Heaven's Agenda: Ready For Change

6.21.20/Nevei Kodesh Broadcast

Story:

How many of you right now are frustrated over people's agenda? Or maybe the politicians’ agenda? Everyone seems to have an agenda they are pushing. What should the church's response be to the concept of “agenda”? As followers of Christ we are called to a heavenly agenda.

Paul is accustomed to having his plans wrecked for a heavenly agenda. He was a religious leader that persecuted Christians and approved of their deaths. In Acts 9 you can read about Paul’s radical and supernatural conversion. In those days his name was Saul. On his way to persecute more Christians, Jesus steps in… and everything changes.

Acts 9:1-4 “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?””

Saul persecuting the disciples and the people of The Way was a direct offence toward God! God can take someone who has incredible prejudice, personal bias, and hatred, and in a moment change their heart toward love and compassion.

YOUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE YOUR FUTURE.

One encounter with God will change everything in your life. Paul went from hating one group of people, to loving everyone and preaching the Good News of the Gospel! God took Saul and gave him a heavenly agenda and a new mission!

Intro:

We’re launching into a new series titled, “Heaven’s Agenda.” This is a timely message for us to lean into. Why? Because we all need some hope right now, we all need a reminder that Joy is not found in our circumstances but found in Jesus. In this season of disunity, racial unrest, and mental distress, let’s be found looking to Jesus.

Isn’t it amazing that the ancient Scriptures that were written thousands of years ago to a specific group of people, could speak so much truth over our lives today. It is never more relevant than right now. It meets us right where we are and it sets our feet on a solid foundation.

Passage: Philippians 1:1-2

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray:

Background:

Let me share with you who Paul is speaking to.

History on Philippi:

• The Roman colony of Philippi was located in northern Greece. Romans in Philippi took great pride in their citizenship, heritage, and colony.

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey:

• Paul first came to Philippi on his second missionary journey. This was the first Christian church in Europe.
• Paul’s first visit to Philippi is told in Acts 16. There is a series of stories told that I believe help set a backdrop for the rest of our time studying the book of Philippians, but I also believe it helps speak to where we are right now as a country.
• The stories center around three people, Lydia, a slave, and a Roman jailer. Three people with different nationalities and socioeconomic status. Lydia was from Asia and she sold purple cloth (Wealthy), the slave girl was Greek and was not even considered human (Poor), and the jailer was a Roman citizen and would have been among the middle class (Middle Class). Paul’s first recorded experience in Philippi is one of the best examples of the all inclusive, all embracing, and all encompassing GRACE of God!
• Paul was tearing down all the social constructs of the day to reveal that there is a heavenly agenda. One that does not hinge on someone's gender, social status, nationality, or political affiliation. Paul’s agenda was to fulfill the mission and calling of God to bring the Gospel to ALL PEOPLE!

In this season, at this moment in history, what is God’s agenda on your life? What is God’s agenda for the black brothers and sisters that feel tired, oppressed, and dehumanized? What is God’s agenda for the police and politicians? What is God’s agenda for your business, family, health, or church?

Title: Ready For Change

Main Points: The purpose of the letter

1. Thanksgiving
   1. “I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 1:3-6
   2. We see several things from this text, first we see Paul grateful for their fellowship and generosity, but then we also see Paul speaking to their potential and who they are becoming.
   3. This is a letter of thanksgiving and gratitude to the Philippian church for sending him a gift and for sending Epaphroditus. They were a generous church.

   4. The Philippian church didn’t pull back just because it was getting rough for Paul, but they leaned in even harder.

      1. Question: How do we show up for those hurting in this season?
      2. Question: Are we causing people to be thankful because of our thoughtfulness? Or are we causing people to be frustrated because of our thoughtlessness?

      3. Joy

         1. “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.” Philippians 1:25-26
         2. This letter is meant to encourage the Philippian church to maintain joy in Jesus amidst difficult trials.

      4. Question: How can I maintain joy in the middle of such injustice, isolation, and uncertainty?

      5. You don’t be joyful about your circumstance or surrounding, you find your joy in the Lord. Joy is a byproduct of what God is doing on the inside, not what the world is doing on the outside.

      6. This is living with a heavenly agenda.

         3. Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter.

      7. Paul finds joy in the middle of an impossible situation. It was likely that he was headed to his death, yet he found peace and joy in the middle of it all.

      8. Being joyful is not being ignorant of your situation, it’s being intentional with your source.
      9. Unity
         1. “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2
         2. It is an appeal for unity in the church. There were individuals and false teachers causing division.
         3. If there was ever a time that we needed to be like-minded, same love, and one spirit and one mind it is right now.
         4. No more harsh words. No more anger led decision making. No more casting stones.
         5. Paul led from a position of servant… and called other followers of Christ to do the same.

Closing:

1. Grace & Peace
   1. Paul opens up 13 of his epistles in the new testament with this same greeting.
   2. He is taking two greetings from two great nations and molding them together as one. Greek letters usually began with the word chairein (greetings), and Paul changed it to charis (grace). Peace (eirene = shalom in Hebrew) is the greeting with which Jews met each other.

   3. Charis (Grace)

      1. Charis is a greek word that carries the basic ideas of joy, pleasure, and beauty. With Jesus Christ this word takes on a new level of joy and beauty. As we experience God’s grace in our lives we are no longer captive to the sins of the world, but are set free and given a personal relationship with God the Father.

         4. Eirene (Peace)

      2. This word does not mean the absence of trouble, but more the total wellbeing of a person. It is similar to the greek word eirein, which is to join or weave together. This peace is always connected to relationships - relationship to ourselves, others, and God. This peace is born out of reconciliation.

         5. When Paul is praying “grace & peace” over the saints in Philippi, he is praying that they should have the joy of knowing God’s unconditional love and mercy and the peace of being reconciled to God, ourselves, and others. This grace and peace can only come through Jesus Christ.
         6. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23-24
         7. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God.” - Romans 5:1-2
         8. Grace & peace was not Paul’s past.