Prayer With Joy
Notes
Transcript
Today, we start the letter to the Philippians.
Paul wrote this letter, more than likely when he was in Rome, the same time he wrote Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. Probably around 62 AD.
As we go through this letter, we will find a man who is wanting to encourage people who are distraught, people who are having a hard time dealing with difficult circumstances.
What is a bit unique is that the Philippians are not self-loathing or having self-pity, they are trying to deal with the difficulty of knowing Paul and his circumstances. They aren’t worried about themselves, they are worried about Paul.
But Paul is going to use this as an opportunity to teach them about joy in spite of difficult circumstances, not just their own, but when others are going through difficult times as well.
That is why I am excited to go through this, especially as we come up to another mid term election cycle, because we will need that Joy in Christ more than we ever have had to, and the circumstances and things going on around us should not take that away from us, because Paul knew that what he was going through and the Philippians should not take their joy in Christ away either.
V.1
1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
Paul and Timothy:
Second time Paul writes a letter with Timothy
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:
This time, it introduces them as bond-servants of Christ Jesus, not apostles.
Bond servants… or those who willingly serve their master. Ones who have found that their master is so good, that they want to stay under His provision and protection and headship.
It is important to know that Philippi was one the first notable places Timothy went with Paul.
In Acts 16:1-3
1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek,
2 and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium.
3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
We see Timothy start his journey with Paul
Then in Acts 16:6-9
6 They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;
7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;
8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
The Lord called them to Macedonia
11 So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis;
12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days.
They came to this leading city of Philippi.
But here, some interesting things would happen
They would meet Lydia in Acts 16:13-14
13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.
14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.
Then a slave girl would follow them around, one who had a spirit of divination and was mocking them. Paul would finally become irritated enough where he cast the spirit out of her, and she lost her ability to tell the future. This would land Paul and Silas in jail, where we read about it in Acts 16:25-33
25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.
27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”
29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.
Then as the chief magistrates went to have them released, Paul makes his argument in Acts 16:37
37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.”
After this, Paul would finally leave, but not after so much had happened.
He would go back to Philippi one more time, briefly in Acts 20:3-6
3 And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.
5 But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas.
6 We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.
So both Paul and Timothy together have a rich history in Philippi together.
Now, they are together writing this letter to encourage the Philippians
To all the saints in Philippi:
As we already saw in Acts 16, Philippi was an important city in Macedonia.
Philippi is about 17 kilometers inland from the Aegean sea. Its biggest appeal were the enormous gold deposits nearby in Mt. Pangeo. This would make Philip II of Macedonia to set the city up as a settlement to protect the mines from theft, and thus calling it Phillipoi. When Rome would eventually seize control of Philippi, military veterans and displaced landowners would occupy the city, many who enjoyed exemptions from taxes and gaining property rights.
Philippi also was found to have baths and temples and theaters. There have also been numerous religious artifacts found in Philippi, ones that represent Mediterranean cults that worshipped Osiris and Isis, and several other pagan dieties.
Also, there was a diverse group of people in Philippi including Greeks, Romans and Jews, and many other types of people.
Now, because we see there were Jews assembling outside the gate at the river, we know that the Jewish population wasn’t as prominant as in other places. In order for congregational worship and a synagogue to be established, there had to be at least 10 adult males. So what we see in Acts 16 would mean that the Jewish population wasn’t as prominent as other places.
All the Saints:
This would include ALL, Jew and Gentile
Overseers and deacons:
The two offices we see in the church, overseers, or elders, those responsible for shepherding or pastoring the flock.
And deacons. Those leaders who have special service responsibilities in the church
This is why I personally think it is important to have both. Some will either have just elders or just deacons. We have all been called to something within the church, not just a few of us.
So the elders, or overseers, can focus on the spiritual, the deacons on the physical things.
2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.
3 “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
The body selects the first deacons of the church.
So the overseers can do what they are called to do.
Not positions of superiority, but of order and service. That there would be more clarity and opportunity, not just a few people doing everything.
As we read in Ephesians 4:7
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
V.2
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace and Peace:
That the Philippians would understand grace, and they would know the peace that comes from God.
This will come in later in Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
This letter is written very purposefully.
We will see that the Philippians have become overly concerned about Paul and his circumstances.
What Paul is going to teach them is that his unfavorable and dire circumstances have no effect on the joy and hope we have in Jesus.
The truth is that we not only need to find this joy in our circumstances, but also when we know others who are having a difficult time
V.3-4
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
Thank my God:
Paul is going to write this letter as an encouragement, to help them learn how to deal with their emotions in this difficult time.
Paul starts with being thankful, specifically for them.
Look at the tone of his prayers… with joy!!
Paul has two reasons to have joy for the Philippians…
V.5
5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.
Participation in the gospel:
Paul has joy because he knows that the Philippians have been participants in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What Paul says here is from day one, all the way until now.
John expresses the same sentiment in 3 John 4
How are they participating?
The word here is “Koinonia,” or fellowship.
They had participation, or fellowship, in sharing of the gospel.
Some believe that they gave financially to support Paul and his mission work to spread the gospel.
It also means that they have been sharing the gospel with others… they have been evangelizing.
Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5
5 …do the work of an evangelist,…
This is how we can do that work!!
Share the gospel, tell people about Jesus.
You may not be strong with words, but we can help support the work financially, or maybe doing background chores.
Whatever you do, be a participant in the gospel, not a spectator.
V.6
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
He who began a good work:
This is the second reason Paul has joy when praying for the Philippians, because of the work Christ is doing in them.
Paul’s confidence is not in the Philippians themselves, but rather, in Christ, who both began the work and will also perfect it, or, bring it to completion.
This is such an encouraging verse, even for us, and goes hand in hand with Romans 8:28-29, Romans 12:2, and others that speak of the transformative work that Christ is doing in you.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Notice, it isn’t Paul who began the work, it is Christ who did.
Also notice, it is not the Philippians who will complete the work, it is Christ.
Notice even further, when the work will be complete. Not tomorrow, not in a couple weeks, but in the day of Christ Jesus.
Conclusion:
This is why we get to have joy in any and all our circumstances, and even in the circumstances that others are facing… because God is the one who will complete that work. It is Him who began it, it will be Him who finishes.
So today, take joy in the Lord. Participate in the gospel, and know God is perfecting each and everyone of us.
