Sermon – “Koinonia”

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. … 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

The message out titled Going to Nia and they’ve was thrown the word corn in Iraq and Sabbath school for a little bit. He actually at first he went to say oh I’m sorry I’m like now go ahead throw it out there. Because you’ll see why after I get into this mess. It was said go ahead because he was using a little different term than I’m going to this morning coin in a scripture comes from Libyans chapter one verses three thru eighteen and verses twenty nine and thirty hear the word of the Lord I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always in every prayer of mine make a request for you all with joy. For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now being confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Amen. Just as it is right for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart in as much as both in my chains and in the defense of the confirmation of the Gospel you all are protectors with me of grace for God is my witness how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all the sermon that you may approve the things that are excellent that you may be sincere and without offense till the until the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God But I want you to know brother that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. So that it has become evident to the whole policy guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ and most of the brother in the Lord having become competent by my chains are much more bold to speak the word without fear some indeed preached. Christ even from envy and strife and some also from for from Good Will. The former preached Christ from selfish ambitions not sincerely supposing to out affliction to my chains. But the latter out of love knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then. Only that in every way whether in pretense or intrude. Christ is preached in this I rejoice Yes and will rejoice in verses twenty nine and thirty for to you. It has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake. Having the same conflict which you saw in me and now here is in me. May god add his blessings to the here in the reading of His Holy Word. Let us go to the Lord in prayer. While ago we do thank you and praise you for your words Father we thank you for the encouragement that we can find in your words every day or when we open net book that we call the Bible we can find encouragement we can find answers. Nor got to the questions we have we may have in our lives we can find truths in your word Father God and we believe your word to be true. We believe every word to be inspired by your Holy Spirit. We thank you for a while there I just pray that your spirit will be present here today that you would touch our hearts. If you would speak to our hearts or God help us to grow in the knowledge in the faith and the understanding of your word by them that it be for your glory and your honor in Jesus’ name amen. You know many of Paul’s letters were clearly intended to be shared with the church as a whole the church body as a whole in many times it says to share with the other believers or for the elders or for certain groups but many times for the entire body but this letter to the Philippians it’s a little different. It is a very very personal heartfelt letter one in which Paul expressed his gratitude in his gratefulness for how. Open ministry. You know it began with I thank my God upon every Remember And so if you think of that every time he thought of these people. He thanked God for He prayed for them they made an impact on his life in his ministry and I’m sure most of you if you stop and think about if you can think of somebody that was a wonderful mentor to you or helped you in some way that you have fond memories of that person or that group of people. If you really think about it. I’m sure you have somebody in your life is made an impact on you. He says he’s thanking them for their fellowship in the Gospel. Because I have you in my heart he had them in his heart he loved them in this heart and he says God is my witness how greatly I long for you with the affection of Christ we know how much Christ love the church how much Christ love the people so much that is willing to die for us. That’s a con a love that Paul had for this church and Philip I it was a very heartfelt letter you could see the love that he had for those people. But even though it was directed towards that one particular church that one group of people there is so much that we can learn from that letter that the believers today can learn from it. We can learn what that church in Philip I did to receive this wonderful letter gratification. Paul said in verse three I thank my God upon every member and verse five it says for your fellowship in the Gospel from that day until now. So fellowship. If you haven’t figured it out from my title the Greek meaning of the word fellowship is koinonia which means partnership or participation. Partnership. Or participation. Now most of us. I know when you think of the word fellowship when not most some of us might automatically think of food. And. Fellowship meal to judge what you meant to say fellowship meal were one of those next week we think of food. You know a good fellowship meal I love a good fellowship meal but it’s not only about the food it’s not only sitting there eaten and enjoying that. But it’s the fellowship with the people. It’s the talking. It’s the communicating and getting to know and love one another. And I’m sure that Paul and this Philippian church probably sat down to a number of males and enjoyed good fellowship good communication but this original Greek meaning of the word fellowship point in Nias. I don’t think did the best job expressing what Paul was trying to get across here he said I thank my God upon every member and for your fellowship in the Gospel. So he is really saying Church. I thank you for your partnership in the Gospel. He’s not saying not. Thank you for that good fellowship meal we had but I thank you for your partnership in the Gospel. You know we’re going to be taken in new members but it’s not just for new members it’s for all members. We are to be in partnership for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We come together as a church in partnership partnering with one another. Paul says also I thank you for your participation in the Gospel because fellowship coin I’m going to Nia means partnership and participation. So we are to participate in the Gospel. We are not to sit on the sidelines Y. and watch everybody else going on the. We are to participate in it to be part of it were not to be idle. So now it was said go ahead and use that word because the amusin and a whole different context. We are to be participate or. Not auditors sitting by watching everybody else and that’s what Paul is commending them for they didn’t just sit around and watch Paul do it all they participated they partnered with him. They came alongside him. They supported him financially they supported him prayerfully but they also came and helped him help him. Share the gospel and spread the good news. All Christians have the same partnership fellowship with the Son of God First Corinthians one nine says God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. So believers you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ Fellowship here carries the same meaning as it did in Philip aeons partnership just as the Flip the church and Philip was to partner with Paul the church is encouraged to partnership in the gospel message sharing the gospel message. Philip was the capital city of Macedonia. It was the very first place where the Gospel was preached and you were and it was a great place to start a new church because it needed a church you know typically whenever Paul went into a went on a missionary journey we’re going to a new town. What’s the very first place he would visit when he go into town. A synagogue Exactly. He would visit one of the synagogues. But whenever he arrived here in Philip there were no synagogues. There was no synagogues that he could go to visit or go and share the gospel. Why because whenever there was a community there had to be at least ten faithful Jewish men to make up a synagogue. So there weren’t enough men faithful man or righteous men in that town to even have a synagogue. So they needed a church they needed to hear the gospel. So Paul says he didn’t have a synagogue to go into and preach the Gospel course we know when he go into the synagogue he always take the message to the Jews first. And if they would hear him praise the Lord they become believers and part of the body if they didn’t then he would go out and take the message to the Gentiles. So here Paul goes down to the river where he finds a group of women pray seeking God believers but it did not know Christ. So that’s where he goes to find him. So we’re going to go back to X. or little bit Acts Chapter sixteen verse eleven says therefore sailing from Charlize we ran a straight course to some address and the next day came to than to the OP lists. Now this verse is kind of significant and I’m going to throw in a little extra here because we know that the Book of Acts was written by the physician Luke. So the first fifteen chapters of Luke is kind of like him sharing what the others did they did this they did that and he just talks and talks about what he has heard what the others a DID have done and Acts sixteen. He says we we ran a straight course that means that loop the position is with them from Chapter sixteen to the end of the book. Luke is with them. So this is not just second hand information that Lucas sharing here it is first hand information. He actually witnessed this in it. So he’s given an account of all that they did. So then the next couple verses. He says and from there to fill a pie which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia a colony and we were staying in that city for some days and on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside where prayer was customarily made and we set down and spoke to the women that met there. Now I certain women woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of via Tara who worship God and the Lord opened her heart to the things. Spoken by Paul in which she and her household were baptized. She begged us saying if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord come to my house and stayed so she persuaded us now. Lydia this seller of purple cloth. If you know anything about the first century Purple was a very expensive cloth. I don’t know if it is because it expensive the dye but it was very expensive so her for her to be a merchant of this expensive cloth means that she was a wealthy woman she was a very prominent woman in that community and as Paul began to preach God opened her heart up and she believed in the message of Paul share believed in the message of Jesus Christ not only did she believe but her whole family came to believe and egg thing that she this Lydia may very well have been the very first you were paying and convert to Christianity can’t prove that but that’s the beginning of the Church of Philip I so Paul continues his words of encouragement. After a thanks them for his fellowship for their fellowship. He then shares that he is completely confident that he who began a good work in them will complete it. You know last week after the message and back talk with everybody and I was talking with Ray and we talked about how some. One message would just kind of flow into another message of the next message and if you remember last week you were here how I shared that how we measure success is not necessary that we set some end goal to have an end goal in mind but it’s the process of going through what God is allowing us to go through it is how we respond to the process how we react to the process of what’s coming upon us and I spoke of Jesus walking to the disciples walking to the disciples out on the sea when the storm had come up and this is the part of really spoke to Sharon as Jesus walked on the water in a storm the storm was under his feet and everything in our lives people who are believers is under his feet. It is under his feet he has power and authority we have power and authority in his name over it. Do you have the confidence do you have the confidence that he will complete it. You have the confidence that you’re going through the process. Whatever it may be that he will complete it that you can have a victory over it. He can complete the work that he has called you to do if he has called you to do it. We must believe that we can do it but the first thing we must make sure of is that our confidence lies in the right place. Because of our confidence lies in our own abilities or efforts. It’s going to seem like we’re not going to go anywhere. Let’s put it that way. We’re not going to go anywhere because our confidence must rely on him. Sometimes God may have to wait a little bit until we come to the knowledge that it’s not our abilities. I was we were listening to a preacher the other night named Robert Morse and he was Cher he preaches a huge church but he was Cher and how this man. From his congregation come up to him after the service one day and he says Pastor Robert. He said I really feel the Lord is tell me it’s time for me I’m ready to go out and preach. He says I really feel that and the spear spoke to Pastor Robert said he’s not ready. So I just Khana didn’t say no more about it. Six months goes by this gentleman comes up again. Pastor Robert Bobb to really feel the Lord as call me to preach. I really feel I’m ready. Again the Holy Spirit speaks to Pastor Robert. He’s not ready yet. Four more months go by Pastor Robert. I really feel that I’m ready to preach and I want to spirit again says he’s not ready for another six months goes by this man comes up the Pastor Roberts and says Pastor He said The Lord has really really been dealing with some junk in my life and I’m not ready to preach Holy Spirit said he’s ready. Now he’s ready. Why because he knew then that it was confidence had to be in God God’s dealing with the junk the stuff in his life. Now I’m ready when things are going slow May we need to do a little self-examination and us a self-examination. I’m not saying go examine your brother your sister on say in self-examination second Caribbean star teen four through six says for though he was crucified in weakness yet he lived by the power of God For we also are weak in him but we shall live with him by the power of God towards you examine yourselves. It doesn’t say examine your brother Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Wow. Examine yourself go look in the mirror and see whether your in the faith test yourself. That’s not my words God says to ask yourself do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you are disqualified but I trust that you know we all know that we are not disqualified. When you are in Christ you are not disqualified. You are more than qualified your conquerors. He will complete it whenever your confidence is in him. Amen. He who began a good work in you will completed. Yes it may seem like the progress is slow sometimes do you know what Christopher Columbus wrote in his diary every day one. His way to the new world. Not yet discovered not bear mind he faced mutiny many of his men wanted to turn around and go back. He had trouble almost the entire trip. But every single day he logged as his last entry in his diary. Today we moved westward slow but they moved westward as believers the direction of our progress might be a little different. Instead of say and westward we could say today we moved upward meaning I have grown closer to God that I’ve grown closer to God that I have gained a greater understanding of the knowledge of God that he’s clean me up. He’s dealt with that junk in my life so I can move upward. It might be miniscule steps but are we moving upward. Are we making progress kind of the same message or preach less we’re going. But it’s what he’s speaking or we moving upward. Do you realize that he can complete it is your confidence in him. Let us encourage other as Paul encourage that church and Philip I even if the progress is slow. If you think your brother or sister is not progressing as fast as they should still encourage them. One of the highest human duties is that of encouragement. You know it’s easy to pour cold water on somebody is enthusiasm. It’s easy to be a discourage or it. Well there’s plenty of those out in the world the world is full of them. We have the duty to encourage one another. You know many times a word of praise or a word of thanks is what has kept the man on his feet and helped him to go on. Instead of sinking deeper into sin Hebrews thirty three thirteen fourteen says but exhort one another daily while it is called today. Lest any of you be hardened to a deceitful missive sin for we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end Paul’s life is such a wonderful example that sometimes God’s ways are truly mysterious you know most people would think that if a missionary or Vangelis such as Paul was put in the prison that they be think and are can believe God has called into this wonderful work and now it is that allowed him to be cast into prison his work is done. Paul’s work was far from over. Far from over because wherever Paul was a preach the gospel whether he was free and on the street whether he was in the synagogue. Or whether he was in prison he preached the gospel and God’s Word went forth. Whether he was even in chains verses twelve to fourteen said but I want you to know brother and that the things which happen to me have actually turned out for the further in so the gospel. So that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ and most of the brother in the Lord have become confident by my chains are much more bold to speak without fear to great things happened that at that I mean how would the palace guard have ever heard of the gospel message Jesus Christ had Paul not been put into chains while you know there’s a revival happy enough the revival in his wake. Everywhere he went didn’t it. Even in prison. The guards believed but not only that the brother and became confident good man if he can preach the Gospel while in chains OS surely ought to be able to do it while I’m free. Amen. If we can’t do it now. What are we going to do when we’re in chains verse eighteen said only that in every way whether in pretense or in truth crisis preached in that I rejoice. Paul didn’t care how or why it was preached but just so Christ was preached the main thing. Back to title of Gary’s one of his messages alone time ago. The main thing preach Christ because there’s no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but the name of Jesus Christ partnership participate. I hope those two words stick in our hearts today. I’m not going to say yours but ours may we all participate in the Gospel and they are confidence be in him in Jesus Christ our Lord Amen amen.