I Can Do All Things, Joseph D’Esposito 4/6/2025 1
SCRIPTURE:
Philippians 4:8-13
SERMON:
Throughout my life, Philippians 4:13 has always been my favorite verse, “I can do all
things through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse to me is sort of like a safe
space. Whenever I’m facing a difficult situation, I think, “I can do all things through
Christ,” and it gives me strength. But it wasn’t until I read this whole passage, as I
was preparing to speak here in front of all of you, that I learned what it really
means, or at least a bit more about what it means to me.
Paul wrote this to the Philippians to say that they should be dwelling on, or thinking
about, all these good things, all things that Jesus exemplified. Whatever is true,
honorable, just, whatever is pure, lovely, commendable, if there is any excellence,
anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What wonderful things Jesus
was, and how wonderful of Paul to encourage his fellow believers. But why does he
instruct us to think about these specific things? Certainly there are other things we
think about. I have to think about my grades, and work, and sometimes I think
things that are good, but sometimes I also think things that are not so good. Not
everything I think about is true, and honorable, and just and lovely. Paul probably
knew that what he was saying was not easy, and I think that’s exactly why he called
it a practice. “Practice these things,” he says in verse 9, “and the God of peace will be
with you.”
I never realized I had to actually practice what to think. But then I realized, I may
have done this from time to time. By repeating my favorite verse over and over
during my times of need, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” I
was practicing thinking good things, the good of Christ, and I never even realized it.
Paul goes on to say that in any and every circumstance he has, “learned to be
content.” Whether he was in a time of struggle, or a time of great blessing, whether
he had a lot or just a little, whether he was hungry or full, he was content. The
dictionary defines the word content as “peaceful happiness” – so it’s not exactly like
that high energy fun on Christmas morning happiness. It’s more like, I just got home
after a long work day, and I’m home with my family, and I can finally relax happiness.
It’s a feeling of peace and joy at the same time. Paul is saying that he has been
I Can Do All Things, Joseph D’Esposito 4/6/2025 2
through good times, and he has been through bad times, and through it all he has
found that peace. Paul lists things like being brought low, and facing hunger. Now
listen, I’m a teenager, I’m always HUNGRY! Those of you in the crowd that have a
teenager, you know. That food bill been getting pretty expensive lately huh. But I’ve
never experienced real hunger. And if I’m being totally honest with myself, I’m not
sure I’ve reached this level of content that Paul has, although I have had some
struggles in my life to practice it on.
Almost 3 years ago something very strange happened. One night I started having
really severe stomach pains. I was sick all night, so much that the next day I was
completely exhausted, but other than that, my illness had passed. About 4 weeks
later, it happened again – I started getting that same awful stomach ache. Again, I
was up sick all night, and again the next day, it was gone. We figured it was a 24
hour bug. But then this continued to happen month after month. By the fourth
month my mom called our doctor. She said it seemed like I just wasn’t eating
healthy, and to be more careful what I ate. So, yeah, unfortunately more vegetables
made their way onto my dinner plate, and, yeah, all of a sudden junk food
mysteriously disappeared from our junk food cabinet. I was working hard to be
healthy, and my parents were making sure of it! Unfortunately all our hard work
was in vain. The very next month, I got sick again. Finally, I went to see a specialist.
He said it seemed like a condition called CVS, it was like a stomach migraine, it
wasn’t terribly common, but usually started in childhood. Since I was already 14, he
thought I was kinda old for it to start now, but we had no other options. He
prescribed medicine to help it, but the next month when I got sick again, we quickly
realized the medicine didn’t work. We then saw a second specialist who agreed
with this diagnosis but tried a different medication. This also did not help at all.
Month after month I’d go through excruciating pain for one night, only to be fine
the next day. This went on for my entire sophomore year. Then, one night in June,
11 months after my first episode, an attack came. It was so bad my parents called
911 and I was rushed to the hospital. After lots of tests and lots of doctors, it was
discovered that I had acute appendicitis and had to have an emergency
appendectomy. We had no idea at the time, but that was to be the last episode I
would ever have. Apparently, I did not have CVS, but an even rarer condition,
chronic appendicitis, which some doctors say doesn’t exist, and none of my doctors
or specialists had ever even seen a case before to be able to diagnose it.
I Can Do All Things, Joseph D’Esposito 4/6/2025 3
I may not understand the hunger and trials that Paul had to face in order to grow in
his faith, but I understand something about difficulty. When I was suffering during
those awful nights, I would call on God. I remember being so weak and asking my
mom, “If God is really there, why is he letting this happen to me?” I wasn’t strong, I
wasn’t content in all things. But through my pain, I would remember my favorite
verse, and I would say over and over, “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.” And no, my suffering wasn’t miraculously taken away, but God
never left my side, and a different miracle was made. God was teaching me to
depend on him, it was an exercise for my faith. He was just giving me some
“practice.”
I hope some day that I have faith like Paul, where I can be content with much and
equally content with little. But until then I will continue to practice the things that
Paul practiced, the things that Jesus taught him, and continues to teach us today.
Jesus was true, and honorable, and just, Jesus was pure, lovely, commendable, and
excellent... Jesus was worthy of praise. This Easter, may we think about Him, may
we practice being like Him, and may we do all things through Christ who gives us
strength.
Let’s pray.
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to us over 2000 years ago, to not only die for
us, but also to teach us how to live. Thank you for your sacrifice, for you are worthy
of all our praise. Help us Lord to go and practice these things. In your name we pray,
Amen