A Place Of Grace
4-14-2024
  • There is a song that dates back to my earliest childhood
    I thought about the song again this week as I studied… That song needs Philippians!
    I mean a song that says to have joy only on Tuesday???? WEIRD
    I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy
    Down in my heart (where?)
    Down in my heart (where?)
    Down in my heart
    I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy
    Down in my heart…
    Down in my heart to stay (Tuesday) why not every day???
    What a tragedy if we as believers think our joy is based on a day, events, circumstances, our surroundings
    Growing up I had heard it wrong, understood it wrong…
    What a danger if we come to the scriptures given in this letter to the Philippians and do the same!”

    Letter Info

    Paul begins this very personal letter in a unique way… Philippians 1:1
    Philippians 1:1 NLT
    This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.
    A slave of Christ
    To Saints and leaders!
    Prison: Paul is almost to be released from his first Rome imprisonment, but send this letter to:
    Thank them for gift
    Inform them of Epaphroditus & Timothy
    Challenge them in their faith… with JOY & UNITY
    Personal: This is the first church Paul planted in Macedonia
    No other letter is near this personal
    Over 100 personal pronouns
    Privileged: These people in this city were very privileged & held their citizenship as Philippians in high regard…
    These Philippian residents were given special privileges including the “Italic right.” This meant that the colonists, in return for their displacement, were treated as if their land were part of Italian soil. So the residents were citizens of Rome, their “mother city,” and enjoyed the full rights of Roman citizenship, including exemption from taxes.
    It is to the believers here that Paul is sending a letter…
    Powerful message for these believers that still stands true today if not truer!!!

    Overview

    Joy Defined: “experience great pleasure or delight, a state of being, expression, evoked by something or someone”
    IN THE LORD… even when surrounded by:
    Pain, suffering, hardship, grief
    Politics, uncertainties, and friction
    Bills, inflation, uncertainties
    Relationships, fractions, slander
    BUT WE ARE NOT CALLED TO REJOICE IN THOSE THINGS… and ALL these things are TEMPORARY
    We are called to REJOICE in something… someone far greater, far more powerful, one who is eternal…
    “Rejoice in the Lord, again I say rejoice… “ 4:4… and oh what PEACE He gives as we focus on Him!
    In order to REJOICE IN THE LORD… we will need to realize several things: firstly there are two states… the temporal and the eternal…

    “to die is gain… to live is Christ”

    Philippians 1:21 NASB95
    For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
    There is a perspective laid out in this letter that in our eternal state it is far better to be with God!!!
    Yet, with an eternal mindset, it is far more beneficial to live this life for Christ for the sake of others… especially those who do not know Jesus Christ!
    A very CENTRAL THEME in this letter despite Paul’s circumstances is REJOICE!

    WHEN? :

    Serving… others, the body of Christ, and SERVING God Himself!
    Suffering… our REJOICING is not based on our circumstances rather it is based on our relationship
    Always… not just Tuesday!!! This is a state of the believer, a spirit of JOY
    In fact we have already seen that JOY itself is a fruit of the Holy Spirit!
    This should be present and produced in us

    WHY? : this is central…

    Our Citizenship… Paul states: Philippians 1:27a “worthy conduct” and Philippians 3:20 “we are citizens of Heaven”
    Philippians 1:27a NASB95
    Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
    Philippians 3:20 NASB95
    For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
    This is far greater than being from Philippi
    This is far greater and more important than being American
    This spans time, spans cultures, spans borders!!!
    Conduct yourselves as such… do not get confused with your loyalty
    A United States Marine I respect named Charles said this… We don’t need to see ourselves as helpless refugees huddled in an overcrowded camp. We’re more like ambassadors, emissaries, and representatives of the next world as we live in the present one. Yes, one day our King will come. … Though we are heaven-bound, we are at risk of becoming overly impressed with the world's authority, might, and power. We would do well to remember our true and everlasting citizenship in Heaven. On the other hand, we can become so heavenly-minded, that we are of little earthly good. We can become detached from the real problems people face and the opportunities to live as Christ did. The God-pleasing life avoids both of these extremes. (Charles Swindoll)
    God’s Working, we must remember this! (Key verses)
    Paul begins his letter reminding them Philippians 1:6
    Philippians 1:6 NASB95
    For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
    Paul would close his letter boldly stating: Philippians 4:13
    Philippians 4:13 NASB95
    I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
    It is God working… not us! BUT WE DO HAVE HIS EXAMPLE…
    Christ Example Chapter 2 is crucial fro believers to understand…

    Therefore… verse 1a

    Since you are children of God
    Citizens of Heaven
    Granted salvation
    Granted the honor to suffer
    With all this honor, high position, please keep something in mind…

    IF… verse 1

    These things are realities for the believer, NOT questionable things to ponder!
    Encouragement in Christ!
    Comfort in His Love!
    Fellowship in the Spirit!
    Affection and Compassion!
    What an amazing reality to live in each day as a child of God! (DO YOU HAVE THESE???)
    Because of this there should be an outcome in our lives…

    THEN… verses 2-4

    Three things should result, and play out in the believers life...
    JOY COMPLETE…
    Same Mind
    Same Love
    United in Spirit
    One Purpose
    Not only would their unity bring joy to Paul… it brings joy to our Savior as well.
    Paul knew that in order for this unified life to be lived out there were some things to avoid...
    AVOID…
    Being selfish… me first mentality
    Don’t try to impress people
    These things will cause you to look too long in the mirror instead of looking to His Majesty! Instead purse these things...
    PURSUE…
    A humble mindset (God is great, I am small)
    Think of others over yourself, even as greater importance!!!
    Ask how someone is (rather than tell everything about you)
    Could it be someone else may be having a hard day, week, month
    Does someone else need something more than you?
    Look around, Listen, just CARE MORE!
    Paul then gives us an EXAMPLE! … LOOK AT CHRIST NOT THE WORLD

    Our Example… verses 5-8

    Paul is challenging us to have an ATTITUDE like our Savior Jesus Christ!
    Set aside His divine attributes… for others (you and I)
    This theologically is called the Kenosis (empty ones-self)
    He never ceases to be God!
    Created life… healed lives
    Created the sea… storms and waves obey
    All powerful… became weak, tired, hungry, even died!
    Had every right… set aside for sinners
    Creator, God, King, Ruler… served others humble
    Being God He died on the cross… pain, suffering, humility
    What a powerful example of HUMILITY… of true GREATNESS!
    Consider however the outcome of His humility, His obedience, His attitude...

    The Outcome… verses 9-11

    He is lifted up… above all
    He is worshiped… by all
    Every knee
    Every tongue
    Declare it now… before it is too late!
    God is glorified, and worshiped, He is lifted up
    GREATNESS is found in humility… allow God to be the One to lift you up, don’t live in such a way He needs to bring you down!!! (Proverbs)
    So we see WHEN, we grasp the WHY… the HOW really culminates the whole letter…

    HOW? :

    In Unity… conflict resolution, working together, ONE BODY!
    With Humility… following the example Christ has set forth!
    Right Thinking… I love the simple yet POWERFUL solution of HOW to do this he gives us in Philippians 4:8-9
    Philippians 4:8–9 NASB95
    Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
    Paul would challenge the believers n Rome to “renew their thinking” our faith is NOT MINDLESS!
    Our thoughts create a focus
    Our focus creates learning
    Our learning creates actions and outcomes!

    Joy To Stay!

    More & more we see a clearer antagonism towards followers of Jesus Christ… not just globally, but in our own nation.
    Hardships come in every shape and form!!!
    We long for a Tuesday so to speak… one good day to rejoice in the mix of many hard days
    I will rejoice on that day… we tell ourselves
    BUT GOD… has intervened!!!
    HE gives reason to LIVE this life and recognize that this is just the earthly life we live…
    Life is so much greater than just this earthly one we live
    The letter to the Philippian Church is just as needed today as it was when Paul first wrote it! God has used Paul to give us this letter as the ANTIDOTE for the TUESDAY mindset believers out there!
    The JOY is in you and me … and He is there TO STAY!!!

      • Philippians 1:1NASB95

      • Philippians 1:21NASB95

      • Philippians 1:27aNASB95

      • Philippians 3:20NASB95

      • Philippians 1:6NASB95

      • Philippians 4:13NASB95

      • Philippians 4:8–9NASB95

          • Acts 1:8NLT

          • 1 Thessalonians 2:8NLT

          • Romans 10:14–15NLT

          • Acts 1:8NLT

          • 1 Thessalonians 2:8NLT

          • Romans 10:14–15NLT

        A Place Of Grace
        office@aplaceofgracegbc.com
        9702859862
        http://www.aplaceofgracegbc.com
        73 members • 26 followers