Sermon Tone Analysis

Philippians 4:6-13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2004

Abiding, Not Striving or Struggling

 

Missionary pioneer J. Hudson Taylor of China was working and worrying so frantically that his health was about to break.

Just when his friends feared he was near a breakdown, Taylor received a letter from fellow missionary John McCarthy that told of a discovery McCarthy had made from John 15 — the joy of abiding in Christ.

McCarthy’s letter said in part: /Abiding, not striving or struggling; looking off unto Him; trusting Him for present power … this is not new, and yet ’tis new to me.… Christ literally all seems to me now the power, the only power for service; the only ground for unchanging joy./

As Hudson Taylor read this letter at his mission station in Chin-kiang on Saturday, September 4, 1869, his own eyes were opened.

As I read, he recalled, I saw it all.

I looked to Jesus, and when I saw, oh how the joy flowed!

Writing to his sister in England, he said: /As to work, mine was never so plentiful, so responsible, or so difficult; but the weight and strain are all gone.

The last month or more has been perhaps the happiest of my life, and I long to tell you a little of what the Lord has done for my soul.…/

/When the agony of soul was at its height, a sentence in a letter from dear McCarthy was used to remove the scales from my eyes, and the Spirit of God revealed the truth of our oneness with Jesus as I had never known it before.

McCarthy, who had been much exercised by the same sense of failure, but saw the light before I did, wrote (I quote from memory): But how to get faith strengthened?

Not by striving after faith but by resting on the Faithful One.

As I read, I saw it all!..

As I thought of the Vine and the branches, what light the blessed Spirit poured into my soul!/

/ /

/What is worry?/

The words */to be anxious/* *μεριμνάω* means */to care for or be concerned about./*

It literally means /to be pulled in different directions/.

Our hopes pull us in one direction whilst our fears pull us in the opposite direction; and we are pulled apart.

The Old English root from which we get our word */worry/* means */to strangle/* In fact worry has definite physical consequences: headaches, neck pains, ulcers, even back pains.

Worry affects our thinking, our digestion, and even our coordination.

/How do you overcome worry?/

In *Philippians 4:6a: Paul */commands/ believers /to be/ /anxious/ /for nothing.

Very wisely, /Paul gives us specific details how to replace our worry with peace.

He shares 3 things needed to gain God's peace; */Right Praying, Right Thinking, Right Living./*

/Firstly/ Right Praying 

 

*Philippians 4:6-7* /Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; /

 

Prayer His Real Business

 

William Carey was once reproached for spending so much time in prayer that he neglected his business.

He replied that supplication, thanksgiving, and intercession were much more important in his life than laying up treasures on earth.

Prayer is my real business!

he said.

Cobbling shoes is a sideline; it just helps me pay expenses.

Paul's */command/* /not to be anxious/ is coupled with the */command/* /to make our needs known/ *γνωρίζω* to God.

However Paul is far too wise to say just pray about it.

He uses 3 specific words regarding how to pray.

Our prayers should include */Praise, Petition and Supplication/*/./

/ /

 /a.

Praise /

 

The word */prayer/* *προσευχή* carries the idea of */oratory praise/* or */worship/*.

This is where we lift up our voice to God in adoration, worship and devotion.

We exalt the Lord for Who He is.

This is very important.

Often we rush to God's throne and present a long list of needs and concerns.

When praise is what is needed most.

Praise and adoration help us to see the greatness of our God.

We then recognize that He is more than able to meet our needs.

We see our problems in the light of a great and wonderful God who loves us and wants to help us.

/b.

Petition/

/ /

The word */supplication /**δέησις* means */petition/* or */request/*.

It is an earnest sharing of our needs and problems.

*1 Peter 5:7* *says this:* /Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you/.

God is concerned for our needs and encourages us to bring them before Him.

The Lord's Prayer emphasises this.

Yet remember that the Lord’s prayer starts praising God.

/ie/ */Hallowed and glory./*

/c.

Thanksgiving/

 

The third type of prayer Paul mentions is */thanksgiving/* *ε**ὐ**χαριστία*.

This is where we thank the Lord for answered prayers.

Christians are quick to ask God for help yet so often they forget to thank Him for His help.

Jesus healed ten lepers yet only one came back to give thanks.

Without thanksgiving Christians become very ungrateful and selfish.

But when we thank God for His faithfulness we are blessed too.

We remember how God has helped us in the past.

This helps us to realize that He will help us again now.

We have confidence to ask even greater things by faith.

/ /

/d.

Promise/

 

*Philippians 4:7:*/ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus./

After we commit all our concerns to God He will give us His peace.

Paul says that the peace of God will guard our hearts [wrong feelings] and minds [wrong thinking].

But this promise requires us to hand over all our worries to God. *Matthew 6:31, 33:* /Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you/.

Seek God’s kingdom first each day, pray that He will use you and He will provide your daily needs.

*/Hudson Taylor prayed about the big things and the little things, it made no difference to Him. /*Paul says we need right praying in our lives.

We start by praising God then offer up our needs to Him with thanksgiving.

Then we will know God's peace, which /surpasses all understanding/.

It goes over the top like an overfilled glass.

*But many people complain that they are too busy to pray./

D.L. Moody said,/* /If you have so much business to attend to that you have no time to pray, depend upon it, you have more business on hand than God ever intended you to have.

/*Isaiah 26:3:* /You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

/When we give our worries to God and trust Him, He gives us /His perfect peace/.

God wants us to pray at home alone and with our families.

He wants us to pray in small groups with other believers.

He wants us to pray at Church in united prayer.

Praying with other believer helps us to pray unselfishly.

This is why Christ promised to grant petitions to two or three who agree in prayer.*/

Will God bless our lives if we don’t ask Him to? /Isaiah 40:31: */But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint./

Hudson Taylor

 

The China Inland Mission had been going through some deep trials.

Many missionaries had been killed whilst others had suffered greatly.

At Mission Headquarters a special prayer meeting had been called to pray for the workers of the mission.

After the meeting was over Hudson Taylor left the room singing the hymn, */Tis/*/ *So Sweet To Trust In Jesus*.

/A new recruit from England approached Hudson Taylor and/ /asked,/ How can you sing at a time like this? Don't you care that many of our brethren have died and others are suffering?/

Hudson Taylor said to the young man, /Would you have me to be anxious over this matter?/

I have handed it over to the Lord.

Worrying about it won't help anyone!