Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Philippians 1-2
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: It's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin. We are continuing our chronological walk through scripture. We're going to be in Philippians chapters one and two today. So we were in Acts and it talked about how Paul ⁓ gets arrested. And ⁓ so now we're going to have some of the prison letters. ⁓ Philippians is one of my favorite ⁓ letters, and ⁓ Paul is writing this from prison. So ⁓ we don't know exactly all the the details of the prison that he's in, whether he's at house arrest at this time or in prison. We not real sure there is debate on on exactly where he is in prison, ⁓ but we know he is in prison. And ⁓ so whenever he's writing these things, ⁓ it's important to r remember that and to have that as context, that he is not a free man ⁓ and his future is very uncertain. you know you didn't want to be ⁓ you know in a place where the the whim of the Caesar ⁓ could determine ⁓ your life. I mean that that was a a little dangerous place to be, but that is where Paul finds himself. And so as he's writing these things, again, remember that he is ⁓ in imprisoned. and I as I go go through ⁓ Philippians, I again it's such a a wonderful book. It's Talk so much about joy and having a perspective that that will allow us to experience joy is very important. So Paul starts right off ⁓ and he's ⁓ thanking the church and Philippi. He obviously has a very close relationship with the church and Philippi. ⁓ and it starts off verse three I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, making requests for you. ⁓ all with joy for your fellowship and the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. ⁓ I love this the you know, this is an important aspect of our faith. ⁓ that it is much more than just ⁓ joining a church ⁓ or being baptized or walking the aisle ⁓ to the altar call and professing Faith in Jesus Christ. All of those are wonderful things. But our faith is something that continues throughout our lives. And Paul says that I'm I'm thankful for that he who began a good work in you will see it through to completion. So that it's it's throughout our lives we are growing and growing closer to Him. Verse nine says, And this I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment. So that we learn more about God, but we also become more discerning. So we start applying what we learn about God to our lives. ⁓ and and that's a a process, that's a maturing process of ⁓ moving from a head knowledge to, okay, now how do I actually apply that to my life? And that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness. which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. ⁓ again, that that we bear fruit, that we live righteous lives, not in order to be saved, but because we are saved. But b because we have entered into that relationship with him, we therefore live a new life in him. ⁓ So you continue to to go on, ⁓ Paul talks about how there are other people that are preaching the gospel. ⁓ and kind of taking advantage that Paul's in prison. ⁓ hey, you know, Paul's the number one preacher. Now he's in prison. This gives me an opportunity, right? So there are some people that may be doing that. Paul is like, you know, ultimately I don't care what the motivation is, if they are truly preaching ⁓ the gospel message, ⁓ I am ⁓ I am good with that. ⁓ it says ⁓ what then that only and every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice. ⁓ then one of my favorite passages starting in verse nineteen, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness as always, so now also Christ be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. So what is he saying? He says, I know this is going to work out. He's hopeful that it'll work out by him being released from prison, ending up in Rome, whatever that you know, however ⁓ that's going to work out where he can continue to ⁓ spread the gospel. ⁓ but he also has this a kind of this this is kind of like one of those thought bubbles, right? That ⁓ he's like, but but I wanna I wanna expound on this just a little bit because he knows that there is a possibility that he will not be released from prison. And so he Steps back and he starts really gives a ⁓ a powerful statement on perspective. ⁓ verse 21, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. To live is Christ, to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this will mean fruit for my labor. Yet what shall I choose? I cannot tell, for I am hard pressed between the two. Having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. So what is Paul's perspective is that even if death comes, that that actually is a better place for him. That's that's actually the place that he desires most to be, because that means to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. he knows that he would be present ⁓ with God. And and so he understands that perspective and that gives him the strength to carry on, to live as Christ until that day comes. I think that's so important for for us ⁓ to remember ⁓ and to to wrestle with. ⁓ do we truly believe that? Do we truly have that perspective ⁓ in our lives? ⁓ then he continues to kind of talk about what it is like to live a life for Christ. ⁓ it says, only let your content ⁓ conduct, this is verse twenty seven, be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, right? ⁓ striving together for the faith of the gospel and not terrified by your adversaries. Right? He understands living a life for Christ is not easy. We are in a spiritual battle ⁓ that many times can spill out upon this physical world. He's experiencing that, right? It's a spiritual battle, but yet he is imprisoned in in this world. ⁓ he's dealing with that, and we may as well. Now verse 29, for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now here is in me. Now this is so important to understand. That there there is that aspect of suffering that we if we truly follow Christ, it doesn't mean our lives are going to be easy or get easier. In fact, there's going to be suffering that comes along with that. But through that suffering, we actually draw closer to Christ if we have the right perspective. And if we understand that this is what God has has promised us. He hasn't promised us a life. free from suffering. He's actually promised us a life that there will be suffering, but yet we suffer with him. And ⁓ and he gives us the strength to endure whatever suffering me we may encounter. ⁓ Says ⁓ as he continues, he talks about being humbled and exalted in Christ as one of the most ⁓ famous kind of hymns, if you will, or ⁓ about Christ, about who Jesus was, verse five. ⁓ chapter two, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking from the form of a bond servant, coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every other name. That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That's just a powerful ⁓ statement of who Christ is, that that God Himself humbled himself to enter into this world as one of us, that attitude of of humility, ⁓ of not exalting ourselves to Greater than we should was modeled by the creator of the universe. Quite incredible. And he continues, and ⁓ says, Therefore, because of this is what Christ has done, says, Therefore, verse twelve, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. Now he's not saying work for your salvation. He's work out your salvation. So you have been saved. ⁓ God has ⁓ redeemed you. Now work that out in your life. Apply it to your life. it's vital that we understand that. Verse 14, do all things without complaining or disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. I d ⁓ I I think that certainly applies to today. So we should do things without ⁓ being disgruntled and complaining, but rather live out our life in humility, our life in Christ, in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation. And that actually is the main way that we share the gospel of Jesus Christ. ⁓ Yeah, he talks about verse seventeen, yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. This a aspect of pouring your life out ⁓ on behalf of Christ ⁓ is is one of the ways or is the way that we find true joy, that we can rejoice. even in the midst of persecution, that Paul can rejoice even while being in prison, because he is pouring his life out ⁓ in the name of Christ. ⁓ the chapter two ends with talking about Timothy and Epaphroditus. ⁓ he's hoping to be able to send them back to ⁓ Philippi. Epaphroditus has been ill, but ⁓ he rejoices in his healing and he's going to be carrying this letter to the Philippians. All right, if we can do it. ⁓ we're gonna be in chapters three and four ⁓ of Philippians. So we will finish out chapter four ⁓ f finish out Philippians and yeah, we'll just finish out Philippians. We won't go any further than that. All right, we'll see you next time.