The Fellowship of the Gospel

Philippians 1:1-11

As the writer approaches a book, he has two questions in mind — what is the subject of the book? and how did the author treat that subject or what was his outline? Our experience of determining the subject and outline of a book has varied greatly in different books. Sometimes we have been satisfied that we have found the subject of the book only after hours of diligent study; at other times, did we not know the working of the Holy Spirit, we would be tempted to say that the discovery was almost accidental. Sometimes the subject becomes apparent almost as soon as one begins to read, as is the case in Philippians.

In finding the outline of a book, we follow a very simple procedure. As we read the book carefully, we keep asking ourselves, "What is the central thought here?" watching constantly for the turning point to the next central thought. These turning points become the divisions between the sections of the book. We then try to sum up into a simple statement all that has been said in each section. These statements become the outline. At times the process may become a bit laborious, but in our estimation the results are worth the effort. This is unusually true in the book of Philippians; for when we had finished with the outline we felt that the outline itself spoke volumes. So complete was the outline covering the subject that one would not care to have a thing added. Here it is. Judge for yourself.

I. The Philippians Were Partakers of Paul's Grace (1:3-11)

II. Paul's Hope and Ministry (1: 12-30)

III. Preserving the Fellowship from Within (2:1-16)

IV. The Fellowship of the Gospel, a Mutual Concern (2:17-30)

V. Protecting the Fellowship from Without (3:1-19)

VI. The Philippians' Hope and Life (3:20—4:9)

VII. Paul Was a Partaker of the I Philippians' Gift (4:10-19)

I Sections I, IV, and VII form the framework of the book, while sections II and VI reveal the hope and life of the persons involved in the fellowship, and sections III. and V. deal with keeping the fellowship from being broken up.

We launch directly into the message of the book by taking up a discussion of section I. Let us bear in mind the fact that our most precious fellowships in life started" when someone gave us something which brought lasting happiness to us or when we gave someone something that brought lasting happiness to him. Among the writer's most cherished fellowships are the fellowship with the one who led him to Christ in a little mining town in Colorado and the fellowship with the one who has contributed largely to his Bible knowledge. On the other hand, there are fellowships where the writer has had the joy of leading some soul into the joy of Bible knowledge. Similar fellowships exist all over the world. However, not all fellowships are individual but many of them exist as churches or movements.

THE STEPS LEADING TO FELLOWSHIP

Five steps had led to the fellowship between Paul and the Philippians. (1) He had prayed for their fellowship (1:3-5). (2) He had confidence that God would perform a good work in them (l:6-7a). (3) They received the things he had to give (7b). (4) He longed for their development (1:8). (5) He prayed for their development (1:9-11).

In the first step, Paul had made request for their fellowship in the Gospel "from the first day until now." The fellowship had been conceived in prayer. He had prayed until it came. And in so doing he left us an example of fellowship building. One evening the writer was listening to Dr. George W. Truett on the radio, and during the message Dr. Truett told of a very worldly woman who during his sermon became concerned about her husband and waited after the message to ask him to pray for the husband. Dr. Truett reached into his pocket for a little book, and when he had opened it, he showed the woman the name of her husband. Dr. Truett had been praying daily for him for ten years!

Confidence that God will act if we pray is the second step. Too often we hear, "I prayed for a while but I have given up." Confidence must be restored before we can get folk to pray again. This can be done through faith in God's promises. Paul had it. He knew that prayer was his responsibility but that conversion itself depended upon God. He knew too that God's faithfulness was greater than his. God could be counted upon to perform the good work. Then Paul added, "It is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart."

The third step was that of the Philippians' receiving the spirtual blessings that Paul had been praying they would. It made them the partakers of his grace. He refers to what the grace of God had accomplished in his life. This was in two realms, his bonds and his defense of the Gospel. In his bonds he had found the grace of God sufficient; for in chapter 4:11 he says, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content." In his defense of the Gospel he gave them "what he had received of the Lord" (I Cor. 11:23). They needed both. One gave them doctrine, while the other supplied that which was needed for Christian development.

In the action of passing on to others what we have received we have an illustration of the truth spoken to Abram in Genesis 12:2, "I will bless thee. . . and thou shalt be a blessing." How natural it is to pass on those things which have been the greatest blessing to us. The fellowship had begun when through answered prayer Paul was able to give to the Philippians those truths he himself had received from the Lord. While the fellowship had really begun with him when he started praying, it became a glorious reality when they received Christ. This, however, is only the beginning. The fellowship must continue on.

The fourth step is a longing that those in the fellowship shall come into the abundant life. Paul was not satisfied with their receiving salvation alone, but he wanted to see them enjoying victory and reigning in life by Christ Jesus. He says, "God is my record, how greatly I long after you all with a heart that is one with Messiah's." This world would lose much of its fragrance if it were not for the host of Christians with an indescribable longing for others to come into the knowledge and possession of the Christlike life. Paul said to the Galatians, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you" (4:19).

The fifth step, like the first, is prayer. Paul's first prayer had been for their fellowship; now he prays for their development. His intense longing ended in prayer! He prays that their love might abound as the fellowship brought "a recognition of the truth and a comprehensive grasp of its application" (Way). This is the exact thought of the milk and meat of the Word. The milk of the Word is ANY truth which in coming to the believer results in growth in KNOWLEDGE." "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that they may grow thereby" (I Pet. 2:2). ". . . Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk" (Heb. 5:12). Notice the parallel here: ye need that one TEACH you —ye need MILK. ANY truth which has been received by the believer and USED to discern between right and wrong, resulting in growth in grace or spirituality, becomes meat to that one. For example, the truth of our Lord's return is a simple but blessed one. When it first came to us, it brought growth in knowledge; but when we grasped its application, we began to put away certain sins we did not want to be found doing when Jesus came. The result was growth in grace and spirituality. The same truth which had first come as milk then became meat, for we were LIVING by it rather than growing by it. We get our definition from Hebrews 5:13-14: "For everyone that useth milk is unskilful in (the use of) the Word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of USE have their senses exercised to DISCERN BOTH GOOD AND EVIL." Hence, in "recognizing truth" the Word has come as "milk," but "in grasping its application" the same truth has become meat to us. In other words "milk" stands connected with being TAUGHT, while "meat" stands connected with our USING what we have been taught.

For the person who presses on from "milk" to "meat" the rest of Paul's prayer soon becomes a reality. "That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." What a glorious fellowship!