1. Text: Philippians 1: 1-11 Key verses 6

2.  (Phil 1:1-6 NIV) "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: {2} Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. {3} I thank my God every time I remember you. {4} In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy {5} because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, {6} being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

3.  Purpose: To examine how God has made a you a partner with Him in the Gospel.  Objective: To understand that If God has made you a partner, then you should act like partner: ◦ A partner has a vested interest in the success of the firm and is committed to work tirelessly to that end.

4.  Paul’s praise for the Church at Phillipi while he was under house arrest for two years.  Their mutual joy and partnership in the Gospel.

5.  Every benevolent act we experience ourselves or demonstrate to others come from God and his Son Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness and the giver of every good and perfect gift. ◦ James said, (James 1:17-18 KJV) "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. {18} Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."

6.  1. Paul said, {6} being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.“ ◦ Paul acknowledge that it was God doing the work through the members of the church in Philippi. ◦ A complex partnership: Paul & God, Paul & the Church, the Church & Paul and the Church and God.

7.  What is the good work?  It is God’s activity in your life until Christ returns.  God’s activity: ◦ benevolent love, compassion and mercy, forgiveness, help, etc..  This is partnership activity – not salvation credits. You handled that already.

8.  God initiated man Salvation,  God is continuing man’s salvation and  God will consummate man salvation when His Son and our Savor returns to gather the saved for the judgment of the world  You and I were not capable of saving ourselves and still not. We all trust in the work of Jesus at Calvary to save us.

9.  God is working in you and he has a plan for you.  Do you know what it is? Do you see him working through you?  Please don’t think that it is the “things you do” that make you worthy of salvation.

10.  This is the primary reason for ◦ Self righteous attitudes and prideful spirit. ◦ The lack of compassion over the sins of others and unforgiving hearts. (victims excluded)  Yet, there are some things you need to do to demonstrate that you are in a partnership: ◦ Think of Husband & Wife relationship, Doctor & Nurse, Baseball and Basketball team, etc., etc. ◦ But these things are not a condition of salvation.

11.  God has made provisions for eternal life by the death, burial and resurrection of his Son. ◦ John 3:16 ◦ Eph. 2: 8 ◦ Rom. 4: 4-5; 5:8-9 ◦ II Cor. 5:17-19 ◦ Heb. 9:21; 10:17

12.  But doesn’t Paul say in (Phil 2:12-14 NIV) "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ◦ Working out your salvation is like working out your physical body.  Some of you might ask, If God is saving me, then why do I have to work out at all?  Answer: You don’t.

13.  Spiritual arrogance!  Whatever work we do is not for our “own salvation” but is merely and just barely an expression of our gratitude for God working out salvation for the whole world through his Son. ◦ Some folks are more grateful than others and that why you see them working all the time. ◦ Some misguided and some not.

14.  It’s not about seeking praise from men  Paul goes on to state in Phil 2:{13} for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.  It is God who puts the desire on your heart and  It is God who turns that desire into actions of grace, mercy and obedience.

15.  We do not have the capacity outside of God to do anything good for anybody other than ourselves and that is even questionable that we are any good to ourselves.

16.  This is why Paul is so confident. The Philippians where letting go and letting God demonstrate his love through them.  Let us do the same!  The message is yours.

17.  (Phil 1:1-6 NIV) "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: {2} Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. {3} I thank my God every time I remember you. {4} In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy {5} because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, {6} being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

18.  Purpose: To examine how God has made a you a partner with Him in the Gospel.  Objective: To understand that If God has made you a partner, then you should act like partner: ◦ A partner has a vested interest in the success of the firm and is committed to work tirelessly to that end.