Philippians Re-cap: A look back, a look up and a look forward
Philippians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 4 viewsA summary of the book of Philippians
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
It has been an absolute joy to be part of the group of men preaching through the book of Philippians over the past year or so. One commentator has said that “Philippians is pure expositional gold. Many people count it as one of their favorite books because of its many familiar and well-loved verses and phrases, such as, ‘To live is Christ, and to die is gain.’ ‘God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.’ ‘Rejoice in the Lord Always, again I will say rejoice.’ ‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me.’”
The blessing for those of us preaching through Philippians is to be able to show how these familiar phrases fit together to form a deeply challenging and yet profoundly inspiring message. But as we preach through the book section by section, we can lose sight of the grand picture, rather we see many disconnected pieces.
And so, for this final message in the book of Philippians, I would like us to take one final, sweeping, grand look at the book. A look back at the background and structure of the book , a look up at the glorious theological truths of God, and a look forward to challenge us as a church as we move out into the rest of 2025.
If we were to summarize the whole book into one propositional statement, it would be this: ***
The book of Philippians is a Christ-centered exhortation to joy, humility, unity and perseverance in faith, grounded in the Sovereignty of God, the Sufficiency of Christ, and the Sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
In other words: ***
Believers are called to live joyful lives as citizens of heaven, steadfast in suffering, striving for unity in the body, living lives worthy of the Gospel of Christ for the Glory of God.
***
Well, late on the afternoon of 23rd October 42 BC, in the hills overlooking vast plains surrounding a small city in central Macedonia, Mark Anthony, joint commander of the forces of Triumvirate Rome, stood over the body of Marcus Junius Brutus. The Brutus of “Et tu Brute” fame in William Shakespeare’s famous play, Julius Caesar. Along with Octavian, Anthony had defeated the forces of the liberators under Brutus and Cassius. Fleeing to the hills after the battle was lost, Brutus left more than 16,000 dead, and he realized that no mercy would be shown to him. And so the hands that had assassinated Julius Caesar, now took his own life in suicide.
Nine years later, on his path to eventually becoming the first Roman Emperor, Octavian defeated Mark Anthony at the naval battle of Actium, and as part of his early peace-time activities, he rebuilt the city of Philippi and gave it the IUS ITALICUM, or Italian Right, which meant that the inhabitants of the city automatically become full Roman citizens as if they were living on the Italian peninsular, which meant, among other things, that they were exempt from Imperial tax, and were granted all the rights of full Roman Citizenship.
And thus, in God’s sovereignty, was born one of the central illustrations and themes in a letter written by a Jew-turned-Christian pastor to a small church in that very same city some 90 years later, where Saul who became Paul, exhorted that church to behave as citizens worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ, standing firm in the faith, and striving side by side for the faith of that gospel.
And so, in our re-cap of our study in Philippians this evening, firstly, let’s briefly take: ***
1. A Look Back
1. A Look Back
Let’s briefly look back at the background, basic structure and over-arching themes of the book.
The church in Philippi was established by the Apostle Paul in about AD 50 during what is known as his second missionary journey. ***
We read about this in Acts 16:11-15
11 Then, setting sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for a number of days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
***
It was here in Philippi that Paul then cast the demon out of a slave girl who had brought her owners great profit through fortune-telling. Enraged at their sudden loss of income, her owners seized Paul and Silas, had them beaten, and brought them before the magistrates, who ordered them to be thrown into prison.
That night, as we know, an earthquake shook the foundations of the jail, flinging the doors open. Yet Paul and Silas did not flee. Instead, their unwavering witness led to the salvation of the jailer and his entire household.
The next day, the magistrates ordered their release, but upon realizing that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens—men with full legal rights—they were struck with fear. They apologized and urged them to leave the city.
Once again, we see the importance of citizenship—in this case it was their Roman citizenship, but as we read in the book of Philippians we learn about the far greater citizenship found in Christ.
And so the first recorded convert to this heavenly kingdom in Philippi was Lydia. Essentially, the first member of Philippi Baptist Church.
When Paul and Silas departed, it is possible that Luke remained behind to shepherd the newly formed church. The narrative of Acts noticeably shifts at this point—the use of “we” disappears, Luke describes the next few chapters in the third person, and the use of the word “we” only returns when Paul returns to Philippi in Acts 20:5-6 ***
5 These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread. In five days we reached them at Troas, where we spent seven days.
And this was Paul’s second visit to the church at Philippi and it took place during what is called his Third missionary journey. Directly after this, in Acts 21 Paul’s visit to Jerusalem culminated in his arrest, eventual imprisonment in Rome, which, in turn, brought about the occasion for this Epistle.
The book of Philippians is one of Paul’s so-called Prison Epistles and it is generally accepted that Paul wrote the book of Philippians during his imprisonment in Rome, and today this is still the most accepted view, although there is some debate which I won’t go into. This means that he wrote the letter sometime around 60-62 AD, roughly ten years after the founding of the church.
Paul’s comments in the book suggest several pastoral problems he needed to address. ***
Pastoral Problems
Disunity - Euodia and Syntyche
Serious warnings against false teachers
[******* READ HERE]
First, he had heard of disunity among the Philippians, and here he highlighted a specific conflict between Euodia and Syntyche, and he takes the opportunity to urge that they be united in harmony in the Lord.
Second, Paul sounds a serious warning against false teachers, and those who walk as enemies of the cross.
He also raised some personal concerns. ***
Personal Concerns
Paul commends Timothy
Paul tells of his desire to visit
Paul reports on Epaphroditus and his illness
[************* READ HERE]
First, Paul commends Timothy in chapter 2:19-23, so that the Philippians will welcome him when he comes to them.
Second, Paul tells the Philippians of his desire to visit them once again in 2:24.
Third, Paul gives the Philippians a report on Epaphroditus and his illness in 2:25-30.
We also see that the book of Philippians is not structured in the same way as his other epistles. Normally, Paul followed this structure: ***
Usual structure
Opening greeting
Doctrinal Section
Ethical/application
Farewell
However, in Philippians, this is the structure that he follows: ***
Philippians
Opening greeting and thanksgiving
Exhortations and examples
Thanksgiving and Final greetings
Paul is a master craftsman in his writing, and we see this in his thesis statement for the letter in chapter 1:27-30 and we will see just-now how he rounds out that thesis later in the book. This is his thesis statement. Phil 1:27-30 ***
27 Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel, 28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your deliverance —and this is from God. 29 For it has been given to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, 30 having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.
And Paul repeats three key terms from this opening thesis later in chapter 3 and 4 to round out the main body of his letter. This is called the “bookend” effect - often we call it an inclusio. ***
Here are these key terms.
1:27 behave as citizens worthy of the gospel
3:20 our citizenship is in heaven
1:27 I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit
4:1 stand firm thus in the Lord
1:27 striving side by side for the faith of the gospel
4:3 those who have labored side by side with me in the gospel.
These bookends are essential for you to understand the flow of Paul’s thoughts through the main body of the letter. Everything he writes about throughout the body of the letter is linked with these important thesis points.
So we have had a brief look back at the basic background, structure and outline of the book of Philippians. But now let’s take… ***
2. A Look Up
2. A Look Up
We are going to take a brief time to look at the grand theological themes in this wonderful letter. Like an intricate masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci, Paul has crafted for us a letter that taps into some of the most powerful, earth-shattering, universe-defying, sin-crushing, soul-uplifting theological themes we find anywhere in the Bible. ***
2.1 The Gospel of Christ
2.1 The Gospel of Christ
The Gospel of Christ is at the very heart of this letter. It is the central core, the beating heart, the solid foundation of the whole book.
Jason Meyer says this: ***
Philippians is a sustained, impassioned plea for the centrality of the gospel and for its practical implications. This is seen most comprehensively in Philippians 1:27: live your life in a manner “worthy of the gospel.” Acts of personal and practical obedience (unity, humility, rejoicing; avoiding grumbling or anxiety) not only arise from the gospel but are also necessary for the gospel and its advance. (Jason Meyer)
Paul celebrates the supremacy of Jesus Christ in all things, and the centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how that gospel transforms us.
***
And the centrality of Christ in the gospel in Philippians is found especially in the Christ Hymn found in chapter 2:6-11 where we see the amazing wonders of Christ’s pre-existent state, Christ’s humble obedience to the Father in everything, and Christ’s exalted position as Lord to which every single knee will bow and every single tongue will confess.
But that hymn is not the only place that speaks of Christ’s centrality.
In fact, the book of Philippians literally bleeds Christ. You could poke a hole in any passage and the blood of Christ will flow from it.
Listen to these examples from the letter:
slaves “of Christ Jesus”
the saints “in Christ Jesus”
imprisonment is “for Christ”
confidence is “in the Lord”
to live “is Christ”
glory “in Christ”
encouragement “in Christ”
have the mind-set “of Christ”
hoping “in the Lord Jesus”
trusting “in the Lord”
receiving others “in the Lord”
rejoicing “in the Lord”
pressing on toward the call of God “in Christ”
standing firm “in the Lord”
agreeing “in the Lord”
guarding hearts and minds “in Christ Jesus”
supplying needs according to the riches “in Christ Jesus”
the grace “of the Lord Jesus Christ”
But not only the Gospel of Christ and Christ himself, but another glorious theme is… ***
2.2 Joy in Christ
2.2 Joy in Christ
The verb and noun form of “rejoice” and “rejoice with” occurs sixteen times in the letter! Whilst a lot of people assume that Paul’s joy is with the Philippian believers mainly, the fact is that the joy Paul talks about the most is joy in Christ!
These are some of them:
always praying with joy for all of you
whether out of false motives or true Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice, yes I will rejoice
I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith
fulfill my joy by thinking the same way
but even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you … in the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me
Friends, delighting in Christ is not optional - it is essential, and it is the vital out-working of our being united with him in the gospel!
And that joy flows inevitably more and more as we perceive the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. As Paul says in Phil 3:8 ***
8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
Not only is joy an outworking of our union with Christ, but that very same joy is also a safeguard, a guard-rail against false teaching, especially teaching that makes much of the flesh rather than of Christ.
Charles Spurgeon, speaking on this and other verses on joy in the book of Philippians said: ***
Paul seems to go from stave to stave of the ladder of light, as if he were climbing up from Nero’s dungeon into heaven itself by way of continual joy. May that be your position, so to walk with God that your fare shall be that of angels! May you eat angels’ food, the manna of God’s love! May your drink be from the Rock that flows with a pure stream! So may you feed and so may you drink until you come unto the mount of God, where you shall see His face unveiled, and standing in His exceeding brightness, shall know His glory, being glorified with the saved. Till then, be happy. (Charles Spurgeon)
And directly linked with that is the majestic yet often overlooked theme of: ***
2.3 Suffering for Christ
2.3 Suffering for Christ
Suffering for Christ is a theme that permeates this letter of Paul’s. ***
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is in the cause of Christ.
***
I want to dwell for a moment on the historical context of this statement by Paul. The Praetorian Guard were a body of nearly ten thousand soldiers that were hand-picked from across the empire to protect the Roman Emperor and his family. Paul tells us that the gospel had become well known throughout that body of elite troops.
The Praetorian Guard were not common rank-and-file soldiers. Rather, they were composed men from the Equistrian class in the empire. These were men from moderately well-off families who traveled widely, owned businesses and banks and farms and warehouses throughout the empire, who had significant influence over large portions of society and who could marry into the Senatorial class eventually. Some of them had been promoted from the legions because of heroism on the battlefield. The officers were almost always from the nobility, the Patrician class, and from families of senators and magistrates. Some of those eventually became emperors themselves in the years ahead.
In fact, the Praetorian Guard are well known to historians as the real power behind the Imperial Throne in Rome. No emperor survived unless the Praetorian Guard decided they would survive. And the gospel of Christ was having an impact not only on the soldiers of the Praetorian Guard, but on all their extended families! Do you see how the suffering of Paul for Christ was having a widespread impact??
But in his present suffering for the gospel, Paul also anticipated death. Phil 1:20-21 ***
20 My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
Similarly, he tells us that Epaphroditus almost died in the cause of the gospel as well Phil 2:27 ***
27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one grief on top of another.
And Paul warns the Philippians when they face opposition they must be without fear Phil 1:28 ***
28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your deliverance —and this is from God.
And furthermore, this suffering is a gift from God Phil 1:29 ***
29 For it has been given to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,
Paul also discusses Christ’s suffering on the cross and then tells his readers that his own suffering is in fellowship with his Savior’s suffering Phil 3:10 ***
10 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
And Paul finally explains that his endurance in suffering is done through the strength that Christ himself gives to him Phil 4:13 ***
13 I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.
And so, we have had a look back at the structure and background of the letter to the Philippians, then we had a look up at the glorious theological truths that the Apostle has painted for his readers, a grand vista, an extensive tapestry of the centrality of the Gospel and of Jesus Christ in all his divine beauty being worked out in the everyday life of the lives of Paul and the Philippian believers.
Now, to close our time together in the book of Philippians, let us take… ***
3. A Look Forward
3. A Look Forward
I would like to close with a short series of challenges, and then, like Paul, a final exhortation.
Can you honestly say that you are one of the saints? Phil 1:1 ***
1 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons.
Paul was not writing to unbelievers, he was writing to blood-bought, heart-of-flesh, soul-alivened, Holy-Spirit-quickened slaves of Jesus Christ. If you are not one of those saints, if you have not bent the knee to Christ, then now is the time that you do. As Billy and Andrew said this morning, whenever he preached, Charles Spurgeon would long for souls to be saved. Tonight, right now, if you do not know Christ, come to him just as you are. Confess your sinfulness, confess your need for the Savior, confess that Christ is Lord, and you will be saved.
And for those of us who are saints, the called-out ones....
Do you give thanks for and continually pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ? Phil 1:3-4 ***
3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer,
And the corollary of that is, are you such a blessing to others that they cannot but praise the Lord for bringing you into their lives?
Is your love for others continually growing in knowledge and in discernment? Phil 1:9 ***
9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment,
Do people around you see the Gospel lived out in a way that is contagious and irresistible? Phil 1:12-13 ***
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is in the cause of Christ.
***
22 All the saints greet you, but especially those from Caesar’s household.
Have you made it your life’s all-encompassing, all-consuming, soul-captivating, self-sacrificing, heart-rending yet heart-filling, mind-growing, one-and-only goal to live for the Christ and his gospel? Phil 1:27 ***
27 Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel,
Have you come to love the divine, self-sacrificing, humble, obedient, exalted Christ in such a way that you can say you have the same attitude as that of Christ in his humility because Paul tells us to…… Phil 2:5 ***
5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,
And have you done this in such a way that you Phil 2:12-13 ***
12 ... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.
Are you growing so much in the head knowledge and the heart joy and the lived experience of the Gospel of Christ that you can say with Paul Phil1:21 ***
21 For me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
And having done all this, let us as a church move forward, able to say Phil 4:12-13 ***
12 I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.
***
I’d like to close with another piece of Roman history.
The Emperor Nero was responsible for the deaths of both Peter and Paul. Yet only a few short years later, he himself committed suicide when the Imperial Guard, the Senate, and three Roman generals revolted against him. What followed was a year of chaos, until finally, the Praetorian Guard installed Titus Flavius Vespasianus as emperor.
A few years later, during Rome’s expansion under Emperor Vespasian, a military settlement was founded in what is today Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany. That settlement thrived, and by 110 AD, the military had withdrawn, leaving behind a flourishing Roman civilian city that thrived for centuries after that.
Fast-forward to 2018.
During an archaeological dig at the site, researchers uncovered a burial ground containing 127 graves. Among them was a man, aged 35 to 45, whose burial was dated to around 230 AD. His burial was unusual—most Romans were cremated, but this man had been laid to rest with care. Inside his grave were pots, incense jars, and around his neck, a silver amulet. ***
Inside the amulet was a tightly rolled silver foil, 91 mm long.
It was impossible to unroll this foil so researchers at the Leibniz Center for Archaeology (LEIZA) in Mainz used a CT scan to digitally unfurl the coiled metal. And this is the result. ***
Professor Markus Scholtz and his team deciphered the ancient text, and what they found shook traditional secular academia to its core.
This is a Latin Christian religious text. These were usually in Greek or Hebrew at the time, but this 40-odd year old Roman man was unashamed to wear a Christian text written in Latin.
More than that however was the text itself. Portions of it are indecipherable but listen the parts that we can read.
“Holy, holy,holy!
In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God!
The lord of the world resists to the best of his ability all setbacks”.
The next few words are unclear, but then it continues
“protects the person who surrenders to the will of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
since before Jesus Christ bend all knees: the heavenly ones, the earthly and the subterranean, and every tongue confess (to Jesus Christ)”.
Here we have the earliest extra-canonical declaration of the deity of Jesus Christ - not once but twice!
And it also contains the earliest extra-canonical quote outside of the church fathers, of a passage in the New Testament! And this from the book of Philippians! Paul’s Christ hymn of Philippians 2:10-11.
This Roman citizen, likely a well-known figure in the city of Nida, perhaps a merchantman or business owner who could afford to carry an expensive silver amulet and to be buried instead of cremated, this Roman believer was not ashamed of the Gospel in a city where worship of the Emperor and of the Roman god Mithras was widespread, especially amongst soldiers and merchants. But this brother in Christ was not ashamed of the gospel. His witness 1800 years ago is causing shock-waves to emanate through 21st century academia. This man could never even have dreamed how his love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would impact the world in the early 21st century!!
All because he read his bible.
Because his life was saved by the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.
Because he lived his life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ Jesus.
Because he made his own attitude that of Christ Jesus.
And he did it because of his savior, Phil 2:10-11 ***
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth — 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
***
Let’s pray.
Our loving Lord Jesus, how we thank you for the book of Philippians.
We thank you that the Apostle Paul faithfully obeyed the Holy Spirit, and that you inspired him to write these wonderful words.
Give us, we pray, the same zeal and purpose of mind and of soul that drove Paul in his ministry.
Transform us more and more into the image of Christ.
Help us to pray for one other, and encourage one another.
Help us to be an encouragement to one another as well, Lord.
Above all, Lord, give us an ever growing love for your gospel and for the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be known as a church that rejoices in the Lord, and has boundless, Christ-exalting, Holy-Spirit-driven, God-the-Father-glorifying joy.
That more people may come to worship and adore you.
Lift up our affection to higher and nobler things than our lowest human nature pursues.
And above all may your name be glorified.
Amen.
