061905

GOD’S GREAT SALVATION
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Philippians 2:12-13
The Holy Spirit has wooed you, you have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and God has faithfully saved and delivered you from His coming wrath—now what? This week’s lesson focuses on the “now what.” Last week’s lesson showed us that while the law pointed us to sin—which, of course, is really our failure to measure up to God’s holiness. We also learned that it was impossible for the law to deliver us from sin because it was on the outside, written on tablets of stone! The law failed, not because it wasn’t good for us to know God’s standard of holiness, but because it could never bring relationship. With Christ, all things have become new (Revelation 21:5!) Now, God’s laws and commandments are written on our hearts, and better yet, now, it is Christ living in us—leading and guiding us to do His will! Sisters, lay your burdens down because it doesn’t get any better than this!
1) Read this scripture and imagine that instead of Paul speaking to the Philippians, it is Jesus, and He is speaking directly to you! In fact, He did say almost these very words to His disciples before He returned to His Father (John 16:1-15.) One thing we can count on as Christ followers, when Jesus returned to the Father in His resurrected body, He opened wide a great chasm! In actually, He split the curtain that separated us from boldly entering the Most Holy of Holies where our Father God dwells (Matthew 27:50-51; Hebrews 6:19-20 and Hebrews 4:16!) This enabled God, through His Holy Spirit, to actually set up His home in our hearts and to work mightily in our lives!
a) What were Jesus’ promises (there are several) to His disciples (and, yes, that includes us!) in John 14:23-29 and John 16:7-15?
i) The promise of a Comforter, a Counselor, the Spirit of truth—a Revealer of the mysteries of God and Christ! In Romans 8:9, the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ. He comes directly from God the Father and Christ Jesus and is Himself God! This is how God, the Father and God, the Son, in the fullness of the God, Holy Spirit, actually dwell in our hearts—a mystery that even the angels desired to look into (1 Peter 1:10-12!) Christ in you—the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26-27!)
2) You are now God’s dwelling place (1 Corinthians 3:16!) He has tabernacled with you! Your question or response may still be, “Now what?” Well, you can be sure He is doing a work—a good work (Philippians 1:6!) What purposes does God have in mind in making His abode in your heart?
a) 2 Corinthians 3:18—becoming like Christ
This is God’s utmost desire for your life! To whom did God ever say, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased! Listen to Him!” (Matthew 3:17, 17:5.) The reality is (oh, oh—I’m beginning to sound like Spike), every other desire of God for our lives pales in comparison to this one desire, and yet, at the same time, every other desire is a part, a facet of God’s great desire in calling you into His own! God is pleased to work these other works in our lives (these are by no means exhaustive):
i) John 3:16— He grants us eternal life!
ii) 2 Corinthians 1:21-22—He has sealed us with His Holy Spirit, guaranteeing our coming glory!
iii) Romans 8:15—He brings us into relationship. Oh, and so much more—sonship!
iv) Romans 8:17—He makes us co-heirs to the inheritance of Christ Jesus!
v) John 10:10—He enables us to enjoy abundant lives!
vi) John 15:11—He Himself makes our joy complete!
vii) 1 Peter 2:24—He empowers us to die to sin and live for righteousness!
viii) Romans 7:4—He assures that we bear much fruit (See Galatians 5:22-23!)
ix) Romans 12:4-10—He gives us gifts and/or talents to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ!
x) Ephesians 2:10—He has prepared in advance good works for us to perform!
xi) 2 Corinthians 5:20—He sends us out to become His ambassadors to the lost world!
In studying Scripture, you will find that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s every desire!
i) John 11:25—Jesus is eternal life!
ii) Colossians 1:5—Jesus was the embodiment of the fullness of God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit in One! Amen!
iii) John 10:30—Jesus has always enjoyed relationship with the Father, more so than we’ll ever know or imagine because He and the Father are One!
iv) Matthew 28:18; Luke 20:41-43; John 16:15; John 17:1-10 and Ephesians 1:22-23—everything has been placed under Christ’s feet and He has given all He has to us—co-heirs, indeed! Praise to our God!
v) John 15:11—Jesus is joy and He lavishes it upon us!
vi) 2 Corinthians 5:21—Jesus became our sin so we could become His righteousness! Glory!
vii) John 15:5—Jesus is the Vine, we cannot bear fruit unless we, the branches, abide with Him!
viii) Ephesians 4:7-13—It is Christ alone who descended from heaven, and after accomplishing the Father’s will for His life, He ascended again into heaven. In doing so, He was able to bring His (spiritual) gifts with Him and distribute them at His discretion to all His saints!
ix) John 4:34—Jesus set a high mark in doing God’s work on earth. Let’s follow His humble example!
x) Matthew 4:15-19—Jesus was on mission for God and has called us to join Him in His work!
Philippians 2:14-16
1) Grumbling, complaining and arguing when we walk in God’s blessing and favor is ungratefulness, lack of contentment and pride, which, of course, is idolatry! These were the sins of God’s own chosen people, Israel. Read Numbers 14:27-35. Okay, who wants to walk in their shoes? Think that modern days disciples were(are) immune to these and others sins? No, way! Remember, Paul is writing this admonishment to the church! Also, read Mark 9:33-34 and Luke 9:44-46. Can you believe it! Here Jesus was telling His disciples about His coming suffering and passion, and they were arguing over who was the greatest among them. Hey, the Greatest was walking with them! (I guess today’s equivalent to their behavior would be called cliques!) Sisters, that still goes on today in our churches (Romans 3:27; Galatians 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 1:27-31 and James 4:16!) Yet, our merciful God continues to pour out blessing upon blessing, miracle upon miracle. We can all thank God, for Luke 6:35! Amen? Dear sisters, the true source of these sins in our lives is that we are not soul satisfied (Psalms 103!)
2) What would you say should be our godly response to ungratefulness, (Colossians 2:6-7; Psalms 69:30 and Psalm 100?) Lack of contentment (Philippians 4:11-13 and 1 Timothy 6:6-8?) Pride (1 Corinthians 13:4 and Galatians 6:14; Ephesians 2:9?)
3) So, how do we actually learn to walk in victory in these areas (2 Corinthians 10:5?)
4) Wouldn’t you agree that it’s kind of hard to let your light shine when all you do is walk around grumbling, complaining and arguing! There’s more than enough of this kind of behavior in the world already! Who would seek out a God that all we do is grumble against?
5) So, how do we shine and exactly how are we to present the saving gospel of Christ to the world (Luke 11:33-35; 1 Peter 2:11-12; 1 Peter 3:1-4, 3:15-17?)
Philippians 3:7-11
1) What are some things that you once thought were so important, but now seem undesirable?
2) Again, in verse 9, we see that the law had no ability to save. Who was Paul trusting in (Acts 4:12?)
3) Whoa! Suffering, death? What’s up with this? Yes, I want to know Him, but can’t I know Him without this all painful stuff thrown in? Well, can I—can you (2 Corinthians 4:8-10?) Just settle it in your heart that we live in a fallen world, a world that head-strongly follows after darkness and sin—they refuse to come to the life-saving Light (Isaiah 29:15 and John 3:19-20.) It would be impossible for us not to be effected in some way by the results of the sin around us (John 16:33!) Yes, be greatly comforted—God uses anything we go through for His own good purposes and ultimately for our good (Romans 8:28!)
a) What eternal purposes does God have in allowing us to undergo suffering?
i) Suffering teaches us to walk in God’s sufficiency—not our own (2 Corinthians 12:9!)
ii) Suffering actually increases our desire and our capacity (just imagine this earthly vessel we live in, our spirits, actually overflowing in the knowledge of God) for an intimate, close and loving relationship with our God (Psalms 119:67.)
iii) God almost always reveals His glory experientially, just as He did in the lives of the patriarchs, and often, it is through suffering (Hebrews 11.) Now, if you don’t believe that these great people of faith experienced suffering (for heaven’s sake, some of them were sawed in half!), then let’s just consider Noah. He worked 120 years building that ark, all the while preaching to the lost world around him of God’s coming wrath by way of a flood. You have to realize that it had never before rained on the earth (Genesis 2:5-6!) Can you imagine the ridicule and persecution Noah went through, probably even from his own family? How about Job--stripped of everything he loved and held dear—his beloved children, possessions and wealth—sitting in ashes with boils all over his body! For New Testament examples, consider Stephen, the church’s first martyr for the faith (Acts 6:8-15, 7.) The great apostle Paul, also suffered in his body (2 Corinthians 12:7.) In fact, history supports the fact that nearly all of Jesus’ apostles were martyred for their faith (save John—he was exiled to Patmos, enduring hard labor in his old age!). Yet, these righteous men of God came to know God and His faithfulness through their experiences—so do we! That’s what Paul was crying out for—to know God, experience Him, even if it was through the way of suffering! Are we willing, or even able to join Paul in this request (Romans 14:4 and 2 Corinthians 1:21; 2 Corinthians 4:7?)
iv) Why does God allow suffering to enter our lives? Just some of the reasons God allows suffering include:
(1) to reveal that He, and He alone is our sufficiency (2 Corinthians 3:5 KJV and 2 Corinthians 12:9!)
(2) to chastise, correct, and discipline us (1 Corinthians 11:1 KJV; Hebrews 12:7-10 KJV; 1 Corinthians 11:32; Hebrews 12:5-8 and Revelation 3:19!)
(3) to reveal this great truth: We are never, no never alone (Isaiah 43:1-3 and Daniel 3:5-6, 10-25!)
(4) to sift us; much like wheat is sifted, shaken and beaten against the threshing floor until unusable chaff is blow away, leaving behind only the true grain (Luke 22:31-32!)
(5) to mold us into His Son’s image (Jeremiah 18:1-6; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 3:18; James 1:2-4; and 1 Peter 4:12-19!)
(a) Oh sisters, our God is also good and faithful! Yes, we share in the sufferings of Christ, but take time to read 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. In our suffering, He comforts us!
Philippians 3:12-14
1) Why is it so hard to actually forget our past (Psalms 71:10-14, Zechariah 3:1; Mark 3:2; 1 Peter 2:12 and Revelation 12:9-10?) This is God’s answer to these attacks (Isaiah 54:17!) Praise God!
2) What are some hindrances to moving forward with God (Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Romans 8:5?) What is the solution (2 Corinthians 4:18?)
3) What is our prize (Genesis 15:1 and Psalms 73:25-26?) Certainly, the Lord has many rewards for His faithful children, but can you honestly name one that is better than this?
4) Are you running toward your prize, or still caught up in what is behind you? Be careful, remember Lot’s wife (Genesis 19:26 and Luke 9:62!) Press on!
Philippians 3:15-21
1) The scary thing is, the only thing separating some of us from the people Paul is describing in this passage is the cross! Surely, we are not are what we will be (1 John 3:2), but thank God, we are not what we were! Max Lucado puts it this way (and I may be paraphrasing just a bit)—“God accepts us just the way we are, but He loves us to much to let us stay that way!” Amen! Know this, we are completely justified—declared not guilty through the sacrifice and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Yes, right now, we stand before God, the Father, complete in every way, not having our own righteousness, but the righteousness that is in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:9.) Our sanctification (changed, set apart, made holy) is complete (remember, Romans 4:17) and at the same time, an ongoing process (Hebrews 10:10!) Walk like saints of God (Romans 1:6-7!) Obey His commandments (Matthew 22:36-39!) Anticipate His return (1 John 3:2-3!) Be light (Matthew 5:14!) Walk in love (Matthew 7:12 and Romans 13:10!) And, finally, dear sisters, having done all—stand (Ephesians 6:13!)