Philippians 1:3-11

Introduction

Last week, I finished Paul’s introduction to the letter. This brings us to the first section in Philippians: Paul’s prayer for the Philippians

Philippians 1:3–11 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

Even though we can never overstate the importance of prayer, many Christians understate prayer’s importance through their lives. Prayer should be an utmost priority but we have delegated prayer inconsequential part of our lives. The question is why? Part of the answer is we allow our sinful nature that daily battles our spiritual nature to dictate the terms of prayer. The terms are if we do not get what we want through praying then praying is not important and is inconsequential because God does not care enough about us to give us what we want. Ultimately, this means the reason we do not pray is pride. We think we know better than God what is good and beneficial for our lives.

I want to illustrate what I just said. Paul writes in Philippians 4:6–7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Why is it that we can pray but still not have a peace that exceeds human reasoning? This is an important question to ask. Though there could be multiple answers, I want to highlight one of these answers. It is because we are not interested in God’s will for our lives; instead, we want our will for our lives.

How does this look. We pray to the Lord how much we want a spouse, car, house, job, health, etc., then we get up from prayer believing God is not going to deliver as we prayed because a list of reasons may follow: He does not love us, care for us, know us; He does not have time for us; He is not interested in us; He wants us to suffer.

Let me give us a reason why it is never a good thing to want our will and not God’s will for our lives. Matthew 26:36–46 “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.”

Consider for a moment if God that Father answered Jesus request then we will be condemned in our sins without any hope of redemption.

In addition, what if Jesus became so upset with the Father for not answering His prayer that He decided: I am done praying to the Father because He never answers my prayer; everything is about Him! If this happened then we would never have His intercessory prayer on the cross: Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

My point is praying that brings a peace that goes beyond human rational comes from a person who preeminently wants God’s will to be done in their lives over their will. Paul was such a person. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:6–7: “By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.” These two verses summarize the importance of being in God’s will. To have God’s power is to be in His will. Further, he wrote to the Colossians in Colossians 1:9 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” He was passionate about people experientially knowing God’s will for their lives. That is to say, participating in what God wants for them.

With that being said, lets examine Paul’s prayer for the Philippians.

He thanked God upon every remembrance of them

Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,”

Every remembrance Paul had of the converts of Philippi would not have necessarily conjured up positive memories.

Paul’s first convert was Lydia, a business woman from Thyatira.

His second convert was a young woman who was a enslaved a demon possessed. Her owner made enormous money from her being demon possessed. He used her as a spectacle that people would pay to be entertained. However, God used Paul to heal her form demon possession and God saved her. Her owner was overflowing with anger because he just lost a sizeable future fortune. He and others brought Paul and Silas to the magistrates. Even though Luke and Timothy were with Paul, they did not bring them before the magistrates becasue they were not Jewish. They could have been Roman citizens. If you were a Roman citizen, you had special civil rights, but if you were not a Roman citizen then you were not afforded these rights; therefore, the magistrates could do whatever they wished against non-Roman citizens.

The magistrates beat Paul and Silas. That is they struck them with sticks so much so they received wounds. Paul mentions this in 2 Corinthians 11:25 “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep.” Afterwards, they were put into the heart of a Philippian prison which was the foulest part of the prison, not just because of the stench but that was where the foulest criminals were placed.

However, God used Paul’s prison experience to preach the Gospel to a jailor and his household, who were converted.

Therefore, whenever Paul thought about the young woman or the jailor and his family, some not so good memories would have come up. Nevertheless, Paul thanked God for all his memories associated with the converts in Philippi.

How is this possible?

Could he had just forgot those really negative memories or repressed them? Not likely based upon 2 Corinthians 11:23–28: “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”

Could he had exaggerated or lied about thanking God for every remembrance he had of them? In other words, was this simply hyperbole? Not likely. He was not known as an exaggerator or liar in his sermons, teachings or letters.

The only option is he was truthful. How is it possible that Paul was truthful about thanking God for every memory he had of the converts in Philippi, even though for some of believers would remind him of the pain, agony and humiliation?

The solution:

Perspective

Ephesians 1:18 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” Perspective means that our eyes need see beyond what they see. Our eyes need to be enlightened so that we can see the hope of our calling and the glory of our inheritance. I had mentioned last week that there was a time in my Christian life that I did not view heaven as gain. Ultimately, the problem was my eyes were not enlightened so that I could not see the glory of my inheritance which is anchored in Christ Jesus.

Consider how importnat godly perspective is. The second part of Romans 12 Paul writes about our responsibility towards Christians; the first part of Romans 13 the Christians responsibility towards their government (even if their govt. is wicked and does not share their values; the second part of Romans 13 the Christian’s responsibility to their community (Even if their community is wicked and devilish). Many Christians have sought to bypass their responsibility to the church, government and community, by declaring their immunity to these responsibilities. In so doing not only do they do attack the veracity of God’s word, but they are confessing how difficult it is to live God’s way. So How does Paul help the Christian to perform the to their God-given responsibilities to these various groups of people? The answer is perspective. He closes the section with Romans 13:11–14 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Paul could believe what he wrote because his perspective was forward focused on his hope and inheritance.

Providence - Paul submitted joyfully to the providence of God. The reasons I say joyfully is that even before he knew the jailor and his household would be saved, he and Silas were busy praising God.

While he was in prison, surrounded by hardened criminals and possibly infected from the wounds created by the beating, he and Silas praise and thanked God through songs - Acts 16:25 “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” He did not know why God allowed him to be beaten and thrown into the prison, but he did embrace the providence of God. He knew this was not an accident or happenstance event.

In Philippians 1:12, Paul writes regarding his current predicament of imprisonment in Rome: “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;”

It is not just surrendering to the providence of God that is important. We need to joyfully surrender to the providence of God.

We can never forget that we are slaves with a passion to glorify God. As one pastor noted: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

Consider the providence of God in Romans 8:

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Why do we know Romans 8:28 is true? Romans 8:29–30 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” God loved us, called us, justified us, and glorified us. Paul writes as these events have already happened; this includes glorified. Even though there is a future glorification that is more complete, God has glorified those He has saved. Why do all things come together for good to them who love God? The answer is His desire to glorify.

What does Romans 8:29-30 mean? Romans 8:31 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Therefore - Romans 8:35–39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s providence is bathed in His love and desire to glorify us on this side of eternity. If Jesus was glorified on the cross (John 12:23 “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified”) then God can glorify us with cancer, a loss of a child or spouse, or some other negative event.

If God is to be glorified in us than our faith, trust and confidence in Him can not be in question. Hebrews 11:33–40 “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

He prayed for them with joy

Philippians 1:4 “Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,”

We should not gloss over Paul’s point. Praying for the Philippians was not a burden, job or responsibility. Praying for the Philippians was a source of joy.

This is particularly important when we keep in mind where Paul was when he wrote this epistle: he was in prison. A source of joy for Paul while he was in prison was to pray for the Philippians. “Paul’s hardships made him better not bitter.”

David Guzik: “One might simply say that when Paul prayed for the Philippians, he became happy. It is remarkable to see that Paul’s first reference to his own feelings or frame of mind in this letter is that of joy – though he wrote from prison and a possible soon execution.”

Kent Hughes: “this means that joy is not a result of pleasant circumstances or prosperity or success. Joy for Paul was not an emotion or a mood or a feeling but an attitude.”

Paul writes in Philippians 3:1: “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.”

He gives three reasons why he prayed with joy:

First, Philippians 1:5 “For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;”

Fellowship - Participation and partnership.

One pastor noted: No Christian should depart from the Gospel after God saved them, they should live in the Gospel.

How did the Philippians participate with Paul “in the gospel form the first day until now”? They were evangelizing their community and supporting the works of others-to include Paul.

Philippians 4:15 “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.”

2 Corinthians 8:1–2 “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.”

Second, Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” The word “confident” is in the perfect tense, which means he became confident in the past the work of God and still holds to that confidence today. The first reason on praying with joy, Paul testified of the church’s mission. However, the second reason he prays with joy is God’s divine and effectual work in their lives that made the testimony possible. Paul was confident not only in what God had done in bringing life-changing grace, but what He will do in bringing a completed work of grace at the coming of Jesus.

Chrysostom wrote: “See how he teaches the, to be modest. Having just given them a superb testimonial, in order that they should not feel down and out as human beings are so apt to feel, he immediately teaches them to refer both the past and the future-everything-to Christ, who will bring to completion what He has begun in them. He does not take anything away from their achievement, for he said, ‘I rejoice becasue of your fellowship,’ obviously pointing to their own very high level of accountability. But he does not imply that the achievement was theirs alone. Rather it was primarily God’s work in them.”

Third, Philippians 1:7–8 “Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” Paul joyfully prayed for them because he loved them. Paul’s love for them was not organic to Paul but Jesus Christ. His longing, affection, love, and desire for Christians originated or came from the “bowels of Jesus Christ. Look at it from this angle: if Jesus could love Paul then who could not Paul love that Jesus loves, too.

Paul’s request

Philippians 1:9–11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

Abound is in the present tense, meaning: “Paul's desire and plea to God was…the saints continually overflowing love.”

He wanted their love to abound more and more. As one person reflected: “That it may be like a river, perpetually fed with rain and fresh streams so that it continues to swell and increase until it fills all its banks, and floods the adjacent plains.”

What is fascinating about Paul’s request is a lack of an object in his request that their love abound more and more. He did not say that their love abound more and more towards God or people. The idea is The idea is, he wanted their love to abound more and more both vertically and horizontally: towards God and people.

The Ten Commandments are divided into two sections: 1-4 deals with God and 5-10 deals with our neighbor. Paul wanted their love to abound to overflowing vertically - towards God, and horizontally, towards man.

“Thus Paul prayed that the Philippians’ love would overflow in all dimensions in a lavish, ongoing, limitless love - an unremitting geyser of love up to God and a flood of love out to others.”

However, he did not want this “love” to be shapeless or uninformed; therefore, he wanted this love to be within two spheres: knowledge and judgment.

Knowledge

This knowledge is not exclusive of intellectual knowledge but inclusive of knowledge based on personal involvement. Our love needs to abound more and more within the sphere of knowledge from God’s word and exercise of that knowledge. In other words, similar idea to what James wrote when He said we need faith and works to establish the vitality of our faith.

The word for knowledge means a fuller and more complete true knowledge.

Kenneth Wuest - The full knowledge which these Philippians needed to gain by experience was a better understanding of God’s Word as translated into their experience, and a clearer vision of the Lord Jesus in all the beauty and fragrance of His Person. A Christian can have an “understanding” knowledge of the Word, that is, be able to explain its meaning to others, without having an experiential knowledge of the same. But when that Christian has put the Word of God into practice in his life, then he has what Paul is talking about here. 

Judgement - In all judgement. “All” is a key word for Paul in Philippians.

Discernment - To put to the test.

Discernment - Discernment follows knowledge.

Discernment also means how best to apply the knowledge where abounding love occurs.

Harry A. Ironside - DISCERNING LOVE - Lack of discernment often accounts for the failure of those in the pew to realize the full import of unsound teaching from the pulpit.

“Paul does not pray that their love might ‘abound more and more in ignorance and insensitivity’ or in ‘stupidity and hamfistedness’ or in ‘cheap sentimentality and myopic nostalgia.’ He prays, rather, that their love might ‘abound more and more in knowledge and (judgment).’ Without the constraints of knowledge and (judgment), love very easily degenerates into mawkish sentimentality or into the kind of mushy pluralism the world often confuses with love.”

Two reasons why this was Paul’s request for them

Philippians 1:10 “That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;”

The word for “excellent” means the best. The first reason we must abound more and more in love within the spheres of knowledge and judgment is so that we can know what the best route for our lives is. There are times when we have to make a decision that is not between right and wrong, light or darkness, or sin and righteousness. The decision may be between to good, right or beneficial things. Love that is constrained within God’s word and the Spirit’s discernment helps us to choose the best route for our lives. So that we can live a “sincere and without offence” life. The word “sincere” is translated as “pure in 2 Peter 3:1 and “without offence” carries the idea of causing someone to stumble in their faith.

Philippians 1:11 “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” The second reason is so that we are filled with the “fruits of righteousness.” Whether this is simply the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23 (“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”) or activities that says we are wearing the imputed righteousness of Christ, retraining abounding love in knowledge and judgment helps us to accomplish this desire of Paul.

Conclusion

D. A. Carson wrote: “When Paul prays this prayer, he is praying for nothing less than revival…The text teaches us to pray that we will test and approve for ourselves the highest and best and holiest things-all with a view today of Jesus Christ…When revival comes, worship is no longer an exercise but one of the chief characterricts of our lives. Buffoonery, gimmicks, and entertainment fade away; the day of Jesus Christ seems to draw near.”