Sunday, May 24, 2009

Sunday, May 24, 2009: Jesus' Call to Remember

Jesus’ Call to Remember
Luke 24: 44 – 53 and Acts 1: 1 – 11.

I. Introduction.

Remembering is what this Memorial Day is all about. I’m sure it is not news to you that tomorrow is Memorial Day—the first three day weekend of the summer. But, did you know that Memorial Day was originally established as a day to bring healing to Americans who had been divided by the Civil War?

Decorating the graves of soldiers who had lost their lives in the Civil War was supposed to bring us all together. It didn’t matter whether the soldier had fought for the Union or the Confederacy, this was a day to honor all those who had died in the War. Mourning the dead and decorating their graves could heal the nation’s wounds.

After World War 1, Decoration Day became Memorial Day. It is no longer a time to single out those who died in the Civil War. Now, it is a time to remember all those who died while serving in any branch of the United States military. Yet, somewhere along the way, we forgot what we were supposed to remember!

Most people will enjoy the long weekend without pausing to remember the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who died. Most people will celebrate the beginning of summer. Most people will associate Memorial Day with the day to wear their white shoes or with the day when the public pools open for summer. Somewhere along the way, we forgot what we were supposed to remember.

However, today is not Memorial Day. Today is the day before Memorial Day. Since Memorial Day is always a Monday, this also means today is Sunday. Sunday is the Lord’s Day. The day Christian men and women gather to worship. We worship on Sunday morning—and not on Friday evening, like the Jews—because Sunday morning is when our Lord rose from the grave.

It’s on days like today when we face a great temptation. We are tempted to forget what we are supposed to remember. Just as many people have forgotten the original purpose of Memorial Day; it is possible for us to forget the original purpose of the Lord’s Day.

Today is a special Lord’s Day. Not only is today the day of the week we have set aside to worship the resurrected Jesus; it is also the day Christians all over the world remember the day Jesus ascended into heaven.

Easter Sunday was on April 12 this year, and Thursday was exactly 40 days after Easter Sunday. That makes Thursday Ascension Day and today Ascension Sunday.

During the week, I read the last several chapters of all four Gospels. I started reading at the resurrection and read through the end of the books. I find it interesting that Luke is the only Gospel who tells us about the ascension of Jesus. This is even more interesting (perhaps only to me) when we notice that the ascension of Jesus appears in one other place in the New Testament: Acts 1. It’s interesting, because Luke was the author of both accounts of the ascension. Let’s read both of these accounts and discover what the ascension has to say to us.

Read Luke 24: 44 – 53.

Luke 24 is the only chapter Luke devotes to several important theological events: the resurrection of Jesus; the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection; Jesus’ commissioning his disciples; and Jesus’ ascension into heaven. There is a lot going on in this one chapter!

Luke tells us that when the disciples first saw Jesus after the resurrection, they were afraid. These men had been witnesses to Jesus’ crucifixion. They may not have been at the foot of the cross when Jesus breathed his last breath, but they didn’t need to be present to know that Jesus had died. The disciples knew that the Romans were professional executioners. No one could escape the certainty of death on a Roman cross. The soldiers knew what they were doing. They had perfected their skills as executioners. No one could come down from the cross alive.

Therefore, when Jesus appeared to them three days after the crucifixion, the disciples had to believe one of two options. First, Jesus must have been resurrected from the dead. However, this has never happened before and it goes against everything we have ever experienced about the finality of death. Second, they must be seeing a ghost. While seeing a ghost does not seem very logical, it made more sense to the disciples than resurrection. They thought they were seeing a ghost!

So, Luke tells us that Jesus had to prove to his disciples that he was not a ghost. Jesus did this by doing two things. First, he invited them to touch his body. Ghosts do not have physical bodies. Therefore, if Jesus has a physical body, he must not be a ghost. Second, Jesus ate a meal with his disciples. Eating is an activity only performed by people who are truly alive. Dead people cannot eat, and ghosts have no need to eat. Therefore, Jesus really is alive! God has done something that has never been done before!

Now that Jesus has proven to his disciples that he really is alive, it is safe to say he has their full attention. With every eye fixed on Jesus, and every ear tuned in to hear what Jesus will say next, Jesus called his disciples to “remember.”

II. Remember Jesus’ Teachings.

Once Jesus had the disciples’ attention, he reminded them of what he had taught them during their ministry years together. Luke 24: 44, "This is what I told you while I was still with you..."

By saying these words to the disciples, Jesus is saying something significant. The man standing in front of them today is the same man they knew three days ago (or even three years ago when he first called them to be disciples). Jesus has died and been raised from the dead. God has done something brand new. Yet, some things remain the same. Jesus’ call to discipleship remains the same. Everything Jesus has taught them about the Kingdom of God remains the same. Everything Jesus sent the disciples out to do remains the same.

The disciples are supposed to remember everything Jesus has told them. However, we can make an argument here that simply remembering is not enough. What if the disciples had a cognitive remembrance of Jesus’ call to follow him, but then did nothing to follow? What if they could recall all of Jesus’ words about the Kingdom of God, but then did not live out the principles of the Kingdom? What if the disciples remembered when Jesus sent them out to preach the Good News, cast out demons and heal the sick, but did nothing to continue that ministry?

When Jesus told his disciples to “remember,” he meant more than simply having the ability to recall what he said. Remember Jesus’ words by living them out daily. Recall his words, but practice his words.

III. Remember God’s Plan from the Beginning.

Then, Luke tells us Jesus “opened the disciples’ minds” to understand the Old Testament teachings about God’s plan. Luke 24: 46, "This is what was written..."

Again, I think Jesus is stressing the importance of continuity. Jesus is the same today as he was before the crucifixion. And, God is the same today as he was as far back as the teachings in the Old Testament. In fact, the crucifixion and resurrection has ALWAYS been God’s plan. This was not God’s Plan B when the nation of Israel failed to live up to expectations.

Jesus told his disciples that God has recorded his plan in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. These three designations include the entire Old Testament. This was the only Scripture in Jesus’ and the disciples’ day. And the only way to understand what the Old Testament says is to have your mind opened by Jesus. In other words, we will never understand what the Bible has to say about God unless we accept the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

In verses 46 – 49, Jesus told his disciples that God’s plan has never changed. The Old Testament prophesies that the Christ (Messiah) will suffer and rise from the dead (v. 46). This has been God’s plan all along. The Old Testament also teaches that repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached to all nations beginning in Jerusalem (v. 47). Again, this has been God’s plan all along.

In Jesus’ last words to his disciples before he ascended into heaven, Jesus explained how his work on earth is a part of God’s big picture. God never changed his mind. God simply waited until the time was right to bring his plan to fruition.

Jesus did not give his disciples a new calling. No. Jesus reminded them of God’s original plan. However, no one could rightly understand God’s plan until after the resurrection. Jesus gave his disciples a right understanding of Scripture and God’s plan by “opening their minds.”

Jesus used his last moments on earth to call his disciples to remember two things. First, remember everything Jesus taught. Second, remember God’s plan from the beginning.
Now, let’s compare this to what Luke says in Acts 1…

Read Acts 1: 1 – 11.

One significant difference between Luke 24 and Acts 1, is the sensation of time. Luke 24 SEEMS to tell us that everything happened in one day. Jesus rose from the grave, appeared to the women, walked to Emmaus with two disciples, appeared to the original eleven disciples, and ascended into heaven. Acts 1 tells us specifically that these events (and others not recorded in the Gospel of Luke) occurred over the course of 40 days. Then, Jesus ascended into heaven.

I believe Luke used the story of Jesus’ ascension as a “bridge” to connect his two books. On one hand, this story connects the two books. On the other hand, this story serves two completely different purposes in the two different books. The ascension is the END of the Gospel. But, the ascension is the BEGINNING of Acts.

As the END of the Gospel, the ascension serves as a conclusion to everything that has gone before it. Just like any good conclusion, Luke used this story to wrap up the loose ends. It directs our attention to the past: the Old Testament teachings about Jesus, the things Jesus taught his disciples, the ministry work Jesus shared with his disciples, and (perhaps most importantly) proves once and for all that Jesus really is who he claimed to be. Jesus is the unique Son of God, crucified for our sins (as a part of God’s original plan), resurrected as the first among all who believe in Jesus, and ascended into heaven to be glorified at the right hand of his Father.

As the BEGINNING of the Book of Acts, the ascension serves as an introduction to everything that will come after it. Just like any good introduction, Luke used this story to direct our attention toward the future.

It would be funny if it were not so sad. In Acts 1, the disciples are trying to reminisce, but Jesus will not let them. They are trying to look at the past and remember the “good ole days” of ministry with Jesus and the “good ole days” when the nation of Israel held a high status in the world’s geo-political structure. Yet, Jesus’ words to his disciples snap them out of the past and force them to look at the future.

IV. Remember the Spirit’s Mission (through the church).

It would have been natural (perhaps even easy) for the disciples to walk away after witnessing the ascension. They could have returned to their old ways of life: fishing in the Lake of Galilee and collecting taxes for the Roman government. But, that is not what Jesus wanted them to do. Jesus said to them in verse 4, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised…”

Do you know what Jesus meant when he said, “Do not leave Jerusalem?” He meant, “Do not go home.” The disciples had jobs, family, friends and houses waiting for them in the northern part of Israel. But, Jesus had something else for them in Jerusalem. He wanted them to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The disciples were true to form here. Jesus gave them clear instructions, spoken in a way they could all understand. Yet, they did not understand. As soon as the words left Jesus’ mouth, the disciples demonstrated that they did not comprehend.

Look at the disciples’ question in verse 6, “Lord, are you at this time going to RESTORE the kingdom to Israel?”

The word “restore” is an important word here. Restore means to put things back the way they used to be. Jesus didn’t die on the cross and rise again just to put things back the way they used to be. No. Jesus died and rose again to make all things new. Jesus didn’t restore Israel. Jesus re-created the entire world as a place where the Kingdom of God can be established!

Again, the disciples were trying to look backward at the past. Jesus called them to look forward to the future. Notice these future-sounding words in Acts 1: Jesus BEGAN to do and teach (1:1); wait for the gift my Father promised (1:4); you will receive power (1:8); you will be my witnesses (1:8); and Jesus will come back (1:11).

God’s plan in the Old Testament has not changed. God was working throughout all human history to lead up to the crucifixion and resurrection. But that was just the beginning. Now, God’s plan depends on us.

Jesus called us to be his disciples, taught us about the Kingdom of God, healed the sick and cast out demons. But that was only the beginning. Now, God’s plan depends on us.

V. Conclusion.

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. This year, don’t forget what you are supposed to remember. Today is the Lord’s Day. Don’t forget what you are supposed to remember. Remember the things that will never change: God’s plan from the beginning; Jesus teaching to his disciples; and the Spirit’s mission that is accomplished through his church.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Mothers' Day, May 10, 2009: Spiritual Mothers

Spiritual Mothers.
Acts 18: 24 – 28 and 1 Samuel 2: 1 – 10.

I. Introduction.
Three women had a discussion about when is the best time to begin teaching their children…The first woman said that the best time to begin teaching a child is when the child begins to talk and walk…The second woman said that the best time to begin teaching a child is at birth…But the grandmother said, “The best time to begin teaching a child is 20 years before birth”…

Developing mothers develops children…This is the responsibility of the church. As the church develops girls and young women into godly mothers, the church is developing children…Actually, we are developing disciples of Christ…

I see this as an important lesson for us to grasp this morning. Our role as a church is very closely related to our role as parents—both mothers and fathers alike. We are not called to raise PERFECT children. We are called to raise godly children…spiritual children…children who will become disciples of Jesus Christ.

There is a story that I believe illustrates this very well.

After creating everything in heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing God told them was, “DON’T!”
“Don’t what?” Adam replied.
“Don’t eat the forbidden fruit.” God said.
“Forbidden fruit?! We have forbidden fruit? Hey, Eve…We have forbidden fruit!!!”
“No way!” “Yes way!”
“Do NOT eat the forbidden fruit!” God said.
“Why?”
“Because I am your Father and I said so!” God replied, wondering why He hadn’t stopped creation after making the elephants.
A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was angry. “Didn’t I tell you not to eat the forbidden fruit?” God asked.
“Uh huh,” Adam replied.
“The why did you?” asked the Father.
“I don’t know,” said Eve.
“She started it!” Adam said.
“Did not!” “Did too!” “Did NOT!”

Having had it with the two of them, God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

But there is reassurance in the story! If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give wisdom to your children and they have not taken it, don’t be hard on yourself. If God could not raise perfect children, what made you think that you could?

Again, let me say… We are not called to raise PERFECT children. We are called to raise godly children…spiritual children…children who will become disciples of Jesus Christ.

In this case, we need churches who are willing to develop Spiritual Mothers. But what exactly do I mean by the term Spiritual Mothers. I don’t think you will ever find that term in a book somewhere, because I think I made it up. I made it up about six years ago while I was sitting in a senior adult men’s Sunday School class in Mississippi.

The teacher was teaching a lesson on Acts 18, the story of Priscilla and Aquila…In particular, he focused on how Priscilla and Aquila served as Spiritual Guides, or Mentors for the Apollos…

Read Acts 18: 24 – 28

Apollos eventually became one of the Apostles and church planters of the early church. He had a great influence over the church at Corinth. But none of this would have been possible without the influence and discipleship of Priscilla and Aquila.

When Priscilla and Aquila first met Apollos, he was a traveling Jewish preacher. He taught the Jewish Scriptures in synagogues all over the Jewish world. Apollos was even familiar with the life and teachings of Jesus. But Luke tells us that Apollos thought Jesus was only a Jewish rabbi who was teaching the same old Jewish message of the Old Testament. That is until Priscilla and Aquila took him into their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

And this is what I remember the Sunday School teacher saying: "In other words, Priscilla and Aquila did for Apollos what his mother should have done for him…"

Many of you may have a story like mine…I had a godly mother who taught me the Bible at home and demonstrated a consistency of what she believed and how she lived out her faith…She took me to church and helped to shape me into the Christian man and minister that I am today. (My father did also, but this is Mothers' Day.)

Yet, there are many people who are just like Apollos. Either you do not live at home with a godly mother or you never had the opportunity as you were growing up. If that is your story this morning, then perhaps the church can help you to find a Spiritual Mother who will lead you into the godliness of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

There are many different qualities of godliness and discipleship that I could describe this morning, but I want to focus on just one: The life of prayer. There is a wonderfully familiar story in Luke 10 about two sisters, Martha and Mary. One day Jesus and 70 of his friends stopped by their house for a visit. While Martha was scurrying around in the kitchen trying to prepare food for 71 people, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. Jesus used this as a teaching moment and said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things, but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Prayer is perhaps the most important skill for good parents. How could anyone endeavor to be a parent today without daily—or hourly—prayer? Prayer is also the most important spiritual discipline we could teach our children.

I can think of at least one mother in the Bible who demonstrated a consistent prayer life and instilled that into all her children…Hannah. Hannah chose the Only Necessary Thing and serves as a great example of a Spiritual Mother.

Read 1 Samuel 2: 1 – 10.

This may surprise you when I say…But this is not really the story about Hannah. No, this is the beginning of the story of David. The only reason we know about Hannah is so that we can be introduced to the Prophet who anointed David as the second king of Israel and the ONLY Ideal King over all Israel.

It is ironic that the story of the monarchy of Kings David & Saul began with story of a woman. Of course this is not just any woman. Her name was Hannah, which means “Gift” or “Grace.” Therefore, we can say that the nation of Israel began in Grace…God’s people are always born of grace.

The Grace that Hannah reminds us of is that in the midst of our barren days, we can know that our trust & God’s faithfulness brings new life our God turns barrenness into birth.

In the world in which Hannah lived, it was acceptable for a man to take more than one wife. For example, if a man’s first wife could not have children, then it was OK to take a second wife.

People understood that children are security for the future. If a man could not have children, then there would be no one to carry on his family name…And from a practical point of view, there would be no one to take care of him in his old age. Therefore, I believe that Elkanah married Hannah for love and Peninnah for children.

This made Hannah the favorite wife, but that wasn’t enough for Hannah. She was just like many of us…She felt like something was wrong with her…That she wasn’t good enough…Hannah felt inadequate. And going to church didn’t make things any better…In fact, going to church made things worse than staying at home.

The Bible tells us that every year, Elkanah took his two wives and the rest of his family to the religious festival at Shiloh. Hannah dreaded the religious festival every year, because while everyone else was eating, drinking, enjoying fellowship, Hannah felt excluded…inadequate…no joy in church…

I know that there are some of you who are here this morning just like Hannah. You didn’t want to come, because of the way you feel when you come to church. For some, church is a place of guilt, not of grace; but it does not have to be that way…It shouldn’t be that way at all.

The prayer that we read this morning in 1 Samuel 2, is not the first time that Hannah prayed. In fact prayer is exactly what Hannah did while everyone else was celebrating at the Shiloh festival and worshipping God…She went into a private place and cried out to God for help…
Hannah demonstrates for us that there are basically two ways we can pray…Help me, Help me, Help me…and…Thank you, Thank you, Thank you…


II. Help Me, Help Me, Help Me.

Hannah’s feelings of inadequacy stemmed from the fact that she could not have children. This caused her to think other women were somehow better than she, and it led her husband to take a second wife. But, when Hannah felt inadequate, she took her inadequacy to God.

This was the smartest thing Hannah ever did, because God answered her prayers…Can you imagine what would happen if we did the same thing?

We will have a breakthrough in our faith as soon as we realize that God can handle our anger, frustration, fear, doubt. The truth is He already knows them…And he is waiting for us to let Him set us free.

The cry “Help me, Help me, Help me” is an invitation in the midst of trouble for God to be faithful…

It is a shift in our focus. No longer satisfied to focus on our own insufficiencies, but to remember the words of Christ who said, “My Grace is sufficient for all your needs.”

“Help me, Help me, Help me” is a hopeful prayer…To place all our hope in God…Not in ourselves…

But there is another prayer we must pray…


III. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah taught us to pray, “Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.” This is a prayer not only for the hopeful, but for the grateful. I also believe it is a prayer of mature faith…As we grow in faith, our prayers change from “Help me, Help me, Help me” to “Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.” (Of course, we will always pray for God's help. Maturity comes as we learn to say "Thank you" to God, giving him the credit for what he has done in our lives.)

Notice how Hannah expressed her gratitude… My Heart Rejoices…My Mouth Boasts…There is a natural connection between what is inside the heart and what comes out of the mouth…I suggest there is a progression…The gratitude that we feel in our hearts ought to always come out in our words and our actions…

Hannah prayed to God for a child, and God answered her prayer when Samuel was born. Then Hannah did the strangest thing. She demonstrated her gratitude to God by giving Samuel back to God. Sometimes I think we lose sight of just how big a deal this was. In giving Samuel to God, she gave up her own security in old age. This was an act of trust declaring that God, not her child was her source of security.

And this is how Hannah’s prayer changed from “Help me, Help me, Help me” to “Thank you, Thank you, Thank you”…By trusting in God’s Faithfulness, not her own.


IV. Conclusion.

When Hannah was desperate, she prayed the most honest prayer: Help me, Help me, Help me. Then, she responded by giving God her life and actions as a mirror of her prayers: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you… This is what makes Hannah a model for all mothers, fathers and disciples…

The truth about the book of 1 Samuel is that this is not a story about Hannah so much as it is the story about David, the greatest King of all Israel. But there was something else we have learned about David. He was not just a good King. David was a disciple who demonstrated a “Passionate Spirituality.” In fact, 75 of 150 Psalms have been attributed to David. Some of the most beautiful and passionate prayers ever written came from his lips: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…Create in me a clean heart O God…

I can’t help but think that David learned a lot about prayer from his pastor, a man named Samuel. And just where do you think Samuel learned how to pray? Samuel learned to pray with his whole heart from his Spiritual Mother, his birth mother—Hannah. We can learn from her, too.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Sunday, May 3, 2009: I Can Do All Things

I Can Do All Things
Philippians 4: 13

I. Introduction

There are many things in life that children do better than adults. Children have better imaginations than adults. (When was the last time you held up two dolls and had a conversation with yourself?) Children take better vacations than adults. (When was the last time you stopped everything you were doing to stare at the clouds and create animals and faces out of the shapes? Or lie down in the grass and watch a roly-poly?) Children are MUCH better than adults at memorizing Scripture. (When was the last time your Sunday School teacher asked you to recite the verse of the week at the beginning of class?)

We can make all the excuses we want, but there is no excuse for us as Christians to neglect the practice of memorizing Scripture. Psalm 119: 11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” This means that the Scriptures we have committed to memory (to heart) are one of the defenses God has provided to help us when we face temptation.

Author Donald Whitney says in his book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Nav Press, 1991) that memorized Scripture is life arrows in an archer’s quiver. When danger approaches, the archer reaches into his quiver to pull out an arrow. When temptation approaches, Christians reach into our quiver to pull out a Scripture… Now, imagine reaching into your quiver and finding Genesis 1: 1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Or, what about John 11: 35, “Jesus wept?” Or even John 3: 16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

These are great verses to commit to memory and very important to our faith. However, these verses might not be your best source of strength to fight off temptation! (That’s enough guilt for today. Now, go home and start hiding God’s word in your heart, so you can be ready to face temptation.)

One of the verses we learned as children is Philippians 4: 13. It can be a source of strength for us when facing temptation.

Read Philippians 4: 13

I learned a very important lesson about Philippians 4: 13 when I was a college student working as a counselor and lifeguard at a Christian camp in Mississippi—Central Hills Baptist Retreat.

This camp was primarily a boys’ camp. For 10 weeks of the summer we had around 200 boys per week. But for 2 weeks we had 200 girls. During the weeks of the boys’ camps, I worked as a counselor leading a group of 10 – 12 boys through a week of activities. But during the girls’ camps, I worked either at the lake as a canoe instructor or at the pool as a lifeguard.

Central Hills required that every activity have a Christian emphasis and should always end with a spiritual application. This was not hard as a canoe instructor, because every camper came through our activity only one time every week. That meant we could give the same spiritual application every hour, every day, and no one would hear the same thing twice…This paddle is like Jesus…You can’t make it in the water without a paddle, and you can’t make it in life without Jesus.

But it was much more difficult at the pool. Every camper came to the pool every day. That meant that we had to come up with five different spiritual applications and use one per day.

Well, it just so happened that my first year as a lifeguard, I had spent a lot of time in the pool. And over that time, I had decided that I would learn how to do a one-and-a-half…That is a dive where the diver jumps off the diving board, does a complete flip in the air, then does another half flip and enters the water head first. I worked all summer on that one-and-a-half. I started out doing a flip. Then a flip and a belly flop. Until finally I perfected my one-and-a-half. And I must admit that back in my thinner and more athletic days it was a PERFECT one-and-a-half.

During the week of girls’ camp, I practiced my one-and-a-half in between the swimming groups.

In one of our last groups of the day, there was a little girl who was scared to death of jumping off the diving board. She finally got up enough courage to climb up on the board and loooooook over the edge into the water. But she would not jump.

She thought it would be easier if she took a running go before she jumped into the water. So she backed up to the back of the diving board and raaaaaan up the the very end and STOPPED! She baaaaaacked up…And raaaaaan to the end of the board and STOPPED!

Finally it was time for the group to end their swim period, so we blew the whistle and got everybody out of the water. But that one little girl was still on the diving board. So I got on the board with her to "HELP" her while everybody else sat on the edge and watched. And the same thing happened. She baaaaaacked up…And raaaaaan to the end of the board and STOPPED…Grabbed her nose and JUMPED. Everybody cheered!

When she finally got to the side of the pool, I stayed on the diving board with everyone’s attention. And I must admit, I used to really like having the attention of little girls. I started by reminding everyone about how she had been scared of jumping. I raaaaaaan to the end of the board and STOPPED! I baaaaacked up and raaaaaan to the end of the board and STOPPED!

Then, I told how she finally got over her fears and jumped into the water.

Then, I quoted Philippians 4: 13… I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Then…Can you guess what I did next? I ran to the end of the diving board JUMPED…BOUNCED…and did my "perfect" one-and-a-half…I knew that all the little girls were thoroughly impressed…

I swam to the side of the pool. As I was coming up to the ladder to climb out of the pool, I heard a little girl say… Now, do it off the high dive!

I had never done it off the high dive.

Can you guess what I did next? I cliiiiiimbed up to the top of the high dive. I took a deeeeeeeep breath. I raaaaaaaaan to the end of the diving board. And I STOPPED! I couldn’t do it. I was too scared to try it for the first time with all those girls watching. I couldn’t do it…AND…I was caught. I could not practice what I had just preached… I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

But is that really what Paul meant in Philippians 4: 13? Did Paul mean that no matter what you want to do in life, if you will just pray about it, then Christ will give you the strength that you need to do whatever you want to do?

The best way to determine the meaning of any biblical text is to read it in its proper context. In terms of context, there are two important things we need to consider: The Background and The Foreground.

The background of a passage of Scripture is what stands behind the text as we look at it. The foreground is what stands in between us and the text. Just like in a photograph (family on the beach). There is the subject of the photograph (the family)…There is stuff behind the subject that shows up in the photo (ocean)…There is stuff in front of the subject that stands in between us and the subject (sand).

II. Background (Read Philippians 4: 10 – 13)

Remember that Paul is in prison as he writes this letter to the church at Philippi…Even though he is in prison, Paul can find reasons to rejoice…

He rejoiced that the spread of the Gospel does not depend on him…Even though one of the greatest missionaries who ever lived is in prison, the Gospel continued to spread and people continued to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

He rejoiced in the faithfulness of the Philippian Christians…This is one of the reasons why the Gospel continued to spread…Even though Paul gave a few words of instruction about church problems and conflict in this book, there is very little…The church was faithful to its task, mission, purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission.

He rejoiced that the Philippian church had sent him some money to help in his Gospel ministry…
And Paul rejoiced in his Contentment…This is an important word for understanding what Paul is saying in this passage.

It is reminiscent of the philosophical teachings of the Stoics. Stoicism was a philosophy that was very popular in Paul’s day and had infiltrated the Philippian church. Stoic philosophers taught that salvation was something that was possible for any man, woman or child to accomplish for himself or herself.

In fact, they believed that God had implanted a little piece of himself in every person. And all you had to do to be saved is to allow that piece of God to shine through in your life. They believed that piece of God was your REASON or your LOGIC.

Instead of being controlled by your emotions or your feelings, salvation is achieved by suppressing emotions and living according to your REASON or LOGIC.

Contentment = that Stoic state of salvation…Not happy…Not sad…Not angry …Not afraid…Just Neutral, or content…


III. Foreground (Read Philippians 4: 14 – 20)

There is a common belief among New Testament scholars that Philippians 4: 10 – 20 might be a second letter to the Philippians (i.e. 1 & 2 Corinthians), because it doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of what Paul said. And this theory seems to make a little sense…Listen to how the book seems to come to a conclusion in Philippians 4: 9… Read Philippians 4: 9…

This doesn’t really matter, because it doesn’t change the fact that we believe that the Holy Spirit inspired these words and they are authoritative for our lives…But it might affect how we interpret these words…

What if this is a second letter to the Philippians? What if chapters 1 – 4: 9 represent a LETTER and chapter 4: 10 – 20 represent a short note?

Well, that makes sense to me, because 4: 10 – 20 reads just like a Thank You Note! I know you have all written and received Thank You Notes, because we live in Texas…And people in Texas are supposed to write Thank You Notes.

Paul is saying Thank You to the Philippians for their monetary gift…But this is an unusual Thank You Note, because of two things that Paul said…

1) I really didn’t need or expect the money…
2) You cannot afford to give me so much money…

Paul didn’t need the money, because he was Content. He had learned how to be happy and joyful and thankful no matter what his circumstances looked like.

The Philippians could not afford to give because they were being severely persecuted…They were impoverished and unemployed because of their faith… Yet, they gave out of love…


IV. Ancient Prayer

I recently came across an ancient prayer written by that wonderful poet and writer of prayers named Anonymous…

Give me neither Poverty nor Riches.
Feed me with the food that is needful to me.
Lest I be full and deny Thee and say, Who is the Lord?
Or lest I be poor and steal.
And use profanely the name of the Lord.


V. Conclusion

As I read Philippians 4: 13 in context, I think it teaches us that we have three choices of how our lives will end up…

1) Frustration…Failing to achieve what we so earnestly desire…
2) Disillusion…Achieving what we desire and realizing that it will not satisfy…
3) Contentment…Achieving what we desire and being satisfied…

Paul teaches us that there is only one way to be Content.

Desiring Christ…Having Christ…Finding satisfaction in Christ…No matter what the circumstances of our lives…

No matter what the circumstances of life… I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…