I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Philippians
4:13
“I
can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
-- this morning, we are going to be
starting a new sermon series that I have entitled “Bumper Sticker Theology” --
we’re going to be looking at the Bible verses, spiritual quotes, and familiar
sayings that so many of us grew up knowing and that we now proclaim to the
world on our bumper stickers, t-shirts, and Facebook and Instagram posts
-- I want us to turn a critical eye
to them -- if we’re going to proclaim these thoughts to the world and to other
Christians, then we really should know what they mean and if they are true
-- the first of these I want us to
look at is Paul’s declaration from Philippians 4:13 -- “I can do everything
through Him who gives me strength” -- or, as you usually see it on bumper
stickers and t-shirts: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
-- anyone ever heard that before? --
anyone got that on a bumper sticker or a T-shirt? -- I have it on a notebook --
it’s printed on the cover -- I used to carry it to seminary with me when I went
to class, making a bold statement to the other students there of what I
believed and in my faith in God
-- I’d look at that notebook when I
was struggling in class or having difficulties with a lesson or assignment and
I’d read Paul’s words and I’d think, “Yes, I can do all things -- I can do this
-- I can make it through” -- and, man, it would give me strength and power and
help me to push on -- are you following me? -- this what you understand, too?
-- that’s the way most people look
at this verse -- a declaration of faith that gives them the power to do
anything -- to accomplish anything -- to be anything
-- we use this verse as the
justification and encouragement for everything we attempt, believing we will be
successful at doing the impossible because we have faith -- isn’t that why you
like this verse so much? -- isn’t that why the t-shirts and bumper stickers are
so popular?
-- that’s certainly why professional athletes
like this and similar verses so much
-- after the Baltimore Ravens beat
the Denver Broncos for the right to play in the Superbowl, Ray Lewis proclaimed
Isaiah 54:17 when he shouted with tears in his eyes, "No weapon formed
against us shall prosper. No weapon. No weapon. No weapon. God is amazing. And
when you believe in him... Man believes in the possible but God believes in the
impossible."1
-- in 2008, Tim Tebow wrote “Phil
4:13” on his eye black and wore it during each game as the Florida Gators
football team made their way to the National Championship Game -- Google said
that thousands of people searched for the meaning of “Phil 4:13” during each
Florida game that year -- and I guarantee you that almost every one of them
came away with the same thought, “Tim Tebow is proclaiming that he can win this
game because of his belief in God”
-- but what if I told you that this
is not why Tim Tebow put that verse under his eyes? -- what if I told you that
this popular conception of the meaning of Philippians 4:13 -- that we can do
all things through Christ -- is not what this verse means and is not the reason
that Tebow proclaimed it as a message?
-- as Tebow has said in interviews
and in talks before the Passion Conference and other venues, "A lot of
people know Philippians 4:13 -- 'I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me' -- but a lot of people don't interpret that verse the right
way. Most people think it means I can do anything ...on the football field, or
I can make a lot of money. But that's not exactly what it's talking about
there. It's [saying] I can be content with anything."
-- what? -- that can’t be right, can
it? -- is Tebow saying that this verse -- Philippians 4:13 -- the verse that
boldly proclaims that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us --
doesn’t mean what we think it does? -- that this verse doesn’t mean that we can
do all things?
-- that is absolutely correct --
it’s just like Rick Pendleton said in a sermon, this verse is not about ability…
or being positive… or [even] faith.”
-- so, what does it mean? -- what
are we saying when we put that Philippians 4:13 bumper sticker on our car or we
put on that t-shirt or we post this verse on Facebook?
-- let’s find out
II. Scripture Lesson (Philippians 4:10-14)
-- if you never remember a word from
any sermon I preach here, that’s okay -- if you can’t remember any of the
lessons I’ve ever taught, I’m fine with that -- but there are two things that I
want you to take away from my tenure here at Naylor Methodist Church -- two
things I’ve been telling you since day one, and I want you to get this right
-- first, anytime you hear a sermon
or a message or you read something on the internet or anywhere else, always go
back to the Bible and see if what you heard or read lines up with the word of
God -- as I told you on my first Sunday here, you cannot take what you hear or
read blindly as gospel truth, no matter whether it comes from me or from a
famous preacher or speaker on the radio or TV -- always be like the Bereans
from Acts 17:11, who didn’t take what the Apostle Paul said as truth until they
had searched it out in the Scriptures for themselves -- so, always go back to
the Bible first
-- and, just as important, always,
always, always read the verse or the passage in context -- I have tried to make
sure you understand how to interpret the Bible correctly -- how to do proper
exegesis so that you won’t make the mistake of so many people by taking verses
out of context and applying a meaning to them different from what the Bible
actually teaches
-- Philippians 4:13 is one of those
verses that everyone takes out of context and assigns a meaning to that does
not line up with scripture -- you’ve heard the old real estate adage,
“Location, location, location?” -- it’s the same thing with Scripture:
“Context, context, context”
-- so, let’s see what Paul was
really trying to say in Philippians 4:13 by looking at this verse in context --
by going back and reading the verses before this one that explain the point he
was trying to make
-- look back at Philippians 4:10
Philippians
4:10-14 New International Version (NIV)
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you
renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no
opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I
have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to
be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of
being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether
living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me
strength. 14 Yet it was good of you to
share in my troubles.
-- as we’ve been discussing, a lot
of people use Philippians 4:13 like a talisman -- like it was a magical
incantation -- they think that if they just say those words and really mean
them -- if they believe in the power of good thoughts -- then God is going to
give them the ability to do anything
-- but when you look at this verse
in context, you see a vastly different picture -- Paul wrote these words from a
Roman prison -- he was in chains for his faith -- he didn’t know if he was
going to be released or to remain in chains -- he didn’t even know if he was
going to live or die -- but Paul had reached the place where he trusted God
with such faith that he was ready to accept whatever came
-- earlier in this letter -- in
Philippians 1:18-26 -- Paul talked about trusting and serving God whether he
lived or died -- he says that to him, “to live is Christ and to die is gain” --
it didn’t matter to him which happened -- he was torn between hoping to remain
and continue his ministry to the Philippians and the other churches or to leave
and to be with Christ, which Paul said was better by far -- but his words
showed he was content with either -- he had put the decision in the hand of God
-- and, that’s the same thing he’s
saying again here in Philippians 4 at the end of this letter -- “I trust in God
-- I am content with where He puts me because He gives me the strength I need
to carry on, regardless of what happens”
-- in verse 10, Paul thanks the
Philippians for their concern about his condition -- the church heard that Paul
was in prison and they knew he needed help -- it wasn’t a right for prisoners
to have food or clean conditions -- and, if they were fed, it was not on a
regular basis and the food was probably not the best -- but as a Roman citizen,
Paul would have been allowed visitors, who could bring him food and other items
he needed -- and, knowing this, the church at Philippi had sent Epaphroditus to
carry gifts to Paul and to meet his needs there
-- so, Paul begins this section by
thanking them for their gifts and their concerns -- he praises God and rejoices
for their actions -- not so much because he needed the gifts -- he says so right
there in verse 11 -- he says, “I am not saying this because I am in need”
-- he rejoiced and praised God
because the actions of the Philippians demonstrated their faith -- the gift
they brought was a fruit of the Spirit within them -- it was proof to Paul that
his race had not been in vain -- that his efforts at preaching and teaching in
Philippi had borne fruit and that the church was continuing in their faith,
trusting in Jesus and trying to live out their faith as best they could -- so
Paul thanks them and praises God for what they have done
-- but Paul goes on to tell share
with them an important spiritual insight in this passage -- at the end of verse
11, Paul writes, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” --
he goes on to say that he knew what it was to truly be in need -- he had been
hungry before -- he had been shipwrecked and hurt and wrongfully persecuted --
he had been in circumstances that weren’t good -- but, he also knew what it was
like to have everything he needed -- to have plenty of food and friends and
support
-- Paul had experienced everything
in life -- both the good and the bad -- and he tells them that through these
experiences, he had learned to be content, no matter what -- whether fed or
hungry -- whether living in plenty or want -- Paul had learned the secret of
contentment
-- and, it’s important to note
Paul’s use of the word “learned” -- this secret of contentment that Paul talks
about in verse 12 was the result of a lifetime of faith -- of a lifetime of
walking with Jesus
-- faith is not real unless it is
tested -- for it is in the testing of our faith that we learn to trust and
depend on Jesus for all things -- you never know how strong you are until you
face circumstances like Paul had
-- these experiences Paul went
through taught him what was really important in life -- he learned what a
person truly needed to live in this world and in the world beyond -- and in
these lessons, he realized the secret to contentment -- the secret that allowed
him to write that he was content and happy and satisfied wherever he was, even
in a Roman prison, waiting for a hearing before Emperor Nero
-- and what was that secret?
-- verse 13 -- “I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me”
-- when Paul uses the phrase, “I can
do all things,” what he is saying is that he can withstand any circumstance --
he can be content no matter the situation -- he can “do” all things -- he can
“do” all circumstances -- whether good or bad
-- that’s what this verse really
means -- if you go back to the original Greek language here, you can see that
clearly in this passage -- Paul has been using a Greek idiom -- a common Greek
saying -- in verses 11 and 12 that translates to “in any and every
circumstance” -- and Paul uses the same Greek root for circumstance here in
verse 13 when he says he can do all things -- so, verse 13 is linked to verses
11 and 12 -- you can’t understand verse 13 out of that context1
-- so, in these verses, Paul is
literally saying to the Philippians, “Thank you for your faith in reaching out
to me -- for your concern for my well-being -- for sending Epaphroditus to me
with a gift to meet my needs -- I really appreciate your concern -- but know
that I really wasn’t in need, because I have learned the secret to being
content in any circumstance -- even here in this prison -- I can do this -- I
can be content here in this place -- I can do this prison -- because of Christ
who strengthens me -- whether I live or I do, it makes no difference to me --
because Christ strengthens me with His grace”
-- do you see that? -- do you see
the difference in what Paul is really saying here and what we have been
proclaiming with our bumper stickers and our t-shirts and our Facebook
statuses?
-- when Paul says he can do all
things, he means I can be content in any situation -- even this one -- because
Christ is with me
-- he means that he can fulfill his
duty -- he can do what God has called him to do -- he can minister wherever he
is and in whatever circumstance he is in -- because Christ was with him
-- and it means that he can trust in
God to continue to give him grace and mercy -- to continue to grow him in his
faith -- to continue to sanctify him and make him holy -- because Christ is
using every circumstance and every situation to teach Paul what it means to
live for Him
III. Closing
-- that is what this verse means --
it is not a proclamation or declaration that we can stand up and do the
impossible because of Jesus -- no, it’s a declaration that we can be content in
any and all circumstances because God will strengthen us and enable us to do so
-- it is still a powerful verse,
even if it doesn’t mean what you thought it meant
-- it means that when the storms of
life are just bearing down upon you, you can stand firm -- you can stay
faithful -- because you know that Christ is with you and is going to help you
-- it means that when the heavens
open and you are being blessed in your finances and everything is going good,
you can stay faithful -- knowing that what you have is a gift from God and not
from yourself -- and you can be a good steward, knowing that Christ will
strengthen you and show you what to do with the blessings he has given
-- what this verse is saying is that
we are ready for anything because we trust in Jesus who strengthens us
-- as Ray Pritchard put it, what
this verse means is that “through Jesus Christ you can do everything God wants
you to do this year -- You can face everything he wants you to face -- you can
fight every battle he wants you to fight -- you can obey every command -- you
can endure every trial -- and you can overcome every temptation through Jesus
Christ.”
-- what is the power of Philippians
4:13? -- what is the secret that Paul had learned? -- he had learned to trust
in Jesus and His strength daily by building a deep personal relationship with
Him
-- and we can do the same -- any
Christian can have the same experience as Paul -- any Christian can reach the
same place where we find contentment in our circumstances through the presence
and power of Jesus
-- it is a lesson we must learn on
our own as we walk with Jesus daily -- it is a mark of maturity in Christ
-- so, as we close today, I pray
that you will reflect and meditate on this passage -- that you will come to
know Paul’s words and the message he was trying to get us to understand and
experience in Philippians 4:13 -- so that, the next time you see a bumper
sticker or a t-shirt that says, “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me,” you will know what it truly means
-- let us pray
--------------------------
1
Paul Penley, Philippians 4:13 | What thing can Christ strengthen us to do?, http://www.reenactingtheway.com/blog/philippians-4-13-all-things-through-christ-who-strengthens-me
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