Philippians 4:1-3

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Good morning, this is truth in love video ministry. I'm so glad that I'm able to be with you this morning
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Sorry, I'm a few minutes late. Mm -hmm. Thank you for joining me.
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Thank you for watching. Thank you for your support Truth and love comes from Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15 and It says but speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in all aspects into him.
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Who is the head even Christ? so Today if I can pray for you love to be able to do that All you have to do is type me you don't have to explain or you don't have to share
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We will I will pray for you at the end of the video If you put it on there later, we'll see the notification and we will pray for you
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Whenever we see that notification, so we're thankful that we can pray for one another
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God gives that gives us that opportunity that ability and it's so it's so wonderful to do that for one another you know, that's one of the greatest things that we can do for one another apart from Apart from sharing
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Christ with one another It is lifting each other up in prayer to God on behalf of you know one another so it's way we can love each other and and be obedient to Christ in in Glorifying God and and loving our neighbor and that's and that's praying for it for one another
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So let us know if we can pray for you Let us know or let me know if there's something that you would like to talk about At some point hopefully one day soon we will get to the point where folks will begin to ask questions
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Lord to share the gospel and and to discuss God's Word, so the floor is always going to be open to any kind of topic or Question that you may have about scripture that we can discuss and And I know that there are many
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Rabbit trails. I know discussions can go haywire sometimes and but but We won't let that happen
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We will we will try to discuss the things that you want to discuss and questions that you may have in a loving way or that's
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That's the whole or that's the beginning point of this video is to have that conversation
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In obedience to Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15 speaking the truth in love So if you're afraid of sorry, there's things flying in there
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If that's something that you're afraid of speaking up during the video Asking a question during the video
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Wanting to discuss something, but you know having a little bit of fear to do that don't have any fear about it
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The beginning point of this video and me being the moderator here and then the
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Holy Spirit I pray Being the the moderator of me and and controller of me is to Speak the truth
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Discuss the truth in love so That I hope that will
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Relieve some fear that you may have to open up to share from your end to ask questions
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Anything that you would like to discuss So the floor is yours Chat with me ask questions and then if you would like prayer
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We will pray for you at the end of the video or whenever we see the notification and if the video is already
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Already gone off and you're watching it later We'll see you then. Well, we're gonna continue in Philippians this morning
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We're just gonna look at three verses and we are going to be wrapping up Philippians pretty soon we're in chapter 4 the last the last chapter of Philippians and so Paul is wrapping and wrapping up his letter.
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He he's He's writing down getting down his final thoughts before he he wraps this thing up and gives it to the messenger and sends it from prison to the church at Philippi and it's
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It's a long journey. It's a hard journey It takes it takes someone whom
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God has worked in their heart where they they love They they want to glorify
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God. They want to share the truth. They they're they're willing to make this sacrifice
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You know being being with Paul ministering to him in prison ministering the gospel in prison
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You know is is a tough deal but also being the messenger is a tough deal and in it may it
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It called for sacrifice because it was a long long journey from from where Paul was to these churches and It took it was miles and miles and miles and and Christians were not popular at that time.
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So these these messengers really took a lot upon themselves and had to sacrifice but you know when it's
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When it's something that you you're you're drawn to something you're passionate about something you love
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Something your heart has changed for you know, it no longer becomes sacrifice it becomes joy and so it was it was joy for Paul to be in prison so that It just in a different way.
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The gospel was being preached. It was joy for these folks who were ministering to him and Helping to minister the gospel while he was in prison
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It was joy for them for for the messenger like a paphroditus who was a messenger from Philippi to Paul And Paul was sending back.
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It was a it was a joy for him To be able to to minister the gospel to deliver these messages
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And we can see clearly in verses 19 through 30 of chapter 2 what love
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Paul had for the Philippian Church and what love The Philippian Church had for Paul and then what love
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A paphroditus had for the Philippian Church and they had for him and he had for Paul and Paul had for him
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It it just It was just a love that the Holy Spirit works in each and every one of them and works in each and every one of Us when we become saved when he works in a heart and changes us
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We begin to have a love for one another and and this is just example. This is
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This it's clear what the Holy Spirit does in the in the work of believers and how they begin to love one another
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There there was so much love concern for one another that the paphroditus
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Paul That was between those two and the Philippian Church and it was there was love there was joy
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For for one another and in serving the Lord on behalf of one another for their good.
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So the the book of Philippians Is just a wonderful example of what
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Our Christian life should should look like what it should be aiming for Where we should be going what we should be doing
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And and what a what a wonderful example of the work that the Holy Spirit was doing in Their heart and in their lives and and what a what a prayer that we can have to to to Desire that God would work in us the way he worked in the
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Philippian Church and in a paphroditus and in Timothy and in Paul That they had such and then we're gonna look at a few other folks this morning that they had such a joy in ministry that they had such a love for one another a passion for God's glory a passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ and And it's evident and it's dripping from every word of Philippians and And what it would it would be such
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It would be so good for us to to read over Philippians over and over and over again because it's a short little book four chapters and and to let it saturate us and and desire what's going on between these folks in the
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Philippian Church and then there beloved Paul and their messenger And their interaction and their love for one another and their their work in ministry their love for ministry
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Their desire for God's glory and the gospel of Jesus Christ It would it would do us well to Be praying that God would work
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What's going on here Philippians? in our hearts in our lives
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The the world That God has saved And that is sanctified he is sanctifying will will be useful in in this world as he is sanctifying it if we
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If we put this in our hearts if we desire to desire to apply this in our lives
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So with that being said, let's let's look at The beginning of Philippians chapter 4 and we're just gonna look at the first three verses this morning
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So it shouldn't take us too long Philippians chapter 4 verses 1 through 3.
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I'm gonna read it and we're just gonna He's he's closing up the books. He's wrapping it up.
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So the the closing remarks are not so much
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Teaching or things that he wants You know doc doctrines that he wants the
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Philippian Church to digest Learn knowledge and then apply it to their lives.
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It's it's more of a Closing wrapping things up Here, let me let me tie up some loose ends either
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These are things that have been on my mind for a while. So I want to share these with you So that's what he's beginning to do is wrap this book up And so Philippians chapter 4 verses 1 through 3.
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It says therefore My beloved brethren whom I long to see my joy and my crown
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So stand firm in the Lord my beloved. I urge Iudaea and I urge
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Setouchi To live in harmony in the Lord Indeed true comrade.
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I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel
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Together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life
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Wow He can just he's just Continuing with this
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Love for the people at this church we could we could feel it
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When we've looked in verses 19 through 30 of chapter 2
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I could almost feel it. I could feel Paul's heart his his passion his compassion his love for the the church there
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That was in his heart that was in the heart of Epaphroditus. That was in the heart of the Philippians and and here is a continuation of Paul just revealing his heart to the church and revealing how he
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His leadership style with With a church that he loves with the people that he loves his brothers and sisters in Christ Because I mentioned this before the the apostolic ministry
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The apostolic office that Paul was in is the greatest office in the
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Christian Church that that ever was and ever will be as far as us as Members of creation members of the church
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That is the highest office there. There's not there's never been there's not gonna be there's not now a higher office than the apostolic or the the office of Apostle that these
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Few gentlemen in the New Testament Held there's there's not
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Apostles today There there's not any higher office than the
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Apostle But Paul was an appointed an apostle and we can discuss the the qualifications and why there's not
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Apostles today and why there's no higher office than Apostle today or ever will be or ever has been
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We can discuss those things and that's a good conversation But the Bible is clear it was only for a certain few gentlemen here in the
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New Testament when the office closed and that that office Had the highest authority so if Paul was in this office of Apostle being having being being the highest office and having the the highest amount of authority
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Then Paul in his leadership skill or not skills, but leadership style could
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Just tell them what to do, but that's not the work of the
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Holy Spirit That's not the leadership style that the Holy Spirit is working in Paul as as he is
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Commending exhorting his his brothers and sisters in Christ in Philippi and we can learn from His leadership style as well when you when you have authority
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How you exert that authority Will reveal a lot about your character and and who you are here
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Paul having the authority to command things and and be authoritative because These apostles these folks the
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Holy Spirit God breathed and used them as Writing instruments to write scripture.
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So so what they wrote through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit here is authoritative it's from God and There there's that's not going on today either.
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There's not going to be any more scripture So, you know what Paul is saying here through the through the
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Holy Spirit writing through him is God's Word, it's authoritative and He could you know, he could abuse that power
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He and which would have been wrong But he also could have legitimately
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Commanded things but he didn't do that his his leadership style his leadership skill here was
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Was a form of love appealing to a begging and a an appealing
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This is what this is what I would have you to do this is what I want you to do This is this is where you should go
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Philippians individuals I'm exhorting you. I'm appealing to I'm begging you do this do it in this way go about this
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Can you do this for me? that type of leadership style is the
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Holy Spirit has worked in Paul as he is exhorting and Encouraging the church at Philippi so we and we can learn a lot from that.
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So let's look at these first three verses of course He begins with the word therefore and we always want to know what the therefore was therefore and then we have looked
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In chapter 1 2 & 3 and that's what the therefore is. Therefore, you know
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Everything that he has been saying and leading up to through chapter 1 2 & 3 But just a reminder as Paul began in Chapter 2 with with this theme of emptying yourself
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Paul says it even if I'm a drink offering a cup that's being poured out who is now empty
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We've got to remember that when the drink will drink offering is poured The cup is then empty and that theme of emptying yourself
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Emptiers of yourself your desires what you think is best what you think is right emptying yourself so that something else can enter in and fill you up and That entering in and filling you up is is is the
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Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ and his desires his will and and what he Wants you to do in his life so we that theme of emptying yourself of Idolatry of self of sin
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It is a theme that begins there in chapter 2 and it continues all the way to the end whether it be through explanation whether it be through Paul giving us a examples like immediately after that When he brings up the emptying of yourself and and says
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Put others interests before your own. He says here's here's the prime ultimate
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Example Jesus Christ who who emptied himself Becoming in a become coming down in the form of a man
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Dying in in obedience even death on the cross. So he's Jesus is our ultimate
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Example and and sacrifice of what it means to empty yourself and then he he shows us not
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Not intentionally and I mean that by us By this that when when
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Paul goes through chapter 2 verses 19 through 30 and he talks about His love and and who
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Timothy is and who Epaphroditus is, you know, he doesn't begin that by saying here's another example for you
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Would you look at my life and the life of Timothy and Epaphroditus? That's not how he starts it off.
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He just it's just a full flow of the letter information coming from his heart just things that he needs to share with these folks and and share for two
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Christians throughout all time and It's not it's not one of these, you know, here's another example for you.
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So that wasn't the Intention of being in an instructional letter for them it was just It happens to be an example of what this looks like it's a
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It's instruction. It's information that he wants to share with the church at Philippi about Timothy about Epaphroditus about His Epaphroditus Near -death experience for his work in the gospel or during his work in the gospel
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Their love for one another and and as he is explaining all this to them
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It becomes an example of what this emptying yourself looks like and so and then in in chapter 3
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We have this spiritual work that we desire that Paul desires to be working in him and and working in us and then at the end of chapter 3 the the physical
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Transformation that we long for is coming And And of course to for that to happen for those things to happen.
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There has to be you know, this an emptied self For God to work for the
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Holy Spirit to work. There has to be this empty emptied self and then the Holy Spirit then begins to fill your cup to fill you and and and your life therefore
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Changes in what comes out of you and So therefore my beloved he's wrapping things up based on what all that he has
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Written so far and so he he has exhorted the Philippian Church. He has exhorted us to empty yourself
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To empty ourselves and in light of this work this spiritual inside work of the
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Holy Spirit This this citizenship that he talks about in chapter chapter 3 verse 24 our
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Citizenship is in heaven so we have We have a citizen we live somewhere else
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But our citizenship is somewhere else like just like Paul he was he traveled around and he was he was able to invoke
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His Roman citizenship, even though he was in different places At different times he invoked that that Roman citizenship so it afforded him some privileges
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So just like us we remember though. We don't live in heaven. We live on earth
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Our citizenship is is the eternal Sonship of God the
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Father. Our citizenship is in heaven. So therefore We behave as if we are citizens of somewhere else we we're not
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We're not of this culture. We don't live as Citizens of this culture we live and behave as citizens of heaven
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And so that's that's our behavior. That's our mindset And then because of all that also we eagerly wait for the
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Savior a Savior the Lord Jesus Christ to to come and to to change our physical body to match our inward body and so when all is said and done when when everything is is
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Came to the consummation of all things our spiritual selves and our physical bodies are going to be redeemed and glorified and and he says
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That is part of who we are as Christians is is eagerly
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Longing and looking for Christ to do this in our hearts and in our bodies and in changing all things
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To where there is is no more pain. No more sickness. No more tears And we eagerly look forward to the to that day when when all things are accomplished and so Paul says
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With all that in mind everything that I said with all that in mind. He he begins this
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This this closing with with love with this with this love language my beloved brethren
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Such compassion such love such a heart for these people my beloved brethren whom
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I Long to see so he's he's conveying to these folks
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Who they are in his heart he wants to see them again. He wants to go back to them again
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My beloved brethren. I want to see you you are my joy
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Those those whom I've led to the Lord those whom I've discipled those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ You when
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I think about you are my joy You you are this and pastor
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Jeff and I have looked at this fruit of the Spirit joy and and how there's counterfeit joy and there's
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There's authentic joy that that the Holy Spirit produces And of course, this is this is going to be the authentic joy that the
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Holy Spirit produces. It is a contentment in God That's long -lasting that he has
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When he thinks of these folks when he's with these folks That they give him this contentment this strength
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To move forward in prison sharing the gospel And no matter no matter and despite the circumstance they they fill his heart with joy
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Giving him strength to move forward That that is his
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That is his heart and his his love for these people and he says that they are his they are his crown
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The the these folks as brothers and sisters this church in Philippi They are his crown and of course, this is this is a reference or the the language
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Reminds us of the you know, the events that they would have where they would they would crown crown folks with the
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Celebratory wreath with leaves and it would It would be a wreath of gladness a wreath of celebration
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When when an athlete would would win a victory they would place that crown of course on their head
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And it would be like I said celebratory. It would bring gladness and joy and and so they the people
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Of Philippi the the church at Philippi they They bring him gladness.
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They bring him celebration So that's that's kind of the context there of when he thinks about this church when he when he looks around at his chains
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When he looks looks around at the the damp dark dungeon and the rats and the malnutrition the the poor treatment
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Whatever his circumstance is he's thinking about the joy that they give him the gladness that they give him the the
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Opportunity for celebration that they give him when it when he is in those circumstances
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So think about strength that you need to move forward in difficult circumstances You can have in your heart those things that God gives us that To bring joy in our lives to bring gladness in our lives to bring celebration in our lives to give us strength to move forward
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Because that is that is God using those things in our lives, you know, we we want to think
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I don't want to focus on those things I just need to focus on God because he's going to give me that peace and that strength But those those things are good things from the
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Lord that he gives us To give us joy and gladness and celebration so don't so don't push away those things in your life
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That God is using to give you joy and gladness and celebration because Paul uses them here
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Paul Paul is not trying to be super spiritual and and and push push
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God's work away and Seem super spiritual to say my my strength is in the
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Lord and I'll wait upon him Though that is correct the way in which he does that is he
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Embraces God's work God's working in this world
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And and brings it into his heart he receives it as Joy and gladness and celebration.
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So so let's do that in our lives Not push away where God is working.
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You see God working in your family. You see God working in the church You see God working at work
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Wherever you work wherever you play the relationships that you have If you see
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God working you see God moving you see and this is part of a chapter 2 where he says put others interests before Yourselves think of others greater than than yourselves you see
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God Building someone else up you see God Blessing them that they're beginning to make more money.
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They're beginning to make or their ministry is growing Legitimately, I would say
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And they're they're bringing Disciples, they're they're able to disciple other people.
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God has gifted them and and they're God is using them Embrace that as joy.
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God is working God is working So embrace that in your life as joy and gladness and celebration to give you strength to keep moving forward
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That that God is working He is moving so I can have peace in the Lord because he's in control when he's sovereign
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And I can continue to move forward because I see God working and he's moving in their life
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He's moving in my life and Paul says You are my joy You are my gladness and you are my celebration because God is at work and I can continue to move forward so therefore based on that Paul says so Stand firm in the
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Lord God's working Stand firm stand firm in him my beloved and there he calls them his beloved again
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But he repeats he repeats his affection for them to remind them
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You are my beloved. I care deeply for you and then verse 2 and this is interesting and You know, this is kind of different a different direction a different avenue or Approach that that we we don't seem to want to take
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Today and that's you know loving someone enough to say hey You guys are going in the wrong direction
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We need to help you you need to help them and That was what was going on here.
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This was a letter written to the whole church where Paul says here are some folks
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They need help But it was folks that he loved and and he he spoke of their service and his love for them
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I urge so Imagine this Paul is is communicating in this letter gives it to a messenger.
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It goes back to the church It's being read to the church. And so Paul just imagined the the congregation there the assembly
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Gathered together and you have a reader reading the letter and the reader gets to this point reading the words of Paul to the church and he says
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Paul says I urge and wherever that wherever they're sitting Paul's Paul is saying
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I urge Udea and Setuche To live in harmony in the
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Lord Wow You two ladies. I In the
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Lord be of the same mind Remember he he is and he may have had this in his mind leading knowing he's going to bring this back up later on in the text when he
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When he when he addresses these two ladies individually when he begins chapter two if therefore is if there if therefore there is any
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Encouragement in Christ if there is any consolation of love if there is any fellowship of the Spirit if any affection and compassion
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So he's talking about fellowship. He's talking about affection. He's talking about compassion make my joy complete
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Does that sound familiar? My beloved brethren you are my joy
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Make my joy complete by being of the same mind Maintaining the same love united in spirit intent on one purpose
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Do nothing from selfish or empty conceit
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But with humility of mind let each each of you regard one another as more important than himself
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Do not merely look out for your own personal interest But also for the interest of others be of one mind
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Fellowship affection love You are my joy Make my joy complete
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So not only does he it does he say this this is This is the direction that I want you as a church as individuals to go.
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He's he said this is my teaching in Chapter 2 verses 1 through 3, whatever.
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I just read. This is my teaching and now we're getting to chapter 4 therefore based on my teaching of Fellowship affection compassion
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Making my joy complete being of the same mind maintaining the same love united in spirit intended and intent in one purpose
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Think of others interests More than your own think of others greater than yourself based on that I Urge Udia and I urge
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Sutuche To live in harmony in the Lord go back to what
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I said in chapter 2 verse 1 and through 3 That's what he's saying he is making
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Paul is making application here To the church. They don't have to guess he's making application
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We get we found that difficult there's so many things that we find difficult and I and I know that there's some people that Are kind of iffy about you know, when there's a lot of broadcasts like this chiming in or asking questions or Just participating live.
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There's a sense of shyness and I understand that and and also when it comes to Making application in the church.
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We know what scripture says. We know what Paul we know what God wants us to do But making application in the church
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Look what he says in verse 1 so stand firm Based on all these things that we've talked about stand firm
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Put your foot down have a foothold and We we've got to be balanced.
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I'm sure that if you've been in church at all you have you have seen examples of leadership that have
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Over exerted their their power They they didn't they didn't
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Apply this scripture with the compassion that Paul does here speaking to the him them as his beloved brethren twice
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Talking about them as their joy you are my joy my gladness and my celebration
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I'm sure that you just as I have seen examples of an aggressiveness of a lack of compassion of temper
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Quick temperness anger we I'm sure most of us have seen that in the church where those in leadership
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Appeal to the flesh instead of appealing to the spirit in their leadership
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Where they speak to folks as those whom they love Yes, they may have messed up.
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Yes, they may have done wrong. They may be out of fellowship They they may need to be reconciled with with with other folks
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But you don't do it with threats. You don't do it with anger. You don't do it with you do it with compassion
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Expressing your love Expressing you that they are you they are your joy those people that are making your you angry because of their behavior and they're not applying this scripture like you think they should or They need help
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They are your as as leadership of the church. They are your joy They are your gladness.
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They are your crown and we need to treat them as such
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And we need to approach This the situation where they are they are not
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Conforming to scripture to Paul in their own lives or the in their relationships we need to approach them in that love
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You are my joy You are my love. I love you and Then you begin with the with the help that they need
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Um And not only not only is that the attitude
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Paul is going to give us an example of Not only up the approach to them with your character and with your attitude but also a
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Picture of Another Apologize for stumbling on my words here, but the words don't
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Come to me as quickly Just another example of Continuing to describe the approach that we should take with with others as leaders
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Continuing description a physical description almost The pictures is almost that clear that it becomes a how we should physically
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Approach these folks and we'll look at that in just one second But he's urging these two ladies that they need to live in harmony based on What he has spoken of earlier and we see his approach to these two ladies now verse 3
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This is where we begin to To see some of those things tying in that we just talked about verse 3 indeed true comrade
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So who is he talking about? He hasn't Paul hasn't addressed any one specific
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That he's writing to he's not saying therefore Fred I Want you to read this letter and and be kind of the leader there of this church
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And help them apply these things he has not mentioned one specific person that he is writing these things to to be the the distributor of this information
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So so who is he speaking to when he says indeed? True comrade
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I ask you also Who is that? Who is this true comrade?
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What's it's interesting and that's why so And I want to learn more I'd love to learn more about the the
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Greek language to help me understand scripture even more I have to rely on other people and and their work in their study
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But it but it's interesting to look at the original language That when he says indeed true comrade true comrade is is an actual individual a person and his
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And I listened to how to pronounce it and I've totally forgot how to pronounce it so I'm not even going to try but the
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Greek word is S Y Z Y G U S and that's the individual's name and a
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Habit Something that they would do when someone would convert from from the pagan religion of that time
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They're there in Rome a Greek person or or in Philippi When they when they worshipped the these gods like Zeus or whoever when they would convert from from these pagan religions to Christianity what they would often do is change their name.
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So it seems as if When he says indeed true comrade
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He's what he says true it's the It's a word that means genuine
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Authentic, so this is this is a legit person. This is real You you are a real comrade a real fellow worker
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And he uses the word S Y Z Y G U S He is speaking to a specific individual and this is the name change
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This is possibly the name change From the his his pagan name that his parents gave him to his
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Christian name to disassociate with That pagan world that he lived in and so we do know that this is a this is a an
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Individual a true person that he is speaking to when he says true comrade and it's possible this is his
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Christian name and what it means is a Fellow yoke bearer
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He's a true genuine legit fellow yoke bearer and if you've been if you've been at Sunday school or if you've
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You know been in church and listen to any teaching and heard folks talk about Jesus saying take this yoke upon you my
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Burden is easy My load is light. I misquoted that text and I apologize
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But Jesus is saying take this yoke upon you and they've described it as as a yoke of a big piece of wood
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It's it's a picture that they that Jesus used and Paul uses here When you would have two ox to plow a field and you would want them to walk together
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You would put this this wooden yoke on Both of those ox so they would walk together.
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They would be united by that yoke It would be the same yoke on two different oxen.
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And so here in this example this individual his true comrade was a
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Genuine legit fellow yoke bearer. So this yoke was on Him and it was on Paul and they they walked together
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He trusted him to pull his own weight. He trusted him not to Desire to pull away from the reins
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He desired him to to help him move forward in the same direction
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He trusted this individual because he was a fellow yoke bearer
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And so he is appealing to this individual in the church because of this situation of Udea and Setouchi Now he's appealing to his true comrade his fellow yoke bearer who he trusts is
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Going is going to go in the same direction in this situation as Paul is and as Paul would if he was there so he's appealing to him.
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I ask you also to help these women So he's wanting to to help these two women come back together and and live in harmony
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And I just I can't help but want to read those Those verses again live in harmony means to have the fellowship of the
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Spirit Have affection have compassion Being of the same mind maintaining the same love
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United in spirit intent on one purpose and I would encourage you
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I've explained what all those mean, you know, it's not arbitrary It's not you know, whatever you just come up with a common purpose and go in that direction.
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No, there there is a purpose there is a There is a spirit.
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There is a love that we are yoked together in that we move towards It's not something that we just make up and go in whatever direction that we want to go, you know
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I've got this vision. We're all going to go in this direction. The vision is given to us The purpose is given to us the love is given to us
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We go in that direction and and I've explained that in another video that I would encourage you to look at if you want to go back to look at Philippians chapter 2, but he's wanting these ladies to be back in that type of harmony and he is
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Encouraging and he is wanting his his true comrade here to help in that in that work of Reconciliation then he describes these two women
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You know He could really blast them. He could You know, he could he could write to the church at Colossae He could write to the church at Corinthians and he could say
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I want to use these two ladies as an example they they are
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Tearing down my ministry They are doing this they're doing he could go around all these churches and tear these folks down, but he doesn't do that They've got a look he has a legitimate concern about these two ladies.
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He's wanting them to reconcile But listen to how he speaks of them just in the same manner as he's he's been speaking of the people there at the church at Philippi He says these women who have shared in my struggle in the same cause of the gospel
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These women have been with him They they've shared in this struggle.
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They they've ministered to Paul. They've helped Paul. They have a desire for God's glory They have a desire for the gospel to continue to reach out
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To to others and to the world and for Jesus to continue to save Souls and the church to grow they have a love for the church of Philippi.
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They have a love for the gospel They have a love for God the Father and and his glory and they they minister to Paul and and he loves them
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And so he he doesn't leave that part out His his love for them and the work and and where their heart is he knows where their heart is and that's sometimes that's something that we forget sometimes when we're dealing with folks who
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They've fallen off the rails or they're not they are not living in the alignment to Scripture as they should
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There's a there's a break in a relationship. So we write them off. We tear them down, but Paul does not do that Paul does not tear them down and and he maybe even stops some of the the brothers and sisters there in Philippi from tearing them down as well because you know,
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Paul is Paul's calling them out and So if anyone is appealing to their flesh
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If anyone is appealing to their flesh there in Philippi in in their reaction in their
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How they then approach Judea and Satuche Then they could do what we do oftentimes and and tear them down or or You know gossip about them or hurt them
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But instead Paul may Stop that hat from happening within the church when he speaks of How he sees their heart and how he remembers and knows of their work
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He knows that they love the Lord. He knows that of their compassion He knows for because he's because of their ministering to him and they're ministering the gospel
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He knows of their passion for the gospel So he knows where their heart is that so he's he's building them up not tearing them down.
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Can we remember that? Can we remember that when we deal with other folks that we we should not tear them down But build them up even in correction
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Can we remember that and so that's what he does here and Maybe in an attempt for those who would appeal to their flesh in correcting these two women
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Would keep them from appealing to that flesh but remembering who they are in Christ and Then he says together with so He's speaking to his true comrade
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Then he says together with Clement also, so he speaks of Clement another legit
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Genuine believer that Paul Knows will come alongside be be one of these examples.
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Um listen to verse 17 these these men the true comrade the
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The Clement here they are probably one of these men that Paul is referring to in verse 17
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He says brethren join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us
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So you've got individuals in your church who are walking just like us observe them follow them encourage them and Two of those are this true comrade and Clement look at them follow them
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They are going to be handling this situation correctly Follow them in this situation and then in future situations you can handle them correctly just like these folks did and the rest of my fellow workers, so There are there are other individuals who
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Paul feels Just the same about that he doesn't name and they will never be named
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At this at this point when it is written For for these last 2 ,000 years
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Their names have been lost to history Paul loved them. He knew their heart and and he was appreciative and knew that they would
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They would handle these situations They would glorify God they would have a desire for the continuation of the gospel
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But he doesn't mention their names and their names were lost to history except for one thing
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Whose names are in the book of life? Then they may be lost to the history books of this earth.
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But these folks they are not lost To God they are in the book of life and that's one thing that can be an encouragement to us 100 years from now and it's
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It's it's a weird thing to think about but in a hundred years from now Would there maybe be one person that would remember that we even lived here on this earth?
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Would would know where we are buried We we are forgotten the people of our past are forgotten so easily
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We're not going to be in the history books, I know that I communicated last night with somebody there's an individual who who was appealing to the
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Facebook community and They're saying that we have a business in town. We want to paint a mural.
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Do any of you local folks? Do you have any ideas and and I expressed that well, you know, Lincoln County has
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Has a deep history Has a lot of history, but they also have a lot of family history and there's a lot of families that have been here since the late 1700s and Thinking of my family specifically.
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I made the comment We were just we have just always been poor farmers and we never made the history books however, one thing that I do know is that My family line was a line of hard workers
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They may have been poor they may not have made the history books, but they
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I come from a line of Hard workers those who traveled across the sea on a sketchy boat
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Who traveled down the Shenandoah Valley wagon trail to get here in?
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Western North Carolina and settle and farm with none of the amenities that we have today and Then can to grow their own food to hunt to to provide for themselves.
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They had to do everything themselves And provide for their family and continue to grow as a family and bring religion to this area so I do know that I came from a long line of Hard workers though, we may not know their names or or the details of their lives and that's going to be the same for us
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But we can live in such a way that we want to leave a legacy for our children for our grandchildren our great -great -grandchildren and and Leave this world a better place than the way we found it and put this world
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Do our part in putting our little world in a direction to where it's it's going in that right direction
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And not leave this world Worse than what we found it and Though we may not be remembered
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What's important our motivation for doing that is? God's glory.
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He's he's got us where he knows our name. He knows every hair on our head
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He know if he knows when a sparrow falls. He knows And cares what happens to us scripture says
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Though history may forget us God never will and our names are in the book of life
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And so we we therefore leave a legacy We therefore love our children and we love our great great great great grandchildren enough to I'm going to say
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I'm gonna do my part to Leave this for them. I'm going to promote.
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I'm gonna love my neighbor. I'm going to glorify God I'm gonna promote Christianity and and set this up to where I'm thinking about my great great great
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Grandchildren because I want them to love Jesus and though history may not write our names in In a book or put us up on a billboard
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Our names are in the book of life We will glorify God God God used us and saved us to glorify himself
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To exalt the Son and we will enjoy that life eternally with him
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We are going to continue to work and to worship and to love for eternity because of the work that Jesus did on the cross and So our names being up in lights doesn't matter
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Jesus name up in lights is what is what really matters and as long as our names are in that book
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We do what we do for our great great great grandchildren That they may know and love
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Jesus as well Can we live that way I Would encourage us to have that mindset to make
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Jesus famous For the sake of our great great great grandchildren
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I think that's a good goal to have and If you do not know
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Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior if you've not been born again if you've not been saved
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There's no better time than right now Scripture says today is the day of salvation
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Turn from your sin We've all sinned we're all sinners are anything good that we may try to do
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Scripture says that is it is it it as They are as filthy rags
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Apologize, they are as filthy rags before God. They're they're worthless.
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They're empty We were not able to do good any of us
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We are all sinners. We've all missed the mark There's no way for us to please
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God. We need a rescuer. We need a Savior and that Savior is
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Jesus Christ Paul tells us Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus Who although he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped
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He was equal with God. He is God, but he did not consider it a thing to be grasped
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He but he emptied himself Taking the form of a bondservant and being made in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man being humbled
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He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on the cross.
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So therefore Also God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name and that the name of Jesus every knee should bow of Those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
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Lord to the glory of God the Father So choose today for you to be that day that you you confess that your knee should bow
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Because Jesus came down emptied himself to die on the cross to take away the sin to take away the punishment and To give the gift of eternal life to those who would believe
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So trust in him today Scripture calls us to repent of our sins and to put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ his work on the cross
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Do that today let us know if you've done that let us know how we can pray for you If you'd like for us to pray for you
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All you have to do is type me and we'd be glad to pray for you If if this
01:01:59
It's going through this Book of Philippians is an encouragement. You think it would be an encouragement to others.
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Would you like? The video would you share the video? Would you let other folks know about the video?
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I don't like Promoting I'm not trying to promote myself. I just want to join you in in having
01:02:24
The Word of God go out to our community and so that's my desire is to glorify
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God and to share the gospel So I would appreciate you your partnership your prayers in that effort.
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And so let's Let's wrap this up with prayer worshiping God and thanking him father.
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We thank you Thank you for this encouragement from Paul and Thank you for the reminder of how we should interact as and be leaders and interact as Brothers and sisters in Christ and how we should build each other up and not tear each other down even when we're dealing with Folks who are stumbling folks who are having trouble
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Thank you for this encouragement. Thank you for this lesson Help us to be the church that you've called us and what have us to be help us to yield to the
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Holy Spirit and his conforming us to the likeness of Christ in our lives and help us not to Appeal and help us not to yield to the flesh in our lives who would tear down and destroy our brothers and sisters in Christ To build ourselves up but father help us help us to be passionate about putting the name of Jesus Up in lights and making him famous and thinking about your kingdom here on this earth and our great great great grandchildren and the legacy that we live
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That they may to know you and love your son Father thank you for the time that you've given us to spend and the technology that you give us to that we may spend time together and Sharing and just basking in your word and being in all of you and Worshiping you through studying your word father.
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Help us now to worship you through applying this joy this
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Gladness this celebration this compassion This love for one another
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Help us to worship you in our lives in our daily lives So that you may be honored in those whom you saved in Jesus name we pray and ask
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Amen Thank you guys for watching I'd ask that you remember that Jesus is
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King go live in that victory and Continue to go out there with me and share the gospel.