Connect What is one way this week—by prayer and/or priority—that you can grow your partnership in the gospel with other Christians? (Also reflect how this may nurture your joy in Christ more.)

Warm-Up

1. What most commonly causes you to question or reconsider your priorities? Have you ever had a time which really caused you to ‘rethink’ them?
2. What has helped you to think through the priorities in your life? Where does the gospel fit?

Read Philippians 1:12-14 

3. What was Paul’s situation? How could he have been tempted to consider this a distraction or pointless?
4. Why were the Philippians possibly concerned for both Paul and their own situation?
5. In what circumstances are you most likely to be distracted, discouraged, or perturbed in following JC?
6. What did Paul want the Philippians to know? Could he have rejoiced even if gospel fruit wasn’t visible?
7. How was God at work in this circumstance? How did Paul’s focus on the gospel help enable this?
8. What do you think were the realities, relationships, and rhythms of Paul’s life that helped him press on?
9. Which of these realities, relationships, and rhythms do we also share in? How is that encouraging?
10. What do you think were Paul’s priorities? Do you think your life reflects the same priorities?
11. Who has been an example to you in faithfully following no matter if going through prosperous, challenging, or more ordinary times?

Read Philippians 1:15-26

12. What were these ‘competitors’ doing? Why could have Paul found that so difficult?
13. In what way—despite their differences in motivation—does Paul view these people as colleagues?
14. How does this highlight—in a costly way to Paul—that the gospel had transformed his perspective?
15. How has the Gospel transformed your perspective on some things? What could be transformed more?
16. What does Paul mean by saying in relation to this being his deliverance? How can challenging circumstances—especially those that press our allegiance to Jesus—actually help grow us?
17. Why does Paul say it would be ‘better’ for him to be with the Lord? What spurs him on in the meantime?

Read Philippians 1:27-30

18. How broad is Paul’s ‘whatever’? What circumstances would this exclude? How about for us?
19. What does Paul mean by conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel? How do we do that?

Apply Take some time this week to consider and reconsider how prioritising the gospel should shape your life?

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On Your Front Line this Week

How could you use food to demonstrate love to someone this week?

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen: “Joy in God’s Plan” by Tim Keller:
  https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/joy-in-gods-plan/
• Listen: “Be Strong and Courageous” by Jeff White:
  https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/be-strong-and-courageous/ 
• Listen: “Gospel Priorities” by Pete Wilkinson:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/gospel-priorities/ 
• Read: “Is the gospel believer or obeyed?” by Mike Bird:
  https://michaelfbird.substack.com/p/is-the-gospel-believed-or-obeyed 
• Read: “Life Worthy of the Gospel” by David Briones:
  https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/a-life-worthy-of-the-gospel-of-christ/ 

Series Resources

• Book: “Reading Philippians: A Theological Introduction” by Nijah Kupta
  (Available in the Church Library)
• Commentary: “Philippians (New Combridge Bible Commentary Series)”: by Mike Bird and Nijay Gupta. (Available in the Church Library)
• Video: “Joy” by the Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/chara-joy/  
• Video: “Book of Philippians Overview” by The Bible Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE9qqW1-BkU  
• Audio: “The Joy of Jesus” from St Bart’s series on the Fruit of the Spirit: https://www.stbarts.com.au/sermons/the-fruit-of-the-spirit-the-joy-of-jesus  

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