The Church of Eleven22 - S01 E98 - The Final Devo

Episode Date: October 15, 2020

Hey, church family, if you got your Bible, Philippians chapter two, it's time for Devo. We're going to pick out in verse eight, I think I said two. Philippians chapter four, beginning in verse eight. Paul says, finally. And so, finally, this is the last Devo of this season. And so we're going to end on Paul's final words. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable.

If there is anything excellent, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Real quick, finally. I hope these devotionals have helped you grow in your walk with Jesus Christ. And if they have, it is because what you did

is that you set your attention on things that were true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, Worthy of praise, you would think about these things. One of the questions to ask yourself is, the things that you are putting into your brain, do they match up with this list? The way we entertain ourselves, things we watch on television,

the relationships we have, do they fit into this list? If you don't think on these things, then I'm telling you it will get down in here. In other words, if you were on a all-skiddle diet, It may be enjoyable to you for a minute, but eventually you will die. If all you ever do through your eyes and ears into your mind and down into your soul, if you only put things in that are false and dishonorable and unjust and impure and ugly and not commendable and not excellent and not worthy of praise, I'm telling you, your soul gets sick.

Now, I don't mean just like family-friendly entertainment. In fact, the only thing that completes this list is the person of Jesus Christ. Basically, what Paul is saying is this. Finally, brothers at the church in Philippa, would you just think about Jesus? Would you get your mind focused on Jesus? Verse 8, what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things. And the God of peace will be with you.

You hear this? Inspiration is worthless when it comes to the Christian life. Application is everything. Let me say it again. Inspiration when it comes to the Christian life is worthless. Maybe you've been scrolling through Instagram and you see some kind of little Jesus meme and it's awesome. So it's coming a little Bible verse and something pithy and you look at that and you're like, huh, okay? It does nothing for your life. But application is what matters. And you know this, to be true. How many of you have a piece of unused gym equipment in your house? What is it doing for your waistline? Nothing. And I'm sure when you bought it, you were so inspired. You saw the video, you signed up for the class, whatever that thing is. Inspiration can only help you take the first step.

But it is application that helps you in the journey. He says, practice these things that you've learned, that you've received, that you've heard, and that you've seen in him. You know, Jesus, interesting that Paul ends Philippians this way. Jesus ends the sermon on the mountain the same way. You remember the parable that he says? He's like the way he ends the sermon on the mount. A couple guys built houses. One guy builds his house on the sand. The winds came. The waves come. The storm comes. And the house falls. In a great fall it was. This is what the Bible says. And another man builds his house on the rock, the solid rock of the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. and the wind comes and the wave comes and the storms come.

In other words, just because you build your life on Jesus doesn't mean that you don't get hit by the storm, but that your life doesn't come crumbling now. Why? Because you were not just inspired by the sermon on the mount, but you applied the gospel of Jesus to your life. This is what he's saying. And then there's a promise when you do this, and the God of peace will be with you.

Verse 10, he says, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound in any and every circumstance. Listen to this. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. What Paul is saying basically is this, hey, thanks for the offering that you sent me to further

my ministry. And again, he's going to say this at the end of be focused on Jesus and then put that Jesus focus into application. And then Paul says, he says, hey, I never had to ask you for money, but I thank you that you generously gave to my ministry. And he says, but I don't need to ask because I have. have this secret. The NIV says it this way. Paul says, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. How would you like that secret? Let me think about it. How would you like

that secret? That it's not money that brings contentment. It's not. It's not fame that brings contentment. It's not power that brings contentment. It's not possession that brings contentment. I hope you know this. I mean, how many VH1 behind the musics do you have? to watch to understand that the things of this earth cannot fully and finally satisfy. But Paul says here in Philippians, but I've learned this secret to being content in every situation. Just imagine that. Breathe in, breathe out, contentment.

No matter what. No matter how much money I have, no matter who likes me, who's angry at me, no matter my family situation, no matter my marital status, Paul says, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. And he goes on to say, I've learned the secret of facing plenty. And I've learned the secret of having nothing. And then a very famous verse that has nothing to do with scoring touchdowns. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. You see, any football player that would put that on their eye black, you know what? Oftentimes it's interpreted, I can lead this team to victory because Christ strengthens me. But in this context,

what this means is no matter the outcome of the game, I can handle it because this game does not define me, but Jesus defines me. I have learned the secret of being content if I win the Heisman and the national championship and get drafted in the first round. And I have learned the secret of being content if everybody tells me I'm good enough and I get cut from the team. Why? Because my life is not defined by myself. circumstances. My life is not defined by these things. My life is defined by the life of Jesus himself so I can do all things, no matter what he calls me to do. Because it's not my strength. It's his strength. Verse 14, yet it was kind of you to share in my trouble. In other words,

the church at Philippi took up an offering and they sent it to Paul. And he's not saying that he doesn't appreciate it. He appreciates it like crazy. He says, and you know, Philippians yourselves, you know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me and giving and receiving except you only. Maybe this is why Paul all throughout Philippians calls them partners in the gospel from the very beginning.

Paul was talking about their generosity here. And ultimately, remember where he starts. He says, finally, brothers, whatever's true and noble and just and honorable and worthy of praise, think about these things. focus on these things. And then these things that you have learned for me, namely the gospel of Jesus Christ,

put them into application. And then Paul says, and learn from me, because I got this secret, whether I have abundance or I have nothing, I am content in any and every situation. And then he's saying, and thank you, thank you for your radical and extreme generosity

towards the gospel ministry. Verse 16, even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my need once and again. Not that I seek a gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. In other words, Paul is saying, I don't want anything from you. I want something for you. Which church, by the way, when we teach on generosity, please know that it's, first of all, thank you, thank you, thank you for your incredible generosity.

But it's not to me. Thank you for your incredible generosity to the Lord. That the reason that we give the God is because he gave to us everything in his son, Jesus Christ. So it is it out of an overflow of Thanksgiving and gratitude that we bring back to God our first and best. This is what he's saying. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. Paul is saying, I want you to be generous because it's better for you. That's what Jesus says. Jesus says, as quoted in the book of Acts, you are more blessed if you give than if you receive.

And he says, I have received full payment and more. I am well supplied. Having received from Apaphroditis, the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And now look what happens. I wonder how many of you have experienced this. You know, we're kind of getting close to the end of the one,

the culmination of the one initiative. I know that when good, Gretchen and I sat down to make our commitment a couple of years ago, and then last year we up that number. It was the largest single commitment we had ever made. One of our goals in our financial life was that our giving to God through the Church of 1122, not even counting the missionaries we support and some other things like that, our compassion kids and all that, but we wanted just our giving to the church of 1122, to the Lord through the church of 1122, we wanted it to be the highest number in all of our budget for the month.

I don't want to call it a bill because it's not a bill, but you understand what I'm saying. Of all the bills that would come in to our house, we wanted the number, the biggest check we write, even though we don't write checks, the biggest check we write, we wanted to be to the kingdom of God. And at first, when we agreed that that's what we, We do, we thought, how are we going to make it? And this next verse, let me just tell you, this is what we experienced.

This is what Paul wants for his people. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now, he does not say that he will provide every want, but he will provide every need of yours. And that doesn't just mean like food and clothing and shelter and transportation, but, and my God will supply every want. need of yours according to His riches and glory in Christ, Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever, amen. So you know what that means every time, every time we see what God has done through the

one initiative, whether it's planting over 300 churches or we just baptized 227 people or that I think two more campuses are going up next year around Jacksonville. every time we see that, then we get to celebrate that God has supplied according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Not to 1122, not to me, and not because of our generosity, but to God be the glory. And just like Paul wants that for his people, I mean, thinking of all the ways he could have wrapped up this letter to this church. he wraps up by talking about the joy in generosity. And then his final words of this,

greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you. I love this part, especially those of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, be with your spirit. I told you, I told you,

that really the theme of the book of Philippians is joy. The words joy or rejoice are more per capita in these four chapters than any other place of the Bible. And let me tell you, let me tell you, when your circumstances are not going well, like Paul, who is in chains, in prison, when your circumstances are not going well, but this world cannot rob you of your joy, joy preaches. Hope preaches, because hope brings peace and peace preaches. When it feels like the wheels are falling off in your life, but your focus is on the Savior instead of the circumstances, and you have this peace that transcends understanding because God is guarding your heart and mind, it preaches. And when that happens, people will begin to

pay attention to you and say, how in the world are you doing it? And you can say, like Paul says, come here, come here, I got a secret. And they're like, what? Yeah, I got to have a secret. I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. Oh yeah, what's that? His name is Jesus. Why do I say that? Because when Paul gets to the end of the book of Philippians, he says, hey, tell all the saints I said hi. And on my end, all the saints say hi,

especially those of Caesar's household. The Caesar has these soldiers working in his house. They're men of power. They're men of prestige. They're men of fame. They think they're in charge. Paul is shackled. He's bound.

He's beaten. And they can't. can't be the joy on him. Because even though his circumstances are terrible, somehow they are strangely jealous of this joy that he has, and the soldier's circumstances are awesome, and somehow they go to bed every night feeling like something's missing, because something is missing.

And they go to Paul, and they're like, Paul, how? How? How are you doing this? And he says, I got a secret. His name is Jesus. You want some? And they go, yeah, yeah, tell me about it, to the point where they are converted. who become followers of Jesus themselves. So Church of 1122, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit too.

For good and gracious Heavenly Father God, we thank you for your grace, we thank you for your spirit, we thank you for your peace that comes through the person of Jesus. Lord, I pray that we would not be merely hearers of the word, but that we would put it to practice, that we would focus on you,

that when we have stress, and anxiety, we would pray and shift that to you. God, that we would be so enamored with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ that nothing, nothing in this world could ever steal our joy, because our joy is found in Jesus. We prayed in Jesus' name. Amen. Thanks.