Skip to main content

Philippians 1:12-18


Welcome back! We're continuing our path through Philippians and we're glad you've decided to join us.

Let's start with a question: How did you first come to know about Jesus? Who were the key people in your life who told you about Jesus?  For me, I'm not sure when I first heard about Jesus. But I do remember when the story of Jesus became personal for me. I was a teenager, going to Sweetwater UMC in Pearson. Brother Randy had just started preaching there. There was something in the way he told the story that made it come alive. And I fell in love with the story of Scripture. The next time we're together, I want to hear your stories.

If you're also doing the video class, please watch "Phil 1:12-18 with Prof. N.T. Wright."

Here are my notes




  • Paul challenges us to think differently and to look at situations and circumstances through the lens of the Good News.
  • Paul is in prison, maybe in Ephesus? 
  • Proclaiming Jesus as Lord is what makes the difference
  • The name of Jesus makes things happen--see Acts
  • The gospel makes the difference
  • Don't be anxious--ironically, this is part of the Good News

Stats for nerds
- I don't have a complicated system for Bible journaling. I write down what I think is most important--the things that help me to get the bigger picture and things that I think will be helpful in a sermon.
- I use Pigma Micron pens. It's what other Bible nerds suggested, and it's what Lifeway used to carry. I use the 005 size.
- I use blue for the majority of the notes because it seems the least distracting from the text.
- I use an orange for underlining key words. (I don't highlight this Bible. I have one with thicker paper that I use a highlighting system in.)
- I use black for what I think are major notes.
- This is a 1984 NIV Cambridge Wide Margin. 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Philippians 2:19-30

The way many people see Philippians 2:19-30 is that Paul is doing something similar to many preachers who say, "And one more thing . . ." and then preach for another twenty minutes. But I don't see Paul as the typical Baptist preacher. I think this pause is intentional. I don't think it was an early ending and then Paul had more ideas and kept writing. Paul is sending two people to the Philippians, and he's explaining why he's sending them. They are, as Bishop Wright says, "working models" of what Paul has been teaching. They think like Jesus. They understand the gospel, it's meaning, and they're practicing it. They are humble and they are living in this new Jesus way. While these verses may not be the most exciting, they help us to piece together the story of what's going on. Around the year 55 or 56 AD, Paul is in prison--likely in Ephesus. During that time, Paul wrote this letter. Timothy will hand-deliver this letter to the P...

Ash Wednesday 2019

Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your hearts, with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow; tear your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, very patient, full of faithful love, and ready to forgive (Joel 2:12-13 CEB) Today is a new beginning. A new season. And anytime we step into something new, we can feel vulnerable. We know our own brokenness. This is a season where we journey through the wilderness of our hearts and souls to the heart of God. This is a time that calls for us to walk carefully and to think deeply. And if we are to make progress on our pilgrim's path, then we must be willing to lay bare all that is hidden, buried, or repressed inside of ourselves. This path is uncomfortable. But if we want to move closer to God, then it is a path we must take. Lent doesn't make sense. It's counter-intuitive. We begin with death and move towards life. Today, many Christians will go to chu...

Good Friday

John 19:17-20 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: Carrying his cross by himself, he [Jesus] went out to a place called Skull Place (in Aramaic, Golgotha ). That's where they crucified him--and two others with him, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a public notice written and posted on the cross. It read "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. Today is called Good Friday because it is the day that proclaims God's loving  and his purpose for redeeming the world through the cross of Jesus. We call it Good Friday because God was drawing the world to himself through Jesus. As verse 17 says "by himself," we see that Jesus was in control of his own death. He was not making the best of a bad situation. Jesus was fulfilling God's purpose: providing the way for all people to be saved. The ...