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Philippians: How to be Content with Money

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Philippians: How to be Content with Money

In the final section of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he thanks them for their generosity in supporting him financially. However he is at pains to show he’s more appreciative of the friendship and partnership in the gospel that their generosity reveals than he is with the money they have given. This is because, in God’s kingdom, people are more important than things. The gospel is more important than money. To have our priorities correctly aligned like this requires learning to be content in all circumstances. In particular it requires contentment in relation to money. We live free from the enslaving power of money when learn to treat it as Jesus taught - something not to be worshipped, nor fled from, but to be mastered and held lightly. Generosity, discipline and learning to give money away is one of the best ways to set ourselves free. At the end of this talk we consider why and how all of us, as integral parts of the church, can financially support the work of bread.

By Ed Flint

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Philippians: Anxious About Nothing

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Philippians: Anxious About Nothing

As a population we are becoming more and more anxious. We live in one of the most opportunity-rich nations on earth, and yet we worry more and more. In this context Paul’s command to not be anxious about anything seems particularly stark. And yet Paul has such a depth of relationship with Jesus that he knows this isn’t an anxiety free life is not a pipe dream. In Jesus we access to a peace that is so profound that it washes away every worry. The question is: do we want to let Jesus into the source of our anxieties?

By Ed Flint

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Philippians: Be of the Same Mind

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Philippians: Be of the Same Mind

Whilst the Philippian church is clearly doing very well - they are Paul’s ‘joy and crown’ - there is nevertheless some unresolved conflict within their ranks. Conflict is not necessarily a sign of dysfunction. In fact, biblical churches are marked not by an absence of conflict - it is inevitable - but by the presence of a deep desire to reconcile. Conflict exists because whilst the church is full of redeemed, Spirit-filled people, we still exhibit traits of our fallen nature. We always have a choice between living in one of two kingdoms: the kingdom of darkness which brings slander and unforgiveness and division and hate, or Jesus’ kingdom, which is marked by peace. Let us be a church that chooses the latter. And let us be people insistent on resolving conflict healthily, graciously, biblically, and regularly.

By Ed Flint

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Philippians: Citizens of Heaven

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Philippians: Citizens of Heaven

As well as persecution and conflict, it’s clear from this week’s passage, that the church in Philippi was also dealing with the age-old problem of false-teaching from within. Paul, who is never anything but crystal clear about how to deal with anything or anyone that would infiltrate, distract or dilute the central message of Jesus’ saving power in His churches, reminds his friends of who they are (making some fascinating tangential remarks about maturity, and what it looks like, along the way.) To a city built on a colonist’s mindset he makes the searing statement: You are citizens of heaven, NOT to keep their eyes focussed on future glory (in this instance) but to reverse that logic. It is your highest call, to bring the ways of heaven (its love, justice, and humility) to earth! To meet your universal human condition, wired for tribal belonging and expansion, with a totally other kind of existence. A challenge surely as relevant to us today, as it ever was!

By Hannah Flint

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Philippians: Surpassing Worth

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Philippians: Surpassing Worth

Paul warns against valuing things which squeeze Jesus out as being our supreme value. Culture puts a high value on success, money, fame, intelligence and beauty amongst other things. Religion values outward performance and empty tradition. From time to time we need to reevaluate our values. Our faith can slide into performance. Our hearts are always susceptible to going after culture’s values. Paul calls us to worship the living God as a safeguard and antidote to these. It’s in the presence of Jesus that we see him for who he is again. And here, we can both die to that which robs us of life, and be resurrected to the life of fullness that Jesus promises.

By. Ed Flint

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Philippians: Whatever Happens

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Philippians: Whatever Happens

Paul faces two outcomes: life or death. In the uncertainty of this situation he remains confident of one thing: his future is wrapped up in Jesus’ presence. This is the case with us in every uncertain and ambiguous situation. It’s in this light that Paul encourages the church - with its disunity and fearfulness - to continue to live out their faith because it is the Spirit that establishes us in Christ. So, in “whatever happens,” we can be confident that Jesus is the ground we can stand on. He supplies the Spirit and others as evidence of his present and coming kingdom.

By Raul Sandoval

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Philippians: Rejoice

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Philippians: Rejoice

Paul is able to rejoice in the most difficult circumstances. He’s a great example for us: He is certain that God’s purposes for the world will win out nevertheless and despite these trials (the Gospel is preached in and outside the prison); He recognizes that God’s purposes for his own life will win out through these trials (God is using them to deepen Paul’s experience of salvation); and He has one singular focus: ‘to live is Christ’. So career, family, relationships whilst important, if threatened, will not derail him. When we follow him in establishing our lives on these three foundations, we can live in peace and with joy even in the toughest of times.

By Ed Flint

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Philippians: Good Work

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Philippians: Good Work

As we kick off our series on Philippians, we find a powerful origin story of the church at Philippi in Acts 16: where two women of wildly different social statuses find deliverance through Jesus. Paul and friends are then thrown into prison, bound, and they worship the Living God deep into the midnight hours. In the midst of their worship we have a dramatic prison-break—an earthquake shakes them out of their chains. About a decade later, Paul writes to this small church in Philippi, reminding them of his love for them in Christ. Picking up in Philippians chapter 1, we will explore the power of the Spirit’s kind voice, resilient joy in suffering, and the insistence that Jesus will finish the work he began in us.

By Nelly D’Alessandro

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Philippians - Letter of Hope - Freedom from Worry

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As we end our series on Philippians we consider how we can be joyful people, specifically how we can be free from anxiety when it comes to our finances. Generosity is a hallmark of God’s kingdom. It sets us free from the power of money and our anxiety over it.

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Philippians - Letter of Hope - Kingdom People

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Paul paints the vision of Christian community: God's children, citizens of heaven, turned outwards to face the brokenness of the world and revealing glimpses of heaven's glory, transformed through our relationship with Jesus. We remember that we don’t do this Kingdom-building in our own strength.. Empowered by his spirit, we do it together as a community (yes! even in these crazy, ongoing pandemic days)

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Philippians - Letter of Hope - All Under Christ

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When privileges and accolades are misused to challenge our sense of worth, Paul’s words remind us to count it all as it is in its rightful place: under Christ. The value of knowing the One who loves us surpasses it all and what we gain in Him makes this transaction a no-brainer.

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Philippians - Letter of Hope - Citizens of Somewhere Else

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As if by magic, the part of Paul’s letter to a persecuted and divided church in ancient Philippi felt more than a little bit relevant to our national experience this week (it was a scheduling fluke, but it’s kind of amazing how often that happens!) Paul’s major concern for any church and any situation is ALWAYS the gospel… How can we help people know the love of Christ, and for us today, every bit as much as the Philippians, that means knowing what citizenship really means, and what harmony is always going to require of us.

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Philippians - Letter of Hope - To Live is Christ

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The antidote to being dictated to by our circumstances: it is a definition of life that enables us not to have to escape the world and culture, nor be governed by it. It helps us embrace it and redeem it and live above it. It is the only thing big enough to do it. It is to be people of heaven - here and now - who can say, with Paul: to live is Christ!

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Philippians - Letter of Hope - An Intro

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Ben introduces our new series on the joyful letter that Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, which feels particularly relevant to us today. We reflect on the tumultuous times surrounding Christians in the early church, and set the scene for one of Paul’s most encouraging letters, as he promises us that Christ has gifted us with the ability to endure these difficult times.