Christlike

Summary

This week we turn from Acts to Paul’s letter to the Philippians, which we will study for three weeks. Having last preached on Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, I am struck by the evidence of Paul’s transformation that we see in this letter. Paul’s own faith, his own journey and relationship with Christ, is of course central to his leadership and his example as a Christian as he writes to these churches. In this letter, Paul models gratitude, joy even in hardship, love and care for others, steady hope in the gospel, and reliance on Christ for all of it. Central in today’s text is Paul’s prayer that the Philippians grow in agape love, and that this love will inform knowledge and insight and determination of what really matters. This is one clear invitation to growth for the people of Philippi. As we witness to Christ’s transforming Spirit in Paul’s words and life, we also hear a call to the Philippians, and to ourselves, to follow in this way of maturing faith in Christ- that our lives, too, will reflect the Spirit of Christ. And to do this, Paul reminds us repeatedly that we depend on Christ. For “the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil 1:6)