Wednesday, December 24, 2025
A New Year of Joy
Philippians 1:1-11 CSB
[1] … Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons. [2] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, [4] always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, [5] because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. [6] I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. [7] Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. [8] For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. [9] And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, [10] so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. …
Philippians is an epistle of joy.
Always praying with joy… 4
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice 4:4
But this is a very real epistle written from a prison cell. Paul invites you to experience:
Joy in Unwelcome Circumstances
Joy in Unfair Criticism
Joy in an Uncertain Future
Notice The Greeting
The gospel came to Philippi with An Obedient Redirection.
Acts 16:6-10 CSB
[6] They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. [7] When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. [8] Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. [9] During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, "Cross over to Macedonia and help us!" [10] After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. …
The gospel came to Philippi with the Operation of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 16:13-15 CSB
[13] On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. [14] A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. [15] After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us. …
The gospel came quietly to Lydia.
The gospel came dramatically to others.
Acts 16:17-34 CSB
[17] As she followed Paul and us she cried out, "These men, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God." [18] She did this for many days. Paul was greatly annoyed. Turning to the spirit, he said, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out right away. [19] When her owners realized that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. [20] Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews [21] and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice." [22] The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. [23] After they had severely flogged them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully. [24] Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. [25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. [26] Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains came loose. [27] When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul called out in a loud voice, "Don't harm yourself, because we're all here!" [29] The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. [30] He escorted them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" [31] They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household." [32] And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. [33] He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. [34] He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.
Noticed The Gratitude vs3-8
Thank God for Fellowship in the gospel.
Thank God for Fellowship in grace.
JC Ryle.
We can distort and destroy the gospel by
Substitution
Addition
Disproportion
Notice the Goal 9-11
Growth in Love.
Matthew 22:36-40 CSB
[36] "Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?" [37] He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. [38] This is the greatest and most important command. [39] The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. [40] All the Law and the Prophets depend p on these two commands." …
1 Timothy 1:5 CSB
[5] Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
Growth in Discernment by growing knowledge.
1 John 4:16-21 CSB
[16] And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. [17] In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. [18] There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. [19] We love because he first loved us. [20] If anyone says, "I love God," and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. [21] And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister. …
Romans 5:5
This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Growth in the fruits of righteousness.
Growth in the glory of God.
[1] … Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons. [2] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, [4] always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, [5] because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. [6] I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. [7] Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. [8] For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. [9] And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, [10] so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. …
Philippians is an epistle of joy.
Always praying with joy… 4
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice 4:4
But this is a very real epistle written from a prison cell. Paul invites you to experience:
Joy in Unwelcome Circumstances
Joy in Unfair Criticism
Joy in an Uncertain Future
Notice The Greeting
The gospel came to Philippi with An Obedient Redirection.
Acts 16:6-10 CSB
[6] They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. [7] When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. [8] Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. [9] During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, "Cross over to Macedonia and help us!" [10] After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. …
The gospel came to Philippi with the Operation of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 16:13-15 CSB
[13] On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. [14] A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. [15] After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us. …
The gospel came quietly to Lydia.
The gospel came dramatically to others.
Acts 16:17-34 CSB
[17] As she followed Paul and us she cried out, "These men, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God." [18] She did this for many days. Paul was greatly annoyed. Turning to the spirit, he said, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out right away. [19] When her owners realized that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. [20] Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews [21] and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice." [22] The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. [23] After they had severely flogged them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully. [24] Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. [25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. [26] Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains came loose. [27] When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul called out in a loud voice, "Don't harm yourself, because we're all here!" [29] The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. [30] He escorted them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" [31] They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household." [32] And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. [33] He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. [34] He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.
Noticed The Gratitude vs3-8
Thank God for Fellowship in the gospel.
Thank God for Fellowship in grace.
JC Ryle.
We can distort and destroy the gospel by
Substitution
Addition
Disproportion
Notice the Goal 9-11
Growth in Love.
Matthew 22:36-40 CSB
[36] "Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?" [37] He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. [38] This is the greatest and most important command. [39] The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. [40] All the Law and the Prophets depend p on these two commands." …
1 Timothy 1:5 CSB
[5] Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
Growth in Discernment by growing knowledge.
1 John 4:16-21 CSB
[16] And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. [17] In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. [18] There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. [19] We love because he first loved us. [20] If anyone says, "I love God," and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. [21] And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister. …
Romans 5:5
This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Growth in the fruits of righteousness.
Growth in the glory of God.
# posted by Groseys messages @ 9:25 PM 
