A Response to Hardship: Rejoice, Be Reasonable, Pray, Give Thanks, Think on Good Things (Phil. 4:4-9)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on October 29, 2023

I am a worrier. I can worry about anything and everything. I worry about being sick. Let me tell you the internet is not the best place to go for advice on illnesses. Misery loves company and the internet is the company for misery. Just go to google and try typing in illnesses related to a symptom you have. Well, if you are not a worrier fine. If you are, don’t try that. I remember one time in 2010 when I was feeling sick. I went to the internet. I even went to the Mayo Clinic website. It is a really good website, but it just gave me more to worry about.

Mark Twain said: “I’ve lived a long time & worried a lot & most of the things I’ve worried about never happened.”

The illness I was worried about, it never happened.

A problem with worry, or let’s call it anxiety, being anxious can steal our peace away from us. Being anxious can keep us from rejoicing.

I want to read Phil 4:4-9 and I believe that you will see that giving God our needs with thanksgiving will allow us to have peace, rejoice and be kind to others.

My theme:

A Response to Hardship: Rejoice, Be Reasonable, Pray, Give Thanks, Think on Good Things

Philippians 4:4–9 (ESV)

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ 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.

⁸ 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. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

1. Paul starts out by saying to rejoice and to be reasonable.
   1. He says to rejoice in some NO! He says to rejoice in all things.
   2. I understand, and I think that Paul would also understand that sometimes it is hard to rejoice. Have you had times in your life when you felt there was nothing to rejoice about?
   3. When Paul was writing this letter, he was under house arrest. There were guards around him. We know there were guards because he says so in chapter 1:13 and following.
   4. Paul is writing this to the Philippians who were persecuted for their faith in Christ.
   5. The city of Philippi was a Roman colony. They were very Roman in culture; they probably even spoke Latin which was a little rarer at this point.
   6. By this point in Paul’s life he had already been shipwrecked, beaten, stoned, and so much more (Acts 14; 2 Cor 11).
   7. Yet Paul says to rejoice. Paul even repeats it twice. He might have repeated it twice thinking that they were going to wonder how he could ask them to rejoice in the midst of their troubles.
   8. They must have thought, “How can you tell me to rejoice? Look at the persecution we are going through. Look what you have gone through!”
   9. Prayer with thanks will give them the peace to rejoice and be reasonable. Reasonable, yes, that is the next part of this passage.
   10. Paul tells them to be reasonable or let their reasonableness be known to all. Again, Paul doesn’t say to let people know you are reasonable when things are going well, and people are nice to you. No, let your reasonableness be known to all.
   11. Some translations translate that word “gentle” not “reasonable.”
   12. Of course, when we are not reasonable, we are not gentle.
   13. This reasonableness/gentleness may be exactly why Paul could be a good witness.
   14. To be gentle likely means to be kind. So, they are to be kind in all situations.
   15. Again, the Philippians have faced persecution; how could he ask them this?
   16. Several reasons:
   17. Matthew 5:44: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
   18. Matthew 5:11: Jesus says that we are blessed when persecuted for Him.
   19. But I believe Paul gives one of the best reasons at the end of this verse. Paul says the Lord is at hand, or near. This can mean one of two things or both.
   20. The Lord’s second coming is close.
   21. Or, the Lord is near in Spirit.
   22. Jesus is with us always through the church. The Holy Spirit is within us.
   23. If Jesus’ second coming is near, judgment is near. This means Paul says, “Be kind to them even when they persecute you. Their judgment is near.”
   24. Either way, they had hope. The Lord was near to them. They were not alone. The Holy Spirit was with them.
   25. But I believe their help is in the next two verses. Paul’s told them to rejoice always, Paul’s told them to be reasonable or gentle to everyone, but how? Through prayer with thanksgiving.
2. Paul tells them not to be anxious but to pray, giving their request to God with thanksgiving.
   1. Not being anxious is difficult. Like I said, I worry a lot. But Paul gives an antidote to anxiety and even to the time we are spending being anxious.
   2. The antidote is prayer, and Paul tells us how to pray.
   3. We pray in everything, not in some things but in all things. And we pray with petitions. This petition means that we have a list of needs that we are giving to God.
   4. Please understand: all prayer is not petition. Some prayer is just listening to God, worshipping God, praising God. But in this case, Paul says: pray and give your list to God. But Paul also says to do this with thanksgiving. Tell God what you are thankful for.
   5. I seriously believe that if I make lists of what I have to be thankful for I may realize how little I really need.
   6. A few years ago, I was counseling a student who was somewhat depressed. I had him list things to be thankful for; I think we thought of at least 50 things.
   7. We all have clothes, we have food, we have heat, we have a roof over our heads.
   8. But you know what, we usually forget the most important. We usually put the physical, felt needs in front of the spiritual.
   9. We have salvation in Christ. We have the Holy Spirit as our comforter (John 14). Jesus said not to fear the person who can harm our body but the person who can harm our soul (Matt 10:28).
   10. We can be thankful for our salvation, and we are to give God our needs in prayer with thanksgiving, and then God will give us peace which compels us to rejoice and be kind.
3. Paul says they will have peace from God that passes understanding as a guard.
   1. This is not a peace as the world needs. This is not a peace from war. This is an inner peace which we receive spiritually.
   2. This peace will guard our hearts and minds. I think by saying that Paul is saying that the peace will guard our whole person.
   3. The term used for guard is a military term. This type of guard has to do with a soldier on wall guarding a city.
   4. The peace of God will guard us, and the peace of God is guarding us in Christ Jesus

1. Lastly, Paul focuses on our thinking.
   1. Philippians 4:8:
   2. ⁸ 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.
   3. We change our thinking to the positive.
   4. This may be easier to do as we give things to God and as we give thanks.
   5. These verses are like a machine gun: rejoice! Be reasonable! The Lord is near! Pray! Give thanks!
   6. Redirect your thinking!
   7. Then verse 9: And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.
   8. They have likely seen this example in Paul.
   9. The God of peace will be with them.
   10. Tim Keller writes about verse 8:
   11. And Paul also uses the word logizdomai to describe how we are to think about these things. That is an accounting word, sometimes translated “to reckon” or “to count up.”Paul is saying if you want peace, think hard and long about the core doctrines of the Bible. This is so completely different from what you will find if you walk into any bookstore and go to the section on anxiety, worry, and dealing with stress. Here is what you will never see: None of the books will ever say, “Are you stressed, unhappy, or anxious? Let’s start dealing with that by asking the big questions: What is the meaning of life? What are you really here for? What is life all about? Where have you come from, and where are you going? What should human beings spend their time doing?” Never! Contemporary books go right to relaxation techniques and to the work-rest balance. For example, they will say that every so often you should go sit on a beach, look at the surf, and just bracket out worrying and thinking about things. Or they will give you thought-control techniques about dealing with negative thoughts and emotions, guilt thoughts, and so forth.
   12. Christian peace comes not from thinking less but from thinking more, and more intensely, about the big issues of life. Paul gives a specific example of this in Romans 8:18, where he uses the same word, logizdomai, and speaks directly to sufferers. He says, “I reckon that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed in us.” To “reckon” is to count up accurately, not to whistle in the dark. It is not to get peace by jogging or shopping. It means “Think it out! Think about the glory coming until the joy begins to break in on you.”[1]

Keller writes:

Here is a metaphor for it. If you have ever been on a coast in a storm and seen the waves come in and hit the rocks, sometimes the waves are so large that they cover a particular rock, and you think, “That is the end of that rock.” But when the waves recede, there it is still. It hasn’t budged an inch. A person who feels the “peace that passes understanding” is like that. No matter what is thrown at you, you know it will not make you lose your footing. Paul of course is the classic example. He is beaten; he is stoned; he is flogged; he is shipwrecked; he is betrayed; his enemies are trying to kill him. There is wave after wave, and yet—there he is still. “I have found a way to be completely poised under any and all circumstances,” he said. All the waves of life could not break him. And he says it isn’t a natural talent of his—you and I can learn this. That is the character of Christian peace. It is an inner calm and equilibrium but also a sense of God’s presence and an almost reason-transcending sense of his protection.[2]

This only comes through living with Jesus.

This comes through the disciplines we have talked about today. It comes through trusting in Him. In comes from a life of self-sacrificial obedience to him. Many of us want it now. It is a continual life of living the Philippians way.

We must live Phil. 2:3-4.

We must live Phil. 2:12-15.

We must live Phil. 3:13-14.

We must live this passage of Phil. 4:4-9.

Prayer

[1] Keller, Timothy. Walking with God through Pain and Suffering (pp. 298-299). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

[2] Keller, Timothy. Walking with God through Pain and Suffering (p. 297). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

An Appeal for Unity (Phil. 4:2-3)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on October 22, 2023

Imagine yourself sitting in a worship service and you hear your name in the message. But imagine it is not in a positive way. It is not particularly negative either. It is not a personal attack. It is something going on. You see, you have a dispute with someone else in the church. You are a very important leader in the church. There is another important leader in the church as well, and both your names are mentioned. You are exhorted to unity. It is a positive exhortation. You are being exhorted to agree “in the Lord.” Further, you are a woman, and in the culture and place that you live, women would not be mentioned in writing unless they were of a higher status.

Further, you are not mentioned by the preacher in some extemporaneous sermon. Someone is reading a letter. The letter is from a leader of the churches. The letter is from the person who started the church and is now in prison. The writer says that you served side-by-side for the gospel. The writer says that your name is in the Book of Life. But you are exhorted to make peace. It is not a command but a strong request.

Now, would you be squirming in your seat? Would you get red in the face? Would you get angry? Or would you respect the person who wrote the letter so much that you reflect, pray, and obey?

As you may know, I am thinking about what the Apostle Paul urged Euodia and Syntyche to do. They were leaders in the church at Philippi, but they are not united, and it is hurting the church. Let’s look at that passage.

My theme today is:

An Appeal for Unity

1. Paul gives the appeal (Phil. 4:2).
   1. Philippians 4:2 (ESV)
   2. ² I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
   3. This is again a passage where we see the importance of unity in Philippians.
   4. I like what The Message says: I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn’t want his children holding grudges.
   5. The verb “entreat” could be translated “entreat,” “encourage,” “ask,” “beg,” “invite,” or “appeal.”
   6. It has the idea of inviting for help.
   7. It is an appeal, not a command.
   8. Paul is asking them to apply the principle of Phil. 2:2-4.
   9. Francis Chan writes: Apart from the Pastoral Epistles and the book of Philemon, the only other personal exhortation like this is found in Colossians 4:17, where Arichippus is encouraged to complete his ministry, which suggests an indirect criticism from Paul. Unlike that example, however, Paul expresses a clear rebuke to these ladies (Silva, Philippians, 192).^[1]
   10. He wants them to agree “in the Lord.”
   11. Notice how he says that again. The agreement is “in the Lord.” The Lord frames this agreement. The Lord helps us agree. He is saying that we are “one in the Lord.”
   12. Witherington III shares: in Greek and Roman oratory, women were not mentioned by name unless they were very notable or notorious.² This is an important rhetorical signal that likely tells us something about the prominence of these women that Paul calls by name here.^[2]
   13. Fee: That Paul had women as coworkers in Philippi should surprise us none, since the church there had its origins among some Gentile women who, as “God-fearers,” met by the river on the Jewish sabbath for prayer (Acts 16:13–15). The evidence from Acts indicates that at her conversion Lydia became patron both of the small apostolic band and of the nascent Christian community. By the very nature of things, that meant she was also a leader in the church, since heads of households automatically assumed the same role in the church that was centered in that household. Moreover, Macedonian women in general had a much larger role in public life than one finds elsewhere in the Empire; in Philippi in particular they were also well-known for their religious devotion.^[3]
2. Paul asks a true companion to help out (Phil. 4:3).
   1. Philippians 4:3 (ESV)
   2. ³ Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
   3. Paul now inserts an interjection translated as “Yes.”
   4. Now, he asks someone whom he calls “true companion” to act as a mediator.
   5. “True companion” is literally translated as “loyal yokefellow.” Or, “legitimate yokefellow.”
   6. MacArthur: The Gr. word pictures two oxen in a yoke, pulling the same load. A companion is a partner or an equal in a specific endeavor—in this case a spiritual one. It is possible that this individual is unnamed, but it is best to take the Gr. word translated “companion” as a proper name (“Syzygos”). He was likely one of the church elders (1:1).^[4]
   7. Witherington III: I still believe the most plausible conjecture is that this is a reference to the bearer of the letter, Epaphroditus.^35,[5]
   8. Sometimes we need a mediator to help us reconcile.
   9. I like what John Piper shares regarding the phrase “Help these women”: help these women
   10. He is asking an on the ground person, maybe a pastor to help them.
   11. Paul is an apostle, and he has written this letter. He may think that should be enough, but he is saying let this letter take root in a person and put flesh and bones on this letter to help.[6]
   12. Paul says that these women labored “side by side” with him in the gospel.
   13. That could be translated as “struggle with me” or “strived.”
   14. The gospel ministry is a struggle, it is a labor, it is something we strive for.
   15. Witherington III: From a sociological point of view one must ask questions such as, What sort of women had the time, resources, or freedom to struggle side by side with Paul for the gospel? The most plausible answers are: (1) women of some social status and personal freedom; particularly (2) single women or more well-to-do women with considerable clout in their own families, who could count on their servants to take care of many of the domestic responsibilities (see Acts 16:15). And make no mistake: since Paul does not specify the problem here, and does not even bother to take sides in the quarrel (it would appear), it is probably the divisive social consequences of this dispute that concern him, not some theological or ethical matter.^[7]
   16. Paul says these ladies labored with him, and Clement and the rest of my fellow workers…
   17. We do not know who Clement is.
   18. These workers have names in “the book of life.”
   19. The book of life is a symbolic idea. It is a metaphor of those who have eternal life. Our name gets in the book of life when we accept Christ as Savior.[8]
   20. We are chosen before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4), so I believe this is anthropomorphic language. That means it is ascribing to God human attributes.
   21. MacArthur: In eternity past, God registered all the names of His elect in that book which identifies those inheritors of eternal life.^[9]
   22. Chrysostom comments on this passage: “Do you see how great is the virtue of these women, according to his testimony? As great as that which Christ told his apostles … ‘your names will be written in the book of life’ [Luke 10:20].… Did they toil with him? Yes, he says. They contributed in no small part. Even though there were many fellow-workers, yet in many affairs they also took a hand” (Hom. Phil.4.2–3).^41,[10]
3. Applications:

1. 1. Do we have someone we need to reconcile with?
   2. I encourage you to read Matthew 18:15-17 and Matthew 5:23-24 and apply those to your life this week.
   3. Do we recognize that we agree “in the Lord”? We have a bond “in the Lord.”
   4. Do we need a mediator like the one called “true companion”?
   5. Do we recognize that unity and reconciliation are very important (Phil. 4:3)?
   6. Do we labor “side by side” for the Gospel? Are we in ministry with others in the body of Christ (Phil. 4:3)?
   7. Are our names in the book of life (Phil. 4:3)?

Prayer

^[1] Tony Merida and Francis Chan, Exalting Jesus in Philippians, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2016), 168.

² Schaps, “The Women Least Mentioned,” pp. 323–30, here pp. 328–30.

^[2] Ben Witherington III, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Company, 2011), 233–234.

^[3] Gordon D. Fee, Philippians, vol. 11, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1999), 168.

^[4] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Php 4:3.

³⁵ See Witherington, Friendship and Finances in Philippi, p. 106. I follow my fellow Durhamite Lightfoot, Philippians, pp. 158–59; and also Reumann, Philippians, p. 629. On this point my old mentor Fee, Philippians, pp. 393–96, suggests it was Luke, which is possible if one reads between the lines in Acts.

^[5] Ben Witherington III, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Company, 2011), 239.

[6] John Piper, Look at the Book; 01/7/2020; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA4CLygDzCY

^[7] Ben Witherington III, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Company, 2011), 237.

[8] Dr. Rydelnic, Open Line, 11.28.2020

^[9] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Php 4:3.

Hom. Phil. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Philippians

⁴¹ In fact in his thirteenth Homily on Philippians (13.244) Chrysostom calls these women the principal characters or “heads” (kephalion) of the Philippian church. See the discussion by Osiek, Philippians, Philemon, p. 111.

^[10] Ben Witherington III, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Company, 2011), 241.

A Loving Exhortation to Stand Firm (Phil. 4:1)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on October 15, 2023

Chuck Swindoll writes:

The neighborhood bar is possibly the best counterfeit there is to the fellowship Christ wants to give his church. It’s an imitation, dispensing liquor instead of grace, escape rather than reality, but it is a permissive, accepting, and inclusive fellowship. It is unshockable. It is democratic. You can tell people secrets and they usually don’t tell others or even want to. The bar flourishes not because most people are alcoholics, but because God has put into the human heart the desire to know and be known, to love and be loved, and so many seek a counterfeit at the price of a few beers.

With all my heart I believe that Christ wants his church to be unshockable, democratic, permissive—a fellowship where people can come in and say, “I’m sunk!” “I’m beat!” “I’ve had it!” Alcoholics Anonymous has this quality. Our churches too often miss it.^[1]

As we look at today’s passage in Philippians we see Paul’s love for the church. It reminds me of the story behind the hymn: “Blest Be the Tie that Binds.”

BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS

John Fawcett, 1740–1817

Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. (1 John 2:10)

“We just cannot break the ties of affection that bind us to you dear friends.” As Mary Fawcett assured the little congregation at Wainsgate, England, of the bond of love that she and her husband felt for their poor peasant parishioners, Pastor John decided to express his feelings in a poem about the value of Christian fellowship.

The following Sunday, John Fawcett preached from Luke 12:15: “A man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things he possesses.” He closed his sermon by reading his new poem, “Brotherly Love.”

At the age of 26, John Fawcett and his new bride, Mary, began their ministry at an impoverished Baptist church in Wainsgate. After seven years of devoted service in meager circumstances, they received a call to the large and influential Carter’s Lane Baptist Church in London. After the wagons were loaded for the move, the Fawcetts met their tearful parishioners for a final farewell. “John, I cannot bear to leave. I know not how to go!” “Nor can I either,” said the saddened pastor. “We shall remain here with our people.” The order was then given to unload the wagons.

John and Mary Fawcett carried on their faithful ministry in the little village of Wainsgate for a total of 54 years. Their salary was estimated to be never more than the equivalent of $200.00 a year, despite Fawcett’s growing reputation as an outstanding evangelical preacher, scholar, and writer. Among his noted writings was an essay, “Anger,” which became a particular favorite of King George III. It is reported that the monarch promised Pastor Fawcett any benefit that could be conferred. But the offer was declined with this statement: “I have lived among my own people, enjoying their love; God has blessed my labors among them, and I need nothing which even a king could supply.” Such was the man who gave us these loving words:

Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love! The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne we pour our ardent prayers; our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares.

We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear; and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part it gives us inward pain; but we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.

Appreciate anew your Christian friends and fellow church members. Seek to show, as John Fawcett did, a loving concern for the needs of others.^[2]

My theme today is:

A Loving Exhortation to Stand Firm (Phil. 4:1)

1. Let’s begin with the context:
   1. In Philippians 1:1-11, Paul greets them and prays for the Philippians.
   2. In Philippians 1:12-18, Paul writes that his imprisonment has meant progress for the gospel.
   3. In Philippians 1:19-26, Paul writes about how he will live for Christ.
   4. In Philippians 1:27-30, Paul encourages them to walk worthy of the gospel.
   5. In Philippians 2, Paul wrote about unity and self-sacrificial behavior.
   6. In Philippians 3:1, Paul exhorted them to rejoice in the Lord.
   7. In Philippians 3:2-11, Paul warned them about people trusting in their righteousness. They were trusting in the Old Testament law.
   8. In Philippians 3:12-21, Paul wrote about progress in the gospel through Christ and not through the Law.
   9. That brings us to today.
2. Paul’s love for the Philippians (Phil. 4:1).
   1. Philippians 4:1 (ESV)
   2. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
   3. This verse begins with an inference translated as “therefore” or “so then.”
   4. He is making an inference based on the previous verses.
   5. In the previous verses, he was writing about progress in the gospel through Christ.
   6. Given that he was writing about progress, now he writes about standing firm.
   7. This is mainly related to Philippians 3:15-16 regarding progress in the gospel because Philippians 3:18-21 is a concluding thought.
   8. Then, in the next few verses, he will get very practical about unity.
   9. Notice he calls them “brothers” or “brothers and sisters.” He is using familial language.
   10. This is also communal language. He is addressing the church. This makes sense when we see the exhortation to unity in the next few verses.
   11. Paul says that he loves them.
   12. Paul then says that he “longs” for them.
   13. He loves them. He longs for them.
   14. He is saying, “I love you Philippians.”
   15. In Phil. 1:8, he writes something similar.
   16. Paul emphasizes that his Christian brothers and sisters are “beloved” by repeating the word “beloved” twice in the same sentence. A major theme in Paul’s letters is how God demonstrates divine love for all believers in Christ. But here Paul is expressing his own all-inclusive, unconditional love for his brothers and sisters. Paul repeatedly tells his friends, “I love you. I really love you.” Not only does he love his family at a distance, but because of the distance they are longed for. This is the only time that this term occurs in the NT. “Its rarity perhaps adds intensity to the emotion of ‘homesick tenderness,’ especially to the pain of separation that Paul feels and expresses here.”^[3]
   17. Remember, he is in a Roman prison. He is away from them.
   18. Paul calls them “his joy” and “his crown.”
   19. He also calls them, “his crown.”
   20. He is using a lot of modifiers to describe them. Fee: This profusion of modifiers reminds them once again of his deep feelings for them and his deep concern for their present and future.^[4]
   21. How are they his crown?
   22. Could it be that they are his crown because they are evidence of God’s ministry through Paul?
   23. The Philippians’ spiritual success would be Paul’s “crowning achievement” (cf. 1 Thess. 2:19–20), and their perseverance and final salvation will bring him great joy (cf. Phil. 2:17).^[5]
   24. The combination of joy and crown, my joy and crown, indicates that “Paul envisions a grand celebration, perhaps like that at the end of the Olympic games, where the victors are given their wreaths and there is much rejoicing.”^[6]
   25. Since Paul refers to his friends in Thessalonica as “the crown in which we will glory in the presence of the Lord Jesus when he comes” (1 Thess 2:19), he may have the time of the Lord’s return in mind when he refers to his the Philippian friends as his joy and crown. ^[7]
3. Stand firm in the Lord.
   1. He now exhorts them to “stand firm.
   2. Why?
   3. He is making the application from the previous chapter about persevering in the Christian life.
   4. He is building on what he has written.
   5. He is about to get very practical about unity (Phil. 4:2-3), anxiety, prayer, and living on less (Phil. 4:4-13). This means they must remember to “stand firm.”
   6. Stand firm recalls Roman soldiers who never retreated for fear of being killed while under assault.^[8]
   7. How do we stand firm?
   8. We must stand firm “in the Lord.”
   9. We must stand firm in dependence on the Lord.
   10. We must stand firm in submission to the Lord.
   11. We must stand firm in the pattern of the Lord.
   12. Again, this means living the Jesus way. This means persevering in the faith.
   13. This means living Phil. 3:14-16.
   14. Philippians 3:14:
   15. ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 
   16. Hold true to the gospel.
   17. Hold true the idea that we are not saved by works, not saved by the law, not saved by being moral, but saved by the grace of Jesus (Eph. 2:8-9).
   18. We must live the Jesus way of Phil. 2:3-4, 14-15, etc.
4. Applications:
   1. Paul calls them “brothers and sisters.” Paul writes, “whom I love.”
   2. Can we talk to other Christians as those we love?
   3. Can we address each other as those whom we love?
   4. Do we love each other?
   5. Are we a family with other Christians?
   6. Are we loving people?
   7. Paul says that he longs for them. Do we long for each other?
   8. Do we find joy in other people? Do we find joy in our Christian brothers and sisters? Paul called them “his joy.”
   9. Do we stand firm in the faith? Do we stand firm in the Lord?
   10. Can we hold true to Christ’s teaching?
   11. Can we hold true to the gospel?
   12. Can we hold true to the Christian way of not grumbling or complaining (Phil. 2:14-15)?
   13. Can we hold true to considering others more important than ourselves (Phil. 2:3)?
   14. Can we hold true to look out for the needs of others (Phil. 2:4)?
   15. Can we stand firm in unity (Phil. 4:2-3)?
   16. Can we stand firm?

IN ORDER for God to bring out the best in His children, He brings about scenarios in our lives to build strength and character.

When building our physical bodies, development takes on the form of pumping weights, running on a treadmill, and participating in activities that require tennis shoes. Workouts involve some sweat, heavy breathing, and perspiration because something is being developed. God allows trials and adversity to put us in gymnasium situations. Just like the Father did with His Son Jesus, He creates a workout scenario that includes a difficulty that we must work through.

A lady came to work out at the gym. Everything about what she had on said she was going to go for a killer workout. She wore the typical attire, the headband around her head, wristbands around her wrists, and had a water bottle on her side. She stepped into a clear area and bent down to touch her toes in order to stretch. This woman looked very serious about working out. She grabbed some dumbbells, walked over to a bench, and sat down. Lifting the weights, she did a couple of bicep curls, put the weights down, and wiped herself off with a towel. In an exasperated voice she said, “Whoof! That’s enough for today!” This lady looked the part but she had not truly come to the gym for a workout.

Many Christians come to church every Sunday looking like they are ready for a workout. We wear the right clothes, sing the right songs, and talk the right talk, but building real strength requires real effort and a little sweat.

God figures that we will not voluntarily go to a spiritual gym so He brings the gym to us. Adverse circumstances, cross-bearing situations, difficult scenarios, and problematic encounters all serve as opportunities for Christian growth.^[9]

^[1] Charles R. Swindoll, The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart and 1501 Other Stories (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2016), 92.

^[2] Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1996), 66.

^[3] G. Walter Hansen, The Letter to the Philippians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 279–280.

^[4] Gordon D. Fee, Philippians, vol. 11, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 1999), 167.

^[5] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2286.

^[6] G. Walter Hansen, The Letter to the Philippians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 280.

^[7] Ibid.

^[8] Richard R. Melick Jr., “Philippians,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1888.

^[9] Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009), 14–15.

A Call to Follow Paul’s Example of Commitment to Jesus As Lord (Phil. 3:17-21)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on October 8, 2023

One day a man was talking to an angel. The angel said, “What can I do for you?” The man said, “Show me the Wall Street Journal one year from today. This way, I will know where to invest and will become a multimillionaire.” The angel snapped his fingers and out came a Wall Street Journal marked one year in advance of the date when they were talking. The man flipped the pages of the newspaper, studying the listings and observing which stocks would be high and which ones would be low. But in the midst of his joy, a frown came upon his face and tears began to roll down his eyes because when he looked over on the next page, he saw his face. His picture was in the paper under the obituary column.

You see, this life can only offer you so much. Unless you live now in light of eternity, you are going to waste time focusing on the things of this earth. Enjoy your life, but as a Christian focused on the things that matter to God.^[1]

Today, we come to a passage in Philippians encouraging us to follow Christ with an eternal perspective. We are citizens of heaven!

My theme today is:

A Call to Follow Paul’s Example of Commitment to Jesus As Lord

1. Context:
   1. In Philippians 1:1-11, Paul greets them and prays for the Philippians.
   2. In Philippians 1:12-18, Paul writes that his imprisonment has meant progress for the gospel.
   3. In Philippians 1:19-26, Paul writes about how he will live for Christ.
   4. In Philippians 1:27-30, Paul encourages them to walk worthy of the gospel.
   5. In Philippians 2:1-4, Paul wrote about unity and self-sacrificial behavior.
   6. In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul gave the example of Christ.
   7. In Philippians 2:12-18, Paul wrote about Christian behavior.
   8. In Philippians 2:19-24, Paul gave the example of Timothy.
   9. In Philippians 2:25-30, Paul gives the example of Epaphroditus.
   10. In Philippians 3:1, Paul exhorted them to rejoice in the Lord.
   11. In Philippians 3:2-11, Paul exhorted them that our salvation is in Christ alone.
   12. In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul wrote about progress in the gospel through Christ and not through the Law.
   13. This brings us to today’s passage.
2. Follow Paul’s example of perseverance (Phil. 3:17).
   1. Philippians 3:17 (ESV)
   2. ¹⁷ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
   3. Paul addresses them as “brothers,” or “brothers and sisters.”
   4. That is really good familial language.
   5. Paul writes to join in imitating him, but why? That can sound a little arrogant, can’t it? But remember in Phil. 3:12 he had written that he has not arrived yet, but he pressed on. In Phil. 3:13-14 Paul repeated how he strains forward and presses on.
   6. He was striving for holiness. He was striving for Jesus. He was striving to be conformed to Christ’s image. He wrote about that in Phil. 3:10-12.
   7. Paul is pressing on in his relationship with Christ. Paul wanted to be like Christ in suffering and death.
   8. He is imitating Christ, and we are to imitate him.
   9. In 1 Cor. 11:1, Paul wrote to imitate him as he imitates Christ, and that is the idea right here.
   10. Paul continues to write, “Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in ‘us.’” Who is the “us”? I think it is Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus. In Phil. 1:1 Paul referenced Timothy as a co-writer, and we know he has referenced Epaphroditus.
   11. I believe in the next few verses Paul is going to share more about his concerns.
   12. So, following the right example matters, correct?
   13. We must follow good examples.
   14. Do you know that your brains literally change based on those you are around? It is true.
   15. Our brains literally change to be like those we are hanging out with.
   16. Paul was concerned about people who thought they needed to follow the law and get their righteousness from the Old Testament law. Paul wanted to make sure they followed the correct examples, the good example, and not people who were teaching incorrect doctrine. Again, we will see that in the next few verses.
   17. That is still true today.
   18. It is bad doctrine that hurts the church more than anything else.
3. Others are enemies of the cross (Phil. 3:18-19).
   1. Philippians 3:18–19 (ESV)
   2. ¹⁸ For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
   3. Now, Paul explains more of his concern.
   4. “for” is an explanatory conjunction: A conjunction used to introduce an explanation of a previously mentioned sentential element. (References:BDF n/a; Wallace p. 673; Smyth §2808-2809, 2811.)^[2]
   5. He writes that “many” are enemies of the cross of Christ.
   6. He writes that he has told them about these enemies, and he has told them with tears.
   7. He has told them often about these enemies of the cross of Christ.
   8. How does one become an enemy of the cross of Christ?
   9. Remember the 3 most important words in Bible interpretation. Context, context, context. Remember, as I have stated in the previous verses, Phil. 3:2-11 were about people who thought they could earn their righteousness. Remember, the Apostle Paul boasted of righteousness; he could even more so. However, Paul counts all those achievements as excrement.
   10. So, teaching and promoting false teaching makes us enemies of the cross.
   11. In verse 19, Paul builds on this.
   12. Their end is destruction: for people who do not know Christ, their end is destruction (1 Thess. 1:9-10; Romans 5:9; Matthew 7:13; Matthew 5:29-30; Rev. 14:9-11; 17:8; 19:20). That is why we must share the Gospel.
   13. Further, people who are teachers will be judged by a stricter standard (James 3:1).
   14. People teaching false doctrine will even have a more severe judgment (Matthew 18:6).
   15. Their god is their belly…
   16. They glory in their shame…
   17. Their mind is set on earthly things…
   18. This is a succinct description of the lost person.
   19. They are a slave to their appetites, whether their belly or otherwise.
4. Our citizenship is in Heaven (Phil. 3:20-21).
   1. Philippians 3:20–21 (ESV): ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1. 1. Now, Paul contrasts those of the world with Christians.
   2. “But” is marking a contrast.
   3. Our citizenship is in heaven.
   4. We as Christians are citizens of heaven (Col. 3:1ff; 1 John 3:1).
   5. We are adopted into God’s family (1 John 3:1).
   6. We are awaiting Jesus’ return (1 Cor. 15:12-28).
   7. Jesus will transform our bodies. Notice how he says, “lowly body.” That is because we will then have a glorious body. In contrast to our resurrected bodies, we have lowly bodies.
   8. IVP BBC: Paul’s view of the resurrection is that it involves the body, but one distinct in nature from the current body (Greek culture considered the idea of a bodily resurrection vulgar superstition). As in Judaism, the resurrection occurs at the time of the ultimate battle, when God subordinates all his enemies (cf. also 1 Cor 15:25–28).^[3]
   9. Jesus will do this by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself.
   10. Jesus has the power. Remember Phil. 2:9-11? All creation bows to Jesus (see also Col. 1:15-20).

A man died and went to heaven. Saint Peter met him at the gate. The man wanted to know what the value system was in heaven. He said, “Peter, how much is a minute worth up here?” Peter said, “Well, in heaven, a minute is worth a million years.” The man excitedly said, “Whoa! Well, then, how much is a nickel worth up here?” Peter said, “Well, up here, a nickel is worth a million dollars.” He said, “WHOA! Well, Peter, can I have a nickel?” Peter said, “Yeah, in a minute.”

It’s all about your value system. It’s all about what you’re looking at.^[4]

Applications:

1. 1. Are we following good examples (Phil. 3:17)?
   2. Paul was concerned that we follow his example and follow the examples of those who are teaching similarly. Are we being careful of who is influencing us (Phil. 3:17)?
   3. Are we an enemy of the cross of Christ (Phil. 3:18)?
   4. Are we staying faithful to proper Christian teaching? Are we thinking that we can earn our righteousness? Are we straining forward in the gospel (Phil. 3:12-16)?
   5. Paul told them with tears of the enemies of the cross of Christ (Phil. 3:18). Are we warning people of those who go wayward of the gospel?
   6. Does it bother us to the point of tears or affect our emotions when someone is wayward? Paul warned them with tears (Phil. 3:18).
   7. Are we encouraged by our citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:20)?
   8. Are we encouraged that Jesus will transform our body to a glorious body (Phil. 3:21)?
   9. Do we know that Jesus will subject all things to Himself (Phil. 3:21)

The reflection from the sun is supposed to let us see the brilliance of the moon, which has no light of its own. The moon is dark 24/7. The sun reflects off of the moon so that the beautiful moon is actually the result of the work of the sun.

Now on some days we can see a full moon, on other days we can see a half moon. On yet another day, only a quarter of the moon is visible, and then at times we can’t see the moon at all. How come we don’t always get the full moon? Because whenever there is less than a full moon, it means the Earth is in the way. The Earth has gotten between a portion of the moon and the sun. The moon’s reflection is interrupted as Earth moves in its orbit. Earth simply keeps getting in the way.

Many of us are not able to move forward in our lives, because Earth keeps getting in the way. We are so focused on time, and so foggy about eternity, that the benefits of eternity are not able to penetrate the realities of time and we are stuck with what we see.^[5]

Prayer

^[1] Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009), 87.

^[2] Albert L. Lukaszewski, The Lexham Syntactic Greek New Testament Glossary (Lexham Press, 2007).

^[3] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Php 3:21.

^[4] Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009), 88.

^[5] Ibid.

Paul’s Progress in the Gospel: Through Christ, Not the Law (Phil. 3:12-16)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on October 1, 2023

Reggie Jackson was a baseball player known as “Mr. October.” He got his nickname because he was known to shine when his team played in the postseason playoffs. Reggie would come up to bat, and the ball was going over somebody’s fence. Reggie Jackson said once in an interview that he lived for the postseason because that is when he would shine. But Reggie Jackson, in order to get to the postseason, had to get through the regular season. His secret to shining in the regular season was to keep his eye on October. God is looking for some Mr. and Mrs. Octobers—people with their eyes on eternity who faithfully play the regular season because they’re looking forward to postseason glory.^[1]

We are continuing our trek through Philippians. In today’s passage we see Paul’s eternal focus. We also see his focus on becoming like Christ.

My theme today is:

Paul’s Progress in the Gospel: Through Christ, Not the Law (Phil. 3:12-16)

1. Paul is not yet there but pressing on (Phil. 3:12-14).
   1. Philippians 3:12–14 (ESV): ¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
   2. Okay, how did we get here?
   3. We are over halfway through Philippians.
   4. In Philippians 3:2-11, Paul was warning them about people who were trusting in their righteousness. They were trusting in the Old Testament law.
   5. These were likely a group called “Judaizers.” This group thought that gentile converts needed to keep the Old Testament law.
   6. Paul then wrote about how he has many more reasons to boast in his own righteousness. Paul wrote about all of his achievements. Paul said that he counts them all as waste. He counts all his human achievements as waste in order that he may gain Christ. He can’t gain Christ from those human accomplishments.
   7. At the end of the section of Phil. 3:2-11 Paul expanded on wanting to know Christ and how deeply he wants to know Christ.
   8. He wants to know Christ even by participating in His sufferings and attaining the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:11). This brings conformity to Jesus’s death through refining obedience, and a believer will attain the resurrection.
   9. Paul is eager to attain the resurrection, but that whole section is about how he really wants to know Christ and be conformed to His Image.
   10. That leads to Phil. 3:12-14.
   11. In Phil. 3:12 he writes: Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
   12. He has not already attained this… He has not attained the resurrection. We know that he has not died yet. He has not attained sharing in Christ’s sufferings and becoming like Him in His death.
   13. Against his legalistic opponents who claimed perfection, Paul denied that he had already become perfect (v. 12) or laid hold of the prize (v. 13).^[2]
   14. Steven Lawson shared: ‘“this” or ‘it’ refers back to the Christian life, the knowledge of Christ (Phil. 3:10), the full conformity to Christ’s death. Paul knew that he had not arrived.
   15. Further, the closer you are to Christ, the more you realize you have not arrived.”[3]
   16. Do you think about that? As we grow in Christ, we realize how much growing we still need?
   17. In the book, “Pastors and Critics” the author, Joel Beeke, quotes Spurgeon: “Brother, if any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him; for you are worse than he thinks you to be. If he charges you falsely on some point, yet be satisfied, for if he knew you better he might change the accusation, and you would be no gainer by the correction. If you have your moral portrait painted and it is ugly, be satisfied; for it only needs a few blacker touches and it would be still nearer the truth.”[4]
   18. Then, in the endnote, there is another quote: “Charles Simeon said similarly, ‘My enemy, whatever evil he says of me, does not reduce me so low as he would if he knew all concerning me that God does.’”[5]
   19. We have too high a view of ourselves. However, as we grow in Christ, as we become more like Him, we realize that we are not there yet.
   20. So, here Paul is saying that he is not there yet. He does not know Christ like he wants to. He has not been conformed to Him. He is growing in Christ. He knows Christ, but he is not where he wants to be.
   21. Paul says that he has not been made perfect. He means perfect in Christ.
   22. But he presses on…
   23. We will see that word come up again in verse 13.
   24. Look at the rest of verse 12 (Phil. 3:12).
   25. He presses on to make it his own because Christ Jesus has made him His own.
   26. He belongs to Christ.
   27. If you know Christ, you belong to Christ. But he wants to make the Christian life his own. He wants to make knowing Jesus, the sufferings of Jesus, the death of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus his own.
   28. But what is he referring to? The context makes it clear, but I think he refers to spiritual growth. Others think he is referring to the resurrection.
   29. How will he do this?
   30. Now, verses 13-14: ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
   31. He is telling us about his growth plan, or part of it.
   32. “Brothers” could be translated as “brothers and sisters.”
   33. He repeats that he has not made it his own yet. He is saved, but he is still growing.
   34. He forgets the past to strain forward.
   35. This is like a runner reaching for a baton or the finish line.
   36. What is the past that he forgets? It is what he mentioned in verses 4-6 of this same chapter. He is forgetting his achievements within Judaism. They could not save him or make him righteous.
   37. This is about progress, not perfection.
   38. Swindoll shares: I was reading to Cynthia [his wife] from Sports Illustrated about a ninety-year-old basketball scout that still does work for the Detroit Pistons. That’s right—the man is ninety years old! He still gets on a plane, checks those prospects out, and brings back a reliable report. I love it! He said he flew past sixty-two without even a thought of retirement. Strong determination.
   39. I read somewhere, “We wonder at the anatomical perfection of a da Vinci painting. But we forget that Leonardo da Vinci on one occasion drew a thousand hands.” Leonardo possessed that same strong determination Paul modeled in Rome. Thomas Edison came up with the modern light bulb after a thousand failed attempts. By the man’s own admission, it was mainly strong determination that gave the incandescent light to the world, not an inventor’s creative genius.
   40. But we’re not talking about college athletes or persistent, brilliant inventors. We’re talking about being a determined servant of Christ. There’s no easy route to spiritual maturity. It doesn’t happen overnight. Remember, it’s a grueling journey at times. So, don’t bother to publish a pamphlet on all the obstacles you face. Don’t become famous for complaining. The apostle says, “Forget the past; reach for the tape. Keep running.” Develop and maintain an attitude of strong determination.[6]
   41. Then, in verse 14, he writes again that he presses on. He is pressing for the prize. What is the prize? It is the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. The prize is knowing Jesus. The prize is the call of Jesus on his life. The prize is eternal life with Jesus, but I think it is also a deeper life with Jesus now.
   42. The verb “press on” is in the present tense. It is a continual, habitual life, every moment of every day.
   43. Lawson shares: It is NOT a momentary fleeting desire. It is a lifestyle. This is also in the active voice. This means he takes responsibility. It is not just waiting for God to do it.
   44. This verb means to run swiftly in order to catch another person. It is like in track trying to catch another person.
   45. Toward the goal- the preposition “toward” means to bear down. Paul is not shuffling his feet.
   46. The goal is to know Christ more intimately.
   47. The prize is at the finish line.
   48. As we focus on the prize, we are pulled like a magnet.
   49. The prize is the “upward” call of God.
   50. God causes or allows all things in our life, and we cannot let it slow us down. Don’t be content with where we are.[7]
   51. MacArthur: The Gr. word was used of a sprinter, and refers to aggressive, energetic action. Paul pursued sanctification with all his might, straining every spiritual muscle to win the prize (1Co 9:24–27; 1Ti 6:12; Heb 12:1).^[8]
   52. Now, let’s transition to his message for others.
2. Paul’s message for the mature (Phil. 3:15-16).
   1. Philippians 3:15–16 (ESV): ¹⁵ Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
   2. Notice he writes about the mature. He does consider himself within the mature group. He has not achieved where he wants to be, but he is a mature believer.
   3. So, he directs mature believers to “this” way. What is “this” way?
   4. It is what he was writing about.
   5. We all need to think about pressing on in the Christian life.
   6. We all must think about forgetting the past. What is the past that we forget? He was referring to verses 3-6. Like Paul, we must forget the human accomplishments we thought would save us. They won’t save us.
   7. Like Paul, we forget and press on to know Christ more intimately. That means being conformed to Him. We must think that way.
   8. Now, why would he write this?
   9. Partly because that is how much he loves Jesus.
   10. Additionally, he was concerned about those trying to make them rely on their human achievements for salvation. Remember, in verse 2 (Phil. 3:2), he warned them about this group.
   11. Paul does make an exception. If you think otherwise, God will reveal that to you. So, he is leaving this for them to seek the Lord about.
   12. MacArthur: Paul left in God’s hands those who were not pursuing spiritual perfection. He knew God would reveal the truth to them eventually, even if it meant chastening (Heb 12:5–11).^[9]
   13. Now, verse 16 (Phil. 3:16): “Only,” which means this is really important. Hold true to what we have attained.
   14. Let’s not go backward in the Christian life. Hold on to your spiritual growth. Hold on to the higher levels of obedience.
   15. MacArthur: The Gr. word for “living” refers to walking in line. Paul’s directive for the Philippian believers was to stay in line spiritually and keep progressing in sanctification by the same principles that had brought them to this point in their spiritual growth (cf. 1Th 3:10; 1Pe 2:2).^[10]

• Applications:
  1. Like Paul, do we realize that we have not been fully conformed to Christ (Phil. 3:12)?
  2. Do we realize that we have more growth ahead of us?
  3. Is God exposing new things we have to work on in our life?
  4. Is it that anger?
  5. Is it the anxious thoughts?
  6. Is it fear? Maybe we cannot trust God with our children or grandchildren. Suppose one of your children feels called to serve the Lord in Iran as a missionary? Or maybe China? Or maybe Russia? Or maybe North Korea? Can we trust Christ with our children and grandchildren? Trusting Christ is part of discipleship.
  7. Are we spiritually content with where we are, or are we eager to grow (Phil. 3:12-14)?
  8. What accomplishments have we or do we think of as earning our righteousness? We need to forget about those (Phil. 3:13).
  9. What new habits are we developing to help us grow in Christ?
  10. How do we hear from God?
  11. Are we fasting?
  12. Are we in the Word?
  13. Are we with the church family in small groups, Sunday School, Bible study?
  14. Celebrate Recovery will help. If we have trouble trusting God, really trusting God, Celebrate Recovery can help. If we have trouble with anger, even occasional, Celebrate Recovery can help.
  15. How are we growing in Christ?
  16. How are we pressing on?
  17. I encourage us to pray about these questions this week.

Prayer

^[1] Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009), 86–87.

^[2] Gerald W. Peterman, “Philippians,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 1863.

[3] Steven Lawson; Renewing Your Mind; 10.22.2022

[4] Beeke, Joel R.; Thompson, Nicholas J.. Pastors and Their Critics: A Guide to Coping with Criticism in the Ministry (p. 53). P&R Publishing. Kindle Edition.

[5] Ibid., 61.

[6] Taken from Great Days with the Great Lives by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2005 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com. https://www.insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/an-attitude-of-strong-determination1

[7] Steven Lawson; Renewing Your Mind; 10.22.2022

^[8] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Php 3:12.

^[9] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Php 3:15.

^[10] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Php 3:16.