Living as a Servant, part 1
Words of Encouragement
Welcome to week two of our four-week series looking into the Book of Philippians. This is the story of the Church community in the City of Philippi, being taught by Paul to learn how to live together in times of trouble.
As we mentioned last week, Acts chapter 16 records the roots of this church. Then, nearly 10 years later, the Apostle Paul, imprisoned in Rome, writes a letter to encourage the church he had planted a decade earlier. I still find it amazing: Paul is writing this letter of encouragement while in prison - and he is encouraging those who are not in prison. The people of that day needed encouragement because persecution was becoming an everyday part of their lives.
How many people here can testify that there comes a time, when we need encouragement, too? It’s likely that, in America, we do not face the kind of persecution that the early church faced, or that the church in China or Iran faces today. But it is true that, as individuals, we certainly face times of testing and trial. This letter to the Philippians is God’s instruction to us today about how to live during tough times.
Our journey through this book looks like this: Last week we learned: How to Live as if God is in Control (Philippians chapter 1). This week, in chapter 2, we will learn “How to Live as Servants,” as Paul explains how Jesus lived out the example for us. Next week, we’ll be in chapter 3, learning “How to Live a Life of Loss.” (Paul will use his life as the example of a Life that is Laid Down for the Sake of the Gospel.) Our final message in this series will be from chapter 4, where we will learn “How to Live a Life of Generous Friendship.”
Because these messages are connected, and build on each other, let’s briefly review last week’s lesson: How to Live as if God is in Control. God is in control, isn’t He? Yes, of course, He is! However, there is a big difference between saying, “God is in control,” and living as if God is in control. It is the difference between our theology and our actions.
Continued tomorrow
