Sermon Tone Analysis

A work in progress

Philippians 1:1-11

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints *in Christ Jesus* at Philippi, together with the overseers  and deacons:

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

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.

8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.

1.

The Work is assigned

a.

The Work is assigned to Paul & Timothy

b.

The Work is assigned to the saints in Philippi

c.

The work is assigned to the overseers and deacons

d.

The church in Philippi is his favorite!

e.      Paul doesn’t need to pull rank as an apostle

f.        Fondness is a result of the clear direction of the Holy Spirit in guiding him to Philippi

g.       Fondness may be a result of their appreciate of his message, even though there were few Jews

h.

Fondness is in appreciation for their support of his ministry

2.       The work is not completed

3.       We are partners in the work

a.       Claims to be a servant

                                                               i.

Letter is being sent by Epaphroditus

                                                             ii.

Epaphroditus was a slave sent as a gift by the Philippians to serve Paul

                                                            iii.      Epaphroditus became very ill, to the point of death

                                                           iv.

Epaphroditus also became very homesick

                                                             v.

Paul was sending this letter back with Epaphroditus

                                                           vi.

His claim to be a servant would ease Epaphroditus return to the church

b.      Partners in Holiness

c.       Partners in the Gospel

                                                               i.

Defending (external threats)

                                                             ii.

Confirming (internal threats)

d.      Partners in grace

                                                               i.

Grace is offered to all!

                                                             ii.

The story in Acts tells of 3 converts in Philippi

1.       Lydia, a very wealthy, powerful woman

2.       A demon possessed girl (dust of the rabbi)

a.       Dust of the Rabbi

b.      Spirit of divination

c.       Compared to temple to Apollo

d.      Handsome price for futures compared to the process at the temple of Apollo!

3.       The Jailer: a middle class Roman worker

e.      Partners in suffering

                                                               i.

Paul was beaten in Philippi

1.

Because of the demon possessed girl

2.

Even though he shouldn’t have been because he and Silas were both Roman Citizens

3.       The church in Philippi observed how he handled being beaten

f.        Partners in Christ

                                                               i.      in Christ Jesus, in Christ, in the Lord is very frequent statement by Paul

                                                             ii.

These three phrases appears in Paul’s writings 132 times

                                                            iii.

To be a Christian meant:

1.

As a fish is to the water

2.       As a bird is to the air

3.       As the tree roots are to the soil

4.       Without Christ, the Christian dies!

                                                           iv.

We are to be living in an atmosphere of Christ

1.       Sensing the Holy Spirit in us

2.       Living in such a way that brings glory to God

Barclay says: “So, then, 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 is possible for every Christian, and that /is/ what every Christian should be.

4.

The work leads to holiness

a.       Paul prays that they will grow in:

b.       Love

c.       Knowledge

d.      Insight

e.      Discernment

f.        Purity

g.       Blameless

                                                               i.

Can have two meanings:

1.       Without fault

2.

Not making another stumble

h.

Filled with the fruit of righteousness

i.

To bring glory and praise to God