Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Our Partnership

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Intro: My sermon today is not the one I had intended on preaching.

I had another outline prepared to put in the bulletin that was from the fourth chapter of Philippians, but when I began reading the first chapter to get the feel of where the apostle Paul was coming from that led him to write chapter four, I saw or maybe, God showed me some truths that jumped out at me.

Truths that you and I both need to hear, to know, and hopefully act on.

Intro: My sermon today is not the one I had intended on preaching.

I had another outline prepared to put in the bulletin, but when I began reading the first chapter of Philippians to get the feel of where the apostle Paul was coming from that led him to write chapter four, I saw, or maybe, God showed me some truths that jumped out at me.

Truths that you and I both need to hear, to know, and hopefully act on.

This is one of those sermon, where the speaker may need it more than the listeners, but much of it I sure we all need.

In life we often get sidetracked by the world, by religion, and by tradition to the point that we end up off the path God has laid for us.

When this happens it explains why things don't go as God would want and we would like.

There's no doubt in my mind that God's plan for His church, and His specific plan for this church, is a good and workable plan.

It's a plan that will bring glory to Him and good to us.

But it will never accomplish its goal unless we know it and practice it.

In life we often get sidetracked by the world, by religion, and by tradition to the point that we end up off the path God has laid for us.

When this happens it explains why things don't go as God would want and we would like.

There's no doubt in my mind that God's plan for His church, and His specific plan for this church, is a good and workable plan.

It's a plan that will bring glory to Him and good to us.

But the plan will never accomplish its goal unless we know it and put it into practice.

What stood out to me about this chapter is that Paul didn't view his relationship with the church at Philippi as a pastor/Congregation relationship, or as a leader/follower type relationship, but rather as a partnership.

He considered the members of the church as being co-workers.

They were fellow followers of the Lord Jesus.

They were one body, seeking to obtain the same goals and accomplishments.

What stood out to me in the first part of chapter one is how Paul didn't view his relationship with the church at Philippi as a pastor/Congregation relationship, or as a leader/follower type relationship, but rather as a partnership.

He considered the members of the church as being co-workers.

They were fellow followers of the Lord Jesus.

They were one body, seeking to obtain the same goals and accomplishments.

What does a partnership mean?

According to the dictionary it means, a relationship resembling a legal partnership and usually involving close cooperation between parties having specified and joint rights and responsibilities.

What does a partnership mean?

According to the dictionary it means, a relationship resembling a legal partnership and usually involving close cooperation between parties having specified and joint rights and responsibilities.

It may not be good math, but sometimes when you add one and one together you come up with a sum that is much greater than 2. When the work of Paul and the work of the Philippi church is added together, you come up with more than the sum of what either one could do by themselves.

You come up with a number that is infinite.

There is no limit to what a body can do when it's put together correctly and functioning properly.

It may not be good math, but sometimes when you add one and one together you come up with a sum that is much greater than two.

When the work of Paul and the work of the Philippi church is added together, you come up with more than the sum of what either one could do by themselves.

You come up with a number that is infinite.

There is no limit to what the body of Christ can do when it's put together correctly and functioning properly.

I think this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" ().

I think this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" ().

We (the church), will be able to do greater works than Him because He goes back to the Father.

He is here alluding to His ascension after His resurrection.

He said in , " Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.

But if I go, I will send him to you."

We (the church), will be able to do greater works than Him because He goes back to the Father.

He is alluding to His ascension after His resurrection.

He said in , " Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.

But if I go, I will send him to you."

The Holy Spirit lives in every believer.

empowers every believer, and calls every believer to be partners in the work of the gospel.

together.

Consequently, we as the body of Christ can do more than Jesus could living in His physical form.

The Holy Spirit lives in every believer.

empowers every believer, and calls every believer to be partners in the work of the gospel.

Consequently, we as the body of Christ can do more than Jesus could in His physical form.

He can do more through us, who make up the body, when we purposely partner up with someone else.

Of all the New Testament people, Paul understood this better than any of them, and here in the book of Philippians he explains it.

He can do more through us, who make up the body, when we purposely partner up within the body.

Paul understood this, and here in the book of Philippians he explains it.

In verse one we see that he addresses his letter to everyone in the church at Philippi, elders, deacons and all the saints of the church.

And in verse three we see the bond between him and the saints at Philippi.

To say that the Christians are the saints means, therefore, that the Christians are different from other people.

Where does that difference lie?

READ TEXT:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

In verse one we see that he addresses his letter to everyone in the church at Philippi, elders, deacons and all the saints of the church.

To say that the Christians are the saints means, therefore, that the Christians are different from other people.

But where does that difference lie?

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

William Barclay, in his commentary, points out the significance of Paul addressing his people as saints in Christ Jesus.

He writes, "No one can read his letters without seeing how often the phrases in Christ, in Christ Jesus, in the Lord occur.

In Christ Jesus occurs forty-eight times, in Christ thirty-four times, and in the Lord fifty times.

Clearly, this was for Paul the very essence of Christianity.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

"In Marvin R. Vincent commentary, he says that 'when Paul spoke of the Christian being in Christ, he meant that the Christian lives in Christ as a bird in the air, a fish in the water, the roots of a tree in the soil.

What makes Christians different is that they are always and everywhere conscious of the encircling presence of Jesus Christ.'"

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

William Barclay then adds that "when Paul speaks of the saints in Christ Jesus, he means those who are different from other people and who are consecrated to God because of their special relationship to Jesus Christ—and that is what every Christian should be."

In verse one we see that he addresses his letter to everyone in the church at Philippi, elders, deacons and all the saints of the church.

And in verse three we see the bond between him and the saints at Philippi.

To say that the Christians are the saints means, therefore, that the Christians are different from other people.

Where does that difference lie?

Do you see yourself this way?

Do others identify you as being different because of your relationship to Jesus Christ?

We must be different to be a light on a high and salt to the earth.

William Barclay, in his commentary, points out the significance of Paul addressing his people as saints in Christ Jesus.

He writes, "No one can read his letters without seeing how often the phrases in Christ, in Christ Jesus, in the Lord occur.

In Christ Jesus occurs forty-eight times, in Christ thirty-four times, and in the Lord fifty times.

Clearly, this was for Paul the very essence of Christianity.

What did he mean?

In Marvin R. Vincent commentary, he says that when Paul spoke of the Christian being in Christ, he meant that the Christian lives in Christ as a bird in the air, a fish in the water, the roots of a tree in the soil.