Sermon Tone Analysis

*THE *[RBK1] *BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE*

*Philippians 4:4-9*

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*INTRODUCTION*

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            "Is this as good as it gets?"

"Is that all there is?"  "After all these years of work, it now comes to this?"  "Whatever happened to the 'Golden Years'?"

Many times as a physical therapist I have heard these questions posed to me.

Patients and their families who have spent years working, years saving, and years planning to retire and enjoy their retirement are thrown for a loop when circumstances derail this ideal of retirement bliss.

"And these are the Golden Years?"

A stroke comes along, or a fall causes a hip fracture, or Alzheimer's comes in and robs the abilities of a loved one.

These circumstances surround them.

They become anxious and begin to despair.

Some might say that the best years of life are the carefree college years:  football, parties, new freedom from parents.

But then the pressure of an exam comes, or a large paper is due, and the pressures build.

Others would say that the best years are the early-married years, beginning a new life, beginning a new family, growing together as a new identity, only to experience difficult adjustments to the new schedules, or to face financial setbacks.

So often the plans we have for different periods of our lives present themselves differently than we had imagined.

At these times it is easy to become discouraged and anxious.

Yet there was one in Scripture who learned that in whatever situation he found himself he would rejoice and not despair.

Over the years the apostle Paul faced imprisonment, beatings, receiving thirty-nine lashes three different times, beaten with rods, and stoned.

He had been shipwrecked, day and night adrift in the sea.

And even now, as he is writing this epistle to the Philippians, it is believed that he was probably 65 or 66 years of age and in prison.

Yet his proclamation was not a sarcastic comment, such as, And these are supposed to be the best years of my life?!  Or, Why is God making me suffer?

But rather, Rejoice in the Lord.

Again, I say rejoice!

Paul's circumstances were anything but pleasant.

Not only did he have the history of tremendous difficulties and turmoil, but the prison from which he wrote this letter, no doubt, did not have air conditioning, cable TV, comfortable beds, or good food.

Even in this situation he calls out, Rejoice!  Have joy!

The Philippian church that received this letter had been a very strong church, was good to Paul, worshipped the Lord, and they were good to each other.

Paul's letter to them is filled with praise and does not have the admonishment or rebukes that his other letters contained.

Yet even this church received instructions from Paul so that their walk with Christ would be more dynamic.

In this section of chapter 4 there are nine imperatives or commands.

I will focus on only a few of them.

The first two are interesting to me.

Paul begins and ends this sentence with the commands, Rejoice!

It is not only a goal, but an assignment or a duty.

Rejoice!

Paul tells us to rejoice because the Lord is near.

It is in Him that we are to find our joy.

Rejoicing is supernatural.

The fruit of the Spirit is to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Joy is part of this supernatural blessing from the Holy Spirit.

And yet we have a responsibility to ripen this fruit and to develop it and to deepen it through spiritual activities and exercises.

You see, if you want to truly rejoice in the Lord in ALL of your circumstances, you must actively develop your Christian character and discipline yourself spiritually.

In the first place, *REJOICING IN THE LORD REQUIRES PRAYER*.

(v.6)  Paul begins this section concerning the opportunity and the responsibility to pray to God with the command to not be anxious about anything.

Is it possible for us to live without anxiety?

Without worry?

Worry really is a natural, human response to the insecurities we encounter day by day.

A person may be facing a serious operation, a financial concern, and uncertainty about employment, death, and dying.

To be anxious or to be concerned about these things is human and natural.

Although it is human and natural, we must counter the effects of this anxiety.

Paul recognized this concern in the members of the Philippian church.

He wants to present to them an alternative to being anxious.

He says in verse 6, to not be anxious about anything (this is another one of the imperatives or commands), but -- and here he gives the alternative -- in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

It's OK when an anxious moment comes upon you.

It's not unusual to experience moments that you are worried about the events in your life.

And yet, to dwell on them is what Paul wants us to avoid.

You must discern why you are worrying-- and then pray!

Paul uses three terms to describe prayer, three synonyms used to emphasize the need for this action, to emphasize the need to be responsible to bring before the Lord our concerns.

Paul says that in prayer and supplication we are to make known unto God our requests ("make known" is another command).

He says we are to pray in everything.

Prayer needs to be the reflex response to worry and anxiety.

While attending seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, I had the opportunity to visit a number of Civil War battlegrounds.

These visits piqued my interest in the characters in these wars and I began to read the biographies of several Confederate soldiers, many of them who were Christians.

One, of course, was Robert E. Lee.

Another one was Thomas J "Stonewall" Jackson.

Stonewall Jackson was a true man of God and a man of prayer.

This was written about him:  "A friend was once conversing with Jackson about the difficulty of obeying the Scriptural injunction, Pray without ceasing.

Jackson insisted that he could so accustom himself to it that it could be easily obeyed.

When we take our meals there is grace.

When I take a drink of water I always pause as my palate receives the refreshment to lift up my heart to God in thanks and prayer for the Water of Life.

Whenever I drop a letter in the box at the post office I send a petition along with it for God's blessing upon its mission and upon the person to whom it is sent.

When I break the seal of a letter just received, I stop to pray to God that He may prepare me for its contents."

You see, Jackson was a man of fervent prayer.

In fact, many soldiers thought he was crazy, that he was a nut, because after they would make camp, he would frequently go out into the woods walking back and forth while talking out loud, praying out loud to God, frequently making statements and motions that did not make sense to those who overheard, because he was presenting his case before God concerning the battles ahead.

It was also reported that many saw him stumbling over fallen trees and rocks, thinking he may have had too much to drink.

You see, what he was doing was pacing around, praying with his eyes closed--- in the forest!

Jackson was indeed a soldier of prayer.

He so often withdrew from his staff to find a quiet place to pray.

He prayed without ceasing.

He brought his petitions before God.

YOU NEED to come before God with your heart's concerns.

James says that you do not have because you do not ask.

We are to make supplication and requests unto God, no matter how big nor how small the request.

We are to come before God with thanksgiving.

These words remind me of the acronym, ACTS, A-C-T-S, which stand for Adoration - Confession - Thanksgiving - Supplication.

If you're not sure HOW to pray, this is a mnemonic device to take with you when you go into the prayer closet to help order your prayer thoughts before God.

You MUST pray, because rejoicing in the Lord requires prayer.

Secondly, *REJOICING IN THE LORD REQUIRES REFLECTION AND PRACTICE.*

In verse 8, Paul says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things."

Paul lists six virtues and then summarizes the list with these words, "If there is anything excellent, anything worthy of praise...” Imbedded in this list and summary are the characteristics of the Christian thought life.

Paul requires these thoughts of the Philippians AND OF US by using another imperative or command, "Think on these things."

We actively think all day.

From the moment we awake until the moment we go back to sleep.

Our days are filled with many different activities, but thinking is something we do all day long.

We are RESPONSIBLE for our thoughts and by writing this particular passage, Paul indicates that we are able to control our thoughts.

In answer to a question by a scribe concerning which is the most important commandment, Jesus said, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength."

Jesus emphasized the fact that our heart, mind, and soul are to be constantly thinking of and loving God.

Paul wants us to saturate our thought life with these virtues---whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things."

We are to think on "these things" for we live in a society that does not think this way.

We live in a society that frequently encourages just the opposite.