JEAN'S BIBLE STUDY
| KJV WEB
| Endtime Prophecy
| Parallel Gospels
Page Numbers | Plywood Canoe
OT Commentary | Books
Contact | Gospel Tract

PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 2 KJV WEB See previous page Phi 2,1-17 (95i) Thy kingdom come >> Attitude >> Having an obedient attitude >> Attitude of a servant -- These verses go with verses 29&30. Our attitude determines the direction of our life. If we have a positive attitude, our life will go in a positive direction. Conversely, we may have already experienced adverse circumstances from holding a negative attitude, it will continue dragging us through the mud until we repent of our negativity and follow Jesus. We develop positive attitudes by becoming servants of one another. If in anything a Christian is competitive, we should use that energy to become the greatest servant. Corrupt attitudes seek to be first, but if we all seek the last place as Jesus did, becoming a servant of all, it would be difficult to turn it into something evil, though not impossible. Too bad we don’t pursue our place as servants like some people pursue money. The one who takes up this challenge will realize that the Kingdom of Heaven is filled with servants, who are all rich beyond their wildest dreams. However, most people in the world today, even in the Church, have the attitude that they would rather be rich in this life than to be rich in eternity. Some Christians want heaven just to avoid hell, yet avoiding hell is not a good reason to seek heaven. The only way to get there is in the place of a servant like Jesus, our example. Phi 2,1-11 (94f) Thy kingdom come >> God’s perspective >> His perspective on the gift of God (124a) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love >> Acts of love >> Love takes from the rich and gives to the poor >> Love takes sacrifice Phi 2,1-8 (187ab) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Die to the flesh >> The ministry of dying to self >> Die to self to minister to God >> Pick up your cross and follow Him Phi 2,1-4 (44h) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Transformed >> Completely full (77n) Thy kingdom come >> God ministers to people through the humble >> Humility gives a blessing – If Christians dedicated themselves to fitting Philippians chapter two into their lives, revival would occur overnight, suggesting that the Church is in disarray because of arrogance. People are too proud to critically look at their teachings; instead, they just assume their doctrines are right and anybody who would challenge them is considered an enemy. If the Church is arrogant, then what it needs is a healthy dose of humility. In pursuing the truth many of our false doctrines would self-correct; however, there is no authoritative figure to disseminate the truth for the sake of all, and so these problems will persist until the last days come upon us and the Great Endtime Revival begins and the 144,000 Jewish witnesses lead millions of gentile believers into the will of God, and they will all be in agreement with the truth. They will be a force too great even for the antichrist! When this Great Endtime Revival begins, the current church will need to relinquish many of their doctrines that conflict with the teachings of the 144,000, which most Christians won’t do. Instead, they will reject this global endtime revival, and God will choose another people to take their place who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, and they will become His true Church. Most in the Church today will not humble themselves to receive this coming Jewish ministry. See also: Revival; 139f / Great Endtime Revival (Jews will manage the gospel at the end of the age); 1Tim 1-3,4; 50a (78h) Thy kingdom come >> Renewing your mind by the word of God >> Be of one mind, his mind – Paul advocated being of the same mind and that we should all agree on the truth (1Cor 1-10). Unfortunately with so many denominations dividing the Church all believing something different, we are stuck in the mindset of Pilate who said, “What is truth?” (Jn 18-38). If we are Christians, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us; therefore, we should have an affinity for truth (Jn 16-13), yet truth does not come easily for many of us, and we need to critically ask ourselves what we are doing wrong. When we look at all the divisions in the Church today, it doesn’t appear that anyone is searching for truth or even trying to agree. Talk to fellow Christians about our faith and we often get a more contentious response than from the world. Many Christians will argue about almost every word we say, so really, the spirit that is in the Church does not appear to be the Spirit of Christ, but some other spirit, not one that seeks to conform, but one that seeks to divide and conquer. If we want faith, that is also what God wants for us, but faith is based on the truth, His truth. (91a) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> God’s purpose for us is to fulfill His calling >> Walk in the anointing to fulfill God’s purpose -- These verses go with verse 13 (123c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love >> Spiritual affection >> Compassion >> Compassion is the emotion of the Spirit (125g) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Joy >> Joy is the result of unity -- These verses go with verses 28&29 (139f) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Encouragement >> Encouraging one another – There are those who claim to be seeking God, but have not found Him, which is simply not biblical, for Jesus said, “Seek and you shall find.” We find God in the knowledge of Scripture, and when we bring the Bible with us into prayer and ask Him to reveal a deeper meaning, He will enlighten us so that we know His truth by the Spirit, and the result is spiritual knowledge. If there were only one person in the church who knew the truth this way, and he tried to share his thoughts with others, he would spread more division than truth, for people would not receive him. Their flesh would reject his message that originated from the Holy Spirit and possibly ostracize him from the Church for upsetting the congregation and stirring up jealousy (1Corinthians chapters 1&2). In contrast, if everyone knew the word by the Spirit, and they all shared with one another the things that God was revealing to them, the church would grow and mature in the ways of God. This was the experience of the early Church, though it is hardly the experience of the contemporary Church, but that is about to change, for revival is coming, and all these things will be re-instituted, and people will seek God and find Him, and unity will form through our spiritual fellowship. If we want our churches to grow, this is what we must do: relinquish control and authority to the people, because they are the ministry. For a pastor to share his ideas week after week has no hope of fostering unity in the body of Christ. See also: Revival; 77n / unity; Phi 2-1,2; 137m (208i) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Personal relationship >> Being the friend of God >> Having fellowship with God (235f) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Giving (your inner self) >> Giving preference to one another KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2-1,2 (129n) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Being in one accord >> Having one mind – If we encourage one another and cultivate love of the brethren, and if we imbibe their affection and compassion, then we should do it with unity in mind. Whatever hinders the goal of unity should be uprooted, and whatever advocates it should come to the fore. Every saint in the Church has a unique calling from God as a means of accomplishing His will. There is a healthiness of faith we need to achieve before we will see any of these things, for some people’s faith is sick and in need of repair regarding what they believe. We can’t just open the Bible and read it without doctrines blinding our eyes. (137m) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Maturity >> Maturing with our brothers >> Employing your gifts to mature the body (spiritual fellowship) – The term “fellowship of the Spirit” is mentioned here and possibly nowhere else in the Bible, yet its significance cannot be overstated. It is the very engine of unity, and it is very rare within the Church today. When unity forms in the Church, spiritual fellowship is always present. We can encourage one another, we can even love one another and be affectionate and compassionate toward one another without forming unity, but we cannot engage in spiritual fellowship without unity as the result, because the product of spiritual fellowship is unity, which is something that liars and false brethren cannot fake. Ask a person, “What has God been doing in your life lately,” and wait for the answer. If people allowed God to work in their lives, we wouldn’t have to ask that question; they would volunteer their divine relationship with as many people as would listen to them. God reveals His word to those who seek Him, setting them free, then they turn and disclose His truth to others, and if they have the stamina to reciprocate, it invokes spiritual fellowship, which liberates the body “from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom 8-21). Spiritual fellowship is simply revealing to others what God has revealed to us. Spiritual fellowship is most lacking in the Church today, because people are not seeking God. See also: unity; Phi 2,1-4; 139f Phi 2-1 (123l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love >> Spiritual affection >> Being in love with the body of Christ >> Affection of Christ Phi 2,3-12 (12f) Servant >> Nature of a bond servant – Jesus humbled Himself before the Father to do His will and offered His body a living and holy sacrifice for the sins of mankind. This finds favor with God when we too humble ourselves before Christ and offer our bodies a living and holy sacrifice, forfeiting our life-goals to take on His purpose (Rom 12,1-3). If we do this, God will exalt us as He exalted His Son, maybe not in this life, but certainly in heaven, remembering every good work we did in His name and for His glory. God has a trail of good works designated for each of us that if we follow it will lead us safely into His heavenly kingdom and into the arms of Christ. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2,3-11 (43a) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Conform to the Resurrection of Christ’s death (56d) Paradox >> Opposites >> humble yourself to be used of God -- These verses go with verses 29&30. Through His cross Jesus Christ has obligated all people to follow in His footsteps and humble themselves to receive the gift of eternal life and walk in His service toward one another as the children of God. It is not easy to put others first, especially when we have our own needs and desires. When we want to do something, and there is somebody in need, we must choose whether to follow Christ or satisfy ourselves. This is not easy; it takes sacrifice and humility with a positive attitude, not to serve grudgingly but to serve with the proper attitude, knowing that God is looking after us from heaven. He puts first those who put themselves last, and He puts last those who put themselves first. God is in the background meeting our needs, while we pay attention to those who need our help, and it becomes obvious to all that our life is ordered with a divine purpose. As a result of putting ourselves last we will be treated with contempt by the contemptible and with honor by the honorable. Phi 2-3,4 (22c) Sin >> Greed takes without consideration for others >> Serving self (55m) Paradox >> Lose by gaining >> Lose God’s will to gain your own will -- These verses go with verses 20&21 (76a) Thy kingdom come >> Hidden motives >> Based on selfish ambition (130e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Committed to caring for the needs of the body >> Committed to holding up one another -- These verses go with verses 22-30 (131h) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Interdependence >> Being selfless toward one another (167b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Carnality/Secularism (mindset of the world) >> The carnal mind is set on the flesh >> Carnal mind cares only for itself -- These verses go with verses 20&21 Phi 2-3 (171d) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Vanity >> Vain experience >> Emptiness is where God isn’t – In a clique nobody is allowed in the group without first proving him/herself, because they consider themselves more important than others. They are narcissists, and narcissism is a trait of psychopathy. Sociopaths are made by society, whereas psychopaths are born, and there is no curing either one of them. They consider themselves more important than everybody else. For example, serial killers consider their victims inferior, even subhuman, mere playthings, nowhere near their level of importance. Psychopathy is a conundrum to science; people have been studying it for years, still no one knows what to think of them. The authorities have their theories, but they have no way of treating them. It should shed some light on the fact that God is calling us to be the exact opposite of them, calling us to be like Christ, who came and saved us from our sins, who gave and gave, while varying levels of narcissistic people take and take. Everybody has a little Narcissism in them, the “me first” mentality. We can make the better choice of considering other people’s needs more important than our own. This does not come natural to us, though. There is nothing wrong with wanting to feel important; but when we want to feel more important than others, we run into trouble. Phi 2,5-13 (230h) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Mystery of godliness >> Mystery of the trinity >> Obey the mystery of godliness like Jesus did – If God glorified Christ for His humility, than He is willing to do the same for us if we humble ourselves and become obedient to the point of sacrificing our lives for the will of God, no matter what the cost. If we served Him in this way, and if the body of Christ served Him collectively, God would exalt us with the name of Jesus Christ, which is above every name, so that every knee should bow to Christ through the Church and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is Lord and that we are His people to the glory of God the Father. There would be martyrs and persecution, but that would cause the Church to grow all the more. If the Church served the Lord as we should, God would give us the world as it says in Psalm 2-8, "Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession." What more matters of this life? If we all lived as Paul did, we too could turn this world upside-down for Jesus? Phi 2,5-12 (87c) Thy kingdom come >> Obedience >> Jesus obeyed all the Father’s will KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2,5-11 (13a) Servant >> Jesus is a servant of mankind >> He is smaller than any man – Man must humble himself before he can obey God. There are some real advantages to humility; primarily, we don’t have to worry about someone humiliating us. Secondly, if we humbled ourselves before God, He would exalt us according to the measure of our humility. However, some people don’t feel they need to humble themselves, because the world has exalted them in their pursuits. There is a difference between the world exalting us and God exalting us, and there is a difference in the rewards: they are opposites of each other. One reward is to receive power and glory from men to better control them, while the other is to receive power and glory from God to better serve Him. (32m) Gift of God >> Father will honor you >> Father honors His Son (37d) Judgment >> Judgment of God on His Son >> Jesus’ humanity >> He was a man – Jesus became a man so we could relate to Him, but before Jesus became a man, He was already human, even more than us! It says in Genesis 1-26, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” God is human; therefore Man is human. When we say God is human, that doesn’t mean God necessarily looks like a man, though we know Jesus does because He literally became a man, but the Father most likely does not look like a man, yet He is human in the sense that God and man are mirror images of each other. We don’t understand many things about the Father, partly because we don’t understand our own humanity; once we understand ourselves in relation to God, we will better understand the Father. Even the Holy Spirit is human. We could say that God has a language; He can communicate; He enjoys music. We could point out all the things that the animals don’t share with us and say that these differences define us as human but only in relation to animals. We are human with respect to God in ways we scarcely know. Before we were saved and before the Holy Spirit came to dwell in us and before we became a member of God’s true Church, we were not human in the sense that God is human, for man lost his God-like humanity when he fell into sin, but the moment we said “Yes” to Jesus and made a commitment to follow Him and God imparted His Holy Spirit into us, we became human like God in ways we don’t understand. When we receive our resurrected bodies, we will become even more human than we are now. In a million years from now we will better understand what it really means to be created in the image of God, and in a billion years we will understand it even better, so we will never fully understand our own humanity with respect to God, not completely. We will always strive, always learn; there will forever be room for growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The better we understand Him today, the better we will understand Him in the life to come. God will give us a proclivity to understand Him based on the interest we engender of Him in this life. See also: God intended Adam to eat the forbidden fruit (He is still making man); 1Tim 6-9,10; 161b (37i) Judgment >> Blood of Jesus >> He emptied Himself >> From equality with God to human frailty – The person of Jesus Christ is indeed an elusive character. He appeared many times after His resurrection, and each time He used a different form. This way His disciples could not recognize Him, yet they knew it was Him by the peace He embodied. He took on the form of a man, and in that form He became the servant of all and died on the cross for everyone. (40c) Judgment >> Father gave authority to the son to judge the world through His blood (45e) Judgment >> God’s Judgment >> On believer’s sin >> Through His Son >> On the cross (56i) Paradox >> Opposites >> Last is first and the first is last – When Jesus said, “I am the… beginning and the end” (Rev 22-13), He was speaking about them as they were part of a circle. When we draw a circle, we begin at some point, placing the pencil somewhere on the paper and then drawing the circle and ending at the same point, which represents “the beginning and the end” of the circle. The circle represents a cycle, in this case Jesus equal with God sitting on the throne of His Father, who became a man and humbled “Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus did this to teach us the true meaning of humility, and then He ascended to the Father, whose throne also ascended to higher levels of glory in the eyes of His creation. He put Himself last as the son of man, the youngest and least of all, yet He was the wisest and most humble. Being without sin, He paid for the sins of all mankind, and this resulted in becoming first and greatest of all. Now Jesus is alive forevermore (Rev 1-18), and He will never die again, yet this cycle will continue throughout eternity. God will humble Himself and demonstrate for all creation how we ought to live, and then He will sit back on His glorious throne more exalted than ever. It will be a continuous cycle in the eyes of His creation so that all will know the greatness of God throughout eternity. (66e) Authority >> Jesus’ authority >> His position with the Father >> Jesus is under His authority (67b) Authority >> Jesus is at the right hand of the father >> He is above all other authorities (77h) Thy kingdom come >> Tapping into the power of God through humility >> The high position of a humble servant – God in human flesh humbled Himself more than any man; meaning, coupled with His divinity, His humility bordered on infinity, something we could never reach, since we didn't start from such an exalted position. If Jesus was not too high-minded to serve, then who are we to act from selfishness and empty conceit? Try to imagine being God; the picture that most often comes to mind is the sense of being all-powerful, how it would feel to have no one above us barking orders. We could literally do anything we wanted and nobody could stop us. If anyone criticized us or formed a rebellion against us, we could just vaporize them. This is most people’s idea of God, but when we read the Bible, we get a totally different story. Instead, we see a God who humbled Himself to serve His creation; He took on human flesh to personally identify with us. He went even further, humbling Himself not only as a man but as the most humble man who ever lived, not just compared to His former self but according to our own standard, to the point that His creation despised Him. We who know His humility believe He is the Savior of the world, and when we add His divinity to His humility, we see better just how far He condescended to our level that He could relate to us. This level of servitude toward mankind has translated to lifting His throne in heaven to ever greater heights. (245n) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> Spirit realm superimposed upon the natural realm >> The spiritual manifesting into the natural – The Bible suggests the concept of superimposing the spiritual realm over the natural realm, for instance Jesus the Son of God coming to visit mankind in human flesh. Paul crafted his words to show that God superimposed human flesh over His Son as one would clothe himself with a garment. In this way both realms simultaneously coexist just as every person has a body and a spirit, so they are virtually indistinguishable (252c) Trinity >> You shall put no other gods before Me >> Worship Jesus (Because He is equal with God) >> Jesus is worthy of our worship >> Worship Jesus for what God made Him through suffering – There are many religions that use the Bible to justify their beliefs, though they deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, such as the Jehovah Witnesses, the Mormons, and the list sadly continues indefinitely. How could these religions deny the divinity of Jesus Christ with Bible passages that speak so plainly about Him? How could He have all the characteristics of God and even be equal with Him, yet not be God? What do they do with verses like this? They must distort it through gross misinterpretation; or perhaps they simply choose to ignore passages like this and hope they go away. This is not one of their favorite verses. Why would they want to make Him smaller? We would think the bigger our Savior the better, because it would directly reflect on us with greater importance, but they seek importance apart from God. When they devalue the cross of Christ, they devalue their own salvation by stripping Jesus of His divinity. (253a) Trinity >> Relationship between Father and Son >> Jesus is equal with the Father >> Jesus has all the external qualities of the Father >> Son has equal authority with the Father – Jesus was God in human flesh. He emptied Himself of infinite power, authority and omniscience and took the form of a bondservant and was made in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself from God’s right hand and became a lower servant than any of us. Trying to measure Christ’s humility as an absolute value starting from the peak of infinity to the lowliest man is incomprehensible. If an all-powerful God did that for us, why can’t we humble ourselves a little and at least try to serve each other? Jesus obeyed His Father and for that reason raised Him from the dead and returned Him to His former position after He defeated all His enemies. Now He has a higher status in heaven than he had before the cross. Essentially, God elevated Himself through humility, so that even His enemies must confess Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of the Father. (253h) Trinity >> Relationship between Father and Son >> Father and Son glorify each other >> Father and Son represent each other Phi 2,5-8 (210b) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Jesus is our sacrifice >> Jesus goes to the cross willingly KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2-6,7 (232j) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the kingdom >> Embrace (Jesus during the storm) >> Things not to embrace Phi 2-7 (37h) Jesus Emptied Himself (Key verse) Phi 2-8 (4m) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> Disciples are chastened by the Lord – In most cases the Scriptures that refer to disciples being chastened by the Lord are pointing at us who need it, but in this case it is referring to Jesus, who didn't need it, but experienced it so He (God) can better understand what we go through. He was not actually disciplined by the Lord, but tortured for all those before and after Him who endured horrible experiences at the hands of men, accidents and crippling diseases that brought great pain, so we know that He knows how we feel. (99b) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> Enduring the will of God >> Enduring the death of your flesh (244j) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> Literal manifestation of God’s word >> His cross is the manifestation of truth Phi 2,9-11 (46j) Judgment >> Spiritual warfare >> Demons are subject to Christ (47j) Judgment >> God judges the world >> Eternal judgment against unbelief toward Christ (66a) Jesus Is Lord (Key verse) (66a) Authority >> Lordship of Christ >> He is Lord over all creation >> over life and death (67l) Authority >> Jesus delegates authority >> Name of Jesus is above every name (113k) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> The anointing >> Resurrection power (150f) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness of Jesus >> Confessing Jesus >> Confessing Jesus as the son of God KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2-12,13 (101h) Thy kingdom come >> Ambition >> Be an ambitious businessman for God >> Managing God’s business – As Christians we are separate from the world as a peculiar people (1Pet 2-9); we think about God in ways that are totally different from others. We know that God is very serious about all His commandments and requirements for us, and He also is very loving and generous and intends to bless us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, but He absolutely expects us to do His will. There are many people who are willing to go to heaven as disobedient Christians and face the loss of reward, but the Bible teaches that the Christian walk is squarely set upon the foundation of obedience; we are to zealously work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The Christian walk benefits us, but the Bible says that we do it first and foremost to glorify Him, and we become the beneficiaries of our faithfulness, and as a result we are not in bondage to sin. We became Christians through His mercy and sought freedom and received it through His grace as we applied His ability to our lives. (115k) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Workin g the grace of God >> Through obedience of faith >> Through diligence – Once God works His mercy into our heart resulting in heavenly salvation in the hope of eternal life, He then expects us to work His grace into our lives to effect our earthly salvation in hope of serving Him in the freedom of Christ. Most of us have seen the painting of the bearded, candlelit old man setting at the table with hands folded in prayer and a plate of bread before him and his glasses resting on the Bible. Bringing together the word of God and prayer is the very concept of the Spirit and the Word from an earlier subject. Prayer is the most spiritual thing we can do. The Bible places the Spirit and the Word together in the same context dozens of times, yet it seems no one notices. We are to work out your salvation with fear and trembling as He works in us. We are not to toil with just any good work but find our place in His will and do the works that He has prepared for us. These are the works that He is working in our lives. We are not to be like so many who sit on their hands waiting for God, for He is waiting for us. We are to work with Him according to the investment of grace that He has made in us, that His gift may not be in vain (2Cor 6-1). (228f) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> God working in you >> God is working in you to place you in His will >> To place you on the trail of good works – God is working in us to perfect the good works that He has prepared for us. Not only are these works predestined before the foundation of the world, according to Eph 2-10, He is also working in us to ensure they come to fruition for His good pleasure. For God to prepare a trail of good works for us without Him working in us to produce them would be in vain, for God has visualized a certain path for our feet, and we cannot walk on it without His grace. In Eph 2-8,9 Paul says that we partake of an eternal salvation by grace through faith, and that by this same grace He saves us in this life and in the life to come. That is, salvation is a two-part process; we are saved for the sake of heaven and we are also saved in this life, for God considers our temporal life in the flesh just as important as our future life in eternity, so much that this life will largely determine the quality of our experience in heaven. If a person gets saved but never works with God to be saved from his sins, he may lose his faith, which is the basis of his eternal salvation. Phi 2-12 (88j) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God causes repentance – People often quote this verse, yet it seems a difficult statement. It sounds as though we are on our own, that we are to work out our salvation by ourselves, but Paul reminded us that God is working in us; so we are not left to our own devices. Another aspect of this verse that is confounding is that we must do it with fear and trembling, yet other passages tell us not to be afraid. Paul is talking about the fear of God here, having reverence for God, like the fear of an electric saw that doesn’t want to hurt us, but it will if we stick our fingers in it while the blade is moving, so if we don’t blatantly break God’s commandments, we have no reason to be afraid of Him. This concept of working out our salvation with fear and trembling is in reference to a very sobering thought: if we don’t obey the Lord, there are consequences. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2-13 (76j) Thy kingdom come >> Desires of your heart >> Desiring to do the will of God – We are eternally saved for the purpose of heaven, where there is no sin and where only righteousness dwells. How do we know we really want to go there if we don't practice righteousness? For us to say, ‘This is what I want,’ without demonstrating our interest by gaining victory over our sinful passions and desires proves nothing. God wants us to show Him that we want to go to heaven and live in a holy place by leading a life on earth that simulates our future experience. God’s primary goal for us in this life is to be free from the bondage of sin, though we will never be without sin in this life, and God has a whole lineup of good works that He wants us to practice throughout our lives, just as He will have for us in heaven. (86j) Thy kingdom come >> Obedience >> Be doers of the word >> Clothe yourself with the word of God >> Walk in the truth – Tit 2-11,12 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.” God has saved us to eternal life, but He has also called us to work with Him and to deny ungodliness and worldly desires. Our eternal salvation is based on God’s mercy, but our salvation in this life is based on His grace, and for this reason these two words: "grace" and "mercy" appear in the beginning of some epistles (1Tim 1-2; 2Tim 1-2; 2Jn-3). We should not confuse our eternal salvation with our salvation in this life. That is, we should not say that our works have saved us to eternal life, because they haven’t. Our eternal salvation is based solely on faith in God’s mercy, whereas God saves us from our sins in this life by His grace, giving us a whole new set of works that keep our hands and feet busy doing His will. (91a) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> God’s purpose for us is to fulfill His calling >> Walk in the anointing to fulfill God’s purpose -- This verse goes with verses 1-4. To be saved in this life without the salvation of eternal life is useless. Likewise, to be saved for eternal life but to continue in sin is equally useless. We serve a practical God who visited this natural realm in the flesh to live a practical life and then died for our sins. He lived as we do that we might live as He did. God is not interested in the virtual realm. He didn't merely visualize sending His Son to live in a body of sinful flesh to die for our sins, knowing He would have succeeded, and then call us to visualize our victory over sin without ever repenting; what good is that? He proved it by literally doing it, and so now He expects us to prove our faith to Him and our love for the brethren in this life in ways that are just as practical. See also: Suffering and Evil (God tests us in this life because the next life will be just as real); Heb 2-9,10; 103i (117h) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Eyes of your spirit >> Vision >> Real-eyes God’s purpose >> Understand God’s purpose for your life – As in the army, the private doesn’t decide on his own initiative to invade a territory, but the order must come from his superiors. It is not his call; the private is just awaiting orders. Similarly, if we are not obeying the Holy Spirit, we are just doing our own thing. There are many Christians today doing their own thing, calling it obedience, but they didn’t receive orders from God, because they never developed the hearing ear. As a result they are doing all kinds of strange things in His name, calling it Christianity. Part of receiving orders from God is reading the Bible, and the other part is listening for the Holy Spirit through prayer. The Bible is God's word in the past, and the Holy Spirit reveals what He is saying now. Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches” (Rev 2-7), stating this seven times within the context of endtime prophecy, so the more time elapses, the more this statement becomes relevant. According to the Bible, we receive instructions from the Spirit through prayer. See also: Hearing ear (God's plan of protection in the last days); Jn 16-13; 111c (229d) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Kingdom grows by itself >> God causes the growth >> Kingdom grows according to the will of God – God is like an artist who mentors His students. The student makes a line down the paper, and it seems all wrong, so he crumples the paper and throws it in a corner, and looks at the new blank sheet and then at his mentor. The mentor says, ‘The last drawing could have been salvaged.’ With sincerity of heart and genuineness of faith God can make anything of us; He can create anything in us. He can create a work of art that will make others stand back and admire. We look at the chalk in our hand and wonder how we did it. It is a miracle, not the image on paper, but the tapestry of righteousness and truth in us from God that will follow us into eternity, which we will use forever as confidence that we can accomplish anything He calls us to do. If we achieve something in the weakness of our flesh, how much more will we achieve in heaven with the power of God dwelling in our resurrected bodies? For this reason we must be patient with our brothers and tolerate them, for He is working in them in similar ways that He works in us. Even a child can produce a work of art, like the preschooler said to her teacher as she drew a picture of God with the teacher standing over her, criticizing, “How can you draw a picture of God; nobody knows what He looks like.” The little girl retorted, “They will in a minute!” He sees the picture in our heart and He will help us develop an image of Himself for all to see. He can make from our work things that will touch people in ways that only He can. See also: God is human; Col 2-10; 44e (247b) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> God is interested in His people >> God is interested in our spiritual health (255e) Trinity >> Holy Spirit’s relationship between Father and Son >> God’s word is Spirit >> God is Spirit KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2,14-16 (9b) Responsible >> Prevent being blamed for something you did not do >> Prevent the appearance of evil (33a) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> Believers are children >> Children of light (42b) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> Blameless before men (98b) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> Rooted deeply >> Plant the word deeply in your heart – When the storms blow and we remain steadfast, there isn’t much more we need to prove to God, because we have already passed the ultimate test. When the storm comes, do we have the strength of heart and steadfastness of faith to remain where God has planted us? Some trees grow in precarious places, such as in a dry riverbed; it is the most likely place for its roots to find water, but eventually a flood will come and the tree won't have a chance of survival, so the best place to be planted is not always the easiest place to grow. (155k) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of salvation >> You will know them by their fruits >> You will know them by their good deeds >> Good works that prove we belong to Christ (165c) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> The world is at enmity with God >> The world is wicked Phi 2-14,15 (28f) Gift of God >> God is our advocate >> Protects us through our walk >> Wise conduct (41k) Blameless (Key verse) (42f) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> Innocent of all evil – While we are encouraging one another in the consolation of love and the fellowship of the Spirit with affection and compassion, doing all these things in a spirit of unity, do it also without grumbling or disputing. Don’t mix poison in the stew, for a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. Rather, we are to prove ourselves blameless and innocent as we are in our spirit. We are to be examples for each other how a Christian should conduct himself “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.” What is a Christian? Our life should answer that! If we are lights in the world, how much more are we lights in the Church? Paul makes no bones about it; this is the same world that Jesus was nailed to a cross and bled to death to heal it. (250d) Priorities >> God’s prerequisites >> Sequence of priorities >> In all things ... >> Be innocent of all Evil Phi 2-14 (158b) Works of the devil >> Essential characteristics >> Divide and conquer >> Strife >> Grumbling Phi 2,15-17 (179h) Works of the devil >> Practicing witchcraft >> Wolves >> False prophets >> Prophesy truth with an evil motive Phi 2-15 (112f) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Light >> Obeying the truth in broad daylight >> Church’s deeds in the light Phi 2-16 (45a) Judgment >> God judges us for not judging ourselves >> Preparing for believer’s judgment (56a) Paradox >> Lose by gaining >> Gain your idea of wealth to lose God’s wealth (100g) Thy kingdom come >> Diligence in studying the Bible (170k) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Vain effort >> Effort frustrated by failure (194a) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Run to God >> Run the race that is set before us (226c) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Rewards of the Kingdom of Heaven >> Reserved in heaven >> God crowns us with glory for sharing our rewards – Paul was very much concerned about the faithfulness of the Church because he didn’t want to run or toil in vain. If the Church fell away from God, he would feel there would be nothing to show for all his work; the saints would not be in heaven, nor would there be anyone to reminisce stories and compare versions of situations they experienced together. However, God would not ask Paul to invest his life, soul, sweat and tears into a Church that didn’t bear fruit, so in a sense Paul’s concern was an empty one. God is big enough to keep His people in the faith. Whatever God called Him to do, Paul had His promise that it would bear fruit, and he was faithful in his ministry, guaranteeing fruit on his end, and we have the same promise from God about our ministry. (232h) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the kingdom >> Embrace (Jesus during the storm) >> Hold to the word of God – If it were easy to believe in Jesus, Paul wouldn’t need to tell us to hold fast the word of life, but we know the storms of life can be very severe, and so we cannot underestimate the need to hold fast. When times are easy, we might get away with setting down the word of God for a time and then coming back to it (another word for this is “backslide”). If we return to the word, no harm is done, but people who wander can go astray and lose their way altogether. Paul would not advise anybody to stray but hold fast the word of life, because storms can arise quickly from seemingly nowhere. It can potentially be balmy one minute and the next, dark and ominous. That first gust of wind has been known to uproot some of the most steadfast trees, but God is able to make them stand. (255a) Trinity >> Holy Spirit’s relationship between Father and Son >> God’s word is Spirit >> Spirit of the word >> Words of His Spirit are life KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2,17-20 (130g) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Committed to caring for the needs of the body >> Caring for spiritual needs Phi 2-17,18 (14b) Servant >> Servants expend themselves to please God (123i) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love >> Spiritual affection >> Being in love with the body of Christ >> Emotional situations (125c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Joy >> Joy is the result of investing in the kingdom >> Investing in a life of adversity – Paul had great joy in the sacrifice of himself for the faith of the saints as a drink offering that was poured on the ground for the sacrifice and service of their faith. People in prison feel their lives wasted, each minute disintegrating their flesh a little more. Most are in prison for the crimes they committed, but Paul was in prison for the righteousness he preaching in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. His drink offering amounted to wasted years in prison, but they were not wasted, for God used him in any circumstance, because his heart was trained on Him. He knew others would see his faith and see his attitude that he was counted worthy to suffer shame for the gospel, and it encouraged others to faithfully serve God. He brought encouragement even as far as us, believing in times of adversity centuries later with the hope that the Church would increase both spiritually and numerically. Phi 2-17 (37k) Judgment >> Jesus emptied Himself >> Now it’s our turn (42k) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Conform to the glory of Christ’s death – Paul was allegorically speaking about himself as a drink offering that was being poured on the ground as though wasted. In the eyes of the world the life he chose for himself was pointless and useless, but to those who believed in Jesus, his life was a blessing and essential to the life of the Church as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Note that Paul’s attitude about his sacrifice was joyful, which is the opposite of religion. Religious people who sacrifice themselves for their manmade beliefs are masochistic by definition, and the only joy they have is when they stop, but Paul’s joy even while people were afflicting him was a blessing in that his suffering was helping to establish the Church in the true doctrines of the faith. God can use any and every aspect of our lives so long as we dedicate ourselves to Him. He uses the good and the evil, the good we do and the evil others do to us, to convey His gospel. (44l) Judgment >> Transformation process >> Fulfill your ministry >> Make sacrifices (189b) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Holy sacrifice >> Holy offering – The irony of a drink offering is that nobody drinks it; they just pour it on the ground, offering it to the Lord. To the unbeliever it is wasted, but to God it was offered to Him. All the rules and regulations of old covenant temple worship were given through Moses; they weren't contrived by the capricious volatility of human thought but were based on obedience, making them holy to the Lord. The same goes for us; we are not to choose for ourselves what we will do with our lives in attempt to please the Lord, but we should seek God until we discover His will, so our service to Him is not from human imagination but from obedience, making our path through life holy to the Lord. The difference between old and new covenants is that Israel obeyed God through Moses who lived and died centuries earlier, whereas we obey the Holy Spirit who speaks directly in us about His general and specific will. See also: Obeying the Holy Spirit; Heb 3-5; 90l (236a) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> All things are for your sake >> We are fighting for you >> Our suffering is for your sake Phi 2,19-30 (72f) Authority >> Transferring authority >> Receiving the delegated authority of men (123h) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love >> Spiritual affection >> Ministry of the saints >> Caring for each others needs Phi 2,19-25 (14j) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers Are Indirectly In Charge Of The Word >> They have the heart of the one who trained them (72m) Authority >> Hierarchy of authority >> Authority makes you accountable >> Children are accountable to their parents – Many people make grandiose claims about their faith yet practically show no interest in the things of God, demonstrating their lack of faith, which is disbelief cloaked in religiosity. Paul battled with halfhearted Christianity in his day too, but the difference is that our easy-believism is based on doctrines we have devised over the centuries through our interpretation of the Scriptures, whereas in Paul’s day it was pure rebellion against the known truth. This passage speaks of Paul’s fondness for his fellow workers, Epaphroditus who was a devout Christian, and Timothy, saying that he was like a son serving his father. Paul loved Timothy, and it was reflected in his letters to him, for he had a genuineness of faith that crowded out all interests and concerns other than Christ, so Paul could trust him with his life, and so these character traits were very important to Paul. Phi 2-19 (14l) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers fill in the gaps >> Messengers help in communications -- This verse goes with verse 25. Paul was like so many gang leaders in prison who conduct their business on the sly inside the big-house through an intricate web of communications. The authorities do what they can to prevent their connectivity from penetrating the prison walls, but the process is difficult to thwart. Like in the computer field, there are billions of bits of information that stream through the computer’s processor, but it only takes a single bit to make a major decision. Likewise, people in prison develop sign languages, and all it takes is a single gesture to signal their intent, and the team of messengers is sent, the command passed and the order executed. The same thing was happening in Paul’s day; he was in prison and was communicating with his fellow saints with whatever messaging system they had devised, and if the authorities caught them, they just devised a more sophisticated method, and when he found favor with the guards, he didn’t need a secret communication system. (139a) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Encouragement >> Our brothers encourage us in our adversity – Paul told the Philippians that he would send Timothy to them to learn of their condition, and of course Paul’s great hope was that he would find them serving the Lord with a whole heart. This was enough encouragement for him to joyfully endure a prison sentence involving years of solitude and other besetting afflictions. He could go through anything so long as the Church was stable and growing in the things of God, but to discover the Church faltering was too much for him to bear, making his suffering seven times worse, causing his wounds to fester. Then he would feel his own soul declining before the fledgling Church had a chance to be grounded in the faith, making his sacrifice in vain. Paul felt personally in charge of the Lord’s Church, not knowing when He would return. Paul was trying to prepare the Church for a long night, even as he waited in his jail cell, and it has been 2000 years and counting, but that day is drawing near now, and the waiting is almost over, and when He comes, it will be that much more glorious, because of the wait. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2,20-30 (7c) Responsibility >> Protecting the gospel >> Defending the word of God >> Protecting the men who carry the gospel – The Philippians were one of the more mature churches noted in the New Testament, still Paul detected deficiency in their faith and service to God and His people. Paul was talking about Timothy when he said, “For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, and not those of Christ Jesus.” Epaphroditus contracted an illness and came close to death, yet he continued serving the Lord, pushing through his sickness until his healing came. Phi 2-30 says, “He came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.” In contrast, he said a couple chapters later, “At the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone” (Phi 4-15), the Philippian Church. Timothy was the only man Paul knew and trusted with his whole heart. It was not easy to gain Paul's trust, and it must have been difficult to work with him, but then again, it wasn’t always easy for the disciples to follow Jesus, because of His deep love and personal commitment to God. (11k) Servant >> Paul’s example of God’s standard – Jesus was Paul’s standard, and Paul was Timothy's standard, who was the only man to come close to Paul's expectations of what it is to be a Christian. Who genuinely cares about the Church in our generation? People are more interested in exploiting the gospel than preserving it for future generations. Paul was nearly unwilling to take anything from the gospel, not even to supply his own needs. He wanted every ounce of available resources to go to the Church, but it seems the Church today doesn’t have the same attitude, and those who advocate prosperity teachings are the most overt about this. Timothy was a servant at heart; his primary aim was to protect the gospel, and his secondary aim was to protect and serve Paul, yet Paul was a greater servant than Timothy, like Jesus, in that he didn’t tell Timothy what to do but showed him. Phi 2-20,21 (55m) Paradox >> Lose by gaining >> Lose God’s will to gain your own will -- These verses go with verses 3&4. When we think how self-centered the vast majority of Christians are today, and compare them with the Church of the first century and with Paul’s standard, imagine how disappointed he would be in us, and then imagine how disappointed Christ must be in us as a people and as a church. To be fair, not all Christians are like this; there are some who are truly committed to the faith, and they are a breath of fresh air. The darker it gets the brighter their light shines, and sadly they are never rewarded for their faith in Jesus among their fellow brothers and sisters, who scarcely serve the Lord? The only legitimate reward they have for all their faith and commitment to Christ is their hope of eternal life. (96m) Thy kingdom come >> Having a negative attitude about sin >> Having an attitude of greed – If having no genuine interest in the things of Christ was prevalent in Paul’s day, imagine how prevalent it is in our present age of apostasy. In this me-oriented generation of ours, the Church has conformed to the world instead of to the will of Christ. The only time the Church supposedly obeyed the Lord was during the days of the original apostles. The Church historically was said to have remained obedient to Christ to the third century, prior to the formation of the Catholic Church. However, Paul mentioned that Timothy was the only one of kindred spirit during the so-called most spiritual time of the Church. Cutting the Church some slack, though, many people seem to be immensely concerned about the things of the faith, but if Paul said this to the Philippians, a highly mature church, then it also pertains to us, only seven times more. These were not the Corinthians, who had a reputation of self-centeredness, but the Philippians; even they were too selfish to see past their own interests. (167b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Carnality/Secularism (mindset of the world) >> The carnal mind is set on the flesh >> Carnal mind cares only for itself -- These verses go with verses 3&4. Paul struggled with disobedience and rebellion in the first century. Even then, Paul had a difficult time finding people of kindred spirit who were genuinely concerned about the welfare of the Churches. Therefore, how much more difficult is it to find someone of kindred spirit in these last days, which is struggling under apostasy? They all seek after their own interests and not after the interest of Christ. There were only a handful of people that Paul truly trusted to accurately reflect the heart of God for the sake of the people. Paul had a reason for telling them these things; they were lacking in the characteristics of giving and caring for the needs of the body; they grumbled and disputed with each other instead of encouraging one another in Christ and fellowshipping in the Spirit. (169k) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Seeking the glory of man >> Stepping on people to get to the bottom >> Ignoring Jesus to satisfy your flesh (197b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Spiritual laziness >> Rebelling Against what God wants you to do >> Refusing to take on responsibility -- These verses go with verses 29,30 (247j) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> God’s interests are not man’s interests – Paul felt almost alone in his concern and love for the Churches, knowing that after his departure, “savage wolves will come in among [them], not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29), which is exactly what happened. Shortly after the apostles fell asleep the Church took a terrible turn toward Catholicism and never looked back or again fully served the Lord. Of course no one can speak of the faithfulness of individuals and small groups throughout history, but the Church as a whole has not served the Lord for nearly 2000 years. Instead, they have allowed faith to morph into religion, and they used their religions to stiff-arm God and as an excuse to fight wars and muddy the name of the Jesus Christ. These problems have always persisted in the Church, but in these last days, falling away from the faith is more pronounced than ever, because of materialism and the ease of living and all the distractions of a technological society, having turned people mad with pride and arrogance, which has replaced faith in God. All these things have contributed to the falling away of the saints in the last days. Paul had a very high standard, no doubt, but he needed to give the Church a good sendoff and show how important it was to live a devoted life for Christ. Phi 2-20 (78d) Thy kingdom come >> Sincerity >> Taking God to heart >> Having a genuine heart – It is unlikely Paul was easy to please. He wrote about mature Christians who thought only about themselves. Is this even possible, since “mature” and “selfish” are opposites? If so, then there are many highly mature Christians who think only about themselves in our generation. We know about Paul's commitment to the gospel when we look in the book of Acts and see his drive. He had seen the Lord with his own eyes glorified and sitting at the right-hand of God. Paul testified that Timothy was just as committed to seeing the saints happily serving the Lord, yet the people themselves showed little interest in these things, at least not according to Paul’s standard. Not even the other apostles could approach the level of Paul’s commitment, who managed to evangelize the entire known world at the time, and he did more to lay down the doctrines of the Church through his many epistles. Yet, there was no jealousy or competition recorded between Paul and the other apostles in the accomplishments he achieved in establishing many churches. This shows the level of commitment they all had to the faith. (247e) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> Concern >> Concerned about your well being -- This verse goes with verse 28 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2,22-30 (130e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Committed to caring for the needs of the body >> Committed to holding up one another -- These verses go with verses 3&4. Epaphroditus had a servant’s heart; he saw the need and he ran to meet it. Paul’s complaint to the Philippians was that they lacked passion. The difference between a helper and a passionate helper may not seem like much, but it conveys an attitude and an emotional state that has its roots in the spiritual realm. People who love the Lord have a passion for service, and it was this love of God that Paul sought. Passion is akin to zeal, and zeal is a byproduct of obeying the Holy Spirit. Paul could use the help, but what he really needed was the security of trusting those around him. He could let down his guard and there was potential for spiritual fellowship, which is the joy of Christianity, sharing our faith with others. It confirms in us the things we believe and adds encouragement that, just as the Holy Spirit dwells in us, so he dwells in others. This shows that the Church is in good health, properly functioning, and it communicates that we are not alone in a world that hates God, but we are among brethren who love God just as we do, and their passion proves it. Phi 2-22 (142j) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Witnesses of Jesus >> Having a reputable ministry >> A reputable ministry of helps -- This verse goes with verses 29&30 (236i) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Invest in the treasures of the kingdom >> Invest in the gospel -- This verse goes with verse 30. Talking about the proven worth of Timothy, he served alongside Paul like a child serving his father. Paul had a fond affection for him because of his faith toward God, his love for others and his service regarding the ministry. Paul's band of helpers was indispensable in reaching the known world with the gospel, being hardly a one-man job. Paul needed a lot of help, and he got it from those who dedicated their lives to Christ, many of whom Paul mentioned in his epistles. Perhaps more than anything, Paul needed encouragement, like we all do. Encouragement is like hope, and without hope all that remains is discouragement, and we cannot continue in a state of discouragement for long. Paul reached many people with the gospel, but his enemies relentlessly persecuted him, who didn’t understand what he was doing. The encouragement that people like Timothy and Epaphroditus contributed to Paul was essential to his success, this band of faithful servants, who are gifts to any ministry. Phi 2-23 (215k) Sovereignty >> God controls time >> Suddenly >> Working quickly Phi 2,25-30 (73c) Authority >> Respect your leaders >> The ministry to the saints – One of the benefits of being such a servant as Paul was to have a ministry of helps surrounding him, not that Paul felt he deserved it, but he needed help. He was an apostle and a preacher of the gospel, and he went around establishing churches, and it was a lot of work. Without help Paul could not have accomplished what he did. The ministry of helps in our day is about helping the pastor, who needs a healthy construct of people around him who ambitiously help with the work of the ministry to the saints and are willing to take up the slack and do some of the things that need to be done, and this is exactly what Epaphroditus was doing for Paul. Phi 2-25 (14l) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers fill in the gaps >> Messengers help in communications – This verse goes with verse 19 Phi 2,26-28 (24b) Sin >> Poverty (Forms of fear) >> Anxiety >> Fear of losing the fruits of your labors Phi 2-26,27 (145ea) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself >> Healing >> Those who were not healed Phi 2-26 (76k) Thy kingdom come >> Desires of your heart >> Desiring to be among the people of God Phi 2-27 (188j) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Sorrow >> Grieving over your own loss >> Grieving over your loved ones – No one enjoys the death of a good man, leaving us here with one less person to help us muddle through this life. Paul wrote about Epaphroditus, who was one of Paul’s faithful helpers. He needed lots of help reaching the known world with the gospel of Christ, and good help was hard to find. Some people do a good job sometimes, but we prefer help who are always faithful. Paul could have used many people like him to lighten the load. Many of them were messengers operating a low-tech communication system that ran on two legs and loyal dedication. In the heat of Paul’s ministry he laid hands on the sick and they recovered, among other methods of healing (Act 19-12), but toward the end of his ministry miracles, signs and wonders dried-up. The ministry of healing was for showing God’s approval on His evangelists and for getting people’s attention to hear the word; and as Paul aged, his ministry faded and so did signs and wonders, regressing to a case-by-case situation, though there were always sick people. God wants us walking by faith. Phi 2-28,29 (125g) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Joy >> Joy is the result of unity -- These verses go with verses 1-4 Phi 2-28 (247e) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> Concern >> Concerned about your well being -- This verse goes with verse 20. Paul sent Epaphroditus to encourage the Philippians in the faith, so he would be less concerned about their welfare. Paul was always concerned about the churches; in fact, it was one of the tortures of his soul that he named in 2Cor 11,23-28. He viewed the churches as his investment in this life. Rich people call their stock broker and ask how things are going, read the Wall Street Journal to get a feel for the market, trade stocks, constantly tweaking their investments, always on their minds. Our heart is our investment, as Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mat 6-21). The Church was in Paul's heart, though it belonged to God, yet Paul acted as a steward, and he was given authority to manage the Lord's affairs. God entrusted Paul to keep the Church so long as he lived in the flesh, sought to improve its overall spiritual health, made it more robust, encouraged its confidence and increased its faith. So long as Paul was alive, no one could harm the Church; being its overseer, he would go after hirelings like a mad dog. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Phi 2-29,30 (4e) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> Being accountable in your stewardship (10f) Responsibility >> Keeping order in the Church >> How to behave toward leadership (13j) Servant >> Support the body >> Bear one another’s burdens (43d) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Conform to the ministry of Christ’s church (56d) Paradox >> Opposites >> humble yourself to be used of God -- These verses go with verses 3-11 (95i) Thy kingdom come >> Attitude >> Having an obedient attitude >> Attitude of a servant -- These verses go with verses 1-17 (99m) Thy kingdom come >> Perseverance >> Persevere in ministering to the body of Christ (130k) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Accept one another >> Love tears down social differences in the Church (142j) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Witnesses of Jesus >> Having a reputable ministry >> A reputable ministry of helps -- These verses go with verse 22. There were a handful of people surrounding Paul that helped him. Some went ahead of him to till the ground in preparation to receive the gospel, and some remained behind to help the Church grow physically and spiritually. They had a heart for the Church like Paul, and they were few in number. Most of the saints, as also in our day, were concerned about themselves too much to be of any use to Paul and his team. Paul reminded the Philippians that there were needs just as important and often greater than their own, that if they tended to them, God would tend to theirs. Paul had to throw them a little guilt to remind them of their lack of commitment to Christ, that there was more they could do help advance the gospel by helping him minister to other churches. The Philippians had their flaws, but they were overall a healthy body of believers, for Paul was able to speak to them on a mature level. (197b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Spiritual laziness >> Rebelling Against what God wants you to do >> Refusing to take on responsibility -- These verses go with verses 20,21 Phi 2-30 (44d) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Complete >> Finish the course – Epaphroditus had gotten sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him and he got well and continued serving the Lord in the capacity of a messenger and a minister to Paul’s needs. He risked his life to complete what was deficient in the Philippians, being a serious rebuke, and keep in mind the Philippians were a mature church; Paul had very little negative to say about them, compared to the Corinthians, yet no one was helping him. Paul basically reached the known world with the gospel; so when we think about the world having heard about Jesus, it was largely due to Paul. He didn’t do it single-handedly, though; there were eleven other apostles who also went into the world making disciples, and there were many more besides them. They didn’t do it alone; they had a lot of help. Paul had physical needs, emotional needs and spiritual needs, and Epaphroditus had a ministry of helps, who aided Paul in these areas. The Philippians were used to Paul doing all the giving, being a seemingly endless supply of spiritual sustenance, like a perpetually flowing artesian well. It gave the illusion that Paul was totally self-sustainable and never needed any help from anybody, but this was simply not the case. He had needs like everybody else. (138d) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Reproof >> Reprove your brother in the right spirit – Paul brought the gospel to the Philippians at the risk of his own life and was not bashful about reminding them of the sacrifices he made on their behalf. This was a cloaked rebuke from Paul to the Philippians about this man Epaphroditus. He was sick, and the Philippians were concerned about him; they didn’t want to lose him as a brother and fellow servant. He performed a service even in his sickness that others of the Philippians should have done, but nobody stepped to the plate to take his place. The Philippian Church was a faithful people, yet Paul still had reason to rebuke them for their lack of service. (236i) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Invest in the treasures of the kingdom >> Invest in the gospel -- This verse goes with verse 22 See next page