The Intentionality of God:

Four Biographies

The Church Plant at Philippi:

What God Did

From ROME, 62 A.D. <> Philippians 1:25-30

25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you

all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may

have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming

to you again. 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel

of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may

hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind

striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not

frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to

them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you

should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear

that I still have.

THE 1st BIOGRAPHY:

Sometime earlier … a young man gets a job with

the Roman government in the Roman colony of

Philippi in the District of Macedonia

His Job Description: Prison Guard

Transporting prisoners; Guarding the cell

If a prisoner ever escapes, the prison guard (jailor) will himself be tried and if found derelict in his duties, he will be executed.

The 2nd Biography: At the same near Philippi… a young woman gets employment in a fabric shop

She is a productive employee becoming successful enough to

become a salesperson of this kind of MARY JO’s Cloth shop of

Thyatira (modern day ak-Hissar, a city still know for dyeing

scarlet cloth).

The company product is purple fabric, an expensive item that has

helped make her rather wealthy according to some reports.

She is a religious woman, though she has no knowledge of Jesus,

and has traveled to Philippi, a significant city in Macedonia to

sell her fabric.

While away from her home town, she has begun joining some

women who worship at a weekly gathering at the Krenides River

THE 3rd BIOGRAPHY:

At the same time Outside the gate of

PHILIPPI… a gifted young slave girl is working a job…

Her job description: A Fortune-Teller

When the religious people went down to this river, they would stop by her booth and she would read their palms and use other methods to “tell about their future”

She was making a great deal of money for her owners because she seemed to have some kind of “spiritual” gift.

The 4th BIOGRAPHY:

In a Province far, far away: The City of Troas

> While the man in Philippi is working as a Prison Guard:

> And, While the woman is busy selling her purple fabric

(made in Thyatira, not China) in Philippi on out of town

business

> and while the fortune-teller slave girl was making money

> A missionary named Paul has just had a vision from God to

travel where he has never gone before: Macedonia.

He is about to board a boat to go where He is convinced God is

leading Him, but at this point he has no knowledge of the Prison

or the Prison Guard; nor the Prayer gathering at the river and this

business woman and limited knowledge of Philippi.

ACTS 16 (the 4th and 5th Biography … and maybe a sixth?)

6 And they (Paul and Sila) went through the region of Phrygia and

Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word

in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to

go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision

appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing

there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help

us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately WE (first

time used in Acts. Is it Luke too?) sought to go on into Macedonia,

concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to

Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to

Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a

Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.

The 2nd Biography, Part 2

13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the

riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we

sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

14 One who heard us was a woman named LYDIA, from the city

of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God.

The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by

Paul.

15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she

urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord,

come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

Acts 16

The 3rd Biography, PART 2

A Strange thing happened the next week on the way to the river …

ACTS 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a

slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners

much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying

out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to

you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days.

Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit,

“I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.”

And it came out that very hour.

A servant girl was set free from demon possession by Jesus through

the direct utterance of Paul …

Acts 16

The 3rd Biography and 4th/5th Biography is about to lead us to the 1st

biography

19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they

seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before

the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates,

they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21

They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to

accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the

magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat

them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon

them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them

safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Acts 16

We Meet the first BIOGRAPHY:

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns

to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the

foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the

doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.

27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open,

he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that

the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we

are all here.”

Acts 16

29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and

trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must

I do to be saved?”

31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you

will be saved, you and your household.”

32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to

all who were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night and

washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and

all his family.

34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food

before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household

that he had believed in God.

Acts 16

Out of those Biographies we see the

beginning of the Church of Philippi:

I hope you see:

The Intentionality of God

The Rest of the Story:

35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying,

“Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to

Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore

come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They

have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman

citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw

us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”

38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they

were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.

39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them

out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the

prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers,

they encouraged them and departed.

Back to the Letter to the Philippians @ 1:25-30

25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you

all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may

have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming

to you again. 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel

of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may

hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind

striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not

frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to

them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you

should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear

that I still have.

How are things going in Philippi a couple of years later

Philippians 3:12-21

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect,

but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has

made me his own.

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But

one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward

to what lies ahead,

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of

God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in

anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

How are things going in Philippi a couple of years later

17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those

who walk according to the example you have in us.

18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even

with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory

in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior,

the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body,

by the power that enables him even to subject all things to

himself.

Philippians 3:12-21

The Big Picture of the Church at Philippi

“Paul is above all concerned that the Philippians

continue to make progress in their faith (this my same

concern for us at GCC). While there were no doubt

conflicts within the congregation (e.g. Euodia and

Syntyche [4:2]), the Philippians appear to be a

healthy congregation. Can they then relax and rest?

Paul’s answer is an emphatic no. The world is too

perilous, and the gospel is too glorious for them to be

content with past achievements. They must follow

Paul’s example and “press on ...” 3:14.

ESV Study Bible, p. 2276

The Intentionality of God

The Church Plant at Gastonia:

(a) What God Has Done

(look at our biographies)

(b) What God May Yet Do

(whose biographies are yet to be written?)