After hard things, we often ask, “Was it worth it?” All through the book of Philippians, Paul has been explaining - and showing from his own example - that living for Jesus is worth it! It's the only way for a Christian to live. In closing, he encourages them specifically that their sacrificial giving was worth it. When we live for Jesus, we give sacrificially toward His work, and it's worth it!
Is everything in your life exactly the way you want it? Most likely it’s not; therefore, discontentment indeed lurks around the corner. With so much wrong in the world, is it possible to be content? In Philippians 4:10-13, Paul explains not only that we should be content, but that we can be content in Christ. He has learned how to do it, and he explains the key to the Philippians, and to us.
Peace can be hard to come by. Maybe you long for peace and quiet. Maybe you long to get rid of that unrest in your conscience. In this week's text, Paul tells the Philippians that they can cooperate with the presence of the God of peace in their lives by checking their thoughts and actions. Thinking on the right things and doing the right things, they will enjoy the presence of the God of peace.
Worry and anxiety plague all of us. We don't have to try to worry; it just happens. We pile the pressures and burdens of life on our own shoulders, and our stress levels skyrocket. As Paul encourages the Philippians to "stand fast" in the Christian life, he tells them to replace anxiety with prayer and thus experience the peace of God. These practical, encouraging verses help us to battle anxiety.
The ever-shifting landscape of global economics and politics can leave us feeling unstable. Where are things headed? What will tomorrow hold? How do we find stability amid change? Paul reminds the Philippians that as citizens of Heaven, they can stand fast in the Lord. He reminds them of some key truths about Christ that will help them live stable lives. Every Christian can stand fast in the Lord.
We are all imitators. Children and adults alike pick up the traits of those around them. You don't have to travel far to notice the regional accents we develop. We adopt the patterns of others without even realizing it! Instead, Paul tells us to be intentional about the way we live. He encourages us to pattern our lives after those who pursue Christ above all. We are to walk as citizens of heaven.
It's hard to boil your life down to one thing - but take a moment and try. If you were to summarize all your activities and efforts into one statement, how would it end? "There's one thing I do, I..." In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul says his “one thing” is pressing on toward knowing Jesus. However, he goes on to say that all Christians should share this same goal and live in the same way.
As we start the New Year, you may be re-evaluating your priorities, habits, and goals for the year. What's most important? That can be a difficult question to answer! But for Paul, the answer was clear: his relationship with Jesus. In fact, he said he counts everything else garbage compared to knowing Jesus. In this week's passage, Paul talks about his desire for a growing relationship with Jesus.
What's your net worth? To determine it, you take the things you own (assets) and subtract the things you owe (liabilities). But is this really the best way to account for life? Paul encourages the Philippians to think differently. He tells them to count everything a loss compared to Christ. The gospel completely revises the way we account for our lives.
Joy thrives with a stable foundation. When we try to find joy in unstable things like health, money, or works, those things crumble, and our "joy" comes crashing down with it. Paul encourages us to rejoice in the Lord. His finished work on the cross, paired with our secure position in Him, gives the believer a solid foundation for joy. Find unshakable joy in your position in Christ.
There's a sense of honor when we meet our heroes. However, we often set our affection on the wrong heroes. Paul encourages the Philippian church to honor a real-life hero: Epaphroditus. He is to be honored for risking his life for the cause of Christ. While we as Christians must all live this way, when we see those who have lived this way, we are to honor them and aspire to follow in their steps.
"Well, everyone else was doing it!" Obviously, it's not a valid excuse, and yet Christians can live as if it is. We get comfortable with things simply because other Christians do them too. Paul encourages the Philippians to notice Timothy, a man who serves Christ above all. Rather than imitating the crowd, we are to follow those who serve Christ above all.
The world is a dark place. The darkness of evil and sin surrounds us. As believers, we are called to shine as lights in that darkness. While we think of "big things" that change the world, Paul turns our focus to "little things." God works in us to please Him, so we live out our obedience to Him in the details - like not complaining. This helps us follow Jesus and find joy in serving God.
Selfishness runs deep. Even doing outward things that look unselfish, we realize that even our motive for doing those things can be selfish. After telling the Philippians to do nothing out of selfish ambition, Paul points their attention to Jesus. He tells them to have the same mindset as Jesus had, and then He explains how Jesus demonstrated selflessness through humble obedience to the Father.
Have you had a strong relationship fall apart? A close friend realizes you don't see eye-to-eye on everything. We've all experienced unity in relationships beginning to crumble. What is true unity? How do we develop it and protect it? Even a healthy church, like the church in Philippi, was experiencing some disunity, so Paul gives them clear instructions on how to develop unity in the church.
Whether we realize it or not, we’re concerned about our reputation. We wonder what people think of us. Home is different than in public. We worry about how others see us. But Paul calls the Philippians to live for a greater purpose. Rather than worrying about their reputation, he calls them to live worthy of the gospel. Living this way frees us from fear and brings unity to the church.
What do you live for? As Christians, we say, "Jesus!" We may think so, or feel obligated to say it, but often our lives tell a different story. Things creep in and nudge Jesus aside. We drift into living for work, sports, family, money, good health, pleasure, comfort...for me. But Paul's testimony in Philippians 1:18-26 is a wakeup call. As believers, everything should be for and about Jesus.
Few things are as frustrating as adversity! Just when we are making progress, something hinders us. Worst of all, sometimes the affliction comes from those closest to us. But when Paul faces adversity - even from believers - he rejoices in the advance of the gospel! His focus on our mission keeps him from getting derailed by hardships.
What do you want most in life? Ask yourself, "What do I pray for?" Our prayers reveal our strongest desires. Paul said, "to live is Christ." The most important thing was to live like Jesus, so that's how he prayed for the Philippian believers. The greatest desire believers ought to be to glorify God by growing into the image of Christ, and it ought to be the way we pray for one another.
"I have you in my heart." I'm sure you can say that about some people in your life. But could you say it about everyone in the church? In his opening to the letter Philippians, the Apostle Paul says that he loves them all in this way. What created such love and affection? Paul's relationship with them was rooted in the gospel.