#1 Philippians - Servants, Saints and Salutations

Dr. Ron Sumners

April 11, 2010

Philippians 1: 1-2 

Fred Johnson, a businessman from Wisconsin, went on a business trip to Louisiana. Upon arrival, he plugged his laptop into the hotel room port and sent an e-mail back home to his wife, Jennifer Johnson at her address JennJohn@aol.com.

Unfortunately, in his haste, he mistyped and the e-mail went to JeanJohn@aol.com. This was the address of a Mrs. Jean Johnson of Somerville, New Jersey, the wife of a pastor who had just passed away. The preacher’s wife took one look at the e-mail and fainted. When she was revived by her daughter, she pointed to the message and the daughter read: “Arrived safely, but it sure is hot down here.”

Clarity in communication is vital if we are ever to achieve the desired results. Knowing what to say and how to say it is crucial if we want to be heard. But just as important, we need to know to whom we are sending the message. This morning we are going to begin looking at an ancient letter from Paul to the believers in Philippi, written 2000 years ago. This letter, unlike the mistaken e-mail received by Jean Johnson, was neither a casual letter of travel itinerary, nor was it the sad news of an unfortunate destination. The letter to the Philippians is one of joy expressed in terrible circumstances. Over the next several weeks we will move through this letter seeing how Paul, while in prison, is still able to be thankful for the work that God has done.

Paul opens with typical formality, but expresses wonderful truths well directed to his intended recipients. Often, these introductions are quickly passed over, but in them we see the power of God to transform lives in a few simple words.

Philippians 1:1-2 says, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Servants of Christ: Paul and Timothy

Paul’s linage was anything but servile. Born in the southern region of modern-day Turkey, Paul’s Jewish heritage was combined with a profound understanding of Hellenistic (Greek) culture. He lays out his credentials in 3:4-6: “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.” This is a man of influence and learning. He was trained by Gamaliel, the greatest rabbinical teacher of them all; he became a persecutor of the early believers, but now he is the one persecuted.

But Paul is not alone; with him is his friend and pupil, Timothy. Paul mentioned Timothy at the top of this letter perhaps because he was well respected by the church in Philippi. We first meet Timothy in Acts 16 shortly before Paul and his companions go to Philippi. Timothy was the product of a mixed marriage; a Jewish mother and a Greek father. Timothy came to Paul with good recommendations from the believers in that region. Paul later wrote two letters to this young man who became like a son to him. Paul expresses his love for Timothy later in this letter. Philippians 2:19-22 says, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare, for everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served me in the work of the gospel.”

Servants? What should shock us is Paul’s description of their role; servants. The word here is doulas, better translated “slave”. While this was used in a positive sense of someone who served God as a prophet, the word is associated with the lowest of ancient society. While describing himself as a slave, notice what is lacking in this introduction. He does not call himself an Apostle. He included this title in other letters, i.e. Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; and Colossians 1:1.

We wouldn’t expect a great Apostle, one so well-educated and important to the early church to refer to himself as nothing more than a slave. We think it should read: “Saint Paul to the lowly Philippians, rather than slave Paul to the saintly Philippians.” This reversal is an important theme in the letter. Paul focuses on the lowly service more than the privileged position, so he reminds his readers of their position in Christ as saints and his position before them as servant.

But there is another reason for this designation. It is not just metaphorical. He is a slave since as he writes this letter; Paul is in jail, in Roman custody. “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has already served to advance the Gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the Word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” (Philippians 1:12-14)

This incarceration most likely coincides with the house arrest while in Rome as Luke describes in Acts 28:17-20. So, while a servant, notice what he calls his recipients: Saints in Christ!

If Paul, the great apostle, is a slave in chains, what about the recipients of the letter; the Philippians?

Philippi was an important city in a strategic location.  It was situated on the shore of the Aegean Sea in ancient Macedonia (modern Greece). Philippi today is nothing more than an assortment of ruins. This city had its origins 400 years before Paul’s time when Phillip of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great, defeated this region and named the city after himself. Later it became a Roman colony, settled by retired military soldiers and officers, which by AD 60, and made up most of the population. 

Paul speaks well of this church in his writings. They came to his aid on several occasions. But this designation as “saints” is not because of how they responded to him, but because of their position in Christ which gave them this identity.

To call someone a saint in our day usually conjures up ideas of Mother Theresa or a plaster image in a cathedral. Their faces betray a dour piety and above their heads is a halo. A saint is a “Super Christian,” to most people. But scripture knows no such status! We might say, “My grandmother is a saint.” We mean that she was a very good, person.

Being a saint is not based on the character or performance of the individual, but it is placed on the person by the God who calls them to be His. In Exodus 19:6, God calls Israel holy because He, the Holy God who brought them into a covenant relationship is holy!

The designation of saints is applied to all believers. In 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses the letter to those who are sanctified (holy or saintly). They are called to be holy. As you read Corinthians you quickly realize that many of those folk would not be candidates for sainthood. They fell into factions, were guilty of incest, and were a bunch of immoral people. But their status before God was not based on their righteousness, but on what Christ had done. By His death they were set apart. They did not become holy through their actions; God made them holy, God conferred sainthood on them! Being a saint has nothing to do with your behavior. It has everything to do with God’s offer of salvation.

Paul’s favorite expression (in Christ), simply refers to the fact that we are incorporated into Christ. To be in Christ is to possess every aspect of salvation; everything necessary to our eternal welfare has been secured for us by the action of Christ and is stored up in Christ for us to share. 

With these saints there are two groups: overseers and deacons. Paul reminds these leaders that they do not have a place of privilege; but a place of service.

“Overseer” comes from the Greek “episcopos,” from which we get the word “Episcopalian.” This does not mean that the church in Philippi was ruled by upper class whites with a penchant for country clubs and great investment portfolios. Rather “Episcopalian” refers to the form of church government which looks to overseers, more commonly called “bishops” to run the church.

Oversight is what they did. “Episcopos,” comes from the verb that means “to visit”; it implies the care or “looking after” someone.  In the ancient world, the title was given to judges, and temple officials who watched over the people to guide them. 

The term is synonymous with elder or presbyters. In Acts 20:28, as Paul is making his way back to Jerusalem, he stops off at Ephesus and gathers the leaders of the church; the elders. Finally, “shepherd” from which we get our word “pastor,” likewise points to the work of care and nurture the leader in the church is to have over his people.

At Meadow Brook Baptist Church, we have multiple servants, which consist of professional ministers and church members. While my time and energy is given to teaching, visiting and preaching the Word of God, Lyn Stike, James Culbreth, David Eanes, Ed Cleveland, Clyde Dutton, Andrew Morgan, Kelly Young and Lori Holmes are all given the job of overseeing various aspects of the church’s ministry. We have deacons who are assigned families that they are to serve and look after.

Deacon is a transliteration of diakonos. The term originally referred to someone whose job it was to serve others. It’s origins in the church go back to Acts 6 when the first seven deacons were chosen.

The qualifications for overseers and deacons are delineated in 1Timothy 1:3. Their job is to see that the physical needs of the members are met as well as looking for opportunities to serve those outside the church also.

All these leaders first see themselves as a part of the body, not people dropped in from outside, or from above, it involves patiently waiting for the Holy Spirit to grant unity to the church in making and executing plans. It involves willingness to be overruled, to jettison role-playing and status seeking, to be ready to cast a single vote with everyone else. It involves putting the welfare of the body of Christ before all personal advantage, success or reputation and it involves sacrifice for the Lord and the Gospel. It is the leadership of those who are content to stand among the saints as those who serve. These leaders are those who will call themselves slaves of Christ Jesus.

The world measures a man’s greatness by the number who serve him. Heaven’s yardstick measures a man by the numbers who are served by him!

Salutations from Christ

How can there be saints that serve? Verse reads like a standardized greeting, such as we may use on any form letter. But Paul takes the form used at that time and changes it to reflect the change that comes because of the Gospel.

In ancient Greek letters the writer would first identify himself and the recipients of the letter, then he would say Chairein, which means “rejoice,” but in a letter – “Greetings!” Paul altered Chairein to read charis or “grace.” The slight change of letters denotes a significant theological shift.

This simple word summarizes Paul’s understanding of Christ’s work for us in salvation. It is God’s gift of grace that makes salvation possible and is the source of the saint’s strength to serve!

Philip Yancey in his book “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” says, “Christians have spent enormous energy over the years debating and decreeing truth; every church defends its particular version, but what about grace? How rare to find a church competing to ‘outgrace’ its rivals. Grace is Christianity’s best gift to the world, a spiritual nova in our midst exerting a force stronger than vengeance, stronger than racism, stronger than hate. Sadly, to a world desperate for this grace, the church sometimes presents one more form of ungrace.”

Paul not only takes the Greek introduction and alters it, he adds to it the Hebrew by-product of grace; peace. Peace was generally understood as the absence of war. It still means much the same to us. Paul is talking about a sense of well-being, satisfaction and contentment. Peace is the inner tranquility and assurance that God gives believers that keeps them spiritually confident and content even in the midst of turmoil.

If we all look at our personal histories, being called a saint can be mighty intimidating. We know ourselves well enough to realize that sainthood does not describe our nature! But like the church in Philippi, Paul did not mistakenly send this letter. We are the recipients as well. We are saints. Yet we must always remind ourselves that our status as saints is not because of ourselves, but despite ourselves! We are saints in Christ; we are holy because He who called us is holy. Learning the lesson of our holiness because of God’s grace is one of the first important steps in the Christian life.

As we are saints by the grace of God, we can then begin to serve others. Knowing that our standard before the Father is secure because of the work of the Son, we then have the freedom to call ourselves “slaves of Jesus Christ.” 

The strength we need for this task is found in our relationship with Jesus Christ. The grace God offers us comes to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God’s peace is realized. Christ became a servant so we might become saints!