Together in Partnerships – Philippians
Together in Partnership
Together Church | Brandon & Jerry
February 1, 2026 | Series: Philippians
INTRODUCTION
Some of the richest truths in the Bible are unearthed when we identify and unpack central themes.
The theme of PARTNERSHIP is prevalent in Paul’s letter to Philippi and in every aspect of his relationship with the Philippian church.
Watch how Paul greets the church and then IMMEDIATELY begins to express his gratitude for this church and the partnership they have shared…
Philippians 1:1-5
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
By the time Paul wrote these words in Philippians 1, he was writing from prison (most likely in Rome). Those first days were now a long time ago.
But even in chains, Paul drew comfort and joy as he reflected on his partnership in the gospel with this church: from the very first days until now, and so many times in between.
What characterized this partnership? Why so much joy?
You’ve got your Bible open to Acts 16. It’s stacked!
The background in Acts 16 really paints a picture of the “first days” of partnership Paul shared with this local church.
Give it a quick glance…
The establishment of Paul’s partnership with Timothy
The vision from the Holy Spirit of a Macedonian man calling for help
The story of Paul’s partnership with Lydia, seller of purple goods
A slave girl delivered of demonic oppression by Paul & his companions
Paul & Silas singing together in jail
The conversation & baptism of the Philippian jailer & his family
Those are some powerful stories! And they all shed light on the nature of Paul’s relationship with the Philippian church and the partnership they shared.
Before we go any further in Paul’s epistle to the Philippian church, let’s learn a little bit about the city of Philippi and the church in that city from Acts 16 and from history…
Philippi was….
- A city that was a strategic Roman colony
Philippi was located in Macedonia, on the Via Egnatia (Egg na tee ah), the major east–west Roman highway.
History tells us it was rebuilt and repopulated by Caesar Augustus as a Roman colony after the Battle of Philippi (42 BC).
Colonies were considered “little Romes”—full of retired soldiers: loyal to the emperor and proud of their Roman citizenship.
Latin was common, Roman (Hellenistic) customs dominated, and the city enjoyed special legal privileges.
Philippi was…
- A city with few Jews
Unlike certain cities we looked at in our sermon series last year, like Thessalonica or Corinth, Philippi had no synagogue.
Acts 16 (verse 13) shows Paul going to a place of prayer by the river, which indicates fewer than ten Jewish men lived there (the establishment of a synagogue required at least ten Jewish men).
Philippi was…
- A city where the first church was planted in Europe
Paul was on his second missionary journey.
After recruiting Timothy (Acts 16:1-5), Paul originally planned to go elsewhere, but the Spirit redirected him. In verses 7-9, Paul saw a vision of a Macedonian man pleading, “Come over and help us.” Through partnership with the Holy Spirit, God redirected Paul and his companions into Europe and to Philippi.
Shortly after they arrived, another important partnership was quickly established. Acts 16:14 reveals that the most significant conversion for the establishment of a new church in Philippi was a woman. Her name was Lydia; a wealthy business woman and a seller of purple goods. She is the first recorded convert in Europe. And in verse 15, we learn that her home became the first meeting place of the Philippian church.
Philippi was…
- A city where the church was persecuted.
In Acts 16 (verses 14-24), Paul delivered a slave girl from an evil spirit that enabled her to know things about people and their future. She was making her owners a lot of money from people who were soliciting her assistance. She lost that ability after Paul delivered her from that evil spirit. This angered her owners because they lost their profit, and they made false accusations to the authorities about Paul and Silas.
What follows is the famous story of Paul and Silas being beaten and thrown into the inner jail (Acts 16:25-34). Paul and Silas were heavily persecuted, beaten and imprisoned for Christ.
So, Philippi was city where the church was heavily persecuted, but!…
Philippi was also…
- A city where the church prospered due to persecution.
This persecution of Paul and Silas led to the conversion and baptism of the Philippian jailer and his entire family and the formation of a deeply loyal and generous church. Paul and his companions’ departure is recorded in Acts 16:35-40, and in verse 40 we read…
Acts 16:40
So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
This wasn’t the last time Paul would visit Philippi. There were likely multiple return visits, and another visit is explicitly mentioned in Acts 20. Not only that, but the letter of Philippians itself is evidence of the ongoing affection and partnership Paul shared with this local church.
Paul may not have physically remained in Philippi, but from those first days until the very end…
Philippi was…
- A city where the church was proven and became one of Paul’s most supportive partners.
The Philippian church sent financial support in partnership with Paul on multiple occasions (Phil. 4:15–16; 2 Cor. 11:9).
The Philippian church also sent Epaphroditus (E – Pa – Fra – Ditus) to care for Paul while he was in prison (Phil. 2:25–30).
The Philippian church was also a constant source of encouragement to Paul because he knew they were also standing boldly for the gospel in persecution and in chains (Phil. 1:29-30).
In his letter, Paul speaks to them with unusual warmth—no major rebukes, just gratitude, encouragement, and commendation for their partnership in the gospel.
Now, think about this background: What do you notice?
This was not an easy environment!
Based on the dynamics of this city, it seems this would have been one of the most unlikely places for Paul to find meaningful partnership in the gospel.
But it’s like the Holy Spirit went before Paul and highlighted person after person to partner with him.
Let’s face it…
We all need a church and partnerships like the Philippian church!
We all need:
- People who will stand with us through trials and adversity.
- Partnerships that provide companionship and support.
- Fellowship that edifies and strengthens our walk with Christ.
- Friendships where we experience grace and love.
- Examples that show us how to stand for Christ.
- Teamwork that makes us better and more fruitful for the Kingdom.
It is not good for man to be alone. To fulfill God’s purpose for our lives, we all need partnerships like we see in the Philippian church!
And here’s the truth…
As surely as the right partnerships will drastically improve and transform our lives, the WRONG partnerships will destroy us.
Just think about how RIGHT or how TERRIBLY WRONG things can go based solely on whether or not you established the right or wrong partnerships!
How important is it to you that you…
- Marry the right person?
Rachael and I talk about this all the time and how fortunate we feel that we established the right marriage partnership. We were only 18 and 19 years old when we got engaged!
What did we know about choosing the right marriage partner and how devastating it could be to choose the wrong partner at that age? We feel we knew so little!
No question, we’ve needed a lot of sanctification and spiritual maturing in our 20 years of marriage – but we are so glad that, at the core, we married someone who is the right partner in the gospel.
Our friendship with Jerry and Saundra and knowing their story of their spouses passing and getting remarried has made Rachael and I really think. It would be terrifying to us to remarry because now we really understand how much marriage partnership changes your life!
Jerry and Saundra nailed it. They found the right partner in the gospel.
What I’m saying might be causing some of you to think you married the wrong partner. If you feel that way, let me remind you that our God redeems. Your part would not be to change your partner! In 1 Corinthians 7, God instructs believers who are married to unbelievers to stay married to them and to be a witness for Christ!
Your part would not be to change them or make them a better partner; your part is to be the right partner and God’s witness to them.
No matter how you slice it, entering a marriage partnership can either be really wonderful or really terrible based on the partner you chose! That’s why the Bible can say both…
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing”
AND
“It is better to live in your attic that in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.”
But this isn’t only true in marriage…
How important is it that you…
- Choose the right friends?
I personally know someone who spent several years in prison just because he chose the wrong friends.
He didn’t know his friends were going to commit a crime, but he was driving the car. He was arrested, tried, convicted, and served multiple years in prison… all because he partnered with the wrong friends.
The Bible says a companion of fools is unwise.
But it also says as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Choosing the right friends isn’t just critical for not being guilty by association. Studies agree that our friends have tremendous influence in our lives. Your friendships will significantly shape how you think, the way you live, and what you believe.
It’s critical to choose the right friends. But not just friends…
How important is it that you…
- Choose the right counselors?
We live in a day and age where therapy and counseling are the norm. And even if you don’t see a therapist, you are still choosing counselors by the books you read, the Podcasts you listen to, the influencers you follow, the mentors you select, and the friends you listen to.
Some are even choosing AI, YouTube, and Google as counselors.
I know a couple that is totally estranged from every person in their family – all because they chose to listen to the wrong counselors.
I know people who have married the wrong people because they chose the wrong counselors.
I know people who have made devastating financial decisions because they chose the wrong counselors.
These decisions become critical when we understand partnership.
Here’s the bottom line…
For better or worse, your future will be largely determined by the partnerships you choose.
That’s what’s at stake.
So, when making decisions of this magnitude, where do we begin?
Let’s start at the beginning, with four short phrases in Paul’s opening two verses in his letter to the Philippian church: (NKJV “bondservant”)
Philippians 1:1-2
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What does Paul’s opening verses reveal about the framework great partnerships? It reveals…
The right partnerships are formed between…
- Partners who are bondservants of Jesus Christ
- Partners who view each other as saints
- Partners who are under biblical leadership
- Partners who operate in the grace and peace of God
Consider these.
- First, the right partnerships are formed with partners who are bondservants of Jesus Christ.
Do you want to be partnered with someone who isn’t a bondservant of Jesus Christ?
What is a bondservant?
A bondservant is someone who:
- Belongs to another
- Lives under the authority of a master
- Serves with loyalty and obedience
- Identifies their purpose in the will of their master
In the New Testament, Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John all call themselves “bondservants of Jesus Christ” in their letters.
When they do that, they are declaring:
“My life is not my own. I belong entirely to Christ.”
Paul did not consider his life to be his own. The members of the Philippian church did not consider their lives to be their own. They were great partners together because they were bondservants of Jesus Christ.
I don’t want to be in partnership with anyone who is controlled by their own passions, whims, desires, and emotions; and I don’t want to partner with someone who is self-serving. I want to partner with those who consider themselves to be bondservants of Jesus Christ!
And if I’m going to find partners like that, I know it starts with me – I must consider myself a bondservant of Jesus Christ.
So, great partnerships are formed between people who all consider themselves to be bondservants of Jesus Christ. And…
- Great partnerships are formed between partners who view each other as saints.
What is a saint?
In Paul’s letters, a saint is not a spiritual elite, a miracle‑worker, or a special class of Christian.
- A saint is every believer in Jesus Christ, who has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and cleansed from their sins.
- A saint is every believer who is a new creation in Christ and who has received a new identity in Christ.
To view each other as saints means to stop defining yourself or your brothers and sisters in Christ according to the flesh and start defining one another by who we are in the Spirit.
Paul wasn’t viewing Lydia and the Philippian jailer and other believers in Philippi according to their old identities anymore… Paul saw them as saints and as members of God’s household!
The way Paul and the members of the church in Philippi viewed one another made it possible for them to be excellent partners in the gospel.
We will never relate to one another in the right spirit of love, with the right dignity, and with honor if we do not see one another as saints!
It is way too common for church folk to treat each other poorly instead of as saints, especially when we are dealing with sin.
Too often, we either we stand in judgement and look down on those who have fallen into sin, or we ignore their sin altogether instead of reproving them and building them up in love.
But we wouldn’t do that if we saw each other as saints.
When a saint falls into sin, the most powerful words that we can use to call people back to holiness are, “Brother or sister, the sin you have committed is not who you are.”
I don’t need your help being under condemnation. I do a good enough job putting myself in condemnation.
I need your help to get out from under condemnation by remembering that I am not defined by my sin or my flesh; the truest thing about me is what God says about me. And I am a saint!
The best partnerships are shared between those who no longer view one another according to who they were apart from Christ – and who are now relating to each other as saints.
- And the right partnerships are also established between those who are mutually submitting to biblical leadership.
Paul addresses this letter to the “saints” in Philippi along with the “bishops and deacons.” God has given “bishops and deacons” to provide spiritual authority in the church.
When it comes to choosing partnerships, I am extremely cautious and critical of anyone who refuses to put themselves under or work under these God-given authorities.
The sheer volume of material in the New Testament about spiritual leadership in the church is incredible. These passages help us know…
- The roles of these leaders
- The qualifications of these leaders
- The way these leaders ought to lead
- How God’s people should submit to God by following these leaders
Entire sermons can and will be preached on this. But what we need to understand today is simple…
- God has given elders, bishops, pastors, to set the example, exercise oversight, and to lead the church to meet the spiritual needs of the church.
- And God has given deacons to set the example and lead the church to meet the physical needs of the church.
Together Church is blessed to have a plurality of elders and a body of deacons full of qualified men to serve the Lord and provide this leadership.
God knows we need biblical leadership, and His Word defines it and prescribes it. The partnership Paul shared with Philippi was predicated upon a mutual agreement and submission to biblical leadership.
When it comes to partnerships, I am incredibly skeptical of anyone who professes Christ but refuses to work as a team under biblical leadership. I don’t want a partnership with anyone who disregards God’s authority.
- Lastly, great partnerships are formed between believers who live in the grace and peace of God.
Receiving God’s grace and peace is not a onetime event that only occurs at the moment we are saved.
Certainly, we are only saved by God’s grace and we receive His peace.
But every believer must continue in the grace and peace of God.
I don’t want to be partnered with anyone who is not walking in God’s grace and peace.
- God’s grace is the power and desire He gives us to do God’s will.
Paul and the Philippian church were depending on God’s power and shared a common desire to do God’s will. That made them excellent partners in the gospel.
Great partnerships are impossible when believers are unequally yoked: joined together with someone who does not depend on God’s power and does not share a desire to do God’s will.
- God’s peace is the result of seeing life from God’s perspective.
Those who view life from a worldly perspective and their own point of view do not share God’s peace. They are constantly tossed around by the winds and waves.
Great partnerships are shared between believers who operate in peace because they are constantly working to see things from God’s perspective.
Remember, both Paul and the Philippian church stood firmly together in gospel partnership – even under heavy persecution. They were only reliable partners because they were living and operating in God’s grace and peace.
Life is too hard. The calling of God too great. I don’t want to be partnered with anyone who is operating outside God’s grace and peace.
CONCLUSION
So, there you have it.
What are great partnerships in the gospel made of?
The right partnerships are formed between…
- Partners who are bondservants of Jesus Christ
- Partners who view each other as saints
- Partners who are under biblical leadership
- Partners who operate in the grace and peace of God
Let me ask you…
Have you been intentional to establish the right partnerships in your life?
Show me your partnerships today and the kind of partner you’re being to others and I’ll tell you the trajectory your life is headed.
For better or worse, your future will be determined by your partnerships.
And your choices in partnerships won’t just impact you… it will impact everyone you are in relationship with and everyone who loves you.
INVITATION
Based on this message, how do you need to be intentional in a partnership right now?
I’m not asking you, you ask the Lord. Would you bow your head in prayer as I lead you to consider your response to God this morning?
Ask the Lord…
Is there a partnership I need to end?
- Perhaps it is a dating relationship you know doesn’t please God.
- Or a shift in friendships and who you spend the most time with.
- Maybe it started as you witnessing to them!
- But you know you are being influenced by them more than the other way around.
- Maybe the Lord has already been showing you there is a group you’re part of that you need to distance yourself from.
- Or you’re listening to the wrong voices and need to cut out…
- A certain counselor or adviser
- Certain books
- A Podcast or show
- Any other voice that isn’t leading you to Christ
Ask the Lord: “Is there a partnership I need to end?”
And ask Him,
Is there a new partnership I need to begin?
- Maybe it’s the RIGHT dating relationship with the right partner for marriage.
- Or the right group of friends that will point you to Christ.
- Is there someone you need to ask to disciple you?
- Or someone you should ask if you can disciple them?
- Is right now the time to take the step and join a small group?
- A place where God will highlight new partnerships.
- A place to practice partnership in the gospel as you work together to love one another, reach the lost, and make disciples of Jesus.
- Or maybe you know you need to come under biblical authority and join Together Church.
- The only people who are under the spiritual authority of our elders and deacons are those who have willingly placed themselves under our authority by joining our church.
- Is it time to move from simply attending weekend services to joining yourself as a member of this local body?
Ask the Lord: “Is there a partnership I need to begin?”
PRAY
TAKE ACTION:
- Partnership to end? Tell someone! Follow through.
- Partnership to begin? Take the step now (Connect Card)