PEACE!

The passage for January is Philippians 1:1-2:

    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

If you are new to this reading plan, follow the instructions on the right side of this page or click here to read the "Why Just One Letter" introduction article.

Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text (see the archive links on the lower right of this page for review). Today we will discuss...

PEACE!

 At the end of World War II the news broke like a bright light in the darkness, this photo of a newspaper from that time sums up the news in Three wonderful words.

In the same way, Paul ends this section that we have been studying for the month of January with the amazing proclamation that God the Father has declared PEACE to you by way of His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are times when our study of the Scriptures and the way we read them, becomes so commonplace and routine that we miss the weight of the Words that are right in front of our face. When we read that we have been given peace from the Father it should definitely be a "WOW!" moment. But, many of us seem to pass right by this groundbreaking word.

To put it into perspective, try to place yourself back to the day the newspaper above was first printed. Years had gone by in which loved ones were sent off to fight and many did not return. Years had gone by when the basic staples of life had been rationed with care. Years had gone by when uncertainty about the war's outcome loomed heavily on many people's minds.

BUT, then the words "PEACE! IT'S OVER" were splashed across the front page and you could breathe a little easier. Things weren't great again yet, but there was hope that great days were coming. Those words stopped people in their tracks and yanked a response out of their heart. I wasn't there, but I doubt there was much indifference that day.

In the same way, Paul wants to remind the Philippians - and you, Christ follower - that God has declared PEACE with us. Paul would say to us, remember the Years that had gone by when you had been at war, in rebellion to God. Remember the years in which you grabbed and grasped for satisfaction and fulfillment, security and happiness from the things of this world, only to be let down and unsatisfied again and again. Remember the times when you would be gripped with those thoughts of uncertainty, "If I died today, what would happen to me - to my soul?"

But, Paul reminds us, Jesus said the Words "FATHER FORGIVE THEM!" and "IT IS FINISHED!"
Paul wants us to remember that feeling when we first realized, recognized - BELIEVED that those words were for us, that peace had been declared for you and for me.
 
All of a sudden you could breathe a little easier. Things may not have been great in every aspect of your life yet, but there was suddenly hope that great days were coming. Do you remember when those words stopped you in your tracks? I doubt there was much indifference that day.

Before Paul gets into the meat of this letter, he wants us to let our hearts marinate in the comfort and excitement of who we are because of God's Grace and Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection.

As we study from here on, as the Word works on your heart, there will inevitably be calls for changes in your life. But never think about what you are called to do in order to live within God's design before you take your heart back to the Good news of grace and PEACE to you - TO YOU - from God Our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A couple more quick notes on Peace in the Christian life:
- WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD: First and foremost, we are given a peace with God. It's unshakable. Jesus bought it, nothing can take it away from those who are really His.

- WE HAVE PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER (in the CHURCH): Flowing out of our Peace with God, the Holy Spirit connects each one of us by His power and offers us peace with one another.
When Peace is not seen in the local body of believers or among Christians in a region or across the globe, it is almost always because we have allowed sin, selfishness or worldliness to drive a wedge between us. Each of us as individuals and we as a local church are at risk of allowing that to happen, so let's be on guard to protect the peace.

- WE ARE PEACEMAKERS: Jesus promised us in Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." and Paul encouraged us in Romans 12:18 "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." 
It is a worldly reflex to fight back when we are insulted, mocked or otherwise misused. Jesus and Paul are not calling us to be "Doormats" but if we look at how they were treated and if we remember that no servant is greater than his master, than we should at the very least have a gut-check that makes us carefully consider our physical reaction or verbal response. 
Also, we can see this as an area to steep our hearts in prayer about, so that whenever we enter into a new environment, a new conversation or a new exchange we can ask God to allow us to be gentle and peaceable and to bring with us an air of peace. In that way we can be proactive in changing things for the good of God's glory. 

- DO NOT ASSUME PEACE ON EARTH UNTIL JESUS RETURNS: Sadly, until Jesus returns, there will continue to be wars and rumors of wars. Until Jesus comes back, there will be back-biting and slander. Until Jesus comes back, loved ones and family members will break off from us because of our faith. Until Jesus comes back there will be violence of all kinds. 
The key for us is to remember that we are now free to respond to the war of this age with the weapons of love, generosity, compassion and patience.

As we reflect to unbelievers the peace that God brought to us, and as we share the real GOOD NEWS, then we pray that more and more of the lost will be found and that they will be able to read "PEACE! IT'S OVER" in regard to their war against God.  

Grace to YOU from the Father and the Son

The passage for January is Philippians 1:1-2:

    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

If you are new to this reading plan, follow the instructions on the right side of this page or click here to read the "Why Just One Letter" introduction article.

Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text (see the archive links on the lower right of this page for review). Today we will discuss...

Grace to YOU from the Father and the Son.

It is not an overstatement to say that if you do not understand GRACE, you don't understand the GOSPEL.

The Apostle Paul describes the Gospel as the POWER of God in 1 Corinthians. The Greek word that Paul uses for power is the same term from which we get the word dynamite.

If the Gospel is dynamite, Grace is the fuse. 

- When (IF) we begin to understand Grace, it sets off the explosive power of the Gospel to destroy the strongholds of sin, Satan and self, which blocked us from entering the presence of God.
- When (IF) we begin to live in the reality that we are Grace recipients, it sets off the explosive power of the Gospel to propel us up-and-out of the mire of the useless patterns of the world, into the joy and peace given ONLY to those who have been given a seat in the heavenly realms.  
- When (IF) we begin to understand the magnitude of God's Grace toward us sinners, it sets off the explosive power of the Gospel to shatter the barriers of our own self-righteousness that held us back in the past from reaching out to those we've wrongfully seen as too sinful for the Gospel.

Here in Philippians Paul writes about the "Grace to You" and when he says "you" he is talking about grace to you Christians - the church in Philippi. AND grace to you - individual Christian that is part of the body of the church.

God's grace to us ALWAYS starts at a personal level and instantly unifies us as part of the family.

If YOU haven't realized God's grace to you on a personal level, we have to start there. Do not move on until you understand this piece. If you miss it, you miss God.
Before God poured out His grace to you, your identity was that of a sinner, a rebel, an enemy of God and an object of His Wrath. "BUT, GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Again, your identity was that of a sinner, a rebel, an enemy of God and an object of His Wrath. But now, because of Grace, or what one pastor calls "God's One Way Love" You are forgiven, you are clean, you are righteous, you are an object of God's LOVE and a part of His family - FOREVER.

Forever. 

Embrace that truth today. If you have just done so, or if you have questions about what it means to live as a recipient of grace - a follower of Christ - please do not hesitate to call on the leadership or other members of this church to guide you toward the next steps in faith. 

Now, after you've embraced God's grace to you at a personal level, it instantly unifies you to be a part of the family.

We are not only to be known as a GOSPEL People, we should be remarkably different from the community around us because we are a GRACE People. In other words, the grace that we extend to others - outside of the family AND toward one another - should be one of the most compelling reasons that people have for drawing near to us and asking us more about our faith.

Finally, This Grace comes to us from God the Father AND the Lord Jesus Christ. This is important to remember.

The grace comes from the Father mainly from His choice before the foundation of the World to Save YOU. He chose you before you were born, before you had a chance to do anything that you could boast in on your own. Helpful texts to study about God the Father's grace to you in this way are Ephesians 1:4-5; Jonah 2:9; John 6:65; Matthew 11:27 and Ephesians 2:8-9.

The grace comes to you from the Lord Jesus Christ by way of His many works on our behalf:

• He came down out of Heaven for you. 
• He lived the life of perfect obedience in your place
• He died the death that you deserved to die and absorbed the Wrath of God for you in your place. 
• He conquered death and rose again as the proof to you that you will also be raised to new life.
• He sent His Spirit to live in you.
• He is interceding for you right now at the right hand of the Father. 

 So, as a grace recipient, walk today as a grace provider.
When someone wrongs you, Forgive.
          When someone hates you, Love.
                   When someone needs you, Give.

Who Are Overseers and Deacons?

The passage for January is Philippians 1:1-2:

    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

If you are new to this reading plan, follow the instructions on the right side of this page or click here to read the "Why Just One Letter" introduction article.

Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text (see the archive links on the lower right of this page for review). Today we will discuss...

Who Are Overseers and Deacons?

Most scholars read this as the two offices set by the Scriptures for the leadership and functioning of the church.

Overseers are sometimes also called bishops, or elders. In our church we call them elders, though you can also call them pastors.

There is much written about the overseers' qualification requirements, role and function in the scriptures. Most notably, 1 Timothy 3:1-13 talks about both overseers and deacons.

One pastor, Jeff Vanderstelt, of Soma Communities teaches that the bible calls elders to serve 1) Over, 2) Among and 3) Under the local church members and we can look at scripture to clarify that.

Elders serve OVER the flock: Obviously the term is "over"-seer. And while we live in a culture that bristles with the very mention of someone serving over us, the Scriptures put the weight of the office on the elder, not those being overseen. For one, elders are to understand that they will have to give an account to God for how they lead:

    "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account..." (Hebrews 13:17a)

Further, elders are instructed to utilize their leadership role for the good of the flock, not primarily for the good of the leader:

    "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly" (1 Peter 5:1-2)

Most importantly, Elders are encouraged to lead as ones who understand the value God places on His church:

   "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (Acts 20:28 ESV)

Elders serve AMONG the flock: The Apostle Paul speaks to the importance of church leaders to see and be seen by the church members in the everyday rhythms of life. What elders pass on to the next generation is more Caught than Taught. "Catching" what it means to be a follower of Jesus happens in life more than it does in pews.

Elders today can learn from the Example Paul left for the elders in Ephesus:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:18-21)

This is why Paul told Timothy to "set an example" for believers, not only to teach a class or not to even ONLY Preach the Word. It is by seeing/hearing Timothy's words/actions/reactions in the mess of life that new believers are more likely "catch" what it is to live as a Christian in a broken world.

    "...set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12a)

And Paul's words to the Corinthian church highlight two things 1) we should imitate the example of the elders who live among us 2) as the elders imitate Christ.

    "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Our ultimate example of elder leadership is Jesus himself, who Was and Is above us, yet was not above dwelling among us so that we could learn from him.


Elders serve UNDER the flock: Again, more than any fallible human, our primary example of this "Servant Leadership" is Jesus himself.We will quickly look at two of Jesus' clearest instructions in this regard:

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:12-17)

When we read the passage above, we see that Jesus taught with words, only what he first demonstrated with action. Again, this goes back to the "caught, not taught" idea. Also, we see that we (whether you are an elder, deacon our member of the church), we are blessed IF WE DO these things. Jesus never taught, just so we would have head knowledge on a subject. He always taught for heart change and life transformation. It is a foolish leader who knows what is right but does not put what he knows into practice.

The other important passage where Jesus highlights the "Under" shepherding role of a church leader comes from the gospel of Mark:

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)

Deacons are first mentioned in the New Testament in Acts 6:1-7. The deacons were first established to help care for the physical needs of the church, in order to free up the elders/overseers to devote their time to the spiritual guidance and leadership of the church - through preaching, prayer and the ministry of the Word. 

Ultimately, the term deacon is the same as the term servant. In that sense, as we discussed in the article about our servant identity, all of us, no matter what our official role - should look for ways in which we can serve or "deacon" our brothers and sisters in the local body. This could be through helping with meals when someone is ill, assisting someone in home or car repairs if you are skilled to do so, doing your part to help maintain the church building, etc.

But the official role of deacon is set aside with qualification requirements in the Bible (1 Timothy 3:8-13) and carries a level of responsibility that is not demanded of other members of the church.

In our local church family, we may in fact entrust more responsibility to those designated in the actual role of Deacons than what is seen in the New Testament example. The way we phrase this in our church constitution is "The deacons serve in whatever capacity they are needed as determined by the elders." (Article VII)

Two final points.
1) There is a biblical warrant for a plurality of leadership in any local church. The two strongest reasons that our family has elders (plural) are that 1) it is biblical, 2) it protects against the dangers of placing too much authority in to one person and 3) it is impossible for a church leader to survive under the weight of the office, if he works alone (for further reading on that point, please read Exodus 18:13-27.

2) The first part of Hebrews 13:17 is quoted above as instruction to the overseers. It would also be good for us all to keep in mind the flip side of the verse, which reads, the part that speaks to our submission to the leadership:

    Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17)

Remember that the leaders of your church are serving you for your good and God's glory. Do your part to help them continue to lead with joy, which will be to your advantage.

Who Are These Philippians

The passage for January is Philippians 1:1-2:

    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

If you are new to this reading plan, follow the instructions on the right side of this page or click here to read the "Why Just One Letter" introduction article.

Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text (see the archive links on the lower right of this page for review). Today we will discuss...

Who Are These Philippians?

Before reading this article, it may be helpful to do a quick read through of Acts 16 (here). Starting in Acts 16:9, we are able to witness the birth of the Philippian church. It begins with a vision given to Paul by God of a man asking Paul to bring the Gospel to Macedonia (the region that Philippi is in).

Paul had been trying to continue his church planting mission in Asia, but the Holy Spirit had been hampering his steps all along his planned route. Now, with this vision, Paul, Silas and others set off for Philippi.

SIDE NOTE: The longer you walk with Christ, the more you will discover that His plans do not always match yours. It is always better to walk in step with the Spirit, rather than push against Him with hopes of going in the direction you are comfortable with. 

As one pastor says, "Put your 'yes' on the table, and let God put your 'yes' on the map."

We see four main encounters in the rest of the chapter that give us a hint as to the early Philippian congregation.


LYDIA - Acts 16:13-15: Lydia is believed to be the first convert to the church in Philippi. What we know about her is that she was a "seller of purple goods" and that she had her own home - with no mention of a husband. Most scholars say that this means she was very likely wealthy and independent.  
We are also told she was a "Worshiper of God". Experts have debated whether this means that Lydia was Jewish or if she was what was called a God fearer. Either way, she was seeking to know and worship God.
Lydia was converted in a place of community prayer as the Holy Spirit opened her heart to the words taught to her by Paul.

THE SLAVE GIRL - Acts 16:16-18: The slave girl was said to have a spirit of divination. Likely, this was a demonic spirit that allowed the girl to tell things about people that she herself could not have known on her own. Just like the "psychics and mediums" of today, these spirits distract people from seeking after God for the truth and end up locking people into slavery.
The slave girl was used by her owners to make money, not unlike a prostitute or others in the sex-slave industry are used today.
The demonic spirit also tried to use her to disrupt the missionary efforts of Paul, yet it was no match for the power of Jesus and Paul was able to cast the spirit out of the girl in Christ's name.
Once freed, the slave girl was of no worth to her masters. The Scriptures do not say whether she came to Christ and joined the church, though many pastors - including yours - preach in hope that she did.
It has been the case of many of us that, once freed from the slavery to addiction or other evil forces, we gravitate toward Him who freed us and we become healthy, faithful church members.

THE JAILER (and his household) - Acts 16:23-34: The Jailer was probably what many would think of as a blue-collar worker. Not high in status, but important for the operation of the society - think law enforcement, nursing, utility workers, factory workers, etc.
He knew his job and he did what he was told. He likely had a high degree of trust in the system that he was a part of and the Roman government was where his allegiance was given because they were the ultimate power of which he knew.
That all changed at around midnight as God shook the foundations of the jail and the foundations of the jailer's life, breaking down any walls that stood in the way of freedom.
The freedom that Paul and Silas were given from their chains ultimately led to the Jailer finding freedom in Christ. The beautiful thing about the jailer's story is that he rushed to share the good news with his household, who were also saved.

THE ONLOOKERS - Acts 16:13-40: One overlooked group is that of the onlookers. When Paul went to the river and converted Lydia, there were other women there as well. When Paul cast out the slave girl's demon there were many who witnessed that powerful display. When Paul and Silas were freed and the Jailer came to Christ, there were other prisoners there who witnessed the scene. And when the magistrates freed the Christians and escorted them out of the prison, many people saw the power of God's people triumph over the worldly power structure.

All of these accounts show us the diverse group of people that God brought together to form what turned out to be one of the healthiest churches that we have a record of from the dawn of the church age.

So, what can we learn from this?

When you look around our church, you will see some people who would be considered wealthy compared to some of the community, you will see some who would be described as blue collar and you will see some who have come to Christ after being freed from slavery to addiction. As you get to know our family, you will also meet people who are here because they were simply witnesses to the power of God working in and among us.

We have a diverse mix of believers - much like the church in Philippi. And this diversity is able to live and work together because we are united by Jesus and focused on His mission.

As we continue to strive to be disciples who make disciples and as we continue to keep our eyes open and hearts engaged for who God would have us reach next - do your best to make sure NOT to limit who you think might fit in with us.

All are welcome to come through our door when we gather on Sunday. 

All are in need of the Gospel when we scatter into the community during the week.

As we go and as we gather, let's keep asking God, "Who's next?" and let's celebrate every new person that He answers that question with.

Are You a Saint in Christ Jesus?

The passage for January is Philippians 1:1-2:

    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

If you are new to this reading plan, follow the instructions on the right side of this page or click here to read the "Why Just One Letter" introduction article.

Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text. Today we will discuss...

Are You a Saint in Christ Jesus?

 

We've been unpacking small sections of this passage this month to help you see the depth of the text (see the archive links on the lower right of this page for review). Now, we will dig into the title that Paul gives to the Christians in Philippi: "Saints in Christ Jesus."

The term "Saint" is used in several ways in our culture.
For example, it is used as a throw-away compliment by some Christians and even secularists when we say something like, "Oh, she is a Saint for putting up with that boss." Or telling someone who's done us a favor, "Thank you for that. You are such a Saint."


On the other end of the spectrum, many Roman Catholics have fallen prey to the false, un-biblical teaching of their tradition, which "Recognizes" a person as a Saint, ONLY after a person has 1) died,  2) been investigated by a local bishop "for heroic virtue (or martyrdom) and orthodoxy of doctrine", 3) been evaluated by "a panel of theologians at the Vatican" 4) approved of  "by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints", 5) performed at least two miracles and 6) been proclaimed to be "blessed" by a pope... Only then are they deemed worthy to be recognized as Saints. (Info from Catholic.org - http://www.catholic.org/saints/faq.php)

There are more problems with flippant worldly view saints and with the stringent Roman Catholic view of saints than we can discuss in this short article. Instead of rebutting all of the false teaching, we will discuss what is clearly taught in Scripture and let the truth of Scripture win out.

The Bottom Line Up Front:

If YOU are a CHRISTIAN, YOU are a SAINT

And the place to get our understanding of this term "Saint" is with the full title that Paul gives to Saints in Philippi, that is Saints in Christ Jesus.

You see, sainthood is not determined by what you have done for others or what you have done for Jesus. Sainthood is determined by what Jesus has done - AND IS DOING for you.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul calls the members of the Corinthian church Saints and describes them as those who have been sanctified in Christ. Both the word Saint and Sanctified come from the same Greek root word - which means to be set apart as holy, for holy use.

And the book of Hebrews tells us that we were sanctified by the blood of Jesus.

It is His perfect obedience in place of our rebellion -- His death for our life -- that sets us apart.

Why is this important?
Some might not understand why it is necessary to clarify this.
Is it really such a big deal if we classify a person a saint because of what they (we) do instead of - or in addition to - what Jesus has done and what Jesus is doing?

If we want to stay true to the scriptures, it is very important.

You see, we exist for God's glory. When a person is held up on a pedestal because of a good deed or even for a good life, that veneration, or high degree of respect, takes our eyes off of Jesus and we are tempted to slip back into idolatry.

Also, when particular members of God's family are propped up as "Saints" over and above the rest of us "regular Christians" people begin to see the "Saints" as somewhere between us and God on the scale of glory or righteousness.

This leads to trusting themselves, and/or their family members, to prayers to the saints instead of (or in addition to) prayers directly to Jesus.

But, the scriptures tell us that Jesus is the only mediator between God and Man. To pray to a middle-man, another saved sinner like you and me, in order to boost the effectiveness of our prayers is to belittle the effectiveness of Jesus Christ, who is always at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf.

The false teaching about Sainthood also ignores the fact that while we are set apart as holy and while we are being made new into the likeness of Christ - saints can still look pretty messed up by worldly or churchy standards.

For example, The Saints in Christ at Corinth, were guilty of various forms of sexual sin, pride, self-righteousness, greed, gluttony, drunkenness, idolatry, and more.

Paul was IN NO WAY applauding the sin. He was writing a harsh rebuke in order to get the church as a whole and the Christians as individuals to repent and believe!

But, he did so by FIRST and foremost, reminding them of who they are.

And, YOU, reading this article - whether you are struggling with sin today or if you are feeling very near to God today, Paul's word for you and for every Christian is this:

You are a Saint. You are set apart as holy. You are set apart to be clean in a filthy world. You are set apart to be a source of light in the darkness. You are set apart to be a beacon of freedom in a sea of slavery. You are set apart to be a speaker of truth and love in a world of despair and lies.

You are all of those things because you are in Christ.

You don't have to work hard to be something that you aren't. You need to live in humble, obedience as the Saint in Christ that you already are.

Why Servants of Christ Jesus?

The passage for January is Philippians 1:1-2:

    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

If you are new to this reading plan, follow the instructions on the right side of this page or click here to read the "Why Just One Letter" introduction article.

Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text. Today we will discuss...

Why Servants of Christ Jesus?

 

We've been introduced to Paul and Timothy (see the archive links on the lower right of this page for review). Now, we will dig into the title that Paul gives to himself and his young apprentice: "servants of Christ Jesus".

In our world today, it seems that we often won't read anything from an author until we know what degree(s) they have and where they got them - or what experience they have in their given field.

As we will see in our study of Paul in August (Chapter 3:1-11) he had an impressive "spiritual resume" in which he could have started off this letter. And Timothy was no slouch as to Christian accomplishments and learning.

But what Paul wants to stress here is that there is a more important aspect to their identity than what they have done, what they have learned or where they have been - Paul and Timothy's identity is, first and foremost, centered on Jesus.

See, when Jesus gave us our marching orders in Matthew 28, he instructed disciples to be baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is more than simply saying a list of words for a religious ritual. This is an establishment of a new identity that will shape the disciple's life from that point onward.

We all had an overriding identity before we came to Christ.

Your identity may have been formed around your job, or your role in your family. It may have been based on where you went to school or even your favorite sports team. Some of us were unfortunately best known for a particular sin that we habitually fell into ("Oh, he's an addict." "She's a drunk." ...or promiscuous ...or violent, etc...).

But as Paul explains when he talks about our baptism in Romans 6:3-4:

    "...all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

In other words, that person you were before you were saved by faith in Christ is gone. That person is dead and buried. You are now a new creation.

As disciples baptized into the name of Jesus, we take from His name our new relationship to Him. Jesus is our Savior, yes, so part of our new identity is that of grace recipients - we'll talk about that at another time. But along with His saving work - God the Father also established Jesus as our King. And that's where this Servant identity comes from in Philippians 1:1.

Paul makes it clear that he is a servant to Christ before he can be anything to the church.

Two quick points to make about this identity.

1) To be a good leader, you have to be a good follower.
As a church member, it is critical for you to only follow leaders as they follow Christ. If a pastor/elder or a deacon begins to follow a worldly system, or selfish ambition, or even if they become too careful because of fear of man issues - that will need to be remedied IF you are still going to follow them.

2) If you are a Christian, YOU are a servant too.
Jesus told us that no servant is greater than his master (John 13:12-17) and that as the Father sent Jesus, He is also sending us (John 20:21). So, how did the Father send the Son? Jesus tells us in Mark 10:45

"...the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve...”

 
So, just as Jesus came to be a servant, and just as Paul and Timothy came as servants, we are to live in this world as servants to the King.

So, how can you serve Jesus?
Our servant identity plays out in two ways: 1) Humble, loving obedience and 2) Helping the "least of these".

1) Humble, loving obedience is what Paul would also call living a life "worthy of the Gospel" (Phil 1:27). Or as Jesus says, "If you love me, you will obey my commands" (John 14:15). Serving Jesus begins with a heart of repentance from sin and a life submitted to Jesus' good rule.

2) Helping the "least of these" is the other element in our Christian Servant Identity. Remember, we are servants to the King. In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says:

    “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:31-40)

Paul and Timothy could have touted a lot of worldly pomp unto themselves as they are introduced in this letter, instead they bowed low in order to lift up the name of Christ. As you walk among the lost and the found in your part of the world this week, remember to live with a servant heart - fleeing from sin and running to help those in need.

Who is Timothy?

The passage for January is Philippians 1:1-2:

    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

If you are new to this reading plan, follow the instructions on the right side of this page or click here to read the "Why Just One Letter" introduction article.

Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text. Today we will discuss...

Who is Timothy?

While, not an apostle, Timothy plays a big role in the New Testament and early church.
We first meet Timothy in the book of Acts, Chapter 16. Timothy is described as the son and grandson of a Christian mother and a Christian grandmother who lived in Lystra (in modern-day Turkey).

Timothy's father is simply described as a Greek and the text does not tell us if his father was ever converted. Timothy's mother and grandmother, though, were likely converted during an earlier visit by Paul to Lystra.

In Acts 16:2 we are told that the brothers (Christians) in Lystra thought well of Timothy and there was something about Timothy that drew Paul to choose him as a student - later to be molded into a church leader.

In Acts 16 and 17, Timothy is with Paul and Silas during a string of church-planting mission trips - including to Philippi, Thessolonica and Berea. From Berea, onward, Paul would send Timothy out on different assignments, usually to check on the welfare of the young churches.

Eventually, Timothy would become the leader of the Church in Ephesus. There, Timothy was charged to guard the truth and to lead the believers with a protective look-out against the wolves who would come in and try to lead the Christians astray through false doctrine.

He was also tasked with the responsibility to raise up new leaders who would follow in the footsteps of the Apostles and pass on the truth to the next generation - teaching the next generation to do the same. This is the main point that we would like you to think on as you think about Timothy now.

When you read Timothy's name here in verse one, reflect on the importance of discipleship in the history of the Christian church.

If the church would ONLY have had the Apostles and their writings, with no one to pass the knowledge down to the next generation, then the church might never have been know after the first century after Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

Instead, with a love for the Word in place and a desire to see the church multiply throughout the world, Paul also charged Timothy to take "...what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses (and) entrust (it) to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."  (2 Timothy 2:2)

This is the pattern for passing the Truth down from one generation to the next and charging them to do the same. It went:

From Jesus to Paul and the Apostles

From Paul to Timothy

From Timothy to Faithful men (and women)

From Timothy’s faithful students to others...

..And the pattern has continued to just a short time ago when someone began teaching YOU the Truth of the Gospel and how to live it out.

Now, it is your turn to take the Gospel to the next generation, who will then be able to teach others also... and so it will go until the return of our King.

Timothy is mentioned later in the letter to the Philippians, so we will revisit him then (in chapter two which we will cover in July). For now remember this simple Discipleship method that has served the church well "Be A Disciple - Make A Disciple" (Repeat)

Disciple: one who is increasingly worshiping Jesus in all of life, being changed by Jesus, and obeying Jesus' commands.

Discipleship: leading others to increasingly submit all of life to the empowering presence and Lordship of Jesus Christ. (Definitions by Pastor Jeff Vanderstelt - Soma Communities)

Discipleship Made Simple:

Be One - Make One

 

Who is Paul?

The passage for January is Philippians 1:1-2:

    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

If you are new to this reading plan, follow the instructions on the right side of this page or click here to read the "Why Just One Letter" introduction article.

Throughout each month, we will post short articles to give some depth of understanding regarding our text. Today we will discuss...

Who is Paul?

The Apostle Paul, originally named Saul, wrote a majority of the letters in the New Testament. Though Paul was a leader of the early church, he did not come about his role in the same way as the other Apostles. 

Paul did not follow Christ as one of His disciples during Jesus' earthly ministry. In fact, after the crucifixion and resurrection, Paul was one of the leading persecutors of the church. 

We first hear of Paul in the Scriptures in Acts 7 and 8. In that account, a group of people threw down their cloaks at Saul's feet before picking up rocks to stone Stephan to death for telling the truth about Jesus. In Acts 8:1 we are told that Saul approved of the execution without any further information from that scene.

We see Saul again in Acts 9, where it is said that he was "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" and that he went to the Jewish High Priest asking for letters of authorization to round up and  bring any followers of "The Way" (Christians) back to Jerusalem in chains.

In Paul's own words to a mob in Jerusalem (in Acts22), he says, "I persecuted this Way (Christians) to the death, binding and delivering them to prison both men and women."
And Paul elaborates to King Agrippa in Acts 26, saying that he not only "locked up many of the saints in prison," but also, "When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities."

So, far from being a part of Jesus' Kingdom work. Saul (Paul) bursts onto the scene as one of the church's biggest enemies.

That all changed in Acts 9:3-19:

    Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 

And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” 

And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 

The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
    

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” 

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 

And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 

So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 

And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.
    For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. (ESV)

This is only a simple introduction to Paul. He did become one of the leaders of the early Church and Paul's writings - inspired by the Holy Spirit - have been a blessing to Christians for nearly 2,000 years. 

I would encourage you to remember Paul when you think that maybe you have done too many bad things or that you have lived in too much sin to be used by God.

Also, never write off a person you come into contact with because of their sin or "rough edges" Paul wasn't the first sinner transformed by grace for God's Glory and for the good of God's people. And Paul won't be the last. 

If Jesus could transform a sinner like Saul into a leader like Paul - imagine what Jesus can do with you.