Sorry for the delay in getting the notes up... Here are the extended notes and review of Sunday, October 10 @ a2 Church.
I love what God is doing at a2 Church! It's awesome to see His activity in the lives of our corporate gathering and in the lives of individual families and believers.
In three weeks we'll be celebrating our 2nd Anniversary! Yeah, God! We're calling it VERGE. Can't wait to see what God does... Mark your calendars and make plans to attend. By the way, we'll be having both a 9:45 am and 5:00 pm gathering! They'll both rock!
Okay, here's the scoop on everything that went down yesterday at a2 Church!
A lot of you ask about the set list and where to locate specific songs. Here's the overview:
Let God Arise by Chris Tomlin
Everlasting God by Chris Tomlin
Glorious One by Hillsong London (NOTE: Not yet available on CD or mp3. Featured as an "extra" on the new Hillsong DVD, A Beautiful Exchange. Great song!)
Special: Take Me Over by Michael W. Smith
NOTE: This song closes the new release by Michael W. Smith and features a beautiful instrumental with piano and strings. Great song. Janet covered this on the piano.
After the message, we closed the service by singing Shine by Matt Redman.
Next Sunday we'll be in Philippians 3:1-16. The passage rocks, and I'm already so pumped about the music and the message. We may be doing an item number unlike anything we've ever attempted at a2 Church. We'll see... Still praying and working on all the specifics necessary to bring it all together.
EXTENDED NOTES: The last couple of weeks I've attempted to expand our extended notes section by walking out a little more of the message in the notes. Please note that these notes aren't intended for publication, and haven't really been edited for grammar, punctuation and referencing all sources.
For this message I used a variety of sources, which I will list below, but really appreciate a message by John Ortberg titled, The Main Thing for insight I used in the introduction of the message. Also, Ligon Duncan's series on the Book of Philippians was really helpful.
Helpful Commentaries on Philippians:
Philippians, John MacArthur
Philippians: The Fellowship of the Gospel, R. Kent Hughes
Philippians: An Expositional Commentary, James Montgomery Boice
Philippians: The NIV Application Commentary, Frank Thielman
Laugh Again, Charles Swindoll
CAUTION: God at Work in You Extended Notes
Philippians: Finding Joy in a Broken World – Part 6
October 10, 2010 • Chris Goins • Philippians 2:12-30
QUESTION: What is the “main thing” when it comes to a2 Church?
In Philippians 1:21 Paul described the “main thing” of the church like this: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain…”
In Colossians 1:28 he described it like this:
Colossians 1:28, We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
THOUGHT: In Colossians 1:28 and Philippians 1:27 – 2:18, Paul seems to indicate that the best way for Christ to spread to people who don’t know Jesus is for Christ to be FULLY FORMED in people who do know Jesus…
Philippians 2:12-18 (NIV), Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your [own] salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life–in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Six Fundamental Truths:
1. Because of what Jesus accomplished (through His death, burial and resurrection), radical and transformational change is actually possible.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT), …anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NLT), I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
QUESTION: If we really become a “new person” with a “new heart,” why do we often act so old?
Two Important Theological Concepts:
• JUSTIFICATION – An act of God’s extravagant grace whereby God declares an individual “not guilty” and “having never been indicted in the first place.” God pardons and forgives all our sin on the grounds of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross.
IMPORTANT THOUGHTS: Justification means that God loves us and accepts us not because of something in us, not because we deserve it, not because of something good we’ve done, not because the good things we’ve done outweigh the bad things we’ve done… Justification means that God loves us and accepts us not because of anything in us, but on the basis of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross.
God loves us and accepts us not because we are righteous, but because Jesus is righteous, and somehow through faith in what He accomplished on the cross, His righteousness is imputed to us… (Romans 3:24; 4:22-25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Titus 3:7; Galatians 5:5)
Justification occurs instantly the moment we place our faith in the finished work of the cross… At that moment we are acquitted and declared not guilty… We are accepted and pardoned on the basis of what Jesus has done!
Romans 5:1 (AMP), THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…
• SANCTIFICATION – A work of God’s extravagant grace that describes the ongoing process of transformational change that begins the moment we are saved and continues throughout our life. 2) A progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and more and more like Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:13; Hebrews 12:14).
THOUGHTS: Sanctification is a theological term that means to “cleanse, purify or make holy.” “…set apart from the ordinary for special use…”
It’s a word that describes what it means to grow spiritually…
The New Testament talks about sanctification in terms of what it means to imitate Jesus, follow Jesus, look more like Jesus, become more and more like Jesus!
The book of Hebrews and 1 John describe sanctification in terms of having God’s law written on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16; 1 John 2:14). (It’s not just hanging on the wall… It’s not just sitting on the nightstand by our bed…) But the truth of God’s Word has been pressed deep down into our hearts so that it’s the very core of who we are, influencing all our attitudes and actions…
The Bible describes sanctification in terms of being re-shaped, re-formed and re-created in the very image of God… Genesis 1 indicates that God made us “in His likeness and in His image.” But the image of God in man was marred, disfigured and corrupted when Adam and Eve rebelled against God…
Through the process of sanctification God wants to heal and re-store us so that we can experience human life the way God originally intended it.
Galatians 4:19 (NLT), Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I'm going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.
THOUGHT: The focus of Philippians 1:27 – Philippians 2:18 is sanctification… But unlike justification which isn’t dependent on anything that I can bring to the table, sanctification is a process whereby I partner and cooperate with God in what He wants to accomplish in me…
Philippians 1:27 (NLT), Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.
2. Radical and transformational life change is usually the by-product of a long obedience in the same direction. Obedience is a natural, vital and necessary part of the believer’s life.
Philippians 2:12 (NIV), Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation…
THOUGHTS: Paul wants these believers to know radical and transformational life change is usually the by-product of something Eugene Peterson called “a long obedience in the same direction.” He wants these believers to know that obedience is a natural, vital and necessary part of the believer’s life.
3. Radical and transformational life change must be relentlessly and actively pursued. Apathy, passivity and complacency short circuit and stunt spiritual growth.
Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV), Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…
THOUGHTS: Paul is not saying, “Work for your own salvation… Work so you’ll be loved and accepted by God… Work so God eventually forgive you…”
Paul is basically saying, “Hey guys… Your role is very important when it comes to sanctification and spiritual growth. It’s not something that will happen just by getting zapped. You will have to relentlessly and actively pursue godliness, holiness, spiritual growth and radical, transformational change… ”
Philippians 2:12-13 (AMP), …work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation…
4. We should pursue transformation with an attitude of reverent awe and humility.
Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV), Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…
THOUGHTS: That was actually a stock expression or stock phrase in Paul’s day. It doesn’t mean, “…work out your own salvation with a sense of nervous anxiety, not knowing whether or not you’re ever going to be good enough for God.” That’s not what Paul is talking about.
The expression actually means, “…work out your [own] salvation with a humble attitude of dependence upon God and God’s power working in and through your life. Realize there’s a role you have to play. But there is also a role that God has to play.”
Philippians 2:12-13 (AMP), …work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).
5. We are not in this alone! God is constantly at work in us, changing us from the inside out; transforming our attitudes and inspiring our actions.
Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV), Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
THOUGHTS: Sanctification and spiritual growth is empowered by God. It’s impossible without Him. Sanctification and spiritual growth isn’t an either/or proposition; it’s a both/and deal. God has a role to play and so do you! We are to work out what God works in. God INITIATES, and we RESPOND!
Philippians 2:12-13 (AMP), …work out…your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling… 13 [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
6. Radical and transformational change is practical and obvious. It should be pursued for the sake of others, not just for myself.
Philippians 2:14-18 (NIV), Do everything without complaining or arguing…
THOUGHTS: The word “complaining” is actually the Old Testament word for “grumbling.”
John MacArthur says that it is “…a negative response to something unpleasant, inconvenient, and disappointing, arising from the notion that it is undeserved…”
It’s the Greek equivalent of the word that was used to the rebellion of the nation of Israel when they wandered around in the wilderness for forty years, GRUMBLING…
THOUGHT: Grumbling isn’t a minor offense in the eyes of God. Here’s the way one author describes it: “These things, then, are not minor blemishes of morality, peripheral human weaknesses in another otherwise flawless Christian [life]. Instead, they are part of what marks the watershed of the Christian life.” ~ Markus Bockmuehl, quoted by R. Kent Hughes
Philippians 2:14-18 (NIV), Do everything without complaining or arguing…
THOUGHT: The ESV translates the word “questioning.” The word “arguing” actually refers to “dialogue” or “intellectual debate.” It’s an attitude or disposition that constantly calls EVERYTHING into question…
IMPORTANT: The goal of sanctification is love and the glory of God.
Philippians 2:14-18 (NIV), Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life–in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
The phase “shine like stars in the universe” is actually a reference to Daniel 12:3.
Daniel 12:3 (NIV), Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
THOUGHT: Paul believes that there should be such a definable difference in the lives of Christ followers that we “shine like stars” in the midst of a dark and messed up world.
IMPORTANT: The goal of sanctification is love and the glory of God.
(Two Examples of a Transformed Life:
Timothy and Epaphroditus – Philippians 2:19-30)
• Timothy
Philippians 2:18-24 (NLT), If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon. Then when he comes back, he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has helped me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
• Epaphroditus
Philippians 2:25-30 (NLT), Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, a faithful worker, and a courageous soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 Now I am sending him home again, for he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he surely was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have such unbearable sorrow.
28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and that will lighten all my cares. 29 Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and be sure to honor people like him. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while trying to do for me the things you couldn’t do because you were far away.
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