072. Christian Ministry. Our Ability Or Our Availability?

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

Christian ministry is what God does through His people who are available to Him.

Success in ministry is not dependent on the ability of His people.

Rather it is dependent on their availability to Him so that He can use them as He wishes, to accomplish through them what He desires.

My short Mini-Reflection:  “Success in Christian ministry is dependent not on our human ability but on our availability to His ability in and through us by His Spirit.” 

Blog No. 072. Jim Holbeck. Posted on Friday 4th May 2012

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071. God Can Heal The Mess We Get Into. “Repent. Return. Receive.” Acts 3:12-26

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

What do you do when you realise you have done something terribly wrong and you know are going to cop the inevitable consequences? You start to panic or else you do some very serious thinking, “How can I get out of the mess I got myself into?”

That was the situation of the Jews we read about in Acts 3. They had earlier demanded that Jesus be crucified. He HAD then been crucified but there had been reports that God had raised Him from the dead on the third day. If that were so then it meant that the Jews of that time had killed their long-promised Messiah. So here they are in Acts 3 looking at a lame man who had been healed by the apostles. How had they healed him? By calling on the name of Jesus. It meant that Jesus was indeed alive. He had risen as Lord. He had returned to heaven. He had sent his Holy Spirit on the apostles and others to empower them. He could answer prayer asked in His name. What a mess these Jews were in! Guilty before God. Was there any escape for them?

Peter challenged them in 3 ways. He told them:-

1).  YOU MEN OF ISRAEL (of that time) ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR JESUS’ DEATH.  Acts 3:12-15. (12)  And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? (13)  The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. (14)  But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,(15)  and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

He told them that they (as men of Israel) had  put Jesus to death. They thought, as men of Israel,  that Jesus should be killed for claiming to be the Son of God.  But that wasn’t what their God, the God of Israel thought. Their God raised Him from the dead after they had Him killed! Jesus was indeed the Son of God!  In these verses we note how Peter rammed home their guilt. They had delivered Jesus over; they had denied Him before Pilate; they had rejected the choice given to them by Pilate to set Jesus free. Instead they had chosen a murderer to be released to them;  they had put to death the author of life. It was guilt upon guilt upon guilt.

How about ourselves? It’s no use our going, “Tut! Tut!” in condemning them. We too were involved in His death. It was our sins as part of all the sins of the world that nailed Him to the cross.  We helped put Him to death through our sins. They were guilty. We too are guilty before God. As Peter put it in 1Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

2).        JESUS IS RISEN AND ACTIVE IN HIS WORLD. (Healing Through The Name Of The Risen Jesus).  3:16-18. (16)  And his name–by faith in his name–has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

A healing miracle had taken place before their eyes. Jesus had been asked to bring healing to a lame man, and the healing had taken place. God’s power was released into the man’s body as Peter and John prayed in the name of Jesus. It was another proof that Jesus had risen from the dead. Healing could take place in His name.  They had seen it happen to a lame man. There was power in the name of Jesus.

3).  THE NEED TO GET RIGHT WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS.  3:17-19. (17)  Peter continued, “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. (18)  But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. If they had known who Jesus was as their Messiah they would not have killed Him.  Paul made the same point in 1Cor 2:7. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8  None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  They didn’t recognise that their Messiah had to suffer and die on the cross to take away the sins of the world. They were accountable. They would have known of many Old Testament prophecies which had predicted that the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One had to suffer and die.

Peter told them how to get out of their serious problem. He gave them two things to do, and then encouraged them with the good news of what would happen if they obeyed those 2 commands. These same two commands are applicable to us today. So is the good news if we too obey those same commands.

The Two Commands. (19)  Repent therefore, and turn again. What did that mean for them? What does it mean for us?

i).  Repentance. The word means a lot more than simply feeling sorry about what we said or did. It is a lot more than feeling deep remorse like Judas Iscariot did after he betrayed Jesus. It is a change of mind accompanied by a change of direction in life. It is recognising the sinfulness of sin and turning from that sin to God to ask for His mercy. Judas didn’t do that. He didn’t turn to God. His was not true repentance.

ii).        Turning again. (From sin to God. The Greek word is epistrepho.) This word is used often in Acts to show the change needed in those who trust in Jesus. Some examples are as follows:-

In Acts 9:33-34, Peter said to Aeneas who was paralysed, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” When the residents saw him healed, they turned to the Lord.

In Acts 11:19-21 we read of men of Cyprus and Cyrene travelling with Stephen to Antioch. They preached Christ to the Hellenists. We read the result, Act 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

When Paul and Barnabas came to Lystra in Acts 14:15 people bowed down to them. Paul responded, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM.

At the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15, mention was made of the Gentiles who were coming into the Christian faith.  It raised the question as to whether they should be accepted into the Christian family as they were or should they be forced to adopt Jewish rites and ceremonies first. James was given the answer, Acts 15:19  “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles. 

So we see  in these references that repentance demands a change of mind and also a change in direction. It is turning away from sin AND turning to trust fully in God and in Jesus with all that one is and has.

Three Results follow from obedience to these two commands.

i).         Forgiveness of sins. (that your sins may be blotted out).

  • The debt to God is cancelled. (We see forgiveness in action in Mat 18:27, The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go.)
  • The record of sins is blotted out.
  • Forgiveness is available in Jesus for every sin. Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood the forgiveness of our sins. 

We too can know that all our sins, past, present and future are covered (forgiven) by the blood of Jesus as we receive Jesus in whom all that forgiveness is to be found.

 ii).        Refreshment by the Holy Spirit of God.  (20)  that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. This noun occurs only here in the New Testament. The verb form though is used in 2Tim1:16 to describe the refreshment that Onesiphorus brought to Paul in prison, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.

A similar reference is to be found in Titus,   Tit 3:4  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, 5  he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. 

Christian believers have experienced the sense of being washed, cleansed, being born again, coming alive, being renewed, as God poured out His Holy Spirit upon them. It’s the experience that those who obey those two commands enjoy as they commit themselves to the Living Lord.

 iii).       We are Made Ready for the Coming of Christ. (and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus).  Instead of being fearful at His coming, believers could look forward to Him coming in glory as forgiven, renewed children of God. What a relief that would have meant for the men of Israel of that time.  If He were to return in their life-time they no longer had any reason to fear His coming, if they did what Peter had commanded.

We too as His saved people can look forward to His coming with the same confidence, as He comes to take us to be with Him forever. It will be the final episode of our salvation. We recognise that in our Holy Communion services when we say together these three phrases in the table below. To the right of those phrases are the various aspects of salvation that they represent.

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
We are saved from the penalty of sin
We are being saved from the power of sin
We will be saved from the very presence of sin.

Praise God that if we find ourselves in a mess before God that we too can find the same way out as those Jews in Acts 3, by obeying those same 2 commands, that is by repenting of our sin and turning to God by trusting in Jesus His Son the Messiah and our Saviour.

Praise God we can know the same results if we do. 

  • We can be forgiven of all our sin through what Jesus has done on the cross.
  • We can be refreshed by the Holy Spirit as we comes to indwell us
  • We are made ready for Jesus‘ coming to take us to be with Him in glory.

In the words of one of our songs, Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

Blog No.071. Jim Holbeck. Posted on Wednesday 25th April 2012

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070. “From Doubt To Belief!” John 20:19-31.

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

Have you ever noticed how our strength can become our weakness?  Because we rely upon our strength in a particular area, it can become an area in which we are found wanting. A footballer who relies upon his normal fitness, and who doesn’t train hard, finds that as the game continues he can see the opportunities but his body is not fit enough to respond. Or it might be a person blessed with good health who fails to undergo the precautionary medical tests that could warn of impending trouble.

It could be the very gifted preacher who relies on his natural speaking ability and fails to wait on God for the message God wants him to speak. He speaks well but there is no power or authority behind the words. Ministry is more about availability to God than about our natural ability.

1).        THOMAS’ STRENGTH.  He had a strong will

His strength was that he wasn’t willing to be swept along in any religious movement. He wasn’t gullible. He wouldn’t be easily deceived. The world needs people like that who can look at all the options and then make the right choices. They are not easily carried away on the spur of the moment. We see this in Thomas earlier in the ministry of Jesus, when Jesus told them that He was going to wake up Lazarus from sleep. He meant that He was going to bring Lazarus back to life. Thomas recognized that Jesus would be walking into dangerous situation.

With either pessimism or with a clear view of reality, he told the other disciples, “Let’s also go with Him, that we may die with Him.”  Thomas looked at all the options and expected the worst, he could die along with Jesus. But he was still willing to go with Jesus.  He may have been a pessimist, but a courageous one.

But Thomas’ apparent strength was also his weakness. When Jesus appeared to the 10 apostles on that first Easter evening, Thomas was for some reason absent.  We’re not told why he wasn’t there. Some have speculated that he may have felt that he was strong and didn’t need the fellowship of the others. Others have thought that he may have been disillusioned because Jesus had been killed, and it looked as though the whole Jesus movement was going to end. Perhaps He wondered whether he had been deceived after all. He may even have thought that if the plan was to kill Jesus, then the disciples would be the next to go. It was safer not to be near the other disciples.

What we do know is that he wasn’t there when Jesus appeared to these 10 apostles, and showed them His hands and His side. He missed out on seeing the wounds in His hands and His side which showed them that this was Jesus of Nazareth risen from the dead. When Thomas later heard that the 10 had seen Jesus, and that they had touched His hands and His side, Thomas’ strength again became his weakness. He wouldn’t believe them unless he could personally put his own finger into the wounds in Jesus’ side and hands. (Verse 25.)

2).        THOMAS’ SINCERITY A GOOD VIRTUE

The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” Verse 25.  But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” That is, “I won’t believe until it becomes my personal experience.”  No second hand faith for Thomas.

We read that one week later Jesus again appeared to them in the upper room, and this time Thomas was with them. Jesus suddenly appeared in their midst, and then singled out Thomas. He answered all of Thomas’ demands.

Thomas’ specific demands a week before
Jesus’ specific answers (commands)
1. Unless I see in His hands the prints of the nails.
1. See my hands.
2. and put my finger in the mark of the nails    
2.put your finger here
3. put my hand into His side.
Place your hand in my side
4. I will not believe
4 Be no longer unbelieving, but believing
For each demand of Thomas there was a command of Jesus.

There may be doubts that come into our minds from time to time, but we are meant to deal with them and not let them continue on.  For every doubt in our minds, there is a corresponding truth in Jesus. Does that mean that we can be sincere doubters, Doubting Thomases, and God doesn’t mind? No! Jesus said, “Be no longer unbelieving (a doubter), but now believe.” That is “The time for doubting is over, Thomas; you have been confronted personally with the truth. Now you are commanded to believe.”

One of the great sadnesses in the latter part of last century was a book written by a senior Bishop in England in which he expressed many of his doubts about the Christian faith. It was a book that should never have been written by one in a position of leadership in the church. God doesn’t want His church leaders to parade their doubts publicly, but to deal with them in private. Then when they are free of their doubts, they can once again affirm the great truths of the Christian faith.  If they don’t deal with their doubts they shouldn’t continue on in ministry. When such leaders go public about their doubts, it endangers the lives of missionaries working in countries hostile to the gospel. It also makes it so much more difficult for a faithful wife and mother to try to bring up her children in the faith when  the leaders express doubts.

How did Jesus treat Thomas? He didn’t say to Thomas,” Good to have you on side as one of my followers. Sorry that you can’t really believe that I am risen from the dead, but just tag along with the others anyway.” No! His word was uncompromising. “Don’t continue in unbelief, but be believing. You have been confronted with the evidence, now act on it.” God never says in the scriptures, “Please try to believe in me if you can. But if you can’t, I’ll respect your sincerity.” 

No! He says in His word, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,  31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31. There’s enough evidence around to convince any sceptic of the truth of Christ, if they act upon the truth they have available to them.

3).    When Thomas Was Sure, He Committed Himself Fully. 20:28

Thomas cried out, Jn 20:28. “My Lord and my God.” It was not, “You are the Lord, the Ruler of the Universe.” Nor was it, “You are the God, the maker of the world and of all mankind.”  Rather he cried out, “You are MY Lord. You are MY God.” He was submitting himself to Christ as his personal Lord and Maker.  It was more than believing the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead. There is a massive difference between “believing about” and “trusting in”.

For example, Jesus is the Saviour of the World, but He doesn’t become MY Saviour until I admit that I need a Saviour and ask Him personally into my life. In Hebrews. Jesus is described as the new and living way into the presence of God. But I can’t come into the presence of God until I enter into that new and living way through Jesus. There is no other way.  Christ died for the sins of the whole world, but I am forgiven of nothing until I ask Christ to be my sin-bearer and personal Saviour. Christ has offered to share with us His love, His joy and His peace, but they don’t become mine in my experience, until I receive Him, and open myself to receive these blessings in Him. God offers to answer our prayers, but we only get the answers when we pray with belief and with no doubt. “James wrote, Jas 1:6-8 “When a person asks, he must believe and not doubt…..”

How does this passage relate to us? Jesus said we as believers are blessed. He pronounced a blessing upon those who would not see as Thomas did, but who would nevertheless believe. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jn 20:29. That’s you and me, if we hear the truth about Christ and choose to act upon that truth. The truth that He is risen from the dead. The truth that He is alive. The truth that He can be alive in us by His Holy Spirit who  comes to indwell us when we trust in Christ. The truth that He can impart His life to us, so that we can say with all sincerity, ” I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live in this human body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Sometimes we sing an old hymn which has the words. “I serve a Risen Saviour, He’s in the world today I know that He is living, whatever men may say, I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, and just the time I need Him, He’s always near. The chorus ends, “You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.” Doubt goes when we personally commit ourselves to Jesus the Risen Lord, and make Him the Lord, Master, of our hearts.

Any doubts about Jesus? Time to get rid of them, to repent of sin, and ask Him into your life. Then and only then can He fill you with the certainty of His love and His presence. Notice how John ends this chapter, Joh 20:30-31  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; (31)  but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The evidence is there. It is there for us to act on. Jesus is the Christ. He is the Son of God. He is the Saviour of the world. But He only becomes those things to us when we receive him into our lives by an act of faith. Believing brings life, eternal life, God’s life in us. 

Blog No.070. Jim Holbeck.  Posted on Tuesday 17th April 2012

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069. Easter Day. “The Resurrection of Jesus. A New Life With New Possibilities”. Acts 10:34-48

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

Easter Day is the most important festival in this world. It is the most significant festival for humans in every age. We cannot lessen its significance for humans by ignoring it or by ceasing to observe it. There is something about Easter that challenges us “to our back teeth” as they say. Why is it more important than other festivals? It is because of what happened at that first Easter and the implications arising from what took place then.

Easter is more important than Christmas. Jesus the Son of God (the Creator) was born into this world on that first Christmas Day in the form of an infant. He was to be called “Jesus” meaning “Saviour” for He would save His people from their sins. He was born to die for the whole human race. More personally He was born to die for you and me. But His lowly birth introduced Him into a more significant role.

Easter is more important than Good Friday. The latter was the day on which Jesus was crucified. He died as the Saviour on the cross bearing the sins of all the world.  Paul described Him as the Passover lamb, 1Cor 5:7 …. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  But if he hadn’t risen from the dead it would meant that evil had triumphed over goodness; death had triumphed over life; and that death was the end for all people. There would be nothing beyond death. But St Paul reminded us that the death of Jesus was followed by His resurrection from the dead.  1Cor 15:3-8, (3)  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, (4)  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (5)  and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (6)  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.(7)  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.(8)  Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.  He made the point that if Jesus had not been raised from the dead, life would have no meaning or purpose. 1Cor 15:17-18, And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (18)  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 

Easter Day reminds us that Jesus who was born to die, did indeed die but He rose again as the victor over sin, over evil, over death and over the powers of darkness which try to destroy us. On Good Friday Jesus cried out from the cross, “It is finished”. His work of redemption had been completed. He had borne the penalty for the sins of whole world.  As someone once said, “The resurrection is the  ‘AMEN’ of the Father to the ‘It is finished’ of the Son (on the cross).”  The resurrection was the evidence that Jesus had accomplished what He had come to do through His life and His death. God was satisfied with what Jesus had done on the cross to deal with human sin and rebellion.  He raised Him from the dead. With that in mind we look at the reading from Acts 10 for a few moments.

In Acts 10 Peter had come to the home of a Gentile (non-Jewish) man. These Gentiles wanted to know more about Jesus. Peter gave them a thumb-sketch of Jesus’ ministry. He gave these salient points.

1).   Jesus Was Anointed By God To Minister On Earth. Acts 10:34-48.  (34)  Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, (35)  but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. (36)  You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ–he is Lord of all. (37)  That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: (38)  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (39)  We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem.    Jesus’ ministry was done under the anointing and the empowering of the Holy Spirit.  He healed the sick. He healed all those oppressed by the devil. “Oppressed” is katadunasteúō (“dynasty” is from the same root) meaning to rule, tyrannize, control harshly). How did He accomplish this victory? For God was with Him. As Jesus explained in John 14:10, the Father was behind every facet of his ministry in His words and works, Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

2).        Jesus Was Killed By Humans. 39b. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. That was the meaning behind the events on Good Friday. Jesus became a human so that He might live as a human, and die as a human at the hands of humans, for humans. But that wasn’t the end of Him. Death could not hold Him down.

 3).        Jesus Was Raised From The Dead. 40-41.  God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, (41)  not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He was really alive on that first Easter day. He was no phantom or ghost.  Hundreds of people saw Him as risen from the dead on different occasions. Jesus was and is a living Saviour!

 4). Jesus Wanted Everyone to Know He is Going to Judge Them. 42-43.  Peter told his hearers, (42)  He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.  Jesus is the Creator of this universe.  He is the Saviour of all who put their trust in Him for salvation. He is to be the judge of every human being ever born. God’s judgment isn’t the topic you would normally introduce initially to those looking seriously at the faith. But Peter immediately added the good news, that Jesus is the one who brings forgiveness to those who believe in Him, (43) All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Remember that Peter was in a Gentile (non-Jewish) home sharing the good news about Jesus with Gentile people. They had gone to all the trouble to find out about this Jesus by bringing Peter to this home to tell them about Jesus. They were open to the gospel, open to the good news about Jesus. Open to all the good news including the fact that Jesus saves believers from the coming judgment of God.

Something amazing happened as Peter was speaking. It often happens when people are open to the gospel message, and open to Jesus. We read what happened, (44)  While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. (45)  The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, (46)  for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.  They had sovereignly been born again of the Spirit of God. They now had forgiveness of their sins in Christ. They now belonged to the people of God.  As such they could be baptised into the faith and into the family of God. Then Peter said, (47)  “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”(48)  So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Peter was saying, “They belong to God. We as Jewish believers and they as Gentile believers belong to the same family of God. We belong to one another in Him.” So they were baptised as a sign that they already belonged!

Historically it meant that Jesus (who had risen from the dead and ascended back to heaven) had poured out the Holy Spirit on the first disciples on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. He had then poured out the same Holy Spirit on the Gentiles who believed in Him in Acts 10.   He continues to pour out His Spirit on those who are open to the gospel and open to the living Christ even today. He is ALIVE and He can become ALIVE IN US as we believe in Him and ask Him into our lives.

Blog No.069. Jim Holbeck. Posted on (Easter Day) Sunday 8th April 2012

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068. Lenten Studies in Philippians. Part 7. “Focussing On The Good For Victory”. Phil 4:8-23.

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

No one wants to be a failure in life. We long to be successful in achieving our goals. Christian believers have the same desire, to be successful in living lives that reflect their commitment to Christ. We see in this chapter that success comes from having the right focus in life at all times. To have the right focus in life can bring mental peace and moral and spiritual victory. Having a wrong focus can bring mental chaos and moral and spiritual defeat. Paul here writes about the right focus that is needed in every area of life.

1). FOCUSSING ON THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE. 8-10
i.  Focussing on good things. (8) Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable–if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise–dwell on these things.  It’s so easy to get depressed by avidly reading the newspapers and magazines and watching negative stuff on TV and then sharing it with others. Bad news sells. That’s why papers are full of it. Rubbish doesn’t edify or build people up. We need to take our focus off those things and concentrate on the good things in life, on God Who is truth, on Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life, on the Holy Spirit who enlightens us to be able to understand the truth and on the Bible which is the revealed truth of God. When we do so we are living in the realm of reality and not fantasy or falsehood which is characteristic of so much in our media and culture.

ii. Focussing on Good people. You can get disappointed or frustrated in life when you can’t find any role models to follow. Many are crying out, “Oh for reality!” Those frustrated by the failures of those in politics long to find some politician who tells the truth rather than lies. They are looking for real people and not just those who twist truth to their own advantage.
A focus on Paul himself.  Paul saw himself as a role model in the sense that his life was patterned on Jesus. (9) Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.  Paul had previously written in 1Cor 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. He believed he was a person of integrity because he followed the example of Christ. In this letter in Php 3:17 he encouraged his readers to follow his example and also the examples of all those who like him, kept their eyes on Jesus. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 

A focus on the Philippians. Paul recognised that the Philippians had once been very supportive of his ministry. Later they had fallen behind in their support. However they had now renewed their concern for him.  (10) I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last you have renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me, but lacked the opportunity to show it. Paul forgave their neglect of him in the past. He now focused on the good they were doing to him.

The challenge to us. Do we do the same in focussing on the good that people are doing for us or do we focus on their  failures?  The former brings gratitude to God and to the people concerned. The latter focus brings disillusionment and discontent.

2). FOCUSSING ON GOD’S PROVISION IN EVERY SITUATION. 11- 13
i. Paul was focussed on the Lord for His provision. Because of that he had learned a valuable lesson. The secret of contentment – to trust God in every situation in life. (11) I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. (12) I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content–whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.
Paul was able to be content in changing circumstances because he saw that there was something stable behind everything that was happening. That stability came from an unchanging God who says of Himself , “I the Lord, do not change.” Mal 3:6.

ii. Paul was focussed on the Lord for strength to live as he should. (13) I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.  The emphasis here is not on Paul who could do all things through Christ. Rather it was on the Christ who gave him the strength to do the things God wanted Him to do. Paul warned the Corinthians about trusting in their own strength, 1Cor 10:12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. The strong person is the person like Paul who realised that he had to look to God in every situation for the strength to live as he should.

3).   FOCUSSING ON THE HUMAN INSTRUMENTS OF GOD’S PROVISION. 14-18
Paul remembered how the Lord had provided for him in prison. But he also took time to remember the human instruments that God had used to bring that provision. (14) Still, you did well by sharing with me in my hardship.15) And you, Philippians, know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone.16) For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. 17) Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that is increasing to your account. 18) But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided–a fragrant offering, a welcome sacrifice, pleasing to God.
These words provide a challenge for us. Do we remember with gratitude the human instruments God has used in bringing blessing and support to us throughout our lives?
In honouring them we are honouring what God Himself did through them. To ignore what they have done is to take God’s grace for granted. It ignores what God was doing through those human instruments.

Incidentally this also explains why sometimes church growth is not as rapid as we might think it should be. A new minister comes into a parish or ministry and wants to make his own mark in ministry. Nothing wrong with that. One wants to do what one can do in extending the kingdom of God through one’s ministry. However there is a temptation to ignore what has been happening in ministry in that parish or ministry situation and to begin afresh. Sometimes it even happens that the previous ministry is denigrated or undervalued by the “new kid on the block”.   However if it is true as I believe that ministry is what God does through His available people then to denigrate a previous ministry is to denigrate what God has done. If we fail to  honour what God has done, it may be that God will fail to honour our ministry because we are looking at how our ministry is superior to the previous one. But as Jesus told His followers, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” We all need a big dose of humility in ministry in recognising that God works through the humble and the available, not the arrogant who make themselves unavailable to Him. How do they do that? By focussing on what they are doing in ministry rather than on the Lord who needs to to be allowed to give the direction and the consequent empowering to any ministry.

4).   FOCUSSING ON THE FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S PROVISION. 19- 23
Paul saw that all needs can be met from God’s unsearchable riches. (19) And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Paul uses the term “riches of glory” several times in his writings, Rom 9:23, Eph 3:16, here in Php 4:19 and in Col 1:27. However he describes them in Eph 2:7 as being “immeasurable riches of his grace” and in Eph 3:8 as the “unsearchable riches” of Christ.
Paul’s firm conviction was that no matter what the need of a believer may be, God’s grace is more than sufficient to meet that need. What God had done for Paul even in prison He  would do for the Philippians. That was Paul’s strong belief based on the promises of God and on his own experience of  God’s grace.

Blog. No.068. Jim Holbeck. Posted on (Good) Friday 6th April 2012

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067. Lenten Studies on Philippians. Part 6. “Rejoicing In The Lord.” Philippians 4:1-7.

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

“Rejoice in the Lord always.” Only a short phrase but one packed with meaning. It is all too easy to read that verse in chapter 4 and to miss its deep implications. What does it really mean to “rejoice in the Lord?” Perhaps a whole lot more than we originally thought! Let’s see it in its context.  Below is a simple outline of chapter 4 in which we see that verse 4 is pivotal.  If one is really rejoicing in the Lord then a whole lot of things fall into place. Here is the outline with comments to follow.

1).        The Command To Stand Firm In Their Faith. Verse 1
2).        The Command For Reconciliation To Occur. Verses 2-3
3).        The Command To Rejoice In The Lord. Verse 4.
4).        The Results Of Rejoicing In The Lord. Verse 5-7
i.            Being appropriate at all times. Verse 5
ii.            Trusting in God always for everything. Verse 6
iii.            Experiencing the peace of God. Verse 7
 

1).        The Command To Stand Firm In Their Faith. Verse 1,  Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.  Paul had already written that he hoped to hear of them that they were standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, Phil 1:27, He wanted them to be united in spirit, united in purpose, united in ministry as they stood firm, side by side for the gospel.

The church as the body of Christ has to be at unity within itself or it has no real witness to the world of how God can bring about reconciliation among different sorts of people. Some in the church in Philippi weren’t united as 4:1-2 shows.  Two women had fallen out and had to be reconciled to each other.

2).        The Command For Reconciliation To Occur. Verses 2-3,  I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. (3)  Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have laboured side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Standing firm in the faith means standing together in Christian unity and ministry. This is essential not optional in the body of Christ.  Euodia and Syntyche who had been previously involved in the ministry of reconciliation with Paul, HAD to be reconciled. Otherwise it was a  denial of the saving power of the gospel and of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Paul had elsewhere written on reconciliation in 2 Corinthians 5 as being part of His new creation, 2Co 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away behold, the new has come. 18  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

God could not use Euodia and Syntyche in the ministry of reconciliation while they refused to be reconciled to one another. Their ministry would have no legitimacy or authority while they remained out of fellowship. They were not embracing the grace of God which would have enabled them to act graciously in forgiveness towards each other. For the sake of the Christian witness in Philippi reconciliation had to take place.

3).        The Command To Rejoice In The Lord. Verse 4,   Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  It’s more than singing, “I’m H.A.P.P.Y”  (There’s nothing wrong with that as a child’s song but Christian joy has to be much deeper than that. We have to have a reason for our happiness). The reason is that we can rejoice in the Lord Himself. (Noting that Paul saw Jesus as “Lord” and as “my Lord”. Php 3:8  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Paul’s mind was fixed on Jesus as the ground of his happiness.

  • Paul rejoiced as he focussed on Jesus having experienced His love, mercy, grace and power.
  • He rejoiced in Jesus as he thought of His teaching which declared the will of His Heavenly Father.
  • He rejoiced in Jesus as he remembered the promises of Jesus.
  • He rejoiced in Jesus because He could recall his experiences of the  presence of Jesus throughout His life.

We have to move from rejoicing in the fact that we are believers, and have learnt Jesus’ teachings and know His promises,  to personally and individually rejoicing in Him.  Rejoicing in Him at all times and in all places! Paul himself was rejoicing in the Lord in prison awaiting death. He had done that previously in Philippi when he had been imprisoned there earlier in his ministry, as we read in Acts 16:25, About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 

It means for us being able to say from the heart, “I’m so glad to be in Your presence Lord.” Perhaps this could be a missing feature in some worship circles as real deep genuine joy can be so infectious and so liberating for those who join in it. It is rejoicing in a person, the Lord Himself, in spite of all that is going on around oneself.

4).        The Results Of Rejoicing In The Lord. Verse 5-7

A number of things fall into place when we fix our eyes on Jesus in adoration, praise and thanksgiving. We rejoice in His love for us and for His presence with us and in us. If we have enthroned Him as Lord of our lives then we know our lives are in His hands. It means:-

i.                    Being appropriate at all times. Verse 5.  Let your reasonableness (graciousness, gentleness) be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.  “The Lord is at hand” has 2 meanings. He is geographically close to His people and able to help them in their times of need. Jesus promised in His great commission in Mat 28:20, … behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The word for “at hand” or “near” (The Greek word engus)  can also mean that Jesus is about to return. It’s worthwhile hanging on to our faith in Him because He will soon come to vindicate His people. He is near in (our) time and in (our) space.

If the Lord is at hand in both these ways, then it means that we can relax. We don’t have to force issues. We don’t have to ensure that our will is done.  Like Jesus we can pray  “… not as I will, but as you will.”  As Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer it is all about the Lord and His will and not about us or our will,  Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. So we can be gracious to others knowing it’s all about Him and not about us. It’s His will that is to be sought and followed, not “ours” or “theirs”.

  ii.        Trusting in God always for everything. Verse 6.  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Jesus promised His disciples in all ages, John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. (HCSB) 

All things are ours in Him, but we need to ask for them in faith and then to reach out in faith to receive them. Paul wrote that God is motivated to give to His people, Rom 8:32  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  If He gave the greatest gift He could give (the gift of his Son) then He is motivated to give us the lesser gifts (in comparison with Jesus) of healing, blessing, guidance etc.  Paul wrote something similar in 1Cor 3:21  So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 1Co 3:22  whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future–all are yours, 1Co 3:23  and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.  All we need is ours in Christ. We just need to ask Him for it! If it is accord with the will of God then it is ours to be received in His way and in His time.

The final blessing coming from rejoicing in the Lord is that we can know a peace in our lives that can’t be fully described.

iii.                Experiencing the peace of God. Verse 7.   And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

a.       We can never describe the full depths of the peace we can experience in this life. It has to be experienced to be believed. Even then there is more to experience and more to come to understand about the peace of God.

b.       This is none other than God’s peace.  It comes only from Him through Jesus the Prince of Peace. As Jesus said in John 14:27  “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.

c.       It guards our hearts and our minds.  Our mental and emotional health are protected by a sentry. It is the peace of God standing guard to keep our hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus our Lord. The readers in Philippi would have understood this figure of speech. Philippi was a Roman garrison city, protected for every hour of every day. The inhabitants would have dwelt at peace knowing that no invaders could come and disturb their peace. When our focus is right, directed on the Lord and we continue to rejoice in Him as a Person and in what He has done for us, we can experience deepening measures of His peace.

I conclude with a very meaningful translation of this passage from “The Message”.  Php 4:4  Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Php 4:5  Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Php 4:6  Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Php 4:7  Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life.

Blog No. 067.  Jim Holbeck.  Posted On Monday 2nd April 2012

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066. LENTEN STUDIES IN PHILIPPIANS. Part 5. “The Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ Jesus As Lord.” Phil 3:1-21

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

How do you help someone who is feeling a little bit battered? You can sympathise with them and try to show by your sympathy that you care about them and their needs. But that is only a temporary help to them. They need to turn to God to find the help that only He can provide. Paul knew that the believers in Philippi had been given a bad time by false teachers who had come in to their fellowship and brought disruption. So in this chapter he urges them to get their focus back on God Himself and to be watchful for those who would be a hindrance to the enjoyment of their life with Christ.  

 1).        REJOICING IN THE LORD. (But be watchful). (1)  Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.  Paul is urging them to get their focus right. There were false teachers around who were telling them that they are not real believers. These false teachers were telling them that they had to be circumcised and observe the Jewish rites and ceremonies to be real believers. Paul tells his readers not to follow them. They were wrong examples to follow. (2)  Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.  

Rather they were to be like Paul who gave glory to Jesus. They were to rejoice in the Lord Himself not just in their faith.  They were to worship by the Spirit and not be bowed down with man-made rites and ceremonies. (3)  For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—. Christianity is all about Jesus the Creator, the Saviour, the Lord and giving Him all the glory in praise and adoration.

 2).        GROWING IN THE LORD.  (Paul An Example Of True Faith).

How could they grow in the faith? There were three things they needed to do. 

i).         Letting Go Of The Past. Paul had a lot to boast about because of his privileged background.  (4)  though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:(5)  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;(6)  as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.  In other words he was saying that he was a true blue Jew! But then he met Christ on the Damascus Road and life was changed from that moment. He gave his life to Jesus and didn’t hanker after his past. 

 ii).        Taking Hold Of Jesus. Jesus became everything to him. All his past now meant nothing. (7)  But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.(8)  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ(9)  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—. The things of his past meant nothing to him. Not only were they “loss” but they were as “dung”,  worthless in comparison with the gain he had in Jesus.  

He wanted to know Jesus more deeply. He desired a much deeper, more intimate knowledge of Jesus. He wanted to know Him more closely as a  person. He also wanted to experience His resurrection power in his life, even though it might means sharing in the sufferings Jesus suffered, (10)  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,(11)  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

 iii).       Letting Jesus Take Hold Of Us.  In verse 12, Paul says that Christ Jesus had taken hold of him. It’s as though Jesus was saying,  “I belong to Christ. I am His. He has claimed me for Himself. I’m giving Him all I am and have”.  He expressed his desire in the response he was  making to Jesus and he urged his readers to respond in the same way. 

  • Pressing on to what is ours in Jesus. (12)  Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  Paul was saying in effect, “The goal of my life is fixed. It is Jesus.” He used three expressions to denote that commitment to Jesus.   The first is “Press on”  from the Greek διώκω (diōkō) which can be translated as  “pursue” and “persecute”  as we saw in 3:6 . Paul once pursued believers to persecute them. Now He was pursuing Christ and encouraging others to pursue Jesus and to follow Him too. 
  • Straining forward (reaching ahead) to a deepening future with Him. (13)  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. Forgetting the past means that Paul wasn’t focussed on the past and on all the status he had once enjoyed.  He wanted more and more and more of what was his in Jesus.  He was “reaching out” to take hold of Christ.
  • Pressing on to achieve the goal God has for us in Jesus.  (14)  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.(15)  Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.(16)  Only let us hold true to what we have attained.  There is a prize to be enjoyed. It is to enjoy Jesus in this life and then share in bliss with Him in glory. 

 3).           WALKING HOME TO GLORY.  The Jesus who meant so much to Paul would come again to take His people to be with Him for ever. In the meantime the believers had to walk in the right path, imitating the right examples. 

i).            Right Imitation (Paul).  Paul wanted his readers to keep their eyes on those who kept their eyes on Jesus.  (17)  Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walkaccording to the example you have in us. As Paul wrote in 1Cor 11:1 in encouraging his readers to imitate his own example,  Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

 ii).           Wrong Imitation. It meant not worrying about or focussing on the false teachers. God would look after them.  (18)  For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.(19)  Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

 iii).          Result of right Imitation, living for Jesus in the present.  

  • We have a heavenly city in which to dwell. (20)  But our citizenship is in heaven. We are all going home as believers, home to glory to the place Jesus has prepared for us, Jn 14:2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
  • We have a heavenly Saviour who is coming back to take us to be with Him in glory.  (20)  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Every day is a day closer to His coming for us.
  • We will have a heavenly body. Jesus is going to transform our bodies into a heavenly bodies like His when He returns.  (21)  who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body. 
  • How can all these things take place? Jesus is Lord of all. He does it by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

 So there is the picture we see of Jesus in Chapter 3. It means that we can:-

1).             Rejoice in Him, in who He is and in what He has done for us.

 2).           Grow into Him by,

  • Letting go of the past.
  • Taking hold of Jesus.
  • Letting Jesus take hold of us as we offer ourselves completely to Him..

 3).           We are walking home to glory living for Him and waiting for Him to take us to be with Him in glory forever.

We rejoice in the Lord because of all these wonderful  promises. But what about those who won’t be ready for Jesus when He comes? For them too, today is one day closer and they are still not ready for His coming.  We need to pray for such people that God will open their eyes to see who Jesus is and open their minds to understand what He has done for humans. Praying too that they in turn would open their hearts to Jesus so that the wonderful promises we see in this Chapter are taken hold of by them as well. 

Blog No.066. Jim Holbeck.  Posted On Friday 23rd March 2012

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, STUDIES IN PHILIPPIANS | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

065. Lenten Studies On Philippians. Part 4. “God At Work Through His Humble People.” Phil 2:13-30

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

It is not easy to see what Paul was trying to do in Chapter 2. In verses 1 to 11 St Paul had used the example of Jesus in His life and death as the pattern for the humility to be displayed by the people of God. He had shown how the humility of Jesus was followed by His exaltation to the highest heights. Php 2:9-11 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This we looked at briefly in the last article. However it seems strange to read that Paul went on from that lofty language about Jesus to what seems to be more mundane talk about two of his friends.

It makes sense though when we realise that Paul is continuing on with the theme of humility in the remainder of chapter 2. In the next section from verses 12 to 16 he shows how it should be displayed in the lives of believers. He follows that up in verses 17 to 30 to show how two of his friends and fellow workers Timothy and Epaphroditus were outstanding examples of true humility.

1). Humility In God’s People. They Work Out In Practice What He Is Working In Them

i). Believers humbly working for God. Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. It is working “out” and not working “for” salvation, for salvation is by the grace and mercy of God. (Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Salvation is received as a gift in receiving Jesus into one’s life as Saviour and Lord. However the implications of that free salvation have to be lived out in the lives of the recipients. It is the same concept Paul wrote about in 2 Cor 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

ii). God powerfully working in His humble people. Paul expresses that truth in a number of ways

  • He gives them the willingness and the ability to do what He wants them to do. Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. What a relief to know that God can motivate us AND can also empower us to do His will as we humbly rely on Him.
  • His people humbly trust Him with their lives. Php 2:14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning. Why do they need to grumble when they know God is on their side? Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Why do they need to question when they have the answers in Jesus as THE way, THE truth and THE life, John 14:6 and knowing that for those who love God, “ …all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”.. Rom 8:28.
  • His people shine in the darkness with a light not their own. They shine with the light of God. Php 2:15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. John expressed it as walking in the light of God, 1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
  • They humbly hold fast to Jesus and to His word. Php 2:16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labour in vain. John also used the same expression “word of life” in making the connection between Jesus and His word in 1John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. (These are the only two references to that term in the New Testament.)

2). Humility in Timothy

Paul now narrows his remarks to the humility shown by two of his friends. The first he speaks of is Timothy. Paul shows that Timothy was a truly humble man of God.

i). Genuine humility seen in his concern for others. Php 2:19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. “Genuinely” (gnēsiōsis) is found only here in the New Testament. It comes from (gnēsios) which was used for a genuine birth, not a spurious one. His concern was the real thing and not a fake.

ii). Genuine humility seen in his motivation to seek the interests of others. Php 2:21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. Here there are a number of elements describing Timothy’s humility. Timothy’s focus was on God and His will and not on his own interests. He cared for them as though Christ was caring for them through him. His “proven worth” (dokimē) meant that he had proven himself in practical ministry. He was the “genuine article”.

He and Paul were fellow servants in mission but Paul was aware how Timothy had humbled himself to serve as a son with a father. He didn’t insisting on stressing his status as an equal in Christ.

3). Humility in Epaphroditus

i. Humility in serving Paul. Php 2:25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Epaphroditus was the agent for the Philippians in humbly bringing help to Paul. He took his responsibility seriously. He wasn’t a loner who didn’t need his brothers and sisters in Christ. He longed for his brothers and sisters in Christ whom he had left behind in Philippi. When they became upset at his illness, he in turn was upset for them that they had been upset! In his humility he could “picture himself in their shoes” and knew how they would have felt about him.

ii. Humility in obedience almost unto death. Php 2:27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. Because the saints in Philippi could not directly assist Paul, Epaphroditus humbly tried to do it all for them. (With almost fatal results). However it was for the work of Christ that he did it. In the mercy of God he was spared to continue in his ministry to Paul.

So what a wonderful integrated chapter on humility. First the big picture with the perfect pattern of Jesus in His humility in coming to earth and dying for the sin of the world. His humility rewarded by His exaltation as Lord of all. Then the examples of people whom they knew and respected, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Paul’s mention of them would show the Philippian believers that humility was a real possibility for those humble enough to walk that path. But they needed the grace of God to do so. His grace was available because as verse 12 puts it, Php 2:13 For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to will and to act for His good purpose. (Holman Christian Study Bible).

A Prayer That We Might Be Humble In Serving God And One Another

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your amazing grace in calling us to know You and to follow You. We thank You that You have saved us by Your grace so that we can have forgiveness and new life in You. We thank You that You are at work in us by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Enable us by Your grace to work out in our everyday lives what You are working in us. We thank You too that You give us the willingness and the ability to serve You and to serve one another in fulfilling Your will for us.

Help us to see people with Your eyes and to feel about them as You feel about them in Your love. Motivate us by Your Spirit to be what You want us to be and to do what You want us to do for every moment of our lives. We ask these things in Jesus’ name, AMEN

Blog No. 065. Jim Holbeck. Posted on Thursday 15th March 2012

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A Notice. Help In Navigating Holbeck Blogs. Answers to “Where can I find…?

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

My apologies to those of you who misread the title of this blog. It is Holbeck “blogs” and not Holbeck “bogs”. You may have always wanted to navigate your way around the Holbeck moor (bog?) near the city of Leeds in the UK. This blog won’t help you do that task. But if you read on it could be of some help anyway!

I have noticed that many folk when looking at  my blogs are taking an interest in a couple of the series I have done in the past or am at present doing. The link to the series on “Outlines on Ephesians” can now be found by going to the list of Categories  on the right hand side of the blog where all the articles on that topic are gathered together. (Naturally in reverse order so that the later studies are above the earlier ones).

Another category is “Studies in Philippians“. I am at present doing these as a Lenten series in the Anglican Parish of Maclean in Grafton Diocese, Northern NSW where I am the Locum Minister. Hopefully we will finish the series on Philippians by the end of Lent this year.  You can find that link also on the right hand side under the various Categories.

I hope this may be helpful. Happy navigating, whether on this blogsite or around the Holbeck moor!

Jim Holbeck.  Friday 9th March 2012

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064. Lenten Studies on Philippians. Part 3. “Submitting to the King of Kings”. Philippians 2:1-11

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

It’s very sad to see people who are living far below their potential. They might be very intelligent but have never committed themselves to study. They might be gifted athletically but never bothered to compete. They might have been blessed with a wonderful spouse and children but never bothered to invest quality time in those relationships.

Paul looked at the church in Philippi and realised that they were far short of their God-given potential. They were not taking hold of all the resources they had in Christ. That was so especially in their failure to love one another as they should have. Instead of being united as one, they were divided. It was time for Paul to introduce the antidote into his letter to them.  They needed to be reminded of the unity they had in Christ. Then he would challenge them to be humble. The example of humility he set before them was the example of Christ Himself. Jesus had humbled Himself to come down from heaven to become a human to die for the sins of the whole world. They needed to follow His example of humility to become what they were mean to become.

1).    THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT.  Paul here makes two points.  Firstly, the unity of the Spirit exists. Paul writes in verse 1, So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy. “If” here could be translated as “since”. Paul knew that these things mentioned in verse 1 actually existed. That is his point. These things already exist says Paul.  As he wrote in Ephesians 4:3, be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We notice he says “maintain”, not “create”. You maintain something that is already existing. (That is why prayers for Christian unity should not be asking God to do something He has already done. He has made all believers one in Christ. However we should pray that God would show us all the human barriers that He sees are preventing us from sharing in that unity. And ask His help to remove them!)

Secondly this unity must be lived out in practice. It is as though Paul is saying, Become in practice what you are by the grace of God. Php 2:2  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. That is,  “Let the Holy Spirit of God make you become what you are meant to be,  as children in the same family of God”. All believers are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit. They are ALL children of the same Heavenly Father. They are to live out this reality in their everday living.

 2).      THE PATTERN OF HUMILITY SEEN IN JESUS.  Paul saw a pattern that believers were meant to follow. It was the pattern of the life of Jesus Christ Himself. He begins to spell that out in verse 3.

i).  Having The Right Attitude Towards Others. Php 2:3  Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. It appears that some of these elements existed in the church in Philippi. “Rivalry” (eritheía) is also translated as contention or strife. It is the attitude,  I want what you have and I will use others in my quest to get it. Such people are users. They may use their money or their position or even their friends to gain what they want. No wonder they tear apart a Christian fellowship. (See Note 1 below for all the other uses of the word in the New Testament. It is not a pretty picture!)

“Conceit”, kenodoxía from kenos = empty and doxia = glory.  Vainglory, a desire for praise (I deserve it more than you). There are those who will not give praise to another person because in their conceit they imagine that that they have done better or could do better.

By contrast the right attitude is that which is focussed on others, count others more significant than yourselves. The word huperéchō means to hold above or to see someone as superior to someone else. It is the attitude that says, I am here to serve you. Jesus had spoken of the necessity of that attitude in Matthew 20.  The mother of the sons of Zebedee wanted Jesus to guarantee that her sons gained the highest places in the kingdom of God. Jesus took the opportunity to remind His followers of the nature of greatness. Mat 20:26  … whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave. He Himself would set the example, 28  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

 ii).   Having The Right Focus On The Needs Of Others. 2:4)  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. We do need to take care of our own interests, but should not be focussed only on them. It means taking time to really notice people. It has the added dimension of looking even further to see what their needs might be and how one could be used in meeting those needs.

 iii).   Having The Right Mind (The Mind Of Christ). 2:5,   Have this mind (phronéo = have a mindset) among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Jesus in His incarnation determined to do the will for God for Him. It meant that He was willing to forego many of His privileges as the Son Of God.

  • He had status as the Son of God. He was willing to put those priviliges aside. (6)  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. (He didn’t hang on to what was rightfully His.)
  • He once had power and authority as the Son of  God. He limited Himself to live as a human (7)  but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (He could not empty Himself of His divinity as the eternal Son of God but He emptied Himself of all His divine privileges. He did not draw on His omniscience (knowing all things) but had to ask questions. He did not draw on His omnipresence (being able to be in all places simultaneously) but was confined to a human body. He did not draw on His omnipotence (able to do all things) as He lived as a human. He attributed His teaching and His miracles and healings to the work of His Father working through Him. He was the Father’s instrument. (John 14:10, Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  In  human form He had rely on God for all these things.
  • He handed Himself over to do the will of God, come what may. (8)  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. That was God’s eternal purpose for Jesus as the lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8) to bring forgiveness and salvation to humans

His purpose for us is not the same ( to be the sin-bearers of all the sins of the world). But God requires the same sort of commitment from us, to humble ourselves before Him, to do what He wants us to do in this life.  

3).    GOD EXALTS TRUE HUMILITY.  Jesus humbled Himself to do the will of God throughout his life. When He prayed just hours before his death in the garden of Gethsemane, He cried out, Mat 26:39  … “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”  His humility in becoming a man and living and dying as a man was followed by His exaltation by God to the highest place in the purposes of God.

  • No greater name. Php 2:9  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. No one at any time has compared with Him or will ever compare with Him. He is supreme.
  • No greater Person or Power in the Universe. Jesus is Lord! Php2:10  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
  • Jesus is exalted as King of Kings and as Lord of Lords, the Ruler of this whole universe. Nothing or no one will ever take His place. We have to submit to Him in every area of our lives,  for every moment of our lives. He is to be Lord of all.

What does that mean for those who have no time for God in this life, and who reject Jesus? As we saw in a previous article in Mark 8:31-38, it means rejection by Jesus when He comes. It means eternal rejection. It means being barred  from the presence of God and from all that is good. Paul put it like this in 2Thessalonians 1:9  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.  What strong language! What does the loving Jesus say? He told us in Mat 25:46  And these (unrighteous) will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

 Lent is a time in which we look at our own spiritual interests. We take time to check where we are spiritually in the presence of God and ask His help to become what He wants us to become. But  this passage says we need also to “look to the interests of others”.  How do they stand before God.  Do we know? Do we care? Why not pray for all those who have no time for God or for Jesus, perhaps using the prayer I suggested at the end of the previous article. If only one of those people we pray for comes to know God,  that will be a miracle of God. It will mean that we have had a very worthwhile Lent. It will mean that we have done something wonderful for the kingdom of God. It will mean that we have helped make an eternal contribution to this world and to God’s eternal kingdom.

Note 1. One can see the divisive nature expressed by this word (underlined) in the following verses,  Php_1:17 The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.  Rom 2:8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 2Cor 12:20, For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish–that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions.  James 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Jas 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Blog No.064. Jim Holbeck. Posted on Wednesday 7th March 2012

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