Taking Notesor

Take Note?Philippians 3:17-

21 Adapted from a

Steve Shepherd sermonhttp://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?

SermonID=65187

Philippians 3:17 ESV Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those

who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with

tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But

our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to

himself.

W.G. Blaikie says in his Life of Livingstone that when David Livingstone was sent as a

student to preach at Sanford Rivers, he stood up in the pulpit and completely

forgot what he was going to say.Although this incident would have signaled

the end of public speaking for many, Livingstone knew he must not give up.

When God called him to be a missionary, he was ready to go. Later he wrote, “I am still a very poor preacher and have a bad delivery; and some say that if they knew I was to preach, they would not enter the

chapel.”I suspect we’ve all heard a few preachers

like that. And I must admit that I have preached some sermons that weren’t worth

listening to.

Preacher J.R.W. Stott, Between Two Worlds, wrote: “Some preachers are like

the Chinese jugglers.

One stood against a wall and the others threw knives at him.

They’d hit above his head, close by his ear, under his armpit, and between his fingers.

They could throw within a hair’s breadth and never strike.”

In other words, they never hit what they were aiming for.

Some preachers can never hit the nail on the head, hit the mark, or hit a homerun in

their preaching.

I know the feeling.

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) attended a Sunday a.m. sermon.

He met the preacher at the door afterward and told him that he had a book at home

with every word he had preached that morning.

The minister assured him that the sermon was an original.

Clemens still held his position.The preacher wanted to see this book so Clement said he would send it over in the

morning.When the preacher unwrapped it he found a dictionary and in the flyleaf was written

this:“Words, just words, just words.”Some sermons are just words.

No real message, just empty, lifeless words.

A preacher took a deacon to an area men’s meeting.

When they left that meeting the deacon said, “His sermon must have been good

because I didn’t understand it.”The preacher said something like, “No, it

wasn’t. I didn’t understand much of it either.”

If a sermon is not understandable, no good can come from it.

Colossians 4:3 ESV At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door

for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I

ought to speak.

Clarity in preaching is vitally important. If the Biblical message is not clear then

those listening cannot learn from it and be blessed.

However, the sermon is not the only thing that makes a difference in our learning!

What we do to learn also makes a difference.

Hence, taking notes.

Why take notes?Because taking notes helps us to listen,

learn and retain!Now admittedly, I rarely take notes when

listening to sermons, but I sure did in class at college and pilot training at the airline!

Taking notes caused me to listen more attentively then review & better retain it to

memory! Taking notes is a good thing to do when in

church.Taking note is also a good thing to do.

Philippians 3:17 ESV Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those

who walk according to the example you have in us.

It pays to keep your eyes on, take note, (NIV) of certain people and certain things in life.

It’s educational.It’s informative.It’s interesting.

It can be quite helpful in living the Christian life.

It’s similar to what Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8 ESV Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

All Christians need to “take note” of certain

things in life.We need to “take note” of both the good and the bad and discern the difference in

order to please God.

Ephesians 5:15 ESV Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

(taking note) 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (or take note of

it)

Taking note of what is happening in our world can make a difference in your life.

Take note. Be alert. Be watching. Be discerning and seek the Lord’s will.

In our text, I think Paul suggests that we “take note” of several things.1- Take note of the brothers2- Take note of the enemies

3- Take note of the life

Take Note Of The Brothers

17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to

the example you have in us. Take note of those who lead by example.

Paul said, “Join with others in following my example.”

Do you think that was a bold statement by Paul?

How many of you would say,“Follow my example”?

It might be more like,“Do as I say, not as I do.”

1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

That little verse of Scripture got Paul off the hook and us too.

All of us could say, “Follow me like I follow Christ.”

We all do some Christ-like things, which we would like for our children to imitate…and perhaps others to imitate. But just to say,

“Follow me,” would not always be the best advice.

Mark Twain once said, “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance

of a good example.”

I wouldn’t say that a good example is an annoyance, but certainly something of

revelation to us.

We don’t always see a good example, do we?

We hope to.We want to.

And hopefully, we all want to be a good example for others to follow.

We all should “take note” of those who set a good example.

One Sunday morning in 1865, a black man entered a fashionable church in Richmond,

Virginia.When Communion was served, he walked

down the aisle and knelt at the altar.A rustle of resentment swept the

congregation.

How dare he!After all, believers in that church used the

common cup.

Suddenly a distinguished layman stood up, stepped forward to the altar, and knelt

beside the black man.With Robert E. Lee setting the example, the rest of the congregation soon followed his

lead. Thank God for such a good example. And we’ve all seen good examples in our lives,

both men and women of God who were faithful and fruitful. We have thought, “I’d

like to be like that, etc.”

Take notice of the person you’ve never heard a bad word about.

Keep an eye on the one with a sweet spirit & regardless of the problems in their life

they always have a smile and love to chat.

What a good, godly example for us all!May God help us to “take note” of such

people and imitate them!

Paul said to “take note” of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.

What pattern?The Lord’s pattern, which is found in

Scripture. We should “take note” of all godly people

in life and learn from them.

Don DeWelt was a popular professor at Ozark Christian College.

In class they say he would walk the pulpit area and even down the center aisle & have you “rolling” from laughter one minute and the next minute he would cram God’s truth

down your throat, so to speak.He always did it with grace and

graciousness.

Don’s preaching, however, may not have been his best attribute.

When anyone would meet him & say, “How you are brother Don?”

He would always respond with,“Happy, on the way to Heaven.”

Not many respond that way!

When a student had a problem & took it to Don he would first listen and then he would

say, “Let’s pray about this.”

What a great example for a young preacher to learn from!

What a great example for us all!

Listen and pray.

Please “take note” of the good that you see in other Christians and imitate that good.

We can learn good stuff, Christ-like qualities, from one another.

Take Note Of The Enemies18 For many, of whom I have often told you

and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their

end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds

set on earthly things.Paul is saying that we should also “take

note” of the bad stuff in this world, the bad people, so as to avoid them. Take note the

“enemies of the cross of Christ.”

Madalyn is dead. Madalyn Murray O’Hair is dead. When David Travis arrived for work on Aug. 28, 1995 at the headquarters of

American Atheists in Austin, Tex., he knew something was wrong: The door was

locked and a note was posted on it: "The Murray-O’Hair family has been called out of

town on an emergency basis. We do not know how long we will be gone at the time

of the writing of this memo."

As Travis, a 50-ish former Army sergeant, stood there reading the note, he felt the

anger welling up.He couldn’t say he was surprised that his employers were gone, and by the looks of

things, so was his job as a proofreader.He’d been suspicious that the Murray-

O’Hairs were up to something ever since he had opened a letter from New Zealand

last spring and discovered a bank statement for an account he had never heard of, for almost a million dollars.

And this was when Madalyn Murray O’Hair, his cantankerous boss, was always crying the blues about money and warning him

that she might not be able to meet payroll.O’Hair was always extremely secretive about the financial affairs of American

Atheists, which she had founded in 1963 and dominated ever since.

One of her ex-employees said, “She went through people like popcorn," said one.

Her son Bill accused her of preying on the lonely, the confused, and the misfits -- as long as they had money -- with the same kind of remorseless hypocrisy that some evangelical Christians are accused of.

She was the atheist flip side of the religious con artist.

William J. Murray, author of My Life Without God, calls his mother “evil.”

My mother was an evil person … Not for removing prayer from America’s schools …

No … She was just evil.She stole huge amounts of money.She misused the trust of people.

She cheated children out of their parents’ inheritance. She cheated on her taxes and

even stole from her own organizations.

She once printed up phony stock certificates on her own printing press to try

to take over another atheist publishing company.

I could go on but I won’t.All the money my mother made in this

manner stayed behind. It did not go with her. 1 Timothy 6:7 ESV for we brought

nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

http://www.dcclothesline.com/2014/11/19/son-calls-famous-atheist-madalyn-ohair-evil/

Madalyn Murray O’Hair once said, “There is no God. There’s no heaven. There’s no hell. There are no angels. When you die, you go

in the ground, the worms eat you."

WRONG, MADALYN. I’m quite sure she’s discovered her error now.

Hebrews 9:27 ESV And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after

that comes judgment,

We need to “take note” the Madalyn’s of this world.

She was/is not the only enemy of the cross of Christ.

They are all around us: on TV and radio, in the media, the newspapers, at the movies,

in politics, etc.

C.S. Lewis wrote, "The greatest evil is not done in those sordid ’dens of crime’ that Dickens loved to paint...it is conceived and...moved, seconded, carried, and

minuted...in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and

smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices."

Evil does not always take the shape of evil, as we think of it, as in a Charles Manson-

type look.Enemies of the cross are described in our text: 19 Their end is destruction, their god

is their belly, (meaning they only live for the flesh), and they glory in their shame, (they glory in shameful actions), with minds set

on earthly things.

They are only interested in this life.Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we

die!That is their philosophy.

They live for here and now.They live for self and for the flesh.

They have no desire for doing good in this world.

We should always “take note” of such people!

Avoid them.Avoid conflict with such.

It often does no good.But take a stand for the truth of Christ. Live

the faith.

Live the life of Christ.

Take Note Of The Life

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly

body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all

things to himself.

Paul is talking about taking note of the life that God has in store for us.

Three men died and went to heaven. Saint Peter asked, “Why should I let you in?

What did you do to earn your entrance?”The 1st man said, “I was a policeman, and I

helped a lot of people.”The 2nd man said, “I was a nurse, and I

helped a lot of people.”Peter said to these men, “Go right on in.”

The 3rd man said, “I was an executive on the HMO and I got a lot of people out of the

hospital real soon.”Peter said, “Go right on in, but you can

only stay for two days.”I think we all realize that heaven will be

eternal and even though doing good is a very good thing, it’s not the entrance

requirement.It’s surprising how many people believe

that is the only entrance requirement there is.

Do good. Be good and you’ll go to heaven.

A woman’s husband had passed away.He had given quite a bit of money to some

charitable organizations.She said, “If anybody deserved to go to

heaven, my husband did.”WRONG.

Wrong thinking.Wrong doctrine.

No one rightfully deserves to go to heaven, but we can go, we get to go, because of the

grace and graciousness of God demonstrated in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Romans 6:23 ESV For the wages of sin (and we all do sin) is death, but the free gift

of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so

that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not

your own doing; it is the gift of God, Acts 4:12 ESV And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under

heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Jesus’ death on the cross opens the door to heaven for all mankind.

But all mankind has to acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior and surrender to His

will in order to go through that door.

Once we have believed in Christ, trusted Christ and obeyed Christ we have

something to look forward to.

Paul said to “take note” of the life that will be yours in heaven.

A young man fell into a coma, but recovered before his friends could bury

him.One of them asked what it felt like to be dead. “Dead!” he exclaimed. “I wasn’t

dead. And I knew I wasn’t because my feet were cold and I was hungry. I knew that if I were in heaven, I shouldn’t be hungry, and if I was in the other place, my feet wouldn’t

be cold.”

Paul said to “take note” of your citizenship…that is, in Christ you are

citizens of a heavenly kingdom. And “take note” of what will happen there.

WE’LL GET A NEW BODY!Our lowly bodies will be transformed to be

like His glorious body!Most of us don’t like the bags and sags, the

aches and pains of these earthly bodies.God made them this way so that we will

look forward to something better.

One day when George MacDonald, the great Scottish preacher and writer, was talking with his son, the conversation

turned to heaven and the prophets’ version of the end of all things.

"It seems too good to be true," the son said at one point.

A smile crossed MacDonald’s whiskered face. "No," he replied, "It is just so good it

must be true!"

It is true.

It’s the Word of God.It’s the promise of our faithful God.

We should always “take note” of this blessed promise we have and look forward

to it.

Taking note of things will pay off.

Conclusion

A man was driving home one night around 10 p.m.

He had been nodding at the wheel and was nodding at this particular time.

For some reason or another, he suddenly looked up and there was a car just ahead of

him.It was stopped, waiting to turn left.

He was doing 60 mph and almost on the car’s bumper.

He had no time to stop so headed for the side of the road, barely missing a road

sign.

In fact, he felt my car bump several times and thought he had hit that sign.

When he went around that car he actually sped up instead of hitting the brakes

fearing he might slide into the other car or something else.

His house was just down the road.

As soon as he got there he jumped out of the car and checked to see if he was still

alive and no damage to the car.

Safe on both counts.

He was “safe at home.”

But it was a close call.

Someday we all will be “safe at home.” But it won’t be a close call.

Jesus saves surely and securely. However, while in this life we all need to “take note” of good things that can help us down that road, “take note” of the things that could

cause a bad spiritual collision, “take note” of the glory waiting for you at the journey’s

end in heaven. Taking notes and taking note are good

things.