Sunday, July 20 – Philippians 1, 2

1. In Philippians 1:6, what ongoing work of God is Paul referring to?

2. How can we interpret the statement that “to die is gain”? (Philippians 1:21)

3. What do we learn about Jesus when He took “the form of a servant”? (Philippians 2:7)

Have you ever seen a house that’s half-built and then abandoned? Or a garden that was started but then neglected, becoming completely overgrown? Sometimes we observe projects that were begun, but something went wrong along the way, and they were left incomplete.

Paul, in Philippians 1:6, affirms that God, who began His work of grace in us, will continue working to perfect it until its completion. It’s a promise of divine faithfulness and ongoing progress in our spiritual life. That is, God will not leave a work half finished. He started it, and He will complete it.

Philippians 1:6 says: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV)
What kind of work does God want to do in us? In some people, He’s helping them understand better; in others, He’s working on their temperament; in some, He’s focusing on actions and thoughts; in others, He’s refining words, gentleness, obedience, empathy, and more. And there are still others in whom He is working on all these qualities at once!

We are like a block of stone, and God, with patience and skill, sculpts it until He reveals the figure hidden inside. In the same way, He works in us, chipping away what doesn’t belong and polishing what should remain, until our lives reflect His purpose.

Do you remember the change in Peter’s life? During his denial, Mark 14:70 mentions that one of the high priest’s servant girls said:

“Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.” (Mark 14:70, NKJV)

The good work Jesus had started in this apostle had even transformed his way of speaking. His accent and words were no longer those of the rough man from Galilee.
In Philippians 1:21, Paul declares:

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21, NKJV)

Can there be benefit in dying? Should we cry and suffer without hope when we lose a loved one or when our own life draws near its end? In this text, we see that Paul suggests that after living a life guided by Christ, death is an achievement.

If you have small children, do you worry about them when they fall asleep after a long, tiring day? Usually, the answer is no. Instead, parents feel relief and peace because they know that after the night’s sleep, the sun will rise again, and they’ll see their children once more. The same is true with God. He allows His children to rest when night comes, knowing that the next day, He will embrace them again. That’s why, for Paul, “to die is gain.”

Philippians 2:3-12 describes the qualities of the greatest leader in history. His humble approach stands in stark contrast to the leadership often seen in the world. Paul talks about Jesus’ meekness in taking human form and placing Himself alongside those in need of salvation. The great Leader became incarnate to reach the fallen race, understand them, and redeem them. Paul’s main point in these passages is that Christ’s humility is like a seed that will one day produce exaltation.
It’s worth noting that humility in a leader is an attractive trait for a sound mind, while pride tends to create distance. God’s exaltation of Jesus means that one day every knee will bow before His Son, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.

Philippians 2:9-11 says:

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11, NKJV)

As we reflect on Jesus today, His work begun and fulfilled, His leadership, humility, and love for each of us, may God help us aspire to be like Him.

May God grant us a very blessed day!