Christmas Eve - Gifts / Light of the World

Somewhere over the next 12 hours, give or take, we will be gathered together by our respective Christmas trees with our families and loved ones, exchanging gifts, opening our gifts with excited anticipation, and enjoying the reactions of those we have given gifts to.

Tonight, I'd like to share some passages from the Bible pertaining to some very precious gifts.

Our Lives

• "Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the Lord." - Proverbs 20:12

Spouses

• "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD." - Proverbs 18:22

Children

• "Behold, children are a gift of the LORD..." - Psalm 127:3

Friends (relationships in general)

• "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Reflection Point

• How often do we take these gifts for granted? Tonight, tomorrow, when you are with your family, take a moment to really reflect upon how they have enriched our lives.
• All of these good 'gifts' in our life have one source -- "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father..." - James 1:17

God's Gifts

• “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." - Matthew 7:9-11 (also "Holy Spirit" - Luke 11:11-13)
• "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." - John 14:27
• “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me." - John 17:6-8
• Gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts

• Spiritual Gifts - Romans, 1 Corinthians, elsewhere - "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another." - 1 Peter 4:10

• "When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners." - Romans 4:4-5
• "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23
• "But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." - Romans 5:15-17
• "For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn." - Romans 11:29

Just as we have received these gifts, so we are to administer them to others.

• "And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him." - 2 Corinthians 5:18

• “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” - Luke 6:37-38

• "Give as freely as you have received!" - Matthew 10:8b

What, then, can we possibly give back to God?

• "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." - Romans 12:1-2

Jesus - Light of the World

• "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." - John 1:1-5
• "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”" - John 8:12
• "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark." - John 12:44-46
• "For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ." - 2 Corinthians 4:6
• "This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin." - 1 John 1:5-7
• “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." - Matthew 5:14-16

The Dawn Comes–Luke 1

Three More OT Prophecies

• Genesis 12:1-3 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
• Jeremiah 23:5-6 “For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this will be his name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety."
• Malachi 4:5-6 “Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Last words before Intertestamental Period - 400 years of silence)

Luke 1

1 Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2 They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. 3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.

• Theophilus - "loved by God" or "one who loves God"

5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. 8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

• Incense lit twice a day - rotation of 24 orders of priests to serve in the temple - casting lots - may be a once-in-a-lifetime privilege

11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” 18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

• "How can I be sure...?" - Zechariah responds with doubt

19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary. 23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

• This is a fulfillment of Jeremiah 23

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

• Not 'how can I be sure this will happen'...

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

• Mary received the news with faith and a willing heart.

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

• Mary believed, like Abraham before her, that God was able to do what he had promised. "In the same way, 'Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.'" (Galatians 3:6)

46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. 51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 52 He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. 55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

• Mary's song of praise is reminiscent of Hannah's in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, and her faith is like that of Abraham.

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home. 57 When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. 58 And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. 59 When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” 61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

• It was customary to name the child after family members. Elizabeth's declaration of his name, Zechariah's affirmation and subsequent restoration of voice reinforced that this was no ordinary moment in history.

65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

• The news went viral. Something was happening at last, like first signs of morning light after the darkest night of the year, or the first touch of spring after a long, cold winter.

67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: 68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. 72 He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— 73 the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. 74 We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. 76 “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” 80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

From A Distance

My Personal View of the Bible

• Old Testament foreshadowing the New Testament
• The Gospel is the centerpiece
• The remainder of the New Testament magnifies the Gospel
• "The whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27 NKJV)
• “All scripture is inspired by God…” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
• "Correctly explaining the word of God" (2 Timothy 2:16)

Like we did at Easter, let's examine a few of prophecies found in the Old Testament concerning the coming of the Messiah, a glimpse of the Savior as seen from the distance of time:

Prophecy:  Seed of a woman

• OT Reference:  Genesis 3:14-15 "Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."
• NT Fulfillment:  Galatians 4:4 "But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law."

Prophecy:  Heir to the Throne of David

• OT Reference:  Isaiah 9:6-7 "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!"
• NT Fulfillment:  Luke 1:31-32 "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David."

Prophecy:  Jesus to be born in Bethlehem

• OT Reference:  Micah 5:2 "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past."
• NT Fulfillment:  Luke 2:4-7 "And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them."

Prophecy:  Christ to be born of a virgin

• OT Reference:  Isaiah 7:14 "(T)he Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’)."
• NT Fulfillment:  Luke 1:26-31 "In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”"

As we celebrate the Christmas season, 2000 years later, we see His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection from a distance, and likewise, we see His future coming again from a distance.

1 Corinthians 13:12 "Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely."

Remember the song "From a Distance?" -- Is God watching us from a distance? Or up close and personal?

God sees with perfect clarity of vision.

• "The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do." (Psalm 33:13-15)
• "The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God." (Psalm 14:2)
• "For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him." (1 Chronicles 28:9)
• "The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
• "For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes." (Proverbs 5:21)

Psalm 139

Consider the true gift of Christmas -- this same God, who has had an intimate view of sinful man from the beginning, stepped into the human experience to save us from the consequences of our sin and disobedience, and to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him for all time.

1 Peter 1:8-12 "You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.  They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen."

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it." (Matthew 13:17)

Partake!

Christmas is a celebration of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, "God with us." Jesus partook of flesh and blood, becoming a man.

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NKJV) Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Definition of 'partake'

1. Join in (an activity)
2. Be characterized by (a quality)
3. Eat or drink (something)

Partaker, metecho - literally "to have with." The word connotes a sharing in, participating of, copartnering, working in association with another, and taking part in a joint venture.

By partaking in human nature, Jesus enabled us to partake of the divine nature.

2 Peter 1:2-11 (NKJV) Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.  10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:2-11 (NIV) Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

• 4 - "great and precious promises" -- "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God (2 Corinthians 1:20)," "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1)."
• 4 - "Partaking /participating in the divine nature" - Not that we will be God, but that we will draw from His qualities and characteristics in our spiritual growth and development. Remember definition "to be characterized by." This can be illustrated by the olive tree in Romans 11. We were "cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree," and have become "a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree." Like the engrafted branch draws its sustenance from the root, the Bible says, "if the root is holy, so are the branches."

• Verses 5-7 elaborate on these qualities:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.  10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Communion is a beautiful observance of 'partaking’

1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (NKJV) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NKJV) For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

When we partake in communion, it is in the context of past/present/future:

• Past - "Do this in remembrance of Me."
• Present - metecho , communion - "fellowship, participation, and sharing"; we are affirming our commitment to Him and each other
• Future - "… til He comes."

As we partake of communion today, let us also reflect upon the meaning of Christmas -- of "God with us" in the person of Jesus Christ, who partook of flesh and blood, sharing in our humanity "so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death … and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."

May our communion, and our Christmas celebrations, and our fellowship after the service today be joyful celebrations of who Jesus is, what He's done, and what He's doing today, in us, among us, and through us.

Mini-Sermon: The Good Samaritan

Black Friday tragedy story:

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Man_Dies_on_Black_Friday_Shoppers_Unfazed_134507443.html

Parable of the Good Samaritan - Luke 10:30-37

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

   Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

The Good Samaritan Experiment:

http://www.experiment-resources.com/helping-behavior.html

Advent Overview

(Presented by Shelly Grabowski)

The Meaning of "Advent"

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.

In this double focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes the our spiritual journey ~ We affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power.

The Spirit of Advent

Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, and of longing.

It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world.

Advent is celebrated as a time of joy and happiness as we await the coming of the King.

The Advent Wreath  ~ The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life. Candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son.

The colors of the candles vary with different traditions, but there are usually three purple or blue candles.

The light of the candles itself is an important symbol of the season. The light reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life, and hope. It also reminds us that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God's grace to others. The progression in the lighting of the candles symbolizes the various aspects of our waiting experience. As the candles are lighted over the four week period, it also symbolizes the darkness of fear and hopelessness receding and the shadows of sin falling away as more and more light is shed into the world. The flame of each new candle reminds us that something is happening, and that more is yet to come. Finally, the light that has come into the world is plainly visible as the Christ candle is lighted at Christmas, and we rejoice over the fact that the promise of long ago has been realized.

The first candle is traditionally the candle of Expectation or Hope. This draws attention to the anticipation of the coming of an Anointed One, a Messiah, which weaves its way like a golden thread through Old Testament history. As God’s people were abused by power hungry kings, led astray by self-centered prophets, and lulled into apathy by half-hearted religious leaders, there arose a longing among some for God to raise up a new king who could show them how to be God’s people. They yearned for a return of God’s dynamic presence in their midst.

And so, God revealed to some of the prophets that indeed He would not leave His people without a true Shepherd. While they expected a new earthly king, their expectations fell far short of God’s revelation of Himself in Christ. And yet, the world is not yet fully redeemed. So, we again with expectation, with hope, await God’s new work in history, the second coming or Advent, in which He will again reveal Himself to the world. And we understand in a profound sense that the best, the highest of our expectations will fall far short of what our Lord’s Second Advent will reveal!

First Candle ~ Color: Purple ~Theme: Hope
Second Candle ~ Color: Purple ~ Theme: Love
Third Candle ~ Color: Purple or pink ~ Theme: Joy
Fourth Candle ~ Color: Purple ~Theme: Peace
Center Candle ~ Color: White ~ Theme: Christmas

With A Grateful Heart

What are your Thanksgiving traditions?

The wrong way to give thanks to God...

• Luke 18:9-14 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
• Luke 17:11-18 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.  15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

Wrong heart attitudes -- selfishness, pride, entitlement

A picture of heartfelt gratitude...

• Luke 7:36-50 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”  40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”   “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. 41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”   “That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”  50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Thankfulness is part of God's will concerning you...

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

• Ephesians 5:20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.  16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

"Great thanksgiving" and "more and more glory," resulting from God's grace reaching more and more people; Praise resulting from the joy of reconciliation -- "tidings of great joy" fulfilled in Jesus

"Praise" defined - expression of joy; Adoration = praising God for who He is, Thanksgiving = praising God for what He does

The family thanksgiving portrait:

• Revelation 7:9-11 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”  11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. 12 They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Christianity is not a burden!

• Matthew 11:25-30 Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving 25 “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!  27 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”  28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

If your 'religion' feels like a heavy burden, you're wearing it wrong.  Put on the garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3)!  The Gospel of Jesus Christ literally is "good news"!  This Thanksgiving, as you gather around your respective tables, let the joy of your salvation break forth into praise and thanksgiving "more and more" in the days to come.

Psalm 100

A psalm of thanksgiving.

1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
    2 Worship the Lord with gladness.
      Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
      He made us, and we are his.
      We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
      go into his courts with praise.
      Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good.
      His unfailing love continues forever,
      and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Did God Really Say … ?

Extrabiblical Verses

• "God helps those who help themselves."
• "This, too, shall pass."
• “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.”
• "Pride goes before a fall."
• "Money is the root of all evil."
• "God works in mysterious ways."
• "God never gives you more than you can bear."
• Seven Deadly Sins -- Pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, sloth
• Others - Three wise men, Jonah & the whale, Eve & the apple 

Extrabiblical Verses Revisited

• "God helps those who help themselves." (Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. - Philippians 2:4; If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? - 1 John 3:17)
• "This, too, shall pass." (But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live…  2 Peter 3:10-11)
• “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” (For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.  He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. - Ephesians 5:25-27)
• Seven Deadly Sins -- Pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, sloth (There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. - Proverbs 6:19)
• "Pride goes before a fall." (Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18)
• "Money is the root of all evil." (For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  - 1 Timothy 6:10)
• "God works in mysterious ways." (“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.  “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9)
• "God never gives you more than you can bear." (And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. - 1 Corinthians 10:13)

Two Scriptural Examples

• Matthew 4:5-7 Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you.  And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”  Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”Psalm 91:9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you;  no plague will come near your home.  For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.  They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

• Genesis 2:15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.  But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 3:1-4 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied.  “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.  “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

Warnings

• 1 Corinthians 11:3-4,13-15 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.  You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.  …  These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.  But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

• Galatians 1:6-9 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ.  You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.  Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.  I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

Test the Spirits

• 1 John 4:1-6 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.  This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.   But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.   Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them.   But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

Be A Berean

Acts 17:10-11 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.  And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

1. Be open-minded - Be teachable.  This may mean letting go of preconceived notions.  Prepare the soil of your heart in order to produce the most fruit in your life (Parable of the Sower - Luke 8).
2. Listen eagerly - The Gospel is "good news that will bring great joy to all people" (Luke 2:10).  Remember -- "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right (2 Timothy 3:16)." 
3. Be in the Scriptures daily to determine truth - As we pray, "give us today our daily bread," so we should daily seek to be fed and nurtured through the Word.  Jesus said that we "do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4)."  The Holy Spirit will lead us into truth as we read with an eager, open mind.  Don't take anyone's word as Gospel, but search the Scriptures to weigh what you hear against God's established Word.  Examine verses in the context of the passages in which they are situated.  

Final Thoughts

• Counterfeit Currency - the more familiar one is with the legitimate, the more discerning they are of the counterfeit
• John 10:1-5,27 "I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!  But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.  The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.  They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice. …  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
• John 14:26,15:26,16:13-15 “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative--that is, the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. … But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. …  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.  He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.  All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’"
• The best defense against the counterfeit is knowledge of the truth and discernment of the difference

The Ultimate Clothing Giveaway

Matthew 22:1-14 - Parable of the Great Feast

1 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!  4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.  7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.  11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Ephesians 5:25-32 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body.  31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.

Isaiah 61:10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!  For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness.   I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.

1 Peter 5:5-7 (NIV)  In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”  6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Colossians 3:5-15 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.  12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Ephesians 4:21-24 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Galatians 3:26-29 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

Romans 13:11-14 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Ephesians 6:10-18 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. 5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. 6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. 8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

Revelation 16:15 “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”

Luke 24:49 (NIV) "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Isaiah 59:15-17 The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice.  16 He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed.  So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him.  17 He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head.  He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.

Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV) The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

Revelation 19:6-8 Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:  “Praise the Lord!  For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.  7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him.  For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.  8 She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”  For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.

Matthew 25:31-46 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.  34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’  37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’  40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’  41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’  46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.

Philippians, Chapter 4

Philippians 4

1 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.

• "You are my joy and the crown I receive" - Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame (Hebrews 12:2)."

2 Now I appeal to Euodia (yoo-OH-di-uh) and Syntyche (SIN-tih-kee). Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.

• Conflict is inevitable.  It is how we handle it that determines the outcome.  These two women had been co-laborers with Paul in preaching the Gospel, yet somehow they had become divided.  Although the issue is not mentioned, and isn't important in the scheme of things, the falling out of these two Christian women was.

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

• A recurring theme throughout this letter, the believer is exhorted to rejoice.  It is important to remember, however, that the usage of the words "rejoice" and "joy" in the book of Philippians far transcends our limited understanding of the concepts.  At the outset of our study of Philippians, we established the meaning behind the usage here.
• From Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems from the Greek":  The Greek word for 'joy' is chara, derived from the word charis, which is the Greek word for 'grace.' This is important to note, for it tells us categorically that chara is produced by charis of God. This means 'joy' is not a human-based happiness that comes and goes...Rather, true 'joy' is divine in origin...it is a Spirit-given expression that flourishes best in hard times. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 1:6, the Thessalonians were under great stress due to persecution; yet in the midst of it all, they continued to experience great joy. In fact, the Greek strongly implies that their supernatural joy was due to the Holy Spirit working in them. Paul even called it the "joy of the Holy Ghost".  This type of joy, the joy of the Lord, is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
• 5 - We should find encouragement in knowing the Lord is coming soon, whether we will be caught up with Him the clouds, or united with Him in death.  The Lord is always near, never leaving us nor forsaking us (Hebrews 13:5).

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

• In Matthew 6, Jesus taught us, "25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?  31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.  34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."
• What is prayer but ongoing intimate communication with the Lord?  At heart, it is an act concerning the present and future (the fulfillment of our needs), and the past (thanksgiving for all He has done).  Giving thanks serves a dual purpose of honoring God and of reminding ourselves of just how He has worked in our lives to date.  Such conscious recollection serves to strengthen and build our faith, and is a significant component of our congregational worship.
• Peace (i-ray'-nay) - "of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is" (biblestudytools.com)
• In describing "guarding," readers of Paul's words would have fully understood the word picture of a garrison ("A military post, especially one that is permanently established.")  It speaks of a deep, abiding peace that will sustain us through challenging times, protecting us from worry and doubt as we grow in our trust in the Lord.
• It is incumbent upon us, though, to endeavor not to worry, but to pray about everything and to maintain an attitude of thankfulness.

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

• This is a beautiful picture of what the Christian's thought life should entail.  When determining what we should watch, what we should listen to, what thoughts we allow to take root in our minds, we should always line such things up against the Word; if it's not explicitly spoken of in Scripture, then we can apply this general guideline, and trust that the Holy Spirit will quicken us with conviction regarding these things (John 16:8).
• Romans 14:22-23 "You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. 23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning."
• Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11 (NIV), "1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."
• Taking charge of our thought lives is an ongoing process.  "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)."

10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

• The Stoic philosophers of Paul's day held the idea of contentment as a top virtue, a characteristic of the completely independent man.  Paul's words here, on the surface, paralleled contemporary thinking of the day, but where others esteemed independence of others, Paul instead indentified his complete and utter dependence upon Christ as the source of his contentment.
• Over the millennia, humankind has been fascinated with the idea of "secret" knowledge.  Paul, chained and imprisoned, bragged about his knowledge of "The Secret of Living in Every Situation."

15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this.16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

• Paul saw the love, compassion, and generosity of the Philippians as part of God's care of him.  Part of adopting this mindset entails seeing all good and perfect things in our lives as having come down to us from God our Father(James 1:17). In sharing each other's burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).

21 Give my greetings to each of God’s holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings. 22 And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household.

23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Conclusion

Remember: This letter was written to the church Paul had established ten years earlier, where he and Silas had been miraculously delivered from prison during their praise and prayer.  Nero's violent and bloody persecution of Christians would begin not long after this letter had been received, so his words would have had very timely meaning and application.  Our present time, although much more 'civilized', is no less fraught with discouragement and anxiety than any other time in history.  With the advent of the Internet, we now can watch wars, famine, disasters, and disease in real time, no matter where they occur.

It is just as important as ever to maintain an attitude of joy and peace in the Lord, no matter what our circumstances.

What does rejoicing in the Lord mean to you?

Philippians, Chapter 3

Philippians 3

1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

• "Rejoice in the Lord" - Paul had previously spoken of his rejoicing in all circumstances in 1:18 and in 2:17-18, and exhorted the reader to also rejoice, sharing in his joy.
• Maintaining a proper attitude is essential in safeguarding our faith.  The joy of the Lord is our strength!  Wrong attitudes, on the other hand, can work against our faith, as well as our spiritual oneness in Christ.  As the apostle James wrote, "What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?  Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?   You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.   And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure (James 4:1-3)."
• In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul was taking preemptive action against those who were trying to undermine, even pervert, the gospel of grace.

2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.

• These are three strongly worded descriptions of the Judaizers, those Jewish Christians insisting upon circumcision and observance of the Torah as a condition of salvation.
• "Dogs" - The Jewish people thought of Gentiles as "dogs" - unclean, savage scavengers.   Paul's usage of this very term in reference to the Judaizers, then, paints a vivid image of his esteem of them.
• "Evildoers" - Given that the Judaizers believed that the requirements and laws they taught were God's will, 'evildoers' stands in stark contrast.
• "Mutilators" - The Jews held circumcision as a mark of true godliness, yet Paul is saying here that their fixation on outward actions were no different than the prophets of Baal's custom of cutting themselves "with knives and swords until the blood gushed out (1 Kings 18:28)."  In Galatians, Paul used even harsher language regarding this topic, saying, "Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.  As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves (Galatians 5:11-12 NIV)!"
• Why is the issue of grace versus the law such an issue with Paul, and why should it be important to us?  It is important because it is a running theme throughout the New Testament, and opposes the very grace of God as displayed in Jesus Christ.  Jesus reserved his harshest words for the teachers of the law of His day, and from the book of Acts through the last epistle, the New Testament is filled with warnings and rebukes of false teachers who would arise to try to draw us away from faith in the amazing grace of God.  By emphasizing observance of the law in addition to salvation, such people are saying that the blood of Jesus was not enough to cover sin.  Paul wrote in Galatians, "If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.  I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.  For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace (Galatians 5:2-4)."

3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,

• True circumcision is of the heart, not of the flesh.  God spoke of this in the Old Testament.  "'A time is coming,' says the Lord, 'when I will punish all those who are circumcised in body but not in spirit…' (Jeremiah 9:25)"  Paul wrote inRomans 2:28-29, "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.  No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people."  To the Colossians, Paul further explains, "When you came to Christ, you were 'circumcised,' but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision — the cutting away of your sinful nature (Colossians 2:11)."
• As believers, we not to trust in our own merits or efforts to win God's favor, or to secure a special standing of God.  Rather, Jesus Christ is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30 NIV).

4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!  5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 

• Although Paul normally avoided discussion of such things, he felt it necessary to list his qualifications as a Jew in order to minimize any legitimacy the Judaizers may have held in the Philippians' eyes.  His impressive qualifications were established by birth, by tradition, and by merit.
• Of note, Paul had previously been a Pharisee; if anyone should have had a drive and a passion for observance of the law as a means of worshiping God, it was Paul.  He had been present at Stephen's death (Acts 8:1), and later, aggressively persecuted Christians (Acts 9:1-2).
• We often pride ourselves on our accomplishments, on our social status, and esteem others based upon their titles, positions, achievements, and accolades.

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

• Paul brings his impressive list of qualifications crashing down by comparing them to garbage in the light of knowing Jesus.  This is what Jesus meant when He said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field (Matthew 13:44)."
• To put this into further context, 'garbage' is translated from the Greek word 'skubala,' a vulgar word used only once in scripture.  It would have had a certain shock value at the time of its writing, as Bible.org elaborates, "This word is used primarily for excrement, especially human excrement; secondarily for rubbish, dirt, leavings, etc."

10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! 

• The more that we are interested in, or in love with, someone, the more we long to know them and everything about them.  We want to emulate our heroes, to identify with them.  Remember Philippians 1:29, "For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him."  Elsewhere in the New Testament, Paul writes, "For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives (Romans 6:4).

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

• Story of Roger Bannister and John Landy - British Empire Games in Vancouver, Canada on August 7th, 1954, mile run, both under 4 minutes.  Landy had the lead at the third lap, prompting Bannister to push himself even farther.  By the final lap, they were dead even.  Approaching the home stretch, however, Landy made the mistake of looking back to see where Bannister was, and lost his focus.

15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.  17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.

• Again, we are exhorted to "hold on."  Additionally, we are instructed to learn from and to model the lives of other Christians.

18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.

• Jesus said, "Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter (Luke 7:21)."
• And what is the will of God?  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 offers some insight: "Always be joyful.  Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

• As mentioned back in Philippians 1:27, "Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ."
• Remember that we are foreigners here, fellow sojourners only passing through.  Although we may encounter the occasional valley or wilderness, we are destined for a far greater place than we can imagine.
• Like Roger Barrister, let us keep our eyed firmly fixed upon the goal, not looking back, but running the race with patient perseverance and determination.  May we always be joyful, always be praying, always be thankful.  And like the man who sold all he had to gain the treasure, may we count all else as loss for the sake of knowing Christ.  Let our hearts truly cry out, "That I may know You!"

Philippians, Chapter 2

The first part of this letter (v 1-11) addresses the attitude that Paul wanted the church at Philippi (and us) to adopt and to model their lives around.

1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 

• These rhetorical questions serve to remind the reader of the truths they had learned, and of the fruit they had borne in their growth as Christians, and set the context for the following passages.

2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

• 2 - The first three instructions are part of the "one another" commands scattered throughout the scriptures. It is critically important that we see each other as part of the bigger picture, not as isolated islands unto ourselves.
• 3 - Selfishness is the polar opposite of the love and compassion that we are called to live out toward others. Rather, true humility manifests itself in considering others as "better than yourselves".
• 4 - We're not to deny our own needs, but to keep them in balance with helping to meet the needs of others. Remember, verses like these are not only instructions to you as to how you are to treat others; they are also instructions to others as to how to treat you. Again we see the recurring theme of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This command is not conditional, however, but we are required to live out this kind of love even if it is not reciprocated.
• Verses 5-11 are thought to be adapted from an early Christian hymn, and serves as a powerful doctrinal statement on Christ, as well as a model of the sort of attitude we must strive for. There is no denying the proclamation of deity declared within these seven verses.

6 Though he was God,
      he did not think of equality with God
      as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
      he took the humble position of a slave
      and was born as a human being.
   When he appeared in human form,
    8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
      and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
      and gave him the name above all other names,
10 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 is a beautiful fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the future Messiah (Isaiah 53).
• If this is God's attitude toward us as manifested in the person of Jesus Christ, should it be so difficult for us to be able to humble ourselves in relation to others?

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

• 13 - Where do we derive the desire and power to do what pleases God? This passage tells us that God Himself works within us to give us these things. Hebrews 3:7-8 reads, "That is why the Holy Spirit says, 'Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness.'"

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.

• These three verses provide additional instruction on the Christian life.
• 16 - As is the case elsewhere in Scripture, we are exhorted to take action to "hold fast" or to "cling to" the knowledge and faith we have gained.
• Paul compares his life to a race, not a competition, but a marathon, one in which all who reach the finish line win. His goal is Christ, but also to present others to Christ as well. He gladly endured his sufferings for the sake of the lives he was ministering to. The author of Hebrews also made this comparison: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame (Hebrews 12:1-2)."

17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.

• 17 - A liquid offering was typically a measure of wine poured out to accompany the other sacrifices to God, as a sweet aroma to Him. Paul saw his life, as well as the lives of other Christians, as not being contained, but as being poured out, or emptied, as a living sacrifice to God. In the previous passages, he clearly portrayed Christ's incarnation and subsequent death as the ultimate expression of this. As he would write to Timothy during a later, and final, imprisonment, "As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful (2 Timothy 4:6-7)."
• Psalm 51:16-17 "You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God."
• Romans 12:1 "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him."

19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.

25 Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.

28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you.  29 Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.

• Timothy and Epaphroditus were both important not only to Paul, but also to the spread of the Gospel.
• We may not be called to a ministry like Paul's, having so great an impact, paying the price of such suffering and score, but like Timothy and Epaphroditus, we can serve God in so many different capacities.
• The common denominator among the three of these men, however, is their attitudes of deep love and commitment to God and to others. Timothy "genuinely cares about your welfare," and Epaphroditus "has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill."

Close with a proposition of walking a narrow beam between two tall buildings. How much would you be willing to risk your life for? A dollar? A hundred? A thousand? A million? What about if your child's life was at stake? Suddenly, the money and the potential risks no longer matter. This is the attitude of Christ as described in this chapter, as well as the attitude of Paul as he progressed throughout his missionary call, and as Christians, it needs to be our attitude as well.

We may not be at that place just yet, but God is doing the work within us. Fix your eyes upon Jesus, and run the race with perseverance. "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up (Galatians 6:9)."