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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