A Desireable Church

Introduction

What is it that makes someone a good teammate? Is it skill? The ability to perform under pressure? The ability to put the team on one’s back and will the way to victory?

While all those things might be things that are desirable and perhaps make an individual a star or even a super star, but those things do not make someone a good teammate.

Just a few weeks back, there was a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays. The game was tied in the 6th inning with 1 out and a runner on third base.

A ball was hit high into the air into left field, directly to the left fielder. If you aren’t familiar with the rules of the game, if a ball is hit into the air, the base runners are not allowed to advance until the ball is touched or else he can be called out.

So the runner on third was waiting for the ball to come down before trying to score, and the left fielder was positioning himself to be able to make the throw home in an attempt to throw the runner out at home plate.

Suddenly the center fielder, who had to run clear over from the other side of center, comes running in to get the ball, shouting “I got it I got it I got”

The left fielder barely gets out of the way of the centerfielder who come barreling in, the centerfielder makes the catch and then throws home, but the throw is both late and off line. The runner scores. The left fielder was in a better position to make the play. The centerfielder was running at full speed and was not able to get his momentum carrying back toward home plate and as a result, the runner scored.

Both the left fielder and center fielder were visibly upset about the situation.

After the game the centerfielder states “I’m in a unique position with what my defensive skill set is. I’ll never shy away from that. I believe I’m the best defensive outfielder in the game. If any other centerfield is out there, it might not be the right play, but I could have made that play.” In that interview he all put blamed the other player for getting in his way, despite the fact that he ran in to field the other players position.

Now the truth is, that player really is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. But is he a good teammate?

Good teammates are not selfish, but humble. They’re not braggadocios, but seek to encourage others. They know their place on the team, and they make the rest of a team around them better.

Well, the church is not a professional sports league, but the same character traits that make for excellent teammates in a sporting match are the same things that make for good partners in ministry. Paul is going to identify a few of things for us in our passage today as we answer the question:

“What are the traits that make a church desirable?”

A church whose members partner in the Gospel, are being grown by God, and stand with others through hard times.

Let’s read our text.

Philippians 1:3–8 ESV

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.

Thank God for Each Other

First Paul starts out by saying that he thanks God for the Philippians. As we work through this passage we will see how each verse in this text relates back to this main idea that Paul is thanking God for the Philippians.

Notice the time of when he does this:

In all my remembrance of you

Always

in every prayer

Paul is a man of prayer. He speaks of prayer frequently in his letters often detailing what it is specifically that he prays for others. Paul says that whenever he thinks of the Philippians, he always thanks God for them.

I don’t know if you have had the joy of having people like that in your life. Whenever they come to mind, it fills you with fond memories and are grateful for the chance to get to know those people. Sometimes people come in and out of our lives and if they come to mind we go “huh, good riddance there” right? But sometimes there are special people that do nothing but bring memories and feelings of love and joy.

That was the case with the Philippians to Paul. Whenever he was praying, and God brought the Philippians to mind, he always took the time to pray for them and thank God for them, every time.

He says he makes that prayer with Joy, and then later in verse 8 he is going to express his love in Christ for the Church.

The verse in between explain to us why it is that Paul feels this way about the church. What made them so attractive to Paul? This joy and love he feels for them didn’t come out of nowhere.

Thank God because of Gospel Partnership

Fellowship. Partnership. Participation. side by side.

How did they participate in the Gospel?

By sending financial aid to Paul. This was one of the main reasons Paul was writing to this church, to thank them for their faithful financial support. But notice that Paul doesn’t identify their support as being for him, but rather for the Gospel.

By being faithful to proclaim the Gospel themselves. Paul has identified them as a suffering church. They wouldn’t be suffering if they were keeping to themselves. They were undoubtedly proclaiming the Gospel with boldness.

Paul say they were engaged with Gospel ministry from day one. They never wavered. From the first day until now they have been faithful fellow workers for the Gospel.

Think about what this cost the Philippians.

It cost them monetarily, as they gave sacrificially for the advancement of the Gospel.

It cost them personal comfort. Their lives were upended. There was no returning to status quo.’

It cost them personal safety. Paul is in jail, and several of the Philippians have endured suffering and persecution as well.

But they had counted the cost and had determined that what they were enduring was worth it for the sake of the Gospel.

What makes a church attractive? Why did Paul have such love for the Philippians? They were invested in Gospel Advancement, even at great personal cost.

Thank God because God is Still at Work

Second, Paul is thankful because God is still at work. Look at verse 6.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

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.

ESV: I am sure

NASB: For I am confident.

Confident: participle of cause. 2nd reason Paul is thankful

Perfect tense. Speaks of a past action that has results felt in the present. “I have been persuaded, and therefore I am convinced now”

Paul says that he sees the sacrifice that the Philippians are enduring for the sake of the Gospel and it brings him joy because he takes it as proof that God is at work in their hearts.

God is at work!

The one who began…That’s God. God is the one at work! Later in this same letter Paul will write that it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. God is working!

It is a good work.

It will be brought to completion. There’s no maybe. God is not a quitter. What he started he will finish it.

It will be completed until the day of Christ Jesus. At the final judgment when we are given our glorified bodies, when Jesus Christ places all enemies under His feet, when shall reign forever and ever. His work in us will be complete.

Do you long for that day? I know I do.

I’m so grateful that God is still at work on me.

The second reason Paul is thankful is the second mark of an attractive church: a church that is being worked on by God. There is evidence that God is at work sanctifying His people. A church that is no longer growing, and I don’t mean numerically, I mean growing in holiness, a church that is no longer growing is a church that has stagnated. Stagnation is not attractive. Spiritual growth is.

Thank God because it is right

Philippians 1:7 ESV

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.

Paul says I’m thankful because you labor for the Gospel, I’m thankful because I see God at work, and now here says, I’m thankful, and it’s only right for me to feel this way because I hold you in my heart.

There is a closeness here, a deep affection for the Philippians, they occupy a special place in his heart. Paul doesn't speak this way about other churches he write to, by the way.

When he opens his letter to the Galatians its “why have you so quickly abandoned the Gospel?”

To the Corinthians he writes “I’m thankful because you have spiritual gifts....but why are you dividing into factions?”

In Colossians and Ephesians its pretty much straight to theology after the greeting.

But here there is a tenderness. An affection. I hold you in my heart. Why?

Here he says that they are partakers with him of grace. That work partakers is closely related to the word back in verse 5 when he refers to their partnership in the Gospel. There is common sharing in the same experience.

Grace. The favor of God. Paul’s use of grace is often a catch all term for the work of God in salvation. The word itself mean unmerited favor, and in the context of Scripture that favor is usually the salvation of lost souls.

We were dead in our trespasses and sins, we deserved the wrath of God poured out upon us because of our rebellion against him, we were enemies of God, hostile to Him, engaged in evil deeds.

But while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

Grace.

We did not deserve to have the King of the universe come and give his live a ransom for us.

But it’s what we received.

Grace

So it may refer to salvation here, and many commentators take it that way. but there may be more to it.

Notice the context:

both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel.

Paul says that the grace they have received has been manifested in Paul’s imprisonment, and defense and confirmation of the Gospel.

What does that mean? Paul is in jail, awaiting trial before the Roman government. Paul says that Philippians have participated with him in that, and that of grace.

Two things I want us to catch about this.

The Philippians were bearing a burden with Paul

The burden was actually God’s grace.

In a bit Paul is going to share how his experience actually ended up being for the advancement of the Gospel, so he considers the hardship he is enduring to be favor from God.

An attractive church shares in the burdens of others.

Philippians 1:8 ESV

8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Paul expresses once again his love for the church. He longs to see them.

Why? Why are they attractive?

They were invested in Gospel advancement, even at personal Cost.

There was evidence that God was at work among them

They sought to share in the burdens of others.

So often there is talk about being an “attractional” church, a church that seeks to appeal to world through the stage presentation of the lights, music, etc. Those weren’t the things that fostered a deep love in Paul. No, it was the personal activity of the church.

May God so work in us.