God Finishes What He Starts - [Philippians 1:6]

Please turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 1.

I hope you've all had a good summer.

This summer some of myself and some of the men here We've been preaching in different churches,

and I've had the opportunity to preach through the book of Philippians.

So I'm gonna bring one of the messages that I shared with your brothers and sisters in Christ in a different church.

Actually a couple of different churches.

But as you're thinking of summer

I Hope some of you got to do some projects this summer and

Based on the type of smiles and giggles I'm getting I hope some of them finished well.

And I know some of them remain to be done.

I Actually do know that here in BBC.

We have some people who can do some amazing things with cars.

Who are pretty good carpenters guys who finished their basements and floors and some of you have

beautiful gardens to prove your skills and Some of you can knit and do crochet, and

I don't know which projects You started and finished and are still in the process of finishing up,

but when you look at my home and my projects I They

Are not as skilled as some of you are you can come and see a little place it in my house.

It looks very pretty, but you come up close you say oh, it's missing a roof.

It's been missing that roof for a few summers now you can see that I tried to do a little

landscape and people come and say oh, that's so artistic and What they don't realize is I just didn't finish the

job.

And they are very creative and how they look at what I have and then I have this bookshelf that I really

really love.

Which I'm kind of impressed that it stands on its own.

Because some of the supports that I put in place are actually supported by the books rather than supporting the shelf

so we're all familiar with kind of projects that we begin and Not

all of them end as well.

But how about God?

How does God do his work you think he can finish what he

starts.

In fact if you go to the very first verse in the Bible we read in the beginning God Created

heaven and earth that's a little big project wouldn't you agree?

When God does something it's Amazing in fact through the book of Genesis 1 or

through the chapter of Genesis 1 you see time and again God spoke Let there be light

and there was light.

It wasn't half light it was the perfect light that God wanted.

In fact after day after day after day you get to see.

First day first night it was good.

It was good.

It was good, and then you go to the end of Genesis 1 31 God saw everything that he

had made and it was Very good.

When God starts something he finishes it and it goes really really well.

But then you might say to me if I keep reading through the book of Genesis I get to see a little bit of a

problem.

Genesis 1 is fine Genesis 2 is fine, and then I come to Genesis 3.

Man who is kind of the crown of his creation.

God makes all of these things for man man Who's made in God's own image to reflect the character

and goodness of God?

He doesn't seem to stick with a program.

He kind of takes his own route.

Rejecting what God has made is God's project toward it

in fact right there in Genesis 3 and on and through the rest of the Bible you get to see the

pages of scriptures stained with blood the very first son who was born turns out to be a

murderer and There's murder after murder after murder in the Bible recorded.

There's lies theft.

Pillaging a whole bunch of stuff that shows in this in the scriptures that it seems like the project that God started.

Did it did it actually go well?

But then you go back and read the scriptures again.

You get to see the pages of scriptures are not just stained with blood.

They are also washed with blood.

We just sang the song none of this thing was coordinated.

These were hymns that were picked, but you get to see how in the blood of Jesus Christ you have

Cleansing right there in Genesis 3 you have Garments of skin there

was some blood that was spilled and then you come to the mosaic laws and you get to see how God ordained for

sacrifices to wash the sins that were being committed and all of this pointing to the very

Culmination of God's plan in the person of Jesus Christ.

So where you get to see Jesus come live that life Shed his blood so that you

and I can have that sin forgiven and so along with the Horrors that you see

through the pages of scripture.

You get to see this work of God That is cleansing and redeeming his people and one day

you just have to go all the way to the end of the book in Revelation 21 and 22 and you get to see

the culmination of God's grand scheme in Time and history you get to see the

return of the King as Jesus comes back and there is no more tear.

No more suffering.

No more sorrow.

No more blood that is spilt innocently, but rather there is just Worship

of God in heaven above and then you can look back at Genesis 3 and ask yourself the question Why

did this happen and you get to see here even today we do we get to see here the character and

goodness and the Grace and the mercy and the and the power of God Revealed to us in a way that

Adam pre Genesis 3 could not have even Conceived of because here you

see the Son of God come and live and die and redeem his people

and All of this being ordained before the foundation of the earth.

So when we look at God's project, those are much grander than the kind of projects we do.

You know, sometimes I think of God as you know, he I'm made in God's image.

So he's just kind of bigger than me greater than me more powerful than me.

Not quite.

God is on a completely different scale than we are.

He is holy.

He is other he is different and you and I get a glimpse of God as He

through the pages of Scripture we understand who he is and we recognize his grandeur his majesty and

his and and his Awesomeness as we open the scriptures

now my message is titled God finishes what he

starts.

You know, sometimes it's okay.

Some of these projects that I've done.

I don't need to finish them.

But when I look at my life There are times when you ask is this life actually going to finish?

Well, you know I started with great joy and enthusiasm in Jesus Christ and

I've had some great victories in the Lord right now.

It's kind of tanking and I don't know if this is going to kind of correct itself or not.

Maybe you're thinking of someone you love who's gone going through a phase in their life.

Are you like I know they truly trusted in the Lord, but I don't know.

Will God finish what he has started?

Philippians 1 6 says he who began a good work in you Will bring it to

completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

My goal here is twofold.

Firstly, I want to assure believers here That if God started that

work in you, he will finish it because he says so.

And I also want to speak to everyone else who does not know Jesus.

I want to exhort you That you would trust in him that he would

begin that work in your life today.

So with that, let me just read for you Philippians 1 1 through 11.

And I want you to be looking at how these scriptures point to the

central purpose of the entire Bible which is the Lord Jesus Christ young ones.

You can just maybe count the number of times you hear Jesus or Christ or God in this passage.

Philippians 1 1 and 2 is the greeting Paul and Timothy servants of Christ Jesus

to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi with the

overseers and deacons grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus

Christ.

And then in verse 3 to 8 Paul Thanks the Lord for the Philippians and

here he is going to.

This is the central passage in which we are going to be studying our Text verse 3.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.

Always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy because of your

partnership in the gospel from the first day until now and Then verse 6 I

am sure of this that he who began a good work in you Will bring it to completion at the day of

Jesus Christ.

It is right for me to feel this way about you all because I hold you in my heart.

For you are all Partakers with me of grace both in my imprisonment and in the

defense and confirmation of the gospel.

For God is my witness how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus

this morning.

We are only going to go up until verse 8 but you need to also read 9 through 11 because it's part of the same

passage and it is the Complement to the first section.

The first section is going to focus on the work of Christ and the second section Which is Paul's prayer is going to talk about

what happens in the life of a believer because of verse 6.

Verse 9 continues.

It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment.

So that you may approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of

Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory

and praise of God.

Having this passage roughly in your mind I want us to focus in on verse 6 and verse 6 ought

to give you assurance and My goal this morning as I said is to give To

encourage believers of the work of God in your lives.

I want you to think of it as one peg that I'm just going to hammer very deeply just that one verse that we're just going to kind of

expose and understand and dwell on and Gain our confidence in Christ.

So if you want to know more about assurance, I would ask you to come to Sunday school because this morning Providentially again,

we heard this message About how you can have assurance without falling into

legalism or antinomianism and I know that that will continue for the next couple of weeks as they

Unpack that for you from the various scriptures, but my goal here is to get that verse 6

Embedded in our hearts and in our minds.

So let me read that once again verse 6.

I am sure of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of

Jesus Christ.

Paul here says Paul here is sure about something.

I am certain of this.

I am confident of this you I am.

If this is hundred percent guaranteed, you can take this to the bank.

Paul is not saying, you know, I think this might happen.

I'm only 95 % sure it might happen for some of you.

Maybe it won't happen for others.

This is something that Paul is utterly fully completely sure of and Paul here writing under the

inspiration of this Holy Spirit is actually communicating this not just to the hearers the original here is at Philippi.

This is actually intended for every single one of you as well.

So you can be hundred percent sure of something that God has done in the past with this

Saints at Philippi and is capable and will do here with the Saints here

at Bethlehem Bible Church.

But then you might go back a little bit and ask okay Paul is kind of sure about this what what makes

Paul's assurance.

My assurance, why should I listen to Paul if you go back to verse 1 of this chapter 1

We get to see Paul introduced to us or to the Philippians first.

He says Paul and Timothy's servants of Christ Jesus.

Here is Paul a servant of Jesus Christ.

You ask yourself the question.

Why would Paul introduce himself as a servant?

Couldn't he have introduced himself as an apostle?

I've been kind of cool.

He's high in the chain of command and he does introduce himself as an apostle in some letters, but not

here.

If someone was going to tell me something very important I generally like someone who is high in authority to tell me that hey, you're gonna get a promotion.

Okay, I'd like somebody who is up there telling me that if someone who's reporting to me says that I'd be like,

okay I don't know where to take that.

But why does Paul talk of himself as a servant of Jesus Christ?

There's a couple of things we want to be thinking of when we read this Paul writing to the Philippians and by the Holy Spirit to us today

in one sense Paul is kind of like the PA To

God personal assistant, right?

I mean Patty here knows a lot of things that happens because she's there with the pastors and She might know a few things before

the rest of us do.

Paul here is actually Inspired by the Holy Spirit the word the Spirit of God is actually moving

Paul to write those things that His people need to hear both in that point in time

in the first century and throughout all time in The life of the church.

So there is a sense in which Paul is this Secretary to the Holy Spirit if you will but

that the main crux here is really.

It's not about Paul.

You know, there was a lot of problem in the early churches where people were saying I'm of Paul I'm of Apollo's I'm of Cephas and all this it's

not about Paul.

Paul here wants to bring that focus that emphasis upon his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I am a servant of who that's the question.

You ought to be asking.

I'm a servant of Jesus Christ.

And that's why I read that whole verses 1 through 11.

You see Jesus Christ over and over and over again.

It's not about Paul.

It's about the master that Paul serves and that's the one you need to be thinking of.

And of course, you know in our culture we we think of this hierarchy and chain of command, but in the kingdom of God

Here you have Paul the greatest of the Apostles in one sense.

But the only way he wants to identify himself is that he is this humble servant.

He gets to be the servant of this great master Jesus Christ.

So the message here is not really about Paul being sure it is about the master who has done

this work in you that Paul is so assured of and.

So and and not just that let's just take another moment.

I read for us at 16 when we'd prayed and That was the account of how the gospel came

to Philippi and how the saints at Philippi came to know the Lord.

So Paul here is not just some stranger writing to the Philippians in Philippians 1 but he

is actually the one who brought the gospel to them many of them know him personally because He told him about this

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and he's the one who God used to begin that

work in them.

So the first time they came to know Jesus Christ was through Paul and this Paul says not only has he begun that

work.

But he will bring it to completion.

He will finish what he has started but then if you look back at verse 6 I am

sure of this what is this that Paul is so sure about.

It's that next sentence that completes the verse.

He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

What good work might Paul be referring to here?

He is talking about the work of salvation that God had begun in the Philippians and the very fact that he will also

Complete it now.

Let's think about this.

This phrase that Paul uses and which I hope many of you have memorized he who began a good work.

He who began a good work, you know many a time when I have been a Christian for a while I

Can attend to.

I need to go back and recognize or remember what began this good work in me.

Sometimes I I'm doing so well spiritually be like, okay, you know, I've kind of gotten all

these Strengths as a believer.

I'm kind of doing fine God can God started this work and I can kind of move on and that's not really the

truth.

Is it the Galatians have attempted with that work when they began by faith and then started to go by works of the flesh?

But when we go back to the very beginning of our life No one here can say I began that

work.

I actually jumped across the case and from being a child of darkness into the child of light.

It is God who did that work in me and you and I need to go back and anchor ourselves in that.

Remember that it is God who is the one who started that work in us?

He is the one and so Paul could have said, you know, I started that work in you.

No, it is God who started that work in your Philippians.

Remember Lydia.

I was the one who spoke the gospel, but who opened your heart?

It was God who opened your heart.

So you could even listen to me and not just listen to me that you would submit to the gospel and not just submit to The gospel but

love the Lord so much that you would open your home and have Paul and Silas and everybody else come in.

Who did all that?

Was it Paul's mighty speech?

No, he actually says he's not very good in speech.

Was it Lydia's?

Wealth as a purple seller trader dealer.

No.

It was the work of God because he was the one who opened our heart as we read in Acts chapter 16 and each of

you here You need to go back and anchor yourself in where your work of salvation

began.

It is God who opened your heart and he's the one who began that good work in you

now if you think about the Philippians there is not just Lydia every single person there you can think of

we don't know if that girl who had that Demon out of her whether she came to faith in Christ.

But there are a few others there and I hope to bring them to your mind as we go through this text and unpack it For ourselves today, but

let's now we see that God is the one who began that work.

But it says he will bring it to completion.

He will bring it.

There is no Doubt about the fact that the work the project that he started in you is going to

be half complete.

It is certain that he will he will bring it to completion.

And if you think of Hebrews 1 We have it.

We remember Jesus Christ is the one who upholds the universe.

He's the one who and pastor Mike talked about this where Upholding is not just a static thing.

It is something that he he's the one who brought the Universe into existence and he's the one who carries it forth

and he will bring it to completion at the very last day.

So he's the one who carries it forth.

So when you read the word will bring it to completion, you know sometimes I look at my justification.

I look at my glorification and I know my Justification has occurred because God started it.

I know my glorification is assured because God Promises it that there is an eternal security

that I can be anchored in Christ.

But right now when I look at my salvation Sanctification.

It's like it's not it's not that curve that I would look for that is a steep incline.

I'm getting holier and holier each day.

But it's up down up and down up and down and even if I try to put a mean I don't know if it is upward or downward

he will Bring it to completion.

In fact, if some of you have an AS it talks about he will perfect it.

He's the one who's working in you through these ups and downs in order to make you conform you into the

image of Christ.

So that one day you will be blameless and spotless as you stand before the the throne.

There's just one last thing I want to comment on this verse 6 which is at the day of Jesus Christ

so when I first read this I thought this was The day of the Lord because you see the day of the Lord come many times in the Old

Testament and also in the new.

But this is actually distinct from the day of the Lord.

It is very close in time to the day of the Lord.

But it is not the same because the day of the Lord as you read in the Old Testament Is a day of judgment.

It is a day that is something that the people ought to be afraid of because the Lord is coming back.

He's the one who created this world we see in Genesis 1 1.

He is the one who has given life to all of the people here on earth and one day he's going to come back.

And he's going to come back as a judge and he's going to there is a day of reckoning.

And on that day of reckoning no one can stand before God and say God.

Here's what I've done.

I'm good.

Because all of the work that people do even the best intended actions are

tainted corrupted.

Soiled with blood with with sin there's nothing that can be pleasing before God so the day of the Lord

is a Terrifying day that people ought to be rightly afraid of because there is a consequence for the life that has been lived.

But that's not the day that Paul is talking about here there are

there are.

Some times in the there are several times in the New Testament.

Where you read the day of the Lord Jesus the day of Jesus Christ, and this is actually talking about.

And I think pastor Bob spoke about this in Sunday school as well when you look understand eschatology.

Well, there is a time when Christ is coming for his own for his those whom he has redeemed from

sin from hell.

And these are the ones who will receive the rewards at Christ appearing and that's the day that Paul is talking about

here because when Jesus Work was started in you and he who began a good work in you.

There was something that has happened and we're going to look at that a little more closely before we look at the rest of this passage.

But you might be thinking Who is the you that Paul is referring to in verse 6.

I am sure of this that he who began a good work in you.

There are some of you here where God has not begun that good work.

In fact, some of you may be thinking what is that good work?

I'm going to use verse 5 and verse 7 which are on either sides of verse 6 to Help us

understand who can have that assurance and who needs to have that work done in us this

morning.

The words that are there is one word that is in common in both verse 5 and verse

7.

Which are the either side of this verse that we are studying today.

And the word that I want to point you out to is the word gospel.

We're going to look more closely at what verse 5 and verse 7 mean.

But before we do that, I want to ask you the question What is the gospel?

Some of you can articulate it pretty well.

Many of you I hope can look back and smile as you think about the gospel.

But maybe for some of you you don't know what it is.

So maybe you just can't clearly state what it is.

Few months ago I was in Oakdale nursing home with brother Bob and the crew from BBC

and I asked them this question.

What is the gospel here are people dear people?

Many of them in wheelchairs some of them sleeping some of them trying to follow along as we are

singing and we are giving them the message and There was this lady in the corner of the room and I'm saying what is the

gospel and she yells out Jesus.

And I said yes.

It is Jesus because with Jesus you have great news.

Gospel means good news.

You have a great news when you have Jesus, but without Jesus you have horrible news terrible news.

A news that is that will shock you and Once you know, it will

bring terror into your heart.

What is the bad news that you have without Jesus because here's what I was alluding to earlier.

You each of us here.

Sometimes, you know, we think that our life is our own.

I'm just I came here because of my parents.

Wrong it's not your parents who created you.

It's your God who created you.

I Live my life because it's mine to live wrong.

You live every moment because God is the one who gives you the breath that you breathe in and breathe out any moment.

Now he can take it away.

Don't think about just the Oakdale folk as the ones who are on the verge of eternity.

To meet their maker every one of us is because we live here because God chooses to give us this life

and so when I finish this life and I have to go back to my maker and I am Asked for

to give an account for the life that I give.

I Remember when I was when I was not saved I used to think I do do a lot of good things.

Those should count for something and if our if God is a benevolent God a good God

maybe he will take that and Take away some of the bad things that I clearly know I have done and

The Bible does talk about our God as a benevolent God.

He's a God who gives us many good things.

But he's also a holy God.

He's a God who cannot countenance evil.

He cannot countenance sin and the sin that even repulses me.

Cannot ever co -exist in the presence of God.

So when I come before him you have a nuclear explosion.

This sin has to be dealt with and if I go before God bearing my sin on my own and thinking somehow I can

wiggle past him into heaven I am in for a deep

shock because That sin will be judged and the penalty of that sin is an

eternity in hell away from the benevolence of God and instead facing the wrath of God and

That's why we have really bad news without Jesus.

So Jesus comes.

He comes because none of us is capable of living that perfect life.

He comes as the Sin bearer he lives this 33 years of perfect

obedience.

No sin, not even one and then when he finishes his life of righteous obedience to the Father.

Where his his will is always conformed to the will of the Father.

Never once does he say my will be done, but thy will be done.

He goes on the cross.

He dies on the cross in my stead so that the sin that I committed

can be placed upon him because he didn't deserve to die and He takes the wrath of God for those

three hours while he's hanging on the on the tree saying, you know I love so much as

to give my life as a Substitute for Pradeep and for John

and for Bob and every single one who would trust in him.

That's a simple gospel.

The gospel is Jesus lives that life.

I couldn't live and he gives it to me freely.

Would I trust in what he has done?

So when now when I go before God on the day of the Lord Jesus Christ, not the day of the Lord God God the

Father sees me not as one who is sinful but one whose sins have been paid for

by Jesus Christ.

It's a very simple transaction and God alone accomplishes it on our behalf.

So that's the gospel the gospel.

The good news is that my sins have been paid by Jesus Christ and I am now a child of the King.

I'm no longer under the wrath of God.

I no longer will merit Hell, but I get to inherit heaven.

So that's the gospel.

So now let's look back at the Philippians and how the gospel had worked in their lives.

So if you go back from verse 6 to verse 5, in fact, let me read the section.

So you have the continuity there.

In verse 3 and 4 Paul is praying for them with joy because of your Partnership in the

gospel from the first day until now.

What is the partnership to the Philippians had with Paul?

I?

Can assure you it was not a partnership in humanism.

It was not a partnership in social aid to the poor people in Philippi.

It was not a partnership in good works that would commend themselves as Nice people,

but it was a partnership in the gospel but let's talk about what that word partnership is the partner is the word

partnership comes from koinonia, which most of us know as Fellowship there is a fellowship that

the Philippians and the and and Paul had in one thing, which is the gospel

and How did that look like?

So we need to go back to act 16.

You don't need to turn there I'll just refer to it.

So the Philippians and Paul had a fellowship a Unity in the gospel the good news that

was.

That existed in Philippi when Paul was in their midst so If you look at the end of verse 5,

there are two bookends there from the first day until now.

So the Philippians partnered with Paul in the gospel and here this is a short term for the gospel

ministry.

That was going on the good news that was coming that came into the city of Philippi and then there was spreading out

there these Philippians Partnered or fellowship with Paul.

How did they do that?

Think about that what I referred to when when we read Acts chapter 16 right at the beginning.

No Christians there.

Lydia was a God -fearer, which means she was a Gentile who had started to Love

Yahweh of the Old Testament.

So she was trying to gather with the Jewish people there.

They probably didn't have enough people to have a synagogue.

So here they were meeting by the riverside and you know Paul's custom his custom was to first come among the Jewish people give them the

truth about the Messiah so they would follow the one that Yahweh was speaking of and.

And then when he gets rejected he would go to the Gentiles.

But here he comes to the riverside and here is this God -fearer Lady Lydia.

She is worshiping God of the Old Testament and she gets her eyes open.

She gets to see that the Messiah that God had promised is Jesus Christ.

He is the one who has come to save her from her sin.

So the gospel first impacts her as she comes to faith in Jesus Christ and the moment her heart

was open.

Her house was open in fact.

The way the language says that she prevailed upon Paul and Silas and the crew to stay in her home.

Because she wanted the gospel not just to reach her and be a her own position.

But rather that it would be a position that goes out to the rest of the city as well.

So that was the first day the first convert in Europe.

Lydia Was also fellowshipping in the gospel with Paul.

As the gospel went out in Philippi, but then it ends with until now.

How were the Philippians?

Helping Paul.

Partnering with Paul in the gospel while Paul is writing this Paul at this point in time is

actually writing from Rome.

He's in a prison in Rome and In Philippians 2 you get to see that there

is one of the Philippians themselves who is with Paul Epaphroditus and The Philippians had been

sending support to Paul in his missionary work.

Because their hearts we get to read this in Corinthians the Philippians Loved

the Lord they Wanted out of their poverty to support the people

of God and the ministry of the gospel because they loved God so much so.

And this was done in a way not because not just writing a check they gave themselves first to the Lord.

Wholly because they know that everything they have belongs to him and out of that.

They said we want to support Paul who is giving the gospel to people that others may know this wonderful news of Jesus Christ.

So they sent money to support Paul's ministry.

They sent Epaphroditus who went out there to Help Paul while he is in his chain that the

gospel may go forth from there.

So from the first day until now these people were not just two people who were who received the gospel and said this is my private

Possession they were people who loved the Lord so that they ministered with Paul in his afflictions.

Now that's the beginning in verse 5.

Now, let's move to verse 7 and this actually gives you the reason for the confidence that Paul

has of The work of God in the life of the Philippians.

So in in verse 7 Paul explains why he he is confident

that the work that God has begun in the Philippians will indeed come to Completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

He says it is right for me to feel this way about you all because I

hold you in my heart.

For you are all partakers with me of grace both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of

the gospel.

Just a brief note about the first two sentences before we look at the the second half of this verse

Paul says it's right for me to feel this way.

I Hold you in my heart.

If you are like me you're thinking feel and holding in heart don't seem to kind of

Resonate with what I'm used to hearing here from this pulpit why.

Because we see a culture Where feeling has been driving

our actions, right?

If it feels good do it.

I I Feel a great deal of love for this young lady, and I'm gonna marry her forget the fact that I'm already

married.

It feels good.

I have a You can fill the blanks, you know.

There is a lot of things that our culture feels is Good and just thinks that must be right because I feel good.

It ought to be good.

So when I read a verse like this, I'm thinking wait, wait, wait, is that what Paul is saying?

So you look more closely at the verse the word that Paul uses here the word used here is freneo and

the word freneo is not just a feeling devoid of truth or

Just an emotion that is completely disconnected from the intellect.

This word contains both the feeling as well as the thinking.

They are both Connected together.

Even the word heart that comes later can is that being who you are?

It is not just an emotion but is emotion connected with your mind and your thinking.

So you want when you think?

Read these two sentences.

That's what you want to be thinking of it is it is a feeling that is not disconnected from the truth or the

application of your mind and For us here at BBC do you want to be thinking of that?

Correctively as well, you know.

We do want feelings.

Feelings are not sinful as long as they flow from the right thinking as long as they flow from the

truth.

So if I feel good about something that is sinful I ought to say that is wrong, but I ought to feel good

about those things that are right.

So right now if I don't have a lot of compassion for the lost in my in here in BBC or in the town

I ought to have that I my splegna my my being needs to cry out for those people people in need

and so forth.

That's really how This word freneo comes my thinking needs to be right and out of that

my feeling ought to flow and in Verse 7 really what you see is this tenderness of Paul for the

Philippians here was Philip Paul.

He it wasn't just a short period of time.

Remember it starts with Lydia.

He's been ministering for a while and then finally gets kicked out with the after being in jail but

Paul knows these people how they've come to the Lord and the love that they have for the Lord and He has deep

affection for them as he even writes this verse 7.

Because he holds them in his heart and then you think of it as a step ladder in the end of verse 7.

He gives you the reason why he is so confident about them for you are all partakers

with me of grace.

You are all partakers with me of grace.

He could have said you are all Co -workers with me in putting your blood sweat and tears in accomplishing the work

of God in Philippi.

No, the reason he is confident of that.

God will finish the work is because they Partook it's actually similar to the word fellowship.

It is in my mind and from the English language I'm thinking you know, it's like eating something.

You know, you you've gotten the grace of God.

What is grace?

Grace is free unmerited favor.

This is something that I completely did not deserve.

The Philippians are not going to have God's work finish in them because they were smarter richer more pretty more beautiful, whatever.

There's nothing in them.

It is all free.

God is the one who gave that grace to them.

They have received that grace and therefore God who began that work in them will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus

Christ.

Paul knows these Philippians as he has seen the work of God in their lives as they have partaken of grace even as

he has and Therefore Paul is confident of the work, but there's a little bit more in

verse 7.

He says how were you partakers with me of grace both in my imprisonment and in the defense and

confirmation of the gospel?

Paul could be referring to either of the imprisonments here.

He could be referring first and foremost to the imprisonment right there in Philippi.

You remember when he was when he got that Demon out of the

girl the owners put them in jail and there he was in the in

the prison and You could be thinking of many things the scripture doesn't tell us this here

but Paul himself was a recipient of grace while he was a prisoner in

Philippi.

Let me just take a moment here to explain this so We know for sure one person got saved

because Paul went to jail in Philippi.

It's a Philippian jailer, right?

So let's just take that moment out expand that and then hopefully you'll get a sense of what this partaking of grace means.

So here is Paul and let me begin with Paul.

Paul was beaten unjustly.

Paul and Silas and they are bleeding.

They are Injured they are not treated and not only are they in jail.

But they are in the inner dungeon and not only are they in the inner dungeon.

But they have their feet and hands in stocks.

They can move there in an extremely uncomfortable position and it is dark because you know later the

Jailer had to bring light to see what was going on.

So these were the conditions he is in and Paul ought to have said Oh god, why or not?

This is happening.

My ministry is getting hindered.

Please get me out of here so I can go and do the gospel work that you want me to do.

Is that what Paul said?

No, we read Paul and Silas they were praising God they were singing songs.

They were praying to God and what was the result of this partaking of grace that was going on in Paul's life.

All the prisoners there were actually listening.

There was the gospel going out right there in them in the midnight where Paul beaten and

and Deeply injured here is thanking God for what is happening.

And who knows how many of those prisoners are right there in Philippi reading this letter as they've said that's when I got to be a

partaker of grace that came to Philippi and Not only that you get the

earthquake and this is a very interesting kind of earthquake because this is not an earthquake that damaged things.

It was an earthquake that opened things it opened the gate to the prison.

It opened the shackles of the prisoners.

So all of these people could have left and in fact this happened once earlier in the book of Acts with Peter and Peter had to

Reminded by the angel nudged out of the jail.

Hey, you know, it's supposed to escape now because Paul he thought it was just a vision.

But in this particular case, it was not meant for the escape of Paul.

But it was meant for the salvation of the jailer.

So the jailer sees the open doors thinks everybody's gone here.

He is accountable to Rome and for honor's sake wants to commit suicide.

But Paul and Silas hadn't escaped and by the way, neither had none of the other prisoners.

Makes you think why but Paul calls out and tells him all of us are here not one of them had escaped

the prison jailer comes in gets to see something that is

Not natural here is a supernatural work of God and he says what must I do to be

saved.

You'd think Paul would say hey, you know, you're a Gentile.

Here's a copy of the Torah.

Go ahead and read it and you can figure out how to do what God wants you to do.

That's not what Paul said concert repent and believe believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved you and your whole

household.

That's it trust in him.

That's the reason I live the way I live my life.

Why am I singing in the middle of the night?

Because I'm a partaker of grace and here you have the jailer who becomes a partaker of grace now that could be the imprisonment

that Paul is referring to how they were with him particles of grace in the in the in the

Imprisonment or they could be talking about Rome because here is Paul in Rome as and you'll see in

in verse 12 and beyond the prison the jailers in Rome got to get to see the

Gospel because Paul being there in jail and the Philippians were supporting Paul

in Philippi.

They had sent Epaphroditus and they were connected with him.

They were just not sending him a check, but they were involved in the ministry that was going on in Rome as well.

But when you look at those two words defense and confirmation of the gospel the word defense means Comes from

apologia, which is apologetics.

You give a reason for the hope that is in you first Peter 315.

And so there is Paul time and again is constantly asked.

Why do you proclaim Jesus?

You know when the Jews ask him he explains how Jesus is the Messiah from the Old Testament when the Gentiles ask him here is The Savior

the King the one to whom he owes his allegiance and talks about the gospel so that's the defense the reason for the hope that

he has that one day he will see God and be right with him and then the confirmation of the

gospel if you want to think of defense as defense as the Negative or the giving the reason

when you're questioned the confirmation is the positive proclamation that goes with it.

So, you know Paul goes there everywhere He goes he gives the gospel the good news.

Positively verbally and with his life and so in both his defense and in the confirmation of the gospel the

Philippians were partakers With him so from the time Lydia gets saved to the time when the

jailer gets saved and then he is kicked out of town.

You get to see these people Involved in the defense and the confirmation of the gospel.

Because they were partakers of grace with him.

So my question for you as we wrap up is this I meant I began by saying I have twofold purpose

one is for those who?

Do not know Jesus and the other is for those who do know Jesus.

So if you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I want you to know.

Neither did Lydia neither did the Philippian jailer before Paul came into

their town brought to them by God.

Remember Paul came to Philippi because he had that vision for the Macedonian person calling

and so they Redirected their they canceled some flights and took some others to get to where they needed to be.

So Paul by divine appointment brought the gospel to Lydia and To the jailer

as you're hearing the gospel this morning.

I want you to know it's God who opened the heart of Lydia.

God who brought conviction in the life of the jailer.

You know where your heart is.

You know you can't meet your maker without righteousness of Christ.

What prevents you?

From trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

And Trust is all it takes.

The Philippian jailer didn't have to do anything other than repent of his sin.

Repent means turning completely away from.

It's not saying I'm going to clean up all my sin.

It just says I recognize the horror that my sin is and I do not want to

Follow after the path that I've lived.

I turn around 180 degrees and I want to follow after Christ, and I believe for the work that Jesus has

done on my behalf.

And The Bible says that God gives you a new heart.

He gives you new desires for the things of God.

The things that you currently love you will begin to hate and the things that you didn't care about you will begin

to love and follow in the way of your master.

And The Bible says in verse 6 he who began a good work in you will

bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ Jesus anyone who comes to Christ

He will by no means cast out.

You can trust in the very Word of God that he will Finish what he

starts in you.

For those of you who are believers, but are struggling in your walk today I want you to think about the question.

Where is Lydia today?

We can be assured that she is in heaven in the presence of God.

Did Lydia have problems with her trades.

Business going down.

Could she have had problem persecution from the city because in Corinthians?

We do find that the church in Philippi was severely persecuted.

Maybe they had lost past against dealers of purple in Philippi.

Maybe she had her own crisis of faith as she was going through these.

But he who began a good work in Lydia brings it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

So if you are struggling today with your Salvation you want to ask yourself the question.

This was start very clearly in Sunday school this morning.

Where is your confidence?

Is your confidence on the finished work of Jesus Christ?

How do you deal with those failures that you struggle with?

Are you looking at them and saying Lord?

I?

Need help.

What are you saying?

Yeah, I don't really care about this if you're the former.

You know that you have a very present help in your time of need if you are the latter.

You go back and say has God really opened my heart and the one who

began that good work in you will bring it to Completion at the day of Jesus Christ as we close.

I want you to just think about Peter the Apostle Peter.

Here was this guy who said you are the Christ the Son of the Living God and the very next time says you know You shall not go to the cross.

Goes up goes down.

Jesus even calls him get thee behind me Satan Jesus.

Peter was the one who said even if Everyone rejects you I will follow you even unto death.

And then when the servant girl asked him.

You are one of the followers.

He says I never knew him and brings curses upon his own head.

Here was the Peter in Acts 2 who gives this great proclamation of the gospel thousands get saved.

Then we read in Galatians 1 he's afraid of the Judaizers and goes tanking if you and I

relied upon the Strength of character of Peter or Paul or Lydia or the Philippian

jailer we'd be in for deep trouble but you and I Look

at Jesus Christ the servant of whom Paul was who's stick writing these words to

us.

Jesus Christ is the only one who never failed never faltered never questioned the work of God.

And he's the one who has done that work for us and he's the one who will finish that in our lives.

So with that we want to rest in the finished work of Christ knowing that he who did begin that work

will complete it.

My project.

I don't know how much hope I have for but I have a lot of confidence that the work that God begins Will always end.

Well, let us pray a loving and gracious father.

We thank you for Jesus.

We thank you for your love.

That you cared for us.

To save us rescue us deliver us from our bondage.

We thank you for your spirit who is here with us to open our hearts

to help us to trust you and To walk in those paths that you have

prepared for us for your glory in Christ name.

We pray.

Amen.