This is Connect with Skip Heidzig. Thanks for joining us today. Here at Connect with Skip, we're passionate about helping you understand God's Word and apply it to your everyday life through clear, practical Bible teaching. That's why we want to invite you to sign up for Pastor Skip's free weekly devotional. You'll receive biblical encouragement, ministry updates, and information about upcoming resources, all delivered right to your inbox.
Sign up today at connectwithskip.com. That's connectwithskip.com.
Now, let's dive into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Daniel Manville was a guy who was in prison for three and a half years. on some kind of a manslaughter charge. While he was in prison, He decided to go to law school. Took on courses that they offered there and online.
And he Pass the bar exam. And today, he is a professor at Michigan State University. Teaching law. I mean, he really learned his lesson. Prison was profitable for him.
He got an education. Passed the test, got the degree. And now is training up other students. Another guy by the name of Ken Rushing was in prison for seven years on drug charges. During that time, he got his real estate license, studied real estate.
development in law, got out of prison. Became a civic leader. and a philanthropist.
So in both of these cases, prison Worked out pretty well for those two guys. They made the most of it. They became made it a profitable experience and used it to bless others. Paul the Apostle was also in prison for. A number of years.
Couple of years in Caesarea by the sea, couple of years in Rome. Then he was released, and then he got rearrested, and he was arrested several times. But while he was in prison in Rome, He wrote four books. He wrote the book of Ephesians and Philippians and Colossians and Philemon. And I've told you this before.
I'm so glad. that Paul went to prison. The church has been blessed. He used it to spread. The gospel.
He preached to prison guards. He wrote foundational letters that have blessed the church for the last 2,000 plus years.
So Prison worked out pretty well. Paul, as we have already noted, is writing this letter. From his Roman prison, to a church that he loved dearly. The church at Philippi. He founded that church at Philippi.
We went through the founding of it already from the book of Acts. Yeah. But he seemed to have a very unique relationship of love. and encouragement with these people. At the same time, The only hint of a problem in this church.
Was some kind of a tension going on and he he will Speak to that at the very beginning of this letter or chapter, chapter two. And then he will get more specific in chapter 4. There's two women in the church: one by the name of Yodia, the other by the name of. Sun tuke. And they had a rivalry with each other.
They were not getting along. And he implores them by name. In chapter 4. Boy, I wouldn't want to be naughty in any of these ancient churches for fear that Paul might write you in his letter that will live on for thousands of years.
So we know their names. We know these two gals didn't get along. They had a fight. And He does. Hint to that in chapter two, and then he'll return to it in chapter four.
Now this shouldn't surprise us. God's people have a long history of being people. Human beings. flawed human beings, not always getting along with each other. I am encouraged by the fact that even the 12 Apostles.
Had issues in the three and a half year earthly ministry of our Lord. They had a couple arguments about who would be the greatest in the kingdom, who would sit on the right hand and on the left hand. It divided them. Paul and Barnabas had a falling out. over who should join the ministry team.
Paul and Peter had a falling out. In Galatia, over The law versus grace. And God's people have had their spats with each other. Ever since.
So I say I'm encouraged because The church is not a group of perfect people, but just Save people. Redeemed people. God takes you as you are. And we always say that God loves you the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you the way you are. But This is what he gets.
He gets us. And we come to him. Imperfect. We come to Him with our sin, with our flaws, and then we all enter into a long, lifelong process called sanctification. where he sands off the rough edges.
in some cases chips off. the rough edges, depending on your personality type. But he's always working on us, as we have learned, until the day of Christ.
So we're imperfect. Even the church at Philippi, this growing, wonderful group of people now. Um much larger than when Paul first founded it. He's experiencing some of this tension between a couple of rival parties, perhaps even more. I love the text in Romans chapter 12 where Paul says, if it is possible.
As much as depends on you, be at peace with all people.
So, in that statement, he is acknowledging that it's not always possible. There are some people that you try to get along with, you try to reconcile, you try to make restoration, you do what you can and meet in the middle, but they just won't. Let it happen.
So as much? As is possible, as much as depends on you, do your best. But then you leave the rest to God.
So, Paul is going to implore these two as we get through it.
So we're in chapter two. Uh In chapter 2, it begins with a very important word I've told you about, and you're going to be able to tell me what this means. Therefore. If there is any consolation in Christ, If any comfort of love If any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, Fulfill my joy by being like-minded. having the same love, being of one accord, of one Mind, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself.
Now let's kind of pick that apart. Therefore, whenever there's a therefore, Find out what it's there for. To begin a sentence with the word therefore. hearkens back to a previous thought. You don't Introduce, you don't walk up to somebody that you've never met and go, therefore.
Unless you have had a previous conversation, am I right?
So Paul has been writing in chapter 1. As he closes that thought, and by the way, there are no chapters in the original. Letter of Paul, that was added many years later.
Somebody thought we should have chapter 1, 2, 3 with verse. uh numbers on it so we can find our way around the Bible.
So this is simply a letter. And previous to this, back in chapter 1, verse 28, He says that you should in no way be terrified by your enemies or your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer. For his sake. That's the thought, suffering for the sake of Christ, therefore.
The church was suffering attacks. From unbelievers who hated the gospel. Because you are suffering attacks from those who hate the gospel. Because you have enough people who are already against you. Don't add to that.
Don't add to that controversy and angst and anger. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, any comfort of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded. Get along. They're attacking you, don't you attack each other? Get along.
Fulfill my joy, being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. But you'll notice how Paul writes This command. He says, if there is any consolation in Christ. The word if would be better translated since. It's not conditional.
It's a matter of fact. Since you have received encouragement or consolation, By belonging to Christ. It's Paul's way of saying: if following Christ has done anything for you, Any consolation, Christ? If any comfort of love, if you have been comforted by the love of Christ, So he's telling them to get along, but it's based upon the fact. that you belong to Christ, you are encouraged or consoled by him.
You are comforted by the fact that he loves you the way you are. That's the basis of this command to get along.
Sometimes people will say, you know, I used to love him, but I just don't love him anymore. I've run out of love. Actually, I think that's impossible. I think it's a, I understand the feeling, the sentiment. I would agree.
You don't always have the same feeling toward another person, but the Bible says, Paul says in Romans, the love of God has been shed. Abroad in our hearts. Or the love of God has been poured into us. Lavishly, continually poured into our lives. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig.
Every day, friends like you help connect people around the world to the life-changing truth of God's Word through clear, verse-by-verse Bible teaching. And this month, we'd like to thank you with a practical resource designed for the challenges of everyday life. When you give, you'll receive Biblical Wisdom for Everyday Living, a collection of four lifestyle booklets from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Through Pray This Way, Technicolor Joy, Unforgiveness, Forgiveness versus Sweet Revenge, and Standing Firm in Unsettling Times, you'll discover biblical wisdom for prayer, joy, forgiveness, and finding peace when life feels uncertain. We'll send this special collection as our thanks when you give $30 or more to support ConnectWithSkip Heitzig.
Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskiff.com slash offer.
Now, let's return to today's teaching. If we experience the love of God, We should then be able to express the love of God. If it flows to us. Doesn't it make sense that it ought to flow through us? to other people around us.
So, because it's God's love flowing into us. We never run out of love. It's an ongoing spigot. That has no end. I read a story of a lady who had an interesting calling.
She felt called to work in nursing homes to give people in their last breaths of life the love of God. And she especially was drawn to people who had no family around them when they were passing from this life into the next, and she thought nobody should die alone. They should die with somebody next to their side giving them love and comfort. If there's any consolation in Christ, and if you have been comforted at all by His love that has flown into your hearts, He continues, if any Fellowship. of this spirit.
We are a fellowship. And we're a fellowship of the Spirit, of the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that is in me is the same Holy Spirit that is in you. The Bible says by Paul, we have been baptized by one Spirit into one body. That means that we're a family.
Same Holy Spirit working through all of us. We've all been consoled by him. We've all been comforted by his love. We're all in this awesome spiritual family. We have the fellowship of the Spirit.
If there's any affection and mercy, now here's the command: fulfill. My joy. By being like-minded, having the same love being of one accord. and of one mind, This is that beautiful getting along, that decision to get along with. one another.
Now, Paul says, fulfill my joy or complete my joy. We've told you before that 16 times in this book, Paul riding from prison as a prisoner, shackled to guards 24-7. 16 times he writes about how joyful he is or rejoice in the Lord. Always, I'll say it again, rejoice. And he talks about his own personal joy.
So, Paul already was experiencing the joy of the Lord while incarcerated. But now he's saying You can actually complete my joy, even though I'm already joyful in prison. If I know you are getting along with each other. That's the icing on the cake. That's the whipped cream on the pie.
That's the green chili on anything at all. I mean, that will complete the taste profile. That will fulfill everything. That will fulfill my joy. By being of one Accord one mind.
Then he expands on that. Let nothing be done. Through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others. better than himself. Selfish ambition.
Let's just shorten it, selfishness. We all know what selfishness is. If you have any children. You know what selfishness is. If you have any parent You know what selfishness is.
If you know any human being whatsoever, you know what selfishness is. This is a common trait. It is the default mode of the human being. To be concerned about ourself. What's in it for me?
What will I get out of this? Let nothing be done through selfish ambition. Or can see. We are born with a very self. Aware self-centered Status Calvin Miller, he's an author a few years ago, said the The child's prayer.
When a child prays, if you were to strip away all the niceties, it would sound something like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Gimme, gimme, gimme. That could be said, I think, of all of us. There were two kids, they were at a Kmart with those little You put a quarter in the horse, and the horse goes back and forth. And so it was a brother and a sister, and they both tried to get on the horse at the same time. And the brother turned back to the sister sitting behind him and said, If one of us would get off, There'd be enough room for me.
So everybody knows what selfishness is. Here he says, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit.
Now, let me tell you about conceit. Conceit Anybody here have an old King James Bible that you're reading out of tonight? If you are, it says Let nothing be done. The word instead of conceit is vain glory. Vainglory.
And the New King James has replaced vainglory with the word conceit. But I actually think vainglory is the more literal translation. Because the Greek word from which it is translated into English is kenedoxia. And it's a compound word from two words stuck together. Kenas, which means empty, and Doksa, which is glory, empty glory.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or vain Glory. Vainglory or conceit is having exaggerated ideas. of your own importance. Exaggerated ideas of your own. importance.
If you've ever seen um A puffer fish. A blowfish? They're actually quite small. until they fill up with water. They fill up with water in the ocean, they puff up.
Huge. Um Water is taken in and they puff up so they appear larger than they really are so that. other bigger fish won't swallow them. You know, their their body has a little spikes that go off of it and they look quite imposing when they're filled up and Puffed up. And vainglory is to Puff yourself up with pride.
to inflate yourself, exaggerated. ideas of your own importance. Romans chapter 12. Paul says that we should not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but each of us should think.
Soberly. We should make a correct evaluation of who we are.
So put all that together. Because the world is already attacking you. And there's enough angst going on against you, don't you attack one another? You've been consoled by Christ, you've experienced His love, you're all part of the same fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Put the icing on the cake, the green chili on the burrito, fulfill my joy.
by getting along with each other. Don't puff yourself up. You don't have exaggerated ideas of your own importance. Don't be filled with pride, the root of all sin. But instead, in lowliness of mind.
Now, watch this transition because he's about to give an example of lowliness of mind in Jesus Christ. But in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Lowliness of mind is humility. A humble person has taken an appraisal of himself or herself, has judged himself or herself correctly. Yeah.
Um knows who he or she is. based on the grace of God in his life or her life. and doesn't try to Come off as being too important. Lowliness of mind is humility. Lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Let me put it to you this way: lowliness or humility is what greases the gears. of relationship. If you are struggling in a relationship with anybody in life, Add some grease. Add humility, add lowliness of mind.
Well, I'm right. And they're wrong.
Now add some grease. to that. And you'll probably walk away saying, well, I think both of us are a little bit right and both of us are a little bit wrong and we can compromise on a few things. That's lowliness of mind. That adds the grease to the gears of a relationship.
Even Jesus said. Take my yoke upon you, for I am gentle and lowly in mind. Here's what's interesting. The Greek culture. Part of the culture of this time period, 2,000 years ago, the Greco-Roman culture, the Greeks.
did not see lowliness as a good thing but a bad thing. When they spoke of somebody being lowly-minded, they would usually speak of a slave or somebody they conquered in a war. They would conquer an army and they would make them lowly. In mind. They would get a slave and that slave was lowly minded.
The very Quality that the Greeks despise the Bible exonerates. lowliness of mind. Humility. The Greeks saw it as a bad thing. The Bible sees it as a Good thing.
In fact, the Bible says God resists. The proud. but gives grace to the humble.
Now just think about that verse. God resists the proud. Pride will make you God's enemy. He'll resist you. Humility will make you God's friend.
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
So In lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Yeah. If I have a relationship with you and I'm always thinking about what you should do for me and how I'm right and how you ought to serve my interests. We're going to have conflict.
If at the same time you're doing that toward me, we're going to have real conflict. But if in your presence I'm thinking, how can I minister to you? How could I serve you? How could I build you up? How could I encourage you?
And you do the same with me. We're off to a great start. That's a match made in heaven.
Somebody once said there's two ways that you can enter a room. You can walk into a room full of people and sort of have the attitude: here I am. Or you can walk into a room with this attitude. Ah, there you are. How did Paul enter the room?
Chapter 1, verse 1. Paul and Timothy's servants of Jesus Christ. I'm his slave. Therefore I am your servant. Ah, there you are.
Instead of, look at me, this is who I am.
So let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Thanks for joining us today on Connect with Skiff Heitzig. Before we go, remember, your generosity helps share God's word with people around the world, bringing biblical truth, encouragement, and hope to those who need it most. And this month we'd love to thank you for your gift of thirty dollars or more by sending you biblical wisdom for everyday living. A collection of four LifeStyle Booklets from Pastor Skip Heidzig.
Pray this way, technicolor joy. Unforgiveness, forgiveness versus sweet revenge, and standing firm in unsettling times. These practical resources will help you apply God's truth to everyday challenges and grow deeper in your walk with Christ. Give today at connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888. We'll see you next time on Connect with Skip Heitzig.
Make a connection! Make a connection, never fool. Of the crisis. Castle burn. KonnectwiSkip Heitzig is a presentation of connection communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
