March 14 2026

Saturday March 14

A Church That Loved Their Pastor

Introduction to Philippians

Philippians 1:3-5 

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now”.

Today, as we continue to look at the introduction to the letter of Epistle to the Philippians from the Apostle Paul while he was in prison, we discover something very beautiful about the church at Philippi. Among all the churches that Paul helped establish, the Philippian believers seemed to have a particularly close relationship with him. There was a deep bond of love between Paul and this congregation.

As I think about what we’re talking about today—the love this church had for their pastor, the Apostle Paul, their founding pastor—it reminds me of something very personal in my own life. I’ve had the wonderful privilege of pastoring four different churches over the years. I can honestly say that every church made me feel greatly loved. The congregations extended wonderful love to us on many occasions. Even after we had been gone from them for years, they continued to extend that love and grace to us. That’s a wonderful, wonderful feeling and very encouraging for a pastor because, of course, there have been bumps in the road. There have been people in the churches who caused conflict, hurt, and pain. But my friend, I am so thankful—like the Apostle Paul—for churches that loved us, encouraged us, helped us along the way, and prayed for us.

That’s exactly what every church needs to do for their pastor: love them, care for them, encourage them, and support them. And that’s exactly what Paul experienced with the church at Philippi. In Philippians 1:3, Paul wrote, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Can you imagine that? Every time Paul thought about these believers, his heart was filled with gratitude to God. Then he goes on to say in verse 5, “Always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.” And then in verse 7 he says, “Because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.”

In other words, this church had been partners with Paul in the ministry of the gospel from the very beginning. Their love was not just expressed in words. When Paul speaks about them being “partakers with me of grace,” it seems very clear that they demonstrated their care in practical ways—especially through their financial support of his ministry. Now remember, the Apostle Paul often worked to support himself. In Acts 18:3, when he was in Corinth, he worked as a tentmaker. It was there that he met Aquila and Priscilla, who were also tentmakers, and the Bible says they were of the same trade, and they worked together.

But the church at Philippi was especially faithful in helping support his ministry. In Philippians 4:15, Paul says something remarkable. He reminds them that when he first left Macedonia—the northern region of Greece—no other church shared with him financially except them. He wrote, “Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.” Now this was not necessarily a wealthy church, but they gave generously to help Paul continue preaching the gospel.

Even while Paul was in prison, we read that a man named Epaphroditus brought a special gift to him from the church. In fact, part of the reason Paul wrote this letter was to thank them for their generosity and kindness. But their gift revealed something even deeper. It revealed their love for the apostle who had first brought them the message of Jesus Christ. This reminds us that the gospel has always been a partnership. Some people preach. Some go. Some send. Some support. But we should all pray and encourage one another. When God’s people work together like that, the message of Christ spreads much farther than any one person could take it alone.

The Philippian church understood this principle very well. Their generosity and faithfulness helped sustain Paul’s ministry and encouraged him during one of the most difficult seasons of his life. That is why the book of Philippians is filled with such warmth and affection. This is a grateful pastor writing to a generous and faithful church—thanking them and encouraging them.

My friend, I trust today that you will be part of a church like that yourself, and that you will be generous in your giving and in your love for your pastor and the leadership of your church.

God bless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day.