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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (24-2-1991 Cleland Baptist Church)
Several times Paul commences his letters by telling his
readers what he prayed about them. Here is helpful instruction to us on what to
pray for and how to pray. It is worth examining our prayer life, which is often
so limited and impoverished. When we only pray for ourselves, and fail to pray
for others, we are sinning against the Lord (1 Samuel 12:23). We can also get
into the limited habit of only praying for the souls of the unconverted, and the
bodily needs of the converted, forgetting to pray for the spiritual needs of our
fellow Christians. Paul constantly prayed for the spiritual needs of the fellow
believers (See Ephesians 1 & 3; Colossians 1; 1 Thessalonians 3, and here in
Philippians 1).
We also have a tendency in our prayers to overwork that
word “bless”. What exactly do we mean by that when we repeatedly say
“bless this person, bless that person..”? It may be a good idea, if we feel
it difficult to pray for fellow Christians and missionaries, to name the people,
then read these words of Paul. He basically prayed that they might know love,
light and life, and we are going to look at these three in turn.
Note also Paul’s approach to prayer and his attitude to
these people. I have you in my heart (Philippians 1:7). If we do not have
this attitude for the people we pray for, if we lack love and concern, our
prayers will lack life and become a miserable duty. We need God’s love poured
out in our hearts if we are going to pray aright.
Must also stress the importance of praying for others if we are in leadership in the church. Spurgeon said the preacher must above all be a man of prayer. He must pray as much as the ordinary Christian, else he is a hypocrite, and he must pray more than others, else he is disqualified from office.
That your love may abound more and more in knowledge
and depth of insight (Philippians 1:9). This takes us to the seashore –
picture wave after wave of love. Or to a fountain – full and bubbling over. May
your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else (1
Thessalonians 3:12).
The word “love”, in the English language, covers so
many things. The same word is used for “I love that book”, as is used to
describe the “love” of the man who died saving a drowning child. We also use
the same overworked word for God’s mercy to us in giving His Son to bear our
sins and die in our place.
The Greeks had four words for love – one for sexual
love, another for friendship, another for family affection, and fourthly
“agape” love. The latter is not an emotion, but an act of will, deliberately
choosing to recognise, consider and save. This is the love God has for us, and
this is to be our model. This is the kind of love Paul wanted the Philippians to
abound in. The kind of love that says, “I respect and value you because you
are a fellow believer. There may be many things I do not like or admire about
you, but I value and prize you for Christ’s sake. I will show practical
compassion to you in your need.” This love is concerned to give, and not to
get.
In knowledge and depth of insight. Here we have
the banks of the river of love – determining where it goes and keeping it in
boundaries. Our agape love is not misty thought and foolish behaviour, throwing
money around without thinking, not encouraging people to sin by failing to
rebuke, not soft and indulgent. But rather, sensible and wise expressions of
love. “Love is blind”, they say – but Christian love should not be.
Give consideration to what is the best way to express your love. What a difference it would make in churches if this wise thoughtful love was expressed. There would be a greater bond of fellowship, practical help, and widening missionary interest, words that would not be said, and letters that would not be written, different words that would be said, and different letters written!
So that you may be able to discern what is best
(Philippians 1:10), i.e. that you may test things that differ and
decide for the best. dokimaxein is the
word for testing metals. The picture here is of testing a coin to see if the
metal is pure and genuine. Paul is concerned with distinguishing between true
and false, and discriminating between good and evil.
The early church had many problems – errors, heresies
and false teachers. There was need for discrimination, discernment and wisdom.
No less today, when we are surrounded by cults, fallacies and errors. People
have plausible ways, use the right language, and can catch out the undiscerning.
They might actually mean something different though they use the same
terminology. C.f. some may speak of accepting Christ as saviour, but they only
mean him as saviour by his example – he taught us how to live unselfish lives.
They may teach salvation, not through personal faith, but by partaking of
sacraments. Need to be very careful whether they say Jesus is God, or
whether they stop short by saying Jesus was like God. Even need to be
aware of the differences in the use of the word “evangelical”. Hence the
need to pray for discernment, and to put things to the test.
Discernment is
also needed because the Christian life is full of difficult choices. Things are
not always black and white, e.g. the rights and wrongs of going to the pictures,
of owning a TV, of being a conscientious objector, of paying taxes. And in our
Christian service there is so much choice in what we could be doing, in what
organisations and causes we could be supporting. What should we concentrate on?
What should we leave out? What should we put to one side? There are difficult
choices and decisions to be made every day.
The whole art of living is concerned here. It would be easy to fritter away our energies on this and that, wasting time on second rate issues. We need to grasp what is vital. Concentrate on the really important things. Keep steadily to the one thing that is needful. So easy to be like Martha, busy with so many things, instead of concentrating on the one important thing, as Mary did. The good is often the enemy of the best. We need to discern what is best. Test everything and distinguish true and false.
That you may be pure and blameless until the day of
Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ
– to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:10,11). “Pure”, i.e.
transparent, eilikrineis, tested by the
sunlight. When our lives are held up to the light, are they without flaw? Are we
transparent, sincere and genuine, without trickery or deceit? Christian
character should be able to stand the searchlight on it. Someone once asked if
he could write Spurgeon’s biography, and he was able to reply, “You may
write my life in the clouds, I have nothing to hide.”
“Blameless”, i.e. not causing others to stumble. C.f.
the warnings of Christ against causing the little ones to stumble. Leading
others astray by our example. Remember you may be being observed by other
younger, weaker Christians, who will follow your lead and example. Make sure you
are blameless.
And we have to keep this up, not for a week, or until this time next year, but until the Lord’s return when we shall have to give an account of our lives. Our lives should be laden with the fruit of godly living and righteousness. This comes from faith in Christ. And it gives God the glory. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). It is not just Christian business and church activities which are important, but spiritual fruit coming from fellowship with Christ. Paul longs that they may live a full Christian life overflowing with fruit.
Prayer for love which is wise and discerning; for light,
which is able to test all things and discern true from false in doctrine,
conduct and service; for Christian life that is genuine and does not cause
others to stumble, overflowing with fruits of godliness and righteousness.
This should be our prayer for others, and also for ourselves. How will God answer it? He will grant us these things as we meditate on His Word and pray, as we meditate on our soul and our life, as we live in Christ, centred on Him, as we seek out His will and live to His glory and honour.
