Pastoral Wisdom for Common Problems in the church (Philippians 4:2-9)

Problems in the church

Watchman Nee was a church leader and Christian in China during the 20th century. He initiated church meetings in Fuzhou that are considered the beginning of local churches, and he published many books expounding the Bible. He was persecuted and imprisoned for his faith, but still established many churches throughout China. Nee knew the dynamics of church life, and he once said,

 5   God’s children should learn to rid the church of problems, not to add problems to the church.

Watchman Nee

Not I But Christ (1948)

Watchman Nee

Nee understood, as well as many of you, when sinners gather together, even redeemed ones, at time there will be problems. We are all at different stages of our walk with Christ and all of us have different personalities. Relationships are hard to manage on a good day. On top of that, there is the everyday grind of life that allows issues to creep up. One commentator was tempted to name the title of his sermon for this passage “Stuff Christians deal with,” because of how Paul, in our text addresses common problems we face; conflict, anxiety, discouragement, bad thinking and practice.

Today, Paul offers us five pieces pastoral wisdom to pursue for dealing with problems that usually revolve around relationships or circumstances you find in the church, community, and home.

Pursue like-mindedness with each other (Phil 4:2-3)

Philippians 4:2–3 CSB

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.

Paul mentions the two women by name. Some argue he does this because they hold leadership positions in the church. There is no evidence of this, and Paul has clearly defined a woman’s role in the church in his letters to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 14:33-35) and to Timothy (1 Timothy 2:9-15). What is likely happening here is he knows these two women. Furthermore, he’s not taking sides on the issues but is shedding light on the reality that their disagreement is a serious issue for the church. He urges them both by name to agree in the Lord. That is, agree as two sisters under the sovereign Lordship of Jesus. To agree in the Lord is to have the same things in mind; like-mindedness in the Lord.

What is disrupting their like-mindedness? It is some kind of conflict or disagreement. We do not know exactly what was going on, but were they struggling with selfish ambition or conceit (Phil 2:3)? Where they only thinking of themselves (Phil 2:3)? Whenever there is conflict like this we know emotions are high when the heart is stirred to anger. How do you pursue like-mindedness when you disagree with each other? What is Paul’s solution? What is the process he invokes toward these two women? The solution requires three steps.

Resolve to have the same mind (v2).

To agree in the Lord is to live in harmony. The term denotes a shared mind-set, involving the “aim, direction, and orientation of their behaviour.” The aim and direction of their behavior is to agree and be unified. These two women are going to have to take on the mind of Jesus, who for the sake of his church, laid down rights as the Son of God (Phil 2:5-10). When conflict arises, take up your cross and follow Jesus, having his mind and heart toward your brother or sister in Christ, the same mind and heart Jesus as toward you.

The beautiful seal of the Moravian Church features a lamb, encircled by the Latin words:

Noster Agnus Vincit; Sequamur Eum.

Our Lamb Has Conquered; Let Us Follow Him.

Resolve to follow Jesus in pursuing like-mindedness with the person you disagree. It will be hard and sacrificial, but good in the end.

Request a mediator (v3)

In verse 3, Paul speaks to someone who is a true partner in the faith. The word partner means yokefellow. It describes just as it sounds; tow people who work side by side. We are sure if Paul is speaking of one particular person or to the entire church. The point is when conflict escalates to the degree it threatens the unity of the church, a peacekeeper needs to intervene. It has been my experience that this aspect of church life rubs the Western church the wrong way. We take the, “Its none of your business” approach to intervention. This is not how Jesus describes the relationships inside the church, especially regarding conflict.

Paul admonishes the Corinthians for taking their grievances to a secular court of law. He says such issues should de dealt with inside the church by wise brothers and sisters (1 Cor 6:1-8 ). In the context of conflict, Jesus clearly says in Matthew 18:16

Matthew 18:16 (ESV)

16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

What is the mediator to do? They are to help. “Help” (sullambano) is a strong, active word in the Greek, meaning “to seize, to grasp, to apprehend.” It can also mean “to arrest, to capture, to take hold of.” This word was used for the arrest of Jesus Christ by the Roman soldiers (Mark 14:48). It was also used of the arrest of Peter, when he was arrested and imprisoned (Acts 12:3). The mediator is to have a sense of authority on the one hand and discernment on the other. The mediator needs to be able to take hold of this situation and usher in peace between the two in conflict. (Lawson, Steven J. 2017. Philippians for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company.)

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Pursue peace in the church by being ready to mediate conflict. Do not let your brothers and sisters become bitter in anger. Be ready to mediate peace, and be humble enough to request one.

Reconcile for the gospel’s sake (v3)

Finally, the goal is reconciliation. Conflict in the church must always be reconciled. If conflict continues, it hinders the gospel from reaching the lost and the church from flourishing. These were two sisters in Christ whose names were written in the Lambs Book of Life. When these women were agreeable, they were laborers with Paul and Clement in sowing the gospel. They were focused on joyfully advancing the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus in the church, community, and home. They were involved in fruitful ministry to the poor and to Paul’s mission trips.

When conflict arises in the church the mission of God surrenders to the wayside. We become focused on the disagreement more than the Great Commission. We even tend to pull back and separate ourselves from the body and life of the church. No Christian flourishes when they separate themselves from the flock. Furthermore, the world mocks the church when the conflict spills over into the community. That is what Paul was so grieved with the Corinthian church (1 Cor 6:1-8). It brings shame on the church and on Christ.

As a point of application I must ask:

Are in conflict with anyone on the church? Are resolved to be like-minded with Christ and the brother or sister in conflict? If your not in conflict, are you a peacemaker? Are ready and willing to intervene and take ownership of the conflict to wage peace in the church? If you are in conflict, are you ready to reconcile for the sake of the gospel and flourishing of the church? If you have hard feelings toward anyone in the church, or you know someone has hard feelings about you, Jesus

Matthew 5:23–24 (ESV)

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and (you) there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Pursue joy in all things (Phil 4:4)

Philippians 4:4 ESV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Paul says to be joyful in all things. He says it not only once, but twice. He’s emphatic that the Philippian church pursue joy. It is a command. It is something we must do, especially when there are problems in the church, community, and home.

As a reminder, Paul is not speaking of happiness. He is speaking of joy in the imperative. A few weeks ago, we learned the difference explains the difference between joy and happiness:

Happiness is the feeling of exhilaration associated with favorable events. Joy is much deeper and foundational. Joy persists in the face of weakness, pain, suffering, even death. (John MacArthur)

How can joy persists in the face of weakness, pain, suffering, and even death? Because the joy Paul speaks of is in the Lord. That is where Paul grounds your joy. Jesus is the source of your joy. You can only rejoice always when the source of your joy is eternal. It cannot run out. Your joy is in an eternal person, the second person of the Trinity, the Messiah who conquered death and sin, the worst of all circumstances. Steven Lawson clarifies:

“Authentic joy comes from having a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Real joy comes from knowing the Lord. This source of joy rises above our circumstances and cannot be drained by the surrounding situation. It is available in good times and difficult times, in prosperity and poverty. No matter what transpires in someone’s life, they can know joy.”

Lawson, Steven J. 2017. Philippians for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company.

The choice you make to rejoice is a choice to turn to the Lord for your joy. You can know joy because you can know the Son of God, Jesus, the infinite joy Giver, and His joy is transformative.

Rejoicing in the Lord is imperative when there are problems in the church, community, and home. For starters, Roger Ellsworth wisely reminds us,

One cannot rejoice in the Lord and at the same time rejoice in the flesh. The two are mutually exclusive.

Roger Ellsworth

Tension, conflict, disagreement allow the flesh an opportunity to swell up and sow bitterness and unrighteous anger. Rejoicing in the Lord is a pin that pops the bubble of your pride. Also, remember where Paul is writing his letter. He was in a Roman prison. By all accounts he was surrounded by his enemies who jailed him unjustly. He did not find it the occasion to be bitter, angry, or disgruntle toward the guards. Instead he rejoiced in the Lord and shared the gospel. How? The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Rejoicing in the Lord gives you the strength to love your brother or sister you disagree, and to overcome any hardship God sovereignly allows to disrupt your path.

Pursue Gentleness with everyone (Phil 4:5)

There is a flow to Paul’s process. A like minded heart is a united heart. A heart committed to rejoicing in the Lord in all things, is a heart that pursues gentleness. In verse 5, Paul says,

Philippians 4:5 CSB

5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Your translation may say “reasonableness.” The word Paul uses is ἐπιεικής which means ‘gentle, ‘gracious’ ‘forbearing (spirit), ‘unselfish’. The sense of having a consideration for others. In a negative sense, it means not being rigid, insisting on ones rights, not being contentious nor self-seeking, and refraining from retaliation. You get the point. Be gentle.

The phrase could literally read, “the gentle thing of you let it be known to all people.” This clause is connected to the previous clause. Rejoice in the Lord and let your gentleness be know to all people. There is a connection between your joy in the Lord and your gentleness toward all people. What is the connection? It is proximity to Jesus.

Paul grounds the imperative in 5a with the phrase “the Lord is at hand.” You could say it this way, “Let your gentleness be know to everyone, for the Lord is at hand. He is near. He is near in both proximity and eschatologically.

On the one hand, the is close to you.

Psalm 34:18

Psalm 34:18 ESV

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 119:151 ESV

151 But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true.

Psalm 145:18 ESV

18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

The more time you spend in close proximity to the Lord the more you become wise as serpents and gentle as dove. Your grace abounds with people and circumstances. You are transformed by the renewing of your mind with the effect that you are more reasonable when it comes to conflict. It allows you to take the plank out your own eye in order to see the speck in your brothers eye. Kent Hughes, speaking of removing the plank in your own eye says,

What is required in clearing an eye is gentleness, carefulness, patience, and sympathy for the other person.

R. Kent Hughes

On the other hand, Jesus is coming back. Jesus says,

Revelation 22:20 ESV

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

What will he find you doing? Arguing and fighting with your brothers and sisters? May it not be so, Lord! Pursue gentleness with everyone.

Pursue Peace of God through prayer (Phil 4:6-7)

When problems persists in the church, community, and home, peace exits stage right. Anxiousness moves in and makes itself at home in your heart and mind. Worry wells up like tsunami waves rolling one after the other on the shores of your confidence and perseverance. Paul’s answer to this is in verse 6. Paul literally says, “Stop worrying!”

Keep in mind, Paul is not detached from this imperative. He was in a Roman prison where every day he was face with the notion that he might lose his head. There were times during his arrest, he was likely cold and hungry, frail, and weary. He had opportunity to be anxious, to allow worry to well up. Instead of worrying, Paul says to pursue the peace of God through prayer and supplication.

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The word Paul uses for prayer is the most common word used for prayer to God. It refers to a worshipful attitude and feeling toward the Lord. Supplication is pleading with God for what is needed. With a heart filled with worship, plead with God to give you what is needed. And you are to be thankful, knowing God hears you and will provide everything you need.

What does this look like practically speaking?

Pursue prayer in every situation.

Every circumstance in your life, good or bad, requires prayer. You have no idea how things will turn out. You are not sovereign. You are not all wise and all knowing. That is why fear and anxiety move into your heart. Make prayer your first strategy to fight anxiety. Head the wisdom of William Barclay,

8927 Prayer is not flight; prayer is power. Prayer does not deliver a man from some terrible situation; prayer enables a man to face and to master the situation.

William Barclay

Pursue prayer of every kind.

This refers back to worship and supplication. To have the peace of God, your prayer life is not just about seeing him as a vending machine. Worship calms the heart because adoration opens the eyes of your heart to see God’s power, majesty, sovereignty, glory, and beauty. When you see Him on His throne as almighty, every fear and discontent is squelched. And you realize nothing is impossible with God. Then you ask for your needs to be met with an expectant and grateful heart.

Pursue prayer with gratitude.

Jospeh Hellerman says

“Loss of gratitude toward God opens the door to idolatry.” Jospeh Hellerman

Philippians. Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament.)

We are to always be thankful to God, for He is good and his steadfast love endures forever. When we are thankful to God for his goodness, even in the midst of hardship, we show the world God’s grace for us in Christ. It also moves our thoughts and words away from gossip, bitterness, and rebellion and toward praise, gratitude, and obedience. Williams and Arthur sums it up well when he says,

The pulse of prayer is praise. The heart of prayer is gratitude. The voice of prayer is obedience. The arm of prayer is service.

William Arthur; William Ward

Pursue prayer constantly.

Paul says to pray in everything. He told the Thessalonian church something similar

1 Thessalonians 5:16–17 ESV

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing,

Paul gos on to say that this is the will of God for them (1Thess 5:18). Make your life a pattern of prayer, so whether in the good times or bad, you will naturally pray. If prayer is a pattern of your life, then when problems arise in the church, you will be resolved to like-mindedness, ready to mediate, and reconcile quickly.

The outcome of pursuing God in prayer is the peace of God.

The peace of God is surpasses your understanding.

To surpass your understanding is nuanced to mean absolute uniqueness. What I mean is there is the idea that it exceeds far beyond what you can fathom. But is also conveys the idea that the peace of God achieves more than we could ever imagine, that is transcends every human thought, to the point that his peace is unique to the person who receives it. He peace is unique to you and surpasses all of your wildest dreams;

Ephesians 3:20 ESV

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

The peace of God guards your fluctuating thoughts and emotions.

The idea of guarding your heart conveys a military soldier keeping guard over his post. Being that Philippi was occupied by Rome, they would’ve seen Roman soldiers keeping watch over city on patrol. God’s peace is like a soldier who keeps watch over your thoughts and emotions.

I am reminded of John Bunyan’s character Mr. God’s-peace in his other book allegorical novel,“Holy War.” Mr. God’s-peace was the mayor and patrolled the town of Mansoul. Bunyon writes,

“Nothing was to be found but harmony, happiness, joy and health’ so long as Mr. God’s-Peace maintained his office.”

John Bunyon Holy War Chap 17

The peace of God is found only in Christ Jesus.

It is only union with Jesus can you have peace with God. The Bible says the natural man is at war with God. Your mind is set on the flesh and is hostile to God’s way. You will not submit to Him, but in fact will raise your fist in anger and rebellion toward him. Furthermore, you cannot please God whatsoever in the flesh (Romans 8:7-8). Being at war withGod robs your soul of any peace because his wrath is always looming over you. God’s condemnation, his eternal judgement weighs on your soul and is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode at any second. You need a peace-maker, mediator, advocate who can atone for your sin, justify you and sanctify you with his righteousness so you can be at peace with God and fit to live in his presence forever in heaven. Jesus is your peace who has broken down every wall of separation.

Ephesians 2:14–16 ESV

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

In union with Jesus, that the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds with his peace that surpasses all understanding. The old bumper-sticker saying rightfully says,

No Jesus. No peace

Know Jesus. Know Peace.

Do you know Him? To know Him you must confess your sin, repent, and turn your life over to Him. By faith receive him as your Savior, trusting that his life, death, resurrection, and ascension are true an enough to bring peace between you and God. All who call upon the Lord will be saved.

Pursue Honorable Thoughts (Phil 4:8-9)

Focus on the right things (4:8)

Philippians 4:8 ESV

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Last week, I showed you in scripture the unity of the heart and the mind. What you think affects how you feel, and how you feel affects what you think. The bible teaches the mind of the heart. Paul understands the unity of the heart an mind and exhorts the Philippian church intentionally focus on the right things. Think on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent. Doing this will sow peace in your heart when it is stirred by problems.

Remember the context Paul is speaking into in verse 8. There are problems in the church. Suffering and persecution form the outside, and conflict on the inside. More specifically, two women are arguing with each other. Their hearts and minds are engaged in the disagreement. Paul says manage your feelings and actions with how your think.

As a pastor, I have had the opportunity to counsel many couples through disagreements. I can remember once when a man commented that his wife launched a barrage of angry comments at him when he walked int he door. He was caught off guard and had no idea why she was upset.

When I asked the wife why she came at him that way, she said that he offended her that morning and she was angry. I asked her what was going on in her head from the morning until he came home. She confessed she had pretyy much argued with him all day in her heart.

I have seen this with jealous men who think their wives are stepping out on them. The assume something and then let their thoughts fill in the missing blanks, and it always ends badly because what you think and how you feel will lead to what you do. So Paul so think right so you can do right.

Do the right things (4:9)

Paul says, in verse 9,

Philippians 4:9 ESV

9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

When the mind of your heart is focusing on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent toward your brother and sisters, it amazing how committed you become to pursuing like-mindedness, joy in all things, gentleness with all people, and the peace of God through prayer. And it imitates the way Jesus thought on the cross.

You can tell what Jesus was thinking on the cross by what he was saying and doing. What was he doing on the cross? He was staying in the cross. No human being kept Jesus on the cross. Jesus said

John 10:18 ESV

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Jesus chose to stay on the cross out of live for His father and sinners like you and I. He was thinking of His father and of us.

What was he saying? He said things like,

Luke 23:34 (ESV)

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Jesus had love and forgiveness for his enemies on the mind of his heart.

He also said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). He had the salvation of his elect and the kingdom he would provide for them on the heart of his mind.

He had love, forgiveness, and salvation for his father, his elect, and even his enemies on the heart of his mind as he was being crucified.

Jesus was crucified and he died. For three days he remained in the grave. On the third day he took up his life from the grave and was resurrected. He ascended into heaven where he sits now interceding for all of us. Along with his intercession, he gave us his Spirit to live inside of us, to rule the mind of our hearts so that we can pursue like mindedness, joy, gentleness, peace, and a sound mind the obeys the gospel for the sake of the unity of the church and the glory of the Father. Do not grieve is Spirit by harboring a anger, being gripped by bitterness and rigid in giving grace, nor being ruled by anxiety. Rest in His peace in you that is for you, and use it for the joy of others.