Philippians 4:15-20 (NASB)

15 You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Theme: Giving for the cause of God’s Gospel and Kingdom in this life brings God-glorifying rewards, both in this life and for eternity.

Outline: 4 Principles to learn about faithful giving to help you store up your treasures in heaven rather than on earth.

1. Understanding the Right Cause (verses 15-16)
2. Cultivating the Right Heart (verses 15-16, 18)

To Be Continued…

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Philippians 4:10-14 NASB

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. ¹² I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. ¹³ I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

Theme: True contentment is a virtue that Christians should cultivate because it shows that Christ is all-satisfying.

Outline: Three lessons to learn about true contentment.

1. True contentment is not based on our circumstances. vv 10-12
2. True contentment is a virtue that must be learned. vv 11-13
3. True contentment is possible in and through Jesus Christ alone. v 13

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Philippians 4:6-9 NASB

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. ⁹ The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Theme: In this problematic, sin-fallen world, God provides directions for Christians to have His peace, all of which involve being in closer relationship with Him.

Outline: 3 remedies for you to partake of in order to have God’s peace in stressful times

Last Week

1)     Gratefully going to God about everything – Prayer (4:6-7)

• The Prohibition: Be anxious for nothing
• The Prescription: In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
• The Promise: The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This Week

2)     Purposefully Pondering godly virtues – Meditation (4:8)

3)     Faithfully Practicing all that God has blessed you with – Action (4:9)

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Philippians 4:6-9 NASB

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. ⁹ The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Theme: In this problematic, sin-fallen world, God provides directions for Christians to have His peace, all of which involve being in closer relationship with Him.

Outline: 3 remedies for you to partake of in order to have God’s peace in stressful times

1)     Gratefully going to God about everything – Prayer (4:6-7)

• The Prohibition: Be anxious for nothing
• The Prescription: In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
• The Promise: The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The final two remedies will be covered in next week’s sermon.

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Philippians 4:4-5 NASB

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

Some Observations on the Text

1. This is a command
2. It’s a command that is possible to obey, but only in the Lord
3. Part of the command is to rejoice in the always
4. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice

How to obey the text

1. Be sure that you are actually in the Lord
2. Read God’s Word daily and walk in submission to the Spirit
3. See your trials through the lens of Scripture
4. Deal with your relational conflicts Biblically
5. Get involved in the ministry of the church
6. Focus your mind on the Lord and the things He promised in the Gospel

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Isaiah 65:17-25 (NASB)

17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.

18 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.

19 “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying.

20 “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days for the youth will die at the age of one hundred. And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed.

21 “They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

22 “They will not build and another inhabit, They will not plant and another eat; For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.

23 “They will not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; For they are the offspring of those blessed by the Lord, and their descendants with them.

24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the Lord.

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John 1:1-14 (NASB)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 3:17-20 (NASB)

17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Matthew 5:14 (NASB)

14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

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Philippians 4:1-3 (NASB)

1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Theme: Standing firmly in Christ, Christians need to work at resolving conflicts with one another so that the church can be healthy and honorably do Gospel ministry together.

Outline: 5 Observations that will help us resolve conflicts for church health/growth and enable honorable Gospel ministry.

1. We must stand firm in the Lord, together (verse 1)

2. We should acknowledge that resolving conflicts takes hard work but is possible, in the Lord (verses 1-2)

3. Those involved in conflict should be the first to work on resolution (verse 2)

4. Sometimes resolving a conflict takes help from mature believers (verse 3)

5. We should know that resolving conflict is necessary for honorable Gospel ministry (verse 3)

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Philippians 3:17-21 (NASB)

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Theme: In our pursuit of Jesus, Christians must follow godly examples on earth, as eternal citizens focused on heaven where Christ is, rather than on the things of this world.

Outline: 2 constructive commands and 2 contrasting incentives for us to know Christ more, become more like Him, and to influence others towards Christ.

The 2 Constructive Commands (verse 17):

Christians are instructed to 1) follow and 2) observe godly examples towards Christ.

The 2 Contrasting Incentives (verses 18-21):

Why should we follow/observe godly examples?

1) Because there are many enemies of the Gospel who live for the temporary things of the world (verses 18-19)

2) Because our eternal citizenship is in Heaven where Christ is (verses 20-21)

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Philippians 3:17-21 (NASB)

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Theme: In our pursuit of Jesus, Christians must follow godly examples on earth, as eternal citizens focused on heaven where Christ is, rather than on the things of this world.

Outline: 2 constructive commands and 2 contrasting incentives for us to know Christ more, become more like Him, and to influence others towards Christ.

The 2 Constructive Commands (verse 17):

Christians are instructed to 1) follow and 2) observe godly examples towards Christ.

The 2 Contrasting Incentives (verses 18-21):

1) Because there are many enemies of the Gospel who live for the temporary things of the world (verses 18-19)

2) Because our eternal citizenship is in Heaven where Christ is (verses 20-21)

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