Introduction:

Let Your Light Shine

This lesson is a repeat of the last lesson we had last school year with some revisions.

Scripture is full of passages telling us how we should live our lives.

            Lessons for us as well as lessons for our students.

As we begin another school year remember that your faithful service is an offering to God.

2 Corinthians 13:11
Paul’s Final Greetings
¹¹ Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.

Philippians 2:14-17 NLT
Let Your Light Shine
¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
¹⁴ Do everything without complaining and arguing, ¹⁵ so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. ¹⁶ Hold firmly to the word of life; … ¹⁷ … your faithful service is an offering to God. …

 Examine the Scriptures:

Lessons for us as well as lessons for our students.

2 Corinthians 13:11
Paul’s Final Greetings
¹¹ Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.

As we are beginning another school year a good component to our prayers could/should be to ask God to help us to:

Be joyful.

Grow to maturity.

Encourage each other.

Live in harmony and peace.

• Be joyful.
• Grow to maturity.
• Encourage each other.
• Live in harmony and peace.

Expect the God of love and peace to be with you.

Philippians 2:13-18 NLT
Let Your Light Shine
¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

• God empowers and energizes believer’s lives.

2 Peter 1:3 NLT
³ By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 

John 15:5 NLT
⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 12:6 NLT
⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

• Among other things, God uses scripture and the Holy Spirit to work in us.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT
For the word of God is alive and powerful.

John 16:13 NLT
¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.  

¹⁴ Do everything without complaining and arguing, 

More specific instructions for Christians.

Here Paul is speaking to the church at Philippi, but the same principles would apply to us.

Do everything

Without complaining.

No complaining.

No muttering or grumbling.

Complaining about our circumstances could be seen as a contradiction to recognizing God as sovereign and all powerful.

Without arguing

No arguing.

No disputing.

No questioning.

No criticisms.

• Do everything without complaining and arguing.

2 Timothy 2:23 NLT
²³ Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.

 Titus 3:9 NLT
⁹ Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.

Replace complaining and arguing with:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:8 NLT (Later in Paul’s letter)
⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

• Always be joyful. Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 

¹⁵ so that no one can criticize you.

• It’s hard to have an effective testimony for Christ when you are always arguing with the people around you.

Philippians 2:2 NLT
² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 

• Christians need to show themselves as united and as one in Christ. 

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God,

Become blameless and pure … without fault. (NIV)

Not perfection, but wholehearted devotion to doing God’s will.

Above reproach – undiluted, not weakened.

(Don’t be like wine that has been diluted or metal that has been weakened)

Romans 14:13 NLT
¹³ …. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

• Relate to others in such a way that you do not cause them to stumble.

Go back to Paul’s prayer (1:9-11)

Philippians 1:9-10 NLT
⁹ I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. ¹⁰ For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

Progress in your spiritual maturity.

• Keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

Matthew 10:16 NLT
¹⁶ “Look, I (Jesus) am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 

shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 

Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Ephesians 5:8 NLT
⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.

We too are living in a world full of crooked, unscrupulous, and perverse people.

For the most part, our nation has turned it back on God and on Biblical principles.

• We should shine as lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 

¹⁶ Hold firmly to the word of life;

Believing God’s Word and following it.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Share God’s Word with the lost and the dying.

• Believe God’s Word and follow it.
• Share God’s Word with the lost and the dying. 

¹⁷ …  your faithful service is an offering to God. 

• Our faithful service is an offering to God.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Welcome Back (2024-2025 School Year)

We all know the importance of spending time in the Word.  We need to act on what we know.

We all know:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT
¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

• The Word of God is alive and powerful. It is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

• God uses scripture to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

This morning, I want us to focus on a phrase found in Hosea chapter 4.

Hosea 4:6 NLT
⁶ My people are being destroyed
because they don’t know me. …

 This verse communicates a powerful message to all of us who are living in the 21^st century. 

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me.

 These are God’s words directed to his chosen people, the Israelites.

These words certainly apply to the 21^st century church.

• God’s people are being destroyed because they do not know God.

• The next generation will be destroyed if they do not know God.

Hosea 4:6 NLT
⁶ My people are being destroyed
because they don’t know me. …

As parents and teachers we have an incredibly important and challenging, and at times seemingly overwhelming, God given assignment.

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) starts out by saying:
Train up a child in the way he should go:

Proverbs 22:6 NLT
⁶ Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it. 

• Train up a child in the way he should go.

Where do we start?

Scripture tells us:

Proverbs 1:7 NLT
⁷ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

ESV The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Scripture also says:

Mark 12:30-31 NLT
³⁰ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” 

We need to:

• Create an atmosphere where children have the opportunity to “fear the Lord”.

• All of us here have a part in this ministry.

We are One body with many parts.

1 Corinthians 12:18 NLT
¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.

• God has put each one of you just where He wants you.

Look at:

1 Corinthians 3:6-9 NLT
⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. ⁷ It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. ⁹ For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 

• Some of us plant the seed, some of us waters the seed, but what’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

Hosea 4:6 NLT
⁶ My people are being destroyed
because they don’t know me. …

God’s people are being destroyed because they do not know God.

The next generation will be destroyed if they do not know God.

You can be used by God in this ministry.

Acts 4:13 NLT
¹³ The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. 

They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. (More on this later.) 

• God uses ordinary people with no special training in the scriptures.

• God is equipping each one of us for this ministry.

• Resources available to each of us here today include the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures.

The Holy Spirit

Acts 1:8 NLT (A promise to the apostles)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 

John 14:26 NLT
²⁶ But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Acts 2:38 NLT
³⁸ Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 ³⁹ This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”

(Baptism is an act of obedience, not a requirement for salvation.)

John 3:16 NLT
¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:9 NLT
⁹ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 8:9-11 NLT
⁹ But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) ¹⁰ And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. ¹¹ The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 

• The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. 

God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  He also gave us:

The scriptures.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT
¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

The Word of God is alive and powerful.  It is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

God uses scripture to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

What happens when we spend time in the Word?

2 Peter 1:2-4 (NLT)
² May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
³ By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 

• Knowing God better should be a number one priority in our lives.

• As we come to know God better, God is giving us everything we need for living a Godly life.

• As we learn to know God’s promises, we are able to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

Acts 4:20 NLT
²⁰ We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

We are all

Changed lives changing lives.

 

Hosea 4:6 NLT
⁶ My people are being destroyed
because they don’t know me. …

God’s people are being destroyed because they do not know God.

The next generation will be destroyed if they do not know God.

 

 

 

Shine Brightly for Christ (Part 2)

Introduction:

Remember: Your faithful service is an offering to God.

Philippians 2:14-18 NLT
Shine Brightly for Christ (Part 2)
¹⁴ Do everything without complaining and arguing, ¹⁵ so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. ¹⁶ Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. ¹⁷ But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. ¹⁸ Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.

Examine the Scriptures:

Philippians 2:14-18 NLT
Shine Brightly for Christ (Part 2) 

¹⁴ Do everything without complaining and arguing, 

More specific instructions for Christians.

Here Paul is speaking to the church at Philippi, but the same principles would apply to us.

Do everything

Without complaining.

No complaining.

No muttering or grumbling.

Complaining about our circumstances could be seen as a contradiction to recognizing God as sovereign and all powerful.

Without arguing

No arguing.

No disputing.

No questioning.

No criticisms.

• Do everything without complaining and arguing.

2 Timothy 2:23 NLT
²³ Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 

Titus 3:9 NLT
⁹ Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.

Complaining and arguing should not be a part of our lives.

Jude 16 NLT
¹⁶ These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires.

• Complaining and arguing arise from self-centeredness.

Replace complaining and arguing with:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:8 NLT (Later in Paul’s letter)
⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

• Always be joyful. Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 

¹⁵ so that no one can criticize you.

• It’s hard to have an effective testimony for Christ when you are always arguing with the people around you.

Philippians 2:2 NLT
² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 

• Christians need to show themselves as united and as one in Christ. 

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God,

Become blameless and pure … without fault. (NIV)

Not perfection, but whole hearted devotion to doing God’s will.

Above reproach – undiluted, not weakened.

(Don’t be like wine that has been diluted or metal that has been weakened)

Romans 14:13 NLT
¹³ …. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

• Relate to others in such a way that you do not cause them to stumble.

Go back to Paul’s prayer (1:9-11)

Philippians 1:9-10 NLT
⁹ I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. ¹⁰ For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

Progress in your spiritual maturity.

• Keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

Matthew 10:16 NLT
¹⁶ “Look, I (Jesus) am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 

shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 

Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Ephesians 5:8 NLT
⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

John 8:12 NLT
¹² Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.

We too are living in a world full of crooked, unscrupulous, and perverse people.

For the most part, our nation has turned it back on God and on Biblical principles.

• We should shine as lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 

¹⁶ Hold firmly to the word of life;

Believing God’s Word and following it.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Hold forth. Share God’s Word with the lost and the dying.

John 6:68 NLT
⁶⁸ Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.

• Believe God’s Word and follow it.
• Share God’s Word with the lost and the dying. 

then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 

3 John 4 NLT
⁴ I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

2 Timothy 4:7 NLT
⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

• I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. 

¹⁷ But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God,

Pouring out wine onto the altar or onto the ground.

Illustrating a life “poured out” for God’s service.

2 Timothy 4:6 NLT
⁶ As for me (Paul), my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 

Just like your faithful service is an offering to God.

Romans 12:1 NLT
^12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 

The Philippians’ faithful service is an offering to God.

Genuine faith is active and working.

Faithful service is hard work.

Philippians 2:12 NLT … Work hard to show the results of your salvation … 

• Our faithful service is an offering to God.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 

And I want all of you to share that joy. 

• Share in the joy of serving the Lord. 

¹⁸ Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. 

Philippians 4:4 NLT
⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  (NIV)

Shine Brightly for Christ

Philippians 2:12-18 NLT
¹² Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. ¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Examine the Scriptures:

Philippians 2:12-13 NLT
Shine Brightly for Christ 

¹² Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important.

Note: We aren’t really talking about Paul’s instructions. 2 Timothy was written by Paul, but notice what it says.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

We are not really talking about Paul’s instructions.  We’re talking about instructions from God. 

(repeat) And now that I am away, it is even more important. 

What is more important?

Let’s look at another passage recorded by Paul.

Ephesians 6:5-8 NLT
⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. ⁶ Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. ⁷ Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ⁸ Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

• As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. ⁷ Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

The word “work” is going to show up a lot in this lesson.

Who are you working for?  Who are you trying to please? 

Work hard to show the results of your salvation, 

work out your own salvation ESV 

Keep on working to complete your salvation.  International Children’s Bible

Work with fear and trembling. CEV + others

This is not working for salvation.  The Philippians had already received the gift of salvation.

This is talking about an ongoing process that continues after receiving the gift of salvation. 

*** “work out” means continually work to bring your salvation to fulfillment.

• Sanctification is an ongoing process which will not be complete or reach perfection in this life.

Sanctification is the process of becoming more Christ like.

In “progressive sanctification” we have a part to play.

We work out our salvation by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit who leads us in the will of God.

Ephesians 4:1 NLT
^4:1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

Galatians 5:16 NLT
¹⁶ So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

2 Peter 1:10 NLT
¹⁰ So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen.

Galatians 6:7-9 NLT
⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. ⁸ Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. ⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Romans 6:19 NLT
¹⁹ Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT
^7:1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

Hebrews 6:10-11 NLT
¹⁰ For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. ¹¹ Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.

• Living the life that God wants you to live takes hard work.

Working at Redeemer Day School is hard work. 

obeying God

Obey.  Do the things scripture tells believers to do.

John 14:15 NLT
¹⁵ “If you love me, obey my commandments. 

1 John 5:3 NLT
³ Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 

James 1:22 NLT
²² But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

John 14:21 NLT
²¹ Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

2 John 6 NLT
⁶ Love means doing what God has commanded us,

Luke 11:28 NLT
²⁸ Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” 

• Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says.

Don’t get hung up on the passages of scripture you don’t understand.  You already know a lot of scripture.  Do what you know you should be doing.

Example:

Put verses 2 and 3 into practice (achieving unity through humility).

Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 

with deep reverence and fear. 

We need to have a healthy fear of offending God and a righteous awe and respect of Him.

Proverbs 1:7 NLT
⁷ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Deuteronomy 8:6 NIV
⁶ Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.

Psalm 34:9 NIV
⁹ Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

Proverbs 9:10 NLT
¹⁰ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

We have a strong and crafty adversary, and we are weak and dependent on God for all that we need. 

• Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.

We need to be practicing and teaching “respect”.

Practicing respect is becoming a lost art.

Fearing God is respecting God.  We need to always honor and esteem God.

Can we do all of this on our own?  Of course not. 

¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

• God empowers and energizes believer’s lives.

2 Peter 1:3 NLT
³ By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 

John 15:5 NLT
⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 12:6 NLT
⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

• Among other things, God uses scripture and the Holy Spirit to work in us.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT
For the word of God is alive and powerful.

John 16:13 NLT
¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. 

Have the Attitude of Christ (Part 2)

Living the Christian Life

Chapter 2:1-11
Live lives that are united in thought and purpose with other believers and dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another.

Verses 5-11
Christ is the supreme example of humility and selfless concern for others.

• Christ is the supreme example of humility and selfless concern for others.

Philippians 2:5-11 NLT
Have the Attitude of Christ (Part 2)
⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
⁶ Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
⁸     he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

 Examine the scriptures:

Philippians 2:5-11 NLT
Have the Attitude of Christ (Part 2)

From the previous passage:

Let there be no divisions in the church.

Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. V. 2

United in self-sacrificing love and humility. V. 2

Looking out for the interests of others. V. 4

Paul goes on to say:

⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

• Christians are to have Christ’s attitude of self-sacrificing humility and love for others.

Christ is the supreme example of humility and selfless concern for others.

• Jesus tells us to follow his example.

John 13:12-15 NLT
¹² After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? ¹³ You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. ¹⁴ And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. ¹⁵ I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

Jesus prays for unity among believers.

The Prayer of Jesus
John 17
⁹ “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. ¹⁰ All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. ¹¹ Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.
²⁰ “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. ²¹ I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
²² “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. ²³ I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 

The Christ Hymn

Many view Philippians 2:6-11 as an early Christian hymn, telling about the nature of Christ, taken over and perhaps modified by Paul.

Colossians 3:16 NLT
¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

• We are told, in scripture, to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 

⁶ Though he was God,

John 1:1-2 NLT
¹ In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
² He existed in the beginning with God. 

Colossians 1:15-20 NLT
¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
¹⁶ for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
¹⁷ He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
¹⁸ Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
¹⁹ For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
²⁰ and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

• The Son of God is God.

• The Son of God has always been God.

Colossians 1:17
¹⁷ He existed before anything else,

John 17:24 NLT
²⁴ Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! 

he did not think of equality with God

Jesus is God.

John 10:30 NLT
³⁰ The Father and I are one.”

as something to cling to.

⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

• Jesus did not stop being God. He gave up the privileges that were His because He is God.

2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT
⁹ You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.

Example:

Matthew 26:52-54 NLT
⁵²“Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? ⁵⁴But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” 

• Christ gave up His right to manifest himself visibly as the God of all splendor and glory. 

The Jesus we will see in heaven will be different than the Jesus seen on earth. 

 he took the humble position of a slave

Matthew 20:28 NLT
²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• Jesus came to earth to serve, not to be served.

As a servant, Jesus was always submissive to the will of the Father.

 and was born as a human being.

Jesus is truly God and truly man.

John 1:14 NLT
¹⁴ So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. 

1 Timothy 3:16 NLT
¹⁶ Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:
Christ was revealed in a human body
and vindicated by the Spirit.

• Jesus was born as a human being. 

When he appeared in human form,

⁸     he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Matthew 20:28 NLT (repeated)
²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

in obedience to God

• It was God’s will that Jesus die for the sins of humanity.

Romans 5:8 NLT
⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

1 John 4:9-10 NLT
⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Matthew 26:39 NLT
³⁹ He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

John 10:17-18 NLT
¹⁷ “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. ¹⁸ No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

Crucifixion was a cruel and humiliating punishment intended for criminals. 

⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,

• As a result of Christ’s humble obedience, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor.

Jesus is now in a position of supreme authority and power.

Matthew 28:18 NLT (After His resurrection)
¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 

Acts 2:33-36 NLT
³³ Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. …. ³⁶ “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

1 Peter 3:22m NLT
²² Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.

Ephesians 1:9-10, 21 NLT
⁹ God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. ¹⁰ And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
²¹ Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.

• Jesus is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 

¹¹ and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

God’s design is that all people should worship and serve Jesus as Lord.

• Ultimately, everyone will acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, whether willingly or not.

 

Review:

Chapter 2:1-11
Live lives that are united in thought and purpose with other believers and dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another.

Christ is the supreme example of humility and selfless concern for others.

Have the Attitude of Christ

Introduction:

Philippians

Living the Christian Life

Chapter 2:1-11
Live lives that are united in thought and purpose with other believers and dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another.

Verses 1-4 give us a foundation for living in unity with other believers.

Philippians 2:1-4 NLT
Have the Attitude of Christ
^2:1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? ² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Examine the scriptures:

Philippians 2:1-4 NLT
Have the Attitude of Christ

^2:1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? (Belonging to Christ means to be saved.)  Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 

Paul begins by asking “Is there any …”

These are rhetorical questions.

Paul knows that the answer to his questions (for believers) is “YES”.

We know that we can receive encouragement from belonging to Christ.

We know that we can be comforted by the love of Christ.

We know that we can have fellowship with other believers because of the Holy Spirit.

We know that God has given us tender and compassionate hearts.

Do we really understand what it means to be a child of God?

 

Four incentives.

Verse one could say:

Since you have encouragement from belonging to Christ. (We have been given an Advocate, Comforter, Encourager, or Counselor)

Since you have comfort from His love.

Since you have fellowship together in the Spirit.

Since your hearts are tender and compassionate.

All of this is being offered to us on a daily basis.

² Then make me truly happy

“make my joy complete” NIV 

by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other,

“by being like-minded” NIV

A common purpose

Be one in purpose.

We are to use our different spiritual gifts in a cooperative way, focusing on God’s glory.

We all know that the body has many different parts. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31.)

Look at:
1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT
¹⁰ I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

• Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 

Paul continues this theme through verse 4. 

loving one another,

John 13:34 NLT  (Maundy Thursday)
³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  

• Love one another. 

Mark 12:28-34 NLT
The Most Important Commandment
²⁸ One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
²⁹ Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. ³⁰ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” 

and working together with one mind and purpose.

Be one in purpose. (Common goals.)

Paul is telling the Philippians that they need to live together with each other in harmony and love.

Romans 15:5 NLT
⁵ May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 13:11 NLT
¹¹ Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.

• All Christians should live together in harmony and love. 

³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. 

• Don’t be selfish.

Concerned chiefly with your own personal profit or pleasure.

• Self-centeredness is a mortal enemy of unity and harmony in the church.

Self-centeredness is a desire of our sinful nature.

Galatians 5:19-21 NLT
¹⁹ When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.  

Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  

Romans 12:10 NLT
¹⁰ Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Ephesians 5:21 NLT
²¹ And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

1 Peter 5:5 NLT
⁵ … . And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

• Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 

⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Galatians 5:26 NLT
²⁶ Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

1 Corinthians 10:24 NLT
²⁴ Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. 

Everyone naturally looks out for his or her own interests.  

• The challenge here is for us to look out for the interests of others in the same way we look out for our own interests. 

This can only be accomplished when the Holy Spirit is active in our lives. Refer back to verse 1.

Scripture tells us that we have the Holy Spirit living in us.

1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT
¹⁹ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?

Galatians 5:16 NLT
¹⁶ So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 

Psalm 143:10 NLT
¹⁰ Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 

Ephesians 3:16 NLT
¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 

• Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 

• Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.

 

 

 

 

Live as Citizens of Heaven

Philippians 1:27-30 NLT
²⁷ Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. ²⁸ Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. ²⁹ For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. ³⁰ We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

Examine the scriptures:

Philippians 1:27-30 NLT
Live as Citizens of Heaven 

²⁷ Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven,

The Philippians were Roman citizens.

Philippi prided itself on being a Roman colony.

Philippians knew the privileges that came with being a Roman citizen.

Paul reminded the Philippian church that, more importantly, the Philippian Christians (like us) were citizens of a heavenly kingdom.

Paul encouraged the Philippian believers to look to Christ, not Caesar, for their model of behavior.

• Remember that you are a citizen of Heaven.

Philippians 3:20 NLT
²⁰ But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

1 Peter 2:9-11 NLT
⁹ But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
¹⁰ “Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”
¹¹ Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 

Live your life in a way that reflects what you believe.

If you call yourself a Christian, live like a Christian. 

conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 NLT
¹² We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

What would that look like?

Ephesians 4:1-3 NLT
Unity in the Body
^4:1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. ² Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. ³ Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Pray that your life would honor and please the Lord.

Colossians 1:9-10 NLT
⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

• Live your life in a way that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ.

• Live your life in a way that would honor and glorify Christ. 

Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 

• As a body of believers, stand together in unity and steadfastness.

As a body of believers, have a common purpose,

fighting together for the faith.

• Christians need each other and must stand together, especially when the Gospel is under attack.

Apparently, there was some disunity in the Philippian church.

Philippians 4:2-3
² Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. ³ And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. 

An appeal for unity.

1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT
 ¹⁰ I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

Psalm 133:1 NLT
¹ How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony! 

²⁸ Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies.

Stand strong despite persecution.

Live courageously for Christ.

• Do not be intimidated or frightened by persecution. 

This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, 

Stand up for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In the end God wins.

Romans 1:18-19 NLT
¹⁸ But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. ¹⁹ They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.

• Persistent opposition to the church and the gospel is a sure sign of eventual destruction.

KJV (and other translations) uses the word perdition – a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unpenitent person passes after death.

John 3:18 NLT
¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 NLT
¹⁵ Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? 

but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 

Don’t be intimidated by your enemies.

When Christians are persecuted for their faith, it is a sign of the genuineness of their faith.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 NLT
Encouragement during Persecution
³ Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. ⁴ We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. ⁵ And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. 

• Live courageously for Christ in the midst of opposition and persecution knowing that you are going to be saved. 

²⁹ For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 

• Both faith (trusting) and suffering are gifts (or privileges) from God.

Acts 5:41 NLT
⁴¹ The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. 

Matthew 5:10-12 NLT
¹⁰ God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 

³⁰ We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

When Paul and Silas first visited Philippi they were imprisoned.

Acts 16:19-24 NLT
¹⁹ Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. ²⁰ “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. ²¹ “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”
²² A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. ²³ They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. ²⁴ So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

1 Thessalonians 2:2 NLT
² You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. 

• It is not uncommon for Christians to struggle. 

• As Paul says to the church, We are in this struggle together. 

 

Paul’s Life for Christ

Torn between two desires.

Sometimes only God can make the decision.

Philippians 1:19-26 NLT
Paul’s Life for Christ
¹⁹ For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
²⁰ For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. ²¹ For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. ²² But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. ²³ I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. ²⁴ But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
²⁵ Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. ²⁶ And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.

 Examine the scriptures:

Philippians 1:19-26 NLT
Paul’s Life for Christ 

¹⁹ For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me,

Prayer and the Holy Spirit.

this will lead to my deliverance.

• Prayers of the saints and the working of the Holy Spirit are both powerful assets for us as believers.

What is this deliverance?  We don’t really know.  It could be:

Deliverance from prison (verses 12-14)

Philippians 1:12-14 NLT
¹² And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. ¹³ For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

Or

The deliverance brought to the believer by death. (verse 23)

²³ I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

Or

Both (or even something else).

keep me safe,
freedom,
Salvation: preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.
Deliverance from sin and its consequences (this does not seem to fit here).

Paul is asking for prayer from the Philippians and help from the Holy Spirit. 

Two of Paul’s prayers.

Romans 15:30 NLT
³⁰ Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 4:3 NLT
³ Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.

Two verses about prayer.

Ephesians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

James 5:16 NLT
^… The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

• The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 

²⁰ For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed,

What keeps us from being ashamed of ourselves when we stand before Christ?

1 John 2:28 NLT
Living as Children of God
²⁸ And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. 

Romans 8:9 NLT
⁹ But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.  

• Remain in fellowship with Christ.

John 15:5 NLT
⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 

but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past.

Paul’s boldness
Acts 28:30-31 NLT (this may have ?? been when Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians)
³⁰ For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, ³¹ boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.

A challenge to Us

2 Timothy 1:7-8 NLT (From Paul imprisoned in a cold dungeon to Timothy, and to us)
⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
⁸ So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.

 

• Be bold for Christ.

 And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 

Paul greatest desire was to maintain his faithful witness to Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
³¹ So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

²¹ For to me, living means living for Christ,

2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT
²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

• So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 

• Our lives should bring honor to Christ whether we live or die. 

and dying is even better.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT
The Hope of the Resurrection
¹³ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
¹⁵ We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. ¹⁷ Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ So encourage each other with these words. 

 ²² But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. ²³ I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 

Live and serve Christ (sharing the gospel with others and building up the church)

Or

Die and be with Christ in heaven for all of eternity.

 

Paul would be a good model of the service driven life.

• A service driven life can be a very difficult life.

Hardships Paul experienced:

2 Corinthians 11:24-28 NLT
²⁴ Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. ²⁶ I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. ²⁷ I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
²⁸ Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.

• Heaven is something to look forward to with great expectation.

John 14:1-3 NLT
^14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Revelation 21:1-4 NLT
The New Jerusalem
^21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
³ I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. ⁴ He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT
⁹ That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”

Philippians 3:20-21 NLT
²⁰ But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. ²¹ He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT
New Bodies
^5:1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.

1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT
The Hope of Eternal Life
³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, ⁴ and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 

²⁴ But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 

²⁵ Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. 

Paul would continue to remain with the Philippians which would be for their benefit.

²⁶ And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.

Paul knows that the honor and glory belong to Jesus. Jesus is the one who is making a difference in the lives of the Philippians.

Paul’s Joy that Christ is Preached

Philippians 1:12-18 NLT
Paul’s Joy That Christ Is Preached
¹² And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. ¹³ For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.
¹⁵ It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. ¹⁶ They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. ¹⁷ Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. ¹⁸ But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 

Examine the scriptures:

Philippians 1:12-18 NLT
Paul’s Joy That Christ Is Preached 

¹² And I want you to know,

• Paul is about to say something he deems is important. 

my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here

Paul is in prison in Rome because of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul is also facing opposition from people outside the church as well as being misrepresented by people within the church. (vs. 15-18)

From a human perspective, things are going poorly for Paul.  It may appear to some that Paul’s ministry was put on hold.

• Paul is in prison.

• Paul is also facing opposition from people outside the church as well as being misrepresented by people within the church. 

everything that has happened to me here (repeated)
has helped to spread the Good News. 

• In spite of the fact that things looked bleak for Paul, Christ was being preached. Paul’s ministry has not been curtailed.

Because of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome many people heard the Gospel who would not otherwise have heard it.  Paul’s imprisonment created new opportunities for Paul to share the Gospel.

Paul’s ministry was not being hindered, it was being advanced. 

¹³ For everyone here,

All of the people in Rome who met and heard Paul.

Paul was communicating with many people even though he was a prisoner. 

 including the whole palace guard, 

The palace guard was a group of elite soldiers.  It was an honor to be one of these soldiers.

Paul, most likely, was chained to a Roman soldier.

Speak of a captive audience, that soldier was going to hear about Jesus.

If Paul was chained to a soldier 24/7, he would come in contact with a significant number of soldiers over an extended period of time. 

knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 

“Because of Christ” could have different meanings.

Paul was not in prison because he was a criminal, rather, Paul was in chains because he was preaching the good news of Jesus Christ.

Or

Paul was in prison because he was destined to be there by God’s will, in order to have a unique opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus with a group of people who otherwise would not have been exposed to Paul’s preaching.

• Many people in Rome, including the palace guard, would be hearing Paul’s testimony.

• The palace guards would have opportunities to share Christ with other Roman soldiers as well as share the gospel with Roman officials. 

¹⁴ And because of my imprisonment,

most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

Paul’s boldness was contagious.

The positive response Paul was receiving in the face of opposition caused others to speak out more courageously and fearlessly for Christ.

• Paul’s boldness in the face of opposition caused others to speak out more courageously and fearlessly for Christ. 

¹⁵ It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry.

Their message is true.  Their motives are wrong.

These were people who were hoping to advance their own reputation by their activities. 

But others preach about Christ with pure motives. ¹⁶ They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. 

Their message is true.  Their motives are pure. 

¹⁷ Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 

They preach intending to make Paul’s imprisonment more painful. 

¹⁸ But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice.

This implies that the true Gospel was being presented.  These preachers are not being accused of preaching “a different gospel” or “another gospel” like those in the churches of Galatia.

Some are preaching with wrong, insincere motives but the Gospel is being preached.

“The power of the Gospel, therefore, does not depend on the character of the preacher.” (Dr. Constable)

Paul was glad when the gospel was proclaimed, regardless of who received the credit. Paul endured the unjust accusations without bitterness at his accusers.

• “Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way.” 

And I will continue to rejoice. 

• Paul is rejoicing because the gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached. 

 

Application

We may be going through some really tough times, but if the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached we have reason to rejoice.

 

 

 

 

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

Introduction:

This is one of Paul’s prayers recorded in scripture.

Pray this prayer for others as well as for yourself.

Philippians 1:9-11 NLT
Paul’s Prayer
⁹ I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. ¹⁰ For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. ¹¹ May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Examine the scriptures:

Review Philippians 1:3-8 NLT

Paul’s Thanksgiving for the Philippians
³ Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. ⁴ Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, ⁵ for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. ⁶ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
⁷ So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. ⁸ God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:9-11 NLT

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

⁹ I pray that your love will overflow more and more, 

From the ESV
It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, ….   (ESV)

The most important commandment. 

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
“And he (Jesus) said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-39 ESV) 

• Love calls for action. 

Love for God. 

John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 

Love for people.

1 John 3:18 NLT
¹⁸ Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

It is my prayer that you love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

I pray that you also love the people around you.

• Love comes from God.

Romans 5:5 NLT
⁵ … For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. 

1 John 4:7 NLT
⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.

Genuine love requires growth and maturation.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 NLT
¹² And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

1 Thessalonians 4:10 NLT
¹⁰ Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT
³ Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. 

and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 

From God:

Colossians 1:9 NLT
⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.

 From the Holy Spirit:

John 14:17 NLT
¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. 

I pray that your love is not simply an emotional love, 

but rather it is love that comes from embracing the truths found in scripture.

• Do what the scripture tells you to do. Embrace the truths found in scripture.

Example:

1 Peter 1:22 NLT
²² You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 

¹⁰ For I want you to understand what really matters,

see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important (ERV)

be able to discern what is best (NIV)

I pray that your growing love for God and others, as well as your love for Biblical truths, enables you, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to know right from wrong.  

I pray that you will become better equipped to make right decisions and good choices.

Romans 12:2 NLT
² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 

• Become better equipped to make right decisions and good choices. 

so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 

Be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

• Live wholesome lives. 

Our goal: 

Become more like Christ. 

1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT
 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

Luke 2:52 NLT
⁵² Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. 

I pray that you have a right relationship with God.  

I pray that you relate to others in such a way that you do not cause them to stumble. 

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 NLT
¹² And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. ¹³ May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen. 

2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT
¹⁰ For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 

• Relate to others in such a way that you do not cause them to stumble. 

¹¹ May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—

the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ— 

May your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce. (GNT)

• Allow yourself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.

(Galatians 5:22-23 ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

I pray that your life is full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

Ephesians 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 

for this will bring much glory and praise to God. 

(1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

I pray that your life glorifies God. 

John 15:8 NLT
⁸ When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

 

It is my prayer that you love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 

I pray that you also love the people around you.

I pray that your love is not simply an emotional love, but rather it is love that comes from embracing the truths found in scripture. 

I pray that your growing love for God and others, as well as your love for Biblical truths, enables you, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to know right from wrong.  

I pray that you will become better equipped to make right decisions and good choices. 

I pray that you have a right relationship with God.  

I pray that you relate to others in such a way that you do not cause them to stumble. 

I pray that your life is full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

I pray that your life glorifies God.