Paul's Prayer for the Philippians -- 10/4/09

Sunday, October 4, 2009

PAUL’S PRAYER FOR THE PHILIPPIANS
Phil. 1:9-11

Last week we looked at verses 3-8. From those verses, we got a sense of Paul’s heart, as he prayed for the Philippian believers. We also were reminded of what a blessing it is to be a part of the Lord’s church. When I speak of the Lord’s church, I am referring to the local expression of that church, because that is what we find at Philippi and throughout the New Testament.

Today we want to look at Paul’s prayer for the church in 1:9-11. Let’s begin by reading that prayer. Phil. 1:9-11…
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10. That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Let’s go back for a moment and read 1:3-5, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5. For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." Paul speaks of praying for them with great joy. But now, when we come to verses 9-11, we get a glimpse into the content of that prayer. We are blessed that God chose to preserve in His Word some of the actual prayers of Paul (see also Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-21; Col. 1:9ff). We find the same thing in this prayer that we find in the other recorded prayers of Paul. In none of these prayers did Paul pray for physical needs. Nor did he offer up general prayers for the welfare of the church. Instead, he prayed for the spiritual needs of God’s people. He prayed for their spiritual growth and development. Some of you get a little perturbed at me because I can’t let go of this truth. I don’t say that it is wrong for us to pray for physical needs, but I do continue to remind us that it is a hundred times better to pray for spiritual needs. Our great problem is that we default to what is most comfortable, and it is more comfortable to pray for our physical needs than to expose what our real needs are. May Paul be a reminder that the content of the most vital prayer within the church is the spiritual needs of its people.

As we go through this prayer, I want to tell you right off that I am borrowing the basic outline from John MacArthur (with a slight deviation). I find it very helpful in getting a handle on this prayer. Paul does not pray for a series of things, but it is a prayer that has a definite progression. We will see this, as we go through it. It begins with love and progresses to the glory of God. So let’s dive in…

I. Love

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment.” Paul begins his prayer with the subject of love. Why is that? Is it not because love is the most basic virtue of the Christian life? Is that not we find in the scripture? Just consider I Cor. 13. Other things will pass away, but love, hope, and faith remain, and the greatest is love. Or consider the one commandment that Jesus singled out. When asked what was the greatest commandment, he responded by saying: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). He went on to say the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. On another occasion, He said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). Paul himself said that all the law is fulfilled when you love your neighbor as yourself (Gal. 5:14). Surely it is right and proper to begin by praying that they may love.

As we examine what Paul says, it becomes clear that Paul was not chastising the Philippians for a lack of love. As a matter of fact, he acknowledges that they do love. Now exactly what kind of love is he talking about? Is he talking about loving God? Or is he talking about the love they have for him, the apostle? Or is he talking about their love for one another? Yes, that’s right. Surely he is including all three. In reality, they can hardly be separated. If you truly love God, you will love others, and the only true love for others must grow out of love for God.

It is understandable that Paul would acknowledge this love in their lives, for this love is the possession of every true Christian. He tells the Roman Christians that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:5). I John 3:14, “Hereby we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” The person who does not have this love and thinks he is a child of God is only kidding himself.

So if they had this love, why does Paul pray for them concerning love? His prayer is that their love will abound yet more and more. Literally, he prays that their love will overflow more and more. It was already overflowing, but he prays that it will overflow more and more. If Paul were alive today and knew us, he would pray the same for us. Though the love of God has indeed been shed abroad in the hearts of us who are truly His, that love is not yet full and complete. Praise God for the presence of that love, but oh that it might overflow more and more. That’s the idea. Praise God that the love He gives isn’t some static quality that has no room for growth. We can never say, “Oh yes, I have the love of God, and that’s it.” This is a love that has a capacity for continual growth. Whether we realize it or not, this is a great need in our lives, for it is by this love for one another that the world will know that we are Jesus’ disciples (John 13:35).

Paul makes it clear that he is not just praying for more love in the sense of more zeal and enthusiasm. Rather, he prays that their love will abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. He points to a certain direction in which their love must grow. Praise God for the love He has given, but a mature love must be informed by knowledge and all judgment. We need to hear this. It’s wonderful to love with the love of God, but even this special kind of love needs guidance. It is similar to what Paul said about the Jews in Rom. 10:2, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” So it is with the love which God gives; it must be according to knowledge.

I find this need in my own life. I recognize the need by looking at some of my actions in the past. There have been times when I truly exercised love, but it wasn’t according to knowledge. On two occasions, I have bailed people out of jail. In both cases, I believe that if my love had been informed by knowledge, I would not have done so. I trust that the Lord has worked in that area, but I am fully aware that my love will overflow more and more as it is shaped by knowledge.

So what kind of knowledge are we talking about here? Do we need to read a book about God’s love. Indeed, we do, and we have it in our hands, and it is the Word of God. The word here translated “knowledge” is an intense word. It is the normal word for “knowledge” with a little preposition added to strengthen it. It is full knowledge, real knowledge, true knowledge. This is the word that refers not to just mental knowledge, but to knowledge that comes through experience. It is the kind of knowledge that is based on personal acquaintance. The place to find this knowledge is in the Word of God. As we come openly and humbly to the Word of God, our love is informed not only through principles of truth, but through a growing personal acquaintance with the Lord Himself. Jesus loved perfectly because He did only those things which He saw the Father do. As we walk more closely with Him day by day, our love will overflow according to our knowledge of the Lord.

We must understand this. In our religious society, we still have remnants of that concept that love and knowledge are opposites. It is a concept closely kin to the idea that doctrine or theology is bad. “No, I don’t want doctrine; just give me Jesus.” Some people have the idea that you can love Jesus more if you don’t really get into the details of the Bible. That’s a lie. Paul said in Col. 3:16, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” The Word of Christ comes to us through the Bible. If our love is going to overflow more and more, we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds that takes place through meditation upon God’s Word.

Not only did Paul pray that their love would overflow more and more in knowledge, but also in all judgment. Other translations render it “all discernment” (NASV), “depth of insight” (NIV), “comprehensive discernment” (Amplified). This word, which is found only here in the New Testament, refers to perception and insight. This is primarily the practical application of the knowledge that comes from the Word. John MacArthur puts it like this: “So he is saying your love is controlled by your theology [knowledge] and your insight in the application of that theology.” This judgment, this discernment, is truth applied.

Can we pray the prayer of Paul? What could be more valuable than to pray that our love would overflow more and more in knowledge and all spiritual insight? There is no one that has come to perfection in this area. This is a need in every life. We can testify that this overflowing of love does not come automatically. Our adversary has thousands of ways to discourage us from letting the love that has been shed abroad in our hearts abound more and more. He would encourage us to take our cues from the world, which practices a “love” that is far from the love of God. How often are we crippled in the church because we have swallowed the idea that we should love those who are lovable. When we determine that a brother or sister doesn’t deserve our love, we think it’s okay to withhold it. We are not above deciding we ourselves can determine who will receive our love. Remember what Paul said in verse 7, “Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart.” Again in verse 8, “For God is my record how greatly I long after you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.” It is not just any love that will convince the world we are Jesus’ disciples; it is the love that comes from God and overflows more and more in knowledge and all discernment.

II. Excellence (that you might approve things that are excellent)

Notice the words of verse 10, “that you may approve things that are excellent.” Understand that Paul is not praying for a series of things here. Rather, there is a definite sequence. He prays that their love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment so that they may approve things that are excellent. There is a progression her. There is no use reading verse 10 unless you first read verse 9. Let me put it more bluntly: There is no use thinking we can approve things that are excellent unless our love is abounding more and more in knowledge and all judgment. It is only when our love is so abounding that we will be able to approve things that are excellent. On the other hand, when our love does grow in this way, this is what it will lead to, to the approving of things that are excellent. We must keep this progression in mind. The request of verse 10 is built directly upon the request of verse 9.
So what are the “things that are excellent.” Literally, it is “the things that differ.” The things that differ are excellent because they stand out and stand above other things. When I think of this, my mind goes back to passages like 2 Cor. 4:18, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." And Col. 3:1-2, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Our citizenship is in heaven, not on this earth. Therefore the things that are excellent are the eternal things that transcend this present life.

For most of us, this is not a question of what is good and bad, but rather a question of what is the very best. In light of eternity, what things are truly excellent? What are those things are really important? Paul is concerned that his readers approve things that are of eternal value.

This word translated “approve” (dokimazw) is widely used in the New Testament and is a very interesting word. In the secular world it was used to speak of the testing of metals and the testing of coins to determine if they were genuine or counterfeit. It most generally means “to approve by testing.” Paul is praying that the Philippian believers will be able to accurately determine what is truly excellent and what is not. He prays that they will be able to test everything and choose those things which have eternal value. He instructs the Thessalonians to do this very thing in I Thes. 5:21, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance [kinds] of evil.” “Prove” is this same word. He tells them to test all things so that they can hang on to that which is truly good.

Does this have any application to us? Is this not one of the greatest challenges we face today? We do not live in a boring world. Whatever you may say about the world, it isn’t boring. We are constantly bombarded by a multitude of things that want to claim our bodies, minds, and spirits. Advertisers assault us in person, by phone, by email, or any other way they can get to us. Many of us have found a way to block the advertisers from calling us by phone, but that doesn’t apply to the politicians and non-profit organizations. Just a few days ago a nice young man knocked on my door and gave me a $20 Walmart gift card. Wasn’t that nice of him? But when I didn’t want to take the time to view his product, he just as nicely took it back.

But those are the easy things. The world of ideas is much more subtle. Should I take time to read this book? What should I do about schooling my kids? Into how many and which activities should I put my kids? What should I do with my time on weekends? How early should I get up in the morning and what should I do with my time before work? What about the entertainment that I view? And what about money? How much should I earn? How much should I keep? Does it really matter how I spend it? We could go on and on and on. The need to approve the things that are excellent confronts us hour by hour. If you want something to pray about, surely this is extremely important.

Paul prayed that they/we might know the difference between things and be able to determine what is truly of eternal value. But how do we that? If his prayer is answered, how will it look for us to approve these excellent things? First of all, in a general way, we must know how to evaluate the things around us. Yes, we are to test them, but how? What is the test? That brings us right back to Rom. 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." That word “prove” is our word (dokimazw). When we are transformed by the renewing of our mind, we will be able to test and approve what is truly the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. In other words, we will be able to determine and pursue the things that are excellent. This renewing of our mind is crucial, and the material for renewal is in the Word of God. Like a hammer, God’s Word must pulverize our worldly ideas. Little by little, line by line, the Holy Spirit must mold our thinking until it is like that of our Lord. We aren’t talking about a few little biblical concepts; we are talking about cultivating the mind of Christ. Being consumed by the Lord and His Word and approving things that are excellent go hand in hand; you cannot separate them.

That’s well and good, but we must also remember the context of this request. Remember that it is built upon the request of verse 9. Paul prays that our love might overflow more and more in knowledge and in all judgment so that we might be able to differentiate between things and approve those that are excellent. At the root must be an unwavering surrender to a life of love in Christ and His church. All the wisdom in the world cannot approve the things that are excellent apart from love. A huge part of the mind of Christ is a life of love. Don’t think you can test and approve the things of eternal value if you are not rooted and grounded in this overflowing love? Why do I say that? Because there is nothing of greater eternal value than the love of God.

Suppose you have a Saturday with nothing planned. What a relief. You decide that you will sleep in and then just kind of do nothing for the day. You didn’t really think about it much, but you just need some rest. But then it comes to your attention that one of your brothers in Christ has really been struggling. You’ve wanted to go see him, but it just seems you haven’t had much time. Now you have the time. So even though you would enjoy doing nothing for the day, you call up your brother and suggest that the two of you take a drive to the mountains. You approved the thing that was excellent, the thing that has eternal value. How did you do it? You didn’t get your Bible out and try to find specific verses about the situation. However, your Bible did play a huge role, as you have consistently been in that Word day in and day out. But even more important was the fact that you are committed to a life of love – love for God and love for His people. That love which is abounding in your more and more in knowledge and spiritual insight grabbed your heart and mind and motivated you to abandon your comfort and do the thing that has eternal value.

III. Integrity

Paul prays that their love may overflow more and more, so that they may test and approve the things of real value, so that they may be sincere and without offense until the day of Christ. Paul now prays that they be sincere and blameless. Notice again the progression. This request is built on the first two. What does he mean by “sincere and without offense”?

There are questions about the background of that word translated “sincere.” Some feel like this is a term that is made up of two words which give the meaning “to test by sunlight.” If so, that fits well with our English word “sincere.” In comes from the Latin and literally means “without wax.” Suppose a potter was making a bowl out of clay. He would shape the clay on the wheel, then he would bake it. Sometimes a crack would appear, because of bad clay or because he got it too hot in the baking process. But because of the time and materials he had invested, a potter was tempted to take some hard wax and fill up the crack. Then when he painted it, the buyer wouldn’t know the difference. Only after he put it on the stove would he discover that it was useless. However, a wise buyer would inspect the vessel before he paid for it. He would hold it up to the sunlight and rotate it carefully. If there was a crack, the sunlight would shine through. He would know that it was “without wax.” That is where the idea of sincerity comes from.

So when Paul talks about being sincere, it is a little different from the way we use the word today. It is not uncommon to hear the phrase, “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you are sincere.” No, that is not at all what Paul is talking about. Paul is referring to integrity in our personal lives. This idea is pretty much the opposite of hypocrisy. A sincere man, a man of integrity, lives out a life that is totally integrated. He doesn’t live one way on Sunday and another on Friday. His life is such that you can hold it up to the light and examine it, finding that it holds together. It is what it reports to be. That doesn’t mean the life is perfect, but it isn’t held together by half-truths and cover-ups. Prov. 11:1 says, “A false balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.” That truth goes beyond the market place. A man of integrity is not hiding something behind the life he lives. This is the idea of sincerity.

Again, it is the Word of God that leads to this kind of life, for that Word is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. I can’t find an undiscovered crack in your life because the Word of God has already exposed it and you haven’t tried to cover it up. If the crack is still there, you are open to admit it and praying that the Lord will continue to work on it.

Then we come to the term “without offense,” or “blameless,” as some translations put it. It literally means “not striking against” or “not stumbling.” It can mean the man himself does not stumble; or it can mean that he doesn’t cause others to stumble. The exact meaning must come from the context. Our context doesn’t really tell us where the emphasis is. However, since the word “sincere” has to do with a person’s own life, it may be best here to emphasize the fact that he doesn’t cause others to stumble. He has integrity in himself and he has integrity in his relationships with others. Paul prays that they live in such a way they not cause others to stumble.

Do you see how this is built on his other requests? As our love overflows more and more and as we test and approve the things of real value, then we are able to live sincerely and in a way that will not cause others to stumble. A life of love and spiritual discrimination precedes this life of personal and relational integrity. When we love people, the thing we don’t want to do is cause them to stumble. When we learn to test and approve the things that have eternal value, we will have no desire to play hypocritical games, but to live a life of sincerity.

IV. Fruits of Righteousness

Verse 11, “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ.” Paul desires them to have fruit which is produced by righteousness, or the fruit which consists of righteousness. We have talked about that fruit before, but let’s do a quick review. There are some who immediately conclude that this fruit consists of new converts out of our ministry. There is certainly truth in that idea, because fruit speaks of reproduction. This may be the thought of the teaching of Jesus in John 15, when He says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit…” (15:5). This is certainly the idea in Prov. 11:30, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."

On the other hand, we cannot restrict the idea of bearing fruit to bringing others to Christ. I don’t believe that is where we start. The Word speaks directly of fruit in Gal. 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." As the Spirit of God works in us, this is the nine-fold fruit that results. God desires that we be filled with this fruit. I remind you that this is the “fruit” of the Spirit, not the “fruits” of the Spirit. There are not nine different fruits. Rather, this is a nine-fold fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is not like the gifts of the Spirit. Concerning gifts, different believers have different gifts, as the Spirit of God determines. But that is not the case with the fruit of the Spirit, for the Lord is growing all of these qualities in every believer. It is not a matter of you having love and me having joy. The Lord wants all of His children to increasingly demonstrate all of these qualities which make up the fruit of the Spirit.

As the fruit of the Spirit is manifested in our lives, others are attracted to the Christ who lives within us. What happens when the apples on a tree ripen? Someone is going to pick those apples, because they are very desirable for eating. As the fruit of the Spirit ripens in a Christian, people can see in him or her the likeness of Jesus and will be drawn. So we see that the fruit of the Spirit and the bringing of others to Christ go hand in hand. Evangelism is not a method; it is the life.

On the other hand, some look at the fruits of righteousness as good deeds which are produced by a righteous life. Verse 11 literally says, “Having been filled with the fruits of righteousness.” It has been happening and it is continuing to happening. Remember that this is part of the progression in Paul’s prayer. Abounding love leads to choosing the excellent things, which leads to personal and relational integrity. And as those things happen, we see a life that is filled and is being filled with the fruits of righteousness.

V. Glory

Now notice the closing words of Paul’s prayer: “unto the glory and praise of God.” This prayer begins with love and closes with glory. This is typical of Paul. Go back a couple of pages to Ephesians 3. There is a beautiful prayer in 3:14-21. We have read it many times. I would say it is the best known of Paul’s recorded prayers. What I want you to notice is how that beautiful prayer closes. Eph. 3:20-21, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” The requests Paul makes in this prayer are very profound, but let no one be mistaken about the ultimate purpose, and that is glory to God. So it is with the prayer here in Phil. 1:9-11. Wrap it all up together and the ultimate end is “unto the glory and praise of God.”

It’s wonderful when our love overflows more and more in knowledge and all judgment, but that isn’t an end in itself. God is glorified through that abounding love. How marvelous when God works in us and we choose the excellent things that have eternal value, but we must remember that the ultimate goal is the glory of God. And when our lives demonstrate integrity and the fruits of righteousness, it is for the glory of God.

Let me put it this way: the end, the goal of all prayer is the glory of God. Isn’t that what we learn from the Lord Jesus in John 12? We went over this passage four or five weeks ago. It was only a few days before Jesus would be crucified, and He knew it. He said, “Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say – ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this cause I came to this hour.” Can you grasp the intensity of the situation? A few verses earlier He said, “Truly, truly I say to you. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it falls to the ground and dies, it brings forth much fruit.” Jesus was talking about Himself. All the great teachings and miracles in the world would not bring forth new life. Just as a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die, Jesus is saying that He must do the same. That is why He is in such agony when He speaks about how He should pray. Who could blame Him for saying, “Father, save me from the cross. Don’t let me go through with this. It’s too hard. I don’t want to bear the sins of others. Rescue me from this cross, Father.” But how could He pray that, knowing that it was to die on the cross that the Father sent Him into the world? Then He simply prayed, “Father, glorify your name” (John 12:23-28).

Jesus’ goal was to glorify His Father. That purpose dominated His entire life, including His praying. Whatever He prayed, it must end with the glory of God. You could boil all of Jesus’ life down to that simple prayer: “Father, glorify your name. Father, through my life receive glory.” Brothers and sisters, this must be the end of our praying as well. Anything we pray that will not bring glory to God is a selfish, ungodly, out-of-the-will-of-God prayer.

But what about glory for us? We don’t want to be selfish, but can’t we pray anything for ourselves? Please hear me. When we pray that God be honored and praised through our lives, we are praying for ourselves. There is nothing better for us than for God to be glorified through us. His glory is our glory. When He is praised and honored, we are overjoyed. As John Piper puts it so well, “We are most satisfied in Him, when He is most glorified in us.” If that isn’t the cry of your heart, then something is desperately wrong. Either you have never known the Lord Jesus or your heart has become hard to Him and you need to repent. I repeat: His glory is our glory. That is the way God designed it from the beginning.

Conclusion

I want to conclude this morning by emphasizing again what I said at the beginning. Paul’s prayers were dominated by spiritual concerns, by matters of eternal significance. But wasn’t Paul concerned about the smallest matters of life? Didn’t he care when his brothers and sisters were sick? Wasn’t he moved by the difficulties he saw in life? I’m sure he was. However, Paul himself was abounding in discerning love, which led him to focus on the things of eternal significance. He was so overwhelmed with the constant knowledge that this life will soon be over and we will stand in Jesus’ presence that he didn’t have a lot of time and energy for anything else.

Let me illustrate my point. Suppose I have a friend who has been convicted of murder and other crimes. His crimes are so bad that he is going to be executed by lethal injection in just three days. I go to the prison, knowing that this is the last time I will ever see him. When I meet him, it is obvious that he has a terrible cough. The time for the visit is brief. After talking for a while, I pray for my friend. I only have two or three minutes to pray, and then the authorities will usher me out. Now I ask you: Will I pray about his cough? No. Why not? Because time is too urgent. My friend is going to die. You ask, “Is your friend a Christian?” The answer to that question will not affect my decision to pray or not to pray about his cough. If he is a child of God, then he will soon appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things done in his body, according to whether they are good or bad. If he has never been reconciled to God, there are only three days left for him to be rescued from an eternity in hell.

Now you may think my illustration is extreme. I assure you it isn’t. What’s the difference between 3 days and 30 years? You think the difference is 29 years and 362 days, but you’re wrong. The difference between 3 days and 30 years is a snap of the fingers in light of eternity. Because we can only think in terms of a human lifetime, we think 30, 40, or 50 years is a long time. But consider a million years, a billion years, a trillion years. And then multiply that by another quadrillion years. By then, eternity will have only begun. Now tell me 50 years is a long time? Of course, not one of us has a guarantee of three days. Just this morning we have talked about a man who suddenly died, and he was younger than many of you.

You may think I’m extreme, and that’s okay. But I assure you I am not extreme enough. Talk can be cheap. What you need to see is a life that is so aware of eternity that you cannot ignore it. Paul lived that kind of life, and it wasn’t because he was an apostle or because he was special. He had no advantage over us, when it comes to prayer and living. He prayed the way he did and lived the life he lived because of the grace of God in his life, the same grace that is available to you and me.

May we pray and may we live for the glory of God!