Tested, True and Triumphant

By itself doesn't produce any water Jesus Christ that you believe in me, and from you will flow rivers of living water. John seven it's been connected to Jesus Christ.

Jesus said to his disciples in John 15 you abide in me, you surrender to me, you commune with me. You fellowship with me my strength and my vitality in and through you. You will bear. And by the way he's is in the same text without me you can do the last days we've been looking the apostle Paul's prayer journal is an apostle like Paul want for the church. That's what we been studying because Paul told the believers in Philippi.

Some of the things he prays for concerning them. As Stephen mentioned a moment ago, one of the things Paul prayed that they would bear fruit through Jesus working in them and Stevens going to explore that today here on wisdom for the heart were going to Philippians chapter 1 verse 10 with a lesson called tested true and triumphant.

I'm glad you joined us now hear Stephen to get started with this if you are with us. Our last session you saw as we together explored Paul's own personal prayer list.

As he prayed for the believers in Philippi certainly for us. This would this would remain.

This would be a reflection of of the prayer list of Jesus himself who intercedes for us.

He prays for our passion. That is our love to overflow the banks of our lives and touch everyone but he said make sure that that love is according to knowledge, so he prays for our progress but just our passion that we learn to live according to biblical knowledge that what we think.

Love might be or how we think we might want to express love, love, according to the truth of God's word and then we found Paul praying for our practice in life to be guarded by discernment, passion, progress and practice. Now Paul continues in verse 10 will pick it up there as he adds to his list of prayer for our partiality, our partiality, let me show you what I mean.

Let's back up to verse nine to get a running start and it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment note so that you may approve what is excellent. In other words, he say I want believers to become partial toward that which is excellent so make sure you approve those things that were approved comes from a verb which means to test to examine its use in a lot of different contexts and different nuances.

It's a word that can referred to testing something to determine whether or not it's true or false, but the word is also used to refer to evaluating the difference between something that is good and something that is better or maybe even best. It's also a word that can referred to determining the difference between things that matter and things that don't matter. Paul is actually saying here within that context. Don't assume anything.

Stephen wrote to the Thessalonians that he that is spiritual judges everything same verb he puts everything to the task. What what is what is the mantra of our culture. Don't judge me judge anything that's fine but if you want to play believer is going to grow walk with the Lord your actually put everything to the test tested to see if it's if it's excellent.

It might be good but it be something better be something best for your walk in your life in your mind and your heart tested to make sure it's true, not false you are reading from poles or from people or your friends they might be giving all false readings 5 to 10° off the thermometer is inspired Scripture and the God behind it. Paul moves on his list here to give us some help in determining what exactly is excellent not only prays that we determine or learn to develop partiality, but he also prays we develop purity verse telling so you may approve through testing. What is best for excellent notice and so be pure. In other words, the testing and choosing the best things will always lead you toward purity and away from impurity, something that a decision to make. One of the questions you can ask is it gonna make me impure or pure to lead me toward purity, which can lead me toward him.

The word Paul uses here is use only this one time by Paul so it's interesting to me. Whenever there's a rare word. It shows up again in Peter's writing.

Second Peter chapter 3 verse one work. Peter writes that he wants to stir up the mind of the believer toward and uses this word is translated integrity or sincerity of the word found here for pure.

It's interesting and it's it's a compilation of two Greek words, one word for sunlight and the other one to judge all of this. Paul says take it out what whatever it is that you're trying to decide on an and hold up to the light to the light, pulled up to the light and see what you can see don't make a decision in the dark I don't pull the shades and decide it's okay when the shades pulled up to the light.

When you see the believer's life then is light tested the idea. David writes thy word is a lamp in the my feet and a light to my path. Let me examine my path by the light. What is what is it tell me someone. 19 one of you also wrote in the same chapter verse 130 the unfolding of your word gives light. Paul refers to the gospel as the glorious light of Christ. Second Corinthians 4 verse four. And maybe if you come to faith in Jesus Christ, you, you came to that moment where the light of the gospel flooded your heart and your mind and you saw everything is dirty everything is evil. Everything is sinful and you ask God and repented for forgiveness see all your life up to the light of the gospel and and we don't do a little repair we do major reconstruction we been called out of darkness. Peter writes in first Peter 29 and into a marvelous light that rescinded the test of your character is not determined by a thermometer planted in the middle of your city the middle of your campus, your office, the readings are probably distorted the purity the integrity the sincerity of your life is not measured by what people say or approve or what your student body approves what your professor approves or your neighborhood approves or your your board in the corporate boardroom approves what the word of God shine the light of this, on that determine which writer I think Paul is probably thinking in his mind. I'm praying for you. Philippians and is recognizing that for them everything that they thought was wrong is right and everything they have been taught was right probably wrong tested in the light of the gospel. I'm praying for you. Paul effectively says to hold up your attitudes and your actions and your habits and your desires hold them up to the light of the word we see is a cloudy is contaminated to corrupt was it clear all rights to the Corinthians. We have this treasure in jars of clay 11 in earthen vessels. The treasurer is the gospel with this treasure in earthen vessels, that that those are cheap. That's cheap pottery he's talking about but we have the gospel in us, why to show that the all surpassing power is God and not us. We are to allow God he reigns within show through class cracks at all pulses. I'm praying that you will develop a sense of partiality for what's best and become genuine impure in the process.

Thirdly, he prays for their prudence. Verse 10 so you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and none of this and blameless. One British author New Testament scholar at the purity previous request. More than likely referred to the inner person and blamelessness refers to the outer behavior. The word means wouldn't leave no stumbling without stumbling be prudent in your behavior that is walk carefully lest you stumble is a mean you never will be careful. In fact, a growing believer is going to become more careful you if you been a Christian for 10 years or 20 years or 30 years, until younger believer, you know what the old again just to slack off, get these W telling younger Christians all my it gets harder. You have to be even more careful. Just like growing older, physically I've reached that age where I had to be more careful than ever. I mean, I can walk to the house. I know that cabinets their and I stubbed my toll on the I told my wife I get this this theory of instrumental March the you know you seem to have this automatic pilot, and when you're young it works wonderfully unique and be driving ever driven on the run 10 miles later you have no recollection where you been pitcher right where you want to be that automatic pilot is just sort of guiding you.

You walk when you drive you get older that think that it fades away made a concentrate to stay in the lane a fire if I look left on driving. I fade right what is. If I look right. I fade to laugh nor to stop looking honey concentrate. He walked to the house you actually concentrate when to be careful. The older we get, just as the more you mature in Christ.

The more care you're going to give being prudent, cautious, walking with discretion.

Paul is praying fervently, these believers will be careful in their Christian walk.

There's an issue here is self some debate to grammarians as to whether or not this word is an active sense or passive sense of having a boy all the grammatical details, but from my reading Paul could even be telling us to walk with caution so that we don't stumble. That's passive, but he could be writing, telling us to walk in such a way that that we don't call someone else to stumble its active sentence. Frankly either understanding work simply because of you walk in such a prudent and spiritually careful manner. You are not only less likely to stumble but does following you, imitating you watching you will be less likely to stumble as well. In fact, the older you get, the more you're concerned about people who might be watching you. You don't want them to stumble live this way is live for himself but for those around him that he wanted to encourage and protect by his example, one author said one of the marks of maturity in the life of any believer is that they want to be a steppingstone and not a stumbling block as well put. I think there are two questions that come out of this use of this word for the believer who wants to be prudent and it is these questions if someone else imitated you. Would you be alarmed. Would you say if secondly it Jesus Christ watched you.

Would you be ashamed since Paul's progression in this prayer list live in such a way such a manner that you don't stumble, and those watching you are led to stumble as well because they may be watching. But actually Jesus is Paul's progression in this prayer list as he adds closing thought of the universe to notice where to be pure and blameless for the day of Christ will call this fourth prayer request a prayer for their perspective. Be pure and blameless for the day. Crisis is Paul's second reference to the day of Jesus Christ.

In this letter is a reference to that day a number of things are going to happen. Church rapture were alive at that point will experience that when we see the Lord will be rewarded for our service to him will be assigned a place in in the coming kingdom when Christ comes to establish his kingdom.

Churches described in Revelation 19 is returning with the Lord. Dressed in white linen is victorious army is Christ comes to establish the kingdom on earth. Jesus doesn't come for his church. Revelation 19 he comes with his church robe and ready in victory. Paul is attempting to elevate our perspective does not get today.

Get your calendar I got next week all mapped out not not even that looked that day when you're in the presence of Christ. Paul, the day of Christ was in some kind of prophetic session and it wasn't some kind of distraction.

The millennial distraction. It was the way it was the way he thought. By the way this helps you. You decided is in good order or better. Is there something best.

Why because of that day should I do this or not do that. Well how to relate to that day. So Paul effectively says to them and do as I am praying that in light of Christ's appearing. You will be pursuing what is best that in the next prayer requests naturally and logically follows the prays for their productivity.

Verse 11 that will be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ just by the way good reminder that anything good we do for Christ is Christ working in us to fulfill his good pleasure. Philippians 213. The cause of the fruit is the work of Christ, the agency here is the internal working of Christ. Certainly, the spirit of Christ, the spirit of God as we submit to the spirit of God.

Internally, he is at work so that externally we bear the fruit of the spirit. It's his work, the fruit of righteousness is the fruit of a right relationship. The apostle Paul is daring to assume that when I just forgiven, but to be fruitful, and I know it isn't someone going to work up the steam they go, be fruitful is being connected to him submissive to him. Manolo Lamott apple trees as I went to work really hard this winter so the come spring and summer, night and pop out a few apples. I work hard at it. Now it's connected to the tree may drive this home a little further with another analogy when Lawrence of Arabia was in Paris after World War I, one author said he took some of his Middle Eastern friends with him to see Paris had never seen a modern city. Cars traffic they lived in the desert tending goats and they saw the sites heard of sounds so museums they saw the places where Napoleon's handprint was on those magnificent structures and the kingdom of France and all of its glory. He said that they really weren't terribly impressed, which surprised him.

He said what really impressed them what really grabbed their imagination was none of that.

It was the faucet in their bathroom. They could not imagine look with the little turn of the lever water. He turned again and it stops eternity. Canon water.

He didn't make much of it and say, much of it. He just was chuckling to himself, but when it came time to pack up and leave. Lawrence went to the room and he found these men and their bathroom trying to detach the faucet to pack it away and taken home. They explained is so dry where you live it.

We need we need this faucet we get all the water we will and he had the explained to them. Stop and described it in the know that because it's connected plumbing which is ultimately connected to the reservoir faucet by itself doesn't produce any water Jesus Christ that you believe in me, and from you will flow rivers of living water. John seven well on something on the know were crackpots. Remember it's being connected to Jesus Christ.

Jesus said to his disciples in John 15 you abide in me, you surrender to me, you commune with me. You fellowship with me my strength and my vitality in and through you. You will bear fruits and by the way, he says in the same text without me you can do what few things away. Nothing which is the faucet in somebody's suitcase were a limb lying on the ground she Paul is and just praying that will bear fruit in bushel basket full sees praying the will understand that we must stay in fellowship and submission in communion with the one who ultimately produces in and through us fruits and he says I'm praying that you will be fruitful. Why because there's a day coming when you can thank him for having worked for you and you give all his rewards back to that Paul concludes nearly concludes his introductory comments to the citizens of heaven stationed temporarily in the city of Philippi belonging to and serving through God's embassy that local assembly is diligently praying for them and this would be the prayer for your life and mine for their passion and love their progress and knowledge. The practice with discernment, their partiality toward excellence their purity with transparency, their prudence with caution.

Their perspective with anticipation their productivity and fruitful living and that makes perfect sense, doesn't it. For Paul and his prayer list by adding final prayer request for that which is the choicest fruit of all, he prays for their priority in Thanksgiving.

Look at the end of the paragraph. Verse 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ. Notice to the glory and praise of God. Paul is saying to the citizens of heaven look I want to have bushel baskets full of fruit. But let me tell you with the choicest one is so fruit that ultimately gives all glory and praise back to God.

I remember a demonstration of this from one of my children.

He was around five years old at the time he was terribly ill at the time it was obvious to Marsha and me that he had come down with me yet again another case of strep seem like he got a case or two that every year but the mom and dad can't go to the pharmacy and say this is what we think it is given some antibiotics. He have to go to the doctor so Marsha stayed home with the other kids that afternoon. I got home from work. I took them to the doctor's office. Not exactly my favorite place on the planet about you.

Your doctor I love you.

I want to see you but any house the other day a little boy was feeling terribly poor fever was high. We eventually made it into the examination room. After bribing the receptionist.

When the nurse came in. I told her I think it's another case of strategy's ability to take up swab of the back of his throat as she took on an instrument about that long to swap the back is that he's gagging and I'm gagging over sitting in my chair. She laughed. He was sitting on the examination table and he just completely wiped out. Poor little guy look so pitiful. I said a son watches closer on my lap. He did we just sat there for different reasons. Both exhausted thanks to remember him saying dad, let's say that what I normally do in doctor's offices said well we want to sing. He said let's sing hallelujah I wanted to say for what this is a doctor's office. You got a fever. This is no time for hallelujah but I didn't pastor I said okay we saying hallelujah it echoed all around that room. In fact the nurse had not shut the door and it echoed all the way out there and I'm sure up and down the hallway knew was a very spiritual thing. But I wondered how can I close that door without him noticing.

I couldn't so we sat there and saying I will got to the end of it. Silence. Then he said he dad sing another stanza.

I said what he will say let's sing.

I love Jesus. So we did. I'm not going to be rewarded for that afternoon. None of it. He will be offering the choice gift of praise and I just kinda limped along the thermometer readings in the city of Philippi would've never read is a great time saying I love Jesus… This is one of the strongholds of the Roman empire. This is a favored city of the Emperor was completely pagan. Paul is reading into the settings from where he sat in Wally's writing this letter under house arrest chained to guards giving them enough slack to hold the parchment and right, he would've never ended his prayer list by saying this is a great time to say hello.

I love cheese but he did and in so doing, he models for us.

This kind of passion, progress, practice, partiality, purity, prudence and perspective in productivity. This priority met with the thermometer world.

Your help.

Even your spirit even your heart sing, to the glory and praise of God.

Thank you Stephen for that powerful reminder, we often need help reorienting our thinking and Paul's prayer list for that church needs to be our prayer list for ourselves well with this lesson.

We've come to the end of this series. Today's lesson is called tested true and triumphant and it's the last lesson in the series to the citizens of heaven. We've taken all seven lessons and package them into a beautiful set for you to own and listen to again if you'd like to own the CDs of this series, please call us and we can tell you more about it. Our number is 86 648 Bible you can go back and listen on our website.

We can assist you in getting a CD of any single message. I also want to remind you of Stephen's latest book.

His commentary on Philippians its volume number eight in the wisdom commentary series and it's just been released this month. It's our featured resource during October and we can give you information about how you can get a copy when you call us at 86 648 Bible on tomorrow's broadcast. Stephen will be answering questions that have come in from some listeners. I hope you'll join us for that at this same time right here on Wednesday for the hearts