Philippians 4:2-9 May 29
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Introduction
Introduction
Let’s re read the last verses of the section we just talked about last week.
21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Paul has urged the church to stand firm. He's urged them to stand firm in light of the glorious power of Jesus. He's urged them to stand firm in a hope. He's urged them to stand firm in their faith. But what does it take to stand from? What does it look like to stand from? These are questions he's going to answer with some final exhortations in the following verses.
The First Set of Instructions
The First Set of Instructions
In the passages that we are going to cover today they are neatly divided sort of into two sections. In this first piece he's going to address a couple individuals.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Imagine a time 100 years from now. Imagine that Christ still hasn't come and our church is still standing and somebody discovers some old records from the church. And on it they see your name. Perhaps it's meeting minute notes. And in those notes there's a discussion about you.
Would you want the person that reads this note to learn that you are a kind and loving person and you go out of your way to care for others and you can be depended on. You really make people feel comfortable. You are an example to everyone around you. Is that what you hope to have written about you?
These two unfortunate ladies have gone down in history for the argument they had. Think about it it was such an ongoing and bitter argument that Paul in prison has heard about it and considers it worth his time to address it by long distance.! Can you imagine that!?
And you know what's particularly painful here. No one knows what they disagreed about. No one knows why they had an argument. The only thing that anyone throughout history knows is that their fight was enough of an interruption to church life that Paul found it necessary to go out of his way to ask the whole church community to help them get along.
Opening Up Philippians To Two Women (v. 2)
To live above
With the saints we love;
Oh, that will be glory!
But to live below
With the saints we know;
Now that’s a different story!
Nothing hinders the cause of Christianity more than Christians who cannot get along! Nothing hinders the gospel of Jesus Christ like Christians who are having fights with one another. Nothing hinders our capacity to actually help people with the pains that they live in in this pain filled world then arguments that we get sucked into that we cannot or do not resolve. Sometimes even with the best of intentions having a heart for God church we get in an argument about how God church should be run.
I love this quote shared by a friend of mine:
“Men are God’s method. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. … The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come upon machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer.” -E. M. Bounds
God is not looking to work through the methods and tricks and techniques and tactics that we have. God is looking to work through oz. We need to challenge ourselves to be men and women who are allowing ourselves to be used by God.
Jesus did not send the church out with a game plan for world domination. He sent them out with a simple command.
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
We must always remember in the church that we are called to love each other we must be persistently slow to take offense and quick to forgive.
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
You know one of the worst effects of our social media age is that it is easy to take offense and to publicize offenses. It's easy to fight for yourself today. To take a stand when you feel offended. This is good in that bad companies and people truly do get called out quickly. This is bad and that we've become a society of people who live offended. As Christians we need to remember to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Now we don't know the true companion that Paul is referring to in verse three period but we know this individual is someone who Paul trusts to help resolve this conflict. We need to always remember to take Christian conflict seriously and resolve it quickly.
Commands for Living as Christians
Commands for Living as Christians
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Rejoice in the Lord
Rejoice in the Lord
Paul calls us to rejoice in the Lord. He doesn't call us to just have a think positive attitude. And Paul isn't just a positive person. He shows us that he has and we have specific reasons for rejoicing in what God has done.
I think the true question here is how can we rejoice in the Lord constantly? Our lives are full of problems. Our lives are full of reasons to not rejoice. How in the middle of all this do we rejoice in the Lord.? How do we find joy?
Make the Mission of Christ your Priority
Make the Mission of Christ your Priority
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
Make Christ’s Character Yours
Make Christ’s Character Yours
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Making the Knowledge of Christ a Life Goal
Making the Knowledge of Christ a Life Goal
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Rest in Christ’s Care
Rest in Christ’s Care
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
If we pursue these things that Paul talks about throughout the book of Philippians we will find the way to the joy he calls us to in verse 4
Be a Gentle-Man (And woman :) )
Be a Gentle-Man (And woman :) )
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
It's easy to be gracious and kind when you feel confident in who and where you are. When I feel threatened more vulnerable it's difficult for me to be gracious and kind. As Christians we should be known as gracious and kind men and women.
The problem is we lose sight of graciousness when we lose sight of our pursuit of Christ. Their problem is we cease to be gracious when we focus more on the problems and concerns of our world than we do on the power of our savior. We should be known as gracious and kind people. But that character is only possible if we spend copious amounts of time pursuing the character of Christ. And being confident in the power and even the judgment of our God.
Trusting and Praying
Trusting and Praying
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
It's easy to get anxious when you focus more on the problems of this world than on the power of our savior. How much time do you spend talking to God about your life? How much time do you spend talking through the biggest worries on your heart with the greatest power in the universe?
When we surrender our worries to God he will give peace. When we spend time committing our day to him he will give us peace that doesn't always make sense logically.
Do you have a regular, daily time when you are faithfully bringing your prayers and concerns to God? Are you making time for God every single day? If not, why not? If not, are you trying to pursue a life of anxiety?
Did you catch the end of verse six? We are called to bring our requests to God with Thanksgiving. Not complaining but Thanksgiving.
As we do this God will give us a peace that passes understanding.
I do want to encourage you with one thing when we were talking about anxiety here. Each of us are 100% responsible for whether or not we are making time for our relationship with God. For whether or not we are daily making time to submit our anxieties and concerns and requests to God every day. We are 100% responsible for our choices.
But, we cannot always control our brain chemistry. And we cannot always control how we have reacted to past trauma.
Never be afraid to reach out for help if you feel chronically depressed. And if you feel that no matter what you're doing in your faith and heart you cannot get past the depth of depression. I think it's a very Christian thing to pursue counseling and or medication.
sometimes the best way God works to bring peace to us is through interventions like medicine and counseling.
And sometimes it's simply by convicting us that we need to spend more time with him...
What we should think about
What we should think about
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
True---does this line up with God’s Word
Honorable/Noble—things of dignity and moral excellence
Just—do these things conform to God’s standards of excellence
Pure—Are these things free of sin?
Lovely—does what you think about make you attractive as a believer—graciousness, kindness, compassion, forgiving
Things worthy of praise—Is what you think about “worthy of Praise.”?
The Conclusion
The Conclusion
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Paul challenges the people again to imitate him as he imitate’s Christ.
Are you living a life worthy of imitation ?
Fix fights quick and get along with other believers.
Find joy through pursuing the mission and Chacter of Christ.
Be a gentle-person
Commit your anxieties to God
Think on Praise-worthy things
Make time to pursue Christ every day this week and find the joy and peace He offers.