Philippians devotional

Hello
So, you watched Mark’s gospel, read the book, bought the t-shirt, now here you are with eight days of Philippians in front of you. The first thing you’ll notice is this isn’t so much a story as a letter. Yes, there’s no walking on water and thousands munching on fishes and loaves in this one. This isn’t the story of Jesus, and yet it is. Er…what? In AD 33 a man certified dead was later seen emerging from a tomb. His story was just beginning to gather momentum. Out of their minds with excitement Jesus’ friends begin to tell everyone they see the  resurrection news (you can read all about it in the book of Acts) Suddenly, there’s a whole movement going on. More and more people want to be a part of this resurrection story – and so the church is born. In fact, lots of churches are born. Thanks to Peter and a guy called Paul.

Of course, wherever people are involved things get messy. So, Paul decides to write some of his wisdom down and pop it in the post. This is one of those letters addressed to people in Philippi, a place where he’d once started a church. Enjoy.

Read
Today’s reading is from Philippians 1:1-18

Think
Letters are stressy, right? Brown envelopes pushed through your letterbox saying you’re late with the council tax. But remember how it felt getting one addressed to you as a kid? A fiver in a birthday card. Good times. That’s how the Philippians felt getting this letter. The writer is giddy as a toddler. He’s the one who first taught them the family business. The gospel business – which is why he seems to be calling them business partners. ‘I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel.’ (v4) Paul and the Philippians are like the young entrepreneur meets millionaire partnership you see in Dragon’s Den. Investing time, work, love and money to see God’s business go viral. That’s right, they’re so committed to this vision that they’re putting their money where their mouth is. Not only praying but paying for Paul. And he’s cashing in his thanks.

Pray
In Philippians 1:3 Paul says, ‘I thank my God every time I remember you.’ A great reminder that prayer is not just messaging God with links to everything you want. Anybody who forgets their pleases and thank yous can come across as bratty. It’s the same in prayer. We don’t want to be all gimme, gimme, gimme and forget our manners. Paul is thanking God all the time for his friendships. Why not take a moment now to give thanks for your mates and pray for them.

Live it
Paul turns thanks into prayer. By verse 9, he’s praying his old Philippi friends will become black belts in love. Not just empty promises kind of love, but the kind that puts feet to the ground and walks it out. Cheap love is like splashing on cheap aftershave, everyone can tell it’s not the real thing. Your love should smell like the fragrance of God, turning people’s heads and get them asking questions. Proper love attracts people to Christ. What could you do today to spread the whiff of love? Don’t just say it, show it, mean it.

Repeat
We’ve signed up to the good news business, we thanked God for our mates, we’ve spread a bit of love – that’s level one completed. Day one dusted. Join us tomorrow for a life-or-death situation.

Say what?
Paul who? Don’t remember his name in Mark’s gospel. That’s right. He was a Greek speaking Jew from Southern Turkey. He went to Jerusalem to study under a Rabbi whilst having a Saturday job in Go Outdoors (er no…he was a tent maker by trade actually). At first, he was furious with these Jesus people, he’d be the one holding the coats whilst the authorities gave them a good kicking. Then he had his road to Damascus experience. Literally. On his way to stick the boot into some Christians, he was stopped in his tracks by a flash of light. A speed camera? Not exactly. Jesus spoke to him out of the blinding light and before you know it Paul is on team Jesus. Captain of the team in fact. He’s starting churches, writing letters, causing riots all for the sake of the gospel. His letters are now legendary and make up almost half of the New Testament.

Hello
Day two and Paul goes all Shakespearean. ‘To live is Christ, and to die is gain.’ All sounds a bit ‘to be or not to be.’ Except, wait… Whilst the Great Bard is asking us, ‘to live or die,’ the Great Apostle goes one step further, ‘to live with Christ or to die with Christ.’ Everyone’s a winner according to Paul. All this brings us nicely to that old age question, ‘what happens when we die?’ Do we end up playing harps in the clouds, merge into one big blog of consciousness, or become stars in the sky? Not for Paul. He’s confident we go to be with the Lord. And its so exciting he can’t wait to get there. Lets read on.

Read
Philippians 1:19-30

Think
Why’s Paul banging on about dying anyway? Is he having a bad day? Rewind a second… Paul is writing from prison. No, not for fiddling the books or repeat offending. He simply won’t bow down to anyone’s authority but Jesus. Not Caesar, not the Jewish authorities, not the culture of the day. The Romans didn’t care much about Paul’s claims about Jesus. But they did care about him causing riots and rallying the crowds up. This was seen as politically dangerous. Finally, it’s landed him in the slammer and he’s about to face the chop. The neck chop… you get the picture. But instead of feeling sorry for himself – Paul is in great form.  He’s not frightened of death – in fact he almost sounds miffed that God might keep him alive to carry on giving advice to all these new baby Christians!

Pray
Paul doesn’t flinch, ‘…stand firm in the Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you…’ (v27-28). He’s telling us to show some grit and not be shouted down by those who give us a hard time. Wear the insults and accusations as badges of honour. Pray that courage will show up when you need it most.

Live it
When you first become a Christian, you’re cartwheeling through life. Everything’s rosy. But sooner or later suffering comes. Jesus lived it. Paul promises it, ‘For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him’ (v29). You don’t need to be living in a communist state or militant nation to be persecuted for your faith. Just turn on any TV or pick up a newspaper to feel the cynicism. What about in your neighbourhood? Where is it hardest to be a Christian? Who or what opposes you? It’s important to hold your nerve and live out the gospel.

Repeat
Just because Paul seems to be smiling through the suffering, that doesn’t mean he’s saying, ’suck it up.’ In another of his letters he writes, ‘…we despaired of life itself’ (2 Corinthians 1:8). That sounds like a man down in the dumps. So, if you’re feeling depressed, Paul has sympathy for you. He understands highs and lows. Trusting God in both is a sign of growing up, feelings come and go. Circumstances too. But God’s goodness never changes. See you tomorrow where Paul urges us to live like a breath of fresh air in a polluted world.

Say what?
Who are the Philippians? If you live in Manchester, you’re a Mancunian, in Birmingham you’re a Brummie, and London you’re a Cockney. Well, the people of Philippi were Philippians. Had Paul been writing to Merseyside this might have been called Letter to the Scousers! Philippi was in Greece. Maybe Paul loved an all-inclusive by the sea, maybe he was partial to a Greek salad, but the people of Philippi gave him the most joy. They were the first people in Europe to hear the good news of Jesus after all. This letter is bursting with happiness because Paul seems to be fondest of the Philippians. They must’ve quite liked him too as they sent him a wad of cash. Another of the reasons he’s writing is to say thanks.

Hello
United! United! United! So begins the chant on day three. Is Paul a closet red on the side? Maybe not, but he opens chapter two with a pretty good impression of a football manager’s half time talk. There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’ and there’s no ‘me, me, me’ in ‘church.’ Every balanced team needs its fair share of players who can defend, those who can attack, those who display artistry, and those with endurance. If everybody wanted to play up front, the team would soon concede at the back. It’s the same with a group of believers. Everyone must play their part, and nobody is bigger than the team. Think of yourselves the way Jesus thought of himself, Paul writes, ‘who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.’ (v6) Let’s dig into that team-talk.

Read
Philippians 2:1-11

Think
Pushing the football metaphor a bit further, every set of supporters have their own chants that celebrate who they are. Verses 5-11 is the song from the Philippi terraces. It’s the heart of what they believe. Paul says it as he sees it: Jesus is God, but never once did he use that to any advantage. Never once did he laud it over people to exploit them. Far from it, when the time came, he set aside his privileges and took on the skin of humanity, living a selfless, obedient-toGod life, following his Father’s will all the way to the cross. Dying a criminal’s death even though he was spotless. Because of that God lifted him high and honoured above everything and everyone else. This is the sort of pep-talk Paul uses to get everybody to think less of themselves and more about one another. To live and think as selflessly and sacrificially as Christ himself.

Pray
Have you ever heard that definition of humility? You know the one, ‘humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.’ Following that logic, what are you to think of then? Paul nails it here: 1) think of God more. The more you’re focusing on God, the less you’re focusing on your problems. And 2) think of others, not for what you can get, but what you can give.

Spend some time thinking about what you love about God, and what you love about his people. Then offer those thoughts up to him as praise and thanks.

Read again
Philippians 2:12 -18

Live it
Lots of people set out with the best intentions. To change the world for the better, only to find themselves ground down. Blood, sweat and tears go into the work, with very little appreciation or thanks. It becomes tiring, so a moan or a groan becomes that bit of kick to get you over the line. Before you know it, there’s just a whole bunch of bitterness and division spoiling the whole project. That’s why Paul reminds the Philippians to recall how he lived amongst them. Pouring his energy into that redemption life before God. Using thankfulness as the boost to get you over the line. Not grumbling or complaining. That only wears you down even more (v12-16). Volunteer at your church or in your community and aim to apply yourself with an unforced smile on your face.

Repeat
Paul ends today by writing, ‘…in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not labour for nothing’ (v16). Like a football manager who has given out his team talk and shared his tactics, eventually it becomes the responsibility of the players on the pitch to execute the plan. Paul seems to be saying something similar. If you carry on doing what I showed you, without grumbling, you’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all that work for nothing, he says. That’s what his words seem to be saying to us too. Follow the plan, stick it out, put a smile on your face, and at the right time you’ll see a reward for your work. Join us tomorrow when Paul gets soppy about some of his best mates.

Hello
Everyone bigs themselves up in job interviews. You’re the hardest working human ever on the planet. You’re the best team member a team could ever dream of. You single-handedly saved the universe from a global financial crisis. Blah blah blah. Fortunately for Timothy, he doesn’t have to do any bragging of his own, Paul does it for him. Check out the glowing reference Paul writes for him in today’s reading.

Read
Philippians 2:19-30

Think
You’ve been liberal with the truth on your job application. You’ve been creative with the truth in your interview. Next comes the reference. Aaargh! Will your former employer see you as brilliant as you’ve made out? After all, the reference should verify your work history, assess your skills, and give insight into your character. Timothy must’ve slipped Paul a tenner, because his reference comes back reeking of all the right things. Loyal. Tick. Devoted. Tick. Selfless. Tick. Paul is confident that Timothy is the right man for the job. All this gives us plenty to think about when considering what is useful for Christian ministry. Does Paul say, ‘Timothy knows every new worship song on the guitar?’ No. Does he say, ‘Timothy has a huge social media following?’ Nope. Does he even suggest he’ll make a dynamic preacher? No, no, no. His qualifications are that he ‘…takes a genuine interest in your welfare’ (v20). Paul’s holding selflessness and caring hearts as qualifications for a good church leader. Do you want to be an influence for the kingdom? Start with being caring and keeping an eye out for one another.

Pray
If you’re serious about God using you (and let’s face it, why else would you be reading this devotional if not) use these words to help you pray.

Help me, Lord, to be more like you. Work in me the same selflessness and compassion which worked in Timothy. Take my eyes off myself and turn my gaze to the needs of others. Help me love both those I like and those I don’t like. Let me see people as you see them. Amen.

Live it
Philippians is Paul’s happy clappy letter. He’s like a stuck record banging on about joy. Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! That doesn’t mean he’s deluded. Here, he also tells us about being depressed. Writing about his old mate, Epaphroditus, he says, ‘God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow’ (v27). Sorrow upon what? You mean you already had sorrow, Paul? Of course, let’s not forget he’s banged up in prison and possibly facing the death penalty. Let’s remember Paul is an evangelist and church planter; he’d love to be out telling people about Jesus. Of course, he’s far away from all his friends and churches. So, whenever you hear Paul mention “rejoicing” in this letter, he’s not telling us to deny our feelings, to pretend all the difficulties are just surface noise. Paul is being very real and vulnerable. And so should we. That doesn’t mean we fall into a pit of hopelessness. We still have the ultimate good news. Whether we’re preaching to football stadiums or nursing illness in bed – the good news is good news. Today, try being vulnerable with someone you trust, admitting your challenges.

Repeat
We wrap up today with a reminder that being shiny, happy people for the gospel doesn’t mean pretending life is all sunshine and highlight reels. Jesus lived the full spectrum of life, one moment he’s feeding 5,000 and being swept up in “Hosanna!” praise, the next he’s desperate in Gethsemane and abandoned at the cross. To follow him is to hold both joy and struggle at the same time.

Join us tomorrow as Paul brings some honest (and necessary) warnings into the conversation.

Say what?
Who’s Timothy? The sort of kid who brought an apple for the teacher? Paul didn’t have favourites. But if he did, it was good old Timbo. He even thinks of him as a son. This young boy from Turkey had a Jewish mother and a Greek father, giving him a foot in two worlds. He was a bit of a nervous Nelly and Paul wrote to remind him God didn’t give him ‘…a spirit of fear but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7-8). That said, Paul completely trusts him to spread the gospel, even when those around him are saying, ‘isn’t he a bit too young for all this?’ Note to self: you don’t need to be the oldest or loudest or boldest in the room to be called. Just willing.

Hello
Mad dog. Every street has one. Rummaging through your bins, barking at every shadow, snarling at every neighbour. Waiting to pounce and attack every other cute fur-ball. That’s how Paul describes those religious busy bodies who were always on the prowl, ready to pounce on new Christians. You might know one or two dogs yourself. Impressed with the latest fads and conspiracy theories – they try to get you along for the ride too. Then they snarl when you don’t quite see things the way they do. Watch out for them, Paul says in today’s bit of the letter.

Read
Philippians 3:1-11

Think
These days, impeccably groomed pups are practically VIPs, strutting into artisan cafés in their hand-knitted jumpers and sipping mineral water from cute doggy bowls. But back in Paul’s era, dogs weren’t cute accessories they were wild and dangerous. The term dog was used as a slur to describe Gentiles (people outside the faith). So, when Paul drops the word, he’s not being cute, he’s reclaiming it, tossing it right back at the ultra-religous crowd who were insisting Jesus was only ‘part’ of the answer. If that were true, Paul would’ve been untouchable. His CV reads like the best of the best in terms of religious pedigree. He was born into the right family line, a Hebrew of Hebrews, the best rulekeeper you could find. And yet, plot twist, he gives up the lot. All those shiny credentials that people cling to? Worthless when it comes to salvation.

Those things are never going to save you, says Paul. It’s Jesus, and only Jesus. It’s the same today. No amount of church attendance, helping people across the road or keeping your mouth clean and your thoughts pure will get you into God’s good books. Jesus alone writes your name into the book of life. Phew! Isn’t that a relief!

Pray
It’s not that trying your best to live a good life is pointless. Far from it. Our love for Jesus should draw us into wanting to live more like him.

But compared to knowing Jesus as saviour and friend, our best efforts are worth no more than an ‘F’ for fail. Take a moment to thank Jesus for being all the credentials you need. God has enough grace to solve every problem we face, every question we ask, every occasion we fall short. That’s got to be worth some praise!

Live it
Do you remember in chapter two, when we heard that Jesus didn’t claim any special privileges, even though he absolutely could have? Instead, he lived a selfless life and died a selfless death – the worst kind of death – nailed to a cross. Well, Paul echoes it here in chapter 3 by saying, ‘But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ’ (v3:7). Paul is clearing the table of everything he once used to define himself: his impressive religious résumé, his pedigree as a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, his strict upbringing, his faultless devotion to the law. All of it might have earned nods of approval in certain circles (or as Paul puts it, from the dogs), but in comparison to knowing Christ personally, it suddenly counts for nothing.

Rules and traditions can make life feel all uptight, but Jesus brings the opposite: freedom. All this brings up some questions… what might you need to loosen your grip on to live more freely? To experience true freedom? Where have you squeezed Jesus out? What habits have gotten in your way of seeing God?

Repeat
We think we should be doing something, when really, we just need to accept that God has already done it all for us. We don’t need to live out a cheap Temu version of faith by keeping a long list of rules. Instead, we just need to get to know Jesus for ourselves. Of course, that doesn’t mean everything in our life goes according to our plans. Paul is very clear in tomorrow’s reading that we can expect trouble.

Say what?
Circumcision! Suddenly all the boys shift uncomfortably in their seats. Doesn’t that mean…er yes. Circumcision is the snip. It features heavily in the Jews story with God. From as far back as Abraham, they had been circumcised. It became a part of their identity as God’s chosen people. By the time of Philippians, Paul had become concerned that Jewish Christians were using the snip as some sort of boast. As if they were saying all the other Christians must get snipped too, otherwise they’re in some sort of second division God people. But Paul puts no confidence in the flesh (or the snip), he says it’s by following Jesus we are marked out as God’s people. That’s the true definition of circumcision.

Hello
Ever watched the movie, Forrest Gump? There’s this whole sequence where the loveable, idealistic Forrest keeps on running and running. The trouble is he has no real purpose other than putting one foot in front of the other and er…growing facial hair! Paul isn’t talking about that sort of aimless trotting. He’s thinking more Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Keely Hodgkinson. Athletes who trained with their eyes on the prize and are going for gold. Racing with purpose – up and off, no looking back, running into the arms of God. Read about it today.

Read
Philippians 3:12-17

Think
So, what is the prize? Six grammes of pure gold hung around the neck? A sterling silver cup held aloft? A Blue Peter badge? Paul has something much bigger in mind – the prize of resurrection life! Like a sprinter throws themself at the line, Paul lunges towards the finishing tape of this life into the next. This is what makes this prize different to any sporting achievement. An ageing footballer eventually slows down and retires to punditry or the golf course, recalling tales of their own former glory days. Paul seems to be saying there’s no putting your feet up with the Christian life. No after-dinner talk nostalgia. There’s no arriving. No heading off for 18 holes in the Portuguese sun because your best days are behind you. The best is in front of you. Resurrection life is the goal you must keep pressing on towards. The Rocky montage music keeps playing this side of eternity. You’re an athlete in training. But rather than pounding the streets and climbing steps like the Italian stallion, your training is praising and praying, worshipping and loving. The prize isn’t a belt or medal which tarnishes with time, but an eternity with Jesus. Isn’t that worth all the hard rounds in the ring?

Pray
When life has you on the ropes and is pounding you with body shots, it can be easy to lose sight of the prize. We look to our corner and want to throw in the towel. At times like this we need to remind ourselves of God’s goodness. Speak out ways in which God is good to you. Here’s a few for starters: God is faithful. He keeps a watchful eye on you. Though you stumble He won’t let you fall. He died for you. He uses your difficult times for his glory and your good. He is not caught off guard. Carry on with your own list and turn it into thanks and praise.

Live it
You must’ve heard of the couch to 5k which helps complete beginners to become confident runners. The key is building up to the target gradually. Breaking the programme down into manageable steps. What if running for the Philippians prize was more like this? Instead of writing yourself off as ‘spiritually unfit’ and reaching for your next bacon butty, why not plan manageable steps into your spiritual life. You could start by swapping your morning doomscroll for five minutes of scripture scrolling. You could give yourself a head start on church by worshipping for ten minutes before you set off. Try adding something new into your routine bit by bit. Before you know it, you’ll be giving Paul a run for his money!

Repeat
If you’re a couch potato all this talk of athletes and prizes makes you want to pull the duvet over your head and hide. Thankfully, it’s just an analogy, Paul isn’t saying the Christian life should be all stress and strain and sweat. You shouldn’t be grimacing all the time, gritting your teeth like a marathon runner hitting the wall. Remember, this is Paul’s happy letter, and all throughout he’s telling us to be joyous. Not gloomy. Happy. We are all citizens of heaven, not depression. As Paul reminds us in tomorrow’s reading.

Hello
People fight all the time, don’t they? The young lad who’s had one too many Buzzballz and suddenly offers out the entire bus queue. World War Three breaking out in the WhatsApp group. Scrapping outside the school gates (and that’s just the mums!) You’d think church might offer a bit of rest from all that. Well… yes and no.

We like to imagine church as the place where everyone gets along beautifully. Loving one another, putting up with each other’s flaws. And at its best, it is that. But let’s not kid ourselves: we’re just as scrappy and touchy as the rest of the world, and we end up hurting one another too.

And it’s nothing new. Paul the Apostle was dealing with it in Philippi. Take Euodia and Syntyche, a slanging match serious enough to make it into scripture. Paul’s advice isn’t rocket science: sort it out! The sooner the better, before it does real damage.

There’s something there for us too, especially in today’s climate, where people argue over social media or quickly feel insulted by differences in opinion and values. Paul gives us a nudge to make up, so the gospel can get out there, unhindered.

Read
Philippians 4:1-9

Think
And so, we land on Paul’s golden nugget, one that feels like it could’ve been written straight for our age of anxiety. ‘Do not be anxious about anything.’ Or, as it’s sometimes put, ’be anxious for nothing.’

Nothing. Really?

Because that sounds fine until life kicks in. What about the lump you weren’t expecting to find? Or the debt letter that drops through the letterbox? Or trying to stretch your money to cover a trolley of food? And that’s before we even get to the bigger fears: wars, pandemics, the world itself wobbling.

Don’t be anxious about any of that? Really? Easy for you to say Paul in your stress-free times. Oh wait. You are writing this from prison, aren’t you? You’ve seen persecution up close. You’ve watched your mates suffer, and still, you can write ‘be anxious for nothing’ with no sense of sarcasm. Why? Because you’ve experienced God with you.

That’s the point he’s driving at. God doesn’t promise a life without suffering. He never has. But he does promise his full attention in the middle of it.

No prayer is too small or too ordinary for God to answer.

That answer doesn’t always change circumstances. But it does bring a deep peace in the middle of life’s problems. God is always with us in the storm.

Pray
Make yourself comfortable. Quieten yourself down. Easier said than done when your head is having a thousand and one conversations. But take a moment. Write down those worries on a loop in your mind. Get them out of your head and onto paper.

Then pray something simple like this:

God, I give you these worries and anxieties. You can carry them better than I can. In their place, I ask for your peace. Amen.

And then screw up the paper (or delete it, if that’s where you wrote it).

Now let them go. You were never meant to hold them. God’s shoulders are big enough to carry them all. Praise the Lord!

Live it
Ten minutes of doomscrolling and your head will be stuffed with untruths and fakes news, ugly thoughts, arguments and unholy things – the opposite of what Paul is telling us to focus our thoughts on:

‘…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.’Philippians 4:8

So, let’s put it into practice. Put your phone in another room. Create a little space for your mind to breathe. Pause and name three things you’re thankful for right now. Things that are praiseworthy and lovely.

No, this isn’t about forcing yourself to be positive, it’s about gently redirecting your thoughts toward what is already good in your life.

Repeat
Peace isn’t found only in deep breathing or meditation (though that can help), but ultimately in a person: the God of peace.

Paul reminds us in verse 9, ‘…and the God of peace will be with you.’

In other words, get to know the God of peace, and the peace of God will come to you.

And what better way to know him more than joining us tomorrow for our final look at Philippians.

Hello
Imagine you casually check your banking app and boom – someone’s dropped a serious chunk of cash into your account. That’s the kind of surprise Paul is talking about at the start of today’s passage.

There he is – skint, stuck in prison, hardly living the dream, when word comes through that the Philippians haven’t forgotten him. In fact, they’ve sent him some gift vouchers. Well, financial support. His spirits are lifted. Not that Paul seems to need cheering up. He’s learned the secret of contentment. Whether he’s rich or flat broke. Could you do with a bit of Paul’s perspective? Living on an estate can mean knowing how to stretch a little into a lot. Not everybody gets it. Paul does. You might not have megachurch megabucks. But you do have God. And that means you already have enough for everything he’s calling you to do.

Read
Philippians 4:10-23

Think
Long Lost Family is a TV show about people being reunited after years apart. Often the reunion involves tears and joy, as well as shared DNA. There’s a hint of that here at the end of this letter. Paul isn’t just pleased about a bit of pocket money; he’s overjoyed because he’s been reconnected with his people. The Philippians aren’t just financial supporters; they’re like long lost family.

Years earlier, when Paul first stepped into Greece, he arrived in Philippi. If the gospel could take root there, one of the cultural hotspots of the day, (think Hollywood meets Oxbridge) then it could take root anywhere. And it did. This church proved that no one is too clever, too cultured, or too far gone for the good news.

And that hasn’t changed. No one is too sharp or too broken for Jesus. No estate too rough, no family too dangerous. We’ve got the same gospel Paul wrote about when he told the Romans, ’I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…’ (Romans 1:16) Did you catch that? It’s powerful. For everyone. Not just the vicars, or the praying old dears. Everyone on your estate. The noisy neighbour hammering music through paper-thin walls, the bloke staggering home from the pub, arguing with the pavement. The kids in cars, thick with weed. The woman who hasn’t stepped out of her flat in years. Everyone. Know what? It’s even powerful enough to work wonders in your life too!

Pray
Let’s end this series with a prayer straight from Paul’s opening words in his letter to the Philippians. It’s been lightly restyled, but the heart is the same. If you’re in the mood for the original phrasing, check out Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:9–11.

Father, help me grow in love.

Help me choose what’s honest and true, so I’m living faithfully, not just playing the part.

Fill my life with the kind of fruit that comes from knowing Jesus.

And when anxiety tries to take over, I hand it over to you. Steady me with your peace and remind me I already have everything I need in you. Amen.

Live it
Remember day one, when we clocked that Philippians is basically one long, thank-you note? Well, Paul wraps things up by thanking his long lost family in Philippi for their generosity. And here we are, 2,000 years later, casually eavesdropping on his words, so what’s stopping us from taking the hint?
Before you panic (if you’re feeling a bit brassic) this isn’t a call to donate to the church roof fund. Generosity can be expressed in different ways. It can look like opening your home, or volunteering your time, or simply showing up for someone who needs it. Think of it as a lifestyle.

Why bother? Because God’s generosity towards you is so lavish. The kind that overflows. It’d be rude not to let some of that spill out of you into your own community.

Repeat
Paul signs off the letter almost like he’s dropping the mic: with a big, bold amen. Translated he’s saying ’I meant every word. I stand by it. Let it be exactly as I’ve said.’

And the same goes for us. We’ve spent the last eight days soaking up Philippians, letting it sink in, turning it over in our minds, and yes, there’s a lot to sit with. But if we believe what we’ve read, it’s not just about nodding along politely. It’s about living it out loud.

Think of your life as the ultimate response, your own big, unapologetic amen. Let your words, your choices, your behaviour, be the kind of amen that turns heads and says, ‘yes, I’m all in.’

What next?
Mark’s gospel told you all about Jesus. Philippians showed you how to hold onto your faith with joy in hard times. If this has helped you, why not try the book of Acts next? It’s a great place to see what’s possible when ordinary people on ordinary streets take following Jesus seriously.