Selfless Love

 

The word “selfless” is ______________ throughout the book of Philippians.

Though the bar of selflessness is _____________, that is not an excuse to _____________.

For the follower of Jesus, the prize is not to ____________ the bar or _____________ the standard…the prize is to embark on the ______________.

Are you on the journey of _______________ love?

Philippians 1:1-11

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons^[a]:

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸ God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

What Does Selfless Love Look Like?

1.  Selfless love keeps _______________ close.

            Paul was _______________ and ______________ thinking of        the Philippians.

            Pity parties have very ______________ guest lists.

            Are you trying to keep others ______________?

2.  Selfless love is not ___________________ on circumstances.

            Jesus never said, “Love  your neighbor _____________…”

3.  Selfless love is _______________ in Jesus Christ.  (vs 8) God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

            Jesus Christ is the perfect ________________ of selfless         love…and the perfect _______________ of selfless love.

            Jesus often said, “Love your neighbor ____________…”

            The selfless love of Jesus is _______________ to each of        us.

4.  Selfless love is ________________ by the best for others.  (vs 9-11)

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

            Being in prison was hardly ___________ for Paul but it        was ___________ for the guards and ____________ for the            glory of God.

            Key:  ______________ knows best.

            It is difficult not to evaluate actions on what we think     is best for us or others…but we’re not ________________            to know what is “best”.

            ______________ in the truth that God knows ___________.