Living in the Peace of God

Introduction

Dismiss the Kids

Thank you Brandon and Allison for leading us in worship. It is a blessing in our ministry to have so many able worship leaders who love the Lord and want to see him Magnified and Praised. It is comforting to know that Things are taken care of when I can’t lead and next week Andrew will be leading as I am in Colorado for the Men’s camping trip. And of course there are several others in our ministry who have the heart to lead in worship and for that we are blessed.

Well this morning we are continuing our series in the book of Philippians entitled Realms of Living. I have loved this series and I hope it has encouraged you and challenged you in your walk with Christ.

Well this morning we are continuing our series in the book of Philippians entitled Realms of Living. I have loved this series and I hope it has encouraged you and challenged you in your walk with Christ. Today we are in Chapter 4

Today we are in Chapter 4 of Philippians so if you have your bibles this morning turn there

if you don’t have yours with you you can grab a hard back one from the pew in front of you! And If you don’t own a bible, let that be our gift to you!

The sermon today is titled: Living in the Peace of God. Thinking about our culture today there are a lot of words that come to mind, but peaceful is nowhere near the tip of my tongue.

But I believe we can learn quite a bit about Peace from the Apostle Paul in this rich portion of scripture and I hope that it challenges us this morning and that it stirs up or desire to love God deeper and to shift our focus off of the things of this world and into things of Heaven, a completely different realm.

The sermon today is titled: Living in the Peace of God. In our culture today there are a lot of words that come to mind to describe it but peaceful is nowhere near the tip of my tongue. I believe we can take quite a bit from the Apostle Paul in this segment of scripture and I hope that it challenges us this morning and stirs or desire to love God deeper and to shift our focus off of the things of this world and into things of Heaven, a completely different realm.

Let’s go to the Lord in prayer as we get started

Alright, this is the last chapter in Philippians and we can see Paul begin to land the plane in his letter. Kind of wrapping it up and putting a big bow on it. So this is the point in the letter where all of the people in the church at Phillipi began to fiddle for their car keys and text people across the sanctuary about if they were going to Roadhouse or Chili’s after the service. It was just getting to be that time....

Look with me now at verses 1-3. Paul writes:

English Standard Version Chapter 4

4 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

4 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

These verses tell us to be:

I. Firm and Unified in Christ

He begins by addressing them again with sweet and endearing terms. You know how on Facebook you see all the middle schoolers who are posting about the love of their life that they’ve been dating for a few weeks. And every one of their posts are basically shakespearian sonnets about the burning love they have for their future wife? And we’re all like we get it… you like them.

Sometimes I think that that’s how other churches might have read the letter to the Philippians as it was presented. “we get it” you really love those guys. Now Paul’s love for the Philippians is much more serious and authentic than a middle school romance. And he addressed a lot of other churches sweetly but it is OBVIOUS that the church at Phillipi held a special place in his heart.

So he begins his landing approach in verse 1 by saying you guys who are really special to me, “Stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved”

I want us to look a little deeper and focus in on a word here that will give us a lot of clarity moving forward. And that is the greek word houtos (οὕτως) which is translated “thus” or “in this manner”

But I want us to look a little deeper and focus in on a word here that will give us a lot of clarity moving forward. And that is the greek word houtos (οὕτως) which is translated “thus” or “in this manner”

This word is pointing to something else. It is referring to what he had just finished in chapter 3. Look with me in Chapter 3 verses 20-21 that Glen covered last week

English Standard Version Chapter 3

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

That’s the God that we stand firm in! The one that has the power to subject all things to himself. Christ is powerful! By saying stand firm thus or” houtos” he is saying we can stand firm because we are citizens of Heaven and:

He is our rock! Our firm foundation. Our cornerstone. There is nothing else in this world that you can stand firm on. You can’t stand firm on your social status, your job, your health,

all of life’s pleasures are fleeting but our Unshakeable God is where we stand firmly rooted.

English Standard Version Psalm 1

He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

4  The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away

See We will not be blown away in the winds of our troubles, tragedies and sin if we are rooted in Christ. We have a hope that the World is desperate for! Stand firm church.

let’s keep reading now into verse 2-3

And in verse 2 we see again a call to unity that has been expressed over and over in this series! We cannot let our disagreements and preferences take our body in different directions! We are to be of one body, one mind; to agree in the Lord.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

So here we see again a call to unity that has been expressed over and over in this series! We cannot let our disagreements and preferences take our body in different directions! We are to be of one body, one mind; to agree in the Lord.

Do you remember what it felt like to get tattled on in grade school? The embarrassment you felt as the teacher called you out in front of all your friends. This is basically what just happened. Apparently there are two women who are in a dispute and Paul calls them out

A few weeks our pastor challenged us to take upon ourselves the attitude of Christ and humble ourselves to honor one another instead of honoring ourselves.

says this:

says this:

English Standard Version Chapter 12

16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God

We need to be more concerned with honoring one another than being right. In light of our citizenship in Heaven and the Power of Christ our disputes seem silly.

Mud Volleyball Illustration

I was not effective when I was so focused on the slippery ground beneath my feet. When I stand on solid ground where I can get a good footing and keep my eyes on the task at hand I am a lot more effective and I am a bigger help to my teammates.

Likewise in the church, When we bicker about small things as a body we are not on solid ground we are standing weakly on our own footing and members of our body begin going different directions. Paul points to eternity in saying we are citizens of heaven and that gives us a whole different perspective on our small problems and disputes with one another. An entirely different realm. Thinking in a different realm we stand firm in the here and now!

Do you remember what it felt like to get tattled on in grade school? The embarrassment you felt as the teacher called you out in front of all your friends. This is basically what just happened. Apparently there are two women who are in a dispute and Paul calls them out

In verse 2 We saw that there are apparently two women who are in a dispute in Phillipi and Paul calls them out . He makes it personal. In view of Our citizenship in Heaven and the power of Christ, he wants Euodia and Syntyche to get their focus right and get their eyes on the prize not slipping around in the mud while the mission of God in the world passes them by. He is making it clear to the whole church that those two need to agree in the Lord.

Do you remember the embarrassment you felt in grade school as the teacher called you out in front of all your friends. This is basically what just happened. Paul is calling out two of his sisters who have labored side by side with him in the gospel.

And that is largely because of how dearly he holds these people. Parents? Why do we discipline our kids? BECAUSE WE LOVE THEM

Where did we get the idea that calling out sin in the church is judgmental because the church is a judgement free zone?

Do you remember what it felt like to get tattled on in grade school? The embarrassment you felt as the teacher called you out in front of all your friends. This is basically what just happened. And that is largely because of how dearly he holds these people. Where did we get the idea that calling out sin in the church is judgmental because the church is a judgement free zone?

Now, I know that Christ teaches to remove the log from our own eye before we point to the speck in our brother’s eye. But when I acknowledge a log that is in my eye and I want it gone and I want repentance through the work of the Spirit in my life, I’m not going to look at my brother in christ with a two by four sticking out of his eye and say. No dude you’re good!

I hope that if there is sin in my life my brothers would call me out on it. And no matter how badly it hurts my flesh, my regenerate heart rejoices. The old man is gone and the new man has come but if the crucified flesh is turning into a zombie from the walking dead and trying to devour me me I’d want one of my brothers to help me out!

If we love our brothers and sisters we will stir one another up for good works! We will hold each other accountable. Everyone in here is just as broken and sinful as I am. You’re not fooling anybody. And everyone of us in here need to continually repent of those things and pursue Christ TOGETHER! Standing firm and unified in the Lord!

Verse 3 tells us the “true companion” or “true partner” which most likely refers to an elder at Phillipi is charged to help them agree in the Lord. This word for help in the greek is ”Syllambano” (συλλαμβάνω) which is not a gentle help it could be translated to seize or to catch like a fish. He’s saying get these women in a room together and take strong personal action to make this right.

I hope that if there is sin in my life my brothers would call me out on it. And no matter how badly it hurts my flesh, my regenerate heart rejoices. The old man is gone and the new man has come but if the flesh is turning into a zombie from the walking dead behind me I’d want one of my brothers to notify me!

I believe Paul makes two interesting points in verse 3. The first is that the “true companion” or “true partner” which most likely refers to an elder at Phillipi is charged to help them agree in the Lord. This word for help in the greek is ”Syllambano” (συλλαμβάνω) which is not a gentle help it could be translated to seize or to catch like a fish. He’s saying get these women in a room together and take strong personal action to make this right.

And so when the pastor enters into church disputes he isn’t trying to get all up in your business for fun he is trying to make sure that we as his sheep in this flock are not fighting one another but rather fighting together as one.

The second thing that verse 3 tells us is is that this exhortation is to far more than two women 2,000 years ago. He says “all of his fellow workers whose names are in the book of life.” This is in lign with what he had just said about citizenship in Heaven!

Because whose names are in the Lamb’s book of life? Every believer past present and future who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ for Salvation! As Believers we are all to agree in the Lord

These verses apply to us! We are to stand firm and to be unified in agreement in the Lord as we do His work here in Iowa Park.

II.Rejoice and Pray

English Standard Version Chapter 4

4 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

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.

I. Firm and Unified in Christ

II.Rejoice and Pray

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.

II.Rejoice and Pray

Rejoice! What a great command. These days we don’t do enough rejoicing. It’s hard when we see and deal with the stuff we have going on in our world.

and how often are we to rejoice? Always This means that we rejoice in EVERY circumstance. Why? Because our God is unchanging! We are rejoicing in HIM not our circumstances. Our circumstances rise and fall but God is the same in the valley as he is on the mountain top.

Verses 4 and 5 really point us back to what we just read. We rejoice in the Lord just as we stand firm in the Lord. What he is trying to say is to REJOICE find joy in Christ again and again and again. That well won’t run dry. But you have to ask yourself this morning: can I rejoice in God if I have never found joy in him? To rejoice means we must have “joiced” I know that isn’t grammatically correct but The first step is trusting in Christ. This call to rejoice is for all believers. If you have not trusted in him, today is that day you need to call on his name and you will be saved. And you can have joy in any circumstance and pull from that well over and over and over again in our mountaintops and our valleys. He is our source of Joy. as you can see from the title We’re talking about Peace today and nothing will bring us true peace aside from resting and rejoicing in Christ. God promises you in his word that rejoicing in Christ will lead to harmony and peace among the saints and also a peace in our darkest moments.

But Verses 4 and 5 really point us back to what we just read. We rejoice in the Lord just as we stand firm in the Lord. What he is trying to say is to REJOICE find joy in Christ again and again and again. That well won’t run dry. But you have to ask yourself this morning: can I rejoice in God if I have never found joy in him? See to rejoice means we must have “joiced” I know that isn’t grammatically correct but The first step is trusting in Christ.

This call to rejoice is for all believers. If you have not trusted in him, today is that day you need to call on his name and you will be saved. And you can have joy in any circumstance Because He is our source of Joy.

As you can see from the title of the Sermon this morning We’re talking about Peace today and nothing will bring us true peace aside from resting and rejoicing in Christ.

Because He is our source of Joy. As you can see from the title of the Sermon this morning We’re talking about Peace today and nothing will bring us true peace aside from resting and rejoicing in Christ.

God promises you in his word that rejoicing in Christ will lead to harmony and peace among the saints but it will also lead to a peace and joy in our darkest moments.

I’d like to clarify here the difference between Joy and Happiness. It has been said that Happiness is based on Happenings and Joy is based on Jesus. That may seem cheesy to you but it is a great way to remember.

We are not to have happiness in all circumstances for example you wouldn’t throw a party to celebrate the sufferings in your life. We have joy in all things when we rejoice in the Lord.

Another thing to note in Verse 5 is that it also points backwards to verse 2 as it says let your gentleness or reasonableness be known to everyone. Church our unity is one of our greatest witnesses to a lost world. Matt Chandler says this in his book on Philippians.

Verse 5 also points backwards to verse 2 as it says let your gentleness or reasonableness be known to everyone. Church our unity is one of our greatest witnesses to a lost world.

“A divided church is a terrible witness. Where people see in a church anger, dissension, inability to reconcile, and the holding of grudges, they do not see Christ as beautiful.”

- Matt Chandler, To Live is Christ to Die is Gain

We agree in the lord, and we rejoice in the Lord!and we let tht be a witness to the world around us!

And next comes these powerful words continuing in verse 5: The Lord is at hand. The Lord is near!

This is to say that God is near to us! and that gives us reason to rejoice. This blows our circumstances out of the water because the Lord is always at hand!

Our God is sovereign. And to him belongs all the power and authority and dominion.

says:

I know we are baptists but we should be a little more excited about that.

English Standard Version Chapter 10

14 Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.

Our all powerful ever present God owns everything and yet he set his love on us? He cares for us? This means that as a child of God there is NEVER a moment that you walk alone. One pastor said: “When we are in tragedy God doesn’t show up late!” God is not surprised! He is Firmly in the driver seat! Our god is sovereign. And to him belongs all the power and authority and dominion.

Did you hear that Church. Our God is sovereign. And to him belongs all the power and authority and dominion.

I know we are baptists but we should be a little more excited about that.

Just how IN CONTROL is God?

Looking at the complexity of life and creation shows us so much about the sovereignty of our creator! Just how IN CONTROL is God? I could go on for days but a few really cool thoughts:

If the earth were tilted a few degrees off its axis we would all be dead.

If the planets and their gravitational pulls were not strategically aligned we would be too hot or too cold or destroyed by meteors. Our God is sustaining all things. He speaks galaxies into existence and he speaks breathe into your lungs.

He is in the biggest feats and the smallest details. There isn’t a stray atom in the universe. And he’s got you in his hand. If that doesn’t bring you peace what will?

But we don’t have peace! We are anxious people and we are worriers. But Because the Lord is at hand we rejoice but also because the Lord is at hand (verse 6)

English Standard Version Chapter 4

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

In all things with prayer and supplication which also can mean “Pleading” “begging” make your requests known to God. The Lord is at hand! so don’t be anxious about anything pray about it! When we hold onto our anxieties instead of lifting them to God we are not trusting that God is at hand.

What does this verse say is worthy of our worry? Nothing

“Pray and let God worry”- Martin Luther

This is an incredible statement!

We come to the God of the Universe and lay our concerns before Him! He not only hears us but he takes our burdens and He knows what he is doing! He is working all things for the good of those who love him! So when we pray we lay our worries down and let God do the worrying. Let God Handle it. We don’t have to worry because God is able!

We humble ourselves, we recognize our inability, and we trust Him to be God. He always has been and always will be. When I am anxious or worrying or doubting or fearing I have ONE responsibility: Bring them to God.

I believe that Jesus is our chief example of this. Yes even Christ the Messiah left his requests before God and trusted him to handle things from there.

English Standard Version Chapter 17

9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours

John 17:9

English Standard Version Chapter 4

26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

English Standard Version Chapter 4

27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus is going and praying Lord let this cup pass from me over and over until finally he says in

And in the Garden of Gethsemane:

English Standard Version Chapter 26

42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

Jesus was sweating blood praying that prayer. You don’t think he is anxious? Jesus is casting his cares on the Father and allowing the Father to do his will!

Even Christ who was God in flesh did not consider himself equal with God and humbled himself in the form of a servant! He came with the purpose that The Father’s will be done. Jesus was marked by Prayer!

Jesus was marked by Prayer he would go out to the wilderness to pray

Church, how are our prayer lives? Are we anxious about everything or are we getting on our knees before the Lord? “Being concerned about things” is not a sin. It means we care,

Church, how are our prayer lives? Are we anxious about everything or are we getting on our knees before the Lord? Being concerned about things is not a sin. It means we care, but when we harbor that concern and don’t let our requests be made known to God we are being anxious and worried! And though we don’t realize it, our worry and anxiety is often a lack of thanksgiving for who God is and who we are in him! Some of us look boldly at God in struggles and say “I can handle it” and some of us boldly proclaim the same phrase with our lack of prayer! we are to cry out to God not harbor our worries!

Church, how are our prayer lives? Are we anxious about everything or are we getting on our knees before the Lord? Being concerned about things is not a sin. It means we care, but when we harbor that concern and don’t let our requests be made known to God we are being anxious and worried! And though we don’t realize it, our worry and anxiety is often a lack of thanksgiving for who God is and who we are in him! Some of us look boldly at God in struggles and say “I can handle it” and some of us boldly proclaim the same phrase with our lack of prayer! we are to cry out to God not harbor our worries!

And though we don’t realize it, our worry and anxiety is often a lack of thanksgiving for who God is and who we are in him! Some of us look boldly at God in struggles and say “I can handle it” and some of us boldly proclaim the same phrase with our lack of prayer! we are to cry out to God not harbor our worries!

but although we don’t realize it, our worry and anxiety is often a lack of thanksgiving for who God is and who we are in him! Some of us look boldly at God in struggles and say “I can handle it” and some of us boldly proclaim the same phrase with our lack of prayer!

 cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Talk to God about what is on your heart! What is bothering you today that you need to bring to him and remove from your shoulders? Oh Church we need to pray! This is to be a house of prayer! And too often its a house of boasting in Righteousness and strength. Instead we need to We humble ourselves! recognize our desperate need for God and pray to him!

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Talk to God about what is on your heart! What is bothering you today that you need to bring to him and remove from your shoulders?

Dog counseling illustration

We should certainly consult one another but don’t stop there. God doesn’t need to hear us talk about our problems he needs to hear us talk to him about our problems.

and when we do, verse 7 tells us:

English Standard Version Chapter 4

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

III.Gospel Focus

What a promise that when we bring our requests to God he will give us peace and we can replace our worry with rejoicing! Prayer is the most powerful posture we can take! Our natural instinct is to fight for ourselves and to try to put on a facade that we are strong and not struggling.

What a promise that when we bring our requests to God he will give us peace and we can replace our worry with rejoicing! Prayer is the most powerful posture we can take! Our natural instinct is to fight for ourselves and to try to put on a facade that we are strong and not struggling.

In fact churches have been doing it for so long with each other that we now try to act like we are in total control in front of God. But he knows our hearts! Cry out to him! We can live in the peace of God by rejoicing and praying in all things and in all circumstances!

But finally we have to do it with a...

But finally we have to do it with a...

III.Gospel Focus

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.

You see we can’t just simply empty our minds of anxiety and leave them blank! We cast our cares on the Lord and fill ourselves with thoughts that are true and honorable and pure and lovely and commendable and excellent and worthy of praise.

We could try to cast of our worries and leave it at that but Satan and the world love to fill our minds with exactly the opposite of this list! In fact we can read it with their opposites to get a better picture of this:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true (not false), whatever is honorable (not dishonorable), whatever is just (not unjust), whatever is pure (not impure), whatever is lovely (not repulsive), whatever is commendable (not wrong), if there is any excellence (not filthy), if there is anything worthy of praise (not shameful), think about these things.

In Paul tells us

Colossians 3:1-2 tells us

English Standard Version Chapter 3

3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

We have been talking about Realms of living, we have to set our minds on things above and begin to see the big picture beyond our current state!

We have been talking about Realms of living, we have to set our minds on things above and begin to see the big picture beyond our current state!

The biggest problem with the church today is that we want to look too much like the world. We aren’t living for another realm we are trying to build our Heaven on this earth! And we have become comfortable with the things of the World! Christians embracing and celebrating the things that disgust God!

But Paul has a very different perspective than us. in

English Standard Version Chapter 3

with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

But then He Goes on to say in verses 12-15

English Standard Version Chapter 3

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

sound familiar? Very very similar to what He wrote to the Philippians!

Remove unrighteousness fill the void with righteousness! As members of the body we should constantly be doing this. Praying for God to cleanse us from our unrighteousness and to fill us with himself! Molding and shaping us into the image of the Son. And having thanksgiving in who God is and what he has done for us!

Thanksgiving has to be rooted in Christ or else it will be shifting and changing

The Gospel will drive us to prayer more than we ever could imagine! Realizing the worth and beauty of Jesus is going to be like lighter fluid on the fire of your prayer life.

If you look back at verse 8 the person of Jesus fits the bill on what we should be setting our minds on:

whatever is true (), whatever is honorable ( but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy), whatever is just ( Mathew 25 ), whatever is pure ( but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.), whatever is lovely (

4  One thing have I asked of the Lord,

but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.), whatever is lovely ( ), He is commendable he is excellent he is worthy of praise!

that will I seek after:

), whatever is lovely ( ), whatever is commendable , if there is any excellence if there is anything worthy of praise , think about these things.

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

.), whatever is just ( Mathew 25 ), whatever is pure ( but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.), whatever is lovely ( ), He is commendable he is excellent he is worthy of praise!

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

He is commendable he is excellent he is worthy of praise!

Look no further than the person of Jesus!

In our lack of prayer we are not reminded enough of the Goodness of God! The more we pray the more of God we will see and the more we will desire him and his presence!

we finish now with verse 9:

we finish now with verse 9:

English Standard Version Chapter 4

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.

Paul once again says to follow his lead and example in the Gospel! What you have recieved and heard and seen in Him we practice these things!

We have to practice it! That means that none of us have arrived! and we won’t this side of Heaven!

so here are 3 ways that we can practice these:

1.In Prayer

Learning Language illustration-Eugene Peterson

Begin praying today that God would ignite your desire to pray more often but not just more often, deeper and more powerful prayers! Paul says to practice these things we must PRACTICE. You have to start somewhere

2.In The Word

Learning Language illustration-Eugene Peterson

3.In Community

3.In Community

In all of our verses this morning there are not only calls to pursue righteousness but to do it together! Where can you plug into a community at FBCIP are you actively engaging in Sunday School? Are you active in our Wednesday night activities? What about Sunday Night discipleship? What about getting plugged into a small group?

Most of us probably feel very little Peace in our chaotic lives but the Peace of God that surpasses all understanding will be with us when we stand firm in him Unified together in the Lord Rejoicing and Praying in all things and practicing these things in our personal walks and in community together.

Will you bow your heads with me

Response Questions:

English Standard Version Chapter 4

4 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

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.

Response Questions:

1.Is your name in the book of life? Do you need to make a decision to Trust Christ this morning?

1.Is your name in the book of life? Do you need to make a decision to Trust Christ this morning?

2.Do you have any conflicts with other members of the church that you need to resolve today?

2.How is your prayer life? Are you complaining and worrying more than you are making your requests known to God?

2.How is your prayer life? Are we complaining and worrying more than we are making our requests known to God?

3.How is your prayer life? Are we complaining and worrying more than we are making our requests known to God?

3. Finally, What in your life is untrue, dishonorable, unjust, impure, repulsive, wrong, filthy or shameful that you need to lay down at the foot of the cross and receive peace as you walk in God’s will?

3. Finally, What in your life is untrue, dishonorable, unjust, impure, repulsive, wrong, filthy or shameful that you need to lay down at the foot of the cross and receive peace as you walk in God’s will?

Whatever God is calling you to do today do business with Him in these moments and God’s Peace will be with you, I’ll be up front to speak with any of you don’t hesitate.

Whatever God is calling you to do today do business with Him in these moments, I’ll be up front to speak with any of you!

Let’s Pray