Growing in Christ
Notes
Transcript
Illustration on a growing baby. needs food but body does it.
Today we will see how two truths work together in this text and cause us to see how our growth is for God’s Glory and not just something we are supposed to do.
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paul is Roman Jail writing this letter
2-4 years in jail but yet he is joyful as he remembers and prays for the saints in Philippi
Why?
Partnership in the Gospel
GOSPEL
Magnets pulling together instead of pushing apart
God is going to complete the once begun good work
Romans soldiers would know this battle cry
They fought to finish the once begun good work in the establishment of the Roman colony. They would see how God is at work to finish the effects of the gospel in them.
They are partakers in grace with Paul in his current imprisonment and ministry and are dear to him.
Temptation to distance from Paul and ministry in Rome instead the support him more fully.
Why can Paul pray that way for these saints? He knows God is at work and will continue to work in them until the DOL.
God Causes Your Growth for His Glory. (vs. 3-8)
He began the the work in salvation and will continue to grow you.
26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
Jesus is using this as a teaching example of how the kingdom grows but we can see that this parable shines light on our text and how God is working in our lives.
God causes the life.
God empowers it.
God does it in His timing.
This keeps us from the temptation of thinking I am “killing it” in my walk with Jesus and relying on Him daily. Text moves on
2. You work to Grow for God’s Glory. (vs. 9-11) - single sentence.
Prayer - Intercession
Love abound more and more
Water spreading past its banks.
Not uncontrolled
with knowledge and discernment
knowledge of God’s Word
discernment of good and evil and good and best
so that you are
pure - unmixed metal
blameless - arrived at destination unscathed
DOL
filled with the fruit of righteousness in Christ Jesus
He has made you righteous and your actions prove this out now and in the end
for His GLORY
Paul is praying this for those believers and it should cause us to ask ourselves, does my life look like the one He is describing?
Is my love according to God’s standards or have I used love as an excuse to justify evil?
Am I striving to discern how to live all my live for His glory?
What do I need to change so that when I stand before Him, I can say “my life glorified you.”?
God causes the Growth but He calls us to work on our lives so that when it is all said and done we show that He is deserving of all the glory.