Philippians 1:1-6

Introduction

Read Philippians 1:1-6

Philippians 1:1–6 ESV

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. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 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.

Explanation

Context

Philippi is a city in northeast Greece.

Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius in Philippi, who were the traitors and assassins of Julius Caesar.

To commemorate this act, they made all Philippians Roman citizens and rebuilt Philippi to look like Rome.

It was not the capital of the province, but it was the most prosperous city.

Some of the themes you will see in the book of Philippians: joy, suffering, freedom, partnership, and military language.

Paul spent some time in Philippi around 10 years earlier. In fact, the first church he planted in Europe was the church in Philippi. Acts 16 tells us of Paul’s earliest days there - it includes the story of Lydia, the slave-girl, and the Philippian jailer.

The Text

Philippians 1:1–2 “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.”

This greeting is a way of life. Paul used this greeting with almost every church. I don’t think there is anything more that we could want for the people around us.

There is no greater gift than God’s grace.

The peace that God’s grace brings is unlike anything else in the world.

When you meet people, how can you bestow upon them those two gifts of God, “grace and peace.” Only in Jesus can we bestow God’s gifts to others.

Philippians 1:3–5 “3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

How many of our knee-jerk reactions for others include what we wish we could changed about them instead of simple thankfulness for them?

If anyone has the right to criticize, it’s Paul. God had given him that right, and he does at certain points in his ministry. But I love that even in the midst of his writing to imperfect churches - he is overwhelmingly thankful.

How often are you critical when you should simply be thankful?

Paul is praying with JOY.

You either get joy or you get criticism. You don’t get both.

Paul is thankful for their partnership in the gospel.

David Murray says that partnership includes three things: head, hearts, and hands.

Head: We believe the same things about Jesus.

Heart: We desire the same things for others.

Hands: We are working towards the good of others based upon what we know about Jesus.

When we use the word, “partner,” in our church, we don’t use that term lightly.

Philippians 1:6 “6 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.”

Larry tells a story of his returning to Christ after a long season of wondering.

He was in his senior year of college and far from God. He was a believer who knew God had called him to ministry. He was sinning, living in sin, and had applied for law school.

One evening, he had a dark night of the soul. He was deeply convicted of his sin, and he went into a state of despair. He felt that he had ruined his life and God’s witness in his life. He was unworthy of anything - and he couldn’t get out of his head that God was finished with Him.

He didn’t know what to do, but he felt an overwhelming urging to open the Bible. He opened his Bible, and his eyes laid on this verse - verse 6.

One of my greatest ministry friends, Larry Leblanc, pastors one of the largest churches in the state of Mississippi.

I want to break down this verse for you.

I am sure of this

that he who began a good work in you

“Conversion is a work comparable to the making of the world. He only who fashioned the heavens and the earth could create a new nature.”

will bring it to completion

A few weeks ago, I was going stir crazy in our house around Christmas break. I decided that I wanted to put a new faucet on our shower in the master bathroom. How hard can that be, really?

I opened up the instruction manual, and one of the first words I read was - tools needed, “blowtorch.” So, I told Erin the faucet that we have right now looks just fine, and I packed up that other one!

I didn’t have the tools to complete the job.

Jesus does.

Be comforted in this truth. Jesus didn’t underestimate your stupidity when he started working on you. He did not underestimate the job.

He is just able to do it.

at the day of Jesus Christ

Sometimes, Jesus doesn’t answer us this side of eternity. It is on the other side that we see the completed work.

Questions and Discussion