The Primacy of the Gospel Part 1
16/07/2017 13:09
Date: 6 July, 2017
Text: The Gospel texts from Philippians
Title: The Primacy of the Gospel - Part 1
Theme: Paul made the Gospel of primary importance in His life.
Proposition: Christian, the Gospel ought to be of primary importance in your life!
Rhetorical: Will you be able to say before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, "Nothing mattered to me so much in my life as the Gospel?"
Introduction:
Primacy:
the fact of being pre-eminent or most important.
ill. Everyone has something in their lives that is pre-eminent.
1.) To some - education.
2.) Work/ career.
3.) Family
4.) Sport
5.) Hobby (train enthusiasts, acquarists (I enjoyed having a fish tank) - man who put 100,000 pounds fish tank into his home.)
6.) False Religion (lighting candles, praying for the dead, bowing down to idols)
I COULD MENTION MANY MORE THINGS - BUT THE FACT IS - EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE IN THEIR LIFE. THE LAST ONE I'LL MENTION IS THE GOSPEL.
7.) The Gospel
If I had to summarize the life of Jesus Christ with one word - the best one would be "GOSPEL."
Luke 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Can we live the life of Christ today and
I'm going to argue today from the Word of God that Paul made the Gospel of primary importance in His life.
For the next two Sunday morning messages - I want to challenge our church with the declaration that the Gospel ought to be of primary importance in our lives!
Will you be able to say before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, "Nothing mattered to me so much in my life as the Gospel?"
The Word Gospel is in the Bible 104 Times. The Gospel means, "The Good News" specifically about the Kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1.) He died for your sin!
2.) He rose again for your life!
3.) He offers you forgiveness and an abundant pardon!
(You don't have to die in the eternal flames of Hell.)
ill. Old man in front of Nursing Home in Innerleithen. We traveled an hour each way to carry the Gospel to that community. He was very hard of hearing - (story) LOUD - "Thank You!" I walked away thinking how many people will say that to me as they enter into Heaven.
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT?
Our text - book of Philippians.
Our main idea - The Gospel ought to be of primary importance in your life!
We have no fellowship today without the Gospel.
5 For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now;
exp. The Gospel is what united us and put us into the Body of Christ, the family of God.
ill. You are in a physical family today - either by adoption or birth. It's the same with God's family.
A. The Gospel is what facilitated our adoption.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
B. The Gospel is what allowed us to be born again.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
ill. Met a woman on Stevenson Place Road - down in Rosslyn Glen - said her mother had 20 some children. That is a big family.
ill. According to Guiness Book of World Records -
The greatest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69, to the wife of Feodor Vassilyev (b. 1707–c.1782), a peasant from Shuya, Russia. In 27 confinements she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets.
ill. Jeane and Paul Briggs have 34 children - 29 of whom were adopted from other countries including Mexico, Ghana and Ukraine. Now their family is about to get even bigger as they adopt two more.
exp. Families are wonderful! But, families fill up - you can only have so many children by birth or adoption. You run out of room, attention, affection, time to nurture and care.
app. Aren't you thankful that God's family never fills up. There is always room for more. How can we not be interested in reaching new brother's and sister's with the SAME GOSPEL that brought us into God's family?
II. We are to be a Gospel defender and establisher (ratifier).
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
exp. Just like their spiritual father Paul, BY GOD'S GRACE - they were set to defend and establish the Gospel.
A. We are to defend the Gospel.
question: Did you know that the Gospel is under attack?
ill. Attorney - to quote parts of the King James Bible in modern society is a hate crime - referring to "Jesus is the way, the truth and the life." At the trial of two street preachers who were out proclaiming the Gospel.
ill. The name of the Lord of the Gospel is a curse world. I said to a man this past week. "He is my God and friend. Do you know Him?"
ill. Atheist/ humanists don't just not believe in Jesus - they hate Him! (more tonight.)
exp. Paul's defense of Jesus meant imprisonment. What does it mean for you?
QUESTION - How did Paul end up in prison - BECAUSE DEFENDING THE GOSPEL WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO PAUL THAN HIS FREEDOM.
Act 20:23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
app. Is defending the Gospel important to you?
B. We are to establish the Gospel.
def. The word confirmation means to confirm, to ratify, to establish.
exp. When you ratify a treaty - you make it legally binding. Two parties come to peace through a treaty.
We ratify the Gospel (by encouraging men to sign God's peace treaty.)
GOD HAS AUTHORIZED US TO DO THIS MINISTRY FOR HIM.
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
ill. If I had a check for a million pounds which I offered to you saying that all you had to do to receive this was trust in the graciousness of the one who offered it - AND ENDORSE IT WITH YOUR SIGNATURE - would you be so foolish as to let it go?
app. There are none so foolish as those who take what they can get in life from Satan instead to taking what they can have for all eternity from God. WE HAVE THIE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATIOIN - RATIFYING GOD'S TREATY- AND DEFENDING IT.
III. We are to suffer for the Gospel.
ill. The Son's of Zebedee -
Matthew 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with:
exp. Peter boasted of what he would fail to do (BUT LATER SUCEED) - but these men WOULD DO IT.
question: Where are those today who do not care what it costs to save men from Hell and glorify God?
Mission to St. Thomas and St. Croix - Called of God to minister to the African slaves on the Carribean Islands.
Johann Dober and David Nitschmann
In fact, after being sent out by Count Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf, the two traveled from Herrnhut to Copenhagen, Denmark, where their plan initially met with strong opposition.[4] When asked by a court official how they would support themselves, Nitschmann replied,
“We shall work as slaves among the slaves.”
“But,” said the official, “that is impossible. It will not be allowed. No white man ever works as a slave.”
“Very well,” replied Nitschmann, “I am a carpenter, and will ply my trade.”[5]
After some difficulty, the missionaries found support from the Danish Queen and her court, and although the Danish West Indian Company refused to grant them passage, a ship was eventually procured. Leaving Copenhagen on Oct 8, 1732, they arrived in St. Thomas two months later on December 13. While in the St. Thomas, they lived frugally and preached to the slaves, and they had a certain amount of success.[6] By 1734 they had both returned to Germany, but other Moravian missionaries continued the work for fifty years afterward, establishing churches on St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John’s, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbados, and St. Kitts. Moravian missionaries baptized 13,000 converts before any other missionaries arrived on the scene.[7]
After returning from the West Indies, both men continued to serve in the Moravian church, and both were ordained as bishops. Dober remained in Europe, but Nitschmann traveled with John Wesley and helped to found the mission at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.[8][9]
app. How about you - Paul - Rom 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
A. Do you worry then about paying too much for the Gospel?
exp. It could cost you - your career (ethics), your future, your country, your ambition, your desires.... (IS THAT TOO GREAT A PRICE TO PAY FOR MEN'S SALVATION FROM HELL?)
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
exp. Don't be discouraged church! It is ok - because the Gospel of our Lord has been furthered through my imprisonment.
ill. William Borden "In 1904 William Borden, heir to the Borden Dairy Estate, graduated from a Chicago high school a millionaire. His parents gave him a trip around the world. Traveling through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe gave Borden a burden for the world’s hurting people. Writing home, he said, “I’m going to give my life to prepare for the mission field.” When he made this decision, he wrote in the back of his Bible two words: No Reserves. Turning down high paying job offers after graduation from Yale University, he entered two more words in his Bible: No Retreats. Completing studies at Princeton Seminary, Borden sailed for China to work with Muslims, stopping first at Egypt for some preparation. While there he was stricken with cerebral meningitis and died within a month. A waste, you say! Not in God’s plan. In his Bible underneath the words No Reserves and No Retreats, he had written the words No Regrets.
exp. The only regret men will have with regard to what they gave Jesus - IS THAT THEY DID NOT GIVE HIM THEIR ALL.
app. Paul just took his liberty - gave it to the Lord Jesus Christ and said, "Lord you are worthy!" Jesus and Paul paid with their lives. What about you? - Do you fret that it would cost too much to really stand up and be counted for Jesus?
B. Paul cared not whether Christ was magnified by life or by death!
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
EXP. Paul lived and died for the Gospel! He knew that WE MUST SUFFER FOR THE GOSPEL.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
exp. If you don't, it's because you don't qualify. (all that will live godly in Christ Jesus)
You are either not in Christ Jesus.
Or you are not living godly in Christ Jesus.
exp. It's worth suffering for the Gospel.
ill. The fireman that went up the Greenfell Tower stairs when others were coming down - did so, because it was worth risking their lives and health to save others.
app. Hell is so much worse than any earthly fire could ever be. Even if it cost you your life to take the Gospel to others, it would BE WORTH IT FOR THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO WILL PERISH IN HELL AND FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
conclusion:
What has the position of primace in your life?
The Gospel ought to be of primary importance to our life! Sadly, there are few today in our churches who can say, "There is nothing more important to me than the Gospel."
We have no fellowship today without the Gospel. (If we seek to give it the family will die.)
Without us the Gospel has no defenders and ratifiers. (If we don't - who will?)
We are to expect to suffer for the Gospel. (What is Christ worth to you?)
(TO BE CONTINUED)
IV. We need to boldly preach the Gospel.
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
V. We need to live as becometh the Gospel.
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ:
VI. We need to unite around the Gospel.
v.27 ....that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
VII. We need to LABOR for the Gospel.
Philippians 2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.
20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
Date: 6 July, 2017
Text: The Gospel texts from Philippians
Title: The Primacy of the Gospel - Part 1
Theme: Paul made the Gospel of primary importance in His life.
Proposition: Christian, the Gospel ought to be of primary importance in your life!
Rhetorical: Will you be able to say before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, "Nothing mattered to me so much in my life as the Gospel?"
Introduction:
Primacy:
the fact of being pre-eminent or most important.
ill. Everyone has something in their lives that is pre-eminent.
1.) To some - education.
2.) Work/ career.
3.) Family
4.) Sport
5.) Hobby (train enthusiasts, acquarists (I enjoyed having a fish tank) - man who put 100,000 pounds fish tank into his home.)
6.) False Religion (lighting candles, praying for the dead, bowing down to idols)
I COULD MENTION MANY MORE THINGS - BUT THE FACT IS - EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE IN THEIR LIFE. THE LAST ONE I'LL MENTION IS THE GOSPEL.
7.) The Gospel
If I had to summarize the life of Jesus Christ with one word - the best one would be "GOSPEL."
Luke 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Can we live the life of Christ today and
I'm going to argue today from the Word of God that Paul made the Gospel of primary importance in His life.
For the next two Sunday morning messages - I want to challenge our church with the declaration that the Gospel ought to be of primary importance in our lives!
Will you be able to say before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, "Nothing mattered to me so much in my life as the Gospel?"
The Word Gospel is in the Bible 104 Times. The Gospel means, "The Good News" specifically about the Kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1.) He died for your sin!
2.) He rose again for your life!
3.) He offers you forgiveness and an abundant pardon!
(You don't have to die in the eternal flames of Hell.)
ill. Old man in front of Nursing Home in Innerleithen. We traveled an hour each way to carry the Gospel to that community. He was very hard of hearing - (story) LOUD - "Thank You!" I walked away thinking how many people will say that to me as they enter into Heaven.
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT?
Our text - book of Philippians.
Our main idea - The Gospel ought to be of primary importance in your life!
We have no fellowship today without the Gospel.
5 For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now;
exp. The Gospel is what united us and put us into the Body of Christ, the family of God.
ill. You are in a physical family today - either by adoption or birth. It's the same with God's family.
A. The Gospel is what facilitated our adoption.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
B. The Gospel is what allowed us to be born again.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
ill. Met a woman on Stevenson Place Road - down in Rosslyn Glen - said her mother had 20 some children. That is a big family.
ill. According to Guiness Book of World Records -
The greatest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69, to the wife of Feodor Vassilyev (b. 1707–c.1782), a peasant from Shuya, Russia. In 27 confinements she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets.
ill. Jeane and Paul Briggs have 34 children - 29 of whom were adopted from other countries including Mexico, Ghana and Ukraine. Now their family is about to get even bigger as they adopt two more.
exp. Families are wonderful! But, families fill up - you can only have so many children by birth or adoption. You run out of room, attention, affection, time to nurture and care.
app. Aren't you thankful that God's family never fills up. There is always room for more. How can we not be interested in reaching new brother's and sister's with the SAME GOSPEL that brought us into God's family?
II. We are to be a Gospel defender and establisher (ratifier).
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
exp. Just like their spiritual father Paul, BY GOD'S GRACE - they were set to defend and establish the Gospel.
A. We are to defend the Gospel.
question: Did you know that the Gospel is under attack?
ill. Attorney - to quote parts of the King James Bible in modern society is a hate crime - referring to "Jesus is the way, the truth and the life." At the trial of two street preachers who were out proclaiming the Gospel.
ill. The name of the Lord of the Gospel is a curse world. I said to a man this past week. "He is my God and friend. Do you know Him?"
ill. Atheist/ humanists don't just not believe in Jesus - they hate Him! (more tonight.)
exp. Paul's defense of Jesus meant imprisonment. What does it mean for you?
QUESTION - How did Paul end up in prison - BECAUSE DEFENDING THE GOSPEL WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO PAUL THAN HIS FREEDOM.
Act 20:23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
app. Is defending the Gospel important to you?
B. We are to establish the Gospel.
def. The word confirmation means to confirm, to ratify, to establish.
exp. When you ratify a treaty - you make it legally binding. Two parties come to peace through a treaty.
We ratify the Gospel (by encouraging men to sign God's peace treaty.)
GOD HAS AUTHORIZED US TO DO THIS MINISTRY FOR HIM.
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
ill. If I had a check for a million pounds which I offered to you saying that all you had to do to receive this was trust in the graciousness of the one who offered it - AND ENDORSE IT WITH YOUR SIGNATURE - would you be so foolish as to let it go?
app. There are none so foolish as those who take what they can get in life from Satan instead to taking what they can have for all eternity from God. WE HAVE THIE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATIOIN - RATIFYING GOD'S TREATY- AND DEFENDING IT.
III. We are to suffer for the Gospel.
ill. The Son's of Zebedee -
Matthew 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with:
exp. Peter boasted of what he would fail to do (BUT LATER SUCEED) - but these men WOULD DO IT.
question: Where are those today who do not care what it costs to save men from Hell and glorify God?
Mission to St. Thomas and St. Croix - Called of God to minister to the African slaves on the Carribean Islands.
Johann Dober and David Nitschmann
In fact, after being sent out by Count Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf, the two traveled from Herrnhut to Copenhagen, Denmark, where their plan initially met with strong opposition.[4] When asked by a court official how they would support themselves, Nitschmann replied,
“We shall work as slaves among the slaves.”
“But,” said the official, “that is impossible. It will not be allowed. No white man ever works as a slave.”
“Very well,” replied Nitschmann, “I am a carpenter, and will ply my trade.”[5]
After some difficulty, the missionaries found support from the Danish Queen and her court, and although the Danish West Indian Company refused to grant them passage, a ship was eventually procured. Leaving Copenhagen on Oct 8, 1732, they arrived in St. Thomas two months later on December 13. While in the St. Thomas, they lived frugally and preached to the slaves, and they had a certain amount of success.[6] By 1734 they had both returned to Germany, but other Moravian missionaries continued the work for fifty years afterward, establishing churches on St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John’s, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbados, and St. Kitts. Moravian missionaries baptized 13,000 converts before any other missionaries arrived on the scene.[7]
After returning from the West Indies, both men continued to serve in the Moravian church, and both were ordained as bishops. Dober remained in Europe, but Nitschmann traveled with John Wesley and helped to found the mission at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.[8][9]
app. How about you - Paul - Rom 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
A. Do you worry then about paying too much for the Gospel?
exp. It could cost you - your career (ethics), your future, your country, your ambition, your desires.... (IS THAT TOO GREAT A PRICE TO PAY FOR MEN'S SALVATION FROM HELL?)
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
exp. Don't be discouraged church! It is ok - because the Gospel of our Lord has been furthered through my imprisonment.
ill. William Borden "In 1904 William Borden, heir to the Borden Dairy Estate, graduated from a Chicago high school a millionaire. His parents gave him a trip around the world. Traveling through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe gave Borden a burden for the world’s hurting people. Writing home, he said, “I’m going to give my life to prepare for the mission field.” When he made this decision, he wrote in the back of his Bible two words: No Reserves. Turning down high paying job offers after graduation from Yale University, he entered two more words in his Bible: No Retreats. Completing studies at Princeton Seminary, Borden sailed for China to work with Muslims, stopping first at Egypt for some preparation. While there he was stricken with cerebral meningitis and died within a month. A waste, you say! Not in God’s plan. In his Bible underneath the words No Reserves and No Retreats, he had written the words No Regrets.
exp. The only regret men will have with regard to what they gave Jesus - IS THAT THEY DID NOT GIVE HIM THEIR ALL.
app. Paul just took his liberty - gave it to the Lord Jesus Christ and said, "Lord you are worthy!" Jesus and Paul paid with their lives. What about you? - Do you fret that it would cost too much to really stand up and be counted for Jesus?
B. Paul cared not whether Christ was magnified by life or by death!
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
EXP. Paul lived and died for the Gospel! He knew that WE MUST SUFFER FOR THE GOSPEL.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
exp. If you don't, it's because you don't qualify. (all that will live godly in Christ Jesus)
You are either not in Christ Jesus.
Or you are not living godly in Christ Jesus.
exp. It's worth suffering for the Gospel.
ill. The fireman that went up the Greenfell Tower stairs when others were coming down - did so, because it was worth risking their lives and health to save others.
app. Hell is so much worse than any earthly fire could ever be. Even if it cost you your life to take the Gospel to others, it would BE WORTH IT FOR THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO WILL PERISH IN HELL AND FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
conclusion:
What has the position of primace in your life?
The Gospel ought to be of primary importance to our life! Sadly, there are few today in our churches who can say, "There is nothing more important to me than the Gospel."
We have no fellowship today without the Gospel. (If we seek to give it the family will die.)
Without us the Gospel has no defenders and ratifiers. (If we don't - who will?)
We are to expect to suffer for the Gospel. (What is Christ worth to you?)
(TO BE CONTINUED)
IV. We need to boldly preach the Gospel.
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
V. We need to live as becometh the Gospel.
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ:
VI. We need to unite around the Gospel.
v.27 ....that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
VII. We need to LABOR for the Gospel.
Philippians 2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.
20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
