Sermon Tone Analysis

Phil. 3:12-14

Don’t Let Your Past Hinder Your Future

June 11, 2000

Mt.

Zion MBC

 

Prayer

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Thanks – God, pastor, preachers, deacons, deaconesses, choir, ushers

 

I think all of us would agree today who have had the privilege of reading the book of Philippians, we all come away with a renewed spirit and a rededicated mind.

For these 104 verses, these four chapters that were pinned by Paul and have been classified as the Epistles that were written from prison.

They are very powerful and prolific words.

It is an awesome book, if you please.

In chapter 1 he deals with life’s purpose – “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

It is in chapter two that he deals with life’s patterns – “Let this mind be in your which was also in Christ Jesus.”

It is in chapter three that he deals with life’s prize for he says “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

But thank God for chapter four where he deals with life’s power for he himself says, “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.”

It is in this letter that he writes to the church at Philippi that was founded on his 2nd missionary journey, you’re familiar with some of the members.

First of all there is Lydia, the seller of purple.

Not only was there Lydia there was the Philippian jailer and there was Aphroditius who had brought Paul, while he was in prison a token of love from the church.

For not only was Paul concerned about the church, the church was concerned about Paul.

As a matter of fact I need to drop this on you but I won’t try to push it, they did not try to put him out when he got put in jail.

They were concern about him so much so that they took up a collection and sent it to him, yes they were concerned about their leader.

And so this morning I want to suggest parenthetically that maybe you too ought to be concerned about the man of God.

Paul talks about how his imprisonment has caused the furtherance of the gospel.

It was because of his imprisonment not that the gospel was hindered but rather that the gospel had fallen out to the whole world.

Paul is in prison now he is shackled to the Pretorian guards and everyday when they would change their shifts Paul would have the privilege of talking about the gospel of Jesus the Christ.

It was in the innermost part of the prison that he would have the privilege of talking to some of the rulers best prison guards.

And he would testify about how it was when he was on the Damascus Road that the Lord had saved him.

The gospel was not hindered but helped by Paul’s being in prison.

For three reasons it was helped First of all it was because the confinement of his feathers.

But not only the confinement of his feathers there was the courage of his friends.

And not only was there the courage of his friends there was the carnality of his foes.

And so Paul says over and over again to the church that is located at Philippi, “I am happy.”

As a matter of fact I am rejoicing even right now.

Well, the 1st thing that I wondered was, how in the world could a man in prison rejoice?

It is in chapter three beginning at verse one that you’ll notice Paul says “finally”.

Now this is not the finally of the baptist who says I am closing now for that finally comes in Phil 4:8 where he says and “finally brethren whatsoever things are true”, that’s where he says I am closing now.

Whatsoever things are honest.

Whatsoever things are just.

Whatsoever things are pure.

Whatsoever things are lovely.

Whatsoever things are of a good report.

Whatever is of virtue and of praise, think on these things.

Chapter three verse one says, “finally” Paul says in the original language now for the rest of the story.

He says there is nothing else for me to do now but rejoice.

Over 18 time in the book of Philippians he talks about rejoicing.

Over and over again he tells them to rejoice.

He is in prison but he is concerned about the Philippians, yes he is saying unto them – “Rejoice.”

I need to stop right here for a moment to tell you that sometimes condition and circumstances may not always be conducive for rejoicing to those outside of Christ but Paul says to “rejoice in the Lord always” and then like a good baptist preacher he turns around and says “again I say rejoice.

Let your moderation be know to all man, the Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing but in everything through prayer and supplication (thanksgiving) let your request be made know unto God.

And the peace of God (somebody ought to holla “glory” right there for not only do we have the peace of God we have the God of peace.)

which passeth all understanding shall guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.”

No circumstances; sometimes conditions, sometimes chaotic situations might not give way for us to have comfort, we might not be comfortable to be can be content.

Life sometimes places us in uncomfortable places, uncomfortable positions but I wanted to stop long enough to tell you that you can be content.

Paul says in the 4th chapter in verses 11-13 he says that I’ve learned in whatever state I’m in therewith to be content.

And how are you able to do it Paul because I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

I know how to be hungry, I know how to be full, I know how to act if I’m up and I know how to deal with being down.

I am content in whatever situation I find myself in.

You see the problem with the world is we are looking for happiness instead of joy.

Happiness is dictated by external, joy is an internal fountain.

No matter what your situation or your circumstances are you can have joy in your heart...  Check it out, God might not bring you out, but I know he’s able.

Eph.

3:20 says it like this:  “God is able to do.”

Now really he could have stopped at “God is able”, I think that he wasted a little ink by telling us anymore but he said “God is able” and then he hooked on to do!

That adds a little more weight to it, “God is able to do.”

But then not only is God able to do, He’s able to do exceedingly!”

Could have put a period right there, I would have been happy with exceedingly but then he gets happy and adds a little more to it and says abundantly!  I said he could have just stopped at exceedingly, but he adds more weight to God’s ability by saying abundantly and then he gets happy and says “above anything you can ask or think.”

And so even in prison Paul understands that God can do anything but fail.

And he’s content being right there in his situation, he’s not comfortable but he’s content.

You know when you’ve had some trying times, you learn how to just be content.

Things don’t bother you like they used to.

You know I hear people saying all that time “Rev.

Browder you know I can make it through a storm…” And then a little light will come along and throw them all of course.

How in the world are you going to make it through a storm and you can’t even make it with a little light bill?

You’ve heard people complain about having a cold, “Lord knows I have a cold.”

If you can’t make it with God with a little cold how will you make it with him with cancer?

He says “no my situation is not the best but for the furtherance of the Gospel,” he says, “I’m content with it.

As a matter of fact, I am going to make the best of it, I’m going to write from prison and I’m going to preach from prison and I am going to leave on record what I thought while I was in prison.

No, I am not comfortable but I am content.

He says finally brethren there is nothing left to do but rejoice.

Verse two he talks about the corruptors of the prize.

He says I’m here in prison and I really don’t need to write to you, it is not grievous to me, but it is for your benefit.

First of all I want you to beware of dogs.

You heard that sermon “watch them dogs?”

Now I need to tell you all of them ain’t dead, there are still some alive.

Now he is not talking about house-pet dogs, like what Jesus call the Pharisees.

But rather he is referring to mange, flea-bitten, scavenger dogs who would roam the city by night and the wilderness by day.

Who by their devouring techniques would cause people to stumble at Jesus the Christ.

Not only does he say watch those dogs but he says watch evil-workers.

Now the opposite of dogs who work by devouring was evil workers who worked by deceit.

All of them are not dead this morning there are still some evil workers, who through deceit try to get us and trick us with subtlety ; they work on Satan’s side they ain’t all dead (y’all).

There are some people that get up in the morning with evil on their minds; they go to bed at night with evil on their minds they are just evil workers.

But then notice he goes on to say “and watch those of the concision.”

Which a play on words here, it literally means mutilation.

Watch those of the concision.

So not only do you have to watch out for dogs who work by devouring, and watch out for evil workers who work by deceit; we also need to watch out for those who teach duty.

For here were individuals who taught as Acts 15:1 suggest there came some men down from Judea who taught that unless you be circumcised with the circumcision of Moses ye cannot be saved.

Well, we’re still doing it today.

We still put road blocks in people’s way to salvation.

We tell them a whole lot of stuff that they got to do that they don’t have to do to be saved.