Philippians 1:1-6

Intro:

Today we will look once again at a letter written by the Apostle Paul. The place I’d like to spend some time in is Philippians Chapter 1.

It wasn’t easy circumstances for Paul.

We understand that Paul is writing essentially bound Rome.

Yet despite this, Paul remained confident of his direction and purpose in life. Even as a prisoner, his sight was fixed God. And we see him, despite his trying circumstances, doing what he can to still help the churches he cared about. The church of Philippi is one to which he wrote. He considered them dear people to him and as he wrote he encouraged them to keep their eyes fixed on God. He pressed for them to trust God for Who he is, and for them to not forget, that he had a plan for each one of them.

What a testimony Paul had. I don’t know about you, but I am often tempted to look and marvel at some men or women in the Bible, those whose faith seems so triumphantly grander than my own. Paul, is one of these people. This letter contains themes of Joy, Unity, fellowship, and ultimately faith in God, yet Paul is in bondage, restrained by the empire in Rome

As we think about Paul, and his testimony, we do see his faithfulness - He is truly pressing “on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Having the full picture that the new testament helps us understand that Paul will soon be on trial, and that his life will shortly come to end, yet he is resolved to Joy in the Lord every step along the way. Despite enduring many hardships, and living in a world where many people have rejected Christ, it seems that no discouragement could reach him.

It would be easy to root ourselves in the idea that Paul was a great man, whose faith was great. We may be tempted to give great credit to Paul and declare him as some sort of super Christian. But Paul, as we will later see, would not have us to do this. He would tell us to instead root ourselves in the reality that our faith can be great not because their is something great in us, but because God is completely faithful. The more we can see who God his, the more we know him, the more we recognize his workings, the more our faith Grows.

We may say things like Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but unshakeable Faith only comes when the beholden is completely trustworthy every time.

God is worthy of our complete faith, in every situation, no matter what will come our way, no matter the circumstance. Paul understood one thing. That God is worthy.

Philippians 3:14 “14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

I’ll say again, There weren’t easy circumstances for Paul much of his life. He wasn’t surrounded by perfect people.

Pride and jealousy were fostering division amongst the Philippian Christians, part of Pauls writing is to refocus the the church on Christ Jesus, reminding them that Jesus is ultimate example of sacrificial love, and that their fellowship in the Gospel is a priority for their lives.

Context

Other Scripture

Acts 16

We may want to first look to Acts Chapter 16, before we fully examine the opening verses of Philippians 1.

It is in Acts Chapter 16 that Luke gives us the account of a small group of people who arrive at Philippi. If you were living in Philippi at the time, there would have been little about this groups appearance that would cause you to think much of them, but it is actually the unfolding of a pivotal moment in the history of God’s plan of redemption.

As the story unfolds, Philippi, and the other areas this small group would travel to, would see great change because of the message they would bring with them.

Acts 17:6 …“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,”

This Group of travelers were messengers. It’s sometimes funny to me to think of how much power a message can have, or despite having lived in the reality, forget that it is a message that has completey changed my own life, the life of my wife, and children. These men brought with them the greatest message ever told - The gospel of Jesus Christ. You will likely remember their names - Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke.

This was part of Paul’s Second missionary Journey which took place close to twenty years after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For approximately 20 years now the disciples would have gone out everywhere they could, telling others the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. How he died in their place to pay for their sins, that they could believe on him and be considered forgiven by God the Father.

This span of twenty years would have felt just like 20 years does today. As you all know, a lot can happen in twenty years - Kid’s grow up, move out, get a job, hopefully. Some changes jobs, another personretires, grandchildren are born, great grandchildren. Someone moves away. Someon moves back.

Philippi. For Philippi, much change was about to occur, and much had already since it was was founded some 400BC, by Philip II of Macedonia. 200-or-so years after it was founded, it was conquered by Rome and and became a Roman Colony.

Again change came after the a famous battle called the Battle of Philippi in 42B.C. . It was a this point that many soldiers were ordered to live their and a few years later after citizens in Italy were forced to give up their homes and settle in Philippi specifically. These Philippian residents were given special privileges including the “Italic Right.” This meant that they were treated as if their land were part of Roman Soil. These residents were citizens of Rome, their “Mother City,” and enjoyed the full rights of Roman Citizenship, including exemption from taxes.

This is an aside, but Pauls Words in Philippians 3:20 would have had special meaning to the Christians at Philippi.

Philippians 3:20 “20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

The city would have have been designed and operated like a Mini-Rome. It may have looked, smelled, and tasted, like Rome, but at the very least, If we were there, we would have thought - hmmm - this seems a lot like Rome.

And it was here on a real day in history, as recorded in scripture, that Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke, arrived at Philippi, and the Gospel touches down in Philippi for the first time - and in actuality, it touches down in Europe for the first time ever also.

I’ve tried to give you all a taste of the - of Who, what, where, when, and why - for Acts 16. We won’t read this chapter today, but if you would be willing, it would be a great thing for everyone to read this afternoon, or this week, that you might see in more detail all of the exciting things that happen in Philippi as this group goes through sharing Christ.

Afterall, what does it take to mature, or become and expert in something.

I will give you a summary quickly now.

LYDIA

First they came to a riverside. The group had caught wind that it was a place where people often gathered to pray.

There was a lady named Lydia who was there that morning. She is described to us as seller of purple goods, a business owner of sorts, selling things to any people who were privileged enough to afford goods died in what was then a rare color.

She had a home.

She was someone who worshipped God.

But she was not yet a Christian.

The traveling band that arrived at the riverside may have suprised her. She likely had been there many days before. But the account in Acts 16 would show us that things would look differently for Lydia.

As Paul preached, the Bible describes how, “The Lord, opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.”

Lydia trusted in Christ, and she gets baptized.

If you were to read the account it would be easy to read quickly over everything that happened. But for her, it was a moment of radical change in her life. When she went to bed that night there was something different than every other day she had lived. She had received the Gospel in her heart.

I know its early on in my time speaking with you today, but you may be here today and be a religious person - someone who is interested in God. Someone who practices things like prayer - someone who is delighted - or at least willing - to gather with other people in the name of God. You may be starting to to make sense of things in the Bible. But that is not what it means to be a Christian.

What is it then? Well, In the morning Lydia did not know Jesus Christ. In the evening she went to bed a follower of Jesus Christ.

Friend, Jesus died on a cross for your sins, He was buried, and he rose again, declaring to all that any who believe in him for salvation, will receive forgiveness freely through Jesus Christ.

Lydia invites them over to her home, and for some days they spend their time with her as the evangelize the city.

THE SLAVE GIRL

As they go again to the place of prayer, they are met by a slave girl who was possessed with a spirit of divination. The short of it was that her owners were using her as their get rich quick scheme. And day by day, as Paul, Luke, Timothy, and Silas go back to the river, she would follow behind them at a distance crying out “ These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” She kept doing this everyday. And it appears to have started to cause concern for the group, So what does Paul do? Well he’s very annoyed by it all, and turns and commands that the spirit comes out of her…

…and it does.

The thuggish owners get mad now understanding that their business venture was just pulled apart by Paul and the Crews intervention, and they go to get even, Seizing paul and Silas and dragging them out into the marketplace where the people gather and they begin beat them with “many blows.”

PRISON

After a thorough flogging and accusations labelling them as disturbances of the city, they are thrown in prison.

Just as you would guess, around Midnight, tremendously sore, tremendously uncomfortable, if it’s even fair to use those terms considering how the day had gone so far, its in this Jail cell that they look at each other and begin to do the most expected thing. They start to sing a chorus. They lift up their voice and pray to God. They sing songs to God.

The other prisoners are there listening to them, it seems like no ones going to sleep.

One of the prisoners must have thought, “I knew these guys were a little weird, but now I know somethings up with them”.

“Are they crazy? They are shackeled and singing.” Don’t they know, your not supposed to sing when your shackled. They apparently hadn’t gotten the memo.

For Paul and Silas, The circumstances of their lives changing for the worse meant nothing of their worship to God.”

Paul and Silas praised the Lord. In the dark, on the rugged floor of Jail Cell, imprisoned with likely groups who were convicts of real crime. They displayed to the world, Jesus is Still Saviour, God is still God.

—

May we once again be careful here, not to lift up the character of Paul or Silas, to set it up so that they get the glory, but once again rather to see that the truth of How Wonderful God is, is what can allow any of us to sing praises at the darkest times.

There are moments in life that are very dark and difficult. But God is a light so bright that if we would only look to him we would see a moment worthy of Praise.

Many of you know the story. The Jail begins to shake, the shackles break free, their cuffs open up. The doors swing open wide. God has moved on the situation. They are free to leave.

Its at this time the jailer wakes up. Probably like waking up when you miss your alarm, not sure what is happening, what did happen. It didn’t take long for him to realize, “Oh No! I am in big trouble. “

Trouble indeed. It was trouble big enough that as he weighed out the options of how to proceed, knowing he has a family at home, knowing he is a Roman citizen, he reasons it all out and decides all is a loss. He would be punished so greatly that it would be best at this point just to end his own life.

Paul cries out to him. “STOP!”

“DO NOT HARM YOURSELF, WE ARE ALL HERE!”

And the jailer shouts out, turn on the lights! And he rushes in falling down before Paul and Silas.

“Sirs, what must I do to be Saved?

If i’m being honest, I don’t know if he meant to ask for the salvation of his soul, or simply was trying to seek advice how to survive his current circumstance. But Paul’s answer rings loud and clear of what was most important at this point in time.

So here comes, the same message we saw at the beginning of the Chapter with Lydia, the message I believe that all of scripture points us to…

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

The jailer invites them over, Paul and Silas share “the Word of the Lord” to him and everyone at his house, and the Bible says that he and all his family trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and are baptized.

What a tremendous story we find in acts 16. I can not tell you enough how much I love this story. Reading examples of people who heard the message of the Gospel for the first time.They believe on it and God changes their eternity.

Jesus Christ is the saviour of all who will believe! This truth was life changing then. And it is today!

—

There is a God in heaven. He is creator and Judge of the world. He is Holy and Perfect, so far from us his creation who have all sinned. Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

May none of us be proud of it but there is not one of us here today who has not willingly broken God’s law, thats what sin is. Anything we do, think, or say that is against God.

It is difficult to think about all this means - that God being the perfect and - must not let sin go. For him to fulfill all justice he should rightly punish our every sin. And the Bible declares that the only acceptable punishment for our sin death

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death…

And that this death is not merely a physical death but a spiritual death, a separation from God, in a place called hell.

But God loves us, and was willing to take that penalty for us, by sending his perfect son Jesus, who is God in the flesh. Jesus was beaten, mocked, scourged, and ultimately rejected by man. Dying on the cross of calvary by the very hands of the humanity he had created. He did it all to ultimately meet our greatest need. To pay the penalty for our sin in our place.

The Bible says that it is on that cross that the sins of all people were placed on him, Jesus who had done no wrong on his own, loaded upon himself every sin that you and I had ever or will ever do, and he died with them, bearing them, and the wrath of God in our place.

But death could not hold Jesus, and in three day he rose again from the dead, proving his power over sin and death, and once and for all he fulfilled the justice that was required by God, that all our sins would be punished.

What must we do today? Believe the message of the Gospel. The same Gospel that the people of Philippi heard and believed. Jesus Christ died for you. What must I do to be saved? “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved!”

—

The following day the magistrates and police show up and tell the Jailer, ok, your guys are good to go.

Paul hears about it and is, like I don’t think so. Not so fast.

“They beat us up publicly, threw us into prison, and now saying to just sneak away secretly so you don’t get in trouble with Rome for treating us this way?”

“We are staying until they come take us out themselves”

So they come and apologize, saying we are really really sorry about what happened. Then they ask them nicely, can you please just leave this city?

They oblige.

There is a quick rendezvous with Lydia, and all the other believers who have begun to gather, in what will turn out to be the early stages of the church in Philippi. The brothers their encourage the messenger group very much, before at last, at least a portion of Paul’s group heads off next to Thessalonica to continue spreading the gospel.

—

So that completes the introduction. If you are now nervous, don’t be.

I expected that It would take a significant amount of time to properly set the context leading into Philippians Chapter 1 today. I hope you will find that it is helpful as we look now more quickly at the first 6 verses. I just want to give you 4 things to think briefly about today.

I’d like us to zoom in for a moment on what things Paul focus’s on in the opening of his letter, and what truths we should notice as he begins to share his heart with the people of Philippi about a decade later.

—

Even after leaving Philippi in Acts 16, Paul stayed in touch with this church. He went away, then went back again, Then left again.

Life continues on for Paul and he continues doing much of what we have already seen him doing in sharing the Gospel as a missionary of the Lord Jesus Christ. By this point of Philippians we find it has brought Paul once again to bondage, this time in Rome. His friends from Philippi send Epaphroditus to him with some stuff while he is there in prison. Paul sends him back with a letter. This is the letter we have written before us today.”

Thankful in Remembrance

Joyful in Prayer

Partnered in the Gospel

Certain in Completion

Pauls Greeting

Philippians 1:1–2 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.

Today I would guess that our most common form of communication similar to a letter would be email. In email, we often put our signature at the end of it with a closing that is as kind as we can muster. I’m often entertained by the uniqueness i find in some peoples email signature.

Best Regards,

Ever so Kindly,

Cheers,

Or if we aren’t particularly happy with the person we are emailing, maybe just a simple

Thanks,

—

I’ve even seen some especially ambitious people who place a quote. A bible verse would be a fine idea. But i remember a customer once who had, “Remember, it is a little acorn that becomes a great tree.”

—

Either way, There is a lot of information you can learn about a person just by the way they set up introductions and closings of their emails.

—

In Letter of Paul’s time it was customary to open a letter with an introduction containing the name of the writer/writers, the recipient, and a short greeting.

I’d submit to us today, that we shouldn’t read through these with the mindset that an opening is merely a customary group of words that lack any real meaning to us as readers. We see things unique in each of Paul’s openings and the case of Philippians also gives us a few words to consider closely.

—

I’d like to quickly draw out two words.

—

The First is “Servants Of Christ Jesus”- Paul describes both he and Timothy as servants.

Who are Paul and Timothy. CEO and CFO of Philippians Ministry Branch? Amazingly Famous Apostles. The one who Christ uniquely appeared to?

No.

Paul isn’t interested in declaring some name or title for himself that would brag on himself. In all his letters we see him choose a Title that points to people to know his relation with Jesus Christ. Paul is consitant in this mindset. Sometimes its apostle, sometimes it servant. Here it is servant.

We have many examples, as he writes to the Corinthians who are fighting over with their favorite preachers and teachers, with some saying I like Apolos most, and others I like Peter more, and still others claiming Paul is best, he asks them the question, “What is Paul?

1 Corinthians 3:4–5 “4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.”

Notice he doesn’t ask who. It’s not who is Paul. It is what is Paul.

We get so preoccupied with who we are to others, that we forget what we are.

Yet, despite what we are, God still desires we know him.

Paul simply is showing us that he and Timothy are happy to claim, Servants of Christ Jesus, as their accolade.

—

The second phrase that I feel particularly led to sit a moment on is the title of who he address. He writes to “All the saints In Christ Jesus”

This is not unique to just his letter to Philippi.

What does it mean to be in Christ Jesus?

The Bible Answers this in other places. It explains that we are either “In Adam” or “In Christ”.

1 Corinthians 15:22 “22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

When we are born, we are born into Adam. We are not in Christ. That’s all of us.

But because of what Jesus did on the cross, God has made it so that depending on what we do with our faith, that he can remove us from being stuck in Adam. When we believe on Christ for Salvation, we will immediately become placed into Christ, never to be separated from him again?

What are you in today? Are you in Christ?

I know you are in church? t’s good that you are in church. But that isn’t enough.

I have heard other pastors plead as they explain, you can be in a restaurant and go hungry, You can in the soccer stadium but not on the soccer team. You can be in the hospital, but not recieve any help from the doctor.

Paul said in Colossians 1:28

Colossians 1:28 ESV

28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Are you in Jesus?

I believe one of Paul’s main aims as his letter unfolds is to point the believers, those who are in Christ, at Philippi, to focus once again all their hearts and Minds on the grace God has given to them, and the peace he offers.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Thankful in Remembrance

Philippians 1:3 “3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,”

Paul focus us for a moment on something as simple as remembering and being thankful. No doubt he ad many memories of the people from Philippi. He would have been able to recall Lydia on the bank side as she sold her good, he would have remembered the day they stayed at her house. He would have remembered the time he was able to spend answering her questions and watching as she matured in Christ.

As he sits in prison, he may have thought back to the Philippian jailer, and the time God rescued him and Silas from the cell, but how the thoughts must have settled as he reasoned in his mind how it was actually the jailer and his family who recieved freedom.

Make no mistake, The restraints he experienced under Roman watch were very real, but even at this time he is still able to look back, in Thanks for all God has done. For God had so clearly worked in his life, and the life of the Philippians believers.

Are we thankful in remembrance? Are we thankful as we remember what God has done?

2026 is a new year. Today is a new day. But friends God has moved in our past.

I know that every story in here is different, but at some point in the story we all have a testimony of what God did in our lives to bring us to know him.

Lydia woke up one morning aware of God, but not knowing God. It was the same for me. But as an 11 year old boy I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached here in this building. God did a lot after that. I am 35 years old now.

The slave girl, bound by a spirit, under authority of corrupt men, stuck in a life appearing helpless and hopeless to escape. Is delivered by God, and a new life given. Were many of us not enslaved by sin.

The Philippian Jailer, on a normal day - maybe he could remember telling his family before leaving for his shift that day,

“I’ll be back. I’m not sure how long this shift will last, but some new prisoners were dropped off. Kind of a headache to have so many at the moment. Did we have plans for this weekend??

In his ordinary way of life, God reached out to him, and he Had an encounter he could not have imagined. He was rescued form a prison may have not even known he was in at first.

It is no different for you, its no different for me.

If you are saved today, think about all God did to lead you to him, and what he did by dying in your place.

If you are here today and not yet a believer, think about how God has worked in your life recently.

Friends we can and should give thanks to God as we remember all he has done.

2. Joyful in Prayer

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

Admittedly for all us, we neglect to see how wonderful a thing it is that we can pray to God. Sometimes we struggle in prayer. Sometimes the cares we have are difficult burdens and it is easier to stay quiet, but what a joy that we can carry them to him who cares for us.

We saw an example of how Paul prioritized prayer in his life in Acts 16.

But I hope we don’t look at it like Paul was merely good at following a discipline of prayer. That he had simply come to a point in his life where he had organized his time well enough to fit in a healthy amount of prayer.

How often does prayer look like that in the lives of anyone we see in the Bible.

Did you know you can rely on God? You can cast your cares upon him. You can tell him what is on your heart. You can go to him with needs. You can go to him with requests for your friends, for your family, for your church.

Paul wasn’t merely making sure he fulfilled his prayer duty each day. He recognized prayer for what it was.

A gift of God.

What did it look like in Acts 16?

The people gathered by the river to pray

As the the enemies in the city rose up, and Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed, the first thing we see them turn to is prayer.

Philippians 4:6–7 “6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Paul didn’t just pray because it was something he was supposed to do. He did it because he knew God. He did it in Joy.

But how is it possible?

Everyone here surely knows how difficult it can be to be joyful in prayer, especially in our dark hours, when tragedy comes close to us, or sadness strikes, or fear.

Ill. Of Prayer and God sometimes saying no.

But Paul gives reason for his Joy in prayer. It wasn’t simply that he had convinced himself to put on a happy face. He gives us two reasons which we will close with.

3. Partnered in the Gospel

Philippians 1:5 ESV

5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

God has knit together a people in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it may not always seem like it, but if you are a believer in Jesus Christ. You are not alone.

If we read further we would see how Paul describes his love for the Christians at Philippi. Some of us men, and maybe some woman to, who struggle with showing emotion - You know the vermonter way.

Maybe we should take note of how Paul shares his heart and his feelings with them all.

“It is right for me to feel this way about you”

“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.”

Every difficult experience in your life, your struggle with sin, the burden of the systems of world, the reality that corruption is real, you are not alone in the fact that you face these things. But believer, if you are In Christ, you are not alone. And its not merely that you are not alone, but that you are united by what you have in common. Namely the grace of God.

Paul was openly declaring that even though in some sense he was solitude in his physical location and situation, he could rejoice that he was united with others in the work of the Gospel of Jesus.

God didn’t just die for one, or for a select few, but they were all partakers of his grace, and all had the chance to work together in sharing with others the love of God.

Its the same for us today.

For all of our differences, for all of our disagreements, for all of the things that makes us distinct. We are completely unified in the sense that the Gospel is the only thing that could rescue us. We are unified in that we should have been met with rejection from a holy God, but that he was willing to pay for our sins himself that he could receive us openly into fellowship with him.

Lastly, Paul was certain of Completion

4. Certain of Completion

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.”

For what reason did Paul say he could have joy in prayer.

God has started a work in you. And he has promised he will complete it. Paul was certain that God would work all things out.

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

He reminded them they had a past on which God was working to bring them to a point of rescue.

He’s reminded them there is a God they can pray to presently.

He’s reminded them of their partnership with him in the Gospel.

And finally, he reminds them that the good work that God has started in them is something they can hold to certainly.

—-

God has a long term plan for you.

There is a time when every tear will be wiped away. It is not just a saying. The tears that you carry right now. There is coming a day where God will wipe them a way.

There are often troubles, burdens, disappointments. As I look out I know that I am looking out at people who have experienced all these things and more.

And I know that it doesn’t always feel like it, and that it may be hard to trust at times, But friends, God is working a good that will one day be completed.

There is a view at the top that will make it worth the whole journey.

Hiking with the kids is often hard. It can sometimes be an apt illustration of our walk through life. Rowyn will know, so often the hike up the mountain is so hard. We often openly resort to mental gymnastics to keep everyone going.

One more mile. Don’t think about any more. Just go one more mile.

Knowing that at the top there will be a view at the top that likely will make it worth all the effort. Even when at times it seems like maybe it won’t be.

And I’ll admit, i don’t the illustration does it justice, because for the some they have hiked, and can honestly say the view at the top might not have been worth the effort. Maybe the car at the end was the most exciting part.

But what Paul is declaring to the church of Philippi, is that the mountain top view that God’s plan bring is more than enough for him to rejoice fully.

I encourage us all to trust the Lord today.

God is great.

God’s plan is good.

And it is certain that it will come to be.