The Prayer of Abundance

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul and Timothy introduce themselves as bondservants of Jesus Christ. This intro is classic Paul. He at times introduces himself as an apostle of Christ, but almost always introduces himself as a bondservant (or slave) of Christ. Paul’s identity was that of a servant of Christ. Today obviously the word “slave” carries a lot of baggage in modern English (with good reason), and yes Paul here is emphasizing that he is not his own. Christ redeemed him with an immeasurable cost - Christ’s own blood - but it also communicates the willing and necessary service that Paul now serves Jesus with. He is not his own man serving his own desires - he follows, obeys, and serves his master, Jesus Christ.

Paul also addresses the Christians, calling them “saints in Christ Jesus.” Once again the believers in Philippi were identified wholly by their union with Christ! They were not known by their own merits or efforts or history but only by Jesus.

The term saints refers to those who are holy. Grammatically its the same as “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” The Holy.

Exodus 3:5 “Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.””

Exodus 16:23 “Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.””

Ephesians 1:4 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,”

Today if you have been saved by the sacrifice of Christ and received the eternal life of His resurrection than you are holy. Holiness is never something we achieve. Holiness is only accomplished by THE HOLY ONE - the presence of God. You have been made holy by union with the perfect Son of God, Jesus and are now dedicated to serve Him. You cannot and MUST NOT seek to earn God’s favor with your own holiness - to do so is to insult God and lift up your own righteousness in arrogance. Instead though you must recognize that God has already set you apart for Himself and you must remain in close fellowship with God and reject any impure sin that jeopardizes that relationship.

1. Thank God and Love People (v3-8)

Philippians 1:3–8 (NKJV)

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.

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

Paul begins by explaining his thanks to God for the Philippians. He thanks God for them on every remembrance of them! This is not a passing thing or a one time attitude - it is a continual, sincere thankful attitude for the Philippians.

It’s not a begrudging thanks! True thankfulness is never grudgingly felt. Paul prayed for them with joy! True thankfulness is always accompanied by joy.

A. Paul thanked God for the Philippians for their fellow-participation in the gospel of Jesus Christ. (v5)

The gospel of Jesus Christ becomes the uniting force in a church. Despite other differences, we as the members of Crossroad Baptist Church have been united in Christ by sharing His death, His burial, and His resurrection. Ephesians says that we are one new man created in the image of Christ and being transformed in His image. This should be a source of joy and thanksgiving to God!

How is your attitude toward your fellowship believers particularly in our church? Are you frustrated with some? Are you bitter or angry with others? Is there someone who has wronged you or others and you still hold it against them? As your pastor I am deeply thankful for all of you as partners in Christ - partners in doing the work of the church is very impactful but your participation in Christ Himself is even more important.

B. Paul thanked God for the Philippians because he trusted God’s work in them. (v6)

Any time you work with other people, or are in relationship with other people, or are simply around other people - you will face times of discouragement. People are messy. They do not make decisions and grow the way that you want. They do not act as you would or prioritize the same things you prioritize! It is easy to become cynical and disillusioned in your relationships with people, yet in the church we must not become jaded or pessimistic.

Paul was able to thank God because of God’s sovereign working in those He has redeemed and loves. As Christians and especially as a pastor we must not forget that it is not OUR WORK that changes people. It is God’s work. I want you to grow in your relationship with Christ and am happy to minister how I can, but it is GOD who began His work in you at salvation and it is GOD who will accomplish it to the end.

This is one of the tensions we find in the Scriptures - Paul himself will say later in the same letter that they must “work out their own salvation,” and clearly to grow in the Lord, to become more like Christ takes your own participation but God has vested interest in making his salvation effective in the life of the Christian. Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

Romans 8:37-39 “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

C. Paul thanked God for the Philippians because he sincerely cared for them. (v7-8)

Deep, sincere love for your fellow believers is an essential characteristic of the Christian. Paul did not simply ensure in his relationship with the philippians. He didn’t say things like “you don’t have to like them, you just have to love them.” Once again we see that Paul did not sacrifice himself for them grudgingly, but instead it flowed from deeply felt affection. But this affection wasn’t even simply Paul’s feeling…he loved with the love of Christ Jesus.

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Your love for your fellow believers is not a production of yourself. When you fail to love it is because we are ourselves cannot love others from our own efforts. This love is an overflow of Christ within us. When you are filled with the love of Christ and His Spirit, you will overflow with love for others. The love of Christ Jesus = the love which comes from Christ and imitates Christ. It is a fruit of the Spirit of Christ within the believer.

So do you struggle to love? Seek Christ. Draw near to Him and experience HIS love and love for others will follow.

2. Abound in the Love of Christ (v9-11)

Philippians 1:9–11 (NKJV)

being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s heart, his most earnest desire for them, his petition to the Lord every time he remembers them is that they would abound…to grow and grow and grow to overflowing. But this abundance is not earthly - he doesn’t pray for the abundance of physical health; he doesn’t pray for the abundance of wealth or status; he doesn’t ask the Lord for an abundance of safety or even “evangelism success.” He asks the Lord that they would abound still more and more in love....which love? The love of Christ. From Christ and toward others. Love for God and love for others is intrinsically connected. Those who love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, will love their neighbors (especially fellow believers) as they love themselves. Paul desires them to grow in knowing Christ so that their love for each other also overflows out of abundance.

Paul knows that they are already loving but he desires that “the ocean of their love may rise to its full height and overflow its own bank.” We are only small finite cups, and when the infinite love of our infinite Savior Christ is poured fully into us it has nowhere else to go but to overflow us and reach those around us.

A. Paul prays that the Philippians’ love (of Christ Jesus) would abound in knowledge and discernment. (v9)

This knowledge is not simply mental understanding or theological complexities. This is the spiritual knowledge of Christ and His heart. If we are to love the way Christ loves than we must grasp deep in our hearts how Christ loved. Meditating on the sacrifice of Christ for us changes us to be more like Him AND show us how we must love others.

Are you struggling to love others? Than look to Christ!

Discernment here means the judicious ability to judge the right from the wrong AND the important from the unimportant. The Christian with discernment knows when and how to apply their love to accomplish the goals of Christ for others.

B. Paul prays that the Philippians’ love (of Christ Jesus) would abound in knowledge and discernment so that they would approve what is excellent. (v10a)

Excellent = That which is superior or far greater than others. Paul desires that they would increase in knowledge and discernment so that they would know what choices, attitudes, and actions are the most important things to pursue. Paul will later in this letter talk about his own earthly achievements in Judaism and those seemed excellent but in comparison with Christ they were worth less than nothing. Paul calls them dung....refuse. Paul does not want to see his beloved Philippians waste their lives pursuing things that do not matter. Instead pursue that which is excellent and far greater than anything else - the glory of Christ in God and His Glorious Gospel.

C. Paul prays that the Philippians’ love (of Christ Jesus) would abound in knowledge and discernment so that they would be sincere and blameless before Christ. (v10b)

It also follows than that those who KNOW what is excellent and right will then CHOOSE what is excellent and right. Paul desires that at the final judgment…in the day of Christ when all righteousness and wickedness are revealed the Philippians would be revealed as sincere - literally this means to be unmixed with impurities. Paul wants them to shine as pure gold when the light of Christ shines on all the earth.

They should be blameless. This means that there is no obvious sin and impurity to point to. In Christ we are all made blameless and Paul desires them to live out that reality every day until the return of Christ Himself.

Are you sincere - pure and blameless before Christ today? If He were to return now and sift through your life would he find it pur and blameless? How have you treated your fellow believers? What are your pursuing in your life? Are you wasting your time and energy on wasteful pursuits or on that which is excellent - Christ HImself? Is your love of Christ abounding and growing? Or is it stagnant? When Christ returns there will be no hiding, no deceit. No one else may know the sins you cling to today, but as your pastor I sincerely long for you to be presented pure and blameless before Christ in that day of revealing…and you can be! Christ has already paid the price and stands ready to transform all those in Him. Know Christ, Seek Christ, Find the greatest treasure in all history.

Matthew 13:44 ““Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

What does all this look like? Being filled with the fruits of righteousness...the fruits which come through the righteousness of Christ. The fruits of salvation, of union with our Great Savior.

Galatians 5:22-26 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

And all to the GLORY and PRAISE of God. Who’s glory to you live for? Who do you live to please every day? Who dictates your priorities, choices, and actions?

Philippians 1:9–11 NKJV

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.