God, nearer I cannot be. For in the person of his dear
son, I am as near to God as he." The psalmist closed the 148th
Psalm with these words, the children of Israel, a people near unto
him. Praise ye the Lord. Paul's prayer for the Philippians. This I pray for you. And right off the bat, I find
this a great encouragement that Paul would pray that these people
would have this. And this makes me think, I can
have this. And you can have this because of the God who answers
prayer. He prays this specifically for
these people. Now, I want us to look at the
founding of the church at Philippi in Acts chapter 16, if you'll
turn there for a moment. You saw how highly Paul commended
them when he was speaking to the Corinthians of these people
who gave themselves to the Lord. Oh, that's what I want to do.
I want to give myself. lock, stock and barrel to the
Lord. The thought that crossed my mind
is you're not getting much in getting me, but I still want
to do that. In Philippians or in Acts chapter
16, verse six, now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and
the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to
preach the word in Asia. Now that is something to think
about. There were people in Asia, we wouldn't go preach there.
God the Holy Spirit forbid it. There are people who do not hear
the gospel and God forbid Paul to go preach there. And that
makes me think what a privilege it is of grace to get to hear
the gospel. Verse seven, and they were come
to Misia. They assayed to go into Bithynia,
but the spirit suffered them not. There's another place. Well,
we can't go to Asia. We'll go here. And God, the Holy
spirit did not allow them to go there. And they, passing by Mysia, came
to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul
in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia
and prayed him, saying, this was a vision Paul had, come over
into Macedonia and help us. And after he had seen the vision,
immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly
gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto
them. Don't you know they were encouraged
by this? Now we know where we're supposed to go. Therefore losing from Troas,
we came with a straight course to Samothracea and the next day
to Neopolis and from thence to Philippi, which is the chief
city of that part of Macedonia. Remember it was a man of Macedonia.
And they came to Philippi, the chief city of that part of Macedonia
in a colony. And we were in that city abiding
certain days. And on the Sabbath day, we went
out of the city by a riverside. This was a No temple there, Gentile
city, but it was a place, no Jewish temple there because it
was a Gentile city, but there was a place where prayer was
want to be made. And we sat down and spake unto
the women, which resorted the other. I suppose it just a few
women at this river praying. I don't know if they knew who
they were praying to or what they were doing, but they were
religious and they were praying and verse 14 and a certain woman
named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira. That
is in one of those places where Paul was not allowed to go. But
here she is out of that place, which worshiped God heard. They heard Paul preaching the
gospel. She heard Paul preaching the gospel and she heard with
hearing ears. Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things
which were spoken of Paul. Now, this is the beginning of
that church at Philippi. You know, the story of the Philippian
jailer that the Lord saved. This church was a church that
was exceedingly dear to Paul. He spoke to them in very intimate
terms. Look in Philippians chapter four
for just a moment. Verse 15. Now you Philippians know also
that at the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from
Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving
and receiving. You all were the only ones that supported me. None of the other churches did.
You were the only ones. Now this lets us know something
about that intimate relationship Paul had with these people. He
loved them dearly. So look in chapter one of Philippians,
verse one, Paul and Timotheus, the servants
of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are at
Philippi, with the bishops and deacons, grace be unto you and
peace. From God, our Father, and from
the Lord Jesus Christ, I thank my God upon every remembrance
of you always and every prayer of mine for you all making requests
with joy for your fellowship. in the gospel from the first
day. I reckon he was thinking about that day on the river with
Lydia. And he was thinking about the
Philippian jailer bringing him into his house. And they went
back to Lydia's house after that. He was remembering that. And
he talked about their fellowship in the gospel from the first
day until now, being confident of this very thing that he which
hath begun good work in you, we'll perform it into the day
of Jesus Christ. Now, it is God that began this
good work in men. And if I'm a believer, and if
you're a believer, This was initiated by God beginning a good work
in you. You see, salvation's of the Lord.
It didn't begin with you. It began with him. And if he did it, you know it.
You know it's him that did it. You know it has nothing to do
with your works or your worth or your merit or some decision
you made. It's because he began this good
work. Look in Philippians chapter one,
verse 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ,
for the sake of Christ, not only to believe on him, he gave you
for Christ's sake, this gift of faith. Not only did he give
you the gift of faith, but he has given you the blessed privilege
to suffer for his sake. These are gifts of his grace. And that's what he speaks to
this church of. Look in chapter two, verse 13. Well, let's start in verse 12.
Wherefore, my beloved, as you've always obeyed, not as in my presence
only, but now much more in my absence. He was riding through
them from a prison. Work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you, both to
will and to do. of his good pleasure." Now, I'm
very encouraged to work out my salvation with fear and with
trembling, knowing this is God working in me, both to will and
to do his good pleasure. Now, he said, I'm confident of
this very thing, that he which hath begun this good work in
you. Do you believe somebody says
in once saved, always saved? You've heard that term. Once
saved, always saved. Do you believe in once saved,
always saved? It depends on who did the saving. It really is that simple. It
depends on who did the saving. If you saved yourself, you'll
fall away. your salvation didn't begin with
him, but it began with you, you will not endure to the end. You
will fall away. We've seen so many people fall
away. Well, their salvation didn't
begin with the Lord because any salvation that begins with the
Lord, he continues. Thank the Lord for that. Salvation
is of the Lord. If God saved you, if your salvation
began with him, yes, I believed once saved, always saved because
that which he begins, he completes. And that's what he's saying to
this Philippian church that he loved so dearly. This is what
he was confident in, being confident of this very thing that he would
have begun this good work in you. We'll perform it. We'll complete it into the day. of Jesus Christ, that day that
he returns, even as it's meat, it's appropriate for me to think
this of you all, because I have you in my heart. And I know if
you're in my heart, God put you there. He realized that he didn't
try to keep a prayer list. You know, people keep a prayer
list right down, you know, no, these people, God put them in
his heart and he prayed for these people. Even as meat for me to
think this of you all, because I have you in my heart in as
much as both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation
of the gospel, you all are partakers of my grace." Now, Paul was writing
from prison to these people. And I think of what the writer
to the Hebrews said in Hebrews 13, three, remember them that
are in bonds as bound with them. And then would suffer adversity
as being yourselves also in the body. Now they were with Paul
and his bonds. They love Paul, even though Paul was in prison,
uh, for preaching the gospel, they were right there with him
in spirit. And they were right there with him in the defense
and the confirmation of the gospel. Now, this is very important.
If I know the Lord. I'm vitally interested in this
thing of the defense and the confirmation of the gospel, the
establishment, the foundation of the gospel. If I know the
Lord, if I'm indifferent about this, it's because I have no
love for Christ. But if I love Christ by his grace,
I'm vitally interested in this thing of the defense and the
confirmation of the gospel. Verse eight, for God is my record.
This is how, look at the way he speaks of these people. For
God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels
of Jesus Christ. Paul loved these people and these
people were such an encouragement to the apostle Paul. I was thinking,
I hope if I was a contemporary with Paul, he would feel like
I'm an encouragement to him. I want that and I know you want
that too. But these people were a great encouragement to the
Apostle Paul. Now he begins his prayer. And this I pray. Now, one of
the things that thrilled me about this is that Paul was praying
for these people that the Lord would do this for them and give
them what he's praying for. And that ought to encourage every
one of us that we would have what Paul is praying for the
Philippians. Now look what he says in verse
nine and this, I pray that your love may abound yet more and
more in knowledge and in all He did not pray that their knowledge
would abound, yet more and more. He prayed that their love would
abound, yet more and more in all knowledge and in all judgment. Now, what is knowledge without
love? Hot air. Nothing more. Knowledge, Paul
said to the Corinthians, puffeth up. You can become swollen with
pride. I know something you don't know.
And I'm in a position in power over you because of my knowledge.
Knowledge puffeth up. It makes one proud. Now, am I
speaking against knowledge? Of course not. There's no salvation
apart from knowledge. The saving knowledge of the truth.
I would not in any way be dismissive of the importance of knowledge.
But knowledge without grace, Knowledge without love, all it
does is puff up. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter
13, you're familiar with this. Verse one, though I speak with the tongues
of men of angels and have not charity, I'm become as a sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of
prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge. And though I have all faith that
I can remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods
to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have
not charity, it profits me nothing. So when Paul is praying for these
people, he prays that their love Their love to the Lord, their
love to God the Father, their love to God the Son, their love
to God the Holy Spirit, their love to their brethren, their
love to men that causes them to want to preach the gospel
to them, for them to hear the gospel. He prays that their love. Now abideth faith, hope and charity
these three, but the greatest of these is what? Love. What did Peter have the
Lord ask him? You remember. Lovest thou me? Not, are you sorry? Not, are
you intending to ever commit a sin like this again? Lovest
thou me? I love that question. Lovest
thou me? He asked him that three times.
Somebody suggested that's because he denied him three times, maybe.
Lovest thou me? And the third time he asked,
Peter was grieved. And he said, Lord, you know all
things. He appealed to the omniscience
of Jesus Christ. You know all things. You know
how weak I am. You know how sinful I am. You
know how contradictory I am. You know me and you know this,
you know in my heart of hearts, I love your person. I see you as altogether lovely. I'm not satisfied with my love.
I don't love you as much as I ought to, I realize that, but I love
your person. Integrate to love Christ. What
a blessing. gracious gift to be allowed to
love Christ. So many men hate him. Every natural
man hates him. No man by nature has any love
for Christ at all. And I love him. What a gift of
his grace. And that is what Paul first praised
for these people he loved so dearly. He said, I pray that
your love would abound more and more. More love to thee, O Christ,
more love to thee. Hear thou the prayer I make on
bended knee. This be my only plea, more love,
O Christ, to thee. More love to thee, more love
to thee. I want to love you more, don't
you? And that's what he's praying for these people, that your love
would abound, increase, overflow more and more. But notice how he wants this
love to abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. And that
word judgment is discernment. That your love would abound,
increase, overflow in all knowledge. Now the word for knowledge here
is not the word usually used. This word means a precise and
correct knowledge, a recognition of the truth. You know, I love
it. One of the things that to me
that is most powerful, I might hear something I've never heard
before, but it's the truth. I know it's the truth. I recognize
it. Isn't that a blessing when the
Lord gives you the grace to actually recognize the truth? It's because
you know him. Now, this love is to abound in
all knowledge. This is the same knowledge that
Paul spoke of when he spoke in Titus 1.1 of the faith of God's
elect. The acknowledging, that's the
word, the full recognition, the embracing of the truth, which
is after godliness. I pray that your love would abound
more and more in all knowledge, the knowledge of the Son of God.
The knowledge of who he is, the knowledge of how he saves. Oh,
this is not in any way being dismissive of the importance
of knowledge. Would Paul pray for the people
that didn't know the Lord? He said, uh, I bear them, uh,
my prayer to God and heart's desire for Israel is that they
might be saved for I bear them record. They have a zeal for
God, but it's not according to knowledge. It's a false zeal
then. For they, being ignorant of God's
righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God."
Now, love without knowledge is not really love. You can't, it's
just some kind of, I don't know what it is, but it's not love.
There's no love without knowledge. We know who he is. We love him.
But look at this next word. This I pray that your love may
abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment or discernment. This is the only time this word
is used in the New Testament. And this is really what the Lord
means when he says, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. He that hath ears, not everybody
does. And if you do have ears to hear, it's because he gave
them to you. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear with discernment. Now you and I need this God-given
gift of discernment. And I have seen over the years when people begin to fall away, and I've
seen it happen so many times, you have too, when people begin
to fall away, It begins with a lack of discernment. Turn with
me for a moment to Hebrews chapter five, Hebrews chapter five, verse 11. He'd been speaking of Melchizedek.
He says, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be
uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing. They were continually tempted
to go back to the law. That's what Hebrews is all about.
And he's explaining to them. Why this is wrong, he says, here's
your problem. You're dull of hearing. For when for the time
you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you
again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God. Adam becomes
such as have need of milk and not a strong meat. For everyone
that uses milk is unskillful, unexperienced in the word of
righteousness. He's a babe, but strong meat
belong to them who are full age, even Those who, by reason of
use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. You discern. You know the difference
between law and grace. You know the difference between
works and faith. You know the difference between
flesh and spirit. And when we become dull in hearing,
we quit being able to discern the difference. Lord, by your
grace, give me this knowledge that's discerning. Now that's
what he's asking for these people. He's asking that the Lord would
cause their love to abound yet more and more in all knowledge,
knowledge of the truth, recognition of the truth, and in all discernment. Verse 10, and this is really
continuing that thought that you may approve things that are
excellent." Now here's what he's asking for these people that
they might have this love that's increased more and more and knowledge
and all judgment that you may approve things that are excellent. Now what does that mean? Well
the word approve means to test, to examine, To prove, to scrutinize,
to see whether a thing is genuine or not. It's used with regard
to testing metals. To recognize as genuine after
examination, to approve, to deem worthy. This word is actually
translated discern twice, that you might discern that which
is excellent. that you might approve of that,
which is excellent. And this is something that goes
on in the heart. This is what the Lord sees as to whether or
not I, in my heart, approve of that, which is more excellent. And it's interesting, my margin
in my Bible says that that means things that differ, things that
differ, that you may see what's more excellent and to prove of
it. That you may see that which is
differ and more excellent and approve of it. That you may be
able to discern and approve of what is more excellent, that
you may be given the grace to discern between truth and error,
grace and works, law and gospel, flesh and spirit. Lord, will
you give this to me? Don't leave me to myself. Don't
leave me to my own understanding. Give me this hearing ear, this
discerning ear, this love for you, this recognition, this knowledge
of the truth and knowing the difference between truth and
error. Now, that we may, here's what I'm praying for you. I pray
that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge. And
in all judgment, you may approve things that are excellent, that
you may be sincere. What is more offensive than insincerity? Insincerity. That you may be
sincere. That you may be real. That you
may be genuine. You know, we read of these two
phrases in the writings of Paul to Timothy. He talked about feigned
faith and feigned love and unfeigned faith and unfeigned love. Feigned faith is fake faith.
It's not real. It's not real. You say you got it. You say the
right things, but you don't really look to Christ alone. That's
feigned. You say you believe you're a
sinner, but you don't really believe it. That's why you don't look
to Christ alone. It's all an act. It's not genuine.
It's not real. We read of feigned love. I'll
say the right things. But oh, unfeigned faith. Well,
you really, this is not an act. I really do look to Christ only.
I have nowhere else to look. I'm not acting. This is not pretend.
I really do love his person. I really do love his people.
That's what sincerity is. Grace be with all them that love
our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. I want to be genuine. Don't you?
I want to be real. And that's what he's praying
for. These people that you might be sincere. I tell you when somebody
is sincere, when God says. That person looking only to Jesus
Christ as their only righteousness before God, that person is sincere. Anybody else is a phony, is a
fake. Now, Paul is praying that they
might be sincere. Don't you hate it when somebody's
talking to you and you can tell they're insincere? It's aggravating. Oh, I don't want to be that person.
I want to be sincere. And without offense, till the
day of Christ. Without offense means not causing
someone to stumble. Not causing someone to be offended
by my attitude, my conduct, my actions. I don't want to be a
stumbling block to somebody. I don't. I don't want to cause
somebody to stumble because of something I did, something I
think, some way I treat them, something I'm espousing, even
that's wrong from the scriptures. I don't want to be a stumbling
block. I want to be without offense. That's what he's saying. I don't
want to cause people to stumble by something I do think or say. I don't want to be a discouragement
to others in the church, but an example of love, faithfulness,
of a nonjudgmental spirit, of humility. Oh, that the Lord might
enable us all to be this." And this is what Paul is praying
for the Philippians, that they might not be a stumbling block. Now do not think that what you
do or do not do does not have an effect on others, because
it does. And that's why he's praying for
this. And don't you want the Lord to
do this for you? To cause you to not be a stumbling
block, an offense to others. Verse 11, being filled with the
fruits of righteousness. Now I love the fact that this
word being filled is in the perfect tense, the passive voice. Grammar means something. That
means you've been filled and he's the one who filled you.
You didn't participate in this. He filled you. When He gave you
the new birth, He filled you with the fruits of righteousness. Now, this is His work. Remember,
it's the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It's not the fruit of your works.
It's the fruit of the Holy Spirit, but He calls it the fruits of
righteousness. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness.
Now, what are the fruits of righteousness? Well, first, what is it to be
righteous? It's to be righteous in Christ. Is He your righteousness
before God? You really believe that? That
he is the only righteousness you have. You wouldn't dare come
into God's presence apart from his righteousness. That's what
the Lord's talking about when he says, seek ye first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be
added to you. What are the fruits of that righteousness?
Faith. You believe the gospel. God gave
you that faith. Repentance. You've changed all
your mind about everything you believe that was wrong. God's
given you a change of mind, repentance. You look to Christ only. Love
to him, joy, peace, the peace of believing,
the joy and peace of believing, long suffering, believing God's
on the throne, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
being poor in spirit, mourning over your sin, being meek before
God, hungering and thirsting after his righteousness, being
merciful. I'm just speaking of the beatitude,
that's what every believer is. Being a peacemaker, preaching
the gospel of peace, being pure in heart, the gift of God in
the new birth, pure in heart, that pure heart that believes
the gospel. The privilege of being persecuted for righteousness'
sake. You stand for the righteousness of Christ so much that people
will disagree with you and say, why, you're an enemy of good
works. You're an enemy of gracious. Well, so be it. Persecuted for
righteousness' sake. His righteousness' sake. Turn
with me for a moment to Colossians. The book of Colossians, chapter
three. Colossians chapter three. Verse 12, here's the fruit of righteousness
or the fruits of righteousness. Put on, therefore, as the elect
of God, holy and beloved, vows of mercies, kindness, humility of mind, meekness,
long suffering. forbearing one another and forgiving
one another. If any man have a quarrel against
any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all
these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Let the peace of God rule in
your hearts to the which you're also called in one body. And
be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word
or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God and the Father by him." That's the fruits of righteousness.
And being filled, that means he filled you. That's his work.
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness. Now back to
our text. And I love the way he says this. When he talks about
being filled with the fruits of righteousness, look what he
says next, which are by Jesus Christ. He's the author of them,
which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God. Now here's Paul's prayer for
these people he loved so dearly. And I pray that this is my prayer
for myself and for you. And I pray that you're praying
this for me and for yourself, that our love might abound more
and more in all knowledge and in all judgment, that we may
approve of things that are more excellent, that differ, that
we might be sincere and without offense, being filled, having
been filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus
Christ. I love the way Paul and all the
writers to the scripture are always careful to say that, which
are by Jesus Christ, unto the praise and the glory. of God. Now, we're getting ready
to observe the Lord's table. What a blessed privilege that
we're given this ordinance to remember, and we
need to remember this at all times, that my acceptance before
God is because of the broken body and shed blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ, what he accomplished on Calvary's tree. And I can't get enough of that.
I hope, and I'm not just saying that to blow hot air. I sure
hope I'm not doing that. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock
I stand. All other ground is sinking sand."
And we're getting ready to get to remember that all over again. And that's what's so blessed
about observing the Lord's table. Lord, we ask that you would give
us the grace to think on thy son, his broken body, and his
shed blood, making us so near to you that we cannot nearer
be in the person of thy dear son, where as near to you as
he. Lord, let us enter into that
for his sake, in his name we pray, amen.