Eternal Partners

Textual Idea

Paul recognized that all believers are eternal partners through God’s good work of salvation, driving him to pray for his Philippian partners to grow in agape love, abound in infallible knowledge and insight, discern right choices, live holy and finish excellent.

Sermon Idea

As believers, God calls us to be eternal partners through God’s good work of salvation, which will drive us to pray and encourage one another to grow in agape love, abound in infallible knowledge and insight, discern right choices, live holy, and finish excellent.

Introduction

Our human body is an amazing, interconnection of 11 complex systems.

1. Circulatory system circulates blood around the body via the heart, arteries and veins, delivering oxygen and nutrients to organs and cells and carrying their waste products away and

Equalizes temperature in the body.

2. Digestive system contains mechanical and chemical processes that provide nutrients via the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines to eliminate waste from the body.

3. Endocrine system provides chemical communications within the body using hormones.

4. Exocrine system includes skin, hair, nails, sweat, and other exocrine glands providing an external layer of protection.

5. Immune system is a network of lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph to defend the body against pathogenic viruses that may endanger the body.

6. Muscular system enables the body to move using muscles.

7. Nervous system collects and processes information from the five senses via nerves and the brain and tells the muscles to contract to cause physical actions.

8. Renal system/Urinary system filters out contaminants from the blood through the kidneys.

9. Reproductive system allows for the reproduction of offspring.

10. Respiratory system brings air into and out of the body.

11. Skeletal system is a system of bones supporting the body and its organs.

All systems must be working together, supporting one another, doing their part for the human body to function correctly and remain healthy. If just one of the systems is not functioning properly, the entire body suffers. The same is true for the Church.

Text

Please turn in your Bible to Philippians 1:6-11

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Paul wrote this letter while under arrest in Rome to the church in Philippi. Philippi was a thriving Roman province, but it was also full of idolatry. Paul had founded the church years earlier. It was originally founded by converted Jews, but was primarily made up of Gentiles—non-Jews. Though most in the church were not by any means wealthy, they faithfully supported Paul financially. The church was being heavily persecuted for the cause of Christ, was being attacked by false teachers, and was even facing some internal issues.

Verse 6 talks about Paul being confident that he (God) who began a good work. What is the “good work”? It is God’s good work of salvation through Jesus Christ.

As a believer, we all need prayer and encouragement from our fellow believers. God has wired us to be connected as one body made up of many parts, much like the human body. Without the support of one another, the entire body of believers is affected.

As eternal partners through God’s good work of salvation, in what ways should believers pray and encourage one another?

If you are a believer, then you are an eternal partner through God’s good work of salvation and should pray and encourage one another. The first way to pray and encourage one another is to grow in agape love.

Body

I. ETERNAL PARTNERS ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER TO GROW IN AGAPE LOVE.

Agape love is unique to the New Testament. Agape love is divine in nature and origin…it is of and from God. Agape love is only obtained from God through salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the love that causes us to “Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind” and “Love our neighbor as ourself,” the first and second greatest commandments. It is not based on a feeling, but is decisive. It is a conscious, intentional choice in obedience to the Lord. As believers, we love those that are lovable and those that are not. We love others whether or not they show the same love back. It is unconditional love. Agape love is dynamic, as it abounds…it is overflowing with a great abundance. Agape love is continual, not conditional. It is the same love John talks about in John 3:16.