Philippians: Shine Like Stars – DAY 11
Family Discussions for a New School Year
Paul says he has the Philippian believers in his heart.
*This is DAY 11. For previous days, click here.
DAY 11/THURSDAY
Philippians 1:3-8
I Have You in My Heart
“I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:3-8 (NIV)
In v.7, Paul says he has the Philippians in his heart. Let’s explore the why & how of this.
“It is right for me to feel this way about all of you…”
Philippians 1:7 (NIV)
When Paul says, “feel this way,” we have to refer back to v.3-6 to see what “this way” is.
Paul is…
- thankful for the Philippians, thanking God every time he remembers them (v.3);
- praying lots of prayers for them, with joy, because they are gospel partners (v.4,5);
- confident that God will be working in them until Jesus returns (v.6).
In other words, Paul feels “this way” about all of the Philippian believers: thankful, prayerful, joyful, & confident.
“It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.”
Philippians 1:7 (NIV)
There are two reasons Paul gives for why it is right for him to feel thankful, prayerful, joyful, & confident about the Philippian church.
- He has them in his heart.
- All of them share in God’s grace with him.
How did the Philippians get into Paul’s heart in the first place? Let’s read about Paul’s first visit to Philippi.
*To read the whole chapter of Acts 16, which includes this trip, click here.
When Paul & Timothy went to Philippi
“From there (Neapolis) we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.”
Acts 16:12 (NIV)
Some things we learn about Philippi:
- It was a Roman colony…
- in a district of Macedonia…
- where it was a leading city.
How long did Paul & Timothy stay in Philippi? Several days
The writer of the Book of Acts is Luke, most likely a Gentile physician & Christian who was friends with Paul and accompanied him on some of his travels. When Luke writes “we stayed” in v.12, it is because he was with Paul & Timothy in Philippi.
Another missionary companion of Paul who had traveled with them to Philippi was Silas, a.k.a. Silvanus (Acts 15:40).
Lydia – 1st Philippian Believer
“On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira (*an Asian city known for expensive purple dyes) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.”
Acts 16:13-15 (NIV)
Paul, Timothy, Silas, & Luke shared the gospel with women of Philippi who had gathered by the river on the Sabbath. Lydia responded to Paul’s gospel message when “the Lord opened her heart” (v.14). Paul & co. went to stay at Lydia’s house.
*The ESV Study Bible
That Pesky Fortune-teller
“Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.’ 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her.
19When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20They brought them before the magistrates and said, ‘These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.’
22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.”
Acts 16:16-24 (NIV)
Takeaways:
- Apparently there are spirits who can predict the future and tell the truth, as the spirit that possessed this Philippian slave girl.
- It was possible for the apostle Paul to get annoyed! (*He probably did not want the gospel associated with a possessed person.) Usually when people get annoyed, they curse others; Paul did just the opposite: He cast out a spirit.
- Not everyone is impressed by the supernatural ability to cast out spirits. The slave girl’s owners seized Paul & Silas and drug them to face the authorities with false accusations (v.20-21) because they wouldn’t be able to make money from the girl’s fortune-telling anymore.
- The crowd turned into an attack mob.
- The magistrates had Paul & Silas stripped & beaten with rods, severely flogged, and thrown into prison with their feet put in stocks, all for casting a spirit out of a slave girl.
*The ESV Study Bible
Prison Songs
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, ‘Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!’
29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?‘
31They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’ 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”
Acts 16:25-34 (NIV)
If I were seized and severely beaten, unjustly accused and locked in prison with my feet in stocks, all for doing something miraculous, would I be found praying and singing hymns to God? I hope so, but the truth is I’ve complained about much, much less.
If an earthquake gave me the opportunity for a miraculous prison escape, would I stay put? Paul & Silas experienced horrible suffering but stayed put in their jail cell which led to the eternal salvation of a Philippian jailer and his entire household!
Paul Does Not Go Quietly.
“When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: ‘Release those men.’ 36The jailer told Paul, ‘The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.’
37But Paul said to the officers: ‘They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.’
38The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.”
Acts 16:35-40 (NIV)
Paul shows us there are times to stay put, but there are also times to speak up. It is my opinion that one reason Paul pointed out the rashness and wrongness of the treatment he and Silas received was to make the local magistrates more hesitant to mistreat those in Philippi who were believers. Paul also did not want to leave Philippi with the reputation of a lawbreaker; he did not want the people to associate the gospel with a threat to Rome (The ESV Study Bible).
Sufferers = Encouragers?
“After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.”
Acts 16:40 (NIV)
Paul & Silas were the ones who had suffered, yet it was Paul & Silas who “met with the brothers & sisters and encouraged them” before leaving. May we be those who are able to encourage our brothers & sisters in the faith after suffering!
After Philippi, Thessalonica
Paul & co. traveled to Thessalonica after leaving Philippi.
“When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.”
Acts 17:1 (NIV)
The following is what Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers later on about sharing the gospel with them after Philippi.
“You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you His gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.”
I Thessalonians 2:1-4 (NIV)
Paul & co. were willing to suffer for the gospel; they were not trying to please people but God — and this was evident!
Acts indicates that Paul visited Philippi at least two more times, as Macedonia (the region of Philippi, Berea, and Thessalonica) is mentioned twice in Acts 20, and Philippi, specifically, once.
“When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. 2He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.”
Acts 20:1-6 (NIV)
I Have You in My Heart
“It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:7-8 (NIV)
Think of some of the Philippians Paul had in his heart: Lydia; Lydia’s household; the jailer; the jailer’s whole household. They had been through a lot together in a short time!
He also says, “I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” What is the affection of Christ Jesus?
Jesus said:
“Greater love
John 15:13 (NIV)
has no one than this:
to lay down one’s life
for one’s friends.”
Paul sacrificed, suffered, and risked his life to share the gospel and encourage believers. With Paul there was no thought of “me-time” or “I just need a vacation.” He was all about the sacrificial love of his Lord & Savior. May we grow in the affection of Jesus Christ toward others!
DAY 11/THURSDAY Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for inspiring it and preserving it, that it might be passed down to us 2,000 or so years later!
May our family be motivated to please You. Strengthen us to endure earthly suffering for eternal gains. Let us never back down from sharing the gospel with others! Lord, we ask You to guide us day in and day out by Your Holy Spirit within us.
May we hold our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ in our hearts, whether they be across the world or merely across the room. Grow the affection of Jesus Christ in us toward others!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
DAY 11: Paul wrote that he had the Philippian believers in his heart. He longed for them with the affection of Jesus: a deep, self-sacrificial love.
