Can People See Jesus In Me?
Notes
Transcript
Intro; Some years ago as I was studying through the book of Philippians, as I read [Phil. 4:9] I wrote this statement down in my bible, “If I were to preach this verse, where would people end up?” That thought came to my mind again years later as I preached through the Book of Ecclesiastes. And when I went back and read the scripture again I revised my statement to say, “If observation leads to imitation, where will people who watch me spend eternity?”
Devotion #216 is entitled “The Right Balance”.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Paul balanced four activities: “learned” and “received” and “heard” and “seen.” It is one thing to learn a truth, but quite another to receive it inwardly and make it a part of our inner self. Facts in the head are not enough; we must also have truths in the heart. In Paul’s ministry, he not only taught the Word but also lived it so that his listeners could see the truth in his life. Paul’s experience ought to be our experience. We must learn the Word, receive it, hear it, and do it.
Wiersbe, W. W. (2010). Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures. David C Cook.
This morning I want us to consider our balance. Are we spiritually balanced/mature to where if the question is asked of us, “Can People See Jesus In Me?”, we can answer in the affirmative.
Text; Phil. 4:6-9
6 Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Prayer
Paul makes a statement to the church at Philippi at the close of his letter for them to imitate what they have observed in him and the God of peace will be with you.
1. The God of Peace; 9c
1. The God of Peace; 9c
What does it mean for the God of peace to be with you? The phrase “God of Peace” is used in five scriptures in the Bible.
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
These scriptures reveal that the “God of Peace” has given us the “Peace of God” and enables us to be used by Him and for Him in the lives of others!
That peace comes through prayer, thanksgiving, and changing the way we think so we can change the way we live! [vs. 6-8]
If we think pure, noble, just and lovely thoughts, how will we feel? Good, right?
If you think on praiseworthy things and meditate on virtuous thoughts, you will go around praising and encouraging people, not gossiping and criticizing.
If you focus on truth you want be destroyed by lies. Think of the stress that will take out of our life and be replaced with peace!
In Chapter 3, Paul made an exchange of the things he once thought were gain [his Hebrew heritage, Pharisee] for the one thing that was good, “Jesus”. That’s what he’s talking about.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you
So if observation leads to imitation and imitation leads to faith in Christ, “Can People See Jesus in Me?”
2. What Have You Learned/Received from Me? 9a
2. What Have You Learned/Received from Me? 9a
Learn- to gain knowledge and understanding
Receive- to believe in and accept what you have learned
What spiritual things have you learned from me that you believe in?
Has anyone learned from me that Jesus Christ has the power to save from sin?
Has anyone learned from me that this Word is the truth and it the only guide for abundant life and eternal life?
Has anyone learned from me that if you believe this Word and study this Word it will equip you for every good work God has for you?
Has anyone learned from me that Christ is coming again to receive to Him his own and judge the world in righteousness?
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Has anyone learned/received this from me? Has anyone become a new creation in Christ through my witness of Christ in my life?
3. What Have You Heard/Seen In Me? 9b
3. What Have You Heard/Seen In Me? 9b
Someone has said that “the knowledge of the Holy always leads to holy living.”
Is the way I’m living my life a reflection of what I say I believe?
Adrian Rogers said, “What the mind attends to continually, it believes; and then, what the mind believes, it eventually does.”
What are you hearing from my mouth?
What are you seeing on my Facebook page?
What are you hearing from this pulpit and seeing in my walk? Do they line up with the Word of God?
When we claim to be Christians but are not in worship and our friends and co-workers see us in the world, what do they think we really believe?
Paul tells his listeners to “do these” or imitate his walk. The word imitate is used in six scriptures in the NT
15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me.
1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans,
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
Close;
At the GBC years ago, I heard this statement from one preacher and wrote it down. “Children embrace what adults will tolerate.”
If observation leads to imitation, where will people who watch me spend eternity?
So we all need to ask ourself this question this morning,
“Can People See Jesus In Me?”
