Scripture referenced 13 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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Philippians 4:8 whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, meditate on these things
8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.
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Keep this verse
Philippians 4:9
things learned, received, heard, and seen in Paul, do these things and the God of peace will be with you
9 The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
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Philippians 4:10
Paul rejoices that the Philippians' care for him has flourished again
10 But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.
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Philippians 4:11
Paul says he has learned to be content in whatever state he is in
11 Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.
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Philippians 4:12
Paul knows how to be abased and how to abound, in everything and in all things
12 I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.
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Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
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Philippians 4:14
you have done well that you shared in my distress
14 However you did well that you shared in my affliction.
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Philippians 4:15
no church shared with Paul concerning giving and receiving but the Philippians
15 You yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the Good News, when I departed from Macedonia, no assembly shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only.
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Philippians 4:16
even in Thessalonica the Philippians sent aid once and again for Paul's necessities
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need.
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Philippians 4:17
not that Paul seeks the gift but the fruit that abounds to their account
17 Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.
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Philippians 4:18
having received from Epaphroditus a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God
18 But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.
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Philippians 4:19
my God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus
19 My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
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Philippians 4:20
to our God and Father be glory forever and ever
20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
Pastor Ray wrapped up his time in Philippians 4 by working through verses 10 to 20, focusing on what Paul's thank-you letter to the Philippian church reveals about contentment, generosity, and the way God moves through both the people who go and the people who give. The passage landed close to home because Ray came to it as someone who made the same shift Paul describes, from earning a paycheck to depending on the support of a sending church.
What was said
Paul opens his thanks by saying he rejoiced greatly that the Philippians' care for him had "flourished again," like a plant greening up after winter. He is quick to add, though, that he is not writing to signal a need. He has learned, he says, to be content in whatever state he finds himself, whether abased or abounding, and he means both ends of that range. He had experienced real hunger and real abundance, beatings and being mistaken for a god, and he carried the same peace through all of it.
That is the ground under the well-known line "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Ray pointed out that when you read it in context, "all things" connects directly back to the list from verses 8 and 9, the things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Paul is not promising that Christ will help you win a game. He is saying that things a fallen person cannot pull off on their own, acting nobly, acting justly, living virtuously, become possible through Christ.
Ray drew attention to the phrase "in everything and in all things," which appears in Young's Literal Translation of the passage. It sounds redundant, and he said it is meant to. It works the same way a congregation prays when they ask God to "lead, guide, and direct," piling up synonyms to drive home that they mean it without exception. Eugene's prayer before the 9:00 service that morning had landed on almost exactly the same words without prompting, and Ray took that as a live illustration of the point.
When Paul says he is not seeking the gift but the fruit that abounds to the Philippians' account, Ray acknowledged that line can sound like a fundraising line. He said it is actually the opposite. Paul is holding back from pressing them harder precisely because he does not want to manufacture giving. What he does want them to understand is that their money sent to him in Thessalonica put them in the middle of what God was doing there. The Philippians had fruit in Thessalonica because they paid for Paul to be in Thessalonica.
That logic runs straight into the promise at verse 19: "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus." Ray was careful to separate this from prosperity-gospel thinking. The promise is made to people who have already been generous at cost to themselves, and it is framed in terms of need, not surplus. It is God's response to a church that has been sending resources toward people who are abased, and it carries the same weight as "I can do all things through Christ."
Ray closed by turning the passage toward the congregation as a whole. He said not everyone is called to go to Guatemala or to stand up front every Sunday, and that is exactly the point. Some are called to go, some are called to give so others can go, some are called to work at a place like Turning Point, and some are called to fill baby bottles so that work continues through the winter. The warning in the passage, the thing Paul pushes back against, is discounting the role that does not look like yours. The gospel advances when the people who are abounding share with the people who are abased, and God, Paul says, guarantees he will cover the gap.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- Pastor Ray pointed out that Paul's list in Philippians 4 uses 'whatever things' repeatedly, putting the focus on the reader rather than giving a fixed list. What are some of the specific things in your own life that, when you meditate on them, genuinely bring you toward what is true, noble, pure, and lovely?
- Paul says he learned to be content whether abased or abounding, and Pastor Ray connected that to his own experience of shifting from earning a paycheck to being a supported missionary. Has there been a season in your life where circumstances forced you to learn contentment? What did that process actually look like?
and 3 more questions in the guide
Read the full transcript 7,374 words
0:01
Amen. How are y'all this morning? Good. Good. Well, how about this?
0:06
How about we stand the few that we are and we start singing and see if we can sing some more folks in through the doors. We had a great connect hour this morning. There was a Latin American breakfast provided by Felix in Guadalupe and the the team that's going to Guatemala in April. There you go. Thank you, sir.
0:25
We're going to sing Blessed Assurance, hymn number five seventy two. If you would join, sing out. We'll try to sing em back down the hall and then here with us.
0:32
We've gathered in his name to worship him. Amen. And if there's two. Few few but fervent. How how many need to gather?
0:39
Just two or three.
0:39
Two or three.
0:40
Two or three. Very good. So, we've got em. We're meeting the quota. Let your hearts rejoice this morning in praise.
0:48
Amen. It's good to see y'all. Blessed assurance Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine. Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his spirit, lost in his blood.
1:12
This is my story. This is my song. Raising my savior all the day long. This is my story. This is my song.
1:28
Raising my savior all the day long.
1:34
Perfect submission perfect delight visions
1:40
of rapture now burst on my side angels descending ring praising my savior all the day long perfect submission all is at rest I and my savior am happy and blessed watching watching and waiting looking above filled with his goodness, washing his love. This is my story. This is my song. Praising my savior all the day long. This is my story.
2:57
This is my song praising my savior all the day long Amen.
3:08
How about at Calvary? The hymn number four ninety two at Calvary. Mercy there was great, grace was free.
3:23
Spent in vanity and pride caring not my lord was crucified, knowing not it was for me, he died on Mercy there was great and grace was free. Pardon there was multiplied to me. There my burden soul found liberty at Calvary. By God's word at last my sin, I learned. Then I trembled at the law I had spurned till my guilty, sore imploring turned to Calvary.
4:17
Mercy there was great and grace was free. Pardon there was multiplied to me. There my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary. Now I've given Jesus everything. Now I gladly own him as my king.
4:45
Now blood of
4:50
Jesus
4:56
the Jesus the mighty gulf that God did span at mercy there was great and grace was free pardon there was multiplied to me there my burden soul found liberty That's a good one.
5:52
Amen. That is a good one. Y'all can have a seat. I've got a few announcements this morning. We do have an alternative service time on Monday nights.
5:59
Monday nights at first B happens at 06:00. While this room is full with Awana which is a kids program getting scripture into the hearts and minds of children. Down the hall, we have Home Sweet Home. Monday nights at First B. There's meal, music, and a message every Monday night at 06:00.
6:17
We have Mike D who is our youth director is going to be bringing the word tomorrow from the book of James. He's got a message from the book of James. Carl is out. You can be praying for Carl. Last week, oh, I have to just mention.
6:30
Last week, I was sick as a dog when I was up here and I appreciate all your prayers. I have been getting slowly better all week and I feel great this morning. So, thank you for that. Carl is down this morning but Mike is preaching tomorrow night for him from a message from the book of James while Awana is going on in here. We have a team that's going to Guatemala the first week in April.
6:51
And so this morning, in between services, we had a breakfast that was a traditional Latin American breakfast. We had tamales and burritos and things like that. Guadalupe and Felix volunteered their efforts in cooking that and getting that ready as a kickoff fundraiser for that trip. We're doing another fundraiser for that trip coming up soon. That's Valentine's Day date night.
7:14
That's the February 14, which is not this Wednesday, but next. And so if you wanna go out on a date or y'all wanna go out and have some kids that you'd like to drop off and have somebody babysit, the team that's going to Guatemala will be here doing crafts and games and having a fun time here at the church while y'all go out for the evening. I want to invite Carolyn Warzyniak to the front, and she is the director of Turning Point Pregnancy Resource Center, and she's gonna announce the kickoff of an annual event.
7:51
Good morning, everyone. I did enjoy the Guatemalan burritos. I may speak in Spanish instead of southern. But I just want to thank each and every one of you for your past support of Turning Point through your financial donations, through your prayers, through your volunteering. We have so many people from our congregation who have served at Turning Point.
8:17
Pastor Ray being our recent past chairman, Judy Basie being our former executive director and is now on our board. We have Tanya who's been a long time volunteer throughout the year for whatever needs we have. I see Katina Craniac in the back, she's one of our nurses that shares her knowledge, compassion in her heart with our our clients. We have Blake back there that helps when we need audio assistance for our gala. We have Lisette who works with our Hispanic population in the parenting curriculum and her son who's seven, Emiliano comes in and helps put on stamps and labels when we have mailings.
9:04
Dancey Toalson is one of our former directors. We have our wonderful translator, Helen Courtney over here who comes in to translate for us. We appreciate Helen. Alyssa Massey is one of our own here. She's our Client Services Director and oh, Doctor.
9:23
Mary Girling is our Medical Director and her staff they do a wonderful, wonderful job for us. Laura Seaton always jumps in at the time of the Gala and helps us. Our Turning Point Pregnancy Resource Center is just that, it's a resource center. We exist to help men and women in times it's the jalapeno. But we serve men and women that are in unplanned pregnancies as well as planned pregnancies.
9:59
We do pregnancy testing. We do ultrasounds. We do parenting curriculum from the womb up to 12 years old. We, do post abortion Bible studies, pregnancy loss Bible studies. And this coming week, we are going to be meeting with Doctor.
10:20
Gillian Chapman, who's the superintendent of our schools, and her nurse staff, and we will be updating them on all of our resources available to the young people in our school systems. So to best tell the story, just wanted to share a couple of client quotes. So first of all, this is one from an expecting mother. She said, I really enjoy talking to an advocate because I have a baby inside and I know what to do. The classes are amazing and it gives me peace.
10:52
Plus, it's free. I feel every mom should be here listening to the experts on the video. And then a married client said, I attend church in Jackson Hole and I remember learning about Turning Point through one of the baby bottle campaigns. Since that time, I married and months later when I thought I was pregnant, I thought about turning point. At first, I felt silly going there when I could do a pregnancy test at home, but from the minute I walked in the door, I felt accepted, loved, and very comfortable.
11:26
After my pregnancy was confirmed by the nurse, it was wonderful to share my excitement with the staff and to learn about all the resources that not only Turning Point offers but are available in our community. I can't wait for my next appointment. It's what she said a while back. And then a mom with a six month old that we have been involved with over time during her pregnancy, she said, Turning Point helped a new and single mom go from freaking out about how to care for my baby to learning what to expect and how to respond at each stage. I gained so much confidence through the Earn While You Learn program And I also earned really cute clothes and necessary items for my little girl through your baby boutique.
12:12
So those are just examples of stories we hear about every day at Turning Point. So the winter is a stressful time financially for us. It's the only fundraising we have during the winter is our baby bottle campaign. So we would just ask that you join with us over the next month. Take a bottle in the bassinet in the foyer, fill it with your coins and cash.
12:38
And my husband said, and ask for antique automobiles, jewelry, you know. Stop. Stop. Since the stock market's doing so well. But anyway, if you all take a bottle, it's a great time to share as a family.
12:52
We got a number of bottles from individual children last year, which was really, it's so encouraging. So thank you all for participating. You can bring your bottles back here over the next month or feel free to come by and see us. We'd love for you to visit with us at Turning Point. Thank you, Ray.
13:11
I appreciate that. Thank you very much. We have a couple other announcements too. Yeah, that's fine. You can clap if you want to.
13:22
Thank you for doing what you do and we really appreciate that. It's a calling for sure. Next week, February 11, we're going to have one service. It'll be at 10:00, not at nine, not at eleven. We're going to do it split difference at 10:00 then we're having a congregational meeting to follow.
13:37
So at about 11:15, 11:30, we'll all reconvene in here, and we'll have for, the members will vote on the things like new elders and new board of trustees, people, and the new budget. So that's next week, congregational meeting to follow our one combined service. Tonight, we have figured out how to make this happen. There's a Super Bowl party that's happening here at the church. I think it's the first time we've done this, But they have wired it up so that we can do a streaming, of that game.
14:07
So you see Nick made this slide, pray for your enemies. Pray for the others. Okay? Get together in unity and watch people tear each other apart. That's what we're gonna do.
14:19
For anything else, have I forgotten anything else? I don't think so. If you would, stand up and greet one another. We'll bring you back together with a song in just a second.
14:28
But if there's anything else, I am weak but thou art strong Jesus keep me from Amen.
17:31
But this is the day.
17:35
Tap the foot. Here we go. I've done
17:37
a couple of Bible school songs lately. Let's do this one.
17:40
Let's get it.
17:57
And be it and be glad in it. Here we go. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.
18:21
Is the day, do it again. This is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. We will rejoice. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Big smiles on your heart.
18:38
Here we go now. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day. This is the day that the Lord Amen.
18:59
How many y'all remember that from Christian camp?
19:02
This is what they get you up with in the morning. That's good. Well, y'all can have a seat and I'm going to invite the frontline team to come forward. Would you all pray with me as they're coming forward? God, I do pray for this offering lord.
19:17
This time of the service where we give back. As I was reading the scripture for this week and considering all that Paul is talking about and his thanksgiving and his expressing that thankfulness, and more than just the thankfulness, but given us kind of some scriptural underpinning for why we do what we do in this particular time. God, I was overcome with the way that you convert a gift from a giver into a blessing and fruit for someone else. So God, I pray that that would be exactly what happens here this morning, that your willing and obedient servants would give as you have directed, and Lord, that you would use this church and the ministries that this church supports throughout this county, this area, really this whole world, Lord, that you would increase the gift to do your kingdom's work, that the gospel would advance, Lord, because of what people are doing right here this morning. In Jesus name, we we pray that you would supernaturally, Lord, take over and create that fruit In Jesus name, I'm going to try to wander around and avoid it.
20:37
I'm up to Philippians four. I know that most of y'all are here week in week out. You know that our schema, what we've been going and doing is going forward in scripture and just staying on the path. We're up to Philippians four in a study of the New Testament in chronological order. So, these are letters in the order that they're written and we've gotten to near the end.
20:58
I have one more sermon out of the book of Philippians and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I talked to somebody between services this morning. He said, if I have just a few minutes while I'm waiting somewhere and I'm flipping through looking for something to do on my phone, I often go to Philippians because it seems to always apply and that is the really the point of study in Philippians is it does and we'll see that in just a minute in the way that Paul fits it to perfectly to every occasion. So, here we go. Last week, I I covered, you know, we're doing 10 to 20 today.
21:30
Last week, I covered eight and nine. Just two verses and this is what I pointed out. Now, it was through coffin fits and only fifteen minutes long but this is what I said, whatever things are true and I brought emphasis to true. I actually went back after we read through this one time and went through each one of em and slowed down and thought about it. Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there's any virtue or anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things and when I said meditate on these things, we did.
22:09
We went back and meditated on em some more and I talked about my own personal things that I think of when I'm thinking of something noble but I also ask you to be thinking of that. I want you to think about it differently this morning and let me go ahead and say number nine too. Paul said, the things which you learned and received and you heard and you saw in me, these things do and the God of peace will be with you. Another promise of God's peace. He had just done that in five and six and seven where he said that the peace that passes understanding would guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus.
22:42
So, this is about the peace of God. These messages all in chapter four. Okay, I'm going clear the highlighting there and I want to look at this a different way, okay? I asked you already to be thinking about the things for you that they came up and I told you some of mine but look at this rhetorical device that Paul is using. You know, some people plan what they're going to say when they're in front of I study a lot, and then when I get up here, what spills out is what spills out.
23:10
I don't plan exactly how I'm gonna say what it is, but a lot of people do. Like Winston Churchill really painstakingly wrote what he was gonna say. Martin Luther King Junior really painstakingly wrote a lot of it that he said, listen to what Paul is saying in the rhetorical features that he's using to help bring these things up. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there's anything of virtue, if there's anything praiseworthy, then meditate on these things. Do you get that?
23:53
That's a really effective thing because he's taking it off of him and he's putting it on you and saying, whatever these things are for you. Now, if you were to keep Florine's hands tied behind his back and did not allow him to play music for a month, he would actually, he would just, he didn't just die, wouldn't he? He'd kill him. There are some of you that feel that way about hunting or fishing or snowmobiling or hiking or being around people. If you take somebody that just loves being around people and you put em in solitary, oh, it just is awful for em and there are others of you who just being around people is irritating and I know that but it's whatever things Paul is saying, there are things that God has put out there that are true to you and if you'll think and meditate on these things, it's good for you.
24:43
Whatever things, whatever things, whatever things, whatever things, Whatever things. Anything. Anything. These things. And then he has a little short parenthesis that I believe is his personal experience.
24:56
He's saying, these things which you learn and you received and you heard and you saw in me because I was with you. Remember eleven years ago when I was with you? And then five years ago when I passed back through, you saw me dealing with whatever things were true and noble and pure and just and lovely and of good report. These things which you learned and you received and you heard and you saw in me be doing these things. These things and the God of peace will be with you.
25:24
Then, we get to this passage from day but it's a disjunctive. So, it's changing course just a little second ago. I mean, from what we were saying a second ago but I rejoiced. I just have to say it, Paul says, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again. What's that mean?
25:47
I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again. Well, he had talked about Epaphroditus having brought to him a gift. He was their messenger that brought to him financial resources so that he could continue to live stuck there in prison in Rome. I rejoice in the Lord greatly but now at last, your care for me has flourished again. It sprung up like a spring time.
26:09
It had been through a winter but now, it was flourishing or greening up again. Though you surely did care, and I'm not saying you didn't, but you just lacked opportunity. And I understand that because I'm in Rome, and Rome's a long way from Philippi. News does not travel fast around these parts. And so, I'm sure that you've always been caring because that's my experience with you.
26:31
You're my joy, my crown. Every time I pray, I remember you. Surely, you did care but you just lacked opportunity. Either you didn't know I was in need or you didn't have anything to offer or you didn't have a way of getting it to me. But since we know Epaphroditis has brought this, this is he's saying, I'm rejoicing because your care has flourished again.
26:55
And now he backs off and says, not that I speak in regard to need. He's saying thank you for helping. But have you ever had somebody say thank you for helping? And what they really meant was, now give me some more. Yes, we've all experienced that.
27:12
Towards the end of the year, you get little cards from everybody you've ever supported. They send them at the end of the year, right? Well, Paul is saying, I rejoice to receive help from you. I know that you cared. I know that there was had to be something that was stopping you because you've always given in the past.
27:31
Not that I speak in regard to need for I've learned in the in this business of being an apostle and being a sent one. He had been through a lot. He's saying, I'm not speaking in regard to need. I've learned to be content in whatever state I happen to be in. I know how to be abased, that is without anything, completely needy, wanting, starving, hungry.
27:57
I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Had he experienced both? He very, very certainly, yes, he had. You know, when he's given his list of the struggles, he had been shipwrecked twice, adrift in the sea. He'd been snake bit.
28:19
He'd been beaten multiple times. He'd also been mistaken for a god at least once, maybe more often than that. And so he had been lifted up and put on a pedestal, and he ate well in some places. But he did know how to be abased, and he knew how to abound. He knew how to work with his hands, and he did that through much of his ministry.
28:45
Everywhere and in all things. Now, literally translated, this would be, and this is Young's Literal translation, the YLT is Young's Literal. If you ever want a hard translation to read, but it says exactly what the Greek says, This is Young's literal translation. I have known both to be abased, and I have known to abound in everything and in all things. So that everywhere, right here, everywhere and in all things really says, in everything and in all things.
29:14
Now, that sounds like it's redundant, doesn't it? In everything and in all things. That sounds redundant. It is a bit redundant. I think all the time about how we pray in church and the church that I grew up in, Freeman Kuhn would stand up and he would say, thank you.
29:31
He whispered pretty much. But my dad always said, my brother said, I don't like it when Freeman prays. I can't hear nothing he says. And my dad said, he ain't talking to you. Anyway, Freeman would always say lead, guide, and direct us.
29:45
Now, what's the difference in lead, guide, and direct? But that's lead, guide, and direct us, lord. In everything and in all things, it's an amplifier. It's an amplifier meaning that we mean it in absolutely everything. This morning before the band played in the 09:00 service, Eugene prayed for the band.
30:01
It was funny, unprompted by me and I'm sure he didn't read the Young's literal translation before he came in this morning. He said, lord, in everything and in all that goes on here today, would you let your love be seen by every soul that comes through the door? Amen. Everything and in all things and everything and in all things. Now, he means it.
30:22
He's in prison when he says this. He obviously has the peace of God. He's got joy, joy, rejoice in lord always and again, I say rejoice, rejoice in everything and in this, he says, as not the formula for peace but what we discussed as a recognition that the Lord is at hand. If you are a believer in Jesus, he says, I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will be with you even to the end of age.
30:48
The Lord is at hand. Recognize that and be anxious for nothing but in everything, no matter what you're going through, whether you're abounding or whether you are actually abased. We had a gal in the service this morning that was sitting there in pain. She's hurting something awful physically right now and she's hurting right now and we have others, me included, that feel like a million dollars today compared to last week, right? In everything, whatever it is by prayer, just communicating with God and supplication, telling him your heart's desire.
31:22
In humility, with thanksgiving, you let your request be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all of our earthly understanding will guard our minds and our hearts through Christ Jesus. He means it when he says, in everything and in all things, I have learned to be full and I've learned to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. When Paul said yes to Jesus' call to be his apostle, his messenger to the Gentiles, he went through it. He went on a mountaintop experience to a deep, deep valley experience, And he repeated that cycle over and over. And I say, if you say yes to God's call on your life, you will do the same.
32:09
You will abound and at times you will be abased, but you will have the peace of God. Paul says, he's learned both to be full and to be hungry, to abound and suffer need. And this is where he says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Now we hear this one a lot on bumper stickers and on coffee mugs and on cute cross stitches on the wall. You might hear it from a professional athlete on the winning team this evening.
32:40
He might say afterwards, yeah, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The other guy might be talking from Lamentations. I don't know. He means all things when he says all things. When he said and considering everything, every alright, let me think.
32:58
Whatever thing, whatever things, whatever things, whatever things, whatever things, if anything, anything, these things. When he says I can do all things, he's talking about I can do all things that are noble. As a human being, we don't make good choices on our own but through Christ. We can do things that are noble. We can do things that are just, as unjust as we are.
33:23
Paul himself called himself the chief of sinners. We can do things that are true. We can do things that are lovely, that are virtuous, and that are actually praiseworthy. We can do these things through Christ who strengthens us. So that's up through 13.
33:39
14 says this, he goes back to his missionary support. Nevertheless, you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now he said, I have abounded and I have been in need. And I've learned to be content no matter what. I just keep rolling forward.
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Nevertheless, I will say this, that you have done well, that you shared in my distress. When I was abased and you sent help, you shared in my distress. I no longer felt I was doing this alone. Speaking from someone, we moved to the mission field eighteen years ago. And that first two weeks of that experience was the hardest two weeks of my life by far.
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Now it had started a little earlier that we shifted from being people who, you know, I had a job. I had a job teaching safety lessons and sawmills, factories all over. And when I was teaching those lessons, I felt like I was earning my money, right? I earned my money. Very, very human way of looking at things.
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I was blessed with the job that God gave to me but when I shifted from being someone who earned their money to being, actually, it was today, 18 ago today, actually, February third, fourth, yesterday, eighteen years ago. I shifted from being someone who earned a paycheck to being someone who was supported, a supported missionary. And this message really resonates with me because when Paul says, nevertheless, you've done well that you shared in my distress. There are times on the field, the front lines, when you feel like, wow, we're out here by ourselves. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the spread of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, you remember, Paul heard the Macedonian call and a vision in Troas.
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He crosses over, Samothraes lands, and goes into Macedonia and to Philippi, and then God starts to build up a church. Lydia, the seller of purple and the demon possessed slave girl, Philippian jailer. God's calling people out. The gospel is really really producing fruit in people's lives. You Philippians know that in the beginning of the gospel in those times, when I departed out from Macedonia after I had been with you for a while and God was really building up the church, no church.
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This is one of the times where he's using church instead of being the church triumphant throughout all ages. He's talking about this being this little body of believers in Philippi. Like we're a little body of believers right here in Jackson. When I departed from Macedonia, which is kind of the region that Philippi is in, No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. Y'all were the only church that did that.
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Up until that time, Paul had been applying his trade of tent making and working through kind of as a bi vocational minister wherever he went But then when he left Philippi and headed towards Thessalonica, he says, for even in Thessalonica, which is a 100 miles away from Philippi, city to city, it's a 100 miles. It's like going from here to Idaho Falls. There's no pass in between the two or at least not that dramatic a pass. Or even in Thessalonica, you sent aid once and again for my necessities. When you found out that I had need, you met my needs.
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And he's saying, thank you for doing that. But throughout each of it, he says, not that I seek the gift. I'm not I'm not saying thank you so that you will send more. Not that I'm seeking the gift. I'm not saying that.
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I seek the fruit though that abounds to your account. It was a very hard thing for me to get used to and I will say it now and sometimes it just sounds cheesy. It sounds a little bit like a marketing ploy that you don't want to rob somebody of the blessing. Well, you really don't want to rob somebody of the blessing. What Paul is saying right here and it is theologically sound.
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I'm not seeking the gift but I do seek the fruit that abounds to your account. If you give to Paul at this time, if the Philippians gave to Paul, then they had fruit in Thessalonica. And in Ephesus, and in Rome, The whole Praetorian guard knows about the gospel because the Philippians are involved in the spread of the gospel by giving financially. I am super sensitive to when we ask for money in church. And so this morning, I get up and the announcement is, hey, come on down and give a donation for the Guatemala thing.
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And then Carolyn, when you come up and ask And so Carolyn comes up and she asks for Turning Point. And then I'm super sensitive to that. I'm super sensitive to that because my primary gifting is not generosity. I mean, hopefully I'm generous with my time and with my study and everything else, but I've not been gifted with tremendous amounts of money. And that's not what the way that but I'm sensitive to that.
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Now, when I share a need with somebody and they just are able to meet it, it's awesome. And for me to hold back would be like Paul holding back right here and not allowing them that fruit that comes from being able to give. Does that make sense? Not that I seek the gift. I'm not saying this to try to pry money out of your hands.
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I'm saying that I actually believe that fruit will abound to your account. Indeed, I have all. I'm good. I'm fine. I have all and I am abounding right now.
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I'm full having received from Epaphroditis the things, there it is again, the things that you sent to me. And then he makes that transition again. You sent to me a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice that is well pleasing to God. Now that is what took me weeks to figure out in that transition time of I've got a job where I earn my money, and I'm taking money now from people who earn their money and they're giving it to me. Well, through the fact that those people were given to see the gospel advance in Northeastern Mexico among the deaf children at our school, it was a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice that was well pleasing to God.
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And Paul's recognizing that. It took me a while to recognize that. I have all and I abound. I'm full. Having received from Epaphroditus the things that you sent.
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A sweet smelling Roman, acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God, and then he goes and he gives a promise of God that is wonderful. Now, every time that I mention the words prosperity gospel, I say, prosperity gospel is hogwash. Yeah. I say it all the time. I have replaced that word a couple of times but usually it's hogwash, alright?
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This is true. This is real and this is right and this is not the prosperity gospel. Paul says, with absolute certainty to people who have been generous. He says, and my God shall supply all of your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus. He's already said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and I can do it whether I'm abounding or whether I'm abased.
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Whether I have a lot or whether I'm little, I can still go forward. You have been very gracious and generous to me and to others to whom I'm ministering, and that fruit will abound in your account. And my God shall supply all of your need according to his riches and glory by Jesus Christ or in Jesus Christ is a good translation too. Now, he said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me but Christ is the end. Union with Christ is what it's all about and so if you are united with Christ by belief in his provision, God's provision of his son to atone for your sins and to give you motivation and direction for building up his kingdom.
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If you are, then you are attached to that. We pray often, Lord, make me a channel of blessing. I want to be a conduit through which the blessing of God travels. Now, we're leaky people. Scott Eichen used to say that all the time.
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We're leaky people. We're constantly needing filling. Well, Jesus is the well that never runs dry. If we're connected directly to him, then yes, we can fill up and we can overflow into the lives of other people. I think it's a pretty good and accurate statement that at all times, in all times, in all things that there are some of us who are abounding and there are some of us who are abased.
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Do you agree with that? Geographically, this land, God has shed his grace on The US Of A, and we have traditionally had resources, and the rest of the world traditionally, a lot of places have not. Guatemala is one of those places just as an example. Whatever we as a church give to help people who are suffering, in Paul's day, it was to help the church in Jerusalem that were starving. It might be to help kids who are starving in villages in Guatemala right now, could be in Romania, could be other places.
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This promise of God is very, very nice to me to see that for those of us who do have something that we can give, we are in some way abounding here that if we give to those who are abased, God will supply for our need. He will. My God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus. This is not as easy a transition to me today as it usually is because I preach so much about unity and coming together at the table, the communion table. We are recognizing it is only by Christ that we are brothers and sisters that we were called out from every tribe, tongue, and nation and we have found ourselves here, and we are unified by our experience of having Christ as our example and our atonement and having been forgiven by his blood.
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So we meet at the table. This morning I'm thinking in a slightly different fashion. I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to communicate it. Not all of us are called to do my job that I'm doing up here right now today. And I'm thankful for that because it's terrifying.
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Quite honestly, one of the gals, we had a couple of people. We had four people come in as new members of the church today and one of them, the only reason they have not done this three years ago is because she said, I'm scared to death to stand in front of a large group of people. Well, praise God that she's not the one that has to do this every time. I actually passed out in front of a ninth grade English class, took out a whole front row of desks. It's not my favorite thing to do either but I can say that God has given me a peace that passes understanding about being up here and being in front of y'all and doing this.
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There are some of us who are called to do this. There are some of us who are called to go places. There are some of us who are called to support those who are going places. There are some of us who are called to work at Turning Point, and there are some of us who are called to support them with all that we can do. Do you get what I'm saying?
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So today, rather than it being unity in the body, Euodia and Syntyche, y'all are not getting along, today it's don't discount the other. If someone's not willing to go somewhere, but they're willing to give so that other people can go somewhere. Don't discount that. If they don't feel led to give, don't try to force their hand. Not that I seek the gift, right?
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But I do seek the fruit that abounds on your account. If God lays it on your heart to do whatever it is, I pray that you'll do it. I also pray that you'll share the need with your brothers and sisters in Christ because that's the way that the gospel advances. Alright. So, I'm going to call the frontline team forward.
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Thank you, miss Rosemary. And would you pray with me? Lord God, at the beginning of each month, we set aside time and we practice what you preach Lord to as often as we will do this in remembrance of your broken body and your shed blood. So Jesus' life and his atoning death is what we're coming together to celebrate here in the Lord's Supper. Lord, I pray that as we distribute these crackers, this little bit of bread, that it will be for each one who receives it, Lord, a blessing, a recognition of your life as the perfect example, the sinless, spotless lamb of God who's given on our behalf.
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God, for each one who does not believe or does not yet believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed and holy one who paid the price. Lord, I pray that the godly life, that the humble, forgiven life of their neighbors and friends who are seated around them today would draw them into a relationship with almighty God through Jesus. Lord, would you bless this little cracker as we distribute it right now in Jesus name. And after supper on the same night that Jesus was betrayed, he took bread and after breaking it and giving thanks, he told his disciples that were there assembled with him and he says, to us today that this is my body that is broken for you. Take this and eat and do it in remembrance of me.
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Worthy is the lamb that was slain. Lord, I think what can wash away our sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. So, we distribute this this cup of great juice, lord, there's a representation of the blood that was spilled. For the forgiveness of our sins, lord, I pray that you would bless each one that partakes and that you'd bless those who must let it pass too, lord, through these who have received you and know you.
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Would you show your love? In Jesus name, amen.
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Jesus paid it all to him I owe sin had left a crimson stain he washed it white as snow I hear the savior say thy strength indeed is small child of weakness watch and pray find in me thine all in all Jesus paid it all to him I owe sin had left a crimson stain he washed it white as snow and meld the heart of stone Jesus paid it to him I owe sin had left a crimson stain he watched it white as snow
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just as he had taken the bread, he also took the cup after supper. And he told his disciples that this is the new covenant in my blood. Praise God for that new covenant, not a covenant of works, but a covenant of grace. Yet, he told them and he tells us today, take this and drink and do it as often as you will in remembrance of him. Paul says that each time that we do this, we declare the Lord's death until he comes again.
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It is his death and our association and identification with him in in our burial and baptism and to his death that we can be reborn. So, would you stand with me? We're going to sing the doxology hymn number eight fourteen. And we'll sing it with the piano this time. Okay.
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Let's do the traditional one. Yes.
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We can do whichever.
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Let's do the traditional one. We don't know the other one. This part, we don't anyway.
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Praise God
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Amen. And to close out today, the last verse of 10 to 20 that we're studying is this, though he uses each one of us in whatever he has called us to do, it is him who is doing the work. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. We find our blessing and our blessing of peace by dwelling in that place where God works in Christ Jesus. Now, to our God and father, be glory forever and ever.
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Amen. Amen.
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