Paul’s Pastoral Heart
Text: Philippians 1:5-8
Core Idea: Paul’s heart was filled with joy because of their gospel partnership, because of his growing affection for them, and because of his confidence in the One who always carries it to completion the good work He begins. Then let’s continue to trust in the One who is sovereignly orchestrating our lives as we labor to advance the gospel – all for the glory of God.
INTRODUCTION
Well, last week, we began a new sermon series on the letter to the Philippians. And just from his greetings, we were reminded of our identity as Christians – namely that we are slaves of Christ. The truth is that we don’t hear much about this in churches today. The concept of slavery has disappeared because it often makes people feel uncomfortable – instead, they emphasize success, health, wealth, and the pursuit of happiness. Instead of teaching Christians to submit to Christ, they teach that Christ is here to fulfill all their wishes. But the Bible’s teaching could not be more different. Paul tells us that Jesus is our Master – we are His possession. He is our Lord – we are His slaves. True Christianity is not about adding Jesus to my life but learning to devote myself completely to Him – submitting wholly to His will and seeking to please Him above all else. And the comforting truth about this is that Jesus is not like any master. He’s the Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep. He’s the humble King who comes not to be served but to serve. He’s the Lamb of God who offers Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. In other words, it’s safe to entrust ourselves to Him. Then my prayer for us is that we would joyfully embrace this identity for ourselves so that we’ll learn to deny ourselves and live for the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. Now, many of us are familiar with Paul as a brilliant theologian, a faithful missionary, a courageous apostle, and a passionate preacher – but I wonder how many of us know Paul as an affectionate pastor. That’s what we’re going to see today – his love for the Philippians will be on full display in this passage. So, with that in mind, please turn your Bibles to Philippians 1:5-8. But I’ll actually read from verse 1 for context.
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. 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.
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Every time Paul thought about the Philippians, he thanked God – and every time he prayed for them, he always prayed with joy. Why? Paul gives us three reasons:
· BECAUSE OF THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL
· BECAUSE OF HIS CONFIDENCE IN GOD
· BECAUSE OF HIS GROWING AFFECTION
1) BECAUSE OF THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL
Verse 5. What brought joy to Paul’s heart was to know that he wasn’t alone in his ministry but that he had other partners in the gospel. The word “partnership” in Greek is koinonia which is more commonly translated as “fellowship” in the NT. Now, what does this word really mean? Today, the word “fellowship” has come to mean more like a meaningful time spent with other believers. It could be going to a meal or coffee after service. Or it could be participating in an activity that you both enjoy like playing board games or going on a hike. Whatever it is, if two or more believers come together to hang out, we consider that a Christian fellowship. But not so in the first century. D.A. Carson explains it this way, “The heart of true fellowship [in ancient times] was self-sacrificing conformity to a shared vision. Then Christian fellowship is self-sacrificing conformity to the gospel. There may be overtones of warmth and intimacy, but the heart of the matter is this shared vision of what is of transcendent importance – a vision that calls forth our commitment.” If you’re still unsure of what this means, think of the movie, The Lord of the Rings. If you know the storyline, you’ll remember that the fellowship of the ring was made up of individuals of different origins – four hobbits, two men, one wizard, an elf, and a dwarf. These nine members of the fellowship really had no affinity for each other, but they were bound together by their great mission to defeat the forces of darkness. You see, that’s the kind of fellowship that Paul’s talking about here – a partnership that brings people together for a purpose greater than them. Then what was the purpose that brought Paul and the Philippians together? Their mission to advance the gospel. Now, it doesn’t take much reading of Paul’s letter to recognize that the gospel was the singular passion of his life. Then what about the Philippians? Well, Paul tells us that the reason why they persevered, the reason why they preached the gospel in the midst of fierce opposition, the reason why they earnestly prayed, the reason why they sacrificially supported Paul financially and spiritually was all for the advance of the gospel. In other words, they didn’t just celebrate the gospel – they wanted to make the gospel known. Because their lives had been transformed by the gospel, they longed to see others transformed by the gospel. Everything they did testified to their shared vision of the importance and priority of the gospel – and they were willing to sacrifice everything they had to achieve that goal. No wonder Paul was praying with joy – together, they were on a mission to advance the gospel.
What does this mean for us? Two things. First, the gospel must be at the center of our relationships in this community. Of course, there are many things that can bring a group of people together – food, sports, hobbies, ethnicity, school, career, and so on. But what holds us together, what ties us together, what keeps this church together, what causes this diverse people to become one must be the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, it’s the gospel that makes this community possible because it tells us that all of us are recipients of God’s extravagant love. You see, when we had nothing to show for, nothing to boast about ourselves, Christ died for us on the cross and gave us a new life, a new identity, and a new purpose – which means that no one is inferior or superior to others. Christ has leveled the ground for all of us – no one is more important or less important to this community. Through Christ, we’ve all been rescued from sin and death – and through Christ, we’ve all been adopted as the children of God. In other words, we are all slaves of Christ, but we’re also all sons and daughters of God. All of us have been saved by grace. Then it only makes sense that the gospel must saturate our life together. What does this mean practically? It means that we should be intentional to talk about the gospel, teach the gospel, reflect on the gospel, remind each other of the gospel, pray the gospel, serve out of the gospel, bear one another’s burdens because of the gospel, encourage one another through the gospel, and love one another all because of the gospel. All that to say, we must put the gospel first – the gospel must be at the center of our relationship. Then let me ask you, “What is tying you to this church? What’s being cultivated in and through the relationships that you have with others in this community? Are you putting the gospel at the center of your relationships?” My prayer for us is that the gospel will saturate our lives and our relationships here at Lighthouse – that what binds us together will be our love for the gospel.
Second, the reason for our existence as a church must be to advance the gospel. It’s true that God has brought us together to grow together, to serve together, and to do life together. But the gospel doesn’t just move us inward but outward as well. Brothers and sisters, let’s not forget that we have been given a mission – this is the reason why God brought us together. We have been called individually and corporately to proclaim and advance the gospel. Then it’s no coincidence that you are where you are in your life today – you have been placed there for a purpose. The family you’re part of. The neighborhood you’re in. The school that you attend. The friends that you hang out with. The job that you have and the people you work with. Remember that God has sent you there for a purpose. Think about that for a second. He has sent you there to advance the gospel. Friends, do you believe that? If so, are you entering those places with a clear purpose and intention to share the gospel, speak in light of the gospel, serve out of the gospel – or are you going in there mindlessly? Are you doing everything you can to shine the light of Christ wherever you are or is your mind just occupied with the busyness of life? Let’s apply this in our church life too. Are you praying for others so that they would faithfully shine the light of Christ wherever they are? Are you encouraging others when they’re scared to share the gospel? Are you intentionally inviting your non-believing friends to the church so that they would hear the gospel, so that they would have an opportunity to meet people whose lives have been transformed by the gospel? Are you generously giving away your time, money, and energy in order to see the gospel advance? Let’s remember that Christian fellowship is self-sacrificing conformity to the gospel. Then I pray that we would be bound together by this great mission to advance the gospel in our lives.
2) BECAUSE OF HIS CONFIDENCE IN GOD
Verse 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.” What brought joy to Paul’s heart was to know that God was sovereignly at work in the lives of the Philippians. Despite the uncertainties that lie ahead of them, despite the fierce opposition they faced, despite the pain and suffering they were going through, despite how many spiritual defeats they may experience along the way, Paul was confident of their future because he knew that our God is a God who always completes what He begins. Now, let me point out two important truths from this. First, it teaches us that our conversion is not the end goal of our salvation but only the beginning. You see, some people believe that as long as they pray the sinner’s prayer, as long as they just attend church every Sunday, they have the freedom to live the rest of their lives in any way they want and still be saved. But that kind of idea is nowhere to be found in the Bible – in fact, Paul clearly shares that when we give our lives to Jesus, He will begin a good work of transforming us to be more like Him so that we would be fit for His Kingdom. Until He returns or calls us home, Christ will continue the work of sanctification. Second, it teaches us that when Jesus saves us, it’s not up to us to finish the work. You see, some people imagine that God will say something like this to us, “I’ve done the hard work. Now, it’s up to you to finish it. You better not mess it up.” But this is actually a lie from the enemy. Never does the Bible say that you have to finish the work that God started – no, He will carry you to completion. He doesn’t start something He doesn’t intend to finish – which means that He will never leave you or forsake you. Actually, the fact that you’re here today listening to this message proves that God is still working in you – He brought you here because He wanted you to be reminded of this truth. Now, you may wonder if His grace and patience have finally run out because you’ve disappointed Him again this past week. You’re hesitant to approach Him because you’ve fallen into the same sin over and over again. If this is you, know that He hasn’t given up on you – He has never given up on you. I know this because it says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” If you haven’t noticed, this wonderful promise is not limited by the number of our requests. It doesn’t say, “If we confess our sins up to 10 times, 100 times, 1000 times, He will forgive us our sins.” No, it just says, “If we confess our sins, He will forgive us.” Why? Because of Christ and His work on the cross. Then friends, I invite you to come to Him again and again and again because He intends to finish what He started in you. Nothing (even your unfaithfulness) can thwart or frustrate His plan for you because our God is faithfully in control over your life.
Brothers and sisters, I pray that you will cling to this truth today. If you’re having trouble believing this, pray, “God, help me overcome my unbelief.” Fight to place your confidence in Him because it’s this confidence that will make all the difference in the way we perceive our circumstances and live our lives. How? Well, it will make all the difference in our fight against sin. Let’s be honest – our battle against sin is not easy. No matter how hard we try, we continue to find ourselves falling into our sins over and over again. In fact, it feels like this struggle will never end. And in our discouragement, we’re even tempted to give up our fight against sin. We give into our sin because we say to ourselves, “What’s the point of fighting? I’ll probably fall again.” If this is you, if you’re tempted to grow weary in your fight with sin, I pray that you’ll receive fresh confidence from this passage. Be sure of this that He who began a good work in you, He will sustain you and He will bring it to completion – which means that your indwelling sin will not ultimately triumph in your life. The purpose of God will ultimately triumph in your life because of the work of God in and through the person of His Son. Believe that Christ has redeemed us with His own blood so that we can be freed from this bondage to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. Then cling to this hope. Christ will make this possible. But that’s not all. It will make all the difference in our pain and suffering. When the unthinkable happens, when darkness seems to hide His face, when it feels like your prayers are not being heard, when it feels like you’re all alone, we can still have this confidence and rest in Him knowing that He who called us to be His will certainly carry us home – to a place where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. There, we will see Him face to face. He will embrace us, hold us in His arms, and wipe every tear from our eyes. In other words, we can persevere knowing that nothing will be lost – all things will be restored and renewed in Him. Pastor John Piper said, “God’s purposes are good. And God is at work in the worst of times. He is at work doing a thousand things no one can see but Him. All the perplexing turns in our lives are going somewhere good. They do not leave off of a cliff. In all the setbacks of our lives as believers, God is plotting for our joy.” Brothers and sisters, even though you may not be able to see it, God is plotting for your joy right now. You may not be able to see it but He’s at work doing a thousand things to accomplish His good purpose even through your pain and suffering, even through your sorrow and anguish. In fact, remember who’s writing this letter – and remember where he is writing this letter. Paul is in prison. He is in chains. He may be sentenced to death. But in the midst of his trial, what does he write? “He who began a good work in your will bring it to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” Listen to the way John Newton describes this truth in his hymn, Amazing Grace, “Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come: ’tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” This was what Paul was celebrating. Then may this be the confession of your heart today as well. Place your faith in Him. Be confident in Him because, without this, you’ll never find rest – you’ll never experience peace. You’ll continue to overflow with worries, frustrations, and anxiety. But if your confidence is in the Lord, you’ll learn to press on with joy in all circumstances. Remember that it’s not our grip on God that makes the difference but His grip on us.
One more thing. Let’s apply this to the ministry at our church as well. You see, my prayer for our church is that we would bring glory to God in all that we do – that we would passionately love God and joyfully love others, that we would faithfully preach the gospel and courageously live out the gospel, that we would generously give ourselves to one another and sacrificially serve each other, that we would encourage each other in love but also speak the truth in love, that we would grow in intimacy and care for one another, that there would be this complete vulnerability but also complete acceptance, that we would witness many non-believing friends come to Christ and declare that He is their Lord and Savior. That’s the kind of church that I want our community to be. Now, does this seem impossible? If so, praise God that we have a God who makes the impossible possible. Friends, because of Him, this is not wishful thinking – this is our future reality. Then let’s trust Him as we continue to do life together. He will keep us, and He will complete us.
3) BECAUSE OF HIS GROWING AFFECTION
Verse 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. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” What brought joy to Paul’s heart was to know that he had this growing affection for the Philippians. You see, this church had a very special place in Paul’s heart because of his history with them, because of his partnership with them, because of their care for him – which is why he earnestly longed to be with them. The extraordinary depth of his love for them is clearly evident in the fact that he held them in his heart. This wasn’t a casual pleasantry – “Oh, I have you in my heart.” No, he truly meant what he said – he had all of them in the very center of his being as he thought about them and prayed for them regularly. In fact, listen to the way Paul addresses them in Philippians 4:1, “My brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!” They were his brothers and sisters, his joy and crow, and his dearest friends. This is so important because it shows us what the gospel creates in our hearts. The gospel produces affection for others in us – more specifically, the affection of Christ Jesus. Now, what does that even mean? Alec Motyer explains it this way, “This means that he patterns his love for them on that of Christ, but the wording demands something more than the notion of ‘imitation.’ Paul is saying that he has so advanced in union with Christ that it is as if Christ were expressing His love through Paul. Two hearts are beating as one – indeed one heart, the greater, has taken over and the emotional constitution of Christ Himself has taken possession of His servant.” In other words, it was as if Jesus Himself was expressing His affection to the Philippians through Paul. That’s how much Paul loved them.
You see, Paul wasn’t just a theologian – he really was a pastor at heart. His heart was full of affection for the Philippians. And in the same way, let me say this on behalf of our pastors that our relationship with you is not professional – it’s personal. Our hearts are full of affection for you – and we are so grateful for your affection for us. It really is humbling to know that you love us, trust us, and support us – but I’m even more thankful that this affection that you have for us pastors is evident in your relationships with one another. I could clearly see how much you love each other – and it’s shown in the way you care for each other, in the way you serve each other, in the way you pray for each other. My prayer for you is that your affection for one another here in this community will deepen and intensify more and more – that we’ll learn to grow in our affection for each other because we’re not just partners in the gospel but a family. We’re not just on a mission together – we’re called to do life together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Now, it’s true that there may come a time when we’ll feel like our affection for this community is diminishing – it could be because things become familiar in this place or because life becomes difficult and burdensome. Then as a way to guard your hearts, regularly ask yourself these questions, “Am I praying regularly for this community – for specific individuals today? Am I giving thanks for them? Am I thanking God for the good work He has started in them? Do I realize that they are my brothers and sisters because of the person and work of Christ on the cross? Am I grateful for my partnership with them in the gospel? Am I grateful for the way they serve in the church?” If you can say yes to these things, there will be fresh and enduring affection for this community in your heart. All that to say, we must labor to cultivate that affection for others. Our love for this community won’t come naturally – we must put intentional effort to grow it in our hearts. Then my prayer for us is that our church will be marked by this kind of love – that we will have the affection of Christ for one another and those who visit us as well.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, Paul’s heart was filled with joy because of the gospel partnership that he had with the Philippians, because of the growing affection he had for them, and ultimately because he knew that they were in the hands of the One who will carry it to completion the good work He began in them. And these are the same reasons why my heart is filled with joy as I pray for all of you. Then my prayer for us is that we would continue to place our trust in the One who is sovereignly orchestrating our lives as we serve each other with grace, love each other with care, and labor to advance the gospel with passion – all for the glory of God.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) Paul prays with joy because of their partnership (fellowship) in the gospel (v. 5). How do you define “fellowship”? Does it involve a purposeful mission or just hanging out? Compare it with Paul’s view of fellowship. Why do we need gospel partnerships in the church?
2) Does Philippians 1:6 encourage you? If yes, how so? Despite what you see in your life, despite what you’re experiencing, is your confidence in the Lord today? What may be preventing you from believing and living out this truth?
3) We often think of Paul as a mighty theologian (and rightly so), but how is his pastoral heart in full display in verses 7-8? Is your heart growing with the affection of Christ for the people at Lighthouse? What are you doing to cultivate and deepen that affection? Spend some time praying for each other.