07-06-08 #Disciple Bible Study titled: “A Life of Connection”

[Disciple]

“LIVING THE HD LIFE”
Part 1 -“A Life of Connection”
Phillipians 1
Intro
Most of us are aware of HD and know that it stands for “High Definition”. Perhaps you also are aware that in February 2009, all television programming will be in HD. I understand that HD brings detail into a sharper focus. It helps you look and listen with more detail. It gives you the sense of being right there.
Hopefully as we go through this Bible Study series we will look at our lives with a higher definition and if we see some weak areas of our lives, we will work at making changes and corrections where they are needed.
In this Bible Study series we are going to go through the book of Philippians. Looking at some background information about Philippians. The author is Paul, formally known as Saul, a persecutor of the Christians. He wrote this letter while he was a prisoner in Rome around 62 A.D.
If you’ve ever wondered just how the church at Philippi came into existence, read the 16th chapter of Acts. Paul and Silas and Timothy and Luke have traveled on this mission journey and have come to Philippi. They meet a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple. She became the first convert in Philippi.
Paul and Silas encountered a young slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to predict the future. Her owners were making money from her. Paul cast the spirit out of her and her owners had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown into prison.
While they were in prison, an earthquake happened, and you thought Elvis was the first to do the ‘jailhouse rock’. From this earthquake Paul and Silas was able to teach the jailer and baptize him.
One of the points of this Bible Study series is ‘connection’. We want people to get connected to Jesus Christ and to members of the body of Christ individually. In this Bible Study tonight, we want to look at some areas of connection that Paul stresses. Ask yourself, ‘Is my life a life of connection?’
I. Get Connected With Some Believers
I think it will be good and helpful if we each week have a memory verse. I want you to look at:
Phil 1:3
Use this verse as a memory verse for this week. It focuses on connection with others.
I know that some people just feel that they would rather be by themselves than to join with others for any kind of activity or event. Some people say they don’t feel comfortable being around others and taking part in their lives in some way.
It is probable that some people come to the worship services each Lord’s Day, sit with other people, and yet never make any kind of connection with one single person.
Let me just remind you that God did not intend for us to live our lives being isolated from other people. We need to have connections with others in some way. Think back to the Garden of Eden, God’s work of creating, when God finished his work God saw that everything He had made was good.
Gen 1:25
But note what God says about Adam. Adam was the only human being on earth. There was not a helper that was found that was suitable for him.
Gen 2:18
God says it is not good to be alone. It is not a good thing to isolate yourself and shut yourself off from connecting with others. Perhaps I know what some of you are saying. “I’m pretty new here and I don’t know everbody, so how can I get connected?”
Phil 1:4-6
Note the word ‘fellowship’. These Philippians had a connection with Paul. They had sent help to him time and again. They also had a partnership with him in the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are you involved in a Sunday School class? We need to make a connection with Jesus and with one another.
II. Encourage One Another
Encouragement is extremely important and you can see how Paul encourages the Christians in Philippi
Phil 1:6
Paul encourages these people by telling them he is confident that God is doing a good work in them. Not only is he confident of the good work being done, but he also is confident that God will bring their good work to completion and that God is doing something special through each of them.
Everyone needs encouragement. I don’t care who you are or what you do, you need to be encouraged along the way. Who wants to be part of a team that always and only discourages each of its players?
Note the words ‘ begun’ and ‘perform’ in v. 6. These are words describing the beginning and the ending of offering a sacrifice.
Rom 12:1
Living the Christian life requires sacrifice from us. We are called to sacrifice our self, to sacrifice our time, to sacrifice our energies, to sacrifice our finances. And we need to encourage others in this work of sacrificing
Prov 27:17
Are you connecting with others by being an encourager?
III. Express Love To Others
I know it is easier to express and to share love with some people than it is with others. All of us have had experiences that verify that fact.
Ill. Someone said it this way: “To live above with saints we love, that will indeed by glory, but to live below with folks we know, well that’s a different story.”
Look at how Paul talks about this
Phil 1:7-8
I have learned in my own experience when I don’t express love it is because I’ve been through some bad experience. Let me remind you, Paul is writing this from prison. If anyone could have been bitter or mad, it was Paul, but note that he tells these Philippians how much he loves them.
How different would your life be if you began your day with this kind of prayer? “Father, lead me today to people who need to be loved” We need to step out of our comfort zones and express love to people who really need to be loved. Remember what John the apostle said:
1 John 4:19
IV. Study God’s Word Together
Phil 1:9-11
Note Paul’s prayer is that people would ‘abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight’ These are words that describe studying the Scriptures
Note also that Paul’s prayer is directed in two directions or has two specific goals. That love may abound and is able to discern what is best. That their character would be pure and blameless until the day that Jesus comes back. The love that Paul is talking about here is obviously love for others.
When we study the word of God together we will have a greater insight, we will have better discernment about what is best, we have more and more of Christ’s love within us.
Are you involved in a study of Scriptures with others? It is good to read the Bible at home on your own, it is good to have a devotion time at home on your own. But there is something about being connected with others in a study that gives you something that you just cannot get on your own. Are you involved in a Sunday School class? Are you involved in Wednesday Bible Study?
Conc.
You no doubt remember the shameful arrest and consequent jailing last year of Michael Vick, the flamboyant quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons. You probably remember that he was involved in a shameful dogfight ring that involved the killing of mutilation of dogs. All of this made national news day after day last year.
Something you may not know. August 27, 2007, Michael Vick was making a public apology for his actions. In his statement he said that he had found Jesus. In his statement he said, “I totally ask forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to be a better Michael Vick, the person, not the football player.”
Whether or not Michael Vick has found Jesus, I suppose that time will tell, but I do know that if Michael Vick has not found Jesus, he will never become the better person he says he wants to become.
For this to happen to anyone, you have to be connected to Jesus Christ. Are you connected to Jesus today?