SS Lessons December 31st, 2006 Philipians 2(1-11)
Philippi (from Smith’s
Bible Dictionary)
(named from Philip of
Macedonia), a city of Macedonia about nine miles from the sea, to the
northwest of the island of Thasos which is twelve
miles distant from its port Neapolis, the modern
Kavalla
. It is situated in a plain between the ranges of
Pangaeus and Haemus. The Philippi which St.
Paul visited was a Roman colony founded by Augustus after the famous battle of
Philippi, fought here between
Antony
and Octavius and Brutus and Cassius, B.C. 42. The
remains which strew the ground near the modern Turkish village
Bereketli
are no doubt derived from that city. The original town, built by Philip of
Macedonia, was probably not exactly on the same site. Philip, when he acquired
possession of the site, found there a town named
Datus or
Datum ,
which was probably in its origin a factory of the Phoenicians, who were the
first that worked the gold-mines in the mountains here, as in the neighboring
Thasos.
The proximity of the goldmines was of course the origin of so large a city as
Philippi, but the plain in which it lies is of extraordinary fertility. The
position, too, was on the main road from Rome to Asia, the
Via
Egnatia , which from
Thessalonica to Constantinople followed the same course as the existing
post-road. On St. Paul’s visits to Philippi, see the following article. At
Philippi the gospel was first preached in Europe. Lydia was the first convert.
Here too Paul and Silas were imprisoned. (Acts
16:23) The
Philippians sent contributions to Paul to relieve his temporal wants.
Epistle to the
Philippians
(from Smith’s Bible Dictionary)
was St. Paul from Rome in A.D. 62 or 63. St. Paul’s connection with Philippi
was of a peculiar character, which gave rise to the writing of this epistle.
St. Paul entered its walls A.D. 52. (
Acts 16:18)
There, at a greater distance from Jerusalem than any apostle had yet
penetrated, the long-restrained energy of St, Paul was again employed in
laying the foundation of a Christian church, Philippi was endeared to St. Paul
not only by the hospitality of Lydia, the deep sympathy of the converts, and
the remarkable miracle which set a seal on his preaching, but, also by the
successful exercise of his missionary activity after a long suspense, and by
the happy consequences of his undaunted endurance of ignominies which remained
in his memory, (
Philemon 1:30)
after the long interval of eleven years. Leaving Timothy and Luke to watch
over the infant church, Paul and Silas went to Thessalonica,
(
1 Thessalonians 2:2)
whither they were followed by the alms of the Philippians, (
Philemon 4:16)
and thence southward. After the lapse of five years, spent chiefly at Corinth
and Ephesus, St. Paul passed through Macedonia, A.D. 57, on his way to Greece,
and probably visited Philippi for the second time, and was there joined by
Timothy. He wrote at Philippi his second Epistle to the Corinthians. On
returning from Greece, (
Acts 20:4) he
again found a refuge among his faithful Philippians, where he spent some days
at Easter, A.D. 58, with St. Luke, who accompanied him when he sailed from
Neapolis. Once more, in his Roman captivity, A.D.
62, their care of him revived-again. They sent
Epaphroditus bearing their alms for the apostle’s support, and ready
also to tender his personal service. (
Philemon 2:25)
St. Paul’s aim in writing is plainly this: while acknowledging the alms of the
Philippians and the personal services of their messenger, to give them some
information respecting his own condition, and some advice respecting theirs.
Strangely full of joy and thanksgiving amidst adversity, like the apostle’s
midnight hymn from the depth of his Philippian
dungeon, this epistle went forth from his prison at Rome. In most other
epistles he writes with a sustained effort to instruct, or with sorrow, or
with indignation; he is striving to supply imperfect or to correct erroneous
teaching, to put down scandalous impurity or to schism in the church which he
addresses. But in this epistle, though he knew the Philippians intimately and
was not blind to the faults and tendencies to fault of some of them, yet he
mentions no evil so characteristic of the whole
Church as to call for general censure on his part or amendment on theirs. Of
all his epistles to churches, none has so little of an official character as
this.
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Greeting
This is a pretty standard greeting which informs us who the writer is and who the intended recipient of the letter was to be. Paul addresses this letter to the Christians of Philippi, not to the unbelievers in the area. Scripture is welcoming to the seeker, but is intended for the believer. The Scripture was given by the leading of the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire those who are seeking salvation through God. It is sent to us for our needs and prosperity. We should make sure to take advantage of this great provision.
1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Praying for one another
It is important that we pray for one another. Prayer intercession is a commandment of God. Let me give you a couple of verses to verify my assertion. James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” It is clear that God expects us to pray for one another. These prayers can be concerned with many aspects of our human situation. One example of a good prayer is for the safety, prosperity, and maturity of the person we are praying for. We can pray for a loved one be placed under God’s protective grace in this dangerous world or for God to bestow extra wisdom upon their lives. We can pray for their spiritual and natural well being. Prayers for those who are sick or are coping with the death of a loved one are important prayers and should not be neglected. We can pray for God to guide folks who have certain needs. I pray for the young people in our church and for the young married folks among us. I think it is very important to pray for the single members of our flock that they meet and marry the man or woman God wants them to share their lives with. A bad marriage is certainly one of the greatest temptations of modern man. Another prayer we often neglect is to thank God for the fellowship He has allowed us to experience with those around us. I am greatly thankful for each and every one of you who attends our church. You all add something to my life. I also thank God for the good friends we have met as we go singing and preaching in other churches. People often criticize the church of God, but I can certainly attest to the fact that they are the best thing going today. They are not perfect, but they are a blessing to the believers in God. There is always someone who needs prayer around us. If you can’t think of anyone else to pray for, I always covet your prayers for my life and ministry. Please feel free to place my name before the Father anytime.
1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Eternal Security
I am a Freewill Baptist. I confess that openly and without shame. That means that I am not a believer in the concept of what is often called “once in grace, always in grace.” I do not believe that it is Scriptural to say that a person can accept Christ; make a confession of faith, and then lead a sinful life and fly away to heaven. I believe those folks who want to live ungodly and get by with it are not, nor probably were ever, saved. At the same time I don’t proscribe to the other extreme of this concept. I don’t believe God will allow a person to be tricked or fooled into giving up their salvation. Satan may tempt, or trick us into committing sin, but we only have to repent to rid of ourselves of the guilt. God doesn’t cast out those who fail; we are still His children. He directs us to confess and repent. The only way a person who has become a true born-again Christian to ever lose their salvation if for them to voluntarily give up that salvation and to rebel against God. I said all that to say this. The above verse says that Paul was confident that God would perform the work He had started in the lives of believers. I believe that also. If failure occurs it will not be God’s fault, but it will be caused by the unbelief and disobedience of the human being. God will do His part; we must do ours which is to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and strive for perfection. We will not achieve perfection; that is not required. We must seek God. If we seek Him; He will be found of us. He will meet us far more than halfway. God provides enough grace for everyone to overcome the evils of this world. He provides a way of escape in every temptation. If we fail, we have no excuse.
1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Paul believes in his brethren
Paul doesn’t cast aspersions towards these folks. He has no reason to believe they will not endure unto the end. He knows they are flawed, as is every person whether saved or lost, but He also knows, through God, they are capable of making it all the way to glory. Often preachers and other Christian leaders are too accusing and unforgiving towards church folks. They look for the bad side and weaknesses instead of appreciating them for what they can accomplish through Christ. They forget that without Christ none of us is worthy of being saved. My relationship to God comes due to His perfection and efforts, not mine. He is the one who justifies me. It is Him who makes me fit to be a part of the heavenly family. I have learned to overlook the faults in others by remembering the ones I have to deal with in my own life. These folks struggled alongside Paul in the spreading of the Gospel. They deserve his devotion and respect.
1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
Love of Christ
This is a very interesting verse. The expression “bowels” of love used often in the Scripture refers to a deep yearning and love towards someone. it is not a passing fancy or a simple lack of malice, but a passion for someone or some cause. In this verse Paul informs the Philippians that he loves them with a deep yearning love that comes not from the natural reserves of Paul, but that originates from Paul’s relationship to Christ. Brotherly love is imparted into the soul of every one who comes to Christ. It is a love which is deep and hard to understand. It is a Godly love which comes about because we are connected to the same cause. As a matter of fact, the presence of this Godly love is proof of our salvation. Consider this verse from 1st John 3:14: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” Do you love the brethren? If the answer is no; then I think you should seek the face of God in prayer and ask Him to put this love in your heart. It is what brings joy into the existence of a believer in Christ. It is what the world seeks after, but cannot seem to find. The reason they can’t find it is because it only comes when one knows Christ as their Saviour.
1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Smart
The word translated “judgment” means discernment or the ability to make wise decisions. Let me show you one of my favorite verses in the Bible: Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Many folks are aware that Christians should be as harmless as doves, but did you realize we are also directed to be as wise as serpents? We are to be aware of our surroundings and always on the lookout for the traps of the enemy. This is a good prayer for our church if you need something to pray about. Pray that God help us be wise to the deceits of the enemy and to be constantly on guard for danger. We need to abound in this knowledge and discernment.
1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Important assets
Paul prays for these folks to possess some very important attributes. Let’s review them one by one.
- They may approve excellent things= The word translated “excellent” means things that are good and lawful. God wants us to understand the difference between the things which bring blessing and the ones that bring cursing. We need to be able to “try” things whether they are good or bad.
- Sincere= The word means unsullied and blameless when put to the light of the sun. Christians need to strive to be good witnesses and good examples in this evil world.
- Without offence= This word means something which causes one to stumble. I pray not to be a stumbling block in someone else’s path. I want to be a help to others, not an impediment on their journey.
- Filled with the fruit of righteousness= This word translated “fruit” literally means fruit, but it also means that which comes naturally or is the result of something else. There are things which naturally come with righteousness. They are a blessing to God’s people. They ward off the evil intentions of the Devil and bring about the good influences that come from Holiness.
- Unto the glory and praise of God. Have you ever wondered what the purpose of good living is about? Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Our good works are so that God can receive praise and glory. It is not to glorify ourselves, but to lift up the name of Christ. The reason we want to lift up His name is because it is through His name we can be saved.
Bible in Basic English (commentary use only)
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons of the church: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I give praise to my God at every memory of you, 4 And in all my prayers for you all, making my request with joy, 5 Because of your help in giving the good news from the first day till now; 6 For I am certain of this very thing, that he by whom the good work was started in you will make it complete till the day of Jesus Christ: 7 So it is right for me to take thought for you all in this way, because I have you in my heart; for in my chains, and in my arguments before the judges in support of the good news, making clear that it is true, you all have your part with me in grace. 8 For God is my witness, how my love goes out to you all in the loving mercies of Christ Jesus. 9 And my prayer is that you may be increased more and more in knowledge and experience; 10 So that you may give your approval to the best things; that you may be true and without wrongdoing till the day of Christ; 11 Being full of the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
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