Making Sense Of The “sinses” Series

MAKING SENSE OF THE “SINSES”

PHILIPPIANS 2:1-2

PHILIPPIANS 1:27-2:2 ONLY CONDUCT YOURSELVES IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, SO THAT WHETHER I COME AND SEE YOU OR REMAIN ABSENT, I WILL HEAR OF YOU THAT YOU ARE STANDING FIRM IN ONE SPIRIT, WITH ONE MIND STRIVING TOGETHER FOR THE FAITH OF THE GOSPEL; 28 IN NO WAY ALARMED BY YOUR OPPONENTS—WHICH IS A SIGN OF DESTRUCTION FOR THEM, BUT OF SALVATION FOR YOU, AND THAT TOO, FROM GOD. 29 FOR TO YOU IT HAS BEEN GRANTED FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE IN HIM, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE, 30 EXPERIENCING THE SAME CONFLICT WHICH YOU SAW IN ME, AND NOW HEAR TO BE IN ME. 1 THEREFORE IF THERE IS ANY ENCOURAGEMENT IN CHRIST, IF THERE IS ANY CONSOLATION OF LOVE, IF THERE IS ANY FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT, IF ANY AFFECTION AND COMPASSION, 2 MAKE MY JOY COMPLETE BY BEING OF THE SAME MIND, MAINTAINING THE SAME LOVE, UNITED IN SPIRIT, INTENT ON ONE PURPOSE.

PROPOSITION: IT IS IMPORTANT THAT BELIEVERS LIVE IN HARMONY WITH EACH OTHER

INTRODUCTION: WHEN WE CONCLUDED OUR LOOK AT THE END OF PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER ONE LAST WEEK, WE NOTICED THAT PAUL WAS APPEALING FOR OUR ONENESS AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST. HE OPENS CHAPTER TWO WITH FOUR REASONS WHY WE SHOULD LIVE IN HARMONY – CLOSE HARMONY WITH EACH OTHER.

IN OUR TIME TOGETHER, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THESE FOUR REASONS WE SHOULD EMBRACE HARMONY AND ONENESS.

THESE FOUR REASONS ARE MOTIVATORS OF UNITY, OR AT LEAST THEY SHOULD BE! EACH ARE INTRODUCED BY THE PHRASE, “IF THERE IS”. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, IS THAT HERE, AND IN MOST OCCURRENCES IN SCRIPTURE, THE WORD “IF”, BEING A FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL, CARRIES WITH IT THE MEANING OF SINCE. PAUL IS NOT STATING A PROBABILITY, BUT RATHER, HE IS GIVING A STATEMENT OF FACT. EACH OF THESE REASONS AND MOTIVATORS IS IN OUR POSSESSION ALREADY AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, AND AS SUCH, SHOULD BE USED TO DEVELOP, ENHANCE, AND SUSTAIN OUR HARMONY AS BELIEVERS.

IF YOU NOTICE IN CHAPTER TWO AND VERSE ONE, THE WORD, “THEREFORE”, IT IS A WORD DIRECTING US BACK. IT POINTS US BACK TO THEPREVIOUS VERSES WHERE PAUL SPEAKS OF UNITY AND ONENESS. WE LOOK BACK TO THE ISSUE OF ONENESS AND FORWARD FOR THE REASONS WE CAN HAVE ONENESS.

I. SINCE THERE IS ENCOURAGEMENT IN CHRIST

a. THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE EARTHLY MINISTRY, CHRIST HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING HIS FOLLOWERS

b. THE WORD “ENCOURAGEMENT” COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD – PARAKLESIS THE ROOT MEANING OF COMING ALONGSIDE SOMEONE TO GIVE ASSISTANCE BY OFFERING COMFORT, COUNSEL, OR EXHORTATION

c. THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THIS IS FOUND IN THE WORDS OF CHRIST

i. JOHN 17:21 THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE; EVEN AS YOU, FATHER, ARE IN ME AND I IN YOU, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE IN US, SO THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU SENT ME.

1. CHRIST IS PRAYING IN THE GARDEN AND IN THE MIDST OF THAT PRAYER PRAYS FOR OUR UNITY AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST

2. THE REASON – THAT EVEN TODAY OUR HARMONY IS MEANT TO REVEAL TO THE WORLD THE VALIDITY OF THE COMING OF CHRIST.

ii. LUKE 10:30-35 JESUS REPLIED AND SAID, "A MAN WAS GOING DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO, AND FELL AMONG ROBBERS, AND THEY STRIPPED HIM AND BEAT HIM, AND WENT AWAY LEAVING HIM HALF DEAD. 31 "AND BY CHANCE A PRIEST WAS GOING DOWN ON THAT ROAD, AND WHEN HE SAW HIM, HE PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. 32 "LIKEWISE A LEVITE ALSO, WHEN HE CAME TO THE PLACE AND SAW HIM, PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. 33 "BUT A SAMARITAN, WHO WAS ON A JOURNEY, CAME UPON HIM; AND WHEN HE SAW HIM, HE FELT COMPASSION, 34 AND CAME TO HIM AND BANDAGED UP HIS WOUNDS, POURING OIL AND WINE ON THEM; AND HE PUT HIM ON HIS OWN BEAST, AND BROUGHT HIM TO AN INN AND TOOK CARE OF HIM. 35 "ON THE NEXT DAY HE TOOK OUT TWO DENARII AND GAVE THEM TO THE INNKEEPER AND SAID, 'TAKE CARE OF HIM; AND WHATEVER MORE YOU SPEND, WHEN I RETURN I WILL REPAY YOU.'

1. TAKING THE TIME TO TAKE CARE

2. TAKING TIME TO SEE THAT CARE IS GIVEN

iii. JOHN 14:16 "I WILL ASK THE FATHER, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER HELPER, THAT HE MAY BE WITH YOU FOREVER;

1. PROBABLY THE GREATEST EXPRESSION OF COMFORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT – THE INDWELLING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES!

2. THE WORD USED TO DESCRIBE THE HOLY SPIRIT – HELPER – IS A FORM OF THE SAME WORD PAUL USES.

3. NOTICE THE EXTENT OF THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – FOREVER

VISIBLE EXPRESSION OF UNITY