Philippians 4:13

We are finishing up a sermon series on the book of Philippians with this verse Philippians 4:13 Hazard text this morning. Paul writes I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Perhaps a very familiar verse to most of us and I might suggest one of the most often miss applied verses in scripture. So I want to challenge us a little bit this morning to think about understanding the meaning of a passage or verse context determines meaning so we simply cannot reach into a passage and pull a verse in isolation like a fortune cookie and then determine what it means just based on us well to me this means but that's a big part of modern culture to locate the meaning of something in the reader and not the writer. But the meaning of scripture lies in the writer in the author it is God's word and what God inspired Paul to write is the meaning of that verse and so we do the work of understanding Discerning interpreting and one of the biggest keys to accomplishing that is understanding. Contacts when you look at a verse here's a illustration that you see on Facebook and other places pretty regularly about the importance of grammar. There's a big difference between let's see Grandma what she says vs. Let's eat, Grandma punctuation saves lives. Now. That's very vital to get it right because punctuation that's what a grammar communicates meaning now. Contact determines meeting grammar helps communicate meeting. So grammar doesn't determine meeting. It helps communicate meeting. It's the context that communicates the meaning. For example, if there was if there was some sort of zombie apocalypse and a virus infected everyone, you know, and it was Thanksgiving dinner. There's one kind of Thanksgiving dinner. Where is appropriate to say, let's eat, Grandma. It's wonderful and warm everybody's there and you're inviting Grandma to come to the living room to the kitchen and join everyone and dinner but let's say a zombie apocalypse strikes in a virus infects everyone and they become flesh eating cannibals in an instant and the only one left that's not infected his grandma then it does become let's see Grandma, right and she has that sort of look on her face. So the context whether it's a normal Thanksgiving or whether to zombie apocalypse determines the meaning not the grammar not the reader. What the context itself determines the meeting now, it could be this grandma and maybe they won't have as much luck trying to eat Grandma, but the context determines meaning so the number one rule a Biblical interpretation is the same as the number one rule of real estate and I said this over and over because I want you to memorize it and know it whenever you're studying scripture because scripture so often gets missed used in our culture in our context both inside and outside the church and so location location location is the number one rule for Real Estate. It's also the number one rule for interpreting scripture for understanding what it means. It's the location of that scripture that helps you understand this meeting. So Philippians 4:13 is not a blank check drawing on all of God's resources for your goals dreams and desires. I'm sorry Tim Tebow. Okay, that's the way maybe he didn't intend it but that's the way his success as an athlete and some of the other fields Philippians 4:13 was his favorite verse and everyone grabbed onto that you can find t-shirts that show athletes in Psych. I can do all things through Christ. And so we slip into thinking of Philippians 4:13 as God's resources at my disposal for my dreams goals and vision. Do you see how that is easy to do, but how it's not actually what Paul is talking about if we're not careful we slip into that Prayer of Jabez mentality that says God gives me this blank check and I just fill in what I want him to do. I want you to bless my career or my goals or my family or the way I envisioned my life unfolding and suddenly, he's not Lord. I'm Lord, and he's a genie. And I make my plans of my dreams my visions and I say to him here's where I want you to pull your resources into my life. I want you to bless what I have going on. So pause contacts when they're riding Philippians 4:13 context rules in terms of understanding meaning what's Paul's context in writing for Philippians, 4:13. We've talked about it. Where is he riding from? Prison, I'll let that sink in for a moment. He's rotting from prison.

Would he be running from prison? Thang look let me tell you a little secret. Do you understand the secrets of Christianity God will bless you. He will bless all of your life. As a matter of fact, you can do anything that you dream of little Joel Olsteen Spirit coming out right anything you dream up hitting you imagine anything you hope for whatever you want if you get it, right if you turn it off just right. God will bless it. You can do all things through Christ who strengthen if you want to be a CEO God will bless you for turkey that level because he helped if you want to be a star athlete God will bless you to be a star athletes that person that you dream about it. You can do all things. You think Paul was sitting in prison saying here's the truth. I want to reveal to you. There are no limits to your life. You will always be blessed if you understand God correctly and you have the right kind of Faith. You can do anything if that's what he was saying. I would say then Paul. Why don't you ask to be out of prison? Why don't you ask not to be chained up? Why isn't your vision something other than I would like to be chained up Lord change a Roman guard not allowed to leave. Not what Paul is saying if you look at the wider context it gets even more clear. And I want to read just an overview of a lot of what happens in Paul's life and I'll try to do justice to this. But when you look at the wider context of Paul's life think about the wider context of the one who's riding this these words I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Philippians 3, he talks about his Heritage both as a Roman citizen, but as a Jew who has this great heritage, he's kind of the next big thing in Judaism when he starts out his life in Acts 7, we're told that Paul is holding the clothes while they stoned Stephen for preaching the gospel. And that's a that's a position of Pride for Paul at that moment as Saul at that moment in his life because he's about persecuting the Christian who in his mind are preaching this faucet e within Judaism, so he's happy to see Steven Stone. He's happy to say you guys can't get a good swing with your coat on just laying here at my feet and keep going with those stones but in Acts 9 what happens to Paul? He's on his way. Ask to continue persecuting Christians and the church with soldiers in a team with him to do that and on his way. He's knocked off his horse. Right and a boy says why are you the same saw at that time? But it becomes Paul. Why are you persecuting me? And he's blind and in that moment. He says whose whose voice is this and he says, it's Jesus whom you're persecuting a pretty dramatic change in your life. If you're Paul from being the next big thing in Judaism leading the way to persecute Christianity to being knocked off your horse and blinded and being told by the one that you've been persecuting. Why are you doing that? Then? He's been he's led to a nice and I have told have got Paul here. I want you to heal him and he kind of fights back with God if you know that passage in Acts not hey, I'm really this guy who's coming here to kill me and all my family and all my friends. I'd really rather not have him up and walking about and seeing well couldn't we just leave him confused and in the dark, but none the less. God says no. I want you to heal him. This is just acts chapter 9 he's healed he preaches his first sermon and it says he can found the Jews and his preaching he so effective and pointing to the Old Testament and pointed to the scriptures on why Jesus is who the gospel says. He is that they get so frustrated all his old buddies right just earlier. He was the next big thing in Judaism. He was the next big guy as soon as all his friends and guess what? We're told that then they seek to kill him. Think about the roller coaster of his life then they seek to kill him and ask. He continues the next time when he goes to Jerusalem the Christians in Jerusalem won't receive him but then Barnabas is the only person who says I'll receive him God's clergy working. I'll be his friend. So then he goes and preachers to the Greeks and he's stumps them were told in the scriptures. He preaches effectively and something and guess what they want to do they seek to kill Paul or toads in Acts chapter 9 and then Acts chapter 13, he shares the good news with sergius a demon-possessed man named bar-jesus begins to try to distract them and call For the First Time cast out a demon and the man he was witnessing to of course converts think about the roller coaster Judaism Faithfully seeking to persecute the church, but then he's converted knocked off his horse and converted to the truth of Christianity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And so he preaches it to his old buddies and does it effectively but they say kill him he goes to the Greeks in Is it effectively they say we're going to kill him. He seems to convert one man, the demon-possessed man tries to get in the way and stop it and process be gone and the demon is cast out of him that's got to be a high point for Paul but then acts 14 he shares the gospel again, and we're told that they Stone him and they dragged him out of the city and they leave him for dead. Don't you think he had to think this is it? Cuz he's been part of stoning simself, right? He knows what happens. You keep throwing the stones until they're dead. When he kept getting hit by Stones, he had to think this is it my life's over and they think he's dead. They dragged him out of the city were told and they leave him for dead yet. He survives and lives and continues to preach. There's a strong disagreement. We're told an ax15 between Paul and Barnabas and Barnabas leaves him. And so now he's alone again. He eventually reaches by and and Lydia convert so we talk about this in the book of Philippians. She's a wealthy CEO of a company and she's got resources and she says hey you and your your traveling companions come live at my place until suddenly. He's living a good life eating good food being cared for and supplies financially Force he continues to preach the gospel, but that didn't last long right just a few days after he's there preaching the gospel and Phil if I what happens. There's a riot in the city. He's caught up in the middle of it and convicted tortured sent to jail. Think of the insanity. Was that a moment where Paul would say, this is just how I had it planned. Beaten and put in jail. I can do all things through Christ. This is exactly what I wanted to happen in my life. It's not that sort of meaning in this verse. He then. Preaches in thessalonica a group of Jews there hate him so much they start to follow him around and try to stir up a mob everywhere. He goes and then acts 6-17 he preaches and Athens in that same group follows him in moxee while he's preaching then acts 18, he goes to Corner to preach. He Converse the ruler of the synagogue think about how dramatic that is think of the roller coaster one moment. He's preaching the gospel casting out demons the next he's beaten and left for dead. Got to go to court if he can verse the ruler of the synagogue how powerful would that moment be the Jews her standing against him and Paul preaches the gospel in such a way that the ruler of the synagogue converts and begins to follow Jesus.

In corner of Paul says that God speaks to him and says do not be afraid but go on speaking to do not be silent for I am with you and no one will harm you I will have many in this city who are my people he continues to preaching the gospel spreads to episode The Gospel work and have since it's so powerful that the stranger things happens even pause handkerchiefs in and close the materials become things that people can get a hold up and it causes healing to occur that sort of powerful Ministry is occurring in Paul's life it even changes the entire social economical level of the city because there's so many people who made their living through me making false Idols for others to worship that when Paul comes in and preach the gospel and people reject those false idol and begin following Jesus Christ that business group gets together and says, hey we got to get rid of this guy. He's hurting our business. I'm not selling as many and it's going to hurt the tampon. It's going to hurt everything that we're doing. There's a group that pledge not to eat or drink 40 men pledge not to eat or drink until Paul is dead.

I can do all things. Through Christ who strengthens me it is not kind of God's blessing on the American dream Paul even talk about these things himself when he recites his own Ministry. He says about those who are accusing him. He's doing this kind of tongue-in-cheek way cuz he doesn't want to brag but since his enemies are bragging he'll brag are they Hebrews? So am I are they is her light. So am I are they Abraham's descendants? So am I are they Servants of Christ? I'm out of my mind to talk like this, but I am more I have worked much harder been in prison more frequently been flawed more severely and been exposed to death again and again, 5 * are receiving the Jews the 40 Lashes - 1 three times. I was beaten with rods. Once I was pelted with stones three times. I was Shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the Move. I've been in danger from rivers in danger from bandits in danger for my fellow Jews in danger from the Gentiles in danger in the city and danger in the country in danger at Sea and in danger from false believe I have labored and toiled and have often Gone without sleep. I have known hunger and thirst and I've often Gone without food. I've been cold and naked besides everything else. I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches who is weak and I do not feel weak who is laying in the sand and I do not into Wordly burn. Paul says this is his struggle. So again, there's no way you can understand the context of Paul this being his life writing this letter from prison and think of it as a blank check where God says. Yes, just dream whatever dream you want and I'm here to back you up and becoming a superstar or success or whatever it is that you dream about. That's not what Paul is riding about. What this passage is about it's a commitment to endure all things. Paul says this in the next couple of verses it's a commitment to learn contentment. He says I've learned how to be content and uses two different words in the Greek language learning the two different ways. I've learned both the scriptures what they teach and I've also learned through my experience. And so what this verse is about is this a commitment to endure all things to learn contentment both do the teaching of the scriptures and do the life experience of trusting God by making Hughes Dreams goals and desires hours. Do you see that vital distinction?

We are not the center of all things where we bring the God our goals dreams and desires and say God. I'd like to call on you. I've rubbed the magic lamp. You're the genie hop out and make all these things come true for me instead. It's about us going before God as the one true God and the gospel as the great mystery of God reveal that Jesus Christ saved through his teaching through his life death burial and Resurrection. It's about making that gospel the most important thing in our lives and submitting to it making gods dreams goals and Visions his desire to reconcile us to him our hearts desire his desire to see every man and woman on the face of the Earth reconciled to him right for God so loved the World does anything Trump God in our lives? Do we love our jobs more? Do we love our families more? Do we love our country more? Do we love our politics more if we do we're getting it wrong.

Because the ultimate thing the number one thing is God and His gospel revealed through Jesus Christ. Paul demonstrated that commitment and that passion in his life so that he could say to the Philippians Here's my commitment. I can I can endure anything I can put up with anything. I've learned to be content with little I've learned to be content with Mike. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me to Advance the gospel not to advance his own agenda. It was about advancing his own agenda here to rub that lamp and said poop. I'm out of prison poop. I'm not getting beaten any more poop. These rocks are going to bounce off me and I'm going to stand up like Superman. It's I dare you to throw another one talks about this and if you're if you like to take notes in your Bible, here's a passage to right beside Philippians 4:13 that I believe explains and helps us understand what Paul means in Philippians 4:13 what he says in Corinthians, He says but we have this treasure in Jars of Clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not abandoned struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. Do you see that distinction that Paul is making it's not that following Christ means I'll never have any obstacles that I can do all things it just slide from the Cradle to the Grave fat dumb and happy, you know, living the American dream where I never have hardship or obstacle. It's about committing your life's to something larger than your own life to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to serving God and advancing his gospel and understanding that God will come alongside you in that commitment and that you might be knocked down, but you'll never be knocked out. You might be persecuted that'll never be your end and all that suffering that Paul went through. He still knew that Christ was working in his life to advance the gospel and the continue he continues just a few versus later. So he says for Wii. Back up here.

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus said that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body that 2nd Corinthians 4 7 through 11 and just a few versus later. She's me he says for we who are alive are always been given over to death for Jesus sake so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal bodies. So even our suffering even our dreams that don't come true become a way in which God to reveal his goodness through us as we endure all things as Paul says I've learned to be content with I've learned to be content without an order that God might be glorified. Then he continues just a few verses later. He says therefore do not lose heart though. We outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly. We are being renewed day by day for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all so we fix our eyes not on what is seen But on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen? is eternal I'm going to bite the worship team to come forward now. The invitation of this verse I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Is it invitation to give our lives to Christ and the his purpose to his agenda is the very opposite of what we tend to think of this versus meaning we tend to think of this versus meaning I will plan my life the way I would like to plan it and then I will ask God to bless and cause that plan to succeed in actuality written from prison in the context of all that Paul has gone through this verse is a demonstration of his commitment to injure or anyting and I call upon God to live in any circumstance whether a blessed circumstance or challenge circumstance to endure anything so that Christ might show through his life so that the gospel might be advanced in this what he says earlier Philippians when he says look even if they kill me. Right to live is Christ. I keep advancing the gospel to die is gain because I'll be your knotted with my savior. So nothing is greater even holding onto his own life. Is it greater than advancing the cause of Christ and revealing his goodness and His glory to others. And so this purse is an invitation. Are you willing? to do all things through Christ who strengthen you. Are you willing to pledge your life to Christ and say I will go anywhere? I will do anything. To serve your cough to advance the gospel. I will like Paul learned to be content when things seem just to be going my way and there's plenty in the fridge or plenty in the bank account. But Lord also know that I will be content to learn and trust you when things aren't the way I wish they would be when things aren't I Land of Plenty or time of Plenty for they don't fit how I envisioned my life you think Paul envisioned is like this way. You think it said here's what I'd like to do. I'd like to be beating and end up in prison. That's my dream for my life. His dream was to serve the cause of Christ and he trusted God in the midst of that and therefore learn to be content with or without and that's the invitation. This morning for us. If you've never made the decision to give your life to Christ. I invite you to consider that decision and I've been pretty brutally honest about it this morning when you give your life to Christ. That's what you're doing. You're giving your life to Christ. You're not keeping a hold of your life and saying I'd like to sprinkle a little God on there to bless it and make it everything. I want it to be know you're open handedly giving up and giving away your life. You're saying I give my life to you Lord. I give my time my energy my education my career my dreams my goals my children. I give it to you. Give never made that decision during this song. I invite you to come to me. I'll be in the back of the church and come to me for prayer during this decision. You can come to folks repair both in the front and the back if you have a concern on your heart, if you have a need that we need to know about come to one of us and pray with us and share that need with us. And we also have something special that I'm going to share at when we finish singing Our Song of dedication. We're going to have a special celebration at the end of that song. There can be a baptism. So we get to celebrate somebody doing what I just talked about giving their life to Christ and it's sweet little alley. And I hate to think of her giving her life to Christ in the way. I talked about it, but that's what she's doing. She's not saying what Lord Jesus you can have my life. But as long as it's good and sweet comfortable and everything. I want it to be as long as I grow up and everything unfolds just the way I want just way my parents want just my grandparents want. Oh, she's giving her life to Christ. To do whatever he calls her to do. You might not live in United States are life. And then don't we just hate that thought his parents and grandparents will know God's call is for my children to grow up and live right beside me and have grandchildren and for all of us just to grow old together. Paul says no. No. No, it's not that price will bless everything I envisioned is that I will give my life to him and he will walk alongside me to Advance his gospel. That's what it means to give your life to Christ. You let go of that Authority and you give it over to him. Please stay on this Wee Sing.