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Perseverance of the Saints - Philippians 4:10-23 - We Can Not Do It Alone · Mount Eaton Church

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  Alright, if you guys would please turn to Philippians 4.
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  So we are in the last part of this amazing letter.
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  As I told you before, the church of Philippi, there's really no rebuke in this letter to
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  the church of Philippi.
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  There is something extremely special about this church and we kind of gleaned that from
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  last week where Paul, or two weeks ago, where Paul talks about that they are the crown jewel
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  of the ministry that he has done.
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  And an amazing work and just amazing heart of the people of Philippi.
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  And what's interesting is that many of us go around, especially when we're challenging
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  you to study the word to God and to learn and to reason through the word of God, we
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  say be a good Berean.
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  One of the terms that we talk about in this letter is be a good Philippian.
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  Because they studied the word well and really challenged and made sure that people were
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  learning and teaching sound doctrine where the Philippians live the word well.
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  And there's not many church examples in, matter of fact this is probably the only one, where
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  this church just really lives out the gospel, really lives out the Christian life and Paul
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  just exhorts and encourages and entreats them to continue to do so.
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  And this is really this last part where Paul in chapter four verse 10 through 23, where
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  Paul challenges this church to continue caring and being concerned with one another.
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  It's pretty amazing to see the consistency that Paul does and the life of the Philippians.
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  So my challenge is when you read this, pay attention to the heartbeat of the Philippian
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  church.
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  The heartbeat of the church is Christ and the blood that flows through her is the gospel
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  and they are fully committed to Yahweh God in every way.
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  And so I want to encourage you with that.
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  So we're going to start off in verse eight of chapter four and read right into verse
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  10.
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  And this is what it says, it says, finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
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  whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there
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  is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
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  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and
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  the God of peace will be with you.
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  I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me.
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  You were indeed concerned for me, but had no opportunity.
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  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am
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  to be content.
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  I know how to be brought low.
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  I know how to abound in any and every circumstance.
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  I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
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  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
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  So when you hear this conversation that Paul's doing, he exhorts, he entreats, he challenges
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  them, he tells them to think about these things, set their mind on Christ, keep their mind
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  on Christ, and then he leaves them with this encouragement.
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  I rejoice greatly that you are concerned for me.
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  That is really the reality of how God's people should be living with one another.
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  Are we genuinely concerned for each other?
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  I think that in some cases, I can't help but to think that regardless of some churches,
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  there's a tendency for people to not show or there's a lack of concern, a lack of connecting,
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  a lack of really following through.
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  But one of the things I think, one of the principles I want to give you is this, make
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  the Lord your refuge and he will keep and sustain you.
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  Make the Lord your refuge and he will keep and sustain you.
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  That's an important principle.
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  And that's what Paul's understanding concerns.
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  He has made the Lord his refuge and as a result, God keeps and sustains him.
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  And you see that principle at work here as he's talking to the Philippians.
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  I know, I've learned, I know that I am to be content.
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  He is my refuge.
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  He is all I need.
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  But he leaves another principle in this conversation.
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  And the principle he leaves with them is be careful to maintain your concern for one another.
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  The world watches to see if we love one another by the measure of concern we have for one
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  another.
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  It's not just you're going out and feeding the hungry and that's important.
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  But the world is watching not what we do for them, but what we do with each other.
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  The world is seeing, if they're real believers, how come they hate each other so much?
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  How come they argue so much?
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  How come they fight so much?
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  How come they can't agree on anything?
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  It's never about they'll take your free stuff.
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  But what they're really watching is the measure of concern that you have for one another.
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  So be careful to maintain your concern for one another.
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  And here's what it says in verse 10, I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you
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  have revived your concern for me.
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  Now I want you to understand this word revived here.
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  It's not that they stopped being concerned, but there was these moments in the life of
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  the Philippian church when they wanted to show their concern by providing and giving
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  and caring for Paul that they couldn't.
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  There was really no opportunity, that was close, really no opportunity for them to do
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  so.
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  And so for Paul when he says you revived your concern for me, he's like you're still looking
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  to care for me.
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  You brought this genuine concern for me again and I am very thankful.
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  He says you were indeed concerned for me, which we know.
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  You showed your concern for me, but there was no opportunity.
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  You had no opportunity to do so.
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  Not that I'm speaking of being in need.
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  I'm not coming to you and sharing this with you because I want something from you.
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  It's not what he wants.
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  For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
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  Now I want you to understand something.
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  This word I am to be content is this thought is implying that we are to choose contentment.
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  It's hard to be content when life is terrible.
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  When life's not going your way, when finances are difficult, when you're trying to pay the
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  bills and you can't.
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  It's like how can I be content when I'm struggling and suffering?
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  I don't know about that.
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  That's not something I'm really looking forward to.
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  What do we do instead of being content, instead of making that decision to be content, instead
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  of making that decision to make God my refuge, knowing he will keep and sustain me, we trust
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  in other things.
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  Paul doesn't do that here.
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  He has made a conscious decision that in every situation, in every situation I am to be content.
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  I must choose contentment.
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  Difficult.
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  Not easy.
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  But when you go through life and you struggle and things are difficult, it helps you to
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  understand what contentment really means.
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  This is what Paul says in verse 12, I know how to be brought low.
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  You're going to learn that shortly in 2 Corinthians 12, verse 8 through 10.
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  I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound.
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  Trust me, Paul knows when it's been difficult and he just can't make it, he feels like he
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  can't make it and he's done.
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  After all, he was stoned to the point of death and left.
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  He was shipwrecked, bit by snakes.
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  They were seeking to kill him.
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  He knows what it means to be brought low, but he also knows what it means to abound.
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  There's been moments in Paul's ministry where you go, wow, that is miraculous in every way.
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  But then he says, in any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty
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  and hunger.
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  I want you to hear that word secret.
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  It's a very important term.
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  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance
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  and need.
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  You want to know what the secret is?
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  Here's the secret.
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  I want you to hear that list.
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  Here's the secret.
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  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
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  I can be content.
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  I can abound when there's little.
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  I can make it.
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  I don't need to worry about my needs.
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  Jesus clarifies this when he says to them, look at the birds of the air.
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  They need a little toil to reap.
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  Look at the flowers of the field.
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  Not even Solomon and all of his splendor was addressed like one of these.
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  Your heavenly father knows what you need before you ask him.
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  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.
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  You ever notice that the real true victory of the Christian is abiding in the refuge?
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  It's not begging for the need.
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  God knows the need.
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  Abide in the refuge.
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  He is my refuge.
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  He will provide for you.
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  God will keep his promises.
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  You will not go without.
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  But we're too worried because we think we have to do it.
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  But there are moments in our lives just like Paul where he goes, I can do all things through
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  Christ who strengthens me.
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  I can be fully content in the plenty and the little.
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  Let's prove this out a little bit.
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  Second Corinthians 12 verse eight through 10.
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  There's this moment in Paul's life when he's got this thorn in the flesh thing.
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  All of us got thorns in the flesh.
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  And it's sort of like, I think it's the way God tells Paul, get over it.
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  But he doesn't say it like that.
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  He kind of encourages him.
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  It's sort of like get over it.
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  It's all right.
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  It's no big deal.
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  So three times, he says, three times I've pled with the Lord about this.
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  And this thing, this thorn was a thorn that was given by the adversary, Satan, that it
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  should leave me like, please, get this thing away from me.
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  And this is what God says to him.
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  But he, Jesus, said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
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  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
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  My power is made perfect in weakness.
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  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
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  It's the same thought, same idea.
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  And then he says, therefore, this is the, I know what it is to be brought low and I know
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  what it is to abound.
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  Therefore, I will boast, I will be content.
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  I will brag about my God all the more gladly of my weakness.
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  I will boast of my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
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  Do you get that?
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  When you're not content in your weakness, you lose the power of God in your life.
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  Thus, no victory.
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  You walk defeated for the rest of your life.
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  Now let's continue.
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  This is what he says.
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  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness so that the power of Christ
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  may rest upon me for the sake of Christ.
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  Then I am content with weakness.
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  I am content with insults.
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  I am content with hardship.
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  I am content with persecutions and I am content with calamities.
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  That's what he's saying here.
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  Comma.
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  He says weakness, comma, insults, comma, hardships, comma, persecutions, comma, and calamities.
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  So you can put I am content between each of those words.
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  The question for you is are you truly content?
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  Because if you don't embrace your weakness, you will not experience the strength of the
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  living God.
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  You will walk in a life of complete defeat all the time.
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  This is not some prosperity gospel nonsense.
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  This is the reality of a person completely and totally content that Christ is their refuge
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  and he through their weakness pours out his power in their life.
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  It's interesting that we have a hard time I think as reformed preachers to talk about
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  these realities because we don't want to make a come off kind of weird.
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  It's not that.
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  This is the reality of what a real true surrendered life looks like.
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  It doesn't mean that we're not going to have trouble.
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  In this world you will have trouble.
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  Does not mean you're not going to go through struggle.
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  You will.
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  You're going to take up your cross daily and follow him.
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  That's part of the deal.
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  Life is not easy.
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  But it can be winning.
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  And even in the losing, you're still winning.
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  This is what he says, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
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  The purpose, principle number two, purpose to carry each other's burdens and God will
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  supply every need in Christ Jesus.
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  You must purpose to carry each other's burdens.
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  You must find the burdens that we are all carrying with one another and help us help
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  each other carry them.
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  And you know the amazing part, like I said last week is Christ's burden is light.
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  His yoke is easy.
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  There's nothing he can't carry.
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  And then he calls you to also walk with one another.
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  So it gets kind of easy to do.
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  Now this is what it says in Galatians chapter two, chapter six, verse two, bear one another's
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  burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
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  In carrying each other's burdens, you are being a shining example of an obedient believer.
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  You have opportunity to live out Christ likeness every single day of your life.
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  Philippians four, 14 through 23 says this, yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.
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  It was kind of you to do so.
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  I'm thankful that you're sharing my trouble.
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  And this is what he says, and you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the
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  gospel when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving
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  except you only.
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  So here's what happens.
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  Paul gets saved, radically changed.
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  He is the killer and the destroyer of the church.
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  He goes to Philippi and all the other churches and all the other churches are like, I'm not
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  giving any money to you.
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  I'm not going to give you any provision.
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  You're the guy who was trying to kill people.
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  I don't know about that.
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  I don't really trust you.
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  So until you prove yourself, what's amazing is the Philippians saw Christ in Paul.
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  There was something specifically different about Paul that the Philippian church was
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  able to observe in him.
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  And that was number one, the only thing that Paul cared about was the gospel.
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  That was his main focus when he was first called to go on mission.
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  That's all he preached.
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  He says, I've come to you to know nothing but Christ in him crucified.
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  There's nothing else that matters in Paul's life.
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  And the Philippian church saw that.
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  The second thing is they were absolutely committed to the gospel and to Christ.
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  And so they were going to invest in that.
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  They were going to pour into Paul's ministry in order to help him accomplish what God has
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  called him to do.
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  And they are the only church that did so.
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  So they vetted him well.
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  They watched his life.
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  And through prayer and constant evaluation, they said, we're going to invest in this.
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  This is where God is doing the work in that man's life.
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  He's going to bring the gospel everywhere.
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  And they did that.
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  Paul did that.
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  Have we ever really thought about that?
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  It's interesting.
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  Now you kind of understand why Paul says to the Philippian church, you are the crown jewel
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  of all the churches I've ministered to.
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  You're the only one.
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  And even in Thessalonica, verse 16, you sent me help for my needs once and again.
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  You continue to care for me and be concerned for me and invested in me and to take care
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  of the ministry that was for me.
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  If I could not take care of myself, I wouldn't be able to do the ministry.
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  And they knew that.
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  There was no hesitation in the reality of what was happening here.
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  Paul's ministry was extremely effective and they knew it.
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  And he says this, verse 17, he says, not that I seek the gift.
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  I'm not asking for anything from you, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.
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  In other words, every time you give, God bounds a credit to you.
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  You get credit for the fruit that you're investing in.
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  I have received full payment and more.
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  In other words, you have given beyond what I could ever want and desire or need.
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  I'm done.
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  You don't need to send me anything.
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  And if you send anything, remember that is to your credit, not to mine.
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  Why?
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  Because he says, I am well supplied having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.
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  You've already taken care of me.
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  A fragrant offering and a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
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  Look at this amazing statement he says after this.
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  You see the heartbeat of a healthy church.
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  It's one of the reasons that at Mount Eaton we are, we have committed to work hard at
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  getting one third of our budget to missions.
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  We want the gospel everywhere, not only here in our backyard, but we want it everywhere.
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  Now Paul says this, verse 19, because he sees the heartbeat concern, the reality of the
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  people of Philippi, he gives this encouragement.
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  And my God, because you have given this offering, this fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable
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  and pleasing to God, my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and
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  glory in Christ Jesus.
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  And Paul states this, he absolutely knows that everything on the planet belongs to the
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  living God, even the wicked are to do his will.
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  Everything that happens on the earth, God is sovereign in control of all things.
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  It is accomplishing his plan.
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  If you have any questions about that, look at the Pharaoh.
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  He hardens the Pharaoh's heart.
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  I have raised you up so that my name would be great among the nations.
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  That's sovereignty.
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  I am the king, not you Pharaoh.
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  And after that, I'm going to kill you.
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  Because that's exactly what he does.
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  He drowns him.
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  You're like, well, that's a mean God.
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  No, that's an amazing, powerful God, because only God deserves the glory.
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  The chief end, the chief end, the chief and highest end of all mankind is to glorify God
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  and to enjoy him forever.
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  That's the chief end of man.
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  Westminster, large catechism, question number one, if you have any questions.
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  Now after that amazing, amazing statement that God will supply every need of yours according
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  to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus, he leaves them with this encouraging statement
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  on the way out of the letter to our God and father be glory forever and ever.
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  There it is, chief end of man, to God be glory forever and ever.
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  Amen.
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  So be it and so be it.
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  Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.
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  Greet every saint.
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  Thank you for being here.
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  I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ and of God the father and of the precious Holy
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  Spirit who has been given as a guarantee of our inheritance.
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  I greet you in his name.
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  Thank you.
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  So Paul states here, and then he says, the brothers who are with me greet you.
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  And all the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
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  And then he leaves them with this last statement, in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
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  your spirit.
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  What an amazing letter.
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  I mean, to be honest with you, when I read this letter, I go through this letter, I'm
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  thinking out of all the letters, this is like the most encouraging letter.
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  It's one of the reasons why James Montgomery Boyce and several others who have wrote commentaries
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  on this letter called the letter of joy.
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  Yes, it is a letter of joy.
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  But I'm going to tell you this, when you read this letter, do you not walk away with do
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  you walk away without seeing the amazing doctrine of the perseverance of the saints?
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  Not only do we persevere in the reality of our eternity with him, we persevere every
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  single day in our life with him.
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  So I really look at Philippians as the letter of the perseverance of the saints.
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  If you want to learn to persevere, read the letter.
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  Let's pray.
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  Father, I want to thank you so much for your faithfulness and goodness.
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  Thank you, in that you are just so good.
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  Thank you for the families that are here.
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  Thank you for the little ones that have come.
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  Thank you for the baptisms that have been accomplished in your name.
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  Thank you that you are high and lifted up and you have made a promise that if you're
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  lifted up, you would draw all men unto you.
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  We thank you that you have given your life as a sacrifice for many.
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  And Lord, we are reminded of this amazing day when you have walked into your precious
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  city riding on a donkey as king.
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  You are the king.
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  You are the king of kings and you will remain the sovereign king for all eternity.
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  No one reigns but you.
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  Lord, we thank you and praise you.
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  Reign in our hearts and help us, Lord, to sanctify you as Lord.
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  In Jesus' name, amen.