Turning your Bibles, if you would, to Philippians, Paul's letter to the Philippians, chapter 4. Philippians chapter 4. We're going to be looking just at a few verses this morning. Philippians 4:4-7, familiar verses. Wonderful verses. So read along with me as I read Philippians 4:4-7. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving Let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we gather this morning to express our gratefulness, to express our love, to express our praise to you. And what a joy that is. But now, Lord, we gather around your word to be addressed by you. This is your very word. So would you now come, Holy Spirit, would you come and address us? Open our eyes that we might behold wonderful things from your law. Open our hearts that we might receive what you would say to us. Lord, transform our lives today. Your word is living and active, and I pray you would act now through your word for your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Well, it was good. Thank you, Zach, for leading us. It was good to sing Christmas songs that have a new meaning when you truly know the Savior. I was thinking about this text here. If I were to ask you for your famous Christmas Scripture, I'm not sure that this text would appear on your list. It probably wouldn't appear on anyone's list. But while it's not technically a Christmas text, there's no manger, there's no donkeys, there's no wise men here. It is consistent with so much of what we think about this time of year, so much of what we hear this time of year. Look at the words. Verse 4, "rejoice," and then again in verse 4, "rejoice," and verse 6, "thankfulness," and verse 7, "peace." I mean, it sounds Christmasy, doesn't it? That's what we hear this time of year. Joy to the world, peace on earth. And so isn't it true throughout our culture, in shopping malls and on the radio and in television and commercials, there's an expectation that at this time of year we're all of a sudden to be joyful. We're all of a sudden to— that peace and goodwill should sort of just float down upon us and pervade our relationships. And people who were cussing at each other and, you know, honking their horns at each other, all of a sudden now it's peace and goodwill and cheer as we wait in line at the shopping mall. And all because it's Christmas, right? Or for the more secular types, all because it's the holidays. And so peace and joy, right? Just happens. Well, no, it doesn't. But the text that we're looking at this morning has similar expectations for us. We are exhorted here toward joy and toward peace and towards thanksgiving here as well. Not, however, because of a holiday. Not because of a cultural tradition. Not because of a sentimental impulse. This text issues for believers some real commands. This text expects something from us. But unlike our culture, these commands don't burden us with some kind of nebulous sense of obligation. These commands are rooted in something. They are premised upon something. Now, we are just dropping in this morning into the book of Philippians, but as you read this book, one of the things that you will notice repeatedly over and over again are references to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's one reason I love this book. We planted a church over the past year in— I was involved in this church plant, and we went through— our first series was in the book of Philippians. And I love the fact that the gospel is laced through its pages. It is central in every chapter of the book, beginning in chapter 1, verse 5, right up until the previous verse of our text, chapter 4, verse 3. And so when we come to this text, you have to pay attention. When we come to this text, Paul is making a direct connection between the gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the state of our hearts.
Nearing the end of the letter, having covered some massive theological terrain in this letter, Paul now gets— it's like he's pulling us aside. He's getting very specific. He's getting very personal. Personal. Here, there are no complex theological arguments. There are no abstract truths here. This text deals with how you feel. This text deals with what is going on in your heart. There's no superficial obedience in view in the verses that we're looking at. This text makes a claim on who we are at our core. This text makes a claim on what's going on inside your heart. And if we were to sum up that claim, what I believe is the message God would want us to hear this morning, I think we could put it this way. Here's the claim of this text for us: the Christian soul is meant to display the gospel's power. That's how I would sum up the message of this text. The Christian soul is meant to display the gospel's power. Your inner life, my inner life, what's going on in your head and your heart— we're all here, we come to gatherings and we're encouraging one another, we're smiling, but there's stuff going on inside, isn't there? You got up this morning, you're getting the family ready, there's stuff going on. There's thoughts, there's attitudes. Those things are intended by God to be a showcase for the gospel's power. Our feelings, our thoughts, our decisions, all governed by the reality of the gospel. Paul has a burden here. The gospel is not meant to be something that we merely say. About on Sunday mornings. It's not meant to be merely something that we talk about at church. It's not relegated to Sunday morning or to small group. The gospel is to affect us at the deepest level—what we really think, what we honestly feel, the authentic posture of our inner life. That's what this text addresses.
And far from being a Christmas text or a seasonal focus. This text is intended for all of life, whether you're facing tragedy or ongoing trial, or maybe life has never felt so smooth. This text is for all of us. Look at it, it is packed with these categorical comprehensive statements. You see it right there in the text. Verse 4: always. Verse 4 again: everyone. Verse 5: anything. Keep reading: everything. The peace of God which surpasses all understanding. There's no nuanced counsel here. Paul is not hedging his bets. He's not allowing for exceptions. He's not sympathetic to my special circumstances. Oh, okay, you're exempt from this. No, it's all, everything, all the time. This is bold counsel directly relevant to all Christians at all times in every circumstance. Don't you love that? There is no one here who says, oh, okay, this isn't for me. No, this is for you, and it's for every part of you all the time. Couldn't be a more relevant text for us. In fact, its most relevant application is for our unremarkable moments. Those— yeah, when we're in a trial, we hold on to texts like this, don't we? We just grab them and we grab it by the ankle. We're just not going to let it go. But in our mundane moments, that's sometimes when we need this text the most. And you know those moments, you probably had some this morning.
I ate at Jack Stack Barbecue last night, I could hardly get up this morning. I've never had so much flesh stuffed in this body and I'm recovering. And so if I'm a little dull this morning, that's why. It's Matthew's fault. But the get out of bed and go to the coffee pot moments, the get the kids ready for school moments, the I've got 113 new emails waiting for me this morning moments, the how are we going to make payroll this month moments, the oh my, why is he crying? He's either dropped his pacifier or he's got a dirty diaper or he's teething or it's like the 16th virus of the week. Moments. It's where we live, isn't it?
6 · The pastor announces the sermon's three-part structure (three marks of the Christian soul) and introduces the first mark: joyfulness
This is God's will for our soul in all of life, all of our mundane moments. The Christian soul, the soul touched, the soul that has engaged the gospel is meant to display the gospel's power. Alright? That's what God, I think, would want us to hear today. In this text, this wonderful text shows us, in helping us understand this, 3 marks of the Christian soul, 3 intended effects of the gospel on the inner life of the believer, on our hearts and our minds, on our thoughts and our emotions, on our thinking and our feeling. It's really answering the question, what happens when the gospel takes root in the soil of our hearts? What happens when the gospel takes root in the soil of our hearts? Well, let's look at what happens. Mark number 1. So if you're taking notes, this would be point number 1. Mark number 1: the Christian soul is to be joyful. It's not complex. The Christian soul is to be joyful. Look at verse 4: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, 'Rejoice!' Now, this is not the first time we've seen joy in this letter. In fact, if you read through the book of Philippians, it's the 13th time we've seen joy or rejoicing. This letter is punctuated by the theme of joy. Interestingly, when Paul starts wrapping up the letter in chapter 3, verse 1, he says, Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. Aren't you glad he didn't stop writing? He kept— the Lord kept him going. Now he's beginning to close again, and he repeats himself. Rejoice in the Lord. Only this time it's rejoice in the Lord always. And just in case you didn't get it, and again I will say, rejoice. You know what the point is? Rejoice, right? Good. I can even get that. Now, two simple things to notice about this command. Loaded in that tight little phrase. First of all, the nature of the rejoicing. The nature of the rejoicing. We are to rejoice, verse 4, in the Lord. In the Lord. That makes all the difference.
7 · The pastor contrasts earthly happiness (circumstance-dependent) with Christian joy (grounded on something solid and unchanging)
This is what distinguishes Christian joy from temporal joy or earthly joy or holiday joy. Earthly joy is probably better described as Happiness, because it's derived externally, it's dependent upon our circumstances, it's a reflection of good circumstances. And so it's really just a reflection of how good things are going for you. All right, and so when circumstances are favorable, when things line up to my advantage, when we look good in the sight of others, or we prosper, or we're comfortable, or we're free from pain, or free from hassle, or free from opposition. We win the game, our team wins, our family prospers. All those good moments when life feels good, we're happy. That's not hard, is it? When things go wrong and hopes are dashed and we perceive disadvantage at work, in a relationship, in my relative position to others, we're criticized, we're opposed, we encounter pain, we encounter inconvenience, someone cuts us off, we lose the game, we are unhappy. Christian joy is totally different. It's not dependent on external circumstances. It is grounded on something. It is grounded on something solid, something durable, something unshifting.
8 · The pastor unpacks the gospel's treasures that ground Christian joy: election, imputed righteousness, substitutionary atonement, regeneration, faith and repentance, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and eternal inheritance
Here's, here's what it's grounded on: a relationship by God, secured and protected by the gospel. A relationship with God secured. In other words, that's what got it. And protected. It's not going to change. Protected by the gospel. The most fundamental need we have, the only true need that we have, has been met, and it's been met forever through God's mercy and grace in the gospel. Think for a second. Let me just remind you. I know you love this as a church, but just think for just a second about the treasures that the gospel delivers to us. Because Christ has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Because of that, that leads to joy. Because Jesus lived a life of moral perfection that then gets credited to your account. You screw up all the time. Jesus' perfect performance is yours. And then he dies a death to pay a just cosmic retribution, a just penalty for all the sins that you have ever committed, and your obligation is removed. And then he causes you to be born again and grants you faith and repentance so your eyes are open and you see how glorious Jesus is so you can reach out and receive all these things. And then he gives you the Holy Spirit as a down payment, making you new, and a down payment on the ultimate inheritance we will receive when we see him face to face and we enjoy him forever. And that's just beginning. Now, if all that occupies your mind and informs your perspective on your life and on this circumstance and on this illness and on this moment, then What can we do but rejoice?
9 · The pastor argues that joy can be commanded because it is not a mere emotion but an informed response to gospel truth
That's why joy can be commanded of the Christian. This is a command. You might think, "I mean, Paul, where do you get off telling me how to feel?" Our culture doesn't like that, does it? No, we feel things. That's just me. I'm being authentic. Don't tell me how to— no, Paul says, I'm gonna tell you how to feel. Why? Because joy demonstrates that the gospel has become real to us. That's why rejoicing in the Lord displays, puts on display authentic faith that we're truly trusting Jesus for all that he has done for us, that we've come to know him for who he truly is, that he's become our our treasure and the object of our deepest affections and the basis for all our confidence and the source of all our hope. What? He's become what we're banking on. A sour Christian, you know what I mean, a sour Christian denies the goodness and the beauty and the desirability of Jesus and what he has done for us and what he has brought us in the gospel. Joyless Christianity? That's a contradiction in terms. That's like clean dirt. Jumbo shrimp. I mean, joyless Christianity? No, they don't go. By definition, they don't go. That's why joy is such a serious matter. That's why Paul keeps pounding it. Again, I'm going to tell you, rejoice. That's why the Puritan Jeremy Taylor warned— I love this quote— God threatens terrible things if we will not be happy. The second thing to notice about this command: first, the nature of it— it's in the Lord— and second, It's comprehensive. It's comprehensive. When are we to rejoice? Always. Which I take it to mean independent of your circumstances because circumstances are not always favorable. They're not always going to go well. This is what makes the command possible. How? Think about this. And if you're honest, you'll just think, well, if I really look at this command, how can I Rejoice always. Here's why. For Christians, the reason for our joy, the ground of our joy, never changes. Joy is tied to the right reason. The reason never changes, so joy doesn't have to dissipate. It doesn't have to change. The ground of our joy never changes. God is always good. The gospel is always true. Christ is always faithful, so there's always reason to rejoice. The only way you can obey this command— you will not be able to do it otherwise— the only way to obey this command is if the ground of your joy is the gospel. It's the only way to obey this command. You see, Christian joy is not merely an emotion. That's where we can misunderstand this. Christian joy is an informed response, an informed response of the entire person to the truths of the gospel. It's simply thoughtful, consistent Christianity. It's when you're sane as a Christian, you're thinking clearly, you're thinking consistently. This is just Christianity. Joy. Joy in what? Christ has done.
10 · The pastor anticipates adversity tests that will reveal whether joy is grounded in circumstances or Christ
Now, there's much we could expand upon here, but I just want to do one thing. I want to prepare you for this week. Something is going— let me just prepare you. Something is going to happen this week. Probably something is going to happen today, and I'm not prophesying. I'm just telling you what life is like. Something is going to happen today that will reveal the true ground of your joy. It's gonna happen. Just wait for it. It'll happen when I walk in my home tonight at 9 o'clock, probably. Inevitably, there are tests of adversity, whether they are simple or severe, to differing degrees for all of us. And in those moments if you're paying attention, you will discover something about yourself. Often what you will discover is that the joy that you were experiencing was not really joy, but it was, it was a happiness that was superficially derived, that was based on favorable circumstances, that was based on people leaving me alone, that was based on everyone thinking I'm great. And now that, that's gone, and I'm not joyful anymore. But here's what God does in his mercy. God specifically ordains and allows these tests to transition us from superficial happiness to authentic joy in him. It's a mercy of God. Don Carson puts it this way. I It's a quote, I think we have it, but I'll read it to you. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why the Lord sometimes allows miserable circumstances to lash us, that we may learn this lesson. Perhaps that is why James, the half-brother of our Lord, wisely counsels, consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops Perseverance, perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. I love this last sentence. Whatever the mysteries of evil and sorrow, they do have the salutary effect of helping believers to shift the ground of their joy from created things to the Creator, from the temporary to the eternal. So here's a question for us: has, has your joy shifted? Shifted from your relationship with Christ to something else? Has it shifted from Jesus to circumstances? Has it shifted from Jesus to your desires, your reputation, The respect that your children owe you. Your comfort. Another relationship. This text, brothers and sisters, is a gift from God to us to shift the ground of our joy, to reestablish our joy on the truth of Jesus Christ, what he has done for us, and who he is for us every day. So if you are experiencing adversity today, if you're experiencing a trial today, I don't know all that God is doing. I think God is at work in 10,000 ways through every moment of your life and how that fits in with every moment in other lives and how that fits in with black holes and galaxies. I think he's doing a billion things. But here's— so I don't know all that he's doing in your life, but I can tell you one thing he's doing, one thing I know: he's helping you to shift the ground of your joy away from things, away from circumstances, and back to him. He's— here's what he's doing: he's kindly removing superficial alternatives to the true and deep and lasting joy that the gospel brings us. You know, I was thinking about an illustration here. The best illustration I could think of comes from Paul. Do you know where he's writing these words from? Prison. And not a nice clean prison with, you know, videos and TVs and No, he's writing it from a— he's languishing in a Roman prison, uncertain of his fate. He says this in chapter 2, "Even if I'm being poured out as a drink offering." So he's sitting there deprived, unable to minister, suffering physically, awaiting perhaps a sword across his neck or a lion's jaws on his face. That's what he's awaiting. And he says, "Rejoice." Wow. His command is backed up by a compelling example. And these Philippians remember when the church was planted. They remember when Paul and Silas came in and how they were beaten and thrown into prison. And they recall, they remember that very night, Acts Acts 16 records it. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. You remember that? Oh, this guy knows about joy. He knows about rooting his joy on the gospel. Because the gospel is true, because the Savior is faithful, because our destiny is secure, joy is possible in the face of any trial. So think of in your mind, my trial, my hassle, what I wish was different. Get it in your mind, joy is possible there because Jesus does not change.
11 · The pastor transitions from the first mark (joy) to the second mark (gentleness), signaling a structural shift in the sermon
Alright, so that's, that's the first mark of the heart transformed by the gospel. It is joy. The second mark of the Christian soul. The Christian soul is, number 2, gentle. Gentle.
12 · The pastor defines the word 'reasonableness' (gentleness) by examining translation options and contrasting it with its opposite: someone who always demands their due
Look at verse 5. Excuse me. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. Now that word reasonableness is often translated, and I'm translating it, gentleness. And if you were to check other translations, here's what you would find. You spread out all these different translations in front of you, you'd find forbearance, tolerance, magnanimity, softness. What's going on there? When you see so many different translations, you know that the translators are wrestling with a slippery word. The basic idea behind this word could be summed up in this phrase: gentle forbearance, kind self-effacement. That's sort of the two ideas it combines. It's the opposite of a person— sometimes it helps to think of the opposite— it's the opposite of a person who always demands what's coming from him. And if anyone gets in his way, or if anyone stands in the way of his desires, he's just ready to He's just ready to punch him in the nose. He's ready to honk that horn. He's ready to just clear the ground before him to get what he wants. He'll do anything to get his due. He's unyielding. He's exacting. He always has to win. He always demands absolute justice. And if someone does him wrong, they're going to pay. You know that kind of person? Do you ever turn into that kind of person? The gentle person is the kind of person who bears up under wrong. He's not contentious. She's not exacting. Doesn't get angry or bitter when treated wrongly. This kind of person absorbs wrong and injustice. And unfairness and injustice and cruelty and all of those things, absorbs it and comes back with grace and poise and love. That's gentleness. It's really the Pauline version of what Peter described in 1 Peter 2:23 where he says this about Jesus: This is a definition of gentleness. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. That's gentleness.
13 · The pastor applies gentleness to real-life scenarios (being ripped off, talked about, denied what you deserve) and confesses his own struggle with absorbing wrong
Anyone rip you off lately? Anyone talk behind your back lately? Anyone not give you what you think you deserve? How'd you respond? If you came back with grace, patience, and a smile, and love, that's gentleness. I can hardly relate. Just being honest with you. I never really studied that trait until I preached this message the first time. I had preached this before. I am not looking to absorb wrong. I don't want to be the injustice sponge. No, I want my way. I want to win. I want what I've earned. Oh, that's so stupid. But, but, because what I've earned is hell. But, but no, I walk around strutting around thinking everyone owes me big time and I better get it. I'm not looking to lose. I'm not looking to get my face rubbed in it. I'm not looking to, I'm not looking to do good when others do me bad. That's just not the air I'm accustomed to breathing.
14 · The pastor argues that Paul's command to let gentleness be known to everyone means cultivating a reputation for gentleness
This is the air of heaven, is what this is. And Paul's words are so revealing. "Let your reasonableness or gentleness be known to everyone." In other words, get a reputation for gentleness. Let everyone know about it. Now that's odd because, you know, when people play word association, word association with your name. What's the first word they think of? Okay, Matthew, gentleness. Zach, gentleness. You know, let them think that way of you. Now here's a question that I ask myself: what do I like to be thought of? Well, it's not gentleness. I have a whole list of things I like to be thought of. What do you like to be thought of? When people think of you, what do you want to come to their mind? Your giftedness, your competency at your job, your intelligence, your sense of humor, people just love to be around you. You know, you're the— well, I want them to think, well, I'm the omnicompetent mom. Schedule's pretty doable. I homeschool 6. 3 days at the soup kitchen. Blog 6 out of 7 days. House immaculate. And I'm getting a PhD in my spare time. It's just— but it's grace. It's just grace. I think men have a bigger problem with that, so I'm just playing with you ladies. But what do you like to be thought of? You know, we can even twist good things. Your consistency in your devotions, your evangelistic effectiveness. You see, in our sin, we can take even good things, right, and twist them for our own agendas. Gentleness is not like that. You almost can't mess this one up because to get a reputation for this is by means, by definition, not getting your way, not rising to the top, not— no one applauding for you, and then you're loving it. You're gracious about it. You're loving others when they don't love you. You cannot mess this one up. That's why Paul says be ambitious about being gentle. Be ambitious about responding in love when you're ripped off. Get that kind of reputation. I love that.
15 · The pastor connects gentleness directly to the gospel: when we grasp that we deserved judgment but received undeserved blessing through Christ's substitutionary work, our striving for our due is weakened and gentleness becomes possible
But that's the effect of the gospel, isn't it? That's why this is so tied to the gospel. Think about this. When we really get our minds around the fact that the only thing we deserve is judgment, that the only thing that we have earned is hell, and someone took that for me. In fact, the only one in the universe who did not deserve that took it for me. And therefore, I no longer stand condemned before a holy God, but instead I'm undeservedly blessed. I'm made a child of God. I'm spiritually rich beyond my wildest dreams. When I get that then my tendency to elbow my way to the front of the line, to strut around getting my due, to elbow my way to preeminence, that will be weakened. And instead, I will be content, and I'll be grateful, and I'll know I deserve nothing but I've received everything. I'll be gentle. You see how that works? Gentleness in the heart of a Christian puts the gospel on display. It's not an act. It puts the gospel on display.
16 · The pastor transitions to the third and final mark of the Christian soul, introducing peace as the third gospel effect on the inner life
Finally, the third effect on the— third effect of the gospel on our inner life, the third mark of the Christian soul: it is joyful, it is gentle, and thirdly, it The Christian soul is peaceful. The Christian soul is peaceful.
17 · The pastor distinguishes peace from the first two marks: it is not directly commanded but is the result of renouncing anxiety and casting everything on God
Now, this one is a bit different than the first two. Here the command is not, "Be peaceful." Peace is the result of doing something else. Many of us could probably quote verses 6 to 7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Isn't that wonderful? Wonderful verses. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. Here are two parallel absolute commands that basically describe one thing: be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and supplication make your requests known to God. Those two things together describe one thing: dependence upon God. See, this is not fundamentally a prayer text. Paul is not saying, "You know what? Christians should pray." He's not saying, "Let me give you a seminar on prayer." This isn't so much a prayer text as it is a dependence text. We are to do two things, he says. We are to renounce all anxiety and cast everything upon God. Renounce anxiety, cast everything upon God. Here is how we're to live. Here is how we're to process life. Here is how we're to go through circumstances. Worry about nothing, pray about everything. You see?
18 · The pastor contrasts the cultural expectation of anxiety with the biblical command to be anxious for nothing
So to do those two things is to allow the gospel to exert its intended effect on our life. Does that make sense? So, and if we think about our culture, our Westernized psychologized culture, few commands seem more strange than the first one: be anxious about nothing. Don't be anxious about anything. I mean, in our culture, we make careers out of being anxious. I mean, entire industries depend on other people's anxiety, right? I mean, local news— I don't know what it's like here— weather forecasts, they depend depend on— storm center! Don't move! Things can change. You might die if you don't know how much ice and snow is coming tomorrow. Oh no, this is the worst ever! Oh, go get bread and milk. That's the way it is where I live. They just depend on anxiety. In fact, if you're not anxious, something's wrong with you. You what? You know what's wrong? You're in denial. You're in denial. You know what? That makes sense if— that makes sense if we are alone and exposed and vulnerable in this world. If that's true, if I'm alone and exposed and vulnerable, then I've got a lot of reason to be anxious. But the Bible tells us we are not. The Bible tells us a story, a true story, that should remove our anxiety. The Bible gives us a worldview in which anxiety does not make sense.
19 · The pastor argues that anxiety reveals functional atheism—not lack of belief, but wrong beliefs about God
And so Our anxiety tells us something. Our anxiety is a great indicator of our fundamental, our functional belief at any given moment. In those moments of anxiety, what happens? Well, what has happened— what happens is my beliefs, my functional beliefs, have changed. If I'm anxious in those moments, I really do become a you might say, a functional atheist. I mean, think about it. When you're anxious about a situation, just eaten up, just worried, just pacing the floor about a situation, fearful about its outcome, in turmoil because of our circumstances, you're not really in unbelief. You're believing something. You're believing something about God. God. In fact, you're believing the wrong things about God in that moment. Does that make sense? We could probably boil this down to a few key categories. We're either believing in our anxious moments, in our turmoil, we're either believing, one, God is not faithful. He won't come through. Can't be depended upon. Done pretty well so far, God, but maybe not this time. So he's not faithful. Or maybe, number 2, God is not wise. This plan for my life makes no sense. God, if this is a plan, this is so inefficient. This is so— I could sketch this out a bit more. Lord, let me tell you how I would do it. You're not wise, God. Or, number 3, God, you're not powerful. This one is beyond him. He means well, but there's— I see no way. This diagnosis, this relationship, It's just wrecked. There's no setting this right. Or maybe worse, number 4: God is not loving. If God loved me, hmm, this would not be happening. This ain't love. This ain't love. That's what our anxiety is saying about God. We're making statements about him when we're anxious, pronouncements about the character of the Creator.
20 · The pastor argues that entrusting everything to God in prayer is making the opposite statement to anxiety: affirming God's faithfulness, wisdom, love, and power
But what the text tells us here, to renounce those lies, Making our requests known to him, entrusting our lives to him, entrusting our circumstances to him, especially when they're hard or confusing or painful or impossible. When we, when we do that, when we entrust those things to him, we're making the opposite statement. We're saying, God, I believe you are faithful. You are rock solid. And that word in the Hebrew, it means dependable, rock solid. Lord, I believe you are faithful. I don't know how it's going to work out. I don't need to. You're faithful. This says, obeying these commands says, God, I believe that everything that you do in this moment, this circumstance, everything you do is informed by unsearchable wisdom. You've got it all in your mind. It is motivated by infinite love, and it is being propelled forward by all the power in the universe. Perfect love, perfect wisdom, perfect power, perfect faithfulness is barreling along in this circumstance. And I trust you, God. I'm banking on that. That's what happens when the gospel is functioning for us. When the gospel is functioning, circumstances don't just wash over us like a wave that knocks you down. We face them down. We face them down with truth, the truth of God's Word, the truth of God's character. In the Bible, that's what the Bible is. The Bible is really God's great show-and-tell of his character and his purposes. Because of the gospel, brothers and sisters, we never again have to wonder who he is or what he's doing. It's all good. It's all right. And one day we will see its rightness and we will give him glory.
21 · The pastor identifies 'The Lord is near' as the key to understanding verses 6-7 and turns to Deuteronomy 4 to establish that God's nearness to His people whenever they call is a foundational attribute emphasized by Moses before Israel entered the land
There's a little phrase in this text that often gets overlooked, but for me it's really the key to unlocking the entire thing. Look there right at the end of verse 5: "Let your reasonableness or gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand." More literally, "The Lord is near." You see that? "The Lord is near." That little phrase is packed with significance, and it's the key to unlocking verses 6 6 and 7. Turn with me real quick back to Deuteronomy. Hold your finger there. Just turn with me to Deuteronomy, the 5th book in the Bible. Deuteronomy 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. Here the nation of Israel is gathered. They are poised to enter the land. Do you remember what's happening here? The covenant between God and Israel, His people, is being reaffirmed. And the old generation was unfaithful, they wandered in the wilderness. A new generation is being prepared to enter the land. I mean, Moses is getting them ready. This is the ultimate halftime talk by a coach. I mean, this is huge. And so what Moses does here is he reviews 38 years of Israel's history, all that wandering. And in chapter 4, he's exhorting the new generation, to be faithful, to remember God and to obey him. Again, there is drama here. But look at Deuteronomy 4:1. And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you and do them, that you may live and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Look down to verse 6 and 7. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' Verse 7, 'For what great nation is there that has a God so near to it as the Lord our God is to us?' Whenever we call on him. What great nation is there that has a God so near whenever we call? Do you see what's happening? As Moses is preparing the people to enter the land, he draws attention to this particular attribute of God. There's many things they knew about God. God is sovereign. God is wise. Here's another thing to know about God. He's near. Whenever we call. So what do you think of with God? Well, what is God like? Well, here's one thing I know: he's near whenever I call.
22 · The pastor demonstrates that God's nearness becomes woven into Israel's worship and heritage through multiple psalms, showing this is not an isolated idea but a recurring theme central to Israel's relationship with God
You see, this trait has particular application to prayer, to prayer. And that characteristic of God becomes part of the heritage of the nation. Look at these verses. You'll, you'll recognize some of these. I'll read them to you. Psalm 145:18: The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. Psalm 75:1: We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your name is near. Psalm 73:28: But as for me, the nearness of God is my 'Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted."' You see, this becomes part of the thinking of the nation. He's near, He's near, He's near to all who call upon Him.
23 · The pastor adds Isaiah's picture of God eagerly waiting to respond to His people's cry, painting a vivid picture of God's posture toward those who call on Him—not distant or reluctant, but eagerly waiting to be gracious
And then you have other verses like Isaiah 30:18-19. Listen to this, "Therefore, the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to to have compassion on you. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When he hears it, he will answer. Isn't that glorious? It's like God is standing on the cusp of heaven, just watching, looking at you, saying, come on, talk to me, ask me. I'm here, I'm waiting, I'm going to answer. That's the God we serve.
24 · The pastor traces the progressive revelation of God's nearness to its climax in the incarnation: God did not remain near in covenant relationship but became flesh and dwelt among us in Christ
And then that God became nearer. And so John tells us, as salvation history unfolded, God got nearer. And the Word, John says in 1:14, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
25 · The pastor shows how Hebrews builds on the incarnation to establish that through Christ's blood, believers now have confident access to God's presence—a nearness secured by the gospel that would otherwise be impossible
And so the writer of Hebrews then can conclude In Hebrews 10:19 and following, "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus," Paul's there, the last place in the universe you should have confidence in is the holy places, the very presence of God? You get annihilated there unless you're covered by blood. Therefore, we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh. And since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Pure water.
26 · The pastor applies the nearness of God to specific anxieties (major decisions, unfulfilled desires, children's spiritual health, health concerns) and offers God's nearness as the divine interruption to worst-case scenario thinking and functional atheism
How do you think about God? Is one thing that comes to mind, He's near? Are you wrestling today with a major decision? He's near. Are you tempted to despair because of unfulfilled desires just not happening. He's near. Are you fearful about your child's spiritual health, their trajectory? You deal with something when they're 8 and you think, what is this going to look like when they're 18? As God moves. Yeah, do you get scared? I get scared. He's near. Are you concerned about your health? Maybe there's in your family a history of something, heart disease or something just horrible. Like Alzheimer's. He's near. Isn't it amazing, on any given day, maybe for some of you every single day, in a matter of seconds we can play out in our minds worst-case scenario in vivid detail, living color, Dolby sound, in the theater of your mind. You just go there, don't you? Well, this morning we have an authoritative, divine interruption to that movie, an interruption to our functional atheism. All of us will be tempted with anxiety. These temptations can be tormenting at times when it seems that that anxiety is about to just suffocate you, go here. You can be comforted by the nearness of God.
27 · The pastor expounds the promise of verse 7: when we make our requests known to God, His peace guards our hearts and minds like a Roman garrison
And here's the promise, here's the promise finally, last thing, verse 7: When you do this, let your requests be known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. That word guard there, do you see it? It paints a picture. It's a military term that means to set up a garrison, a contingent of soldiers, a military post. This would have come alive to the Philippians whose city was protected by a Roman garrison. The Roman garrison boots on the ground would have been an ever-present reality for the Philippians. So what Paul says is, Make your requests known. Make them all known. Make them consistently known. And God's peace— listen, brothers and sisters— God's peace will station itself around your heart and your mind like a military detachment of special ops soldiers armed to the teeth. That's what God's peace will do for you. It's going to guard you. It's going to surround you. He hears you when we do this, when we call, when we draw near, because He has drawn near.
28 · The pastor brings the sermon to a close by asking how deeply the gospel has taken root in the listeners' hearts and reiterating that God intends the soul to showcase the gospel's power
Would you just bow with me? While our heads are bowed, let me just ask you, How deeply has the truth of the gospel taken root in your heart? God's intent, God's resolve is that our souls become a showcase for the power of the gospel. He doesn't want us playing games. He doesn't want us vulnerable. He wants us at the deepest part to be, to display the power of the gospel. Romans 15:13 speaks of the joy and peace that comes from believing. So as we grasp tightly the gospel, as we trust in his nearness, as we renounce our functional atheism, Take every concern to Him, every— casting every care upon Him. God's promise is a joy and peace that bears no resemblance, no resemblance to what's going on around you.
29 · The pastor closes in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to make the text alive, drawing near to God who has drawn near, bringing every pain and fear to Him, asking for His peace to guard every heart and mind, and for the gospel to be displayed in joy, gentleness, and peace in every soul
Heavenly Father, I pray I pray that you would act right now. Holy Spirit, I pray that you would take truth of this text and make it alive. We still ourselves before you. We trust that you are near. And so we draw near now. Lord, we bring to you every pain and every sorrow, every question, every fear. I just want to pray, Lord, that your peace would would come. Every heart here, your peace would come and set up around, set up a post around every heart, every mind. Lord, guard, guard our souls this morning. Let your gospel, Lord, I pray, be put on prominent, glorious, consistent display display in the souls of everyone in this room. Let it take root, Lord. Let it have its effects on hearts, on minds right now, I pray. Lord, let fresh joy come, I pray, Lord. Let gentleness Reign. Let peace pervade, Lord, every heart here as we cast our cares upon you because you have come near to us in the gospel. And Lord, having drawn near, you do not leave. Thank you. Thank you. It's in Jesus' name. Amen.