Family Bible Church weekly message

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Nov01.pdf

* At the beginning of this series, we considered that the overall theme of Paul's letter to the Philippians was "koinonia in Christ." Koinonia is the concept of having a oneness or unity, as a result of having all things in common. John declared in the beginning of his first epistle that he was writing to the church in order that they might have "fellowship" (koinonia) together because "truly our fellowship (koinonia) is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."

* So, in this epistle of Paul's we see that this fellowship should be evident in the oneness of the church in the Proclamation of Christ (chapter 1), in the Posture of Christ (chapter 2), and in the Pursuit of Christ (chapter 3). Today, we begin turning our attention to chapter 4 where we see Paul discuss how our fellowship, and oneness, in the Presence of Christ.

* When we individually and as a body are focused upon, and dwelling in, His presence it will have a direct affect upon our temperament and contentment.

* As we take on the "mind of Christ" it will begin to change how we interact with others and how we react to the events of life. When we are cognizant of Christ's presence in our lives - at all times - we will begin to treat others differently and have a different mindset towards those things in life which once caused us great consternation.

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on November 1, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Oct25.pdf

* Over the past two weeks, we have considered Paul's exhortation to the church of Philippi through his own personal testimony to pursue Christ. The "gain" of Knowing Christ was worth the loss of everything else!

* We have considered the need to forget the past and to have a passion to pursue Christ.

* Today, we want to consider the primary motive for this pursuit - the future reservation that we have in heaven as a result of our faith in Christ Jesus. Through the pen of Peter we read, "3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5) Through faith in Christ, we are promised an inheritance in heaven which is "reserved" in heaven and "kept" by the power of God!

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on October 25, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Oct18.pdf

* Paul has exhorted the church of Philippi to be united and to have one mind. And that oneness was supposed to be in Christ Jesus. They needed to take upon themselves the mind of Christ - the mind of a bondslave rooted in humility.

* In the Greek language there are a variety of words for "thinking." Each of them is used to discuss our relationship with Christ. For example, the core message of Jesus' ministry was translated into one Greek word: metanoia ... change your thinking! There are three specific word groupings which are important to consider, and which Paul uses in his writings - nous: the mind; moral or intellectual thinking; your understanding; ... phronos: thoughts as emotions/feelings; wisdom; ... and logismos: logical, rational thought processes. Three good passages to compare these types of thinking are Matthew 16:5-23, 1 Corinthians 13:1 and Philippians 4:2-10.

* Our growth in discipleship should ultimately change our thinking process in all three categories. Changing the way you think in the moral/intellectual will affect how you think logically and how you think emotionally/practically. Changing the way you think about God, sin, redemption, and judgment ought to lead you to the desire to follow Christ and let the "mind of Christ" reign in you.

* Jesus stated in Matthew 7 that you will know others by the fruit of their trees. Someone who is connected to Christ will produce good fruit and will ultimately be heavenly minded. Their pursuits will be godly pursuits. They will seek to have wisdom from above and not from earth.

* Paul has revealed his purpose is to live for Christ. That life purpose was a result of Paul embracing the mind of Christ - Christ's way of thinking.

* Today, we see how this new purpose in life framed his passionate pursuit and set the pattern for all other believers.

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on October 18, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Oct11.pdf

* Paul has exhorted the church of Philippi to be united and to have one mind. And that oneness was supposed to be in Christ Jesus. They needed to take upon themselves the mind of Christ - the mind of a bondslave rooted in humility.

* Last week, we saw that Paul presented them with three earthly illustrations of men who laid hold of that mindset and who then demonstrated it through their lives.

* Paul now turns to the core motivation of having this "mind of Christ" ... it begins with a passion. We will pursue whatever we are impassioned about. As we saw in our study of Ecclesiastes, Solomon passionately pursued self-pleasure. What you want the most - what you crave - what you care the most about - you will make time for and you will spend money on. That desire will begin to consume you until you accomplish it. In the end, the object of that pursuit becomes your "god."

* What was Paul's pursuit? About what was he most impassioned? He tells us plainly - to know Christ. But, not just to know Him superficially. Rather, Paul wanted to know Christ in the power of His resurrection and in the koinonia (fellowship/oneness) of His sufferings. In order to accomplish this, it was going to require him to change the way he thought of his past and his pedigree. It was going to require him to change the focus of his future hope. Finally, it would then require him to change his present pursuit.

* Today, we want to consider the first part of this process - properly taking care of your past, or as Paul states to the church of Ephesus, "putting off the old man."

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on October 11, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Oct04.pdf

* In Paul's letter to the church of Philippi, he is calling them to remain unified in Christ. A major subtheme of the writing is that this koinonia - this common oneness - is attained when each believer begins to consider himself, or herself, as the doulos (bondslave) of Christ. Paul has referred to himself as a doulos of Christ and then declared his life purpose: "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Paul has then transitioned to challenging the church themselves to "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."

* Paul then revealed how Jesus set the ultimate example of setting the value and needs of others above own's own.

* Now Paul transitions into showing what this looks like in a truly human form through the servanthood testimonies of Timothy and Epaphroditus.

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on October 4, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Sep27.pdf

Paul had revealed to the church of Philippi that he considered himself and Timothy to be bond-slaves of Jesus Christ. As a result of this mindset, Paul was able to see that the afflictions which he was experiencing were to the benefit of the testimony of Jesus Christ ... and was therefore the preferable plan. Paul had revealed that he would much rather be in heaven with Christ, but as the bond-slave of Christ he recognized that it was more important for him to remain in the world to serve the church of Jesus Christ.

* Paul then exhorted the church to take this same mindset. Last week we saw that Paul revealed to the Philippians that for them to take up the mind of Christ would require them to become selfless by placing the value and needs of others above their own desires. Indeed Jesus had modeled this for His disciples while He was on the earth. He, YHWH, took the nature of a bond-slave and came in the likeness of men in order that He might fulfill the law and redeem us through His obedience - even to the point of death on the cross.

* Through this communication of Paul there has been a progression of thought in which he has artfully used various conjunctions to reveal purpose, causation, and exhortations. In our passage today, Paul is revealing three effects evidence by an individual, or church, latching onto the mind of Christ.

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on September 27, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Sep20.pdf

In his greeting, Paul referred to himself and Timothy as bondslaves of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Christ's bondslave, Paul understood that his life on earth was actually supposed to be lived for the glory of Jesus. In fact, he declared: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Understanding his role as a bond-slave enabled him to see the greater purpose of his trials. His imprisonment provided the opportunity for the Roman soldiers who were guarding him to hear about the Good News of Jesus Christ!

* After sharing his personal testimony, Paul then exhorted the Philippians to see their afflictions as opportunities, granted by God, to make Christ known.

* Today, continue in our study of Paul's letter to the Philippians by considering Paul's continued exhortation to them to be joined-together in the mind of Christ! This unity and oneness, Paul shares, will only truly happen when each of those in the church also voluntarily take upon themselves the role of a bondslave of Jesus Christ.

* In this section, Paul will provide them with his exhortation and then the ultimate example of One who chose to be bondslave for us - Jesus Christ! In fact, while Jesus was on the earth He called for His disciples to follow His example. (cf. Matthew 20:25-28)

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on September 20, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Sep20.pdf

In his greeting, Paul referred to himself and Timothy as bondslaves of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Christ's bondslave, Paul understood that his life on earth was actually supposed to be lived for the glory of Jesus. In fact, he declared: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Understanding his role as a bond-slave enabled him to see the greater purpose of his trials. His imprisonment provided the opportunity for the Roman soldiers who were guarding him to hear about the Good News of Jesus Christ!

* After sharing his personal testimony, Paul then exhorted the Philippians to see their afflictions as opportunities, granted by God, to make Christ known.

* Today, continue in our study of Paul's letter to the Philippians by considering Paul's continued exhortation to them to be joined-together in the mind of Christ! This unity and oneness, Paul shares, will only truly happen when each of those in the church also voluntarily take upon themselves the role of a bondslave of Jesus Christ.

* In this section, Paul will provide them with his exhortation and then the ultimate example of One who chose to be bondslave for us - Jesus Christ! In fact, while Jesus was on the earth He called for His disciples to follow His example. (cf. Matthew 20:25-28)

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on September 20, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* In our study of Paul's letter to the church of Philippi, we have considered Paul's gratefulness for the church of Philippi and their fellowship (koinonia) in the gospel. Paul then sought to encourage them by revealing how the good news of Jesus Christ had been furthered through the afflictions and trials which he was experiencing. The Roman soldiers who were guarding him, on a rotating basis, were being exposed to, and affected by, the truth of Christ through Paul's prison testimony. Paul had been able to look beyond his circumstances to see how God was working in, and through, his life in spite of the hardships that he was experiencing.

* Today, we see Paul build upon His testimony, and example, to exhort the believers in Philippi to remain unified (to maintain their oneness) in the proclamation of the gospel - even to the point of enduring persecution. Paul challenged them to live their lives "worthy of the gospel of Christ" and to understand that they were actually granted the privilege of suffering for the testimony of Jesus. Their persecution was for the furtherance of the gospel - like Paul, they would need to look beyond their own circumstances and set their eyes upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on September 13, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2026Messages/26Aug30.pdf

* Last week we considered Paul's prayerful desires for the church of Philippi. He sought to bless them with the grace and peace of God, he revealed his thankfulness to God for them, and shared that he asked God for their love to be ever-increasing and to be discerning.

* As Paul was incredibly thankful for the Fellowship of the Gospel that he had with the Philippian church, so we will see today that he was excited about the Furtherance of the Gospel that had been wrought through his false trial and imprisonment. In Acts 21-28 we read of Paul's arrest in the Temple, subsequent trials in Caesarea, appeal unto Caesar, journey with shipwreck, and arrival in Rome. There in Rome, Paul was placed under house arrest. Acts 28:30-31 states, "Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him."

* Today, we consider Paul's testimony regarding how God had been using this "trial." Paul had been able to look beyond his own circumstances to see how God could use this situation to grow His Kingdom.

* This message was presented by Bob Corbin on August 30, 2026 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.