Before we enter into God's word, let us take a moment to pray and ask for his blessing.
Father, we thank you for this Easter season that we get to celebrate the life, the death,
and the death and the resurrection of your blessed son.
Father, we pray that you would make that truth so very real in our hearts.
Lord, remind us afresh of the joy it is to be called.
By your name, to be your son and daughter.
Father, we pray that you would remind us also of the great privilege it is to be a part of your church,
to serve and to partner in the gospel.
And as we come to this new book in Philippians, Lord, help us to grasp the understanding of the joyfulness
of what it means to be a part of your church and to participate in this incredible ministry of reconciliation.
So Lord, guide us today.
Help us to be students of your word, to rest under your word, and so be blessed by it.
We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Like I mentioned, we're entering into a new sermon series in the letter.
Paul's letter to the Ephesian church will be in this just about into mid-July or so.
So grab one of these, mark it up, and hopefully it'll be just a really rich time.
As a way of an introduction, I don't claim to know kind of the whole post-mortem on the reality of life post-COVID lockdowns.
But one thing that I've noticed, and I'm certainly not the only one,
noticed that what has emerged from these lockdowns seems to be this search for community and belonging
by many different groups and demographics.
This is especially evident amongst young men, or maybe that I'm just seeing it
because I have a special interest in seeing young men grow in the faith.
But I would say it's evident across various demographics.
And I'm not sure if it was merely the reality of being socially isolated for months and months and months and months and months,
a few more months as well,
or if such isolation merely just exposed what was already there under the surface.
That there was a lack of deep community,
of deep friendships,
of deep belonging that come with that community.
And with it, to have a purpose and a place and a role,
not just to belong,
but to actually have a role to participate in something that is much grander and bigger and larger than ourselves,
without somehow negating our individuality so that we can be a part of something,
but also not fall into complete anonymity.
To know and be known,
a place of purpose and participation,
and with it,
hope and joy.
Communities of belonging that last oftentimes provide both this acceptance that you are a part of this community,
but also provide opportunities to participate.
And more than just provide opportunities,
but requirements to participate.
Communities that promise acceptance without participation often wane,
and those that demand participation but never offer acceptance become maybe a bit tyrannical or even maybe abusive.
So as we get into Philippians,
we'll see that there's a biblical vision of what this community ought to be,
what the ultimate community ought to be.
And it is the church.
I say that,
and I realize that we have a congregation of people with varying experiences in the church.
Some that are new to the church,
some that have returned after quite the long hiatus.
Other people that are here because this church isn't like their other church.
A whole kind of smattering of different experiences.
So to say that church is the ultimate community,
some people nod,
some people say not a chance.
But Philippians will,
and Paul the Apostle,
he will make a case that this biblical vision for the church is the pinnacle and the ideal of what it means to be a human being living in community.
It offers belonging,
and a belonging that is deep,
that hits every part of our being,
that no part of our being is exempt from this belonging,
but also demands participation.
But does so not in a way that is tyrannical or manipulative or abusive,
but rather, and this will be one of the key words that we will find over and over and over again in Philippians,
it will be joyful.
Theologians call Paul's letter to the Philippians the epistle of joy.
So it really is a remarkable book that really sheds light on what the church ought to look like,
and what we should aspire to as people that are called Christian.
And like I mentioned,
the church often falls short of this ideal.
In the evangelical world, it falls short by either emphasizing belonging,
but lowering the bar of participation.
So we see this in some churches that are just catering to every felt need,
or every program that would make it easier to come to church.
And I think there is,
and this is like I'm speaking in generalities,
and there's criticisms.
I think there's also some good things with some of this as well.
But we lower the bar of participation.
We can also err on the other side,
where we confuse belonging with participation.
That to be a Christian means to check off all of your duties as a Christian.
You give a certain way.
You speak to your neighbors a certain way.
You have goals of evangelizing or reading through the Bible.
And if you don't hit those,
maybe your place in church is potentially in peril.
Whether that's communicated,
seldom is it communicated explicitly,
but it's implied?
Maybe.
Oftentimes what we see with this falling short,
and again,
I'm speaking of our own tradition in the evangelical church,
there's either a lack of love and joy,
or there's a fake love and joy.
So there's a lot of pitfalls,
a lot of gutters,
a lot of ways that we have fallen short.
Our church is wonderful.
I'll get to some of why I think our church is wonderful.
Our church falls short as well.
Okay,
it just does.
So a letter like Philippians is important for our church,
and it's important for our souls as we seek to grow individually,
but as we seek to grow as a community collectively.
And this is just an important thing as we read through Philippians,
but also a principle that is helpful for us to think about.
In general,
how we engage with the gospel together
will affect how we live out the faith individually,
and vice versa.
Okay,
as we engage in the gospel individually,
will affect how we live it out collectively.
So we're going to jump into the first part of Philippians chapter 1.
It's a very short letter,
just over a hundred words in the original language.
We could have easily split this first part of chapter 1 up
into two or three sermons.
I'm doing it in one sermon,
so we're not going to necessarily hit on everything.
But I broke this first part into three sections.
Verses 3 to 6,
and we're going to touch on verses 1 and 2 all the way throughout.
But verses 3 to 6,
we're going to look at Paul's joyful thanksgiving.
So these are key aspects of the church
that Paul is thankful for,
that he is joyful for,
that he is expressing his affection towards.
So first,
his joyful thanksgiving.
The second,
his heartfelt affection.
And finally,
his hope-filled prayer.
So we'll look at verses 3 to 6.
I'll read it again,
even though Gord has read it.
It's a short section.
But if you can follow along,
that would help me a great deal.
Verse 3.
I'll just read verses 3 to 5.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
always in every prayer of mine for you all,
making my prayer with joy
because of your partnership in the gospel
from the first day until now.
What is very clear,
right off the bat in this letter,
is Paul's thanksgiving
and his thankfulness to the Philippian church,
specifically for their generosity
and partnership throughout his ministry,
even up to the present.
This is just a bit of a background.
So we just finished Acts.
So if you have been coming to church for a while,
you'll be familiar with the narrative
of Paul's ministry.
If not, no problem.
Paul is writing this in a Roman prison.
Technically, it's house arrest.
He's in prison.
He has chains on him all the time.
He's not free to come and go.
There are some liberties that he has,
but by and large,
he is in prison.
So it's written around 61, 62 AD.
And Paul has been in prison for about three years.
First in Caesarea,
which is in the Galilee area.
He was there for two years without trial.
Crazy, crazy situation.
That's near the end of Acts.
He eventually appeals to Caesar.
Acts ends in chapter 28,
and he is in Rome.
So he is writing this
to the Philippian church in Rome.
The Philippian church is in Macedonia,
and it was the first church in Europe.
Really interestingly,
the first church in Europe.
And from the very beginning,
they have been a generous congregation to Paul,
partnering with him,
primarily with finances,
but also in encouragement.
And we'll see how these things are tied together.
They have not only given to Paul,
but also have answered the call from Paul
to give relief to the church in Jerusalem
that was incredibly poor,
that needed,
that they were in want.
So Paul is thankful.
He is thankful for the generosity
and partnership of the Philippian church
throughout his ministry.
And it's significant for at least two reasons.
I'm sure there's more,
but for at least two reasons.
The first,
they've understood the call of generosity
from the get-go.
This hasn't been something
that has been an ongoing lesson
that they have been obstinate towards.
They have understood that to be a Christian
is to be a generous person.
So right from the beginning,
they understand that they have a duty,
but also a joy to partner
and to give and to encourage and to bless.
It's also significant
because Paul has been in prison
for about three years.
In the ancient world,
to be in prison
is to be a shameful thing.
I mean, listen,
we take it for granted
that inmates deserve some sort of rights
wherever you guys fall
on how to treat prisoners,
whether it is rehabilitation or otherwise.
By and large, though,
Canadians, we say,
yeah, you're in jail,
but you're still a human being.
You still have rights.
Some are suspended.
You have a debate on what are suspended,
what are not,
but you have certain rights.
At the very least,
that you need food
and you need safety.
But this wasn't always the case,
and it certainly wasn't always the case in Canada.
These kind of prison reforms come
just after the war
in the Archambald Report,
if you're a fan of Canadian history.
So this hasn't really been a thing,
even in Canada.
And it certainly wasn't a thing
back in the ancient world.
To go to jail,
to be in prison,
to be awaiting execution,
which Paul, I mean,
he will be released here
and he will continue on
with some missionary journeys
for about two years.
He will be re-arrested
and he will face
the executioner's blade.
He doesn't know that.
At least he doesn't seem
to allude to that here.
But to face such an unknown future,
it was a shameful thing.
It brought disgrace upon the accused
and the people associated
with the accused,
whether their family
or the people that he led.
So is Paul an insurrectionist
to the Romans?
We'll find out.
But usually,
Rome would take the leader,
execute the leader,
and the whole following
would just disperse.
Therefore,
there was great stigma
around Paul's arrest
and there was a great possibility
that both the gospel
would be compromised
and by extension,
the church associated with Paul
would be scattered.
Again,
we're putting ourselves
in the shoes
of somebody
in the 60s,
A.D.
They didn't know
what was going to happen
with Paul.
They didn't necessarily,
they couldn't necessarily
pick up a phone
and ring his Roman prison
to see how he was doing
and yet,
we see that
they continue to be generous.
Their generosity
is not conditional
upon Paul's condition.
We'll see this next week
but there was no chance
the gospel would get thwarted.
We'll see this next week
where Paul says,
listen,
in fact,
this arrest of mine,
it will result in more people
hearing the gospel,
not less.
It's a really wonderful thing.
Again,
we'll touch on that next week.
And what this communicates
to Paul,
this generosity
of the Philippians
is that
they're not just nice people.
This isn't just
a nice gesture
for the apostle
but it's actually
something indicative
of their faith,
of their growth
in the gospel.
Just take a step back now.
When we become
a Christian,
we are united
with Christ
which is to say
that we are
no longer our own.
We belong
to a new family,
a new kingdom,
we have a new king.
Our citizenship changes.
However,
whatever analogy
you want to use,
we get a new passport,
whatever,
but the point is
we are transferred
from this kingdom
of earth
into the kingdom
of heaven.
That's why Paul
addresses the church
the way he does
in verses 1 and 2.
Read with me
just briefly.
Paul and Timothy,
servants of Christ Jesus.
By the way,
that's not to say
that Timothy
is the co-author
of this letter
but just that
Timothy has a prominent
place both in
the ministry
of the spread
of the gospel
and specifically
the Philippian church.
But he goes on,
Paul and Timothy,
servants of Christ Jesus,
to all the saints
in Christ Jesus
who are at Philippi
with the overseers
and deacons,
grace to you
and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
So what we are seeing here,
verses 1 and 2,
is that those
that are saints,
those that are
called by God,
both called out
of this world
and called to be holy,
they are in Christ Jesus.
They are united to him.
They are connected to him.
This is an act
of grace of God
by God
and it brings about
peace between
sinful man
and perfect God.
And what ends up
happening is that
our destinies
are connected to Christ
in a way
that is now
completely
inseparable.
It's a remarkable thing
that we are united
to Christ
and yet distinct
from Christ.
That's an important
caveat to all this.
But we are so united
to Christ
that the imagery
throughout the New Testament
is that
Christ is the head
and we are his body.
Okay?
We don't talk about
people
as if it's
their head
and the rest
of their body.
It's not like
I talk about
my children
and say,
yeah,
Joseph's head's
looking kind of odd today.
I don't know,
Joseph's looking
kind of odd today.
He doesn't look odd.
A terrible example.
But the point is
we talk about people
holistically,
right?
Holistically.
That's a language
used us
to Christ.
Again,
distinction,
very important.
Actually,
extremely important.
Nevertheless,
the language
of unity
with Christ,
it bumps up
to the line
of like,
is this even
possible to,
if I was to say
that like,
to go a step further,
it'd be like
blasphemy,
that I'm somehow
claiming to be God.
But that's how united
we are to Christ.
But as individuals,
but as we are united
to Christ,
it means also
that we are united
to other people
that are united
to Christ.
We are a part
of a body.
It means
things are a bit
different because,
you know,
if I have a mess up,
God forbid,
something happens,
you can go to
another church
or maybe I say
something to offend you
or somebody else
says something
to bother you
or vice versa.
You can go to
another church.
But by and large,
if you are a Christian,
you are stuck
with the people here,
both for good and bad.
You're united to them.
They're your brothers
and your sisters.
They're co-heirs
with Jesus.
You can leave
this church,
but you are still
connected to Christ
and we are too.
We are part of this family.
We are united
together with Christ.
And therefore,
we have a duty
and a connection
to partner
with each other.
It's not an optional
aspect of the Christian life
but a core tenet of it.
So going back
to our section here
where Paul is,
he is so thankful
for these Christians.
He says,
I thank my God
in all remembrance
to you always
in every prayer of mine
for you all
making my prayer with joy.
Verse 5,
because of your partnership
in the gospel
from the first day
until now,
the New Testament
is describing
this partnership,
this connection
and it's using a word
that might be familiar
to some of you
but it is a word
that is not easily
translated into English.
It's this word
called koinonia.
It carries with it
this idea of friendship,
of partnership,
of unity,
of camaraderie,
connection.
Also,
but not just in any way
but connection
as it pertains
to loving Christ
and living out
his call
in this world.
It's a deep,
deep,
deep friendship,
community,
camaraderie,
same goal,
shared vision.
All of that
is wrapped up
into this one word,
koinonia.
and it is the word
I think more than
anything else
because with it
and we'll see in a bit
that it has to be
sprinkled and flavored
with love.
It is almost
the defining word
of the church,
of what describes
the church.
Diedrich Bonhoeffer,
he was a Lutheran minister
who opposed Hitler
and was executed for it.
He didn't just oppose Hitler,
he tried to
assassinate Hitler
but he was
a wonderful theologian
and he wrote
a small book
called Life Together
and he captured
this idea
of Christian koinonia
and he writes this
in the first chapter,
quote,
Christian brotherhood
is not an ideal
which we must realize,
it is rather
a reality created
by God in Christ
in which we may
participate.
The more clearly
we learn to recognize
that the ground
and strength
and promise
of all our fellowship
is in Christ Jesus alone,
the more serenely
shall we think
of our fellowship
and pray and hope for it.
Christian community
is founded solely
on Jesus Christ.
It is in
and through him
that we have access
to one another,
joy in one another
and fellowship
with one another.
When God had mercy on us,
when God revealed
Jesus Christ to us
as our brother,
when God won our hearts
by God's love,
our instruction
and our fellowship began.
So, as Christians,
we belong not to one another
by our own choice,
but by the call
of God in Christ.
A wonderful book,
a wonderful passage
that describes
what it means
to be a part
of this brotherhood,
to be a part
of the church.
So you see,
if we go back
to why Paul is thanking
the Philippians
for their generosity,
it is not just
the apostle being jazzed
about them
throwing him
some canteen money
while he's in jail.
Rather,
Paul is overjoyed
with seeing
how their salvation
is proving true
by the maturity
and obedience
to Christ.
They're participating
in the work
and the mission
of God.
This is why Paul says
in verse 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.
It's not just
that the Philippians
did not abandon Paul.
We'll find out later on
that actually
some whole other churches
abandoned Paul,
and he actually had
a fellow worker
in the gospel,
a man named Demas,
who abandons him.
It's not just
that he's thankful
that they didn't
abandon him,
but Paul,
he is just a very proud
spiritual father.
He is seeing that
his children in the faith
are growing.
They are understanding
what it means
to be called out
of this world
into the kingdom of heaven
and then what it means
to give of themselves.
That their faith
is not dead,
but their faith
is expressed in works.
What does this
help us to understand?
It helps us to understand
that we must partner
with the work of God.
So, church,
partner with the work of God.
Give to missionaries.
Give to them generously
who have given up comforts
here in the West
to minister afar.
Partner with other
church planters,
both in our denomination,
the Anglican Diocese of Canada,
but across the country
with whatever denomination
that they're a part of,
as long as they're proclaiming
the gospel of Christ,
and give generously to them.
Partner with Mercy Ministries
here in the city
that proclaim the gospel
and help with physical need.
Get to know
your fellow congregants
and serve them
and meet their needs
and bless them
and then ask them for help.
And by the way,
this is happening.
This is not like a,
hey, it's not happening,
you better do it,
because I hear stories
trickle in,
and I'm very thankful
that they're not necessarily
loud stories,
but they're quiet,
humble stories
of people connecting
with each other
and serving one another
and praying for one another
and blessing one another.
Continue with that.
It's wonderful.
It's a beautiful picture
of the gospel
proving true
and maturing faith
obeying Christ.
It's a wonderful,
beautiful thing.
Continue doing that.
All of this
is done as an expression
of gospel thankfulness
and Christian love.
It's evidence of work
of the Holy Spirit
in our lives,
because we have been given
this wonderful gift
of peace with God
by grace,
by the grace of Jesus Christ.
And here's the thing
with Christianity.
Because Christ has given
so liberally to us,
the heart that truly
has received this gift
will begin to imitate
to Jesus.
Chapter 2 might be
one of the high points
in all of Scripture.
We'll get there
in three weeks,
two weeks,
and it will be
this picture of Jesus
who had everything,
who emptied himself
of all of his
divine prerogatives
to give his very life
for us.
And the result
isn't that we can
sit back and enjoy,
but it's though we enjoy
by getting to work
and imitating him.
This is what Paul is seeing
in the Philippian church.
This is what the Lord
is commending to us
to do this morning.
So, growth in the Christian life.
It's evidenced by our
participation in the gospel.
God is the one
who began this good work.
He is the one
who is bringing it
to maturity,
and one day
he will bring it
to perfection.
And yet,
in light of all
of what God is doing
and what he has done
in the Philippian church,
what is interesting
is that this next section,
Paul does not
commend God,
but he commends
the Philippians.
So what's happening
in this next section
when he is showing
his heartfelt affection
towards them?
This will transition
then into our second point,
verses 7 and 8.
Let me read it.
It is right for me
to feel this way
about you all
because I hold you
in my heart
for you are all
partakers of me of grace.
Partakers,
that's,
the root word
is again koinonia.
Partakers with me
of grace,
both in my imprisonment
and in the defense
and confirmation
of the gospel.
For God is my witness,
how I yearn for you.
How I yearn for you all
with the affection
of Christ Jesus.
It is not as though
Paul is giving credit
to the Philippians
that is due God.
Again,
God is the one
who is at work.
He is the one
who has begun
the good work,
who is bringing it
to completion
on the day of Christ.
Again,
that's verse 6.
But rather,
what Paul is doing here
is commending
their outward evidence,
the outward evidence,
of what he is assuming
is God's invisible
and inward action
in their lives.
It is a dangerous thing
for ministers
or anybody
to presume
that they have a window
into the souls
of men and women.
It is a very dangerous thing.
People are deceptive.
If you've been
at church long enough,
you would have been
surprised and disappointed
at people
that have lived
godly lives
that have abandoned
the faith.
It is heartbreaking.
It is a tragedy.
You will also be
equally surprised
but pleasantly
when somebody
who seems like
they are more worldly
than they are heavenly,
continue slowly
to stick around
and grow in the faith
incrementally.
We don't know
what is happening
in the hearts of people.
However,
there is evidence
of outward holiness
that we have to just trust
that the Lord
is at work
in people's lives.
We are not the judge of souls.
We don't have a window
into their lives.
So what Paul here
is doing
is merely recognizing
the holy work
that is happening
that he is assuming
that is happening
on the inside
of the Philippians
and he is commending
their outward actions.
What Paul is doing
is recognizing
that the Philippians
are growing
in their obedience
and faith
which is to say
they are growing
in their sanctification.
That is a big word
that has a lot
of implications to it
but I will just pause
here for a moment
and see if we can't
fill this word in a bit.
Try to define it
and understand it a bit.
We have already
talked about salvation
that Christ
when we have confessed
our faith in Jesus
we are made right
before God
and that we are united
to Christ
and it's an act
that only God can do.
The Apostle Paul
in Ephesians chapter 2
he says this
in a beautiful way
for by grace
you have been saved
through faith
and this not of your own doing
it is the gift of God
not a result of work
so that no one
may boast
one of the clearest
couple lines
about what it means
to come to faith.
We still need to receive
by faith
what God is doing
but it is a work
that he alone
is doing
it is God
who is initiating
salvation through Christ
and we merely receive
however
our growth
in holiness
and good works
it's our own work
partnered with the Holy Spirit
we need help
we need God's divine help
as we grow
in the faith
nevertheless
as we grow in the faith
we are empowered
to obey
and we have choices
to obey
we have agency
to obey
we have
we are commended
to obey
to say no to sin
and yes to righteousness
so before God
we are made right
but we are still prone to sin
and the call of the Christian life
is to grow
in holiness
such works
never justify
or save
the man or woman
but they are evidence
that faith
is present
and this is what Paul
is getting at
here
in chapter 1
and it's very important
that
that we
that we're careful
not to blur the lines
between
justification
that God is saving us
this is a work
that he alone
is doing
and us growing
in the faith
which is this partnership
with us and God
we can't blur those lines
it's incredibly important
they must remain distinct
so that
A
we don't somehow think
that
we have saved ourselves
because we are
feeling like we are
growing in holiness
which is kind of a sign
you're not growing in holiness
that pride is
the main feature
of your life
but it's also
very important
that when we do sin
we don't immediately
assume that our salvation
is lost
the second
we trip up
the second
we sin
that we can go to Christ
we can ask for forgiveness
we can seek his mercy
and trust that
it is God who saves
and he is at work
in our lives
and that we grow
not completely linear
but that's more like this
but we're still growing
right
it's very
very important
that we do not
blur those lines
this is why Paul
is so very affectionate
towards this church
he uses such effusive
and loving language
it's not stiff
it's not business like
he's not getting to the point
it is an outpouring
of his joy
and his love
and his affection
he is again
a proud father
in the faith
he is seeing
spiritual growth
happening
I'll just say this
I mean I don't know
if I say this
enough or
enough from up here
but
it is a joy
to see
and I don't see it all
but from my vantage point
what I see
it is a joy
to see
this church grow
in their love of God
and their love for one another
their desire to get
into God's word
to partner
in the faith
in God's mission
you know
we planted the church
three and a half years ago
a lot of those experiences
are so awfully fresh
in our minds
and
to know
some people
that were here
from the very beginning
even before we launched
and continue on
and partner
that partnered with us
that have ministered
to our family
incredible
and then people
who have come
in the last year
or two years ago
or in the last six months
and jumping in
and seeing growth
and progression
it is
you can't speak
in like a business
formal
like hey this is
I commend you
on your growth
in the Lord
it doesn't work that way
it's like this joy
of seeing
baby steps
and you're not babies
but this idea
of you're a parent
you see baby steps
and then you see
a toddle
and then you see a run
and you see
this progression
parents aren't
stiff about this stuff
they're not like
hey my child
is making great progress
in the realm of walking
it's like you're excited
you're joyful
you're giddy about it
and I'll just say
honestly
it is like
one of the
in terms of like
non-family
aspects of my life
it's like the greatest joy
of my life
it really is
and I'm not just saying this
it is a remarkable thing
to see
I think this is what Paul
is so jazzed up about
so Paul
ultimately
how does he express
his affection
of course through words
but more importantly
it's through prayer
and this will get to
our final section
our third point
if we believe
in a sovereign
and loving God
who creates
and redeems
not because he is
a needy being
but because
he does so
out of love
we can be sure
that the highest
expression of care
that we can offer
one another
is to commend
each other to the Lord
when we entrust
people to the
all-powerful
all-knowing
all-loving
unchangeable
victorious
triune God
that is a loving act
it is recognizing
first and foremost
that the growth
that people need
and the issues
that we face
they are far bigger
than who we are
and it also is this
act of worship
towards the Lord
that says
only you can bring
about the growth
that you call us to
it is one of the
highest acts of love
that we can do
for one another
so what follows
in verses 9 to 11
is truly among
the best prayers
to pray
if you are wondering
how to pray
for anybody
for me
pray verses 9 to 11
make it your prayer
incorporate it
this week
this month
all throughout the summer
throughout the rest
of your lives
verses 9 to 11
I mean it's dynamite
we'll get into it
in a second
but just a couple
words before that
point 3
Paul's hope
filled prayer
Paul picks up
where he left off
in verse 4
by expressing his love
for the congregation
in prayer
that they would
continually grow
in the gospel
this point is so
very wise
this prayer is so
very wise
it's something
again that we
ought to be praying
for
in fact
it is
it really
if you could fill
this prayer out
it would
you'd have a
wonderful life
of prayer
for the rest
of your days
and here's the prayer
verses 9 to 11
and it is my prayer
that your love
may abound
more and more
Paul's already
recognizing by the way
that love is abounding
but that your love
may abound more
and more
with knowledge
and all discernment
so that you may
approve what is
excellent
and so be pure
and blameless
for the day of Christ
filled with the fruit
of righteousness
that comes
through Jesus Christ
to the glory
and praise
of God
as Paul
deeply desiring
the continued
growth and flourishing
of the Philippian church
he prays three
I mean you can break it up
even into
you can get really
granular with this
but at least three
very important things
and they're all very
interconnected
deeply connected
the first
is that they would
continue to grow
in love
and that love
would be rooted
in truth and wisdom
very important
love rooted
in truth and wisdom
it's not to be divorced
from those things
true knowledge
seeks to cultivate
and walk towards love
and godly love
is not self-serving
but concerned
with reality
concerned with truth
concerned with wisdom
love
it cannot be cowardly
or mindless
therefore we can't
define love
any which way we want
we just can't
we don't have the authority
to do that
I mean we can
but then what we're doing
is calling love
something that it isn't
so in the post
modern
post-Christian Canada
we have very
we have a plurality
of visions
of what love
ought to be
different versions
of love
and unfortunately
any love
that is self-serving
any love
that is self-consuming
selfish
short-sighted
and ultimately
ignorant of the
triune God
it will not be a love
that is wise
and truthful
we often pursue
anything that will
make us feel
that we have
touched something
transcendent
what is love
if it is not
this pursuit
of something
that makes us feel
like we are
ten feet tall
that we are
immersed in joy
and pleasure
and in belonging
that we have
touched the transcendent
it's remarkable
that we all have
this innate
understanding
that love
must either be
divine
or connected
to the divine
but we chase
after it
in unwise
and insane ways
calling things
love that are
foolish
dark
and especially
in our day
perverted
and that lead
not to life
not to wisdom
not to truth
not to flourishing
but to degradation
to death
to splintering
to not fellowship
but disfellowship
and if a love
if that's a fruit
of the love
that you might be pursuing
then you are calling
something
that isn't love
love
so a prayer
like this
is nothing short
of an antidote
to the insanity
of the various versions
of love
that our world
promises
a love that abounds
more and more
with knowledge
and discernment
it is a sane
thing
it is a fruitful
thing
that recognizes
that the origin
of love
and the end
of love
like the telos
of love
the end
of love
the ultimate
goal of love
is God himself
Father, Son
and Holy Spirit
the result
to live wisely
and righteously
and lovingly
it's not the hope
of everybody
now it might
again
you could even
define what wise
and righteous
and loving
life looks like
not according
to the Bible
but still
you're just
redefining
categories
that are very
biblical
categories
and things
that we all
desire
but we're looking
in other places
the scripture
rather calls us
to love
that is
abounding
that is wise
that is truthful
that helps us
to understand
right and wrong
and pursue the good
to pursue the beautiful
pursue the true
and the scripture
calls this fruitful
living
I mean it talks
about here
in verse 11
filled with the fruit
of righteousness
almost certainly
this would be
what Paul expands
on later
in Galatians
to be the fruit
of the spirit
through the spirit
Galatians 5
22
and verse 23
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self-control
and then he says
against such things
there is no law
which is to say
that
this is how we live
righteously
this is how we live
in wisdom
and in truth
so follow any
online influence
or read any
self-care book
something about
mindfulness
and you will see
some kind of recognition
that the fruit
of the spirit
it is deeply desirable
and it is a goal
of a holistic
well-lived life
I mean find me
a wellness guru
that wouldn't want
to say
that joy
love joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self-control
are good things
these are good things
wonderful things
in fact these are
things that
that we need to pursue
but how then do we
pursue it
how then do we
define it
but Paul here
is saying that
such fruit comes
ultimately
through the redemption
of Jesus Christ
and somehow
this will result in us
being pure and blameless
and this is
a wonderful thing
except if you take a step back
and you're honest with yourself
who here is pure and blameless
I'm not
I'm certainly not
pure and blameless
what does Paul mean
we will never be pure
and blameless
in this life
so what is Paul
referring to here
and I think
what will
what helps us
to understand this
and this will be
the second time
in the short section
that Paul will refer to
the day of Christ
or the day
of Jesus Christ
so he mentions it
up in verse 6
and then again here
in verse 10
this day of Christ
it is the second coming
the parousia
the return of Jesus
when our full sanctification
will be complete
where our growth
in holiness
will come to an end
why?
because we will be made holy
like he is holy
we will be transformed
so that
I love this
it's not just that
we will return to Eden
where there was perfection
with the possibility of sin
we will be perfected
without the possibility
of sinning any longer
this is the promise
that is made to us
that when Christ returns
we will be transformed
and Paul is saying
listen
this is all a part of it
that you are saved
that you are made pure
and blameless
before the Lord
that's how you can even
approach the throne of grace
but then you live out
this life
journeying towards that
but when Christ comes
he will complete it
no more sin
no more brokenness
no more squabbles
no more selfishness
no more impatience
no more pride
no more welling up
no more anger
no more tears
perfection
but it is completely
connected to Christ himself
and his return
therefore the final thing
that Paul prays for
is that our ultimate end
would be to glorify God
and praise him forever
in the Westminster Catechism
it says
the chief end of man
is to know God
and glorify him forever
praise him forever
to enjoy him forever
it's a wonderful
succinct way
of seeing what
our eternity will be like
that we will enjoy God
being in his presence
glorifying him
and this is what Paul
is praying for
as he wraps up
this short prayer
in verse 11
consider how your
day to day
could be transformed
and infused
with the highest degree
of meaning
in your life
in all of existence
if you take these words
to heart
that you seek
individually
but also together
as a community
come to embrace
this life
trusting that God
is infusing you
with the strength
of the Holy Spirit
to live out the life
he is calling you to live
to partner
in the mission of God
to love one another
with godly love
being united to Christ
but also united
to one another
how would that
transform your life
overnight?
likely not
after a year
after five years
after ten years
committing yourself
to this
when you slip up
when you sin
what do you do?
you ask for forgiveness
you seek reconciliation
but you continue on
in growth
I was talking to Richard
just as we were
setting up chairs
about how often times
more often than not
the Lord's work
in our lives
is this kind of
slow burn progression
towards holiness
it's not this
overnight thing
it's a slow
gradual progression
right?
how would that
transform your
day to day though?
you know one of the
most beautiful things
about the Reformation
was that it emphasized
its emphasis
on the priesthood
of all believers
true worship
no longer limited
to clergy
but the baker
could worship
the Lord
in spirit
and in truth
the smith
the carpenter
the teacher
the small business owner
the public servant
the retiree
the student
and especially
especially
the homemaker
what a privileged
life
but to honor
the Lord
and to worship
him with
with our
day to day
now to have
that mindset
shift
how would that
transform your life?
wrap it up with this
because of the cross
because of Jesus'
death and resurrection
and ascension
we'll be celebrating
that very soon
we are offered
salvation
that both
infuses us
with a belonging
and purpose
that enriches
this life
and spills over
into eternity
spills over
into eternity
but
it also demands
that we partner
and participate
with Christ
and his church
in this wonderful
glorious mission
of reconciliation
and the promise
isn't that your life
will be
will be so
drab
and difficult
and heavy
no
it will
the promise
is that you could be
even in chains
like the apostle
and be so joyful
and your affections
and your love
could be pouring out
and you see a chain
and it becomes
not a chain of shame
but a chain of glory
that you get to
participate in
the wonderful mission
of God himself
wild
wild transformation
wild flipping up
the script
I mean it's really
something for us
to think about
but in Paul's day
having a chain
on your leg
connected to
a Roman guard
a very shameful thing
and all of a sudden
it is not shame
that cultural shift
is like
unbelievable
in the Roman day
but that reality
is still ours
in the here and now
belonging
true participation
true meaning
friends
there is no
higher form
of living
that is offered
in this life
let's embrace
it together
as God's people
let us pray
father we thank you
so much for
this incredible
joy filled letter
from your servant
Paul to
the Philippian church
but it is
to us
and lord we thank you
that through the ages
you have preserved
this letter
lord we thank you
we thank you for all
the scribes
that faithfully
wrote it down
and preserved it
and monks
and whoever else
was a part of
just keeping this
so that we could
read it
on this Sunday
on May 4th
2025
incredible
lord thank you
we pray that though
that we won't just be
mere hearers of the word
but that we'll be
doers of the word
and lord we will do it
joyfully
help us
grow us
knit us together
remind us that
by virtue of being
united to your son
we are united
to each other
and lord help us
to
to grow
in this
incredible community
that you have
gifted us with
we pray all of this
in Jesus name
amen
and lord