We continue our series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
Paul wrote his from prison in Rome about 10 years after the Church had been established in Philippi, really unsure of whether he will be dead or alive at the end of the day. Paul writes like a soldier to his family. He tells them that God’s plan is being worked out and that they are on the winning side.
As we learned last week from Shane, Paul wrote not to worry about him because he had everything he needed in prison. All the things he used to have when he was a free man were no longer important, he saw it all as worthless rubbish, he had the only thing in life of true value because he knew Christ. His goals were all spiritual now, material things were no longer possible, neither did they matter.
He told them he had joy in his sufferings because he identified with Christ. The Bible means so much more to you when you can personally relate to the situations that the people in the stories were going through, especially the hardest situations. The Lord is always there when we call to Him in our worst moments.
Psalm 34:18-19
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Whether in prison or dying the Christian can say, my God has delivered me in every trial, he will do so in this one as well!
Paul could say
Psalm 30:11-12
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
There is no need to remain stuck in a moment if we turn to the Lord because he is very near in those times in our life.
Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Being a Christian is a journey. As in the book Pilgrim’s Progress, we have not arrived yet. We face many difficulties along the way. Sometimes we have to move forward when we don’t understand. We have to trust the Lord that what he says is true.
Philippians 3:13-14
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
In this context apprehended doesn’t mean to arrest a criminal but rather means to have understood.
There is nothing wrong with us if we have doubts and questions. Paul had questions. It is normal not to understand the things God is doing in a crisis. But we can still believe even if we don’t have the answer.
Some Christians have difficulty forgetting the past. Paul says he didn’t look back, he only looked forward. There was his old life when he persecuted the Church and murdered the saints. But we don’t want to get stuck in something we did or something that may have happened to us either.
The Devil wants to remind you of your past. It is said,
« When the Devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future ».
You are not the same person you once were !
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
We can’t walk this road alone though. This has never been truer than now, at this moment in history. So many Christians today have stopped going to Church regularly post COVID. We need our brothers and sisters now more than ever, we need to be in the Church especially in these last days before Christ returns.
Philippians 3:15-17
Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.
Consider the people you are listening to and patterning your life on today. Do our heroes lives look anything like these great saints of old like Paul who suffered great hardship for what they believed and proclaimed. I think even Paul would be shocked to see the celebrity preachers of today and their luxurious lifestyles. Paul was able to tell others to follow his example, can we say the same to people who look to us?
Philippians 3:18-19
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
In Jewish thought, the belly is the seat of our emotions. The stomach soon becomes empty. Most of us get hungry within 5-6 hours of a meal. Same with earthly things. They don’t satisfy for long. In economics, they call it the law of diminishing returns.
What really upset Paul was to see people in the Church who weren’t truly saved, who were deceived about their true state. They were just like people of the World, whose god is their belly.
A true Christian is mindful of spiritual things more so than earthly things. Our bank balance, the place where we live, a good job, a nice house, a holiday, these are temporary earthly things that are unimportant compared to our relationship with God. I loved my Uncle but they moved house often. Each house was amazing but it didn’t take long before they moved again. Earthly things don’t satisfy for long. Whereas eternal things, our relationship with God, ours and others salvation, storing up treasures in Heaven, these are things that will last eternally and do satisfy.
An example of having your god as your belly was Esau who gave up his birthright for a single meal. He wasn’t prepared to delay gratification, he took what he wanted in the moment and didn’t count the cost. He ignored the future for gratification on the present.
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
This is how the Devil works to corrupt us and make us unholy. He tempts with gratification now. He did it to Eve, he did it to Esau, he tried to do it to Jesus.
But we are to
James 4:7-10
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Note that beating temptation has 2 parts. The first is to submit to God. At all costs, make time for God by reading and writing down what you learn. The second is to resist the Devil. Don’t make it easy for the Devil. Don’t go to the bar ! Take a different route. Tell Facebook you don’t want to see their wicked advertising.
Philippians 3:20-21
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
We don’t belong here, we are living in a foreign land. It’s exciting to think of going home. If you travel overseas to a country with another language, there are a lot of challenges and life becomes much more basic. There is no sweeter feeling than to be back on your own country, able to speak the language, and not feel like a stranger out of place. How do you feel about living here when you think about Heaven?
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