Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome to the second week of Philippians. I’m so glad you’re here.
I read the NIV unless I tell you otherwise so if you have one, find it, if not, you can go here to read it. Get something to write on and with and you’ll be ready to start.
Before we do so though, let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, thank You so much for this book and these words and for Your leadership in this lesson as I know You’re going to write it more than I do. Thank You, Lord, for the time and the availability to study. Lead us, Lord, for your glory. Amen.
Read Philippians 2:1-2
Imitating Christ’s Humility
If…then. I love those statements. They’re so easy to understand. Romans 15:4-6 say:
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Being united with Christ brings it all, comfort, love, sharing in the Spirit, tenderness and compassion and yes, Joy. So Paul tells us if we have that then in our person to person relationships we should be like-minded, being filled with that same love and same Spirit who is making us all more like Christ as we give Him access and agree with all He wants to do in us. That takes focus. And discernment. And gratefulness.
Read Philippians 2:3-4
Do you know the definition of Love according to the Scriptures? -unselfishly seeking the best for one another- you can find it in the AMP specifically in 1 Peter 1, but I’m pretty sure everywhere in the AMP that talks about loving one another it is defined that way. In fact, here is Jesus talking in Matthew 5:43-45 AMP
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].
What do you think it looks like to look to another persons interest?
Read Philippians 2:5-11
Praise His Holy Name. Exalted and Glorified and over all of everything for his church. Yet every tongue will one day acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord and every tongue will bring glory to God. Thank Him that He is already yours so that great and awesome and awful day will be awesome and wonderful and full of wonder and glory for you. This is why we share Him. To lead others to Him. It’s now or never. You get one life, no one knows how long it will be. Choose Him. He is worth it all.
Read Philippians 2:12-13
Do Everything Without Grumbling
Maybe the AMP will help us here too:
12 So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. 13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.
God’s pleasure is always good and always worth ‘using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ.’
Read Philippians 2:14-16a
What a promise. Hold firmly to the Word of Life, do everything without grumbling or arguing and you will become blameless and pure and shine like stars in the sky. Wow. In fact, you might want to write out those two and a half verses. Here is the MSG version of it…
4-16 Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns.
Read Philippians 2:16b-18
Rejoice. Always. Joy is the right and gift of the faithful.
Read Philippians 2:19-24
Timothy and Epaphroditus
What did Paul say of Timothy that makes him so different than a whole lot of people?
Read Philippians 2:25-30
The church at Philippi sent Epaphroditus to Paul to help him and wow, the words of care Paul shares. How are they to receive him back? What reason for that did Paul state?
Hold onto and grow your faith. It’s totally worth it.
Be here next week for Philippians 3.