Philippians: One More Thing to Do

Text: Philippians 4:8

Theme: Positive thinking is not the same as faith, but it does help the believer focus on the blessings of God.

Last Sunday evening I preached a message entitled, Things To Do. It was based on Philippians 4:4-7 and listed three things believers must habitually do to assure continued faithfulness in our daily walk with Christ.

We must rejoice in the Lord always. A search for happiness will always leave us vulnerable to the circumstances of life. But joy in the Lord is an attribute of faith that is cultivated as we trust in the Lord and live in Him.

We must let our Christian character shine. Specifically, we are to develop a gentlemanly spirit that is forbearing and non-retaliatory.

We must also worry less and pray more. Anxiety and worry are unhealthy responses to the world. Anxiety and worry never solved a problem or resolved a situation, but they do cause psychological stress, spiritual distress, and physical fatigue and illness. Paul's admonition to the Philippian believers is, "Don't worry about ANYTHING, but pray about EVERYTHING."

Well there is a fourth thing to do that assures our continued faithfulness in our daily walk with Christ. We must meditate on the good things in life: “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 about these things.” (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

I'd like to take a few moments tonight to talk to you about the benefits of biblical meditation.

Biblical Meditation Concentrates on Healthy Things

Biblical Meditation Spiritually Strengthens the Believer

Biblical Meditation Re-programs the Mind

I. BIBLICAL MEDITATION CONCENTRATES ON HEALTHY THINGS

1. with a finally brothers, the Apostle brings the practical section of his letter to a conclusion

a. as Paul end he reminds us that there is a place in Christian life for taking into serious account the best of the world in which we live even though it may not be overtly Christian

b. while sin has affected everything in God’s creation, we also need to remembers that “This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears, All nature sings, and round me rings the mucic of the spheres

c. these are things we are to think deeply about

2. the practice of meditation is an issue not frequently discussed in the church

a. since the 1960's meditation has been so closely associated with the Eastern Religions and cults that we've condemned as unbiblical and spiritually dangerous that we tend to ignore the topic altogether

3. and yet, there is much practical value to biblical meditation

a. if there were not, Paul would not have told the Philippian believers to "think on such things"

4. let me say very quickly what meditation is not — the difference between Eastern Meditation and Christian Meditation is the goal behind each practice

a. Eastern meditation employs a variety of means designed to empty the mind in order to get in touch with our inner self or to discover inner truth

1) this is the kind of meditation we are to avoid

2) we never find Christ or any of his disciples sitting in a lotus position chanting some mantra

a) this it the meditation associated with Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Transcendental Meditation

3) it’s a meditation that focuses on self

4) any time meditation focuses on self it will lead to pride or error or even demonic influence and oppression

b. Christian mediation has the goal of filling one’s mind with Scripture with the intention to connect with God

1) Christian meditation has as its focus ... God, and discovering His truth and not My truth

A. MANY BELIEVERS FAIL BECAUSE THEY MEDITATE ON THE WRONG THINGS

1. too often, our attention is focused on things below when we really need to be concentrating on things above

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1–3, ESV)

a. when we do meditate on things below they are meant to focus our minds on God

2. Biblical meditation focuses on virtuous things that compel us to praise God

a. Eastern meditation concentrates on the inner light and what it tells me, while Biblical meditation focuses the mind on the light of Christ, and what is good and right

3. Paul tells us that we are to calculate the benefits and weigh the intangible qualities of virtuous things

a. but how do quantitatively measure things like nobility, righteousness, purity, loveliness and honorableness?

b. how do you appraise the beauty of a sunset, the babbling of a brook, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind or a clear evening sky filled with stars?

c. these things cannot be measured or appraised in a quantitative way, and maybe that's why many in our society sniff at such things

4. yet Paul says that there is spiritual benefit and value to meditating on such things

a. “ ... if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

5. Paul is calling for the habitual discipline of the mind to set our thoughts on spiritual virtues

B. BELIEVERS NEED TO PRACTICE “SACRED IDLENESS” ON A REGULAR BASIS

ILLUS. Saint Anselm (C. 1033 1109) wrote the following thoughts back in the 12th century. It is as instructive today as they were then. "Flee for a little while thy occupations; hide thyself for a time from thy disturbing thoughts. Cast aside now thy burdensome cares, and put away thy toilsome business. Yield room for some little time to God, and rest for a little time in him. Enter the inner chamber of thy mind; shut out all thoughts save that of God and such as can aid thee in seeking him. Speak now, my whole heart! Speak now to God, saying, "I seek thy face; thy face, Lord, will I seek."

“Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.” ( Psalm 4:4, NASB)

1. where is the best place where you can be still in order to meditate upon the things of God?

a. where ever it is, it's a place you need to visit regularly

b. and when you go there, concentrate on God’s glory and God’s creation, and God’s attributes

c. if negative thoughts come to mind, rebuke them and turn your attention again toward God

II. BIBLICAL MEDITATION SPIRITUALLY STRENGTHENS THE BELIEVER

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” (Psalm 1:1–3, ESV)

1. why meditate on virtuous things like the law of God?

a. such meditation leads to moral education and and spiritual discipline

b. such meditation trains the heart and mind toward goodness, Godliness and righteousness

c. such meditation nourishes our soul with an understanding of God and His revealed will

2. when the believer meditates on virtuous things it reminds us that God is in control and He cares about his children which leads us to praise and joy

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:3–9, ESV)

a. notice how the psalmist begins with contemplation about the vastness of the universe

b. his meditation takes him to the depths of humility when he considers how puny man is in comparison to God's universe

c. yet the truth is that God has exalted man which leads the author to joy and praise

3. the author of the psalm goes to God uncertain and overwhelmed by his insignificance, but comes away spiritually strengthened

4. biblical meditation spiritually strengthens the believer

III. BIBLICAL MEDITATION RE-PROGRAMS THE MIND

1. in his letter to the Christians at Rome, the Apostle Paul talked about the importance of putting "good things" into our minds

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)

a. the goal of the Christian life is that each of us become more Christlike with the passing of time

b. that requires transformation

1) literally the word is metamorphosis the things that caterpillars do as they change into butterflies

2) the word means to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure

c. transformation comes through the renewing of the mind and NOT emptying the mind

A. WE OFTEN BECOME WHAT WE THINK

1. research has pretty much confirmed what casual observation has told us for years

a. what we watch and who we associate with affects our imaginations, our learning patterns, and our behaviors

b. any mother could tell you this is so

2. but it's true not just for children, but also for adults

a. if we repeatedly expose ourselves to specific behaviors , and specific attitudes we will eventually view the behavior or the attitude as normal since everybody else is doing it

b. eventually we adopt those behaviors or attitudes as our own

ILLUS. Once upon a time a spider built a beautiful web in an old house. He kept it clean and shiny so that flies would patronize it. Whenever he saw a fly whizz by he would always invite them in and many entered.

Then one day a fairly intelligent fly came buzzing by the spider's web. Old man spider called out, "Come in and sit." But the fairly intelligent fly said, "No, sir. I don't see other flies in your house, and I am not going in alone!" But presently he saw on the floor below a large crowd of flies dancing around on a piece of brown paper. He was delighted! He was not afraid if lots of flies were doing it. So he came in for a landing.

Just before he landed, a bee zoomed by, saying, "Don't land there, stupid! That's flypaper!" But the fairly intelligent fly shouted back, "Don't be silly. Those flies are dancing. There's a big crowd there. Everybody's doing it. That many flies can't be wrong!" Well, you know what happened. He died with his friends convinced that if everyone else was doing it, it was OK.

Some of us want to be with the crowd so badly that we end up in a sticky mess. What does it profit a fly (or a person) if he escapes the web only to end up on the glue?

c. could this be why the Apostle Paul wrote, "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV

3. if we often become what we think, then it makes sense to think right

a. the Bible leaves no doubt that people’s lives are the product of their thoughts

1) Proverbs 23:7 declares, “For as a man thinks within himself, so he is.”

ILLUS. The modern counterpart to that proverb is the computer acronym GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out). Just as a computer’s output is dependent on the information that is input, so people’s actions are the result of their thinking.

b. Jesus expressed that truth

“And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”” (Mark 7:20–23, ESV)

4. biblical meditation puts good things into our minds

a. the mind is a garden that can be cultivated to produce the harvest that we desire

b. the mind is a workshop where the important decisions of life and eternity are made

c. the mind is an armory where we forge the weapons for our victory or our destruction

d. the mind is a battlefield where all the decisive battles of life are won or lost

1) Paul’s call for biblical thinking is especially relevant in our culture

2) the focus today is on emotion and pragmatism, and the importance of serious thinking about biblical truth is downplayed

3) people no longer ask “Is it true?” but “Does it work?” and “How will it make me feel?”

5. if we are going to be transformed, believers must cultivate the mind by concentrating on those things Paul says are excellent or praiseworthy

a. it doesn't have to be restricted to the Bible

b. there are many good novels, books, movies, art, and yes, even some television shows, that are excellent and praiseworthy

c. if, however, you really want to reach the heights of spiritual meditation let me offer you some practical insights:

1) make the Bible your primary focus for meditation

2) read it with a prayer in your heart

3) read it contemplatively every day

4) as you read, occasionally read it aloud to yourself

5) as you read, you might ask yourself some of the following questions:

a) is there some truth I should know from this verse

b) is there something I should stop doing in light of this verse?

c) how does this passage affect a previously held belief or conviction?

d) is there a practice I should change?

e) is there a habit I ought to begin?

Make the commitment tonight to practice some sacred idleness. John R. W. Stott once admitted the truth that many of us are also guilty of: "The thing I know will give me the deepest joy – namely, to be alone and unhurried in the presence of God, aware of His presence, my heart open to worship Him -- is often the thing I least want to do."