Philippians is an epistle written by the Apostle Paul. It is often called the Book of Joy. As we begin this study it is important to understand a little about the church it was written to and about Paul's connection with that church.
What? An epistle is a letter. Travel took much longer in the time this book was written. There were no phones to pick up and make a quick call to check in with someone. There was no email that instantly sends your words to another person. Paul wrote this letter and then had to find someone who was going toward Philippi and ask them to deliver it. People didn't waste time with frivolity in letters; they had a very definite purpose.
When? The Apostle Paul wrote this letter roughly 50 AD so about 50 years after the Lord had ascended back to Heaven. The traditional Jewish worship system was being replaced by the new "church".
Why? The church was also being persecuted. Remember that Paul used to be named Saul and was dedicated to destroying this new system before he was converted. It would have been hard to be bold when there was always a threat to the followers of Christ.
How? How did Paul care so much for this church? When he came to Philippi a few years before he had cast out a demon from a slave girl who was telling the future and making money for her master. When Paul destroyed the man's income, the man was very angry and this all resulted in Paul and his companion Silas being thrown into jail. Remember that story?
CHAPTER 1 THE SINGLE MIND / CIRCUMSTANCES CAN ROB OUR JOY
Philippians 1:1-6 is Paul's greeting to this church.
vs 3 "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." These people were dear to his heart. Of all people the Apostle Paul probably understood the threats and persecution they were facing. What circumstance in your life is completely out of your control? If you get focused on that situation, can it overwhelm you and discourage you? Paul knew what would distract this church and he prayed for them all the time because of it.
vs 6 "Being confident of this very thing, that HE which hath begun a good work in you WILL perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Paul was reminding these people to keep their eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. God had started something in each and every life and He was not about to drop the ball. Our overwhelming situations sometimes make us feel like God has saved us and been with us, but then we sometimes feel like He has forgotten us or not taken notice of us lately.
vs 7 "Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart..." Paul knew who he was talking to. He knew that they remembered the miracle of the earthquake and the salvation of the jailer. He knew that they had been established in their faith even before that! He also knew that it was very possible to be distracted by the circumstances around them whenever the miracles weren't happening. The normalcy and predictability of life can make us feel like we are coasting.
This church in Philippi had bishops and deacons and faithful believers. Paul knew their hearts so well because he had visited them before and ended up depending on them to help care for him while he was in prison. There was a kinship with each of these believers. He prayed for them because he knew them so well, and he was happy to do it. They had fellowship in the gospel because they had a common work to accomplish and they had labored together in their city before.
The Apostle Paul was reassuring these ordinary folks during the ordinary days when they were facing terrible persecution to keep their eyes focused on God! He could say to them "I thank my God for you because I KNOW He is going to complete what he started in you." In the days of drudgery and pain and loneliness we need to keep our eyes off of our circumstances and have a single-minded heart. F - Fixing O - Our C - Course U - Until S - Straight.......get your focus where it needs to be. If you get distracted, fix the situation so you can keep your joy!
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