PEACE WILL BE OURS WHEN WE LIVE IN THE LORD (9)
by Tim Melton
Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9
This content is part of a series.
Peace Will Be Ours When We Live In the Lord (9)
Series: Philippians
Tim Melton
Philippians 4:1-9
To better understand these verses we must remember the history and the context. The Apostle Paul is writing these words from a prison in Rome. He is in prison because he had appealed to Caesar in response to false charges that had been brought against him by the religious leaders in Jerusalem (Acts 23-28).
The book of Philippians was a letter to the church in the city of Philippi that was 1200 km away from where Paul was imprisoned. Paul and his co-laborers had been used by God to start this small congregation as told about in Acts 16. Paul was their spiritual father. These new Christians, to whom Paul was writing, were surrounded by a pagan culture and also had their own struggles within the congregation.
1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Paul began this chapter by calling the Philippians to stand firm in the Lord. This phrase ''stand firm'' was used for a soldier who would stand fast and strong even in the midst of attack and danger. Paul was calling them to faith, to courage and to stand in the face of temptation and persecution. They were to stand firm although they were vastly outnumbered and having to swim against the moral current of their day. At times this would seem impossible, but their strength would come from being, ''in the Lord.''
Do you know of a Christian where whenever they are around you are emboldened to live rightly? Whenever they are around they somehow cause you to long for righteousness? Whenever you are with them you seem to have more faith, and more courage and more conviction, and more joy? Whenever you leave their presence you are excited to face the world for Christ once again. Now imagine you could be with this Christian all the time? How different do you think your Christian life would be?
Paul was reminding the Philippians that they ...
Series: Philippians
Tim Melton
Philippians 4:1-9
To better understand these verses we must remember the history and the context. The Apostle Paul is writing these words from a prison in Rome. He is in prison because he had appealed to Caesar in response to false charges that had been brought against him by the religious leaders in Jerusalem (Acts 23-28).
The book of Philippians was a letter to the church in the city of Philippi that was 1200 km away from where Paul was imprisoned. Paul and his co-laborers had been used by God to start this small congregation as told about in Acts 16. Paul was their spiritual father. These new Christians, to whom Paul was writing, were surrounded by a pagan culture and also had their own struggles within the congregation.
1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Paul began this chapter by calling the Philippians to stand firm in the Lord. This phrase ''stand firm'' was used for a soldier who would stand fast and strong even in the midst of attack and danger. Paul was calling them to faith, to courage and to stand in the face of temptation and persecution. They were to stand firm although they were vastly outnumbered and having to swim against the moral current of their day. At times this would seem impossible, but their strength would come from being, ''in the Lord.''
Do you know of a Christian where whenever they are around you are emboldened to live rightly? Whenever they are around they somehow cause you to long for righteousness? Whenever you are with them you seem to have more faith, and more courage and more conviction, and more joy? Whenever you leave their presence you are excited to face the world for Christ once again. Now imagine you could be with this Christian all the time? How different do you think your Christian life would be?
Paul was reminding the Philippians that they ...
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