[0:00] to begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 100 in the Scottish Psalter, the first version of the psalm, page 362, in the tune is Finart. We'll sing the whole of the psalm. All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice, and say with mirth his praise forth tell, come ye before him and rejoice. We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
[0:29] Amen.
[1:27] Amen.
[1:59] This Lord can bless His name always, for it is seemly so to do.
[2:17] For while the Lord our God is good, His mercy is forever sure, His truth at all times firmly stood, and shall from age to age endure.
[2:55] Our united hearts in prayer, let us pray. Amen.
[3:29] And we thank You today, Lord, that we have Your Word before us, for it speaks to us. It communicates to us Your wonderful grace and how good You have been to us.
[3:42] And may we seek to learn more and more from it. We are surrounded by different kinds of teaching. We are surrounded in a world that communicates in so many different ways to us.
[3:55] Adverts and television and media of all sorts, they come to us each and every day, speaking to us different messages. But we thank You that You are the God of the greatest message of all, the message of the gospel, the good news of Jesus.
[4:14] And so help us to hear it and help us to share it with others as well. That as we are invited by You to come, that we would invite others to come, to come and hear of the wonder of Jesus, the one who came to save His people.
[4:30] And so may You bless us together today in our service times. May You bless the Sunday school, the Crescent, the Tweenies as well. Lord, look over them and bless them.
[4:42] Be with all the teachers in the Sunday school. Bless them and be with them as they prepare for lessons. Be with the children as they hear. Lord, give them to hear Your Word and to understand it and to live by it.
[4:56] We thank You too for our schools during the week, for all the teachers and staff and the children who attend schools day by day. May Your blessing and peace be upon each place of learning.
[5:09] And may they know Your goodness to them as well. So Lord, look down upon us, continue to bless us and to keep us and to guide us in all things as we ask it all with the forgiveness of our sins.
[5:20] In Jesus' name. Amen. Well, I wonder who here, young or old alike, if you're excited when you see the postie coming.
[5:33] Maybe there's some days that you're looking out the window, wondering what time the postie will arrive. Other days you may be not bothered, you may be not expecting anything.
[5:44] Now, there's certain days of the year you might be looking out for a postie coming for a particular reason. It may be it's your birthday or it may be it's another special occasion like Christmas time.
[5:57] And you're wondering, will the postie bring you something? And so you're waiting and getting excited. And hopefully when the postie arrives, you may get something in the post that cheers you up, that makes you thankful.
[6:12] Other times you might be thinking, oh, no, there was nothing today and you have to wait for another time when the postie comes. And the postie's got an important job.
[6:22] They're given bundles and bundles of letters and parcels and they can't decide one day, oh, it's too wet. I'm not going out in that rain. I'm going to wait for a sunny day so I can go out when the weather's better.
[6:35] They have to go out whatever the weather and deliver the mail, whatever that mail is. They have a very important job to do.
[6:46] Now, on the notice sheet, as I was highlighting before, we were talking about having a family service two weeks today for Easter.
[6:56] It'll be Easter Sunday and we want to have a family service. But we also want to think about inviting people along. Now, you think how excited you are when you're waiting for the postie to come, maybe for a birthday.
[7:11] And you think the postie's going to have something. But what about when you get a surprise? When something arrives in the post and you weren't expecting it, a letter from some friend somewhere or a partial, a gift from someone that you weren't expecting, how that cheers you up, how it makes you feel so pleased that someone's remembered you.
[7:33] Well, just think about that in the way that we can give invitations to people to church. Some people might be just waiting for an invitation and nobody's bringing it.
[7:46] And they'll be disappointed. Others maybe aren't expecting an invitation. So when you give it to them, it might cheer them up that you've remembered them, that you've thought of them.
[7:57] And so it's important for us to think, too, that we, all of us together, have an important part to play, to invite people along to church.
[8:07] It might be something they're waiting for, or it might be something that cheers them up and makes them glad that you've remembered them. It might be just what they need to come along and to hear and gather with us together as we come to hear the good news of Jesus.
[8:24] And just like the posties, they don't make excuses that the weather's too wet or too cold to go out with their post. Well, let's not make our own excuses not to deliver the invitation.
[8:39] We can make lots of different excuses not to invite or to give an invitation to someone. But let's just think, well, we're inviting them to hear about Jesus. And that's what counts.
[8:51] And even if there's people listening online today as well, I invite you to come along and to gather with us and to be together to hear about Jesus.
[9:01] So let's think about inviting, because God invites us to himself to come to him. And then he tells us to invite others to come and see this Jesus and all his glory and all his love towards us.
[9:17] So may God help us as we think about that and think over these coming days who we can invite and to go and invite people to come along to worship with us.
[9:28] Well, we're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now. Amen.
[10:02] Well, let's sing to God's praise once again. We're singing in Psalm 45a, in the Sing Psalms version, page 56 of the psalm books.
[10:13] Psalm 45a, we'll sing from verse 1 to 6. And the tune is Herder's Field. A noble theme inspires my heart with verses for the king.
[10:25] My tongue's a skillful writer's pen. Composing lines to sing. We'll sing from verse 1 to 6. To God's praise. Amen. Amen.
[10:40] A noble theme inspires my heart with verses for the king.
[10:57] My tongue's a skillful writer's pen. Composing lines to sing.
[11:13] You far excel the best of men. Your lips are full of grace.
[11:29] For God's light. For God has blessed you evermore. This light shines on your face.
[11:46] O mighty one, take up your sword, and find it on your thigh.
[12:02] With God's splendor. With God's splendor. Clothe yourself and with your majesty.
[12:17] Bright court and state victoriously. For meekness, truth and pride.
[12:35] Let your light hand display your deeds of awesome power and height.
[12:50] Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of those who hate the king.
[13:06] And all the nations of the earth into subjection bring.
[13:22] Your royal throne, O God, will last throughout eternity.
[13:37] Your kingdom's center will be one of truth and equity.
[13:52] Well, we'll turn to read together in God's word. We're going to read in Paul's letter to the Philippians.
[14:07] Our main reading is going to be in chapter 4 from verse 10 down to the end. I just want to read the opening verses in chapter 1 as well. Just the first two verses there in Philippians chapter 1.
[14:25] You find this around page 1178. So in the beginning of the letter, Paul says this, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi with the overseers and deacons, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[14:50] That's his opening to this letter. And then we're going to read in chapter 4 from verse 10 downwards. And our focus today is really going to be on the close, the closing part of this letter.
[15:04] So we're going to read from verse 10. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.
[15:18] Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
[15:36] I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you, Philippians, yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me, giving and receiving, except you only.
[15:58] Even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.
[16:11] I have received full payment and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
[16:25] And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
[16:39] Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
[16:50] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. And may God bless that reading from his word.
[17:02] So again, just unite our hearts together in prayer. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, as we continue in our worship, we thank you for all the riches that are ours in Christ Jesus, that we have a God who is able to abundantly supply all of our needs, and that there are many things that we take for granted on a daily basis.
[17:26] Help us and remind us that all that is ours is through your generosity to us. For all is yours, and you are the one who supplies.
[17:38] And we pray, Lord, that as we are blessed with so much, that we would not forget you. It is so easily done when we think of ourselves more and more, when we give praise to ourselves or to those around us, instead of looking up and looking to you.
[17:57] And Lord, we pray that not just for ourselves today, but for our people all around us, for our nation and the world in which we live, that we would recognize that every good and every perfect gift is from above, from the one who does not change, the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, that we would realize that you alone are God, that you alone are worthy of worship and praise.
[18:26] And how quickly our lives can change in that sense, when we can go, even as Paul describes, from plenty to need, from having everything to having nothing, as it were, how quickly and how easily our lives can change in that way.
[18:44] And yet, even in Paul's own situation, he was able to find what it was to be content, to have that true joy of salvation in his heart.
[18:55] And that was through knowing Christ Jesus. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. And we thank you, Lord, that you are the one who gives strength for all our needs.
[19:08] That day by day, Lord, that we would recognize the strength that you have given in the past, the strength that you have given for this day, and the strength that you will give us as we go on in this world.
[19:21] For your grace is always sufficient, and you supply, O Lord, as we need. And so help us that we will depend upon you and lean upon you in all of these things.
[19:32] And we know that as we pray, we can pray for others too, that many more would come and know the wonder of your grace and the wonder of your help in the midst of many different and difficult situations that people find themselves in.
[19:50] We know the struggles of this life are so real and so many at times, that there is grief, that there is sorrow and sadness, that there is ill health, that there is worry and anxiety, that there are so many things that are never far from our doorstep.
[20:07] We can feel overwhelmed at times. We can feel as if we're in the darkness of despair. And yet, Lord, we thank you that you are able to provide even in the midst of all of that.
[20:19] You are able to provide comfort. You are able to provide help and strength and light and all that belongs to you. And so we pray that, Lord, together we would know your help in every circumstance and that people all around us would come to know that help for themselves.
[20:39] And we do remember, Lord, all the different needs. We pray for those who are grieving in their hearts today. We thank you, Lord, that you are a God of all comfort.
[20:50] We pray for those who are going through times of ill health, going through times of treatment for ill health, going through anxious waiting on results or appointments to take place.
[21:03] Lord, may you give grace as they need. We pray, Lord, for those around our communities who are struggling financially, those who are anxious about work, those who are anxious about family.
[21:17] Lord, again, we pray for you to come, to come in your power, to come in your grace and to give us, O Lord, a burden for them as well. We pray to you and thank you, Lord, that life has its joys as well.
[21:32] We thank you that there are many reasons for giving thanks to you. We give thanks, Lord, that you provide new life for babies who are born into our communities.
[21:44] Lord, we thank you for that, for those who are going through times of pregnancy. Lord, we pray your help and protection over them. For those who are going through times of preparing for marriage, for those who are coming to membership in our congregation or other congregations, we thank you for these times of joy where we see and know your spirit working.
[22:09] We thank you, Lord, that you are a God of many promises and that you, O Lord, are able to bless beyond what we even ask or imagine. So, Lord, hear our prayers of petition and thanksgiving as we offer them up to you.
[22:24] We pray for the work of the gospel in our own midst and far and wide. We think of things going on throughout this coming week and in the weeks ahead as well. We pray for the Friday at the Free and thank you for all who have helped there and for the encouragement received through seeing many people coming through our doors.
[22:45] We pray your spirit to work in the midst of that. We thank you for the work of the Free Church camps. For those of our own number who are going away as campers and leaders, we pray for them, Lord, that you will bless these times to them.
[23:00] We thank you for the carry night being organized and pray, Lord, for a good response, for a blessed evening and for encouragements there. O Lord, may your hand be upon it for good.
[23:11] Remember those who are organizing the camps. We pray for Maddie Beaton and pray for others who help, for all the leaders who are preparing. Lord, may your hand be upon them for good as well.
[23:24] We thank you for the teaching of your word as well and we pray for Precepts Scotland as they come and visit for a weekend in April. We pray for events to be held for young people and adults to help us to learn together from your word, how to read it, how to understand it, how to share it.
[23:45] We thank you for every opportunity we have for all of these things. And Lord, we above all just pray for your spirit to work, for to know your power upon us, Lord.
[23:56] We cannot do it ourselves, not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord. And we thank you that you have promised the Holy Spirit. And we pray in his name too and the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for you to come in your power, to come and revive us, to come and do us good.
[24:18] Continue with us in our worship at this time and into the evening. Watch over us this day, Lord. Give us from your word to be refreshed and encouraged. Give us rest for our bodies and our souls.
[24:31] And renew us, Lord, as we go on into the week ahead. Go before us, Lord, in all things. Hear our prayers then and watch over us now, forgiving us for all our sin, as we ask it all in Jesus' name.
[24:45] Amen. We're going to sing together to God's praise this time in Psalm 145. And let's sing Psalms.
[24:58] Psalm 145, page 190 of the Psalm books. We'll sing from verse 8 down to verse 18.
[25:17] The tune is eventide. The Lord is gracious and compassionate. He's slow to anger, rich in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all that he has made and merciful to all on earth that move.
[25:30] We'll sing from verse 8 down to verse 18 to God's praise. The Lord is gracious and compassionate.
[25:48] 低 in�면ian glory, honor the Lord is good the God's blessing and good himself. The heart of their salvation is good and sorry about God, the Lord is good and merciful to all of earth.
[26:14] to all of it. Amen. All you have made will give you praise, O Lord.
[26:33] Your saints will all die to bless your name.
[26:43] The glory of your reign they will declare, and your surpassing might they will proclaim.
[27:04] Thus all will hear how hard your mighty act unto the glorious splendor of your reign.
[27:24] Your kingdom will enter for evermore. Our all-time year to me and will remain.
[27:42] The Lord is faithful to his promises, to all that he has made his love is shown.
[28:05] The Lord himself upholds all those who fall, and lifts up everyone who is out of town.
[28:25] All eyes are blessed except for me to you, and in your season you supply their food.
[28:45] You open my dear and to all that live, and satisfy their needs with all his food.
[29:05] The Lord is just and good in all his ways. He shows his love to all that he has paid.
[29:25] The Lord is near to all who fall on him, to all who fall in truth to him, for he.
[29:44] Let's turn back to our reading in Paul's letter to the Philippians chapter 4. And we're reading at the end of the chapter there at verse 19, down to the end.
[30:03] My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.
[30:16] The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
[30:29] As we look to this letter, it is a letter of joy that Paul wrote to the church at Philippi. He was rejoicing in them and with them for all their goodness towards him and towards their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
[30:46] As you read through the letter, you find there is so much of that sense of rejoicing. And we should open it up as a letter to ourselves to be excited about what God has to say to us.
[31:01] I remember when I was in school being taught how you were to write a letter. It was one of these exercises that you wanted to learn just how you would go about writing a letter and the different kinds of letters that you might write.
[31:16] We were told the kind of things that were important to put on the letter. The date, who it was from, how you started it, how the main body of the letter was to be written and what was to be included in it.
[31:30] But we were also told about how you write at the end of the letter and what it means and how you write at the end of the letter. If you were writing a general letter starting, Dear Sir, Madam, it would end yours faithfully.
[31:48] Or if you were writing and you knew the person's name, you would put Dear, whoever, and you would say at the end yours sincerely. Now it doesn't sound much of a difference, yours faithfully or yours sincerely, but what was being emphasized was how it would be received.
[32:04] And the difference it would make to the person who was receiving it. If you get them mixed up, it would cause a little bit of confusion. But when you look at God's Word, and when we look at especially maybe Paul's letters in the New Testament, there's a danger for us where we don't pay attention to the small details.
[32:28] The little details that would make a difference in the letter we write to someone is the same as true in how Paul writes, but how we see it as God writing through him, and how the little details are important as well.
[32:43] As you're reading through the letter to the Philippines, there's so much to take in and to learn that you can think that that's what is so important. But the beginning and the end highlight for us the bookends of the letter.
[32:57] That's why we read in the opening verses as well. As Paul writes, he says there in verse 2 of chapter 1, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[33:11] This is who is writing to the people. It's the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And as you come to the conclusion of the letter, he's not writing yours faithfully, Paul, or yours sincerely, Paul.
[33:26] He doesn't even mention his own name. He says there in the very last verse, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
[33:39] And that's important for us to remember as well. There are many ways that we can communicate today. In many ways, the art of letter writing is a dying art.
[33:52] We have so many other ways to communicate. Text messages, emails, cards, and sometimes letters. It can be short, it can be long, but it's what's behind it that counts.
[34:09] It's what's behind it that makes all the difference. That you are writing, you're getting in touch getting in touch with someone, to let them know that you're thinking of them.
[34:20] In whatever situation it might be. It might be just saying hello. It might be just saying congratulations. It might be saying, I'm sorry to hear your news. Whatever it is, it's just that you are remembering them.
[34:34] And what we have before us here, it's not just a letter from Paul to the church. It is God's word to his church, to Philippi, as it is to Stornway, to ourselves today.
[34:49] Because God wrote his book to communicate with his people. The word of God together is God's way of communicating to us. And it's reminding us of his concern and his compassion and his love towards us as he writes to us.
[35:08] Sometimes it's just in the ordinary day-to-day situations. Other times, it's in the times of joy that we hear God's word speaking to us. Other times, it's in the times of deep sorrow or anxiety that we hear God's word speaking to us.
[35:25] And we are to take our time to read it as God's word to us for every and any circumstance. And to see his great love towards us.
[35:38] That he has remembered us as a people. And like many letters can be sealed with a sense of love behind them.
[35:50] God's word to us is sealed with the greatest sense of love. It is sealed by his grace. Grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.
[36:02] Through the one who gave himself for us. And that's what we see at the conclusion of this letter. And that's what we're going to focus on just for a few moments together this morning.
[36:16] As we see the close of this letter of joy that Paul wrote to the Philippians. In his signing off here, there's three things that remind us of God's abundant provision towards his people.
[36:31] Three things that we see here. We see glory and where that glory is to be given. We see greetings and how these greetings are to be received and given.
[36:45] But we also see grace. Grace. Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. So beginning at verse 19, I want to see these three things.
[36:57] The glory to God. The greetings to one another. And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. So first we see the glory of God.
[37:09] In verse 19 there it says, And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever.
[37:23] Amen. Twice the word glory is used there. And the context is important for us here. When we start reading at verse 10, we see the context into which Paul is writing to the church at Philippi.
[37:41] They have been very generous towards Paul in his ministry. He rejoices greatly, he says in verse 10, that you have revived your concern for me.
[37:52] That they have been able to give to him once again. Something that they've been doing on a regular basis, as you see, as you read through these verses. In verse 14, in the middle of that verse, When I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except only you.
[38:15] Even in Thessalonica, a rich place. You sent me help for my needs once and again. And Philippi wasn't as rich as other places.
[38:26] But they were giving out of their generosity. They were giving out of their thanksgiving. Thanksgiving for Paul's ministry. But above all, thanksgiving to God.
[38:39] They were generous because God had been good to them. They were giving glory to God. It's easy to take glory to ourselves.
[38:53] It's easy to praise ourselves. But who is worthy of all our praise? God alone. And that's what Paul is making clear at the end of this letter.
[39:06] My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. He's encouraging them to continue to be generous in light of God's goodness to them.
[39:22] And so are we generous to God in this way? Are we a people who are generous to God in all that we are doing? Are we generous in giving him praise and glory in all that we do?
[39:37] Are we generous in giving our lives to him? NeverWhy aren't they going to Iismany psalm So she gave her daughter a pound coin and a five pound note.
[40:02] And she said to her, put whichever one you want into the collection plate and keep the other one for yourself. A little test.
[40:14] Put one into the collection plate and keep the other to yourself. And so they sat through the sermon. And part of the sermon in the church they were in was that a giving's plate would be passed round at a certain point in the service.
[40:29] And after the service, as we were leaving the church, the mother asked the daughter, well, what did you give? And the daughter started replying by saying, well, I was going to give the five pound note.
[40:43] But then the man in the pulpit said that we are to be cheerful givers. And so I thought to myself then for a moment, I'll be much more cheerful if I give the pound.
[40:57] So I put the pound in. Now that's not what God means by being cheerful givers. It's not about making ourselves happy. It's about being cheerful and recognizing all that God has done for us.
[41:13] And being generous in what we give to him. So what are you willing to give to God? And what do you see that God has given to you?
[41:26] When you look at verse 19 there, My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
[41:38] Every need is met in Christ Jesus. He has supplied our every need. If your birthday is approaching or when Christmas is coming, like we were saying to the young ones earlier, there's a sense of anticipation.
[41:55] I wonder what I'll get. There's an excitement in that thought, but also sometimes an element of doubt. I wonder will I get what I want?
[42:06] I wonder will I get what I've asked for? I wonder sometimes if I'll get anything at all. But when you look at Philippi and the people of God there and Paul himself, they weren't looking at God in this way.
[42:21] They weren't saying, I wonder will God supply. Because look at what Paul says, My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
[42:36] He will. It's not might. God might give. Or God could give that in some ways dependent on you.
[42:47] But no, it's my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches. Do you doubt God in his supply?
[43:00] Do you doubt God that he is able to meet everything that you need in Christ Jesus? Paul doesn't. And that's what he's encouraging the church at Philippi and ourselves to remember, that God will supply our every need in Christ Jesus.
[43:16] People in management, people in politics, they sometimes go through that period when things aren't going well. And they receive what's often called the dreaded vote of confidence.
[43:31] It comes, if you think of a football manager, going through a period of poor results. It comes in the midst of this run of poor results. And they'll come out with a statement. The board has given him the vote of confidence.
[43:44] And then a few days later, they're sacked. They don't have confidence that the manager is able to turn things around.
[43:56] And it's mere words, a token gesture of a vote of confidence. And it's called the dreaded vote of confidence because it usually means that a change is coming. But Paul here is reminding us that God is a God who is able to turn things around.
[44:14] That when things aren't going right, when things aren't going well, that he is able to turn things around. That he can and will supply our every need.
[44:26] And that that is why we are to give glory to God. Because he is able. He is able and he has done so much for us through the riches that we have in Christ Jesus.
[44:39] You think of when God came down to this world in his son, Christ Jesus. The birth of Jesus. When the angels met the shepherds out in the field, they were singing, Glory to God in the highest.
[44:54] Glory to God in the highest. And that's the song that we can still sing. Glory to God in the highest. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever.
[45:07] Amen. Full stop. Give glory to God. For he is worthy. Well then we see the second thing here is the greetings to one another.
[45:20] And it says here as he's concluding his letter, Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. And all the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
[45:35] How we greet and are greeted. As you come to the conclusion of this letter, it's Paul reminding them to be united, to be together in the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
[45:48] They've been reminded of the joy that there is in the Lord. The rejoicing that there is in the Lord. The rejoicing that there is and sharing in the work of the gospel together.
[46:00] Now he's reminding them that this joy can be shown in how you greet one another. And greet here is literally a word used in other places.
[46:10] It's for salute. Salute one another. Don't go past one another without acknowledging and saluting, greeting one another. And the letter opened with this sense of greeting as well.
[46:26] As he's writing to them in the opening verses, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[46:44] It's greetings in his name. Greetings through the riches that are ours in Christ. And that's what he's reminding them to go on in that sense of togetherness here as well.
[47:00] Greet one another. Encourage one another. Remember one another. Look out for one another. And you think of the people he mentions here as well.
[47:12] Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. And you think, that's great, that's fine. But then he says, all the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
[47:25] And you think to yourself, well, what's important about Caesar's household? Well, Caesar was the ruler at the time. Caesar was the one under whose name Paul was being held in prison.
[47:41] Caesar's household was the guards who was keeping him. And you think, well, here's the church at Philippi hearing that they are to greet Caesar's household who would be almost seen as the enemy, the ones who are holding Paul.
[47:57] And yet he's saying, greet them. And what's made the difference? Well, it's those who are of, greet the saints. So there are saints now in Caesar's household.
[48:11] That even through Paul's imprisonment, nothing has been wasted by God. That God has used this imprisonment to bring people to know Jesus.
[48:21] Even people who are sworn enemies of Christians and the Christian faith, Caesar's household, some have been converted.
[48:33] And it's a reason for rejoicing. It's a reason to remember the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the wonder of that grace that makes all the difference.
[48:45] the wonder of that grace that we invite people to come and hear of. The wonder of that grace that can unite all people. The saints in Christ Jesus.
[48:57] The brothers who are with me. The saints. All the saints greet you, especially Caesar's household. That God has people everywhere. And that in that, we can rejoice.
[49:08] that God's abundant provision is that he is saving his people here, there, and everywhere. And it's wonderful when we hear God saving people.
[49:23] God's work of salvation. God working in power to bring people to know the grace and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in that, we can rejoice that God is working.
[49:38] That God is drawing people to himself. And that together, we see that and rejoice in that as well. And that together, we share in that. And then we share with one another.
[49:52] And it's a reminder here as Paul is concluding his letter, greet, salute, remember, encourage, help. All of these things are bound up in what he's saying.
[50:06] Quietly love one another. Graciously receive one another. As Paul speaks here, he's speaking about fellowship.
[50:19] And fellowship is all through the New Testament. It's the togetherness of God's people, of sharing with one another. And I read a thing about Charles Spurgeon and his wife recently.
[50:35] And it was something that I was surprised to read of. And it was a simple story. And it reminds us of just what it means to be there for one another.
[50:47] Charles Spurgeon and his wife, they had hens. And as their hens would lay eggs, they would sell the eggs. They refused to give them away.
[50:57] They would always sell them, even to close relatives. They were told, well, if you want eggs, you have to pay for them. And this led to them being criticized.
[51:10] People thought they were selfish and greedy. And why is it that they would do this and not just give them away? And it wasn't until after Spurgeon's wife passed away that it became known just what was behind it all.
[51:25] all the money that they received from selling eggs was used to support two widows. They would receive criticism, but they wouldn't defend themselves.
[51:39] They didn't want to know that they were helping or that these women were being helped. They just quietly did it and accepted the criticism. And that is fellowship in the gospel.
[51:52] Looking out for one another. And that is the greetings that we are to share and to show to those around us, to all the saints, to all who are in Christ, even those who surprise us that they are in Christ, those of Caesar's household.
[52:10] How many people have we seen surprises in their coming to the Lord, maybe even questioned whether it's real? But we are to greet one another. greet one another in Christ Jesus.
[52:25] And then finally, you have these closing words. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
[52:38] Paul closes this letter with what we would call a benediction. And a benediction is something that you will hear at every service.
[52:50] You'll hear it at funerals. You'll hear it whenever the gospel is being preached. But we can just kind of, as we do with a closing of a letter, we can just glance over it as unimportant.
[53:02] We can start looking for our keys when the minister says we're going to close with a benediction. We can start sorting ourselves out. And yet, it's such an important thing.
[53:13] So what is a benediction? What is Paul closing with here? The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. He's closing with words that are not just his own.
[53:26] Or a blessing that's just from himself. He's closing with the blessing of God. A reminder that the word of God is from God himself.
[53:39] That God is speaking to us. that God wants what is good for us. That God remembers us. And so that as we go from here and as the church at Philippi was receiving this letter and coming to the close of this letter, that they would go on in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[54:02] That is what it is for ourselves as well. to go from here under the blessing of God and to know God with us and to know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ with our spirit.
[54:21] Think of yourselves even as you go home today. You'll go home perhaps and you'll sit at the table whether it's with family and friends or just by yourself. you'll sit and you'll eat something and as we do we will say a word of grace before we have our food.
[54:39] Or just think of these words. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace, a word of thanks before a meal can just become another habit, another routine, another ritual and we just say the words and we eat.
[54:59] But do we think about what our words mean? Do we think about what is before us? That we are thanking the Lord for the food that we have, for the blessings that we enjoy from his hand, that he enables us to go on in his strength.
[55:17] Without the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we have nothing. but in it we remember that God has remembered us.
[55:29] Whether it's sitting at a meal or whatever we are doing we do it by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And even as you sit at a meal today remember the provision, the abundant provision that God is preparing for his people.
[55:45] A meal, a banquet prepared for those of his people who will come into his glory and share with him. We have an abundance because he who was rich for our sake became poor.
[56:03] That Christ came into this world to give himself for us. What Paul has written earlier in this letter in chapter 2 those wonderful words, have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but made himself nothing.
[56:29] Taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men and so it goes on to the point where it describes himself giving his life on a tree.
[56:42] He emptied himself. He made himself nothing. He was rich but for our sakes he became poor. Why?
[56:52] So that we might be rich through him. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is something precious. Something to give thanks for.
[57:04] Something to remember every day. Back in 2015 Mark Zuckerberg the creator of Facebook and who made a fortune out of it he announced that he was going to spend or give 99% of his wealth to charity and his wealth even at that point was no small figure.
[57:27] He was worth roughly 45 billion dollars at that time. He was going to give away 99% still leaving with 450 million dollars.
[57:40] You think well give it away and still be left rich. the creator of Facebook a billionaire. Well think about what the Lord has given for us.
[57:56] The creator of the heavens and the earth. Not 99% but 100% gave his all.
[58:07] He gave his life that we might have life in him. That we might have the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in our spirit.
[58:20] That we might have him with us as we sit at a meal. We remember as we give thanks he is present. That we remember his grace as we sit with loved ones as they pass away that he is with us.
[58:34] That we remember his grace when we are sick or someone else is sick that he is with us. That we remember his grace when we are in these times of joy and gladness that he is with us.
[58:47] This letter reminds us of his great love that he has remembered us that he has not forgotten us. And the benediction that he concludes with reminds us of all of these things.
[59:03] The glory of God the greetings the fellowship that we have in Christ and the grace that is ours through him. I often quote older hymns but there's some new ones that speak to us as well and this one from Australia speaks of the grace of God.
[59:25] What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer? There is no more for heaven now to give. He is my joy my righteousness and freedom my steadfast love my deep and boundless peace.
[59:42] What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer? And here we have the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ who is with us.
[59:54] May we know that gift of grace and hold fast to him as he holds fast to us. Let us pray. our Father in heaven we rejoice in the hope that is ours in Christ that whatever our circumstances plenty or need we can rejoice in his strength and help us to give glory and praise to him.
[60:21] Help us to greet and fellowship with one another through him and help us to know the grace and the strength that that gives of our Lord Jesus Christ with our spirit as we ask it in his name.
[60:34] Amen. Let's conclude by singing to God's praise in Psalm 28. The Sing Psalms version Psalm 28 on page 33.
[60:54] We'll sing from verse 6 to 9 6 down to the end of the psalm. Psalm 28 on page 33. Praise to the Lord for he has heard the plea for mercy which I made.
[61:08] He is my strength, he is my shield, I trust in him who sends me aid. The tune is Warrington and we'll sing these three stanzas. Praise to the Lord for he he has hurt the plea for mercy which I need.
[61:38] He is my strength, he is my shield, I trust in him who sends me heed.
[61:57] My heart uplifted for joy, my thanks to him I gladly sing.
[62:15] The Lord all is his people's strength, love, a saving fortress for his king.
[62:32] Lord, save your people, your own flock, be pleased your heritage heritage to bless, be their good shepherd, carry them forever in your faithfulness.
[63:04] Lord, bless. I will close with a benediction. Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, God our Son, and the Holy Spirit be with us all now and forever more.
[63:20] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.