Historical Posts
Philippians 01:14 – Speaking the Word of God Boldly – audio
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Text: Philippians 1:14
Introduction
It seems as if today’s culture is changing, and not for the better.
For example, Phil Robertson, star of A&E’s “Duck Dynasty,” rightly stood up for the Biblical view on homosexuality (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). As a result, he has been removed from appearing on the program. I pray that no matter what happens to him, he will stand for the truth.
Similarly, the apostle Paul said, “most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear (Philippians 1:14).”
Body
I. We have been commissioned to preach the Word!
A. Paul told Timothy to “preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2).”
B. In no way should the word be corrupted (2 Corinthians 2:17); rather it should be sincerely, since it is God’s word!
C. We have no authority from God to add to or take away from His word (Revelation 22:18-19). If we do, we will be repaid.
D. All Scripture is complete (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God has said everything we need to know!
E. We must preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).
II. We must fear God and not men when we preach.
A. If we truly love God, then we will boldly proclaim His word (1 John 4:17-18).
B. Jesus said not to fear him who can only destroy the body; rather fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:27-31; Luke 12:4-7).
C. The Psalmist said, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me (Psalm 118:6)?” Also, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid (Psalm 27:1)?” Later, the Hebrew writer quotes these words (Hebrews 13:6).
D. Paul asked, “If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?”
III. Consider examples of those that preached boldly, fearing God and not men.
A. Peter and John boldly preached Jesus before the Sanhedrin after healing the lame man (Acts 4:13).
B. Paul and Silas boldly proclaimed Christ to the Philippian jailer, leading to his salvation (1 Thessalonians 2:2; Acts 16).
C. Barnabas proclaimed Paul’s bold preaching at Damascus (Acts 9:27-29), yet he also boldly proclaimed the word in…
1) …Iconium (Acts 14:3)
2) …Ephesus (Acts 19:8)
3) …Rome by letter (Romans 15:15)
Conclusion
Do we have that boldness to proclaim the Word of God as Paul and others did?
If not, we can receive boldness and confidence through our faith in Christ (Ephesians 3:11-12), and praying to God for it (Acts 4:29-31; Ephesians 6:19-20).
Content by Richard Dillon
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Philippians 03:12-14 Looking Back – audio
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Text: Philippians 3:12-14
Introduction
1. Earlier this year, the college football season opened with the University of Michigan playing Alabama.
2. Michigan was beaten badly. 41-14.
3. After the game, coach Brady Hoke said, “The important thing is that we can’t let Alabama beat us twice. This is a week where we will learn about our team’s leadership and our motivation. There are only 11 more guaranteed opportunities for University of Michigan football games, so we have to learn from what happened in Dallas and start focusing on Air Force this weekend.”
4. Wide receiver, Devin Gardner said, “”I haven’t looked at every defense we play, but they have got to be the best. I learned more in that game than I’ve learned in all the practices I’ve had since starting to play wide receiver. That’s the important thing. We don’t just want to forget this happened — we need to learn from this and apply the lessons to Air Force. We can’t let one team beat us twice.”
5. In these comments we see two important facts.
a. Michigan wanted to learn from their mistakes and get better.
b. Then they wanted to move on and not allow Alabama to “beat them twice.”
6. In other words, once they had analyzed the game and learned all they could, they wanted to forget about it and move on.
7. As Christians, we must do the same thing.
Body
I. IT IS BENEFICIAL TO LEARN FROM THE PAST.
A. We can learn from other’s mistakes – 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
1. Notice that in 1 Corinthians 10:6, we are told that what happened to Israel was an example to us.
2. Notice that in 1 Corinthians 10:11, we are told that these things were written for OUR admonition.
3. Their failures, and their subsequent punishment, should teach us…
a) Not to lust after evil things – 1 Corinthians 10:6
b) Not to become idolaters – 1 Corinthians 10:7
c) Not to commit sexual immorality – 1 Corinthians 10:8
d) Not to tempt Christ – 1 Corinthians 10:9
e) Not to complain – 1 Corinthians 10:10
f) Not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought – 1 Corinthians 10:12
4. The Old Testament and history in general are full of lessons to be learned.
B. We can learn from other’s successes – Hebrews 11:1-12:2
1. Hebrews 11:1-40 is often referred to as the Hall of Fame of Faith.
2. It gives us a list of people who trusted God and were rewarded for it – Hebrews 11:6
3. We read of such people as:
a) Able.
b) Enoch.
c) Noah.
d) Abraham and Sarah.
e) Moses.
f) And many others.
4. Then in chapter 12, we are told… Hebrews 12:1-2
a) That “great cloud of witnesses” is comprised of all of those who we discussed in the previous chapter.
b) Their faithfulness to God and God’s faithfulness in them ought to teach us to trust in God as well!
C. We can learn from our own mistakes.
1. David’s example.
a) With Bathsheba.
(1) 2 Samuel 12:7 – Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!…
(2) 2 Samuel 12:13 – So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
(3) It is important to note that, even though he undoubtedly would have had other opportunities, David never did something like this again.
b) With the movement of the ark.
(1) 2 Samuel 6:3 – So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
(2) 2 Samuel 6:6-7 – And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.
(3) David learned from his mistake – 1 Chronicles 15:11-15
2. What about us?
a) Are we wise enough to learn from our past mistakes?
b) Proverbs 26:11 – As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.
c) We have a duty, an obligation, to learn from our past mistakes.
d) If we do not learn, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes again and again.
e) Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. – Einstein.
f) Learn from your mistake so that at least one good thing will come from it.
D. We can learn from our own successes.
1. David’s example – 1 Samuel 17:34-37
a) David knew that God had delivered him from the lion and bear in the past.
b) As a result, he knew that God would deliver him from Goliath.
c) It is important to note that David gave God the credit. He did not claim to have done these things by his own power or strength.
2. What about us?
a) Do we remember all of the answered prayers?
b) Do we remember all of the times that God helped us get through a difficult patch?
c) Remembering those things ought to give us courage for the future.
II. ONCE WE HAVE LEARNED WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THE PAST, WE MUST PRESS ON.
A. Dwelling on past mistakes can be torture.
1. If ever anyone who had a past that they would like to forget, it had to be the apostle Paul.
2. Yet, he said that he had to forget the past and press on – Philippians 3:12-14
3. There comes a time, when you just have to move on and press onward and upward.
4. Even if our heart condemns us (We can’t forgive ourselves), God is greater than our heart – 1 John 3:20
B. Dwelling on past successes has the potential to be equally dangerous.
1. Past successes will not get me to heaven.
2. I have to stay faithful till death.
3. Ezekiel 18:24
4. Even Paul pointed out that he had not yet attained to perfection – Philippians 3:12
5. I must not be overconfident – 1 Corinthians 10:12
III. THERE IS ONE SENSE IN WHICH WE MUST NEVER LOOK BACK – LUKE 9:61-62
A. No one has ever turned back who has not first looked back.
B. We dare not look back on our previous lifestyle with longing.
1. Proverbs 3:31
2. Proverbs 23:17
3. Proverbs 24:1
4. Proverbs 24:19-20
C. Hebrews 6:4-6
D. 2 Peter 2:20-21
Conclusion
1. As Christians, we must learn from both our past mistakes and our past successes.
2. Once we learn what we can, we must move on…
a. And not continually beat ourselves up over our mistakes.
b. And not continually pat ourselves on our back for our successes.
3. We must never look back to that old life of sin with a desire to return.
Delivered on: November 11, 2012. Streetsboro.
Content by Ralph Price
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Philippians 04-11:13 Contentment – audio
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Text: Philippians 4:11-13
Introduction
A. Illustrations on contentment:
1. “Lazy Fisherman” – Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat.
“Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked.
“Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman.
“Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked.
“What would I do with them?”
“You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon
nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”
The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?”
“You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist.
“What do you think I’m doing now?” the fisherman replied.
2. Benjamin Franklin said, “Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.”
3. A typical supermarket in the US in 1976 stocked 9,000 articles; in 1994 it had grown to 30,000; in 2006 it is estimated to be 45,000.
B. Define contentment. The word does not mean that Christians should not continually seek to improve themselves. As someone said, “Be content with what you have, never with what you are.”
Body
I. PHILIPPIANS 4:11-12
A. Contentment is something to be learned, sought after and gained. It is not given automatically or miraculously to the Christian.
B. We can learn contentment by following the example of Paul.
1. He counted everything as loss in order to gain Christ – Philippians 3:7-8
2. He knew that all things work together for good to them who love God – Romans 8:28
3. He knew that there is nothing permanent here – 2 Corinthians 4:18
4. He knew that God is able to keep that which is committed unto Him – 2 Timothy 1:12
5. Paul was able to learn contentment because his heart was first and foremost focused on God.
C. Paul’s example of contentment is uplifting and serves as a wonderful example.
1. He knew how to be abased, to hunger, and to suffer need – 1 Corinthians 4:11- 13; 2 Corinthians 4:8-10; 11:21-28
a. At times he was without physical health – Galatians 4:13-15; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
b. Many times he was without freedom – Philippians 1:12-13
c. He was often without the admiration and approval of brethren – 2 Timothy 4:16-17
2. Also, he knew how to abound and to be full – Philippians 4:12, 15-18
a. For some, knowing how to abound is more difficult than being content in want.
b. With some, the more they get, the more they want – Ecclesiastes 5:10
c. It is not easy to go from poverty to plenty or from plenty to poverty.
d. Listen to Solomon – Proverbs 30:8-9
D. Christians, as Paul, must learn contentment through Christ – Philippians 4:13
1. We must rely on the Lord for all things; Hebrews will abundantly bless – Philippians 4:6, 7; Matthew 7:7
Conclusion
A. Let us be content with what we have.
B. And serve the Lord with a true heart.
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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Discipline of Meditation – Philippians 04:08
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Introduction – Prayer – Meditation – Fasting – Singing – Fellowship – Giving
Text: Philippians 4:8
Introduction
1. In this series we have defined spiritual disciplines as
a. Spiritual exercises that bring one closer to God, to become more godly in character and behavior
b. Spiritual activities such as prayer, meditation, singing, giving, etc.
2. Our previous study examined the discipline of prayer
a. Noting especially the value of secret, simple, and steadfast prayer
b. In which we praise God, make supplication for our needs, and intercede for others
3. Closely tied to prayer is the disciple of meditation
a. A spiritual exercise practiced by men of God – Genesis 24:63; Psalm 1:1-2
b. A spiritual duty given to those who are Christians – Philippians 4:8; 1 Timothy 4:15
4. But some questions may come to mind
a. What exactly is meditation?
b. Why should we take time to meditate?
c. How should we meditate?
Body
I. MEDITATION IN THE BIBLE
A. WHAT IS NOT MEDITATION IN THE BIBLE
1. That practiced by many Eastern religions
a. Like Hinduism, Buddhism, or Transcendental Meditation
b. Where the object is to experience truth, peace, or being, usually inexpressible
2. That practiced by Christian mystics
a. Such as Quakers, and others often found among Catholics and Protestants
b. Who meditate to experience God, or to receive some revelation from God
3. Both Eastern and Christian mystical meditation usually seek to empty the mind so as to find or receive truth within (i.e., a subjective form of meditation)
B. WHAT IS MEDITATION IN THE BIBLE
1. To contemplate on truth or reality already revealed (i.e., an objective form of meditation)
2. For example, the man “after God’s own heart” is one who meditates on:
a. The Lord Himself – Psalm 63:6
b. His wonderful Works – Psalm 77:12
c. His revealed Word – Psalm 119:15,23,48,97-99,148
3. In the words of Paul, we are to meditate on “things” – Philippians 4:8
a. Things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report
b. Things that are of any virtue, and are praiseworthy
[There is a very real difference between Biblical meditation and that commonly practiced by many religions: Christian meditation dwells on that already revealed in creation or inspired revelation, whereas other forms of meditation seek some new truth or experience to be revealed. Understanding the difference, why is Biblical meditation important…?]
II. WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD MEDITATE
A. A SOURCE OF JOY AND STRENGTH
1. As seen from such passages like Psalm 1:1-3; Isaiah 40:28-31
2. This alone should motivate us to meditate more often
B. AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR TRANSFORMATION
1. The goal of the Christian is to become more like Christ – cf. Romans 8:29
2. This requires a “transformation” – Romans 12:1-2
3. But notice that this is possible only by “renewing the mind” – Romans 12:2
4. This “renewing” is possible only when we “set our minds” on proper things
a. On things above
b. Not on things on the earth – Colossians 3:1-2
5. Only then, when our minds are “set on things above”, will we be successful in completing the “transformation” which includes “putting off the old man” and “putting on the new man” – cf. Colossians 3:1-2 with Colossians 3:5-14
C. MANY FALL BECAUSE THEY MEDITATE ON THE WRONG THINGS
1. They “mind the things of the flesh”, which leads to “death” and “enmity with God” – cf. Romans 8:5-8
2. You cannot be a spiritual person if you “dwell” on carnal things
a. “Recent studies conducted by a Stanford University research team have revealed that ‘what we watch’ does have an effect on our imaginations, our learning patterns, and our behaviors.” – Denis Waitley, Seeds Of Greatness, p. 47-48
b. ” First we are exposed to new behaviors and characters. Next, we learn ` or acquire these new behaviors. The last and most crucial step is that we adopt these behaviors as our own.” – ibid.
c. “One of the most critical aspects of human development that we need to understand is the influence of ‘repeated viewing’ and ‘repeated verbalizing’ in shaping our future.” – ibid.
d. The information goes in, ‘harmlessly, almost unnoticed,’ on a daily basis, but we don’t react to it until later, when we aren’t able to realize the basis for our reactions.” – ibid.
e. “In other words, our value system is being formed without any conscious awareness on our part of what is happening!” – ibid.
f. “You are what you watch and think.” – ibid., p. 45
g. “If a sixty second commercial, by repeated viewing, can sell us a product, then isn’t it possible for a sixty minute soap opera or ‘smut- com’, by repeated viewing, to sell us a lifestyle?” – ibid., p. 47
3. Fill your mind with positive and spiritual thoughts if you really want to:
a. “renew the mind”
b. “be transformed”
[If Christians are to succeed, they must set their minds (meditate) on the things of the Spirit, on things above, where Christ is! Only then will they with God’s help put off the old man and put on the new man. Finally, a few thoughts on…]
III. HOW TO MEDITATE
A. FIND A QUIET TIME AND PLACE
1. For Isaac, it was in the field at evening – Genesis 24:63
2. For David, it was in bed during the night watches – Psalm 4:4; 63:6; 119:148
3. A time and place free from distraction
B. CONTEMPLATE SOMETHING OF VALUE
1. David focused his meditation on three things:
a. The Lord Himself – Psalm 63:6
b. His wonderful Works – Psalm 77:12
c. His revealed Word – Psalm 119:15, 23, 48, 97-99, 148
2. Paul mentioned things that possess virtue and are praiseworthy – Philippians 4:8
a. Whatever is noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report
b. Which could include devotional writings by uninspired authors
c. A subject or object worthy of mindful contemplation
C. LET THE BIBLE BE YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS
1. Read it contemplatively every day – Psalm 1:2; 119:15
2. Read it with a prayer in your heart – cf. Psalm 119:18
3. As you read, occasionally read it aloud to yourself
a. The Hebrew word in Psalm 1:2 for meditate means “to mutter”
b. Reading slowly and audibly helps to focus one’s mind on the words
4. As you read, you might ask yourself the following questions:
a. Is there some truth I should know from this verse?
b. How does this passage affect a previously held conviction?
c. Is there something I should stop doing in light of this verse?
d. Is there a practice I should change?
e. Is there a habit I ought to begin?
5. You might end with a prayer such as David’s – cf. Psalm 119:10
— “Hold the Word of God in your heart until it has affected every phase of your life…this is meditation.”
Conclusion
1. We find David praying in Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, “O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.”
2. By heeding Paul’s command (“meditate on these things” – Ph 4:8), we can ensure that our meditations will be acceptable in the sight of our Lord!
3. Together with frequent prayer, the practice of meditation will go a long way toward exercising one’s self unto godliness…!
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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