Philippians
Calvary Chapel Cherry Creek
Philippians 4 vs 8-23
December 3, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 4:8–23
Philippians Chapter 4 Verses 8 – 9 · This is truly so helpful. In whatever situation, person, relationship, in whatever whatever, it helps a ton to just stop for a moment and consider the good. We, (maybe this is just me), have a tendency to really focus on the issue, the problem, the negative and it leads me into the flesh, every time! · Paul’s dealing with a specific problem there in the church of Philippi, but this instruction is universal. What about the thing, the situation, the job, the spouse, the person, what about them is true in the eyes of God? They are beloved. God has a plan for them. There is a purpose there. God will bless if I honor Him in it… All of these things are true. Not personal truth. Personal truth is fickle and false. What is true that cannot ever be untrue. Meditate for a moment on that statement and meditate on that sort of truth! · And by meditate Paul doesn’t mean light the incense, dim the lamp and levitate! HA! The word actually means weigh these things, let these things have the weight. It’s an accounting term… · What about the thing, the situation, the job, the spouse, the person, what about them is noble? Might be hard to think of something about some folks but this is supposed to be hard. If it were easy, well, we’d just see the problem! That’s easy! But most times hard and narrow is the path that leads to life! A good friend of mine once told me that 90% of life is effort and the rest is ability. And it’s definitely true that hard work beats talent all day and twice on Sunday!!! “There’s nothing noble about it or them!” Not true. I’m just being a baby about it… · Choosing the easy path of how I naturally look out for myself, serve myself, convince myself I am good and others aren’t as good, that is what leads me into all of the situations and mental moments that honestly do me no good! · What about it or them is just? We give ourselves such grace and we deal with our own ridiculousness with such patience, how unjust it is to exact a supremely higher standard on others?! Oh, and the grace and mercy we are given brand new each day from the Lord, how unjust it is to take that happily from the Lord and then refuse to give it out ourselves!? · What about it or them is pure, lovely, goodly reportable, if there is any virtue, (and there always is), if there is anything able to be encouraged or praised (and there always is), commit, practice, perform and do that and now you’re voluntarily and loyally hanging out with God! Because when Paul says God will be with you what He means is you will be with Him. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t change. He doesn’t change direction or position…, we do! · And this is truly helpful! Let’s get physical for a moment. Talk about what the world says about these things which is dangerous, let me tell you, the wisdom of the world is suspect always! I saw a Smart Car the other day with a tow hitch! SUSPECT! What are you towing? A powerwheel!? HA!!! · Folks that are able to do these things, according to the Mayo Clinic have increased life span, lower rates of depression, lower levels of distress, greater resistance to illnesses, better psychological well-being and better bodies! Hey! Wanna be buff, be beneficial to the thing, the situation, the job, the spouse, the person, the relationship! Thanks GOD! · And let me tell you, let’s flip the coin here, Christians, those of us that are citizens of Heaven and filled with the Holy Spirit of God, these things should just be how we are! These things should be what we leave on the hearts of the thing, the situation, the job, the spouse, the person, the relationship! These things should follow us around, be the aftertaste of us being there and the legacy once we are long gone. That dude, that gal was true. She is noble. He is just. Lovely, praiseworthy, he is just a, she is just a good person. Made me feel good… · Part of my job and part of your job as a Christian is to make it easy on other Christians to be Christian. So, Paul says, do this because God does this for you and if you do, you will be near to God and being near to God benefits you in multiplied millions of ways!!! Philippians Chapter 4 Verses 10 – 13 · Interesting, Paul would take collections for the churches but it would appear that he did not take collections for himself (as this church was the only church that markedly supported him). Paul worked as a tent maker to support himself in ministry. And this statement in verse 10 is quite convicting for the modern church because we now have plenty of opportunity but lack care… · Paul said, “I have learned to be content.” Being content is not natural to mankind. It’s interesting, I’ve never heard of a class, seminar or need to teach people how to complain! HA! But contentment, that’s a whole different equation. Paul sits in some sort of Roman imprisonment, under the heavy hand of an egomaniac emperor, and he writes a letter to encourage others, a letter to help and serve others, a thank you letter, a letter on joy… · Being content and being happy are not necessarily the same things. Many secular experts have even concluded that humans are horrible at being happy! HA! We always find ways to interrupt our own gladness and mess things up… But being content is something different, and there is a work of grace and sanctification that is part of the Christian life that automatically, if God is trusted, will teach contentment… Let me explain… · Being content with your life means that you’re satisfied with what you have and who you are. Instead of comparing yourself to others or wishing you had what they have or a different life, you are living a life yourself that you can stand behind. You have learned what is right and what is good and committed to that code and over time, whether prosperity or problems arise, this is the way it should and must be because you have trusted the Lord, you have taken the path the Lord has led, you have made decisions based on the Word of God and not the world of man… · And even though (fill in the blank), who else could I be? Who else would I want to be? What else could or should I have done…? And a peace enters. · And Paul shatters the mold of suppressed capability that complaining sets every human being in with this revelation that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. That doesn’t mean he can fly or he can breathe under water, that’s not the all things… It means that whatever he faces next, he does so with poise, purpose, confidence and strength… Because he is who he is not by any other means but by the grace of God! Philippians Chapter 4 Verses 14 – 17 · That’s an interesting statement and not one that is explained well in scripture, perhaps, but not too well, that as we serve and give and minister, these things are credited to our account. I have my own ideas and I’m fully aware of the rewards of crowns spoken of in the scriptures once we are with the King, but those that are ministering gracious giving Christians in this life are richly rewarded…, and there yet remains a reward for you also in heaven… Philippians Chapter 4 Verses 18 – 19 · There is it…, there’s the earthly accounting if you will…. Philippians Chapter 4 Verses 20 – 23 · Our new brethren, the Romans guards that are assigned to me, those that are with me here in chains, the other inmates, they greet you, church. Such a cool statement. And he wraps up this book with the best way to wrap up a teaching, an interaction, a day, a life…, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all…! All problems fixed, all hope restored, all strength renewed…, anything sidelined by the flesh or the enemy’s strategies, back on the field. Go forward in the grace of Jesus Christ!
Philippians 4 vs 1-7
November 19, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 4:1–7
Philippians Chapter 4 Verses 1 – 3 · Why stand fast today in the Lord? Because of verses 20 and 21 of the previous chapter. We are citizens of heaven and there is coming a day where we will be translated unto eternal life! So today, no matter what we are facing, stand fast, and what’s that mean? Do what is right? Maybe. It means stay in lock-step, in alliance, in coalition with the Lord! · We have a choice today. A personal decision that we won’t have in the next part of our lives. On this side of eternity, we can choose to trust the Lord but when we are with Him, that choice won’t matter anymore, it won’t even be there anymore, because sin and the flesh will be gone. And will it not be such an amazing bond to talk to Jesus in that day and hear Him say, “Remember when you didn’t have to honor and connect and love Me and you did…? AND it made you have to stand fast!? It caused you a level of earthly suffering? Remember that? Yea, that blessed Me!” Won’t that be amazing to hear?! · And Paul finally gets to the issue that was harming the church there in Philippi. Syntyche and Euodia were somehow against each other, dishonoring the Lord and the Body of Christ. And so, check this out, Paul Tweets them by NAME! Wouldn’t fly today folks. HA! So many would condemn this kind of defamation. I tell you what, I would NOT! · And we get one more piece of info here about them…, not only are they members of the church there in Philippi, it would appear they were in leadership! Paul said they labored alongside him in the Gospel! Surprised that leaders in the faith can be childish, HA!!!! · So, what’s the correction to them? Well, really chapters 1-3. The fact that they are harming the purity and unity of the church means that they are air-balling chapters 1-3 and serving themselves. That’s the impact of finally getting to this in chapter 4 and you just can’t get away from that! You’re not sinning against the Lord and against that person that you continually gossip about and avoid and refuse to serve in and with humility because of what they’ve done. You’re doing it because you have turned a blind eye to the reality of grace, your own forgiveness, the blood of Jesus, the cross of Christ and the Kingdom to come! · So, Paul says fix it! How? Counseling and reconciliation and working it out…., NOT. AT. ALL. That takes too long. Why do we pray for miraculous healing when we are sick but when we are the disease, we are fully fine with a long drawn out treatment of medication!? Get my drift? Paul says, “Be of the same mind…,” here’s the key, “in the Lord.” Don’t reconcile your differences, BE DIFFERENT, but prioritize Jesus over self. ALL relational problems SOLVED right there!! Both folks doing it by the way…. Philippians Chapter 4 Verses 4 – 5 · Paul says be a person that puts off the vibe of rejoicing in the Lord always! Why? Euodia stinks! I mean even her name makes me cringe, Eweee-odia! Ha! And Syntyche is full of sin, so she’s so…, touchy! HA! UGHHHH. BUT, Paul says rejoice in the Lord always! He commands, in the Lord, that the extent of our possibility of gentleness be experienced by everyone, friend or foe. Why? Because your names, her name and yours, both are written in the Book of Life! · This is the only place in all of scripture that the “Book of Life” is mentioned (by name) outside of Revelation. Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” · What are these books? The first set of books is most likely the Book of the Covenant or otherwise known as the Book of the Law. According to Deuteronomy 31:26, the Book of the Law was put beside (and this is interesting) the ark of the covenant, that it may be there as a witness against the people… And John sees what he calls “another book, which is the Book of Life, or the Lamb’s Book of Life…” · What’s that? That is the purity of the Tree of Life of the original creation restored through the Lamb slain for the sins of the world. And every name that has ever existed is in this book because Jesus died for the sins of the entire world. And yet the Bible speaks about names being blotted out of this book, those that reject the Lamb… Revelation 20:15 says, “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” · The fact that my name, your name, the names of these ladies that seemingly hate each other, the fact that all of these names are recorded for eternal life through the blood of Jesus (and that’s it) is a source of rejoicing for them, for me, for us! That my sins are forgiven and forgotten and all that matters is that your name is found in Jesus’ book, written in His blood and if you have accepted Him as your Savior…, based on nothing else at all, it is!! · Rejoice and let your gentleness be known to all men. A sad soul is no witness for eternal life…, and a critical, mean, ungentle soul is no witness for your name being written in the Book of Life! You’re on the naughty list, homie!!! · Ok, so in light of ALL That…. Philippians Chapter 3 Verses 6 – 7 · The formula for peace in the soul/spirit. Check this out. Whatever it is you are facing, dealing with, anxious about, unsettled about, what’s one of the hardest things to do? Stop thinking about it and start praying about it! That can be so hard! But God gives an amazing promise… · First, you transition from perplexity to prayer! And supplication really means that your move from solving the problem by your own means to leaning on Lord for His solution! But, here’s the code, bring into your heart not only the problem you are facing but also the blessings you have received. And trust in the Father’s solution for you. If you trust Him, then whatever it is that comes, gratitude is there as well. That causes hope to light up like a torch! I’ve heard it said this way. Be anxious about nothing, but pray about everything, and be grateful for anything… · Spend time talking with the Lord about it and the promise of God is that His peace will flow…, not peace like the world gives but peace that may not even make sense but makes you able to face the next step, then the next, then the next… Surpassing all understanding means that there’s no way I can explain it, you just have to experience it! · And man, let me tell you, I want God guarding my heart and not me… All through my connection, bond, relationship and trust in Christ Jesus! He’s the key! And today is the only day I have, this part of my eternal life is all that I have, this side of eternity, to honor Him and to walk by faith!
Philippians 3 vs 17-21
November 12, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 3:17–21
Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 17 Paul puts himself out there with this statement and essentially volunteers himself as an example that others should be wise enough to follow. Can you say that!? Doesn’t that invite criticism? Invite close investigation? You may hear these words of Paul and think, “Well, Paul is a bit full of himself, isn’t he?” Actually, no! When someone says something like, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ,” which Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, the response is typically either curiosity or condemnation, why? Would you say the same? Honestly. Would you today be willing to honestly assess your maturity, wisdom and discipline and readily step forward and say, “Yep, brethren, join in following my example!” The unfortunate truth is that most would not be able or willing to do that. Why? Defects in maturity, explicit lack of wisdom and obvious issues with discipline. Stir that recipe up with just a pinch of humility and you get resignation… So, anyone else…, anyone else, steps forward and says, “Brethren, join in following my example,” and the natural response is condemnation. It was Mark Twain who once said, “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” From the vantage point that we have discussed, makes total sense. AND, there is however still another response that Paul receives from this statement and that is one of curiosity. Hmmm, this man is putting himself out there. Inviting close investigation…, can I do that? Would I do that? Maybe…, how is it that he is doing that? Curiosity peaks. Why? Well, you KNOW that in you and in every human, there are defects in maturity, explicit lack of wisdom and obvious issues with discipline…, just as Paul knew this about himself. He writes in Romans 7:15, “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do…” He says in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am!” Stir that recipe up with a TON of humility and a heaping tablespoon of worship…, and you get engagement and even a sense of responsibility… What’s it take for a person to honestly say and be willing to be a Godly example? Humility… Surrender to Jesus. Dependance upon the grace of God and the righteousness of the blood of the Savior. Why do so many condemn and sing the cultural chorus of “Don’t judge me!?” A huge problem in the church in terms of humility, surrender to Jesus and dependance/gratitude towards the grace of God… Who is your example in the faith that you are curiously watching, learning from, following? Who in the faith are you openly and knowingly an example of Christ-likeness towards? The hard truth is that as citizens of heaven, we should have and be both…, as Paul gives the command here for the brethren, for us, to “note those who so walk,” and that is the pattern for the faith. Interesting and certainly concerning how far we have strayed since the time of the Paul…. Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 18 You need to understand here that in context Paul is talking about the church! The Body of Christ. Believers! He’s writing this letter and the theme is joy, for sure, but the concern of this letter is correction to the church there in Philippi as there were members who were hurting each other! When one part of the body hurts another part of the body on its own, in the realm of the physical we call that a disease! And Paul says here that even in the church you will find those that, and these are STRONG words, alarming words, those that are, “enemies of the cross of Christ!” This is wild because Paul is saying things that won’t fly in the easily offended model of Christianity today. Paul called out members of the church by name in 2 Tim 4:14, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.” That’s a prayer! We hear, “love the sinner but hate the sin…” Okay, where is that in the Bible? That specific line? At least one element of someone’s sin is their free will… Would Paul agree with that line? We need to wake up! Grace is not a free ticket to hurt people! Paul says in the church, there can be enemies of the cross of Christ!! Not enemies of Christ… Pay attention! Enemies of the CROSS! What does that mean? Jesus showed forth the character of God and the goodness of God and the purity of His power when He went to the cross for not only his friends but also His enemies! “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do!” And He was willing to be broken so that others could be made well. Jesus would say before those events in Matthew 16:24, “Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” And the crazy thing is that the next statement of Jesus reveals that this mindset is the best, most powerful, purposeful, joyful life…, like it’s the key to being awesome inside and out, and He says this in the very next sentence…. Matthew 16:25, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it…,” what’s that mean? Someone who does not take up his own cross is someone trying to save his own life! “But whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” What’s that mean? Become like Christ and find the life that was and is hidden in Him! No wonder so many in the faith are serve-me, cater-to-me, consumers and critics rather than encouragers, servants and situational saviors! Paul calls that mentality in the faith, in the church, “enemies of the cross of Christ!” Disease! There is a part of me that is that! And I know it! And by prayer and discipline and opening my heart and mind and lifestyle, thinking, decisions, reactions, subordination to God daily…, I’m working on it! Are you!? We all should be because to an extent…, this is every one of us! Some 99% unfortunately, some 5%..., this is not binary…, this is prevalent! So, what’s this look like practically? And the fact that Paul goes into this next section means that we ought to “note those who so walk.” He gives us the problem first, the enemies of the cross of Christ, and then he gives us the citizens of heaven…. Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 19 Check this out. One thing in business strategy or even process improvement is to start with the end in mind. Cast a vision and gain the commitment of the stakeholders… Paul says here that for those that have this humility issue and/or when I have this humility issue, the end of it, what it leads me to, (and I’m talking about immediately), is destruction. The word in the Greek means waste not like garbage but in the sense of having something valuable but getting nothing for it. Like wasting money! That’s the context… Paul says, “whose god is their belly,” which means they are driven by worldly, bodily, carnal appetite and “whose glory is in their shame.” That means the things they say and even do that they think are good and honorable, others and especially the Holy Spirit is like, ewwww. And remember, this is in the church! Here’s an example that I’ve encountered countless times over the years. Someone serves in the church in some capacity. Let’s say, for example purposes, the parking lot ministry (since we don’t have that so no one will get bent out of shape!). Someone will say to me, “Oh it was so great to serve in the parking lot ministry this month. It was a blessed 6 hours!” And everyone that hears it rolls their spiritual eyes… The person saying it is boasting, talking about how much they’ve done, how great they are, while all of the hearers, ALL of them including the Holy Spirit, are like, “You serious, Clarke?!” Their personal glory is indeed a source of shame for them in the body…, and they don’t even know it… So, what’s their reward for serving those 6 hours? That single moment and statement and that’s it… It all just got wasted…. “Who set their mind,” like a clock, “on earthly things….” Philippians Chapter 3 Verses 20 – 21 What a Christian really is, what we should set our mental and spiritual and soulful clocks to, is that we are citizens of heaven! We are eager, active, aware and watching for the soon return of the Lord, and/or keenly aware of our own mortality…, and we are soft clay in the hand of the Perfect Potter who has the authority and jurisdiction and Lordship to boss us around, transforming us bit by bit into His glorious plan for each of us! It’s like we are here on passport. If you want to go to any other country, you’ll need a passport. And a passport declares your citizenship. A citizen of the US can either be born here or be naturalized, (become a citizen through a process). One of the statements/vows/oaths required to be repeated by anyone becoming a citizen is, “I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic…” As a citizen of heaven, you and I are to leave behind and renounce all allegiance and fidelity to the threefold enemy of the cross of Christ which is the devil, the world, and the flesh… And as a citizen of heaven, we are to now uphold the laws of heaven… How much of me…, how much of you are even unknowingly and enemy of the cross of Christ, acting outside the laws of the Kingdom for which I am a citizen!!?
Philippians 3 vs 12-16
November 5, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 3:12–16
Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 12 · I love this statement by Paul and what it does is that it reveals his maturity in the Lord and honestly his grasp of reality. Paul is incredibly strong as a Christian but also just as a man, as a human being. He writes a book on joy and faith and peace from a Roman prison cell?! He will make a statement later in chapter 4, “I have learned in whatever state I am to be content…” From my perspective and no doubt those around him, he’s got it all figured out… · But…, just as any person that has glimpsed the (I don’t know the word) awesomeness, perhaps vastness, perfection, holiness…, the amazing grace of God…, (or figured out how much YOU and I NEED God’s grace in order to be anything but lost!) no one, none of us this side of eternity have even begun to know what we ought to know or be who we ought to be… no matter how great we are in terms of this world. Stack yourself not up against other men and women…, or the American dream…, hold the spotlight on Jesus for just a moment and my name isn’t even worthy of the title of insignificant! · And that doesn’t bring me down! In no way does that bring me down! What that does is that elevates Christ! John wrote, as his popularity was surging, as the effectiveness of his ministry was in a stage of ultimate success, he wrote in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease!” That’s not self-deprecating or some sort of lack of self-esteem or self-respect in any way. What that is, is a person that has glimpsed the importance and significance and amazingness of God and then, who am I to talk about?! Let’s talk about Jesus! · By this time Paul had planted 14 churches. Over the course of 13 years, he embarked on three missionary journeys, traveling (without trains, planes, or automobiles) more than 7,000 miles! It can be credited to Paul that he came up with and packaged the doctrine of the New Covenant that would turn Christianity from a small sect of Judaism into a worldwide faith! · In the preaching of the gospel and the serving of the Lord and others, we are even told in 2 Corinthians 11 all that he had endured! (stripes, prisons, death threats, beatings, once he was stoned (calm down Colorado). Three times shipwrecked…, constantly weary, constantly sleeplessness, constantly hungry and living a life truly suffering to serve the Lord! · This man had not just moved from one place to another to plant a church or take a church over, he had truly given all time and time again and was incredibly successful in the faith to the point that 2,000 years later, we still know his name. And we will 2,000 years from now… And yet, he knew, not just a statement, this was actually a secret to his strength and God-honoring success, he knew that he had far more to know and to learn than he already did at this point. · How about you? Do you know that about yourself? Or are you good with God? So good that instead of putting his grace and goodness and mercy on display, let’s put your (our own) faithfulness on display… Maybe not physically but certainly mentally… Let’s make your name known rather than the name of Jesus!? PRIDE. See how practically immature that is and how out of touch with reality we can be!? · The point is that we should consider the spiritual maturity and pure strength of character of Paul in making this statement that in light of the reality that even he himself has SO much left to learn and so much growing up still to do, he presses on to apprehend, to capture what it is God has given him and purposed for him in Christ Jesus. Which means, and this is definitely what we should be doing, he lives in a constant state of seeking the Lord in this way…, “God, what is it You want and have for me today… I am yet going to make sure my heart is soft towards what You teach me…” · That can become (and is) a major problem in many Christians’ lives and truly its all of us some of the time. That we just close the books if you will and figure we know what’s right and wrong, what’s good and not good, and we just live out what we know… Look, that’s not a terrible thing, to live out what we know, we should do that, BUT, we should also have the maturity and intelligence to perceive and accept that we do not fully yet know all that we should…. And for that reason, not only do we remain teachable but we cultivate (watch for, look for, even desire) lessons constantly as God leads us through each day. If we ain’t doing that then we ain’t filing away wisdom…, and we are doomed to repeat lessons that God has purposed for us to learn! · This is an essential to actually being mature in the Lord at all. This sense and air of not being enough and always striving to be more for the Lord, to know Him more, to serve Him more… The culture’s narrative is progressively more and more that you and I are enough as-is and should be entirely accepted and celebrated just as we are however, in reality, that is thoroughly childish and quite a sophisticated level of immaturity. Sure, in terms of being accepted as one human race, you are enough, but in terms of growing up within that human race, come on…, stop now and that’s exactly what happens, you stop. · In the life of a healthy/growing, mature, secure and spirit-filled Christian, there is a constant sense of God has more for me. God wants to draw me closer. There is more of Him to know, much more to learn, and a ton more of serving the Lord and His Kingdom. I’m positionally enough strictly and solely upon the saving blood of Jesus. I’ve set my foot into the Kingdom based on the promise of God through Christ…, but now that I’m here, so much to discover and do… and there’s an urgency and also an awareness that the flesh and sin works to my extreme disadvantage in all of that …. A mindset reserved for the mature Christian, such as Paul. Philippians Chapter 3 Verses 13 – 14 · It’s a difficult thing to actually do what Paul just laid out for himself and for us… He says that for him or for me or for you to press toward the goal, to move forward, to grow, to heal…, (and he says “this one thing,” meaning if everything else was there and this wasn’t, everything else wouldn’t work…), Paul says there is a type of forgetting that I HAVE to do regarding my past. · Now, forgetting in such a way as justifying my past sinfulness will just lead me to possibly repeating those things or really serve to make me prideful, so I am not to forget in such a way as to justify, but a part of God’s grace is to move on, move forward, and forget in such a way as to mature forward. · But what about those sins that have been committed not by me, but against me? Perhaps even more difficult. In what Paul is saying here there is a bit of escapism and there is a bit of acceptance. The word for “forget” literally means, “send it to oblivion,” “count it as a thing not cared for…” Holding onto past hurts, in a way, reinjures because there’s an element of re-living in holding onto things. And so, it’s a sort of trap. A mental prison cell. And Paul, Biblically commands and permits, escape. · In a way, that takes an element of acceptance of what happened. And that’s a process. You go from shock, to grief, to anger and then finally to acceptance. But here’s what the Bible says, send it to oblivion, leave it where it is, in the past, and escape the barbed-wire entrapment of letting it control and limit your present, and certainly your future. · Paul would know. His own people had harmed him so intensely. He himself had harmed his own people so intensely. And yet everyday God had an intention to flood him with power, grace, freedom and purpose..., oh and joy. And Paul knew, perhaps you need to know this too, what God has for you is limited or can even be refused through us holding onto the sins in our past whether ours or others… · The implication here is that you don’t want to miss the prize and notice the prize is the upward call of God in Christ Jesus… Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 15 · Paul calls what we just discussed…, maturity. And notice, if someone refuses to do this for themselves, because this is something no one else can do but self, then you need to pray for them. The problem isn’t their information or their intelligence, it’s their revelation… And what has happened is that the past, whatever it is, has become a stronghold of the flesh or even the enemy in their heart and lives… Strongholds are only brought down by the work of God in the heart of a person… Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 16 · Notice, Paul says “to the degree that we have already attained…” Are there some that are better Christians than others? Sure. We just can’t get away from this. And Paul says we become degreed as we grow up in Jesus. · The thing to remember and to apprehend however is this. I am not running this race against anyone but myself. The version of me that is sad, depressed, aggressive, thorn-covered, guilt-heavied and incapacitated…, races against the version of me the is strong, joyful, satisfied, mature, wise and glimpsing my God-ordained capacity! · AND…, I love the grace that Paul closes out this section with… It’s a personal accountability type of grace for others. If you know, if your eyes are open to this, praise the Lord. If someone else’s aren’t, well, let them grow up in the Lord… And just like you need it, give them grace as well. · BUT, but, if you understand this, if God has revealed this to you to be good and true and what you ought to do, then walk in it as a rule. Not a suggestion, not a “hey, this will help you,” if you can understand what Paul has said, what we’ve discussed…, well, let me put it this way, if it has been revealed to you, then it indeed will be a rule for you personally…
Philippians 3 vs 3-11
October 22, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 3:3–11
· (Concerning, “Rejoice in the Lord.”) I say again. Joy isn’t only an emotion. It can be, but doesn’t have to be. Joy is not the absence of sorrow. Joy is resolve of hope, determination of personal goodness and righteousness, no matter the setback or circumstance. And therefore, joy is in a way a decision! It’s a choice and it rests upon your great confidence in God! Have you ever hurt so much in your heart…., that you hold your breath just to feel a different pain for just a moment? In a fallen world with sin all around us, that is a part of the Christian experience. And yet Paul says, from prison, from suffering, rejoice! So, here’s the charge, joy is at least a portion my responsibility as a Christian. · Paul continued, “Beware of dogs!” What do dogs do? Think of a “Beware of Dog” sign. They bite rather than welcoming. They attack rather than protect. They beg and demand rather than serving. They snap at you. They are dangerous. They run in packs. Christians are not to be dogs…, we are to be sheep following the ways and guidance of the Shepherd! · What does that look like? Well, that’s a ton to talk about this morning but one thing that I came upon this week that sort of blew my mind was Matthew 25. The people that were serving the Lord directly said to Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You?” And Jesus replies, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” The point is that the righteous don’t even in a way look to serve God, its just what they do and who they are because God has been allowed to do a deep work in their hearts! (Contrast that with Matthew 7 as the people said, “Lord, we did all these things in Your name…”) · Beware of evil workers! This is not speaking of people outside of the church! The word for “evil” is also “harm” and the word for “workers” is also “forwarder.” Beware of those within the faith that are forwarding harm towards each other! · And finally, he takes a cannon-shot at the Judaizers within the church. You have to understand that the early church, early Christianity, was actually, practically, in reality, it was a sect of Judaism. It came from Judaism and it came from the Jews. It even spoke of and honored the Law of Moses. Not in a way of salvation but in a way of tradition. Jesus Himself would go up to the Feasts in Jerusalem. · But what was different is that Jesus did not come to keep the law OR to abolish the law…, Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” However, old habits die hard… You ever hear that expression, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Well, in many circumstances that’s true but in others it’s probably better said, “You can teach an old dog new tricks but unteaching the old ones is the real problem!” HA! · There were Christians at the time, Jewish Messianic born-again believers who would follow Paul around and when a gentile got saved, they would then seek to convince them to be right with God they would need to be circumcised and keep the law, essentially coming into Judaism-Christianity and these were called the Judaizers. · This was a major issue for the early church and understandably so… There was even a pastor’s conference of sorts convened to discuss this issue and we have that recorded for us in Acts Chapter 15… · Paul goes as far here as to say that what they were doing wasn’t even circumcision but at this point its mutilation! And then he goes as far as to completely scandalize them… Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 3 · Romans 2:25-29, “For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” · Essential to Christianity! If circumcision or any other work increases our stature in the eyes of God then we cannot rejoice in the grace of God through Jesus Christ, we cannot rejoice in the cross of Christ, and we cannot rejoice in or through the free gift of salvation. If circumcision or any other work increases our stature in the eyes of God then I must now (and can only) rejoice in what I do. And what does that do? Leads me to dejoice (my word) kill my joy, when I don’t do what I ought to do… What’s the problem with that!? ME! · What we are supposed to do is worship God in Spirit. Give our entire selves to God, heart, soul, mind and strength…, the good and the bad, and let Him deal with it by the power of His Word, His presence, His love, grace and His Spirit as we individually seek to be His (relationship)! We seek God in the inner most parts of our hearts and that works its way out for sure to the works in the flesh but we cannot, do not, doesn’t work, seek to know God more purely upon good works! · What we are supposed to do is rejoice in Christ Jesus, not rejoice in ME! What we are supposed to do is have no confidence in the flesh but ALL confidence in Christ for our right standing with God! And then Paul lays this out… for himself personally with his own story… Philippians Chapter 3 Verses 4 – 6 · Circumcised the eighth day. And what he means by that is perfect from birth and not only that, perfectly handled by his holy parents! Of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin which would have elicited honor from all of his readers as this tribe, one of the two sons of Rachel, was the tribe that was responsible for the first King, King Saul, and the best portion as Jerusalem is in the area of land allotted to Benjamin… · But it also is a statement that his family line is so pure that he traces all the way back to Abraham… A Hebrew of Hebrews; not a Hellenistic, (Greek culture leaner), who were looked down upon but pure in religion, pure in Jewish culture, pure in the ways, laws and traditions of the fathers. Concerning the law, a Pharisee. And we cast that title in a negative light but in that culture, these were the super-star athletes. It’s been estimated that in all of the history of the Jews, there were no more than 6,000 Pharisees at all! · Concerning zeal, persecuting the church! To be an elite Jew and yet have no passion was looked down upon and the more zeal you had the more righteous you were! Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. He kept the law to the “T.” Philippians Chapter 3 Verses 7 – 8 · It’s not just that he counts these things from the past as loss but what’s more, there’s a tense change in these verses, he counts all things even today that he has achieved and is achieving as good as loss for the sake of honoring God and not himself! Philippians Chapter 3 Verses 9 – 11 · BE FOUND IN HIM! If I’m good enough, if what I do is sufficient to make me better in the Kingdom of God than you, if what I do is able to increase my value to Jesus, then I am found in ME! Precisely the problem that causes people to be jerks towards others, bite and devour one another, and wish, hope and pray that the person that gets under their skin would just grow up and be more like ME! It’s self-worship, y’all!!! Not Christ worship! · The resurrected life always follows the crucified life! We want the payoff now and then we may give everything to God. That is not how it works because that is the opposite of faith and God does not work through that or in that manner! · Paul is sharply correcting the spirit of division, consternation and criticism in the hearts of the two women that are worshipping themselves in the church at Philippi and he’s doing it masterfully! No, they’re not good but neither are you! So, love them for the righteousness they have in Christ, not in themselves, and join Jesus in serving even those that were eternally less than Him… And in that, even a resurrected mind, heart, soul, and strength…, a little secret here, can be proportionally grasped even now…, a term the Bible calls, not eternal life…but everlasting life!!
Philippians 3 vs 1-3
October 8, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 3:1–3
Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 1 · I like how Paul says “finally” here in perfect pastoral pattern. Why? Because this is the mid-point of the letter. So, when a pastor says “finally” or “we’re almost done” in a sermon, you know you’re about halfway through! HA! · Actually, that word in the Greek also means, “Moreover, furthermore or henceforth,” so moreover, rejoice in the Lord! It is often difficult and sometimes even impossible to rejoice in circumstances. But the born-again, Spirit-filled believer can always rejoice in the Lord. Why? Well one, God is above and beyond any circumstance! And, when you think upon what the Lord has done for you, all of the goodness of God, it is impossible not to rejoice! Your sins are forgiven! You are free to live unto Christ! You have eternal life and that eternal life is secure in Jesus! He has brought you through every bad day you’ve ever had and His plan for you going forward is good and God’s favor is upon you because of Christ, no matter what! · He doesn’t change with the characteristics of the cultural or the crisis of the circumstance. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His grace is for you, His love is upon you, and His promises are true AND somehow, in all things, He is working them together for the good, for those that love God and are called according to His purposes. · I said last week, and just like Paul mentions how repetition is important, I’ll allude to this fact again. Joy isn’t only an emotion. It can be, but doesn’t have to be. Joy is not the absence of sorrow. Joy is resolve of hope, determination of personal goodness and righteousness, no matter the setback or circumstance. Joy is in a way a decision! It’s a choice and it rests upon your great confidence in God! So, here’s the charge, joy is at least a portion my responsibility as a Christian. · A faithful expectation of a positive Godly outcome. A steadfast trust in God’s wisdom and goodness. Yes, Jesus is the Author of my faith and therefore He gets the credit for every ounce of it I have but it is up to me and truly I must activate and walk in that faith and that includes (if not is completely) the act of rejoicing! Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 2 · These verses are so powerful! And they are the setup for the next series of verses that will round out our study of the first half of Philippians. Paul says beware, beware, beware! And the context here is not outside of the church. The context, and you really can’t get away from this, is from WITHIN the church! · Beware! Discern this! Look out for this! Don’t turn a blind eye to this in others OR in yourselves! Because it is a mutilation, a distortion, an injury, super harmful, these things are a contamination in the Body of Christ. BRUH! Listen up! Examine yourself and take note of these things in others and get back on track…or maybe for them and for some out there, get on the right track for the first time! · No wonder your walk with God isn’t filled with joy! No wonder you’re critical and not courteous! No wonder your heart is to consume and critique rather than care for and contribute to the work of the ministry! No wonder your faith cannot defeat your fascinations with your flesh and serving yourself! Two women in the church of Philippi were more concerned with despising and hating on each other than serving the Lord and rejoicing in grace and Paul goes hard after the problem now… And really, truly, simply, completely…., it all boils down to pride! Focus or fancy of self of which Paul says BEWARE!!! Open your eyes and fix it or at least stop accepting it in yourself and do SOMETHING! · Beware of dogs! A term that Paul is somewhat turning on its head because that would be the term the Jews would use for the gentiles…, it’s sort of the worst of insults… And now Paul uses it to warn the gentiles really of the Jews in a way but also it’s a warning speaking about carnal Christians too! · Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Paul gives us more insight here speaking to the church in Philippi and really in correction of the folks that were biting and devouring each other from within the faith! · What do dogs do? Think of a “Beware of Dog” sign. They beg and demand rather than serving. They bite rather than protecting. They snap at you. They are dangerous. They run in packs. Christians are not to be dogs…, we are to be sheep following the ways and guidance of the Shepherd! · Beware of evil workers! This is not speaking of people outside of the church! Does that not incense you! The word for “evil” is also “harmful” and the word for “workers” is also “forwarder.” Beware of those within the faith, these should be sacred-slapped (HA!), beware of those within the faith that are forwarding harm towards each other! · And if this is you, what are you doing!? You are doing exactly, precisely, entirely the opposite of what you should be doing and you are the foundational weakness in the body of Christ and you’re choosing to be! When the fruit of the Spirit, when the Spirit of God is being honored, that result is love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, longsuffering, faithfulness, control of self! Paul says “beware” and definitely DON’T BE! · And finally, he takes a cannon-shot at the Judaizers within the church. You have to understand that the early church, early Christianity, was actually, practically, in reality, it was a sect of Judaism. It came from Judaism and it came from the Jews. It even spoke of and honored the Law of Moses. Not in a way of salvation but in a way of tradition. Jesus Himself would go up to the Feasts in Jerusalem. · But what was different is that Jesus did not come to keep the law OR to abolish the law…, Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” However, old habits die hard… · And there were Christians at the time, Jewish Messianic born-again believers who would follow Paul around and when a gentile got saved, they would then seek to convince them to be right with God they would need to be circumcised, essentially coming into Judaism-Christianity and these were called the Judaizers. · Paul goes as far here as to say that what they were doing wasn’t even circumcision but at this point its mutilation! And then he goes as far as to completely scandalize them… Philippians Chapter 3 Verse 3 · Romans 2:25-29, “For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” · Essential to Christianity! If circumcision or any other work increases our stature in the eyes of God then we cannot rejoice in the grace of God through Jesus Christ, the cross of Christ, or my acceptance through the free gift of salvation, but now I must rejoice in what I do. And what does that do? Leads me to dejoice (my word) kill my joy, when I don’t do what I ought to do… What’s the problem with that!? ME! · What we are supposed to do is worship God in Spirit. Give our entire selves to God, heart, soul, mind and strength…, the good and the bad, and let Him deal with it by the power of His Word, His presence, His love, grace and His Spirit as we individually seek to be His (relationship)! We seek God in the inner most parts of our hearts and that works its way out for sure to the works in the flesh but we cannot, do not, doesn’t work, seek to know God more purely upon good works! · What we are supposed to do is rejoice in Christ Jesus, not rejoice in ME! What we are supposed to do is have no confidence in the flesh but ALL confidence in Christ for our right standing with God! And then Paul lays this out… Which we don’t have time this morning to cover…, and will cover next time we meet…
Philippians 2 vs 14-30
October 1, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 2:14–16
Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 14 – 16 · How can I best reflect Jesus!? By memorizing and quoting reciting…, correcting and reciting and teaching others to do the same! Maybe…but what you do is entirely completely eternally forever less important than how you do it and why you do it! · I mean, I was thinking about this. Do ALL things without complaining? Ugh, that’s so much! BUT, this does honor the Lord. This does destroy that which is in me that stirs discontent. So how can I do this? And the Lord just said to me, “Do less.” Simplify. · I gotta go to work. I gotta love my wife. I gotta upkeep the house. I gotta go to church. I gotta go to the store. I gotta call this person. Meet this person. Respond to this email. Finish this project… That’s a lot! Put all of that in the envelope of, “I want to know the Lord more. I want to honor Him.” All that fits in there… Far more simple and far easier to do without complaining… Just a thought, perhaps! · We read “complaining” but the word in the Greek Paul uses is actually “a secret displeasure not openly avowed.” Also, translatable as “grudging.” Do all things, (this is Christian talk here, what we are commanded to do), do all things without secret displeasure not openly avowed. Do all things without grudging. Does that mean air out all your offenses? Absolutely not. Proverbs 29:11 would call you a fool! That means don’t be a grudgy person. You are most like God when you give…., and when you forgive! Not concerned about being Christ-like? Whoa…, are you a Christian??????? · It’s not be less grudgy, it’s don’t be grudgy at all! Forgive folks and move on and do it without disputing. That word in the Greek means “imagination or thoughts or reasoning towards arguing.” It really means don’t be negative but the Greek word tells us how. Quit imagining how you feel is more real than what actually happened and think differently about them and the whole thing! · But, but, but, but, but…, yea I know. And where is that going to get you? Hurt, pouting, offended, annoyed, disturbed and irritated. You want that, that’s on you, but that is not Christ-like and therefore it is not right. You are in the wrong, no matter what has happened to you. Take it to the Lord. · But, but, but, but, but…, too many Christians are a group of “buts!” This is the purpose. Not so that life is fair to you…or to me…but so that we may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life causing people like Paul, other Christians, to rejoice and be encouraged to run their own race! Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 17 – 18 · The drink offering is something given to us in Numbers 15 and essentially it was an accompanying action of a burnt offering, a vow, a freewill offering or an offering during one of the appointed feasts of the Jews. So as some sort of sacrifice was happening, there would be a measure of wine poured out alongside of it. An offering of sacrifice would be some sort of meal, you’d make a burnt offering and then someone, such as the priests, would eat portions or all of the meat. But a drink offering was different. It would be completely consumed… · Paul wrote to the Romans in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” This is the type, we are given here further details of the type of living sacrifice Paul is talking about. Fully consumed, there a moment and then gone, the fire far more powerful than the quart of wine described in Numbers 15. That’s a word for me…, because I take what’s going on with me and compared to the “fire of God” in my heart of hearts, sometimes my circumstance and my feelings are as voluminous as a great lake…, and pouring it out quenches the fire… Paul says, actually reveals to us here, that is a recipe for depression, misery, agitation and being troubled in the spirit. · What do I mean? Look at what Paul says, “I am glad. I rejoice.” A bit of a secret of creation. A harkening back to how we were originally designed and still today how we optimally operate as an autonomous human system. To be fully consumed in your heart of hearts by God, to be a living sacrifice unto the Lord, we think that lasting happiness comes from circumstance and joy from good situation and experience, but the secret is that those things (lasting happiness and joy and strength of spirit) comes from being fully committed to Jesus. Even in the harshest of situations…, Paul is thinking he may and will be executed, and yet…, joy. How? If he lives, he lives unto Jesus. If he dies, he dies unto Jesus. Where does joy come from? Rejoicing in the spirit and in your heart of hearts? Doing what you were made to do. Trusting and serving and living for the Lord… Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 19 – 22 · A couple character traits of Paul that are notable here. First, he is a man that trusts in the Lord. Has his own desires, he wants to send Timothy to them, but he trusts God whether it happens or not. And, Paul is a someone who defaults to a positive expectation. He says that when hears of their current condition, he will be encouraged. I admire that… · It’s saddening, hurtful, difficult to think positively, to hope or expect things to go well, to be encouraged, and yet find discouragement. And if that has happened a lot in your life, as it’s happened a lot in everyone’s life, it takes something admirable to keep going, and to keep doing what is right…, but what might hurt you even yet again. But that was Paul, and that was Timothy…, perhaps two of the best of us. Two of the best men possible as Paul says here, “For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.” · It’s almost like he scoops himself and even Timothy up in this characterization of all and yet at the same time reveals the battle that they both wage against the darkness that has become this world and the darkness that has become the heart of all men… The battle that he fights even against his own sin and Timothy as well. The best among us are the ones that fight winning battles against their own darkness of heart! Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 23 – 27 · Interesting to note here that Paul was not able to miraculously heal Epaphroditus. If faith healing were foolproof, these verses shouldn’t exist. The reality is there are unrepentant reprobates that God heals and there are righteous men and women that He does not…, and that is just the reality… Philippians Chapter 2 Verse 28 · “Less sorrowful.” But verse 3 of Chapter 1, “I thank my God…” He is thankful. But verse 4 of Chapter 1, “always in every prayer.” He is faithful in prayer. Continuing in verse 4 of Chapter 1, “making request for you all with joy.” He is joyful. But verse 6 of Chapter 1, “Being confident of this very thing.” He is confident. But verse 8 of Chapter 1, “How greatly I long for you with the affection of Jesus Christ.” He is expressively affectionate… · “So that you would be less sorrowful, Paul?” But verse 18 of Chapter 1, “In this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” But verses 23 and 24 of Chapter 2, “Therefore I hope…, I trust.” Joy is not the absence of sorrow. Joy is resolve of hope, determination of personal goodness and righteousness, no matter the setback or circumstance. Paul was a man of great sorrow and yet also a man of great thankfulness, prayer, joy, confidence, affectionate, rejoicing, hope and trust. And he is in good company. Isaiah 53:3 says of the Savior, “A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…” Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 29 – 30 · The willingness to put the work of God first and before even personal safety, health and even emotional, physical needs…, this is the condition of the noble in the Kingdom of God. The faithful. The problem that plagued the church in Philippi, and frankly the problem that plagues the church today, is the condition of the opposite. Men and women putting their own interests before the interest of God, a condition that Jesus described in Peter as satanic…. · Until we mature, check this out, we will lack in supplying what is needed towards our fellow man and really what is needed in our own heart of hearts to experience abiding and lasting joy…
Philippians 2 vs 9-13
September 24, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 2:9–13
Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 9 – 11 · Every knee, every tongue…, one day free will will give way and every person that has ever existed will recognize Jesus for who He is. And who is He? Isaiah 45:23, “I have sworn by Myself. The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess.” Who is speaking here? This is Yahweh. This is Old Testament. So, who is Jesus? He is indeed the King of kings and the Lord of lords… No man can be exalted. No name of any man can be above every other name. This is a clear communication of the deity of Jesus. · Do you see how God the Father crowned Jesus, God the Son? He didn’t crown Himself. Could have, He himself is God., but, even so, He does not crown Himself. Why? He knows His worth. We are so ferocious in protecting our reputation and making sure everyone knows our worth, Jesus was never like that. He knew who He was and what He was worth and that freed Him to do what was so much higher than serving Hmself. This is the mind that Paul says we must “let” be in us as well. · Know your worth. God calls you His beloved. He actually call you His masterpiece in Ephesians. He thought you, purposed you, created you, intentionally. He redeemed you with His own life. And now wants to and can use you to beam His glory through. Yea, I’m not perfect, I make mistakes, I do dumb things and I’m not even close to being complete in my maturity…, the devil can whisper all of that in my ear and I’ll agree with him. But I know who my God is and what He has done for me and what He says of me and what He calls me. I don’t need you or me to tell me my worth. He does… How about you? · God, the King of kings, Lord of lords, took (with His own hands) the form of a slave… Why? Because it was the wisest, strongest, smartest, best, most powerfully loving thing possible. That is the mind of Christ. When you follow that you move past “saved” and you become a Christian. That’s when you and I grasp our worth and it humbles you, and in that process the mind of Christ becomes welcomed so that Christ would come back to the world through you. · Oh man, just one more thing here… see this? The tongue is doing something and the body is doing something (the knee). What we say, what we sing in worship, what we pray, who we say we are, should align with what we do… Just want to point that out… And, these two agree (the tongue and the knee) that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father! What you say and what you do, they have to agree! Philippians Chapter 2 Verse 12 · People get all mixed up over this verse because they don’t couple it in correct context. All this means is there is no room for arrogance in the walk of salvation. I am, you are, saved by grace through faith and not of any merit of your own. And no merit of your own keeps you saved. Makes you acceptable or more acceptable to the Father or more than anyone, ANYONE, else. And so, work that out. Put it to exercise. Flex that over and over and over again until it breaks down and builds back stronger. Sure, you’ll be a little sore! That’s the fear and trembling part… No one is afraid anymore of offending God… but if we knew the power of God and the power of His Word, we would!!! Philippians Chapter 2 Verse 13 · There’s the correct context of verse 12. Anything good. Anything, harkening back to what Paul has already said, anything of consolation in Christ, anything of comfort, love, fellowship, affection and mercy, any of that is not you achieving honor but it is a shadow of the goodness that originated in God before time began and therefore it belongs to Him. · Think of it this way. Every evil thing. Every sin. Does any of that ever originate with God? Absolutely not. So, every good thing. Everything that is a blessing. Why do you think that originates with you? That’s Him just coming through. If He is the source of good from the beginning… then all good now is attributable to Him, right? So, every and all good in me or in you, why do I take credit for it? That’s incorrect. · So, secondary truth, when you raise your nose to that brother or sister in the faith you are raising your nose at least in a percentage to God Himself! Because in every Christian, there is at least a percentage of good…or…they are not a Christian! · I like what George Muller an 1800s Christian evangelist and orphanage director once said, “The believer must work out what God in His grace has worked in.” Jesus perhaps completing this thought in Matthew Chapter 4 Verses 13 – 16, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 14 – 16 · How can I best reflect Jesus!? By memorizing and quoting and correcting and reciting and teaching others to do the same! Maybe…but what you do is entirely completely eternally forever less important than how you do it and why you do it! (Do you serve or are you a servant!?) · I mean, I was thinking about this. Do ALL things without complaining? Ugh, that’s so much! BUT, this does honor the Lord. This does destroy that which is in me that stirs discontent. So how can I do this? And the Lord just said to me, “Do less.” Simplify. I gotta go to work. I gotta love my wife. I gotta upkeep the house. I gotta go to church. I gotta go to the store. I gotta call this person. Meet this person. Respond to this email. Finish this project… That’s a lot! Put all of that in the envelope of, “I want to know the Lord more. I want to honor Him.” All that fits in there… Far more simple and far easier to do without complaining… Just a thought, perhaps! · The other side of that is to do these things without disputing. The English language is so weak. I mean, we read “complaining” but the word in the Greek Paul uses is actually “a secret displeasure not openly avowed.” Also, translatable as “grudging.” Do all things, (this is Christian talk here, what we are commanded to do), do all things without secret displeasure not openly avowed. Do all things without grudging. Does that mean air out all your offenses? Absolutely not. Proverbs 29:11 would call you a fool! That means don’t be a grudgy person. You are most like God when you give…., and when you forgive! Not concerned about being Christ-like? Whoa…, are you a Christian??????? · It’s not be less grudgy, it’s don’t be grudgy at all, forgive folks and move on and do it without disputing. That word in the Greek means “imagination or thoughts or reasoning towards arguing.” It really means don’t be negative but the Greek word tells us how. Quit imagining how you feel is more real than what actually happened and think differently about them and the whole thing! · But, but, but, but, but…, yea I know. And where is that going to get you? Hurt, pouting, offended, annoyed, disturbed and irritated. You want that, that’s on you, but that is not Christ-like and therefore it is not right. You are in the wrong, no matter what has happened to you. Take it to the Lord. · But, but, but, but, but…, too many Christians are a group of “buts!” This is the purpose. Not so that life is fair to you…or to me…but so that we may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life causing people like Paul, other Christians, to rejoice and be encouraged to run their own race!
Philippians 2 vs 6-11
September 10, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 2:6–11
Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 6 – 8 Here is the downward progression of God, Jesus Christ, and that sounds like a bad thing but it is a GREAT thing, because it ends in total deliverance, victory and exaltation. The way of the world is get higher! Soar further! Grow larger! Become superior! And then the watermark of those statements typically centers around personal wealth, individual importance, or becoming a somebody. Once a week I get an email saying, “You’ve been selected for inclusion in the next Who’s Who of the Aerospace Industry,” and I think to myself, “niccccce!” HA! I’ve yet to not delete that email! HA! But in the economy of God things are so different and even not so different! Not so different in terms of everyone wants awesome. Everyone wants great… but so different in that Jesus said (and this is the sociology of eternity, the culture of the kingdom), Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-27, “Whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant (minister in the Greek). And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave…” Psychology, sociology and theology all merge to reveal the little pieces of heaven walking among us that we call “Christians!” Psychology because those that serve others have settled something so powerful within themselves. That their security is solid. Their sense of inner purpose is far beyond the limitations of what they can get for themselves. They’re ok with what they’ve got already. Which frees them to desire and get crazy pleasure out of supporting and assisting and protecting and relieving the needs and shortcomings of others. Sociology because those that serve others take their place as part of the whole. Interacting constructively, building, edifying and assuring the promise of a better collective future. And theology because this is precisely what God commands and expects us to do while also being the ethnology of eternity in the kingdom of God… ON EARTH! The high exaltation of Jesus Christ by God the Father (the next verse) was through Him progressing in service towards even His own creation. So much lower than Him, so much less than His own worth, but He didn’t see it that way. John Chapter 1 verses 1-2, “Jesus Christ, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” then John 1:14, “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth!” This stepping down into His own creation, making Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, humbling himself and becoming obedient even to the point of death, was His own personal promotion. A revealing of the “full of grace and truth,” and it was nothing anyone convinced him of, preached Him into, persuaded Him to do. The true revelation of the heart of a champion, the heart of God Himself, is that it was all His decision! He didn’t get voted out 2 to 1 in heaven! HA! He looked upon those that had made themselves His enemies and because of His goodness, His maturity, His incredible strength of heart and character of power and love, He stepped forward and put me first, put us first. Because of His love for you. If your son or your daughter was in desperate danger and needed your help, would you need to be persuaded to help them? Just a glimpse of Jesus’ heart for you and for me… And so, He stepped down. Paul gives us perhaps one of the most theologically important descriptions of what Jesus did in all of the Bible. Critical, essential to even understanding the core of Christianity. Not soteriology. Not the understanding of salvation. The understanding of how it is that Jesus is to continue to live His life through you. That is a part of “Christianity.” He says there in verse 8 that Jesus, “being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself….” The word comes from a form of the word “kenoo” in the Greek meaning that He emptied Himself. (For you studiers, I believe the doctrine of Kenosis goes too far…) It’s a beautiful word in the Greek meaning that Jesus, for you, for me, for the sake of others and for the sake of what is right and because HE is good, assigned Himself to a lower rank and made Himself lower. He brought Himself to the human condition. Was He always fully God? Absolutely. Did He retain all of the privileges of divinity? Somehow, no. What He set aside and what He retained we can’t be sure of but we KNOW He hungered. He thirsted. He tired. He wept. He bled. But we also know Colossians 2:9, that “in Him, in Christ, all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form.” And so somehow in creating His own condition, He limited Himself, humbled Himself, literally assigned to Himself a lower rank. That may not hit paydirt for you. What do you mean Jesus was humble? He walked on water. He commanded demons. He made money come out of the mouth of a fish. He could take 5 big macs and make 5,000 out of them. Yes, He could do all of those things… But even with that kind of capability, He was born in a barn, to a poor family. He was kind to those that were not kind to Him. Nathaniel said nothing good comes out of Nazareth. He grew up in working class family with brothers and sisters. He owned no house. He owned nothing. He was essentially homeless as a young adult. He prioritized giving rather than consuming. His reputation was certainly low in some crowds. He endured insults. He was the frequent target of disrespect and false accusations. He was rejected. He was despised. He endured an astounding lack of appreciation… He was murdered… and then He was buried in a borrowed tomb…. This same Man who could call 10,000 legions of angels to His side… Why? Well for one because He is and was and forever will be the second Adam! The perfect man. The one filled with grace and truth. Strong in and of Himself in goodness and righteousness and wholly focused on doing and being right in the eyes of the Father… But on top of that…why? For all sorts of reasons! One, to not be a fake. If He was to die in my place then He literally had to be in my place! If He was to be a true friend to mankind then He had to experience and understand what it’s like physically, emotionally, even spiritually. If He was to be our High Priest in representing us to the Father then He had to come from among us… He had to stand in my place so that I can stand in His place. Do you know that is what the gospel is? The message that who we are to God the Father is because of the blood of Jesus and that’s it? Saved by grace…through faith, not of works…why? IMPOSSIBLE! No one could have done what Jesus did but Jesus…, And because of what Jesus did, this emptying of Himself, CHECK THIS OUT, somehow, in some mysteriously even arguable way (because its confusing and past my understanding) even God, all that God could be and all that God was for real for real, on the inside, became known and eternally significant as the citizenship of heaven exploded with countless souls! His full of grace and truth would never have been communicated, known, expressed, manifested unless Jesus LET this be His decision! This is holy ground, man! This is what makes all levels of power of darkness look like a bunch of useless, sad and weak cock roaches! This is the more than conqueror, this is the rivers of living waters, this is the FULL OF grace and truth. This is what we signed up to follow! And check this out…, here’s the proof text on those statements!... Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 9 – 11 Never would have happened unless Jesus had known His worth but submitted Himself to what was needed by those that He loved so much. God, the King of kings, Lord of lords, took (with His own hands) the form of a slave… Why? Because it was the wisest, strongest, smartest, best, most powerfully loving thing possible. That is the mind of Christ. And Paul says get saved, become a citizen of heaven, and then get Christianed…, and LET the mind of Christ be in you so that Christ would come back to the world through you.
Philippians 2 vs 1-5
September 3, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 2:1–5
Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 1 – 4 · This is the greatest of challenges possible for the church and for all of us. For some, it is their greatest failure. Not greatest only as in grand, but the one with the most negative impact. If you fail at these verses, you cannot serve the Lord. 1 John 2:9, “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother (miseo, meaning detests, pursues hatred, is love less to his brother), is in darkness…” If you fail in unity, you fail in love. If you fail in love, you fail in glorifying Jesus in your life… These verses contain the greatest of challenges possible for the church, which is made up of each of us individually… · For some it is their greatest triumph! Not greatest only as in grand, but the one with the most positive impact! If you strive and receive and apply and work for these verses, you are personally doing the most Christ-like thing one could ever do, and you are lighting your own path towards following and honoring the Lord! 1 John 2:10, “He who loves his brother (agapeo, meaning to welcome, to serve, to find a way to be fond of them, to end contention) abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” If you succeed in unity, you succeed in love…and that shines glory towards the cross! · Barrage of quotes…, so good though! Someone said, “Unity if the fruit of humility.” A.W. Tozer said, “One who lacks humility is fooled about himself!” Martin Luther said, “God created the whole world out of nothing, and so as long as we are ok with being nothing, He can make something out of us!” · This is the greatest failure of the church because this is the single reason why our corporate witness is hindered in the world. Imagine a church without division. Without disunity. Without inter-church and intra-church contention…! But everyone of us simply striving to honor and worship the Lord by how we conduct ourselves! What would the world think of us then? · Certainly, individually many succeed here but the hard part is that corporately, well, if one fails, we all fail… It’s been said that the culture of an organization is equal to its worst behavior tolerated! WHOA! Ugh, I know it’s terribly difficult. People are mean. People make mistakes. People think only of themselves (traffic is a great example!). Did I say people? I meant Christians… but Paul pleads with them to see it the way Jesus saw the multitudes… Unrighteousness and cruelty and selfishness, its all just ignorance…, truly stupidity…, and I get it, stupidity frustrates and enrages! But look at what Paul says!! · If there is ANY. ANY! 1%. One crumb. One dust flake. One molecule. If there is any consolation in Christ… Jesus You died for my sin, You loved me even when I hated You, You showed me mercy, You gave me grace, and You still do today…, but that’s not enough for me to check myself and be welcoming, fond and end contention with them…! See how that makes no sense!? · There IS a TON of consolation in what Christ has done for me, for you and for US…, but if ANY…, if that means anything to you…, if ANY comfort of love, if ANY fellowship of the Spirit, if ANY affection and mercy…, the point is find a way to get over yourself for the sake of what is good and what is right. Here, one Christian fails, and the witness of the church fails. STOP FAILING! · Failery Chapel, First Fail Baptist Church, New Hope Church of Failure, what are we doing!? But just like this church in Phillipi, personal interests were exalted, worshipped, honored higher than God’s interests. Can you see that all that is idolatry but without the wooden gods…? · Pull back the Insta-God Filter! You may be a Christian by self-assigned title but the absolute truth is that you and I are no followers or worshippers of Jesus Christ unless these verses are our ambitions! · Like-mindedness, one love, one accord, one mind. Conform to them? They’re stupid! NO! Be not conformed to the image of the world but be transformed into the image of Jesus! Isn’t that all that it means to be a Christian? Oh no, being a Christian means that I am forgiven of my sin and I am under the grace of God and I have eternal life through Him. There’s a huge problem with that theology…, YOU’RE THE THEO! All of that is all about you! · Being a Christian means you are being and becoming more like Christ. How many of you prayed a prayer asking Jesus as your Lord and Savior and that’s why you’re going to heaven? Well, what if that ask is accompanied by a continuation of idolatrous, satanic, evil acting!? Dude, why so confident!? Somehow being saved and being a Christian have diverged…, separated and it should not be so. · Rather Paul says now that you follow Jesus, let nothing be done, NOTHING, through selfish ambition or conceit. The word for selfish ambition…its literally…its only strife. It literally means contention. All contention is idolatry! Oh, but we have to stand fast…, you can do that without strife, man! We can discuss, disagree and we can do it in agape (welcoming, considerate) love! How? Be interested in honoring the Lord! Sheesh this is so basic and so missing! · The word for conceit is “self esteem or personal opinion.” Paul says nothing. Nothing should be done with that as the motivation. That’s the world, man, which you were saved out of, right? Well, what if that’s still you? Bruh, are you saved but not a Christian? Doesn’t work that way! · But in lowliness of mind…, willing to yield, putting yourself second, striving and flexing all your hangups to empathize and connect with the other person, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Paul doesn’t say for me to think that you are better than me, you’re not… (although everyone is better than everyone else in something)! The charge is for me to esteem you better than I am esteeming me! Simple! And yet the GREATEST failure of the church! Imagine, just imagine if we all did that. Christians acting like Christ…, BRUH! · Let each of you look out for each other. Merging in traffic would be a breeze! HA! Look out for me. I’ll look out for you. This is the Way. There is no other. I’m telling y’all, this is concerning, this whole idea of being saved but folks just fine living apart from Jesus. I mean, the way the enemy has wired the religious narrative today, some can’t even discern that they are so far from being a Christian…and even worse, most don’t care. This is the poison, the disease that had crept into the church and remains the greatest challenge even today. · So, what must you do? Philippians Chapter 2 Verse 5 · This whole section, which some refer to as perhaps the most theologically significant scriptures in all of the New Testament, and not only that but just simply the call, the process, the principles, the run-rules of what we/I am/are supposed to be and in truth who we now are IF we are in Christ, to make everything make sense and grow forward into what God has planned for us, this whole section starts with the word LET! · Which means, this is totally under your control and your decision and my decision must be to submit to God’s will. Surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit. We have to let this be for each of us and if we don’t do this, it’s not going to happen! · So, let this mind be in you, the one mind we are all to be keen to have, this mind which was also in Christ Jesus! I mean that’s it! That’s what a Christian is, right! Someone who decides to want to think and to actually think and consider and calculate and conclude just as Christ would if He was doing it and not you!! Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 6 – 9 · Here is the downward progression of God, Jesus Christ, which ends in total deliverance, victory and exaltation. Jesus Christ, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth! · This stepping down into His own creation, making Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, humbling himself and becoming obedient even to the point of death, that was all His decision! He didn’t get voted out 2 to 1 in heaven! HA! He looked upon those that had made themselves His enemies and because of His goodness, His maturity, His incredible strength of heart and character of power and love, He stepped forward and put me first, put us first. · And because of that, somehow, in some mysteriously even arguable way (because its confusing and past my understanding) even God, all that God could be and all that God was for real for real, on the inside, became known and eternally significant as the citizenship of heaven exploded with countless souls! His full of grace and truth would never have been communicated, known, expressed, manifested unless Jesus LET this be His decision! · This is holy ground, man! This is what makes all levels of power of darkness look like a bunch of useless, sad and weak cock roaches! This is the more than conqueror, this is the rivers of living waters, this is the FULL OF grace and truth. This is what we signed up to follow! And check this out…, here’s the proof text on those statements!... Philippians Chapter 2 Verses 10 – 11 · Never would have happened unless Jesus had known His worth but submitted Himself to what was needed by those that He loved so much. God, the King of kings, Lord of lords, took (with His own hands) the form of a slave… Why? Because it was the wisest, strongest, smartest, best, most powerfully loving thing possible. That is the mind of Christ. And Paul says get saved, become a citizen of heaven, and then get Christianed…, and LET the mind of Christ be in you so that Christ would come back to the world through you.
Philippians 1 vs 28-30
August 27, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 1:28–30
Philippians Chapter 1 Verse 28 · “Not in any way terrified by your adversaries…” This word “terrified” is an interesting one in the Greek. It’s the same word used for, and literally is meaning, a horse getting spooked. Why do horses get spooked? Primarily because they are animals of prey. They don’t have claws, talons, sharp teeth, armor… And so even the smallest of things can spook them and there are even what’s called, “spooky horses,” or horses that spook easily or constantly! So why would Paul use this word? · How does the Bible describe the people of God? Horses? Bears? Lions? Welp, unfortunately…, we are sheep. And sort of in the same boat as a horse when it comes to natural weaponry and defenses. Maybe even at a bit less of an advantage because a horse’s top defense is speed, a sheep’s top defense is, well, first the shepherd and second the flock and that’s about it. Now, a spooky horse is not “battle-ready.” Can’t take a horse that easily spooks and ride into a fight… · A sheep that is able to stand against a wolf (how the Bible describes the carnal man) or a sheep that is able to stand against a lion roaming about seeking whom he may devour (how the Bible describes the enemy) and not be terrified…, what does that mean? See it now? It’s proof that there is more than meets the eye. That the realm of the Spirit, the Good Shepherd, is nearby… OR, or that the sheep make a formidable foe when they serve each other. In either circumstance, faith is activated and that defeats the confidence of the enemy… · Paul says that to them it is “a proof of perdition.” When a Christian is strong, I’m not talking about belligerent, offensive, a jerk, cut-throat or cruel, that’s not strong at all…, but different…, calm, filled with grace, able to stand fast, not causing or stirring up more strife but at peace and emanating peace, that is strong…, when a Christian is strong and able to stand against intimidation, cruelty, abuse, offense…, the carnal man and the spiritual host are shown and somehow see that they are beaten and it’s a sign of their ultimate coming defeat. Proof of their perdition, that the strength they carry is cotton candy… · And then we walk away or exit the moment and we’re like, “man! I can’t believe that was me!” And then you realize…, “wow, that wasn’t me at all!” So, to us it becomes PROOF of our salvation! · Now you may say, “I’m not afraid.” Let’s talk about that for a moment… Because fear doesn’t always look like outward weakness. What does “terrified of your enemies” look like in a Christian life? Reactive reasoning and logic as opposed to contemplative, prayerful, seasoned and/or righteous reasoning. Strife at church. Stirring up division. Arguments in the home. Broken relationships. Sad spouses. Pitiful children. Broken careers. Compromised ministries and lost or lack of dreams and goals. The world looks at us and sees tragedy at the mercy of the flesh and it says, “Glad I’m not like them, glad I’m not a Christian…” · But when we are standing fast, persistent, consistent, resilient and diligent and it lasts more than a week, a month, a year to the point where it’s obvious its not just genuine but even something beyond human ability (because that’s how God rewards faithfulness) then it causes them to question their own inconsistencies and what they are hoping in themselves! · When we live a life in reaction to the things of the flesh, we inevitably and inadvertently harm our witness and ourselves! I was walking into work on a Thursday morning and I go in early and I park nearest to the door of my office. I walk past a field of sorts towards the entrance to the building and its always early so there are typically a bunch of bunnies. One this week freaks out scared that I’m getting closer to it and it takes off running, just reacting…, just doing something because it thinks its in danger! The stupid thing though ran right towards me! HA! I was like, “what are you doing?” And at the last minute it just darts another way! Don’t be a silly rabbit, church…, tricks are for children. And that is what division is, that’s what strife is…, it’s a reactionary result, of someone reacting in the flesh and it’s a trick of the enemy! · Alright, last thought, and I love love love this one, taken from Guzik’s commentary with a bit of my own spin, “When we fail to be terrified in any way by our adversaries, they, whether spiritual or physical, have failed completely because there is really no other weapon than fear and intimidation!” Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 29 - 30 · And here’s where the snowflakes melt, man. When serving the Lord and doing what is right to prop up the power of the Kingdom of God gets personally expensive… Let me let you in on a secret of life. Suffering brings joy. Without suffering there is no opportunity for joy to take root in a heart. It’s just the way it is… · It’s odd I know. A weird thought I know but if you take the time to really chew this one over mentally, you’ll see it. Suffering and joy always hang out together. Without suffering, letting something personally cost you, there is no sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, achievement, worth… Check out Colossians 1:10-12, same concept that Paul is talking about here, “walking worthy of the Lord,” and he uses words like, “fruitful, good works, knowledge, strength, might, glorious power, thankfulness,” and right in the middle of all of those things we all want, “patience, longsuffering and joy.” · Jesus would have had no joy over His entire creation or victory over the sin of the world lest it be for the cross. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” · If you are unwilling to suffer for anything then nothing truly will be important to you. Why are so many depressed and discouraged and so very sad with really nothing to look forward to or celebrate internally? Because the spirit of entitlement and unalienable human rights is our way of life. When hard work, long suffering and personal discipline is the design within each one of us for not only satisfaction with life but with self. · How do you pick your head up out of discouragement and find joy in each day? By being willing to be inconvenienced, and even willing to suffer for the cause of personal profit, purpose and power YESTERDAY! · ANDPaul says it this way, for “His sake!” Its so easy to see in any life by your reactions, decisions, situations and mostly your citizenship…, your flavor and life conversation, what is most important to you… Your sake or His sake… And as long as it stays your sake, you’re going to be depressed, deflated, agitated in the spirit and at least partially incompetent in managing your own life… · And finally…, the word used by Paul, specifically “granted”, Paul says the Christian, the Christian is at some sort of advantage here. Why? Because you have the Spirit of the King of kings in you… And through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you have been granted not only eternal life but everlasting life… · Those rivers are in you and they are in me and Paul puts on display and he’s trying so hard to explain to us and to give to us that those rivers don’t flow unless we are willing to put in some striving towards the Kingdom and some suffering towards righteousness! To flip a decision switch that Jesus’ sake promotes to most important in our lives, and oddly, other-worldly, that’s when we find and meet and achieve our God designed potential…
Philippians 1 vs 27
August 20, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 1:27
Philippians Chapter 1 Verse 27 · It’s actually an unfortunate translation in my opinion that gives us the word “conduct.” I remember getting report cards. Remember those? I know we still get them but now they are on paper or on the computer but 30 or 40 years ago they were on heavy card stock. Remember them? Like they carried weight! HA! Maybe that was just my perspective… · And I remember, “English, Math, PE,” (always my highest grade), and then at the end we were graded on “Conduct.” Folks would probably melt today to be judged in such a harsh way! HA! But that’s what I think about when I see that word. Like a grading on how I’m behaving and that’s not what this word is at all… · The word in the Greek is “politeuomai.” It most literally means, “your citizenship,” and perhaps most sophistically means, “your life conversation.” It’s from where we derive our words “political, politics, polity, policy, and public.” In other words, I think a better translation, that in me solicits a more meaningful response, is “Only let your citizenship, Whom and where you represent, your life conversation, your flavor and your legacy, be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” · Tell me to clean up my conduct or watch my conduct and not only is that ultra-shallow but something in me drops that directive very quickly. But question my citizenship? Where I’m from. Who I am. Entirely different directive, and maybe that only makes sense to me or just a few of you, but I would hope not. · Where are you from is an important tribal-type code for us humans. We wear college jerseys; we identify with our originations… We rep our cities and we feel a part of places. Some have accents. Maybe not the place you live today, maybe the place you grew up in. Maybe that place you left but it never left you. As a Christian, and Paul knows this, repeats this several times, we are citizens of heaven and Jesus is our King. Abraham knew this. Had everything. All sort of land ownership and was very rich and yet we read in Hebrews 11:10, “He waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” · Jesus said in John 14:1-4, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” One of the most comforting phrases for a wandering soul such as myself, “A place for you…” · Do you sense and feel and identify with this concept that you are a citizen of heaven…,on earth with a work permit? Ha! Or are you so tied to the temporary that your allegiances lie on this planet or with this state or with this political party or with this church movement or even just with THIS life? No problem being a part of any of those things, but the Christian, you’re something more, much more. · Paul reminds them there at the church in Philippi who had a couple of members that frankly weren’t conducting themselves appropriately (we’ll find that out later in this letter), that we ought to remember whom and where we represent to this foreign world…, and he calls this citizenship according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ! · What’s that all about? You didn’t buy into this community. Pay a fee to be part of this society. You didn’t earn it and certainly were not worthy. In fact, you were in the slums, limited, poor, stuck…, but God so loved you that He sent for you, and through His own personal and eternal sacrifice, well, He adopted you as His own son, His own daughter through the laying down of His own life. · Adoption is special. Kids are typically born to us. We can’t pick ‘em. We sorta get what we get. HA! Not adoption. If you are adopted today then you’re something special because someone looked at you and chose you… this is what God has done for me and for you. That’s how we gained our citizenship. And there is a celebratory humbling that comes along with that realization… · So, our life conversation, our flavor, our legacy, as a Christian, we must have it reflect our citizenship, where we are from (Holy Spirit now within us) and where we are going…, and that reflection should have the flavor of why as well. Not because we are worthy or good or better or smarter, but because God in His mercy has granted us forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ. · Ok, so what does that look like practically? I’m glad you asked… Philippians Chapter 1 Verse 27 · Paul says, citizens of heaven, this is their culture, their accent, their way of life…, “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel!” Stand fast is an oddly oxymoronic statement. It simply means to persist, something to keep on doing. And we as Christians should be persistent, resilient, diligent, deliberate to be of one spirit. What spirit? Obvious right. Each of us, all of us, look, either walking in the Spirit which we don’t always do, sometimes we are in our emotions and in the moment and I get that, but if not walking then aware of the mind of the Spirit that we might be correctable and even consolable! · And Paul says be persistent in being of one mind. What’s that mean? The mind of God, sure…, but more practically this means to pursue and we must be in unity. Focused on what’s important! A unified contingent is a force. A unified contingent that is focused is a powerful force! And the enemy knows it. He can get the upper hand if he can get us separated, but if we are unified and focused, man he is easily defeated! · I don’t know why people choose to be weak. Those that don’t seek unity in the body of Christ, those that apathetically divide, not only does the Bible call that sin, it’s just stupid. And it certainly weakens the cause and effectivity of the Body of Christ! · None of us are the same. None of us have the same likes. None of us have exactly the same styles. None of us do right by any or all of us all of the time. But Godly people stay focused on the mission, on what’s important, and strive for unity of Spirit and mind and that, 100%, overcomes the strategies and frontal attacks of the enemy! · How do I know, am completely confident that’s what Paul is saying? He says, “Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together…” He didn’t say striving against… If you are striving against a brother or sister in Christ, striving against your spouse, striving against anyone in the body of Christ, you are not only part of the enemy’s strategy and attack, you are his weapon. We are to lock arms, shoulder to shoulder, and strive together against our common enemy… And that strengthens the Body of Christ… Furthers the cause of the church and activates all that the church is supposed to be for the kingdom, the community, and individually! Philippians Chapter 1 Verse 28 · What does “terrified of your enemies” look like in a Christian life? Strife at church. Stirring up division. Arguments in the home. Broken relationships. Sad spouses. Pitiful children. Broken careers. Compromised ministries and lost or lack of dreams and goals. The world looks at us and sees tragedy at the mercy of the flesh and it says, “Glad I’m not like them, glad I’m not a Christian…” · But when we are standing fast, persistent, consistent, resilient and diligent and it lasts more than a week a month a year to the point where it’s obvious its not just genuine but even something beyond human ability (because that’s how God rewards faithfulness) then it causes them to question their own inconsistencies and what they are hoping in themselves! · When we live a life in reaction to the things of the flesh, we inevitably and inadvertently harm our witness and ourselves! I was walking into work on Thursday morning and I go in early and I park nearest to the door of my office. I walk past a field of sorts towards the entrance to the building and its always early so there are typically a bunch of bunnies. One this week freaks out scared that I’m getting closer to it and it takes off running, just reacting…, just doing something because it thinks its in danger! The stupid thing though ran right towards me! HA! I was like, “what are you doing?” And at the last minute it just darts another way! Don’t be a silly rabbit, church…, tricks are for children. And that is what division is…, it’s a reactionary result, of someone reacting in the flesh and it’s a trick of the enemy! Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 29 - 30 · And here’s where the snowflakes melt, man. When serving the Lord and doing what is right to prop up the power of the Kingdom of God gets personally expensive… Let me let you in on a secret of life. Suffering brings joy. Without suffering there is no opportunity for joy to take root in a heart. It’s just the way it is… · If you are unwilling to suffer for anything then nothing truly will be important to you. Why are so many depressed and discouraged and so very sad with really nothing to look forward to or celebrate internally? Because the spirit of entitlement and unalienable human rights is our way of life. When hard work, long suffering and personal discipline is the design within each one of us for not only satisfaction with life but with self. · How do you pick your head up out of discouragement and find joy in each day? By being willing to be inconvenienced, and even willing to suffer for the cause of personal profit, purpose and power YESTERDAY! Paul says it this way, for “His sake!” Its so easy to see in any life by your reactions, decisions, situations and mostly your citizenship…, your flavor and life conversation, what is most important to you… Your sake or His sake… And as long as it stays your sake, you’re going to be depressed, deflated, agitated in the spirit and at least partially incompetent in managing your own life… · And Paul says the Christian, the Christian is at some sort of advantage here. Why? Because you have the Spirit of the King of kings in you… And through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you have been granted not only eternal life but everlasting life… · Those rivers are in you and they are in me and Paul puts on display and he’s trying so hard to explain to us and to give to us that those rivers don’t flow unless we are willing to put in some strive towards the Kingdom and some suffering towards righteousness! To flip a decision switch that Jesus’ sake promotes to most important in our lives, and oddly, other-worldly, that’s when we find and meet and achieve our God designed potential…
Philippians 1 vs 19-26
August 13, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 1:19–26
Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 19 – 20 · I heard a story about a farmer that was talking to his pastor and this farmer said, “Pastor, I hate buttermilk. It’s gross to me and tastes horrible. And pastor, I would never just eat a bowl full of lard. That’s just disgusting. Oh, and pastor, I don’t much care for raw flour. Nothing appetizing about that to me at all. But pastor, when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love some fresh warm biscuits.” · I like that story maybe because I love food and I love fresh warm fluffy biscuits, but I also love that story because it helps me to settle a bit in my circumstance and trust what God has in mind. Paul says, “For I know…” He knows it. He is settled in his own heart of hearts and mind of minds that “this,” (his current situation), God remains faithful. This word for deliverance in the Geek is “soteria,” meaning quite literally, salvation… · And Paul says that the prayers of his friend’s matter, “through your prayer,” and the agent of his salvation and hope is “the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” That is an interesting phrase, or better said, an interesting way to say the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit. So how many Spirits are there? Clearly only one. There is only one Holy Spirit. And yet here the Bible calls Him, “the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” Several places in scripture He is called “the Spirit of God,” (such as Romans 8:14, 1 Corinthians 3:16, and even by Jesus in Matthew 12:28). And of course, throughout scripture He is called the Holy Spirit. So, which is He? All of them! How? In some inexplicable out-of-reach humanly possible and reasonable/unreasonable way, God is Three in One. One God eternally existing in Three distinct Persons. · I want to go back, just for a moment, to the “your prayers matter” statement. Over the years I have heard many perspectives on prayer. How does prayer work? If you have enough faith, God will hear and answer your prayers. If you don’t pray in faith, well, that doesn’t work. On and on and all these odd statements. · Listen, every Christian should pray. Every Christian should talk to God. Good days, bad days, down days, up days, in huge faith, in total despair, every Christian should pray. And as we talk to God about our issues and needs and whatever is going on, yes, we should pray in faith but not that faith in that God will do what we want. Praying in faith is to be confident in God’s decisions for your situation. That is to pray in faith. · And so, check this out. Praying in faith is important. But if I pray in confusion, frustration, despair or distraught, that doesn’t make me any less a child of God, saved by grace through faith because of Jesus alone. 1 Peter 3:12 says that the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers. · So, let’s talk about effective prayer just for a moment. Is it if I have enough faith, if I just believe it enough or want it enough or believe God for it enough, then He will grant me my petitions, heal me, give me, deliver me, answer me to the affirmative? You just can’t go there, people. Number one, that puts the agency of prayer on you rather than on God, and that is just all kinds of a mess. Might as well pray to you! · Second, there’s a huge issue with that scripturally and His name is Jesus. If those that say if you just had enough faith…, God would (fill in the blank), if they are right then we must conclude that Jesus was somehow faithless in the Garden of Gethsemane. Remember what He prayed? Matthew 26:39 says, “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” · Great and perfect picture of yes, we need to and ought to pray in faith! I mean we read in Matthew 13:58 that Jesus did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief…, but it is both faith and the will of God that is necessary in terms of outcome. · One more thing. There’s one more thing that I take on personally when it comes to prayer and I do so because I see it biblically. Three things important to prayer and we’ve covered two. Faith and the will of God and yet I also see a personal responsibility for my own actions to be in alignment with my prayers. · Check this out. Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31-32, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail…” Was Jesus the most effective prayer in all of history? Of course. And yet for the completion of Jesus’ prayer, Peter would need to walk in faith…, which is Peter’s decision. Intense right? · So, pray, pray a bunch and pray often. And get to the greatest level of confidence by prayer in faith, in submission to God’s will, and do your part. That perspective and no doubt you will have a powerful prayer life… Back to Paul’s perspective as he sees the biscuits through the buttermilk, look at this next statement, incredible and encouraging… Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 21 – 26 · Does Paul have some sort of death wish? It can read that way but that’s not it at all. He has a life wish. Remember, Paul was somehow and in someway shown what heaven is like. What’s there. What are the sights. The sounds. The environment. And what did he say about it? Virtually nothing. Trying to put a word to it would defile the vision he had it was that amazing. · He said of this experience in 2 Corinthians 12:4, “I was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which is not lawful for a man to utter…” And that’s all he gave us…, except Philippians 1. He says there in verse 23…, he tells us what heaven is like, and this is the description he uses, “far better.” · In the Greek he actually says many better betters. So odd. Three words, one for many (polys) and two for better, “mallon,” and “kreisson.” So, is it that he has a death wish? Absolutely not. He just has an advantage that we don’t have. That they didn’t have. He knew what was next. · Death for the Christian is not so much a departure or an arrival, it’s a door. You simply step through it. From one environment to the next. And for us, it’s a different experience going through a door we don’t know what’s on the other side of… Paul knew. And this hope Paul has we can all know by faith, and through him and through the promises of Jesus, that when we come to the end of this life ourselves, personally, what awaits us is FAR better. · It’s one of the great hopes of the Christian. Maybe the greatest. That after this very short life is over, eternal life awaits and again, whatever Paul saw, experienced and whatever awaits you and me, if FAR better. Not so for those who reject the Way. That’s what Jesus said He was. · Not His methods, not His teachings, not His commandments, not His rules, Him. He is the Way. And if the only Way is rejected then what is coming next is not far better but rather it is far worse. And that is something that each person has to wrestle with personally and come to their own conclusion and ultimate decision and truly each person does… · But Paul says, this is how much love he has for the church, for the saving of souls, he says, I am torn…, go there or stay here. Putting others first is one of the things that makes Paul a man worth his salt… And so, he makes this wonderful statement, “If I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor.” Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…, his aim, goal and non-negotiable, it’s just who he is, is to bring fruit into this darkness. Through what? THROUGH HIS labor… Awesome!
Philippians 1 vs 12-18
August 6, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 1:12–18
Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 12 – 14 For the follower of Jesus Christ, there is purpose, depth of purpose, in everything. We covered last week that Paul was obviously a man of gratitude. He was thankful for what Jesus had already done for Him, and so that made him naturally grateful in each day following, even though his outward circumstance wasn’t ideal. And there in a Roman prison, because of his perspective, his decisive approach to his own situation, he is able to see the hand of God in it. Depending on where you are, what you’re going through, hearing that God has a purpose in your pain may or may not help too much. So let me say it perhaps a different way. It is a promise of God, that for the people of God, He can bring good out of anything, even pain, even tragedy, hardship and difficulty. Romans 8:28 is one of the most beloved verses in the Bible, one of the most hopeful and helpful verses in all of scripture, but it’s also one of the most misquoted or maybe better said, misunderstood. It does not say, “All things that happen to us are good.” That is not true. There is plenty that happens to us in this world that is not good, and it is not your fault. Being a Christian doesn’t exempt me or you from suffering or from bad things, wrong things happening to us in our lives. Instead, scripture actually tells us to expect it. 1 Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.” In John 16:33, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation…” All things that happen to us are not good. All things that happen to us don’t end up with a happy ending. Not every injustice is corrected; not every disease is healed; not every pain is removed; and not every wound heals. Romans 8:28 actually says, “And we know,” we don’t have to hope, guess or wonder; we can be certain. “And we know that all things.” All things, including our hurts, mistakes, sins, family histories, experiences, even what others do to us…, all things… “And we know that all things work together for good.” Not everything IS good, but God is always working for our good in everything. Anyone can bring good out of good, but God can bring good out of evil. He turns crucifixions into resurrections. “And we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God.” This is not a blanket promise to everyone experiencing pain. If I’m living in rebellion against my Creator’s plan for me, or if I reject God’s love, everything will work toward my destruction. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Have you ever heard someone say, “Everything happens for a reason?” True and not true. What if that reason is to destroy you? So, the phrase is correct but the worldly comfort is false in that statement. Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” The key to my confidence is choosing to see and understand that God has a purpose for my life, and that includes, must include, pain. If Jesus, perfect in all ways, was not immune Himself from pain on this earth and in this life, really? I really expect I should be? Paul’s confession, his encouragement, his hopeful and confidence- boosting gratitude-filled-decision to have eyes open, he is able to discern that God is working good even in his chains. Now, two more quick points. Was the good to the benefit of Paul? That’s debatable. The furtherance of the gospel. How does that physically benefit, tangibly benefit Paul personally? You could argue that it doesn’t. Here’s the point, and I accept this, sometimes the good or the purpose for my life is bigger than my life… And that’s ok. Second, notice Paul says that most of the brethren in the Lord have become confident. Some benefit and some do not. Interesting. I tend to personalize that and believe that the issue is not that benefit was there or wasn’t, but rather those believers missed the benefit somehow. I don’t like that, and I don’t want that to be me. I don’t know the brethren spoken of here, I know nothing of them, but I know Paul and I know he is benefiting from this pain and so that’s the model I will force myself to conform to…, humble, grateful, expecting, hopeful and praying and in fellowship… Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 15 – 16 This is the preaching of Christ without care to being like Christ. I mean, I don’t know how else to sum this up. Yes, this is to preach for some sort of personal gain. Name notoriety. Popularity. To make money, to build a personal empire and place yourself on top of it. Yes, its all those things. But envy and strife in no way describe Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. So, this is doing church, ministering, preaching, teaching and thinking that you are serving others but in truth, because you aren’t doing it in heart- submission to Jesus Christ, the ministry is not sincere. It’s not authentic. Have you ever bought something online and when it arrived it’s not right? Perhaps got it on http://wish.com!? HA! Don’t have a http://wish.com ministry unto the Lord! HA! And odd, Paul takes it personally…, “supposing to add affliction to my chains.” Did these people have some sort of personal dig or vendetta against Paul? “You’re in chains, we’re in Benzes…, who do you think God loves?” Maybe… That kind of competition exists all over the place in the church and its rank sin! Philippians Chapter 1 Verse 17 So, check that out…, well, perhaps better said, check out your heart for a moment. Are you serving, ministering, preaching, whatever to get something from them, something from someone or something for yourself? Or is your motivation simply and only and purely and wonderfully GOODWILL? I love that. Search your heart. You know… If goodwill then your preaching, teaching, ministering, serving, its out of love. And Who is love? Yup. So, you are serving straight out of the power of God. IN the Holy Spirit. To the Glory of Jesus! And you’re awesome! Doesn’t matter what the ministry does or doesn’t look like. Makes money or makes nothing. Huge platform or tiny platform. 10 people or 1,000 people. You are doing an awesome work…, well, actually, GOD is doing an awesome work through you and you should know that! Philippians Chapter 1 Verse 18 But at any rate, come donkey or noble steed, the horse the gospel is riding doesn’t even matter to Paul just as long as the gospel is going out. And in that he rejoices and so should we! It’s a focus thing. A decision thing. We worry so much what this other person is doing or how they are doing it and that conveniently (for the enemy) takes/diverts our attention off of what God is wanting to do in us. Which is really all that matters. One of the most powerful statements for me personally is found in the end of the book of John. Look with me at this as we close… John Chapter 21 verses 20 – 22, “Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” It’s an interesting scene, a mysterious question… Was Peter asking Jesus to make John the lead? I mean Peter did outright deny Jesus while it was John whose faith did not fail. Who now had the honor of caring for Mary, the mother of Jesus. Was Peter asking Jesus to examine John…? Perhaps Peter knew John’s personal weaknesses and thought maybe John was getting too much credit. Was Peter asking Jesus to counsel him in how he could minister to John or be more like John? There’s a case for all of these questions… “Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? YOU follow Me.” Yes Lord…, yes.
Philippians 1 vs 3-11
July 30, 2023 • Pastor Matt Korniotes • Philippians 1:3–11
Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 3 – 5 · Paul had a super power. A secret to being joyful and content even in the toughest of situations and scenarios. Actually, he had a few. One of them is that he was a grateful person. He’s in prison, he’s lost everything and he has no rights, far from home and without any physical comforts, and he writes to the church in Philippi, “As I’m thinking about you, I’m thankful and filled with all joy…” · Gratitude has two opposites. Entitlement and laziness. These are horrible diseases to our lives and relationships. The hard/easy part is that gratitude is a choice. There will always be things to be thankful for and there are always things we won’t and don’t have. What you decide to focus on is entirely up to you, but that decision will change everything, including how you feel and who you are! · Matthew Henry, the eighteenth-century Puritan preacher was once mugged while living in London. Of the event, he wrote, “Let me be thankful, first, because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” · It’s been said, “You’ll find evidence to support what you are looking for, so be thoughtful in what you choose to seek.” Paul is in a far worse position than any of us and yet how is it that he writes a letter on joy? He chooses to be grateful and in that, even now, thousands of years later, we regard him as great! Gratitude is a seed from which grows humility, joy, endurance, resilience, a sense of value and peace. It unlocks talent and happiness giving quality of life to the one who chooses it. · You say today that you don’t have much to be thankful for… You have a focus problem, not a circumstance problem. You are beloved. Highly favored, cherished and eternally important to God the Father. So much so that He has provided not only forgiveness for all your wrongs, but grace, mercy, love and even all things that pertain to life and godliness! You have far more to be grateful for in just those statements than you think… And yet there even is more, no doubt, for each of you in your own personal lives/stories… · Paul has a second secret super power expressed here as well. He has decided to pray. A praying Christian is powerful because its all you, has nothing to do with anyone else, its you taking time to settle things with and in the Lord and that is crazily more powerful than thinking, computing, or discussing with another person. Prayer changes you. It’s you allowing God His right to fashion your heart. The importance and power of prayer is unmatched! · There’s a third thing here as well mentioned by Paul and that is fellowship. Paul was a Christian of fellowship which is a basic need of all of us, and few know this. Fellowship is not just hanging out, being friends, having a good time. Fellowship is a spiritual blessing, discipline and activity. It’s two saved saints, putting God first, putting each other second and putting themselves third, together…, doing whatever. · Fellowship, or the word Koinenia in the Greek, is simply loving God and loving others actively. Walking out the two commandments of God, the original design, the reason for mankind, the original code… And so, Paul, worst of conditions, situations…, and yet look at this guy. Happier than anyone I know! Why? He was grateful. He was in prayer. And he was a man of fellowship that even sustains him somehow from within a solitary prison environment. Philippians Chapter 1 Verse 6 · I want you to know that this statement is itself a part of the Gospel! That God so loved the world, that He so loved you, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life! AND that includes this promise that where you are today, who you are today, how you are today, what you are today, God is working, will work and won’t stop working until we are face to face with Jesus! · Other promises/truths (same thing) in this verse…, God is the one who began the work in me. Not the other way around. Hebrews 12:2 says that we looking unto Jesus, who is the Author and the Finisher of our faith! He was responsible to save me, He is responsible to preserve me, and He has promised to see me through until the end. Complete me… · Last thing He said before ascending to the Father in Matthew 28:20, “Behold, I am with you always even unto the end of the age.” The earthly husband is commanded in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Why is it that we think so often less of our perfect Bride Groom? · God is not finished with you yet! He is working, even when He’s silent, even when you can’t see it or perceive it, God is not on break and you have not been forsaken! You will yet see Him faithful to His Word and promises! Benefit the most from His integrity by walking in faith!! Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 7 - 8 · Perhaps this is why Paul was so close with them. They were first in his heart. There was a connection, a fellowship and an affection. Then there was difficulty, Paul describes as “chains.” They’ve weathered some storms together which always brings folks closer to each other. Then in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel. This sort of life agreement that priority is priority, man… And their shared priority is Jesus Christ… · Finally, grace. Not just sharing in the grace of God together but sharing grace with each other. These elements describe a friendship that will certainly pass the test of time. Again, there was a connection, a fellowship, a friendship formed. Then that friendship endured through hardship or difficulty. And through that, a common life priority was proven, to live unto Jesus Christ. And finally, grace is the culture of the bond. How many true friends do you have? That’s the path… Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 9 – 11 · Truly the more you know Jesus, the more you will love Him. There’s just no doubt about that. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Why? Because the more you learn of Him, the more you learn how much you are loved and how secure you are in what He has accomplished. · However, Paul qualifies his statement so that it means far more than what we just discussed. He says his prayer is that your love increases in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent. It’s important, ultra-important that we don’t just grow in the grace of Jesus Christ but also in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Lest you and I miss the mark and in thinking we are following God, while possibly following the flesh. Truth without grace is harsh, but grace without truth is a lie… · Paul knows all about this. And so does the modern church. Listen, it’s as simple as this. What does the Word of God say? Grow in that. People get all up in arms and turn on each other and make up phrases like “conservative Christians” and “liberal Christians.” These are inventions of men and not of God. What does the Bible say? I know nothing of any qualifier before my title of Christian other than…, biblical. And that way, there’s just no emotion in it at all… It’s just simply objective. · Jesus said of the faithful church in Revelation 3:8, “You have a little strength, have kept My Word, and have not denied My name.” Take all the emotion out of it. The personal experience. The self-you-centered thinking, and then define what is right…, and do that. (As Paul wrote there in verse 7, “Just as it is right…”) There is a significant shortage of people that will do that in these last days. And Paul knew it, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and so he wrote, “Be sincere and without offense.” · That’s not just offending others. Don’t let yourself get so offended either! How! By holding to the Word of God as your definition of right and then doing that. So objective. So simple. So SO rare! But leads to being filled with the fruits of righteousness! Love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control! Oh, so rare even and especially in the family of God in these last days! Grow up in grace…, grow up in knowledge, man wouldn’t it be amazing if folks in these last days…, would just grow up…?