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     Blocked by the Spirit of God from going into Asia and Bithynia. Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia asking him to come to Macedonia and help the churches there. Confident that God had given direction, Paul sailed with Timothy and Luke from Troas on a second missionary journey. Philippi, in Macedonia, basked in the fact that it was also a Roman colony, which ensured its citizens all the benefits of Roman citizenship.

    As was his custom, when Paul reached a city, he sought out the Jews. Although there were not enough Jews living in Philippi to from a synagogue, the Jews met outside the gate by the river fro prayer on the Sabbath. Little did Paul realize that he would and up in prison, for God knew there was a Roman jailer and his family who needed Jesus.

    The events of that visit inaugurated the beginning of the church at Philippi, the church Paul addressed around the year A.D. 61 or 62.    

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How to Study Philippians (NASB)

1. Familiarize yourself with the message of Philippians by marking every reference to the author in one color and to the recipients in another. Look for the verses in chapters 1 and 4 that tell where Paul is as he writes.  

2. To understand the historical setting of Philippians, read Acts 15:35-17:1, which records Paul's first visit to Philippi. After his third missionary journey, Paul went to Jerusalem, where he was arrested. From there Paul was taken by a Roman guard to Cesarea, the Mediterranean seaport where the Roman consult often went to escape the heat and confines of Jerusalem. After remaining a prisoner in Cesarea for over two years, Paul, who  as a Roman citizen had appealed to Caesar, was sent to Rome, where he lived under house arrest. Read Acts 28:14-31 and note how long Paul remained a prisoner at Rome. How does this compare with where Paul was when he wrote Philippians?    

3. As you read Philippians chapter by chapter, do the following:

   1. Using the Observations Chart, record your insights about the author and the recipients of Philippians.

   2. In a distinctive way, mark in the text each key word (and its synonyms and pronouns) This will help you discover the themes (main subjects) of each chapter and of the book itself. Watch for other key words that are not listed but are used within each chapter.

   3. Make a list in you notebook of everything you learn from marking your key words.

   4.   List each of the instructions Paul gives to the Philippians saints on the chart Paul's Instructions to the Philippians. As you list these instructions, evaluate your life in the light of each one.

4. On the Structure of Philippians:

   1.  Fill in the theme for the book and each chapter.

   2. Under "Segment Division" record what you see to be Paul's example in each chapter.  Remember, in Philippians 3:17 Paul tells his readers to follow his example.

   3. In the next column under "Segment Divisions" write down what each chapter says about who or what Jesus Christ is in relation to the believer.

   4. For another segment division, record a command to believers that correlates with the them of each chapter.

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Application of Philippians

1. What have you learned from Philippians about your relationship to suffering as a Christian?  How is it going to affect the way you respond to suffering?

2. Can you say with Paul, "For to me , to live is Christ and to die is gain"? I you can't think about what has replaced Christ's rightful place in your life. 

3. What have you learned from Jesus' example that you can apply to you own life? Do you have the attitude of Christ toward God and others? Do you regard others as more important than yourself?

4. Do you allow you circumstances to affect your peace? What is keeping you from His peace?  After reading Philippians 4 do you see any way to handle life's anxieties?

5. What have you learned about your own needs and sharing with others in need?

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