Shabbat Shalom! We are going today to start to deal with another book. This time we are going to move to the Brit HaChadasha, to the New Testament, the New Covenant. And I would like you to turn with me to the book of Philippians, this Shabbat meeting. We are going to begin today with the study of the letter that Shaul, Paul, wrote to this local assembly at the city of Philippi. And we are going to go over that chapter by chapter, verse by verse, and with the help of the Lord, we are going to cover this letter as well. Wonderful letter that we have here before us, and today I really want to give an introduction to this letter, to this epistle that Shaul Paul wrote to the believers at Philippi.

So let me read just, first of all, the first two verses in the beginning today, by way of introduction. And so we read in Philippians chapter 1, in verses 1 and 2: Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. I'm going to stop with these verses here in the book of Philippians, but I want you to turn with me to the book of Acts, to chapter 16 as well today. And I'm going to read Acts chapter 16, verse 9 to 12. And we read in verse 9: "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him saying, come over into Macedonia and help us." And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuringly gathering that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them.

Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothrakia, and next day to Napolis, and from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony, and we were in that city abiding certain days." And that's where I'm going to stop at this moment with the reading of the scripture. Now, brothers and sisters, this is important for us to understand that when we read letters such as Romans, 1st Corinthians, 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st Thessalonians, 2nd Thessalonians, and we can continue on, all these letters that were written by Paul, some later on by Shimon Petos, some by Jude, some by James Yaakov, all these letters that were written including John, 1st John, 2nd John, and 3rd John, all these letters were written by the apostles to local assemblies, local congregations, like ours here today, elsewhere in the world, where believers gathered together, and they needed to receive instruction from the glorified Messiah.

Instruction had been given to the people of God through these epistles. Now that we became believers in Yeshua the Messiah, now that we have trusted Him, we have invited Him to be our Lord and our Mashiach, our Savior, now we need to grow spiritually, and those letters in the Brit HaChadasha, in the New Covenant, the New Testament, were written for instruction. So you and I today, we'll have some information on how to live our lives as believers, what issues we need to deal with, and how to handle it when problems come among the people of God. So one of these letters that was written to a local church, a local assembly at Philippi, was this letter that Shaul, Paul, was writing to them.

It is interesting that you notice where we begin in verse 1 of Philippians chapter 1, the author of this letter is none else but the Apostle Paul. His Hebrew name is Shaul, his diaspora name is Paul, and you find all the time his name Paul, because he was writing mostly to Gentile believers in Yeshua the Messiah. And it says here in verse 1, Paul and Timotus, the servants of Jesus the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Now you notice that he adds to this introduction or to the beginning in his writing, this man by the name of Timothy. Timothy apparently was a Jewish younger man who had accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

We'll read about him in Acts chapter 16. And Timothy became a fellow servant with Paul in the ministry of the Gospel. Timothy had a Jewish mother, Jewish grandparents, but he had a Greek father. And he was not circumcised at his early days when he was eight days of age. Then Shaul, Paul took Timothy. When Timothy had accepted Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah, he circumcised him for the benefit of the Jewish people with whom he was going to communicate the Gospel. So they will not find any accusation and they will say, Oh, Timothy, what kind of a Jewish person you are. And then Paul understood that he circumcised him.

So there will be a testimony to the Jewish community wherever they were going. And now you notice that in this epistle, Paul including Timothy as he's writing this letter to the Philippians. I want you to notice this is the only letter that the apostle Paul does not use the word apostle or shaliach. He only used the word servant. And in this beautiful epistle, Paul is now presenting himself not as this great apostle, but as a servant of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. And this is so important because beloved brothers and sisters, if you want to serve the Lord, if you're going to serve the Lord, it's not so much the title that we carry upon our shoulders that is important.

It is important to be a servant among the people of God. And you will see that the theme of this epistle is looking to the Lord as servants of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, ministering to the people of God. So the introduction here, Paul and Timothy as servant of Jesus the Messiah, of Yeshua HaMashiach. They were serving our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and they call themselves only a servant of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah in this epistle. Now in other epistles, he's using the word napassal. One that was called to be a messenger of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to the world. But here, he's only mentioning the fact that he was a servant.

In Hebrew, it says, Avdei HaMashiach, the servants of the Messiah Yeshua. Wonderful thing it is to be a servant of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Now how do we know that Paul wrote this letter? Look at this, for example, in chapter 1 and verse 12, he used the personal preferences. He's referring to himself as "I." Notice verse 12, "I would that you understand." Notice in verse 14, "Waxing confident by my bonds." Notice in chapter 2 and verse 19, he says, "But I trust in the Lord Yeshua." Verse 20, "For I have no man like-minded." Notice he used the word "I." The personal references to himself. He is the writer of the letter to the Philippians.

Notice in chapter 3 and verse 4, "Though I might also have confidence." He is speaking about himself. He is the writer who is addressing to the Philippians. In chapter 4 and verse 15 and 16, you'll notice how many times he says in verse 15, "When I departed from Macedonia." Verse 17, "Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound in your account." So, here Paul is expressing himself throughout this letter to the brothers and sisters in the local assembly in a city called Philippi. Believers there who have established a local assembly. And from there on, you can see how he is addressing them here in this letter to the Philippians.

So, the author is none else but the Apostle Paul himself. Secondly, we want to talk about a little bit this ministry meeting as by way of introduction. Where did he write this letter from? You know, it is so beautiful to see that even though the Apostle Paul found himself in prison, in jail in the city of Rome, yet he was able to minister to saints, whether it is in this case the Philippians, in other cases the Ephesians or the Galatians and others in another city. He was ministering to them from prison. Can you imagine? He was writing these letters from prison. It is called a prison ministry letter.

The letter to the Ephesians was written from prison. The letter to the Colossians was written from prison. The letter to Philemon was written from prison. And the letter to the Philippians was written from prison. You notice this, what it says, Philippians chapter 1 and verse 7. He said in the middle of the verse, Inasmuch as both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. You see, he is writing about his bonds. He was in prison in Rome. Look a little bit further in verse 13 of Philippians chapter 1. So that my bonds in the Messiah are manifest in all the palace and in all the other places.

You see, he was in prison in Rome. And even though he was in prison in Rome in bonds, he was ministering the gospel of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. And it was spreading even in the palace of Caesar. Look, it continues here in verse 14. And many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confidence in my bonds. In other words, why? In prison, many of the brethren have been encouraged. Because the apostle Paul, even though he was in prison, he was useful for the people of God. Notice in verse 16. The one preached of the Messiah out of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds.

Imagine. We're going to talk about this as we continue in the study of the book of Philippians. Even some were preaching the message in order to add affliction to the apostle Paul in his bonds. Can you imagine what prevailed at that time when he was in jail, in prison? So he was writing this letter to the Philippians while he was in jail. Now, brothers and sisters, you and I sometimes say, Well, I cannot serve the Lord because I am limited in my movement ability. Maybe I'm limited in my capacity to preach or to do something. Or I am limited with my finances. I cannot carry on to do things for the Lord.

But what can we say about the apostle Paul of Shaul Paul? He was in prison and yet he was writing to the Ephesians. He was writing to the Philippians. He was writing to the Colossians. He was writing to Philemon. And yet the message of the gospel of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah was spread in the palace of Caesar when he was in jail. A man that trusts God. A man that lives for God. A man that allows God to influence. A man or a woman who trusts God and used by God is able to go far beyond what the area, the locality in which they find themselves.

Wonderful to see that in the life of the apostle Paul. By the way, he was captured in the temple in the city of Jerusalem in Acts chapter 21. And he was imprisoned. And he was sailing all the way to the city of Rome. And by the time we get to Acts chapter 28, we find him in Rome in prison. I want you to see that turn to Acts chapter 28 for a moment, beloved brothers and sisters. And look at this one verse, verse 16 of Acts chapter 28. The apostle Paul is in prison in Rome. It says, And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard.

But Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. You see, Shaul Paul was kept by a soldier, even though he was allowed to live in a separate home. But he was there for two years in the city of Rome. And he was writing those letters to the believers at Philippi. So the author is Paul. The location out from which he wrote this letter to the Philippians was from jail in the city of Rome. It is unbelievable how the Lord has raised these men in such a unique way to minister the word of God. And you and I today, nearly 2,000 years later, we are reading something that was written by divine inspiration using this human author, namely Shaul Paul.

We are here sitting and reading this text, this letter that he wrote from prison in Rome. Now, thirdly, by way of introduction, what was the reason that Paul wrote this epistle to the Philippians? I want to suggest some things that would be very helpful. If you turn to chapter 4, first of all, Philippians chapter 4. And I want you to notice in verse 10 and verse 18, just to highlight these two verses. In verse 10, the apostle Paul writes back to the Philippians, he said, I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me has flourished again, wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked an opportunity.

Verse 18, But I have all, and abound, and I am full, having received of Apaphroditus the things which were sent from you, in order of sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. You see, the reason that the apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians, believers, at the city of Philippi, is because you have gone to Philippi, the assembly had been established there in the city of Philippi, but out of love for the apostle, out of care for him who is now in prison, the Philippian believers collected some gifts for Paul, and they sent it all the way to the city of Rome by the hand of a man that is called Apaphroditus.

And he gave Shaul Paul the gifts that the believers at Philippi have collected. And so he said to them in verse 10 of chapter 4, that he is rejoicing in the Lord because the care of the Philippians for Paul had arrived. And Apaphroditus handed over unto him, according to verse 18 of chapter 4, and he says, "Listen, I have all, and I abound." He is so thankful for the brothers and sisters in the local assembly of Philippi who have thought about him. He was in prison, and they cared for him. They didn't only appreciate the time that he came and share with them the message of the gospel, and led many of them to the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, but even more, beloved brothers and sisters, they had responded to him.

Out of love for him, and the love for the ministry that the Lord had raised him to do, they have thought about him. And when he was in prison, they have sent this gift for him. So out of the appreciation for the brothers and sisters, Paul, Shaul responded with writing this letter, but apparently, as Apaphroditus came to him, Apaphroditus probably told him certain things that needed to be dealt with, even in the local assembly at Philippi. You see, there is no church that is not facing problems. There are all sorts of issues. Why do we have problems in the local assembly? Because we are people.

And people equal challenges. People have needs. People have desires. People have problems. And so there were some issues to deal with. So, over the fact that he was writing to thank them, and he also wrote to them in order to comfort them, because they were so concerned for the fact that he was in prison. And so if you go back to chapter 1 for a moment, beloved brothers and sisters, you will notice in verse 12, the second reason that Paul wrote this epistle is because he wanted to comfort them, because they were concerned for him. It says in verse 12 of chapter 1, "I would ye should understand, brethren, that the thing that happened unto me we have fallen out rather for the furtherance of the gospel." Brothers and sisters, he is saying to the Philippians, "I know you are concerned about me, but I want you to know that whatever happened to me, the fact that I am in prison did not change the fact that God used it to the furtherance of the gospel." You know, I was thinking about that.

How can the gospel spread even more when a person is in jail? You might say it's a done deal. He is finished. He cannot be used by the Lord when he is in prison. Well, the apostle Paul says, "Listen, brothers and sisters of the local assembly in Philippi, your care for me, your concern for me that I am in jail." He says, "Listen, it produces, in other words, God used this for the furtherance of the gospel." In fact, verse 13 he says, "So that my bonds in the Messiah are manifest in all the palace and in all other places." He says, "Don't worry, brothers and sisters.

Thank you for being concerned for me, but my brothers and sisters, God used this situation in my life for the spreading of the gospel of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah." So, he wrote them in order to thank them. He wrote them in order to comfort them. But notice what it says in chapter 2, a third reason why he wrote this letter to the Philippians. Apparently, he was going to inform them that he's going to send Timothy to them a little bit later on. In chapter 2, in verse 19, he says, "I trust in the Lord Yeshua to send Timothy shortly unto you." So, he's exhuring them, "Listen, brothers and sisters.

Yes, thank you for the gift. Yes, thank you for your concern for me. But thirdly, I want to tell you, I'm going to send Timothy to you." In chapter 2, in verse 19, "And then he says that I may also be of good comfort when I know your state." Timothy is going to go to you. He's going to share with me when he's going to come back how are the situations in the local assembly in the city of Philippi. You know, every godly leader who loved the Lord and loved the people of God have concern for their brothers and sisters whom the Lord have entrusted unto him.

And so, his care was natural. He was in the city of Philippi. He is the one that the Lord used to establish an assembly there. They may have heard the Gospel earlier of others, but we read about his coming to Europe. And what we find out that he cared for them. And he sent somebody else like Timothy to see how they are doing. But there is another one reason or two that he wrote them. And I want you to notice that this is a very important reason. And you might say this is reason number four. Therefore, apparently the Apostle Paul wanted to challenge the Philippians to have unity among themselves.

You see, he must have heard from Apaphroditus that there is some maybe friction among the brothers and sisters. Some divisions among them. And he didn't want the believers to be divided. You know very well today, brothers and sisters, almost everywhere we go today we see believers divided. Scattered sheep. One go to the right, the other one to the left. The other one go to this. And they're all scattered sheep. And the Apostle Paul did not want the people to be divided. He wanted the people of God to be united. And you know how difficult it is for you and I to stay united together. It demands humility.

It demands love for the brethren. It demands a lot of patience and long suffering among the people of God. And we're not always in a spiritual state to be in such a condition. But nevertheless, this is the way that the Lord intended for the people of God to bear with one another. To be long suffering with each other. To be abounding in the work of the Lord together that the people of God will work together. And so look at this in chapter 2 and verses 2 and 3. You can see that apparently there was a need of unity among the believers. And so he says, "Fulfill my joy that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord and one mind.

Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem other better than themselves." Apparently things were not always best in Philippa. Yes, it was a very thriving assembly. Believers that were growing, but there were some things coming on in their local assembly. In fact, I want you to notice in chapter 4 that there was also a personal problem of two women. And I want you to notice there in verses 2 and 3. He says, "I beseech Iodias and I beseech Sintiach that they be of the same mind in the Lord." Apparently there was a problem between two sisters. You see, it's not only the brothers who have problems among themselves, but also their sisters, you see.

He longed for them to have the same mind. For one of the reasons that Apostle Paul wrote this epistle, this letter from prison, is to challenge the brothers and sisters to seek to have unity among themselves. You and I know it very well that one of the things that gives joy to the God of our fathers, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, when there is shalom and peace among the people of God and unity. And you remember one of the famous verses many times, this song about "Hinema Tov Umanaim Shevet Achim Gam Yachad." Psalm 133, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." This is a prophetic psalm about our people of Israel in the future day when there will be unity among themselves.

It says, "There the Lord commended the blessing, even life, forevermore." "If we want to be blessed in a local fellowship, we must have this boring mind that we should seek always to be in harmony among the people of God." This friction, division only harm the service for the Lord. And the Apostle Paul from prison. He was concerned about the welfare of the brothers and sisters in Philippi. Now I want you also to notice here in these four chapters, I have one verse to highlight in every chapter here by way of introduction. Really, how can we be in harmony? How can we serve in unity? How can the believer enjoy the things of the Lord if we don't have Christ, the Mashiach, as our focus?

The only way that we are going to enjoy in our ministry, in our service among the people of God is the Messiah must be preeminent among the people of God. He must have his rights among the people of God. He must be honored and exalted among the people of God. And so in chapter 1, in verse 21, he said, "For me to live is the Messiah." In other words, he says, "Life for me is the Mashiach, the Messiah." In Hebrew it says, "Ki ha-Mashiach u-chayai." "The Messiah is my life." You notice, sometimes we say, "The Messiah is only the time that I go to a meeting for me." Or the Messiah is only when I once in a while read the Bible.

Or the Messiah is only when I'm doing some activity among the people of God. But Shaul Paul says, "For me, life is the Messiah." And you know, if we can have this for ourselves, in some small measure, it's going to change us. It's going to make us servants that are suitable for the glory of the Lord, for the blessing for the people of God. Not only that his life was the Messiah, he wanted to live for the Messiah, but also he wanted to be like the Messiah. Look at it in chapter 2 and verse 5. "Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus, in the Messiah Yeshua." Not only that for me my life is the Messiah, Christ, but I want to be like him.

What an amazing thing! You know, when you think about being like the Lord, there's no one that was like the Lord. What a man he was! From the day that he was born to the time he died, he gave glory to God. He gave pleasure to his Father. He was the joy of the heart of God. God was looking from heaven to see if there's anyone that does good. And what we read in scripture, not even one! And finally the Messiah came. He was born of the Virgin Miriam in the city of Bethlehem. And he lived a life that gave so much pleasure to God.

And so much blessing to the people of God. And God said, "This is my beloved son. Look at him. This is the one I want you to learn." Yeshua said, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 11. And Paul Shaul is saying, "I want you, brothers and sisters, I want myself to be like Yeshua, the Messiah." What a different it will be when we sometimes to our own shame, when we think about it, we are so far from where we need to be in our behavior, in our conduct, in our language, in our thought pattern. But that was the aim of the Apostle Paul.

That was the desire of Apostle Paul. So in chapter 1, his life was the Messiah. In chapter 2, he wanted to be like the Messiah. Listen to this. In chapter 3 and verse 10, the Apostle Paul wanted to know more of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah. He said, "That I may know him." You might say to Shaul Paul, "Paul, don't you know him already? You are in jail because of him. Because of the testimony for his name, you are in jail. What do you want to do more, Paul?" And He said, "Listen, I want to know more about him." He's talking about suffering and to identify with his resurrection and suffering and so on.

But, beloved brothers, it is him. It is Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, the Apostle Paul. Not only he said, "He's my life. I want to be like him, but I want to know more of him." What a wonderful testimony here we have. And listen to chapter 4. Not only that my life is in him, and I want to be like him, and I want to know him, but in chapter 4 and verse 13, I want to depend upon him, upon Christ, upon the Messiah. Look what he said in verse 13. "I can do all things through the Messiah which strengthened me." You know, sometimes things seem to be impossible in our lives.

We say, "I don't know how I'm going to handle this. Look at the situation I happen to be in my life. I don't know how I'm going to handle this. How I'm going to deal with this problem. Lord, help me." Shaul Paul said, "I can do everything. I can do all things, not with my own power, but through the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, who give me the needed strength for the day, for that moment." So chapter 1, my life is the Messiah. Chapter 2, I want to be like the Messiah. Chapter 3, I want to know the Messiah. Chapter 4, I depend on the Messiah. All is really centered in this epistle, this letter to the Philippians on the person and the work of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah.

So, he is the author, Paul. The location is prison in Rome. The reason for his writing is the necessity to have unity among the people of God, which we read in chapter 2, verse 2 to 4, and in chapter 4, verse 2 and 3. Now, fourthly, by way of introduction, what is the theme of this epistle? It's something that is prominent. As you can see, that is the major theme of the epistle, the letter. And I want to suggest to you, as many others have suggested, that the theme of the epistle to the Philippians is joy, is rejoicing. In fact, in Hebrew, we call it simcha. How many times we find ourselves so joyless?

Why is it the believers are so much joyless? And the theme of the Philippians is to encourage the believers to have joy and to have rejoicing. Look at what we read here in chapter 1 and verse 4. Always in every prayer of mine, I pray for you, making requests with joy. Notice verse 25. He says, And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. The Greek word for joy is cara, C-H-A-R-A. In English, the meaning is simply joy and rejoicing. Look at other verses. Chapter 2 and verse 2. Fulfill ye my joy. Look at verse 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy.

Look at just chapter 4. And here, there, you notice in verse 1, it says, Therefore, my beloved, my brethren, dearly beloved, and long for my joy and crown. And of course, the major theme of this verse found in verse 4 of Philippians chapter 4. Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say, rejoice. Now, again, how can a man who is in prison can say to the people who are free in their own local assembly, local city, have joy? And he might say they should write him a letter. But here's the apostle himself writing to those who are not in prison. And he's saying to them, brethren, rejoice in the Lord always.

And again, I say, rejoice. We read Nehemiah chapter 8. And in verse 10, how Nehemiah, the servant of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who came to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city of Jerusalem. Let me say, the joy of the Lord is your strength, is your koach, your strength. And it is amazing, the strength for the believer is coming after joy that comes to our life because of the work that the Lord has done for us. And our relationship with the Lord himself. The next thing, by way of introduction, what about the date in which this letter was written? You see, it had been said, when the apostle arrived to the city of Philippi, it was somewhere around 49, 50, 51 A.D.

Some 10 years later, he found himself in prison now in Rome. And in this time, the apostle is writing the letter to the Philippians at about 61, 62, 63 A.D. About 10 years later. He apparently had seen them earlier in between, but later on, from the first time that he had went to Philippi to the time that he is now writing this letter, about 10 years have passed by. And about 61, 62, 63 A.D., he's writing that letter. After 10 years that the Lord had used him to minister the gospel in a city of Philippi. Now, finally, beloved brothers and sisters, by way of introduction, you remember I read Acts chapter 16. And the reason that I read Acts chapter 16, because we want to know the background.

How did this local assembly in Philippi have began? Again, in Acts chapter 16, you find out that there was a Macedonian call. The northern part of Greece, Philippi was a city in the northern part of Macedonia. It says, we read here, that in verse 9, in a vision appeared to Paul in a night, in a night vision, there stood a man of Macedonia and he prayed. Him saying, "Come over unto Macedonia and help us." In other words, here is the Lord, allow Shaul Paul to see a vision. And in that vision, Paul sees a man from Macedonia and what is he saying to Paul, to Shaul? He says, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." In other words, the Holy Spirit of God knew this occasion to stir up the apostle Paul to have an understanding that now he is to go and present the message of the gospel in Macedonia.

It says in verse 10, "After he had seen a vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord has called us for to preach the gospel unto them." Paul understood by divine inspiration that the Lord is calling him now to shift direction and to go to Europe and to begin to share the gospel in an area that we know today as Europe. The first city will be really Philippi, in the area that is called Macedonia. And so in these verses, you notice that finally, they took sailing, verse 11. They loosed from Troas, we came straight course to Samothrachia, and then the next day unto Napolis.

And then notice in verse 12, "And from thence to Philippi." Philippi was a Roman colony, where many retired Roman soldiers have been in Philippi. It was a very large city, with a lot of activity going on there. And the first entrance to Europe by the apostle Paul was to this city that is called Philippi. "Apparently, it was a chief city," verse 12, "of that part of Macedonia, and a colony, and we were in a city abiding certain days." So what we learn here, beloved brothers and sisters, about 10 years prior to the writing of the epistle, Paul already had been in the city of Philippi. Now I want you to understand that the apostle Paul had three missionary journeys.

When he became a believer in Yeshua the Messiah, he had gone to the city of Antioch, this is in Syria. And from there he was commended to the ministry of the work of the Lord among the nations of the world. And so his first missionary journey began in Acts chapter 13 and verse 3 and ended in chapter 14 and verse 28. His second missionary journey began in Acts chapter 15 and verse 40 and ended in chapter 18 and verse 22. The apostle Paul had arrived to the place that is called Philippi. He had a third missionary journey in chapter 18 of the book of Acts, beginning in verse 23 and ended in chapter 21 and verse 17.

Three missionary journeys. In the first one he went to preach the message of the gospel. In the second one he went to build, encourage the believers and added another locality. And in the third missionary journey he went to establish the believers in the local assembly. He went to Philippi on his second missionary journey. And that's where we find ourselves in Acts chapter 16 where the apostle Paul had arrived to Philippi. So he had arrived to Philippi, that city in Macedonia. And I want you to notice that there were three incidents that he had experienced when he arrived to Philippi. The first thing I want you to notice that it's mentioned here in chapter 16 and verse 13 to verse 15.

He led a Jewish woman and other women and her family to the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. This woman's name is Lydia. It says that on a Shabbat day we went out of the city by the riverside where prayer was wont to be made. And we sat down and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul. And when she was baptized in her household, she besought us saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.

And she constrained us. Now I find it very interesting because you notice the first thing he does on a Shabbat day is going to share the message with the Jewish community. Now you will notice, whenever the Apostle Paul had gone to preach the message of the Gospel, he always lived by the principle that is found in Romans chapter 1 and verse 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of the Messiah. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believed, to the Jew first and also unto the Greek. Here is Paul practicing what he taught the Romans. I am not ashamed of the Gospel, I am not ashamed of the Gospel, I am going to share it.

And why am I going to share the Gospel? Because it is the power, it is God's dynamite unto salvation. And it is for everyone that believes. But he adds here, unto the Jew first and also unto the Greek. In other words, wherever he had gone, to any city he had gone, the first thing he does, he is ministering to the Jewish community. Well, apparently in the city of Philippi there was no synagogue. Why there was no synagogue? Because in order to have a synagogue you have to have ten men to make a minyan, to have a prayer group. Well, there is a custom that had been introduced already years ago.

That if there is no local synagogue, the Jewish people would go to the waterfront and there a prayer to the God of Israel will be made. And it is on a Shabbat day. And so in verse 13, he gone to the place where he intended to find some of the Jewish people there. So on a Shabbat day we went to the riverside, verse 13, where prayer was to be made. He understood, if I am going to find Jewish people and there is no local synagogue in this city, I will go to the riverside, to the waterfront. Where I know on a Shabbat day some who are Jewish and devoted to the God of Israel will come.

So he goes there and actually, beloved brothers and sisters, there are some Jewish women there. It is so beautiful to see God has his own people everywhere. And even though this woman by the name of Lydia and others were there, yet it is said that she worshipped God. In verse 14, she believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Her name was Lydia. She was a woman that was selling purple. Maybe she had a shop somewhere there. On Shabbat, she closed the shop. She went to the riverside to pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And lo and behold, who come? Another Jewish man by the name of Paul.

He come with Timothy, Silas, also apparently with Luke. And here they are sharing the gospel with these women at the waterfront. You know, it's amazing. You can preach. You can share the word of God everywhere. You don't have to go to a meeting. You can be on the beach and you can share the message of the gospel presenting Yeshua the Messiah. Now, it says in verse 14, she heard us and the Lord opened her heart and she attended to the thing that we said to her. You notice the progress. Faith comes by hearing, Romans 10, verse 17, hearing by the word of God. Paul and the others share the message with everyone there and Lydia heard the message and notice the Lord opened her heart.

You know, this is beautiful. We don't have any confidence in all our preaching unless God is opening the hearts of the people. We can preach and we can share the message, but unless the spirit of God opening the heart, all our preaching will be in vain. God uses his spirit and his word to open hearts. And not only did she heard, but the spirit of God touch her heart and her conscience and her heart was open. And your heart and mine, brothers and sisters, was open when we have heard the message of the gospel. And we have, by grace, God have opened our hearts and we have accepted Yeshua the Messiah.

Because just like Lydia did 2,000 years ago, here you and I today have accepted Yeshua the Messiah. We gave attendance under the things which have been spoken by Paul. Paul, let me see. You mean that Yeshua is this Messiah that was promised by Isaiah? Paul, you mean that this Jesus the Messiah was promised to our fathers? The brothers that Moshe spoke about him and Isaiah spoke about him and Daniel spoke about him. Is he the Messiah? And the Lord opened her heart. And Lydia have accepted. She attended to the things which she had heard. And Paul shared with her about the Messiah. And in fact, beloved brothers and sisters, she was the first individual that we read in the text that became a believer in Europe, a Jewish lady who was selling purple.

But yet she feared the God of Israel and she came to faith in Yeshua the Messiah. What do you think she did? Because it says in verse 15, immediately she was baptized. You know, some of us are going to get baptized. And when you think about that, when you believe in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, she wanted to identify with him in his rejection. By going into the water when she was baptized, she said, "I died with the Messiah." By being remained underneath the water, she said, "I am buried with my Messiah." By coming out from the water, she said, "I want to live in newness of life, to live for Yeshua the Messiah." She identified with him in baptism.

And if there is anyone here that hasn't been yet baptized, and you want to follow the Lord, I encourage you to take this step according to the Word of God. She didn't delay. She didn't wait six months, or six years, or sixty years. She took identification with the person of the Messiah who loved her and gave himself for her. And not only her, but her household who believed in the Messiah. And then notice this, beloved brothers and sisters. Once she had accepted Yeshua, she said, "I am going to use my home to become a place of meetings." Where the saints are going to gather. And it says, "She besought us, saying, if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there." And she constrained us.

If you will look at verse 40 of the same chapter. It says in Acts 16 verse 40, "And they went out of prison, and they entered into the house of Lydia." And when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and then they departed. You see, the house of Lydia was a place where the saints, the brothers and sisters, the Achim and Achayot, the believers in Yeshua the Messiah was gathered. Lydia, a Jewish woman who became a believer in Yeshua the Messiah, used her house for the blessing of the people of God. Now, I said that there were three incidents. In Acts chapter 16, let me quickly go over the other two.

In verse 16 of Acts 16 to verse 23, there was a second incident. And if you remember in this incident, there was a damsel of a woman that was possessed by spirit of divination. She was a magician, a witch. And this woman, when she had seen Paul and his company, she said, "These men are the servant of the Most High God, which show unto us the way of salvation." In other words, she proclaimed what she had heard, you might say, through this demon, through this evil spirit, about Paul and those that were with him. But you see, Paul did not want any demon to tell who he is and what does he do and how he served God.

He wanted it to be done by the power of the Spirit of God, not by an evil spirit. And so it says here in verse 18 that Paul did not appreciate that. Because it says, "And this she did many days." But Paul, being grieved, he turned aside to the Spirit. He said, "I commend thee in the name of Yeshua, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to come out of her." And he came out of her that very same hour. In fact, Paul did not speak to the woman, to this young damsel. He spoke directly to this evil spirit. And he said to him, "Come out from her." And he came out of her that very same moment.

Paul did not want any demons to tell about his ministry and the work because he knew it was not for the purpose of glorifying the Lord. And therefore, he told this spirit to come out of her. And even though she had a testimony, that was not testimony from the Lord. That was testimony from the devil, from men. And he didn't want to accept it. And therefore, he asked the spirit to be removed out of her. And because he had done that, beloved brothers and sisters, he was placed in prison. Because this woman brought great money to the people that sent her. And therefore, Paul was accused.

He said, "These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city." And they took Paul and Silas and they put them in prison. That was the second incident. And the third incident happened in prison. In Philippi, with the Philippian jailer. And with this, I'm going to close by way of introduction. When he was in prison, beloved brothers and sisters, we find that there was an earthquake there. Verse 25 and 26. While there was singing, there was an earthquake there. And then, what happened? There was singing at night. Can you imagine to sing in prison? You would think he would be weeping in prison, but he's singing in prison.

And so, we find in verse 26 that there was an earthquake and the foundation of the prison was shaken. And then, in verse 27 to 29, we find out that the jailer was fearful for his life, assuming that everyone in the jail in Philippi had ran out. So, he wanted to kill himself. And so, we read in verse 27. The keeper of the prison awakening out of sleep, seeing the prison doors open. And he drew up the sword and he would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. And then, look at this wonderful statement here, from verse 30 to 34. Here is the Philippian jailer came to know the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and became a believer.

And then, Paul said to him, notice it says in verse 29. He called for light, and he sprang, and he came, trembling, and he fell before Paul and Silas. Because Paul and Silas said to him in verse 28, "Don't do harm to yourself." And so, he came to Paul, and he said to Paul, and listen, and I hope every one of us came to that situation here in this meeting today. He came to Paul, and he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And Paul had to help him a little bit, because he thought that he needed to do something in order to be forgiven and be saved.

And Paul said to him, really, you don't need to do anything. What you need is to believe. The work had been done. The Mashiach, Yeshua, Jesus have already done the work on the tree. What must I do to be saved? And Paul gave him an answer, and look at his beloved brothers and sisters. This is happening in Philippi. He says, "Believe, O the Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, and you shall be saved." You, if you believe, and your house, if they will believe. You, if you believe Philippian jailer, if you only believe in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, you will be saved. And if your house will come to faith in him, also your house will be saved.

And so, he believed. Because they spoke with him the word of the Lord. And it says in verse 33 and 34, "The same hour at that night, he washed their stripes, and he was baptized." He and all his, apparently all his family came to faith in Yeshua, the Messiah. And then the jailer brought the apostle Paul and the rest of them to his own house. And you notice it says, "Believing in God with all his house," in verse 34. So here's how the assembly at Philippi began. A Jewish woman, by the name of Lydia, who came to know the Messiah. Then who knows those that have been affiliated with this damsel who were possessed by demons, by spirits, and then others that heard the message of the gospel by the apostle Paul, came to faith in the Messiah.

And also the Philippian jailer, who came to know Yeshua the Messiah. And together they formed, with many others, the local assembly that is called the assembly in Philippi. And to this local assembly, Shaul Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians, which just today we have given the introduction. Well, may the Lord bless us, brothers and sisters, as we continue in the study of the book of Philippians. But the theme of it is joy in our service, in our life for the Lord. May the Lord give us this joy as we continue to live for our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah.