Philippians 1: 12-18a
- What purpose has what has happened to Paul served?
- What has become clear?
- What is ‘the important thing’?
- How do two depressing circumstances turn into joyful ones?
- What is your life about? How do your circumstances serve that goal?
It is easy to say that our life is all about God. It is harder to live a life seeing God’s purpose in everything. We have been saved in order to bring the world into harmony with God. We are God’s so that God’s peace can come to the world. Do you see the opportunities God brings you to change people, places, and things into something better? Do you see how God uses the suffering and hard things in your life to shine?
Going Deeper
Observation
- With what phrase does Paul open this section?
- What has encouraged people to speak the word more courageously and fearlessly?
- What different motives does Paul list for preaching?
- What do Paul’s rivals suppose?
- How does paul react to the gospel being preached by selfish people?
Interpretation
- ‘I want you to know’ was a common transition into the body of a letter. Why would that be?
- What particular anxieties might the Philippians have concerning Paul?
- If the palace guard are the praetorian guard, who are they?
- If Paul is in chains ‘in’ Christ, rather than ‘for’ Christ how might that more easily explain how it motivates others?
- Are suffering and hardship ever to be considered better than comfort and ease?
Application
- Do you keep people informed of your status, or are you convinced that no-one cares?
- What tools could you use to communicate your status and also give God glory in the process? How do you keep up with how others are doing?
- Have you read modern stories recently of people who suffer for the gospel? What are the stories’ affects? www.persecution.com
- What difficult circumstances are you struggling with right now? Who knows?
- How can difficult circumstances be used to communicate that God is able to bring peace and harmony to your world in spite of your circumstances?
Plymothian 