Christians in Unexpected Places

Now then, we're going to begin our worship this evening singing in Psalm 108.

Psalm 108, and that's from the Sing Psalms version, page 146.

We sing to a tune, High for Doll, verses 1 to 7.

O Lord God, my heart is steadfast, and with all my soul I'll sing.

Harp and lyre I will awaken, and my song the dawn will bring.

Lord my God, among the nations I will ever give you praise.

In the midst of all the peoples I will sing of you always.

Psalm 108, verses 1 to 7, the double verse 7, to God's praise.

Psalms 108:1–7

O Lord God, my heart is steadfast, and with all my soul I'll sing.

Harp and lyre I will awaken, and my song the dawn will bring.

Lord my God, among the nations I will ever give you praise.

In the midst of all the peoples I will sing of you always.

For your steadfast love is boundless, greater than the heavens high.

And your faithfulness towards us reaches even to the sky.

Far above the highest heavens, be exalted, O my God.

And your glory spread abroad.

With your right and safe and helpless, rescue all those whom you love.

God has spoken from this temple, from this holy place above.

I will distribute in triumph every part of Sheffersland.

And the whole of Sarkovalli, I will measure with my hand.

Let's call upon the Lord again in prayer.

Let's pray together.

Our gracious and eternal God, as we bow our heads before you in prayer,

we give thanks again for these words that you have given us to sing,

where the psalmist, in expressing his desire that the glory of the Lord would spread abroad throughout the earth,

received that answer from God that you would indeed come to spread forth your blessing

so as to cover these lands that are named in this psalm.

We thank you, Lord, that your glory has been made manifest

and has largely gone through all the earth,

though we know that parts of the earth, even tonight,

have not yet been reached with the gospel.

O Lord, we thank you that in the spread of the gospel,

your own kingdom has been advanced.

And we thank you that your promise from the days of the Old Testament prophets

through into the New Testament and the apostles,

that your promise that you would build your church

has indeed been, is indeed being fulfilled

and has come to be seen in the way in which you bring people to know yourself.

We thank you tonight that we form part of those who have been reached with the gospel,

those who have come to know that the Lord has provided salvation for us

in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, we thank you tonight for him.

It is indeed our great desire that we would know his blessing,

that we would find as he sits upon the throne of the universe

and administers his kingdom.

Lord, our God, we pray that tonight we will know

through the Holy Spirit of your blessing upon us.

We pray that we may rejoice in being incorporated into your kingdom

and that we may rejoice as a congregation,

that we have the gospel,

that we have that announcement in its fullness in your word,

that the Lord God reigns on high

and that the Lord God has provided for sinners like we are

such an abundant redemption.

Lord, we thank you tonight that we can come to express these things before you in prayer.

We thank you that you are the God who hears the crying of your people.

We thank you that you call upon us to call upon you.

We thank you, Lord, that you make clear in your word

that it is your delight to meet with us

as we worship you and as we call upon you in prayer

and sing your praises.

Help us, we pray, as we come to your word,

both in the reading and expounding of it

and in hearing its message.

Help us to receive it once again into our hearts.

Help us to receive it in a way that would change

and bring about in our lives that spiritual and holy shape

that would be in accordance with your word

on each and every facet of our lives.

O Lord God, we pray tonight that our concern will be

to be furthered in holiness of life,

in commitment and love to you and to your cause

and in looking to each other and to your cause at large

so that we may value and love hearing about your people elsewhere

throughout the world as we have been in recent times.

We pray tonight for your people in all parts of the world.

Lord, we ask, Lord, that you'd bless again those who are persecuted,

those who are facing so many difficulties

that we know largely little about.

We thank you for the information that reaches us

and for the way that we can bring this before you in prayer.

Once again, we pray for the troubled spots of the world,

the nations that are in upheaval through war,

through famine, through various things that cause people distress,

through misgovernment and mismanagement.

Lord, we ask that you would be merciful to the many millions of people in the world

who have to go without so many of the things that we enjoy in abundance.

Lord, we pray that you would bless them tonight

and bless them especially with the gospel.

Forgive us, Lord, for we find ourselves complaining

in relation to how we find things in these recent times

with an increase in the price of commodities,

with other aspects of increased prices and in fuel.

While, O Lord, we do look with concern at these things,

yet we confess they are but so small compared

to the distress faced by many people in the world

who don't even have clean water to use day by day,

who have to walk miles for the nearest resources,

who don't have shops to attend,

and who have so few, O Lord, of the food

and the commodities that we enjoy.

We ask that you would make us thankful,

make us dependable,

give us, we pray, not to be complainers,

and help us not to be like your people Israel of old

who as soon as they came to the place

where there was little water

grumbled against Moses

and therefore grumbled against the Lord.

Help us, Lord, to be careful

that we never grumble against you,

that we never consider you as one to be complained of,

for you give us day by day far more than we deserve.

And we do pray that you would continue

to expand our thankfulness

so that the praise and the glory will belong to you.

Remember us, we pray,

as a congregation of your people.

Lord, we thank you for all that we experienced this morning,

for the baptisms that took place,

for the children that were baptized and their parents,

and we pray for them.

We pray that you would bless them

and bless this event to them.

Make it indeed to them, O Lord,

a means of blessing.

We pray for every young family

belonging to us as a congregation with children

and bringing them up in difficult times

as we face, O Lord.

Give them, we pray,

to trust in yourself.

Enable them to look to your word

and give them confidence in your word

as they would seek to bring up their children

in ways that are acceptable to you

and are bright and wholesome morally and spiritually.

We pray for them, Lord, in their schools.

We ask that you would grant your blessing

to all who teach our children.

And we pray in the many challenges that they face,

Lord, that you would grant your blessing

to give them the strength and the resolve

and the commitment

and indeed the delight where possible

in instructing young lives

in such necessary subjects as they are.

O Lord God, we ask that your blessing

will be upon our local authority

as they too take charge of the material in our schools.

We pray that you would give them wisdom and courage

and help them to resist whatever attempts are made,

O Lord, to introduce that which is unwholesome,

that which is contrary

to the way in which your word sets before us,

that which is healthy and good,

spiritually and morally.

And we pray that you would grant that blessing too

throughout all our schools,

throughout our nation,

so that we may see many coming to be educated

in a way that will be pleasing to you.

We ask your blessing too, Lord, tonight

for all our older ones,

for those who have come to a time of failing health.

We remember them and ask that you would be near to them,

be with them, Lord,

as they face difficulties and challenges

in regard to their mental capacity,

regard to physical abilities

and failures of various bodily faculties.

Gracious Lord, remember all who belong to us

and have reached that stage of life.

Remember, too,

those who mourn over the passing of loved ones.

Again, we pray for them.

We pray for those who have lost loved ones recently.

We pray, too,

for those who look back over years

and still find it so traumatic

and difficult to think of

their loved ones no longer being here,

whether they passed away

in their young days as children

or even infants

or in their older years.

Nevertheless, Lord, we know

the pain involved in losing loved ones.

And even though we may know

that our loved ones have gone to a better place,

yet the pain of bereavement

and separation remains.

We thank you that you understand,

that you know what it is,

O Lord,

to hear a cry from the cross.

My God,

my God,

why have you forsaken me?

And we ask,

O Lord,

that all our concerns

and all our weepings,

all our sorrows

and all our changes

may be laid at the foot of your cross

and that we may see it

in relation

to your triumphant resurrection

from the dead

through which you have gone

to prepare a place

for your people.

And now we pray

that you'd bless the children this evening,

the young ones

at their big YF.

Bless, we pray,

those who are in leadership

there as well.

We pray for Gordon MacLeod

and his role

within the presbytery.

We ask your blessing

for him

and for the work

that he carries out

and we ask that

he may know your blessing

from week to week

as he engages

with the young folks.

And we pray

that you would

graciously hear us

as we now

continue in your presence.

All of these things

we ask,

seeking the pardon

of our sin

and cleansing

in the name of Christ,

our Lord,

for his sake.

Amen.

Let's read from God's Word

now from 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians chapter 16.

1 Corinthians 16 · chapter mention

And we read from the beginning

through to the end of the chapter.

Isn't it very instructive

how the apostle,

having gone through

that amazing discourse

in chapter 15

in such theological depth

about the resurrection,

that he could come

at the beginning

of this section,

the final section

of 1 Corinthians,

to turn from that deep theology

into something so practical

as collection

for the saints.

But he has no embarrassment

about that

because he realizes

that all theology

flows into

our practical concern

for one another

and for the cause of God.

Now, concerning

the collection

for the saints,

as I directed

the churches of Galatia,

so you also are to do.

On the first day

of every week,

each of you

is to put something aside

and store it up

as he may prosper

so that there will be

no collecting

when I come.

And when I arrive,

I will send those

whom you accredit

by letter

to carry your gift

to Jerusalem.

If it seems advisable

that I should go also,

they will accompany me.

I will visit you

after passing

through Macedonia,

for I intend

to pass through Macedonia

and perhaps

I will stay with you

or even spend the winter

so that you may help me

on my journey

wherever I go.

For I do not want you,

I do not want to see you

now just in passing.

I hope to spend

some time with you

if the Lord permits.

But I will stay

in Ephesus

until Pentecost

for a wide door

for effective work

has opened to me

and there are

many adversaries.

When Timothy comes,

see that you put him

at ease among you

for he is doing

the work of the Lord

as I am.

So let no one

despise him.

Help him on his way

in peace

that he may return

to me

for I am expecting

him with the brothers.

Now concerning

our brother Apollos,

I strongly urged him

to visit you

with the other brothers

but it was not

at all his will

to come now.

He will come

when he has opportunity.

Be watchful,

stand firm

in the faith,

act like men,

be strong,

let all that you do

be done in love.

Now I urge you,

brothers,

you know that the

household of Stephanas

were the first converts

in Nehaya

and that they have

devoted themselves

to the service

of the saints.

Be subject to such

as these

and to every fellow

worker and laborer.

I rejoice

at the coming

of Stephanas

and Fortunatus

and Nehaya

because they have

made up for your absence

for they refreshed

my spirit

as well as yours.

Give recognition

to such men.

The churches of Asia

send you greetings.

Aquila and Prissa

together with the church

in their house

send you hearty

greetings in the Lord.

All the brothers

send you greetings.

Greet one another

with a holy kiss.

I, Paul,

write this greeting

with my own hand.

If anyone has no love

for the Lord,

let him be accursed.

Our Lord,

come,

the grace of the Lord

Jesus Christ,

the grace of the Lord

Jesus be with you.

My love be with you all

in Christ Jesus.

Amen.

And we pray once again

for God to follow

that reading

with his blessing.

Our next psalm of praise

is Psalm 122.

Psalm 122

in the Scottish Psalter.

That's page 416.

We'll sing the whole psalm.

The tune is St. Paul.

I joyed when

to the house of God

go up,

they said to me.

Jerusalem within

thy gates

our feet

shall standing be.

Jerusalem as a city

is compactly

built together

and to that place

the tribes go up.

The tribes of God

go thither.

Psalm 122

singing the whole psalm

to God's praise.

I joyed when

to the house

of God

go up

they said

to me

Jerusalem

within

thy gates

our feet

shall

stand

in

be.

Jerusalem

lost

our city

is

compactly

built

together

unto

the place

the place

that

rights

go up

the

rights

of God

go

there

to

Israel's

testimony

there

to

cause

him

thanks to

pay

for

God

got

to

praise

the

unity

pierced

và

gi Hera n

in

לב

che

Felicity

Let them

Thou love

Beyond thy peace

Have still

Prosperity

Therefore

I wish

That peace may still

Within

Thy walls

Remain

And never

May thy

Policies

Prosperity

Retain

Now

For my

Friends and

brethren's

sake

Peace

Be in

thee I'll

stay

And

For the

house

Of

God

Our

Lord

I'll

see

thy

good

always

God

Great

Now

will you turn with me to Paul's letter to the Philippians.

Paul's letter to the Philippians where we're going to finish off our series of studies in Philippians with the final few verses there of chapter 4.

Philippians 4 at verse 21.

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

So we're coming to this final study as we've gone through the book of Philippians. We began it, I think, sometime back in June last year. And so it's taken us some time. But I did want, as I said at the beginning, to take time going through it so as to actually seek to bring out much of the main teaching in this wonderful letter of Paul.

And I think I said at the beginning that one of the reasons we do, or one of the main reasons we do such studies as these consecutively, going through a book like this, is so that we can actually take it as a whole.

Just imagine yourselves, if you were receiving this letter, if you were the congregation in Philippi, you wouldn't just pick out a passage here and there. You would begin at the beginning and read through the letter as a whole, and you would see how it was put together.

And it's a wonderful thing to study these letters of the apostle, as well as other parts of scripture too, of course, and see how wonderfully and carefully the Holy Spirit has guided Paul in putting together these four chapters.

And we've seen how much there is packed into certain passages or even verses of this epistle.

And it's great to see how that network of teaching, that wonderful tapestry, if you like, of teaching, has been woven together in such a way as when we bring out the various parts of it, you begin to see the whole pattern more clearly.

And I hope that's something that you've seen as we've gone through the epistle.

Well, these final verses of the letter speak about two things mainly.

First of all, it speaks about the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He says,

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

And we'll take that first of all, and then come back to the other two verses, which speak mainly about the saints in Christ Jesus,

the people of God that are called saints because of the way God has set them apart to be his own people in the world.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, you recall at the very beginning of the letter that he begins with a reference to the grace of God, chapter 1, verse 2.

To all the saints in Christ Jesus, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So he begins with a reference to grace and he ends with a reference to grace.

And within these two bookends, if you like, of grace, he has packed all the teaching that we've seen as we've gone through the letter.

The grace of God is, of course, the undeserved favor of God that he bestows on us sinners.

It's not just favor, it's the undeserved favor of God.

If you look at it in other terms, it's really effectively the love of God at work towards his people.

That grace of God, that undeserved favor, that love of God with which they are loved as it is worked through in their lives from day to day and year to year.

And you'll notice he's saying the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Be with your spirit.

Now, he's still talking in plural terms, but obviously every individual is incorporated, included in the reference.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with your spirit, plural.

You as a congregation.

And that reminds us that this undeserved favor of God, this wonderful favor, this love of God for his people, is a love that reaches through into the deepest part of our lives.

It's designed to do that.

It's something that actually comes to reach into the deepest recesses of our souls because we need the grace of God at work there.

Because the grace of God brings the power of God.

The grace of God at work, the power of the love of Christ as that flows into the lives of his people.

It's a life-changing love.

It's a life-changing grace.

It's a life-changing power.

And so, as he says here, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

It's a reminder to ourselves that this is really where we need the grace of God at work.

Not just to tidy up a few pieces in our lives, a few parts of our outward conduct as it might be, though that itself would not be a bad thing.

But the grace of God in its effectiveness, in its work, is not just doing a tidying-up job, a sweeping-up job, so that certain aspects of your outward conduct are tidied up or cleaned up.

It's actually something that reaches into such deep parts of your soul as involve your will, your emotions, your conscience.

All of that is affected by the working of God's grace as he applies it.

There may be many things we know that stir our souls.

I'm sure most of you like some types of music or other.

And people will say that their favorite type of music, if they have time to listen to it, really find it stirring.

They find it stirs their soul.

And that's perfectly, perfectly acceptable, of course.

When music or something that you love in that way stirs your soul properly, stirs your emotions, really works in you to move you to affection, to move you to appreciate what you're actually listening to.

It's a wonderful thing.

But the grace of God is the only thing that can renew your soul.

You can enjoy the most magnificent music.

You can enjoy the most magnificent writing.

You can enjoy all of those things that we have from God and his goodness.

But the grace of God reaches deeply into your spirit.

And the grace of God, the working through of the love of God in the hearts of his people, is what really brings the change.

And what I thought I would do with this point is just to try and summarize the teaching of the letter by thinking of it as the grace of God.

Because that's really, I think, one of the reasons that Paul has put these two bookends of grace where they are at the beginning and at the end.

So that everything in between them, really, you might say, has some relation or other to this grace of God.

To this undeserved favor of God.

To the love of God working in and towards his people.

You remember back in chapter 1.

It's the grace of God that binds us into a fellowship of people.

So that it brings about a partnership in the gospel.

And he's thanking God for that.

In chapter 1 there from verse 3.

I thank my God for that fellowship.

For that partnership.

And as he goes on to speak of that.

He speaks of them being all partakers with me of grace.

That's what's made them a people.

That's what's made them the congregation, the church they are.

They've been bound together.

They're united together.

They are a people by the grace of God.

Then you go to the verse 12 of chapter 1.

I want you to know, brothers, what has happened to me has really helped to advance the gospel.

Here is a man who's in prison, as we recall.

Here's a man who's writing from prison to these beloved Philippians.

Here's a man who has all these troubles to contend with.

Not just in regard to where he himself is.

But the burdens he carries for all the churches.

And yet he's convinced that the grace of God, the power of God's grace,

makes these troubles work for the good of the gospel.

I want you to understand, he's saying,

that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

So it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard.

We'll come back to that in a moment.

It makes the troubles that we have work for the gospel and for our own good,

as well as we depend on God.

It enables us also to look beyond the present life.

Verse 19, and the present circumstances.

For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

this will turn out for my deliverance.

And of course, it's the grace of God that has provided this wonderful Savior

that he deals with so wonderfully in chapter 2,

where he talks about the Son of God coming,

showing this mind towards lost sinners,

that he gave himself to all that he suffered,

gave himself to the deprivations that he subjected himself to so willingly,

and ultimately to the death of the cross itself.

It's that grace of God that has provided us with that Savior tonight,

who is Jesus.

Why has Jesus Christ existed?

Why did he live in this world?

Why did the Son of God come?

Because the grace of God was at work in providing that Savior for us.

Grace of God, the love of God for his people, for his children,

sent his own Son into this world.

And then, the grace of God empowers our persevering witness.

Chapter 2, verse 12, following.

It's the persevering witness of God's people against the odds, you might say,

against the troubles and the afflictions and the persecutions

and the challenges and the resistance that they face.

And indeed, that itself is proof of Christ risen from the dead.

And just imagine, just now, these disciples,

that you find, the account you find in the book of Acts

about the disciples,

and they're going out into the world with the gospel.

In chapter 5, just to take one example,

verses 40 to 42,

you find the governing authorities

summoning the disciples again

and saying to them,

don't preach in this name again,

and wanting to send them away,

and charging them not to speak in the name of Jesus,

and then let them go.

But they actually let them go,

but they left the presence of the council,

rejoicing that they were counted worthy

to suffer dishonor for the name,

for the name of Christ.

And every day in the temple, from house to house,

they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Now, can you possibly imagine

these people, these disciples,

if they were convinced that Jesus was still dead,

as we're actually facing that idea in the world

that Christ couldn't possibly have risen from the dead,

nobody rises from the dead,

certainly not by their own power.

Can you imagine these disciples

going out to the world

with this message of Jesus risen from the dead,

if they were not themselves convinced

that he had risen from the dead?

Where did they get the encouragement from?

Where did they get this conviction from?

Where did they get this desire?

Where did they get this burden

to bring this message of the gospel

to the world of their day?

From the fact that they knew Jesus was risen.

That's what the grace of God had brought about.

They would not have put up

with all the sufferings and persecutions

that they endured,

as described in the book of Acts,

if they had any doubts

that Jesus was alive or dead.

They wouldn't have put up with it.

And it's in chapter 3.

I'm just scanning through this quickly.

It's just a reminder to us

that this is what we've covered.

This is the substance, really,

of the teaching of the book

as we skim over these.

Chapter 3,

the grace of God

is what changes a persecutor

into a disciple.

There is the apostle himself

giving his testimony.

There he is talking about

how he used to have confidence

in the flesh,

his own ability,

his own ability to please God

by his own efforts,

by the strenuous efforts

of trying to keep God's law.

But he said,

whatever gain I had,

I counted as loss

for the sake of Christ.

Indeed,

I count everything as loss

because of the surpassing worth

of knowing Christ Jesus,

my Lord.

For his sake,

I have suffered the loss

of all things

and count them as rubbish

in order that I may gain Christ.

And so on.

And he goes on,

of course,

from that to,

into that great teaching

of how we come to be justified.

Where does our righteousness

come from

that we need

in the presence of God?

It's in Jesus himself.

And by faith in Jesus,

his righteousness

becomes ours.

Now,

you and I need

that righteousness.

righteousness.

We're not born with it.

It's not something

that we produce ourselves.

If you think of it

as the Bible often does,

as a garment

that is worn spiritually,

spiritual garment,

well,

that garment

is not woven

by any human craftsman.

That garment

has been produced

by God

through Jesus Christ

and his work

on the cross.

and the righteousness

that now exists

in Christ for us,

that's what the gospel

offers to us.

And you could go on

and see how in chapter 3,

the grace of God

sanctifies God's people

for glory.

Chapter 3,

verses 12,

following on from that.

That's the grace of God

in chapter 4

that mends

broken relationships,

that we need

to mend

broken relationships.

I entreat you,

I entreat Syntyche

to agree

in the Lord.

And so on.

He talks there

about how

they need

to deal with

whatever has

separated them

and caused

the difference

of opinion

or the falling out

between them.

It's the grace of God

that's required

in order to mend

broken relationships.

It's the grace of God

that produces

contentment of mind.

Chapter 4,

verse 12,

I have learned

in whatsoever state

I am therein

to be content.

Why is he content?

Because he has

Jesus in his fullness

and he doesn't need

to look for

contentment

anywhere else.

He has all he needs

of contentment

in Christ.

It's the grace of God

that moves people

to kindness

and supplies

all our wants

as we saw

in our most recent study.

Now all of these things

are features

which we need

as a congregation.

All of these things

whether we think

of Jesus himself

of being a fellowship

and a partnership

of actually having

the strength

to face our troubles

in life

of actually looking

beyond the present life

positively

and in hope

of sanctifying us

for glory

of mending

broken relationships

when that occurs

of producing

contentment

of mind

of moving us

to acts

of kindness

to one another

and to the world

around us

of supplying

all our wants

all our needs

that is the grace

of God

as it works

as it comes

into our experience

and into our lives.

So there is what Paul

begins with

or rather ends

with

although we've said it

as the first point

of our study tonight

the grace

of the Lord

Jesus Christ

be with your spirit.

What is it

that moves you

most

in your own life?

What is it

that gives you

the greatest satisfaction?

What is it

that gives you

the greatest stirring

of soul?

Is it not

the grace of God

at work?

Is it not

the love of Christ

as you experience it?

Is it not

Jesus being

your Savior too?

Is that not

the most precious

thing you have?

The most precious

person that you own

and are related

to?

This Lord

this Savior

this mighty

Redeemer

the grace

of the Lord

Jesus Christ

be with

your spirit.

But then he speaks

also about the saints.

And there are three

things here briefly

that we can take note

of as he says

first of all

greet every saint

in Christ Jesus.

All the saints

greet you

especially those

of Caesar's

household.

Now you notice

he's saying

all the saints

greet you.

And the first thing

that comes across

to you from that

is the unity

of God's church.

The unity of all

who are believers

in Christ.

This is what he's saying.

All the saints

greet you.

All the saints

are not in Philippi.

All the saints

are not in Rome.

All the saints

are scattered

throughout the empire

as Paul writes

these words

to the Philippians.

But he says

all the saints

greet you.

Maybe he meant

all those

particularly

as he says

of Caesar's household.

He does go on

to mention that

and we'll see that

in a minute.

But he does say

all the saints

greet you.

And there is no

indication that he

wants to confine it

to those that he

knows himself

personally

or in Rome

where he's imprisoned.

All the saints

greet you.

God

has only one church.

Whatever denominations

we know of

or may belong to

all who are saints

all who are

set apart

by God

in Christ Jesus

belong to each other

as they belong to him.

So wherever

God's people

are placed

they are

spiritually

connected

in a

brotherly

sisterly way

with all the saints

elsewhere

in the world.

And we have

an interest

because there is

just the one church

that crosses

all of the divides

that we know

between congregations

between denominations

between

various traditions

in the gospel

throughout the world

we have

an interest

and involvement

in the well-being

of God's church.

Why should it bother us

tonight

that Christians

are actually suffering

in different parts

of the world

because they are

brothers and sisters

in Christ

because they belong

to a family?

Why should it bother us

if certain

congregations

or certain groups

that follow

the Christian faith

actually go aside

into heresy

and are no longer

following the gospel

faithfully

maybe come sometimes

up with some

outrageous

conclusions

and practices?

Why should it bother us

if some

Christian churches

mainstream Christian churches

are embracing

a worldly view

of life

and of marriage

and of relationships?

Why should that bother us?

Because

because the saints

of Jesus Christ

make up one church

and wherever you find

decline

whatever

denomination

it may be

or whatever

congregation

it may be

just as you can say

within

one congregation

whatever individual

it may be

it concerns

it concerns

us

as those

who in this world

are set apart

to be God's people

because

the saints

all the saints

have an interest

together

in the well-being

of Christ's church

it is

our concern

it is

our concern

tonight

for

our brothers

and sisters

in Ukraine

wherever else

they may be

in the world

their welfare

is important

to us

not because

they're just

human beings

like ourselves

but because

as Christians

in Ukraine

they are the

Lord's people

they differ from us

as other Christians

in other places do

they don't worship

exactly the same

as we do

they may have

traditions

that we don't

ourselves

agree with

but where they

present themselves

as living

by faith

in Christ

and seeking

to be obedient

to God

then the Arab

brothers

and sisters

at that level

at least

in the Lord

all the saints

greet you

but especially

those of

Caesar's household

this is interesting

and it ties up

with what we saw

near the beginning

we reflected on

just briefly

tonight as well

in chapter 1

I want you to know

brothers

that what has

happened to me

has really served

to advance the gospel

so that it has

become known

throughout the whole

imperial guard

and to all the rest

that my

imprisonment

is for Christ

and it led

to some

actually

being emboldened

to preach the gospel

what do you see

what he's saying

there

and what he's saying

here

all the saints

greet you

especially those

of Caesar's household

what is he talking

about

what is Caesar's

household

Caesar's household

is the imperial

palace

who was the Caesar

at the time

that Paul wrote

to the Philippians

it was the cruel

emperor

Nero

and yet here

you find

in Nero's

palace

among Nero's

servants

among those

who served

as wicked

emperor

this un-Christian

un-godly

pagan man

here you find

Paul saying

all the saints

greet you

especially those

of Caesar's

household

there are saints

in the most

unexpected places

even Caesar's

household

even Nero's

household

even Nero's

servants

contain

saints

there are

Christians there

there are people

there who love

the Lord

and Paul is saying

they are sending

you their

greetings

tonight there are

Christians

in the most

unexpected places

places that are

closed officially

to the gospel

there are Christians

tonight as you

know yourselves

in China

there are Christians

tonight in North

Korea

these countries

can be sealed

off by their

dictators

as North Korea

is at the

moment

and yet

God has

his people

there

you see

we can

we can

legislate

even in our

own country

against grace

we can

legislate

in a way

that seeks

to wipe

the statute

book

of all

that is

really

specifically

Christian

we can

imprison

Christians

we can

make it

really tough

for them

as it was

for the

apostle here

but you

cannot stop

the gospel

you cannot

stop the

Holy Spirit

there is no

power in the

world

or out of

the world

that can

actually stand

against the

Holy Spirit

and say

you can't

come in

here

this is a

no-go

area for

the gospel

we don't

want your

Christianity

here

here are

all of

these people

in Caesar's

household

and they're

worshippers of

God

they are

saints of

God

be thrilled

about that

tonight

remember us

you pray

tonight

for God's

people

throughout

the world

pray for

those

who are

Christians

in unexpected

places

pray for

those

who are

Christians

in

countries

that are

closed

officially

to the

gospel

and that's

what you

find

even the

likes of

Ukraine

as well

with all

the brutality

that the

Ukrainian

people are

experiencing

and have

experienced

now for

months

not even

all that

brutality

can extinguish

the gospel

or can extinguish

faithful witness

to Christ

how many people

have you heard

in the news

reports

quite a number

thankfully

that were

interviewed

certainly in the

early parts

of the

struggles

and asking

for their

views

making reference

to their

faith in

God

making reference

to placing

their lives

in his

hand even

as they

fled the

country

or look

to the

shell

of their

accommodation

a wreckage

of their

city

did that

destroy their

faith

did that

mean that

Christianity

had been

wiped out

of course

not because

you cannot

stop the

power of

God

the grace

of God

you cannot

stop the

love of

God reaching

sinners

wherever he

chooses

you know

there are

people in

our own

locality

tonight

who are

undoubtedly

enemies of

the gospel

who make

it quite

clear that

they are

out against

the gospel

to do

everything

possible

not only to

make it

ineffective

but to

get rid

of it

altogether

if

possible

they stand

as enemies

of the

church

as enemies

of the

preaching

of the

gospel

as enemies

of the

standard

of the

gospel

the moral

and spiritual

standard

that the

gospel

sets out

and they

make it

clear

many of

them

by the

way they

speak

that that

is what

their life

is driven

by

that is

what they

are setting

out to

achieve

let me

tell you

this

they may

put us

in prison

we may

end up

having to

suffer

deeply

for the

faith

for all

we know

they may

remove

everything

from us

in terms

of our

possessions

but they

cannot take

Christ from

us

they cannot

take the

gospel itself

from us

and remember

when you're

praying

tonight again

not just

praying for

those in

these

countries

where you

might not

expect to

find

Christians

but where

they're

there

remember

too for

those who

are

about

enemies

of the

gospel

pray for

them

pray for

this mighty

grace of

God to

take hold

of their

lives

as that

grace of

God took

hold of

the life

of this

author of

Philippians

who as he

says in

chapter 7

this power

this Jesus

grasped me

he took

hold of

me

he arrested

me

and he

took me

into the

custody of

his grace

the power

and the

care of

his grace

pray for

those tonight

that God

would convert

them

that the

power of

his grace

would enter

their lives

that they

may have

a change

around in

their thinking

completely

not just so

that we

might have

more peace

for the

gospel

that's

important

but that

they will

realize

themselves

how much

they need

this Christ

how valuable

the Savior

is

how

indispensable

it is

to have

Jesus as

your Savior

especially

they

who are of

Caesar's

household

there are

saints

even there

and there are

saints tonight

in the most

unexpected

places

and finally

he says

greet

every saint

greet

every saint

in Christ

Jesus

he's been

thinking

up to now

and writing

in corporate

terms

plurals

but now

he's

individualizing

greet

every saint

in Christ

Jesus

we tend

to categorize

people

don't we

we tend to

categorize

Christians

as well

we tend

to categorize

Christians

who are

like

ourselves

have the

same

way of

looking at

things

the same

kind of

worship

and we

categorize

them

and we

make them

really

so much

more

important

to us

in a sense

than others

are

we think

of them

as

brothers and

sisters

but don't

really want

to go

outside of

that too

much

greet

every

saint

in Christ

Jesus

wherever you

come across

a Christian

someone who

is truly

the Lord's

someone who

truly loves

the Lord

someone who

obviously is

a saint

set apart

by the grace

of God

greet them

and greet

them means

deal with

them as

brothers and

sisters should

greet

every saint

in Christ

Jesus

because the

Bible tells

us that

we are all

one in

Christ Jesus

in Paul's

letter to

the Galatians

now he meant

that specifically

in terms of

how we come

to be justified

by faith

in Christ

Jesus

and we are

made all

one in

that sense

you mustn't

take from

that some

ideas that

you find

current that

there's no

distinction at

all between

men and

women in

church or

in church

office or

that sort

of thing

that's not

what Paul

meant

he meant

on the

level of

being justified

of being

accepted

with God

of being

righteous

of being

saints

there is

no difference

between male

and female

in that

regard

and we

mustn't

actually put

a difference

or something

where of a

distinction

where God

hasn't made

one

whatever race

or color

people may

be of

there is

no racism

allowed within

the relationships

of God's

people

greet

every saint

in Christ

Jesus

the Bible

teaches us

the New Testament

a biblical

equality

where we all

have an

equality in

Christ

where each

of us

is accepted

by God

as much

as the

other

and you

remember

Paul himself

when he

wrote

that little

letter

to

Philemon

you remember

that he

speaks in

Philemon

of how

Philemon

was to

receive

the slave

that had

run away

from him

and was

now coming

back to him

this slave

Onesimus

I Paul

am now an

old man

prisoner for

Christ Jesus

I appeal

to you

for my

child

Onesimus

whose father

I became

in my

imprisonment

of course

he's talking

spiritually

Onesimus

was converted

as he met

with Paul

as a prisoner

he was

converted

formerly he

was useless

to you

but now

he is

indeed useful

to you

and to me

I am

sending him

back to you

sending my

very heart

I would have

been glad

to keep him

with me

in order

that he

might serve

me on

your behalf

during my

imprisonment

for the

gospel

but I

prefer to do

nothing

without your

consent

I have

sent him

back

for you

so

no longer

treat him

as a

slave

but more

than a

slave

as a

beloved

brother

especially

to me

but how

much more

to you

receive him

as you

would receive

me

aren't

these

incredible

words

here's

here's

here's

here's

this

mighty

apostle

here's

this

great

man

of

God

and he's

writing

to Philemon

in regard

to this

slave

and here

he is

talking about

this slave

and saying

to Philemon

look I'm

sending him

back to you

but he's

a changed

man

he's been

converted

he's now

a man

of God

receive him

as you