Philippians Student Commentary
Philippians 1:1–11
Gospel Partnership, Prayer, and Growing Love
How to Use This Commentary
Go as deep as you’re ready to go.
Start by reading Philippians 1:1–11 in your Bible. Then choose how deeply you want to explore the passage.
The Big Idea
God is at work making us more like Jesus, and He calls us to grow and participate together in the mission of the gospel.
Philippians 1:1–11 at a Glance
PARTNER: Following Jesus isn’t a solo mission. God’s people participate together in the work of the gospel.
GROW: God doesn’t abandon the work He begins in His people. He continues shaping us as we follow Jesus.
PRAY: Paul doesn’t only care about the Philippians—he regularly brings them before God in prayer.
LOVE: Christian love should keep growing with knowledge and discernment.
BECOME: God is shaping His people into lives that increasingly reflect Jesus.
Let’s Understand the Passage
Now let’s slow down and see what Paul’s opening words teach us about following Jesus, growing together, and participating in the gospel.
Following Jesus Was Never Meant to Be a Solo Journey
Paul begins Philippians by writing to a church he knows and loves deeply.
These aren’t strangers.
Paul helped start the church in Philippi, and the believers there had continued to support him and participate with him in spreading the gospel.
When Paul thinks about these believers, he doesn’t simply think about people who attend the same church.
He thinks about people who have shared life and ministry with him.
They have become his partners in the gospel.
FOLLOWING JESUS IS PERSONAL.
BUT IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE DONE ALONE.
That’s one of the first things Philippians teaches us.
God is doing something in us.
And He invites us to participate in what He is doing through His people.
1. We Follow Jesus Together
Philippians 1:1–5
Paul begins the letter by thanking God for the Philippian believers.
When he remembers them, he remembers their partnership in the gospel.
That word matters.
The Philippians weren’t simply watching Paul do ministry.
They were participating.
They prayed.
They gave.
They served.
They supported the work of sharing Jesus with others.
They understood that the mission of Jesus wasn’t something only Paul was supposed to care about.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE THE PERSON ON THE STAGE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MISSION.
The same is true for you.
You don’t have to be a pastor.
You don’t have to be a missionary.
You don’t have to preach a sermon.
Every follower of Jesus can participate in the gospel.
You Can Participate By
PRAYING for someone who needs Jesus.
ENCOURAGING another Christian.
SERVING people around you.
GIVING to support gospel work.
INVITING someone to church.
TELLING someone what Jesus has done in your life.
Following Jesus is personal, but it isn’t private.
God places other believers around us so we can encourage one another, pray for one another, serve together, and help other people know Jesus.
Every follower of Jesus can be a gospel partner.
2. God Isn’t Finished With You
Philippians 1:6
Then Paul says something incredibly encouraging.
He is confident that the God who began a good work in the Philippians will continue His work in them.
Think about what that means.
When you trust Jesus, you don’t instantly become everything God wants you to be.
You are still growing.
You’ll have victories.
You’ll make mistakes.
You’ll learn things about God that you didn’t understand before.
You’ll discover attitudes that need to change.
You’ll recognize choices that don’t look like Jesus.
You’ll learn to trust Him in ways you haven’t had to trust Him before.
YOU ARE A WORK IN PROGRESS.
AND GOD IS STILL AT WORK.
Spiritual growth is a lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus.
That doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing.
Throughout Philippians, Paul will challenge these believers to obey Jesus and make real choices about how they live.
But our confidence isn’t simply in our ability to make ourselves better.
Our confidence is in the God who is at work in His people.
Don’t Miss This
God Works in Us as We Follow Him
Philippians 1:6 doesn’t mean Christians never need to obey, make difficult choices, turn away from sin, or take spiritual growth seriously.
It means our growth rests in something bigger than our own willpower. The God who saves His people continues working in His people as they follow Him.
God isn’t finished with you.
So keep following Jesus.
3. Growing Christians Learn to Love Like Jesus
Philippians 1:7–10
Paul doesn’t simply tell the Philippians that he cares about them.
He prays for them.
And notice what Paul prays.
He wants their love to keep growing.
But he isn’t talking about love based only on feelings.
Paul prays that their love will grow with knowledge and discernment.
What Does That Mean?
Discernment
Discernment means learning to recognize what is right, wise, and pleasing to God.
That’s important because every day you make decisions about how you’re going to live.
What should you watch?
What should you listen to?
How should you respond when someone annoys you?
What should you do when friends pressure you toward something wrong?
Which relationships are helping you follow Jesus?
What deserves your time and attention?
Following Jesus isn’t simply knowing a list of rules.
As you know Jesus better and understand God’s Word, you should become better at recognizing what honors Him.
THE MORE WE BECOME LIKE JESUS,
THE MORE HIS TRUTH SHOULD SHAPE HOW WE LOVE PEOPLE.
Christian love isn’t careless.
It isn’t simply agreeing with everything another person wants.
Growing love learns to recognize what is good and what honors God.
Growing love becomes wiser.
Growing love becomes more discerning.
Growing love increasingly looks like Jesus.
4. Keep Growing Until Jesus Returns
Philippians 1:10–11
Paul’s prayer looks beyond today.
He wants the Philippians to keep growing so that their lives will honor Christ all the way until the day of Christ.
In other words, Paul isn’t imagining spiritual growth as a short phase of life.
He wants them to keep following Jesus until Jesus returns.
That’s an important picture of the Christian life.
You haven’t arrived.
Paul hadn’t arrived.
The Philippians hadn’t arrived.
None of us have arrived.
Following Jesus means continuing to grow.
Keep Growing
LEARN His Word.
PRAY regularly.
OBEY what God teaches you.
LOVE people.
SERVE others.
CHOOSE what honors Jesus.
PARTICIPATE in His mission.
And through all of it, God continues His work in us.
Paul wants the Philippians’ lives to be filled with the fruit that comes through Jesus Christ.
The goal isn’t simply knowing more.
The goal is a life increasingly shaped by Jesus.
GOD STARTED THE WORK.
GOD IS CONTINUING THE WORK.
KEEP WALKING WITH HIM.
Make It Personal
God is at work in His people, and He has given us other believers so we can participate in His mission and grow together. Now think about where you are in that journey.
Put the Whole Passage Together
Philippians 1:1–11 gives us a picture of what the gospel begins creating in God’s people.
The gospel creates partnership. We follow Jesus and participate in His mission together.
The gospel produces growth. God continues working in us and making us more like Jesus.
The gospel changes how we love. Our love grows with knowledge and discernment.
The gospel changes how we pray. Growing followers of Jesus want to see other people grow too.
Christianity isn’t simply about attending something once a week.
God is forming a people who know Jesus, grow together, love wisely, pray for one another, and participate in His mission.
And the work isn’t finished yet.
GOD IS AT WORK.
WE ARE GROWING TOGETHER.
THE GOSPEL IS OUR MISSION.
Live It Out
Take Your Next Step
Following Jesus means growing personally while participating with other believers in God’s mission. Which of these is your next step?
GROW: What is one area where you can see God still changing you?
PARTNER: What is one way you can participate in the gospel instead of simply watching others serve?
PRAY: Who is one person you can regularly pray for to grow closer to Jesus?
Finish this sentence: “My next move this week is __________.”
Think About It
1. What do you think it means to be a “partner in the gospel”?
2. What are some ways a middle or high school student can participate in God’s mission right now?
3. Why is Philippians 1:6 encouraging when you recognize areas where you still need to grow?
4. Where can you already see ways God has changed you since you began following Jesus?
5. Why do you think Paul connects growing love with knowledge and discernment?
6. What would your youth group look like if everyone saw themselves as gospel partners instead of simply attenders?
Remember This
Following Jesus isn’t something we do alone. God is at work making us more like Jesus, and He has given us one another so we can grow, pray, love wisely, and participate together in His mission. God isn’t finished with you—so keep growing and keep following Jesus.