Purpose Demonstrated

Bible Reading is Week 40

This Week’s Theme: Purposed Exemplified

Word for the Week is Prayer: It is communicating with God to seek His plan (the how?) to carry out His Will (the what?), to confess sins, to request assistance, and to thank Him for all He has done to the glory and honor of His great name.

Memory verse: Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Sermon Focus: God is glorified when we live with Christ-centered purpose

Sermon Passage: Philippians 1:1-11

Philippians 1:1–11 NKJV

1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

I. YOUR PERCEPTION

A. Slaves

Philippians 1:1 NKJV

1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Explain: PAUL IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS A SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST.

THE WORD TRANSLATED BONDSERVANT IS ACTUALLY THE WORD FOR SLAVE.

A slave, one who is in a PERMANENT relation of SERVITUDE to another,

WHICH IS SEEN IN

THE SUBORDINATES OR THE LESSER’S WILL BEING in the will of the other

(Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, Electronic ed., AMG Publishers, 2000.)

PAUL’S WILL BEING CONSUMED IN THE WILL OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Illustration: Christ who in the form of a servant humbled Himself when facing the torture and mistreatment stated Not my will but the Father’s will be done.

B. Saints

Philippians 1:1 NKJV

1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

SAINTS ARE CHRISTIANS

IT MEANS THEY ARE set apart for God, to be, as it were, exclusively his;

FOR HIS SERVICE

USE ME

II. YOUR PRAISE

A. The People of God

Philippians 1:3–4 NKJV

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

PAUL’S PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING

PAUL’S PRAYERS OF SUPPLICATION

Fond memories

B. The Partnership

Philippians 1:5 NKJV

5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

THEIR FELLOWSHIP

Partaking in

Hearing the good news

Accepting the good news

receiving the good news

MOVED

Out of SIN Into SALVATION

OUT OF Corruption INTO Christ

OUT OF Perplexity INTO peace

OUT OF Despair INTO Delight

OUT OF Grief INTO Gladness

C. The Progression

Philippians 1:6 NKJV

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete [it] until the day of Jesus Christ;

GOD FINISHES WHAT HE STARTS

III. YOUR PASSION

Philippians 1:7–8 NKJV

7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 NKJV

8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

2 Corinthians 12:15 NKJV

15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

IV. YOUR PRAYERS

A. Increasing Love

Philippians 1:9 NKJV

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

1 Thessalonians 4:1 NKJV

1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;

2 Thessalonians 1:3 NKJV

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,

1 Peter 1:22 NKJV

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

B. Approve

Philippians 1:10 NKJV

10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

to test, examine, prove, scrutinize

Job 12:11 “11 Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food?”

Job 34:3 “3 For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.”

Romans 12:2 NKJV

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Ephesians 5:10 NKJV

10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 NKJV

21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

C. Sincere

Philippians 1:10 NKJV

10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

SINCERE IN THEIR SERVICE

Joshua 24:14 NKJV

14 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!

SINCERE IN PREACHING

Philippians 1:16 NKJV

16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;

SINCERE IN THEIR PRAYERS

For some the motive of prayer has changed

From Adoration to an Act

From Supplication to a Show

From a Petition to a Performance

From Calling God to a Curtain Call

From Seeking to being Seen

D. Directed

Philippians 1:11 NKJV

11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

PAUL STATED IN

Romans 6:22 NKJV

22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

Through Prayer

Circumstances can be Changed

Difficulties can be dissolved

Discouragement can be defeated

Obstacles can be overcome

Questions can be answered

Bitterness can be removed

Victories can be gained

Burdens can be Lifted