Intro
Philippi was the first European church ever established, which makes it the oldest church in Europe. It was named after Philip II of Macedon, who was the father of Alexander the Great.
It was later conquered by the Romans and among its distinctive characteristics was the fact that many Roman soldiers made it the place where they retired.
Among the first converts to Christianity in Philippi were a slave (Acts 16:16-18), a woman (Acts 16:14), and a Roman (Acts 16:30). This is significant given the traditional prayer (Birkot Hashachar) said by Jewish men in the morning when they thanked God for being neither a slave, a woman, nor a Gentile.
Paul would address that dynamic specifically in Galatians 3:28.
Philippi was a special situation. Not only was it the scene were some significant people got save, but it was also here that Paul and Silas were arrested and thrown in prison after witnessing to the slave girl in Acts 16:16-18.
Paul had a special connection to this church and you can hear it in his letter. It’s been a decade since he had been there, but you can tell by the way he opens his letter, that those memories still bring a smile to his face.
Joy
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, (Phil 1:4)
It’s significant that Paul is “joyful,” given the fact that he was under house arrest.
“Spiritual joy … is not an attitude dependent on chance or circumstances. It is a deep and abiding confidence that, regardless of one’s circumstances in life, all is well between the believer and the Lord. No matter what difficulty, pain, disappointment, failure, rejection, or other challenge one is facing, genuine joy remains because of that eternal well-being established by God’s grace in salvation. Thus, Scripture makes it clear that the fullest, most lasting, and satisfying joy is derived from a true relationship with God (John MacArthur)
What’s a time in your life when you can remember feeling “joyful,” even though you had every reason to be either disappointed or frustrated?
Partnership
We share a bond in the context of our relationship with Christ.
What is it about being in the company of another believer that often translates into an easy rapport?
During this time, anyone who would not declare Caesar as Lord was, by default, at odds with the Roman Empire. So, while the date of Paul’s letter to the Philippian church is before Nero’s widespread persecution of Christianity, being a Christian during this time made you an enemy of both Rome and the Jewish church.
What is it about having to deal with a crisis together that creates a bond between people?
Insight
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Phil 1:9-11)
1 Jn 4:1 says:
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 Jn 4:1)
A record number of Muslim American candidates have won their 2026 primary contests and are advancing to November’s midterm elections, a shift that has moved the community from the political margins toward the center of several closely watched races — even as candidates face intensifying anti-Muslim attacks. (
There are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. The radicals are estimated to be between 16% and 25% according to most of the intelligence around the world. That means you have between 180 and 300 million people dedicated to the destruction of Western civilization. Just to give you some perspective, the number of people in the US is 320 million. Connect the dots and you have the equivalent to an entire nation determined to see the US cease to exist. That by itself should be enough to give decision makers pause.
How can you tell if the Muslim that’s running for office is a militant?
You can’t.
- Taqiyya is an Islamic concept that means “prudence” or “religious dissimulation”. It allows a person to hide or deny their true religious beliefs and outwardly conform to a hostile environment when facing credible threats of severe injury or death. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/taqiyyah)
- Tamkeen is Arabic term most commonly used in political Islam for the long-term strategy of empowerment, institutional entrenchment, and placing members in key governance and societal positions.
Militant Muslims have terrorized Western Civilization and America in particular for centuries. Moderates are conflicted in their ability to denounce it because it’s not a political dispute that fuels the militant’s resolve. It is a religious zeal that has targeted America since the 18th century (Shores of Tripoli).
There is a dangerous disposition on the part of those who are currently with the current administration to support a doctrine that is fundamentally evil.
You’re not being Christlike by being indifferent, nor are you loving your neighbor by enabling their evil resolve.
Test the spirits and don’t just trust the smiles.
