Never Let Up - Philippians 4:1-19

There is a saying that “If you don’t use it you will lose it” and I can attest to this being a fact when it comes to the need to exercise the human body; and I truly believe that it will stand true in regard to spiritual activities such as prayer, worship, and praise; and especially true regarding witnessing and services rendered for others. There is no way for a Christian to retire from his work for God; in fact, his last days of effective work will probably take place on his death bed. So long as God gives us a sound mind, we are TO NEVER LET UP. In the past few years there have been several members of our church who have suffered many long days of physical illness, but they have continued to grow in spiritual strength and personal witness. Their legacy is great, beautiful and will be remembered by great numbers who have been blessed because they never let up.

It is not an easy matter to live like Christ, and that is what the word Christian means. New Christians face the struggle of breaking old habits that they have developed, and sometimes this is hard to do. All of us must continue to live in this world that is sinful by nature, but we are admonished not to still have a part in it. This requires us to be different, and sometimes it is very difficult not to go along with the crowd. Let us face it, Christian living is a struggle for all of us, but we must remember that the stakes are high.

A faltering Christian is a stumbling block and never a stepping stone, and the bible tells us that it would be better for us to have a rock about our neck and be cast in the sea rather than mislead others and cause them to fall. We must never let up because our daily lives are continually witnessing for either good or bad. It seems unfair, but it is inevitable that one slip [in just a moment of time] we can create distrust in others that they can and will use as an excuse not to believe in Christ and his church.

This lesson will survey at least four areas of our life that we can use to help us maintain a positive witness. The first assumption is that we are talking to dedicated people that are committed to keeping the “do right” rule. Then the first seven verses deal with the fact that we must be able to get along with other people. Verses eight and nine tell us to live a virtues life. Then verses ten to fourteen tells us that we must learn to be contented at all times and in all ways, and Paul says that he has learned how it is done; so we should follow his lead. Finally, and most important of all, we must continually trust in Jesus Christ to give us the knowledge and strength to do what we must do.

In the last two lessons we have studied, Paul has warned us that we should be aware that false teachers are at work continually and that we must never allow them to mislead us. Last Sunday we learned that we live here in the USA, but we are already citizens of heaven and our treasurers are being stored there each day as we earn them. Now, today, in the first verse his exhortation is embedded in a series of terms expressing his affection for his friends and he urges them and us to stand firm…and never let up.

In the second verse two ladies are mentioned that evidently are having some problems getting along and we are not sure what the problem was. Both were workers in the church and indications are that their problem was not one of disbelief or false teaching, but something personal and causing some problems. Other members were admonished to help them to be reconciled. It can happen, it did here, two Christians can and do disagree, but the indication is that they should not continue to disagree openly because of the way others will react. Paul says that they must become reconciled. Do you have a problem worshipping along side of one of your Christian friends? Have you thought about the importance of working out your problem?

Paul commends these women by saying they have worked by his side in the cause of the gospel along with Clement and the other workers whose names are written in the book of life. Here he is referring back to the fact that they are all citizens of heaven—one in Christ. There is to be no animosity toward disagreeing Christians, or anxiety, but they should always act with patience and gentleness, remembering that God is always near and that He will guard our hearts and minds.

There is an element of people today that believe that there is always a shady area between right and wrong in which one can live and be right. They do not believe that anything is totally right or wrong, or true or false, but the scripture does not support this belief. Paul plainly teaches in verse eight that truth does exist. Things can be right. Some things are pure. And the way he states this admonition leaves no doubt that somethings are false, wrong, or impure. He also indicates that Christians are supposed to be able to know the difference. When truth is present, right is being done, and things are noble, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy Christians are to take note and think on these things. We are what we think. Our minds control our actions and our actions produce our work either for or against the will of the Lord.

In verses ten to fourteen Paul reminds us that he has been on top and also trodden down, he has been rich and poor, he has been loved and admired and stoned and thrown in prison—he has the experience to know what he is talking about. Then he tells us that our action and reaction should never be based on our circumstances. We must learn to be content in the Lord, to love, praise, and trust him regardless of our condition or position. He concludes this admonition by telling us that he not only has learned to be content but that he has found that he can do everything using the strength he receives from Jesus Christ.

Paul closes this chapter by showing his gratitude for all the Philippians have done for him and leaves no doubt that he is not asking for more. He has no hidden motives hidden in this letter to them, but considers their help as their sacrifice, which is acceptable to him and God who will bless them.

If we have listened to Paul we have learned that he has instructed all Christians to learn to get along with each other and help others when they have problems. He has told us that there are some true virtues in life and that we are to think about them and live accordingly. We know that living in misery and or discontent will lead us into undesirable actions; therefore we must learn to be content whatever our circumstance. And finally, we must learn to trust God and give him all the glory. Amen and Amen.

Look Up to Heaven - Philippians 3:1-21

If you would ask the next ten people you meet to explain their greatest desire, the chances are you would get ten different answers. I ask you now; what is your greatest desire? Mine is—I desire heaven over hell; want to be in God’s will; want to do right and want to treat others as I want to be treated. Nothing else really matters if we are not prepared to meet Jesus. If heaven is really that important, then why do we not think more about it; and more often than we do?

Kids like to play and have fun and they think about it every well day of their life. Heaven should be more important to adults than play is to children. Someone has said that “We should not be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good,” and that is a truism. However, we do well when we prepare for heaven; and we do ‘good’ when we continually remind our neighbors and ourselves that Heaven is a real place and that we only have a few days, full of trouble, to prepare to make the trip. Think of heaven as your destination and make sure to use good driving habits while you are traveling.

I have enjoyed living in Heber Springs for the past thirty six years, and my drive to church almost every Sunday morning is one of the highlights. Many times I have mentioned my observations to the men in our class. Sights range from the river’s reflecting shadows and the running, riffling water; from the blooming of the Bradford Pear and Tulip trees, the majesty of Sugar Loaf Mountain, the color combinations on Round Mountain, herds of deer crossing the highway, to the beauty of new life in spring and the glorious colors of fall. My faith has always soared with the clouds as I always associate this beauty with a loving, caring God who created everything that is; and then I think of heaven that will surpass all that I have seen. As we study this lesson will you please—Look Up To Heaven!

Another good title for this lesson would be “Serve Him Here and Now” because that is the evidence needed to prove that we are looking forward to heaven. In fact, the title of the lesson, Look Up To Heaven is found in the last two verses where we read that our citizenship is in heaven. The first part of the chapter tells us that we are just sojourners here and that every day should be lived in preparation to occupy heaven when our day arrives.

Verse one starts with the word ‘finally’ which does not mean that Paul is concluding and ready to leave or close his letter, but in Greek, it means ‘something remaining’ and like Paul Harvey on TV, Paul is prepared to “Tell you the rest of the story.” His first admonishment was a warning that along our way we are to watch out for the dogs [men who do evil], and he was referring to the Judaizers that argued that one must keep the law first, in order to become a Christian. This also refers to the false teachers of today who teach that there are other things more important than accepting Christ—being born again. The reference to people being as ‘dogs’ is heavy, and indicates Paul’s disgust for false teachers. In his day dogs ran in packs, killing and eating as scavengers therefore this is a vivid, but true, picture of anyone that adheres to a life and teaching that will ultimately lead their piers to spiritual death. Who are the Judaizers today? They are those who say that people must add something else to simple faith. No person should add anything to Christ’s offer of salvation by grace through faith.

Paul continued by telling the church that he had ‘been there and done that.’ He told them that he was an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, and was circumcised eight days after his birth. He was a zealous Pharisee that persecuted the church and legalistically he was “Faultless.” He said, “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more.” At another time he told us that he was ‘the greatest of sinners.’ This should get the attention of everyone in the Philippians church because the tribe of Benjamin was a heritage greatly esteemed among the Jews. The first king of Israel, King Saul, was from the tribe of Benjamin, and Judah and Israel were the only two tribes that returned to Israel after the exile as recorded in [Ezra 4:1]. The Pharisees were overly devout; keeping their own strenuous rules as well as the Mosaic Law. Paul fully understood what Jews believed.

In verse seven Paul spoke of his profits and was referring to his Jewish credentials, credits and successes before his conversion; and now as a Christian he counts those profits as a loss because they were against Christ. Paul is in no way bragging about what he had done but is simply showing them that he had more to brag about than they as Judaizers—but that it was the wrong game. Today, we must be very careful not to rely on the great things we have done in the past and not let our works stand in the way of a true relationship with Christ. All that Paul had done was considered as loss when compared with the greatness of knowing Christ personally. A personal relationship with Christ is the most valuable asset anyone can have.

Read again verses 3 through 9 and you will find that no amount of “keeping the law, self improvement, self discipline, or any other religious effort,” can make us right with Christ. If one is righteous he must be in the ‘right standing’ with the will of God’ because righteousness comes only from God. If you want to know how one becomes righteous read 2 Corinthians 5: 21.

Paul gave up everything precious to him—his heritage, family, friends and freedom and is now in prison; he sacrificed all just to know the resurrection power of Christ. We too have this knowledge, but we should remember that it is never free and may cost us in a sacrificial way. How willing are you to sacrifice where there is a need? Will you give up a few hours of work or play time each week to study, pray and attend worship services? From your limited budget, are you willing to share in the cost of spreading the gospel? Here is the hard question—if we loose our freedom of worship in America, will you sacrifice your life and refuse to deny Jesus Christ?

Do you have a desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection? To be a Christian means to be like Christ. Now ask yourself do I really want to fellowship with him and share in his suffering on the cross? Are you willing to die for your belief, for your goal—to be like him in his death? Paul did. See verse ten and you will find that this is the only way to attain to the resurrection from the dead. This was Paul’s goal.

In verse twelve you will find that your goal can be a costly one, and you may not have fully reached the optimum level at this time but you should be able to identify it and be willing to press on and forward. Paul admitted that even he had not fully attained but that he was trying each day. He said, “But one thing I do; Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal—to win the prize.” That prize was to be in heaven with Jesus Christ. The NCAA tournament was two weeks ago, I watched several games. Very few players hit more than 70% of their free throws. I was a referee for over fifteen years, and have studied the game and can tell you with confidence that there are two main reasons why a player misses free throws. They fail to practice a known and proven routine but the number one reason is that they take their eye off of the goal. You can not watch the other players and see your goal, in either the ball game or the game of life. Please remember that if you are allowing some hypocrite to stand between you and Christ—the hypocrite is closer to Him than you.

Paul had a reason for forgetting the things he had done. Remember he was present and viewed Stephen as he fell in martyrdom; he actually participated by holding the coats of those that threw the stones, he was Saul at the time [see Acts 7: 57 and 58]. All of us have some bad memories, but we gain strength by knowing that God forgave Paul—and few if any have a past so blighted as his. Never dwell on your past but realize that you are forgiven and then move on to live a life of faith and obedience. Yes, both faith and obedience. Faith is an act of the spirit; obedience is an act of the flesh—it is works. James says that spiritual faith is of no avail without physical works, and that means that you must work for God to prove that you believe in Him.

I am now closing with a sad statement and a wonderful promise. “For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction…” [Verse 18]. You are physically a citizen of your state and your town at address USA. But if you are a born again believer you are a spiritual citizen of Heaven beyond. Your name has already been written on the Lambs Book of Life and your taxes [good works] are being recorded to your account. Verse 20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven.” And we can eagerly await his return to transform our bodies into a glorious body like His. His word is Truth.

Light Up the World - Philippians 2:12-30

We are not saved by our works; however, others are sometimes encouraged to be saved because of our works. Our instruction is to “Let our lights so shine before others so that they can see our good works” and the implication is that by so doing they will improve their ways. Just be honest, how often do you see a person that claims to be a Christian acting or talking in a way that you know is a hindrance to the cause of Christ? If you have made this observance, then you should always remember that someone is watching you. Your friends are happy to see you serving God in your daily walk; those that don’t particularly care for you are happy when they see you falter—it gives them a needed excuse not to go to church or even profess Christianity. In fact, they will tell you that they are just as good as you; and the truth is—they may be. They simply judge a tree by its fruit.

James tells us that faith without works is dead. That simply tells us that if we say that we have faith unto salvation, and continue to work in the devil’s vineyard, our observers will judge us by our fruit and not by the fact that we are church members or claim to be Christian: therefore our faith will no longer have convicting power. The work of a Christian can assuredly be to ‘LIGHT UP THE WORLD.’ Just in case you did not immediately understand why this is the title of our lesson today, let me make it very clear, Paul is giving us instructions regarding what CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR should be. We are to positive examples for Christ and not detractors or inhibitors; catalyst and not dilutors. Positive discipline of a Christian is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.

This will not be a popular study because most people do not like for anyone to tell them how they should conduct their lives. My life is not my own! It was bought at Calvary and I belong to Jesus Christ who died that I might live. The least I can do is work for Him—and by all means, not against Him, and if I am not doing that someone should remind me. Paul, in Philippians 2; 12-30, gives us three positive examples of believers whose behavior demonstrates commitment to Christ. I hope this study will help those who study it to determine how they will better demonstrate their own commitment to the Lord. I will learn with you as we study His Word.

This morning I heard Charles Stanley [a great bible teacher] say that when you see the word ‘therefore’ at the beginning of a verse, you should ask yourself what the word is ‘there for.” So, since verse twelve starts with the word ‘therefore’ let us examine why he used it. In this case it ties this verse to the previous section of study which told us to “Work out your salvation” and pertains to his exhortation to unity, and it probably means that the entire church should work together to rid themselves of some divisions and discord that he had observed. The Philippians needed to obey Christ even when he was not there with them to remind them and instruct them in things that were right. Christians today need to be careful about what we believe and how we live, especially how we conduct ourselves in the workplace or on the playground when the pastor, a teacher or parent is not present to observe and instruct us. We often forget that Jesus is present and watching every move we make, every thought we think.

Do you live a double life? Are you the same person when you are in the world of work and play, or at home or in church? Verse thirteen tells us that we are never alone and that Christ is always with us to guide us and help us to will and work according to his good purpose. There is really no secret to living a changed life at any time and in any place—when anyone wants to. It simply means that we must get our “wantto” fixed. Do you deliberately want to disobey God at all times? Most Christians do not. Therefore, make it easy to do right by submitting to His control and let him work his will through you. Your prayer should be, “Lord, help me to want to do your will” and mean it. We do only the things that we really want to do.

In order to be like Christ, requires us to train ourselves to think as he thinks—and you can learn how he thinks by reading his Word. The power of sin causes people to want to live as the world lives and to change your desire to be more like Christ requires the power of the Holly Spirit, the influence of faithful Christians, and obedience to God’s Word. I have found that ‘doing his will’ builds a desire to do more. As an example, why do you think I continue to prepare this lesson week after week, since I no longer teach a class each Sunday or get paid? It is not easy and requires self discipline. Very simply, I do it because I believe that it is God’s will. I have faith to believe that someone will read it, maybe enjoy it, and more important, a reader might let it change his/her life. I challenge you to do what He wants and trust him to change your desires in a positive way.

I really enjoyed reading verses 14 through 16 because it reinforces what I have just told you. I hope that I can “…Shine like a star in the universe because I have held out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing” [read these verses]. Paul started by telling the Philippians and us that complaining and arguing is harmful to His cause. When people observe Christians argue, complain and gossip it gives them a false impression about Christ and the gospel [Good News]. A sincere belief in Christ, trusting Him should unite those that believe and trust, and it will surely have a positive effect on those that observe. A Christian’s life is characterized by moral purity, patience and peace and when it is so we can “Shine like stars” in a dark world. You are reminded again that Christians are commanded to “Let their light shine” so others can observe and take note that you are different.

In seventeen Paul is referring either to the sacrificial system of the Jews [see Numbers 28:7] or the wine used to worship pagan deities prior to important public events in the Roman world during those days. Anyway, Paul had a perfect right to consider his life as a sacrifice for Christ, after all that he had gone through. He was content and acclaimed that even if he died, it would be his gain. One thing is assured, when any Christian is committed to serving Christ, any sacrifice that builds the faith of others is rewarding and brings joy to the believer. If you want to have a good day, just work for Christ and others. Selfishness breeds boredom.

Beginning in verse nineteen, Paul pays a beautiful tribute to Timothy who was still young in the ministry. Paul was in prison at Rome awaiting trial, and would send Timothy to them with news of the verdict. He talked about most believers being preoccupied with their own needs and not being willing to spend time doing the work of Christ. This is a challenge to Christians today to never let their schedule get so heavy that there is no time left to serve others. Just as a new beginner works under a master plumber, or another under a licensed electrician, Timothy was an apprentice under Paul. This is written that we may ask ourselves who we are apprenticing for God’s work. Or, are we failing in this work? Teaching the young to love the Lord and to work for him is a worthy calling; try it and learn to enjoy life.

Epaphroditus was a member of the church at Philippi and was sent as a messenger to deliver a gift to Paul in Rome and then delivered this letter back to the church. He became ill while in Rome and must have been detained for some time, because his church had heard of his illness before he returned. He and Timothy are certainly two of the great examples of men who helped to “Light up the world.” In conclusion, it must be said that of the three examples given of men who gave much for the cause of Christ, Paul must be considered the greatest of the three. If you will study the life of the Apostle Paul, you will find him to be one of, if not, the greatest men that ever went on any mission for the cause of Christ. Oh, what a blessing it would be to walk in the shoes of any of these three men. God; help us to try.

Live Up to the Gospel - Philippians 1:27–2:11

Last Sunday the title of our lesson was “Lift up the Gospel” and if I had chosen the titles, we would have studied the lesson for today first, because I believe that one must practice what they preach; and the practice should come before the preaching. I once heard it said that “A person can not teach that which they do not know any more than they can return from a place where they have never been.” Think about that fact for a moment. Since our actions speak louder than our words, it behooves each one of us to live our lives so that others see Christ through what we do and how we act. It may seem like a paradox at times because none of us are perfect as Christ is, and for that reason the bible plainly tells us that we should judge not, lest we be judged in the same way, or by the same judgment. However, the same book tells us that we shall know a tree by the fruit that it bears.

The Gospel is the Good News that Christ has made a way for sinners to be reconciled to God, by our faith in his Omnipotent Grace. The first step of a Christian is to study His word for approval and then to live the Gospel daily. Christ’s last command was for Christians to go and teach his truth and teaching requires both action and words. We should never be ashamed of the gospel, because Paul tells us that it is the power of God that leads to the salvation of others who hear our words and watch our lives.

The conversations that I hear among neighbors and friends amaze me at times. We greet each other with hello or good morning; then we express our interest in their health; how are you today? We must be vitally interested in their activity because we invariably inquire about what they have been doing, how the fish are biting or the number of ducks they bagged in yesterday’s hunt; even ask the sometimes embarrassing question—what score did you shoot in golf Saturday? Even at church on Sunday morning, if you appear a bit gloomy, or are not smiling, someone may suggest that your wife must have burned the biscuits this morning. Does the opportunity never appear for us to ask our friends why they were not in church last Sunday, or Wednesday evening? Or, what special blessing they received this week? Maybe, even ask a stranger if they have accepted Christ as their Savior? Neither of these examples should dominate our conversation; however neither should be totally neglected. What we do and say tells others who we really are.

Last Tuesday a stranger stopped me in the isle at the grocery store and asked if I was the Dr. Vandiver that writes a bible lesson that is published in the Sun Times. I thanked her for asking and enjoyed our brief conversation. When I asked her if she reads the lesson, her reply was: “Sometimes, if it is not too long.” My reply was, “I guess I am a little windy” and she agreed in a pleasant way. To you and to her, I simply say that I much prefer to talk often and long about God and his goodness than to neglect my opportunity and responsibility to tell others of his love and grace. Live the Gospel, and tell others of its merits. Please pray for me; pray that I will always explore every opportunity to witness about and for Jesus Christ.

Paul is my hero, and I would be overjoyed to know that I emulate his actions and conversations. In the early chapters of Philippines he was unwilling to simply review his life; he was more interested in guiding the church to specifically live and teach the gospel. In the last part of the first chapter Paul is emphasizing exhortation and giving instructions; He was also attempting to encourage his fellow Christians. He did not feel that he was out of place and he was never reluctant to tell Christians what they were expected to do in order to be more effective witnesses. Paul was happy with this church and had many good things to say to them and about them; however, just as it is with many of our churches today, there were some underlying problems that dealt with unity, or lack of it, and doctrinal purity that could be corrected if the members would commit themselves to the mind of Christ.

The first exhortation he gave in verse 27 was for all Christians to live their life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Can one always be worthy of what Christ did for us on the Cross? The answer is no, because we are not perfect; but we can be continually repentant and we can always try. We can always stand together in one spirit, and one mind, and work together for the faith that we have learned from the gospel’s teaching. This does not mean that everyone will totally agree with every word, action or reaction of all other members. But it does mean that there are certain basic truths in the bible that are absolute and cannot be compromised.

The 27^th verse tells us to never be afraid of those who oppose our true witness. Any time a Christian or the church takes seriously its God-given assignment, there will be some opposition but we should feel no terror. Paul had experienced problems with the Gentile authorities on his first trip to Philippi [Acts 16: 22] and may have been referring to this incident, or he may have been referring to the Judaizers that continually wanted to keep some of the law as a requirement.

In the 29^th verse he says “it” has been given to you. The “it” refers to opposition or persecution and he says that God gave it to them. Paul is saying that “it” is just a part of the Christian life and that God lets it happen. In fact “it” is to be considered a blessing. Look at Matthew 5: 10-12, it is red letters in my bible and plainly states that we are blessed when men insult us and say all manners of evil things about us. It does not say that we must enjoy these things but we are not to be afraid, or allow it to be a hindrance to our witness. It simply denotes that the suffering was due to commitment to Jesus and identification with Him.

As you read on through verse 30 you will hear him say that their struggle at Philippi is something like his struggles have been. He is encouraging them by reminding them that he had been there and suffered that: and is suggesting that they should follow his example. He had lived and was living what he preached. We are fortunate in Arkansas, in Heber Springs that we do not physically suffer because of our belief and teaching; but even here there are things sometimes said or implied that hurt mentally and spiritually.

In chapter two Paul continues his emphasis on unity by pointing to the basis of church harmony. In verse two he says that harmony will result from Christian “Thinking the same way.” We define ‘thinking’ as an intellectual effort, or what we personally think; but here it also indicates a mental inclination or tendency toward a right direction. We Christians should have the same mental orientation and this does not prevent us from having varying opinions which will always exist. Because of varying opinions we have a great number of different churches and I believe that there are save people in most of them. However there are some basic absolutes taught in the bible that all Christians must be “like minded about” or they are simply lost church members.

In verse three Paul admonishes Christians not to practice their beliefs in rivalry which means in competition with others. We should not compete but cooperate and we should never practice conceit [which means to have a high opinion of oneself] or deceit [which simply means deception or misleading]. Our labor for Christ should never be for pay or personal gain of any kind, but for the good of all concerned; this requires that we consider others as equally as important as ourselves. Then he says that we will be as concerned about the interest of others as we are about our own interest.

Paul gives us a great passage in 2: 6-11, referring to Christ attitude regarding his leaving His glory in heaven and coming to earth as a human to ultimately die on the cross. These verses present the ultimate model for the kind of humility and selfless service that should characterize each one of us individually and the church body as a whole. Verse five “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus.” The word ‘attitude; indicates our mind-set or our way of thinking—and if we are genuine it will result in more than just a fuzzy feeling—it will bring about overt actions that are Christ-like. Paul was writing to the church and is explaining what it takes to bring about unity in the body of Christ.

Christ emptied himself—he willingly gave up the glories in Heaven and assumed the form of a slave; He was humble and obedient even unto death on the cross. In my opinion, and according to God’ word, I believe His death on the cross is the most important event recorded in the bible. You absolutely must believe that he died on the cross for you and you must accept him as your savior, otherwise you are lost and cannot be saved. Of course, you can change your mind-set, and believe and be saved at any time. This is one of, and probably the most important truths recorded in word.

Christ was humble and God exalted Him. When we become humble and submit our lives to Him, He will exalt us. Some may not believe, will not humble themselves here and now, but everyone will [verse 10]. The day of the Lord will come and regardless of your location, whether you are alive on earth, already in heaven, or living under the earth which refers to hell, you will know assuredly that he is the Living, Saving, Son of God and will bow to Him. My last plea is that you confess Him now. Admit you are lost, ask Jesus Christ to save you, submit your life to his keeping, and live for him, obey him and you will be saved that moment.

Lift Up the Gospel - Philippians 1:12-26

Christ arose from the dead and literally hundreds of people attested to this truth.

Many of you who are studying this lesson were not yet born when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. All you know about WWII is what you have read and heard from others who were eye witnesses. However, I dare say that not one person doubts that the war was fought and America and her allies won the war. You have only read about it in books and papers and heard friends and press reporters discuss it; but you have no doubts in your mind that the incident really happened. It is depressing to me to know that some people do not believe in the virgin birth, death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

After the resurrection, a large gathering saw him miraculously enter the room where they were gathered and herd Him explain the last forty days of his ministry. Others met him on the roads as he traveled again preaching and teaching. Doubting Thomas put his had on his side and felt the scar where the sword pierced his body and saw the scars in his hands, where nails were driven through by the Roman Guardsmen. Many dined at the table with him; a large crowd was with him when he made his departing comments and saw him lifted up and disappear into the heavens. Spiritually inspired writers recorded these truths in the Holly Word and all men who will ever be saved must believe these truths. The last command that he gave his people, just prior to his resurrection, was “Go into the entire world and preach the gospel.” The title of our lesson today is another way of saying the same thing—LIFT UP THE GOSPEL—all over the world.

The Apostle Paul was an eye witness of many of the happenings during the life of Christ. He was a Jew by birth, Jewish blood ran in his veins; but fortunately for him, because of where he was born, he was also a Roman citizen. As a Sanhedrin Jew, he hated Christians and he was employed by the Roman government to track down and arrest any Christian that was actively participating in the new Christian church movement—because they were believed to be a threat to the Roman government. Paul held the coat for one of the attackers who stoned Stephen to death. Yes, he was an eyewitness and wrote about what he knew personally; it was not hearsay with him.

Paul became a converted Jew while on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians. On this road he met Christ and underwent the most miraculous conversion of any other man. He was spiritually blind, but physically saw and heard Christ as he spoke to him personally—“Paul, why are you persecuting Me?” He became physically blind and did not regain his sight until he was willing to see Christ as the spiritual being that He was. You have heard the story—you know the story. Well, this is the Godly inspired author that wrote the scripture we study today. Believe him. Believe what he tells us. God is true. His inspired word is true. Remember again—you believe the news reporters and history writers of today; so why do you doubt Paul? Don’t do it if you want to live a joyful life here and a long life in Heaven.

Before anyone can “Lift up the Gospel” they must know it and believe it. As a Christian believer, you have no excuse for not practicing its teaching and proclaiming it to others daily in your daily walk with Christ. Why do so many fail so miserably much of the time? It is because of the sin-nature in which we are born. The very young child can make-up some of the most outrageous excuses for breaking the rules, or for not following instructions. By the time we reach the age of accountability, we are experts at making excuses. It is too hot. It is too cold. I cannot preach or teach. I can’t. I don’t know enough. I have to work. I have other more pressing obligations. I feel embarrassed. People would make fun of me. My friends don’t. My friends would look down on me. My work is hard and requires long hours, I need time for rest and recreation—and the list goes on. The truth is that for many it is simply not a top priority. We are disobeying the last command that Jesus Christ made just prior to his ascension.

Let us look back in the study of this lesson and see Paul in prison! Why did he not use his imprisonment as an excuse not to serve? Most of the time in America, when a person [regardless of profession] is committed to prison he has been found guilty of a crime against society. He is not in a position where he can expect the general public to have any confidence in him. Any Godly ministry has very little chance of success unless there is a believable confession of sin and a complete change in the life of the prisoner. In verse twelve Paul tells us that the horrible times that have overtaken him have actually resulted in the advance of the gospel. From his prison cell he is able to preach to the royal guard and members of the Roman prison employees that no other evangelist could reach.

Before Paul was converted he was a Roman bounty hunter, searching for practicing Christians and putting them in jail for breaking Roman law. He is now a Christian practicing his faith, and has been arrested and placed in jail because he is a Christian. His people know this and believe in him. Because of his steadfastness, the Roman soldiers that deal with him are persuaded that He is really a man of God, and they listen to him. His position in prison has become an asset to him. This situation would be possible today only if a prisoner had been falsely accused and convicted of a crime that he was not guilty of committing.

The life of a prisoner is difficult and demanding; and when the end result has the possibility of a death penalty the strain must be almost unbearable. Paul found himself in this position. Even though in prison, Paul said that he should never be ashamed but that he should honor Christ with the utmost boldness by the way he lived. He said that it did not matter whether he was to face death or go on living in this world. He said that if I live I have Christ—with me and for me, protecting me and guiding me; and it may be that Christ has a reason and I may be able to do some good by staying here. Then he proclaimed something beautiful…he said if I die… I just have more of Christ…All of Christ…I will be there with him always. Paul was so sincere that he was torn between these two possibilities. He could not make up his mind which he would prefer. It seemed best for his friends if he lives longer; but it seemed best for him if he could die now and be immediately with his Lord.

Then Paul said something that should mean a great deal to you and me as we study this lesson and make our commitment to Christ.

He then told the Philippians that they should not be distracted by what happened to him. He said, “What ever happens, make sure that your everyday life is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins. We must live a life that is worthy of such a sacrifice. We must realize that we have the privilege of being in Christ Jesus, saved by his blood; but we must also realize that we have as great a privilege to suffer for the cause of Christ, and we must be willing to suffer if we are called on to do so. If things continue to go in America as they seem to be headed now, it could be that we will soon have to suffer as Paul did, even by imprisonment because of our belief. I pray this day will not come in America...but this could be one of my prayers that God chooses to ignore for a season. The prayers of God’s people were never needed more than they are today. How often do you pray that America will return to God and become worthy of being called a Godly nation once more

Link Up with Others - Philippians 1:1-11

We have just successfully completed the study of the reign of the Kings during the last years of history of the period that was just before the period known as the Dark Ages. I have learned anew to appreciate this phase of biblical history and hope you feel the same. There were some wonderful times of worship and prosperity while God fearing kings reigned; however, there were many more years of failure, strife, destruction and bondage brought about because of the people’s dedication to and worship of heathen idols; they broke the first commandment—they were disobedient.

The study closed with Jerusalem and the Holly temple destroyed and Judah in slavery. However, out of bondage came one last glimmer of hope that assured the people that a new and righteous King would be crowned to reign over them forever. About 600 years later Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born in a manger in Bethlehem. He is the Promised Messiah! And through Him we all have hope. This has been a wonderful study, from which we all should have learned that God demands our obedience, and that the disobedient always pay a heavy price.

Our study from March through May will survey the gospels of Philippians, Colossians and Philemon, all written by the Apostle Paul, the most prolific writer of the New Testament. You must get to know Paul, who, by his own admission was “The greatest of all sinners”, and who had the most miraculous conversion of any other man while traveling on the road to Damascus. He suffered more for the cause of Christ than any other human being, and he grew stronger in his faith each day of his life after his conversion. You can learn more about Paul and Timothy; Paul in Acts 9; and Timothy in first Timothy, chapter 6. Please study God’s word and the men who preserved it for us.

The setting for our study today is in the church established by Paul while on his second missionary journey to the city of Philippi. Philippi was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire, next to Rome in military and economic influence. The city was located in Antioch in Syria, and it was established and it grew under the leadership of Philip II, who was the father of Alexander, the Great. Philippi was established in about 360 BC.

Paul wrote this joyful letter to the Philippians while he was in prison in Rome in about 61 AD. Notice I used joyful to describe this letter and not happy. There is a difference. The word happiness evokes the seen on Christmas morning with your children unwrapping gifts; having dinner with the one you love most; or winning the big game. We make happiness a life long pursuit; we are always chasing this elusive dream; but success always depends upon our circumstances. When things are going well, we are happy; when we are loosing, ill, or gas prices go up—we become unhappy.

What happens when the party is over—when we are broke—when our girl/boy friend finds another; or our best friend dies? Then despair immediately replaces our happiness. In contrast, joy runs deeper and stronger—it is like having the assurance that Christ loves us and is always there no matter what the circumstance may be. Happiness depends on what happens but Joy always depends on Christ. Christ is love; and joy; and He wants us to be joyfully happy for the right reasons.

Paul established the Philippians’ Church and loved it; the Philippines appreciated what Paul meant to them and they supported him with their gifts to prove it. He wrote this letter to them to let them know his appreciation for their support and to encourage them in their continued obedience to God and their continuance in the faith. The concept of “joy” appears at least sixteen times in four chapters and culminates in his exhortation for them to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” The key verse is 4:4. The Philippines needed Paul…and Paul needed them. People need people! We must just think about how dull life would be without friends.

Paul was at home in Antioch in Syria, and on his first missionary journey he visited towns close by like Philippi; later he visited towns further away. The members of the church there were mostly non Jewish. They were Gentiles and were not familiar with the Old Testament and that is the reason he did not quote from the OT when writing this letter to them. Transportation was slow; evangelist walked by land and used sail-boats by sea, and because of this he had to use letters to revisit his converts in his early churches to encourage and preach anew the gospel. He had friends like Timothy, Mark and Epaphras that delivered the letters for him. Just think about the extent his witness could have reached with just one radio or TV station! When I was young on the farm and in timber work I needed a tractor, chain saw and outboard motor—Paul needed a 4-wheeled drive Jeep, and a powerful radio station.

The overseers of the church he mentions in verse one were the bishops, pastors, and deacons and the saints were the members of the church. You can learn about the overseers and their duties in first Timothy 3: 1-7 and Titus 1: 5-9. You can find the qualifications and duties of deacons in first Timothy 3: 8-13. He mentioned the word joy the first time in verse 3, and it was because his converts had been faithful and were continuing to support him in preaching the gospel—which he intended to do until the day of Christ Jesus. When these people supported Paul, they were actually helping Christ’s cause. Theirs was a lasting service that would extend into infinity; a work that would live forever. We should be forever grateful to Paul because he recorded much [more than any other writer] of the New Testament for our benefit, as well as for his beloved Philippians.

Bar owners exploit their “happy hour” advertisement, and that means it will only last for an hour or two, and then the sorrow it brings sets in. Think about your life. Will you be remembered with “joy” by others? Do your acts of kindness lift others up when they are down or need a helping hand? Or do you just tell them a good “clean” joke and bring them happiness for a fleeting moment? We will account for every word we speak, every work we accomplish; the good and positive will bring joy and the lose and inappropriate words and deeds will bring woe! Are you pleasing God?

Paul rejoiced in his Phillippian partners who were helping him share the gospel message; they helped him by supporting him with prayers and financial support. By being an active and participating member of our church you are supporting the local pastor, and through the Cooperative Program you are in partnership with thousands of others that spread the gospel throughout the world [Verse 5]. Some think they can stay home, live a Christian life and don’t need the church. You can go solo if you want to live selfishly and don’t care for others, but the bible plainly teaches that God does not approve of selfishness in any man. Christ said that if we love him—we will feed his sheep! Help others.

Read verse 6. God’s work for man kind began on the cross—when Christ died to save us from sin. Our work began the day we accepted Christ as our Savior, and in order to please Him, it must continue until the day of Christ—which will either be at our death or His return, whichever comes first. This process [confession, repentance, praying, giving and working for others] is known as Christian growth and we receive our power to continue through the Holy Spirit which lives in and through us. Do you sometimes feel that your progress is too slow? I do. I think the devil is the reason, and we must put him behind us and remember that when God starts a good work in and/or through us—He completes it. It is sometimes hard to comprehend, but God has never failed—never made even one mistake, and He is not the cause for our mistakes; the Devil is our demon and he loves to exploit our sin nature. We must learn to shun every appearance of evil. If it looks bad, don’t touch it.

Through faith, trust, prayer and perseverance—even though discouraged at times, we will prevail because God will never forsake us; and will never give up on us. Never let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ and claiming his promises and provisions. He even feeds the birds in wintertime—do you think He cares less for us? Paul was in chains, in a Roman prison and was joyful, still preaching, doing God’s bidding, setting an example for us to follow. Study the life of Paul and compare it with your present life—you will be able to appreciate you’re present situation more—even if you are experiencing some difficult days.

Many of my best friends have passed over the threshold and I miss them and long to see members of their family to visit and reminisce about the good old days. You probably have had a similar experience. It is right for us to feel this way about them. Paul had such a longing to see his old friends at Philippi and he said it was right because he had them in his heart [verse 7].

You will notice that his prayers for them in verses 9 through 11 were that his people would continue in love for each other and have discernment, which means that they should be able to differentiate between right and wrong. They should continue until the day of Christ. The term ‘day of Christ’ refers to time when God will judge the world through Jesus Christ. Christ could return any moment—if he returns during your lifetime, what will you be doing? His return will occur in a moment—“in the twinkling of an eye” and you will have no time left to make any needed changes! Trust him now!