Encouraged By Christ

MARCH 21, 2021 STUDY NOTES PHILIPPIANS 2:1-2 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES ENCOURAGED BY CHRIST? INTRODUCTION Our subject for today is a statement, “Encouraged by Christ” Paul wants us to give serious thought to the truth of being “in Christ” Paul appeals to our relationship in Christ which will result in our relationship with one another Paul wants us to know that as Christians we share together all that is stated in verse 1 Think about the encouragement, comfort, fellowship, compassion, and mercy we share in Christ Which should result in love, harmony, and unity, motivating the mind to minister for Christ As we realize the truth of being united in Christ, we should be united in our ministry for Christ Paul wanted to hear that the Philippians were standing strong spiritually, striving together In verse 1 Paul shares 4 truths that will unite them together, each identified by the word “if” Php 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, “Therefore” connects with the previous appeal, Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; Php 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Php 1:30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. The church must be united, Christians must stand together against Satan and his demonic forces In-order to encourage us Paul gives us four facts in verse 1 related to our relationship in Christ The four “If’s” do not present a question or an uncertainty, they refer to a fulfilled condition The four things mentioned are not possibilities but certainties, they are four Biblical truths “If” has the meaning of since there is, or in view of the fact, literally because there “is” As Christians we have all experienced these four spiritual facts in Christ, because of Christ As Christians we are to be encouraged by them to do what Paul is going to tell us to do in verse 2 Paul encourages us, telling us that God has already prepared us to do what verse 2 tells us to do We are to be motivated to do what he tells us by these 4 foundational truths marked by “If any” “Any” also has the thought of a certainty, there is a certain consolation “in Christ” There is an encouragement, excitement, incentive, inspiration, motivation, all because of Christ ANY CONSOLATION IN CHRIST The word “consolation” has the meaning of encouragement and comfort It also has the meaning of coming along one’s side for exhortation and consolation Coming along side someone to inspire, share confidence and hope, and to strengthen them We are strengthened when we remember who we are “In-Christ,” remembering, “I am saved” Understanding that we are “in Christ” encourages us to live in daily obedience to Christ 2Th 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 2Th 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and Page 1 of 5 stablish you in every good word and work. “Consolation in Christ” is an “everlasting consolation,” our encouragement through all things Our present relationship with Christ is to be a life filled with “good hope” Biblical hope is not doubt filled hope, it is spiritual hope, the expectation of something good Spiritual Hope is filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and encouragement Spiritual Hope fills us with eager expectation and allows us to be patient Christian Hope is the confident expectation that allows us to patiently endure at all times Spiritual hope focuses on God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God Our mind must be made up, our heart must be set upon the word of God and its promises We must hold on to our hope which is in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, “Christ in us” The one who has hope in Christ can hold on and endure the trials of life We must be determined to serve God until Jesus returns, Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. James says, to establish your hearts today and be ready for what will happen tomorrow Do you know that you are saved? Does it mean anything to you to know that you are saved? What does it mean to you to know that you are saved, that you are “in-Christ?” Compare your present life and eternal state to those who are lost, those who are without Christ When you see and hear the world in their excitement of sin, get excited about being saved Remind yourself, “I am saved,” I don’t have to talk like that or live like that any more Your testimony should be, “I am in Christ, I am encouraged, I am excited, I am comforted” Paul now reminds us of the “comfort” of the love of God IF ANY COMFORT OF LOVE Paul made a strong point in his selection of the Greek word translated “comfort” The word “comfort” indicates a greater degree of tenderness than the previous “encouragement” It points out the agent of the comfort, which is Christ, He is the one who is comforting us Paul is turning our attention upon Christ, the one who comes along side to comfort and strengthen Paul desires to touch our heart with the truth of God’s love for us, what a “comfort” to us In our day we need the touch of God’s love, how often has God touched your life with love? Jude also makes a point as the result of God’s love bestowed upon us, Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. “Keep yourselves” is a call for our special attention and presents to us a responsibility We are to be sure that we are continually loving God who is continually loving us Jude said we will experience “the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” When we love God, we have an assurance of the eternal love of God for us, Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Love God in this world and you will face affliction and persecution from the world, Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. But we will experience the strength of God’s love, Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Continually loving us) Through God’s love we are super-conquerors experiencing a super-abundant life Fully persuaded regardless of what we face in life, Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, The love of God is our eternal security, Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Regardless of what happens to us, God still loves us, what a “comfort,” what an encouragement Page 2 of 5 Regardless of what you have done against God as a Christian, God still loves you, what comfort IF ANY FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT “Fellowship” is one of the most meaningful words in the N.T. for Christians It is one of the most important words for Christians to understand We use it today with different meanings, we use it too often to identify too many different things We often use it with the meaning of “friendship,” but it is far more than friendship It is something beyond friendship, much stronger than friendship experienced in a social activity In the Bible it means to have something in common, a joint participation, a sharing together What a comfort it is to know who we “fellowship” with, 1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. We have “fellowship” with God the Father, with His Son Jesus Christ, and one another Paul tells us of the “fellowship of the Spirit,” who directs our attention unto Christ, Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: Paul closes his letter of 2 Corinthians with encouraging words, 2Co 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. The word “communion” is the word often translated “fellowship,” what an encouragement IF ANY BOWELS AND MERCIES The word “bowels” is used in scripture to refer to the seat of our emotions and passions Identifying with the heart, mind, and soul of man, what and how we think, feel, and act Paul tells us what the touch of God upon our heart should result in, Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; The word “mercies” means to have “compassion,” to have concern for one another God’s mercy bestowed upon us should encourage us to faithfully serve God, Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. “Reasonable service” refers to intelligent meditation, thinking the way we should be thinking Paul now tells us what our minds should be thinking about--Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. This verse reveals how important our individual Christian life really is to one-another Realize that it was Paul who said, “fulfill you my joy,” meaning make it complete What could another Christian do to bring joy to such a faithful Christian like Paul? Paul explains how they could do that, “be likeminded,” literally “think the same thing” He wants their mindset to be upon Christ just as his was, Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (We will soon study this verse) Paul’s desire was for the church to work together in unity, Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: The right attitude toward others comes from the right mind toward Christ, Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. John is telling us the same thing when he says, “Christians are to walk in truth,” 3Jn 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Page 3 of 5 “My children” does not refer to those of physical descent but those of like spiritual birth Christians should watch over one another as a father will watch over his children We should be concerned about the physical welfare of one another Our prayer request time tells us that we are, we always pray for the physical needs of others But our greatest concern should be for the spiritual state of one another Our prayer should always be that our church family is “walking in truth” (likeminded) Paul is going to share with us the characteristics of the unity of truth There will be one love, one heart, and one mind There will be a common cause, a common purpose, and a common love Paul is telling us that this should be the common lifestyle of the church, a continual ministry HAVING THE SAME LOVE Each one of us maintaining or holding on to a mutual love, united in the love of God The love that God is, and the love that God has shown to the world, Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The love that has been shown through Christ, Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The love that fills the heart of the Christian, Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. The love that will tell the world that we are a Christian, Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Christians must love others because we know how much God loves us, 1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Paul says that God’s love being maintained through us is the greatest, 1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (Love) Paul agrees with John, 1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. It is exciting to know how much God loves us, it is exciting to live our life loving God It is exciting for the church to minister through the “Labor of Love,” Heb 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Ministering together in the “Labor of Love” will unite us and keep us in “one accord”--“being” OF ONE ACCORD The phrase “of one accord” is one word in the original Greek and is found only here The meaning is to be united in spirit, joined together in soul, literally “one-souled” A harmonious spirit, fellowship of the spirit, united together as-a result of God’s love in us United in thinking, in purpose, in ministry, it’s exciting to serve God in unity and “of one mind” OF ONE MIND Paul repeats what he just said in the first part of this verse, “be likeminded” He has a purpose for his repetition, he repeats to emphasize the importance of unity We must give attention to his strong point, the church throughout America today needs to hear it Satan is working to unite religions and denominations today, but not in the mind of Christ Paul is telling us that unity must be of the Spirit, Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The “unity of the Spirit” is the work of the Holy Spirit in Christians who are “likeminded” Page 4 of 5 “Unity” is that which the Holy Spirit has already provided, unity deep within the heart What is in your heart today? Are you excited about Christ being in your heart today? Do the blessings of God mean anything to you? Are you excited about being united-together in the ministry of the church? Are you excited about being a blessing to others because God has blessed you? Watch the screen, listen to the song, let it speak to your heart Page 5 of 5