pat loughery

Worship Leaders: ? on guitar; David Ruis on keys (ooooh, this could be a fun worship day!!! Remind me to blog about how David Ruis and the UK guys saved my hope in Vineyard worship one day)
Worship Set:
Forever

(Interesting to me how few Vineyard-written songs we’re doing. Much like in our church, where we’re doing 80+% non-Vine stuff: worshiptogether.com mostly.)

Devotions: Gordon Fee

cracks a joke about only doing one worship song at a Vineyard conference: “I’m up NOW?!? what’s going on here? Aren’t we supposed to sing another half hour?”

Philippians

People do a poor job of reading the Bible, because we’ve taught them poorly.

“I’m on a crusade to get the numbers out of the Bible – it would help people actually read the Bible better”.

There will be a TNIV without (verse & chapter) numbers.

e.g. in Philippians, the chapter break should be at Phil 1:27. From 1:1-1:26, it’s all about “I”. At 1:27, it’s all about “you”, the Philippians.

Two matters should concern us every time we open the Scripture:

– One is the historical context.
– One is the type of document that you’re reading.
(Phil is a blend of two literary styles.)

So, historical context:
What we know is that Paul is in prison, likely in Rome.
We also know that the Philippians have sent a substantial gift by way of Epaphroditus. The reason for this gift is that Paul & Philippians have been in a long-term relationship. As in most 2/3 world prisons, the state doesn’t supply food; somebody outside has to bring food for an inmate.

Struggle: 1:29-30
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Note that Phil is the first time Paul uses “Lord and savior” together, as they’re being asked to choose lordship.

More significantly there’s some unrest in the community. Not division per se, bu they’re’ not all on the same page.

Two themes: They’ve supplied Paul’s needs, but at the same time they’re undergoing some suffering and don’t have their act totally together.

That’s the historical context.

Now about the letter itself.

It’s a fine blend of two well known letters in the ancient world. The first is called “The letter of friendship”. THe second is “the letter of moral exhortation”. both supply exemplary paradigms of the virtue that the author is pressing toward. tells stories of people who exemplify this type of virtue.

Friendship in the ancient world is almost always entered into not-casually, almost contractually. e.g. Aristotle writes on friendship in the ancient world. friendship was a commitment. what’s key to this is the need: reciprocity. people NEED to care for one another in their absence. what’s fascinating about this is that somewhere they began to use commercial (contractual) language. friendship letters are filled with this commercial language. also need to know that friends had enemies in common. The idea of reciprocity is very important to this concept of friendship.

Paul is not an unthankful person as we would see him. He finishes the letter at 4:4-9. At 4:10 he acknowledges the gift.

He returns to the idea of friendship again in 4:14: You shared my troubles. None but You shared in giving/receiving (reciprocity of friendship). [Paul entered into this contract of friendship with only the church of Phillipi. He couldn’t enter into this contract with Coronthians; he knew too much about their character]. v.17 I don’t desire gifts; i desire that more is credited to you (business language again). Christ observes what’s going on and credits into heavenly accounts. v. 18 more than enough, full payment. (Stamped: PAID IN FULL; your side of the friendship has been realized. Realizes that reciprocity is now on his side, but he’s in a roman prison stuck. So in one of the great moments in Paul’s letters, he changes metaphors. These gifts from you are in fact a fragrant offering, acceptable sacrifice (lang of Leviticus’s’ burnt offering) TO GOD. Paul can’t do anything, but their friendship to him has had the effect of being an offering to God. OT language: PLEASING to God.

and now the single most abused text in Philippians: 4.19, put into context. Paul has transferred metaphors. Paul has reciprocity on his side and he can’t do anything. he turns it over to God. “‘MY GOD’ WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS OWN RICHES.”. My God will meet your needs in keeping with his riches in glory in Christ.

That’s very purposeful, why the letter ends there. The shortest conclusion to a Pauline letter, and they are his friends. So brief: why? because this letter is being read in church, and v.20 is doxology.

look atthe dox: to OUR GOD. again partnership.

“now I”m very concerned about taking texts out of context and making them serve as pretext.” 4:19 was NOT written as a blanket promise to indiviual believers saying that they get everything that they want in life. It is in fact in the context of deep friendship, and a moment of HS inspiration that God will supply their needs.

Don’t take this text out of context. Just sit and listen to what Paul promised the Philippians, and then sit in their seat and hear it from their perspective.

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Absolutely profound stuff, Gordon. Thank you.