Putting the Gospel First
Philippians • Sermon • Submitted
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Communion (remembering the Gospel)
The Letter to the Philippian Church
Written by Paul from Prison (most likely in Rome) while his very life hangs in the balance.
To the church at Philippi (which is now about 10 years old) 61-62 A.D.
Despite Paul’s circumstances, the letter is filled with an overall tone of Joy
The letter is very warm, personal, and gospel-centered.
Philippians 1:1-11
D.A. Carson shows the stark contrast between what we see in Philippians and much of what we see in contemporary christianity and if we’re honest, in our own lives.
“I would like to buy about three dollars worth of gospel, please. Not too much, just enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted. I don’t want so much gospel that I learn to hate covetousness and lust. I certainly don’t want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial, and contemplate missionary service in some alien culture. I want ecstasy not repentance; I want transcendence, not transformation. I would like to be cherished by some nice, forgiving, broad-minded people, but I myself don’t want to love those from different races- Especially if they smell. I would like enough gospel to make my family secure and my children well behaved, but not so much that I find my ambitions redirected or my giving to greatly enlarged. I would like about three dollars worth of gospel, please.”
D.A. Carson’s words pierce through the fluff of comfortable christianity and expose the ugliness behind it all.
As does Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
There really isn’t anything hard to understand about this letter, it is blunt and to the point.
It shows just how far we have to go, just how much is really required of us, and yet it does not neglect to point us to the one who will bring us through.
V.1 Paul, writing from prison with his beloved son in the faith Timothy. The one that he had picked up some 10 years earlier in Lystra, just before his first visit to Philippi. Timothy has been faithfully serving alongside Paul all this time, even now in his imprisonment.
The church in Philippi has become an established church with overseers and deacons.
What had started in Acts 16 with Lydia, the demon possessed slave-girl, and the jailer. A fruitful church in an unlikely environment.
V.2 Paul’s customary greeting of grace and peace introduces his gospel centered letter.
V.3-4 Although Paul was suffering affliction and facing death, he was filled with joy and thanksgiving.
4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth.
This is true of every real pastor.
It brought me great joy last week to see all of your hands raised.
If this is true, the alternative is also true, there is no greater pain than to hear of those in the church who are not walking in truth.
28 Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.
V.5 What exactly was it about the Philippian church that had brought him such joy?
It was their consistent partnership in the gospel.
koinonia = partnership, fellowship
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
The heart of true fellowship is self-sacrificing conformity to a shared vision.
True fellowship is more than having a meal together, or enjoying some common activity. Biblical fellowship involves partnering together for the shared vision of the gospel.
Literally from the first day, the Philippians had shown their genuine fellowship with Paul for the gospel.
15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
34 He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.
They were not only willing but eager to sacrifice of their time, comfort, money, and even risk their lives for the gospel.
No wonder Paul had so much joy over these believers.
V. 6 Ultimately Paul’s confidence was not in them, it was in Christ.
It was Christ who had begun this work in them:
14 A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.
And it is Christ who would bring this work to completion.
We can have serious setbacks in our christian walk at times, but this truth is unchanging and never-fading:
6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ always finishes what He starts!
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
V. 7-8 We can see Paul’s love for the church just pouring off the pages here.
His partnership with them was not transactional, nor was this letter just a formality.
Paul is affectionate towards them, he misses them, ESV says he yearns for them.
The greek means to long for, or desire
Paul has a true pastor’s heart.
There are 2 specific ways that the church had partnered with Paul:
In his imprisonment
In the defense and confirmation of the gospel
As Christians, we have all been given the task of defending the gospel.
apologia- apologetics= to give a defense
15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
The truth of the gospel is being attacked both from the outside and from within.
This is no different than it was in Paul’s day.
It is our great responsibility and privilege to defend the truth in public and in private.
In the workplace, in the political arena, and most importantly in our homes.
V. 9-10 What does Paul pray for this church that they might continue to defend the gospel with him?
For their love to keep growing
There is always the danger in the christian life of becoming complacent, comfortable with where we are spiritually.
Paul prays against this.
He prays that their love would grow in 2 specific ways:
In Knowledge
To know Christ is to love Him.
The more we grow in our knowledge of Christ, the more we will grow in our love for Him.
I’m not talking about just knowing things about Christ, rather to really know Him, to understand who He is, and what He has done for you. To know Christ’s love for us is to grow in our love for Him.
This kind of knowledge transforms us.
And it is a knowledge that we should always be growing in.
Someone has said, “You can become so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.”
Who was more heavenly minded than Christ?
Was He of no earthly good? Of course not!
We can not become too heavenly minded or have too much knowledge about Christ.
The key is making sure that our knowledge of Him is transferring into obedience to Him.
2. In Discernment
Discernment is how we determine right from wrong, truth from error, and good from evil.
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Lies are not always obvious.
“The most dangerous of all falsehoods is a slightly distorted truth.”
G.C. Lichtenberg
All of this comes through Christ, and is for the glory of God.
Will we trade in our measly 3 dollars worth of gospel for something infinitely greater?
The truth is, a 3 dollar gospel never saved anyone.
The cost of the gospel is a high one, it may very well cost us everything to follow Christ.
But what we get in return is something that we can not put a price on.
What we get in return is Christ Himself. The King of kings and the Lord of lords. We get to know Him, and love Him, and enjoy Him forever.
There just isn’t anything better than that!