Luke 1:21-25

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21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” ~ Luke 1:21-25

The number of priests in Israel during the days of the Lord Jesus was from 12,000-15,000.  These priests were divided up into 24 divisions. Each division served in the temple twice a year.  If we take the low number of 12,000, then there would have been 500 on duty that day with Zechariah being one of them.


By casting of lots, the duty of burning incense fell to this aged priest named Zechariah.  It’s no mistake that Luke adds this bit of information because he wants us to see God’s hand involved in the selection of Zechariah that day.  Most priests would spend their lifetime serving never to be selected to burn incense in the temple.

As a priest, Zechariah lit the incense, illustrating his offering of the prayers of the people to God. According to v.21, the people waited outside for Zechariah's final prayer, but due to his delay of coming out from the altar, the people suspected something bad had happened. What they didn't know was that God was doing a good thing for Zechariah for He was silencing his unbelief.

In 1 Peter 2:4-5, we read, "4 As you come to him, the living Stone, rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him, 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 

Similar to Zechariah, we who have believed on the Lord Jesus have been made priests who offer spiritual sacrifices to God. These sacrifices are offerings presented to us by the Holy Spirit and we present them back to the Lord. These offerings are the products of being defined by God through His word and the leading of His Spirit in our lives.

There are two things in this world which will pass into eternity: the word of God and the souls of people. Our offerings are products of our investments that we will have made in the lives of those have come into contact with while on this earth. Today, our lives must be framed up by how we can make investments in those two things, the souls of people and the word of God. Let us creatively think of how we can bring those two together.

When Zechariah finally did appear, according to v.22, his inability to speak suggested that something supernatural had happened. Zechariah could not talk. According to the Talmud, the priest was to go in and do his work and get out of there as fast as he could. The people thought the longer the priest stayed in there, the more potential for death there might be if he did anything offensive or blasphemous to God.  

When the priest finally came out, He was supposed to give a prayer for the people. Found in Numbers 6:24, the prayer reads, "The Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.  The Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace."  But, when Zechariah came out, he couldn't speak. And according to v.22 of our text, "he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak." 

In v.23, we read, "When his time of service was completed, he returned home." At the end of the week, Zechariah arrived home to Elizabeth who I am sure had a hard time understanding why her husband was mute. This obviously heightened Zechariah's and Elizabeth's focus on the Lord. I am sure their walk with the Lord was at an all time high.

In v.24, we read, "After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion."  Elizabeth didn't get pregnant until Zechariah came home. And, since everybody knew she was barren, no one would buy that story that she was pregnant. Rather than deal with the disgrace, Elizabeth waited five months to tell everyone that she was with child. 

In v.25,  we read, "The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." Remember, barrenness was shameful in their culture. But, Elizabeth knew that God had performed this miracle on her behalf.  

With this miracle, begins the story of mankind's salvation where the silence of heaven ends and the God who in time past spoke through the prophets is now speaking to man through His Son, the Lord Jesus.

God remembers his PROMISE and heaven speaks to mankind. The name John means God is gracious. The Old Testament is law; the New Testament is grace. "The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." 

We go from curse to grace by believing in the One that John saw and said of him, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." God made a promise of a new covenant in the Old Testament, one not based upon our performance, one based upon the performance of the perfect Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

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Luke 1:18-20

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18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” 19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”  Luke 1:18-20

Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist was skeptical. I would have been, too. In v.18, we read, "Zechariah asked the angel, 'How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.'” 

Doubt is not a problem of evidence or the lack thereof, it's a problem of the sinfulness of the human heart. But, doubt is useful in our pursuit of faith because doubt is the shadow cast by faith. Even those who are "righteous," like Zechariah, struggle through their doubts. After being told that he and his wife would have a son in their old age, according to v.18, Zachariah struggles with doubt.

Our sinful hearts make us all prone to limiting God by human potential. And, even if we’ve walked with God for years, when we are faced with a seemingly impossible situation, we need to look to our hearts, which are prone to limit the Almighty by human possibilities. God has given us abundant evidence in Scripture that He is the God of the impossible. Nothing is too difficult for Him. The source of our doubts is not a lack of evidence. 

Having been married for to forty years, Elizabeth and Zechariah had for many of those years asked God to give them a child. But, He had not answered the way they wanted. Now, that they were physically too old to have children, they had come to terms with their disappointment. They had concluded that it must not be God’s will. So when the angel suddenly announced that they would have a child, Zachariah doubted.

Their pain played into the plan of God. The question is: "Is this okay?" Are we okay with God accomplishing His will through our pain?

Doubt is useful for the development of our faith, though. You will remember that Luke addresses his gospel to a man who was probably a young believer who needed assurance in his faith. The opposite of doubt is not a leap in the dark. The Christian faith is founded on solid historical evidence. Luke wrote to convince Theophilus that God was in fact at work in this dark world of fallen man. 

Zechariah, in v.19, is given by Gabriel the antidote for doubt which is "I stand in the presence of God." Gabriel spoke out of the perspective of God. Curiosity and questioning are inevitable parts of our pursuits of faith. The fact is the visible world around us is not the totality of reality. In Romans 10:17, we are informed that our faith is a product of the spoken word of God. When we seek the Lord in His word, and we hear Him speak to our hearts, we will grow in our heart's ability to see God.

In v.20, we read, “And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words." Being made mute helped Zechariah in his belief. Most believe that this was discipline from God, I disagree. I believe the silence helped Zechariah process what he was experiencing.

As a result, Zachariah submitted to God by meditating on His Word and being thankful for His faithfulness in fulfilling His gracious promises. This is evident from the stream of praise that gushes forth when he finally has his speech restored (1:68-79). It is loaded with references to Scripture and how God has fulfilled His promises. If Zachariah had spent those silent months grumbling about how unfair God was to strike him deaf and dumb, he wouldn’t have erupted in praise as he did.

I am told that complaining and gratitude cannot coexist because the travel on the same neurotransmitter in the human brain. We can overcome the problem of doubt if we will trust that God does what He says He will do. Just give Him time, He rarely blesses us with only us in mind.

In the matter of faith and doubt, the crucial thing is not our feelings and not even our faith. The crucial thing is the object of our faith. We can have great faith in a faulty airplane, but it will crash in spite of our great faith because it’s not a trustworthy plane. We can have little faith in a sound airplane, just enough to get us on board, and that’s all it takes to get us where we’re going. It’s not our faith, but the object of it, that matters most.

Luke wants us to see that God is faithful to His promises, especially in the matter of sending the Lord Jesus Christ to be the promised Savior. We can trust such a God and such a Savior. He has a proven track record of keeping His promises and His promises never fail.

Throughout the Bible God reminds us of who we are in relation to Him. This is very different from what we see in this world which directs us to think of our lives in relation to things we possess. Everything has its true significance or insignificance in relationship to God. A tremendous stability comes into our lives when we let the Bible define who we are in relationship to God rather than letting the world define who we are in relation to things of this world.

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Luke 1:12-17

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12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” ~ Luke 1:12-17

The first story Luke tells in his Gospel involves an angel named Gabriel who was sent from heaven to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. God had last spoken directly to man four hundred years earlier. For the first time in a very long time, God breaks into man's story of his separation from God. 

As the priest, Zechariah, goes into the Holy Place to light the incense, the angel Gabriel appears before him, standing on the right side of the altar. In v.12, we read that Zechariah "was startled, and was gripped with fear." Gabriel commands Zechariah, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.”

One of the great lessons learned from this story is that God uses regular folks in His story of redeeming man. In fact, He tells us that He uses the weak of this world to confound the strong. Be encouraged to step out in faith in the confidence that He is actively at work in your life and be use by Him in the lives of people all around you who need His message of hope.

Our lives are not accidents, but a part of the larger plan of God. There is so much in our lives that we don’t understand. But sometimes God reaches down and says, “You’re going to be a part of something bigger. You’re going to be a part of the grand story that I am writing of the redemption of mankind. Are you willing?” 

When the angel appeared to Zechariah, he said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah." Throughout this Gospel, Luke writes about this fear. He refers to it repeatedly in Luke 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 23. Zachariah knew that angels were the instruments of divine judgment. But, this wasn't a visit to deliver judgment.

In v.13, we read, "your prayer has been heard." This was a long-standing prayer of Elizabeth and Zechariah. This was a prayer which they had started praying long ago. Then, Gabriel shows up and says, "Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son."

At the end of v.13 Gabriel tells Zechariah to name his son John which means "God is gracious."  By giving him the name John, God is saying, "I'm about to explode upon the world with My grace." The final message in the Old Testament, the final message in Malachi 4 includes a curse. The last words in the New Testament, the final words in Revelation 22 is: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people." 

The naming of John is followed with this in v.14: "He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth." John will herald the coming of God who will come with the message of grace. And, the core of the message of God's grace says, "God loves us because of who God is, not because of who we are or any good that we do."


In v.15, we read, “for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.” God set John the Baptist apart to be laser focused on being a herald for the Lord Jesus.

The impact of John's ministry is defined in v.16, which reads, "He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God."  The words "bring back" are a technical term for “conversion.”  John will call people back to the Lord, back from our rebellion, back from our self-righteousness.

In v.17 we learn the practical outflow of our personal relationship with the Lord: "to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Remember that Zachariah and Elizabeth together means: "God remembers His promise." The promise of a new covenant not based upon our performance, but upon relationship with the One He would send. Luke is saying that with the birth of John the Baptist will come the introduction of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One that God sent to pay the penalty for that which separated us from God. 

We go from curse to grace by inserting the Lord Jesus Christ into the equation. When we insert the Lord Jesus Christ, we access God's grace, His unmerited, undeserved favor. This is the introduction of the Gospel of Luke.

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Luke 1:5-11

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5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. 8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ~ Luke 1:5-11

In Luke 1:78, we read, "the rising sun will come to us from heaven.” This is a reference to the coming Jewish Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 1, we enter God's story of redemption during the final hours of darkness before the sunrise arrived. The night, for Israel, had been long and dark, a history that began with Abraham, and a history of exile 400 years in Egypt, a history of wandering for forty years in the wilderness, a history of the conquest of the land of Canaan, a history of the occupation of the land of Canaan, a history of captivity, the northern kingdom taken captive in 722 B.C., and the southern kingdom taken into Babylon in 586 B.C.

Luke 1 provides the story of God breaking into the darkness of mankind. In Luke 1:5f we are introduced to the parents of John the Baptist, Zechariah and Elizabeth. It happened during “the time of Herod” who was Herod the Great. This evil and paranoid king had been appointed as King of the Jews by the Romans in 40 B.C. He was a tyrant who executed family members whom he felt were a threat to his power. He even kill one of his ten wives and three of his children! He was the same Herod who had the children two years and younger in Bethlehem put to death. 

In contrast to Herod, we are introduced to a “priest named Zechariah" ... and "his wife...Elizabeth.” As v.1 points out, Zechariah was in “the division of Abijah” who was one of the heads of the priestly families in the Old Testament. His wife, Elizabeth, "was also a descendant of Aaron," was also of priestly lineage. This is important information regarding the Old Testament prophecies of the forerunner to the Messiah.

In v.6, Luke zeroes in on the character of Zechariah and Elizabeth. He highlights the fact that they were both "righteous in the sight of God.” To be righteous means to be in a right relationship with God. God declared them righteous by their faith in His promises. Their relationship with God enabled them to hold on to a God whom they did not understand, as we will see. And, as a result, this faithful couple were lights in their very dark world. 

According to v.6, Zechariah and Elizabeth "observed all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.” This does not mean that they were perfect, it means they were defined by the Word of God. This is why they were right in the eyes of God. God made them righteous, not them. Their obedience to God's definition of things provided them with the wisdom to be defined by God. Biblical righteousness is an inward quality that manifests itself in outward obedience to God’s word. The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.

In v.7 we are provided with an underlining principle which explains this couples desperate dependency upon the Lord: "THEY WERE CHILDLESS." For a Jewish couple to be childless was thought to be a sign of God’s displeasure. To be barren was considered to be a tragedy, personally and socially. This pain undoubtedly drove this godly couple closer to God. This is the nature of our trials, they either drive us closer to Him or they drive us away from Him. 

In v.8-9, we read, "8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense." 

One of the highest honors for a priest was to offer incense which was done twice a day in the Temple, once in the morning and once in the evening when the evening sacrifices were made. The priest who was to offer the incense was chosen by lot. Since there were probably around a thousand priests in each division, being chosen to burn incense on this day was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  

Zechariah means “God remembers” and Elizabeth means “God’s promise.” On this day, God was not only remembering Zechariah and Elizabeth, He was remembering His eternal covenant of redemption with mankind. 

According to v.10-11, while Zechariah was worshipping and serving the Lord, "an angel of the Lord appeared to him." It was at this point that God chose to intervene into the anguish of this couple who were, according to v.7, beyond their child bearing years. They were probably at least 60 years old.

Elizabeth's barrenness had nothing to do with sin in her life. This is why God includes v.6 which reads, "Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly."  But it had everything to do with something God was planning. 

God had something planned for this elderly couple which blew their minds. To them was to be given the forerunner, the first prophet in Israel for 400 years. The Lord Jesus referred to John as the greatest man who ever lived up until that time. They would have only one son. He would be the greatest human who had ever walked the earth. This is not divine punishment, their barrenness, this is divine planning.

This is how we must view the unwanted things in our lives, be it barrenness or cancer or the loss of a job. The unwanted things in our lives merely provide a context where God can and will do His thing. It is our unfailing faith which enables us to see His works He performs them. 

Zechariah and Elizabeth were willing to be used by God, they learned that God’s “No” is not forever, and they were faithful to the Lord in spite of their circumstance. The kind of faith they displayed was enduring despite their pain and their uncertainties about God. 

It was essential that the Messiah's story begin with the story of John the Baptist because he connects the Old Testament with the New Testament. The Old Testament and the New Testament does not propose two different approaches to God. There is not the approach of Judaism and the approach of Christianity.  Rather, the Old and the New Testament are one revelation from God with continuity telling the story of redemption.

In addition, John the Baptist is the fulfillment of several Old Testament prophecies and this shows the accuracy of Scripture. And this, therefore, authenticates the New Testament. Think of all that preceded the arrival of John. We must be careful to keep our eyes on Him because He knows the big picture and we do not. This is the nature of faith. This is the only human thing that pleases God.

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Luke 1:1-4

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1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. ~ Luke 1:1-4

The writer of the Gospel according to Luke is also the writer of the book of Acts. Luke wrote more of the New Testament than anyone else, even more than the Apostle Paul. Luke is a man that the Apostle Paul calls the “good physician” in Colossians 4. Luke was a medical doctor who was a companion of Paul. He was also a Gentile convert to the Christian faith. Whereas the other Gospel writers were all Jewish, Luke was not; he was the only Gentile to contribute a Gospel account.

In v.3 we are introduced to Theophilus which is a Greek made up on two Greek words (theos and phileo), which means "friend of God." Theophilus was a Gentile who probably held some important office in the Roman government. 

According to our text, Luke wrote this Gospel in order to bolster Theophilus' confidence in his narrative. Luke does this by referring to three important facts. First, he says in v.3 that his narrative is based on thorough and careful research. The Lord Jesus used the precise nature of Doctor Luke to provide a precise understanding of His life and ministry. Luke assures that he has followed all things; that is, he does not include anything that he has not traced back to a reliable source. He has followed all things accurately; his work has not been careless but painstaking. He has followed all things accurately for a long time. He has not been hasty in his work. And, as a result, his work is trustworthy.

In v.1 Luke uses the word fulfilled. This word is sneaky because it references the work the Lord Jesus accomplished to provide you and me with a personal relationship with God. In order for us to have a relationship with God, the Lord Jesus had to sustain or fulfill in every way the truth. Having done so, He made it possible for us to be forgiven and thus be born again. Our born again status enables us to have this personal relationship with God.

In addition, in v.1, Luke guards us against two errors in studying the Gospels. One is the error that our belief in the inspiration of the Bible implies that each writer got all of his narrative directly from God by dictation. Luke shows clearly that he wrote his Gospel on the basis of sources and research. So inspiration means that God chose Luke and guided him in his writing so that it would all be true and powerful. 

The other error that v.1 guards us against is the claim that until the writing of the four gospels, Jesus' teaching and works were only passed down orally. If, as Luke says, many had earlier written down accounts of Jesus' sayings and deeds, then there is no reason to think people had not done this from the beginning. So the first thing Luke stresses is the number of his sources: there are many, including Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus.

We read in v.2, "just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word." Luke's writings of what the Lord Jesus said and did were quality resources because eyewitnesses were involved. Luke includes himself among those who received reports directly from the eyewitnesses. So not only are there many sources which he can use to corroborate each other, but even better, he has had direct access to the eyewitnesses themselves.

The eyewitnesses were the apostles and Mary. We can see this from the way Luke describes the work of the apostles in Acts, who had the task of bearing witness to what they had seen and of ministering the word, which probably means preserving the sayings and deeds of the Lord Jesus, and teaching it to the churches.

The third Gospel presents the Lord Jesus as the Son of man which was the Lord's favorite title for Himself, one He used more frequently than any other name. In Matthew the emphasis is upon the Lord Jesus as king. In Mark we see Him as the servant of God. Here, in Luke, He is the Son of Man.

The thesis to the Gospel, which forms a brief outline of the book, is found in Luke 19:10, where we read, "The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."  

In this one verse we have the divisions of this Gospel. First, the Son of man came, and, in the beginning of this Gospel, Luke tells us how He came to earth as a man. Then, He came to seek. The first part of His ministry consists of seeking man out. Finally, He moves on to save by means of His cross and resurrection.

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We will begin our verse by verse study of the Gospel according to Luke on Monday, 3/23/2020

We will begin our verse by verse study of the Gospel according to Luke on Monday, 3/23/2020.

But first, four unique things about LUKE

1. Luke is the longest Gospel (and New Testament book)

If you were to judge book length based on the number of chapters, you'd walk away thinking that Matthew and Acts are longer than Luke. After all, they both have 28 chapters and Luke's Gospel only contains 24.

But with a word count of 19,482, Luke's is actually the longest. Acts has 18,450 Greek words, while Matthew's contains 18,346.

In fact, even though Paul wrote the most books in the New Testament (13) followed by John (5), Luke is actually the New Testament's most prolific author by sheer volume.

2. Luke is the only Gospel written by a Gentile

While debate still abounds, it's traditionally accepted that Luke was a Greek, and the only Gentile author of a Gospel. Not only is Luke considered the only Gentile writer, but both Luke and Acts (traditionally considered one work) were written to share the story of Christ and the rise of the church with "Theophilus."

There are a number of theories into this person's identity, most of them assuming Theophilus to be a high-ranking or prominent Gentile himself—making Luke the only Gospel written by a Gentile for a Gentile audience.

3. Luke was a physician

In the fourth chapter of Paul's letter to the Colossians, he calls Luke a doctor (4:14). You can also see evidence of Luke's profession in the medical language he uses. In Acts 28:8, Luke says:

"His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him" (New International Version).

The Greek Luke uses for "suffering from fever and dysentery" (puretois kai dusenterio sunechomenon) is the actual correct medical terminology that one might find in the works of Hippocrates. In Luke 14, we encounter a man with dropsy. Luke uses the word hudropikos, which occurs nowhere else in the Bible but can also be found in Hippocratic writings.

It's interesting to note that in Mark's account of the bleeding woman, he makes the following statement:

"She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse" (Mark 5:26, NIV).

Luke's version seems to leave a better impression of the medical community:

"And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her" (Luke 8:43, NIV).

4. Luke features unique and well-known parables

Each of the Gospels features some unique stories, elements and teachings, but Luke is particularly packed with interesting and distinct parables. These include the parable of the prodigal son (15:11–32) and the good Samaritan (10:29–37).

Here are some other parables that are limited to Luke's Gospel:

Parable of two debtors (7:40–43)
Parable of the friend at midnight (11:5–8)
Parable of the rich fool (12:13–21)
Parable of punishment (12:47–48)
Parable of the barren tree (13:1–9)
Parable of the lost coin (15:8–10)
Parable of the shrewd manager (16:1–12)
Parable of the rich man and Lazarus (16:19–31)
Parable of the persistent widow (18:1–8)

Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (18:9–14)

Philippians 4:18-23

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18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. 22 All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. ~ Philippians 4:18-23

In v.18, Paul reminds the Philippians believers, due to their obedience to God's leading, he is fully supplied. Paul switches from the language of commerce to the language of worship. He sees their gift not only as their investment in his ministry, he sees it as an act of worship. 

The Philippians had given out of their poverty, out of their lack. In response, Paul reminds them that God will supply their every need, abundantly, according to His riches in Christ Jesus. We must take this in its proper context. 

The Lord promises to meet our needs, not our wants. It is according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. There are three kinds of riches mentioned in the Bible. There are the riches of His goodness (Romans 2:4) which are available to all men everywhere. The sun shines and the rain falls upon all. Then there are the riches of His grace (Ephesians 2:7) which is available only to those who admit their need for a Savior, who realize they are poor in spirit and have no way to save themselves. After they receive the free gift of salvation from God, His grace takes over and supplies them all they need. Then there is "the riches of his glory" in Christ Jesus. This is only available to those who have passed from the darkness into the light, those who have a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. 

The "riches of his glory" is beyond our ability to comprehend. Therefore we can never ask for more than He can give.  When we come to God for a genuine need and ask His supply, He inevitably does more than we ask, for our limits are not His.

The Apostle Paul's confidence is firmly in God, even though, most often, He uses humans to meet his needs. As we mentioned in our last blog, when the Philippians gave to Paul, they gave out of their need. Because of this, they now had a great need themselves.

When we see our possessions as belonging to God and we are willing to part with them so that the gospel of God can advance, we have surrendered our lives to God, and God is pleased. When we part with money as a costly sacrifice, we do so for the sake of the advancement of the gospel.

In v.19, the Apostle encourages the Philippians that God will meet their needs out of His riches in glory. He redirects them from their circumstances back to God, who is able to supply. This is the point of ALL of life, whether good or bad.

God meets our needs, literally, “according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” “Glory” is a reference to God’s sovereignty. He has an abundant supply of riches. These riches are made available in and through the Lord Jesus. Paul says that God is not only able to meet needs but that He does so in a way that is commensurate with His riches in Christ.

Paul knows that God will do this because he has put God to the test and he knows and trusts that the promises of God are true. If we want to find true contentment, we must trust the promises of God. Im learning that God knows my needs better than I. Also, His timing is perfect, and He rarely blesses me with just me in mind.

In Paul's conclusion in v.21-23, we are reminded that Philippians is about joyful and adventurous Christianity. We see that “Caesar’s household” came to faith in the Lord Jesus. This is the point of all things, that people come to faith in Him and grow in their personal relationship with the Lord. Paul's presence and ministry in that Roman prison aided in “Caesar’s household” being converted to the Lord Jesus. The gospel had penetrated the heart of Rome’s power structure: the household of Caesar. 

No matter how powerful the opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel is more powerful. It can penetrate the household of the fiercest tyrant or the heart of the most stalwart atheist. Where might you go with the powerful proclamation that Jesus is Lord? Everywhere

Yet again, we are reminded that the secret to contentment lies in trusting God's promises, and being invested in His ministry. If we are going to find true, lasting contentment, we must take our eyes off of ourselves and put them on the Lord Jesus. We must find our hope and strength in Him. As we learn to do this, we will be able to say, along with Paul, that we have learned the secret to being content in any and every circumstance.

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Philippians 4:14-17

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14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. ~ Philippians 4:14-17

The Apostle Paul is a prisoner in Rome. According to v.14-17, the Believers in Philippi learned of a financial need that he had. So, they, out of love, send a man named Epaphroditus who comes all the way to Rome from Philippi to deliver a gift to Paul. It was a sacrificial gift. To add to this, the Philippians were fairly poor, they did not have much.  What they did have, due to their accurate theology, they sacrificially shared with Paul.

People who have less give more because, having gone through their own struggles, they are more compassionate and more sensitive to the needs of others. Others say that the poor give more because they require less to be happy. When we have just a little, we are thankful for what we have. But with every step we take up the ladder of success, abundance clouds our minds and gets us into a state of never being satisfied.

The verb translated “share,” in v.14, is related to the noun translated “partnership” in Phillipians 1:5, "because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." This noun is used of a business partnership. The enterprise Paul has in mind here is the spread of the gospel. And so, the Philippians partnered with Paul, financially, to advance the gospel.

When we suffer, we want to know that we are not going through it alone. Paul is suffering, but he’s not alone. The Philippians, through their partnership with Paul, are aiding him in the advancement of the gospel. Paul’s friends in Philippi knew what he was going through and they gave as God enabled them. It is the gospel that creates this kind of partnership.

When we seek to advance the gospel, we will often have to endure great hardship. When we support those in the trenches with our prayers and with our finances, we share in their troubles. Each and every supporter becomes an important person to the ministry, sharing in handling the obstacles. 

The Apostle Paul sought the fruit that comes from the gift rather than the gift itself. He is not so excited about the money he received, which would have allowed him to buy the essentials that he needed to survive. This enabled him to be the most excited about the advancement of the gospel.

We know that Paul’s ministry was fruitful while he was in prison. The Gospel went forth, and the kingdom of God was advanced. Later, in Philippians 4:22, we learn that the Gospel had made its way into the household of Caesar, the highest echelon of society. Paul’s passion was fruitful ministry. Contentment comes from trusting in the providence of a sovereign God.  It comes from being satisfied with Him who expresses Himself for the well-being of others.

Biblical contentment is the product of giving our hearts to the Lord on a daily basis, thus being defined by Him. As we give our hearts to Him, He gives His heart to us, and ministry becomes our second highest priority. No change in circumstances can take that from us. As long as we give ourselves to God to be used by Him, we can be truly content in knowing that our lives are being invested in that which impacts eternity for the good.

We will never know contentment until we give up designing our own agenda and lose ourselves in preoccupation with the the Lord's will and the well-being of others.  Paul prayed in Philippians 1:9 which reads, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight." Contentment belongs to those who are not demanding that everything in life fit their personal agenda, who are more concerned with others than themselves.

In v.17, the Apostle shares his joy with the believers in Philippi because in v.10, we read, “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.” Paul wasn't most interested in the money, he was most interested that the believers in Philippi were growing in their heart relationship with the Lord Jesus and many were going from the darkness to the light. In this he was preoccupied with the well-being of the Philippians walk with the Lord. Paul was overjoyed because the Philippians gave sacrificially, enabling them to grow spiritually.

Like the Apostle Paul, the Philippians believers grew in their knowledge of the Lord because of their desperation for fellowship with Him. He became their daily bread. He was not their priority, He was the priority.   

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Philippians 4:10-13

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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. ~ Philippians 4:10-13

You will remember that in every chapter of Philippians Paul accentuates a potential joy stealer and something unique about the Lord Jesus that makes those joy stealers useful to us in our deepening relationship with Him. When we put together all of these uniquenesses about the Lord, we arrive upon the Lord's definition of joy. 

In Philippians 1, the joy stealer is our prisons and the unique thing about the Lord Jesus is His life. in Philippians 2, the joy stealer is people and the unique about the Lord Jesus is His way of thinking and living. In Philippians 3, the joy stealer is our pedigree and our possessions and the unique thing about the Lord Jesus is that He is our pursuit. And here in Philippians 4, the joy stealer is our problems and the unique thing about the Lord Jesus is He is our contentment or satisfaction.

Even though the Apostle Paul expresses gratitude for the gift sent from the Philippian Christians, he wants to make it clear that his contentment was in his personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. When he was hungry, he was content. When he had plenty, he was content. In whatever situation he found himself, he was content. The circumstances didn't define him, the Lord Jesus did because the circumstances drove Him deeper in the Lord.

The words “at last” in v.10 instruct us on how to receive a financial gift. When someone gives us a gift, we must not focus on the gift. It’s not about the stuff; it’s about the person who gave the gift. We rejoice in their partnership in the ministry. We must focus on the fact that the one who contributed did so out of obedience to God.

In v.11 Paul says he has “learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” He is not dependent on the circumstance nor the Philippians’ gift. Paul's partnership with the believers in Philippi is not based on their usefulness to him. Paul values the Philippians for who they are, not what they can do for him. The key to this whole arrangement is that Paul is content whether or not the Philippians support him financially.

In v.12, Paul explains the circumstances in which he has found himself. He has been “in any and every situation,” from having much to having little. He did not learn to be content in any and every situation apart from being in those situations. He has “learned the secret” of being "in Christ" in those situations.

In v.12, the word translated “learned the secret” is different from the word translated “learned” in v.11. Paul utilizes these concepts from the pagan world in which the Philippians lived and invests them with a different meaning. Biblical faith teaches reality is only found in a personal relationship with Christ.

Literally, Paul is able to be content “in” Christ. The word “in” was also used in v.11, where Paul said he had learned “in” his circumstances to be content. At the same time that he is “in” conditions that would seem unfavorable to contentment, he is also “in” Christ. Christ is with him in the situations. This makes all the difference.

In v.13 we are given one of the most often-quoted verses in the Bible. We don’t train for contentment. The secret of contentment is discovered in the pronoun “him” which is a reference to the Lord Jesus. The only way to be truly content is to develop Christ-sufficiency. Giving up our hope of self-sufficiency, we must develop Christ-sufficiency. We have to learn to rely on His strength and involvement in our lives.

When Paul says he can “all things,” he doesn’t mean that he can literally do everything. To do everything has to do with being content in all circumstances. The word translated “all things” was also used twice in v.12 in the phrase translated “whatever the circumstances.” Paul is saying that he is able to be content in all situations. And remember where he is writing this letter from: prison.

Our ability to be content in any and every situation is connected with our relationship with the Lord Jesus. Whatever circumstances we are “in,” Christ is with us in it. When we walk with Christ in any and every situation, an intimacy with Him develops that touches the deepest longings of our hearts. 

When Christ's life and His way of thinking and living, and He becomes our pursuit, and our contentment or satisfaction, we will be defined by His Joy.

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Philippians 4:8-9

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8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. ~ Philippians 4:8-9

In our previous blog, we considered Philippians 4:6-7 which reads, "6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

I recap these two verses because today's text is couched in going from "the peace of God" (v.7) to "the God of peace." (v.9). It is that which we discover in v.8 that enables us to experience more intimacy in our walk with the Lord.

That which defines our thinking is that which determines our living. It is in this context of deeper intimacy and subsequent spiritual maturity, the Apostle Paul addresses the issues that divide us. Due to our immaturity, we focus on the differences. On the one hand, we want to be faithful to the Bible. On the other, we want to care about people.

This doesn't mean we don't work through our conflicts. It means that as we do work through them, we remember that in Christ, we are on the same team. We have far more in common than we possibly have different.

Spiritual stability is experienced through peace, joy, humility, faith, and gratitude. And when our lives are characterized by these spiritual attitudes, we will be able to experience difficulty and not lose our balance in our efforts to honor the Lord and love people.

When we put our theology or our passion for justice above knowing Christ, we have made a serious mistake. Nothing must compare to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. Nothing. However, what is the use to loving God if we are not loving our neighbor?


Ironically, those things that would render us unstable like persecution, hostility, rejection, testings, trials, are useful to God as He cements into our lives spiritual stability. And, if we want to be spiritually stable, we must be defined by His way of thinking and living.  

In v.8, the Apostle Paul highlights another essential key to being spiritually stable. There are seven things that aid us in our attempt to be more intimate with God. These seven qualities take us from experiencing the peace of God to knowing more deeply, the God of peace.

First, in v.8, we read, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true.” In John 17:17, we read,  “Your Word is truth.”  To know the truth, we go to the Word of God. If we think on whatever is true, we are going to drill deeply into the Word of God. 

Second, Paul writes, “Whatever is noble,” which means whatever is dignified, lofty, and not trashy.  The word, "noble" comes from the root word for worship. Whatever is worthy of awe, whatever is held in high regard, whatever is greatly respected, whatever is worthy of adoration, that’s what we must think about.  

Third, Paul writes, “Whatever is right” or righteous.  Whatever is in perfect harmony with the eternal, and unchanging God. The word "right" means to think on what is consistent with the character of God.

Fourth, Paul implores us to think upon "whatever is pure." The word "pure" means that which is morally clean, or undefiled.  

Fifth, Paul writes, think upon “whatever is lovely,”  which means winsome, pleasing, attractive, amiable. 

Sixth, think upon "whatever is admirable." This word means whatever is sweet or gracious or generous or patient.  

And then, seventh, he writes, “if anything is excellent or praiseworthy.” This phrase conveys the idea that something is eminently good, valuable beyond value. At its root, it even carries the idea of valor; something worthy of intrinsic praise or virtue.

Spiritual stability is a product of cultivating peace by resting on a confident trust in the Lord, reacting to problems with thankful prayer, and all of this flows out of focusing on godly virtues that begin to dominate our thinking and impact our behavior.

In v.9, we read, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.” Paul reminds us that he is a model of his teaching, as he overcame his troubles, persecutions, difficulties, testings, and maintained spiritual stability. 

In the middle of a conflict, we can know the Lord Jesus more deeply in and through our struggles with others on a daily basis. And, if we focus on the good, love one another, and make as our priority knowing Christ deeply, we will find it difficult to feed the flesh which is what prevents us from experiencing real joyful unity.

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