“Joy that Lasts”
A Journey through the book of Philippians - Part 4
Philippians 2:1-4		April 5, 2009

Things were going well at Philippi Worship Center

Paul began the church, and things were going pretty well under the new Pastor…

Philippians 2:1
The Philippian church
o	received encouragement from Christ (the people experienced salvation)
o	received comfort from Christ (God was at work in their lives)
o	fellowshipped together (they enjoyed coming together)
o	was tender hearted & compassionate (God had softened their hearts)

But they were at a crossroads!

After a church is born, they have to choose which road they will embark upon:
will the church continue to follow the heart of God or will it begin to follow the hearts of man?

Either their church was going to continue to be a worship center filled with the power of God
o	or
o	it would become a worthless center filled with the pride of man

o	It’s either about ________________
o	or it’s about ________________

Philippians 2:2 
o	he asked the Philippians to make his joy in them complete by responding to any problems and making any needed adjustments so that they would be truly and completely unified.

But they needed to
o	agree wholeheartedly (NKJV: like-minded)
o	________  each ________ (NKJV: have the same love)
o	work ________________ with one mind & purpose

Philippians 2:3 
o	guard against ________________
o	guard against the desire to ________________ others
o	be ________________
o	elevate ________________ above yourselves

Philippians 2:4
o	Don’t look out only for your ________  ________________, 
•	but take an interest in others, too.  

Paul wanted unity in the Philippian church so they could carry on the ministry of the gospel; but such unity would only be possible by being united with Christ so that there would be harmonious relationships among the believers themselves.

Philippians 2:5 (NLT) 5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 

========================

We are at a crossroads!
We must choose which road we will embark upon!

our choices:

o	follow the hearts of man or the heart of ________?
o	to be a worthless center or a ________ center?
o	be filled with the pride of man or the ________________ of God?
o	‘Supporting a Social Club’ or ‘Spreading the ________________’?
o	inward focus or an ________________   ________________?
o	be a social club or a ________________? 
o	provide recreation or ‘________ for your ________’?
o	focus on the temporal or the ________________?
o	become a “good thing” or a “________ Thing?”
o	selfish or ________________?
o	strife or ________________?
o	love & mind of self or the love & mind of Christ?
o	Will it be about us or it’s about Him?

In response to today’s message, I will make the following changes in my life… __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________