Introduction
to Philippians
This
morning we move into the letter of Paul to the Philippians. In Acts we have the
story of how Paul took Timothy with him to Philippi in Macedonia, met with
worshippers on the Sabbath told them the good news of Jesus, and some were
baptised. [Acts 16]
Now
Paul and Timothy are in prison. In the first century that meant relying on
friends outside for basic needs like food and blankets.[i]
The Christians in Philippi have sent funds to help pay for these essentials.
Paul
writes expressing gratitude for their love and help.[ii]
We
will hear the beginning of the letter, and it commences in the standard format
for a letter at that time.
Reading Philippians
1:1-20
Proclamation
of the Word
Yesterday a few of us were at a
seminar, that is part of 6 days across the year. We are thinking and reflecting
on what Mission Shaped Ministry might look like in the Broken Bay Parish.
One area we looked at was spirituality
for mission, that is, as disciples of Jesus Christ what do we need, to
be able to fully live out God’s call in our lives.
In the afternoon we looked at 10
characteristics or signs of apostolic spirituality. We did that by looking at
some of the gospel passages where the disciples, and others, are sent out in
ministry and mission. One of the characteristics or signs is knowing the value
of companionship and community. As we talked yesterday, I was reminded of this
reading that we have heard this morning.
Note that the letter is written to the
people in the church at Philippi, not the Bishop or the Church Council, but “all of God’s people who
belong to Christ Jesus at Philippi and to all of your church officials and
officers.”
Paul travelled with other people, in
this case with Timothy. Not only does he have a travelling companion, he also
knows he can rely on the generosity of the communities that he has been part
of. This letter is written in response to the generosity of prayer and
financial support given to Paul and Timothy by the church in Philippi.
The good news of Jesus, our experience
of God’s love and grace, is not an individual possession but a communal reality
that God is doing all the time and in we are invited to participate.[iii]
Looking a bit deeper, one thing that
caught my eye, was the multiple expressions of gratitude. Paul and Timothy are
in prison, the people in Philippi that Paul is writing to were part of a
fledgling group that was not well accepted, or at times tolerated, so their
lives were also at risk. In spite of the difficult circumstances of the author
and the recipients, this letter overflows with gratitude and generosity and
encouragement.
I wonder how easy you find it to show
gratitude and generosity when you are in difficult circumstances.
Paul begins the letter by
reassuring the people of God in Philippi of his prayers and his pride in them
because their faith is continuing (1:3-5). Paul wasn’t interested in winning
converts as if the main game was numbers. He was concerned about people
entering a new relationship with God that kept going.[iv]
Paul writes ‘you have taken part with me
in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it.’
I wonder what ways we spread the Good
news, and what is the good news for each one of us.
Some people I know talk of the Good
news, or Gospel, as salvation, going to heaven when you die or not going to
hell. Paul writes of the Good News here
in a much more expansive way.
He writes of how to share in the gospel,
is to grasp the fullness of what it means to embrace and live in the good news
of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.[v]
To share in the gospel is to love God
and neighbour no matter what. Paul’s experience reminds us that even if you are
persecuted and end up in prison because you refuse to stop loving and refuse to
give up the values and ethos adopted from Jesus, then you must carry on loving.[vi]
The goodness that God wants is nothing less than the flow of love
which marks the heart of God's doing and being.[vii]
In what ways are we part of God’s beating heart of love?
Philippians 1: 9-11 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
This is my prayer for you:
that your
love will grow more and more;
that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love;
that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important;
that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ;
that your life will be full of the many good works that are produced by Jesus Christ to bring glory and praise to God.
that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love;
that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important;
that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ;
that your life will be full of the many good works that are produced by Jesus Christ to bring glory and praise to God.
[i]
https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3419
[ii]
NRSV Bible, Zondervan publishing, 1989
[iii]
https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3419
[iv]
http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/CEpAdvent2.htm
[v]
http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2695
[vi]
http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2695
[vii]
http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/CEpAdvent2.htm
