Sermons

Partners in the Gospel - Philippians

This May and June we have a new sermon series through the book of Philippians, titled Partners in the Gospel. In the first century AD, when this letter was written, Philippi was a large, pagan city with very little Jewish presence, and a deep loyalty to the Roman Empire. A small church began there (see Acts 16), but the surrounding people and culture were hostile to the gospel. They even rioted and locked Paul up when he visited. But Paul writes to this small church, under pressure though it is, with joy and thankfulness in his heart, to encourage them and spur them on. He describes the church in Philippi as partners in the gospel with him:

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:4-5, NIV)

His words are not just for the leaders of the church, but ‘To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons’ (1:1b). We are all partners in the gospel, not just the leaders.

Partners in the gospel, according to Philippians, share together in:

• The Benefits of the Gospel – Together they share in the grace of God, and the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ (1:7, 11)

• The Work of the Gospel – They support Paul’s missionary work (2:25, 4:14-16) and strive together for the gospel (1:27).

• Suffering and Glory – Our great hope is to share in Christ’s resurrection life, even persisting through suffering in a Christlike way (3:10-11).

• Joy, Affection, Concern for each other – Paul and the Philippians show concern and affection (2:20, 4:10, 1:8) for each other. Indeed Paul ‘has them in his heart’ (1:7). They have many reasons to rejoice (at least 8 times!)

• Prayer – They pray regularly and joyfully and thankfully for each other (1:4, 9, 19).

• Peace – They have peace with God and peace with each other (1:2, 4:7, 4:9).

As we read through Philippians together, I encourage you to reflect on your partnership in the gospel. How does the gospel shape your life and encourage you as a Christian, alongside your fellow-partners at Ormond and beyond?