Philippians (2): Laying hold of God's purpose for me — Brody Thibodeau

Very good. Let's pray together, please. Our Father, we are thankful for our Lord Jesus Christ, and we're thankful for even the words we've been singing of a desire to know more about Him. We are thankful that in Thy Word we can get to know Him, we can get to know about Him, we can get to know His character and the way He has behaved in the past and what He is doing now.

We are thankful for this. We are thankful also, Father, for the different experiences that we go through in life where we get to know Him better. We thank Thee, Father, that He has said, I will never leave Thee, nor forsake Thee.

We look at an audience like this today and we see so many different needs. Father, we all have needs. We have needs that are physical and spiritual. We have needs that are perhaps financial and family-related.

But, Father, every one of us needs the Lord. Help us today to look for Him. And, Father, that our Great Shepherd would shepherd us, feed us, guide us, and lead us. We do think of the different events that are going on this weekend when it comes to the preaching of the Word of God.

We do pray for each one. We pray for them up there in Portage La Prairie with their conference going on. And, Father, we know that there are different gospel outreaches going on. We pray, Father, for Thy hand upon Thy people for good, that we all may be exercised in the gospel, looking for blessing from a God who desires to bless.

We ask Thee for this now, asking for help in the ministry this afternoon. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen. Back to the book of Philippians, please. I realize that it might be difficult sometimes to hear at the back.

I'm going to stay close to the microphone if I can. I know Nathan's working hard on making sure people at the back can hear. So if I'm shouting, I'm not shouting at you. I'm shouting for you, as long as you know that.

Paul's Prayer for the Philippian Believers

The book of Philippians, please, in chapter 1, verse number 4. Verse number 3 would be better. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Verse number 9, and this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that ye may approve the things that are excellent, that he may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.

Now, chapter 2, verse number 4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Verse number 16 says, Holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Now, back to chapter 3 again. Verse number 8. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Verse 20. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, remember that word, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things onto himself.

Subdue all things onto himself. This morning we were in the book of Philippians looking at how Paul was using the imagery that these people would be familiar with of a Roman colony, its placing and its purpose and its function.

He used that imagery to teach them lessons about how they should behave for the sake of the gospel. And we're going to continue with that theme just a little bit because I didn't finish. I should have finished and I didn't finish.

So we're going to continue with that theme just a little bit. And then we're going to expand into the book of Philippians to see a little bit more of how Paul was teaching them that the way, the way to establish and maintain unity and humility or unity and harmony was through humility.

We're going to see that especially in chapter two. But the last passage we read there is another one of those that Paul uses imagery from the Roman colony to teach them about their Christ and to teach them about their humility and unity.

Heavenly Citizenship and Gospel Conduct

He begins to talk about their conversation being in heaven. You will remember when we looked at chapter one in verse number 27, he was talking about their conversation that becometh the gospel. Really, literally, it is their citizenship, their way of life, perhaps by application, but their citizenship or their place of politics.

The idea is that they are to behave consistently with the citizenship they claim. In the terms of being dwelling in a Roman colony, those people were dwelling under the laws of Rome with the characteristics of Romans in a little Rome away from Rome.

And Paul was using that to teach them that just as you are citizens of Rome and you dwell in a Roman colony representing Rome where you are, you are citizens of heaven. And as being a citizen of heaven, you are to represent heaven where you are.

The same thing applies to Garnavillo. I'm looking around. There's no possible way today that I can name all the assemblies that are represented here. But the same thing applies to the local assembly where you are, whether you realize it or not.

A citizen of Wisconsin, a citizen of Iowa, a citizen of Canada. Canada is not a state, by the way. Many of you think it is the 51st state. It is not a citizen of Scotland, Great Britain, perhaps. But all of us, all of us are representing heaven because our citizenship is in heaven.

That's what Paul is telling us here. Our citizenship is in heaven. What he's doing for us, just to pass by it rather quickly, is he's saying that there are those who live on this earth, who live for this earth to get as much as they can out of this earth.

That's what he's rebuking in the previous verses. And their God is their belly and they mind earthly things. Everything they do really has an ulterior motive to serve self and to serve the flesh. But he is saying that's not how you're to walk.

You are to walk like those of another country. You are to walk or your manner of life is to be consistent with one who is from that heavenly country or our place of politics. Our citizenship is in heaven from whence also we look for the Lord.

No. Now, we could have used the word the Lord there, and it doesn't say from whence also we look for the sun. That's not the word he uses to begin the statement. He uses the word savior. Now, he will identify the savior as the Lord Jesus Christ.

But why would he use the word savior here in connection with the word citizenship or the word politics to build on the imagery of the Roman colony? Very simply. The Roman emperor, by this time in history, was addressed as savior.

They didn't just call him the emperor. They had different titles for him, and one of those titles was savior. So they would be living in Philippi and their savior, the one who conquered for their peace, the one who was maintaining their peace was living in Rome.

And there were times when that savior would come to Philippi, no doubt representing Rome, but coming as a supreme ruler and reminding them, I am the man who has purchased and maintained all of these good things that you have.

And so when they said when he said savior, they would be reminded of the emperor. But that's not the savior he tells them to look for, is it? It's the Lord Jesus Christ. From whence also we look for the savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies, literally change our bodies of humiliation and fashion them like onto his body of glory.

I would take it this is not the only reference to the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ in the book of Philippians, but it is the most direct reference of the coming again of the Lord Jesus. I think when you take into account that there are three different times where the apostle Paul mentions the day of Christ, the day of Jesus Christ and the day of Christ, he is bringing before these people that there is a lot riding on what they do with what they've been given.

They have been given the truth of the scriptures. Absolutely. But they have been given the gospel. Don't lose sight of it. Philippians is all about the gospel testimony, its effectiveness, its spread, its confirmation and its defense.

And they have been given the gospel as something that they have been entrusted with. The Bible calls that a stewardship. They have been given the gospel. And according to chapter two, they are holding forth the word of life.

They hold it forth not just in their life, but they hold it forth by preaching the gospel. They hold it forth by teaching the doctrine, considering the gospel. But they have been entrusted with something of tremendous value.

But remember, they've been entrusted with this and they will give account of what they have done with this. That's why he talks about the day of Jesus Christ. That's why he talks about the day of Christ.

That's why he talks about the coming again of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because what we do with this gospel here, we will give an account of when he comes again. You understand, of course, from the scriptures.

I made a mistake and didn't watch my time last time. I'll keep a closer eye now. You understand, of course, from the scriptures that there are at least three different days that the scripture speaks of when it speaks of prophetic things, things that are yet to come.

The Day of the Lord, the Day of God, and the Day of Christ

Right. Make a note of them if you've never studied them before and look into them. But the Bible speaks of a coming day that is called the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is connected with the earth.

When God once again intervenes with affairs on this earth in a direct way. I believe the day of the Lord is a day of judgment, but the day of the Lord is a day when Christ will reign. According to what I can confirm from the scriptures, I am convinced the day of the Lord is what the Old Testament talks about the most.

When it talks about the judgment that comes and when it talks about the kingdom that will be set up this day of the Lord. We'll begin at the beginning of the tribulation and we'll continue all the way to the end of the millennial kingdom.

And then the elements shall melt with fervent heat. That's the day of the Lord, the day of the Lord, connected with the earth, focused on Israel and its political and military activities. But the Bible speaks of the day of God.

You've read it yourself in the scriptures, haven't you? The day of God now is not connected with the earth and the judgment of God upon the earth, but the day of God, I would say, is connected with eternity.

So that when you read the scriptures and you find that the elements melt with fervent heat in the day of the Lord, you will find that the next statement made concerning the elements melting is that they are melting on account of the day of God.

So very simply, it is this at the end of that reign of a thousand years, the Lord Jesus will sit on a throne that is great and white and the dead small and great stand before God. And those who are not found written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire.

The last enemy is put down and that is death. And then he takes everything and he delivers it up to the father. All things are now put under him and the eternal state is ushered in. Not with the same earth that that was here during the millennium, but now a new heavens and a new earth where in dwelleth righteousness.

We don't appreciate these things because we don't think of them. But you know that righteousness will reign in the millennium. That is, there will be one man on one throne reigning throughout the entire earth in absolute righteousness.

Every single time a judgment has to be made, it will be made right. And because every judgment will be right, peace will mark that kingdom. But in the eternal state, in the day of God, righteousness doesn't just reign.

Righteousness, the word is, will be right at home. Righteousness will dwell. Thank God. Righteousness will triumph in Christ Jesus. But what we're talking about here is not the day of the Lord or the day of God, but the day of Christ.

And just for the sake of time, the day of Christ, I would say, starts the moment Christ comes for his own. It is not connected with God's dealings on the earth and the tribulation. It is connected with heaven, not with Israel, but with the church.

And we are going to be where he is. It will include, no doubt, the father's house. It will include the presentation of the bride at the marriage supper. But it will also include what we know as the judgment seat of Christ.

Stewardship and the Judgment Seat of Christ

And this is what Paul wants them to know. And this is what Paul wants us to know. What is it? We'll all stand before God to give an account of the things that we have done in the body. Whether they be bad or good.

Now, I think with a crowd this size, it's good to be absolutely clear on what this actually is scripturally. I look around and I see people who may be confused as to why there has to be a judgment. It is not the idea of judging sin.

It is not the idea of condemnation for sin. Because according to the scriptures, the moment that I was saved, there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The moment that I was saved, I was assured from the scriptures that I will never come into condemnation.

But what's taking place at the judgment seat of Christ is really an assessment. An assessment of our faithfulness with what we have been given down here. That is our assessment of our faithfulness to our stewardship.

To Christ. In other words. What he has given us. How have we used it? I don't believe that the preachers are in line for a bigger reward than the Sunday school teachers. I do not believe that the overseers are in line for a superior reward than the mother who faithfully works within what God has given her to do.

Every single sister. Every single brother is going to get a reward because according to 1 Corinthians chapter 4, every man shall have praise of God. And you will find that building into the assembly, what we build into the assembly will be assessed by fire.

Our motives, according to 1 Corinthians chapter 4, will be assessed at the judgment seat. But that passage that I quoted to you, 2 Corinthians chapter 5, whether it be bad or good. I want to do two things for you.

First of all, I want to set your mind at ease. And then I want to challenge you. Number one, bad does not mean immoral. Bad does not mean that God is going to find all of your sins you committed since you were saved and bring them up at the judgment seat.

That's not what it's saying. It's not saying God will go through the bad things. It is saying this. And this is what I want to challenge you with. It is saying that while you are in the body, you have the potential to waste your life.

Now, I know I want you to let that soak. Just for a second. You have the potential. Now, don't go away saying that's all Brody said. I'm not done yet. You have the potential to completely waste your life.

So that you go through your life saved. No judgment. Thank God. On the way to heaven. No judgment. Thank God. With this little card in your pocket. Just like in Monopoly. When I get the get out of jail free card.

I go through the board smiling. Right? Because I know when I get in jail, I just present the card and I'm out. Right? That's how a lot of you are treating salvation. If you are honest. Well, at least I'm saved.

If those words ever leave your lips, hit your knees and start praying. At least I'm saved is not a scriptural term. God has so much more for you. And you can go through your entire life and go out into eternity.

And then at the day of Christ, stand before him and find out that you've wasted it. Completely. And everything that you've done is bad. Worthless. That's the idea. You can be investing your time into things in this world that are not necessarily sinful.

Right? I'm not. And I don't want to start listing things off because then you'll think that those are the only things that I mean. I mean things that if you were honest before God, just don't matter. And yes, some of them do involve putting sneakers on and running around.

And some of them do involve spending hundreds of hours and hours and hours at a hobby that means nothing for eternity. Now you decide what those hobbies are and what you need to wear gym sneakers to do.

Don't stop exercising. Don't stop socializing with people in your community for the sake of the gospel. But remember this. It's possible that you could live your life and have eternal value from it. That's what it's saying.

It is saying that you can actually have a life where that which you have done here will be rewarded eternally. Where that which you have done here. Now I'm looking at the young men and the young ladies in our audience.

Beginning now, today, that which you have done here can be absolutely eternal in its reward. In fact, I believe that the Bible speaks in these terms. If you go to Philippians chapter 4. In terms of actually laying up things in store for eternity.

Paul speaks about giving as one of those things that you can do. Now, don't worry, my brothers and sisters. Nobody preaching here today is going to make an appeal for funds. But we would be remiss if we didn't tell you that the Bible teaches about the joy of giving in this life.

And the eternal reward that comes with giving to the Lord. I believe what Paul is saying. He's saying I'm not looking for the gift. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. And I've learned that whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content.

He's not talking about the gift or even the total substance of the gift. He is talking about the fruit that is to their account. So he's saying there's an account in heaven. That account can be deposited into.

And as you take money out of your earthly account. I'm not here to teach finances. But I'll tell you what I believe Philippians chapter 4 teaches. When you take from your earthly account and invest in the Lord.

You give to the Lord in whatever capacity you see fit. Whether it be giving to a building fund to see the gospel furthered. Whether it be giving to a missionary or giving on the Sunday morning. A little extra into the bag.

You know your exercise. You know where you want to give. But remember this when you take from your earthly account and you give to the Lord. It's just like placing it in a heavenly account that can never ever be touched.

And it has eternal reward. And when you do good. And when you obey the Lord. And when the Lord wants you to be baptized and you obey him. And the Lord wants you to come into the fellowship of a local assembly.

And you obey him in coming into the fellowship of a local assembly. And you are faithful to the believers. And you are faithful to the meetings. You see I am one who is convinced that actually showing up to the meetings.

Is an important part of being in assembly fellowship. Now I know the fan is on. But I hear some mumbling amens. But brother there is no meeting if there's no people. Be at the meetings. And I believe that's a part of being faithful to the assembly.

Be faithful to the doctrine. Be faithful to the gospel. And be faithful to your neighbor. In all of those times you're really just being faithful to him. And when you go out to that day. You'll have eternal reward.

That took 13 minutes too long. But you see it. These people needed to be reminded. What really is on the line here. Is eternal. And eternal reward. But let's talk just for a minute about earlier in chapter 3.

Counting All Things Loss to Win Christ

If you were a resident of Philippi. It is quite likely that you at one time or another. Had fought in the Roman army. Or you have a relative who had fought in the Roman army. Now you are given the right to live in this colony.

But you have an option. You have an option. Listen closely. You have a citizenship. Your citizenship is Roman. And you get every right that comes with being a Roman citizen. You can look back to say. I fought hard for this citizenship.

I did this for the citizenship. I am proud that I am this and I am proud that I am that. Or. You could trade it in. You could trade it in. For a plot of land. In Philippi. I am not sure how big that plot of land would have been.

But I know this. It was always weighed up. Do I want to hold on to this. Which I am proud of. Or do I want to gain. The reward. Now when the apostle Paul talked about loss and gain. He was thinking about all of the things that he was before he was saved.

Right. He was indeed. A Hebrew of the Hebrews. He was. According to the law. He was keeping the law perfectly. He had a status. Among the Jews. This man had a history. That he could be proud of. He said there were some people coming along.

And they are saying that they can take pride in their circumcision. And they can take pride in their Jewish history. Well I even more than them. You think about all the things that I have done. You think of all the things that I have been.

And he could have taken pride in that. But instead. He counts all that but dung. The word there is really. The stuff that you throw to the dogs. It's no good for anyone. Although. Here's a side for a second.

I think some people treat their dogs better than the Christians sometimes. I understand. Here's what I think about dogs. My dog is great. He's a nice guy. He's a senior citizen now. I treat him with respect.

I even call him sir. I think he needs that. But here's the deal. He's still just a dog. And I really want to warn you as believers. Not to think your dog is going to be in heaven. That got a chuckle. But it wasn't designed to get a chuckle.

And if you get your dog. Be humane to your dog. If you're mean to your dog. Call me. I'll come over and I'll be mean to you. You should not be mean to your dog. But your dog's a dog. Right. Let's remember.

Dog's a dog. Okay. What was I preaching about? I was preaching about this thing that Paul looked at. He saw all of the things that he could be proud of. And he says I would just cast it off. As it is dung.

Or as it is waste to be thrown to the dogs. Why? That I may obtain Christ. You see it. He's using that imagery again. So that they get it. And they did get it. They realized if I want to gain this. I must give up that.

And I think in our day. We need to be reminded of that. My brethren and sisters. If we want to enter in. To what Christ has us to enter into. To fully know him. And the power of his resurrection. To get to know him better.

To apprehend that for which we have been apprehended. Of Christ Jesus. We need to let go of some stuff. I don't believe. That there's compromise on that in 2023. Just because our day is different. You see it.

That's what he's doing. He's painting for them that picture. And he says my desire. My desire. Is that I may apprehend. That I may lay hold of. The reason. That Christ Jesus laid hold of me. You got it?

He had everything. That a religious Jew. Could have dreamed of. And he gave up. Everything for Christ. That he may gain. That prize. And now. He lived with one desire. And the desire was. That he would completely.

Lay hold of the reason. God saved him. Now. Do you know what you have been saved from? I'll let that soak for a second. I did a whole week of children's meetings. So I'm used to asking questions now. To the kids.

Do you know what you've been saved from? Saved from hell and the lake of fire? Yeah. But more than that. In fact I want to tell you even more importantly than that. Saved from sin. Saved from sin. Saved from the penalty of sin.

Which is hell and the lake of fire. Absolutely. But saved according to Romans 6. We are saved from underneath the authority. Or the power of sin. So that we can have power to live. A life of victory over sin.

Don't miss that. That's not my subject. We've been saved from sin. I believe according to the scriptures. We've been saved from. The world. Because the cross is more than just the object. On which the Lord Jesus died.

The cross in fact. Is a symbol. Not of Christianity. It's a symbol to us of the fact. That we have been crucified. To this world. And this world is crucified. Unto us. We've been saved from sin. And we've been saved from the world.

But what have you been saved for? Here's your challenge young people. Have you been saved to live a life. Pleasing self. Now I'm not saying you can't have your favorite hamburger. Right. I'm not that much of a hypocrite.

Because you know that I like. All that stuff. Hamburgers. Yes. And I'm not saying that you can't enjoy. Playing games. I'm not saying that. I'm not demanding that you stop being. A human being. But I'm challenging you for this.

Are all of your decisions. Made. Considering your personal. Comfort. And happiness first. That's not what you were saved for. Were you saved to try and collect. As many things on this earth as you can.

Until you go to the grave. So that you can leave them behind to someone else. Who probably will throw them out. Come on. A lot of the things you think are collectible. One man's treasure is another man's.

You know. That's not what you were saved for. You were saved. For a purpose. I am absolutely. Positively convinced. That we need to get a better hold of this. We have been saved. For a purpose. Every one of us have been saved.

So that we would be able to serve. Him. Saved to serve him. Saved to commune with him. To be able to speak with him. And have him speak with us. We have been saved. To worship him. So service and communion.

And worship. We've all been saved for that. If there's a young man here today. Who has not yet. Gotten up in the local assembly. To give God thanks for his son. I encourage you. I don't command you now.

I encourage you to think. What does God want me to do? What does God want from me? And sometimes there are older brethren. And you've been hesitant to do it as well. God has saved you. To worship him.

And we all can worship him. Whether silently or audibly. In private or in public. We can do that. But you've been saved to worship. You've been saved to obey. And you've been saved to serve him. Commune with him.

But Paul knew that. So why does he say. I'm still trying to grasp it. I think he's saying that. Because he knew that there was a specific. Thing. That Christ wanted him to do. And he hadn't yet accomplished it.

I'm not saying. He didn't know what it was. But I'm saying he hadn't yet accomplished it. And our challenge. Today is this. Let's get beyond the generalization. Are you walking. Closely with the Lord.

So that you. Can lay hold. On that. For which he has laid hold on you. We need to move on. My clock says. Seven minutes till two fifty. Is that what that one says too? I guess seven minutes. I'll take eight.

The Gospel as a Shared Calling

I want you to think with me. We've seen now. That's the last instance I'm going to give you. Of the Philippian colony. Being used in the imagery. But I want you to think with me. About. The gospel. The gospel.

The gospel. This is where we'll probably pick up tomorrow. Lord willing. Paul mentions. I'm not sure if I mentioned it this morning. Nine different times he uses the word gospel. In the Philippian epistle.

Those nine different times. Bring out nine different aspects. Of thought that he had. I'm probably not going to spend much time. On the last instance. Where he says. Concerning the gift that they had given him.

That. He connects their gift. With the beginning of the gospel. And I would say that he's speaking there. From the time he left Philippi. And went out into other parts with the gospel. They had communicated with him.

They had given him gifts. At least two different gifts I would take it. From the scriptures. I'm not going to talk much about that one. In chapter two. The apostle Paul talks about Timothy. And he says as a son with a father.

He has served with me in the gospel. We may touch on that tomorrow. When we think about Timothy. And his humility. So now we only have seven different examples left. Of the term gospel. In this book. You will notice in chapter four.

That he speaks about those two women. Yodius and Syntyche. And he talks about a time. When those two women. They were laborers together with him in the gospel. Can I tell you this? When we talk about striving together.

For the faith of the gospel. And the imagery was there of the Greek phalanx. In chapter one. In verse 27. The exact same word is used in chapter four. Of these two women. In a time where at one time. They were striving together.

They were in unity. They were in harmony. And they weren't just in harmony with the assembly there. They were in harmony with the apostle Paul. Who was there and he was preaching the gospel. You remember.

When he came into Philippi and he went down to the river. Where prayer was wont to be made. And as he went there he preached to Lydia. And Lydia that seller of purple was saved. And I believe that. I'm one who believes that the woman.

Who the devils were cast out of was saved. And the Philippian jailer was saved. And I would take it that these two women here. They were saved at the same time. Yodius and Syntyche. And Paul is reminding them.

Remember the days. Nobody likes. A guy getting up here and saying. Remember the good old days. Right. You can't go back in time. None of us can. A lot of us try to. And we're trying to make 2023. 1953.

That's not spiritual. That's Amish. These same scriptures apply today. To our world. In our life. Paul is not saying remember the good old days. And try to go back. 30 years. He's saying remember those days.

When in harmony. We work together. Remember those days. When just like that Greek phalanx. We moved as a unit. And moving as a unit. We were striving together. For the faith of the gospel. Remember those days.

That's what we want to get back to. Not living in the past. But living in harmony. And unity. For the gospel's sake. That's all the preaching I'll do. But I'll mention the other instances of the word gospel.