Tonight I completed writing the syllabus and schedule for my spring semester course. It's the exegesis of Philippians. The aim of the course is to help my students get to the heart of this great epistle and to challenge them to apply what they learn to their own lives. It's important not to let our studies become merely academic exercises. We guard against this by taking time to think through and discuss what we're learning so that what we discover works out in practice for us. I have been learning over and over again at how many points the book of Philippians addresses issues that are current in today's church. I can say without exaggeration that I long for its teaching about teamwork and the need for Christlike humility to be heard and heeded. Philippians is a joyful letter, but the Christian's joy is not dependent on circumstances but on the Lord of all circumstances who, when proved, is always found sufficient. May we, as did the earliest believers, regard him worthy of our devotion and serve him to the end.
