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A Focus on the Women in the Philippian Church · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Once again we're glad to be able to meet together to worship God and everybody's welcome
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at our evening service including those of you who are joining us online as well and as always we
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pray that God will reveal himself to us through his word bless us as we come together in this way.
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There are a lot of things on the bulletin sheet today to intimate I'm not going to go through
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them all. Do remember the prayer meeting tomorrow evening that's the monthly prayer meeting
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and particularly this time because we're focusing on Ukraine as you can see there in
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information everyone is encouraged to attend. It's going to be on Zoom only and you'll get the
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details from Lizzie if you haven't already got the usual passcode for our monthly prayer meeting.
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It'll be under that but if you don't have it just contact Lizzie and she'll give you the details.
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And so we want to focus on Ukraine especially and the situation that has developed there
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which as the notice says is most alarming and most alarming for everybody but there are lots of
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God's people also in Ukraine. Some of them have had to move and seek refuge elsewhere. Some of them
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have remained behind to minister to their churches and to continue to witness for God and the men of
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course especially many of them are advised or required to wait behind in their country to serve
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against the occupying forces. The prayer meetings through the week the midweek meetings you can see
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the details there as for next Lord's Day as well. Also there's a congregational meeting has been set by
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the Kirk session for Wednesday the 16th of March our normal midweek Wednesday meeting. That's at 7.30
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and that the purpose for that meeting is to elect a minister for the vacancy in the assistantship
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in the congregation. Again the meeting will be held on Zoom only so the current Zoom details for the
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Wednesday midweek will apply and we do want also to have as good an attendance as possible for the
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whole congregation because we're all hopefully going to fall behind the calling of an assistant minister.
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And if you don't again have details just please contact Lizzie or Marianne if you wish any of those
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details. And again please notice the Blythwood Care Ukraine emergency appeal. As a church we're advised by
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Central Church in Edinburgh to make contributions through the emergency appeal that Blythwood Care
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have set up. Blythwood are experienced in bringing relief and care to Eastern Europe especially and so
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we're confident that we can channel contributions through Blythwood that they will reach their intended
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destination in Ukraine. Alternatively if you can't do it online you can see a detail there just put an
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envelope in the plate marked Ukraine appeal and it'll be dealt with in the usual way.
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There's also an appeal there for a wider broader prayer base for Slavic Gospel Association.
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Again they're very much concerned with ministry in Ukraine as well as other parts as you know
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of Eastern Europe so just follow through the details there for yourselves.
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I want to also mention the appeal of the Stornoway street pastors who are hoping to
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take on New Street pastors this year. If you know of anybody you might be interested or if you're
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interested yourself do please consider that. If you want to have any information please just
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follow the details there. Contact the coordinator who is now Janice Brand in Point.
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And there's quite a string of details there regarding WFM meetings. They take us right through to the
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September meeting but it's just so that you can put these in your diary. They'll be intimated in due
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course as time goes on. I just need to mention meantime the 22nd of March meeting that's at 7.30
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when there will be two speakers again on Zoom. Kathleen McSween and Katrina Lamont are going to speak
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that evening. And the Saturday 26th of March is a fundraiser just like the previous two.
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And again just read for the details for that yourselves there. Again it'll be in the bulletin
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sheet over the next few weeks. Let's now worship God. We're going to begin worship this evening
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singing Psalm 138. Psalm 138 that's in Sing Psalms page 179. We're going to sing from verse 4 through to
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the end of the psalm. O Lord let all earth's kings give praise when from your mouth they hear your word.
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Let them extol the ways of God for great the glory of the Lord. Although the Lord God dwells on high
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the lowly person he protects. Whereas the proud and haughty one he knows afar off and rejects.
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Verses 4 through to the end in Psalm 138. Let's stand to sing.
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sing.
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O Lord let all earth's kings give praise when conquer and they hear your word. Let them extol the ways of God.
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God bless the glory of the Lord.
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All to the Lord God dwells on high. The holy person he protects.
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Where does the proud and haughty one he knows afar off and rejects.
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A kid's ce Khandake in the name of God. He supports the abstract in the name of God.
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In the name of God feels the houndください as in crives.
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The Lord says,
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The Lord says,
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Let's once more call on the name of the Lord, so we'll join together in prayer.
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O Lord, our gracious and mighty God, we give thanks that we are able once again to gather in this way, and help us never, Lord, to take it for granted that this will inevitably be the case for us.
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For we know that there are many places in the world tonight where your people are unable to meet together.
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We know that even for ourselves, O Lord, many things could prevent us from gathering together such as our own health.
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And we pray, Lord, for thankful hearts every time we are able to come together, every time we are able to join in the worship of God, so that we sing your praises and call upon you collectively and are able to give heed to your word.
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Lord, we pray for your blessing, O Lord.
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We have known your blessing so many times in days gone by.
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We have known your blessing even earlier this day.
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We pray that your blessing will again come to visit us, to dwell upon us and in our hearts.
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We pray that your Holy Spirit will once again take your word and make it effective in our experience.
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Teach us, Lord, from it your way and lead us in your paths.
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Give to us an insight into the meaning of your word as we attend to it this evening, even above what we have learned already and know from our experience.
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We need your Spirit, O Lord, at all times, each and every day, throughout each day.
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We thank you for the assurance your word gives us, that your people, as your Spirit occupies their lives and occupies their hearts and has made a dwelling place for himself there.
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Lord, we give thanks that your Spirit sanctifies your people, blesses your word to them, enables them, Lord, to be upheld in the midst of trials and difficulties and challenges.
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We give thanks, Lord, for that ministry of your Spirit that lies so largely hidden apart from its effects.
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And we pray, gracious one, that we may ever have a dependence upon your Spirit for everything that is required of us personally and in our life as a congregation.
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We give thanks, too, for all, Lord, that you provide us with so that not only are we able to gather together in worship and have this time of worship together,
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and we thank you, too, for all the resources you provide us with by which we are able, Lord, to hold out the gospel and the message of the gospel to our community,
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are able to engage in practical works of necessity, of charity, of love.
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O Lord, we ask that you would continue to provide for us in that regard.
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And may we be able to use further opportunities as they arise to exercise the work of the gospel throughout our lives in this locality and wherever else, O Lord, you place us.
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And we thank you tonight for the way we are able to gather in freedom for the way in which we enjoy such times of peace in our experience, in our communities, in our land.
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O Lord, our God, we give thanks that this is your gift to us.
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We pray that we may not misuse it but that we may, Lord, use it in such a way as would value it so as to further the work of your kingdom in our own contribution to it as you call upon us to do.
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We pray for where that is absent tonight in the world.
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and Lord we think again especially of the situation in Ukraine and we pray for that
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situation and ask you Lord that you would bless your people there especially that you bless that
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nation at this time a nation that knows at this time of so much suffering beyond what we ourselves
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can enter into and when we see oh Lord the devastation that is that is wreaked upon them
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when we see how so many of them have had to flee both their houses and their land into other lands
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beside them Lord God be merciful we pray send relief we pray continue to provide for them we
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think of those parts of Ukraine at this time that are virtually besieged and have resources cut off
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and have ways of escape also closed down through the violence of those who have come to do such
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damage to them gracious Lord provide for them we pray provide for them food and water and other
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resources that are necessary oh Lord hear the cry of those who cry out to you from their distress
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and who especially value your word those of them who know you and from your word bring such request to
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you as arise from the word of scripture itself that fits their situation so exactly grant your blessing
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to that president at this time we thank you for his dedication to his people and to his post
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we marvel oh Lord at the frequency with which he is able to call for help to those of us in the west and
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to rally his own people oh Lord to further acts of devotion and courage against the oppressor we pray
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Lord for the men to that oppression we ask you oh Lord to intervene and to do so in a way that you
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yourself are able to bring about and Lord we may think as we find ourselves so feeling at times so
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helpless even in what to pray for yet Lord we ask for your help even in that regard but especially for
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them we ask that you would bring your help to them and we pray gracious one that you'd bless all other
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parts of the world tonight where where violence exists against your people against your church
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where there is war by different warring parties against each other such as in the Yemen and other places
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where people now be set with poverty and famine and lack of resources Lord our God it is so obvious to us
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as you people that we live in a fallen world a world that needs your grace a word that need world that needs the
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the power of the gospel and people to be turned from the ways of darkness into the ways of your
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marvelous light we pray as your people Lord that we too may give an example to the world around us
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for too often we are inconsistent oh Lord in living the kind of lives that we ought to live not only
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personally but in our relation with each other and to our brothers and sisters in Christ elsewhere
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oh gracious Lord forgive us we pray for the ways in which we continue to fall short of the standard that you expect
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of us bless us we pray as a congregation of your people as we seek again Lord your blessing this evening
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we pray that that will continue with us day by day we pray for our young people we pray for our children
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we ask that you would bless them especially as they receive the teaching of the gospel
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and remember those Lord who come who may not have a church involvement and yet come to some of our
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activities from week to week we pray for them too as they come into contact with your people
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and with the gospel itself we pray for those who have been at Scaladale over the past few days
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and ask Lord that you would bless that time to them we thank you for those who gave of their time to
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to be leaders and for those of the young ones themselves who came and shared in this time together
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and again we pray that your blessing will follow these meetings Lord and that time that they spent together
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we pray that you would grant your blessing to all our other activities too
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we pray that you bless the work of the women in the congregation
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we thank you for them all we pray that you'd bless them
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not only the work of WFM but other groups that meet from time to time and other ways in which together
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Lord they collectively seek to serve you
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and whether they be through prayer or practical matters
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attending to the needs of the household of God
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Lord we pray that you would follow with your blessing all that they seek to do
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in your name for we know that
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they do seek your blessing and they do seek your power and your strength
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to carry through the various activities that they engage in
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we ask your blessing tonight for those again who are ill of our number at this time
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those who've been in hospital and still recovering from from surgery
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those who are looking forward to having procedures done and days to come
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oh Lord our God we ask that you would bless them all bless them as families
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we pray too for your blessing with regard to the ongoing COVID situation
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we thank you for the increased measures of liberty that have come to us
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we ask Lord too that you would continue to bless in such a way as would ultimately remove this virus
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or enable us to live safely with it
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Lord we commit ourselves to you in that regard as well
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as the Lord who presides over physical and mental and spiritual matters in our lives
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and whose providence moves us day by day
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and so we pray Lord because we know it is in you we live and have our being
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and Lord we pray that you'd continue to watch over us and provide for us
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and give us the grace to submit ourselves to your care
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and to the guidance of your spirit
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and now Lord we ask that you would help us as we turn to your word
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enable us there to listen for your voice
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and speak to us Lord we pray from your truth
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grant that we may leave this place of worship tonight
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all the more concerned to serve you in the world
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and to make you known to those who are around us
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so hear us now we pray
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pardon our many sins
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for Jesus' sake
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Amen
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I'm going to read tonight from 1 Corinthians
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not the passage that's mentioned in your bulletin sheet
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and we will come to the second verses mentioned in Philippians chapter 4 verses 2 and 3
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I want to read firstly though from 1 Corinthians and chapter 12
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first letter of Paul to the Corinthians chapter 12
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we're going to mention this in the course of our study of Philippians 4
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and it's really difficult not to read the whole chapter
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because it's all very closely woven together
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in the way that Paul's teaching proceeds here from the beginning
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so 1 Corinthians 12 at the beginning
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now concerning spiritual gifts brothers
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I do not want you to be uninformed
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you know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols
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however you were led
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therefore I want you to understand
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that no one speaking in the spirit of God ever says
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Jesus is accursed
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and no one can say Jesus is Lord
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except in the Holy Spirit
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now there are varieties of gifts
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but the same spirit
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and there are varieties of service
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but the same Lord
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and there are varieties of activities
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but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone
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to each is given the spirit
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the manifestation of the spirit
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for the common good
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to one is given through the spirit
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the utterance of wisdom
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to another the utterance of knowledge
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according to the same spirit
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to another faith by the same spirit
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to another gifts of healing by the one spirit
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to another the working of miracles
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to another prophecy
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to another the ability
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to distinguish between spirits
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to another various kinds of tongues
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to another the interpretation of tongues
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all these are empowered
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by one and the same spirit
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who apportions to each one individually
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as he wills
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for just as the body is one
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and has many members
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and all the members of the body
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though many
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are one body
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so it is with Christ
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for in one spirit
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we were all baptized into one body
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Jews or Greeks
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slaves or free
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and all were made to drink
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of one spirit
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for the body
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does not consist of one member
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but of many
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if the foot should say
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because I'm not a hand
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I do not belong to the body
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that would not make it
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any less a part of the body
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and if the ear should say
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because I am not an eye
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I do not belong to the body
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that would not make it
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any less a part of the body
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if the whole body were an eye
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where would be the sense of hearing
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if the whole body were an ear
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where would be the sense of smell
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but as it is
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God arranged the members in the body
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each one of them
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as he chose
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if all were a single member
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where would the body be
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as it is
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there are many parts
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yet one body
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the eye cannot say to the hand
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I have no need of you
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nor again the head to the feet
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I have no need of you
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on the contrary
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the parts of the body
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that seem to be weaker
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are indispensable
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and on those parts of the body
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that we think less honourable
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we bestow the greater honour
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and our unpresentable parts
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are treated with greater modesty
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which our more presentable parts
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do not require
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but God has so composed the body
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giving greater honour
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to the part that lacked it
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that there may be no division in the body
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but that the members
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may have the same care
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for one another
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if one member suffers
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all suffer together
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if one member is honoured
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all rejoice together
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now you are the body of Christ
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and individually members of it
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and God has appointed in the church
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first apostles
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second prophets
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third teachers
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then miracles
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then gifts of healing
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helping
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administering
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and various kinds of tongues
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are all apostles
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are all prophets
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are all teachers
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do all work miracles
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do all possess gifts of healing
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do all speak with tongues
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do all interpret
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but earnestly desire
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the higher gifts
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and I will show you
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a still more excellent way
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now it has to be said
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that some of those
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gifts that are mentioned there
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are uncertain to us today
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we are not sure
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exactly what was meant
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by some of these
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but the purpose of the apostle
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in actually writing this way
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is to
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reinforce his teaching
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that whatever gifts
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God has given to his people
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have come from one spirit
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and whatever gifts
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an individual has
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are for the benefit
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of the whole body
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of Christ
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the whole church
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so that's really why
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he's talking in that way
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why he's writing in that way
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because the Corinthians
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as you know
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were not really following through
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in the way they should
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in the use of the gifts
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that God
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had endowed them with
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we'll say something
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perhaps more of that
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in the course of our study
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and we pray that God will bless
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the reading of his word to us
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before we turn now
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to Philippians
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let's sing again
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this time in Psalm 86
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Psalm 86
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from the Scottish Psalter
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page 341
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verses 11 to 14
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teach me thy way
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and in thy truth
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O Lord
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then walk will I
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unite my heart
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that I thy name
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may fear continually
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O Lord my God
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with all my heart
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to thee I will give praise
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and I the glory
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will ascribe
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unto thy name
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always
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verses 11 to 14
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teach me thy way
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teach me thy way
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teach me thy way
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and in thy truth
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O Lord
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then walk with I
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hear thy thy heart
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and I
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my heart
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O Lord
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My God
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is
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任
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to my heart
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to thee
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I will
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wisdom
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And thy glory will us guide unto thy name always.
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Because thy blessing toward thee in greatness doth excel.
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And thy deliver us my soul out from the lowest dell.
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O God, the power of its dear eyes, and violent men have met.
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That for my soul hath sought down thee, before them hath not said.
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Philippians 4, I'm reading at verse 2.
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I entreat you, Odea, and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
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Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women who have labored side by side with me in the gospel.
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Together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
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We've entitled to study this evening a focus on the women in the church or congregation of Philippi.
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And as we've seen from reading in 1 Corinthians 12,
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one of Paul's main metaphors or images for illustrating the life of the church,
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the life of God's people together,
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is the way in which he takes our body, our physical body,
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and uses that as an illustration of the spiritual body of Christ.
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Spiritual members of the body of Christ,
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those who are in the Lord,
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those who are his people,
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as they are united to him.
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In 1 Corinthians 12, as we've read,
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another chapter is Romans chapter 12,
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there in verses 4 to 5,
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you have a similar emphasis.
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Two things follow on from that by way of introduction,
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just to lead our way into this part,
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these few verses in Philippians 4.
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The two things that follow on from that that we can just mention briefly in passing.
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First of all, it excludes individualism.
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Individualism has become a real blight in many cases on our world
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and even on the church as well.
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Individualism means something like,
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I focus on myself as an individual.
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My main concern is myself.
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My main concern is my own personal advancement.
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My main concern is just to focus in on who I am as an individual
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and sometimes virtually to the exclusion of others around me.
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That's what comes first.
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That's what I need to look after first.
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I am focusing on myself.
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That individualism has certainly crept into the church,
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but Paul's teaching in regard to the composition of the body of Christ excludes individualism.
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Each person in Christ is part of the whole body,
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and each person in Christ relates in some way or other to the other members,
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to the other individuals who are in Christ, who belong to the body of Christ.
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And the second thing that follows, as well as the exclusion of individualism,
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is that what each person does or what each person does not do has a bearing on the whole body.
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That you can see, as Paul illustrated that from our spiritual body,
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if one member of the body, as you mentioned the hand or the foot,
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if any member of the body suffers, then the whole body is affected.
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Or if one member of the body is honored, then the whole body is honored as well.
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And it follows through into our spiritual situation as well,
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as we are united together by Christ as members of the body of Christ.
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The Lord's people are not only to exclude individualism,
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but to always bear in mind that if I don't do what God requires of me,
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then that has an effect negatively, that has an effect on the whole body,
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because my withdrawal of what I should be doing
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is obviously taking out from the body something quite significant.
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However, I think of myself, if God has given me something to do by way of gifts
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that I use for the overall good of the church,
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and I don't use them, and I don't use them properly, or don't use them at all,
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you can see that that affects the whole body.
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It's the same way the other way too.
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If I do the things that I'm required to do,
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that has a positive effect on the whole body in its advancement, in its growth.
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Personal spiritual growth, you can't separate the personal spiritual growth of a Christian
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from the growth of the whole body.
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If the whole body is going to grow as we must grow in our understanding,
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in our commitment, in our love, in our whatever it is we have set before us in the Bible,
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then every individual has to contribute to that in their own personal growth.
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And the other way about, of course, as well, stands to reason that my personal decline,
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if there's personal decline on my part,
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a decline especially that is marked,
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then that's going to affect the whole body as well.
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It's going to detract from the progress of the body in some way or other.
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It's going to affect the health, the spiritual health, if you like, of the whole body.
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And if you take that with you now into what Paul is saying here in Philippians 4,
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it'll maybe help us just as we feed those thoughts into what he's saying here
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to understand what it is he's really saying and why he's saying it
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and what we understand from these two verses.
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First of all, we'll deal with Paul's appeal to these two named women.
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Paul's appeal to these two named women, the names being Duodia and Syntyche.
31:29
And secondly, Paul's appeal to a person he calls the true companion.
31:35
We're not told who he was.
31:36
We're not given his name, but it's somebody Paul knew very well
31:39
and knew Paul very well and had obviously worked alongside Paul closely
31:44
in the work of the gospel at Philippi.
31:47
And he's saying to him,
31:49
you also have something to do with regard to this.
31:52
Help these women.
31:54
Help them to do what I'm seeking they do,
31:57
to agree together in the Lord
31:58
because their names are in the book of life
32:02
along with those others who have labored with me, he's saying.
32:06
So as we look at these in turn,
32:08
let's just follow through the points that Paul is making.
32:11
Paul's appeal, first of all, to the two named women.
32:14
I entreat you, Odea, and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
32:20
Now we don't know any of the details
32:22
as to why these two women had some sort of fallout,
32:26
some sort of division between them.
32:28
We don't know what it amounted to.
32:29
We don't know what led up to it.
32:31
But we do know that Paul is appealing to them
32:33
to agree in the Lord.
32:35
So many has happened by which they need to be brought together again
32:39
and come to sort whatever it is that's gone wrong.
32:43
And he puts it here, agree in the Lord.
32:47
Now literally, that's very interesting,
32:49
the words that Paul uses literally
32:50
to actually take us back to chapter 2.
32:53
Because literally what he's saying,
32:54
I entreat you, Odea, and I entreat Syntyche
32:57
to be of the same mind in the Lord.
33:02
And cast your mind back.
33:03
Where did we see that earlier on?
33:05
We saw it in chapter 2.
33:07
What he's saying here,
33:08
right at the beginning of chapter 2,
33:10
especially verses 2 to 5,
33:12
complete my joy by being of the same mind,
33:15
having the same love,
33:17
being in full accord and of one mind.
33:19
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit,
33:21
but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
33:25
Let each of you look not only to his own interests,
33:28
but also to the interests of others.
33:30
Have this mind.
33:32
What mind is that?
33:33
The mind that was in Christ.
33:35
The mind that was evident in the way that Christ
33:38
was seen to live his life in this world.
33:43
And what he's saying here to you, Odea, and Syntyche
33:45
is very much the same,
33:48
have the same mind in the Lord.
33:50
In other words, he is saying to them,
33:52
he is appealing to them,
33:53
not simply to sort it out.
33:54
It's not just as if Paul is saying to them,
33:56
look, you need to really attend to this.
33:58
You need to sort this out.
33:59
You need to deal with this.
34:00
You need to mend this.
34:02
You need to have it dealt with.
34:03
He's not just saying that to them,
34:05
though that's part of it.
34:06
What he's saying to them is,
34:08
apply the mind that you saw in Christ.
34:11
Be of the same mind.
34:13
Be of that mind that he mentioned earlier in chapter 2.
34:16
Be of the mind that does nothing from rivalry or conceit.
34:20
Be of the mind that considers others better than yourself.
34:24
Have that mind, he's saying to them.
34:26
Be of the same mind in the Lord.
34:31
In other words,
34:33
whenever we do have disagreements,
34:36
and whenever we do have,
34:38
whether it's a falling out or something even short of that,
34:41
what we're counseled to do by God
34:44
is always look to the mind that was in Christ Jesus.
34:49
Because to mend broken relationships,
34:51
you need to come back to consider
34:53
what it was Jesus exemplified in the life that he lived.
34:59
That he didn't live for himself.
35:01
That he even put others ahead of himself
35:03
in the way that he gave himself,
35:06
even as far as the death of the cross,
35:08
for the benefit of his people.
35:09
He did not come into the world to say,
35:12
I am the Son of God,
35:14
and therefore surely it's not required of me
35:17
that I live a human life
35:19
in a way that other humans actually ought to live.
35:25
It's not like that at all.
35:27
And what he's saying here is,
35:29
to Euodia and to Syntyche,
35:31
be of the same mind in the Lord.
35:35
You belong to Christ's spiritual body.
35:38
You are two members of that body,
35:41
he's saying to them.
35:42
You each have your own gifts.
35:44
Whatever they would have been,
35:45
we're not told.
35:46
And whatever it is will lead to their disagreement,
35:49
we're not told.
35:50
But Paul is directing them to Christ,
35:51
to the mind that was in Christ,
35:53
to the principle of putting others ahead of themselves.
35:56
And whenever you or I have a disagreement,
35:59
whenever you and I come to
36:01
have some sort of separation
36:05
in terms of disagreeing over things,
36:08
always remember,
36:11
immediately come back to the mind
36:13
that you know was in Christ.
36:16
Always come back to think,
36:18
now I have to think of others better than myself,
36:21
therefore I've got to deal with this problem.
36:23
And I've got to sort it out
36:25
on the basis
36:26
that I am to regard others better than myself.
36:29
I have to sort it out on the basis
36:31
that that is what Christ shows me,
36:34
on the basis that Jesus himself is my example.
36:39
And you notice also
36:40
that the two are actually named.
36:43
I entreat Euodia
36:44
and I entreat Syntyche.
36:47
And yet he doesn't actually name
36:48
the one he calls true companion.
36:52
For whatever reason,
36:53
he doesn't name him.
36:54
We're not sure again.
36:56
But he entreats Euodia
36:57
and I entreat Syntyche.
37:00
And not only does he name them,
37:03
but the word entreat
37:04
is applied to each of them.
37:06
He doesn't just say,
37:07
I entreat Euodia and Syntyche
37:10
to be of the same mind in the Lord.
37:12
He's directing it to each of them.
37:15
This entreaty applies to each of them.
37:17
I entreat Euodia.
37:18
I entreat Syntyche.
37:20
I entreat them equally
37:21
to be of the same mind in the Lord.
37:24
Now you might think,
37:25
well, surely that's really
37:27
a bit over the top.
37:28
I mean, this letter
37:29
would have been read in Philippi.
37:31
These were letters to the churches
37:33
at the time that Paul wrote them.
37:35
This would have been read
37:36
to the congregation in Philippi.
37:38
They would have gone through
37:39
all that Paul has written
37:40
in what we now have as Philippians.
37:42
and it would have come to this point
37:44
where these words were read out.
37:47
I entreat Euodia.
37:49
I entreat Syntyche.
37:50
And they would say,
37:50
well, that's me.
37:53
And they're shown up
37:54
in the life of the whole congregation
37:56
as two individuals
37:58
who need to actually apply
38:00
the same mind
38:02
as they saw in Christ,
38:04
as Paul had mentioned earlier.
38:06
And you might think,
38:08
is that not a bit severe?
38:10
Why wouldn't he just have left it
38:12
without being so specific
38:13
about their names?
38:15
Isn't that just
38:16
unnecessarily calling attention
38:18
to them in the presence
38:19
of the whole congregation?
38:21
Well, it's actually
38:22
the other way about
38:22
because the custom in those days
38:24
would actually have been
38:25
if you left somebody's name out
38:28
when you had to deal with something
38:30
that was of some seriousness,
38:32
that would be regarded
38:33
in the custom of those days
38:35
as a snub.
38:36
It would have been regarded
38:37
as something that
38:39
you were just showing,
38:40
I'm shunning these people.
38:42
I'm not letting these people
38:44
into the overall emphasis
38:48
that I'm giving to the congregation
38:50
until I'm just leaving them out.
38:52
They would have regarded that
38:53
as being shunned,
38:55
as being kept aside,
38:56
as being ignored,
38:57
as if the problem was there
38:59
and Paul is saying,
39:00
you sort it out,
39:01
but you don't belong really
39:02
here to the life
39:03
of the congregation at all.
39:05
No, he's not like that.
39:06
He's saying,
39:07
I entreat you, Odie.
39:09
I entreat Syntyche.
39:10
I'm naming you
39:11
because you're precious to me
39:12
and you're precious to the cause
39:14
to actually agree
39:16
to be of the same mind
39:19
in the Lord.
39:21
And of course,
39:22
as I said,
39:22
the word entreat
39:23
is applied to each of them.
39:25
So neither one can say,
39:27
well, he entreated you,
39:29
so you must have
39:30
a bigger problem than I have.
39:32
The other one can't say that either.
39:33
They're both equally being
39:34
entreated by Paul
39:36
to deal with his issue.
39:39
And they're entreated
39:40
by name,
39:41
as we've said.
39:43
So that naming
39:44
actually gives
39:46
a very personal
39:47
tone to the appeal
39:50
that the apostle
39:51
is setting out here
39:52
to each of them.
39:53
It's very personal indeed.
39:55
It's very much
39:55
a pastoral appeal,
39:57
as you would expect,
39:58
of Paul,
39:59
but as a pastoral appeal
40:01
directed
40:02
specifically and equally
40:04
to each of them
40:05
to be of the same
40:06
mind
40:07
in the Lord.
40:10
In other words,
40:11
if they were to ask
40:11
the question,
40:13
well,
40:13
something's come between us,
40:15
but
40:15
who
40:16
really should take
40:17
the initiative
40:18
to sort this out?
40:20
We've got this
40:21
disagreement between us
40:22
and here is Paul
40:24
writing to
40:25
our church
40:26
and here we are
40:26
named in our church.
40:27
So if they were
40:29
to ask the question,
40:30
which one of us,
40:32
who of us,
40:33
of the two of us,
40:34
should take the first steps
40:36
to sort this out?
40:37
The way Paul has put it is,
40:38
you should each do it.
40:40
Even if you could
40:41
be convinced,
40:43
you would,
40:43
let's say,
40:44
let's say the fault
40:45
was with Euodia primarily
40:46
and Syntyche
40:48
had been offended
40:49
by what had happened,
40:51
Syntyche was not
40:52
allowed to say,
40:53
well,
40:53
it's actually
40:54
Euodia's fault.
40:55
She's the one
40:56
who started all this.
40:57
She's the one
40:57
who caused the disruption.
40:59
She's the one
40:59
who caused the disagreement,
41:01
the separation.
41:02
So I'm not going
41:02
to do anything.
41:03
I'm not obliged
41:03
to do anything
41:04
until Euodia comes to me
41:06
and says,
41:06
I'm sorry,
41:07
let's sort this out.
41:08
No,
41:08
Paul is saying,
41:09
that's not what
41:09
I'm saying at all.
41:11
The onus is on each of you.
41:13
Whoever is actually at fault,
41:15
because your concern
41:16
is the body of Christ,
41:18
because your concern
41:19
is the praise
41:20
and the glory of Christ
41:21
and the well-being
41:22
of that body,
41:23
even if it's the one
41:24
that's been offended
41:25
or against whom
41:26
the offense was done,
41:28
still,
41:29
Paul is saying,
41:30
because your main concern
41:31
is not yourself,
41:33
but the fellowship
41:33
of the body,
41:35
if the person
41:35
that offended you
41:36
is not prepared
41:37
to come and say,
41:38
they're sorry,
41:39
you take the first steps
41:40
and say,
41:41
look,
41:42
whatever has come
41:43
between us,
41:44
we have to sort it.
41:46
The Lord's cause
41:47
is suffering
41:48
because of it.
41:49
It needs to be dealt with.
41:51
Let's be of the same mind
41:53
in the Lord.
41:56
That's how he's putting it.
41:59
And that is not just useful for us,
42:01
but very important for us.
42:04
Because we might think at times
42:05
that if something comes between us
42:07
and somebody else,
42:09
and it will inevitably come to that
42:11
at some point,
42:12
even within the best of marriages,
42:14
for example,
42:15
you'll still find sometimes
42:16
when there's an element
42:17
of hostility
42:18
and when I might say,
42:20
well,
42:20
it was your fault,
42:21
you're the one who mentioned this,
42:23
you're the one who spoke
42:23
in such a way,
42:24
so it's your fault,
42:26
so I'm waiting for you
42:27
to say sorry.
42:28
The onus is on me.
42:30
If I'm the offended party,
42:32
the onus is on me to say,
42:34
look,
42:35
this marriage is so important to me,
42:37
you're so important to me,
42:39
our well-being
42:39
in the relationship
42:40
is so important to me,
42:41
we actually have to really
42:43
sort this now.
42:45
Can't let this go on.
42:47
Let's be of the same mind
42:48
in the Lord.
42:51
That's what he's saying
42:52
to these two individuals.
42:55
And so tonight,
42:56
if you yourself
42:57
have something
42:58
that's come between you
42:58
and somebody else,
43:00
if it's something
43:01
that you need to attend to,
43:04
a relationship
43:04
that's somehow or other
43:05
gone a bit wrong,
43:08
well,
43:08
because you're in the body of Christ
43:10
by being part
43:11
of the church of God on earth
43:13
as a member of that body,
43:15
whether you're a professing Christian
43:16
or not,
43:17
you do belong to the church
43:18
in the wider sense.
43:21
And so Paul is saying to us,
43:23
think of Jesus.
43:26
Think of what he showed himself
43:28
in his life
43:30
of putting others first,
43:32
of not being individualistic.
43:37
Think of the way
43:37
in which he gives us
43:39
the great example
43:40
of the mind
43:41
that we ought to have as well
43:43
towards one another.
43:44
So I beseech,
43:47
I entreat you,
43:48
Odea,
43:49
I entreat Syntyche
43:50
to be of the same mind
43:53
in the Lord.
43:55
That's the first thing,
43:56
Paul's appeal
43:57
to these two named women.
43:58
But secondly,
43:59
in the next verse,
44:00
you find Paul's appeal
44:01
to the true companion.
44:03
Yes, I ask you also,
44:06
true companion,
44:07
help these women
44:08
who have labored
44:09
side by side
44:10
with me in the gospel,
44:11
together with Clement
44:12
and the rest of my fellow workers,
44:14
whose names
44:15
are in the book
44:16
of life.
44:18
Now, we don't know
44:19
who this
44:20
true companion was.
44:21
Some people suggest
44:22
that the word
44:23
that's used in Greek,
44:24
there's just one Greek word
44:25
for these two words,
44:26
true companion.
44:27
It's a word,
44:30
a syzygus.
44:33
Some people suggest,
44:34
well, that's the name
44:35
of the person.
44:35
We don't know.
44:37
The word certainly means
44:38
true yoke fellow,
44:41
as the AV puts it,
44:43
because it really is somebody
44:45
that was yoked to Paul.
44:47
And then,
44:48
of course,
44:48
when Paul uses the word yoked,
44:50
he always means
44:50
a very, very close companionship
44:52
or relationship.
44:53
So, this man,
44:55
this person
44:55
in Philippi
44:57
was somebody
44:58
that had been yoked
44:59
to Paul
44:59
in the work of the gospel,
45:01
worked very closely with him,
45:02
so he's now able
45:03
to appeal to him,
45:04
you have to help
45:05
these women.
45:06
It's your contribution
45:07
that I require
45:08
as the apostle
45:09
to actually sort
45:11
this matter out.
45:13
And so,
45:14
he's saying,
45:14
help these women.
45:17
In other words,
45:18
he's saying,
45:18
help them
45:19
to actually come
45:20
to be of the same mind
45:22
in the Lord.
45:23
He doesn't tell him
45:23
how to do it.
45:24
He just says to him,
45:25
it's your responsibility
45:26
and I want you
45:28
to attend to this.
45:30
Help these women.
45:31
Help them to come
45:32
to be of the same mind
45:34
in the Lord.
45:35
Now, that's not
45:36
an easy task ever,
45:38
is it, coming?
45:39
I'm not saying that
45:40
because there were women,
45:41
obviously,
45:42
because all the way
45:44
through the Bible
45:45
and this congregation itself
45:47
is an example of it.
45:48
We'll see in a moment
45:49
the valuable place
45:50
that women have
45:51
in the church
45:52
and the contribution
45:53
they make to the church
45:54
and most of the time
45:55
that I've had to deal
45:56
as a minister with
45:57
down through the course
45:58
of the years
45:58
with relationships
46:00
breaking up
46:00
and with some severe
46:02
disagreements
46:02
coming between Christians.
46:04
It's not been women,
46:05
it's been mostly men.
46:07
So, I'm not saying that
46:08
from the point of view
46:09
of the fact
46:09
that these were women.
46:10
It's always a difficult
46:12
thing to do
46:13
whenever you come
46:14
to a broken relationship,
46:16
small or great,
46:17
especially if it's become
46:18
a rift
46:19
that's gone on
46:21
for some time.
46:22
It takes the wisdom
46:23
that comes from God
46:24
and much grace
46:25
to actually seek
46:26
to bring people together
46:28
once again
46:29
as they ought to be.
46:32
And so,
46:32
he is saying,
46:33
help these women.
46:36
Help them
46:36
because they have labored
46:38
side by side
46:39
with me
46:40
in the gospel
46:41
along with those
46:42
other persons,
46:43
people,
46:44
that he mentions.
46:46
But notice what he says.
46:47
He's not just saying
46:48
help them,
46:50
but help them
46:50
because this is
46:52
the kind of people
46:52
they are.
46:54
They are people
46:54
who are committed
46:55
to the work
46:56
of the gospel,
46:57
although presently
46:58
that's being badly
46:59
affected by the way
47:00
that they don't have
47:01
that same mind
47:02
in the Lord.
47:03
But you have to help them
47:04
come back to that
47:06
so that they'll take up again
47:08
what they once were
47:09
as workers
47:11
side by side
47:12
with me
47:13
in the gospel.
47:15
And that is a really
47:16
interesting description.
47:19
Not only does it reinforce
47:20
what he's saying
47:21
to this unnamed
47:22
true companion
47:24
to actually
47:25
help those women
47:26
to come together again,
47:28
but he's also describing
47:30
for us there
47:31
the valuable contribution
47:33
that Euodia and Syntyche
47:34
made
47:34
to the work of the Lord
47:36
in Philippi.
47:39
They were not apostles.
47:42
They were not in office
47:43
as we would call it,
47:45
such as elders,
47:47
deacons.
47:50
But there's not much else
47:51
short of that
47:53
that they were not
47:54
able to do.
47:57
And we always have
47:58
to be careful
47:58
that we don't
48:00
excessively restrict
48:02
the role of people
48:03
who are unordained,
48:05
who don't have office,
48:07
that we don't
48:07
restrict the contribution
48:09
that they make
48:10
to the well-being
48:11
or to the work
48:12
of any congregation.
48:14
Because I know
48:15
this congregation,
48:16
for one,
48:16
like most,
48:17
if not all,
48:18
of our congregations,
48:19
have an immense amount
48:21
of work done
48:22
by their women.
48:24
Just look at this
48:25
congregation tonight.
48:26
As I look here
48:27
from the pulpit
48:28
and look out
48:28
over the congregation,
48:30
it's obvious
48:30
that the majority
48:31
of people here
48:32
are women.
48:33
women.
48:34
And what Paul is saying
48:36
is these women
48:37
are so valuable
48:38
to the work
48:38
of the gospel
48:40
in Philippi
48:41
that it must,
48:42
as an imperative,
48:44
be attended
48:45
to this dispute,
48:47
whatever it is.
48:48
You have to help them
48:49
again to be
48:50
of the same mind
48:51
in the Lord
48:51
because they are
48:53
laborers with me,
48:54
Paul is saying.
48:55
And you see,
48:55
he's putting it
48:56
in such a way
48:56
that they worked
48:58
side by side
48:59
with him.
49:01
They weren't just
49:02
making the tea.
49:03
They weren't just
49:04
serving coffee.
49:06
They weren't just
49:06
in that kind of
49:08
side.
49:09
I'm not denigrating
49:10
that sort of work.
49:11
Of course,
49:12
you understand that.
49:13
What I'm saying
49:13
is that it wasn't
49:14
as if they were
49:15
just very much
49:16
on the periphery
49:17
of the life
49:18
of the congregation.
49:20
They were,
49:21
he says,
49:22
laborers side by side
49:24
with me.
49:26
They were my companions
49:28
in the work
49:28
of the gospel.
49:30
Whatever it is
49:30
they actually did
49:31
were not told.
49:33
But Paul really
49:35
valued their contribution,
49:37
their spiritual contribution,
49:38
their practical contribution,
49:41
their companionship
49:42
possibly as well,
49:43
their fellowship
49:43
in the Lord.
49:47
The work of this congregation
49:49
is an example
49:51
of such a thing.
49:54
Because as you look
49:55
at the work
49:55
of the congregation,
49:57
you don't have to go
49:58
very far
49:58
to actually say
49:59
that the work
50:00
of the women
50:01
of this congregation
50:02
is valued
50:03
and valuable
50:05
to the overall
50:06
well-being
50:07
of the congregation.
50:09
And that's why
50:10
it's so important
50:11
that we regard
50:12
each other
50:13
in the work
50:14
of the gospel
50:15
as fellow laborers,
50:17
as laboring
50:18
side by side
50:20
in the gospel.
50:21
just because I'm
50:22
the minister
50:23
or the elders
50:24
are the elders,
50:26
it doesn't mean
50:26
that the women
50:29
folk of the congregation
50:30
have very much
50:31
a secondary contribution
50:33
to make
50:34
to the gospel,
50:35
to the work
50:35
of the gospel.
50:36
So there's a great gulf
50:38
or a distance
50:38
between the value
50:40
of the work
50:40
that we do
50:41
in the eldership
50:42
and the work
50:42
that you do
50:43
as women
50:43
of the congregation.
50:44
Indeed,
50:45
as men as well,
50:46
but the focus
50:47
is on women.
50:47
Are we focusing
50:48
just on the women
50:49
here in Philippi
50:50
and so on the women
50:51
of the congregation
50:52
here as well?
50:54
And it's amazing
50:56
what valuable work
51:00
is done
51:01
by the women
51:03
of this congregation.
51:05
And I mean
51:06
all the women
51:06
of this congregation
51:07
who come
51:08
to support each other
51:09
and support the work
51:10
of the gospel
51:11
in the congregation.
51:13
Not just by your presence
51:14
at services,
51:16
or even having
51:16
your own times
51:17
of prayer,
51:19
but by so many
51:20
other ways
51:20
in which you contribute
51:21
to the work
51:23
of the gospel
51:24
and in which your work
51:25
is valued,
51:26
not just within
51:27
the congregation
51:28
but out in your communities
51:29
as you serve the Lord.
51:33
And so,
51:34
as the leadership
51:35
of the congregation,
51:36
we as the elders
51:37
of the Kirk Session
51:38
are ourselves
51:39
committed
51:40
as far as we're
51:42
possibly able
51:42
to give you
51:44
the role
51:44
that God
51:45
has gifted you for.
51:47
And don't be reluctant
51:48
to contribute
51:49
in your own way,
51:51
in the way that you know
51:52
God has gifted you
51:53
to the life
51:54
of the congregation.
51:56
And that's why
51:57
God has given you
51:58
such gifts,
51:59
whether they're gifts
52:00
of a practical kind
52:02
or of a spiritual kind
52:03
or of a supportive kind,
52:05
of an encouraging kind,
52:07
whatever it is,
52:08
it's there
52:09
for the overall
52:10
well-being
52:11
of the body
52:12
of Christ.
52:13
These women
52:14
labored,
52:15
he said,
52:16
with me
52:16
side by side
52:18
in the gospel.
52:20
And then in the rest
52:21
of the verse there,
52:22
he packs in
52:23
so much.
52:26
You could say that
52:26
he packs the rest
52:28
of the verse
52:28
with the word
52:30
with.
52:31
It's difficult to say
52:32
that, isn't it?
52:33
He packs the word
52:34
with
52:34
into the verse.
52:37
You can see how it goes.
52:39
They help those women
52:39
who have labored
52:40
side by side
52:42
with me.
52:43
In fact,
52:43
the word side by side
52:44
itself is a type
52:47
of the word
52:47
with.
52:48
It shows togetherness.
52:50
But it's with me
52:51
in the gospel
52:52
together with Clement
52:54
and the rest
52:55
of my fellow workers
52:56
whose names
52:56
are in the book of life.
52:58
Side by side
52:59
with me,
53:00
together with me,
53:01
workers with me.
53:02
What's he doing?
53:04
He's building up
53:05
all of these terms
53:06
following on
53:07
from what he said
53:08
about these two women
53:09
and the important place
53:10
that they must have
53:11
in the congregation
53:12
and therefore how
53:13
their relationship
53:14
must be mended again.
53:16
He's packing together
53:16
all these words
53:18
that mean
53:18
to be with
53:19
or to be together
53:20
so that he will
53:21
emphasize
53:21
the unity
53:23
that must exist
53:25
in the body of Christ.
53:27
Not just
53:27
a spiritual unity
53:29
of being one
53:30
in Christ
53:30
and sharing together
53:31
in the salvation
53:32
that is in Christ.
53:34
That is the
53:35
the bottom line unity
53:36
if you like.
53:37
But that unity
53:38
must be expressed
53:39
outwardly.
53:41
A unity in how
53:42
we live together
53:43
and how we think
53:44
of each other
53:45
and how we respond
53:47
to each other
53:47
and how we share
53:49
together in the work
53:50
of the gospel.
53:53
And so the major
53:54
emphasis there
53:55
is on unity,
53:57
unity in Christ
53:58
and unity
53:59
in the work
54:00
of the gospel
54:01
of Christ.
54:02
Christ.
54:03
And if I may say
54:04
this congregation
54:05
itself is an example
54:06
of that.
54:08
We recently had
54:09
a communion
54:10
after such
54:11
a long time
54:12
without it
54:13
but one of the
54:14
things that was
54:15
obvious
54:15
was the unity
54:17
that exists
54:18
in the congregation
54:19
and how that
54:20
itself contributed
54:21
to such a
54:23
blessed time
54:24
at that communion.
54:25
Because although
54:26
there were changes,
54:27
there were changes
54:28
that were necessary
54:29
in many ways
54:30
but they were brought
54:31
about in a unified
54:32
way.
54:33
They were brought
54:34
about in a way
54:35
that people
54:36
didn't complain
54:37
about this or that.
54:39
We got together,
54:40
we had our minds
54:41
together,
54:41
we were of the same
54:43
mind in Christ Jesus
54:44
and the unity
54:45
that seeks the
54:46
well-being of God's
54:48
cause,
54:48
not to the detriment
54:49
of truth,
54:50
not to the detriment
54:51
of weakening the
54:52
emphases in Scripture
54:53
whether it's the
54:53
Lord's Supper
54:54
or anything else.
54:56
But nevertheless
54:57
it shows,
54:58
as Paul is saying
54:59
here,
55:00
together,
55:01
working together
55:02
in the work
55:05
of the gospel
55:06
side by side
55:07
and together
55:08
with.
55:10
And,
55:11
you know,
55:12
unity,
55:14
overall unity,
55:16
outward unity,
55:18
unity as it's seen
55:19
in our relationships
55:20
with each other,
55:21
it's one of the
55:22
most precious
55:22
things that we
55:23
possess,
55:24
one of the most
55:24
precious gifts
55:26
that God by His
55:27
Spirit has given
55:27
us.
55:29
And when you
55:30
come to Ephesians,
55:31
and Ephesians 4
55:32
especially,
55:33
and see where Paul
55:34
there speaks about
55:35
the unity of the
55:36
body of Christ,
55:38
one of the things
55:38
he calls it is
55:39
the unity of the
55:41
Spirit in the
55:42
bonds of peace.
55:45
But he's saying
55:46
that in that
55:47
context,
55:48
in such a way
55:49
as says,
55:49
this is what the
55:50
Spirit has given
55:51
you.
55:51
and in
55:53
dependence on
55:54
the Spirit,
55:55
in full
55:56
dependence on
55:58
the Spirit,
55:59
on the power of
55:59
the Spirit,
56:00
Paul is saying
56:01
you have to
56:02
look after it.
56:04
You have to
56:05
maintain the
56:06
unity of the
56:07
Spirit in the
56:08
bonds of peace.
56:10
The creator of
56:11
it is God,
56:13
the Spirit of
56:14
God.
56:15
But the
56:16
maintenance of
56:17
it is ours.
56:19
He's given us
56:20
that responsibility,
56:22
not detached
56:23
from the Spirit,
56:24
not in our own
56:25
strength,
56:25
but nevertheless,
56:27
the responsibility
56:27
is ours.
56:29
Paul is saying
56:30
here is what
56:31
God is saying
56:31
to us.
56:32
I have given
56:33
you this
56:33
marvelous gift
56:34
for which
56:35
Christ has
56:36
died,
56:38
that you would
56:38
have the Holy
56:39
Spirit as the
56:40
uniting power
56:41
in your lives.
56:44
And that
56:45
Spirit of
56:45
unity,
56:46
that unity
56:47
that he's given
56:47
you,
56:49
you have to
56:49
look after.
56:51
It's a thing
56:52
for which we
56:52
are grateful,
56:54
but also have
56:55
to be careful
56:56
to maintain.
56:59
So this is all
56:59
packed into
57:00
the way that
57:01
Paul is addressing
57:02
this problem
57:03
of Iodi
57:04
and Syntyche
57:05
and to come
57:06
back to agree
57:07
in the Lord.
57:08
But you notice
57:09
how he finishes
57:09
verse 3.
57:11
He mentions
57:12
others as well.
57:13
Clement,
57:14
we don't know
57:14
who that was
57:15
either,
57:16
but he would
57:16
have been known
57:17
of course in the
57:17
congregation.
57:18
So there it is,
57:19
these women
57:20
who have labored
57:21
side by side
57:23
with me
57:23
in the gospel
57:24
together with
57:25
Clement
57:26
and the rest
57:27
of my fellow
57:28
workers,
57:28
workers with me
57:29
whose names
57:31
are in the
57:32
book of life.
57:34
Why does he
57:34
mention that?
57:35
What is this
57:35
book of life?
57:36
Well,
57:37
the book of life,
57:37
of course,
57:38
spiritually speaking,
57:38
is the book
57:40
in which God
57:40
records the names
57:42
of his saved
57:43
people.
57:43
It's not a
57:45
literal book,
57:46
but it's pictured
57:47
as a book
57:48
as if God
57:49
has written
57:49
the names
57:50
physically into
57:51
this book
57:51
of life.
57:53
It's the names
57:54
of all for whom
57:55
Jesus died.
57:57
And the point
57:58
is this,
57:59
they're not
57:59
in different
58:00
books.
58:02
They are all
58:03
together named
58:04
in the one
58:05
book,
58:06
the book of
58:06
life.
58:07
life.
58:08
And that's
58:09
a powerful
58:09
way to end
58:10
his argument
58:11
here,
58:11
to end his
58:12
presentation
58:13
here of the
58:15
points that he
58:16
wants to make,
58:16
whose names
58:17
are in the
58:17
book of life.
58:18
It's really
58:18
just reinforcing
58:19
what he said
58:20
earlier,
58:21
and it's driving
58:21
home the point.
58:22
If their names
58:23
are in the one
58:24
book of life,
58:25
then they should
58:26
live together
58:27
with the mind
58:28
that agrees
58:28
in the Lord,
58:30
with the one
58:31
mind that
58:32
serves Christ.
58:34
They're all
58:35
named together.
58:37
the Odie,
58:38
I can't say,
58:39
well you,
58:40
Syntyche,
58:41
you're in an
58:41
appendix outside
58:42
this book
58:43
somewhere that's
58:43
added to it,
58:45
nor can the
58:45
other one say
58:46
that of the
58:47
other either.
58:49
All God's
58:50
people are
58:51
named as
58:52
one body,
58:54
as one
58:55
people in
58:56
God's book
58:57
of life.
58:59
And that's
59:00
a powerful
59:01
argument and
59:02
reminder to
59:02
us,
59:03
that being in
59:04
the one
59:04
book of life
59:05
means,
59:07
that we
59:08
actually seek
59:09
daily to
59:10
be of the
59:10
same mind
59:12
in the
59:13
Lord,
59:14
the mind
59:15
that was
59:15
also in
59:17
Christ
59:18
Jesus.
59:19
Let's pray.
59:22
Eternal
59:23
God,
59:23
we express
59:25
our thankfulness
59:26
to you for
59:28
the creative
59:28
work of your
59:29
spirit.
59:31
For we know,
59:32
Lord,
59:32
like you tell
59:33
us in your
59:33
word of those
59:34
people in the
59:35
likes of
59:36
Philippi,
59:36
who were at
59:37
one time
59:37
without God,
59:39
who were at
59:40
one time
59:41
not together
59:42
in Christ,
59:43
we give
59:44
thanks that
59:44
we can
59:45
identify with
59:46
them,
59:47
and also that
59:48
we can come
59:49
to say that
59:49
you have
59:50
unified us
59:50
by the work
59:52
of your
59:52
spirit.
59:53
Lord,
59:54
we pray that
59:54
all of us
59:55
tonight may be
59:56
concerned to
59:57
be found in
59:57
Christ,
59:59
and therefore
59:59
to be found
1:00:00
led and living
1:00:02
by the same
1:00:03
spirit of God
1:00:04
that unites
1:00:05
his people.
1:00:07
We give
1:00:07
thanks,
1:00:08
O Lord,
1:00:08
for every
1:00:09
evidence of
1:00:10
unity among
1:00:10
us as a
1:00:11
congregation.
1:00:12
We give
1:00:13
thanks for
1:00:13
that as
1:00:14
your gift.
1:00:15
Help us,
1:00:16
Lord,
1:00:16
to look after
1:00:17
it,
1:00:17
to maintain
1:00:17
it,
1:00:18
and enable
1:00:19
us to
1:00:19
regard
1:00:20
ourselves
1:00:21
meaningfully
1:00:22
as part
1:00:23
of the
1:00:23
overall body
1:00:24
of Christ.
1:00:25
Free us,
1:00:26
we pray,
1:00:26
from any
1:00:27
sense of
1:00:28
individualism
1:00:29
or of
1:00:30
personal
1:00:31
advancement
1:00:32
at the
1:00:32
expense
1:00:32
of
1:00:33
others,
1:00:34
but give
1:00:34
us,
1:00:34
we pray,
1:00:35
to be
1:00:35
humble as
1:00:35
you require
1:00:36
of us,
1:00:37
to think
1:00:37
of others
1:00:38
better than
1:00:38
ourselves,
1:00:40
to fulfill
1:00:40
that mind
1:00:41
that was
1:00:41
also in
1:00:42
Christ Jesus.
1:00:44
And so
1:00:44
continue to
1:00:45
bless us in
1:00:45
the gospel,
1:00:46
we pray,
1:00:47
and pardon
1:00:47
our sin for
1:00:48
Jesus'
1:00:49
sake.
1:00:49
Amen.
1:00:52
We're going
1:00:52
to sing now
1:00:53
from Psalm
1:00:53
133,
1:00:55
that psalm that
1:00:56
we often sing
1:00:57
in respect of
1:00:58
unity,
1:00:59
Psalm 133
1:01:00
in the
1:01:00
Scottish
1:01:00
Psalter,
1:01:02
that's on
1:01:03
page 424.
1:01:05
Behold how
1:01:06
good a thing
1:01:06
it is,
1:01:08
and how
1:01:08
becoming well
1:01:09
together such
1:01:09
as brethren
1:01:10
are,
1:01:11
in unity
1:01:11
to dwell,
1:01:13
like precious
1:01:13
ointment
1:01:14
on the head
1:01:15
that down
1:01:15
the beard
1:01:16
did flow,
1:01:17
even Aaron's
1:01:18
beard and to
1:01:18
the skirt
1:01:19
did of his
1:01:19
garments go,
1:01:21
as Herman's
1:01:21
Jew,
1:01:22
the Jew that
1:01:23
doth on
1:01:23
Sion hills
1:01:24
descend,
1:01:24
for there
1:01:25
the blessing
1:01:26
God commands,
1:01:27
life that
1:01:29
shall never
1:01:29
end.
1:01:30
Singing the
1:01:30
whole of
1:01:31
Psalm 133
1:01:32
to God's
1:01:33
praise.
1:01:34
Amen.
1:01:34
Amen.
1:02:00
for the
1:02:04
my
1:02:05
throne
1:02:18
CHOES
1:02:18
Amen.
1:02:21
Hes
1:02:22
and
1:02:22
quiero
1:02:24
In ćexべće Sprengiceps se overlege in держ果 i satsaarva kona liq hu
1:02:25
Involved to the Wisdomes��은,
1:02:26
that it is nonviolent and devised
1:02:29
It is the G generic bitter
1:02:32
it is not the end.
1:02:35
Thy spreading deep
1:02:35
I can bypass,
1:02:36
I can approved.
1:02:38
hollowed.
1:02:40
The music I.
1:02:45
It is not the truth
1:02:48
of the�어�ADE
1:02:50
It is our escarmer
1:02:51
if I cling to the church
1:02:54
By your hills descend
1:02:58
For there the blessing of God
1:03:05
Life that shall never end
1:03:13
Life that shall never end
1:03:19
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
1:03:23
The love of God the Father
1:03:25
The communion of the Holy Spirit
1:03:27
Be with you this night and evermore
1:03:29
Amen