“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.
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