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Intro In the 18th century, anti-hunting activists... o Wanted to stop fox hunting [When they... o discovered that a red-herring fish could lure hounds off the scent of a fox [they would... o Drag a red-herring fish through the woods [and that scent... o Would successfully cause the hounds to chase the fish instead of the fox [So... Although these animal loving activists may have a hard time explaining how the death of one animal excused their saving of another, they were successful in distracting the hounds [Well... We as believers... o Are a lot like those hounds [We... o Can be distracted easily from... standing firm in the Lord [We can be easily distracted by a variety of "red-herrings" from... The GC [and from... Studying & showing & sharing the Gospel [Now... This is... o no new problem for believers [A believer's potential to sit feeble instead of stand firm is... o A problem that Paul knew the Philippians would have to face, so in Philippians 4, he as given them... 1. THE COMMAND FOR STANDING FIRM IN THE LORD [And not only a command, but also... 2. THE COURSE FOR STANDING FIRM IN THE LORD [So how do believers stand firm in the Lord? Well Paul has mentioned how believer's must... a. Stand Firm In The Lord By Being At Peace With One Another [We have discussed the importance of how believers must... b. Stand Firm In The Lord By Rejoicing In Your Place In The Lord [We have also seen how believers must... c. Stand Firm In The Lord By Being Patient With All [and today we will note how believers must... d. Stand Firm In The Lord By Being Poised READ TEXT & PRAY Transition The majority of our thoughts will come from vs. 6, so let's begin there [Notice that Paul says... Vs. 6 - do not be anxious about anything Explanation Paul says, All of you [men, women, boys & girls; Everybody!], I command that you never at anytime... o Worry o Be Apprehensive [or... o Have anxiety [or... o Be concerned in... an excessive way [Never at anytime be concerned in... a way that... Takes your mind off the GC or the Gospel [never ever be concerned in a way that... causes you to sit feeble instead of stand firm [never ever , ever be anxious or worried in a way that... expresses a lack of trust in God [Now don't misunderstand Paul... Paul is... o Not here commanding that you don't... have concern for others [or that you don't... take an interest or give thought to hard situations [In fact in Philippians 2.20 he says that Timothy will be genuinely concerned for [their[ welfare [So Paul is... o Saying, it is perfectly acceptable to... Exert effort & thought & strategy to every area of live [And it is not unreasonable to... Be a person who has concern, but never, ever, ever let concern have you. [Notice how Paul says it... do not be anxious about anything Explanation Now does this command not come at an extremely logical time? [Remember what Paul has just told them?] Paul has just reminded them that... o As children of God, they are... Citizens of heaven [As children of God they are... In the Lord [They are... In union with Jesus [And when you take time to think right and remind yourself of that truth, then that is supposed to produce worship, not worry. He had just told them... o The Lord is at hand [So there is no point worrying b/c... Jesus may come back at any moment/before tomorrow [and even if He tarries, there is no point in worrying b/c... He is right there with you anyways [So... Paul says... o Don't worry, be happy [He says... o Don't be perplexed, but stand firm in the Lord by being poised Illustration This too was Jesus command in... Matthew 6:25–34 (ESV) - 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on [Again, this doesn't mean that you don't make effort to show concern to provide & care for yourself, but it does mean that you don't become preoccupied with food & clothes. The material things of this life should never be the top priority of the mind. Jesus goes on and says...]. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing [In other words, just b/c you are able to have great food & certain clothes, that doesn't mean those items will keep you alive. Jesus then gives some illustrations]? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns [In other words they are content with daily provision. They aren't contemplating how they can have more, more and more.], and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they [And the answer is yes. Mankind is the crowning glory of creation. We are the portion of creation that God said was very good. I'm so sorry to inform PETA and every rock kisser and tree hugger, but we as humans are more valuable than any other part of creation.]? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith [O you who fail to think rightly about God!]? 31 Therefore [Because God sees you as valuable, and b/c God is able to give you food & clothing & life, then...] do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles [A reference to those who do not know God. Notice what those who do not know God do. Notice what their life is preoccupied by... They...] seek after all these things [Worldly things. They are like the people of Philippians 3.19 who have their minds set/focused on earthly things. But as believers, we are not focused on seeking earthly things, b/c as Jesus points out...]... your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [So what is our main concern? What is our mind supposed to be preoccupied with & focused on & most consumed with?]33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, [This is Jesus' ways of saying. Stand firm in the Lord. Be concerned about the GC. Be concerned about the Gospel message. And so long as you are doing that, then you can know that...] ... all these things [The food, the clothes, the life...] will be added to you. 34 “Therefore [Because God will provide for those who seek 1st His Kingdom/who stand firm in Him, then...] do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Transition to application Now this truth/command can impact us in at least 2 ways. [1st of all... i. The command to be poised can convict Application You see, Philippi was... o A leading city with lots of financial opportunity [It was... o A place where many people lived prosperous lives [It was... o A culture where people definitely had their minds set on the luxuries & conveniences & possessions that Philippi could provide [So... Perhaps some of these believers... o Had been temporary lured away by luxury [Perhaps some... o Had become more consumed with gaining possessions than they were with gospel proclamation [Could it be that some of these believers... o Were standing feeble with only one foot on gospel ground while the other was anxiously straining for the next pedestal the world was offering [It could be some of these believers... o Needed to hear him say, "Get your minds... Back on the GC [Get your minds... Refocused on the Gospel message [Get your head... Back in the game and... Live in a manner worthy of the Gospel [Get your head in the game and... Press on toward Christ-likeness [Get your head in the game and... Stand firm in the Lord! [Can I just say... This is a truth... o I need to hear every day! [and perhaps there are... o Others in our congregation who need to hear the call to not be torn apart by all the world has to offer, but to rather get your mind back on the GC, the Gospel & stand firm in the Lord!. [I mean let's be honest... Is it out of the question to believe that some of you here today have become... o Anxious (not in worrisome sense, but you have become...] preoccupied/focused on some interests that have proved powerful enough to take your mind off the Great Commission [In a land of opportunity like ours, is it unreasonable to suspect that perhaps some have... o Been temporarily lured away from Gospel focus/the joy of salvation & God's sovereignty by certain opportunities that appeal to the... Lust of our eyes [or the... Lust of the flesh [or the... Pride of life [I do not believe I am overstepping my bounds to call for you to examine your heart and make sure that you have not become... o One who, as Mark 4.19 says, has allowed... the cares of the world and deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things to enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful [You see... This command to be poised is... o Also like a command to be persevering [and therefore it is... o A command that can be convicting [but also consider this... ii. The command to be poised/not be anxious can comfort Explanation Think about it. Aren't you glad that when problems arise or when the ordinary pressures & challenges of life intensify that God's command to you is not... o Well you better worry about that stuff [Aren't you glad that when it comes to a right response to difficult situations that God did not say... o You better figure out a solution or you are sunk [Think about it... If the command from God was worry/be terrified/be anxious, that would not be a comforting command, but rather that would be a... o Chaotic command [That would be a... o Command that would terrify us [So... When God says, don't... o Worry [and God says don't... o Be anxious, you can know He gives that command for your comfort Illustration Is this not what we tell our children when they... o Have a bad dream [We say, "Don't worry." Why do we say that? For their comfort. Or when they... o Have a big test at school [We say, "Don't worry. Just do your best." Why do we say that? For their comfort. Or when they... o Have a big game [We say, "Don't worry. Give it your all." Why do we say that? Because the command to not worry is a comfort.] Application As Paul sits under house arrest not knowing if he will live or die he... o Obediently refuses to let his heart be worried [Paul... o Obediently & gladly practices what he is preaching to the Philippians [And as he ponders Jesus' command to not worry, he... o Finds himself comforted... Not by his confidence to somehow figure a way out of the problem [but he finds himself comforted... By the fact that... To live is Christ & die is gain/to preach Christ/to press on/to stand firm [He is comforted by obediently refusing to be anxious & focus rather on the fact that... He knows the One... o to whom every knee will one day bow and every tongue will one day confess [He knows the One... o Who will one day wipe away every tear [He is comforted by obediently refusing to be anxious & focus rather on the fact that... His citizenship is in heaven [He is comforted by obediently walking away from worry & welcoming into his mind the fact that... He is in the saving & sovereign hand of God [So... Understand this morning that, as Jesus tells you to not be anxious/not worry, He is... o Not telling you that to be mean or insensitive [but He is... o Telling you that for your comfort [So... I say to you, on the authority of God's word: Do not be anxious about... o anything [Do not be anxious about... o Your health/marriage/children & their friends/education/scholarships/athletic careers or any portion of their future [do not be anxious about... o Your college classes/whether or not you will soon meet your future spouse [do not be anxious about... o Your next career move & the new found responsibilities that are now on your plate/Your upcoming mission trips/Your out of town work trips [do not be anxious about... o Your retirement pension or whether or not you are getting ahead financially [Don't be anxious about... o The presidential election/Wars & rumors of wars/the threat of severe weather [Don't be anxious about...VBS/church growth/seminary plans/ministry moves [Why? Because... You are saved & God is sovereignly in control [And also b/c... When you become worried & anxious & consumed... o With the affairs of this life [guess what you are not consumed with?... o You are not consumed with... The main thing [You are not consumed with... The GC [You are not consumed with... Studying, showing, sharing & finding your satisfaction in the gospel [You are not consumed with... Thinking rightly about God [and therefore you are not consumed with... Standing firm in the Lord [So let me ask you this morning... How are you doing with anxiousness? [How you doing with... o Keeping the shiny things of life on the back burner? [And how are you doing with... o Keeping the stressful things on the back burner? [How you doing with... o Standing firm in the Lord by being poised? Transition Now let me conclude by giving you 2 thoughts [1st of all, I want you to dwell upon the truth that.... Jesus is the most obvious example of being poised in the midst of adversity From before the time He became flesh & dwelt among us, Jesus... o Knew His fate [Jesus knew... o He would endure... Constant mental assault from the religious elite [He knew He would endure... An abrupt arrest in a garden of prayer/6 unfair trial/relentless mocking/brutal assaults [He knew He would endure... An agonizing cross, the indescribable weight of man's sin & the undiluted, holy wrath of His Father's justice [and yet Jesus... o Ministered/fulfilled every righteous requirement needed for heaven [and He did it... Without allowing anxiousness to consume Him [He did it all... In unity with The Father & Spirit [He did it all...] for the joy that was set before Him [And He did it all... With a poised focus on the Gospel plan of heaven [And b/c Jesus did this, then we know we can do it as well. Not because we are as strong as Jesus, but b/c we are strong in Jesus.] Transition And that is the final thought I want to emphasize Our route to being poised/not being anxious is in the resurrection power of Jesus Just as we have no shot at being... o Peaceable with one another in our own strength [and just as we have no shot at being... o People of rejoicing in our own strength [and just as we have no shot at being... o People of patience in our own strength [Neither do we have any shot at being poised in our own strength. Listen... You must... o Constantly cry out for the Spirit's filling [you must... o Pursue the resurrection power of Jesus [and... o Always depend on sanctifying grace and The Father's willingness to work in you to both will and work for His good pleasure [Please understand... The reason believers have a shot at staying poised & standing firm in the Lord is b/c of the power that is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. PLEA TO THE LOST - I hope you are anxious about the fact that God is Holy, etc.
