What Do You see?

4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy… Philippians 1:4 (NLT)

Paul a minster of the gospel of Jesus Christ — Book of joy (19) — Under house arrest and in chains, he expressed joy and encouraged others to rejoice and be joyful...

Ch. 1 — Having joy in all circumstances

Ch. 2 — Experiencing joy in serving.

Ch.3 — Faith as a means to joy

Ch. 4 — Finding joy in contentment

The apostle words to the people of the church of Philipi, express most intimately the SHARED JOY he experienced with them...

Philippians 1:7 “So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart.

This passage says so many of the things I have on my heart to say. My hope and prayer for OUMC going forward — So much we have to be thankful for.

The reason for Paul’s joy — His thankfulness to God is rooted in his own life transformed by the grace of Christ. He greets them this way...

2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Four ways of their shared joy — His prayer for the church — My prayer for you — Our Shared joy...

PRAY

Philippians 1:3 (NLT)

3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Paul offers his thanksgiving to “my God”—the God he knew personally — His relationship to God was the basis for their relationship.

Thinking of you — His distance from them, did not impede his thankfulness for them. By remembering them, he keeps their relationship alive.

Remembering loved ones — Knowing people are thinking of you

He gives thanks for...

SHARED RELATIONSHIPS

Their lives together...

“Often the strongest and deepest relationships are forged in the crucible of Christian ministry.”

The hardest part about leaving is about the people...

4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,

A relationship rooted in the love of Jesus — A promise that they would always will be in his thoughts and prayers

We have much joy because of the many relationships we have made — you too will be in our prayers

Philippians 1:5 (NLT)

5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.

Partnership (koinōnia) — fellowship with Christ and each other, communion, sharing — PARTICIPATION in...

1 John 1:3-4 “We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.”

He gives thanks for their SHARED...

SHARED PARTICIPATION

…in ministry

Pastors are never ment to be an island unto themselves. We thrive when people participate in the body of Christ with others.

This community is found in the spirit of the mission —

“Making disciples of Jesus Christ for transformation of the world.”

The larger goal is always the same — Bringing people into relationship with Jesus

The more specific mission for OUMC is...

We have participated together in much…for that we are grateful

My hope is that in the ministries we have partnered together in, have brought us and others closer to Jesus.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Notice two things

1. The confidence in Pauls words — Convinced, persuaded, complete assurenace...

I am confident in the Lord…(Gal. 5)

Because I was confident of this (2 Cor)

I am confident as I write this letter..(Philemon 1)

2. Where his confidence come from?

It was not in man, woman, or worldly ways

How many know that people will eventually let you down...

His confidence is in God, and the work began by the gift of the Holy Spirit given them — Jesus living in them.

He gives thanks for the...

SHARED GRACE

…at work in them

2 Corinthians 12:9 “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

His confidence that the work they had done together by the grace of God, would continue…on even in his absence

Pastors come and go — You are the church today — Inspired by the H.S. to continue the work in the grace of God. If not you then who?

A Work that encompasses the entirety of God’s work of grace — J.W. view of grace — God who knew you... God who loves you…God who is at work in you in Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:13 (NLT)

13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

If you have the spirit of God in you...You have something to bring to the kingdom of God...

We to are thankful for our sharing in grace...

Philippians 1:7–8 (NLT)

7 ...You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.

Paul left the easy life when he met Jesus. Now in prison he speaks of the adversity that followers of Jesus would face in defense of the gospel.

John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.””

Why is he in chains? He stands with them in speaking the truth of the gospels — It took great faith!

He gives thanks for their...

SHARED FAITH

Romans 5:4 “4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”

As your pastor we have endured in faith

— life celebrations…life’s begining…and life’s end…in between. We have prayed in unity…shed tears in suffering and loss…laughed with joy…

We have also endured much — Change — Covid years — State of the UM Church

A way forward...

Finding unity in your differences, while staying aligned in TRUTH both biblically and doctrinally.

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

Problem in the UM church...is the weight and the value of God’s word as the absolute truth as become secondary.

J.W. — Quadlateral

As you participate in ministry under the pastoral shepherding of Pastor Tim as you have me, seek Gods truth not your own.

Matthew 6:33 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else...

Paul a minister of the gospel of Jesus, gives thanks for...

Shared RELATIONSHIPS + Shared PARTICIPATION + Shared GRACE + Shared FAITH = SHARED JOY

9 And this is my prayer...

“for you have a special place in our hearts.