This is the final teaching in the series on Philippians. I want to give a special word of appreciation to Christ Church for sharing in the journey of living out God's Word in our daily lives.

I love and appreciate all of you!

Pastor Chris

Life Application:

1. Who are you concerned for?

2. What are you doing to fulfill the Great Commission?

3. How we act when we don’t get our way or when we do, reveals who we are and defines our relationship to Jesus.

4. Learn how to rejoice in the Lord when His people are good to you.

5. God uses His people to care for His people.

6. Know the difference between those who are genuinely concerned for you and those who are using you.

7. Learn the secret of contentment in the esteem of Christ. We can do this through Christ who strengthens us.

8. It is good to let people share in and help in our difficulties.

Paul is certainly giving teaching that would help heal the damaged relationship between Euodia and Syntyche. When we are bitter and angry, we naturally focus on what is wrong with our abusers or those who offend us. When we think on the things of Philippians 4:8, bitterness begins to be replaced with grace, love, and truth. We are commanded by Paul to think critically about the following qualities or characteristics of those who follow Jesus:

a. True (true, truthfulness): God’s Word, the created order, the laws of physical science, etc.

b. Honorable (noble, honorable, dignified)

c. Right/righteous (right, dutiful, just): Certainly moral rightness is presumed by God’s standard for truth which defines all morality. Should a Christian embrace the “gray” areas of moral life? Cf., 1 John 1:5 (“God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all”)

d. Pure (pure)

e. Lovely (what is lovely)

f. Good reputation (well-spoken, good speech, sweetly spoken): God’s created order, He Himself said, “It was/is very good!”

g. Virtue (virtue, moral excellence)

h. Worthy of Praise (praise-worthy)

What is the Christian’s relationship to culture?

a. The Christian avoiding culture (monasticism). All too often, Christians do not engage with culture. They are certainly not monastics, however, functionally they are hiding from engaging in the political process.

b. The Christian destroying culture (Religious hegemonism).

c. The Christian being influenced negatively by culture (hedonism)

d. The Christian influencing culture (evangelism).

What is a normative pattern for being a follower of Jesus? Consider the following as the primary ways our faith in Jesus is expressed as the Body of Christ:

a. Born again (the new birth).

b. Baptism.

c. The Lord’s Supper.

d. Memorize and repeat the words of Jesus.

e. Replicate-imitate the actions of Jesus.

f. The practice of faith.

g. The practice of sound doctrine.

h. The practice of prayer and fasting.

i. The practice of forgiveness.

j. The practice of love.

k. The practice of spiritual gifting.

l. The practice of the Fruit of the Spirit.

m. The practice of unity in the Body of Christ.

n. The practice of giving for the mission of the church and the needs of the poor.