Reverend Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church, Kenya Assemblies of God
John 15:16
[16]You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
We make disciples not followers:
Jesus established the church and the gates of hell shall not prevail. The church is a fruit that last.
a. Poured out as a drink offering: Paul here alluded to a practice among both Jews and pagans in their sacrifices. They often poured out wine (or sometimes perfume) either beside (as in the Jewish practice) or upon (as in the pagan practice) an animal that was sacrificed to God or pagan gods.
This is the drink offering, which accompanied another sacrifice, that is mentioned in Numbers 15:4-5 and 28:7.
Numbers 15:4-5
4 then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah[a] of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin[b] of olive oil. 5 With each lamb for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.
Numbers 28:7
7 The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the Lord at the sanctuary.
I am being poured out is in the present tense. With this Paul indicated the possibility that his execution may be imminent.
I am glad and rejoice… you also be glad and rejoice with me: Paul looked forward to what might be his imminent martyrdom, and expected the Philippians to be glad and rejoice with him. Paul wasn’t being morbid here, asking the Philippians to take joy in something as depressing as his death. Yet he did ask the Philippians to see his death as something that would bring glory to God. This is a theme repeated from Philippians 1:20
Philippians 1:20-21
[20]I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
[21]For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Paul’s life was going to be a sacrifice for Jesus Christ, either in life or in death. This was a source of gladness and joy for Paul, and he wants the Philippians to adopt the same attitude.
Again, we come to the consistent theme of Philippians: joy. But this is joy based not on circumstances (quite the opposite, really), but based in the fact of a life totally committed to Jesus Christ.
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