Gospel Fellowship
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Intro
Intro
It's good to be with you again - and see that everyone survived the rain
I had the boys building in the back yard but it's hard to find Gopher wood here
What do you think of when you think of the word fellowship?
Biblical fellowship is not a cup of coffee after the service or a dinner after a Bible study. It's not hanging out together and catching a movie
Biblical fellowship is about striving together for a common purpose
James Montgomery Boice said:
It meant a sharing in something, participating in something greater than the people involved and more lasting than the activity of any given moment. When the Bible uses the word, it means being caught up into a communion created by God.
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring
In Paul's and the Philippians case, their purpose is the Gospel.
Philippi is a very diverse church - female merchants, a Roman jailer, Clement and possibly even the girl that Paul frees from the influence of a demon in Acts 16
Tonight we will look at three characteristics of the Gospel Fellowship
Thanksgiving
Confidence
Affection
If you recall last week we briefly sketched out the circumstances that led to Paul's arrival in and founding of a church in Philippi
visited in a dream by a man from Macedonia imploring him to come over Acts 16:9
Found women at a place of prayer by the river and Lydia becomes the first convert in Europe
Paul is arrested and the events with the jailer
Paul is now in prison in Rome and is writing this letter to his dear friends in Philippi
We said that the primary message of this letter is the practical implications of the Gospel - characterized by joy which drives humility which drives unity.
Paul demonstrates his humility in the introduction by referring to himself as a slave and the Philippian believers as saints
We in reality are both slaves and saints
Grace and Peace - Paul goes on in verse 2 to distill the Gospel down to 2 primary elements. If there were a way to describe the Gospel in 2 words this would be it
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This week and next we're going to look at the great prayer that Paul opens this book with. This is a normal practice for Paul - to open a letter with thanksgiving. In 11 of 13 letters he does so.
Let's read Phil 1:1-8 together to get some context and then we'll launch into the study.
Prayer
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
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.
Notice the intense personal nature of this prayer right from the beginning: I thank my God
Paul has a close personal relationship with God that transcends his current conditions
If anyone had reason to be angry with God for his position it would be Paul
After his conversion he had done everything required of him and yet he was in prison "for the Gospel".
No one would have blamed him for shaking his fist and getting a little angry with God
Yet Paul highlights his relationship to the Savior every opportunity he gets
There are four key characteristics of Paul's prayer for the Philippians - personal, consistency, unconditional, and joyous
Personal - all my remembrance of you....
Paul had a deep personal connection to this church
Throughout the book he calls the church brothers
Expressing his gratitude in this way shows that this prayer is not a community prayer for the church at Philippi, but his own—one that reveals his personal state of mind toward the Christians there, which is that of complete thankfulness for each one of them
This level of personal interaction can only come from experiencing real life together - not just the momentary interactions during the meet and greet at church but the late nights worrying about whether or not your kids are coming home, the births and deaths that accompany life, the successes of getting jobs or the pain of losing them.
Of course this level of intimacy is built over time, but it is still something that should be sought in the church. But this is the messy parts of life - are you willing to get down with people and live their messy lives with them?
Consistency - always in every prayer
Paul is a proponent of constant prayer
pray without ceasing,
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Paul says that every time he prays he remembers the Philippians - how often during your prayers do you lift up the needs of others?
Unconditional - for you all
Paul makes no distinctions among the Christians of Philippi.
He says that he lifts all of them up
Five times in these 8 verses Paul mentions "all" with respect to the Philippians
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
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.
Recognizing that unity was an issue in this church Paul draws no distinction in how or who he remembers in his prayers. No one Christian holds a higher status in Paul's heart but he prays for all of them
Joyous - this was not burdensome for Paul but an activity of joy
This is the first of 16 mentions of the word or characteristic of joy in this epistle.
Joy is a defining mark of the Christian life
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Joy should be a characteristic of our prayer life.
It should not be burdensome to lift our brothers and sisters in prayer.
There exists between the apostle and his beloved congregation mutual understanding and affection that prompt each to plead that God will meet the particular needs of the other
This begs the question as to why is Paul so diligent in his prayer life for the Philippians. One of the reasons he is writing this epistle is to correct them regarding their humility and lack of unity. How can he say that he remembers each of them with joy.
One thing that we teach in my class is building a positive communication bridge before offering correction. On some level that speaks to what Paul is doing here - but he is doing so much more. He does not always do this.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
He doesn't spend time building a bridge here and there is no prayer of thanksgiving for the Galatian church. But here he is not just softening the blow of his correction for them.
He is thankful for their partnership in the Gospel
The Greek word for partnership is koinonia - and it is often translated fellowship. But the depth of this word is much more suited to the translation of partnership
It speaks to the deep participation of the Philippians in the Gospel with Paul.
Not only did the Philippians support Paul financially
If you can't go down into the well, at least hold the rope
The Philippians we holding the rope for Paul
And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.
The occasion of this epistle was the arrival of Ephaphroditus in Rome to deliver a gift from the Philippians and Paul sending him back to the church
Also their active participation from the very beginning
Lydia opened her home
The jailer took Paul and Silas into his home and washed their wounds
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
the core verse of the epistle, Paul is calling them to a defense and a demonstration of the Gospel
This whole section speaks to a depth of fellowship that is rarely seen in the church today. Our lives are so busy and we are so spread out. And we haven't faced the type of afflictions that Paul and the Philippians faced.
The military community in Japan is the closest illustration I could think of - Bekah and Kathryn
Summary - how do you view your fellowship with other members of the church? Not just Calvary Chapel La Mesa but the church as a whole. Do you pray? When you do is it to remember your brothers and sisters with joy? Are you partnering with the church for the furtherance of the Gospel? How could you get involved? How would this affect your fellowship with your brothers and sisters?
Confidence
Confidence
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.
This entire section is really one long sentence in Greek - starting in verse three and continuing through verse 8.
Places two items in mind regarding this verse:
Paul's primary thought is not the spiritual growth of the individual - but the completion of the work of the Gospel
- a good work,” finds its explanation in the fact that the Philippians were partners with Paul in the gospel (v 5) and shared their resources with him to make the proclamation of the gospel possible. This “sharing in the gospel” is the good work referred to here.
Paul is expressing his confidence that the partnership that they have entered in to on behalf of the Gospel will be brought to completion by God at the day of Christ.
A secondary aspect of this is the personal spiritual growth of the individuals -
God's vehicle for the delivery of His Gospel and the completion of the work of the Gospel has always been through His people.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Modern Church The Necessity of Confidence in God
The ultimate ground of faith and knowledge is confidence in God. We can neither believe nor know anything unless we confide in those laws of belief which God has implanted in our nature.
There is a tension that is involved between man's efforts and God's work - The Philippians, while not in the same precarious position, also needed to hear that their growth in sanctification, already evident through their participation in the gospel, was really God’s work, and he would not fail to bring it to perfection.
but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If anyone had the pedigree to put faith in his own abilities it was Paul - Philippians 3:5-6
What God starts no man can thwart or stop - whether it be the spread of His gospel or the sanctification of an individual life
No power of Hell nor scheme of man can ever pluck me from his hand
Maybe you've placed all of your trust in your own efforts to achieve your salvation - know that if you've placed your trust in Him, He will complete what He has started.
Maybe you've grown complacent in your disciplines and have lost some of your affection for the things of God or for His church - know that He has not forsaken you and that you can still trust in Him.
Affection
Affection
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.
Paul takes his joy for the Philippians a step further by expressing his over abundant affection for them
This is not only for the fact that all of them are saved but that they again are so participatory in his ministry.
This is the affection developed between members of a military unit in war - men don't fight wars for high ideals of diplomacy. They generally fight for the man in the foxhole next to them because of the bond that they form
It was an aching love that affects the deepest parts of a man - that love that a parent has for a child when they leave home and nothing will ever be the same.
The word used for partakers is the same word used for partnership in verse 4. It speaks to the depth of the commitment that both Paul and the Philippians felt towards one another
Paul considers suffering and sacrifice and struggling for the gospel all to be grace
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,
Paul's love for the Philippians is so deep that he invokes God as His witness
Spurgeon once told this story about George Whitefield -
It is reported that Mr. Whitefield was one day asked by a partisan, “Do you think that we, when we get to heaven, shall see John Wesley there?”
“No,” said George Whitefield, “I do not think we shall.” The questioner was very delighted with that answer, but Mr. White-field added, “I believe that Mr. John Wesley will have a place so near the throne of God, and that such poor creatures as you and I will be so far off, as to be hardly able to see him.”
As I read such remarks, I have said to myself, “By this I know that he must be a Christian,” for I saw that he loved his brother Wesley even while he so earnestly differed from him on certain points of doctrine.
Do you love your brothers in Christ the same way?
Summary
Summary
The Gospel permeates our lives to the point that love for those we share it with is completely natural. Do you feel this for your brothers and sisters? Do you uphold your church family in prayer - not just the ones you like but all of them - whenever you remember them? Are you earnestly striving side by side with them for the furtherance of the Gospel? Are you sharing true fellowship with them to the glory of God our Father? If not ask yourself what can be changed in you that could build this within you. Ask God the Holy Spirit to work within you to bring this joy about. If you are not saved yet - recognize that you cannot achieve salvation on your own. Reach out to Him and He will usher you in to His Kingdom.