Philippians 1:21

Passage

For me: to live is Christ; to die is gain.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

First things first.  This is a potent verse.  You know I think a verse is potent when I devote a whole blog post to a single verse.  This verse tells us about Paul’s context.  Paul is in prison.  But this isn’t just any normal prison.  This is a prison for which he is on trial for his life.  Depending on the result of his day in court, he could die.  For the record, Jesus faced this same situation.  Paul knows all of this.  Yet he is still working for the Gospel and writing letters of peace and love from prison.  How awesome is God to inspire people to behave like Paul!

Do you think there is any correlation to the seriousness of the imprisonment and ability for Paul to write a letter filled with such potent verses?  Why do difficult life circumstances tend to be the moments when the best of our faith is on display?

Second Thought:

To live is Christ.  Wow.  I am always floored by that declaration.  That is a statement about identity.  Who is Paul?  A man focused on living out Christ.  Whatever the situation.  Whatever the company.  Whatever the outcome.  To live … is Christ.  I am reminded of one of my favorite songs from the musical Les Misérables.  “Who am I?”  It is a song about Jean Valjean’s struggle with his own identity.  In this verse I believe Jean Valjean would find his answer.  In this verse I find my answer.  “Who am I?”  I am what Christ has called me to be.  I am what is necessary to proclaim Christ to the world.  Or, at least that’s the goal I imperfectly strive towards.

Who are you?  Do you believe “to live is Christ?”  How well do you live that out?

Third Thought:

To die is gain.  Wow.  A powerful statement followed up by an even more powerful statement.  To die means to complete one’s calling in this world and await the resurrection of the dead.  To die means to be released from the stress and pressure of being in this world but not of it.  To die means to await going and being one with the Creator.  As I am fond of saying, “Other than the process of dying, death really doesn’t have a down side for someone in Christ.”

Do you believe this to be true?  How hard is this to actually live out in practice?  Who do you know that lives this way and who can encourage you to live this way?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:22-24

Philippians 1:19-20

Passage

I will rejoice; I know that through your prayers and through the help of the Holy Spirit that my imprisonment will turn out in my deliverance.  It is my eager expectation and hope that I should be disgraced in nothing.  I have full confidence that even now as always that Christ will be exalted within me whether through life or death.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul is giving us an incredible declaration of power in these verses.  Paul knows that it is the power of the Holy Spirit that will bring him through into deliverance.  Of course, Paul is naturally speaking of human deliverance from prison.  But the reality is that it is the Holy Spirit that brings us through to deliverance on the scale of salvation and eternal life, too.  The power to save is not ours; it is of the Holy Spirit.

How does this teaching line up with the age-old debate of “works-righteousness” and “saved by grace?”  Is it easy or difficult to believe that the power to save is the Holy Spirit’s?  Is it easy or difficult to live as though the power to save is the Holy Spirit’s?

Second Thought:

Paul is also concerned about being disgraced – or put to shame.  Here we see Paul transfer from the worldly to the spiritual.  Paul is in prison.  He’s a captive.  From the perspective of the world, it is a little too late for him to worry about being disgraced.  But he doesn’t care about the world’s definition of shame.  He cares about God’s definition of shame.  Paul knows that so long as he continues to proclaim the Gospel and preach Christ truly, he will not be disgraced.  So long as we stay true to God, we can avoid being disgraced spiritually.

In what ways do you worry about being disgraced from a worldly perspective?  How does that worry of being disgraced keep you from doing the work of the Lord?  In what ways are you concerned about being disgraced before God?  How does that worry keep you within His will?

Third Thought:

Paul speaks about Christ being exalted.  That is the goal.  Paul’s statement of trust in these verses is simply jaw-dropping.  What is important is Christ being exalted - even more than whether he lives or dies.  What is important is Christ being exalted.

Do you live with that kind of focus?  Is Christ being exalted the lens which you evaluate the whole of your life?  If so, how can you keep that up?  If not, what can you do about it?  Is your life or death truly less significant than the exultation of Christ?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:21

Philippians 1:15-18

Passage

Some people preach Jesus Christ out of a spirit on envy or rivalry; but some preach it out of a good spirit.  The latter people do it out of love, knowing that I am imprisoned for the defense of the Gospel.  The former people do it out of personal selfish ambition and not thinking of others – like me in prison.  What is the point?  In every way – whether in pretense or in truth – Christ is proclaimed.  For that I rejoice.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul talks about two different motivations for people to talk about Jesus.  The first is out of envy or rivalry.  These are the people that want to make their faith (or faith community) the better one.  These are the people that are concerned with their faith (or faith community) having the best name, the biggest reputation, and being the most attractive.  Paul knows that there are preachers out there who are using his imprisonment to make them seem better since they are not imprisoned.

Why do we like to take advantage of others?  Why do we like to use bad things in the lives of others to discredit them – or even worse, to try and give ourselves more credit?

Second Thought:

Paul also talks about those who are proclaiming Christ out of love.  These are the people who are genuinely compassionate.  They aren’t interested in their own glory.  They are interested in proclaiming Christ for the sake of those who have not heard.  They are also interested in proclaiming Christ to those who have heard and who may be falling or under persecution.  The people who proclaim Jesus in love are the ones that come alongside of us and encourage us to grow regardless of our circumstances.  Rather than using our circumstances against us for their own benefit, they help lift us out of our circumstances.

What is it that allows a person to put themselves aside and look to love another?  What is it that truly allows us to be proclaimers in love?

Third Thought:

Either way, Paul makes a phenomenal point here.  What is important is that people hear about Jesus Christ.  People being in relationship with Jesus is the ultimate goal.  Period.  It doesn’t matter who gains through the process.  It doesn’t matter what sacrifices have to be made.  My reputation and my status are irrelevant when compared to people hearing about Jesus and coming into a true relationship with Him.  That is all that is important.  That line of thinking puts life in perspective.

Is that your perspective?  What are you willing to give up so that someone else might be in relationship with Jesus?  Who are you willing to befriend so that they might be in a relationship with Jesus?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:19-20

Philippians 1:12-14

Passage

I want you to understand that what has happened to me has happened so that the Gospel may progress.  The Gospel has become known to much of the imperial guard and the rest of the people within the prison because of my imprisonment.  Most of the people who are with me have become much more confident in Christ’s ability to work through imprisonment and they are bold in speaking about God’s Word.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul wants to be clear about something.  His imprisonment is God’s hand at work.  This is an awesome point and can only come from submission.  Who in their right mind would ever conceive of jail as a blessing in their life?  However, Paul knows that his time in prison has allowed him to spread the news of Jesus Christ to the people around him.  Because he is submitted to God, he is willing to do the work of the Lord in any circumstance.  In other words, the circumstances of life are no longer important.  What is important is our opportunity to proclaim Jesus to the world.  That’s submission.

How wrapped up do you become in your circumstances?  How wrapped up is your life in the things you have and do?  How much time do you actively spend talking to other people about what Jesus is doing in your life?  What can this line of thinking teach us about our true level of submission?

Second Thought:

The guard and the people within his prison – perhaps other prisoners as well as the support staff for the guards – have heard about Christ.  Not only have they heard about Christ, they’re on their way to truly believing.  Who would expect the prisoner to speak words into the life of the guard?  Because Paul is humbled, he is in a position to do this.  Because Paul was trained, he has words of truth to give.  If this letter is written while Paul is imprisoned in Rome – and many think it is – then the imperial guard that Paul is talking about are the elite guards assigned to the Emperor.  Paul is speaking to the elite soldiers of the Roman army and their support.

What can this story tell us about God’s ability to use anyone – even a prisoner?  How is Paul’s willingness and desire to speak about Jesus a big part of what is happening?  How is Paul’s earlier training under the Christians in Antioch as well as his ministry up to this point helping him to be the man God has called him to be?  Why is this important?

Third Thought:

Paul’s testimony is catching.  Paul’s boldness is inspiring others to be bold.  As people see Paul changing, they change with him.  As people see Paul speaking, they speak with him.  In a sense, this is discipleship.  Paul is authentic and transparent.  His disciples can see what he is doing, see Christ in him, and mimic that behavior.  Genuine faith is contagious and inspirational.

If genuine faith is contagious and inspirational, what does it say about how little contagion and inspiration the typical Christian feels by their spiritual surroundings?  Who is contagious in your life?  To whom might you be contagious?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:15-18

Philippians 1:7-11

Passage

It is okay for me to feel this joy to you all because I hold you in my heart.  You all are partaking in Christ – both in defending the faith and in my own personal bondage.  God is my witness; I yearn for you all in the affection of Christ Jesus.  It is my prayer that you may experience an abundance of love – with discernment and knowledge – so that you may approve of what is excellent while being pure and blameless in the Day of Christ.  May you be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.  To God be the glory and praise.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

This is one of the best passages out there with respect to Christian fellowship.  In fact, this passage is ripe with the Greek word “Koinos” (κοινος) and its derivatives.  The word koinos simply means “common.”  The word koinonia means to have in common – which is the word in the New Testament that we translate as “fellowship.”  The Greek that the Bible is written in is called Koine Greek, which is the Greek of the commoner.  When we take this background and put it into the passage, we hear Paul talking about the commonalities that they have with him.  They are defending the faith.  They are embracing the needs of his bondage.  They are partaking with Paul in Christ.  For Paul, when he looks to the Philippians he sees a people who are together and with him.  That is what it means to be in fellowship.

With whom do you have a common faith?  With whom do you share common struggles?  Who are your “koinonia” spiritual friends?

Second Thought:

Paul prays that the Philippians experience an abundance of love.  However, notice that love is not the only thing for which Paul asks.  Paul asks for an abundance of love mixed with wisdom and discernment.  It is love mixed with wisdom and discernment that is unique to God.  It is good to know what to love.  It is good to know the best means to love.  Untempered love can be a dangerous thing.  Love tempered with wisdom and discernment is a godly love.

What does untempered love look like?  What tempering happens when we also have wisdom and discernment?  Do you believe that love tempered with wisdom and discernment is unique to God?

Third Thought:

Paul desires that the Philippians be pure and blameless in the Day of Christ.  He also prays that they are filled with the fruit of righteousness.  Paul knows that following Jesus is more than just be holy inside.  One’s righteousness should lead to the bearing of fruit.  One’s purity should lead to bearing fruit.  Purity and righteousness that is kept only on the inside is like that which the Pharisees sought – a spirit of being “holier than thou.”  No, our righteousness and purity should lead us into the world to proclaim God to the world and accept sinners like us into a relationship with God so that they can grow closer to Him.

Why do you think this idea of bearing fruit is so prevalent in the New Testament?  In what have you been made pure and blameless?  How can that lead to bearing fruit in your life?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:12-14

Philippians 1:3-6

Passage

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.  In each and every prayer of mine I thank God for you and thus make my prayer in joy.  I thank God because you have been my partner in the Gospel from the first day.  I am convinced of this: the God who began a good work in you will see it through to its completion in the day of Jesus Christ. 

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

There is a joy that comes from knowing that you will see a person in eternal life.  There is a joy that comes in knowing that you are relating to a person spiritually through God as opposed to through their humanity.  There is a joy in knowing that you are surrounded by people who have submitted to God.  There is a joy that comes in knowing that the people you have seen grow in the faith have grown in the true faith of God.

Do you know this joy?  How deeply do you know it if you do know it?  If you don’t know it, do you know someone who does?  How can this joy increase in you?

Second Thought:

 The Philippians were with Paul since day one.  Now, of course, not literally.  Paul did a fair amount of ministry before he got to Philippi.  What Paul is saying is that the Philippians embraced what Paul was teaching from the first day.  That doesn’t mean that they didn’t struggle with it.  It doesn’t mean that there wasn’t any wrestling.  It means, however, that they were inclined to receive it, wrestle with it, and accept it as God’s.  They were open to God from the first day Paul came to them and proclaimed Jesus among them.

What helps you be open to God?  What hinders your openness to God?  How much of a credit is Paul giving to the Philippians for saying that they have been open to God the whole time?

Third Thought:

Paul tells the Philippians that God is at work in them.  In fact, Paul is telling them that God at work is the most important thing.  They may be in relationship with Paul, but it is God who is going to bring them to completion in the day of Christ.  It is God who completes them.  It is God who should be trusted.  It is in God that we should put our trust.

Is your hope within God?  Is your trust fully and completely in Him?  Is He what you think of when you think of yourself being completed?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:7-11

Philippians 1:1-2

Passage

Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.  To the saints – and the overseers and deacons - in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi.  Grace to you.  Peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I love Paul’s identifying statement.  Paul and Timothy – slaves (δοῦλος, doulos).  Most modern Bibles translate this as “servant” so as to avoid the use of the word “slave.”  Slave is such a culturally charged word.  But make no mistake.  In the original Greek, the word that Paul uses is “slave.”  Those who are fully in Christ are slaves of Christ.  Jesus sets the agenda.  Jesus gives the marching orders.  Jesus issues commands.  Our job is simply to follow Jesus.  We are His slaves.  We are called to obey Him as master.

Are you a slave of Jesus?  Is Jesus really your master?  Do you think of yourself as someone who involves Jesus in your life or are you someone who has given everything to Jesus so that you can be His slave?  What’s the difference?

Second Thought:

Saints.  Paul calls those who are in Philippi “saints.”  The Greek word here is literally “ones who are holy” (ἅγιοι, hagioi).  We need to be really careful here.  Paul isn’t saying, “To the ones who are spiritually better than everyone else.”  Remember what the word holy means.  The word holy means separate, different, unique.  Paul isn’t telling the Philippians that they are better than everyone else.  Paul tells them that they are different than everyone else.  They are different than the world.  Their priorities are different.  The way that they live their lives is different.  The agenda that drives their life is different.  That is what it means to be a holy person or a saint.

Are you different than the world?  In what ways?  In what ways are you the same?  Looking at your answers for these questions, are you a “holy one” of God – separated out from the world by Him?

Third Thought:

Paul begins his letter in grace and peace - but not his grace and peace.  Paul begins with the grace and peace of God. It all goes back to God.  It all starts with God.  Paul’s grace and peace are nothing.  Only God’s grace and peace really mean anything.

What is different – holy – about God’s grace and peace?  Have you experienced God’s grace and peace?  In what way?  Have you ever imparted God’s grace and peace upon others?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:3-6