Robert J. Morgan's Blog, page 13

Bonus: If You Were To Rededicate Yourself To Christ

Introduction: If you were to rededicate yourself to Jesus Christ in total commitment and spiritual renewal, what would change in your life?

Background: Deuteronomy was a core book in the Hebrew curriculum, and Jesus knew the book of Deuteronomy inside and outside. So did King David. Many of his Psalms were based on his meditations on the book of Deuteronomy. 

In one sense, the subject of Deuteronomy has to do with the topic of rededication. 

Dr. Peter Craigie in his commentary says that the structure of the book of Deuteronomy is based on the form of Hebrew covenant documents, derived from political treaties found in the ancient Near East. In other words, people of antiquity made contracts and nations made treaties, just as we do today.

One treaty was a vassal treaty, made between a major power and a lesser (vassal) power. They began with a preamble; then they had a historical prologue explaining what had led up to the covenant; then there were general stipulations followed by specific stipulations; and then various deities were called upon to witness the treaty. And it ended with a set of blessings and curses: blessings if the parties abided by the treaty and curses if they failed to do so.

Dr. Craigie asserts this is exactly the form of the book of Deuteronomy. It is a renewing or rededicating of the covenant between God and the Israelites as they began preparations to enter the Promised Land. The book began with a preamble. Then Moses discussed the historical prologue to the book; he stated the general stipulations and the specific stipulations, and then he called on Almighty God to be the witness. He ended the book with a series of blessings and curses, depending upon whether the Israelites obeyed or disobeyed.

The original covenant was established in the book of Exodus at Mount Sinai. In Exodus 24, Moses and 70 elders came up onto Mount Sinai in order to establish the covenant God had written and the tables or the tablets of stone. It says in Exodus 24:8, “Then Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.’”

Verse nine says, “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the 70 elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; They saw God and ate and drank.” That was the covenant meal. 

For the next four decades, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, as we read throughout the books of Leviticus and Numbers. By the time we come to the book of Deuteronomy, Moses has brought the younger generation of Israelites back to the plains of Moab, back to the entrance to the Promised Land and he wanted to prepare them to enter it. The older generation had passed away. The younger generation was getting ready to seize the land. And the book of Deuteronomy is the series of messages Moses gave, reminding the younger generations of the covenant that God had established with their fathers at Mount Sinai and calling them to rededicate themselves to it.

In chapter 30, he said, “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach… No! The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may obey it. See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.” 

And he challenged them to rededicate themselves to the covenant God had given them.

Later, in Joshua chapter 8 when the Israelites were in the Promised Land, they gathered together near Shiloh and again rededicated themselves to the covenant.

You can find similar events throughout the history of Israel. For example, in 2 Chronicles 34, King Josiah found the book of the law—probably the book of Deuteronomy—and he called all of Israel together to rededicate themselves to the covenant.

What Is Rededication?

Rededication is a biblical idea. God expected the people of Israel to renew their dedication to Him, which would keep them from drifting away.

On the night of the Last Supper, the apostle Simon Peter denied Christ three times. After the resurrection, Jesus met him on the shore of the sea of Galilee and asked him three times the same question:  “Peter, do you love me?” He gave Peter an opportunity to rededicate his life to the Lord Jesus.

Sometimes couples have called me asking if I would help them renew their marriage vows. On most of these occasions, it’s because of a major anniversary, and they love each other and want to express that love with renewed dedication.

Sometimes I just need to say, “Lord, I rededicate my life to You.” This doesn’t mean I’ve grown cold in my faith, but simply that I want to renew my desire to love and labor for the Lord.

During my Quiet Time I may find a verse that really speaks to me, and I may say, “Lord I rededicate myself to you.” Or I may sing a song of consecration, such as “Take My Life and Let it Be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.”

At other times, it may be a little bit more of an occasion. On my 35th birthday, I reached the midpoint of the biblical 70 years. I decided to rededicate the hypothetical last half of my life to the Lord. So that morning, I walked down to Grant Park and I found a quiet space. I knelt down and rededicated myself to the Lord. 

Now I’m seventy, and I took time to renew my commitment to the Lord. I said, “Lord, I want all there is of me to belong to all there is of You, so that all there is of You might have full possession of all there is of me.

Abiding in Christ

I chose the word abiding as an acronym to describe this. The Bible tells us to abide in Christ. We find that phrasing in John 15, where Jesus tells us to live in unbroken fellowship with him as a branch is fully connected to the vine.

A = Awakening

That A stands for awakening. I want to awaken every morning of my life and say, “Good morning, Lord! This is the day You have made. This morning is the next step in the Promised Land of Your will for me. I want to get up and rejoice in this day and take possession of what You have for me.” 

I found Deuteronomy 1:21 to be unusually helpful. “See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.”

That’s a daily command and a daily commitment.

Every day is a fresh day in the Promised Land of God’s will for us in this life. We should awaken with enthusiasm. I want to get out of bed with a sense of purpose and have the attitude that God has planned out this day for me, seizing upon it without being afraid or discouraged. Let’s go in and take possession of each day.

My favorite morning hymn says: “When morning gilds the skies my heart awakening cries may Jesus Christ be praised.” 

Our day tends to go the way our morning begins. Our first moments will set the tone for the hours to come. I want to be enthused and excited about the Lord from the very first moment.

B = Bible Captivation

The B in abiding stands for Bible captivation, immersion, study and memorization. There’s always more to learn and more to teach. The Bible is as inexhaustible as the universe and as fathomless as eternity. I want to keep studying it, especially every morning as I begin the day.

Someone told me this week he has much better Quiet Times in the evenings than in the mornings. I can certainly appreciate that. In the Hebrew mind, the day began the night before—from sundown to sundown—because the Jewish people knew that how we end one day has a lot to do with the way we begin the next one.

Choose what time works for you best, and commit that time to the Lord daily.

Next, Bible memorization is key. 

I kept getting lost in the middle of Psalm 150. It’s a passage I labored to memorize several years ago. In that state where I’m half awake and half asleep, I want to be able to quote Bible verses as naturally as my own name. But I kept getting lost in Psalm 150. So I’m going back and renewing my memorization of that chapter. 

During our Quiet Time, we not only listen to the Lord in His Word, but we talk to Him in prayer. Our daily time with Him is not simply a habit that we follow but a relationship we cultivate.

I = Ideal Day

The first I in abiding stands for the ideal day. Recently I read an article by C.S. Lewis in which he talked about his ideal day. He said he would get up at a certain time, have breakfast, read until a certain hour and then have a cup of coffee. He would study until lunch at one o’clock. After lunch, he would take a long walk in the country and reflect on his reading while enjoying nature and exercising. Then he would come back and write until teatime. After supper, it was light reading before bed.

He admitted that his days seldom went exactly like that, but by having his ideal day in his mind, it helped as he planned out each day.

This is all about having a routine, a daily routine. We all need to establish an ideal day and seek as much as possible to conform each day to that ideal. 

We’ll always have interruptions and obligations. But an ideal schedule helps us use our time wisely in our disciplined life. Psalm 90:12 tells us to number our days and Ephesians 5:16 tells us to use the time wisely.

D = Discipline and Diet

The letter D in abiding stands for discipline and diet. For me, discipline means getting some exercise every day. When I had young children and a demanding amount of work at my church, I somehow found time to go running several times a week. My knees will no longer allow that, but I do have an elliptical machine inside the house and sidewalks outside the house. Why is it now so hard?

The Bible says our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. So part of the discipline of discipleship is the care and feeding of the human body. Getting reasonable exercise is suggested in 1 Timothy 4:8. At my age, the dedication I want to have towards Christ involves staying as healthy as possible for His work and for His Kingdom.

I = Isaiah 43:18-19

The next letter in abiding is another I, which stands for Isaiah 43:18-19. These verses have helped me very much recently during a time of transition. 

“Forget the former things; Do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; Do not perceive it? I will make for you a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.”

We’re to anticipate more than we reflect. We’re to look through the windshield more than at the rearview mirror.

Because of this verse, I’ve found it is much easier to let go of grievances, to release bitterness, and to unlatch ourselves from unhappy memories. In so doing, we adopt the attitude of  Philippians 3, forgetting what is behind, we strain forward toward what lies ahead.

N = Next Generation

The letter N stands for next generation. Psalm 71 says, “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare Your power to the next generation, Your mighty acts to all who are to come.”

To me this means a couple of things. I want to speak to as many young audiences as I can and frame my ministry so that it reaches as many young people as possible. It also means I want to spend quality time with my grandchildren, so that I exhibit Christ to them. I’d like to play whatever role God wants me to have in their spiritual formation.

G = Gifting

Finally, the letter G in the word abiding means gift. We want to rededicate ourselves to use whatever gift God has given us for His purpose and glory. I’ve taken 1 Timothy 4, verses 14 and 15 as personal from the Lord to me. Paul wrote these words to Timothy, but I believe the Lord also has them for me. He says there: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, to preaching and teaching. Do not neglect your gift.”

The Lord may have more for us when we’re younger than when we’re older, but He wants to use us in greater ways when we’re older than when we were younger.

Conclusion: So we need to keep rededicating ourselves to Christ, whatever age we are. As the Israelites renewed the covenant repeatedly, so we need to rededicate ourselves to Jesus and to say in the words of the great hymn: “Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way. Thou art the Potter; I am the clay.”
Why don’t you say today: “Lord I want all there is of me to belong to all there is of You, so that all there is of You might fully possess and empower all there is of me.

The post Bonus: If You Were To Rededicate Yourself To Christ appeared first on RobertJMorgan.com.

Whatever Happens, Well, Praise the Lord!

A Study of Philippians 1:21

Introduction: Last week we plunged into Philippians 1:21—as for me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. This is a verse of Scripture that many have taken as both their life verse and their life motto. It was written by the apostle Paul when he wasn’t certain if he would be set free or executed in his upcoming legal hearing in Rome. The important thing, he said, is not whether I live or die, but that Christ is exalted whatever happens.

Here is what he wrote:

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.

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know.

I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

The motto in verse 21 summarized Paul’s philosophy and all of his thoughts and actions. It summarized all of his aspirations and ambitions. 

Today let’s look at those two options.

1. To Live is Christ

First, Paul said,

“To live is Christ.”

What did he mean by that? He explained this statement over in chapter 3, when he wrote:

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (verses 7-8).

Here and now, the risen Christ, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, wants to be your Lord and your life, your Creator and your Sustainer, your first thought upon awakening and your last thought before retiring. 

He should be the captivator of every motive and the motivator of every deed.

He is a Friend closer than a brother, richer than a trillionaire, wiser than a scholar, greater than a ruler. He came to give us life and to give it more abundantly. Paul said, “I want to know Him! He is my life!”

Like a wheel spinning around an axis, our lives must rotate around Him.

Second Corinthians 5:15 says,

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

It seems from this overall paragraph Paul was optimistic about his potential release. I think the charges were probably dropped. After all, they were nothing but accusations made by some Jewish leaders five years earlier back in Jerusalem. 

So living for Christ, to him, meant fruitful labor and serving the church for their progress and joy in the faith. From every early church tradition we have, this is exactly what happened. But what about you?

Can you say: For to me, to live is Christ? Nothing else even comes close. 

Can you say: Take the world, but give me Jesus?

Can you say: Jesus, the name that charms my fears, that bids my sorrows cease; ‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘tis life and health and peace.

2. To Die is Gain

The rest of the verse says,

“…and to die is gain.”

Recently a friend of mine told me about her brother’s death. He had been battling cancer without knowing he also had serious heart problems. He went into a rapid decline and passed away. But untold comfort came to the family from what he said shortly before he died. He looked up from his bed and suddenly said: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

What does Paul mean by this? Well, he told us. Verse 23 said:

I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.

Far better!

He wanted to say, “Goodbye, crazy world, with all your pain and problems. Goodbye, stress and strain. Goodbye, worry and weariness. Hello Heaven! Hello, all my friends who have preceded me! Hello, Jesus!  

I want you to notice four terms here, which tell us a great deal about the biblical view of Christian death.

First, the word gain in verse 21: “To die is gain”—kerdos. This word is sometimes used in the sense of financial gain. A man invests a thousand dollars, and within a couple of years he has made a hundred thousand on his investment. He invests that hundred thousand, he makes a million. This word means to make a large profit. When we die, we come into an eternal life of divine dividends. Remember, Paul had been caught up to heaven as he explained in 2 Corinthians 12, and so he had gotten a glimpse of what was awaiting him. It was a heavenly inheritance beyond description.Second, the word depart in verse 23: “I desire to depart.” This was a nautical term. The Greeks used it to indicate raising the anchor and sailing from the harbor. Katrina and I took a cruise once. We flew to San Juan, showed up at the port, and I rolled her onto the ship. We had a wonderful room, and we heard the loud whistle blow, felt the ship move, and we sat on the balcony and watched San Juan disappear as we traveled into the open sea, bound for some island. This is the way Paul looked at death.Third, notice the phrase be with Christ. He wanted to depart and be with Christ. While we serve on earth, Christ lives within and around us by His Holy Spirit, but He Himself resides in Heaven. The moment we depart for Heaven, we are transported into the very presence of Jesus Himself, and we will see Him face to face, talk with Him person to person, enjoy Him friend to friend, worship Him servant to Master. He told the Corinthians that to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord.Fourth, there is the phrase far better—”I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” It isn’t just better. It is better by far. Suppose you came to see me in the hospital where I was in constant pain and had a temperature of 104. You would say, “How are you?” I would say, “I am languishing.” A month later, you call and ask how I am. I say, “I’m better. I’m at home. My fever and pain are gone, and I’m regaining my strength.” A month later you call and ask how I am. I say, “My family and I are driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in California and looking for a place to have supper while we watch the sunset. I am healed. I am well. I am vacationing. I am far better.” That’s the language Paul was using. There is no superlative superlative enough to describe that!

Conclusion

And that’s why we can adopt as our motto: To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain!

This week, I spoke to a very dear woman named Betty Bird. She and her husband Cecil had served the Lord in Africa for many years until the night of January 20, 2000. They had their teenagers living with them plus a visiting intern. After a game of monopoly, they headed toward their beds. It seemed like just another ordinary night in Mozambique. Suddenly their son, Daniel, burst into the bedroom saying, “Mom, mom, did you hear those gunshots?” Four bandits with AK-47s came toward the house, entered, and then shot Cecil in the chest, killing him, before forcing Daniel to escort them from the area. Thankfully they let Daniel live.

Betty recalled that in the days to come this verse held fresh meaning to her. She told me, “I claimed Philippians 1:21: ‘For to me to live is Christ; to die is gain.’ The death part was for my husband; I knew he had gained. While he was on earth, he very much said, ‘To live is Christ.’ But the Lord took him and that was his gain. The living part was now for me; and I was determined to make life worth living. Christ was and is my motivation. God would not let me give up.”

As I researched her story a bit more, I found a transcript of a podcast that featured her testimony. I learned Betty feels she is not the same person she was before her husband died. She’s stronger. Braver. And even more joyful.

“I think I am more outspoken. I have a little bit more courage,” Betty reflected. “I don’t even know how to say this, in some ways I have more joy. I’ve always been a happy person and felt the peace and joy of Jesus in my life, but I just feel my joy growing and growing and growing even in these 17 years since Cecil’s death.”

One day while speaking at a convention in Atlanta, Betty was praying about her grief. She had her Bible open and noticed the verse in Nehemiah that said, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” But then she noticed something she hadn’t seen before.

“Just before it says, ‘The joy of the Lord is my strength’, it says, ‘Do not grieve.’ I had never thought about that before. From that day forth I thought, ‘Okay, there is a time to grieve, but now is the time for grieving to be ended and let the joy of the Lord be my strength.’ He just keeps increasing it.”

Let’s have a relationship with Christ like that! One so meaningful and real that we can say with all our hearts:

If I live, well, praise the Lord.

If I die, well, praise the Lord.

If I live or die, my only cry will be:

“Jesus in me, praise the Lord!”

The post Whatever Happens, Well, Praise the Lord! appeared first on RobertJMorgan.com.

Whatever Happens, Exalt Christ

A Study of Philippians 1:19-21

Introduction

Have you read any good self-help books recently? Some of these books can be helpful. One of the fathers of self-help literature in the United States is a man named Orison Swett Marden. He was an orphan who lost everything and was as low as could be, but in an attic somewhere he found an encouraging book that changed his life. Out of that experience, he himself began writing encouraging self-help books. He wrote over fifty of them, and was one of the most popular authors of the early twentieth century.

In 1916, Marden wrote a book entitled Everybody Ahead, or Getting the Most Out of Life, and one of his chapters was “Choose a Life Motto.” 

He said, “The influence of an uplifting, energizing motto kept constantly in mind is invaluable. Multitudes of men and women owe their success in life to the daily inspiration of such a motto….  Who can estimate the value of a high ideal, crystalized in one up-lifting sentence, constantly held in mind?… A life slogan which embodies your aim, stirs your ambition, and tends to arouse your latent potencies, will be worth infinitely more to you than an inherited fortune.”

Marden gave many examples of men and women whose lives had been shaped by their own life slogan. 

Beethoven reportedly lived by the maxim: “Genius is two percent talent and ninety-eight percent application.”

John Ruskin had a one-word life motto: “Today!”

As I read those, I thought back to my college yearbook. The school asked all us graduating seniors to select a “life verse” to put under our picture and name. Many of the students had a life verse instead of a life motto. I had so many verses I liked that I asked if I could skip the life verse and just submit a life motto instead. They agreed, and so if you ever pick up a 1974 yearbook from my alma mater, you’ll find my picture and name, beneath which are the words: “The Will of God. Nothing More. Nothing Less.” I really have sought to live by that motto.

I wonder how many people today have a life verse or a life motto. Well, I have one to suggest for you. It’s the best I’ve ever heard. It fits any occasion and meets any moment. One dozen words. All of them are one syllable. Twelve words, twelve syllables, that encompass anything and everything to which we could ever aspire.

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

That is a verse of Scripture, so it’s both a life verse and a life motto; and it belonged to the apostle Paul. It summarized Paul’s philosophy and all of his thoughts and actions. It summarized all of his aspirations and ambitions. 

Background: If you’ve been following our studies you know the background of this passage already. The closest verses we have to the setting are the two final verses of the book of Acts, so let’s turn there. 

For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance (Acts 28:30-31). 

Paul was under what we would call today house arrest. He was awaiting his legal hearings before the court of Emperor Nero concerning charges made nearly five years before in Jerusalem. He was not in prison, but according to his writings we know he was constantly chained to soldiers. Nevertheless, he had the freedom to entertain, to preach, and to teach in his rented house. 

His trial was upcoming, and that’s what he was describing to the Philippians:

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.

Today in our study through Philippians, we’re coming to verses 19-21, so let’s read the entire passage in context, from verse 19 to verse 26.

Scripture: Philippians 1:19-21

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.

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know.

I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

1. I Expect and Hope

The words expect and hope are basically synonyms, and they reflect a certainty. As one commentator said, “(The word) hope (in the Bible) is full of content, in the sense that it reflects the highest degree of certainty about the future.” 

In other words, when the Bible talks about hope, it refers to expectation. It is not a preference involving something that may or may not happen, but a total expectation and anticipation of something that will certainly happen. Paul was certain God would give him sufficient courage regardless of the twists and turns in his legal turmoil.

Think of it! Paul was about to be placed in a new situation, a threatening situation, one he had never experienced before. He was about to stand in a Roman courtroom in the city of Rome during the days of the young, volatile emperor Nero and be called to account for his Christian faith. He was telling the Philippians, “I do not expect to fall apart or have a spiritual breakdown or deny the faith. I expect God will give me sufficient courage so that whatever happens, I will exalt Christ—whether I am set free or whether I am executed.”

2. That I Will Have Sufficient Courage

I love the phrase “sufficient courage.” It doesn’t mean Paul didn’t have some anxious questions. But he was certain God would give him sufficient courage at the moment.

I recall many times in my life when I would have collapsed if God had not given me sufficient courage. One of my first recollections was when an elementary schoolmate named Gerald said he was going to come to my house and beat me up. I had never experienced bullying before, and I was scared to death. But I went out and met him and I lunged into him, grabbed him around the waist, hauled him to the ground, and we wrestled around for a little while. Not much came of it. Looking back, I think I knew that if we got into a fistfight I’d be in trouble. I had no idea how to use my fists. But if I could wrestle him to the ground, I’d have the advantage because I was what they called in those days “husky.” That was the last time I had any trouble with him.

But since then, I’ve had many moments when I’ve wrestled with anxious fear. But looking back, God has always given me sufficient courage. In the same way, He will give all who trust in Him sufficient courage when the time comes for us to go to Heaven. That’s exactly what Paul was talking about.

3. That Christ Will Be Exalted Whatever Happened

The apostle Paul had two options before Him—living or dying. The same is true for us. Tomorrow we’ll either be living or dying. We don’t know which. Our lives are very fragile and uncertain. I just read about a young adult riding a bicycle in Staten Island when a fishing boat rolled off of a trailer, slid over the highway, and struck her. Never in a million years did she ever imagine she would be killed by a fishing boat on a highway. Life is very uncertain.

But whether he lived or died—whatever happened!—Paul was determined that Christ be exalted in his life. He said:

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.

When I was in college there was a little song by Ray Hildebrand, a pop singer who became one of the earliest writers of contemporary Christian music. He had a song that had a chorus that has stayed in my mind since I first heard it in college:

If I live, well, praise the Lord.

If I die, well, praise the Lord.

If I live or die, my only cry will be:

“Jesus in me, praise the Lord!”

When you come to this point in you’re thinking, you are absolutely free to live with courage and confidence because you are saying, “It doesn’t matter what happens as long as Christ is exalted.”

You are repudiating the power of the circumstances to affect the core of your life.

You are disallowing the situations you face to determine the attitude you embrace.

You are saying, “Whatever happens, it doesn’t matter all that much as long as Christ is exalted in it all.”

I’ve studied for this examination, for this test, and I’ve done my best. If I pass it, well, praise the Lord. If I fail, well praise the Lord. May He be exalted.I have worked hard for this promotion and I think I deserve it. If I get it, well, praise the Lord. And If I don’t, well, praise the Lord anyway. May He be exalted.I want my dear mother to recover from her heart attack. If she does, praise the Lord. But if she doesn’t—may Jesus Christ be praised.I’m facing the imperial judge because of my faith in Christ. If I’m released, praise the Lord. If I’m taken out and executed in the Circus Maximus, well, praise the Lord. If I live or die, my only cry will be, “Jesus in me! Praise the Lord.”

The attitude of exalting Christ whatever happens has the power to weaken or destroy the grip of circumstance-based anxiety in our lives.

That is the background of this life motto we’re coming to:

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.

As the original listeners heard this read in the original Greek, they would have heard the power of Paul’s use of alliteration. In the Greek this is very terse and alliterative: τὸ ζῆν Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος.

The word Christ is Christos. The word gain is kerdos. Paul was saying, “To live—Christos! To die: kerdos! 

Conclusion

Some years ago, there was a student at San Marino High School in California, and her name was Karen Ruth Johnson. She was about to graduate, and one of her final assignments was to write a paper about her philosophy in life. She wrote the paper on Thursday night, gave it to her teacher on Friday, and on Saturday she was killed in a head-on automobile accident. The tragedy set the tone for the class’s graduation. Karen’s diploma was awarded posthumously. Here is a portion of her final paper:

My Philosophy of Life by Karen Ruth Johnson 

My philosophy of life is based on the Holy Bible and the God who wrote it. I know that He has a plan for my life and through daily prayer and reading of His Word I will be able to see it. As far as my life work or life partner I am leaving it in His hands….

I feel that this philosophy is very practical and can be applied to everyday life. Every decision can be taken to the Lord in prayer and the peace that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as my personal Savior is something many cannot understand. Many search for a purpose and reason for life. I know that I am on this earth to have fellowship with God and to win others to the saving knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ. I know that after death I will go to be with Him forever.

Jesus Christ teaches love and respect for everyone….In God’s sight no one person is worth any more than another.

Knowing and loving Jesus Christ personally makes me want to please Him and accomplish things for His glory. Paul says in the New Testament, “Whatsoever ye do, do it all to the glory of God,” and “For Me, to live is Christ, to die is gain….”

This is my philosophy, and yet it is not mine. But I am God’s, and whatever I have is His. I have faith that He is the only answer and I do love Him so.

Well, I hope you feel the same. May we all adopt this motto: As for me, to live is Christ and to die is gain!

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Whatever Happens, Rejoice

A Study of Philippians 1:18-19

Introduction: In studying the book of Philippians, I’ve come across a phrase—a single phrase—that has led me to a great deal of thought and soul-searching. Let’s read it in its context, and then analyze it and make some practical suggestions as to how to latch onto it.

Background: To understand it, we need to review very briefly. The apostle Paul began a church in the city of Philippi in Northern Greece. He arrived in Philippi in about A.D. 49 with a handful of people we meet in Acts 16. Now about a dozen years later, he wrote to them to thank them for the gift they had sent him. At the time of this writing, Paul is under house arrest in Rome, where he was facing trial before Emperor Nero. We have strong grounds for believing Paul was later released and that he had another season of ministry before being arrested again and beheaded. So when he wrote to the Philippians, he was optimistic about the outcome. 

Scripture: With that said, let’s start reading in Philippians 1:18–

The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

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.

What I want to focus on is verse 18 and 19—and let’s look at this text one phrase at a time.

1. Yes, and I Will Continue to Rejoice

The apostle Paul is rejoicing. He has made up his mind about it. No matter the outcome of his trial, he is going to rejoice. And he is going to continue to rejoice. 

Rejoicing is in short supply on this earth. There is a famine of joy. We all need to work on this. Too often I trudge around with low spirits when I should be in high spirits.

I read one book that said, “Joy is a high-energy state for the brain. The practice of joy builds brain strength and the capacity to engage life with energy, creativity and endurance. In fact, the capacity for the brain to engage every intense or difficult aspect of life develops out of joy. High-joy people are very resilient. High-joy communities are energetic and productive even in hard times. When we are empowered with joy, we are better able of suffer, withstand pain, and still maintain intact relationships.”

How do we become a high-joy person? It comes from knowledge.

2. For I Know… 

Paul said, Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know….

The apostle Paul knows something, and what he knows produces his joy. His joy comes from knowledge. And the more he thinks about it, the more joyful he feels.

The same thing is true for us. Recently I had a hard decision to make. I had to get into a better state of mind and I did that by going into the Scriptures and reminding myself of God’s Word. He gave me direction. My joy returned.

Joy is the attitude of the Holy Spirit that is fueled by knowing something—especially knowing what God has said in His Word.

Psalm 19:8 says: The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

Psalm 119:111 says: Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.

The prophet Jeremiah said: When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight (Jeremiah 15:16).

Jesus told us that He gave us His divine teaching so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (John 15:11).

We draw our emotions from the things we feel; but we base our aptitudes on the things we know. 

Well, in this particular case, what did Paul know that brought him joy in the middle of the legal threats against him in the city of Rome?

3. That Through Your Prayers

First, he knew that the Philippians were praying for him, and that God was listening to their prayers on his behalf: Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers…. 

It’s a remarkable thing that this little congregation could lift up Paul’s name in prayer in Philippi, and 800 miles away strength and encouragement would enter the heart of the apostle Paul.

Whenever I think of intercessory prayer—that is, praying for other people and interceding for them—I think of James O. Fraser, who was a missionary in China long ago. He was staying in an attic room, which was very lonely. But he learned to get up each morning and go outside where he could hike in the fields and hills. He found different places to pray, and he learned to walk back and forth, praying out loud, talking to God as he would to a friend. He often used a hymnbook, taking the stanzas of the hymns and turning them into prayers.

I’d like to suggest you take his advice. Just have someone for whom you want to pray and pace back and forth in your room or outside. Pray aloud for them, talking to the Lord just like a friend. 

Second, use a hymnbook. When I was growing up we used to sing an old Gospel song entitled, “Send a great revival to my soul. Let the Holy Spirit come and take control, and send a great revival to my soul.”

Very often, I’ve prayed that for someone else. “Lord, send a great revival to his soul. Let the Holy Spirit come and take control, and send a great revival to His soul.”

The Philippians must have been praying something like that for Paul, and he believed God was altering his circumstances because of their prayers for him.

4. And God’s Provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ

Now we come to the part of the passage that has really gripped me:

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the eternal God the Son who has always existed and will always exist. But when He came to earth through a virgin’s womb, He left behind many of the privileges and prerogatives of His Godness. For example, as God, Jesus is omniscient. He knows everything. He knows absolutely everything about everything everywhere. But when He came to earth in His humanity, He left that behind. Luke tells us that as a child, Jesus grew in wisdom. He was not omnipotent. Now, when He returned to Heaven following His 33 years here, He resumed His place on the throne and all His qualities.

So how, then, did Jesus know what to say and how did He have the power to do all that He did?

We read this in Luke 3:21-23:

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.” Now Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph.

Jesus was baptized, not only with water but with the Spirit. And God the Father did His work through His Son by His Spirit.

John 5:19: Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing.”

John 12:49: For I do not speak on My own, but the Father who sent Me commended me to say all that I have spoken…. Whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.

John 14:40: The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in. Me, who is doing His work.

John 14:24: These words you hear are not My own; they belong to the Father who sent Me.

God the Father was doing His word and speaking His through Jesus Christ.

How? By the Holy Spirit!

Look at Luke 4:14:

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised Him. He went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor.”

He had been baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit, and now God the Father was doing His work and speaking His words through Christ in the power of the Spirit.

Matthew 12:28: It is by the Spirit that I drive out demons.

John 3:34: For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

Acts 10:38: …how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.

Now, here is the great secondary truth. Just as God the Father baptized Jesus of Nazareth at the Jordan River, so Jesus Christ baptized His church with the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. 

And as a result of that, just as God the Father lived His life through His Son by His Spirit, so Jesus Christ is living His life through us by His Spirit.

Just as God the Father did His work through His Son by His Spirit, so Jesus Christ is doing His work through us by His Spirit.

Just as God the Father spoke His words through His Son by His Spirit, so Jesus Christ is speaking His words through us by His Spirit.

Major Ian Thomas said: 

…if your Christian life does not derive from that fact that Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, has come to take occupation of your humanity and become in you the origin of His own image and the source of His own activity and the dynamic of His own demands and the cause of His own effects, you’ve become a Christian but haven’t yet learned to be one….

That’s why the epistles are full of teachings about the life of power offered by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5: And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace and you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.

2 Corinthians 3:18: And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16: So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

Ephesians 5:18: Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit…

That is the provision of the Spirit! Now, when the provision of the Spirit is combined with the prayers of the saints, it transforms all our circumstances. Look at our key passage again.

5. What Has Happened to Me Will Turn Out For My Deliverance

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.

The apostle Paul wasn’t yet totally certain of how he would be delivered, but he knew it would be in one of two ways—either by his release from prison or by his execution. And either one was all right with him.

All that we face will turn out for our good, for our deliverance. Paul is saying ‘Here I am, on trial at the imperial court, and everything is going to turn out all right! Because you are praying for me, and I have the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.’ Prayers from below, and Spirit from above. Paul says, ‘I don’t know which I would rather choose; to live is Christ and to die is gain.’ 

With Jesus Christ, we cannot lose. If we die, we go to be with Christ. And if we live, we get to continue in our service to God. In either case, God will be glorified and we will be delivered.

Conclusion

1. Make Up Your Mind to Rejoice Based on the Knowledge We Find in God’s Word.

2. Find Someone for Whom to Pray

3. Yield Yourself to Christ and Let Him Fill You with His Spirit

If there’s anything blocking or grieving or quenching the Spirit in your life, then confess it, get it out of the way, and recognize this statement. As major Ian Thomas said, “All there is of God is available to the person who is available to all there is of God.”

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Whatever Happens, Let God Use It For Good

Philippians 1:12-18

Today we’re coming to Philippians 1:12-18, so let’s take the time to read these verses. 

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the Gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the Gospel without fear.

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the Gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

But what does it matter?  The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

This is the Philippian version of Romans 8:28, the verse that says, “For we know that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. I have a book devoted to that subject, and it’s entitled God Works All Things Together for Your Good. In the prologue, I wrote:

Problems can last a long time, but they can’t last forever. Promises can, and God’s promises do… We live in a world of catastrophes and calamities, and none of us knows what will happen next. Without God’s oversight, our futures are like scraps of paper scattering in the wind. But under his oversight, they’re like pages of hope indelibly written by grace. The Scriptures teach we have a God who turns problems inside out—all our perils and perplexities…. In Christ, we have an ironclad, unfailing, all-encompassing, God-given guarantee that every single circumstance in life will sooner or later turn out well for those committed to Him.

Paul had written Romans 8:28 three or four years beforehand, but now he demonstrates it in his own circumstances. I want to base my outline in this message on verse 12, where Paul wrote What has happened to me has actually served to advance the Gospel.

I have three points: 1. What has happened to me; 2. Has actually served; and 3. To advance the Gospel. Let’s begin with this phrase: What has happened. 

What Has Happened…

Years ago, there was a television series called the West Wing, and in one dramatic episode, an assassin fired at the President. He and several of his staff were wounded. As the President looked through the windows of the hospital intensive care unit, he looked stunned and simply said, “Look what happened.” It was such a simple sentence, but it expressed the shock we feel when unexpected things take place.

None of us know what’s going to happen between now and this time tomorrow. An unexpected phone call in the middle of the night could change our lives. A destructive weapon could be unleashed somewhere in the world. We don’t know what’s going to happen to us personally and we don’t know what’s going to happen to us globally. The word “happen” implies the unpredictability of life.

Paul used this word three times in this chapter:

Verse 12: Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me…Verse 19: …what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.Verse 27: What happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.

What had happened to Paul?

I’ve described this previously as I gave the background of the letter, but we can sum it up by saying Acts 22 through 28 happened. That phrase “what has happened” is a reference to the last seven chapters of the book of Acts. In Acts 20 and 21, Paul was on his way to Jerusalem to finish his third missionary journey. He was eager for his fourth. In fact, he had spent three months in Corinth planning it and writing to the Romans, telling them he was coming. That’s when he included Romans 8:28 in his letter to them. But when he got to Jerusalem, his presence provoked a riot. He was seized by the Romans, imprisoned in Caesarea for two years, and then put aboard a ship for Rome. The ship crashed in a storm, and Paul was beached on the island of Malta, where he was bitten by a viper. Then he was transported as a prisoner to Rome where he was under house arrest for another two years. That’s where the book of Acts ends. Now my own view is that Paul was finally on the verge of his trial before Nero, and later in the chapter he explains that he doesn’t know the outcome. And he said it didn’t matter a great deal to him, for to live is Christ and to die is gain. But he seemed optimistic he would be set free.

That is what had happened! 

What has happened to you? Paul isn’t the only person whose plans fell apart. He’s not the only person who has faced hardship. We all have! Perhaps something has happened to you that has taken the wind out of your sails, the bounce out of your step, the twinkle out of your eye, and the joy out of your heart.

Well, that brings us to our next phrase: What has happened to me has actually served…. 

… Has Actually Served…

The word “actually” is the Greek word mallon, which means on the contrary or rather or instead of. In other words, “The things that have happened to me have—contrary to what people might have thought—turned out for good. This is implied by the word actually.

For example, suppose you said to me, “You must be very tired.” I might reply, “Actually I feel great. I’m full of energy.” 

So Paul is saying, “People think what happened to me has hurt me and hindered the Gospel, but actually the exact opposite has occurred.”

What has happened to me has actually served….

That’s an amazing word. What has happened to me—all my seeming misfortune and delay and imprisonment—all of that has actually served…. The circumstances of my life have become servants of Christ’s commands.

Our circumstances bow before Jesus. We may not be able to control them, and chaos may seem to reign. But the Savior who turned water to wine and death to life can bring about a mutation, a transfiguration, a reversal, an evolution of our circumstances. The Savior can turn our circumstances into His servants for the advancement of His kingdom. 

This is part of redemption.

Mariana Laskava is a missionary to Ukraine with Word of Life. She works in a Bible Institute near Kyiv and coaches students in evangelism. When the Russian Invasion started, she was given less than an hour to evacuate. She fled with only a small suitcase and ended up in Spain. Now she’s planning to return. She told a journalist: 

When you go into a storm like war, if you have a close relationship with God, you go through the storm holding on to something stable.

The emotions, the trauma that you go through can be very damaging, but if you hold on to God, the true Strong Tower, you can know the Lord even more….

In this storm, we have been able to bring the gospel to many people. In places where they have been left without homes, without resources, 90% of the volunteers working in Ukraine are Christians.

The churches are filling up with people who don’t know Christ.

One church in Kiev that I know well is holding the meetings outside the church building, because inside there is room for about 80 people and there are services where they have over 300 people attending. They are doing activities for children, for women.

I have seen churches celebrating baptisms. So God is glorified even in the midst of the darkest hours of our country.

And that brings us to the last phrase of the sentence: Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the Gospel.

…To Advance the Gospel

That was all that was on Paul’s mind—advancing the Gospel. Do you know that he used the word “Gospel” more intensely in Philippians than in any other of his thirteen books. In other words, Philippians has 104 verses, and Paul used the word Gospel nine times. In terms of proportions and percentages, there’s a greater concentration of the use of this word than in his other letters. The book of Romans is his only letter that uses the word “Gospel” more, but it has sixteen chapters. Just look here in Philippians, chapter 1.

In verse 5, Paul said he was partnering with the church in the spread of the Gospel.In verse 7 he said he was in chains for confirming the Gospel.Here in verse 12, he’s talking about advancing the Gospel.In verse 14, he wants to proclaim the Gospel.In verse 16, he is defending the Gospel.In verse 27, he wants the Philippians to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel… striving together for the faith of the Gospel. 

When I see his zeal for the Gospel, I’m ashamed of myself. I’m ready to rededicate myself. How much does your zeal in life reflect Paul’s concern for the advancement of the Gospel?

And so he goes on to explain that what had happened to him—his adversity—had actually served to advance the Gospel in two ways.

(1) The Pretorian Guard

Paul explains in verse 13 that because of his chains, the whole guard unit and everyone else around had heard the gospel and learned that Christ was the reason he proudly bore his chains. 

(2) The Emboldened Believers

Second, Paul writes that his chains empowered and strengthened his fellow believers so they might better share their faith with all boldness and confidence.

Conclusion

Recently I preached at First Baptist Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. My friend, Dr. Matt Brooks and I were looking forward to having lunch with his family. But I learned that due to flight changes I’d been rebooked to Nashville through Austin, Texas. I had to rush to the airport to make the earlier flight. But when I got to Austin, I learned the flight to Nashville had been canceled. Finally they booked me to Charlotte, North Carolina. When I got to Charlotte, the flight to Nashville was having mechanical problems, and we didn’t board until nearly midnight when all of us passengers—and the crew too, I think—were almost comatose. When I boarded the flight, my seat was 1-A in first class, but someone was already sitting in that seat. I told the flight attendant I would sit anywhere, but he said that I could not sit anywhere. I could only sit in seat 1-A. I had expected a short non-stop flight, and instead I spent countless hours bouncing around the country on flight after flight! But God worked all things for my good and his glory, and because of my seat upgrade, I was able to share the gospel with a professional baseball player whose uncle is a legendary hall of fame baseball star. Praise God for how He works it all together! What has happened actually served to advance the Gospel.

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Whatever Happens, Develop a Virtuous Cycle

Introduction: Growing up, I listened to Bible teacher J. Vernon McGee on the radio. He was born into dire poverty, and as a child experienced 24 moves and the tragic loss of his father. When asked about his college experience during the Great Depression, he said:

When I completed my senior year and took my degree, my roommate found me sitting on the edge of the bed and feeling hopeless. He said, “What’s the matter? You look like you’ve lost your best friend!”

McGee said, “I’ve lost everything. God brought me up to this moment, but I can’t go to seminary. I don’t have a dime. I’m going out this afternoon and hitchhike back to Nashville, Tennessee.”

Then the phone rang, and I went to the phone. Two dear little widowed ladies from Memphis, Tennessee, were calling. They said, “We want you to come over because we have something for you.” Well, they had sent me a tie for graduation, and I thought that was their gift. So I went over that afternoon…

McGee talked with them, received two envelopes, thanked them, and left. He quickly opened them, and each one contained a large check.

McGee’s Sunday School class sent him money as well, but that evening someone gave him something arguably more important. They said to him, in effect, “Vernon, I want to give you a Bible verse.” It was Philippians 1:6, and from that moment it became J. Vernon McGee’s favorite verse and it became what we call his “life verse.”

It was Philippians 1:6: “…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Over 75 years later, McGee said God made good on that promise every day of his life.

Background: Philippians 1:6 contains the entire three-phase sweep of the Christian life—justification when the Lord began a good work in us; sanctification or Christification as the Lord continues to do it; and glorification, when it will be completed at the return of Christ.

In the next verse—Philippians 1:7—the apostle Paul leads into a prayer that describes the virtuous cycle of Christification. He is going to articulate the process God uses to accomplish this good work. How does God go about turning us into miniature images of Jesus Christ?

Scripture: Let’s read Philippians 1:7-11:

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

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Are you familiar with the term, “Virtuous Cycle?” Simply put, a virtuous cycle is when a chain of events leads to another and to another in a circular way. One city mayor described it like this:

Government improvements in a neighborhood lead to people moving in, which lead to businesses being established, which lead to finances flowing into the area, which lead to taxable revenue, which is pumped back into the community and the whole cycle keeps going in an upward cycle—a virtuous cycle.

Well, in this passage in Philippians, the apostle Paul explains the virtuous cycle of Christification—of how God carries on to completion the good work He has begun in us. There are six steps—and he prays them into the Philippians in verses 9-11.

1. Treat Others Generously

At the very top of this list is treating others generously, which is agape-love: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more…. 

Let me say something about this Greek word agape. During the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments, a group of Jewish scholars in Alexandria, Egypt, translated the Hebrew Bible—our Old Testament—into Greek. This became known as the Septuagint. Paul read and studied the Septuagint alongside his own Hebrew Bible. 

Of the Greek words for love, one rarely used one was agape. The Septuagint translators found that word and infused it with fresh meaning. The Greek Old Testament describes the sweet and superlative love of Almighty God, a divine love we should exhibit to one another–God’s own true love supercharged with grace. The first thing prayed for the Philippians is this—that their agape would abound or overflow more and more.

How exactly do we define agape? Look at the next chapter—Philippians 2:3-4: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interests of others.

The love the world offers says: What can this person do for me?

Agape love says: What can I do for this person?

Tim Tebow recently gave an interview. Many of us have followed this man because of his outspoken witness for Christ and the ups and downs of his athletic career. In this interview, he said:

The same year I was voted one of the most popular athletes in America, I was cut from my team. So in the same year, am I going to be at the high, or am I going to be at the low? I’m so grateful that when I hold on to God’s truth, I don’t have to be either—I am who God says I am. 

Then he said:

The first verse my parents made me memorize as a five-year-old boy was ‘The greatest among you will be a servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.’ I didn’t understand it, but my parents knew I was so competitive, and I wanted to play and I loved it. And so before we would play, we had to memorize scripture verses, and for me, they were primarily on humility. And it was crazy, because along the way these verses would pop into my head. Sometimes it feels like you’re on a rollercoaster, but we get to get off and hold on to a firm foundation—and that’s the Word of God.”

Now, Tebow’s foundation is talking the Gospel in word and in tangible help to those who need it around the world.

This is the virtuous cycle! Our lives are intended to be generous, to be marked by humility, and to seek to meet the needs of those who cross our paths.

Romans 5 says that the agape of God is poured into our hearts. And that leads to the next step in the cycle.

2. Make Decisions Wisely

As we begin to grow in that kind of love, we learn to make wiser decisions because we see things more clearly.

Verse 8 goes on to say: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best.

As we love more and more with agape, we will learn more and more about God’s will and His ways. 

Every decision has consequences, and one bad decision can reap a whirlwind. I read about a young girl who modeled good decisions. But one bad decision led to a flare gun causing a house to catch on fire–killing three small children. Later in court, the girl said, I “made a bad decision that turned into the worst mistake of my life.”

One bad decision leads into a downward cycle, the very opposite of what God wants for us.

Through the years, I’ve made some bad decisions. But the more time I spend in Scripture—reading it, studying it, memorizing it, pondering it—the more I’m able to grow in knowledge and depth of insight so I can discern what is best. One of my frequent prayers has been:

Teach me Thy way, O Lord.

Teach me Thy way.

Thy guiding grace afford;

Teach me Thy way!

Help me to walk aright,

More by faith; less by sight.

Lead me with heavenly light.

Teach me Thy way.

Here’s the way that J. I. Packer puts it: 

Some [of us] who trust Jesus as…Savior have formed the habit of going to Him about everything that comes up, in order to become clear on how [we] should react to it as His disciples. “Going to Him’ is an umbrella phrase that covers three things: praying; meditating, which includes thinking, reflecting, drawing conclusions from Scripture, and applying them directly to oneself in Jesus’ presence; and holding oneself open throughout the process to specific illumination from the Holy Spirit….

These Christians cope with events in a spirit of peace, joy, and eagerness to see what God will do next. Others, however, who are no less committed to Jesus as their Savior, never master this art of habitually going to him about life’s challenges.

If we go to Him in everything, we’ll have wisdom and discernment on every needed occasion—which is just about always.

3. Build Inward Purity 

As we do that, it only stands to reason that we’ll develop inward purity. Look at verses 9 and 10 again: 

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

Pure and blameless are words that point to personal holiness.

Recently I’ve pondered this quote from Cicero: “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Whenever I’m reading in my library, I take breaks to go out into the garden and water things and pull weeds. 

I typically use tools or occasionally herbicide, but there is something very satisfying about grabbing a weed by the stem, pulling it by the roots, shaking off the dirt, and tossing it away.

My library and my garden!

It’s the same in our personal lives. We must continually go back and forth from our Bibles to our hearts and lives. We read God’s Word and then water the good habits in our lives and weed out the bad ones. I’ve been working on it for a long time, and my garden isn’t yet all I want it to be.

But as long as I live, I’m going to work at eradicating weeds from my life and watering the plants that belong to faith and obedience.

To quote J. I. Packer again, holiness is “the habit of agreeing in God’s judgment, hating what He hates, loving what He loves, and measuring everything in the world by the standard of His Word.”

What is the next arc in the circle? It is serving God continually.

4. Serve God Continually 

Look at our verses again: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness.

But what is the fruit of righteousness?

Remember that Paul was a student of the Hebrew Scriptures. You can find this phrase in Psalm 72:3; Amos 6:12; and Proverbs 11:30. It refers to the behavior of a righteous person.

This is the outward manifestation of inward holiness, leading to our next step.

5. Embody Christ Daily

As the virtuous cycle continues, we find ourselves enjoying Christ richly—more and more. 

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ— to the glory and praise of God.

This is the greatest secret of the Christian experience. I think my wife, Katrina, and I both learned this through the teaching of Major Ian Thomas, the British Bible expositor. He said: 

It is your living faith in the adequacy of the One who is in you, which releases His divine action through you. It is the kind of activity that the Bible calls “good works,” as opposed to “dead works.”

This is the fruit of righteousness. 

I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave Himself for me.

6. Glorify God Greatly

And all of that results in glory and praise to God.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ— to the glory and praise of God.

This is the virtuous cycle. It’s not something that just happens once. It keeps cycling over and over in our lives until we cycle all the way to Heaven. We experience the agape-love of God and it begins to work on our hearts. That clarifies our thinking so we make better decisions. We build inward purity and begin serving God continually. We do that only when we embody Christ daily.

Conclusion

God is cultivating us–showing us how to think and act and speak and live.

Gutzon Borglum envisioned turning Mount Rushmore into the faces of four famous Americans. He studied every hair on Lincoln’s head, every line on his face. Just before launching his project on Mt. Rushmore, Borglum took a ten-ton block of marble and chipped and carved and fashioned it into the head of Abraham Lincoln. 

God is active and busy, chipping and carving and fashioning each one of us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
As Randy Alcorn put it, “People had only to look at Jesus to see what God is like. People today should only have to look at us to see what Jesus is like.”

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Whatever Happens, Remember God’s Still Working on You

A Study of Philippians 1:3-6

Introduction: I’ve spent the last few years collecting oil paintings on the advice of an interior decorator friend. My late wife Katrina used to roll her eyes at me when I bought another, but we’d have great fun finding oil paintings from local artists. Every artist works with the three primary colors—red, yellow, and blue. They are the source of all other colors. There is a scientific and mathematical genius behind the beauty of the colors we see around us every day.

Well, let me ask you a question. What are the three primary colors of the healthy soul? 

On three occasions, Paul puts together three special attitudes or activities:

1 Thessalonians 3:9-10: How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always; praying continually ; give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.Philippians 1:3-6: I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, 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.share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Paul tells us of three attitudes that should always be on the oil palate of the Christian—joy, prayerfulness, and thanksgiving.

Dr. Gordon Fee writes in his commentary on Philippians, “Paul again gives evidence that prayer, thanksgiving, and joy go together in a kind of indissoluble union.”

Thankfulness, prayerfulness, cheerfulness.

Let’s look at the link to these three relationships here in Philippians 1:3-6.

Believe it or not, this is one long sentence in Greek. But let’s plunge into verse three in our English translation, where Paul begins with thanksgiving.

Thankfulness

Verse 3 says, I thank my God every time I remember you. 

I want to point out two words in this sentence—my and you. 

First, there’s the word “my.” Every word of Scripture is important, and Paul could have said, “I thank God,” but he said, “I think my God.” He was practicing the presence of God. He knew God is very personal and near. 

Paul shouts the praises of his God, a message of hope to terrified passengers and sailors recorded in Acts 27:22-26, “But now I urge you to keep your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’”

My God! The God to whom I belong and whom I serve!

And then there is the word “you.” I read several years ago about a missionary—I think it was Amy Carmichael—who kept a thanksgiving list alongside her prayer list. Every day she would write down something for which she was thankful. For us, it could be as simple as a hot shower or a good lab result from the doctor.

But Paul tended to thank God for people more than things. Let’s go back to the story of Paul’s shipwreck. The ship crashed, but everyone was saved. And when the winter passed, they caught another ship and finally Paul made it to Italy. Look at Acts 28:15: “The brothers and sisters [from Rome] had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged.”

You can read all the way through Paul’s letters. There’s no doubt he was grateful for all the blessings God gave, but most of his expressions of thanksgiving were for people. Let’s make sure we thank God for the people in our lives.

A 20th century Methodist pastor named William Stidger overheard others complaining and determined to develop a thankful attitude towards God for both things and people. The first person who flashed into his mind was an English teacher who had first inspired in him a lifelong love of literature and poetry. 

He wrote a thankful letter to her and received this response: 

My Willie, I can’t tell you how much your note meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room, cooking my own meals, lonely, like the last leaf of autumn that linger behind. You’ll be interested to know that I taught in school for more than fifty years, and yours is the first note of appreciation I have ever received. It came on a blue, cold morning, and it cheered me as nothing has done in many years.”

What power is in that one sentence: “I thank my God every time I remember you.”

Now, this kind of gratitude doesn’t come naturally. It takes training and practice. We have to work on it and put it into practice. If you ever want to change your attitude, look up every time the Bible uses the terms thank, thanks, thanksgiving, gratitude, and grateful. Make a serious study of this. Write down the verses, study the context, track down the cross-references, systematize them, and choose some of them to memorize.

British poet George Herbert prayed, “Thou hast given so much to me, give me one more thing—a grateful heart.”

Prayerfulness

Alongside thankfulness comes prayerfulness. Paul said, “In all my prayers for all of you….” Now, look down at verse 19: “For I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.”

Just after World War II, Christian thinker and worker Frank Laubach wrote a book about prayer that impacted millions of people. He called on every believer to unite in prayer and intercession for one another and for our leaders. He gave several examples of how we can learn to pray with greater frequency for others.

When you read about a world leader in the news, pause for ten seconds to pray for them.Pray silently for your preacher as he expounds the Scripture.Pray for people as they approach you and sit in front of you.Offer up prayers to God every evening. Laubach described a man who wrote out a prayer every evening, offered it to God, and then threw it in the fireplace. It burned and the smoke ascended into heaven like incense in the Old Testament.Cycle through a set of prayer cards. Laubach wrote about a man who acquired a clock that his brother had rescued from a sinking ship during World War II. He had a set of prayer cards with ministries listed, and when the clock chimed, he would circulate through his prayer cards and pray for those ministries.

The point is, Laubauch was urging people to find ways of praying without ceasing. He had a very vivid way of putting it: “Enough people praying enough will release into the human bloodstream the mightiest medicine in the universe, for we shall be the channels through whom God can exert His infinite power.”

Cheerfulness

And that brings us to the third primary color—cheerfulness: In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy….

This is the first of sixteen times Paul uses the word-group of joy in this letter. Now, some people think joy is the theme of his letter. I don’t think so, but the references to joy and rejoicing have strengthened me countless times. We’ll see these unfold as we go through the letter.

But for now, let’s go on with this particular paragraph.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now…

The word “partnership” is the familiar Greek term koinonia, which focuses on the long, enduring nature of their fellowship. I think this word includes the fruitfulness of his original visit to Philippi in Acts 16; their frequent correspondence and financial gifts to him; their joint endeavors in sharing the Gospel; and the long-term friendship they have enjoyed over the years.

And that brings us to verse 6. Paul was praying with joy and cheerfulness because He knew God was at work. The Lord was working in the Philippian believers.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, 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.

What is the “good work” that God had started in the Philippians?

I believe this verse means just what we feel like it should mean—that God started doing something in Philippi in Acts 16. He started doing something in the servant girl, in the prisoners, in the jailer. And this work will continue until we finally all stand before God in perfection.

I remember the day in college when a classmate sat down with me and drew a little chart. He had three columns. 

Justification
Your past: What happened when you received Christ as Savior, when God saved you from the penalty of your sinsSanctification
Your now: The process that happens to us today as we grow in Christ and are being saved from the power of sinGlorification
Your future: What will happen in the future when you are raptured or resurrected and God will save you from all sin

All three aspects of this are in verse 6:

He who began a good work in you… – JustificationWill carry it on… – SanctificationTo completion on the day when Christ comes again… –  Glorification.

I’ve never forgotten that little chart, but recently I’ve made one change to it. Instead of the word “sanctification” I like to use the word “Christification.” 

Right now, those of us who know Jesus Christ as Savior have something going on in our lives that I’m going to call Christification—we are becoming more and more like Christ. The apostle Paul is going to talk a lot about this in the book of Philippians. For example:

Philippians 1:27: Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.Philippians 2:5: Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.Philippians 2:12-13: Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.Philippians 3:12-14: I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.Philippians 4:9: Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.

Ray Ortlund wrote a column for The Gospel Coalition in which he recalled his father giving him a Bible for his 17th birthday. On the first page, his dad wrote: “Bud, Nothing could be greater than to have a son—a son who loves the Lord and walks with Him. Your mother and I have found this Book our dearest treasure. Be a student of the Bible and your life will be full of blessing. We love you. Dad.” And beneath the word “Dad” was the phrase Philippians 1:6, which he read immediately.

In his column, Ray said: “Apart from the words my dad spoke to me the day he led me to Christ, what he wrote above was his greatest statement to me ever. It has always proven true. I can hardly read it today without weeping.”

Philippians 1:6 and the other 33,000 verses in the Bible have made all the difference. Slowly but surely, I’m beginning to learn the primary colors of thankfulness, prayerfulness, and cheerfulness.

One day Ruth Graham was driving down the road and she saw a sign that said, “End of Construction—Thank you for your patience.” She said, “That’s what I want on my tombstone.” Today, on the gravestones of Billy and Ruth, you’ll read those words.

If you know Christ, you’re under construction, and you can say:

The work Thou hast in me begun,

Will by Thy grace be fully done!

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Whatever Happens, Remember These Words

A Study of Philippians 1:1-2

Introduction

The man had left with courage and excitement. The church sent him to assist a missionary in a distant city. But he soon became very sick. 

Eventually, he recovered and returned to his church. He brought them a letter, which was immediately read aloud by the pastor of his church to the excited Christians of the city.

We’ve been reading it ever since. It has 1633 words in its original Greek form, about half the length of a typical sermon today. It’s short—but it’s rich!

This is Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. While chained to a soldier in Rome, Paul received financial assistance from the church through Epaphroditus. But Epaphroditus became gravely ill, and ironically Paul had to take care of him. Later, Epaphroditus recovered and returned to Philippi with Paul’s beloved letter.

Paul followed the literary customs and norms of his day, but with a Gospel twist. Even his introductions are incredibly rich.

Scripture

Let’s look at this introduction—Philippians 1:1-2:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ. Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What incredible theological truth! Let’s focus on the three primary grammatical prepositions and follow the logic of what Paul has to say.

Prepositions matter. In a parade, it makes a big difference if you are before the elephant or after the elephant.

With that in mind, let’s re-read our Scripture:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ. Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s tackle these in the order they unfold in our lives.

1. Saints in Christ

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi. 

A. We Are God’s Holy People

First, let’s deal with that term “holy people,” typically translated “saints”. The New International Version has replaced the word “saint” with “holy people,” because the translators were afraid “saint” now conveys an inaccurate meaning. 

They’re right about that. Today we might think of examples like St. Francis of Assisi, Saint Teresa, or perhaps a dear church member: extremely godly, possibly even pronounced a saint by the Catholic or Orthodox church.

But in the New Testament, the word saint is basically a synonym for Christian. The Greek term is hagios, translated holy, set apart, or pure. It was used among the secular Greeks to describe something that engenders awe, a temple, or a sanctuary that contained the most beautiful and sacred things that were not accessible to the public.

The equivalent Hebrew term was used in the Old Testament to describe the God of Israel and His name and the things connected to Him. We read about holy ground, the holy temple, the holy place, and the holy of Holies. God’s Old Testament people were to be a holy people, keeping His laws and reflecting His purity to the nations of earth. 

In the New Testament, God the Father is described as holy, and so is God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit actually has the word Holy in His title. 

But, we also discover that all who are redeemed by Christ are called saints or, as the NIV says, “God’s holy people.” 

Our self-image and behavior is influenced by how we talk about ourselves. Whether you say you’re worthless or unlovable or inadequate, or say you’re one of God’s holy people, you’ll act that way. 

We are God’s holy people—His saints—in a two-fold way.

First, as the followers of Christ we have instantaneous holiness conferred on us; but then, second, we have progressive holiness developed within us.

Hebrews 10:10 says, We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The moment we receive Christ as Savior, we are made righteous in God’s sight. Our sins are transferred to Jesus Christ, and His holiness is transferred to us. When God looks at you He sees the holiness of Jesus Christ.

The righteousness of Jesus Christ is wrapped around us. It reminds me of British soldier Edward Creasy, who was captured and faced death from a Polish firing squad. He told them, “The Union Jack [the flag of the British Empire], though invisible, is around me. You will hit the British flag if you do. You dare not do it.” The firing squad hesitated and then lowered their weapons. We are contained within and shielded by His enveloping holiness. We may not yet be all we should be, but we are wrapped in and vested with the holiness of Christ.

But now skip down to Hebrews 10:14: For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Let’s compare the first part of verse 10 with the last part of verse 14: You have been made holy… (You) are being made holy.

David Allen in his commentary on Hebrews wrote, “The author is making good use of the Greek tense system here to contrast the perfect finished work of Christ on the cross and its sanctifying effect on believers (verse 10) with the ongoing work of progressive sanctification here in verse 14.”

Both progressively and instantaneously, we are God’s holy people in Christ. Theologians use the phrase “Already, But Not Yet.” 

B. We Are In Christ

Here’s our key preposition: We are God’s holy people in Christ. That was Paul’s trademark phrase—We are in Christ.

The word “in” means to be positioned or placed within a certain environment. We are surrounded by air, and the air is within us.

When we receive Jesus Christ as Savior, we are enveloped in Jesus. We are united in a relationship with Christ. We are abiding in Him, and He abides in us.

2. Servants of Christ

When we are saints in Christ, it’s very natural for us to increasingly be servants of Christ. Read verse 1 again:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus.

Because we are saints in Christ, we are servants of Christ. The Greek word for servant is doulos, which means, literally, slave. Paul used this basic term exactly 59 times. It has a double connotation.

A. We Have a Humble Position

First, it connotes humility. Now, slavery in the Roman Empire was rather different than it was in the American antebellum south. Certainly some slaves were physically abused in Roman times. But a vast portion of the population of the Roman Empire was made up of professional men and women, who were lawyers, financial experts, clothiers, chefs, administrations, educators, and so forth, who happened to be employed by someone who owned them. They lived fairly normal lives, except they were owned by someone. 

The apostle Paul attacked the institution of slavery in a very subtle and powerful way in the book of Philemon, and he encouraged slaves, if possible, to seek their freedom. He demanded the masters cease from abusing their slaves. His letters, along with the rest of Scripture, provided the moral foundation of the abolition of slavery in the British Empire and then in America.

Paul said that we are slaves of Jesus Christ, but then look at what he said across the page in Philippians 2:5: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant [doulos- slave]…

Jesus was never owned by anyone, and yet took on the nature of a doulos—a servant or slave. This refers to the humility with which we should serve the Lord.

Andrew Murray was a preacher who also wrote more than 200 books during his 60 years of ministry in South Africa. Many of his books were based on his sermons, but for two years he literally lost his voice. He suffered from a mysterious throat condition that rendered him virtually speechless. He was in his early fifties at the time, and he had to take a sabbatical from the pulpit.

During this time he studied the subject of humility and he learned the lessons by experiencing them. He later published a book widely considered the best book ever written on the subject of humility. I want to give you a quote from it:

There is nothing so divine and heavenly as being the servant and helper of all. The faithful servant, who recognizes his position, finds a real pleasure in supplying the wants of the master or his guests. When we see that humility is something infinitely deeper than contrition, and accept it as our participation in the life of Jesus, we shall begin to learn that it is our true nobility, and that to prove it in being servants of all is the highest fulfillment of our destiny as [people] created in the image of God.

B. We Have a High Position

That quote really points out the paradox of being a slave or a servant. Biblical commentators have discussed this a great deal. On the one hand, the word servant is a word that connotes our humble position, but at the same time the Bible uses it to confer honor. Let me show you from the Old Testament:

Psalm 105:26:  He sent Moses His Servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen.Joshua 24:29: After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten.Ezekiel 34:23: I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David.Daniel 9:6: Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our prices, to our fathers and all the people of the land.

To be called “the servant of the Lord” was a very high and exalted honor.

It’s one of the greatest paradoxes and deepest mysteries of the Christian experience. To be the Lord’s slave or servant is simultaneously the humblest thing we can do and the highest thing we can do.

We are saints in Christ Jesus and servants of Christ Jesus. All of that is in verse 1. Now, in the second verse we learn we are supplied by Christ Jesus with everything we need for our sainthood and servanthood.

3. Supplied from Christ

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

The actual literal order in the Greek is: Grace to you and peace from God the Father of us and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A. With Grace

First, we are supplied with an abundance of grace. Grace is every single blessing God has ever invented. 

Because God is infinite, we have all-sufficient grace.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ – Ephesians 2:3God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things and at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work – 2 Corinthians 9:8Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good – Psalm 85:11 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights—James 1:17

B. With Peace

Because we have every single blessing God has ever invented, we are flooded with peace.

In the book Pilgrim’s Progress, we have a remarkable scene. The Pilgrim, Christian, had just begun his journey through life toward the Celestial City. He stopped by the Interpreter’s House, which was a place where he learned many things that would help him on his journey. This is what the church should do—equip us for the daily Christian walk. In one room Christian saw a roaring fire the devil was trying to quench. Christian asked, “How does the fire keep burning?”

The Interpreter showed him a man behind the wall pouring a constant stream of oil onto the flame, making it unquenchable.

That’s the constant supply of grace and peace that floods into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, sent from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Psalmist said, “He restores my soul.”

Conclusion

None of us have easy lives. But I’ve never had an experience in which I didn’t find what I needed for the moment in the words of Scripture, biblical hymns, and prayer. 

A hymnist named Annie J. Flint also knew this from experience. She wrote:

He giveth more grace when the burden grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.

To added affliction, He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half-done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men,

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

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Whatever Happens, Remember These Words:

A Study of Philippians 1:1-2

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Synopsis: Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi begins with three incredible phrases hinged on three incredibly small words: (1) We are Saints in Christ; (2) We are Servants of Christ; and (3) We have grace and peace supplied from Christ.

Introduction: The origin of the book of Philippians 

Scripture: Philippians 1:1-2

1. Saints in Christ

A. We are God’s Holy People

B. We are in Christ

2. Servants of Christ

A. We Have a Humble Position

B. We Have a High Position

3. Supplied from Christ

A. With Grace

B. With Peace

Conclusion: Annie Flint’s hymn about God’s grace in troubling times.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

The man had left with courage and excitement. The church sent him to assist a missionary in a distant city. But he soon became very sick. 

Eventually, he recovered and returned to his church. He brought them a letter, which was immediately read aloud by the pastor of his church to the excited Christians of the city.

We’ve been reading it ever since. It has 1633 words in its original Greek form, about half the length of a typical sermon today. It’s short—but it’s rich!

This is Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. While chained to a soldier in Rome, Paul received financial assistance from the church through Epaphroditus. But Epaphroditus became gravely ill, and ironically Paul had to take care of him. Later, Epaphroditus recovered and returned to Philippi with Paul’s beloved letter.

Paul followed the literary customs and norms of his day, but with a Gospel twist. Even his introductions are incredibly rich.

Scripture

Let’s look at this introduction—Philippians 1:1-2:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ. Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What incredible theological truth! Let’s focus on the three primary grammatical prepositions and follow the logic of what Paul has to say.

Prepositions matter. In a parade, it makes a big difference if you are before the elephant or after the elephant.

With that in mind, let’s re-read our Scripture:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ. Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s tackle these in the order they unfold in our lives.

1. Saints in Christ

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi. 

A. We Are God’s Holy People

First, let’s deal with that term “holy people,” typically translated “saints”. The New International Version has replaced the word “saint” with “holy people,” because the translators were afraid “saint” now conveys an inaccurate meaning. 

They’re right about that. Today we might think of examples like St. Francis of Assisi, Saint Teresa, or perhaps a dear church member: extremely godly, possibly even pronounced a saint by the Catholic or Orthodox church.

But in the New Testament, the word saint is basically a synonym for Christian. The Greek term is hagios, translated holy, set apart, or pure. It was used among the secular Greeks to describe something that engenders awe, a temple, or a sanctuary that contained the most beautiful and sacred things that were not accessible to the public.

The equivalent Hebrew term was used in the Old Testament to describe the God of Israel and His name and the things connected to Him. We read about holy ground, the holy temple, the holy place, and the holy of Holies. God’s Old Testament people were to be a holy people, keeping His laws and reflecting His purity to the nations of earth. 

In the New Testament, God the Father is described as holy, and so is God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit actually has the word Holy in His title. 

But, we also discover that all who are redeemed by Christ are called saints or, as the NIV says, “God’s holy people.” 

Our self-image and behavior is influenced by how we talk about ourselves. Whether you say you’re worthless or unlovable or inadequate, or say you’re one of God’s holy people, you’ll act that way. 

We are God’s holy people—His saints—in a two-fold way.

First, as the followers of Christ we have instantaneous holiness conferred on us; but then, second, we have progressive holiness developed within us.

Hebrews 10:10 says, We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The moment we receive Christ as Savior, we are made righteous in God’s sight. Our sins are transferred to Jesus Christ, and His holiness is transferred to us. When God looks at you He sees the holiness of Jesus Christ.

The righteousness of Jesus Christ is wrapped around us. It reminds me of British soldier Edward Creasy, who was captured and faced death from a Polish firing squad. He told them, “The Union Jack [the flag of the British Empire], though invisible, is around me. You will hit the British flag if you do. You dare not do it.” The firing squad hesitated and then lowered their weapons. We are contained within and shielded by His enveloping holiness. We may not yet be all we should be, but we are wrapped in and vested with the holiness of Christ.

But now skip down to Hebrews 10:14: For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Let’s compare the first part of verse 10 with the last part of verse 14: You have been made holy… (You) are being made holy.

David Allen in his commentary on Hebrews wrote, “The author is making good use of the Greek tense system here to contrast the perfect finished work of Christ on the cross and its sanctifying effect on believers (verse 10) with the ongoing work of progressive sanctification here in verse 14.”

Both progressively and instantaneously, we are God’s holy people in Christ. Theologians use the phrase “Already, But Not Yet.” 

B. We Are In Christ

Here’s our key preposition: We are God’s holy people in Christ. That was Paul’s trademark phrase—We are in Christ.

The word “in” means to be positioned or placed within a certain environment. We are surrounded by air, and the air is within us.

When we receive Jesus Christ as Savior, we are enveloped in Jesus. We are united in a relationship with Christ. We are abiding in Him, and He abides in us.

2. Servants of Christ

When we are saints in Christ, it’s very natural for us to increasingly be servants of Christ. Read verse 1 again:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus.

Because we are saints in Christ, we are servants of Christ. The Greek word for servant is doulos, which means, literally, slave. Paul used this basic term exactly 59 times. It has a double connotation.

A. We Have a Humble Position

First, it connotes humility. Now, slavery in the Roman Empire was rather different than it was in the American antebellum south. Certainly some slaves were physically abused in Roman times. But a vast portion of the population of the Roman Empire was made up of professional men and women, who were lawyers, financial experts, clothiers, chefs, administrations, educators, and so forth, who happened to be employed by someone who owned them. They lived fairly normal lives, except they were owned by someone. 

The apostle Paul attacked the institution of slavery in a very subtle and powerful way in the book of Philemon, and he encouraged slaves, if possible, to seek their freedom. He demanded the masters cease from abusing their slaves. His letters, along with the rest of Scripture, provided the moral foundation of the abolition of slavery in the British Empire and then in America.

Paul said that we are slaves of Jesus Christ, but then look at what he said across the page in Philippians 2:5: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant [doulos- slave]…

Jesus was never owned by anyone, and yet took on the nature of a doulos—a servant or slave. This refers to the humility with which we should serve the Lord.

Andrew Murray was a preacher who also wrote more than 200 books during his 60 years of ministry in South Africa. Many of his books were based on his sermons, but for two years he literally lost his voice. He suffered from a mysterious throat condition that rendered him virtually speechless. He was in his early fifties at the time, and he had to take a sabbatical from the pulpit.

During this time he studied the subject of humility and he learned the lessons by experiencing them. He later published a book widely considered the best book ever written on the subject of humility. I want to give you a quote from it:

There is nothing so divine and heavenly as being the servant and helper of all. The faithful servant, who recognizes his position, finds a real pleasure in supplying the wants of the master or his guests. When we see that humility is something infinitely deeper than contrition, and accept it as our participation in the life of Jesus, we shall begin to learn that it is our true nobility, and that to prove it in being servants of all is the highest fulfillment of our destiny as [people] created in the image of God.

B. We Have a High Position

That quote really points out the paradox of being a slave or a servant. Biblical commentators have discussed this a great deal. On the one hand, the word servant is a word that connotes our humble position, but at the same time the Bible uses it to confer honor. Let me show you from the Old Testament:

Psalm 105:26:  He sent Moses His Servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen.Joshua 24:29: After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten.Ezekiel 34:23: I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David.Daniel 9:6: Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our prices, to our fathers and all the people of the land.

To be called “the servant of the Lord” was a very high and exalted honor.

It’s one of the greatest paradoxes and deepest mysteries of the Christian experience. To be the Lord’s slave or servant is simultaneously the humblest thing we can do and the highest thing we can do.

We are saints in Christ Jesus and servants of Christ Jesus. All of that is in verse 1. Now, in the second verse we learn we are supplied by Christ Jesus with everything we need for our sainthood and servanthood.

3. Supplied from Christ

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

The actual literal order in the Greek is: Grace to you and peace from God the Father of us and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A. With Grace

First, we are supplied with an abundance of grace. Grace is every single blessing God has ever invented. 

Because God is infinite, we have all-sufficient grace.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ – Ephesians 2:3God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things and at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work – 2 Corinthians 9:8Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good – Psalm 85:11 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights—James 1:17

B. With Peace

Because we have every single blessing God has ever invented, we are flooded with peace.

In the book Pilgrim’s Progress, we have a remarkable scene. The Pilgrim, Christian, had just begun his journey through life toward the Celestial City. He stopped by the Interpreter’s House, which was a place where he learned many things that would help him on his journey. This is what the church should do—equip us for the daily Christian walk. In one room Christian saw a roaring fire the devil was trying to quench. Christian asked, “How does the fire keep burning?”

The Interpreter showed him a man behind the wall pouring a constant stream of oil onto the flame, making it unquenchable.

That’s the constant supply of grace and peace that floods into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, sent from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Psalmist said, “He restores my soul.”

Conclusion

None of us have easy lives. But I’ve never had an experience in which I didn’t find what I needed for the moment in the words of Scripture, biblical hymns, and prayer. 

A hymnist named Annie J. Flint also knew this from experience. She wrote:

He giveth more grace when the burden grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.

To added affliction, He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half-done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men,

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

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Whatever Happens, Sing at Midnight! (Part B)

Synopsis: In the midst of Paul and Silas’s strife, they were able to sing praise to God because they trusted his power and memorized of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to sing. We can develop this habit if we (1) develop playlists of our favorite hymns to listen to; (2) keep a hymnbook with your Bible; (3) sing hymns in worship; (4) meditate on the hymns; and (5) pass on the hymns to future generations.

Background: Paul, Silas, and Timothy were pressing westward through the area of Asia Minor–modern day Turkey. They went as far as they could, and Paul had a vision of a man begging Him to come and preach in a vast Roman metropolis called Philippi. As they evangelized, Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into the city prison.

Scripture: Acts 16:25
1. 3 Lessons from Acts 16:25
a. A song in our future helps us process setbacks and move forward.
b. A song in our hearts attracts others to Christ.
c. A song in our circumstances confuses the enemy and aids the Lord’s work.
2. A Memorized Hymn/Song Collection Grows Spiritual and Emotional Health
3. What I Might Have Sung
a. We must sing both old and new songs in worship.
b. The songs that comfort us in distress are the ones we know and love.
4. Developing a Personal Hymn/Song Collection
a. Develop this with your favorite music streaming/purchasing service.
b. Keep a hymnbook with your Bible.
c. Sing hymns in worship.
d. Meditate on the hymns.
e. Pass on hymns to the next generation.

Conclusion: Let’s join in and sing praises to God in the midst of our struggles!

Background: In Acts 16, Paul, Silas, and Timothy were pressing westward through the area of Asia Minor, or modern day Turkey. They finally went as far as they could, to the port city of Troas, where Paul had a vision of a man from Northern Greece begging Him to come and preach there.

They did so, and the city they entered was a vast Roman metropolis called Philippi. As they evangelized, Paul and Silas were whipped and then incarcerated in stocks in the city prison.

Acts 16:25 says: About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 

Three Lessons from Acts 16:25

Let’s notice three things about their singing.

First, it doesn’t say they were singing at midnight. These men had been severely flogged. I suppose it took some time for their pain to subside enough for them to even think. It takes time for us to process the things that happen to us. I don’t know, but I suppose Paul and Silas had a long conversation: What happened to us? Why did this happen to us? Why did God allow this? The more they talked, the more they reminded each other of God’s truth, promises, and grace. They started to pray, and suddenly they were singing. It takes time for us to process the things that happen to us.

Learning to process the things that happen to us is vital, and some of the Psalms are living examples. Look at Psalm 59. It begins: Deliver me from my enemies, O God…. The writer is facing terrible opposition that has him torn to pieces inside. But he spends 17 verses processing his reactions, and look at the final verse: You are my strength, I sing praise to You; You, God, are my Fortress, My God on whom I can rely.

He moved from a sigh to a song, but it took time. We have to give ourselves time to heal, to work through difficult emotions, and to keep our hearts healthy. But that’s where the hymns can help. By the midnight hour, Paul and Silas were singing praises to God.

Second, notice the other prisoners were listening to them. When we have a song in our hearts, it attracts others to Christ. And when we sing and worship God, it draws attention to Him. A church that is full of wonderful worshipful music is magnetic. They didn’t dilute the message of the song. They simply worshiped—and the prisoners had never seen or heard anything like it. I’m certain some of them became believers and joined the new church as soon as they were released.Third, notice that their songs coincided with the earthquake that set them free. It’s hard for Satan to keep a singing soul tied down. In Then Sings My Soul Book 3, I tell a story given to me by Cliff Barrows. His father, an avid Gideon, once traveled to Rangoon. The area was under an oppressive government, and Gideon Bibles had been removed from the hotel rooms. While there, he attended a meeting of the local Gideons who were trying to get Bibles back into the hotels. Two men began singing hymns in the room. Mr. Barrows had trouble hearing because of their volume. Finally he asked, “Why are those men singing while we’re trying to have this meeting?” The local Gideon replied, “Because this room is bugged, and the singing confuses the enemy who is trying to listen to us.” Glancing over to me, Cliff said, “There’s a spiritual lesson in that. When we sing, it confuses the enemy and allows the Lord’s work to proceed.”

My Thesis

The Philippian church was born amid suffering and songs. Here, then, is my thesis: Apart from memorized Scripture, there is nothing more crucial to your emotional and spiritual well-being than having in your brain a selection of memorized psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Colossians 3:16 says: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

That implies the Word of Christ is filling your mind, and the songs of Christ are filling your heart.

What I Might Have Sung

This message has guided me through 50 years of pastoral ministry: Older people badly need newer music, and younger people badly need older hymns. Like every other generation since the days of David, we should appreciate the great spiritual songs that have stood the test of time, allowing each generation to add to them. 

One of my favorite songs is “He is exalted, the King is exalted on high. I will praise Him!” Another song by Rich Mullins says: “Our God is an awesome God. He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love.”

I have two favorite songs from the last twenty years. The first says, “Hide me now under Your wings. Cover me within Your mighty hand. When the oceans rise and thunders roar I will soar with You above the storm. Father, You are King over the flood. I will be still and know you are God.”

We sang this song during a never-to-be-forgotten worship service following the flood in 2010 that devastated our area in Nashville.

My other song is “Your Grace Still Amazes Me” by Phillips, Craig, and Dean. 

The problem facing pastors and worship leaders today is the very short shelf life of today’s songs. After singing a song for a short period of time, we discard it. A recent study said the average life of a popular modern worship song is three years, but that’s generous.

The result is we’re depriving worshippers of the very thing Paul and Silas possessed in their cell—an internalized hymnbook in their minds.

By singing songs that only last a few months, we’re preventing our people from having a song in their hearts. 

While I love newer music, I cannot tell you how grateful I am for the classic hymns that have outlived the trends and pop charts. Had I been Paul and Silas, I believe I would have sung the songs I knew the best and loved the most.

O worship the King, all glorious above, and gratefully sing, His power and His love.Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation. O, my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation.Rejoice the Lord is King, your King and Lord adore. Rejoice, give thanks, and sing, and triumph evermore.Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with Thee.Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O, what a foretaste of glory divine.Jesus, what a Friend for sinners, Jesus lover of my soul. Friends may fail me, foes assail me, He my Savior makes me whole.Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise.I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise. That spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies.God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come.My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. 

I sing these to my grandchildren, on long plane rides when I can’t sleep, when I awaken, and when I go to bed. They calm me during the midnight hour when pain or anxiety is keeping me awake.

How Can We Develop Our Own Mental Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs?

Practically, let’s consider these five steps.

First, create your own hymns playlist. I have a Spotify playlist called “Favorite Hymns.” I play it each morning, and it prepares me for my morning quiet time. We’re the first generation to have this kind of access to music old and new. Play it in the car for your children. Play it at home while the kids get ready for school. 

Second, keep a hymnbook by your Bible. You can find hymnbooks almost anywhere. And my series of books, Then Sings My Soul, has the words and the music to each of the listed hymns, along with the story behind it. In years gone by, every Christian had his own Bible and hymnbook that he brought with him to church each week, and the hymnals were sometimes called the working man’s theology books.

Third, ask your worship leader for more hymns to be woven into the fabric of the public worship services.

Fourth, learn to meditate on the hymns. One night my wife, Katrina, was declining and I was weary and heavy-hearted. Suddenly the words of a Gospel song came to mind. I didn’t know them very well, so I listened to it on my phone. It was as though the Lord Himself was standing there with a message: “I trust in God, wherever I may be, upon the land or on the rolling sea. For come what may, from day to day, my Heavenly Father watches over me.” That song sustained me during the final weeks of my wife’s earthly time.

Finally, pass on the hymns to your children and to the children in your church. Wesley Hardin has a wonderful book entitled Game Plan: Be Ready to Pass Your Torch to the Next Generation. He recalled a time when he and his family were climbing up a mountain. It wasn’t a long trail, but it was strenuous and more dangerous than one would suppose.

Wesley said they began to have misgivings, passing a sign that said, “One Way. No Climbing Down.” His seven-year-old son scampered over the boulders, but the others were having problems, having to cling to the side of the mountain.

Suddenly they came to a place where there was a giant opening—a cleft in the rock where they could huddle, rest, and regroup as other hikers passed by. As he stood there, Wesley sang the words of an old hymn: “Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.”

He explained it to his children while they were literally seeking refuge in a cleft in the rock, and he told them how the Lord had promised protection. They prayed together and finished their hike with no problems. The view from the top was worth the effort, and the children will never forget the Rock of ages, cleft for them.

Since the days of King David, one of the ways believers and worshippers have passed on the legacy of their faith to the next generation is through their songs, with each generation adding to what came before without discarding the heritage that preceded them. 

So whatever happens, sing.

Sing in the morning, sing in the evening, and like Paul and Silas, sing in the midnight hour.

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