Thanksgiving and Prayer

Recap - Your best life…Now

One of the things as we deal with this series that you have to keep in mind:

Best doesn’t equal easy.

Author of Philippians: Paul

Purpose of Philippians: A book full of Joy and Thanksgiving. A book about contentment

Historical perspective: Who was he writing to - Acts 16

Lydia, Demon Possessed girl, a local jailer who was saved

Philippians 1:1–2 “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

You live your best life NOW in Christ.

Start with Cake, cut it take a bite ask if anyone wants any.

Something about fresh baked goods, ever have a Krispy Kream fresh?

Walk by a bakery where they’re just pulling cookies, turnovers, bread out?

Aroma - appealing, draws people in

These things cannot exist without some essential ingredients, and how true is that in our lives as followers of Christ.

Living your best life in Christ happens when you add some essential ingredients.

Essential (not only) ingredients to live your best life now:

Before anything else - Need a helper

The mix (base of the recipe)- In Christ (Dump in) - Foundation of the recipe

Essential ingredients: - Have people stand

Philippians 1:3–11 (ESV)

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Essential Ingredient #1 - Prayer and Thanksgiving - EGG

Vs 3-4 - I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,

Reminder where Paul was writing this from, prison -

One of the least likely places to have the feeling of thanksgiving

Also least likely to “feel” like praying for others...

Essential Ingredient #2 - Gospel partnership - OIL

Vs 5-7 - ...5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Verse 5 - Gives the reason for the thankfulness - their partnership in the gospel

Lexham Theological Wordbook (κοινωνία)

The most general sense of this term refers to a shared conviction that manifests itself as mutual responsibility and status. Most often, koinōnia refers to the sharing of resources, monetary or otherwise

Lexham Theological Wordbook (κοινωνία)

Those who choose to willing engage in mutual responsibility are described as having “partnership” (koinōnia) with the body of Christ (1 Cor 10:16), the gospel (Phil 1:5), the Spirit (Phil 2:1), the sufferings of the Messiah (Phil 3:10), or, negatively, unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14). The NT also teaches that believers enjoy “fellowship” (koinōnia) with Jesus (e.g., 1 Cor 1:9; 1 John 1:3, 6).

This word (Koinonia) has been watered down!

Vs 6 - We enter a gospel partnership with a promise

Often times partnership have risks associated, not in Kingdom work, He is faithful, he will complete it

Vs 7 - Paul uses “to feel” 23 times in his writings, 10 of which occur in Philippians

Paul didn’t know if he would leave the prison

Let’s not hold back on telling God we love Him, telling others we love them, showing them our love for them

I wonder what a Paul would write to me/us today about partnering in the gospel work.

Purpose of a question like this one: Sunday mornings are like a family meal, we are sitting here having a conversation and if you’re new or a visitor, we are glad you’re here but just want you to know we are talking about how we should function as a family and how to see our family grow.

Essential Ingredient #3 - Overflowing love - Water

Vs 8-11 - 8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Vs 8 - Paul is yearning (longing) with the affection (deep within) to these people.

Don’t know what you have until it’s taken away

9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,

Vs 9 - Paul is praying for their love for one another to abound

Which will lead to a deeper knowledge - “a mental grasp of spiritual truth”

Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary 3. An Apostolic Prayer (1:8–11)

A better knowledge of God and his ways will promote greater harmony within the fellowship, and give the Philippians a clearer understanding of their mutual relationships as fellow-believers

Lead to deeper Discernment (This form of the word) - Only time used in bible - a discernment which "cuts through" hazy ethical (moral) matters to really "size things up"

Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary (3. An Apostolic Prayer (1:8–11))

These two Christian qualities were necessary in a community where a tendency to disunity and fault-finding was present (see on 4:1ff.), and needed to be put right. So Paul makes this his earnest prayer before proceeding to admonition and correction. Christians, it seems, are slow to learn this valuable lesson: the most effective way to influence another is to pray for that person, and if a word of rebuke or correction has to be spoken let it be prayed over first, and then spoken in love.

The purpose of Paul’s Prayer:

10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

Vs 10 - Approve - To test

A coin - Don’t want counterfeit

Cattle

The things which really matter.

Things which are genuine, real, pure.

What matters most in your life?

11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Vs 11 - An additional fruit (Not just Gal 5 where we see other Fruit)

Saying this in the present tense

At the day of Christ and its searching test of a person’s character the real issue will be, Is that person found trusting in that divinely-provided righteousness, and practising the kind of life-style that pleases God? ‘Salvation is the grace-filled life that bears the fruit of righteousness’ But this is equally a challenge for present self-examination. Are we now ready to demonstrate a ‘faith expressing itself through love’ (Gal. 5:6)? The affirmative answer is an added incentive to give glory and praise to God for such a marvellous provision made for the unrighteous sinner by God in the gift and work of his Son and power of his Spirit to produce such a harvest

An opportunity to do some self-evaluation

Mix up the batter, pour into a pan

If it was just flour and water and you wanted a cake not gonna be the most pleasing taste or aroma as it’s baking

And as Christ followers we need to think through the elements in our lives

This week:

Spend some time going deeper in your prayer life

3 People you’re thankful for because of what they’ve done in your life spiritually

Ask God to see the ways you can get deeper in being a partner in the gospel work

Are you serving out of a thankful/loving/grateful heart?

Are you giving out of a thankful/loving/grateful heart?

Ask God to give you an abounding love

Watch what happens if you ask, mean it and keep your eyes open to look for it

Because what if we all spent time evaluating our priorities? What would happen, what would change?