The book of Philippians

If you have never studied Philippians why not join us on my blog site. I am teaching a men's study every Tuesday and I will start posting the review notes. Hopefully this will not replace your own private study but may act as a supplement to encourage you along. Well with all that said let's jump in...Session #1 review notes.

Hey guys,

We are off to a great start in our study of Philippians. It seems there is always so much to cover and so little time. The first rule of Bible study is to prepare the heart. So as we started yesterday our prayer started with the confessing of our sins and thanking Him that He has washed them white as snow through the blood of the Lord Jesus. I recently read in a book by Jerry Bridges that Christians should be in the habit of "preaching the gospel" to themselves every day. After the heart is prepared then one is ready to study. Remember you don't come to the Bible to get your heart right, you get your heart right then come to the Bible. It doesn't do much good to tune your fiddle once the concert is over.

The first step in good Bible study after heart preparation is to get all the background questions answered about the author and the book. Yesterday we only discussed background and I have included some of these notes below:
When starting a new study of any book we need to remember two primary things:
1. Laws of the heart
2. Laws of the head

Laws of the heart are non-negotiable and without them Bible study will be nothing more than an academic exercise. If there is no illumination and understanding of the text correctly then there will be no correct application either. Therefore it is critical that we learn to prepare the heart before we start to read, study and have devotions in the Bible.
As one scholar once said "it doesn't do much good to tune the fiddle when the concert is over".

1. Confession of known sin or sin that is being tolerated in one's life (1 John 1:9)
2. Prayer of desperation from the heart of one who earnestly desires to hear from, meet with and obey God

➢ I - Incline your heart (Psalm 119:36)
"Incline my heart to Your testimonies
And not to dishonest gain"

➢ O - Open my eyes (Psalm 119:18)
"Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law"

➢ U – Unite my heart (Psalm 86:11)
"Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name"

➢ S – Satisfy my heart (Psalm 90:14)
"O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days"


After you have dealt with the heart then it is time to move on to the head. These principles are those of interpretation, in order that we may come to understand what the author meant by what he wrote.

In the church today:
1. Orthodox – the Bible is the word of God
2. Liberal – the Bible contains the word of God
3. Neo-Orthodox – the Bible becomes the word of God

Bible survey
1. Author's background and history
2. Theme of the book
3. Plan of the book


Background on the city of Philippi:

Philippi was a place known for gold and silver.

Years prior to its actual founding many people came to mine and eventually settle.

Therefore it became a strategic trade center located at the top of the Aegean Sea.

Anyone that traveled from the East (Asia) to the West (Europe) had to cross the Aegean Sea and the roads that went through Philippi.

From Greece to Italy there was a stretch of road that was approximately 500 miles and was known as the Ignatian Way. Then from Italy the road that lead to Rome was called the Apian Way.

The trade route known as the Ignatian Way was built in 146 BC and Philippi was part of this trade route

Philippi was a Roman Colony and had the height of dignity as a strategic city of Rome. Normally Rome would take 300 of its retired soldiers and send them to settle in a colony. They would then lead and govern those people consistent with the laws and culture of Rome.

Philippi was named after Phillip of Macedon who was the father of Alexander the Great.

The people of a Roman colony had 3 basic benefits
1. They were able to be self-governed and therefore they weren't subject to the government of Rome
2. Immunity – they were not subject to the taxes of Rome
3. They had all the rights of Roman citizens

Magistrates ruled them and each colony was identified by Roman dress, culture, language and ceremonies. In summary they were miniature cities of Rome.

But that is not why the city of Philippi is so important and famous. Guess why?
Because the apostle Paul from a prison in Rome wrote a letter to this city and that is what immortalized it.

There are no synagogues in Philippi (needed 10 Jewish men called a minyan to establish a synagogue. Instead Jews maintained a proseuche, called a place of prayer.
Philippi is planted sometime in the Fall of 50 AD and Paul is writing this epistle from a Roman prison in 62-64 AD. His first missionary trip is around 47 AD and Paul's conversion is around 33-34 AD.

This second missionary trip will last from 50-52 AD
Paul will plant the following churches:
1. Philippi – 2 to 3 months
2. Thessalonica – 2 to 3 months
3. Berea – 1 month
4. Corinth – 18 months

He will travel 2800 miles (1230 by sea and 1570 by land)

So in order to understand the Biblical background on the book of Philippians where do we need to go?

The historical chronology of the NT, has been written primarily by one man and who is that?

What books did he write? And what timeline do they cover?

Observations about the book of Philippians
1. This is the first church to be planted in Europe. So how in fact did this happen? As best you can relate it to the Doctrine of God's sovereignty that we studied in our last time together.
a. We need to start in Acts 15:36 which is the starting point of Paul's second missionary journey. On the first journey there was Paul, Barnabas and Mark but Mark bailed out after they left Cyprus and came back home.
b. God seldom does things the way we would – first there was a debate over the Gentiles that came to Christ and whether or not they need to adhere to the Law in order to be saved. This resulted in the Counsel at Jerusalem and the 3 things that followed.
1. Abstain from all things sacrificed to idols
2. Abstain from that which is strangled and from blood
3. Abstain from sexual immorality
c. Second there was a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that caused them to split and created two missionary teams instead of one. In Acts 15:36-41 it seems that neither man anticipated a missionary thrust into Europe.
d. Timothy is picked up by the apostle Paul and added because of his faithfulness

How the church in Philippi began:
A woman named Lydia
A slave girl
A jailer and his household

Guys, as you remember I went over the story in as much detail as I could yesterday. But may I encourage you to read Acts 15:36-Acts 16:40.
Can you see the sovereignty of God operating throughout these missionary trips. For example:
- we have an argument and strong disagreement between Paul and Barnabas - therefore now we have two missionary efforts instead of one.
- Paul and Silas attempt to go south into the region of Asia and are prevented by the Spirit and then try to go north into Mysia and are prevented by the Spirit of Jesus. Then the next thing we read is that Paul is getting a vision from God to come into Europe.
- Now read the story of Lydia and her conversion. Keep in mind Greek is the most exact language in the world and the text says that God opened her heart. Brothers that is something that only God can do in the life of a believer for it is He that opens the heart in order for one to believe. Just to confirm that we looked at Acts 13:48 "When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed". The text does not say that as many who believed were then appointed to eternal life. We need to get our theology straight here and both the apostle Peter and Paul knows that our conversion is only something that can be accomplished by God Himself.
- We then talked about the slave girl and that story that you can read, get the details and also ponder how God was sovereign in this event. Don't you find this a fascinating story of how God goes about putting Paul in jail in order to convert the jailer and his household.
- Would we do it this way?
- As we read the story Paul and Silas are flogged severely, not given time to testify and then are thrown in the darkest and deepest part of the prison and put into the stocks. Hey guys look at their response to this awful and horrible situation. They start singing, praising, praying and Paul was probably preaching. In our 21st Century American church model of getting goose bumps when we hear music and having to feel good about where you go to church, Paul offers something quite different. Joy is not a feeling it is an attitude. And when you respond with genuine joy in Christ it becomes contagious.
- Still consider the sovereignty of God as you move through this story - do you see now how important this doctrine is to understand, study and embrace?
- The next thing we see is there is an earthquake - hmmm... I wonder who caused that? And all the doors to the prison cells flew open - who caused that to happen?
And as the guard was getting ready to kill himself the apostle Paul stopped him and said all the prisoners were still there and no one had escaped.
The guard then says something quite amazing - "what must I do to be saved". Guys, that is the most important question that a man, woman, boy or girl could ever ask.

The next thing we see Paul has preached the gospel to the jailer and his household and they all come to faith in Christ. Just put your theology to work again and refer back to Lydia and to Acts 13:48 - "God opened their hearts". Bingo and now you have the beginnings of the church in Philippi
1. Lydia and her household
2. Maybe the slave girl though the text doesn't say and we can't be sure (hope to see her in heaven to hear the rest of that story)
3. The jailer and his household

Does God love the apostle Paul and Silas? And yet He sovereignly decrees that they are to suffer greatly as they are beaten by rods and then thrown into the stocks within the deepest part of the prison. Paul and Silas knew God was at work in a mighty way and were excited to be part of what He was doing. Therefore the response you see of these saints were they started to sing and praise His name. And just look at the results - the jailer and the whole household. I am also convinced that as Paul let them know later about his Roman citizenship that God used that to protect this little church. In other words the magistrates in Philippi knew that what they had done to Paul and Silas was illegal. Therefore this provided the church with leverage to protect them from future harassment and problems.

Guys I could meditate on this for a month. Is it possible that God has you in a real hard place and you are suffering in your absolute obedience to His word. If so then know He is working to accomplish something glorious in and through you for His kingdom!

Now take all this background, meditate on it and remember where Paul is as he writes this letter to the Philippians. Paul is back in jail but this time he is in Rome! Imagine what the jailer is going to tell the saints at Philippi when they find out Paul is in prison. He probably is going to stand up in front of the congregation and tell them to expect an earthquake or other things that will happen where people are going to be getting saved. In other words they have seen what God does through the apostle Paul when he goes into jail.

Hey guys what do others see in you when God puts you in jail so to speak? Well as we study the book of Philippians may each of these lessons and principles from the apostle Paul be incorporated into our Christian walk.

We did not cover points 2-4 during our time yesterday.
2. Philippi is the only church used in the NT as a model for other churches to follow. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 2 Corinthians 9:1-5)
3. Philippians helps us to define what the term fellowship really means . This is much deeper and involved than the friendship of having a cup of coffee or going over to someone's house for dinner.
4. Philippians will help us to get a Biblical view of suffering, persecution and even death.

Blessings

Understanding the "post-modern" dialogue

Reflections on Super Bowl XLII

This article is by C.J. Mahaney

Most of what you read and hear today about the Super Bowl will involve what took place on the field. I don’t need to add to this noise, and I wouldn’t have anything unique to add. (Although how could Belichick have gone for it on 4th and 13 and not kicked a field goal from the 49-yard line in the third quarter?)

Obviously my prediction of an easy win by the Patriots was slightly off. Personally, I didn’t think it was a great game -- but it was a great 4th quarter. And I can’t believe I was rooting for the Giants. And I can’t believe I am happy they won. Actually, I was more interested in what would take place after the game. I was leaning forward as the game ended, eager to observe what Bill Belichick would do. How would he respond to this test of adversity and his first taste of defeat this year? Would he be humble and gracious in defeat?

Sadly, he didn’t appear to be. Before the game officially ended he had already left the field. Sure, he did make his way across the field to congratulate Tom Coughlin, but then he left the field and the game was not over! He should have returned to the field to take his place as coach for the final play of the game. He should have humbly returned to the sideline and set an example as the leader of this team. This game will be difficult, if not impossible, for the Patriots to forget, but Belichick could have set an example for his team that would have transcended the game. He could have set an example of humility they would never forget.

I stayed up after the game for one reason. I knew they would interview Belichick, and I wanted to hear what he would say. I hoped he would at least congratulate the Giants on their victory. He did not. He missed yet another opportunity to provide a compelling and humble example of how to conduct oneself when one has lost the game.

Though many will write about what took place on the field during the game, I thought his actions at the end of the game and after the game were the most disappointing aspects of the game. And this is the stuff I review and emphasize with my son as we talk about the game. This is what I want him to remember and learn from this game.

But I must pay careful attention to my heart as I critique coach Belichick, because I am vulnerable to my own more serious expression of arrogance as I observe Bill Belichick. In critiquing coach Belichick and teaching my son biblical discernment and the importance of godly character, I must avoid a self-righteous attitude.

Bill Belichick is not the worst sinner I know. I am the worst sinner I know. For am I most familiar with the countless sins I have committed against God, the countless times I have responded in a similar way as Mr. Belichick when I have encountered the test of adversity. Though it doesn’t appear Bill Belichick is a humble man, I know I am not a humble man.

I am proud man who is pursuing humility only by the grace of God. And it is only by the grace of God that I have been saved from the wrath of God against my sins. It is only by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross, as my substitute for my sins, that I am forgiven of my many sins and have hope for the weakening of pride in my life. And therefore the appropriate response to what I observed in Mr. Belichick last night is to pray that he will become aware of his need for a Savior and turn from his sins and trust the Savior.

So today after examining my heart for any trace of self-righteousness, any hint of moral superiority in my soul, I have prayed that God would use these circumstances to obtain the attention of Bill Belichick. I pray that God would strategically provide individuals to care for this man at this time and share the gospel with him. And I pray that God would have mercy on him and grant him the gift of repentance so this most disappointing experience would become for him a means of encountering the most amazing experience, the grace of God in the gospel of Christ and him crucified.

Jono Sims - 5 simple truths about salvation

1. The origin of salvation "For God"

2. The object of salvation "so loved the world"

3. The offering of salvation "that He gave His only begotten Son"

4. The operation of salvation "that whosoever believeth in Him"

5. The outcome of salvation "shall not perish but have eternal life"

Are you overloaded in life?

So how should we deal with the inescapable overload of life in the twenty-first century? - by Philip Ryken

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Do you ever get overwhelmed by all the things you need to get done, and discouraged by all the things you probably won’t? Almost every day, right?

I’ve felt that way a number of times recently. I felt overloaded when we made a few small domestic renovations and our home was in something more than its usual disarray. I felt the same way when I went to delete the messages in my inbox archive and discovered that more than ten thousand emails had accumulated since the end of last summer. And I felt that way when I went to count the books on my “recently acquired, really important to read books shelf”—or shelves, actually, plus some piles on the floor—and discovered that I am now 157 books behind (not counting the pile beside my bed at home). And then there are all the important things that need to get done in the ordinary course of ministry and the daily life of the home.

It Only Gets Worse

You are probably just as busy—not with the same things, perhaps, but busy nonetheless. And the problem will only get worse. Listen to what Richard Swenson says in his book The Overload Syndrome :

Progress always gives us more and more of everything faster and faster . There are only so many details that can be comfortably managed in anybody’s life. Once this number has been exceeded, one of two things happens: disorganization or frustration. Yet progress gives us more and more details every year—often at exponential rates. We have to deal with more “things per person” than ever before in the history of humankind. Every year we have more products, more information, more technology, more activities, more choices, more change, more traffic, more commitments, more work. In short, more of everything. Faster. . . . Progress automatically leads to increasing overload, meaninglessness, speed, change, stress, and complexity [Richard A. Swenson, The Overload Syndrome (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1998), pp. 43-44; emphasis in the original].

The trouble, of course, is that all of this overload gets in the way of our spiritual progress. More than a century ago Phillips Brooks observed, “The more we watch the lives of men, the more we see that one of the reasons why men are not occupied with great thoughts and interests is the way in which their lives are overfilled with little things ” [quoted by William Philip in a January 2003 newsletter from The Proclamation Trust in London]. What about you? Is your life occupied with great things for God, or is it overfilled with little things? And if it is, what, if anything, are you going to do about it?

A friend of mine is beginning to lobby for an eighth day of the week. He calls it grundsday , and tells me it would fall between Wednesday and Thursday. No phone calls, no emails, no meetings—just a chance to catch up. I don’t know about you, but I’m all for it. Maybe it would help me get a better handle on some of my “things per person.” But of course it wouldn’t really solve anything. On the assumption that we had more time, we would try to do even more, and soon grundsday would be packed just as full as all the other days of the week.

Offloading the Overload

So how should we deal with the inescapable overload of life in the twenty-first century? I may not be the most qualified person to speak on this subject, but allow me to make three simple suggestions.

First, whatever else you do, make time for communion with Christ. Remember what Jesus said to Martha, that only “one thing is necessary” (Luke 10:42)—that is, to be with Jesus, listening to what he says and talking with him about what we need. It is only when we allow God to minister to us through Bible study and prayer that the rest of life makes any sense at all.

Second, embrace the limitations of your finitude. Rather than feeling anxious and distressed about everything you’re not getting done, or always complaining that you need more time, take satisfaction in the many daily reminders that you are not God. You are not all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing. Only God is. So when the overload confronts you with your limitations, be reminded that you are only a creature who needs to rest in your Savior’s care (see Matt. 6:25-34; 11:28-30).

Just Say No

Third, choose wisely. The hardest choices in life are not the choices between the good things and the bad things. When it comes to discriminating the good from the bad, most Christians find it relatively easy to tell the difference. No, the hard choices are the ones between the good things and the best things. To make these decisions we need the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, who works through Scripture, through circumstances, through counsel, and through our conscience to help us “discern what is best” (Phil. 1:10; NIV).

In order to carry out God’s calling for your life, you will have to learn to say “no.” Many good things in life—many wholesome entertainments, many useful ministry opportunities, and many God-given pleasures—get in the way of God’s calling and therefore must be declined. Late last fall, I took a short trip to a beautiful golf resort in Florida. I taught, but to my disappointment, did not golf. Not that there is anything wrong with a round of golf. In fact, from what I saw in the brochure, it’s such a beautiful course that it almost seemed wrong not to play it. It’s just that if I had stayed to do that, I would have gotten back too late on Saturday night to be a good husband to my wife, a good father to my children, or a good pastor to this congregation.

What choices will you make this week and in the weeks to come? Will you make the time to be with Christ? Will you embrace the limitations of your finitude, resting in the infinite grace of your God? And will you have the wisdom to make the right choice when you have to say “Yes” to some things and “No” to others? If not, you will end up even more overloaded than God wants you to be.

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Don't waste your life

When others see you, does God look good?

Sam Storms writes a stirring article on this subject:

In case you skipped it, let me repeat the question in the title: "When People see You, does God look Good?" Not many of us phrase it in precisely that way or even think in those terms. It's far more natural for us to ask, "When people see me, do I look good?" Do I impress them with my charisma? Are they captivated by my wit? Are they attracted by how I dress? Did they take note of my intelligence? Do they still think of me an hour or two later?

We are obsessed with what others think of us. We are elated when they find in us something to praise and are crushed when they are offended. That is why we are so given to self-commendation, self-promotion, and self-improvement. So often our very identity and thus our value hang suspended on the opinion of those who "see" us.

But wait a minute. If this sort of concern for self is so sinful, why did Paul "commend" himself to the Corinthians here in 2 Corinthians 6:4a? And doesn't this conflict with his earlier denunciation of self-commendation in 3:1? It would appear from these two texts that there are at least two sorts of self-commendation, one good (6:4a) and the other bad (3:1).

Let's take a closer look at this passage (6:4a), for Paul does not "commend" himself and leave it at that, as if his efforts were devoted to securing a positive response from the Corinthian church. It is as "servants of God", or more accurately, "ministers" of God, that he and his co-workers labor to elicit their approval. And the criteria to which he appeals as grounds for their acceptance are not very appealing: afflictions, hardships,calamities, beatings, imprisonments, hunger, slander, sorrow, etc. Not the sort of things one would typically include on a resume!

Evidently Paul believed that commending oneself as a minister of God was not only permissible, but mandatory, even godly. How so? What does it mean to draw attention to oneself as a minister of God and how does it avoid the sinful self-serving that Paul and other biblical writers so consistently condemn?

I want to suggest that commending oneself as a minister of God consists of living and acting and speaking in such a way that others think not of you but of him. They don't so much look to you as through you, and in the light of your life see him. Again, to use the words of the title above, it means conducting yourself in such a manner that when others see you, God looks good! Let me explain this by asking a series of pointed (and painful) questions.

When you pray, do people comment on your eloquence or God's excellency?

When you intercede in a corporate gathering, are those present impressed with your godliness or God's goodness?

On those occasions when your life is subject to public scrutiny, do people think of the heights of your abundance or the depths of your need? Are they inclined to think about your devotion, and how fortunate God is to have you as his "minister", or are they awakened to your utter dependency and God's endless supply?

When people see how I spend money, do they conclude that God is a priceless treasure, exceedingly valuable above all worldly goods?

When people observe my relationship with others, are they alerted to the power of Christ's forgiveness of me that alone accounts for my forgiveness of them?

When we open our mouths and speak of others in public (or private), are they made to think of Jesus in whose mouth no "deceit" was found (1 Peter 2:22), the one who, when reviled, "did not revile in return" (1 Peter 2:23)?

When we respond to injustice or mistreatment, are our words and ways the sort that lead them to glorify the God-man who "did not threaten" those who abused him "but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:23)?

When I am seen interacting with people of another race, do observers instinctively fix their thoughts on God's love for all without regard to color of skin or ethnic heritage?

If I am complimented for some accomplishment, does the way I receive it drive onlookers to give thanks to the Lord?

Do I preach the Word in such a way that eyes are riveted on me or turned upward to behold the beauty of Christ?

Is my use of leisure time or devotion to a hobby or how I speak of my wife the sort that persuades others that my heart is content with what God is for me in Christ?

Does my reaction to bad news produce in you doubt or fear, or does it inspire confidence to trust in God's providence?

When I feel disappointment or experience a shattered dream, is your trust in his promises diminished or enhanced?

Does my reaction to suffering inspire your comfort in him?


To use Paul's word, when I "minister" among you, are you captivated by my credentials or energized to find satisfaction in God's merciful sufficiency?


Paul couldn't have cared less about his own reputation, unless by seeing him they savored God. If his weakness magnified God's power, then by all means, watch. So long as his life was a window through which others might behold the goodness and grace of Christ, he was more than happy to commend himself to their scrutiny.

"Don't look at or to me," said Paul, "but through me, as a minister of God, to the fountain of all goodness and grace."


So again, when others see you, does God look good?

Quote for the day

“Contextualization is not giving people what they want. It is giving God’s answers (which they probably do not want) to the questions they are asking and in forms they can comprehend.”- Tim Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian Church

"Born again" - What does this really mean?

How many times have you heard as part of our Christian dialogue when did you get or become born again? We have heard it many times and we have probably even repeated it but have we studied it? I fear that the church today has less and less people who are asking the questions that need to be asked, which comes from in depth study that needs to take place. Here is a video that may help encourage you to start asking, thinking and studying what it really means Biblically to be born again.

I'm Back!

Fellow blog readers today was my last day of jury duty that lasted for 3 entire weeks. It was a great learning experience but little did I know that day that I was called for jury duty, that I would end up in a 3 week murder trial. I have been at the courthouse by 8:30-9:00 everyday which means I leave home around 7:30 and don't get home till 5:30-6:00 PM. Therefore there was little if anytime to blog due to I am teaching 2 classes on "how to study the Bible" and 1 Bible study on the book of Philippians. So for me it has been stay focused on the priorities and make the best us of my time as possible. But this is to let you know that "Pastor B" is back in the saddle so to speak and ready to go into blog hyper drive with more thoughts and random postings.