Stick Together
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The Holman Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4
2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and 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 moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Intro: This week as we continue to work through the book of Philippians we come to a passage today that very much focuses on a need to be united, to be in a spirit of joy, and to be in the practice of prayer. That is what will focus on for today, as this really summarizes the passage quiet well I think. The context of our text today speaks of some division, or struggles in the church of Philipi. Some in fighting here could clearly jeopardize the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and absolutely effects their ability to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel. So lets remember that as we go through the text.
So lets do this together:
Need to be United (1)
Need to be United (1)
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.
Vs. 2-3: So we start out with a problem here. The problem is, two individuals that worked side by side with Paul are having a difference that is harboring disunity. What it is, is not stated, but it would seem that since Paul doesn’t take any side here, that it’s probably not something of absolute doctrinal value or issue, but something more personal. Now the problem with this is that it’s gotten bad enough that Paul needs to address it, making myself and others that read this to think its bread disunity in the church. There was a split amongst them that could be dangerous.
Isn’t that so true, I’ve seen this plenty of times, a difference of opinion, or a personal qualm that breads disunity, it causes individuals to build their own defense teams, and boom next thing you know, the church is in real trouble over stuff that ultimately has no real value to the Gospel. Paul was seeing something here, he saw that this risked their testimony in the world and he had to address it.
Illustration: My Car Tires and blowout
Friends, if we are dealing with personal issues with others in the church, or outside of the church that cause us to not work together, to not be united we need to reconcile those, not because it’s commanded, right Paul says I urge you, he’s not commanding it, but he’s encouraging do the right thing here.
Application points: (2)
Come to a reconciliation in the Lord
if needed, find a mediator
Let me explain this. Paul didn’t say, one of you wants red church walls, the other wants blue church walls, so lets have purple. He didn’t take sides or say come to an agreement based off your own desires. He says come to an agreement in the Lord. The color of the walls don’t matter! What does matter, is that we can agree on what matters most, and that is our testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We don’t divide a church over these things, we instead focus on keeping the main thing, the main thing, and that is that Jesus Christ is our Lord and savior, and He wants His Gospel pushed to the world, not a testimony that two individuals couldn’t agree on a wall color and the church split apart!
Paul goes on to call upon a true partner, or companion to help them . If reconciliation isn’t naturally happening then it’s time to get someone with wisdom, and neutrality to help them see the bigger picture.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
Vs 4-5: Spirit of Joy (3)
Vs 4-5: Spirit of Joy (3)
Summed up well here:
It is the privilege of Christians to do this, not at certain periods and at distant intervals, but at all times they may rejoice that there is a God and Saviour; they may rejoice ill the character, law, and government of God-in his promises, and in communion with him. The Christian, therefore, may be, and should be, always a happy man. If everything else changes, yet the Lord does not change; if the sources of all other joy are dried up, yet this is not; and there is not a moment of a Christian's life in which he may not find joy in the character, law, and promises of God.
Barnes' Notes on the New Testament.
Two things here for us to remember in the midst of any conflict:
Rejoice in the Lord......Always!
Be gentle with each other
Paul doesn’t say show joy when things are going your way, he says, inspite of your circumstances, REJOICE! It is so important that we as believer do this, that Paul repeats Himself on this. Joy in the Lord needs to be unchanging. When your in a conflict of any sort, whether with someone else, or a job, or a financial problem, it’s easy to forget to rejoice in the Lord, but it’s not acceptable to Him.
Gentleness is characteristic of Jesus, it as many commentators insist contains in element of selflessness. This means, put aside our own agenda, our own wants, desires, maybe sometimes even needs for others. Its remarkable how many conflicts can be quickly resolved when gentleness is involved. Paul concludes with a gentle reminder of why we treat others with gentleness. Heh, cause the Lord is near. Remember, Jesus will return to judge, and He will judge the quality of His people!
Practice of Prayer (4)
Practice of Prayer (4)
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Ah yes, in conflict, let me make a note worthy of writing down, anxiousness is a normal response. It’s human for us to become anxious in the unknown, the what if scenarios, and so on. But Paul has a response to that human response to conflict doesn’t he. He says pray! If you turn to God in those times, He will give you peace, and protect your heart and mind. Can i say something to this.
Often what God needs to protect my heart and mind from, is myself. In conflict i can let my mind run into worst case scenarios, or to complete disarray, but when we submit ourselves not to anxiousness but instead to prayer, peace and protection is what we receive from the Lord.
(5)
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (3) Exhortation to Joy and Peace (4:4–9)
The answer to anxiety is the peace of God.
Illustration: I know a couple that faced great conflict to do what God called them to do, and it started with the Lord speaking to the wife
(6)
Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Now to conclude the practice of unity, joy and prayer Paul provides here what commentators call the environment of peace. This can then be separated into two categories for a Christian Standard.
1st- The thought life
Paul gives a list we can evaluate now in the practice of our Christian faith so lets look at them.
True- easily described as truthfulness, or dependable
Honorable- simply worthy of honor or respect. Do things that are worthy of such honor
Just- behaving based on what is morally right, or treating others in such ways
Pure- this can be translated to holy in relation to God.
Lovely- The word used here is only used in this place of the New Testament, prosphilēs meaning whatever calls forth love or promotes peace instead of conflict
Commendable- whatever is praiseworthy or attractive, so not likely to offend others
Excellent- this word is focused on christian virtue meaning what is morally excellent (God’s Standard not ours)
Praiseworthy- Worthy of praising God
So that is how our thought life needs to be inspite of the great conflict life is.
2nd- Our Practice
Simply put, Paul reiterates to us to follow his example as a role model, do the good that you have seen in him. When following this discipline for our life, conflict won’t be an issue because will seek reconciliation as a characteristic of our walk as Christians
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (3) Exhortation to Joy and Peace (4:4–9)
When anxiety appears, the cure is prayer. When the life is disorderly, the cure is mental and practical discipline.
(7)
If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.
It was Jesus who said blessed are the peacemakers. We need to stick together, we need to be about reconciliation, and friends we do that by remaining united, having a spirit of joy, and in practice of prayer.
So let us commit ourselves to be a people about these Christian virtues, committed to reconciliation, to unity, joy and prayer, that honors our Father in Heaven.