“Joy in Serving Jesus… even when it’s hard!” - Philippians 1:12-18a

“Joy in Serving Jesus… even when it’s hard!”

Philippians 1:12-18a

Introduction: Do you recall the famous speech of Samwise in the “The Two Towers” in the Lord of the Rings series? When it seemed there was no hope and Frodo was ready to give up the mission in despair, drained by the struggle and the opposition, thinking he couldn’t complete the task, Sam offers words of hope…  

I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?  But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer…

      Sam spoke some good theology there! We know that God, who created the universe and called it “good,” will one day restore life as it should be in the New Heaven and the New Earth.  God has appointed a Day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. Paul has alluded to that “Day” a couple of times already in this chapter. Until Jesus comes, we’ve been entrusted with the mission of bringing the “Good News” to the world. We have been included in God’s story! The Bible teaches that all of history is really about Jesus Christ, the King of the universe, coming to provide the basis for sinners to be reconciled to God. He is both Sovereign and Sacrifice, the slain Lamb is the conquering King - through whom and for whom our world exists. Being a follower of Jesus is really about knowing Him, entrusting ourselves to Him, and finding our place in His story. He saved us on purpose, for a purpose.  Even when life doesn’t make sense, even when we are passing through hardships or people seem to be against us, looking at the big story can give some perspective.  Its all about Jesus, so we can serve Him joyfully!

Context: “But I want you to know brothers…” Paul has just told the Philippians  that he prays for them to grow as disciples of Christ, loving God and loving one another, discerning what really matters, and living a life that brings glory to God.  He is confident that God will answer that prayer, and complete His good work in and through the Philippians. That does not mean that the Christian life is easy, that its without hardships or opposition. Paul is modeling the truth of serving with joy that goes beyond the circumstances of the moment as surely as he is teaching it with his words. We can serve the Lord joyfully because He is sovereign, the Lord of History—and because history really is His Story… nothing is going to impede His plan.  We don’t live in a chance universe, the end is not in doubt! Psalm 2 shows a world in chaos, the nations in rebellion against God and his anointed, but He who sits in the heavens laughs—one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Until that day we urge men on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God! Let’s hear the Word of the Lord, the Scripture, Phil 1:12-18…

¹² I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,  ¹³ so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.  ¹⁴ And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 

¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.  ¹⁶ The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.  ¹⁷ The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.  ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

The Maine* Idea: We can serve God joyfully, even when we are passing through hardships or opposition, because it’s not about us, It’s about Jesus, glory to God!

I. Trials from outside: We can serve joyfully in spite of trouble – as long as Christ’s cause progresses, and it will! (1:12-14).

       We see here Paul in chains, but even so the Gospel advances inside and outside of Prison.  Paul, in the midst of trying circumstances, could see God’s hand at work. I used to enjoy reading books by Tom Clancy… he was a great story teller, weaving a complex narrative with several story lines that seem to always managed to converge in some way at the end.  God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, for those who care called according to His purpose. This we know, God is the author of this story, and he will work everything together for our good, and for His glory. We don’t know all the details, we may not see how they fit together, but we do know the end of the story: Jesus wins!  

       We shouldn’t be surprised by trials or hardships as we seek to follow Christ.  After all, Jesus warned his disciples in John 16:33, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."  Face it, a lot of what we have to tell the world runs counter to popular thinking.  They say there is no absolute truth… we say Jesus is the way the truth and the life.  They say there are many paths to God… and we say there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved.  They say the world is changing, and the rules of sexuality and marriage we find in the Bible are outdated and irrelevant.  We say God is immutable and his Word has not changed, and humans are what God created them to be, male and female.  The world says I’ll make my own rules, I am in charge of my life and my destiny, we say, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” and so we owe him our allegiance and obedience.  That is not popular thinking. We shouldn’t be surprised by trials and hardship. Even so, we strive to speak the truth in love, and we urge people on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.

      Paul saw God’s hand working in his struggles. He could see how the news of his imprisonment for the gospel was spreading among the unbelievers around him…

¹² I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,  ¹³ so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

       Paul wanted to encourage the Philippians that God was working in his circumstance, that some good purpose was already evident. The guards, and others around him knew why he was there, and evidently they were hearing the message of Christ. The Gospel was advancing, so Paul could rejoice despite his chains! Secondly, he could see that his circumstance had emboldened others to proclaim the Gospel boldly…

  ¹⁴ And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

That reminds me of the effect of the lives of the five missionaries to Auca Indians in Equador who were martyred in 1956… Jim Eliot and Nate Saint among them… They knew the risks, and yet they were ready to give their lives to bring the gospel to that remote indigenous tribe. After their deaths their wives went back to that same tribe, and eventually and the people turned to Christ. The testimony of those men also inspired a generation of missionaries to go out, bringing the Gospel to unreached people groups. The modern missionary movement was inspired by their devotion, and by their sacrifice. As Paul says later in Philippians, they knew that whether by life or by death, Christ would be exalted (Phil 1:20).

       It will not always immediately be evident how God is working, even so, we can know that it is true. Ultimately, in the big picture, He works everything together for our good, and for His glory. He is weaving together strands of a story that is bigger than we can imagine. Remember the story of the early church in the book of Acts… Chapters 4-7 shows the church growing through testing. What fascinates me, is that the tests come from outside, as we might expect, but then also from within. As Luke tells the story they alternate…  

       External Test: 4:1-22 - the apostles were arrested and threatened – And the church was united and continued to grow (4:32). [Notice their prayer, vv.23-30!]

       Internal Problem: 5:1-16, Ananias and Sapphira lied about their gift, and God took them – 5:1-11. Nevertheless, the church continued to grow, with great reverence for our awesome God (14).

       External Test: 5:17-42, The Apostles are arrested again, threatened and this time beaten – Yet, they rejoice, and never stop preaching the Gospel (5:41-6:1a).

    Internal Problem: 6:1-7, Division over Greek-speaking widows being neglected in the distribution of food.  Deacons are appointed, the structure of the church is enhanced, and instead of division, growth continued (6:7)!

      External test: Acts 7, Stephen’s speech and martyrdom… And so the church is scattered in the midst of persecution, but those scattered continue to preach the Word, and eventually a church is planted in Antioch (8:1,4). I detect a pattern here! Jesus is building His church. Trials and opposition will come, trials from outside, trials from within, but nothing is going to stop God from accomplishing His purpose. In fact, the church can flourish in times of testing!

       Paul had been a prisoner for four years, two in Caesarea, and two more in Rome. He did not wait for things to get better before he served – he was a faithful witness right where he was. He did not put serving the Lord on hold! He was faithful right where he was. Is life different for us today than it was a year ago, before any of us had even heard of Corona Virus? In some ways, yes. But the mission continues, unchanged, even more urgent as time passes.

       Others were encouraged to serve boldly, seeing Paul’s ministry in chains.  Paul is a prisoner and was being used by God, they may have though, surely we can be available as well! Aren’t you blessed when you see someone witnessing from a hospital bed, or a shut in who can no longer drive or get out encouraging you when you come to visit?  Haven’t you seen families who had a peace that passes understanding in the midst of a crisis they were experiencing?  Doesn’t that encourage you to want to be faithful where you are, whatever the circumstance? We can serve God joyfully, even when we are passing through hardships or opposition, Jesus is Lord, He is building His church, to God be the glory! But Paul had only external, worldly, opposition, right? No. He also faced…

II. Trials from within: We can be joyful in spite of trials – as long as Christ’s name is proclaimed (1:15-18a). The Gospel Advances outside Prison – despite ill will.

¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.  ¹⁶ The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.  ¹⁷ The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.  ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

       First of all, we should not be surprised by opposition and criticism! Nehemiah was called of God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, yet he experienced mocking, criticism, and opposition! Jesus warned His disciples in the Upper Room that they should expect opposition from the world. He said in John 15:18-19,  

^“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” 

But that is talking about the world, about this world system that is blinded by the devil, and unwittingly serving him! Paul is experiencing that from unbelievers, but from other Christians? It ought not to happen. But are those who “preach Christ from envy and rivalry” among the emboldened “brothers” in v.14? In the context, I think so. I don’t believe Paul is talking about false teachers or heretical doctrine. He is not shy about rebuking such in other letters. He is talking about some teachers and preachers who perhaps didn’t embrace aspects of Paul’s preaching, or maybe still questioned his authority since he was not one of the original twelve apostles. Do you think there is ever envy or rivalry between genuine Christians? If you have been a Christian for more than five minutes, I think you know the answer to that!

       Obviously, Paul was rejoicing over some who were preaching with boldness because they are encouraged by Paul’s faithfulness in the midst of his imprisonment.  Let’s face it, we all want to be loved and accepted.  And Paul had to be encouraged by those who loved Christ and also loved him, and preached knowing that Paul had been chosen by Jesus for a special mission, that he was “appointed for the defense of the Gospel.”

       Others, however, are preaching with wrong motives, with envy and strife, with selfish ambition, apparently hoping to somehow make Paul’s situation even worse.  Rather than getting defensive, or angry about the motives of his detractors, Paul basically says, “It doesn’t matter. It is not about me, it’s all about Jesus.”  As long as they preach the Gospel, and point people to Him, He can use them, and He will be glorified.  Remember the story of Joseph in Genesis? Rejected, lied about, forgotten… but he could see God’s hand at work, and they were still his brothers! Instead of seeking revenge when they came before him, he said, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today…” (Gen 50:20).

       Are trials and opposition something God can use in our lives? It can be that God allows hardships and opposition to teach us. Peter said in I Peter 1:6-8,

⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,  ⁷ so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  ⁸ and though you… have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory…”

God may allow hardships or opposition to teach us, to build our faith. James wrote,  “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness…” (James 1:2,3).

What is God saying to me in this passage? We can serve God joyfully, even when we are passing through hardships or opposition, because God’s design will come to pass.  Nothing can impede the plan of God. To God be the glory!

 What would God have me to do in response to this passage?  Remember the enemy would want to discourage and divide. Let’s seek to walk in the Spirit, to let the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control… Let that fruit testify to the world that God is real, He is present, and He is working in us. We are part of a bigger story, and a new day is coming!   AMEN.

NO GREATER JOY - Philippians 1:9-11

No Greater Joy

Philippians 1:9-11

Introduction: Today as our nation celebrates “Father’s Day,” forgive me if I start with a grandpa story. A little girl was sitting by her grandfather, studying his rough, wrinkled face. She felt her own face with her hand. And then reached over, and touched grandpa’s face. She asked, “Grandpa, did God make you?” He replied, “Yes he did dear, a long time ago.” Then she touched her own smooth face and asked, “Did God make me?” The old man replied, “Yes dear, just a little while ago.” She finally said, “He’s getting a lot better at it, isn’t he?” We love children as you know, and we are thankful for the young families in our church who are seeking to raise their kids in the way of the Lord. I decided to stay with our series in Philippians, as Paul’s prayer for his friends in Philippi strikes me as a very appropriate prayer of a Christian father for their children.  The apostles had that kind of love for the people under their care. Paul would sometimes call the believers his children in Christ, though the Apostle John seemed to use that metaphor more frequently. He wrote in his old age, in 3 John, verses 2-4,  

² Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.  ³ For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.  ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

       In honoring Father’s Day, I’ve called this message, “No Greater Joy.” In our series on Philippians we’ve seen that Paul is writing a letter of friendship and encouragement to a church that he knew well, a church that was doing reasonably well. Even so, the substance of his prayer in these verses is a reminder to them, and to us, not to be complacent in our Christian Lives. There were no heresies in the Philippian church, no real crisis that they were facing in terms of living out their faith, but he is urging them not to be satisfied, but to continue growing in their love for God, their understanding and discernment of truth, and in living out their faith.  There is an interesting contrast with 1:6, where God’s sanctifying work in them comes to the forefront. There he said, “…being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion in the Day of Christ Jesus…” In contrast, we see here the aspect of human responsibility, in the light of God’s work in us, how should we live?  Phil 2:12,13 will put this tension, the indicative and the imperative together again… 

“Therefore, my beloved… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,  ¹³ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

We need to pursue intimacy with God, we need to receive His Word and open our hearts before him, allowing his Spirit to fill and control our lives.  We need to reflect his character more and allow his love to flow through us as we relate to our neighbors.  Do you long for more in your Christian life? Paul himself describes his own pushing ahead to grow in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  There was no complacency in Paul’s walk with the Lord!  Let’s read today’s passage, for context I’ll start in verse 6…

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.  ⁹ And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,  ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Maine* Idea: We should pray for growth as his disciples, and for the growth of others: loving Him more, knowing Him better, and living a life that brings Him glory.

I. A Prayer for Love: “…that your love may abound still more and more…”  Increasing in love is the idea here. The object of love is not specified – I think because love for God and love for my neighbor really can’t be separated. Jesus called loving God the first and greatest commandment, and then put loving our neighbors beside it. “To love the world is really no chore, my only real problem is my neighbor next door.” Paul begins…

⁹ And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment…

       Paul implies here that the Philippians are already characterized by love.  He prays that that love wouldn’t stagnate, but would abound still more. Love defines authentic Christianity. First John talks a lot about that.  We read for example in 1 John 3:10-11,  

“By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.  ¹¹ For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another…”

Why do you love your kids?  Because they are yours!  Its love that never stops, never fails. God is our Father. CS Lewis said, “On the whole, God’s love for us is a much safer subject to think about than our love for him.” How great the Father’s love for us!

       They love, but they were not without problems (Phil 4:2,3). So, Paul urges them to abound still more in love.  There is always room for growth in the Christian life! The starting point is God’s love for us… Augustine grasped God’s love, and responded, “You called, you cried, you shattered my deafness, you sparkled, you blazed, you drove away my blindness, you shed your fragrance, and I drew in my breath, and I pant for you.” Genuine Love for God overflows in our love for one another.

       As John wrote in 1 John 4:10-11, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” An unbelieving Greek writer from the 2^nd century said, “It is incredible to see the fervor with which the people of that religion help each other in their wants. They spare nothing. Their first legislator [Jesus] has put it in their heads that they are brethren.” The church father Tertullian observed,: “It is our care for the helpless, our practice of lovingkindness, that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents. “look!” they say. “How they love one another! Look how they are prepared to die for one another!” That is not radical Christianity, it is normal, biblical Christianity. We should long to grow as his disciples, loving Him more, knowing Him better, and living a life that brings Him glory. So we pray for love, and we see…

II. A Prayer for Light: Knowing God and discerning his will “…in all knowledge and discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent…” (9b-10a).

“…with knowledge and all discernment,  ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent…”

       Where are you in your Christian life? Some of us are like Christopher Columbus: “He didn’t know where he was going.  He didn’t know where he was when he got there. He didn’t know where he had been when he returned.” I have been there… I think! Paul is praying for growth in the life of the Philippians. What does that look like? The previous petition sets the foundation: ever growing love. And that is rooted not in mindless emotion, but in deepening knowledge of the truth. When it comes to our relationship with God, to know Him is to love Him.

       Paul prays for increasing knowledge of God - Our knowledge of God is inextricably based on His revelation, the Bible.  It also means knowing God personally, intimately. A dear lady from our church, now living in St. Andrews village, used to say, “There is a big difference between knowing about God, and knowing God!” The word employed here is a less common word for “knowledge.” Paul used the word “gnosis” repeatedly in the Corinthian letters. Now, ten years later or so, he prefers this compound word, epignosis, which may serve to intensify its meaning (the NASB translates, “real knowledge”). Some commentators suggest it alludes to a depth of knowledge that comes from experience or personal relationship.  We don’t need to simply know facts about God, we need to know him personally, intimately.  To know Him is to love Him. Its not merely emotion, but emotion based on the joy of knowing truth.

            “…and discernment…” Ever increasing moral insight - Discerning truth from error.  “…in order that you may approve the things that are excellent…” Paul’s prayer for the Philippians is that they would be able to discern the things that really matter – that they would have perspective (I Cor 7:19; Gal 5:6). We tend to focus on the surface and neglect the heart, Paul says to discern what really matters.

 But even discernment is not an end in itself. Paul prays that our love will abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment in order that we might approve what is excellent. It's not enough just to know something, neither is it enough to just know whether something is good or bad. Verse 10 is the goal of knowledge and discernment. What God wants and what Paul is praying toward is that the Philippians, and you as well as me, approve what is excellent, the things that really matter. I think the NLT get the sense here,

“For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return (Phil 1:10, NLT).

       God wants our heart. “Approval” is a matter of the heart agreeing with the head that something is valuable and that you want it—that you prefer it to things of lesser value, that you perceive it to be excellent and you love its excellence. Later in this letter Paul says knowing Christ is the heart of the matter.

       Do you long for more in your Christian life? Paul did, and so should we. We should desire to grow as his disciples, and pray for others to grow, loving Him more, knowing Him better, and living a life that brings Him glory.

III. A Prayer for a Life that glorifies God: We are changed by God, and our life is to bring glory to God. “…in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ…”

“…and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

       We see Paul remembering again the truth that this story is moving toward a conclusion: Twice in this opening he refers to the “Day of the Lord.” Jesus is returning.  Eschatology is not an abstract concept in the NT: because Jesus is returning, we need to be faithful, pressing on in the mission he has given us, striving to know Him better and love Him more.  Be watchful, be ready, be faithful. In this case the result will be for Paul’s readers to “…be pure and blameless…” on that day. Ray Stedman made an interesting observation about the Greek word translated “pure,” which occurs here, and only one other time in the NT. Stedman says that

In the ancient world oftentimes they made little images or pottery which would develop cracks. In order to pass these off as perfect, some of the merchants would fill the cracks with wax so the crack was not observable. There was a way of find out. They put the item out in the hot sun for awhile. If there was wax, the sun would melt it and the crack would become visible, so it was "sun tested". Paul is saying that the Christian life ought to be one without hypocrisy, without wax, so constantly exposed to the light that is in Jesus Christ that it is continually Son tested, This is where the Christian lives, in the light of the glory that streams from the face of the Father in heaven. If in our lives before Him we hide nothing we are then sincere, blameless, and as a result we are filled with the fruits of righteousness.

       Maturing and persevering “…having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ…” The evidence of our genuineness, the proof that our approval of what is excellent is more than lip service, more than mere mental assent, is that we will have been filled up with the fruit of righteousness. What does that look like? Our lives will show forth the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  ²³ gentleness, self-control… (Gal 5:22-23).  Our choices and our deeds will substantiate that we really did approve what is excellent.  It comes through Jesus… (Cf. Eph 2:10, Phil 2:12,13). It comes through knowing who you are in Him.

On March 11, 1830, a little English girl was doing her lessons with her tutor, and the lesson that day was on the royal family. As she studied the genealogical chart in the book, she became aware that she was next in line for the throne! At first she wept, and then she looked at her tutor and said, “I will be good!” The fact that little Victoria would one day be queen motivated her to live her life at a higher level.

Let’s remember who we are, who’s we are! We are children of the King! As our love abounds, as we abide in Christ, our hearts are changed. Our love grows. We more and more put off the old man, and put on Jesus. We are changed by being close to Jesus.

Dr. Charles Weigle composed the favorite “No one ever cares for me like Jesus…” One day he visited Pasedena, CA to go to a Bible Conference.  Early that morning he had the opportunity to walk through some of the famous rose gardens as the roses were in full bloom and their fragrance filled the air.  Later he arrived at the hotel where the conference was being held.  As he took his seat a man turned to him and said “Dr. Weigle, I know where you’ve been.  You toured one of our lovely gardens, I can smell the roses on your clothing.” He replied, “My prayer is to walk so closely with the Lord that the fragrance of His grace will pervade my being.  I want them to know by my words, actions, and songs that I have been with Jesus…”

Our life should be so changed! Hudson Taylor said, “If your father and mother, your sister and brother, if the very cat and dog in the house are not happier for your being Christian, it is a question whether you really are.” That’s convicting!

       Because the fruit of a changed life comes through Jesus, God gets the glory. We’ve looked ahead to 2:12,13 in the beginning of this message: “…Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” We seek Him, we pray for growth, but God is at work in us, so He gets the glory. Notice in v.11, our Goal: The glory of God “…to the glory and praise of God…”  The fruit of righteousness comes through Jesus, so God gets the glory!

What is God saying to me in this passage? It is easy to lose the joy, the excitement we had when we first believed. We can begin to neglect our first love, rather than nurturing it. We should desire to grow as his disciples, loving Him more, knowing Him better, and living a life that brings Him glory.  We should pray that for ourselves, and we should pray it for those around us, including our children and grandchildren.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?  Is it your desire that your love abound more and more, your love for God, and your love for others?  Seek intimacy with God – the more we know Him, the more we’ll love Him. The more we Love Him, the more we’ll love one another and discern the things that are excellent, the things that really matter.  Guarding our tongue, being quick to forgive, seeking the best for our neighbor. We should pray this for ourselves, and we should pray it for others. Fathers, you can memorize this, and pray it for your children, that their…

       …love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,  ¹⁰ so that [they] may approve what is excellent [choose the things that matter], and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.   

We can pray these things for our children, and we can model it in our lives. I remember well going down the dark stairs of my church in NJ, taking my daughter by the hand, she was maybe 4 years old... “Stay close,” I said. She replied, “OK Dad, I’ll follow you, and you follow God.” That was convicting! Let’s strive to be good examples of authentic Christianity for the next generation!  AMEN.

We are in this together! - Philippians 1:3-8

Joy in Serving Jesus: We are in this together!

Philippians 1:3-8

Introduction: Are you rejoicing in the Lord this morning? We are here, with a few inconveniences, but are together! And we are in this together. In this paragraph, Paul is continuing the greeting of the letter. Though Paul writes to his friends in the church in Philippi while he is under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial before Caesar.  As he writes, he reflects joy in the Lord, and hope about the future. “Hope” is often used quite differently in modern English, like the little boy who said “Hope is wishing for something you now ain’t gonna happen…”  Though that is what many English speakers may mean by “hope,” that is not the Biblical idea of “hope”!  Hope in the Bible is a confidant expectation about the future, based on trust in the Lord of History. It is not wishful thinking, it is the joyful expectation of faith.  

       There is value in looking back, so that we can be reminded of God’s demonstrated faithfulness in history.  In the book of Deuteronomy, as the nation is poised on the plains of Moab and being readied to enter the promised land, they were reminded of what God did in the past – forty years earlier when he led them out of Egypt, in preserving them in the wilderness, and even in giving them preliminary victories on the east of the Jordan. God had shown himself faithful. That is true as well in the history of our church. It is wonderful to think that God has worked for over 200 years in this community through this church, preserving a remnant, a witness, and a testimony for himself.  And He has worked in your life and your family as well.  We learn from the past, we are encouraged by it, but we don’t live there. Now we can look ahead with joyful expectation. We look ahead joyfully, and with a confident hope to the future. At the heart of this paragraph Paul expresses his confidence, “He who  has begun a good work in you will complete it.”

The historical context: Paul is writing this letter as a prisoner, probably in Rome, the setting that we see at the end of Acts 28.  Though he is a prisoner, he is writing to a church that he knew well, and he is encouraging them to rejoice in the Lord, even if circumstances were difficult.  Paul had a history with this church, in fact had been beaten, jailed, and later asked to leave town by the authorities (Acts 16).  We see in this letter Paul’s love for the people, his “Shepherd’s heart.” He is writing this letter to encourage his brothers and sisters in Philippi, despite difficult circumstances, to rejoice in the Lord. Here, still in the opening of the letter, let’s read his greeting…

The Scripture: Philippians 1:3-8…   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.

New Testament scholar Gordon Fee calls Philippians a “letter of friendship,” and Paul, with the love of a shepherd, writes to his friends in Philippi, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, thanking them for their partnership in the Gospel. Here we’ll see…

The Maine* Idea: Let God’s work in the past encourage you to look ahead with joy and hope, loving Him, and loving one another… First, we see Paul…

I.  Looking back with joy: We can rejoice in God’s faithfulness (3-5). We’ve recently been apart for a couple of months, but God has continued to be faithful.

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.

       “Remember” is a key word in the Bible.  One of the main themes that carries through the Old Testament is that the Jews were repeatedly called on to remember what God had done in their past, the Exodus being the paradigm… He is the God who brought them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm! They were to remember, and they were to teach the truth to their children. In the New Testament, as Jesus was preparing to depart, the disciples were given the Lord’s supper, and told that the ordinance would serve as a reminder of Christ and his work: “Do this in memory of me…” Remembering is important since God’s past work shows us his character and reveals his attributes.  He revealed his love toward us.  Since God, “…spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things?” Paul here is saying that as he looked back and remembered what God had done in and through the Philippians, he was thankful and prayed with joy.  There is joy in remembering what God has done!

      Paul had a history that he could look back on with joy. He remembered when he first arrived there and met Lydia with the other women down by the river. God opened her understanding and she believed what Paul said. He remembered delivering the demon possessed fortune-teller, and then, after he had been arrested, sharing Christ with the Philippian jailer and then with his family. They all believed and were baptized that very night!  Something like 15 times in this short letter, Paul uses the word “joy” or “rejoice.” And don’t forget that he is writing as a prisoner!

       I don’t mean to imply that there were no struggles: Paul had been severely beaten before they were jailed in Philippi, and once released the team was asked to leave the city after just a short time effective ministry! But the connection with the church, the unity in the family, the fellowship in the ministry continued.  One motive in writing this letter was to thank the church for their partnership in gospel, including their giving on his behalf (4:18,19). They saw Paul as a spiritual leader and viewed themselves as partners, coworkers in Christ.

    Paul could genuinely be thankful for their partnership, “koinonia,” “sharing”, in the ministry, “from the first day until now.” They were connected, they were a team, a family, even when they were separated by long distances.  We are a family, and like any family there have been good times and times of struggle. In the church, we “…bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Christ.” We’ve looked through the years at some of the “one another” statements in the NT, encourage, love, build up (or edify) one another… bear each other’s burdens. That’s what a family does! We watch out for one another, care for one another. We read later in Phil 4:15-18 about Paul’s experience of partnership with the Philippians…

¹⁵ And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.  ¹⁶ Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.  ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.  ¹⁸ I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

So, a part of the partnership between Paul and the Philippians was financial. They had given generously to make sure Paul’s ministry could continue in Macedonia and beyond. And Paul was grateful.

       What about our church? God has been faithful in the past, he has provided for our needs and strengthened us in times of testing. He is faithful.  Through the months of this lockdown, he has continued to encourage his people and to provide for the ministries of this church and those of our missionaries. What has been your experience, personally? I hope that every one of you can look back, and remember with joy the time you first believed.  I trust there are moments you can recall when God answered prayers, when he worked in your life to teach you.  I hope that as a church we can remember God’s hand, guiding and preserving, teaching us and leading us.  Remember that God has guided this church through many times of trial in the past. And he has worked in your life as personally as well. Let God’s work in the past encourage us to look ahead with joy and hope and to grow in our love for others.

II. Looking ahead with confidence: We can have faith in God’s plan.  Here we see the joy of our hope!  (v.6).  God has a plan — and its better than we could imagine! 

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.

       He is faithful, he is trustworthy. Trust is not always easy… Haddon Robinson told the story of an apartment fire in Harlem, in NYC. The fire was out of control, and a blind girl was perched on fourth floor window with smoke billowing around her… The firefighters couldn’t get the ladder truck between the buildings, so they placed a net, and called on the girl to jump. She was afraid, she was blind and wouldn’t jump into a net she couldn’t see. Finally, her father arrived, and he shouted through a bull horn that there is a net, “Jump!” And she did, and didn’t even suffer a scratch. Why did the girl jump when she heard her father’s voice? She knew him, she knew he loved her, she trusted him implicitly. She heard her father’s voice, and she responded to it. At different times and in different ways God spoke in times past to the fathers through the prophets, in these last days he has spoken in a Son. We have His word written. We can trust Him, and entrust ourselves to Him. We trust our Father! We trust and obey.

       “Being confident of this very thing…” Paul could pray with confidence and joy as he looked back, rejoicing in God’s work. Yet he didn’t live in the past. He had a hope for the future.  For Paul, “hope” implies a confident expectation that just as surely as God had worked in the past, he would bring this story to a glorious conclusion. He is good, and all that He does is good, all the time. We can trust Him.    

       “…He who began a good work in you will complete it…” People are not always reliable.  We start projects with good intentions, but…  On the human level we need reminders (2 Cor 8:6, 11).  God is completely reliable, he is trustworthy, he finishes what he starts. He has a plan for creation, and by grace we are a part of the story.

       It’s not the work that God has done for us that is emphasized, notice the wording here, but rather the work he has begun in us.  Our experience of salvation, by grace through faith, is certainly implied, it is the beginning of a new life. But it seems by speaking of God’s work in us, the emphasis is on the transforming, sanctifying work God is doing in our lives, from the inside out. We’re not yet what we will be, but we are not what we once were. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…

        “…until the Day of Christ Jesus…” God has appointed a Day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. Do we really believe that? Do we live like it? All of history is moving toward a culmination, Jesus will return and reward the faithful and judge and unrepentant. For believers that is Good News! The world lives in denial, thinking their sin is hidden they will never have to give an account. Not so. God has appointed a Day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. And so, we are thankful for God’s gracious intervention in our lives. For the work that He initiated of His own sovereign will, not because we somehow earned it or deserved it. We deserved wrath, but in His mercy we received grace. And from the time you believed, God has been at work in you! We’ll see an amazing statement in Phil 2:12,13…

¹²Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,  ¹³ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

We’ll talk about the details at a later date, but for now notice the connection between human responsibility and divine sovereignty. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling… Why? …for God is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure… It is not just what Jesus did for us in the past, it is also what He continues to do in us now. God is at work in us! That work will continue until the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ. We should let God’s work in the past encourage us to look ahead with joy and hope, and to grow in our love for others.

III. Looking around with love: We can rejoice in God’s family (7-8).

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.

      “Just as it is right for me to think this of you all…” Paul’s love for the believers in Philippi is evident, “I hold you in my heart…”  The language here reflects the inner parts, the tender affection that Paul felt for the church at Philippi.  God so loves us (Jn 3:16; Rom 5:8). 

     “…you are partakers with me of grace…” We are fellow recipients of Grace, the unmerited favor of God.  (We saw this word in the opening verses). God has extended his grace toward me--aren’t you thankful that is all of grace?  I know I am!  If God has so loved us, we ought to love one another.  We are fellow recipients of grace! We should be gracious to one another…

       “…For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus…” Paul loved Jesus, and his love for God overflowed in his love for the church.  First John 4:7, 8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God for God is love.” Jesus had told his disciples that love for one another would be a hallmark of authentic Christian faith: “By this men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” What does that look like?  We know Paul’s inspired perspective: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a…

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  ⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  ⁸ Love never ends…

       God’s work in our lives should encourage us to look ahead with steadfast joy, a confident hope, and sincere love for one another. It should encourage us to look ahead with joy and anticipation and to grow in our love for one another!

What is God saying to me in this passage?  Look back with steadfast joy, rejoicing in God’s faithfulness.  Look ahead with confident hope, have faith in His plan.  Look around with love, rejoice in God’s family! 

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? As far as it rests with you, be at peace with all men.  Let’s not be discouraged by limitations we have to deal with, lets rejoice that God has brought us to today – He is faithful!  The Creator has a plan. He knows you, and by grace, you are included in his plan.

      As we prepare our hearts for the Lord’s table we can look back with joy and remember. We remember the Cross. We remember the Good News that Christ died for our sins… and that He rose again the third day. We can remember the day we first believed and were grafted into the family of God. We also prepare our hearts knowing that this same Jesus will return, and that He promises to continually work in us, growing our faith, maturing our understanding, making us more like Him. And that on that Day we will be perfected, we will be like Him, sin eradicated once for all. Until then, we need to be patient with each other, don’t we? We need to deal with things like viruses, and the first pandemic, human sin. We all need grace!

       Look around. Do you feel the love of Christ within you, prompting you to love your brothers and sisters? As John said, “Beloved, let us love one another…” Jesus said, “…by this men will know that you are my disciples…”                  AMEN.

Serving with Joy! - Philippians 1:1,2

“Serving with Joy!”

Philippians 1:1,2; cf. Acts 16:7-40

Introduction: After nearly three months we are thrilled to be back together, sharing in a time of worship. Our nation has transitioned from focus on a public health crisis, a worldwide pandemic, to news that is now centered on questions of racism and institutional prejudice, with protests and sadly some violent rioting. The sin in human hearts is the root problem, and Jesus is the answer. If we allow it, this time of crisis can be used of God to grow our faith, and to cause us to press in closer to Him. I love the scene described in Revelation 5:8-10,  

⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,  ¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."

There is no room for prejudice or hatred in that picture, a beautiful mosaic, a remnant of every race and nation, as one before the Lamb! That is our destiny if we know Him! Let’s be faithful witnesses, and messengers of peace and reconciliation. Let’s remember that we are all descendants of Adam, and let’s do our best to see people as needing grace in the same was that we do!  The theme of our last study, mostly through the weeks of the lockdown, came from the central message of I Thessalonians, “Be Encouraged!” The Thessalonians were new believers, experiencing a time of persecution and hardship, and Paul was writing to give them hope, to encourage them in their faith. The study we begin today is based on the letter to the Philippians.

       Philippians is a letter of friendship, unlike Galatians or even Colossians which were written to respond to a doctrinal heresy, or I Corinthians which addresses a series of practical/pastoral concerns, Philippians was written as a positive reinforcement and encouragement to a church family that is largely walking in obedience.  Paul was writing to what seems to be the first church planted in Europe. You can read the account of the first part of the second missionary journey in Acts 16. Paul and his companions were traveling through Asia Minor, but God seemingly closed the doors for further ministry there. Then Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia, gesturing to him, and saying come on over and help us. 

       Philippi was where Paul met Lydia with some other women down by the river, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul (16:14). She was baptized and extended hospitality to the missionary team. As Paul was heading to that place of prayer down by the river, he had an encounter with a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling (16:16). Paul cast out the demon, angering her owners, who had Paul arrested (16:19).  The missionaries were thrown in prison, but would not allow that to dampen their joy. They were singing in their cell, when suddenly the ground shook, their chains fell off, and the prison doors opened.  You know the story, the jailer comes to faith. He asked the most important question of his life, “What must I do to be saved?” And Paul and Silas give perhaps the most unexpected answer:  “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (16:31). He and his household believed, and they were baptized that very night!

       Fast forward twelve years or so, and Paul is writing to the church that grew out of those experiences. Paul is a prisoner again, this time in Rome. It seems likely that this is the imprisonment we read about at the end of the book of Acts. So Paul, a prisoner, uncertain how things would end with this imprisonment, is writing now to an established church, and encouraging them to find joy in serving Jesus, by embracing the attitude of Jesus and serving one another. Have you ever been encouraged by a prisoner? I hope you will be as we work through this letter over the next few months. For today, we’ll look at just the first couple of verses…

The Maine* Idea: As recipients of Grace we have peace with God and have been set apart from the world to joyfully serve Him in obedience to His Word.  If our trust is in Christ, we’ll find joy in serving Him as a part of His church. It starts with a right attitude…

I. A Foundation for Joy: An attitude of servanthood (1:1a).

       And so, the letter begins, introducing the senders, “Paul and Timothy…” Paul was certainly the writer, with Timothy serving as his secretary. We’ll see Paul talking in the first person in several places, and even referring to “sending Timothy” to the church. What we see here is the humility of Paul.  This, like first Thessalonians which we just studied, is another one of the few letters where Paul doesn’t specifically call himself “an apostle of Jesus Christ” in the opening. He simply identifies himself, along with Timothy, as the senders of the letter. Timothy was known to the church (Acts 16:1, 13) and was soon to travel to Philippi (2:19-22).  Though Paul is writing there is no need to claim his authority as apostle – the church knew him and respected him, and by including Timothy in the greeting he is affirming Timothy’s gifts and leadership. Humility is not a common characteristic in leaders. I like the way Andrew Murray described it:

“Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing that is done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised.  It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.  The humble man is not one who thinks meanly of himself, he simply does not think of himself at all…”

       Sometimes we can learn something about Paul’s meaning, or what he is emphasizing by what he doesn’t say, how is his greeting different from what he usually does.  In most of his letters, he opens by identifying himself as “apostle.” One who is sent, with authority, to speak on behalf of the One who sent him.  Paul spoke, wrote, and ministered with the full authority of an apostle of Jesus Christ.  Here he begins, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus…” Paul could assume the Philippians recognized that authority, there was no need to assert it, much less defend it.  The word “servants” is the plural form of the word “douloj” “bond-servant” or “slave.”  It was used in the ancient world to designate someone who was bound to another. Paul understood that he belonged to Jesus, and even as he served the churches to whom he ministered, he served the Master.

       According to many writers, when used in the NT of a believer’s relationship with Jesus Christ, doulos reflects willing, determined and devoted service.  The Mosaic Law provided that

“if a slave plainly says I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man, then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the door post.  And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently…” (Ex 21:5-6). 

We serve Him by serving others, and like Paul, we can do it joyfully. Charles Swindoll said, “You’ll know if you have the attitude of a servant by how you react when someone treats you like one.”  As recipients of Grace we have peace with God and have been set apart from the world to joyfully serve Him in obedience to His Word.” If our trust is in Christ, we’ll find joy in serving Him as a part of His church.

II. Finding joy in serving: …in the light of our position “in Christ” (1:1b).

       Paul turns from the writers to the recipients of the letter, “…to all the saints…”  Literally, “holy ones, those who are “set apart.”  “Saints” does not refer to a class of special Christians who are more pious or reverent than most – rather it is used by Paul to designate all the believers in a given place: See for example the Corinthians, 1:2, called “saints,” yet clearly immature in many areas (I Cor 3:1-3). It is always in the plural, not referring to a specific individual, but to “all the saints.” For those of us, like me, who come from a tradition that viewed “sainthood” as something conferred by the church to a special few, and only after their death, it takes some time to come to grips with the idea that all who know Christ, all who have trusted Him as their personal Savior and Lord, are saints!

       What sets us apart is our position, “…in Christ Jesus…”  (cf. Eph 2:4-6).  The phrase “In Christ” is a statement that describes our union with Christ. It’s like the air that is in us, yet we are also in the air. You are the air I breathe! So, Christ is in us, and we are in Him.  We are united with Christ, a member of his body, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Practically, we are justified, declared righteous, because Jesus took our sin, and his righteousness was reckoned to our account.  We are holy, because He is holy and we are in Christ.

       And so Paul writes to the saints, in Christ, “…who are in Philippi…” Acts 16 describes Paul’s early ministry in Philippi. That was where he went down by the riverside and met some women who were seeking to know the God of Israel, Lydia, a seller of purple, being the first convert. Perhaps the jailer, who came to faith at the end of that same chapter was still among them.  We’ve been set apart from the world and united with Christ.

       Consider the implications for us! As Paul told the Christians in Rome, “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:11).  A little further on in that letter, he said in Romans 8:1, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” That is good news! As recipients of Grace we have peace with God and have been set apart from the world to joyfully serve Him in obedience to His Word.  If our TRUST is in Christ, we are IN Christ, and we will find joy in serving Him as a part of His church.

III. Finding Joy in Servant Leadership “…with the bishops [overseers] and deacons…” Paul is assuming here a biblical view of the church and church leadership. 

       Paul is writing to the saints in Philippi, with the  “…bishops and deacons…”  (NKJV). The ESV translates the first office as “overseers.” How are we to understand these offices?  The word “overseer” occurs only five times in the New Testament, and it pretty clear that it is synonymous with “elder” and “pastor/shepherd.”   Notice Paul’s use of “elder” and “overseer” in His farewell in Acts 20, “Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him…” (Acts 20:17); and then in Acts 20:28, ^“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for [“shepherd”] the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” The terms “elders” and “overseers” describe the same group, and their work is “shepherding” or “pastoring.” Likewise, in Titus 1:5-9 we see the terms used in parallel,

⁵ This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you-  ⁶ if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.  ⁷ For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach… ⁹ He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

 Here the elders are also called “overseers,” and they must hold firm to the word and give instruction.  As we search the Bible, we see that…  1) Shepherds know the sheep – Jesus, the Good Shepherd, said “I know my own, and my own know me…” (Jn 10:14.)  2) They also feed the sheep. The Good Shepherd is indicting his under-shepherds, the leaders of Israel in Ezekiel 34 when he says “…I will feed them in a good pasture… I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest…” (Ezek 34:14, 15).  As God’s under-shepherds, elders are responsible to oversee and share in the teaching ministry of the church. 3) Shepherds lead the sheep – the Good Shepherd is our model. The Psalmist says “He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Ps 23:2b-3). So too elders are leaders. That implies the sheep are willing to follow! 4) Shepherds protect the sheep – Paul told the elders in Ephesus in that passage in Acts 20: “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock… after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock…” (Acts 20:28-29). Defending against false teachers, people who would come in and bring division. That is a lot of responsibility, and our elders have accepted the call.

       Paul writes to the saints in Philippi, with the elders “…and deacons…” In I Timothy Paul lists similar spiritual qualifications for overseers (3:1-7) and deacons (8-11), with an emphasis on “service”.  Acts 6:1-6, when seven men filled with the Holy Spirit were appointed to oversee the distribution of food to the Greek speaking widows, probably points to the start of the office of deacon.  So deacons were leaders, spiritually qualified, aiding the elders by sharing in the ministry, initially in terms of the physical needs of the church body.  In Acts Philip and Stephen among the first deacons, and soon they are out evangelizing and preaching Christ! Those who are called serve not grudgingly, but joyfully. If our trust is in Christ, we’ll find joy in serving Him as a part of His church.

IV. Finding Joy in the Truth: Hold forth Sound Doctrine (1:2).

       Once again, we see a greeting that is uniquely Christian, a variation of the common greeting in use in the Greek world, and among the Jews, “…grace to you and peace…” Implicit in those words is the Good News of the Grace of God, and the promise of Peace with God for all who believe. Because it varies from the typical greeting of the day, it would catch the attention of the original readers and invite them to think about what Paul was implying.  Paul takes what was a similar sounding word used in greetings of his day, and makes it into a greeting that is a prayer, that reflects his view of sound doctrine:

       “Grace to you…” Grace, God’s unmerited favor. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. Justice is getting what we do deserve. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. We are saved by grace. But in the Bible, grace is not only an objective description of the nature of our salvation, but it describes God working in us, empowering us and transforming us. Peter prays in 2 Peter 3:18 for his readers to “grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” It seems to me that practically this relates to the idea of being filled with the Spirit, and walking in the Spirit.  In this way we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for God is at work in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure… (cf. Phil 2:12,13).  It is interesting that Paul begins and ends this letter with a reference to God’s grace (see 4:23). Max Lucado referred to ten words that tell us all we need to know about grace, they come from Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” G.R.A.C.E.  Aren’t you glad that is the way it is? 

       Grace to you, “…and peace…” Shalom, or “peace” was a familiar greeting used by Jews like Paul. There seems to be significance in the order of the words Paul uses, Grace is what is given to God’s people, peace is what results. Gordon Fee said “The sum total of God’s activity toward his human creatures is found in the word ‘grace.’”  God has given himself to his people bountifully and mercifully in Christ.  Nothing is deserved, nothing can be achieved. The sum total of those benefits as they are experienced by the recipients of God’s grace is “peace,” both now, and to come” [See Rom 5:1].

       Finally, we see the Source of this blessing: “…from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…” Paul is bringing greetings, and speaking blessing, from God. As we study this letter, may we receive it as God’s Word to us!

What is God saying to me in this passage?  “As recipients of Grace we have peace with God and have been set apart from the world to joyfully serve Him in response to His Word.” If our trust is in Christ, we will find joy in serving Him as a part of His church.

What would he have me to do in response to his Word?  Have you ever been encouraged by a prisoner? I have! (That’s a story for another day). I hope you will be encouraged as we work through this letter over the next few months!  We are all glad to be together after all these weeks apart, right?  The church has been meeting only virtually during this time, but it never stopped. And it doesn’t stop when we walk out those doors and go out into the community and back to our homes-that is really where the rubber meets the road! Take time today to seek God, to ask him to reaffirm your giftedness, and consider how you can best serve Him as a part of this church. As we heard Paul tell the Thessalonians in our last study: As you have been doing, excel still more… in acts of kindness in the name of Jesus to your neighbors. Each of us has gifts that can edify others. Let’s determine to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us.   AMEN.