4 Gospel Resolutions

Well, please do have a seat, and if you have your Bibles there, then please turn back to

those verses that James read for us from Philippians chapter 4, and why don't we still ourselves

Philippians 4 · chapter mention

this morning as we come to God's holy, inerrant, and inspired Word.

Let's pray together.

So our great God and loving Heavenly Father, we would still ourselves now as we come to

your Word, and we ask that you would come by your Spirit, and like those words, those

lyrics that we're singing just a short while ago, that you would occupy our hearts, and

you would occupy our minds, and you would own it all, and you would reign supreme.

And so we ask this, Lord, for your glory.

Amen.

Amen.

So, I want to get healthy.

I want to get organized.

I want to live my life to the fullest.

I want to learn a new hobby.

And I want to spend less and save more.

So according to Google, these are the top five New Year's resolutions that people in the UK

made in January 2017.

And now, let's take a show of hands.

I always love this bit.

Any resolve to do any of those things at the outset of this year?

Healthy, organized, have life to the full, take up a new hobby, spend less, save more?

Anybody?

Nobody took out that gym membership in January thinking, come on, let's do it.

It's great.

Resolutions.

Resolutions.

The things that we love in this country.

The things that we put our minds to, thinking, this is what I want my life to be about.

Well, this morning, as we finish our series in Philippians, we're going to be thinking about

some resolutions.

Philippians.

If you remember this letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to this little church in this city

of Philippi.

Well, this morning, we see him closing his letter.

Paul's going to finish it.

As he thinks about his dear friends in Philippi, and as he thinks about them continuing to live

out their faith, what we're going to see this morning is that in these closing verses, Paul

is very purposeful, and he's very pastoral.

And he leaves them with four thoughts, four themes, four virtues that he wants them to adorn

as they live out their faith, shining like stars for the glory of God in their city of

Philippi.

He leaves them with four gospel resolutions.

Before we dive in and to stop us from lapsing into moralism, we must tie these resolutions

into what Paul has said previously in this letter.

If you want to flick back a chapter, chapter three.

Did God save Paul because he had an outstanding CV?

Did God look down on the track of life and see that Paul was running really well and thought,

he'll make a great one for my team?

No.

God saved Paul and God saved these Philippian Christians simply because he is gracious and

merciful and loving.

And out of his great love, he sent his son to die on the cross for them so that they could

be forgiven, declared right before him and be reconciled to their maker.

It's 500 years we're celebrating this year of the Reformation, the famous Reformation mantra.

We're saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

God has saved us, Philippians, and he's saved us and he's transforming us now.

And he's making us more into the likeness of his son, Jesus Christ.

He's doing that right now.

And so what Paul lays out for them here, these four gospel resolutions, they're the fruits,

not the roots, they're the fruits of the new hearts that God has placed in them.

And to tie into the letter, verse 1 of chapter 4, these resolutions are going to help them

to stand firm, going to help them be united, help them be together in the Lord.

So this morning, four gospel resolutions.

You ready for these?

We're going to rattle through them really quickly.

You ready for these?

Some enthusiasm, please.

Great.

Great.

Here's the first resolution, verses 4 to 7.

It concerns what is ruling their hearts.

Look at it with me.

Verse 4, what does he say?

Rejoice.

Now, if you're on the ball, you know that's not the first time that he's mentioned that

command in this letter.

And if you're really on the ball, you'll notice that's not the first time that he mentions

that command in that sentence, in that verse.

Rejoice.

Again, I say rejoice.

I was trying to picture it this week.

Paul with his scribe.

Paul says, scribe, write it down.

Rejoice.

Tell them to rejoice.

The scribe says back, come on, Paul.

Do you not think they've kind of got that by now?

Again, I say rejoice.

This is what he wants.

He wants this community to rejoice.

Rejoice in what?

Rejoice in their circumstances.

No, rejoice in the Lord.

Rejoice in what God has done for you in Jesus Christ.

You see, Paul wants joy to be a core part of the corporate DNA of this church community.

And he wants it to be a distinctive mark of every single individual believer.

Now, how is that joy going to show itself?

We'll see Paul in these verses.

He first highlights the outward effect.

Then he highlights the inward effect.

Verse 5.

Let your gentleness be known to all.

We've got an ESV there.

It says reasonableness.

The quality that keeps you from insisting on your own way all the time.

And what does Paul want for this community?

He wants them to be known for being gentle, for being kind, for being hospitable.

To be those people who are known for inspiring harmony and unity,

both in their church community and out with.

That's the outward effect of joy.

I see him outline the inward effect.

Don't let lingering anxiety, don't let it rule your heart.

Don't let it suffocate your joy.

Don't worry.

Now, you can imagine these Christians, just like us,

they've got everyday things to worry about.

But on top of that, imagine for them,

the big worry about what, wearing the Jesus is King t-shirt,

in their world that wears a Caesar is King t-shirt,

the worry of what that's going to mean for them.

If I keep going with Christ, if I keep going with Jesus,

if I keep speaking for him, where is it going to land me?

And what is it going to cost me?

That's a real worry.

That's a real worry.

What does Paul say into that real worry?

The Lord is at hand.

The Lord is at hand.

Presumably referring to Christ's return

and his very real presence with them now.

And because the Lord is at hand,

don't let worry cripple you

and don't let it sap you

of the joy of knowing Jesus Christ

as your Lord, your King, and your Savior.

And how you tackle that worry

is not by the way of positive thinking.

How you tackle that worry

is by devoting yourselves to prayer.

Look what he writes.

In everything.

Comprehensive.

In everything,

bring the things on your mind

to your loving Heavenly Father.

Spread them

before his sovereign throne

and commit them

to his loving,

fatherly, tenderly care.

And do it with thanksgiving.

Just in case you thought

this was a one-way thing,

God will guard your heart

and your mind

by his peace.

The scripture, I find,

is full of beautiful promises.

God's words to his people

well, here is

a wonderful promise

for us to grasp this morning.

Paul says,

he prays,

he wants them to know

the peace of God

because the God of peace

is really with them.

Deliberate metaphor,

I think,

from Paul there.

God's peace

will surround them,

will shield them,

protect their hearts

and their minds.

Remember,

they're in a Roman colony.

Familiar with the things

of the Roman army,

I'm sure that metaphor

speaks volumes,

deeply into their lives.

So,

resolution number one,

be joyful.

Be joyful.

Let me ask you this morning,

what is ruling your heart?

Outwardly,

what are you known for?

Are you known for

exhibiting gentleness?

Are you known

as one who brings harmony?

One who

encourages unity?

And inwardly,

is there a sense

of this peace

that Paul outlines here?

Are you maybe here

this morning

and you're allowing

worry to dominate you?

Is anxiety,

is it clouding

your soul?

I've tried to make it

a rule in my own life

this week

and I've looked

really strange

as I've walked up

Wolfian Road

trying to do it.

See,

every time I worry

and I worry

about a lot of things,

I worry about myself,

I worry about other people,

every time I've worried

I try to catch it,

I just try to throw it up.

God,

you care,

you tell me

that you're going

to be with me.

Take that worry

and I take it

to the Lord

in prayer.

Look really strange

and I'm not.

Sinclair Ferguson

writes this,

anxiety cannot continue

to breathe easily

in an atmosphere

suffused with prayer.

And in our world

where fear and worry

seem to be everywhere,

what a witness it will be

to the watching world

that God's people

are known

as people

who are marked

by prayer

and marked by joy

and marked by

that sense of peace.

Resolution number one,

dear Philippians,

be joyful.

Second resolution,

this is verses

eight and nine,

concerns what is

filling their minds.

So what's ruling

their hearts,

firstly,

secondly,

what's filling

their minds

from verse eight.

If you follow it along,

Paul outlines

what he wants them

to be thinking about.

Just follow the words,

whatever is true.

noble,

right,

pure,

lovely,

admirable,

excellent,

praiseworthy.

So he wants them

to fill their minds

with the things

that are going to

inspire them

in their worship

of God.

I was thinking

about it this week,

I mean,

he could have so easily

have used the opposite

of those words,

could he not?

Don't think about

that which is false.

Don't think about

that which is ugly,

but you see for Paul,

simply to resist things

that will not cut it.

He wants them

not just to resist,

but to replace.

So not just keep

your mind clear

of bad things,

but fill your mind up

with good things.

And a nutritionist

will tell us

there's three kinds

of foods

that we put

into our body.

We put in brain food,

food that helps us grow.

We put in junk food.

From what I understand,

junk food,

just empty calories,

not really good,

not really bad,

just empty calories.

And they're toxic foods.

So the foods

that we put

into our body,

they're just not good

for that to be

in our bloodstream,

not good for that

to be in our system.

That's what Paul

is saying here.

That what is true

for your body

is true for your mind.

So don't just be about

avoiding the toxic thoughts,

you've got to be about

going after the brain thoughts.

If you're going to

continue to grow.

The Roman emperor

Marcus Aurelius,

writing probably

a hundred or so years

after Paul is writing here,

famously said

to his men

that a man's soul

becomes dyed

with the colour

of his thoughts.

And if that's true

for Roman citizens,

how much truer

is that

of heavenly citizens?

What does Paul say?

Meditate on these things?

No, he says

practice these things.

You've got to put it

into practice

in your life.

And the things

that you've seen from me,

the things you've received,

the things you've heard,

the things that you've seen,

fill your mind

with these things.

Resolution number two,

be holy.

Let me ask you this morning,

what's filling your mind?

What's filling your mind?

Living a world,

don't we,

that's constantly

hitting us with images,

with words,

with pictures,

what's going into your mind?

Always taking stuff in.

Reminded of this recently,

we've,

Alex and I,

we bought Chloe

the Gruffalo audio book,

if you know the Gruffalo,

the kid's story,

and she comes up to me

recently,

Chloe,

and she can tell me

who the author is,

she tells me the name

of the author,

she tells me the name

of the person

who narrated it,

and she tells me

the name of the person

who illustrated it.

She's taking it in

all the time,

taking it in

from this audio book.

Friends,

let me ask you,

what is filling your mind?

Programs that we watch

on TV,

the lyrics that we listen to,

the websites that we visit,

the images that we see,

do some of us need to say

no this morning?

And do some of us need

to say yes this morning?

Is there not such

an attractive message

in the city

that we live in,

that the way to peace,

that the way to

even perhaps experience

something of the divine

is found by

emptying your mind?

Would you see how

Paul is saying here

the very opposite?

Fill your minds up

with truth

concerning the God of peace.

Fill your minds up

with these things

that are going to

inspire you

to worship God.

Think about it

in your own life.

Here's my question for you.

How are you going to

fill up your mind

this week

with the things

that are going to

inspire you

to worship God?

I think in particular

in terms of our

relationship with

God's words.

How much exposure

are you giving yourself

to the Lord's word?

Think about the what.

What resources are out there

that could help you?

Bible reading notes,

podcasts,

sermons,

audio books,

audio Bibles,

videos.

We've got a plethora

of resources available

to us,

don't we,

in this generation.

What is going to help you

to maximize that exposure

to the Lord's words?

Think about the what.

Think about the when.

How could you redeem

that commute to work?

Could you listen

to something in the car?

Could you listen

to an audio book

before you go to bed?

Could you listen

to the Bible

before you go to bed?

You put on some

worship music

as you're doing

in the dishes.

What can we do

to be filling up

our minds

with the things

that will inspire us

to worship our Lord?

Proverbs chapter 15

Proverbs 15:14

verse 14.

A wise person

is hungry for knowledge

while the fool

feeds on trash.

So gospel resolution

number two.

Be holy.

And the third resolution

verses 10 to 13

concerns what is

driving their desires.

Verse 10.

You see Paul reflects

on the gift

that he's received

from the Philippians.

Remember we saw

earlier in the letter

they've sent

Epaphroditus to Paul

with a financial gift

to support him

in his missionary work.

But in these verses

you see it's strange.

Paul wants them

to know that

although he's delighted

with that gift,

he's delighted

with their partnership

and their support,

he's not relying on it.

Now why?

Because he's learned

something.

It's really important

there that we see

that he's learned that.

That he didn't just

acquire it by default,

he wasn't just

born this way.

That God through

the school of experience

and hard knocks

has taught him

and has molded him

and he's learned

something through that.

What's he learned?

Verse 12.

He's learned a secret.

The secret of what?

The secret of being content.

You see here Paul

has learned to cope

with not just

the ups and downs

of life,

but he's learned

to rejoice

regardless of

whatever comes

his way in life.

He says,

doesn't he,

verse 12,

that throughout the course

of his missionary life,

what has he known?

He's known poverty,

he's known plenty,

he's known hunger,

and he's known fullness.

Those things have been

his constant companions

as he's gone about

his life.

And in it all,

he's learned.

He's learned

to be content.

How?

How has he done that?

Remember there was

a busker that

was at the end

of Rose Street in town.

The busker,

you need one song.

Do you know what

the song was?

Don't worry,

be happy.

People loved it.

He had one song.

Wasn't a massive fan of it.

But this was his song.

Don't worry,

be happy.

Is this what Paul's

tapped into here?

These are the lyrics

that he's making his own?

No.

To see how for Paul,

his contentment

goes so much deeper

and it goes so much wider,

so much more purpose

to what Paul is saying here.

Verse 13,

I can do everything.

Look at it there

if you've got it.

I can do everything.

Probably more literally,

I can do all this.

Refer him back

to what he's spoken

about previously.

I can do all this

through him

who strengthens me.

See,

for Paul,

the chorus of his life

is not life

as a roller coaster,

Christians.

You've just got to

go to ride it.

For Paul,

his chorus,

through Christ

who strengthens me.

Through Christ

who strengthens me.

I'm content

because I have all

I need

in Jesus Christ.

When things go well

for me,

yeah,

that's great

and I rejoice in that

but I have something

far better

in Christ.

When things go

poorly for me,

listen,

that's okay

because I have something

far better

in Christ.

My hope in this life

is not based

on the facts

of my life.

It's based

on the facts

about Christ

and my fellowship

with him.

My joy

is not derived

from the changing

circumstances

of my life.

My joy

is derived

from the unchanging

facts about Christ.

Dear Philippians,

who I love,

I love so much,

my joy,

my crown,

let me let you

in on the secret.

Come in.

What's the secret?

If you've got Christ,

get everything.

If you have Christ,

if you know Christ

as your saviour,

you've got everything.

Resolution number three,

be content.

Be content.

Let me ask you this morning,

what is driving

your desires?

I remember I was so excited

last summer

I got an upgrade

on my iPhone.

Particularly,

I looked at it

in the magazine

for ages,

particularly because

it had this finger

recognition software.

Remember for like

two days afterwards

I felt like James Bond.

I felt like Q

just slipped me

a little phone there.

Two days later,

I come across

somebody with a

newer iPhone.

Walking on

Princess Street,

I walk past

the iPhone shop,

walk past the Apple shop

and I think,

I know I only got

that one two days ago,

but actually,

I really want that one.

How long can I,

do I have to wait

until I get that one?

My phone actually,

there's an app

that tells you

how long

until your next upgrade.

It's not been good for me.

But do you know

what's coming after

the iPhone 6?

The iPhone 7.

Do you know

what's coming after

the iPhone 7?

It's the iPhone 8.

Do you know

what's coming after

the iPhone 8?

It's the iPhone 9.

A sinful soul

doesn't naturally

do contentment.

Doesn't naturally do it

and I am encouraged

when I see

Paul declare here

that this is something

that he learnt.

This is something

that he learnt

that God,

through the circumstances

of his life,

moulded him

and shaped him

and taught him stuff

about the sufficiency

of his son Jesus Christ.

What a great lesson

I found this week.

It's not true

that our world out there

is feeding us the story

that you'll be happy

with more.

You're missing out

if you don't have bigger.

You'll be better off

with newer.

If only you went

on that holiday,

if only you lived

in that house,

had that job,

knew those people,

had those clothes,

shopped in those places,

if only you were living

in an attachment area

so your kids

could go to that school.

This is what the world

is telling us.

Our world shouts at us,

the grass is greener

over here.

Little wonder

that so many people

in our nation

resolve to save more

and spend less this year.

not only does our sinful souls

not do contentment,

but we live in a world

that doesn't do contentment.

And so the question

that we have to ask ourselves

this morning

is do we dance

to the world's tune?

Does our joy,

does it ebb and flow

with the changing circumstances

of our lives

or is there,

whatever comes our way,

a deep satisfaction in

and a trust in

the goodness

of our God?

Remember this older man

growing up in church?

He was called Martin.

Martin lost his job.

I was only,

I remember I was only

10 or so at the time.

Martin lost his job.

Wife,

two kids,

mortgage to pay,

serious worry.

I remember my mum

taking me up

with her

to speak to him

one day

and she said,

Martin,

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

And he looked at her

with a smile in his eye

and he said,

Hazel,

it's my mum's name,

Hazel,

I'm the Lord's,

I'm the Lord's

and he knows

what he's doing with me.

Amazing is that,

a young teenager

growing up in church,

actually the impression

that something like that

makes me.

Whatever my lot,

whatever my lot,

you have taught me

to say

that it is well,

it is well

with my soul.

Jeremiah Burroughs'

famous English Puritan,

Christian contentment

is that sweet,

inward,

quiet,

gracious frame of spirit

which freely submits to

and delights in

God's wise

and fatherly disposal

in every condition.

Resolution number three,

be content.

And the fourth

and the final resolution,

verses 14 to 23,

concerns what is flowing

from their lives.

So as he thinks

about these Christians,

it's incredible

that what causes

Paul most joy

is that this church

have entered into

a meaningful

and an ongoing

partnership with him.

Not just financially,

you get the distinct

impression as you get

through this letter

that the partnership

between these two,

between Paul and the

Philippians,

goes a lot deeper

than that.

In fact,

it's almost as if

they are yoked

together with him.

Verse 14,

sharing in his troubles

that they really care

about this man,

they really love this man

and he loves them

and they really are

willing to stand

with him,

Macedonia,

Thessalonica.

And what he rejoices

in most is not the

gift that he's got

from them,

but rather what he

rejoices in most is

what that gift tells him

about what is going on

in their hearts.

Here is a gift

receiver

rejoicing

because of what

the gift tells him

about the hearts

of the gift

givers.

Paul rejoices

that the grace

of God

transforming them

is so at work,

is so prevalent

that it is

overflowed

in this generous

gift.

Paul rejoices

that the grace

of God

is so clearly

at work

in their lives

that not only

have they given

him a gift,

the bigger picture,

they've bought

into the mission.

They've bought

into the mission.

They view

their resources

through the kingdom

lens.

Whatever I have,

Lord,

it's yours,

it's from you,

I want to use it

for your glory.

And they're using

their resources

with a kingdom

mindset.

Do you see that?

How does Paul

describe that?

Verse 18,

a fragrant offering,

an acceptable

sacrifice,

pleasing

to God.

Resolution

number four,

be sacrificial.

Be sacrificial.

So let me ask you

this morning,

what is flowing

from your life.

What's flowing

from your life?

Are you partnering

with other Christians?

Are you investing

what you have

in the work

of the kingdom?

Are we

corporately using

what we have

for the Lord's work

in this city

and in this world?

And I think about it

really practically,

the missionaries

we support

as a church,

the Leakeys,

Michael Gunperts,

Jim Burnett,

the legs,

even Michelle

who was up here

last Sunday evening

gone to work

for a year

in the mercy ships.

Do these people

know that we're

with them?

Do they know

that we're with them?

Even thinking of

John Gillen

working down

in Muir House,

do these people

know that we

are with them?

Could they do

with some

encouragement

this week?

Maybe just a text,

maybe just an email,

whatever it is

to encourage them

in their work.

Wouldn't it be

hilarious if they

got 60 emails?

We're using

what we have

for the Lord's

work here

at Brunsfield.

It's a great way

to think about

financial giving

in this place,

that everything

we have is God's,

we're just using it,

we're just giving it

back to him

to use in his service,

but we're also

investing in the work

of the Lord

in this place.

The staff team,

the building work,

the events that we

can put on,

the 50th,

the heating,

the lighting,

the coffee and biscuits,

investing our resources

in a way that opens

up opportunities

for us as a

community,

to impact this

community with the

gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm sure you noticed

the other day

what I found myself

reading an article

about Bruce Forsyth,

a man just about

90 I think.

This article was

waxing lyrical,

but the legacy

that Bruce Forsyth

has left at that age.

And it got me

thinking about

another 90 year old

who left a legacy.

Many of you

will remember,

some of you

may have come

after her,

but we used to

have a dear sister

here called Rita.

And Rita was just

an incredible woman

of faith.

And she went to be

with the Lord

not long after

her 90th birthday.

I think it was only

a matter of weeks.

She went to be

with the Lord.

And we had a big

celebration for her

for her 90th birthday

party at the bridge

just down the road.

And she said

for her birthday,

I don't want

any presents please.

I want you to

take the money

that you would

have spent on me

and I want all

that money to go

to starting a fund

that will put in

a lift.

Because this church

is growing

and this lift

will provide

and open up

so many opportunities

for us as a family,

as a church family

to continue to grow.

What a legacy!

And tonight

the vision evening,

please come along,

we're going to

celebrate and mark

all the work

that's gone on out here.

Some of you

are looking at me funny

because your visitors

are just through that.

We're going to

celebrate and mark it.

Is that not

a fantastic legacy

a 90-year-old

to leave

this church family?

Investing your resources

for the work

of the kingdom.

Resolution number four,

be sacrificial.

Four gospel resolutions.

Be joyful,

be holy,

be content,

be sacrificial.

Stand firm,

Philippians,

as you take the gospel

to your city

of Philippi.

Now one final thought

from me

and then we're done.

I reckon these

Philippian Christians

would be greatly

encouraged by Paul's letter.

Do you not?

Get this thing?

You're reading it out.

Yeah, there's challenges

but what encouragement.

But if they needed

a little bit more encouragement

then look how he signs

off this letter.

It's important, isn't it?

We see that a letter

is like this

all the way through

to the end

because there's some

diamonds at the end.

As we close this morning

look at verse 21.

Greet the saints.

Greet the saints.

The brothers who are with me

send their greetings.

And notice this little detail.

Especially those

of Caesar's household.

So Paul wants

the Philippians to know

that they are Christians

at some level or another

working for Caesar in Rome.

If you want to think

about it like that,

it's kind of like

the civil service.

Is it not thrilling

to think that God

in his sovereign purposes

has his people

doing his work

in the city of Rome

even in this

humongous kingdom

at the time of Rome?

God's got his people

at work in here.

God's got his people.

And the kingdom of Christ

is beginning to penetrate

even the humongous

kingdom of Rome.

Is it not incredible

to think about

as we stand here today

so many years on

that one of these kingdoms

you only read about

in the history books

but one of these kingdoms

not only does it advance

and grow every day

but actually it comes

with a cast iron guarantee

that the gates of hell

will never prevail against it.

Is that not an incredible thought?

I wonder what odds

you would have got on that

when you finish this letter.

But it's true.

All the more reason

Philippians

to shine like stars

and to resolve

to live your lives

worthy of the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

So spirit come

put strength

in every stride

give grace

for every hurdle

that we may run

with faith

to win the prize

of a servant

good and faithful

as saints of old

still line the way

retelling triumphs

of his grace

we hear their calls

and we hunger

for the day

when with Christ

we will stand

in glory.

And so to God

our Father

be glory

forever

and ever.

Amen.

Let's pray together.

Our Father

we thank you so much

for this morning.

Lord we want to praise you

today

that we have

your word

in our language.

That what a joy

it has been

over the summer

to spend time

in this letter

to the Philippians.

And so we ask

Lord that you would

help us

as your people

this week

as your spirit

is at work

in us

to do what Paul

says to these

Philippians

to practice

these things

and to do it

for your glory

and to do it

for your kingdom

and to do it

for the building up

of your church

in this place

we ask.

In Jesus name

Amen.