Good morning! 

Here is our weekly Calvin and Hobbes fix:

I’ve got an idea, Dad.
Maybe I’d get better grades if you offered me $1 for every “D”, $5 for every “C”, $10 for every “B”, and $50 for every “A”!
I’m not gong to BRIBE you, Calvin.  You should apply yourself for your own good.
Rats.  I thought I could make an easy four bucks.

Wouldn’t it be great if we had none of this “Calvin” in us?  Unfortunately, though, we do.  Don’t’ we?

Even though we know what is good for us, we too often choose the easy way.  We want the reward, but we don’t want to work for it.

We want to know God.  We want to experience Him in new and refreshing ways.  We believe Jesus is who he says he is.  But when it comes down to making the daily decisions to seek him, we don’t.  Why?  Because it is too hard.  Because it takes us out of our comfort zone.  Because we want to take the easy way.

There was a time when Jesus was hanging out with his disciples and someone asked Jesus, “Lord, are only a few people going to be
saved?”

Jesus answered:  “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.”

I love this command from Jesus!  “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.”

Seeking God is not easy.  Experiencing the life for which God created us is not a cake walk.

We are on a QUEST.  It is a challenging one, but it is definitely worth it.

Forgiveness of sins
Abundant life
Eternal life.

It has all been given to us because of what Jesus did on the cross.  We can’t earn it.  But on the other hand, God doesn’t just tell us to sit back and do nothing.

Jesus commands us:  “Make every effort…”

We are on a Quest.  Are we ready to make every effort?

What is the Quest?  It is to know Jesus.

The Quest is to have a growing relationship with the living God.

Are we passionate about the quest?

This morning we are finishing our “Pressing On” series in Philippians; please turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 4. 

We will see in Philippians 4 that the quest requires our continued effort.  And we will see that it requires our unity.

As we look at Philippians 4 this morning, we will see five things that we can do to pursue in unity the quest to continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus.

The first thing we can do is this:  Quicken our hearts in unity

We read in verses 1-3:  Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.  Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

When we read these three verses, we can’t help but notice how important it is for Paul that Christians are unified in Christ.  Listen to how he addresses the church in Philippi:  Whom I love and long for, my joy and crown…

Can you sense Paul’s heart overflowing with love for these brothers and sisters in Christ?  What does it mean that he loves them and longs for them?  Paul is saying that he values them.  Paul is saying that they are prized.

And what does it mean that they are his joy and crown?

When they grow in Christ… this brings Paul joy.  And by calling them his crown, he is referring to the day when Jesus returns and the Philippians are with Christ… that will be Paul’s reward.

Do you see his love for them?  Do you see how God-focused is his love for them?

How can we at Creekside be unified?  Certainly one very important way we can be unified is by having this same love for one another… a love that is in the same way God-focused.

Consider all of the many different personalities here at Creekside.  Think of all of the people… some you know well, some you don’t.  Some you like a lot, some you… well never mind.

But really… do we have this same God-focused love for each other that Paul models for us here?  Do we really want each other to grow in Christ?  How much do we want it?  Are we willing to go out of our way?

In the past year I have experienced God in some wonderful new ways.  One of the ways that I can see God changing me: He is giving me the boldness to lovingly ask the hard questions.  In our youth and college discipleship groups, I love these students enough to ask them:  How is your soul?  How are your One Things going?  Are you having meaningful times in God’s Word?  What are your God stories?  What have you done this week to discover where someone else is at spiritually?

Quicken our hearts in unity.

And notice one more thing: In verse 3, Paul speaks of these two women, describing them as oneswho have labored side by side with me in the gospel.  Is that how Paul would describe us here at Creekside?

What does it mean to labor side by side in the gospel?

The gospel is simply the proclamation that Jesus loves us and died for us.  What does it mean to ‘labor side by side?’

The idea here is that it is a struggle… and that these women shared in the struggle.

Question: are we here at Creekside struggling for the advance of the gospel?  Struggling takes effort.  Struggling requires perseverance.  Struggling is work.  It requires focus.  It requires commitment.  It requires sacrifice.

Are we committed to struggling together?  Side by side?

Let us quicken our hearts in unity, committed to loving each other, and committed to struggling together for the cause of the gospel.

And the next thing we can do to pursue in unity the quest to continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus:  Urge one another toward single-minded devotion

We read in verses 4-7:  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.  The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Remember where Paul is at when he wrote this letter?  Jail.

With this in mind, consider his command:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Isn’t this amazing? - Paul’s single-minded devotion to the will of God.

And Paul urges them toward this same single-minded devotion.  Why?  Look at verse 7:  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

When we have such single-minded devotion, our troubles and trials in this world are overshadowed by the peace of God… which surpasses all understanding.

Have you ever been in a really, really hard spot?  Where life is just really, really difficult?  And you get down on your knees and pour out your heart to God?  And you thank God for who He is and how much he loves you… and then you just submit yourself to His will and basically say, "Lord, I am yours… do whatever you want?”

And then the peace of God just floods over you?

No matter what is going on in our lives; no matter how difficult things get, we can rejoice.  We are commanded to rejoice.  Not because our circumstances, but often in spite of our circumstances. 

We are commanded to rejoice in the Lord.

This inner joy and peace is something that only believers can experience.  Why?  Because the root of this inner joy and peace is this: “It doesn’t matter what happens to me as long as God is glorified.”

Is this your attitude toward life?
Is this your heart cry to God?

“It doesn’t matter what happens to me as long as God is glorified.”

It is the same attitude that Paul expressed back in Philippians 1: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

And if this is really our attitude, we will have great Peace.

And if we as a church are going to grow in Christ and experience the fullness of life in Him… if we are going to succeed on this quest to know Jesus, we must be committed to loving each other enough to urge one another on toward this single-minded devotion: to want God glorified at all costs.  No matter what.

Let us urge one another on toward single-minded devotion to God’s glory.

And the next thing that we can do to pursue in unity the quest to continue to grow in our relationship with Him is this: Elevate our minds

In verses 9-14 we read: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Someone told me this and it has really stuck with me: What you think about most, that is what you become.

I remember years ago when I was in high school.  I would walk home from school and plop myself down on the couch with a snack and watch TV.  I remember one time when I couldn’t find anything good to watch, so I ended up watching one of those “infomercials.”

A very persuasive man was trying to convince me that if I wanted enough to be rich, all I had to do was set my mind on it.  All I had to do was dream about it day and night.  All I had to do was want it… to want it badly enough… And to buy his book, of course.

Well, I remember that being a key moment in my life because I remember realizing that to some extent, he was right.  What I choose to think about, that is what I will eventually become.

Paul writes: think about these things.

What are “these things?”

Verse 8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

What does it mean to “think about these things?”  It means to care most about them.

Here is a great test: do you want to know what you care about the most?

Ask yourself this question: when I have free time and can relax and think about whatever I want, what do I think about?  Where does my mind go when it is on ‘default’ mode?  The answer is what you care about the most.

So in order to grow in Christ, we need to elevate our minds.  We need to make our ‘default’ thought-life be God-focused.

How in the world do we do that?

I think of two words:

1)  Prayer
2) Scripture

I believe that the best thing we can do to turn our hearts and minds in the right direction is to invest time and energy into “renewing our minds” so that we are conformed to God’s ways by prayerfully reading His word.

The primary way we elevate our minds is by reading the Word of God… by saturating our minds with it.  Read it.  Know it.  Meditate on it.  Memorize it.  Why?  So we can live it.

What can you do this week to be more prayerful?  What can you do this week to know God’s Word more?  Take a moment to think about one thing that you can do.  And commit to doing it.

Elevate our minds.

And the next thing that we can do to pursue in unity the quest to continue to grow in our relationship with Him is this:  Satisfy ourselves with the One Thing

In verses 9-14 we read: What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.
 
In these verses, Paul is thanking the Philippians for the gift that they had sent him.  He had been in need, and they had helped provide for him.  But Paul is also trying to communicate that he has all he needs in Christ.  Jesus is sufficient.

Listen again to what Paul says: Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Wouldn’t our lives be so much more peaceful and joyful if we were more like Paul in this manner?

Basically he is saying that it doesn’t matter what circumstances he is in; he has learned the secret of being content.

And what is the secret?

The secret is this: satisfy ourselves with the One Thing; satisfy ourselves with knowing Jesus.

And when life is hard, how does Paul cope?  By the strength that Jesus provides him.

Verse 13: I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

The world around us tells us that we need to own this and that, that we need to do this and that… and that this and that can satisfy us.

Jesus says something different, though.  Jesus says:

I alone can satisfy you.  Trust me.  When life is hard or life is easy, trust me.  Satisfy yourself in me.

How do we do this?  How do we trust him?  How do we satisfy ourselves in Him?

It is a heart thing.  Give him your heart. 

When you want something else besides Him, be honest in prayer: Jesus, I want to want you alone, but I want ____________.  Help me to be satisfied in you alone.

Contentment.  Do we want it?

Think about this for a second: What is contentment?  It is having what we really want.

And what is the only thing that cannot be taken from us?  It is our relationship with Jesus.  We can lose our homes.  We can lose our health.  We can even lose our lives.  But one thing that we will never lose is our relationship with Jesus.  In the present and in the future through all eternity, that is one thing that nobody can ever take away from us.

Do you want to be content?  Then satisfy yourself with the One Thing.

And now for the last thing that we can do to pursue in unity the quest to continue to grow in our relationship with Him:   Team Together

In verses 15-23 we read: And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

One thing stands out to me from these verses: teamwork.

In verse 15, Paul speaks of their partnership with him.

And in verse 19 Paul writes: And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

The Philippians had been partnering with Paul in giving to his ministry.  And his response?  He reminds them that God will supply every need of theirs.  And how will he do that?  According to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

It seems that the Philippians might have given even to the point of being in need themselves.

Have you ever done that?  Have you ever given to the work of God and then found yourself experiencing a financial crunch because of it?  We are tempted to think, “Oh no… I gave too much!”

Question: Is it possible to give too much to the spread of the Gospel?

The promise we have in verse 19 is that when we give to the work of the Gospel, God won’t leave us hanging.  God promises to supply our needs.  Not our wants.  But our needs.

Do we here at Creekside share that commitment to teamwork?  Teamwork in the Gospel?  Commitment to work together for the Kingdom?

So there we are.  Five things we can do to continue the quest in unity to know Jesus.

Are we committed to the quest?

Are we ready to work hard?  To give our all for the Kingdom of God?

Remember Jesus’ command:

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.”

Let us make every effort to enter through the narrow door.

Let us Press On.

Press on to know Jesus.

Let us pray.

Lord, we want to give it all we’ve got.  We want to live for you.  Help us to continue the Quest in unity.  Help us to press on to know you.  You are life.  You are the one who satisfies.  Amen.