Ultimate Servanthood

Rev. Debbie Cato
Philippians 2:5-18
Fairfield Community Church
October 22, 2023 

Holy God,  So far, the Apostle Paul has taught us about joy and hope and unity.  Continue to open our minds and our hearts to all that he has to teach us.  Help us to hear all that he writes to the Church in Philippi and apply it to our lives and the life of our church.  Amen.

 

Ultimate Servanthood

 

Although Paul is writing this letter to the church in Philippi shackled to a Roman soldier from prison, he writes about feeling joy and being filled with hope.  It has been clear that preaching the gospel throughout the known world was Paul’s goal.  He wasn’t so concerned about the reason why it was being preached – just that it was preached and heard.  He also wasn’t concerned with whether it was him doing the preaching or someone else.  He just wanted the gospel shared. He wanted it heard.  

Last week, Paul admonished the members of the Philippian church to “conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ”  and we talked about what that meant. To Paul,  conduct worthy of the gospel meant to be in united as a body of Christ; to be in unity through the common sharing in the Holy Spirit and the shared comfort we receive from Christ’s love.  He wrote that we must love one another sacrificially – love one another in a way that actually costs me something of myself to love you; to put you first before myself. Because, after all, Christ sacrificially loved us.

As Paul continues, he doesn’t stop there.  He says we must imitate Christ’s humility.  Christ’s humility  – perhaps the most incredible thing about Jesus, the Son of God.

Writing about ancient rulers, N.T. Wright, professor of the New Testament and early Christianity says, “When people in the ancient world thought of heroic leaders, rulers, and kings, they often thought of Alexander the Great.  At the age of twenty he succeeded his father to the throne of Macedonia, quickly made himself master of all Greece and then set about the task of conquering the rest of the world.  By the time he died just shy of age thirty-three, he had succeeded to such an extent that it made sense for him to be regarded as divine.[1] Alexander was worshiped as a God.

In Paul’s world the closest equivalent to Alexander was the emperor Augustus, who had put an end to the long-running Roman civil war and had brought peace to the whole known world.  It wasn’t long before many grateful subjects came to regard him, too, as divine. (Augustus too, was worshiped.  There was a temple for him.) Only when we grasp this do we see just how deeply subversive, how utterly countercultural, Paul’s gospel message was concerning Jesus of Nazareth, whose resurrection had declared him to be Israel’s Messiah and the world’s true Lord.”[2]

 Think about who you consider a great leader and then think of the qualities they have that make them great.  Now listen again to Paul’s description of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior: 

 

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God 
       something to be used to his own advantage;  rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,  being made in human likeness.
  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death —  even death on a cross!   (NIV)

 

Let’s let that soak in for a moment.  It’s incredibly profound.

Christ Jesus – being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (NIV)

The Apostle John calls Jesus “The Word”.  His Gospel begins:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” 

Or as Eugene Peterson paraphrases it in The Message:

The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one.

Everything was created through him; nothing—not one thing!—
      came into being without him. What came into existence was Life,
    and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out.”

Jesus was God in the fullest sense.  Christ is the gift of life. God with flesh, come to earth to life among us.  And it is God himself – sovereign over and above any and all creation, including (or maybe especially) all humanity that Paul describes as “being in very nature God.  Who did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!  

I’ve been struggling with pride the past couple of weeks.  I had a difficult interaction with someone in the community who challenged my integrity and identity as a pastor.  Besides feeling threatened and angry, I have felt self-righteous.  How dare this person question my integrity, my faith and the way I live my life.  I’ve struggled to let go of this interaction. I’ve continued to feel indignant a week later.

 And then, here I am preaching a series on Philippians, and as so often happens, it’s time to preach on this passage and Christ’s ultimate servanthood.  As I studied and wrote this sermon, the Holy Spirit worked on my heart.  Who am I to feel indignant?  Who am I to be offended when someone mocks me and puts me down?  Who am I to be prideful?

Writing about this passage, Max Lucado, a pastor and well-known Christian author says, “Paul’s headline is not “Christ the Creator.”  It is, “Christ the Incarnate One.”  The One who made everything “made himself nothing.”  Christ made himself small.  He made himself dependent on lungs, a larynx, and legs.  He experienced hunger and thirst.  He went through all the normal stages of human development.  He was taught to walk, stand, wash his face, and dress himself.  His muscles grew stronger, his hair grew longer.  His voice cracked when he passed through puberty.  He was genuinely human.

When Jesus was “full of joy,” his joy was authentic.  When he “wept over” Jerusalem, his tears were as real as yours or mine.  When he asked, “How  long must I put up with you?”, his frustration was honest.  When Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” he needed an answer. 

Jesus took “the very nature of a servant.”  He became like us so he could serve us!  He entered the world not to demand our allegiance but to display his affection.  He did not view his equality with God as “something to be used to his own advantage.”  He refused to throw his weight around.  He divested himself of divine advantage.

When people mocked him, he didn’t turn them into stones.  When soldiers spat on him, he didn’t boomerang their spit.  When people called him crazy, he didn’t strike them blind.  Just the opposite.  He became “obedient to death – even death on a cross!”[3]

Crucifixion was the cruelest form of execution in the Roman Empire.  It was commonly reserved for those of the lowest class, especially slaves.  Max Lucado ends his reflection by saying, “God took the nails.  God took the whips.  God bore the shame.  God felt the tip of the spear.  God exhaled a final breath.  Jesus descended the ladder of incarnation one rung at a time.”[4]

As I read and studied and wrote this sermon, I was brought to my knees with a renewed understanding of the humbleness of the God I love.  Of the humbleness of his whole incarnation and life and ministry on earth.  God would do this for us, friends.  That is sacrificial love.

We will never be able to be as humble as Christ and that’s just fact.  But as His followers, we must work every day – I must work every day, to put aside my pride and sense of self-righteousness and humble myself in all situations.  Jesus put up with much more and much worse than we ever will.  God is not only with us but He is also in us.  He never abandons us. We do not have to scramble around trying to make  life work.  We can let go of the joy-depleting habit of looking out for “number one.”

Even more, if we are convinced that God is absolutely for us, we are freed up to focus all our attention and energy and efforts on living for Christ by serving others.  As humble servants, we can rest assured that He will meet all our needs.[5]  We can know that what others think and say does not matter.  What matters is who we are in the eyes of God.  A God who knows how we feel and what we are going through because He became human and experienced it all Himself – a God who was the ultimate servant. This is the kind of God we worship and serve.  This is who we must strive to be as His followers.  Thanks Be to God.  Amen. 

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[1] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Groups.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press.  2009.  P. 27.
[2] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Groups.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press.  2009.  P. 27.
[3] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing Co. 2018.  P44.
[4] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing Co. 2018.  P44-45. (From Because of Bethlehem)
[5] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing Co. 2018.  P46

Unity in Christ

Rev. Debbie Cato
Philippians 1:27 – 2:4
Fairfield Community Church
October 15, 2023

Holy God,  So far, the Apostle Paul has taught us about joy and hope.  Continue to open our minds and our hearts to all that he has to teach us.  Help us to hear all that he writes to the Church in Philippi and apply it to our lives and the life of our church.  Amen.

 

Unity in Christ

 

We saw last week that Paul’s most important goal in life was for the gospel to be proclaimed throughout the world.  It didn’t matter to him if the motives of the people sharing that message were for envy or rivalry, or for love and goodwill.  It also didn’t matter if he was the one delivering the message – he would continue to rejoice in spite of any hardships or setbacks because he knew God was always in control. 

As Paul continues his letter to the church in Philippi, he writes, ^27 “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,^[e] striving together as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸ without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.”

Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  What are some actions that you would consider worthy of the gospel of Christ?

Paul is raising a key matter he wants to address further with the Philippian believers: the issue of them conducting themselves in a way that will serve to bring others to Christ.  Although he is thankful for them, he has heard of some disharmony among the members of the congregation that is disrupting their witness to the world.   Paul points out some of the qualities that make for a harmonious and unified community – ones that imitates the example and humility of Christ. 

As Christ’s ministry drew to a close, Jesus spoke urgently and prayed fervently about the unified way his followers should live.  The Gospel of John speaks about how Jesus wants us to live in harmony and love one another sacrificially.  Such unconditional devotion sets us apart and causes the world to stare in awe.[1]  To love someone sacrificially means it costs me something to love you.  I give up something of myself to love you unconditionally.  Can we say we love one another – members of this faith community, sacrificially? 

Conversely, if we bicker and feud among ourselves or when we bring shame on the name of Christ, the world mocks us.  So often this is what the world sees of us Christians.  It is not good.  It is not good advertisement.  It is only in unity we shine and only together we fully enjoy all the blessings of God.[2]

The truth is, people are watching our behavior as Christians and this can either persuade or dissuade them from seeking Jesus.  It is vital that our public behavior matches up with the gospel we proclaim.  What would people say your reputation as a Christian is?  What about our church’s reputation?  Do we represent Christ well?  Will our reputation persuade or dissuade others from seeking Christ? What do you need to change this week to ensure that all your intentions with other believers are worthy of the gospel?

Whether we like it or  not, we are walking billboards for the gospel.  People form opinions about Christ and draw conclusions about our faith based on how we live and interact.  Imagine the damage when we claim to be Christians but then hold on to petty grudges.  Or when we advertise ourselves as a God-inhabited community, yet our relationships are marked by self-centeredness and divisiveness.  Paul suggests such disunity is the result of spiritual immaturity and insecurity.  It’s only when we truly embrace the unlimited resources we have in Christ that we find the capacity to stop our selfish grasping for lesser things.  When we are secure in him, we are freed up to become others-centered.  Such selflessness shocks the world.[3] 

Paul does not say that we should or even need to bring our thinking in line with each other.  We do not have to hold the same opinions, we do not have to agree politically, we don’t even have to agree theologically!  It’s o.k. that we come from different backgrounds and different cultures.  God created us as unique individuals. Instead, what unites Christians is Christ and the characteristics that Christ himself exhibited. 

What should unite us?  Well, the same Spirit dwells in all believers.  The very breath of God fills each and every one of us.  The Holy spirit.  Our companion.  But Paul expands on this.  He writes:

If we receive any comfort from his love;

If there is any common sharing in the Spirit;

If there is any tenderness and compassion;

Then…  then because there has been these things.  Because there has been comfort from Christ’s love; sharing in His Spirit; tenderness and compassion; then, make my joy complete by being like-minded –

Having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

In humility value others above yourselves.

Do not look at  your own interests, look to the interests of others.

There’s the answer!  Since we have been given the absolute, unconditional, unending, perfect love of God, as true followers of Christ we must have the same love for others.  We must be one in spirit since we all have the gift of the Holy Spirit.  These things enable us to be of one mind and be unified.  .

A number of years ago, I learned that I do not belong on a boat in the middle of the ocean.  The waves and movement of the ocean is too much for me.  Picture the color green if you would.  Anyway, I do know that when a ship is out to sea and a bad storm hits, the secret for finding land is not to aim toward another boat.  It is also not to stare at the waves.  Instead, you set your eyes on something that is unaffected by the wind – a light on the shore, and you head straight toward it.  This is why light- houses were built.  The lights of the lighthouse, or the fog lights shine brightly on a dark, storm driven sea at night.  The light shines steady and the captain of a boat aims for it and is able to find land.  The light is unaffected by the storm.[4]  It does not move.

God is the same way.  By seeking God, we do the same thing as that boat in the storm.  When we set our sights on God, we focus on the one that never moves.  That never changes. That is unaffected by the storms in our lives.  When we focus on God, we will find our way.[5]  When we focus on God as a community of faith, we find unity.

Let’s be a church; let’s be a people – a community, that focuses on Christ.  Let’s focus on His extreme sacrificial love for us and continue to search for ways that we can share this love not only with one another here in these pews, but with our neighbors in our community.  Let’s be a people – a community that refuses to get caught up in pettiness and disagreements that cause hurt feelings and division in our community and with one another.  Let’s make a commitment that we will be focused on reconciliation and wholeness and continue to be a healthy community of believers – for the sake of the searchers and the unbelievers.  Let’s be the lovers, the healers and helpers.  Let’s be the truth-tellers and caregivers.  People need a reminder that goodness still lives here. Let’s conduct ourselves in a way that is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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[1] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 26. 
[2] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 26. 
[3] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 36. 
[4] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 26.    
[5] [5] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 26.    

Full of Hope

Rev. Debbie Cato
Philippians 1:12-26
Fairfield Community Church
October 8, 2023 

Holy God,  Thank you for your Apostle Paul and his passion for Christ’s life and ministry.  Fill us with joy and hope for the promises of your good news.  Help us to hear the message you have for each of us today.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Full of Hope

 

Last week we started our series on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians – the  church he planted in Philippi on his second missionary trip.  We learned that he wrote this letter while shackled to a Roman soldier in prison.  In just the first eleven verses – the salutation to his letter, he wrote of the joy he has whenever he thinks of the church and each of the members of this church.  He prays for them “with joy because of their partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

We learned that the church in Philippi sent a delegation of members on a dangerous journey to Ephesus where Paul was in prison to bring him a significant gift of money to help him support himself while he was in prison.  Food was not provided to prisoners in Paul’s time; they had to provide their own.  So the financial gift from the church in Philippi would help Paul provide food and nourishment for himself. 

Now take a minute to look at the map on the front of your bulletin.  Find Philippi in the upper left-hand corner.  Now trace down to your right and you will find Ephesus.  That’s how far they traveled.  About 490 miles. It would have taken many weeks for the delegation from Philippi to reach Paul in prison in Ephesus. 

Paul felt joy toward the Philippians because of their partnership in the gospel with him.  We learned that partnership is an important word in Paul’s vocabulary.  It’s different from fellowship which generally means social.  For Paul, partnership in the gospel meant that the Philippians shared in both the work of the church and in the financial responsibilities of the church.  Paul believes his imprisonment is furthering the work of the gospel.  In fact, as we read this morning, Paul writes, “it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of my brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare to proclaim the gospel without fear.”

As Paul writes this letter to the Philippians, he is faced with two problems.  In both cases, he declares that what looks like major difficulties are being turned by God into opportunities for the gospel.  The first problem is that he is in prison.  That seems obvious, doesn’t it?! The second problem is that there are people going around talking about King Jesus who don’t really mean it.  They don’t believe the message.  They merely want to make more trouble for him while he is in prison.  Paul has a strong belief in the way God works through unlikely circumstances.[1]  Paul says, “What does it matter they are preaching for the wrong reasons?  The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached.  And because of this I rejoice!

Paul is writing this letter to the church in Philippi to encourage them, but his words should also be an encouragement to us.  How often are we tempted to feel discouraged because our plans were thrown upside down or out the window or because malicious people were trying to make life difficult?  We need to learn from Paul the art of seeing God’s purposes working out through problems and difficulties. [2] Paul never loses hope, even though he has lost control. 

Did you know that data (I’m not sure what data) reflects that the most stressed-out people are control freaks.  Now I’m preaching to myself, but you can listen in if you want.  Control freaks fail at our goal to control our world.  We can’t take control, because control is not ours to take![3]

Control is an illusion.  We can’t engineer our own problem-free lives, and we can’t make others live the way we want them to live.  Believe me!  I’ve tried!  About the only thing we can control is our response to situations.  So the questions we need to ask are: Will we look for God in the midst of trouble?  Will we trust he is at work?  Will we keep doing right no matter what?  Paul is a great role model for this.  He absolutely refused to pursue his own agenda because he saw himself as nothing more than a mere servant of Christ.  He made plans. But he held them in an open hand.  When hard times came, his response wasn’t to pout but to yield to God’s authority by humbly saying, “your will be done.”[4]

We need to learn to relinquish things.  We need to hold our plans with an open hand.  We can’t run the world but we can trust God to.  This is the message behind Paul’s admonition to “rejoice in the Lord.”  Peace is within reach, not for lack of problems, but because of the presence of a sovereign Lord.[5] We can be full of hope knowing that God has everything under control -even when it doesn’t seem that way.

Paul writes, “Now I want  you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.  As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.”

And those troublemakers in the church preaching out of envy and rivalry? Paul says that “whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice.  And I will continue to rejoice.”

Honestly, I would be freaking out!  But to read Paul is to read the words of a man who, in the innermost part of his being, believed in the steady hand of a good God.  He was protected by God’s strength and preserved by God’s love. [6]  Do we believe we are?

How might God be wanting to work through the bad situations in your life for his glory and your good?  In what areas of your life do you need to completely relinquish control to God? 

An unexpected bill. An upcoming doctor appointment. A tense family visit.  Everyday struggles of all sizes creep into our lives, leaving us stressed, frustrated, and anxious. Sometimes downright miserable.  And the more we try to control the situation, the more stressed we become.  Because it doesn’t work!

The believers in Philippi were struggling.  They were trying to grow in faith and live for Christ.  They were trying to deal with conflict and threats of persecution.  The Apostle Paul was stuck in a Roman prison when he wrote this letter to the  young church.  His letter could have focused on his own troubles.  Instead he wrote about living a life full of joy, peace, and contentment,  He reminded the Philippians, and he reminds us of the sovereignty of our Lord and Savior.  He reminded the Philippians and he reminds us of the sovereignty of God and he asks that we trust that God can and will use all circumstances for his purpose.

A verse from Psalms 46 came to mind when I was writing this:  “Be still

and know that I am God.”  Be still and know that I am God.  God has it friends.  That knowl

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[1] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Group.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press. 2009.  Pg. 17.
[2] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Group.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press. 2009.  Pg. 19
[3] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 16.
[4] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 18-19.
[5]Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 16.
[6] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado.  HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  2018.  P 16.

Rejoice!

Rev. Debbie Cato
Acts 16:11-15 and Philippians 1:1-11
Fairfield Community Church
October 1, 2023

Bless us, O God, with ears to hear your truth, vision to see your path, and feet ready to move into action, responding to your call. Inspire us as we hear your Word read and proclaimed. Amen.

 

Rejoice!

 

Last week we finished our series on Jonah and today we are starting a series on Philippians.  Philippians is one of the letters the Apostle Paul wrote, and since we are starting a Soup & Study on the Life and Message of the Apostle Paul on Wednesday nights, I thought it might be interesting to focus on one of his letters.  Paul wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament.  Philippians is one of them.

Philippi, in northern Greece, was the first place in Europe that heard the message about the crucified and risen Jesus of Nazareth.  Paul visited Philippi on his 2^nd missionary trip. (He took 4 trips) This letter he writes from prison makes it clear the church in Philippi gave Paul the most joy.  He loved all the churches he started, but this letter emits a confident trust and enjoyment which we don’t always find in other letters.[1]

For Paul, bringing the gospel to Greece was like a completely new beginning.  Paul had been preaching and planting churches in Asia Minor, which is now modern Turkey, for some time.  But he seems to have a sense that when he came into Europe he really was in new territory, and that if the gospel took root here it would prove just how powerful it was.  After all, Macedonians and Greeks had given the world one of its greatest cultures to date.  The Philippian church was the first of those churches on Greek soil.[2]

Imagine a drab little room surrounded by high walls.  Imagine we can peek into that room. There we’ll see a man seated on the floor.  He’s an older fellow, balding, with shoulders stooped.  Chains encircle his hands and feet.  And chained to him is a burly Roman guard.  This is the Apostle Paul.  The tireless church planter who has traveled all over the known world.  This is the preacher who has liberated people in every port.  The servant of God bound only by the will of God is now in chains – stuck in a dingy house – attached to a Roman officer.[3]

Paul has every reason to slump.  Every reason to complain.  He is restricted by walls and is in chains.   He is afflicted by those who want to “stir up trouble.” He is conflicted by the dangers he is facing – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”[4]

 If we look closely, he is writing a  letter.  But it is not a letter of complaints or grievances.  Instead he is writing a letter to the church he planted in Philippi[5] to acknowledge their gift to him and express his joy in their continued partnership in sharing the gospel of Christ.  He wanted to explain the purpose and significance of his imprisonment.  And he wanted to address the issues of disunity that were arising in the church among the believers.  Those were the things that Paul was concerned about as he was shackled in prison.[6]

Paul begins every one of the letters he writes with the same salutation:  “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Paul is an apostle, sent by God to the gentiles to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 Writing with shackles on his hands and feet, Paul writes, “I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”  Imagine how that sounded to the Philippians as Paul’s letter was read in church when they received it.  It makes me feel warm and loved and special and he wasn’t writing to me specifically.  I didn’t have a relationship with Paul like the church in Philippi did.  Imagine the encouragement just the opening of his letter had on that congregation.  “I thank my God every time I remember you.”  “In all my prayers for all of you.” “I always pray with joy”.

Doesn’t that give you warm fuzzies?  Paul is writing this from prison, folks.  He is shackled to a big, burly Roman soldier.  He is stuck in a drab room.  He can’t go where he wants to go or do what he wants to do.  Yet he is writing about joy.

One Thursday afternoon a month I lead a grief group up at PCAL.  About 15 residents gather to talk and enjoy goodies – often root beer floats. The residents know grief.  They have almost all lost spouses and most of their friends. Many of them don’t have people who come and visit.  They gave up their homes and most all their belongings when they moved into PCAL.  They gave up control of their finances, they no longer have the ability to drive, and they cannot eat what sounds good – they eat what’s prepared for them.  Many of them have chronic illnesses or at least aches and pains.   

But when I go on my Tuesday visits, we rarely talk about these things.  So a couple weeks ago during September Good Grief and Goodies, I asked this question as the topic of the day:  “How do you consciously choose joy every day?”

We had a wonderful discussion, and everyone participated. Waking up in the morning, see my friends that I have here, smiling, praying when I wake up, laughing, seeing the pictures of my family, my memories.  The list went on.  One woman said, “I have to choose to feel joy.  I don’t want to feel sad and lonely. So I choose to feel joy.”

What brings you joy? Joy is a feeling you can feel in the midst of grief, in the midst of stress and crises.  Joy can creep in when we least expect it.  We can wake up in the morning and like the resident at PCAL, we can choose to feel joy.  It’s amazing how just smiling at someone can get a grumpy spirit to change into a joyful one for me.  It’s like magic.

I think Paul chooses to be joyful too.  He is in prison.  He can’t leave.  He’s chained to a burly soldier and yet he writes about joy.  A little later in this first chapter he says to “Rejoice!”  In fact, he talks about rejoicing twice just in this first chapter.  Paul finds joy in the growing faith of others and in watching the gospel of Jesus Christ spread.  He finds joy in remembering people he shared bread and wine with as he planted churches and built relationships.

⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  Paul is full of joy for the church in Philippi because of their partnership in the gospel.  This letter is all about partnership – one of the most important words in Paul’s vocabulary.  We like to use the word fellowship rather than partnership but partnership meant something deeper to Paul.  Often fellowship is social.  We talk about “fellowship time” after church when we eat food and visit.  But by using the word partnership Paul means something more.  To him it means sharing in doing the work on one hand and the financial responsibilities on the other.[7] 

 When people were put in prison in Paul’s world, they were not normally given food by their captors; they had to rely on friends to help them.  The Philippian Christians sent a delegation to give Paul a financial gift of money, presumably a substantial gift, since it would not have been worthwhile sending a delegation with a small amount.  The fact that people from a different country would raise money and send some of their members on the dangerous journey to carry the gift to an imprisoned friend, speaks volumes for the esteem and love which they had for Paul.  One of the reasons Paul writes this letter is to say a heartfelt “thank you.”  And he applauds them for their partnership in the work of the gospel  - both in their church and his own, since he believes his imprisonment is furthering his work in the gospel.[8] 

 So let’s consider our community – Fairfield Community Church.  Would you say that you are in partnership for the gospel or are you here for fellowship?  Do you come to church for the social aspect because it’s an opportunity to see friends and extended family or do you come to church to grow your faith and help with the work?  Do you consider the financial responsibilities of this church your responsibilities as you consider your giving or are they not your concern?  Hard questions but Paul isn’t one to beat around the bush. 

The Philippian’s partnership with Paul brings him much joy.  And he ends his salutation – remember – we are still only at the beginning of this letter, we are still just at the salutation, Paul writes,  “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Paul prays that their love grows.  Why?  So that it brings about more knowledge and depth of insight into their faith.  Why?  So they can discern what is best and pure and blameless for the day of Christ.  So they may be filled with the fruit of righteousness which for Paul means as right living.  It is the behavior that results from both God’s faithfulness and the status of being forgiven family members.[9] He wants them to live the right way through Jesus Christ for the glory and the praise of God.  That is a powerful prayer!

Wow!  It sounds like for Paul, the whole goal is to grow so strong in our faith that our knowledge gives us wisdom and discernment to recognize what is good and pure and be able to live that way and to do it all for the glory of God.  That’s a lot friends!  But if we are in partnership with one another, that gives us strength and support knowing that we are in this together. And we can be filled with joy. Thanks Be to God.  Amen.

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[1] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Group.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press. 2009.  Pg. 7.
[2] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Group.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press. 2009.  Pg. 7.
[3] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.  2018. P. viiii.
[4] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.  2018. P. viiii
[5] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.  2018. P. x
[6] Life Lessons from Philippians.  Max Lucado. HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.  2018. P. x
[7] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Group.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press. 2009.  Pg. 14.
[8] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Group.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press. 2009.  Pg. 8.
[9] Philippians:  8 Studies for Individuals and Group.  N.T. Wright.  InterVarsity Press. 2009.  Pg. 15.