Whatever

Lisa Edwards • August 24, 2022

From Pastor Lance Shumake's message on Philippians 4:8-9.


Nearing the end of his letter, Paul seems to be giving the church in Philippi his last and best advice that he knows how to give. It’s as if he knows it might be the last time he will be able to instruct them, and he wants to be sure to tell them the most important things he thinks they’ll need to know for living a life that follows Christ. Paul is speaking here about the importance of our thought life. What we think about shapes who we are and reveals itself through our actions.


Often Christians and non-Christians alike see the Bible as a rulebook filled with lots of restrictions on what we cannot do. However the true focus is more on a positive vision that the Holy Spirit gives us to aim our life towards, and the higher purpose to which we are called. In the passage for today, Paul is giving his listeners a list of things they can and should focus on in order to live the life to which Christ has called them.


The first thing that Paul lists for Christians to focus their mind on is the truth. Often in the Bible when we see lists like this, the first item listed is meant to be emphasized as the most important. Filling our minds with the truth is so crucial to rightly understanding life and God. We as people are so apt to believing lies, which is one of the reasons why Satan’s main weapon against us is lying. He tells us over and over again that God is not trustworthy, not good or not loving. When we believe a lie, we no longer see the world or God rightly and we end up far off the path that God intends for us to walk. When we fill our thoughts with the truth of God’s Word, we understand Who God really is and whom He says that we are… and that changes everything!


Next Paul entreats his audience to put their thoughts on things that are honorable, meaning things that are noble, elevated, things that lift us up rather than weigh us down.


We are also to dwell on things that are just. This is connected to the idea of truth because justice is the upholding of the absolute truth God has created, His perfect standard of right and wrong.


Paul also says we should think about things that are pure. This word pure connotes the same idea as holy or set apart. We are called as Christians to fill our minds with wholesome and virtuous things rather than those things on which the world dwells. This practice requires us to not only guard our minds against impure input but more so to actively seek and pursue that which is pure and good. These things that God declares lovely, that by His standards are pleasing and attractive and beautiful, those are the things we should be focusing our mind on.


Our thoughts should be commendable, dignified, of good repute, so that if all of our thoughts were somehow broadcasted for everyone to see, we would not be found fault with but instead would be pleasing to God with even our thoughts.

Finally, Paul throws out a catch-all to encompass everything that he’s trying to communicate. He challenges Christians to think on whatever things are the best, most excellent, and praise-worthy. The command that Paul gives at the end of verse eight is to “ponder” the things he has given us to fill our minds with. This implies that these are not just passing thoughts that we allow to enter our minds and then drop off a few minutes later. This word “think” that means to ponder is a present active imperative verb, meaning that it is something continuous (always the case), requires action on our part, and is of the utmost importance. This is an active stance that we need to take where we practice filling our minds with these true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and praise-worthy things. In order to do that, we must actively pursue God’s Word because that is the ultimate source for all that is good.



That which we ponder will be that which we practice.


If we truly spent time pondering the truth of Who God is and what He has done for us, it would change us in an undeniably way that would stand out as a shining light amongst a world of darkness. The end result of all of this good advice about our thought life should be a transformed mind, one that dwells on the things of God and a Christian who then acts accordingly.

Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?

I Believe That We Will Win

June 3, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?

Who Can Be Against Us?

May 27, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
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