This chapter begins with the word “finally.” Paul was not closing his letter, but was literally saying “the remaining”, showing that he was changing subjects. So far he has spoken about the need for Christlikeness. Now he warns them to beware of false teachers (v.2). These false teachers are like dogs. Mr. Lightfoot in his […]
I truly enjoy fresh figs. Sometimes when we open a beautiful fresh fig, the inside is full of worms. Some Christians are like that fig. On the outside they are doing right and appear to be living for God, but on the inside things are not good. Read Philippians 2:14-18. Transition Our text this morning […]
When we lived in PNG, I occasionally took hikes into the jungle, but never alone. I always followed an experienced leader. He knew where he was going and how to return. I didn’t. The Philippian Christians were having difficulty with unity. They needed an example to follow. Christ was that perfect example. Paul challenged them […]
In this verse, one’s conversation is his conduct as a citizen. One commentator said it is “To live as a free citizen.” CWSD. The people of Philippi were privileged to be citizens of Rome. Christians are privileged to be citizens of heaven. Our conduct is the way we act and our behaviour. Henri Amiel wrote, […]
When we feel like the road of life has become a steep slippery mountain path, and the winds of criticism are against us, and a load of burdens is on our back, we will be tempted to get a bad attitude. We have all been there. In our text, Paul was there. Paul, however, was […]
A minister [of a large church] was praying at the bedside of a dying woman. “Wait a moment,” she said, as he started to rise from his knees. “I want to pray for you.” Very tenderly, she prayed with her hands upon his head. “For ten years, ever since you became my pastor, I have […]
A plumb line is a cord with a weight tied to one end. Bricklayers use it to ensure that the wall they are building is straight. It can also be hung alongside an existing wall to reveal if it is true to the way it was built, or if it is leaning. A plumb line […]
Fear of making a wrong choice can sometimes cause us to procrastinate until the decision is made for us. We feel like the “experienced” paratrooper who was asked how many jumps he had to his credit. “Twenty-five,” was his reply. But then he added sheepishly, “Really only one. The other twenty-four I had to be […]
The older we get, the more we struggle with the body in which we live. Our speed has slowed down. Our memory is like a Teflon-coated pan: nothing sticks any more. Our muscles are shrinking. Our pain is increasing. Our shape is changing. If you don’t know what I am talking about, one day you […]
Before a person can build a house in the suburbs, there are certain building codes that must be followed. Theoretically, those codes are designed to ensure that the house is build structurally strong and safe so that it will last for years to come. Way back in Bible times, before official building codes existed, there […]