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Philippians
T E N S I O N M O U N T S A S T H E C L O C K ticks down to the last
second. The basketball launches into the air in one last desperation
shot and swishes through the net. As one person, the crowd leaps to its
feet with wild screams and shouts of victory. In one second and with
one wild shot, the game is reversed and defeat becomes victory. The
fans are happy beyond belief.
What you will be
The scene changes to the first-century city of
reading about
Rome. A prisoner is chained to his guard and
will soon be put on trial for his life. He faces exe1:1-11
Paul’s encouragement to
cution for the “crime” of sharing the gospel of
the Philippians
Jesus Christ with others. Yet he is filled with joy.
1:12 - 30
Why? There are no crowds nearby to cheer, no
Paul’s joy in the midst of
moment of climactic victory, no shouts of excitesuffering
ment or enthusiasm in the air. He is alone except
2:1-18
for an occasional visitor.
Be humble like Christ
We might expect bitterness, anger, or depres2:19-30
sion to be the mood of this imprisoned old man
Plans for Paul’s coworkers
separated from those he loves. How surprising,
3:1- 21
and refreshing, to find just the opposite.
Pursuing the goal of knowing
Paul received occasional visitors while he was
Christ
a prisoner in Rome. One of them was Epaphrodi4:1- 20
tus, sent to give Paul a gift from the little church
Words of encouragement
in faraway Philippi. Of course, Paul would have
and thanks
to write the obligatory thank-you note to the
4:21-23
church. Philippians is that note. But it is no letPaul’s final greetings
ter of obligation. Instead, this is truly a letter of
joy—not just happiness but genuine, lasting joy. There is so much joy in Philippians that it has become known as the epistle of joy.
Here are some joy notes that Paul writes to the Philippians: “Whenever I
pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy” (1:4). “I want all of you to share
that joy” (2:17). “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in
the Lord” (3:1). “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (4:4).
The notes of joy are sounded in expressions that use the word joy and in other
ways throughout the epistle.
The scoreboard of life said Paul had lost. But the heartbeat of this wonderful
epistle sings out through the centuries that he had won it all—salvation and
eternal life—and there is no greater joy than this.
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