Philippians — Things to Do

Text: Philippians 4:4-7

Theme: Specific exhortations by Paul that inspire faithfulness in Christian walk. The believer must DO; the believer must BE; and the believer must PONDER.

One Day at a Time is a popular Country and Western-style Christian song written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson. Cristy Lane’s rendition of it made the song famous. Here’s the chorus ...

One day at a time sweet Jesus

That's all I'm asking from you.

Just give me the strength

To do everyday what I have to do.

Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus

And tomorrow may never be mine.

Lord help me today, show me the way

One day at a time.

In this passage, Paul gives us some clues as to how we can live one day at a time for Christ. They are "things to do" in our daily walk with Jesus.

I. REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4, ESV)

1. in vs. 4-9 the Apostle Paul is giving the Philippian believer some imperatives ... things that we really, REALLY, ought to be doing as believers

a. rejoicing in the Lord ... letting your Christian character shine ... worrying less and praying more ... setting our mind on noble virtues ... all of these are commands

1) these are to be part of our spiritual to-do list

2. the Christian life begins with being—that is our inward sinful self being transformed into an inward spiritual self that Paul refers to as the new creation in Christ

a. it is a supernatural event that gives us a heart of flesh the mind of Christ, and a life giving Spirit

b. when our being is transformed our doing is transformed, and becomes ever more Christ-like as we grow in the faith

3. experiencing and expressing joy becomes part of the Christian’s spiritual to-do list

a. you may recall that "joy" is the keynote of this epistle

b. no less than sixteen times in these four chapters, Paul uses the word or a form of it

4. believers are to rejoice in the Lord always

A. THE WORLD OFFERS SUBSTITUTES AND CHEEP IMITATIONS TO TRUE JOY

1. we live in a fast-paced society that keeps too many of even God's people on edge

2. most Americans have bought into the secular agenda that has convinced us to worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship

a. the result is that we meet ourselves coming and going in an attempt to be happy while all the time missing out on true joy

1) the difference between joy and happiness is substantial

2) we often assume that the fleeting feeling of happiness, giddy laughter and contentment in the comforts of life is akin to the joy we experience in Jesus

a) now, let me quickly say, I have nothing against happiness—which is “a state of well-being and contentment; a pleasurable or satisfying experience”

b) that’s a nice place to be ... it’s just so temporary in most cases

b. in our culture too many settle for the false and temporary euphoria found in drugs and alcohol, in sexual pleasures, in material acquisitions, the acquisition of power, or personal relationships

3. the Biblical meaning of joy, in contrast, is not a fleeting feeling with worldly roots

a. it’s not something we can produces ourselves; it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit

b. joy is the deep-down confidence that God is in control of everything for the believer’s good and His own glory, and thus all is well no matter what the circumstances

ILLUS. The best personification of Biblical joy is the story of Job. He was stripped of every good thing he had on this earth, but never lost his faith in God. Job knew his experience was unfair, and did not sugarcoat his pain. His conversations with God were frank, yet he never forgot who God was. In spite of all that has happened to him, Job turns his eyes toward heaven and says, Job 33:4 says, “the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

c. that’s the difference between worldly happiness and heavenly joy

1) though our lives seem to be falling apart, and we may have every right to fly the victim flag, we instead choose to place our lives in the capable hands of the Father

4. notice that Paul says our joy is in the Lord

a.the only sure, reliable, unwavering, unchanging source of joy is God

1) that is why Paul commands believers to rejoice in the Lord

b. so deep was the apostles' knowledge of God's character and purposes that even suffering for Jesus Christ was a cause of joy: "So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41)

c. in the bible we find people rejoicing in: 1) Their relationship with God the Father, 2) Their redemption wrought by God the Father, 3) The promises of God the Father to supply our needs, 4) The privilege of serving God the Father, 5) The promise that God the Father will resurrect and glorify us at the coming of Jesus, 6) That God the Father is working out everything in our life—the good and the bad—for our benefit and His glory

d. there are many more, I'm sure, but this is a good start

B. JOY IS TO BE EXPERIENCED ALWAYS

1. the word joy in this verse is a present imperative ... it’s calling believers to the continual and habitual practice of rejoicing

a. sometimes the trials and pressures of life make it almost impossible to be happy

1) but Paul did not tell his readers to be happy

2) he encouraged them to rejoice in the Lord—and not only once, but twice—I will say it again; Rejoice!

b. the Apostle Paul is our best example in seeing what it means to rejoice always

1) Paul had inner joy even when external circumstances such as persecution, imprisonment, and the threat of death were against him

ILLUS. Never forget that, at this moment, the Apostle is under house arrest, chained 24-7 to a Roman guard, no freedom to come and go, and facing a trial before Caesar of which the outcome is uncertain. Before that, Paul had been imprisoned two years at Caesarea by Governor Felix. If the Apostle is writing toward the end of this first Roman imprisonment, Paul has spent the last four years of his life under arrest, in prison or being escorted from one prison to another.

2. surely there are many circumstances in which Christians cannot be happy

a. but they can always rejoice in the Lord and delight in Him

ILLUS. In spite of the inconvenience of being chained to a guard, Paul carries on a rather active ministry, with many people coming and going, and lots of letters being written and received. This is how the Acts of the Apostles ends: Paul is in the heart of the Roman Empire, declaring the gospel openly, with the full knowledge of the Roman government—and he rejoiced!

b. other New Testament authors understood this

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4, ESV)

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,” (1 Peter 1:8, ESV)

3. so then ... on your spiritual to-do list jot down rejoice always!

II. LET YOUR CHRISTIAN CHARACTER SHINE

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;” (Philippians 4:5, ESV)

ILLUS. Matthew Arnold, a 19th century English poet, in one of his essays, interprets vs. 5 this way: “Let your sweet reasonableness be known unto all men.” Unfortunately, a sweet reasonableness seems to be distinctly lacking in much of the Body of Christ these days.

1. vs. 5 is an interesting verse due to how many ways the main adjective is translated

a. the ESV uses reasonableness, the NSAB95 says gentle spirit, the NIV translates the same word as gentleness and the KJV uses moderation

1) the problem, of course, is that in English those words all have different meanings

2) so what is the Apostle trying to communicate?

b. it’s a word referring to a gentleness of spirit that leads to kindness in action

ILLUS. John MacArthur, in his commentary on Philippians, writes: Sweet reasonableness, generosity, goodwill, friendliness, magnanimity, charity toward the faults of others, mercy toward the failures of others, indulgence of the failures of others, leniency, bigheartedness, moderation, forbearance, and gentleness are some of the attempts to capture the rich meaning of the word. It’s an interesting word to use in light of what he has just said to Euodia and Syntyche.

2. with all this in mind, perhaps the best corresponding English word is graciousness

a. Christians are to exhibit a humble graciousness that produces the patience to endure injustice, disgrace, and mistreatment without retaliation, bitterness, or vengeance

b. this is part of the on-going development of Christlikeness in the believer’s life

3. gracious humility runs counter to the cult of self-love that was rampant in ancient society, and is rampant in modern society as well

a. one of the most pernicious sins in our culture today is a radical autonomy that insists the world revolve around us

b. the ever-increasing focus on self-love, self-esteem, and self-fulfillment leads only to greater and greater instability and anxiety

ILLUS. It’s at the center of the “cancel culture” —the idea that I have the absolute right not to be offended by anything you say. And if you say anything that offends me, it’s not my responsibility to be gracious or reasonable or moderate, it’s your responsibility to shut up, and if you don’t shut up society will just cancel you.

4. the lesson which Paul teaches is that true blessedness cannot be obtained by the person who rigorously insists on whatever he regards as his just due

a. the Christian is the man who reasons that it is far better to suffer wrong than to inflict wrong

A. A CHRISTLIKE CHARACTER MEANS DEVELOPING A SPIRIT OF GRACIOUSNESS

ILLUS. Harry Truman was fond of the following quote: "Fame," he said, "is a vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow, only one thing endures—character."

ILLUS. Charles Spurgeon, the great British Baptist preacher of the 19th century, wrote, "A good character is the best tombstone," and that integrity is "a better long-term investment than the best Certificate of Deposit known to man!"

1. character matters

a. in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus preached about the character that should be typical of Kingdom citizens

b. his words cut across differences of human temperament

c. Jesus outlines the kind of character which is possible for any man, gifted or relatively ungifted, strong or weak, clever or slow

d. in it we find that Christ is not emphasizing the externals, but upon the vital internal attitude

2. Christian character is not doing good things, but developing Christ-likeness from which good works naturally glow

B. CHRISTIAN CHARACTER OUGHT TO BE DEFINED BY A GENTLEMANLY SPIRIT

1. a gentlemanly spirit is something we don't often see in our society any more

2. Paul encourages a character that is courteous and gracious

ILLUS. The Erdman's Bible dictionary describes this gentleness as "the poise of soul which enables one to sacrifice his own rights, not by necessity, but out of generosity and sympathy"

a. the apostle James characterized the virtue of gentleness as resulting from heavenly wisdom

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17, ESV)

b. while there is more to Christian character than having a gentlemanly spirit, this is a good place to begin

3. Christians, as Paul sees it, are men and women who know that there is something beyond justice

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7, ESV)

a. when the woman taken in adultery was brought before him, Jesus could have applied the letter of the law, according to which she should have been stoned to death

1) but he went beyond justice

b. as far as justice goes, there is not one of us who deserves anything other than the condemnation of God; but God goes far beyond justice

1) Paul lays it down that the mark of Christians in their personal relationships with others must be that they know when to insist on justice and when to remember that there is something beyond justice

3. our motivation for developing a spirit of graciousness is found at the end of the verse The Lord is near

4. so then ... on your spiritual to-do list jot down let a spirit of graciousness shine though your life!

III. WORRY LESS AND PRAY MORE

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7, ESV)

1. if anyone had the right to be anxious, it was Paul

a. as he writes this letter to the Philippians, he is in jail awaiting trial, and possible execution

2. yet, he not only tells the Philippians not to be anxious, but to rejoice

A. ANXIETY AND WORRY ARE UNHEALTHY RESPONSES TO THE WORLD

1. the word anxiety is in our text comes from a word which means to be pulled in different directions

a. our hopes pull us in one direction while our fears pull us in another

b. to be anxious means to be pulled apart

2. does this mean we are to look at life through rose–colored glasses, that we are not to face reality?

a. are we to believe that sin is not real, that sickness is not real, that problems are not real?

b. are we to ignore these things?

c. No ... Paul says that we are to worry about nothing because we are to pray about everything

1) nothing is the most exclusive word in the English language

2) it leaves out everything—Worry about nothing

d. I confess that I don’t always obey this commandment ... sometimes—I worry

3. the word worry (which is a synonym for anxiety) presents a different, but enlightening, picture

a. worry comes from a word meaning to strangle

b. this is a reference to the physical side affects caused by worry and anxiety

1) worry causes headaches, neck pains, ulcers, and even back pains

2) it affects our thinking, our digestion, and even our coordination

c. worry strangles us physically

4. from a spiritual perspective, anxiety is wrong thinking and wrong feeling about circumstances, people and things

5. but it's not enough to tell ourselves to quit being anxious

B. PRAYING MORE IS THE HEALTHY RESPONSE TO DIFFICULTIES

1. what should we pray about?

a. everything!

b. nothing in our lives is outside the scope of God's care or interest

c. Paul's instruction to the Philippians is, "Don't worry about ANYTHING, but pray about EVERYTHING"

2. how should we approach God? Paul mentions three kinds of prayer ...

a. with prayer

1) the word is use for prayer in general

2) all believers need a special place where we regularly go to meet God

ILLUS. Charles H. Spurgeon once said, "Prayer pulls the rope down below and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly; others give only an occasional jerk at the rope. But he who communicates with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously with all his might."

b. with supplication

1) the word means a seeking, asking, entreating, of God because of a need in our life

2) Jesus told his disciples, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:9-13 NIV

3) with these first two terms, the Apostle Paul is encouraging the Philippian believer to turn confidently to God for fellowship, for courage, for strengthening, for needs for ... well for everything

c. with thanksgiving

1) we are often eager to ask, but slow to appreciate

2) I think that God likes to hear His children say "thank you" in the same breath that they ask for things as much as any earthly parent likes to hear their child say it

3. when we pray about everything Paul says that we'll experience the peace of God that transcends all understanding and that our heart and minds will be guarded

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7, ESV)

a. here it is; one of the most significant and perhaps most memorized verses on prayer

1) it’s important to remember that the peace that passes all understanding is not a peace to comes without effort

2) it’s conditioned on a fervent prayer life that prays, supplicates, requests, and thanks

c. when we are a people of prayer God will guard both our hearts and minds

1) that word guarded means to be garrisoned like a fortress

2) God will give us a quiet confidence in the Lord when we pray

So here you have it: A spiritual to-do list ... Rejoice in the Lord Always, Let Your Christian Character Shine, and Worry less and Pray More.