In you that worship was in you. Just close your eyes for just a moment. We're together collectively, but listen this moment. Stand before Him yourself and just tell him what you're seeing. All over this room, there are individuals whose lives have been totally transformed by the grace of the Lord Jesus. He's delivered you, He's healed you from wounds from the past. He's freed you from Habitual addictive behaviors. He's broken the power of sin. He's brought deliverance. He's healed you when you weren't able to forgive. He's brought forgiveness to you, and therefore you're able to forgive. There's a grace of the Lord Jesus upon your life. It is Him, He Himself, and He's in His body. I love his church. I love the body of Christ. And I know you do too. What if while they're just playing over us, we just find somebody to maybe a family member or friend just to pray with for just a moment, maybe next to you. Maybe go across the room if you want to. If you're quickened, just as they play over us in this atmosphere, as I looked around your worshiping, my heart was drawn to so many of you in this room that have the testimony of. Of Jesus Christ. You have the faithfulness of his grace and how we need one another to walk through situations with us. We need one another's brothers and sisters to stand together. If you're drawn with someone just as you are, just go stand with them and pray with them. Just join your heart together. Sometimes in these moments of body ministry, more is accomplished in a few seconds by the power of God than we can do in any other time of lifetime. So, Lord, we just pray your grace over this house and over this place. Lord, from one side of the building to the other. A gratefulness for the forgiveness of sins. A gratefulness of your blessings. Gratefulness. Oh, Lord, as we worship, as we worship, we declare who you are. The goodness of God. Goodness of God. The goodness of God. Goodness of God. The mercy. The long suffering. The long suffering toward us. Sang a song that He gave you a chance, another chance. That's his person. That's his person. Just as you're ministering to one another, if there's somebody you've not had a chance to greet, they are within 120 feet of you, you're free to go all the way across the room, okay? You have not had a chance to greet them, love on them, our upper elementary slipping out to their special type of teaching in the word. But this is the time for us just to really genuinely embrace his church, his body of believers, God's grace, God's mercy, God's goodness. Step people up on you for just a moment. It's a part of his church. Wow. I love what I see. His church. What a blessing, and I mean that sincerely. I love the body of Christ. I love the body of Christ. When you look around and see people genuinely worshiping out of the grace of the Lord Jesus and out of the forgiveness of his sins and what it means, and to know that Jesus is in his people, that he ascended on high. It's his body, it's his church that he placed here in the earth by pouring out his Holy Spirit and all over the city. Saints are gathering in various places. His church and the city. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Today is very fitting that we're talking about the marks of maturity of a believer. As we walk through Philippians chapter by chapter, verse by verse, we're in
chapter two today, talking about what it really means to be mature. Last week, Ron, you brought the word here as well on the process of maturing, growing up in Him. And you and I are called to that. In fact, he tells us in
Ephesians 4 that the gifts he gave to the church for the equipping of the saints, that they might do the work of the ministry, and that each one would grow up into the head. The call upon you is to grow up in Christ. There's never a time when that's not. Going on, or shouldn't be a time that that's not going on. Spiritual maturity is not measured by what you know, it's not measured by where you've been, it's measured really, isn't it, by the maturity of God's grace? Genuinely, we're gonna talk about that, genuinely caring for God's people. That's where the test comes from. It also comes from proven character. We'll be talking about that. Willingness to sacrifice, humble in suffering, and worthy of honor. Wow. Those areas that Paul gives us. Last week we were in the process of maturity. And if you remember, he starts off in this first part of this chapter, really calling us to lay down our life one for another and to think of each other more highly than ourselves, and also to concern for the care of others, not just for your own care. He didn't say neglect your care, but to include others in your care. And it's a call to maturing. And then he uses Jesus as an example that Jesus did not grasp or hold on to his form as the God, continued as God in the flesh. But what did he do? He took up on the form of a servant and walked in obedience even to the point of death. And Paul uses that as an example for us. And that might seem far-fetched. Sometimes maturity can seem abstract, can it? So, what does it really look like for me to mature? What does it really look like? Well, Paul doesn't leave us just with the example of Christ. He actually challenged us from last week of the processes that you work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. And what that really means is in a holy reverence that each one of us should bear that heavy that God calls us to grow. If you hear what I say today, I want you to feel the weight of maturing, the responsibility. He said, work it out with fear and trembling. That's not an afraid in that sense, but it's a holy, deep reverence because you know God. What is the command, I should say? And I could say the demand as a child of God. It is to grow up into him. And there's a reason for it. It's not just so that you and I can be mature, it's for his purposes. And so what does he do now today in these verses in verse 19 through 30? He's going to give us two examples. As if if you can't see what Christ is, you're going to see that in Timothy and Epaphroditus. One is like a spiritual son, the other one is like a co-laborer, a co-worker, a friend, a brother, one who risks his own life. And when you see that, he's giving us this picture. This is what spiritual maturity looks like. So let's go through these passages, beginning with me in verse 19. I'm reading from the NIV, I believe it is here. He says,
I hope in the Lord. Notice how he says that. We'll come back to that. I hope Likely quoting Philippians 2:19 in the Lord, Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him. This is a heavy statement. Who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interest and not the interest of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proven or proved himself, because as a son with his
father, he has served with me in the work of the gospel Likely quoting Philippians 2:22. And I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
But I think it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker, fellow soldier, who is also your messenger Likely quoting Philippians 2:25, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
Indeed, he was ill and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but also on me to spare me sorrow upon sorrow Likely quoting Philippians 2:27. Therefore, I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again, you may be glad that I may have less anxiety. So then welcome him in the Lord with great joy and honor him, honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourself could not give me. Paul, you might read those passages or those verses we just read and kind of think he's just giving an update on Timothy. He's given an update on Epaphrodis. He's given an update on his trip and the fact that he's in prison now and he's desiring to come. This is just a kind mark, but it's much deeper than that. Paul has not only told us earlier to reach to those others outside of ourselves and to consider them. More highly than ourselves, but here he's telling us exactly what it looks like. He gives us two living examples. And I'm going to talk to you about what I see in their life: marks of maturity. One of those being a mark, what he would call of genuine concern. Listen to what the verse said: I have no one else like him who will show genuine concern for your welfare, for everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Christ. This letter is interesting. Paul is looking forward to seeing the Philippians. He is probably at the end of a two-year prison sentence where he will eventually get out, but he doesn't know the future. He hopes to be able to come to them. And I notice what he says,
I hope in the Lord Jesus Possibly quoting Philippians 2:19 Christ. That's an interesting word, and I hope. Here's what he's saying my life is not my own. If it's the Lord's will, that's what he's saying.
I hope in the Lord Jesus Possibly quoting Philippians 2:19. I don't Predict anything other than this, what I would like to see, and I think it's coming to pass, but my hope is in him. A total surrender that he owns nothing, he possesses nothing, he controls nothing, not even his own life. That's interesting, isn't it? That's a deep surrender. We here in America don't face that. We may someday, I don't know. There are brothers and sisters around the world that face that. Tens of thousands of them are being martyred in different nations of our world, in Africa, the nation of Africa, more than what you'd realize. Are being martyred. There are places around the world. Today they tell us by statistics more people have given their life in this century than any other century because of Christ. It's interesting, isn't it? I don't feel guilty for being here, but I feel burdened. Did you hear what I just said? I don't feel guilty, but I carry the burden. And I'm glad that we have contact with nations around the world regularly. I'm glad the gospel has some entrance in places, but I can't imagine what Paul would have felt been 10 years since he'd been there with the Philippians, and he hears that there's some division. And he knows importance for them to grow up and be mature. And so he challenges us in this
chapter two, and then he gives us these examples. He said, I can't wait to come to you. That's a little bit different than 2 Corinthians. I don't know if you remember, we just got out of 2 Corinthians. In the latter part of that chapter, 2 Corinthians, he says, This I warned those who sinned before you and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, and I did not present on my second visit that if I come again, I will not spare them. Since
you seek proof of Christ is speaking in me Likely quoting 2 Corinthians 13:3, he's not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. I mean, Paul's coming strong against the Corinthians because of the sin. But here he said, I can't wait to see you, and I want to see Send Timothy so that he at least can bring back a report so that I can be joyful. And there's something about Timothy, he wanted to sin because Timothy cared about the matters of Jesus Christ. I thought when I read that, I thought that was interesting. When he says, he, there's no one that I have that cares for the interest of Jesus Christ. He didn't say he doesn't just care for his own needs, he cares for other people's needs. I would have said that. That's what he means. But he equates that when you care for Jesus Christ, you care for his people. And when you care for his people, you care for him. Man. One of the reasons I think we don't pour our life into people. Because people can disappoint you. Kelly Varner gone on to be the Lord many years ago. Powerful, excellent teacher. Gill sliders are nodding their heads. You remember he came in the 80s. Teacher among teachers. He's doing a conference. He walks over to Amy and I. And he said, The Lord gave me a revelation that I want to share with you that's helped me tremendously. Well, I'm a young pastor, so I lean over. I want to hear this revelation. And he said, Here's a revelation. People are crazy. Come on now. How many can testify to that? And every once in a while, Amy and I look at each other, we go, people are crazy. Of course, I'm a people too, you know. Sitting around the table this week with a group from Canada, 17 that came in. We're talking about discipleship. And what came out of that is God changed my want to to want to. You remember last week where God gives you both the desire and the ability to do his good pleasure? It's amazing how many congregations really around the world preach the gospel, they teach the gospel, they have classes, but discipleship requires a lot. Doesn't it? Inconvenienced. Paul knew that Timothy, there's some marks about him, and here's what he says: the two aspects of Timothy's care. His concern was genuine. That's the idea that it's authentic. There's no counterfeit in it. You can fake interested people to a degree, can't you? I can text you and say, praying for you. Is that true? We get a group me through and pray for so and so praying. I mean, I'm not saying you're not, but I'm just saying it's so easy. To genuinely do it is a whole different thing, isn't it? And Paul says about Timothy, he was genuine in his care. You can look at his, and he says his care, his concern was those of Jesus Christ. And I think it's interesting that word, his concern, is the same word that Paul would have used for anxiety. When he says, don't be anxious for anything. But here he's saying Paul is, if I use the word anxious, but not in a wrong way of worry and fear, but the burden of it. When have you carried the burden? That's when you know you're starting to mature. You cannot grow in Christ without caring for somebody else. I promise you. You can hear all the teaching, you can be in obedience, you can pray, don't stop doing that. But the moment you start caring for someone else, you go to a whole different level. Show me someone who's not mature and they're waiting for somebody to care for them. I'm still preaching. I heard a yeah over here somewhere. Who helped me? Okay. You might want to stand up here beside me. That would really help me today. Because we've walked through it, right? And it's saying, okay, God, I it's genuine concern. It's a burden. It's a care. And he said he really Timothy had that. And he says, Timothy is anxious for your welfare. He's troubled. He's laying awake at night. He's carrying the burden of it. See, Paul talked about that when he's talking about carrying the burden of the churches. He equated it with all the persecutions and the beatings and the things he walked through, but he carried. There is something refreshing in a body of believers when saints begin to mature that they care for others. They intercede for others. They walk through things for others. That's the life of Christ in the church. You say, Glenn, I've not seen that about myself. I think that's why Paul writes this. He's writing it to the whole congregation in Philippi, the church in Philippi. He's not just writing it to a couple, he's writing it to the whole church. That the very example of Christ would be seen of a true mark of maturity. How do I know if I'm mature? He's given us the answer here, isn't he? The burden and the care, the genuine care for someone else, that is one of the marks. I could ask myself if Paul was writing about this congregation or the church in this city, would how would he include our name? How would he include my name? Would he say that about you? It's a good question, isn't it? Mark of genuine concern. Say that with me. Mark of genuine concern. May the Holy Spirit remind us of this today. You go out going, Lord, who am I carrying? If that's not been in your thought, simply pray, God, show me who you've put into my life. Number two was a mark of proven character or lifestyle. Spiritual maturity is over a period of time. Notice what the verse of scripture, but you know that Timothy has proved himself because
as a son with his father, he has served. With me Likely quoting Philippians 2:22. We'll come back to that. He has served with me in the work of the gospel. Maturity is not claimed, is it? It's proven. It's over a period of time. They knew that Timothy, this wasn't his first time to be with them. They would have known back in
Acts 16 and 17 that Timothy was with Paul when he came into Philippi for the first time. To plant that church and to labor with him. They would have known that Paul would have walked through persecution. They would walk through sufferings and difficulties. Paul had Timothy a long time working with him, and it's over a period of time that you mature and grow in the Lord. Maturity is not quick. Look at your own life. How many glad that you're not where you used to be? You may not be where you want to be, but you're not where you used to be. Someone said in Christ College last week, Glenn, I don't mean to hurt you or be bold, but I came here in 2001, and you're not the same guy that was there. And she said, I gotta tell you, I didn't see the humility then that I see now. I saw pride. And I said, honey, if you saw it in 2001, you should have known me in the 80s. May it be said about us. Little by little, you can't get there fast. Can you? And all of those frustrations he uses. The maturity is marked by the character. He said, notice the relational picture he gives here. He says, as a son with his father, he is served with me. He served with Paul as a son with the father. And the key word there is he served. That is like a bond servant. Wherever Paul was, Timothy was there. He was walking it out. He wasn't seeking a platform. He wasn't seeking a position. He wasn't seeking for notoriety. He was seeking to be faithful to the call of God. And to Paul. And in that he said, You served, he served me as a son. We believe in spiritual fathers and spiritual sons. And you'll hear us talk about that. From time to time. Let me just add something to that. Sometimes people claim it too quickly. That's my spiritual father. Is it? That's my spiritual son. Is it? Time will tell. Sometimes I think we say that because we have an orphan heart, and we just want to say we have a spiritual father. But what we're hearing in the scripture, it's not guest. It's through time, labor, faithfulness, and walking and serving and honoring over years. In fact, Paul only named three as his spiritual sons: Titus, Timothy, and Onesimus that he won in prison. Did he have others? We don't know, but he only names three. So we make a big deal out of it, and I believe in it. We call it first a principle, then a pattern, and it can become a person. It's a principle in the Word of God, isn't it? It's a pattern where you have Moses and you have Joshua and you have Elisha and Elijah and you have Paul and Timothy, you have Jesus as a disciples. So you see the pattern and principle, and eventually it can be a person. So we believe in it could be there, but I want you to hear what Paul is talking about is not just somebody claiming to be something. He was walking out years of provenness of the faithfulness. He said he served in the gospel. As a bondservant with me as a son. Maturity is not a talent or personality. What is it? It grows out of faithfulness, a proven faithfulness. Maturity often gives way for what a person needs the most. Paul needed Timothy. I know we don't think sometimes when we read the Bible the conditions they would have been in, but the prisons, even the better prison that Paul was in at this time, later on, he was put in the Roman dungeon. At this time it's believed he was in a rented house tied to Roman guards. So people could come and go. But in their way of doing things, the prison did not provide food. The prison did not provide clothing. So when you see Timothy there, he was taking care of the needs of Paul while Paul Was in the prison for the gospel. An average person going by would say that's a waste of time. No wonder people rejected Paul's authority because he spent so much time in prison. I can hear somebody say there's got to be something wrong somewhere. He's just not telling you everything. Making judgments, I'm sure. And that's why Paul said in one place, you were not ashamed of my chains. There were those who were ashamed of his chains. And here in this process, Timothy is being faithful over the long haul and being faithful in his heart towards Paul. And then Paul says, I want to send him back to you. He said, I'd love to send him back to you as soon as I find out how it goes with me. See, he didn't know if he might be getting out by the way. In fact, he thought possibly he would. That's why he says, And I'm I'm certain I'll be able to come to you. So he thought his sentence, even though it just turned out to be a two-year sentence, he didn't know how long it would be. And he said, I don't know how it's going to go with me. So I want Timothy to come so he can bring back a report and you can know that everything's okay. My heart's right with you. So Paul was carrying the burden himself that they would hear a good report. Caring at a distance. That's interesting for me. We ask ourselves, maybe how do other people see us? Are we somebody that they can depend upon? If they were to walk in among this congregation, you know, recently we asked you to look out among you, those who are
full of faith and Full of the Holy Spirit and Possibly quoting Acts 6:5 full of wisdom that we might sit as deacons. And I look around the house, I see a house full of people who are
full of faith, full of wisdom, and full of the Holy Spirit Possibly quoting Acts 6:5. I see those who are among you, but I also know at the same time, God is calling us to a place of what? Of maturity, of proven character. If you're walking through something right now and you think, look, God, I don't know how I can do this. I don't know how I can make it. You remember last week, you do it without grumbling or what? Complaining. Anytime we would say, God, you've left me out. God, you've brought me in on the short end of the stick. That's grumbling. That's not seeing the faithfulness of God. Which brings us to another mark here that with I if there's proven character, you'll make the next mark, and that's a mark of sacrifice. We see here with
Epaphroditus, my brother, co worker, and fellow soldier Likely quoting Philippians 2:25, who's also a messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. Notice how Paul describes Apaphroditus. He calls him a brother. He sees him as a part of the family, calls him a co-worker. He didn't say one who is under me, we're co-workers. Everybody say co-workers. See, in the world, you're wanting to know who is the greatest. Paul doesn't use that terminology. He said he's a co-worker. Ever notice when Paul's writing a letter, he includes Timothy as if Timothy's writing that letter. He includes those who labored with him as part of the same blessing. And can I tell you, when we see each other like this, watch this. As the church. Does ministry we all share in the blessing? What you're faithfully doing, somebody else is blessed because you're serving not just them, but the church itself. When one is honored, all is honored. We are divinely connected together. The health of the church matters. When a few begin to mature, guess what happens? It changes the climate of the house. It's contagious, isn't it? You see somebody that's growing and you want to grow. You see somebody sacrificing, and that's why he uses Epaphroditus as an example here. And he is the Philippians' delegate to him. Why? Because Paul said, I didn't have anybody else. Can you imagine being in that prison? Timothy would have run out of funds. Man, the heart of Philippi to take up offering and send it with a paphroditis nine hundred miles. This is not a hospital visit to Tulsa. Look at the gratefulness. There's a map that would show that. Show that map if you don't mind. Look from ancient Philippi to Rome. It would have taken up to six weeks. I don't know how much money he carried, but it wasn't on an app. It would have been bags of silver and gold or shekels or whatever it would have been that he would have taken. Clothing to take care of Paul while Paul is in prison needing food. What if somebody's there to feed him? And apaphroditus comes because the church had the burden. Can I tell you something? What this house does matters in other places. You may not realize how powerful it is when the work in this house affects other places. I emailed Sterling Ray in the middle of my sermon preparation as I saw Epaphroditus representing Philippine. I said, I'm thinking about you this morning and praying for you and Bella while you're there because you're they're teaching the church, they're teaching the leaders, they're teaching the youth, they're teaching the children, they're teaching discipleship. And I said, You're our representatives. I believe that. If there's a reward, we get it. Come on. Those who stay with the stuff get the same rewards as those that go somewhere else. You may know what I just referenced. I believe that. I do. That's why it doesn't have to be you, it doesn't have to be me, it could be us. And so we see Epaphroditus, he was their representative, and Paul is writing back to them, and he's saying, Listen, this is a blessing. To me, and he says, However, you sent him to bring food and and money and clothing and the needs, and then he says this this is amazing. This is startling what Paul says in verse 30. He almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help yourselves could not give me. Man almost died. I don't know. The Bible doesn't tell us why he almost died. If it was a some kind of sickness, he got in the prison. If he got a sickness along the way, uh it doesn't tell us, but it does say that he was sick. Near right unto death. Three observations I can make here. Number one, he almost died. This was true. Close to death. I can imagine what Paul must have felt, the one they sent 900 miles, six weeks to be here, if he dies. Who's going to get the report? He would have felt responsible, wouldn't he? He'd have felt the burden of it. And that's why he says that he was near death. He risked. His life. The Greek word there is for where we get the language of gambling. In other words, he's willing to risk it for the gospel. There was no assurance in the early church that their life was going to be lengthy if it was given to the gospel, their life might be taken. God, give us a mature people among us that risk their own life. And I don't mean that you don't have margins. I don't mean that you don't have a schedule for yourself and for your family, but I'm saying having a heart that wait a minute, this is for the purpose of the kingdom of God. How many of you would like that stirred up in you? God, show us to be a house that's mature. That's what Paul is challenging the Philippians. It's not just for them, it's for us as well. So he risked his life. But he not only risked his life, but he was distressed to think that other people would find out he was sick. Think about that. What kind of maturity is that? He wasn't embarrassed he was sick. He was distressed that it would put a burden on them. That's a whole different level of maturity, isn't it? We're wondering if people know I'm sick. And he's concerned that people would find out. Gene, I couldn't help but think of Tommy and his sickness. He's calling people to check on him. Dying with leukemia and he's calling to check on them. That's maturity. Don't you want to care for others? You do, don't you? Because it's in you. Why? Because it's the work of Christ. It's a mark of maturity. It's a mark of care. And I've got to tell you, there are so many in this room that represent this. But I want to urge us on to good works. Is that all right? I want to urge us on to it. To give of yourself, even when it is inconvenient. And it hurts to give of yourself. Paul said, but God had mercy. He had mercy. And he said, God had mercy because it would be sorrow upon sorrow for him. He was not afraid to admit to that. Here's what is clear healing is mercy. God has mercy. We're not told if he was miraculously healed or if he recovered. All we know is that God had mercy. And he almost died, but he didn't die. And I see something else here. Sorrow is real. Mature people are not stoic. They have real feelings, but it doesn't stop them. He said that would have been sorrow upon sorrow, but God had mercy. We have to be real about our hurt, real about our wounds, but at the same time, mature people keep on growing. That's what Paul was saying. It's clear. And then I want to point this out needs are ongoing. There'll never be a time when you don't need somebody, and somebody doesn't need you. Paul could have kept Timothy, could have kept Epaphroditus, but no, he sent him back. He needed him, and he was going to send Timothy when he could. And he sends him back. Why? So that the church and Philippi joy would be full. They're longing to see how he's doing. And Paul is inconvenienced, but he says, I want to send him so that when you see him again, you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. He's carrying the burden of the church, and he can't wait until they get the report that Phil. That Epaphrodis is okay. They sent a delegate, he was a blessing, and he gives us these marks of maturity. And then he says something that I want in this house, and I know you want it in this house. And he says something that I believe is a mark of mature people, and that is of respect and honor. When there's true honor to one another. The Bible talks about it. In some cultures of honor, it focuses upon the leaders. And I get that. But there's a place for us to honor those who are maturing and faithful in our midst. And Paul is giving that recommendation. Listen to what he says. So then welcome him. Talk about Epaphroditus in the Lord with great joy and honor people like him. Listen to me. This is a command. It's easy to overlook it. A mature church doesn't only produce a Timothy or Epaphroditus, but it honors a Timothy and Apaphroditus. There's true honor in the house by looking and saying they have given of themselves. And it may not have to be said and put up before the people, but the people's heart gravitate towards them because they see the unselfishness. If I were to say to you, and I'm not going to, if I were to say to you, when you look around the room, who fits those categories? I'm going to say to you, not out loud, but would you fit into that category? Would they be the ones saying, man, Character of concern, character of provenness, character or maturity of sacrifice. That's the call. It's a call upon every one of us. You say, Yeah, Glenn, that's for you, and that's for the others. No, no, no, no. This is Paul talking to the church. It's a mark of respect and honor. And I know in our present culture we honor a lot of things, but here he's talking about honoring that which is godly. Honoring does three things. I believe it reveals three things about us. It reveals our real values, doesn't it? What we honor tells us what we value. I'm going to tell you something else. You may not think it's very important, but sometimes a word of exhortation encourages somebody who's weary. They hear that word. And we need to be able to hear words of exhortation and words of encouragement from people and receive them as from Christ. Not that person. You know, you've heard me say over the years, somebody compliments you, oh, it wasn't nothing. It wasn't nothing. Don't say that. Just say thank you. I understand you're trying to be humble, but just say thank you. Just thank you. You know? Just thank you. Because out of the heart, what if God is sending them to encourage you? Reveal something about their values. It also listen to this, it shapes. Can I tell you the younger generation are primarily in the 11 a.m., but this younger generation, they honor as much as the generation I've ever seen. My heart is turned toward them because of that. Gene, I wish our generation had been more like that. We were told that if you trust anybody over 30, you've bought into the establishment. If you haven't left the house by the time you're 18, you're wrong. That was told us. I never did get into that world, but that world got into me. Independence, not honoring. I love the generation now. They honor. Of course, they don't leave home until they're 28, but they honor. And there's something good about that. There's an honor of authority. There's the honor of people. We need that among us, don't we? Why? Because they see the glory of God, not in what you do, but in who you are. I tell people all the time, I want to value you for who you are, not what you do. Do what God tells you to do. Be faithful to it. Not for recognition, but for who you are. Who you are tells you your maturity. When you walk among others, they feel the strength. I know what it's like for people to come close and come among you, and you feel their strength. It's like, thank you, Jesus. Thank you for those mature. And here's what I feel in my heart for today. I feel like it's almost a moment of asking God to show me where I need to grow in these marks. What would they say? These are Paul's words to us. Because obviously we're called to it, aren't we? Obviously, Christ formed in us with his interest becomes our interest, his people becomes our concern. His purposes become our priority. And if that's never shifted in you, you're growing up now in Christ and you're getting to a point, I can do, I can respond like that. When I watch that happen among what you might call our leaders, they're not doing that because they're leaders, there's leaders because they're doing that. Do you hear what I just said? We don't pick somebody and say, Go do it. We see those who are already doing it. So we don't pick anybody. It really is a work of God. And I just want to say to us in this room if God is speaking, there's an area of repentance. You say, you know, Jesus, I really have been focused more on myself. If you're here this morning and you don't care for others in the sense of really caring for them, would you ask God to shift your focus? You say, Glenn, I'm too young for that. One of these days I'm going to do that. Timothy was young and timid. You remember that? And Paul had to tell him the Holy Spirit you have is not a spirit of timidity. His temperament was not that, but he is spiritual maturity was of that. Spiritual maturity is not gift and grace, and it's not talent. It's not that at all. It's growing in him. Wouldn't it be great this morning if we just said, Okay, God, those people I've been hoping didn't come my way. I say, God, send them my way. And I'm gonna go their way. Would you come, would you stand together with me right now across this building? Father, I'm asking you today that there be a genuine call of the Spirit. Lord, when you call people to maturity, it's a sober time and it's a heavy time, but it's a real time. It's not our choice only, it's your command and our response to that command. And I pray, Father, every individual, every believer in this room that has a hunger and a desire to grow with true concern for others. Lord, I ask you to speak to their heart. Would you just take a moment right now where you are and ask the Holy Spirit, if you want to close your eyes, not be distracted by anybody around you, make this message your personal message. You may say, Glenn, I'm not there yet. I'm at the point where I'm wondering who's caring for me. And I'm going to say to you, I get that. It's over time that we grow. Over time. And you may be in that point right now. But would you just nevertheless say, Jesus, who have you put into my heart in my world? Who am I beginning to pray for? Who would I go out of the way to encourage? Who have you placed in my heart to speak a word of life and encouragement? To see the character of Christ in them. Would you pray that right there where you are? Ask him to show you. What has Christianity been for you? Has it been your salvation and gratefulness to him? That's the word begins. But when it's given to others and taken to others, that's the mark of Christ. It's interesting that Paul gives the example of Epaphroditus who was near death. Even as he gave Jesus the example, that
he was obedient to the point of death Likely quoting Philippians 2:8. It's like he's making a point. Yes, Jesus is the ultimate example, but there are those among you there at Philippi who are living this out. There are those among you, and he's calling them to do the same thing. And I'm telling you, there are those among us right now that truly walk in spiritual maturity. I ask you to ask the Holy Spirit, speak to me today. Lord, we submit ourselves. I submit myself. Every agitation, every discomfort, every frustration, every area, that I would say, Lord, you're using that that I might grow in you. Grow up into Christ the head. Seeing that my salvation
worked out with fear and trembling Possibly quoting Philippians 2:12. Knowing that he's
able to do exceedingly abundantly above all Possibly quoting Ephesians 3:20 I can think or ask. And that gives me both the desire and the ability to do his good pleasure. That might be the prayer for you today, again, from last week, that you would say, God, give me the want-to. I hear it, give me the want-to. It's all in the same passage, it's all in the same chapter. Father, we pray. As we wait here for just a moment. Talk to him. Take a moment to talk to him. Just in his presence. I believe that somebody here, maybe several of you, or have people being laid on your heart, even while we're preaching and while we're praying. Lord, you really have given them to me to check on. That may be different for you. Then what do I do? You look for them, you long for them. You can't wait to speak a word of encouragement to them, to be there with them. Maybe the Lord will bring somebody across your path. It could be a co-worker. It could be someone here in this room. Someone you've not seen in a while, somebody's burdened in your heart. Remember when we launched over in a whassel, we're all a new congregation. And I watched for those that would come among us and say, you know, I've been thinking about so and so, I've been praying for so and so. And I'd marked them. I didn't hand that to them, but they were caring for them. I haven't seen so-and-so in a while. I'm praying for them. How can I get a hold of them? I marked that person. Why did I mark them? Because they're maturing. They were the mature ones among us. The people saw it. It's real clear, isn't it? And guess what? God gives you an entrance. What's this? He broadens your entrance. It may just start with one or two. It may start in your family. And here's what I'm going to tell you. You know this. You'll grow like never before. Your countenance will change. People will see you differently because they'll see Christ oozing from you, coming from you. And people will be strengthened. And you won't even, man, you won't even be aware. You're not aware of the influence that God is giving because it's His influence, but yet people are aware of it. But you start seeing the fruit. That's my prayer for us today. How many of you say, I'll fall through on that? Say this prayer with me out loud before we shift. Say, Heavenly Father, I receive the word of the Lord that I may walk in the maturity of Christ. That I might seek the interest of Christ. And Jesus, we know your heart. Yours is for others. Do that in me, Lord, for your kingdom and for your glory. Father, I pray over this today now, as they stand there before you, that every prayer that's prayed, every moment that is said, that your purpose be accomplished, and that there would be literally weeks coming ahead and months coming ahead where real maturity continues to grow. Take those among us who are already walking in it. And give them encouragement today to be what you have set before us as example. We ask you in Jesus' name. If you agree with that, say amen. You may be seated. Jim, come right on up here if you would, brother. Thank you, Glenn. Man, thank you for that challenge. I was reminded of that old song. The line in the old song says, Lord, lay some soul upon my heart. Remember singing that old song? I don't remember the name of the song, but I remember that line. And I just, yeah, that's the challenge today in all of our hearts. We're going to worship together in our giving this morning as we uh close out this service today. So grateful for each one that has a part in the ministry in this house and your faithfulness and giving. Uh on the screen is going to be the text to give, uh, the three ways to give. There's an envelope in the back of the seat, online, or text, and uh avail yourselves of that. Uh, if you if you're giving by check today, there's an envelope in front of you. You can just drop that in the back of the auditorium this morning as you leave on either side of the door. We're just so grateful for those uh in the house that serve the Lord and their giving. And uh The Lord bless you. Also want to mention as well that we don't have this is Mission Sunday. And I have a video from uh Naka Tikadu. I love saying that name. I know Jonathan loves to say his name, Naka, Tikadu. I guess I said it correctly. But he's in Fiji. Wow, what a place to live, huh? I mean, I just uh but he's there ministering. And uh, you know, I was just thinking uh The phrase that you use, Glenn, today, you know, the work in this house affects others. And that challenge to us. And I want to add to that the prayer in this house affects others. I mean, it really does. I mean, what we do around the world, as we see the events in the national news, that we we see the things that are happening in Europe. And the Lord just, you know, the command to us is to pray over authorities over us, right? Pray over the the governments to those that are in every even in every nation. I know pray over here in America, but it's also you know, we can pray. We can begin to pray over these areas. So as you give towards missions this morning, just be mindful of that. Take that card that's there on your seat. Tear off that card. It's a good bookmark, and just a reminder of every every missions area focus that we have over uh the different areas and and that we focus in on every month. So remember, knock. This this month and pray over him as you give and thank you for your faithfulness and giving over missions. Let's pray together, Father. Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness within our lives. And we thank you, Lord, for the ability to be able to invest, give into your kingdom, Lord, and bless those, Lord, who are in need and with their admissions to this house or whatever area it is, Lord. Thank you, Father, for your blessings. And in return, Lord, we honor you with our giving today.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray Possibly quoting Acts 10:48. Amen. As you prepare your giving, check out the announcements happening around DLC. Stand with me once more as we close out this morning. Think there's anything else that needs to be announced today. I think I've covered everything. Uh oh yeah. Well, yeah. The announcement sheet on your take that, refer to that. Uh there's so many things that are coming up. Just grateful. Hallelujah. I want to invite the prayer teams to come to the front at this as we finish out this morning. Just a message like this. Just stirs in our hearts and uh the place of maturity. And there may be some needs in within the house this morning that desire prayer. So as we close out today, if there's a need, feel free to come as you leave. And we're just grateful for the ministry that happens, man, that reaches out. For Lord, we thank you, Father, for the challenge today. Growing in maturity, Lord, and what you're doing. Father, you called us to surrender as servants of Christ. And our Lord, and we just thank you, Father, for what you're doing in this house. And throughout your church, Lord, we just pray over the whole church. Lord, we just thank you for what you're doing in us and through us, Lord. That we examples of Christ within our world today. We just praise you, Father, in Jesus' name. God bless you.
