Growing up in the Body - Part 1 - God Perseveres in Us

The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Due for a mid-life crisis

Looking back at how much I've grown vs how much I hoped to have grown

There are some things that I dealt with as far back as our children's ages that I'm still dealing with today.

There are other things though, which I never thought to overcome, that God has led me through to victory.

One example:

Struggles with Jealousy when I was dating and when Bekah and I first got married

I had 4 friends growing up from birth almost until I graduated high school, and my closest friend was my cousin.

I had no more than

I got nervous around others.

Within a few years I had

I had to make new friends in college, and what was even more challenging for me, I had to learn to travel.

I had to get used to sleeping in the homes of people I did not know.

We:

Integrity vs Despair

We all go through several big phases in life, but psychologists tell us the last one is, when our own death becomes a reality for us, we look back and either find satisfaction and hope in the way we lived our life, or we are filled with regret and despair.

They call it Integrity vs Despair

Almost everyone I've visited under hospice care situations have fallen firmly into one category or another.

How can we find victory, especially if we are coming into the game late and already bringing lots of regret with us?

God:

Main idea

Philippians 1:6 NRSV

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

Big Picture How

Philippians 1:9–11 NRSV

And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1

Personal How

9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:12–14 NRSV

I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear.

How in spite of division

12 I want you to know, beloved,f that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guardg and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; 14 and most of the brothers and sisters,h having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the wordi with greater boldness and without fear.

Philippians 1:15–20 NRSV

Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.

Rejoicing in circumstances, despite circumstances

Paul's Example

Philippians 1:15-

15 Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. 16 These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.

Philippians 1:21–26 NRSV

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. 20 It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.

Paul's Instruction made with Authority

Philippians 1:27–30 NRSV

Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Philippians 1:27-

We are in the same boat

27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. 29 For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— 30 since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

You:

Led by the Spirit

Blown like wind on the sail

Spirit like the wind

Led into the wilderness for 40 days - specifically noticed God at the beginning and at the end, but God was there the whole time.

If you look back over your shoulder, at the hill behind you, what do you see?

Do you see lots of personal hardship?

Do you see brokenness and division within your relationships

Do you see God at work?

The longer I live, the more I see God at work in my past - things I did not notice while I was going through them.

Things that the world, humankind, and the devil intended for evil, but God worked out for good.

God will persevere and finish that good work within you.

You are not alone though.

We are all in the same boat.

How much time and energy of your life will you fight for control of the sail?

How much time and energy will you spend back-paddling in the water?

How much time and energy will you spend looking for another boat to jump into?

It is natural and normal for us to look back to judge where we are today, but Jesus taught that the person who puts their hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom.

Will you turn your sail to Him, fix your eyes ahead, and let him lead you today?

We: (For communion)

We are not perfect like Jesus.

We are broken

We were broken before we came here today

We are incomplete

God shows us our emptiness when we come together

Empty seats, missing people,

Today we take communion, not for our own individual grace and healing, but for our community

Fill us enough that we have grace to overflow to those you call and send us to

Who will you come get grace for today?

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