Sermon Tone Analysis

???commercial - Master card Add Campaign ?? Tapped into this deep sense we all have that all the affluence and comforts of western society are shallow and empty.

That the real important things in life are the things money can not buy....

???commercial - Master card Add Campaign ?? Tapped into this deep sense we all have that all the affluence and comforts of western society are shallow and empty.

That the real important things in life are the things money can not buy....

In this series we are looking at what Jesus and his disciples taught about pursuing true success…and investing in our future…

And our hearts always follow our investments – you will love whatever it is you cling to for success…

Acknowledgement that we are in a time where massive shifts in culture have already taken place - views of success are radically changing - millennials are far less oriented towards careerism… changing attitudes towards work… some of these shifts are in reaction to the loneliness and excess of our affluent society - some is in reaction to the uncertainty of our world… typical views of success are being challenged

So this is really important stuff, that impacts our daily lives, how we relate to God and each other, the kind of future we will have, and what we are leaving behind for the next generation!

???commercial - Master card Add Campaign ?? Tapped into this deep sense we all have that all the affluence and comforts of western society are shallow and empty.

That the real important things in life are the things money can not buy....

We live in a time of incredible opportunity for the gospel - people are questioning and searching for something better — there is an incredible opportunity for renewal in the church - for far too long Christians have basically adopted the typical views of middle class western society about retirement and investing… instead of offering a valid alternative..a truly different - Gospel Shaped way of life…

But as we have seen already in this series, Jesus and his disciples challenge our typical views of success…

We live in a time of incredible opportunity for the gospel - people are questioning and serving for something better — there is an incredible opportunity for renewal in the church - for far too long Christians have basically adopted the typical views of middle class western society about retirement and investing… instead of offering a valid alternative...

And as we have seen already in this series, Jesus and his disciples give us a radically different view of success…

STORY??

Being Rich toward God = Investing in Christ and his kingdom

“True success is far deeper and more comprehensive than financial success or enjoyment of this life.

True success involves being ‘rich toward God’.”

“True success is far deeper and more comprehensive than financial success or enjoyment of this life.

True success involves being ‘rich toward God’.”

“True success is far deeper and more comprehensive than financial success or enjoyment of this life.

True success involves being ‘rich toward God’.”

Being rich toward God is really about knowing Jesus and being invested in his kingdom.

Its the way to really LIVE, to grab onto real LIFE and lay a solid foundation for the future.

Which is a really different way of thinking about success.

Jesus teaches that to know him and to be invested in his kingdom is the the way to be truly successful, the way to really LIVE and grab onto LIFE, the way to lay down a truly solid foundation for your future…

= Using our wealth, education, skills, gifts to share with others and do good in this world ==produces things money can’t buy that will make an impact long after we are gone

it involves being invested in a local community of believers - making a significant contribution to building up your church family

God wants us to be truly successful, he is for us, he is not against us, Jesus and his disciples challenge us to think radically different about pursuing success and investing in the future...

it involves serving the poor and doing good works

but

it involves being invested in God’s family and making a significant contribution to building up your church family

Being rich toward God is really about knowing Jesus and being invested in his kingdom:

- which includes serving the poor and doing good works - but it also includes being invested God’s Family.

God’s Family - his church is part of his kingdom.

Pursing true success involves wisely using what we have to do good in this world, and because being rich toward God is about investing in God’s kingdom - it is includes contributing to and building up your local church family - which we looked at a couple of weeks ago.

Being Rich toward God = Investing in Christ and his kingdom

All of this is part of God’s plan to bring the light of gospel - the good news and transforming power of Jesus - into every dark corner of this world.

Which means pursing true success includes ‘investing in the progress of the Gospel’ - or the mission of the church.

This is something we’ve looked at before....

all of this is part of God’s plan to bring the light of gospel into every dark corner of this world.

Which means wisely using what we have to do good in this world

Look up Philippians in your bible.

This is a letter to an ancient church in a city called Philipi.

Paul writes this letter to this church because they have already been working together to advance the Gospel -there has been a mutual sharing of resources and people to bring the gospel to new places and to establish new churches… and so Paul who is now in prison, is encouraging them not to get distracted but to keep investing in the cause of Christ… the progress of the gospel

it involves being part of and invested in a local church family,

Key interpretive verse here is 1:27…

I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

This is what Paul is hoping to see - this is what is considered successful for this community of believers… not the size or quality of their church building (cause they didn’t even have a building), not how big their budget is, or if they have many church members, IT IS A ONE MINDED COMMITMENT TO THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL…

Paul says, make my joy complete by working together with one mind and purpose!

Chapter 2

In fact he says

συναθλοῦντες “striving together side by side’ = to struggle together ⇔ contend together -

1) this isn’t a solo striving - it is a side by side striving - a striving together - random individual effort is not success - it is not the same as a side by side - one minded effort… (it requires humility) [John 17:20-23]

2) this isn’t some casual involvement - There is an intensity to this, he talks about suffering, he talks about engaging in conflict and facing opposition, this involves significant effort…

2) this isn’t some casual involvement - There is an intensity to this, he talks about suffering, he talks about engaging in conflict and facing opposition, this involves significant effort…

- think of a hockey team playing in the last round of the Stanley cup.

Investing in God’s plan - involves a serious commitment to working together for the progress of the gospel… which requires a certain mindset - a mindset that we have in Christ -

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

It involves being invested in a local church family, making a significant contribution to building up God’s family

I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

=produces things money can’t buy that will make an impact long after we are gone

Again this isn’t some casual involvement - he uses the phrase ‘striving together side by side’ - There is an intensity to this, he talks about suffering, he talks about engaging in conflict and facing opposition, this involves significant effort…

Paul says, make my joy complete by working together with one mind and purpose!

Chapter 2 then he holds up Christ as our example...

Again

συναθλοῦντες “striving together side by side’ = to struggle together ⇔ contend together - - think of a hockey team playing in the last round of the Stanley cup.

There is an intensity to this, he talks about suffering, he talks about engaging in conflict and facing opposition, this involves significant effort…

Striving:

How is this pursuing true success - and preparing for the future?

seems so backwards!

Down is up an up is down… This is so backwards and it seems so demanding… how could this ever be success?

The power of the Gospel

A. The gospel changes individuals - (look at ch2 - God is giving… comfort, love, his Spirit, affection, sympathy, right thinking - the mind of Christ)

B. The gospel brings individuals together into true community

C. As The gospel transforms individuals families and communities change

he talks about suffering

= both immediate blessings as people turn to Christ and future eternal blessings… God’s plan is unstoppable (A guaranteed investment) = As a Christian when you invest in the God’s kingdom you are investing in your homeland - your kingdom - your future -

A one minded commitment to the progress of the Gospel is part of bringing God’s kingdom to full expression =

C.

The gospel brings individuals together into true community

D. The gospel transforms communities through serving others

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” - Jim Elliot

C. The gospel brings individuals together into true community

D. The gospel transforms communities through serving others

he talks about suffering

= Using our wealth, education, skills, gifts to share with others and do good in this world ==produces things money can’t buy that will make an impact long after we are gone

he talks about engaging in conflict

Again this is a significant effort but this

he talks about suffering

It involves

he talks about suffering

What does it mean for a church to be striving together with one-mind to advance the gospel?

Why is humility so important?

he talks about engaging in conflict

he talks about humility and putting others before yourself

What sorts of things might distract a church community from a unified focus on advancing the gospel?

=produces things money can’t buy that will make an impact long after we are gone

What would it look like for someone to be fully invested in this?

What would it look like for you to be more invested in the progress of the gospel?