Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 9th. Edition.
Beloved People of the New Covenant,
Having dispensed with Psalm 121, we begin a new series today in Paul’s Epistle to the church at Philippi. This is one of four letters Paul wrote from house imprisonment in Rome, the others being Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. Called the epistle of Joy, this is the letter, of all the letters to the churches, in which Paul expresses affection and closeness to a congregation. The first two verses of chapter one are typical of Paul’s style. Letters those days started with the identification of the author, followed by the identification of the recipient(s).
We note three key things in the 1st verse.
1. Paul includes Timothy in the author’s identity. Even though the whole letter is in the first person singular and most likely a sole effort by Paul, he shares the honour with Timothy. We lose nothing when we are generous to others in sharing honour, and we gain their respect and loyalty.
2. He identifies himself and Timothy as bondservants of Jesus Christ. A bondservant was a slave who would have earned the right to freedom, but who chose freely, to be a slave of the master. Paul was a slave of Jesus by choice. This is important. Some people only come to Christ because they fear hell. They have no love for Christ, as such, and no joy in serving him. What a life! I pray none of us is in that conundrum.
3. Paul identifies his recipients as saints. The word saint means a holy person or one who has been made holy. God has made us holy in four ways:
a). He has chosen and set us apart for himself. The first act of holiness is separation.
b). God has declared us blameless before him because Jesus already paid for our sins.
c). God is in the process of purifying us, so that we become more holy, day by day.
d). God has decreed our perfection when we finally come to his eternal home.
A saint is not some long-dead person that we venerate. You are the saint. Please try to behave like one! Verse 2 is also typical – greetings. Paul wishes the Philippian’s grace and peace. Grace was the usual Greek greeting. The difference is that this grace is from God and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace from God is a favour that is not earned. God saves us by his grace, not because of any good works. We either accept God’s free gift, or we are doomed. There is no way we can earn it through being good. The normal Hebrew greeting was – and still is, peace – shalom. This peace from God and the Lord Jesus is unique in that it is within us. When God forgives our sins and we are made his children, we have peace with him.
This peace sets us free from the turmoil within so that we can say, I am at peace with myself. Being at peace with others becomes a consequence of the peace within. Are you at peace with God? Side chat me, Pastor G or Pastor Jason, if you need help to connect with God.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.