Growing a heart of Joy
Notes
Transcript
Cultivating a Heart of Joy: Growing in Christ
Cultivating a Heart of Joy: Growing in Christ
Bible Passage: Philippians 1:3–11
Bible Passage: Philippians 1:3–11
Summary: In this passage, the Apostle Paul expresses his gratitude and joy for the Philippians, emphasizing the importance of their partnership in the gospel and his prayer for their continued spiritual growth and maturity in Christ.
Application: This sermon can encourage Christians to reflect on their own relationships within the church and inspire them to actively participate in each other's spiritual journeys, recognizing that growth in Christ is often a communal endeavor.
Teaching: The sermon teaches that growing in Christ involves a continuous process of prayer, mutual encouragement, and partnership in the gospel, leading to a deeper and more fruitful faith.
How this passage could point to Christ: In this passage, we see a foretaste of the transformative work Christ does in believers' lives as Paul prays for their love and discernment to abound, reflecting Christ's love and guidance in our growth.
Big Idea: True spiritual growth is rooted in joy and partnership in Christ, which brings strength to the Christian community and an overflow of love into the world.
Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider exploring the cultural context of the Philippian church and their relationship with Paul. Utilizing your Logos library, look into commentaries that discuss the concept of joy in adversity and the specific Greek terms Paul uses for 'love' and 'growth' to deepen your understanding of the text's nuances. Additionally, examining historical background on Philippi may provide insights into the struggles they faced as a congregation.
1. Partnership Poised in Gratitude
1. Partnership Poised in Gratitude
I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
This shows how communal joy and growth in Christ begin with heartfelt thankfulness and shared mission.
What I love about Paul here is that he is writing to people that he deeply loves, not just because of Christ’s love flowing from him to them; but because we can see the partnership that has been formed. He is writing to people that support him in the ministry.
Notice the words that Paul writes:
I give thanks to GOD for you!
Praying with JOY for all of you.
WHY? - because he knows that they are doing the same for him! Because they are partners in the ministry! In the GOSPEL.
Let me tell you, and this is very personal, just as with Paul:
I give thanks to God for you.
I pray for you with JOY! You, my brothers and sisters, bring a smile to my face.
And I know that you are praying for me and my family, I know you are praying for each other, and I am grateful that we are in this ministry of the Gospel together.
Listen: This is what church is supposed to be! You may be thinking: Pastor, I am not IN ministry. YES YOU ARE! You may not be standing up here delivering the message today, but your prayers give me strength and keep me moving, they keep Satan at bay, and they build up this church for the Kingdom! AMEN!
Paul knew that it was by the power of PRAYER that he kept moving, and he was thankful for the prayer, and for those who did the praying!
Over and over again the Bible stresses the importance of prayer. Because there is POWER in prayer. AND God’s people are to be a people of PRAYER!
I want to Encourage you to thank God for those who journey with you in the faith, there is great strength that comes from unity in the gospel.
2. Promise of Perfected Growth
2. Promise of Perfected Growth
I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Paul says that he is SURE! Convinced. Pursureded. Why or HOW could Paul be so SURE that God will complete the good work that HE began in believers?
This assurance is rooted in Christ's faithfulness.
God is FAITHFUL! AMEN!
What is the matter at hand?
that HE who started a good work in YOU will carry it on to completion until the day of CHrist Jesus.
I want to build upon this because this is something so profoundly true that we can often overlook the reality of what Paul is writing.
This is the WORD OF GOD - the BIBLE - and the BIBLE SAYS:
That GOD who started a good work in YOU will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Do you believe that? YOu should.
The QUESTION then is this: Do you have FAITH in these words?
Perhaps you say: Yes I have faith, I believe IN God. AND IN THAT STATEMENT YOU MISS THE TRUTH!
FAITH IS not Beliving IN God - Faith is BELIEVEING GOD!
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
REALITY PROOF
Listen - the Bible says that you GOD Started the work in you, and GOD will finish the work in you!
BELIEVE IT!
Now - you may not feel like you are close to perfect, and you would be right. Listen: it is not about being perfect, it is about being more like Jesus every single day. ABout submitting yourself to the Lord and SEEKING His face.
It is about HUMBLING yourself.
It is about PUTTING ON the full armor of God.
It is about choosing the fruits of the spirit over the candies of the flesh.
AND in your daily striving to be more like Him, you allow Him to work in you.
But when will this be complete?
In that blessed day of Christ Jesus. Either Rapture or the day you wake up in the Arms of Jesus.
The Bible says that it is right for him to think this way because He knows they are seeking the Lord and are about the business of the Father.
Again, notice the words:
you are in my heart,
you are partners with me in grace,
not fearing the priosn
in defense of the Gospel
in confirmation of the Gospel
Encourage Christians to trust that their spiritual growth is securely held in Christ's hands, which fuels communal encouragement and love.
3. Prayerful Pursuit of Love
3. Prayerful Pursuit of Love
And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
focus on Paul's prayer for love to abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.
This prayer emphasizes the transformative power of Christ's love in believers' lives, guiding them to discern what is best.
your love will keep growing in knowledge
in every kind of discernment
WHY?
so that they can approve the things superior
NOT BE CONFUSED BY THE LESSER THINGS
May be PURE AND BLAMELESS
Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Chrsit
to the glory and praise of God
Doxology! glory speaking - speaking of the GLORY OF GOD!
Found over and over again in the Psalms - BLESSED BE THE LORD!
For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen.
So what are we to do?
So what are we to do?
Challenge believers to seek growth through love and discernment, aiming to bring glory to God.
Be thankful for one another!
Be thankful for one another!
Pray for one another.
Pray for one another.
Be about the Father’s business!
Be about the Father’s business!
Seek the Lord!
Seek the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
