Essentials for Growth in Godliness (Philippians 1:9-11)
This sermon delves into the heart of Christian growth, exploring the profound importance of prayer and love. It unpacks the Apostle Paul's earnest desire for believers to mature spiritually and the core elements required for that journey.
This sermon explores Paul's deep passion for the spiritual growth of believers, revealing how prayer is a compulsion of the Spirit, not just a duty. It then introduces love as the first and most essential element for godliness, describing it as divine, decisive, dynamic, deep, and discerning.
Overview
The sermon begins by highlighting the Apostle Paul's consistent concern for the spiritual maturity of believers, referencing his letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, and Colossians, and echoed by Peter. This passion for spiritual development is evident not only in Paul's teaching but profoundly in his prayer life, which consistently focuses on the spiritual progress of the people he ministered to, rather than physical needs or generic church success.
The preacher explains that prayer should be understood as both a duty and a deep, internal compulsion. While scriptures enjoin believers to pray, true spirituality is measured less by adherence to this duty and more by an inner drive to pray, generated by the Spirit. A cold heart, focused on self-needs, cannot truly engage in compelled prayer.
Paul's prayer in Philippians 1:9-11 outlines five essentials for growth in godliness, starting with love. This sermon delves into the first essential, defining it through a series of characteristics: it is divine love, given by God; de facto, already present in believers; and decisive, a choice of the will rather than a mere emotion or attraction.
Furthermore, this love is dynamic, meant to abound "more and more," requiring continuous cultivation. It is deep, anchored by conviction and controlled by real knowledge—God's truth, rather than unregulated impulse. Finally, it is discerning, marked by moral perception and insight, ensuring that love is wisely applied to meet needs and is never blind.
Key points
- Paul consistently prayed for the spiritual progress and maturity of believers, a passion evident throughout his New Testament letters.
- Prayer is both a spiritual duty enjoined upon believers and, more deeply, an internal compulsion generated by the Holy Spirit.
- True spirituality is measured by the internal passion and compulsion to pray, reflecting a heart's deep longings for God's Kingdom.
- The first of five essentials for spiritual growth, as prayed for by Paul in Philippians 1:9, is love.
- This biblical love is divine (from God), de facto (present in every believer), and decisive (a choice of the will, not just emotion).
- Biblical love is dynamic, meant to continually grow and abound, and deep, always controlled by real knowledge and truth from Scripture.
- It is also discerning, meaning it possesses moral perception and insight to apply truth practically and wisely, without being blind.
In John MacArthur's words
“The measure of a person’s spirituality is not how well they conform to the demand to pray, but how internally compelled they are to pray, simply because their passion for others in God’s Kingdom is so strong.”
“All the calls to the duty of prayer cannot overcome a cold heart.”
“Love is an action. Love is a series of actions. It is not a static attitude. It is what you do, not what you feel.”
Outline
- I. Paul’s Passion for Spiritual Growth (Philippians 1:9-11)
- A. His Desire for Maturity (Galatians 4:19, Ephesians 4:13, Colossians 1:28, 2 Peter 3:18)
- B. His Prayer Life Reflects This Passion
- 1. Ephesians 1:15-19
- 2. Ephesians 3:14-20
- 3. Colossians 1:10
- 4. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
- 5. 2 Timothy 1:3
- 6. Philemon 1:4
- II. Prayer as Duty and Compulsion
- A. Prayer as a Duty (Philippians 4:6, Romans 12:12, Luke 18:1, 1 Peter 4:7)
- B. Prayer as a Compulsion (Psalms 55, 61:1, 119:58, 119:145, Acts 9:11, Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6, 1 Thessalonians 3:10, 1 Timothy 5:5)
- C. The Measure of Spirituality
- III. Essentials for Growth in Godliness (Philippians 1:9-11)
- A. Introduction to the Five Essentials (Love, Excellence, Integrity, Good Works, Glory)
- B. Essential #1: Love (Philippians 1:9)
- 1. Divine Love (Romans 5:5, Galatians 5)
- 2. De Facto Love (1 John 3:14)
- 3. Decisive Love (agapē) (John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 13, Romans 13:8-10)
- 4. Dynamic Love (perisseuō) (Ephesians 4, Ephesians 5:1-2)
- 5. Deep Love (controlled by real knowledge/truth) (Ephesians 5:2-3, 1 Peter 1:22)
- 6. Discerning Love (aisthēsis)
- 7. The Need for Outward Love (The "marasmus" illustration)
Scripture references
- Philippians 1:9-11
- Galatians 4:19
- Ephesians 4:13
- Ephesians 4:15
- Colossians 1:28
- 2 Peter 3:18
- Ephesians 1:15
- Ephesians 1:15-19
- Ephesians 3:14
- Ephesians 3:16
- Ephesians 3:14-20
- Colossians 1:10
- 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
- 2 Timothy 1:3
- Philemon 1:4
- Philippians 4:6
- Romans 12:12
- Luke 18:1
- 1 Peter 4:7
- Psalm 55
- Psalm 61:1
- Psalm 119:58
- Psalm 119:145
- Acts 9:11
- Romans 8:15
- Galatians 4:6
- 1 Thessalonians 3:10
- 1 Timothy 5:5
- 1 Corinthians 13
- Colossians 3:14
- John 13:34
- John 13:35
- Romans 5:5
- Galatians 5
- 1 John 3:14
- Romans 13:8
- Romans 13:8-10
- Ephesians 5:1
- Ephesians 5:2
- Ephesians 5:3
- 1 Peter 1:22
- John 7
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.
145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep thy statutes.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand.
Insights
Spiritual growth is often the deep passion of a leader's heart.
True prayer flows from an internal compulsion, not merely a duty.
A cold heart cannot be warmed by external commands to pray.
Questions & answers
What was Paul's primary concern for believers, as seen in his prayers?
Paul's primary concern was the continual spiritual progress and maturity of believers, desiring that Christ be formed in them and that they grow to the measure of Christ's fullness. This passion is consistently reflected in the content of his prayers for various churches.
How does the sermon differentiate between prayer as 'duty' and 'compulsion'?
Prayer as a duty refers to the biblical commands to pray. Prayer as a compulsion, however, arises from an internal passion and deep longing of a Spirit-filled heart, demonstrating true spirituality rather than mere external conformity.
What is the first essential for growth in godliness that Paul prays for in Philippians 1:9?
The first essential for growth in godliness is love. The sermon explains this love as the most critical virtue, surpassing faith and hope, and foundational for all other spiritual development.
What does it mean for biblical love to be 'decisive'?
Decisive love (agapē) is a love of choice and will, rather than an emotion or attraction. It is a conscious decision to love others, even the unlovely or enemies, through sacrificial action and service.
Why does biblical love need to abound 'in real knowledge and all discernment'?
Biblical love is not an unregulated impulse but is controlled and confined by God's truth, or 'real knowledge.' It requires discernment, which is moral perception and insight, to apply that truth practically and wisely, preventing it from doing harm.
How does the sermon argue that love fulfills the whole law?
The sermon states that if one truly loves, they fulfill the entire law, as seen in Romans 13:8. If you love people, you will not kill, covet, or act against their good, because your actions are driven by their well-being and needs.
Flashcards
Turn your pastor's sermon into notes like this
Record at church or paste a YouTube link. Sermon Notes gives you summaries, scriptures, flashcards, and a daily devotional from your own sermons.
More from John MacArthur
Related on similar themes
Source
Unofficial AI summary for study purposes. Watch the full sermon on Grace to You. Sermon Insights is not affiliated with or endorsed by the pastor or church.