Tag: Jesus

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Philippians 1:17b – The Human Herald

Paul, writing about spiritual forces. (Grok)

… not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 

Summary: Looking at Paul’s letter from a human perspective reveals a Paul who is, like us, an imperfect vessel. 

As you no doubt remember from our last meditation, Paul is talking about the people who preach Christ for unchristian reasons. So far, Paul has mentioned that they are motivated by “envy and rivalry” (Verse 15) and “selfish ambition” (Verse 17a). In this passage, he adds that they hope to “stir up trouble” for him while he is in prison. 

Who would do such a thing, and why?

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Philippians 1:14a – Remembering Our Heroes

And because of my chains…

Summary: Memorial Day is a special day of remembrance. We owe a special debt of gratitude to all who have fought for our country and died for our freedoms. 

Note: This meditation was written for publication on Memorial Day, 2025. 

Chains, for the person bound by them, are a constant reminder of confinement. A person who is chained is a slave to the chains. 

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Philippians 1:13b – Ralphus and Salina

A picture of Ralphus and Salina at dinner. (Grok)

[As a result] … it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

Summary: It requires some imagination to open up the mind to what Paul means when he describes the “whole palace guard” being aware that he is in chains for Christ. 

Meditations are the playground of theology. When we meditate on a passage like this, it is okay to have some fun. For example, let’s imagine that one of the palace guards is a man named Ralphus. Ralphus is married to Salina, and the two of them live near the palace in a small apartment. 

Our scene opens late one evening as Ralphus gets home from work. 

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Philippians 1:11c – The Glory of God

—to the glory and praise of God.

Summary: In this meditation, we arrive at the end of Paul’s prayer. Here at the end, Paul points us to the goal of bringing glory and praise to God. 

As we arrive at the end of Paul’s prayer, we can be forgiven if we are wondering, “Why?” 

Why do we want to discern what is best? Why do we need “depth of insight?” Why would anyone want to make an effort to be pure and blameless? 

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Philippians 1:11b – God’s Standard

[… filled with the fruit of righteousness] that comes through Jesus Christ…

Summary: Righteousness that comes through Jesus is different than human righteousness. 

As we continue through this passage, we discover that Paul is referring to a specific kind of righteousness, the kind that comes through Jesus Christ. 

The word Paul uses for “righteousness” is “dikaiosýnē,” in Greek, which Strong’s Concordance defines as “equity (of character or act)” (Strong’s G1343). 

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Philippians 1:1a – One Voice

Picture of an old fashioned family album (Grok)

 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus…

Summary: As we begin our meditations on Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we are prompted to reflect on God’s Word as his family album. 

I often think of the Bible as God’s family album. Even without pictures, the Bible includes “portraits” of people who are important to God and who are part of his story. 

Of course, we are all important to God! He loves us without a doubt! Yet, some people play a more prominent role than others (1 Corinthians 12:18-20). 

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Colossians 4:11 – Three Jews

Picture of three Jewish men in Paul's day, sitting at a table, talking.

Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.

Summary: Paul’s comment about being comforted by his Jewish companions leads us to consider “Why?” 

No matter what you might think of Paul, the objective facts of his life tell a story. Paul is a man of deep passion. In the first half of his life as a Pharisee, Paul is so passionate about eradicating believers from the face of the earth that he chases them all over the Middle East. 

How many Pharisees bothered to do that? Did any Sadducees mount expeditions to pursue early Christians?

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