July 17, 2011
Morning Service

There is so much to share and such a short time to do it.  The watchman is to do just that, watch for the happenings of God.  There is a lot happening right now concerning the Jews, and the Church.  Jesus, and the Apostles constantly warns us to watch, and be ready.  It is our calling to point people to the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, and watch, and warn of His second coming.  To be aware of the signs of the times.  Jesus told Peter just before He went into heaven, feed my lambs, or feed my sheep.  Jesus had turned the keys of authority over to Peter in Matt. 16.  When Peter confessed Him as the Christ the very Son of God.  On the day of Pentecost AD. 33, Peter used those keys to open the Kingdom of Heaven to the Jews, and in Acts chapter 10 he used them to open the door to the Gentiles, at the household of Cornelius.  So now all mankind can enter the Kingdom of God.  We receive the challenge of the great commission to go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, in Jesus Name, or authority. 

            In 2010, we studied St. Jn. A Gospel, then we went to the book of Acts, the history of the Church, then we back to another gospel, Matthew.  Matthew took us into 2011, and to the second letter of Thessolonians.  It was at this time that Greg said he would like to teach us through Ephesians.

We have just finished with a  study of the letter to the Ephesians.  This was the first of three letters Paul wrote known as the prison epistles.  However, Ephesians is thought to be the 7 letter that Paul has written. Philippians would be the 8^th letter written, and Colossians will be the 9^th.  This will conclude the prison epistles.

The lessons, and words of encouragement, and instructions are just as much needed today as they were in the days Paul first wrote them.  Themes such as:

• Draw closer to God.
• Walk in unity.
• Love one another.
• Obey authority.
• Shun the very appearance of evil.
• Pray always giving thanks to God.
• Read your Bible, and let God lead you.

All these things are essentials in living a victorious life in Christ.

 

            As we continue now with Philippians we will again see these things given to us that we might grow in the grace, and knowledge of God. 

 

Intro: to Philippians:

 

·                     This letter was written by the Apostle Paul while in prison at Rome, around the year 62AD.  This would have been 29 years after the DBR. Of our Lord.

·                     We first are introduced to Philippi in the book of Acts chapter 16.  God uses the Apostle in a mighty way at Philippi.  Now Paul is on his second missionary trip from Antioch in Syria, and is forbidden to preach the Gospel in Asia, which is now Turkey.  But look what happens, God has something He wants done.

·                     Act 16:9-40 KJVR  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.  (10)  And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 

·                     Now Macedonia would have been like a state, and Philippi, a city in that state.  Macedonia was located just north of Greece.

(11)  Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;  (12)  And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

·                     Now notice the personal pronoun of we.  This tells us that the writer of the book of Acts is in the party with Paul.  The writer of the book of Acts in Dr. Luke, the same Luke that writes the Gospel Luke.

 

·                     We find that this city is a very important city in this region.  And God is going to use Paul to open the door of salvation to some people. 

·                     It is important for us to realize that all these things written are for our examples, and knowledge of God’s will for mankind.  The plan of salvation is shown here very clearly. 

(13)  And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.  (14)  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 

·                     Picture this in your mind.  Here are some people on a river bank enjoying the presence of worshipping their God, and the Apostle joins them, and tells them about Jesus.

·                     It says that God opened the heart of Lydia, and she attended, or received the things Paul had to say about Jesus.   One she had heard, and believed, look what happened.

(15)  And when she was baptized, and her household,

·                     You see this was part of the Gospel that Paul, and the other Apostles preached.  Once you believe that Jesus is the Christ, and you want to follow His teachings, and be a disciple, then you are baptized into Christ, by the Spirit of God, and arise to walk in the new life that God has given you.

·                     Then notice.

she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. 

·                     Lydia was so fired up on becoming a Christian that she couldn’t get enough of what Paul was saying, so she wanted them to come and live with her to tell her more.  That’s the way it is.  Once you have made that commitment, and Christ abides within, you can’t get enough of Him, you want to know more, and more.

NOW VERSES 16-22 TELLS OF PAUL CASTING A DEMON OF DIVINATION OUT OF A YOUNG GIRL.

(23)  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely: 

·                     Those who will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  Then notice how God turns this into victory.

(24)  Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.  (25)  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  (26)  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.  (27)  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.  (28)  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.  (29)  Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,  (30)  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  (31)  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  (32)  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.  (33)  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.  (34)  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 

·                     So we see again another example of people believing the gospel message, and being baptized.  Then we see the joy, and the association of all those concerned.  You just can’t get enough of Jesus once you have accepted Him into your life.  This Philippian jailer, Lydia, and their households will never be the same.

·                     They have all the promises of the Scriptures and the end everlasting life.

 

Well, this is the introduction and the experiences that the Apostle had while at Philippi.  God brought him to it, and saw him through it.  And He will do the same for you.  If you are willing to be the clay, He will be the Potter, and make something exciting and beautiful out of your life.

 

Our prayer this morning would be, “God help us to acknowledge your ways in all that we do, and help us to have a desire to learn more about your ways.”