Philippians - United (Lesson 3 - Post 1)

This week our focus will be on Philippians 1: 27 - 2:11.
After reading the section, go back and read verses 1: 27 - 30 again.

Paul has been writing about his circumstances and how he chose to respond to them.  Then he talks about the circumstances that the Philippians are having to deal with and how he wants them to respond.  In verse 27 he shifts gears ... the content of the letter moves from personal comments to exhortation, to teaching. 

"Whatever happens."  You see, Paul does not know the outcome of his trial.  He does not know what his tomorrow might bring.  The Philippian believers did not know the details of their next days either.  Neither do we.  So - whatever happens - Paul wants those believers (and us believers!) to know some things. 

First, he wants us to know that it is of critical importance that we conduct ourselves in a worthy manner.  Worthy of what?  Worthy of our citizenship.  The word he chose that is translated "conduct" is a political word.  Philippi was a Roman colony - so it was a little piece of Rome even thought it was far from the capital city.  Philippians were proud of their Roman citizenship.  Paul plays off that pride with the language he chose.  It is as if he says, "You are proud of being Romans.  You walk as Roman citizens.  But, you, my fellow believers, are actually citizens of the Kingdom of God.  So walk as a citizen!  Conduct yourselves as citizens of the Kingdom of God.  All the way through the "whatevers" of life."  The church is to be a little piece of the Kingdom of God on earth.  So, my fellow believers, conduct yourselves as citizens of that kingdom ... whether you live in the United States, or Mexico, or England, or Russia, or ... conduct yourselves as befits your real citizenship. 

How do we do that?  Now Paul changes images in his language.  He now moves to an athletic reference.  When he says, "stand firm" and "contend as one man for the faith of the gospel", he uses words that are generally used in an athletic context.  So the image is one of teamwork ... together ... one goal.  Which, from Paul's perspective, is the advancement of the gospel.  We have already talked about what gospel means ... the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  We stand united ... we work together ...

All Satan has to do to damage the testimony of Christ's church is to divide us - to convince us to pull in different directions - to fight each other.  And his tactics have proven very effective. 

Let's be different!  Let's stand together and say, "No more!"  We will hear the words of Paul ... we will respond to the spirit of Paul ... we will CHOOSE to stand united, contending for the faith of the gospel.  I will not fight over things outside of the gospel.  I will fight for the gospel, together with my fellow believers ... but I will scrupulously beware Satan's ploy to get me to fight over things that are not "gospel". 

Paul reminds these believers that the way will not be easy.  The task is hard and the opposition is fierce.  But he encourages them to not be afraid. 

I believe that if the apostle Paul walked into our churches today, he might say,

"Whatever happens, behave as citizens of the Kingdom of God.  Stand united.  Let the world fight and fume, quarrel and compete ... you behave differently.  The only goal to fight for is the furtherance of the gospel.  The advancement of the name and work of our Lord ... now THAT is worth fighting for.  Don't be afraid.  God is your Father ... the Lord is your brother ... and, whatever happens, you are secure in His Kingdom."

Whatever happens ...

Philippians - Living & Dying (Lesson 2 - Post 3)

As we finish Philippians 1: 12 - 26 today, focus your attention on verses 19 - 26.

Paul sits in custody.  He is using his waiting time well - writing to the churches that he has helped establish as he has journeyed through Asia and not into Europe - talking of Jesus to the guards that are chained to him.  But he does not know the outcome of his impending trial.  He does not know if he will be released to continue his work ... or if he will be put to death. 

His desire was that Christ be "exalted in his body" (verse 20).  Other translations use the word "magnified in his body".  In other words, his life was to magnify Christ - through living or through dying.  A magnifying glass brings things closer - makes them seem bigger, clearer.  Paul wanted his life to make Christ more easily seen by the people around him.  What about you and me?  Is that my desire as well?  Do I want people to be able to see Christ more clearly because they have come in contact with me? 

Ellicott said:  "My body will be the theater in which Christ's glory is displayed."  Oh how I want my body to be that theater as well!  Ellicott echoes the heart of Paul. 

It is in the experiences where we have to face our own mortality where our priorities are clarified.  Have you had such experiences?  Perhaps an accident that was close to fatal.  Or a sickness that could take your physical life.  Sometimes when a person we love dies, we are forced to think about how fast life passes.  Are you afraid as you think about such things?  As Paul thought about them, he wrote about his feelings. 

Paul could see benefit on both sides ... the continued living in space/time history and the passage to being with his Lord, face to face.  Nothing in his writing communicates panic, or fear, or dread ... just his own conflicted mind as he found himself wanting both things. 

It is all about perspective.  Our reactions to death and dying are all about our perspective on life here and life eternal.  If you know Christ ... you, too, need not fear that passage that we call dying.  Our earthly bodies - which we are to use to magnify Christ - will finish their work one day.  And we will take on a new body - a perfect one - that can magnify Christ perfectly!  Amazing grace!!

How is your perspective? 

Loraine Boettner, in his book Immortality, wrote:

Lord, give us your perspective on all of living ... and dying.

I am standing on a sea shore.  A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the ocean blue.  She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come down to meet each other.  Then someone at my side says, 'There, she is gone.'  Gone where?  Gone from my sight, that is all.  She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and just as able to bear her load of living weights to its place of destination.  Her diminished size is in me, not in her.  And just at the moment, when someone says, 'There she is gone,' on that distant shore there are other eyes watching for her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'Here she comes!' and such is dying.

Philippians - Motives (Lesson 2 - Post 2)

As we consider Philippians 1: 12 - 26, focus your attention today on verses 15 - 18.

Motives.  Do they matter?  If good is being done, do our motives make any difference? 

There were individuals preaching about Christ while Paul was in prison ... and their motives were not pure.  They were preaching out of envy and selfish ambition.  Paul's attitude seems to be "so what?"  At first, that surprises me.  How could it be OK?  Several things come to mind ...

First, we identified what exactly constituted "gospel" in Post 1 of this lesson.  It is the incarnation, the substitutionary death, the burial, the resurrection and the continued life and presence of Jesus, Son of God.  It seems that these preachers were preaching that message.  Paul was pleased that the message was spreading. 

Second, Paul had no patience with those who preached a perverted gospel ... a message that added things and required things of people that the pure gospel does not add.  Go to Galatians 1: 6 - 9.  It is clear that Paul was adamant about the gospel being presented in its pure form.  These preachers Paul mentions in Philippians 1 were evidently not preaching a false gospel. 

Third, it was their motives that were impure ... not their message.  It seems that their motives were either to gain more "popularity" than Paul had ... or to discredit him in some way.  They wanted people in their "group" or in their "camp".  That was personal criticism ... it was against him ... not against the gospel.  So Paul seems to be able to say "what does it matter". 

Paul was not willing to fuel a competition between himself and others.  His passion was that Christ be preached.  What an incredible willingness to let go of personal ego for the good of the church.

Listen to William Barclay:

Paul knew nothing of personal jealousy; he knew nothing of personal resentment. ... All too often we resent it because someone else gains a prominence or a credit or a prestige which we do not receive.  All to often we regard a man as an enemy because he has expressed some criticism of us or of our methods.  All too often we think a man can do no good because he does not do things in our way. ... Paul is the great example.  He was cleansed of self; he had lifted the matter beyond all personalities; all that mattered was that Christ was preached.

Isn't that remarkable!  He did not want attention turned to himself and his circumstances.  His desire was for people's attention to remain fixed on Christ.  To have confronted these critics in this letter would have drawn all attention back to himself and would have not done any good.  It certainly would not have served any purpose for the Philippian believers.  So he says, "what does it matter." 

So do motives not matter?  I believe they do.  The issue is that you and I need to examine our own ... not other people's.  We cannot know the motives that drive another person.  We can only know what motives drive us.  Are there preachers and singers and artists who present the things of God out of self-serving motives?  Probably.  Are there preachers and singers and artists who present the things of God out of pure motives?  Yes.  Their motives are clear before God.  They are not clear before us.  So ... "what does it matter"?   I want to heed the words of Jesus in Matthew 7: 1 - 5:  "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" 

Our choice?  Let's give our brothers and sisters the benefit of doubt.  Let's assume they are functioning out of pure motives and let God be their judge.  The kind of fruit on a tree always becomes evident when it is ripe.

Meanwhile, I want to pray ...

God, give me eyes to see my own motives.  Let me know clearly when they are all twisted up with self interest and self promotion.  And then, through Your Spirit, give me the courage to confess to You and allow You to purify me ... again and again. 

Philippians - Chains (Lesson 2 - Post 1)

This week, our scripture focus will be Philippians 1: 12 - 26.  Today, let's examine  verses 12 - 14.

After Paul has shared his heart-prayer for these people with whom he feels a close partnership, he moves into a section where he talks about his own circumstances and how they are proving helpful.  But wait, he is writing from a Roman prison.  He is chained to a Roman guard under some kind of house arrest.  He is not free to come and go at will.  He is awaiting a trial that will determine whether he will live or die.  Helpful?  These circumstances helpful? 

Yes ... and the reason he could view them through that lens was because of his singular purpose.  We find it in verse 12.  Advancing the gospel was Paul's passionate driving goal.  That's the preeminent task.  And he explains how his current circumstances were helping that goal. 

What is the gospel?  Very often we get its definition all tangled up with religion and religious practice.  Paul defines it for us himself.  In 1 Corinthians 15: 1 - 8 Paul reminds the Corinthian believers of the gospel that he has preached to them.  And he wants to clarify it so that there is no confusion.  So he says:

"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born." 

 That's the gospel.  The life - death - resurrection - and continued life and presence of Jesus, Son of God.  Advancing that gospel message was everything to Paul. 

He gives us 2 reasons why his chains have been helpful to his goal.  First, a whole new group of people are hearing the message of Jesus and his sacrificial death.  The guards chained to Paul were a captive audience ... and they thought he was the captive!  And secondly, other believers were speaking about Jesus more boldly because of Paul's chains.  I think it must have been the "If he can do that ... I can certainly do this" syndrome.  Because of what Paul was enduring and still spreading the gospel (no self pity!) than they gained courage to speak up about their faith and their Lord.  Result ... the news of Jesus was spreading.

God has used interesting things throughout the ages.  He used Moses' staff.  He used David's sling.  And He used Paul's chains. 

So my question for you and me:  Do I view difficult circumstances as opportunities for God to work, for God to be seen and revealed?  Is my driving passion more about my comfort than about the honor of God? 

Warren Wiersbe:  "When you have a single mind - you look on circumstances as God-given opportunities for furtherance of the gospel; and you rejoice at what God is going to do instead of complaining about what God did not do."

Lord, help us have eyes to see the difficulties in our lives as opportunities for Your name to be glorified and honored.  Guard us from self-pity.  This difficulty I am facing right now (name yours!).  Show me how I can honor You as I walk in it.  Give me boldness and courage as I speak Your name in the midst of it. 

Philippians - Partnership (Lesson 1 - Post 3)

One more time ... read again Philippians 1: 1 - 11.

Today I want us to focus on why Paul was so thankful for these Philippians believers.  It's in verse 4 ... he is so thankful to God for them because they have chosen to "partner" with him in the work of the gospel.  They were in a partnership. 

In our group Bible study of this passage ... we began to toss out characteristics of good, healthy partnerships.  The lists were good ... thoughtful.  There were things like

• common purpose
• trust
• mutual respect
• no "control" mongers!
• a two-way street

You may want to add some other characteristics that you have experienced in good partnerships. 

In this particular partnership ... the goal was to advance the Gospel.  They demonstrated their partnership by praying for each other.  There was financial help and support.  They endured the same struggles. 

One thing that moved me as I read these verses from Paul ...

• Paul said he "remembered them" (verse 3) - that means these people were in his mind.
• Paul said "I have you in my heart" (verse 7) - that means that he was emotionally connected with them - they were in his heart.
• Paul said "I always pray for all of you" (verse 4) - that means they were a part of his regular habit of prayer.

That particular trio is a marvelous way for us to test our own partnerships. 

Head .......... Heart .......... Prayer

If you are married, think right now about your marriage and your spouse.  Do you have him/her in your head, heart and prayers?  We can even apply this to our work partnerships ... if they are true partnerships there is a place for us to keep those people in our heads, hearts, and prayers.  And what about your church partnership- the part of the body of Christ where you are currently serving and worshiping.  Do you keep her in your head, your heart, your prayers?  In all three of these arenas, we can be tempted to just complain about them - especially when there are struggles involved.  Why not today ... with Paul as our example ... recommit to being a good partner! 

And remember ... this is not just to make your life more pleasant or easier ... Paul tells us it is all "to the glory and praise of God!"  

Philippians - Sacrifice (Lesson 1 - Post 2)

We are currently thinking through Philippians 1: 1 - 11.

Today I want to focus our attention on Philippians 1:6

" ... being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture.  I find myself going to it so often ... usually when I have experienced a failure  ... or I have disappointed myself.  It has given me reassurance that God is not finished with me ... that there is hope for my "completion" as a follower of Jesus.  I believe there is a place for us to use Paul's words here as a reminder of that very thing.  But I have learned that the language has a much deeper meaning.  Come with me ...

Paul uses two interesting Greek words when he says, "began" and "completion".   I learned the following information from William Barclay through his Daily Study Bible.

The word translated, began, is the Greek word, enarchesthai.  It was a technical term used throughout Greek culture referring to the beginning ritual of a sacrifice.  And that ritual was consistent.  A torch was lit with the fire on the altar; the blazing torch was then dipped into a bowl of water; the sacred flame thus cleansed the water, and with the purified water the victim and the people were sprinkled to make them holy and clean.

The word translated, completion, is the Greek word, epitelein.  This was the verb used for completing the whole ritual of sacrifice, and for carrying out the sacrifice perfectly in every smallest detail.  "The whole sentence, as Paul wrote it, moves in an atmosphere of sacrifice and thinks in terms and pictures of sacrifice."  Paul's readers would be so familiar with that process.

Can you hear Paul better?  He writes in Romans 12:1 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."

God, Himself, began the sacrifice process.  He came and gave Himself on the altar (the cross) as the victim for sacrifice.  His blood cleanses those who choose to take it onto themselves.  And He will complete it ... perfectly ... in every smallest detail.  You and I are the now the sacrifice.  And we are not to be anxious about our inability to be the perfect sacrifice ... only Jesus could do that.  But we are to be a sacrifice ... willingly ... full of confidence that God will complete it so that it is perfectly pleasing to Him. 

Today ... right now ... stop and thank God for His willingness to take care of that whole process for you.  The beginning ... the end.  Jesus tells us in Revelation that He is the alpha and the omega - the beginning and the end. 

Lord, I pray for each of us thinking through these things right now.  I pray that we will recognize our position as living sacrifices for You.  It is all about You.  You began that good work ... and You will complete that good work.  May we cooperate with You as You purify and cleanse these unworthy sacrifices! 

Philippians - Saints (Lesson 1 - Post 1)

After getting our introduction to Paul in Philippi from Acts 16, we are ready to begin studying this letter.  We know Paul to be the author.  We know he is in prison, probably in Rome.  It is a house-arrest arrangement and he is waiting trail before Caesar.  He can't travel ... but he can write.  And God uses him powerfully through his pen. 

Read Philippians 1: 1 - 11.

We will stay in these eleven verses all week.  Since the selection is short, I hope you will read it each time you come online ... that will be three times this week!  I find it helpful to read aloud at least once.  It makes my mind slow down a bit ... and allows me to focus some attention on the way the words and thoughts flow together. 

Today let's consider the addressees ... Paul writes to "all the saints at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons."  There seem to be three categories ... 1) all the saints, 2) the overseers, and 3) the deacons. 

We don't know why Paul chose to use to list them in this manner.  This is his only letter where he does that.  Are the overseers and deacons not included in the "all saints"?  Perhaps he wanted to insure that the language was all-inclusive.  Perhaps he wanted to show the maturation of this church.  Perhaps he wanted to place value and affirmation to the overseers and deacons for the whole body.  I wonder if there existed some conflict around these particular roles and responsibilities.  We just don't know.  What we can know ... is that Paul wants this letter to be received from himself ... to the believers in Philippi and their servant leaders ... all of them. 

The Greek word translated, saints, is the word hagios.  It is a word that is most often translated, holy.  Our reaction to and relationship with the word, holy, is mixed.   I think we have been so effected by ecclesiastical church history that we hear the word as something almost 'other-worldly'.  We hear it and think stained-glass windows, St. Christopher, Mother Teresa, etc.  But we need to go further back ... we need to go back and try to understand the way Paul would know that word.  Paul and his Hebrew mind ...

The Hebrew equivalent is kadosh.  To the Hebrew mind ... the word means that something is set apart for a special purpose, a special task.  Notice the following ...

• The Jewish nation was "holy" because God set it apart from other nations for a special purpose - the bloodline of Messiah.  (Exodus 19: 5 - 6; Leviticus 20:26)
• The priests, the descendants of Aaron, were "holy" because they were set apart for special tasks.  So they were different from other men.  Their work was set apart to God. (Leviticus 21:8)
• The tithe - that 10% offering - was set apart to be given to God, so it was "holy" - whether it was grain or oil or fruit or money or child - it was dedicated to God - set apart for a different purpose than the rest of the grain or oil or fruit or money or children.  (Leviticus 27:30)
• The Tabernacle, that tent of meeting had a Holy Place - the part of the tent that was set apart for a different purpose than the other tents in the camp.  

So when God tells us to "be holy" ... He is telling us that we, as believers, are set apart for a different purpose.  We are to be Christ's life on earth ... that's different from other people ... the general population does not have that purpose, that goal.  We do.  Why?  Because we are "holy".  We are "saints".  And that is the meaning of the word.  So we don't have to be so afraid of that descriptor.  It is not spiritual arrogance.  It is God's way to say that He has called us out of the world and set us apart unto Himself.  Holy.  Hagios. 

Paul's greeting to these believers was "grace and peace".  As you study his letters, you find this combination of words used in every one of them.  The word, grace, was the typical and common greeting in a Greek letter of the time.  That's the way the Greeks began letters.  We begin ours with "Dear ___" and they began theirs with "grace".  Paul used that word because it was so familiar to the Greek mind.  Its basic ideas were joy and brightness and beauty (we get our word, charm, from this Greek word)  Then he adds the word "peace".  That was the common greeting for a Hebrew letter of the time.  It is the greeting of "shalom" - all that is good.  Paul takes both of these terms and combines them into the most beautiful Christian greeting - "grace and peace".  

It is as if Paul's hope for these believers was:

"that they should know the joy of knowing God as Father, and the peace of being reconciled to God, to men, and to themselves - and that grace and peace can only come through Jesus Christ." (Barclay, "The  Daily Study Bible")

So as we begin our study ... to each of you ... may you know grace and peace this day!

Philippians - Introduction (Week 1 - Post 3)

Today we will finish our observations of Paul in Philippi.  Read Acts 16: 25 - 40.

Meet the jailer.  A solid, middle class, working man ... a Roman citizen ... a soldier in Philippi.  His responsibilities included guarding the prisoners that were placed in his prison.  It's where Paul and Silas had been placed.  This jailer was conscientious.  He knew he was responsible for them ... so he seemed to get into the mood of the leaders ... not only placed these "hardened criminals" in an inner cell (that meant no windows ... no fresh air ... imagine it!) ... but also placed their feet in stocks, not shackles.  Stocks were rigid - when their legs cramped there would be nothing to do - no ability to get up and move around.  I can almost see his swagger as the doors are locked and he walks away. 

But God is never stopped by locked doors or by dark places.  And God moves for His servants.  Just imagine the scene in that prison when the earthquake shook its foundations.  I can see the prison doors being flung open ... not unusual in the wake of a violent earthquake ... but the chains all falling off?  The stocks unleashing their hold?  The jailer is thrown into a state of panic as his mind foresees his own fate at the hands of his bosses ... and decides it is better to just end his life himself. 

How did Paul convince all the prisoners to stay in their cells?  Was it the singing?  Was it their amazement at the presence of God through these 2 men?  They stayed and the jailer decided to hear these men out.  And another remarkable conversion takes place.  He believes.  His household believes.  The little church in Philippi grows. 

Paul and Silas were released the next morning but were unwilling to slink out of the prison.  Paul invokes his own Roman citizenship at this point in our story.  Why now?  Why not before the beatings took place?  I don't know.  But I do know that foremost in his mind is the  protection of the fledging church that is born in Philippi.  He wants no shadow of suspicion surrounding them - no rumors of the "criminals" that started it.  It is similar to a public pardon - for all the city to see and know.  And rather than immediately get out of town, Paul and Silas go back to Lydia's and encouraged the frightened brothers and sisters there.  I suspect he introduced them all to this jailor and his household.  Can you picture it?  I wonder if some of the people were hesitant to welcome them into the little group?  That would be a rather human response! 

So now ... before we begin reading Paul's letter to this church ... observe its beginning membership.

There is a wealthy business woman, upper class, merchant to the wealthiest because of her product.  A Jewess.  The church is meeting in her home.  Spacious ... probably beautiful.  And her household.

Perhaps a little female slave.  She doesn't even make the social strata ... she is below it.  Has nothing of her own.  We don't know her nationality.

A middle class working man.  Probably a retired soldier of the empire.  A citizen of Rome.  And his household. 

Notice the mix?  Racial ... gender ... economic ... social ... cultural ...

Christ's church  has a place for each of these.  Each one belongs.  Each one matters.  Each one was taught by the apostle himself.  And in spite of that insurmountable diversity - they meet together, grow together, and learn to love each other. 

And that, my friends, is God's greatest miracle! 

Paul loves this church.  He loves these people.  And they love him.  However, his work requires that he move on.  There are other cities - other people longing to be set free. 

Acts 16:40 tells us that "they left".  Perhaps Luke stayed in Philippi to help this new body of believers.  Some think Timothy stayed as well for a bit of time.  The next time we see Timothy is in Berea. 

The church in Philippi is born ...

Philippians - Introduction (Week 1 - Post 2)

Let's continue to observe Paul in Philippi ... read Acts 16: 16 - 25

We are given the opportunity to see another snapshot of Paul and his team's experiences in Philippi.  This time it is an encounter with the opposite end of the social spectrum from Lydia ... this time it is with a slave girl.  Remember, slaves were not people, they were property - considered to be a "tool".  And this piece of property was used by her owners to make money telling fortunes ... there was a spirit indwelling her that was not from God.  However, even demons know who God is ... and this demon kept on shouting out about Paul and his team.  It became a gigantic annoyance ... she was speaking truth ... but it seems that Paul wanted nothing to do with this kind of spirit ... so he finally had had enough and cast the demon out in the name of Jesus.  This girl was freed! 

I long to know what happened to her!  Did she become part of the fledgling church that was beginning?  Did her owners get rid of her because she was no longer profitable?  They had control of her life ... did they sell her?  We don't know.  But in Philippi, there was a slave girl who was set free from the grip of Satan by God.  

And the result was that Paul and Silas were drug before the officials and accused as criminals.  The girl's owners had been hit in the pocket book!  Money makes people do crazy things ... and often say things that are not true, or are exaggerated. Citizens of a Roman colony (and Philippi was a Roman colony - not an occupied territory) were extremely proud of their identification with Rome.  The accusations levied against Paul and Silas were dripping with racial prejudice and pride.  They were Jews ... they disturbed the peace ... the were not cultural equal to the Romans in Philippi.  So our missionaries were beaten and thrown in prison. 

Beaten and bloodied ... placed in stocks ... we watch as these two men of God choose to sing ... choose to praise God. 

I  have been so impacted by a story that Beth Moore records in her study "To Live is Christ" about the life of the apostle Paul.  I want to share it with you as we think about Paul and Silas in that prison.  And my prayer is that you and I will think about it in relationship to any circumstances in our own lives that are painful ... that are not what we desire ... not what we would choose ... listen to Beth ...

"The most difficult part of my service as a Sunday School teacher has been watching a number of my members bury loved ones.  Several years ago one of my members lost her 15 year old son in an automobile accident.  I will never forget accompanying our friend to the funeral home and helping her choose a casket.  All four of us walked to the car and took our seats without saying a word.  Within a couple of blocks, one of us began to cry, and then the rest joined her without saying a word.  After several minutes of silence, another leader began to sing with broken notes, 'I love you, Lord ... and I life my voice ... to worship You ... O, my soul rejoice.'  I could hardly believe the nerve of my fellow member to sing at such a time as this.  Before I could look at her with proper horror, the mother's best friend joined in, 'Take joy, my King, in what You hear ... may it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.'

The words fell from their lips a second time and to my shock, Bernard's broken-hearted mother began to sing.  If she could sing, I knew I could not remain silent.  We sang all the way home that day.  Not one of us had a solo voice, and yet I wonder if I will ever hear a sound so beautiful again.  I knew that day what God meant when He told us to life up the sacrifice of praise.  When praise is the last thing that comes naturally to us and we choose to worship Him anyway, we've had the privilege of offering a genuine sacrifice of praise."

Through a decision of their wills, these two beaten men chose to honor God rather than melt into their pain and self-pity.  Psalm 42:8 says, "By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life."  Songs in the night ... His songs ... praising God through the pain.  Why?  Because God is God.  How?  By a decision of the will and through the Spirit of God. 

Do you need to sing? 

I love You Lord ... and I lift my voice

To worship You ... O my soul, rejoice.

Take joy, my King, in what You hear

May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear. 



Philippians - Introduction (Week 1 - Post 1)

Welcome back!  I pray that you had eyes to see the presence of God through your holiday season.  I saw Him in laughter and joy.  I saw Him in shared meals and family circles.  I saw Him in prayers of thanksgiving to God the Father.  I saw Him in broken relationships restoring and strengthening.  I saw Him in new birth.  I saw Him in mother-love being poured out onto new babies.  I saw Him in tears over the pain of loved ones.  I saw Him in the joy of 'homecomings'.  I saw Him in different precious ones saying, 'How can I help you?'  I saw Him ... and I want to see Him more!  "Praise God from whom all blessings flow ..." 

We are launching a study of Philippians - that little New Testament letter written by the apostle Paul to the church that met in Philippi.  In this first week of study, I want us to observe Paul as he travels to Philippi and to see a little of the beginnings of this church that so held Paul's heart. 

So ... to begin ... pause and read Acts 15:36 - 16:15

This passage reports the beginning of Paul's second mission journey.  A new team has formed.  It consists of Paul and Silas.  Timothy joins the team in Lystra.  And Dr. Luke most likely joins the team in Troas.  (notice the pronouns become personal ... changing from 'they' to 'we' in 16:10) 

Some observations for your consideration ...

First, Timothy joins the team in Lystra.  Timothy is a young man.  At this point some commentators think he may have been in late teen years and is already thought of very highly in the region.  His mother (Eunice) and his grandmother (Lois) were Godly women who had trained him well.  His father was a Greek.  We don't know if the father is still alive or not ... we have no word about him.  I suppose that Eunice, Lois and Timothy had accepted Christ as Messiah and savior when Paul came through Lystra on his first journey.  (Acts 14)  Think with me ... if the father is dead and Paul wants to take Timothy with him ... does it not make sense that he would approach Eunice and ask her for her permission or blessing on the proposal?  Here's the rub ... when Paul was in Lystra the first time ... he was stoned, dragged outside the city and left for dead!  Eunice had to have know that.  And Paul was asking her to release her son to THAT work!  And Timothy goes with Paul.  When we think about heroes of the faith ... I never hear Eunice's name mentioned.  But, my friends, I think she is a remarkable pillar of faith and hero.  She trained her son to be a God-lover ... then a believer ... then she released him to the work of God.  And thus she helped shape the beginnings of the Christian faith!  Never, never, never underestimate your influence or importance as a "mom". 

Secondly, God is in the business of opening doors.  Paul knew where he wanted to go.  He wanted to stay in the Middle East and go into Bythinia (modern day Turkey).  God had other plans for him and Paul was sensitive enough to the Spirit of God to respond.  God wanted him going into a new region ... God wanted him moving into Europe.  I love the way scripture tells us that Paul and his team went "at once" (16:10)  into Macedonia (modern day Greece).  They go to Philippi.  How do you respond when God closes a door to you?  Do you whine?  Feel sorry for yourself because your plans are changed?  Do you pout?  Never, never, never underestimate what God can and will do when we commit to His plans over our own.

Third, don't miss that the first Christian in Philippi, the first "member" of the church of God in Philippi, was a business woman.  They were not at a Synagogue because there was most likely not a Synagogue in Philippi.  There had to be a minimum of 10 Jewish men to form a Synagogue ... Philippi did not have one.  So we can assume that there were not 10 Jewish men in this city.  And we find a group of women gathered for prayer on the Sabbath.  Were they Jewish women?  Is that why they were there on the Sabbath?  Or were they Greek women who honored Sabbath because of knowledge of God?  Was it a varied group or was it Lydia and her household only?  I want more details!  What we do know is that Paul had no reservations about sharing Christ with women ... they mattered!  What we do know is that God opened the door to Lydia's heart and she believed.  What we do know is that God began the church at Philippi with this upper-class, successful business woman who had a heart for Him.  Never, never, never underestimate what God can do with female hearts that are turned toward Him. 

And ... the church at Philippi is born!