God-Centered Instruction for Every Christian - Part Four
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Just as fire needs fuel for its survival, love for God needs the fuel of thinking. John Piper
PRAY
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Maturing Christians are Contemplative
Maturing Christians are Contemplative
Finally, brothers - Here, we are reminded of his love for this body of believers as he calls them brothers. The body of Christ is his family. They have been doubly included in the family of God by both the new birth and adoption. Paul instructs them on the thought life of believers. For our understanding, we will look at the end of this verse first. He is telling the beloved church to be a contemplative people. He writes:
Think about these things - The word translated think carries the idea of consider, ponder, deliberate; He calls them to engage in careful consideration of certain realities. This is important. We must not get his wrong. The Christian life is one of thinking and consideration and great mental labor. It is more than this, but it is not less. To think Christian means meditation, but not the emptying of the mind, but filling the mind with God’s truth.
6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
From these texts and other, we learn what we think about is important. Our thinking or meditation is not only reflective, but reformative. Our thinking tells us what we are valuing at the time and it is one of the means through which we are changed.
Now that we know Paul wants this church to think, what does he want them to think about? There are two lists here: one of six items and one of two. Some argue Paul desires the Philippians to observe the good of the world and in culture to see how these things relate to God. On this point, I do not totally disagree.
In a sense, anything that is true is ultimately God’s truth. Anything that is honorable should remind us of God that should be honored. Anything that is pure or lovely or commendable in the world should cause us to be thankful for common grace that is given to all men. It is true man is totally depraved. In that, their entire being, body, soul mind, spirit, will, inclinations and emotions are infected by sin. Yet, men are not as bad as they could be due to the restraining mercy of God. We should certainly recognize these things. We should appreciate the art of Michaelangelo, the compositions of Beethoven, brilliance of Einstein, creativity of Bill Gates, the athleticism of Jordan, the love of a mother, the service of a policeman or fireman, the innocence of a child, the loyalty of man’s best friend, the longevity of a faithful marriage.
However, Paul has much more in mind and this much more is to be the primary contemplation of our lives. Though all things true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable, excellent and worthy of praise come from God; Nothing sums these up and even eclipses them like the Lord Jesus Christ and the redemption of his people.
The main reason I believe Paul has this in mind is found in verse 9. “What you have learned, received, heard, and seen in me” Paul did not go to Philippi to expand their view of culture, but to preach to them the gospel of Jesus. This is what they learned, received, heard and saw from him. This is what he practiced before them.
2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Practical Application
Practical Application
Avoid the temptation to be a lazy, generic thinker.
Maturing Christians Consider Jesus
Maturing Christians Consider Jesus
Whatever is true - believers are called to consider that which possesses no error, no falsehood, no deception, no shiftiness, no shadow. Truth. Gravity is true. The second law of thermodynamics is true. However, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is the exact expression of the true-ness of God. When we see Christ by faith, we see ultimate truth. Knowing physics and observing nature may produce wonder, but knowing Jesus Christ produces genuine conversion and the freedom of liberating truth.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Whatever is honorable - That which is worthy of respect or reverence. We are amazed when are firefighter risks his life to save someone unknown to him. However, consider the respect and reverence due to the Lord Jesus Christ, who humbled himself to the excruciating, humiliating death of the cross and to bear his Father’s wrath on behalf of rebels against God to save us from certain destruction.
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Whatever is just - That which is fair or right. Jesus always performed what was right or what was just. Though he was thrust into the most unjust situation anyone could undergo, he always responded rightly. How many times did he experience unjust treatment at the hands of sinners and never return it with evil. On the cross, as he was being mocked even after everything else he endured, what does he do? He prays for those persecuting him.
34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Whatever is pure - That which is holy or consecrated or set apart. Jesus was essentially and practically holy. His food was to do the will of the Father. He never failed against the temptations of manhood. He never shortcut his work as the Messiah.
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
Whatever is lovely - That which is pleasing. We experience pleasure as we look at a rose or a beautiful sunset, but there is nothing more pleasurable than beholding the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. What is more lovely than the God of love and the manifestation of that love in the God- Man, the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Whatever is commendable - That which is of good report. It is enjoyable to hear good news. However, the gospel, good news is the best news. What a good report!
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
If there is any excellence - If something is good and virtuous. Christ exemplifies all that good and virtuous. He is excellent in all that he is and all that he does. Listen to Jonathan Edwards writes of Christ:
A lion is a devourer, one that is able and desires to make a terrible slaughters of others. No creature falls more easily prey to a lion than a lamb...The lion excels in strength, and in the majesty of his appearance and voice. The lamb excels in meekness and patience, besides the excellent nature of the creature as good for food, and yielding that which is fit for our clothing, and being suitable to be offered in sacrifice to God. But in Jesus Christ, we see both: Because the diverse excellencies of both the lion and lamb wonderfully meet in him!
If there is anything worthy of praise - If something is worthy of recognition. What or who is more worthy than Christ?
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Practical Application
Practical Application
VERSE 1 - Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace
VERSE 2 - Turn your eyes to the hillside Where justice and mercy embraced. There the Son of God gave His life for us And our measureless debt was erased
CHORUS - Jesus, to You we lift our eyes. Jesus, our glory and our prize. We adore You, behold You, our Savior ever true. Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You
VERSE 3 - Turn your eyes to the morning And see Christ the Lion awake. What a glorious dawn, fear of death is gone For we carry His life in our veins
VERSE 4 - Turn your eyes to the heavens. Our King will return for His own. Every knee will bow, every tongue will shout, ‘All glory to Jesus alone!’
Maturing Christians are Learner-Followers
Maturing Christians are Learner-Followers
What you have learned - This is a verb related to acquiring the ability to perform a discipline. It means to learn from someone in order to follow the teaching that is learned.
1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.
And received - accepted, that which you have received to yourself as true and right concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. And heard - Listened to; the Apostle emphasized the verbal communication of the truth from one person to another. And seen in me - That which you are have witnessed in me, the things you saw me do, the ways to observed me act. Paul is highlighting the importance of his lifestyle.
What are some of the things they learned, accepted, heard and saw? We know from Acts 16 some of what they saw. They saw Paul respond to the call of God to preach the gospel there via a dream. He was obedient. Lydia’s heart was opened to pay attention to Paul. They saw the power of God over demons when Paul cast the spirit of divination out of the slave girl. They saw Paul and Silas take a beating for the gospel. They heard of Paul and Silas singing in the inner part of the prison. They know Paul saved the jailer’s life physically and spiritually by not leaving when the earthquake freed them and him preaching Christ to the jailer. They saw Paul trust in God in not leaving Philippi immediately by staying to teach the jailer’s family. In addition, their encouraged the brothers before they left the city. In all this, the beauty of the gospel is demonstrated. What does Paul want them to do?
Practice these things - Practicing is the application or the use of a plan or method. He wants this body of believers to do these things. As they value Christ Jesus, he desires they behave in the same ways.
Practical Application
Practical Application
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
What is the result or outcome when they live in this manner?
Maturing Christians Know the Presence of God
Maturing Christians Know the Presence of God
They will experience the real presence of God. And the God of peace He promises them the Creator, Redeemer God who is and owns all peace (tranquility, harmony) HOW PEACEFUL IS GOD?? Will be with you - God will be near to them. He will be close to them.
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Practical Application
Practical Application
Know the goodness of God’s nearness.
28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.