ACTIVE PURSUIT OF A CHRIST – CENTERED LIFESTYLE

1 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work. 2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. 4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

INTRODUCTION:

I- A STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO CHRIST (Philippians 4:1)

A- Faithfulness to Christ must be top priority.

(vs. 1a) “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord.”

1- The believer must strive to remain true to Christ in every area of life, in every circumstance.

a. We must let his faithfulness to us be the motivation for our faithfulness to Him!

B- Fondness toward other Christ followers is vital.

(vs. 1b) “I love you and long to see you, dear friends”

1- The believer is to cultivate love for fellow believers and a desire to be in their company.

a. Paul calls the Philippians “beloved” and ones he earnestly “longed for” (μου ἀγαπητοὶ καὶ ἐπιπόθητοι).

2. Love for fellow Christians and a desire to fellowship with them is confirmation of personal conversion!

(1 John 3:14)

1 John 3:14 NLT

14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.

C- Finding joy through investing in others results in reward.

(vs. 1c) “for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.” (χαρὰ καὶ στέφανός μου)

1- Few things can bring greater joy than seeing someone you have been working with get saved or make significant strides in spiritual growth!

2- Paul told believers that they were going to be his crown of rejoicing (his reward) (text; 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 NLT

19 After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20 Yes, you are our pride and joy.

II- A SINGLE-MINDED COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. (Philippians 4:2 – 3)

A. Self will must be surrendered in order to advance the mission of Christ.

(Philippians 4:2) “Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement.”

1- Belonging to Christ negates the validity of personal preference.

a. Christ has purchased us with a very high price.

(1 Peter 1:18-19)

18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.

19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

2. The cause of Christ and the accomplishment of His mission should take priority over personal differences.

a. Notice the process outlined here and in Matthew 18:15-17.

Matthew 18:15–17 NLT

15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

Attempt to resolve the disagreement privately (preferred way)

Secure a witness to accompany you and possibly mediate (as Paul suggests below)

Take the issue before the church.

If the disagreement does not involve sin, the issue should not have to move beyond step one (or two at the worst).

The effects of prolonged disagreement upon the Mission of Christ can paralyze the church.

B. Serving as an active peacemaker is sometimes necessary to advance the cause of Christ.

(Philippians 4:3) “And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.”

1. Paul appeals for “loyal Sunzuge” (γνήσιε σύνζυγε) to be a peacemaker between Euodia (Εὐοδίαν) and Syntyche (Συντυχὴν).

a. The peacemaker was to “take hold with them” (συνήθλησάν μοι) of the disagreement. That is, to take them aside together and help them resolve the issue.

(1) This necessitates actively becoming involved in a peacemaking process.

(2) Being a peacemaker demonstrates our connection with Jesus! (Matthew 5:9)

Matthew 5:9 NLT

9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

III- A SERIOUS COMMITMENT TO LIVING OUT THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST. (PHILIPPIANS 4: 4 – 9)

A. Living-out the character of Christ involves reflecting the right attitude.

(Philippians 4:4 – 5)

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

1- The attitude of Joy.

2- The attitude of considerateness

a. “το ἐπιεικες ὑμων” = “your sweet reasonableness, gentleness, kindness”

B. Living-out the character of Christ involves requisitioning the right source for all of life’s needs.

(Philippians 4:6 – 7)

“6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

1- Don’t worry (hinged upon controlling in self effort)

2- Instead- Pray (expectantly-giving thanks for past and future answers).

C. Living-out the character of Christ involves refocusing mental and physical activities.

(Philippians 4:8 – 9)

“8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

1- Mental activities: “Think on these things” (ταυτα λογιζεσθε). Present middle imperative for habit of thought. We are responsible for our thoughts and can hold them to high and holy ideals.

a. Thus he introduces six adjectives picturing Christian ideals, old-fashioned and familiar words not necessarily from any philosophic list of moral excellencies Stoic or otherwise. Without these no ideals can exist. They are pertinent now when so much filth is flaunted before the world in books, magazines and moving-pictures under the name of realism (the slime of the gutter and the cess-pool).

Honourable (σεμνα [semna]). Old word from σεβω [sebō], to worship, revere. So revered, venerated (1 Tim. 3:8).

Pure (ἁγνα [hagna]). Old word for all sorts of purity. There are clean things, thoughts, words, deeds.

Lovely (προσφιλη [prosphilē]). Old word, here only in N. T., from προς [pros] and φιλεω [phileō], pleasing, winsome.

Of good report (εὐφημα [euphēma]. Old word, only here in N. T., from εὐ [eu] and φημη [phēmē], fair-speaking, attractive.

Virtue (ἀρετη [aretē]). Old word, possibly from ἀρεσκω [areskō], to please, used very often in a variety of senses by the ancients for any mental excellence or moral quality or physical power. Its very vagueness perhaps explains its rarity in the N. T., only four times (Phil. 4:8; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3, 5).

Praise

2- Physical activities: “These things do” (ταυτα πρασσετε= Practice as a habit )

9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

The godly manner of living taught by and observed in the life of Paul.

CONCLUSION:

Related Media

Related Sermons