Identity Theft WEEK OF May 24, 2015 Philippians 1:-1-2

Leader, as a rule, answering the questions in “engage it” should take no more than 10 minutes and are designed to generate conversation around the sermon’s main themes.

1. In a few words, how would you answer the questions – Who am I and where am I going?

2. Who has been called a “saint”? What has qualified them to receive this title?

Leader, “unpack it” questions help provide an understanding of what happened in the passage and a deeper analysis of certain themes in it, oftentimes, bringing in additional passages for comparison or support.

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Context: The book of Philippians comprises Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. Philippi was a major city in Macedonia between Rome and Asia and was named after Philip, the father of Alexander the Great.1 Around 300 BC, Philip had taken control of the city. Then in 168 BC, it was seized by the Romans. Located in northeast Greece, Philippi acted as a strategic entry point for the gospel to be taken from Asia Minor into the continent of Europe.2 Philippians is one of Paul's four "prison epistles" (letters), along with Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. Most agree that these epistles were written during his imprisonment at Rome, dating Philippians around 61-63 AD. While Paul’s initial purpose in writing to the church at Philippi was to thank them for their gift hand-delivered by Epaphroditus, he also used the occasion to comfort them because of his imprisonment for Christ (1:12-14), to share his plans to send Timothy, and to explain the necessity of returning Epaphroditus to them (2:19-30). A key theme in Philippians is Joy. The word "joy" (Greek, chara) appears five times (1:4, 25; 2:2, 29; 4:1), and the verb "to rejoice" (Greek, chairein) occurs eleven times (1:18; 2:17-18, 28; 3:1; 4:4, 10), with the climax in 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord!”3 In Philippians 1:1-2, Paul opens his letter with a greeting common to him, yet profound to us. Read Philippians 1:1-2

3. Philippians 1:1-2 records Paul’s greeting to the church at Philippi. According to Acts 16:1-40, how was this church established? How are churches established today?

Philippi was a city in Macedonia (see Context section above). During his second missionary journey (49-52 AD) Paul, Timothy, and Silas were travelling across Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). While at Troas, Paul received a vision of a man pleading, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Perceiving that God was calling them to go to Macedonia, they (Luke joining them) sailed from Troas and eventually arrived at Philippi. With the conversion and baptism of Lydia and her household followed by that of the Philippian jailor and his household, the church at Philippi was established. The lack of a synagogue as well as the incident in the marketplace, where Paul cast a spirit of divination out of a slave girl, may indicate that the city – and therefore the church also – consisted primarily of Gentiles. (In addition to the conversion of Lydia, Philippians 4:2-3 indicates that a number of women played a role in the growth of the church.)4 Churches today are often established by the will of man, rather than the revealed will of God. We would do well to ascertain and follow God’s plans and purposes for His Church.

1 “Philippians.” Blue Letter Bible. Sowing Circle, n.d. Web. 18 May 2015. 2 Ellsworth, R. “Opening up Philippians.” Opening Up Commentary. Day One Publications, 2004. 8. Logos Research Systems, Inc. 3 “Philippians.” Blue Letter Bible. Sowing Circle, n.d. Web. 18 May 2015. 4 “Philippians.” Blue Letter Bible. Sowing Circle, n.d. Web. 18 May 2015.

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4. In Philippians 1:1, Paul identifies himself and Timothy as a “doulos” – Greek for “servant” or, more literally, “slave” – of Christ Jesus.5 In Romans 6:15-23, what does it mean to be a slave of Christ? What understanding does John 8:34-36 bring to this concept?

In Romans 6:15-23, Paul explains that we are slaves to whomever or whatever we obey – whether sin (lawlessness, disobedience) leading to death or righteousness (lawfulness, obedience) leading to life. In other words, we are slaves to whomever or whatever has power over us. In our natural state, we are controlled by sin and powerless against its will and consequences. However, Jesus Christ freed us from the bondage of sin and death and to willingly subject ourselves to His authority. We receive His freedom, when we believe in Him and accept His work on the cross on our behalf. Jesus ‘makes’ us righteous (by nature) so that we can now ‘do’ what is righteous (by obedience). Because Jesus’ authority results in life, “slavery” to Him is actually freedom for us. In referring to slavery, Paul clarified that he was using only a human analogy to help his listeners understand the correlation between disobedience and obedience. Paul’s identification of himself and Timothy as servants/slaves of Christ Jesus expresses acknowledgement of Christ’s absolute ownership of their lives as well as their allegiance to His Lordship over their lives.

John 8:34-36 reinforces the understanding of freedom in Christ Jesus – that submission to Christ by obeying His commands frees us from sin and makes us a son/daughter/child of God forever. NOTE: One difficulty in Bible translation is when the Hebrew and Greek words refer to ancient practices and institutions that do not correspond directly to those in modern times. This is the case, when translating “doulos” (Greek), often rendered “slave.” This term covers a range of relationships and renderings – “slave,” “bondservant,” “servant” – depending on the context. Today the word “slave” carries the connotation of the dehumanizing 19th Century American institution of slavery. However, in Old Testament times, one might enter slavery voluntarily (e.g. to escape poverty, pay off a debt) or involuntarily (e.g. by birth, being captured in battle, or judicial sentence). And in ancient Israel, protection for slaves was provided by the Mosaic Law. In New Testament times, “doulos” may be best described as “bondservant” – someone who was bound to serve a master for a specific although usually lengthy period of time, but who may own property, achieve social advancement, and even be released or purchase freedom. In the English Standard Version (ESV), “slave” refers to absolute ownership by a master (e.g. Romans 6); “bondservant” refers to a more limited form of servitude (e.g. 1 Corinthians 7:21–24); and “servant” refers to a wide range of freedom (e.g. John 4:51).6

5 "Philippians 1:1.” The Pulpit Commentary. Bible Hub, n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. 6 “Preface.” The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Standard Bible Society, 2001. Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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5. In Philippians 1:1, Paul identifies the church at Philippi as “saints in Christ Jesus.”

How do the following verses in Romans describe the process of becoming a “saint” – 3:21-26, 5:6-11, and 10:5-13?

Romans 3:21-26 – Man’s Sin: Fallen, sinful human nature is a deadly problem that all of us are born with and that cannot be remedied apart from faith in Jesus Christ – the gift of God’s grace – for the sake of His righteousness and justice. 5:6-11 – God’s Love & Mercy: God the Father, in his incredible love and mercy, made the way for us to escape our rightful death sentence by sending His only Son Jesus to die in our place, justifying us by His blood and reconciling us to Himself – and this while we were yet sinners and enemies of God! 10:5-13 – Christ’s Lordship & Salvation: Jesus Christ’s death on the cross affords us salvation. In order to be saved, we MUST confess with our mouths Christ’s Lordship over our lives and believe in our hearts (i.e. truly and sincerely) and that God raised Him from the dead. When we do, we are credited with Christ’s righteousness – a righteousness that we could never obtain by the law because of the imperfection of our sinful nature. God’s love in itself does not save. Rather God’s love made the way for salvation through Jesus Christ. It is faith in the Lordship, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that saves and by which we begin to change from “sinner” to “saint”!

6. Growing as a follower of Christ requires sanctification. How are we to live out the practices of sanctification in Philippians 2:12-18 and Ephesians 5:1-21? What does sanctification look like in your life?

Philippians 2:12-18 – We are to earnestly and whole-heartedly obey the commands of Jesus Christ so as to please him, which is what is means to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. God has given salvation as a free gift to enable us to become more like Christ in every way. Becoming like Christ includes doing our work willingly without complaining. Ephesians 5:1-21 – We are to imitate God by walking in love, obeying His commands and making

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our lives a living sacrifice for those who are lost and perishing. We are to walk in complete holiness and purity in every way – in relationships, manner, dress, speech, entertainment, leisure. We are to be grateful people. Being trained by the Word of God, we discern what is good and evil. Not only do we do what is good, right, and true, but we also expose works of darkness with the light of truth in order to avoid them. We wisely use time for the Lord’s purposes. We do not get drunk – which Paul here defines as wicked and corrupt – but are filled with the fruit and power of Holy Spirit. We strengthen one another as well as ourselves by speaking, singing, and meditating on the truth of God and His promises. We continuously give thanks to the Lord in recognition of all that He has given to us, and humble ourselves one to another. God has given us the free gift of salvation. Our part is to submit to Him by obeying His word and crucifying (not giving in to) sin. And as we continue the process of sanctification in our own lives, we increasingly reflect Christ to the world.

7. In John 10:1-18, what do the elements of the analogy represent – the sheep, door, shepherd, thief/robber/stranger? What truths and promises in this passage do you find reassuring for your identity in Christ? How can you prevent your identity in Christ from being stolen?

Sheep = Mature believers in Jesus Christ Door & Shepherd =Jesus Christ Thief/Robber/Stranger = Satan, demons, antichrists Other Sheep Not of the Fold = People who will become believers and join the “flock” of those who already believe Mature believers know Jesus Christ. Therefore, they are able to recognize His voice and have no doubt that Jesus knows and leads them. Mature believers are also to discern ungodly voices. Having listened to and knowing Jesus’ voice so well, the contrast of other voices sounds strange to them. All of these safeguards against the enemy are available to us, as we continue to mature and become more like Christ.

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Jesus Christ is the ONLY means of salvation, spiritual protection, and life. Satan neither owns nor cares for people, but comes ONLY to steal, kill, and destroy faith in Christ. We can trust Jesus because He is good, and His goodness is proven by the fact that He willingly – by His own authority (verses 17-18) – laid down His life for the salvation of those who will believe. You can prevent your identity in Jesus Christ from being stolen by assessing and confirming your belief in Him, by daily reading and regularly studying His Word, by praying and also listening to His Holy Spirit (who will never contradict His written Word), remaining in true Christian fellowship, and especially by living out your faith in Jesus Christ in obedience to His Word.

8. Those who allow themselves to be defined by God and stake their identity in Christ receive spiritual blessings. As outlined in Ephesians 1:3-14, what are these blessings, and how are they received? Which are most encouraging to you, and why?

Spiritual blessings in Christ include – being chosen, made holy and blameless, adopted as a child of God, redeemed or reclaimed for God, forgiven of sins/debts; receiving understanding of God’s will; obtaining the promise of an eternal inheritance guaranteed by the seal of the Holy Spirit within you.

Verse 13 explains that spiritual blessings are received by believing in Christ upon hearing the truth about the good news of His salvation.

9. Considering Luke 10:25-37; Matthew 5:43-48; and Matthew 25:31-46, what are some ways that you can live as a servant of and saint for Jesus Christ in the world? How will you implement these truths this month?

Luke 10:25-37 – Loving God with your whole being and loving your neighbor as yourself. Your “neighbor” means all people you encounter, including outsiders, unbelievers, and enemies. Having compassion on people who despise you, especially at great cost and inconvenience, reflects God’s mercy toward you and all sinners.

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Matthew 5:43-48 – Loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you, as children of God imitating your Father in heaven.

Matthew 25:31-46 – Feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty and clothing to those in need, caring for the sick, visiting the imprisoned. These acts apply not only to physical needs, but to spiritual needs as well – those who are spiritually “hungry” (the bread of the Word of God, Matthew 6:11), “thirsty” (living water, the woman at the well, John 4:10), in need, ill, in bondage (the anointing of Jesus to proclaim good news and truth and bring liberty and God’s favor, Luke 4:16-19).

Leader, “live it” are generally designed for individual application after small group time; though, some may be appropriate for group discussion, if desired.

10. Based on John 10:1-18, in what ways has the enemy been attempting to steal your identity in Christ? How will you overcome the enemy’s strategies in your life?

The enemy may be tempting you with distractions to lure you away from spending time in God’s Word and in prayer so that you will be unable to discern truth and error. Or he may be tempting you to doubt and disobey God’s Word altogether. Also, check your reasons for attending church. Are you seeking to grow in God, or do you have other “self” motives (e.g. friendships, business contacts)? Recognizing the enemy’s strategies enables you to counter his attacks.

11. Where are you are you in the process of becoming a “saint” in Christ? What do you need to do today to take the next step?

Answers will vary.