Philippians
An expository study through Paul's letter to the church at Philippi.
What would you expect to read in a letter from a prisoner? You wouldn’t be surprised to read some justification and a few defensive arguments. Some complaining about the situation and circumstances wouldn’t shock you either. You wouldn't raise an eyebrow if it was full of self-pity.
What about joy? What if the whole letter was filled with rejoicing, joy in the circumstances, and even some encouragement for you to rejoice? That might get your attention.
That’s what we find in Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. Paul is in prison because of his faith. The guy with unbelievable zeal to take the gospel to the ends of the earth is confined in a cell with no freedom to move.
Paul writes this letter to share his joy with one of his favorite churches. He is rejoicing in all things. Yes, all of them. And he wants us to rejoice as well. In all circumstances. In all situations. No matter what.
Sermons
Intro to Philippians
May 1, 2022 | Pastor Ky Martin
As we begin our journey through another new book of the Bible, it can be helpful to first stop and get some background information on it before we dive in. Philippians is a letter that the apostle Paul wrote from prison to a church he had planted in Philippi, which was a Roman colony...
A Love that Grows and Flows
May 8, 2022 | Pastor Lance Shumake
Paul loves to pray for his people, and we see him pray for his people in Philippi in verses 9-11. But when Paul prays it’s not for the temporal or the physical, the here and now. Instead, he prays concerning the ultimate things. Paul prays that he wants you to grow in your knowledge of God, to understand how wide and deep and high God’s love is...
Don't Call It a Setback
May 15, 2022 | Pastor Lance Shumake
The specific way Paul was imprisoned at the time (chained to a Roman guard), allowed him to share the gospel with each guard that was assigned to him. Paul knew that this was an opportunity rather than setback in advancing the Gospel -- not in spite of the chains, but because of the chains...
Rejoicing through Kingdom Advancement
May 22, 2022 | Pastor Ky Martin
Paul loves to pray for his people, and we see him pray for his people in Philippi in verses 9-11. But when Paul prays it’s not for the temporal or the physical, the here and now. Instead, he prays concerning the ultimate things. Paul prays that he wants you to grow in your knowledge of God, to understand how wide and deep and high God’s love is...
In a Strait Betwixt Two
May 29, 2022 | Scott Sutton
Understanding Paul's joy can be found in the central statement of our text this week, "to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”Paul's predicament is not that he is in prison for preaching the Gospel, it is that he has two possibilities in front of him: life or death. And “the straight betwixt two”, the reason that he is so hard pressed between those two options, is that both are incredibly good options to him!
Citizen Soldiers
June 5, 2022 | Pastor Lance Shumake
In its original text, Paul called the Phillippian church to “act like citizens worthy of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27a.) He is pointing them to the fact that they belong to a higher kingdom, and their lives should be a reflection of that.
Taking the Low Road
June 12, 2022 | Pastor Lance Shumake
How we treat each other really matters. Jesus said, “as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” Then he told us that we show the world a picture of how God loves us by how we love one another. In our passage this week, Paul shows us what it looks like to live this out...
Everyone has to Work
June 19, 2022 | Ky Martin
Too often in the church, we have been taught that any time we sense or start to question feelings of fear in regard to whether or not we are saved, that we should shut it down and assume those thoughts are from Satan. But the reality is that the Bible encourages us to do just that...
Everyone has to work...without grumbling
June 26, 2022 | Scott Sutton
There is a bigger reality for Christians that tempers our discontentment. When we encounter undesirable circumstances and situations, what is most important is not that we voice our disapprovals and frustrations, but that we keep working.
Everyone has to work... in community
July 3, 2022 | Cole Edwards
In this selection of Scripture we see Paul telling the Philippians of his plan to send Timothy to them. And then we see Paul’s expressed hope to go to Philippi as well. That’s what’s going on here. Just a nice practical passage, just a bit of pedantic record keeping. But this passage sits within a broader context of the entire letter and with some careful work we can see yet another example in Scripture about the importance of true community among Christians.
Role Model
July 10, 2022 | Pastor Lance Shumake
The challenge that Paul gives the church in how they are to approach each other and live is the same for us. He says five things about Epaphroditus that we can apply to how we approach each other...
Rest in His Work
July 17, 2022 | Brad Cardwell
So far in Philippians (chapters 1 and 2), Paul’s tone has been one of thankfulness and encouragement. But in chapter 3, his tune changes. He begins using some harsh language because the truth he’s sharing and the warning he’s giving are extremely important to him...
Press On
July 24, 2022 | Pastor Lance Shumake
Paul reminds us that the Christian life is a lot like running a race. If you’re alive, you’re still in this race.We are all still running, not one of us is perfect – we all still have work to do. The Christian race isn’t a spectator sport. It’s designed to be run...
Who Will We Imitate
July 31, 2022 | Pastor Ky Martin
In our text this week, Philippians 3:17-4:1, Paul gives (1) a command to imitate himself and other like-minded leaders (v.17); (2) a warning for those who imitate enemies of the cross (v.18-19); (3) a teaching that our citizenship is not of this world (v. 20); and (4) a promise that Jesus will bring us to our true home (v.21)...
A Recipe for Peace
August 7, 2022 | Pastor Lance Shumake
And we have everything we need for peace—not because we are awesome, but because of the work of Jesus...
Whatever
August 21, 2022 | Pastor Lance Shumake
Nearing the end of his letter, Paul seems to be giving the church in Philippi his last and best advice that he knows how to give. It’s as if he knows it might be the last time he will be able to instruct them, and he wants to be sure to tell them the most important things he thinks they’ll need to know for living a life that follows Christ. Paul is speaking here about the importance of our thought life. What we think about shapes who we are and reveals itself through our actions....
You Can Do It
August 28, 2022 | Pastor Ky Martin
We see Paul in prison and we would think he would be asking someone to help him, but Paul is saying, “No. I have everything I need right here, because Jesus is enough.” That is Biblical contentment.
Generosity
September 4, 2022 | Scott Sutton
When we're worried about how much money is in our bank account, or the things we don't have, or what might happen... it doesn't leave a lot of room for generosity. Removing unhealthy worry for ourselves creates more room for very healthy concern for others...
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