This week we are beginning a 12 week study of the book of Philippians. This letter, written from jail, about joy and fellowship, blows up our worldly belief that our circumstances dictate our attiudes, opportunities and relationships. Paul teaches us that joy comes from God and is to be spread to men. We are bridges of joy, receiving it from God and spreading it to the people in our lives. As we study through this brief but powerful letter I pray that we will each choose to become those bridges of joy for this community, that we will be those who find their joy in Christ alone and spread His joy to everyone in every way that God allows and ordains.
The first message covers Philippians 1:1-11. Paul opens with his greeting of thanksgiving and then immediately launches into a commendation of his love for, joy over and partnership with the church at Philippi. In verse 9 Paul follows his familiar pattern of praying for his readers in the midst of the letter. He prays that their love would abound more and more in “knowledge and discernment”. Both of these words are relational. The word knowledge refers to the origin of love, the relationship between man and God. Love must know it’s origin to be spent in the proper manner. “God is love.” Love that is not from God cannot be used for the kingdom of God. Paul’s prayer is that the Philippians would have more and more understanding and realization of God’s birthing love in them. The word discernment refers to the relationship among men. The body of Christ is given love by God for the purpose of revealing God’s love to man. Our calling to discernment is not to follow our feelings or to guard or protect ourselves, it is a calling to know the heart of God for the people around us, to see His love and to understand His will that none would perish but that all would come to repentance.
When our love abounds more and more in knowledge and discernment we begin to bear “fruits of righteousness” through Jesus and God is glorified through our lives. It is not enough to love our best, in fact, loving our best is often dangerous because it does what we understand. We are called to love as God leads, which goes far beyond our understanding and leads to redemption and deliverance. I pray today that each of us would rekon to do all that we do for the glory of God and to live lives of love that bridge the gap between God and man so that man sons could be brought to glory.