NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

THE CHURCH AT PHILIPPI

INTRODUCTION

• An important city of Macedonia, commercially, politically, and historically.

• Philip of Macedonia, Alexander the Great, great Grecian philosophers made history in this city.

• Much history and progress and spread of Christianity centers around the Philippian church.

• First to be planted on the continent of Europe.

ITS ESTABLISHMENT

• Events leading up to it

• Paul’s 2nd tour– Acts 15:36

“Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren

in every city where we have preached

the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.”

ITS ESTABLISHMENT

• Events leading up to it

• Visited churches established on the 1st tour– Acts 16:5

“And as they went through the cities, they delivered to

them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the

apostles and elders at Jerusalem. So the

churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased

in number daily.”

ITS ESTABLISHMENT

• Events leading up to it

• Spirit intervenes and prevents Paul from turning aside unto Asia—journeys to Troas.– Acts 16:6-8

“After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go

into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So

passing by Mysia, they came down to

Troas.”

ITS ESTABLISHMENT

• Events leading up to it

• Macedonian Vision and Call.

• God leading him to the continent of Europe– Acts 16:9,10

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of

Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us. Now after he

had seen the vision, immediately we sought to

go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach

the gospel to them.”

ITS ESTABLISHMENT

• Events leading up to it

• Goes to Philippi and searches out Jewish place of worship.– Acts 16:11-13

“And from there to Philippi, which is the

foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. And on the Sabbath day

we went out of the city to the riverside, where

prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women

who met there.”

ITS ESTABLISHMENT

• The Philippian church begins with the conversion of Lydia at a prayer meeting of Jewish women.– Acts 16:14

“Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us.

She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord

opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.”

ITS ESTABLISHMENT

• Paul preached• Lydia heard• Heart open to

give heed.• She was

baptized– Acts 16:15

“And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying,

‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the

Lord, come to my house and stay.’

So she persuaded us.”

ITS ESTABLISHMENT

• The jailer converted

• Inquired by earthquake

• Paul preached• Jailor believed

and baptized– Acts 16:25-34

“And he took them the same hour of

the night and washed their stripes. And

immediately he and all his family were baptized.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Such as to make Paul continually thankful to God whenever he thought of them– Philippians

1:3,4

“I thank my God upon every

remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making

request for you all with joy.”

ITS CHARACTER

• A liberal church• Gave liberally

to the poor– 2 Corinthians

8:1-5

“…grace of God bestowed on the

churches of Macedonia: that in

a great trial of affliction the

abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded

in the riches of their liberality.”

ITS CHARACTER

• A liberal church• Consistent in

their support of Paul’s preaching– Philippians

4:10-20

“Nevertheless you have done well that

you shared in my distress. Now you

Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I

departed from Macedonia, no church

shared with me concerning giving and

receiving but you only.”

ITS CHARACTER

• A liberal church• Gave of their

own accord– 2 Corinthians

8:3,4

“For I bear witness that according to

their ability, yes, and beyond their ability,

they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency

that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the

ministering to the saints.”

ITS CHARACTER

• A missionary church

• Fellowshipped in spreading the gospel– Philippians

1:5

“For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until

now.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Steadfast in service– Philippians

1:7

“Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I

have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the

defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are

partakers with me of grace.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Zealous and diligent

• Did not wait for a large congregation and things of this life to begin to help!– Philippians

1:3,4

“I thank my God upon every

remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making

request for you all with joy.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Growing in faith and standing fast.

• Paul confident of their character!– Philippians

1:6, 25-30

“And being confident of this, I know that I

shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my

coming to you again.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Consecrated.• Others first!– 2 Corinthians

8:5

“And not only as we had hoped, but they first

gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by

the will of God.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Duly organized.

• Followed pattern!– Philippians

1:1

“Paul and Timothy,

bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,

with the bishops and deacons.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Strong ties of brotherly love and devotion.

• Epaphroditus to Rome!– Philippians

2:25

“Yet I considered it necessary to send

to you Epaphroditus, my

brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your

messenger and the one who

ministered to my need.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Strong ties of brotherly love and devotion.

• Longed for them and receive him on return with joy!– Philippians

2:28,29

“Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may

rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold

such men in esteem.”

ITS CHARACTER

• Strong ties of brotherly love and devotion.

• Paul’s personal attitude toward them!– Philippians

1:8; 4:1

“For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ…Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand

fast in the Lord, beloved.”

ITS CHARACTER

• A happy church joyful church. Rejoice and joy dominant tone of the Philippians epistle.– Philippians

4:4,5

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentleness be

known to all men. The Lord is at

hand.”

PAUL ENJOINS

• Prayer for them.– Philippians

1:9-11

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still

more and more in knowledge and all

discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the

day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of

righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the

glory and praise of God.”

PAUL ENJOINS

• Manner of life worthy of the gospel.– Philippians

1:27,28

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am

absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast

in one spirit, with one mind striving together for

the faith of the gospel, and not in any way

terrified by your adversaries, which is to

them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation,

and that from God.”

PAUL ENJOINS

• Unity and humility.– Philippians

2:1-11

“Let nothing be done through selfish

ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of

mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of

you look out not only for his own interests,

but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in

you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

PAUL ENJOINS

• Work out own salvation—holding forth word of life.– Philippians

2:12-16

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence, work out

your own salvation with fear and

trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do

for His good pleasure.”

PAUL ENJOINS

• Glory in Christ and have no confidence in the flesh.– Philippians

3:3

“For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the

Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in

the flesh.”

PAUL ENJOINS

• Be of the same mind in the Lord.– Philippians

4:2

“I implore Euodia and I

implore Syntyche to be

of the same mind in the

Lord.”

PAUL ENJOINS

• In nothing be anxious.– Philippians

4:6

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by

prayer and supplication,

with thanksgiving,

let your requests be

made known to God.”

PAUL ENJOINS

• Think on these things.– Philippians

4:8,9

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are

true, whatever things are noble, whatever

things are just, whatever things are

pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good

report, if there is any virtue and if there is

anything praiseworthy--

meditate on these things.”