Philippians 4:2-9

Introduction

Somehow, I ended up going to quite a larney private school in KZN for junior school. I don’t really know how it happened, and my parents have never tried to explain it to me. But I did. And one of the things that they repeatedly drummed into our heads whenever we went to sports fixtures, or chess matches, or any school event really, was that we were the representatives of the school. We had to dress smart and be on our best behaviour because this fancy school knew that their best advertising, in some sense the only advertising that mattered, was how their kids looked and behaved.

We tend to think this way, don’t we? We look at the people who come from somewhere, and we judge that place by the people. And so, if your job is to maintain the reputation of the institution, or to make sure it thrives, it's important that you remind the people to represent it well.

I bring this up because I think this is what Paul is doing in this section. Our journey through Philippians is coming to an end, and what we’ve seen in this letter so far is that Paul loves the Philippian church. He is often extremely kind to them and wishes them well.

But there have also been hints that all is not well in this church.  Although Paul gives very few details, it is clear that this church is facing persecution of some kind from one or many sources. At least one of those sources, as we saw in chapter 3, is a group of false teachers attacking the church. There may have been other things, but we don’t know. And this external conflict has resulted in a measure of internal conflict for the church. The pressure from without has started to result in conflict from within.

Paul, knowing this, can’t help but end his letter to this church he loves with a series of exhortations. These aren’t just any exhortations, however. Paul knows their situation. He knows how much they’re struggling. And so he leaves them with a sequence of pieces of advice, all of which are calibrated to help them to endure well, with the peace and love of God empowering them to live well for God. Paul knows this will protect the people he loves, but he also knows it will glorify his God.

 And so, we’re going to look at this passage today and we will see how Paul gives the Philippians parting advice that will, with the Spirit’s help, encourage them to live effectively for Jesus in the midst of their difficulties. In particular, we’re going to see how Paul encourages them to represent Jesus well by being unified as the church, (vv2-3), how he encourages them to represent Jesus well by living public lives of joy, gentleness and peace through prayer (vv4-7), and finally how they can represent Jesus well by disciplining their thinking and their living in the face of their difficulties (vv8-9), and along the way we’re going to see how this passage challenges us to do the same.

2-3: Representing Jesus through Unity

Our first point for this morning is that Paul urges the Philippians to represent Jesus well by living in unity in the church.

In verse 2, Paul addresses two women, Euodia and Syntyche, by name. He urges them to agree with one another. Based on what has gone before in the letter and how Paul has called on the people to be unified, it seems that the heart of the issues within the Philippian church is the conflict between these two ladies. And so, Paul addresses them directly. It is tough to know exactly who these women were, and what their position was in the church, or even what their conflict was about. All we can say with any confidence is that they were two women who were prominent enough in the church that any disagreement they had would have resulted in the church itself suffering. And so, Paul calls them out directly. This would have been extra embarrassing because Paul’s letters were typically read out loud in front of the congregation. It would be like a preacher naming people through the course of his sermon as he lists the wrongdoings of the congregation.  

And yet, in Paul’s case, there is nothing vindictive about it. It is clear that Paul addresses these women in this way, with this level of frankness, because he loves these women.

How do we know he loves these women? Well, look at how he describes them. In verse 3, he recognises how they contended alongside him for the cause of the gospel. These aren’t just any women, then; they are women who have worked alongside Paul to see Jesus’ name proclaimed in their region. Paul also has no hesitation in saying that their names are in the book of life, an OT idea found in places like Daniel 12:1. It is essentially an image of where God has recorded the names of those who will be found righteous on the last day. In other words, Paul remembers their past service with fondness, and looks forward to sharing eternity with them. And so he can confidently call them to account now, knowing that their relationship will survive. As one commentator put it, “one does not take a risk of this sort (naming them in front of the congregation) unless one can depend upon thick cushions of love and trust to absorb the blow.”

But as much as Paul loves these women, he will not leave them in their conflict. That is why he calls them to account, but also why he asks another person, whom he calls his loyal yokefellow, to help them out. Paul trusts that, working together, they can resolve the issues and put this church back on track, with no disagreements.

And, finally, Paul gives them an ultimate grounds on which they are to agree. In v2, we see that he tells them that they must agree in the Lord. In other words, it is based on their mutual affection for and shared loyalty to the Lord Jesus that they will find the grounds and the empowering for their reconciliation. Paul recognises that they have human reasons for disagreeing, but he also reminds them that they have a greater, more heavenly reason for agreeing.

I think it’s important for us to think through what Paul says here for ourselves. So often, when we’re under pressure, it is those closest to us who bear the brunt. And in the case of the church, when those who lead it or are prominent in it are feeling under pressure, very often what happens is that church unity suffers. But we can’t let it. Paul is so committed to the unity of this church that he is prepared to call out his friends to ensure it happens[DP2] . In fact, all through the NT, the unity of Christ’s church is highly valued. Jesus himself prays for it in John 17, and in Ephesians 2-3, Paul argues that the great mystery of God is the unification in the church of Jew and Gentile. And again here, Paul reminds the Philippians, and reminds us, that church unity is essential. It is something we must pursue, and pursue strenuously.

And Paul also gives us some wisdom for pursuing it. I wouldn’t call this the divinely ordained model for solving church issues or anything like that. I don’t think Paul’s letters work like that. Instead, what we have here is a man soaked in wisdom from the gospel and empowered by the Holy Spirit, applying what he knows to his context. But it is worth noting some wise steps he takes, so that we can think about how to apply them to our own contexts.

Note firstly that his approach is relational. He addresses the people involved, in light of their previous relationships, and he speaks to them without command, but with persuasion and suggestion. Paul is no authoritarian. He has authority from the Spirit, but he prefers to exercise it softly, on the basis of his prior relationships.

Notice secondly that Paul’s approach is communal. Where the unity of the church is at stake, it is the church’s business to deal with the issue. Paul gets his third friend involved because he knows it will help. And sometimes, when what is at stake is the wellbeing of the community, it is up to the community to get involved.

And notice finally that Paul’s approach is in perspective. He has no reason to believe that either of the women involved is saved, and he doesn’t. He recognises that they are not living in line with what they profess, but he still believes that they are saved, and he interacts with them as such. As believers, when we disagree with one another, it is important to remember that we have far more in common than we have that will divide us. And so, we should disagree with that in mind. We should keep the main thing the main thing, and we will find the empowerment of God that will help us resolve our disagreements.

And so Paul urges the church to represent Jesus well by being unified. And, in our 21stcentury context, the call is the same. Let’s be unified as a church. Nothing is a better advert for the supernatural love of our Lord than when we live united by his holy love.

4-7: Peace, Joy, and Gentleness

Having exhorted the Philippians to church unity, Paul now starts giving them advice about how they can live faithfully in the midst of their current difficult circumstances. In our second point this morning, we’re going to see how Paul encourages them to represent Jesus in the world by being people of peace, joy and gentleness, despite their difficult circumstances.  

For the rest of our passage today, the structure follows a pattern. Paul gives an imperative, or a command word, and then he gives an explanation, or a promise.

The first command Paul gives in this passage is one he has given throughout the letter, and one that he gives twice here – to rejoice in the Lord. By this, Paul means that the believer must be marked by a joy in the Lord. And he doesn’t limit this. He says rejoice always, and he repeats the command twice. As we have seen as we have journeyed through this letter, Paul recognises the good things that the Philippians have in Jesus, and he wants to remind them of them so that they can rejoice in Christ together. The mark of the believer that Paul wants to see is that they rejoice, no matter the circumstances.

His next command is to let their gentleness, or restraint, be known to all. This is essentially the command to refusing to fight back with the force that you have experienced. Paul is aware that the Philippians are undergoing persecution, and that people outside of their circles, and possibly inside, are causing them strife. But his command to them is to respond with gentleness, and to let that be the characteristic that the world recognises in them. In this way, they mimic their Lord, and follow his commands (Matthew 5:39).

The final command for this section is to worry about nothing, but rather to pray. His specific language is quite important here. He tells the Philippians not to worry. Again, their situation was one which seems would naturally have engendered some worry. But Paul tells them not to worry. Instead, he tells them to offer prayers and petitions to God. But not just to ask, to present thanksgiving too. And if that happens, then a peace of God, which overpowers understanding, will be theirs in Christ Jesus. God gives them this peace, a relaxation, a cessation from conflict. When Paul says this peace “surpasses all understanding” he  refers to the unexpected timing of the peace. It surpasses understanding in the sense that it is not caused by a rational understanding of the situation. It comes from something deeper than that. And it does this in Christ Jesus. So, when the Philippians are feeling the pressures of their lives under persecution, Paul tells them not to worry, but to give their concerns over to God. He is confident that God will meet them.

Where does this confidence originate from? Well, we see it in a small sentence at the end of v5. Paul reminds the Philippians that the Lord is near. This short phrase is rich. It refers to the Lord’s nearness in that he is coming back soon. Paul doesn’t know the exact time, but what he does know is that, for the Christian, the end means victory. When Jesus returns, all of God's people will be vindicated, and they will live in victory. This phrase also echoes the Greek version of some Psalms, like Psalm 34:18, which states, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” In other words, Paul is saying that God is with the people, so they can live with joy, gentleness, and peace, even in the face of persecution. No matter how severe their persecution, the God who is with them is greater.

And you know what, our call today is the same. Our call is to represent Jesus to the world, by living lives marked by joy, gentleness, and prayer-won peace.

And so let me ask you, do you know Jesus well enough to rejoice? Are you a person who is marked by joy? Or are you marked by grumbling and dissatisfaction? Are you the kind of person who is able to rejoice always, regardless of life circumstances (remembering that rejoicing doesn’t always look the same)? Or are you anxious? Friends, remember, the Lord is near, and he’s near to you. Let that truth move you to joy.

Are you gentle? Are you the kind of person who snaps at people? Who speaks rudely to those who inconvenience you? Or are you gentle? Do you respond with love, even when in your own strength, that seems wrong? I knew somebody who worked in my old church, and whenever he would get spam calls, he would shout at the person at the other end and hang up rudely. Now, we all get it, don’t we? Spam calls are annoying. But that’s a person on the other end of the line. Are we going to treat them, and everybody else, with gentleness, and thereby image Christ, or will we be rude?  Friends, the Lord is near. Live like it.

Where do you go when you’re afraid? When you’re worried? Who is it you turn to? Does it cross your mind to turn it over to God? And when you do, does it cross your mind to give thanks? Friends, the Lord is near. The God who died for you is the same God who wants to carry you through whatever situations are giving you strife. He wants to give you peace, he wants to walk with you. Turn to him in prayer.  

For the Philippians then and us now, it's a bit like when a child is afraid. I remember reading a picture book when I was young about a boy who was afraid of the dark. And he spent most of a night in terror. But then his dad arrived, and took him outside. And, with the comfort of knowing his dad was near, he was able to go outside and face his fears, and actually learned that it wasn’t so bad. This is what life is like for the believer. It might be dark outside. There might be fear, and there might even be reason to fear. But O, how much less that fear seems when we know that our God and Father stands at our shoulder, guarding us in the present, and promising a return that will bring the day again.  

8-9: Thinking and Living for Peace

Having spoken about living in unity for God under strife, as well as representing Jesus in times of difficulty, Paul now turns inward, to the people themselves, and shows them how they can represent Jesus by disciplining their thoughts and their lives.  

He does this by giving us two parallel sentences, one showing them how to think, and the second showing them how to act.

When it comes to the Philippians’ thinking, Paul gives them a long list of what it is that they should be thinking about. Whatever is true, in other words, to think on the truth of the gospel, but also not to dwell on lies about each other or of any other kind. Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever has good reputation. Paul is essentially encouraging the Philippians to fill their minds with what is good, what is right. To watch their thoughts and make sure that those things that represent God, not those things which represent evil, are what is reflected in their mind. He recognises that this is not an exhaustive list, and so he says “if anything is praiseworthy or virtuous”. And he commands the Philippians to think about these things. In other words, their minds must be places that represent the Lordship of Christ over the world.

Friends, what do we think about that draws us away from Jesus? All of us, I would wager, have something that draws us away from Jesus. And these days, with the ubiquity of smart phones and screens, our access to what draws us away is almost unparalleled. For me, I think about sport way too much, and watch too much. For you, it might be gossip, news, finances, or something else. But whatever it is, we need to discipline ourselves out of it, and turn our thoughts to what is holy and good.

But Paul doesn’t just care how they think. He cares about how they live too. And, strikingly, he holds himself up as the model. He says that whatever they have learned and received and heard and seen in him are the things they must do. These four words all come together to mimic the Hebrew understanding of how students follow their rabbis. They must follow them in all their ways of life. And Paul, confident as he is in his way of life, says that they must do all that they have seen him do.

This isn’t just a list of dos and don’ts. It comes with a promise. And that promise is that the God of peace will be with them. In other words, if the Philippians live in this way, and in so doing bring glory to God, they will find themselves comforted and supported by the God of peace, a God who will draw near to them and support them. “When believers think and live in accordance with the thoughts and ways of God, their lives align with the good patterns in which God created human beings to live. Accordingly, peace from being right with God and rightly related to others is the result (cf. Gal 6:16; 1 Thess 5:23).”

Conclusion:

And so friends, as we live lives in a hard world, a world that challenges us, a world in which our Saviour’s name is not glorified, we are faced with two truths. We need to live in a way that represents Jesus well to the watching world, and doing so makes our lives harder. And so, I pray that Paul’s words this morning will encourage us to live with greater unity as the church, loving one another as Christ has called us to. I pray that we would represent Jesus to the world by living with joy, gentleness, and prayer-won peace. And I pray that we would think and act in ways that glorify the Lord. And as we do so, may our eyes never leave the face of Jesus, the one who died to win us, and whose power and peace will carry us as we do this all. Friends, rejoice always in Jesus. His peace is worth it all.