PARTNERS
Transcript of the second sermon from the series on the book of Philippians. The sermon is titled “Partners,” and comes from Philippians 1:3-11.
You can listen here.
Philippians 1:3-11
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
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//INTRODUCTION
When I was little my family lived in a town called Rocky Mount. Our nearest family was about 3 hours away, so really the people of the church became family. There were two older couples that really made an impact in my life. One couple was Mark and Charlotte. They babysat for my parents a good bit. I remember jumping on a pogo stick and playing board games at their house. They gave me a love for Indiana Jones. They were so kind and when we were with them it really felt like we had all of their attention.
The other couple was Clem and Glenda. They were like a third set of grandparents. My siblings and I even had a doorframe at their house where they tracked our height. They loved us so well. I miss walking up to their front door and breathing in the sweet smell of their bushes that lined the front porch. I miss the smell of the hand soap they always used. And I miss their accents. They were genuine and selfless.
From time to time I long to just sit and spend time with them. I wish I could go back and feel their hugs and hug them back. It connects with something deep inside of me.
I imagine you have your Clem and Glendas and Mark and Charlottes. People that made you feel loved and appreciated and valued. People that were on your team. Who has that been for you? What are there names? Do you remember the things that made their homes and their relationships special? Maybe family friends, maybe grandparents. Maybe mom or dad.
As we approach these next 8 verses we get the impression that this is similar to the way that Paul feels for the Christians at Philippi. He loves them. They’ve deeply impacted him and he feels a true and deep connection to them.
There’s a lesson in community and hospitality in this. These deep connections can only come when we open our lives to each other and we have access to feel risk and pain and joy together.
//PRAY WITH JOY
Look at verse 3
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Paul prays with Joy for the Philippian church. He prays with joy for them as he remembers them. When we are growing in Christ and have Christ-centered minds, our thoughts tend to turn into prayers. Paul is remembering them and he turns to thanksgiving, “God thank you for these dear partners in the Gospel.”
Every time he prays for them it’s a prayer of thanks and joy. What an encouragement! Like your dad looking at you and saying, “I’m proud of you.” Isn’t it one of the most amazing things when you know people are praying for you. And not just praying for you, but praying thanks for you?
We should really be a church praying for each other and praying thanks for each other. It cultivates an environment of joy for each other and of encouragement. It cultivates an environment of dependance on Christ for our relationships. Don’t we sometimes feel completely responsible for our relationships? Like, I need Christ for my job and my health. But my relationships exist because of my personality and interests.
We’re called to depend on Christ even for our relationships. Paul does. He thanks God for these relationships because he surrendered them and their maintenance to Christ.
Paul prays with joy over these surrendered relationships because of their partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.
That’s a beautiful connection. Do you see it? Steadfast love produces joy. Why does Paul pray with joy? Because the Philippians have loved him well by partnering with him in the Gospel over time.
They didn’t just pitch in for a season, but they remained by his side for the long haul. They worked with him in Philippi and have continued to support him even when he isn’t with them.
We’re called to this type of partnership. When you look at the relationships that mean the most and have the greatest impact on lives, it’s the ones that take risks for the Gospel together and love each other with a steadfast love over time. But this is hard because it requires commitment. It’s difficult and self sacrificing and its intrusive and its gritty and its offensive and it requires a lot of overlooking of wrongs.
I want that. I think you want.
//GOD IS WORKING
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Paul says, “Church in Philippi. People that I love with all my heart. I know this for sure. God is Working. He’s doing something in and through you. And even if it seems really hard and the persecution seems too great. If living for Christ feels impossible, you want to give up because you’re not sure you can keep going, or you’d just rather give in. Don’t. Don’t give up.
Because the same God, that by His grace brought you to life, is the same God that’s not giving up on you. If the Christian life is too hard and you feel like you’re not living up to expectations, remember, it was never your work that saved you. It will never be your work that brings your Christian life to completion. Everyday of your life in Christ is a day that Christ is doing the work of salvation in you.”
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Verse 6 is a call to perseverance. It’s a statement against work based religion and at the same time it’s a call to work. It seems strange that he could say, “don’t give up” and also say, “God’s doing the work.”
This is a part of the beauty of the Christian life. That following God requires a complete dependance on Christ. Depending on Him for your joy and growth. But I’ll be honest with you. This is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life for me.
Like, I hear people say, “God’s got it.” Or, “God’s gonna take care of it.” And it’s like, with that kind of logic, can’t I just go home and lay down? Why do I need to do anything if God’s going to have it no matter what? What’s the point of preaching? Why are you here listening if God’s got it? Isn’t it a self defeating theology?
The truth is God could do everything completely without us. He could solve all of our problems. He could make our holiness just happen. But He’s chosen to give us a role in obedience and faithfulness for the sake of our joy.
So what verse 6 is conveying is not a an excuse for us to disengage – read 1 John and James for all the commands you’ll ever need for active obedience. It’s a command not to worry and to persevere in that obedience.
Look at Psalm 138:7-8
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
There’s a close connection in Philippians 1:6 and Psalm 138. Psalm 138 adds nuance to say God is not abandoning us in his purpose for us. Be confident, Christian, because the purpose of your life is backed by a God who does what He wants. The Lord will fulfill His purpose for you.
But David and the Philippians were dealing with suffering – whether it’s David reassuring himself or Paul reassuring the Philippians or us being reassured by this Scripture, the thing to lean on is that God proves His faithfulness to us. His steadfast love endures forever. Even in the midst of your pain and your hurt. Even when you walk in the midst of trouble.
//PARTAKERS OF GRACE
7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Paul loves and feels strongly about the Philippians because they were Partakers of Grace. He holds them in his heart because they are partakers of grace. What did it mean to partake of grace? It meant to help him as he was sharing the Gospel and as he was paying the price for sharing that Gospel.
I really love the phrase “partaker of grace”. When we hear the word partaker it generally makes us think of eating something or consuming something, and that’s true here. Paul and the Philippian church were consuming grace. They were taking advantage of the grace God offered to them.
What’s so cool though, is that the things that made them consumers of grace were actions that offered grace. Here Paul is in prison and he needs support – probably financially and just some moral support too. And the Philippians who weren’t in the middle of a cake walk themselves came through. Paul said, “you were there in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” They were taking risks and sharing the Gospel and defending it and in their lives confirming it. In this offering of grace to others they were partaking in it.
The Christian life will not be the joyful, satisfying, fulfilling, adventure God designed if we’re not pouring the grace we’ve received out into the world. We need to be pouring that grace out to other Christians who need support and to non-Christians who need to be loved and to hear the Gospel.
We must be making it clear that the only hope for salvation is in Jesus Christ who lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again.
//BE READY FOR CHRIST
Paul goes on to say that in verse 9
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
He wants them to Be Ready for Christ.
He wants them to have this love that’s bursting at the seems set in the foundation of truth for the purpose of being ready for Christ’s return.
Paul cares about the church’s knowledge and discernment because he cares about their purity and blamelessness because he cares about Christ’s return because he cares about the Glory of God.
Sometimes we try to make the Christian life so accessible that we sacrifice the hard parts like pursuing knowledge and purity.
God wants us to see the connection to knowledge, discernment, purity and fruitfulness. On the day of Christ, we need to be filled with the fruit of righteousness. Like a basket of fruit flowing over the edges. We can’t keep it all in. Our love is abounding. This is the look of the Christian life. So many of us are anemic, though. We don’t have fruit of righteousness overflowing. Our baskets are empty. There’s no fruit because we’re not abounding in love. We ‘re not seeking to know God. We’re not seeking lives of purity and blamelessness. We’re just living as life comes.
A fruitless life is evidence that we haven’t prioritized what is really important. We have that chance to prioritize now. We can make that decision like the Philippians to approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
Let’s end with this –
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
John 15
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Apart from Christ we can do nothing – so surrender that your joy may be full. If you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus, do it now. If you have surrendered and you’ve been making idols of things in your life, repent and turn back. Do it for your joy! Surrender for God’s Glory! Do it because Christ is coming back!