Paul’s Greeting to the Church in Philippi (Philippians 1:1-3)

—

by

Robert Piña
in

Introduction: Many times, in our reading of the Bible, we tend to miss or read over quickly through the things that we are familiar with, or which seem to be so trivial. However, in this greeting from Paul to the local church in Philippi, we see some things that are said, which seem so normal and even familiar, however, by studying this greeting, we will see it’s purpose and application in our lives. 

Paul’s greeting to the church in Philippi shows us: 

  1. A Discipleship Relationship– vs 1 “Paul and Timotheus”. In the greeting “Paul and Timotheus, we see a father and son in the faith- I Timothy 1:2 “unto Timothy, my own son in the faith” II Timothy 1:2 “To Timothy, my dearly beloved son”. These two had a strong bond and a deep affection for each other. We also know that Paul was much older than Timothy and yet Paul took the time to invest in Timothy. Older and mature believers have the responsibility and privilege of investing in young people. Young people get to learn from the experience, wisdom, and Bible doctrine.
  1. Whom we Should Serve– vs 1 “the servants of Jesus Christ”. This statement shows us that although Paul and Timothy were both apostles, the considered themselves nothing more than the servants of Jesus Christ. A servant is free to serve and work for whomever he chooses to, I Corinthians 7:22. At any given time, every believer is serving someone or something, the question is this, are we serving Jesus Christ? A servant follows Jesus- John 12:26 “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour”. There is a great need today for men and women to serve Jesus Christ, and to follow him closely. A servant doesn’t follow men- Galatians 1:10.
  1. The Saints in a Local Church– “to all the saints which are at Philippi”. Notice how the saints were addressed, which means they were living at that time and they were a part of that local church. Certain religions today refer to saints as people who lived many years ago, who have already died, and who intercedes on the believer’s behalf. A saint is not a person that is recognized, honored, or reverence in a certain religion or by a certain person, such as a pope. Someone to whom we light a candle too or pray through. A believer is called to be a saint but has the choice to do so or not Romans 1:7 “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints”. 
  1. The Leaders in a Local Church- “with the bishops and deacons”. This group of saints found in Philippi had “bishops and deacons”, who are the leaders of a local church. A healthy church organizes for ministry and has leaders who lead by example. These “bishops and deacons” are set apart from the members, who are addressed as “saints”. Bishops- Also referred to as Elders and are known as Pastors today, Titus 1:5,7-9. This man is to oversee and feed the flock of God Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore not yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood”. Deacons- I Timothy 3:8 “Likewise” The deacons are to serve along side the bishop or pastor today. This man is to be spiritually minded and meet the spiritual qualities. The bishops and deacons are often mentioned together, Philippians 1:1, I Timothy 3:8.   
  1. What we Should have– “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ”. Grace from Jesus Christ- Jesus Christ wants you and I to experience the grace that is offered by him toward us. The only reason we can do anything for God is because of the grace of God. I Corinthians 15:9-10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am”. Peace from Jesus Christ- John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you”. Jesus Christ has given us his peace and we shouldn’t let this world trouble us. John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace”. The more we get away from Jesus Christ, the less we have His peace. 

Conclusion: The next time you read in your Bible a greeting, be sure to pay close attention to what is said. In this greeting we saw a discipleship relationship, whom we should serve, who the saints in a local church are, the leaders of a local church, and the grace and peace we should have.