In Philippians 1.27, Paul turns from considering the progress of the gospel through his own life to considering the progress of the gospel in the life of the church. The cultural background of those who are now in the church includes great pride in being a citizen of Philippi because of it being a Roman colony. In 1.27-30, Paul reminds them to live in the joy of their greater citizenship in the kingdom of God so that they may stand firm together, striving for the gospel without being alarmed by the opposition they are facing. Paul's exhortation for the church to "only live as citizens worthy of the gospel of Christ" is still an applicable exhortation for the church in our day.

How do you think about work and rest? Many of us work in order to rest. Work is the requirement for having things that bring us rest, or for being able to do things that bring us rest. We need rest for our bodies. We often seek "space" from people and the activities of life to provide rest for our souls. We rest in order to replenish our satisfaction and joy in life. Paul provides a counter-perspective to this way of thinking about work and rest. Our common ways of resting are often not restorative. When life is summed up in Christ, then every moment we have in life is an opportunity for "fruitful labor" in Christ. There is a particular vitality we find in that service of worship to Christ that is restorative and restful even though we labor.

We have looked at how joy can come through sharing in gospel ministry with others, how joy arises in our lives as our lives are shaped by God's Word, and that there can be joy even in difficult circumstances. But how do we practically establish our joy in Christ? It begins with changing the frame of reference we have for thinking about "life". Biblically, life is not just our life on this earth. Life is the life we have in Christ, and although that life has begun it is still yet to come! The assurance and security of our life in Christ is what allows joy in Christ to supersede any and all circumstances of life. The sharing in that assurance and joy with other Christians only serves to increase our joy. The reality of life in Christ is what makes Paul say, "life is Christ."

What joy is there when there is suffering in the world around you? When there is suffering in the lives of those you know? When there is suffering in your own life? In Philippians 1.12-18c, Paul shows that the gospel can still be communicated through the circumstances of suffering, and it is in the "progress of the gospel" that we find joy in the circumstances of suffering.

(Apr 30, 2023) We are ardent seekers of joy. Whether we realize it or not, "joy" is typically equated in our minds with those things that bring us the most comfort. That comfort may be physical in nature, or emotional, or spiritual. Whatever it is that we most define as things that bring us comfort will be the things that we find our joy in. Having those things in mind, we seek to control our circumstances in order to achieve the joy of comfort. In this portion of the introduction to Philippians, Paul shows us a different way to find joy. Joy is found as we rightly understand and apply the truth of God to life so that our lives begin to demonstrate throughout the righteousness of God in such a way that righteousness is the fruit of our lives. In other words, joy is found in a life that is patterned after the life of Christ. This "pathway" to joy is found in the prayer of Paul for the church in Phil. 1.8-11.

(Apr 23, 2023) We know how easy it is to root our joy in life and the things of life. It is right for us to enjoy the good things of life God has given to us. However, circumstances can take those things away from us. If that happens, where then do we find our joy? As Paul continues the introduction of his letter to the church in Philippi, he describes the joy he has that comes from shared fellowship with the Philippian church in Christ and the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Joy rooted in Christ and in the fellowship of Christian ministry is a joy that circumstances cannot take away.

(April 16, 2023). An introduction to our study through Paul's letter to the Philippian church. It is often pointed out that this letter is a letter of "joy". Joy is a primary theme in the letter, but a close reading of Paul's letter shows that joy is a "leitmotif*" that arises from knowing and following Jesus Christ. The letter to the church in Philippi shows us that Christian joy is rooted in Christ and abounds in us as we give our lives in service to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

(A "leitmotif" is a melody that plays whenever a character in a play or movie enters into the scene. Think about the tin-whistle/music that plays when the character that will bring justice enters into the story of old western movies, or the music that plays whenever Darth Vader appears in Star Wars movies)