After a workout this week, I was finishing up a leadership podcast about what they called “pre-decisions.” This is the idea to make choices ahead of time to maximize time management and to help make better choices. It was stated that your outfit choice and meals can also be “pre-decisions.” The example of choosing daily snacks ahead of time was used to show how it can save you from choosing the donuts in the break room. While listening to this podcast I started thinking – “I already make some pre-decisions … I should start implementing more of that idea.” Then he said the word, “donuts” and my mind immediately flipped to, “Oh, donuts sound good right about now. I could stop by Wal Mart…no, I am not going to do that. Choose a heart healthy snack, Gary!”
Pursuing the right mindset can be hard work! It is filled with sacrifice and self-denial, but the fruit we reap is always connected to the seeds we plant! It is crucial that we pursue a thankful mindset.
WARM GREETINGS (1:1-2)
Background. The Philippians were poor, but also very generous (II Cor. 8:1, 2). We also learn later in this first chapter of the book, that they were experiencing persecution (1:28-30) and some contention among the church family (1:27). The book of Philippians is most likely written during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, referred to in Acts 28:16, 20, 30-31.
Purpose of writing.
1. To thank the church for their generous financial gift that Epaphroditus brought to them…
2. To express his love for them…
3. To urge them to live a life that follows Jesus Christ...
4. To warn them of how the Judaizers were teaching legalism in some of the other churches (even though such false teaching had not found its way to them at that time).
5. Unlike other Pauline epistles, this letter includes no mention of doctrinal errors
From Paul and Timothy. This indicates Timothy was with Paul during his Roman imprisonment. Mentioning Timothy makes sense since he was with Paul when the church in Philippi was established, and it indicates Timothy had a loving memory of their time together. This does not mean that Timothy helped write this letter as Paul uses the pronoun “I” and not “we” throughout the letter.
To all the believers in Philippi, including the bishops and deacons. The Greek word for bishops here means “inspector, overseer, guardian.” This name was given to the ministers of the gospel (the pastors) because they embraced or were appointed to this type of care over the churches. The name deacons means “ministers or servants” in the Greek. A study of Acts 6 reveals the first appointment of deacons in the New Testament church and the duties assigned to them.
A mixed congregation. This greeting ends with “grace be unto you, and peace, from our God and Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is believed that having used this greeting indicates there were Greeks, Jews, and Romans within the congregation. The Greek salutation was “joy” (which is akin to the Greek word for grace). The Roman salutation was “health” and this word was the intermediate term between grace and peace. The Jewish salutation was “peace.” We should also note that grace came to make it possible to find genuine peace.
Last Tuesday morning, the first thing my wife said to me was, “Happy Anniversary.” It was my 1st anniversary of surviving a heart attack. When I rehearse that morning in head, I am genuinely drawn to thanksgiving. I am thankful there was an ice storm that morning that kept me home a little longer. I am thankful my wife skipped her regular workout at the YMCA that morning. I am thankful my wife got me to the ER. I am thankful I was on the table in the procedure room when I went into V-Fib…twice. I am thankful for advancing technology that literally shocked me out of those “deadly rhythms.” I am thankful for my family that surrounded me and helped in my day-to-day recovery and two more hospital stays. I am thankful for my church who supported me and my wife with prayer, meals, and taking care of things around church. I am thankful for God’s mercy and grace! What thankful recollections do you nurture from the everyday struggles you face?
THANKFUL RECOLLECTIONS (1:3-8)
Whether it be due to their generosity towards Paul, or the things he had seen or heard about them, Paul was drawn to thankfulness every time he thought of them (v. 3). It is interesting to note that Philippi was the place Paul and Silas were unjustly thrown into jail, but Paul is expressing a thankful mindset for these people!
Thankful for their faithful fellowship in the gospel. This refers to the commonality they shared via the gospel and how that commonality continued to mature, specifically with acts of generosity towards Paul, since the day they got saved. (v 4-5)
Thankful that they are secure in Jesus. (v. 6)
Thankful the Philippians accepted, defended, and willingly suffered for the sake of the gospel. (v. 7)
His thankfulness is genuine and deeply personal. (v. 8) In the Bible, the word “bowels” used here referred to the region of the heart and lungs. Much like today, that region was referenced as the seat of love or affection. Paul was using the strongest and most tender phrasing possible to say he loved them with a Christ-like love.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER (1:9-10)
This intercessory prayer is born out of Paul’s thankful mindset. When we spend our time complaining about people, we spend little time praying for them. Notice that the nature of Paul’s intercessory petitions are spiritual:
Paul prays for their love to grow with greater intelligent affection (“knowledge”) – versus a blind affection –grounded on a growing understanding of doctrinal and practical truth. Application: This would be their love for God, their love for others, and basically, their love for the world. This is a high priority prayer request for us all!
Paul prays for excellent spiritual decisions and no unnecessary offenses.
I used to have a neighbor that had a very proud mindset. If you had a bike, his was better for 5 different reasons. If you were cutting the lawn, he would tell you why his way of cutting lawns was better.
Some will go as far as to reason, “that is just who I am…it is how I was created. So, there is no changing me.” Well, if you mean that you were born a sinner, then you are correct (Rom. 5:12, 19)! However, God has something far greater for you and me than a faulted mindset that is bent with pride, stubbornness, or ingratitude. The truth is, we all pursue a specific mindset (i.e.- success driven, victim mentality, self-pity mindset, or Christ-like, etc.).
To what does your mindset draw you? Are you drawn to complaining or rejoicing … gossip or truth … anger or patience … envy or humility … hatred or love … bitterness or forgiveness? A thankful mindset will impact all the other areas of your life. It is crucial that we pursue a thankful mindset.