Philippians 1:1

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: Philippians

Rusty's Notes

• Luke leaves Rome and travels to Philippi, where he stays with the church.

• Titus travels to the Island of Crete and plants a number of churches there.
• Spring 62 - Crisis in Philippi
• After some time, Paul decides to address the problems in Philippi that Epaphras reported to him.
• The problems are as follows: There are contentions, grumblings, and disputes present that are rooted in pride and petty jealousies.
• Two sisters in particular, Euodia and Syntyche (sin-2-key), are quarreling with each other fiercely. (These women, along with Clement, have helped Paul labor in the gospel every time he was present in Philippi.)
• The Philippians are receiving persecution at the hands of their pagan neighbors who are libertines noted for their loose living and bondage to their fleshly appetites.
• The Philippians are also being agitated by Jewish missionaries who are urging them to be circumcised and come under the Law.
• Epaphras recovers from his illness, and Paul sends him to Philippi.
• Paul plans to send Timothy to Philippi once he learns about the results of his upcoming trial.
• He wants Timothy to bring back a report on the church’s progress.
• Paul is optimistic that he will be released and plans to visit the church when that time comes.
• Philippians is Paul’s last letter to a church that is recorded in the NT.

 

• PAUL WRITES PHILIPPIANS
• Year: Spring 62
• From: Rome
• To: The church in Philippi (which is about 12 years old)
• Provocation: Paul wants the Philippians to know how he is doing in Rome.
• He gives them an update on Epaphras (also called Epaphroditus) and tells them that he is sending him back to them.
• Paul encourages the church in the face of opposition.
• He addresses their contentions by presenting Christ—His humility and His lack of self-preservation.
• Paul puts the church on guard against the Judaizers (“the mutilation party” as he calls them) and against the pagan libertines.
• He tells the Philippians of his plan to send Timothy to them when he has a better idea of his own future.
• That future includes his desire to visit them when he is released from prison.
• Paul speaks directly to Luke and asks him to help two sisters in the church to reconcile and live in harmony (chapter 4:3).
• He ends the letter by thanking the church for its gracious financial gift.
• A highlight of this letter is found in chapters 2:6-11 where Paul quotes an ancient Christian hymn regarding the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

 

• In spite of his difficult circumstances as a prisoner in Rome, Paul is rejoicing.
• The secret of his joy is the single mind; he lives for Christ and the Gospel. (Christ is named eighteen times in Philippians 1, and the Gospel is mentioned six times.)
• “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
• But what really is “the single mind”?
• It is the attitude that says, “It makes no difference what happens to me, just as long as Christ is glorified and the Gospel shared with others.”
• Paul rejoiced in spite of his circumstances, because his circumstances strengthened the fellowship of the Gospel (Phil. 1:1–11), promoted the furtherance of the Gospel (Phil. 1:12–26), and guarded the faith of the Gospel (Phil. 1:27–30).[1]

 

• Philippians: Theme is joy
• What is the difference between joy and happiness?
• Can you be happy and joyful at the same time?
• Can you be happy and without joy?
• Can you be joyful and not happy?
• What makes you happy? What brings you joy?

 

• Happiness depends on circumstances
• Joy is independent of circumstances
• Joy is accessible to the believer when happiness is on vacation (nowhere to be found)

 

• Hebrews 12:2 - keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.[2]

 

• Constitution: We have rights… among them… Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
• Happiness occurs in two places: culture and religion
•    Culture: people, places or things
•    Processes: There always steps…
•    Football Team winning
•    Favorite Starbucks drink
• Finishing a project
• Being with family or friends
• Ice cream
• Traveling – Trips – Vacation

 

•    Culture is not the answer for happiness

 

• Religion: Pop psychology (Oprah), creating your own God, Joel Osteen (health & wealth=prosperity)
• Just because it is in a book, magazine or even on religious television
• Galatians 5:19-21 - It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.[3]

 

• Walking in prosperity, incredible health, strong relationships, living in victory, without pain and anxiety excludes Jesus.
• Your plan should include God

 

• Jesus was born in a poor family… sometimes homeless, common job, hungry & didn’t even have enough money to pay his taxes.
• Relationships: Jesus have strange relationships? Family disowned him, friends abandoned him, Judas betrayed him & the crowd called for his death.

 

• Pain: Did Jesus ever experience pain? Cross…

 

• Victor or victimized: False accusations, false witnesses, false trial, false condemnation and false execution

 

• Worries & Anxiety: Gethsemane… sweated drops of blood.

 

• There are days of pain!!! We think we can live in the first couple of chapters of Genesis. The fall of man occurred!

 

• #1 prescription drug in America is anti-depressants (118 million people)
• 25% of adults and 8% of adolescents experience a major period of depression.
• #3 reason for death among teenage girls is suicide

 

• Our pursuit of happiness is not working…

 

• Three reasons why…
• We hang our hopes on someone or something
• (desire is ok… it is the discontentment that ruins us)
• We get those things think will make us happy… and they don’t make us happy.
• (spouse, child, job, car… Ecclesiastes… “Everything is meaningless”
• We create diversions
• (computers, television, Blackberries, sleeping, eating, internet, etc)

 

• CHRISTIAN WARFARE
• PHILIPPIANS 1
• GREETING
• 1 Paul and Timothy (Paul’s right-hand man), servants of Christ Jesus:
• To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi (Acts 16:11-38 – it was hub, strategic for church planting), including the overseers and deacons. (pastors & elders)[4]
• Christ Jesus (mentioned twice in first verse)
• There wasn’t a lot of talk about Jesus
• Philippians written in 62 AD (about the same time as the Gospels)
• Jesus rebelled against culture because he came as a humble servant. (Matthew 20:28 - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”[5])
• Saints – Those who believe in Jesus Christ…
• Saint Qualifications - In official Church procedures there are three steps to sainthood: one becomes Venerable, Blessed and then a Saint.
• Venerable is the title given to a deceased person recognized as having lived heroic virtues.
• To be recognized as a Blessed, and therefore beatified, in addition to personal attributes of charity and heroic virtue, one miracle, acquired through the individual's intercession, is required.
• Canonization requires two, though a Pope may waive these requirements. Martyrdom does not usually require a miracle.
• Christian: One step… Jesus… Check!!! Done!!!!
• Jesus rose for you and you are set apart… it is our identity!
• Put this on your resume… business card… REPRESENT!

 

• Servants
• Greek word is slave… not the same thing as America practiced.
• Be a slave to Jesus Christ
• Slave to sin, religion or Jesus
• Sin – Titus 3:3 - For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.[6]
• It usually starts kind of fun and then turns bad…
• It is selfish… it is about me… it demands service… it is “me” oriented

 

• Religion – 2 Peter 2:19 - They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them.[7]
• Religion is horrible… it is about a list of things you must do… and you measure up according to how you act to things that are posted on the list.
• It is selfish again… it is about “me”… pride… external rewards…
• Man promises happiness in religion, Christ promises joy in understanding
• Jesus – You never know what is in store… it is fun…
• It is selfless… not selfish… it is not about me… it is about Christ doing things while I rest.

 

• Why would I become a slave? I’m free already… No… not really…
• You are a slave to someone or something… Who is your master?

 

• Slavery is the key to freedom!
• Humility is the key to joy!
• Servanthood is a great lifestyle for those who identity is a Saint.

 

• Our identity is a SAINT
• Our lifestyle is a SERVANT

 

• Knowing that I am a SAINT… makes me happy
• Living as a servant… brings me Joy…

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 64). Victor Books.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 12:2). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Ga 5:19–21). NavPress.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Php). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Mt 20:28). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Tt 3:3). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (2 Pe 2:19). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.