“Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.” —Philippians 2:9-11

Week 1: We are better together!

“Community is the most ‘overpromised and underdelivered’ aspect of the church today.” —Ruth Haley Barton

Fellowship = Partnership

When we say the word “fellowship” in Acts 2:42, what we mean is

!

We need a

of faith (each other) to grow into the people God has created us to be all along.

“We can no more be conformed to the image of Christ outside corporate spirituality than a coal can continue to burn outside of the fire.” —Robert Mulholland

Context: The Church in Philippi

In 50 AD, Paul founded the first church in

in the Roman city of Philippi located between Rome and Istanbul.

“The early Church was an all-inclusive Church, with people from a cross section of society, a cross section of nationality, from the top to the bottom of the social scale, from the east to the west of the world. Philippi shows us the ideal of the Christian Church in miniature.” —William Barclay

Roughly five to ten years after starting the church, Paul writes from

back to this church that has been caring for him.

In Paul’s world, when people were put into prison, they were not given food by their captors; they had to rely on

.

“Living in unity as a fellowship, or a common life together, is a great idea. Until you have to get along with someone you don’t like.” —Scott McKnight on Philippians 2

This Week: What Church (Fellowship/Partnership) Looks Like

The Christian life is a public act of living as a

of Heaven.

Living for King Jesus has

social and community consequences.

“Paul’s emphasis on equality…horrified those intoxicated with the Roman system of upward mobility.” —Scott McKnight

In the first 300 years of Christianity,

for Jesus was the way of the church. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Paul has heard about a petty

between Euodia and Syntyche that is causing division. (Philippians 4:2-3)

Jesus

commands his followers to get their way or to do what will make us happy. (Philippians 2:4)

“When we prioritize others, we begin to have the mind of Christ.” —Rev. Brandon Blacksten, March 7, 2021

Being good citizens of the gospel kingdom of Christ demands higher standards for our

. (Philippians 2:5-8)

“Paul is not endorsing suffering as redemptive…rather, this suffering is the result of joining in what God is doing and experiencing the backhand of evil and injustice – all in a struggle to bring about God’s justice.” —Scott McKnight

Kingdom citizenship requires sacrifice and Holy Spirit power to achieve a

by living like Jesus. (Philippians 2:9-11)

We must never forget that Jesus is

… in Jesus we see God most clearly. (Matthew 28:18)

“Caesar Augustus was also said to be divine but there aren’t any songs about him… We still sing about Jesus.” —Marilynne Robinson

Being the kind of God he is, God became

to redeem humans.

“Instead of self-protection and self-promotion, Jesus chose other-protection and other-promotion.” —Scott McKnight

The Way of

counters the Way of Rome and every other country, tribe, or entity. (Philippians 3:18-20)

Paul’s big idea was for the Philippians to overcome

by living a common life with one another shaped by Christ.

“The great wisdom traditions of the world all recognize that the main impediment to living a life of meaning is being self-absorbed.” —Barbara Brown Taylor

Christ-like sacrificial service is how the Philippians are to live a common life of humility and

. (Philippians 2:14-16)

A joyful community of Jesus’ citizens

one another publicly. (Philippians 2:25)

Action Steps

Reach out in

to someone this week.

Affirm a co-worker or family member in

this week.

My additional notes:

.