10-19-19 Alfred Station Seventh Day Baptist Pastor Ken “Joy & Unity- Building a Church”

Posted : 19 Oct, 2019 10:23 AM

10-19-19 Alfred Station Seventh Day Baptist Pastor Ken “Joy & Unity- Building a Church” Phil 1:1-2

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The book of Philippians has the word Joy in it. Another word it has is Unity. We will learn about the unity of the church and the unity of the believers in the church. The Philippian church cared about Paul and Timothy. This letter is written as a friendship letter by Paul to his friends. This book/letter starts with who it is from. Just like when we get emails, we look to see who it is from. Paul then later says a greeting to the readers.



Paul puts that the letter is from Paul and Timothy. He puts in the 2nd chapter of Philippians that Timothy didn’t have a part in writing this letter. Paul put Timothy’s name in the letter because the church in Philippi knew Timothy. This is the same Timothy that Paul called his son. He said they both are bond servants of Jesus Christ. They are slaves of Jesus and He is their Master. We, as Christians, are servants/slaves to Jesus who is our Master. We are servants that are called in a special way to serve Jesus. We are called out to serve the anointed one just like Paul and Timothy were called. Jesus is our Master if we know Him as our Lord.



Paul says he is writing to the saints, elders and deacons of the church. Saints are God’s holy people. They are a person who is related to Jesus Christ. We are a holy one. A saint. We are alive and are a saint. Not dead and a saint but alive and a saint because we are related to Jesus. Say I, your name, am a saint, a holy one. God declares you are a saint because you are related to Jesus. Paul is talking about Unity.



The greeting says Grace and Peace from God and Jesus Christ. The grace is a gift of God. A gift. God’s riches at Christ’s expense. Peace from God is not forced like the Roman peace which was taken by soldiers. The peace of God and Jesus tells us to have peace in this world while we suffer in this world. Grace and Peace are from God our Father. If we are related to Jesus, then God is our father. Jesus is our source of Grace and Peace. It is a divine work that comes into our lives. The AND between grace and peace is like a see-saw to balance things. Use AND to balance the grace with the peace. What is on one side of the AND is equal/balanced with what’s on the other side. God and Jesus, Grace and Peace.



The Holy Spirit is within us as a believer. It is our living Grace. It is our living Peace. It lives within us believers. We should allow God’s Holy Spirit to do its work within each of us. We need to thank God and Jesus for the Grace and Peace we receive from them.



AMEN

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