Christ is the Strengthener

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Philippians 4:10-14 Pastor Rob Kimsey July 2, 2023

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That is chapter 4, verses 10 through 14. The letter of Paul to the
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Philippians, chapter 4, 10 through 14. And I've titled today's sermon,
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Christ is the Strengthener. Christ is the
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Strengthener. Philippians 4, 10 through 14. Let's read. And I'll be reading today out of the
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Legacy Standard Bible. But I rejoiced in the
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Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived, thinking about me.
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Indeed, you were thinking about me before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I learned to be content in whatever circumstances
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I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in abundance.
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In any and all things, I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
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I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to fellowship with me in my affliction.
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Christ is the Strengthener. Today's passage is about contentment, contentment.
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The point Paul is making in this section is what is the source of true contentment or joy.
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The apostle wrote this letter in 62 AD at the end of his first Roman imprisonment.
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Philippi was the first town in Macedonia where Paul established a church during the apostle's second missionary journey.
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Philippi means City of Philip. It received its name from Philip II of Macedon, who was the father of Alexander the
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Great. Philippians prided themselves on being citizens of Rome.
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It was mainly a Gentile population, meaning there were not enough
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Jews to form a synagogue in Philippi. The church founded by Paul likely initially met at Lydia's home.
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Lydia was one of the earliest converts of the congregation. Paul visited Philippi twice during his third missionary journey.
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The Philippian congregation supported Paul. They sent Paul a gift, a financial gift, and fellow believer
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Epaphroditus to minister to Paul when hearing of his imprisonment.
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He wrote to express his thanks for the Philippians' gift and to inform the
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Philippians why he sent back Epaphroditus due to illness. Paul wanted to inform them of his circumstances in Rome and to exhort them to unity and to warn against false teachers.
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And he relayed his joy and rejoicing in all his circumstances resulting from the ministry of the gospel.
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Paul enclosed, really finished this letter out with a final exhortation to live in unity, to be joyful in their circumstances, and to continue in prayer in all things.
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Paul stated that he was grateful for the Philippians' generosity in their support for his spiritual and physical needs in his gospel ministry.
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In verses 10 through 14, Paul tells the secret of being content in all circumstances so that you can find strength in Christ in every situation in life.
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Two secrets of contentment for everyday life as a Christian. Number one, the joy is the product of being content in your circumstances.
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Joy is the product of being content in your circumstances.
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We'll look at that in verses 10 and 11. And the second is that the source of true inner peace is found only in the power of Christ.
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We'll see that in verses 12 and 14. Two secrets of contentment for everyday life.
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Number one, joy is the product of being content in your circumstances.
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So let's look again at verses 10 and 11. Paul says, but I rejoiced in the
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Lord greatly that now at last you have revived thinking about me.
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Indeed, you were thinking about me before, but you lacked opportunity. So right off the bat,
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Paul transitions from his two imperative commands of considering and practicing from verses 8 and 9 to the theme of joy and rejoicing.
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Paul is talking about being in a state of happiness and well -being to rejoice or to be glad.
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So what is Paul rejoicing over? It's not the divine peace of God, although Paul certainly would have been filled with joyful contentment.
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This letter is evidence that Paul was filled with the peace of God and divine contentment.
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Paul says he rejoiced in the Philippians revived thinking about him, their care and concern for him while he is in imprisonment and house arrest in Rome.
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But an important observation here is not what Paul is rejoicing over, but what
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Paul is rejoicing in. He's glad at the circumstance of support and care, but he's got well -being, happiness in the
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Lord, joy in the Lord. Paul recognizes the true source of the provision is
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God, not the Philippian congregation. And this gives us a really important window into Paul's thinking, how he thought about God's role in his circumstances, both good and bad circumstances.
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Paul had a high view of God and related his joy and trust in God's sovereignty.
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His gratitude towards the Philippians were expressed in his joy in the
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Lord. He gave God the credit for the earthly gift, for the earthly provision. God had used the
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Philippians as a means to bless Paul in their expression of love and the generous gift they had sent him.
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Paul acknowledges this is from God and he wants to drive home this point and put a strong emphasis on his state of gladness and well -being in the
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Lord. He makes the rejoicing an emphatic expression by adding the adverb translated greatly.
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This is the Greek word megalos. This is used to strengthen a verb. It means very much or great.
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This is great rejoicing, mega rejoicing. This is megalos rejoicing.
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Throughout the letter, Paul gives us a powerful example of how we can be content in every circumstance.
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That's why he can give the command for the Philippians to rejoice in their circumstances.
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So let's look at Paul's other uses of the word in the letter, rejoice.
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The first time Paul uses the word rejoice is in Philippians chapter 1 verse 18. So you can flip there if you want.
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And this is just so necessary for our review, and I know we keep hitting these marks, but we really need to understand what
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Paul is talking about because the word he's using for joy isn't necessarily the way we think of it.
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Joy. Now this is beyond just happiness or fleeting temporal security.
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This is a divine inner peace, a contentment. So let's look at chapter 1 verse 18.
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And really this section here goes back to the purpose of the letter and Paul updating the Philippian congregation of his circumstances, really in chapter 1 verse 12.
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Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my chains in Christ have become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brothers, having become confident in the
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Lord because of my chains, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
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Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from goodwill.
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The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
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The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me affliction in my chains.
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What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this
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I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice. Philippians 1 12 through 18.
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Paul is basically saying, what does it matter? What does it matter? So what?
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He says, so what? Paul's question demonstrates that verses 15 through 17 in chapter 1 are one logical flow of thought.
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Now he asks a rhetorical question that he will answer. The total fallout or consequence from his imprisonment had been to advance the gospel, for the furtherance of the gospel.
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This is an amazing perspective. Paul gives us a truly wonderful example of trusting
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God to the point of rejoicing in the midst of suffering, rejoicing in the trials of life.
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Paul's joy was not related to his personal circumstances. Paul was a gospel proclaimer.
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His joy was not determined by his rivals or his critics. His joy was bound up in Christ.
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Our joy must be bound up in our hope in Jesus. Paul was so convinced of his position in Christ that he was joyful when the gospel was proclaimed.
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That's what Paul was worried about, the gospel. Paul was so convinced of this that it didn't matter his earthly circumstances.
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Wherever he was, whatever he was doing, he was telling people about God, the
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God who saves. He's telling people about the Christ, about his master, the
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King, Jesus Christ. That's what Paul's life was about. Therefore, the earthly circumstances were just sort of there.
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He had to deal with them. We all have to deal with reality. We live in this world, but there's something greater we can put our eyes on.
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We can look past this physical horizon. It's something much sweeter and much more beautiful.
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Heaven. No, Paul was convinced of his position. He preached the gospel no matter what.
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He did not require the credit. He required the gospel to be proclaimed, right?
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Paul was not in it for himself. He was in it for Christ. His life was Christ.
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Paul's life was built around proclaiming the gospel. The apostle endured false accusations.
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Not only did he not become resentful and bitter against them, he rejoiced that these detractors preached
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Christ. He knew for them it was in a pretense, as in a falsely alleged motive, an attempt to make something that is not the case appear to be true.
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This is significant because it conveys the idea of other designs of Paul's opponents, as in using the name of Christ to promote their own interests or the interests of their own group in order to gain new converts.
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They had a pretense of godliness, but it was fake. And Paul is saying in this passage, he will rejoice in the gospel being proclaimed publicly.
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This is important because Paul would rejoice despite the wrong motives of a few people.
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Paul's joy came from the public proclamation of the gospel, not his physical circumstances and even the relationships within those circumstances.
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He didn't care about the wrong motives of people that were preaching. He didn't care who got the credit.
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Paul's joy was in the gospel, so he could rejoice in the present and in the future because he knew the gospel was being proclaimed, even if the preachers had wrong motives.
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And that's what it means to have joy in the Lord and to have your life bound up in the gospel, right?
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You credit God with being in control and you make your life about the business of the gospel.
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The next time he uses the word rejoice is actually in chapter 2. It's chapter 2 verse 17, so we'll look at this passage.
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Following Paul's command to have the way of thinking in themselves that Christ had, he's challenging them to live with humility.
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And in chapter 2, really verses 14 through 18, Paul says, do all things without grumbling or disputing so that you will be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to boast because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.
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But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all and you also rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
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Paul is not living his life for himself. His joy isn't tied up with whatever his personal ambitions are.
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He's not about making sure Paul gets what Paul wants. Paul isn't living for himself.
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By living for Christ, he lives for others. Paul is simply referring to his own personal and sacrificial ministry to the believers in Philippi because if Paul had to die,
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Paul was ready. Paul was content. Paul was ready to die because he knew he had served the
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Philippians by helping them to live for the glory of Christ. Have you ever considered that serving others produces joy?
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How does a person rejoice if they think they're going to be killed soon? Paul's example of rejoicing is the result of an effective joy that only comes from serving other believers in the body despite personal cost.
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This joy is founded first in service to the Lord. Paul can rejoice because his joy is not tied to his earthly circumstance.
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Paul can be joyful over giving up his life for the Philippians because his hope and joy is anchored in the
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Lord Jesus. If your joy is determined by avoiding daily adversity, it will be impossible for you to serve others.
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Paul's joy was tied to his service to other people. A transition will happen for you when your desire to serve others is stronger than your desire to serve yourself.
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You will experience joy no matter the negative circumstances of your present struggle and the transition is from horizontal to vertical.
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What are you putting your time in? What are you putting your perspective into? Personal ministry to others is a reason to rejoice, not the circumstances.
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When you are a hundred percent committed to serving the Lord Jesus, you will be filled with joy no matter the circumstances.
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We ought to consider others' interest is more important than our own because this links us with Christ and it directly correlates to inner contentment and joy.
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Christ is our true example of humility. Serving him brings joy in the life of the
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Christian as we seek to serve others. It's interesting to note that following Paul's expression of joy in verse 17 of chapter 2, the rest of the time he uses the word is as an encouragement or command for the
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Philippians to have joy. As in chapter 2, 18, yes, you should rejoice and I will share your joy, right?
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It's a spiritual father to his spiritual children. He's saying, if I can do it, you can do it.
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He says, see, look at my circumstances. Not great, but yet I can rejoice.
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Now, you can too. If I can do it, you can do it. Speaking of Epaphroditus, Paul said, therefore,
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I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again, you may rejoice and I may be less concerned.
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That's chapter 2, verse 28. Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the
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Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me and it is a safeguard for you.
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Chapter 3, verse 1. And finally, chapter 4, verse 4. Rejoice in the Lord always.
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Again, I will say rejoice. If I can do it, you can do it.
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That's what Paul is, he's wanting to get them to see this. Paul says he rejoiced in the
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Philippians revived thinking about him, right? So, if you're still kind of there in chapter 2 or just going back and forth with maybe even 3, go back to 4.
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Let's return to verse 10 here. Look at, he's rejoicing over their revived thinking.
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The second part of chapter 4, verse 10 should not be taken as a dig against the
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Philippians. The word revived conveys being in a state identical with a previous state, right?
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So, the Greek sense of the earth blooming. This is the word, to grow up again, to bloom again.
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So, this is not a negative thing he's saying toward the Philippians. Paul had previously mentioned the circumstances of their support earlier in the letter, even in chapter 2, verse 25, when he related the circumstances for which he sent back
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Epaphroditus. He says, meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you.
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He is a true brother, co -worker, and fellow soldier, and he was your messenger to help me in my need.
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I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill.
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And he certainly was ill. In fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him and also on me so that I would not have one sorrow after another.
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So, I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then
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I will not be so worried about you. Welcome him in the Lord's love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve.
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For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn't do from far away.
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You see that? From far away. Chapter 2, that's verses 25 through 30. So, when you look at verse 10 compared with chapter 2 verse 30, you can see that verse 10 is not a negative or cynical comment.
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Paul is not saying that they ever stopped supporting him. He is saying that they didn't have the means, but now
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God has made a way for them to help. Right? I like this translation of verse 10.
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How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me.
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The reviving signifies a history of concern and support from the
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Philippians to Paul. As Paul mentions in chapter 4 verses 15 and 16, we know this isn't the first time they have supported his ministry.
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And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel after I left
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Macedonia, no church fellowshiped with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone.
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For even in Thessalonica, you sent a gift more than once for my needs. The church in Paul had a history, and Paul is extremely grateful and joyful that they are still supporting him.
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He could have a great joy and see the Lord's providence in how his dear
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Philippians were still concerned for him. After all this time, they haven't forgotten about him, and he knows that, so he's acknowledging that in this portion of his letter.
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He says, not that I speak from want, for I learn to be content in whatever circumstances
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I am. Verse 11 clearly demonstrates that Paul is not rejoicing in the earthly provision alone.
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From a human perspective, of course he would have been glad for the physical provision of the gift, right?
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He's in Rome in a house arrest. He's in prison by these guards. Of course he would have been extremely grateful.
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He needs that, but his rejoicing in verse 10 is greater than just receiving a physical gift or physical provision.
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Paul wants to make his joy over their concern to be clear. He says, I am extremely joyful, and I know this is from God that you have now provided for me when before you didn't have the opportunity.
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But he wanted it to be clear that he's not speaking from any lack or want. He's saying the condition of lacking, that which is essential, does not apply here.
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The word want is expressing a need, right? Lack or poverty, and he wants to make it clear that he is not.
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This is direct conveyance of meaning with an utterance and words to say, to tell, to give an expression to something.
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And Paul says, I am not expressing this joy in the for your gift and your concern from a place of lacking or need.
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No, this is about reliance for Paul. Of course the gift and concern are an encouragement, but he is not relying on them.
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It's clear that Paul is grateful, but he's not writing in a way to solicit more gifts.
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This isn't a send me more money letter. He's not soliciting them to send more.
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The Greek word translated content literally means self -sufficient, self -sufficient.
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So now we may ask, why is Paul using this kind of language that means self -sufficient?
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An important distinction needs to be made here. Paul isn't saying he himself is adequate or enough to persevere.
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Paul cannot be talking about himself as the source of the contentment because we see in verse 13 that Christ is the source of the contentment because Christ is the strengthener.
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Paul is relying on Christ, therefore he is strengthened by Christ. In verse 11,
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Paul isn't using the very specific word content as a way to promote his own self -reliance.
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No, quite the opposite. Paul is using the word to communicate a way in which the expression can be interpreted of his being independent of the circumstances.
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He's independent of the circumstances. Paul is content or self -sufficient independent of his present circumstances because his all -sufficient source for life is
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Jesus Christ, the living Lord Jesus. And not just his present circumstances, but in all circumstances.
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And he uses a relative pronoun here that can be translated who, which, what, or that, hence the translation whatever.
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It encompasses any and every kind of possible or potential scenario.
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It's conveying any and all scenarios. Whatever may come my way,
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I will be content because I am independent of my circumstances and I rely not on my own strength, but the one who is my
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God, Christ, the strengthener. That's what Paul is communicating. The reason
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Paul can be self -sufficient in any circumstance is because he is not self -reliant.
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He is Christ -reliant. He's not self -reliant. He looks at Christ as his source.
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And this is in the realm of being satisfied regardless of the situation, indicating independence from any necessity for assistance.
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John Calvin is helpful here. The French theologian reformer
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Calvin writes this, he says, here we have a second correction by which he guards against it being suspected that his spirit was cowering and broken down by adversities.
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The first correction was in verse 10. As Calvin points out, Paul qualifies what he had said that he may not seem to reprove their negligence in the past.
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He says, therefore, that they had formerly too been concerned respecting him, but that the circumstances of the times had not admitted of his being sooner relieved by their kindness toward him.
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Thus, he throws the blame upon the want of opportunity. In verse 11, it was of importance that his consistency or constancy in moderation should be known by the
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Philippians to whom he was a pattern of life. Accordingly, he declares that he had been gratified by their liberality in such a way that he could at the same time endure want with patience.
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Want refers here to disposition, for that man can never be poor in mind who is satisfied with a lot which has been assigned to him by God.
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In what state I am, says he, that is, whatever my condition may be,
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I am satisfied with it. Why? Because saints know that they thus please
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God. Hence, they do not measure sufficiency by abundance, but by the will of God, which they judge of by what takes place, for they are persuaded that their affairs are regulated by his providence and good pleasure.
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That's a very helpful quote. I believe what Calvin is referring to here when he says the saints know they please
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God and that we know we have peace with God. That's because of Jesus.
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Jesus left his peace with us. For this reason, we do not measure sufficiency by abundance, but by the will of God as we acknowledge by our earthly circumstances.
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In this, we are persuaded that our situation is regulated by providence and the good pleasure of God.
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That was Paul's perspective, right? That was Paul's perspective. Joy is the product of being content in your circumstances.
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And now, Paul will explain the source of his trust. The source of true inner peace is found only in the power of Christ.
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We'll see in verses 12 through 14, Paul goes on to explain the secret of the contentment he has and its source in Christ.
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I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in abundance in any and all things.
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I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
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A few things to observe from verse 12. The first part of the verse has a unique grammar construction.
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It actually is two verbs connected with a conjunction. The first verb is to know.
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It does not reflect having information. It means to understand how to do something, to understand how to do something.
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The conjunction is a marker of connection, often translated and, but it is literally translated here and also.
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The second verb is to get along with humble means. It can sometimes be used to communicate the idea of causing someone to lose prestige as in status or to cause to become humble in attitude.
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But that isn't what Paul is talking about here. When he says, I know how to get along with humble means, he is referring to making himself subject to strict discipline.
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He says, I know how to discipline myself. Right? He knows how to exercise discipline and get through times of little to zero provision.
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And there are two, I know statements in the first part of the verse, I know how to get along with humble means.
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And I also know how to live in abundance. The tense of the verb signifies that an action has been completed in the past and that the effects of that action are some way relevant in the present.
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So something that's happened in the past is still affecting you now in the present. So Paul explains his knowing how to live with lack or, or with blessing by explaining this statement in the first part of verse 12.
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Paul explains that he has been filled and he has experienced abundance.
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And these terms are revealing that Paul is thinking of food. This is physical provision for the body, right?
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Clothing, necessities, the idea of abundance and being filled hints at physical provision, physical.
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The term being filled means to fill with food, to fill with food in the realm of animals.
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One commentator pointed this out, the Greek word translated being filled was used of feeding and fattening animals.
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Paul knew how to be content when he had plenty to eat and when he was deprived of enough to eat.
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The secret Paul learned is referring to his knowing how to live as a
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Christian in both circumstances, both circumstances, both realities, right?
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Going hungry or abundance. He was content no matter the circumstances.
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The circumstances did not change his contentment because he knew the
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Lord would provide him what was necessary in any situation. What is necessary, right?
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And for Paul, this is not theoretical. This is not a research paper. This is not theoretical living.
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He's, this isn't conjecture or speculation. Paul is speaking from experience. Remember, Paul wrote
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Philippians in Rome in 62 AD toward the end of his first Roman imprisonment.
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But look at what Paul says about going hungry in 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 4, 11 through 13, he says, to this present hour, we hunger and thirst and are poorly clothed and are roughly treated and homeless.
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And we labor, working with our own hands. And when we are reviled, we bless.
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And when we are persecuted, we endure. When we are slandered, we try to plead.
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We have become as the scum of the world, the grime of all things, even until now.
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You want a proof passage on how you're supposed to respond to unbelievers and sin and unrighteousness in the world in a generation of perversion?
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How should we be interacting with those that are enemies of our Lord? This is how.
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This is how. When you're slandered, what do you do? You try to plead.
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You don't slander back, right? When you're reviled, what do you do? You bless.
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You don't revile back. He says that for them as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the
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Lord of Lord, the King of kings, they were the scum of the world. We have become the scum of the world.
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Is there any difference for us today? Is there any difference for us today?
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What must it take for us to see that we are here on earth to share the gospel with the lost?
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God saved you for this reason. Paul wrote the first letter to Corinthians from Ephesus in 55
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AD, right? So look at the timing. Philippians is 62,
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Corinthians is 55. He's already been through this. He's lived through this.
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This letter was written during his third missionary journey to the church at Corinth, and it was written as a response to questions they had.
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Paul then wrote the second letter several months after the first Corinthians letter. He wrote it from Philippi.
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This is 55, maybe 56. In 2 Corinthians 11 9, Paul talked about suffering need, and when
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I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone. For when the brothers came from Macedonia, they fully supplied my need, and in everything
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I kept and will keep myself from being a burden to you. So when
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Paul is writing this to the Philippians, this is not whimsical, silly talk. No, Paul has lived this.
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This was a man who had experienced hunger and who had suffered need.
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This was a man who spoke from experience. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in abundance.
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In any and all things, I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
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The apostle Paul knew how to be glad in his inner being, in his inner being, because he looked at life from the perspective of the divine, right?
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God's perspective, a heavenly perspective, and what I mean is focus. Paul focused on the divine things and his relationship to God.
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He intentionally set his gaze upon what he was supposed to do as a
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Christian. His focus was not on what he thought he should have or what he thought he deserved, because Paul set his priorities on the things of God.
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He was able to have a heart filled with thankfulness toward God and recognizing all that God had given him, including putting him in a prison.
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God gave him that too. We have a really amazing example here from Paul of separating ourselves from the things that don't really matter in life, right?
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The non -essential things that are really not absolutely necessary to living, and the point is that being deprived of comfort and not having everything we desire can be a good thing from God.
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Not having everything we want, and God keeps you from that, and he's good for doing that.
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Yeah, we need to get those temporal things out of our worldview, the material things, the things we desire, right?
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The point is that being deprived of comfort and not having the things that we want versus need, that is a mercy from God.
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That's not a trial. That's a good thing, and we see that that helps us focus on eternal things.
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When we're in the middle of a trial, it helps us to focus on heavenly things.
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Sometimes we can be sinful in wanting and even having a morbid desire for more possessions or for better things that are not necessities.
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They are preferences or desires that really, they're really a longing to fill an empty, an empty place in a person's life, right?
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Our Lord is helpful here. Jesus spoke about this in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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Matthew 6. This is very convicting because if our emotions swing like a pendulum, if we do or do not have what we desire or whether or not we have earthly provision, it may reveal a heart idol, right?
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Something you love more than God or in addition to God. It can be in addition to God that's a heart idol.
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Like a pendulum swings one way and there is provision and your mood is soaring, everything's great.
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Or if the pendulum swings the other way and you don't get what you want or you perceive you don't have what you need, then your mood is destroyed, right?
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If you draw close to worldly comforts in times of need, then you may have a heart idol that the
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Lord is exposing. And that's the question Paul provides for us this morning.
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To what are you drawn when you feel empty inside? To what are you drawn, what what are you drawn to when you are going through a trial or adversity?
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Paul is saying that I know from experience that I can intentionally discipline myself to live well when things are good or when things are bad.
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How can you find true contentment? Paul says the answer is in your perspective.
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What are you looking at? Are you looking around at your circumstances or are you looking up to God who controls your circumstances?
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The answer for true inner joy is in your priorities. So what is the most important thing in your life?
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What is the most important thing in your life? Is it accruing more wealth and possessions or is it loving
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God more and loving others more? One way to love God and others is by serving in the local church and evangelizing the lost.
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Having a godly perspective is very important. Having godly priorities is critical.
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Ultimately Paul says in order to find true contentment we need to remember our source of power.
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Paul's source of power was not his earthly riches or his provision in the earthly necessities.
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Paul's source was the Lord. He says I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
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Here we see the source of Paul's power. In some sense it is the gospel.
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We know that Paul is pointing to the gospel throughout the letter but this is personal. Of course
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Paul has inner contentment and joy because he has peace with God but you don't have the gospel without the
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Savior. Paul says, think about it like this, Paul doesn't say it is salvation that strengthens him in times of need.
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He says it is the one who grants salvation that strengthens him in his times of need.
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Jesus Christ, the author of salvation, this is about power in weakness.
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The verb Paul uses here translated I can means to have requisite personal resources to accomplish something, to have power, to be competent, to be able.
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His claim is an amazing truth we must grasp if we are to have true joy in the
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Lord with a complete lack of earthly necessities or personal resources. Paul can accomplish anything in every and all circumstances in the power of Christ.
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He refers here to the Lord Jesus. Paul's strength is not in the Philippians gift, his strength is in Jesus.
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The power to overcome is in the Christ. Paul talked about this in his second letter to the church in Corinth when he brought up asking
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God to remove his thorn in the flesh and he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you for power is perfected in weakness.
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Most gladly therefore I will rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
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Second Corinthians 12 9. It is the power to endure through the most difficult circumstances in life.
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It does not come from earthly provisions in life, it comes from the one who created life,
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Jesus of Nazareth who is the Christ. Strength is not found in the things provided in the creation, strength is found in the creator because Jesus is the strengthener.
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Consider Paul's words from the letter to the Colossians, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience joyously giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light who rescued us from the authority of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the son of his love in whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sins who is the image of the invisible
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God the firstborn of all creation for in him all things were created both in the heavens and on earth visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things hold together.
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This is a profound claim that Paul is making, I can do all things through him that strengthens me, through him who strengthens me.
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I mean what did it really Paul all things? Let's think about this for a second, can we really do everything?
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Well if Christ is the source we can. It's not the car, it's not the house, it's not the job, the job is not the source, we don't depend on man.
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The things in life come and go, the car, the house, the job, these things may come and may go but Jesus has come and he isn't going anywhere.
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No matter how temporary the things of this world are Jesus is not temporary, he is dependable.
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You cannot put your trust in the temporary things of this world. You can put your trust in the never changing and always present constant
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Jesus Christ because things change don't they? Yeah things change, it's a part of life, it's a constant in life actually.
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Jesus will never change so put your trust in him. The power that the
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Christian receives in his or her union with Christ is sufficient for all things. It is powerful, it's powerful to enable us to do his will.
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The power of Christ is more than sufficient for us as we face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing the will of our great
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God and Savior. His will is the key and that is an important distinction.
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This is not a prosperity gospel. No, we are supplied as God wills and in his will, meaning he will not grant us the ability to accomplish anything outside of his will.
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We can expect a supernatural enablement but never without regard to the interests of God the
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Father. For the believer, God's will is the sanctification of his children.
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For this is the will of God, your sanctification. For God did not call us to impurity but in sanctification, 1st
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Thessalonians 4. For the unbeliever, God's interest is salvation. Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance,
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God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, Acts 17.
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The apostle Peter talked about it like this in the context of answering those who claim God is slow to enact his promises.
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Peter wrote, the Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he's being patient for your sake.
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He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent, 2nd Peter 3. That is
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God, merciful and compassionate and filled with loving kindness.
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God who is full of love, he has wrath against the wicked and the unbelieving.
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A good God who does good and will judge evil. Listen to Peter's gospel presentation to his readers as he continues.
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He says, but the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day, the heavens will pass away with a loud noise.
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The elements will burn and be dissolved and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.
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Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God.
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The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it and the elements will melt with heat.
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But based on his promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth where righteousness will dwell.
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Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with him without spot or blemish.
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Also, regard the patience of our Lord as an opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother
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Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. That's 2 Peter 3 10 through 15.
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I understand that as we contend for the faith, we will face troubles, pressures, trials.
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I get that and I'm not saying life is easy. Life is difficult and it is full of trials.
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What I'm saying is, what Paul is saying is that as as the trials come, ask
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Christ to strengthen you because Christ is the strengthener and he will perfect you in your weakness.
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Nevertheless, you have done well to fellowship with me in my affliction.
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Despite the immense lesson of finding his strength in Christ, Paul still wants to reiterate his gratitude before he moves on to his next point in verses 15 through 20.
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This is a really important assertion on Paul's part. He uses the Greek word translated fellowship.
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That means to be associated with someone in some activity, to be connected with something.
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This is intimate. It's used elsewhere in the New Testament to convey the sense of actually taking part in the thing that's described.
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Paul is talking about the sense of taking a sympathetic interest in his struggle.
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In verses 13 and 14, they really serve to explain what Paul meant in verse 12 when he said he learned the secret of being filled and going hungry.
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Whether in much provision or lack of provision, the secret to Christian living is relying on Christ and being grateful.
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I really like what the Bible commentator Francis Fulkes says here on verses 12 through 14.
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Fulkes says this, Paul's secret of living was an open secret available for all who would walk the way of Christ.
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It was the secret of contentment since to know Christ and to be called to serve him was unsearchable riches.
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Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given to me to preach to the
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Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. How far we know the secret of contentment and to what degree we are proving the sufficiency of Christ for all the demands of our lives are always challenging questions for us as Christians.
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In spite of what he says about this basic spiritual principle of dependence on God, Paul wants to affirm that he appreciated the kindness of the
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Philippians. It supported him in his troubles. In today's passage,
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Paul tells the secret of being content in all circumstances so that you can find strength in Christ in every situation in life.
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Two secrets of contentment for everyday life as a Christian. Joy is the product of being content in your circumstances, not being resigned to suffer, not being resigned to suffer with a stoic acceptance devoid of gratitude, but an intentional decision to trust
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God in the middle of a trial. Thankfulness. Joy is the product of being content in your circumstances.
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The source of true inner peace is found only in the power of Christ.
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Christ is the strengthener and he is sympathetic to our plight in our humanity and the difficulties of life.
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He has endless power to sustain us through the most difficult circumstances of everyday life.
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We know the Philippians shared in Paul's financial support while he was in prison and we know that Paul knew how to be content whether he had plenty or whether he was in need.
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So, what about you? Are you joyful? What about you?
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Are you joyful? Are you content in the circumstances that you face, good or bad?
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Is there a level of gratitude in your heart no matter the provision? Today, the
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Word of God is saying, like Paul, you can be content in any circumstance you face.
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The secret to true joy is true dependence. We need to say in our hearts, my source is not the things of this world.
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I don't depend on man. My joy is in the gospel. I depend on Christ.
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The secret for Paul was drawing on Christ's power for strength, but an important distinction needs to be made.
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Needs versus wants. Do you have legitimate needs or is there a lack of joy because you don't have what you want?
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Paul is saying that if you remember your salvation, then you can learn to rely on God's promises in the gospel.
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You can trust in the gospel through Christ's power to help you to be content no matter the situation.
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God will take care of your physical needs, but if you always want more, you may want to do an inventory of the heart here.
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It may be time for a genuine self -evaluation. Remember your access to God through Christ and ask him to remove the desire for more.
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Ask him to teach you to have joy in every circumstance. I'm talking about true inner contentment and trust in God.
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He has promised to supply all of your needs. The physical needs are important, but God is the great heart surgeon and he is interested in your spiritual need.
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God always will supply your needs in a way that he knows is best for you. He works through trials and he is preparing you for eternity.
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For Paul, this is the most critical part of his imprisonment, the furtherance of the gospel and the loving affection and gratitude toward his fellow saints in Philippi.
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He wanted them to get this perseverance in trials and God's work in the believer's life.
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He opened the letter like this, I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy and in my every prayer for you all because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.
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For I am confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
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For it is only right for me to think this way about you all because I have you in my heart, since both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel you all are fellow partakers with me in this grace.
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For God is my witness how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this
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I pray that your love may abound still more and more in full knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
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Let me pray for you. Thank you
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God for the letter of Paul to the Philippians. Thank you for the amazing example that Paul gives us in trusting you in being content in all circumstances as an expression of faith and trust in your power and in your goodness.
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I pray that you would strengthen us in Christ and that you would help us to remember the promises of the gospel.
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That we may take them into our hearts and our minds and remember them in our time of need. That we would take what we've learned today from your word and that we might not only be strengthened in our souls but that we might minister to those who are in need.
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Thank you God for our salvation. Thank you for the gospel. I pray that you would strengthen this church and let us all draw on the power of Christ.
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Enable us by your spirit to display the fruits of the gospel in mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.
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Enable us by the power of Christ to display the fruits of the spirit in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self -control.
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As your word says, if we live by the spirit let us also walk in step with the spirit and let us not become those with vain glory challenging one another or envying one another.
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But help us to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ in the gospel.
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Help us to walk in the same manner as our Lord walked. We pray in the name of the