Philippians
Paradox of Joy
July 16, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 1:1–5
The Self-Help industry has exploded in America. The ideas of self-esteem, self-care, self-love, self-importance, and self-actualization have become pervasive in culture - but has self-help actually helped us? As the focus on the self has increased, so too has self-harm - we are more mentally unstable, miserable, and medicated than we are have been. There is a better orientation to the self, namely, self-denial. This counterintuitive and paradoxical approach is at the heart of Paul's letter to the Philippian church. Despite what it cost Paul to plant the church at Philippi and his present circumstances when writing the letter, he had nothing but joy in his heart.
Completion Formula
July 23, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 1:3–11
If asked what kinds of things bring lasting joy, what would you say? While many things can bring short term feelings of happiness, a great purpose and strong relationships have repeatedly been shown to be essential for long-term joy and thriving. However, humans are notoriously bad at pursuing the things that bring long-term joy. How can we walk the right path? In Philippians 1, the Apostle Paul demonstrates what finding joy in shared purpose and people looks like and how it relates to God making us complete.
Building Your Brand
July 30, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 1:12–18
We now live in a world where everyone is expected to build a personal brand. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review states, "For better or worse, in today’s world everyone is a brand. Whether you’re applying for a job, asking for a promotion, or writing a dating profile, your success will depend on getting others to recognize your value. So you need to get comfortable marketing yourself.” What would the Apostle Paul think about this kind of approach? Despite being the primary architect of the Christian church and shaping Western culture more than almost anyone else, Paul thought very little of his personal brand but a lot about the gospel of Jesus. Only this mentality will heal the self and set us free from our envy, rivalry, and selfish ambition.
WINNING
August 6, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 1:18–30
Death is an unpleasant reality that we all face. Despite enduring much shorter life expectancies and harsher conditions, ancient cultures were better at dealing with suffering than our modern, secular culture. Why? If the highest aim is simply to not die or delay death, we are all bound to lose. The Apostle Paul had a theology that allowed him not only to live life without fear, but also embrace death as gain. Adopting a biblical view of suffering is meant to allow us to live with conviction and face death with courage. Unlike the secular approach to suffering which sees suffering as something to be avoided and meaningless, Christian suffering can be purposeful and life-changing.
Mindset
August 13, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 2:1–11
Every team, organization, family, and church are prone to and susceptible to division and disunity. The Philippians church was no different, but the Apostle Paul doesn't want them to fall apart. How can that be prevented? We have to adopt the mind of Christ. The idea that if you lose your life you will find it is not a maxim taken on faith alone, but is mostly fully displayed in Jesus. This teaching will explore the nature of biblical unity, why it's so hard to get, and the humility found only in Christ that is so necessary to accomplish unity.
Working It Out
August 20, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 2:12–18
If salvation is entirely a free gift of grace from God, do we need to do anything after receiving it? Is grace opposed to effort? In this enigmatic passage we see how Paul views the interplay between our work and God's work - "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." But how does this working take shape? Through embracing the path of self-denial to obey Jesus and love others without grumbling or disputing. Because it is so natural for humans to grumble about any and everything, those who do not have the opportunity to shine as lights in the world, demonstrating that they operate according to a different and more joyful perspective.
Grit
August 27, 2023 • Mitch Jordan • Philippians 2:19–30
According to researcher Angela Duckworth, grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals. Grit is about having what some researchers call an”ultimate concern”– a goal you care about so much that it organizes and gives meaning to almost everything you do. And grit is holding steadfast to that goal - even when you fall down, even when you screw up, even when progress toward that goal is halting or slow. Duckworth finds that in the long run, GRIT is the primary determinant of life success - not talent, skill, education, IQ, luck, etc. There is a spiritual parallel - those who are most effective for the kingdom of God can endure and press on in spite of challenges. A right understanding of the gospel SHOULD provide the greatest passion and perseverance because of the greatness of the goal. This teaching will examine gospel grit in the lives of two men named Timothy and Epaphroditus in order to develop it in ourselves.
Making Gainz
September 3, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 3:1–11
How do you make gains in life? Rather than give specific behaviors, the Apostle Paul is going to first describe a specific faith. Without the faith Paul describes, any so called gains would be rendered useless. However, because the human heart is so drawn to religious performance in order to merit righteousness, resting in the righteousness that comes from faith is extremely difficult. But once we finally stop our attempts at self-righteousness, the power of the resurrection of Jesus can become active in our lives.
Pursuit of Perfection
September 10, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 3:12–16
Be perfect. This is the message many of us receive and absorb from a young age. Achieve, excel, perform at the highest level, but don't make any mistakes. However, sooner or later, we realize that this is an impossible task, even when we do our absolute best. In response, we tend to try and manage our perfectionism or simply accept ourselves as we are. But both routes tend to leave us feeling like failures and rejected instead. The Christian pursuit of perfection offers a better way - because Christian identity is received, not achieved, there is freedom to strain forward towards perfection without becoming anxious and insecure.
Walk This Way
September 17, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 3:17–21
Just as it was in ancient Philippi, there are always competing gospel messages. In ancient Rome the good news of Caesar and the peace he brought was the primary message, against which Paul preached the gospel of Jesus. Today, we don't compete against the gospel of Caesar, but rather the gospel of self. 91 percent of Americans affirm this statement: "To find yourself, look within yourself.” While this thinking may feel natural and appealing, it ultimately doesn't hold up to scrutiny and isn't ultimately fulfilling. Rather, by living for something bigger than mere pleasure and ourselves, we have the potential to find infinite joy.
Conflict Resolution
September 24, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 4:1–3
Everyone wants to be a part of a family - to belong somewhere and be unconditionally accepted. Organizations, corporations, and brands recognize this and try to capitalize on it by identifying as a family. However, what no one tends to mention are the inevitable conflicts and quarrels that come with being a part of a family! The church truly is a family, meaning that there is something powerful that unites us, but also resulting conflict that comes from being intimate and imperfect. Increasingly, culture has no framework or resources for addressing conflict in a constructive and healthy way, but in Philippians 4, Paul explains how the gospel is meant to provide the power to address and deal with conflict.
Overcoming Anxiety
October 1, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 4:4–9
It's not hard to see that we live in an anxious age. Over 20 percent of American adults report dealing with anxiety and, even more troubling, it is the most prevalent in the youngest generations. Clearly, something about how we think, feel, and act in our present age is crushing the soul. In this teaching, Paul gives six ways to holistically combat the pervasive anxiety all around us. Regardless of the cause of our anxiety, there is peace that surpasses understanding available in Christ Jesus.
I Will Teach You To Be Rich
October 8, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 4:10–23
While Philippians 4:13 ("I can do all things through him who strengthens me") is one of the most recognizable Bible verses, it's also one of the most misused. As motivating as it might be for accomplishing athletic feats, the Apostle Paul had a much bigger purpose in mind when he wrote it. What is contentment? Put simply, it is uncircumstantial satisfaction. As we finish Philippians, we see that despite Paul's desperate circumstances, he has learned the secret of contentment. While we intuitively know money can't buy contentment, we struggle to live like that is true. This teaching will explore the paradox of generosity and in so doing explain the secret to true and lasting contentment.