Sunday, April 22, 2018 pm
STUDIES IN PHILIPPIANS
(4)
“And This I Pray”
Philippians 1:9-11
a.
Our need for abounding
love -
love is a fundamental quality of the Christian life.
This is the word agape, that describes caring enough to sacrifice
for the best of others.
It is the love described in 1 Corinthians 13.
It is a love that will resolve many issues we face as brethren
and how we treat each other.
It is emphasized in Ephesians 3:17 where we are to let Christ dwell in
our hearts through faith, rooted and grounded in love.
Colossians 2:1-1, Paul’s desire is hearts that are encouraged, being
knit together in love…
b.
More and more
– it needs to keep increasing (abounding love that never stops
increasing).
One source described this abounding love as a mighty stream that keeps
growing. We have seen the
damage that such streams can do, therefore this “increasing stream”
needs to be properly routed.
Be reminded that the Christian life is about continual growth.
In everything we need to be growing.
2 Peter 1:5-8 in which we are add to our faith (NASB – “In your
faith supply”). It’s a
constant building process.
Notice the “top of the list” and how these things are to be abounding.
1 Corinthians 15:58 – we are always abounding in the work of the Lord
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 -
Paul here mentions “Brotherly love” which is a different word, but we
find that even those qualities we have properly developed, we must
nourish them to greater effectiveness.
c.
In knowledge – Like that mighty swelling stream, our love needs to be properly
“routed, thus Paul clarifies how our love is to increase,
Knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις,
epignōsis) is a word
that indicates full or clear understanding of something.
If our love is to grow properly it will correlate with our growth in His
word. We learn what He wants
us to do and how He wants us to live and behave.
AND we love Him more and more which causes us to love His word –
Psalm 119:97 – Oh, how I love Your
law! It is my meditation all
the day.
Colossians 1:9-10 Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, that they be filled
with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding, walking worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being
fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
is our love according to God’s word?
What do we love and how? Love is a word that can easily be
misunderstood and misdirected. Our increasing love needs to be based
upon our knowledge of God and His will, not self-serving motives or
compromise or disregarding error.
There is too much fake knowledge out there (spiritually, just
like the “fake news” we are hearing about).
Don’t let our love be undirected
OR misdirected!
In discernment – this is
the product of increased and applied knowledge.
It is wise judgment because of what we know.
It is also a REGULATOR, meaning we think before we act.
This is the maturity of Hebrews 5:12-14 (though a different word
for discern in vs. 14).
Does our love manifest wisdom and wise judgment?
a.
A natural result of a
properly directed love. The
word “excellent” means
superior. It is like an
expert that is able to spot the valuable resources.
Distinguish between the real and the fake.
b.
How do we determine what
is of excellent quality? We
test it! That is associated
with the word “approve” that
is used here. Romans 12:2
speaks of our being transformed so that we can “prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”
1 Corinthians 3:13 speaks of our work being tested by fire.
2 Corinthians 8:8, Paul
was testing the sincerity of their love.
2 Corinthians 13:5 – we are to examine and
test ourselves.
c.
Again, we are remined
that our lives as Christians are to be striving toward high quality.
Jesus used this word to describe us in comparison to the birds of the
air before God (Matthew 6:26, cf. 10:31, 12:12).
Consider: Typically (but not always) it is easy to spot the difference
between what is good and bad, especially if we have been
trained. But how about
spotting the difference between what is good and what is better AND what
is best? That becomes more
challenging and calls for greater knowledge & discernment.
a.
Continuing his prayer
for abounding love, we find here the result.
b.
That you may be sincere.
The word for sincere means to be pure and without hidden motives.
According to BDAG, the etymology of this word means to “judge in
the light of the sun”.
The brightness of the sun exposes flaws better than a room with low
light.
The brightness of sunlight exposes flaws.
How do we fare in “the light of the Son”?
Hence the idea is to be unhypocritical.
Romans 12:9 notes that our love is to be without hypocrisy.
James 3:17 the wisdom from above
is without hypocrisy.
1 Peter 2:1, we are to lay aside deceit and hypocrisy and receive with
meekness the implanted word.
c.
Without offense – (blameless – NASB) – meaning, not causing one to stumble.
Another emphasized theme in the NT is how in our conduct we must think
about how it affects others, including our brethren.
In fact Paul was clear in noting that if we act without concern
for how it affects our brethren, “You are no longer walking in love”
(Romans 14:15).
God cares about how we care about each other.
Hence the emphasis on loving one another.
Remember again John 13:34-35 – how our love for one another is a
testament to the world that we are His disciples.
d.
Till the day of Christ
– how long are we to act this way?
As long as we live on this earth.
Either the Lord will return, or our spirit will return to Him who
gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
We are always to live with the realization that the Lord is going to
return at the time He has appointed.
Acts 17:31. Continually we are warned He will come “as a thief in
the night” – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-7, 2 Peter 3:10, etc.
It is also worthy of note the references to our character shining forth
on that day – 1 John 2:28, we abide in Him that when He appears, we may
have confidence. 1 Peter 1:7
– speaks of our genuine faith being found “to praise, honor and glory at
the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
As long as we live, may we strive to be sincere and without offense as
we represent our God and Savior and all things His.
a.
Fruit is a reference to
the product of something.
The end result. When we
think of fruit, we think of being productive and having something to
present to the Lord.
Consider the parable of the talents where both the 5 and 2 talent
servants PRESENTED their produce (doubled what they had been entrusted
with) to their master (Matthew 25:20, 22).
They were praised.
We need to produce fruit.
Jesus emphasized this in John 15:1-8.
An example of “fruit” is Galatians 5:22-23 where we read of “the fruit
of the Spirit.”
Romans 6:22, But now having been
set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit
to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
b.
They are by Jesus Christ
- Ephesians 5:9-10 – again “the
fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth.
Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”
Clearly, we need to let Jesus define what our fruit is.
And be reminded that Jesus said our fruit proceeds from our heart
– Matthew 12:33-35.
c.
To the glory and praise of God – when we are living as we ought to God is glorified.
Matthew 5:16 – as your light shines, He is glorified.
Also John 15:8, He is glorified when we bear much fruit.
1 Peter 2:12 calls for us to live with honorable conduct among the
Gentiles so that your good works (fruit) will bring glory to God in the
day of visitation.