"Joyful Gospel Partnership"
Philippians 1:1-11
Pastor Luke Tanis
Intro to Philippians:
Author: Paul writing from Prison in Rome (Acts 28:16-30)
Date: Written 10-11 years after his first visit.
4 chapters. 104 verses
The Name of Christ or a pronoun referring to Christ. 61 times
16 words related to Joy (Rejoice, glad, give thanks)
9 times Paul uses the word Gospel
6 times Paul uses words of partnership
Audience: Church in Philippi (Acts 16:11-40)
City of Philippi is named after Philip II of Macedon, The father of Alexander the Great.
In 42 BC it was established as a Roman Colony, a Mini-Rome.
Culture, practices, Law, government were all Roman.
by the time Paul visited Philippi, it was Major metropolitan area,
One of the main commercial roads of the Roman Empire went through here. the Crossroads of Europe and Asia. This brought all kinds of trade and workers through the city.
Which meant this was a strategic hub to plant a church and that is exactly what the Lord moved Paul to do.
We read about the beginnings of this church in Acts 16.
When Paul wrote Philippians he had faces on his mind. Over a decade had passed but they were still on his heart.
Lydia, Slave Girl, Jailer. 3 people whose lives were transformed by Christ.
READ Acts 16:12-32.
Compared to his other letters, Philippians is unique because it is much more positive in tone than his other letters. there isn’t a major heresy or false teacher he is correcting. instead Paul gets to talk directly to thank and encourage these believers. What we have is a mature group of believers who are grounded in the life changing truths of Christ.
The first 11 verses Introduce book themes. throughout sermon we will see them as they come up. A sample of what to expect.
Today we will see that, Life in Christ should be defined by Joyful Gospel Partnership
3 Characteristics/Qualities of Joyful Gospel Partnership
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Centered around Christ (1-2)
Paul’s life has been transformed by Christ and throughout this letter he is going to unpack just how significant Christ is to every part of our life.
He doesn’t waste anytime getting directly to the Center of His life.
Just in these 2 verses of introduction, Paul highlights 4 way’s Christ impacts our life.
A. Ownership of Christ. “servants of Christ Jesus”
Servant may sound negative but Paul intentionally uses this title because he is a “chosen instrument”. This is the truth we are no longer our own. belong to Christ. We were bought with a price.
Paul is proud to serve Christ.
This title is used in the Old Testament to describe prophets and key figures like Moses and Daniel
Making this claim is radical/upside down to the world.
this is what the gospel does to people. Makes them Proud to serve Christ.
After all that Christ is done, a life of service to Him is the only natural response.
B. Identity in Christ “all the saints IN christ Jesus”
“IN”. One word in english but it carries so much meaning.
Christ is our life. Christ defines everything about us.
This is not an optional adding on of Christ when you ned Him.
Christ redefines everything about you. The old you is gone.
Unashamed of Christ and what He has done.
When you place your faith in Christ alone for salvation you are placed “IN Christ”. This is your new reality. Your whole life is defined by Christ.
All the promises of the Bible are applied to you because you are in Christ.
For Paul, this is foundational to the believers identity. so from the beginning of his letter, he is teaching, reminding the believers of their identity in Christ.
C. Salvation from Christ
These 2 words are Paul’s way of summarizing the work of Christ in the gospel.
His Grace is show to us even though we don’t deserve it, God’s love in Christ
His peace is evident in our relationship with God that is free from the penalty of sin. Those who are in Christ have their sins forgiven. They have been made whole. They have been reconciled. They have. PEACE.
This Grace and peace comes from God (planned) and the Lord Jesus Christ (purchased it)
these words stand as the summary of what the Christian has experienced.
We deserve God’s wrath and yet we experience God’s grace. After all we’ve done, for a Christian we did not get what we deserved.
We were enemies of God yet we now are at Peace with Him.
How can this be?
Because of the perfect plan of God accomplished by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God.
When you see these words Grace and Peace, may they remind you of the life changing work of God accomplished at the cross.
D. The Reign of Christ. “LORD Jesus Christ”
The mere mention of this title of Christ was radical, worthy of prison.
This is the reason Paul is in prison. Unashamed to call Christ Jesus Lord.
The cultural background of this word LORD is significant.
Philippi was one of the great cities of the eastern provinces where there was, a “cult of the emperor”. Propoganda was common to promote devotion and honoring of the emperor. This meant at all public events, and ordinary events of life it was expected to give honor to the emperor,
you did this by acknowledging, in this case Nero, as “Lord and Savior”
Nero wanted to be called Lord and Savior but for Paul that was a title reserved only for Jesus Christ.
His allegiance did not belong to any human ruler. Because of the gospel, his allegiance belonged to Christ alone.
This is the attitude that should define believers.
LORD: This truth is going to be looked at much deeper in chapter 2 but Paul is already giving a glimpse of what he will be talking about.
2. Working together for the Gospel (vs 3-8)
When Christ transforms people, he unites them with himself and with other believers. the fruit of this is gospel partnerships. United around the same cause, the same goal. Working together for the Gospel.
This friendship defined by the gospel is one of the key themes of this chapter.
Paul, as he begins his letter is bursting with emotions as he reflects on the friendship and partnership with this group of believers.
The word partnership is often translated as fellowship.
at the core of this word Paul used is sharing and mutual interests.
A. Gospel Partnerships are filled with Emotions.
Gospel partnerships bring about
1. Gratitude (1:3)
Philippians 1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
This is a Common theme in letters, but Paul, His gratitude is strong There is much to be thankful for as he reflects on the church in Philippi and God’s work in them.
A people that don’t deserve to be saved.
Rescued by Christ alone.
United together.
Transformed lives that are generous, sacrificial, gracious and peaceful.
Every time Paul thinks of them, gratitude comes out.
2. Joy (1:4)
Not only gratitude for the gospel partnership. but Joy,
No matter what circumstances will change, he is joyful.
Even though Paul is in prison, there is a joy when he thinks about and Prays for the believers
A joy that comes when he reflects on God’s transforming work in the believers lives and the fruit evident in their lives.
Gospel partnerships, a key theme of this letter, brings such joy to Paul. The warmth of this letter flows out his relationship he has with the believers in Philippi.
Paul had Joy when he was in prison in Philippi and that same joy that is free from circumstances is found in Paul as he is in prison once again.
3. Love (1:7-8)
The 3rd emotion Paul is filled with is love. look at verse 7-8.
This is what drives him to write to them and to continue helping them.
Paul’s defends his mindset, “right to think/feel this way”
His feelings or “his mindset”
For Paul, this love was more than just a warm feeling
Paul explains that this isn’t because of any amazing display of love on his own, but rather his love for them simply flows out of Christ’s love.
This is a love that is not his own.
Throughout this letter, Paul is going to keep pointing to Christ, looking at what He has done, the Christ-like love that is possible when we are united with Christ and the kind of example he has left for us.
From the beginning, Paul gives us a taste of the impact Christ has on our relationships.
Christ like love we show to others is a love we could never produce in our own strength.
B. Gospel partnerships are active (vs. 5)
“because”
Paul’s emotions flowed from their gospel partnership.
“partnership in the gospel”
Paul wasn’t the only one sharing the gospel. The believers in Philippi were involved in the spread of the gospel. They were his Co-workers They didn’t wait for Paul to get there so people could hear about the gospel. They were faithfully sharing the gospel. The church that was started was the church built with Jesus Christ as the foundation.
This is significant because the spread of the gospel is the task of the whole church.
We are co-workers in the gospel, co-laborers.
There are countless gospel stories from Philippi that we will never get to hear about. But there would have been people in the church who heard the gospel, not from Paul but from faithful believers.
Paul wanted to see them do well, to thrive and this required a willingness to partner together with Paul. To share in the work of gospel ministry.
These believers understood what the gospel is all about.
They knew how undeserving they were of God’s love and they were willing to sacrifice and work hard to see the gospel spread so that others could experience the life changing power of the gospel.
They would not keep the gospel to themselves.
Even if Paul was no longer around THEY WANTED IN on this Gospel partnership.
they loved the gospel so they were willing to sacrifice, to give, whatever it takes so that the gospel would progress.
They were willing to sacrifice financially to help Paul spread the gospel. They gave generously.
As you think about your love for the gospel, one way to evaluate your love is to ask “What sacrifices am I willing to make to help in the progress of the spread of the gospel?
My life has been transformed by the gospel, I come to Church but look at the believers here, the work of the gospel didn’t stop there. It moved them to sacrificial partnerships for the sake of the gospel.
How will the people that are in Malta hear the gospel? Through the work of ordinary people like you and me who have been transformed by the gospel and who are willing to make sacrifices to help the gospel spread.
How can you make sacrifices?
Making the Sunday gathering a priority.
spending time with church people. playing an active role in their growth.
learning more about the gospel so you can share the gospel.
a meal with a neighbor
sacrificially giving to Church.
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C. Gospel partnerships are defined by Gospel Confidence 1:6
back up in vs 6, “will bring it to completion”
Paul, in the middle of his gratitude, stops to remind the believers that his gratitude is not a temporary thing or some passing fade. Part of his gratitude and joy came from his confidence that God would complete the work he began in the believers.
Even when times get rough, God does not give up on His children, he began a miraculous work, one that could never be started in human strength.
and he WILL…..SUSTAIN……THAT……WORK……..and see to it that it is completed.
God will finish what he started.
Paul’s confidence was rooted in God’s Character.
He will finish what he started. He will complete the good work he began.
but his confidence is also rooted in the truth that christ will return one day.
//“day of christ” reminder, pointing them forward
Paul looks back with confidence at the work Christ began in them and he looks forward with confidence to the day when Christ returns.
Confidence to continue today on the basis of God’s character.
Everything flows from this confidence in the promise keeping God.
As Paul brings his introduction to an end he closes with a prayer, he takes time to show them what he desires for them. what he is praying for them.
3. Loving Others for the Glory of God
Paul’s Prayer is not just desire but what he is praying for is for the same Christ like love that he has shown them will be found in them.
A. Flowing love “abound more and more”
Love like Christ, “abounding more and more”
Abound: “rich, abundant, overflow”
1. with knowledge
A love that is flowing comes from a growing knowledge of Christ.
The more you learn about him, his character, his work the more you understand what genuine love looks like.
This love is not just based on a feeling.
Paul’s prayer is that they would grow in their knowledge of Christ so there love would grow as well.
Christ is revealed in the pages of scripture, and as you read more of Christ you can grow in your relationship with Christ.
Without the Word in your life you will struggle to grow in your relationship to Christ
Out of this knowledge flows
2. with discernment (judgement, decisions)
knowing how to apply this love in all kinds of circumstances and situations.
The church in Philippi was diverse, there would have been challenging situations where they need discernment.
Need for BOTH. “AND”.
Purpose: Approve what is excellent
Be pure and blameless
For the day of Christ (Motivation, Christ is coming)
B. Growing Fruit
One of the clearest tests of a right relationship with God is the fruit that comes out of a Christian. As Paul closes his introduction, he summarizes his desire for them
“Filled with the fruit of Righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.”
“Through Christ”: impossible without Christ.
“the glory and praise of God”: This is the goal.
Love Flowing, Fruit Growing
Application:
What impact does the gospel have on you?
Person of Christ Jesus. deeply impacted Paul’s life.
Do you know Christ in the way Paul did?
NO matter what culture you are living in, Christ transcends that culture.
The family of God provides deeper connections than any culture or family you belong to. and Paul is bursting with joy as he writes to them
You can imagine there would have been a smile as Paul wrote to these dear believers.
Do you know Christ Jesus in this way? In a way that moves you to love others deeply? to work together with others so the gospel goes forward?
If not, maybe there is something holding you back, pulling your love away.
distractions, personal ambitions taking up your time
If Paul had held on to his own personal ambitions and desires, this letter would have never been written.
These people would never have known Paul.
But in the sacrifice, the hardship look what Paul gained……..Something so much better, partnerships in the gospel that can’t be taken away. a joy that is untouchable, rooted in the finished work of Christ and it’s impact on others.
No amount of suffering or imprisonment can touch it.
no ruler or self-proclaimed “Lord” could take it away
Paul had a freedom and a joy with Christ at the center of his life and the driving force of his life.
these are some of the themes we will see throughout this letter
but as we close today, do you find these themes in your life?
Joy and gospel partnerships? A love for others that looks like Christ’s love?
How do we grow in this? To look more like Christ?
Make Christ the center of your life.
First of all by making him the Lord and savior of your life.
Like Paul, you can truly say he is Lord over your life
and then out of this you look to Christ, you find your satisfaction in Christ alone and you learn from Christ. You learn to love others as Christ loved them.
As you grow in this area, remember you aren’t doing this for your own benefit, you aren’t doing this as a self improvement plan, you are doing this because you recognize God is worthy of all glory and praise.
In Joyful gospel partnerships you can live a life “to the glory and praise of God”
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