Peace

Philippians 4:2–3 NIV

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Philippians 4:4–7 NIV

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Argument and Strife in Philippi

Euodia means “a prosperous and Expeditious journey; to lead by a direct and easy way.”

Syntyche means “to hit the mark; of one discharging a javelin or arrow.”

When they worked together they could hit the mark the easy way, but now they are fighting with each other and the result is hurting everyone.

Indeed, one of Paul’s themes in this letter is unity and

See Philippians 2:1–4 “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

See also Philippians 2:5–8 “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

Then Paul moves on to exhort them to do things without grumbling,

Argument and Strife Today

I know and you know that you are not strangers to argument and strife today. I know that none of you wanted that strife or argument...none of you wanted to lose peace from among you.

How do you regain peace? How do you come back from the strife?

Grace in the Text

the Mirror Study Bible translates Chapter 4:4 this way:

“Joy is not a luxury option; joy is your constant. Your union in the Lord is your permanet source of delight; so I might as well say it again, rejoice in the Lord always.”

But maybe we need to understand joy in order to find peace.

C.S. Lewis says in his book Surprised by Joy that “Joy is the serious business of heaven.”

He further says, “Joy bursts into our lives when we go about doing the good at hand and not trying to manipulate things and times to achieve joy.”

What is that joy? Paul says it: “The Lord is near”

The love of your life is near

Joy comes in the presence of Christ. Since Christ is always there, and it is us who sometimes feel apart from God, practicing the presence of Christ brings us consciously into the presence of God, and therefore brings us joy.—deeper than pleasure or happiness

C.S. Lewis again, “And that is why we experience Joy: we yearn, rightly, for that unity which we can never reach except by ceasing to be the separate phenomenal beings called "we"”

Paul pleads with Euodia, Syntyche and the whole church at Philippi to lose themselves in the presence of the Lord, thus experiencing the Joy of the Lord, leading to the peace of God.

This is what can enable the two women to make peace.

Grace in the World

[Verse] Make me a bed of fond memories Make me to lie down with a smile Everything that rises afterward falls But all that dies has first to live

[Chorus] As longing becomes love As night turns to day Everything changes Joy will find a way Joy will find a way

[Marimba Solo]

[Chorus] As longing becomes love As night turns to day Everything changes Joy will find a way Joy will find a way Yeah