Post Positive

Philippians 4:4–8 KJV 1900

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Post Positive

The Christian faith is not meant to be a private matter. In fact, throughout the Bible we are called to be vocal about our faith in Christ. When we rejoice, we should do it in a way that it might encourage others. Instead of choosing anxiety and worry, we should choose positivity and confident gratitude. As we live in an increasingly connected world, may our message through social media always point to our thankfulness.

Introduction:

Social media is here to stay.  

We can all agree that it is a great place to stay connected

and be inspired by pictures, words, and thoughts from others.  

It’s also being flooded with negative comments and hateful messages.  

The only way to overshadow negativity is to promote positivity online and in real life.

Human interactions matter now more than ever.

Our purpose is to see the good, share the good, and be the good both online and IRL.

ILLUSTRATION

The world-famous Mayo Clinic encourages its patients to practice positive thinking. Research indicates, according to the Mayo Clinic, that the results of positive thinking can include:

Decreased negative stressGreater resistance to catching the common coldA sense of well-being and improved healthReduced risk of coronary artery diseaseEasier breathing if you have certain lung diseases, such as emphysemaImproved coping ability for women with high-risk pregnanciesBetter coping skills during hardships

So, if nothing else, as we move into cold season, positive thinking can prove helpful. USA Today reported on the research of Dr. Carol Ryff, psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Ryff noted —

“There is a science that is emerging that says a positive attitude isn’t just a state of mind,” she says. “It also has linkages to what’s going on in the brain and in the body.” Ryff has shown that individuals with higher levels of well-being have lower cardiovascular risk, lower levels of stress hormones and lower levels of inflammation, which serves as a marker of the immune system.” USA Today, Oct 12, 2004

So, there is something to thinking positively. The question is — Should we as Christians practice positive thinking? And, is positive thinking all we need to live a full and peaceful life?

1:

Paul’s Encouragement Paul writes to his friends in the church in Philippi and tells them — “8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Sounds like positive thinking to me — true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable — all positive attributes that we as Christians are to think about. But why is Paul saying this? What brings him to give the Christians in Philippi this advice? After all, things are bad there. It was in Philippi that Paul and Silas were thrown in jail. The population of Philippi consisted of few Jews, so few that Lydia and a handful of God-fearers were meeting down by the river at “the place of prayer.” Philippi was actually named for Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. It was a military and agricultural center located on the Egnatian Way, the main east-west road in the Roman empire.

Quote:

According to Jona Lendering, the city was home to “two bathhouses, a forum, a temple dedicated to the emperor, an aqueduct, and inscriptions in Latin. There’s also a temple for the Egyptian gods Isis, Serapis, and Harpocrates.”

2:

Why then, was Paul telling them to think about good things? Well, the key to understanding that is found in the verses that conclude Philippians chapter 3. Here’s how Paul winds up that chapter — 17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Paul couldn’t have given a more apt description of life in Philippi. With the temple for emperor worship looming over them, the Philippian Christians well understood that there were those who “live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” It was as Roman cross, a Roman governor, and a Roman system that tried to do away with Jesus.

3:

Perhaps the Philippian believers were downcast at the growing internal problem of disunity (chap. 2) and the external danger and pressure of the false teachings of the legalists and libertines (chap. 3). The news about Paul’s imprisonment (1:12–26) and Epaphroditus’s illness (2:25–30) could also cause uneasiness. Still, he repeats: “Rejoice!” (v. 4). Instead of displaying great frustration and impatience with their circumstances, the Philippians should “let [their] gentleness be evident to all” (v. 5). They could do so because “the Lord is near” (v. 5; RSV, KJV at hand; ; ).

4:

As important as rejoicing and gentleness are in difficult times, they are incomplete without prayer (). The readers are told not to be “anxious about anything” they are facing, but instead to direct their “requests to God” (v. 6). But the context seems to indicate worry about opposition and suffering (; chap. 3) compounded by disunity in the body (1:27; chap. 2).