Philippians 2024 - Sermon Notes by Pastor Dwayne Beavers of Harvest Fellowship, A Calvary Chapel

  Philippians 4:10-23 — Learning to Be Content As we grow up, we pick up many traits that help shape who we are. We learn a work ethic, patience, boldness, confidence, self-discipline—and contentment. But contentment? That’s one of the hardest things to learn. I remember back in September 1985 when the new Nintendo Entertainment System was all the rage—Mario and Duck Hunt. I really wanted one. The old Atari was just outdated. I begged my parents, saying, “If you get me this, I won’t ever ask for anything else. I’ll be content.” Sound familiar? October 1985 came around, and I got that Nintendo for my 6th birthday. It was amazing! But no save games—you had to be a real gamer to beat it in one go. That kept me happy for a while... until September 1991, when the Super Nintendo came out. Now Mario could ride a dinosaur! I begged again, promising I’d never ask for anything else. Classic, right? This is the struggle of contentment in America, especially in our consumer culture. You mi...

  I Have You in My Heart Philippians 4:1–9 On the afternoon of September 11, 2001, I was standing in Nelly Sims’ house at 315 Autumn Drive in Somerset, Kentucky, doing a termite inspection. Around 4:30 p.m., my customer called me into the living room to see what was happening—America had been attacked, and the Twin Towers were in flames. Like everyone else, I stood there in shock, watching the chaos unfold. But I only had one thing on my mind: Cheri. I needed to know she was okay. Then, of course, I began to think of the rest of my family too. It’s in moments like that—moments of tragedy or fear—that everything unnecessary gets stripped away. Suddenly, you know what matters most, because it’s the person or the thing that immediately comes to your mind. That’s the real priority in your life. And here’s the thing: our minds are the greatest spiritual battleground. The enemy knows that if he can capture your mind, the rest of your body and behavior will follow. That brings us to ...

Pressing On Philippians 3:12–21 There was a moment years ago while I was stationed in Germany that I’ll never forget. I had a dog named Buddy who’d been mistreated before I befriended him. Locked behind a fence and almost daily, I would come up and feed him a McDonald's hambuger at night. Anyone else he would bite the fence and try to attack. But when I came to the fence where he was, he didn’t dwell on the people who’d hurt him. He wasn’t worried about whether I’d leave again. He just pressed forward—right to the fence, right to the present moment—because he knew he was loved, and he would be cared for. That picture of Buddy pressing forward is exactly what Paul is talking about in Philippians 3. I have titled this message “Pressing On” because that’s what the Christian life is all about: not looking back, not getting stuck in fear of the future, but moving forward in Christ. Not There Yet—But Not Turning Back Paul opens by saying something surprising: “Not that I have alre...

  Religion Isn’t Enough Philippians 3:1–11 Have you ever heard a preacher say, “Finally…” only to go on for another 20 minutes? Paul does that here in Philippians, but don’t worry—he wasn’t just wrapping up his sermon. The Greek word translated “finally” in Philippians 3:1 doesn’t mean “in conclusion,” but “as for the rest.” It’s like Paul is saying, “Now here’s the rest of the story,” as the old radio host Paul Harvey used to say. And the rest of this message is powerful. Repetition That Never Get's Old: Paul writes, “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe” (v. 1b). That hits home for me. I’ve always worked in roles that serve people—whether in homes, churches, or communities. And if you’ve ever worked in customer service, you’ve had training. The best trainers are the “annoying” ones who repeat things over and over until it sticks. At first, you want to roll your eyes—but when it’s your turn to train someone else, guess what? You find...

  Witnesses – Philippians 2:19–30 Before I planted our last church, I served in a church of about 1,000 people. I’m not throwing that number around to impress anyone—it just matters for this story. On our very first Sunday there, my family was greeted by an older white-haired gentleman named Bob Wolfe. He welcomed us like we had been there forever. He found us seats, helped our kids to their classes, and even made sure we had someone to sit by. Every Sunday, Bob was at the door, faithfully greeting people with a kind smile and gentle spirit. He’d given his heart to Jesus later in life, and you could tell he was just thrilled to live every day for Him. He wasn’t loud or flashy, but he stood out—because he quietly loved people. In a church of 1,000, Bob was unmistakable. You knew where to find him: helping someone else. When a Light Goes Out We didn’t get nearly enough time with Bob. After just a couple of years, he went in for a routine heart procedure and unexpectedly passed a...

  Outpouring: Living Out the Work God Has Done in Us Based on Philippians 2:12-18 In 2006, Cheri and I were three years into our marriage, and she was carrying our first child, Nathaniel. I wasn’t scared of being a dad, but I was scared of the unknown. A kid? Who thought it was a good idea to give him to me? 😊 I remember the wonder of those first ultrasounds and feeling Nathaniel kick Cheri’s belly. Watching God create life inside her was awe-inspiring, and I tried my best to support her even though I had no idea what she was feeling. Ladies, you have my deepest respect. Then the day came — a Thursday morning in July — when Nathaniel was born. The beautiful life God had knit together inside Cheri came into the world. He was a blessing and a light in this crazy world. Nathaniel’s birth reminds me of what Paul says in Romans 8:22-23 about creation groaning with birth pains, eagerly waiting for something new: “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pa...

  Jesus’ Way of Living Based on Philippians 2:1-11 Growing up, I had the chance to move around a lot—different states across the U.S. and even some other countries. One of those places was South Korea, where my father was stationed while serving in the Air Force. I remember visiting a Korean family with my dad to pray for their sick father. The family was very poor, gathered around the man who lay on a cot in the middle of the room. As I sat down next to my dad, I did what I normally did—I crossed my leg, resting my foot on my knee in a casual way. Suddenly, my dad nudged my foot off my knee, signaling that something wasn’t right. Later, my dad explained that in Korean culture, it’s considered very disrespectful to raise your feet above someone’s head, especially someone who is sick or in a lower position. It was their custom, their way of life. My dad wanted to honor them, just as they honored him by inviting him to pray. He humbled himself out of love and respect for their cultu...

  Philippians 1:19-30 — “Can You See Him?” My second job ever was with a company called Pinkerton. They’ve been providing security since the days of the stagecoach. Back then, I lived in Eastern Kentucky, about two hours from Marshall University. They needed extra security for their championship game, and I was asked to be part of a five-man detail to protect a young superstar wide receiver named Randy Moss — arguably the best college player that year. I got to walk this man out to the field and had to stay within eight feet of him during his interview and back into the locker room. The Thundering Herd won that game, earning a chance to compete in the Division 1 AA championship. Growing up, I loved football — still do — and I knew everything about it all the way up to Super Bowl 30. I watched every game I could. The NFL was larger than life, even called “the greatest show on turf” by some. But nothing prepared me for being inches from the men who play it. You can feel the ground...

Stay on Mission Philippians 1:12-18 Will you join me today by turning back to Philippians Chapter 1? My childhood home in Kentucky sat on 5 acres. As you get older, you find yourself either relieved or reluctant to cut grass. But for an elementary-aged kid, it was a chance to drive the Daytona 500. SONG: “Get your motor running!” Cutting our lawn was something I did every other week. I knew every stump, every rock, and every ditch that could hide under the grass. But one fateful Saturday morning, everything changed. There were squirrels in the yard! Lightning McQueen wasn’t invented yet, but I remember hearing his voice in my head, “I AM SPEED.” The race was on against the squirrels—who are cheaters because they run in zig-zag formations. So I turned the wheel in chase! As I was distracted by my competition—the squirrels—everything suddenly came to a screeching halt. I hit a 10-inch-tall stump, bending the blades of the lawnmower and breaking the drive belt. My brothers made a TV ...