OUTLINE
My Phillipians series was cut short for COVID-19. I'm coming back to Phil 3 and 4 with some special messages. The messages are shorter and I intend to preach no longer than 25 minutes due to livestreaming.
The Way of Joy
Philippians 3:7-11 (ESV)
What is God’s Will in all of This?
Steele Creek Church, Eastfield – Dr. Tom Bartlett
April 19, 2020
What is God’s Will in All This?
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. (Vs. 7-11)
GOD’S WILL IS
• A relationship with you
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. Philippians 3:7 (ESV)
• Your personal growth
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.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV)
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:5-7 (ESV)
Salvation prayer:
“Dear God, I need You.
I want my sins forgiven
And a relationship with You
I turn away from my sins
I believe in You
And I accept Your payment for my sins
Save me, and direct me
My life is Yours
In Jesus’ name A-men”
MANUSCRIPT
The Way of Joy
Philippians 3:7-11 (ESV)
What is God’s Will in all of This?
Steele Creek Church, Eastfield – Dr. Tom Bartlett
April 19, 2020
Good morning and welcome to the live-streamed service of Steele Creek Eastfield Campus, I’m Tom Bartlett, the campus pastor here.
Now, I have many tools to share with you today, so let me first say, that if you don’t catch them all, we will be continuing the announcement presentations for 15 minutes after the service.
I think it was early this past week when I started thinking to myself, “I’m over this about right now.” I mean not only do I miss you all but there’s so many other things too. But, as I started to go there with my thoughts, I remembered, my suffering is nothing compared to others. I often think back to times in our world when people hid from danger for their lives.
ILLUSTRATION: On August 4, 1944, after 25 months in hiding, Anne Frank and the seven others in the Secret Annex apartment were discovered by the Gestapo, the German secret state police, who had learned about the hiding place from an anonymous tipster (who has never been definitively identified). 25 months hiding out in an attic for their lives.
ILLUSTRATION: Around 250AD Decius, the roman emperor mandated sacrifices to himself and the Roman gods. The Christians who would not comply were tortured and killed, many fled to the catacombs you may have heard of and practiced their faith in hiding.
Let’s see, I can still run through a drive through and grab fast-food, I can work-out and walk the neighborhood, I’m sleeping indoors with power. I have cable TV and internet.
Why yes, I think I can make it through this and so can you. BUT maybe God wants us to do more than simply endure this time? Maybe there’s a bigger plan at play?
So, I’m going to ask the question that many have thought and several have asked.
What is God’s Will in All This?
Now, I want to share with you what I believe the overarching principles of knowing God’s will are, but for each of us it will come down to applying those principles to our own lives.
Philippians is the letter of joy and encouragement in the midst of adverse circumstances. Adverse? Are we in adverse times? Yes, I’d say so.
Paul freely expresses his fond affection for the Philippians, appreciates their consistent Christian lifestyle and their support of him. He lovingly urges them to center their actions and thoughts on the pursuit of the power of Christ.
You see, the circumstances around us are not as important as the work God is doing in us!
IF YOU’RE COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU’RE MISSING THE POINT!
Before the tough times for Paul, he was well taken care of; good paying job, prestige, a clear sense on purpose. Then out of the blue it all came crashing down around him. One day on the road to do his job, the next off his high horse looking for help.
Yet, in this down time for him, (3-years) he found something far greater than all he had achieved and accumulated. I wonder what you’ll find in this time?
Here’s how he puts what he discovered
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 (ESV)
In the prime of his life, at the top of his career, Paul encountered a life change. A directional change that moved him away from his will, to God’s. As we look at this short passage, we can see what God was really after for Paul and for all of us.
GOD’S WILL IS
• A relationship with you
Paul expresses what our first parents knew so well, God wants us to know Him. He’s not in the shadows, playing some cosmic game of hide and seek. He’s everywhere if you will but look! For Paul, God affected his eye sight before he could really see. Many today are finding that God has had to affect their wallets or security in order to truly see.
Paul said,
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. Philippians 3:7 (ESV)
Now, I realize that many people are hurting right now. Some have lost their jobs, some have died, many are struggling financially and in the middle of it all many are looking up and saying, “God are you really there?”
This is where your faith and the road of life intersect. No longer can we talk about faith as an abstract thing, as something missionaries and really devoted Jesus freaks have. Now, faith is becoming more real to us than ever before.
Look, you either trust or you don’t. I can tell you that my God has never failed me, even though I’ve failed Him.
That’s why Paul could say with the backdrop of all he had, “I count everything as loss” compared to knowing Christ Jesus.
God’s will primarily is a relationship with you,
everything follows that.
I’VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, I’M NOT SURE I CAN TRUST GOD. I find that to be such a revealing statement. You see, it simply reveals that they don’t know Him. You see, if they knew Him, they could trust Him.
Stop focusing on worries about finances and future. Focus on knowing the Father, the creator of all. He’s already promised to care for His own.
The second truth about God’s will for you is . . .
• Your personal growth
Listen, God is your Heavenly Father. What’s the dream of every good father for their children?
• To be dependent on him for always?
• For the father to hand feed them for the rest of their lives?
• For the father to have to correct them every time over the same issues?
• For the father to have a lack of confidence in the child’s choices?
NO!!!
Every good father’s desire is to see his children grow up, become mature, and live out the values they learned from him. YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WANTS NO LESS FOR YOU.
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.
Paul says, “I want to know Him, so I can become like Him.” What do you call that? IT’S CALLED SPIRITUAL MATURITY. The Bible word is discipleship.
Paul says it this way to the Thessalonians expressing this process of being like Christ.,
For this is the will of God, your sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV)
“Sanctification” is the process of maturity, of becoming like Jesus.
GOD’S WILL IS FOR YOU AND ME TO BE LIKE HIM TO KNOW HIM. YOU SEE, IF WE KNOW JESUS, WE KNOW THE FATHER. JESUS IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER.
As Jesus was preparing to leave the earth, He taught His followers a powerful truth. There’s only one way to know the Father and to go to the Father. It’s through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:5-7 (ESV)
I wonder, do you know Him? I mean not in an emergency situation kind of way, but an everyday, “I need you” kind of way?
And, if you do “know Him”, how are you growing? Using your time wisely?
Let’s refocus today. There’s so much more to knowing the Lord than simply knowing He saves. It goes a lot deeper than that.
Salvation prayer:
“Dear God, I need You.
I want my sins forgiven
And a relationship with You
I turn away from my sins
I believe in You
And I accept Your payment for my sins
Save me, and direct me
My life is Yours
In Jesus’ name A-men”
For the next 3 Sunday’s we will continue in Philippians, I want to ask you to read the book over and over again about 21 days. There are 104 verses in the book. I’m challenging you to read 15 verses day. If you do that you will read the book three times over the next 3 weeks. Journal, pray, worship and focus on God’s gift of joy!
