Under Construction

Under Construction

Philippians 1: 3 – 11.

Introduction

Most of you know that I grew up in Mississippi, and that my parents still live in Mississippi.  But, I married a Texas girl, and that means two things.  First, I’m not from Texas but got here as quick as I could.  Second, when we were living in Mississippi, we had to drive through Louisiana on Interstate 20 to visit Shauna’s parents; and now that we live in Texas, we have to drive through Louisiana on Interstate 20 to visit my family. 

There’s an interesting thing about Interstate 20 in Louisiana…It is always under construction!  One year around Christmas, we spent several hours at a complete stop because of construction.  We were so late getting to Shauna’s parents that they ate Christmas dinner, opened their presents and went home before we could get there!

We used to say, “Man, I’ll be glad when all this construction is complete.”  But, we have quit saying that.  Over the past twenty years, we have discovered that once construction is complete in one area, they are going to start working on something else!  Or, they discover it is time to go back and repair what they have completed.

In a lot of ways, life is like a road construction project.  When we become Christians, God starts working on us.  And, just like the roads in Louisiana, when one construction project is completed, it’s time to start working on something else.  As long as we are alive, God is still working on us.  God does not finish his work in us until we are with the Lord in Heaven.  As long as we are alive, God is working on us.  And, God does not stop working on us until his work is complete.

God does not have any “unfinished projects” lying around the house.  Instead, all of God’s projects are “under construction.”  God is actively working in you and me to bring about his ultimate purpose—to make you Holy, as God is Holy.

Philippians 1: 3 – 11.

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for 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. 

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.

We are still at the very beginning of the Book of Philippians.  In a conventional First Century letter, the author did two things at the beginning of a letter.  First, he introduced himself to his audience.  Second, he tried to establish some kind of rapport with his audience.

The Book of Philippians does not exactly fit the norm of First Century letters.  That is because Paul already has such a strong relationship with the Christians at Philippi that he does not have to follow the conventional writing techniques.  He never lists out all his credentials as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and he never establishes his authority to speak words of instruction to the churches.

Instead, Paul introduces himself (briefly) and immediately describes how frequently and how fervently he prays for them.  He ALWAYS prays in ALL his prayers for ALL the Christians at Philippi.

Partnership

It makes sense that Paul feels so strongly for the Philippian Christians.  According to the Book of Acts, Paul probably visited them three times on his second and third missionary journeys.  Also, Paul was specifically led by the Holy Spirit to change his plans and go to Philippi instead of the place he was planning to go.  Then, he established a church in Philippi—a church which began with only a handful of faithful women he first met while they were worshipping / praying at the river.  These women opened their homes to Paul and his companions every time they traveled through Philippi.

Also, the Christians at Philippi never gave up on Paul.  They sent Epaphroditus to accompany Paul in his mission work.  They sent financial gifts to support Paul’s mission to spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire.  And, they continued to show support and hospitality to Paul when he was under house arrest in Rome.

By supporting Paul while he was held captive was a great risk to the Philippians.  On one hand, they were aligning themselves against the Roman government.  On the other hand, they were showing their support for an “illegal religion.”

There were more religions in ancient Rome than any of us could count.  Some of these religions were given official status by the Roman government.  It was “legal” to worship the pantheon of Roman gods or even the Greek gods.  It was “legal” to be a Jew and worship at the local synagogues.  It was “legal” (and even encouraged) for people to worship the Roman Emperor.  But, Christianity was not considered a “legal” religion.  Christianity was considered an “illicit superstition.”  And, the Philippians were willing to take Paul’s side in his struggle with the Roman government despite the political and economic repercussions they might face.

Partnership is important to Paul.  Paul gives thanks to God for this partnership with his friends at Philippi.  They supported Paul financially…They supported Paul by sending others to work alongside him… They supported Paul with their hospitality…They (probably) supported Paul with their prayers.  Paul thanked God for them, because their partnership made Paul’s ministry more effective.  But, Paul did not stop at giving thanks for his friends.  He also prayed that God would strengthen their partnership.

As Christians, we have a great deal of admiration for people like Paul.  He is a missionary who chose to spread the Gospel around the world instead of pursuing a secular career.  He is a Christian who is willing to spend time in jail for the sake of the Gospel.  Yet, Paul gave thanks for a church like ours.  Paul prayed that people like you and me would continue to support missions around the world.

Partnership Is God’s Work

I think we ought to make a connection between the word “partnership” in verse 5 with the phrase “good work” in verse 6.  According to Paul, God is the one who established the partnership between Paul and the Philippian Christians.  This partnership is God’s “good work” in them.

This is a significant connection to make.  By connecting partnership with God’s good work, Paul is in essence telling the Philippians that they have nothing to brag about.  They should not say things like, “We are the number one missions-minded church in our association.”  Or, “Look at all we have accomplished for Jesus.”

In some ways, I feel like I am treading on very dangerous territory here, because that is a very good description of Lufkin’s First Baptist Church.  We give a lot of money to missions every year and send people out on short-term mission trips.  We have a long history of planting and supporting new churches (locally and around the world).  We have had ministers and missionaries come out of this church.  And, all of those things are good…as long as we don’t try to take credit for it.

According to Paul, churches who partner in missions are churches where God is at work.  If we ever fail to let God work in us, we will not be the missions-minded church we have always been.  Missions is God’s work.  And missions always begins at home—in the individual hearts and lives of the members of this church.

When I look back at the history of this church, it seems obvious that God started this work in us.  From the very beginning of our history, our earliest church members wanted to be obedient to God’s call to missions partnership.  I don’t say that to lead you to believe our ancestors were better Christians than we are.  Instead, I say that to offer you a warning and a promise.  God began this work with them and will continue this work in us.  God’s purpose for this church has not changed.  He is still working on us, in us and among us.  And, God will not stop working on us until he has accomplished his ultimate purpose for us—that we would become full partners in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is an interesting thing about the way God works.  We cannot manipulate God into doing what we want God to do.  And, there is no exact formula of the right things a church can do to ensure that God is at work in our church.  However, it is possible to stop God’s work or even to prevent God’s work in our church…To quench the Spirit.

In fact, this is one of the themes of the Book of Philippians.  Later in the book, Paul inserts himself into a personal conflict in their church.  Two women in the church are at odds.  Paul never tells us why these two women can’t get along.  But, it is safe to say that Paul sees it as harmful to the church.  Their disagreement has divided the spirit of the church.  Instead of following the leadership of the Holy Spirit, they are following human leaders and dividing into different groups.  As long as their church is divided, they cannot be the church God wants them to be.  As long as they focus on human leadership instead of God’s leadership and work in their midst, they will be distracted from their mission.

Unity is what results when God is at work in a church.  Division is not God’s work.

Love Is God’s Work

Partnership in the Gospel is only one work God is accomplishing in the churches of Philippi.  At the end of the passage, Paul tells more about his prayers.  He is praying that God will increase Love within the church.

There are a couple of important things we can say about the biblical view of Love.

First, biblical Love is best defined by our actions and not our feelings.  In the Bible, Love is something expressed in tangible / visible expressions.  To Love someone is to serve them by meeting their needs.  Biblical Love is self-giving and puts the needs of others ahead of our own needs. 

Our modern understanding of Love is much more selfish.  We tend to define Love by the way another person makes us feel.  Teenagers think they love each other, because they enjoy spending time with each other.  That is a selfish feeling and not a self-giving action.

Second, biblical Love is demonstrated perfectly by the character of God.  God loves us so much that he met our needs.  He sent his Son, Jesus, as the ultimate expression of his character.  God gives.  God Loves.  God meets all our needs as an expression of Love.

When we put these two ideas together, we get a good picture of what God wants to do in our individual lives.  God is at work in us to make us more loving toward others—self-giving actions to serve the needs of others.  Ultimately, as we become more loving, we become more like Jesus—pure and blameless.

If you are a Christian, this is God’s work in your life.  God will not stop working on you and in you until you are a full partner in the work of the Gospel and a person who loves others the way Jesus loves us.  God will not stop working until your life looks like Jesus’ life.

Conclusion

In 1952, Florence Chadwick became the first woman to swim the English Channel, both ways.  Later that year, she attempted another swimming feat—to swim the Pacific Ocean from the Catalina Islands to mainland California.

The day of her swim was so foggy that Florence could hardly see the row boats which accompanied her on her swim.  But, she swam anyway.  In fact, she swam for fifteen hours before she finally stopped and begged to be taken from the water.  Her mother was in one of the row boats and tried to encourage Florence to keep swimming.  She was so close.  She could do it.  Don’t give up so close to your goal.

When Florence was taken from the water, she discovered that she was only one half of a mile away from her goal.  If there had been no fog, she could have seen the shore.  At a news conference the next day, Florence said, “All I could see was fog…I think if I could have seen the shore; I would have made it (Randy Alcorn, Heaven. [Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004], p. xxii.).”

Imagine that…If I could only see my goal, I could make it…

Paul has set out the goals where we can see them.  God is at work in your life (individually) to make you more like Jesus.  God is at work in our church (corporately) to make us full partners in the Gospel.  And, God is faithful.  God will not stop working in you (and in us) until he brings his work to completion.

The question is not whether we can achieve our goals.  The question is whether we will allow God to finish the good work he began in us.