Philippians 4: 8-9 – Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

In this passage the Apostle Paul makes it absolutely clear how important it is for our living of the Christian life to think deeply—to meditate, to reflect upon the truth of God’s word. In fact, he says it is absolutely of strategic importance to the Christian life that we do so.

He’s going to point to the importance of Christians meditating on God’s word and on things which are true and commendable; he’s going to talk about the importance of cultivating godly affections or desires; he’s going to show us the pattern of the Christian life; and, he’s going to point us to a promise.

I. The importance of meditation in the Christian life.

The first thing that he does is he calls us to Christian meditation. Notice his words: “…think about these things” (end of verse 8). This is a call to Christian meditation. He’s saying we will not grow in the Christian life unless we are deliberately locked on to a pattern of meditating on and reflecting about and thinking deeply on the truths of God’s word, and things which are true and commendable.

Notice also that the kind of meditation that Paul is calling you and me to is entirely different than the kind of meditation that we most frequently encounter in programs on television and on the radio. Almost all of those practitioners of meditation will tell you that meditation is about emptying the mind. You will never find that instruction in Scripture!

Paul’s meditation is not about emptying the mind: it is about filling the mind up with God’s word and that which is true and commendable, and then working that around, over and over and over. The point of meditation is so that we hear God’s word.

Sometimes we do not hear God because we’re not listening! God speaks to us clearly and importantly in His word, and our minds are a million miles away. Meditation is designed to help us listen to what God has already said.

Meditation humbles us and encourages us, and reassures us; and especially, meditation connects the mind and the will – the head and the heart – so that the truth we know is worked deep down into our soul so that it begins to affect what we desire. The idea is for the truth to so take hold of our desires that we begin to desire the right thing rather than the wrong thing, the permanent thing rather than the temporary thing, the lovely thing rather than the ugly thing, the true thing rather than the false thing.

Paul is saying to us as Christians, if we want to grow, we’ve got to have a plan for how we are going to think on these things.’

II. The importance of cultivating godly affections and desires

Here He calls us to the cultivation of our desires and affections by pointing our desires to that which is true and right and good. Notice what he says: Think on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, excellent, and worthy of praise.

In other words, the very activity of meditating is so that you will begin to desire something better than that which is being offered to you.

Paul is directing us to consider what is true and honorable, and just and pure, and lovely and commendable everywhere—not only in God’s word, but everywhere!

As Paul is giving these exhortations, he’s not giving us the gospel. He’s telling Christians who already have received the gospel how to live the Christian life. And meditating on what is true and pure, and just and right, and lovely and commendable, and excellent, will lead us to reflections on the gospel.

III. The pattern of Christian discipleship

Paul gives us a pattern for Christian discipleship here. Look at the words that are used in the exhortations: think; learn; receive; hear; see; practice.

In these two little verses Paul has given us a four-part pattern for Christian discipleship. They are: Meditation; Instruction; Direction; and, Application.

The first thing he says is “think on these things” – last phrase of verse 8. In other words, he is asking, what’s your first step in growing as a disciple? Meditating on the word of God – deliberately reflecting upon the content of God’s word and on what is true and honorable and just, and so on. So here he begins with reflection.

Second is instruction. ‘What you learned and received from me, practice that. Notice that Paul does not think that our desires, and affections, are right. They’re not innately set on the right things. Therefore, we need instruction. It’s not just that we need to know stuff; or that we need just a little information transfer. It’s that our desires need to be directed in the right direction. In other words, he wants our desires to be instructed by what we have learned and received from the preaching of God’s word.

Third is direction. Look again in verse 9, where Paul says ‘What you heard and saw in me, this practice.’ Notice that Paul emphasizes that truth cannot simply be conveyed by a television, or a radio or a CD. You have to hear and see the truth lived out. How did Paul show the Philippians how to live the Christian life? He taught the truth, and then he lived and suffered and died right before their faces, so that they could see how a real flesh and blood disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ lives and suffers and dies. They heard and saw the truth. They got direction.

And then, last but not least, there’s application (end of verse 9). Put all this into practice. You do it over and over, and over and over again. You put the truth into practice.

So the pattern for Christian discipleship is: Meditation; Instruction; Direction; and Application.

IV. A promise.

And then comes a promise. And this promise is even better than the promise that Paul gave in verse 7. “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” But the promise in verse 9 is even better. Follow these exhortations, and Paul says “And the God of peace will be with you.”

In verse 7, he says follow these exhortations and the peace of God will be with you. In verse 9, he says follow these exhortations and the God of peace will be with you. The difference here is,

The peace of God and the God of peace. The God of peace himself, the God who gives peace will be with you.

It’s really striking this promise of the experience of the presence of the God of peace. Paul says it in the most shocking way: Practice these things and the God of peace will draw near to you and you will know His presence and you will know His peace because He has drawn near to you as you obey His word.

So let us today put into practice all that Paul has taught us and sure enough we will have the promise of peace in our lives.

God bless you all.