Philippians 1:3-11 - Thanksgiving and prayer for believers
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A few weeks ago we started in Philippians and started with the greeting, the first couple verses. We’ll be continuing on through verses 3-11 today in Philippians chapter 1. Through these next verses we will continue to feel the joy that Paul has and how much he loves these believers in Philippi. These verses are filled with thanksgiving, prayer, and encouragement to the people. It’s something he commonly does in his letters. Sometimes encouragement is done along with correction. But as we talked about last time, this letter is not about correction, he is encouraging them in the growth he’s already seen from them and praying they continue to grow.
Let’s read Philippians 1:3-11 now.
3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
Right away here you see, thankfulness and prayer. Every time they came to his mind Paul was thankful and praised God for them. Last week Larry you mentioned the fact that we can be giving God praise throughout the day no matter what you’re doing. There is definitely a time for prayer in silence, away from everything, and a time to gather to praise God as we are now. But there’s always a time to stop for a second and acknowledge God’s goodness. To give him praise and thanks. That’s what Paul did. Paul started many churches, I’m sure he was constantly praising God. And his thankfulness for these people, was accompanied with prayer to God for them. And he did it with joy.
Paul was living out what he told others to do. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 he writes:
17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
The reason why Paul was always so joyful, and specifically for the people in Philippi, is found in verse 5. It was because of the partnership they had through the gospel. He says “you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now”. Now in partnering to spread the Good News is not only them sharing the Good News where they lived but it was also through their support of Paul. One of the reasons for this letter as well is because one of the members was visiting Paul and giving him a financial gift. They were supporting him with their resources. There’s a lot of ways to help spread the Good News, and it is important to be ready speak the Good News to others and explain your faith, but the giving of resources to others who are going out to spread the Good News is absolutely a way to participate.
In verse 6 Paul talks good works within the people at Philippi. He talks about a beginning and an end. What he’s talking about here and what will be mentioned later as well is that process of sanctification. These are believers, they’ve been saved and are eternally secure, Paul is talking about their spiritual growth. And there’s two things he mentions about it. First, the good works are the results of God’s work in them, it is only by Him and to glorify Him that they and all believers produce good works. Second, it’s a process. He says he’s confident God will continue his work within them. We all know our relationship with God is a daily walk, never the same.
One thing that some believe Paul is referencing in their good works is their giving. In one of Paul’s other letters, he talks about the Church of Philippi as an example of generous givers.
7 Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.
At the beginning of the chapter in 2 Corinthians 8 he talks about the church of Philippi going through many troubles and being very poor, but yet having abundant joy and giving generously.
So this is one of the fruits that Paul knows God is strongly developing in the church of Philippi.
There’s many spiritual gifts, but here Paul recognizes the importance of them all and doesn’t glorify one over another. The people were as Paul says excelling in many ways, but he says look at this little church of Philippi and be like them in your giving. There’s so many ways to participate and serve the Body of Christ, and none is exalted more than another. Every spiritual gift is from the same source and they all have the same purpose. They are from God and they are to glorify God.
Verses 7 and 8 continue with Paul pouring out his heart to these believers. Verse 7 is similar to verse 5, expounding on how they are partners with him. Their support and love for each other because of their unity in Christ is not affected by their circumstances. Paul was imprisoned and they made sure to help him and encourage him. Even though they had many problems of their own where they lived. And Paul through all his circumstances prayed and gave thanks for them to God. Verse 8 is really Paul trying to emphasize the love he has for them.
We’ll read it again:
“God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.” He can’t tell them enough, he writes “God is my witness” and He knows how much I love you. And when he writes “with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus”. He’s saying the love he has is the love of Jesus pouring out through him. He’s emphasizing the intense love he has for them as a body of believers, the love is from God because of their unity in Christ.
Paul’s life was committed to spreading the Good News, and another letter that expounds on the love he has for believers is in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20.
19 After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20 Yes, you are our pride and joy.
We know Paul was excited to go to heaven, after all he said to die is gain. But he says his proud reward is the ones who God spoke to through him and believed the Good News. Paul loved on people so much, and his main concern was always their spiritual life. How their walk with God was. Because he knew what was most important.
Verse 9-11 is Paul now encouraging them to continue to walk in the faith. The first two things he encourages and prays for growth in them is their love for each other as a body of believers and their knowledge and understanding of God.
It makes sense that Paul encouraged them in this way when you think about what Jesus said about the most important command.
37 Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Pursue God above all through his Word and love on each other. Now how to love the body of believers is probably an entire topic in itself, but to just expand a little bit on it. I think much of the time when we think of love we think “be nice”. Now, kindness is definitely a part of it, but correction is as well. You correct out of love. Why do all loving parents discipline and correct their children? I doubt it’s because they think it’s fun, but rather out of love. There’s obviously many other things that go into loving someone in this way, but in order to understand the best way to show love to a believer, or really anyone, it is by knowing the Word.
We also must read the Word to feed our spiritual life. To continue to grow in Christ. Paul was writing to people that were saved, but he didn’t say well you’re secured so don’t bother with knowing anymore. He encouraged them to continue to grow in understanding of God, not because they would lose salvation if they didn’t, but because that is what we should be doing as Christians to grow our faith and strengthen our relationship with God. And as Paul writes, that will help them understand what really matters in life. He wants the process of sanctification to continue on in their lives, as we should for each other. In verse 11 he refers to it as the fruits of your salvation, the righteous character from Christ, which as we know is the fruits of the Spirit which can be read about in Galatians.
And the reason for desiring them to continue to Pursue Christ as he works through them is to ultimately bring much glory and praise to God.
At the root of everything, that was Paul’s desire, bring glory and praise to God.