First of all a summary of the chart we went over last week.
This past Tuesday we studied Philippians Chapter 1 verses 9-11. If you remember we titled Philippians 1:1-26 - "Prescription for Joy" - the priority of the gospel. Last week we studied verses 3-8 which we titled "gospel centered fellowship. I think there are three areas that stand out in those verses:
1. Past remembrance
2. Present participation
3. Future confidence
The word participation can be translated fellowship. And as we said this morning a good definition of this word in this context would be the self sacrificing conformity to the gospel. Paul is not talking about the meals they had together, or the times that they spent at the games, or even discussing the issues of child rearing. You can be sure these were things that were done but this is not the fellowship to which he is referring. However the apostle is specifically encouraging their ongoing participation in the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Guys, we spend our time in church, Bible study or small group in the compartments of Christian living. But these that were in Philippi had the life of Christ flowing through all activities because the gospel was at the center. It probably was not unusual for them to meet many times during the week to study and pray together. Keep in mind this is a letter to those who were probably closer to Paul than any other church that he planted. You can read that in verse 8 as it regards the tremendous affection that Paul had for this group of people.
Now we move from "gospel-centered fellowship" to verses 9-11 which I have titled "gospel-centered prayer." As we study this section of Scripture let me ask all of us this practical question - do we pray this way for others? Well the apostle Paul has given us a great pattern for prayer when it comes to those in our family, church, and other believers that we know. I think it helps to see this in a pyramid in order to follow Paul's flow of thought. The problem I have with email is I am limited and really can't draw it like I did this morning on the board. But I suggest that you draw out a pyramid on a sheet of paper and put this words in it starting from the bottom and going to the top.
Here is the pyramid via email:
Glory of God
Blameless
Sincere
Approve things that are excellent
Discernment
Knowledge
Love for others
Love for God
Paul starts in verse 9 and prays that their love may abound more and more. Now keep in mind these are loving Christian people but Paul is asking that they even love more which I think is a reference to God and others. He did not want them just to be satisfied where they were but wanted them to go deeper and deeper. Guys that is exactly what we want to do in our relationship with God and that is significant depth. We can see all through the Scriptures that depth attracts width. I have often thought that a healthy church should be twice as deep as it is wide, just like the cross. Anyway the apostle Paul starts with the word love and we know that the love for God is the very first priority.
Here is my write up via my own study notes. I have taken the pyramid concept and also turned this into links that are the following:
Link #1 (love) - Link #2 (knowledge) - Link #3 and #4 (integrity) - Link #5 (glory of God)
Link #1
First Paul prays that the love of the Philippians "may" abound more and more. Since the "may" is in the subjunctive mood we learn or know that this is the mood of possibility. This is not something they can just demand or do from their own will. It seems in this context that the love Paul is talking about would both be love for God and love for one another. However we know from other study and verses that love for others is the manifestation or the overflow of our love for God. Therefore Paul has taught the Philippians well who God is and they love Him not just what He can do for them.
Check out 1John 4:7 - Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
In the phrase "everyone who loves" – the word "loves" is in the present tense
In the phrase "is born of God" – the verb "is born" is in the perfect passive
Greek grammar states that when a present tense verb and a perfect tense verb are in the same sentence the "perfect" tense takes precedence.
Therefore we can see clearly from the Greek that unless God acts in sovereign grace upon the heart of a believer they will not presently love fellow believers.
1John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.
Practicing righteousness is proof that a person is born again.
1John 3:9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
A person who doesn't continuously exhibit a pattern of sin is one who is born again.
1John 5:1 ¶ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.
A person is born again and then they come to believe in Jesus Christ.
1John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
A person who continues to act in a manner in overcoming the world shows that they are in fact genuinely born again.
In each case the "is born" is used in the "perfect tense and passive voice."
Which can launch us into a basic discussion of being born again.
Link #2
The apostle Paul prays that their love may abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment. Which means that he wants these Philippians to enjoy more insight into God's words and ways and thus know how to live in light of them.
What good does it do us to know more and more information but not allow that information to yield transformation of the heart as we obey the very word of God?
I think Paul is giving us a real clue to knowledge and discernment. It starts with a love for God.
A.W. Tozier says "what comes into our mind when we think of God is the most important thing about us…"
"We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God…"
It is at that point that we are filled to overflow which then results in our love for others.
There is no genuine loving of others if there is no genuine love for God.
That is why we can see the clear links of this chain that Paul is praying for the Philippians:
1. Love for God
2. Love of others
3. Knowledge of Him
4. Discernment of Him
➢ A Discerning Love - It requires insight
➢ A Christian's love is to abound not only in real knowledge but also "in all discernment" (Phil. 1:9). Paul used the Greek word aisthesis from which we get the English word aesthetic. This the only occasion the word is used in Scripture.
➢ It speaks of moral perception, insight, and the practical application of knowledge--the deep knowledge Paul had already mentioned. Love is controlled by theology, and theology must be applied to life with insight.
Link #3
Approve
The word translated "approve" (Gk., dokimazo) was used in classical Greek to describe the process of evaluating metal to determine its properties and purity. It also described testing money to be sure it wasn't counterfeit.
Paul wanted the Philippians to be able to evaluate and determine what is excellent.
Excellent
In Greek the word diaphero (translated excellent) means "to differ."
The Philippians needed to know the difference between things so they could establish priorities and seek after what is truly vital and important.
Conclusion
Paul was not referring merely to the ability to distinguish not only between good and evil but also between what is good and what is best.
Check out the prayer chain
Love for God
Love of others
Knowledge of Him
Discernment of Him
Approve the things that are excellent
Link #4
Sincerity
James Montgomery Boice in Philippians: An Expositional Commentary tells us that "in ancient times . . . the finest pottery was thin. It had a clear color, and it bought a high price. Fine pottery was very fragile both before and after firing. And it was often the case that this pottery would crack in the oven. Cracked pottery should have been thrown away. But dishonest dealers were in the habit of filling cracks with a hard pearly wax that would blend in with the color of the pottery. This made the cracks practically undetectable in the shops, especially when painted or glazed; but the wax was immediately detectable if the pottery was held up to light, especially to the sun. In that case the cracks would show up darker. It was said that the artificial element was detected by 'sun-testing. ' Honest dealers marked their finer product by the caption sine cera--'without wax'" ([Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971], p. 55) .
So just as in ancient times pottery was tested by holding it up to the sun, our lives need to be tested for the wax of hypocrisy. In the church are those who appear as fine pottery but are not. There are cracks of sin in their lives filled with the wax of religious ceremony and activity. When held up to the light of God's Word their cracks become evident. When persecution or difficulty comes, they melt (cf. Matt. 13:5-6, 20-21)
Blamelessness
The Greek word translated "blameless" in Philippians 1:10 describes relational integrity. It means living a life that doesn't cause others to stumble. Scripture clearly teaches that believers are not to cause others to stumble (Luke 17:1-4)
Link #5
The glory of God. It seems that nowhere you go in the Bible we always come back to a theme which brings us to the glory of God. The Bible is God-centered not man-centered and the church needs to get this straight regarding their theology!!! John the Baptist said in John 3:30 "I must decrease and He must increase." That needs to be not only something we learn but live on a daily basis.
God chose his people for his glory:
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace. (Ephesians 1:4-6, cf. vv. 12, 14, NASB)
God created us for his glory:
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory. (Isaiah 43:6-7)
God called Israel for his glory:
You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified (Isaiah 49:3).
I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory. (Jeremiah 13:11)
God rescued Israel from Egypt for his glory:
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works . . . but rebelled by the Sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. (Psalm 106:7-8)
God raised Pharaoh up to show his power and glorify his name:
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." (Romans 9:17)
God defeated Pharaoh at the Red Sea to show his glory:
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord . . . And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. (Exodus 14:4, 18; cf. v. 17)
God spared Israel in the wilderness for the glory of his name:
I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. (Ezekiel 20:l4)
God gave Israel victory in Canaan for the glory of his name:
Who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? (2 Samuel 7:23)
God did not cast away his people for the glory of his name:
Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord . . . For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake. (l Samuel 12:20, 22)
God saved Jerusalem from attack for the glory of his name:
For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. (2 Kings 19:34; cf. 20:6)
God restored Israel from exile for the glory of his name:
Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name.. . . And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name. . . . And the nations will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 36:22-23; cf. v. 32)
Jesus sought the glory of his Father in all he did:
The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. (John 7:l8)
Jesus told us to do good works so that God gets glory:
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16; cf. 1 Peter 2:12)
Jesus warned that not seeking God's glory makes faith impossible:
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)
Jesus said that he answers prayer that God would be glorified:
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)
Jesus endured his final hours of suffering for God's glory:
"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour?' But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.' Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again' (John 12:27-28).
Father, the hour has come; glorify your son that the Son may glorify you. (John 17:1; cf. 13:31-32)
God gave his Son to vindicate the glory of his righteousness:
God put [Christ] forward as a propitiation by his blood . . . to show God's righteousness . . . It was to show his righteousness at the present time. (Romans 3:25-26)
God forgives our sins for his own sake:
I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)
For your own name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. (Psalm 25:11)
Jesus receives us into his fellowship for the glory of God:
Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Son of God:
He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:14)
God instructs us to do everything for his glory:
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (l Corinthians 10:31; cf. 6:20).
God tells us to serve in a way that will glorify him:
Whoever serves, [let him do it] as one who serves by the strength which God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (l Peter 4:11)
Jesus will fill us with fruits of righteousness for God's glory:
It is my prayer that . . . [you be] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9, 11)
All are under judgment for dishonoring God's glory:
They became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images. (Romans 1:22, 23)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
Herod is struck dead because he did not give glory to God:
Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory. (Acts 12:23)
Jesus is coming again for the glory of God:
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:9-10)
Jesus' ultimate aim for us is that we see and enjoy his glory:
Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)
Even in wrath God's aim is to make known the wealth of his glory:
Desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, [God] has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory. (Romans 9:22-23)
God's plan is to fill the earth with the knowledge of his glory:
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)
Everything that happens will redound to God's glory:
From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)
In the New Jerusalem the glory of God replaces the sun:
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives its light, and its lamp is the Lamb (Revelation 21:23)."
Keep praying and studying - blessings in Christ,
