Sermon Tone Analysis

*Philippians II: Liking People*

*Philippians 1:7-11*

*/November 11, 2007/*

 

 

 

*Happy Halloween?

*

 

Good morning, and *welcome* if you are *visiting* us.

I am Josh Kelley.

Today we resume our *series* on *Philippians* after taking a week off to talk about Halloween.

BTW: How did you do using *Halloween* to get to know your *neighbors*?

I was able to introduce myself to a couple of neighbors, but I was causing *traffic* *jams* of kids wanting candy, so I had to cut it short.

Our neighborhood is a hotbed of trick-or-treating, way more than our last one.

I bought a Costco pack with *80* things of *Play*-*Doh*.

I thought it would be *plenty*, but we *ran* *out* and I had to *give* *out* Grace and Sarah’s *stash* while they weren’t looking.

They got *way* *more* candy than they needed.

At least this year we learned and put their candy *out* of *reach*.

Last year Marilyn and I were *awaken* at *5:30* am by the sound of our girls laughing as they *helped* *themselves* to their Halloween candy.

*passage summary *

 

Today we are going be studying Philippians 1:7-11.

You can *turn* *there* if you have a Bible.

Remember “Go Eat PopCorn.”

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.

God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God.

/Philippians 1:7-11 NIV  /

 

In this passage, we are going to talk about:

 

1.

Paul’s *affection* for the Philippians, as well as the *joy* they *brought* him,

 

2.

Paul’s *secrets* to *liking* the *unlikable*, and

 

3.

Paul’s *prayer* for the Philippians.

*The book of joy*

 

In talking about Paul’s *affection* for the Philippians, it’s significant that this wasn’t a *one*-*way* relationship.

Not only did *Paul* *minister* to them, they *ministered* to *him*.

·         Paul drew a very *real* and *meaningful* *benefit* from them.

I think that *they* were a *major* *source* of the *joy* which Philippians is so noted for.

Paul uses the *word* *joy* in its various forms here *more* *often* than any other of his letters.

·         This theme is *striking* because it was written from a *prison*, as Paul was facing *execution*.

*Preachers* and *commentators* talk about how Paul was able to have joy in spite of *horrible* *circumstances* because of things like his sense of *purpose*, his *perspective*, his *trust* in God.

All of this is true, and we will talk about that *next* *week*.

But the *Philippians* themselves and his *relationship* with them was a *key* *source* of joy.

I know this because this *isn’t* the *only* *book* Paul wrote from *death* *row*.

*Lonely Paul*

 

Several *years* *later*, he wrote 2 Timothy from a *different* *prison*, as he faced execution.

But 2 Timothy is *melancholy* in tone.

·         “*Joy*” occurs *16x* in Philippians, but only *once* in 2 Timothy.

To put that in perspective, in Philippians, joy occurs *once* per every *150* *words*.

In 2 Timothy, it occurs *once* in almost *2,000*.

*Q:* What caused that big shift in attitude?

As near as I can tell, it was because in 2 Timothy, Paul has been *abandoned* by many of his friends.

This makes me think that in the book of *Philippians*, it was his *relationships* that were able to give him *joy* in very dark *circumstances*.

*Everything’s better together*

 

*Q:* Isn’t it true that *relationships* have a major *impact* in our life?

·         If relationships are *bad*, then life *stinks*!

It doesn’t matter if we just got a *promotion* or are driving a *new* *car* – if our *relationships* at *home* or with our *close* *friends* are bad, we *ain’t* *happy*.

On the other hand, even if *work* *sucks*, and our *car* is *falling* *apart*, if we are surround by people who *love* and *encourage* us, it *ain’t* *that* *bad*.

About a year ago, I *screwed* *up* something at *work*, and I was feeling *lousy* about it.

It wasn’t a huge deal, but I wasn’t able to do something that was *expected* of me.

·         It left me really *doubting* myself and *wondering* if I should even be a *pastor*.

It was a pretty *dark* *time* for me.

I was *scared* to talk to Marilyn about all of this, I guess because I was *afraid* of more *rejection*.

But it was weighing too *heavy* on me to be *silent*.

·         I am *so* *glad* that I did tell her, because her *encouragement* was one of the things that *got* me *through*.

I kept one of the *text* *messages* she sent me and I want to read it.

She first *quoted* *something* she had read and then wrote:

 

Something about all that made me think that my husband is going to be an *awesome* *pastor* someday...wow! ...

You have to go through this *learning* & *stressful* *times* because you are *growing* & *understanding*.

God knows your heart & *gave* *you* that heart to want to *serve* *others* as a *pastor*.

That meant so much to me.

*Marilyn’s* *belief* in me helped me *believe* in *myself* – without that support, I *wouldn’t* *be* *here*.

·         God means for our relationships to lead us *closer* to *him* and his *plans* for *us*.

*Relationships that matter*

 

Getting back to the Scripture, Paul gives *two* *reasons* for the *joy* that that Philippians brought him:

 

It is right for me to feel this way [i.e.

joyfulness] about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.

God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

/Philippians 1:7-8 NIV/

 

 

*1.

Personal connection *

 

Paul simply *liked* these people.

He says “I have you in my *heart*” and “I *long* for you with the *affection* of Christ Jesus.”

The *Greek* for “affection of Christ Jesus” is literally “*bowels* of Christ Jesus.”

The Greeks considered the bowels to be the *seat* of *emotions*.

·         It’s not really a common expression anymore.

·         Kind of gives us a whole *new* *meaning* to “bowel movement.”

But Paul *enjoyed* the Philippians and looked forward to being with them again.

There’s a joke among pastors that says that *ministry* would be *great* if it weren’t for all the *people*.

It’s a joke I’ve frequently made.

·         I mean about *other* people, never about you all.

But just give it a couple of months!

Sooner or later, we are going to annoy each other.

Family is like that.

But here in Philippians you *don’t* get a sense of *frustration*.

And even when you see Paul getting angry with a church, such as the ones in *Galatia* or *Corinth*, he treats all of his churches with a *love* and *respect* that is *surprising*.

He *likes* his *flock*.

*Q:* So *how* did he foster this attitude?

*Secrets to Liking unlikable people*

 

It’s not Paul’s primary point here, but as we look at th*i*s *week’s* and *last* *week’s* passages, we can find *three* *principles* for *liking* even *unlikable* people, especially *fellow* *believers*.

·         Before we go into that, carefully consider:

 

*Q: *Is there anyone in *this* *fellowship*, or among your *friends* and *family* that you *don’t* *like*?

*Q:* Is there someone who is not “*in* your *heart*” as Paul said?

As I give these principles, consider how God would call you to *build* *affection*.

Obviously I am *not* *talking* about relationships that would *endanger* you *physically* or *spiritually*.

·         And obviously you aren’t responsible for what *they* do, but you are *responsible* for *yourself*.

But consider what step *you* are *supposed* to take.