PVBC: Sunday School Philippians Chapter 1

JOY in Suffering

SUNDAY 8/8/2010

Getting to know each other question:

• What is your dream job?
  
  
  • Kenny – Pharmacist
    
  • Thao – Dentist
    
  • Bethany – Thinking about Hygienist
    
  • David – Sport Agent
    
  • Philip – Employer/Manager
    
  • Byoung – Business consultant
    
  • Katie – Dermatologist
    
  • Sammy – Plastic Surgeon
    
  • Gina – Missionary Pharmacist (I think)
    
  • Esther – Photographer
    
  • Jamie – Business
    
  • Anh – Missionary Dentist
    

Warm-Up Questions:

• If you could travel anywhere with all expenses paid, where would you go and why? Describe a typical day on the trip.
  
  

  Katie: France, Europe, fell in love with culture
  

  Esther: Holland, bike-riding
  

  Philip: Hawaii, relaxing
  

  Anh: Africa, Vietnam (in the country-side area), third world countries – because there I find peace, authenticity, pure appreciation, free of technology just being out in the fields.
  

  Typical day would be out in the fields, learning about farming, what people do on a daily basis. Sharing aspiration and dreams. Playing with the kids, telling them stories from the bible, do art and crafts with them, exhorting their dreams, taking pictures of them, and then give it to them. Start a project together. Offer free dental service to them.
  

• What activity, hobby, or events gives you happiness or joy?
  
  

  Getting to know people, listening to stories, people guiding me along and teaching me how to do something, people sharing their passion with me.
  

• What would be the worse type of suffering for you? How do you respond when faced with pain and difficulty?
  
  

  Abandonment, being away from my love ones, feeling unwanted.
  

Philippians 1:

¹Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

• How does Paul refer to himself and Timothy?
  
• Fill in the BLANK: "I am a ____________ of Christ."
  (Student, disciple, follower, slave, child)
  

Whatever your answer is, think about how you can live up to that title.

• What is stopping people from becoming Christian? ( No Hope, Cult, Sacrifices, Jesus is not the only way to God, Inferior, Hypocrisy)
  
• How can we explain to people about Hypocrisy?
  
  
  • Might be that those people aren't really true Christian
    
  • Everyone is a hypocrite. But true Christian will be more aware of this and strive to better themselves
    
  • We have higher standards to live up to. God has high expectation for us.
    

  Thanksgiving and Prayer
  

  ³I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
  ⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
  

• With what Attitude does Paul Pray?
  
• How would you describe your prayers life? Is your attitude like Paul's when you pray? (My prayer life is in practice, I'm a little timid right now but I want it to be a second nature when I pray.)
  
  

  ⁷It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. ⁸God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
  

• Paul speaks of God's grace. How would you define grace? What part does grace play in servant hood? (Undeserving gift, kindness, favor, president's pardon, pass-on kindness, He forgives all we forgives all)
  
  

  ⁹And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
  

• What is Paul's prayer for the Christians in Philippi?
  
• Why do we need love, knowledge, and insight? How do they help us live and respond to God? (Motivation)
  
  

  Paul's Chains Advance the Gospel
  

  ¹²Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. ¹³As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard
  and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. ¹⁴Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
  

• Paul was thrown into prison for his faith, yet he seems full of faith and joy. What do you think was his secret to live in the fullness of God while in chains? (Prayers, Fulfilling God's work, meaningful life)
  
• How did Paul's imprisonment advance the work of the kingdom? (Encouraging to others, shows faith, and dedication)
  
• Why do you think Christianity and suffering seem to go hand in hand? (Help us walk with Jesus, sympathizing with others, God is stretching us by continuing to add on the weights gradually and training us to lift the bigger weights in our life)
  

PRAYERS:
Pastor's Florida anniversary Trip (safety, well rest), Sammy's last week of summer school (finish strong), Anh's Board Exam (Good Result), Jamie's Art history Final on Monday (focus and finish strong)

SUNDAY 8/15/2010

Getting to know each other question:

• Waiting for next session (to be written…)
  
  

  ¹⁵It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.¹⁸But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
  

  Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
  

• What are good and bad motivations for preaching about Jesus?
  
• Are there preachers who turns you off? Why?Are there people that turn you off when talking about the gospel or give you spiritual advice? Reffer to verse 18!!!
  
• Who saved you? The Gospel message or the person who evangelized to you? People do not save; God does! Are we worthier to give advice or share the Gospel as another?
  
  

  ²⁰I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²²If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
  

• What are Paul's concerns for the present and the future?
  
• Do you see this happening now in today's society? In our church? In your life?
  
  

  ²⁷Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel ²⁸without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, ³⁰since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
  

• What is Paul's view of living for Christ?
• In what situation can you best serve God? In your suffering or while on a dream vaccation? How can we serve God in all circumstances? The challenge is to serve God in all circumstances (in best of time as well as worst of time).

Prayers:

Vinh's safe return home from his trip. Cornerstone Ministry's Speaker was offered a position in California so he is praying for God's guidance. Christabelle's DAT exam. Melanie's (Esther's friend who used to attend our church) DAT exam.