Joy in Fellowship (preaching resource for Advent 2: 12/8/24)
This exegesis of Philippians 1:1-11 provides context for the RCL Epistles reading on 12/8/24 (Advent 2). Insights are drawn from commentary by Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and Francis Foulkes ("New Bible Commentary").
Introduction
We begin with Philippians 1:1-2:
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints 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 is Paul’s letter to the believers (“saints”) and their leaders (“overseers and deacons”) within the church that assembled in the city of Philippi in Macedonia. These dear people are said by Paul to be “in Christ Jesus.” Paul repeats this key phrase, or its equivalent, many times in this epistle. Indeed, Jesus is our life and we move within the orbit of his will, grace, and presence as we fellowship with and in him together.
Philippi was situated in southeast Europe just inland from the Agean Sea (see map). Acts 16 tells the story of Paul’s second missionary journey, which took him, in about A.D. 50, into Europe. It was on this journey that Paul planted the church at Philippi. Then, in about A.D. 60, imprisoned at Rome (Acts 28) and despite his suffering, Paul writes to the church in Philippi. As he does so, he is full of joy (“joy” and “rejoice” being prominent words in this letter). Paul's joy is grounded not in his trying circumstances, but in his devotion to and fellowship with Jesus, along with his partnership with fellow Christ-followers—including the dear ones in Philippi.
The word fellowship (koinonia in Greek) is a central concept in Paul’s thought in this letter. Unfortunately, in our world today, the word has become a bit “old hat.” We talk of our fellowship time held in a fellowship hall. And that’s all well and good, yet the Christian fellowship of which Paul writes, is far deeper than mere acquaintanceship. For Paul, koinonia is a profound sharing and partnering in the communion of God himself. Indeed, God, in his tri-unity, is a divine koinonia—a fellowship or communion of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Through the union that humanity has with God, in and through Jesus, all people are invited and enabled by the Spirit to enjoy spiritual communion (koinonia) with God. This divine-human communion is entered through repentance and faith—both gifts of the Spirit—who grants to believers the fruit of an ongoing and growing communion. This communion is with God and with other believers who assemble (as the church) to participate together in the life, love and work of the Triune God on earth.
Believers share this communion in a number of profound ways. In Phil 1:5, Paul speaks of our sharing a “partnership [koinonia] in the gospel.” In Phil 2:1, he speaks of our “fellowship [koinonia] with the Spirit.” And in Phil 3:10 he speaks of our “fellowship of sharing [koinonia] in [Christ’s] sufferings.” In all aspects of this sharing, we experience joy, even when our circumstances grow difficult. In Phil 1:1–11, Paul uses three related ideas to describe his joy in the fellowship he shares with the Philippian believers: I have you in my mind (3–6), I have you in my heart (7–8), I have you in my prayers (9–11). Let’s rejoice with Paul in this fellowship – this koinonia—that we share together as the church.
1. I have you in my mind
Phil 1:3–6
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership [koinonia] in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 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.
This is remarkable: with his life on the line, Paul’s thoughts are not focused on himself, but on his fellow believers at Philippi. And every recollection he has about them brings great joy. This too is remarkable, considering what happened some years before to Paul in Philippi. He had been illegally arrested and beaten, placed in the stocks, and humiliated before the people (Acts 16). But even these painful memories now bring him joy. As Paul recalls Lydia and her household, the poor slave girl who had been demon-possessed, the Philippian jailer who found Christ, he is filled with joy, remembering his continuing “partnership [koinonia] in the gospel” with these dear saints.
It’s possible the partnership Paul refers to is about this congregation’s financial support of Paul—a topic he addresses in Phil 4:14–19. The church at Philippi was the only church that entered into financial partnership with Paul in support of his ministry. Their “good work” (Phil 1:6) may refer to this financial support: it was started by the Lord and Paul was sure it would continue and be completed.
We can apply the principle Paul addresses here to all types of spiritual fellowship. Salvation itself may be thought of as fellowship with God. And this fellowship is not the result of personal merit or of our own works—it is entirely God’s gracious gift to us and in us (Eph 2:8–9). God has drawn all humanity into this fellowship with himself through the incarnation of his Son. That fellowship then becomes personally realized as each person awakens to the union they have with God, turning to God’s Son in repentance and faith.
Salvation is a dynamic relationship (fellowship) with God, in Christ, not a mere legal transaction. And in Phil 2:12–13 we are told that God continues through this ongoing fellowship to do in us his gracious work. Indeed, our salvation—our ongoing fellowship with God—includes what God has done for us, what he is now doing in us, and what he will yet do through us. God can be counted on to keep on doing this work until it is fully complete on “the day of Christ Jesus”(Phil 1:6b)—the day when we will be glorified. All of this is God’s good work for us and in us; and it’s all of grace. And we share actively in that grace as we trust Christ and commune together as his people, sent into the world to proclaim his good news.
It’s a source of great joy to Paul to know that God was still working in the lives of his dear fellow-believers at Philippi. Indeed, such assurance is the basis for joyful Christian fellowship as together we experience God at work in our lives and congregations day by day.
2. I have you in my heart
Phil 1:7–8
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Now we move a bit deeper, for it is possible to have others in our minds without really having them in our hearts. Paul’s sincere affection for his friends was something that could not be disguised or hidden. Indeed, the love we have for one another is our sharing in Christ’s own love—the outflow of our fellowship with God: “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers” (1John 3:14a).
How did Paul evidence this love for all of them? For one thing, he was suffering on their behalf. He was “the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles” (Eph 3:1). Because of Paul’s trial, Christianity was going to get a fair hearing before the officials of Rome. Since Philippi was a Roman colony, the decision would affect the believers there. Paul’s love was not something he merely talked about; it was something he practiced. He considered his difficult circumstances an opportunity for “defending and confirming” the Gospel, and this would help his brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere.
Paul longed for his friends “with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:8). It was Christ’s love channeled through Paul. “God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Rom. 5:5). When we permit God to perform his “good work” in us, then we grow in our love for one another.
How can we tell that we are truly bound in love to other Christians? For one thing, we are concerned about them. The believers at Philippi were concerned about Paul and sent Epaphroditus to minister to him. Paul was also greatly concerned about his friends at Philippi, especially when Epaphroditus became ill and could not return right away (Phil 2:25–28). “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1John 3:18).
Another evidence of Christian love is a willingness to forgive one another. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). 1Cor 13:5 states that “love keeps no record of wrongs.” Christians who practice love experience joy; both come as a result of the presence of the same Spirit, for “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy…” (Gal 5:22).
3. I have you in my prayers
Phil 1:9–11
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God.
Paul found joy in his memories of the friends at Philippi, and in his growing love for them. And he also found joy in remembering them before the throne of grace in prayer.
Paul prays here for their spiritual maturity. He begins with love—the great virtue that undergirds and ties together all Christian virtues. He prays that they might experience abounding love and discerning love. Indeed the love we share with Christ is not blind. The heart and mind work together so that we have discerning love and loving discernment. Paul wants his friends to grow in discernment, in being able to “discern what is best…”
Paul also prays that they might have mature Christian character that is “pure and blameless.” The Greek word translated “blameless” may have several meanings. Some translate it “tested by sunlight.” The blameless Christian is not afraid to “stand in the light” because they stand in and with Jesus. “Blameless” may also mean “to whirl in a sieve,” suggesting the idea of a winnowing process that removes chaff. In both cases the truth is the same: Paul prays that his friends will have the kind of character that can pass the test all the way “until the day of Christ.” He wants to see them continuing to stand in and with Christ until the very end.
The fruit Paul wishes for them is not what they can produce on their own. Rather it “comes through Jesus Christ.” It’s the fruit of abiding in Christ. Too often we try to “produce results” through our own effort instead of abiding in Christ and allowing his life to produce fruit in our lives.
It is with this thought that Paul exhorts Christ-followers to be “bearing fruit in every good work”(Col 1:10). And note Jesus’ words: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The difference between spiritual fruit and mere “religious activity” is that true spiritual fruit brings glory to Jesus. Whenever we do anything merely in our own strength, we have a tendency to boast about it. But true spiritual fruit is so beautiful and wonderful that no man can claim credit for it; the “glory and praise” goes to God alone.
Conclusion
Christian fellowship (koinonia) is far deeper than mere friendship. For Paul it is a deep, abiding relationship with God that is shared with his dear friends in Philippi: “I have you in my mind... I have you in my heart... I have you in my prayers.” This kind of spiritual fellowship produces deep and lasting joy for us all, despite our circumstances. So let us strengthen that fellowship together in the Spirit, and let us rejoice!