This Sunday's Sermon Info

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Philippians 1:1-11

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The Apostle Paul was in prison.  He had been imprisoned for the gospel and because of his testimony for Christ.  But even in prison, the letter exudes the joy found in Christ because Paul’s peace and hope were found in the eternal Person of Jesus and not in his circumstances.  It was an informal letter; Paul does not use his apostolic title in the greeting.  He wrote the letter in the early 60s, probably 60-62 AD.  Paul knew these saints and had a warm relationship with them.  They had supported him personally with monetary gifts and Paul accepted these gifts which was unusual.  But the apostle knew there were some false teachers amongst the saints at Philippi.  He addresses these false teachers and in doing so his letter “includes an example of an early Christian hymn, creed, or liturgical poem (cf. 2:6–11). It is one of the finest Christological passages in the entire New Testament (cf. John 1:1–14; Col. 1:13–20; Heb. 1:2–3).”  (Utley, 1997, 155)  Paul let no challenge detract from his service to Christ his King. In this introduction section of his letter, Paul greets the saints in Philippi warmly and celebrates the faithfulness of God in Christ Jesus through them.  He prays for them that their “love may abound still more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ”, indicating that he had heard reports of false teachers in their midst.  The opening of this letter is warm and loving but also hints at the warnings that will follow.