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\u201cPaul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God\u2019s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ\u201d (Philippians 1:1-2).

Today, we begin a new series on Wilderness Wanderings. Pastor Anthony and I have decided to work through the book of Philippians with you. We will likely hit ever verse in this tightly packed letter to this New Testament church scattered throughout the city of Philippi.

Like most of Paul\u2019s letters, it begins by identifying the authors, the recipients of the letter, and a greeting. These opening elements were standard in ancient letter writing. However, Paul modifies them slightly. In the alterations to the norm, he gives us hints of the pressing issues which the letter will address.

Along with the names of the authors, we are given a descriptive phrase, \u2018servants of Christ Jesus\u2019. Such a descriptive phrase, though common in the apostle\u2019s letters, was not the norm in ancient days. The word servant is better translated as slave. His readers would notice the unmistakable overtones of humility and submission in this self-descriptive word. Paul is nearing the end of his life. He has served many years as an apostle, planted numerous churches, and in other letters heaped up his credentials, but here, in this letter, he willingly names himself a slave of Jesus Christ; nothing more.

Paul provides a model of the humility and concern for the interests of others that he will urge on the Philippians. Although Paul is God\u2019s apostle, set apart and called by him to his task (Rom. 1:2; Gal. 1:1, 15), and although Timothy is an approved co-worker with Paul in this important service (Phil. 2:22; cf. 1 Cor. 4:17), Paul refuses to mention these high qualifications in the letter\u2019s opening. He prefers instead to emphasize his and Timothy\u2019s common role as slaves of Christ Jesus. He is careful, on the other hand, to give the leaders of the Philippian church their appropriate titles of dignity. By constructing his greeting in this manner, he has, in a small way, showed concern not for his own interests but for the interests of others (cf. 2:4).

It sets the stage for the letter and stands as an example for the Christians and particularly for the \u2018overseers and deacons\u2019. Life in the church is not about advancement, it is not about the accruement of titles and honours. It was not then, and it should not be now. In the Christian Reformed Church, we used to talk about deacons as elders in training. That should not have been. Deacons and elders are the same in status, different only in role and gifting. And pastors have no greater status.

While singling out the leaders of the church, the overseers and deacons, Paul writes to all members of the church in the city. Most likely a loose network of house churches. His letter is to be received by all Christians. The encouragement and correction he will offer is for the whole church, not just the leaders.

He names the Christians \u201csaints\u201d, a term referring to their status as the people whom God has called out from among others and set apart. This title is rooted in Israel\u2019s identity as God\u2019s people in the Old Testament. It has nothing to do with our modern notion about being holier than others. Rather, it\u2019s a calling to live our lives according to the pattern laid out by Jesus and to live our lives empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The term saint reminds the Philippians that they are united with one another not by their own decision but by God\u2019s having chosen them out of all the peoples of the earth to be his treasured possession (cf. Ex. 19:5\u20136). We tend to miss this in our democratic society in which the individual has the ultimate choice. We get to choose which congregation to belong to. I suspect that such ideas were not known in the early church. They saw themselves as church because they had been brought together in Christ\u2019s blood. God now calls them to follow Christ together.

In his opening words, Paul stressed through his own example of humility and through his naming of the letter\u2019s recipients as \u201csaints\u201d both the importance of Christian unity and one critical means of achieving that unity\u2014placing the interests of others ahead of one\u2019s own.

The most effective way to achieve unity is not to demand that everyone agree but to look out for the interests of others, refusing to claim for ourselves the privileges that rightfully belong to us.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God, keeping your eyes on the humility of Christ Jesus:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you.

May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm.

May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you.

May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.