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TheBookofPhilippians

BibleStudyGuide4BibleStudiesonPhilippians

AbookofjoyandchallengefortheChurchofGod

“ButwhateverwastomyprofitInowconsiderlossforthesakeofChrist””

Philippians3:7

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AnintroductiontoPhilippiansPhilippiansisaletterwrittenbytheApostlePaultothechurchinPhilippi,inMacedonia,thefirstchurchhefoundedinEurope.

ItwasacitybuiltbyPhilipofMacedonin358-357B.C.ItlaterbecameapartoftheRomanEmpire,ontherouteconnectingRomewiththeEast.

Afterfacingmanywars,itwasrebuiltbyEmperorOctavianasamilitaryoutpost.AndwasmadeaRomancolony.SotheinhabitantswerethencitizensofRome.

PhilippiwasinhabitedmainlybyRomans,withmanyMacedonianGreeksandsomeJewsalso.Romancitizenshipwasimportanttothem,andamatterofpride.

PaulseemstohavewrittenthisletterfromprisoninRomearound60-63AD,justbeforehismartyrdom(death).

Opponentstothegospelwereseveral–therewereChristianswhoopposedPaulandhisministry,andalsoJewswhothreatenedthePhilippians–theyarguedthatrighteousnessandperfectionwereavailable“now”bysubmittingtocircumcisionandrituallaws.

TwomainChristianhouseholdswearemadeawareofinPhilippi:Lydiaandthejailer.

Lydia–aGentileGod-fearerwhometwiththeJewsbytheriver.Atthatplace,GodopenedherhearttohearPaul’swords(Acts16:13-15).

Jailer–ApaganmanwhoencounteredthegospelwhilstguardingPaulinprison(Acts16:25-34)

Themestolookoutfor…thepersonofJesusChrist(Christology),thenatureofGod,sanctification,joy,humilityinlife,theresurrectionhope(Eschatology),andmuchmore!

ThePhilippiansgavePaulmuchjoy.Theydidnotquestionhisapostolicity.TheywereobedienttoGodandlistenedtoPaul.Hevisitedthemseveraltimes(Acts20:1-6).Theyministeredtohisprivateneeds.ThesentgiftstoThessalonica,CorinthandthroughEpaphroditus(Phil4:10-18,2Corinthians11:8)

EnjoyreadingandstudyingPhilippiansasagreatbookofencouragementandjoy,aswellasachallengetothelifestyleoftheworldaroundus,asweseektohonourGod,andeachother,inthewaywelive.

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Study One – Pleasure Biblepassage:Philippians1:1-30

Whattypesofpartnershipsarethereintheworld?Whatisthebasisofthosepartnerships?Whatpartnershipsareimportanttoyouinyourlife?

Read Philippians 1:1-30 1. Verses3-6:WhydoesPaulbeginbygivingthanksforhispartnershipwiththe

Philippianchurch?

2. Whatgospelpartnershipsdoyounotice:a. Inyourchurch?

b. Inyourpersonallife?

3. Verses9-11:WhatseemstobehappeningwiththegospelinPhilippi?a. Encouragements:

b. Dangers:

4. Verses9-11:WhatisthevalueofthisprayerofPaul’s?

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5. Verse21:“ToliveisChristandtodieisgain”Whatdoesthismean:a. ForPaul?

b. Foryou?

6. Verse27-30:PaulisaddressingthePhilippiansasachurch,as“oneman”.Why?

7. WhatstrugglesdoyoufaceinyourChristianlife?

8. Inwhatwaysdoesyourchurchfamilyencourageyou?

9. Howoftendoyouprayforyourbrothersandsisterswhoattendyourchurch?Whatdoyouprayforthem?

10. Whatgospelpartnershipsatchurchwouldyoupersonallyliketoseestrengthened?

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Study Two – Strength BiblePassage:Philippians2:1-30

Whatarethedifferencesorsimilaritiesinthewayachurchandabusinessoperate?Thinkaboutthingslikegoals,vision,financialmanagement,attitude,purpose,staffing,etc.

Read Philippians 2:1-11

1. Verse1:WhatsortofimageofaChristcentredchurchdoesPaulofferushere?

2. Inpractice,whatdoesitmeantolooktotheinterestsofothers?

3. Verse6-11:WhatdotheseversestellusaboutJesus’divinity(hisdivine“God”nature)andhishumanity(hishumannature)

4. Whatpeopleinyourlife(presentorpast)modelthehumilityofChrist?Howdoesthatinfluenceyou?

5. Whatdoesthispassagesayaboutthewayweuseourtime/money/resources/skills?

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ReadPhilippians2:12-30

6. Verse12–“workoutyoursalvation”isnotsomuchareferencetotheactofusbeingsaved,butareferencetohowwe“workout”,inourdailylife,howtoliveasalvationlife.ItismoreinthecontextofthecommunityofbelieversthatPaulisdirectingthis.Howdowe“workout”oursalvation?Inotherwords,howisoursalvationexpressedinourlifetogether?(referbacktoPhilippians2:5-11ifyoulike)(Note:“TheMessage”translationsays:“beenergeticinyourlifeofsalvation”

7. Verses14and21–WhatproblemsdoyouthinkPaulforeseesinthechurchofGodintheseverses?

8. Verse17–“drinkoffering”–undertheOldTestamentsacrificialsystem,adrinkofferingaccompaniedalargersacrifice.Itwasinsomeways,afinishingtouchtothemainsacrifice.WhatdoyouthinkPaulisimplyingbyreferringtohimselfasadrinkoffering?Whatisthe“mainsacrifice”inthisverse?

9. Accordingtothispassage,verses12-30,whatdoesahealthyChristiancommunitylooklike?

10. Completethissentence–“Attheendofmylife,IwishIhadspentmoretime…”

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Study Three – Maturity Biblepassage:Philippians3:1-4:1

Whatsortsofthingsdopeopletodayplacetheirconfidencein?

ReadPhilippians3:1-11

PaulwarnsthePhilippiansagainstacertain‘circumcisiongroup’–thosewhobelievethatyoucanachieveperfectionbybeingphysicallycircumcisedandbyfollowingrituallaws.WhenPaulsays:“Foritiswewhoarethecircumcision”(3:3),heissayingthatthePhilippiansaretherealcovenantpeopleofGod,becausetheyworshipbytheSpiritofGod.

1. SowhatisthetrueoutwardmarkofaChristianbeliever,thetruemarkofa“covenantmember”?

2. WhydoyouthinkPaultellshispersonalstoryinverses4-6?

3. Verse9:whatisrighteousness?Wheredoesitcomefrom?Whyisthisanimportantstatementtomake?

4. DoyoudesiretoknowChristmoredeeply?HowhasyourunderstandingoftheresurrectionchangedoverthecourseofyourlifeasaChristian?

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ReadPhilippians3:12-21

5. Whatimagescometomindasyoureadthispassage?Whatversesstandoutthemostforyou?

6. Verses12-14:Paulseemstobegivingustheideathatheisstruggling.It’simportanttorelatebacktoversessuchasPhilippians2:13.WhatdoyouthinkPaulistryingtoteachthePhilippians?

7. Verses15-16:WhatlevelofChristianmaturitydoyouimaginethePhilippianchurchhas?WhatrelevancedotheseverseshaveforolderChristiansnurturingyoungerChristians?

8. Verse19:“Theirgodistheirstomach”–thestomachwasoftenviewedasthepitofhumandesireand‘hunger’forworldlythings–itwasareferencetoworldlyappetiteandemotion,alludingtoanideaof‘self-serving’.Howdoweministertonon-believerswhoare“citizensofthisworld”,iftheir“godistheirstomach”?

9. Howdoesyourheavenlycitizenshipchangethewayyouliveeachday?Howdoesitaffectthewayyoufocusyourlife?

10. Arethereareasofworldlinessinyourlifewhichyouneedtorepentof?

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ANOTEABOUTCOMPASSIONAUSTRALIA

The Compassion team come fromdifferentwalksof life,withone thingincommon:apassiontoseechildrenliftedoutofpovertyinJesus’name.They have over 150 committed teammembers andmanymore volunteerswhooffertheirtime,energyandskillstohelpfulfilltheirmission.JobsatCompassionincludefrontlinepositionsthatleadourengagementwithchurches,donorsandsupporters,plusarangeofprofessionalandsupportpositionsinareassuchascustomerservice,marketing,finance,ITandHR.CompassionAustraliaismanagedbyourCEO,TimHanna,withthehelpoftheexecutivedirectors.CompassionAustraliaisbasedinNewcastle,NSW,andhasregionalofficesinAdelaide,Brisbane,Melbourne,PerthandSydney.

Ourresponsetopovertyisdifferent.

Our focus is one child at a time.Webuild long-term relationships between children and theirlocalchurchfamily.Independent research confirms our approachworksandcontinuestoworkinachild'slifelongaftertheyhavecompletedourprogram.Most importantly,everychildgets thechancetohear and respond to the gospel message anddiscoverGod’sincredibleloveforthem.

Through Compassion’s programs, children are supported through every stage of life,andareequippedtobringlastingchangetotheirfamiliesandcommunities.Compassion’sChildSponsorshipProgramaimstodevelopchildrenthatgraduatewiththe skills to be economically self-supporting, are physically and emotionally healthy,anddemonstrateagenuinerelationshipwithChrist.Yoursponsoredchildwillhaveonesponsor: you. Your role in their life is vital and can be more than financial supportalone.From$48amonth,youcanplayavitalroleinthelifeofachildthatextendsfarbeyondfinancialsupport. Bywritingtoyoursponsoredchild,youcanseethedifferenceyourwordsofhopecanmakeintheirlife.If a child knows they are loved and supported, it will help them grow in their faith,developself-confidenceanddreambigfortheirfuture.

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Study Four – Joy Biblepassage:Philippians4:2-23

Inourworldtoday,whatsortsofthingsbringdisagreementsbetweenpeople?Whataboutinchurch?

ReadPhilippians4:2-23

1. Verses2-3:Canweeverexpecttohavecompleteagreementinachurchfamilyonallmatters?Whyorwhynot?

2. Verses4-6:ListdownthethingsPaulisencouragingthePhilippianstodoasachurch:

3. Verse7:HowdoesGod’speace“guardyourheartsandyourminds”?

4. Verses8-9:Howdoweknowwhatisnoble,right,pure,etc?

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5. Paul’scallonthePhilippianstofollowhiswayoflifeisquitestrange.Whydoesn’thetellthemtofollowJesus’wayoflife,insteadofhisown?!

6. Verse10:WhatissuesdoyouthinkPaulmaybealludingtohere?

7. Verses11-13:Whatistruecontentment,accordingtoPaul?

8. Areyoucontent?Whyorwhynot?Andinwhatways?

9. DoyoualwaysrejoiceintheLord?Isthatevenpossible?!?!Let’sassumeitis.How?!

10. WhatwasthemostencouragingpartofstudyingPhilippiansforyou?

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Sermon Series Week

Title

Passage

Preacher

1

Pleasure

Philippians1:1-30

BruceStanley

2 Strength

Philippians2:1-30

BruceStanley

3

Maturity

Philippians3:1-4:1

PaulBeeston(CompassionAustralia)

4

Joy

Philippians4:2-23

BruceStanley

RecommendedresourcesforPhilippians:HawthorneandMartin(eds),“DictionaryofPaulandhisletters”,IVP,1993.

Motyer,A.“TheMessageofPhilippians”BSTcommentaryseries.IVP.1997.

WhynotenrolinaMooreCollegeDistanceEducationCourseforfurtherstudy?CheckoutthePTC(PreliminaryTheologicalCertificate)orTheITS(IntroductiontoTheologicalStudies):

https://www.moore.edu.au/distance