Having a good “remembery”
I. Remember WHO we are. (3:15-4:1)
A. SECURE CITIZENS of heaven. (3:20-21; 1:1)
B. In PROCESS toward TRANSFORMATION. (3:15-16,21; 1:6,9-11)
Paul wraps up the letter to the Philippians recovering some of the key truths of the Gospel. Everything flows out of our identity. If we can hold on to that by faith (and it has to be by faith because far too often what we see looks vastly different) then our lives begin to shape around a different centre.
1. What does it mean to be a citizen of a given country? How does that relate to 3:20?
2. Kid’s question: When have you tried to do something that took a long time to learnhow to do? What was that like?
3. What does it mean to be “in process” spiritually? What does that mean in regards tohow we treat others who are also “in process”?
II. Remember HOW we are.(4:2-4:9; 1:27)
A. LIVING together as ONE. (4:2-3; 2:1-4)
B. At PEACE because of WHO we are. (4:2-7)
C . INTENTIONAL in our THOUGHTS. (4:8-9)
If we can grasp by faith who we are, citizens of a whole different reality, it can’t help but shape how we are. It controls how we view others, how we react in a given circumstance, and how we choose what to give our focus and attention to.
4. How do most people handle conflict within the church? What does Paul call us to?
5. What are some specific examples from today of the specifics Paul gives in his pleading to “think on these things”?
6. What do you give mental “real estate” to during the course of an average day? How do those things shape your life?
III. Remember WHOSE we are. (4:10-4:23; I Cor. 6:19-20)
A. The FREEDOM of BELONGING to God. (4:10-13)
B. More about CONTENTMENT than ACHIEVEMENT. (4:13)
C. WE are God’s TOGETHER. (4:14-23)
Both who and how we are flow out of something beyond both of those things. We belong to Jesus, and that comes actually shifts how we view and perceive everything. Paul reminds the Philippians that they have been God’s provision to him, and that just as God was faithful to him through them, God will be faithful to them.
7. If there is freedom in belonging to God why do so many fight against surrender?
8. Did Jeff’s take on Phil. 4:13 challenge the way you have read it in the past? If so, inwhat ways?