Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days (audio)

A discussion between Howard Condor, Hugh Jackman and Derek Walker concerning the identity of the 2 witnesses. Pastor Derek makes the case that they are Moses and Elijah.

In these verses, Paul gives us 3 biographical illustrations of what it means to have the attitude of Christ, in His submission to God and thinking of others and serving them by putting them first. (1) Paul, himself, who was willing to lay down his life in martyrdom as a drink offering, to deepen their faith by his example (v17-18). (2) Timothy, who was most like Paul in sincerely caring for the Philippians, rather than seeking his own advancement (v19-24). (3) Epaphroditus, who risked his own life for the work of Christ, in order to fulfil His God-given mission to bring aid to Paul in prison (v25-30).

An overview of Philippians shows that each chapter reveals who Christ is to us: (1) Christ, our Life, (2) Christ, our Mind (Attitude), (3) Christ, our Goal and (4) Christ, our Strength. We see how the classic passage of Christ's humility (v5-11) is not just given to us as our example, but describes His loving pursuit of us, bringing about our salvation, so that we can become New Creations in Him, with Christ indwelling us, enabling us to have His mind and live like Him. Although we do not work FOR our salvation, we are to work OUT our salvation, in submission to His leadership and trusting in His grace. We are Temples of the Holy Spirit, and God wants to work in and through us to His glory. He works in us to desire and will His good pleasure, and He empowers us to fulfil His purposes. The first earthly Temple, the Garden of Eden, gives a vivid illustration of how God's Spirit wants to flow through us. God calls us to shine as lights in a dark world, holding forth His Word, with purified hearts and blameless lives.

We take another look at this awesome passage, by comparing it to how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in John 13. We see how in John 13, Jesus acted out the whole drama of salvation, from beginning to end, revealing His humility, and that His motivation for humbling Himself was His love for us. We see how this foot-washing passage is an exact step by step parallel to Paul's great passage in Philippians, so much so, that it is likely that Paul was thinking of the foot-washing, when he wrote Philippians 2:5-11. By comparing Philippians 2:5-11 to John 13, much extra light is shed upon this awesome description of Christ's humility. Finally, we study Christ's exaltation to the highest place in Philippians 2:9-11, when He received the Name above all names, the prime example of the principle that humility results in exaltation. When Jesus was exalted, the Father restored to Him the full manifestation of His eternal glory (John 17:5), and also His human nature was glorified, and this is the basis of our future glorification, since we are in union with Christ, through His human nature. The day is coming when every being in Heaven, earth and under the earth will bow their knee to Christ, and confess that He is Lord (which is another proof of His Deity - see Isaiah 45:22-23, Romans 14:10-12). What does this mean for those who have rejected Him? What will it be like for them in Hell?

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In order to inspire the Philippians to have an attitude of humility before God, serving others and putting their needs and interests before our own, Paul gives us the supreme example of our Lord Jesus. This awesome passage, a holy of holies of Scripture, reveals how Christ, who is fully God, humbled Himself completely in order to accomplish our salvation, revealing His inward attitude and motivation, resulting in His outward obedience. We take a detailed look at the 7 sequential steps of His self-humbling, followed by His exaltation by God, the Father. When the glory of Christ's infinite love and humility is revealed to our heart, it will kill all our pride and empty glory. This passage reveals the Gospel of Christ's amazing love for us. Knowing that our salvation was accomplished through His love and humility, in which He put our needs before His welfare, now that we have received Christ and His salvation, we are called to live worthy of this Gospel of Christ, knowing that the Spirit of Christ is now working within us to enable us to will and to do His good pleasure (2:12-13). In particular, we are to put away selfish ambition and instead walk in love, putting the needs and interests of others before our own.

Having emphasised the need for unity in the Church, in Philippians 2:1-4 the apostle Paul urges them to use the divine resources at their disposal to strengthen their unity through humility. He contrasts the 2 ways that we can relate to each other in the Body of Christ: (1) pride, selfish ambition and vain conceit (me first) - the way of satan, which brings strife, or (2) in humility considering others before ourselves - the way of Christ - which brings peace and unity. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Paul said: "to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain... having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." We discuss what happens when we die? Do we stay conscious? As Philippi was a Colony of Rome, so Paul reminded the Church at Philippi, that they were a colony of Heaven on earth, and that therefore they needed to conduct themselves as citizens of Heaven. This means that the Church must not compromise with the ways and standards of the world, and that we must stand together united in the Holy Spirit, and strive together to defend and promote the faith of the Gospel. When attacked, we are to stand firm and be confident in our proclamation of Christ. Our lack of fear in the face of persecution is a sign to unbelievers that God is with us, and that they are on the wrong side. We also discuss the 3 kinds and levels of suffering. It is an honour to suffer for Christ, and God will always grant us the grace to stand strong in the face of persecution.

The Apostle Paul shares from his experience in Rome, of how God has used him to advance the Gospel there, even though he had been in chains for almost 2 years. In fact, God has used his chains to get the Gospel to all the 10,000 soldiers of the Praetorium Guard, as well as to many others in Caesar's Palace. Moreover, Paul's boldness to preach Christ, despite his chains, had stimulated all the Christians in Rome to witness with renewed boldness. We see how Paul handled his critics and competitors. Through it all, we see Paul's passion for the Gospel, and his willingness to die for Christ. His main concern was that, whether by life or by death, He would continue to glorify Christ, by staying true to Christ, and not being ashamed of the Gospel. For this to be fulfilled, he knew that he needed the generous supply of the Holy Spirit, which came in part through the prayers of the Philippians for him.

God wants our love to abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that we may approve the things that are excellent, that we may be sincere and without offence till the Day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. We explore the rich meaning of this inspired language, and how God wants us to be full of both grace and truth, and both pure in our heart motivations and blameless in our outward behaviour, as we seek to bring glory and praise to God.