Lesson 25

What's On Your Mind

Philippians 4:20-30

What's on your mind? That's what this message is about. It's about what's on your mind!

Open your Bible to Philippians 4. Today we have come to the conclusion of this grand epistle. What we began in January, we will complete today in this 25th message from Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. The Book of Philippians has been called the most personal letter which we have from Paul. It is not primarily doctrinal like Romans or Ephesians. Nor is it confrontational like I and II Corinthians, Galatians and Colossians. It really is personal. It is obvious that Paul and the Philippians genuinely love each other.

In the verses that form our text (20-23) Paul has reached the end and is saying good-bye to the Philippians. It is never easy to say good-bye to someone whom you love. But that's exactly what is taking place here. Paul is signing off. It is at tender and emotional moments like this when, by listening carefully, you can really tell what is on someones mind. Closing remarks in a personal letter are a key to understanding what someone is thinking. So this morning, I want us to listen very carefully to what Paul says as he bids the Philippians "farewell". I want to see if we can discover what is on really on his mind.

Now, you may be thinking "So what? Does it really matter what Paul was thinking? How can that help me?" One of the things which we have learned in our study of this epistle is how to experience joy in our lives. Joy is the theme of Philippians. The word "joy" or "rejoice" is found at least 16 times in these 4 brief chapters. Chapter 1 tells us that we have joy in spite of problems. Wouldn't it be great if what happened to us, no matter how bad it was, could not rob us of our joy? Chapter 2 says that we can have joy in spite of people. It is often in our relationships that we experience the most pain in life. People steal our joy away. But it doesn't have to be so. Chapter 3 tells that we can have joy in spite of possessions. Sometimes we expect that "things" can make us happy when in fact they get in the way of our joy. Finally, in chapter 4, Paul writes that we can have joy in spite of pressure. We don't have to worry or be anxious. We don't have to drwon in life's uncertainities. In this letter Paul is writing about joy. He wants the Philippians to experience joy (see 3:1; 4:4). In fact, Paul gives testimony to the fact that he himself is joyful (1:18; 4:10). How can we be joyful? How can we have what Paul had?

The message of Philippians is that your sense of joy is directly related to your mind. In fact, the word "mind" is used 8x in the book and the word "think" is found 3x. What is on our mind determines whether or not we will experience joy. In chapter 1 Paul says that we can have joy in spite of problems if we have a single mind (1:18). Chapter 2 tells us that we can have joy in spite of people if we have a submissive mind (2:5). In chapter 3, Paul's message is that joy is possible in spite of possessions by having a spiritual mind (3:13-15). And in chapter 4, Paul tells us that we can have joy in spite of pressure bu having a secure mind (4:7).

If joy comes from what is on our mind (and it does), and if Paul had joy (and he did), then we need to learn what Paul had on his mind. What was focused on? What was his mind fixed on? And what better place to find out what was on Paul's mind then the closing statements of the most personal letter which he wrote!

Let's read it together.

These verses indicate that 3 things were on the mind of Paul.

I. Glory To His Father, 4:20.

Glory (doxa in Greek from which we get the word doxology) is not an easy word to define. Just what is glory? What does it the glory of God refer to? What does it mean to give glory to God?

The word "glory" means honor, splendor, power, radiance. The dictionary says that glory is respondent beauty and magnificence. It really is all that God is. It is not an attribute of God like, say, mercy. God is merciful. But even God's mercy is glorious. In everything God is glorious! Glory is the sum total of what God is! His glory is bigger than his attributes. We "give" God glory we are not adding something to God but simply acknowledging what God is already.

What Paul had on his mind was giving glory to God! Paul said that he wanted Christ to be magnified in his body whether by life or by death (1:18). John the Baptist said, "He must increase but I must decrease".

(NOTE: See sermon on God's glory) We too are commanded to give glory to God! Peter did! * II Pet. 3:18 "To whom be glory both now and forever, amen." Paul did! (Text) We should too! What's on your mind, Paul? First, Giving glory to my Father in heaven. Is that on your mind? If you want joy it begins there.

II. Greetings to His Friends, 4:21-22.

Not only does Paul have his mind fixed on his heavenly Father, he also is thinking about his Christian friends. The word "salute" means to greet or say hello to. There are 4 groups of people that are on Paul's mind as he writes these words.

A. The Philippians - v.21a Don't get confused by the word "saint". It does not refer in the Bible to an extra holy person. It refers to a saved person. If you are saved you are a saint. If you are in Christ you have been sanctified, set apart for special service, a that makes you a saint. "Say hello to all the believers there for me!"

B. The Brethren - v.21b. This must refer to those men who accompanied Paul in his ministry. There was Luke, Timothy, Titus, Silas, Barnabas, Epaphroditus and others. Paul had a team concept to ministry. There were no big "I's" or little "you's" only brethren. He sends a greeting to the church at Philippi from his co-workers.

C. All the Saints - v.22. What is implied here is all the saved people from all the churches in Rome. Romans 16 indicates that Paul had a bunch of Christian friends from several churches in Rome. These believers sent a greeting to the Philippians. It is quite possible that the church at Philippi had never met the people who were in the churches in Rome. Yet they shared a kindred spirit. They were not competing with each other, but greeting each other. Not fighting, bickering, criticizing, running each other down, but saluting and sending hellos to each other. They were not jealous, they were thankful.

D. Saints in Caesar's Household - v.22b. This term is used in ancient writings to refer to a wide variety of people (high officials; household servants; royal family; prisoners in dungeons below the palace area, catacombs). It makes most sense to me that Paul is referring here to the elite guard of Roman soldiers who were guarding him (chained to him is 6 hour shifts) whose barracks were in Caesar's palace complex. The Caesar was Nero known for his vicious brutality especially towards Christians. Yet because of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, his witness, his influence, there were saints in Caesar's household! Paul makes sure that the Philippians receive their greeting from these new converts.

Paul was focused on the people which God had placed in his life. A church in Philippi, a team of men who worked at his side, the Christians who came to visit him in prison, the people who were being saved through his ministry.

Joy is the result of getting your mind off of yourself and getting it on others.

III. Grace From The "Firstborn", 4:23.

The last verse of the book speaks of another thing which was on Paul's mind. Grace. Grace to you. That was Paul's signature. Grace to you. He almost always opened and closed his letters with that phrase. (Phil. 1:2; I Thess. 1:1; Col. 1:2; Eph. 6:23; I Tim. 6:21; II Tim. 4:22; Titus 3:25). Grace to you means "May you experience the blessing of God, may you know his graciousness, goodness, mercy, kindness, and love.

But it is not just any grace which Paul desires the believers to experience. It is a special grace. Grace which comes from our Lord Jesus Christ. I have referred to him as the firstborn because that is one of his wonderful Bible names (Firstborn of all creation - Col. 1:15; Firstborn from the dead - Col. 1:18; Firstborn among many brethren - Rom.8:2.

It is clear from the entire letter that Paul has the Lord Jesus Christ on his mind. He speaks of Christ more than 40 time in 4 chapters of Philippians (1:1,2 6,18, 20,21, 23, 2:5,11,21,30, 3:8-9,14,20, 4:7, 13, 19. Christ is at the center of this letter and of Paul's thoughts.

The letter has been finished. One author described what that moment might have been like with these words. (read Moule). What was on Paul's mind? Glorifying the Father, Greeting the friends, and grace from the Lord Jesus. No wonder he was able to write, "I do rejoice, yes, and will rejoice." His mind was on the right things.

Now, I ask you again, "What's on your mind?" Y'all's mind? Glorifying the Father, Greeting the friends, and grace from the Lord Jesus. No wonder he was able to write, "I do rejoice, yes, and will rejoice." His mind was on the right things.

Now, I ask you again, "What's on your mind?"