Sermon: God Is Performing A Great Work In You!

 

 

New Testament Sermon

March 26, 2019 – to my commuter preaching class

Sermon Title:              God is performing a great work in you!

Sermonic Text:           Phil. 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”

Focus:                          God can complete the work He started in you.

Function:                     To encourage and inspire and give strength to the mature, commuter seminarians.

Sermon

Let us turn our attention to the text.

Read Sermonic Text:

Philippians 1:1-7

v:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

v:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

V:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

V:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

V:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

V:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

V:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

Opening Prayer

Sermon

Introduction – Exegesis of the text History / Background

What we refer to as The Book of Philippians as one letter or epistle is actually believed to be the culmination of four letters written by Paul in response to multiple letters sent to him from the believers in Philippi.  Philippi was located in the province of Macedonia, Greece. The church was established by Paul and Silas during Paul’s second missionary journey approximately 50 years after the death of Christ.

Philippi has carved a unique space for itself in Christianity’s formation within the book of Acts. Paul is said to have been led by the Spirit of God to Philippi and it is here that we meet

1. Lydia, a successful business woman, who leads her entire household to salvation and kick starts a church by opening her home to believers
2. And we have that miraculous story of Paul and Silas and the earthquake and the opening of the prison doors and subsequent conversion of the prison guard.

It is out of these experiences that the church of Philippi was borne.  And even after Paul and his team had moved on in their missionary work the church at Philippi continued to be a great financial supporter. 

Needless to say, with memories like these the church of Philippi was close to Paul’s heart as we see tenderly exemplified in the text. 

The church at Philippi goes on to become the first Christian community established in Europe and by the time Paul pens this return letter to the Philippians the church has been established for approximately 10 years.

For 10 years this church has withstood the upheaval that Gospel of Jesus Christ created and all that it might entail to be Christians in their context. 

It is from this context we see them petitioning their beloved Apostle for advice. 

Even before he addresses their concerns he reassures them that He is “confident of this very thing, that he (meaning God) which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.

Permit me to adjust this clause ever so slightly to make it a bit more relevant to today’s time.   The urban gospel artist Brian Courtney Wilson has a new release entitled “A Great Work”.  In that song he encourages his listeners that “He that has begun a great work in you is faithful to perform it”.

With this statement Paul is revealing the frame work of his theology. Even though he is imprisoned and possibly facing execution for preaching the gospel He is confident that regardless of what you may be contending with it is no match for God.  This is a kind of no weapon formed against me shall prosper moment.  Where your value to God and the purposes He has placed inside of you out weight and out rank anything that can oppose you. God will not allow you to be defeated.

As the text progresses, Paul begins to reply to the concerns of the Philippians.  Ultimately, they are facing opposition.  Opposition from both outside of the church as well as from within.  What that opposition may be Paul does not reveal.  Theologians have deduced many scenarios of who and what the opposition could be however I in this instance, prefer not knowing who the specifics.  The openness of it speaks to the fact that regardless the type of opposition or who the enemy may be doesn’t matter.  And that whenever and wherever we find opposition to our mission in God we are to entreat it in the same manner. 

Movement 1 – Exegesis the Congregation / Who Are We / Can we relate?

We here at Columbia Theological Seminary find ourselves a similar situation.  Even our small class of mature commuter students with major responsibilities outside of the seminary are facing opposition. 

Granted our opposition may not be involving jail or death but it opposition nonetheless. 

We are happy to be here however it can be tough and stressful causing us to question its merits. 

For us external opposition presents like:

• A Two-hour commute in traffic both ways
• Having to sacrifice time with family for study
• Financial upheaval
• Sleep deprivation
• Health crisis
• Spouse feeling left out
• Learning Hebrew in the car
• Learning Greek in six weeks
• Theology that is challenging our faith paradigm
• The Book of Joshua is a hoax
• And David the beloved is a gangster
• Everyday hard conversations about race, politics and gender
• Figuring out Presbyterian Code
• Academic scholarship
• Theological vernacular 
• Any grade less than an A
• This is not what I thought it was going to be
• And campus politics

And internal opposition presents like:

• Surfacing insecurities
• I’m too old to be here
• I’m not bright enough
• I’m not worthy
• It’s too hard emotionally, physically and financially
• And thoughts of giving up

What is the solution?

Movement 3 – Stand Firm in Adversity

In chapter 1:27-30 Paul dispenses wise advice for dealing with opposition.  That advice is to Stand Firm in Adversity.

Further along in the letter, in chapter 4, Paul outlines a five-point strategy for standing firm in adversity.  Starting at verse 4

1. Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice

v  Praise is a weapon in the arsenal of God and it provides a counter point of focus

2. v:6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God

v  Be clear about your petitions and offer them with thanksgiving believing that God has heard you and will extend mercy toward you

3. V:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understand, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

v  the recipe of prayer/supplication and thanksgiving builds confidence in God and evokes the supernatural peace of God

4. v:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever thing are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things

v  Marshall our thoughts and think on positive things

5. V:13 Remember: I/We can do all things through Christ which strengthens me

That is Paul’s solution.

Movement 4 – God’s Ability

Now Paul’s solution leans heavily on God and His ability.

Let us be reminded of who he God is.

This God is the creator of heaven and earth and all thing that dwell therein

This is the God that sent his son into the world to save us

This God Is ancient of days

He is the bright and morning star, he is the lily in the valley, he is the rose of Sharon, he is my strong tower, the clef rock, game changer, alpha and omega, Emanuel.

This God is Jehovah Jireha, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shalom,

He is the all wise all-knowing and all-seeing Sovereign God

This God is the I am that I am!

This is the God who can do exceedingly abundantly above all we can possibly hope and imagine.

This is the God of - Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

That is the God in whom Paul said he is confident that He who has begun a great work in you / in me is faithful to perform it.

Be encouraged family – God is doing a great work in you!

Amen.