Saints, Servants, and Salutations

Bible Text: Philippians 1:1-2

• Acts 16:1(10)-40 — founding of church at Philippi during 2nd “missionary” journey
• Luke apparently stays here
• Gifts sent to Paul at Thessalonica twice
• Timothy and Silas sent back to Thessalonica and Philippi various times
• Paul probably stops through on way back to Jerusalem
• Paul jailed in Caesarea (2yrs)
• Paul sails to Rome
• Paul under “house arrest” in Rome (2yrs)
• Paul’s circumstances worsen
• Philippians send gift to Paul with Epaphroditus (gets sick, they hear, etc.)
• Paul writes Philippians

Servants, Saints, and Salutations — Philippians 1:1-2

Philippians:

•  Not polemic – defensive (implication, but not expressed)
•  Not practical – doctrinal (some very exalted doctrine – kinosis)
• Mostly personal of church letters
  • As a friend to friends (Paul is closest to the church at Philippi
  • No apostolic claim (not necessary)
  • Response to different correspondence (gift, Epaphroditus, sickness, etc)

Servants (doulos=bond-servants=slaves)

• Paul – in prison (later imprisonment in praetorium during 1st Roman)
• Timothy – with Paul, but not an author
  • Exodus 21:5 type of slave
  • never not a slave (absolute obedience)
  • Christ’s possession (absolute faithfulness & loyalty)
  • not free to come or go
  • dependent on Christ (absolute, fearless trust)

Saints (hagios=different, separated, holy, sacred) examples (priests, tithe, tabernacle, temple, holy of holies) how: in Christ Jesus

• All saints – 1 Peter 2:9
• Bishops and deacons

Salutation

• Grace (charis (Greek)=God’s unmerited favor) of God our Father … comes before…
• Peace (eirene–sholom (Jew)=God’s good provision — more than absence of trouble) through reconciliation–in Jesus Christ

Conclusion:

• Are we bond-servants of Jesus Christ?
•  Are we living as saints of God?
• Do we crave grace and peace?