Fellowship in Ministry

Transcript

GR 619
10/31/1982
Fellowship in Ministry
Philippians 1:5-7
Gil Rugh

Book of Philippians in the First Chapter in you Bibles; Philippians Chapter 1. We looked last week at a few verses at the beginning of Paul’s comments to the Philippian Church, what has been on his mind, how he responds to them, the love that characterizes his attitude toward them. Verse 3, Paul began; I thank my God in all my remembrance of you. That attitude of thanksgiving, an appreciation to God for these fellow believers. We looked at that emphasis that characterizes Paul’s ministry evidences itself in his writings, that constant offering of thanksgiving to God for fellow believers. Even believers that have major difficulties and problems like the Corinthian Church.

Paul, early in his remarks to them expresses his overwhelming thanks giving to God for his great work in their lives. We are going to see that evidence as we consider further this morning, his comments. He noted in verse 4 that he prays constantly for them and his prayer is characterized by joy, always in all my prayers making mention of you with joy. He prays for them all the time and when he prays for them there is joy in his heart. Ties back to verse 3, appreciating what God has done in their lives. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have difficulties, they do, we’ve noted that.

It didn’t mean that the other believers and other churches that he writes to don’t have difficulties. He acknowledges that, but he is thankful with overwhelming joy because of what God has done and is doing in their lives will say of how overwhelmingly significant a believer in Jesus Christ really is. That is a human being in whom God is doing a special and eternal work of glory. And if I cannot be thankful for them and what God is doing in their life, that is a reflection on my deteriorated spiritual condition more than it is on a problem in their life.

I become so blurred in my vision, whatever the reason that I can no longer appreciate what the eternal God is doing in their life. That say something about my spiritual condition at that point got to be full of thanks for every believer. Doesn’t mean that they aren’t burdens for certain situations desires that certain things would be changed in certain lives but I still if they are believer in Jesus Christ ought to see the gracious hand of God at work in their lives. Scripture constantly reminds us to be praying for one another. And that may be good for us just to look at couple of passages.

Just after the Book of Philippians the Book of Colossians, Colossians Chapter 4 in verse 2. Devote yourself to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. We’re to be a people devoted to prayer and thanksgiving is to characterize our prayer life. Paul reminds to be praying for him in God’s ministry in his life. Just before the Book of Philippians, the Book of Ephesians Chapter 6 verse 18 with all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.

A major aspect of our prayer life is to be praying for one and other as believers, be in prayer for one another, crucial. Romans Chapter 12 verse 10 be devoted to one another in brotherly love and note the context begin. Devoted to one another in brotherly love, give preference to one another in honor not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer.

You know we challenged ourselves last week and ask yourself how much time this week did you spend praying for other believers. How much time did you devote this week, the thanking God for his work of grace in other believers. That have been a major part of our lives, we conditioned ourselves to be devoted to prayer and in our prayer to make a major part of it thanks giving to God as we uphold one another before him. If you do when you come this morning you come with a different attitude towards the believers around you. You come with a greater appreciation for them. You see them in a little different light; you see them as trophies of grace belonging to God for all eternity.

Back to Philippians Chapter 1 we noted in verse 8 the devotion, the longing, the desire that Paul had for other believers, for God is my witness how I long for you. I long for you. That intense desire Paul had for fellow believers. Since he thanked God constantly for them, he was praying for them all the time he had an intense desire and longing to be with them that again is the characterize us as believer, we noted this word. You six of the nine times that’s used in the New Testament it used the longing or desiring other believers and it’s also used for our longing and desire for the pure milk of the word of God so that longing desire we have for our glorified body in his presence.
You have that intense desire to be with believers? Did you face today in coming together with believers with that kind of desire was it oh boy such a drudgery, get up get ready push ourselves out or was it with eagerness to be together with other believers? Now key to this we noted foundation to everything is that last statement in verse 8 with the affection of Christ Jesus. This is not a natural desire, it’s not natural it’s supernatural.

What is being manifested here is the character of Christ in and through me. Why does a believer have such an intense longing and desire to be with other believers, because that’s the character of Christ, Christ loves us, he desires us. His plan for us to share in that personal to share in that personal relationship with him for eternity and it’s his love; it’s his longing that’s being manifested in and through us. That’s evident, you have an unbeliever. How does an unbeliever view fellowship or a relationship with Christians? How does an unbeliever see being together with Christians? There is no desire for that, it’s just the opposite. But when Christ is at work in our life he produces that and that ties everything together, our thanks to God, our prayer to God, our desire for one another all tied to the character of Christ being produced in our lives.
Now we are going come back and do the heart of what we skipped over verses 5, 6 and 7. So we’re in the same context, the sentence continues we’re just going to pick up and move through the rest of what Paul says here, but let’s pray together before we do.

Father what a privilege it is to take time, to come a part in your presence to look into your word which is of eternal importance and significance. Thank you father for the blessings, being together with one another as believers in Jesus Christ. Our desire this morning is that our time will be profitable in every way might be a time when attention is focused up on Jesus Christ, when the spirit produces his character in a fuller way in each of our lives. Lord that we might manifest the beauty of his character in all that we do. We pray in Jesus name Amen.

The sentence continues, Paul offered his thanks in verse 3, praying with joy in verse 4. Then verse 5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. Their fellowship in the gospel is central to what he is talking about. As he prays for them, as he offers thanks, as he has joy for them it’s in view of your participation in the gospel. The word participation, the word fellowship, again that common word were familiar with koinonia means to share or have in common, to have a common interest or a common activity. It’s something we share together. We have in common together.

And here they have joined together in a common task, in a common area important it’s going to be emphasized through the Book of Philippians. Look down in verse 7 at the last statement in verse 7 you all are partakers of grace with me. Same basic word partakers, sharers together, you have in common together with me. Look over in Chapter 2 verse 1 if therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, these are same basic word again. The fellowship of the spirit.

Down in Chapter 3 verse 10 that I may know him the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his sufferings. You see how encompassing the things we share together is, the gospel, the grace of God, the spirit of God, the sufferings of Christ over in Chapter4 verse 14 nevertheless, you have done well to share. These are same basic word again that we are to share, with me and my affliction.

Verse 15 you yourselves know also Philippians that at the first preaching of the gospel after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared, there’s a word again, with me. In those verses talking about sharing together in material things, in the sharing of material substance, money they’re material things, the things we have together, that we are joined together in as believers and that’s why we have a bond together. That’s why we long for one another; we have more in common than we have that is diverse. Because those things which are overwhelming eternal importance are those things we share in common the result of the work of the spirit of God in our lives.
Now this is founded up on a personal relationship with God. Just jump over to First John Chapter 1 verse 3. What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also that you may have fellowship with us. You see that John’s desire here is that you would share in common in with us, same word koinonia. And indeed our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ. So John says we share in common with God and his son Jesus Christ and we want you to share in common with us. So together we share in God the father and in Jesus Christ and in one another as believers. That’s why First John is developed. It is impossible to love God and hate believers because when you share in the life and light of God you share also in other believers. And that’s why if you have that intense longing and desire for God you’ll also have an intense longing and desire for other believers.

Back to the Philippians it’s going to be a key concept so you move through Philippians the sharing in common together, participating together, having a common activity here in view of your participation your fellowship in the gospel, in the gospel the gospel, the good news that God has given concerning himself and his son Jesus Christ is that which they shared in common together. The proclamation, the progress of the gospel interesting the way it’s put here, your participation in the gospel or into the gospel, in the activity, the progress the furtherance of the gospel that’s what we share together in.

Good for us to be reminded I’ve been doing some study this week. Just again on the word of God being reminded that we have a message that comes from the eternal God himself. He has spoken and revealed himself. That message is being committed to our trust Paul wrote to the Corinthians and says we have this treasure in earthen vessels, we vessels of clay entrusted with the eternal word of God that we might proclaim it to lost mankind. And Paul says we share together in that activity. We need to be reminded that every single person as a believer in Jesus Christ shares in common in this activity and the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I stand this morning preaching the message of God and every one of you as believers share together with me in that activity. We participate together in various ways in carrying out this ministry of the word of God, very tangible way we read in Philippians Chapter 4. The Philippians had given up their material substance that was a sharing together in the gospel. They prayed for the apostle Paul that was a sharing together in the gospel. They two were speaking at forth, that was a sharing together in the gospel. We need to be reminded of what our lives are all about. We are called together to share together in common in the most important tasks that’s can be committed to a human being making the eternal God known.

Now we’ll see as we move through our study of Philippians we don’t do that in our power, in our energy I’m aware that. The spirit of God working in and through us but it says his word is proclaimed that the spirit of God takes that truth and uses it to transform lives and prepare them for the eternal glory of God’s presence. The Philippians had participated together in the gospel from the first day until now. I take it from the first day back when Lydia had her heart opened by God to believe the gospel and she responded an opened her home to the apostle Paul. So that began that sharing ministry in the gospel. This is the burden of the Apostle Paul’s heart.

Look back in First Corinthians Chapter 9. In this section Paul begin with verse 19. Though I am free from all men I have made myself a slave to all that I might win them more. To the Jews I became as a Jew that I might win Jews to those who are under the law as under the law though not myself being under the law that I might win those who are under the law. Verse 21 is I go that he might win those who are without the law. Verse 22 I became as a weak to the weak that I might win the weak I have become all things to all men that I may buy all means save some note verse 23. I do all things for the sake of the gospel that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

There’s our same basic word koinonia. As the Philippians were participants with Paul in the progress of the gospel, Paul said I am consumed, my life revolves around making Jesus Christ known that I might be a fellow participant in the gospel, that I might be one who shares together with others in the message that God has revealed. We should like revolve around this week what is consumed you, what is been the passion of your life, what is the glasses that which you see everything. Paul says for me it’s to make Jesus Christ known, to take this eternal word of God and present it to people that the eternal spirit of God might take and use it. So why thought that your life revolved around the glory of God that’s right, now put that into a tangible expression that when I make Jesus Christ known I am proclaiming his glory, exalting him.

So Paul says I see everything now what adjustments can I make that I could make Jesus Christ known. What changes could I bring about in my life? They’re not talking about changes in the negative sense but in a good sense. Do you see yourself here in this local congregation as a spectator or participant where people who like to come and see and go? God says that’s not the way it is for us as believers do you see yourself as a participant, sharing in common in the ministry and message of the gospel of Jesus Christ what a privilege. People that live out their lives in the realm of mundane insignificant transitory things and we are privileged to invest every moment and everyday in that what is eternal.

Come back to Philippians Chapter 1. In view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. Until now what has happened, they’ve send him material means. Acts Chapter16 from the time of Lydia they have been participating in one way or another in the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Verse 6 for I am confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will prefect it till the day of Christ Jesus. Their participation in the gospel has served to further convince Paul of the work of God in their lives that as he sees their commitment to being involved in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He sees the hand of God that work in their life and that is a testimony to him of the work of God’s grace in their lives because that’s not natural that’s supernatural.

I am confident of this very thing so what I have confidence placed that he who began a good work in you, will prefect it until the day of Christ Jesus. I think it’s important to note here Paul does not say I have confidence in you Philippians that I have full assurance that you Philippians have sticked to # that you have what it takes to drive on through to the ultimate God. Paul has complete confidence in the work of God in their lives now that’s crucial. He has complete confidence in the work of God in their lives that the one who began a good work, who did that, turn back to Acts 16. We could go back even earlier to Ephesians Chapter 1 long about the fourth verse where it talks about that even before the foundations of the world we were chosen by God.

That work of redemption accomplished in eternity passed but then the outworking of that in time for the Philippians look at verse 14 of Acts 16 and a certain woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God was listening as Paul proclaimed the truth concerning Christ, and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. He began a good work, who did it, Lydia had added perception an extra intelligence no, God intervened and opened her heart to respond, he began the good work.

Now note back on Philippians 1. Will perfected, will bring it to its intended goal, will bring it to completion, will accomplish it until the day of Christ Jesus. Now, the day of Christ Jesus I take it is for what we are talking about the rapture of the church that day when we will be glorified in his presence. Look down on verse 10 of Philippians 1. So that you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.

Now does that means we won’t be sincere and blameless after that, no. On that occasion we will be presented before God the father as those who are holy, blameless without spot as Paul wrote to the Colossians and until that time he will keep us. Down to verse 16 of chapter 2 holding fast the word of life so that in the day of Christ I may have caused the glory. So the one who began the good work will continue until perfection in his presence.

Look over in First Corinthians chapter 1 verse 8 and here we writes to the Corinthians we reminded ourselves this is a cardinal church, it’s a baby church, it’s a church that Paul is thankful for in verse 4 and in verse 8 he says "Who" back to Christ Jesus at the end of verse 7 "Who shall also confirm you to the end blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Lords grace that the cardinal baby Corinthians are going to be presented as blameless in the day of Jesus Christ. The rapture of the church and we are called in to the presence of God himself.

Over in Chapter 5 of First Corinthians verse 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Second Corinthians Chapter 1 verse 14 just as you did also - just as you also did partially understand us that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus, till that happen Paul says that when I stand before Jesus Christ I am going to proud of the Corinthians and you are going to be proud of me. We’re going to be proud of one another as we stand in the presence of God you say oh that sounds a little bit not right. But it is, why because it says you have invested your life in ministering to me and I too ministering to you. The spirit of God has worked in our lives to build the body up.

And we’re going to be proud, honored as we stand in his presence realizing how God has used us in one another’s lives by his grace to bring us to prepare us for that time so many. Come back to Philippians is I come back to them we have time. Philippians Chapter 1 I want to pick up this thought in between. Then we’ll look at the couple of passages again that emphasis this. Verse 6 he who began a good work, and I go into the doctor or of election but I believe that salvation from the very beginning is the sovereign work of God that he called me before I was born that he selected me for salvation before time he has worked out that plan in calling me to himself at a certain point in time. Now until the day of Christ that’s the ultimate terminus as far as we’re concerned. That’s the time when the purposes of God will be realized in me to the fullest.

Now in between those two from the time he drew me to himself picking it up in time; from the time I’m called in the presence of Christ, God continues his work in me, don’t miss that. He who began a good work in you will accomplish it until, so you know what that means, God is working in your lives this morning. God is working in my life this morning because he will accomplish this work until the day of Jesus Christ. That’s why we can be thankful for one another. God’s hand is at working in your life if you’re his child. God is accomplishes his purposes in you right now, in the trials, in the difficulties, in the hardships, in the good times, in the joy, he is in the process of accomplishing his purpose in preparation for bringing us to the day of Jesus Christ.

A tremendous relief that is to me to know that every moment and everyday God is accomplishing his purposes in my life as his child to prepare me for that day I say Lord I don’t understand this week. This is been a week that we could have skipped you know what, I take it when I come to the day of Jesus Christ in his grace he may give me opportunity and says oh boy I’ve seen how important that week was in getting me to this point. I see how important that day was that hour was why, God is accomplishing his purposes and if you look at other believers you better look at them in that light.

I look at you and I see many faults and many flaw’s many. You look at me and you see one or two. What do we have to remind us of that God’s working in my life; God’s working in your life. He is accomplishing his purposes what do we want to do, we want to be used in one of our lives by him in the accomplishing of that purpose so that we can stand proud in the right biblical sense the day of Jesus Christ you being proud of me, me being proud of you because God has worked in our lives we’ve been used in one another’s lives to prepare us for that day, that day that it’s all about.

Come back to Romans Chapter 8 some familiar verses but I want to stress the statement in 1. Verse 29 he foreknew he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son, that’s the goal confirmed to the image of his son that will be fully realized in the day of Jesus Christ, that I will be conformed to the image of his son. Now God is in the process of molding and shaping now but that will be ultimately realized at that point in time but you notice, it’s promised to you everyone that he foreknew he predestined to become conformed to the image of his son.

Now that’s my eternal destiny I was destined to that before the world was ever created that I would be conformed to the image of the son of God, that you as a believer would be conformed to the image of the son of God that’s why it’s so important that we be careful about our attitude toward one another, that we be so careful to invest our lives in one another. This is God’s eternal purpose and he’s privileged me to be part of that, you to be part of that in preparation for that ultimate glorification.

First John Chapter 3 verse 2 puts it that when we see him we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. Hey another statement saying the same thing that day, when I see Jesus Christ face to face I am going to be conformed to the image of his glory I’ll see him as he is and I will be like him. Now God is in the process appearing to us. Second Corinthians Chapter 3 verse 18 says that process is carried out as we behold his glory as mirrored in the word of God. The spirit of God takes and transforms us in the conformity with the image of his glory, the spirit works to use the word of God and confirm us to the glory of the character of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians Chapter 1 verses 13 and 14 says that we’ve been sealed by the spirit of God who has given as a down payment as an earnest, as a pledge of our coming redemption, that acted the spirit of God resides within me he resides within you as God’s down payment and guarantee that you will be glorified in his presence. And we see everything in light of that glorious eternal purpose, conditions the way we do things, the way we live our lives, what we invest our lives in, what is important, how do I see you as a troublemaker as someone who always discontent. How do you see me then you start well I see, we shall have to see one another as those in whom God is carrying out the graciously eternal plan, that every believer destined for glory and I want to be part of what God is doing in your life you would be part of what God is doing in my life so that we can be prepared for that day.

Come back to Philippians Chapter 1. Will perfect it, will accomplish it until the day of Jesus Christ working everyday in my life. Every day you get up you ought to thank God that here is another day should Jesus carry that he is going to be working in your life in preparation for the day of Jesus Christ. What is only right in verse 7 for me to feel this way about you all because I have you in my heart. Now we noted in study verse 8 I long for you with the affection of Christ that goes back to verse 7 he says I have you in my heart. Paul had the Philippians in his heart on his mind but we say that wasn’t his natural state. This was the affection of Christ being produced, now being manifested, being seen. I have you in my heart.

Now we really function and live that way. Do you have believers in your heart? Are they even in your heart, they are the burden of your life. You know so easy to go old and cranky as believers. You know we sit soak in sour instead of sit soak in serve. And there’s a major difference I hope I’m becoming more like Jesus Christ as a characteristic you have believers on your heart, not on your nerves on your heart. So easy for believers to get on our nerves, but are they really on our heart, and we really love them? God realizes we’re not perfect, he sees me as I am but he’s doing his gracious work in my life he sees you as you are but he’s doing his gracious work in your life to have you on my heart with affection of Christ. That’s what Paul says to them.

I have you in my heart. Since both in my imprisonment, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel you all are partakers of grace with me we got to pick up this last statement, both in my imprisonment and the defense of the confirmation of the gospel, two areas, imprisonment, his sufferings and in the ministry of the gospel you are partakers all of you of grace with me. Here that basic word Koinonia again, here what the preposition on the front. Their fellow partakers of grace, it’s the grace of God that is involved in suffering it’s the grace of God that’s involved in the ministry of the word and for the Apostle Paul they go together.

I want the grace of God to be working in my life in the ministry of the word and in your life and the ministry of suffering not the way it goes. We are fellow partakers in the grace that’s involved in the imprisonment and in the grace that’s involved in the proclamation of the gospel. Paul says you have two privileges as a believer.

Look down in verse 29 of Chapter 1 for to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. All of you suffering even as a privilege of all the way that I should be able to suffer for Jesus Christ. Fellow partaker of grace with you. You know he joins the Philippians Paul was imprisoned the Philippians weren’t. He says you share together in the same grace that I do and that means we suffer together, we minister together. Fellow partakers of grace, is that how you see other believers, is that how we see one another?

When I am critical of you, and I am saying those things about you that aren’t geared to build you up? Is that in the context to remembering that we are fellow participants of grace? You know we have some individuals having a conflict later on in Philippians what Paul says here you all are partakers of grace with me. Each and every person is a believer in Jesus Christ that share in the grace of God. It’s how we see to see one another.

My imprisonment, the defense in confirmation of the gospel, once you look at these two words defense and confirmation of the gospel these are legal terms and may indicate that Paul has already been on trial at Rome and has presented his defense, the proofs in confirmation of his gospel but that’s characteristic of his ministry in its entirety. My defense, the defense is almost the negative side. Those who’d be challenging and attacking, he offers a defense of the gospel. Here are the reasons that I believe in the death and resurrection of the son of God that being the heart of the gospel that proper claim laid out in first Corinthians 15 the death and resurrection of the son of God.

The entire message of God is gospel, good news from God. The heart of that is the death and resurrection of the son of God. As Gods provision for the sin of mankind the defense of the gospel that we are to be a people who offer defense of the gospel what are reasons for what we believe. Peter uses this word look over in First Peter Chapter 3 verse 15. Verse 14 even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed and do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, set him apart as Lord. Always being ready to make a defense, there’s our word apologia, we get the word apology from it not in the sense of saying I am sorry but as we would use it in an apologetics to offer a reasoned explanation, to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. Are you ready no matter where you go today or this week that when someone challenges you for your faith in Jesus Christ you’re ready to present a reasoned biblical defense; this is why I believe in Jesus Christ. He’s the one who died to pay the penalty for my sins.

Are you ready to open them and take them to these Scriptures and offer them the evidence of the word of God. God says you must, be ready. I’ve been in a position where the opportunities been there someone’s challenged you and you’ve been dump founded, you just haven’t been able to respond. You know the problem is I wasn’t ready to make a defense.

Here he says be ready always to make a defense to everyone who ask you to give an account. Take it that our faith is going to be an open issue and we’re going to be ready for those who ask. Don’t say hey, call Gill, he’ll tell you. That doesn’t mean you don’t call you got difficult questions call Don, call Rich. No, we look for help on one another but we, every believer are to be able to give a biblical explanation of the faith that he has in Jesus Christ. What is it all about, and we can give the line up through the football team and the place they use a weekend in all other areas go through all at least to the details and here’s how we do it, comes to the faith that I have that is of eternal importance and say well boy, I can direct you to someone who could help you, no I am to be ready to give it a fairness, to give a reasoned explanation from the scriptures of the faith that I have in Jesus Christ.

Come back to Philippians Chapter 1 word used a number of times; we don’t have time to trace it down. As Paul makes a defense of his faith in Jesus Christ he used a number of times this in the verb form in the Book of Acts of the defense that Paul offers of his faith in Jesus Christ. You see his readiness there to cease the opportunities and when you present your testimony make it known you have your faith in Jesus Christ there are going to be skeptics who challenge on it. Be ready, not to argue but just to present a reasoned explanation from the scriptures of the faith that you have in Jesus Christ that by the chance the spirit might use that to draw them to salvation.

The other word that he uses is confirmation, in the defense and confirmation. Defense would be looking at from a more negative side, confirmation the positive side, the establishing, the founding of the gospel. The establishment of the gospel. This is a legal term as well. Look over in Hebrews this particular word’s only used here in Philippians and in the Book of Hebrews Chapter 6 although the related word is used in number of times. Hebrews Chapter 6 verse 16; get the idea here what it means. For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation, there’s our word confirmation, given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. The oath given establishes the fact of something it founds it assured. Paul says I offer a defense of the Gospel a reasoned explanation of it. I also establish it; I ground it in his ministry.

Look back in Romans Chapter 15 the verb form here of this word. Romans 15 verse 8. For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the father. Christ has become the servant of the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises, the promises the coming of Christ confirms, establishes, settles the promises the God has given in the Old Testament.

One other passage, First Corinthians Chapter 1 we looked at this verse as we’ll pick up the word here and that will be all. Verse 8 who shall also confirm, there’s our word, confirm you to the end, establish you, settle you. We have been established until the day of Christ that settles. So back in Philippians Chapter 1 Paul talks about partakers of grace in my imprisonment in the sufferings I undergo and also in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. As I defend the gospel and establish its truth, its veracity, you share together in grace with me.

Oh, even though there’s distance separating them, Paul saw them as parts of his ministry. They shared together in grace. So they shared together in his defense of the gospel. They shared together with him as he establish the gospel. Think as ministries that we are to have; we saw that we have to be defending the gospel, offer a reasoned explanation of our faith; we have that positive ministry of establishing and settling the good news, the word of God in lives that it might take root and hold.

So Paul continues verse 8 which we looked at last week for God is my witness how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. Now you see apostle saw them as part of everything that’s going on. That they share together in the gospel, they share together in the grace of God they are part and parcel of what God is doing in and through his life. No wonder he longs for them. You know I realize in my own life, the more attention I give to praising God for you, to giving attention to how important a part you play in the gospel, no matter what you do many times I comment thank God for those who come and cleaned here, for those who work in the nursery, for those who do other tasks that don’t have the visibility what a crucial part it is n the ministry of the gospel. Those who sacrificially give their material things to enable the gospel to go forward, those who teach in classes, those who provide encouragement in ministering to those in need so many ways we’re to be appreciating one another.

We see we are all sharing together in that ministry God’s given us. We’ll begin to view one another differently as essential oh, there will be flaws, there will be areas that need changed, need adjustment. We’ll also have a great appreciation of what God is doing, of the positive aspect there and the major part it plays and what God is accomplishing in our life. I Jotted down what one writer said that I thought was a good reminder about us as believer he said, God is not conducting and experiment, he’s caring our a plan. That encouraging me as a believer, he’s writing in that context as we look at one another as believers.

God is not conducting experiments in our lives; he is carrying out a plan. That things that come in to my life today then the days of this week is not God is testing and trying testing an experiment that’s all part of his perfect plan. That’s the way it is in our lives as believers what a confidence we can have in the God that we serve. What a ministry he’s given us, what a privilege of serving him. Do you really know him; are you part of the fellowship we’re talking about? You may come to this service, you may sit with other believers, you may sing the song, you may listen to the sermons, you may even have their ministry an area of service that you carry on here but you may not have the fellowship we’re talking about because the fellowship we have with one another is based up on a fellowship we have with God. And that is a result of coming to recognize and believe that Jesus Christ the son of God died on a cross to pay the penalty for my sin personally.

He was raised because that penalty had been paid and you come to recognize and believe that, that alone to realize that sharing together with other believers, to serve God in this place is all wonderful but it’s all secondary to the one major issue of coming to recognize and believe that the son of God Jesus Christ himself died to pay the penalty for my sins personally and because I have believed in him, I am trusting him alone. I have forgiveness of sins. I have fellowship; I share in common with the eternal God himself and his son Jesus Christ, and also with every other person who is a believer and him as well.

Let’s pray together. Father, how we praise you this morning for the greatness of your work in our lives. Lord, how we appreciate what you’ve done for us in Jesus Christ. Lord, for the work that you continue to do. Lord, that you’ve not saved us and left us on our own to struggle along, but you are the one who’ll carry out your perfect plan in bringing us to perfection in your presence in the day of Jesus Christ. Thank you father for the privileged part that we play as your children in your ministry and preparing us for that day. Father, give us a greater appreciation for one others your children, thus a greater love to realize Lord that we are part of what you are doing in these believers life.

These believers are part of what you are doing in my life. Oh God, how we can thank you for that, how we can pray for one another. Lord, how we can have the affections of Christ for one another. Lord, I pray for those who are here who are not part of this fellowship, not part of what we are talking about because they don’t share in your life, they’ve not yet come to believe in the savior who love them and died for them, we pray the spirit might do that work of grace in opening their minds, opening their understanding that they might see and believe today and enter into fellowship with you and fellowship with other believers. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.