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**Willow Journey**

Reading through scripture every day.

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Day 5 of Journey Through Philippians: CITIZENS OF HEAVEN // PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 1 Oct 25, 2019

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SCRIPTURE
PHILIPPIANS 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

PAUL’S CHAINS ADVANCE THE GOSPEL

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

LIFE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Day 4 of Journey Through Philippians: LIVING IN THE WORLD AS CITIZENS OF HEAVEN Oct 24, 2019

Show notes

COMMENTARY
In Philippians 1:27, Paul shifts from describing his own circumstances to sharing some instructions with his Philippian friends. The first instruction he shares is perhaps his most important. He writes, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” The significance of this instruction is indicated by the phrase “whatever happens” which can also be translated as “only,” “just one thing,” or “above all else.” The idea behind this phrase is that this was a lesson they shouldn’t miss. But even without this opening phrase, Paul’s Philippian readers could hardly miss the significance of this instruction. It would have quite literally hit close to home.
A little background on Philippi is helpful here. Philippi was one of just a few cities in the region of Macedonia that enjoyed the status of being a Roman colony. As residents of a Roman colony, the Philippians were considered citizens of Rome. This was a point of pride for the Philippians and it gave them a number of privileges. However, it also meant that they had to fulfill certain social obligations if they were to be good Roman citizens. If they failed to participate in activities like Roman emperor worship, they could suffer the consequences.
Paul’s opening instruction in this letter would have been particularly striking for his Philippian readers because it directly confronted their identity as Roman citizens. The Greek word translated as “conduct yourselves” in Philippians 1:27 is a political term that is rarely used in Scripture. This word literally means “live as a citizen.” Paul chose to use this term because he wanted to make it clear to the Philippians that although they may be citizens of Rome, they were citizens of heaven first (Philippians 3:20). As citizens of heaven, they would enjoy privileges infinitely better than what Rome could ever offer. This would have been a source of encouragement when they suffered the consequences of refraining from pagan Roman customs like emperor worship (Philippians 1:29). But it also required that they live as citizens of heaven, or as Paul put it, “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27).
Paul’s challenge also stands for us today. We all pledge allegiance to something. In fact, most of us pledge allegiance to many things: country, work, a sports team, a political party, or family. It’s not wrong to value these things. It can, however, be problematic when our loyalties lead us to work, act, or speak in ways which do not reflect the gospel of Christ. Paul’s message is that our loyalty to Jesus must always come first and our manner of living should reflect this. We may live as citizens in the world, but above all else, we are citizens of heaven.

SCRIPTURE
PHILIPPIANS 1:27–30

LIFE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL

REFLECTION
1. In this passage, what does Paul say it might look like to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ? Do Paul’s descriptions characterize you and your faith? How so?
2. According to verse 28, when we fearlessly live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, our lives become a “sign” for others about the truth of what we believe. Why do you think this is the case? How could your actions better show the authenticity of your faith?

Day 3 of Journey Through Philippians: REJOICING IN THE MIDST OF UNCERTAIN FUTURE Oct 23, 2019

Show notes

COMMENTARY
In yesterday’s reading, Paul talked about his present circumstances. He ended the section by saying he could “rejoice” despite his imprisonment. This was an incredible display of resolve in the midst of a difficult situation. Perhaps even more incredible is the resolve he shows in today’s reading. In this section, Paul shifts his attention to his future circumstances, saying that he “will continue to rejoice” no matter what happened, whether he lived or he died (Philippians 1:18). This begs the question, how was Paul able to continue rejoicing while facing such an uncertain future?
Paul gives us two answers. First, he was able to continue rejoicing because he was confident that whether he lived or died, he would experience “deliverance.” He writes in verse 19, “for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” The word translated here as “deliverance” could have a variety of meanings. On the one hand, it could refer to a simple deliverance from his imprisonment. On the other hand, this word oftentimes refers to our eternal salvation (Romans 1:16; Hebrews 5:9; 1 Peter 1:5). It seems that Paul is drawing on the full range of meanings of this word to imply that whether he would live or die, he would experience some form of deliverance, either from an earthly ruler’s judgment or from God’s final judgment. This was something he could rejoice over.
Another reason Paul continued to rejoice was because he had a clear understanding of his life’s purpose. He writes in verse 21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Here, Paul has taken a popular Greek saying, “life is good” (to z¯en chrestos), and modified it into a similar sounding statement, “to live is Christ” (to z¯en Christos). By doing this, he has indicated that life as he understood it wasn’t about pleasure or experiences. For Paul, life was first and foremost about Jesus. This meant that living or dying was not as significant as seeing Christ exalted.
This should serve as an example for us. We tend to make life about a lot of things: work, money, family, friends, fun. These things are not necessarily bad, but they cannot sustain us when they become the central focus of our lives. Only Jesus can fill that role. When we make our life’s purpose first and foremost about Jesus, we discover that we can always rejoice, even in the midst of an uncertain future.
SCRIPTURE
PHILIPPIANS 1:19–26

REFLECTION

Paul sees two possible outcomes to his imprisonment: either he will live or he will die. What outcome does Paul say he would desire? What is his reasoning and what does this teach us? 2. What is life about to you? Could you echo Paul’s words, “to live is Christ”? What changes might you need to make to put Jesus first in your life?

Day 2 of Journey Through Philippians: ADVANCING THE GOSPEL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES Oct 22, 2019

Show notes

COMMENTARY
In Philippians 1:12, Paul’s letter to the Philippian church turns to a discussion of Paul’s present circumstances. In this section, Paul confirms what he had already alluded to in verse 7, that he is in “chains.” In other words, Paul is imprisoned as he had been many times for preaching the gospel (2 Corinthians 11:23). There has been a good deal of debate about where Paul was imprisoned and what the specific conditions of his imprisonment were. It could be that Paul was held in a dark, overcrowded, and unsanitary room which was common at the time. It is also possible that Paul was held under house arrest (Acts 28:16). Whatever his specific circumstance was, this would appear to be a ministry-halting situation.
Paul, however, saw things differently. He writes in verse 12, “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.” From Paul’s perspective, his imprisonment didn’t slow the spread of the gospel, it actually advanced it. There are two reasons for this.
First, Paul’s imprisonment gave him an opportunity to share the gospel with people he might never have otherwise met. In verse 13, he specifically identifies the palace guard as one of those groups. The palace guard, also known as the Praetorian Guard, was an elite force of Roman soldiers with significant political influence. These soldiers would sometimes stand guard over prisoners like Paul, but they also had the honor of guarding political leaders including the Roman emperor himself. Because of his circumstances, Paul was able to share the gospel with the Praetorian Guard and as a result, the gospel began making its way into the inner parts of the largest, strongest, and most interconnected empire in the world.
Second, Paul’s imprisonment advanced the spread of the gospel because it inspired others to boldly carry on his mission. He writes in verse 14, “And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.” At this time, preaching about Jesus had dangerous consequences as demonstrated by Paul’s own imprisonment. It would have been understandable for Christians to be afraid of sharing their faith. Paul’s willingness to embrace these consequences for preaching the gospel actually inspired others to show the same kind of courage.
Paul’s message and model should inspire us too. It can be easy for us to shy away from sharing our faith because of fear or concern that our circumstances aren’t quite right. We don’t feel adequately trained or we don’t view our everyday settings as the mission field that God has called us to. What God wants us to discover is that He can use us no matter our circumstances. In fact, He may have placed us right where we are because He sees the opportunity in our circumstances. The choice we face is whether we will embrace our opportunities or choose to give in to fear.
SCRIPTURE
PHILIPPIANS 1:12–18

PAUL’S CHAINS ADVANCE THE GOSPEL

REFLECTION

Philippians 1:15-18 describes a situation in which some tried to “stir up trouble” for Paul by preaching the gospel with wrong motives. There is a good deal of debate as to who these individuals were and how exactly their preaching could bring Paul difficulty. What is clear is that they were motivated by “selfish ambition.” Later in Philippians 2:3, Paul instructs the Philippians to live differently: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition.” How does Paul model this teaching in his own response to this particular situation?
Paul’s courage in the face of imprisonment gave others confidence to preach all the more. What is it about courage that inspires confidence in other people? Which courageous people can you look toward when you lack confidence in your faith?

Day 1 of Journey Through Philippians: Love Abounding Oct 20, 2019

Show notes

COMMENTARY
When writing a letter, we tend to follow certain formats or conventions. We start by identifying the recipient (e.g., Dear Jane). We then write the body of the letter. Finally, the letter concludes with a polite closing that identifies the writer (e.g., Sincerely, Joe). These conventions vary somewhat depending on the specific type of letter, but they tend to follow a general guide. One of the first and most important things we should notice about the book of Philippians is that it is a letter. When the apostle Paul composed this letter, he followed some of the standard conventions used in his culture – the Greco-Roman culture.
This is especially clear in the opening section of Philippians (Philippians 1:1-11). Paul begins this letter by identifying himself as the writer (Philippians 1:1). Then he identifies Philippian Christians as his intended recipients (Philippians 1:1). He follows this with a greeting (Philippians 1:2). Finally, he ends his introduction with a note of thanks and prayer (Philippians 1:3-11). This was the standard way that letters were written in Paul’s culture.
While Paul was guided by ancient letter-writing conventions, he also felt the freedom to transform some of these conventions to make powerful points. For example, in this and other letters, Paul created a wordplay on the standard Greek greeting charein (“Greetings”). He did this by substituting it with a theologically profound phrase containing the same letters: charis kai eirene (“Grace and peace”). Paul often greeted people this way because he wanted to express more than a simple “hello.” He wanted his readers to experience the grace and peace of God that had radically transformed his own life.
Another way Paul’s letter to the Philippians differed from the conventions of his day is found in the note of thanks and prayer included in verses 3-11. In other Greco-Roman letters, this section usually included a prayer for the health or wealth of the recipients. Paul made no such prayer for the Philippians. Instead, he prayed that their “love may abound more and more” (Philippians 1:9). Paul prayed this, not because he didn’t care about the physical well-being of his Philippian readers, but because he understood from personal experience that allegiance to Christ did not always lead to better physical circumstances (Philippians 1:7, 12-14; 3:10; 4:11-12). What was more important was that these Christians maintained a spirit of love, no matter what situation they found themselves in. This is a prayer that we would do well to make our own. Imagine what our churches would look like if our prayers became less about improving our physical circumstances and more about expanding our capacity to love.
SCRIPTURE
PHILIPPIANS 1:1–11

CHAPTER 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

REFLECTION

How would you describe Paul’s feelings toward his Philippian readers? Why does he feel this way about them? Who in your life do you feel this way about and why?
After sharing his “affection” for his Philippian readers – an affection that is modeled after the “affection of Christ Jesus” for us – Paul prays that their “love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight” (Philippians 1:8-9). The idea here is that they would have more than just a widespread love, but also a wise and discerning love that is able to distinguish what matters most from what is less important. How have you seen wise love in action? In what relationships could you use more wise love?

Journey through Philippians Coming Soon! Oct 14, 2019

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