Sermon Central
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In Christ - You Can Be Perceptive Series
Contributed by Allan Quak on Mar 7, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: The world we live in is full of distractions, mistruths and deception – sometimes it is hard to perceive all that is going on. Through Philippians 4:8 Paul equips us with the ability to be perceptive as we walk the journey with Christ together.
You can listen to the full message here:-
http://www.nec.org.au/index.php/listen-to-a-sermon-series/in-christ-you-can/
Message
You Can Be Perceptive
My grandfather - progressively started going blind from his 70’s … lived to early 90’s.
Dutch … stubborn.
He would listen to what was going on around him.
He had this saying …
I can nicht seen
But I know!
We used to laugh … we were much younger then.
But thinking about it later I realised he was actually really wise.
Lots of people have fantastic eyesight.
But they can’t see the most obvious things.
Eg.
Son who comes home with report card … 5 “A’s” 1 “A-“.
How come you got the “A-“?
Can't the Dad see what he is doing?
Eg.
Young Love starting
The woman is attracted.
The man has no idea!
Someone needs to show him the obvious.
The same thing can happen in our spiritual life.
We see God’s creation.
We see the impact of transformation … for old to new.
We see the Scripture and can read it.
We see how our lives and reactions are.
But are we really seeing?
Do we really understand what is going on?
Do we know how to filter all this “grace” and “forgiveness” and “eternal life” information?
Well Paul in Philippians is telling us that we can.
You Can Be Perceptive
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
How is this passage to work in our lives?
The structure of the message today is simple.
We will look at each word … see where else it works in Scripture … and then we will how we can be people who are perceptive.
Finally
Paul uses this word to bring a close teaching on an important Christian response - and then point attention forward to an action.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Ephesian 6:10
From 5:21-6:9 … how families and social structures should function.
Toward putting on the armour of God.
Finally, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
Don’t just stop, even when you have got it all together.
Keep moving forward, keep growing, keep maturing.
Finally ... it is a call not to stagnate.
That is what Paul is doing here … be joyful, be gentle be at peace - that is great you are doing this - but keep pressing forward.
Press forward by stretching your thinking--let these things consume your mind.
Whatever is true
Context - Peter is meant to go to trial.
Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.
Then an angel comes and lets him out of prison.
In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.
It was a search for the truth.
What is real and genuine … not a cover-up. What are the facts … not the lies.
Always keeping in mind
1) The heart is deceitful above all things … who can understand it?
So you can't always trust your heart for the truth.
2) That the devil is the father of lies … when he lies, he speaks his native language.
But he disguises himself as an angel of light.
And his scheme is to deceive the elect.
So He seeks to distort the truths in your life.
Whatever is noble
Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
The call here is to age with dignity.
That the older we get the more people look up to us and respect us.
A distant Greek word is connected to the issue of alcohol consumption.
- allowing the effect of alcohol to make us intemperate.
- we have all see it in action … sadly.
Think about the things that stop you from losing control and losing your dignity.
Focus on that which will enable you to have such a character.
Whatever is right
Not “right” as in being correct.
Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’
