Introduction
We’re beginning a series in Philippians, and right away, you notice something striking. Paul is in prison. He doesn’t know if he’ll live or die. His circumstances are terrible. And yet, the very first thing he does is break out into thanksgiving. He’s overflowing with joy. He’s confident.

Now, if you or I were in his position, let’s be honest—we’d probably be writing letters of complaint. “Pray that I get out. Pray that the guards stop mistreating me. Pray that my trial goes well.” But Paul? He’s thanking God for other people. He’s rejoicing. And that forces us to ask: where does this joy come from?

That’s what this passage is about. Philippians 1:1–11 shows us that Paul’s joy is rooted in the gospel. And not just in some abstract way. The gospel creates something very concrete: a new kind of partnership, a new kind of affection, and a new kind of transformation.

That’s our outline today—three things Paul shows us in this opening passage:

1. The gospel creates a new partnership.
2. The gospel creates a new affection.
3. The gospel creates a new transformation.

1. Gospel Partnership (vv. 3–6)

Look at verse 3: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

That word “partnership” is the Greek word koinonia. And it’s often translated “fellowship.” But in English, “fellowship” sounds like coffee and donuts after church. That’s not what Paul means. Koinonia means a bond forged in a common mission, a common struggle, a common life.

Think about soldiers who have fought side by side in battle. Years later, they may not have much else in common, but there’s a bond that runs deeper than almost anything else. Or think about a startup company—three people in a tiny apartment working 16-hour days. They go through so much together, it binds them in a unique way.

Paul says that’s the kind of bond the gospel creates. The Philippians have supported him financially, prayed for him, suffered with him, and spread the gospel in their own city. He says, “We are bound together in this mission.”

Now, here’s what’s radical about that. In Philippi, you had rich business owners and poor slaves, Roman citizens and non-citizens, men and women, Jews and Gentiles. And yet Paul says: in the gospel, all of you are partners together. The gospel breaks down every barrier that normally divides people—economic, racial, cultural—and creates a new unity.

That’s what the church is supposed to be: not just a social club, not just people who happen to like the same worship style, but a community bound together in the mission of the gospel.

But then notice verse 6. Paul says, “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.”

That’s one of the greatest promises in the Bible. Paul doesn’t say, “I’m confident because you’re so talented.” Or, “I’m confident because you’re so faithful.” He says, “I’m confident because God began this work in you, and God will finish it.”

Do you see how freeing that is? If your Christian life ultimately depends on your grip on God, you’ll never have assurance. Because your grip is weak. But if your Christian life depends on God’s grip on you—then you can have joy. Because God always finishes what he starts.

Let me give you a picture. Imagine a child learning to walk across a busy street, holding his father’s hand. The child’s grip is weak—he might let go. But the father’s grip is strong. He won’t let go. That’s what Paul is saying here. God has you. He began the work, and he will complete it.

That’s the foundation of gospel partnership: confidence not in ourselves, but in God who holds us.

2. Gospel Affection (vv. 7–8)

Look at verses 7–8: “It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart… God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

This is an extraordinary statement. Paul is saying, “I don’t just love you with my own love. I love you with Christ’s love flowing through me.” The word “affection” here is very strong. It refers to the deepest seat of emotion, the gut-level love of Christ himself.

Now, let’s pause here. Because in our city, in our culture, relationships are often transactional. We tend to approach people by asking: “What can this person do for me? Can they advance my career? Can they meet my emotional needs? Can they make my life easier?” And when someone no longer benefits us, we move on.

Paul is modeling something radically different. He’s showing us what gospel affection looks like. It means loving people not for what they give you, but with the very love of Christ, who gave himself for you.

Here’s the irony: when you know that you are loved by Christ completely, you become free to love others without using them. You don’t need them to validate you, because Christ has already validated you. You don’t need them to complete you, because Christ has already completed you. And so you can actually love them—not for your sake, but for theirs.

That’s why Paul can say, “I long for you with the affection of Christ.” He’s not saying, “I’m just a really loving person.” He’s saying, “Christ’s own love has so filled me that it overflows to you.”

Can I ask: do you relate to people that way? Or are you using people? The gospel changes the way we see one another. It creates a new affection, a Christlike affection.

3. Gospel Transformation (vv. 9–11)

Finally, Paul ends this section with a prayer. Verse 9: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best… filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

This is remarkable. Paul doesn’t pray, “I hope you’re happy. I hope life is easy.” He prays, “I want your love to abound more and more—in knowledge and discernment.”

That’s important, because love without knowledge can be destructive. If you say, “I just love everyone, I don’t care what’s true,” that’s not real love—that’s sentimentality. On the other hand, truth without love can be harsh and cold. But when you put love and knowledge together, you get wisdom. You get the ability to discern what is best.

And the goal is transformation: that we would be filled with the fruit of righteousness. Not just little tweaks to our behavior, but lives actually bearing the fruit of Christ’s righteousness.

Now, here’s the key phrase: “through Jesus Christ.” Paul is not saying, “Try harder to be righteous.” He’s saying, “Christ’s righteousness has been credited to you—and now his life will bear fruit through you.”

Think of a tree. Fruit doesn’t come by stapling apples onto the branches. Fruit comes from the life within the tree. If the roots are connected to living water, fruit will grow naturally. In the same way, if you’re rooted in Christ, if you’re abiding in him, fruit will grow.

So Paul prays: abound in love, grow in wisdom, bear fruit—all of it through Christ, to the glory of God.

Conclusion

Let’s step back. Why can Paul, in prison, facing an uncertain future, be overflowing with joy? Because he knows three things:

• God has created a partnership that cannot be broken.
• God has poured out an affection that cannot be exhausted.
• God has begun a transformation that cannot fail.

And all of it comes through Jesus Christ. He is the true Partner who bore our burdens to the end. He is the true Lover who yearned for us even unto death. He is the true Finisher who will complete the work in us.

Let me leave you with this picture. If you’ve ever been backstage at a Broadway rehearsal, it can look like chaos. People are missing their lines. Costumes aren’t finished. The music is off. If you walked in, you might think, “This show is doomed.” But the director isn’t worried. He sees the final performance in his mind, and he knows how to get there.

Friends, your life may feel like chaos. You may feel unfinished, broken, incomplete. But the gospel says: the Director has already written the ending. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

That’s the source of joy, even in prison. That’s the confidence Paul had. And it can be yours, in Christ.

Amen.

Community Group Discussion Guide

Philippians 1:1–11 – “He Who Began a Good Work”

Scripture

Read Philippians 1:1–11 together.

Sermon Summary

Paul writes from prison, yet he is overflowing with joy. His confidence is not in his circumstances but in the gospel. In these verses, Paul shows us three results of the gospel:

1. Gospel Partnership (vv. 3–6) – The gospel creates a new kind of bond, deeper than friendship, rooted in a shared mission. And our assurance comes from God’s promise to finish what he starts.

2. Gospel Affection (vv. 7–8) – The gospel produces Christlike love that is not transactional but self-giving, flowing from Christ’s love for us.

3. Gospel Transformation (vv. 9–11) – The gospel bears fruit in lives marked by love, wisdom, and righteousness that come through Jesus Christ.

Paul’s joy rests on this confidence: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Discussion Questions

Head – Understanding

1. How does Paul describe his relationship with the Philippians? How is “gospel partnership” different from ordinary friendship?

2. Why does Paul’s confidence rest on God finishing the work, not the Philippians’ performance?

Heart – Reflection
3. Where in your life do you tend to put confidence in your own grip on God rather than his grip on you?
4. In your relationships, are you tempted to love people transactionally? What might it look like to love others with “the affection of Christ”?

Hands – Application
5. Paul prays for their love to abound in knowledge and insight. What’s one way this week you could practice love that is both wise and self-giving?
6. How can this group deepen its sense of gospel partnership—not just social connection, but shared mission?

Prayer

• Thank God that he has begun a good work in you and will bring it to completion.

• Pray for one another to experience Christ’s affection in your relationships.

• Ask God to bear the fruit of righteousness in your community for his glory.