Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi...
Philippians 1:1 NIV
Paul is writing to a church he started in this place called Philippi (in Greece today - part of the Roman empire). This city was important to Rome as it controlled gold mines, & was on a major trade route. Retired Roman soldiers were sent there to live.
Paul writes to the church there and identifies himself & Tim as a servants of Jesus.
Doulos. Bond-slaves. Someone with no rights who belongs to another.
Paul's readers will have got that - for us to meet someone in the street and day "Hi, I'm a slave of Jesus" may not be helpful, but if I wrote to a church, my church, how would I introduce myself?
Name, age, marital status, job, course of study, where I come from...things I love doing... & somewhere down the list I might say "follower of Jesus".
For Paul, his relationship with Jesus was his key identifier, everything else was secondary & down the list.
How would things change if we put "follower of Jesus" first?
#inthistogether
Genesis 15.8-18.ESV But he said O Lord God , how am I to know that I shall possess it? ...When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram... March 15 was the last day we looked at Abram's story...he was questioning God and this is God's response...sacrifices and smoke and fire and a covenant...a promise... Isn't that what we crave for sometimes? God, if only you'd just show me smoke & fire, a burning bush a sign, miracle, healing...then all my questions would disappear...all my doubts would be gone... 2moro we'll see Abram's response but I think God values our faith in spite of our questions and doubts. That we choose Him anyway #faith
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