Choose Joy!
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Introduction
We come in our study of Philippians to chapter 4. Lord willing, we will have one more lesson after this one in this challenging epistle. As we have studied through this letter, he has not stopped challenging us to strive to have a mind more like Jesus, the one whom he was trying to emulate. And Paul tells us that as we follow his example, we can have assurance that the God of peace will be with us and give us a peace that will guard us no matter what may come upon us in this life.
Our goal for today’s lesson will be to study verses 1-9 of . In this section, Paul begins to conclude this letter by giving some final applications to everything he has said in the epistle up to this point. I have titled this lesson “choose joy” because I believe this is sums up exactly what Paul encourages the Philippians in this section. He shows them that they need to choose to think about the right things. This is always where having true peace and joy comes from as a Christian. We first must choose to think rightly. If we want to live like Christians, we must think like Christians.
Choose Joy by Choosing to Stand Firm in Jesus
Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. (NASB)
The application of what Paul encouraged the Philippians in ch3 is here (Therefore)... Paul so cared for these brethren that he wanted to make sure he told them what they needed in this epistle so every single one of them would be as near to Jesus as possible and receive their reward. They key to this is remembering why it is that they stand. Once again, it is not in their own power or their own righteousness; it is only because of Jesus that we can have hope. It is only the work of Jesus that we can rejoice in. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (). Paul encourages them here to plant their feet down onto the solid ground that Jesus gives them. The picture that comes to my mind here is getting ready for attack in spiritual battle. The enemy is coming, and we need to stand firm on the battle line against him, and we need to do this in unity. Which brings us to verse 2:
In verse 2, we see that there is something getting in the way of all of these brethren standing together firm in the Lord… Something that is taking away the joy of these Christians in Philippi.
2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. (NASB)
We cannot stand firm in the Lord if we are not getting along with His people. This passage brings us back to what Paul said in chapter 2. The dispute he mentions here between these two women may be the main reason why he said what he did in chapter 2. But something needed to be done if these two women were going to have joy:
They needed to make peace… They needed to Choose Joy by Choosing to be Peace-Makers
In what Paul says about these women, we see that these two women are important to Paul. He refers to these two women along with Clement and others in v3 as ‘fellow workers’ in the Lord. These were women who have “shared Paul’s struggle in the cause of the Gospel” are now being distracted from their service to God, and being robbed of joy, by whatever this issue they are having is. Now, we do not know exactly what the nature of the issue between these women was. Paul does not mention it here. But no matter the disagreement, the way to resolve it is the same: they are commanded to “be of the same mind in the Lord” or “live in harmony in the Lord.” They need to apply what Paul taught in ch2. They need to learn to think about how they can serve one another and think less about themselves.
As we are working in the Gospel, issues like this will come up, but Paul is showing us here that if we want to have joy, we need to choose to work through our disagreements and strive to be of the same mind.
Paul also makes an appeal to others to help Euodia and Syntyche in this process:
3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (NASB)
Paul is speaking this to one he refers to as “true companion” or “true comrade”. It may be possible that Paul may be appealing to a specific individual by name here, but it is also possible that Paul is making a general appeal to anyone in the group there who considered themselves as a “true companion” of Paul. Either way, Paul is trying to stir someone up to get involved in this matter and to be a peace-maker in this dispute here. He wants someone to show their concern for these two women and to be a Christ-like mediator to help resolve this dispute. If we see a dispute among the people of God, especially among the brethren we work and worship with, and it does not move us to want to do something to help resolve it, there may be a problem, not just among them, but us also. Jesus says about His kingdom citizens in the beatitudes, “blessed are the peacemakers.” If we are concerned about disunity in the body, which is like a cancer, then we will not ignore it and just expect someone else to take care of it. Be a true companion of Paul and be a peace-maker. Care about the body of Christ. Show concern for those whose names (as Paul says in v3) are recorded in the book of life.
Let’s now skip to verse 5. Paul here gives us another exhortation that I believe is helpful in this discussion as we are trying to work through issues and disagreements... Paul says:
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men… (NASB)
This is a difficult verse to translate, and this is reflected in the English translations that we have:
· NASB says, “let your gentle spirit be known to all men”
· NKJV says, “let your gentleness be known to all men”
· ESV says, “let your reasonableness be known to everyone”
· HCSB says “let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
· KJV says, “let your moderation (self-control or temperance) be known unto all men”
I believe the idea here that Paul is trying to get through to the Philippians is that we need to show one another that we are willing to yield to one another and can be reasoned with in dealing with issues and disagreements in the body of Christ. We cannot have joy if all we desire to do is fight for what we want and cannot be reasoned with. This kind of attitude is the opposite of the humility that Paul commands in ch2. We need to be humble. We need to be willing to consider what others have to say. We need to have control of our emotions so we can reason with one another and so we can be reasoned with.
Paul then gives the Philippians (and us) motivation to be peacemakers at the end of v5.
5 The Lord is near (NASB) (or “at hand” - NKJV)
This reminder can go with any verse in this book as motivation to do what Paul encourages in the letter. It is possible that at least in this context that the phrase may go with verse 5 or that it should be the beginning of v6. Either way it fits.
There are a couple ways to look at what Paul says here:
· The Lord’s return is near… If we know that each the day the return of Jesus is getting closer and closer, we are going to strive to do what we can to be at peace with one another and to draw near to God ourselves. We will earn to be more reasonable with one another, showing humility because in disputes we realize we can be wrong and we may be in need of repentance. Jesus’ impending return should be motivation for us to make our relationships with one another right.
· The Lord sees what you are doing… The Lord sees exactly how you respond to each situation in life, including each issue within the body of Christ. Knowing HE is watching should lead us to respond with a reasonable spirit.
Then we come to verse 6:
Choose Joy by Rejecting Worry and Anxiety
6 Be anxious for nothing… (NASB)
We thought Paul’s command in 2:14 to, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing” is difficult, how about this one? Not only are we not to complain, we are not to worry. Jesus commands the same in when He says plainly, “do not worry about your life…” Jesus and Paul show us that anxiety can be a dangerous thing for a Christian because it can get us to focus so much on the things of this life. I have seen first-hand how worry and anxiety can destroy people spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Worry and anxiety can tear our minds away from trusting in the Lord and all of our life can be affected by this. And it the case the majority of the time that when we worry or are anxious about something, it is usually something that we have very little to no control over. This is why Paul says, “be anxious for nothing” and to entrust ourselves to the one who DOES HAVE CONTROL of everything that happens in life: God.
Instead of being anxious, Paul says to “in everything by prayer, and by supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” Paul uses the terms “nothing” and “everything” in this verse. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, pray!” Remember that the Lord is near and wants to help you, and pray! And don’t just pray; do so with THANKSGIVING! That is difficult for us… No matter what the situation is that we are in, we need to show gratitude to God. And remember that Paul is writing to Christians who were suffering for their faith as he was. We see here that we need to be thankful that even when the situation is difficult, the Lord is in control and is using those circumstances to work in us to help us mature and grow in Christ.
Prayer… this is by far the hardest thing for me to be consistent in as a Christian, and when I do not do it enough, it just robs me of joy and peace. Paul knows that this is what happens when we do not pray. When we do pray, Paul says that:
7 the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NASB)
It is interesting that we are not even told here whether or not God will give us what we request… What Paul shows us here is that regardless of God’s answer, praying to the Lord will ALWAYS have one result: the result of peace… Peace knowing that God knows what is going on… Peace knowing that God is in control of the situation and will see you through it. Peace that no matter what may happen to you physically, God will protect your heart and your mind and help you to trust in him more.
Worry and anxiety robs us of the peace of God. Prayer helps the peace of God remain and it guards/protects us. Prayer calls God into the spiritual battles that we face in difficult times and in “good” times. It protects our minds and hearts from being torn away from God, and prayer gives us a peace that surpasses all comprehension. Do we see in this verse how vital prayer is to our spiritual life? Do we see why it may be the case often times that we lose focus spiritually and don’t do well? May it be because we do not pray? I request your prayers about this for me.
Now our final point for the lesson today…
Choose Joy by Meditating on Godly/ Christ-like things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (NASB)
I don’t believe here that Paul is telling us about six different categories of things. I believe Paul here is telling us that we need to learn to think about things of higher importance. All of these things are talking about God and the things of God. These things are what you need to be thinking about and what I need to be thinking about. May it be the case that we complain so much and worry so much because we are thinking too much about the world and have too much love for the things of the world? Our thinking shapes our attitudes. Our thinking shapes our actions. Our thinking shapes how we will respond to each circumstance that we find ourselves in. If we are thinking about what Paul says in verse 8, then we will be moved to prayer. We will have joy and peace. We will have a lot less issues within the body of Christ. And most important of all we will have a close relationship with God.
Conclusion
Then in verse 9, Paul gives them an example of these good and holy things we need to think about. After saying at the end of verse 8, “dwell on these things,” he says in v9:
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (NASB)
Choose joy by choosing to do what Paul tells us here. Take note of His example that we have seen in and in this epistle, and take note of the things he has taught us in this epistle about the mind of the mature Christian… DO LIKEWISE, and the God of peace will be with you.