A Call For Unity

Introduction

➟ ➟ ➟ Today’s scripture reading begins with Philippians 1.27. Paul writes, let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Manner of life: “to live as a citizen.”

During Paul’s time, the Greco-Roman world held that the highest honor was to be a Roman citizen.

Philippi was a Roman colony and was Roman in every way.

Lifestyle; attitude; mindset; language; names; everything.

It was believed that as a culture, they had been refined to the highest standard in history up to that point.

To be a citizen meant you didn’t live for yourself. You lived for the good of the emperor and his empire.

Here in Philippians, Paul is making the application of citizenship to our own identity and sense of belonging inside God’s kingdom.

Philippians 1.27 actually begins a line of thinking that runs through the end of chapter 3.

➟ ➟ ➟ 3.20-21 serves as the grand conclusion of this section.

But as you go through these verses, note how citizens of the heavenly realm:

➟ ➟ ➟ Live for the good of others.

Live in partnership with other believers.

Live with consistency to the values of Christ.

Live with a sense of pride in their new identity.

Constantly interact with fellow believers who are on the same journey to heaven.

So what we see here is a call for congregational unity, especially during times of stress or suffering.

Opposition and difficulty have a way of bringing us together.

Some of you have served in the military … been retired for a long time.

Think back to those you served with, some in harms way, others going through basic.

Think of how your unique experiences together brought you together, and even though it has been many years since active duty, the moment you are in the same room with one another, those feelings of togetherness and camaraderie return.

➟ ➟ ➟ This is because you stood together, fought together, bled together, and blended together.

All the superficial things went out the window.

A person’s wealth didn’t matter. A person’s race didn’t matter. A person’s background didn’t matter.

➟ ➟ ➟ Now, make the application to the early church. The focus is on their present experiences while living inside a culture running the opposite way.

In doing so, they look first to Christ and then to one another.

The idea is that stressful times are opportunities to draw together in unity, not be driven apart.

So, here we are … and ➟ ➟ ➟ Ohio’s stay-at-home order basically just got extended through the end of the month.

Some of the directives of the state officials are confusing.

Some of them are inconsistent.

Promised help and guidance for unemployment and assistance from other gov’t programs. All of these are confusing and an exercise in patience and restraint as we try to navigate the guidelines.

➟ ➟ ➟ Some of us are restless, bored, and on edge.

Some of us are worried about our economic future. … maybe more today than a few weeks ago.

And then… I think about what we’ve experienced as a local church over the last 7 weeks.

Little association … and what has been done with that in person has been done awkwardly and impersonally.

Online Bible study, worship, communion, and giving.

➟ ➟ ➟ Video conferencing and video production.

All of this on top of trying to purchase a new building. If all goes to the schedule of our choosing, we may not worship corporately in this building ever again.

➟ ➟ ➟ Tremendous change.

Anticipation of things forever changed … with a different feel.

Much of it is anticipation of the unknown. It makes us uneasy and stressed.

All of these feelings are very natural.

But … we need to resist the temptation to allow our minds to run wild. We need to resist any desires to question or hold others in suspicion.

In other words, we all need to draw together and not let all of our present stressors drive a wedge between us.

Look back at our text in 1.27, 29. See the inter-dependence. Christians are to:

➟ ➟ ➟ Stand together: stand firm.

➟ ➟ ➟ Share together: in one spirit, with one mind.

➟ ➟ ➟ Strive together: side by side.

➟ ➟ ➟ Suffer together: suffer for His sake.

➟ ➟ ➟ As we go through our lesson today, we’re going to briefly discuss and define:

2.1 - motives for congregational unity.

2.2 - what congregational unity looks like.

How we make this happen.

Philippians 2.1 - Four Motives for Unity

➟ ➟ ➟ 2.1a - we receive encouragement in Christ.

Encouragement: “to call to oneself.”

The promise is that we each receive personal, consistent help from Jesus. What does this look like?

We receive forgiveness from sin.

We are infused with His strength.

We are given comfort and wisdom.

Look around at the constant blessings being poured upon you.

Your spiritual life should be characterized by a very personal response to a very personal relationship.

This is true of all believers inside an active relationship with Him. Oh that we may see disunity is an affront to Christ. Why would we ever not not want to solidify our relationship with our brothers & sisters?

2.1b - we have comfort from love.

➟ ➟ ➟ We have received love at its greatest and highest, most superior level.

Romans 5.5 - God’s love has been poured (not dripped) into our heart.

➟ ➟ ➟ 2.1c - we have participation in the Spirit.

Participation means “sharing” or “fellowship.”

We are born by the Spirit, Galatians 3.3.

We walk or live by the Spirit, Galatians 5.16.

We have this in common with each other. This knowledge should be providing us with a growing dependence upon one another.

➟ ➟ ➟ 2.1d - we have affection and sympathy.

The Spirit lives in us. Therefore, when we:

fall - he picks us up.

sin - he forgives us.

need strength - he supplies it.

need wisdom - he gives it.

God is very much for us, connected to us, and pulling for our success. Again, why would we ever want to go away from His call for unity within the local church?

Philippians 2.2 - Four Identifiers of Unity

➟ ➟ ➟ 2.2a - Be of the same mind. (Think the same way)

➟ ➟ ➟ 1 Corinthians 1.10 - Factions & schisms in the body are condemned.

Unity comes when believers think alike. There is much more going on here than doctrinal agreement.

Congregations can be firmly united on doctrine … and still be divisive and riddled with suspicion and bitterness.

So this transcends the agreement on facts and goes to the heart of the matter … i.e., our attitude.

➟ ➟ ➟ Mindset/disposition is Paul’s aim throughout the entire section between 1.27-3.21.

2.5 - let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

3.15 - a mature mindset, with the commitment to pressing on in personal growth.

3.19 - all of this is contrasted to an earthly mindset.

So what is in view here is not agreement on a set of facts, but a congregation coming to possess the same feeling, disposition, attitude, and thinking patterns.

We’ll talk more in a minute how we accomplish this .. but know right now what is in view here.

➟ ➟ ➟ 2.2b - Have the same love.

Love everyone the same. Embrace the concept of mutual sacrificial service.

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 12.10 - love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

➟ ➟ ➟ 1 John 3.17-18

1 John 3:17–18 ESV

17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

This is the natural result of a person fully committed to spiritual thinking. A person who has set his mind on things above.

A person who has divested himself of any personal ambitions.

Selfishness often leads to bitterness, envy, jealousy, ambition, protectionism, and possessiveness. They reflect a loveless attitude.

➟ ➟ ➟ 2.2c - being in full accord.

United in Spirit (NASB/CSB). Means “one-souled.”

Describes deep harmony & passion for one another.

Do we possess the type of driving passion for the success of God’s church, the following of Christ’s commands? the unity as called for by the Spirit?

➟ ➟ ➟ 2.2d - Of one mind.

Intent on one purpose (NASB). What is our purpose? Of what must we be of one mind?

Advancing the kingdom for the glory of God.

Unity is advanced inside a group of people who share this common vision. We have to share the same vision and think alike.

Not about the type of furniture or the color of the carpet.

Not about agreement in the same methodologies or approach

Need to get away from labeling ideas, judgments, and approaches that differ from our own.

Many of us have been trained to automatically define something different, new, or innovative as liberal.

Bottom line is, we don’t handle change well. It gets us out of our comfort zone. Easy to reject and label it if we don’t like it or if it makes us uncomfortable.

Happens on both sides of the spectrum … need to get away from labeling established practices as antiquated or “conservative.”

We all need to be committed to being of one mind. Embracing the same vision.

When change comes … we first need to ask, how does this fit inside our overall purpose of advancing the kingdom? How does this bring glory to God and not ourselves?

None of this is about us. If God so blesses us with a new worship facility, we haven’t arrived. There is still work to do. In fact, there will be more work than we were doing before.

➟ ➟ ➟ So what I want you to see here is the progression in Philippians 2.2:

We begin with one mind.

This releases us into one great love, with a single passion for unity, with no personal agenda.

This results in the local church moving toward its divine purpose, i.e., the glorification of God. The advancement of His kingdom.

We must bury these concepts deep in our minds and live by them.

How We Make this Happen

Again, Paul’s primary aim in 1.27-2.2 is our attitude.

If you’ve been reading these verses and thinking mostly in terms of doctrinal unity, you’re missing the greater point.

If you’ve been reading these verses and thinking mostly in terms of agreement on morality and the handling of sin issues, you’re missing the greater point.

There’s not a hint of doctrinal issues with the church in Philippi.

There’s not a hint of any glaring sin running through the church in Philippi.

He’s dealing with attitudes. Things that are underlying.

So, how do we accomplish as a local church the directives of 2.2?

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 8.4-5 - two possibilities for our thinking.

the mindset of the flesh.

the mindset of the spirit.

Which mindset leads to the promotion of unity?

Which mindset causes our commitments to our personal agenda, feelings, wants, and preferences to go out the window?

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 12.3a - we must not think more highly of ourselves than we should.

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 12.3b - we must think with sober judgment. (objective thinking)

Too often we’re in the subjective

Thinking only of our priorities; ambitions; and strongholds we’ve built.

Sound judgment here is to have God as the source of our thinking.

➟ ➟ ➟ Romans 15.5 - Do we operate with Jesus in the picture? We need to get out of ourselves. Conflict arises when the fleshly mindset collides with the spiritual.

➟ ➟ ➟ Look again at our primary text, Philippians 2.5 - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

You have the mind of Christ. See 1 Corinthians 2.16b.

You have it. I have it.

We can choose to think the thoughts of Christ.

We can choose to have a Christ-like attitude in everything.

We can know the will of the Father, Son, and Spirit. We can choose to operate with a spiritual mind.

2 Corinthians 13.11 - this is all about spiritual maturity.

What are the attitudes that drive congregational unity?

➟ ➟ ➟ Colossians 3.12-15

➟ ➟ ➟ Colossians 3.16 describes how we obtain these attitudes.

The Spirit is the energy behind everything we do. When we allow God’s word to dwell inside our heart and dominate our thinking....

It always pushes us upward. It always elevates our thinking away from the fleshly.

Conclusion

➟ ➟ ➟ MacArthur (1988): “American society has created its own monster. We are selfish, self-indulgent, egotistical, introverted, consumptive, and materialistic people who only think about their own things. We have become hostile and angry. The “do your own thing” / “follow your heart thing” has deeply embedded itself inside the culture. We know very little of what it means to seek oneness and to give ourselves away for each other. We are ,…monsters of self-indulgence.”

The question is … how will we handle the uncertainty all around us?

Will we use it as a wedge to drive us apart?

If you look at many of the things in our culture that are presently driving it apart...

If you look at what has happened through the decades when division kills local churches ....

It almost always goes back to selfish and fleshly attitudes that were never surrendered and killed off?

Let us commit that we will never grieve the Spirit in this way.

Will we respond to it by faith, trust, and dependence on God … who is always working, encouraging, strengthening, and shaping us … individually and as a congregation?

Will we respond to it with a sense of togetherness and unity?

➟ ➟ ➟ Let me compliment you Kettering. I think in so many ways you are responding in faith.

Over the 7 week period ending last Thursday, our giving was up … even as we did not physically assemble together.

Many of you are embracing the possibility of a new place to meet … even though you’ve only seen pictures and video of the new place.

Many of you are standing behind your leaders as they make difficult decisions on navigating a pandemic and how to lead and care for the flock in such a difficult time.

Many of you are taking the initiative to teach your kids, study the Bible more, reach out more, and touch each others lives … in ways you never explored before.

We have risen to the occasion brethren.

Let’s continue doing so. There is much more work ahead and we need everyone on board.

Get behind the leadership. There is no decision they make without prayer, discussion, careful thought, and more prayer. Everything they do is done for and with the congregation mind.

So what about you? Do you have the mind of Christ?

Do you know Christ?

Today is the day!