Introduction to Philippians

Introduction to Philippians

 

Why did Paul Write this Letter to the Philippians?

 

First, Paul was primarily speaking to RESTORE PERSPECTIVE.

Joy is often the term that characterizes the book most…many will turn to this letter when they’ve experienced disappointment, setbacks, failures, tragedy, anxiety and depression.  So this letter is laced with beautiful passages of encouragement and helps shift your perspective through the lens of joy.

 

Key verses like Phil. 3:12-16 help us shift from looking behind to pressing forward, reminding us that the ultimate prize is Christ.  Verses like Phil. 4 tells us to rejoice and again rejoice; being anxious for nothing, but with prayer and petition come before God and get His perspective.  The famous “Whatever’s” of Phil. 4:8 reminds us to get our thoughts aligned in a proper way.  I often use this with my kids and myself at times, to reformat my brain when my perspective has become blurred or distorted.

 

Philippians encourages us to fight for joy in Christ, to contend for it, to strive for it … to be determined to choose joy in the face of trials and tribulations, establishing the joy of the Lord as our strength.

 

Second, Paul PROMPTS WARNING

There were growing destructive influences trying to limit the church’s effectiveness in spreading the Gospel.  Paul sees a fatal pandemic that has penetrated the church in two different ways:

1) The sin of division built on envy, jealousy, selfish ambition was threatening the heart of the church. (1:15-17; 27-29)

2) The weapon of religious and social voices that label the Gospel as anti establishment and anti-religious was destroying the church’s effectiveness, tearing apart the gospel, and threatening the livelihood of all those professing Christ. (3:15-16)

 

This would concern Paul about the resilience of the church to rise above anxious, fearful, discouraged, disappointed, and disillusioned hearts.  He knew that the church needed to be strong against the hostility and enmity of the world.

 

Lastly, Paul was eager to ESTABLISH UNITY

Blurred perspectives and strong enemies often develop division.   Unity is vital and needed so that we can come together and present a united front against the attacks that the church was facing. 

The enemy seeks to divide and conquer.   Community is often a way that God uses to mature us as believers…it calls us to be stretched, confess our anger, repent of our sense of under-appreciation, to help us avoid inciting our own way, and rather prefer other’s above ourselves (Phil. 2) Maintaining the unity of the Spirit among all believers and specifically in the church is learning forgiveness through humility, self-sacrifice, and reconciliation.

 

Philippians encourages us to strive, to be steadfast and to be untarnished in a day where the heart of the church is threatened and the faith of the church is being mutilated creating confusion and deconstruction.

 

CONCLUSION

The unifying message of this letter is built on the Centrality of Christ…Chapter 2 illustrates very beautifully the humble servant of Christ obedient to death on the cross.  This describes for us the divine yet human nature of Christ, one who is equal with God with equal glory, and yet humbled Himself unto a cross only to be exalted to a throne, where every knee will bow and every tongue confess His name.    The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of the One who was on the cross , who is now alive in us, and who is coming again to reign forever.  He is the center of our joy, He is the confidence and security we have against our adversaries, He is the head of the church that keeps us joined together as His body.  He is the One who inspires us to love, serve and bring our devotion.  He is the message to the world, the prize that when everything else fades, His presence, His glory, His revelation will shine forth like the light of day!

 

So open your hearts and lead others to Christ! Remain steadfast in your resilience with the Joy of the Lord as your strength! And strive for Christ Centered Unity that will ultimately pave the pathway forward into a Kingdom that has no end!