Here is our ninth memory verse, and of course it starts with the letter ”i”. Why not print it off, then learn it while you are colouring it in. Show your work to someone at home, and tell them the verse you have learnt. You could even send us a video of you saying it while holding your picture!
Click the picture below to get a full size version to send to your printer.
Fri 22nd May – Read Philippians 2:21-24
V21: Paul compares Timothy’s genuine concern and love with others who, whatever they claim, he sees as motivated by self interest, perhaps self-esteem, to be thought well of and seen as “fine Christians” ( though we have no details of whom he speaks and why.) Certainly, he sees them as not motivated by a true desire to serve Christ and glorify His Name. How we all need to examine ourselves, and our motivation in service.
V22: But he can commend Timothy as one who has proved himself a true servant of the Lord and of the churches, one who is like a son to him, in love and gospel service. Other Scriptures indicate this special relationship, especially the 2 letters in the NT from Paul to Timothy himself V23: So, his intention to send Timothy to them, once he knows what is to happen to himself, rather than keep him by his side testifies to his love for the Philippians, as well as his trust in Timothy.
V24: Still he hopes that he WILL be set free and see them again himself – if it is the Lord’s will. ( “I trust in the Lord that …) Like Paul, can we hold our hopes and longings in true submission to God’s will?
Thurs 21st May – Read Philippians 2:17-20
V17-18: Though he hopes yet to be delivered and see them again, he knows this may not be God’s will. If He dies for his gospel testimony, he likens it to the OT drink offering (He does so again in 2Timothy 4:6, when his martyr’s death is indeed very near).
It was an offering of thanksgiving, poured out on the altar. Since Christ, we have and need no altar, but Paul’s thought is he will be poured out for them and other believers, in love and service in response to their faith. If so, this will be a further cause of rejoicing for him ( like the apostles in Acts 5:41) and he says they too should rejoice in this. Would we see this as a reason for rejoicing, if it became our experience?
V19: Still seeking to encourage them, he says he hopes soon to send Timothy to visit them. No doubt to encourage them himself, as Paul had sent him to other churches (e.g. 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2 ) but also that he may then receive news of them from Timothy when he returns, which he believes will cheer and encourage him. ( By implication, that they have responded to this letter?)
V20: Of all his co-workers, he says there is none like Timothy who will show such true concern for them ( like Paul’s own.)
Do we have a heartfelt care and love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and a concern for their spiritual welfare?
Wed 20th May Read Philippians 2:12-16:
V12: This great example, given to rebuke their wrong attitudes to others, now becomes the ground for a new appeal, to live as obedient followers of Christ. He saw them do this when he was with them, now let them do it in his enforced absence. In this, they will ” work out their own salvation” – NOT work for their salvation, it is all of grace ( Ephesians 2 v 8-9) but display it to others by the way they live, and do it ” with fear and trembling.” – humbly before God, in reverent awareness of Him and His grace.
V13: For it is all God’s gracious work in them – and in us, as believers. Note this precious NT balance – He works in us, we work out His will in obedience and faith, by the grace He gives, and the work of the Spirit in us.
V14: What does this mean in practice? Don’t grumble or argue with others about anything! This means willing submission to
God’s will in everything, How often we do grumble, argue etc – let these verses, which still go back to Christ’s example ( the “therefore” of v12.) speak to our hearts.
V15: So their lives – and ours – will bear witness that they/we are God’s children – blameless and innocent before Him, not by anything in ourselves, but through His mercy and grace, and the cleansing we have in Christ’s precious blood. ( Remember 1 John 1:7-9.) As obedient children, we witness to the truth before a disobedient and ungodly world ( not just that generation – every generation, not least our own!) As Christians we are to shine as lights in this darkness ( so, Matthew 5:14-16.) – Always remembering, it is Christ who is the true light ( John 8:12.) and we reflect His light – we have none of our own!
V16: By obedient discipleship, they/ we remain true to His Word, keeping it both in profession and practice. If this is shown in their lives, his spiritual children, he will rejoice in them, not only now but when Christ comes again and all His people are glorified with Him. So, they are the fruit of his ministry, to the glory of God. ( The word translated ” proud” here really means they will be a source of joy to him.)
You may have seen or heard Pastor Stuart talking about our church children learning Bible verses every week, and encouraging them to colour in and stick them in their Memory Verse Booklet. If you haven’t got a book yet, you have now. Just click on the link below, and print it off, then you can add your verses week by week.
Some people in our church have the books they made when they were children, some of them 40 years ago! Why not build up your own collection, and maybe you will be able to show it to your own children some day!
Tues 19th May – Read Philippians:2:6-11
V6-7: His example is now opened out and applied, in these tremendous verses. He who was God from all eternity, One with the Father, Who became “God-with-us” (see also Colossians 1:15 ) did not cling on to that status properly His, but laid it aside in His great redeeming love, ( There may be an implied contrast here with Adam and Eve, who fell to the temptation to “grasp at” a status that was not theirs ( Genesis 3:5 ) Jesus laid aside the glory that was His eternally ( “emptied Himself” ) to be born as a human baby, and as a man accepted even humanly a “low condition” ( ” a servant” ). “Likeness” here does not mean He was only “like a man”, of course – He became man, was truly human.
V8: And in this true human nature, He humbled Himself even more – He accepted death! For death had no claim on His sinless life – He obeyed its claim on OUR sinful humanity,( and in this also obeyed His Father’s will and purpose ) as He bore our sins – we do not “obey” the call of death, we have no choice. And He accepted even the death on the cross – a death that the OT calls accursed. ( Deuteronomy 21:23 – and see Galatians 3:13.) He bore the curse for us!
V9-11: But after His self-humbling in such a way, God raised Him up in even higher exaltation, giving Him ” the Name above every Name”. One day the whole universe will acknowledge that He is Lord – every knee will bow, every tongue confess. In the wonder of God’s grace, those who trust in Him as Saviour do that now, as His saved people, willingly, thankfully and in love to Him who first loved us. Praise God if that is true of you! These verses surely suggest that as Redeemer of His people, He returned to His Father exalted even more highly. (Though we can not fully fathom these things.) And all this is to the glory of the Father, Who gave His Son for us!
Each week, the children from Junior Church at Grace have been receiving a picture with a verse from the Bible on it. The idea is that they colour in and learn the verses through A-Z over a period of weeks.
In this latest video, Pastor Stuart is teaching the children actions for the first six verses, A-F, to help them remember them. More will follow.
The children also have a book which they will use to store all the verses as they learn them.
Mon 18th May Read Philippians 2:1-5:
V1-2: Paul now addresses a concern he has concerning them, he appeals to them to have a right attitude to one another. “If” here does not imply doubt, it is the grounds of his plea. We might say ” because there is ..” encouragement in Christ – we should all seek to encourage others. Love should show in comforting each other. We share in the fellowship of, with and through the Holy Spirit, and this should be seen in our affection and sympathy towards each other. So, says Paul, these things ARE so, let them be seen in a oneness of mind as believers, a oneness of love. If this is so, his joy in them will be even greater.
V3-4: He goes on, they must not let selfishness or personal ambitions spoil their fellowship – clearly, he must have heard of some reason to be concerned about this in Philippi. Rather they are to humbly look on others as better than themselves, be concerned not for their own advantage, but that of each other. Such an attitude should always mark the way we think of, and behave towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.
V5: To emphasise this, he points them ( and us ) to the greatest example of all – Jesus Himself. Consider how He regarded and treated others, and think like Jesus did, and behave as He did.
Here is our eighth memory verse, and of course it starts with the letter ”H”. Why not print it off, then learn it while you are colouring it in. Show your work to someone at home, and tell them the verse you have learnt. You could even send us a video of you saying it while holding your picture!
Click the picture below to get a full size version to send to your printer.
Here is our seventh memory verse, and of course it starts with the letter”G”. Why not print it off, then learn it while you are colouring it in. Show your work to someone at home, and tell them the verse you have learnt. You could even send us a video of you saying it while holding your picture!
Click the picture below to get a full size version to send to your printer.
