Category: Uncategorized

The Heart Of A Servant – Philippians 2:19-24

Most often, we don’t have much faith in the results of public polls but sometimes we get useful information from the Gallop polls. One Gallup poll taken recently (and supported by Barna) has produced statistics that will shock many of us. In some ways the outcome was positive. In some ways the outcome of the poll was very negative. The poll found that never in the history of America has church attendance been so high. It is encouraging that church attendance is at an all time high in America. We look back to previous generations and we tend to glorify the days past as a time when church attendance was common. But according to the Gallup poll never in the history of America has the attendance of Christianity been so high as it is now.

But then the second part of the poll reveals the discouraging aspect of this poll. Never in the history of America has church attendance made such little difference. In other words, many are attending church and many are coming more than ever before but the problem is the influence the Christian has on society. Never has Christian influence been so weak. It could be said, that we have a real problem with the absence of Christian character today.

The passage of scripture that Chris taught us from on Sunday addresses this problem. In Philippians chapter 2:19-24, we meet two friends of the Apostle Paul. These were real men who quite literally display the character of Jesus Christ that Paul has been writing about.

First, we meet Timothy in verses 19-24. As Paul writes about him we see that the underlying quality that marks the man is Jesus Christ. We see that Timothy is an exceptional man. Paul says, “I have no one like him.” Wouldn’t you like to have that written about you? I know there must have been many things at which Timothy did not excel. With his frail body, I am sure he was not much of an athlete. He could very easily have been beaten at sports, or possibly surpassed in learning. But there was one area where no one even comes close to this man, and that is in his selfless care, his demonstration of genuine and anxious concern for the welfare of others. Here he is demonstrating that peculiarly Christian virtue, that distinctive mark of the presence of Christ within: selflessness (Berkley). That is what the Lord Jesus said of himself, “Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.”

Recently, I read a definition of meekness that I think is awesome. I’ve been searching for a definition of that word for sometime. I don’t know any word in Scripture that is more thoroughly misunderstood than “meekness”. Most of us think of meekness in terms of weakness. We picture some spineless wimp who lets everyone walk all over him. But of course that description would never apply to our Lord. What did he mean when he said, “I am meek”? I found that “meekness is that quality which receives injury without resentment, and praise without pride” (Pettigrove). Timothy is demonstrating that utter unconcern for the rights and privileges of self, and an outgoing, deep and genuine concern for the needs of others.

I am not sure exactly what Paul means when he says, “for all others look after their own interests.” But, I think this reveals a frustration that as Paul searched among his acquaintances there in Rome for someone to go to Philippi, he sadly found no one with a selfless character. Evidently all of them turned him down. Not because they couldn’t do it. I’m sure Paul would not have asked them if that had been the case. But they turned him down because they were interested solely in their own concerns. They all had perfectly good excuses why none could undertake the journey to Philippi. The only one to whom Christ’s business was his business was Timothy. You can imagine what an encouragement he must have been to the apostle’s heart as he is longing to send someone to the Philippians to help them with their problems and everyone turns him down simply because of their own selfish concerns. But Timothy says, “All right, Paul, I’m ready to go-any time, any place, anywhere.” Like a sprinter in the starting blocks, he was sitting on ready. This was the selflessness of this young man. No wonder he was always a channel of power wherever he went, as he went ready to be an instrument of God’s grace (MacArthur).

This is the question. Are we self-satisfied with ‘random acts of kindness’ which may cost us little? Are we really in a constant state of readiness? As we consider the incomparable sacrifice of our Lord on our behalf, can we do less than worship Him with all we have and are?

Prayer:

Father, teach us to be a people who genuinely care for the welfare of others, and who are willing to demonstrate that care in selfless acts of service.

Deeper In God’s Word

Tom Renew

Resources:

Warren F. Berkley – Timothy, A Good Young Man

Glen Pettigrove – Meekness and Moral Anger

John MacArthur – Christ, The source of Joy and Strength

Have you noticed the stars recently? I’m not talking about celebrities of movies and TV, but about the stars in the sky. Normally there’s just too much light in town from all the streetlights to look up and see the stars well, but when I’m out in the country, I like to look up and see them. They are, of course, always there, but during the day it is too bright to see them.

The reason we see them at night is because they stand out. They’re different. It’s very easy to see them, against the backdrop of the dark night. It is in this way, that Paul says we are called to ‘shine like stars’ compared to the ‘crooked and depraved generation’ we live in.

This command comes in the context of Paul declaring the practical outworking of being a Christian. This Sunday, Chris taught us about what it means to be a Christian, following in Jesus’ example of humility and obedience.

Just as Jesus was obedient to God, even to the death of the cross, with the future exaltation promised, so Paul calls the Philippians to obey, by continuing to ‘work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.’

Note that it doesn’t say ‘work for your salvation’ – it says ‘work out your salvation’ – because our salvation is not something we can work towards, or repay God for; it is a finished act, completed when we trust in Christ, yet we have to work it out, we have to keep going in the process of sanctification – becoming more like Jesus.

But we should also see that it isn’t done in our own effort – by ourselves we cannot do anything to please God – but through interaction and partnership between God, and us, he works in us, empowering us to both desire to please God and the strength to do what is pleasing to him.

Paul then moves on from the general command to the particular, and commands us to ‘do everything without complaining or arguing’. It’s not just what has to be done, but also the spirit in which we do the action, and here we find something that we should all learn from.

It is so easy to grip and grumble, and it generally makes us “feel better”, but what does it achieve in terms of our witness to the world? If they see that we are Christians, and go to church, and then complain about someone else at church, or complain about things that have happened to us, then what will the outsider think? They’ll be wondering what difference does believing really make? That Christian is really no different to the rest of us, and instead, their faith must make them grumpy, and be a burden.

Instead, Paul tells us to ‘do everything without complaining or arguing’ – not just because he doesn’t like complaining or arguing, but because there is a real purpose, and a great effect from this attitude.

The purpose is this: ‘so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault’. This means that, not only do we not do such things, but also we are not even to come under suspicion of doing such things – of being above criticism, and of thoroughly wholesome in character and single-minded. But let’s be clear here – Paul isn’t telling us to not complain so that we are saved, but rather, it flows as a result of us being saved, and being children of God. The effect of this is that the church, the children of God, stand out in ‘a crooked and depraved generation’, shining like stars in the universe. Here we have that picture of the stars shining, distinctive against the black of the night sky.  They are clearly visible.

But our being different is for a reason ‘as you hold out the word of life’. We aren’t different for the sake of being different, but rather, to draw attention to the word of life that we hold on to, and that we hold out to others. And so, as moths are attracted to the light, so we are to be distinctive and attractive to those around us. Perhaps the best picture of this is the lighthouse – which is a beacon of light and of life – as God’s light shines through us when we don’t argue or complain, then those around us notice, and come to see the effects of the gospel.

Remember, those around us who aren’t Christians may have no desire to read the Bible or even come to church. And the only Bible they may ever read is you, as they watch you living your life. But you have the opportunity to show those around you in simple ways what the gospel means, what being a child of God means, through the choices you make, and the attitude you have.

It is also important to remember that this calling is to a radical lifestyle, a completely different attitude to that which the world expects, because we have such a serious message. We are holding out the word of life. The message we have is that of hope and life, and not of despair and death.

The challenge therefore, is this: are you ready to shine like stars? Will you seek to do everything without complaining and arguing, in order to be blameless and pure, and be different for the sake of the gospel?

Prayer

Father, Forgive us for the many times we act as if You exist for our benefit and pleasure. We are so sorry. When the waiting seems endless and it’s hard to understand Your plans, remind us of Your power and love. Help us to trust You with a confidence that knows Your ways are perfect Settle our complaining, impatient hearts. Forgive our selfish attitudes. Help us to remember that no matter what we are experiencing You love us, and You are able to use it to bless us. Thank you for faithfully forgiving us when pride and selfishness dominates our thoughts. Thank you for showing us Your love through Jesus. It is in His name that we pray. Amen.

Tom Renew

Deeper In God’s Word

Resources:

C.H. Sprugeon – Working Out What Is Worked In

John MacAuther – God At Work In You

Oswald Chambers – Complaint Free Zone

Resurrection Song

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD (Psalm 40:2-3).

 Ray Stedman commented on this wonderful Psalm: “The Holy Spirit spoke marvelously through David, causing him to record his own experiences and yet express truths that were beyond his experience. His language grew greater than the event he was trying to describe. The only ultimate fulfillment was to be in those coming days when the Messiah would appear among men in the flesh.” Psalm 40 is, in a sense, our Lord’s own autobiography. He Himself tells us why He came to earth, what was accomplished, and what His experiences were.

This is a description of resurrection. “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire” or, as the Hebrew has it, out of the pit of tumult, out of a terrible experience, out of a place of desolation and despair and death.

Life is often filled with death. John Piper stated, “Every experience that is opposite to what God has designed for us is an experience of death. Bitterness and shame and sorrow, hate and greed and loneliness, are all forms of death that come into our lives right now.” That is what our Lord was experiencing. He understands these things because He has been through them Himself. Ultimately they led Him, as they will lead us, to that final moment when life ends and death is before us–the deep, dark desolation of death. But, He says, the Lord drew me out of that. He lifted me up from a slimy pit, out of the mud and mire, and set my feet upon a rock and made my steps secure.

That is a beautiful description of the resurrection. Spurgeon correctly points out that ‘none of us has ever been resurrected. There is a great difference between what happened to Lazarus and what happened to Jesus. Lazarus was really resuscitated; he was restored to this life almost as though he had been given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. But Jesus was resurrected. He was the firstborn from the dead. He stepped into a whole new experience of life that God had designed from the beginning for humanity.’ That is what the Messiah is describing here. The result is, He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Application: Bitterness, shame, hate, sorrow, and loneliness are all forms of death. Do we believe and act on His indwelling Presence to dispel every form of death we experience?

Deeper In God’s Word

Tom Renew

Unity

I hope you are paying close attention. Are you noticing what God is doing in the life of Harvest Pointe Fellowship? In our men and women’s Bible study we are seeing one consistent theme as we dig into God’s Word. That theme is Christianity Unity. As Chris has taught us from Philippians, we have heard one reoccurring theme. That theme has been reaching our community through the demonstration of brotherly love and unity. It is undeniable that God is trying to get our spiritual attention around this principal of loving God and loving one another. Are you paying attention? Are we a unified body who will witness powerfully to this community and to the world?

Christian disunity is a significant problem in the body of Christ. In fact, Christianity has been broken and fractured into so many groups that our effectiveness is greatly diminished.  After all, how are we supposed to teach the world about truth when our “truth” causes us to disagree with each other so much?

George Whitten has said that over the years, he has come to a stark awareness that far too many Christians are more concerned about the chip-on-their-theological-shoulder than they are with expanding the body of Christ.  I have encountered Calvinists who attack non-Calvinists.  I find Baptists who attack Presbyterians, non-tongue speakers who attack those who speak in tongues (and vice versa), pre-tribers battling post tribbers, amil verses premil, etc.  The whole thing is ridiculous.  Sure, we can have differences of opinion and we need to because we are thinkers and we have opinions.  But our differences need to be couched in humility and love.  When these differences of opinion become more important than unity in the body of Christ, then idolatry has crept not only into the church, but also into our hearts. Take a look at Ephesians chapter 4:

“Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ,” (Eph. 4:1-7,12-13).

The command to the Church is unity.  But this unity is never to cost us the essentials (Stanley).  The essentials of the faith are what make us Christians.  These essentials are the deity of Christ, the Trinity, Jesus’ physical resurrection, and salvation by grace.  It is our faith in Christ, God in flesh, 2nd person of the Trinity that makes us Christians, not if we believe in pre or post-trib rapture, infant baptism or adult baptism, or praise music or hymns.  Ray Stedman observes that because the same Lord Jesus saves us, it is to Him that we must look while we remember His humility, which is a vital part to being unified in the body of Christ.  We cannot be unified if we are elevating our non-essential doctrines and ourselves into the realm of the essentials.

A humble believer looks at another and says, “You may be right.”  To demonstrate humility is when you consider another more important than yourself.  Humility is when you admit that the Lord is working through another just as He may work through you and that unity is far more important than the pet doctrines we feed and water and use to attack others who disagree with us. Consider Romans chapter 14:

“Who are you to judge the servant of another?  To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand. ⁵One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike.  Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God,”     (Rom. 14:4-6).

Why is unity so important?  Francis Chan gives two reasons.  First, unity means that we are humble with each other, this pleases the Lord, and it brings Him glory.  Second, people are going to hell and they need the gospel.  Should we be so concerned about our non-essential, pet doctrines that we take our eyes off of evangelism and let the souls of the damned slip through our fingers unnoticed or even hindered by our bickering and division?  Should we allow the enemy to sow discord among our ranks so that we are fighting each other instead of him?  Or should we gather our gifts, our talents, our monies, our resources, and direct them towards reaching the lost?  After all, there isn’t a Presbyterian or Baptist, Catholic or Lutheran on the throne of God.

May the Lord have mercy on us and may we fix our eyes upon Him and ask Him to use us, to humble us, and to cause our hearts to elevate the preaching of the gospel to the high rank it deserves, far above our religious preferences, and far above our non-essentials.

Tom Renew

Deeper In God’s Word

Resources:

George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions – Unity Around The King

Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministry – Living Out Unity

RayStedman.org, A Cry For Unity

On Sunday, Pastor Chris taught us about living selflessly as we embrace unity and strive for an others centered life. We imitate our Savior when we do this well. But living unified can be difficult when deep down inside of most of us there is an ache for an illusive happiness that seems just out of reach. We believe that we can find joy when we, master some technique, develop a stronger will or climb to a new height.

This mindset comes from an American culture we’ve grown up with. We are raised to believe that we “are masters of our own destiny”, and that the world is not going to “give” us anything. Consequently, aggressiveness is applauded as ambition. Forcefulness is considered a virtue, and those who know how to work the system are admired. Selfishness is not only acceptable, it is a way of life. These American ideas are in conflict with the teaching of Jesus.

Consider Mark 10 and this encounter between Jesus and two of his key disciples. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35-45)

James and John weren’t bad guys. They were faithful and they believed. They saw an opportunity and they went for it. But, pay close attention to how Jesus responds. He tells the disciples that their focus is wrong. They are looking to muscle their way into positions of honor and influence. They believe, if they can get the power, the position, the title, the notoriety, life will be good. They will know joy. Jesus tells them that they are mistaken, the key to being great is to become a servant. Jesus says the way up, is down. The way to advance is to take a lower position. The way to influence is to serve not give the orders.

In our scripture in Philippians 2:1-4, Paul begins with a series of rhetorical questions. It is as if Paul said, “Since you say you are united with Christ, and you say you have found great comfort in your relationship with Him and the work of His Spirit within you . . .then certain things should be evident in your life.” Certain things like a servants heart. A servant attitude is the key to our unity and one mindedness and the finest expression of our love. So, let’s try to understand what it means to live as a servant.

To live as a servant means to “give” before we “grab”. This is a strange concept to most but it is others focused. We spend a good portion of our life looking out for ourselves. We are constantly pushing and grabbing. Let’s face it, it is the American Way. We are raised believing that the one who is more forceful is the one who gets the most power. But this is a myth. The Bible tells us that the servant is the one who is most exalted. The servant is the one who is honored by God. The servant is the one who is most likely to reach others with the gospel. But how hard this is for us.

As we live as servants, we will serve God and not ourselves. Rather than seek our own glory and pursue our own agenda, the servant of God is concerned only about honoring the Lord. The true servant doesn’t care if they get the credit as long as God gets the honor. It’s similar to the way things are in athletics. If you play on a team the goal must be the team and not the individual. Sometimes the running back must block. Sometimes the slugger needs to sacrifice the runner along. Sometimes the star shooter has to pass the ball to a teammate. The goal is the team.

The servant of God knows the goal. The true goal is to bring honor to Christ and to bring as many people to a knowledge of Christ as possible. If that is our goal we must do whatever is necessary to reach that goal. It may mean reaching out to someone we don’t know very well. It may mean serving in a position that is not glamorous. It may mean working in the background and not claiming the center stage. It doesn’t matter because the goal of harmony and accord is His glory.

As a servant of God, we will work on our own failures rather than focus on the failure of others. Paul tells us that we will “consider others to be better than ourselves.” Paul is not saying that we are “inferior” to others. His command has nothing to do with the kinds of prejudice that is so much a part of our society. We are not to consider others better than us because of their race, their socio-economic status, their gender, their experience or age. We are to consider others better than us because we don’t know their heart but we do know our own. Therefore, we are to be fierce and painfully honest in looking at our lives while giving the benefit of the doubt for others.

As true servants, we will notice the needs that others have. Paul said, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” The servant of God is a person who is aware of the needs of their neighbor. They are always aware of the struggles that others are going through. So often, we are so wrapped up with our needs, our impressions, our goals, that we don’t have time to consider others. But the servant is different.

This is true servanthood. . . . it is caring for another. It means learning to listen with your eyes, your ears, and your heart. It is putting service before rights, ministry before convenience. It is an attitude that comes only from the transformation Christ brings.

Tom Renew

Deeper In God’s Word

Resources:

Paul G. Apple – A Devotional Commentary on the Book of Philippians

John MacArthur – The Marks of Spiritual Unity, Philippians 2:1-19

Ray Stedman – Reconcilable Differences Philippians 2:1-4

A sword requires hard steel to maintain its sharpness. However, swords made solely of hard steel are so brittle that they often shatter in battle. In comparison, soft steel does not break, but quickly becomes dull and ineffective as a fierce weapon of war. The Japanese, therefore, became skilled craftsman in the art of sword making. Their swords are known as the finest in the world. They fashion their swords from a combination of both hard and soft steel. The careful combination of multiple sheets of both strengths of metal along with precision heating, folding, and pummeling them together into paper thin laminations of metal create the perfect blade. The result is a finely crafted weapon of extreme flexibility with a blade that will retain a deadly sharp edge.

Just as Japanese sword makers repeatedly hammer together layers of metal to produce a sword that will be strong enough to withstand breaking, God also allows the pounding of suffering to build character into the lives of His children. Just as a sword made of hard metal will easily break in battle, so the self-reliant believer will break in adversity. The hard steel in our lives is God’s Word; the soft steel in our lives is dependence on God and His church. These two components are both necessary to produce vessels that glorify God (Yates). Eventually, believers are shaped into beautiful weapons or models of usefulness.

On Sunday, Chris reminded us of the privilege to suffer for the advancement of the Gospel. Today, I want to remind you of your privilege to model the gospel. Perhaps you don’t often use the word model because you don’t see yourself as a particularly attractive person. I’m with you! I don’t get particularly excited about looking into the mirror either. Nevertheless, you don’t have to be a rock star/model to be a gospel model. However, you must be spiritually attractive. In Philippians 1:27–30, Paul encourages us to model the gospel through perseverance, unity, boldness, and suffering. When we excel in these Christian disciplines, the world sits up and takes notice (Melick). Unbelievers in our life may not be eager for Jesus or salvation, but if you live a godly life, they may eventually become open to the gospel. Paul provides two challenges that will enable you to model the gospel (Pritchard).

1.    Stand strong for Christ (1:27–28). You can stand strong for Christ by exemplifying courage and unity even in the midst of personal persecution. This section begins with the word “only” revealing a sense of urgency and priority. You can almost hear the urgency of Paul as he says,  “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”. Paul also wrote “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.” The phrase “conduct yourselves” (politeuesthe) literally means, “live as citizens.” The verb Paul uses (politeuomai) is related to our English word politics. It is a word that implies the duties of citizenship. Paul elevates the conversation to include their heavenly citizenship as well. Paul is suggesting that we are citizens of heaven, and while we are on earth we ought to behave like heaven’s citizen.

To live your life as a citizen “worthy of the gospel of Christ” means to represent Christ in all you say and do (Fee). The term “worthy”, as Chris taught us, pictures weighing something on the scales. The idea is that your manner of life should weigh as much as the gospel you claim to be committed to. Most people are not nearly as interested in discussing absolute, objective truth claims. Most people are even less interested in discussing theology or philosophy, but most people are interested in the practical questions of how to live.

It is not enough to just learn the Word; we must live the gospel out in every area of life, including our earthly citizenship. What type of citizen are you? Do you speak well of our community leaders? Or, are you hyper-critical of anyone who is not of your political persuasion? This critical spirit will not open the doors to the gospel. Are you a law-abiding citizen? Do you seek to have a positive attitude in your community, or are you a pessimistic doomsdayer? Additionally, what type of spouse are you? Do your coworkers and neighbors see something different in your marriage? Do they come to you in the midst of their relational strife? Do those who know you see you loving your kids and spending time with them, while they are pulling out their hair and running away from their own kids? Perhaps they want to know how you can enjoy your kids so much. All that it takes is for you to live a different (not an odd) life before those who don’t have a relationship with Christ.

If you want to live a worthy life and model the gospel, you must stand strong for Christ. Paul’s second challenge to live a worthy life is to…

2.    Suffer well for Christ (1:29–30). In order to suffer well for Christ, you must recognize the nature of suffering and observe positive examples of suffering (Silva). Paul states, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict that you saw in me, and now hear to be in me”. Paul explains that suffering is really “a grace in disguised.” (Sittser) His point is: God gives two grace gifts—salvation and suffering. Of course, every believer wants the gift of salvation, but the gift of suffering is the “gift that nobody wants!” We’re tempted to look for the receipt when this gift comes. Like a Christmas gift we don’t want, we’re tempted to try and return this gift! But God says: “There’s no receipt. The gift of suffering is too important and too significant.” Suffering, too, is a gift of God’s grace!

 Someone once said, nothing will facilitate growth quicker and better than suffering (Ferguson). I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it’s true. From a human perspective, suffering stinks; but from a godly perspective, suffering is for your good. God wants to sanctify you. Like Jesus, we must be perfected through sufferings (Heb 2:10). Today, will you begin to see your problems as privileges? When you are rejected at work, at school, or in the neighborhood, will you rejoice that you have been counted worthy to suffer with Christ? When your spouse, your children, or your relatives call you a fanatic or a freak, will you bless the Lord and continue to exude love and compassion? Through your suffering, God will permit you to model the gospel to those who need a witness.

Deeper In Gods Word

Tom Renew

Resources:

William Yates, Sermon – A Captive of Christ, November 2003

Richard R. Melick, Jr., Philippians. The New American Commentary

Gordon D. Fee, Commentary on Philippians

Moises Silva, Commentary on Philippians

Dr. Rick E. Ferguson, Sermon: Suffering: God’s Instrument For Growth

Jerry Sittser, A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss

21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For[c] I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

 On Sunday Chris continued with his wonderful study of Philippians. As he taught us, Chris asked a soul-searching question, “To live is ____?” – (We where to fill in the blank). I know that this question challenged me. As I think about that today, the question Chris asked actually leads to the other question, “To die is ____?” (What came to mind for you?)

A Believer’s view of death can be given in these four words in this passage: “with Christ, far better.” That pretty much sums it up. But before we look closer at that, it is necessary that we investigate further Paul’s view of life. We should look closer because these verses are not the words of a man who is tired of living. He is not just holding on and groaning for heaven having resigned himself to enduring life on earth. This is not the declaration of someone who is finally fed up with living and barely able take life any longer. Paul is not proclaiming that the only hope for him is that heaven is close at hand. No! For Paul, this is an exciting proclamation; “to live is Christ”! Living, he says, means fruitful labor, in which he takes the greatest happiness. The prospect of continuing to live is not an unwelcome possibility here. Rather, he says “I hardly know which to choose”, both prospects are so enticing and inviting. The right-minded Christian is not so neurotically desirous of death that he no longer wants to live (John MacArthur). I think that we sometimes give the wrong impression. We sing these wonderful songs about the glory up yonder in the sweet by and by.  Sometimes, unfortunately, Christians leave the impression that what comes at the end is really all they are living for.

The Christian does not live with an extreme longing to escape life, to evade life or to run from it. Paul is not at all saying that! He is saying, “to live is Christ” — I love that! And evidently the Spirit of God tips the scale in favor of life, so Paul goes on to say, “convinced of this I know that I shall remain, and continue with you all” — because you need me and I will have the joy of coming to you again. For Paul, facing the possibility of death does not mean he is tired of life but that death can only mean a more wonderful and deeper companionship with Christ (Adrian Warnock). That is what makes life worth living. He says, “to die is gain”, and you can only say that if you are prepared to say, “to live is Christ”!

What do you think is really living? What kind of circumstance do you have to have before you can say “Oh, now I’m really living”? What do you substitute for “Christ” in these words of Paul? “To me to live is money”? Then to die is to lose it all, isn’t it? “To me to live is fame”? To die is a name in the obituary in the paper and never have it there again. “To me to live is pleasure”? To die is to go out into an unknown. “To me to live is health”? To die is to lose my health. You see the only thing that makes sense in life is to say with the Paul, “for me to live is Christ,” because then you can say “to die is gain.” The truth about the Christian faith is that heaven begins here and now.

Do we live out our Christian expectations as escapists? Or are we the planted seed that dies in order to experience abundant life? Are we experiencing the joy of union with the Living Christ, whether we live with Him on earth or in heaven?

Prayer:

Father, I thank you that you have given me a purpose for living. Teach me to be able to genuinely say, “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”

 

Deeper In God’s Word

Tom Renew

Resources:

John MacArthur – Paul’s Desire to Depart

Adrian Warnock – Facing Difficulties and Sorrows

Difficult Circumstances Advance The Gospel

Philippians 1:12-15

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,”

On Sunday, Chris preached powerfully from Philippians regarding the place of adversity in God’s plan to advance the Gospel of Christ. Chris reminded us that Paul is in jail in Rome, writing to his friends in Philippi. However, he is able to maintain an attitude that inevitably makes the world sit up and take notice. Paul accepted and understood that his adverse circumstance would ultimately mean progress (Chan-1). The manifestation of this kind of attitude is a test of Christian maturity. The Christian who knows the God of the impossible, whom he serves, knows that even through apparent defeat, God is more than able to work. This believer has begun to grow up in the Lord. He recognizes that in God, obstacles are really nothing more than opportunities to propel the gospel. That is an amazing declaration when you think about it. Nothing that is intended to defeat God ever brings defeat (Piper). God works His way despite the obstacles, and all obstacles only serve ultimately to spread Christian faith.

In preparing to write this devotion, I ran across the story of a Swiss French pastor who was imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II. He said this: “I was not able to stand firm except by remembering every day that the Gestapo was the hand of God — the left hand. The worst of tyrants will only end by accomplishing Christ’s will.”

That is the glorious mark of Christianity that has made it an indomitable force through all the centuries (Spurgeon). Here is Paul, under arrest, chained day and night to a Roman soldier, unable to leave the house or the city of Rome. Imagine what this must have meant to the restless, determined spirit of this man. God had sent him out under His commission that was to take him to the very ends of the earth.

It must have been easy for Paul to be dejected. There is no doubt he was tempted many times to feel sorry for himself and to wonder why God would ever let this kind of thing happen to him when all he was trying to do was fulfill God’s will. Do you ever feel that way? It must have been easy for him to be irritated under these circumstances as month by month goes grinding on and there seems to be no change. But as we read the letters that come from him out of those days there is not one word of complaint. Instead there is a marvelously triumphant spirit, and an expression of confidence. Why? When he was tempted he undoubtedly fell back on what he knew about his God. In other words, in the face of temptation to complain, he believed God.

Paul had previously written to these very Roman Christians: “All things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose.” Paul believed that with every fiber of his being! Even though relief did not come immediately, he believed Him, and out of that confidence he could see that even those things that seem to be against him are working out the purposes of God (Chan2).

Life Application: Paul’s friends anxiously awaited news of him, but the focus of the Apostle’s letter was not on his imprisonment but on the undefeated purpose of God who works to accomplish His will in every circumstance. Are we learning to trust God’s ways and means so that others are encouraged by our confidence in Him?

Prayer:

Lord, we ask You to give us the grace to see how, in our circumstance of suffering, you might advance the mission of the Gospel of Christ.

Tom Renew

Deeper In God’s Word

Resources:

• Francis Chan – The Joy of Suffering
• Francis Chan – Crazy Love
• John Piper – Why does God Allow Satan To Live?
• Charles Spurgeon – sermon, The Standard Uplifted In The Face Of The Foe

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…”

Philippians 1:9

Being a part of Bible teaching and disciplining believers will convince you that the only, not just primary, way to know God is to read the Bible everyday and spend time in prayer. As a teacher I will often ask people how their spiritual life is going and they will respond by measuring their Bible and prayer time. If they are reading and praying they are doing ‘good’. If they are not reading and praying they still say they are ‘good’, but the awkwardness gives the truth away.

On top of that, I’ve met more than a few people who are knowledgeable of the Bible, can tell you where most citations are, and have huge, leather-cover Bibles… but may also have anger issues, their marriages are falling apart, they are highly critical, and come across as spiritual bullies.

The path that leads from knowing about the Bible (regular devotions and study) and spiritual growth (becoming like Jesus) is not always straight. Jesus even said that the greatest distinction of His people would be that they love one another. (John 13:34-35) I am not saying devotions are unimportant; I love the Bible, I study it with ferocity. I pray every day, for people and for issues in my life. I’m also aware of how we can come to know God in other ways alongside Bible study.

Paul’s prayer for the Philippians begins with a hope that their “love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” The ‘knowledge and depth of insight’ may come from reading God’s word and meditating on it for our lives, but love doesn’t attach itself in our lives without actually loving others. In other words, learning more about love will not make us better at loving.

Dallas Willard often gauges how his spiritual walk is going by answering two questions:

• “Am I growing more or less easily irritated these days?”
• “Am I growing more or less easily discouraged these days?”

These questions will allow us to discover if we are (as Jon Ortberg says) one the one hand “Selfishly Unloving”, or on the other hand, “Radiantly Loving”.

We hear people say all the time, “I need to go deeper in my walk with God.” Some have criticized the church for not having enough depth of teachings and sermons … I believe that the church should be passionate about understanding the depths of Scriptures. I also believe that a person can experience the depth of the work of Jesus by helping those who are in need, loving their enemies.

Let’s be honest, we are not lacking in ways to give people more information about the Bible. My question is, how many Beth Moore bible studies, spiritual gifts tests, small group studies, sermon series presentations is it going to take before we start putting some action and application to what we already know?

The question I’m asking myself, and others, today is “How willing are you to love?” This may be a more honest place to start than “how is your Bible reading and prayer time going?”

Prayer

Father, I’m praying for myself and all those in my immediate and church family …Help us love each other as we love ourselves. May the Holy Spirit, who has poured Your love into our hearts, give us Your selfless love, for our love falls far short of the mark. May we submit ourselves to one another—considering others more important than ourselves, putting others’ interests ahead of our own. Help us to treat each other the way we would want to be treated in every circumstance.

Tom Renew

Deeper In To God’s Word

Resources:

1.     Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives

2.     Jon Ortberg, Who Is This Man?: The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus

3.     Joe Skillen, Imagine The Kingdom

God’s Work In Progress

Philippians 1:6

“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Perhaps Paul’s joy in the believers at Philippi was that he was seeing them through the eyes of faith and not in their flesh. Not as they were, but as they would be when God’s work was complete. His view of them was through the eye of faith. He was confident that He who had begun a good work in them was going to finish it. In this light, Paul could say that, even though you may rub me the wrong way occasionally, I know what you are going to become. This is the key to getting along with our Christian brothers and sisters. Sometimes it’s difficult, but when we realize what they will become we can do it. Mark Driscoll tells the story of an artist who called a friend and asked him to comment on a picture he was painting. He said, “this is my masterpiece. It is beautiful.” The friend said “I guess I don’t see what you see. It just looks like dabs of different colors to me, without form or anything.” The artist said, “Oh I forgot. I’m seeing it as it will be when finished. You are seeing it as it is now.”

This is what Paul was doing. He was seeing these Christians as they would be and he is thanking God that it will happen. What a comforting verse. Many times, when I am discouraged with myself and utterly devoid of being what I ought to be. I am so aware of the deceitfulness of my own flesh. Even when I want to be what I ought to be, I end up deceiving myself. I see the absolute futility of depending on me to get this job done. In those times, I try to remember this verse, “being confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Because this good work was begun, Paul was confident of its completion. God is a worker who completes His works. Spurgeon said, “Where is there an instance of God’s beginning any work and leaving it incomplete? Show me for once a world abandoned and thrown aside half formed; show me a universe cast off from the Great Potter’s wheel, with the design in outline, the clay half hardened, and the form unshapely from incompleteness.”

This means that life is not perfect yet. It has a passable goal, and it is a goal that will be reached, and the final responsibility is not in my hands but in God’s. I love that! Paul’s confidence is placed in a Person, not on himself. If we know Christ, we are all in the hands of the One who can change us. “Sometimes we don’t want to be what God wants us to be but it’s being done in us despite us. God knows how to bring us into the circumstances that will make us willing to be made willing, if He needs to” (Piper). It’s a great consolation to recognize in whose hands we are. The impression is often given by we Christians today that our main task is to keep Christianity going. Christianity didn’t start that way. The early Christians gave the very clear impression that it was their faith in Christ that kept them going. There are those who tell us that we can lose our Christian life, but if this is something we can lose, then it must be based on some human factor that depends on us. And if it depends on us, then we can’t depend on it. I am so grateful that this rests upon a Person who is capable of doing the work, and who has promised to complete it. Thanks be to God who is able to keep us from falling.

Prayer

Lord, keep me from foolishly thinking that it is the struggle I engage in or the activity that I fulfill or my busyness that accomplishes Your will today. Allow me to realize that it is what I am in Jesus Christ, and all the marvelous love of You Being flooding through my soul, into my experience and actions.

Life Application: Joy is ‘the serious business of heaven’. It is a consequence of being preoccupied with the living and indwelling Christ, confidant that He will complete His redeeming work in us and through us (Peter Kennedy). Are we there yet? No, but God isn’t finished either, so let’s pay attention.

 

Tom Renew

Deeper In God’s Word

Resources:

Peter King – Devotions from Philippians – Dailydevotional.com

Mark Driscoll – sermon – Hearing With Faith

Francis Chan – Living Courageously

Steven Mulkey – God’s Good Work In Us

John Piper – sermon – We Will Arrive Blameless