Philippians 1:1-6

Introduction – From Paul and Timothy, to the saints in Philippi.

Letter Form – From, To, Greeting or good wishes (Christians Prayer)

Paul is in Prison – Probably in Rome. AD 60 or so.

¹ Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the ^[a]saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, ^[b]including the overseers and deacons: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, ⁵ in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

There is a special bond among believers. Paul had a special bond with the Christians at Philippi.

What is it that causes that relationship among believers? How do you get to participate in those kind of friendships?

How are some believers robbed of this blessing?

Paul records that he continues to pray for his friends at Philippi. He prays for them with JOY.

He also mentions that their participation in the gospel (ongoing) is part of that prayer.

Why do you think Paul recorded that he was praying for this group?

What does it do for you to know that your brother or sister is praying for you?

When you pray for someone, do you tell them? Why or Why not?

Paul talks about God beginning and completing a good work in the believers at Philippi. It has been suggested that the good work that God had begun in this church was Salvation, the result of the Gospel.

3 Big Words Justification (experiencing salvation / accepting Christ as savior) Sanctification (the process of God molding his children into the person He wants them to be) Glorification (Final transformation into our glorified eternal condition)

One way to look at this good work is to see it as Sanctification, or God working in our lives to shape us into His people, who reflect His image.

This promise sounds so wonderful, and it really is, but sanctification can mean that God has to knock off a few rough edges in us, which can be painful at times.

How does God work in our lives to sanctify us?

I believe that the “Day of Christ Jesus” refers to the time when Jesus will return to earth to collect His church. This verse also is comforting to us because it is a promise that our salvation does not depend on our work, but on the work of the Lord.

God's Presence in Worship

God has manifested His presence in different ways throughout history. This morning we are going to visit a few passages of scripture that demonstrate how God has shown Himself to Man, and then we are going to discuss what it is like to experience God’s presence in worship.

OT

Genesis 3:8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Exodus 13:21 The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

2 Chronicles 5:11-14 When the priests came forth from the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to divisions), ¹² and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets ¹³ in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, “He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, ¹⁴ so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

NT

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

John 14:9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

John 16:5-8 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ ⁶ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷ But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

Many of the encounters with God in the Bible are visual, but today we have the Holy Spirit to “come to us”.

How can we recognize God as the Holy Spirit?

Is your worship different when you expect to encounter God? How?

What can cause us to miss experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit in worship?

What is the result of experiencing the presence of God in worship? (John 16) conviction, righteousness