36_Philippians_4:10-12_Rejoice In Whatever Circumstances

Could you open your Bibles today to Philippians chapter 4 and we'll start today by looking at the verses. Roger gave this section, verses chapter 4, 10 through 12. Rejoice in whatever circumstances. Let's read the text. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last You have revived your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." Wow, there's a lot packed in there. Yeah, I know. Wow. And the next verse, I know how to get along with humble beings, and I also know how to live in prosperity. In any and in every circumstance, I've learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

One of the things in observation as a review, verse one and two of chapter one, we have a salutation, and then we have God's work in the believers is perfect, and then God spreads his gospel even in adversity. And in review, the ending of the chapter is believers are united to Christ forever. All of these have verses, as you can see in red there, that sort of sum up those overview statements. In chapter 2 we begin with believers now should be united to each other. And in 5-18 believers now should be revealing Christ.

I want to say something about this section. It is probably the most detailed examination of our Lord that we have in the New Testament. If you want an overview of his mental condition that led to his expression of love up to and through the cross and being resurrected and seated and the acknowledgement of the Father of his great work in saying every knee will bow to him. All of that is in that little section of scripture.

I encourage you to look carefully at that. In addition, in 19-24, we look at Timothy revealing Christ's focus through him on others. And we also looked at Epaphroditus. He is revealed as being a righteous man in faithfulness. He was not necessarily looking out so much for the welfare, like Timothy was, of the people in the church, as he was an example of faithfulness when given a task to do.

Those are sort of an overview fashion of chapters 1 and 2. Then we go into chapter 3. False and true circumcision are explained. And notice the focus of true circumcision. That I may know Him. Can't underemphasize that. True circumcision has a focus not on yourself, which is so easy to fall into that trap, isn't it? We like to look at ourselves and not the Lord, especially in circumstances that are adverse, but maybe even worse, when we are prosperous, we tend to forget all about God. But that's circumcision that is true.

Interesting. I've added chapter 3 verses 12 through 16. There's a single focus of maturing believers. And that is the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. We spend a lot of time on that. One author says that that goal is actually the magnifying of the ministry of God through the church. Another one says It is the goal of us being received in heaven at the rapture. I don't know exactly how to say that, but those are pretty diverse things, aren't they? One focuses on him building the church and one focuses on him receiving us into glory with him as the goal. I'm just giving you what I've found, okay?

In addition, there is a contrast of focus in 17-21 on earthly self-interest versus heaven and God's interest. And then in verses 1-9 of chapter 4, it begins with stand firm in Christ's goal, which, if we do, gives harmony, joy, and the peace of God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehensions will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. In N through 19, which includes the verses we're looking at today, the peace of God brings care and contentment to mature believers. I put up verse 12.

I know how to get along with humble maidens. I also know how to live in prosperity in any and in every circumstance. Now, is that an accompanying statement? I have learned the secret, we're going to talk about that, of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

In the continuing text of 20 through 23, there is a final godly praise with greetings of God's family and grace blessings. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. And I don't know if you understand or not, but in the writing of letters that was done in the Greek language. It was very common to say greetings at the beginning and greetings from the people that are here at the end.

But how does Paul handle it? He leaves off that. He gives greetings, don't get me wrong, but the word he says is in place of greetings the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, or the grace of God. That's the way he begins and ends his letters. I just found that out this past week, looking at this stuff. Wow, that's interesting. Paul says it's not enough to say greetings.

It's much better to, in a sense, write a letter and begin it with, may God's grace be extended to you. How careful our Lord is, isn't he, with us? He did it with Paul, he does it with us as well. Here's some observations on verse 10. What is the significant in this verse.

Now, I'm sure that you probably remember this, but my method of teaching is to ask a question about the words and then give my best answer to that and ask you if you have comments about it, okay? The significance, I believe, indicates that Paul is changing his thought from maturing us by God to the outflow of the peace of God that growing believers have. So there's not so much like a contrast, but a change of subject. What's the focus of this book?

What does it move us into, beginning at verse 10? That we care about the needs of God's family and share what he provides to us. It's one of those verses that says, this section I should say, is one of those sections that says that God is persuading us to think his thoughts while he does his work through us.

Have you ever been with somebody that you really care about and the more you spend time with them, Do you not think the way they think if you're in harmony with them? I think a husband and wife do that, right? Roger, you and Bonnie have probably gone through that. Sometimes. Sometimes. Sometimes. I'm just looking around the room here and the two of me, three couples in here. But, you know, we get to know our wives, don't we?

And we think the way they think. That's the way it is in God's family. But think of a family for a minute that includes single, married, divorced, all kinds of people groups around the world. But we have the thoughts of Christ towards each other, don't we? That's what this but is moving us into. It's not so much that we think kids' thoughts, but what are those thoughts?

Those thoughts are, I'm drawing each one of you to me. That's Christ's thoughts. We see it in chapter 2 explicitly expressed in what he did. When I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me. That's the way he expressed it in the Gospels, didn't he? Those are his thoughts. That's why I highly recommend chapter 2, verses 5 and column 8. What is it, down to about 18? looking at that as an expression of him, and I don't want you to think of it in the light of, I'm going to be just like him. No. This verse is telling us that when we have his thoughts, he does his work through us. Can't overemphasize it.

What is Paul's mature reaction to God's work being done? Well, he rejoiced greatly sharing, and I don't know if you catch this or not in this epistle, I think it's been mentioned, hasn't it? That rejoicing is a word that is repeated over and over. It's God's joy that we're talking about. Who did this work to and through them? He is rejoicing greatly about the work that God was doing in the lives of the Philippian believers. God is rejoicing over the work that he is doing in us as a Tally Hills Bible Church, as individuals as well. One of the things that really gets to me is, was there a rebuke in that now at last phrase? Do you see that in the text? I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last. Is he saying that you finally came around? No, I don't believe so.

This is an expression of joy over them and continually being caring believers. And he expresses it. Did they do the reviving of concern mentioned here? I think in this little phrase we have an answer to that question of was this a rebuke or wasn't it a rebuke? No. Why? Because they continually And this is brought out in the actual text, use of the tenses.

They continually cared, but were hindered in expressing their care. So, was he rejoicing that they gave him a gift? No. He was rejoicing that God's work in them had revived their ability to send him a gift. Because they were continually concerned about him, but for whatever reason, they were hindered from doing something about it. Maybe they didn't have the income. Maybe it wasn't God's time. Because God is the one who works all things together, isn't he? For the good of each of us.

St. Roy? Yes. I think not only were they able, finally able to send a gift, where they weren't earlier, but not only were they able to send a gift, but they were able to send a man, Apatropotides, to go to Paul to minister to him. Right. So this is kind of like a church sending out a missionary. Yeah, and we use the word apostle with that. He was their representative to Paul. And so in a sense, they sent him out as an apostle of Philippi. Okay, that's no big deal. But the big deal about it is, if you read the text, when we went over that review, what was the characteristic of the papyrus? Faithfulness.

He took that job of representing them with the gift and giving it to Paul. very seriously to the extent that he was ill to the point of death. By the way, why didn't Paul heal him? Interesting, isn't it? No, I think that God through his illness brought out the character of Epaphroditus and gave an example to us as well as them that God is faithful to us through illnesses.

Man, do we have our hands full with illnesses at Hollyhills. There's a bunch of them. Okay. And how do we know that they continually cared in the past? This is something that I found very interesting. Because you were concerned is really saying continual past action. God used the imperfect tense here. He couldn't have said, in fact, that you cared for us. He said, you cared continually right up to the present.

Okay. Wow. That's imperfect. And by the way, if you were a Philippian believer, you would not miss that because the imperfect tense would put that in your mind right away. when they got that letter. So what did that mean when it says you lacked opportunity? Imperfect tense again.

You can travel, pass, action. God's will is involved here, isn't it? I've mentioned this, but God works all things that he wants to do, doesn't he? Every deep breath is in his care. Romans 8 28 tells us that. And by the way, there's a lot more to come. Verse 11, not that I speak from want, for I've learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. And what does not that lead us to understand here?

He could be misunderstood, couldn't he? He wants them to be correctly informed. Is he speaking in order to have them give to him on the basis of his needs? Is he saying that? No. Paul wanted them to understand God's perspective of human circumstances. Okay?

How does I Have Learned add to our understanding of God's thoughts? It's God's way that He has to teach us to believe God's reality as fast as we allow Him. I have learned it adds to our understanding that God's way of teaching us is to lead us to believe him. But he only leads us to believe him and who he is and what is real from his perspective as fast as we allow him to do it. So he gives it to us a little bit at a time. If you remember in the Gospels, he told the disciples, there are a lot of things to value, but you're not able to handle them right now. And so he gave them the Holy Spirit, didn't he? To reveal himself.

I tell you, it's really something when we look at all of this in a perspective of God's reality, and allow Him to show us His perspective every single day, every minute, even the moments in this classroom. What then does God produce in us when we have learned? What is the object? The object is to be content, is to be trusting God and thinking His perfect thoughts.

I wrote down a note. Let me just do something here. I wasn't really planning to do this. One of the things that we learn about in this contentment is that it is, in this verse, centered on Christ. I wrote that down just to help my mind think about it. To be content is when the mind is centered on Christ.

And I found that not just here, verse 12, well, we're not to 12, are we? So I don't know. It just occurred to me to bring it up right now. But verse 12, we're going to get into this as well. Chapter 2, verse 7 says the same thing. Be centered in your thoughts. on Christ equals contentment. To be trusting God and thinking His perfect thoughts. I don't know of a better way of saying that. I wrestled with that. How can we be content? What is contentment? What is it? What really satisfies us? Well, it seems like knowing Him. I mean, knowing Him better. And thinking His perfect thoughts. is part of that knowing him, isn't it?

Okay, I'm sorry, I got chasin' a rabbit there. But maybe that's good. I'm not getting a, there we go. How big is the scope of the circumstances that we may encounter? Well, he uses the phrase whatever circumstances, doesn't he? And this whatever, we're informed by that, is during every kind of circumstance, whether it be good or bad. And just in case you missed it, he's going to go into that in the next verses. And this is a real interesting verse as well.

What kind of knowledge is in the words, I know? Notice it's repeated. I know how to get along. I also know how to live. Notice them. If you look in the text, that knowledge is perfect in tense. I now know based on what I have known in the past. I came to know it then, and it's still true today. I've said it two ways, okay? Perfect tense really tells us a lot. And when the Philippian believers read his letter, They would say, I know how to, and I know how to, is something that Paul came to learn in the past. That he wasn't this way in the past, but he was now.

And then he's going to give us the conclusion of what he came to know. This is so powerful in the text. The indicative perfect in form and repeated twice is telling us that what we know now is what we learned in the past. It's God's permanently true reality. I don't pause very often, but I think that's significant. How did we get this knowledge of the reality that is God? The context of verse 11 is this, I have learned. In this verse it is, I have learned. And what does how add to this understanding of God's ways with us? God's taught us how to respond with trust in Him in all His ways with us. That's the how. He's not interested in us responding to Him just partially. like in prosperity, but he wants us to know him in adversity as well. And there's no word in the Greek for how here. It's from the infinitives that are used here. Now I'm going to give you a little Greek lesson. It's not hard. Don't panic.

But in this text, The form of talking about what we've heard and learned from others is technically called indirect discourse. He has told us I learned something in the past and it's true today. Now he's going to tell us what he learned in the past that is true today. And he doesn't want us to miss the point.

In grammar, He repeats six times in this verse the same form. If you're a Philippian believer, knowingly speaking it every day, wow, how much can you lay on me, Paul? You're saying it six times in this verse. There are three pairs of contrasting reality of God shown in three underlines in the verse. Do you notice that?

To get along with humble means. Parallel to, I also know how to live in prosperity. Those are two infinitive phrases. But notice again, being filled and going hungry. Two more infinitive phrases. and then an end both having abundance and suffering need. Six times he has said things in three contrasting forms about what he learned in the past that is true today. Grammatically it's overwhelming how clear that is. are God's ways with us that are mentioned in these verses. They are humble means versus prosperity, being filled versus being hungry or going hungry, having abundance versus suffering needs. And what does learned the secret add to understanding God's ways with us?

Did you notice that? That little phrase, learned the secret, is one of those phrases that carries a significance in the Greek mind of I've been initiated into something that I would not be aware of except I'm being initiated into it to be a part of God's Kingdom. That's what that word means. I have been initiated into this secret. They use the word secret because it's not something that everybody will know. Unless you come to know it in the past and it remains true today. And that's what this word means. To be initiated into and experience what is God's reality. To what extent are we to know and experience God's reality?

Well, the answer is, in any and every circumstance. Wow, isn't that something? Okay, here's some applications. Mature believers have the peace of God, which includes joy, while caring for others and resting in God's care. Do you notice that? And God's focus is to conform us to be like Christ, isn't it? And we know that from the Corinthians passage, 318, when it says that He actually makes us like Christ. sharing the intimacies of his thinking. And God wants us to know him now and to be in harmony with his purposes when he comes for us at the rapture. I don't know if I've summarized those three verses enough as an application for us today.

I'm sure that the Holy Spirit can take these very same verses and apply them in your own minds for the perspective you have right now of God. Why do I say that? Because if you remember in the last lesson I taught, if you're of a different mindset than Paul, God will reveal that to you. Isn't that something? Go back and look at those verses if you remember.

The following is nothing more than a preparation work. I just added it at the end here. Here's the New American Standard, here's my literal version, and here's Wyss' version. I leave that for you to read over and through at your leisure. And in case you want to know how I did it, here's the translation at the very end. And this is on the internet if you want to follow this.

My concern is that we focus more on the word than on the grammar behind the word. And therefore, you know, it's 9.43, we've got just a few moments. Would you like to ask any questions or discuss this at some point? I was frustrated when I first memorized these verses, that Paul doesn't tell you how to be content. I thought, man, Paul's content. Okay, now he's going to tell me how, but he does not tell me how to be content.

I had to learn a few years later that Ephesians 5.20 gives us the key. Always giving thanks to the God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Being a thankful person is the key to contentment. I'm convinced of that.

I think 1 Thessalonians 5.18 says about the same thing. It's the thankful heart that is content.

Would you turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2? and verse 5, if you have your Bibles there. I put in my margin of my Bible here, and this is not a review, this is only an observation of this text, okay? Being thankful is great, but what are you being thankful for? You're being thankful when you get to know His thoughts and know His ways, aren't we? when we're becoming intimately involved in Him.

I tried to capture that in the application from these verses today. That that's what God wants, for us to be intimately involved with Him. Look at verse 5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. I believe that that is the key to Philippians. That's what Paul's main message, by the Holy Spirit's direction, was to us, giving voice to the Philippians, to allow God's thinking, his whole picture of reality, to be ours. To allow us to enter into that. I don't know, Bob, you've done a lot of work on this, haven't you? Is that well in your mind? Yes.

Also, I think that one thing we've ignored today because we're going to spend a whole study on this next week. I don't think we should stay away from it because the source of our contentment is in verse 13, I could do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me. Now, that's a preview of next week. And we're going to spend next week talking about that. But that is the source of our contentment. And I have to apologize, but I do want to take away the force of that from next week, because Roger, when he was facing down...

It's not inspiring. And now I'm inspired. But I don't think that's taken away. No, no, no. I think that's just something to look forward to. Yeah. You got it. When it says we can do anything through him who strengthens us, that's going to give us something to think about for next week. You got it. Thank you, Bob. I appreciate you so much. Any other thoughts? You guys are pretty good interacting today for me. I don't usually get much interaction. Well, we appreciate your time. I like what you're doing these days. I appreciate you. Let's put it in the Lord's camp. Amen. Amen. Thank you for this time together, Lord.

We haven't really exhausted your thoughts. But you've opened our hearts, Lord, to you, to know you intimately and encourage us to rejoice with you. Fourteen times you talked about it here in this book. And if we include the introduction and the ending, that would be 16 times. The magnitude of your joy, the magnitude of your love to let us know you. And what brings joy to your heart is that we come to know you and share your thoughts.

Help us have in a father the frailty of our being because of our sin natures, just wanting to look at ourselves all the time. Draw us forward intimately into a fellowship with you that when we encounter, no matter the circumstance, your work behind it, whether it be to correct us or to encourage us, whether we are in prosperity or not, whether, according to this text, Heavenly Father, we've taken our eyes off of you or not, you remain faithful. Thank you for that. In conclusion today, I'd like to pray that you would especially help us here in Holly Hills, because we're seeking other leadership to be with us and share the load, so to speak. And we ask you, Lord, to bring us the person at the right time, or persons, to minister your word to us faithfully. In Christ's name, amen.