. They're in direct competition. And he's been revealing how God's wisdom appears to be foolish to the world, to the natural mind. And he does it in three steps. First, in the middle part of 1 Corinthians 1, he begins by talking about the cross of Christ. And the cross of Christ seems foolish. How could a dead Jewish man on a Roman cross be the Savior of the world? That just seems foolish. And then the second step was the Corinthian church itself. How could such an assembly of people that no one really would want, not many wise, not many influential, not many of noble birth, the foolish people really of the world, that no one wants. They are Christ's church. And that seems foolish. And then the third step we looked at last week is how would God choose as a messenger someone like Paul, who was not a very polished speaker and had rejected the strategy of polished rhetoric and speaking. He put that aside, and was even that day, not at his best. He said he was with them in weakness and fear and much trembling. It seems foolish. Why would God use such a messenger? But there is, in fact, an amazing wisdom in all of this. So as Joel began his reading in verse six it starts with the word 'yet.' So, I've been tracing out why we're turning now, we're turning a corner concerning all of this. There actually is an amazing wisdom in all of this. He's been calling Christ crucified the foolishness of God and the weakness of God, but actually it is infinite wisdom, it is infinite strength. And in this competition between God's wisdom and man's wisdom, God is going to have the final word. God is in the business of leveling human pride. Isaiah 2 makes this plain that God is set against human arrogance, human pride, against all the lofty towers and the stately trading vessels, and all the high mountains of human arrogance, those are idolatrous self-worshipping systems of human arrogance. Isaiah 2 says that God is going to level all of that. "The Lord alone will be exalted in that day." And He uses the gospel and the church and messengers of the Gospel to level human pride. The Gospel is Actually an Infinitely Wise Message So actually, Paul says here, we do preach a message of wisdom. Look at verses 6 and 7, "We do however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined, decreed for our glory before time began." So Paul speaks of we, we being messengers like me. Faithful evangelists, faithful missionaries, faithful pastors who are preaching this message. We who are speaking this message, we actually are speaking a message of wisdom. In fact, you're going to see on Judgment Day just how wise this message really was. In my home state of Massachusetts up in Newburyport there is the burial site of one of the greatest evangelists of all time, George Whitefield. And Whitfield wanted this put on his tomb as a memorial, concerning his life, "Here lies George Whitefield. What sort of man he was, Judgment Day will reveal." Now George Whitefield was one of the most famous men on earth at that point. A lot of people spoke for him or against him. He said, "You want to know who I really am, wait till Judgment Day. Then you'll see." That's true of all of us, what kind of person we really were will be revealed on Judgment Day. Well, I want to take that idea and apply it to the Gospel. Here is the Gospel of Christ, how wise it really is will be revealed on Judgment Day. But it would be very good for all of us to see its wisdom now while there's time. Before Judgment Day comes when it's too late to believe this message, it is good for us now, by faith to see how wise the message of Christ and Him crucified, really is. And so he says, "To the mature, we speak a message of wisdom." Or to the perfect, that's one translation but I think it just means to those who have received this gospel message, to those who love it, who are swimming in it, and delight in it, we can see it, can't we? We can see this is a message of wisdom. So, among the mature we are speaking a message of wisdom. And this deep mystery of God is infinitely wise. It is wise because it lines up with the central reality there is in the universe. It's foolish to live in a fantasy, in a fantasy world, in a world that isn't. We believe that God the Creator and the King and the Judge has a throne in Heaven, and that throne is the center of the entire universe. And so it is infinitely foolish to deny that Creator, King and Judge, that God. But this gospel message lines us up with that central reality. So it is very wise. The deep mystery of God and Christ is infinitely wise also because there are just so many dimensions to it, it's a very deep, wise, multi-faceted thing, what God is doing with sinners in the world through Christ. And so, it's very wise actually. And it's so wise and so overwhelming that the Apostle Paul as he was unfolding the deepest clearest exposition of the gospel, which is the book of Romans, as he's going step by step by step, and especially in that section in Romans 9-11, where he's dealing with the perplexing problem of the Jews and why the overwhelming majority of the Jews are rejecting Christ, and he gives us three chapters of answer to that, including the future when all Israel will be saved and he goes through all of that. And then it's almost like he looks at what he's written and he can't fathom everything that the Holy Spirit has told him to write in the book of Romans. And so he just gives this incredible doxology. "Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable His judgments. And His paths beyond tracing out. Who has known the mind of the Lord? And who has been His counselor?" And so he's just in awe at the words he wrote that he doesn't understand, but he wrote them as an instrument of the Holy Spirit. And so, it is wise, this gospel is wise, because it is so multi-faceted and complex. Thirdly, this deep mystery of God is infinitely wise, because it is so powerful in humbling humanity, and we need humbling. We have been allied with Satan in his arrogant rebellion against God, who sought to ascend and topple God from His heavenly throne. We joined him in the Garden of Eden, and we have been arrogant and lofty and so proud and boastful, this gospel is wise because it humbles us. And what it's going to do is it's going to rescue people from every tribe, language, people or nation and humble us and quiet us around the throne of God, where we celebrate His grace in saving us. That's what it's going to do. So it's a very wise message. It is also infinitely wise, because it displays all of the perfections, the qualities, the attributes of God, puts them all on display. God's power, His justice, His wisdom, His mercy, His kindness, His patience, His love, all of these things are on display in the cross and in the gospel. And so it's infinitely wise, finally, because it overcomes all of Satan's complex powerful opposition to it. Satan is very intelligent, far more intelligent than any of us, and he set up all of these faulty religions and these idolatrous systems, and they're very persuasive and they're very powerful. God's wisdom is wise because it knows how to topple all of those systems and level them and rescue us out of them all, redeemed in Heaven. So see how wise is this gospel, how infinitely wise. The Ultimate End of this Wisdom: God’s Glory and Ours Now, the ultimate end of all this, look at verse 7, is God's glory in ours, in our glory. That's the end, that's where we're heading. God will be glorified by us being glorified. Look at verse 7, it says, "We speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden, and that God destined or predestined or decreed for our glory, before time began." Now that's amazing. Before time began, God worked out this message, this gospel message, so that we would end up glorious in His presence. Now God does everything for His own glory, it says in Revelation 5:13. And this is a little glimpse of heavenly worship. They're all around the throne, and they are celebrating and this is what they say, "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb," that's Jesus, "be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever." That's what we're going to be doing in heaven, just giving God the honor and the glory. So God does everything for that, for His own glory. But God will be most glorified in us when we are finally glorified in Him. When we are in our resurrection bodies, when we are shining like the sun in the kingdom of our Father, God will get maximum glory from any of His creatures at that point, that's the maximum glory there will ever be. And so God actually destined this message that we would be glorious in His presence, and it'll be His glory in us. It's not an independent glory like we're in competition, we'll be shining with His glory. In Revelation 21:10-11, an angel showed John the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. Now listen to this Revelation 21:11, "It shone with the glory of God and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel like a Jasper, clear as crystal." That's the people of God, and we're going to be shinning with the glory of God through Christ. So God destined this message before time began, that we would end up glorious in Him. How powerful is that? II. The Deep Wisdom of God is Hidden from the People of this Age Now, the deep wisdom, this deep wisdom of God that we've been talking about is hidden from the people of this age. It is a secret wisdom. Look again at verse 7, "No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began." This is a mysterious thing. This is a hidden wisdom. And Paul calls the wisdom of God, the secret thing hidden in the mind of God, he calls them the deep things of God. This is something that the world with all of its philosophical brilliance, or its scientific acumen, with all of the precision of human technology and science, we could never have figured it out, never have plumbed the depths of it. The focus of this wisdom is Christ who was hidden in the mind of God, before He revealed Him. Isaiah 49 speaks of Christ being concealed like a secret arrow in a quiver, and at the right time, He unveiled Him. And little by little He unveiled Him in prophecy, but then at the right time, unveiled Him. This wisdom has been hidden in the mind of God, and God destined for our glory before time began. So that means before God said, "Let there be light," He worked all of this out. Revelation 13:8 speaks of Jesus as the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. So that means He was effectively, it was worked out that He would die for our sins before God said, "Let there be light." All of this was worked out in the mind of God, before time began. And Ephesians 1 tells us that God chose His elect people from every tribe, language, people, and nation, before the world began. It says in Ephesians 1:4 that God "chose us in Christ," "before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight." So this is something God had worked out before the creation of the world. Now, God's wisdom is not the wisdom of this age. Verse 6, "Not the wisdom of this age or the rulers of this age who are coming to nothing." Here he makes it plain that the secret wisdom of God is not the wisdom that Satan is selling in the present age. The rulers of this age rejected it in every generation. So back in the day, the Greek heroes like Alexander the Great, who thought might makes right and won an empire with the edge of his sword, rejected the wisdom of God. And philosophical heroes like Plato and Aristotle and Socrates, they didn't discern the wisdom of God, they didn't discern Christ. And so also the rulers of our age are going to be universally rejecting the gospel of Christ. Don't be shocked by that, that the movers and shakers of the 21st century in America and around the world, the political leaders, the Fortune 500 CEO’s, the best and the brightest, the most brilliant individuals, the talking heads that everybody goes to for all this insight, for them, almost universally, this is foolishness. Just like it was in Paul's age. But Paul says the rulers of this age are coming to nothing. They're going to be exposed on Judgment Day as having been wrong, having been foolish. The crucifixion of Christ as essential moment in human history proves their blindness. Look at verse 8-9, "None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory." The rulers of this age proved that they did not understand what God was doing by crucifying Jesus. Some people think the rulers of this age refers to Satan and his demons, and that kind of terminology is used in Ephesians 6, but here I really think it's humans. Because in context he says, "As it is written, 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard…'" He's talking about human beings, human rulers. And so, Annas and Caiaphas and the Jewish Sanhedrin, by rejecting Jesus, by the high priest tearing his robes and saying, "He's spoken blasphemy," they didn't recognize that Jesus was what the text says, "the Lord of glory." They didn't see Jesus as the Lord of glory. And why? Because Isaiah 53:3 says, "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him." Nothing in His appearance, He just looked like an ordinary man, and they considered it blasphemy that He would be calling Himself the Son of God. And so, they didn't see it. If they had seen and known who He was, they would never have crucified Him. Pontius Pilate, I think he was puzzled by Jesus, he was troubled by Jesus. I think he wondered who Jesus was. His wife had a dream about Him, he was afraid of Jesus in some sense, but he didn't recognize Him as the Lord of Glory. If he had, he would never have given the order to his soldiers to crucify Him. They would not have crucified Him if they had known who He was, the Lord of glory. Supporting verse in verse 9, "However, as it is written, No eye has seen no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." Now people who use this verse to talk about our own future. Like, I'm writing a book now on heaven, and one person said to me, "Well, I don't think we can know anything about heaven 'cause it says, 'No eye has seen no ear has heard, neither has it entered the heart of man what God has prepared for us in heaven.'" Just read the next verse. God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. So, so much for that. But I don't even think it's talking about Heaven, this is talking about Christ crucified and resurrected. It's talking about the gospel and no eye has seen, and no ear has heard and neither has it entered into the heart of man. The natural mind would never have thought of this. We would not have come up with this gospel. No human author, no William Shakespeare, no Charles Dickens, no Mark Twain, would have ever been able to concoct this, they never would have come up with this story. Some time ago I came across a bit of prose, written to just give us a sense of the greatness and the mystery of the life of Christ. Let me read it to you. It Said this: "More than nineteen hundred years ago there was a Man born contrary to the laws of life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not travel extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which He lived; that was during His exile in childhood. He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous, and had neither training nor formal education. In infancy He startled a king; in childhood He puzzled doctors; in manhood He ruled the course of nature, walked upon the billows as if pavements, and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His service. He never wrote a book, and yet all the libraries of the country could not hold the books that have been written about Him. He never wrote a song, and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all the song writers combined. He never founded a college, but all the schools put together cannot boast of having as many students. He never marshaled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun; and yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have, under His orders, made more rebels stack arms and surrender without a shot fired. He never practiced psychiatry, and yet He healed more broken hearts than all the doctors far and near. Once each week the wheels of commerce cease their turning and multitudes wend their way to worshipping assemblies to pay homage and respect to Him. The names of the past proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone. The names of the past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have come and gone; but the name of this Man abounds more and more. Though time has spread nineteen hundred years between the people of this generation and the scene of His crucifixion, yet He still lives. Herod could not destroy Him, and the grave could not hold Him. He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints, and feared by devils, as the living, personal Christ, our Lord and Savior." —The Incomparable Christ Now, no human author would come up with that, it's impossible. And the rulers of this age cannot understand this Wisdom. Verse 14, "The natural man," that's the literalistic translation. One translation says, "The man without the Spirit," but it's just the normal man, the non-supernatural man, "does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." Every unbeliever around the world is inherently hostile to both the Law and the Gospel. When he hears the law of God, he fights against it. Romans 8:7 says, "The mind of the flesh is hostile to God, it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot." III. The Spirit Searches Out and Reveals to Us the Deep Wisdom of God The mind of the flesh, that's the natural mind, hates the law of God. Ten commandments, two great commandments, hates, fights against it. But also in this text, we would say the unregenerate mind does not accept the good news of the Gospel either. The blind eye cannot receive sight. No unbeliever can ever be talked into or persuaded to, or threatened or bribed or coerced into faith in Christ, just like none of those things would make a blind eye see. It's beyond us to do that. The Spirit searches out and reveals to us the deep wisdom of God. However, though no eye has seen, though no ear has heard, though it has not entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him, the Spirit has revealed these things to us. When I was going back over the sermon a couple of days ago, it became pretty emotional for me at this point because I have increasingly realized what I owe to the third person of the Trinity for my salvation. I would still be an unbeliever. I was converted at age 19 as a junior at MIT. I've gone on into a career in science and would never believed if it weren't for the Spirit. Look at verse 10, "But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit," unveiled it to us by the Spirit. Look at the powerful work of the Spirit of God in Verse 10-11, "The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." Now, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. We believe in one God who has eternally existed in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, co-equal with God the Father, and God the Son, and His unique role in all of this, is to reveal Christ to unbelieving minds. To do it powerfully and effectively. And first, the text says, He searches all things, even the deep things of God. This reminds me of the first two verses of the Bible, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." So you get the sense of the depths and the darkness, and the Spirit is active and ready to work. The images of undulating chaos and turbulence and darkness and the Spirit of God hovering over the waters, He's ready to bring light and order out of the darkness and out of the chaos. Do not think the Holy Spirit of God was not involved in creation, He was. Just as Jesus was involved in creation, triune God created all things. And so it is with human conversion. 2 Corinthians 4:6 says, "God who said Let light shine out of darkness, made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." This text is saying He does that by the Spirit. By the Spirit, God says Let the light of Christ shine in your heart. That's what the Spirit has done for me and for all of you who are Christians. And what's amazing here, is the Spirit is said to understand the mind of God. And by extension, I'm gonna say He understands the human mind as well, He searches the mind of God, He searches out the deep things of God. Remember that doxology, Oh, the depth of the riches, the wisdom and the knowledge of God. Who has known the mind of the Lord?" This text actually answers. The Spirit has, the Spirit knows the deep things of God, He plumbs the infinite depths of the mind of God. He knows exactly what God the Father wants out of the human race. He knows what God the Father intended in sending His only begotten son Jesus into the world. He's not misunderstood theology, He's actually really good at theology. The Spirit understands predestination, election, He understands justification by faith alone, He understands sanctification, He understands glorification, He understands every heading of theology very, very well. He has searched out the mind of God and knows exactly what God thinks about all of these things. And though it doesn't say overtly here in the text, it's true, He understands your mind too. He's able to plumb the twisted dark depths of the human sinful mind. Says in Jeremiah 17:9-10, "The heart," the human heart, "is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind." He does that by the Spirit. So what that means is the Spirit of God both searches God's mind and searches our minds and is able to convert us and bring us together. He knows how to heal us, He knows how to give us spiritual sight when we are blind. I don't know if this is a good analogy, but I look on Him this morning, at least as a master safe cracker. He's able to pick the locks of your deceitful heart, and suddenly the door swings open. How did that happen? You put up all these defenses against Jesus. How many defenses did Saul of Tarsus put against this gospel? Remember how He said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." He's been pressed, he's been pushed to faith in Christ, but he's resisting, resisting, resisting. But the Spirit of God is able to cause the locked gates of the soul to swing open to Jesus. He has that kind of power, He did it in my heart. All of you who are genuinely converted, He did it in your hearts too. He has that kind of power and that is a miracle, it's called the miracle of the new birth, of being born again. Jesus said to Nicodemus, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again." But Nicodemus didn't understand that, and so Jesus used this, in other words He said, "Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. The wind blows where it wishes, you hear its sound but you can't tell where it comes from, where it's going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." So the Spirit works on us to be born again to faith in Christ, and so every Christian in the world owes his or her salvation as much to the Spirit as he does to Christ. Jesus provided the atoning blood, the Spirit painted it on the doorpost and lintels of your soul. Just like the Israelites did on the night of Passover, He has painted the blood of Christ on you, and by that you are saved. Without that, it never happens. Jesus died 2000 years ago, and many people have heard about it and know about it and never believed it and went to hell. And so there needs to be that separate act of the application of the blood of Christ to our souls individually, and the Spirit does that. And the Spirit, verse 12-13, teaches us the words of the Gospel, the words of theology. Look what it says, "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truth in spiritual words." So the spirit of the world, Satan, is teaching worldlings, the people of the world, the language of the world. The language of wealth, the language of power, the language of pleasure, the language of self, that's what the spirit of this age is teaching the people of this age. But the Spirit from God teaches us the language of spiritual riches that God is giving us. He puts these riches into words that people like Paul and pastors like me speak, that's all we do. Just words, words that capture how rich Christians are in the Gospel. And the Holy Spirit is able to marry spiritual truths with spiritual words. It's a difficult phrase in the Greek, but the sense is, He's putting together, knitting together, the spiritual truths that God is giving in words where you get to understand what they are. Because they're all invisible. And so the Spirit teaches us the words of theology, the words of preaching, the words of scripture, so that we can understand how rich we are in Jesus IV. The Spirit of God Transforms Our Judgments Now, the Spirit of God also transforms our status and our judgment. Look at Verse 15-16, "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment, for who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." Martin Luther, who was put under a death sentence by the Catholic authorities, the Holy Roman Emperor and by the Pope used this text to say I'm above all of your judgments. You can't do anything to me. I am not judged by any of you. I've been already judged at the cross, and now I am innocent through faith in Christ. And so we're not under any worldly judgment, we've been already judged and now declared to be 'not guilty' through faith in Christ. But we get to evaluate the world, we get to judge the world, we get to say that the pleasures and the powers and the principalities of this world are going to nothingness, and we'll still be standing when they're all swept away by the judgment of God. And then Paul says, amazingly, the last verse of this chapter, "We have the mind of Christ." Isn't that amazing? If you're a Christian you have the mind of Christ. Not you ought to have it, you do. Through the indwelling Spirit, you are already fully capable of thinking like Jesus Christ, about everything. And yet Philippians 2, Paul says to the Philippian Christians there, "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ," and then talks about humility. So it's like, how do I put that together? Ah, contradiction in the Bible. No. He says here, You have the mind of Christ. In Philippians 2, he says, now use it, think like Jesus. And so in everything at every moment of our lives, we're able to think and then live like Jesus, by the power of the Spirit. V. Applications Alright, applications. First to the unconverted, the things of the Gospel, maybe when you walked in here even this morning, might have seemed foolish to you. But maybe this morning, something's happening inside your mind, inside your heart. Happened to me. October of 1982 it happened to me, and all of a sudden things change. Maybe that's happening for you. You've heard the Gospel this morning of God sending His Son who died on the cross for sinners like you and me, that we're justified, we're made righteous by faith, not by works, that's the gospel. And it may be that this is happening to you right now, you're seeing yourself more and more as a person who needs a Savior, that you have violated God's laws, that you need a Savior, and that Jesus is the Savior. If this is happening to you, this is the work of the Holy Spirit. And not only that, He begins to show you how glorious Jesus is, and you feel an attraction, a magnetic attraction, to Jesus and you want to follow Him, this is the work of the Holy Spirit of God. Let me just give you a warning, if today you hear His voice, don't harden your heart, don't put it off, call on the name of the Lord. You don't have to go anywhere, even now you can cry out inside your mind, inside your heart, Jesus save me, and He will. Now for you who are Christians, stand in awe of the wisdom of God in all of this. You have been instructed how amazingly wise this gospel is, just stand in awe of that. This is a wise message. And isn't it amazing that He crafted it for your glory? Think about that. This message will glorify you. It is the power of God for your full salvation, it will get you to glory, just stand in awe of that. And secondly, give the Holy Spirit full credit for your salvation. Thank God for sending the Spirit for you. Understand you would still be in darkness and blind and not born again if it weren't for the Spirit of God. Thirdly, rejoice that the Spirit's not done working on you, He's still hovering over the deep of your heart. He's still got more things to teach you, He's teaching you more and more the significance of the final statement. You have the mind of Christ. Now use it, use it here, use it there, use it in thinking about money, use it in thinking about marriage, use it in thinking about sex, use it in thinking about your time, use it in thinking about everything. You have the mind of Christ, now use it. And feed on this Scripture, feed on the word to know what that means. The mind of Christ totally harmonizes with the words of Scripture and the Spirit can minister that to you. Fifth, understand the state of the lost. We are surrounded by people who are without hope, and without God in the world, and they will never understand this message, and they're lost and they're on their way to hell. If they're not converted, they will be condemned for their sins. This is the only hope for them. And as you begin to talk to them, you're going to begin to realize just how true verse 14 really is. It's going to seem foolishness to them, they're going to push back on it, etcetera. Don't give up, the Holy Spirit has power to transform sinners. He has the power to pick the locks of their soul, and it will swing open, or just maybe blow open all the defenses and then the light floods in. How powerful is that? And so, let us this week, just say, Lord lead me to someone who's ready to hear this message and just open the gates of their soul. I would love to see that happen. I would love to be sharing the gospel with someone who says, "That sounds good. What do I do?" So it's like, Lord lead me to someone who's ready to come to Christ and I will rejoice. Close with me in prayer. Father, we thank You for the time that we've had in Your Word, we thank You for the power of the word, we thank You for the power of the Spirit in our lives. Thank you that You hovered over the deep of the mind of God, and You are able to draw the truths from the mind of God and deliver them to us. And thank You that You have hovered over the depths of our own twisted wickedness, the deceitfulness of our minds and You've been able to bring the truth through all of those obstacles, and barriers and hatred and dislikes, in order that we might be saved. God, make us truly thankful and make us bold as never before. Bold in our sharing of the Gospel. It's in Your name that we pray, Lord Jesus. Amen.

In Philippians chapter 2 the Apostle Paul explains how the Philippian Christians can live out the gospel and walk worthy of the gospel. In Paul's exhortation he bases the reason for the unity of the Church on the union the saints have in Christ. Listen to hear Kevin Diaz unpack these gospel truths.

Paul's letter to the Philippian Christians is filled with encouragement for their joy. From the very beginning, Paul shows us that unshakable joy is rooted in the message and mission of the gospel of Jesus.

For the follower of Jesus, joy is serious business. Indeed, if anyone in this hurting world is capable of having a happy heart it should be those who love Christ and know He loves them. But even for believers, circumstances can make being joyful 
a challenge. Take for example, the Philippian Christians of Paul's day. Times were atrociously tough for them. They were undergoing frightening persecution for their faith and most of them were struggling with the daily grind of living in deep poverty. Back then they were simply looking for 
a little relief through a bit of happiness ... just like people still do today. But the problem with happiness is that it can be elusive to find and, once you do, it disappears so easily. Knowing this, Paul speaks to the hearts of Christ's followers about where true happiness (joy) is found and 
 how to hang on to it. Here in Philippians 3:1-3 
 we'll learn God's principles for a happier heart so that we'll more fully experience the joy Jesus gives and also be better able to bring His joy to others as our testimony of Him.