Finding God s Will # 7 What Have We Learned? 2 Peter 1:12 We have come to the end of our series on finding God s call and purpose for our lives. We have looked at some biblical truths that, if you will receive them and live by them, will revolutionize your life for all eternity. So where do we go from here? Let me remind you once more of the words found in our text, "I plan to keep on reminding you of these things even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth." So today, we are going to look at what have we learned about God, about ourselves, about life, about growing, about our community. And we are going to tie what we have learned to the life of the Apostle Paul. An old poem tells of a cat going to London to visit the famed Buckingham Palace. When the cat leaves the island to return home, he never tells his friends about the changing of the guard in all of its glamour and ritual. He doesn t mention the tapestried walls of the palace, the jeweled crown of the Queen, the rare and prized works of art, nor does he comment about the Queen with whom he visited. The only thing the cat can remember is the well-fed mouse under the Queen s chair. The point of this rather whimsical poem is simply this: What one is, generally determines what one sees. For example, the vulture flying over a field of fragrant roses never sees the roses, but spots immediately the carcass of a dead animal. The man who says that there is not an honest man in the world usually has a character problem himself. If Hitler and Schweitzer could both look at the same world, one would see a chance to exploit gullible peasants while the other would see an opportunity to touch lives with good. The Christian who is being conformed to the image of Christ sees the world as no other person sees it. When Christian with Christ-like character looks at life, his vision is colored by his relationship to his Lord and his fellowman. Why? Because as we become more and more determined to fulfill our purpose here on this earth, we realize that we are simply practicing for eternity. The epitome of what we have studied for the last six weeks is found in the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:21, For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Therefore, using the book of Philippians, we will review what we have learned. First of all, we have seen the value of joyful friendships. In Philippians 1:3-5 he says, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every 1
prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. It is obvious that Paul loves the people at Philippi for they have been a source of great joy to his life and ministry. Paul is grateful that he is able to remember them in all of their graciousness. He underlines this matter of joyful prayer by using repetition, Always in every prayer Paul never passes a chance to thank God for these valuable friends that have meant so much to his ministry. We have seen that this word fellowship means a strong union among people whereby they share the most intimate affairs of life. Paul is enjoying this close union with people who share in Christ s ministry and love for his work. They have a common bond in Jesus Christ. They are a help to him as he defends and expounds the message of Christ. They offer him both financial help and encouragement. This relationship has given him unprecedented confidence in their salvation and future in Christ s service. Paul had eaten the bitter weeds of Galatia and had drunk from the contaminated cup at Corinth; it had been a heartbreak and disappointment for him. With several other churches there had been everything but a joyful experience. Here though, the friendship of these people is of great value to Paul s own well-being, his peace of mind, and his ability to endure conflicts. Paul is so impressed with this friendship that he uses the word joy thirteen times in this one letter. Paul had spent seemingly endless hours in prayer with grief and tears for others, but never the church at Philippi. For them he prayed with joy for there was nothing in their relationship to alter the sweet emotions of praise. And the very thought of the church in Philippi was a source of encouragement to do more for the cause of Christ. As in the day of Paul and the Philippians, our day is also filled with those who oppose the Gospel and the truth of God s Word. Some take every opportunity to chisel away at the very foundation of our faith, as they seek to destroy the very work of God. Some are driven by selfish desires, others by their own misunderstanding. As we seek to live our life in the image of Christ, we must be willing to love, share, sacrifice, forgive, endure, and labor for a joyful relationship within the Body of Christ. Colossians 3:13 reads like this, Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Child of God please listen to me today, this is not the time for small talk, immature bickerings, childish waverings, and infant frettings. The Christian who follow the example of Christ must not look at fellow Christians with 2
envy or jealousy. On the other hand, we must make them the recipients of all the love and joy that we can possibly share. Therefore, in order to strengthen our fellowship, we must encourage, strengthen, help, and support the work of those who share our faith. I am absolutely convinced that the church that loves is the church that lives! If there is ever a place where people should be able to come and find unconditional love and acceptance it ought to be with the Body of Christ! Jesus made this absolute statement in John 13:35, By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. Rick Warren says that God requires us to love real people not the way we want them to be! I have found that it is easy to love those people who agree with what I say, always echo the sentiments of my ideas, and understand what I am saying even before I can verbalize my thoughts. But what about those people who just absolutely get on your nerves? What about those people who are so obnoxious that you can t stand to be around? You see, those are the kind of people that you must just simply step aside and allow Jesus to love them through you! And that, my friend, is the test of your Christianity! Secondly, we have seen that God turns burdens into blessings. In Philippians 1:12 Paul says, But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. The word furtherance is from a Greek word used for putting away the underbrush and trees and removing any obstacles, which would hinder the progress of an army. It is the word used for demolishing all that stands in the way of advance. Instead of Paul s imprisonment closing doors, it allowed him to penetrate places that ordinarily would have been closed to him. He continues in verse 13, So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in other places. Paul is no doubt referring to the Praetorian Guard; the select Imperial Guard of Rome. Started under Augustus, this was a special group of ten thousand. Paul was chained to one of these men continually. Probably six different guards daily were bound to him by a handcuff around respective wrists. What an opportunity for such a man! Paul used this association to tell of Christ to the finest regiment in the Roman army. Historians tell us that all the Praetorian Guard knew why Paul was in prison; and many of them were touched for Christ. As the news of their conversion spread throughout the land it gave great courage to the brethren at Philippi to preach the gospel and witness for Christ. While in prison Paul was also able to be an example of Christian character. Some were preaching Christ out of jealousy of Paul, some doing it 3
for money, and others for other improper motives. Paul, in true Christ-like character, did not let this bother him. His response was simply, At least Christ was being preached. He was too big to be little! In our language Paul would say, The burden of imprisonment became a blessing. But that interpretation depends on the one to whom the burden is given. A lesser man might as easily have said, This whole sordid affair is a rank injustice. I ll sit here in the corner and curse the earth upon which all of those wretched guards walk. But the Christian with Christ-like character saw the guard not as an officer of penal justice, but as a candidate for conversion. How about us? Can we find blessings in burdens, triumphs in our defeats, and victories in our apparent losses? It depends on our relationship to God as it did in Paul s case. The Christian has more reason to see the calm in the storms of life than any other person. His burden should make him better, not bitter. The Christian in every circumstance of life, be it joyous or sad, must see opportunities to bring blessings to his Lord. Because of Paul s apparent burden, some of those Roman guards received one of the greatest blessings they had ever experienced the gift of salvation! Some of those guards when home different men to walk a different road because one man had a burden! When Fanny Crosby became a young lady, someone told her that her blindness was due to an accident of a careless doctor at her birth. Stunned for only a moment, she confidently replied, It may have been an accident with the doctor, but it was no accident with God. She then told how her blindness had enabled her to see deeper than those with sight. She told of those who came to hear her speak of Jesus who would not have come had she had vision. There were also those blind people who were able to see their way to the cross because of the testimony of Fanny Crosby. The world might never have heard the blessing of the verse: Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! had Fanny Crosby not had the burden of blindness! Take another look at your burden today! Third, we have seen that the Christ-like Christian see life as a walk of faith. Paul says in Philippians 1:21, For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. As Paul looked seriously at life and the possibility of death, he sees that life is only worthy of his time if it can be used for Christ. For Paul, Christ was everything! Before the Damascus road experience Saul was a walking dead man. Life was tasteless and mean. Since then he has been a new person. Life started for him that day for the first time. To Paul, Christ is the source of life and the 4
only source. He is the motive behind life and the goal to which life must lead. Christ, for Paul, is the beginning, the interim, and the end. All that Paul has he gives to Christ for Christ is all there is to Paul. William Barclay is right when he says, If Christ were to be taken out of life, for Paul there would be nothing life in life. To him Christ was nothing less than life itself. Paul, however, says that he is in a strait between two desires. The word from strait is the word one might use in describing a traveler in a narrow pass with a steep wall of rock on either side. Unable to turn to one side or the other he must continue straight ahead. For his own pleasure Paul desires to die and go on to be with Christ. Yet, he sees the need for his work among the church at Philippi and elsewhere. He realizes that the decision is in God s hands, not his. In Romans 1:16 Paul stated the one basic requirement for experiencing the power of God for salvation, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believed, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Therefore, the question now follows, how does one go about getting to the place in life where they can truly say, For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain? The answer is stated for us in Romans 1:17, For in it (the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith. When we are told that The just shall live by faith, obviously the word live means more than have just a normal, physical life. We know that even the wicked and the ungodly have that kind of life. But Scripture reveals that there is another kind of life a life of righteousness that has its source in God alone. The only way that anyone can receive that kind of life is by faith in Jesus Christ. Having received this new kind of life through faith in Christ, we are faced with the challenge of being conformed to the image of (Christ). The answer is given for us in Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. It is what I call the Divine Exchange. It is when, because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we allow Him to live His life through us! When Jesus Christ takes up residence in our lives He brings with Him a new kind of life divine, eternal and righteous. Therefore, as we apply our faith to our everyday living, everything we touch is permeated and transformed by this new life from God! Let me ask you something today What if, for twenty-four hours, Jesus wakes up in your bed, walks in your shoes, lives in your house, assumes your schedule? Your boss becomes His boss, your mother becomes His mother, your pains becomes His pains? With one exception, nothing about your life 5
changes. Your health does not change. Your circumstances do not change. Your schedule is not altered. Your problems are not solved. Only one change occurs. What if, for one day and one night, Jesus lives your life with His heart? Your heart gets the day off, and your life is led by the heart of Christ. His priorities govern your actions. His passions drive your decisions. His love directs your behavior. What would you be like? Would people notice a change? Your family would they see something new? Your coworkers would they sense a difference? What about your friends would they detect more joy? What about your enemies would see a different attitude? And you? How would you feel? What alterations would this transplant have on your stress level? Your mood swings? Your temper? Would you sleep better? Would you see sunsets differently? Death differently? Taxes differently? Would there be any changes in your relationships? Now, while you are thinking about what I have just said, I want to give you a passage of scripture found in Philippians 2:5, Let this mind be in your which was also in Christ Jesus. Are you surprised to realize that that is exactly what God expects from you when you invited Jesus Christ to come into your life and make you a Christian? God wants you to be just like Jesus. He wants you to have a heart just like His! How you live your Christian life is your choice! No one else can make that choice, and no one else is the cause for you living the way you do! You may make the excuses and blame others for your walk with God, but in the end the choice is absolutely and totally up to you and you alone! If you are not saved, why not come today? Everyone please stand for prayer. Father, I have heard Your Word and I understand that it is Your will that I be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Give me the wisdom and the courage to make the necessary changes and choices in my life that will bring You the greatest glory in my everyday living. In Jesus name. Amen. 6