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December 21, 2003 |
"Philippians" |
Pastor Brian Shimer
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"Thoughtfully Yours, at Christmas"
Philippians 4:1-9
| I. |
Whatever you do, right now, do not think about a large, pink elephant
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standing right here in front of the pews. You can think about anything else, but do not imagine this elephant, 8 ft tall, 2500 pounds, floorboards creaking, its great trunk stretched up to touch that fan! Do not think about that elephant. Okay?
Are you thinking about that elephant?
Once I mention what not to think about, it is hard not to think about that very thing.
And we are bombarded daily with thoughts much worse than a pink elephant.
So, what dominates your thinking?
Do other people?
If you had asked Euodia and Syntyche that, they would have said the other person! These are the two women whom Paul addresses by name in this letter pleading with them to "agree" with each other. When we are upset with someone else -- don't they fill our thoughts like that pink elephant filled the front of the sanctuary?
Do appearances?
People can act nice on the outside, but the truth about them is hidden in their thought-life. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he…" the old King James version writes in Proverbs 23:7.
Do emotions?
One of the most crushing patterns for people is a self-hating thought life. You wouldn't know it, but they walk around plagued by mile-a-minute accusations in their hearts. Sometimes these began as parental or childhood putdowns, but have gained a life of their own, penetrating their belief systems.
This is why in Ephesians Paul tells of the change brought about through Jesus, saying: "You were taught in regard to your former way of lie, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires,; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24).
And Paul also writes in Romans saying we are to "be transformed by the renewing of our minds…" (12:2).
The remake we need happens in our thoughts, in our minds, before it happens in our actions.
This is why such a battle is waged over the minds of a nation. Education can be used as a weapon to control people as the Nazis used propaganda in the 1930s to stir the German mind into racial hatred. Today massive efforts are being made to cause us as a people to change our thinking, to abandon a biblically based morality and adopt a kind of relativism, an anything-goes mentality.
| | II. |
So, Paul directs the original readers and us to be in charge of our
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thinking. He says to set our thinking upon whatever accords with the list given in Philippians 4:8.
Whatever is True as opposed to phony,
Whatever is Noble as opposed to frivolous
Whatever is Right as opposed to convenient
Whatever is Pure as opposed to dirty
Whatever is Lovely or loving as opposed to divisive
Whatever is Admirable as opposed to critical
Whatever is Excellent or praiseworthy.
Notice the command is to purposefully think on such things as opposed to anything that could not be described using these adjectives.
We have called this the Philippians 4:8 test in our family.
Does a movie pass the test? Well, what does it cause you to think about? Does it cause you to ponder what is in accord with Paul's list: what is true, noble, right, etc? If so, it passes the test.
Does this bit of clothing pass the test?
Will it cause others to think of that which is pure and right?
Does this language pass the test?
Some things are so obvious they need not even be tested.
Pornography in all forms is wicked. X-rated movies should not be watched by anyone. There are multiple books that would make much better fuel for a fire than be planted into someone's imagination. Many forms of entertainment and diversion also are obvious -- anything that objectifies sexuality, demeans, destroys wontedly, etc-would not pass!
A rock band in Florida promised an onstage suicide at their October 8th concert. Just the sick idea, shows the level to which we have sunk! Thankfully, the county and state government fought the idea and the suicide did not occur.
TV itself needs to be brought into scrutiny in this era where there are literally hundreds of channels between which to switch. What does it do in the mind, is the question.
For many, TV causes them to stop thinking entirely. They just sit before the set and absorb and become deadened to true depth of thought. Preacher Stuart Briscoe described TV as, "the great burner up of time, disrupter of families, destroyer of conversation and substitute for intelligent thought." (Bound for Joy: commentary on Philippians, Regal, c'75, p. 144, ubp).
For others the images on TV cause them to develop sinful fantasies. I have friends who are learning to strictly discipline themselves from TV time for there is so much sexual content even in commercials, which leads their thoughts astray.
This is not to say that there is nothing on TV worthy of our attention, but we do need to be aware of what happens to us as we watch.
So there are obvious applications, but some things are not as obvious. Simply take whatever it is to this scripture. What happens in my mind when I view or read or experience this thing? Are there impure images left in my mind? Ultimately, does it bring praise to God?
The Priest Zechariah in Luke 1 had a mind, which was not thinking in line with this Scripture. How many years since he had given up praying for a son? His faith had been replaced by doubts. Why pray when beyond age? He had given up hope. He was not thinking about the beauty nor the greatness of God. Zechariah had retired in his thoughts. He was just an old man, with a barren wife, doing his duty before God.
All this was revealed when God surprised him that day. There before the glorious splendor of Gabriel, Zechariah stammered: "How can I know this will happen?"
Zechariah, after years as a priest, believed his unbelief. God had disappointed him. But after that encounter with the angel and a nine-month imposed fast from speaking, a new faith was birthed. It was Zechariah who shouted: "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he had visited his people… just as he promised" (Luke 1: 68-70).
Mary was just a teen when she encountered the angel of the living God in whom she trusted. She was chosen by God to carry Jesus in her womb - to birth the Messiah. And after clarifying that this is something God is doing, she simply submits to God, saying: "May it be done to me as you have said." Her thinking already encountered God in many places. A miracle fit into her view of what was possible. Of course nothing is impossible with God!
Don't retire from thinking, friends! Think deeply. Focus on what
is glorious -- the beauties of creation, the splendid fragrance of rain, a Biblical verse that jumps off the page, a book that reminds you to hope.
And as you are thinking on these things that glorify God, put into practice what you are learning along the way.
Paul says that. "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice" (4:9).
The Shepherds were such listeners who put what God said into practice. Although apart from others in the fields, watching over their flocks by night, the angelic messenger spoke to the faith they had and shook them into action. "Let us run to Bethlehem and see this thing about which the Lord has told us," they exclaim!
Don't just listen, ACT!
"DO" is the little big Word, isn't it? Jesus said in John 13:17: "If you know these things, happy are you if you do them." As James the brother of Jesus penned: "faith without works is dead!"
Paul says there's a promise to all this. It is the promise of peace again, but better. Last week we found God says through the Word that if we will but present our requests to Him and leave them there, refusing to worry, then Peace will become a garrison around our hearts. Like a group of soldiers protecting a fort, so our hearts are guarded.
So here Paul says we will have the God of Peace in our lives. Think on these things and put your thoughts into practice, and "the God of peace will be with you." The very fountainhead of peace will come and live with us.
Ah the joy that is in our lives when God is resident there!
Where is one thought that God is saying, "son," or "daughter give that up to me?"
What is one thing you know to be true that God is wanting you to act upon this week?
May your every thought bring glory and honor to Jesus this Christmas as you are thoughtfully his, able to bypass the pink elephants of the world!
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