Sunday School Encouragement: What's your FOCUS?
“Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the LORD, dear friends!” Philippians 4:1
Introduction: Paul begins Chapter 4 of Philippians with a summary “Therefore” statement encouraging the congregation at Philippi to “stand firm in the LORD.” HOW do we stand firm? Paul’s “therefore” in 4:1 is a huge question of reflection… It covers everything in his letter going back to its beginning (“I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Ph 1:6). So how can we summarize it effectively and easily so we ourselves (the Church of the 21st Century) can stand firm in our faith and bring glory to God by our lives: spiritually and physically? I think an acrostic Paul would use comes from his 10 verse discussion in Ph 3:7-17 and the importance of our F.O.C.U.S. and concentrating and synchronizing our faith and our efforts on Jesus. I hope this acrostic will be an encouragement to you as you study Paul’s letter to the Philippians and as you put it into practice in your daily life individually, as a family and corporately as the Church…
HOW WE STAND FIRM IN THE LORD: The Importance Of Our Changing “F.O.C.U.S.”
F:- FAITH or flesh? (3:8-9, 4-6, 18-20) When we face troubles inside and outside the church and in our daily living is our confidence and trust in His promises and His sanctifying work in our lives in and through the trouble or are we determined to handle it on our own with our own pedigree and resources? We have Faith as our starting point in what God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives through His Gospel of Grace. Our fleshly works never save but Faith in Jesus always does!
O:- OBEDIENCE or objectify? (2:3-4, 12, 3:14-21) If we know what Jesus has done for us as Savior will we trust Him enough to obey His commands as LORD? Our obedience to Jesus serves as a testimony to others and shows the World that we are different- that we are a “friend” of God. We are different by His power and not our own; we are submitted to and belong to Him and reflect His glory like stars giving light and direction in a dark sky.
C:- CONFIDENCE or cynicism? (1:3-8, 15-21, 27, 2:1-2, 3:1, 4:13) As Dottie Rambo, American Gospel Singer says in one of her children songs: “Are you humbly grateful or grumbly hateful? What’s your attitude? Do you grumble and groan or let it be know your grateful for all God’s done for you!” Our confidence in Christ is reflected by a grateful, thankful. and rejoicing heart that expresses an attitude of joy and thanksgiving in the midst of suffering and persecution because our confidence rests in Christ and the Gospel and that Jesus keeps His Word. We don’t fear the way the world fears but instead reverence Christ with praise, rejoicing and thanksgiving always and in all circumstances. Others will know it when we show it in those hard times where it matters most!
U:- UNITY or unrest? (1:3-11, 27-30, 2:1-2, 3:17, 4:2-3, 8-9, 19-23) The end of Chapter 2 and the beginning of Chapter 4 show us that unity is not the absence of conflict in the church but the consideration of other people’s needs in the middle of shared difficulties. Unrest occurs when we are selfish and put our own needs first and ahead of others. Unity is present when as believers we love each other sacrificially like Jesus loved us.
S:- STANDING or sitting? (4:1, 14-20) Serving and meeting the needs of others is what it means to actively put the Word of God into practice and guard against self-centeredness. Paul is glad that the Philippians are “Standing on the Promises” and helping him and others with their needs instead of “sitting on the premises” and merely “talking a good theology.” Good Orthodoxy has good Orthopraxy. So, what’s your FOCUS? My prayer is Faith, Obedience, Confidence, Unity and Standing on and in the Gospel of Christ Jesus!
ALL THE BEST!!! AS YOU TRUST IN HIM!!!
Darrin