Priorities - Luke 10:38-42 - July 9, 2023

 Luke 10:38-42 Priorities

Good morning! Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke chapter 10 and verse 38, that’s on page 869 in the pew Bibles. We are going to take a look at the account of Jesus in the home of Martha and Mary.

This was the same Martha and Mary that had a brother named Lazarus that lived in Bethany just outside of Jerusalem. Lazarus wasn’t mentioned here in our text, just Martha and Mary and the contrast between these two ladies has been the subject of every sermon ever preached on this text, ever. 

Be like Mary, not like Martha, let’s close in prayer.

Well, let’s look at the text and see if there isn’t a bit more to it than that.

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Let’s pray.

There have been a lot of unfair and inaccurate contrasts between these two ladies.

Some say that Martha was worldly-minded, all about the things of the world with her hustling and bustling in the kitchen distracted by the worries of the world where Mary was heavenly minded, all about the Lord Jesus and His teaching, sitting at His feet.

Some say that Martha represents works-based religion where Mary represents living by faith alone.

Some say that Martha represents the “Type A” personality which is forceful and direct and is busy putting everything in straight lines and Mary is a “Type B” personality just kind of going with the flow and laid back in the living room chilling with Jesus and that’s way better.

Some say that Martha is representative of an active life where Mary represents a contemplative life, and Jesus affirms that it is far better to sit alone and consider life, the universe, and everything, not just work, work, work all the time, you don’t have to do anything, you just have to be and that’s far better.

Let’s not forget, first of all that both of these ladies were friends and disciples of Jesus, and both were trying to serve the Lord Jesus whole heartedly, they just each had their own idea as to how to do that best. For Martha it was giving and for Mary it was receiving.

It’s clear that Jesus affirms Mary’s actions over Martha’s but let’s take a look at Martha and her actions and see where she may have gone off course.

First of all, it was Martha that welcomed Jesus into her home. Martha may have been a widow or just the eldest of these three siblings, we don’t really know. Either way, this was her house.

Martha clearly wanted to present the best her household could afford to Jesus and the disciples and she was working hard to accomplish that.

I have to ask you, do you blame her? Can you blame her for being upset with Mary for just sitting around and not helping her get things done?

I can’t help but think of Martha Stewart when I read this account, and not just because of the name. I can picture her with all four burners of the stove with pots bubbling and a roast in the oven and the rolls, and doing the dishes, and who is going to fold the napkins into swans? Where is Mary? These napkins are not going to fold themselves! Somebody needs to set out the nice dishes!

And this is where Martha erred. Her first problem was not that she was working too hard, it’s that she had a bad attitude about it and tried to get Jesus to side with her.

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

Martha was clearly given to hospitality, her doors were wide open with welcome. But she is a great example of good things becoming bad things when they are not put in their proper place. She had become distracted and disgruntled and made more of her tasks and of herself than she ought to.

She was well-meaning in her service but her priorities were out of line and she was incorrect in her assumption about what Jesus wanted.

She assumed that Jesus would want the best that her household had to offer, and that best meant a well plated meal and an immaculate table and all the things that put your house in magazines and on HGTV.

Is that what Jesus wanted, did he want her best? Yes. Was her best her abilities? No.

Jesus Christ, Messiah, the Son of God was in her living room and she buried His instruction and teaching and presence with excessive and unnecessary preparations instead of accepting the benefit of being in His presence and hearing His Word.

But Martha is not the bad guy in this story and Mary the good guy. There is harmony to be found between the two, as Charles Wesley wrote, “Martha’s careful hands and Mary’s loving heart.”

41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus answered her with love and compassion, Martha, Martha… You’ve chosen hard work, and Mary has chosen rest, you are anxious and troubled about many things but there is only one thing that is necessary to rightly receive me.

So there was Martha working away in the kitchen trying her best to serve the Lord while Mary sat at His feet and listened to His teaching and Jesus said that she had chosen the good portion and He wouldn’t take it from her.

Martha was out there giving it her all, all worked up and worried about the things that didn’t really matter and certainly wouldn’t last. She was trying to give Jesus her best and thought that Mary should too, but her best wasn’t her work, or talents, or abilities, the best she had to give was her heart.

That’s what Mary chose.

The truth is that the servant of God is hungry for the Word of God where we experience the presence of God, the servant of Christ longs to hear the voice of Christ.

To put this in practical terms, the church lawn needs mowing and Martha chose to mow the lawn during the church service, she’s downstairs making lunch during the sermon! This is useless activity because it is based on improper priorities.

Listening to the Word of God must have the utmost priority, and I’m not just talking about listening to me. In fact, if you are only listening to me or Sundays you are going to starve and your walk with the Lord is going to suffer.

We have to saturate ourselves in the Word of God. Listen to sermons, listen to the Alistair Begg’s, the John Piper’s, the RC Sproul’s, the Ray Steadman’s. If you want some recommendations for good preachers to listen to or authors to read come talk to me after, I’d love to give you some.

The simple truth is that our commitment to Christ must be a priority over our achievement for Christ. As Alistair Begg put it, “Beware the trap of performance based Christianity.”

We are often tempted to get so busy doing for Christ that we neglect being with Christ.

Jesus said in John 15:4-5, a chapter all about this subject,

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

There is certainly nothing wrong with “doing for Christ,” we are all called to serve Him and there is certainly a lot of work to do, but our service to Christ must come after our devotion to Christ, our time in His Word and in prayer, our time hearing good preaching and reading good books.

We have to fill the buckets of our hearts with the Word of God so when we are asked we have something good to pour out.

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Mary is not the hero of this story, Jesus is.

Choose the good portion and fill your heart with the Word of the Lord.

Amen.

The Better Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37 - July 2, 2023

 Luke 10:25-37 The Better Samaritan

Good morning! Turn with me to Luke chapter 10. We are going to look at verses 25-37, on page 869 in the pew Bibles, a passage well known as the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Often times when we look at parables and accounts in Scripture we tend to identify with one or more of the characters in the story. It’s popular in the church today to paint ourselves into the picture, and if we’re honest, we try to identify with the hero.

When we read about David and Goliath we turn the story into one about us and how we should face our giants with faith like David had.

This makes for engaging sermons to be sure, but I’m not sure how true and helpful they actually are.

This morning we are going to look at another one of those accounts and examine the layers of it, the parable of the Good Samaritan, one of the most well known parables of Jesus.

Let’s read it together.

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Let’s pray.

So here we have a lawyer questioning Jesus. Now first of all we have to remember that this is not a lawyer like we have today, this was not an attorney, or a trial lawyer, or prosecutor. This was an expert in the Law of Moses, a religious leader and scholar of the Jews.

But, like any good lawyer would, when he questions Jesus to put Him to the test, he asks a question that he already knows the answer to.

“Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Now we can’t go another inch further without recognizing that this is one of the most fundamentally important questions anybody could ever ask, what do I have to do to get eternal life?

Maybe some here, if you thought about it for a moment, might struggle with the answer to this question. How do we get eternal life? I hope by the end of our time here this morning that there will be no doubt as to the answer to that fundamental question.

So what does Jesus say in response to this man’s question? As He often does, He answers his question with another question, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

And the man answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

He is quoting directly from Deuteronomy 6:5, also known as the “Shema,” as well as Leviticus 19:18.

This is known as the Great Commandment and Jesus affirms it as such when he tells this guy, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”

Now this points directly to a question that perhaps you may have never considered, how were people in the Old Testament saved, how did they inherit eternal life? Here is the answer: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength meant trusting Him and trusting His promise to send a Redeemer. Even in the Old Testament people were justified by faith in the Messiah, Messiah that was coming just as we are justified by faith in the Messiah that has come, Jesus Christ.

In Great Commandment we have the summary of the two tables of the Law, the two halves of the Ten Commandments. The first four Commandments have to do with loving the Lord our God, and the second six have to do with loving our neighbor.

So this lawyer knew the answer to the question already, he knew the Law, but what he didn’t know was himself.

The lawyer asks, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 [Jesus] said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 

How should the lawyer have responded? He should have admitted that it was impossible for him to do this, that he had never been able to do this, and never would be able to do this. He should have asked Jesus how it was possible and I’m sure that Jesus would have instructed him on the grace of God that was at work even at that moment… But that’s not what the lawyer said.

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

It’s important for us to be aware that the Jews in the First Century had very defined rules regarding who their neighbor was because of what the Law said about loving their neighbor. The trouble is that they got it wrong. Their definition of who their neighbor was was anyone who they thought was worthy of being their neighbor. This excluded Gentiles and Samaritans who they considered their enemies.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-45, 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

Loving your enemies was totally contrary to what they had been taught, loving those who you considered your neighbor was fine though. 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was around 17 miles of steep rocky terrain, a true wilderness, a home to robbers and thieves looking to prey on unsuspecting travelers. The victim in Jesus’ parable was a Jewish man traveling alone through this treacherous wilderness and fell victim to robbers who robbed him, stripped him, beat him and left him for dead. In those conditions he certainly would have died unless someone came along and helped him.

The Priest and the Levite, traveling separately, most likely on their way home after their service in the Temple, came upon the man on the road. They knew this road, and they both knew that if they stopped to help they would most likely be next. What if it were a trap and this guy was the bait?

JJ van Oosterzee wrote, “Neither the voice of humanity, nor that of nationality, nor that of religion, speaks so loudly to their heart as the desire for self-preservation.”

They didn’t care who that guy was or what happened to him. Their hearts were hard and completely devoid of compassion so they left the man there to die.

 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

The lawyer whom Martin Luther calls, “a haughty hypocrite,” won’t even say the word Samaritan in his response, only, “the one who showed him mercy.”

So let’s consider the layers of the parable.

On the surface the lesson is very clear: all mankind is our neighbor regardless of race or creed or anything else, and we are commanded to love them as we love ourselves.

We turn the priest and the Levites into the bad guys and the Samaritan is clearly the good guy. And of course with every good story we want to identify with the good guy so we imagine ourselves as the Samaritan and remind ourselves to do good for people regardless of where they are from or what they are like because that is what Jesus said to do.

The end, right?

But maybe there’s more to it. And at the risk of turning this parable into an allegory, which not a lot of Biblical scholars are fans of, maybe there is more to learn from this than to just be nice to everybody.

Maybe we aren’t the hero of the story even though we might like to be.

Maybe we are the victim. Maybe we are the guy on the side of the road that has been beaten and stripped and left for dead. But instead of the robbers being random strangers, the robbers are our own sin, our own inability to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to say nothing of loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Maybe the Priest and the Levite are religion and good works, unable and unwilling to do anything to help our dire condition, passing by on the other side of the road to get away from us and our wretchedness.

Maybe Jesus is the Good Samaritan, the Better Samaritan, that forfeits His own life and safety and comfort to tend to our wounds, but instead of wine and oil He pours out His own blood that by it our wounds would be healed.

Jesus is always the hero of the story and we are the ones in need of rescuing, and so was that lawyer.

He asked the fundamental question, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

In the parable, along with you and me, the lawyer is the one in the ditch dying, and the answer to the question for him and for us is the same, trust the Rescuer, the Better Samaritan, Jesus Christ, to bind your wounds and pay for you to have a place in His eternal kingdom with His own blood on the cross.

To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ and the help of the Holy Spirit, that’s the only way it’s ever been possible.

Go and do likewise!

Amen.

Finding the Peace of God - Philippians 4:8-9 - March 29, 2020

These are the Sermon Notes for March 29, 2020. Watch our livestream service every Sunday at 9:37 am on our facebook page or watch the livestream recordings any time.

Philippians 4:8-9 Finding the Peace of God

I have heard over and over in the last few weeks the expression, “We are living in unprecedented times.” Are we though? The world has been wrought with plagues and pandemics before, quarantines and social shut downs aren’t new. Trouble on every scale has plagued mankind since the Fall in the Garden of Eden. It’s how we respond to the trouble that will make all the difference.

Last week we touched just briefly on the concept of the peace of God, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

This often seems like an ethereal concept, something that is way out there, maybe even beyond our reach. In times like these isn’t this the kind of peace we want? The world is upside down and it’s unsettling, even frightening, what we want most is the peace of God, isn’t it? We don’t want to feel fear, we don’t want to feel unsettled and upset, right? We want to be at peace. I’ll tell you right now, peace is possible in these troubling times, it’s not going to be the restoration of what we consider to be “normal” that is going to bring peace back to our troubled hearts.

The good news is that the peace of God is not the kind of peace that only mountaintop gurus can achieve, it is not some far flung ethereal concept that we can only get by sitting cross-legged and humming with candles and incense. It is, however, something we must train ourselves to achieve, to train ourselves to hone our focus so that we might experience the peace of God.

This morning we are going to continue in Philippians 4 with verses 8 and 9, so please turn there with me. We are going to examine just exactly how to train ourselves how to experience the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.

Search the Scriptures: Philippians 4:8-9

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. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

We are given six “whatevers” and two categories that sum them up, let’s look at them each.

What does Paul mean:

Whatever is true? Not just what is factually correct but what is morally true, in harmony with the objective rule of morality in the Gospels, that which is of integrity and good conscience, what is honest and reliable.

Whatever is honorable? These are  things of worthy character, that which corresponds to the essence of what is true, excellence as opposed to profane, dignified and worthy of respect.

Whatever is just? These are things that are in accord with God’s Law, things that do not injure or defraud anyone, things that conform to God’s standards.

Whatever is pure? As opposed to impure, that which is chaste, without moral defect, that which is wholesome.

Whatever is lovely? whatever is valuable and dear to the heart of man, good works which merit commendation, that which promotes peace not conflict.

Whatever is commendable? that which is positive and constructive, words and deeds that are praised and esteemed.

Any excellence? is a summary of the first four “whatevers,” meaning any moral righteousness in disposition and action.

Anything worthy of praise? this sums up the last two “whatevers,” moral judgments and virtue that calls forth praise. The praise of men is not the goal, living in such a way as to deserve it is.  

Paul gave the Philippians a model to follow, a model marked by this mindset, what is promised to those who follow it? The presence of the God of peace.

It’s been said that peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of God. This is a true statement and we can experience His presence with us if we train our minds to focus on the right things.

Consult the Scholars

Robert Hall —There are very different virtues. If we would be complete in our Christian profession, we must attend to all the virtues of it;—whatsoever things are true, honest, just, or lovely, as well as those sublimer things which more immediately respect God and Christ, and heaven and eternity. The beauty of the Christian character is not formed so much by the gigantic size of one virtue, as from the harmony and consistency of all. Never, then, let it appear which virtue has been most approved by you, but cultivate every virtue.

Warren Wiersbe – What is worry? The Greek word translated “anxious” (careful) in Philippians 4:6 means “to be pulled in different directions.” Our hopes pull us in one direction; our fears pull us the opposite direction; and we are pulled apart! The Old English root from which we get our word “worry” means “to strangle.” If you have ever really worried, you know how it does strangle a person! In fact, worry has definite physical consequences: headaches, neck pains, ulcers, even back pains. Worry affects our thinking, our digestion, and even our coordination.

From the spiritual point of view, worry is wrong thinking (the mind) and wrong feeling (the heart) about circumstances, people, and things. Worry is the greatest thief of joy. It is not enough for us, however, to tell ourselves to “quit worrying” because that will never capture the thief. Worry is an “inside job,” and it takes more than good intentions to get the victory. The antidote to worry is the secure mind: “And the peace of God … shall keep [garrison, guard like a soldier] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). When you have the secure mind, the peace of God guards you (Phil. 4:7) and the God of peace guides you (Phil. 4:9). With that kind of protection—why worry?

Think Through the Issues: Mindset of Peace

If we are to grow in maturity as disciples of Jesus Christ we must take the responsibility for our focus, we must chose the objects of our meditation. I don’t mean yoga poses and humming, meditation is simply thinking over and issue, to chew on it in your mind.

If the objects of our meditation are everything that is wrong with the world, all that we disagree with, or all that troubles us, all that we think God should be mad about, we will not experience the peace of God nor the presence of the God of peace. This only leads to anxiety and worry, fear and doubt.

If we follow Paul’s example and the Lord’s instruction through him and choose whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable as the subjects of our meditation, that meditation will precede and determine our actions and attitude.

This type of meditation goes beyond just having a quiet place to sit and think, though that may be a good place to start, this type of meditation is to consciously look for the good in every situation.

It’s very easy to focus on the negative with all that is going on, but what about the true, and honorable, the just, and pure, and lovely, and commendable? Where are you seeing that? Where can you participate in that? Where can you BE that?

These are the types of things that Paul meant when he wrote in Colossians 3:1-2, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

And Isaiah 26:3, You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

These virtues are God’s virtues, if we yield ourselves to this mindset, choosing to focus on the good instead of the negative, our attitudes and actions will follow and we will have the peace of God because the God of peace will be with us.

Apply the Principles

So now we get to the fun part! It’s not enough to just wrestle with these thoughts, we have to apply the principles that we have learned.

So here is your assignment, there are two parts, following the instructions in our text:

1. Think about these things

Design a prayer for your life based on this list of virtues, that they would be the subject of your meditations and that you would see where they are happening in the world around you.

2. Practice these things.

Find ways to celebrate any excellence and anything worthy of praise going on in your sphere of life and find a way to participate in it.

Trouble, Trouble, Trouble - Philippians 4:4-7 - March 22, 2020

These are the Sermon Notes for March 22, 2020. Watch our livestream service every Sunday at 9:37 am on our facebook page or watch the livestream recordings any time.

Philippians 4:4-7 Trouble, Trouble, Trouble

So, it’s pretty hard to ignore the fact that we are faced with a significant crisis in the world today. The COVID-19 virus or fear of getting it or spreading it has seemed to grind the world to a halt. I don’t really think it would be wise to ignore what’s going on and just soldier on through our study in the Gospel of Mark so we are going to pause that for now and think about the crisis that the world is facing and our response, as Christians, to it.

The truth is, that everything we say and do communicates, even if the message that people receive isn’t what we intended. Our response to the Corona virus and its effects on our world are no different. In fact, our responses to this current crisis say a lot about our levels of trust and where our trust lies.

So this morning, rather than going to the Gospel of Mark, we are going to look at Philippians 4:4-7, so please turn there with me.

I’m going to try and stick to the same consistent study process that we have been using for the last month or so though we obviously won’t be able to have the same level of dialogue. You are welcome to comment your thoughts on the live stream though I don’t know that I’ll be able to see them in time or at all, but I will at least give you some time to think about some questions.

But first, let’s pray.

Study the Scriptures – Philippians 4:4-7

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

What does Paul mean when he instructs the Philippians to rejoice? Rejoicing is about perspective not blindness. It’s the difference between saying, “my troubles are more than I can bear,” or, “I have Jesus in my heart, trouble no longer exists,” or, “my troubles are real, but I know that the Lord cares for me and knows what he’s doing, I trust Him.” Rejoicing is choosing the proper perspective, enjoying gladness knowing that the Lord is in control.

What does it mean to be reasonable? Reasonableness is a fruit of rejoicing, it is also translated, “forbearance,” to be gracious and gentle in the face of difficulty or trouble, not freaking out or flying off the handle when things don’t go your way. Paul tells the Philippians to let their reasonableness be known to all, how is that possible if no one ever gets to observe their reaction to trouble? It really isn’t!

Where does the loss of anxiety or worry find its source? In the nearness of the Lord. The end of verse five says, “the Lord is at hand.” This isn’t about the closeness in time of the return of Christ, but the nearness of his presence among believers. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” The Lord is near, and when we trust in Him we have no need to worry or be anxious about anything.

Consult the Scholars

John Calvin – It is an exhortation suited to the times; for, as the condition of the pious was exceedingly troublous, and dangers threatened them on every side, it was possible that they might give way, overcome by grief or impatience. Hence he enjoins it upon them, that, amidst circumstances of hostility and disturbance, they should nevertheless rejoice in the Lord, as assuredly these spiritual consolations, by means of which the Lord refreshes and gladdens us, ought then most of all to show their efficacy when the whole world tempts us to despair.

Matthew Henry – As a sovereign antidote against perplexing care he recommends to us constant prayer… Observe, 1. We must not only keep up stated times for prayer, but we must pray upon every particular emergency... When anything burdens our spirits, we must ease our minds by prayer; when our affairs are perplexed or distressed, we must seek direction and support. 2. We must join thanksgiving with our prayers and supplications. We must not only seek supplies of good, but own receipts of mercy. Grateful acknowledgments of what we have argue a right disposition of mind, and are prevailing motives for further blessings. 3. Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God, or making them known to him… Not that God needs to be told either our wants or desires; for he knows them better than we can tell him: but he will know them from us, and have us show our regards and concern, express our value of the mercy and sense of our dependence on him. 4. The effect of this will be the peace of God keeping our hearts, v. 7. The peace of God, that is, the comfortable sense of our reconciliation to God and interest in his favor, and the hope of the heavenly blessedness, and enjoyment of God hereafter, which passeth all understanding, is a greater good than can be sufficiently valued or duly expressed.

Think Through the Issues

Hard does not always mean bad.

Though the crisis we are currently facing is hard it can also bring opportunities for our own growth and opportunities for our witness.

Trouble puts the reality of our faith on display, not only for ourselves to see and experience, but for the watching world, for our friends and family and neighbors, as well.

Rejoice! Trouble can bring opportunities…Opportunities display our reasonableness in Christ, opportunities to display freedom from worry in Christ, opportunities to display relief from our burdens in Christ, opportunities to display the peace that only God can give in Christ, opportunities to experience the nearness of the Lord that we often overlook when times are easy…

When trouble comes and we do the opposite and are indifferent, impatient, thrown into confusion, or are disheartened in the face of trouble, what are we truly displaying then?

-Not only do we display a lack of trust in the Lord, we display our ignorance toward God’s providence (as if to say that the Lord couldn’t possibly be at work in the trouble we face.)

-We also display that we do not recognize the fact that the Lord truly cares for us (as if to say that if God truly loves us, why is He allowing bad things to happen to us?)

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Apply the Principles

The core teaching of this passage is that the Lord cares for us and is present with us through Christ and we can rejoice and rest in that truth by trusting in Him.

Because we have peace with God we can have the peace of God. Both types of peace are wrought by the same method, and that is trusting in Jesus Christ.

But agreeing with those facts is not enough. The truth must move from our heads to our hearts and our hands if we are to make progress in maturing as disciples.

Consider your response to our current crisis, how have you been reacting so far and what has that communicated to those around you? What needs to change? How have you seen the Lord draw near during this time? Is there anyone you can reach out to or help?

So here is your assignment:

Understanding that prayer is the solution for worry and the best way to acknowledge the nearness of the Lord, write out the things that you are worried about in regards to this crisis as a prayer daily so as to give the Lord opportunity to guard your heart and mind with His peace.