Work Out Your Own Salvation | Philippians 2:12-13

https://open.spotify.com/episode/49mb19ctHZ3qaEuUtogXNp?si=5db9bee61251454a Study Guide Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 ESV   …

Continue reading Work Out Your Own Salvation | Philippians 2:12-13

Joy in Christ

To Die Is Gain | Philippians 1:21

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RfZSUWUgq7ShoTTk2Ig37?si=6c50721f46b94212 Study Guide For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 (ESV)   Having studied the immediate passage containing verse 21, we have embarked upon a two-part excursus into mining out the meanings of that verse’s two phrases. Thus, in our previous study, we attempted to explain and apply …

Continue reading To Die Is Gain | Philippians 1:21

Joy in Christ

To Live Is Christ | Philippians 1:21

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4A9f6ngWkYOGOha7ssVG4S?si=3bd81a46ae7b4251 Study Guide For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 (ESV)   Having studied verse 21 in its context, I am still compelled to wade further into the waters of this profound sentence. I’m calling this two week study an excursus because we are veering off the consecutive …

Continue reading To Live Is Christ | Philippians 1:21

Advancing the Gospel | Philippians 1:12-18

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0dnvb1vcgXAW8IVXo3NMhx?si=6da1ea10db6d421a Study Guide I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord …

Continue reading Advancing the Gospel | Philippians 1:12-18

Praying Like Paul | Philippians 1:9-11

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MclVO7lDwrfxkUCVpJRuL?si=Pc-tSZ-yQfGF8jFlw0cj2Q Study Guide And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and …

Continue reading Praying Like Paul | Philippians 1:9-11

God Will Finish His Work | Philippians 1:6-8

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xWinpKxGg8wEDcZQoHZbM?si=12ee31619e5d430e Study Guide And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me …

Continue reading God Will Finish His Work | Philippians 1:6-8

Partners in the Gospel | Philippians 1:3-5

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4pTQ9zN8NP2CwwhaYnUofK?si=376c1cdfa3c943bf Study Guide I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  Philippians 1:3–5 (ESV)   Paul’s letter to the church of Philippi is quite unique from …

Continue reading Partners in the Gospel | Philippians 1:3-5

Grace to You & Peace | Philippians 1:1-2

  https://open.spotify.com/episode/2WYRKCJxABGBVPu21WVHDM?si=567750ea4d9a4f86 Study Guide Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:1–2 (ESV)   The letter of Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul to the …

Continue reading Grace to You & Peace | Philippians 1:1-2

Depressing Joy: a thousand year search for meaning

Back in 2012, I taught through the books of Ecclesiastes and Philippians together, attempting to show how they both present that true joy is only found in Christ. Since I am now preaching through them again (finishing Ecclesiastes this Sunday), I'm sharing the essay that I wrote in 2012 to explain the connection between these …

Continue reading Depressing Joy: a thousand year search for meaning