Home Group - Phil 1:12-18 - 2007.10.02

Each week Vox Home Groups meet to study and discuss the Bible, eat food, and pray together. This is a summary of the announcements and Bible study that took place.

PHILIPPIANS 1:12-18a

12I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

REVIEW

1. This is a letter from Paul to the Philippian church. Paul encouraged by the church, especially because he’s in prison. Paul encourages them to press on until the end; "the day of Christ approaching."
2. God at work in us. God begins, follows through, and finishes the work in us
Led to more questions we’ll get to today
3. Paul’s confidence is in God, not anything else. If Paul’s confidence is in the church, leads to disappointment. Paul’s confidence is in God, which does not disappoint.

PHILIPPIANS AS SCRIPTURE
1. Bible is STORY of God; this letter is included in that. Not just a missionary writing a letter to a church; it is Scripture. Same as OT; same authority.
2. Bible is BREATH of God. God speak to us through these letters directly right here and now. Paul gives church long-term perspective, God is giving us the same. Paul encourages church to continue in gospel work, God is doing the same with us.

THE GOSPEL

1:12 - I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel...

Paul seeking to give new meaning to his imprisonment. "You thought that this was a bad thing, but here’s what is really going on." What does Paul say is really going on? The advance of the gospel is what is really going on.

But if you were in the hospital. Someone came up to you and said, "Hey, this situation is really for the advancement of the gospel." You would feel that much encouragement. This is because most people don't have a clue of what the gospel is.

THE GOSPEL IS CENTRAL
Most of us don’t know what the gospel is or that it’s completely central to much of the NT.
"gospel" is mentioned 6 times in the first chapter of Philippians
9 times in whole book of Philippians
70 times in Paul’s letters to various churches
20 times in the gospels
90 times in the NT

Jesus spoke about the gospel as central to faith and salvation.

Mark 1:14-15 - Jesus came proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'

Mark 8:34-36 - And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

The gospel is important and understanding it is paramount. We need to know what Scripture says about the gospel to understand what Paul was talking about when he spoke of "the advance of the gospel".

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 - Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you— unless you believed in vain.

1. The gospel is proclaimed. ["the gospel I preached to you"]
2. The gospel is received. ["which you received"]
Gospel is “good news”, so it is proclaimed and received as news, but it is more than news.

Colossians 1:5-6 - Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

3. The gospel is what we stand in. ["in which you stand"]
4. The gospel is what God uses to save us. ["by which you are being saved"]
Gospel is much more than news. It's the means by which God speaks to people’s hearts, convicts them of their sin, and offers a new life.

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

The gospel is both the message and the power by which the message is made effective.

ADVANCING THE GOSPEL
So when we look in Philippians 1:12-18 again. "Advancing the gospel" means "truth becoming known, speaking the word, preaching/proclaiming Christ."

Paul is encouraged because the gospel is still going out. Moreover, as we see in Phil 1:15-18, Paul is not discouraged by those preaching the gospel out of contempt. Paul is confident that God can still reach people's hearts through the gospel regardless of who is preaching it.

OUR ENCOURAGEMENT
Many times look at Scripture and get discouraged.

Matthew 28:19-20 - Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

We read this and think, "I’m just not a salesman; this just isn't me."
It is true: if we try to advance the gospel ourselves, we will fail
We cannot pierce people’s hearts
We cannot stir people’s conscience
We are not able to do the work needed to advance the gospel
Our command and joy is that God is already doing the work
The gospel is going out and being advanced
Our part in that is not essential, but an extension of grace

ADVANCING WITH GOD
Advancing the gospel is one of God’s primary objectives
We’re met with the question of "How can we work alongside God in his work?"

1. Jump all the way into the gospel.
Begin seeing the whole of life through the lens of the gospel
Adversity will lose its power
Your life will be pointed toward what God is going after
2. Regularly subject yourself to God in all his beauty.
Sing worship songs
Read the Psalms and weep
3. Ask God to make your heart like his.
4. Study the news of the gospel.

THREE QUESTIONS
#1 Describe a time when your view of a situation had to be corrected.
#2 What is one God might be advancing the gospel through your life?
#3 What are some needs in your life that we could pray for?

See You October 2nd

Even though we've had a few hiccups in the schedule, our prayer is that our next Home Group meeting on October 2nd will be a sweet time of being transformed by Scripture and refreshed by the community. If you enjoyed it, please consider bringing someone else who might enjoy it.

In preparation for the Bible study, read over Philippians 1:1-18. We've already covered the first 11 verses, and now we're going to cover Paul talking about advancing the gospel.

Some questions to consider: What is the gospel? Paul refers to this many times in the book without really stating what it is. How is the gospel advanced? We'll try to hit on these questions and more when we meet together.

To dig a little deeper, watch this video [or listen to this mp3] on Tim Keller talking through what the gospel is and how it affects ministry.

Again with the Home Group

So, we promise this is not a pattern, but the Caperton Home Group will NOT meet next Tuesday [September 25th] either. The Capertons are still going to be out of town and plans for the Home Group to meet without them fell through.

The next time we'll meet will be Tuesday, October 2nd [details here], and every Tuesday after that. So, make plans now and bring a friend. We'll see you in three weeks.

No Home Group This Tuesday

The Caperton Home Group will NOT meet this coming Tuesday [September 18th] because of two big family occasions:

The first is the birth of Drew and Kristy's niece, Julianne Francis Caperton, who is suffering from HLHS. Kent and Jessica, the proud parents of Julianne, are in Boston awaiting her birth and subsequent surgery. Please pray for Julianne as you read Julianne's story here.

The second is the wedding of Kristy's youngest brother, Nathan, in Fayetteville, AR. Drew is also visiting a church near the area that is a potential sponsoring church for Vox.

So, we'll meet up again Tuesday, September 25th, same time, same place, details here.

Home Group - Phil 1:1-11 - 2007.09.11

Each week Vox Home Groups meet to study and discuss the Bible, eat food, and pray together. This is a summary of the announcements and Bible study that took place.

The Capertons hosted the first Vox Home Group last night. Many new people got to meet each other and find some common ground as we studied and discussed the Bible.

PAUL’S JOY
What is Paul’s tone in 1:3-5? Happy, joyful, light. Can picture Paul smiling as he writes this:

1:4, 5, 7 - 4 ...making my prayer with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

Paul is joyful because of the actions of the church. Because they have partnered with Paul, the Philippian church is a joyful thought for Paul as he remembers and prays for them.
But Paul's joy is in God, not the church. Paul is not depending on the church to finish the work; that would lead to worry and disappointment. Paul is depending on God to finish the work he began. See also Gal 3:3.

1:6 - And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

God begins the work in us, follows through with the work, and finishes the work. As Christians, we can never claim we did the work, only that God did it in us or through us. Why he did not write "...he who began a good work in you will help you bring it to completion..." See also Phil 2:12-13, Rom 8:28-30, Eph 1:3-5.

GOD AT WORK
Important for us because so eager to claim the credit
Our sinful nature always wants the validation: “Look, I am good, and I proved it by doing something good.” “Look God, I’m good enough, I’m a Christian, right?”

BADWATER STORY
[article here] Take a mental snapshot: soiled pants, swollen feet, burning lungs, searing heat
Our spiritual journeys are like ultramarathons: long, hard, takes incredible endurance
If we don't understand God working in us and think we're doing ti ourselves, we will lose hope.
Believe things like:
If I pray this prayer, God will de-stress my life
If I keep the 10 commandments, God will give me lots of money
If I pray with my kids, God will make them turn out fine
In the spiritual ultramarathon we’re in, we might be running, but that’s not our blood or heart or power. It is God running that race through us.

ABIDING
If God is the one doing everything in us, then what are we left with?
Are all Christians puppets on a string? No! This is where Paul’s prayer is so instructional:

1:9-11 - 9And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Normally read this as what we do
- Love people more
- Gain knowledge and discernment to love better
- Approve of what is excellent
- Keep yourself pure and blameless
But we must read this in context. Paul has just said that God begins the work and ends the work in 1:6. It is God doing all these things in us and through us, so what do we do with that?
To understand it better, focus on “filled with the fruit of righteousness” in 1:11

John 15:4-5 - 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. 5I 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.

Fruit is a natural part of a healthy tree. Jesus says he’s the vine and we’re the branches. When we stay connected to him [abide in him] we will bear fruit.
So why is Paul writing this prayer [1:9-11] for the Philippian church? Giving them a picture of what their lives will look like as they mature. Can read it as “As God completes the work in you, your love will abound, etc…” Not giving them spiritual to-dos.
Paul can take joy, because God is finishing the work. There’s no joy in expecting others to finish something they started, only worry.

SUMMARY
Many of us are not taking joy that God will finish the work. We think it’s up to us and when we fail, we’re devastated. If our joy is in God finishing the work [and working in us now], then we can grieve and repent of the sin without thinking our whole life is in shambles.
Paul has a confidence that God is at work in believers. Take hope in God at work in you. Don’t believe it all depends on you.
Paul’s prayer illustrates our part in the process of working with God. Abiding is the key. Don’t take action because you’re trying to be good enough, take action because Christ is working in you [Christ wants you to join him, not maintain the work]
Some actions you can take. Ask Jesus to begin changing you, growing fruit inside you. Read the Bible [start with Philippians].

DIG DEEPER
Listen to Phil Wickham's “Divine Romance” [myspace page] [website]

THREE QUESTIONS
#1 Describe a time when you tried to keep something going on your own?
#2 Read verse 9-11 again.
What would it be like to know that others were praying that prayer for you?
#3 Read verse 6 again.
What is one work that God has begun in you?

Potluck Cookout Pictures

From bocce ball to barbecue, a good time was had by all. Enjoy the pictures.

Five Ways to Join Vox Church

When a church doesn't have a building, a Sunday service [yet], or a membership class, it is hard to know how to get connected. Here's five ways to join in this movement we call Vox Church:

#1 - GET IN A HOME GROUP. We connect with each other in the Spirit by sharing everyday life, eating food, wrestling with Scripture, and praying together. Real Jesus, real life, real simple.

#2 - PRAY FOR YOUR CHURCH. If you call Vox your spiritual family, then pray for us. Learn our body's needs and pray without ceasing [1 Thess. 5:17].

#3 - SERVE. Start right where you are: tutor a child, feed the hungry, give someone a ride. Also, join us when we do service projects. God loves it when we fight for the welfare of our city [Jeremiah 29:7].

#4 - GIVE OFFERINGS. We not begging for your money, God has been faithful to provide. Jesus says we'll all put our money where our heart is [Matt. 6:21], and if you believe in what Jesus is doing here, your money will follow.

#5 - TALK TO LEADERSHIP. Look for the people managing discussions, hosting events, and leading service teams. Ask them about their story and how they got involved.

If you're engaged in part or all of these, you are a part of Vox Church. Welcome, and please make yourself at home.
If you would like to help plan, lead, or teach at Vox Church, please email Drew Caperton.

Bet You Can't Download a Sermon

Look under "Sermons" in the navigation bar or check out the front page for sermons you can download. It's so hard, I just don't think anyone can do it.

Potluck Cookout

For this Sunday, August 26th, the Capertons are having everyone over to their house for a Potluck Cook-out! More details can be found on the Calendar.

Saints vs Bears Party

It doesn't get better than a birthday combined with Saints playoff action.