The Thickest Pleasure on Earth: Why We Love Philippians

When the apostle Paul first got here to city, town of Philippi was well-known for its connections to 2 of the best emperors of the traditional world: Alexander the Nice and Caesar Augustus.

Paul got here to Philippi within the winter 49–50 AD, to a inhabitants of about ten thousand (sizable however smaller than Thessalonica and Corinth), and when he wrote this letter ten years later, I don’t suppose it was misplaced on Paul how vital it was to be writing to “saints in Philippi.” That’s, to Christians alive and properly in no obscure metropolis. The planting and progress and endurance of the church within the metropolis of Philippi represented gospel advance deep into the Roman empire.

Town, based about 350 years earlier than Christ, was about 8 miles northwest of the port metropolis Neapolis, within the area referred to as Macedonia. Town was named for Philip II of Macedon, the daddy of Alexander the Nice. Alexander conquered Greece in 338 BC and unfold its language across the recognized world. So, when this metropolis, named after Alexander’s father, acquired a letter from Paul, virtually 4 centuries later, within the Greek language, it was (partially) due to Alexander.

However gone had been the times of Alexander. The Romans took Philippi in 168 BC, and town’s actual declare to fame got here in 42 BC, on the Battle of Philippi, when armies of Brutus and Cassius, who had assassinated Julius Caesar, had been defeated by the coalition of Marc Antony and Octavian (who would change into Augustus). After that, Philippi turned a Roman colony, and positioned alongside the queen of lengthy roads within the Roman empire, town turned the gateway between Asia and Europe. Way more essential than historical past, it was a strategic metropolis by way of journey. Then enter Christianity within the first century.

The explanation the world is aware of and remembers Philippi at the moment isn’t due to Alexander the Nice, and never due to Julius Caesar and Marc Antony and Augustus. The world remembers Philippi due to Jesus. His apostle Paul confirmed up there and planted his first church in Europe, after which years later wrote them this letter which we’ve within the New Testomony.

Who, Whom, and Why?

Let me simply say, I really like Philippians. I’ve a historical past with this e book, and that in my most formative season of life. And I do know I’m not alone. Many people love this e book, for a handful of causes, and what I’d love to do on this sermon is have fun a number of of these explanation why so many people love Philippians — and why the pastors suppose this e book particularly meets us in our life as a church right here within the first half of 2024.

So, let’s take this twofold strategy this morning, to introduce this Philippians sequence: First, I’d prefer to reply three questions from verses 1 and a couple of, after which end with 4 explanation why so many people love Philippians. So, listed below are three key questions from verses 1–2: (1) What do we all know in regards to the recipients of this letter? (2) Why is that this letter from Paul “and Timothy,” and never simply Paul? (3) What do they hope this letter will accomplish?

1. Who Obtained This Letter?

First, what do we all know in regards to the recipients of this letter? Verse 1 says the letter is “to all of the saints in Christ Jesus who’re at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” As for Philippi, Acts 16 tells the story of Paul first coming to town, and the weird circumstances of his coming there, and the conversion of Lydia and a jailer. However that was ten years earlier than this letter, and I don’t suppose that incredible story truly performs a lot into this letter a decade later.

It’s vital, nevertheless, that Paul writes “to all of the saints,” that’s, to the entire church. He may have written solely or primarily to the leaders, however he writes to the entire church, “to all of the saints” (as he normally does in his letters). So, we would say this letter is congregational, not presbyterian.

And but, although the entire letter is to the entire church, Paul does hat-tip the leaders and mentions two places of work (and be aware each phrases are within the plural): “with the overseers and deacons.” These two places of work are the identical two laid out in 1 Timothy 3, the place we discover {qualifications} for each, with “in a position to educate” being the primary distinction within the necessities. Overseers (or “pastors,” or “elders”) comprise the lead or instructing workplace within the church, whereas the deacons are the helping workplace.

2. Why Two Authors?

Why is that this letter from Paul “and Timothy,” and never simply Paul? The primary a part of verse 1 says the letter is from “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus . . .” Paul is the apostle. He met the risen Jesus on the Damascus Street. Timothy is a youthful affiliate that Paul picked up in Derbe not lengthy earlier than he first confirmed up in Philippi. So, why would Paul, the apostle (the one who actually issues, it appears) have the letter come from each him and Timothy, his junior accomplice?

First, contemplate Paul’s magnanimous spirit. Reasonably than spotlight his particular authority, and exclude his collaborator, Paul is safe sufficient, and beneficiant sufficient, to incorporate Timothy with him. Now, Timothy (together with Silas and Luke) had been with him at that first journey to Philippi. So, the Philippians knew Timothy. And as we’ll see in chapter 2, Paul hopes to ship Timothy again to Philippi quickly to examine in on them (Philippians 2:19).

Timothy additionally seemingly served as Paul’s assistant in composing this letter. He could have been the secretary as Paul dictated the letter. Historic letter writing was not something like writing emails, the place you sprint one thing off in a couple of minutes. Writing an epistle within the historic world was like publishing a e book — it was a protracted, concerned, costly course of. Paul, along with Timothy, would have drafted the letter; then re-read and edited; then re-read once more; then fastidiously written out a last copy. So, Timothy seemingly was concerned considerably in producing the letter, like an editor and writer could be for a brand new e book at the moment.

However once more, Paul is the apostle. And beneficiant as he’s to incorporate Timothy within the course of and to call him right here in the beginning, on the finish of the day the letter comes beneath Paul’s apostolic authority. He indicators off on all the pieces in it. It represents him, and the risen Christ, from starting to finish. He speaks within the first particular person in verse 3, and speaks of Timothy within the third particular person in chapter 2.

So, with Timothy listed right here with Paul, “apostles” doesn’t match them collectively. However collectively they’re “servants of Christ Jesus.” Servants right here is identical phrase for slaves (douloi), which pairs with Lord or Grasp (kurios). For Paul and Timothy to name themselves slaves is to say one thing about their Lord. Jesus is Lord, he’s kurios; due to this fact, they’re douloi, slaves.

Jesus is alleged to be Lord on the finish of verse 2 — grace and peace come from “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The one who was so clearly totally human, simply 20 years earlier than strolling the roads of Galilee and the streets of Jerusalem, instructing with knowledge and authority, performing indicators and wonders, struggling and dying, and purportedly rising once more — this man is exalted alongside “God our Father” because the divine supply of the grace and peace Paul extends to the saints in Philippi. Which ends up in our third and last query.

3. What Was the Letter’s Objective?

What do Paul and Timothy need this letter to perform? Verse 2: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” As we’ll see within the coming months, Paul has some particular manifestations of Christ’s grace and peace in thoughts when he thinks of the current wants in Philippi. We would summarize it as contemporary pleasure in Christ, resulting in humility and unity (following inside conflicts), main then to joyful, efficient witness on this Roman colony.

This “grace and peace” Paul means to come back to them by phrases, by this letter. So, the letter doesn’t simply start with a prayer for grace and peace; the letter itself is designed by Paul to be grace and peace to them. Epaphroditus will carry this letter again to his house church (2:25–30). He had introduced a present to Paul from the Philippians (4:10, 14, 18), which was not their first present to Paul. From the very starting, the saints in Philippi had supported Paul (1:5; 4:15–16). These are clearly a few of his greatest companions, which explains why this letter gushes with affection and pleasure. Paul deeply loves this church, and so they make him glad. They’re his “pleasure and crown” (4:1). If solely all of the church buildings could possibly be like Philippi’s!

This most up-to-date present (of maybe meals and provides) they despatched with Epaphroditus whereas Paul’s in jail in Rome, and apparently someplace alongside the best way Epaphroditus acquired sick, and virtually died. Now he’s recovered and may return, so this turns into a possibility to jot down to the Philippians, and prolong grace and peace to them in a number of methods: Paul thanks them for his or her present, he updates them on his standing in Rome, he commends Epaphroditus for his service, he prepares the best way for Timothy to come back quickly, and he addresses the interior rigidity that has emerged within the church.

From the start, there had been exterior opposition to the gospel in Philippi. Paul and Silas had been overwhelmed and imprisoned on the get-go. Now the church in Philippi is about ten years outdated, and battle is threatening from inside. As we’ll see in chapter 4, two distinguished girls within the church are at odds (and certain others as properly). So, Paul hopes that this letter, with its exhortations to pursue humility and search unity shall be a way God makes use of to result in contemporary and larger peace in Philippi, and that Paul’s phrases, his instructing, his letter, shall be a way of God’s grace to this church, a church with a lot to understand and some issues to develop in.

So, Paul beloved the Philippians. And it’s a contagious love. I feel that’s a part of why so many people love Philippians — how are you going to not when the apostle Paul loves this church a lot and has a lot grace to have fun?

4 Causes We Love Philippians

So, let’s shut, then, with 4 transient explanation why we love Philippians, which pertains to what we’d like as a church proper now, and why the pastors are so excited for this focus within the weeks forward.

1. JOYFUL

First, that is an epistle of pleasure. As we are going to see, this letter overflows with pleasure, with brightness, with heat (in distinction with, say, Galatians!). In Philippians we’ve extra express mentions of pleasure, gladness, and rejoicing in such a brief house than anyplace else within the Bible. From the start, the entire epistle is heat and shiny (even with the difficulty that involves the floor in chapters 1, 3, and 4).

And but, in all this brightness and heat and pleasure, this letter is written from jail in Rome. What an incredible particular person Jesus has made the apostle Paul. Singing at midnight in jail, after being overwhelmed by rods. And now, ten years later, singing (within the type of this letter) whereas sitting in jail in Rome. So, don’t mistake the enjoyment of Philippians for the skinny pleasures of a carefree life. This pleasure is deep sufficient to outlive and thrive in jail, in battle, in battle, in ache, in illness, even in loss of life.

Which actually ought to put our lives — our little issues and our massive ones, our complaints and pains — into perspective. The pastors’ prayer for us as we steep our souls in Philippians in these subsequent 5 months is that Jesus would make us extra like Paul. Overwhelmed with rods, he sings. Imprisoned, he overflows with pleasure. Why? Not simply because he had a buoyant character, however as a result of Jesus is Lord. The gospel is true. The Spirit is alive and poured out generously on those that love Jesus. God is sovereign. Christ is on the throne. He offers grace and peace and pleasure, even within the worst of earthly circumstances.

And I do know it’s January, the coldest month. Winter is right here, and we’re now getting into into the thick of seasonal affective time (which is actual, and particularly in Minnesota). One of many causes the pastors selected Philippians, shiny, heat, deeply joyful, for such a time as that is to assist us by this winter. So, we love Philippians as a result of it’s an epistle of such deep pleasure.

2. BRIEF

Second, we love Philippians as a result of it’s comparatively transient (in distinction to, say, Hebrews!). Philippians is transient sufficient for a brief, centered (however nonetheless deep) examine. Philippians is simply 104 verses, which, I promise you, is transient sufficient for anybody on this room to memorize — in case you put the work in over time. There are 52 weeks in a yr. That’s simply two verses every week. You are able to do this. What higher technique to tackle the sheer insanity of a presidential election yr than to memorize this transient epistle of deep, enduring pleasure?

3. ACCESSIBLE

Third, we love Philippians as a result of it’s so accessible. It’s comparatively straightforward to know (in distinction to, say, Galatians, or Leviticus, or Hebrews — our final three sequence!).

We’ve been by so much as a church. God’s grace has sustained us by a significant capital marketing campaign, and renovating our constructing, and dropping three pastors final summer season. The explanation we selected Philippians for the primary half of this yr is that we hope this could be a time to refresh our souls. The final three books of the Bible haven’t been straightforward ones! Cities Church, you might have carried out properly, and it’s time for one thing extra accessible. It’s time for Philippians, and we’re going to take it gradual.

4. MEMORABLE

Lastly, we love Philippians due to the memorable passages. From 1:6 to 2:12–13 to three:12–14 to 4:19, what number of exceptional verses and passages there are in Philippians. I made a listing of my high 10 favourite verses in Philippians. It consists of the 4 I simply talked about. It additionally consists of 3:20–21 (on our citizenship being in heaven) and 4:4–8 (on not being anxious and setting our minds on the true, honorable, and simply) and 4:11–13 (on all issues by Christ who strengthens me), however let me finish with my high three.

The primary two reveal the center of Paul for Jesus. As Christians, in our greatest moments, we need to be like this:

1:21: To me to dwell is Christ, and to die is achieve.

3:7–8: No matter achieve I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Certainly, I depend all the pieces as loss due to the surpassing price of understanding Christ Jesus my Lord.

In our greatest moments, once we are considering our clearest, and our hearts are their purest, this too is what we wish: for Christ to be our life, and to see loss of life as achieve as a result of to depart and be with Christ is much better than being distant from him. And, with Paul, to depend as loss anything of achieve we’ve in view of the surpassing worth of understanding Jesus.

And the way do we all know him? The final memorable passage reveals the center of Jesus, and leads us to the Desk, Philippians 2, verses 6–11:

[Being] within the type of God, [Jesus] didn’t depend equality with God a factor to be grasped, however emptied himself, by taking the type of a servant, being born within the likeness of males. And being present in human type, he humbled himself by turning into obedient to the purpose of loss of life, even loss of life on a cross. Due to this fact God has extremely exalted him and bestowed on him the identify that’s above each identify, in order that on the identify of Jesus each knee ought to bow, in heaven and on earth and beneath the earth, and each tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The loss of life he died was not for his sin; he had none. The loss of life he died was for ours. And he went to the cross, as we noticed in Hebrews, “for the enjoyment set earlier than him” (12:2). He humbled himself, understanding his Father would exalt him. He was obedient to loss of life, understanding his Father would elevate him, and reward him, and honor him, and honor himself in and thru him — and that he would win for himself a individuals who belief in him.