Sermon notes - February 2014
Philippians 1:1-11
Pastor James Amadon, Highland Covenant Church
Introduction of the letter typically shows us its major themes - 1:1-11
Verses 1-2: Greetings
A) Slaves of Christ Jesus - what does this tell us about the letter?
1) Focus on humility (Ch. 2)
2) Major theme - Complete and utter commitment to Jesus
B) "God's saints"
Verses 3-8: Thanksgiving - A special relationship between Pail and the Philippians
A) Major theme - Joy - far more than happiness - a deep conviction that life has meaning
Verses 9-11: Opening prayer
A) Major theme revealed: Unity - despite their special relationship, there was struggle
B) Prayer is for a deeper love for one another - 1:9
Review the major themes that will help is understand the rest of the letter
A) Complete commitment to Jesus
B) Joy
C) Partnership in the gospel
D) Christian Unity
A few thoughts on how these themes might help us in our faith
A) Complete commitment to Jesus
1) Challenged by Paul's example
B) Joy
1) Joy is a gift from God - fruit of the Spirit
2) Joy is also something to be practiced and learned
C) Partnership in the gospel
1) The Philippians made sacrifices in supporting Paul
2) In supporting Paul, they supported God's mission
3) One of the reasons I love pastoring a church
D) Christian Unity - perhaps the hardest of all
1) Paul's day
2) Our day
3) My church
4) My suggestions
A prayer for reading and studying Philippians
Lord God, we thank you for calling your servant Paul to spread the gospel through the ancient world and for the good soil it found in the saints of Phillipi. We thank you for this letter, which encouraged the faith of those saints long ago and strengthens our own commitment today. As we read, we pray that the same joy that sustained Paul in captivity would carry us through our own circumstances. We ask that you would light a fire in us for your mission, that like the Philippians we would be eager to serve, ready to give, and committed to Jesus Christ and his work of redemption. Lord, we confess that the unity you prayed for continues to elude us in many ways. Give us clarity about the gospel, patience with those who disagree, and love that reminds us all things are in your good hands. Finally, we pray that "he who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." All this we pray in the name of the one
"Who being in the very nature of God,
Did not consider equality with God something to be used to his 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 human being,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Pastor James Amadon, Highland Covenant Church
Introduction of the letter typically shows us its major themes - 1:1-11
Verses 1-2: Greetings
A) Slaves of Christ Jesus - what does this tell us about the letter?
1) Focus on humility (Ch. 2)
2) Major theme - Complete and utter commitment to Jesus
B) "God's saints"
Verses 3-8: Thanksgiving - A special relationship between Pail and the Philippians
A) Major theme - Joy - far more than happiness - a deep conviction that life has meaning
Verses 9-11: Opening prayer
A) Major theme revealed: Unity - despite their special relationship, there was struggle
B) Prayer is for a deeper love for one another - 1:9
Review the major themes that will help is understand the rest of the letter
A) Complete commitment to Jesus
B) Joy
C) Partnership in the gospel
D) Christian Unity
A few thoughts on how these themes might help us in our faith
A) Complete commitment to Jesus
1) Challenged by Paul's example
B) Joy
1) Joy is a gift from God - fruit of the Spirit
2) Joy is also something to be practiced and learned
C) Partnership in the gospel
1) The Philippians made sacrifices in supporting Paul
2) In supporting Paul, they supported God's mission
3) One of the reasons I love pastoring a church
D) Christian Unity - perhaps the hardest of all
1) Paul's day
2) Our day
3) My church
4) My suggestions
A prayer for reading and studying Philippians
Lord God, we thank you for calling your servant Paul to spread the gospel through the ancient world and for the good soil it found in the saints of Phillipi. We thank you for this letter, which encouraged the faith of those saints long ago and strengthens our own commitment today. As we read, we pray that the same joy that sustained Paul in captivity would carry us through our own circumstances. We ask that you would light a fire in us for your mission, that like the Philippians we would be eager to serve, ready to give, and committed to Jesus Christ and his work of redemption. Lord, we confess that the unity you prayed for continues to elude us in many ways. Give us clarity about the gospel, patience with those who disagree, and love that reminds us all things are in your good hands. Finally, we pray that "he who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." All this we pray in the name of the one
"Who being in the very nature of God,
Did not consider equality with God something to be used to his 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 human being,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
