Philippians 1:1-11 Work to be Done
October 4, 2026
These are my notes used for my sermon. If you watch what actually you was preached you notice some/a lot of variance. There still may be some devotional of information value.
There’s this famous saying of Jesus in the Gospel. It is from Matthew 11
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Here is the thing… this can be hard to believe. I have had several days where I would look at my to-do list, calendar, worry, or circumstances and think, “This does not look like it is going to be a light day, week, or season.”
Maybe you have been there?
So how can this be true? How can the Christian life really feel light? Well I think Paul answers that in our introduction to Philippians.
Today, we begin our journey through the Philippians. I want to encourage you to take the card in your bulletin and memorize this passage (Also, a note, the card is the New Living Translation not the NIV for our eagle eye viewers).
In this series we will spend more time on the background and characters here. For today, Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul, a leader and martyr of the church. Some say Paul is the most important person in regard to the spread of Christianity after Christ.
Paul is not writing to the Philippians from his podcast studio, a nice ivory tower study, or from a fancy mansion. Paul is writing from prison.
Hear these words from Philippians chapter 1, verse 1 through 11.
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
May God add his blessing to the reading of his word.
How many of you feel a little overwhelmed sometimes? I think calling this letter to Philippians is good… but maybe better: Paul’s letter to the overwhelmed, the anxious, maybe even joyless.
Many scholars actually say this letter is about joy even in spite of the hardship faced by the local church.
Well we all have hardship today. Whether it is feeling overwhelmed, the stress of trying to get everything done, the struggles of health and aging.
What Paul has just said here though can help us. He tells us what we can do… nothing… well not exactly nothing.
Let’s look at verse 6 again: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Notice who is going to do the work, who will carry it on to completion: Is it the preacher? Is it the seminary presidents? Is it political leaders? What about Sunday school teachers?
Paul is confident that “he” who began the good work… or as the NLT makes clear “God” will carry it on to completion.
This is what it means to be Holy, we are trusting in God’s work, his grace not our own strength.
This past week Brandy won the Donnan family reunion 5k… now we have some real speedsters in our family. But the 5k was not based on speed. It was based on guessing your finish time then running without a watch and whoever was closest was the winner.
You had to run in faith and see where you ended up.
In a similar way, we do this with our spiritual life. We set out to run our race but we also know there is a part we just do not know. A part we can just not quite know the timing of. Yet, we will see at the end where we ended up.
So how do we actually do this? We can’t throw away our phones and watches every day.
Well we do it together. I saw one of the coolest formations at the Pinewood middle school game on Thursday. Towards the end of the game Phillip (names of youth changed for privacy) was in at running back and Willie was the QB. For a moment it was just the Glennville Methodist backfield. The GMC package. Two Methodists together moving forward.
Church, there is work to be done… but we do not do it alone. We do it beside each other. And most importantly we do it trusting in God.
The work that he began in you… he knows about it. God has not forgotten about it. Christ just didn’t die on the cross and forget about you. The Holy Spirit just didn’t forget about comforting you in your loss.
No, the one who began this good work is still working. Let us trust in God to do this and keep our eyes open to how He is doing this.
In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Amen.
What is Baptism in the Global Methodist Church?
January 26, 2024
What is baptism in the Global Methodist Church (GMC)?
While working on my sermon on Jesus’ baptism I compiled a list of what the Global Methodist Church. No need for it stay only in a personal folder. Here is my compilation. Please share what you find helpful. I am always open to feedback if you see anything that needs clarity or correcting.
Here are the foundational documents we have at the moment.
The Catechism
The GMC has “an educative and regulative formulation of doctrine” document in a question and answer format called a catechism. In A Catechism of Christian Faith and Doctrine for the Global Methodist Church we have information about baptism found in in questions 33, 34, 40, 41, and 42. Here they are:
33. Do you believe that there is but one baptism?
Yes. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. (Eph. 4:4-6.)
34. What is Baptism?
Baptism signifies entrance into the household of faith and is a symbol of repentance and inner cleansing from sin, a representation of the new birth in Christ Jesus, and a mark of Christian discipleship. (Acts 2:37-39; Rom. 6:1-5; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:27-28; Col. 2:11-14; Heb. 10:19-22; CoF VI.)
40. How many Sacraments are there?
Two Sacraments are ordained by Christ our Lord, namely Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. (2 Kgs. 5:14; Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 36:25-27; Mark 14:22-24; Matt. 26:26-28; 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; John 3:5; 6:53- 58; Acts 22:16; CoF VI.)
41. May we baptize children?
Yes. We believe children are under the atonement of Christ and as heirs of the Kingdom of God are acceptable subjects for Christian Baptism. (Luke 18:15-17; Acts 10:44-48; 16:15, 30-34; 18:8; 1 Cor. 1:16; CoF VI.)
42. Is Baptism sufficient for salvation?
No. Baptized children should be nurtured and led to personal acceptance of Christ, and by profession of faith confirm their Baptism. (Deut. 6:20-25; Mark 16:16; John 1:12; 3:16; Acts 2:38; 16:29-34; Rom. 10:9-11; CoF VI.)
From the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Disciplines there is information of baptism found in
- the Nicene Creed (A.D. 381),
- Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church
- Article XVI – Of the Sacraments
- Article XVII – Of Baptism
- The Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church
- Article VI – The Sacraments
- Paragraph 304 – Ministry of Laity
- Paragraph 314 – The Meaning of Baptism
- Paragraph 315 – The Mode and Practice of Baptism
Nicene Creed
“We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins”
Article of Religion of the Methodist Church XVI – Of Sacraments
“Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian men’s profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God’s good will toward us, by which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our faith in him.
There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.
The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about; but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation; but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves condemnation, as St. Paul saith.”
Article of Religion of the Methodist Church Article XVII – Of Baptism
“Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth. The Baptism of young children is to be retained in the Church.”
The Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church Article VI
“We believe the Sacraments, ordained by Christ, are symbols and pledges of the Christian’s profession and of God’s love toward us. They are means of grace by which God works invisibly in us, quickening, strengthening and confirming our faith in him. Two Sacraments are ordained by Christ our Lord, namely Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
We believe Baptism signifies entrance into the household of faith, and is a symbol of repentance and inner cleansing from sin, a representation of the new birth in Christ Jesus and a mark of Christian discipleship.
We believe children are under the atonement of Christ and as heirs of the Kingdom of God are acceptable subjects for Christian Baptism. Children of believing parents through Baptism become the special responsibility of the Church. They should be nurtured and led to personal acceptance of Christ, and by profession of faith confirm their Baptism…”
Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline Paragraph 304. Ministry of Laity
“All Christians are called through their baptism to be in ministry to others, both as individuals and as a part of the church, using the gifts and graces with which they have been equipped by the Holy Spirit”
Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline Paragraph 314 – The Meaning of Baptism
“Through Holy Baptism we are united in Christ’s death in repentance of our sins; raised to new life in Him through the power of the resurrection; incorporated into the Body of Christ; and empowered through the work of the Holy Spirit to go on to perfection. Holy Baptism is God’s gracious gift to us, flowing from the once for all work of Christ Jesus, and our pledge to follow as His disciples.”
Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline Paragraph 315. The Mode and Practice of Baptism (See paragraph 316 for full Baptismal Vows).
“Holy Baptism may be performed by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. The outward and visible sign of Holy Baptism is water. Candidates are baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The inward and spiritual grace is death to sin and new birth to righteousness by faith through union with Christ in His death and resurrection.
Holy Baptism is administered among a gathered congregation. Those present vow on behalf of Christ’s Holy Church to receive the baptized into the Church universal, to grow together in grace, and to remember the profession made and benefits received in Holy Baptism. Candidates for Holy Baptism, and those presenting candidates unable to answer for themselves, shall be instructed in the Christian faith and the meaning of Holy Baptism.
Holy Baptism, as initiation into Christ’s Holy Church, occurs once in a person’s life. Holy Communion serves as the regular and continual affirmation of baptismal vows within the church. Through a service of baptismal remembrance and reaffirmation of baptismal vows people can renew the covenant declared at baptism.”
More From David
Scripture and the Life of Ministry
March 27, 2023
There is a crisis in pastoral confidence in ministry. The Barna Group has documented this in one of their latest studies. It has shown a steep decline in the confidence of ministers in the confidence in their calling and satisfaction in ministry.
Most preachers do not need to see this graph to know this is happening. Almost every pastor I know has played the “what would I be doing if I wasn’t in ministry” game over the past few years.
So what should we do if we find ourselves in this situation?
An Answer for Me
This is not a silver bullet prescription for everyone but rather a personal testimony of one practice that works for me. Here is what I do, I try to realign with scripture in my life and ministry.
Recently on the Firebrand Podcast Dr. Joy Moore said something that has always resonated with me. In describing her advice to students learning to be pastors she says, “Let the text do the heavy lifting.”
The moments I am most whole in my ministry is when the text is doing the heavy lifting. The time when I have the most clarity is when I feel God is at work not myself.
I really appreciated recently reading Mike Bird’s book Seven Things I Wish Christian Knew About the Bible. There some great things in here.
Kindle told me I made 130 highlights. Mike Bird talks about scripture and the role it should play in our life:
“Knowledge of God begins with knowledge of Scripture; so the more you know of Scripture, the more you know of God. This knowledge is necessary if we are to have a relationship with God, to be in covenant with him, to be his children, to know his Son, Jesus Christ, and to experience the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. A lack of knowledge is not just ignorance; it is alienation from God, estrangement from God’s love, and separation from God’s offer of reconciliation.”1
Bird does make sure to clarify:
“I think it is important to stress that knowledge about God is not enough; it is knowledge of God in tandem with faith in God that matters.”2
For me, this goes back to looking at my life and asking some questions.
The first two questions are about my spiritual rhythms and come from John Wesley’s questions for spiritual formation:
- Did the Bible live in me today?
- Did I give it time to speak to me today?3
The other has to do with my thoughts (and theology) about scripture. Does my life really look like I believe “the Old and New Testaments are the primary rule and authority for faith, morals, and service, against which all other authorities must be measured”?
The times in the life of my ministry where I am the most fresh are when I am putting into practice and thinking about these disciplines.
Conclusion
Do I think these will automatically make the declining trends turn around in the opposite direction? I am not sure. However, for me, this is always a good place to start by checking in with my thoughts and rhythms.
As Isaiah 40:8 (NRSV) reminds us, “The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever.”
Sources
1Bird, Michael F. Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible. Zondervan, 2021. page 150
2Bird, Michael F. Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible. Zondervan, 2021. page 153
3Goshorn, Ted. Prayer Changes US. South Carolina United Methodist Advocate Press, 2022. page 115
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