Coworkers in the Kingdom

------------------

1. Thank for Christmas gift!!!

2. Pitch NT-Year Reading Plan

------------------

------------------

TURN: PHIL. CH. 4.... VS. 2

------------------

------------------

Passage Reading:

Philippians 4:2–3 (ESV)

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

---OPEN in PRAYER---

------------------

------------------

INTRO: THE PREVALENCE OF DIVISION

THERE’S AN INTERESTING & UNFORTUNATE PHENOMENON IN THE CHURCH WHERE PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY TO FORM FACTIONS AND DIVIDE OVER ANY NUMBER OF THINGS.

CHURCH at CORINTH

SOME FOLLOW PAUL

OTHER APOLLOS

LAWSUITS AMONGST BELIEVERS!

WITHIN 10 YEARS of CHURCH’S ORIGINS!

--------

2. GALATIAN CHURCHES—DOCTRINAL ISSUES

3. PAUL CALLING OUT PETER for HYPOCRISY

--------

4. PAUL & BARNABAS SPLITTING MINISTRY TEAM OVER JOHN MARK (BARNABAS’ COUSIN)

----------------

(T) NOT ALL PROBLEMS HAVE GONE AWAY...

CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES— HUNDREDS of “DENOMINATIONS”

MANY NONDENOMINATIONAL CHURCHES on TOP of THIS

CHURCHES HAVE SPLIT OVER MAJOR DOCTRINAL MATTERS—STANDING for TRUTH.

BUT....MANY CHURCHES HAVE ISSUES & SPLIT OVER:

POLICY

STYLE of WORSHIP

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

CHURCH GOVERNMENT

ISSUES REGARDING SIN

PASTORS & BOARDS = NOTORIOUSLY BAD RELATIONSHIPS

--------

IN the MIDST of a DIVIDED WORLD— WE FIND a DIVIDED CHURCH.

**SUPPOSED to BE KNOWN for LOVE**

INSTEAD: YOU SEE a CHURCH on EVERY STREET,, MANY = RESULT of UNSETTLED DISAGREEMENTS

EVEN WITHIN LOCAL CHURCHES—OFTENTIMES DISAGREEMENTS & PROBLEMS...

----------------

(T) AND SO WHAT DO WE DO?

NEED:

GOD’S WORD INSTRUCTS US IN VARIOUS PLACES ON HANDLING DISAGREEMENTS,

PAUL HIT THIS in —PHIL CH. 2—

NOW— WE’RE GOING to SEE—PERSONAL ADDRESSES… PUTTING into PRACTICE—WHAT HE TAUGHT in CH. 2...

PRAY—TEXT CHALLENGES US CONCERNING HOW WE HANDLE DISAGREEMENTS & RELATIONSHIPS

TEXT = PHIL.. CH. 4...

SPEND a BIT of TIME in CH. 2...

(T) BUT BEFORE WE DIVE IN TO THIS WEEK’S TEXT, A QUICK RECAP FOR THOSE WHO WEREN’T HERE LAST WEEK:

🐢🐢🐢 --- 33 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

RECAP: “EXAMPLES TO FOLLOW”

Last Wk:

GUIDELINES for EXAMPLES TO LOOK TO.

CH. 3: Christian Life:

HUMILITY

PURSUIT of CHRIST

!!! FOLLOW THOSE WHO WALK THIS WAY. !!!

WHY??

BECAUSE THERE = MANY BAD EXAMPLES...

1. END = DESTRUCTION

2. GOD = BELLY (SLAVE to APPETITE)

3. GLORY in SHAME (CELEBRATE SIN)

4. MINDS SET on EARTHLY THINGS

***BUT the CHRISTIAN = CITIZEN of HEAVEN—AWAITING COMING SAVIOR…***

--------

BECAUSE of BAD EXAMPLES....

BECAUSE of WHO WE ARE in CHRIST—HEAVENLY CITIZENS:

!! FOLLOW GOOD EXAMPLES !!

!! STAND FIRM !!

WHILE EAGERLY AWAITING CHRIST’S COMING...

--------

(T) AND NOW, AFTER GIVING SOME GENERAL EXAMPLES AND A LOT OF GENERAL TEACHING…

PAUL’S GOING TO GET A LITTLE PERSONAL THIS MORNING

AND INTRODUCE US TO A FEW INDIVIDUALS BY NAME.

LOOK W/ ME @ PHIL.... CH. 4…VS. 2...

THE APOSTLE PAUL WRITES,

🐢🐢🐢 --- 31 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

PREACHING PASSAGE: PHILIPPIANS 4:2-3

THOUGHT 1: PAUL’S PLEA W/ EUODIA AND SYNTYCHE

Philippians 4:2 (ESV)

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

NEARING CLOSE of LETTER---

PAUL CALLS CHURCH— PUT BOOTS on GROUND— TO HIS ETHICAL TEACHING...

--------

PHIL. CH. 2 — CORPORATE UNITY COMES THROUGH PERSONAL HUMILITY

CH. 3— WARNING of FALSE-TEACHERS—CLARIFYING GOSPEL

CH. 4— WRAPPING THINGS UP… FINAL THOUGHTS/PERSONAL ADDRESSES

**REMEMBER— PHILIPPIANS = WRITTEN to ANCIENT CONGREGATION @ ROMAN CITY of PHILIPPI**

“TO” THEM

ALSO “FOR” US

HOLY SPIRIT USES GOD’S WORD—FOR ALL GENERATIONS of BELIEVERS

**DON’T LOSE SIGHT of ORIGINAL AUDIENCE**

--------

HERE INTRODUCED to 2 MEMBERS of CONGREGATION:

EUODIA

SYNTYCHE

ALREADY KNEW:

EPAPHRODITUS — LETTER CARRIER

LYDIA (BOOK of ACTS)

PHILIPPIAN JAILER & FAMILY (BOOK of ACTS)

--------

TWO MORE LADIES...

Background:

LARGELY UNKNOWN.

ONE THING WE KNOW: THEY WEREN’T GETTING ALONG.

**DISAGREEMENT = SEVERE ENOUGH—WORD GETS to PAUL in JAIL!**

--------

IN MIDST of WONDERFUL LETTER—RICH in THEOLOGY— PAUL ADDRESSES THEM PERSONALLY....

PAUL DOESN’T OFFER DIRECT TEACHING

PAUL DOESN’T CALL OUT ISSUES

*APPARENTLY HE’S NOT TAKING SIDES*

CONCLUSION: DISAGREEMENT WASN’T THEOLOGICAL/SIN ISSUES…

PROBABLY JUST SECONDARY—MATTERS of PREFERENCE...

--------

(T) AND SURELY THIS IS RELATABLE:

HEARD ARGUMENTS OVER:

STYLE of DECORATIONS

COFFEE BAR/ NOT HAVE COFFEE BAR

STYLE of WORSHIP

HOW MANY SONGS to SING (TOO MANY/NOT ENOUGH)

WHAT SONGS to SING

HOW LOUD FELLOW MUSICIANS ARE

ORDER of WORSHIP

LIGHTS TOO BRIGHT in WORSHIP—LIGHTS TOO DIM in WORSHIP

HANDLING of FINANCES/PRIORITIES

CHURCHES DISAGREE & DIVIDE OVER SECONDARY ISSUES…ALL the TIME.

PEOPLE LEAVE CHURCHES for FRIVOLOUS REASONS…ALL the TIME.

IF WE AREN’T CAREFUL WE DIE on TOO MANY HILLS— NOT EVERY HILL is WORTH DYING ON.

*PERSONAL PREFERENCE BECOMES GOSPEL....*

GATES of HELL WON’T PREVAIL AGAINST the CHURCH—OVERALL...

MANY LOCAL CHURCHES CLOSE THEIR DOORS EVERY YEAR—

I WONDER HOW OFTEN YOU CAN TRACE it BACK to a DISAGREEMENT....

----------------

PAUL W/ PASTORAL CONCERN—DOESN’T WANT DIVISION to WRECK HIS MINISTRY EFFORTS @ PHILIPPI...

ADMONISHES EUODIA & SYNTYCHE— AGREE in the LORD

GK: “HAVE the SAME MIND”/THINK SAME THING...

--------

PAUL = CALLING THEM to LIVE OUT HIS ADDRESS to CHURCH in CH. 2:1-4.....

o REMEMBER, PAUL WROTE:

Philippians 2:1–4 (ESV)

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

IN LIGHT of ALL WE HAVE in COMMON—IN CHRIST— LET’S GET ALONG.

PAUL PUT FORWARD 4 (TRUE) CONDITIONAL STATEMENT

(V1) PAUL SAYS, IF HAVE ENCOURAGEMENT IN CHRIST, AND WE DO

IF WE HAVE COMFORT FROM HIS LOVE, AND WE DO

IF WE HAVE PARTICIPATION IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND WE DO

AND IF WE HAVE ANY AFFECTION AND SYMPATHY AND WE DO,…

--->>> THEN, IF ALL THESE THINGS ARE TRUE, HE ADMONISHED THE CHURCH TO COMPLETE HIS JOY BY BEING OF THE SAME MIND.

IF WE HAVE ALL THIS in COMMON—SURELY WE CAN GET ALONG...

--------

GENERAL ADDRESS—NOW GETS PERSONAL: EUODIA AND SYNTYCHE.

—THEY OUGHT to BE ABLE to THINK the SAME, IN the LORD—

WHAT is the MINDSET?

(V3) NOTHING from SELFISH AMBITION or CONCEIT

HUMILITY—COUNT OTHERS MORE SIGNIFICANT

(V4) NOT LOOK ONLY to OWN INTERESTS—ALSO to INTERESTS of OTHERS...

--------

**REMEMBER** THIS WAS JESUS’ MINDSET (V5-8)

FORM of GOD—TAKES on FORM of SLAVE

GOES DOWN the LADDER

COUNTS NOT EQUALITY W/ GOD— SOMETHING to ABUSE/HOLD ONTO FOR PERSONAL ADVANTAGE..

--------

IF CHRIST HUMBLED HIMSELF to LOWEST, HUMILIATING DEATH....ROMAN CROSS....

—> HOW COULD WE BE PROUD & SELF-SERVING??

“W.W.J.D?” — HE’D PUT OTHERS FIRST.

--------

GENERAL TRUTHS POSED DIRECTLY @ EUODIA AND SYNTYCHE.

NOT HYPOTHETICAL

NOT GENERAL

SPECIFIC: ADDRESSING an ACTUAL PROBLEM...

IF THEY WOULD:

DO NOTHING from SELFISH AMBITION/CONCEIT...

COUNT the OTHER MORE SIGNIFICANT

LOOK NOT ONLY to OWN INTERESTS

SURELY THEY’D BE ABLE to GET ALONG,, RIGHT?

THIS IS THE CALL OF THE APOSTLE TO THESE WOMEN.

(T) AND PAUL’S CALL TO THESE LADIES,

BECAUSE THEIR DISAGREEMENT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE CHURCH,

WILL INVOLVE OTHERS IN THE CHURCH,

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 3....

THE APOSTLE PAUL WRITES,

🐢🐢🐢 --- 20 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

THOUGHT 2: PAUL’S PLEA TO OTHERS

Philippians 4:3 (ESV)

3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

PAUL CALLS in BACKUP

True Companion (Background):

NO SURETY — PHILIPPIANS WOULD’VE KNOWN!

GK WORD: σύζυγε(s) — POSSIBLY NAME??

POSSIBLY LUKE??

COMPANION:

GK: YOKE-FELLOW

**REF: P.P. PICTURE**

YOKE—WOODEN CONTRAPTION— ALLOWED 2 ANIMALS to PULL in TANDEM

WOODEN TOP

WOODEN/ROPE LOOPS AROUND NECKS

PULLING PLOW

GK: DESCRIBES SOMEONE “YOKED UP” W/ PAUL… WORKING TOGETHER…PULLING in TANDEM

WONDERFUL ILLUSTRATION of TEAMWORK & UNITY

--------

PAUL SUMMONS BACKUP: “HELP” THESE WOMEN....

CALLING HIM to BE PEACE-MAKER!

INTERVENING to BRING ABOUT HARMONY in CHURCH

HELP THESE WOMEN WHO LABORED W/ HIM in GOSPEL!

THEY WEREN’T INSIGNIFICANT

THEY CONTRIBUTED to PAUL’S GOSPEL-MINISTRY!!

--------

THESE LADIES

+ CLEMENT (ANOTHER UNKNOWN FIGURE)

= WERE PART of PAUL’S MISSIONARY SUCCESS! HE DIDN’T DO IT ALL ALONE!

THEY WERE ALL CO-WORKERS in the KINGDOM!

--------

PAUL EVEN LATER MENTIONS OTHERS WHO WERE “FELLOW-WORKERS”

INTERESTING NOTE:

3X in PASSAGE PAUL USES GREEK PREFIX “SYN” MEANING “WITH”

YOKE-FELLOW = ONE WITH PAUL

LADIES WHO WORKED WITH PAUL

OTHER LABORERS WHO WORKED WITH PAUL.

**ALMOST LIKE PAUL = EMPHASIZING— WE’RE in THIS TOGETHER!**

WE’RE WITH EACH OTHER

& WORK WITH EACH OTHER…

SO LET’S GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER...

--------

PAUL CONCLUDES on POWERFUL NOTE:

FELLOW-WORKERS.... “WHOSE NAMES ARE in the BOOK of LIFE”

THIS = ULTIMATE BASIS for CHURCH UNITY....

ALL WHO BELIEVE on LORD JESUS CHRIST

BORN-AGAIN

BROUGHT INTO KINGDOM

NAMES = WRITTEN in GOD’S BOOK.

WE’RE PART of the SAME TEAM.

GOD’S DESIRE = NO FRIENDLY FIRE

--------

SPORTS TEAMS WEAR JERSEYS—SO YOU CAN IDENTIFY YOUR TEAM...

WITHOUT JERSEYS:

FOOTBALL PILE/SCRAMBLE—MIGHT TACKLE WRONG GUY

SOCCER—STEAL BALL FROM WRONG PERSON

**BASKETBALL, GETTING REBOUND TOGETHER & FIGHTING.... “SAME TEAM! SAME TEAM! SAME TEAM!”

WHY is THIS IMPORTANT?

BECAUSE IF YOU’RE FIGHTING MEMBERS of YOUR OWN TEAM—YOU’LL NEVER WIN.

--------

ALL of THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE WRITTEN in the BOOK of LIFE = MEMBERS of the SAME TEAM.

THE GOSPEL THAT UNITES US = GREATER THAN ANYTHING THAT WILL TRY & DIVIDE US...

WE ALL SHARE in SAME ENCOURAGEMENT in CHRIST—COMFORT FROM LOVE—PARTICIPATION in SPIRIT ETC.

EVEN BETTER!!...**NOT JUST SAME TEAM,, BUT SAME FAMILY**

WE’RE CHILDREN of GOD—THROUGH FAITH in JESUS CHRIST

WE’RE BROTHERS & SISTERS in CHRIST

UNITY & COMRADERY in CHURCH OUGHT to BE GREAT THAN COMMONALITY WE HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE...

NO HOBBY

NO SPORTS TEAM

NOTHING ELSE UNITES a GROUP LIKE the GOSPEL & BEING PART of FAMILY of GOD...

(T) AND SO, WE SHOULD LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE, THE IDEA THAT,

------------------

HOMILETICAL IDEA:

CORPORATE UNITY COMES THROUGH PERSONAL HUMILITY AND RECOGNITION WE’RE PART of the SAME TEAM.

CORPORATE UNITY SHOULD BE PURSUED THROUGH PERSONAL HUMILITY.

DISAGREEMENTS SOMETIMES REQUIRE PEACEMAKERS

BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE ABLE to SETTLE DIFFERENCES...

o AND THIS ONLY COMES AS WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE PART OF THE SAME TEAM…

🐢🐢🐢 --- 9 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

GOSPEL: NAMES WRITTEN IN BOOK OF LIFE

AND CHURCH, THIS IS TRUE OF ALL THOSE WHO PUT THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST.

CHILDREN of GOD—THROUGH FAITH in JESUS CHRIST...

SAME TEAM— BECAUSE of FAITH in JESUS CHRIST...

WHETHER or NOT YOUR NAME = WRITTEN.... IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE in LIFE.

WHETHER or NOT OUR NAME is FOUND THERE— DETERMINES WHERE WE SPEND ETERNITY...

Revelation 20:15 (ESV)

15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

“SECOND DEATH”

END of TIME—ALL WILL BE RAISED to LIFE

SOME to EVERLASTING LIFE

SOME to EVERLASTING CONTEMPT & JUDGMENT.

SOME to ETERNITY W/ GOD

SOME to ETERNITY APART FROM GOD.

--------

ONE DAY WE’LL HAVE to GIVE AN ACCOUNT....

OUR ONLY HOPE is to BE FOUND IN CHRIST—NAME WRITTEN in LAMB’S BOOK of LIFE— WHICH is a GIFT of GRACE.

NONE BASED UPON PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS DESERVE IT

NONE CAN MAKE IT BASED UPON GOOD WORKS.

**THERE’S NO PURGATORY—WHEN YOU’RE GONE, YOU’RE GONE**

YOUR SINS ARE EITHER FORGIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST

OR YOU’LL SPEND ETERNITY PAYING for THEM

IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU’LL PAY OFF AFTER a FEW YEARS & BE GOOD to GO...

IF YOU COULD’VE MADE it APART FROM CHRIST—CHRIST WOULDN’T HAVE HAD to DIE.

--------

BECAUSE WE COULDN’T MAKE IT—HE CAME DOWN to DIE FOR OUR SINS...

THE RIGHTEOUS for the UNRIGHTEOUS

WE DESERVED DEATH & SEPARATION from GOD...

BUT HE UNDERWENT the PUNISHMENT WE DESERVED—SO THAT WE MIGHT BE SAVED BY a GIFT of GRACE...

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

AND THROUGH FAITH IN HIM WE CAN HAVE OUR NAMES WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE, WHICH IS THE GREATEST CAUSE FOR REJOICING.

IT’S NOT ONLY the BASIS for CHURCH UNITY

BUT the BASIS of WHERE WE’LL SPEND ETERNITY

----------------

AND IF YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU STAND WITH THE LORD,

OR YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING MATTERS OF FAITH OR ASSURANCE,

I WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AFTER THE SERVICE TODAY.

(T) AND NOW, FOR THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE, I WANT TO OFFER US A CHALLENGE IN CLOSING:

--------------------------------

🐢🐢🐢 --- 4 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

APP: PURSUING AND MAKING PEACE

THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE IN ANOTHER PLACE, IN ROMANS 12:18, “IF POSSIBLE, SO FAR AS IT DEPENDS ON YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL.”

AS HUMANS—WE’RE BIASED TOWARDS GETTING OUR WAY—

BUT WE’RE to LIVE @ PEACE WITH OTHERS…AS MUCH as it CAN DEPEND ON US...

WE LIVE in a WORLD— CLAIMS YOU MUST PUT YOURSELF FIRST

TAKE CARE of YOURSELF BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WILL

“SELF” THIS, THAT, ETC.

YOU NEED to TAKE CARE of YOURSELF to an EXTENT...

BUT WE FOLLOW a SAVIOR:

WHO SAID to DENY YOURSELF

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS

& FOLLOW HIM

& HE WENT BEFORE US as an EXAMPLE of SACRIFICIAL HUMILITY on BEHALF of OTHERS...

PERHAPS WE NEED to BE MORE LIKE JESUS & LESS LIKE the WORLD...

--------

FREQUENTLY WE JUST WANT to GET OUR OWN WAY

BUT MAYBE WE OUGHT TO SUFFER LOSS of OUR WAY??

1 Corinthians 6:7 (ESV)

7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

“WOULDN’T IT BE BETTER FOR YOU to TAKE it ON the CHEEK THAN to HURT the REPUTATION of the CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST?”

--------

AGAIN,, SO MANY TIMES PEOPLE FIGHT OVER SECONDARY THINGS, MATTERS of PREFERENCE…NOT WORTH IT.

ONE COMMENTATOR DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN “DOGMA”… “DOCTRINE”… AND “TRADITION”....

I. DOGMA = CORE BELIEFS — TRIUNE GOD— PERSON of CHRIST— THE GOSPEL, ETC.

THINGS WORTH TOTALLY DIVIDING OVER

II. DOCTRINE = FURTHER UNPACKING IDEAS...

DESERVES HEARTY-DEBATE

PROBABLY NOT CRIES of HERESY

III. TRADITION = PRESENT EXPRESSION/INTERPRETATION of SCRIPTURE

ISSUES OVER SERVICE ORDER/...WORSHIP/....RUNNING CHURCH ETC.

THERE ARE HILLS to DIE ON…BUT NOT AS MANY AS WE PROBABLY THINK.

--------

REGARDING SECONDARY MATTERS: ASK YOURSELF

“IS THIS WORTH HURTING the UNITY & WITNESS of the CHURCH OVER?”

“AM I JUST TRYING to GET MY OWN WAY?”

“IS THIS NON-NEGOTIABLE DOGMA…OR MATTERS of PERSONAL PREFERENCE?”

WE’RE ALLOWED to HAVE OUR OPINIONS…BUT THEY AREN’T ALWAYS GOSPEL.

--------

**THERE ARE THINGS WORTH DIVIDING OVER…**

**I’M THANKFUL for the PROTESTANT REFORMATION

SALVATION = BY GRACE ALONE— THROUGH FAITH ALONE— IN CHRIST ALONE.

FORGIVENESS DOESN’T COME THROUGH INDULGENCES...

BUT OFTENTIMES WE AREN’T DEBATING OVER ISSUES SUCH AS THESE...

SO...THROUGH PERSONAL HUMILITY— PUTTING OTHERS FIRST— AND SEEKING to LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL…

WE CAN SHOWCASE THAT WE’RE CITIZENS of HEAVEN

THAT OUR NAME is WRITTEN in the BOOK of LIFE

AND THAT OUR GOSPEL IS TRUE.... AMEN?

LET’S PRAY THIS MORNING.