We turn again to God's Word and
directing you this evening to words that we find in the New
Testament Scriptures, Paul's epistle to the Philippians, in
chapter 4, at verse 8. In Philippians 4, 8, Finally, brethren, that whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, Whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things. In particular, then, those words
that we have at the end of this verse, where Paul, having spoken
of a number of matters, says, think. on these things. The subject then that I want
to attempt to address is that of meditation, the art of meditation. Here at the end of the epistle
we come to what we might say is the practical part of the
letter. You're aware of the way in which
Paul constructs these various epistles the former part often
is the doctrinal section and then after setting out great
profound Christian truths He spells out the practical implication
of those doctrines in the closing chapters. It doesn't mean that
there's nothing practical in the first part of the epistle
or that there's nothing doctrinal in the latter part of the epistle.
But that is a very basic structure that we witness in the letters,
particularly of Paul. And so here, in chapter 4, We
have these various practical exhortations. He addresses individuals. There in the second verse, I
beseech you Odious and beseech Shintiki that they be of the
same mind in the Lord. There was obviously some disagreement
between them that Paul would have them live at peace one with
the other. And then he continues, I entreat thee also, true yoke
fellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel,
with Clement also, with other my fellow labourers whose names
are in the book of life. There were those not only men
but women who were associated with him and a great support
to him as he sought to execute that ministry that he had received
from the Lord Jesus Christ. And then he goes on to give these
various exhortations. And he says at verse 6, Be careful
for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Now he speaks here of
prayer as he exhorts them. wants to remind them of the importance
of addressing God with believing prayers. They are to pray. They
are to pray without ceasing. And how important it is when
we come to these practical parts of the epistles to recognize
the importance of prayer. How can we obey any of the precepts
of the Gospel of ourselves in our own strength, we have to
acknowledge our utter dependence upon the Lord. Christ Jesus says
in the Gospel, without me ye can do nothing. And so here you
see, as Paul gives these various exhortations, so he reminds them. Oh, in everything, in everything,
by prayer and supplication, with thanksgivings, and to make their
requests known unto God. And then, he gives a promise,
as he will, or reminds them of a promise, which will be an encouragement
to pray. He says, the peace of God. and
the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Now, the Gospel
isn't that that drives a man into the path of obedience. There's
nothing legal in the Gospel. But the Gospel, it draws us.
And so we see how the promise is here, as it were, joined to
the precept. There, in verse 6, we have the
imperatives, he's issuing commands with regards to the importance
of all types of prayer, and then in verse 7, the promise to encourage
them, that their praying will not be in vain. Well, this is
constantly the way of the gospel. As I said, there are precepts,
but time and again those precepts so evidently joined to promises. Think of that passage at the
end of Ephesians 4 and the beginning of chapter 5. He says there in
verse 30, Ephesians 4, Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby
you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness
and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away
from you with all malice. And be ye kind one to another,
tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you. There's the motivation. You are
forgiven? All be ready to forgive. Put away all bitterness, all
anger. Be ye therefore followers of
God as dear children, and walk in love. as Christ also hath
loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice
to God for a sweet-smelling savour." All the sacrifice of Christ,
this is the motivation. And so he goes on, "...but fornication,
and all uncleanness, or covetousness. Let it not be once named among
you as becometh saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking,
nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks."
This is the way of the Gospel. This is the way of the Gospel
precept. God draws His people, encourages them, by attaching
such exceeding great and precious promises to these commandments. And here, in the words that I
read as our text, having spoken previously of prayer, He now
comes to speak to them of the importance of right thinking,
and all that is associated with the art of meditation. Finally brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue
and if there be any praise, think on these things. Think on these things. Now, We would say that real religion
is more than thinking. Although God has made us as rational
beings, and we're called to think aright and to think the thoughts
of God after him. But we want more than right thoughts
of God. We want a religion that reaches
into the very depths of our soul, that touches us in our hearts. And so what I want to speak on
really is more particularly meditation tonight. What do we mean by meditation,
the art of meditation? Little is said about it in general
evangelical circles today. There is a great deal of emphasis
upon activities, evangelism and so forth, There's much to be
done, and it's true that there is much to be done. We should
be those who are desirous to redeem the time. We know that
the days are evil. But nothing is said much about
meditation because people are called to action. Well, is meditation
something that is passive? It is not passive. Where there
is that right thinking and meditating, there is much holy activity taking
place in the soul of that person. The word that we have here, that's
rendered to think, again, it's the most interesting word to
study. It literally has the idea of
pondering, to ponder, or to cogitate. Literally, it means to count
or to reckon. And it's interesting to see how
it's rendered in other parts of Scripture. In Mark, chapter
15, verse 28, as we come to the end of Mark's Gospel and the
sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ, we read this. The Scripture was fulfilled which
says, He was numbered with the transgressors. And the word numbered
there is the same word as we have here to think. It has that
basic literal meaning then to count or to reckon. It goes on to suggest other things,
the idea of revolving, going over matters in the mind, cogitating
as we said. the most interesting works and
so it is right I contend to say that what the Apostle is really
calling them to hear is to the art of meditating, thinking setting
their thoughts and their affections on good things When we come to consider the
book of Psalms, and we read from three of the Psalms, we see that
there the word meditate is used. In fact, I read those three Psalms,
Psalms 1, 63, and 77, because in each of them there is some
reference to meditation. And the word that's used, it's
the same word, that's used in those three Psalms. It's a Hebrew
word, obviously, it's part of the Old Testament Scripture,
it's not the same word as we have here in the New Testament,
but the word that's used in those three Psalms literally means
to mutter, to meditate, to mutter. And what do we see the Psalmist
doing? In a sense, as he meditates,
he mutters. we might say he's talking to
himself in meditation, talking to his own soul. Now I want to
come presently to say something with regards to the three Psalms
that we read, but remember we do have those two Psalms, that
pair of Psalms, 42 and 43, in which we have the believer's
soliloquy as he addresses himself. Remember Psalm 42 verses 5 and
11 and then Psalm 43 at verse 5. We have verses that are very
similar, basically the same. Why art thou cast down, O my
soul? And why art thou disquieted within
me? Hope thou in God, for I shall
yet praise him who is the house of my countenance and my God. Or is it not good to address
our own souls? There's that remarkable hymn
that we have in the book. Not all of the hymns in the book
are suitable for singing in the public worship of God. But surely
we recognize that this hymn book can also be a great help to our
devotions. Do we read it in our devotions? when we come before God in the
secret place and I'm thinking now of Psalm, of hymn number
780 and I would very much commend that hymn to you when you come
to that time of quietness when you want to read and pray to
God. It bears that title, a dialogue
between a believer and his soul. And the particular psalm referred
to is Psalm 43, 5. I just said it's that verse that
we also find in the previous 42nd Psalm. and the hymn begins,
Come my soul and let us try for a little season, every burden
to lay by, come and let us reason. Oh, it's good to speak to ourselves. Now, in Psalm 77 that we read,
and there in verse 6, Asaph says, I commune with mine
own heart. Or do we commune with our own
hearts? do we address ourselves like the psalmist does? What
does the psalmist do in those psalms? I said that the word
meditate is used in all three of them. There in Psalm 63 and
verse 6, when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate upon
thee in the night watches. What is he saying? He remembers
God. I remember thee. I meditate upon
you. Do we seek to meditate upon God
or the great mysteries of the faith, the great doctrine of
God himself? To contemplate that, we can't
explain it. That God is one and God is three. But what a glorious truth it
is. All true Christians, this may boast a truth from nature,
never learn that Father, Son and Holy Ghost to save our souls,
we're all concerned. In the great work of salvation,
God reveals himself as a trinity. The eternal love of the Father
making choice of a people, giving them to his Son and the Son in
that covenant undertaking to come in the fullness of the time
as a man to redeem that people. And then the blessed work of
the Spirit who comes as Christ ascends to heaven. Oh, it was
expedient that he go away, he says. If he goes not away, the
Holy Spirit will not come, but he sends the Spirit on the day
of Pentecost. And the Spirit comes to reveal
the things of Christ. Do we seek to think upon these
things? To meditate upon God? Sometimes
maybe in the night watches when we're restless and cannot sleep.
Not easy. Not easy at all. So often our
thoughts are all over the place, scattered. And things that are
problems to us, they become so great. But ought to see the greatness
of God and the salvation of God. When I remember Thee upon my
bed and meditate upon Thee, in the night watching. That's Psalm
63. But then, those familiar words
in the opening Psalm, Psalm 1, concerning the blessed man, his
delight is in the law of the Lord, it says. And in his law
doth he meditate day and night. Not just to think of God, to
think of the Word of God. That's what's being spoken of
there, the law. It's God's Word. Or do we seek
sometimes to recount? Remember the basic meaning of
this word, to think, to recount. Do we try to recount the Scriptures? Try to remember verses? The great
beauty, one of the great beauties of our authorised version is the language is so beautiful
and so poetic that it lends itself to memorizing I know sometimes
we have to struggle to try to remember verses but it's good
as we lie there to think on the words of God, the words of Holy
Scripture all that God has said to us as God has revealed himself
to us and then not only to think of God himself and to think of
his word But there in Psalm 77 and verse 12, I will meditate
also of all thy work, he says, and talk of all thy doings, or
to think upon God's dealings. That's a blessed exercise, is
it not? To go over the years of our lives
and to see how God's good hand has been upon us, preserving,
providing. or who so is wise says the psalmist
and will observe these things do we observe God's providential
works do we talk to ourselves, mutter to ourselves that's the
meaning of that word as we have it in those three Psalms that
we read to meditate, to mutter to enter into conversation with
our own souls but then also in the Psalms there's another word
Yes, it's translated as meditate, but it's not the same word. It's
a word that literally means to muse. And we have it several
times in the 119th Psalm. I will meditate in thy precepts,
it says. In verse 15. But the word literally
means I will muse. And he's used again in other
parts of the 119th Psalm, verse 23, verse 48, 78, and 148. Basically the same thing, he's
speaking of how he will muse in God's precepts, or God's judgments,
or God's words. Now, that word has the basic
meaning of pondering, to ponder God's words, to reflect upon
God's words, or to ponder and reflect upon God's works. We
sang it just now, in that hymn of Toplady, I Muse. on the years that are past, wherein
my defense thou hast proved, nor wilt thou relinquish at last
a sinner so signally loved. Oh, do we muse and ponder all
the ways and all the works of God. The psalmist says again,
my heart was hot within me. while I was musing the fire burnt,
then spake I with my tongue." Or if we muse upon God and the
words of God and the ways of God, or will it not cause our
hearts to burn, to burn within us? It's interesting though that
both of these words to muse, to mutter, they do come together
in one of the Psalms, in the 143rd Psalm and verse 5. We come there to the last section
of the book of Psalms. He says, I remember the days
of old, I Meditate on all thy works, I muse on the work of
thy hands. In the parallelism that is so
peculiar to that Hebrew poetry, we see how the two words to meditate,
to mutter and to muse, they there come together. All this word
then, this other word to muse, now I suppose we don't use that
verb to amuse very often but there is a word that we use a
great deal how often is the word amusement used? and the basic meaning of that
word amuse amusement is not to think to amuse means to ponder,
to think and the A put in the front negates the word you see
amuse is not to think literally to divert from serious things
by taking up trifling things how wicked it is you see how
wicked men love amusements they don't want to think, they don't
want to consider They don't like the idea, you see, of their solemn
accountability to God. That we're living this mortal
life here upon the earth and we're living always in the light
of a never-ending eternity. Men don't want to think of that.
The needs of their never-dying souls. Oh no, let's fill our
lives with trifling things. Let's amuse ourselves. Paul says
we need to examine ourselves. Examine yourselves, whether you
be in the faith. Prove your own selves. Know you
not your own selves? O that Jesus Christ is in you,
except ye be reprobate. Presently, the church come together
around the Lord's table. How important is that self-examination
when we come to the Lord's Supper? Paul says let a man examine himself.
and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup or you
say if I examine myself why how can I overcome I'm so unworthy
to come proper examination will not be
a hindrance to us coming we'll see then how necessary it is
that we come we come to that man who is pleased to receive
sinners and to eat with them that man who shed his precious
blood for sinners, who comes to call not the righteous but
sinners. Oh, but we need to examine ourselves
to be delivered from all the follies of men in a fallen, wicked
world. Gadsby says, pause my soul and
ask the question, are thou ready to meet God? Am I made a real
Christian? Wash in the Redeemer's blood
and we need to be those then friends who would look to ourselves
address ourselves enter into that blessed soliloquy talk to our own souls about that
great salvation that God has provided in the Lord Jesus Christ
but let us having said something with regards to what this meditation
is let us say something with regards to the matter of meditation
because we have the matter of it here in the text. You will see how some six times
he uses the word whatsoever and then twice Paul uses the word
any. Finally brethren, whatsoever
things are true Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things. There are eight
subjects here. Eight subjects that we're to
think on. Now, we believe in the verbal
inspiration of Holy Scripture. As I said before, we, I trust,
have that very high doctrine concerning the inspiration of
the Word of God. Those holy men of God, says Peter,
they spoke as they were moved, as they were born and carried
along by the Spirit of God. As I said, they were not simply
inspired in their thought patterns and so forth, and then sought
to find suitable words to express those inspired thoughts. No, the very words that they
employed were inspired by the Spirit of God. And therefore it follows that
we should take account of the words, the individual words of
Holy Scripture. And as you know this is one of
the great beauties again of the authorized version. It's not
only so poetic and lends itself to memorizing but it is such
a faithful rendering, such a careful rendering of the original. And
we know that because at times the translators have to introduce
additional words to bring out the sense in the English and
they always indicate that when they put words in italics. And so we do well. We do well
to take notice of these particular words and the significance of
them. He says that we're to think on whatsoever things are true. We're to think on true things. And what does that mean? Well,
we have to discern truth from error. We have to make a distinction
between things that are true and things that are heretical. When Paul writes to the Ephesians,
he says there in chapter 4, 14, that we henceforth be no more
children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind
of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby
they lie in wait to deceive But speaking the truth in love may
grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ."
There has to be a separation between the precious and the
vile. It's important that we understand
the great need of being sound in the faith, sound in doctrine. And again, Jude in that short
epistle speaks of the necessity of contending earnestly for that
faith that was once delivered unto the saints. He says there at verse 3, Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation It was needful for me to write unto you and exhort
that ye should earnestly contend for the faith, that's not the
grace of faith, that's not the grace of believing, that's the
great body of doctrinal truth that we believe in, the faith,
which was once delivered unto the saints, for there are certain
men crept in unaware who were, before of old, ordained to this
condemnation ungodly men, turning the grace of our God unto lasciviousness,
and denying the only God and our Lord Jesus Christ." Or were
to think on those things that are true. Were to think upon
those things, he says, that are honest. The margin says venerable,
venerable. The idea of reverence, that that
is serious, that that is grave, all that is the very opposite
of levity. Again in the exhortations that
Paul gives to the Ephesians he says neither filthiness nor foolish
talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks all those things
that are honest again when Paul writes to Titus in those those
pastoral epistles the epistles to Timothy and Titus here in
Titus chapter 2 Verse 7 he says, in all things
showing thyself a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing
uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. That's what God's people are
called to. And then he speaks of thinking on things that are just. Things that are just. What are
things that are just? Well, it's those things that
concern God and those things that concern our fellow men. Paul could say at the end of
the Acts, I exercise myself always to have a conscience void of
offense before God and before man. the conscience void of offence
not wanting to offend God in any way and therefore not wanting
to offend God the Lord says we are to render to Caesar the things
that are Caesar's we are to render to God the things that are God's
we are to live our lives as just men we are law abiders we don't
put ourselves above the law We seek to have regard to the powers
of birth, because we recognize that they're all ordained of
God. Or we want to be those who are not only justified by the
grace of God, clothed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus
Christ, but we want to live just lives. And we're to think on
these things. We're to think on these things,
to consider these things. He goes on to speak of whatsoever
is pure. Oh friends, you don't need me
to tell you we live in a promiscuous time. A promiscuous time. It's all around us, but it's
not only all around us, it's all within us, it's in our own
hearts. All we need then to think on
those things that are pure. Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use
of edifying says the Apostle. Now we need to keep our tongue,
be careful what we say, to speak those things that are right before
God and so to speak out against all the evil, all the promiscuousness
that we see about us and then he goes on to speak of those
things that are lovely whatsoever things are lovely or that we
would cultivate those things kindness, compassion, friendship,
love itself Love itself. How important is love? Remember
the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians chapter 13. That chapter that
speaks to us of the importance of love. We have the old English
word charity in our authorized version. It's the word, the Greek
word, you probably know the word, it's the word Agapa. there are
three Greek words for love and the gapai is the highest and
the purest form of love and see what Paul says here concerning
that sort of love that the Christian is called to he says verse 4
charity suffereth long and is kind Charity envieth not, charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth
not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. All these
are the things that are lovely. You might know this whole series
of sermons on that chapter by Jonathan Edwards. It was published
some years ago by the Banner of Truth Trust. Charity and its
fruits. If I remember right, the last
of those sermons that that great New England divine preached on
1 Corinthians 13, the last of the sermons is a description
of heaven and he calls heaven a world of love. That's what
heaven is, it's love. Oh, there you see, we enter into
all the fullness of the love of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, we are to think on things.
To think on things that are lovely. Whatsoever things, he says, are
of good report. Good report. What is good report? Well, the Gospel is a good report,
is it not? the good news, the glad tidings
of salvation how we should live our lives so as to commend the
gospel, to commend God our Saviour the Lord says let your light
so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify
your Father which is in heaven all that good report again listen
to the language of Peter. Writing there in 1 Peter chapter
2 and verse 12 he says having your conversation
your manner of life honest among the Gentiles that whereas they
speak against you as evildoers they may by your good work which
they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." Oh,
there are those good works. We're not saved by good works,
but where we know the grace of God, there will be those good
works that follow salvation. We will desire to live our lives
in submission to all the holy precepts of the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ, We're not to be partial in the Word of
God, we're not just to embrace the promises, or let us also
delight in all those holy precepts. And then he speaks of virtue. If there be any virtue, he says. Here he is speaking of that that
is morally upright, that that is virtuous. How we need to think
on these things. And if there be any praise, he
says, any praise, anything praiseworthy, all that surely centers in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Isn't He the great object of
our worship, the great object of our praises? Is He not that
One who is worthy? What is worship? It is recognizing
the great worth of our God. praising God. The psalmist says,
my meditation of him shall be sweet. I will be glad in the
Lord. Oh, let us think on these things.
Let us be those who desire above everything that we might truly
know the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we go back to that
remarkable second chapter, that speaks to us of the great
mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh it's a tremendous
chapter Philippians chapter 2 as it speaks of the humiliation
of the Lord Jesus Christ who being in the form of God thought
it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation
and took upon him the form of a servant who was made in the
likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled
himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross
wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name
which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things
under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord to the glory of God the Father all what there is here
for us to to meditate on. He thought he'd not robbery to
be equal with God. He didn't seize after equality
with God. It was his. He is God. He is the eternal son of the
eternal Father. But now he makes himself of no
reputation. Now he humbles himself to become
a man and as a man he humbles himself even to the death of
the cross. But look at the context. Look
at the context. He says, let nothing be done
through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind. Let
each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man
on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Let this mind, or let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, you being in the form of God. Thought
it not robbery to be equal with God? need the mind of the Lord
Jesus Christ. That's what we need, to think
on that, to meditate upon that. Or when the Lord comes, you see,
and ministers. Remember those that he ministered to after his
resurrection on the road to Emmaus. Their eyes were holed and they
didn't recognize him, but now he spoke to them. And then they
come to that, did not our hearts burn within us? While He talked
with us by the way and opened to us the Scriptures. Oh yes,
we might address ourselves, we might speak to our own souls,
but we want the Lord to come and speak to us and open the
Scriptures to us and to touch our hearts and to set our hearts
all on fire. What a verse this is. You know
that quaint old Puritan John Trapp, he says of his 8th verse,
this is a little Bible. That's what Trapp says, this
is a little Bible. Why? Because it directs us to
the Lord Jesus Christ. It directs us to God. It directs
us to Heaven. Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue
and if there be any praise, think on these things. That's preparation,
that meditation, that musing, that's preparation. It's preparation for another
world. for heaven, that world of love. But it all centers in Christ.
What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? asks the Lord
Jesus. And remember how John Newton
takes up those words. What think you of Christ is the
test to try both your state and your scheme. You cannot be right
in the rest unless You think rightly of Him. What do you think
of the Lord Jesus Christ? We are rational beings. God addresses
us through our minds. Do we have right views of this
great doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself? But then, as
we come to a conclusion, see how the Apostle goes on in the
next verse. Think on these things, he says,
and then those things which you have both learned and received
and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with
you oh there's meditation but action follows think on these
things he says but then he goes on and says there's something
to do you see Paul when he comes to the things of God he's not
just a theorist no this man he preached what he felt and he
practiced what he believed and how important that is let me
just give you a little quote from Luther I suppose with the
significance of the anniversary last year of the Protestant Reformation
I've done a deal of reading in Luther over the past months and
Luther says this concerning the real theologian, not reading,
and speculating, but living, and dying, and being condemned
before God makes a real theologian. Oh, we're not advocating just
speculation thinking, you see, it's more than that. It's more
than that. It's living, it's dying. It's
being crucified with Christ. and yet living, and yet not our
life, but the life of Christ within us. Well, this is where
meditation must lead us. Think. Think on these things. Those things which you have both
learned and received and heard and seen in me do. And the God
of peace shall be with you. Amen.