Marc Black - August 16, 2020

Together

Everything is better together! • Accomplish more; spread the load • Variety of experiences, abilities, and viewpoints • More laughs, encouragement, support, resources Under Pressure • Paul writing while chained to guard in prison • Church facing internal tension and external pressure • We do not know exact source of the pressure (Paul did not say) but original audience was aware. • Cultural pressure to worship the emperor as lord and savior so frowned upon and increasingly illegal to worship a different Lord and Savior. • Internal selfish tendencies forming Relational Tensions • Jealousy; Comparison; Mixed motives; Petty preference • Unforgiveness; Bitterness; Rivalries; Cheating; Betrayal Pressures • Boredom: need stimulation or entertainment • Desires: what I want or need • Purpose: do something worthwhile • Preferences: I like things a certain way • Wanderlust: Grass looks greener over there • Culture: conform to our ways or be excluded [FOMO] • Persecution: Do not believe or say anything we disagree with or we will make you suffer [cancel culture] Stay TOGETHER under pressure! Why? Natural desire to SPLIT.

From Series: "Overflowing Joy"

A series about Paul's letter to a group of close friends and Christ followers in the ancient city of Philippi.

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