Philippians 1:2-8
Paul’s Heart
We spent time last week looking at the history and founding of this church. IF we
have close to the correct dates for the life of Paul, the church in Philippi
would now be about 11 to 15 years old. (It is in those difficult teenage years
now!) Let’s see what we can learn from Paul’s letter to them.
As we are getting started this book, we are going to learn something about God
and doctrine; but tonight, let’s learn some things about the Apostle Paul.
I. \\#Phil 1:1-2\\ Paul’s Introduction
A. Introductions are very important. They give us the basic information
that we would miss if they were not there. However, because the
information is so basic, the introduction is often ignored.
B. In the introduction,
1. We find the writers - Paul and Timotheus (Timothy)
a. Perhaps you recall that Philippians is one of five prison epistles.
b. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon are believed to
have all been written during Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome.
c. Isn’t it good that we find out that Paul was not alone.
d. Timothy was not IN jail, but neither did he forsake his friend
and mentor.
e. No doubt, that gave some comfort to Paul.
2. We also find to whom the letter is written - Philippi.
a. I have already given you a good bit of information about the city.
b. However, in this introduction, we find out that the church at
Philippi is growing stronger.
c. From the pronouns used in the Book of Acts, we believe that
Luke stayed at Philippi to get it started.
(1) Luke is the apparent writer of Acts.
(2) The fact that he traveled with Paul is seen by the use of
the pronoun WE throughout the book \\#Acts 16:16, 20:6\\.
(3) \\#Acts 17:1\\ the pronoun THEY is used.
(4) This is as Paul and is band leaves Philippi.
(5) From that usage, we conclude that Luke stayed to grow the
new Christians in Philippi.
d. Now they have BISHOPS and DEACONS.
(1) Bishops are pastors and associate pastors.
(2) Deacons are those who tend to the physical needs of the
congregation.
(3) These are not positions that you just hand out.
(4) Spiritual growth and purity is required to be appointed
to these positions.
3. \\#Phil 1:1\\ We learn what a SAINT is.
a. Because of the way an old and powerful cult uses the word
SAINT, some in the true church have begun to think a SAINT
is a super Christian.
b. He (or she) is not. They are any Christian who will live
a holy and pure life.
4. \\#Phil 1:2\\ We see what the secret of peace.
a. Paul mentions GRACE and PEACE.
(1) Grace is that work that God does in you.
(a) Grace can be a verb. When it is, grace is what God
is doing to you. "God is being gracious."
(b) Grace can also be a now. When it is, grace is what
God has done.
(2) Peace is the absence of anxiety.
b. The secret to having peace is let God do a work on you.
c. There is no peace unless first God does a work.
II. \\#Phil 1:3-30\\ Paul’s Heart
A. Paul’s adamant adherence to the truth and to rebuking those who did
not follow it had given him a reputation, among some, of being a
hard-nosed, if not a carnal, preacher.
1. Paul acknowledged that some thought that about him.
2 Corinthians 10:2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present…
wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked
according to the flesh.
2. However, Paul had a heart.
a. That is sometimes forgotten with spiritual leaders who do not
sacrifice their convictions because of their hearts.
b. I am speaking of those who believe the standard is what we
feel but the Word of God.
c. These kinds of leaders get the reputation of being hard.
d. However, they like the Apostle Paul do have a heart.
3. No doubt, it would have surprised some, but thought of himself as
gentle.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her
children:
4. Not only so, but Paul forged deep and sincere relationships with
those who would allow him to do so.
a. Paul gave himself to pain and suffering to preach the saving
grace to these people. That is love.
b. He told them hard truths because they needed to hear it. That
is love.
c. For those who would let him, Paul continued to be a mentor
and pastor, even years after leaving them.
(1) Paul had been gone from Philippi for 11 to 15 years.
(2) Still he wrote to nurture and help them.
d. Some would not allow Paul to love on them.
(1) Some rejected him because he was bold or harsh in his
words.
(2) Others rejected him because of his adherence to the
truth.
(3) In some churches, like in Corinth, some claimed Paul
was not even an apostle at all.
(4) Still, he loved them.
(a) Paul wrote at least four letters to Corinth.
(b) He sent his preacher boys to do what they could.
(c) He went to see them as many times as he could.
(d) Paul had a heart and he loved them.
5. \\#Phil 1:7-8\\ You can see that Paul’s heart in all of these verses but
notice it especially here.
B. To have a strong love relationship, both sides must give something.
1. If only one side is giving, you have an obsession not a
relationship.
2. Paul was somewhat limited on what he could contribute to the
relationship, especially sitting in a Roman prison.
C. What was Paul’s contribution to this friendship?
1. First, Paul contributed love to this friendship.
a. \\#Phil 1:3\\ Paul was thankful (to God) for the Philippian
Christians.
(1) Paul suffered in Philippi as he had done in many other
places.
(2) Now, in prison, Paul can reflect over his suffering. It
is as if Paul put all the pain and hurt he endured on
one side of a scale and what he felt as a result it what
he suffered, and the scale titled to the feeling’s side.
(3) Paul was thankful. What he suffered was worth it.
b. \\#Phil 1:3\\ Paul remembered (often) the Philippian Christians.
c. \\#Phil 1:4\\ Paul joyfully prayed for the Philippian Christians.
(1) There is more to be said about Paul’s prayer in a moment.
(2) However, it is important to note Paul’s heart toward
these Christians.
(a) He thought on this converts with thankfulness and
joy.
(b) He remembered them.
(c) Paul loved these converts as he loved all people.
(d) The catch is that Paul loved God much more and in
that focus it is some times hard to see how much the
people are loved.
2. \\#Phil 1:4\\ Paul contributed prayer to this friendship.
a. This was probably about all Paul could do.
b. However, prayer shouldn’t seem a small thing to do.
(1) Prayer is the most important of all things.
(2) When we feel that our prayer is of little worth to someone
it may be because it wasn’t much of a prayer.
(3) Earnest prayer is hard work.
D. What was the Philippians contribution to this friendship?
1. \\#Phil 1:7\\ Paul tells us why it was such a natural thing for him to
have these people on his heart.
2. The Philippians had been partakers with Paul BOTH in his ministry
to share the gospel and in his bonds.
a. That would mean the Philippians had helped Paul (perhaps
physically but probably financially) to spread the gospel.
b. And it would mean that they had not abandoned Paul once he
was arrested.
3. Paul spent much of his life feeling abandoned.
a. 2 Timothy is the prison epistle written during Paul’s second
and last imprisonment at Rome. It is the last book we have
that Paul wrote.
b. In it, Paul speaks of his feelings of abandonment several
times.
(1) He felt abandoned when he was first saved.
2 Timothy 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook
me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
(2) In prison that last time, Paul says that all of those
of Asia had forsaken him.
2 Timothy 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned
away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
(3) Even some who had been his closest fellow-servants.
2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and
is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
4. At this point, Paul is very appreciative of the Philippians
standing by him.
It is important to remember that even tough preachers have a heart and even if
they don’t, Mrs. Preacher does. I remember Mrs. Burns telling me that very few
people visited or called to see about Bro. Burns when he was in the hospital.
And again, after he died, few supported her after his death.
Perhaps there is only one point to tonight’s message - to remind us that people
have a heart and need to be loved.
a. How it must have thrilled Paul’s soul, to have someone stand
with him!
b. When one considers that there was no post office, but that
a person had to deliver their own mail, one begins to see
how much Paul did to write to these believers and how much
these believers did to minister to Paul.
c. Now perhaps we see what it might have meant to Paul that
Timothy was with him.
E. I remember…
1. Bro. W.W. Burns and his wife. He had been a pastor and went into
evangelism. Our church supported them as American missionaries.
He had a stroke (or something like one) and was in the hospital.
In conversing with Mrs. Burns, she shared that after all the
years of visits Bro. Burns had made, hardly anyone check on him.
After his passing, our church continued to support Mrs. Burns
until her death. I asked her if others had done the same. Her
answer was, "Very few, Bro. Hall. Very few." God’s preachers
do have a heart.
2. Mrs. Murdock, wife of Bill Murdock, missionaries to Costa Rica,
wrote a personal letter to me not long ago to thank us for being
one of the few churches that has continued to support her after
the death of her husband. God’s preachers and their wives have
hearts.
3. If I should be, as I believe I may be, arrested for continuing to
preach the whole truth of the Bible, I would hope that you would:
a. Stand with me as I stand for the Bible.
b. Visit me and comfort me while in jail.
c. Care for my wife and my children.
F. I am not certain what God’s purpose is in giving this message to me,
except to say, even the toughest of God’s servants has a heart.
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