Heaven's Agenda: Start To Finish

6.23.20/Nevei Kodesh Broadcast

Story: My wife is the best gift giver.

Have you ever had someone give you a gift so good that you had to pick up the phone and call them right away to thank them? Or if you are old school, you pick up a pen and paper and you do this thing called “writing a thank you letter”.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a birthday, anniversary, or holiday, my wife is showing up big with a thoughtful and generous gift. This is one of her love languages and it is truly a blessing to me and everyone that knows her. These gifts are a direct reflection of her love and affection for me. Gift giving is not one of my love languages, but it does give me so much joy to give a gift for my wife, especially on days that are tough or if we have been fighting. :)

The reality is that both giving and receiving gifts are a sign of authentic love and compassion. This is a universal love language. I recall traveling all around the world doing mission work and whenever we would step off of the plane there would be gifts waiting for us in other countries. I love landing in India to visit some friends and ministry partners there and everyone gave us flower necklaces and tea.

We’re going to be looking at a passage of Scripture today where the Apostle Paul had just received a significant gift from the church at Philippi and he is opening up his letter to them with a message of gratitude. Let’s look at God’s Word and see how Paul responds to the generous gift the church at Philippi just gave him.

Passage: Philippians 1:3-11 CSB

I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Pray:

Background:

Paul is writing this letter to the church at Philippi. This is a church that he planted along with Timothy on his second missionary journey. He loves this church and is writing this letter to thank them for a generous gift they sent him while in prison.

Title: Start To Finish

Main Points:

1. Fellowship is good, partnership is better
   1. I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer,
   2. Paul is remembering the early encounters and all the memories of the church of Philippi and he’s praying with joy.

   3. Question: Who in your life do you thank God for when you pray?

      1. I believe that we all have people in our lives that have impacted us greatly and we remember them with joy.
      2. It’s easy for us to forget the people that have brought us to the point where we are today. The ones that listened when we needed a friend, the ones that showed up when everyone else seemed to disappear, the ones that spoke truth over our lives even when we didn’t want to hear it.
      3. Maybe this person is a mentor, a parent, a friend, or a pastor.
      4. Application: I want to encourage you to remember. And as you remember maybe send that person a text and let them know how much they mean to you. Don’t overthink it. You may be thinking, “but I haven’t spoken to this person in years.” And that’s ok. Just send a simple text that says “When you did _____ it impacted me in a big way and changed my life. I’m grateful for you and praying for you today.”

      5. Last week I sent this text to one of my mentors and shared about a certain quote he had given me and how that quote has helped shape a lot of the decisions that I make. You never know how far a simple “thank you” could go for those that have impacted your life.

         4. The church’s perspective: Can you imagine the church at Philippi reading this letter? I would imagine they were thinking, “C’mon Paul, that’s too much… we don’t deserve all of this… we’re kind of in a mess right now!” Paul doesn’t divert from giving instructions later in the text, but he leads with gratitude.

      6. I believe we would all want this said of us. When people move on and change locations, I believe we all want to be remembered with fond memories and stories. Not just fun stories, but real and authentic moments.

      7. Question: How are you creating moments that will last far beyond people's time and experience with you?

         5. 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
         6. Question: Think of the Christian community you are part of. Would you say that you are in partnership in the gospel? Or is it more of a fellowship, a means for socializing and friendships?

      8. As followers of Jesus, we are called to fellowship, but the mission of the church goes much deeper and further than merely socializing and friendships. The mission is one of true partnership in the gospel.

      9. The fellowship of the body of Christ is not just friendships, but we’re a family. And family does more than just socialize, they hold each other accountable, they support one another, they protect one another, they ask the hard questions.

      10. You can’t stop what you didn’t start

          1. 6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
          2. Question: Who began the good work? God!

      11. God does not leave an abandoned project. He does not start a work and leave it to finish on its own. He does not initiate and then evacuate. He does not begin and then bail out.

          3. As the saying goes, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

      12. The day you said “yes” to Jesus everything changed.

          4. The emphasis of this passage is both on the beginning and finishing. God started a work of grace in your life through the gospel and He will finish that work in and through you!
          5. Grace Work!
          6. Question: Are you having a hard time believing that God is going to finish what He started in your life? Are you having a hard time trusting in God’s purpose for your life? If so, then why? Is it provision? Is it progress? Is it a broken marriage? Is it a bad diagnosis from the doctor? Is it your business crumbling due to Covid-19?

      13. Lean in to the questions and go to God with your concerns! What if the pain, struggle, and doubt is God working out His grace in your life to draw you closer to Him, to bring Him glory, or to advance His Kingdom.

      14. “3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” - Romans 5:3-5

      15. “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” - James 1:2-4

          7. Story: Joseph facing many trials

      16. “But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.” Genesis 50:19-20

          8. I want to reiterate what Paul said to you today, God is doing a good work in and through you!

      17. “He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 NLT

      18. You are not alone. You are not without hope. You are not without Purpose! He has invited you into partnership with Him! C’mon! What a reminder for us all today. God is both the initiator and finisher of the grace at work in our lives!
      19. Though I feel overwhelmed, I am not overcome. I am an overcomer by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is the Gospel of Jesus that gives me strength, endurance, and hope!
          9. God started a work in creation, a story called grace. A love story. And what He started in creation He will complete

      20. Good works in Good Grace for God’s glory

          1. 9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
          2. What are some of the “good works” at work in your life? Here is what Paul prays for the church at Philippi.
          3. Love will overflow

      21. “that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately.” MSG

          4. Grow in knowledge and discernment

      22. “You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush.” MSG

          5. Prioritize heaven’s agenda

      23. “Approve the things that are superior”

          6. Live pure and blameless

      24. We are called Holy, sanctified, the “set apart” people.

          7. Filled with fruit produced through Jesus Christ

      25. All fruit is God’s fruit, He gets all the glory for all the results of your “good works”

Invitation: