A Thankful Pastor: Part 1
Text: Phil. 1:3-6
Introduction
1. Illustration: Dear God, So far today I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper; I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent. I'm very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, God, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on, I'm probably going to need a lot of help. Amen
2. I'm thankful for many things in my life. The person I am the most thankful for is my wife Tina. This October we will celebrate our 30th Anniversary, and after 30 years together I am thankful because she gets me. She understands that I am forgetful, disorganized, impatient, and a list of other things that I will not mention at this time. But after 30 years she understands all these things about me and loves me in spite of them.
3. Another group of people that I am thankful for is you all. After 6 1/2 years as your Pastor I can honestly say you get me, and in spite of my many shortcomings you love me anyway.
4. I think that in a nutshell that is what Paul is writing to his friends in Philippi; you get me.
5. From his Pastor's heart Paul tells them he is...
a. Thankful For What God Has Done
b. Thankful For What They Had Done.
c. Thankful For What God Will Do
6. Let's stand together and read Phil. 1:3-6
Proposition: God has done a great work in us and he will continue that work until Jesus returns.
Transition: The first thing Paul talks about in this section of his letter is the fact that he is...
I. Thankful For What God Has Done (3-4).
A. Every Time I Think Of You
1. There are probably not too many people in our lives that we can honestly say we are thankful every time we think of them.
a. Most people in our lives have either angered us or disappointed us at one time or another.
b. Just about everyone we know at some point we have wanted to hug them around the neck...until they turn blue!
2. However, look at what Paul writes to his friends in Philippi, "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God."
a. Thanksgiving and prayer in Paul's letters are always directed toward God, and because of God.
b. However, Paul's thanksgiving in his letter to the Philippians is just a little bit different.
c. Instead of giving thanks to God for them he gives thanks to God every time he thinks of them.
d. Paul rarely thanks God for things, but rather, he thanks God for people, for those special gifts that God has brought into his life, who despite whatever frustration or grief they may cause him, who are without exception a source of great joy or thanksgiving (Fee, NICNT: Paul's Letter To The Philippians, 79-80).
e. Every time Paul thought about the Philippians, he gave thanks to God for them.
f. The Philippian church had brought Paul much joy and little pain. Some of the churches had developed severe problems, and Paul’s letters had focused on dealing with the problems.
g. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, while mentioning some concerns and giving some advice, could be considered a beautiful thank-you note for their unwavering support.
3. Then look at what Paul writes, "Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,"
a. Another thing that are hallmarks of Paul's thanksgivings are his acknowledgement of his prayers for them.
b. In this letter he indicates something special and thus showing that they have a special place in his heart.
c. Here he says "whenever I pray..." This does not mean that he prayers for them unceasingly but that he does so continually, over and over again.
d. Not only is Paul a man of prayer, but he is a man whose prayer is filled with thanksgiving for God's people, for whom Paul has a deep and passionate love.
e. In addition, Paul indicates that when he prays for them he does so with joy.
f. It means “joy, delight” (in an active sense) in something or resulting from some experience. (The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary – Sigma-Omega)
g. This is the first of 16 occurrences of the word, or a derivative of, joy in this letter.
h. Pretty amazing since the letter is only 4 chapters long.
i. For all of you math whizzes out there, that means that he uses this word on an average of 4 times a chapter!
j. Another reason to notice the word here is that this is the only one of Paul's letters where the word joy is used in his thanksgiving.
k. This joy lies at the heart of the Christian experience, and it is the fruit of the Spirit which serves as the primary proof of the Spirit's presence.
l. This joy transcends present circumstances because it is based upon God and not what is going on in our lives (Fee, 81).
B. New Person
1. Illustration: The day we come to Christ is our New Birth Day!
Spurgeon: "It was the beginning of life to me when I saw Jesus dying in my place. "The day of our salvation eclipses our birthdays, our graduations, our wedding days, or any other special event in our lives. Nothing measures up to it.
2. When we come to Christ he changes us from a mess to a masterpiece.
a. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
b. He takes something that sick and decaying and makes it brand new.
c. He takes something dirty and worn out and makes it useful again.
d. But we must understand that he made us into something special...we are nothing without him.
e. We must also understand that he has a plan for us and work to do.
Transition: The next thing that Paul talks about what was he is...
II. Thankful For What They Had Done (5).
A. My Partners
1. One of the great proofs of what God has done in our lives is what we do with that which he has given us.
a. Faith, after all, is a verb, not a noun, and thus requires action.
b. The evidence of our faith is in doing, serving, and giving.
c. This is the major reason for Paul's thankfulness and joy whenever he thought of the Philippians.
2. He writes to them, "for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now."
a. Having expressed his thanksgiving and continual prayers offered in joy, Paul now gives the reason for this joy.
b. He is able to pray for them with joy because of they were his partners in the gospel and the long and enduring nature of that partnership.
c. Partners: an association involving close mutual relations and involvement (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Symantic Domains, 446).
d. The key to this word is not so much the association or mutual relations, but the involvement.
e. Partners is a very appropriate contemporary term to express the idea.
f. The Philippians had participated in Paul's ministry with their prayers, finances, and spreading of the gospel for approximately 10 years, from the beginning of the assembly until the writing of this letter.
g. In fact, there is a definite article before the adverb "now" (literally, "the now"), so Paul probably was pointing to the gift they just had extended to him through Epaphroditus (The Complete Biblical Library – Galatians-Philemon, 183).
h. Some scholars say that this partnership involved their prayers and financial support for Paul and his ministry.
i. However, the partnership goes far deeper. The Philippians did far more than support Paul's ministry spiritually and financially, rather they were completely involved and committed to the spreading and proclamation of the gospel.
j. It was more than "Hey Paul here's some money, now go get 'em!"
k. Their involvement was total and complete. A key phrase in this verse is "from the first time you heard it until now."
l. It shows their unwavering support and participation in the ministry of the gospel (Fee, 84-86).
m. It is amazing to see when God transforms our lives, but it is even greater when that transformation brings us to act on our faith.
B. In This Together
1. Illustration: "We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions." ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community
2. Have you allowed yourself to be interrupted by God?
a. Mark 8:34-35 (NLT)
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
b. Do you allow God to interrupt your life?
c. Do you allow God to rearrange your schedule?
d. Do you allow God to meddle in your finances?
e. Do you allow God to determine what your career will be?
f. Young people are you allowing God to determine who your mate will be?
g. Are your actions a reflection of your faith?
h. Here's an old saying, but it is still applicable for today, "if you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Transition: Thirdly, Paul says that he is...
III. Thankful For What God Will Do (6).
A. And I Am Certain
1. An important aspect of Paul's thankfulness is based on his confidence that he would continue to have reason to be thankful for them.
2. He makes an amazing statement that says, "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
a. He begins this verse by expressing confidence with the phrase "I am certain..."
b. Actively it means, “to persuade, convince.” Normally such “persuasion” was accomplished fairly and honestly (The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary – Pi-Rho).
c. The verb tense indicates that Paul had been sure from the first, and he was still sure to that very day, of God’s continued work to transform the lives of the Philippian believers.
d. Paul was convinced that their partnership in the gospel would continue until Jesus returned. But this confidence was not based on the Philippians themselves, but rather it is based on the one who began the work, Christ (Fee, 86).
e. Paul wants to emphasize that his certainty is based on God's creative and sustaining activity, and not upon Paul himself.
f. The good work is that work of grace that all believers receive when they give their lives to Christ.
g. The expression refers to the new life the Lord had begun in them, and was evidenced by their eager participation in the proclamation of the gospel (P.T. O'Brien, NIGTC: Philippians, 64-65).
h. Paul was describing the process of Christian growth and maturity that begins when people accept Jesus.
i. Nothing in this life or after death can stop God’s good work in us. Despite any persecution the church in Philippi might face, Paul was confident that God would continue his good work in them (Barton, Life Application New Testament Commentary, 844).
B. Confidence
1. Illustration: Bethany Hamilton Testimony
2. No matter what life throws at you God is going to continue his good work in you.
a. Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
b. I am convinced that God is going to continue his work in your life until it is completed.
c. I am convinced that nothing will separate you from God.
d. I am convinced that God has an amazing plan for your life.
e. I am convinced that God has an amazing plan for New Life Assembly of God.
f. I am convinced that God is going to continue that work until Jesus comes again.
Conclusion
1. This morning I am a thankful Pastor.
a. Thankful for what he has done in you.
b. Thankful for what you have done in being my partners in the gospel.
c. Thankful for what God is going to continue to do
2. Will you continue to allow yourself to be interrupted by God?
