JASON MARTIN
PHILIPPIANS / Joy; Day of the Lord; Day of Christ; Death / Philippians 1
1. The city of Philippi was in Macedonia - which we might know better as Northeastern Greece.
a. It was named after King Phillip II - who was Alexander the great’s father.
b. It was the location of 2 famous battles (empire vs. republic) in 42 B.C. - after Julius Caesar was assassinated. These civil war battles led to Octavian to become the first emperor of Rome - and changed his name to Caesar Augustus. (It was his decree in Luke 2:1 that led Joseph & Mary to Bethlehem for the census - and the fulfillment of the prophecy that the Messiah would be born there.)
c. At the time of Paul, Philippi had a large population of retired Roman soldiers and was very loyal to the Emperor.
2. Paul wrote this letter about 10 years after starting the church in Philippi. (We can read about the founding of this church in Acts 16:11-40)
a. The overarching theme of the letter is joy - and he wrote this letter to thank them for their gift and to tell them his own joy that the Gospel was spreading - even through fallen mankind.
b. What’s the difference between happiness and joy?
i. Happiness is temporary, based on emotions, driven by our circumstances, and is anchored in our present experiences. (if things go well = happy / if things go poorly = not happy)
ii. Joy exists even in bad circumstances and is anchored in our future hope because it’s rooted in Christ. This makes it possible for Paul - and us - to be completely miserable physically, and under intense pressure emotionally - and still be joyful....
Read - Philippians 1:1–2 “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.”
1. What we might recognize right away is;
a. This letter is sent from Paul and Timothy, who are claiming to be servants of Jesus. The same word is sometimes translated slaves or bondservants. It’s the same word (Doulos) that is used to describe the writers of 2 Peter 1:1, James 1:1, Jude 1:1.
i. James and Jude could have instead used the title ‘brother of Jesus” the same way Peter and Paul can and often do use ‘apostle’ to begin their letters - to show their authority.
ii. But this title - Doulos - emphasizes submission instead of authority. And for good reason because it’s the same word for what Jesus became in
1. Philippians 2:7 “but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
a. more on that next week....
iii. So the emphasis isn’t on who - but what....
1. 1 Corinthians 3:5 “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.”
2. 2 Corinthians 4:5 “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
a. Derek Prime told his congregation “I will always be your servant, but you may never be my master”.
2. The second thing we might notice is how he once again starts his letter with grace and peace - and once again in that order - along with some roles within the Church;
a. Saints (Hagios) = N.T. believers in Jesus - notice they are alive....
b. Overseers (episkopos)
i. synonymous with ‘presbyteros’, or “elder’
ii. this is a general category that can include the roles of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor/shepherd, and teacher and others.
1. we can see more about Church leadership and requirements in the letters to Timothy and Titus.
c. Deacons (diakonos)
i. ‘one who serves’
ii. the first time we see this is when those were selected by the apostles to help distribute food to the widows in Acts 6:1-6.
3. The title ‘Lord’ in the N.T. (Kyrios) would have been very scandalous at that time. Whether in the form of public statues or household shrines, they were expected to worship Caesar above all - as lord. It was common for leaders to claim to be descended from the gods (or son of god). Paul is saying that’s actually Jesus and reminds his readers to redirect their allegiance from Caesar to Him.
Read Phil 1:3-11.
Philippians 1:3–5 “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.”
1. The Philippian Church helped support Paul’s missionary journeys. That partnership made Paul;
a. Thankful
b. Prayerful
c. Joyful
i. This is what the relationship between the sheep and the shepherd should look like
2. Paul didn’t always accept support from the churches he started. He first rejected the gift from the Corinthians because their values and motives were different from his.
Philippians 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.”
1. Who starts the work? Who finishes it?
a. Isaiah 46:10 “declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’”
2. the Day of the LORD or Jesus (1 Cor 1:8, 1 Cor 5:5, 1 Thess 5:2, 2 Thess 1:7, 2 Peter 3:10, - Joel 2:31, Amos 5:18-20, Zeph 1:14-18, Isaiah 13:6-9)
a. What the O.T. said YHWH would do on His day, Jesus will be the One doing (He is YHWH)
b. An incredibly deep topic that runs throughout the whole of Scripture. It is the Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ that brings both judgment and salvation. Then is when we will be complete. (both in our personal sanctification and the Church is also completed as the spreading of the Gospel is finished)
c. In one sentence - the Day of the LORD is God breaking into history repeatedly - and each time forshadowing the final ultimate universal intervention of Christ at the end of the age.
Philippians 1:7 “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.”
1. By supporting Paul, the Philippians become partners with him and share in the grace given to him. Why would he consider suffering as grace?
a. Being persecuted for spreading the Gospel identifies us with Christ. We sometimes participate in the life, death, and sufferings of Jesus through our own suffering.
b. We sometimes think of grace as comfort or success - it’s actually anything that pulls us closer to Christ, even if it hurts...
Philippians 1:8 “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
1. Ever loved somebody so much that you yearned to be with them?
Philippians 1:9–11 “And it is my prayer 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.”
1. Just like Ephesians 6, Paul doesn’t pray for safety, comfort, or success
a. Instead he prays for Love, knowledge, discernment, purity, fruit....
2. We usually pray for our circumstances to change - Paul wants hearts to change, circumstances may or may not follow.
Read Phil 1:12-18.
Philippians 1:12–13 “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.”
1. God is using Paul’s imprisonment to spread the Gospel to the Roman soldiers who otherwise would not have heard about Jesus.
a. Are we willing to go through hard times to spread the Gospel?
Philippians 1:14 “And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
1. Paul’s boldness is contagious and spreads to the others in the Church
Philippians 1:15–18 “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,”
1. Paul doesn’t want people preaching out of bad motives like pride, jealousy, or competition. But even if they do - when Christ is preached, Paul rejoices.
a. It’s not the Sower, but the Seed that matters more. Not the messenger that’s important nearly as much as the Message.
Read Phil 1:19-30.
Philippians 1:19 “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,”
1. Deliverance (Soteria) salvation
2. Paul will either be delivered out of prison or into the presence of the LORD - through the prayers of the saints and the Holy Spirit’s power.
Philippians 1:20 “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”
1. 1 Corinthians 6:20 “for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
2. Romans 14:8 “For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”
Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
1. Either we continue to live and do the work of Christ by spreading the Gospel and loving God and neighbor - or our journey is complete and our race is ran and we go on to be with the LORD forever.
2. The sacrifice for Paul isn’t dying for Jesus - it’s living for Jesus.
Philippians 1:22–24 “If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”
1. It’s better for Paul to go on to be with the LORD. But his work isn’t finished and he must remain for the benefit of the others.
a. Remember - EVERYBODY is called for the common good and serving and building up of each other;
i. 1 Peter 4:10 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:”
ii. 1 Corinthians 12:7 “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
iii. Ephesians 4:11–12 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,”
iv. Romans 15:1–2 “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”
2. So we have noticed in this first chapter;
a. gifts are for others
b. ministry is for others
c. suffering is for others
d. even continuing boldly through life is for others..
Philippians 1:25–26 “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”
1. Paul is convinced he will live through this experience so he can continue to serve others and spreading the Gospel
Philippians 1:27 “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,”
1. Live like you are a citizen of a different Kingdom
2. stand firm in one Spirit (reminds us of Ephesians 6) - this is describing unity within the Church
3. striving side by side = contend for the faith
a. Jude 3 “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”
Philippians 1:28 “and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.”
1. The persecution isn’t the issue =- how they respond to it is.
a. Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
2. endurance here doesn’t earn salvation - it reveals it. and those that fight against it? it reveals their destruction in the coming judgment.....and both are from God....but even more -
Philippians 1:29 “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,”
1. Belief / faith is a gift - so also is suffering
a. NOT because suffering is good - but because it’s part of the self-sacrificial love we are called to by considering others more important than ourselves.
Philippians 1:30 “engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”
1. Paul is the famous one in prison - but many others are also suffering for Christ. They aren’t spectators - they’re in the same spiritual war that Paul in.
a. Gospel Kingdom vs. empire kingdom
b. Truth vs. society pressure
c. Christ vs. Caesar
1. What is the nature of joy?
a. It’s not the result of good circumstances - that’s happiness
2. We can find joy in;
a. prayer vs. 4
b. partnership vs. 5
c. suffering vs. 7
d. Christ being preached vs. 18
e. life or death vs. 20-21
3. So joy isn’t what happens when life gets easier -
a. it’s what happens when Christ is enough
Exported from Logos Bible Study, 8:59 AM June 26, 2026.