Philippians 1:3-11
Last week we began our study through Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
We talked about the origin story of that church in Philippi, which began with Paul being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit on his second missionary journey, and resulted in a merchant woman named Lydia and also a jailer coming to faith and becoming the first European converts to Christianity (crazy story you can read about in Acts 16 if you missed it last week), and eventually a church was established.
We also looked at Paul’s humble introduction, and how he didn’t brag about himself (even though later in the letter he says if any man has reason for boasting, he has more), but instead he was content to share the most significant thing about his identity: that he was a servant of Christ.
And finally, we examined verse 2 which was his standard Pauline greeting: grace and peace. And we talked about the depth of meaning behind those two terms (a Roman greeting and a Jewish greeting) and the clever symbolism of Paul marrying those two worlds together in one salutation. We also talked about the mega themes of grace and peace as core benefits of the Christian life.
All of that and a bag of chips, as they say, is what we covered last week as we launched into this very encouraging letter.
Now we move past the intro and into the body of the letter.
In this section, we are going to see Paul describe his prayers towards this group of believers who were so dear to him.
Have you ever wondered what the godliest men and women of history sounded like when they prayed? What their personal quiet time with Jesus was like? Have you wondered about the content of their prayers? In Paul’s case we don’t have to wonder. In this next section, he tells us exactly the sort of things he prayed for.
As we examine his prayer for the Philippians, we are going to learn important principles and truths about thankfulness, love, salvation, ministry partnership, and more.
Philippians 1:3–11 (ESV):
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
Think about this: Paul is sitting under house arrest in Rome, awaiting a trial that could very well result in his death, and the dominant emotion he is feeling is thankfulness. He was thankful for these brothers and sisters in Christ all the way in Philippi.
Paul’s life as a Christian is a masterclass in thankfulness.
How is it that he can have such a positive attitude in the midst of such stressful, uncertain circumstances?
It was because his thankfulness flowed from his theology.
Here was a guy who knew what he deserved from God on one hand, vs what he was getting from God on the other.
In Romans 7:14-25 we read about his struggle with sin and how he felt that “nothing good dwelt in him”. How he was prone to choose sin over righteousness.
In 1 Timothy 1 he calls himself the foremost of sinners. Which is how we should all view ourselves, because we are much more familiar with our own sin than anyone else’s.
In 1 Corinthians 15 he expresses that he didn’t deserve to be called an apostle since he had previously persecuted the Church.
In Ephesians 3 he refers to himself as the least of all the saints.
In Romans 3:23 he says “the wages of sin is death”...
So here was a man well acquainted with his own depravity.
But he was even better acquainted with God’s grace.
Remember what grace is? We talked about this last time… grace is unmerited favor from God.
Listen to Paul's awareness of God’s unmerited favor towards him…
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
Galatians 1:13-16 “For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it… But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me…”
Ephesians 3:7-9 “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
Romans 5:1-2, 20-21 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand…Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
You show me a man or a woman who is deeply aware of their own depravity and the eternal punishment from God that their sins deserve… and who is also deeply aware that God has not repaid them according to their sins but instead has given His Son to absorb the wrath of God in their place and has adopted them into His own family by faith… And I’ll show you a man or woman who is supremely, unshakably thankful.
This is why Paul could sit in prison awaiting an uncertain future and be brimming with thankfulness.
And… his gratitude was expressed through joyful prayer.
He says…
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
Let’s talk about prayer, and let’s talk about joy.
First, let’s simply appreciate the fact that Paul is praying for these believers in Philippi.
It’s obvious that he prayed for them because he loved them AND because he believed in the power of prayer.
By the way…
The degree to which we pray for others is in direct proportion to how much we love them, and to how much we actually believe in the power and effectiveness of prayer.
If you really love someone, and if you really believe prayer is powerful and effective, you will pray for them.
The Philippians were very dear to Paul, and he believed in the power of God moving through prayer… so naturally he spent a lot of time praying for them.
We have the tendency to treat prayer like a less productive option when it comes to affecting real change in our lives and in the lives of others.
Sure, we’ll pray. But we’ll spend twice as much time striving and worrying.
In chapter 4:6-7, Paul confronts this tendency directly by saying, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
There is nothing more productive than prayer. God can do more through our prayers in a moment than we could do through all of our most concerted efforts in a lifetime.
Prayer for Paul was not just a sentimental exercise. He prayed for the Philippians and many others because he knew God would move through those prayers and that prayer would effect real change in their lives.
And in this particular case, Paul says his prayers were joyful prayers.
Joy is a key theme in Philippians.
The Christian life should be marked by joy.
One of the greatest proofs of the trustworthiness of the gospel is how it brings invincible joy to those who embrace it. The world can’t offer enduring joy like that––Joy that endures through trials and the most horrible circumstances.
Where does our joy come from as Christians? How can we take hold of this invincible joy?
By knowing that Christ has met our greatest needs and that our souls are safe with Him forever.
Our joy comes from realities like this, for example…
Romans 8:31–39 (ESV): 31 …If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If that is your worldview… if that is the reality under which you operate… how could you not be joyful?
This is why it is imperative that we preach the gospel to ourselves and to one another daily. We need to be reminded of our eternal reality so that we can endure our present circumstances with joy.
Memorize passages like this one that remind us what God has done for us, and what we have to look forward to.
Apply the gospel to every situation of life.
Stressed out about the future? Remind yourself that because Jesus died for your sins, your future is secure in Him and everything will ultimately be just fine.
Marriage problems? Remind yourself that because Jesus humbled Himself and endured the cross for you so that you could be forgiven, you can humble yourself and apologize where necessary. You can forgive because you’ve been forgiven a greater debt. You can be patient with your spouse because God continues to show patience towards you as you grow in Christ.
Experiencing loneliness? Remind yourself that because Christ died for you, you are adopted into God’s family and forever accepted by Him and those who are His.
There is no circumstance you will face that the gospel doesn’t speak into.
So… deep joy comes from a deep understanding of the gospel.
But there is another, more specific reason Paul gives for his joy in this particular letter…
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
It gave Paul great joy to prayerfully dwell on the fact that there were others hundreds of miles away who were co-laboring for the spread of the gospel.
It is a beautiful thing to have partners in gospel ministry. Friendship and camaraderie are so important in serving Christ. No Christian is meant to serve Christ solo––Gospel ministry is a team sport.
When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, He called them to be part of a group of followers.
When He sent them out to do ministry, He sent them in pairs, not alone.
Paul and the other apostles had not just each other but the entire community of believers from various regions partnering together for the advance of the gospel.
We need to be careful not to think of ourselves as being on a solo mission for Jesus. We are part of a church where every member needs every other member to function properly (read Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4).
Beyond that, we need to be careful not to think of our church as being on a solo mission. There are other churches in this community on the same mission as we are. And there are believers around the world partnering together to fulfill the Great Commission. The spread of the gospel is a global, collective initiative… and you and I are part of it.
And it brings great joy when we pray for others and support others who are laboring to make Christ known.
Next, Paul makes an important statement that would have been very encouraging for the Philippians, and it should be very encouraging for us today too.
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
What is the good work he is referring to? Their salvation.
This statement tells us three important truths about how salvation works…
1. It is God’s work, not ours.
“he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion”
2. It is an ongoing process
That is implied in the fact that it is incomplete until the day of Christ Jesus, that is, the second coming of Christ.
If you are in Christ, you have been justified, you are being sanctified, and you will be glorified. Right now, and as long as you are breathing, you are “under construction”.
3. Because salvation is God’s work, and because God always finishes His work, we can be sure that if He has truly begun that work in us He will finish it. He “will bring it to completion”.
This is what theologians call the doctrine of assurance, or ‘perseverance of the saints’.
Some describe it with the phrase, ‘once saved, always saved’.
Romans 8:29–30 (ESV): 29 For those whom [God] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
In other words, the ones who God knew before the foundation of the world would come to faith in Jesus… He has predetermined that once they are in Christ they will be conformed to be more like Christ, thereby proving that they belong to Him, and to the family of which He is their elder brother (first born). They begin bearing His character and eventually they will share in His inheritance.
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Translation: if you have been justified, you WILL be glorified. Why? Because God is the one doing it, and He will not fail to do it.
And what Paul confidently says about the Philippians, he would confidently say about us as well…
if we are truly in Christ like they were.
If we are truly bearing the fruit of the gospel like they were.
If we are partnering in the spread of the gospel like they were.
See, Paul could be ‘confident’ in their justification, sanctification and eventual glorification because he could see that their faith was genuine.
Listen to how he elaborates:
7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. He was confident their salvation was legit because they had proven it by their actions. They had stood with him in his imprisonment. They had supported his ministry. They had co-labored for the cause of the gospel. They didn’t just pray a prayer to ‘receive Christ’ at a youth camp and then go on living like the world… they gave their entire lives to Christ, and that reality was on display through their actions.
Remember, James said ‘faith without works is dead’.
Jesus said ‘you will know them by their fruit’.
In John 15:8, He says, “by this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
Good works are not a prerequisite for salvation… but they are a product of salvation.
That’s why we can look at what our lives are producing, and whether our lives are bearing witness of the gospel, and examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5)
8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Paul’s affection is what Jesus meant when he said…
John 13:35 (ESV): 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The Church should be a community full of overwhelming love and affection for one another.
And that’s why the content of Paul’s prayer begins with this…
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,
Several months ago we went through 1 Corinthians 12-14 and studied how a church body is supposed to function. How each member is supposed to use their spiritual gifts to serve others. But in the middle of that conversation is an entire chapter on love. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul uses the strongest language possible to convey the fact that everything in the Christian life and in the Church is to be centered in and fueled by love.
Love towards God, love towards one another, love towards outsiders…
You can never have too much love! “More and more” is what we’re after.
So it’s no shock that his fundamental prayer for the Philippians was that their love would be ever increasing. Never stagnant. Always building to the next level.
And here’s an interesting qualifier: he says he’s praying that their love would be guided by…
with knowledge and all discernment,
So this is not just a sentimental love, it’s a love that is rooted in truth and understanding.
It’s not just a mushy feeling towards one another; it’s expressed in wise actions.
The reason he wants them to have love that is in accordance with (and guided by) knowledge and discernment, is stated in verses 10-11:
10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
What’s he getting at?
He doesn’t just want them to be stirred in their emotional affection toward one another; he wants them to be making real progress in holiness and righteousness so that God can be glorified in them to the fullest.
Being a Christian is not just about growing in love and community, it’s also about growing in maturity and holiness.
By the way, if it was just communal love and affection we are after, there are other communities around the world and in our culture that can offer that. Only Jesus can offer salvation and deep, soul level transformation.
Author Rosaria Butterfield, who was a LGBTQ activist and author, and a lesbian, and a tenured professor at a secular university, describes the love and hospitality she experienced in the LGBT community in the 1990’s in New York, saying, “somebody’s home is open every night of the week just for fellowship, or food, or just to come between you and suicide, or you and depression…”
She talks about how she experienced a depth of “being there for each other” and how there was a framework of mutual support.
But in spite of these communal benefits, she ended up coming to Christ, saying things like this:
“The LGBT community was home, in many ways. We loved each other, we took care of each other. But it couldn’t give me a clean heart.”
“When I came to Christ, I didn’t swap out one set of feelings for another. I was given a new mind. I was washed. I was justified.”
“The church didn’t win me with a slogan or a sign. It was truth and love together — Jesus as both Lord and Savior — that undid me.”
“The LGBT community gave me a sense of belonging, but Jesus gave me a name, a purpose, and a home that will not end.”
Her story is a great reminder for us of what Jesus fundamentally does for us, and what He desires to do in us.
He is not just building us into a community where we can belong; he is saving us and sanctifying us as His very own possession so that we can be with Him and glorify Him for all of eternity.
That’s why Paul’s prayer for the Philippians should be the prayer of our hearts too: because as redeemed people, we have a new identity in Christ that should result in a radically different mode of living: one that is characterized by thankfulness and joy in the midst of trials, and love that is constantly increasing, and discernment and sensitivity towards sin, and righteousness that comes from knowing Christ, and ultimately results in the glory and praise of God.
Discussion questions:
Why is it possible for Paul to be thankful in the midst of dire and uncertain circumstances (Roman prison)?
Paul says he prayed joyfully for the Philippians. What reason(s) does he give for his joy?
How does verse 6 give us the assurance that once we are truly saved, we are always saved?
Summarize the things that Paul is praying for for the Philippians.
Prayer points for our church based this passage:
That we would have a rich theology of salvation that would result in thankfulness even in tough times.
Pray for any ‘partners’ in gospel ministry that come to mind.
That our love may abound more and more
That our love would be guided by knowledge and discernment
That we would grow in maturity in every way: in our ability to discern the right thing to do, and the right way to feel, and the right way to think, in every situation.
That God would be glorified in us