PHILIPPIANS 1:1-7 HE HAS BEGUN A GOOD WORK AND WILL COMPLETE IT

Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.

 Intro to the Letter it it a Prison Epistle, I, Me, my 100 times, I 52 times in whole book Christ at least 36 times, references make the total over 50.  Rejoice 8 times, joy 3 times.

Daily Bread Oct 18^th, 2001

What Is Heavy When Empty?

READ: Isaiah 1:1-17

Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. --Isaiah 1:17

After reading Isaiah 1, I thought of this riddle: What is heavy for God when it's empty for me?

Nothing is too hard for God to do, of course, but that doesn't mean that nothing is a burden to Him. In fact, one thing I sometimes take lightly is actually a heavy concern to God.

In the time of the prophet Isaiah, the Jewish people followed their religious celebrations to the letter. They showed up at the right time, sacrificed the right amount, and offered many prayers. But when they left the temple, it was as if they left God there.

Nearly 3,000 years later, not much has changed. Sometimes I think my responsibility to God begins and ends with going to church and giving an offering. But this attitude makes me more of a burden to God than a blessing. I'm not accomplishing the tasks that are important to Him—doing good, seeking justice, defending the fatherless, and pleading for widows (Isaiah 1:17).

God is not impressed with a full house at religious gatherings if the people come with empty hearts. God wants worshipers with hearts so full of love for Him that they overflow in good deeds for others.

Oh, are you still wondering what is heavy for God when it's empty for me? The answer is worship.    

My heart is filled, dear Lord, with love,
So let it show in words and deeds;
And help me share, in all my ways,
The overflow for others' needs. —Hess

The heart filled with praise brings pleasure to God.

 Chapter 1 Theme is Exalting Christ or Exalting Christ in Trials - Key Verses, 1:1, 12, 21, and 27

Chapter 2 Imitating Christ or Humility and Servanthood - Key Verses, 2:3-5, 2:9-10, 14, 21

Chapter 3 Knowing Christ or Pressing On - Key Verses, 3:9, 3:12, 3:20-21

Chapter 4 Rejoicing In Christ or Joy no matter what - Key Verses, 4:6, 4:11-13, 4:19

Key Verse – Phil 1:21 To live is Christ, to Die is gain

Paul uses this occasion not only to thank them, but also to comfort them concerning his situation as a prisoner for Jesus Christ (1:12-14). 

He also writes to them to be unified Phil 2:3-5, of his plans to send Timothy soon (2:19-24), and why he considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus back to them (2:25-30). 

He warns them of false teachers 3:3-3,the danger of resting on our accomplishments 3:4-11, and the need to press on in spite of life’s difficulties 3:12-16

There may have also been a problem at Philippi involving two women, for Paul has a few words to say concerning them (4:2-3). Not to worry 4:6-9, And the need for contentment 4:11-19

 V1-2 The Letter

Sender- Paul and Timothy - bondservants- a title of dignity and humility

A Slave Thinks in Terms of Stewardship, Not Ownership (Genesis 39:4-10)

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

1. Recipients- Saints or set apart ones

WITH The Bishops & deacons speaks of approval of the leadership and unity by addressing all the saints, bishops and deacons.  Bishop just means overseer, elder. 

Paul was Speaking to all of them

In Christ Jesus Gal 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

1. Greetings or Salutations

            Grace and Peace

Grant Richison says it could read like this “May you, a group of saints who have experienced the grace of God in salvation, now experience and express that grace toward one another in a corporate way. May you be gracious in your dealings with one another, especially when you disagree. May your words and actions bring grace to the rest of the church. And may the peace that you have come to experience in a personal way (through faith in Jesus Christ) now work itself out in the church corporately. May dissention and strife not be found among you, and may you be at peace, one with the other.”

V3-8 The Thankfulness and Love

V3 - thankful in all letters except to Galatians

V4 - Paul thanks God for them always _ God is always behind the god we do

V5 - fellowship A Definition of fellowship

There is, first of all, a partnership, i.e., the sharing of mutual interests, mutual resources, mutual labor together. God, other Christians and I, working together, a partnership. All that I have is put at his and their disposal.  But it is not only partnership, there is also friendship. Friendship and partnership together spell fellowship.

2Corinthians 8:1-5

v6 - He will complete it-

Gal 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

Day of Jesus Christ is not the Day of the Lord

Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it.

1Corinth 1:7-8 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The believers final salvation, reward, and glorification

Jim Elliott – He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he can never lose

V7 - heart is the center of thought and feelings (mind)

Prov 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

The heart or mind includes the emotions, will, thinking and reason

Rom 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.