If you want to get better, we’re going to talk about it and how to do it.

Steve Brown:
If you want to get better, we’re going to talk about it, and how to do it, on Key Life.

Matthew Porter:
Key Life is all about God’s radical grace. Grace that has dirt under its fingernails, and laugh lines on its face. If you want the Bible to be a book of rules, you may want to stop listening now. But if you’re hungry for the truth that’ll make you free, welcome to Key Life.

Steve Brown:
Thank you Matthew. Hope you guys had a great week-end and I hope your pastor’s sermon was as good as my pastor’s sermon. If you’re just joining us, we’re pretty much at the beginning of a series of programs on the Book of Philippians. If the apostle Paul, and I said this before, had his letter in a local church, it would be the church at Philippi. These were the people who had stood with him from the beginning. These were the people who encouraged him. These were the people who became his cheerleaders in a very hard ministry, even when he was in jail. And so, he loves these people and the message that he brings is one of joy. A number of times throughout this book, and we’ve seen this, joy or rejoice is repeated over and over again. And you have to remember that it was written from jail. So, it’s an amazing kind of miraculous thing that Paul would talk about joy, when he was in jail. I wouldn’t. Well, let’s pray. And then we’ll study. If you have your Bible, we’re going to be looking at verses 9 through 11 of the first chapter of Philippians. Father, we are reminded again that this life to which you have called us doesn’t always work out the way we wanted it to work out. That sometimes we wince, sometimes we cry, sometimes we laugh, sometimes we lament. But in every bit of it, as our brother Paul has taught us. Every bit of it, you’re sovereign, you’re in charge, and you’re good, and you know what you’re doing. Teach us to lean on you, and not just to lean on you, but to lean on you hard. Father, you know everybody who’s listening, and you know the hard places and the soft ones, the laughter and the lament. Meet each of us at the point of our need. And then, Father, as always, we pray for the one who teaches, that you would forgive him his sins, because there are many. We would see Jesus and him only, and we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen. All right, Philippians 1:9 through 11.

And this is my prayer that your love may be about more and more, in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best, and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Now, I’ve suggested last week, when we began the study of this particular text, that there’s kind of a process that takes place. A process of growth. You know something? I have never met a Christian who didn’t want to be better than he or she was and I’ve said this to you a bunch of times. I’m a sinner. I mess it up. Sometimes I blush at the things I think and say and do and the people I hurt, but you never met a man who wanted to please God any more than I do. And so, this text is kind of a short lesson, lesson 101 in growth. And we started it last week, and we saw that the basis of growth is love. It’s Philippians 1:9a.

And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more.

When I’m afraid, I don’t grow. When I’m intimidated, I don’t grow. When I’m challenged and feel guilty, I don’t grow. But if I’m loved, that’s different altogether. And if we’re going to make this a step by step process, we saw last week that secondly, you should note not only that the basis of growth is love, but the balance of love is knowledge, Philippians 1:9.

And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more,

In what?

in knowledge.

Christians, I fear, sometimes lack what we once had as the people of God, and that is knowledge of the Scriptures, knowledge of the propositional truth that doesn’t bend or break and is always true, knowledge about those things that will hold a ship together in a storm. We need to make sure that the discipling process is one that communicates knowledge from the one who is leading to the one who is led. And we need to be careful about that and intentional about it in the church. Now, you’re not saved by your knowledge. And you have to be careful when you start acquiring knowledge because there’s a very real possibility that will develop into self righteousness and an arrogance about how much you know. And it’s not about that at all. It’s about the stuff that works, the stuff that holds you together in a storm, the stuff that makes a difference. There used to be those sexist statements that they hung on walls in kitchens. Kissin’ don’t last, but cookin’ do. Well, there’s some truth to that, but feelings don’t last, but knowledge does, doctrine do. And so, we need to be a people who think with our minds, who study, who work at trying to understand the awesome and sovereign God we worship. A people who study the word as God’s letter to his people. People who know what they believe and why they believe it, and we’re going to see later on why they defend it. So, that’s the step, and then you go from love to knowledge to insight, and I just mentioned this last week and we’re going to talk more about it today and tomorrow. You’ll find it in Philippians 1:9 through 10a.

And this is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, in knowledge and

here it comes

in depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best.

I looked it up in Vincent’s word study book in my library, and it says that insight or discernment used in this text means that which selects and classifies and applies what is furnished by knowledge. Have I told you about the balloonists who were lost in the clouds? They didn’t know where they were and they thought they were going to die if they didn’t find out. They finally descended from the clouds and there was a farmer plowing in a field. And they yelled out to him, Hey, mister, could you tell us where we are? And the man shouted back up, You’re in a balloon, dummy! Ha ha! Just then, the gust of wind came by and lifted them back into the clouds. And one of the balloonists turned to the other and said just like my accountant, the information is totally accurate, but it’s also totally useless. A lot of people who have a lot of information, growth in Christ is turning the information that has been revealed to us into practical illustration in how we live, and how we think, and in how we walk. Now, note the progression in Paul’s words. Love leads to knowledge, and love plus knowledge leads to insight. Paul says.

I pray that you get love in knowledge, that you may be able to discern and have insight.

Did you ever see Godspell? We put that on in a church that I served and got a lot of critical letters for it. But it was written by an unbeliever, and that unbeliever did some amazing work. I said to our minister of music that I would have been happier if it had been a believer who wrote it. And he said, Steve, do you remember when Jesus was coming into the city, and the leaders asked Jesus to make his disciples be quiet? And he replied.

If they’re quiet, the very rocks will cry out.

And then he laughed and said, that’s what’s happening in Godspell. Lucy sings.

Day by day.

In the production. You remember that?

Lord, three things I pray, to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, and to follow thee more nearly.

That’s wisdom and discernment. So, learn the propositions, memorize them. And then say, God, take what you taught me and make it work in the reality of my life. You think about that. Amen.

Matthew Porter:
Thank you Steve Brown. As Steve mentioned, we are still early on in our exploration of Philippians. Today, examining chapter 1: verses 9 through 11. So glad you’re here and do hope you’ll stay with us throughout the study. Well, if you listen to this program, you’ve probably heard about Steve’s book, Laughter and Lament. But maybe you haven’t read it yet. Well, it’s for you that we created a special booklet with excerpts from said book. It touches on the importance of authenticity, why the Bible is a crazy book, and explores the issue of control, something Steve calls the mother of all addictions and so much more. Claim your free copy of that booklet by calling us at 1-800-KEY-LIFE that’s 1-800-539-5433. You can also e-mail [email protected] to ask for that booklet. To mail your request, go to keylife.org/contact to find our mailing addresses. Again, just ask for your free copy of the Laughter and Lament booklet. Oh, and before you go, if you value the work of Key Life, would you join us in that work through your financial support? Giving is easy. You can charge a gift on your credit card or include a gift in your envelope. Or simply text Key Life to 28950 that’s KEYLIFE, one word or two. It doesn’t matter. Just text that to 28950, then follow the instructions. And of course, as always, if you can’t give right now, we get it. But if you think about it, pray for us. Key Life is a member of ECFA in the States and CCCC in Canada. And we are a listener supported