All Episodes
Displaying 31 - 60 of 64 in total
Episode 31: Don’t grumble
When angry, some people will explode and argue, while others may simmer and seethe with resentment. We don’t know if these were actually happening in the church in Phi...
Episode 32: Past, present, and future
Paul, who trained as a Pharisee, knows his Scripture, and it shows in the words and images he uses with the Philippians. In his letter, we can hear references to the s...
Episode 33: Rejoicing together
The Philippians have been concerned about Paul, and part of the purpose of the letter is to reassure them that he is well. Indeed, he expects to be released from capti...
Episode 34: Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Timothy was one of Paul’s companions on the missionary trip that first brought him to Macedonia. The Philippians, presumably, already know him well, and Paul tells the...
Episode 35: Like father, like son
Paul is sending his letter to the Philippians with Epaphroditus. Soon after, Timothy will visit them too, bringing the latest news from the apostle. Paul loves Timothy...
Episode 36: Ordinary apostles
Before Timothy arrives in Philippi, Epaphroditus will have already returned with Paul’s letter. Paul seems to love Epaphroditus as much as he loves Timothy, and for si...
Episode 37: Beware of the dogs
To the Jews of Paul’s day, Gentiles were “dogs”—a horrible insult. But when Paul, at the beginning of chapter 3, tells the Philippians to “Beware of those dogs” (3:2),...
Episode 38: The thin end of the wedge
Christians share some central beliefs, but do not all believe exactly the same thing, not even with the same church. Some of these differences are on the level of “agr...
Episode 39: Bragging rights…or not?
As suggested in an earlier episode, we can’t seem to help comparing ourselves to others. Often, we see ourselves as better and look for subtle or not-so-subtle ways to...
Episode 40: Flip the script
Paul has to counter the argument of the Judaizers, and does so in two moves. First, he plays the bragging game, and shows that he has more religious cred than they do....
Episode 41: Something to consider
In an earlier episode, I suggested that the following Jesus isn’t just a matter of asking “What would Jesus do?” but “How would Jesus think?” Paul has taken a good por...
Episode 42: The cross-shaped life
We see it in Scripture and hear it from the pulpit: the Christian life involves sacrifice and suffering. Jesus tells us that we must take up our cross, and Paul says t...
Episode 43: Resurrection power
As we’ve seen, Paul knows that even if he were to be executed by Rome, physical death would not be the end of his story—he would go to be with Jesus. And he teaches el...
Episode 44: Pressing on
Life can get so busy that our minds are completely occupied by the things that need to be done today, this week. We may barely think about the future, especially the d...
Episode 45: The story we live
Good stories don’t just meander; they go somewhere. Through an ongoing plot, they link the past and present to an anticipated future. So too with our own stories, and ...
Episode 46: Leading by example
Many of us have been thrust into situations for which we felt poorly prepared, and secretly wished for someone to show us what to do, to mentor us. Paul is just that k...
Episode 47: Don’t admire the wrong people
It is a gift to have people who model for us a faithful Christian life. But these days, we have a tendency to admire so-called “celebrity Christians” whose success oft...
Episode 48: Dual citizenship
The Philippians were citizens of the Roman Empire, and as such were expected to be loyal to the emperor. Their allegiance to Christ was therefore problematic and put t...
Episode 49: P.S. I love you
As we begin the fourth and final chapter of the letter, we can see Paul beginning to wrap things up. He calls the Philippians his brothers and sisters, and expresses h...
Episode 50: Squabbling sisters
Paul has called the Philippians his brothers and sisters. But as in any family, siblings fight. It is here in chapter 4 that Paul finally brings up the conflict betwee...
Episode 51: A wise pastor
Given the concern Paul may have had about the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche and how it threatened the unity of the church, it may be surprising that he only dev...
Episode 52: What is joy?
To many of us, the word “joy” probably means something like extreme happiness and is incompatible with sadness. But that’s not what Paul means by the word when he tell...
Episode 53: Don’t worry!
If you’re anxious about something, you don’t want someone to tell you to “cheer up.” Nor do you want them to just say, “Don’t worry.” When we read Philippians 4, it ca...
Episode 54: Guarded by peace
Knowing the situation the Philippians are in, Paul instructs them to cultivate joy by gratefully remembering what God has done for them in Jesus, and taking all of the...
Episode 55: Changing how we think
Research suggests that our brains easily skew toward negativity. One can imagine the Philippians being anxious about the possibility of persecution, and finding it dif...
Episode 56: Showing how it’s done
In chapter 3, Paul told the Philippians to follow his example. In chapter 4, he tells them that they should focus their thoughts on things that remind them of God’s go...
Episode 57: Putting wisdom into practice
Anxiety can drive anyone into a negative spiral of thoughts and emotions, and Paul offers his friends in Philippi some wise pastoral counsel. We can learn from his cou...
Episode 58: It’s the thought that counts
What did your parents teach you about the polite way to acknowledge a gift? And what if it was something you didn’t really want or need? Here, near the end of Paul’s l...
Episode 59: Real contentment
Seen from the outside, Paul is in an awkward spot. The Philippians have sent a generous gift, and he appreciates their thoughtfulness and love. At the same time, howev...
Episode 60: I can do all things
Philippians 4:13 is one of Paul’s best-known sayings, often rendered as "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" on Christian keepsakes. Taken out of co...