Partners in the Process
Joy for the Journey • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 5 viewsTrue Christian joy is not an isolated feeling; it is found when we partner together in the Gospel and trust God to complete what He started.
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Transcript
God commands His church to work together for the sake of the Gospel
God commands His church to work together for the sake of the Gospel
Affirmation of Gospel Partnership
Affirmation of Gospel Partnership
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Paul begins with heartfelt gratitude for the believers at Philippi, acknowledging that they are walking this path together.
Affirmed with Thanksgiving
Affirmed with Thanksgiving
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
Paul remembers them not with regret or anxiety, but with pure gratitude. Every memory of their shared ministry brings joy.
Affirmed in Prayer
Affirmed in Prayer
4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
Joy is nurtured in the prayer closet. Paul’s intercession for the church is not a chore; it is filled with gladness.
Affirmed because of Fellowship
Affirmed because of Fellowship
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
The word for "partnership" is koinonia—a deep, active share in the work of the Gospel. True joy develops when we move from being spectators in the pews to partners in the work.
Gospel partnership is not just sitting together in a room, it is standing together for the cause of Jesus Christ
Gospel partnership is not just sitting together in a room, it is standing together for the cause of Jesus Christ
The Assurance of Gospel Partnership
The Assurance of Gospel Partnership
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.
7 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.
8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Paul shifts from what the Philippians are doing to what God is doing within them.
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.
God:
Initiates Grace
Initiates Grace
God is the one who began a good work in you. You didn't start your salvation, and you don't sustain it on your own strength.
God provides an:
Infallible Guarantee
Infallible Guarantee
He who started the work will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. God never leaves a project unfinished; what He starts, He finishes.
God give us:
Intimate Affection
Intimate Affection
7 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.
8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Paul holds them in his heart. This assurance produces deep, Christlike affection for fellow believers through every trial.
The Application of Gospel Partnership
The Application of Gospel Partnership
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paul concludes this opening section with a specific prayer for their ongoing spiritual growth
Pray for Love that Abounds
Pray for Love that Abounds
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
Love shouldn't be static; it must overflow in knowledge and depth of insight so it remains anchored in truth.
Abound = be more than enough, be left over
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 805.
Pray for Excellence that Prevails
Pray for Excellence that Prevails
10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
He prays for their lives to live up to Godly standards
Pray for Fruit that Grows
Pray for Fruit that Grows
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
A life filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, yielding ultimate glory and praise to God.
Stop trying to generate joy out of your circumstances. Look to the God who is faithful to complete His work in you, lock hands with your brothers and sisters in Christ, and walk forward together on this journey.
Stop trying to generate joy out of your circumstances. Look to the God who is faithful to complete His work in you, lock hands with your brothers and sisters in Christ, and walk forward together on this journey.
