Philippians 2
Summary: Paul, currently imprisoned in Rome, is writing this letter back to the Philippian Church after receiving the blessing they sent by Epaphroditus. This Church is particularly close to Paul because this was the first church he had established in Europe. In this letter, Paul makes the case that joy is found in Christ alone. He uses his imprisonment to show us that when our hope is in Christ we can find joy in the worst of situations. That joy then manifests itself in our lives in the form of loving & serving others (ch. 2 v.3-8).
Major Points:
(V.1-11) Paul encourages the church that if they have any sharing in the family of God and have been truly changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they should live in unity with one another and in humility count others above themselves. This is called putting on the Mind of Christ. To walk as he walked, To think as he thought, not out of selfish ambition but who being in the very nature of God made himself nothing by taking the form of a servant! Jesus walked in Humility, he humbled himself to death, not just death but death on a cross! You can sum these verses up with one statement. (Life's not about me).
(V. 12-18) Christ like Serving is one of the most attractive things that we could ever show others is the world that we walk in today. Paul wants the church to see that Christ like serving is unconditional and it takes sacrifice. Paul said I am being poured out like a drink offering for the service of your faith. That is sacrifice! The world they lived in is the same world we live in where people like to make things about self. But when we serve others we like Paul will shine like stars in the sky in there midst of a dark world, and then other will be able to see Christ in us!
(V.19-30) Paul gives the church some real life examples of what having the mindset of Christ and serving others looks like. First he pointed them to Jesus, then he pointed them to his own example and now he points them to Timothy and Epaphroditus. Paul said he had no-one else like Timothy who had such a genuine concern for others welfare. Timothy is a great example of just being someone who truly loved and cared for others. There is a saying, no-one cares what you know until they know you care! Timothy cared! Paul considered Epaphroditus a co-worker and fellow soldier in the faith, who also risked his life to help take care of Paul by being a messenger for the church. At the end of the day Epaphroditus was and ordinary guy who was willing to see a need and meet a need! To him there was no job to big nor job to small, he saw serving the church and the world around him as a privilege and Jesus says those who are great are those who give and serve others!
Question Bank:
How has your week been spiritually?
What is God teaching you?
What sins are you struggling with that you need to confess?
- (V. 3-5) Paul tells us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, have the same mindset of Christ.
- Q- What percentage of your life is built around your own interest verses the interest of others?
- Whats our biggest struggle when it comes to valuing others above ourself?
- (V. 12-18) Paul shows us that valuing others above yourself takes sacrifice however when we have the mindset of Christ and when we value others above ourself we will then shine like stars in a dark generation.
- Q- What’s different in the way Christ served others compared to the way our world sees serving others?
- Q- What’s some things that you have sacrificed for in your life?
- Q- Why is sacrificing for the spiritual good of others better?
- (V.19-30) Paul shows us some real life examples of people who had the mindset of Christ and counted others above themselves. As Christians Serving isn’t just something we do servants is who we become.
- Q- Have you ever seen Christ stand out in other people simply by the way that they live and serve the people around them?
- Q- What are some ways that you could grow in becoming more of a servant?