Sermon Tone Analysis

Fellowship meal

We are familiar with that term aren’t we?

We gather together for a common meal together, everyone brings something great to share with each other and we all walk away, full, fat and happy.

We enjoy the time together (expand on this)

Fellowship simply means: “To have in common”

As Christians we have something in common “Jesus Christ.” it is much deeper than the meal we share or the desert we go out for, or coffee we may have.

Today as we start a look at the book of Philippians which I call this series “Book of Joy” it starts with the fellowship of the gospel.

I want to give a little introduction into the book, but not long for I want to get to the message.

It was written by Paul (Php1:1)

Written from prison (Php1:12-13)

Believed to to be written about 60-62AD

Recipients: Saints, overseers, deacons in Philippi

Reason: to thank them (Php4:10-18); to give them update (Php1:12-26) and to exhort them (Php2:1-4; 4:2-3)

So now I called this “book of Joy” so how can we increase our joy?

First, unless a person has turned their life over to Christ as both Lord and Savior they do not know about the fellowship of the Gospel.

(Php1:5)

And unless they have Christ there is no fellowship of the Spirit (Php2:1)

And then there is no understanding, no acceptance regarding the fellowship of His suffering (Php3:10)

See to have increasing joy, to have the fellowship of the Gospel is more than having name in church directory, more than coming to a building we call the church.

We don’t need to be in a building sharing a common meal to have fellowship.

We can from Lockett TX to Fort Dodge because we have a common Lord in who we have fellowship.

Paul had fellowship with the church at Philippi while he was in prison in Rome.

They had spiritual fellowship that was real, that was satisfying and was filled with joy.

Paul gives three thoughts in the passage before us today.

He has them in his mind (vv.3-6)

He has them in his heart (vv.7-8)

He has them in his prayers (vv.9-11)

I.

In His Mind

What’s on your mind?

What do you allow to occupy your thoughts?

To Paul let’s see what he has on his mind.

First it was wanting them to have peace, God peace’s and the Lord’s peace.

He is Paul in prison, had been chained to praetorian guard and he is thinking of them.

He is awaiting trial, possible death, but is thinking of them.

(Act16:37)

Beaten in humiliation

Thrown in prison without cause

Then wanting to send away secretly without a trial

It was through Paul’s suffering, that the praetorian guard was saved.

(Act16:25-34) - summarized

Midnight, Paul, Silas praying and praising and people were listening (v.25)

Then comes a great earthquake (v.26)

THe results a jailer ready to kill himself but Paul cries out for him to not do it (vv.27-29)

The best results were the conversion of the jailer and his family (vv.30-34)

It was proof of the furthering of the gospel came through the fellowship of suffering for Paul, for Silas and the coming to the Lord for the guard and his family

On his mind people like

Lydia, the seller of purple cloth that responded to the gospel (Act16:14)

A teenager name Eutychus who fell out a window (Act20:19)

Or Aquila and Priscilla (Act18:26ff)

On his mind in every prayer (v.4) for you all (in Texas it is y’all) he was all inclusive for all people there.

Why?

They participated in the Gospel from the first day (v.5)

Something to consider: Am I the type of Christian that brings joy to people and that people would think of?

The participation in the Gospel could be:

Financial fellowship (1:5; 4:14-19)

Spiritual fellowship (2:12-13)

Then there is

God’s work for us - Salvation

God’s work in us - Sanctification

God’s work through us - Service

And we know He is faithful to complete the work until the work is done (Php1:6; 1Jn3:2)

Finished work with fabulous results

So, real joy, in spite of any circumstances is the work that Christ is doing in us and through us daily.

So he had them in his mind, but he also had them in his heart

II.

In My Heart

It is possible to have someone on your mind and not in your heart.

Paul’s heart was connected with the hearts of the people in Philippi.

It is love, Christian love that binds them together.

Christian life that came because of death to self and life in Christ where we passed from death to life.

(1Jn3:14)

Love keeps everything flowing, everything operating, as it should.

Paul’s love is evident because of his willingness to suffer on their behalf.

(Eph4:1; Php1:12-13)

A prisoner of the Lord who did it for a reason

For the furtherance of the gospel, greater progress.

May our love abound like this that we want no matter what a greater progress for the gospel.

Paul longs for them

this is not like longing for sleep, this is a longing deep in your heart.

It is the love of God that is down deep in your heart that has to work in you and through you by the Holy Spirit given to you

It was not a one way love, they loved Paul and had send Epaphroditus to Paul to minister to Paul.

who became ill, almost to the point of death (Php2:25-28) - their love was more than words it was actions (1Jn3:18)

Its a love that is is fervent and forgiving (1Pt4:8)

It is love that produces joy (Gal5:22)

So he has them on his mind, he has them in his heart, and then comes he has them in his prayers.

You want to increase your joy? Increase your thoughts of others, increase you heart for others, increase your prayer for others!

III.

You Are In My Prayers

Joy in memories, in thoughts, joy in evident love for them and they for him and now in remembering them when going to the throne of God to the throne of grace.

No longer did anyone have to carry the ephod with the names of the tribes over the heart.

He carried them in his heart and in his prayers to the Lord now, praying for one another.

A prayer for abounding love, more and more)

See they had exampled love for Paul by participating in the Gospel, and Paul exhorts them through prayer to love more and more.

A prayer for real knowledge and all discernment

Real knowledge bringing real maturity and gives all discernment so if anyone tries to feed you anything different you are not easily persuaded.

A prayer for a purpose

In (v.10) so that (expand on so that’s briefly)- the intended results being approve the things that er excellent so you will be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ (think back to Php1:6) He is faithful so we can be faithful.

Sincere love is - unadulterated, pure, unmixed according to the Latin definition.

May our lives be lived in such a way that we are constantly ready, daily ready to be standing before our maker (2Cor5:10; 1Jn2:28)