Growing a Knowing Love
Growing a Knowing Love = Godly Success
Philippians 1:9-11
1. INTRO:
Ø Do U struggle w/your choices? We struggle to choose between: 1)various things that we want; 2)what we want to do and what we ought to do; 3)(even at our best moments) many good things we think we should knowing we can’t do everything.
Ø With so many choices, how do we learn to choose what is best so that our lives will be well spent & productive; so we can look back with few regrets?
Ø Last week: Paul was thankful & joyful when he prayed for them. But what did he pray? The answer is a key to our making better choices.
2. Scripture, Philippians 1:9-11
Ø To see the connection to choices clearly, hang with me. It’s not obvious in this first part, but you’ll see it.
3. A growing love
Ø “Abound” is a big bunch, huh? (it keeps overflowing)
Ø The prayer clarifies that God is the giver of love…
Ø But for whom; each other, Jesus? Both. Jesus said the greatest commands were to love God with all…, and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Ø Love should drive all activity. Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Ø Jesus did that for the world. The kingdom partnership of vs.3-8 suggests a group of people doing the same for each other and the world as Christ’s body.
4. A knowing and discerning love
Ø Segue: love that abounds more & more in knowledge & discernment, the desired sphere of the growth.
Ø Christian love is not sappy and sentimental. It is emotional, but it should also be filled w/knowledge & discernment so that we direct it to the best activities.
A. Knowing
Ø “Knowledge” is here epi-gnosis, precise knowledge.
Ø We can gain it through Scripture, but it’s not enough. One can keep learning, & never discern what’s best.
B. Discerning: (choosing the best among the good)
Ladykillers, R Ch: 5 Start: 0:39:15 End: 0:41:57
Setup: Prof. Goldthwaite Dorr & his gang pose as musicians so they can dig a tunnel from Miss Munson's house and rob the adjacent casino.
Scene: Dorr lauds the wisdom of mankind “in these ancient volumes.” Miss Munson is unimpressed, "Hmph! What about the wisdom of the Lord?"
(Ends with Dorr describing Helen as very pale.)
Application: With all his knowledge, Prof. Dorr fails to discern what is best and live accordingly.
Ø To discern it is to evaluate differing things with the ability to choose which among them is best.
Ø The word “best/excellent” is “that which will bear or carry you through, forward, or upward.”
Ø Josh can pick out collectibles from garbage.
Ø Tim can do something similar with guitars.
Ø To a toddler, all cars may be the same, but I bet you can tell my old minivan from a Mustang Convertible.
Ø The enemy of the best is the good.
Ø 1 Thes. 5:21-22, Test everything. Hold on to the good
Ø Even Jesus found his resources limited by time. He couldn’t heal everyone. How did he choose who to heal & when? His love was limitless, but discernment allowed him to choose only what the Father wanted.
Ø So how do we take Scriptural knowledge and develop it into Christ-like discernment?
Ø Ask & Abide: Prayer & Word (like knowledge but as face time instead of reading for study alone)
Ø Vine & branches.
5. A Fruitful love
Ø Now that we know what’s best, we can choose it. That makes our lives more productive and fruitful.
A. Rejecting the fairly good and the bad
Ø Pure/sincere = “unadulterated, pure, unmixed” genuine article. (Refined metals & Greek pottery)
Ø Blameless: without stumbling or tripping others; stuff you don’t want to have to explain on Judgment Day.
B. Positively Expressed
Ø As love grows in knowledge & discernment, we reject the fairly good & the bad, and choose that which fills our lives with the fruit of righteousness.
Ø Though righteousness itself is at times described as a fruit, here it’s the collective fruit of our discerning choices based on our knowledge of the best.
Ø In other words, it’s the fruit of our choosing to walk in the Spirit in a growing intimacy with Jesus.
Ø Fruit of character in ourselves & others. Gal. 5:22–23, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Ø Bringing others to Jesus. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. Pr 11:30
Ø We want to abound in this love and fruit, not have just $5’s worth; not just enough to avoid self-loathing, or the whispers of others.
6. A God-honoring love
Ø Living this way, full of discerning love leading to well-spent, productive lives brings praise & glory to God.
Ø Whatever you do, do it for God’s glory.