Partnership in the Gospel

January 22, 2021

Philippians 1:3-11

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 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.

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.

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

Devotion

In his opening salutation to the church at Philippi, Paul thanks his heavenly Father for the Philippian’s partnership in the Gospel. The word that is translated partnership here is the Greek word koinonia. This word carries with it the meaning of “sharing in common.” In his commentary on the book of Philippians, J.V. McGee writes, “There are three elements that must enter into it (koinonia): spiritual communication, sympathetic cooperation, and sweet communion.” The Philippians truly shared in all three of these areas when it came to Paul’s ministry. They shared by continuing to proclaim the Good News of Jesus in their region. They were also quick to support and provide resources to Paul that his work may continue even in Rome. They not only supported Paul financially, but kept in contact with him and continued to encourage him. Paul had enjoyed his fellowship with this church and is very thankful for their continued support of his ministry.

Paul was confident that the work that began when the gospel was first presented in Philippi would continue and yield fruit for generations to come. Paul communicates that God’s redeeming work will reach its climax at the day of Christ Jesus. In other words, He (God) who began the work of redemption will continue to perform it until its completion when The Lord returns. In his commentary on Philippians, Ralph Marin writes, “The thought here stresses not only the sovereign initiative of God in salvation, but also the sovereign faithfulness of God in Christ. It reveals Paul’s unshakeable confidence that the community at Philippi will be preserved in spite of its sufferings and in the face of assaults which are leveled against it.”

Paul then prays, “that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ…” Here we are encouraged to love with knowledge and discernment. These two qualities are necessary in a community where a tendency to disunity and fault-finding is present. The most effective way to influence another is to pray for that person, and if a word of correction has to be spoken let it be prayed over first, and then spoken in love.

Paul closes out this prayer by asking that they would be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” The fruit Paul refers to here could be the righteousness that is received by faith when a person trusts Christ or the evidence of such right relationship in the display of certain characteristics found in Galatians 5:22. The ultimate question that arises from this text: Are we now able to demonstrate a “faith expressing itself through love” (Gal. 5:6)? If so, our lives will bring glory and praise to the God who saved us and continues to work in us to conform us into the image of His Son!

Questions to Ponder

What does your “partnership” in the Gospel look like? Are you confident that God will complete what He started? What evidence do you have that you are being transformed into the image of Christ? What did Paul mean when he said, “that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight”? Are you filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus?

Prayer Points

  • Thank you for being our Loving Father. I thank You for my Oak Pointe Church Family. Thank You for Pastor Bob and Shirley, for all our pastors, elders and leaders. Thank You for our whole church family, what a blessing to be on our journey with You and each other. You enable us to grant grace and forgiveness to one another for You have been so forgiving to us.
  • Bless my brothers and sisters in Christ even now Abba, by Your Holy Spirit. Minister to them, reveal Your heart to them, encourage each one with Your Presence today.
  • Cause Your love to abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that each person may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of You Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Cause each person to be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
  • Abba, help each person at Oak Pointe to grow in their prayer life with You. Thank You for Ezra 8 that is coming up on Sunday, January 31st. I ask that as we celebrate our 24th birthday by praying and worshiping, that You would cause us to grow more in love with You and each other. We pray for those far from You, that they too may come to the saving knowledge of You.

Suggested Prayer
Oh God, I pray according to Your Word in Philippians 3:10-11 and I ask that we all would want to know You Christ and the power of Your resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in Your sufferings, becoming like You in death and so somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Help us to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which You oh God have called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. Enable us by the power of Your Holy Spirit to by everything come to You in prayer, petition, with thanksgiving, present our requests to You oh God. Cause Your peace Father, to transcend all understanding, to hide our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. Lift up our heads, lift up our eyes and grant grace to look at You, meditate and think on things that are good and perfect and excellent. Thank You Lord that You have given us the mind of Christ. May You be high and lifted up in my thoughts as I hide Your Word in my heart and mind. I ask all of this in the Name of Jesus Christ, amen.