Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know. What has happened to me has actually helped to spread the good news. One thing has become clear. I am being held by chains because I am a witness for Christ. All the palace guards and everyone else know it. And because I am a prisoner, most of the believers have become bolder in the Lord. They now dare even more to preach the good news without fear (Philippians 1:12-14).

It is easy to become discouraged. We confront a constant flood of bad news. On the day I’m writing this, the opening pages of the Hamilton Spectator include these headlines: wildfires, two dead, cop killer trial, suspicious home explosion, a shooting, several other deaths, increased tariffs, more on the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas. Quickly our horizon becomes clouded with nothing but bad news. We begin to despair.

This is nothing new. The Philippians had their own flow of bad news. This new little Christian community was already under threat and ostracized from their pagan neighbours. Now news comes that their founding pastor, Paul, is in prison. If Paul was jailed—would they be next? Was following this Jesus worth it?

Suffering, or the prolonged exposure to the suffering of others, can lead to despair and difficult questions. Fear creeps in. Trust erodes.

In beginning his letter with prayers of thanks and joy for the Philippians, Paul attempts to cut the roots of this hopelessness. Now, he addresses the situation directly. Yes, he’s in prison. But, “What has happened to me has actually helped to spread the good news.” These chains are not what they seem. They have become an opportunity for witness—an opportunity to live in the humble, self-giving way of Christ. God is using these chains for good.

Others have taken notice. Many Christians in Rome—noticing the impact Paul’s imprisonment is having--are now encouraged to proclaim the gospel. They are willing to take loses for Jesus, the one who gave everything up for them.

Hopelessness, despair, and fear can always creep up on us. It is easy to become discouraged. Ironically, these chains offer us a different story. Paul lives in the power of Jesus, has everything he needs in Jesus. He proclaims a God who knows how to bring good out of the bad. A situation in which hope may have eroded becomes a launching pad for it. Because Jesus is alive, Paul does not need to fear death. Because Jesus is alive, Paul has a good word of hope and life to speak, even to his captors.

Paul had already lost all things in Jesus, what more could Caesar do to him? In that situation, Paul was free to live for Jesus with joy and thanks, despite his chains. And he brought an uncommon hope to all. This utterly unexpected, counter-cultural witness to Jesus in the way of Jesus, is what turned heads and empowered the church.

These verses come to us to encourage us. As Paul writes elsewhere: nothing can separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38). And as Jesus himself says: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” So as with Paul in his chains, let us take heart today and do not be afraid—Jesus is with us, no matter the suffering we face.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).

Paul, having expressed his prayerful gratitude for the Philippian church and demonstrated how it is that believers are called to love one another in spite of shared brokenness, in today’s verses records for the church the very words of his intercessory prayer for them. His prayer contains several elements—that they would grow in love and knowledge, be filled with righteousness, and that all of this would be to the glory and praise of God.

He begins with the request that their love “abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” Paul has already, as we have explored, expressed the mutual love between himself and the Philippian church in Christ. And yet, he begins with a prayer for a further increase in love, this time for the sake of discernment. The love that Paul calls this church to is not just a warm and fuzzy feeling. It is a posture of the heart which must also be accompanied by wisdom so that it may be expressed rightly through what Paul describes as “pure and blameless.”

However, Paul’s prayer is not only about right behaviour. He prays that the church will be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” It is through belief in Christ’s righteousness and growing love for him and for one another, as discussed yesterday, that their lives will come to display the fruit of righteousness in what is pure and blameless. Chapters 2 and 3, the theological core of this letter, will go on to talk more about what the righteousness of Christ looks like, so stay tuned.

Finally, Paul prays that this transformation in the community in Philippi would be “to the glory and praise of God.” With this, Paul indicates that there is a relationship between what the church does, what we believe, and how we praise God. In other words, Christian ethics, doctrine, and worship are all connected. When one of these elements is disregarded or disrupted in a church community, we feel its impact deeply. We will see Paul address related challenges in the Philippian community later in the letter.

You too can likely testify to this in your own experience with churches you have been a part of. When we are not sure what we believe about God, it can be hard to make decisions about how to live our lives. When ethical questions are pressing and divisive within a community, it can be hard to worship together on a Sunday morning. These are just a couple of examples, and solutions are not simple.

So where do we start? Well, with Paul, we are called to pray for our communities, that we may grow in love and discernment which will instruct us in the integration of our worship, belief, and practice. And we remember that in all of this, Christ walks with us. It is his righteousness with which we are filled. And it is his grace which gives us peace even as we do this work imperfectly, recalling Paul’s earlier words that we can be confident that he, Christ, who has begun a good work in you, in us as his body, will carry it on to completion.

So as you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:7-8)

Yesterday, we heard about Paul’s joyful, thankful attitude in prayer for the Philippians. Now, it appears that he needs to defend these attitudes -- “It is right for me to feel this way,” he begins.

Always giving thanks, always praying with joy—it does sound a little too good to be true. Have you met such a church? I have seen my fair share of ‘irreconcilable’ differences between Christians. Let’s think about our fellow church members. Can we say about all of them: “I thank God every time I remember you…In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…I have you in my heart…I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus”? The more Christians we get to know the more challenging this becomes.

We cut each other off in the parking lot. We cut each other off when voicing our opinions at meetings. We make light of each other’s pain; we stay away from people in pain. We make rude comments about each other online. The church is full of sinful, broken people (just like you and me). Most Christians can name a few in their own congregation that have caused frustration, anger, or hurt.

And Paul wants us to partner in the gospel with people like that? -- judgmental hypocrites, insensitive leaders, short-sighted fanatics, culture warriors, political partisans? It’s often easier to strike out on our own: to another church, to another denomination, to be spiritual but not religious – do our own thing with God.

The Philippian church was full of sinful, broken people. Paul will allude to some of that. And yet, despite who they were, Paul writes these words of thanks and joy. Knowing some might not believe him, he gives his rationale -- “Because all of you share in God’s grace with me.”

In other words, “When I look at you—when I remember you—I don’t think of all the wrinkles and stains—the sin spots. They’re not the most important thing about you. When I look at you—I see the good work of God. I see the saints—the holy people of God in Christ Jesus who have believed in Him and so have received His grace to cover all their failures and faults. We share in that grace together. We share in that fellowship and partnership in the gospel, together. We share in the bonds of Christian love, together. And because of that—because you and I are in the heart of God and he in ours—you are in my heart as well.”

Love covers over a multitude of sin (1 Peter 4:8). Such love comes from God. Only when we see this grace of God in others, when we see them as saints because the Spirit dwells in them, can we come to love them as we ourselves have been loved. It is in recognizing and sharing in the grace of God that we can give thanks for our fellow church members. Only then can we hold them in our hearts.

May our eyes be open to the grace and face of Christ in our fellow Christians and in the church.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:3-6).

As Pastor Michael mentioned in yesterday’s reflection, it was common for letters written in the ancient world to begin with a formulaic greeting, including an expression of gratitude. Paul’s thanksgiving sections, often longer than other ancient letters, contain an encouragement for the believers which is also exhortative in nature, calling them to continue to live according to the pattern for which he is expressing thankfulness.

In the thanksgiving section of this letter to the church in Philippi, Paul–who is writing from prison–pens a letter that New Testament scholar NT Wright describes as “overflowing with effervescent joy” and “sparkling with the delight of family affection.” Part of the occasion for this letter and its joyful tone is Paul’s gratitude for the Philippian church’s financial aid of his ministry, what he describes in today's verses as their “partnership in the gospel.” However, this is not the whole story.

Although Paul expresses joy on behalf of the Philippian church, it was not without its difficulties. It was a relatively small church, started in a Roman colony without a sizable Jewish population like some of the other churches Paul founded, and it experienced significant persecution, some of which is detailed in Luke’s account of Paul’s own experience there in Acts 16. And yet, Paul expresses his confidence in spite of his personal circumstances and those of the community to which he writes that God’s work, begun among them through his ministry, would continue. His gratitude is both an encouragement and an exhortation to the church that they continue in this pattern, holding fast to their hope.

What Paul models for the church in Philippi falls strangely on our ears. Perhaps you have heard stories of the persecuted church in other parts of the world. Or maybe you have seen the headlines in the news, but couldn’t even bring yourself to contemplate the details. Maybe, although we here in the west do not face persecution like Paul and the Philippian church or like our siblings in Christ around the world today, perhaps you feel some anxiety about the place of the church in your context, wondering how to navigate your conviction that Christ is King when many around you aren’t convinced. Certainly, in my time in Egypt, in close proximity to the Coptic Orthodox church which proudly declares itself the “Church of the Martyrs,” and where close friends of mine faced the threat of authorities, I struggled to read Paul’s words in today’s verses. Joy, gratitude, and confidence are not a natural response to the suffering of Christ’s church. It’s not a natural response to our own suffering, and indeed, it would be inappropriate if our only response to suffering was joy. We must wrestle with and deeply honour the reality of pain which is not God’s intention for his people.

And yet, it is critical that we note that Paul’s words are addressed to a community of believers, bound together in their suffering for Christ. It is this too, then, and not only their financial contribution to Paul’s ministry, which causes Paul to give thanks for their “partnership in the gospel.” Their suffering, the suffering of the church today, because of Christ’s own suffering, becomes a mechanism by which we find identity in Christ and are transformed into a community of those worthy of partnership in witness to the truth of the gospel. It is this reality which allows Paul to pray with joy for the Philippian church, and which in turn allows us to pray in kind for ourselves as God’s people and for those suffering for Christ with whom we are united around the world.

So go forth as people of joy and confidence, people of steadfast prayer for the suffering, in the hope of our Saviour, for “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:1-2).

Daily editions of Wilderness Wanderings are back for the months of June and July. At Immanuel, we have hired Kyra Schat to work as a pastoral intern for these months, and she and I will reflect on the letter to the Philippians. Here is a meditation on the opening verses.

In ancient days, there was a standard pattern used to begin a letter. Paul used that formula, making slight modifications whereby he offered hints of the issues to be addressed. In these opening verses, there are two things to note: the phrases, “servants of Christ Jesus” and, “holy people” (or saints).

Paul uses the first phrase to describe himself and Timothy. The word servant, better rendered as slave. There is an unmistakable undertone of humility and submission in this self-description. Paul, nearing the end of his life, has served many years as an apostle, planted numerous churches, and in other letters heaped up his credentials. But here he willingly names himself a slave of Jesus Christ; nothing more.

He models a humility which later he will urge the Philippians to follow. Although Paul is God’s apostle, set apart and called by God to his task (Gal. 1:1, 15), and although Timothy is an approved co-worker with Paul in this important service (Phil. 2:22), Paul refuses to mention these high qualifications. Instead, he emphasizes their common role as slaves of Christ Jesus. On the other hand, he gives the leaders of the Philippian church their appropriate titles of dignity. In this small way, he shows concern not for his own interests but for the interests of others (cf. 2:4).

This stands as an example for all Christians and particularly for church leaders. Life in the church is not about advancement, nor the gathering of titles and honours. Not then, and not now. In our churches, the difference between elders, deacons and pastors is not one of status. None of us should minimize our place in the church because of our role; nor should we seek applause or honours.

He names the Christians “saints”, referring to their status as the people whom God has called and set apart as his community. It has nothing to do with our modern notion about being holier than others. Rather, it’s a calling to live our lives according to the pattern laid out by Jesus, empowered by his Spirit.

This term reminds us that we are united with one another not by our own decision but by God choosing us to be his treasured possession (cf. Ex. 19:5–6). We tend to miss this in our democratic society in which the individual has the ultimate choice, many of us choosing which church to belong to. In reality, we are brought together in Christ’s blood and called to follow Christ together.

This greeting hints at Paul’s main concern: Christian unity. One critical means of achieving it: humility, placing the interests of others ahead of one’s own. We should not claim the privileges that rightfully belong to us, but look out for the interests of others.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God, keeping your eyes on the humility of Christ Jesus:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is ACts 1:1-14. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection!

To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca

1. Does it matter that Jesus ascended? What did you know about the meaning of his ascension before today’s sermon?
2. What is Luke’s main point in recording Jesus’ ascension?
3. What are the two characteristics of Jesus’ kingdom included in our text? Do you see them in our church? What can we do so that we might see them more?
4. What characterizes citizens of Christ’s kingdom? Think about what you could say if asked.
5. What does Jesus say is the first task of the church?

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is John 20:24-29. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection!

To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca

1. How should we read this passage?
2. Has there been a time of spiritual renewal in your life? Have there been times in which God has renewed his call in your life? Have there been lessons you learned along the way?
3. In the past, Peter insisted he would follow Jesus no matter what. How have you been like him? How much have you depended on your own ‘spirituality’ to be a Christian?
4. In what way has Peter changed? On whom does he depend?
5. When Jesus calls to be his disciples he also calls us to serve with him. How will you respond to Jesus’ call, “Follow me!”?

A Sunday edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Matthew 9:1-8.

Today's service was lead by our Friendship Ministry. It is best to very the whole sevvice. Here is the link: here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca