Well, please do have a seat, and if you have your Bibles there, then please turn back to
those verses that James read for us from Philippians chapter 4, and why don't we still ourselves
this morning as we come to God's holy, inerrant, and inspired Word.
Let's pray together.
So our great God and loving Heavenly Father, we would still ourselves now as we come to
your Word, and we ask that you would come by your Spirit, and like those words, those
lyrics that we're singing just a short while ago, that you would occupy our hearts, and
you would occupy our minds, and you would own it all, and you would reign supreme.
And so we ask this, Lord, for your glory.
Amen.
So, I want to get healthy.
I want to get organized.
I want to live my life to the fullest.
I want to learn a new hobby.
And I want to spend less and save more.
So according to Google, these are the top five New Year's resolutions that people in the UK
made in January 2017.
And now, let's take a show of hands.
I always love this bit.
Any resolve to do any of those things at the outset of this year?
Healthy, organized, have life to the full, take up a new hobby, spend less, save more?
Anybody?
Nobody took out that gym membership in January thinking, come on, let's do it.
It's great.
Resolutions.
The things that we love in this country.
The things that we put our minds to, thinking, this is what I want my life to be about.
Well, this morning, as we finish our series in Philippians, we're going to be thinking about
some resolutions.
Philippians.
If you remember this letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to this little church in this city
of Philippi.
Well, this morning, we see him closing his letter.
Paul's going to finish it.
As he thinks about his dear friends in Philippi, and as he thinks about them continuing to live
out their faith, what we're going to see this morning is that in these closing verses, Paul
is very purposeful, and he's very pastoral.
And he leaves them with four thoughts, four themes, four virtues that he wants them to adorn
as they live out their faith, shining like stars for the glory of God in their city of
Philippi.
He leaves them with four gospel resolutions.
Before we dive in and to stop us from lapsing into moralism, we must tie these resolutions
into what Paul has said previously in this letter.
If you want to flick back a chapter, chapter three.
Did God save Paul because he had an outstanding CV?
Did God look down on the track of life and see that Paul was running really well and thought,
he'll make a great one for my team?
No.
God saved Paul and God saved these Philippian Christians simply because he is gracious and
merciful and loving.
And out of his great love, he sent his son to die on the cross for them so that they could
be forgiven, declared right before him and be reconciled to their maker.
It's 500 years we're celebrating this year of the Reformation, the famous Reformation mantra.
We're saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
God has saved us, Philippians, and he's saved us and he's transforming us now.
And he's making us more into the likeness of his son, Jesus Christ.
He's doing that right now.
And so what Paul lays out for them here, these four gospel resolutions, they're the fruits,
not the roots, they're the fruits of the new hearts that God has placed in them.
And to tie into the letter, verse 1 of chapter 4, these resolutions are going to help them
to stand firm, going to help them be united, help them be together in the Lord.
So this morning, four gospel resolutions.
You ready for these?
We're going to rattle through them really quickly.
You ready for these?
Some enthusiasm, please.
Great.
Here's the first resolution, verses 4 to 7.
It concerns what is ruling their hearts.
Look at it with me.
Verse 4, what does he say?
Rejoice.
Now, if you're on the ball, you know that's not the first time that he's mentioned that
command in this letter.
And if you're really on the ball, you'll notice that's not the first time that he mentions
that command in that sentence, in that verse.
Rejoice.
Again, I say rejoice.
I was trying to picture it this week.
Paul with his scribe.
Paul says, scribe, write it down.
Rejoice.
Tell them to rejoice.
The scribe says back, come on, Paul.
Do you not think they've kind of got that by now?
Again, I say rejoice.
This is what he wants.
He wants this community to rejoice.
Rejoice in what?
Rejoice in their circumstances.
No, rejoice in the Lord.
Rejoice in what God has done for you in Jesus Christ.
You see, Paul wants joy to be a core part of the corporate DNA of this church community.
And he wants it to be a distinctive mark of every single individual believer.
Now, how is that joy going to show itself?
We'll see Paul in these verses.
He first highlights the outward effect.
Then he highlights the inward effect.
Verse 5.
Let your gentleness be known to all.
We've got an ESV there.
It says reasonableness.
The quality that keeps you from insisting on your own way all the time.
And what does Paul want for this community?
He wants them to be known for being gentle, for being kind, for being hospitable.
To be those people who are known for inspiring harmony and unity,
both in their church community and out with.
That's the outward effect of joy.
I see him outline the inward effect.
Don't let lingering anxiety, don't let it rule your heart.
Don't let it suffocate your joy.
Don't worry.
Now, you can imagine these Christians, just like us,
they've got everyday things to worry about.
But on top of that, imagine for them,
the big worry about what, wearing the Jesus is King t-shirt,
in their world that wears a Caesar is King t-shirt,
the worry of what that's going to mean for them.
If I keep going with Christ, if I keep going with Jesus,
if I keep speaking for him, where is it going to land me?
And what is it going to cost me?
That's a real worry.
What does Paul say into that real worry?
The Lord is at hand.
Presumably referring to Christ's return
and his very real presence with them now.
And because the Lord is at hand,
don't let worry cripple you
and don't let it sap you
of the joy of knowing Jesus Christ
as your Lord, your King, and your Savior.
And how you tackle that worry
is not by the way of positive thinking.
How you tackle that worry
is by devoting yourselves to prayer.
Look what he writes.
In everything.
Comprehensive.
In everything,
bring the things on your mind
to your loving Heavenly Father.
Spread them
before his sovereign throne
and commit them
to his loving,
fatherly, tenderly care.
And do it with thanksgiving.
Just in case you thought
this was a one-way thing,
God will guard your heart
and your mind
by his peace.
The scripture, I find,
is full of beautiful promises.
God's words to his people
well, here is
a wonderful promise
for us to grasp this morning.
Paul says,
he prays,
he wants them to know
the peace of God
because the God of peace
is really with them.
Deliberate metaphor,
I think,
from Paul there.
God's peace
will surround them,
will shield them,
protect their hearts
and their minds.
Remember,
they're in a Roman colony.
Familiar with the things
of the Roman army,
I'm sure that metaphor
speaks volumes,
deeply into their lives.
So,
resolution number one,
be joyful.
Be joyful.
Let me ask you this morning,
what is ruling your heart?
Outwardly,
what are you known for?
Are you known for
exhibiting gentleness?
Are you known
as one who brings harmony?
One who
encourages unity?
And inwardly,
is there a sense
of this peace
that Paul outlines here?
Are you maybe here
this morning
and you're allowing
worry to dominate you?
Is anxiety,
is it clouding
your soul?
I've tried to make it
a rule in my own life
this week
and I've looked
really strange
as I've walked up
Wolfian Road
trying to do it.
See,
every time I worry
and I worry
about a lot of things,
I worry about myself,
I worry about other people,
every time I've worried
I try to catch it,
I just try to throw it up.
God,
you care,
you tell me
that you're going
to be with me.
Take that worry
and I take it
to the Lord
in prayer.
Look really strange
and I'm not.
Sinclair Ferguson
writes this,
anxiety cannot continue
to breathe easily
in an atmosphere
suffused with prayer.
And in our world
where fear and worry
seem to be everywhere,
what a witness it will be
to the watching world
that God's people
are known
as people
who are marked
by prayer
and marked by joy
and marked by
that sense of peace.
Resolution number one,
dear Philippians,
be joyful.
Second resolution,
this is verses
eight and nine,
concerns what is
filling their minds.
So what's ruling
their hearts,
firstly,
secondly,
what's filling
their minds
from verse eight.
If you follow it along,
Paul outlines
what he wants them
to be thinking about.
Just follow the words,
whatever is true.
noble,
right,
pure,
lovely,
admirable,
excellent,
praiseworthy.
So he wants them
to fill their minds
with the things
that are going to
inspire them
in their worship
of God.
I was thinking
about it this week,
I mean,
he could have so easily
have used the opposite
of those words,
could he not?
Don't think about
that which is false.
Don't think about
that which is ugly,
but you see for Paul,
simply to resist things
that will not cut it.
He wants them
not just to resist,
but to replace.
So not just keep
your mind clear
of bad things,
but fill your mind up
with good things.
And a nutritionist
will tell us
there's three kinds
of foods
that we put
into our body.
We put in brain food,
food that helps us grow.
We put in junk food.
From what I understand,
junk food,
just empty calories,
not really good,
not really bad,
just empty calories.
And they're toxic foods.
So the foods
that we put
into our body,
they're just not good
for that to be
in our bloodstream,
not good for that
to be in our system.
That's what Paul
is saying here.
That what is true
for your body
is true for your mind.
So don't just be about
avoiding the toxic thoughts,
you've got to be about
going after the brain thoughts.
If you're going to
continue to grow.
The Roman emperor
Marcus Aurelius,
writing probably
a hundred or so years
after Paul is writing here,
famously said
to his men
that a man's soul
becomes dyed
with the colour
of his thoughts.
And if that's true
for Roman citizens,
how much truer
is that
of heavenly citizens?
What does Paul say?
Meditate on these things?
No, he says
practice these things.
You've got to put it
into practice
in your life.
And the things
that you've seen from me,
the things you've received,
the things you've heard,
the things that you've seen,
fill your mind
with these things.
Resolution number two,
be holy.
Let me ask you this morning,
what's filling your mind?
What's filling your mind?
Living a world,
don't we,
that's constantly
hitting us with images,
with words,
with pictures,
what's going into your mind?
Always taking stuff in.
Reminded of this recently,
we've,
Alex and I,
we bought Chloe
the Gruffalo audio book,
if you know the Gruffalo,
the kid's story,
and she comes up to me
recently,
Chloe,
and she can tell me
who the author is,
she tells me the name
of the author,
she tells me the name
of the person
who narrated it,
and she tells me
the name of the person
who illustrated it.
She's taking it in
all the time,
taking it in
from this audio book.
Friends,
let me ask you,
what is filling your mind?
Programs that we watch
on TV,
the lyrics that we listen to,
the websites that we visit,
the images that we see,
do some of us need to say
no this morning?
And do some of us need
to say yes this morning?
Is there not such
an attractive message
in the city
that we live in,
that the way to peace,
that the way to
even perhaps experience
something of the divine
is found by
emptying your mind?
Would you see how
Paul is saying here
the very opposite?
Fill your minds up
with truth
concerning the God of peace.
Fill your minds up
with these things
that are going to
inspire you
to worship God.
Think about it
in your own life.
Here's my question for you.
How are you going to
fill up your mind
this week
with the things
that are going to
inspire you
to worship God?
I think in particular
in terms of our
relationship with
God's words.
How much exposure
are you giving yourself
to the Lord's word?
Think about the what.
What resources are out there
that could help you?
Bible reading notes,
podcasts,
sermons,
audio books,
audio Bibles,
videos.
We've got a plethora
of resources available
to us,
don't we,
in this generation.
What is going to help you
to maximize that exposure
to the Lord's words?
Think about the what.
Think about the when.
How could you redeem
that commute to work?
Could you listen
to something in the car?
Could you listen
to an audio book
before you go to bed?
Could you listen
to the Bible
before you go to bed?
You put on some
worship music
as you're doing
in the dishes.
What can we do
to be filling up
our minds
with the things
that will inspire us
to worship our Lord?
Proverbs chapter 15
verse 14.
A wise person
is hungry for knowledge
while the fool
feeds on trash.
So gospel resolution
number two.
Be holy.
And the third resolution
verses 10 to 13
concerns what is
driving their desires.
Verse 10.
You see Paul reflects
on the gift
that he's received
from the Philippians.
Remember we saw
earlier in the letter
they've sent
Epaphroditus to Paul
with a financial gift
to support him
in his missionary work.
But in these verses
you see it's strange.
Paul wants them
to know that
although he's delighted
with that gift,
he's delighted
with their partnership
and their support,
he's not relying on it.
Now why?
Because he's learned
something.
It's really important
there that we see
that he's learned that.
That he didn't just
acquire it by default,
he wasn't just
born this way.
That God through
the school of experience
and hard knocks
has taught him
and has molded him
and he's learned
something through that.
What's he learned?
Verse 12.
He's learned a secret.
The secret of what?
The secret of being content.
You see here Paul
has learned to cope
with not just
the ups and downs
of life,
but he's learned
to rejoice
regardless of
whatever comes
his way in life.
He says,
doesn't he,
verse 12,
that throughout the course
of his missionary life,
what has he known?
He's known poverty,
he's known plenty,
he's known hunger,
and he's known fullness.
Those things have been
his constant companions
as he's gone about
his life.
And in it all,
he's learned.
He's learned
to be content.
How?
How has he done that?
Remember there was
a busker that
was at the end
of Rose Street in town.
The busker,
you need one song.
Do you know what
the song was?
Don't worry,
be happy.
People loved it.
He had one song.
Wasn't a massive fan of it.
But this was his song.
Don't worry,
be happy.
Is this what Paul's
tapped into here?
These are the lyrics
that he's making his own?
No.
To see how for Paul,
his contentment
goes so much deeper
and it goes so much wider,
so much more purpose
to what Paul is saying here.
Verse 13,
I can do everything.
Look at it there
if you've got it.
I can do everything.
Probably more literally,
I can do all this.
Refer him back
to what he's spoken
about previously.
I can do all this
through him
who strengthens me.
See,
for Paul,
the chorus of his life
is not life
as a roller coaster,
Christians.
You've just got to
go to ride it.
For Paul,
his chorus,
through Christ
who strengthens me.
Through Christ
who strengthens me.
I'm content
because I have all
I need
in Jesus Christ.
When things go well
for me,
yeah,
that's great
and I rejoice in that
but I have something
far better
in Christ.
When things go
poorly for me,
listen,
that's okay
because I have something
far better
in Christ.
My hope in this life
is not based
on the facts
of my life.
It's based
on the facts
about Christ
and my fellowship
with him.
My joy
is not derived
from the changing
circumstances
of my life.
My joy
is derived
from the unchanging
facts about Christ.
Dear Philippians,
who I love,
I love so much,
my joy,
my crown,
let me let you
in on the secret.
Come in.
What's the secret?
If you've got Christ,
get everything.
If you have Christ,
if you know Christ
as your saviour,
you've got everything.
Resolution number three,
be content.
Be content.
Let me ask you this morning,
what is driving
your desires?
I remember I was so excited
last summer
I got an upgrade
on my iPhone.
Particularly,
I looked at it
in the magazine
for ages,
particularly because
it had this finger
recognition software.
Remember for like
two days afterwards
I felt like James Bond.
I felt like Q
just slipped me
a little phone there.
Two days later,
I come across
somebody with a
newer iPhone.
Walking on
Princess Street,
I walk past
the iPhone shop,
walk past the Apple shop
and I think,
I know I only got
that one two days ago,
but actually,
I really want that one.
How long can I,
do I have to wait
until I get that one?
My phone actually,
there's an app
that tells you
how long
until your next upgrade.
It's not been good for me.
But do you know
what's coming after
the iPhone 6?
The iPhone 7.
Do you know
what's coming after
the iPhone 7?
It's the iPhone 8.
Do you know
what's coming after
the iPhone 8?
It's the iPhone 9.
A sinful soul
doesn't naturally
do contentment.
Doesn't naturally do it
and I am encouraged
when I see
Paul declare here
that this is something
that he learnt.
This is something
that he learnt
that God,
through the circumstances
of his life,
moulded him
and shaped him
and taught him stuff
about the sufficiency
of his son Jesus Christ.
What a great lesson
I found this week.
It's not true
that our world out there
is feeding us the story
that you'll be happy
with more.
You're missing out
if you don't have bigger.
You'll be better off
with newer.
If only you went
on that holiday,
if only you lived
in that house,
had that job,
knew those people,
had those clothes,
shopped in those places,
if only you were living
in an attachment area
so your kids
could go to that school.
This is what the world
is telling us.
Our world shouts at us,
the grass is greener
over here.
Little wonder
that so many people
in our nation
resolve to save more
and spend less this year.
not only does our sinful souls
not do contentment,
but we live in a world
that doesn't do contentment.
And so the question
that we have to ask ourselves
this morning
is do we dance
to the world's tune?
Does our joy,
does it ebb and flow
with the changing circumstances
of our lives
or is there,
whatever comes our way,
a deep satisfaction in
and a trust in
the goodness
of our God?
Remember this older man
growing up in church?
He was called Martin.
Martin lost his job.
I was only,
I remember I was only
10 or so at the time.
Martin lost his job.
Wife,
two kids,
mortgage to pay,
serious worry.
I remember my mum
taking me up
with her
to speak to him
one day
and she said,
Martin,
I'm so sorry.
And he looked at her
with a smile in his eye
and he said,
Hazel,
it's my mum's name,
Hazel,
I'm the Lord's,
I'm the Lord's
and he knows
what he's doing with me.
Amazing is that,
a young teenager
growing up in church,
actually the impression
that something like that
makes me.
Whatever my lot,
whatever my lot,
you have taught me
to say
that it is well,
it is well
with my soul.
Jeremiah Burroughs'
famous English Puritan,
Christian contentment
is that sweet,
inward,
quiet,
gracious frame of spirit
which freely submits to
and delights in
God's wise
and fatherly disposal
in every condition.
Resolution number three,
be content.
And the fourth
and the final resolution,
verses 14 to 23,
concerns what is flowing
from their lives.
So as he thinks
about these Christians,
it's incredible
that what causes
Paul most joy
is that this church
have entered into
a meaningful
and an ongoing
partnership with him.
Not just financially,
you get the distinct
impression as you get
through this letter
that the partnership
between these two,
between Paul and the
Philippians,
goes a lot deeper
than that.
In fact,
it's almost as if
they are yoked
together with him.
Verse 14,
sharing in his troubles
that they really care
about this man,
they really love this man
and he loves them
and they really are
willing to stand
with him,
Macedonia,
Thessalonica.
And what he rejoices
in most is not the
gift that he's got
from them,
but rather what he
rejoices in most is
what that gift tells him
about what is going on
in their hearts.
Here is a gift
receiver
rejoicing
because of what
the gift tells him
about the hearts
of the gift
givers.
Paul rejoices
that the grace
of God
transforming them
is so at work,
is so prevalent
that it is
overflowed
in this generous
gift.
Paul rejoices
that the grace
of God
is so clearly
at work
in their lives
that not only
have they given
him a gift,
the bigger picture,
they've bought
into the mission.
They've bought
into the mission.
They view
their resources
through the kingdom
lens.
Whatever I have,
Lord,
it's yours,
it's from you,
I want to use it
for your glory.
And they're using
their resources
with a kingdom
mindset.
Do you see that?
How does Paul
describe that?
Verse 18,
a fragrant offering,
an acceptable
sacrifice,
pleasing
to God.
Resolution
number four,
be sacrificial.
Be sacrificial.
So let me ask you
this morning,
what is flowing
from your life.
What's flowing
from your life?
Are you partnering
with other Christians?
Are you investing
what you have
in the work
of the kingdom?
Are we
corporately using
what we have
for the Lord's work
in this city
and in this world?
And I think about it
really practically,
the missionaries
we support
as a church,
the Leakeys,
Michael Gunperts,
Jim Burnett,
the legs,
even Michelle
who was up here
last Sunday evening
gone to work
for a year
in the mercy ships.
Do these people
know that we're
with them?
Do they know
that we're with them?
Even thinking of
John Gillen
working down
in Muir House,
do these people
know that we
are with them?
Could they do
with some
encouragement
this week?
Maybe just a text,
maybe just an email,
whatever it is
to encourage them
in their work.
Wouldn't it be
hilarious if they
got 60 emails?
We're using
what we have
for the Lord's
work here
at Brunsfield.
It's a great way
to think about
financial giving
in this place,
that everything
we have is God's,
we're just using it,
we're just giving it
back to him
to use in his service,
but we're also
investing in the work
of the Lord
in this place.
The staff team,
the building work,
the events that we
can put on,
the 50th,
the heating,
the lighting,
the coffee and biscuits,
investing our resources
in a way that opens
up opportunities
for us as a
community,
to impact this
community with the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
I'm sure you noticed
the other day
what I found myself
reading an article
about Bruce Forsyth,
a man just about
90 I think.
This article was
waxing lyrical,
but the legacy
that Bruce Forsyth
has left at that age.
And it got me
thinking about
another 90 year old
who left a legacy.
Many of you
will remember,
some of you
may have come
after her,
but we used to
have a dear sister
here called Rita.
And Rita was just
an incredible woman
of faith.
And she went to be
with the Lord
not long after
her 90th birthday.
I think it was only
a matter of weeks.
She went to be
with the Lord.
And we had a big
celebration for her
for her 90th birthday
party at the bridge
just down the road.
And she said
for her birthday,
I don't want
any presents please.
I want you to
take the money
that you would
have spent on me
and I want all
that money to go
to starting a fund
that will put in
a lift.
Because this church
is growing
and this lift
will provide
and open up
so many opportunities
for us as a family,
as a church family
to continue to grow.
What a legacy!
And tonight
the vision evening,
please come along,
we're going to
celebrate and mark
all the work
that's gone on out here.
Some of you
are looking at me funny
because your visitors
are just through that.
We're going to
celebrate and mark it.
Is that not
a fantastic legacy
a 90-year-old
to leave
this church family?
Investing your resources
for the work
of the kingdom.
Resolution number four,
be sacrificial.
Four gospel resolutions.
Be joyful,
be holy,
be content,
be sacrificial.
Stand firm,
Philippians,
as you take the gospel
to your city
of Philippi.
Now one final thought
from me
and then we're done.
I reckon these
Philippian Christians
would be greatly
encouraged by Paul's letter.
Do you not?
Get this thing?
You're reading it out.
Yeah, there's challenges
but what encouragement.
But if they needed
a little bit more encouragement
then look how he signs
off this letter.
It's important, isn't it?
We see that a letter
is like this
all the way through
to the end
because there's some
diamonds at the end.
As we close this morning
look at verse 21.
Greet the saints.
The brothers who are with me
send their greetings.
And notice this little detail.
Especially those
of Caesar's household.
So Paul wants
the Philippians to know
that they are Christians
at some level or another
working for Caesar in Rome.
If you want to think
about it like that,
it's kind of like
the civil service.
Is it not thrilling
to think that God
in his sovereign purposes
has his people
doing his work
in the city of Rome
even in this
humongous kingdom
at the time of Rome?
God's got his people
at work in here.
God's got his people.
And the kingdom of Christ
is beginning to penetrate
even the humongous
kingdom of Rome.
Is it not incredible
to think about
as we stand here today
so many years on
that one of these kingdoms
you only read about
in the history books
but one of these kingdoms
not only does it advance
and grow every day
but actually it comes
with a cast iron guarantee
that the gates of hell
will never prevail against it.
Is that not an incredible thought?
I wonder what odds
you would have got on that
when you finish this letter.
But it's true.
All the more reason
Philippians
to shine like stars
and to resolve
to live your lives
worthy of the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
So spirit come
put strength
in every stride
give grace
for every hurdle
that we may run
with faith
to win the prize
of a servant
good and faithful
as saints of old
still line the way
retelling triumphs
of his grace
we hear their calls
and we hunger
for the day
when with Christ
we will stand
in glory.
And so to God
our Father
be glory
forever
and ever.
Amen.
Let's pray together.
Our Father
we thank you so much
for this morning.
Lord we want to praise you
today
that we have
your word
in our language.
That what a joy
it has been
over the summer
to spend time
in this letter
to the Philippians.
And so we ask
Lord that you would
help us
as your people
this week
as your spirit
is at work
in us
to do what Paul
says to these
Philippians
to practice
these things
and to do it
for your glory
and to do it
for your kingdom
and to do it
for the building up
of your church
in this place
we ask.
In Jesus name
Amen.