Philippians - Session #2 - review notes

Good morning gentlemen,

I apologize for the time delay in sending out notes from last week's study in Philippians. It seems that the courthouse of Mecklenburg County still needs my services and until that ends my time is somewhat limited. Therefore please bear with me and we will get up to speed I think by sometime early next week.

In the time we spent together last Tuesday morning it was broken down in the following way:

1. A review of the background of Philippians - This is a key and vital piece whenever you start to study any book in the Bible. As you know the background that we have been looking at regarding the Philippians is located in Acts 15 and 16. I would encourage you again to re-read and get this section of Scripture embedded deeply into your minds as you start to study the entire book of Philippians. When you look into the background especially of missionary trip #2 you notice that Paul is taking Silas with him to go back and strengthen churches they already planted. Little did Paul know that God had much bigger plans for him on that trip. Remember that Paul tries to go south and is prevented and then he tries to go north and is prevented again. Would you say that you see the sovereign hand of God at work in this trip? (Sidenote-what may God be sovereignly preventing or permitting in your life in order that He might be glorified?) Anyway the next thing we read Paul is having a vision to come to Macedonia. This means he will go from Asia Minor into Europe. I would ask you to be very familiar with the story of Lydia and how the Lord opened her heart. Next you have the slave girl who Paul rids of a demon and because of that act is thrown in jail. And then the relationship that develops between the jailer and how he and his family come to saving faith. At this point - Pray-Pray-Pray and Think-Think-Think, what is God doing and how is He going about it? Basic Bible Principle - if you want to know what God is doing today just see what He has done in the past because what He did then He is still doing now!
Can you imagine an apostle that God loved more than the apostle Paul? Yet He directs in such a way that Paul and Silas must suffer a horrendous beating at the hands of the magistrate, after that they are thrown into the deepest part of the prison and put into the stocks. Don't miss the point of the prison visit. It was to preach the gospel to that jailer and his household. Hey guys, is that how you would have done it? Just read that Bible and look at what God does and be amazed that His thoughts and ways are above and beyond ours. And then as Paul is leaving Philippi he makes sure to tell the officials that he is in fact a Roman citizen and that what they did was unlawful. Once again look how God orchestrates these events so that as Paul leaves this church is protected from future harassment from the city officials. If you don't have this background firmly fixed in your mind then would you go over this again. As part of the review for next week I may ask someone to give this background as we start into our study.

2. Is there a word or a phrase that continues to show up in this book? And last week we discussed the word joy (noun) and rejoice (verb) occurs 14 times in this 4 chapter epistle.
Philippians Chapter 1 verses 4, 18 and 25
Philippians Chapter 2 verses 2, 17, 18,28 and 29
Philippians Chapter 3 verse 1
Philippians Chapter 4 verses 2,4, and 10

Now when you start to look at the noun and the verb for joy in the New Testament that becomes a Bible study in and of itself. And I do think these are the kinds of things we need to touch on before we launch into our Chapter by Chapter, paragraph by paragraph and sentence by sentence study within Philippians. It appears that Paul has a "theology of joy" that he is writing about that few American Christians seem to know little about. Just so you don't think I am pointing fingers please put me at the top of the list. I am trying to imagine as best I can and put myself into the situation of the apostle Paul. He has just been beaten along with his traveling companion Silas. In doing a little research these whippings normally opened up the skin almost like you would fillet a fish. Many times the victim ended up with crushed vertebrae in the back along with damage to major organs. And after this occurs and they are put in the stocks and by the way these are a different type of stocks than we normally see. In these the victims arms and legs are stretched to the point of intense pain and then locked into place. As you also can imagine the jailer probably had many other prisoners who were in the same condition and they may have spent there time cursing the system, government or even God. But in Paul and Silas you see two men who are preaching, praying and praising at the top of their lungs the goodness of God! Guys that is the kind of joy that I want to know more fully and more deeply as I continue to know the Lord Jesus. Therefore I think at least part of the theme we need to consider in this epistle is that of joy.

So with that in mind allow me to give an overview in the "theology of joy"
Contrast this with the word "happiness". Happiness means a FEELING of satisfaction or delight that is based on present circumstances. The word is related to happen stance which denotes chance. One is unable to program or plan for happiness because by its very definition it may or may not happen. Since this is the delight that is tied to an occasional happening this is the very best that man can do.
However the word "joy" used in a Biblical connotation must be related to God Himself. Joy is an attitude of deep down confidence not due to circumstances but rather in spite of the circumstances. Maybe you will like this definition best "Joy is the flag that flies over the castle of one's heart when the King is in residence there".

Rejoice which is the verb for joy in the NT occurs 74 times
Joy which is the noun occurs in the NT 59 times

1. Joy is a gift from God
Psalm 16:11 - You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

2. Joy is to those who believe the gospel
John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

Luke 2:8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luke 2:9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
Luke 2:11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

3. Joy is being produced in those who believe the gospel through the Holy Spirit
Rom. 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

4. Joy comes to and through those who receive and obey God's word
Jer. 15:16 Your words were found and I ate them,
And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;
For I have been called by Your name,
O LORD God of hosts.

Luke 24:32 They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?" Remember these were two disciples that Jesus met on the road to Emmaus? When Jesus explained the word to them about Himself in all the Scriptures their hearts burned with joy and they could not wait to go and tell others.

1John 1:4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

5. Joy is mixed with the trials of life. As a matter of fact our joy will never be made complete until it is contrasted with trials.
James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
James 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
James 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing

1Pet. 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

1Th. 1:6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

2Cor. 6:10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.

6. Joy manifests in the believer as they set their hope on future glory.

Rom. 12:12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,
1Pet. 4:13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
Jude 24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,

So now put all this together in one definition in order to explain our "doctrine of joy".

Joy is a gift from God, to those who believe and receive the gospel, being produced in them through the Holy Spirit, as the believer receives and obeys the word of God, as it is mixed with trials as they set their sights on the hope of future glory.


Also we looked at the word grace as it relates to the writings of the apostle Paul. He begins each of his 13 epistles with the phrase "grace to you" and ends each of these epistles with the phrase "grace with you". I did think it necessary for us to spend a little time on this phrase, what it means and what it means to us in our daily lives.

I think it would be helpful for you to look at the beginning and ending of each of Paul's epistles to see this for yourself. Now take some time to meditate on "grace to you". I was reminded of this in the book of Exodus when the people of God left Egypt and were out in the wilderness. God send them "manna" from heaven in order to feed them everyday. Notice the LORD only gave them enough manna for the day. In other words, the word of God designed to be read and digested each and every day contains enough grace coming to us to sustain for the cares of that particular day whatever they may be. Now look at the last expression "grace with you". I think this means that enough of the grace of God comes and stays to get you through each and every day. So when Paul's letter came to the Philippians there was enough grace coming and staying to get them through each and every day, that is a wonderful promise from our heavenly Father.

Here is a definition of grace I posted on my blog site some time ago:
G.S. Bishop when speaking of grace says;
"Grace is a provision for men who are so fallen that they cannot lift the ax of justice; so corrupt that they cannot change their own natures; so adverse to God that they cannot turn to Him; so blind that they cannot see Him; so deaf that they cannot hear Him; and so dead that He Himself must open their graves."

Next week we will look at one more critical word and develop a doctrine of that in our study and also the overall plan for the book of Philippians. Keep in mind whenever you start to study a new book the first three requirements for good study are:
1. The historical background
2. Theme of the book
3. Plan for the book
After that you can then start to dive and dig into the chapters, sentences and verses in order to study and understand what the author meant by what he wrote.

Hope this helps to continue you along in our study of Philippians the epistle of joy in the New Testament.

Blessings,