Adult Quarterly SUNDAY SCHOOL SUMMER QUARTER, 2007 Christianity in Practice A Study in Philemon, Philippians and Colossians QUARTERLY AIM: The student will seek to be biblical and practical in living for Christ. JUNE 3 Practicing Brotherly Love........................................... 3 10 Triumphing over Circumstances...................................... 10 17 Magnifying Christ in Life............................................ 18 24 Working Out Your Salvation......................................... 25 JULY 1 Helping Others................................................... 32 8 Rejoicing in the Lord............................................... 39 15 Standing Fast in the Lord........................................... 46 22 Growing in the Knowledge of God.................................... 53 29 Continuing in the Faith.............................................. 60 AUGUST 5 Persisting in Truth................................................. 67 12 Seeking Things Above.............................................. 75 19 Serving the Lord Christ.............................................. 82 26 Walking in Wisdom................................................. 89 ADULT QUARTERLY, Sunday School, Vol. 94, No. 3, issued June 1, 2007, is published quarterly. Prepared by David Robinson; cover design by Jeff Allen; Larry E. Clements, Editor in Chief, <larryclements@abaptist.org>; Wayne Sewell, Business Manager, <wsewell@abaptist.org>. Copyright 2007, BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE of the American Baptist Association, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503-2928.
American Baptist Association Through-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons Winter Spring Summer Fall 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Isaiah 1 39 2 Chronicles 29 32 2 Kings 17 20 Nahum Ephesians John 11 21 Daniel Ezekiel Zechariah Genesis 12 50 Romans Acts 1 14 Mark 9 16 Psalms 73 150 Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah 40 66 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Ezra; Nehemiah Habakkuk; Haggai Malachi; Esther Revelation 1 11 Matthew 1 13 Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Acts 15 28 2 Samuel 5 24 1 Chronicles 11 29 1 Kings 1; 2 Galatians Luke 1 13:21 Philemon Philippians Colossians Jeremiah Lamentations 2 Kings 24; 25 2 Chronicles 36 1 Peter 2 Peter Revelation 12 22 Matthew 14 28 Hebrews 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 4 1 Chronicles 1 10 James 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Kings 3 22 2 Chronicles 1 24 2 Kings 1 13 Joel; Obadiah Luke 13:22 24 2 Kings 21 23 2 Chronicles 33 35 Zephaniah Habakkuk John 1 10 1, 2, 3 John Jude Genesis 1 11 Job Exodus Joshua Judges Ruth Mark 1 8 Psalms 1 72 1 Corinthians Hosea; Amos; Micah; Jonah; 2 Kings 14 16; 2 Chronicles 25 28
1 Practicing Brotherly Love June 3, 2007 Text: Philemon Focus: Philemon 4-21 Key Verse: For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? Philemon 15, 16 Sunday Devotional: God Will Not Forget,Hebrews 6:10. Application:You must choose to forgive and restore an offending brother based on his value and your own receipt of pardon. Brotherly love in practice calls for great grace. A FIRST LOOK When Paul wrote these words, he was a prisoner in Rome. He wrote to Philemon, a member of the church in Colossae. In New Testament times churches often met in the homes of believers and Philemon allowed his home to be used for worship. Evidently he had a large household that included slaves. The third character in this lesson is a runaway slave named Onesimus. By some estimates there were as many as sixty million slaves in the Roman empire at this time. The average slave sold for about a day s wages, but certain skilled slaves could be sold for a hundred times as much. A slave could buy his freedom if he could somehow get the money. Slavery was a harsh and oppressive system. Many slaves simply ran away and tried to blend into life in another city. If a slave ran away, his name would be 3 Daily Devotionals M. The Command To Love, 1 John 3:23. T. The Proof of Love, 1 John 5:1, 2. W. Not Barren or Unfruitful, 2 Peter 1:4-8. T. Walk in Truth, 3 John 3-6. F. Comforted by Others, 2 Corinthians 7:4-7. S. Jesus Assumed Our Debt, Hebrews 7:25-27.
4 Practicing Brotherly Love published. Anyone who captured him could keep him as a slave or return him to his master for a reward. Sometimes slaves were mistreated, but often they were not. Slaves were valuable and expensive, and some masters were kind to them. In this letter, Paul was serving as a bridge between the needs of two of his friends. Philemon in Colossae had lost his servant. The slave, Onesimus, had run away to Rome, and, by providence had found Paul and been saved. Now the two brethren needed to practice brotherly love and reconcile their differences. This is the message of this letter from Paul to Philemon. A CLOSER LOOK I. Paul s Prayer Philemon 4-7 4. I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 5. Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 6. That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. Paul began this request with a prayer. Paul was not using psychology. He was writing the things God had inspired Him to write and He followed his usual pattern of beginning with thanksgiving and prayer. This was a delicate situation, but like all of our troubles, it could be handled best with prayer and thanksgiving. Paul did not thank Philemon, he thanked God. Paul had not founded the church at Colossae. This church came from the church at Ephesus, and Epaphras was likely the missionary involved (Acts 19:10, 20, 26). Paul had never even visited this church. But Paul knew about the church and he knew Philemon
Text: Philemon 5 personally. We can thank God for all of His work even the parts that do not personally involve us. Paul was thankful for the love and faith that Philemon had shown to Jesus and to other believers. We cannot truly say that we love the Lord if we do not also love our brethren (1 John 4:20). Philemon expressed his love by allowing his home to be used as a meeting place for the church. Philemon also had a desire to communicate his faith. He was an active witness for Jesus. No doubt this included his own household as well as his circle of friends. Paul prayed that this ministry of witnessing would have a great effect in the life of Philemon. Literally, he prayed that it would abound to every good thing that Jesus had to give. It is a blessing when we realize that our service to God is a door that opens to abundant blessings. The best way to get from wherever you are to a place of blessing is to follow the path that God has set before you. Paul prayed that Philemon would do this. In verse 7 Paul once again turned to thanksgiving. The evident expression of love in the life of Philemon had been a source of encouragement and refreshing to Paul and to others. At this time Paul was in prison in Rome, and his ministry was limited. What a joy it must have been for him to hear of others who were taking up the ministry and prospering in the work of the Lord. Paul used an idiomatic expression here. Ancient people believed that the source of feelings, good or bad, was the bowels. We have adopted the heart as the source of emotion. We feel it in our hearts, whether the emotion is good or bad. Ancient folks felt it in their bowels. Their description may have been more accurate. You can decide for yourself. But this expression is the same as us saying that our hearts were made lighter and made glad by the actions of someone else. II. Paul s Request Philemon 8-17 8. Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
6 Practicing Brotherly Love 9. Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: 11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: 12. Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: 13. Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: 14. But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. 15. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; 16. Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? 17. If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. One of the interesting things about this request is that Paul did not use his authority as an apostle and issue some kind of order for Philemon to take Onesimus back. If fellowship is real, it has to be voluntary on the part of all parties involved. Instead, Paul gave five persuasive arguments why Philemon should reinstate Onesimus. First, Paul stressed Philemon s reputation as a man of character and kindness. Philemon was known as a good man who was interested in the work of the Lord. Brethren in Christ should be open and frank in discussing any need they might have, and they should be ready to help each other at every opportunity. Second, Paul reminded Philemon of his personal situation. Paul was aged (verse 9) at this time. He was perhaps sixty years old; indeed an old age for this time period, and he was also in prison in Rome. Always consider the circumstances of those making requests of us. Paul was asking Philemon to do something that he personally could not do. Paul had done what He could for Philemon and Onesimus, now he asked Philemon to take over and complete the task.
Text: Philemon 7 Third, Paul based a large part of his request on the fact that Onesimus was now a brother in Christ to Philemon. It is true there was a master and slave relationship but there was also a family relationship. When Onesimus was saved, he became related to Philemon in a new and quite different way. His salvation did not change his legal status as a slave, but it did change his moral standing before God, and it should have had a similar effect in the eyes of Philemon. Children of God should regard each other worthy of special consideration in all matters. Fourth, Onesimus had become valuable to Paul in his ministry in Rome. Through his actions, Onesimus had become a liability to Philemon when he ran away, but now he had become an asset to Paul in Rome. Onesimus, although a slave in Roman law, was always free before God. He had the free will to choose to serve Paul or to run away from him as well. Once he was saved, Onesimus had chosen to stay with Paul and help him. Now he wanted to make things right with his old master and his loyalty to Paul was a strong motive for Philemon to forgive him. And fifth, all this was a part of the greater providence of God. Paul was not dogmatic here. Notice he used the word perhaps in verse 15. We can see God s hand more clearly in the past than we can in the present or future, but even then we should be careful about what we deem the work of God in such matters. Perhaps God had been instrumental in all parts of this story. Maybe Onesimus had fled to Rome so that he could find Paul and then be saved and consequently return to Philemon for forgiveness. Perhaps God was showing the great love and faithfulness in Philemon s heart through this whole business. In all of his appeals, Paul was urging Philemon to do the right thing and do it for the right reasons. What Paul asked of Philemon would not be easy to do. From Philemon s standpoint he may well have reasoned, if he just took Onesimus back, other slaves would run away and become Christians. There could be a kind of jailhouse repentance that would encourage wrong conduct in other slaves. We read in Colossians 3:22 that Paul had taught servants to
8 Practicing Brotherly Love be good servants and respect their masters. He was not contradicting that teaching. So Paul offered the best solution to this dilemma possible. It was not cheap and it was not easy, but it would satisfy every need and everyone involved. III. Paul s Confidence Philemon 18-21 18. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; 19. I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. 20. Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. 21. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. Paul did not suggest that Philemon ignore the crimes of Onesimus and forget about the trouble he had caused. Sin must be dealt with, and, when someone has been injured, restitution must be made. Paul offered to pay the debt of Onesimus himself. Paul was signing a note for any amount that Onesimus owed to Philemon. But Paul quickly added that Philemon was also in debt. Philemon owed Paul the gospel. We tend to think of monetary obligations as binding and spiritual obligations as take it or leave it, but the truth is that we owe the greatest of debts to those who preach and teach the Word of God. As we read in 1 Corinthians 9:9-12, money and spiritual matters are scarcely to be compared. It will take more than love to solve this problem. Love is a vital part, but there is also a price that has to be paid. God loves the whole world, but we are saved by His grace. It is the grace of God that allowed the Son of God to come and pay the price for our sins. Our sin debt was taken by Jesus and paid in full.
Text: Philemon 9 A FINAL WORD We can infer from verse 19 that Paul had led Philemon as well as Onesimus to the Lord. Paul could see that both of these brethren were useful to the Lord, and he was urging them to understand that they needed to be reconciled to each other. We can hardly imagine a more divisive relationship than that of master and slave. But in Christ even such matters can be resolved. If these two men, a Christian master and a runaway slave who had later been saved, could be reconciled, then surely any one else can find the same harmony. Those who know the Lord as their personal Savior can meet at the foot of the cross and settle their differences. It may not always happen, but it is always possible. Paul closed this letter with a spirit of optimism. He not only believed that Philemon would heed his requests, he was confident that somehow Philemon would figure out a way to do even more than Paul had asked. Some have suggested that Paul expected Philemon to free Onesimus, but this is speculation. Paul did not address the issue of the propriety of slavery itself. Christianity is a matter of the individual heart. When individual hearts are right, then society will naturally follow. The best thing we can do for the world is to trust Jesus as our Savior and follow Him closely. FOR CLASS DISCUSSION 1. Do you think Paul put undue pressure on Philemon to forgive Onesimus? 2. Onesimus became profitable because of his salvation. In what ways did you become profitable after your salvation? 3. Do you think Philemon charged anything to Paul s account (Philemon 18)? Why or why not? 4. Discuss the benefits of being a witness for Christ in any circumstance (as Paul was in Philemon 10).
2 Triumphing over Circumstances June 10, 2007 Text: Philippians 1:1-18 Focus: Philippians 1:8-18 Key Verse: But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. Philippians 1:12 Sunday Devotional: Good Results from Bad Circumstances, Acts 8:1-4. Application: For the Christian there are no accidents only assignments. Allow God to be Lord of your life as you seek His glory in every circumstance. A FIRST LOOK A key thought in this letter is the meaning of the phrase in Philippians 1:12, the things which happened unto me. Paul summed up the many events recorded in Acts 21:17 28:31. Review the passage in Acts before you proceed. Paul had a desire to go to Rome and preach there (Rom. 1:15). But, instead of going to Rome as a preacher, he went there as a prisoner. Nevertheless, he seized the opportunities that God gave him and did his best to spread the gospel even as a prisoner. At this time, Paul was under a kind of house arrest and was guarded by the elite palace guards. These soldiers had distinguished themselves in service throughout the empire and were stationed for a while at the palaces of Rome. After their time of service in Rome, these men would return to other duties throughout the empire. In winning some of these men to the Lord, the Daily Devotionals M. Persecuted and Preaching, Acts 11:19-21. T. All Things Work Together for Good, Romans 8:28. W. Persecuting the Godly, 2 Timothy 3:12. T. Fiery Trials Are Not Strange, 1 Peter 4:12, 13. F. Precious Trails of Faith, 1 Peter 1:6, 7. S. Following Means Suffering, 1 Peter 2:19-24. 10
Text: Philippians 1:1-18 11 gospel was literally spread throughout the Roman world through the ministry of Paul. One of the keys to triumphing in any situation is to have the right expectations. Often we suffer, not because anything is really wrong, but simply because the things we expected have not happened. If you want to serve the Lord, you can. But you will not get to do it on your own terms. You may get to preach and witness from a pulpit, and you may get to serve from a prison cell, but if you truly want to serve the Lord, you can. It was this dedicated spirit of service and sacrifice that led Paul to triumph in the worst of circumstances. A CLOSER LOOK I. Triumph Through Prayer Philippians 1:8-11 8. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. 9. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10. That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. Paul began this letter with thanksgiving and prayer. He was truly thankful for the church at Philippi, and he began by revealing to them a part of his prayer life. Paul did not pray for the obvious. He did not pray God would somehow reverse the course of history and get him out of prison. He did not ask the Philippians to pray for this. He realized that God was directing his path and he did not resist the direction that God had taken him.
12 Triumphing Over Circumstances Paul did pray that the love of the Philippians would abound. Love for the Lord and love for our brethren is the foundation that undergirds all of our Christian experience. We will always find ways to do what we love. We will always find a way to be with those we love. Most all of the problems mankind has in serving the Lord will vanish if he can truly fall in love with God and His people. Love will result in an increase of knowledge. We gain knowledge through study. We must apply ourselves as seriously to learning the Word of God as we do to any other important pursuit. A physician or a lawyer must study his craft. He must spend hours in study to help others. So should every servant of God. There is no substitute for the hours you spend in Bible study and meditation. Love and knowledge will prepare us to make proper judgments. This applies to situations, not to other believers. We are taught not to judge each other (Luke 6:37), but we should judge our situations to determine the will of God. Paul judged his circumstances in Rome based on his understanding of the Word and will of God for his own life. He was praying that the Philippians would have the ability to make similar judgments about their own situations. Paul then prayed they would seek the best in life, or they would approve things that are excellent. Then and now, our lives can be so filled with the detritus of daily living that we overlook the best things we can do. As a prisoner, Paul was free from many of the daily concerns of life and could give his attention to the Lord. He was praying that, even though the Philippians were not in prison, they could concentrate on the best life had to offer. Being sincere literally means to be without wax. This is a potter s term, and it refers to the devious practice of patching cracked pots with a mixture of colored dirt and wax to hide the imperfections. The unwary buyer would think he had a good vessel until he used it. Then he would find out that it was defective. A sincere person does not have a cracked character that will be revealed under pressure. Those who are sincere will not give offense to others. We should be what we are, and what we are should be what God s Word teaches us to be.
Text: Philippians 1:1-18 13 Finally, Paul prayed that these brethren would be filled with the fruits of righteousness. We need not wonder about these because they are listed for us clearly in Galatians 5:22. When we are connected to the Vine, Jesus, we will not have trouble bearing the fruit of the Spirit (John 15:4). II. Triumph Through Understanding Philippians 1:12-14 12. But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; 14. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Paul wanted the brethren in Philippi to understand how he felt about his condition in Rome. Many prisoners are sullen and unhappy. They blame others for their predicament and seek to play on the sympathy of others at every chance. Yet, Paul was not whining. He took the long view of his situation and saw that he was living in the providence of Almighty God. If our heart s desire is for the gospel to be preached, we will not be sad when that happens, no matter what circumstances prevail at the time. Paul did not plan to be in Rome as a prisoner, but his situation had made it easy to preach the gospel in places he would scarcely have had an opportunity to reach in any other way. Because of his unusual status as a man who would have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar, Paul was a kind of celebrity in Rome. His condition was known throughout the palace, and this brought him to the attention of many powerful men who would otherwise have never heard of him. Paul used this opportunity to witness for the Lord and indeed many of these men were saved. His bonds were the tool that God used to reach out to the Romans.
14 Triumphing Over Circumstances God can use whatever we make available to Him. Situations and circumstances that seem oppressive and limiting to us can be turned to the glory of God when we have a mind to do so. The difference is the attitude that Paul had toward his situation. He could have viewed this as a severe setback and decided that he could no longer preach or reach out to others. After all, what could a missionary do while he was in jail? But his experience at Philippi (Acts 16:20-33) had taught him that even in the innermost prison, God was able to open doors and folks could be saved. We can see how God uses the things that happen to us to strengthen us for the future. Paul had a single mind. He was concerned with preaching the gospel (Rom. 1:14-16). He was not concerned with his reputation or his personal comfort. He wanted to share the good news of the gospel, and God had given him the opportunity to do so. Not only was Paul able to witness to others, but his example had made others bold enough to begin to share the gospel. If a man in prison could be a witness, then surely those who were free could find opportunities to win others. Note that these others were made more bold to speak the gospel. This word does not necessarily mean preach. They were talking about Jesus in their everyday conversations. Jesus had become a topic that was shared everywhere they went. Discouragement can spread and affect us, but so can understanding. Paul s attitude and conduct were the keys to this situation. If he had shown a sour and bitter spirit, others would not have been bold to speak. But, because he was confident and composed as he faced his trials and because he still continued to witness for the Lord, others were encouraged to serve the Lord. We often underestimate the power of a good example. Your life is the only Bible some folks will ever read. When they see Christians with a bitter attitude and a sour spirit, they are turned off. But, when they observe the children of God remain sweet and faithful, even when things are going wrong all around, they will be encouraged.
Text: Philippians 1:1-18 15 This is a not a matter of having better circumstances. Instead, it is a matter of understanding the circumstances that we already have. Serve the Lord right now. Do not wait for things to get better. III. Triumph Through Rejoicing Philippians 1:15-18 15. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: 16. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 17. But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. 18. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. Not everyone understood what Paul was doing. And not everyone was Paul s friend. It is difficult to imagine, but some were actually preaching Christ out of contention and hoping that things would get worse for Paul. This is the kind of perverse thinking that Satan inserts into the minds of evil men. But Paul overcame evil with rejoicing. Whether men were preaching out of good will and love or out of contention, they were still preaching, and Paul rejoiced that Jesus was preached to the lost. Paul had the preaching of the gospel as his personal goal. When the gospel was preached, he could rejoice, no matter what was behind the preaching. Criticism is difficult to take, especially when we are in difficult circumstances. But Paul overcame the contention by rejoicing in the result. He knew that there were souls in Rome that he would see in Heaven because of the power of the gospel of Christ. He was not concerned with who (or the motive) did the preaching, only that souls were saved and that Christ was preached. As has often been said, there is no telling what we could get done if we did not care who got the credit. Here is a wonderful example of the truth of that statement.
16 Triumphing Over Circumstances Do not overlook the power of rejoicing to turn a bad situation into a blessing. Paul s single-minded purpose had allowed him to understand his situation in Rome and his glad heart had allowed him to accept his critics and even to praise their actions. We can only speculate, but it must have infuriated the contentious brethren to hear that Paul was rejoicing over their attempt to add to his burdens. Truly, when we follow the Lord we cannot lose, and, when we do not follow, we cannot win. A FINAL WORD Looking back on his days in Philippi, Paul could have been bitter about his unjust imprisonment while he and Silas were there. But he was not. He chose to remember Philippi with joy. Observing his situation in Rome, Paul could have chosen to be depressed and defeated. After all he could not go and preach as he had done for so long. Paul could have been disappointed for there was no end in sight to his prison term. He was a political prisoner, and he would remain in bonds until his case was brought before Caesar. This would only happen when Caesar wanted it to. He would be a prisoner for a long time. But, when Paul looked to Jesus, everything else was put in perspective. His jail time in Philippi had been used to win others to Jesus. His imprisonment in Rome was being used as a springboard for the preaching of the gospel. And, as he looked ahead, he could believe that God was going to be there to help him in the future. The triumph was the victory march that took place when the Roman generals returned from a successful campaign. They would march through the streets to the cheers of the people and show off the riches that they were bringing home to the city. This was the attitude and spirit that Paul showed, not in a victory march, but in a prison sentence. This is the attitude every believer should have, no matter what our circumstances. We are more than conquerors through Christ (Rom. 8:37).
Text: Philippians 1:1-18 17 No matter what else we have or do not have, we have the power of prayer, the ability to exercise our understanding and the Holy Spirit to bring rejoicing to our hearts. No one can take these things away from us and we should never knowingly set them aside. FOR CLASS DISCUSSION 1. How do we most often view adverse circumstances? 2. How can we gain God s perspective on our circumstances? 3. Share experiences of bad circumstances with good results? 4. What caused Paul to rejoice despite difficult circumstances? Can we likewise rejoice?
3 Magnifying Christ in Life June 17, 2007 Text: Philippians 1:19-30 Focus: Philippians 1:19-30 Key Verse: Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. Philippians 1:27 on this earth. Paul faced such a crisis during his imprisonment. This was not a crushing blow to Paul spiritually. He was not only ready to die, he was anxious to be with the Lord. But he was more deter- Sunday Devotional: Be Transformed Not Conformed! Romans 12:1, 2. Application: Your life is meant to magnify and glorify Jesus Christ by living for Him, rejoicing in Him, pointing others to Him and by patiently suffering for His sake. A FIRST LOOK There are many blessings set forth in this letter. Because of Paul s imprisonment in Rome, Jesus was preached throughout the palace. Because of Paul s critics, Jesus was spoken of in daily conversation. And, because Paul faced a personal crisis in his life, Jesus was magnified. This all demonstrates that we can serve the Lord in the worst of circumstances when we truly desire to do so. Facing eminent death rapidly clarifies the life we have remaining. If you want to get your priorities right and do it in a hurry, face the fact that you only have a few days to remain 18 Daily Devotionals M. Believers Belong to God, 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. T. Live for Him Who Died for You! 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15. W. Dead or Alive You Are His! Romans 14:7-9. T. Glory in the Cross! Galatians 6:14. F. Death Does No Harm, Romans 8:35-39. S. Absent Here Present There, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8.
Text: Philippians 1:19-30 19 mined to do God s will and to see that Jesus was magnified in his life or in his death. In this sense, magnification simply means to make something readily apparent to others. We use a telescope to view distant objects and see them clearly even though they are far away. We use a microscope to view incredibly small things and make them easy to observe. These instruments illustrate the process described here. We are to make Jesus readily and plainly visible to others through our conduct. When we do this, we are magnifying Christ. A CLOSER LOOK I. Paul s Salvation Philippians 1:19-21 19. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. When Paul mentioned salvation, he was referring to his situation, not to his soul. He was already saved and had been for many years. He also wanted to be saved from the schemes of evil men and allowed to resume his missionary ministry. He believed that the prayers of the Philippians and the things Jesus could supply would help him reach this goal. But Paul had a goal that was greater than his personal goal. As much as Paul wanted to be free to resume his ministry, he wanted even more to accomplish the twin goals of never giving shame to the work of the Lord and magnifying Jesus in all that he did. The antidote to shame is to be right and to be bold. When we know the truth and tell the truth, we need never be ashamed
20 Magnifying Christ in Life of what we have done. In his life Paul had demonstrated these two characteristics. He now asked the Philippians to pray that, in his trials in Rome, he would continue to manifest these spiritual virtues. Paul was literally willing to go to any lengths to accomplish his goals. If he lived, he wanted to magnify Jesus, and if he died, he still wanted to magnify the Lord. Either way, Paul wanted to serve the Lord. To the average person, Jesus is a hazy character of history who lived many years ago. If they think of Him at all, it is through the confusing fog of Christmas or Easter celebrations. But when a Christian goes through a time of trial and trouble, then the character of Jesus can be clearly seen and He can be magnified. There should be something different about a child of God. It should be obvious and evident in every facet of living. Something is wrong if this is not the case. Here is the key to that difference. You can fill in the blanks of this simple formula. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. The correct answer is in verse 21. But if we are honest, many will put other words there. We might say that for me to live is money and to die is to lose it all. Or for me to live is pleasure and to die is to suffer. You get the point. If we want to magnify Jesus, we must answer this question as Paul did. II. Paul s Dilemma Philippians 1:22-26 22. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26. That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Having decided that he wanted to magnify Jesus, Paul struggled with the best way to accomplish this goal. He knew
Text: Philippians 1:19-30 21 that, when he died, he would be with the Lord in glory. The struggles and trails of life would be over and he would go on to his heavenly reward. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, for the child of God to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Paul was in a win win situation here. If he died and went to Heaven, that was a glorious victory. But, if he lived and stayed on earth to serve the Lord, that was a victory as well. We are often anxious over such decisions when the truth is that we cannot lose, no matter what happens. If we are living in the center of God s will, it does not make any difference what happens, or what does not happen. We will find a way to serve the Lord and be victorious in what we do. Note how Paul resolved his dilemma. It was better for him personally to go on and be with the Lord. But it was needful for others that he stay here. Here is another key to finding the will of God. We should consider what is the best for others, not for ourselves. Selfishly speaking, any child of God would be far better in Heaven with Jesus. But, realistically speaking, we should stay here and help each other as long as God has work for us to do. Paul was confident in God and in the things God had told him over the years. So he believed that he would stay here on the earth and continue in his ministry, even though his ministry had taken a turn he did not expect. He chose his service to God and to others over his personal desires. There is an interesting word used for death. It is the word depart. It has at least three distinct meanings in Greek. It is a military word used when the soldiers would break camp, take down their tents and move on to another area. In a political sense, it means to set a prisoner free. And farmers also used the word to describe the end of a day s work when the oxen were taken out of the yoke, fed and put in the pasture. These terms are descriptive of what happens when a child of God dies. III. The Philippians Conversation Philippians 1:27 27. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be
22 Magnifying Christ in Life absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; Paul s desire was to aid in the spiritual growth of the Philippians. He wanted to see their faith grow and their joy increase. In this verse he told them how to accomplish these goals and how to magnify Jesus in their own daily living. The word conversation means more than merely the use of words in speech. It is closely related to what we mean when we say life-style. Paul was admonishing the Philippians to let their way of living be becoming to the gospel. As Jesus can be magnified, or made visible, to those who might not otherwise see Him, He can be made attractive to those who otherwise might avoid Him. It may be difficult for saved people to realize, but lost people are afraid of God. They do not like to be around anything that reminds them of Him. Observe lost people at a funeral. They are uncomfortable and anxious to leave as soon as possible. The life-style of a believer in Christ can change this attitude. Jesus was accused of having too much to do with sinners. He ate with them and He companied with them. We are challenged to be in the world, but not of the world. We should take the challenge and let others see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. We should think, speak and act in such a way that, when others observe us, they will see the beauty of the gospel of Jesus. This should not be circumstantial. If Paul got to visit in Philippi, he wanted to see right behavior. But if he did not, he still wanted the Philippians to behave properly. We should never have to look over our shoulder to decide how we are going to behave. We should do what is right at all times, not just when we think others are looking. Here is the simple formula for making the gospel becoming to the lost. First, we must stand fast in one spirit. That is, we should be consistent and united. Few things are as harmful to the work of the Lord as splits and schisms and divisions among God s people. These cause the trumpet to give an uncertain
Text: Philippians 1:19-30 23 sound. If we truly want to be united, everyone cannot get his way. Someone has to yield his opinion to others. The principle is simple. In matters of doctrine, we should never move an inch, but, in matters of taste, we should be willing and ready to compromise. We should be able to know one from the other. Secondly, we should be united, that is we should have one mind, and then we should be actively striving and working together for the furtherance of the gospel. The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. When folks will seriously pray and dedicate themselves to furthering the Lord s causes, they can accomplish things. IV. The Philippians Adversaries Philippians 1:28-30 28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30. Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. One of the things that would stop the Philippians in their spiritual growth was fear. When they saw their adversaries as terrible and unconquerable foes, they would shrink from their duties. So Paul reminded them that he had faced life s worst problems and emerged victorious. He had faced his own death and decided that he was winner either way. When we do this, other problems pale in comparison. To magnify Christ and to live in a way that becomes the gospel, we must live in the spotlight. We cannot hide our candle under a bushel. When we live in the eye of public scrutiny, we will attract critics and critics can easily turn into adversaries. We should not look at this as a failure. It is instead a gift. God has given us the opportunity to suffer on behalf of Jesus, and we should look at it as a privilege. If we suffer with Him, we know that we will also reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12).
24 Magnifying Christ in Life A FINAL WORD This chapter concludes with the simple statement that every believer in Philippi would have the same conflict that they observed in Paul. Whenever we hear of someone else in trouble, we are tempted to offer the Pharisee s prayer and thank God that we are not like others. This may be human nature, but it is contrary to the facts. Every human being must face troubles and trials. Everyone must face the kind of conflict that Paul faced when he looked death in the eye. Every child of God must face the dilemma of his own usefulness versus his own comfort and pleasure. Everyone must decide what it is for him to live and what it is for him to die. Please take this personally. The gospel is not a set of random facts that may or may not apply to you. It is a message of salvation and it definitely apples to your eternal soul. When you are saved, there is no possibility that you will be ignored or overlooked by the Holy Spirit. God definitely has a plan for your life and for your service to Him (Eph. 2:10). Find your own resolution to your spiritual questions and then you can magnify Jesus and live a life that is becoming to the gospel of Christ. FOR CLASS DISCUSSION 1. Discuss Paul s commitment to living for Christ: For to me to live is Christ? (Phil. 1:21). How would many people truthfully finish this statement: For to me to live is? 2. What is required for one to have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ (Phil. 1:23)? 3. Are most Christians conduct becoming to the gospel of Christ? Why or why not? 4. What is involved in striving together for the faith of the gospel (Phil. 1:27)? Are you doing that? Is your church striving together for the faith of the gospel? Why or why not?
4 Working Out Your Salvation June 24, 2007 Text: Philippians 2:1-16 Focus: Philippians 2:1-16 Key Verse: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12, 13 Sunday Devotional: The Incorruptible Crown, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Application: God s salvation is eternal. But salvation is more than a ticket to Heaven it results in a changed life that is evidenced in what you do, say and how you live every day, as God works out His will through your life. A FIRST LOOK In the beginning of this lesson we must give our attention to a misconception about the title of this lesson. This phrase is not suggesting that we are to work to be saved. The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith. It is not by our works (Eph. 2:8; Titus 3:5). Paul was writing to people who were already saved. The meaning of the verb used here is to bring to full completion. We work out our salvation like a farmer might work out his field. He plants and waters, but God must give the increase. The farmer will labor to get the maximum yield from his fields. This is the idea in this verse. Paul was moving from his prayer for Philippi to instruction to these brethren. He offered them, and us, some wonderful lessons in living for the Lord. These are practical duties that we can implement in our daily liv- Daily Devotionals M. Take up His Yoke, Matthew 11:28-30. T. Abound in the Work, 1 Corinthians 15:58. W. Not Weary in Well-Doing, Galatians 6:7-9. T. God Will Not Forget, Hebrews 6:10, 11. F. Run with Patience, Hebrews 12:1, 2. S. Not Barren nor Unfruitful, 2 Peter 1:5-8. 25
26 Working Out Your Salvation ing. When we do, they will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness, and they will allow us to get the maximum benefit from our lives. We are going to live until we die, but God expects us to get the maximum benefit from our days on the earth. We can live like prisoners serving a sentence, merely marking time until something else happens. Or we can live with direction and purpose. When we will learn the purpose of God for our lives and then do our best to reach God s goals for us, we will find that our lives are filled with excitement and challenge. If we will follow the teachings of these verses, we will never live another dull day. Life will be a continuing adventure filled with challenges and blessings and ending when God calls us home to be with Jesus. A CLOSER LOOK I. Love and Unity Philippians 2:1-4 1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2. Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Paul based his appeal for love and unity on the preexisting conditions of the things Jesus has already done for us. There is consolation in Christ and every saved person knows this. There is comfort in love and anyone who has ever been loved realizes that this is true. There is spiritual fellowship, and God s people who have worked together have experienced this sweet experience. There are bowels and mercies (verse 1). This phrase refers to the compassion that God shows toward us. We read
Text: Philippians 2:1-16 27 in Matthew 9:36 that Jesus had compassion on the multitude because they were like sheep with no shepherd. We should feel this way toward each other. Because these are spiritual realities, Paul now asked that we employ the twin virtues of unity and love in all our relationships, both with God and with each other. Note that he plainly states that this will fulfill his joy. We might think that being released from prison would make Paul happy, and surely it would have, but true and lasting joy is in spiritual accomplishment, not in physical things that will perish. Understand that unity is not the same as conformity. God has made us as individuals. He broke the mold when He made me, and He did the same when He made you. No two human beings are exactly alike, and God designed things this way. God does not want us to be identical and interchangeable. But He does want us to work together. We can do this by being likeminded, that is, we can have the same goals and the same standards. A double-minded man is internally unstable, James 1:8, and a double-minded church will be as well. To achieve this goal, we might think that the others should just realize how wise and right we are and give up their weird ways. But this is never the path to biblical unity. Someone said that the truly humble man is not the man who thinks little of himself; he is the man who does not think of himself at all. This is the thinking that produces real unity. We realize that none of us are ultimate authorities. Only God is. When we turn to His Word and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we will find unity. When our minds can listen to our spirits, unity is possible. When we put the mind first, we will never be united. Listen to how many sentences begin with, I think... and you will see what I mean. The moving force behind biblical unity is love. When we truly love the Lord and we truly love our brethren, we will be united. We cannot love God and hate our brother (1 John 4:20). When we act out of love, unity will be the result. The rule is that literally nothing should be done through strife, or in an effort to gain the vain glory of this world. Every saint should consider that the other saints are better than themselves. This is difficult to do, but think about it and you
28 Working Out Your Salvation will see that, if everyone does this, true unity is the only result possible. Divisions always come when one saint gets the notion that his ways are superior. The teaching of verse 4 is easy to state and difficult to implement. But it is God s Word and it will work. We are taught not to consider our own things, but to see to others needs. This will not work if only one or two people do it, but it is a wonderful formula if everyone employs it. You would not have to worry about your things because your brethren would be doing it for you as you were also taking care of them. This mutual love and effort would produce lasting unity. II. The Mind of Christ Philippians 2:5-11 5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. To be like-minded you must be right-minded. To be in your right mind you must have the mind of Christ. His mind was the mind of a servant. This is a basic and far-reaching teaching. Do you think of yourself as a servant or someone to be served? Are you looking for a place to serve or a throne where others can serve you? This question is like a mirror held up to our lives. It will clearly reveal what is there. It is right in line with what Jesus taught in Mark 9:35. If you want to serve the Lord you can, but you will find it difficult to supervise the work of the Lord. You often hear people