Philippians 1: 1-6
(1) Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,
Paul was most likely in prison in Rome when he wrote this letter, during the process of the trial, which could have ended in either freedom or execution. This would have been his first imprisonment there, from which he was released after two years (Acts 28: 30).
Timothy was with Paul, and may have been his secretary.
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
The saints are the ones who have been sanctified; washed in the blood of Christ and set-apart from the world. All who have been saved and become Christians are saints right now, while they still live.
And Paul honors the leaders at this church in mentioning them, too.
(2) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is combining both Hebrew and Greek greetings into a distinctly Christian greeting, and these blessings come from both the Father and the Lord jointly.
(3) I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
(4) always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
Paul was a praying man. Often he shared his prayers with those He cared for, and he cared for all his brothers and sisters in the Lord, as well as his lost Jewish countrymen and other Gentiles who hadn't heard the Gospel yet. Such a big heart to care for so many.
(5) in view of your participation in the Gospel from the first day until now.
He was rejoicing in the wonderful rescue and redemption of these fellow believers, and appreciated that they also continuously participated, had fellowship, with him in the Good News from the first day they heard and accepted it.
(6) For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the Day of Christ Jesus.
This is a wonderful, encouraging promise we can all claim. God always finishes what He starts, and that means you and me, too. When God the Father calls us to faith in the finished work His Son accomplished for each of us on the cross, this is just the birth. Now the newborns need the milk to grow, and then the meat of the word to mature. And God will not stop working on us and in us and even through us, until He is finished with His work.
He is molding our characters and morals to be identical to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We are His body, which makes us His hands and feet in this world.
We are responsible to decide to think the way our Father thinks, and to agree to have His attitudes about people and things we encounter.
O my Father, help us all to rejoice in one another in the amazing salvation You have provided in Christ Jesus. Show us how to encourage one another in our journey along the narrow path where You have placed our feet.
Father, teach us how to be only positive in our words toward one another, and to strengthen and deepen our fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Father, grow us up into the maturity of the full stature of the Son of God.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
