GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS
Why study Philippians?
Why study Scripture in general? 2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for:
Doctrine
Reproof
Correction
Instruction in righteousness
Ultimate Objective?
That the man (person) of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Why Study Philippians specifically?
• Other than the reason above concerning ALL Scripture, Philippians is a letter from the heart of a significant servant of God to his converts.
In it, we are able to discern the heart of Paul
Feelings--ambitions--methods--attitudes--his person.
Paul wrote from a Roman prison around 60 AD some 10 years following his first contact with and establishment of the Philippian church.
• Paul addressed a group of mainly Gentile Jesus followers who struggled with similar problems, issues and circumstances as we do.
CITY
Located on a hill some 10 miles inland between two rivers in current Greece. Mountains, fertile plains. Small but modern town with heavy Roman influence. Self-governing little replica of Rome. Political and geographical influence. Home of schools of medicine (Luke's home town?) Mixture of people.
CHURCH
Established by Paul, Silas, and Timothy on Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey. It came about by a special calling and movement of God to take the Gospel there. It all started with the conversion of a prominent business woman named Lydia who hung out down by the river to worship God. You can find the details of the founding of this church in Acts 14:11-40. It was a dramatic but humble beginning. Lydia and her family were saved and baptized. A demonized slave girl was delivered and saved. The local merchants had Paul and Silas thrown into prison for “disrupting the peace.” (Actually they disrupted their commerce from the demonized girl.)
God supernaturally broke open the prison and the jailer and his family were saved.
Diverse congregation.
Jailer and his family Poor demonized girl Business people God worshippers
It seemed a large enough congregation to necessitate overseers and deacons. Very loving family. Very giving people. Still struggled with relational difficulties (Euodia and Syntyche)
• Subject matter applies to Jesus followers of every generation.
Beside all of these things, Philippians is significant and worthy of study due to its subject matter.
It is difficult to trace one specific purpose -- as with most letters. Letters communicate one's heart and concerns. They contain more of the writer’s feelings. These four short chapters impart the keys to unlock the gate to genuine joy. Philippians is known as the book of joy. Paul used the word joy and rejoice 14 times in four short chapters. Joy is a significant theme but Philippians goes beyond joy. He offers the secret to joy in spite of tribulation or suffering. Within these few chapters, Paul unpacks a ton of relevant truths. We not only learn from his teaching but his life example.
Where can I find genuine joy? How can I rejoice when things are a wreck? What do I do about worry? Why am I here? What is the purpose of life? What do I need to find fulfillment in life? How am I respond to others who treat me badly? How important is status and education? How does my relationship with Jesus Christ factor into everyday life?
THEME:
Maintaining the Lord’s genuine joy of the while managing the worlds’ grating junk.
Short: Maintaining God’s joy while managing the world’s junk.
In order to maintain this joy, there must be an alignment of my life around four critical focal points which unfold in each of the four chapters of Philippians.
I. RIGHT AXIS -- SUPRERIOR PERSEPECTIVE
The exaltation of Jesus Christ
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Phi 1:20
II. RIGHT ATTITUDE -- SUPERIOR PATTERN
The servanthood of Jesus Christ
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Phi 2:5-8
III. RIGHT AIM OR AMBITION -- SUPERIOR PURSUIT
Intimate fellowship with Christ -- Christlikeness
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. Phi 3:8-9
IV. RIGHT ABILITY -- SUPERIOR POWER
The strength of Christ
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phi 4:13
When we my life revolves around Christ's exaltation…
When I manifest the attitude of Christ toward others…
When I make knowing and acting like Christ my supreme pursuit…
When I learn to operate in the strength of the Spirit of Christ…
…then I will know and experience the secret of maintaining the genuine joy of the Lord while continuing to manage the grating junk of the world.
My desire for us is that we might sharpen our focus on Christ so that we my deepen our love for each other.
INTRODUCTION
1. GREETING 1-2
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul addressed his letter to followers of Jesus and their leadership.
Paul included his standard blessing and prayer for an infusion of God’s grace and peace in the life of his readers.
2. JOYOUS THANKSGIVING & PRAYER 3-11
The Passion behind the prayer. 3-8
Motivation for Thanksgiving and Prayer
I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer
because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Paul's remembrances of the Philippian's faithful service for Christ inspired joyful thanksgiving to God.
He was also inspired by the realization that his prayer for their growth were in completely alignment with God’s will. Their consistent participation in the cause of the Gospel inspired consistent prayer. His confidence in God’s continual work in their lives inspired continual prayer. "I am confident" Perfect tense verb indicates and action at a point in time and still continuing into the present. “I was confident at the beginning of God’s work and still am convinced of His committed work.” In this case “until the day of Christ Jesus.” When God starts a work, He finishes it. There are at least three factors involved in our continued growth / perfection.
God's side of growth
He who began a good work will finish it.
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 2Ti 1:12
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Phi 2:13
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2
Individual's side of growth
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, Phi 2:12
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Heb 6:11-12
Church's side of growth
for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. Phi 1:19
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Eph 6:18
Yes God does the work but does it through individual obedience and family intercession. Never stop praying because God never stops perfecting. Our responsibility is to pray, sow and water, God brings the growth.
Frequency & Tone
Continual thanks, every remembrance, always praying, in my every prayer. These expressions of thanksgiving lead to continual joyous prayers and supplications for these believers based on a settled confidence of God’s continued work in their lives. Paul's memories are pleasant even though he spent some time in prison there.
He thanked God and prayed for “all of you”; even those who opposed him and caused issues in the church. Paul joyfully remembered their faithful participation in the cause of Christ from the very first day right up to the writing of this letter some 10 years later. Paul is a powerful proponent of persistent prayer.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Eph 6:18
This is not just prayer but JOYFUL prayer.
Personal feelings toward the Philippians.
It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and establishment of the gospel. For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:7-8
Some memories arise from the head; others reverberate from heart. Paul experienced very strong feelings and ties even after 10 years. The subject of bonding and unity appears throughout the book. Paul’s feelings arose from the memories of their support and encouragement of him through tough times. The connection Paul felt with the Philippians stirred a deep longing to see them. “Longing” = To stretch, strain to reach, finish line strain, striving with all you have. Paul compared his longing for them with the longing Christ has for us.
"bowels of Christ"
No mere act of the will kind of love. This is a deep inward moving of the soul for another. Jesus moved with compassion--wept, acted, healed, gave. Paul’s emotion stemmed from their commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as well as their proven commitment to him personally. Before we explore the actual content of his prayer for them take a moment to reflect on the passion behind your intercession for people. I think the reason we don’t practice this kind of prayer life is at least two fold. One – we are not fully convinced it actually makes any difference. Two – we have lost this level of passion for people.
After informing them of his joyful thanksgiving, prayer and heartfelt emotion toward them, Paul shared the content of his persistent prayer for them. bonding, and longing he expresses his prayer for them. In this prayer we find an outline of the kind of work that God is at working doing in our life.
The content of the prayer. 9-11
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
The core of his prayer focused on “Abounding Love”. He prayed that their love would abound even more than it had before. He was not satisfied with some -- strive for more. ABOUND = Exceed a fixed measure
Can we love too much? God is infinite God is love Love is infinite, there is no end to its development. This is an active love that flows from the character of the one loving to the need of the one being loved.
Active -- it requires demonstration. He gave His only Son. Paul included to specific guards to this accelerating love.
* "In real knowledge" experiential knowledge, full knowledge.
Knowledge without love is useless and puffs up Love without knowledge is dangerous and sentimental
Ephesians exhorts us to speak the truth in love. This kind of love is what builds the body.
* "All discernment"
We must learn what to love and what to hate. Love people use things Love things use people
We need to have our senses trained to know good and evil. good and useless. God told the people through Jeremiah (15:19) to return and “learn to extract the precious from the worthless.” On nation seems to promote the worthless and demonize the precious. What is important in cultivating a passion for people? Too often we discard people who get in the way of acquiring happiness or things. This accelerated love enables a second objective in the life of the church.
APPROVAL OF THE EXCELLENT
APPROVE = To test for the purpose of approving
It was used to certify a physician
EXCELLENT
Learn to demonstrate the things of primary importance. We need knowledge and discernment that we may know what to put our stamp of approval on. This is not for things that are moral but meaningful. This not pointing our what is wrong, but what is right. Hebrews 12 instructs us to lay aside every sin and encumbrance.
There may be things in our life that would not be considered sin but are definitely an encumbrance.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
As our love accelerates over time in knowledge and all discernment and we learn what it means to approve the excellent. Then we will show ourselves to be continually sincere and blameless in our behavior.
CONTINUAL SINCERE & BLAMELESS BEHAVIOR
SINCERE = clear when examined in sunlight, pure motives
God tries the heart. Search me O God and know my heart. All things are open before Him.
"Blameless" = No one can point the finger.
The ability to demonstrate this kind of life has to do with a powerful work of God. “Having been filled and still filled with the fruit of righteousness. Filled, actually filled, continually filled with righteousness. See later this is not a righteousness by Paul's standard but one that conforms to the very righteousness of Christ. Source? This righteousness comes through Jesus Christ. Paul’s ultimate purpose for praying has to do with the praise and glory of God. He prays that they would live in such a way as to bring God glory. What brings Him more glory than the demonstration of divine love.
APPLICATION
What about this morning?
1. Allow memories to move us to thankful meditation
2. Treasure others and bond with others to the point of longing.
Time, energy, commitment
3. Don't be satisfied with present level of love.
Strive to let your love leap to higher levels.
4. Ask God to help you extract the precious from the worthless.
5. Pray always
Remember, that no matter how you feel, we may have the confidence, as did Paul, that He who began a good work in us will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
He will help us love. He will help us know what is good. He will Purify our motives. He will cultivate the fruit that comes from right living.
