Think about this for just a minute. Here was Paul, in chains because he had preached and defended the message of the Gospel, and here in this letter to the Philippians he begins it with some words of praise and joy.
Did you know that nowhere else in the religious writings of the world, outside of the Bible is there any evidence found of inner peace and praise for someone under circumstances similar to what Paul was in. The reason wasn’t that Paul was some kind of naturally happy individual. No, the reason why Paul could be joyful in these circumstances, and other religions are not, is because there is no religion outside of Christianity that can produce a transformation of one’s life equal to what Jesus Christ does in the heart of a saved individual. No one but a child of God can “count it all joy” when we are facing the trials of a troublesome life.
16 times here in this book of Philippians do we find joy mentioned. Christ is mentioned 50 times, because this is where true joy is found!
Paul was full of joy because of what God had done in his heart and life, but he was also full of joy because he was experiencing a bond with these Christians at Philippi which is unequalled by anything in this world. The Bible calls this sacred tie a “fellowship.”
Today’s pop quiz: how many of you remember what I preached about two weeks ago? I preached about koinonia – fellowship. Here in these first few chapters we see this koinonia taking place. You see, the word koinonia means fellowship or communion. It carries with it the idea of a partnership, a sharing in common. Paul and these saints at Philippi were partakers of, and partners in, a common gospel, and together they made up this holy fellowship. Again, this word koinonia was used of the marriage bond, and it suggested a powerful common interest that could hold two or more people together. Paul used this word koinonia three times in this book (v. 5, 2:1, 3:10).
This evening I want to take a closer look at this passage of Scripture. It has been suggested that this word “fellowship” is a key to a better understanding of this Book. Paul said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you (v. 3)…for your fellowship in the Gospel.” (v. 5) Paul praises them for their fellowship, let’s take a closer look.
I. Paul praises them for a Controlled Fellowship.
This “fellowship” is “in the gospel.” This fellowship is not controlled or dependent on someone’s age, financial status or social standing. This fellowship which Paul enjoyed and we enjoy is a fellowship in the Gospel and controlled by the Spirit. In chapter 2:1 Paul mentions the “fellowship of the Spirit.”
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
When the Holy Spirit is in control of the body, the fellowship among members of the body is unequaled on earth, for then there is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” (Galatians 5:22-23) This is the “fruit of the Spirit” that makes so wonderful the “fellowship of the Spirit.” This is not a forced, regimented fellowship, but a divinely-controlled fellowship. A fellowship controlled by the Spirit!
Because this church was a Spirit filled church, the Apostle Paul could write, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.’ (v. 3) Paul wasn’t thankful for them because of their possession of this world’s goods or because of their position in this world, or because of their power in this world’s system, but because of “you.” How precious it is to enjoy fellowship with other Christians who are in Christ. God made you who you are by His grace, and I thank Him for “you!” Praise God for a Spirit-controlled fellowship.
Paul praised them for a Controlled Fellowship, but notice also…
II. Paul was thankful for a Continuing Fellowship.
“Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.” (v. 4-5)
Approximately 10 years had passed since this church had started. From that very first day until “now” it had continued.
What was the secret of this fellowship between Paul and this church?
1. Thanksgiving – verse 3, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”
2. Prayer – verse 4, “Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.”
It is an indication of a Spirit filled heart when we praise God for one another, and lift one another up in prayer.
In the Book of Acts 2:42 we find, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” This is what took place in the believer’s lives after they had been filled with the Spirit! This is koinonia! Here at this church at Philippi, there was sweet fellowship between one another, and between this church and their spiritual father the Apostle Paul. There was no conflict, no confusion, but continuance.
True Christian fellowship is a continuing experience and the Apostle Paul was thankful for a Continuing Fellowship.
III. Paul was thankful for a Confirmed Fellowship.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (v. 6)
This word “confident” means persuaded. This fellowship could not fall apart. It was established. Churches may fall apart and crumble. Christians may fight instead of fellowship, but all of this division and destruction is the result of a false foundation.
Paul’s confidence was in what God was going to do in this church because He knew that it was God that had begun the work in them. Paul could have tried to have taken the credit, but He was well aware at Who was really the One who deserved the credit.
Over in the Book of Acts again in 5:38-39, Gamaliel the Pharisee spoke a great truth when he said, “If this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest aphly ye be found even to fight against God.”
No church can enjoy a continuing fellowship if God did not begin His good work in its members. Strife and seclusion, faction and falling apart, speak only that of a church that was begun by man and not by God!
Paul was confident that nothing could come between them since his confidence was based on a sure Foundation: namely, Christ Himself. Those He saves He always sustains.
There was nothing in this church Paul criticized. He was thankful for every memory of them. He vividly pictured their “good works” which where but fruits of the Spirits “good work” in them.
Paul was grateful for this Confirmed Fellowship.
IV. Paul praised them for a Compassionate Fellowship.
“Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. 8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” (v. 7-8)
Paul’s praise for this church soars higher and higher and in verses 7 and 8 it reaches a new peak as Paul speaks from his heart.
The word “meet” in verse 7 means “right.” He is saying that it is “right” for him to think this way about them because he carries them in his heart. The saints at Philippi were not a nuisance on Paul’s nerves, not a weight on his mind, but a joy in his heart. Although the Apostle Paul himself was in prison, he was rejoicing in their “fellowship in the gospel.” In their place and in their way, they were sharing in the defense and the declaration of the gospel.
Paul wrote in verse 7, “…because I have you in my heart…” The poet Robert Browning wrote, “Open my heart and you will see grave on it, ‘Italy.’” Such human affection characterized Paul’s love for this church.
The word “koinonia” also carries with it the idea of joint participation. They were partners in spreading the gospel. They were also joint partners in Paul’s troubles. The shared in his affliction. In verse 7 Paul wrote, “…both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.”
I can’t emphasize enough the fellowship and love that Paul had for this church. Here in verse 8 Paul wrote, “For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” In chapter 2:1 Paul wrote, “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies.” Perhaps you’re wondering what all of this talk about “bowels” is about…This word means affection, tender mercies, compassion. To those in this day, “bowels” were regarded as the seat of ones emotions. Much as we refer to the heart. Paul here is telling this church that just as Christ loved them and yearned for them, so did he. May God help us to have this kind of love and compassion for one another!
Conclusion:
This fall when you see geese heading south for the winter, flying along in V formation, you might be interested in knowing what science has discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. (Christians who share a common direction and a sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.)
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. (If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are going.) When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. (It pays to take turns doing hard jobs – with people at church or with geese flying south.) The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. (What do we say when we honk from behind?) Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by a gun shot and falls, two geese fall out of formation and follows him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly, or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their original group. (If people knew we would stand by them like that in church, they would push down these walls to get in.) You see, all we have to do in order to attract those who are missing back to church is to demonstrate to the world that we have as much sense as geese here at church.
Christ was the source of Paul’s life, the Heart of his love. Christ’s heart had become Paul’s heart, and so Paul was able to love the Philippians with the very love of Christ. Lightfoot wrote, “The believer has no yearnings apart from his Lord; his pulse beats with the pulse of Christ; his heart throbs with the heart of Christ.” Paul was thankful for a:
1. Controlled Fellowship
2. Confirmed Fellowship
3. Continuing Fellowship
4. Compassionate Fellowship
May God help us to experience “koinonia” in our church!
Sources:
James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 125-126.
Lehman Strauss, Philippians (Lozeaux Brothers, 1959).
Beacon Bible Commentary (Beacon Hill Press, 1969).
