THRIVE: LIVING IN REAL JOY 96
The Book of Philippians answers many of our deepest questions. Where can we find full and lasting joy? Look and listen to Paul. He radiated a contagious joy in this letter. Indeed, the happiest man in Rome was in jail! Paul reminds us that we don t derive ultimate joy from comfortable circumstances, but from a living, vibrant communion with Christ. Joy isn t about attaining more stuff; it s about treasuring Christ more. Where can we find meaning and purpose in life? Paul teaches us about a life worth living and a death worth dying. He shows us the path to living this life by pointing us to Jesus, who provides the power and the example we need. The Christian life isn t an easy life, but it s a full and joyful life. Jesus never promised us that life would be easy, but He did promise He would always be with us. And if He is with us, we have everything we need for joy and peace. We don t just live; we thrive! TONY MERIDA Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, N.C. He also serves as Associate Professor of Preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He s the author of several books including Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down. 97
GET INTO THE STUDY 5 minutes GUIDE: Direct attention to the contents page in the Personal Study Guide (PSG) page 3. Review the titles of this six session study titled Thrive from Paul s Letter to the Philippians. LEADER PACK: Point to the titles on Item 9: Thrive. DISCUSS: Question #1 (PSG, p. 94): When has a personal letter or note meant a lot to you? GUIDE: Introduce The Point (PSG, p. 95): Prayer is an opportunity to experience joy. SESSION 1 PRAYING WITH JOY The Point Prayer is an opportunity to experience joy. The Bible Meets Life Too often prayer is limited to asking God to do something, intervene in a crisis, or fix a problem. To be sure, the Bible is full of invitations for us to call on Him to work, but our prayers should also reflect the fact that God has already been at work and continues to work in our lives. When we reflect on His work in our lives and the lives of others, it should cause us to rejoice and motivate us to continue praying joyfully for God s work. The Passage Philippians 1:3-11 The Setting The apostle Paul had established the church at Philippi on his second missionary journey (Acts 16). It had not been one of the destinations he intended to visit, but after being prevented by God from going to some of his intended destinations, and after a pleading dream, Paul and his traveling companions arrived in the city. Then, near the end of his life and from a prison cell, Paul wrote to that church the letter we will study. 98 Session 1
Philippians 1:3-6 3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. KEY WORDS: Partnership in the gospel (v. 5) Partnership indicates joint participation or cooperation in a specified activity. Elsewhere it is translated fellowship (2:1; 3:10), contribution (Rom. 15:26), and sharing (1 Cor. 10:16). The day of Christ Jesus (v. 6) Unknown yet imminent time when Christ returns to the earth; reference to the day of the Lord is common in the Old Testament. Pray with joy for what God has done. Often we view praying as an empty yet necessary discipline. We would agree Scripture frequently affirms the significance and power of prayer, but many of us still struggle with it. Prayer can and should be an enjoyable experience. When we go beyond generic prayers for impersonal issues and alternatively seek to connect prayers to our personal God, prayer becomes a great joy! 1 Joy is defined as cheerfulness, delight, or gladness. It goes beyond mere happiness, which is a product of circumstances and is therefore temporary and often fleeting. It is instead a product of the soul bubbling forth like a gentle brook from our inner confidence and faith in the person and workings of God. Pastor and author Dr. Chuck Swindoll artfully described it like this: Joy is the flag that flies above the castle of [our] hearts, announcing that the King is in residence. 1 Our inner joy is reflected by our outer disposition. When joy fills our personal well, it will come up in every bucket! Are you longing for just such a prayer life? Do you wonder if it is even possible? How can we engage in powerful intercessory prayer that will regularly pop out the springs of our joy-meter? The apostle Paul showed us how in what could be the most personal of all his New Testament epistles. Follow along as he revealed how our relationship with God and our relationships with people are key ingredients to joy-filled prayers that connect with God s activity. Direct attention to The Bible Meets Life (PSG, p. 95). Ask members to consider the words of Solomon and Alexander the Great. Share similar reflections from people viewing life from their perspective as senior adults. STUDY THE BIBLE Philippians 1:3-6 15 minutes READ: Read or invite someone to read Philippians 1:3-6. SUMMARIZE: Use Bible Commentary 1 to define joy and note the distinction between joy and happiness. GUIDE: Refer members to Digging Deeper (PSG, p. 97) to make the connection to joy and prayer for the Philippians. Note how relationships with God and people are key to joyfilled prayers. GUIDE: Refer group members to PSG page 96 to the JOY acrostic and ask members to share examples of people who exhibit this approach to life. SUGGESTED USE WEEK OF JANUARY 22 99
THE POINT Prayer is an opportunity to experience joy. SUMMARIZE: Use Bible Commentary 2 to give background information on the history between Paul and the people of the church at Philippi. GUIDE: Refer group members to KEY WORDS (PSG, p. 96) to explain the phrase partnership in the gospel. SUMMARIZE: Use Bible Commentary 3 on page 101 to glean more information about this unique partnership. GUIDE: Refer group members to PSG page 97 to the section on gratitude. Point out that: Paul did not give thanks for things; he gave thanks for people. Gratitude and joy are tied together. Praying with thanksgiving leads to praying with joy. Paul expressed thanks for friends who were partners in the gospel. 2 Verse 3. Paul s opening verses of remembrance and prayer to the Philippians are warm and personal, some of the most personal in all his New Testament writings. He looked back on his experiences in founding the church at Philippi with thankfulness and joy. While his labors there on behalf of the gospel were fraught with difficulties, his memories of the diverse people and their genuine faith undoubtedly brought a smile to his face. Acts 16 discloses the struggle of Paul and his companions to enter the regions of Asia, their divine prevention from that course of action, and a dream directing them to Macedonia. They immediately redirected their travels and eventually arrived in the Roman colony of Philippi. Because Jew and Gentile followers of Judaism gathered beside a river for prayer and devotions, it would be safe to assume that there were evidently not enough Jewish males to constitute a synagogue (10 adult males)! However, it was this band of unique seekers that Paul and his companions joined. When opportunity arose, they preached the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Acts 16:1 13). From that first day of ministry in Philippi, Acts introduces us to Lydia, a merchant of expensive purple cloth from Thyatira, who, along with her household, heard and respond to the preaching of Paul. She opened her home to Paul and his fellow-workers. Next we read of a demon-possessed slave girl, whose persistent nagging claims about Paul compelled him to cast out the evil spirit that prompted her outbursts. The departure of the evil spirit deprived her owners of the profit they gained from her fortune-telling. These men complained to city officials, resulting in Paul and Silas being unjustly beaten and thrown into prison without an official inquiry. In one of the most uplifting displays of faith in all of Scripture, Paul and Silas filled the dank atmosphere of that prison with prayers and songs of praise to God. A subsequent earthquake freed all the prisoners, but when none of them escaped, the hardened Roman jailer and his entire family heard the words of Paul, believed, and were baptized that same night. Such a diverse population of individuals coming to faith in Jesus Christ and joining together to worship and serve Him so enthusiastically was cause for great thanksgiving (see Acts 16:14 34). It is understandable why Paul would give thanks to my God each time he remembered them. Verse 4. These powerful memories caused Paul s prayers for the Philippian believers to be filled with joy, a characteristic 100 Session 1
feature of this epistle. In fact, the wording indicates that the Philippians formed the very basis of Paul s thanksgiving. The entire body of memories regarding their relationship brought thanksgiving and infused his prayers for them with joy. Joy gives vibrancy to prayers. This joy was in spite of his current circumstances and memories of past hurts. It was directly connected to the people with whom he had labored and suffered. We pray with greater intensity and regularity for those people and causes that bring us joy. 3 Verse 5. Paul s joy was rooted in the Philippians partnership (participation, fellowship) in the ministry of spreading the gospel. This gospel partnership Paul described is where believers participate together in the saving power and the spread of the message of good news. The Philippian church had contributed to Paul s efforts in spreading the gospel in tangible ways, not only opening their homes while he was present with them, but through subsequent giving (see Phil. 4:10 20; also 2 Cor. 8:1 5) and by sending Epaphroditus to assist Paul in person after he left their city (see Phil. 2:25). The word translated partnership is most often rendered fellowship. Its meaning includes shared communication, distribution, and contributions. (See Acts 2:42 47.) The Philippians certainly fulfilled this definition by their unselfish actions. All believers are to participate together in the saving power and message of the good news as the Philippians did. 4 Verse 6. As Paul wrote of his confidence in God s work in the Philippians, he glanced backward to their salvation and forward to the completion of their character at the day of Christ Jesus when Jesus returns. Because he had been present when God started His good work of salvation in the Philippian believers, he was sure (fully persuaded, convinced, settled and firm persuasion) that God would carry it on to completion (bring to a successful conclusion) according to His divine plan and timetable. This concept is known as sanctification, the process of God s working to make us more like Jesus in all we say, do, and are. Paul could pray with joy and thankfulness because he knew God was working among the Philippian believers, and His work would end in the maturity of His church. The day of Christ Jesus characterized Paul s thoughts. He recognized the bodily return of Jesus as the consummation of God s plan for His redeemed. It refers here to the day when the Lord Jesus will appear to receive His people to Himself. God s work in us will continue until the end of our lives or until Jesus returns. GUIDE: Refer group members to PSG page 98 and summarize verse six: God will continue the work He started. God will complete the work He started. SUMMARIZE: Use Bible Commentary 4 to enhance the conversation about God completing the work that He starts. GUIDE: Draw attention to KEY WORDS (PSG, p. 96) for information on the phrase the day of Christ Jesus. DISCUSS: Question #2 (PSG, p. 98): How would you describe the difference between happiness and joy? (Alternate: Where do you currently see God s good work in your life?) TRANSITION: In the next section Paul expressed with even more passion the depths of his feelings for these dear friends. 101
THE POINT Prayer is an opportunity to experience joy. STUDY THE BIBLE Philippians 1:7-8 10 minutes READ: Invite a volunteer to read Philippians 1:7-8. The settled confidence expressed in verse 6 stems directly from the fellowship of the intercession of verse 4. Paul s joyful and frequent prayers for the Philippian church had produced a rich dividend of ongoing spiritual maturity and faith. No wonder his memories and prayers were filled with joy! When we remember how God has worked through our relationships with people, it is an encouragement to joyfully pray that His work would continue and abound in them. SUMMARIZE: Use Bible Commentary 5 on this page and page 103 to share the ways Paul described his relationship with the church at Philippi: He held them in his heart. He reiterated their partnership in grace. He deeply missed being with them. The term affection referred to the seat of human emotion. The idea is from the depths of my being. Philippians 1:7-8 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and establishment of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. Pray with joy for what God is doing. Paul certainly had great memories of Philippi. Perhaps we also look back to times of great accomplishment in kingdom work. While our memories from the past might be cherished and noble, we cannot live in them. Life is happening even as you read these words, and God is currently at work all around us. Memories are good, but they are especially beneficial when they are the basis of how we are engaged in praying for others now. Based on the evidence of God s work in the past, we can pray with joy over His current activity among those we know and love. 5 Verse 7. Paul s joyful remembrances and earnest prayers for the Philippians were entirely proper and correct, as they stemmed from his deep love for them. The phrase I have you in my heart could just as accurately be rendered you have me in your heart. Either translation demonstrates a strong mutual love forged in faith and trials. It is obvious that Paul and the Philippian believers shared this bond from their troublesome experiences in giving birth to the church in their city. They were indeed partners who had both 102 Session 1
experienced God s grace and showed it in their actions to others. Grace is defined as both God s unmerited favor toward sinners, and His divine influence upon the heart. Grace in turn reflects in the life of the believer. The Philippians reciprocated Paul s love and demonstrated God s grace by not abandoning or disowning Paul because of his imprisonment. They sent Epaphroditus to his jail with financial support. The Philippians were thus gracious partners in his imprisonment and stood with him in his defense and establishment of the gospel. These are legal terms, essentially official language from a formal defense. The first is a judicial term for an attorney presenting a verbal defense. Paul had presented himself and the gospel to various groups and political officials in Palestine: the rioting crowd (Acts 22:1 22), the Jewish Sanhedrin (23:1 10), Governor Felix (24:1 21), Drusilla (vv. 24 26), Festus (25:4 12), King Agrippa and Bernice (26:1 32). Indeed, his presence in Rome was for yet another official hearing. It is possible he had already had a preliminary inquiry before Caesar, predating his letter to the Philippians. His experience at defending his actions and the gospel message was vast, but his efforts were made easier by knowing he had loving support. 5 Verse 8. Paul s love and longing for the Philippians was a distinctly Christian tie to which God Himself could bear witness. Witness refers to one who bears testimony. It is the word from which we get our English word martyr. Paul could solemnly appeal to God to testify of his love for the Philippian believers. Affection is a word referring to the region of the heart, lungs, and intestines. This was thought to be the very seat of human emotion. And yet, it was not with merely a human love that Paul longed after his brethren, but with the very love of Christ Jesus. The supernatural love of God was felt by Paul for the Philippian believers. Paul could pray with joy over what had been accomplished in the past, but he could also pray with joy for the Philippians current stand with him as he suffered for and defended the good news of the gospel. Standing alone is supremely difficult, but it is not necessary. (See Eccl. 4:7-12; also, study the one another commands of the New Testament for great practical teaching on this important truth.) God has designed and commanded His church to stand together. When believers labor together in prayer for the work of God in our world, we become joyful witnesses to supernatural God-sized results. DISCUSS: Question #3 (PSG, p. 99): What are some obstacles that hinder us from building deeper relationships? DISCUSS: Question #4 (PSG, p. 100): How can our group life help us build the kind of relationships Paul described in these verses? (Alternate: When have you experienced joy while connecting with others through a shared ministry experience?) TRANSITION: Paul s deep love for the people in the church at Philippi caused him to desire the very best for them in their walk with Christ. So he prayed specifically for their spiritual development. 103
THE POINT Prayer is an opportunity to experience joy. STUDY THE BIBLE Philippians 1:9-11 10 minutes READ: Read or ask someone to read Philippians 1:9-11. GUIDE: Refer group members to PSG pages 100-101. Point out that knowledge asks the question, What is right? Discernment asks the question, What is best? Love leads us to live out what is both right and best. The goal is to be biblically informed and deeply affectionate. Both are essential for a growing believer. Avoid these extremes: Many Christians never pursue wisdom and knowledge. Many Christians affirm sound doctrine but have no genuine affection for Christ and other believers. This passage stresses the need for both discernment and affection. Philippians 1:9-11 9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you can approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Pray with joy for what God will continue to do. The future is something we can plan for, hope for, and imagine, but not control. Perhaps it is something we choose not to think about. But because God already exists in the future, and He has plans for our good, we can engage in joyful prayer for the future of those we love. God s wonderful work in them will continue, and we have the privilege and responsibility to join Him in that work through our prayers. Verse 9. We pray only the best for those whom we truly love. It is notable that Paul did not ask for riches or worldly prosperity for his brethren at Philippi, although it seems that they were poor (2 Cor. 8:1 5). He knew that spiritual blessings are more important and valuable and much more enduring. Having witnessed firsthand their love (agape, sacrificial love), he prayed for it to continue growing (showing continual action, to be present in abundance). This selfless brand of love given wholly to benefit others would be best guided by knowledge (gained by experience), and tempered by an enlarging understanding of God. It is not an intellectual knowledge from deductive reasoning, but a relational knowledge gained through the experience of loving others. This love would also be guided by every kind of discernment. This refers to a sense of moral perception and delicate sensibility that allows us to express our love appropriately. Christian love is not a raging flood of uncontrolled emotion overflowing its banks; instead it is a powerful, guided stream that, within its banks, benefits all who approach its shores. The love and judgment Paul espoused here were those seen in Christ as the ultimate example, and those consistent with Scripture. 104 Session 1
Verse 10. With this kind of maturing love, the Philippians could approve (prove or test) all they heard and experienced. Greeks used this word to describe candidates who had successfully completed their examinations and become doctors of medicine. It indicates the ability to test by trial to recognize worth and therefore render a stamp of approval. (See Rom. 12:2, discern.) Here it suggests maturing believers determine correct moral conduct and values. They do so in order that their lives would be pure and blameless. Verse 11. This growing and discerning love would result in a growing character. Filled (perfectly supplied) is in a tense here meaning past action that bears on the present. Fruit is a harvest of evidence of the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ is a harvest of morality and Christian character that glorifies and reveals God. This is a product of our relationship with Christ and His transforming work in us through the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22 23). We have been filled with the evidence of Christ s imputed righteousness as a result of the ongoing work of God in us. The idea and future reality of the day of Christ filled Paul s thoughts (see 1:6; also 1 Cor. 1:8; 15:51 56; 2 Cor. 1:14; 1 Thess. 4:14 18; 2 Thess. 2:1 2). God s work in us and our cooperation with Him is to continue throughout our lifetimes, so at its end we will not be ashamed at Christ s coming. Paul viewed every aspect of salvation as the handiwork of God s grace and an offering to God s glory. The chief end of people is the glory of God. Therefore, the glory and praise belong to God, not to us. Paul s joyful prayer for his Philippian brethren was for a discerning love that correctly chooses God s best for them and for others. As we mature as believers, our abilities to make good choices should constantly improve. Paul s prayer in Philippians 1:9 11 bears a striking resemblance to his prayer in Colossians 1:9 11 and uses many of the same terms in a similar order. These parallels reveal that Paul consistently thought and prayed about the spiritual growth of his fellow Christians. As we observe how God has been at work and is now working, it should motivate us to confidently pray with joy that God s perfect will would be accomplished in the future. Prayer is to be an exciting and joyful time we share with our heavenly Father. Our relationships with Him and with others make us a vital connection point between our loved ones and God. We thankfully worship Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do for us and for those we love. Based upon God s written account in the Scriptures, and our own personal experiences with Him, we can pray with joy! GUIDE: Refer group members to PSG page 101. Paul desired for his friends to grow in this kind of love so that they 1. can approve the things that are superior by examining or testing. 2. can be pure and blameless, anticipating the coming of the Lord Jesus. DISCUSS: Question #5 (PSG, p. 102): According to this passage, how is God actively working in a believer s life? (Alternate: What steps can we take to grow in knowledge and discernment?) DO: Use the activity on PSG page 102, Keeping Things in Order. Create an acrostic using JOY to help you express how you will fulfill these priorities in your life. 1. Charles Swindoll, Laugh Again (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1992), 22. 105
THE POINT LIVE IT OUT Prayer is an opportunity to experience joy. LIVE IT OUT 5 minutes GUIDE: Emphasize The Point: Prayer is an opportunity to experience joy. REVIEW: Live it Out (PSG, p. 103); see text to the right. Encourage each member to follow through this week with at least one of the applications. WRAP IT UP GUIDE: Emphasize the heartfelt response of gratitude to God for all He has done and for the people God has drawn to this group. How will you let joy be a part of your life this week? > > Cultivate a grateful life. If you re a Christian, realize you re more blessed than you deserve. Regardless of your circumstances, remind yourself daily of all that s yours in Christ Jesus. Remind yourself daily of the gospel, and live out of the overflow of a heart enthralled with the Savior. As you pray and thank God for all He s done for you, let His joy fill your heart and be seen as you serve others. > > Memorize Philippians 1:6. It can be hard to be joyful when praying about a difficult matter, but Philippians 1:6 is a reminder that God is at work even when we don t yet see the result. > > Partner with others in the gospel. Invest your life in encouraging and supporting others with their particular ministry. Such a partnership will include prayer and it might even include financial support, but look for ways to partner with them in the gospel. SAY: Spontaneous prayers of thanksgiving and praise for His many blessings should forever be on our lips. Let s thank God for each person in our group and ask that the work He has started in us will continue to completion. PRAY: Father, we thank You today for all that You do for us. Thank You for the people in this room that You have placed in our lives. 106 Session 1
ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/DAVID ROGERS/BRITISH MUSEUM (564/24A) Bronze hand used in the worship of Sabazius, a god of Thracian or Anatolian origin, popular in the Roman Empire. The gospel witness expanded from narrow Jewish nationalism to inclusion of Gentile God-fearers. The last barrier to be broken was the inclusion of pagan Gentiles who had no previous religious experience. The unhindered gospel was achieved, according to Luke, when Paul responded to the Macedonian call and entered Europe for the first time. Traveling to Macedonia (northern Greece, Paul passed through Neapolis Macedonia, and a Roman colony (Acts 16:12). Here the Philippian jailer, a pagan Gentile, was converted, and the last barrier to an unhindered gospel came tumbling down. Scholars believe the Jewish community in Philippi during Paul s time was small. There was no synagogue within the walls of the city. Evidently it took Paul and Silas several days to find and met for worship with Lydia and a group of women at a place of prayer along the riverside (Acts 16:12-13). The importance of women in the early history of the Philippian church is obvious. The church first met in the home of Lydia, Paul s first convert in the city (vv. 14-15,40). Paul s letter to the Philippian church, moreover, mentions a disagreement between two of Paul s female co-laborers, Euodia and Syntyche (Phil. 4:2). SHARING THE GOOD NEWS We experience great joy as we pray to the Heavenly Father and learn to listen to His voice. This joy begins when we repent of sin and turn to Him by faith. Each week, make yourself available either before or after the session to speak privately with anyone in your group who wants to know more about becoming a Christian. See the article, Leading Someone to the Greatest Decision of All, on page 2 for guidance in leading a person to Christ. Remind group members that page 2 in the PSG offers guidance in how to become a Christian. Encourage believers to consider using this article as they have opportunities to lead others to Christ. on to Philippi. Philippi was the leading city of the district of The excerpt above is from the article Philippi: A Historical Overview (Fall 1994), which relates to this session. More Biblical Illustrator articles are available that relate to this session. See page 7 about Biblical Illustrator. Free additional ideas for your group are available at BibleStudiesforLife.com/AdultExtra 107