Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring is made up of individuals of disparate origin and ridiculous diversity that exceed any of our ethnic or social differences:

4 hobbits, tiny beings with large, hairy, shoeless feet—Frodo Baggins and his friends Merry, Sam, and Pippin;

2 men, warriors of the first rank always dressed for battle—Boromir of Gondor and Aragorn, son of Arathorn II, King of Gondor;

1 wizard, Gandalf the ancient nemesis of evil and a repository of wisdom and supernatural power;

1 elf, Legolas, from a fair race of archers of the forest with pointed ears;

and 1 dwarf, Gimli, a stout, hairy, axe-wielding creature from the dark chambers under the mountains.

These 9 members of the fellowship bore few affinities.

The elves and the dwarves were like the English and the French because both had an unspoken agreement to feel superior to the other.

However, the nine very different individuals, bound together by their great mission to defeat the forces of darkness and save Middle-Earth, became inseparable and their covenant indissoluble.

The man Boromir, despite his lapses, gave his life for the hobbits.

And the elf and the dwarf came to form a great friendship, so great that Gimli was inducted into an honored order reserved only for elves.

Such can be earthly human fellowship when the conditions are perfect and is usually cause-specific and with an expiration date.

But Paul will reveal a gratitude and joy here in Philippians our text that has at its heart something much deeper…and lasting.

a depth of fellowship and covenant that exceeds any earthly fellowship—“your partnership [fellowship] in the gospel” (v.

5)—which is rooted in God and is a quest that can only be described as eternal.

Phil 1.3-8

“Make the book live to me, O Lord.

Show me yourself within your Word.

Show me myself and show me my Savior, and make the book live to me, for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.”

-Hudson Pope

THIS THEME OF JOY:

1:4 prays with joy

1:18 rejoices that Christ is proclaimed

1:25 will remain living on earth, for the Philippians’ joy in the faith

2:2 asks the Philippians to complete his joy

2:17-18 is glad and rejoices with the Philippians

2:28 sends Epaphroditus, that the Philippians might rejoice

2:29 tells the Philippians to receive Epaphroditus with joy

3:1 tells the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord

4:1 tells the Philippians they are his joy

4:4 tells the Philippians twice to rejoice in the Lord

4:10 rejoiced in the Lord at the Philippians’ concern for him

1.

Joyful Praying (Phil 1:3-5)

Thank God

Every Remembrance?

Even though there was little to correct in the Philippian church, there were some issues that needed attention

Disagreement between 2 of its founding members that had gone public: Euodia & Syntyche (Phil 4.3)

NOTE THE CONFLICT DIDN’T CRUSH HIS GRATITUDE

“When gratitude leaves the room, greed quickly enters and sprawls out, leaving no room for anyone else.” -John Onwuchekwa

Every time I pray for you

with JOY

Thankful and joyful (first mention of joy) - tied to prayer for others

Team read this past week: JC Ryle quote: “He loves me best who loves me in his prayers.”

R. Kent Hughes says, “Paul rarely thanked God for things.

Paul thanked God for people, who, despite whatever trouble they may have been to him, remained a source of joy and thanksgiving”

What chokes out gratitude in your heart when you pray for others?

(Begging the question, Do you pray for your brothers and sisters at Grace?)

Unaware of their needs?

Vague praying for vague needs of vague people are not intercessory, nor a recipe for JOY

That’s the beauty of community…of a church family…of the very partnership that Paul is discussing here - deep, convictional, covenant relationship among the local church family

Are you a Super-Critical person?

Do you have the spiritual gift of criticism?

Are you an entitled person?

Last week we clearly saw that if we have a sense that God owes us anything…then it’s not grace!

Paul, understanding just how easy it is to slip into this mentality will warn the Philippians just around the corner,

James cuts right to the chase, calling out our hypocrisy:

2. Joyful Partnering (Phil 1:4-5)

Partner - kŏinōnia, koy-nohn-ee´-ah; from 2844; partnership, i.e. (lit.)

participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction:—(to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-) distribution, fellowship.

in the Gospel

from the first day until now

Grace Covenant Church’s legacy members: Kristy Davis, Dan & Tricia, Griffin, Genny Griffin, Drs. Jim and Edith Hall, Pastor Daren & Linda McGrew, Dr. John & Ruth Snyder.

(for more than 15 years = Nancy Conniff, Bryan & Kristina Franklin, Zac & Katherine Frost, Scott & Esther Goldstein, John and Lauren Kappers, Charlie and Faye Klumpp, Craig & Kim Taylor, Richard & Diane Whitehead, Bill & Sally Wolff

(Talk about Pastor Jeremy Rose - The Axis Church in/around Nashville, TN; calls their new members their new “PARTNERS IN MINISTRY”)

THE WORD PARTNER is a great expression - it doesn’t completely capture our relationship in the local church for me as well as “member”, but I still like it.

This wasn’t slactivism,

This wasn’t spectating from the sidelines,

This wasn’t simply saying, “I’ll pray for you brother.”

Nor was it an evangelical politically-charged hot button issue for a bunch of blow-hards to jaw jack about...

This was PERSONAL PARTICIPATION

This was ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

This was CORPORATE PARTICIPATION

Some of you have resisted Church Membership for one reason or the other.

It could be, in one real sense, because a church isn’t an organization that you JOIN, it’s a family/fellowship/community/flock that you SUBMIT to.

CHURCH DEFINED: (from the first message, I preached here at Grace Covenant Church in 2018)

The church is not a cultural institution.

It is an organism.

It is a family, a flock, a body, the bride of Christ.

It is not a club, not a volunteer organization, nor is it a service provider.

It is the Spiritual Authority on earth ordained by Christ Himself to officially affirm and give shape to the Christian life.

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ wasn’t birthed by culture, she isn’t sustained by culture, nor will she be shattered by culture.

(In fact, she thrives the best when she is countercultural.)

TRANSITION: It’s in the context of the local church - our lives lived out together for the sake of Christ…with brothers and sisters, young and old, who SEE US…growing and maturing in our discipleship process/journey.

3. Joyful Perfecting (Phil 1.6)

We see Paul’s confidence in Christ

…confidence that Christ began the work

…confidence in God’s timing / working / purpose displayed through members of the church (individually and collectively)

…confidence in the day of Christ.

(Doctrines of God, Man, Salvation, Sanctification, Ecclesiology, Eschatology)

Question: How can we cultivate this growth / this perfecting (v) / this maturing?

Stay connected to Jesus! Jesus said,

What are the evidences of growth?

Healthy, Committed Church Members who

are committed in love and partnership with one another

attend worship gatherings regularly (it’s not just an option for the weekend’s dropdown menu of activities - it’s a priority because of what it means to be IN CHRIST)

seek peace

Edify one another (not to be a consumer only, but to provide, to serve…not just to be served)

Warns and admonishes others