Philippians 1:1-2 Grace & Peace

Introduction: As we continue with our worship of the Lord this morning, I want to invite you to turn with me to Philippians 1:1-2 this morning as we come to the preaching of God’s word. Today we are going to be starting a new series that will focus on the book of Philippians. I am really excited about this series because as one of the main focuses of this book is the unity of the church and the advancement of the Gospel, and really what a great way to start off the New Year as the body of Christ.

With that being said, let’s dive into God’s word together this morning because I know that many of you are coming in here this morning with a ton of things that are weighing heavy on you. There are many of you who are almost at your wits end. It may be a New Year but that has not changed the problems and the pain that you have felt over the past year.

And for some of you, life is not so challenging right now. Everything seems to be going good... and to be honest.... that is ok. There is nothing wrong with that.

But here is the reality though...both groups.... when life is good and when life is hard.... we need to turn to Christ. We need to run to his word.... and what often happens, we bring all of these feelings onto the text, and we never allow the Word of God to speak to our hearts. We are so busy that we never allow the Word of God to just wash over us.

So, before we read these two verses together this morning, let us pause for a moment.... wait on the Lord and ask Him to speak to our hearts before we come to the Word.

Let’s Pray together.

Hear the Word of the Lord this morning,

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:1-2)

Short. Sweet. Easy, right? There is nothing overly complicated in these verses. For those who have read through the Bible, you have read through these words... or something similar to these words every time you are reading through the New Testament... and in particular.... every time you are reading through the Letters that make up a large portion of the New Testament. We read through them... we get the idea..... these introductions are much like our introductions to letters.

Paul is following the standard writing format of his time... just like we do. We start with “Dear .......” or “Greetings......” “ I hope that everything is well with you and your family.....” And so on and so fourth. These are just part of the custom. We get that. The introduction tells us the author.... to whom the letter is written to....and then normally ends with some kind of blessing statement.

Again, nothing overly complicated. Nothing earth shaking going on here...and if we are honest....we read them and them we move on to the “Meat” or the body of the letter.... because truth be told... we do not see much value in these words. We don’t see how these words can speak to anything that we are going through in our lives.

But here is what we have to remember....

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

If we honestly believe what the Bible says about itself.... namely that it is the very Word of God....like when we open this book, we are reading God’s actually words to us.... and that God does not waste His words on pointless things.... that in fact.... the words that we read when we open this book are meant to shape and mold our lives......these words are to change us to become more like Christ....these words are to equip us to walk in every good work that God has for us.... then that would have to apply to the words that we are looking at this morning. These words are important. These words are to shape us into the image of Christ. These words in fact speak volumes to our lives..... We just don’t see it as clearly or as quickly as we might see it in other places. It is passages like this one that should cause us to slow down and think about what is being said.

So, let’s take time this morning and consider what is being told to us through God’s word.

Body:

Let’s talk about the authors of this book first. Look at verse 1 with me...

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus...... (Philippians 1:1)

Let’s stop there for just a moment.

This verse tells us a whole lot about what we are to expect in this letter. We see the authors: Paul and Timohty...and even though after this point Paul will only use the personal pronouns referring to Himself....he still list Timothy as an author of this letter.

We have to ask ourselves, because if we have been going to church a long time we tend not to think about it, who exactly are these two guys? Again, if you have been around church or anyhting you answer this question quickly and go on about your day.

Paul was an apostle... or leader in the early church.... Timothy was a helper for him.... yeah, yeah.... go on. This is how we typically think.

We tend to do the same thing when it comes to our own lives. We tend to forget how much God has changed us. We fail to remember the grace that has been shown to us. We get so familiar with what God has done in our lives... in the lives of those around us... in the lives of the people in the Bible.... that we forget what they were like beforehand.

Remember, Paul was not always the apostle Paul. In fact, what we will see in this letter is some of Paul’s past coming out. He will talk about how he was a Pharisee. He was of the religious leaders who did not see Jesus as the promised Messiah. Paul was bent on actually persecuting the early church. He wanted to destroy it. Go back and read Acts 7 and 8 when you have the first person die for their faith in Christ.... we see Saul.... who is Paul.... staying there holding the coats of those who stoned him to death. Paul was not always a meek and mild guy. Paul was a ruthless killer...and as we read through the New Testament together as a Church this year.... look for Paul talking about this often in his writings.... Paul never got over the fact of what God had done in his life.

As Paul is persecuting the early church, when he is on his way to arrest some more believers.... here is what we read.... hold your place in Philippians and turn back to Acts 9 with me real quick.

9 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened. (Acts 9:1-19)

God literally knocks Paul off of his high horse...and radically changes his life. Paul then becomes an instrument in God’s hands to go and spread the very word that he has been trying to stop. Paul will go on to have three missionary journeys in the book of Acts and write 13 of the books that we have in the New Testament.

It is while Paul is on these journey that he comes to some towns called Lystra and Derby... Paul proclaims the Gospel there on his 1st journey. He himself is stoned by an angry mob... and he is left for dead. Paul gets up and goes back through all of the towns that he has preached in and strengths the disciples...those who have placed their faith in Christ.

And what is amazing about this is.... apparently while Paul was on his 1st missionary journey... Paul converted a young man...who Paul would often refer to as “my son in the faith” And that young man was named Timothy...who is with him at the time Paul is writing this letter.

What is so fascinating about this is.... you have to follow the timeline in the book of Acts to see this....but Timothy is converted on the 1st journey... Paul is about to go out on his second Journey and in Acts 16 we read these words....

16 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem (Acts 16:1-4).

Timothy’s life had also been changed. Here you have a young man growing up in a house that is divided. His mother is a believer in Christ.... from Jewish origins...and yet his father was a Greek. The fact that the text does not specify if his dad was a believer or not leaves many to think that at least at the time of the writings of the Bible he had not given his heart to the Lord yet. So, Timothy is growing up with these two-outside influences on his life.... and I know that many of you can know what that feels like. I grew up as being the only Christian in my home. It wasn’t until much later that my Mom started walking with the Lord....but besides her...many of my own family does not know Christ. That is a tough spot to be in.... but what we find out about the grace of God....is that He takes even this messed up situation and redeems it. We see Timothy’s life transformed. He is made new. And not only is he made new.... Paul takes Timothy under his wing and takes him with him on the next journey.

Paul is going to start Discipling this young man... up to the point that this young man will become a Pastor at the church at Ephesus...and Paul will have to write two letters to young Timothy to encourage him in the faith. The relationship that we find here is just amazing when you think about it.

But I want you to notice something... go back to Philippians 1 with me.... I want you to notice how they see themselves....

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus...... (Philippians 1:1)

To be a servant.... literally means to be a slave. Slavery in the 1st century is not like what we typically think about... although that too did certainly happen. But the idea here from Paul is that he is identifying himself with the one who has authority over his life. Paul and Timothy no longer see themselves as their own... for they have been bought with a price... as the Bible declares....and now they belong to Jesus. Jesus is their Master. Jesus gets to give them orders. Jesus gets to direct their steps. Jesus gets to lead their lives.... their role.... just like our role... is to follow the leader.

In a very real sense.... this is how every Christian should see themselves... We are not our own... we have been bought by the very precious blood of Christ... He has redeemed us and Made us His OWN. What glorious News! Now, as Paul will say elsewhere...

14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Cor. 2:14-15)

Can this be said about you?

Do You See Yourself As A Servant of Christ Jesus?

Is Jesus Christ Lord and Savior over your life? Does he get to call the shots in your life? He is the one who is in control, or are you still trying to run your life with Jesus standing on the sidelines? Following Christ is about fully trusting in Him....it is about no longer living for yourself...but living for him who died and was raised. This is the life Christ has called us to.

But not only are we told about the authors.... we are told who is receiving this letter: This is written to the church at Philippi with their church leadership....and this is the only place in all of Paul’s writing that he directly mentions the leadership in the introduction of the letter.

Look at the rest of verse 1 with me.

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons (Philippians 1:1)

Again, at first glance, we might not think much more about what is being said here... but to understand what is going on in this verse....we have to know the back story.

So, hold your place here and go back to Acts 16 with me.

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. (Acts 16:6-14)

Here we have Paul and Timothy on their journey together...wanting to get the Gospel to lost people... the Holy Spirit not letting them go into some placed. And then Paul has a dream. And we read about this guy begging them to come and preach to them. So, what do they do? What would you do? They Go! That is the responsible response. But where do they go? They go to Philippi...... we actually get to read about the founding of this church in Acts 16.

Paul starts by going down to the river because apparently, they did not have enough Jewish men in the town to have a synagogue...which was a thing...and it tells you about the religious climate that Paul and his friends were facing here in this Roman town. Paul goes there and preaches the Gospel and Lydia believes. And if you continue to read...it’s not only her...but her whole household does... but it doesn’t stop there. As Paul is going through the town, there is this little demon possessed girl who keeps following them and bugging Paul...to the point Paul frees her... and many think that she is converted, and this causes a huge problem. Her owners are not happy. Paul and Silas are thrown into jail....it is while they are in Jail singing songs...a earthquake happens....all the cells open up... the guard freaks out...is about to take his own life....Paul stops him. The guard calls Paul and Silas over to Him and asks.. “What must I do to be saved?” Paul tells him the Gospel... He gets saved....plus his household.

It is a wild story! There is your core group for the new church in Philippi: A Rich lady, A girl who has been freed from demons...and a Roman Guard. I do not know if you could get a rougher group or more unlikely group together...but this is what we see happen here in Acts 16.

And now, we have Paul writing a letter to this Church that him and Timothy helped start.

But, I want you to notice how the church is described. Look back at verse 1 with me...

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons (Philippians 1:1)

What does Paul call them? Saints! When we hear the word Saint....we think of phrases like.... “O, she was such a saint.” Or “Saint Paul the second....” Or something like that. We think in terms of people and their actions...that is not what Paul means here. He is talking about the fact that these people have been set apart by God for God....that is what the word Saint means. They are Holy....not because they have done good works or have become perfect...NO. They Are saints... or are Holy for one reason and one reason ONLY, look at the text, here is what it says... IN CHRIST JESUS.

This is what happens when person comes to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. You are united with Christ in his death and resurrection. He takes your sin, and He gives you, His righteousness. The life you now live...as Paul will say... you live by faith in the Son of God.

This is how you are made right with God. It is not through your work or your efforts. You are never going to do enough to make it into heaven on your own. NO. It is only through surrendering your life to Christ that you are untied with Him, and you become NEW.

I don’t want you to miss this either...and this will become more of a discussion as we seek to follow Christ together... I want you to notice that not only does Paul address the church congregation only.... but here and only here, does Paul single out the Overseers and Deacons of the church. There are a number of reasons as to why people think that might be the case.... but what I want us to see here is that the normal pattern of the early church was having multiple men fulfill the role of Overseer.... or we could say Elders....or more typically in our culture we say Pastor. This was often not left up to one person to carry the responsibly to care for the church all by himself. In fact, when you read through the New Testament... the elders and Pastors are almost always referred to in plurality. Their primary job was to lead the church in teaching, preaching, and praying. They were to shepherd the flock that was among them...and this is going to play out big time when we get to Chapter 4 of this letter.

Deacons were very much the same way. We see them in plurality in the New Testament, and their primary role was to be the leading servants of the church. That does not mean that they do all of the work at the church...although I am sure that it can feel like that at times...but it does mean that they helped ensure that the church was able to function the way God was directing the church.

What we have to see this morning, and maybe it would be good to do a study on a healthy church at some point, but what I want us to see is that all three are needed for the church to be functional and healthy. We need leaders. We need Deacons. We need church members...those who are committed to this local body of believers.... This is what we see at the start of this letter.

Think about all that we have talked about up to this point. We have talked about Paul, Timothy, the founding of this church at Philippi....this should cause us to ask one question.

How Is This Even Possible?

Conclusion:

How is it possible that a group that is as messed up as we have described able to have their lives transformed?

I want us to see the answer in verse 2. Look there with me real quick.

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:2)

Main Point: Grace And Peace Flow From God & Christ.

At the very beginning of this letter, we get to see God’s grace on display. Only God and Christ can take and transform someone like Paul. Only God and Christ can take someone like Timothy and save Him. Only God and Christ can start a church in a town that seems to be religious all over the place....and put a group of rag-tag-believers together...and make it function. Was this church perfect? NO. They had their problems...but did you know that this is the only letter of Paul’s that he is not writing them to reprimand them?

This letter is a display of God’s grace and Peace. It is only through God & Christ that we get grace. Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve. Grace is the idea that we have God’s favor on us....not because we did something to earn it...because then it would not be grace...but Grace is God looking at us and giving us a gift.

It is the same with Peace. Many are looking for peace in their lives, and they are trying to find it in a billion different ways. Nothing is going to bring you peace outside of God & Christ.

It is only through trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior do you get to know this grace and peace that I am talking about. It is only through giving your life to Jesus that you get to see the transformation take place that we talked about.

Listen to me.... nothing that you have done is outside of God’s ability to save you. You are not too far gone. You are not too lost for God to save you. He saved me... He can save you... you simply have to turn to Him. Repent and believe in Christ. That is how any of this is possible.

As we think about this text, before we pray together and sing... I want to ask you a few questions. Some may apply to you...some may not..that’s ok. Here is what I believe, God speaks through His word. As we have opened His word today.... God has spoken to your heart.... How are you going to respond? Let these questions guide you this morning.... Maybe even write them down in the weekly challenge spot....

Do you see yourself as a Servant of Christ?

Are you seeking to make disciples like Paul did with Timothy?

Who can you ask to disciple you?

How has Christ transformed your life?

Do you believe that God’s grace is enough to change our community?

Am I living for the Lord today?

God does not want us to stay the same. He wants to change us day by day to look more like Jesus Christ. I am so excited to study this book together as we seek to grow in Christlikeness together.

Main Point: Grace And Peace Flow From God & Christ.

Let’s let the word change us. Let’s let God’s Grace and Peace flow over you and through you this week.

Let’s pray together.