𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀: 𝗝𝗼𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
Welcome to our new mini-series on the book of Philippians! Over the next 6 posts, we’ll explore the lessons and encouragement this letter offers. Today, we’ll start with an introduction to the book and highlight its main ideas.
Philippians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia. Paul wrote this letter while he was in prison, likely in Rome around AD 60-62. Despite being in jail, this letter is filled with joy and thankfulness. Unlike many of Paul’s other letters, which address problems and conflicts in the church, Philippians is a letter of encouragement to a church that is doing many things right.
Today, we’re looking at Philippians 1:1-6 and some key themes in these verses.
𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 1:1-6 (𝘌𝘚𝘝): “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. 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. 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.”
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀:
• 𝗝𝗼𝘆: One of the main ideas in Philippians is joy. Paul often tells the believers to be joyful, no matter what they are going through.
• 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: Paul talks about the strong partnership he has with the Philippians in spreading the gospel. This partnership brings him great joy.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗱'𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸: Paul is sure that God, who started a good work in the Philippians, will keep working in them until the day of Christ Jesus.
𝗔 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:
• 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝘆: Paul is the main writer, and Timothy is with him as a co-worker. They introduce themselves as “servants of Christ Jesus,” showing their humility and dedication.
• 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶: The word “saints” means all the believers in Philippi. It highlights their identity in Christ.
• 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲: This is a common greeting from Paul, wishing the Philippians God’s grace (undeserved kindness) and peace.
• 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗼𝘆: Paul’s love for the Philippians is clear. He thanks God every time he remembers them and prays for them with joy.
• 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹: The Philippians supported Paul with money and prayer, showing their active role in spreading the gospel.
• 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸: Paul assures the believers that God will keep working in their lives and will complete the good work He started in them.
Think about the joy that comes from working with others to spread the gospel. How can you support and encourage other believers in their walk with Christ? Remember, God is faithful and will continue the work He has started in you.
𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the joy and partnership we share in the gospel. Help us to support and encourage one another, trusting that You will continue Your good work in us. Amen.