Philippians

… Paul and Hymotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons, grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds and in the defense and the confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that ye may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offense until the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God. But I would, ye should understand brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife, and some also of goodwill. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die, gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour. Yet what I shall choose I want not, for I am in a straight betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you, and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which he saw in me, and now here to be in me. May the Lord bless to us that reading of his word. As we turn to this short epistle, it's surprising how much there is in it, isn't it? As we look over the various chapters, I have been surprised as I've been reading it, how much there is that we might study, and in looking at this book, I'm going to say just straight away, don't think that I'm going to give an exposition of the epistle to the Philippians, because I'm just not going to do that. With regard to those talks that I hope to give on it, they are maybe talks that will not take in perhaps things that you thought they might, but they are, as I feel before the Lord, the words that I've been led to study, and may he bless them as we have them before us. As we think of this epistle, what a wonderful epistle it is. Well, they're all wonderful in their way, aren't they? They all have their necessary uses, we know that each one of them are necessary for us, but I don't know whether you've ever thought of the Apostle Paul as he wrote these various epistles, and how he must have felt as he wrote them. You think of such epistles as the epistle to the Corinthians, and the epistle to the Galatians, when because of the need and the haste he had in writing the letter, he wrote it himself with those large letters. I wonder how he felt when he wrote those epistles. Don't you think that his heart had been burdened a very long while before he wrote the epistle to the Corinthians, the first epistle, and no doubt the second he wrote with joy, but don't you think that with regard to those epistles he was burdened, a burdened man. Don't you think that with the Galatians, there he was writing a short epistle, and as he wrote that short epistle, how his heart must have been burdened to think that those people were not giving the Lord Jesus Christ his rightful place. And yet there were other times, weren't there, when he wrote other epistles, and how different must have been his thoughts then, when we think of him writing the epistles to the Philippians, to the Thessalonians, how wonderful must have been his thoughts, and how in turning to the Scripture that we have before us tonight, how he must have been able to sit down there, and as the amanuansis was there near at hand, he was able to say words, not having a heavy heart, but having a heart filled with joy. How different, and yet, and as well, I think it in another way. When I think of the words that he wrote to the Corinthians, a long epistle, two epistles that were fairly long, and when I think of the epistle to the Galatians, how much those people missed, didn't they, because of the fact that as he wrote to them, there was so much to correct, and then therefore it left so little time, and so little space, to present Christ to them in all his fullness. And yet, in writing this letter, and some have said it's a love letter, how much time he's got to write of those things that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. It's an epistle of joy, and as we think of it as an epistle of joy, it comes out of a prison, and you'd say, well, can anything happy come out of a prison? There was a happy man in that prison, that man was happy, and we shall read later on that he could say, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice, and how happily he must have written this letter, and how full of joy he was. Why was that? Well, I would gather that on the whole, this little assembly were going on fairly well. They were going on in a godly manner. We see that with regard to them, there were the bishops, or the elders, and the deacons, and as well he thanks God for every thought concerning them. Well, I don't think that he could have done that with the Corinthian assembly, could he? Because when he thinks of them in their puffed-up state, how can he thank God for every remembrance of them? No, but here, as he thinks of them, he thanks the Lord, he thanks God for every remembrance of them. They were going on very happily, no doubt. Yes, he'd been there, hadn't he, about 10 or 11 years ago, and you remember what had happened when he went. Many things had happened, and there at that time we see that he's put into prison, and there in that prison it was because of the joy that he had, that somebody heard this joy, and somebody was converted there, and what a joy that man must have had. I wonder whether he was in this assembly at this time. If he was, he was not only one that was in control of prisoners, but he was one that had a joy in his heart. If he belonged to that assembly, and if it was that that person whom the demons were cast out of, and if it was that Lydia was here, what a wonderful assembly it was. See, we hear about these various ones in this assembly, don't we? And as we think of them, here they are gathered together, and now after 10 or 11 years Paul writes to them. As he writes, what does he say concerning them? He writes and says concerning them that they are in Christ, and you know that's a wonderful thing to say. Now we know, every one of us tonight, that we are here, and we are in Christ. You know we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, we know him as our Saviour, and therefore yes, we say we're in Christ. I don't think that when the Apostle wrote those words, he wrote them in a casual manner, and neither did he ever think of them in a casual way. As I think of him writing to the Philippians, he knew that they were in Christ, and he knew that they were in Philippi. He knew full well that he was in Christ, and he was in that Roman jail, and he must have felt it. But what a difference it must have made to them, and to him, to know that they were in Christ. And what a different outlook he must have had on his life in the jail, because he was in Christ. Now we are in Enfield, but we are in Christ, and as I think of those two things, how wonderful it is to know that just where we are, we're in Christ, and what a different outlook it should make us have on the life that we lead just in that place. I wonder whether it does. As we think of this man, we see him, this Apostle Paul, and as he's there chained in prison, no doubt to one or two soldiers, there he is. But because he's in Christ, he's filled with joy, and because he's in Christ and in that place, he sits there, not fretting because of the conditions that are his, but realising that God would have him in that place, that God had allowed it to be in his own counsels that Paul should be found in that prison there. And therefore, as he thinks of himself, he realises that he might be the slave, he might be the prisoner of Nero, but on the other hand, he's the bond slave of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Did you realise when we read that he said the servants, Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ? Being in Christ is one thing, but being the bond slave of Jesus Christ is another. As I think of him here, he realises that the Lord has him in the place that he would have him to be. I wonder whether the Lord has us in the place where he would have us to be. If we are his bond slaves, no doubt we will be in the place where he would have us to be. Now, why was he here, do you think? Why wasn't it that he was out somewhere able to preach the gospel? Because we have to realise that he was in God's hand, and it need never have been that he was placed in a prison at all. That's what I think concerning that man John, when we see him on the Isle of Patmos, why was he there? It might have been, on the one hand, that he was apprehended of those that were enemies to him. It might have been here with regard to Paul. He said he preferred to go to Rome, but it was the place that the Lord would have him to be at that time, because he had a service there to do for him. That's what we must realise, because I thrilled the other evening when I looked in the end of the last chapter and saw those that belonged to Caesar's household, and I thought, Caesar's household, however would they have known anything of the truth of God, however would they have known anything of the joy that can come to them, apart from the fact that Paul was found in a prison there. Don't we read here, in this same chapter, that the truth concerning his bonds has been made known even into the palace. That means to me that this man was a bond slave, and he hadn't kept his mouth closed, had he? It was that he realised that he was there, and it was necessary for him to be there, firstly because of Caesar's household, and those dear saints, no doubt that were locally found, and also for the church at large, because I think that here we would have lost so much apart from this man being found in prison. We see this epistle to the Philippians, that is an epistle of joy written for them, it's written for us, it's written for us in this day, so that we might rejoice in these things, but if we have not the position that Paul had at this time as being a bond slave of Jesus Christ, I don't think that we should be filled with joy much, do you? We may be in Christ, and we might know Christ as our saviour, but to know ourselves as being bond slaves, that's something different altogether. Do you remember when this started with the apostle Paul? It started at that time on that Damascus road, when he said to the Lord, having realised who he was, Lord, what will thou have me to do? That can be something that we'll say to the Lord immediately, we come to him, it was with the apostle Paul, but I wonder whether it is really with ourselves, whether we've been really ready and willing to say to the Lord, Lord, what will thou have me to do? See here was a man who said that, and continued going on having that before him, and whatever the circumstance might be, he was a man that was filled with joy. He was a man that circumstances made no difference to his joy, there he was in his joy because of the fact that he knew something concerning the Lordship of Christ. It was that here he was a bond slave. Now we often think of a bond slave as somebody that's really ground down, but as I think of the bond slave, I see that there are so many things concerning him that are to be merited, to be pleased about. I know that the bond slave had his responsibilities, but he also had his privileges. As I would think of the slave in the 21st chapter of Exodus, I see that there, that man, his life was not his own, and neither is ours, because the scripture says, ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies, they're his, and therefore glorify him in those bodies. The man that was there with his ear bored through with an all, was a man who had said in himself, I'm not mine own, I love my wife, I love my children, I love my master, I will not go out free, and as we think of that man, so often thinking of him as the Lord Jesus Christ, let's think of ourselves in that position, as being willing and ready to put ourselves in the Lord's hand and to be his bond slave. Yes, that position has its responsibilities because if we would realise the truth of this, we just can't go where we like, and we just can't go and get a position where we like, and we can't just live where we like, and certainly we can't do as we like, because we're his, and we're bought with a price, and everything that we do in our lives will be directed by his direction, won't it? On the other hand, when we think of the bond slave, and when we think of his responsibilities, let's think of his privileges. He has his privileges, and in the sixth chapter of Matthew, there it says to those that believe, take no thought. In this same epistle it says, be careful for nothing. Why? Because after all you're a bond slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he's going to provide for you. I feel that the master is responsible for his bond slave, and in every way he has his care, and his protection, his provision, his nourishment, he has everything. So we see that that cuts both ways. So it is if we are not willing to receive those responsibilities that are ours as bond slaves, then it will be, then it will be that we won't have those privileges and those freedoms that come through being a bond slave. Then it will be there won't be the joy in our hearts because of this, will there? Because it's a wonderful thing to look at that apostle, and see him walking, and see him enjoying that which he had of Jesus Christ, because of the fact that he was a bond slave. He not only speaks of them as bond slaves, themselves as bond slaves, but he speaks there of the fact that they were in Christ, they were bond slaves, but they were also saints. I wonder whether there's somebody younger here tonight that's got a strange idea of a saint, because I was in a fellowship meeting only a few years ago, and there was one poor man, and he wasn't a young man, and he was very disturbed to think that people could be called saints that were not so good as they might be. As I think of this, I would realise that we are called saints, it matters not who the person is that trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ, that one is a saint. It doesn't depend upon their good behaviour as being one that's born of God, it depends upon what God has done with them, and he's separated them from the world, and he's separated them to himself. Yes, that's the wonderful step, that they're called saints because they're separated ones. Now in that, I don't know whether I've said it before, but I think we've got to be very careful how we take that thought. Don't you think that sometimes we say, oh yes, I am a separated one, and I wouldn't do this, and I wouldn't do that. Well why wouldn't you? Because I'm separated. But I don't see that that thought is here, and neither in other places in the scripture, so much paramount. It may be there in a minor way, but the truth concerning a separated one is that he's separated unto the Lord. That's where the joy is, isn't it? Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the ministry, and we see that separation. So we see these saints, don't we? And Paul, as he begins to write these wonderful words to them, his mind goes back, and he thinks of their fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. I wonder what that first act was. Was it the act of Lydia when she took him into her home? If thou hast counted me faithful, come into my house. Was it also that there was somebody there that had washed the back of Paul after he'd beaten him? Was it that they were the first act in fellowship in the gospel? But whatever it was, from that day even to this day, there had been fellowship in the gospel. And isn't that a wonderful thing? Now as we turn and go through this book, we shall find that it wasn't only the brothers, because we might think tonight, oh yes, the brothers were in with the fellowship. No, it was Lydia, wasn't it? Right at the beginning, before there were any brothers that started showing themselves, it was Lydia that said, if you count me faithful, there were those women by the seashore, and there they were. They had fellowship with him in the gospel. There they were, showing that love. So every one of us that are here tonight can be in on that fellowship in the gospel. Having thought of this, we see later on, having these thoughts before him, of the dearness of these saints to him, he said, I have you on my heart. I have you in my heart. You know that's a wonderful thing, to have a person, isn't it, in your heart. Here it was that as he thought of all that they had been to him, and all that they were to him now, that's what he says concerning them, that I have you in my heart, and that's a wonderful place to have the saints. You know we can have them on our tongue, we can have them in our mind, we can have them in our thoughts, but if we have them in our hearts, how different we are toward them, aren't we? When this apostle had them here on his heart, it was that he had wonderful thoughts for them. It was that at this moment, as he had them on his heart, it was that his heart went out to them, and as he was so helpless to do anything for them at this time, we see straightway he prays for them. And you know, if we don't have the saints of God on our heart, and if it is that there's somebody there, that in ourselves we feel that however can I speak to them, or however can I do anything for them, it may be that you've rubbed that person up, or they might have rubbed you up. Have you tried having them on your heart in prayer? I feel that if there's one thing that will help you, it will be that. I remember a younger brother in a meeting once years ago, and he'd been rubbed up quite a bit by an older brother, and this older brother had rubbed a lot of brethren up. He had been very, very difficult. Poor old chap, I felt sorry for him in the end. But there was this younger brother, and he felt what should he do? And he heard one brother say on an occasion in ministry, if there's anybody you can't get on with, pray for them. Pray for them, and it'll make a difference. And it did in this young brother's heart. Now here, when the apostle prayed for these dear ones, and we see in these prison epistles that he has his prison prayers, he prays firstly that their love might abound. Now that's a wonderful thing to know, that he starts with the love. Yes, I feel that we as people of God living together so much as we do, that it must be that we start with this love, that your love may abound. There it is, that your love may abound. And that love, as I think of it in ourselves, that love must abound if we are going to be approved of him here. That love that we have firstly for the Lord Jesus, it might not mean it here, but I'm going to start in that way. Think of that love that we have for him. Now I can't force my love toward him, can I? But when I think of what he's done for me, and when I think of what he's going to tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ, do you think that they needed their love to abound to him after he'd written that second chapter to them, and the wonderful things that the Lord Jesus Christ had done, the stoops that he had taken for them, do you think that they needed that their love should abound? Don't you think that his prayer was answered as he prayed this thing for them? And don't you think that if we spent more time thinking of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done, and what he's doing at present, and what he will do for us in our glorified state, don't you think that our love would abound more toward him? Then I feel that our love should abound toward his word. As we have this book in our hands tonight, it may be that we take it home and we put it somewhere, or we don't need it till the next time we come to a meeting, and you know that's very, very sad, isn't it? Don't you think that it's sad that we've got a book here that is a book of rejoicing, and we can turn to it and find all the encouragement and joy in it, if only we'll turn to it, and then perhaps sometimes on the Lord's Day morning we've got to dust it before we bring it to the meeting. Yes, let's have a love for the word that has been placed into our hands by the Lord Jesus. Let's have a love for it because we have the Spirit who's able to take of these things and reveal them to us. Let's have a love for that word. And I feel that if we have a love for the Lord, and a love for his word, then it will be we shall have a love for his people, that our love may abound more and more, and that's something that's so necessary today, isn't it? What is it that is the hindrance among the Lord's people today? I'm not saying that only in our own meetings, but in Christianity as a whole. What is it that hinders so great a work that might be going on? Isn't it bitterness that comes in, and isn't it silly little things that show we haven't the love that we ought to have, and he says that your love may abound. Yes, and perhaps when you come here tonight you say with regard to the brethren, yes, and my love does abound to the people of God, and how I love them because they belong to the Lord Jesus. Yes, but our love has to abound to the people round about, hasn't it? Don't you think that they need the love as well? Is it that they know us as people that go to somewhere on Sundays and during the week, and well, they wouldn't help you. After all, they're so obsessed with what they're believing that they haven't got much time otherwise to be of help. Don't you think that our neighbours and those around about us that know not the Lord Jesus as their saviour ought to know something of the love of Christ in the way that we treat them? I know that we cannot go into their homes and spend much time in there because we have not much in common, but they ought to be able to know that we will help them, whether naturally or spiritually if they want it. They ought to be able to say, well, there's so-and-so next door, they are believers, and we know that we can turn to them and straightway they'll come because there's that love of Christ in their hearts that is toward them, and don't you think that if that love is there and it's manifested toward them, don't you think it will have an effect in them so that they'll be drawn and attracted to the Lord Jesus? And what next? He prayed for their minds that they might approve of that which is excellent, or they might be able to discern the things that differ. Now, with regard to that, don't you think that today we don't discern the things that differ? Is it that we come to the Lord Jesus Christ, and having come to him, we are quite willing to go on just as we are, but here it says to discern the things that differ, and what does that mean? That I discern and I see things that are bad and things that are good? No, I don't think it means that at all. I feel that it means that we are to discern that which is good and that which is more excellent, that which is more excellent, and isn't it that as we see those that enjoy the Lord the more, don't they discern the things that are more excellent? Don't they see the path in perhaps a different way from what we see? Aren't they able to go on, and don't they realise these things that are spiritual just a little more than we do? Yes, a prayer for the heart, the love, a prayer for the mind, and then a prayer for the character, that they might be sincere, that they might be sincere, look at that, that they might be, that you might be sincere without offence, and as I think of them being sincere without offence, that's a prayer for our character. As I think of our character, it should be that I ought to be right with myself, I ought to be right with the people in the world, and I ought to be right with the people in the meeting, and I ought to be right particularly in the presence of the Lord. That's my character, and my character ought to be such. I know that we each and all are failures, and there are times when there are things that escape our lips, and there are paths that we might tread that are not according to his will, but I feel that even in these we ought to be willing to retrace our steps, we ought to be willing to retract our words, and therefore people might know that we are people of character, so that as the world see us, they see that we are right with them, in that sense, we are right with ourselves, we are right with them, we are right with the brethren, and we are right before the Lord. And then a prayer for their lives, that they might bear fruit. How wonderful it is if we can bear fruit. Now this doesn't mean, I don't think for a moment, that people might be converted by what we say and what we do. It might take that in, but I feel it is the way in which we live in our lives, so that as we live our lives in this way bearing fruit, what wonderful people we will be together with. You know, it will be that as we gather in our meetings, brethren, as a whole, we will be wonderful people, the one with another, and then in that place where it's said that we are treated the best and grumble most, in our home, what wonderful people we shall be to live with. It will make a difference if these fruits are shown in the home, won't it be? It will make all the difference. As I think of that great man Elijah, do you remember, with regard to him, how he was tested in the various ways? He was tested there by the book Cherith, and then he went into a widow's home, and that must have been one of the hardest places to stand for the Lord, and yet he was found there, and he stood during that time, and that's the place where we should bear fruit, where it should be seen that we are well able to be got on with, because of the fact that we've borne fruit. And as before the Lord, shouldn't it be that we are prosperous for him? It should be that as we are bearing fruit, that he should look upon us, and we should be those that are helpful to him in what he has to do. And then Paul, he sort of digresses, and he says I want you to tell, I want to tell you of what's happened, the things that have happened to me. Now that's something that we very often hear when a person meets us in the street, isn't it? They want to tell us of the things that happen to them, and sometimes as believers we have this before us, and isn't it sometimes that we get a brother, or get a sister, and start talking about the things that have happened to us? Yes, the place where we live, yes, not only the place where we live, but the people that are there, and the difficulties that we have, and there is the place that we've got to live for the Lord, and well how many woes there are when we present these things to somebody else. Have you ever thought of the place where the apostle lived at this time, when he said rejoice in the Lord always? Have you thought of the people that he lived with? Have you thought of the difficulties that he had? No doubt if you went to him now, although he might have been living in his hired house, somebody has said it might have been just as bad as where John Bunyan was in prison in Bedford, it might have been just as bad as that, but on the other hand he had those soldiers with a chain, he had his chain, we read concerning his chain, and there he was, and how difficult it must have been for him. But what did he do in these circumstances? As we think of these I want to digress in this way and say for a moment where we live, and the difficult place it may be, and we might feel that it's a difficult place, we feel that the house in itself is not what we might want it to be, we feel that the neighbourhood is not where we'd like to be, we feel also that the people that are there are not people that we'd like to meet, but if we see how the apostle faced up to these circumstances, well we can make a difference in those circumstances can't we? When we see the apostle Paul here in these conditions, I revert again to what I said right at the beginning, wherever would those people have been spiritually apart from the apostle being placed there of the Lord? The place where he was, you think of that place where he was, but he didn't chafe, it might have been that he could have been placed in that place, and he chafed because of his position and his condition there, but he didn't chafe, what did he do? He prayed and he worked in the position that the Lord had placed him, and where we are, where the Lord has placed us, it may be not the neighbourhood that we would desire, and not the people that we'd like to see, but if the Lord has placed us there surely he's got a work for us to do there don't you think? And don't you think that if we are willing and ready to pray and work for him in that neighbourhood, there's going to be results, and there was results here. It might have been that somebody came to the apostle Paul at the beginning and said, ah Paul, now however can you do anything? See with these soldiers they're against you, they're aggressive, you're in the wrong place at this time, and however can you get outside? But the word got outside didn't it? It says that it's known concerning his bonds in Caesar's household. Yes that's where the word got to, right into Caesar's household, and we are given to believe that in an extensive way there were those that were converted so that they formed a great part of that assembly that was at Rome. Yes the apostle now he says, well the gospel is preached and I rejoice. The things that have happened to me have happened to the furtherance of the gospel and I rejoice. Well that's wonderful, but it might not have been like that if he'd have chafed and fretted in the position that he was found. He rejoiced and now with regard to him he said, and it's my desire that I should magnify, that I should magnify the Lord Jesus Christ in my life. From now on as I go on in that jail I'm going to magnify the Lord Jesus in my life. And you say, well Paul how are you going to do that? Well for me to live is Christ. Yes but no there's no buts concerning it. For me to live is Christ and neither is this some boastful talk that he gives us just at this time. It is that here is a man in all his humility who says for me to live is Christ and to die again. Now that takes some saying doesn't it? I say that very bluntly tonight. Isn't that something that we'd be very very careful before we said, for me to live is Christ and to die again. And he might, you might have thought if Paul had not gone on speaking in this same vein that he would go back on what he said. But he says you know I'm in a straight betwixt two. I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better. You have? Yes I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better. And I wonder just at that moment whether he had in mind the fact that he was a prisoner and prisoners were not thought of much then and it wouldn't be long before he was slain. No doubt he had that before him at this time that he was a prisoner and there he says but I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better. When he thinks of the one that went to the cross of Calvary and there bore his heavy burden he thinks of the fact that that one now desires him to be with him and he says to be with him is far better. You know that's wonderful isn't it? When we think of him with that joy before him and yet he says well there's only one thing that will hinder me going. There's only one thing that hinders my desire in being found in that place and that is this. It's needful that I should be behind with you. Now I wonder what the thing would be if we were to ask ourselves that question tonight. What would the thing be that would hinder us saying to depart and to be with Christ which is far better? Would it be our service to the Lord's people? Would it be that our position in the assembly? Would it be that what we do for him wherever we may be or would it be some other reason? There was only one reason with the Apostle Paul. Yes as we see him here his reason for departing was that he wanted to be with and like the Lord Jesus Christ. It wasn't that he was willing and ready and so ready to shake off those chains and be with the Lord Jesus because of the chains. It was the hope of being with him. It was the desire to be with him because it was far better. It was the thought of being with the one that had done so much for him. But in staying behind the thought that was before him was this. There is the need. It is that I should stay behind. I should stay here and glorify God with my body and also nourish and encourage the saints till the time that I am taken to be with himself. And that he would do here because we see later on he says concerning them that they were to they were to stand fast and strive together. And as I think of those things there are things that he would encourage them in. And I see at the end of the book when I read the last chapter I see at the beginning stand fast in the Lord. And here he is speaking to them knowing that there will be opposition because he said on the behalf of Christ it's not alone that we are found here. But we are found that we might suffer for him. He knew that there was going to be opposition and he in the circumstances in which he had found himself he'd stood fast hadn't he? He'd stood fast and now he says to those dear ones being found together I know the opposition that will come to you now stand fast. I feel that with regard to that there would be the standing fast and not being willing to compromise with things that would come in. I feel with regard to the striving together there needed to be the unity the one with another in this work. And as I think of this first chapter and as I think of the way in which it ends you say well why didn't it end with the apostle Paul saying well it's far better to be with him. Don't you think that it's as important to be found down here just at this time in testimony to him as it is for that day to come and find us down here doing nothing. Don't you think that the apostle would say to them as the Lord said on another occasion in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world. It is that as you go through this world there is the time coming when you'll be with and like the Lord Jesus Christ but now you're going to be in a place of opposition but hear the word be of good cheer I have overcome the world. …

… I want to read to you the first 11 verses, 2 Philippians, verse 1 to 11. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bells of mercies, fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in loneliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient, think of that, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. For the benefit of any that were not here last evening, I might just recap on a few points that we had before us. Those of us that were together will remember that the apostle spoke to those that he was going to address, the Philippians, as being in Christ. Not only were they in Christ, but we see afterwards that they themselves, Paul and Timothy, he speaks of them as bond slaves, or bondmen, and it was suggested that the bondmen, being in Christ, it might not be that we are bondmen. And as we turn from that thought, we thought of them also as the saints. Then it was that he prayed for them in a very comprehensive way, praying firstly that their love might abound, because how important that love is, isn't it? How important that love might come in, and no doubt as we go through these scriptures that we read together during this week, love will have a great part in that which we have to say. Then you remember, he spoke of those things that had happened to him. That's something we mentioned, that we often speak to one another about, the things that happened to us, and he said concerning his conditions and his position, that the things that had happened unto him had turned out to the furtherance of the Gospel. To the furtherance of the Gospel, and because of that, how he glorified God. Then we see at the end of that scripture, we just mentioned those words, that the Lord Jesus Christ said that in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. What wonderful words, and I think we'll start with those same words tonight. Here we speak in this next chapter concerning very different things, don't we? Here we find just a different subject, and the Apostle begins by using a very strange word. He says, if there be any consolation in Christ. And the Apostle is accustomed to writing like that, I feel, because if you turn to the next epistle, the Colossian epistle, he says there, if ye be risen with Christ, if ye be risen. Who was he speaking to? Was he speaking to believers? Of course he was. Was he speaking to believers here? Yes, he was. And he says, if there is therefore consolation in Christ. I wonder whether in his mind he had any doubt whether there was or not. I don't think for a moment that he had, and I would realise that he had not, because of that consolation being something that he had appreciated. What does this consolation really mean? Well, I could speak of it as encouragement, or on the other hand, of putting heart, of putting heart into the people of God. Doesn't the Lord say, and I mention those words again, he says to his own, in the world ye shall have tribulation, there it is before you, but be of good cheer. And what wonderful words they are. And I would say that with regard to the Apostle Paul, as he said these words, as he wrote these words to these dear ones, there was something before him that had been in his life just earlier on. There was the time in the Acts of the Apostles, in the 23rd chapter, where there he had not testified as he might have done before the people that were set before him there to judge. I feel that on that one occasion there was a time of testimony lost, and on that occasion he says to one, I know in ignorance, God will smite thee, thou whited wall. And then after that he set the Sadducees and the Pharisees at Variance, and how sad he must have been when he was there that night. When he went to his bed that night, if he had a bed, how sad he must have been. But it was in that sadness that the Lord comes to him and says, Be of good cheer, Paul, as thou hast testified here in Jerusalem, so shall you testify in Rome. And how those words must have come back to him later when he came to Rome, and now that he was in Rome, and thought of the way in which he had been able to testify, how true that was, and how greatly encouraged he must have been because of the word of consolation from the Lord, because of the word of comfort, because of the word of joy that the Lord had given him at that time. And doesn't he give us that joy as well? Doesn't he put heart into us? As we think of the Apostle, he was there, and no doubt his desire was, under the Lord's hand, to put heart into these believers, if there be any consolation, if any comfort of love. Now when I think of the comfort of love, where do I turn to find comfort, and where do I find that comfort of love? I see in one place, it doesn't come to my mind just now where it is, that we, through comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. That's wonderful, isn't it? And as I see the Lord Jesus Christ, even down here, speaking to those that were sad, I see him coming and unfolding the Scriptures to them for their comfort, and it says, concerning those who he comforted, did not our hearts burn in us as he talked with us by the way? Is there any comfort of love? Is there any comfort of love? There is that comfort. The Apostle Paul says, if, as a challenge to them, and there the comfort is found in the Scriptures. There the comfort of love is found in the Scriptures. It may be that he uses the Scriptures. It may be that he uses his servants, but in those two ways this comfort of love may be known. And then, if any fellowship of the Spirit, and as I see those wonderful words, my mind goes back to Old Testament times, and do you remember on that occasion when Moses went into the mount, he was told how to build the tabernacle, and there he was told that the boards were to be placed around the tabernacle. There were 48 of those boards, and as they were placed, however were they going to stand up and be bound together? Because, you know, on one occasion we read concerning that tabernacle, it was the church in the wilderness, and it is typical to us of the church here on earth. And as I think of those boards, each one of them there, so great, 17 feet 6 tall and 31 and a half inches wide, how thick they were I do not know, but that which bound them together was the center bar that went through, I don't know whether it went through the center of the boards, that's a point that is debatable, but it went in an unseen way through the boards and round, holding them together. Fellowship of the Spirit. When we think of how the Spirit works with us, how much that bond holds us together, doesn't it? If any bells and mercies, if any bells and mercies, any tenderheartedness and compassion, that was found in the Lord Jesus Christ, wasn't it, when he was here? And don't you think that it's found now in him? You think of that wonderful word that was used in his life when he says, I have compassion on the multitude, and yet we look into the Old Testament Scripture and so often as we read those words, we would realize that they are not only for the people to whom they were written, but to us as well, his compassions fail not. How wonderful to think that his compassions fail not toward each one of us that are here. Hasn't he that wonderful compassion and tenderheartedness toward us? Now I feel that we need that at times, don't you? And I feel that these poor Philippians at this time, they did need it in the fact that they, in common with us, are those that sometimes go astray, are those that sometimes are disappointed and perplexed, and how it is then that his tenderness and his compassion is toward us. I think of his compassion upon those dear ones that were upon the lake in the 21st chapter of John. Don't you remember there they were? They'd gone away, they were not told to go out fishing, but there he told them to go to the place where he would meet them at Galilee. There will I meet with thee, and those poor disciples went out fishing. And as they went out fishing on that night, they came back disappointed. They came back empty-handed and no doubt they were frustrated in what they'd done. And there was Jesus standing on the shore, and don't you think that just at that moment his heart was filled with compassion toward them. And isn't it wonderful if we think of the Lord Jesus Christ coming in with that tender compassion at that time, having a fire of coals, and having the food ready at hand for them in their coldness and in their disappointment. Don't you think that he's the same today? Don't you think that in our lives he has this compassion for us today? Yes, as I see these wonderful things, are they true? He says, if. Are they true? The Apostle Paul says, if these things are true, well there ought to be a change in your outlook. There ought to be something about you that ought to give me joy in yourselves. Don't you think that as well, as we think of these things, and as no doubt we could ponder over them so long, don't you think that there ought to be a great change seen in our lives? That there ought to be a change in the lives of these Philippians because of the fact. There ought to be the change because of the fact of what has happened. Yes, and there should be a change in them because of what people were doing just at that moment. They were doing just as people are doing with ourselves today. People were looking on. And because of that there should be a change in ourselves. And there should be a change, there must be a change in their lives and there must be a change in their lives when we know that the Lord desires to use us and he desires to use us together. Now I know that the Lord uses one here and one there but don't you think that he uses us very often as an assembly? Don't you think that he uses us in that great way so that we work together? Don't you think that also in every way he desires us to be one together? And therefore the beginning of this scripture speaks of our relationships, the one with another. If these things are true concerning the love and concerning the joy that the Lord Jesus Christ gives us, if these things are true of us who have that bond uniting us in the Spirit of God, if we have that tender heartedness and compassion towards us well there ought to be a unity with us. There ought to be a positive relationship between us as people of God. Now as I say these things it doesn't mean to say tonight that I'm standing and saying to you that you ought to have a positive relationship between yourselves. There ought to be and everyone is concerned in this and it must be that everyone is concerned in this. As we think of ourselves we very often think of a little part of the assembly but everyone should be concerned in this relationship and therefore as we read this scripture he says let nothing be done through strife or vain glory. As I think of those words he's going to soon speak concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and as I think of the Lord Jesus how humble he was we are going into that in a minute but with regard to ourselves let us in no way put ourselves into the forefront. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory. Let it not be with regard to us as brothers or sisters that we seek a place of preeminence or push ourselves into a position in this way so that self is before us. Do you remember poor old Jacob in his life how this came in his life so often and so long? Don't you remember that there in his life his life was that which he lived for himself even till that time when the Lord strove with him and when the Lord brought him into a position so that he could call him a prince with God. He was striving beforehand for himself and he strove very successfully for himself and yet he didn't receive a blessing from the Lord. But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves and when I read that although it's quite easy to read it takes some thinking out doesn't it? But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves and who could I turn to in the scripture to give you an illustration with regard to that apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. And when we think of him in his I was going to say in his greatness however can I use a word to speak of the Lord Jesus Christ in all his greatness but as I think of him in his greatness how selfless he was. In the whole of his pathway we see him so selfless don't we? Even to the end when there were those that would have apprehended him and then he says if you seek me let these my disciples go their way what a wonderful thought he had and how selfless he was. Then he says let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. Have for your mind the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ have for your mind the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ and as we think of that mind how can we have it before we see those things that are in these previous verses. He says fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord and of one mind. How could that be possible that we have the mind of the Lord Jesus before those things are before us that we be like-minded so that our minds as an assembly might be one. Now I feel that here the apostle is going to speak to these disciples these servants in this assembly these that are in Christ and as he speaks to them he would realise that there are older and younger there are those in different walks of life there are those in different positions of life and yet he would say to them that if there is to be any blessing in their midst that they have to have this same mind it is that they have that single-mindedness first. Now this is so different from what our nature would have us to be isn't it so that as I see him speaking here he says it because of what has gone before and because of what's going after and yet he says in this same verse having the same love if the mind is to be one it will not be a mind of unity apart from the fact that there's a heart of love as I think of the people of the Lord as they gather together they might act as one but that which prompts the acting should be the heart therefore with each one of us there should be that throbbing of our hearts together so that as we work in that singleness of mind it is because our hearts are in unity the one with another and in love toward the Lord Jesus so it is being of one accord. That's wonderful isn't it and that would be don't you think the perfect assembly if we could see it in that way how wonderful to think that we have this word of exhortation to us to be single-minded and having our hearts knit the one to another so that there might be that unity between us and I say again what a wonderful assembly it will be if it is worked out in that way but don't you think that as we look into this as we look into this epistle and as we look into other epistles the apostle has this so much before him the unity of believers don't you think that it is something that we shall see in these chapters as we go through them doesn't he say later on in one of the chapters to say the same things unto you to write the same things unto you for me is not grievous but for you it is safe and isn't it that as we go through these scriptures we shall see time and time and time again their love is mentioned their unity is mentioned and why is that don't you think that he'd seen in his history among those churches don't you think he'd seen where there had been disunity and what a wreck it had made of the church where it was as he'd seen that disunity in Corinth he could never forget that which had happened there and therefore we see he stresses more and more the singleness of mind and the singleness of heart that there might be also the singleness of soul their one accord among the believers and that's something that we would covet today and then he says and let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus have him for your mind who being in the form of God and as I think of those words I think of people that come round to the houses now and as they speak of him they speak in a very derogatory way as I see the Lord Jesus Christ spoken of here as being in the form of God I see him as God co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit I see as I turn to the scriptures that the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I see in the Genesis it says let us make man in our own image after our own likeness and then I go to that book that wonderful book of epistle to the Hebrews and I see there God the Father speaking and he says but unto the Son he saith thy throne O God is for ever and ever a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God thought the Godhead not something to be grasped at isn't it that today there are those that grasp for high positions isn't it that those two dear people that were found in the garden of Eden were those that grasped for a position as Satan came in on that occasion putting before them the very fact that they would be as gods knowing good and evil wasn't it that they fell into sin because of the fact that they wanted position as we see the Lord Jesus Christ here the Godhead was not a thing to be grasped at because he is God he was God he ever will be God he is co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit and yet I was I had a book placed into my hands once and it was said by the person who gave it to me I hope you'll read that and give me your comments on it and the book was on the Gospel of John and therefore I was interested in that book and as I read at the beginning I thought that there would be much there that would help me but then the man started commenting on the first verse of that chapter after a long introduction and he said in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was a God and there I left the book and handed it back to the person and said this book is not worth reading it doesn't give the Lord Jesus Christ his position he is God and let's ever remember and let's ever maintain that he is God in his pathway during the whole of his pathway while here he always maintained the fact till the end that he was the Son of God he was God you remember right at the end when Pilate says to him art thou the Son of God? thou sayest there were those times in his life when he would not maintain who he was as man it was that when they witnessed against him he allowed them to witness against him and he did not vindicate himself as a man but he ever maintained in every place and among different groups of people the fact that he was God he was the Son of God the scripture then says but he made himself of no reputation or he emptied himself and as I see the Lord Jesus Christ coming down into this world he must empty himself to come here but how did he empty himself? because as I think of man in the flesh there is so much that he has to empty and how often we ourselves have to empty ourselves don't we? because there's one thing that characterises every one of us and that is pride and we must be humble we must be emptied of pride mustn't we? as we think of the Lord Jesus Christ coming down here in this world it says that he emptied himself and therefore what would it be do you think that he emptied himself of? it wasn't that he emptied himself of his deity we must never think of that because when we see him in his pathway there are glimpses of the very fact that he was God as we see him in his pathway we see him on occasion that glory shining from him and therefore he did not empty himself of his deity and what was it then? don't you think that he veiled his glory while he was here and there was good reason why he should veil his glory while he was here because however could he have tabernacled with man in this world apart from veiling that glory I feel that we have little conception of the glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ when we think of those few glimpses that we have of his glory in his life the Apostle Peter speaks of the glory when they were with him on the Holy Mount and how glorious he was at that time but then we must remember that he was there as man as God but as we think of the Lord Jesus Christ in his glory as we think of him as he is now we would not be able to gaze upon him at this moment because of that glory that excelleth because of that glory that's his and therefore we see that he lays aside or he veils the glory he made himself of no reputation and then the wonderful thought is that he took upon him the form of a servant and as I think of the Lord Jesus Christ coming down into this world my mind goes back immediately to those words in Isaiah 44, 42 Behold my servant whom I uphold wonderful words and yet there's so much in those words isn't there? Behold my servant whom I uphold I know mine elect in whom my soul delighteth but my servant whom I uphold meaning to me that when the Lord Jesus Christ came down into this world and as he worked among men it wasn't in the power of him being son of God that he worked it was that he was here as servant and you remember that as we were reading the first chapter last night that we spoke of Paul and Timothy being bondmen and the same word is found here with regard to the Lord Jesus Christ he's a bondman he's come as a bondman he's come so differently from those of us that have been servants since and servants previous to his coming because as I see him as a servant in this world God delighted in him, didn't he? and he says Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth there we see the delight of God was in him and why was that? it was in him because of the fact that he was a perfect servant as before men and as before God so that as he begins his pathway we see the service the public service firstly beginning at the age of 12 what does he say? Wish ye not that I must be about my father's business and then constantly and consistently from that time forward to the time when there he's offered up to God during that time there he is as found as the servant right the way through to the last what a perfect servant he was upheld by his God I must dwell on that a little longer because of the fact that we here are left and the scripture says that he has left us an example that we should follow his steps and as I see that he's left us that example that we should follow his steps let's remember that it is as a servant as a man down here he would not be able to leave an example for me were he to act as the son of God but as he was acting here as a servant upheld by God I know that I can have that same upholding in my life he drew from resources that I can draw from because every one of us should be as I mentioned last evening the bond slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore we need resources in our pathway and therefore we have the same resources to draw on that he drew on but it says that he was he took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and was made in the likeness of men and as I see the Lord Jesus Christ down in this world and as I see him as a man I see the heavens opened upon him and God from heaven saying those wonderful words this is my beloved son I'm well pleased with him wasn't it wonderful for God whose delight was the Lord Jesus Christ to be able to look down into this world and to see a man that was doing his will does not the scripture say that he said lo I come to do thy will oh my God and as we see the Lord Jesus Christ down here from the very day that he began that ministry to the time of the end of his life we see him doing the will of God his father I will say with regard to him he had the limits of men but he had not their errors I say that because of the fact that as I see the Lord Jesus Christ living in this world he had his limitations as a man and as we see him in that pathway in the gospels we see those limits are seen in his life and well for me that they are seen I see him in the fourth chapter of John and it says concerning him Jesus being wearied with his journey sat thus on the well as I see him there in his weariness I realise what it meant to him to tread the weary paths of earth as I see him in the 11th chapter of the gospel of John there a weeping by the grave of Lazarus I know that he was weeping because of the consequences of sin but let's remember also that he did weep with those that wept he had that sadness in his life he was that lonely pilgrim in his life he was the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and as we see him down here he was a man he was a perfect man let's ever remember that and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself who? the Lord of life and glory the one who had been the brightness of the eternal glory the one who God had possessed in the beginning of his way the one who said let us make man in our own image after our own likeness the one of whom it was said thy throne O God is forever and ever humbling himself and yet we don't like to do that thing do we? and yet it says with regard to him he humbled himself and became obedient have you ever thought of the fact that with regard to people in this world everybody is obedient to somebody it is that with regard to every one of us that are here tonight there has to be obedience in our lives and we are obedient to somebody but here was a person the Lord Jesus Christ who had never been obedient and there was no need because of who he was of being obedient and yet just at this time although there was not the necessity he voluntarily places himself in the position to be obedient to be obedient and that was obedient to the will of God his father in every way and did not he rejoice in doing those things in which he was obedient because he delighted to do the will of God his father and did not he say on occasion not my will but thine be done and don't we see in the whole of his pathway how obedient he was as I think of him going to the various places where we see him isn't it that as he goes he goes in obedience to his father's will as we think of the time that I've mentioned in the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John where the Lord hears the word he whom thou lovest is sick it appears to be that his ear is closed but his ear is open to the will of God his father and he's obedient to him and he says this sickness is not unto death but it's for the glory of God and therefore we see him stay just where he is till the time when God gives him the word to go forth and then he is obedient to that word but here it says he became obedient even to the death of the cross as I think of those words words almost fail me to speak concerning that which is before me just at this moment he became obedient unto death even the death of the cross as we see him being obedient to his father's will we see him obedient right to the end and when we think of those things that he said in his pathway how much they show his obedience in the 12th chapter of John the words come from his lips now is my soul troubled and what shall I say shall I say father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour father glorify thy name and he knew that for the father to glorify his name would be that he would go into death later when apprehended in the garden we see that with regard to him he said the cup that my father has given me to drink shall I not drink it as we look into his sufferings in the books of the Old Testament how we find that subjection to the will of God his father, how we find that he is obedient unto death even the death of the cross so obedient so that we see that the scripture says that he could say prophetically thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption was not it in his pathway that the Lord Jesus had said I have power to lay my life down I have power to take it again this commandment have I received of my father and therefore we see wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name God has exalted him and as I see God exalting him here it means to me that as the Lord Jesus Christ was obedient to death and went into that death the death of the cross it was that God raised him out gloriously from the dead as I see him there I see that God is satisfied with that wonderful work and as we gather together those of us that are here tonight as we gather and as we think of that death that was on our account do not we see in that death and do not we see afterwards in what God did do not we see that he was satisfied with what Christ had done we see on the one hand the fragrance of that obedience to God we see on the other hand that now that work being completed he's raised by the glory of the father and he's given that glory wherefore God also hath highly exalted him you know how wonderful that is isn't it to think that he's exalted and hath given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and I would suggest to you that this name is this and he's given him the name the name which is above every name and what a wonderful name it is the Lord Jesus Christ our saviour and our lord has the greatest name and what a wonderful name that is it is the name not just given him a name given him the name that at the name of Jesus of things in heaven and things in earth and of things under the earth and that every tongue should confess Jesus Christ as lord to the glory of God the father what wonderful words they are but just let's think of them a moment I think of the Lord Jesus Christ in those three and a half years down here and as I think of him treading those weary paths of earth I see him in all humility do I not I see him humble I see him meek and I see him treading those paths in that humility right the way through to the end I see that they can spit on his blessed face I see that they pluck the hair from his cheeks I see that they crown him with a crown of thorns and then I glory in the fact that there's a time coming when every knee is going to bow to him you know I feel that with regard to ourselves so often we have before us a vision of the Lord at the rapture and how well it is that we do as we think of ourselves there's one thing that we're looking for and that is the time when the Lord Jesus Christ comes for us to take us to be forever with himself and how joyous we will be because of that which will happen to us just then but have you ever thought of it in this way the joy will come to us on that occasion but when the Lord Jesus Christ is manifest in his saints and when he has his rightful place in this world the glory will come to him and that is the day that I would look forward to and isn't it that in the epistles the apostle Paul so much has before him not so much the rapture but the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ because of the fact that every knee is going to bow to him at that time and he's going to be in that place of glory how wondrous this is but let's remember that the apostle Paul was writing these words to remind them that they should be found in this humbleness of mind so as we get back to the thought that we had previously it is the thought that this mind should be in us this mind of humility should be in us and if that mind is in us and if we gather and our heart and our mind are in accord and we gather in this way what a joyous assembly we will be won't we? So let us just ponder over those words …

… You remember, those of us that were here last evening, we read the first eleven verses and so we will start at the twelfth verse of the second chapter of Philippians. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. Holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state. For I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof of him, that as a son with the Father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him, therefore, I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to your wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death, but God hath mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with gladness, and hold such in reputation, because for the work of Christ, he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me. May the Lord bless to us that reading of his word. Now shall we sing together number 165? I often ponder over the epistles and how they were read, and how as well they were received. Can you imagine the church at Philippi receiving this letter, and as they receive this letter, what happens to it? You know with some of our letters in the meeting, we hand them round, don't we? But I don't think that they handed these letters round, you know. I feel that there were times when they gathered together, and read parts of these letters, talked over them, meditated upon them, and then went on another evening, or another day, and talked and meditated over another part. See they couldn't have taken the whole of a letter like this in, at one sitting, could they? And as I think of them, night after night, taking in, reading and then taking in these words, what wonderful times they had together, didn't they? And I would like you to think that with regard to the verses that we read last evening, that as they get to the end of those verses that speak so much, so much concerning the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and his humility, and yet his greatness, I feel, and I like to feel, that they broke up, and went home and meditated on those things. There was so much for them to think about, wasn't there? As they'd thought over those things, as they'd read them. And let's remember, so many of the things were new to them, wouldn't they desire to go home and think over these things, so that they might get the good out of what they'd had? Then they come together the following day, or the following evening, and they read these words, or hear these words read, wherefore, my beloved, as ye have obeyed. Wherefore, my beloved, and as they think of the one that's written to them, and as they think of the word that he uses with regard to them, why does he call them beloved? You know we can quite easily use these phrases, can't we? With regard to ourselves, we can speak of a brother as a brother. Here the apostle spoke of Epaphroditus as a brother, but how does he use a term like this? Wherefore, beloved? I feel that there's a great depth of meaning in it, as I think of him so far away, and so unable to reach them and to speak to them. There's that love that goes out because there's the link between them, because of the very fact that that little assembly had been formed, and he'd been there when it was formed, and they were the beloved to him. And then he'd heard messages from them, hadn't he? And he says now, as ye have always obeyed. And I think that they're wonderful words. As I think of them, I wonder really how they did obey. As I think of the apostle Paul being with them, living with them there, and no doubt he wasn't there very long, I think of them having one whom they could turn to while he was there. Don't you think that it was important that they should? You know, because with regard to ourselves, we have the word of God to turn to as we gather. That word is so often opened, and as it's opened, we can resort to that word for what we need. But what had they? What had they when he firstly went to Philippi? They had his word and his word alone, and as he spoke, how much they must have appreciated it. But they hadn't obeyed his word. It was the word that he had given from God that they obeyed. You know how sad it is today to think that many who call themselves believers on the Lord Jesus Christ say concerning parts of the Scripture, well, that's what Paul might have said in that day, but, well, we don't take that today. They had obeyed the word of God through the apostle Paul, and let's remember that those words that are found in the Scripture, whatever they may be, if they cut across that which we feel to be right in ourselves, they are the Scripture for us, and we should maintain that word. Is it ever outdated? It's not outdated, and as we see the word coming down to us tonight, it is because God desired that it should come down to us, and therefore we have it in our hands today. But how had they obeyed? Oh, while he was there, how favoured they were, and if there was any question that they desired to know concerning their new life, they just turned to him, and they asked him concerning the question, the problem that that had. But how about when he went? How about when he went? Haven't you often heard with regard to believers on the Lord Jesus, well, you know, we haven't got Brother So-and-So now, so I don't know what's going on, I don't know what will go on, because Brother So-and-So won't be with us, and however will the meeting go on? Well, there was the time when Paul had to go from this assembly, and what was going to happen to them then? It was, no doubt, the opportunity for the enemy to say to them, yes, it was all very well when the apostle was here, but why go on? Or on the other hand, if you go on, why be so faithful, because there's so many things that are present you don't understand, what are you going to do? But he says, as ye have always, always obeyed. Now, I was startled really when I saw that word, because as I read those words, I felt I haven't always obeyed, and yet, as he thinks of these wonderful brethren gathered together here, he says, as ye have always obeyed. Not as in my presence only, but as so much more in my absence. So now that the apostle Paul had gone, had left them, although it was so difficult for them to go on without the help, the great help, the spiritual help that he might be, they were going on much more. You know, they're wonderful words, aren't they? I think it has been in some little gatherings, when brothers so and so has had to leave, that it's brought other brothers to realise their responsibility, and there has been much more in that way. Don't you think that so often we do rely so much on brothers? I know that we should, because each brother should be a help to his gathering where he is. But when that brother doesn't happen to be there, don't you think that we ought to be in the position to be able to help one another? Should it be that just because that one brother's not there, that things should not go on? Much more! And how I hear sometimes in the little country meetings where I go to, how it's been said to me, but brother so and so wasn't there, but we had a wonderful time over the Word. Why? They'd got the Word before them, and there the Lord was more than enough for them in these circumstances. As ye have obeyed, not as in my presence only, but so much more in my absence, work out your own salvation in fear and trembling. Your own salvation. You know, if there's one thing I remember, it is years ago a brother speaking. I forget where he spoke. I know the brother, he was John Weston, and he spoke on your own salvation. And he made it to be very wonderful because of the fact that we have our own salvation, and it's a wonderful thing, isn't it? As we were thinking of those wonderful words last night concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, we saw those seven steps that he took downward so that he might procure that salvation for us so that it might be our own salvation, and what terrible steps they were. Even, the Scripture told us, even to the death of the cross, that ignominious death. And now, because of what he's done for us, we have our own salvation, and isn't that wonderful? Yes, but you say, with regard to it here, it says that we are to work it out, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, and what really does that mean? Does it mean to me that if I'm to know anything and appreciate the fact that I have salvation, I've got to work for it? I think that there are people that would give us to believe that we have to work for our salvation, and they'd use this Scripture to tell me that I'm to work for my salvation. Maybe there's somebody younger here tonight that as they read that Scripture, they might feel in themselves, well, after all, is it that the salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, is it that it is so? Is it that after all, I must do something toward my salvation? I must hold on during my life and be faithful to him right to death, otherwise my salvation won't be complete? And when it comes that the Lord Jesus Christ will come, if at that time I haven't held on to that time, then it will be he won't take me to be with him? Now, that would mean that it wouldn't be my own salvation at this moment. It would mean that it would be a salvation of works. And the Scriptures say that it's not of works, lest any man should boast, and we see so clearly in the Scripture that when the Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross of Calvary, with regard to the work of salvation, he could cry with a loud voice, it is finished. And then last evening, didn't we see with regard to the Lord Jesus, because he had fully satisfied a holy and a righteous God, it says, wherefore God also hath highly exalted him? So when I think of my salvation, I haven't got to work for it. If it was that in any way at all I was to work for my salvation, I wouldn't be able to start. No, but I know that the Scripture would have me to know that the work for my salvation was finished at the cross, and there a holy and a righteous God is satisfied with regard to my sins, and so that now it's my salvation, and I know it and I can say I have that salvation. And now the apostle says, you work it out. You work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Yes, but how am I to do this? And the Philippians, as they read this epistle, the one with another, they might say, brother to brother, now he says work out our salvation, does that mean that we've got to live it out, and one would turn to another and say, well, haven't we been doing that for nearly ten years now, living out our salvation? You think that it means that it's living out our salvation? There are many of us that are here tonight that this world would come to. We've been saved so many, many years. Does it mean that we're to live out this salvation? Isn't there a deeper thought in this? Isn't it that the apostle now, knowing what brethren these were, knowing how faithfully they'd been, because every remembrance of them he glorified God for, and here he says, as ye have obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more in my absence, he says now, you work it out to its entirety. Don't be halted. Yes, work it out to its entirety. It might be that somebody might give you a wonderful camera for your birthday, and as you have that camera, there's everything on it that you'd like. Doesn't tell you anything about it, but he hands it to you, and there you're in the possession of a wonderful camera. You take it out, and you take a few snaps. You don't know anything about it. You take and have them developed, and there they are, and you show the man that has given you the camera, and he looks. You're pleased, and he looks, and he says, Do you realize that you haven't worked this camera out? You must see with regard to this that there are so many things that you haven't used. I want you to use it to its entirety, and when you see that, you'll say it's rubbish. Don't you think that we are halted in our pathway with regard to our salvation? What does the Lord say to us? Go on! The apostle says to these Philippians who had been working their salvation for a long while, living it out, he says, Go on, and go on, and continue to go on, and work it out in its entirety. Yes, that's what he meant them to do. Work it out to its entirety, and don't be halted. You know, I feel that with regard to believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, there are many that are halted in their salvation. They don't work it out to its entirety. In one instance, I see in the Galatian epistle, where there were those that the apostle spoke about. He said to them, as he wrote to them, Ye did run well. You were working out your salvation, but what did drive you back? Not what did hinder you. They weren't just hindered, but if you are halted, you're driven back as well. We must realise that. We just don't stand still, and if we're halted, we're driven back. Ye are. Ye did run well. What did drive you back? Somebody came in and taught something that was not according to the will and the word of God, and they were driven back. How many have been halted? And it might be that they've been halted by little trivial things. It might be that sometimes their pride has been touched. Perhaps they are not able to sit even in the seat that they've been found in so long. They come in the meeting, and there's somebody sitting in their seat, and they've taken umbrage, because at time after time then, somebody sits in their seat, and they've always sat in their seat, and they're not going to have it. It might be, on the other hand, somebody doesn't shake hands with them, and how they feel affronted because of the fact that somebody hasn't shaken hands. And because of that, they're halted in their pathway. They're not going to have anything to do with that brother or sister that didn't shake hands with them. In fact, they don't feel that they are very happy to go into that room at all, because after all, they've been slighted by that brother, and if he's in with other brothers, well, how are they going on? And therefore, because of that, they are the losers, aren't they? They are the losers. They lose their joy in the Lord. Who else is the losers? Well, their brethren are the losers, because after all, through such a trivial thing, it might be other little things, through such a trivial thing, the brethren lose the fellowship of their dear brother or their dear sister. They lose his worth. They lose his usefulness in the midst. And what's so sad? The Lord is the loser, isn't he? Because he loses his portion among them. Yes, work out your own salvation. Work out your own salvation. Yes, but you say, this is rather obscure to me. How am I to work it out? You're to cultivate it. That's what you're to do. As we, as gardeners, cultivate our ground, we don't expect for a moment that we just leave the ground as it is. We don't expect for a moment that people will be satisfied with that garden unless it's cultivated. We can cultivate our salvation, or on the other hand, we can neglect it. You know that is so, isn't it? We can come to the Lord Jesus Christ and know him as our saviour, and then, as we've known him as our saviour, we can just sit where we are and we can go no more forward in what we've done. We can just allow it to be like that. We can go in and out meetings, and when we hear the word, we can hear it as entertainment and go out of the door and say, well, that was very nice, or that wasn't so nice, and he wasn't so nice tonight, was he? We can do those things. And after all, we're not cultivating our salvation. We're neglecting it. In cultivating our salvation, it is that there's a constant work, isn't there? There's a constant going forward, and as in cultivation, there are things that we cultivate and things that we weed out, so in our lives, I feel that there are things that we should cultivate and things that we should weed out. You know, as a gardener, how we dislike those weeds. I know when they came, and I know that the curse was pronounced upon the earth, and we shall always have them, but how we do like to get them out of the way of those things that we cultivate so that they in turn might grow, so that there might be the growing. Doesn't it give me the thought that with regard to my life, I've got to weed out things? There's got to be the self-judgment with regard to my life, and that's to be continual, hasn't it? With regard to my life, I've got to always reckon myself, as the Apostle Paul did, because he says concerning himself, I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, and I've never got to expect anything different from that there. And if anything raises its head, well then it is that I've got to deal with it straightway. I don't expect anything different in a garden that I'm working in. If I dig it and make it never so clean, I'm going to definitely expect that after a little while, there'll be those little seedlings come up that perhaps people might think are flowers, but after all I know that they're weeds, and they've got to be grubbed out. And isn't it so with our lives? Isn't it that we've got to reckon, and we're to continue to reckon with God with regard to the flesh? That's got to be. If there's the continual judgment, self-judgment with regard to myself, then I'll go forward. Then I'll go forward in these things. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, with deep exercise. I wonder how much we think of this, because we might be very, very satisfied with just how we've got on, and where we've got on in a spiritual way. And we might think now that as we might have the Scripture to our fingertips, we might feel that we have, and we might know the different teachings concerning the different epistles and other parts of the Bible. Well, I'm all right now. I'm all right now. I need not to take any notice of that word. But there is to be the deep exercise with regard to my life, and living this life out, right to the end. As I think of living this life out, I'm to live it out in its entirety. And what a wonderful thought this is, and how necessary it is for us to work this out with fear and trembling. Yes, but you say, as I think of this thought that you've presented tonight, however am I going to do that? However is it going to be possible that I, a poor creature that I am, saved by the love and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, picked up in mercy and grace, however am I going to work these things out in my life? For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. It's God that's going to do this through me. It's God that's going to act, so act through me, so that I'm able to work out, and work out in that way to its entirety. But I'm going to be the greatest hindrance to that, aren't I? And therefore he says, as he thinks of the relationships again of brethren among themselves, do all things without murmurings and disputings. You know, there are some people, we know them, don't we? When we get to them, we know that this certain person, they'll speak to us, they'll be squealing about the things that are happening to them, and how sad they are with regard to the things, and how often, instead of having their hearts and their eyes turned upward and having a joy in their hearts, they're murmuring. Now, isn't this old-fashioned? Because if we look into the Word of God with regard to the Israelites, how often we read, with regard to the Israelites, that the children of Israel murmured. Now, when the children of Israel murmured on one occasion, God showed the source of that murmuring in the fact that after they had murmured, he sent fiery serpents among them, and many bit the people, and many died. The source of that murmuring was traced to the serpent. When we think of ourselves as believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, and when we think of the place that he has placed us, remember that we have an enemy, and he would have us to murmur. We see the source of all murmuring there was traced to the serpent. We see the serpent again put upon the pole. There's the source of the murmuring. Satan, the enemy of our souls, causes us to murmur. And when we murmur, when we grumble, when we complain, then it is that we're doing that which is according to his mind and not according to the mind of the Lord. Now, the apostle Paul knew something about this, and when he tells them not to murmur, when we see him tell them not to murmur here, he says that in every way he has learnt to be thankful to the Lord. Yes? In every way he's to be thankful to the Lord, and when he thinks of all these things, he can say on another occasion, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. And therefore, when he speaks to them and asks them not to murmur, then it is that he's upholding a truth that he really believes. But how much that murmuring comes in. Murmuring and disputing and disputing. Don't you think that in all our disputes, when we feel that we have a right to dispute, don't you think that it is so often that we're bringing ourselves forward and not disputing for the Lord? Now he says with regard to this, let all things be done without murmuring and disputing, that ye may be blameless and harmless. Blameless and harmless. And as I was thinking of these words, I couldn't help but reflect again upon the Lord Jesus Christ who when he was here was blameless and harmless. Blameless. When I think of the Lord Jesus, we said so much about him last night. Very feebly, but so much about him. But when I think of him as being the blameless one, I see him walking through this world and as he walked through this world, I see that whatever he said, there was never a time when he had to retract one word. He was blameless. There was never a time when he put out his hand to any work. Or when he had to retract his hand because it was a wrong thing to do. And as I think of the hands that I have, and you can look down at your hands, how often we've put our hands to things and it could be said of us afterwards, we're not blameless. With regard to the Lord Jesus Christ in the whole of his pathway, we see him in every step that he trod. He trod it to the glory of God his Father and never was it that he had to retrace one step. But with regard to ourselves, sometimes we say with regard to the steps we take, if only we could have retraced that step. But then the step has been taken and been taken finally. Blameless, how blameless he was. And harmless, sincere. Sincere. As we think of him during that pathway, we see his sincerity and his unmixed state as he was found in this world right the way through to the end. And here the apostle says, yes, I want you to be blameless and harmless. The sons of God without rebuke. But where are you going to work? You're blameless and you're harmless, but you're going to work in such a different atmosphere to this that don't let it rub off on you. You're going to work among a crooked and perverse generation. And if that was so in that day, how much more it is today that we are living and working in a crooked and perverse nation. As we think of those words, how sad it is that those things can rub off on us. Now when I say that they can rub off on the words that we say. They can rub off on our actions. They can rub off on our relationships with others and how sad that is. And yet he says, there you're to be, but you're to be there as those that shine as lights in this world. So here we've got the darkness of the world and there we've got the lights and that's what we're to be. We're to shine as lights in the world. Now this shows me something that as I live down here, I'm one that's got to reflect the Lord Jesus Christ. Because while he was here, he said concerning himself, I am the light of the world and afterwards he spoke of them as being lights in the world, the light of the world. And as we are found here shining as lights in the world, we must know that a light that shines is seen. And with regard to everyone of us that are here tonight, blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, that's how we're to be shining as lights in this world. It has to be that as we see the Lord Jesus Christ in his perfect pathway here and as he's left us that example to follow his steps, it's to be that we follow him here. It's to be that we follow him here in that way. Now it's to be so because of the fact that afterwards he says holding forth the word of life. Now the speaking comes after the acting and so often we feel how important it is to hold forth the word of life and that may come uppermost in our minds. Don't you think that the conduct of our lives is most important before we open our mouths and hold forth the word of life to this world? How important it is where we live and where we work to so live and work in those places so that others might see us shining as lights in this world. It's important. And then we're in the position to hold forth the word of life. That's what we're in the position to do. You say, who's to do that? Well, you look around the meeting tonight and you look around your people around and you say, well, they can do it. But it's something that everyone is to do. Holding forth the words of life. Holding forth that word to a world. Giving out that word. And what a wonderful word is placed into our hands and it's something for every one of us to do. Now, we don't always do it on the platform and this is not the most important place to do it. Let's remember that. How important it is that we should hold forth the word of life where we work and where we live and I'm so struck with the way in which some people are able to do this. I have in mind now one little man that sometimes visits our meeting and he's able to go round various houses and quite easily he's able to speak to the people in that house, attract their attention and to be able to speak that word of life to them and what a wonderful gift that is. I feel it's a great gift. A greater gift than standing here and speaking forth the word of life. There he is able and he contacts so many people in that way. Holding forth the word of life. It can be done over the fence by neighbours, can't it? When they're hanging out, they're washing. It can be done in many, many ways. But there are, in my mind, thoughts concerning this and we must remember those thoughts. It must be done. It must be done prayerfully. When we think of the very fact that we're here and we can hold forth that word of life, it must be that as we hold forth that word of life we realise that we must call down God's power upon the word that we speak and it's not the eloquence in which we present the message. It's not that at all but it is that we call down His power, call down Him in that word so that as that word is presented it is blessed. Yes, it must be done prayerfully. It must be done patiently and it must be done continuously. And the Apostle says to these dear ones here and it may be done sacrificially. It may be done sacrificially. It may be that you will give your life for holding forth the word of life and if you give your life I'm willing and ready to be poured as a drink offering upon your sacrifice. He was willing with them to sacrifice himself for the word of life. Now I know that in this country today where we are there is little sacrifice in that way but are we willing to sacrifice for the word of life? Are we willing? Do we so appreciate the word that has been the means of blessing to us that we're willing and ready to hold forth that word of life? That we're willing to sacrifice for it? We're willing to give our time and perhaps we're willing to give our name for that word of life. Are we willing to do that? The Apostle Paul was in his day. How these words must have been a comfort to these dear young Christians but now he's going to comfort them more because of the very fact that he has somebody with him. He has a young man living with him or with him at this time and who was that young man? Timothy. He says now I want to send Timothy to you and as I read those words I feel that as the Apostle says these words he shows what love is in his heart to these Philippians. He called them beloved and because he called them beloved he was willing and ready that Timothy should go and visit them. But you say well what was he doing there with the Apostle? I want you to think of them as the older man Paul aged maybe at this time he calls himself aged in those later epistles and there was this younger man. What had they in common? What had they in common? They had so much in common. He'd worked as a son with the father in the Gospel hadn't he? And as we think of him here at this moment he was here as a comfort to that older brother. I want you to take it in that way. Here he is in the jail with this great man Paul at this time and how much of a comfort it must have been to him as day after day he visited the Apostle Paul. Yes he was a younger brother and that was his service of the Lord to go there and have fellowship with him. But on the other hand don't you think that it was two-sided in the fact that here was a younger man that was going to be left behind and he was going to be left behind and as he went into that jail and as he listened to the words that the Apostle spoke didn't he eagerly cling hold to those words because of the fact that he knew that it might be that he might be left behind in the position that the Apostle had been left and so much would depend upon him so how necessary it was for him to listen to that older brother. You know there was one holiday I had just after the war and I lived during that holiday with an older brother and what a wonderful privilege I had to be with him our late brother Keane. Day by day as we walked along I was able to just listen to what he had to say to me and as I listened I eagerly listened and gained so much from him because he'd gained from the Lord and I was able to gain. Isn't it something for our younger brethren to realise that the older brethren have something to offer them? Isn't it that here a younger one was willing and ready to spend his time, his company for the Apostle Paul and by that he was able to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Now what sort of man was he? You say he was a young man but the scripture says let no man despise thy youth and therefore he was a young man and I would gather with regard to him that he was a weak young man and he might have been a timid young man and not too willing to speak but he was a gifted young man and I would gather with regard to him that he had been one that had been willing and ready to take notice of the scriptures from his youth for from a child he had known the scriptures that were able to make him wise unto salvation from a child he'd known those scriptures, he'd taken an interest in those scriptures and there he is, this young man and the Apostle Paul says now I love him to be here and he's so much of a comfort to me that I love you so much I'm going to send him to you why am I sending him to you? because I have no man like minded that would naturally care for your state what this young man yes he was a young man well he was assembly minded I'll put it that way with regard to him here was a young man but he was assembly minded now I feel that here is a word for younger people today you know we have our younger people's meetings which are very very good and I'm very very pleased to think of these young people's meetings where young people gather together and where they're able to appreciate the things concerning our Lord Jesus Christ but let's be assembly minded as well let's be assembly minded as well and let's realise that with regard to this young man the deep things that he learnt were from that great Apostle as he journeyed about with him in his gospel ministry up and down the country and he said I have no man like minded that would naturally care for your state why? why is it that you say this Paul? for all seek their own not the things that are of Jesus Christ and how sad that was and doesn't it show how great a need there is today for our younger people to know these deep truths and know these great truths so that they might be so that they might be strengthened and kept in this day when all seek their own isn't it something that we see not only in the world but doesn't it creep in the church that all seek their own not the things that are of Jesus Christ and then he says concerning himself and I hope to come I don't know how it's going on with me when I go up to be tried but I hope to come with you but there's one thing that's certain I'm going to send Epaphroditus to you Epaphroditus and do you know what that man's name means? it means agreeable you know I think he must have been a wonderful man to live with and when the Apostle speaks of him he says he's my brother he's my brother now when I think of those two maybe, well in all possibility it was true that with regard to the Apostle Paul he was far in advance to him in a spiritual sense but he looks on this one this agreeable man and says he's my brother, why? don't you think that he showed him that great affection it was that now he was here day after day writing this Philippian epistle to the Philippians don't you think that he showed his love to this great Apostle he was his brother, he was lovable and that's just how we ought to be the one with another but not only lovable but I see with regard to him that he was a fellow labourer he was a fellow labourer and if it had been that the Apostle Paul needed anything there it was that he was willing and ready to labour we might be lovable and as we think of ourselves as being lovable let's remember that there's something else we ought to be fellow labourers I remember saying something to a brother once with regard to his meeting I feel that I wasn't too right in what I said I shouldn't have said it but he said to me you know our meeting gets on very well we all get on very well together and I said there was a little truth in what I said well I think that when people are asleep they do get on well together usually knowing the sleepiness of the meeting yes not only was he lovable and not only did he get on with people but also he was his fellow labourer they worked together and fellow soldier they strove together as we think of him striving together in the faith of the Gospel how willing he was to strive he was an Epaphroditus and also he was one that was willing to be sent he said your messenger one that when the Apostle Paul said now I want you to write this letter but I want you to take it I want to send you you know that's a wonderful word isn't it that was the word I trust to send Timothy I hope to send Epaphroditus to you and as we think of those two those two willing to be sent willing to be sent anywhere what a wonderful spirit they had you know I feel as I see dear brothers leave this country and go to other countries with the word of God how wonderful it is for them to be willing to be sent where the Lord would have them to serve willing to be sent here Epaphroditus was willing to be sent as well he said and my minister and as I think of him as the minister of Paul willing to give his time to this Apostle that was in prison and how willing he was to do that are we willing to give our time to the people of God you know the Lord would have us to do that as we think of this man this agreeable man wasn't he agreeable in every sense and as I think of his great service we see that his great service brought him near to death he was willing because of this service to the Lord almost to die and as we think of that service what a great service it is now we did read work out your own salvation with fear and trembling we have seen in this scripture how that we can work that out and don't you think in closing that those two men Timothy and Epaphroditus were ones that worked out their own salvation with fear and trembling and we see that man do it to its very extent …

… 3. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me, indeed, is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision, for we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law a Pharisee, concerning zeal persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless. But what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but down, that I might gain Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, are being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded, and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, where unto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, and let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. What wonderful words we were reading last night, weren't we? But as we come to this third chapter of Philippians, the apostle says, now I want to tell you something about myself. Now he was a man of joy, and if he desired those in Philippi to be joyous, surely he should show them how he was that man of joy. Now here he's going to tell us something about the sacrifice that he gave, so that he might know something of that joy, because I don't think that joy is known apart from sacrifice. Don't you think that with regard to ourselves today, in so many ways we are not willing, as we come to the Lord Jesus Christ, to fully give him our hearts and our lives? We want to save back in our lives many things that we have, and we don't give him the whole of our hearts and our lives. Isn't it that with regard to our lives it's just like a house, and as we see the house we say with regard to it, well there are rooms, Lord Jesus, that I want you to enter, but there are those rooms that I've always had and I want them for myself. And if we think that we're going on in that way, and have joy in our lives, well it's going to be a very very sad time, because we will not have the fullness of that joy unless we're willing to give sacrifice, just as this man sacrificed. Now, as we think of him sacrificing, do you think for a moment that he was a poor man beforehand? He'd got much to give up, and as we think of the man giving up here, I want you to think of him naturally just for a little while. We'll go on to what he was and what he said he was later on. But naturally, I would say with regard to him, he was, at the beginning, a younger man when he came to the Lord Jesus. He was a man that was very intelligent, he was very well read, there were so many things concerning him that made it appear that he was right on the threshold of a wonderful life. Beside that, I would gather, because he could have the education that he did have, that he came from a wealthy family. And as I think of him naturally, you know you'd say, well you've got nothing to lose, have you? Go on as you are, because look what a wonderful life you have. No, but as he turns into this scripture, he says some words that he, well he gives words, I'll put it that way, he gives words right at the beginning to show where true rejoicing comes. It doesn't come through what we have or what we are naturally, but he says, finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. Now again, I say with regard to the words that he uses, for those Philippians, he really meant them, he really meant them that they were his brethren, as he was a great man, a great apostle writing to them and had the authority of apostles so to write. They're his brethren, he loves them, he loves them. As we were speaking concerning that agreeable man Epaphroditus last evening, here he says, my brethren, my brother, my brethren, what a wonderful word. But rejoice in the Lord. Now wherever else could the apostle Paul rejoice in? When I think of all that he had previously, I don't think for a moment that he fully rejoiced in those things. There are people today that have thoughts with regard to their rejoicing for this world, thoughts with regard to happiness that they might have, but have you noticed that in the word of God, the word happiness, although it's mentioned, it's not mentioned so much as that word joy that's something deeper, something more profound, something more serene and the apostle so often uses the word joy and rejoice and he really means it. And the only rejoicing can be found in the Lord. Now when I think of the words that follow, I wonder what he really meant them for. Was it that he meant them with regard to the rejoicing? He says, to say the same things unto you is not, indeed to me is not grievous, but for you it's safe. Is it about the dogs that are following or is it about the rejoicing in the Lord? I feel that we could take it in either way because of the very fact that people, believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, don't always find their rejoicing in the Lord. And as here he would speak to them and maybe the last time in speaking to them, we realise that he says, if you're going to rejoice at all, it's going to be that your rejoicing will be in the Lord and what a wonderful rejoicing that will be. But straightway he says concerning those that would hinder that rejoicing because our rejoicing can be hindered by things that come into our life, he says beware. Beware. So on the one hand we have the rejoicing and he says to say the same things unto you is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs. Now as he would say these words to them, I would gather by what we read later on in the chapter that he'd warned them before with regard to evil workers in their midst. He'd continue to speak in the same vein concerning that same thing, but he says to say the same thing unto you, to me is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Now as I look through the scripture I find that the word is a word of repeat. Have you ever read through the book of Deuteronomy and seen how many times that wonderful man Moses spoke concerning the duties of the children of Israel, what they should do to be blessed and what they should not do so that they might still have that blessing? Have you ever thought as well of that man that forgot, that man Peter who lost the joy, lost his joy because of the fact that he forgot and there after that when he wrote those two epistles he wrote so that other people might remember and he said I'm going to write, I'm going to speak to you, I'm going to write and not only am I going to bring these things to your remembrance now, but after I've gone there they will be so that you'll remember. And don't you think that we need this? As we think of the children in the school they are so often in their lessons they have one lesson concerning a certain subject but there it comes again perhaps the next day brought up in a different way but the same lesson. And I mention again tonight with regard to these two things, to write the same thing unto you is not grievous but for you it's safe. We need these warnings, we need this instruction with regard to our rejoicing and if we don't take notice of either of these warnings we're not going to have the joy in our hearts that we might have. But he says beware, beware. There they were a little assembly no doubt going on with the Lord, how pleased he was to be able to write that love letter to them as he was and yet he had to say beware, beware, beware on three occasions. Beware of the dogs, of the dogs. He knew who they were, he'd had so much experience with these that were outwardly Christian, professedly Christian and yet seeking to bring the law in and therefore mar the finished work, the full work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew what they were and he knew that if they had the opportunity of working among these Philippians then it would be they would lose this joy. They were troublemakers and you know I feel that we have to be warned of troublemakers today, don't we? I know that we haven't got Judaising teachers today but we've got to be very, very careful of people who will not give the Lord Jesus Christ his right and proper title, his right and proper place, who will not give him that which is suitable to him with regard to the truth concerning his person and his work. Beware, beware, beware because if we do not give him that high position that's his and if we do not see the fullness of that which he has done and the fullness of his person then it will be that we will lose our rejoicing. He saw and he looked upon these Jewish teachers and he says with regard to them, yes, and as I think of these things that these men will bring forth they further those things according to themselves, according to the flesh and as I see that which they would bring before you if there are any that would boast concerning the flesh well I can boast more. Why did Paul bring something in this way of boasting before them? Why was it that Paul was going to speak concerning himself? Because he says on one occasion but God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wasn't it that he was going to show that all those things that he might have gloried in in time past were things that were according to the flesh and there was no joy in glorying in them? He'd left them behind and counted them but but he says I can glory I have these things I've had these things. They are of the circumcision. They are of the concision. He said we are of the circumcision. Let's think of that for a moment firstly. We are of the circumcision. We are the circumcision. Reminding me of the very fact that here he says we have no confidence in the flesh. We have no confidence in the flesh. It was that these men had flesh before them but now with regard to those of whom he speaks he says we are the circumcision. We have that circumcised life, that consecrated life. It is with regard to ourselves firstly we have no confidence in the flesh. That's where we begin when we come to the Lord Jesus. But we have a consecrated life because it might be certainly with regard to ourselves that we say yes we have no confidence in the flesh and we wouldn't do this and that to pamper to the flesh and then leave things just like that and it can't be brethren. It is that we live a consecrated life. It means that although we have no confidence in the flesh that our hands are filled for him. Ever was it with regard to the Apostle that his hands were filled. He lived that consecrated life as we see him living down here whether it be on his missionary journeys or on the other hand where whether it be in the prison there he was and his hands were filled for the Lord. As we think of him with his hands filled for the Lord what a wonderful man he was. He lived that consecrated life. Do we? He lived that Christ-centered life because he said to me to live is Christ as we mentioned the other night and to die again he lived this Christ-centered life. Christ was his center but the flesh was before these men and now he says now I will turn to you and I'll tell you with regard to what I can boast in and you can imagine there Paul coming out and adorning himself with those things that had been his in former years and he said are they circumcised? Yes I was circumcised. I have the mark of circumcision. I was circumcised the eighth day not as an adult. Maybe among many of those that had pressed for these various things they had been circumcised as an adult and he had been circumcised at the proper time at the eighth day. Yes of the stock the true stock the stock of Israel yes I come from the true stock the stock of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin and when we think of that little Benjamin it's spoken of in the scripture of little as little Benjamin he knew his tribe. Now if you turn back to the first chapter of Numbers there it was that people that were in Israel had to declare their pedigree and here he was and as a Jew he was able to declare who he was. He says I come from that tribe the tribe of Benjamin the faithful tribe and the favorite tribe that's the tribe I come from. Can they say that they come from that tribe and now again I'll tell them something else I am a Hebrew of the Hebrew see I'm true-blooded a Hebrew of the Hebrews and then with regard to my life it isn't that my life my education has been neglected as touching the law I'm a Pharisee is it that they can say that they have been under Gamaliel as their teacher as touching the law I'm a Pharisee and I have not neglected in any way my education in Jewish things. Concerning zeal persecuting the church and as we see the Apostle Paul with the zeal that he had as there he would be among those Jews at the time how zealous he was for the Lord. We must say as we see the life of the Apostle that during the whole of his life he was a zealous man but firstly he as others had a zeal but not according to knowledge and therefore we see him concerning zeal persecuting the church. Touching the righteousness which is by the law blameless and as we see that young man there he could stand in Jewish circles and no one could point a finger at him because he was above those his equals in age what a wonderful man he was and you'd say naturally speaking that with regard to him having all these things as a Jew and having those things naturally that I mentioned earlier well whatever does he want otherwise to make him happy yes but he says but you know there's lots of buts in people's lives and here that but comes in but whatsoever things were gained to me there were those things that he may have counted gain and as we think of these things that were before the Apostle at this time he looks back on them there was the time when he had greatly appreciated the fact that he was an Hebrew of the Hebrew there was the time when proudly he'd walk along the road among those people but now he says but whatsoever things I counted gain I counted gain those I count loss what for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my lord yes Paul but that was a long while ago wasn't it that was before you were put in prison wasn't it how do you feel about it now because in those years long ago you had that enthusiasm as a young a convert has and you may have felt like that in that day but how about today how about today here it is you're in prison and it may be that you'll never leave this prison again you've been beaten in your lifetime so many things have happened to you you had that zeal at the beginning but what about it now and I do count I do count so here we see that there's a man that's founded wonderful joy and that wonderful joy has meant that that previous life of his is gone and he wants it to be gone there he is as he thinks of all those wonderful things that that had made up his life and as he had adorned himself with those wonderful garments he takes them off one by one and he doesn't want to wear them again he doesn't want to wear them again for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my lord as I think of him and as I think of him firstly looking upon the Lord Jesus Christ in the glory and saying who art thou Lord he says now I count all those things but loss that I might gain Christ not he was going to win him he couldn't do that could he there's not one of us that can win Christ but the one thing he did in turning his back on all those things and coming to the Lord Jesus Christ and knowing him as his Savior he's gained Christ he's gained Christ and in gaining Christ how much he has in Christ that I may gain Christ and be found in him in him that's the word that we were reading the first evening we came together because we were speaking of those wonderful Philippians and we were saying that they were in Christ and it was such a wonderful thing and he says now and they are the words that I use and to be found in him I was found in him at the beginning of my pathway when I left these things and when I turn the put them aside now I'm found in him and I want to be found in him not having mine own righteousness I don't want it to be that when that time comes that I leave this world I'm found in my righteousness I want to be found in him and in him alone you know there's a time coming I don't know whether there is anybody unconverted here tonight but there's a time coming when we'll all we've all to be found before him if we have our own righteousness then it's going to be a very sad thing for us but to be found in him not having our own righteousness but the righteousness that comes alone through the finished work of Christ on the cross then it will be that we should be found in him and be known to him in joy what a wonderful word this is to us tonight yes and as we see these words let's just look a little farther he says be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through faith in faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that I may know him do you remember the time right at the beginning of his pathway when the Lord arrested him when he said to the person in the glory who are thou Lord it was just at that moment that the one that spoke to him from the glory he just didn't know who that one is was and he said I am Jesus whom they'll persecute ist and now he says that I may know him now Paul had been on the road many many years at this time and he says that's one thing that I want to do and that one thing is that I may know him do we know him yes you say I know him as my Savior but I don't think for a moment that the Apostle meant that because he'd known him as his Savior so long and hadn't it been with regard to him he'd spoken words so that others might know him as Savior and therefore I don't think that he means that that I may know him I feel that it means something more than that and I feel that it doesn't mean that as we gather together to read the word and as so often we read that word concerning him that we know him as we read that word we get to know something about him don't we as we get to get together reading the word or on the other hand if we get together as we are tonight and the word is brought before us we get to know about the Lord Jesus Christ but we don't get to know him do we that I may know him don't you think that there was something deeper in this than that which we have as we gather together in this way that I may know him I feel that there's something altogether different here and don't you think that it was that as the Apostle Paul so often went on his journeys that he got to got into the company of the Lord you know there's one occasion in the Acts of the Apostles when it says that he has said to go on foot by himself I wonder why don't you think that he wanted to be alone with the Lord Jesus and to know him more don't you think that there were so many things that he wanted to speak to the Lord Jesus about and don't you think at that time as he was a servant of the Lord there were many things that the Lord wanted to tell him about and he has said to go on foot are we going to know the Lord Jesus Christ if we don't get into his presence I don't think we are that I might know him it was that the Apostle Paul desired to get a constantly more acquainted with him and he was constantly more acquainted with him in the fact that there even where he was in the prison it was that the Lord Jesus could speak to him and he could speak to the Lord Jesus he got to know him but something more and the power of his resurrection and as I think of that resurrection being mentioned here what a wonderful word that resurrection is to us when we think of the resurrection we see that the Lord Jesus Christ was raised for our justification and that's a wonderful thought but I think that as we read concerning the power of his resurrection here this evening it's something that goes more deeply as I think of the Apostle and now thinking of the Lord Jesus in the glory and being commissioned from the glory because he was wasn't he being commissioned from the glory I realize what he meant by the power of his resurrection that there that ascended Lord was able to give him the power that he needed able to uphold him in his pathway so that he could know that power working through him as he went from place to place testifying to the glory and the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as I was thinking of these words a little before coming in I thought of the time when Elisha said to that man Elijah you know when you go I'd like a double portion of your spirit now that's a firstborn portion of course but he said well if thou shalt see me when I'm taken from thee then it shall be and we see that there as Elijah's taken from him so the mantle falls down and so Elisha goes in the power of that mantle there's the man that goes ascends and there's the mantle there's the power that comes down to him a wonderful power isn't it and that power was going to work through him the power of his resurrection and then it says and the fellowship of his sufferings now do you see the absolute perfection of the scripture because it didn't say that I might suffer for him that I might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings because there's wisdom in the fact that if we know the Lord Jesus Christ and if we know the power of his resurrection working in us then we're willing to suffer for him it is that we must know him first it is that we must know something of that power working in us and then we'll be willing and ready to suffer for him you remember in the first chapter he said it's given unto us on their behalf not only to believe but to suffer for him and here the Apostle Paul brings that suffering here again that I might be conformable unto his death what does that mean to be conformable unto his death as I think of him being conformable unto his death it means to me that because of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ that now the Apostle changes his thoughts with regard to himself he changes his thoughts with regard to the world that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ and in every way he's a changed man he's made conformable unto his death yes because he said I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live and as we think of the Apostle walking after that time when he realized that Christ had died for him and now conformable unto his death well he there realizes what he must be in this world and he has such a different attitude to the world and why is this the reason being because of the very fact that now he has before him a prize and as we look into this scripture we see that he has before him a prize and as we think of the prize that he sat before him he says not that I have already obtained not attained obtained I haven't obtained that neither were already the word says in their version perfect but that word is used in so many ways well several ways in the scripture isn't it and in one sense it's used when we're mature to be perfect but it's not so in this case it's perfected not that I have already obtained the prize and neither were already perfected but this one thing I do forgetting those things that are behind now as I think of the Apostle I think of the fact that there were many things that he couldn't forget there was the time when the Lord Jesus Christ called to him choosing him and calling him from the glory he never forgot that day and in fact as we read concerning that day it gets more brighter before him doesn't it if you look at the first story that's written concerning him meeting the Lord Jesus and then if you turn to the 22nd chapter of the Acts and see him speaking concerning meeting the Lord Jesus and then again if you turn to the 26th chapter and see what he says then you see that he hadn't forgotten that day he that was one thing that he didn't forget in fact the day was more bright to him as he lived on in this world he hadn't forgotten that and he never forgot the people of the Lord we read concerning him that he had the daily care of all the churches and when you think of all that that was on his mind there were so many things that he didn't forget he remembered of the Thessalonians their work of faith and their labor of love and their patience of hope there were so many things that he did remember that were important that he should remember but I wonder what these things are that he forgets forgetting those things that are behind now those things that he forgot are things that so often are in our minds and as we think of them we make much of them of what we've done and what we've been used in as I did see the Apostle during that previous part of his life before he was put in prison as Nero's prisoner I see him doing so many wonderful things there he went from place to place people were being converted by the words that he spoke and what wonderful days they must have been day after day he preached the word the people were blessed and then he gathered the people together he spoke the word of the Lord to them they were encouraged they were built up and they formed the assemblies here and there and no doubt these were the things that he kept in their right perspective he forgot them in that sense he forgot them don't you remember a man that remembered the things that he'd done do you remember Obadiah meeting Elijah and he said to him don't you remember that what I did with regard to the prophets how I fed them by fifties see he couldn't forget what he'd done for the Lord the Apostle Paul he could forget these things he could leave them there just where they were he could forget his pains and his sufferings that had been his hadn't it been that the Lord said I will show him what great things he will suffer for my namesake he forgets those things forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward yes I feel that here the Apostle as he's speaking he's showing that he puts every fiber of his being in what he's going to do reaching forth to those things that are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the whole high calling of God in Christ Jesus there a man that can forget the things that are behind because of the prize that is before and I wonder what that prize is don't you think that it is the Lord Jesus Christ don't you think that the Apostle here with the joy that was in his heart for the Lord Jesus don't you think that his prize was the Lord Jesus Christ he looked forward and he looked on to that day when he should see the Lord Jesus because doesn't he say toward the end of this scripture for our citizenship is in heaven our citizenship is in heaven I want you to think of those words a moment because here is the center of the joy that was the Apostle Paul's he said you know really if you'll take notice of the words that I'm telling you we don't belong down here there are those earthly things that you might have appreciated those things that now these false teachers will bring before before you but these things of the earth well they don't connect with us anymore because we don't belong here anymore our citizenship is in heaven is it yes and as the Apostle Paul was sitting there no doubt chained between two soldiers now he said I don't belong down here you'd say well you're chained down here Paul what do you mean you don't belong down here I don't belong here anymore our citizenship is in heaven from whence also we look for the Lord Jesus Christ the Savior of the body now there was a time when he was the Savior of our souls wasn't he don't you remember the time when we came to him we needed him as a Savior we needed him as a Savior from the consequences of our sins but you know we've still got these bodies haven't we and these bodies that we have are not suitable for the glory the Apostle Paul as we see him and as so often we think of him as Paul the aged I wonder what his body was like at this time it had been beaten it had been torn it would be worn out but when we think of him here he says our citizenship is from heaven from whence also we look for the Savior who will change these bodies of humiliation yes he's the Savior of the body here and he's going to change the body that we have those poor old bodies that we have here so creaking and groaning and so painful at times he's going to change them and what's the reason of him changing these bodies now when we think of ourselves down here you know we've appreciated haven't we to a certain extent those things that pertain to the Lord Jesus Christ over the years when ministry has been brought before us it has been that we've appreciated many things concerning him but you know we can never appreciate him in the body that we have here and if it be if it be that we are left in this body it would not be that we could be found in the glory and know so much concerning that person whom we are going to admire later on no he changed this body of humiliation and fashioned it like unto his glorious body now won't that be a wonderful thing I'm speaking simple and I want to be simple won't it be a wonderful thing for those of us that are here tonight to know that they are poor old bodies are going to be changed like unto his own glorious body so that having that glorious body we will be able straightway to appreciate to the full his person we shall be able to gaze upon him now with regard to our eyes how could they focus upon the glory that accrues to the Lord Jesus Christ however could it be possible that we as we are could appreciate what he is and who he is but now having our bodies changed and having eyes that are able to focus upon him you know we shall be able to look into his blessed face won't we well might it be that when we look at this apostle he tells these people in this a chapter what how his joy has been obtained he shows them now that there had been that sacrifice for this joy that he had it so greatly appreciated but you'd say to Paul just at this time now Paul what were the words you said I count I do count and as the Apostle Paul at that great age says those words he says it's been worth it hasn't it when I think of the very fact that he's done so much for me now I'm going to see that blessed face I'm going to be with him and as he turns to the Philippians as they might have been in some senses just a little bit wavered by these false teachers that came in there is the example for them and that's the joy that they can have if they're willing and ready to sacrifice as he sacrificed …

… ...previously, and in the previous chapter of that, concerning the dogs, those dogs, those that were coming in with evil teaching, and isn't it that as he speaks again he says, stand fast. Now I repeat that word because he said, didn't he, to say the same things unto you is not grievous, but for you it's safe, and again I say stand fast. And why were they right at the last, when he's just closing this chapter, this book, why were they exhorted to stand fast? Don't you think that there were so many things that could come in, and they could take the joy away from them, that now he says, if there's one Philippian assembly, they'd been there the whole time, and they'd worked with him during that whole time, and how he had appreciated the ministry that they'd given to him. Yes, they'd been there, and they'd helped him to grow up, helped these sisters, who have laboured with me in the gospel. There were these two sisters that had laboured with him. Now who's he speaking to? I think that he's speaking to Epaphroditus, because Epaphroditus is going back to Philippi, and as he goes back, taking this letter with him, he says to Epaphroditus, now I want you to help them. I don't want you to talk about them. I don't want you to talk about them. You know, if there's one thing that's spoiling to the people of God and their assemblies, it is this, when we talk about troubles. You know, I think every gathering has its troubles, but to talk about troubles, and take troubles from one place to another, it doesn't help the people concerned, and it doesn't help the meeting concerned. Neither are you helping in your life. Talk about Christ. No, he doesn't say to him, talk about them. He says, I want you to talk to them. Help them, and I want you to pray for them. And I thought, just these few hours that I've had studying this word, I've thought with regard to this man, he was in a wonderful position. Why was it that Paul now says, and now you, Epaphroditus, you help these sisters? Why was it? Because when he went back, taking that letter with him, we were thinking the other night that these letters were read out in the meeting. I don't know whether all this one was or not, but if it was, these two dear sisters, knowing that there was somebody that could help them, here it is that they look upon Epaphroditus, and Epaphroditus has had the word to help those two dear sisters. Now you're supposing that you might be Euodias or Syntyche, and you hear this word from the Lord, and spiritually you feel that you've been wrong. Now how are we going to get right? Well there's Epaphroditus, he's going to have a word with us, and he's going to have a prayer with us. He's going to pray for us, he's going to help us. And how wondrous it is to think that this man Epaphroditus might come in just there, and draw those two sisters together, and then the Apostle can burst forth in praise and say, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. And don't you think that if he's able to go back, and if the word that Paul writes, and the words that he's able to say, and the prayer that he offers are answered, don't you think that it will restore the rejoicing in the Lord to them? Yes, as I feel for those dear sisters, how often it's happened with brothers as well. I mustn't just say sisters tonight, it's with regard to every one of us. If there's anything that gets between two brothers or two sisters, let's remember how important it is, because it stops our rejoicing in him, and no doubt with regard to those two, others might have spoken about them, it hadn't helped them, but now the Apostle will help them by getting them together in that way, and that's the Lord's way. If there is to be blessing, that blessing in the assembly must be appreciated by all, and therefore now he says, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice, wonderful words, and more particularly because of the fact of where they come from, from that jail that we've remembered so often this week, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice, and so often we might read those words, and nod our heads, and go away, and forget what we've read, and what we've thought concerning him. So the Apostle here says you're to rejoice in the Lord always, and this is particularly for Euodias and Syntyche, and then he says, let your yieldingness be made known unto all men. The Lord is at hand, the Lord is at your very elbow, he knows. Let your yieldingness be known unto all men. See we look at the Lord, and we rejoice in him, and now he says, let him be your pattern, let him be your object, rejoice in him. Now if I rejoice in the Lord Jesus, I shall take notice of him, and I will pattern my life on his life. Now don't think for a moment I'm going to say I should be perfect as he was in his life, but he's left me that example that I should follow his steps, and I should pattern my life on his life, and therefore he said, let your yieldingness be made known, we're in a little circle, unto all men. The Lord is at hand, the Lord is near, unto all men. May our eyes be on him, may we be like him, because as I think of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ down here, what a life of yielding it was. Now the word here is so different from the word that we had in the first verse, isn't it? There it was stand fast, and with regard to teaching and principles, there is that thought, and there should be that thought in us, to stand fast, but it should be that we're in our pathway as believers, should be meek and yielding, and easily to be entreated as the Lord Jesus Christ was. You think of him, and you think of his life, so often the children's hymns in the Sunday school speak concerning the gentleness and the meekness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be like him, let it be that with regard to ourselves, as we think of his life, let our lives be like him. Wouldn't this come with thought, with force to Eudodius and Syntyche, as they hadn't yielded the one to another? It had been to that moment that being at variance, and now he says let your yieldingness be made known unto all men. Let it be that those in the assembly see you in that way, but it was a word to the whole of the assembly, it's a word to each one of us tonight, that people, all men, should know that we are yielding, we are gentle, we are gracious, that is the attitude that the Lord Jesus Christ showed in this world. Yes, but then he goes on to a prior prayer, and that prayer was, in all things, I'll read it to you so that we get it right. Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And I would say that with regard to that prayer it is, be not over anxious, but in all things by prayer and supplication. And I would suggest to you that as I've begun to speak concerning rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ, and as I've said be like him, I will again say concerning this prayer, and pray like him. Because as I see the Lord Jesus Christ walking his pathway here below, you know the joy in him was found, and that joy was found because ever he was submitted to the will of God his Father, and ever how full his prayer life was. He committed himself to him that judges righteously, and in the whole of his life we see how important prayer life was to him. I would say that with regard to him he was careful for nothing, I would say that with regard to the whole of his life he committed himself to him in such a way that there was not that care, and how in his life there was the peacefulness and the serenity that must be his because of the fact that everything was committed into the hand of God his Father. Don't you think that so often we're like that poor old man Jacob? Do you remember concerning him, he prayed didn't he? I don't suppose he prayed for a long while, but the time comes when he prays, but what's he do first? With regard to him we see that he schemes, I think it's in the 28th chapter of Genesis, he schemes and then just to make things just a bit more safe he prays, and I don't think that he was careful for nothing. I feel that with regard to him at that moment as he'd schemed and then as he prayed he hadn't committed himself to God and it was because of that he had no peace in his heart until he saw how God had overruled in the heart of Esau and how that Esau met him in peace. But here if we follow this pattern rejoicing in the Lord and being like him and praying like him then the scripture says and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall fill our hearts and minds through Christ, the peace of God which passeth all understanding. Now I feel that in this world today there are people who in some senses have a measure of peace or strive for a measure of peace. Some found their peace on the position that they have in this world, some found their peace on the accumulation of the wealth that they have, they feel that as they have so much that nothing can happen to them in this world, and so many others found their peace on all other things. But we must remember that with regard to this peace that passeth all understanding it's not something that we concoct and bring about by our knowledge but it's the peace of God which passeth all understanding because of these things that fills our heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Do you remember when the Lord Jesus Christ was here he said peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid that peace I give unto you and that peace can be ours if it is that we follow those things that we've read before tonight. Yes this wonderful peace and this wonderful prayer and then he says those things to to them another finally he says and finally my brethren he tells them what to think you let read through that verse and see of those things and he says think on these things and the next verse it says do. Now wouldn't it save us quite a lot in our doing if we thought particularly on these lines before we did do things. How often we think and immediately we act and so often we think and then act in that way and it's not according to the will of God and neither is there any benefit in what we do but here we see it's think and then it's do. Now you'll realize the importance of thinking when I would suggest to you that in thinking we spend more time in thinking than in any other subject don't we? Somebody will say yes but you breathe all the time don't you? Yes I know that but otherwise there's not a moment I don't think that there's a moment of our waking lives when we're not thinking so it shows how important our thinking life is. But how is this thinking life occupied? Because in this thinking life we must realize that there are things that might be for our help and our benefit and there are things that may not be for our help and benefit but as we look at this verse just look at it a moment as I read these things and think of our life and challenge our minds is our thinking like this? Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise think on these things and how wonderful our lives will be if we're able to think on these things and then it will be that we'll be in a position to be able to do and now he says do. Now what things were they asked to do just at this moment? Now the things that he'd spoken to them. Now isn't it that so often we forget what we've heard and yet in this epistle and no doubt previously when he was with them nine or ten years previously he'd said lots of things to them and you see just the things that he says now that they are to take notice of and that they are to do. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do, those things that they'd learned, those things that so often he'd spoken to them about while he was with them and those things that not only had he spoken about but although he'd been one that was a great instructor he was so willing and ready to carry the things out that he'd said yes the things that they'd seen in him they were the things to do and the God of Peace would be with them. How wonderful to think of the peace that passeth all understanding and then the God of Peace being with them and what a wonderful exaltation they have here and what wonderful people they might be and then as his letters getting near to its end he must thank them for their great liberality because this little Philippian assembly had sent to him that had helped him and that helped him not only once but several times and how precious it must have been for him even now as he's found in this jail to think that somebody a long way off had thought about him. You know I think our missionaries feel like that when they're on the field and when it is that time and time again as we know our collections are taken there goes the money out and there they think of their home meetings where they've come from and they think of what the Lord has done in the hearts of those people at home so that they might be blessed and don't you think that that which they receive is more than financially to them but it's something that gives them warmth and don't you think that this dear man here received joy from the very fact that those disciples those friends those loving ones that he spoke to in this epistle back there at Philippi were thinking about him and not only thinking about him but showing the excess of their love by giving to him. But he says not that I desire a gift and then he brings out one of the greatest truths with regard to joy that we can have in this epistle because he said I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. Now the Apostle Paul had learned that I wonder what he was like at the beginning of his pathway I'm never told the scripture doesn't show us what happened at the beginning of his pathway but there was one thing a great truth and I would say with regard to every one of us that are here tonight it's a truth that we that is we should covet and learning these things I have learned in whatsoever state I am there with to be content. Now let's remember that in the Philippian assembly there must have been all kinds of people just as there are in our other assemblies today and let us look at this scripture just as it is. Now we might look across the meeting and as we look across the meeting we see somebody there that's very very well off and then we look at across the meeting at somebody else and we know that he hasn't so much as the other brother has and yet you say now what's to happen with regard to these two brethren in between those two there's so many changes and so many differences and yet the Apostle Paul's words come down to us today and he says I have learned I have learned he'd learned that by experience and that experience no doubt had been hard for him but he says I have learned in whatsoever state I am there with to be content hadn't he said on another occasion in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you as I think of these wonderful words how we must take them for ourselves today as we think of this Apostle and as we think of the words he said they cut across what people very often tell us as we make them as believers on the Lord Jesus Christ I have had people say to me concerning my life and concerning their lives well you know what the scripture says our bread and our water is secure but I don't know whether it is under New Testament teaching I don't think that the scripture would have us to know that it is those Israelites that lived of old and lived as an earthly people they were in that wonderful condition as having their bread and their food everything was secure to them but when we see the Apostle Paul and when we read the accounts of what happened in his life don't we see that he knew he knew in whatever state he was there with to be content he knew how to abound and just at this moment as that liberality of the Philippians is given to him don't you think that now he was abounding and knowing how to abound but when we think of perhaps another occasion where there he is lonely and with nothing and perhaps very hungry what does he say well in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you shouldn't it be a lesson to those of us that are here tonight and in the church today when we think that this man in this epistle right the way through is able apart from his conditions which were so sad to rejoice in the Lord always and as I mentioned again again I say rejoice doesn't it bring us back to the words that we were speaking about the other night when we were speaking about the murmuring and doesn't a lot of our murmuring today come because of the fact that we have before us the abounding and the being abased and we are not in that state content because that we haven't this or haven't that you know it is the world today that look for positions it is the world today that look for that to fill their lives but never should it be with regard to the believer on our Lord Jesus Christ now with regard to this there are things that happen and there are things that can be said because of the fact we look upon one that's a rich man this is digressing just a little yes and some people might say concerning him yes and you know he shouldn't be rich because he's a believer and yet I have a scripture that says well if riches come set your not your heart upon them we must realize that that man that has his riches and has them of the Lord he is the steward of the Lord and there he is entrusted to what he has and don't let's think for a moment that we can covet that man's riches let us be as that great Apostle Paul was in his day one who's able to say I have learned there are so many lessons that we learn as we go along the pathway don't we and let us learn this lesson I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content why had he learned that because afterwards he said to these same Philippians because my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus so that as we think of ourselves down here in this world and as we think of all our needs I didn't say all our wants as we think of all our needs that we have in this place in in this scene let us remember that we have one that the Apostle calls my God we have one who is careful for us and in every way and at every juncture in their lives will supply that which we have need of according to what he thinks and according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus so whether we abound or whether we suffer want we're in his hand and in that position let us give thanks to him yes but there are other things to follow I think now as we turn to the end of this scripture we look upon that great Apostle Paul and as we see him there as a man of joy in that jail and as he must have given great joy to that Philippian assembly and as no doubt we've read concerning him this week and received joy from this epistle because of the Spirit of God working through those words we might say to the Apostle Paul yes you have taken joy to that assembly that that Philippian assembly as you have written to them those wonderful words of joy as you have guided them through as you have written this letter so guiding by your letter and by your words so that they know that pathway of joy there is one question that we would like to ask you and that is this the Lord has given you to give us joy but don't you think for a moment that if you were free you would have brought greater joy to the Church of God as a whole I wonder what the Apostle Paul would say I want you to look just at the end of the chapter just as he's sending his greetings and as he sends his greetings he says salute every saint in Christ Jesus the brethren which are with me greet thee all the saints salute you now listen chiefly they that are of Caesar's household Paul's answer to those that would say now Paul you would have been of more benefit to the church if you had been free he says I'm where the Lord has placed me I've been taken brought to Rome put into the jail and as I've been put into this jail my work was not finished when I came to the jail because didn't we say the other night concerning him he didn't chafe but he prayed and he worked and what had been the result of that work we see the result of that work because it says chiefly they that are of Caesar's household and as I look into the concordance I find that that word household there is the only mention of that same word in the scripture that's the mention of the word household that means it in a very very comprehensive way it means to me that as Paul went to that jail and as for the first time he was chained between those two soldiers he began to pray and he began to work because he said in his heart the Lord has me here this is the place that he would have me to be this is the place that I should be full of joy this is the place that he would work through me and now I'm getting on my knees to pray to him that I might show what Christ has done for me and that I might show Christ in this palace and now in this comprehensive way there were those chiefly of Caesar's household in this church what does that mean to me there would be the menial slave that would be there there would be the soldier and maybe one of the soldiers that Paul was chained to he'd hear the gospel he'd hear the teaching he would hear the word when the epistles were being written and as he hears these words those words are taken and as they're taken from one to another it gets into Caesar's household and as we see the work that has happened in that place what a wonderful work it was wasn't it now that brings us down to ourselves doesn't it as we think of ourselves tonight and as we think of the places where we live and where we work and I'll say where we worship don't forget the Lord's placed us just where we are don't let so easily leave where we work or where we live or where we worship but let's remember in the place where we are although we may be able to offer so much criticism that's the place the Lord has placed us and let us pray and let us work and then it will be with regard to that prayer and with regard to that work there will be result as there was here you know very often we think as we've got so far down the chapter that everything is finished in the book but as I think of the words that the Apostle Paul wrote here I think of that last word and as I see the 25th 23rd verse he says the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit not with you all but be with your spirit not with your spirits the word here was the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit now the Apostle Paul says as from the very beginning I exhorted you to be of one mind so my last word to you is to be of one mind now you say rather none during the whole of this visit you've been hammering home unity during the whole of the letter we see that the great Apostle Paul hammered home unity he said if there's to be any joy if your pathway is going to be a pathway of rejoicing it's going to be through that unity that will be be formed between you as believers with that head in glory so now look up and as we think of the words that we were reading last night and as we were rejoicing in the fact that the Apostle Paul says that our citizenship is in heaven let's remember that let's look up let's go on let's pray in the position that the Lord has placed us and let's work there because then and only then will we be here a rejoicing people …