What a week!

Here are a few rough notes from the Sunday sermon. We wound up delving into Paul’s encouragements to the Philippians. Enjoy.


Our week encountered…
Flooding
• Basements flooding
• Church help, being the church
• Car washed into the lake
• Person missing
• Dam collapse?
P---------‘s father, E______ M______ breaks his neck, and later two ribs.
D______’ daughter L_____ goes to be with Christ.
C________ C_______ mother has a stroke

Thoughts
Do not trifle with God
Judgment is real, used to be a time when our country would stop to fast and repent.
2 Chron 7:14 Trouble has happened, Repentance anyone? Our country used to repent and fast.
Romans 8:28F

I
n Philippians Paul writes to the church to encourage them. They had real persecution going on, and that is not to be too quickly associated with out temporal inconveniences. But in all our struggles we should look to Christ through the gospel message. For it is the power, and if in these days we fall away, what would happen in worse situations. So we hear Paul’s encouragements…

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3-5)
The church partners in the Gospel. The gospel is the purpose and being of the church.


I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, (Philippians 1:12)
How do we work our situations to become a platform for sharing the Gospel?


For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (Philippians 1:29-30)
Suffering and hardships are to be counted all joy. They are for our purification and knowledge of God.


I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. (Philippians 2:19-26)
God often send a Timothy or Epaphroditus to be our encouragements in the Gospel. Reminding us and encouraging us in the things of God.



But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11)
Grace is here. Worldly pursuits are but rubbish. Nothing matters but gaining Christ.


Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)
Pressing on shows the treasure, the love we have for Christ above all else. We don’t “go to pieces” or quit, but we press on for Whom we really love.


For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18-19)
Some have pursued Christ our of worldly gain, which is no gain at all.


But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20)
Our citizenship, Paul reminds us of where our treasure and allegiance lies.


Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)
Now that these things are covered, we are directed to rejoice in the Lord. Our greatest need has been met! Rejoice from that standpoint.


Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)
Guarding our minds and being transformed.


Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. (Philippians 4:11)
Peace, contentment, despite the circumstances. The summation of faith in Christ, the Gospel being worked in us.