Paul's letter to the church of Philippi now deals with the personal plans of Timothy, Epaphroditus, and the Apostle Paul himself. Here we learn that Timothy is a rare type of worker, one who cares more about those he is helping than he does about himself. Such people are a treasure, worthy of honor, but sadly lacking at times among those who represent the Church. Likewise, Epaphroditus put his own life on the line to care for Paul's needs, a reminder that serving God is not a free pass against the trials and tribulations of this life; indeed, many who serve God do so in dangerous places, doing work that is itself hazardous. Lastly, Paul's confidence that he will soon be released from prison to journey in person to Philippi reminds us that our plans are not God's plans. If Paul, who had toiled for the sake of the Gospel for years, can have his own prayer answered with "no", then certainly we too must understand that God doesn't work for us, we work for him. The will of God remains largely unknowable, we may get glimpses from time to time and think that we understand what God is doing, but ultimately our task is simple: trust and obey.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video
This blog serves as an outreach for Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church of Franklin, PA. Feel free to ask questions or send me an e-mail at pastorpowell@hotmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment