Finally, My Brothers, Rejoice In the Lord1
Philippians 3:1-14
1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. (Rejoicing in the Lord is never out of season and by grace it is always possible. Let people who tend to complain a lot pay attention to this.) To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Repeating holy commands is not boring to the preacher nor to his hearers. God’s word does not grow stale.
2Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh--(In Paul’s day, there were some Jewish Christians who thought they were better than other Christians who were not Jewish. Paul declares that they were very, very wrong because all Christians are equal in God’s eyes. There is no person or group in the church that has special privileges that others do not.) 4though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more; 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. 7But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. (Grace leads a person to stop bragging about any special rights they mistakenly think make them better than their other brothers and sisters in Christ. For Jesus’ sake Paul quits any bragging. Many church members seem unable to accept this.)
8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- 10that I may know him (This knowledge is not learned by going to college.) and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death; (This is a glorious lesson in the school of grace. Paul is ready to die for the Lord Jesus, because Jesus will be with him even in death.) 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (The resurrection of the Church was the prize to which the Apostle Paul looked forward; it drove him. However, he did this in God’s way; not by his own works, but by the righteousness that comes from God by faith.)
12Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (Paul did not claim to be perfect by what he did. He understood that perfect holiness is only found in Christ Jesus. He had received Jesus because Jesus had received him first. Jesus was everything to Paul and we should feel the same way.) 13Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it on my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
“Forward” is our marching order. We never think of ourselves as good enough. We are far from being satisfied with what we have accomplished by divine grace. Our ultimate goal is far greater than anything we have yet done. We are still beginners in our Lord’s school of grace. We hope to do far better things. We must be committed to spiritual things. To be early to work and late to prayer is not healthy. How dare we be busy in our own job and lazy in God’s vineyard; awake in the world of business and asleep in the life of the church. “So run that you may obtain it.”2 He who wants holiness, happiness, and heaven, must be in the race for them.
_______________
1 Philippians 3:1 [This day appears in the original as the morning reading for Year One, February 29th.]
2 1 Corinthians 9:24
Appendix Two • For a Death Or Funeral
Not My Will, But Yours, Be Done1
For The Day Of A Death Or Funeral
“The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” -Job 1:21
The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. -1 Samuel 2:6
I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. -Psalm 39:9
“It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.” -1 Samuel 3:18b
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. -2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. -Hebrews 12:6-7; 10-11
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. -2 Corinthians 4:16-17
For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. -Lamentations 3:31-33
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. -Isaiah 63:9
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. -Psalm 30:5
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. -1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” -1 Corinthians 2:9
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Corinthians 15:55-57
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! -Psalm 90:12-17
_______________
1 Luke 22:42
Appendix Three • For a Time Of Trouble
In the Day Of Adversity Consider1
For a Time Of Trouble
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. -Lamentations 3:22:26
For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! -Psalm 143:11
O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble. -Isaiah 33:2
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. -Isaiah 41:10
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. -Isaiah 43:2
“For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you.” says the LORD, your Redeemer. “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. -Isaiah 54:7-10
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. -1 Peter 4:12-13
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. -Romans 8:18
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -2 Corinthians 12:9
For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. -Hebrews 2:18
(Our Lord Jesus has said), Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -John 14:27
(Therefore we should say with confidence), Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. -Romans 8:35-39
_______________
1 Ecclesiastes 7:14
Appendix Four • For a Wedding
You Shall Be Blessed, and It Shall Be Well With You1
Solomon’s picture of a virtuous woman represents what we trust today’s bride will prove to be. May her husband be happy in her, and worthy of her, and may the great Father of spirits bless them both.
Proverbs 31:10-31
10 An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
Martin Luther used to say, “The greatest gift of God is a God-fearing, friendly spouse, who loves her family, and is someone who can be lived with in perfect trust.”2
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She does not avoid people and shut herself out from the world. The virtuous woman is a sensible common-sense person who is not at all ashamed of hard work.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She knows that “those who would thrive must rise at five.”3
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She is not afraid of hard and simple work. She is not so great a lady that she will not get her hands dirty.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
Her hard work provides enough for her to help those in need.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her scrimping and saving fills the home with comforts.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
His happiness is noticed and talked about. His honor pleases her, she does not seek publicity for herself.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
The tongue is a main point in a woman. If her talk is wise and kind, she is a jewel indeed.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed.
her husband also, and he praises her.
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
May this be the short and sweet biography of the new bride.
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates
True religion is the root of happiness. Holy living has an attractiveness that lives on in freshness long after mere fleshly beauty has turned into the wrinkles of old age. May this new household be established in prayer, built up in holiness, and crowned with divine blessing.
_______________
1 Psalm 128:2
2 Martin Luther (1483-1546). Updated. - ed
3 An old proverb. Source unknown.
No comments:
Post a Comment