Gospel Centered Thought Life

Philippians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  unknown
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Introduction

America at large is in a mental health crisis
A 2011 article published in The Week detailed some alarming numbers
1 in 5 adults taking some sort of mental health medication
22% increase from the year 2001 to the year 2010
100 percent increase in the number of children taking antipsychotic (ADHD, etc.) drugs
A MEDCO report in 2010 paints an equally bleak picture
40 million Americans (both adults and children) suffer from anxiety related disorders
This is the most common form of disorder in America
The church is not immune to this trend
Sadly the church has given the handling of these issues to the psychologists and psychiatrists rather than working through the Bible to address issues
Tonight Paul is going to show us how we can approach anxiety in our lives
First he’s going to return to a common theme of rejoicing in
Then he’s going to deal with anxiety itself in
And finally he’s going to use a list of good, moral virtues to encourage us to a higher standard of thought life in

Rejoice

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Philippians 4:4–5 NASB
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:4 NASB
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
This is now the third time in this letter that Paul has given the Philippians the command to rejoice.
Philippians 2:18 NASB
And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
Philippians 3:1 NASB
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
Each time it is used in the present active tense - meaning that it is a continuous ongoing action

Chairete (rejoice) is a present imperative, calling believers to the continual, habitual practice of rejoicing

It is true that believers often cannot find reason to rejoice in their specific circumstances.
Regardless of our circumstances we can have the joy of the Lord
John F. MacArthur Jr., Philippians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2001), 273.Regardless of our circumstances we can have the joy of the Lord
James 1:2 NASB
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
Paul was in prison
The Philippian church was in danger of persecution
Paul is not admonishing the Philippians to just “grin and bear it”
300 Quotations for Preachers Pride in Being a Worse Backslider than Other People

There is a certain breed of Calvinists, whom I do not envy, who are always jeering and sneering as much as ever they can at the full assurance of faith. I have seen their long faces. I have heard their whining periods, and read their dismal sentences in which they say something to this effect—“Groan in the Lord always, and again I say, groan! He that mourneth and weepeth, he that doubteth and feareth, he that distrusteth and dishonoreth his God, shall be saved.” That seems to be the sum and substance of their very ungospel-like gospel. But why is it that they do this? I speak now honestly and fearlessly. It is because there is a pride within them—a conceit which is fed on rottenness, and sucks marrow and fatness out of putrid carcasses. And what, say you, is the object of their pride? Why, the pride of being able to boast of a deep experience—the pride of being a blacker, grosser and more detestable backslider than other people. “Whose glory is in their shame,” may well apply to them. A more dangerous, because a more deceitful pride than this is not to be found. It has all the elements of self-righteousness in it.

CHARLES SPURGEON

Nor is this like story of the man who fell from a ten story building - as he passed each window people would hear him say “so far so good”
We have something better to look forward to - and something to consistently rejoice in.
If you have placed your faith in Christ you can rest assured in your eternal destiny and rejoice regardless of the circumstances
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Puritans Rejoice in the Salvation of Our Lord

No created powers in hell, or out of hell, can mar the music of our Lord Jesus, nor spoil our song of joy. Let us then be glad, and rejoice in the salvation of our Lord; for faith had never yet cause to have wet cheeks, and hanging down brows, or to droop or die.

SAMUEL RUTHERFORD

The apostles model for us how we should act when faced with trials and tribulation
Acts 5:41 NASB
So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Acts 5:
But we should never forget to rejoice in bounty as well
This may sound strange but we should not allow ourselves to get complacent when life is easy and forget to rejoice in our salvation
Satan’s two greatest weapons against the church are conflict and comfort.
The one causes us to take our eyes off the cross because we are so busy fighting to stay alive that we leave our greatest ally and weapon
The other causes us to take our eyes off the cross as we are lulled to sleep by a life of ease
We can see evidences of that in Paul’s next admonition to the church - that we should be known by all men for our gentle spirit
Something the church is not well known for in this day and age
We are the bigots - the intolerant ones
Westboro Cult
Unbiblical street ministries
The mishandling of the homosexual issue (Adam and Steve, etc)
All these situations have led to the church’s public view being less than having a gentle spirit
I am not saying we should give in or tolerate sin as something normal - however our reaction should have been to stand solely on the Word of God instead of try to use human reasoning
But we should be known more for our gracious spirit than for the virility of our tongue
2 Timothy 4:2 NASB
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
Romans 12:18 NASB
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
This is how we model Christ.
Ephesians 4:15 NASB
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ,
We must be others-focused rather than inward-focused

Genuine Christian joy is not inward-looking. It is not by concentrating on our need for happiness, but on the needs of others, that we learn to rejoice.

Paul finishes this with a curious saying that “the Lord is near”
Is this eschatalogical or distance? Speaking of His second coming or the promise that He will always be with us until the end of the age?
The context suggests that what Paul has in mind is the imminence of Christ - His closeness to every believer

Over all, and not ascending,

Under all, but not depending;

Over all the world ordaining,

Under all, the world sustaining.

HILDEBERT OF TOURS

Psalm 73:28 NASB
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works.
He is there ready to deliver us from any situation according to His will
Philippians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Resting on a Confident Faith in the Lord

Because of God’s nearness, believers should not be fearful, anxious, or wavering. They should not collapse, but be strong and stable

This is a great comfort for the believer in light of what Paul is about to address next
Joshua 1:6–9 NASB
“Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 27:14 NASB
Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.
Psalm 125:1 NASB
A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the Lord Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
This is a great comfort for the believer in light of what Paul is about to address next
This is a great comfort for the believer in light of what Paul is about to address next

Be Anxious For Nothing

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Philippians 4:6–7 NASB
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Paul now addresses another area of the Philippians thought-life
Facing persecution there is always a tendency to become anxious
We become a bit like Pavlov’s dog - if I do this is it going to bring pain - if so I don’t want to do it
Philippians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Resting on a Confident Faith in the Lord

believers often seem to forget what they know about God. They lose their confident trust in Him, lose their self-control and spiritual stability, and are defeated.

This is a direct reflection on how and what we think of God

is not because he makes light of the troubles that they face but because he knows that God is greater than all their troubles

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.
This is the biggest source of anxiety in the church today
We don’t have a God who is big enough to handle our problems.
We consistently seek to take them back from Him and handle them in other ways
Medicine - this is not to say that all medicine is bad or that true conditions do not exist
Medicine is a gift from God that can treat many physical and mental conditions
But not everything we call a medical condition truly is - and we are overmedicating ourselves in an attempt to address what only God through His Word can
Drugs
Work harder
Avoidance
We turn to idols of contemporary society rather than trust Him - and we suffer for it
Paul tells us that we have a way - in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

Prayer is the Christian’s antidote for anxiety.

It is through Prayer that we are able to release our anxiety and rest in the provision of our Lord
Matthew 6:5 NASB
“And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
Matthew 6:6 NASB
“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Jesus makes no provision for the Christian who doesn’t pray
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Puritans “Prayer Is a Shield to the Soul”

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.

JOHN BUNYAN

Just a note of warning - beware who you offer your prayers to
War Room - when she calls out the devil in her prayer
Jude
1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB
pray without ceasing;
Prayer is essential to the Christian life

Whatever...

What is the cause of most backsliding? I believe, as a general rule, one of the chief causes is neglect of private prayer. Of course the secret history of falls will not be known till the last day. I can only give my opinion as a minister of Christ and a student of the heart. That opinion is, I repeat distinctly, that backsliding generally first begins with neglect of private prayer.
J. C. Ryle
Elliot Ritzema, ed., 300 Quotations for Preachers (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).
It is through prayer that we can partner with God in the work that He intends to happen
ACTS style of prayer
The Adoration seems to have gone out of our prayers
We’re really willing to thank God and to ply Him with our requests and even grudgingly sometimes to confess
but Adoration is missing - and this also reveals what we think of God
Is He worth our adoration? Do we truly believe that He is high and holy?
Our view of God impacts every aspect of our Christian life.
There is a promise for the pray-er
Philippians 4:7 NASB
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The promise is that we will have the peace of God - this is different than peace with God
This is indicative of the peace that is inherently a part of God’s nature and that is made available to Christians at regeneration

Paul seems here to be referring to the tranquility of God’s own eternal being (Caird), the peace that God himself has (Barth), the calm serenity that characterizes God’s very nature and that grateful, trusting Christians are welcome to share

A peaceful spirit is prized in both religious and secular circles
Rudyard Kipling once wrote about the ability to keep one’s peace in the poem “If”
Philippians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary 19. Spiritual Stability—Part 2: Gratitude, Godly Thinking, Obedience : (Philippians 4:6b–9)

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son

What is interesting is that the secular world has no avenue through which this takes place
Whereas for the Christian we know that this peace is provided by Christ
John 14:27 NASB
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
and it is this peace which surpasses all human understanding
How can a man who is tied or chained to a stake, with gun powder around his neck, stand and sing hymns as the flames lick at his legs?
How can a man meet his newborn babe for the first time as he is led to the stake to be burned?
How can Hugh Latimer look at Nicholas Ridley and say “Play the man Mr. Ridley” as both are led to their execution?
It is the peace that only God can give
It is the promise of rest that is given to the true believer
Hebrews 4:1 NASB
Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.
and the promise of a Sabbath rest on our day before God
Hebrews 4:10 NASB
For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
Hebrews 4:9 NASB
There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
This rest is not only provided through Christ but it is secured by Christ
To Guard has military overtones - it speaks of a detachment of soldiers standing guard over something
I think of the Ceremonial Guard which stands watch at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Washington D.C. or the sentries at Buckingham Palace - completely focused on their task of guarding their charge
This was an appropriate image for Paul to invoke as many of the citizens of Philippi were former soldiers and there would have been a Roman detachment there
This is speaking of the peace which guards our heart and mind
The heart - the center of our emotions
The mind - the center of our intellect and cognitive functions
All of life falls into these two arenas - and Paul says that the peace of God will guard all of them “in Christ Jesus”
He reinforces the idea that for the Christian our peace comes from Christ - it comes from the truth of the Gospel
As a result of this peace we can think differently

Whatever...

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Philippians 4:8–9 NASB
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.
There is nothing in this list that is inherently Christian.
But there is no source through which the secular mind can make these judgements
Instead they call what is evil good and what is good evil
Isaiah 5:20 NASB
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
How can we make this determination?
How can we make this determination?
Whatever is true - it all starts with what is true
What truth is there except God’s truth
Truth is deeply in question in the world today
It has been said that truth cannot be known
Truth is found in Christ and the revelation of God that we have in and through Him
Whatever is honorable
Gravitas - carries with it a sense of dignity as in the descriptions of deacons and deaconesses in 1 Timothy
1 Timothy 3:8 NASB
Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,
1 Timothy 3:
1 Timothy 3:11 NASB
Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.
Both men and women are described as being dignified
Whatever is right
whatever is pure
whatever is lovely
whatever is of good repute
let your mind dwell on these things
The highest aspiration of the human mind is to dwell on the One Who created it.
Pastor Dave spoke on Sunday about signs and there’s an interesting ending to one of the passages he related
Matthew 12:38–45 NASB
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.“The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.“The Queen of the South shall rise up with this generation at the judgment and shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.“Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it.“Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.“Then it goes, and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
:
The Pharisees and scribes failed to let their minds dwell on the right things and because of that their minds ended up even more polluted than they were to start with....
Paul closes all of this with another exhortation that the Philippians follow the example that he has set - as he has followed the example that Christ has set
And again he promises that the God of peace will be with them....

Conclusion

Are you anxious tonight?
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