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Psalm of the Day: Psalm 78:32-55

Psalm 78:32–55 ESV

In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe. So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror. When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again. How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, when he performed his signs in Egypt and his marvels in the fields of Zoan. He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams. He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them. He gave their crops to the destroying locust and the fruit of their labor to the locust. He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamores with frost. He gave over their cattle to the hail and their flocks to thunderbolts. He let loose on them his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels. He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague. He struck down every firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham. Then he led out his people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won. He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 136:1-16 and 23-26

Psalm 136:1–16 ESV

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Psalm 136:23–26 ESV

It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Sermon:

Good Morning Church!

I was Glad When they said to me Let us go and worship in the house of the Lord!

1

Speaker 1

00:01

Once again, as always good morning church, I was glad when they said to me, let us go and Worship in the house of the Lord. One thing you may not know about me. My favorite sport to watch. I'd say over the past three or four years, it has has switched.

00:22

For a long time. It was football. It's always been football. Part of the problem is Desiree hates football. Doesn't like to watch it. Doesn't really like to be in the same room as football. We're just being Frank and honest and that caused some difficulty in your life. When your wife doesn't appreciate watching a three and a half hour football game.

00:45

So I'd say in the past three or four years, there's been a An uprising in my heart and in my affection towards certain Sports and my new favorite sport to watch is professional basketball. My favorite team. Is the Golden State Warriors. My favorite player. Is Steph Curry. Actually there's, there's a few role player guys that I, I really appreciate but Is Steph.

01:11

Curry love Steph. And Steph's, famous for a few things, first of which is I mean, I'm biased here but I think Anyone who's being honest agrees, he is the greatest shooter of the basketball who has ever walked on God's green earth. Which is pretty impressive but also very Niche like shooting a basketball.

01:35

It's a very Niche thing but Steph's the best in the world at it and he gets handsomely rewarded for that skill. He's the highest paid player in the NBA making 220 million dollars a year. It's a lot of money. To shoot a basketball. The other thing. He's famous for though.

01:54

It's another way. He makes a lot of money is his shoes. He famously was one of the first sort of big names to leave Nike. As the sort of signature shoe people. And not go to another big name, but rather he went to Under Armor. And so Under Armor now makes the Steph Curry signature shoe.

02:16

And the other famous thing he does is he writes on his shoes. Phil 413. Standing for, of course, Philippians 4 13. The verse one of the verses that we will be looking at This morning. And I bring that up because Steph Curry's, not the only one, There's a lot of sports people.

02:43

There's a lot of people in general. Who just throw out? Philippians 4, 13. No context, no thought to what it actually says. They just look at the words and I will admit the words of Philippians 4, 13 are some of the most positive, uplifting encouraging motivating, like they move you words that we find in scripture.

03:07

There's a reason, Philippians 4, 13 is one of the most popular verses in scripture. From my point of view. It's also one of the most difficult. Those who have been here a while know. I, I often talk about how there's some verses. Every time we start a series I'm like this is the passage I want to preach and this is the passage.

03:29

I'm dreading to preach. Uh there's also a third category. I don't talk about as often and that's the the passages I just don't want to Partly because they're hard partly because everyone's heard them and I have to come up here and tell you everything that you think. You know about that verse is probably wrong.

03:50

All right, if you're the type of person who writes this verse on your shoes, You might not be doing it, right?

04:00

The other challenge, I feel on my heart. Is. When you know, a verse as well as everyone knows Philippians 4:13, I feel a burden to preach it in such a way. That it's just as memorable. As the verse you remember. Right? So that when you think of Philippians 4 13, you don't think of Steph Curry's shoes.

04:24

You don't think of these other things. What you think of is, what it truly means. What God has truly said. So that's the stick. And to do that, I feel like I've been a little creative this week, you'll notice in your outline before we even fill out anything. You have.

04:43

Some double alliteration going on here. Gave you the first letter? For those of you that like to try to guess the blanks. Before we get there, I gave you a little hint, though. I don't know if you can make it, maybe you can, I don't know. You can try, guess what the blanks might be.

04:56

See how right you are? That's fine, maybe that'll help you remember. We're also going to approach this verse differently. Instead of Reading the passage all at once. I, I want to unfold it to you. Sort of thought, upon thought to get your heart to see. The weight and the beauty.

05:18

Of what God is truly saying to us in this passage. So our passage will be Philippians 4. 10-13, we will. Preach through it, as we read through it. So before we dive into anything, Let's come before the Lord in prayer. Our Father in Heaven. We do thank you. For your word, given to us.

05:45

We thank you that your your holy word to us does bring life and godliness. You use your word you've promised that it will not return void. But rather you, you have given Power to your words, to us for life and godliness. Help us to see you. And your work in this passage.

06:04

Give us your eyes. And ears that we may see and hear what you have said and done. Convict our hearts enliven our Spirits. May we be a people who are changed by your word, I asked this morning that you would speak through your servant. It's in Jesus name that we pray.

06:24

Amen. And amen. So, here we go. As I start this sermon, I'm half tempted to say I can do all things. Even preach through Philippians 4. 10-13. This is how our passage starts Philippians, 4 starting in verse 10. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly. That. Now at length, you have revived your concern for me.

06:54

You were indeed concerned for me but you had Opportunity. Before we get into,

07:07

Motivational poster verse. Before we get into the verse that many people will use for many different reasons to say, many different things, Note, the context we start, With gracious. Gratitude. Paul Rejoice greatly that they revived their concern. Let's remember, what is the point of Philippians? Right? And I here, I don't mean the theological point, which is the joy of gospel, togetherness, what I mean?

07:39

Is what, why did Paul sit down in the first place to write this letter? It's a thank you note. Because the Philippian Church got together. And they took an offering. Right. Much like we will today be taking another love offering for the church in North Carolina. We will be sending this to that church to help meet their need because They face difficulties in trials.

08:04

Just like we're doing that. The Philippian Church some 2000 years ago. Did the exact same thing. They took a gift, they took a love offering and then they sent that gift to Paul why they were concerned for him. Paul's in prison writing this. Thank you note. Facing difficulty. In Roman prison was much different than modern prisons.

08:30

Right. There was

08:34

How to say this nicely? No one was fighting for Roman prison reform and situations were much more dire than they were now. Paul's changing to a Roman guard. And yet, he's still responsible for his own sort of food. So like there's still the challenges of Life are heaped upon him and he's in Roman prison.

08:56

And it's not like the federal government was paying for his three Square meals a day and it wasn't Paul had needs. And he was in prison, this was a difficult time. A difficult situation and the Philippian church because they loved Paul sent a gift off. Sent a love offering a gift to him.

09:15

And Paul's great. So, with gratitude, To two people. God. And the Philippian Church verse 10, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that you revive your concern. For me, I thanked the Lord and I rejoiced in the Lord because you all loved me. I am grateful to God and you for your love.

09:41

For me. Thank you.

09:47

Even though it took a while,

09:51

Doesn't matter. Paul's not mad that their gift took a while to get there. Because he's gracious. They were concerned, he knows their heart but he also knows their circumstance. And so they had no opportunity. Maybe times were tough as the Philippian church is facing, its persecution. Maybe they've had to tighten their belts, and so they want to care and love and send this gift to Paul.

10:23

And yet, We just don't have the money right now.

10:30

But as soon as we get that extra couple bucks, we're sending it to Paul. And they got that extra couple bucks and they sent it to Paul. And as soon as they had opportunity, they sent it and it still took a while. Right, they collected And they couldn't venmo.

10:46

They couldn't even, you know, we'll cut a check and mail it and it'll be North Carolina in a few days. They had to collect their money, get it together, give it to epaphroditis, put them on a boat. He gets sick almost dies on the boat. The boat has to go across a Mediterranean Sea.

11:02

Finally, it gets to Rome. Maybe after months, maybe. If there's no other difficulties in trials and stops along the way. It took a lot. It's okay. Paul is gracious. To this church. Because he is grateful. Two and four. This. This church is his joy and his crown. This church is the one that he loves.

11:36

And cares for

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And so, he's just

11:44

Thank you. Thank you Church. For your generous gift. I I rejoice in the Lord. Paul says, every time I think of you He said that earlier every time I think about this gift, I am grateful. Don't worry that it took a while. It doesn't matter.

12:07

I just have gratitude.

12:10

Even his troubles and trials fade away, why? He's grateful.

12:19

That's the heart. Before we dive anywhere else in this verse, that's the heartbeat. It's this, it's gracious, gratitude.

12:30

Before we get,

12:34

Resolute determination. Before we get to these other things, that Paul may be experiencing and may be encouraging this. Note his heart. He is grateful to both the Philippian church and to God Because they, Cared for Paul. When Paul was in need,

13:04

But,

13:07

That's not the heart. Paul's need. Isn't the focus. How do I know this verse 11, not that I am speaking of being in need

13:20

There's irony here. We can't miss Paul is in need Paul is in difficult times in a difficult situation facing challenges and troubles. If anyone in the world we could rightly say they had need of this gift. Paul did but Paul looks like I know you feel that way. I know it looks that way. I know surface level it is that way in the eyes of the world,

13:46

But listen to me church. At the end of the day, I am not speaking of being in need It's not neat. It's gratitude. Why First Corinth sorry. Philippians. 10, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly the and now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity not that I am speaking in. Need that is gracious. Gratitude. For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content in any and every situation. Paul has learned what I have called comprehensive. Contentment. In every situation. Paul is content in Roman prison. Paul is content preaching. The gospel to the Philippians. Paul is content traveling from here to there. Paul is content Desiring to get to his beloved church in Ephesus. And being unable to get there. Paul is content. Trying to do what he thinks God's called him to do over here and yet an angel blocks his way. So now taking a left

15:05

Turn and going over here. Paul is content. Ministering with Timothy Paul is content fighting with Barnabas. Paul is content in any and every situation. Paul is content. It is comprehensive. How do I know this? He gives us a list.

15:28

Verse 12. I know how to be brought low. And I know, How to abound? Paul is content.

15:44

Doesn't have been doing a lot of pre-marriage counseling recently, which is a joy and a privilege and a blessing we love doing it. But in doing primarial counseling, you you think through? Vows, and certain things. For richer or poorer. Paul is saying. He's content. For richer. Or poorer. In whatever situation I find myself in, Brought low. Both physically with no means and no money. But also, I think Spiritually. And emotionally. You know, it's probably not great for your ego. Being in Roman jail. Just throwing that out there. Probably doesn't make you feel great about yourself.

16:36

Worse than that, if we get into Paul in his life, he's in Roman jail and he starts to hear about, we saw them a little bit in Philippians These people who come and they begin to preach Christ for dishonest reasons, and for personal gain. Elsewhere in scripture, Paul will call them the the super Apostles these guys who pretend to be and they don't pretend they are more eloquent, more attractive better pastors in the eyes of the world, yet they preach heresy and falsehood and we need to reject them. Paul says There are people coming like, you know why Paul's in prison.

17:12

Paul's in prison because he's not a good Pastor.

17:20

Especially when your enemies seem to be right, and they seem to be getting some sort of victory because they're doing this and you're in prison, that's being brought love. But Paul also knows how to abound. To have it all. To be able to stand.

17:44

Wherever he's going to stand stand up in the synagogue and any City he goes to And people here, And love and care for Paul's message. To speak with this eloquence. To be caught up. Paul says to the third Heaven. That's being that's abounding. To receive this gift to have. Now the money that the Philippian church, he's been there. He's been low, he's been high and in all things. He's content.

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In. Sorry in any and every circumstance.

18:24

Well, what about this? Well, is that a circumstance? Yes, it is Paul. Well, then in any and every circumstance I can be content. Paul says, This is contentment. In. Situations at all times. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need having an empty stomach, having a full stomach, having a full wallet, having an empty wallet having this, not having this having that not having that in any circumstance in every circumstance. In all circumstances that have ever existed and never will exist on the face of this Earth being in Roman prison being free, being whatever enjoying a potluck after church sitting here, being being

19:06

Hungry waiting for the Pollock after the church in any and every situation I can be content. That's The point. Gratitude is the heart contentment. Is how we get there. Contentment. I would argue in this passage, this will be our one active word. The one thing we are called to strive. After the one thing we are called to look for and manifest in our lives is contentment above. Anything else above above everything else, we are to be content. He will share with us the secret, but notice the secret. Is there to gain us contentment? The secret is there, so that it helps us be content. It helps us rest where we are no matter where we are, no matter what we face.

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Be content.

20:17

This is a comprehensive. Every moment of your life. Content. And Paul's being honest. He's saying I want you to be content in all things. The difficult and the easy. And it turns out if we just look at human lives and we evaluate our hearts, I would challenge you because we find contentment difficult in both. Paul has to say, I can be content in hunger and in abundance because in both of those things, we often struggle with contentment when we have nothing we see that one. Pretty clearly we're not content. But yet, when we have, we seem to always want more.

21:01

Be content. Paul says. In all things. Be content. What? Paul is preaching, here is a comprehensive Contentment. Cuz he's learned the secret. What is the secret? Philippians 4, 13. I can do. All things. Through him. Who strengthens?

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Contentment is comprehensive. Because his endurance. Is exhaustive, the final thought here is exhaustive endurance and this is the heart of Philippians 4 13.

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It is not. Speaking of our ability.

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Overcome difficulties and challenges. It is not speaking of our ability to perform tasks or things that are set before us. Instead. What Paul is, speaking of here is being able to endure to push on to get through all things. It is exhaustive in that. It covers all things I can do all things. But when we read all things, right, we did this last week. Remember, we talked about these things. Paul said, think on these things and practice these things. Well, what are these things? Well here Paul says I can do all things. Well what things

22:46

Do you mean?

22:52

I know how to be brought low. And I know how to abound I can do all things. Through him. Who strengthens me? I can face plenty and hunger. I can do all things. Through him. Who strengthens me? I can have plenty abundance and need I can do all things through him, who strengthens me. He endures.

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The reason. Paul can be grateful. Even when he's facing neat because he's not even talking about being in need. Why? Because he's in Christ and Christ strengthens him and so he can endure. And in enduring, it's not just this thought of striving and struggling the endurance breeds contentment, Right? When we think of endurance, we think push on keep on, keeping on. I can do this. I'll suffer and I'll struggle and I'll fight. This verse is not about fighting. This verse is about contentment.

24:06

We think I could do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. He's about pushing, and changing and moving. And it's not about those things. It's about resting Being content. In all things. This endurance. It's exhaustive in by that. I don't mean, it's exhausting But it covers all things. And it pushes through all things. So that you find at the end content,

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To those who. Look to this verse.

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I feel like I'm picking on Steph Curry a little bit here. He'll probably never hear this sermon. I would be shocked if he ever heard this sermon. I'm gonna have a heart attack and die Fanboy a little bit. This is what I'd say to him. I'm glad you, you know, Philippians 4 13, but The heart Paul is trying to tell you here. Before you before, you want to use this in a basketball game. What Paul's really saying is you can win this game and you could lose this game either way, you'll be okay. You can do all things through Christ. Who strengthens you?

25:19

You, you can make this shot. You could miss this shot. You can do all things through Christ. Who strengthens you? You can raise a trophy, you can be humiliated. As you watch someone else raise a trophy, you can do all things through Christ. Who strengthens you?

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This is the point. It says you're going through these things, these things don't matter.

25:44

You can be in need but plus not talking about being in need. He's talking about contentment. You can have a lot. Paul's not talking about having a lot. He's talking about contentment. And that then is the heartbeat that then is the focus. Be grateful. And the way we can be grateful that this is the sort of way this passage builds. Paul's grateful. Why can Paul be grateful because he's content? Why is Paul content? Because he can endure it.

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Because as he would write to the church in Corinth, this light momentary Affliction is not worth comparing to the weight of Glory. That awaits us.

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So Endure be content, have gratitude. You can do all things. Through him. Who gives you strength? Let's Pray