Fri 100409 pm Philp 1.3-11 Paul's Prescription for Prayer @ Crossover Bible Church

INTRODUCTION:

1. OPENING

C.B.C. Mission

“Our passion is to glorify God by Reaching, Renewing, and Reproducing mature followers of Jesus Christ.”

2. BOOK OVERVIEW

p  Church at Philippi ...

was started at a prayer meeting of women

was a generous partner in Paul’s ministry

Occasion:

Thank you letter for a recent gift delivered by Epapharus

Theme:  Joy  19 x’s in some form

p  Outline:  No consistent, unanimous outline

1—Philosophy for Christian Living

2—Pattern for Christian Living

3—Prize for Christian Living

4—Power for Christian Living

3. CONTEXT of the prayer

Chapter one has four basic parts

1.Greeting 1-2

2. Thanks and prayer 3-11

3. Prison and afflictions for the gospel 12-18

4. Desire to live for Christ   19-30

The body of the prayer for this morning is in verses 9-11.

4. READ SCRIPTURE AND PRAY

Philippians 1:1-1  and then comment about last phrase “to the glory and praise of God.”

This last phrase gives the controlling focus and motivation of our lives and prayers.

5. OVERVIEW

TOPIC STATEMENT:

Our partnerships and our prayers should be

for the praise and glory of God.

OUTLINE

1. Paul’s Partnership with the Philippians

His thanksgiving and his heart for for them

2. Paul’s requests for the Philippians.

p  I. Paul’s Partnership with the Philippians

³I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

⁴ always in every prayer of mine

making request for you all with joy,

⁵ for your fellowship in the gospel

from the first day until now,

A. Paul’s Thanks for the Philippians.

1)  Their fellowship in the gospel

What does fellowship mean?

translated…

fellowship in kjv, nkjv

participation in nasb

partnership in esv, niv, nlt

The key idea in koinonia is “to share in something.”

Sharing a common interest or bond.

Philippians 2.1 ¹ Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ² fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1 Corinthians 10.16  ¹⁶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? ¹⁷ For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

Sharing in an experience.

Philippians 3.10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship* of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,     *esv—share in

Sharing in the sense financial participation.  Here in 1.5 as in 4.5

Philippians 4.15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.     ^*esv—entered into partnership

B.  The good work in being done in them  (6)

⁶ 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;

“Begun” and “complete” are technical terms used to refer to the beginning and end of a sacrifice to a god. “Paul’s whole sentence moves in the atmosphere of sactifice.”   —Willam Barclay

1.  What is the good work?

>>>Compare with Romans 8.28-29

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

>>>The idea of “the image of His Son” is a broad term that refers to all the ways that we are becoming like the Lord Jesus Christ in our thoughts, in what we say, and in what we do.

2.  Why is Paul confident?

>>> because God was going to accomplish it.

Hebrews 10.20-21  Benediction at the end of the book.

²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹ make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

>>>Peter expresses his confidence this way.

1 Peter 1.5

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

3.   What is the day of Jesus Christ?

&  1 Corinthians 1.7-8  uses the expression in connection with the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, ⁵ that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, ⁶ even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

>>> The word for “revelation” is the same one used for the name of the book of Revelation.  It is has the sense of the appearing of the Lord.

>>> Some of the paraphrases and more dynamic translations interpret it with words like “coming” or “return.”

>>> The day of Jesus Christ is the day He will be revealed at his second coming.

p  Application:

What is your level of fellowship or partnership with CBC?

What do you see when you look at others believers?  Do you see God’s project or your problem?

Transitional expression:

This common bond caused Paul to have a real heart for the Philippians.

p  B. Paul’s Heart for the Philippians.

⁷ just as it is right for me to think this of you all,

because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both

in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel,

you all are partakers with me of grace.

⁸ For God is my witness,

how greatly I long for you all with  Christ.

1)  His common experience with them—partakers with me

 Partakers συγκοινωνός   Strong's G4791 - sygkoinōnos  sün-koi-nō-no's  —participant with others in anything, joint partner 

Ylt—fellow-partakers; kjv, nasb—partakers of; 

nkjv, esv—partakers with me;

niv—share in; Wuest—sharers with; nlt—share with

· It is “Paul’s” grace to suffer for Christ that they are sharing.

· They had suffering for Christ in common with Paul as indicated toward the end of chapter one.

· Philippians 1.29-30

²⁷ Only let your conduct 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, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

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, ³⁰ having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

 How often do we feel an instant bond with people because of a common experience or common interest?

(School, mutual friend, common sport or hobby)

2)His Christ-like affection for them—the affection of Jesus

· What is the affection of Jesus?

σπλάγχνον splangkh'-non  (G4698): Lit. bowels or intestines;

Fig. desires

ylt, kjv—bowels; nasb, nkjv, esv, nrt, niv—affection; nlt—tender compassion;

>>>The idiom in the first century referred to feelings so strong that could be felt in the “gut.” We have a similar expression today, “a gut feeling.”  Today we usually associate affections with the heart.

>>>The newer translations used words like “tender mercy” or “affections” to give the figurative sense. 

Colossians 3.12

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  (kjv)

1 John 3.17

3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? (kjv)

Too often we are stoic and unmoved by people the way Jesus was.  He prayed for people.  He took time to see beyond the surface to their heart needs. He saw them with the eyes of eternity.

How often do we have that kind of strong, intense feelings for someone else?  We should feel pity more and be offended less often by the condition of people we see.

p  Application:

Are you willing to open up you heart and feelings to your fellow believers at Crossover?

Transitional expression:

Paul desired that they, with him, would share that deep mature love that comes from above.

p II. Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

p  II. Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

 ⁹ And this I pray,

that your love may abound still more and more

in knowledge and all discernment,

¹⁰ that you may approve the things that are excellent, ...

Your LOVE ...

1) What is love?

John 3:16 is sometimes called the love verse.

1 Corinthians 13 is the “Love Chapter” and describes love.

1 John might be called the love book. 

&  John 4:7-11

Where does this love come from?

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

What does this love look like?

 ⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Why do we love others?

 ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 

It is not because they do or don't deserve it.  It is because God loves us.  We find our focus and motivation from God’s love for us, not from someone deserving it.

· “Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered.”                  —W.E. Vine Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, p. 105.

· The disconnected “love” that we claim to have while really despising someone is not a Bible love.

· 1 Thessalonians 4.9  says ...

⁹ But concerning brotherly love ( filadelfiva fil-ad-el-fee'-ah ) you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love ( ajgapavw ag-ap-ah'-o  ) one another;

¹⁰ and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;

· Instead of try to hyper-spiritualize and redefine love so that we can say we have it, wouldn’t we be better off admitting that we fall short, and praying that God would give us His true love.

A. abounding in knowledge and discernment (depth of insight niv)

A. LOVE! Abounding in knowledge and discernment (depth of insight niv)

· knowledge (ejpivgnwsiß ep-ig'-no-sis ) This is an intensive form of the normal word for knowledge.  It hints at a fuller more experiential knowledge.  The difference between “book learning” and  what comes from practice.

· discernment (depth of insight niv) “...are the translation of a Greek word referring to a sensitive moral perception, and a quickness of ethical tact. How often we saints mean to be loving to others, and say the wrong words or do the wrong thing. We lack that delicate sensibility, that ability to express ourselves correctly, that gentle, wise, discriminating touch which would convey the love we have in our hearts to the lives of others.” —Kenneth Wuest

· In this context the knowledge and discernment have more to do with knowing and understanding how to love, the right way to love.

· Note: Love does not come to a new believer in its deep and mature form. It grows and develops over time.

· Note: That love involves the heart and the head. It is passionate and intelligent and informed.

p B. LOVE! Approving (discern niv) the excellent

INTRODUCTION:

1. OPENING

C.B.C. Mission

“Our passion is to glorify God by Reaching, Renewing, and Reproducing mature followers of Jesus Christ.”

2. BOOK OVERVIEW

p  Church at Philippi ...

was started at a prayer meeting of women

was a generous partner in Paul’s ministry

Occasion:

Thank you letter for a recent gift delivered by Epapharus

Theme:  Joy  19 x’s in some form

p  Outline:  No consistent, unanimous outline

1—Philosophy for Christian Living

2—Pattern for Christian Living

3—Prize for Christian Living

4—Power for Christian Living

3. CONTEXT of the prayer

Chapter one has four basic parts

1.Greeting 1-2

2. Thanks and prayer 3-11

3. Prison and afflictions for the gospel 12-18

4. Desire to live for Christ   19-30

The body of the prayer for this morning is in verses 9-11.

4. READ SCRIPTURE AND PRAY

· Philippians 1:1-1  and then comment about last phrase “to the glory and praise of God.”

· This last phrase gives the controlling focus and motivation of our lives and prayers.

5. OVERVIEW

· TOPIC STATEMENT:

Our partnerships and our prayers should be

for the praise and glory of God.

· OUTLINE

1. Paul’s Partnership with the Philippians

His thanksgiving and his heart for for them

2. Paul’s requests for the Philippians.

p  I. Paul’s Partnership with the Philippians

³I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

⁴ always in every prayer of mine

making request for you all with joy,

⁵ for your fellowship in the gospel

from the first day until now,

A. Paul’s Thanks for the Philippians.

1)  Their fellowship in the gospel

· What does fellowship mean?

translated…

· fellowship in kjv, nkjv

· participation in nasb

· partnership in esv, niv, nlt

· The key idea in koinonia is “to share in something.”

1. Sharing a common interest or bond.

Philippians 2.1 ¹ Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ² fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1 Corinthians 10.16  ¹⁶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? ¹⁷ For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

2. Sharing in an experience.

Philippians 3.10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship* of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,     *esv—share in

3. Sharing in the sense financial participation.  Here in 1.5 as in 4.5

Philippians 4.15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.     ^*esv—entered into partnership

B.  The good work in being done in them  (6)

⁶ 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;

“Begun” and “complete” are technical terms used to refer to the beginning and end of a sacrifice to a god. “Paul’s whole sentence moves in the atmosphere of sactifice.”   —Willam Barclay

1.  What is the good work?

>>>Compare with Romans 8.28-29

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

>>>The idea of “the image of His Son” is a broad term that refers to all the ways that we are becoming like the Lord Jesus Christ in our thoughts, in what we say, and in what we do.

2.  Why is Paul confident?

>>> because God was going to accomplish it.

Hebrews 10.20-21  Benediction at the end of the book.

²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹ make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

>>>Peter expresses his confidence this way.

1 Peter 1.5

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

3.   What is the day of Jesus Christ?

&  1 Corinthians 1.7-8  uses the expression in connection with the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, ⁵ that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, ⁶ even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

>>> The word for “revelation” is the same one used for the name of the book of Revelation.  It is has the sense of the appearing of the Lord.

>>> Some of the paraphrases and more dynamic translations interpret it with words like “coming” or “return.”

>>> The day of Jesus Christ is the day He will be revealed at his second coming.

p  Application:

What is your level of fellowship or partnership with CBC?

What do you see when you look at others believers?  Do you see God’s project or your problem?

Transitional expression:

This common bond caused Paul to have a real heart for the Philippians.

p  B. Paul’s Heart for the Philippians.

 just as it is right for me to think this of you all,

because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both

in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel,

you all are partakers with me of grace.

⁸ For God is my witness,

how greatly I long for you all with  Christ.

· approving the Greek word means “to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals”

· The English “assay” (to assay a situation) carries the sense of  the Greek word.

· excellent  translates a word that meant to carry different ways. It built on the idea of to differ and came to mean things that were superior, vital, things that excel or surpass.

· James Moffatt paraphrases it “Enabling you to have a sense of what is vital.” The New Testament: A New Translation in Modern Speech

· Sometimes “the good” can be the enemy of “the best.” Christians need to have high standards and priorities.

C. Sincere and blameless

...that you may be sincere and without offense

till the day of Christ,

¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness

which are by Jesus Christ,

to the glory and praise of God.

sincere  εἰλικρινής (G1506):

· “found pure when unfolded and examined by the sun's light.”  —Enhanced Strong's Lexicon

· The picture is of a shopper who brings a piece of fabric or clothing over to the widow so she can look at it in sunlight and see the real color. 

· Like in Psalm 139.23-24 search me O God … see if there be any wicked way in me. (kjv)

· 1 Corinthians 5.8     Paul addressing sexual immorality

⁷ Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.  ⁸ Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

blameless  ἀπρόσκοπος (G677):

· This rare and late verbal adjective means

1. “not causing to fall,” “not stumbling,” “intact,” and

2. “not giving offense,” “inoffensive,” “blameless,” “not taking offense” (e.g., a clear conscience). —Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged

· 1 Corinthians 10.32  Dealing with meat offered to idols.

³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ³² Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, ³³ just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

· Paul is concerned that they be morally pure, not causing anyone to stumble. 

p Application:

We should give thought to the effect our example has on others.

p D. Filled with the fruit of righteousness

· Filled, not half empty, not some here and there, but to the top!

· Contrasted with the unfruitful works of darkness.

Ephesians 5.9

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

· Related to the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5.22-23

· The fruits of righteousness have a close relationship with peace.

Hebrews 12.11

⁹ Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. ¹¹ Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

James 3.18

¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

· To often we associate righteousness with a judgmental and contentious attitude.

E) Unto the glory and praise of God.

· This phrase speaks to the motivation for the qualities described and to their natural result.

· This is our highest purpose.

p Our partnerships and our prayers should be for the praise and glory of God.

CONCLUSION

REVIEW

Paul’s partnership with the Philippians demonstrated by

· thanks for their fellowship and the good work

· heart for their joint suffering and his great longing

Paul’s request for LOVE  that

· Abounds with knowledge and discernment.

· Approves what is excellent.

· Always sincere and blameless.

· Filled with the fruits of righteousness.

· Unto the praise and glory of God.

  

APPLICATIONS

1) Personal Application for the Unsaved

Each of us has a longing and need, sometimes it is hard to recognize correctly to bring glory and praise to God.

Our guilt, sin, and sinful nature is the impediment that keeps us from achieving that.

2) Personal Application for the Saved

· Pray for love, study about love, seek love, develop love in your life—the knowledgeable and discerning love

·  Live a life that is pure and blameless, full of fruit, and glorifying to God.

Follow up questions

1.    What should be the goal and passion of our prayers and our lives? 

2.    Why did Paul thank God instead of the Philippians?

3.    The word “fellowship” or “partnership” is used in three ways in Philippians (Phil. 2:1; 3:10; 4:5): sharing a common interest or bond (2:1), sharing in an experience (3:10), and sharing in the sense of financial participation (4:5). How would you describe your level of “fellowship” or “partnership” with Crossover Bible Church?

4.    What does Philippians 1:6 say God is doing in every believer?  What do you see when you look at others believers?

5.    How does your partnership with the saint at Crossover affect your Christ-like affection for them?

6.    What was the main idea of Paul’s prayer for the Philippians (Phil. 1:9)?  Did that surprise you?

7.    Look at 1 John 4:7-11 and make some observations about the love of God in us.

8.    What were the five characteristics of the love Paul wanted them to have (Phil. 1.9-11)? Why?

9.    What happens when we loose focus of the purpose of our partnerships and prayers?