Theology of Work Project: Philippians

By THEOLOGY OF WORK PROJECT,INC

Paul's letter to the Philippians provides a different sort of answer to the question of where we find strength to do our work. The apostle says that our work is not the result of our own efforts, but of God's work in and through us. This eight-week study explores a variety of work-related topics for today's Christian worker, ranging from attitude, ambition, and conflict, to service, provision, and the source of our energy. Each chapter includes three 30-minute practical lessons, complete with Scripture references and thought-provoking questions, for individuals or groups at work during their lunch hour. Whether considering the apostle's own work or hearing his challenges in his letter, this is an opportunity to understand how Christ's character affects his followers in the contemporary workplace.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
• Release date: May 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781619706514

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Theology of Work, The Bible and Your Work Study Series: Philippians (eBook edition)

© 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC

P.O. Box 3473

Peabody, Massachusetts 01961-3473

ebook ISBN 978-1-61970-651-4

Adapted from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary, copyright © 2014 by the Theology of Work Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, ­Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

William Messenger, Executive Editor, Theology of Work Project

Sean McDonough, Biblical Editor, Theology of Work Project

Patricia Anders, Editorial Director, Hendrickson Publishers

Contributors:

Jo Kadlecek, Philippians Bible Study

Mark Roberts, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Work in the Theology of Work Bible Commentary

The Theology of Work Project is an independent, international organization dedicated to researching, writing, and distributing materials with a biblical perspective on work. The Project’s primary mission is to produce resources covering every book of the Bible plus major topics in today’s workplaces. Wherever possible, the Project collaborates with other faith-and-work organizations, churches, universities, and seminaries to help equip people for meaningful, productive work of every kind.

Due to technical issues, this eBook may not contain all of the images or diagrams in the original print edition of the work. In addition, adapting the print edition to the eBook format may require some other layout and feature changes to be made.

First eBook edition — October 2014

Contents

Copyright

The Theology of Work

Introduction to Philippians

Chapter 1: God’s Work in the Apostle Paul

Lesson #1: What and Who Is Behind the Letter? (1:6–7)

Lesson #2: Paul’s Confidence (1:3–11)

Lesson #3: Worthy Work (1:12–30)

Chapter 2: God’s Work in Our Service

Lesson #1: The Mind of Christ in Us (2:1–2)

Lesson #2: The Rule of Humility (2:3)

Lesson #3: The Interests of Others (2:4–8)

Chapter 3: God’s Work in the Example of Others

Lesson #1: Following Christ by Following Paul (2:6–11)

Lesson #2: Following Christ as Timothy Did (2:19–24)

Lesson #3: Following Christ Like . . . What’s His Name? (2:25–30)

Chapter 4: God’s Work in Conflict

Lesson #1: Pursuing Peace (4:2–9)

Lesson #2: Mind over Matters (4:6–8)

Lesson #3: A Higher Standard (4:7)

Chapter 5: God’s Work and Our Allegiances

Lesson #1: Finding Paul-like Partners (4:15–16)

Lesson #2: Creating Mutual Support (1:1)

Lesson #3: Building Community (2:19–25)

Chapter 6: God’s Work and Our Contentment

Lesson #1: Handling Poverty (4:12–13)

Lesson #2: Enjoying Plenty (4:12–13)

Lesson #3: Experiencing Contentment (4:12–13)

Chapter 7: God’s Work and Our Confidence

Lesson #1: God’s Completion (1:6)

Lesson #2: Our Attitude (2:2–4)

Lesson #3: Authentic Freedom (3:3–7)

Wisdom for Using This Study in the Workplace

Leader’s Guide

The Theology of Work

Work is not only a human calling but also a divine one. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God worked to create us and created us to work. The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it (Gen. 2:15). God also created work to be good, even if it’s hard to see in a fallen world. To this day, God calls us to work to support ourselves and to serve others (Eph. 4:28).

Work can accomplish many of God’s purposes for our lives—the basic necessities of food and shelter, as well as a sense of fulfillment and joy. Our work can create ways to help people thrive. Our work can discover the depths of God’s creation. Our work can bring us into wonderful relationships with co-workers and those who benefit from our work (customers, clients, patients, and so forth).

Yet many people face drudgery, boredom, or exploitation at work. We have bad bosses, hostile relationships, and unfriendly work environments. Our work seems useless, unappreciated, faulty, frustrating. We don’t get paid enough. We get stuck in dead-end jobs or laid off or fired. We fail. Our skills become obsolete. It’s a struggle just to make ends meet. But how can this be if God created work to be good—and what can we do about it? God’s answers to these questions must be somewhere in the Bible, but where?

The Theology of Work Project’s mission has been to study what the Bible says about work and to develop resources to apply the Christian faith to our work. It turns out that every book of the Bible gives practical, relevant guidance that can help us do our jobs better, improve our relationships at work, support ourselves, serve others more