Philippians 1 “The Christ-Centered Life”

Intro

There is often seasons of life where everything that we are and everything that we do is centered around something. When you have children , everything that you do is centered around your children. When they are little, their needs are meet only through our help, we feed them, bathe them, coddle them, and the only thanks that is recieved from them is a scream and a dirty diaper around 4 AM. As they get older, we are shuffling to school, parent meetings, soccer or baseball. Dirty diaper thanks are turned into attitude. Bath routines and good night prayers after an exhausting day ends when our head hits the pillow and the reminder that tomorrow comes after and the cycle begins again re-emerges. Our children are the center of our life. After they leave home and head to college or purchase a house for themselves, our work or hobbies or even our spouses will become the center of everything.

If we are truthful, children, hobbies, and spouses do tend to make us happy. However, there are days of discouragement. Our children have lives of their own. We cant hit our driver to save our lives and the last par we had was 2 years ago. Our spouses are stuck in the same routine as us. Maybe without the golf game. And we dont feel Joyous, content, nor any kind of tranquility.

Paul in the book of Philippians is writing to Christians who are being persecuted in the faith. They are unsure of what to do. The man, Paul himself who started the church in Philipi, is in prison. They are unsure of what to do because they, themselves have fallen into the mindset that things are going to be easy as a Christian. Paul is writing this letter to remind the Christians of Philipi that joy is not from comfort, rather Joy comes from communion with Christ.

For the season, that New Holland is in, maybe this is the reminder that we need. That our joy is not based upon what is happening around us. Rather, Joy is in Christ.

A life centered upon Christ is beautiful and fulfilling.

MP: Live a Christ centered life, that is begun in Christ and seek his glory in everything that you do.

Philippians 1:1–11 ESV

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. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Christ-centered life is begun in Christ (1-11)

Paul is going to help the Philippian church understand that the whole core of their being is centered around Christ. However, before he does this he reminds them of who they are in a prayer of thanksgiving to God for them.

Paul speaks of joy that comes when he prays for the Philippian church? Why? because for Paul he understands that their position in Christ has begun in Christ and will be fulfilled in Christ.

Notice how Paul refers to the Philippians place in the gospel in verse 5 and 6.

The Philippians were partners with Paul through the begining work of Christ.

In Acts, Paul arrives in Philippi and he speaks to a woman named Lydia. His message to her focused on salvation.

Simply put by the Author of Acts, “Believe in the Lord, Jesus and you will be saved.”

This salvation that is begun in Christ is brought to completion.

What is this sure salvation that is begun in Christ?

Gospel

One author puts it this way.

“Salvation would be a wretchedly unsure thing if it had no other foundation than my having chosen Christ. The human will blows hot and cold, is firm and unstable by fits and starts; it offers no security of tenure. But it is the will of God that is the ground of salvation. No-one would be saved had not the Lord been moved by his own spontaneous and unexplained love to choose his people before the world was, and, at the decisive moment, to open our hearts to hear, understand and accept ‘the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation’. This, then, is assurance: God has willed my salvation.”

If our salvation is begun in Christ and is maintained by Christ and seen to completion in Christ. Therefore, it is all Christ.

The prayer that Paul Prays here in verse 9, is not anything less than an understanding of what living a Christ centered life looks like.

First he mentions love. “Your love may abound more and more”

If we have experienced this love that comes from Christ our love should match that. Our love for God should be immense and our love for neighbor should abound.

Do we love others?

Does our reflection of our salvation guide us to respond in love for Christ and love for others?

Second, he mentions knowledge and discernment

Our growth in knowledge of our God should grow. We know people we love.

I have a couple of girls in my class that love taylor swift…They know everything about her.

So should we know about our God.

Do we desire that? or have we fallen to the wayside thinking its too late now. I dont need to grow.

Brothers and Sisters, knowledge comes before discernment. The church far too long has held an anti-intellectual and too its own detriment. We should know our scripture and grow in our knowledge of Christ each day.

Third, he prays for their own spiritual position

Their position has changed, before they were sinners, blamed for their own iniquity. Now they are seen as pure and blameless. They themselves did not give them this position, but remember it is the one who began a good work in them who did this.

Fourth, he talks about the fruits that come through Jesus Christ.

Just as Paul talks about the fruits of the spirit in Galatians, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control, and faithfulness. There are further fruit that is produced by righteousness. A right standing before God.

The desire to leave sin and seek righteousness.

Finally, He gives the glory and praise of the Christian to God.

The Christ-centered life that is begun in Christ, only results in the glory and praise of Jesus.

For Paul, the Christ centered life transforms everything about the believer.

The desires of the Christian are also changed through this transformation.

The Christ-centered life seeks is gospel centered (12-18)

Remember, Paul is in prison when he is writing this. Even the pain of being put in prison Paul is centered around the gospel. He manages to use the imprisonment for the gospel sake.

He did this in Philippi jail didnt he.

Acts 16:25–31 “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.””

Paul is still using his own imprisonment for the gospel sake.

This gospel is so important to Paul that even in prison he is still seeking the advancement of that gospel.

The Christ centered life understands that at the very heart of evangelism is the desire for all peoples to come to know Christ. Those who understand this levy every opportunity for gospel proclamation.

Our work places, families, friends, and everyone we come to meet need to know of the truth of the gospel. They need to hear of the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ.

Often I hear, I dont know the bible enough to answer questions or I dont know what words to say. If you know your own salvation you know exactly what you need to share this gospel. You know that you are a sinner, that you could do nothing to save yourself, but God has provided his son so that you may be saved. He sent his son to die in your places, he took your sins and your punishment, and through faith you receive forgiveness and reconciliation. Repent of your sins and believe.

This is what we have experienced, lets tell others how to experience the same.

The Christ-centered life causes others to glory in Christ (18-26)

Paul understands that the Christians life is surrounded by living to glorify Christ. This is why we as human beings were created. We were created to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Paul understands this. Even though the pain of being in prison is hard.

Paul reminds the Philippians that living is Christ and dyeing is gain. If Paul is to live, then he can continue gospel ministry. Seeking to advance the gospel at every turn even unto death.

This can cause others to look at his life and glorify God. Seeing his example and sacrifice and praising the Lord Jesus in the midst of their own persecutions.

Paul desires to be with Christ but to remain for the Philippian church to see his work will help them grow and have joy in the midst of his circumstances.

Thus, they will glorify God.

Question that we have to all think of, :Does my life glorify God? Do others look at my life and say praise be to Jesus?

The Christ-centered life seeks the glory of Jesus in everything that we do.

School, Mrs. Davis.

The Christ-centered life seeks to stand firm united in Christ (27-30)

As the Philippian church is seeing the persecution of Paul. They themselves are being persecuted. They themselves are feeling the pains and trials that Paul is experiencing. How does Paul bring comfort in such pain?

first, he reminds them to let their manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

In this reminder, Paul is exhorting the church to live on mission together. He desires that the church would press on in his absence taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to those around him.

Second he reminds them to stand firm.

Standing firm is a constant reminder for Paul to give. He also reminds them that their standing firm is not a superficial power that they themselves must provide. Rather it is through the spirit. The Holy Spirit that all believers are given helps them.

Remember that our progress in life through the gospel is surrounding in the work that was started in our savior.

Therefore, we can stand firm because we are not alone, but we are united to Christ and to his church. Remember that is where our comfort must come from.

Teamwork

the church will never fail.

The gospel to the opposition is a sign of their destruction. Why?

Third, he reminds them that they are to suffer for Christ sake.

Philippians 1:29–30 “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”

We understand clearly that salvation is a gift from God. Pail points out here that suffering is also a gift that is Granted for the believer.

The Christ centered life is begun to dying to self, taking up our Cross and following Jesus. It is surrounded by death. We die to our own desires, our own cares and we take up a cross that is used for death, and follow a savior that suffered and died.

we dont suffer the same way that our savior did. His suffering and death brought our atonement from sins, where as ours is found in obedience to our King.

Dr. Akin puts it this way. “But our symbol for life and ministry is a cross, not a recliner, not a flat screen, not first-class tickets on the airplane, and not plush golf courses. You may have those things, and they may be enjoyed appropriately at times, but let’s not forget that the call to follow Jesus is a call to follow Him down the Calvary road. And Paul adds this: It’s a gift to suffer for Him like that!”

Suffering produces assurance. Remember what Peter says in 1 Peter 1:6–7 “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Suffering for the believer is marked by the same grace that comes in being granted faith to believe. Christ Jesus will see us through and we will grow in it.

We are with Christ. He is with us. He is the complete center of everything that we do and who we are.

As we surround ourselves with the gospel and we seek his glory even in our own suffering, because he is with us.