"The Disciplined Life!"
Captivated by Christ: An expository sermon series on Paul's Letter to the Church in Philippi (message #28)
Pastor Jerry Ingalls
October 31, 2010
God’s word from Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV), “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” [Prayer]
In the previous verses, we were commanded to not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we are to present our requests to God. And in response, God gives us His peace, the peace that transcends all understanding. And then what does the Bible say? This holistic divine peace “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. God’s peace guards our inner person (our hearts) and our lifestyles that flow out from who we are (our minds). His peace is like a sentry on the high wall of a fortified citadel. Our verses this morning flow directly from this context. With this military image in mind, we are then exhorted to live a soldier’s life (disciplined!) so that God’s peace does not stand guard in vain. We are to join in the defense by living disciplined lives ourselves.
First, WE LIVE DISCIPLINED LIVES BY FOCUSING OUR MINDS ON GOD’S WORD!
Paul gives us this focus in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
There are a couple ways we can address this verse. We can study each word and see the different nuances that Paul is referencing (I encourage that for you to do for further study), but we don’t need to do that for you to get the point of what Paul is saying. Paul is teaching followers of Jesus Christ how to guard your life from anxiety and stand firm in the joy of Jesus Christ. First, you have to focus your mind, you have to drill yourself, on the promises and truths of God.
Trevor Ragle is going to come up now and demonstrate for us what this looks like. [Trevor, from memory, recites Psalm 139:23, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”]
The undergirding reality to live under the protective watch of God’s peace is that God knows. God knows your thoughts and He cares so much for you that He wants you to be free from the anxiety that burdens you. God also knows we are a people who quickly forget His presence and promises. We are a people easily distracted by our hormones and emotions, our pains and pleasures, our circumstances and causes.
That is why, for nearly 4000 years, the strategy for successful living has not changed. Listen to God’s plan for living a disciplined life and passing the plan from one generation to the next. This word was given to God’s chosen people right before Moses died and Joshua taking them into the Promised Land. From Deuteronomy 6:4-9, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” This is the secret to living a disciplined life; we must know God’s word! This teaching is the key to adult discipleship and successful children’s and youth ministries.
Tina to share testimony and vision for partnership between church and families. [Prayer]
If we are going to raise a generation, then we need to know and focus our minds on God’s word! Aleesa Hernandez has a good word for us! [Aleesa recites from memory Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”] When we fill ourselves with God’s word then we are filled with the peace of God: that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, that which is excellent and praiseworthy! God’s peace is light in a dark place!
Chloe Schaffer has something to teach us. [Chloe recites from memory John 17:17 “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”]
When we focus our minds on God’s word, the word of God which was from the very beginning with God, then we are filled by the One who transforms our hearts, minds, and souls to be acceptable to Him. We are sanctified, set apart, made holy, by talking about, meditating upon, and drilling our minds on the truth of God! This is the power of God to overcome temptation, sin, and evil in our lives! We are given this action plan, to arm ourselves as fellow guards of the great citadel. From 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Do you know how to know a counterfeit bill?
At this time I invite you to break into small discussion groups throughout the Worship Center. I don’t want anyone alone so be a good neighbor and invite someone to you if you see them alone. For the next 5 minutes in groups of 3-5 people discuss these questions found in your sermon notes: Do you have thoughts that you need to put in time out? How does talking about and memorizing God’s word help you have a disciplined thought life?
I hope that this small group time has helped and encouraged you. The key to living a disciplined life is to focus your mind on God’s word and we all need accountability and encouragement in this area! And not just for our thoughts, but also for our lives!
Let’s now turn to the second point, WE LIVE DISCIPLINED LIVES BY ALLOWING GOD’S WORD TO LEAD OUR LIVES!
It is not enough to simply focus your mind on God’s word; you must allow God’s word to lead how you live your life. Your lifestyle reflects that which you know and believe about God. If you think holy thoughts, you will be holy! Your thought life leads your lifestyle!
Paul continued in Philippians 4:9, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and it was pitch dark in your room? Have you ever been disoriented or lost in the dark with no light to guide you? How do you walk in those situations? [Demonstrate groping in the dark.]
Life can be that way when you have no light in the midst of such great darkness! How are you finding your way in the midst of such corruption, such oppression, such moral bankruptcy? And it’s getting darker as we see evidence of the coming storm.
But there is an answer to our groping in the dark. I want to call up Gabe Fischer, one of our little ones to teach us. Gabe, can you teach us what you memorized about God’s word. [Gabe recites from memory Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”]
God’s word focuses us on the right way to walk especially in the presence of great darkness. Don’t be deceived, we are surrounded by the fog of war that darkens the way.
We live disciplined lives when we allow God’s truth to transform the way we think and act. We have been granted the grace to know God and His truth, and to experience His power through the apostolic teaching and living testimony of the body of Christ. We are being challenged to live with integrity by putting into practice that which we claim to know and declare we believe!
Please turn back to your 3-5 person discussion groups and for the next 5 minutes share some responses to these questions found in your sermon notes: Do you have behaviors in your life that do not please God? How can your friends and family help you learn God’s word and allow it to lead your life choices? Do you or your family have a consistent time in God’s word?
Paul emphasizes in verse 9 that there are two ways for us to grab a hold of this new and abundant life we are to live. Neither should be neglected! First, we hear the word of God taught through avenues of formal instruction and discussion. We see this in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” We must not neglect the importance of learning together through the teaching and preaching of God’s word. But this is not the only way we receive the truth.
The life transforming truths of Christianity are caught as much as they are taught. We learn the truths of God through the example set before us by mature Christians who we are to emulate and follow. We see this in 1 Corinthians 4:15-17, “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.”
When I look out, I see dozens, if not hundreds, of people behind each of you. As teachers, mentors, parents, we must know that the disciplined life is not one lived for our own sake, though it is key to the abiding life of God’s peace. The disciplined life is the reality of intentionally following Jesus Christ by making disciples. When you focus your thoughts on God and live a lifestyle that is under the lordship of Christ, then you think, speak, and act in a way that makes disciples! And Paul promises the God of peace will be with you! Listen to Paul’s benediction in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
God is with you today and forevermore! He has given to you the fullness of His promises to guard your heart and mind. Have you invited Jesus into your thought life and lifestyle choices, not just on Sundays, but every day?
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. The Bible commands us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” What does this mean to you in your everyday life? Are you struggling with impure, unholy, or unhealthy thoughts that are leading you away from God? Do you want freedom?
2. The teaching of Philippians 4:9 points to followers of Jesus Christ following the example set for us by mature believers. Why is it important to have a spiritual mentor?
3. According to Deuteronomy 6, how do we raise generations to know God and follow His commandments? How do families and churches partner together to raise children and youth who are passionate followers of Jesus Christ? What are you doing with the time you have with your kids to intentionally disciple them?
4. Are you memorizing God’s word? Start with two passages from today’s sermon: Psalm 119:11 and Psalm 119:105. Discuss the importance of each passage to your everyday life (clues: dealing with temptation and seeking God’s guidance).
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