WEBVTT 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:02.720 Clive Russ, thank you for the privilege of coming. 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:05.700 Jen, I always look forward to joining you here at Christ Church 00:00:05.700 --> 00:00:08.779 and to those who were confirmed this morning. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.859 Bless you for your testimony and for the encouragement that is to me as we go on our way, 00:00:13.259 --> 00:00:16.839 but the encouragement that is, I'm sure, to everyone who was here this morning. 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:21.960 Those up in the gallery up there in the heavens and those of us down here in the church. 00:00:22.059 --> 00:00:25.379 So bless you for taking that step forward in your Christian life. 00:00:25.379 --> 00:00:30.640 And as you can probably hear, I've been doing far too much laughing and preaching and speaking over Christmas. 00:00:31.219 --> 00:00:33.100 My voice disappeared about three weeks ago. 00:00:33.619 --> 00:00:36.140 And, you know, like all things, it's like my wallet and my car keys. 00:00:36.579 --> 00:00:38.200 I just can't remember where I've put it. 00:00:38.700 --> 00:00:42.340 So I've lost it. I don't know quite when I'll find it again. 00:00:42.980 --> 00:00:49.780 But that's good news for you because it means that I'll avoid the temptation of speaking and preaching too long, I hope, this morning. 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:54.679 I did hear recently of a wonderful story of a bishop who was preaching away in his cathedral. 00:00:55.380 --> 00:00:57.760 And he was just warming up to his theme. 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:07.520 And after about an hour and a half, he was just coming around to the first of his points when he saw a gentleman in the back there get up and start walking out. 00:01:08.600 --> 00:01:11.260 And he said, excuse me, sir, I'm sorry, I'm in the middle of my sermon. 00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:14.620 And the gentleman said, I'm sorry, Bishop. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:16.879 He said, I need a haircut. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:22.839 And the bishop said, well, sir, shouldn't you have thought of that before you came to church? 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:28.179 To which he replied, well, before I came to church and you started your sermon, I didn't need the haircut. 00:01:28.180 --> 00:01:32.620 But folks, I'll try not to keep you. 00:01:32.740 --> 00:01:36.940 But we've got a great passage that was well read for us a moment ago. 00:01:37.640 --> 00:01:41.780 And I said to Clive, I sent him an email and left a phone message on his answer phone this week. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:46.620 When I go to a church, I think there's 562 of them in the diocese. 00:01:46.820 --> 00:01:49.920 Wherever I go on a Sunday, people always say, do you want to change anything? 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:53.740 And I say, no, I'll come and do whatever you ask me to do. 00:01:53.799 --> 00:01:55.000 I'm very happy to do that. 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:58.000 And this is the first time since I've been in the diocese. 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:00.379 I said, Clive, I'm not going to preach on this passage. 00:02:01.260 --> 00:02:03.659 I said, I didn't quite say because it was an answer phone. 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:06.079 And he said, this is a complete shocker. 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:12.639 But I know you're in the middle of a sermon series thinking about meeting with God, thinking about giving. 00:02:12.979 --> 00:02:16.480 So I am actually going to use our passage this morning. 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:25.299 And it comes from a letter of Philippians, which for many people is their favorite letter, their favorite epistle, 00:02:25.839 --> 00:02:29.139 their favorite writing of Paul in the whole of the New Testament. 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:34.819 And I think that's often because it's described as an epistle filled with joy. 00:02:35.139 --> 00:02:41.219 I think the word joy comes more times in the letter to the Philippians than any other letter. 00:02:41.219 --> 00:02:47.439 And you think, well, what was Paul on that he wrote a letter that was all about joy and rejoicing? 00:02:48.379 --> 00:02:49.259 Well, what was he on? 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:50.280 He was on bread and water. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:52.599 He was in prison. 00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:54.639 He was in Rome. 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:57.819 And he was probably chained to a guard. 00:02:58.620 --> 00:03:03.400 He was languishing and regretting the freedom that had been taken from him. 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:08.360 And yet it's in Philippians, we get the words, rejoice in the Lord always. 00:03:09.140 --> 00:03:11.420 And again, I say, rejoice. 00:03:12.460 --> 00:03:18.599 And of all the letters, I think it's the most personal and it's the most warm in its tone. 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:25.860 And there's this deep, deep affection between Paul and the Christians that he writes to in Philippi. 00:03:25.860 --> 00:03:28.840 Anyway, it's not actually his last letter. 00:03:28.920 --> 00:03:30.000 We think that was to Timothy. 00:03:30.900 --> 00:03:36.940 But as he pens his last letter, probably to the Philippians, and I suspect reading it again, 00:03:37.020 --> 00:03:40.300 that he probably knew this was the last time he was going to write to them. 00:03:41.180 --> 00:03:42.400 He sends them a word. 00:03:43.380 --> 00:03:45.360 And it comes around three G's. 00:03:45.440 --> 00:03:49.380 The last two verses of Philippians are about three wonderful G's. 00:03:49.880 --> 00:03:52.240 It's the words, greetings, grace and glory. 00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:54.800 He sends greetings to them. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:57.960 He sends greetings from the saints who are with him. 00:03:58.340 --> 00:04:01.040 He sends greetings from Caesar's household. 00:04:01.880 --> 00:04:04.000 And he receives greetings back. 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:06.400 He speaks about glory. 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:12.000 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. 00:04:12.600 --> 00:04:13.000 Amen. 00:04:13.920 --> 00:04:17.160 He gets so excited that at the end of our reading it says amen. 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:20.120 And then he adds another bit on and puts another amen. 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:22.639 He just couldn't quite finish the letter. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:28.039 Because he so wants them to know that this is about the glory of God. 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:30.900 And that was the joy to hear in your testimonies. 00:04:30.980 --> 00:04:35.660 That for you, it's wanting to give glory to God in your life. 00:04:36.960 --> 00:04:38.280 And it's about grace. 00:04:39.640 --> 00:04:43.280 That's the other great word with James, his epistle. 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:46.759 And it's grace that brings you to faith. 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:49.099 It's grace that brings all of us to faith. 00:04:49.159 --> 00:04:50.000 It's by grace. 00:04:50.539 --> 00:04:52.099 Grace from the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:04:52.479 --> 00:04:54.539 That we can call God our Father. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:59.500 That we can know Jesus as our friend and our Lord and our Saviour. 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:04.879 We all remember the mobile phones that were the size of a brick. 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:08.300 And it's actually great that they're getting a bit thinner and smaller. 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:13.639 And as well as being used to 3G, we've now most of us got used to 4G. 00:05:14.500 --> 00:05:19.660 And so there is a fourth G in this book of Philippians. 00:05:19.660 --> 00:05:23.380 And he begins with greetings, he ends with greetings. 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:25.740 He begins with grace, he ends with grace. 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:27.939 He begins with glory, he ends with glory. 00:05:28.520 --> 00:05:29.880 And the other word is gratitude. 00:05:31.620 --> 00:05:34.740 He begins Philippians with these incredible words. 00:05:34.860 --> 00:05:39.860 He says, I thank God for our partnership that we've had in the Gospel 00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:42.120 from the very first day until now. 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:44.840 He says, thank God for your faithfulness. 00:05:45.200 --> 00:05:46.560 Thank God for your joyfulness. 00:05:46.920 --> 00:05:49.480 Thank God for the trust that you've put in Christ. 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:51.939 And so he begins with gratitude. 00:05:53.140 --> 00:05:58.160 And those funny verses, those 10 verses read so well for us by Jess a moment ago. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:00.600 I'd never preached on them before. 00:06:00.700 --> 00:06:02.320 I'd never really read them before, I don't think. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:04.380 But actually it's a thank you note. 00:06:06.320 --> 00:06:10.720 I'm sure after Christmas, one of the things that we all had to do on Boxing Day 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:13.480 or the few days' answer was to write that thank you letter 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:17.020 to the aunt, grandmother, friend, sister. 00:06:17.019 --> 00:06:22.759 And it's a lovely thing to write a thank you note and thank others for the gifts they give us. 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:26.479 Philippians ends with a thank you note. 00:06:27.039 --> 00:06:28.779 That's basically what that reading was. 00:06:28.779 --> 00:06:32.539 And it begins with these words. 00:06:33.059 --> 00:06:36.939 I rejoice greatly in the Lord. 00:06:37.579 --> 00:06:39.219 He thanks them for who they are. 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:40.859 He thanks them for their faith. 00:06:40.860 --> 00:06:44.300 And he rejoices greatly in the Lord. 00:06:45.180 --> 00:06:46.520 Possibly in the dark. 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:48.500 Almost certainly in prison. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:51.360 With visitors coming to him. 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:53.699 But hours spent in loneliness. 00:06:54.360 --> 00:06:57.240 And that feeling of lostness that must have overwhelmed him. 00:06:57.240 --> 00:06:59.040 And yet he says, 00:06:59.860 --> 00:07:02.180 I rejoice greatly in the Lord. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:05.819 Your fellowship refreshes my fellowship. 00:07:06.420 --> 00:07:08.840 Your faith strengthens my faith. 00:07:09.420 --> 00:07:12.600 Your grace brings God's grace to me. 00:07:13.340 --> 00:07:16.540 And I thank you for it, is what Paul said. 00:07:16.540 --> 00:07:23.560 He was clearly facing terrible difficulties and terrible sufferings. 00:07:24.520 --> 00:07:27.560 And he rejoices that they are loyal to Christ. 00:07:28.500 --> 00:07:29.340 He says, 00:07:29.540 --> 00:07:31.360 I brought the good news to you. 00:07:32.460 --> 00:07:33.540 And you know what? 00:07:33.939 --> 00:07:36.759 Now you're bringing the good news to me. 00:07:37.540 --> 00:07:39.640 And my heart rejoices. 00:07:40.180 --> 00:07:42.840 I rejoice greatly in the Lord. 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:49.560 And I think one of the reasons why Clive and Russ chose this passage with a book that I think some of you might be reading. 00:07:50.259 --> 00:07:51.779 It's because of verse 12. 00:07:52.239 --> 00:07:54.000 When Paul says something remarkable. 00:07:54.739 --> 00:07:57.799 Remembering again where he is in prison. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:06.500 I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:13.360 It's worth just reading that again and letting those words sink into our minds and our hearts. 00:08:13.899 --> 00:08:16.139 I have learned the secret, said Paul, 00:08:16.899 --> 00:08:21.459 of being content in any and every situation. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:23.920 I know what it is to be rich. 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:26.019 I know what it is to be poor. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:29.060 I know what it is to be well fed. 00:08:29.060 --> 00:08:31.139 I know what it is to be hungry. 00:08:32.019 --> 00:08:34.080 I know what it is to drink freely. 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:37.000 I know what it is to be thirsty. 00:08:38.179 --> 00:08:45.539 And everywhere and anywhere and in everything, said Paul, I've learned to trust God. 00:08:47.240 --> 00:08:51.519 And that word contentment is a word that actually we don't hear very much about. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:55.159 It's not a value that our society seems to value. 00:08:55.159 --> 00:09:00.839 And yet for the society in which Paul grew up, contentment was one of the great virtues. 00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:05.360 I'm sure we've all heard of Socrates, who was a Stoic. 00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:10.980 And for the Stoics, contentment was one of the greatest virtues that there could be. 00:09:11.879 --> 00:09:16.740 And they sought to acquire it by stripping things out of their lives. 00:09:17.839 --> 00:09:22.240 They taught that contentment was not consisting in possessing much, 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:25.299 but in wanting little. 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:30.259 Not in possessing much, but actually wanting little. 00:09:31.740 --> 00:09:35.039 And some of that has passed, I think, into Christianity. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:41.940 We know that true riches, true wealth, true joy, true grace, 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:46.039 does not come through the piling in of possessions. 00:09:46.039 --> 00:09:53.799 We know people and we see a world in which people are seeking to acquire more and more. 00:09:54.439 --> 00:09:56.699 People are acquiring more and more riches. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:59.139 That's their ambition and their goal. 00:10:00.839 --> 00:10:04.339 And yet when you speak to others, when we think of our own lives, 00:10:04.439 --> 00:10:07.039 we know that that does not bring contentment. 00:10:08.899 --> 00:10:10.179 It's getting rid of envy. 00:10:10.779 --> 00:10:12.139 It's getting rid of jealousy. 00:10:12.139 --> 00:10:17.419 It's setting aside those sins and our failings that brings us peace with God, 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:21.179 peace with our neighbours, peace with one another, 00:10:21.620 --> 00:10:24.580 and peace within our own hearts. 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:28.500 Having a very, very, very big bank balance, 00:10:29.139 --> 00:10:33.379 it seems, does not help you sleep well at night. 00:10:33.379 --> 00:10:36.179 Paul says, 00:10:36.419 --> 00:10:38.759 I've learnt the secret of being content 00:10:38.759 --> 00:10:42.700 in any and every situation. 00:10:44.779 --> 00:10:46.080 But this is a virtue 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:49.059 that doesn't come through striving or through work. 00:10:50.039 --> 00:10:53.019 Paul says this is a gift from God. 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:55.679 Paul was clearly not a stoic. 00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:58.139 He's not trying to get to heaven 00:10:58.139 --> 00:10:59.980 in his own strength. 00:11:00.539 --> 00:11:02.580 He's not trying to make his life better. 00:11:02.580 --> 00:11:06.620 What he's learnt is that God is there by grace, 00:11:07.160 --> 00:11:10.860 sharing his glory and his love and his compassion. 00:11:12.540 --> 00:11:13.420 Paul says, 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:14.200 I'm okay. 00:11:15.820 --> 00:11:18.300 And I'm okay in everything 00:11:18.300 --> 00:11:21.740 because Christ is with me. 00:11:22.860 --> 00:11:24.840 And that was the joy again of the testimonies 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:27.780 of those who were stepping forward in confirmation this morning 00:11:27.779 --> 00:11:29.240 to hear them say 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:32.120 that Christ is there with them. 00:11:34.120 --> 00:11:35.399 I'm okay, said Paul. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:37.839 Not only because Christ is with me, 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:39.959 but because Christ gives me strength. 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:41.679 And the word that was used, 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:43.199 the word we find often in the New Testament, 00:11:43.659 --> 00:11:44.699 is the word dunamis. 00:11:45.439 --> 00:11:47.559 He gives me dynamic power. 00:11:47.699 --> 00:11:48.579 He gives me energy. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:50.240 He gives me strength. 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:52.879 And so Paul said, 00:11:53.560 --> 00:11:56.120 and tucked away at the end of Philippians, 00:11:56.200 --> 00:11:56.820 there it is. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:11:59.000 And Clive reminded us of it 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:00.680 in the start of our service. 00:12:01.740 --> 00:12:02.919 I can do everything 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:04.519 through him 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:07.399 who gives me strength. 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:10.720 And I'm sure that's a verse 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:12.459 that others have drawn upon 00:12:12.459 --> 00:12:13.500 throughout their lives. 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:16.559 It was a verse that changed the life 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:17.659 of Oliver Cromwell. 00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:21.259 Oliver Cromwell was a hard man. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:23.899 And he had the tragedy 00:12:23.899 --> 00:12:26.059 of seeing his son die. 00:12:27.199 --> 00:12:30.220 And he went into a deep, deep, deep blackness. 00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:33.620 He writes about an utter misery 00:12:33.620 --> 00:12:36.000 and complete desperation. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:38.759 As indeed he would do 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:41.100 at the death of his much-loved son. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:44.700 And then he says that this one verse, 00:12:45.899 --> 00:12:47.919 I can do everything through him 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:49.279 who gives me strength. 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:52.860 He said that verse saved my life. 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:56.659 He said it came as a beam of light 00:12:56.659 --> 00:12:59.019 into a dark place. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:01.480 That's glory. 00:13:02.299 --> 00:13:03.340 And that's grace. 00:13:03.340 --> 00:13:06.100 God reaching down to Oliver Cromwell 00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:08.340 in his lostness, 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:09.519 his sadness, 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:10.460 his bereavement. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.180 God reaching down to his world 00:13:13.180 --> 00:13:14.840 as we prayed just now. 00:13:15.399 --> 00:13:17.540 God reaching down into his world 00:13:17.540 --> 00:13:19.440 with the love of Christ. 00:13:20.180 --> 00:13:21.420 And it is for that reason 00:13:21.420 --> 00:13:22.820 that Christ came. 00:13:22.820 --> 00:13:26.760 Now Paul had ambitions. 00:13:28.180 --> 00:13:31.720 He had ambitions that would terrify any of us. 00:13:33.400 --> 00:13:34.760 His ambition was this. 00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:35.760 He said, 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:37.000 I want to know Christ 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.980 and I want to make him known. 00:13:39.760 --> 00:13:40.820 And it was that that took him 00:13:40.820 --> 00:13:41.540 through the mountains 00:13:41.540 --> 00:13:42.520 and the storms 00:13:42.520 --> 00:13:44.680 and the shipwrecks 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:46.139 and the beatings 00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:47.199 and the imprisonments 00:13:47.199 --> 00:13:48.379 and the rods 00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:49.159 and the loneliness 00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:50.019 and the hunger 00:13:50.019 --> 00:13:52.039 and all that he went through. 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:55.279 He had that overwhelming ambition. 00:13:56.079 --> 00:13:56.299 He said, 00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:57.439 I want to know Christ. 00:13:58.120 --> 00:13:59.399 I want to make Christ known. 00:13:59.939 --> 00:14:01.579 And I want to know the power 00:14:01.579 --> 00:14:02.579 of his resurrection. 00:14:02.580 --> 00:14:05.379 He wrote, 00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:07.480 I can do everything through him 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:09.100 who gives me strength. 00:14:09.800 --> 00:14:10.800 And he said that 00:14:10.800 --> 00:14:12.400 because he had met the risen Lord 00:14:12.400 --> 00:14:15.520 and he knew that he had within his own life 00:14:15.520 --> 00:14:17.200 the gift of God, 00:14:17.660 --> 00:14:19.080 the gift of the Holy Spirit, 00:14:19.680 --> 00:14:22.560 the gift that comes through resurrection. 00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:27.820 Those words come to challenge 00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:29.740 our very materialistic world. 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:31.840 We need to learn, 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:32.500 as a world, 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:34.780 that we don't get closer to God 00:14:34.780 --> 00:14:36.300 by acquiring things. 00:14:36.800 --> 00:14:38.019 We get closer to God 00:14:38.019 --> 00:14:39.460 by surrendering things, 00:14:40.280 --> 00:14:41.920 by surrendering our lives 00:14:41.920 --> 00:14:43.399 to Jesus Christ. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:46.420 These words that were read for us 00:14:46.420 --> 00:14:47.500 just a moment ago 00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:49.759 are a challenge to our world 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:51.200 and they're a challenge to us. 00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:56.120 And so as Paul ends his last letter 00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:57.780 to the Philippians who he loved, 00:14:58.400 --> 00:14:59.900 he rejoices in their faith 00:14:59.899 --> 00:15:02.139 and as he closes this epistle, 00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:04.879 as he closes with a thank you note 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:06.579 and an autobiography, 00:15:07.079 --> 00:15:08.959 as he sits in prison, 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.439 as he thinks about his own life, 00:15:12.120 --> 00:15:14.439 he realises he has an unshakable faith, 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:18.000 unshakable because he has a contentment 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:19.879 that comes from God. 00:15:19.879 --> 00:15:23.759 He ends with a word to the Philippians. 00:15:24.820 --> 00:15:26.740 And may that be a word to us 00:15:26.740 --> 00:15:28.759 as we go on our way from church today. 00:15:29.480 --> 00:15:30.700 This is what Paul wrote. 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:32.460 This is what he wanted them to hear. 00:15:32.899 --> 00:15:34.460 This is what he wanted them to believe. 00:15:35.299 --> 00:15:36.860 He ended with these words. 00:15:36.860 --> 00:15:41.019 And my God will meet all of your needs 00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:43.639 according to the glorious riches 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:45.240 in Christ Jesus. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:49.120 And my God will meet all of your needs 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:51.379 according to his glorious riches 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:53.019 in Christ Jesus. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:56.560 And then he wrote the word. 00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:57.740 Amen. 00:15:59.300 --> 00:16:00.440 Thanks be to God. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:01.620 Amen.