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.

Freed to Serve

April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

Cornerstone

April 22, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

Born Again

April 16, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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