Philippians 1:1-11
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(Rough Draft)
(Rough Draft)
We are beginning a new series in Philippians
Turn with me to
Philippians in many ways is a relational book. I think you will be encouraged by the relational emphasis this book has.
We will see today that our relationship with Christ effects OR INFLUENCES us personally, effects the depth of love that we have for other believers and effects the lives of other believers around us.
Our Faith Influences
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.
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. 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. 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.
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.
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. 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. 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.
12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
Pray
Faith in Christ transforms me to Sainthood
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
This book is written to Saints. Who are Saints?
This book is written to Saints. Who are Saints?
Who are Saints?
Those who have faith in and follow Christ are Saints.
You say, I’m no Saint. And the person I’m sitting next to on this row is not Saint either.
Look at your neighbor and say, you don’t always act like a Saint.
Story about a man named Darnell who grew up in Dublin, Ga. He was a rough character and lived a very wild life. He had a terrible reputation for how he treated women, the law and for how much he drank. His wild life caught up with him and he died. At this man’s death his younger brother went to the preacher and said, “Preacher, I will give you $100 if at Darnell’s funeral call him a Saint. Now the younger brother was just as wild as his dead older brother.
At Darnell’s funeral service the Preacher said, We know that Darnell had his problems, He ran with woman, He ran from the Law and his best friend was the bottle, but compared to his younger brother Darnell was a saint.
-When Paul calls the believers in Philippi Saints he means, God’s Holy People.
-Why? God has taken a people who are unholy and he has made them holy.
-How has He done this?
-At the cross Jesus took the sinners unholiness (sin) on Himself.
-At the point in which you have faith in Christ - a Faith that surrenders all of your life to Him.
At that moment of belief a great exchange takes place. God takes the holiness of Jesus (His purity, obedience, perfection) and placed it on those who have given their lives to Him.
-At the moment of faith in Jesus, the price that was paid for your sins that is in Jesus account, is transferred or credited to your account. Your sins are paid for in full.
-Faith that saves trusts God with the sin of the past, present and future.
Jesus exchanges your sin for His holiness.
-Jesus payment on the cross covers the sins of my yesterday, today and tomorrow.
-Jesus gives His holiness for your yesterday, your today and your tomorrow.
-Your position before God is that of holiness, your are considered a Saint.
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I can trust God now because nothing touches your life that first doesn’t pass through the fingers of God.
-Faith that saves follows and obeys Jesus.
-Yes, we have bad days and even sometimes rough spiritual seasons.
-Faith that saves follows Jesus.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
As a Christ follower, God has given you a new identity, that of Saint.
-One of the greatest experience as a Christ follower is resting in the fact that before God, despite your imperfections, that your position and identity before God is holy. There is nothing you have to do.
-As saints, He has called you to learn to live in your new identity.
-As saints, He has called you to learn to live in your new identity.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
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God has called us to a life of full trust and surrender to Him.
-Your best life, the best version of you, is when you are walking fully surrendered to Jesus Christ.
-Call to the Gospel for unbelievers here...
-There are some people with us today that have not fully trusted Jesus.
-Faith that saves fully trusts God with you life now.
Define Saint, Belief, Transformation
I can trust God now because nothing touches your life that first doesn’t pass through the fingers of God.
-Faith that saves follows and obeys Jesus.
-If you have not surrendered your life to Him to follow Him, you either do not have faith or the faith you have is counterfeit.
-Yes, we have bad days and even sometimes rough spiritual seasons.
-God is beckoning you right now to full trust Him.
-Faith that saves follows Jesus.
-God desires to make this great exchange with you.
-Jesus gave His life for you. Will you give your life to Him.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Transition - We see next in verses 3-5...
Faith in Christ effects The lives of others. vs. 3-5
(Philippians relationship effects Paul.)
Here is where we start seeing this book get relational.
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 is very thankful for Philippians.
-Every time Paul thought about the Philippians He thanked God for them.
Context, Paul was being held as a prisoner in a house - most likely in Rome. He had chains on and Roman Guards watching Him 24/7. He was alone with hard men guarding him.
He was facing the probability that he would be executed.
He wasn’t exactly sure when his trial would come, nor when an execution might come.
He lived with the heavy reality that each day may be his last day to live.
-If this was me, the uncertainty of facing a court case and potentially death would be heavy on the soul. Every day you would fight soberness, seriousness, worry, concern, dread, questioning of what would be next.
-Paul was a man who needed encouragement.
-Every time he thought of the Philippians He thanked God for them. Even though Paul could not see the Philippians, he knew they loved him and that they were praying for him.
-This book is different than many other of Paul’s books. In Paul’s other letters to churches we see a lot of correction taking place. In this book we see a lot of language about his friendship and relationship. He knew that he had friendship and support in the Philippians.
And in Paul’s prayers for the Philippians ...
-Paul’s prayer time is moved to joy.
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,
-He needs their help. He takes joy that they have sent help to him.
Visits to him to help him.
-There is something else that the Philippians have done that leads Paul to joy. leads the Philippians to joy.
vs. 5, A partnership in the Gospel?
Partnership in the Gospel.
Verse 7 describes verse 5.
-In this odd organization of verses verse 7 describes verse 5.
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.
-The Philippians share in, are partakers, in the saving grace of Jesus with Paul (Saints)
-In imprisonment (persecution), it would be likely that Philippians were imprisoned in their own town for the Gospel.
-defense of the Gospel (this is standing up for the Gospel and is a form of evangelism)
-Confirmation of the Gospel is the Gospel growing deeper in believers lives (discipleship)
Philippians were invested with Paul in both evangelism and discipleship.
Although Paul led the way and was a spiritual leader, the Philippians did not leave Paul to do all the heavy lifting.
Philippians took on their roll in evangelism and discipleship.
Partnership lifts the spirits.
Illustration - Have you ever started a big or a job in the heat of summer? You get half way into it and you realize this is going to take more time and energy then one person has. Maybe you call a friend or you get family to come and help you finish the job.
-It takes 1 hour to finish with the help. It would have taken you 4 more hours.
-At the end of the job you are so thankful others were in it with you.
-You were so thankful others lent you a hand.
-Paul is thankful that the Philippians are in the work with Him. He is experiencing a partnership in the work of God’s kingdom that he is humbled and thankful for.
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.
Your faith effects the lives of others.
-When you are growing spiritually, when you are reaching out to others spiritually … when you are sharing what God is teaching you … others lives are deeply impacted.
-Let me ask you this question, Are you encouraged when you see someone else growing, sharing, obeying, following and trusting Jesus? Absolutely - “Yes”
What does this tell us about God?
-He desires His people to be encouraged and be an encouragement to others.
-God works to encourage our hearts through His Word, through His Spirit, but also through His body, the body of Christ, His Church.
Transition -
8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Phil 1`
Transition - So far we have seen that
-Our Faith transforms us to Sainthood.
-Wen you live out your faith, Your life impacts others.
-Next we see that ...
Next we see this.
What is a partnership in the Gospel?
-They were joined with Him in Christ.
-They suffered with Paul in persecution
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Faith in Christ effects the rest of my life. vs. 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.
Who began my faith journey in Christ? Who initiated it & who made it possible? Christ
Who will strengthen me to complete it? Christ will.
What God begins, God finishes.
As Baptist this is a verse that teaches us that those who are truly saved, will walk with Christ and finish the journey He has started.
It tells us that if we are truly saved that we will always be saved. We will persevere in that salvation.
If someone claims Christ, but does not cross the finish line with Christ, there is a big problem.
Jesus says this
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
No one can take you away from the Father.
You may have a mother or grandmother that is a small dainty lady. If they are walking down the street with their child or grandchild and someone tries to take away their child, a power and passion will raise up in them that you’ve never seen before. They will get super human strength to protect their child.
Here is this great news about God.
-He doesn’t give up on us. He started the spiritual work in us. There are times we try to mess it up with our sin. But God is faithful. He doesn’t throw His hands up and walk away. He finishes what He started.
He paid for you with the blood of His Son. He has no plans of letting you go.
Praise God for His faithfulness in our lives.
-Praise God for his patients in our lives.
-Praise God for His ability to transform out lives.
Paul goes on and shows us that.
God began a work
No one can snatch you out of God’s hand.
God will continue the work
God will continue the work
God will complete the work
Faith in Christ effects my love for other believers vs. 7-8
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.
”7-8
Faith in Christ effects my love for other believers vs. 7-8
Paul’s love exceeds human love. Paul’s love is supernatural love.
“With the affection of Jesus Christ”
KJV uses a funny phrase “the bowels of Jesus Christ”
Just gives us an example of how deep Paul’s love is for the Philippians.
Paul’s love is empowered by God Himself through God’s Spirit.
Paul had a deep spiritual love and longing for his friends in Philippi.
-Illustration,
Love like in movies -
Illustration - Those of you who are married. You remember the love you had for your spouse when you were first married. You remember the kind of love you had for your child when you first had children. You look at your love now. Your love may not have the same ecstatic highs, but it has been seasoned and strengthened by the testing of the depths (lows) of life. You love may not be a giddy love, but it is a serious love.
Paul’s love is even stronger. It is not a seasoned human love, but a love empowered by God’s Spirit.
The kind of love that God calls us to for each other. The kind of care that God calls us to. The kind of concern that Christ calls us to care for other believers is more powerful than any human love. It is a supernatural love.
The kind of love that God calls us to for each other. The kind of care that God calls us to. The kind of concern that Christ calls us to care for other believers is more powerful than any human love. It is a supernatural love.
-It is a love that is found in those who surrender their minds and emotions to Christ and His Word.
It is right when Christ followers have a deep love for one another.
Our growing faith in Christ, strengthens that love we are to have for one another.
Finally,
Faith in Christ effects the quality of my love vs. 9-11
Faith in Christ effects the quality of my love vs. 9-11
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.
God empowered love is a dynamic love that is in the process of growing.
It is a love that is not just empowered by feeling, but also knowledge and wisdom.
As your love grows, it does just grow in passion only.
Teenagers, in your relationship with your friends, you don’t care for them like you did when you were in 3rd grade. You care for them differently. Your relationships are deeper. You know how to be loyal and stick up for someone you care about. You know how to encourage someone ...
Parents, you parent your second child a little differently from the first. The few years you had between them taught you new things. Your love grew. Your love became more wise. Your love had more insight.
In our relationship with Jesus our love for other believers is not just God empowered it is God informed.
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
As you daily spend time in God’s Word your love for others changes.
Your love for others gains knowledge. Your love becomes discerning.
How? You grow in your knowledge of how God works and how He loves.
Closing
How do you grow in your knowledge of God? You spend time in His letters to you. His Word.
Today we’ve seen in this relational letter that our Faith influences.
Our faith influences:
Our position before God as Saints,
It effects the lives of others
It begins a spiritual journey with God that God will complete
It effects how I love others.
Since a growing active faith in Christ is so instrumental, the big question we have to ask is,
How is your faith?
Not, how was your faith a year ago?
How is your faith now?
Is it a growing faith?
Is it an alive faith?
Is it a faith that you are attending to every day, intentionally engaging and trusting God?
Or, are you in a place where you daily faith, in your walk with Christ needs to take some fresh steps?
If this is you, will you today purpose to get alone with the Lord, open God’s Word and read a chapter, Maybe in Philippians. Then, get on your knees as ask God for help to walk closely with Him.