Paul and the Jailhouse Ministry part 9
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
My friends, I hope you all had a good week.
Here we are, the week before the Thanksgiving day holiday and the other events that happen in relation to it.
I pray you will have a tremendous time with family and perhaps some friends as you give thanks to God for His presence and blessing in your life.
We indeed have much to be thankful for…
I think you would agree with me concerning this.....
Today we come back to the book of Philippians for the very last time, as we consider this last portion of the book, I think it reminds us to be thankful for Jesus.
Paul was a thankful person, he expressed thankfulness to God for many things through the course of his day…
He was thankful for His Salvation,
He was thankful for His Calling
He was thankful for the word of God
He was thankful for the people of God and the work they represent along each of his spiritual journeys
And Paul was thankful for Jesus, Paul has followed him fatefully from the moment of His meeting with Jesus on the Damascus road. He is pushing forward each day know that each day takes him closer to the day we will make one last journey and cross that great river and land safely on the shore of that city, and will see Jesus face to face.
So I want to share 3 things with you this morning as we walk through this text...
1.) Jesus is enough vv. 10-12 2.) Jesus is our strength v. 13 3.) Jesus provides our needs.
So lets look at the text this morning, verses 10-21
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.
So remember what we have been talking about so far in this study of the book of Philippians.
Paul is in Rome, and he is imprisoned, he is under house arrest if you will there on the grounds of the Emperor’s palace. We know this since He testified himself that He has witnessed to the whole of the Imperial guard.
So while Paul might be locked up, He has not given up.
Did you hear that church.. He might be locked up, But he hasn’t given up. He is pushing forward, doing His best for Jesus until His last day.
We have to be careful to not give up, I know Christians who have given up, they have stopped for many different reasons, and none of that matters… they have given up.
Even in today’s time, the virus had made it very easy for some to stop, to say its to dangerous, but they go everywhere else except the church house…
Paul made it clear he would be faithful until Jesus until the end of life, why.. Paul says because “Christ made me His own..” Phil 3:12...
And now we are in the last section, Paul continues to communicate these truths and so lets look at the first point...
1. Jesus is Enough vv. 10-12
1. Jesus is Enough vv. 10-12
My dear friends as we navigate the days ahead of us, I must remind you that no matter what is happening, no matter our place we cannot lose sight of this truth.. Jesus is enough.
Paul has been in need at times, whether he ever expressed it or not, He knew the Lord would take care of him.
The church at Philippi was one of those many tools the Lord used to help him along the way of life. In fact during this imprisonment, the church at Philippi was the only church to reach out and try and minister to his needs.
They sent Epaphroditus to help Paul and from what we understand, they sent a financial gift to help provide for the additional needs as well…
They were a blessing to Paul and He was thankful...
Look back to out text and listen to Paul....
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
So verse 10, Paul says he is extremely thankful for their renewed help. The Philippian believers had helped Paul in the past, and now again, and their gift was a cause for Paul to rejoice.
My friends, has their ever been a time when you or your family member was in need, maybe a little extra was necessary and suddenly, without any notice, God shows up, He sent someone your way and provided for your need.
What did you do?
You rejoiced, you gave God thanks for his faithfulness and mercy, for His provision and yes for the person God used to bless you.
God shows up and He shows off.... How wonderful it is my friends.
And as you go on in verse 11, Paul says I know how to be content in every situation...... my paraphrase.
So for Paul, He knew simply this truth my friends… Jesus and all He gives is enough.
So no matter the situation, if he was hungry, Jesus was enough…
No matter His financial situation, Jesus was enough ..
And the matter if he is in the place of being brought low or of one abounding.... No matter his physical or spiritual condition, Jesus was enough.
I believe there is a great lesson to be learned here… as members of society, the representatives of humanity, we are fickle creatures. We are happy on minute and then sad the next. We want, want and want some more of more and more and with all the advertising out there we are taught .. well you can have anything you want...
The truth is we can’t get anything we want and honestly, we don’t need it. What we need is Jesus.
Jesus is all we need my friends, His presence with us, His watch care over us, and His presence going with us… what more do we need.
We like Paul need to be able to stop and say.... Jesus, you are enough. I need nothing else.
Let me ask you a question here… be honest with yourself. Do you find yourself always in pursuit of something… wanting more and more, but never being satisfied.
Is that you today?
Stop right here and say Lord I am sorry that I have chased after all these things and missed running after you...
Jesus you are enough, help me to live in that truth and not to be help captive by the things of the world.
I believe there is liberating truth my friends in allowing Jesus to be your everything...
And now lets move to our second truth...
2. Jesus is our Strength v. 13
2. Jesus is our Strength v. 13
I think we can say with all truth, Paul depended on Jesus! Jesus was his strength.
And I want you to hear this my friends, He can be yours as well.....
Verse 13 is one of those verses that we hear quoted all the time through a variety of situations. Let me share with you again…
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
If you break this verse down, you see there are two components, the first is the person and the second is Jesus who is at work.
Paul testifies that he could accomplish all things… Let me stop here and just interject, Paul says he could do all things… but please note the “all things” He is speaking about doesn mean everything man would seek to put his hand too.
Why?
There are secular things that God has no part with… so we have to be careful what we are working toward when we claim God is at help… He is not going to help you accomplish those things that violate His ways. No matter how we justify it, God will not place His stamp of approval on it.
People act like they can cover their actions by a blanket promise of power, but power comes in the will of God.
What Paul is saying is this.. He could accomplish all that God wanted through the strength He provided.... Paul knew where the Lord led, he has power.
Power comes as we walk and follow the will of God...
So here is a paradox that we have to examine, Paul says that he was the strongest when he was weak…He was his best when he was dependent upon God and not himself.
You know through the course of our days, it is hard to be victorious, its hard to be triumphant in difficult or bad times… But it is in these times that we learn to be dependent, we learn to make the conscious decision to follow and trust in the Lord.
We fail when we try to navigate life in our own strength, it is fleeting, it is temporary, But Jesus is eternal, His power, His strength and His ways never end…
What are you dependent upon?
Do you tend to fall back to yourself, Your own wisdom and power, what you think is right....
Or do you depend upon the Lord… Be honest with yourself… God knows for your heart and your ways and if you are here today or watching over facebook, If you have failed to live for God, take a moment right now while you are sitting there and ask God for forgiveness, Ask him for strength to trust Him in all things.. and leave this place better....
Its up to you… mature in the Lord wisely… and here is why you take hold of Jesus and trust him...
3. Jesus Provides our Needs.....
3. Jesus Provides our Needs.....
In particular here, Paul was thankful that God had raised up believers in Philippi to help provide not only for his needs but for the truth that their gifts had helped to spread the gospel to the known world.
In verses 15-17, Paul commends those believers at Philippi for their faithfulness in giving… look at the text....
15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.
After Paul left them, continuing his missionary journeys to share the gospel and establish churches in areas as the Lord led him, there where times when the Philippians were present with him, maybe not in physical form, but in spiritual.
They joined the work by helping provide for Paul's needs and the work of ministry. In fact they were the only ones who did this… of all those churches in Asia minor and those distant areas, they alone were faithful.
Paul was so thankful for their faithfulness, He was thankful for their love and friendship as well. So here he is commending them for their sacrificial gift.
My friends, we should always remember those who reach out and help us, those who bless us and join us in helping us take the gospel as a body of believers and as individuals.
As we move forward into the text, Paul praises them and says their gift to him was a sacrificial gift that was pleasing to God…
When you give my friends, whether it is in your tithe or your offerings for special works of ministry and God’s servants, please know that God takes notice of it.
Their service was one likened to Romans 12:1-2, their gift was one of acceptable Christian service. Just as working physically is a gift to God, giving is spiritual gift to God just like those offerings of lambs, and rams, grain and oil were...
And when we act in such obedience my friends, God rewards His children, He blesses them...
Look at verse 19...
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Do you remember Paul has already alluded to this, God supplies and will take care of the needs of His children, and why wouldn’t He, He is our heavenly Father.
Jesus talked about how He provides for the birds of the air, the grass of the field, and if he knows we need food, clothing and shelter, will he not provide for us the children of His creation.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
And here he tells them… Not only is God pleased when we act faithfully, But God will bless our faithfulness, and supply all our needs.
the phrase “according to” means that the supply is suited to the resource and the measure why which it was given to and for the glory of God.
Since all this involves Christ, it is His riches… and those Glorious riches ( those stored up treasures in heaven) are available to those who give as the Philippians did.
Jesus will meet our needs, He always does...
You can probably think of how He blessed you in so many ways through the years and I can tell you time and time again, how faithful and wonderful our God is...
Live and act like God in all things....