Likeminded in Christ
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Continuing on with the thought of the message this morning. Unity within the body of Christ, Attitudes and Actions within the Body of Christ, and Philippians 4 makes very similar arguments as to how we think and act as a body of believers.
1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. 2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Stand in Christ (1-3)
Stand in Christ (1-3)
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
** Stand firm, be rooted, stationary, persevere in the Lord
** Think the same thing, have the same attitude about it
** Likeminded is in this Epistle 11x, and only 17x in the rest of the N.T.
STATEMENT — We cannot stand together for Christ if we cannot stand together at all.
Verse three transitions the focus from these two individuals to the body as a whole.
** KJV THEE = singular — goes from calling out two individuals to calling to everyone (or someone) individually
** This is an issue we should all be actively involved in. We should all be on the lookout for issues in church unity and humbly do our best to be peacemakers. Not creating more disharmony, but effectively promoting harmony.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Joy in Christ (4-5)
Joy in Christ (4-5)
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
** A command to be habitually in the current state of rejoicing in Christ.
** Always = always, in every time, place, and circumstance we are to derive our joy from the Lord and build our current attitude upon it.
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
That Joy produces a behavior and a demeanor within us.
** Moderation — "reasonableness in judging." "The word signifies a humble, patient steadfastness which is able to submit to injustice, disgrace, and maltreatment without hatred and malice, trusting in God in spite of it all
** Not as in restraint from sin, but more as in a calmness and consistency of spirit. Something the world does not have.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
** Be known to all men — Our moderation should be common knowledge among the lost. Sadly, this is not the case with many Christians today.
STATEMENT — Many Christians do not have a Christian outlook or worldview. Their behavior does not match up with their beliefs.
** At hand = "near," signifying the imminent return of Christ
The Joy of the Lord is hope in Christ.
ILLUSTRATION — A Russian countess accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour and was open about her testimony. The Tsar was displeased and threw her into prison. After 24 hours with the lowest level of Russian society, in the most miserable conditions imaginable, he ordered her brought into his presence. He smiled sardonically and said, “Well, are you ready now to renounce your silly faith and come back to the pleasures of the court?” To his surprise, the countess smiled serenely and said, “I have known more real joy and more real happiness in one day in prison with Jesus than I have known in a lifetime in the courts of the Tsar.” She found out what was really the best and brightest way.
Peace in Christ (6-7)
Peace in Christ (6-7)
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
** [stop being] Careful = full of care, anxious, troubled, care for something, to be fretful
** THE WHOLE WORLD IS BUSY WORRYING ABOUT THEIR LIVES
** Everything = everything, all things
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
** Prayer = general speaking to God
** Supplication = petitions and requests
** Thanksgiving = gratitude, grateful language
** Thanksgiving should be the packaging of all our prayers. It will help us to keep in mind that God knows our needs better than we do. When we thank Him for what He has done for us, it gets us excited about what He will do for us.
Rejoice evermore.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Peace is the cure for anxiety.
** The Peace of God is far above all human comprehension. It is a peace that cannot be fully explained or understood. It is a supernatural peace.
** The peace of God will guard over our hearts and minds like a garrison of soldiers.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Think in Christ (8-10)
Think in Christ (8-10)
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
The Process of Thought
The Process of Thought
True — true, truth, not concealing, sincere
Honest — venerable, honorable, inviting reverence, worthy of reverence
Just — equitable, innocent, holy
Pure — all sorts of purity, modest, clean, chaste
Lovely — pleasing, exciting love, acceptable
Of Good Report — sounding well, fair-speaking, attractive, gracious
Virtue — excellence (whatever ______ there may be)
Praise — praise, commendation
—> THINK = A habit of thought, a command — we are responsible for our thoughts!
And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Commit thy works unto the Lord, And thy thoughts shall be established.
—> In the day we live in, what in our lives will help us to do this?
TV?
Movies?
Internet?
Music?
Friends?
Books?
Magazines?
Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
Church.
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The Bible.
BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
The Product of Thought
The Product of Thought
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
—> Righteous Doing —
1. Practicing to live as we have been taught and witnessed in others.
2. If we live this way, the God of peace (verse 7) will be with us
Content in Christ (11-13)
Content in Christ (11-13)
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Regardless of Circumstance
Regardless of Circumstance
—> Paul was not from Texas!
—> This statement of contentment is staggering considering what Paul had been through
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Regardless of Prosperity or Poverty
Regardless of Prosperity or Poverty
Abound — "excess" vs. Abased -- "brought low, humble"
Hungry — "famished, craving" vs. Full -- "gorge, satisfy"
Abound — "super-abundance" vs. Suffer Need -- "fall short, lack"
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
ILLUSTRATION — A devout Quaker was watching his new neighbor move in next door. After all kinds of modern appliances, electronic gadgets, plush furniture, and costly wall hangings had been carried in, the onlooker called out, “If you find you’re lacking anything, neighbor, let me know and I’ll show you how to live without it.”
Resting on Christ
Resting on Christ
Do = the ability, not the act -- "strength to be contented"
Strengtheneth = empowers
Contentment is learning to lean on Christ in all circumstances.
Since He never changes, an attitude that is based in Him never changes.
ILLUSTRATION — John Wesley was about 21 years of age when he went to Oxford University. He came from a Christian home, and he was gifted with a keen mind and good looks. Yet, in those days he was a bit snobbish and sarcastic. One night, however, something happened that set in motion a change in Wesley’s heart. While speaking with a porter, he discovered that the poor fellow had only one coat and lived in such impoverished conditions that he didn’t even have a bed. Yet, he was an unusually happy person, filled with gratitude to God. Wesley, being immature, thoughtlessly joked about the man’s misfortunes. “And what else do you thank God for?” he said with a touch of sarcasm. The porter smiled, and in the spirit of meekness replied with joy, “I thank Him that He has given me a life and being, a heart to love Him, and above all a constant desire to serve Him!” Deeply moved, Wesley recognized that this man knew the meaning of true thankfulness.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Stand in Christ (1-3)
Joy in Christ (4-5)
Peace in Christ (6-7)
Think in Christ (8-10)
Content in Christ (11-13)