Philipians 1:1-11-Attention All Saints
Like Joseph, Paul had known his fair share of struggles too, and it is with that in mind that we turn to our text here.
When Paul wrote Philippians, he was in prison awaiting trial whose outcome could mean his death.
Yet even among all that, Paul was thankful, and he was joyful, not because he was glad to be in prison, but because even as he lingered in his jail cell, even as the church in Philippi was persecuted, even from a worldly perspective that all seemed lost,
…even then…the gospel of Jesus Christ was advancing! This good news could not be stopped for it was like a hurricane, blasting its way in changing everything it touched.
We may face struggles to live lives for Jesus, but you don’t need to sound the trumpet of surrender or retreat for we know and can testify that God is here, and HE has shown us ever since the cross and the empty tomb that He is on a rescue mission.
He is working to reclaim and renew everything. Do you remember when we looked in the beginning when God created everything and called it “good”?
Then humanity was created and said to God, our creator, “We’ll take it from here” and then fell into brokenness and sin.
That brokenness affected everything around us. Our bodies age and decay, our sense of reason, of justice, of love, mercy, even the creation itself is going through the effects of sin.
Yet, the Bible gives the good news: God demonstrates His own love in this, “that while we were still broken, still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God is on the move, putting into motion the plan to redeem all of creation; everything you see, and that is why Paul, and we, can be joyful, because God’s plan cannot be thwarted.
Three parts, and he stresses three items that we will examine: unity, faithfulness, and love.
In the Philippian church, they were all different, yes, but God had brought them together and they had no choice but to work in unity, because that is how they survived.
What makes us alike is deeper than what makes us different. We have been brought together by Christ in this place to worship him and do his work in the world.
In the essentials, unity, in the non-essentials, liberty, in all things, community.
Unity=putting others’ interests ahead of your own and the gospel mission as top priority.
Part 1 is unity, Part 2 is faithfulness-What Paul means as “saints” is that we as Christians are a unified people that God has called out from among others and set apart, for a purpose.
Paul calls the Philippians this and calls all Christians this term saints, and it is to remind us of who we are and how we are to act in response.
We are God’s treasured possession. God is working in our lives, each one of us, AND He will bring it to completion.
What is my role? Your role, your loyalty, your faithfulness comes by picking up your cross daily and following
Paul tells the church of his prayer, and it is basically that their knowledge of God and their love for each other will steadily increase.
His desire is that they might express their love in ways that show both a knowledge of God’s will and how to make moral decisions in everyday life.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Unity in the church, loyalty to God, charity to one another
Use what you are good at & show one another & world your faith, for it is attracts outsiders and strengthens church
Paul took a simple letter, and he made it to preach the gospel to this church. Paul took every opportunity, used every means available to show Jesus.
We can do that too…Church let us get creative. We do not need to carry a pulpit everywhere we go, our culture today likes the visual arts, both for entertainment and a search for meaning. So let us perhaps explore the new possibilities of sharing the news, using methods in this time to promote the One who is timeless.
For Full Sermon, click this link Phil. 1:1-11-Calling All Saints!