Sermon Tone Analysis

Three Keys to Living Above Your Circumstances

Philippians 1:19-24

Philippians 1:19-24

INTRODUCTION:

A- Opening Statements:

1- Our circumstances are not always going to be what we want them to be.

2- The question to be answered is will we choose to live above or beneath them?

B- Biblical background:

1- Paul is in prison.

a.

Under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier.

b.

No longer able to start churchesOr minister to the ones he started.

c.

He was awaiting trial before Caesar and therefore uncertain about his future.

2- Paul is not beneath the circumstances, but way above them.

a.

The theme of the Philippian letter is “rejoice.”

C- Our need:

1- in the previous message Paul reminded us of some things that we need to know.

a.

We must maintain the proper focus to live above our circumstances.

Our focus must be upon Christ and not our circumstances.

Our focus must be upon the sovereignty of God not the will of man.

Our focus must be upon the positive results of our circumstances and not our personal pain.

TS: notice 3 things that provide keys to keeping the proper focus in our circumstances.

I- I must understand my oneness with Christ.

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A- the goal of the believer’s life is oneness with Christ.

1- Paul’s testimony () ()

a. everything in his life was bound up in his union with Christ.

Oneness with Christ means that Christ, through the Holy Spirit, is living out his life in yours.

2- This oneness with Christ is to be continuously deepening and growing.

a.

It is rooted in a progressive surrendering of each area of your life, as he reveals it to you.

This progressive surrender requires time with Christ and in his word to know his will.

This progressive surrender is hindered by rebellion.

This occurs as he shows us an area that we need to surrender and we refuse.

B- The outcome of the believer’s life is a result of his oneness with Christ.

1- Paul’s testimony ()

a. Paul had the realization that his oneness with Christ in his life could only result in greater things in heaven.

2- An individual’s goals and treasure of this life determines the outcome in eternity.

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a.

How would you fill in the following blanks?

“For me to live is __________, to die is ___________.”

to fill in the 1st blank with anything but Christ is to lose.

Illustrate:

II- I must understand my purpose in life.

(, )

A- my purpose is to magnify Christ ().

νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς

ἀποκαραδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα μου

(ἀποκαραδοκία, 603), primarily “a watching with outstretched head” (apo, “from,” kara, “the head,” and dokeo, “to look, to watch”), signifies “strained expectancy, eager longing,” the stretching forth of the head indicating an “expectation” of something from a certain place, Rom.

8:19 and Phil.

1:20.

The prefix apo suggests “abstraction and absorption” (Lightfoot), i.e., abstraction from anything else that might engage the attention, and absorption in the object expected “till the fulfillment is realized” (Alford).

νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς

μεγαλύνω (megalynō), exalt; glorify; magnify.

1- What does it mean to magnify?

a.

Like a telescope:

brings heavenly bodies closer

to many, Christ is far away.

Our lives are to be such that they can see him up close.

b.

Like a microscope:

makes small things large.

To many, Christ is small.

Our lives are to show, in bodily form, how big Christ really is.

c- Like a magnifying glass:

focuses the light in such a way that it will ignite a fire.

Many are cold and indifferent to Christ.

Our lives are to focus his light in such a way that it warms and ignites conviction and a desire to know Christ.

When a group of believers or magnifying Christ in this way, it will result in revival.

B- My purpose is to serve others ().

1- Paul spent his life serving others.

a.

He continued to do so in prison.

()

witnessing, winning the lost, discipling new converts, writing letters to churches and fellow believers.

The letter to the Philippians is an example.

The letter to Philemon is an example.

2- It is impossible to stay under your circumstances while truly serving others.

a.

You show me a believer who has a servant’s spirit and I will show you a happy, joyful believer… Even in the midst of adverse circumstances.

III- I must understand my destiny in death.

(, ).

A- Death is a departure ().

1- It is a departure from the trials of life; from this camp to another.

a.

The term “depart” is a term that refers to:

soldier picking his tent down

a sailor lifting anchor

a prisoner being released

a farmer unyoking oxen

b. for the believer, death is a release from bondage to the flash and its problems.

Paul would have been released from persecution by the Jews and Romans.

Paul would have been released from the chains in prison he was forced to endure.

What limitations would you be loosed from?

B- Death is an arrival ().

1- Death is not an end, but a beginning.

a. Paul was looking forward to being with Christ.

Forever enjoying the joys of heaven.

Fellow shipping with Christ and saints who preceded him.

Feasting on the great things he had in store.

()

2- it is an immediate arrival.

()

Lazarus in died and was immediately in paradise.

Conclusion: