Weaning Myself Off Breathing: September 2008

This is the message I delivered to my church family the day before I left for school. I can't wait to be with them again.

God’s Work Still Undone

Delivered to Christ Community Chinese Alliance Church on August 24, 2008

The book of Philippians was written to the Philippian church – which was in Europe - when Paul was in a prison in Rome. He planted the church there about 10 years earlier, during his second missionary trip.

If you’ve read and/or studied the book, you may have noticed that joy is the main theme of this letter. Each chapter speaks of joy in different contexts:

Chapter 1 – Joy in Paul’s fellowship with the church and suffering as a Christian

Chapter 2 – Joy in unity and joy in serving

Chapter 3 – Joy in believing in Christ

Chapter 4 – Joy in giving

And so in this letter, Paul speaks of joy. Not because things are good and everything is going their way, but because Paul knows that suffering and hard times are a part of life – especially a life lived well. He speaks as a man who has suffered an incredible amount do you remember what Jesus said of Paul when he was still Saul and wasn’t yet a Christian? “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:16), Jesus said. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul writes of the things he went through for the sake of the gospel: shipwrecks, whippings, beatings, death threats, attempts on his life, hunger, cold, long journeys, constant criticisms, sleeplessness, and the constant burden of caring for all the churches he started.

He writes to the Philippians as a man who has gone through all this and is still full of joy. In chapter four he says “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!” He says this to the church, knowing that hard times are coming. He knows there will be suffering and persecution. One thing to note is that the Philippian church is poor. They don’t always have money to pay rent or the grocery bill.

Isn’t that the case with our church? People have lost their jobs. People are sick; cancer is eating away at their bodies. And if we’re realistic, we have to face the hard truth that more hard times are on the way – more of our people may lose their jobs; more people will be diagnosed with a disease; school may become overwhelming; our relationships may falter; our homes and cars will break down. Don’t think that these things aren’t coming for you. They are, and there may be a time when your world falls completely apart. Becoming a Christian doesn’t exempt you from pain; but it does usher in pain with new eyes – eyes that see that God can do and will do something great with pain.

In this letter, Paul makes if plain what his ultimate source of joy – and hopefully ours – is. Jesus Christ – the one who Paul ran after and suffered for and told others about. The son of God who lived the perfect life that we could not live and was tortured and killed on the cross so we would escape eternal wrath in hell and enjoy God forever. Jesus was his rescuer and savior and provider and satisfaction and ultimate treasure. This is where Paul found his joy.

Turn with me to Philippians 1:3-11.

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Verses 3 through 5 - Paul starts off this letter telling them that Paul is thankful for the church. They sent Paul a monetary gift to support him as he traveled to spread the gospel. But beyond that, he was thankful to the church because he partnered with him as he spread the gospel – showing that they were behind him and praying for him.

He tells them that he prays for them with JOY. He’s happy to pray for them. That’s something to remember: it doesn’t need to be a burden to pray for someone. I know that we can be shy when we have a prayer request and we hesitate to let someone know that you’d like them to pray for you because you don’t want to bother them. But, like Paul, we can develop the attitude that it’s a privilege to pray for someone else, not a bother. We believe in prayer, but do we believe it’s a privilege to pray for someone? Do we pray with joy for each other? Or is it something we do out of compulsion?

Verse 6 - “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Paul started the church in Philippi. He brought many of them to faith in Jesus as the church was starting out. He saw them take their baby steps as Christians. He has watched them grow in their faith and received updates on them when he was on the road. He tells them that God is the one that saved them – they didn’t become right with God by following the rules and being decent people – it was God alone who initiated salvation and God alone who did all the work in saving them. If you’ve been in my Sunday School class, you may remember the chain of salvation from Romans chapter 8:

God foreknew you before time began; you were in his mind before he created the universe.

God predestined you to be saved. He worked out all the millions of events that would lead to your salvation. He orchestrates every single event that surrounds your life. He knew that the work the missionary did 200 years ago would eventually lead to your salvation.

God called you. He called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Like Jesus did to Lazarus, he does to us: he calls out to us, “wake from the dead!”

God justified you. Knowing your need for salvation, God called out to you. And he didn’t give you a list of rules to keep so you could go to heaven or give you the tools and knowledge you need to live a good life so you can go to church and be a good Christian. God called out to you and saved you because you couldn’t save yourself. He gave his Son to be take on all your sins; Jesus took on all the punishment that you were supposed to take. And God looked at Jesus and said “my son took the punishment that you deserved. Because of what he did, you can live.” Remember the words from 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” When God saw Jesus on the cross, he saw him as a sinner, and he now he sees us as perfect and righteous as Jesus. All the sins we’ve ever committed will never be held against us and we will never be condemned because we are justified. This is justification.

The final link in the chain of salvation is glorification. One day you will die, and it will be a glorious day. If you’re a Christian, you’ll be in heaven, in the presence of God. And you will be made completely new and perfect. You will never be sick again. You will not feel any pain or discomfort. You will have a new body to worship God and – most exciting – you will have new eyes to see God face to face. Can you imagine what it will be like to see the face of the massive, giant, universe-creating, sin-forgiving, darkness-defeating, sickness-healing, evil-crushing, infinite God? That’s what we’ll do when we’re in heaven with our glorified bodies.

Do you see what’s going on here? God is the one who started everything. God is the one who makes salvation possible. God is the one saves. God is the one who provides what is necessary for salvation. God is the one who carries you through your life. And God is the object and the ultimate goal of our salvation. God saved us so that we would make a big deal out of God.

In verse 6 he says that God began a good work in them. Not only for their salvation – but also for their life in the church. Paul has seen them give generously, even though they were in poverty. What kind of people give when they barely have enough money for themselves? Crazy people. Or people that have been messed up by God. Paul has seen the church grow – remember that Paul started the church 10 years earlier, and it has grown in faith and love in the face of persecution and poverty and false teachers.

He says that the work will be brought to completion. I said earlier that God initiated their salvation. God never starts something that he doesn’t intend on finishing. And this is what Paul is reminding the Philippians: stay strong, be faithful, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. What you’re doing is worth it, and you’ll see it one day.

Verses 7 and 8: “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. “

The church had stuck with Paul through his ministry. They shared the same passion for the gospel and love for their savior. They shared the thing that mattered most. We need to remember that as one church, we’re all going to have different interests and are all in different stages of life, BUT we have something else that the rest of the world doesn’t have. We know the grace of God. Do you understand that, for all of us here that are Christians, we’ve been rescued from hell? We’ve been shown unthinkable kindness and amazing grace.

Paul says he yearns for them with all the affection of Jesus. Have you ever longed for something so much that it hurt? You’ve felt the sinking feeling in your stomach and the hurt in your heart because you wanted to have something or be with someone so bad. That’s what Paul felt for the Philippians. They were his spiritual children. And what of us? Is it possible for us to yearn for each other and for the church family that much?

God created the church to be a place where we depend on each other and live life with each other.

The church should be a place where we open ourselves up to each other – the joys and pains and failures and successes – and carry each other because we can’t do it alone. It’s not just a place to learn and sing and listen to a guy speak for 45 minutes each week. It should be the place you call your home and the place you run to when there’s nowhere else to run.

Verses 9 through 11: “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Paul tells them how he is praying for them – that they would grow in love, knowledge and discernment. He prayed that they would grow in these areas so that they would be a pure church. Knowing that their church would one day be judged by Christ. Would the work of the church come out as gold, or will it burn up? Did the members love God and each other and their neighbors well? Did they value correct doctrine? Did they fight for the truth? Were they able weed out the false teachers that tried to lead them away from the true gospel? Did the church treasure Jesus over everything else?

These things are of vital importance for us. We need to make sure that we grow in these areas. We need to nurture our relationship with God and each other. We need to reach out to non-believers. We need to read and study so we know the truth. Go to Sunday School! Listen to good bible teachers. Read good books. There’s a lot of bad teaching and weak theology, and we need to make sure what is being taught by others lines up with the scriptures.

We need to always remember that one day we will give an account of what we did – individually and with the church. Is what we do today worthy of heaven?

How does this apply to us?

I’ve been at this church for almost my entire life. I began coming to this church before I could walk. My family was one of the first families at the church. It was started by Reverend Philip Loh some 26 years ago. We first met at the Methodist church on Lewelling – a few miles from here. We used to be called St. Paul Chinese Alliance Church, and we changed the name to Christ Community Chinese Alliance Church a few years later. I remember playing in the nursery. I can still remember the names and faces of families that used to attend. I’ve watched people come and go – countless people. I’ve watched four pastors leave. I’ve heard pretty much all the criticisms made of our church – some true and some not. I’ve made some criticisms of my own. There have been times when I thought about leaving. And there have been many times when I just wanted to quit. But I’ve also had lots of good times here. I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for the church. And over the past couple years I’ve come to love and embrace our church.

But most of us know the state of our church today. Our previous pastor left exactly one year ago today. We’ve watched many of our friends leave the church in the past year. It has hurt and has been really discouraging at times. Our resources are stretched thin across every ministry. People are tired.

But this is not the end of the story.

I want us to look at verse six of chapter 1 again: “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”

This is speaking of the salvation of individuals, but I believe it’s also speaking of the larger work that God is doing in the church.

Remember how the Philippian church was: poor, persecuted, false teachers were trying to infiltrate it. They most likely met in a home with a dirt ground. They knew nothing of modern church growth strategies. They didn’t have a rocking worship band. They weren’t caught up with all the latest worship songs. They didn’t have best-selling Christian books. They didn’t have John Piper or John Macarthur or Francis Chan or Louie Giglio or Charles Spurgeon or Jonathan Edwards. They didn’t have a big building or the best facilities or a fun children’s ministry. They didn’t have any Christian conferences to attend.

They had Jesus, and Jesus was enough.

God started a work in them, and God promised to finish it.

Where are we as a church? I know it’s easy to look at all we lack and be discouraged. But know this: just as God was still working in the Philippian church, God is still working at Christ Community Chinese Alliance Church.

How do I know this?

I know this because we value right teaching. I really appreciate how our people are receptive to solid, biblical teaching. I like how our theme is “devoted to prayer and the ministry of the Word.” We’ve never been about following the latest trends and fads. We know what is important. There’s nothing flashy about our theme. But we don’t need to be flashy when we’re faithful.

I know this because I’ve seen some of the youth grow and mature way better than I could have imagined.

I know this because I’ve seen Meredith faithfully serving in the youth ministry nonstop for years.

I know this because I’ve seen Tommy tirelessly carrying the English congregation with all his crazy skills for years. How in the world can anyone do as much as he does and still have a smile on his face? There’s gotta be something supernatural working through him.

I know this because I’ve seen Jeff take initiative in guiding our small group and helping out with the Mandarin ministry. During family camp, when a mandarin-speaking guy shared with difficulty during campfire, Jeff jumped up there with him, put his arm around him and translated for him. Right there and then I just thanked God for bringing him to our church.

I know this because I’ve seen Sammy and Melissa take up guitar in the past few months to start leading worship after Praise and I leave, without anyone ever asking them to. And Meredith is going to learn bass and will hopefully be up here someday, leading worship alongside Sammy and Melissa. Who would have thought???

I know this because I’ve seen Sammy lit up by God; teaching Sunday School by himself week after week and encouraging us with his passion through all the other ministries he’s involved in.

I know this because Marshall has volunteered to help with leading music. He started coming a few weeks ago and he has already led worship in small group. He’s really good. It is not coincidence that he has come as I’m about to leave.

I know this because I’ve seen Caylen leave a $5 tip for a $5 sandwich at Subway.

I know this because I’ve seen Sammy and Rachel, and Cay and Melissa, and Praise, and Hal and Winnie open up their homes every week for small group.

I know this because I’ve seen Larry and David step up to preside when those that used to preside left our church.

I know this because I’ve seen our Sunday School class raise almost $2000 for the Children’s Hunger Fund in response to a Sunday School series we did on laying up treasures in heaven.

I know this because I’ve seen a group of our high schoolers and college students set on fire after the Passion conference in January.

I know this because I’ve seen the Gandts step up and joyfully take up responsibilities at family camp.

I know this because I’ve seen Yvonne voluntarily leading studies at small group.

I know this because I’ve seen Praise, Preston and Christina faithfully leading music all these years

I know this because I’ve seen our brothers work the long hours to build the patio outside. That’s going to be around for a while and I hope many good times and much fellowship will occur there.

I know this because I’ve seen Candy’s emails, asking how she can help with different ministries.

I know this because I’ve seen the small group grow and challenge each other. I KNOW incredible things will happen through it.

I know this because I’ve seen the AV crew and ushers and greeters faithfully serve the congregation week after week.

I know this because I’ve seen how you have been affected by Pira’s messages, and he’s here today. What a huge blessing he and Venus have been to us over the past few months.

I know this because I’ve seen a lot of you here every week. I hope you’ll continue to keep coming and, if you’re not already, will get involved in a ministry here.

I know this because I’m sure there’s a lot more going on in this congregation than I know.

I asked the worship team to sing the song “God of this City” because of a few of the lines in the chorus: “greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city.” Not just our city, but this church. I believe it. I believe that greater things have yet to come; greater things are still to be done here.

Our church is 26 years old. Who knows how much longer we have. Maybe 10 years? 25? 50? When people hear about our church years from now, I wonder what they’ll hear. What stories will come from this building?

I hope they’ll hear that we were faithful here at this church.

That we loved God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength.

That we loved each other and laughed and cried together and fought for each other.

That we loved so much that it hurt us…badly.

That we took care of each other through sickness.

That we rejoiced when our people died because we knew they are worshiping Jesus in his presence.

That we preached the truth boldly.

That we prayed hard.

That we pressed on when it seemed like we were all alone in our ministries.

That we carried each others burdens even when it was a huge inconvenience for us.

That we gave our money away to spread the gospel and feed the poor.

That we got cancer and still trusted him when our bodies were racked with pain, and with our dying breaths praised him.

That people here were set on fire by the Holy Spirit because we were obedient and submitted to God so the Holy Spirit would work in the lives of the people who walked through our doors.

That God worked miracles here because we believed him and did things we never though we would do.

That we taught our children well so that they would love God and their neighbors and this church so another generation would know Jesus and make him known. And that our children’s children would look back at their ancestors say that we were faithful to our God.

That we overcame our shyness to speak life into other people.

That we sent out missionaries to the most dangerous places in the world.

That we gave up on the American dream because we knew that it was a lie, and we lived lives that wouldn’t make any sense unless Jesus is risen from the dead.

That we took risks with our lives and failed and stood up to try again.

That we spent our talents serving the church.

That God was glorified because we gave up everything to follow him.

I wonder what will be said of our church decades from now.

It’s not going to be easy. None of us are naïve enough to think that. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to keep you up at night sometimes. It’s going to make you cry. There will be times when you will want to give up. There will be times when you’re wondering what in the world God is doing here. It’s supposed to be hard!

We may remain a small church. More people may leave. We may not find a pastor for years. We may be criticized. We’ll disappoint. Nothing is going to be perfect.

But know this: GOD IS NOT DONE WITH US YET! Greater things are yet to come. Greater things are still to be done here.

Greater things are yet to come! Greater things are still to be done here!

He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ!