Philippians series, 2025
Havasu Christian Church
March 2, 2025
“It’s usually good to start at the beginning.”
INTRO: Let’s think for a moment about how the Apostle Paul is living when he writes this letter to the Christians in Philippi…
He’s finally not travelling so much. (He’s locked up in prison.)
Paul has plenty of time to spend in prayer. (He’s in prison and the basketball court is only open one day a week.)
Paul is living a life of leisure. (He’s unable to work because he can’t leave his prison.)
He has plenty of time to write letters. (He’s in prison.)
He never lacks having someone to talk to. (He is constantly guarded in prison.)
Paul eats wonderful meals. (If someone brings him food while he’s in prison.)
Paul doesn’t have to worry about sunburn. (He’s locked up in prison.)
I suspect that if ANY of us were in his position, the letter we wrote would be pages and pages of WHINING!
But that’s not what we read. Paul is thankful. Paul is full of Joy!
Philippians 1:1–11 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.
8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
These are NOT the words of a man who is wallowing in self-pity!
- Paul’s first thoughts are for the Church members and leaders in Philippi.
- That should tell you something about the character of Paul.
- He’s the one in prison, depending on the charity of others to have food to eat and clothing to wear.
- But Paul writes this letter to strengthen them in their faith!
- This letter is to the Elders and Deacons of the Church, but it is also important for the Church members to pay attention.
- This letter is to the members of the Church, but it is also important for the Elders and Deacons to pay attention!
- He thinks first of their welfare!
- He is praying for all of them to receive blessings from God and Jesus Christ.
- With Grace
- Paul asks that the favor of the creator of the universe to be upon them.
- Grace: a gift from God that is undeserved and cannot be earned.
- Usually, we think of Salvation… and it certainly is a gift given through grace.
- But there are plenty of other things that God does for us because of His grace.
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
- With Peace
- Earthly peace? Sure.
- But what if my life isn’t peaceful?
- Personal peace? Absolutely!
- Peace that comes from knowing that God is in control!
Paul continues his thoughts and comments about the Christians in Philippi.
- What does Paul say about the Christians in Philippi?
- He is thankful for them.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.
- Every time he thinks of them, he is thankful!
- We’ll see in a few weeks that Paul is thankful for the financial support he’s received from Philippi.
- But, more than that, he’s just thankful for them being them!
- I’m thankful that my family is my family.
- I’m thankful that you all are you!
- Every time he thinks of them, he is praying for them.
- Not just once in a while.
- A lot!
- He is confident about them.
- God has begun a good work in them.
- God used Paul and company to plant this church, but it continues to thrive without them.
- They are following Jesus, and they are sticking with it!
- We raise our kids, but the proof of the job we did is seen when they leave home.
- Paul is still concerned for them, but he is also sure that they will continue to allow God to grow them and mature them.
- He loves them!
- Even though he is far away, he still cares about the church and the individual members of it.
- Again, it’s similar to raising kids.
- When you leave a church, as a staff member or as a “regular” member, you carry those people in your heart.
- He wants them to keep growing in love
- Agape, like we talked about last week.
- To grow in real knowledge and discernment.
- Knowledge… the information you carry around in your head.
- Paul wants them to grow in this.
- Discernment… Your ability to spot a phony… to know when an idea is coming from God, or your own mind.
- If they grow in Knowledge and Discernment, Paul knows they will only approve of want is best for God’s Kingdom.
- This will lead to them leading lives that are sincere (not faking it) and blameless (living how Jesus wants) until Jesus’ return, or their death.
- He wants them to be filled with the fruit of righteousness.
- Real righteousness, lived for the right reasons, brings action. (fruit)
- Pharisees lived righteously, but only to show off for others.
- This didn’t really produce good fruit.
- They only did what would be seen by others to impress them.
- If we are righteous for the right reasons, there will be fruit!
- We will do whatever God puts in front of us to do!
- We will use the gifts that God has given us.
- No apple tree ever said “Hey! I think I’d like to grow bananas!” Apple trees grow apples!
- He wants their conduct to bring God Glory!
- When you live a life of righteousness, and you do it to please God, the fruit you bear will bring God Glory!
- You may not think anyone notices, but they do!
My Dad… very obvious in his service to his Lord. Served in the Military to get the G.I. Bill, so he could afford to go to Bible college, became a preacher, worked with youth, worked with adults, counseled 100s of people, raised believing children, taught in the Bible college, almost until he died.
My Mom… If you asked her, “Did you do much for the Kingdom of God?” she would probably said “Not really.”
But she did many of the same things that my dad did. She taught lessons to unruly Jr. High and High school students… She typed enough bulletins and newsletters on stencils to fill the back of a 5 ton box truck. She raised two kids in the faith. She worked with ladies groups. She taught small children. She was a Preacher’s wife, she also. She worked so her family could thrive on what the Church paid her husband. She helped make sure he was able to do what he did. She was an example to many… including me.
- What should Paul’s comments mean to us?
- We should make others thankful that we are doing what we do.
- Are you living a life that would make the person who led you to Christ thankful?
- Are you living a life that Pleases Jesus?
- Just like Paul was praying for the Philippian church, we should pray for one another.
MEMORY VERSE TIME!
1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing;
- We should live in such a way that those who know us can be confident about how we live our lives.
- No surprises….
- They know we are living for Jesus.
- There won’t be any skeletons popping out of the closet!
- When we are fellow believers, we should “have each other in our hearts.”
- We should care enough to act and do what needs to be done for one another.
- We should be encouraging each other to grow in real knowledge and discernment.
- We encourage each other to learn.
- We encourage each other to know the difference between God’s leading and my own wants.
- If we know God’s Word well enough, it will be much easier to have discernment.
- We should want our brothers and sisters to be doing what is right.
- ROOTING FOR THEM!
- Not waiting/hoping for them to crash!
- We want them to do right, not simply because it’s expected.
- But because doing right comes from them having a good heart.
- A heart that belongs to Jesus.
Conclusion:
- Paul was encouraging the Philippians to LIVE FOR JESUS!
- Paul is encouraged because they ARE LIVING FOR JESUS!
- Let’s make the decision to live like Philippian Christians!
