Things Seen In Paul (4:9) – New Testament Church

                    "THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS"

                        Things Seen In Paul (Ph 4:9)

INTRODUCTION

1. A description of our Heavenly Father frequently used by Paul is "the
   God of Peace"...
   a. "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen" - Ro 15:33 
   b. "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly..."
       - Ro 16:20 
   c. "...and the God of love and peace will be with you." - 2 Co 13:11 
   d. "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely..."
      - 1 Th 5:23 
   e. "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the
      dead..." - He 13:20 
   -- In similar fashion does Paul refer to God in Ph 4:9  which serves
      as the text of our lesson

2. In our text, we learn from Paul the key to having the "God of peace"
   blessing us in our lives

3. It involves doing the "things"...
   a. Learned from Paul
   b. Received from Paul
   c. Heard about Paul
   d. Seen in Paul

4. What are some of "The Things Seen In Paul", which if we do, will
   assure that the "God of peace" will be with us?

[The answer can be found both in his epistle to the Philippians and in
his other letters.  For example, we see...]

I. HIS CONCERN FOR HIS BRETHREN

   A. AS EXPRESSED IN PHILIPPIANS...
      1. With the case of Eudoia and Syntyche - Ph 4:1-3 
      2. Indeed, with all the brethren there at Philippi - Ph 1:8-11 

   B. ELSEWHERE, PAUL REVEALS HIS CONCERN...
      1. For all the churches - 2 Co 11:28-29 
      2. For brethren who are weak in faith -
         cf. 1 Co 8:8-13; Rom 14:14-21; Rom 15:1-3

[As seen in Ro 15:3 , this concern for his brethren is simply a
reflection of Christ's concern for us, and therefore certainly worthy
of our imitation.

Another thing seen in Paul that is worthy of imitation is...]

II. HIS STRIVING FOR PERFECTION

   A. TO THE PHILIPPIANS, PAUL WROTE...
      1. Of his admission that he was not perfect - Ph 3:12a
      2. Of his desire to press on, to reach forward, to press toward the
         goal - Ph 3:12b-14

   B. TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, PAUL REVEALS...
      1. That he viewed his Christian life as a "race", a "boxing match"
         - 1 Co 9:24-26 
      2. Where there is always room for improvement, lest he become
        "disqualified" - 1 Co 9:27 

[Why this desire for perfection?  As revealed in Ph 3:8-11 , it was part
of his "magnificent obsession" to "gain Christ and be found in Him."
If we want the same for us, then we need to have the same desire!

Another thing seen in Paul that relates closely to this desire for
perfection is...]

III. HIS EFFORTS TO SAVE THE LOST

   A. AS EXPRESSED IN HIS EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS...
      1. His efforts continued despite being under "house arrest" -
         Ph 1:12-14 
      2. He would willingly offer himself as a martyr if it would help
         - Ph 2:17 

   B. THE DEGREE TO WHICH HE WOULD GO IS SEEN IN HIS EPISTLES TO THE
      CORINTHIANS...
      1. He made himself a servant to all - 1 Co 9:19-23 
      2. He endured much suffering as a minister of Christ and His gospel
         - 2 Co 11:23-27 

[Even with so much suffering in his efforts to save others, we see yet
another thing in Paul that is worthy of emulation...]

IV. HIS JOY IN SUFFERING

   A. THIS "JOY" IS ESPECIALLY SEEN IN THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS...
      1. Which we have seen time and again is an "epistle of joy"
      2. For example, his joy in Christ being preached, despite his
         imprisonment and the efforts of false preachers - Ph 1:12-18 
         (note especially verse 18)
      3. Even if it meant martyrdom, he viewed it as a reason to rejoice,
         and wanted them to rejoice with him! - Ph 2:17-18 

   B. IN ROMANS, HE EXPLAINED WHY HE WOULD "REJOICE IN TRIBULATIONS"...
      1. Such trials and sufferings would produce "perseverance"
         - Ro 5:3 
      2. Which in turn would produce "character" and "hope" - Ro 5:4 


CONCLUSION

1. Such were some of the qualities seen in Paul, that we also learn from
   him if we take his epistles seriously

2. And we should, if we desire the "God of peace" to be with us and He
   clearly was with Paul throughout his life and service as a disciple
   of Jesus Christ!

3. Are the things seen in Paul, also seen in us?  Are we living in such
   a way that we could say to others:

      "The things which you learned and received and heard and saw
      in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you"?

4. In view of such passages as 1 Ti 4:12  and Ti 2:6-7 , where we are
   called to be an example to others, we should!

May the "God of peace" help us to live in such a way that we can be an
example like Paul!
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