Philippians 1:1-6 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.
After finishing Paul's letter to the Galatians, we turn to another of his epistles, Philippians. He wrote this letter to the church he started in Philippi while he was imprisoned in Rome, yet it is one of his most joyful writings with many admonitions to rejoice in the Lord in all situations: in suffering, in fear, and in service. Paul modeled this behavior in his life and was an example to those he mentored and loved in the Lord. We see in his opening words that he says he prays with joy for them because of their partnership in the gospel with him. He also expresses his confidence that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. He does not want the church to doubt God's ability to see them through to the end. He wants to encourage them in God's power to finish the work of grace He has begun in their lives. When Paul encourages the church in Ephesus to approach God with confidence, he prayed a similar prayer of God's keeping power: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:15-19) Paul knew he could trust God through the power of the Holy Spirit to establish and to keep the church as they put their trust and faith in God. Paul had faced many trials and tribulations himself, yet he knew from experience that he served a God who was faithful in all things. He wanted his Christian brothers and sisters to believe in the same God and Father He followed, the God who promised never to leave them or to forsake them.
Paul begins his letter by saying he sends grace and peace to the believers from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not say this merely as a spiritual heading. He reminds them of who he is in Christ and who they are. They are all sinners saved by grace, now walking in the peace of the Lord. Paul expresses this well in his words to his spiritual son, Timothy: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16) We often say to each other when we read these words, if Paul was the worst of sinners, where does that leave us? But we know that in God's eyes, there is no scale where we are judged according to the weight of our sins. God sees us all the same: in need of the shed blood of his dear son, in need of his saving grace. Paul understood this; therefore, he took the Good News to the Gentile world that all might come to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. He rejoices as he thinks of the harvest of his work in the church he started in Philippi, and he says he thanks God every time he remembers them. Many believers today use Paul's words when they write an email or pen a note to a friend, for they so well express the love of one Christian for another. We truly do thank God every time we stop to think of the precious relationship we enjoy with another Christian. The joy and happiness we have experienced in sharing Jesus with a friend is a gift from God that we treasure. Life's joys are greater and life's sorrows become easier to bear because we have the fellowship of believers. John wrote, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7) We see in this verse that our true Christian fellowship is a benefit from walking in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the World. Paul certainly knew this when he wrote to his converts.
Each of you reading this breakfast has the privilege of walking in the light of our Lord. You also have received grace and peace from our Lord through the sacrifice of his beloved Son on the cross. Perhaps some of you are struggling today with a problem in your lives. It may be a personal difficulty with a relationship or you may be suffering from sickness. Others may be facing a financial setback or struggles on the job. Whatever the situation is for you, God knows and understands. If you are dealing with a hardship, do not let it become a spiritual problem as well. Remember what Paul wrote in today's verses: he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. God is greater than anything that comes our way. As the Word says: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them (the spirits of the world), because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) When we come up against trials and temptations that we think will defeat us, we must go to the Word and find our strength in the Lord. When Paul prayed to the Lord to deliver him from a difficulty he was facing, the Lord spoke to him: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) When we are most weak, God is most strong! We can believe the Bible; we can believe the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to our inner ear. Jesus said, He who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 11:15) There are many negative voices in the world trying to capture our attention. We must turn to God to hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. Always remember: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35 & 37-39) We must let God teach us what it means to be more than conquerors.
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