A Fitting Conclusion

Transcript

GR 646
6/19/1983
A Fitting Conclusion
Philippians 4:19-23
Gil Rugh

Philippians Chapter 4 in your Bibles Apostle Paul has been drawing this Letter to a close in the Fourth Chapter of Philippians by focusing attention on the gracious provision that the Philippians made for his ministry while he’s imprisoned at Rome. And Paul has given us some insight into the greatness of the Philippians as they represented Jesus Christ by serving the Apostle Paul, for they had taken of their material thing and sent them on to Paul to sustain him during his imprisonment. It might have seen like a small thing at that time, but Paul indicates that God used this in a great way in his life. But the most significant thing of the gift that they had sent to Paul was not that they had sent a gift to Paul, but that they had offered a sacrifice that was acceptable to God. Thus they had been well pleasing in their worship of God, which is really what our lives as believers is all about.

Paul had noted in verse 13 that he could do all things through Christ to strengthen him. God empowered and enabled him to function with contentment in every situation. We noted that the context of that verse is without material things or with material things; external matters, circumstances, physical provisions did not affects Paul’s contentment because God strengthened him to function with contentment in all kind of circumstances, but the Philippians did a good thing, a noble thing in verse 14. You’ve done well you’ve functioned excellently by sharing with me in my affliction.

Then Paul noted in verses 15 and 16 that the Philippians were unique church because after he departed from Macedonia; when down into the province of Achaia where Corinth is, the only church that shared with him in his ministry materially and financially was the Philippian church. And as verse 16 said they were so anxious to do it, they did it even when he was at Thessalonica more than once. The unique thing about that is Thessalonica is very close to Philippi and Paul only spent about three weeks in Thessalonica but the Philippians were so burdened to be a part of his ministry that they sent gifts to him on more than one occasion while he was still at Thessalonica and then also when he left Macedonia, the province of Macedonia and went down to Corinth in Achaia.

But verse 17 lest there be misunderstanding, the prime thing that Paul is concerned about is not receiving gifts; although he appreciated them but his prime concern was that these believers would mature and grow in the Lord. We noted the analogy of our own children. We appreciate gifts from them and the attitude that is conveyed is they share those gifts with us but we probably appreciate the most the growth we see in them as they learn to give; Paul said that’s what really excites me about this gifts from you Philippians. That it is to your profit, to your benefit, that you have given to me in my ministry.

What does he say verse 18 I have received everything in full and have abundance. I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent. Note how he described what they sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God. Now it’s interesting though this section back verse 15 and following down through verse 18 Paul has used financial terms and expressions as we noted to describe this gift.

And now at the end of verse 18 he moves from the financial accounting expressions to the terminology of offerings and sacrifices and he says that the amount you invested in me is accruing interest to your accounts. The reason being that you have been invested material things in the spiritual ministry and that has been an acceptable well pleasing fragrant sacrifice to God.

So that what you’ve done is really more to your benefit than mine because I reap benefits from your material gifts for a limited duration but you will profit from giving to me for all eternity because what you’ve given as been a sacrifice not given to Paul but given to God and he found that sacrifice to be a fragrant aroma. It was acceptable, it was well pleasing. What do we desire more as believers than to be pleasing to God to be set about us what higher commendation could be said than to say you have been well pleasing to God. And it’s exciting to me that Paul says you Philippians have taken material things and used them in such a way that they are a sacrifice to God and well pleasing to him.

Though a good reminder for us as we invest our material things not to lose sight of what we’re really doing with them, what giving is really all about. That giving to a church, giving to a person but ultimately we are offering a sacrifice to God and our desire in that is to be well pleasing to him in every way. But there is one other step to be considered and that is what about the Philippians need. Paul cannot return to them material things yet the Philippians have great needs. Where will the supply for them come from? Paul doesn’t know, can’t say as far as the human provision, as far as who might be used on the human level but one thing Paul can say with assurance that my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory.

Let’s have a word of prayer before we look into the details of this section. Father we praise you today that we have God who is able to do abundantly above all that we ask, all that we think. Lord our desire is we look into your word this morning is that the spirit would minister to each one of us according to our needs. Lord, nourish us, enrich us, build this up in the knowledge and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and we pray in his name, amen.

Verse 19 obviously connects closely with verse 18 even though we’ve broken. Off after verse 18 and my God, and it connects, it’s a sacrifice at the end of 18 well pleasing to God and my God to whom you have been well pleasing shall do something for you. And I like the personal emphasis Paul gives in verse 19. It’s the Philippians God as well that we’re talking about. God is the God of the Philippians as well as the God of Paul. They could have not offered a sacrifice pleasing to God if they did not belong to God; we looked at this in our last study. Only those who have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ can offer sacrifices acceptable to God yet Paul wants to draw attention here to the personal relationship. So my God; the one that I serve, that one that I belong to, the one that I represent he is the one who will function to meet your needs. Now you’ve given to me, God was pleased and my God will meet your needs. My God shall supply all your needs.

And it’s interesting here little play on words we missing the English. That word shall supply is the same word that’s up in verse 18 but I have received everything in full, that in full the word full there is the same word as the word supply down in verse 19. So I have received everything in full and my God shall fill all your needs. There’s a play on the word. You have filled me and my needs. Now God will fill you in meeting your needs; a reminder to them that they will not be impoverished because they have been the instrument that God use to meet Paul’s needs. Now God will function, my God shall supply all your needs.

One thing you ought to note here, the Philippians did not give out of abundance. We looked into Second Corinthians Chapter 8 where Paul says of the Churches in Macedonia and from what he says here Philippi would be the key church that he’s talking about, they gave out of their poverty; they were an impoverished church. They were a people who did not have material means and yet they had scraped together what they had and given it to Paul. And you know what it’s like to receive a gift like that where someone has given to you when they knew you had a need and yet you have that sense that they can afford to do that less than you can and you feel almost all most awkward in accepting it.

Your first reaction is no you need this more than I do but from what Paul says here they get the greater blessing in being able to give it that’s Paul’s sense here; they have given out of their poverty and reminded us. We give out of our abundance and we give after we have measured everything out because I wanted to be sure that what I give does not affect my abundance. That’s not the Philippians way of giving, that’s not the sacrifice that was well pleasing to God. They gave out of a need, they gave with needs themselves and so Paul says my God shall supply all your needs. He’s aware what they’ve done.

Now second thing to note here is the God’s, he says my God shall supply all your needs. Now that does not mean he’ll supply all their wants. He doesn’t say he’ll give you everything you like to have. He says you’ll see that all your needs are met. We need to keep that in mind as believers. We need to be careful here because we live in a day where our wants become needs very simply. How does that happen well, I go out and buy what I want and charge it.

Now I am obligated to make the payment; therefore that is a need right, because if I don’t pay it, they’ll re-posses my car or m house or put a lean on something. What is happened, I have gone beyond my needs and got myself at a problem. So I need to be careful I think well I’ve got, got in a problem now box. Lord we owe $2000 a month on our installment payment and you said you’d meet all our needs. No I think may be we’ve jumped out to get all our wants and tried to make them needs and then obligate God do it.

So we need to be careful, I am not saying you should never charge anything I am saying we need to be careful God has promised to meet our needs. We’ll have food and clothing and shelter as we function in submission to him and under his guidance and we may not have the kind of clothing that we would like to have, may not have the kind of the house we would like to have, may not drive the kind of car we would like to drive that’s not the issue, the issue is he’ll provide for all our needs often in ways we don’t expect. Apostle Paul would say when hand-to-mouth. Here he is the great Apostle Paul and where does he going, he’s going from hand-to-mouth. Hand outs from the Philippian Church.

Is that any way for the great Apostle to live, he thinks its tremendous why, look at the blessings that have accrued to the Philippians because Paul chose to provide for Paul in that way. My God shall supply all your needs. Now the rest of this I have to say we’ll talk about that goes beyond my understanding. He says he’ll supply all your needs according to his riches and glory. You know the most impressive thing to me as I study that section, it does not say he shall supply all your needs out of his riches and glory but according to his riches and glory in a manner appropriate to his will, in a manner befitting his glorious riches. Now that is provision doesn’t say he’ll supply out of his riches like someone who has great wealth gives you a few dollars no, if someone of great wealth gives you in a manner befitting or appropriate in line with his riches that’s a great difference.

A millionaire could give me $10 and say he gave me out of his riches but if he gave me $10 it would not be commensurate with his riches. But what God promises is to meet our needs in a manner that befits the riches that are his in glory. Now wait a minute, why then am I not driving a Cadillac and living in a mansion. Well obviously he’s not talking about here giving us all our material abundance but that in every way you’ll meet all your needs but it goes beyond just the physical and hasn’t he done that with what the Philippians have given spiritually? They gave to Paul physically, what did Paul say was most significant about that?

That it was a spiritual sacrifice to God. So I take it as God provides, he provides in abundance beyond just meeting a physical need but he provides the inner abundance of life, the peace that Philippians has talked about, that joy, that satisfaction in life, that really enables you to have abundant life, a fulfilled life regardless of what the material level of living in. So he’ll meet all our needs but it goes beyond just physical things and he’ll do it in a manner befitting his will.

We believers are not to be beggars we are not to be dragging around. You know the problem that happens to us as believers, we measure our wealth on a worldly standard and we get to feel sorry for ourselves because our standard a physical thing is not the same as the world’s standard but that’s such a small irrelevant measure. I was interested in one of the news magazines last week or two that I read an article on suicides and when you read the article like that you’re reminded that life is without meaning even when you have an abundance of procession if you don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ that makes life meaningful. He says I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.

Even when a man has great processions his life does not consist in the abundance of his wealth. We as believers are promised to be supplied by God in a manner commensurate with his riches in glory. His riches in glory in Christ and very simply it’s the goriest heavenly riches that center in Jesus Christ. Again we’re back to the person of Jesus Christ. We’re only talking about those who have come to recognize and believe that Jesus Christ the son of God died to pay the penalty for sin and was raised because that penalty have been paid. The moment a person believes in that fact he is born into God’s family, becomes a child of God and God provides for him, meet his needs according to his glorious riches; the riches that are centered in glory in Christ.

So we read in the Book of Ephesians that we have been seated with Christ in the heavens and that’s what Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of the father. So a tremendous transformation has taken place in who we are. So even though I may not have a great abundance of possession at my disposal you need to realize that I am a child of a king and all of the wealth of glory is mine in Christ, I am an air of God a joint air with Jesus Christ.

The moment I look at you and say oh my, what poverty, what a pity to go through life on a shoe string. Oh you do not understand I am a child of the heavenly king and he hasn’t given me all as yet but it’s all mine. And he has given me a life that is meaningful and purposeful and there will come a day when I will enter into the full inheritance of all the riches of glory in his presence for eternity. No difference than the child of the billionaire who does not yet have at his disposal to use of that vast wealth. All his needs are provided for but he has the full assurance that it’s his.

So we as believers, our attitudes ought to be different but you get dragged down the world tells you oh, you can’t be happy if you don’t have this, you can’t be happy if you don’t have that, you can’t be happy if you don’t and don’t and don’t you know what? We as believers look at that and say they are right and then we what, begin to apply ourselves to the acquisition of things. Really we have meaning and purpose in the person of Christ.

Look back to Second Corinthians if you would, Second Corinthians Chapter 9. Second Corinthians Chapter 9 remember what’s in the first part of Chapter 8, Chapters 8 and 9 going together as a unit in Second Corinthians but the first part of Chapter 8 were Paul testified regarding the churches of Macedonia that their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality in verse 2 of Chapter 8.

Then over in Chapter 9 verse 8 and God is able to make all grace abound to you that always; having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed. You’ll have to underline the word and all, and always and everything and every in that verse.

God provides for us overflowing for every good deed as it is written he scattered abroad, he gave to the poor for his righteousness abides forever. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only who fully supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing through many to the thanksgivings - through many thanksgivings to God and he closes that chapter. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable his indescribable gift the gift of his son Jesus Christ.

You see same stress we have in Philippians, God undertakes to meet and provide for us, to do and to carry out everything he wants us to do. And it isn’t that what my purpose in being here is I am a stranger, I am a pilgrim in this life. So as long as I have all the resources to carry out everything that God intends for me to do until he calls me to glory what more do I need? And that’s an encouragement to me. I have everything that I need to have to carry out every ministry that God wants me to carry out. He makes provision and that’s true for everyone as believers. So I have to sit back and say oh if I only made $500,000 a year what a difference it would make. It would, I probably on the Riviera right now not preaching the word but it wouldn’t make any difference in the ministry of the word and my service to Jesus Christ because he’s abundantly supplied. Everyone of as believers to do everything he wants us to do and he’s given different supply to different ones why, because he hasn’t called us all to do the same thing.

Say back to Philippians Chapter 4 the climax of what he is saying and the climax of the letter. Now to our God and father be the glory forever and ever. What has Paul say about this, I want to honor an exalt the Philippians no, but you know what, he does commend them highly, we have some Christians who can’t understand the idea that you would commend other Christian, that you would honor them. Paul has done that with the Philippians, it has been set in concrete if you will in the eternal word of God that they did excellently, they did nobly, they did better if you will than the other churches did; but that does in no way take away from the glory of God that exalts the glory of God because it was the power of God at work in the Philippians that enabled them to function in a manner that was pleasing to God.

So to our God and father be the glory forever and ever literally into the ages of the ages, unendingly the glory goes to God. This is the focal point of everything. This is the focal point of eternity but the glory of God that’s how God intends us to function in this life to the glory of God. We as a body are to function harmoniously together so that God be glorified. Turn to one passage over in First Peter Chapter 4. First Peter Chapter 4 I encourage to take you can record in sometime for your own study and just look up the word glory and trace it though just through the New Testament first and then go back when you have more time and do the old. And look at read each of those verses and the stress on the glory of God

Look in First Chapter 4 verse 11, verse 10 as each one has received a special gift, the gifts of the spirit employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold, the multi-faceted, multi-colored grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak as it were the utterances of God; whoever serves let him do so by the strength which God supplies, now note this is the purpose clause so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.

Why is it so important that I function as God intends me to function, that I use the special gift and ability that God has given me in a manner that God wants me to the glory of God is at stake. So we are to be a functioning, harmonious, unified body each exercising the gift that God is given us so that the body functions together what, so that the elders, so that Gill gets glory no, that’s God’s intention to bring glory to himself so that he might be glorified and he’s the one to whom glory belongs to all the ages that’s why divisiveness in the church is a such a tragedy. It has eternal significance, the glory of God is at stake, that’s why believers who sit back ideally, not exercising their gifts, not contributing to the ministry of the body as God intends are such a tragedy that has eternal consequences, the glory of God is at stake.

You don’t have the option to say I just like to come and watch. You have the right to say I chose not to glorify God in the way that he has specified, too much more serious matter than just wanting to be a layback Christian it’s the glory of God at stake. You function this way so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

So what’s Paul say to the Philippians, now to God our father, our God and father be glory. You can talk in what, in the context of what we do with our material things. How we function with our material thing and the climax of that particular context is to God be the glory. The climax of the whole letter that has emphasized is joy and unity. And joy in unity is what, to God be the glory forever and ever. You know we as believers are privileged to get in practice if you will, to glorify God for eternity right here in this life because that’s what eternity will be all about.

Turn over to the Book of Revelation Chapter 5 and we read just a couple of passages. From the throne room seen in heaven; pictures you and I as the church in the presence of God himself following the rapture of the church. And in Chapter 5 of Revelation verse 9, what you have in verse 8 you have the four living creatures and the 24 elders. The 24 elders are representative of the church of Jesus Christ. So here you have the church in the presence if God in glory and what’s going on in verse 9. They sang a new song saying "Worthy are thou to take the book; to break its seals; for you were slain and purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe, tongue, people and nation.

Jump down to verse 12 they were saying with a loud voice "Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing." And every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." The four living creatures saying Amen; the elders fell down and worshiped. What’s going on in eternity in the presence of God we’re involved in exalting God declaring his glory.

Backup in Chapter 4 of Revelation while you are here, in verse 10 the twenty-four elders who fall down before him will down before him who sits on the throne and worship him forever and ever and will cast their crowns, that’s the word stephanos, the victors crown promised for faithful service to believers in Jesus Christ. These do not mean to exalt ourselves but they become vehicles for exalting and glorifying God in eternity. That’s why crowns are worth striving and laboring for not, because they are not for our glory but therefore his glory and eternity. We take these crowns, these stephanos and cast them down before his throne saying "You are worthy our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power for you did create all things and because of your will they existed and were created everything." Was created and exists for God and his glory.

That’s what eternity is all about, we as believers are privileged and honored to invest our lives in eternity right now. I should want to do something so mundane is to strive to make millions, as to labor to be a powerful and influential person, when I can invest my life in eternity, oh, easily believers are diverted from what life is all about and caught up in the mundane empty futile pursuits that characterize the people apart from God.

Come back to Philippians Chapter 4 Paul’s not ready to close the letter with some greetings and affection and goodbye. Remember the theme of this letter, joy in unity. We noted when we were early in the letter, the two themes run through it joy and unity. We have to experience the joy, the inner joy of God in our lives and we are to be function in unity, in oneness with one another because of our oneness in Christ and the connection is you cannot have the joy of the Lord functioning in your life as you are functioning in oneness with others in the body. Great example being given is that of Jesus Christ and humility becomes the key for functioning in unity. So its joy that functions in unity which can only happen in humility because pride is divisive, because in pride, I look out for myself and not for you and humility I humble myself to serve you and that brings unity which results enjoy in the life.

We’ll come to verse 21 Paul wants to say a few words of greetings. I just want to pick up a couple of thoughts and draw the letter to a close. Read every saint in Christ Jesus and we are saints in Christ Jesus Christ. And there will be verse 22 all the saints greet you; you ought to note here first of all that that the saints are alive and breathing. He says to greet every saint he doesn’t mean to go out to the graveyard the saints are alive and breathing. And some groups today who teach that you can get canonized some centuries after you death if you can prove certain things about the person or make them up and get them believe.

Saints are those who are in Christ Jesus. I become a saint the moment I believe in Jesus Christ. That’s true of everyone in the auditorium you became a saint. A saint, the word is the same word basically as the word holy and the word sanctify. Saint, holy and sanctify are come from the same basic word. It means to be set apart; a saint is one who is set apart. He set apart from sin, he set apart to God. So Paul says greet everyone who is set apart in Christ. When I came to believe in Jesus Christ I was set apart by God for himself, that’s the point here.

Now, you have to note something, this drastically affects every area of your life. If you are now one who is set apart by God for himself that drastically affects and alters every aspect of your life. I am unique and different, I am set apart by God for himself and for his use that’s true of everyone else who is in Jesus Christ not to be expected that we live with different motives, different ideals, different purposes when you’ve been set apart by God for his own special use; that’s the emphasis.

Paul, just jot down First Corinthians Chapter 6 verse 19 and 20 talks about the fact that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are no longer our own. We have been bought with the price therefore glorify God in your bodies. Glorify God that’s what it’s all about for believers in this life and in eternity. Glorify God in your bodies, I am set apart for God what does that mean; that means everything I do must be done in the context of glorifying him, exalting him.

The brethren who are with me greet you Paul says verse 21 Epaphroditus would be here, Timothy who else we don’t know; all the saints greet you; other believers at Rome where Paul is imprisoned. Now note this last statement especially those of Caesar's household. Amazing, the Caesar of this time is Nero. Caesar Nero, Caesar being a title like our President or Prime Minister depending on the country and so on. Caesar Nero, we know of Nero wild wretched man. We wouldn’t want to talk now about some of the despicable things that he did that would make even the carryings on going on in the world today. Look, relatively calm brutal man we know him so well because of his persecution of the believers and using believers as human torches for the circus games.

Now here he says those especially of Caesar’s household greet you. This doesn’t necessarily mean Caesar’s brother or his wife. The household would include the whole family, the servants the staff of Caesar’s household. Those who serve Caesar may be the butler, may be the maid and those kinds of people. The point here is that Paul’s imprisonment had provided the unique opportunity to carry the gospel to a place that otherwise would have been all but impenetrable.

How would Paul have gotten to present the gospel to the members of Caesar’s household? Do you think he would gone to Rome and knock at the place door and say let them know that the Apostle Paul’s here we’ll have a Bible study right after dinner, not a chance. How did God see that the gospel was carried in that unique way, that unique place by the imprisonment of the Apostle Paul. And by Paul’s imprisonment he had opportunity to present the gospel within the household of Caesar.

He had mentioned back in Chapter 1 verse 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard. So there you see the guards, the palace guards exposed to the gospel. You see what happened; we noted this when we studied Chapter 1 and we need to remind ourselves. Why are you where you are? Why do you have such a miserable wretched job? Why do you have to work with such lousy, corrupt, filthy mouthed people? I don’t know I’ve been praying to Lord to give me another job. No you need to backup wait a minute.

You know the important thing is not that you’ve got a job and you are making money the important thing is God has placed you perhaps in a place how would the gospel get into that place in any other way? How would a believer have opportunity to have contact with those people in any other way? Perhaps God has placed you in a very unique and special place. You think Paul like being chained to a Roman guard 24 hours a day, seven days a week? Do you think he wouldn’t have enjoyed just going off by himself and having some private time? Do you think that was fun? Let me ask you two thousand years later was it worth it?

The members of Caesar’s household heard the gospel and many of them believed. We say how does it matter that Paul was chained to a Roman soldier 24 hours a day seven days a week, it mattered that was one of his greatest privileges and you know what? Some believers are missing their greatest privilege in this life. They are in a hard place, they are in a unique place to present the gospel of Jesus Christ where someone else will never have the chance but you know what, we get the view it like the world does this is a lousy job. This is the boring job. This is a miserable place.

You think Roman soldiers had nice clean malls, you think they really cared whether Paul wanted to hear a dirty joke or hear them cuss or not. I think Paul said I just can’t be next to this uncouth guy all these hours every day and maintain my holiness. It’s that our attitudes are often needs something why he’s got placed in here, what unique opportunities. I am here to present Jesus Christ and make him known, that’s what it’s all about.

Remember what Paul said in Second Corinthians Chapter 2 verse 14 that we make Jesus Christ known in every place. That’s what it’s all about with its group here, half of the number that will be in this auditorium they will have another service. Now think of this every single person takes as it’s their prime responsibility to glorify God by making Jesus Christ known in every place where they are this week.

You tell that a lot of the city won’t hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, people that I never get to preach to, people that won’t want an evangelism follow-up call; but people that you’ll have contact with that you’ll speak to as you go into their office to sell them something do you work alongside of a factory or whatever, you are representative of Jesus Christ we’ll have a unique opportunity. So it’s not a miserable job, not a mundane position, it’s the glorious opportunity to represent Jesus Christ in a place that God has not given someone else that same glorious opportunity and you’re privileged to seize hold of him and take advantage of it for the glory of God; for eternal significance.

Backup your Bibles to First Corinthians Chapter 12, Second Corinthians Chapter 12 I am sorry, Second Corinthians Chapter 12 note what Paul says, here he’s well known, thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me. I’ll tell you when you are that special messenger of Satan come to buffet you that’s hard going. Paul prayed three times that he might be delivered in verse 9 God has said to me "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness,” note that my grace is sufficient for you that’s first. Paul will close the letter to the Philippians on that note. Wherever you are whatever you are doing you can be sure that God’s grace is sufficient for you. He is able to provide and sustain and use you in that situation, he say I can’t stand it in another moment. His grace is sufficient for you.

Now not that next statement, "for power is perfected in weakness." Oh then it might have the power of God at work in my life and through my life but oh Lord make me strong. Paul says wait a minute, God told me that his power is perfected in weakness. He say I am so small, those people with that job won’t care my neighbors don’t want to know. I am really insignificant, you don’t understand I sweep the floors there, if I was the President of a company I can really be an influence. Well Paul was a prisoner in Rome you understand; he was not the chairman of the guard, he was a prisoner. Power is perfected in weakness.

What’s Paul say most gladly therefore I will rather boast about my weaknesses that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content, not that well content. Talk about contentment in Christ in Philippians Paul says I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. Remarkable you found your job hard, you found your present situation and circumstances difficult perhaps you were in a position be the strongest you’ve ever been in your service for Jesus Christ, to have the power of God at work in and through your life and away that you’ve never known before. You may be in the unique position to see the power of God work through you to transform the lives of others though the power of the gospel. Need to be careful we’re not missing our opportunities because we are so taken up with the difficulties, we’re so taken up with the distresses, the sufferings, the persecutions, the insults that we lose sight of the fact why, God’s placed me in a ministry of eternal significance and importance and by his power and grace I am going to seize the opportunity to serve him in this place.

Paul closes his letter to the Philippians. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit it’s just what we’ve read in Second Corinthians the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit; where does the power for it all come from. This is where he opened up the letter to the Philippians. Grace to you, here he closes the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit that grace that enabling ministry of God himself. The grace of God that unmerited favor that which we don’t deserve and have not earned. Paul asks that God, Jesus Christ specifically here be with them in a special way to enable them, to empower them and to use them. And that’s the realm in which we function the grace of God.

I have no hope and no confidence that anyone in this auditorium including the preacher has any hope of ever accomplishing anything of significance for God in his own energy and strength and power. I am fully convinced that the grace of God is adequate to use every single one who is a child of God in a way to accomplish eternal things that would never dream possible. We need to be careful we evaluate one another in the light of the grace of God. We look at people and write them off they don’t have much potential, they have little potential. Instead of seeing them in light of the grace of God and you let make the difference in your life and my life the grace of God that you have potential to accomplish mighty things in the context of eternity because of the might God who works in though you.

What a letter, what a hope. Paul’s encouraged the Philippians that God will meet their every need; supply all their needs in a manner befitting his riches in Christ. The focal point for it all is now the glory belongs to our God and father. So you saints, remember who you are; once called out as servants of God, representatives of Jesus Christ and that’s his grace that empowers and enables you. I don’t know your specific circumstances and situations, that’s fine I don’t need to; God does. I know that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ your circumstances are under God’s control; your situation is under God’s control. He’s placed you where you are doing what you are for eternal purposes and the important thing is we function in light of those purposes so that when we get to glory we see that it’s albeit for the glory of God and the profit of this church.

Let’s pray together. Father, how privileged; Lord what work of grace that you would take us while we’re sinners; Lord and exalt us to the heavenlies in Jesus Christ. Lord that we should be privileged to belong to you, to be called saints of God set apart for your own special use and own special purposes. Lord, how important it is that we be a people who live in light of what we are. Lord, thank you for your abundant provision and the greatness of your promises. Father, pray that we might seize the opportunities.

Thank you Lord for those here that you’ve entrusted with ministry in difficult places. Lord that have tremendous oppositions from family and friends; Lord who work with people who are so hard to work with. Lord thank you for the difficulties, thank you for the pressures, thank you for the persecutions. Lord, fix our eyes upon eternal things; above all fix our eyes on your glory. Give us a burning consuming passion to glorify you in all what we do. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.