Saturday September 5, 2015

Read Philippians 1:7-8 

It’s easy to fool some people some of the time but eventually people work out that you’re trying to fool them. Children in particular are very good at picking out a phoney or a try-hard. No matter how hard we try to fool people we will eventually be caught out.

In God’s church there are to be no try-hards or phoneys. God’s people are to be filled with a genuine and deep compassionate love for each other. Smiling at people you really don’t like and putting on a nice face is not optional in God’s church. Sitting across the other side of the chapel or worship auditorium is not optional in God’s church. Avoiding that brother or sister you really despise is not optional in God’s church.

We are told that Paul held the Philippian believers in his heart. It’s a way of saying that he cared deeply for them and loved them with the love of Christ Jesus. He longed for them with the affection of Christ. Interestingly, the Greek word used here is used in reference to Christ who had an inner compassion for people. Thus when used in reference to Christians it is the love or ‘affection’ that one may have for another only in Christ Jesus. Without Christ this kind of love simply isn’t possible. Philippians 1:8 makes that exceedingly clear because the word is modified by the phrase ‘of Christ’. Paul longs for the Philippians with the affection of Christ Jesus. We are similarly to love each other with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Our world today is saturated with phoney love. It’s saturated with sexual love and abuse at every conceivable level. Love has become so over-used and abused that people are wondering what love really is. The world has heard enough of churches claiming to represent and share the love of God, but which abuse kids and milk people for their money or assets. It’s seen enough “Christian” sales men and women promising the earth and every blessing for just a ‘small’ donation. The world has experienced to death the church that simply wants to grow in number without growing in relationship. Nobody in the world wants to be treated as a number or as a notch on someone’s evangelistic belt. Nobody wants their trust abused and broken. The world has seen enough Christians hurting each other, abusing each other’s trust and attacking each other.

The world needs to see, hear and taste genuine Jesus-formed love/affection that comes from a pure heart. What Paul expressed in Philippians 1:8 needs to be seen and heard and practiced in the church week by week, month by month and year by year. The world needs to see Christians genuinely loving each other and the world without any strings or catches. The world needs to see Christ in all His beauty living in the church. Isn’t that why we are called the body of Christ?

This Sonday as your church gathers, you can put Philippians 1:8  into practice. Take a moment now to think and meditate what that will look like for you as you plan to gather together tomorrow.

Prayer:

Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for

Adoration:

Confession

Thanks

Supplication:

· Pray that your congregation would be a congregation that shows real genuine love to each other and to the world. Pray that the world would see clearly the love of Jesus in your congregation.

· Pray that the Word would be powerfully preached this Sonday and that each person would hear the Word and given the ability by God’s Spirit to change where needed and to practice real God-honouring love.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. See if you can list 50 ways that Philippians 1:8 can be put into practice in a church environment.

2. Summarise what Phil 1:4-8 is saying in your own words.

3. What makes a church transformational?