Praying for Overflowing Love

Today, as we gather together as Christ's people to pray corporately, we consider Paul's prayer as found in Philippians 1:9-11:

"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

Here are some questions to consider as we unpack this glorious prayer:

1. WHY would Paul make praying for love for these Philippian believers a priority?

• Hint: there are hints of disunity that are affecting gospel ministry there (cf. 4:2; cf. Eph. 3:12-4:6).

2.  WHAT kind of imagery is Paul evoking of their love "abounding more and more"?

3.  WHAT kind of "love" is Paul praying for here? 

• Hint: notice the two qualifiers he attaches to love

4.  WHAT are the results of an ever-increasing and abounding love?

• Notice the unfolding and interconnecting logic Paul uses in vv.10-11 (like a cascading waterfall).

For a great picture of what "love" looks like, see 2:5-8, unpacking what exactly Paul means by being comforted by "love" in 2:1. Amazingly, as we reflect upon the true of God for us in Christ, the Spirit sheds abroad in our heart this love, which begins to pour out of our lives and into the lives of others. This is why 2:5-11 is central to Philippians, as is Paul's great desire for him (and by extension his hearers) to "know" Christ more truly, fully, and deeply. 

WHAT might it look like in our lives if God caused our love at GCC to abound more and more?

In Christ, and for His glory to the ends of the earth, through His church,

pastor ryan