Greetings With Joy

Transcript

GR 617
10/17/1982
Greetings With Joy
Philippians. 1:1-2
Gil Rugh

On his second missionary journey, Paul, accompanied by Silas and Timothy, had a ministry in the city of Philippi. This was the first time the gospel had been carried to Europe. Philippi, a Roman colony, was the focal point for the founding of the first church in Europe.

Several years have passed since those events. Paul now writes back to that church, expressing his appreciation to them for their ministry to him. Over the years the Philippians have been faithful in upholding him in prayer and in supporting him with their financial means. The Philippian church is a healthy, positive church. But it is not a church without problems. There is a division in the church-a couple of people can't get along with one another. Paul is burdened that they recognize the unity and oneness that is theirs in Christ. He wants that oneness to characterize them in all they do.

Most commentators say the pervading theme of Philippians is joy. It is an epistle of happiness, expressing joy, rejoicing, inner happiness and satisfaction. Sixteen times in
these four chapters Paul uses the words for joy or rejoicing expressing both the condition of his own heart and his desire that the Philippians might be characterized by joy. He wanted them to be rejoicing in the Lord in every situation.

Let's look at a few of these verses. In chapter 1, verse 4, "Always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all." Verse 18, "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice." Verse 25, "And convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith." In chapter 2, verse 2, "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind." Some time ago I outlined the Book of Philippians around both the pattern of joy and the idea of unity. Both are strong emphases in the epistle. Here they are to make his joy complete by being of the same mind, by being characterized by unity in every way.

Paul says in 2:17, "But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all." In verse 18, "And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me." Verse 28, "Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly in order that when you see him again you may rejoice." Verse 29, "Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy." The third chapter opens up with verse I saying, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." He wants them to rejoice and have joy. In chapter 4, verse 1, "Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown." Verse 4, "Rejoice in the lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" Verse 10, "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly." Paul is continually stressing the joy and the rejoicing of the heart, both on his part and in his desire for them.

We read that and think it is good; yes, Christians are to have joy and happiness. Things seemed to be going well at Philippi. They had a few problems; a couple of people couldn't get along, but it was a healthy church. But keep in mind Paul's situation as he writes the letter to the Philippians. This is what makes the greatest impact on me as I consider his emphasis on joy and rejoicing. Philippians is one of the prison epistles. It was written by the Apostle Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome. Philippians, along with Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon, are prison epistles, written during Paul's first Roman imprisonment which is described at the end of the Book of Acts. With all the difficulty of being a Roman prisoner, the Apostle Paul writes a letter with the pervasive theme of the joy and rejoicing that we have in Jesus Christ.
"Oh well," we chide, "maybe he had a comfortable spot in that Roman prison." That may be, but being a prisoner would not be comfortable in any way. His freedom would be restricted. He could not proclaim the gospel in other places. Neither could he strengthen Christians in other places. You stop and think about how inconvenient it would be to be chained to a Roman soldier 24 hours a day seven days a week. We get on each other's nerves spending just a few hours together sometimes. What does Paul write about? Oh boy, I've got it tough. Life's hard here in Rome. You don't know what I'm doing without. No. He writes about joy and rejoicing. There are people who are preaching the gospel for the very purpose of aggravating Paul's circumstances and condition. Paul says, "Praise the Lord, the gospel is being preached; I rejoice in this." He had a joy that was not conditioned by the circumstances in which he found himself. That is one of the unique things about being a believer. We have a joy that enables us to rejoice even when everything around 'us is caving in, when our world is collapsing and we lose everything. It is the relationship with Jesus Christ that produces an inner joy and cause of rejoicing that is not conditioned upon external things. The Book of Philippians drives that home repeatedly. Hopefully, this will become clear to us in our study.

It would be hard to select a key verse because there are many key verses in the Book of Philippians. We read one in 4:4 around the theme of rejoicing-"Rejoice in the lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" Philippians 1:21 is probably a key verse, if not the key verse: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." That summarizes so concisely what life was all about for the Apostle Paul. It tells why he could say, "I've learned to live with abundance; I've learned to live without anything. I've learned to be content in every circumstance." Why? Because Jesus Christ was what his life was all about. Life for Paul was not "things" or happy circumstances. For Paul, life was Jesus Christ. Even as he confronted the possibility of death, he says, "and to die is gain" (v. 21). Why? Because he knew that when he experienced physical death, he would leave this life and go into the presence of Christ. So even the imminence of physical death did not dampen the joy that was his as a believer. Paul could say, Jesus Christ is mine, live or die. He is what life is all about. He is the One I am anticipating seeing. So to live is Jesus Christ, to die is gain.
If your life centers in anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ, you do not have a sufficient center and focal point for your life. He is unchanging-the same yesterday, today and forever-and believers are privileged to have their lives centered in Him who is eternally the same. So, do I expect my joy to be the same tomorrow as today? Yes, I do. And next month as today? Yes. And in a hundred years as today? Yes, because it centers in Jesus Christ.

As is characteristic of the New Testament epistles and of other letters of that day, the writer started out his letter by saying some things about himself, about those he was writing to and by giving them a greeting. We usually do these things at the end of our letters. We add a word of greeting to them, sign the name and it's closed. They did that at the beginning in biblical times. So the first two verses form the introduction to the epistle. They are Paul's greeting to the Philippians.

The book starts out, "Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the lord Jesus Christ" (vs. 1,2). There are three main points in the first two verses-the writer, the recipients and the greeting.

Paul is the author of the letter. Paul is joined by Timothy in greeting the Philippians, but Timothy is not a coauthor. That becomes clear in verse 3 as Paul begins to write in the singular: "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you." Throughout the letter he writes in the singular. Later on he will mention Timothy, but in the third person, saying, "But I hope... to send Timothy to you shortly" (2:19). Timothy is seen with Paul in a number of his letters as a constant companion and associate of Paul. He was with Paul when he founded the church at Philippi, so the Philippians would have a special, warm spot in their hearts for the young man Timothy.

Paul identifies himself and Timothy in verse I as "bond- servants of Christ Jesus." That is an important, brief statement. But Paul does not identify himself as an apostle. There was no challenge to his authority in the church at Philippi. It is a warm, friendly letter. But rather he identifies himself as a bond-servant of Christ Jesus; slave would be an accurate translation. The connotation is that of ownership and its resultant obedience. A slave is one who is owned by someone else and thus carries out the will and desire of the owner. That is a key element in being a slave. When he says he is a bond- servant or slave of Jesus Christ, he means he belongs to Christ and carries out Christ's desires. This has an exalted background because in the Old Testament the prophets of God were identified as the slaves of Jehovah.

In Exodus 14:31 Moses is identified as the servant or slave of the Lord: "And when Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses." This indicates that even those who occupied special positions of prominence are identified as God's slaves. They were owned by Him and were doing His bidding. Jeremiah referred to the prophets as servants or slaves: "Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets" (Jer. 7:25). "And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets again and again" (25:4). They are identified as God's slaves or servants, the ones doing His bidding. Jeremiah further recorded, "'Because they have not listened to My words,' declares the lord, 'which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets"' (29:19).

Repeatedly in the books of Daniel, Amos and Ezra we have the same emphasis-My servants the prophets. So when we come to the New Testament, if one is identified as the servant or the slave of God it identifies him as one who has a relationship of responsibility as well as servitude. It drives home the point that a servant is owned by someone else and is to be doing the bidding of his master. That is true of every believer. We occupy the position before God as servants or slaves.

Paul gives a two-fold emphasis of this fact in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Do you not know ... that you are not your own? -For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body." You are not your own because you were purchased with a price. Two elements are clear: The ownership-you belong to someone else; and the responsibility-you are to glorify God with your body. You are not free to do what you want to do, but you are free to do what your owner wants you to do.

Romans 6 indicates there are two kinds of slavery. All mankind is divided into two groups-those who are the slaves of Satan and sin, and those who are the slaves of God and righteousness. In that passage Paul says we were slaves to sin. "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness" Romans 6:17-18. You were slaves of sin; you became slaves of righteousness. It was the work of Christ that freed us from sin and enslaved us to righteousness.

Slavery to God and righteousness is really true freedom, because freedom is the ability to function in the relationship for which you were created. Freedom is not the ability to do whatever you want to do. That can be slavery. An alcoholic drinks one drink after another because he is free to take another one. But he is really a slave. Freedom is the ability to function in the relationship for which you were created.

The reason we were created was for a personal relationship with God. Because of sin, that relationship was broken. When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are brought back into the relationship with God for which we were created. Then we can function as we were created to function-as one who lives his life in submission to God. That is freedom. I am free to serve God-free to be all that He intends me to be, free to fulfill the reason for my existence.
To say I am a slave of Jesus Christ puts me in an exalted position. I am owned by God, and I do His bidding. That is what freedom is all about. We ought not to use the word slavery lightly. We say we are slaves of Jesus Christ, His servants. That means we are owned by Him; we do what He wants us to do. There is a responsibility attached to that. Some Christians run around thinking that freedom in Christ, also referred to as grace, is the liberty to do whatever you want. That is not true. Rather, true freedom, the operation of grace in my life, is freedom to do whatever God wants me to do. That is the argument of Romans 6. To function in any other way is to go back into slavery to sin from which we were freed.

Paul says in Philippians I that he is a bond-servant "of Christ Jesus" (v. 1). The Old Testament said the prophets were servants of Jehovah. Paul says he and Timothy are servants of Jesus Christ. He has replaced Jehovah with Christ Jesus. That is another clear indication in the New Testament of the deity of Jesus Christ. To be a servant of Jehovah is to be a servant of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is God just as the Father is God.

Paul says he is writing "to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi" (v. 1). The word "all" becomes important in Philippians. He emphasizes that this book is written to all the saints in Christ Jesus. Seventeen times in chapter 1 the name Jesus Christ is mentioned. There is a strong emphasis on Jesus Christ-who He is and who we are in Him. Since this book is addressed to all the saints in Christ Jesus, that puts an emphasis on unity in this epistle. Paul is driving home the fact that we are one in Christ.

Notice the emphasis on the word "all." He says inverse 7, "For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all." In verse 8, "For God is my witness, how I long for you all." Verse 25, "And convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith." The same emphasis continues in chapter 2. "But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all" (v. 17).

Notice Paul's emphasis also in l:l that he writes "to all the saints." There are three English words in the New Testament which all come from the same basic Greek word and have the same basic meaning-saint, holy and sanctified. The basic idea of all three words is consecration-to be set apart. In the Old Testament, objects were said to be holy or sanctified in the temple. They were set apart for special use before God.

Individuals and even God Himself are also said to be holy. Holy. In Luke 1:35 the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah. "And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God."' The angel referred to the Holy Spirit, the same basic word which is translated saint, holy or sanctified. The angel also referred to "the holy offspring." The Spirit of God is called holy, and the Son of God is called holy. That is important because we are holy by virtue of our relationship to the Spirit of God and to the Son of God as well as to God the Father.

Paul uses the same word in I Corinthians 6. "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God" (vs. 9-11). We saw in Luke that the One who is holy is Jesus Christ. First Corinthians 6 indicates that through the Holy Spirit we were set apart-made holy. We were washed, sanctified, made holy, made saints and declared righteous by God. God takes those who are sinners and cleanses them, sets them apart for His own use and declares them righteous. Therefore, there had better be a marked difference between one who claims to be a child of God and one who is not. By the very title ascribed to believers-saints- there must be a difference. A saint is one who has been washed from sin and set apart for God's use. There has to be a marked difference between him and one who has not experienced his cleansing.

In writing to the saints in Philippi, Paul is addressing all the believers since a saint is one who has come to believe in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. We are saved by virtue of being in the One who is holy. We are in Him by virtue of believing that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. The moment we recognized that we were personally sinners before God and believed that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, paid the penalty for our sins, we were washed by God. set apart by Him as His saints, declared righteous by Him. Everyone who is a believer in Jesus Christ is a saint. I am Saint Gil! If that strikes you wrong, I am holy Gil!

A saint is not a different kind of Christian. A saint is a different kind of person. Keep the distinction clear. The word "saint" does not divide among Christians; it divides among people. Saints are those who have been washed and declared righteous. That means we are different from those who have not yet come to know Jesus Christ. To call someone a saint does not mean he is closer to God than another Christian is.

When Paul writes to all the saints, this is another way of saying he is writing to the church at Philippi. Chapter 4 clarifies that for us. "And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone" (Phil. 4:15). He uses the words interchangeably. Therefore, you can refer to the saints at Philippi, to the Philippians or to the church. The saints there comprised that local church. When he refers to saints he is not talking about a special group within that church. He is writing to the whole church. That pattern is followed consistently through the New Testament.

In writing to these believers in Philippi, Paul specifically addresses two groups of people-"including the overseers and deacons" (v. 1). Even at this early date, about A.D. 62, there was already a structure of leadership with overseers and deacons in the local churches. It is important for us to understand the New Testament teaching on the proper structure of the local church.
In the phrase "including the overseers and deacons," the word "including" is a preposition which denotes a close association. It doesn't indicate that he is writing the saints under the overseers and deacons, but together with them. They are joined together in that local church.

I am not closer to God by virtue of the fact I am a pastor than you are as a believer in Jesus Christ. But there are different responsibilities in service which are placed upon us. It is important for us to recognize that. We often see two kinds of error in this regard. There are those who stress the difference to an unbiblical fault. They want to stress a hierarchy of structure so they repress or lord it over the average person. They tell the person he is not as close to God as his spiritual leader, therefore he needs someone to go to God on his behalf. That is unbiblical. Then on the other side there are those who stress the sameness of their responsibilities to a biblical fault. They stress the priesthood of the believer in every person's relationship to God, a point which is true, but they carry it to an unbiblical practice by failing to submit to the leadership that God has established.

The word translated overseer in verse 1 is the Greek word episkopos from which we get the English word episcopal. We simply carry over the Greek word into English. It means to have oversight, to see over, to oversee. When Paul refers to overseers, it is a literal translation of the episkopos, those who have oversight.

There are three words in the New Testament which are synonyms for this same position or responsibility. In addition to episkopos, or overseer, the second word is translated "elder." We get the English word "Presbyterian" from this word- presbuteros. The English "elder" when used in Scripture refers to both literal age as well as to the particular function of the person. The third word, poimaino, is translated pastor. Therefore, the words elder, overseer and pastor are used synonymously in the New Testament.

Luke records in Acts 20:17, "And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church." The position of an elder always functions in the context of the local church. We have some today who are wanderers who see themselves as elders out of the context of the local church. We do not see that pattern in the New Testament-Acts 14:23 states, "And when they had appointed elders for them in every church...." Elders are appointed in every church. The position of elder, overseer or pastor functions in the context of the local church. There is no biblical precedent for a hierarchy of churches or over-churches. The New Testament knows only autonomous, local bodies.

In Acts 20:17 Paul called for the elders of the church. Verse 28 gives some instructions for the elders: "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." In verse 17 they were called elders (presbuteros). In verse 28 they are said to be overseers (episkopos). The two words refer to the same people. Elders are those who have the oversight. That is their responsibility. Some scholars indicate that elder (presbuteros) denotes the dignity of the position while overseer (episkopos) indicates the responsibility-to have oversight.

What is the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers? They are responsible for the flock of God at Ephesus, that local church. Who had appointed them? The Congregation? That isn't what it says. The Holy Spirit appointed them to this responsibility. The church belongs to Jesus Christ; He is the head of the church. He is the shepherd, the elder, the overseer, and He appoints under Him men who have the responsibility. The church is not their church; it is God's church.

How do you know who the Holy Spirit has appointed: The qualifications for this office are given in I Timothy 3 and Titus I where 21 qualifications are enumerated in detail. A person whom the Holy Spirit would appoint to this office must meet these qualifications. Secondly, he must have a desire for the work. "If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do" (I Tim. 3:1). First Peter 5 says you are to take this responsibility voluntarily, not under compulsion. Therefore, the elder must be a person who desires this responsibility and one who meets all the qualifications. He is appointed by the Spirit and recognized as such by the congregation and appointed to that responsibility. The Holy Spirit makes him an overseer. That is God's pattern for leadership.

By and large, local churches are in a terrible mess today. Much of that mess is due to the unbiblical leadership patterns that have been established. Too often those patterns have not come from the Word of God. The Holy Spirit appoints overseers, but we say, "Look here, God, at my organizational chart." But that is not the one He gave us in His Word. We may think ours is pretty good, but He wants His! That is the one that counts.

In Acts 20:28 Paul told the elders to be on guard for the flock "among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God." The word translated shepherd (poimaino) is the basis for our word pastor. Elders have been made overseers in order to pastor the flock of God. All three words refer to the same office in the New Testament.
The elders are "to shepherd the church of God" (v. 28). This is not my church; it is God's church. We can use the expression "my church" in a right way and in a wrong way. It is God's church, the church of Jesus Christ. It is His because He purchased it with His own blood. Those in a position of being a pastor or elder are called to shepherd the church of Christ, so they must shepherd it according to the Word of God. One of the responsibilities mentioned in verse 29 is to watch out for the wolves that would infiltrate the congregation. The elders are to guard the purity of the church.

When Paul wrote to Titus on the island of Crete he said, "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you" (Titus 1:5). Paul's pattern was to start a church in each city. He started churches at Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica and at other places. Now Titus is left to help organize these churches. Part of that responsibility was to appoint biblical leadership-elders. In the following verses Paul gives some qualifications and also notes the reasons for the qualifications. They must meet the biblical qualifications because of the responsibilities entrusted to them. The shepherd is to have the oversight, responsibility for the care and protection of the people of God.

Paul gives other instructions regarding elders in I Timothy 5:17: "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor." Elders are to rule, and they are to rule well. Rule means to be at the end of, to rule, direct, manage, conduct. In chapter 3,verse 4, the same word is used: "He must be one who manages [rules, conducts] his own household well." The reason for this requirement is given in verse 5: "But if a man does not know how to manage [same word] his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?" Elders are to be those who rule, not those who dominate or domineer. They are to be the leaders in the biblical sense.

Paul gives more instructions regarding elders in I Thessalonians 5:12: "But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction." Elders are to be those who labor or work hard. They are to "have charge over you in the Lord." There is our word again for rule. This is God's pattern for those who are in His body. There are two basic responsibilities listed in this verse. They are to oversee the body generally-to protect and guard it-and to instruct it.

An elder also is to be one who is "holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). In other words, an elder must be one who can handle the Word of God. He must be able to exhort believers and also to do battle with those who would try to twist the Word of God. This is a key element in his responsibility.

Discipline also plays a part in his responsibilities. When dealing with improper teaching, Paul writes, "For this cause reprove them severely that they may be sound in the faith" (v. 13). This indicates that elders must be involved in the correcting process.

Peter adds to the responsibilities of an elder. In chapter 5 he tells elders they are to shepherd the flock. "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow-elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock" (4:1-3). The elders are to lead by example. That is why they must meet the qualifications that God sets down in the Word; they are to be a pattern for the congregation. As a pastor, I am not the boss of this congregation; I am the shepherd. Incidentally, every time the New Testament speaks about elders, they are referred to in the plural. That is why we have a plurality of pastors or elders. The New Testament always refers to a plurality of leadership. In the church at Philippi, the elders were overseers with the deacons.

Peter continues in verse 4, "And when the Chief Shepherd appears ...... I am a shepherd, but there is a Chief Shepherd who is the ultimate shepherd of this flock. I am not the boss; I am not free to do as I choose. The elders are not free to do as they please. They have responsibility to do what the Word of God directs under the leadership of the Chief Shepherd. As the shepherd, He says what is to be done in His flock. Elders need to be aware of their responsibility before God under Jesus Christ. Those in the body need to be aware of their responsibility to leadership.

Because we live in a democratic society, the idea that everybody is his own boss and does his own thing sometimes permeates the church. Apparently, it permeated the church in Paul's day also. That is why he wrote to the Thessalonians and told them to "appreciate those who diligently labor among you" (I Thess. 5:12). That is also why the writer to the Hebrews had to exhort those believers to submit to those who were in charge over them, "for they keep watch our souls, as those who will give an account" (Heb. 13:17).

We are all equal before God in our position in Jesus Christ. You have just as clear and direct access to God as I do. But God has established an order for leadership in His churches. To rebel against that leadership is to rebel against Jesus Christ.

Sometimes a person will rise up within the body and try to collect Christians around him. That is not a biblical pattern. One of the responsibilities of elders is to watch out for those who arise from within who would lead away disciples after them. The elders are to guard against that. Such activity should be a red light. Occasionally we have had people in this congregation who have not liked what the elders have said. The issues were not necessarily doctrinal conflicts, but these individuals would spin off on their own and try to take people with them. Those who are caught in such a conflict often feel they are in a dilemma and don't know whether they ought to listen to the elders or to follow the one who is spinning off. When such a question arises, go to the New Testament and find out what God says. Who does He say ought to be providing the leadership? This does not mean that elders are dictators, free to do whatever they want. If the elders are in conflict with the Word of God, that must be dealt with.

If God directs you to another church to function with another body of believers, your responsibility is to submit to the leadership of that church. That is God's pattern. When you rebel against it, you are rebelling against Him. The pattern is the same in other areas as well, whether civil government, marriage or the church. As I have had opportunities to talk with other pastors in the city who find people in their congregations who have been rebellious against the leadership in another church, those pastors indicate that the general character of life in those rebellious people has not changed. That does not mean that everybody who has left this church and gone to another church is in that category. Some leave for other reasons. But if your attitude is basically one of rebellion against God's leadership, you cannot expect God to bless your life and ministry.

God has established a certain order for leadership. But the Devil has worked so effectively that in many churches, if you are voted to a certain position, you are automatically on the board. Where in the New Testament does it say that the leadership is entrusted to those who have been voted to certain positions? God has said that the leadership in His church must meet specific qualifications and must function in clearly defined ways. Therefore, we are not free to set up a church structure that we might like. We are free to be submissive to Him and set up a church structure that He wants.

Another frustration that frequently comes up in talking with other pastors is how they can work effectively with the leadership structure their church has. What they must do is to
turn that leadership structure around and make it biblical. Oh, people would never tolerate that! some people may say. In that case, the people must be taught the biblical perspectives of leadership. Then when they understand what the Bible teaches about this, we must trust that the Holy Spirit will turn them around. After all, leaders are to lead, not to follow. Oh, the people, wouldn’t like this, so we do what the people say. Leaders are to do what Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd, says. We need to get things in proper order.

Deacons are also mentioned in Philippians 1:1. They are spiritual leaders whose qualifications are enumerated in I Timothy 3. They must be spiritual men. The difference between elders and deacons is that deacons do not have the same leadership qualifications that an elder does. Acts 6 sets the precedent for deacons. Their appointment enables the elders to be free to lead and minister the Word. The word translated deacon means servant.

Deacons are to aid in the spiritual ministry of the church in any way the elders need them. They serve the elders in the spiritual leadership of the church. They are not equal with the elders in their leadership responsibilities, but they are equal spiritually. It is a great responsibility to hold the office of a deacon in the Body of Christ. Spiritual leadership involves tremendous spiritual responsibility.

These men are to be respected. Since these men are God's appointed leaders, it is the responsibility of the congregation to listen to them, to respect them and to pray for them. If the leadership goes bad, the whole church goes bad. You should pray for your elders and deacons every day. it is so crucial for you to do that.

Paul gives his word of greeting to those believers in Philippians 1:2: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Paul's greetings always include grace and peace.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God poured out upon us at salvation: "For by grace you have been saved through faith" (Eph. 2:8). But in his greeting in Philippians 1, Paul is not talking about our salvation in its initial phase. He is talking about God's grace in our daily lives-that continual provision of God for me to be everything and to do everything God wants me to do. He is saying that God is to enable you in every situation and for every task. It is encouraging to see that God calls upon us to do many things, but when He calls, He also provides the enabling power to accomplish it. We are saved by grace, and we are kept by grace-the same concept as seen in being saved by faith and living by faith. We are saved by grace through faith, and we live by grace through faith. The pattern is the same.

In his greeting Paul also refers to peace. In salvation we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, but this basic peace which comes as a result of salvation is not the peace which Paul is talking about in his greeting. Rather he is talking about the outflowing of God's peace in our daily lives. Believers are privileged to experience the inner peace and tranquility of God every moment of every day in their lives. That is what he wants for the Philippians. In chapter 4 Paul is going to give the greatest discussion of peace that we have in the New Testament. Believers ought to be experiencing the peace of God in their lives every moment of every day. That peace comes from Jesus Christ.

The world is in turmoil, tied up in knots and living on antacids. But believers don't have to experience that turmoil.

Our peace is tied to God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Well, you don't understand. My health is failing. My financial world is collapsing. Has Jesus Christ changed? No. Your peace is to come from Jesus Christ. If you get your peace from your things, you are walking on the brink of disaster. If you have peace because your body is healthy and you feel good, it will catch up with you sooner or later. In 50 years, most of us will have lost our health. In 60 years many more of us will have. In 90 years we will all be back in good health in heaven! But the peace we have comes from God.

Paul's greeting also indicates the deity of Jesus Christ. "Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 2). Grace comes from God and from Jesus Christ. Peace comes from the same source. People who say they don't see the deity of Christ in the Scriptures have a veil over their eyes. To say that Jesus Christ is the source of grace along with God is saying that Jesus Christ Himself is Deity. He is the One through whom we have a relationship by faith with His Father.

Bond-servant, do you recognize you are a slave of Jesus Christ? That means you are owned by Him. You are not free to do what you want, but you are free to do what He wants.
You are a saint, one who is holy because He is holy. You are now to live your life as one set apart by God for His purposes. You are to function as God would have you function.
God has called us together and appointed this pattern for ministering today through a local church. Within the local church He has established an order of leadership-elders and deacons. These godly men are appointed by the Spirit of God according to the qualifications of Scripture that the Body might function in submissiveness to the One who is the head, Jesus Christ. And in all things He provides the grace and the peace that we need to honor Him.