When Christ is Enough

Introduction

What is up guys

I wanted to start off with a story.

Yall know me I love my football stories.

The team that I played on one of our biggest problems was unity.

The offense and the defense constantly had full on fights.

There was disunity between coaches and players.

I remember one times that a player got so mad he went and tried to fight the coach.

and because of that the coaches made him go and address the team about how dumb he was to do that or they would kick him off the team.

And in talking to him the anxiety that he felt going into that conversation.

and really it was because he was not happy with how the team was doing.

He was not content with where we were.

You see, disunity can cause us to anxious, and sometimes we sow disunity because we are not content.

so today Paul is going to address all 3.

unity

anxiousness

contentment.

lets pray then jump right in

Fight for Unity (vv. 2-3)

Philippians 4:2–3 CSB

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 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.

We start off this passage and see that there are two women who are fighting in the church.

and can I just say imagine naming your daughters Euodia and Syntyche. So when yall get older and start thinking about kids keep these names in mind.

But there is conflict between these two ladies.

Can you imagine getting in a fight and now for all eternity there will be Christians and Pastors who talk about your fight,

Because we do not know what was going on, but whatever it was, was a big deal.

These letters when they were delivered were like a church service.

The church would all gather for the letter to be read.

So by Paul saying these things, it was going to be called out publically in the church.

So whatever was going on was a big deal in the church.

But who are these ladies?

This is the first time that they came up, and Paul is super direct and he rarely calls out anyone by name,

but it is because he Paul says they have contended for the Gospel with him.

They had worked together, Paul knew them, and he expected them to be united in Christ.

Guys, conflict is going to happen.

This is a great church, Paul has a ton of good to say about it.

These are great people, who have given to him and his ministry,

who traveled 900 miles to see him, then 900 miles back.

These ladies have done gospel work this Paul, so they are solid in their faith

but unity problems don’t just happen in “bad churches”

They can happen to solid believers in a great church.

Even strong believers can struggle with unity.

But getting back to unity is need.

Think about what Paul has said in this letter:

It is only 4 chapters but he has brought up that they were citizens of heaven multiple times.

Philippians 2:2 “make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

This word for thinking the same way is the same that he tells these two people, to think the same way in Christ, to agree in Christ.

Paul is not taking sides, and being like Syntyche I think you’ve got it figured out.

No, he is saying submit to the Lord.

Agree in him and his word.

Paul doesn’t say to agree on everything, but they need to agree in the Lord.

That they need to have the same mindset about Christ, his mission, and make it a priority.

You can disagree on issues and topics with people, that’s normal.

but if your problems are so big cause you not to be able to do ministry as a church together, they have gone WAY to far.

If the problem stops the mission of the Gospel, its gone way too far.

Every time in church history when the outside has persecuted the church, the church has grown.

Look at the fastest growing churches today, they are in places like Iran and China where Christianity is not allowed.

But the church has always struggled with division from the inside.

Again we do not know what they are fighting about, but it is big enough that in the months it would have taken to go to Rome and come back, they knew they would still be fighting over it.

People get so hung up things, but we have to know that above all else, Christ must be in the center of it all.

and sometimes, we need help to get there.

We have talked about having blind spots before.

There are things that just naturally we will have blind spots to in our lives.

So we need people to call us out.

We need Spiritual mentors to keep us from hitting these pot holes.

So Paul tells this guy who he calls his “true partner”… again another person we do not know.

To help them resolve this issue.

To know that Christ died for both of them.

That the bloodshed on the cross

Him raising from the dead

and establishing his Church was supposed to bring unity not divide people.

Because like we read earlier in this book, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Christ is Lord.

That is what we have to get right.

Not the carpet color at the church, or other stupid things churches fight about, but we have to get the gospel right.

When we fight for unity with others, it exposes something deeper

it exposes what’s going on inside of us.

And that’s where Paul goes next… we have to be… (anchored in the God of peace)

Anchor Yourself in the God of Peace (vv. 4-9)

Philippians 4:4–9 CSB

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Does anyone have part of this memorized?

This is one of the go to anxiety passages, so if you struggle with any anxiety you really should or you just should in general.

but Paul shows how much joy that he has.

He tells us to rejoice in the Lord always.

but in saying that he tells us where our joy comes from.

Our joy comes from the Lord.

Our circumstances do not define our joy.

We live in a world where happiness and joy are seen as the same thing.

Guy happiness is found in your happenings, but joy comes from the Lord.

Most people think you get joy when you get what you desire.

but that is not the case,

real joy comes when you realize what you deserve,

That we deserve judgement for our sins, but when we place our trust in Jesus we receive salvation instead.

so joy does not come from what we deserve, because we all deserve hell.

but joy comes from what Jesus has given, and when you believe fully in him and you are saved,

you have joy because that victory in Christ cannot fade, spoil, or expire.

so when life is not going your way, you can be sad, you can be depressed, you can be mad, but yet still have joy.

2 Corinthians 6:10 CSB

as grieving, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

because life throws curve balls.

man this is easy on paper guys, but practically it is hard.

When life is easy, joy is easy.

but when life gets hard and you ask “why God?” why did this happen.

It can be hard to look through the pain of this world and see the joy laid before us.

This was a hard sermon to write, because the pain of this world has brought me to tears this week,

and as hard as life can be, God is still in control, he is still on the throne.

Like the kid song, he has the whole world in his hands, so we don’t have to worry about anything.

That is what this passage is getting at.

Philippians 4:6–7 “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Anxiety comes up, it does for all of us.

The unknown is scary.

And this passage tells us not to be anxious and not to worry, but not all anxiety is sinful.

When we stay in anxietiy and do not trust God it becomes dangerous, but not anxiety itself is not always sin

It can be, but we see examples in the Bible where it is not.

Paul talks about being anxious to please the Lord.

The biggest one is Jesus in the garden before he goes to the cross.

It is literally holy week, so on Thursday night of Holy week Jesus knows he is about to die.

The bible does not use the word anxious, but it says he is deeply grieved to the point of death in Matt. 26:38.

Then Luke tells us that Jesus starts to sweat blood (Luke 22:44)

The condition that Jesus is believed to have is called hematidrosis (hee-mah-tih-droh-sis) which is a rare condition under deep stress that small blood vessels burst and mix with sweat.

So God wants us not to worry, to cast our anxieties on him because he wants us to trust me.

Anxiety becomes sin when it leads to a willful distrust that chokes are obedience to God.

If it causes us to not trust God, go against his will, or lead us to harmful choices, then it is veering into sin.

So what do we do.

None of us want to be anxious,

What we need to know is anxiety shrinks when prayer grows.

the passage tells us to go to him in prayer.

Then it says in petition, well the way you pettion is by talking to God which is prayer.

With thanksgiving, how do you thank God? through prayer,

Present your requests to God, well thats done by… prayer

So you have to cast your anxieties on him through Prayer!

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

how many of us have done this though and thought about verses like these and cried out:

I CAST MY ANXIETIES ON YOU GOD!

but then you are like what if this happens,

what if I fail

what if this doesnt work

What if God doesnt come through

What if im not enough.

Instead you have to cast, and trust.

Do not carry what you can cast.

Cut the line.

Pray and let God worry.

so much easier said then done.

but in this, the God of all peace will guard your hearts and minds.

Only God can give us that peace that surpasses all understanding.

and then finally Paul talks about…

The Secret to Contentment (vv. 10-20)

Philippians 4:10–20 CSB

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it. I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship. And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account. But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul here is talking about how he is thankful the Philippians gave him money, that they gave him this gift.

but uses it to show that his contentment is not dependent on their gift, but on Christ alone.

Paul is like one of those old wise guys, that like I know what its like to be poor and I know what its like to be rich.

He is saying that he has made it by with basically nothing.

There were times when other churches were not giving him money and times were rough.

But then there are times that he has had more than enough, he has had an abundant amount of resources.

but through his life exercises, he has learned that money is not the answer.

He said that he has learned the secret to be content in everything.

And it is dependance on Jesus.

This is because contentment is not circumstantial.

Paul says when I am hungry, I am content

If I am full, I am content

When I need thing, I am still content

When I have all I need, I am content

When I am in prison, I am content.

Contentment is not about what you have, Paul says it is about who you have.

And when you know and trust in Jesus you are content in every situation.

So in talking about contentment Paul says what he says in Philippians 4:13.

Guys we have to look at the context behind what is being said,

There is nothing about being millionaries,

dunking basketballs,

or making it to the NFL in this passage.

it is about contentment.

So when Paul says I can do “all things”

He is saying whatever situation I find myself in I will be content and able to make it because of Christ.

Again, not about being super successful

Paul is saying that through Christ he can be content in every situation.

This verse has been so abused, but he is talking about not taking the money the Philippians gave him for granted,

but he also saying even if they would not have given anything to him it would have been okay.

This section of the passage is about Paul being thankful for this support.

The prisons in Rome did not bring you food, you depended on having the money to still get food and have people bring it to you.

So he thanks the Philippians for sending Epaphroditus for bringing this gift and supplying his needs.

but we can learn a lesson from this,

God has given us money and we should be good stewards of it.

We are told to:

Worship God with your money, but not to worship money itself.

We cant put money or success above God.

You have heard it said that money cannot by happiness.

but it is true!

Elon Musk tweeted a few months back: Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about

the guy has 839 billion dollars

but money is not enough

You cant put success above God

but even Tom Brady said there has to be more than winning the super bowl,

It wasn’t enough for him

he went to 10 super bowls and won 7!

Yet it is not enough

He was not content.

You can have everything and still not be satisfied.

Because true contentment comes from Christ alone.

He is enough, and that carries over from this life to the life to come.

and lastly Paul finishes up this letter.

Conclusion (vv. 21-23)

Philippians 4:21–23 CSB

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Paul gives the Philippians one last goodbye!

The coolest thing from this section is that come of the house of caesar, or some of his workers have came to Christ.

but really it is one last thank you and goodbye until he sees them again.

So we can take away 3 things from today

Disunity happens when we elevate ourselves.

Anxiety happens when we try to control everything.

Discontentment happens when we look for satisfaction outside of Christ.