When God Changes Your Plans (4)
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When God Changes Your Plans
When God Changes Your Plans
Good morning all. Thank you for braving the cold and coming out this morning.
I also want to welcome all our friends watching us online and remind you like, subscribe and share todays message.
Please open your Bibles, phones, tablets, papyrus to Philippians 2
Over the last few weeks we have been looking into Philippians and what are we to do when God changes our plans.
We started with the understanding That God is in control.
We then moved to the promise that Gos will finish what he started in us and this church.
Last week we were challenged to go from me to we
Basically called to surrender, trust, begin to see we’re in it together.
In theory it all sounds easy and good, but in reality it each step is a little harder.
Today I want to take another step in that direction.
A Pig and a Chicken are walking down the road.The Chicken says: "Hey Pig, I was thinking we should open a restaurant!"Pig replies: "Hm, maybe, what would we call it?"The Chicken responds: "How about 'ham-n-eggs'?"The Pig thinks for a moment and says: "No thanks. I'd be committed, but you'd only be involved."
That’s what I want to talk about this morning.
The idea of total commitment.
Better yet the call to “All In”.
All In
All In
Please stand with me as we read the most important and impactful words you will hear this morning.
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
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.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Let’s pray.
All In
All In
Paul was facing his own issues in Rome, but he was more concerned about Philippi.
There were threats of false teachers outside and disagreeing member within.
These both would cause strife and division.
No wonder he spoke so about unity in the first chapter.
Paul addresses each of these specifically in the coming chapters but now wanted to address the cause and cure of these contentions.
Paul first adresses what we should know
We are called to be united not uniform
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
We are called to be united not uniform
Unity is not the same as uniformity.
We are all different and because of Christ we can get along.
Paul is not asking a question “if there is?”
Since there is so much encouragement, in Christ
His love is so persuasive, the Holy Spirit brings us together, so much affection and mercy….
How can we not get along.
He loves us so we can love each other.
So we can work together and show Christ to the world.
We will disagree on the minor stuff, but never on the Major.
Paul goes on:
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
We are called to be united not uniform
Selfish ambition and conceit are the greatest enemies of unity in the church
It is the desire to be number 1, the cener of it all.
It is my agenda, desires.
The cure is humility
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. - C. S. Lewis
To put others first:
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
We are called to be united not uniform
Notice it says others.
It is not specific - it is everyone else but me
As we give our lives in devoted service for others, we rise above the selfish nature
I know, some may be thinking that is too hard, I could never do it.
Your right on your own you can’t.
That’s why we need to understand:
Jesus gave His all for us, we must give our all for Him.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Jesus gave His all for us, we must give our all for Him.
Christ was fully God - didn't just look like Him, He always has been.
THis is about position not personal
Personal - Christ has always was, is, will be equal to God.
Positionally - he was will ing to relinquish it foir a world who needed a redeemer.
When He returned to be with the Father all was equal again.
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus gave His all for us, we must give our all for Him.
Christ did not empty Himself of his attributes of Deity.
What he did was empty of the positional equality with God and veiled the glory in human flesh.
He took on humanity and deity at the same time.
TO the pint of death and not only death, but death on a cross. - the most shameful way to die
There was no depth that Christ refused to stoop to save us.
And because of His sacrifice and obedience:
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.
Jesus gave His all for us, we must give our all for Him.
You and I have a choice, we can bow and surrender now and enter His grace and kingdom.
or
We will bow then and into judgement.
This is our example. Christ gave all and so must we.
Dr. J.H. Jowett - “Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.” If there is to be any blessing, there must be some “bleeding.
One last thing.
All in for Christ + All in for each other = A light the world can’t miss
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
All in for Christ + All in for each other = A light the World can’t miss
Work out - not save by works - work to completion through all the trials and snares you will face.
You can because it is God who works in and through you.
We should look different
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
All in for Christ + All in for each other = A light the World can’t miss
in the midst of - we dont hide we push forward.
16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
All In
All In
I remember when i played sports I was always pushed to leave it all out on the field.
No regets, do all you can the best you can.
Never end with if only I....
17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
All In
All In
Are we poured out
Are we all in, in with Christ, in with each other.
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.
– Jim Elliot –
What are you still holding on to?
Someone here or watching may need to let go and trust for the first time.
The rest us, what are we holding onto? What is keeping me form being all in.
Let’s pray
