Preparing for Sunday, January 20

Here's a guide to preparing your heart for our time together this coming Sunday.

We're finishing Philippians 4:1-9 where Paul not only tells us to STAND FIRM, but gives us extremely practical instruction on how we are to stand firm:

Standing Firm

As you read through the passage (verses 1-9):

Ask yourself: does this describe me?

If you’re really serious about it: ask someone who knows you well: would you say that this describes me?

We are to Stand Firm by:

1. Cultivating Unity

Division & disunity can render us ineffective and unproductive for the cause of Christ in the world. 

Are YOU doing all YOU can to cultivate unity?

2. Maintaining Joy

This is a call to an ongoing habitual pattern of joy

Are you known as a person of joy?

3. Being Content/Reasonable

Graciousness is the best single English word translation

Are you known as a reasonable person? 

Are you making sure you’re not easily offended? (Not an “eggshell” person?)

Are you letting offenses go when you can?

Not a complainer

Looking for and pointing out the positive, rather than the negative?

Read through verses 6-9 again and think through and answer the following questions:

• What are we told not to do (verse 6a)?

• What do we do instead (verse 6b)?

• What will happen as a result (verse 7)?

• What things are we to turn our thoughts toward (verse 8)

• What is the final command (verse 9)?

• What is the promise when we stand firm (verse 9b)?

Standing Firm

Philippians 4:1-9 commands us to stand firm, then goes on to tell us what that looks like.
Here are the application questions from the sermon this past Sunday:

We are to STAND FIRM by:
1. Cultivating Unity
2. Maintaining Joy
3. Being Content

As you seek to cultivate Unity:
...agree in the Lord
• Are you cultivating unity?
• Are you helping others to work through differences? Whether in leadership or not.
• Are you forgiving?

• Are YOU doing all YOU can to cultivate unity?

• What are you doing to foster unity in the Body?

As you seek to Maintain Joy:

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

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Php 4:4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

• Do you know the Lord? Are you a Christian?

• Are you joyful?

• Joyful in spite of circumstances?

• Are you known as a person of joy?

As you seek to Be Reasonable & Content:

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

(AMP)  - Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people.

(Phillips) - Have a reputation for gentleness,

• Are you known as a reasonable person? 

• Are you making sure you’re not easily offended? 

This is sort of the other side of the first one.

• Not an “eggshell” person?

• Are you letting offenses go when you can?

• Not a complainer

Looking for and pointing out the positive, rather than the negative?

Where issue is going to get you riled up?

Is it a biblical/theological issue

Or personal preference?