“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Philippians 1:3-6 NLT
Letter-writing to a group of people like the Philippians was, for Paul, pure joy. He had nothing to rebuke or correct in their behaviour or doctrine. He loved them…they loved him… and, best of all, they were partners in his mission to the world…partners, doing the work together, not passengers going along for the ride.
In what way was the church in Philippi in partnership with Paul?
Some were preaching the gospel in the city and region because Paul himself was in prison…restricted to a small congregation of Roman soldiers… while they were free to speak to the people around them and even further afield. This means that the gospel was being proclaimed by more than one person. Multiplied! Spreading further afield than what one person could reach.
“And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear. It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News…But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.”
Philippians 1:14-16, 18 NLT
The fact that there were others preaching the gospel made Paul happy, whatever their motive. Why? God’s power to save is in the message itself, not in the messenger.
“For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.”
Philippians 1:19 NLT
The Philippians also prayed for Paul. Praying for him was not incidental. It was pivotal. It was critical. Whatever his circumstances, they backed Paul up in prayer because he not only carried a vital, life-giving message to the world…but he was also vulnerable to both seen and unseen powers. Paul was aware of and valued their prayer backing as he moved from place to place, through test after test, and into one danger after another. They had his back in the very throne room of God and that mattered greatly to him.
Then there was the matter of resources. As a free man, he was able to support himself with his hands but there, in prison, his hands were literally tied…to a Roman guard. He still had needs…covering…food and…perhaps the little extras that made his life more bearable. Yes, he had learned to take all the good and bad in his life in his stride…
“I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”
Philippians 4:12 NLT
One can only learn these lessons through real life experiences, not through reading books about contentment.
But…let’s break this lesson down.
Paul’s life in the main, from the moment of his conversion, was lived on the road. Apart from a few extended stays in one or another city, he was constantly moving from place to place. He was dependent on the goodwill of the people he knew or met for food and shelter. His circumstances were always uncertain. If he had money, he could pay his way. If he had no money, he went without.
Paul acknowledged that his life was full of uncertainty. How does one cope with this kind of life. One either accepts the situation and makes the best of it or one continually grumbles and is dissatisfied. Perhaps Paul began this lifestyle by complaining. We don’t know but…he had learned!
Every life lesson begins with some sort of difficulty. One must learn…either by kicking against the circumstances and, in the process, becoming resentful or bitter, eventually against God, or…one accepts the struggles as part of God’s molding process and rejoices in God’s sovereignty in all things.
So, Paul was always on a learning curve…not only learning himself but also passing on the lessons to others by being the example…and that was a big one!
The Philippians’ generosity was not only a sacrifice of worship to the Lord…
“At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.”
Philippians 4:18 NLT
…but it was also a sign. A sign of what? It was proof that God was doing a good work in them. God’s beginning always has an ending.
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Philippians 1:6 NLT
Partnership in these ways were the fruit of the gospel which showed that their faith in Christ was genuine. As James had so eloquently argued…
“You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.”
James 2:19-20, 24 NLT
Sure…good works cannot save us but…good works are the evidence that we have been saved.
So, Paul was happy…delighted with the fellowship and faithfulness of his Philippian partners because of the real evidence that they had been transformed in the inside.
Contentment, in the end, means that we have opened our hands and let go of every expectation, fulfilled or unfulfilled, that locks us into a certain mindset. Open-minded acceptance of all our circumstances, putting no heavy on God to do what we want, giving Him the right and freedom to be God, is one of the most liberating attitudes we can ever adopt.
After all, whatever we may think, we have no power to control our own lives…but God does. When we drop this foolish idea, relax, and let God be God…He, not our circumstances, takes centre stage in our thoughts and in our trust…
…and that how it should always be and…that is what leads to the confidence that God will finish what He started!
To be continued