"Howdy Partners"
Notes
Transcript
Last weekend we began our new series with a brief overview. In case you were not with us, here is what you missed in a nutshell. Paul wrote this short letter from prison, probably while he was under house arrest in Rome. This would have been around 60A.D. The church at Philippi was a very new church that had not been around very long. The church was dealing with persecution and a struggle with unity. Epaphroditus, who was a minister from Philippi brought Paul a gift to help him and encourage him with his ministry and was now traveling back from Rome with this letter that Paul had for the saints in the church.
Today I want to talk to you about Paul’s Partnership with the believers at Philippi.
When we look down through our history there have been some wonderful pictures of great partnerships. Wilbur and Orville Wright got their start fixing bicycles in Dayton, Ohio, but, in 1903, developed the three-axis controls that made flying a fixed-wing aircraft possible. Their invention not only made airplanes a part of industry and trade, but also opened the world to the kind of travel most people had only dreamed about. Their work together (partnership) resulted in one of the most formative inventions of the 20th century – and a completely different world.
But, when we think about partnership this means much more than just getting together and inventing something. It is much more than grabbing lunch or going to a game with someone or even attending church with them. What partnership means is that we share something in common with others. What would this mean here in our text? Well Paul help us see that this partnership is in the gospel (vs. 5), and the one thing that all believers share in common is the good work in us that Christ began (vs. 6). In other words, Paul is talking here about our salvation. This is the only reason why Paul could write to the church with such joy while he found himself in Prison. Paul could write with joy even though he was many miles away from this church at Philippi because he knew they too were partakers in his imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel (vs. 7).
So, as Paul writes this letter to the church at Philippi, what is it that stands out to us thousands of years later? What is it that we need to learn from the joy Paul experienced as he partnered with the saints at Philippi even in difficult days?
How can we increase joy in our lives?
1. Think of others and not ourselves.
1. Think of others and not ourselves.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
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.
This idea of partnership was clearly evident as we begin verse 3. Paul is thanking God as he takes in mind his memories and thoughts of the saints there in Philippi. What is so amazing is that Paul is thinking about others while he himself is in jail. How many of us would be just a little down and discouraged and even selfish if we were in jail??? Yeah, we would be thinking about how bad we have it and the food really stinks and I wish I could sleep in a nice bed. In our day and age it can become so easy for us to be selfish. Look at what I’ve done, look at me and my accomplishments or what I have built up. It becomes all about I and me and my and we lose track of God and love for others.
The other thing we see here is that as Paul is awaiting trial his mind goes back to the times he had with the people there in Philippi. Paul could have been thinking about the days spent at Lydia’s house with her and her family. He may have been thinking about the poor slave girl who had been demon possessed. Or the time that God delivered him and Silas out of the jail. Each and every memory that Paul had was a memory and source of joy for him.
Of course, the church at Philippi had been a huge blessing to Paul financially to help support him in his missionary journey’s. These good works were so important but the good work we see in verse 6 here is the salvation that God does in us when we run to him and place our faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. The amazing work of God continues throughout our lives as believers.
-Everything begins in the work God does for us, this is salvation.
-Then we see the work God does in us. This is called sanctification. Sanctification is the work of God and believers that makes us more and more free from sin and more like Christ in our actual lives.
-Then finally, we see the work God does through us. We begin to step out and love others and serve them.
All of this work will continue until the Lord returns or we go to be with him. Here is how John summed up everything. 1 John 3:2.
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
Paul had a wonderful outlook on everything as God was not only working in his life but in the lives of the believers at Philippi. Paul had a joy in his heart because he understood that God was still working in the lives of the believers there in the church. People in Philippi were still hearing about the name of Jesus and that Jesus loved them so much that he gave his life for them. This was the real basis for the joy Paul had and the joyful Christian fellowship he had with other believers as God was working in lives day by day. May we take time today to ask God to help us see others and love them as He does.
2. Care for others with all your heart.
2. Care for others with all your heart.
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.
For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Here in verses 7-8 we see that Paul had a love for these people. He truly cared for them with a sincere heart. This was not just words written on paper even though it was a letter. What we see here is that Paul’s heart is behind his words. Paul had a sincere love for his friends and that could not be hidden.
Christian love is a tie that binds us as believers together. Our love for one another and even a love for our enemies is evidence of our salvation. Can we love our neighbors when they do not so nice things? Can we love those who post hateful things on social media. Things that go against God’s Word? The answer should be Yes! We should love them and always point them to the wonderful saving work of Jesus. Sadly we as believers get so upset and angry at others, and we forget we have a wonderful message to share with the world. We have become more concerned about all of the social injustice messages and our own personal views then we are about the gospel message. When was the last time you took time to share the gospel message? This is the best news possible, it is far better news than what we have seen happening in our world lately.
So, how did Paul show his love? What was the evidence of his love for the people there at Philippi? Well first of all we know that he was suffering on their behalf. Being in jail was proof of his love for them. Ephesians 3:1 tells us that he was a prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. Paul was standing up for Christianity and he was going to do everything he could to make the name of Jesus famous and to help everyone he could know about Christ’s saving work, even those in Caesar’s household. Paul was defending and confirming the gospel, and because of this, this was helping believers even in Philippi have courage and confidence to continue in their work.
Now, I need to say this before we move on, so please hear me when I say this, Christian love is definitely not always easy for us. With that being said, we need to remember that it is not something that we can work up on our own. We have to pray and seek the Lord and ultimately it is something that God does in and through us. God works in and though us and then we can grow in our love for one another.
The second area here that I want to point out is that Paul was concerned for the believers at Philippi and likewise they too were concerned for him. Paul says, “he yearns for them with the affection of Jesus Christ.” Paul is thinking about them and has a deep concern for them. But, the believers knowing what Paul is going through likewise they are concerned for him so much so that they send Epaphroditus to minister to him while he is in Rome. They both cared for each other.
Finally one other thing I need to mention here is the fact that we as believers show true love for one another when we are able to forgive one another. How hard is it for you to forgive those who have hurt you? Do you have a hard time forgiving those people who have said something hurtful to you or who don’t line up with how you think or believe? Listen to these words today church.
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
In 2015 Dylann Roof walked into Emanuel Church in Charleston South Carolina and took the lives of nine precious black image-bearers. What stood out to me that was so remarkable was at his sentencing instead of a reciprocated rage and anger for their lost loved ones, family members responded with forgiveness. Listen to some of their responses:
I’ve realized that forgiving is so much tougher than holding a grudge. It takes a lot more courage to forgive than it does to say, “I’m going to be upset about whatever forever.” After seeing how people could forgive, I truly hope that people will see that it wasn’t just us saying words, I know, for a fact, that it was something greater than us, using us to bring our city together.
The son of shooting victim Sharonda Hughes-Singleton
I would just like him to know that..... I forgive him and my family forgives him. But we would like him to take this opportunity to repent. Repent. Confess. Give your life to the one who matters most: Christ. So that he can change him and change your ways, so no matter what happens to you, you will be ok.
Relative of shooting victim Myra Thompson
We care for others by loving them with all our heart and by choosing to forgive them. Will you take time this week to stop for just a moment and care for someone that God puts in your path? Maybe today you need to reach out and call someone or message them or take them out for coffee . Show them you care by what you do.
3. Pray for others.
3. Pray for others.
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
The other thing we see here in Paul’s life, is that he found a true sense of joy in remembering the saints at Philippi as he went to God in prayer for them. When we take time to pray for others we can experience joy in our lives because we remember them and we think about God working in their lives. When was the last time that you took time to pray for others? Maybe it was a family member or close friend or even a coworker. It it has been a while take the time to do this and make it a priority in your life. Then watch what God will begin to do in your life and for that person. As Paul prays for these saints there are several specific things Paul asks for.
-Intercession or Prayer. This is Paul’s Prayer = 9-11
First that their love would continue to grow. This would be a love for Christ so that they could love others. When our Christian love is growing as it should be that we see other things in our life follow.
Second, that they would grow in knowledge and discernment. Paul also prays that they would have a discerning love. There may have been some lack of love between several women here in the church and that is why Paul maybe asking for knowledge and discernment which leads to maturity and unity. Insight without knowledge is nothing and knowledge without love is nothing. So, Christian love is not blind or even mindless, and that is why Paul prays for this church to abound in love that is discerning.
Next, that their lives would be pure. Paul also prays here that they would have a pure character. This type of character is a character that can pass the test. If someone were to accuse you of something your character is blameless. Let me ask you today, is your life pure? Or are there things that you are doing and saying that go against God’s moral laws. We have become a cultural that is morally tolerant of almost anything these days. Church if God says it’s wrong and sinful than no matter how much we try to justify it we will come up short. The goal here is to turn from the sin and run back to God and live for him.
As believers we are also to be able not to cause our brothers and sisters to stumble by something that we do or say that is not godly. We should live in such a way that we are ready for the Lord to return and not be ashamed of our lives or embarrassed by how we are living.
4. Finally, that they would have righteous fruit. That they would share the gospel message. Paul wanted this church to be filled and to be fruitful by their Christian service.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
As believers we have to abide in Christ so that through him, He can help us produce fruit. The difference between doing everything we can to have spiritual fruit is that when we try we can have a tendency to brag and become prideful. When God helps us and we seek him, this true spiritual fruit is wonderful and only God will get the glory. Take time this week to share some good news with those who God puts in your path.
(Pray and lead into Communion)