Okay, open your Bibles if you
would to Philippians chapter four, but put your finger in
chapter three. We're going to be reading the
last two verses along with verse one of chapter four. Verse one
of chapter four will be our text today. The name of the message
is divinely loved ones, divinely loved ones. Now we're going to read from
verses 20 to 21 of chapter 3 along with verse 1 of chapter 4. They go together because we see
the word therefore in verse 1 of chapter 4. So let's read verses
20 of chapter 3 to Philippians 4-1. For our conversation is in heaven,
thus our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for
the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things
unto himself. Therefore, my brethren, dearly
beloved and longed for, my joy, and crown. So stand fast in the
Lord, my dearly beloved. Now, the reason I named this
message Divinely Loved Ones is because we see twice in this
verse Paul calls them dearly beloved, dearly beloved. And they're also longed for,
which means he has a longing to be with them. Remember, he's
in Rome. He's writing to the saints at
Philippi. He established the church there by the grace of
God. The Lord established the church,
but through Paul's ministry. And so he has a real connection
with the folks at Philippians. He actually has a real connection
with all the churches that the Lord had him minister to, because
that's just how Paul was. That's just how Paul was. The
word therefore, we see, is exhorting the Philippians to keep in mind
the fact that they're citizens of heaven while they're going
through this world. And that's a good exhortation
for us, too. We're to keep in our minds, beloved,
that we're citizens of heaven. We're not citizens of this world
anymore, are we, Brother Charlie? We may have citizenship in different
countries as believers, but our true citizenship is in heaven.
It's in Christ. So he's reminding them that.
And remember the Philippians would have a great understanding
of what Roman citizenship was when we looked at that message
about our citizenship is in heaven. They would understand how important
and the privileges that come along with a heavenly citizenship. which is forgiveness of all our
sins in Christ, all spiritual blessings in Christ, justification
before God in Christ, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ,
all these blessed benefits sanctified in Christ, made holy in Christ.
It's wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Also, the therefore in verse
one brings to mind to the Philippian saints the second coming of Christ,
which we see in verse 21. and the fact that we have a hope
of a coming Savior. Our Lord's coming back. Our Lord's,
whether it be, whether it be when we're gone at our death, or whether it be when
He comes back to gather His people, if we're still alive then. He's
coming back no matter what, isn't He? He's coming back. It's guaranteed. My. And then we have a hope that
He's going to change these bodies These vile bodies, the scripture
says, sinful bodies into a new body, like unto his. We won't have no pain anymore.
My back won't hurt anymore. My hearing's starting to go a
little bit. My hearing will be perfect there. Isn't that wonderful? And we'll be sinless. That's
what's absolutely amazing, isn't it? And then I like what he says
here in verse four. or I mean verse 1 of chapter
4, he exhorts them to stand in the Lord. Now we're going to
look at that word in the Greek a little later on, what that
is. Let's read verse 1 again of chapter
4. Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved, and long for my joy
and my crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Again, note twice here, the Holy Spirit has Paul penned the words
dearly beloved, which is one word in the Greek. It's not two. In the English, it's two words,
but in the Greek, it's one word. It's one word. And it's an expression used for
God's divine and sacrificial love. My, oh my. This word means beloved
and dear, but spoken only of Christians as united with our
God in Christ. Only true believers who are born
again are the divinely loved ones. Brother Charlie, how long
has he loved us for? For maternity, hasn't he? Because
his love doesn't change. He's divine. So if God loves
his people with an everlasting love, Jeremiah says, then that's
divine love, isn't it? If God loves His people, then
that's divine love, period, right there. Because His love is divine
love. It's wonderful. You feel like
a divinely loved one? We slug through this world, don't
we, in our sin? But it doesn't change the fact
that He loves us, brother. That's wonderful, isn't it, brother
Chris? It's wonderful. Divinely loved ones. Love for
maternity, we had no clue. Love we have for our spouses
and for our family, nothing compared to this love. And we can't fathom
that, can we? Because the love we feel for
our family and our spouses and our kids and our grandkids doesn't touch the love that God
has for us. And we didn't even know it, did
we? And notice that Paul, again by inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
calls them this twice in this verse. It's emphasized twice. Dearly beloved. Again, the expression
is one word in the Greek. My oh my. Spoken of Christians
united with God through Christ with the bonds of holy love.
which is the love of God spread abroad in our hearts, isn't it?
A love that's foreign to us by birth, but not by the new birth. That's why we must be born again.
We don't have this love by nature, but we have it now as born-again,
blood-washed saints. And His love was always set upon
us, but now we have it shed abroad in our hearts. Think of that
connection we have with brethren. We can go down, you guys, we're
down south. You go down south, you meet up
with a bunch of folks, and all of a sudden you have that instant
connection with them, like you've known them your whole life. That's
the love of God spread abroad in our hearts, beloved. I've
been meeting Chris, getting to know Chris. I feel like I've
known you for years, brother. It's amazing. It's absolutely
incredible. Because it's the love of God
spread abroad in our hearts, right? That's what it is. My oh my. The word is plural in number
as well. We see that Paul loves all the
saints individually and he loves them with a love produced in
his heart by God the Holy Spirit. Calls them divinely or dearly
beloved. It's plural. This love of God's been shed
abroad in every believer's heart. The word is plural to number. And note the words long for is
also plural. Long for. So we're divinely loved
ones who long to be in fellowship with one another. Think of when
we're slugging out in the world through the week. Don't we long
to be here in the gospel? Don't we long to be with God's
people? Isn't that amazing? What a blessing to have a believing
wife or husband. To be able to talk to them. What
a blessing our little prayer group that we have. To be able
to share each other's burdens. Say, please pray for my friend
here or pray for my family member. And we pray, don't we? It's wonderful. It's amazing. And I believe that stuff knits
our hearts together even more as family. Do you know Luke used
the same word, the same Greek word, it's a singular Greek word,
plural, but it's a Greek word. He used it in Acts 15, 25. He used it saying this, it seemed
good unto us being assembled with one accord to send chosen
men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul. Same Greek
word there, beloved, same Greek word, divinely loved Barnabas
and Paul. Divinely love, Marsha. Isn't
that amazing? Divinely love, Barb. Divinely love, Vicki, Brian,
Charlie, Chris, Wayne. Isn't that amazing? Divinely
love. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter 11. It's also used. Spoken of those Jews who are
chosen in salvation as part of the elect. Romans chapter 11,
verses 26 to 28. We know that there was a multitude
that came out of Egypt, but not all. Paul says not all Israel
is the Israel of God, right? But there are people scattered
through. There are people, look at this.
Romans 11, verses 26 to 28. And so all Israel shall be saved,
as it is written. There shall come out of the Zion
the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away
their sins. As concerning the gospel, they
are enemies for your sakes, but as touching the election, they
are beloved. Same Greek word right there,
for the Father's sake. So what were we before the Lord
saved us? Enemies of the gospel, beloved. All the elect in our natural
state were enemies of the gospel. And you know, all Israel will
be saved. All spiritual Israel shall be saved. They will be. And even in the nation of Israel,
as many as are the elect of God shall be saved. As many are the
elect of God in the USA shall be saved. The message goes out into the
world from here. As many as in the world who are the elect of
God shall be saved. Isn't that wonderful? Oh, the elect belong to those
who who are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the
world. They're beloved of God. And they will appear to be so
when they're called by grace and born again by the Holy Spirit
of God and given faith in Christ the Messiah, the sent one of
God, just like all the elect of all the ages. Abraham believed
he looked into the Messiah, wasn't he? Joseph was looking to the
Messiah. Job was looking to the Messiah.
I know my Redeemer liveth. Well, who's the Redeemer? Christ.
He's the Redeemer of God's people. Remember that short message?
He came to save his people. Those are the objects of his
mission, his people. My, the Israel of God. So the underlying Greek word
used for dearly beloved, again, it's a single Greek word, we
see it can be used as a corporate, all of God's people, all of God's
life, can be used individually, Paul and Barnabas. It can be
used for a church, the Philippians. That same Greek word, divinely
loved ones. And the Greek word for beloved
refers to worshipers of God. Worshippers of God. Paul seems
to apply the term particularly to those who are converted. They're
born again by the Holy Spirit of God. And Paul also uses the
same Greek word when he calls Timothy, my beloved son in the
Lord. So individually again. So let we who are the redeemed of
the Lord rejoice as God the Holy Spirit has Paul penned these
words to comfort us. to comfort us, comfort the Philippians
at the time with the fact that we are divinely loved by God
the Father. Turn, if you would, to John chapter
17. How do we know this? Well, the scripture tells us.
And this is amazing. I know Brother Marcus will love
this. He loves when I go to John 17. Look at this, John 17, oh
my, my, oh my. This blessed truth is bought
out that we're the divinely loved ones. And you know what we're
gonna read here? We're gonna read that Christ
loves we who are his people. But God the Father loves us as
he loves Christ. Let this one sink in, because
it's a blessed truth, beloved. It's a blessed church. Look at
this, John chapter 17 verses 20 to 24. Neither I pray for
these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through
their word. So he's saying, I'm not only praying for the apostles,
but I'm praying for those who will believe on this word, on
their word. You know who that is? Amen, sister,
that's you and I. That's all the elect of all the
ages, all who will believe. Oh, it's wonderful. That they all may be one as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. In the
glory which thou gavest me, I've given to them, that they may
be one, even as we are one. Look at that. He's the head,
we're the body. I in them, and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that
thou has sent me and has loved them, look at this, as thou has
loved me. You catch that? Isn't that amazing? The Lord Jesus Christ just said
that the world may know that thou has sent me, that he sent
from God the Father, this is God the Son speaking. Look at
this, Brother Charlie, and has loved them, that's his elect,
that's his people, as thou has loved me. God the Father's loved
us as he's loved Christ. That's an everlasting love, isn't
it? That's an unchanging love. That's so overwhelming. It's
so wonderful. What comfort. No wonder we're called the divinely
loved ones. My oh my. And look what it says
in verse 24. Father, I will that they also,
whom thou has given me, be with me where I am. We're going to
be in heaven with him. That they may behold my glory,
which thou has given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation
of the world. My oh my. He just promised us
we're going to be in glory with him. My. And remember, he's raised for
our justification, right? Oh, yeah. Note the great apostle,
and let's go back to Philippians chapter 4, verse 1. We'll read
it again. Therefore, my brethren dearly
beloved and long for my joy and my crown. So stand fast in the
Lord, dearly beloved. Now, every time a dispensationalist
sees crown, they think, rewards! Right? I know, because I was
there. I was there. And then I learned Christ is
our reward. That changed everything. Right? This crown is in reference, do
you remember earlier in chapter 3 he was talking about running
the race? Which is the Christian life, right? This is the crown
that they would give the runners at the end for finishing. The victor would get the crown.
But it wasn't a crown like we think, you know. Oh, I'm going
to have all these crowns. It was just, it was a laurel. And it was a great honor to receive
these things. And note the great, great apostle
Paul, by the grace of God, calls the Philippian saints his crown.
The particular Greek word for crown here refers to a victor's
garland. which is placed upon the head
of the victor in athletic games. It was also given for military
value. When Caesar came back after all
the conquests in Gaul, they would have a triumph, a Roman triumph,
and they would put one of these on his head. And it was highly
valued and sought after by generals and by emperors. So this illustration again ties
in with what Paul has said in the previous chapter of how the
Christian life was like running a race. What are we supposed to do? We're
supposed to keep our eyes on Christ, aren't we? Who is our
reward? Who is our reward? The victor's garland was used
at festive occasions as an expression of gladness. It could just be
worn at feasts and things, too. The garland was woven of oak
leaves, ivory, myrtle, olive, or of flowers, violets, or roses. And Paul's garland of victory,
we see, in his Christian service was composed of the Philippian
saints, whom the Lord had saved under his ministry. And what's he preaching? He's
preaching Christ. He's preaching the perfect sinatonic
work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the room and place of sinners.
He doesn't want the glory, does he? He wants Christ to get all
the glory. This is the same man who wrote
that Christ must have all the preeminence. And that's whether it be in our
life, isn't it, brother, or whether it be in preaching, or whether
it be in worship, he has to have the preeminence. We don't seek
the glory. I got nothing to glory about
except for Christ. The preacher I am is because
Christ made me that way. I like what Henry would say,
God makes the preacher. It's true. Charlie, you know, I got nothing
to boast in. Nothing at all. My. So he proclaimed, Paul proclaimed
the perfect sinatonic work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the
room and place of sinners. Here's Weiss' translation of
this wonderful verse. Listen to what he says about
this verse. Therefore my brothers, individually loved ones and individually
and passionately longed for, my joy and my victor's festal
garland, Thus be standing firm in the Lord, beloved ones. See,
so in the Greek, there's even less of the fact that it's a
crown. It's just a festal garland. Like I said, religious Christianity
gets a hold of them crown things. Oh man, I gotta get that crown.
My, oh my. If I have Christ, I don't need
any other reward, do we? Do we, sister? We don't need
anyone but Christ. Praise his mighty name. And if
he ever does give us anything, we're just gonna cast it right
back at his feet, aren't we? But I'll tell you what, what
I'm longing for is to see Christ. I'm thankful that my brothers
and sisters will be there with me, but I'm longing to see Christ. I'm longing for us to rejoice
in Christ and glory. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Oh,
it'd be wonderful. And then we see an exhortation
in this verse from Paul to the saints which is at Philippi.
They're to stand fast in the Lord. Let's read verse 1 of Philippians
chapter 4 again. Therefore, my brethren, dearly
beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the
Lord, my dearly beloved. Note Paul does not tell them
to stand fast in their own strength. I was listening to a podcast
this morning from the Theocast guys, and they were talking about
how sanctification in the religious world is like things you have
to do. But beloved, we're sanctified in Christ. We're sanctified in Christ. We're
not sanctified by our own strength. Oh my. So Paul's not telling
them, you guys stand fast by your strength. He's not telling them, look to
yourself for your strength. Is he? No. Who does he point them to? Our
precious Redeemer. Stand fast in the Lord. Stand fast in Christ. Do you know what the word there
for, the Greek word for stand, stand fast means? Or for stand,
yeah, stand fast. It's one word in the Greek. It
means to be stationary. To be stationary. That is figuratively to preserve,
to stand. Why are they being exhorted to
just stand? Because we're liable to fall,
aren't we? Oh my. In our own flesh. And he says, just stand fast
in the Lord. Just keep looking to Christ. John Gill brings forth that Stand
fast by the Lord. Just, just stand fast in Him. Just be stationary in Him. And we stand fast in the Lord
by His power. Because remember, it means to
preserve. Who keeps us from falling? Christ. So he's telling them, you just
keep your eyes on Christ. You stand fast in what you believe. You stand fast in the doctrines
of Christ. You stand fast in the gospel
I preach to you. Isn't that wonderful? You be
stationary. Don't be swayed by a false teacher
that comes and tells you this. Don't be swept off. Don't even
take a step sideways. Just stand fast in the truth. Salvation is in and through Christ
alone and by Christ alone. Because, and then again, this
is an exhortation because we can't stand fast in our power
and strength, but he keeps us by his power and strength. Only
he's able to make us stand fast, right? And notice that stand
fast in the Lord. Keep looking to Him. I got to
remind myself all the time, Brother Brian. Just keep looking to Christ,
Wayne. Just keep looking to Christ.
Again, the people of God are liable to fail and fall. If we weren't upheld by the Lord,
we would fail and fall all the time. But you know what? We're upheld
by the almighty power, the everlasting power of our great God, the Lord
Jesus Christ. We're in the everlasting arms,
beloved. And we're only to stand fast
as we're supported by his strength, trusting in his might and leaning
on his everlasting arms. Let us never lean on the flesh,
our flesh or anyone else's. I can't keep you, I can't keep
myself, but we can both keep looking to Christ and resting
in Christ, can't we? I can encourage you, stand fast
in Christ. You can encourage me, stand fast
in Christ, Brother Wayne. Oh my. And we are to stand fast
in the fact that we are established and stand in Him. And we see
that even though the believers in Philippi were standing in
Christ, they needed to be exhorted to keep looking to the head of
the body, to keep looking to Christ. They've already been
saved, but they're exhorted. That's good for us too, isn't
it? Stand fast. Don't run ahead of the Lord. And don't step backwards listening
to false teachers. Stand fast. that Roman line, those legionaries,
they would lock their shields together, and they would stand
fast. That's what we, we just stand
fast. And when the, when the commander, right, when the captain,
the Lord's host says, move forward, then we move forward, don't we?
If he says, stop, we stop. Right? He's the victor. He's, it's his banner we march
under. We're marching to Zion. We're
marching to heaven, beloved. And He's leading us. It's so
wonderful. Oh, we're to abide in Him. He's
the head and we're the body. We're to cleave to Him. We're
to stand fast in His grace. We're to exercise the graces
of faith, hope, and love, trusting and resting in Christ alone,
and in the freedom and the liberty that we have in Christ. This is in opposition to the
bondage of the law. False teachers were bringing
in error before them, yoking people under the law. Therefore, we see they're exhorted
to stand fast in the doctrines of Christ. Do not depart from
the gospel. Do not depart from the gospel
of God's free grace in any degree. Don't compromise. be opposers of false doctrine,
and oppose those who oppose the doctrines of Christ. Say, that's wrong. That's wrong. But season it with
grace, beloved. Always season it with grace,
but stand firm. stand firm beloved god here's
four things number one we're to stand in the lord in his power
and in his might for even the saints are liable to fall jude
1 verses 24 and 25 now unto him that is able to keep you Oh,
praise God, He's able to keep us by His almighty power from
falling. And to present you faultless,
that's blameless in the Greek, before the presence of His glory,
with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, our Savior, be glory
and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Let us stand
fast in His power. Number two, beloved God, we're
to stand fast in His gospel, the gospel that gives Christ
all the glory, that gives God all the glory. 1 Corinthians
15, 1. Oh, and this gospel's able to
save. It's able to save. Listen to this. Moreover, brethren,
I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which
ye also have received, in wherein ye stand. Same Greek word. Stand. And then number three,
beloved God, we're to stand fast in the Lord in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath made us free. Galatians 5.1. Stand fast. in the liberty wherewith Christ
hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke
of bondage." And right after that, Paul says, "'Because circumcision
availeth no one.'" Remember the false teachers were saying you
had to be circumcised to be saved? Nope. Stand fast in the freedom
we have in Christ, the liberty we have in Christ. Number four,
we're to stand fast in the doctrines of Christ. 1 Timothy 4, 16. May God give us grace and strength,
beloved, to stand fast in the Lord. To stand fast in the Lord. Brother
Chris, do you mind praying for us?