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Imagine you are in a newly formed church, and you receive a letter from your founding pastor. Read this letter and make a note of your initial impressions of the main ideas it contains. Answer the questions at the end.
Paul
and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all
the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and
deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for
all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel
from the first day until now, 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. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have
you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming
the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how
I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my
prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of
insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure
and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God. Now I
want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served
to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the
whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged
to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. It is true that
some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of
the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely,
supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But
what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from
false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers
and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me
will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will
in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always
Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to
me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the
body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do
not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ,
which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in
the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue
with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through
my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account
of me. Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel
of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my
absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one
man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those
who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but
that you will be saved--and that by God. For it has been granted to you
on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,
since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear
that I still have. If you have any encouragement from being united with
Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit,
if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded,
having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better
than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as
that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality
with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very
nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance
as a man, he humbled himself and became 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. Therefore, my
dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now
much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and
trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to
his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that
you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked
and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as
you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ
that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured
out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your
faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad
and rejoice with me. I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon,
that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one
else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone
looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know
that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his 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 am confident in the Lord
that I myself will come soon. But I think it is necessary to send back
to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is
also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs
for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he
was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only
but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the
more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and
I may have less anxiety. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor
men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his
life to make up for the help you could not give me. Finally, my brothers,
rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to
you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those
men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the
circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus,
and who put no confidence in the flesh--though I myself have reasons for
such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence
in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people
of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the
law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic
righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider
loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss
compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for
whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain
Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes
from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness
that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power
of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming
like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from
the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been
made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus
took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold
of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward
what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God
has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should
take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently,
that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have
already attained. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and
take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For,
as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many
live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their
god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on
earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await
a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables
him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies
so that they will be like his glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand
firm in the Lord, dear friends! I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche
to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow,
help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel,
along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in
the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious
about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally,
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent
or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or
received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the
God of peace will be with you. I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last
you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but
you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in
need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know
what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned
the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed
or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through
him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.
Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance
with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with
me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when
I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.
Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited
to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply
supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.
They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in
Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send
greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong
to Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit. Amen. Main ideas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Who is the letter
from?
Who is the letter
to?
What seems to be
the author's purpose for writing the letter?
In Lesson Two, we'll explore the author of the letter.