Text: Philippians 2:12-13

Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians is work out your own salvation in the fear of the Lord.  It ought to scare you and me to go after a member or members of the body of Christ.  Notice the next verses (2:14-16), do all things without murmurings and disputings because you’re the light.  And if the light takes on characteristics of the crooked and perverse nation then Paul said I’ve wasted my time.  But if you’ll be obedient and act like sons of God then all the labor is worth it and there will be rejoicing in the day of Christ.

Unconditional obedience (vs 12)

* …not as in my presence only…

* God’s contention is that people will obey their loving Creator and trust Him.  The devil’s contention is that all men have a price. When that price is met, that man or woman will consider God’s words a curse and return to business as usual in this dark world.

* For some the cost may be high.  For others it is as simple as obeying while Paul is around, then going back to normal life when Paul leaves.

* The best results to any troubling situation will come from you and I being obedient to God.  

* What is it in us that we think disobedience to God will yield a better outcome?  I ask myself that. What kind of foolish thought is it that I think disobeying God in this situation is going to make for a better outcome.

* Husband and wife have trouble.  Husband says if she’s going to act like that then I’m going to do this.  Wife says if he’s going to act like that then I’m just going to do this. Then you’re stuck with no one in the house in God’s will.  The Holy Spirit is no longer welcome in the house, but that’s somehow going to make things better?

* Or we Moms and Dads know what our child is doing is wrong, but we don’t want to hurt their feelings.  As our kids become teenagers this gets more difficult because they just have more feelings.

* …but now much more in my absence…

* The verse could’ve said not as in my presence only, but also in my absence.  But it doesn’t say that, it says MUCH MORE in my absence.

* So Paul goes even further to say that in the times you think you’ll be justified in being disobedient, that your conditions have been met for disobedience, it’s those times you need to double down on obedience.  

Personal accountability (vs 12)

* …work out your own salvation…

* Work it out among yourselves.

* See 2:3, 2:14 and all about the humility of mind in Jesus Christ.  See also 4:2.

* Wouldn’t it be great if we had as much concern for our sin as we do for the sins of others?!

* How about being more concerned about what God thinks than getting our way?  You know something doesn’t go my way instead of getting on the phone and gossipping and murmuring, I consider that it may be a good thing that this isn’t going my way.

* Then I consider that even if I’m right, gossipping and murmuring isn’t the solution to any problem.

* Before I build a case against a brother or sister I have to consider the body of Christ.  And it ought to scare you and me to go after a member or members of the body of Christ.

* Fear of the Lord …fear and trembling… is what will help me work out my own salvation

* Fear of the Lord is essential if I’m going to allow the Lord to work through me.

* 2 Corinthians 7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.  When Titus was sent to help the Corinthians straighten out their problems they received him with the right spirit.

Text: 1 Kings 17:1-16

Preached by missionary Jamil Hadad to Syria.

The sower and the seed parable preached by missionary Jamil Hadad to Syria.

Text: Psalm 1

The blessed man from Psalm 1 preached by missionary Jamil Hadad to Syria.

Text: Philippians 2:5-11

The Philippians have been persecuted for their faith and as would be expected the question of whether this life of public testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ drawing persecution was truly of God or not.  Paul points again to the Lord Jesus Christ and his sufferings that he endured, the mind that regarded those sufferings as worthwhile, and the exaltation from God the Father because of that humbleness of mind.

Allow the Head of the church to do the thinking

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus… (vs 5)

To turn a sinner into a servant of God, the mind has to be corrected.  And moreso, for that servant of God to stay in the race and faithful to the end of his life, the thinking has to change.  It’s called renewing your mind.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Christ’s position as God manifest in the flesh, but not highminded

Being in the form of God…Jesus Christ is the express image of God, he is God manifest in the flesh.  If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father is what he told Philip.

Thought it not robbery to be equal with God…

This made the Jews want to kill him even more because he said he was the Son of God.

John 5:16-18 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

A mind to be nobody

* …made himself of no reputation…

* Birth in a stable to an unwed mother.

* No family name.

* No school credentials.

* No business enterprise.

* When people heard he was the Son of God they hated him more.

* Not even the resurrection from the dead sealed his success.  It just made the devil’s crowd, the world, angry to the point of paying for lies to be told about him.

* John 15:18-21 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

* Offense of Christ

* Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

* Galatians 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

A mind to be a servant

* …form of a servant…

* Wear what the boss tells you to wear.  Eat when the boss tells you to eat. Go where the boss tells you to go.

* Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

* Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

* Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered:

* It means he learned what obedience was like as a man. As God in heaven there was no one to obey, no one to be subject to, but he learned that obedience by the things he suffered.

* Unashamed

God became a man in order to call men brethren; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.

Moreover,

Text: 1 Timothy 3:16

God manifest in the flesh

God prepared a body for himself (Hebrews 10:5)

He resigned his glory for a span of time and took upon himself the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:7)

Law could not produce victory over sin (Hebrews 10:4-7)

God does not create victory out of thin air.  God can do anything you say? Verse 4 says it is not possible, so when God is looking for victory over sin, He needs someone to fight the battle against sin and win.

1 John 3:8-9 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Principle of obedience over sacrifice

Psalm 40:6-8 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.  Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

1 Samuel 15:22-23 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Zechariah 12:10 look on ME whom they have pierced

Justified in the Spirit

Born of the Holy Spirit of God of a virgin

Twelve year old serving His father

Baptism Spirit like a dove descending

Matthew 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Fruit of the Spirit

His resurrection – Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Seen of Angels

Heralded at birth (Luke 2)

Ministered to by angels (Mark 1:13)

Angels at the tomb

1 Peter 1:10-12 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Preached to Gentiles

A few Gentiles during his ministry: Centurion, Syrophoenician, Samaritan woman at the well,

Illustrated with widow of Sarepta and Naman

Gospel spread throughout the world (Acts 8-28)

Matthew 28:19-20 go ye therefore and teach ALL nations…

Believed on in the world

Romans 10:9-10

Paul is writing to people sitting in church.  He has had to deal with sin in the church. And because of the sin in the church Paul is convinced that there are many folks sitting in the pews that are church going sinners rejected by God.  Reprobate means rejected by God. Jeremiah 6:30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.  Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Five ways to examine yourself as prescribed by God.

Is there anything about you that looks like Jesus Christ?

You can be conformed to this world or transformed.  You will be one or the other.

Bag illustration.

I’ve got a watermelon in this bag.  You say, No you don’t. Because there is nothing that resembles a watermelon.

This bag is like your body.

There is nothing that resembles Jesus Christ in you; how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

You say the Spirit of the living God is residing in this vessel, but there is no reason to think anything is in the vessel other than what’s always been in the vessel.  We’re not talking about a watermelon, we’re talking about the Spirit of the living God.

Eventually the bag becomes a trash bag and the bag becomes trash itself.

Trash bag – Galatians 5

But maybe it was a grocery bag at one time.  It hauled good things. Maybe you aren’t a criminal, you provide for your family, you go to work.  But that’s not Christ in you because lots of people do that.

None of those things came with a promise of eternal life.  Put a Bible in the bag. Jesus Christ says, I’m going to give you a new body one day.  Until then, you take me around, let me transform you from the inside out, let other people see me in you, and when this bag wears out I’ll give you a glorified body, like mine.

Does Jesus Christ know you?

Matthew 7:22 – He doesn’t know you.

Notice you say Lord.  You’ve learned the lingo of Bible believing Christians.  You can recite a few things.

These folks just got incorporated into another religion.

Notice also you may have done some things you considered “his work”, with his name on it.  We performed our “Christian” service.

But notice they are more involved than some professing Christians, and they still don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ!

Indications you know someone:

You know what they like.

You spend time with them.

How do you handle the truth?

* 2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

* When the truth is presented you resist it, you are a candidate for being reprobate because there is nothing in you that relates to God’s words.

* Romans 2:8-9 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;  Contentious, always fighting the truth, distracting themselves from the truth, excusing themselves from the truth.

* If a Christian with a Bible verse on a sign was out on a street corner and your first thought is that guy is extreme and out of bounds, but you never thought that about the guy on the corner holding the “Furniture Sale” sign.  You’re problem is not with a guy holding a sign, it’s with the content of the sign.

* Preacher preaching the Bible makes you nervous or mad.  Christian giving out the truth makes you nervous or mad.  That’s resistance to the truth.

Have you prioritized God out of your life?

* Titus 1:15-16 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is...

Text: Matthew 4:8-11

The devil’s perspective

* …the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them…

* The devil framed the world in the way he wanted Jesus Christ to see it.

Shown the glory.

Not shown; he doesn’t take him to the graveyards or the hospitals.  He doesn’t show him hell inside the earth or the lost sinners in hell.

He shows him the great architecture – Skyscrapers and palaces, Taj Mahal, Palace of Versailles, Windsor Castle, Lake Garden Palace in India built on an island, Summer Palace in Beijing, the Biltmore Estate, Vanderbilt mansion, Great Pyramids of Egypt.  All these things will I give thee…

What’s bad about these?  Nothing in themselves, until you hear the deal you have to make.

You want that house?  In luck, that house is for sale.  All I need is 30 years of your life.

He shows him enchanting entertainment – the Coliseum in Rome, fans cheering, Dallas stadium, fireworks, people laughing, the Super Bowl, the World Series, Hollywood movies glamour and beautiful people.

Kids see baseball and say I want to play baseball.  The world and the god of this world says that’s good because we have a spot for you.  You can have fun and be a star and maybe make millions of dollars doing it someday!

What’s wrong with baseball?  Nothing, until you hear the deal.  The devil says, I’m just going to need your Sundays.

He shows him sizzling steak, BBQ, fresh seafood, black rich coffee, decadent chocolate, steaming buttery golden pies, finest French pastries, Baklava from the Ottoman Empire, and the best Cajun gumbo and creole.

What’s wrong with that food?  Nothing.

I’m just going to need your health, your testimony, and you won’t have the energy to serve the Lord.

He shows him an Aston Martin, a Testarossa, a Mustang, Chevy Silverado 3500 High Country, a Ford King Ranch Edition, Superduty, 2018 Ram 3500 Limited Tungsten Edition MegaCab.

What’s wrong with those vehicles?  Nothing is wrong with them.

I’m just going to need 5 years of your life including your Wednesday nights and part of your marriage.

He shows him boats and guns.

He shows her furniture of Italian leather; Neiman Marcus.

He shows her hand bags – Vera Bradley, and shoes, and clothes, Saks 5th Ave in New York.

By the time the devil is done he’s got your Sundays, he’s got your Wednesdays, he’s got your paycheck, he’s got your children’s minds, he’s got your marriage, he’s got your health, he’s got your testimony, he’s got your spirit (angry, bitter, combative, contentious, accusatory, religious, and unclean). Nehemiah 5:4-5

1 Corinthians 10:20-21 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. (John 4:20-24 Jesus Christ told a Gentile woman she didn’t know what she was worshipping.)

Even if you said I want to serve God from now on, you can’t.  You’re shackled. Your very first move is not going to be to serve God, it’s going to be getting loosed from the shackles so you’ll be in a position to serve God.  Nehemiah 5:1-5

(Not trying to discourage, but this is the reality of devil worship.  It’s not the Hollywood pentagrams and goat heads.) It’s enticement, enchantment, entertainment that ties your resources to this world so you are not free to serve the Living God.

Ephesians 2:1-3

Dead defined in 1 Timothy 5:5-6 as living in pleasure.

Notice Moses in Hebrews 11:25

Live according to the sensations of this world and you won’t be able to serve...

Text: Philippians 2:1-4

Riches in Christ (vs 1)

* If…

* The “If” statements in verse one are rhetorical.  Those things Paul mentions are certainly found in Jesus Christ.  And because those things are found in Jesus Christ, by having the same mindset as the Lord Jesus Christ ensures a successful, enjoyable Christian life.

* In Noah’s ark was life, protection, food.  Outside of Noah’s ark none of those things existed

* In Christ you’ll find these priceless riches

* consolation – Comfort; alleviation of misery, or distress of mind; refreshment of mind or spirits; a comparative degree of happiness in distress or misfortune, springing from any circumstance that abates the evil, or supports and strengthens the mind, as hope, joy, courage and the like

* Is there any consolation in Christ?  The real question is is there any consolation outside of Jesus Christ?!

* 2 Corinthians 1:5-7 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

* Luke 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

* comfort of love

In the love of Christ you’ll find comfort WHILE being the vessel for his love.

community – fellowship of the Spirit

In Christ’s Spirit you’ll find fellowship.

It is fellowship based on the same Spirit.

Fellowship because you’ve been spiritually baptized into the same body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13-14 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14  For the body is not one member, but many.

compassion – bowels and mercies

Bowels like emotions as in 1:8.  I may not be able to find feelings toward you outside of Jesus Christ and you may not be able to find anything for me either, but if I can find concern toward you in Christ, that’s where I need to look.

Romans 5:7-10 God’s testimony is that there was no obligation for Jesus Christ to die for sinners.  In fact, there was reason not to. The blood of Jesus Christ is of so much value to God that if it is applied to a soul, God will put away His own wrath toward that sinner.  Then reconciliation may take place without life according to verse 10. But the Lord Jesus Christ goes even further in laying down his life in order for it to be raised up again by the power of the Spirit of God so then not only can his blood be applied to a sinner, but now the life in Jesus Christ can be placed into the body of that sinner.

Rejoice in Christian psychology (vs 2)

* be likeminded

* Have the same mind as the Head.  Jesus Christ is the head of the church.

* Psychology from the Head of the church.

* It’s not that you and I don’t have opinions about things.  But neither you nor I died for the church. While we have our opinions the only opinion that matters is what the Head of the body says.  It’s his blood that purchased the body.

* Deacons for instance.  Qualifications. But you have people who are given that position because of popularity, because of money.  It’s no longer the church that Jesus Christ set up, but it’s become man made religion.

* Fellowship, Marriage, Salvation, benevolence giving, are all addressed in the Bible and you and I don’t need to figure out a decision to make because it’s already laid out

* same love

* one accord

Text: Psalm 28

Strength of His voice (vss 1-3)

His voice keeps me from falling

Bible reading, preaching, singing hymns – the voice of the Lord

Is it necessary for God to reveal Himself to man? Yes.  The need for Lord’s revelation is here.

Need God to tell me what He likes otherwise I’ll assume if I like it, God likes it

Cain’s religion

Lent.  Who cares what you give up if God isn’t in it?

Need God to tell me what He means.

Love as Christ loved.

Love me, keep my commandment

Be forgiving as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you

Need God to tell me what I’m doing otherwise self deception

Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.  It doesn’t matter what you do, it will be right to you until God shines light on it for you.

Proverbs 3:5, 7 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. … 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Need God to tell me who He is

Thou art the Christ…flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto you

His voice is what I cling to.  He’s my rock. His voice is my stability.  

His voice sanctifies my prayer life

Lift up hands toward thy holy oracle.

Need to know what you’re reaching for, specifically that it is the word of God.

Prayer can’t replace a filthy life.

His voice counters the lies of the wicked

Hebrews 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Strength of His judgment (vss 4-5)

Salvation is not of works, but damnation sure is (vs 4)

Works will not be fully accounted for in this life.  God will judge all.

Strength of His answers to prayer (vss 6-7)

That means prayer was specific and answerable.

That means it was within the parameters of what God is doing.

We want God to hear us more than we want to pay attention to what He says.

David trusted and was helped.  Now because of that David will sing to the Lord.

The LORD who heard David’s prayer will also hear David’s song.

Strength of His Spirit  (vss 8-9)

* Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power…

* 2 Corinthians 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

* 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

* You see the procedure of the Holy Spirit of God in verse 9

Save sinners by confronting them about their sin and judgment.  John 16:7-11 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Blessings bestowed on sinners that will be saved. Fruit of the Spirit.  Gifts of the Spirit.

Feed these saints that have come out of sin.  Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Lift them from mortality to immortality.  Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that rais...