Monday, December 16
Philippians 2:19-30
Timothy and Epaphroditus
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I, too, may be consoled by news of you. I have no one so like myself who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But Timothy’s worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me, and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon.
Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and coworker and fellow soldier, your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for all of you and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again and that I may be less anxious. Welcome him, then, in the Lord with all joy, and honor such people, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for those services that you could not give me.
We’re continuing our Bible Study on Philippians this week by focusing on the last half of this short letter.
In the verses we read today, we notice that Paul was intending to send Timothy and Epaphroditus to visit them. Paul couldn’t visit them himself as he was in jail. These people would be messengers from Paul to the people who lived in Philippi.
Paul extolled both for their virtues. He shared about Timothy that “I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.” Philippians 2:20
About Epaphroditus he wrote, “for [Epaphroditus] has been longing for all of you, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.” Philippians 2:26
There was a connection between Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus. They trusted each other so much that they could represent each other.
These types of friendships are valuable for our own well-being. At Chain of Lakes part of our purpose is that strangers will become friends. These friendships are like the ones illustrated in these verses. The result of these friendships are people who trust each other so much that they could represent each other.
Do you have a story about a friend that illustrates your trust in that person? Or a general story about a close friend? Please share.
Tuesday, December 17
Philippians 3:1-11
Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.
Breaking with the Past
To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, and for you it is a source of steadfastness.
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh— even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
In these verses Paul shared very personally the benefits he had experienced in his own relationship to God. The verses are worth reading again.
“Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” … “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection of the dead.”
Paul understood the value of knowing Jesus.
In fact he wrote in verses four to six that all of the titles he had earned meant nothing compared to knowing Christ. The value of a personal relationship to Christ was most important to him. This is the ultimate connection—the definition of joy. Paul had experienced this in his own life.
This is personal faith illustrated at the highest level.
If someone asked you to share the value of knowing Christ, what would you say? Please share.
Wednesday, December 18
Philippians 3:12-16
Pressing toward the Goal
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid hold of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us, then, who are mature think this way, and if you think differently about anything, this, too, God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.
Even though he was in jail when he wrote this letter, Paul wanted to share his own life as an illustration of faith. He talked about faith maturity in verse 15. In this verse he used the word mature. The word comes from the Greek word telios which means complete or full-grown. This is what Paul wanted to experience while on earth. In his faith he wanted to grow to be complete or full-grown—mature.
He hoped that his desire for maturity would be a role model to the people in Philippi who read this letter.
Paul wanted to be of the same mind with the people to whom he wrote this letter. Once again, we can understand that Paul desired connection with the people of Philippi.
Have you had moments on your journey of faith where you have experienced this level of faith connection with another person. If appropriate, please share some of your story. The rest of us will benefit by reading about your connection and maturity.
Thursday, December 19
Philippians 3:17-21
Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
In the last two verses Paul wrote about what it means to experience heaven. Paul understood that his citizenship was in heaven—this is the realm where he belonged. He belonged to that realm much more than what he was experiencing on earth. He had been tortured for his faith while on earth and as we’ve shared often he wrote the book of Philippians from jail.
Have you reflected on what heaven will be like? What do you anticipate experiencing in heaven? Do you worry about whether you will go to heaven or are you confident in your salvation?
Please share.
Friday, December 20
Philippians 4:1-7
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
Exhortations
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Pastor Paul preached from these verses this past Sunday when he talked about rejoicing. To be able to rejoice is an important part of our faith. Paul illustrated rejoicing in his singing.
Rejoicing might be hard for many of us stoic Midwesterners. We weren’t taught to share the joy of our heart.
One way to rejoice is to sing. Many of the songs of Christmas have a theme of rejoicing. We sing the beautiful hymn, “Joy to the world,” or the beautiful Praise song by Rend Collective called, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”
Singing is actually healthy for our mental health. One study revealed that after singing a person has less cortisol in their body. Cortisol is a hormone that develops when we are experiencing stress. One way to lessen anxiety is to sing.
When we sing we don’t need to worry about the quality of our voice. Instead we make a joyful noise. And as we sing we are connecting to God and others—experiencing joy.
So rejoice today through singing!
Have you had experiences of experiencing joy when you’ve sang? Please share.
Saturday, December 21
Philippians 4:8-23
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.
Acknowledgment of the Philippians’ Gift
I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me but had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am referring to being in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress.
You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs more than once. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that accumulates to your account. I have been paid in full and have more than enough; I am fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings and Benediction
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of the emperor’s household.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Paul lived by a different standard than many others. It didn’t matter to him whether he had little or whether he had a lot; it didn’t matter if he was well-fed or if he was hungry. And then he shared a verse that is worth memorizing.
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
This verse is an expansive vision of the value of faith in Christ. We need not be pessimistic about our own lives as God will strengthen us.
If Paul can experience this strength while sitting in jail, we can experience this strength as we live in the north Metro.
What does this verse mean to you? Please share.
