Abounding Love: Partnership, Discernment, and Transformation in Christ
Summary
In my sermon, I began by expressing my deep affection for the Philippian church, reflecting on the Apostle Paul's words in Philippians chapter 1. I emphasized the importance of the church's partnership in the gospel, highlighting that even in the face of opposition and suffering, spreading the gospel is a gift from God. I reminded the congregation that our participation in the gospel is not limited by our physical location but is a shared task that connects us deeply with one another.
I then delved into the nature of Christian love, challenging the congregation to understand love as more than an emotion. I explained that true love, agape love, is a commitment to work for the good of the loved one, and it engages every part of our being. This love should first be directed towards Christ and then extend to the family of God and the rest of the world.
I stressed the need for discernment in love, urging the congregation to grow in knowledge and moral clarity. I warned against the dangers of uncritical tolerance and acceptance, which our culture often promotes, and I called for the church to offer the gift of discernment to a world that struggles to make clear moral judgments.
I also spoke about the transformative power of the gospel, sharing a testimony of a man whose life was changed by Christ, breaking a cycle of abuse. I emphasized that the gospel not only saves and transforms us but also benefits those around us.
Finally, I concluded with a prayer that our love may abound more and more with knowledge and discernment, so that we may approve what is excellent and be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Key Takeaways:
1. Gospel partnership is a profound grace that connects us beyond our physical presence. Even in chains, Paul saw the spread of the gospel as a gift, and we too should cherish our role in this divine mission, regardless of our circumstances. Our support for missionaries and engagement in ministry are tangible expressions of this partnership. [09:20]
2. Christian love is a commitment to work for the good of the loved one, not merely an emotional feeling. This love, rooted in the knowledge of Christ, should be directed towards God, the church, and the world. As we grow in our understanding of God's character, our capacity to love in a Christ-like manner increases. [18:29]
3. Discernment is essential for Christian love to act properly. We must not fall into uncritical tolerance but instead strive to make clear moral and spiritual judgments. The church's role is to bring discernment to a culture that often lacks it, distinguishing between ideas, behaviors, and the inherent dignity of individuals. [26:22]
4. The gospel's transformative power is a gift that changes lives and ends destructive cycles. As we share the gospel, we participate in God's redemptive work, bringing healing and hope to those trapped in sin's consequences. Our transformed lives then become a testament to God's goodness and grace. [13:52]
5. Our love should abound with knowledge and discernment, enabling us to approve what is excellent and be pure and blameless for Christ's return. This growth in love prepares us for our face-to-face meeting with Jesus and ensures that our lives glorify God. We must be diligent in seeking God's wisdom and understanding to live out this love. [30:34]
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Philippians 1:3-11 (ESV)
> "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. 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 of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 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 praise of God."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul express about his feelings towards the Philippian church in Philippians 1:3-8?
2. According to Philippians 1:9, what does Paul pray for regarding the love of the Philippians?
3. How does Paul describe the partnership in the gospel with the Philippians in Philippians 1:5-7?
4. What is the ultimate goal Paul mentions in Philippians 1:10-11 for the Philippians' growth in love and discernment?
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean for love to abound "more and more with knowledge and all discernment" as mentioned in Philippians 1:9? How does this differ from a purely emotional understanding of love? [16:51]
2. How does Paul’s description of the Philippians' partnership in the gospel challenge our understanding of community and mission within the church? [08:04]
3. In what ways does the transformative power of the gospel, as illustrated by the testimony shared in the sermon, demonstrate the practical impact of Christian faith on individuals and communities? [13:52]
4. How does the concept of discernment in love, as discussed in the sermon, apply to the current cultural context and the church's role in it? [26:22]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own participation in the gospel. How can you support missionaries or engage in ministry more actively, even if you are not physically present with them? [09:20]
2. Think about a relationship in your life where you can practice agape love. What specific actions can you take to work for the good of that person this week? [18:29]
3. How can you grow in knowledge and discernment in your daily life? Identify one practical step you can take to deepen your understanding of God's character and will. [16:51]
4. Consider a situation where you have been tempted to practice uncritical tolerance. How can you apply discernment to make clear moral and spiritual judgments in that context? [26:22]
5. Reflect on a time when you experienced the transformative power of the gospel in your life or witnessed it in someone else's life. How can you share this testimony to encourage others? [13:52]
6. How can you ensure that your love for Christ and others is growing in a way that prepares you for the day of Christ? What specific habits or practices can you incorporate into your life to achieve this? [30:34]
7. Identify one area in your life where you need to seek God's wisdom and understanding to live out love more effectively. What steps will you take this week to pursue this growth? [31:33]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Gospel Partnership
Partnership in the gospel is a profound grace that transcends physical boundaries and unites believers in a common mission. This partnership is not merely about being co-laborers; it is about being co-partakers in the divine grace that enables the spread of the gospel. Whether one is in chains like Paul or in the comfort of their own home, the call to participate in the mission of God remains. It is a gift that should be cherished, and one's circumstances should not diminish the joy and responsibility of this divine calling. Believers are encouraged to support missionaries and engage in ministry as tangible expressions of this partnership, recognizing that their contributions have eternal significance. [09:20]
Philippians 1:5-6 (ESV): "because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 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."
Reflection: How can you actively participate in the gospel mission within your current circumstances, and what specific action can you take this week to support the spread of the gospel?
Day 2: The Commitment of Christian Love
Christian love, or agape love, is not merely an emotional feeling but a steadfast commitment to seek the good of others. This love is rooted in the knowledge of Christ and is an active choice to engage every part of one's being in the service of others. It begins with a deep love for Christ, which then overflows to the family of God and extends to the rest of the world. As believers grow in their understanding of God's character, their capacity to love in a Christ-like manner increases, enabling them to reflect God's love more accurately to those around them. This love is a powerful witness to the world and a testament to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit within. [18:29]
1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
Reflection: In what practical ways can you demonstrate Christ-like love to someone in your church community and someone outside of it this week?
Day 3: Discernment in Love
Discernment is an essential aspect of Christian love, enabling believers to navigate a world that often promotes uncritical tolerance and acceptance. True discernment involves growing in knowledge and moral clarity, allowing one to make wise and loving judgments that honor God and respect the inherent dignity of individuals. It is not about being judgmental but about offering the gift of clear moral and spiritual guidance in a culture that struggles with these concepts. Believers are called to distinguish between ideas and behaviors while maintaining a posture of love and grace. [26:22]
Hebrews 5:14 (ESV): "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
Reflection: Can you identify an area in your life where you may have accepted something uncritically? How can you seek God's wisdom to develop a more discerning heart in this area?
Day 4: The Transformative Power of the Gospel
The gospel is not just a message of salvation; it is a force that transforms lives and breaks cycles of sin and destruction. When individuals encounter the love of Christ, they are changed from the inside out, and this transformation has a ripple effect on those around them. Sharing the gospel is participating in God's redemptive work, bringing healing and hope to those trapped in the consequences of sin. As believers live out their transformed lives, they become a living testament to God's goodness and grace, offering a compelling witness to the world. [13:52]
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Reflection: Reflect on your own life transformation since encountering the gospel. How can you share your testimony with someone this week to encourage them with the transformative power of Christ?
Day 5: Love Abounding in Knowledge and Discernment
The prayer for love to abound more and more with knowledge and discernment is a call for believers to grow in their understanding of what is truly excellent and pleasing to God. This growth prepares them for the day of Christ, ensuring that their lives are pure, blameless, and filled with the fruit of righteousness. It is a diligent pursuit of wisdom and understanding that enables believers to live out a love that glorifies God and impacts the world. As they seek God's wisdom, they become equipped to navigate life's complexities with grace and truth. [30:34]
Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV): "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
Reflection: What is one decision or area of your life where you need greater knowledge and discernment? How can you seek God's guidance in this area today?
Quotes
1) "We need to learn how the love of God works. We need to take our information about love from what God has to say. We need to make sure. That we are in the word of God. You and I are reading the word of God. We cannot know him without knowing his word." [34:54]
2) "We need to read the word of God with the family of God. And then growing in discernment, we need to stop taking our value judgments about behavior from the world around us. We need to learn what it is to approach the new. To approach social media, to approach even difficult situations through the lens of the truth of the gospel." [35:36]
3) "Paul wants the church, he wants you and me to be able to recognize, defend, speak about, speak up about what is excellent, what is right and what is good and what is true. We need to support it. We need to defend it. This is the language that he has used inside of these handful of verses." [38:09]
4) "The word for affection is the Greek word that literally means bowels. That sounds a little bit, I love you from my bowels. You've not written that Valentine's day letter to your spouse. You haven't written that one, but in their culture and in their language, that means from the very depths of who I am. I love you." [16:51]
5) "Love is the commitment to work for the good of the one loved. Love is the commitment to work for the good of the one that you love. When you kind of let that definition sink in, you let it kind of roll around, to realize that that kind of love, the kind of love that scripture speaks of, that comes from God and that he works, wants at work among us, is going to engage every part of who we are." [20:13]
6) "Knowledge is an interactive relationship. I'm in a certain kind of relationship with someone and it's interactive enough that I know this person better. The knowledge of getting to know someone better and better over time, there's a certain level of knowledge about that person when it begins, but then there's friendship or even marriage that occurs over time and that knowledge grows over time and that knowledge folds back into our love." [23:24]
7) "Our culture is completely unable to make clear moral and spiritual judgments. So, Paul says, I need you to become discerning people. We didn't talk about this last Sunday, because it was Easter Sunday. We talked about it a lot last Tuesday night. If you want to dig into this kind of thing more often, I encourage you to come to our Tuesday night adult Bible studies." [27:27]
8) "One of the gifts, we need to see it this way, one of the gifts that the church gives to civilization is discernment. This is just one of the gifts that the church gives. To the culture around us. So growing in discernment means the moral and spiritual structures of reality grows clearer to the church all the time." [30:34]
9) "Paul is praying that the church will grow. He wants it to grow in numbers because they're partnering in the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He wants it to grow in Christ-likeness, that we would look more like him and less like the world around us. Paul is praying that the love of Christ would abound more and more within us." [31:33]
10) "The gospel changes lives. Friends, it changes lives and it leads to powerful benefits to those around us. When our lives have been changed by the gospel, when we've been saved, when our lifestyle, it begins to look more like Jesus and less like this world. It's not just that you and I are saved and transformed, but the people around us begin to benefit from the goodness of God, the truth of the gospel." [13:52]
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