There’s a well known saying out there: "what’s in it for me?" In broadcasting we would define a story’s newsworthiness by asking "why should I care?" All around us exists a mentality of "me first." And even though when we come to Jesus we receive something invaluable as a person - the salvation of our souls.
But past that it seems Jesus sets out to break the "me" attitude in us and focus our selves outward - to the lost, and to those around us in need of encouragement. That’s what Philippians is about - especially here in Chapter 1 but throughout the book as well.
You’ve heard that Philippians is a book of joy - and it is - the word "joy" appears many times in this book and in fact the last chapter is devoted to a practical guide to joyful living. But what might surprise you is how much joy can be had by looking outward instead of focusing inward.
Before we get into chapter 1 - a little bit of background:
Background:
Philippi is in Macedonia (modern Greece), on the northern shore of the Aegean Sea.
Written from prison in Rome in AD 61
Philippians is one of the "prison epistles" (Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon)
Paul had visited Philippi about 10 years earlier
The church Paul founded here was the first in Europe
Acts 16:9-40 tells us how the church started (the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from going elsewhere)
Paul went after a vision of a man - but found no synagogue, only a group of women (signifying that there were few Jews in the city) so right from the start this was a gentile church.
The first two converts: Lydia, a businesswoman, and a Roman jailer
Philippi isn’t a church in crisis - but there are seeds of problems that need to be addressed (divisive rivalry, legalists, extremists who live without law or personal discipline)
Message in Philippians: joy, humility, self-sacrifice, unity, and Christian living.
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 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.
(vs 3) I thank God when I remember all the good things He’s done in your lives - that should be our concentration - not the things we don’t have, or aren’t doing, but the fellowship we do have!
(vs 4) The work God is doing in you is good and it should bring us joy to see others doing well in the Lord
(vs 5) We are partners in the gospel - joining together with those who have gone before us and led us to the Lord and helped us grow in Him.
(vs 6) That good work will continue - no matter what happens on the outside.
The Greek word "carry it on to completion" has the sense both of continuance and consummation - in other words - God started working with you - but He doesn’t just let go and see where you end up (like a top spinning across a table) - He is constantly working in and for you and will not stop until He has finished and you are like Him. We’ll see that emphasized in chapter 2:
Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for 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.
(vs 7) You can just feel the mutual admiration going on here - what a wonderful thing to be able to say "I have you in my heart." Actually you could translate it that "you have me in your heart" referring to the Philippians.
(vs 7) Partnering means more than just good feelings - in fact the word "feel" here Paul uses 23 times in this book. It is a word that means to have a special concern about the well being of the other person. Partnering means you have a stake in the outcome - we throw our lot in with each other - that’s why it is so wonderful to see believers growing, changing, stretching - undergoing struggle and seeing the Lord be victorious - not in circumstances but in a joyful heart!
(Vs 8) The more we grow in Christ the more our heart feels towards others how Jesus feels - wanting the best in the Lord - willing to self sacrifice in order for that to take place. It’s no longer what I need or want, it is what God wants for you that matters. (this becomes a theme of the entire book and one of important messages of Philippians)
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 until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.
(vs 9) Love isn’t just an emotion - but it is an intelligent act of selflessness.
(vs 10) The more you love, the more you have insight into the needs and spiritual level of others around you - so that you truly can "discern what is best."
We sometimes think we know what other people need - we go around telling them just exactly what to do. This kind of "busybodyness" does no good.
As The Message says: "learn to love appropriately ? so that your love is sincere and intelligent."
Loving someone can mean you hold your tongue - or you speak a word of encouragement, or you give up what you want so that someone else can have, or you give up time or freedom or money or your wishes so that you can help someone else do better.
(vs 11) Doing this increases the "fruit of righteousness" in our lives - we start acting more like Jesus would- to God’s glory.
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
(vs 12) Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and went to Rome after he appealed to Caesar. He was under house arrest at the time - in his own rented home.
(vs 13) He used the opportunity of close contact with the Roman guards to share the gospel - we too can take advantage of opportunities like that (maybe not arrest or imprisonment, but put in a bad place not out of your own choosing). Normally we would react in anger towards God - "why did you let this happen to me!" but Paul saw it was a chance to share Jesus.
(Vs 14) - persecution has a way of making us bolder to share Jesus - and this is a real point Paul is making in this chapter - don’t be cowed by the enemy or the world - you have a happy message, so share it!
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
(vs 15) Some apparently thought that with Paul out of the way they could hog the spotlight - and Paul is okay with that as long as the gospel is preached.
(vs 16) There are a lot of Christian preachers out there who are doing it to get ahead - maybe they think there is good money or something. That’s bad - and Paul deals with that in other places - but here the point is that as long as Christ is preached - then people will get saved.
So no matter in what circumstances you find yourself or what your motives are - preaching the gospel works - that’s because it isn’t us - it is the gospel message that has power:
Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel , because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 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.
(vs 19) We should pray for one another - notice the partnership between prayers of the saints and the help of the Spirit - they go hand in hand.
We too can have this assurance that "what has happened" will turn out for deliverance - maybe that deliverance is death or lost job or illness or whatever - what matters is that God intervenes - not necessarily doing as we see fit.
Paul echoes that thought next:
20 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. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
(vs 20) "My deep desire," says Paul "is to stand by Christ no matter what happens to me."
Having Jesus exalted in your life - whether things go good or bad - is the goal.
Verse 21 is one of my favorites. Look how The Message renders it:
21 Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.
What have you got to lose in serving Jesus? Even if it kills you that’s a benefit!
22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
(vs 22) Paul really was close to these people - the thought of a reunion brought such joy to him.
(vs 23) I’m often torn between the two as well - to go to be with the Lord and escape all the crud in this earth would be wonderful - yet I don’t want to go until I’ve done what the Lord wants me to do.
(vs 24) Remember - its not what fantastic things you’ve done that matters but whether you did what God called you to do.
Sometimes when faced with a choice we must, like Paul, do what is "more necessary for you" rather than do what is "better by far."
(vs 25) I like what he says: "progress" and "joy." Those are really the two sides of living in Christ - we should progress, mature, learn, grow, be cleansed - but at the same time Christianity shouldn’t be drudgery, sad and sour - there is a wonderful joy to this new life and we shouldn’t lose that - and much of that joy comes from the wonderful fellowship we have with each other.
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.
(vs 27) Our desire to be like Christ shouldn’t only be to please those that have mentored us.
"Live like a citizen" is how the Greek reads in verse 27. One response to attack is to blend in - you know - dress up like everyone else so you are not noticed and thus attacked. Don’t give in to that.
Paul says two things: "stand firm" in unity and "contend" as "one man" for the faith. "Don’t move off your common purpose" is one way to say it. The word "contend" comes from the Greek word where we get "athletics" and means "to strive at the games." One thing I notice watching the Olympic Games is how unified the teams are - all rooting for each other. We need to be that way - rooting on and encouraging each other as we share the gospel.
This kind of behavior actually has an effect on those around you - both saved and non-saved:
This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved-and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
2 Corinthians 2:15-16 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
(vs 28) Our unity and joy together for the gospel - and our unflinching faith in the face of certain opposition is a sign.
(vs 29) But notice that Paul says just because you are united does not mean you escape suffering. The more we fight against the enemy the more he will try to bring suffering into our lives.
The life in Christ isn’t necessarily comfortable, but it is joyous.
(vs 30) Our struggle really is the same - the more we fight together instead of fighting each other - the more successful we will be.
Conclusions
Several common thoughts emerge in this chapter:
God is at work in you - so don’t fret or give up!
Sticking together works - so find ways to encourage unity at all times
Appropriate love towards each other makes Christ attractive to all
Times of suffering and persecution can have the opposite effect the enemy desires - if we stick to our common purpose
No matter what happens (or whose doing it) when the gospel is preached, Jesus wins!
Find joy in the well being of others - not just on your own success or failure.
For more Bible studies and an audio copy of this message, please visit:
www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org.
