To Live is Christ | Philippians 1:21 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh | Maranatha Shabiba 2024 Conference

And a personal welcome from me. Welcome to Maranatha Conference

2024. Amen.

Out of pure curiosity, I see so many familiar faces, but I am

curious to know who might be here for the very first time.

Can you lift your hand if you're here for the very first time?

That's wonderful and I am aware that there are people here from

all over the world. We have people here from Sydney,

Australia. It's right.

We have people here from Melbourne, Australia.

Yes, we have people here from Canada.

Yes, we have people here from Lebanon and we have people here

from all around this glorious land, the United States of

America, and of course, all the people from Chicago.

How can I forget about this Chicago?

Did I forget anybody else that I'm in California?

All across the states? I don't want to start naming all

the states, so I just want to make it a summary.

Look, I got to tell you, my heart has been overflowing with

Thanksgiving to God the past few weeks, especially today.

I couldn't help it. It was just gushing, especially

in my time before the service for many things.

And the main thing is that oftentimes it's our disposition

as humans to think just because we plan for things, pay for

things, invest in things, that they will automatically succeed

or that they will occur. But that's a great mistake

because James tells us that even for those in the business world,

you are to always keep in the forefront of your mind that it

is the Lord's will. And even what you plan for

tomorrow cannot be permitted, cannot be realized unless God

wills it. And so I found myself thanking

God for him allowing us, granting us the grace to be here

for another year. It's it's a gift from him.

Every good and perfect gift is from above.

And I am also thankful to the Lord for all of you, for those

who are sacrificing and serving to make this weekend possible,

for those who've traveled from so far to be here.

But also because every year we pray fully as a church and

people from different churches, we pray to hear from God for

this weekend. That's the main reason for this.

We're in a beautiful sight. We meet with beautiful people

who love the Lord. But mainly we're here to meet

with a beautiful Savior, with Christ.

But we want to hear from him. The only way we can hear from

Him is we ask for His voice. And so every year we seek the

Lord and ask him, what would you want us to say?

And he has been so good to us in the years past, including this

year, to give us direction of where we ought to go in the Word

of God so that we can experience him because we experience him in

the Word of God. This book is alive.

This book breathes because God is the author of it.

And it's usually on this night where we kind of give people an

indication of where we're headed for the rest of the weekend.

And prayfully, what we will be discussing in our time together

is about the life of the apostle Paul, the life of the apostle

Paul. And it is my duty to give you

the answer to why dedicating a conference entirely to the life

of Paul. The man is a remarkable human

being, remarkable. And not only is it remarkable

because of his conversion, his calling, his towering intellect,

his incredible, relentless faithfulness to the Lord, but

he's an incredible human being because he has been called by

God not just to be a transmitter of the doctrines that would be

the foundation of the church. Because he's also been sought,

set apart by the Holy Spirit to be a practical model for

Christians of all ages. And that is not something that

is inferred upon by some readers or commentators or theologians

of the Bible. That is something that the

apostle Paul was very conscious of and laid out as a standard in

the Word of God as he was led by the Spirit of God.

And so one of the most obvious verses that we all know by

heart, specifically from one translation where Paul says what

in First Corinthians 11/1. Follow me as I yeah, and the ESP

would say be imitators of me as I imitate Christ.

But I want to turn your attention briefly to another

verse in First Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 16 where

1 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention

Paul says it in a different way. He says in First Corinthians

416. I urge you, I urge you then be

imitators of me. Now that word imitators in this

verse and in First Corinthians 11/1 in the Greek is the Greek

word mimet S where we get the English word mimic.

And so essentially what Paul is calling for Christians to do is

to copy him. Now, it would be erroneous and

even dangerous to assume that what Paul is asking of believers

is to try to be an apostle and to mirror his gifting and to try

to force yourself into his calling.

Wrong. Because the same Paul who said

imitate me taught in First Corinthians 12 that we all, as

members of one body, have been equipped with certain and unique

gifts and callings. So then what does Paul mean when

he says imitate me? He's speaking about

transferable, imitatable attributes, affections, frame of

mind, convictions that are really achievable for all of us

who are in Christ. So he lived in a certain way.

There were principles that he had adopted that the Holy Spirit

energized him for, that we are to look at and say this is what

God wants for my life, not just for Paul.

And I want to point out that Paul says in this verse with

urgency that we ought to study and we ought to pursue his way

of life. He's urgent, I urge you.

So this isn't optional. This isn't just for the VIP

Christians. This isn't just for a select few

who really want to be serious. This is the standard for all

believers of all time. And you might think, well, isn't

it strange for a any Christian really to ask other Christians

to imitate them? Kind of feels awkward, doesn't

it? Can you imagine somebody coming

up here saying, I want you to imitate me?

What would you think? This guy's kind of arrogant.

I'm supposed to imitate Christ. Paul's really a spirit filled

apostle, wouldn't he say? Look to Christ while he says

that in other places? But the Spirit inspired him to

say that, so he's not, he's not wrong.

What is he saying in essence? Well, God knows that one of the

ways in which we are very much helped in our practical

sanctification is by putting before us real flesh and blood

people who are walking in a worthy manner so that we can, as

fellow fleshly human, say it's possible.

It's possible then, is it not? Here's a man with a sinful

nature like mine, a dreadful past, maybe even a more

traumatic past, same temptations and problems.

And yet he is able to walk in this way.

And it's not because of his personality.

It's not because strength that he has mustered up.

It's not because of his own discipline.

It's because of something else that he has touched and tasted.

And whatever he's got, I want it.

That's why God essentially put Paul before us in the

Scriptures. Not so that you would be

intimidated by Paul and excuse him off as an apostle, but that

you would be inspired by him. He would say if it was possible

for this terrorist to come to Christ and not just come to

Christ, but to walk in this way for Christ, then surely the same

Spirit who energized him can also animate me.

And the Saint Paul who said imitate me shows that this

invitation was an exclusive to himself.

So again, you might feel like it seems strange for Paul to almost

make this claim that he is our ultimate example, but he doesn't

say that. Let me give you an example.

So he tells the Thessalonians, for example, right?

And 1st Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 14, he praises this

church. He praises this church for their

imitation, and not because they imitated him.

This is what he says to this church.

For you brothers became imitators, not of me, Paul, but

of who? Of the churches of God in Christ

Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffer the same things

from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews.

So here Paul, by his letter, is applauding the Thessalonians

because they were walking in the same courage and steadfastness

not of Paul, but of the churches in Judea.

In other words, it is totally possible for any believer, or

for any group of Christians in a local church setting to walk in

a manner that is worthy of emulation.

Here's what I'm trying to say. Paul is not making a claim that

he has monopoly on inspiration. Anybody is capable, if they walk

with the Lord, to cause others to want to walk in the same way.

But the point of this time together is that Paul walked so

intensely, so intimately with the Lord that he bids us to walk

in His steps. Because if we do you ready for

this, it comes with a reward. This is what stirred me because

can I, can I say something? Studying Paul the past few weeks

has been one of the most beautiful and painful

experiences. See.

What do you mean beautiful? Because again, you're seeing

what God can do with a man who is yielded to him.

Painful because when you get past the obvious things that you

know about Paul from Sunday school or from surface level

studies of him. It's just it stirs you what this

man had in his heart what he did for other Christians, his

intoxicating love for Christ. See past the fact that he's an

apostle and realize that he was a man that was so enamoured with

the gospel and you can't help but because the Bible is a

mirror to look at yourself and say Lord do something in me.

Please, please do something in me.

It's been sobering that a lot of time of prayer studying Paul but

Paul gave a promise, a staggering promise and I want

you to see it. This, this is not a full sermon,

by the way. This is just an introduction.

So I want you to please, if there's any verse that you can

turn to at this time as Philippians 49, look what Paul

says here in Philippians 4/9. And this will answer why we

should have this time together studying this man's life.

Philippians 4/9 He says to this church, what you have learned

and received and heard and seen in me.

Practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.

Can you imagine? Let me say this again.

Can you imagine any man saying this to Christians?

What you've seen, what you've heard, what you've learned,

whatever you've seen in me, if you actually practice these

things, you will unlock a certain blessing in your life.

The God of peace will be with you.

Now notice there's two things. We got a group here.

What you've learned and received, that's one category.

You know what that category is? His doctrine, his theology, his

preaching. So he's saying my instruction,

the authoritative Apostolic instruction, learn and receive.

But not just that heard and seen.

What's that? It's not theology.

That's practice, that's conduct, that's attitude, that's outlook.

That's how learn and receive lives out in flesh and blood.

So what you've learned and received, that's one group, the

Bible truth, but also what you've heard and seen in me.

If you practice these things, the God of peace will be with

you. Well, hold on.

I thought God was with all of us.

He is with all of us, if you're a true Christian.

But you know what this means. Not every person who belongs to

Christ experiences Christ the same way.

That's what he means. If you walk in the way that I've

walked, you will know a special relationship, dare I say

experientially, with the God of peace.

This taught me something. You know, I have people who ask

sometimes, can you pray that I would have peace?

Well, yeah. He says earlier, you know, that

if anybody be anxious about anything, you know, do not be

anxious, but by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving,

present your request to God. He says that earlier right

before this, right, Why is it that some people who are praying

for peace are not experiencing peace, at least the peace that

God gives? Well, there's two reasons.

Because earlier he says do not be anxious about anything, but

in everything with prayer and supplication, present your

requests with God to God. And then he talks about the

peace of God guarding your hearts and minds in Christ

Jesus, right? He says the peace of God.

And then here he talks about the God of peace, not the peace of

God, the God of peace. So one reason why there are

people who want a peace from God don't have that peace is because

they don't know the God of peace.

So you're looking for something that can only come with

relationship with God. And that's why this world is

going cuckoo. They're trying to look for peace

on every sphere, on every level, and they're not going to get it.

You know why? Because you, you got to get the

God of peace first. But there are also, I'm talking

about Christians now who want the peace of God, but they're

not getting it. They want a closer experience of

the God of peace, but they're not getting it.

Why? Well, you might.

You can pray till you're blue in the face.

You can have the godliest ministers lay hands on you and

drown you in oil, and you're still not going to get it.

Can I tell you why? Because if you pray about it,

but you don't practice certain things, you'll never know it.

So pray all you want, but you got to practice certain things

and I want to present to you, though we can't do it in a whole

weekend. Some ways in which Paul presents

himself, what he taught, how we live.

I can bring us that much closer to the God of peace.

Here's where I'm ending, just even preparing just how to

introduce this. I thought, Lord, I want to

imitate. I want to imitate this man, not

because Paul had certain principles that were exclusive

to him, things that he conjured up, because the ways of Paul

were the ways of Christ, the ways of Christ, right?

This is the idea. So he's not putting a fair, say,

close spotlight on him because he has low self esteem and he

wants some kind of approval. He wants some kind of adulation.

No, he's saying I'm walking in the ways of Christ.

All I'm doing is just obeying what he's saying.

And you have a model for you in me.

And here's how I want to try to imitate.

Paul says something remarkable as a preacher, as an apostle, he

said this and and this is really my prayer, my prayer for this

time. He says in 2nd Corinthians 124,

you don't have to turn there, Just listen to these words.

If you're a leader in any capacity here, especially within

the church, recognize what Paul says here because it's a model

for ministers. He says, not that we lorded over

your faith, but we work with you for your joy for you.

Stand firm in your faith. You know what a true minister

does. He preaches, he counsels, he

prays, he lives, he exemplifies, he serves with the ultimate goal

of glorifying God and close to it, for the joy of God's people.

What an amazing standard for ministers and what an exciting

thing for those who are called to be under leadership in the

church. Glorious things can happen when

you have a leadership that says we're here for your joy and when

the people who are under that leadership believe it, believe

it. Maranatha Conference 2024 in

light of preaching on this topic is for your joy, for your joy.

I, I love God's Providence so much.

So you're going to hear about it at least in one of these

sessions. Sessions.

So I'm reading the book of Isaiah, just personally not

sermon prep, not preparing meals for other people, meals for this

soul here, right? And I stumble upon this.

This is the last verse tonight because I want you to have faith

for your joy. It's an Isaiah 29 verse 19.

Isaiah 29:19

And this is one to actually highlight.

I would recommend it. Isaiah 29, verse 19.

Isaiah 29:19

Look what God says about joy. The meek, that's the humble, the

lowly, the meek. Look at this phrase.

I got so excited when I read it was two days ago.

The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord.

Isn't that a glorious phrase? Fresh joy, That's just joy.

Not joy from yesterday, Not joy from when you got saved.

Fresh, fresh joy. Other transitions would say will

increase in joy. So reading that two days ago I

said that's going to be my prayer point for this weekend.

Here's my prayer, our prayer for every person here that you would

know fresh joy, fresh joy only in one container though, in the

Lord. It's going to be in the Lord for

the Lord from the Lord. So even Paul, who says we're

working for your joy, a minister, a preacher, a praise

team, a godly St. that you know can work with you for your joy,

but they can't give you joy. There's a giver of joy that they

point you to with truths that you sing about and truths that

you hear preached about and counselled about.

He's the giver of fresh joy. He grants it.

Now, can you read that and actually think to yourself, this

is theoretical. This is no, it's real.

You'll, you'll know it, you'll taste it, you'll taste it.

And I am convinced that this man who said he worked for the joy

of God's people, as we examine him, as we study, as we consider

his ways, we're going to know fresh joy.

We're going to know real fresh joy that you would leave here,

not just full with this joy, but spilling over so that somebody

else can taste it, wherever you come from, even Australia.

So here's how we're going to, and I'm going to ask the praise

team to come up. I'm going to ask us to just ask

the Lord, Lord, please help us know fresh joy as we come to

study this man's life that you've placed with and before us

and believe that wherever you come from, whatever circumstance

you're returning to, whatever country your citizenship lies

in, that you would return with a supernatural fresh joy.

Can we pray that together let's do it?

Lord, we thank you that You have something in store for us this

weekend. We believe it with all of our

hearts. Lord, if there would be

anything, a cheap substitute, a sinful substitute that would try

to convince us that it has joy to offer.

Lord, we pray that tonight it would die.

It would shrivel up and lose its grip on us.

Instead, Lord, we pray that we would all, each of us in here,

especially, Lord, in these tumultuous times, these dark

times, disappointing times, we pray that we would know a fresh

joy. And so, Lord, with every sermon

about the apostle Paul, may there be no condemnation.

May there be no sense of intimidation.

Lord, if anything, may we sense the glorious invitation of a way

of life that will allow us to walk closer with the God of

peace. So, Lord, we pray that our faith

would grow strong for the rest of this weekend, that we would

come with hunger and thirst, and that you would meet it.

Though we love you and we want to honor you because we believe

that you are here with us and that you'll be here with us for

the rest of this time. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Amen.

Let's stand in worship.