1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,540 Michael's going to be preaching to us today onño 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:02,300 onpopular'. 3 00:00:02,300 --> 00:00:04,180 prophet' 4 00:00:04,180 --> 00:00:13,340 connecting to us today onflippen 00:00:14,080 todo o **** 6 00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:26,740 will be reading that now. 7 00:00:26,740 --> 00:00:41,740 wharever i'n teiru, wharever i'n nobel, wharever i'n rai, wharever i'n pur, wharever i'n lobeli, wharever i'n admiral. 8 00:00:41,740 --> 00:01:03,740 If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you. 9 00:01:03,740 --> 00:01:17,740 Good morning again church. It's great to be together if we've not met before. My name is Michael and I'm a pastor here and we are absolutely delighted to have you if you're visiting with us. 10 00:01:17,740 --> 00:01:29,740 This morning before we turned to God's words, as God's people, let's ask him to help us with this passage this morning. Would you pray with me? 11 00:01:29,740 --> 00:01:49,740 Father, we are eternally grateful for the work that you have done. We ask this morning as we come around your words, words that have been breathed from you and written to us, 12 00:01:49,740 --> 00:02:03,740 we would ask that you would help give us understanding and that Christ would be held among us of the highest value and that you draw all manner of people to yourself. 13 00:02:03,740 --> 00:02:09,740 We ask for this in the name of Jesus. 14 00:02:09,740 --> 00:02:22,740 Dieticians around the world are in the absolute throngs of celebration because of a new Netflix special that's coming out called You Are What You Eat. 15 00:02:22,740 --> 00:02:46,740 Now they're all excited because last year Stanford Medical released the findings of a groundbreaking new study that involved 22 sets of twins. From May to July 2022, one person from each pair of siblings followed a vegan diet while the other stuck to an omnivorous diet. 16 00:02:46,740 --> 00:02:57,740 Now please don't misunderstand me here this morning. I'm in no way promoting a certain dietary lifestyle as I'm a keen carnivore myself. 17 00:02:57,740 --> 00:03:10,740 But why dieticians are finding the documentary so enticing is because the age-old phrase of You Are What You Eat really does hold some weight to it. 18 00:03:10,740 --> 00:03:20,740 In other words, what you put into your body really does affect it and it works its way out in the long term. 19 00:03:20,740 --> 00:03:27,740 Well this morning we're actually going to see that that same sort of theme is running through our text. 20 00:03:27,740 --> 00:03:36,740 Now that's not to say that Paul is concerned with what we put into our bodies but what we put into our minds. 21 00:03:36,740 --> 00:03:53,740 To put it simply, Paul wants to speak to us about what we take into our minds and digest because it really does matter as what we think on will work its way out in our discipleship as we sojourn this world. 22 00:03:53,740 --> 00:04:18,740 Now talking to Christians about our discipleship isn't anything new in the book of Philippians as you might remember that just a few weeks ago Scott took us through chapter 3 and in particular verses 17 through to 21 in which Paul taught us how to fight against all the things that come against us in this world. 23 00:04:18,740 --> 00:04:29,740 And you might remember that one of the ways that we fight against things that come against us is by following godly examples of mature believers around us. 24 00:04:29,740 --> 00:04:36,740 And I think that's important for us to remember this morning as we go through our text before us. 25 00:04:36,740 --> 00:04:47,740 Paul was writing to his beloved friends who were going through difficult times while himself under horrible persecution for his faith. 26 00:04:47,740 --> 00:05:02,740 And so his life was one that could be looked to and seen as an example of encouragement of how a Christian might have absolute peace while facing terrible persecution in this world. 27 00:05:02,740 --> 00:05:09,740 And we're going to think on the importance of godly examples a little while later this morning. 28 00:05:09,740 --> 00:05:32,740 All that to say following examples of mature Christians is one of the tools that our apostle encourages us in while we fight the scams and the schemes of the enemy because as you might remember last week the church isn't going to have an easy life this side of kingdom come. 29 00:05:32,740 --> 00:05:44,740 No there's going to be much to fret about both from the external and the internal as we strive and thrive as the church. 30 00:05:44,740 --> 00:05:47,740 That's the thing that we saw last week. 31 00:05:47,740 --> 00:05:55,740 Though the church will go through hard times we aren't doing any of it alone. 32 00:05:55,740 --> 00:06:11,740 That's because we are in the Lord and His Holy Spirit is at work among His people and we have a promise and that promise is that His peace will guard us no matter what we face in this world. 33 00:06:11,740 --> 00:06:25,740 That's what we saw in the first seven verses of chapter four. As Christians we have the peace of God to guard our hearts and minds as we battle in this world. 34 00:06:25,740 --> 00:06:28,740 Though we have to learn to walk in it. 35 00:06:28,740 --> 00:06:39,740 And I mention that because you might notice as we heard the passage just read out for us this morning that once again we have a similar pattern as to what we saw last week. 36 00:06:39,740 --> 00:06:52,740 Paul gives a series of exhortations and then finishes the whole thing off with a promise and that promise is very closely related to what we saw last week in verse seven. 37 00:06:52,740 --> 00:06:56,740 And it all has to do with the peace of God. 38 00:06:56,740 --> 00:07:00,740 We see it right there in verse nine of our text this morning. 39 00:07:00,740 --> 00:07:08,740 There's exhortations that we're to obey and follow but again there is a promise in all of it. 40 00:07:08,740 --> 00:07:17,740 So if you have your Bibles with you this morning have them open at this particular text and look with me at verse eight. 41 00:07:17,740 --> 00:07:34,740 Paul says finally brothers and sisters whatever's true whatever's noble whatever's right whatever's pure whatever's lovely whatever's admirable if anything is excellent or praise worthy think about such things. 42 00:07:34,740 --> 00:07:50,740 OK so the first thing that we notice is there's a lot of whatever's going on right a lot of whatever's and we'll explore exactly what Paul means to show us by all of this in a little bit more detail a little later. 43 00:07:50,740 --> 00:08:05,740 But first I want you to notice what actually comes at the very end of this verse and it's what Paul tells Christians to do with all of this and that's to think. 44 00:08:05,740 --> 00:08:16,740 Now again we're going to have a look at everything else he has said in this verse in greater detail because it's incredibly practical that every single Christian does so. 45 00:08:16,740 --> 00:08:28,740 But the first thing that I want us to concentrate on is exactly trying to find out what Paul means by telling us to think on these things. 46 00:08:28,740 --> 00:08:39,740 Well the word that sits under the word think in our NIVs means to carry so much more than a brief second thought or mindful glance. 47 00:08:39,740 --> 00:08:48,740 As it can also be understood as dwell fixate consider ponder or meditate. 48 00:08:48,740 --> 00:08:51,740 That's what Paul wants us to do here. 49 00:08:51,740 --> 00:09:03,740 He wants Christians to really hone in on and fixate on these things that he has mentioned to really meditate on what he's told us. 50 00:09:03,740 --> 00:09:19,740 Now before we move on from that definition I want to say a little bit more on that because as soon as I mentioned the word meditate well it might conjure up all sorts of preconceived ideas in your mind. 51 00:09:19,740 --> 00:09:32,740 I remember just a few years ago Haley and I we went to go and see famed Australian poet and musician Nick Cave at Perth Concert Hall for a night of Q&A. 52 00:09:32,740 --> 00:09:44,740 And it was asked of him what he thought life was all about to which he replied that that's an impossible question to answer. 53 00:09:44,740 --> 00:10:01,740 But then he went on to say I'll answer your question with a question and then he asked the audience member if they meditated because he went to go on to say that meaning comes in silence. 54 00:10:01,740 --> 00:10:20,740 Now as soon as I heard that my eyes rolled into the back of my head that people in the back row would have been able to hear it as he was defining what was going on here at least is the act of emptying yourself of everything and concentrating on nothingness. 55 00:10:20,740 --> 00:10:30,740 Well church let me say from the get go that's definitely not what Paul has in mind here. 56 00:10:30,740 --> 00:10:43,740 But because that type of meditation is unbiblical as we never find instruction in the word of God to empty our minds just the opposite. 57 00:10:43,740 --> 00:10:51,740 Notice it's in our text. Paul isn't saying ruminate dwell meditate on nothingness brothers and sisters. 58 00:10:51,740 --> 00:11:00,740 He's telling us to fill up our thinking with God's thoughts as we'll see a true and commendable. 59 00:11:00,740 --> 00:11:03,740 That's what our apostle wants us to do. 60 00:11:03,740 --> 00:11:20,740 He wants us to not just hear what's being said to give things a second glance or a minute thought but to for what is said here to sink into our minds to fill up our thoughts 61 00:11:20,740 --> 00:11:23,740 so that we might ruminate on it. 62 00:11:23,740 --> 00:11:31,740 He wants it going around and around and around in our thoughts for us to be thinking over and over and over. 63 00:11:31,740 --> 00:11:38,740 He wants us to think. He wants us to fixate. He wants us to meditate on such things. 64 00:11:38,740 --> 00:11:50,740 See church we run into problems if we meditate on nothingness because nothingness is not what God has revealed to us. 65 00:11:50,740 --> 00:12:01,740 God the creator of the universe has spoken and he is speaking to us. His word is alive and active. 66 00:12:01,740 --> 00:12:13,740 If we take the world's view and meditate on nothingness or look for the peace in the void, it's dangerous because that will work itself out in our lives. 67 00:12:13,740 --> 00:12:22,740 What Paul wants for the Christian here is for us to be filled up with these things and to meditate on them. 68 00:12:22,740 --> 00:12:30,740 Paul is saying dear ones you must think, you must ruminate, you must fixate, you must dwell on these things. 69 00:12:30,740 --> 00:12:35,740 So that naturally leads us to our next question. 70 00:12:35,740 --> 00:12:40,740 What exactly are these things you want us to meditate on Paul? 71 00:12:40,740 --> 00:12:50,740 Well we've already read what Paul has told us to fixate on this morning and we noticed six whatever's if you were counting through them. 72 00:12:50,740 --> 00:12:56,740 Whatever's true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable. 73 00:12:56,740 --> 00:13:05,740 Let me just say from the get-go there could be a sermon on every single one of these and all of them as a whole. 74 00:13:05,740 --> 00:13:17,740 But this morning we're just going to go through each of them briefly so that we know from the get-go what he's talking about here, where to meditate on. 75 00:13:17,740 --> 00:13:25,740 So that leads us to the first thing. Paul is telling us to know and fixate on the truth. 76 00:13:25,740 --> 00:13:28,740 Where do we find the truth? 77 00:13:28,740 --> 00:13:34,740 Well dear ones, there's actually true things all around us in this world. 78 00:13:34,740 --> 00:13:46,740 But what God defines as truth is clearly on view here and we find that truth most clearly revealed in his word to us. 79 00:13:46,740 --> 00:14:01,740 And so reading and meditating on God's word every day is vitally important for us to do because every day, every single one of us is bombarded by millions of things that are true and untrue. 80 00:14:01,740 --> 00:14:06,740 And much of it, for one example, comes through social media. 81 00:14:06,740 --> 00:14:14,740 And much of it is believed by the masses and passed on as hashtag truth. 82 00:14:14,740 --> 00:14:17,740 And so it seems true. 83 00:14:17,740 --> 00:14:34,740 And so if God's truth is not guiding our thoughts, is not a lamp unto our feet, as the psalmist says it, well we'll be inevitably informed and conformed to the pattern of this world. 84 00:14:34,740 --> 00:14:40,740 And like the rest of the world, we'll be tripping all over the place in the dark. 85 00:14:40,740 --> 00:14:53,740 Church, it's impossible to be transformed by what God defines as true if we don't really take it in and meditate on what God reveals to be true. 86 00:14:53,740 --> 00:14:57,740 And I just want to say something as a side note here. 87 00:14:57,740 --> 00:15:04,740 Is that to say that social media should be banned for all Christians everywhere? Absolutely not. 88 00:15:04,740 --> 00:15:06,740 That is not what I'm saying here. 89 00:15:06,740 --> 00:15:13,740 Social media is used for a lot of really good things. Some really godly things as well. 90 00:15:13,740 --> 00:15:22,740 But what I think we should all consider here is that there is a danger in this technological world and we are all prone to it. 91 00:15:22,740 --> 00:15:35,740 I mean we all meditate on words and thoughts that come to us because in reality we're blasted 24x7 by our little devices that live in our pockets 92 00:15:35,740 --> 00:15:39,740 which demand our attention and feed us information. 93 00:15:39,740 --> 00:15:50,740 So when they vibrate or beep, well we're in danger of fixating and ruminating and meditating on the trivial and the false all day long. 94 00:15:50,740 --> 00:15:56,740 So we should be aware of that and learn to stop and ask, 95 00:15:56,740 --> 00:16:06,740 is this information that is coming to me true in light of what God says? 96 00:16:06,740 --> 00:16:16,740 And we can ask that through the filter because in God's grace and goodness, He has given us His Word. 97 00:16:16,740 --> 00:16:19,740 He has revealed truth to us. 98 00:16:19,740 --> 00:16:34,740 Church, let me say so many destructive thoughts, so many panicked minds are cultivated by believing things that are just not true. 99 00:16:34,740 --> 00:16:42,740 So when we begin to replace lies in our minds with the truth of what God has said in His Word, 100 00:16:42,740 --> 00:16:50,740 when we begin to meditate on the wonderful truths of who God is and who you are in Christ, 101 00:16:50,740 --> 00:16:57,740 that the world is in His hands, that He is good, that He is sovereign, that He is over all things, 102 00:16:57,740 --> 00:17:04,740 when we meditate of who we are in the Lord and what we have to look forward to in eternity, 103 00:17:04,740 --> 00:17:11,740 even in right now where we can look to the past that has been totally forgiven and that doesn't define us, 104 00:17:11,740 --> 00:17:24,740 when we start to experience a peace that God has designed for His children to walk in while we are in this chaotic world. 105 00:17:24,740 --> 00:17:27,740 So let's meditate on what's true. 106 00:17:27,740 --> 00:17:30,740 But Paul says what's noble as well. 107 00:17:30,740 --> 00:17:32,740 The picture is pretty simple here. 108 00:17:32,740 --> 00:17:41,740 As Paul is basically saying, take your minds out of the gutter and think on the things that are worthy of respect. 109 00:17:41,740 --> 00:17:51,740 If we're honest with ourselves, so much of what we think on is the what-ifs and the maybes, the frivolous, the meaningless, 110 00:17:51,740 --> 00:17:55,740 sometimes the filthy and the vulgar. 111 00:17:55,740 --> 00:18:04,740 And so Paul says, make the conscious effort, dear ones, when your minds are dwelling in the mud to lift your thoughts out of that place 112 00:18:04,740 --> 00:18:08,740 and take them to a higher place. 113 00:18:08,740 --> 00:18:15,740 For one example, take your mind to the things that matter to God, to the things that please Him. 114 00:18:15,740 --> 00:18:22,740 So where to meditate on what's true, what's noble, Paul also says what's right. 115 00:18:22,740 --> 00:18:25,740 Now this could be understood as just. 116 00:18:25,740 --> 00:18:28,740 That's how some translations render it. 117 00:18:28,740 --> 00:18:31,740 And that's something that is important to God. 118 00:18:31,740 --> 00:18:35,740 We see it all throughout His Word, justice. 119 00:18:35,740 --> 00:18:39,740 But again, not justice in the way we define it. 120 00:18:39,740 --> 00:18:43,740 Justice in the way God defines it. 121 00:18:43,740 --> 00:18:52,740 And so we want to meditate on what God sees as right and good for His creatures and creation according to His Word. 122 00:18:52,740 --> 00:19:00,740 And so when things are happening around us, we might ask, what would God have to say about these things? 123 00:19:00,740 --> 00:19:05,740 What would He have to say about the orphan, about the widow, about the downtrodden? 124 00:19:05,740 --> 00:19:07,740 What would He have to say about our neighbours? 125 00:19:07,740 --> 00:19:12,740 What would He have to say about those who are lost or spiritually dead? 126 00:19:12,740 --> 00:19:17,740 What would God have me to do in this situation? 127 00:19:17,740 --> 00:19:23,740 So where to meditate what's true, noble, right. 128 00:19:23,740 --> 00:19:28,740 But no, no, Paul also directs us in thinking on what's pure. 129 00:19:28,740 --> 00:19:37,740 And that's such a beautiful word that defines so much of what God desires and in His grace for His people, 130 00:19:37,740 --> 00:19:40,740 what He is working out in our lives. 131 00:19:40,740 --> 00:19:46,740 He desires pure words, pure thoughts, pure desires, pure motives. 132 00:19:46,740 --> 00:19:56,740 And the more we fixate on what He is, who He is, the more our thoughts will be on what He sees as pure. 133 00:19:56,740 --> 00:20:04,740 Which will in turn cause us to run, hopefully, from those things that's so easily defile. 134 00:20:04,740 --> 00:20:12,740 Paul also says, dwell on what's lovely, which is anything that is pleasing and beautiful to God. 135 00:20:12,740 --> 00:20:21,740 The Bible defines many things that are pleasing and beautiful to God, such as holiness that pleases Him. 136 00:20:21,740 --> 00:20:30,740 He sees the feat of those who bring glad tidings as beautiful. 137 00:20:30,740 --> 00:20:34,740 They are beautiful, they are lovely to God. 138 00:20:34,740 --> 00:20:36,740 Then last, what's commendable? 139 00:20:36,740 --> 00:20:39,740 This one's a little bit more difficult. 140 00:20:39,740 --> 00:20:48,740 But I would say to dwell on things that are commendable would mean that you would be able to recommend a particular thought 141 00:20:48,740 --> 00:20:57,740 that you're having to someone else in a way that they would be edified or encouraged by thinking the same thoughts as you. 142 00:20:57,740 --> 00:21:07,740 Paul says, think about those kind of things, not the kind of things that if someone was to hear, they would be discouraged or even disgusted. 143 00:21:07,740 --> 00:21:22,740 Paul says, fixate your mind on the things that are so wonderful to God that you could, in a good conscience, commend these thoughts to others. 144 00:21:22,740 --> 00:21:32,740 Church, you might notice that Paul ends the whole thing by saying, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, if anything. 145 00:21:32,740 --> 00:21:47,740 Which is to say that there are things all around us in this world in which God, in His goodness and in His common grace, has given to all His creation, to all His creatures. 146 00:21:47,740 --> 00:21:53,740 And His creatures do do excellent and praiseworthy things. 147 00:21:53,740 --> 00:22:08,740 Yes, we are to define everything we see in this world through the lens of God's revealed word, but that doesn't mean we can't see excellent and praiseworthy things around us in this world. 148 00:22:08,740 --> 00:22:13,740 No, His goodness can be seen all throughout His creation. 149 00:22:13,740 --> 00:22:18,740 I heard it said like this, you can see His fingerprints on His wonderful work of art. 150 00:22:18,740 --> 00:22:29,740 And so Paul encourages Christians to meditate on all the wonderful things that God in His good grace and providence has allowed to happen. 151 00:22:29,740 --> 00:22:37,740 Yet we should define those three things as true and commendable through the lens of His word. 152 00:22:37,740 --> 00:22:43,740 Now, before we move on, I just want to be crystal clear with you this morning. 153 00:22:43,740 --> 00:22:49,740 Paul has given us these exhortations, but this isn't the gospel. 154 00:22:49,740 --> 00:22:53,740 We have to be very mindful of the context here. 155 00:22:53,740 --> 00:23:02,740 He's telling Christians who already have received the gospel how to live out our discipleship in this world as we battle. 156 00:23:02,740 --> 00:23:08,740 No, this isn't Paul telling us how to become a Christian. 157 00:23:08,740 --> 00:23:12,740 Paul is telling Christians how to live. 158 00:23:12,740 --> 00:23:23,740 So I just want to say that if you're here this morning and you're not a Christian, the first thing you have to deal with is the claims of the gospel. 159 00:23:23,740 --> 00:23:40,740 The first thing you have to deal with is that you are a creature who has been made by your creator and that you have broken your creator's good law, like I and every single other person has. 160 00:23:40,740 --> 00:23:52,740 Thus, without forgiveness for that law-breaking, you won't spend eternity in the presence of the one who created you for himself, in heaven or the new creation. 161 00:23:52,740 --> 00:23:55,740 But this is the good news, dear one. 162 00:23:55,740 --> 00:24:08,740 Your creator, God, in his love and mercy has made a way for total and utter forgiveness to be offered by giving us the solution to our problem. 163 00:24:08,740 --> 00:24:17,740 His precious son, Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect law-abiding life on behalf of his people, 164 00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:24,740 who took the punishment for his people's sins, that's what the cross was all about. 165 00:24:24,740 --> 00:24:34,740 And just so we would know that our debt has been paid, our death, which became his death, couldn't justly remain on him. 166 00:24:34,740 --> 00:24:40,740 Remember, righteousness, justice, it's important to God. 167 00:24:40,740 --> 00:24:44,740 Hence why Jesus was raised from the grave. 168 00:24:44,740 --> 00:24:57,740 And this is the good news in all of this. If you will believe and trust in Jesus as the only way, then that total and utter forgiveness offered is received. 169 00:24:57,740 --> 00:25:09,740 And reconciliation, Matt said it so wonderfully before in our confession, reconciliation isn't something future only, but present between creator creation. 170 00:25:09,740 --> 00:25:14,740 And we are adopted into the family of God. 171 00:25:14,740 --> 00:25:19,740 He becomes our father. It's a real and living reality. 172 00:25:19,740 --> 00:25:38,740 That is the gospel and meditating on what is true and pure, what is just and right, lovely and commendable and excellent and praiseworthy in God's word and world will ultimately lead all of our reflections to this truth. 173 00:25:38,740 --> 00:25:42,740 This is all been very practical for us this morning, right? 174 00:25:42,740 --> 00:25:57,740 Paul wants us to meditate on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, everything excellent and praiseworthy, so that what we meditate on works its way out in our lines. 175 00:25:57,740 --> 00:26:06,740 So it's a little wonder that Paul then points to the practical outworking of what discipleship looks like in the real world. 176 00:26:06,740 --> 00:26:14,740 Verse nine, whatever you've learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put into practice. 177 00:26:14,740 --> 00:26:19,740 Do you see what our apostle is doing in just these two verses? 178 00:26:19,740 --> 00:26:24,740 He's essentially giving us a beautiful pattern of Christian discipleship. 179 00:26:24,740 --> 00:26:31,740 We're to think, we're to know, but notice this, the Christian isn't just meant to think and know. 180 00:26:31,740 --> 00:26:35,740 No, we're meant to act on what we know. 181 00:26:35,740 --> 00:26:39,740 That's the pattern that Paul has set out here. 182 00:26:39,740 --> 00:26:47,740 See, all of us think, all of us fixate, all of us dwell and meditate on things. 183 00:26:47,740 --> 00:26:55,740 And so Paul gives us instruction on taking what we naturally do and directing it to how it should be used, 184 00:26:55,740 --> 00:27:06,740 because what we meditate on will work its way out in our lives, so he says, whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, put into practice. 185 00:27:06,740 --> 00:27:10,740 But look at what else he says here in verse nine. 186 00:27:10,740 --> 00:27:17,740 He also says, whatever you have seen in me, put into practice. 187 00:27:17,740 --> 00:27:28,740 And so, simply put, Paul knows that we all need to not just hear about, but to see the Christian life worked out in this world. 188 00:27:28,740 --> 00:27:32,740 I used to be a drum teacher for many years. 189 00:27:32,740 --> 00:27:38,740 Now imagine if you wanted to be a drummer and you came to me and said, I want to be a drummer. 190 00:27:38,740 --> 00:27:44,740 And so I just give you a whole bunch of drum music and say, read this and you'll be fine. 191 00:27:44,740 --> 00:27:49,740 Imagine if I didn't know how to play the drums myself. 192 00:27:49,740 --> 00:27:58,740 Imagine if I didn't know how to demonstrate the very thing that I'm telling you to play. 193 00:27:58,740 --> 00:28:00,740 Be ludicrous, right? 194 00:28:00,740 --> 00:28:04,740 Well, how does Paul instruct the Philippians? 195 00:28:04,740 --> 00:28:07,740 How do we live the Christian life? 196 00:28:07,740 --> 00:28:12,740 Well, in a couple of ways, he taught them the truth, but, and this is important, 197 00:28:12,740 --> 00:28:17,740 he also lived the Christian life out right in front of them. 198 00:28:17,740 --> 00:28:21,740 That's how Paul sees discipleship happening. 199 00:28:21,740 --> 00:28:29,740 He taught, but he also lived as an example as to what they were to do so they could see 200 00:28:29,740 --> 00:28:36,740 how a real flesh and blood disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ lives in this world. 201 00:28:36,740 --> 00:28:41,740 They didn't just hear the truth, but they saw the truth worked out. 202 00:28:41,740 --> 00:28:48,740 Paul, an example of one who had become what he was feeding on. 203 00:28:48,740 --> 00:28:56,740 Brothers and sisters, might I say that is why the local church is so very important. 204 00:28:56,740 --> 00:29:03,740 That's why we mustn't isolate ourselves from each other and just attend an online church. 205 00:29:03,740 --> 00:29:10,740 That's why connect groups are wonderful and important because being around each other 206 00:29:10,740 --> 00:29:14,740 and having a real siblings in the Lord being examples to one another, 207 00:29:14,740 --> 00:29:20,740 living out our obedience and encouraging one another in hard times, 208 00:29:20,740 --> 00:29:24,740 it's so vitally important to our discipleship. 209 00:29:24,740 --> 00:29:27,740 And seeing things in that way, 210 00:29:27,740 --> 00:29:33,740 guards us from making the church about me, myself and I. 211 00:29:33,740 --> 00:29:38,740 It guards us from individualism and consumerism. 212 00:29:38,740 --> 00:29:41,740 Heavenly Father has put us together. 213 00:29:41,740 --> 00:29:46,740 Paul has said it throughout this book, we are in the Lord. 214 00:29:46,740 --> 00:29:52,740 We are in this together to be with one another, to encourage one another, 215 00:29:52,740 --> 00:29:55,740 to be an example to one another, 216 00:29:55,740 --> 00:30:01,740 meaning you are valuable to this church community, 217 00:30:01,740 --> 00:30:07,740 meaning you have purpose in this place. 218 00:30:07,740 --> 00:30:10,740 Paul is giving the church what we need. 219 00:30:10,740 --> 00:30:14,740 He's also giving us instruction, 220 00:30:14,740 --> 00:30:18,740 but also demonstration because that's what we all need. 221 00:30:18,740 --> 00:30:22,740 We can meditate all day long on the wonderful truths of the gospel, 222 00:30:22,740 --> 00:30:26,740 but we also need to see how it's worked out in this world. 223 00:30:26,740 --> 00:30:30,740 Christians, we need each other. 224 00:30:30,740 --> 00:30:38,740 We need each other to demonstrate the grace of God to one another in our Christian discipleship. 225 00:30:38,740 --> 00:30:44,740 Thinking and knowing and doing, it all goes together. 226 00:30:44,740 --> 00:30:47,740 Like we saw last week, this all ends with a promise. 227 00:30:47,740 --> 00:30:51,740 This promise is even more striking than the promise that we saw in verse 7, 228 00:30:51,740 --> 00:30:55,740 and it's awesome. It's absolutely awesome. 229 00:30:55,740 --> 00:30:59,740 The exhortations, they came in verses 2 through to 6, 230 00:30:59,740 --> 00:31:01,740 and then he ends on a promise. 231 00:31:01,740 --> 00:31:04,740 The peace of God which transcends all understanding 232 00:31:04,740 --> 00:31:07,740 will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 233 00:31:07,740 --> 00:31:10,740 But look at what he says in verse 9. 234 00:31:10,740 --> 00:31:13,740 Follow these exhortations. 235 00:31:13,740 --> 00:31:15,740 But what does he say? 236 00:31:15,740 --> 00:31:20,740 And the God of peace will be with you. 237 00:31:20,740 --> 00:31:22,740 Do you see the difference? 238 00:31:22,740 --> 00:31:26,740 Verse 7, Paul says, follow this, and the peace of God will be with you. 239 00:31:26,740 --> 00:31:32,740 In verse 9 he says, follow this, and the God of peace will be with you. 240 00:31:32,740 --> 00:31:34,740 It's a beautiful difference. 241 00:31:34,740 --> 00:31:41,740 The God of peace himself, the God who gives peace, will be with us. 242 00:31:41,740 --> 00:31:44,740 Brothers and sisters, it's incredible. 243 00:31:44,740 --> 00:31:49,740 In many ways, the battle of the Christian life, it is a battle of the mind. 244 00:31:49,740 --> 00:31:55,740 And the victory in the battle is the experience of the peace of God. 245 00:31:55,740 --> 00:32:00,740 And as dieticians have been harping on for years, you are what you eat. 246 00:32:00,740 --> 00:32:04,740 And thus, in like manner, we might say we become in practice 247 00:32:04,740 --> 00:32:07,740 what fills our minds and thoughts. 248 00:32:07,740 --> 00:32:10,740 Godly thoughts will produce godly living. 249 00:32:10,740 --> 00:32:15,740 Holy thinking will lead to holy living. 250 00:32:15,740 --> 00:32:20,740 So we must conclude that the opposite of this is true as well. 251 00:32:20,740 --> 00:32:27,740 We must be relying on nothingness, on ungodly things, on vulgar things, on the what ifs, 252 00:32:27,740 --> 00:32:29,740 the maybes of this world. 253 00:32:29,740 --> 00:32:34,740 Well, it will lead us to all kinds of places. 254 00:32:34,740 --> 00:32:38,740 So it's critical that we guard our minds and meditate on the things 255 00:32:38,740 --> 00:32:41,740 that we have been directed in this morning. 256 00:32:41,740 --> 00:32:43,740 It's as we've seen. 257 00:32:43,740 --> 00:32:48,740 We must set our minds on the written word of God, dwell on the gospel, 258 00:32:48,740 --> 00:32:53,740 and guard the good things and the good things that God has given to us 259 00:32:53,740 --> 00:33:02,740 so that in his light, we may come to experience what has been promised in these verses. 260 00:33:02,740 --> 00:33:07,740 So with that said, Church, I actually want to end our time this morning 261 00:33:07,740 --> 00:33:11,740 by getting very practical. 262 00:33:11,740 --> 00:33:16,740 And I want to do that by asking you to have a think through what we've heard today 263 00:33:16,740 --> 00:33:19,740 with these kinds of questions in mind. 264 00:33:19,740 --> 00:33:24,740 Maybe you'll want to put some time aside today or this week with this passage, 265 00:33:24,740 --> 00:33:28,740 and I do recommend that you have this passage open before you. 266 00:33:28,740 --> 00:33:32,740 Whatever works best, maybe by yourself or in a group, 267 00:33:32,740 --> 00:33:36,740 but might I encourage you to work your way through this passage 268 00:33:36,740 --> 00:33:39,740 asking these kinds of questions. 269 00:33:39,740 --> 00:33:45,740 First, in what specific ways do I need to replace untrue thoughts with true thoughts? 270 00:33:45,740 --> 00:33:49,740 Some things I'm prone to dwell on that are simply just lies 271 00:33:49,740 --> 00:33:54,740 that are untrue about God, that are untrue about others in the Lord, 272 00:33:54,740 --> 00:33:58,740 that are untrue about who I am in Christ. 273 00:33:58,740 --> 00:34:04,740 How might I go replacing those lies with that which is true? 274 00:34:04,740 --> 00:34:07,740 Second, in what specific ways do I need to replace thoughts 275 00:34:07,740 --> 00:34:10,740 that are not noble with those that are? 276 00:34:10,740 --> 00:34:14,740 How are my thoughts prone to spiral downwards into the mud 277 00:34:14,740 --> 00:34:18,740 when I have God calling me to look heavenward? 278 00:34:18,740 --> 00:34:24,740 What are some specific ways I need to replace my thoughts dwelling in the Maya? 279 00:34:24,740 --> 00:34:31,740 Third, in what specific ways do I need to replace unjust thoughts with just thoughts? 280 00:34:31,740 --> 00:34:36,740 How can I obey God in His good and righteous will? 281 00:34:36,740 --> 00:34:42,740 Fourth, in what specific ways do I need to replace impure thoughts with pure thoughts? 282 00:34:42,740 --> 00:34:47,740 Has my phone, my computer, my TV become a stumbling block? 283 00:34:47,740 --> 00:34:50,740 What is pure? 284 00:34:50,740 --> 00:34:54,740 Again, sexual purity, moral purity. 285 00:34:54,740 --> 00:34:57,740 Think about your motives, desires and aims. 286 00:34:57,740 --> 00:34:59,740 Where are your thoughts going? 287 00:34:59,740 --> 00:35:05,740 Fifth, what specific ways do I need to replace unlovely thoughts with lovely thoughts? 288 00:35:05,740 --> 00:35:10,740 What does God categorise lovely things as being? 289 00:35:10,740 --> 00:35:14,740 Finally, what specific ways do I need to replace thoughts 290 00:35:14,740 --> 00:35:20,740 that if someone was to walk into my mind, to rummage through my head, 291 00:35:20,740 --> 00:35:22,740 what would they find in there? 292 00:35:22,740 --> 00:35:26,740 What would lead someone to anxiety and distress? 293 00:35:26,740 --> 00:35:29,740 Well, ask yourself, 294 00:35:29,740 --> 00:35:36,740 how can I change those thoughts to things that would be edifying for others in their walk with Christ? 295 00:35:36,740 --> 00:35:43,740 Again, let me encourage you because there is a promise in all of this for all God's people. 296 00:35:43,740 --> 00:35:48,740 And that is the peace of God and the God of peace. 297 00:35:48,740 --> 00:35:52,740 That is the promise being held out to God's people. 298 00:35:52,740 --> 00:35:56,740 As we seek to obey God and thought and indeed, 299 00:35:56,740 --> 00:36:01,740 He is with us, by His Spirit. 300 00:36:01,740 --> 00:36:07,740 And so know as that you go into your weeks, that you go and sit with these questions before you, 301 00:36:07,740 --> 00:36:12,740 that you have the God of peace with you in the work. 302 00:36:12,740 --> 00:36:16,740 And the promise is that the peace of God will protect us 303 00:36:16,740 --> 00:36:21,740 because we will know that the God of peace is with us. 304 00:36:21,740 --> 00:36:23,740 Let's pray. 305 00:36:23,740 --> 00:36:28,740 Father, we thank you so much for these tremendous words of life and truth 306 00:36:28,740 --> 00:36:31,740 that you have held out to all your people. 307 00:36:31,740 --> 00:36:38,740 Father, we began our time this morning by asking that your precious son, our Lord and Saviour, 308 00:36:38,740 --> 00:36:43,740 our Master, would be held high in our midst that you would draw all manner of people to yourself. 309 00:36:43,740 --> 00:36:47,740 Father, each and every single one of us, we dwell. 310 00:36:47,740 --> 00:36:50,740 We meditate on things, we fixate. 311 00:36:50,740 --> 00:36:58,740 Father, you know what goes on in our hearts, in our minds and in our lives. 312 00:36:58,740 --> 00:37:04,740 Father, because you know the hairs that are numbered on our head, you know everything about us. 313 00:37:04,740 --> 00:37:08,740 We ask that you would help us in this task. 314 00:37:08,740 --> 00:37:11,740 You have set these things before us, not to watch us trip and stumble, 315 00:37:11,740 --> 00:37:17,740 but to see us rely more and more on your grace and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 316 00:37:17,740 --> 00:37:25,740 Father, I ask that there would be a testimony to knowing that you are with us in the coming days and weeks. 317 00:37:25,740 --> 00:37:51,740 We ask for this in Jesus' name. Amen.