The Family Business - Part A

You might be a construction worker you have another business might be a student you have another business you might be a single parent, you have another business you might be in between jobs which are always on this job. It is a business that comes from God. And what's more, it's a family business that is now that you're a part of God's spiritual family are part of the family business. No matter what kind of career you pursue as a believer you must have a higher calling on your life that come straight from God.

That's what you'll discover today on connect with Skip Heitzig as he talks about the family business. You are part of. Now we want to tell you about a resource that will give you the tools you need to live in the power of the holy the Holy Spirit is mysterious in the Bible. Jesus even said moves like the wind, so Christians are instructed to know and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and his help counsel and comfort as I think reminds us can't neglect the Holy Spirit is the Scripture is of the Holy Spirit from beginning to and from Genesis to Revelation.

Not only is the Bible you can teach you the Holy Spirit is a divine person who helps us think you need all the help you get to live your Christian life.I'm we need help discover the Holy Spirit is pastor's study, expound Holy Spirit and for a limited time you can also get a copy of Gilenya called empower discover your spiritual gifts. Both resources are our things, your gift of $25 or more to help expand this vital teaching outreach to get online securely connect.com/offer or call 800-922-1888 Philippians chapter 1, Skip Heitzig starts to.

I have a friend who was a director. He was a crusade director of the Billy Graham Association. His job was to get on planes and fly to different parts of the country and help organize those huge evangelistic crusades for Dr. Billy Graham. So one day he is in an airplane is fine across country and sitting next to him was Tom Cruise. The after, who asked my friend. So what you do for a living.

My friend is always looking ways for ways to get the gospel presented so he looked at Tom Cruise and said I'm in the security business.

That's a huge buzzword fractures as actors and musicians always looking for good security people is really your insecurity. So my friend went on to tell him about how how to have eternal security in Jesus Christ and I was the platform that he is I I'm in the security business you're part of a business, you have a business and I'm not just meaning that you have a occupational business or professional business that I know. But you have you have another business you have a spiritual business. You have a vocational business. You have a high and holy business that is God's business and that's what I want to talk to you about here so that you might be a financial investor but you have another business you might be consultant but you have another business you might be a construction worker you have another business might be a student you have another business you might be a single parent, you have another business you might be in between jobs which are always on this job. It is a business that comes from God. What's more, it's a family business that is now that you're a part of God's spiritual family, you're part of the family business memo Jesus avenues. I think 12 years old and his mother found him in the temple speaking to the leadership there.

He said to her, don't you know that I must be about my father's business. We are in that business that family business and I want you to just make a note in verse five. Even though we haven't even read it yet.

Notice the word in verse five fellowship see that word some newer translations translated partnership. I think that's a better choice. It is a partnership. It is the word coin. India translated fellowship or partnership where partners with God in a family business. God is our father.

Jesus said I am going to my father and your father the book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers so we are part of a family business. I was reading a little article in Forbes magazine this week about businesses in the United States of America and the article said that family business in America is responsible for 50% of the gross national product that is essentially a country built on family businesses. Some of us think of family businesses of the store down the street owned by a family and it's been in the family for a few years, but the article goes on to say that Walmart is a family business as is Ford Motor Company Tyson Foods Sears and Comcast all of those are family businesses, but the same article noted that less than one third of those businesses will survive the transition from the first generation to the second-generation and those that do survive 50% of them will not survive the transition from the second to the third generation. Why is that the article says these are businesses that get stuck doing things the same way. In other words, the business outgrows the structure so we are in a business where in a family business, a partnership with God, with the Lord and with others. Now we in this business have a product.

Every business has a product. Yes, we have a product.

Our product is the gospel. That's our product. That's what we give out. That's what we disseminate.

That's what were always sharing the gospel. You'll notice in verse five he says for your fellowship in the gospel down in verse seven he talks about the defense on the confirmation of the gospel in verse 12 he speaks about the furtherance of the gospel that is our product. Why is it our product because it's only the gospel that brings change that's where the life change comes from my you know the gospel is you know the gospel means gospel means the good news. The good news that what Jesus did on the cross wasn't enough to get you from earth to heaven.

That's the good news that he paid the price. He did the heavy lifting. We can trust that he died, was buried was risen from the dead for our justification as the gospel. Now it's that gospel that changed Paul's life.

He heard it he received it. It changed him from a persecutor into a preacher from Saul of Tarsus to Paul the apostle, it changed.

Timothy also mentioned here in our text in verse one Timothy was probably 15 years old when he first heard the gospel preached by that Paul came through his town on a missionary journey changed was the gospel who changed the lives of people of Philippi like a Lydia and like the jailer, the Philippian jailer and now there is a church there. All because of the gospel and now they church members are partners with Paul in the family business of the gospel. Let's look at our text, let's get familiar at least with it as we jump in, not be looking with you today from verses three to verse eight of chapter 1, but can we just begin in verse one go down to verse eight for the sake of context Paul and Timothy, bond servants of Jesus Christ to all the saints in Christ Jesus, who are in Philippi with the bishops and deacons, grace to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always in every prayer of mine, making request for you all with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will completed until the day of Jesus Christ. Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart. Inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and the confirmation of the gospel you are partakers with me of grace for God is my witness how greatly I long for you with all the affection of Jesus Christ.

I want to share with you some principles of partnership look at these is three partnership principles and keeping the family business strong there. Pretty simple. Be thankful. Be confident. Be aware, be thankful, be confident. Be aware, could you say those with me. Be thankful.

Be confident, be aware is begin with the first, be thankful.

Paul was thankful, be thankful for God's work collectively go back to verse three. Listen to what he writes.

I think my God upon every remembrance of you always in every prayer of mine, making request for you all with joy for your fellowship partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Okay Paul is writing from a prison cell in Rome. We have discovered that in her first study, and while he's in that prison cell.

He's got a lot of time in his hands so he goes reminiscing he goes to guess a large inventory of memories and one of those memories is about the church of Philippi how it started, where it is now, and he says I thank my God upon every romantic I put a smile on my face when I think of you and remember you in prayer he would say now the way I see it the words I thank God I thank my God in verse three and the word joy in verse four.

Seem like strange words to apply to Paul's experience of Philippi because Philippi was sort of a pain all the way around. First of all Paul didn't even want to go to Philippi.

Remember he was trying to go several places. The Holy Spirit was shutting that down. Finally, he ends up patrol as he gets a vision of a man for Macedonia's income over here and help us so he goes to Macedonia Philippi being the chief city. He's probably looking around for a man that he saw in his vision didn't see a man goes to a group of women at a Riverside Jewish women who are praying and one of them. One of them name Lydia listens to the message and receive Christ as your Savior. So Paul may have been thinking, I don't know but this is what I would be thinking if I were Paul okay.

We got one, you know, I've had more success in other missionary journeys.

I did want to come here to begin with, but here I am, without one. Then things go from bad place too much worse to really really bad because the next few days. A girl demon possessed, follows Paul and his team wherever he goes. And one day they even mocked him while they are praying. Paul discern she's demon possessed delivers her from that demon. Paul gets taken to the center of town and gets beaten with rods and then put in jail. RC Lenski, a commentator tells us what that would've felt like under the many blows this skin would be broken.

The blood would lose out the inflamed welts would cover the whole back the rod that it speaks about was called the Vitus Vitus is a 3 foot long stick that centurions. The centurion use the Vitus. The vine stick for, how shall I say it to motivate lazy soldiers. Paul got the full brunt of that Vitus that vine stick those rods across his back.

Then he gets put in jail gets put in the stocks. Stocks were designed to pull the extremities out to their maximum reach so that you were immovable so it's interesting that with that is the background. He says I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, because that's not what I would write I would say when I think back to Philippi. I get sick to my stomach.

My skin crawls. I break out in a sweat but Paul says I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always in every prayer with joy. There's a key. There and how joy is produced when the Holy Spirit and he does is it's a work of grace. When you look back to your catalog of memories in the Holy Spirit is able to push the delete key. So the way your mind lands on or not all the bad things people of Dundee are not all the injustices, not all the wounds.

Not all the hurt. Not all let me tell you it's not right with other people when all that stuff goes away and you can look back through all the maze of pain and say God was working, and for that I have joy. What is he thankful for simple he's thankful for what the gospel produced it produced life change people's lives were changed.

The church grew a family was extended his memory of Lydia's salvation brought enjoy his memory of the Philippian jailer's conversion and subsequent baptism brought enjoy his memory of how just a few people gathered around and now there is a larger church of vibrant church at Philippi. All of that brought him joy so listen to this principle. Paul's joy and thankfulness were directly proportional to the growth of the family business. I thankful for your partnership in the gospel might enjoy is directly proportional. Paul would say to the growth of the family business. That's how he saw his life. Yes, this hurt.

Yes, that was painful. That was horrible but but the gospel change people's lives through it was joyful same thought is expressed a few verses down verse 12, but I want you to know, brethren, that the things which have happened to me now is speaking about his present incarceration is been unjustly accused is been prisoner of the Roman government is now locked up in a Roman prison those of the things he refers to the things that have happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the what the gospel product is gone out the life-changing element has gone out, so that it is become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest of my chains are in Christ and most of the brethren in the Lord have become confident by my chains and are much more bold speak the word without fear soaked my painful hardship has extended the family and for that I'm joyful, this is Paul. Looking back, this is the Holy Spirit pressing the delete key. Paul looking back, saying, bless you pain.

Bless you problems bless you, prison bless you chains because as hard as those were I see the effect the gospel is had, and for that I have joy where that's an attitude that's an attitude I read an article I found an article this week about your attitude, and it was all about the right kind of attitude in life and it was found in of all places, the Huffington Post and the article was called. Your attitude determines your altitude. The article spoke about how your attitude affects your ability to enjoy your life. It affects your ability to be grateful for blessings to note that these things are blessings to me and the article went on to say it's the reason it's so important to hang out with the right kind of people who will influence your attitude and there's an awful lot of people even Christian people who look like basset hounds there on their way to heaven, but you'd never know it is important to be with those people like Paul who can look back but look at filter through it. Notice how God was at work. I have joy because of that I rejoice in that my mind could go back as I go through my catalog of memories. I can think about the hardships when we started the trials and the tears that we experience the trails I've had in ministry. But as I look back. Honestly, so much as been deleted. I remember things happen, but I don't remember the particulars and I thank God for that selective memory disorder.

I think it's from him.

I think back to change lives in churches planted in souls saved. And for that I would drive thankful for God's were collected. There's a second partnership, principal not only be thankful for God's work collectively be confident in God's work.

Personally, that's what he draws our attention to in verse six being confident of this very thing, that he always begun a good work and you will completed until the day of Jesus Christ.

Allow me to unpack this over. There's a lot in it.

This personal work was begun by God. It's God's work is what it says being confident that he who has begun this good work. Paul is not referring to what the Philippians did. He's not saying, kudos to you guys. You did such a great work at Philippi you plan to strategize to demographic studies of the greater Philippian region, nor is Paul talking about himself. He is not talking about are bragging about the work that he and Silas and Timothy did, because frankly, he just showed up and got did the work that you might have a go Skip your argument. Paul enough credit, he did more than just show up.

He spoke a word to Lydia yeah but Luke, who was with them. Put it this way, the Lord opened up her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. So who did the work Paul or God while Paul spoke, but he spoke sorta because he was there and the Lord opened her heart. The Lord then Paul was put in prison and he is back was covered with balls and he's in stocks and it's midnight so returns to his buddy goes hey let's sing so they start singing hymns. What happened in earthquake And earthquake shook the prison and open the doors and the chains fell, did Paul do that that would involve her that was God's work.

Paul showed up. The Lord opened people's hearts and earthquake happened it is God's work that he was doing. I love that verse in Ephesians 2 for we are his workmanship is Paul Lehmann his work of art. God is the master artist skillful artists always looking to express himself. It's his work.

Not only is it God's work. Notice more carefully in the verse.

It's a gradual work. It says, she who has begun a good work. Now that work begun implies it's still going on. Think for a moment of the good work that God has begun and you figure the first time you heard the gospel. Maybe you heard it, and parts of the city.

Sort of touched by that, then you heard it a second time in your hearts off and the third time you took several times until you find a set I give up. I surrender my life to Christ at that moment on that day God began over work. He initiated a task. It's an ongoing work.

I bring this up because some of you that I'm talking to feel very discouraged as you look at your own life there are problems in your life. There are imperfections in your life and you're tempted to look at yourself and say this is God's masterpiece. This is the workmanship.

This is the Poe aim of the great work of art of look very good to me.

But when you're looking at is what a visitor to a great artist studio would see if you walked in and there is that artist with that white canvas spread out on a beautiful frame and the visitor notices a splotch of orange and yellow and green and the visitor thinks I could do that. That's not art.

I control pain to the canvas and put color on that visitor might even say excuse me Mr. famous artist, but that it looked like a great piece of art to me and the artist would say that's because you're looking at a work in progress.

I have something in my mind. I have a goal for this, but you are just seeing it at its early stages just like you are seeing you in the middle of the job that Skip Heitzig message from the series Technicolor jewel. Now we want to share about an exciting opportunity to take your knowledge of God's word even deeper personal or small group Bible study is a great way to learn God's word.

What if you want to learn every college offers classes in biblical studies classes like the fundamentals of difficult counseling take classes on campus or online transfer credits to Calvary Chapel University or Veritas for an accredited degree will impact your spiritual life your life. I know Calvary ABQ.com that's Calvary ABQ College think you are a crucial part of helping connect people around the world to the good news of Jesus messages.

It made a difference in your life. Please consider helping connect things to tease that they too can experience is not in great demand by getting Today connectwithskip.com/donate.connect.com/donate or you can call 892, 1800 9218 thank you to him again tomorrow. Skip Heitzig to show you that whatever got start finishes including the work he's accomplishing don't want to miss that so Skip Heitzig presentation of connection communications to go through ever-changing time