Paul s Attitude Toward His Imprisonment or Dealing With Disappointments Philippians Lesson 4 Have The Attitude of Christ Within You Phil 1:27-2:18 1. Paul s unselfish attitude toward his imprisonment Php 1:12-18 2. Paul s primary concern in life exalting Christ Php 1:19-26 2 Introduction No matter what happens to Paul, he wants the Philippians to remain faithful to the Lord To be faithful, they must have the attitude or mind of Christ toward each other and the world Having the attitude of Christ, they will be able to conform their conduct to the gospel, be unified as a church and be Have The Attitude of Christ Within You 1. Live in a manner worthy of the gospel Php 1:27-30 2. Imitate humble unselfish attitude of Christ Php 2:1-11 3. Joyously serve God as lights in the world Php 2:12-18 lights to a darkened world 3 4 Live In A Manner Worthy Of The Php 1:27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; Php 1:28 in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, Live In A Manner Worthy Of The Php 1:29 For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, Php 1:30 experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me. from God. 5 6
Live In A Manner Worthy Of The Worldly pressure follow customs and laws of your city even if they conflict with the Lord Although Philippi was a Roman city, they were to live as citizens of heaven Word conduct means behave as citizen of a city From this word, we get politics 7 Behave As Citizens of Heaven Php 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; Php 3:21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. 8 Two Privileges Serving Christ First, they had opportunity to believe in (obey) Jesus Second, they had privilege of suffering for Jesus sake Their persecution was to God s glory and condemnation of their enemies 9 Eternal Results of Persecution 2Th 1:5 This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 2Th 1:6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 2Th 1:7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 10 Privilege of Suffering For The Lord Act 5:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. Act 5:42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Imitate Humble Unselfish Attitude Of Christ Php 2:1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, Php 2:2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 11 12
Imitate Humble Unselfish Attitude Of Christ Php 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; Php 2:4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Two Ways To Destroy Local Church Unity 1. False doctrines promoted by false teachers 2. Un-Christ-like attitudes toward one another 13 14 False Doctrines Promoted By False Teachers Php 3:18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, Php 3:19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. Un-Christ-like Attitudes Toward One Another Php 4:2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Php 4:3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 15 16 Jesus Perfectly Displayed Php 2:5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, Php 2:6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, Php 2:7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Jesus Perfectly Displayed Php 2:8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Php 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 17 18
Jesus Perfectly Displayed Php 2:10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Php 2:11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 1Co 6:7 Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 1Co 6:8 On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. 19 20 1Co 8:9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 1Co 8:10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 21 1Co 8:11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 1Co 8:12 And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 1Co 8:13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. 22 1Co 9:12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 1Co 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1Co 10:32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; 1Co 10:33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. 23 24
2Co 8:3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 2Co 8:4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, 2Co 8:5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 2Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 25 26 Php 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; Php 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Php 2:14 Do all things without grumbling or Php 2:15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, Php 2:16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. disputing; 27 28 Php 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. Php 2:18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. Have The Attitude of Christ Within You 1. Live in a manner worthy of the gospel Php 1:27-30 2. Imitate humble unselfish attitude of Christ Php 2:1-11 3. Joyously serve God as lights in the world Php 2:12-18 29 30