Philippians 1:3-6, “3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
Paul’s writings touched on many things such as doctrine, Christian conduct, addressing raised questions, dealing with biblical leadership among others. To the Philippians he wrote to exhort them in Christian experience. He wrote this epistle while in jail. And the drive for this message was joy (rejoice) even in hardship. While the church here could have been the ones to send Paul encouragement, you find that Paul being strong in his bonds encouraged them. Perhaps the church was discouraged because of what was happening to him and the thought of what might happen to them while they themselves served Christ.
What would have been the source of joy in remembering the Philippians and encouraging them of the same? First Vs. 3, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you”. This is the object of which is God; to whom thanks is to be given at the remembrance of His name, and the perfections of His nature, and for all His mercies, temporal and spiritual. Remembrance of great things the Lord had done, the source of strength to keep his head up high. He wanted to encourage them with these words, “I always think of you, you are dear to my heart and I pray for you”
Second vs. 5 “for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now”. This thought gave Paul such joy knowing that his suffering was not in vain. That through Christ he labored and the Lord allowed him to hear and experience the joy in knowing that their fellowship in the gospel was still present from the first day. This ought to have also served as an encouragement to them that their joy would not be in Paul but in Christ having seen them continue in the faith in the absence of Paul.
Third. vs. 6”being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”. He had done what God wanted him to do, the joy he received was that he had commended these people to God’s care trusting that God would keep them until the day He comes for them. Paul speaks with much confidence concerning the good estate of others, hoping well concerning them in the judgment of charity, and being confident in the judgment of faith that if they were sincere they would be joyous. “Christ in you the hope of glory” What a joy we have that He who justified us, has begun to sanctify us, and will carry on this work till glory. In the midst of hard times, I take comfort in knowing that God is at work both in me and in others around me and in that I rejoice.
He thanked God upon every joyful remembrance of them. Observe, Thanksgiving must have a part in every prayer; and whatsoever is the matter of our rejoicing ought to be the matter of our thanksgiving. What we have the comfort of, God must have the glory of. He thanked God, as well as made requests with joy. As holy joy is the heart and soul of thankful praise, so thankful praise is the lip and language of holy joy.
Where is your joy, I hope in remembrance as a beginning of what God has done in your life and in others around you and with that you break out in thanksgiving. You rejoice in what you hear and you rejoice in what God will continue to do. Blessings Ev
He Has Magnified His Word 