Philippians Part 5 Series

Philippians Part 5, Chapter 1:1-8

I. Servants of Christ (v. 1)

A. Doulos—slave, the servant’s will is consumed in the will of his master.

(Spiros Zodhiates)

Philippians were familiar with slaves.

B. Implications of being a servant of Christ. (William Barclay pgs 9-10)

1. Absolute possession of Christ—bought with a price. (1Cor. 6:20)

2. Absolute obedience to Christ—no will but Christ’s

3. Highest of all titles of honor

a. Moses (Josh1:2)

b. Joshua (Judges 2:8)

c. David (Psalm 78:70)

Latin – Illi servire est regnare – to be His slave is to be a king.

II. From servants to Saints (Spiros Zodhiates)

A. More than just good—holy

B. Saint (Hagios) – holy, set apart, sanctified, consecrated

We must keep in mind that setting apart an individual as one of God’s company

Springs not from the individual but from God. Primarily, to be a saint

Is not to be good, but to be set apart by God as His; but holy character

Ought to be a mark of God’s person. (Ray Frank Robbins pg 8)

C. Saints in Christ Jesus

1. The Philippian church members were “saints” because they

were “in Christ Jesus.” (2 Cor. 5:17)

2. A soul union exists between Christ and the believer. God in Christ shares His

life with the person, and a living union takes place. (RFR pg 9)

3. Alfred H. Ackley gave his testimony of the indwelling Christ in his life.

(RFR pg 10)

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks

with me all along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to

impart! You ask me how I know He lives: He lives within my heart.

“Christ in you the hope of Glory.”

4. Abiding or Burning (John 15)

5. Good for Nothing (Jeremiah 13:1-10)

D. Bishops and Deacons (1 Tim. 3)

1. Bishop—watcher, overseer (pastor)

2. Deacon—servant

III. Grace and Peace (v. 2)

A. Grace (charis) – basic ideas are joy and pleasure, brightness and beauty; it is,

in fact, connected with the English word charm.

5486 xárisma (from "grace," 5485 /xáris) – properly, the operation of grace (divine favor), i.e. a grace-endowment to edify the Church (note the -ma suffix, focusing on the end-result of the endowment of grace).

God always is the source from which grace comes to people; Jesus is the

means by which grace reaches people.

Union with Christ is accomplished by God’s grace through faith.

B. Peace -- 1514 eireneúo – living in the condition of God's peace (gift of wholeness,

integrity of being) Philippians 4:7 “the peace of God”

When people receive grace, peace comes to their hearts. Grace is the fountain,

And peace is the stream which issues from the fountain.

When Paul put together these two great words, grace and peace, he was doing

something very wonderful. He was taking the normal greetings of two great

nations and molding them into one. (WB)

The salutation is an exclamation, declaration, a wish, and a prayer. (RFR)

Grace is the greeting with which Greek letters always began and peace the

Greeting of the Jews.

God’s grace naturally produces peace.

Peace never simply is the absence of trouble. It is the ability to deal with

life’s demands by the grace of God. The person may be in the midst of pain,

conflict, or difficulty and still have peace.

The source from which Christians receive grace and peace is “God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Father is the origin and Christ is the medium

through which these blessing come. All the blessings which God bestows on

Christians come as gifts of the exalted Christ. There blessings do not come from

the world, or from circumstances, or from the inner self, but only from God.

(RFR pg 14)

IV. Remembrance and Gratitude (v. 3)

In our personal relationships, it is a great thing to have nothing but happy memories.

Not the pain of prison but joy and peace.

V. Christian Joy is presented in this letter. (v. 4) (William Barclay pgs 13-14)

There is the joy

A. of Christian prayer (1:4)

B. that Christ is preached (1:18)

C. of faith (1:25)

D. of seeing Christians in fellowship (2:2)

E. of suffering for Christ (2:17)

F. of news of loved ones (2:28)

G. of Christian hospitality (2:29)

H. of the man in Christ (3:1, 4:1)

I. of the man who has won one soul for Christ (4:1)

He that winneth souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30)

J. in a gift (4:10)

Bengel in his terse Latin commented: “Summa epistolae gaudeo-gaudete.”

“The whole point of this letter is I do rejoice; do you rejoice.”

I found the joy no tongue can tell, How its wave of glory roll!

Hymnal pg 167 “Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory.”

VI. Praying with Joy—The result of faith’s triumph over adverse conditions. v. 4