Wednesday
Evening Bible Study
October 10, 2002
Introduction
Paul is writing to a church that was established in difficult times. Paul
himself is in the middle of a hugely difficult time.
And oddly enough, the theme of this little letter is “joy”.
:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh
the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may
hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving
together for the faith of the gospel;
only – monon – only, alone, but
as becometh – axios – suitably, worthily, in a manner worthy of
the gospel – euaggelion – a reward for good tidings; good tidings; the glad tidings of the
kingdom of God
soon to be set up, and subsequently also of Jesus the Messiah, the founder of
this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the term comprises also the preaching
of (concerning) Jesus Christ as having suffered death on the cross to procure
eternal salvation for the men in the kingdom of God, but as restored to life
and exalted to the right hand of God in heaven, thence to return in majesty to
consummate the kingdom of God; the glad tidings of salvation through Christ;
the proclamation of the grace of God manifest and pledged in Christ; the gospel
let you conversation be –
politeuomai (“politics”, from polis – “city”) – to be a citizen; to administer civil affairs,
manage the state; to make or create a citizen; to be a citizen; to behave as a
citizen; to avail one’s self of or recognise the
laws; to conduct one’s self as pledged to some law of life
The concept of “citizenship” was an important one to Philippi.
Philippi was a Roman colony, and its citizen’s were
Roman citizens. Being
a citizen came with certain responsibilities and benefits. Paul was also a Roman citizen, being born in
another Roman city, Tarsus.
The issue of Paul’s Roman citizenship came into play in the city of Philippi. After he and Silas had been beaten and
imprisoned, Paul exercised his rights as a Roman citizen, and it scared the
city officials:
(Acts 16:37-39 KJV) But Paul said unto them, They
have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and
have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily?
nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us
out. {38} And the serjeants
told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that
they were Romans. {39} And they came and besought
them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
This is not the usual word translated “conversation” (anastrophe) which we usually translate “conduct”, or “manner of
life”.
This word is about citizenship, that we are citizens of the gospel,
citizens of heaven. We could translate
this, “only live as citizens, as is worthy of the gospel …”
If you study the flow of Paul’s thought, he tells us two things that
demonstrate correctly that we are living as citizens of the gospel.
First, our unity.
Second, not being afraid of our enemies.
be absent – apeimi – to go away, depart
ye stand fast – steko – to stand firm; to persevere, to persist; to keep one’s standing
one – heis (neut.) – one
spirit – pneuma – the third person of the triune God,
the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son; the spirit,
i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated; the rational spirit,
the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides; the soul; a spirit,
i.e. a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and
possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting; the
disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one; a
movement of air (a gentle blast)
one – mia (fem.) – only one, someone
mind – psuche – breath; the soul; the seat of the feelings, desires, affections,
aversions (our heart, soul etc.)
striving together – sunathleo (“with” + “to engage in a contest”(athletics)) – to strive at the same time
with another
Lesson
Living worthily
We aren’t citizens of Rome, we
are citizens of Heaven.
Sometimes we aren’t the best examples of the gospel:
Illustration
In San Jose, California,
Luke Goodrich was burning garbage out back of his home and that is against the
law. But worse, while Luke was burning
this garbage, the fire got away from him.
It spread over a hundred acres. It took six helicopters and 400
firefighters to put it out. Luke Goodrich is the captain of the San
Jose fire department.
Associated Press 9-10-90
But when we have a life that demonstrates Jesus, it is powerful stuff.
Illustration
As newsman Clarence W. Hall followed American troops
through Okinawa in 1945, he and his jeep driver came
upon a small town that stood out as a beautiful example of a Christian
community. He wrote, “We had seen other Okinawan
villages... down at the heels and despairing; by contrast, this one shone like
a diamond in a dung heap. Everywhere we were greeted by smiles and dignified
bows. Proudly the old men showed us
their spotless homes, their terraced fields... their storehouses and granaries,
their prized sugar mill.”
Hall said that he saw no jails and no drunkenness, and
that divorce was unknown in this village.
He was told that an American missionary had come there some 30 years
earlier. While he was in the village, he
had led two elderly townspeople to Christ and left them with a Japanese
Bible. These new believers studied the
Scriptures and started leading their fellow villagers to Jesus. Hall’s jeep
driver said he was amazed at the difference between this village and the others
around it. He remarked, “So this is what
comes out of only a Bible and a couple of old guys who wanted to live like
Jesus.”
Lesson
The importance of unity –
Citizenship 101
Paul says that one way we demonstrate our citizenship in heaven is through
being of “one spirit” and “one soul”.
Unity is powerful stuff.
(Psa 133 KJV) A Song of degrees of David.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity!
It is good for people to be together in unity.
{2} It is like the precious ointment upon
the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to
the skirts of his garments;
The anointing oil was a picture of God’s Holy Spirit. The abundance of the oil, running down
Aaron’s head is a picture of the abundance that God wants to give us through
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
This abundance is somehow tied with unity – our hearts
being together.
{3} As the dew of Hermon,
and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD
commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Dew is refreshment.
It waters. It makes things
green. This comes from unity.
My wife has been reading a book called, “Agape Leadership” by R.C. Chapman, a pastor and teacher back in 19th
century England. He has a couple of great quotes about
“unity”:
“Pride nourishes the remembrance of injuries: humility forgets as well as forgives them.”
“When mutual intercession takes the place of mutual accusation, then will
the differences and difficulties of brethren be overcome.”
“Humility is the secret of fellowship, and pride the secret of division”.
We’ll be talking much more about this connection between
humility and unity over the next couple of weeks (see Phil. 2:1-11)
Lesson
The right kind of strife
Paul tells the Philippians to “strive together”.
Often in the church, we find our selves striving with each other – and
that’s not what Paul is talking about.
He’s talking about putting our energies into preaching the gospel.
:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries:
which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and
that of God.
terrified – pturo – to frighten, affright; possibly derived from ptuo – to spit
The metaphor is of a timid or scared horse and from ptoew (ptoa,
terror). “Not startled in anything.”
adversaries – antikeimai (“against” + “to lie down”) – to be set over against, opposite to;
to oppose, be adverse to, withstand
People who have “lined up against” the Philippians.
Lesson
Serving Jesus brings trouble
We get this naďve idea that when we are serving the Lord,
that people will line up to congratulate us pat us on the back.
Though there will be some who may thank you, you will find that there will
also be folks who will oppose you.
Robertson: “Any preacher who attacks
evil will have opposition.”
an evident token – endeixis – demonstration, proof; manifestation
made by act; sign, evidence
perdition – apoleia – destroying, utter destruction; of vessels; a perishing, ruin,
destruction; of money; the destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell
salvation – soteria – deliverance, preservation, safety,
salvation; deliverance from the molestation of enemies; in an ethical sense,
that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation; salvation as the present
possession of all true Christians; future salvation, the sum of benefits and
blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy
after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal
kingdom of God.
Paul is saying that their lack of fear was a proof of their salvation:
(Phil 1:28 NLT)
Don't be intimidated by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that
they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God
himself.
and that from God – (kai
touto) Idiomatic adverbial accusative.
“It is a direct indication from God. The Christian gladiator does not
anxiously await the signal of life or death from the fickle crowd” (Lightfoot).
God gives you the ability to handle the opposition.
Lesson
Not being afraid – Citizenship 102
One of the qualities that should set us apart from others is learning not
to be afraid.
There are two Bible verses that help me the most with this:
(Psa 56:3 KJV) What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
(Isa 12:2 KJV) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust,
and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is
become my salvation.
The secret to “courage” is “trust”.
We conquer fear through trusting in the Lord.
We see it demonstrated in David’s songs:
(Psa 27:1-5 KJV) A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the
LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? {2} When the
wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they
stumbled and fell. {3} Though an host should encamp against
me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I
be confident. {4} One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold
the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. {5} For
in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his
tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
(Psa 27:13-14 KJV) I had fainted, unless I had believed to see
the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. {14} Wait on the LORD: be
of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
We see it illustrated in the life of Peter:
(Mat 14:22-33 KJV) And
straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go
before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. {23} And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a
mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. {24}
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed
with waves: for the wind was contrary. {25} And in the
fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. {26} And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. {27} But
straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good
cheer; it is I; be not afraid. {28} And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if
it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. {29} And
he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the
water, to go to Jesus. {30} But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid;
and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
It was Peter’s fear that made him sink.
{31} And immediately Jesus stretched forth
his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore
didst thou doubt?
Jesus was saying that the answer to Peter’s fears was
faith, trusting in Jesus.
{32} And when they were come into the
ship, the wind ceased. {33} Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped
him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
We need to work at putting our eyes on Jesus and learning more and more how
to trust Him.
(Rom 8:37-39 KJV) Nay, in
all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. {38} For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
{39} Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Do we believe this?
Lesson
God wants to build confidence in us
We can sometimes be kind of timid about sharing our faith with others. We can come across almost apologetic at
times. But there is a great power in
what we share. The power isn’t in us, the power is in the message.
(Rom 1:16
KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Illustration
On July 15, 1986, Roger
Clemens, the sizzling right-hander for the Boston Red Sox, started his first
All-Star Game. In the second inning, he
came to bat, something he hadn’t done in years because of the American League’s
designated-hitter rule. He took a few
uncertain practice swings and then looked out at his forbidding opponent,
Dwight Gooden, who the previous year had won the Cy
Young award. Gooden wound up and threw a
white-hot fastball past Clemens.
With an embarrassed smile on his face, Clemens
stepped out of the box and asked Gary Carter, “Is that what my pitches look
like?” “You bet it is!” replied
Carter. Although Clemens quickly struck
out, he went on to pitch three perfect innings and be named the game’s most
valuable player.
From that day on, he later said, with a fresh reminder of how overpowering
a good fastball is, he pitched with far greater
boldness.
--
Craig Brian Larson, Arlington Heights, Illinois. Leadership, Vol. 12, no.
2.
I have this idea that sometimes we forget where the power is. It’s not in our own abilities. The power is in the Holy Spirit working
through us as we share the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ.
:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
it is given – charizomai – to do something pleasant or agreeable
(to one), to do a favour to, gratify; to show one’s
self gracious, kind, benevolent; to grant forgiveness, to pardon; to give
graciously, give freely, bestow; to forgive; graciously to restore one to
another; to preserve for one a person in peril
(Phil 1:29 ICB)
God gave you the honor both of believing in Christ and suffering for
Christ. Both these things bring glory to Christ.
(Phil 1:29 NLT)
For you have been given not only the privilege of
trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.
in the behalf of – huper – in behalf of, for the sake of; over,
beyond, more than; more, beyond, over
to believe – pisteuo – to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place
confidence in; of the thing believed; to credit, have confidence; to entrust a
thing to one, i.e. his fidelity; to be intrusted with
a thing
to suffer – pascho – to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible
experience, to undergo; in a good sense, to be well off, in good case; in a bad
sense, to suffer sadly, be in a bad plight; of a sick person
:30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me,
and now hear to be in me.
conflict – agon – an assembly,; a place of assembly: especially an assembly met to
see games; the place of contest, the arena or stadium; the assembly of the
Greeks at their national games; hence the contest for a prize at their games;
generally, any struggle or contest; a battle; an action at law, trial
An athletic or gladiatorial contest.
ye saw – eido – to see; to perceive with the eyes; to know; to know of anything
hear – akouo – to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf; to hear; to
hear something
The Philippians had seen Paul suffer while he was in Philippi
with them.
Paul had caused a controversy in town when he cast a demon out of a slave
girl that earned money for her masters by telling fortunes. The masters saw their profits disappear, and
wanted Paul dealt with.
(Acts 16:22-34 KJV) And the multitude rose up together against
them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
{23} And when they had laid many stripes upon them,
they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: {24} Who,
having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made
their feet fast in the stocks. {25} And at midnight
Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
The manner in which Paul had suffered in Philippi –
he’s singing praises at midnight.
{26} And suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately
all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. {27} And the
keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors
open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the
prisoners had been fled. {28} But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. {29} Then he called
for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and
Silas, {30} And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
The results of seeing Paul suffer:
The jailer had seen what the people had done to Paul. He now witnessed that Paul hadn’t fled when
he could have during the confusion of the earthquake. He wants what Paul has.
{31} And they said, Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. {32} And
they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
{33} And he took them the same hour of the night, and
washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. {34} And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat
before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
They now hear about his suffering in Rome
as well.
They are now being called to the same kind of suffering.
Lesson
Called to Suffering
This is certainly one “promise” of the Bible you won’t hear many people
trying to “claim”.
Yet suffering is actually good for us.
James wrote,
(James 1:2-4 NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall
into various trials, {3} knowing that the testing of your faith produces
patience. {4} But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect
and complete, lacking nothing.
Tough times make us stronger.
Jesus said,
(John 15:2 KJV)
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth
fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more
fruit.
Illustration
One woman writes,
A peach tree stands in our back yard. Unpruned, the tree
grew big and leafy. And it was loaded
with peaches, although the fruit was disappointingly small and tasteless.
The year he was out of work, Larry went to work on the
tree. When I came home from school one day and saw how far back he had pruned
it, I stared in shock. “You’ve killed
it,” I cried. “Now we won’t have any
peaches at all.”
I was wrong. That
spring the pruned branches burst forth with a beautiful blanketing of pink
blossoms. Soon little green peaches
replaced the blossoms. “Leave them
alone,” I begged. Larry ignored me and thinned the fruit.
By the end of the summer the branches were so heavily
laden they had to be propped up. And the
peaches—oh, how large and sweet and juicy they were. There was no denying it: the tree was far
better off for the painful cutting it endured under Larry’s pruning shears.
No one wants to go through troubles and suffering and
pain. But looking back, Larry and I can only say, “Thank you, Lord, for pruning
us. Thank you for teaching us to trust
you.”