I Thank My God For You! Wk#8

Philippians 4:1–7 ESV

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 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. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Therefore-serves as two things here. It is the conclusion of the previous section and the introduction to a new section.

Paul is essentially saying;

Because Jesus has become the desire of our hearts

Because Jesus is our Goal

Because we are straining to take hold of who we are in Christ.

Because we are seeking to follow godly examples

Because we are seeking to be godly examples ourselves

Because we have the joy set before us

Because we are seeking to know Christ more

Because we are known by Christ

STAND FIRM IN THE LORD!

Let nothing distract you

Even disagreements among yourselves

Do not let the culture draw you away nor let the world change your God

1 Corinthians 15:

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 ESV

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

Philippians 1:27 ESV

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

We need to be unified to stand firm.

How do we do that?

We Rejoice in Faith

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 4

4:4 Rejoice. The joy that Paul calls for is not a happiness that depends on circumstances but a deep contentment that is in the Lord, based on trust in the sovereign, living God, and that therefore is available always, even in difficult times.

Opening Up Philippians Rejoice in the Lord (v. 4)

Paul’s formula for joy is apparent in this letter. We can summarize it by saying we must have:

• THE CAUSE OF CHRIST as our priority. That cause, of course, includes the fellowship, the furtherance and the faith of the gospel (1:5, 12, 27);

• THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST as our pattern. This is the character of sacrificially giving one’s self up in the interest of others (2:5–8);

• THE COMPREHENSION OF CHRIST as our passion. This means crying out with Paul ‘that I may know Him’ (3:10);

• THE CARE OF CHRIST as our peace, which the apostle is about to express (4:6–7).

Be Reasonable-The Lord is at Hand v. 5

(Epi, A case)

gentleness, graciousness, consideration, moderation, forebearance

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 88.63 ἐπιεικής, ές

88.63 ἐπιεικής, ές: pertaining to being gracious and forbearing—‘gentle, gracious, forbearing.’ μηδένα βλασφημεῖν, ἀμάχους εἶναι, ἐπιεικεῖς ‘not to speak evil of anyone, nor to be quarrelsome, but to be forbearing’ Tt 3:2.

Titus 3:2 ESV

to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Trust God and Pray vs. 6-7

Rather than fretting about the future, remember what God has done and promises to do.

Grocery money

Leaving Beverly

We have no guard as competent as the Lord!

Opening Up Philippians Trust and Pray (vv. 6–7)

Believers who carry their burdens to the Lord will find peace and rest in their spirits. This peace will stand at the door and guard the hearts and minds of believers so that anxious care and worry cannot enter. It is a glorious peace from the Lord that unbelievers cannot find and cannot explain, and it is a peace that believers themselves cannot fully understand.

Matthew 6:25–34 ESV

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew

Be thankful!

An attitude of thanksgiving contributes tremendously to inward peace.

All of this is contingent on knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior.

Do you know the Lord Jesus that way?