This final chapter of Philippians is centered around celebration through all of life's seasons and changes. As a church Paul has visited before and helped to establish, he was intimately acquainted with the church of Philippi’s members, and their various passions and personality traits. Paul knew of cases of discord and contempt and verse 2 deals with one particular case head-on. He reinforces his plea for unity from chapter 2. After dealing with the family business and getting all the leaders back on the same page, Paul begins the address of Celebration.
CS Lewis writes, “joy is the serious business of heaven”. The life of a Christian ought to be a life marked by exuberance. Verses 4-8 are Paul’s practical instructions to live lives of celebration. In the Philippian and greater ancient roman world, anxiety was simply a way of life. Many had learnt to go about their days in fear of offending one of the gods while trying to please another. People lived in a society ruled by fear. We can see the same in our society today. Paul’s writing offers wisdom that has withstood the test of time and is as relevant to our 21st century needs and worries as it was the first day it was heard: Pray. Paul encourages, “Don’t fret or worry, instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns…. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life (v. 6-7)”.
Be Careful what you allow your mind to be filled with. “I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise; not things to curse (v8).
Paul fully knew and understood the challenges facing the young church at Philippi, he himself was dictating this letter while under watch through a prison guard. However, he sums it all up in this – “I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am (v 13). In examining the brief history between Paul and the Philippians alone, one can extract that Paul was a joy-filled friend – but that this statement was learned with the deepest of wisdom and written with the firmest of convictions.
Paul closes his letter to his loving friends at Philippi the same way he opened it – filled with gratitude and thanks. As a prisoner and missionary, he was dependent on their generosity to sustain his life. Their generosity was a beautiful gift to him, “like a sacrifice with a beautiful smell, a worthy offering, bringing glory to God” v 18. Paul was not just grateful for the financial sum of money the church provided him, but the gift came with friendship. Historians have studied and believed that the church at Philippi was the only church that continued to support Paul after he left. Many churches gave sacrificially and financially at the beginning, but it was the continued generosity of the Philippians which filled Paul with joy and thankfulness.
As a church, when we continue to give, we continue to take part in the miracles of God in our midst.
Q: How can we “take every thought captive” and model verse 8?
Q: Throughout this study of Philippians, in what specific way do you see the ancient church and the modern church working hand in hand? Similarly, what can we learn from the church at Philippi?
A: as a group, take time to pray the declaration of verse 13 over each other.
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