WEBVTT 00:00:04.099 --> 00:00:06.932 Well, good morning Valley View. 00:00:06.932 --> 00:00:16.899 It's great to be with you as we are starting into a new series in the book of Philippians, we're coming back to the New Testament after we've been in Proverbs for many months. 00:00:16.899 --> 00:00:26.565 And one of the things I'm excited about for this book in particular, is just how relevant I feel like it is to our church and our age. 00:00:26.565 --> 00:00:29.932 And there's a key theme we're going to draw out today to set up the whole book. 00:00:29.932 --> 00:00:31.966 We're only going to be looking at the first two verses. 00:00:31.966 --> 00:00:36.865 We'll also be looking at Acts at the foundation of the church in Philippi. 00:00:36.865 --> 00:00:42.033 But I thought of the reality of what we're facing right now in our culture. 00:00:42.033 --> 00:00:46.899 And that's the start of football season, the start of sports season that has ramped up for many. 00:00:46.899 --> 00:00:50.966 We were at the U of L game yesterday, about died in the sun. 00:00:50.966 --> 00:00:55.165 It was so hot and I hear a lot of you are like it was a lot hotter last year. 00:00:55.165 --> 00:00:58.365 I know it was always worse in the past, but it was hot yesterday. 00:00:58.365 --> 00:00:59.033 We got through it. 00:00:59.033 --> 00:01:05.632 It was a great game and I think often when I think about sports, you think of great coaches in any field. 00:01:05.632 --> 00:01:10.865 Of course, there have been great notable coaches in football often think of John Wooden in basketball. 00:01:10.865 --> 00:01:21.233 And I think one of the things he was famous for that relates to what we're talking about today is just the focus on the fundamentals, the focus on the basics. 00:01:21.233 --> 00:01:33.200 He was famous for taking the time at the beginning of the season to teach his students players how to put on their socks properly, and you're like, look, I've been putting on socks since I was four years old. 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:34.000 I know how to do it. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.132 But he said, no, you're not doing it right because you guys are getting blisters. 00:01:37.132 --> 00:01:40.365 And if your feet aren't right, nothing else matters. 00:01:40.365 --> 00:01:42.832 That's the foundation of everything you do. 00:01:42.832 --> 00:01:46.766 And almost in a condescending way, he had to push them to get back to the basics. 00:01:46.766 --> 00:01:50.433 If the basics are right, you can't build on that. 00:01:50.433 --> 00:02:01.400 And I think if you're an athlete, if you've been an athlete and anyone who has even performed at a high level, when they find a season where things aren't strong, they realize I've let some of the basics slip. 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:06.465 I've kind of stopped practicing some of those fundamental things that were the building blocks of everything else. 00:02:06.465 --> 00:02:11.432 And I think in our spiritual lives we've experienced that as well. If you've hit a dry season, you realize, hey, I've... 00:02:11.432 --> 00:02:13.032 I've stopped reading my Bible regularly. 00:02:13.032 --> 00:02:14.233 Maybe I'm not praying as much. 00:02:14.233 --> 00:02:16.366 I've let the community time slip. 00:02:16.366 --> 00:02:19.566 I'm not as regular in my attendance at church. 00:02:19.566 --> 00:02:21.765 And you realize I gotta go back to the basics. 00:02:22.866 --> 00:02:24.699 I think that's one of the main messages. 00:02:24.699 --> 00:02:35.332 Paul is going to be driving home to the Philippians church, stay focused on the basics, get back to the basics, and we're going to see that in the book of Philippians today. 00:02:35.332 --> 00:03:00.032 In fact, I think he's going to highlight five ways in particular, or five characteristics of a church that is focused on the basics, focused on the fundamentals, grounded in the fundamentals, making sure they're staying connected to the basics and not letting those stray, not wandering away from those, which is an important message for us as well. 00:03:00.032 --> 00:03:19.332 So the first one we're going to look at here, and by the way, Philippians, if you have a, if you have a church Bible, Philippians is on page 921, we'll be flipping back and forth between Philippians on page 921 and Acts on page 870. 00:03:19.332 --> 00:03:26.733 Acts 16 is where the church in Philippi was first reached, where the gospel was first brought to them. 00:03:26.733 --> 00:03:32.332 We'll be going back and forth, because this is an overview sermon to set the many weeks ahead of the book of Philippians. 00:03:32.332 --> 00:03:33.532 We want a book of Philippians. 00:03:33.532 --> 00:03:37.099 We want to understand how the church was started, how it was established there. 00:03:38.532 --> 00:03:52.665 And the first characteristic we're going to see here in these first couple of verses in Philippians chapter one, is that the church really had this confidence that was grounded or rooted in their identity. 00:03:52.665 --> 00:03:58.500 That's the first characteristic of someone who is grounded on the basics, focusing on the basics. 00:03:58.500 --> 00:04:01.300 There is a confidence that's rooted in your identity. 00:04:01.300 --> 00:04:02.633 It's rooted in who you are. 00:04:02.633 --> 00:04:06.000 There's a strong awareness of who you are. 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:08.265 We're going to see three ways he emphasizes that here. 00:04:08.265 --> 00:04:10.366 Look at Philippians chapter one. 00:04:10.366 --> 00:04:13.032 Look at verse one and two. 00:04:13.032 --> 00:04:24.100 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi with the overseers and deacons. 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:28.100 Grace to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:04:29.266 --> 00:04:38.199 We're going to examine a couple of the terms he uses here to describe people related to the establishment of the church in the city of Philippi. 00:04:38.199 --> 00:04:44.132 The first one he uses here is of himself, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus. 00:04:45.333 --> 00:04:48.266 And that word servant is also often translated. 00:04:48.266 --> 00:04:49.932 In fact, that's in your outline. 00:04:49.932 --> 00:04:53.565 That's the first word here in terms of understanding their identity first. 00:04:53.565 --> 00:04:58.466 And foremost, they saw that they are servants to the city, servants to Philippi. 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:03.300 And that word servant is often also translated as slave. 00:05:04.165 --> 00:05:06.000 Which is a hard word to hear. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:10.665 A slave of Christ Jesus, a servant of Christ Jesus. 00:05:10.665 --> 00:05:18.632 More technically, it can be translated as bond servant, which we don't normally use, but it describes not just when we think of slavery. 00:05:18.632 --> 00:05:22.033 You think of how slavery was practiced here in the U.S. 00:05:22.033 --> 00:05:28.165 but really, at this time, slavery bond servant would have been someone who indentured themselves to someone else to pay off a debt. 00:05:28.165 --> 00:05:32.466 If I owe you a lot of money and I can't pay it, let me work it off for a season. 00:05:32.466 --> 00:05:35.600 I will be your slave for a season to work it off. 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:39.065 It had clear terms to it on the front end there were things you could do and couldn't do. 00:05:39.065 --> 00:05:41.500 But yet also, you weren't your own any longer. 00:05:41.500 --> 00:05:50.199 When you enslaved yourself to someone else to pay off that debt, there was a reality to knowing I now serve someone else. 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:54.533 And of course, when Paul uses this, he knows I'm a servant of Christ Jesus. 00:05:54.533 --> 00:05:56.665 First and foremost. That's my identity. 00:05:58.132 --> 00:06:11.600 Now, it's really important to understand why he would lead with that with the people in Philippi, because Philippi was had the special status as a colony of Rome, it was a little different than just any other city they may conquer. 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:14.665 There's plenty of cities they conquered and just said, hey, now you're our servants. 00:06:14.665 --> 00:06:16.766 But Philippi gained special status. 00:06:16.766 --> 00:06:19.533 Maybe almost like we might view Puerto Rico. 00:06:19.533 --> 00:06:26.033 It's not a state, but yet they have different status than the rest of the world related to the U.S. 00:06:26.033 --> 00:06:32.000 Whenever Trump rolls out new tariffs, you know, every country in the world has to give us money. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.733 Now in trade, there's new tariffs. 00:06:34.733 --> 00:06:37.065 Well, Puerto Rico doesn't worry about that. 00:06:37.065 --> 00:06:39.199 Now. We know we have a different status. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:41.699 We have a different relationship with the U.S.. 00:06:41.699 --> 00:06:44.699 And so this Roman colony status Philippi. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:50.165 It had been started by Alexander the Great who conquered through Greece much of the known world. 00:06:50.165 --> 00:07:08.800 But then he named Philippi after his father, Philip, or father-in-law, I can't remember which, one or the other then the Romans, though, when they fought around the whole Caesar Augustus, and killing him and figuring out who's going to be in charge, they reconquered Philippi, and they established it as a Roman colony, giving it special status. 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:11.132 Now here's what this meant for the people in Philippi. 00:07:12.199 --> 00:07:16.632 They started to think of themselves as a little more special than everyone else. 00:07:16.632 --> 00:07:20.600 Yeah, we're not just your average, every everyday conquered city. 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:21.766 We're a little better than that. 00:07:21.766 --> 00:07:28.399 They gave us special status, and so they started to get a little uppity, and they all started to really care about their titles and names and status. 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.033 And oh, are you a real Roman citizen or not? 00:07:31.033 --> 00:07:34.033 And they worried about that a lot. 00:07:34.665 --> 00:07:43.132 That's why it's important that when Paul comes to them, normally when he introduces himself, usually the word apostle is listed there. 00:07:43.333 --> 00:07:44.300 I'm an apostle. 00:07:44.300 --> 00:07:48.466 I'm coming to you with some status, with some authority to speak into your lives. 00:07:48.466 --> 00:07:50.300 And he doesn't say that here. 00:07:50.300 --> 00:07:51.500 You want to worry about titles. 00:07:51.500 --> 00:07:52.533 Let me tell you about my title. 00:07:52.533 --> 00:07:54.865 I'm. I'm a Slave to Christ. 00:07:54.865 --> 00:07:57.466 That's the kind of title you need to be worried about. 00:07:59.500 --> 00:08:03.932 So he establishes the importance of understanding your true identity. 00:08:03.932 --> 00:08:05.699 Don't get all uppity. 00:08:05.699 --> 00:08:08.600 Know who you are first and foremost. 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:12.365 If you're a Christian, you're a slave to Christ Jesus. 00:08:12.432 --> 00:08:14.733 But look at what else he calls them. 00:08:14.733 --> 00:08:19.966 He calls them saints to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi. 00:08:20.432 --> 00:08:24.865 And that word saints is often also translated holy ones. 00:08:24.865 --> 00:08:27.165 It has that idea of holiness in it. 00:08:27.165 --> 00:08:30.165 Holiness meaning set apartness. 00:08:30.432 --> 00:08:39.100 When we study the Old Testament, when you read all those Old Testament laws and you wonder, why couldn't they wear mixed fabrics or all these different weird laws? 00:08:39.100 --> 00:08:41.566 And you go, what was going on there? 00:08:41.566 --> 00:08:51.566 I think one of the most helpful things related to that that has helped me is just to understand the key idea there is that they were meant to be a nation set apart from everyone else around them. 00:08:51.566 --> 00:08:55.299 That was the key idea that God want them to understand your mind. 00:08:55.299 --> 00:08:56.000 You're not your own. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:56.633 You're set apart. 00:08:56.633 --> 00:08:59.332 You're to be different from everyone else around you. 00:09:00.932 --> 00:09:04.966 That's at the core of that idea of holiness set apart. 00:09:04.966 --> 00:09:05.765 They're saints. 00:09:05.765 --> 00:09:09.732 They're meant to be set apart from the rest of the world around them. 00:09:09.732 --> 00:09:11.265 They have a different allegiance. 00:09:11.265 --> 00:09:14.265 They have a different way to live. 00:09:15.299 --> 00:09:23.566 There's also another reality to that that's really important to remember, because when he calls them saints, he says they are saints in Christ Jesus. 00:09:25.066 --> 00:09:28.865 So yes, we are called to be set apart from the world around us. 00:09:28.865 --> 00:09:31.865 We are called to live differently. 00:09:32.299 --> 00:09:38.033 But too many times this becomes we are called to be opposed to the world around us. 00:09:38.033 --> 00:09:43.365 Our main goal is to be different than them by opposing them. 00:09:44.265 --> 00:09:48.100 But we're to be called set apart in Christ Jesus. It's not that we are. 00:09:48.100 --> 00:09:49.600 Our main goal is to oppose the world. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.765 Our main goal is to move towards Christ. 00:09:51.765 --> 00:09:56.865 Now, as a result of that, hopefully our longing for the things of the world will lessen. 00:09:56.865 --> 00:09:58.365 But don't get that upside down. 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:00.832 Don't lose your focus. 00:10:00.832 --> 00:10:06.765 And churches that become focused on just opposing everyone around them become angry churches that no one wants to be around. 00:10:06.765 --> 00:10:09.765 Become legalistic churches. 00:10:10.299 --> 00:10:13.299 Make sure our focus remains on Christ. 00:10:14.100 --> 00:10:15.166 We had the chance. 00:10:15.166 --> 00:10:18.932 Friday night Julie and I went to Celebrate Recovery service. 00:10:18.932 --> 00:10:25.732 That's over at Fairdale Christian. Fairdale Christian's over off Newcut You can, if you go down Gene Snyder, you can see it there on Gene Snyder. 00:10:25.732 --> 00:10:30.365 And they have this huge Celebrate Recovery group that meets on Friday nights. 00:10:30.365 --> 00:10:34.666 And the they have probably 200, 250 people there. 00:10:34.666 --> 00:10:35.232 It was awesome. 00:10:35.232 --> 00:10:37.365 When we were pulling up, I was like, oh, that's so nice of them. 00:10:37.365 --> 00:10:41.799 They're grilling outside, having, making dinner ready for everyone. 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:42.566 Well, they weren't grilling. 00:10:42.566 --> 00:10:44.566 That was everyone outside smoking beforehand. 00:10:44.566 --> 00:10:47.966 It was just the smoke was coming up in huge columns. 00:10:48.832 --> 00:10:49.966 Hey, that's all right. That’s cool. 00:10:51.899 --> 00:10:52.633 But we go in. 00:10:52.633 --> 00:11:03.265 And that night, one of our members was giving her testimony, Joanne Goodman, many years of sobriety, and God was using her to encourage the many others who were there. 00:11:03.265 --> 00:11:05.066 One of the powerful parts of that night. 00:11:05.066 --> 00:11:19.299 And there was so many powerful moments, man, every time someone one month, two months, three months sober comes up and gets a coin to celebrate and everybody's cheering and whoop and holler, I mean, it was moving. 00:11:20.033 --> 00:11:31.865 But one of the things that really stood out to me, there was actually very little said during that time, and I know they got off in their small groups and talked about this very little mention of the actual addictive substances there. 00:11:32.365 --> 00:11:36.365 They hardly talked about alcohol, they hardly talked about drugs. 00:11:36.365 --> 00:11:39.066 They hardly talked about the thing they were trying to avoid. 00:11:39.066 --> 00:11:41.365 But what they talked about a lot was Jesus. 00:11:42.666 --> 00:11:45.166 His name came up over and over again. 00:11:45.166 --> 00:11:47.799 Jesus is the one that gave them freedom. 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:52.966 Jesus is the one they're pursuing and focused on, not the thing I'm trying to avoid. 00:11:52.966 --> 00:11:54.100 We're not ignoring it either. 00:11:54.100 --> 00:11:54.765 It's a reality. 00:11:54.765 --> 00:11:58.000 But I'm focused on him first and foremost. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:11:58.732 And that's the idea. 00:11:58.732 --> 00:12:05.566 When you think of yourself as a saint, you're a saint who's serving Christ and the other things. 00:12:05.566 --> 00:12:14.033 The more focused we are on him the addictions, the distractions, over time those just fall away. 00:12:14.932 --> 00:12:16.232 They're saints. 00:12:16.232 --> 00:12:23.799 But now notice the last thing that he refers to them as in terms of understanding their identity, understanding who they are. 00:12:23.799 --> 00:12:29.200 Paul and Timothy, servants to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi. 00:12:29.899 --> 00:12:31.932 Last he calls them citizens. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:33.533 Yeah. 00:12:33.533 --> 00:12:34.232 You're saints. 00:12:34.232 --> 00:12:37.399 Yes, you're meant to be set apart, but yet you're here. 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:38.200 You're a citizen. 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:42.033 You live somewhere, you have neighbors, you live in a city. 00:12:42.033 --> 00:12:45.033 And the call is to invest where you are. 00:12:45.466 --> 00:12:49.365 You're not so set apart that you can't relate to the people around us. 00:12:49.365 --> 00:12:54.133 We're still called to reach Louisville to reach the south end of Louisville. 00:12:54.133 --> 00:12:57.265 In particular, we call it Downtown Prairie Village. 00:12:57.265 --> 00:13:05.133 When we drive down third, make the corner on to Valley Station Road, and we're driving through downtown Prairie Village. 00:13:05.133 --> 00:13:10.332 We're thinking, man, how has God, God called us to reach this area right next to our church? 00:13:10.332 --> 00:13:15.799 How has God called us to reach the street that juts out from our church in the few homes back there? 00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:18.732 How is he called us to reach this immediate area around us? 00:13:18.732 --> 00:13:23.500 And it's fascinating to me how caught up in some churches get in reaching the world for Christ. 00:13:25.865 --> 00:13:34.133 And we got thousands and thousands of people that you can see from the rooftop of the church, thousands of people. 00:13:34.365 --> 00:13:37.033 We're called to be citizens too. 00:13:37.033 --> 00:13:47.765 To be good neighbors, to be the kind of person that people want to get to know better, that people respect, so that then they will want to come and know who is this guy you keep talking about this Jesus guy. 00:13:47.765 --> 00:13:49.666 I've heard his name before. 00:13:49.666 --> 00:13:52.166 Tell me more about him. 00:13:52.166 --> 00:13:55.832 They have a confidence here and at the basics. 00:13:55.832 --> 00:14:02.566 At the core of who they are is a confidence rooted in knowing who they are servants, saints, citizens. 00:14:02.566 --> 00:14:07.566 That's the first way how this church a characteristic of a church that gets back to the basics. 00:14:07.566 --> 00:14:10.732 Second is that they are mission minded. 00:14:12.566 --> 00:14:23.166 They're mission minded in the midst of knowing who they are, they're also mission focused, mission minded, outward focused, knowing what God has called them to be about. 00:14:24.466 --> 00:14:28.533 And part of how we understand this is understanding how the church was begun. 00:14:28.533 --> 00:14:31.533 So turn back over to Acts chapter 16. 00:14:33.466 --> 00:14:41.432 Acts 16 is this continuation of the missionary journeys Paul was on, and in each of his journeys, often he took people with him. 00:14:41.432 --> 00:14:51.865 In fact, that's why the book of Philippians starts with Paul and Timothy, servants, plural of Jesus Christ. 00:14:51.865 --> 00:14:57.200 He was on a mission trip and had other people with him, serving with him. 00:14:57.765 --> 00:14:59.566 And so they went around to various places. 00:14:59.566 --> 00:15:05.332 Now they were on this second journey where they were traveling all through Asia, starting to work up into Europe. 00:15:06.533 --> 00:15:09.533 And here's how this particular journey started. 00:15:09.533 --> 00:15:10.166 Look at verse one. 00:15:10.166 --> 00:15:22.365 In chapter 16, Paul came also to Derby and to Lystra, a disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was Greek. 00:15:22.365 --> 00:15:25.066 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 00:15:25.066 --> 00:15:30.399 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, which is great, by the way. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:36.799 I mean, if you're a young Christian and Paul comes through the town and wants you to help him, that's a big deal, man. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:42.432 Billy Graham passes through here and he grabs one of our young guys and said, man, come serve with me. 00:15:42.432 --> 00:15:47.133 What a huge honor to be asked to do that. 00:15:47.133 --> 00:15:51.166 Now, here's a characteristic of their mission mindedness that really stands out. 00:15:51.166 --> 00:15:54.566 We're going to see and this is the blank in your outline to fill it. 00:15:54.566 --> 00:15:57.865 Timothy was very committed to the cause. 00:15:58.765 --> 00:16:00.600 Because what does Paul ask of him? 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.466 Look here, he was well spoken of. 00:16:03.466 --> 00:16:09.000 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and so he took him aside and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places. 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:10.966 For they all knew that his father was a Greek. 00:16:12.633 --> 00:16:15.100 I wonder how that conversation went. 00:16:15.100 --> 00:16:15.966 Yeah, come serve me. 00:16:15.966 --> 00:16:17.966 We'd love for you to help me on this missionary journey. 00:16:17.966 --> 00:16:19.500 You want me to do what? 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:21.865 Wait. Hold on. What? 00:16:21.865 --> 00:16:23.865 I need to pray about that a little bit. 00:16:23.865 --> 00:16:26.865 That's a big step to take. 00:16:27.166 --> 00:16:34.966 And of course, we don't know how all that went, but the implications are He was all in. 00:16:34.966 --> 00:16:36.832 What does it take? 00:16:36.832 --> 00:16:37.299 It? 00:16:37.299 --> 00:16:41.799 Paul talks about I become all things to all people so that some may know the Lord. 00:16:41.799 --> 00:16:48.399 Timothy, whatever I need to do to serve the kingdom of God, I'm there. 00:16:48.765 --> 00:16:51.166 I trust you, Paul. 00:16:51.166 --> 00:16:53.332 He was committed. 00:16:53.332 --> 00:16:58.365 And if you're the Philippian church and you learn about Timothy, you know this guy cares. 00:16:58.365 --> 00:16:59.932 He's committed. 00:16:59.932 --> 00:17:01.365 He's all in to reach us. 00:17:02.865 --> 00:17:11.432 It goes on to say, as they went their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 00:17:11.432 --> 00:17:15.000 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and they increased in numbers daily. 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:26.532 So the beginning of this missionary journey is going around to different cities where there were already churches established, and they're sharing some of the decisions related to the broader understanding of how Jews and Gentiles were supposed to relate. 00:17:26.532 --> 00:17:29.432 We see a lot more of that in the book of Galatians. 00:17:29.432 --> 00:17:30.566 They're coming around sharing. 00:17:30.566 --> 00:17:33.165 Look, here's what the church is determined. 00:17:33.165 --> 00:17:34.865 Here's how you should interact with one another. 00:17:34.865 --> 00:17:36.365 Here's how you should live. Live. 00:17:36.365 --> 00:17:37.200 And it's related. 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:42.500 It's ending up with lots of people coming to follow Christ, many more in the church growing and strengthening in their faith. 00:17:43.965 --> 00:17:47.400 But this is also a missionary journey. 00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:50.200 They're not just about going around to the people who already know Christ. 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:51.700 They want to go to new territory. 00:17:51.700 --> 00:17:52.965 They want to go to new places. 00:17:52.965 --> 00:17:57.532 They want to go to places where the gospel has not come. 00:17:58.633 --> 00:18:02.299 And so he's committed toward that in but how are they going about this? 00:18:02.299 --> 00:18:07.099 The second thing to realize about their mission mindedness is that they are spirit led. 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:09.232 They're spirit led. 00:18:09.232 --> 00:18:11.932 Look at verse six. 00:18:11.932 --> 00:18:17.633 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 00:18:17.633 --> 00:18:20.599 Let me just stop there for a second. 00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:26.000 I'm Timothy, I've gone through a significant medical procedure so I can join this missionary journey. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:29.365 And now you're telling me there's places we can't go? 00:18:29.365 --> 00:18:31.900 You're telling me the Holy Spirit is saying, no, no, no, don't go there. 00:18:33.932 --> 00:18:36.165 Okay, why are we out here? 00:18:36.165 --> 00:18:37.232 Let's keep going at least. 00:18:37.232 --> 00:18:38.865 Maybe the next place. 00:18:38.865 --> 00:18:42.200 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia. 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:45.599 But the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them there either. 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:47.566 What are we doing here, Paul? 00:18:47.566 --> 00:18:49.365 I went through all this. 00:18:49.365 --> 00:18:57.566 We're traveling hundreds and hundreds of miles, and it seems it's a closed door after closed door. 00:18:57.566 --> 00:19:00.500 But Paul's listening to the Spirit. 00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:02.165 Holy Spirit, where do you want us? 00:19:02.165 --> 00:19:04.266 It's not about me and my agenda. 00:19:04.266 --> 00:19:06.400 Where do you want us to go? 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:08.165 I thought this would be a great place. 00:19:08.165 --> 00:19:10.032 You're redirecting us. 00:19:10.032 --> 00:19:24.965 Spirit led so passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas and a vision appeared to Paul in the night a man of Macedonia was standing there urging them, saying, come over to Macedonia and help us. 00:19:25.032 --> 00:19:34.000 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:41.865 Spirit led, listening to the Spirit to direct them, even when it seems like things aren't going the way I would plan it. 00:19:41.865 --> 00:19:47.400 And even when he speaks to Paul in things like through dreams. 00:19:48.165 --> 00:19:49.532 I really believe this. 00:19:49.532 --> 00:19:55.066 I believe God still speaks to us today, and he still speaks through dreams. 00:19:55.965 --> 00:20:00.165 And by the way, dreams can be insane and crazy and weird. 00:20:00.165 --> 00:20:03.165 Not every dream is from God, right? 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:05.599 Filter anything, by the way. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:10.833 Through prayer, through wisdom, through God's Word, through the counsel of other respected people. 00:20:10.833 --> 00:20:11.633 But he does. 00:20:11.633 --> 00:20:15.865 He does still direct and speak through dreams. 00:20:15.865 --> 00:20:18.865 Listen to what he might be saying to you. 00:20:19.099 --> 00:20:29.266 That takes a lot of wisdom, but that doesn't mean we just write it off, as he could never do that just because it's hard, just because it's not always clear. 00:20:29.266 --> 00:20:32.032 And that's the Christian life in general. 00:20:32.032 --> 00:20:33.865 It's not always easy, hard, clear. 00:20:33.865 --> 00:20:41.700 We need a lot of wisdom, but they are going, leading by the spirit, not just taking direction, not just taking charge on their own. 00:20:41.700 --> 00:20:42.566 Listen to the Spirit. 00:20:42.566 --> 00:20:48.732 And then the third one in this list, they stayed focused on the mission. 00:20:49.700 --> 00:20:52.066 They continued to stay focused on the mission. 00:20:52.066 --> 00:20:56.432 They continued to stay engaged as they are mission minded. 00:20:56.432 --> 00:20:59.432 Look at verse 14 and 15. 00:21:04.833 --> 00:21:08.266 One who heard us when they had landed in Philippi. 00:21:08.266 --> 00:21:11.266 In fact, let's read just a little bit... 00:21:13.266 --> 00:21:23.066 So setting sail from Troas, verse 11, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. 00:21:24.232 --> 00:21:26.133 And we remained in this city some days. 00:21:26.133 --> 00:21:32.566 So they do finally land in Philippi, a place they're going to stay for a little bit of time. 00:21:33.333 --> 00:21:43.099 And then down in 14 one who heard us, there was a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyratira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. 00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:48.333 And the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 00:21:48.333 --> 00:21:51.000 And after that she was baptized. 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:51.932 I love this picture here. 00:21:51.932 --> 00:21:54.932 Here they come to Philippi. 00:21:55.532 --> 00:22:01.432 They go to a place where a number of women who were worshipers of God were already gathered. 00:22:01.432 --> 00:22:10.700 They meet them there, and the picture that I took away from this is they’re, they're not there to try to read, to reach the famous people. 00:22:10.700 --> 00:22:14.566 They're not there to try to reach the governor, the leaders in the town. 00:22:14.566 --> 00:22:17.432 And maybe I'm sure they would hope that happens. 00:22:18.766 --> 00:22:26.465 But they're starting out with Lydia, a lady selling clothing out of her garage. 00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:31.532 I mean, we don't know if that's exactly how it went, but she's not of some high status. 00:22:31.532 --> 00:22:37.266 And the next person we'll see them reach is the the jailer, the corrections officer. 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:40.799 Just regular everyday people. 00:22:41.032 --> 00:22:44.032 And look, that's Valley View right there. 00:22:44.266 --> 00:22:46.299 We're just regular everyday people. 00:22:46.299 --> 00:22:48.700 There's nothing special about us. 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:51.032 There's nothing highly esteemed in Louisville. 00:22:51.032 --> 00:22:57.766 No one's lining up for interviews from the news and press after the service, wondering why we were here and what we're doing with our lives. 00:22:57.766 --> 00:22:59.133 I love this passage in your notes. 00:22:59.133 --> 00:23:00.599 26. 00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:02.833 Consider your calling brothers. 00:23:02.833 --> 00:23:07.365 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:23:07.365 --> 00:23:08.566 Not many were powerful. 00:23:09.566 --> 00:23:12.000 Not many were of noble birth. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:15.000 And that's all of us. 00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:17.266 That's us. 00:23:17.266 --> 00:23:21.400 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:31.932 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong so that as it is written, but the one who boasts boast in the Lord. 00:23:31.932 --> 00:23:40.365 They stayed focused on their mission and their mission, their mission mindedness said, we're here to reach whoever Christ brings our way. 00:23:40.365 --> 00:23:47.865 There's not people that we go, sorry, you're below us and we're too good for you. 00:23:47.865 --> 00:23:53.865 Come on, come on, come as you are, come as you are. 00:23:53.865 --> 00:23:55.032 Don't stay where you are. 00:23:55.032 --> 00:23:56.232 But come as you are. 00:23:56.232 --> 00:23:57.266 Come on. 00:23:57.266 --> 00:23:59.732 It's okay. 00:23:59.732 --> 00:24:02.532 God has given us a mission, and we're going to stay mission minded. 00:24:02.532 --> 00:24:10.000 And we're going to get back to the basics when things don't seem to be going well and stay focused on missions, how do we reach those who are around us? 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:13.299 So that's the second back to the basics characteristic of a church. 00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:16.365 And then the third is to be prayer dependent. 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:20.965 We're called to be prayer dependent. 00:24:20.965 --> 00:24:29.532 And it's really interesting how this church began in Philippi, because oftentimes the way something begins is how it continues. 00:24:30.333 --> 00:24:35.500 Look back at how the church began back in Acts 16. 00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:38.566 We remained in the city some days. 00:24:38.566 --> 00:24:54.032 This is the end of verse 12, and on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 00:24:54.766 --> 00:25:00.532 The first place they went to was a place that was known as a place of prayer. 00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:09.532 The church in Philippi, its roots, its foundation, its beginning was in a place of prayer. 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:18.732 They were prayer dependent, and every church that is growing and flourishing is prayer dependent. 00:25:19.165 --> 00:25:22.066 Deeply prayer dependent. 00:25:23.066 --> 00:25:31.232 You may remember two years ago now, almost exactly two years ago, we had our 85th anniversary celebration as a church. 00:25:31.232 --> 00:25:34.032 So now we're in our 87th year. 00:25:34.032 --> 00:25:37.633 We keep getting older every year that keeps happening. 00:25:37.633 --> 00:25:42.200 And one of the pictures I showed you during that time was of Lula Tyree. 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:44.365 Go ahead and throw that photo up. 00:25:44.365 --> 00:25:47.365 If we have it here, put it on the screen. 00:25:47.400 --> 00:25:55.000 Lula lived across the street from the church in one of these houses, and it may not even be there anymore. 00:25:55.000 --> 00:26:01.665 It may have been on the very corner, and she had a burden for reaching the children in the community. There was. 00:26:01.665 --> 00:26:02.900 That's not Lula, by the way. 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:04.400 So it'll be up there eventually. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:05.766 Maybe. If not, it's okay. 00:26:07.066 --> 00:26:10.066 Lula had a burden for reaching the community. 00:26:10.066 --> 00:26:16.066 There was lots of children in the area and she said, who going to reach these kids? 00:26:16.066 --> 00:26:17.566 Who's going to reach them? 00:26:17.566 --> 00:26:22.833 Annie Quillen was sitting on the porch with her, and they just began to pray. 00:26:22.833 --> 00:26:27.000 She said, would God open the door for us to reach this community? 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:28.232 Let's pray. 00:26:28.232 --> 00:26:36.432 These children desperately need the gospel and they just prayed and they prayed and they prayed. 00:26:36.432 --> 00:26:42.333 And then they had their first meeting there in the living room, five adults, 12 children. 00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:46.365 And they said, God's got more he wants to reach. 00:26:46.365 --> 00:26:51.500 And they prayed, and they prayed and they prayed. 00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:54.465 And by the end of that summer, they had 40 people meeting. 00:26:54.465 --> 00:26:57.099 And they said, we can't meet in this little house anymore. 00:26:57.099 --> 00:27:01.165 But across the street is a field and a nice shade tree. 00:27:01.165 --> 00:27:01.799 Let's go over there. 00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:04.066 We'll just sit under the tree. 00:27:04.066 --> 00:27:06.032 We'll have church under the tree. 00:27:06.032 --> 00:27:11.000 And before long others said, hey, we'd like to join you, but we'd like somewhere to sit. 00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:13.833 And so one guy said, look, I'll donate the wood for the benches. 00:27:13.833 --> 00:27:17.700 And they build benches and they sit under a tree. 00:27:18.165 --> 00:27:23.465 And that's just right outside those doors where that tree was right over there. 00:27:23.700 --> 00:27:25.200 And they stayed dependent on prayer. 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:27.232 God, would you provide? 00:27:27.232 --> 00:27:30.000 Okay, now we have so many people coming and we do need a building. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:32.000 Would you provide? 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:36.500 And the story after story after story of them praying and begging God to move. 00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:38.232 Would you bring more people? 00:27:38.232 --> 00:27:46.032 Would you provide church after church stepped up, sent ministers, sent money, provide, provide, provide prayer dependent. 00:27:48.732 --> 00:27:54.299 A church is only going to grow as much as their personal dependence on prayer. 00:27:55.066 --> 00:28:01.232 And I don't know what your personal prayer life is like, but I know mine is not where I would like it to be. 00:28:01.232 --> 00:28:03.266 And so here's what I want to ask of our church. 00:28:03.266 --> 00:28:05.432 This week. 00:28:05.432 --> 00:28:10.865 Just this week, would you focus on praying for this church every day? 00:28:10.865 --> 00:28:12.700 If you could commit to that, would you just raise your hand? 00:28:12.700 --> 00:28:15.700 I'll pray for this church every day. 00:28:17.833 --> 00:28:20.932 Pray for this church to be more dependent on prayer. 00:28:20.932 --> 00:28:22.633 It's a simple prayer. 00:28:22.633 --> 00:28:27.066 God, could we become more dependent on prayer every day this week? 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:28.599 Just pray that simple thing. 00:28:28.599 --> 00:28:30.766 Find a window to do that every day. 00:28:30.766 --> 00:28:34.200 Let's just see what he does as we become more prayer dependent. 00:28:36.232 --> 00:28:39.333 I want to watch him move like Lula saw him move. 00:28:39.333 --> 00:28:53.333 I want to watch him stir in our community, there are thousands of people, even within probably less than a mile radius of this church, who do not know Christ. 00:28:53.333 --> 00:28:54.032 Prayer. 00:28:54.032 --> 00:28:54.833 Prayer dependent. 00:28:54.833 --> 00:28:58.400 The church began on prayer there, and we want to continue that. 00:28:58.400 --> 00:29:02.500 And when we're when we're hungry to see him grow, we got to get back to the basics. 00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:07.599 And prayer is at the very core of the basics of how God moves through a church. 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:09.766 The beautiful part of that is he gets the glory. 00:29:09.766 --> 00:29:10.965 He gets all the glory for it. 00:29:10.965 --> 00:29:14.766 When we see him move through prayer, there's no other chance to take it. 00:29:14.766 --> 00:29:21.732 So their prayer dependent, mission minded, prayer dependent, confidence rooted in identity. 00:29:21.732 --> 00:29:24.932 And then number four, they're pressing forward. 00:29:26.532 --> 00:29:30.032 Our whole theme for this series is press on. 00:29:30.766 --> 00:29:34.900 It's a big theme of the book of Philippians --Press on. 00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:36.599 And there's a lot of layers to that. 00:29:36.599 --> 00:29:40.432 One that we're going to emphasize today is the advancement of the gospel. 00:29:40.432 --> 00:29:46.365 Continue to press the gospel forward, continue even in the midst of whatever challenges you might be facing. 00:29:46.365 --> 00:29:48.900 Continue to press the gospel forward. 00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:58.965 This is extremely relevant to the Philippians because this also is connected into how their church began. 00:29:58.965 --> 00:30:03.532 Paul was just there probably a few days and look what happens to him. 00:30:03.532 --> 00:30:09.532 Turn to verse 16 in chapter-- Acts chapter 16. 00:30:09.865 --> 00:30:21.732 As they were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune telling. 00:30:21.732 --> 00:30:27.599 She followed Paul and us, crying out, these men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation. 00:30:28.665 --> 00:30:33.532 Hey, that's actually pretty good that she has rightly assessed that and is saying it. 00:30:34.299 --> 00:30:36.299 And this she kept doing for many days. 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:39.532 Paul became greatly annoyed by this. 00:30:40.266 --> 00:30:46.599 So however she was going about this, it wasn't to build them up, it was to try to limit their influence. 00:30:46.599 --> 00:30:49.500 I mean, it was a spirit, an evil spirit within her. 00:30:49.500 --> 00:30:51.032 He was greatly annoyed by this. 00:30:51.032 --> 00:30:56.732 He turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus to come out of her. 00:30:56.732 --> 00:30:59.732 And it came out that very hour. 00:31:00.066 --> 00:31:02.732 Just a brief side comment on that, by the way. 00:31:02.732 --> 00:31:04.833 Okay, there's a lot going on in the story. 00:31:04.833 --> 00:31:07.232 We had a circumcision, now we have an exorcism. 00:31:07.232 --> 00:31:10.099 There's a lot happening. 00:31:10.099 --> 00:31:19.232 But notice sometimes when it comes to evil spirits, demons in people, people can get really weird and they go off what they've seen on TV or heard in stories. 00:31:20.365 --> 00:31:24.566 All Paul does is say the name of Jesus. 00:31:25.665 --> 00:31:28.665 And the demons have to flee. 00:31:28.833 --> 00:31:31.833 It's not some super complicated thing. 00:31:32.365 --> 00:31:37.833 He just calls out by the name of Jesus, you can't be here. 00:31:37.833 --> 00:31:40.299 And there's so much power in the name of Jesus. 00:31:40.299 --> 00:31:44.865 You can rest in the in the power of his name by the way, it's not in my ability to cast out a demon. 00:31:44.865 --> 00:31:47.000 It's in the power of his name. 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:49.566 We proclaim his name with power. 00:31:49.566 --> 00:31:54.532 Now that's a side note about where this instance, this conversation is headed. 00:31:54.532 --> 00:31:58.799 Because when Paul does that, notice what happens. 00:31:58.799 --> 00:32:04.000 They're not happy about this because they've been making lots of money off her ability to tell the future. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:14.700 When her owners, verse 19, saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers, and when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, these men are Jews. 00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:16.066 They're disturbing our city. 00:32:16.066 --> 00:32:20.232 They advocate customs are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice. 00:32:20.232 --> 00:32:21.200 And here's how this ended up. 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:33.700 The crowd joined in attacking them and the magistrates tore the garments of them, gave orders to beat them with rods, and when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them there. 00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:39.000 Paul was just there a few days and where does he end up? 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:42.432 In prison, beaten, put in jail. 00:32:42.432 --> 00:32:45.432 Put in stocks. 00:32:45.432 --> 00:32:48.566 Paul is actually writing this letter in Philippi. 00:32:48.566 --> 00:32:50.266 The letter to the Philippians. 00:32:50.266 --> 00:32:59.766 He's writing from prison probably ten years later, most likely in Rome, in prison, writing to them, which they're not going to be shocked by. 00:32:59.766 --> 00:33:01.566 This is how things started. Yeah. 00:33:01.566 --> 00:33:02.500 No surprise. 00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:03.700 Paul's in prison again. 00:33:03.700 --> 00:33:04.665 That's kind of what he does. 00:33:04.665 --> 00:33:10.333 He stirs up the people there and they get mad at him and throw him in prison. 00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:17.865 But they keep pressing on because look at how Paul and Silas react to this. 00:33:17.865 --> 00:33:25.700 And I don't know about you, but if today police came in and threw me in prison for standing up here and talking about Jesus, I wouldn't be very happy about it. 00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:31.200 It's not something I would relish in and be excited about. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:33.665 That wouldn't be my first reaction. 00:33:33.665 --> 00:33:38.700 Hopefully I would read Acts 16 and my attitude would change because look at how they respond. 00:33:38.700 --> 00:33:46.032 Verse 25, about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. 00:33:47.299 --> 00:33:54.000 In the midst of the imprisonment and of the beatings, they're trusting that God has a plan. 00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:56.066 This is opening a door for the gospel. 00:33:56.066 --> 00:33:57.865 We're continuing to press forward. 00:33:57.865 --> 00:34:01.066 We're continuing to press the gospel forward. 00:34:01.066 --> 00:34:03.465 Man, I want to have that kind of mindset. 00:34:03.465 --> 00:34:05.165 I want to have that kind of hope. 00:34:05.165 --> 00:34:10.532 I want to tackle challenges that way and see how is, God must be doing something here. 00:34:10.532 --> 00:34:11.565 This is so bad. 00:34:11.565 --> 00:34:13.233 I can't wait to see what he's going to do. 00:34:15.632 --> 00:34:16.833 Here's what happens. 00:34:16.833 --> 00:34:24.032 Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened. 00:34:24.032 --> 00:34:25.833 Everyone's bonds were unfastened. 00:34:25.833 --> 00:34:33.965 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 00:34:33.965 --> 00:34:38.599 But Paul cried with a loud voice, do not harm yourself, we're all here. 00:34:38.599 --> 00:34:45.300 And the jailer called for lights, and rushed in, and trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 00:34:45.532 --> 00:34:49.800 He brought them out and said, what must I do to be saved? 00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:54.965 And they said, believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. 00:34:55.465 --> 00:34:57.766 You and your household. 00:34:57.766 --> 00:34:59.300 They spoke the word of the Lord to him. 00:34:59.300 --> 00:35:00.699 To all who were in his house. 00:35:00.699 --> 00:35:02.766 He took them the same hour of the night, washed their wounds. 00:35:02.766 --> 00:35:05.233 He was baptized at once, he and all his family. 00:35:07.065 --> 00:35:15.632 In the midst of the challenge, they stayed focused on advancing the gospel, on pressing on, on trusting that Christ is at work. 00:35:15.632 --> 00:35:25.699 And so when hard times comes and in your notes, Paul writes from prison, hard times will come-- as the next, next to last point in your outline-- hard times will come. 00:35:25.699 --> 00:35:29.666 When hard times come, because they will come. 00:35:29.666 --> 00:35:40.532 If you're a Christian, you will face hard times because...that's not an exception, by the way, it's because you are Christian you can expect that there will be hard times. 00:35:40.532 --> 00:35:42.766 There just will be. 00:35:42.766 --> 00:35:45.666 Too many people are confused by that and surprised by that. 00:35:45.666 --> 00:35:49.965 I thought my life would be perfect after I came to know Christ, I thought my life would be easier. 00:35:49.965 --> 00:35:55.766 And by the way, in some ways it is because there's peace and joy and hope that you never had before. 00:35:55.766 --> 00:35:57.166 But challenges still come. 00:35:57.166 --> 00:35:58.800 There will still be people oppose you. 00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:01.132 There might be more people oppose you as a result. 00:36:03.166 --> 00:36:12.400 They continue to press on to trust that God was at work, and trust that he was going to move through the challenges they were facing. 00:36:12.400 --> 00:36:17.099 And that's a characteristic of a church that is getting back to the basics. 00:36:17.900 --> 00:36:20.900 They’re not derailed when hard times come. 00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:24.666 They ask simply, what is God doing through this? 00:36:24.666 --> 00:36:26.065 What is he going to do? 00:36:26.065 --> 00:36:27.400 How is he working? 00:36:27.400 --> 00:36:28.965 Something big's about to happen. 00:36:28.965 --> 00:36:32.300 I know it because hard times are happening. 00:36:32.432 --> 00:36:35.432 They press on. 00:36:35.432 --> 00:36:44.565 Now all this leads to the most foundational element of a church that is getting back to the basics. 00:36:44.733 --> 00:36:48.266 And it's the major theme of the book of Philippians. 00:36:48.266 --> 00:36:59.500 It's the major idea of the book of Philippians, and it's that a church that's focused on getting back to the basics is inherently, ultimately, foundationally Christ centered, Christ centered. 00:36:59.500 --> 00:37:02.500 Christ is at the center of all we do. 00:37:02.532 --> 00:37:04.199 We can have great programs all day long. 00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:06.532 We can even talk about the Bible all day long. 00:37:06.532 --> 00:37:08.300 We can do evangelism even. 00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:13.766 And it's fascinating how many times we can do that and leave Christ out of it. 00:37:14.365 --> 00:37:18.532 At the core of all we do, we have to be Christ centered. 00:37:18.699 --> 00:37:23.400 He has had to be at the very center of all we do. 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:30.733 And one of the things that Paul addresses with the Philippians is the importance of being unified. 00:37:30.965 --> 00:37:37.065 That's one of the big themes in the book of Philippians, which, by the way, shouldn't be surprising. 00:37:37.065 --> 00:37:39.365 The church in Philippi is going to be a very young church. 00:37:39.365 --> 00:37:42.432 Like I said, Paul's writing them maybe ten years later. 00:37:42.432 --> 00:37:44.666 Imagine if this church was only ten years old. 00:37:44.666 --> 00:37:47.465 And by the way, everyone here had only been a Christian ten years. 00:37:48.599 --> 00:37:51.465 Everyone. 00:37:51.465 --> 00:37:54.432 But what happens with a new group of Christians? 00:37:54.432 --> 00:37:57.132 You get great zeal and enthusiasm and excitement. 00:37:57.132 --> 00:38:02.099 But Paul talks about their zeal, but not according to knowledge and sometimes our zeal. 00:38:02.099 --> 00:38:04.900 In fact, one commentator, I love it how he said it this way. 00:38:04.900 --> 00:38:11.065 New life often is accompanied by new divisions, side by side. 00:38:11.733 --> 00:38:24.699 We become very zealous, thinking that every marker of holiness is an absolute and ultimate, and we start to divide over secondary and tertiary things. 00:38:24.699 --> 00:38:26.800 It happens all the time. 00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:30.632 And so that's why Paul is talking to them about unity. 00:38:30.632 --> 00:38:32.632 Stay focused on Christ. 00:38:32.632 --> 00:38:33.532 Look at chapter two. 00:38:33.532 --> 00:38:34.365 He says it this way. 00:38:34.365 --> 00:38:35.766 Why should you be unified? 00:38:35.766 --> 00:38:43.632 Verse three do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 00:38:43.632 --> 00:38:48.199 Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 00:38:48.199 --> 00:38:56.632 Have this attitude, this mind in yourself, which was also in Christ Jesus, who was found in human form. 00:38:56.632 --> 00:39:01.365 He humbled himself to the point of obedience, even to obedient obedience upon the cross. 00:39:01.365 --> 00:39:09.833 The reason why we need to move towards unity, the reason why we need to figure out what's primary, what's secondary, and put aside the secondary things. 00:39:09.833 --> 00:39:13.266 It's not just for unity sake, it's because that's who Christ is. 00:39:13.266 --> 00:39:14.865 That's what he's about. 00:39:14.865 --> 00:39:24.465 And if we're all focused on him, unity is a natural byproduct, and it's something he's going to address over and over again. 00:39:24.465 --> 00:39:29.400 The importance of being Christ centered in all we do. 00:39:29.400 --> 00:39:45.599 If a church finds itself in a place where it feels off track, if you find yourself in a place where you feel like you're in a lull spiritually and get back to the basics, focus on knowing who am I in Christ. 00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:49.432 Focus on community. 00:39:49.432 --> 00:39:50.733 Focus on prayer. 00:39:50.733 --> 00:39:52.932 Being rooted in prayer. 00:39:52.932 --> 00:39:54.166 Stay mission minded. 00:39:54.166 --> 00:40:05.000 How do I tell others about Christ and how do I trust him through the hard times which will come all while staying Christ centered in all we do? 00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:08.000 That's the call for Valley View. 00:40:09.166 --> 00:40:11.532 I believe God has great things for us in the coming days. 00:40:11.532 --> 00:40:12.333 Amazing things. 00:40:12.333 --> 00:40:14.000 But we can't leave the basics. 00:40:14.000 --> 00:40:19.365 We got to stay focused on the foundational elements of the church and all that we do. 00:40:19.365 --> 00:40:21.166 Be praying for our church this week. 00:40:21.166 --> 00:40:21.965 Every day. 00:40:21.965 --> 00:40:26.199 Pray for our church to be dependent on prayer and dependent on Christ. 00:40:26.199 --> 00:40:28.965 And let's watch him move this year. 00:40:28.965 --> 00:40:31.800 Let's pray. 00:40:31.800 --> 00:40:33.565 God, we thank you for this morning. 00:40:33.565 --> 00:40:35.400 Thank you for your word that guides us. 00:40:37.865 --> 00:40:45.199 And I would pray, just like the church that's in Philippi, that we're going to learn a lot about in the coming days. 00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:58.766 Would you help us to be rooted in you, to be dependent on prayer, to be trusting you for all things, to have the wisdom to know what is secondary and what is primary. 00:41:00.032 --> 00:41:08.032 Help us to be so hungry for you that we can't stop thinking about you, and can't stop talking about you in all that we do. 00:41:09.465 --> 00:41:25.166 I pray this church would be known for that all throughout Windsor Forest, Windsor Lakes, Prairie Village, Lambourne, Valley Station, Southend, Louisville Broadly, Jefferson County. 00:41:26.932 --> 00:41:29.932 Kentuckiana. 00:41:31.365 --> 00:41:34.199 All through the south. 00:41:34.199 --> 00:41:37.199 All through the United States. 00:41:37.365 --> 00:41:41.766 Let this be a place where the world knows you are at work. 00:41:41.766 --> 00:41:44.500 And let it just start here today in our own homes. 00:41:46.965 --> 00:41:49.266 Love you Jesus. 00:41:49.266 --> 00:41:49.733 Amen.