Gospel Growth: Partners in Spiritual Maturity
Notes
Transcript
GOSPEL GROWTH: PARTNERS IN SPIRITUAL MATURITY;
Philippians 1:1-11; MHAFB, 6 Oct 19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------Series: Phani / Topics: Mature; Spiritual growth; Fellowship; A Partner
Before Service: Pray with leaders!
Opening Verse: Hosanna (Praise is Rising); Lord I Lift Your Name
Songs for Worship: Psalm 92:1-5, 12-15 (143:7-12)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------SLIDE-Transition to Sermon, Ps. 119:105
Introduction
1. Attention:
a. How many of you like to be a part of something bigger or greater than you?
i. Not just a passive part, but an active part where you have a key role to play in the big picture?
ii. Especially when this ‘something’ has a mission that you really believe in.
iii. What are some of those things? Military, Social Club/Institution, Political Parties, Church, etc.
b. SLIDE-Title: Today we are starting a sermon-series through one of my favorite Bible books—
Philippians
i. A book which highlights our part in something that is far bigger & greater than anything else—the
Gospel
c. As we go through this together,
i. I hope that God opens your eyes to the encouragement and joy that is offered
ii. That you begin to see newer & deeper ways that the Gospel transforms...
1. Your individual lives (heart, mind, & spirit),
2. Your relationships, &
3. The community around
2. Big Picture: And specifically for today--a. As we go through Paul’s general introduction and his prayer for his Gospel-partner’s spiritual growth
b. SLIDE-Thesis: I hope that you will see one of our key roles in God’s big story...
i. Christians should lovingly pursue Christian maturity in one another
3. Bible Verse:
a. Context: To start off, let’s look at the historical and biblical context of this book—
i. The book of Philippians was written to the Christians in Philippi,
1. A city named after Alexander the Great’s father, King Philip II,
2. SLIDE-Map: Found in what is now modern-day northeast Greece
ii. The Philippian church was founded during the Apostle Paul’s second missionary (Acts 16:12–40,
~AD 50)
1. The church was likely populated from an almost entirely non-Jewish, non-Roman community of
fairly impoverished residents
iii. Paul authored this letter about a decade later while he was in prison (Rome, Ephesus, or Caesarea
around 54-62 AD)
1. In contrast to the structured form or Paul’s letter to the Romans,
a. Philippians seems fairly informal and has a rough style
b. Which some scholars suggest was the result of it being produced over a period of some time
to address several different issues
4. Transition: And so today, let us begin to get into a foundational issue-a. The reason we “should lovingly pursue maturity in one another” is because as Christians we are...
Gospel Partners
1. Verses-3 Slides: Please stand as we read Philippians 1:1-8,
a. Feel free to read along on the screen, use your pew Bible or your personal Bible
b. Starting with the customary greeting of his time, identifying himself & his co-senders, Paul shares…
Philippians 1:1–8 CSB
1
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,
including the overseers and deacons. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. 3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you
in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am sure
of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7
Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are
all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the
gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
2. Explain: Please be seated
a. Main Point 1: As Paul prays with joy because of the (v5), “your partnership in the gospel”
i. All Christians are “Gospel Partners;” we are...
ii. MP1: United by Christ Jesus
1. Five times in these 8 verses Paul drops this name-a. We are saints & servants of Christ Jesus
b. Grace & peace comes from the Father & the Lord Jesus Christ
c. Together we look forward to the day of Christ Jesus
d. Paul misses these believers with the affection of Christ Jesus
2. As a CHRISTian, always remember that in Christ we are united
a. He is the uniter, center, author, & finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2)
b. And it is His person & work that actually captures these other ways in which we are united-iii. MP1: Secondly, we are united as saints—
1. Paul addresses this letter to “all the saints who are in Philippi”
a. Notice that this isn’t just the saints that he knows, but to ALL of the saints
2. Biblically a ‘saint’ references any true Christian—
a. One who is holy, having been set-apart to God
3. Paul recognizes that all Christians have been united in how we are set apart for service to our
God
a. And thus we are partners in this—helping each other toward this end
iv. MP1: Third, we are united in God’s grace & peace:
1. In Galatians, Ephesians, Philemon, & here in Philippians Paul starts his letter with a prayer of
“grace & peace” to his recipients (c.f. Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2)
a. As Christians we have received God’s gracious salvation
b. Which has brought us into peace with Him & one another
2. These two words summarize key elements of the Gospel of which we are partners
a. In v7 Paul bluntly shares, “you are all partners with me in grace”
3. Illustrate: The concept of partnership runs deep in Air Force Culture—we understand the need & the role of
a Wingman.
a. Consider, for example the story of “Pardo's Push” — How many of you are familiar with this?
b. On 10 Mar 1967 F-4 pilots Bob Pardo & Earl Aman completed a dangerous bombing run over North
Vietnam
i. Both planes were damaged by anti-aircraft fire
ii. But Capt Aman’s was in the worst situation—
1. Having been hit in the fuel tank, his plane would not make it out of Vietnam
2. He and his wizzo would have to eject over very dangerous enemy territory
iii. And as Capt Pardo later shared, "How can you fly off and leave someone you just fought in battle
with?"
1. He was determined to help push Capt Aman the extra 90 or so miles needed to get to a safer
ejection point.
iv. With great ingenuity and personal risk he had Capt Aman lower his plane’s tail-hook and
maneuvered his F-4 so that his windscreen touched it,
1. Thereby "pushing" the other plane, slowing its descent, & get them to the relative safety of Laos
c. These wingmen were united as Airmen partners
i. And through looking after one another, all of them survived.
4. Expand: As Christian we need to realize our need to be Wingmen for one another
a. Paul writes to this church as their Wingman-i. He sees things from a different perspective
ii. He has different experiences and skills that can help these believers survive & thrive in their
afflictions.
iii. And so he lovingly pursue’s their maturity
1. Which highlights thte final way we are united—
2. MP1: We are united in God’s love
3. Consider the great affection that Paul expresses for his brothers & sisters-a. He clearly thinks of them frequently
b. These thoughts are filled with thanksgiving, joy, & confidence
c. In v7 he shares, “I have you in my heart”
d. And in v8 he shares, “For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection
of Christ Jesus.”
4. As Christians we are called to have such love for one another-a. An unconditional, agapa, love
b. A love that loves someone, even when they don’t deserve it
c. A love that keeps going through both good times & bad times, easy times & hard times
d. We are united in the love of God.
b. So it must be with us-i. Do you recognize your dire need for each other in this room?
1. For those other brothers & sisters that God has placed in your life story?
ii. Do you love them unconditionally, seeking their good—even when it is inconvenient or costly?
iii. Let us recognize the key partnership that we have together in Christ Jesus.
1. And the great affection that this should lead to!
5. Transition: And in so doing, let us lovingly pursue Christian maturity in one another…
Christian Maturity
1. Main Point 2a: Verses:
a. In v6 Paul already reflected, “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to
completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
i. He knew that it is God’s work that brings us into Christ Jesus
1. He also it is God’s work that completes His work within us
2. MP2a: Jesus is both the Author & Finisher, the Source & Completion, of our faith (Heb 12:2)
ii. MP2a: But, he also knew that God calls & enables us to help in our Christian maturity!
1. Just as He has called & enabled us to do the same in one another
2. So, what does the maturity look like that we are to humbly pursue in one another?
b. Verses-1 Slide: Please stand as we read Philippians 1:9-11, & let’s hear how Paul describes it in his
prayer for these believers—
Philippians 1:9–11 CSB
9
And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so
that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, 11
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
2. Explain: So, what does Christian maturity look like for Paul?
a. Main Point 2b: Notice first that mature Christianity is founded & focused on love
i. As Paul says, “And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing” (v9)
1. And that is the unconditional affection that we spoke of earlier
ii. Sometimes I feel we get a bit confused & feel that maturity is based on knowledge.
1. Knowledge certainly plays a role & we’ll get to that shortly,
a. But recognize what Paul starts with & has everything else flowing from—Christian love
2. As Paul says in 1 Cor 8:1, “...Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up”
3. Even consider the Greatest Commandment-a. It is not to “Know God perfectly” or “Have 100% confidence in your perfect theology”
b. Rather, it is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all
your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)
4. Do you want to be a mature Christian?
a. It starts with growing a godly love of God & others
iii. Paul then goes on, “And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every
kind of discernment,”
1. Upon godly love we build..
b. MP2b: Knowledge: A simple Greek word that highlights definite truths.
i. These are truths about God & us, things that we understand as we get into God’s Word & learn from
our brothers & sisters
ii. But such knowledge is useless if you do not know how to apply it—we also need “every kind of...
c. MP2b: Discernment: A capacity to clearly understand something, especially in a moral sense.
i. Discernment helps you know how to use knowledge in practical & effective ways
d. Main Point 2c: Christians should grow in each of these areas—and as we do, there are several excellent
consequences
i. As Paul points out, we can then “approve the things that are superior” (v10)
1. To “approve” in this context is to “accurately conclude” based on testing
2. MP2c: We have the ability to accurately conclude what is superior
a. Distinguishing between what is good & bad, right & wrong, good & better, better & best
ii. MP2c: And this goes on, as Paul shares, so that we “may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ”
(v10)
1. That is to say, our motives are refined & we act with pure sincerity
2. Our character as a whole has been refined & our motives are right
3. When Christ comes, He will speak those desired words to us, “Well done, good & faithful
servant.”
e. But until that day, Paul shares that we will be...
i. MP2c: “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ...” (v11)
ii. In the eternal sense we already have the completion of righteousness-1. Christ’s righteousness imputed on us (Rom. 4; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil. 3:9)
iii. But in a temporal sense, we are still learning to be & live like Jesus
1. Our thoughts, attitudes, intentions, words, & actions are still being refined to be more Christ-like.
2. We are getting ‘more filled’ with Jesus’ fruit of righteousness
a. And doing so shows that we are growing in Christian maturity, just as God desires.
f. And this, it is all “...to the glory and praise of God.” (v11)
i. It is His desire that we grow in Christian maturity
1. That we encourage one another toward these ends.
ii. Do you want to please God?
1. Then… Grow up!
3. Transition: Now, let’s wrap this up.
Conclusion-a:
Conclusion
1. Reiterate: Christians should lovingly pursue Christian maturity in one another
a. We need to recognize the partnership that we have in Christ Jesus,
i. Working to grow this all the more in Christian love
b. We need to help each other mature, and work to personally mature in...
i. Christian love, knowledge. & discernment
2. Apply: So, how does this apply to us?
a. Con: Become a Partner!
i. If you haven’t yet joined the family of God—I invite you to do so now.
b. Con: Build the Partnership:
i. Earnestly look for opportunities to build up our Christian community
ii. Get to know one another, come along side each other in life, pray for one another!
iii. Christian partnership should lead us to thanksgiving & joy
1. If this has not been your experience, ask God for help & feel free to reach out to me
c. Con: Grow in Love, Knowledge, & Discernment:
i. Consider the great affection that Paul has for his fellow saints (have w/in heart, deeply miss,
affection of Christ Jesus)—
1. Many of whom he probably hadn’t even met in person yet!
2. Seek God’s support to grow in this love for one another
ii. Furthermore, ask for His help to love Him more, too!
1. Own that Greatest Commandment!
iii. Seek to grow in the knowledge of God-1. Read, study, & meditate on His Word
2. Have reflections of His word fill your mind
3. Have discussions of His word fill your conversations
4. Contemplate it & seek His help to learn & apply it
iv. Then, begin to practice applying it
1. Seek God’s support as you try to discern not what is merely acceptable, but what is superior
2. Grow in your understanding on how to navigate tricky conversations & social situations w/God’s
truth
v. And make sure that your knowledge of God & exercising of this knowledge always flow from a love
of God
3. Appeal:
a. Brothers & Sisters, it is my earnest desire that each of us will see God’s work powerfully in our lives &
in the lives of those around us
b. Are you willing to begin to make the necessary sacrifices to see this happen?
c. I pray that you all
d. The day of Christ is coming—let us be about His good work
i. And so joyfully hear those words, “Well done good & faithful servant”
4. Conclude: Pray with me—
a. And as you do, prepare your heart for the Lord’s Supper...