Paul and the Philippians
Paul encountered the Philippians in Acts 16 after going through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, reaching Mythia, and going down to Troas. It was while Paul and his companions were in Troas that he received what some refer to as the Macedonian call. Luke wrote, "immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel there" (Acts 16:10; ESV).
The group sailed from Troas to Samothrace, traveling from there to Neapolis, and then to Philippi, "a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony" (Acts 16:11-12; ESV).
Initial converts in Philippi included Lydia and her household and the Philippian jailer and his household (Acts 16:14-34).
Paul's letter to the believers at Philippi is chiefly one of joy. As one of the prison epistles (others include Galatians, Ephesians, and Colossians) you might expect it to be otherwise. But Paul wasn't focused on his physical circumstances. His affection for them flows in his initial section of the letter: "I thank my God in every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now" (1:3-5; ESV; italics mine here and hereafter).
Then comes one of the most encouraging statements: "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" (1:6; ESV).
Isn't that an amazing promise? But there is more. There is Paul's prayer for them: "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (1:9-11; ESV).
Paul builds here: more love, knowledge, discernment with the goal that they may approve what is excellent--which requires love, knowledge, discernment--and as a result will be pure and blameless and fruitful, not for themselves but for the day of Christ, through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Reading through the rest of the letter, it is clear that this prayer was needed. It is easy to be focused on the horizontal relationships and lose sight of the vertical. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, time and again Paul reminds them--and us--to live this way: "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God" (1:27-28; ESV).
I love Paul's letter to the Philippians, with its encouragements and its admonitions. I am encouraged by his humility and reminded to keep my focus not on this world but the eternal. As believers we have this to look forward to: "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself" (3:20-21; ESV).
How is it that we have this to look forward to? Read this from what we call chapter 2: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (2:6-11; ESV).
Even so, Lord, enable me by your Spirit to excel still more in love, knowledge, and discernment, that I might with other believers stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything. As we wait for the Day, make us fruitful in righteousness to the glory of the Father. Amen.
The group sailed from Troas to Samothrace, traveling from there to Neapolis, and then to Philippi, "a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony" (Acts 16:11-12; ESV).
Initial converts in Philippi included Lydia and her household and the Philippian jailer and his household (Acts 16:14-34).
Paul's letter to the believers at Philippi is chiefly one of joy. As one of the prison epistles (others include Galatians, Ephesians, and Colossians) you might expect it to be otherwise. But Paul wasn't focused on his physical circumstances. His affection for them flows in his initial section of the letter: "I thank my God in every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now" (1:3-5; ESV; italics mine here and hereafter).
Then comes one of the most encouraging statements: "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" (1:6; ESV).
Isn't that an amazing promise? But there is more. There is Paul's prayer for them: "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (1:9-11; ESV).
Paul builds here: more love, knowledge, discernment with the goal that they may approve what is excellent--which requires love, knowledge, discernment--and as a result will be pure and blameless and fruitful, not for themselves but for the day of Christ, through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Reading through the rest of the letter, it is clear that this prayer was needed. It is easy to be focused on the horizontal relationships and lose sight of the vertical. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, time and again Paul reminds them--and us--to live this way: "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God" (1:27-28; ESV).
I love Paul's letter to the Philippians, with its encouragements and its admonitions. I am encouraged by his humility and reminded to keep my focus not on this world but the eternal. As believers we have this to look forward to: "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself" (3:20-21; ESV).
How is it that we have this to look forward to? Read this from what we call chapter 2: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (2:6-11; ESV).
Even so, Lord, enable me by your Spirit to excel still more in love, knowledge, and discernment, that I might with other believers stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything. As we wait for the Day, make us fruitful in righteousness to the glory of the Father. Amen.
posted by Ebeth | 7:01 AM
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