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*Philippians XVI: *
*What Are You Thinking About?*
*Philippians 4:8-9*
*/March 30, 2008/*
*Prep: *Read leftovers, Phil XI (“Imitate”), XXXchurch.com
and PureOnline, prayer requests
*Opening: easter & alfy’s *
*Prayer: *
· Aaron going to Iraq
· Sharron’s surgery
· Spirit guide and convict, and help us examine what we allow into our minds
*Intro: The main point *
Drawing to *end* of series, only two sermons left.
*Last* *exhortation* passage, next is a “thank you letter.”
· If paying attention, we’ve skipped around.
In Phil.
4:8-9, Paul tells us what sort of things we should *fill* our *minds* *with*.
We are going to talk about what that *does* and *does* *not* mean and why it’s *important*.
Ä This passage nicely *bookends* what Paul *prayed* for the Philippians at the beginning:
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
so that you may be able to discern what is best
and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God.* Philippians 1:9-11 *
Ä It’s clear there’s a direct *connection* between the *conduct* of our *mind* and our *outward* *conduct*.
Throughout this book, Paul has pleaded with us to *grow* in *love*, which must be *grounded* in *wisdom*, which in turn will drive our *actions* and *attitudes*.
And so, in today passage, Paul tells us what to *fill* our *heads* with *so* that our *hearts* and *hands* can be doing the *right* *things*.
[Turn there now, bring your Bibles]
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice.
And the God of peace will be with you.* */Philippians 4:8-9 NIV /
*What do you wallow in?*
Paul calls us to right *thinking* and right *acting*.
We have already talked about following Paul’s example, so we will focus on “*thinking*.”
*Think about* (logi,zomai): Doesn’t just mean “think,” it means *ponder*, *focus*, *meditate*, *dwell* on, and *reflecting* on these characteristics so that your *conduct* will be *shaped* by them.
· It is to *wallow* in them.
· We tend to wallow in *misery* or *self*-*pity*, like in a *pig* *sty*.
Q What is something good we could wallow in?
Rather than *passively* *absorbing* whatever comes our way, we *intentionally* *seek* and *critically* *engage* the good things and fill our mind with it.
*Thoughts become actions*
Q Why is it so *important* we wallow on these things Paul lists?
· Because *thoughts* become *feelings* and *actions*.
· What we *think* about is what we will *become*.
/Sow a *thought*, reap an *action* \\ Sow an *action*, reap a *habit* \\ Sow a *habit*, reap a *character* \\ Sow a *character*, reap a *destiny* \\ \\ /
This works *both* *ways*, for good and for bad.
If we wallow in *virtuous* things, we will likely *grow* in *virtue*.
But if we wallow in *sin*, we will likely become *more* *sinful*.
*Sins begin as THOUGHTS*
Many times, when, as *believers*, we commit those “*knew* *better* but did it *anyways*” sins, they *began* as a *thought*.
Good, upright people don’t just fall *suddenly* without any *internal* *warnings*.
· It frequently begins with “I *wonder* what it *would* be like...”
· EG: Seeing how full my *wallet* would be with *dad’s* *change*.
Our *personal* *battle* between *good* and *evil* begin in the *battlefield* of the *mind*, and the *outcome* is often a result of what we have been *feeding* into our *mind*.
*Porn’s trap*
This is why *pornography* is so *destructive*– we’re filling our mind with sinful *images* and *ideas* that our *destructive* to our relationships by creating unreasonable *expectations* and false *ideals*.
And porn is not solely a guy problem. 1 out of 3 visitors to adult website are *women*.
Granted, approach it very *differently* – not images as much as *chat* *rooms*, but they are more likely to *act* *out* their thoughts.
· *47*% of *Christians* report that porn has caused *major* *problem* in their house, so I’d be fool not to think *some* of *us* struggle.
I am *very* *willing* to work with any guy wanting to deal with this, but I know that shame may keep anyone from talking to me, so I would *encourage* you to go to www.*pureonline*.com.
XXXChurch.com is also a good resource.
They have free *accountability* *software* that *I* *use*.
Ä This was a *departure*, but it’s very applicable to watching *controlling* our *thoughts*, plus I wanted to hear a *pin* *drop*.
* *
*the good stuff*
We live in a very *sinful*, *self*-*focused* world, greedy and more interested in *pleasure* than *health*.
If we don’t *actively* and consciously choose to *fill* ourselves with *good* stuff, we will be *filled* with *bad*.
Q Do these *typify* what you *fill* your head with?
Q Do they typify the way *we* *interact* with those around us?
*True* (avlhqh,j): Things that are *genuine*, *real*, not *false* – *morally* *dependable*.
The *standard* for what is true is the *Bible*, so we must be *immersed* in it so we can disc*e*rn what is true.
· *Proverbs* is a good source of *moral* *truth*.
*Noble* (semno,j): *Honorable*, *majestic*, *respectful*, that which *inspires* us to the *best*.
*Right* (di,kaioj): *Just*, *righteous*, in accordance to God’s *standards*.
*Pure* (a`gno,j): *Untainted* by sin, especially *sexual* sin.
*Innocent*.
*Lovely* (prosfilh,j): “Those things which commend themselves by their *intrinsic* *attractiveness* and *agreeableness*.
They give *pleasure* to all and cause *distaste* to *none*, like a welcome *fragrance*.”
· That which *inspires* *love*, makes the observer *desire* to experience it *more*.
*Admirable* (eu;fhmoj): *Winsome*, “expressing what is *kind* and likely to *win* *people*, and avoiding what is likely to give offence.”
· Whereas “*lovely*” inspires an *emotional* response, *this* inspires an *intellectual* response that draws non-Christian.
*Excellent* (avreth,): Paul’s catch-all: *moral* *excellence*, any and everything that is really *good*, uncommonly *upright* and *commendable*.
*praiseworthy* (e;painoj): Deserves *praise* from both *God* and *man*, like it says of Jesus, “favor with God and man.”
Ä These are the things that we should *fill* our mind with, wallow in: Things that are *morally* *excellent* and *upstanding*, that *honor* *God*, *inspire* us to the *best*, and *draw* ot*h*ers to God.
Ä Before *conclude* with how to live this out, there is an important *caveat* to make...
*isolationism?*
I have *shied* away from this passage because it seems to advocate *seclusion*, a Ned Flanders’ Christianity.
But as I have spent a lot of time *studying* not just this *passage*, but also Paul’s *practices* (as he tell us to do), I’ve seen that is *not* his point.
· In saying “*immerse* yourself in these things,” there are *two* things he is *NOT* *saying*:
*1.
**not saying: Hear no, see no evil*
Paul does *not* call us to *isolate* ourselves from the world.
Elsewhere Paul *assumes* that we will *interact* with it.
I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters.
In that case you would have to leave this world.*
*/1 Corinthians 5:9-10 NIV /
Q How can we *reach* this world if we don’t *interact* with it?
Ä Paul does *not* want us to “*leave* this world.”
Paul’s example *demonstrates* that he not only *interacted* with the pagan world, he *actively* and *carefully* *engaged* it:
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols....
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens!
I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.
Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.* */Acts 17:16, 22-23 NIV /
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