I Thank God for You! - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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I Thank God for You

Philippians 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Intro: This letter was written by a man that loved the people of God!

Our text demonstrates this so eloquently – I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.

Paul was so thankful for these people that he thanked God every time the thought of them came to his mind.

Paul was a church man.

Paul announced himself in verse one as “the servants of Jesus Christ.”

Make no mistake – you cannot be a servant of Jesus Christ and be estranged from His bride.

Paul started churches; he planted churches; he equipped churches; he warned churches. (3:2)

He wrote churches; he rebuked churches; he taught churches; he instructed churches; he admonished churches. (4:2)

He put the needs of the church before his own. (1:24)

He described his ministry as “caring for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:28)

He was constantly seeking the things of Christ, not his own things. (Phil. 2:20, 21)

I Thank God…

I. For your Prayers

·        4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

·        19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

See Ephesians 1:15, 16; 1 Thess. 1:2

II. For your Partnership

·        5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

I thank God for you for your fellowship in the gospel.

The common denominator was the gospel.

Paul was all about the gospel!!!

·        1:7 the defense and confirmation of the gospel

·        1:12 the furtherance of the gospel

·        1:17 the defense of the gospel

·        1:27 becometh the gospel

·        1:27 the faith of the gospel

·        2:22 serving with me in the gospel

·        4:3 labouring with me in the gospel

·        4:15 beginning of the gospel

Paul loved those that were a part of the gospel!

That is what connects all of us!

III. For your Progress

·        6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

A. The Confidence - Being confident of this very thing

B. The Commencement – he which hath begun a good work in you

C. The Completion – will perform it

Paul was excited about the good work that God had started in them.

It is fascinating to watch new converts growing in grace and knowledge!

Whenever you get discouraged, remember, you are a good work.

God is working on you and it’s awesome!!

IV. For your Priority

·        7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

·        8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

These verses are so precious to me.

Paul felt it was meet – necessary for him to let them know that they were IN HIS HEART.

Aren’t you thankful for the day that God put the people of God in your heart?

He was thankful that they were “in this thing together!”

They were partakers of the grace of God, even though he was in bonds.

Paul had God as a witness that he longed after them in them all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

A lost man cannot understand this longing.

A lost person cannot imagine what it feels like to have God’s people in their heart. 

·        Titus 4:1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

NOTE: Paul loved the people of God! He surrounded himself with people that loved the people of God.

Notice his comments about Timothy in 2:19.

Notice his comments about Epaphroditus in 2:25, 26.

Philippians 2

·        25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

·        26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

V. For your Potential

·        9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

·        10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

·        11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Paul was consumed with the potential of the people of God.

He referenced this multiple times in this short epistle.

Paul wanted God’s people to abound.

·        Philippians 1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;