Chris McCurley: You can't see that. Good evening. It's good to be with you. Tonight we're going to be looking at the book of Philippians. We have talked about it a lot this morning and I'm going to replow a little bit of that dirt tonight, but most of that has been plowed very well this morning. For 26 years, I've been meeting on Tuesday morning with a group of And basically our mission is to just stay in the Word of God more. ⁓ Find opportunities to study God's Word. we basically will read a chapter of ⁓ Scripture and then we'll discuss it, ask questions to one another, ⁓ challenge each other on those ⁓ things that may come up. And a weeks, a couple of weeks ago now, We began the study of the Philippians. And so ⁓ what I didn't realize was how encouraging Paul was to the folks at Philippi. If you read books like 1 Corinthians, you see him being very stern at times with them, especially. But when you get over to the Philippians, he's very encouraging. And I'd miss the fact that there was so much encouragement in this book. And we're going to try to go through as much of that as time permit. won't keep you pinned down here all night. It's really a very encouraging book. And I also realized that having Jesus as an example of how to live. is irreplaceable. But it's also challenging to think about. Because the God of the universe is living in a human body. And just seems to have, you know, he's been able to do it perfectly. And I know I'll never be able to do that. But one of the most encouraging things to me is to get to think about the men in Scripture, the men I see on regular basis, and to see them in mortal life, living out a faithful life in service to Christ. And that is encouraging to me. So I need we've got to have Jesus and he's a great example and I certainly can learn a lot from him but I need other men especially as a male I need other men who will be examples before me and serve. I men like Abraham and Moses, David, Peter, Paul. All these men made plenty of mistakes. But still they got back up and they strove to serve God in a better way. Without these examples, it might seem impossible to be able to attain salvation or keep a relationship with Jesus. Because it's perfect. my church family. other citizens of the kingdom all over this world that I've been able to meet and know are examples in my life that help me and encourage me keep striving. Now Barnabas as you all know is known to be an encourager but maybe we have not really thought about Paul that way. I know I haven't. So I hope our study tonight will help us, those of us who aren't natural encouragers. But that just doesn't come easy to you. I hope you will find some ways in our study tonight that maybe you can encourage others. Certainly living a faithful life in front of others and out loud, if you will. There's nothing more encouraging to be able to witness that and see that. But there's some other things that we can do and think about. So if you will turn to ⁓ Philippians, the first chapter. We're just gonna look at some of these verses and look at the ways that Paul was encouraging ⁓ to the folks at Philippi. and talk about those for a little bit tonight. The first way Paul encouraged these people is he took the time to write an encouraging letter. How encouraging you have been, others have been in my life. I have a file where I keep letters from individuals who have written me things in their handwriting, use their saliva to put the stamp on. That meant something to me. Always nice to get a note or email or something of encouragement, but to get something handwritten is something special. If we each wrote one note a week, as 52 encouragements per person. That seems like a lot. In chapter 1 and verse 2 and 3, Paul said, grace to you, peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you. What encouraging words. What an encouraging greeting to start this book. You know, I bet you're like me, you've met somebody that you didn't even know. And they just had so much energy and they were, seemed excited to meet me or just were just generally encouraging. They were a Barnabas. ⁓ And even though you don't know them, can be encouraging by the way that they greet you or speak with you. And certainly if a stranger can be that encouraging at times, we can identify ways that we can greet people to bring about encouragement. Note that he remembers them. Thank God about remembering them. An encouraging greeting among friends always includes a reference to something you know about them, a recent victory, a recent struggle or event that they have experienced, or maybe something that's coming up. When greetings are more than just, how are you? That's nice. When they're more than that, They are so much more meaningful. Verse 6, Paul said, I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. You know, I'm encouraged when others acknowledge that they see God working in my life. When I lose sight that He is working in me, I get discouraged. Made me think about John the Immerser. When he expressed doubt from jail about who Christ was. The one who was the forerunner for Christ. He could not see how God was still working in his life. He was discouraged. So a reminder, when you remind others that God is present in their lives, especially when someone's struggling, it is a reminder that we are not alone. I think loneliness is one of the devil's biggest tools to lead us away from our Creator. He can isolate us, get us to thinking about, those people don't really love you. Christ doesn't really love you. When the last time you heard from Him? See, when He can isolate us and get us off by ourselves thinking about those, that loneliness is how the devil can wedge in between us. Verse 9 through 11, and it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve what is excellent so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God." Paul here informs him that he is praying for them and what he is praying about. It's great to pray for others. My life is held up by your prayers and the prayers of many others of which I'm eternally grateful. But when folks tell me they're praying for me or my family, it's even more encouraging when I know specifically what they're praying about. If we meet and you say, I'm praying for you, I am lifted up. I'm encouraged. But if someone says, thank you for serving as a shepherd, I pray regularly for your spiritual growth and wisdom. Or somebody says, I'm praying for Jacob's healing and comfort. These examples bring strong encouragement to those that are hurting or struggling with something. Verse 14, and most of the brothers having been confident in the Lord by my imprisonment are much more bold to speak the word without fear. In verse 14, Paul complimented the brothers at Philippi. because of their boldness to share the gospel. I want to encourage everyone to look for opportunities to catch others who are living their faith out loud and are not ashamed of the relationship they have with Christ. Encourage them by letting them know that you have witnessed their faithfulness. Verse 21, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. We spent our entire morning talking about that great verse. But what an encouraging reminder about the purpose of life for the children of the king. In verse 27, Paul says, only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of what you, that you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation and that from God. In verses 27 and 28 of the first chapter, Paul here gives great encouragement to remain unified and stand together against the real enemy of evil. This encouragement comes with the instruction to say, unified like an army in battle. You know, the devil cannot defeat us when we're standing together under the shield of Jesus. He can only win if he weakens our lines of defense by turning us against one another. Unity is stronger in every aspect of life, whether it's athletics, business, military, government, especially in the Lord's church. I encourage you to think about ways you encourage others to remain unified in Christ. This encouragement comes with the suggestion for a brother to stand for the truth while standing with others. And we all have our opinions about how we should work out our own salvation as commanded in verses 12 and 13 of chapter 2. I'll just read it. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Before Paul gave this instruction in chapter 2, he provided the encouragement to stand together with Christ. Christianity is built in relationships, and we are to work out our own salvation while working together with other disciples in the Kingdom. church is broad. First three verses of chapter two, Paul continues talking about the encouragement of unity. So if there's any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affliction and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. We read through 12 and 13. Paul reminds the Philippian brothers, and he reminds us that God is working in us to fulfill His work. When we strive to obey His commands, He is there. See, we are never alone if we're walking with Jesus. He will never leave us. one of the last things he said before he ascended to heaven. I will never leave you. Verse 14 says, all things without grumbling or disputing that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world. Paul encourages us to shine, one version says, shine like the stars in the sky. in this dark world. See, we show up, the stars in the sky show up when the night gets black. It's hard to see the stars. You can see some occasionally before it gets totally black. That's when we really show up. That's the light He wants us to be, because it's a dark world that we live in. There's so much hope, because we are the stars in the sky for His dark world. Jesus' admonition was to be the city on a hill, a beacon light for the others in the dark world. Chapter 3, verse 3 says, For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. Paul encourages these disciples to put all of their confidence in spiritual things. In a short phrase, be dependent on God. I think that's hard for us in America. Because we are the land of the self-reliant. We are the land of individual responsibility. Independence is highly favored. I love America. It's the greatest country in the world. Ever been. But there's nothing in it that I'm going to get to take with me. we can get too, have too much individualism, the rugged individual is so personified in our country that we lose sight of our true dependence on God. We have it so good. We even can think this. I can get myself halfway to heaven and God can get me the rest of the way. Because we forget about our dependence. We can... We can't think of ourselves as of being able to achieve any measure of salvation on our own. We cannot earn one inch along the many miles of salvation. Because the flesh cannot do it. And if we depend on the fleshly things, the material things that we have in our lives, the things that we spend a lot of time on. If we count on all those things, we're going to be disappointed. Paul is reminding them there's no confidence in the flesh or what one can accomplish on his own. All we can do is accept the invitation to walk on the path with Jesus. and have the determination to get up and keep walking when we fall along the way. Verse 7, Chapter 3. Whatever gain I, whatever gain I had, I count all 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. Paul reminds here for all of God's children, there is nothing in this world more valuable than what we have in Christ. Paul had risen to be respected. He was an intellectual, a powerful man in the world. He was willing to give it all up for Jesus. Do we ever encourage others to give up worldly things, physical blessings, influential power, or great paying jobs if those things are impeding one from serving Jesus and His church? Having things is not a sin. Being blessed is not a sin. But if what we have keeps me away from focusing on holding to those things, that are more important. thinking about the blessings and the impact the world has through Christ. should least consider. Encourage folks to consider what is controlling your life. What's most important? Verse 13, 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 of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Paul reminds us to not dwell on our mistakes. When you see someone who has experienced a failure, please be intentional about how to encourage him or her to get up, keep walking in the light, as described in 1 John 1-7. We don't need strength to fall. It's easy to fall. It takes strength to get back up. to walk with Jesus, to continue the walk. 1 John 1-7 describes Christ's walk. If you go with Christ, you're moving. It's not stationary. You don't get on and just stand there. It's a wall. It's you're moving. And sometimes when you're walking, you're gonna fall. So we need strength, we need encouragement to get up, start walking again. Sometimes we see folks make terrible moral judgments. Those are the times they need encouragement. Verse 20, but our citizenship is in heaven. From it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself. Paul states, children of the King are citizens of heaven. They're not from Rome or Philippi. or even the United States. So be encouraged. We serve in a kingdom that cannot be impacted by the forces of the physical world. God will change us into a glorious body. Chapter 4, verse 4. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Paul encourages us to rejoice. We're going to be, if we're going to be the light of the world, we need to be looking for things to rejoice about instead of listing all the things that are wrong. There's so many good things going on in the church, in our world even. Find those things, encourage those who are doing those things, encourage them in the good. Find those things and focus on those things that are good. ⁓ Verse 7, And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. In Christ we have a peace that cannot be fully understood. Man, you want it. It's a peace that we don't have to worry about tomorrow. There are things that will make us worry from time to time. Ultimately, the Lord's going to take us home one day. We don't have to worry about that. He keeps His promises. He's making a place for us. Verse 8, 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's anything worthy of praise, think about these things. encourage others to think about the commendable, lovely, excellent, pure, just, honorable, and true things. There are a lot of distractions in our world. We must focus our hearts on the truth found in His scripture. One of the most encouraging verses that we've heard over and over again is verse 13 in chapter 4. Paul reminds us that we can endure, period. He's not saying that I can do whatever I want and be okay. But I can face any challenge. Because the worst thing that can happen to me as a human is that I die. and he already covered what happens in that. for I gain if I die. So the worst thing that someone can do for us is take our physical life. in that. We win. There's victory. in verse 19. And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. others by reminding them that God provides all we need. in reflecting on my prayers of my past. I have prayed a lot about what I want. I confess, I had prayed a lot about what I want. And the Lord, through His mercy, has provided me what I want sometimes. He's giving it to me. But God will never provide for me my wants if it contradicts with my needs. because he's going to give us what we need. And he will turn us down on our want if there's some conflict. I hope you have been able to see a few ways that Paul was being encouraging to these brethren. And he's encouraging to us. I encourage you to be intentional this week with someone in your life to lift them up, remind them that God loves them and that you love them. If you're not sure how to encourage someone, read back through these four short chapters and see how Paul did it for the Philippians. The more intentional we are with our encouragement, the more effective it will be. So be encouraged. And before I close, I will ask every one of you to think of one person that you're gonna encourage this week. Write it down if you need to, put it your phone. If you know who that needs to be, you won't forget. Start with that one. and be intentionally encouraging others each week to follow. It was Jesus who said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. It's true with encouragement. At times we all need encouragement. We all receive it from time to time, hopefully. It's more blessed to give it. So I hope you will tap into that blessing this week. Bless others. If you need prayers of encouragement, prayers of forgiveness, If you're ready to begin a walk with Jesus and commit your life to Him in baptism, we're here to help you. Ben's got a song, you stand and sing. The end. Jesus Christ. you you Jesus Christ. you Those were some of your