Creekside Community Church
Citizens: The Book of Philippians - Sermon 7 - Qualified to Serve
Creekside Community Church Citizens: The Book of Philippians March 24th, 2019 Jeff Bruce, Lead Pastor
Locations & Times
Creekside Community Church
951 MacArthur Blvd, San Leandro, CA 94577, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Concerned for Others (2:20-21, 26-28)
Accountable to Mentors (2:22)
Prepared for Pressures (2:29-30)
For further thought and discussion:
Getting Started
1. What was helpful to you in this week’s sermon? What didn’t you understand?
2. What credentials or certifications did you have to complete to perform your current job? What character traits are most important in your current job? Share your answers with the group.
Going Deeper
3. In 2:19-30, Paul shares his future plans. Where is Paul? Who does Paul plan to send to the Philippians? Who does he want to send first? Who does he want to send second? Why does he plan to send them in this order? Why does he send them at all?
4. Some believe this passage (2:19-30) is merely biographical, and has nothing to teach us. So why would Paul include this section? How does this passage connect back to Paul’s thesis statement in 1:27? What does Paul want the Philippians to learn from the examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus (compare 2:21 with 2:4, and 2:27 with 2:8)?
Application:
5. How is Timothy unique among the Christians in Rome (2:20-21)? Why is being “others-centered” critical to Christian ministry? What are some ulterior motivations to serve? Which of these have you struggled with? How do you need to grow in “other-centeredness”?
6. How does Paul describe his relationship with Timothy (2:22)? Why is Timothy qualified to minister to the Philippians? Why is it critical for us to seek out mentoring relationships in the body of Christ (rather than just peer-to-peer relationships)? What mentoring relationships are you currently in? Who mentors/disciples you? Who do you mentor/disciple? At this stage of life, which relationship is more important for you to seek out; a relationship with a mentor, or with a mentee?
7. Why was Epaphroditus worthy of such high honor (see 2:25, 29-30)? When has serving someone else been costly for you? Share your experience with the group. How might service be costly to you in the near future? Which hardships do you need to be prepared for?
8. What’s one thing you can do this week to apply this passage?
Getting Started
1. What was helpful to you in this week’s sermon? What didn’t you understand?
2. What credentials or certifications did you have to complete to perform your current job? What character traits are most important in your current job? Share your answers with the group.
Going Deeper
3. In 2:19-30, Paul shares his future plans. Where is Paul? Who does Paul plan to send to the Philippians? Who does he want to send first? Who does he want to send second? Why does he plan to send them in this order? Why does he send them at all?
4. Some believe this passage (2:19-30) is merely biographical, and has nothing to teach us. So why would Paul include this section? How does this passage connect back to Paul’s thesis statement in 1:27? What does Paul want the Philippians to learn from the examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus (compare 2:21 with 2:4, and 2:27 with 2:8)?
Application:
5. How is Timothy unique among the Christians in Rome (2:20-21)? Why is being “others-centered” critical to Christian ministry? What are some ulterior motivations to serve? Which of these have you struggled with? How do you need to grow in “other-centeredness”?
6. How does Paul describe his relationship with Timothy (2:22)? Why is Timothy qualified to minister to the Philippians? Why is it critical for us to seek out mentoring relationships in the body of Christ (rather than just peer-to-peer relationships)? What mentoring relationships are you currently in? Who mentors/disciples you? Who do you mentor/disciple? At this stage of life, which relationship is more important for you to seek out; a relationship with a mentor, or with a mentee?
7. Why was Epaphroditus worthy of such high honor (see 2:25, 29-30)? When has serving someone else been costly for you? Share your experience with the group. How might service be costly to you in the near future? Which hardships do you need to be prepared for?
8. What’s one thing you can do this week to apply this passage?