We are living in a time of emergency and are experiencing pressures and expectations which are not normal.  We are being asked to limit our freedoms for a brief time for the sake of others.  Sometimes we may not appreciate the authority that is making these demands.  Sometimes we may not agree with what our authority is saying.  How should we respond?  What is God doing in your life through these pressures and expectations?  Romans 13:1-2 tells us that behind the authority is God.  Although we may question the authority, we can trust the one behind the authority.  

For this message we are in Philippians 2.  Are you in your right mind?  Right thinking is so important to accomplishing your mission.  

The goal of every believer is to bring glory to God.  Paul has been very careful to talk about circumstances.  You can’t control your circumstances but you can use your circumstances to accomplish your mission.  Christians work together.  Christians have roles to fulfill in accomplishing their mission.  The of mission of believers is to get the life changing gospel into the hands of ever person on earth so that they will see God for who He is.

Are you in your right mind?

Everyone is given the same opportunities by the Lord.  Are you being "penny wise and yet pound foolish?"

Are you feeling any fear right now?  Uncertainty of an outcome of a dangerous situation creates natural fear.  David was going through difficult times, fearful times.  In Psalm 27 David teaches the secret to overcoming fear.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians was a response to their kind gifts sent by one of their church members named Epaphroditus. It was a long trip (605 miles if he flew, 1700 miles by boat) and a big commitment for Epaphroditus to come. Epaphroditus was their representative, brought their gifts and news about his friends in Philippi. Epaphroditus’ news brought reality to Paul’s memories.

Pressure brings to the surface what is not always visible.  Pressure allows you to really see what is in you! The Philippians were experiencing pressure from multiple areas.  Philippians teaches that the success of your mission will be based on your mindset. Chapter two  addresses having the right mindset about one’s role in the mission.

The success of your mission will be based on your mindset.  Your role is important to the mission.

Seeking Zacchaeus!  As we have been reading through Luke we see something very special about Jesus.  He is compassionate.  He cares about people’s specific needs.  He weeps over their poor choices.  He sees people in crowds rather than crowds of people.  He sees their problems rather than personal inconvenience.  In Luke 19:1-10 we read that Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  Because Jericho was a rich city it had many poor in it as well.  They would line the streets hoping some rich person might be generous with them.  Blind Bartimaeus was along the road leading into Jericho.  Jesus has just passed through on his way to Jerusalem but there is someone else who wants to know what Jesus is like. 

Jesus sees people and loves them.

Each of us has the privilege of being a lighthouse to our family and friends.  A key component of being a light is love. 

Paul’s goal or life purpose was to use his life that others would prepare for eternity by hearing the gospel.  Therefore he was not sad for the events happening in his life as long as it helped spread the gospel.  His “inconveniences” were ok: His false imprisonments, His shipwrecks, His lack of personal space were all part of getting the gospel into places that might not have been reached.  Paul concludes his life philosophy summing it up by stating whether it was in life or death He wanted to live in such a way that Christ would be noticed by the unsaved through him.

Now we come to the last few verses in Philippians 1.  He moves from encouraging them not to worry about him, and sharing his life purpose to challenging them to follow his example.

Paul's life purpose was to glorify God.  He wanted to glorify God through his body.  He wanted to glorify God in his life and in his death.  We often focus on glorifying God in our life, but can a Christian glorify God in death?  This study gives ideas for sharing your faith even in death.

Everyone of us goes through circumstances that do not line up with what we really hoped.  In our text today Paul is going to address how to view and actually use life’s difficult circumstances for good. Paul went to Rome, but not as a Preacher but a Prisoner.  He could have written a long letter about how bad things had been going.  Instead he sums it up in verse 12.  All these things were for the furtherance of the gospel.  Paul did not find his joy in circumstances, but in getting out the gospel of Christ.  Philippians teaches us what Paul learned from his earlier trials and how he viewed his life.