Lectio: Philippians
Lectio: Philippians: Life in Christ
Toward the end of his life, under arrest and awaiting trial in Rome, Saint Paul writes a short but powerful letter to the Philippians. Paul's affection for the Christian community at Philippi is apparent from his opening words. The Philippians were not only Paul's sons and daughters in the Faith but also his partners in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
At the heart of this letter is Paul's eloquent hymn of Christ's total gift of self, the model for Paul's life. With his words and the example of his life, Paul exhorts the Philippians to have the mind of Christ, to live a life worthy of the Gospel, and, by God's grace, to gain Christ.
In six sessions, Dr. Tim Gray combines insight and practical guidance using the lectio divina disciplines to make the Scriptures come alive in Lectio: Philippians: Life in Christ.
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Lectio: Philippians: Episode 1: Paul and the Philippians
There are many hidden treasures packed in this epistle, which will be revealed throughout each session. We begin by looking at the town of Philippi, its first converts, and Paul's opening words.
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Lectio: Philippians: Episode 2: Partnership in the Gospel
We'll explore Paul's circumstances writing under house arrest in Rome. Turning to Paul and the Philippians' relationship, what Paul describes as their koinonia, or "partnership," we'll see a risky and rewarding kind of partnership we are invited also to enter.
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Lectio: Philippians: Episode 3: Friendship in Christ
Echoing the Old Testament Job, Paul reveals his secret to joyfully share the Gospel despite his imprisonment. Paul then artfully reworks the Greco-Roman ideals of friendship and citizenship, calling the Philippians' to practice true humility.
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Lectio: Philippians: Episode 4: The Mind of Christ
St. Paul paints a beautiful picture of how the Philippians can have the mind of Christ and live a life in humble obedience, emptying oneself for others. If we live in imitation of Christ, we will also experience the glory of Christ's exaltation by the Father.
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Lectio: Philippians: Episode 5: Imitatio Christi
God continually calls his people to become more like him. Paul explains how to be holy: by imitating Christ on the Cross in his sacrificial gift of self. Embracing this "loss of all things" is the only way to "gain Christ and be found in him" (Phil 3:8-9).
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Lectio: Philippians: Episode 6: All Things in Christ
After showing himself, Timothy, and Epaphroditus as examples of disciples who model the life of Christ, Paul now calls on the Philippians to model the life of Christ and live out their heavenly citizenship in the midst of a pagan culture.
