The Meaning of Christianity – Philippians 2:1-11

Paul’s Question V1-4
What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? Or, to put it as Paul does in this passage; why do we go to fellowship meetings and what attitudes should we embrace and display in our interaction with other followers of Christ? These are fundamental issues that Paul, writing from a Roman jail, would now like to address in chapter two of his epistle to the believers at Philippi.

Essentially, Christianity is about a new community living in a new way and demonstrating this new life as they gather together for fellowship. The early Church was initially called “the people of the way” and their way of living was so different from that of the world that they were accused of “turning the world upside down.” (Acts9:2; Acts 19:23; Acts 17:6) Would to God that this would be true today but sadly it is not! “The way” actually challenges our carnal natures that are driven by the desire for personal recognition, status and importance. This evil within us, if not conquered by Christ, is essentially selfish and cares little for the well being of others. The fact that Paul addresses the issue is evidence that carnal Christians abound within the precincts of the Church and the consequences can be destructive as we see in the Corinthian Church of his day.

By contrast the Christian is to be lowly of mind and more concerned about the interests of others. This sounds simple enough but in fact it is beyond us and supernatural. Thankfully, having the life of Jesus in us changes the equation and makes the “way” possible. Paul wants Christians to tap into this possibility! Carnal ungodly behavior is common to us all and must be put to death in us by appropriating the life of Jesus in all its fullness. (Colossians 3:1-11) As Christians then we are to let Christ reign in our mortal bodies and this, according to Paul, requires a change of mind; Jesus will do the rest.

Our minds control our emotions and our emotions control our actions. Whoever then has control of your mind will also determine your behavior or actions! This is why the “battle-ground” of the believer is the mind. We are to have the mind of Christ (V5) and all of scripture stresses this point. (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:20-24; Colossians 3:1-3; 1Peter 1:13) What you do with your mind is very important and it will determine the nature or outcome of your Christian confession. Who has control of your mind? Remember; all of Jesus’ life and blessings are unlocked and released into our hearts when we change our minds daily! So it is that Paul here writes, “Let this mind be in you.” (V5) This should constitute a daily check-list and it is otherwise known as repentance which essentially means; a change of mind.

Paul’s Answer V5-11
Paul’s solution is simple; have the mind of Christ and if you want to know what it looks like it is mirrored in His example. To walk with Jesus is to recognize that the ‘way up” is in fact the “way down.” Nothing demonstrates this truth more than the incarnation, passion and exaltation of Jesus.

He:
1.    Being God limited Himself to being a man but not just any man in that He became a servant to sinful men, women and children.

2.    Being God He abandoned His glory, place of privilege and reputation and assumed an image that looked like all of us yet without sin.

3.    Being God He humbled Himself by allowing men to crucify Him. This He did in obedience to His Father’s will but in so doing showed us what He expects us to do.

So this is the road that we are to travel and, if we do, we shall be exalted to a place of prestige, influence and power as Jesus was. His unique, redemptive sufferings, on behalf of the world, led to His exaltation. One day every knee will bow and confess that He is Lord!

We cannot assume His position but the lesson is clear; God will exalt the Church in the world and give it power, authority and influence just as soon as it becomes a servant to the lost and an instrument of love, mercy and kindness to those who join it. This is what fellowship is all about.

Have we got Paul’s message?

Malcolm Hedding.

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

Fear and Trembling – Philippians 2:12-18

Paul’s Challenge
Being a Christ follower means living like Christ. (1John 2:6) God is not mocked and will not bless or approve of “sloppy Christians”; especially since He has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness in Christ. (2Peter 1:3) It is for this reason that we are to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling!” To be honest we need a lot more “fear and trembling” in the Church today. I have a feeling that a rude awakening is in store for many a person claiming to be Christian.

So, we should fear and tremble because:
1. God is working in us by Christ Jesus…..and
2. God is bringing us into His will and to a place that pleases Him. We should make pleasing God our main ambition and desire. It certainly was for the Apostle Paul. (2Corinthians 5: 9-11)

In the light of this we should therefore “copy’ Jesus and stop complaining and stop being critical of and difficult with, people in fellowship with us. This constitutes a defeat for us since it wholly contradicts the God desired work in us and demonstrates that we are still given to carnality.

Rather we should be:
1. Examples of godly living in a wicked world.
2. Beacons of light to the lost…….and,
3. People of regular devotion. That is, literally living in and holding fast to the Word of God.

For Paul this will make his ministry worthwhile and fill him with much joy since he has paid a great price for the blessing of God’s people and thus to learn that his “flock” are true followers of Jesus fills him with thankfulness to God. His trials, persecutions and imprisonments become “a light affliction.” It would be good for us all to likewise remember that godly men and women have served our lives with the love and grace of God. We need to honor them and thank God for their sacrifice. We have been enriched by their commitment and dedication to Jesus. Why not write to them and thank them or just pick up the telephone and tell them how much you appreciate them? Imagine how this will fill them with joy!

So let’s become what Jesus wants us to be and let’s stop fooling around and get a little more serious about being followers of Jesus. The time is short and the Day of His appearing is at hand and we should be about our Lord’s work (1Peter 4:7-10)

Most of all we should cultivate a healthy fear of God and meditate a little more intensely upon our great salvation. This may help us to tremble a little more than we do and it would rejoice the heart of Jesus.

Will you pick up Paul’s challenge?

Malcolm Hedding.

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

Paul’s Faithful Friends – Philippians 2:19-30

When we embrace the cross of Jesus for ourselves our hearts should be fully conquered by His love and power. That is; the work of the cross in us frees us from personal self interest and re-orientates us in a way that we desire to seek the kingdom of God and serve it. This type of Christian is hard to find! Here in this passage before us Paul admits that most of the ministering brothers serving with him were actually more interested in their own personal agendas. How sad this is. However, Paul had two friends who were different; these were Timothy (V19-24) and Epaphroditus (V25-30).

So, from Paul’s words about Timothy we learn the following:

1. That we should be in submission to others. Timothy served with Paul, recognized his authority and surrendered to it. The Bible has much to say about obeying leaders. (Hebrews 13:17) This biblical concept attacks the carnal unconquered heart and thus those in rebellion to it find all sorts of so called reasonable arguments to resist it. Timothy didn’t!

2. That we should be sincere about caring for others.

3. That we should be proved. That is, living in community, in submission and under authority for a reasonable period of time reveals who we really are. Timothy did just this and was spoken well of by the brethren and thus Paul took him to the work of the ministry. (Acts 16:1-5) in short Timothy could be trusted because he was Christlike in character. Can we be trusted with the work of the Kingdom of God?

4. That we should be encouragers. Paul knew that Timothy would edify and build up the people of god and therefore wanted to send him to the Church at Philippi. Too many of God’s servants are judgmental and critical and therefore approach people negatively. They are then surprised that they are not well received by the family of God. When our faith becomes too religious it breeds this type of thing. Paul knew that Timothy would be a blessing and thus do the Church at Philippi a lot of good.

From Epaphroditus we learn:

1. That we should be fellow-workers. The Kingdom of God is made up of people who will work for it.
2. That we should be soldiers. The Kingdom of God is made up of people who will fight for it.
3. That we should be trusting. The Kingdom of God is made up of people who will submit to it.
4. That we should be messengers. The Kingdom of God needs people who will proclaim it.

Timothy and Epaphroditus endured hardship and sickness for the Kingdom of God. They were “choice servants of God” and Paul states that such men should be held in high esteem by the family of God. The Kingdom of God has not changed and needs servants like this today. Think deeply and carefully about this passage and then ask yourself if you are prepared to follow Jesus in this way? Jesus said that we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and then all things would be added to us. (Matthew 6:33)

Given Paul’s testimony here, this is easier said than done!

Malcolm Hedding.

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

The Christian life is built on a dynamic personal relationship with Jesus. Only this type of Christian experience will guarantee personal transformation though it is always easier to think that keeping rules and regulations will do this. Man is by nature a religious creature and is thus always tempted to improve himself by measuring up to a set standard. As Paul says, this may have the outward appearance of godliness but it will in fact do nothing to advance change in our lives. It simply hides our fallen natures behind a veneer of religious activity.

In terms of the Christian experience the Law or Torah was never given by God to Israel or the world as a way of salvation. Not even David or Abraham was saved by it, as Paul points out in the Book of Romans, as they were saved by faith. The Law was given as a “teacher” to convict us of sin and lead us to Christ. (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:24) The early Church, birthed in a Jewish context, was constantly infiltrated by those who wanted to introduce and enforce law keeping in the community of faith. (Galatians 2:4-5) Paul fought this battle constantly and this chapter mirrors this struggle.

It must be noted that his strong position and response was required to defend the very nature of the Gospel. Paul was not evidencing an anti-Jewish disposition by doing this as some assert. His was a theological defense aimed at guarding the truth from error. Years later the Gospel was corrupted and distorted by the Church and only the Reformation could restore it. This battle continues today. The issues at stake are very serious and thus Paul’s theology of justification by faith alone is always needed in order to keep the Church’s message pure.

Paul’s Warning (V1-3)
The Christian’s life is to be a joyful one because, no matter what we have done or our circumstances, God has not changed and He has done great things for us. Paul could rejoice even though he was living out his life in a Roman jail! People who corrupt the Gospel are called “dogs”, “evil workers” and “the mutilation.” Strong language for sure but if the Gospel becomes confused and distorted then the way of eternal life is kept from the world and humankind will perish. The “words of eternal life”, as the disciples put it, must be preserved in their purity. This “word” is that salvation only comes to those who exercise belief and faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. When this true Gospel is embraced with faith and repentance the heart is changed or circumcised and real transformation into the likeness of Jesus takes place. Any other message is a counterfeit!

Paul’s Testimony (V4-11)
Paul was a zealous keeper of the Law and on this basis advanced greatly in Judaism. He came from the tribe of Benjamin and was recognized as an example of dedication to the Law but it brought him no peace and assurance of eternal life. He even greatly persecuted the Church and the way of faith and enjoyed the approval of men in this regard. He enjoyed a testimony that he was righteous but deep in his heart he knew that he was trapped in sin and carnality. Then he found Christ and was transformed, filled with indescribable love and overwhelmed by a personal experience of Him. His sins were washed away by the blood of Jesus and he knew the joy of having been forgiven and of having righteousness imputed as a gift to his broken and sinful life.

This remarkable reality changed everything for him and caused him to consider all things rubbish when compared with the glory of knowing Jesus. Now all that he desired was fellowship with Jesus, even if it came to him more fully through suffering. Paul wanted God by Christ to do a complete work in him so that he could experience one day the joy of the resurrection.

Paul’s Journey (V12-14)
Jesus’ finished work on the cross enables God to impute and impart righteousness to the believer. Paul desired with all his heart that God should so work in Him; that day by day he become more like Jesus until he finally merges into perfection by the resurrection. This work of Christ in us is called sanctification and it means seeing ourselves as Christ; perfect in Heaven already. By His indwelling power we make our heavenly position an earthly reality and move closer to the prize of Jesus’ perfection. This is a process and Paul was determined to let it flow through his life without hindrance. We must do the same. We must have a fresh experience of Jesus’ love every day and not live on a past experience.

Paul’s Exhortation (V15-16)
God expects Christians to grow, go forward but never backward. In these final two verses Paul calls on believers to maintain spiritual growth and to make this a “rule”. This “maintaining” is by faith and not by works of any religious kind. Jesus in us is the hope of glory!

Paul’s Example (V17-21)
Paul concedes that many, so called believers, claim a walk of faith but in reality deny it by their actions. Nevertheless, we are to be examples of how to follow Jesus as Paul was and we are to invite others to follow our lifestyles! Only complete confidence in Jesus’ work in us can allow us to make this call and invitation and we should. Many confessing Christians are still ensnared by their wicked desires and are in fact on the road to hell and destruction. We should take this warning seriously and determine to be the real thing since it is all by grace freely given in Jesus. Citizens of heaven must look like it even though they are passing through a strange and sinful world. One day Jesus will come and save our bodies by the resurrection and we shall marvel at such glorious bodies that are at last in harmony with sinless hearts. What a day that will be!

Malcolm Hedding

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

The Basics – Philippians 4:1-7

As is the habit of Paul, he begins this part of his letter to the Philippians with an exhortation to stand fast in the Lord. That is, they are to adhere to the Gospel as he taught it and not be moved away from it. He accompanies this exhortation with a sense of endearment in that he considers them to be his reward in heaven one day and, in the present, a source of great joy. They are his “beloved and longed-for brethren.”We should always see fellow Christians as having special dignity because Jesus lives in them!

From verse two he moves into a series of brief exhortations that have to do with basic Christian living. We should always ensure that these basics are in place because if they “slip” we become vulnerable to failure and this is no stranger to the Christian Church. We should therefore take note of the following:

Be united (V2-3)
Good, strong Christians can have relationship problems and do. Here Paul recognizes the blessing that Euodia and Syntyche have been to the family of God and progress of the Gospel and yet their strength also became their weakness in that they allowed their strong-mindedness to divide them. They were not of the same mind and Paul knew how this could weaken and damage the people of God. I have seen in my many years of ministry that strong leaders also tend to “fight” and sadly damage the work of Christ. At the root of this is often pride and we must all remember that whatever wonderful gift of ministry we have it was not natural talent but given to us as a gift! The unity of God’s people is a gift of God that we must preserve at all costs and this will require humility and this is why we all need to be in submission to one another. (Ephesians 4:1-3)

Be Joyful (V4)
Joy is one of the hallmarks of belonging to the Kingdom of God. (Romans 14:17) This is supernatural joy and it springs out of being rightly related to God by Jesus Christ. We can and should be joyful all the time, notwithstanding our circumstances, because Jesus never changes and has done for us more than we will ever think or need. (Hebrews 13:8) In fact He has given us everything we need “for life and godliness in Him.” (2Peter 1:3) Our circumstances may well be difficult, as Paul’s were at the time of writing, but God will always lead us out of them to victory if we are living clean lives and dedicated ones.  Indeed the joy of the Lord is our strength as, in times of trial, it enables us to look away from ourselves and praise God and this builds faith to endure. No wonder Paul writes “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Be Gentle (V5)
Gentleness is power under control. Jesus was always gentle as He knew what capacity He had in God. He was able to deal firmly with people but never harshly. This too is our inheritance in Christ and we should manifest it since it enables us to win people and not offend them. Too many Christians are brash and offensive when dealing with others, inside the Church and outside. It is sad to hear people affirm that they are scared of a particular brother or sister because they are always given to anger or rudeness. God is watching and all of this will follow us to the judgment seat of Christ when He comes again. (Romans 13:12-13) We have all failed in this area and may the Lord lead us to a place of repentance and gentleness.

Be anxious for nothing (V6-7)
Worry destroys our lives at every level. Christians have a way out from this reality that plagues so many lives today and ruins them. We must be a praying people!! Paul says, “…but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God.” Everything means everything and when we “pray through” a matter we know that someone bigger than ourselves has it hand and consequently the peace of God floods our hearts even though the answer has not yet been realized. In fact the original language states that peace of God, like a soldier, will march up and down the citadels of our hearts giving us rest! What a joy to be delivered from fear and anxiety but so many Christians are riddled with these two “enemies of the soul and body” because they will not pray. Until we learn to call on God regularly our lives will remain defeated and we will never reflect the triumph of Christ. The world is watching us wanting to see that Jesus makes a difference in our lives. I wonder what it sees?

Conclusion
For Paul these are the basics, by Christ’s power in us that we are to get right and keep right. They are simple and uncomplicated and all we need to do is walk out the grace that has been given to us by Jesus’ death. Paul stated, in his letter to the Church at Corinth, that the grace of God that flooded his life was not in vain. (Romans 15:10) We should have the same testimony.

Malcolm Hedding

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

So often we devalue the position of prayer in our lives as we prefer to be “doing things for God”. This of course is not true and we should avoid falling into this trap. Sadly many do! According to scripture, prayer is:

1.    PROTECTIVE – Luke 22:46
That is, it keeps us close to God and protects us from entering into temptation. This means that by it we are kept from temptation’s trap. Temptation, or being put to the proof, will always be a part of the believer’s life. Jesus was led up by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil. He was put to the proof and passed the test! Prayer is our armour against failing in this regard.

2.    PURPOSEFUL – 1 Timothy 2:1-7
Here we are reminded that it is the purpose of God that Governments should rule justly and wisely. Prayer for good government not only has the element of social and political peace contained in it but also the proclamation of the Gospel.

3.    POWERFUL – 1 Corinthians 5:4-5; 2 Corinthians 10:4
Prayer is a “game changer”. That is, some conditions among men are the result of demonic or devilish strongholds. These can only be removed by sustained and determined prayer.

4.    PERSISTENT – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Prayer should become a good habit or lifestyle. We should each one cultivate the blessing of never ending prayer. In fact, all of life should be handled by prayer.

Remember that Daniel changed his world and indeed ours by his prayers! This alone should drive us to the prayer closet more often.

Malcolm Hedding

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

Paul’s attitude to suffering – Philippians 4:10-19

Paul wrote this most joyful letter from jail; a fact that we have already noted. This in itself is most surprising and indeed a testimony to His faith in God. He knew that he was in jail by the will of God and therefore he could trust this God to look after Him and care for him. This serves to remind us that true believers will walk strange paths as they live out the will of God for their lives. Becoming a Christ Follower is not opting for a journey that is a “bed of roses” but actually for one that that is beyond our ability to walk or endure. The Lord must help us or we will not finish our personal race and we must be prepared for this type of negative reality or we will not accomplish the full will of God for our lives! A sobering challenge indeed. So, with these thoughts in mind let’s turn to the text.

Paul’s faith in God (V10-13)
Paul is thankful for the gifts of clothing and food that the Philippians had sent him and yet, because he knew that he was in the center of God’s will, his source was not the believers but God Himself. God would not fail him and he had learned to be content in all situations, even ones of deprivation. It is a fallacy to say, as we often here being said, that God will never allow His people to go without their needs being met. This passage dispels that notion and rather teaches us that Jesus will enable us to endure need in our day of trial and difficulty. It is in this context that Paul writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

There are indeed very few believers who could give this type of testimony today. This is supernatural living and only a living knowledge of Jesus will enable us to experience it.

Paul’s faith in the people of God (V14-18)
The great hallmark of Christianity is love. Paul was blessed and filled with joy because the Philippian believers were demonstrating this type of Christianity; it was the outcome of their faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross. They “shared in his distress” and he knew that God was well pleased with this and would in turn bless them. Though God will always care for His children He expects us to be the vehicle of His provision for them and if he cannot find us to be this vehicle He will find someone else. This is a privilege and we should never see serving, caring and helping others as a chore and burden! If we do and are so consumed with ourselves we place a serious question mark over the sincerity of our faith. For Paul the Philippian believers had borne true fruit of salivation; in this he rejoiced!

Paul’s faith in the future (V19)
Paul could see that the Philippian Church had a bright future because they were pleasing to God, demonstrating the fruit of salvation and a testimony to Jesus’ life in them. They would be the recipients of God’s storehouse of incredible spiritual and physical blessings. This is no doubt one of the most quoted verses of the whole Bible but it will not apply to us if we are not prepared to be God’s solution to the world. There is no shortcut to God’s storehouse of blessings and the quicker we learn this, the better for us. All this reminds us, as Peter put it so well, that in Christ we have “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” Paul had faith in the future of the Philippian Church because they had learned the lesson of what it means to be a giving and receiving people. We must do the same since, having linked our lives to Christ; our futures are not determined by the world but God Himself.

We these final exhortations Paul concludes his letter to the Church at Philippi. His final words recorded in verses 21 to 23 are familiar to his writing style and reflect the fact that God has His people even in Caesar’s household! What a wonderful God we serve!

Malcolm Hedding

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

Paul’s attitude to suffering – Philippians 4:10-19

Paul wrote this most joyful letter from jail; a fact that we have already noted. This in itself is most surprising and indeed a testimony to His faith in God. He knew that he was in jail by the will of God and therefore he could trust this God to look after Him and care for him. This serves to remind us that true believers will walk strange paths as they live out the will of God for their lives. Becoming a Christ Follower is not opting for a journey that is a “bed of roses” but actually for one that that is beyond our ability to walk or endure. The Lord must help us or we will not finish our personal race and we must be prepared for this type of negative reality or we will not accomplish the full will of God for our lives! A sobering challenge indeed. So, with these thoughts in mind let’s turn to the text.

Paul’s faith in God (V10-13)
Paul is thankful for the gifts of clothing and food that the Philippians had sent him and yet, because he knew that he was in the center of God’s will, his source was not the believers but God Himself. God would not fail him and he had learned to be content in all situations, even ones of deprivation. It is a fallacy to say, as we often here being said, that God will never allow His people to go without their needs being met. This passage dispels that notion and rather teaches us that Jesus will enable us to endure need in our day of trial and difficulty. It is in this context that Paul writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

There are indeed very few believers who could give this type of testimony today. This is supernatural living and only a living knowledge of Jesus will enable us to experience it.

Paul’s faith in the people of God (V14-18)
The great hallmark of Christianity is love. Paul was blessed and filled with joy because the Philippian believers were demonstrating this type of Christianity; it was the outcome of their faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross. They “shared in his distress” and he knew that God was well pleased with this and would in turn bless them. Though God will always care for His children He expects us to be the vehicle of His provision for them and if he cannot find us to be this vehicle He will find someone else. This is a privilege and we should never see serving, caring and helping others as a chore and burden! If we do and are so consumed with ourselves we place a serious question mark over the sincerity of our faith. For Paul the Philippian believers had borne true fruit of salivation; in this he rejoiced!

Paul’s faith in the future (V19)
Paul could see that the Philippian Church had a bright future because they were pleasing to God, demonstrating the fruit of salvation and a testimony to Jesus’ life in them. They would be the recipients of God’s storehouse of incredible spiritual and physical blessings. This is no doubt one of the most quoted verses of the whole Bible but it will not apply to us if we are not prepared to be God’s solution to the world. There is no shortcut to God’s storehouse of blessings and the quicker we learn this, the better for us. All this reminds us, as Peter put it so well, that in Christ we have “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” Paul had faith in the future of the Philippian Church because they had learned the lesson of what it means to be a giving and receiving people. We must do the same since, having linked our lives to Christ; our futures are not determined by the world but God Himself.

We these final exhortations Paul concludes his letter to the Church at Philippi. His final words recorded in verses 21 to 23 are familiar to his writing style and reflect the fact that God has His people even in Caesar’s household! What a wonderful God we serve!

Malcolm Hedding

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

“For though He was crucified in weakness,
yet He lives by the power of God. For we
also are weak in Him, but we shall live
with Him by the power of God toward you.”
2Corinthians 13:4

Being in Christ is a wonderful thing and it can be said that it is the dominant theme of Paul’s letters in the New Testament. In his letter to the Ephesians for instance he tells us that being in Christ has introduced us to all the wonderful spiritual blessings of God. We are redeemed and reconciled to God, our Father, by being in Christ and we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. (Ephesians 1:3-14) Our relationship with Jesus anchors us in truth and fills us with peace and assurance of salvation. These are just a few of the wonderful blessings we enjoy by being in Christ. I am sure that we could fill pages if we really wanted to name them all. Indeed happy is the man or woman who is in Christ.

The little passage before us caught my attention recently as it highlights some important facts.

These are:

1.    Jesus our Leader
In life Jesus looked just like any other man. It was thus not evident, except for the episode of the transfiguration, that He was in fact very powerful. Isaiah the Prophet made comment of this fact in his great messianic prophecy found in chapter fifty-three of His book. Jesus had “no comeliness; and when we see Him there is no beauty”. Even the Gospels record that Jesus’ closest disciples were not altogether sure of who He was and of His mission. To make matters worse Jesus died in a way that outwardly appeared to reduce Him to weakness. Rome did to Him what it had done to thousands before Him. This weakness caused many to stumble and the disciples “for fear of the Jews” locked themselves away in an upper room. Reports about Jesus’ resurrection were discounted as bizarre. (John 20:19; Luke 24:10-11)

The fact is Jesus was made very powerful by His perfect sinless life and though He appeared to be weak and broken on the cross He was in fact unleashing the power of God upon a lost world! In the Spirit He was incredible and broke the chains of hell from over our lives.

2.    We, Jesus’ Followers
According to Paul we too look weak and just like all men; but we are not because we are in Christ. The Corinthians were at times quite disdainful of Paul since he did not appear to be anything unusual. (2Corinthians 10:10-11) He was weak in appearance like his Leader and yet Paul lived by the power of God that came from being in Christ. (2Corinthians 10:7-9) He thus lovingly warns the believers at Corinth that when he comes to visit them this outward veneer of weakness would give way to the power of God. He would therefore exercise a powerful authority that would be backed up by the very life and presence of God Almighty! This is awesome to say the least. We should therefore understand that in Christ we are different even though we look just the same as everybody else. Our apparent weakness is overshadowed by Christ’s presence and thus we are strong. In fact the weaker we appear because of trials and difficulties so the stronger and more useful we become to Jesus. (Note 2Corinthians 12:8-10) Don’t ever discount who you are because you are in Christ!

3.    Jesus’ People
Our calling as Christians is to first “do good to the household of faith.” Paul recognizes that being in Christ means that God’s life shinning through his weakness will be a blessing to God’s people; hence the refrain “toward you.” He wanted to be a blessing to God’s people and this meant that the power that was his by being in Christ would unleash an authority that would edify and build them up. (Note 13:10) We must examine our hearts and ask ourselves is this our desire or are we immobilized by the consideration of our apparent weakness.

Malcolm Hedding

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries

“To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus  Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood. Grace and peace be yours in abundance. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
1Peter 1:1-9

The passage of 1 Peter speaks to us about appropriating the life that Jesus has given to us by virtue of His resurrection from the dead. It is a very important passage because it reminds us of the “tools” that God uses to fashion our lives into the image of His Son. Our journey as Christians is interesting and sometimes challenging but we are a “work in process” and in the end we are being fitted for heavenly and eternal work. The full extent of this has not yet been revealed as now we are to be preoccupied with living for Christ! (1John3:2-3)

1.    Position (v3-5)
By the resurrection we are:
(a)    Born again-to a living hope. (1John3:9)
(b)    Promised an undefiled inheritance…….and,
(c)    Protected by the power of God. (1John5:18)

2.    Possession (v6-7)
What God says about us must become what goes establishes in us and knows about us. The man of God’s faith-(trust in, walk with and reflection of Jesus)-in God is fashioned through “if need be” trials! We have to learn patience and waiting upon God. (Hebrews10:35-39) Being born again has consequences that have to be walked out.
Note: 1John 2:29; 3:9; 5:1; 5:4; 5:18.

3.    Praise (v6a;7b;8)
The passage speaks of our praise of God and God’s praise of our faith walk. Praise is an aspect of worship and worship is defined as, “mans’ response to the self-revelation of God.”  Worship then is ascriptive in that it describes the worth of God. Thus the word worship comes from the old English word “worthship!” Praise that truly describes who God is puts God into right perspective in our lives. (Psalm68:32-35) That is, He remains at all times bigger than the trials and struggles that we face. It therefore keeps us on track. When we no longer see God in this way we focus on the issue and get overwhelmed sometimes with tragic results.
Note Romans1:21.

Malcolm Hedding

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