I recently began a sermon series in Philippians. This is the first sermon in the series, which can be viewed here. Please overlook the poor audio quality. We have fixed the issue for future sermons.
Here is another version of the sermon I previously preached (click here).
An Overview of Philippians (PDF)
Have you written or received an affectionate thank you letter lately?
Philippians is a letter to the church in Philippi from Paul. The church had sent Paul a financial gift to help meet his needs while he was in prison. Paul and the church had an ongoing partnership for the advancement of the gospel.
I want to introduce this book by giving you the back story of Philippians, the big picture of Philippians, and the beautiful introduction.
The Back Story (Acts 16:6-40)
The story of God’s work in Philippi begins with radical life change. In Acts 16, Luke tells us that through a vision, God called Paul and his associates to the region of Macedonia. Philippi was one of the first cities Paul visited in Macedonia.
City of Philippi
- Philippi was a leading city in the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony (Acts 16:12).
- Of all the cities Paul visited, Philippi was most like Rome in its architecture and customs.
- Philippi was part of the Roman Empire and was made one of the stations along the main overland route connecting Rome with the East.
- It was used as a military outpost, and was populated with Roman military veterans, as well as Thracians and Greeks.
- Consequently, those who lived in Philippi were considered citizens of Rome and enjoyed all the benefits of Roman citizenship.
- The city was inhabited predominantly by Romans, but many Macedonian Greeks lived there as well.
- Its people were proud of their city, proud of their ties with Rome, proud to observe Roman customs and obey Roman laws, and proud to be Roman citizens (cf. Acts 16:21).
- In fact, in Philippians 3:20, Paul appeals to their pride as Roman citizens, and emphasizes that those in Christ are ultimately citizens of heaven.
After Paul and his friends arrived in town, they went to a place of prayer on the Sabbath and found Lydia, a seller of purple goods. Evidently there was a very small (or maybe nonexistent) Jewish population in Philippi since there was no synagogue. If there were at least 10 Jewish men in the town, then a synagogue would have been present.
Because there was no synagogue, Paul attended a ladies’ prayer meeting and shared the gospel. The text (Acts 16:14) says that, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” After the Lord opened Lydia’s heart, she opened her home to Paul and his companions and asked them to stay for a while.
The next week, while Paul and his friends were on the way to the prayer meeting, they encountered a slave girl that practiced divination. She followed Paul and his companions for days, telling everyone who they were. Paul eventually got annoyed with this and exorcised a demon out of her (Acts 16:16-18).
Her owners were not happy, and Paul and Silas are beaten and then thrown in prison (Acts 16:19-24).
As Paul and Silas were in prison, they were praying and singing. God sent an earthquake and all of the prisoners’ chains came off. The Philippian jailer almost killed himself, thinking that all of the prisoners had escaped. Paul told the jailer to not harm himself, and the jailer, moved by Paul and Silas’ love for Christ, comes to know Jesus. In fact, his whole household was converted. (Acts 16:25-34)
Paul and Silas were eventually released, and they went back to Lydia’s house (Acts 16:35-40). And thus, the church at Philippi was born.
The book of Philippians is packed with many memorable verses and rich theology, but it is also a tender and personal glimpse into the lives of Paul, Timothy, Epaphroditus, and a church they dearly loved.
So that is the back story of Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. Now I want to give you the big picture of the book.
Big Picture
If you’re like me, when you think about Philippians, you think of all the memorable verses that are contained in the book.
Phil 1:6 – 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.
Phil 1:21 – For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Phil 2:9-11 – Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phil 3:7-8 – But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Phil 3:20-21 – But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Phil 4:6-7 – do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:13 – I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Phil 4:19 – And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
These verses are some great ones to memorize. But Paul didn’t just write a few verses. He wrote a letter to the Philippians. Philippians is a wonderful letter about partnering together for the advance of the gospel and advancing the gospel with joy, even in the midst of hardship.
Philippians is a wonderful letter about partnering together for the advance of the gospel and advancing the gospel with joy, even in the midst of hardship.
As Paul and the Philippians had challenges advancing the gospel in their day, we too have some challenges facing us today as we try to advance the gospel. Philippians offers us encouragement in our task of the Great Commission.
Along with Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, Philippians is one of Paul’s prison letters. Paul is writing from a Roman prison (1:7) in either Caesarea, Ephesus, or Rome. When I say prison, it was more like Paul was under house arrest. He was able to see and speak to guests, and even write this letter.
About 10 years had passed between the founding of the church in Acts 16 and the writing of the letter. This was a church that Paul loved and knew quite well.
The Philippian church was discouraged and fearful because Paul and been imprisoned for preaching the gospel. When you read Philippians, think of Paul writing to a church filled with young, scared, and discouraged Christians.
Paul was hundreds of miles away from this church in prison, and yet Paul was thinking of the church, praying for them, and encouraging them. He served them even while in prison.
Philippians is a letter saturated with gospel living. The word gospel is found eight times in the book. In Philippians, we will see how the gospel comes to bear on our lives:
- We should partner with missionaries for the sake of the gospel (Phil 1:3-8; 2:19-30; 4:10-19).
- We should be willing to suffer and die for the sake of the gospel (Phil 1:12-30).
- We should have unity and humility because of the gospel (Phil 1:27-2:4; 4:2-3).
- We should rejoice in Christ because of the gospel (Phil 1:18; 3:1; 4:4).
- We should be content in all circumstances because of the gospel (Phil 4:11-13).
Other things we will learn from Paul in Philippians
• That Christ is to be treasured above all things
• That we can have hope in death because of Christ
• The importance of prayer
• The secret of having joy and contentment in any circumstances
We’ve seen the wonderful back story of the book. We’ve looked at the big picture. Now, let’s look at the beautiful greeting of the book, found in Phil 1:1-2.
Beautiful Greeting (Phil 1:1-2)
Three evidences of grace in this greeting
First, grace is displayed in the life of the senders of the letter: Paul and Timothy (1:1a).
Paul used to be a Jew that hated Christians. Now, he is a doulos, a servant or slave of Christ. When Paul speaks of his conversion in Phil 3, he explains that though he was a very religious person, he could not earn righteousness. We can only be righteous by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Timothy had a Jewish mother and a Greek father. He had heard the gospel and believed and was now a missionary along with Paul.
What’s your story? Have you experienced God’s grace and the transformation that comes along with it? Paul later says that “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Is that true for you? Is Jesus your greatest treasure? Are you a slave of Christ?
Second, grace is displayed in the life of the recipients of the letter: the church in Philippi (1:1b).
Paul calls them saints. These saints are “in Christ Jesus.”
You may regularly attend church, but that does not mean you are in Christ. To be in Christ, you must repent of your sins and put your complete trust in Christ and His life, death, burial, and resurrection and submit to Him as your Lord.
Paul mentions the two offices of the church: overseers (the same office as elders/pastors) and deacons. Overseers are the men are to shepherd the flock through the teaching of the Word and prayer. Deacons are to serve the church and help others serve within the church.
Third, grace is displayed in the name of Jesus Christ (1:2).
Many people wish that they could experience grace and peace, but they look for them in all the wrong places. Grace and peace ultimately come from God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Paul writes that Jesus Christ is Lord. You may not know it, but in the first century, you could be killed for saying that Jesus, not Caesar, is Lord. Paul was saying that Jesus is King, not Caesar!
Is Jesus your king?
Can you, like Paul say, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain?”
If not, repent of your sins and believe the gospel!