Sermon Tone Analysis

*SERIES:       ENJOYING THE JOY OF JESUS*

*SERMON:    KEEPING UNITY WITH JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF PEOPLE *

*READING**:    PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11*

*INTRO:         People hurt us.

It is sometimes intentional, often it is not.

In some cases it is aimed at us and in other cases we just happened to be in the wrong place.

“Criminal Intent” tells of attitude.

“Terrorism” speaks of hate.

Computer viruses and spyware must come from those who love evil.

My son recently went to the bank to withdraw a few dollars and discovered the account was dry!

He found out that someone had stolen his identity.

That’s intentional evil.

*

* *

*But in families, even the church family, it is usually not intentional hurt.

It just happens.

It may come from our kids, or our parents, or relatives.

When brothers and sisters in Christ steal from us it is most often a complex scenario.

Perhaps a preacher is unfaithful to his wife.

Many people may be robbed by this one person’s actions.

A contentious person, left undisciplined may steal years from our happiness and confidence in others.

*

* *

*Philippians is a letter of joy to a lovely congregation of saints.

It is closer to perfection than any other church recorded in the New Testament writings.

However, there was one item that caught Paul’s attention and he dealt with it.

The attitudes and actions of two sisters in the church there had the potential of mushrooming into a giant divisive problem which could steal the Joy of Jesus from many.

This is found in the fourth chapter, /“/*/I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.

Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow,//a// help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”/

Verses 2, 3

 

Charles Shultz is credited with, */I love mankind, it’s the people that I can’t stand.

/Some lesser known person said,/ I love the church for which Jesus died if only I could get rid of the people.

/You have probably said that at some time.

The more people at church, the greater the problem.*

* *

Paul did not recommend a sound tongue lashing for this people problem, nor did he write a new and improved law.

He recognized these two ladies as belonging to Christ and headed for heaven but were acting out of selfish motives which spring from pride.

His message: /“Help them” /by/ /applying God’s gifts in love, compassion and tenderness.

*KEEPING OUR UNITY WITH JOY EVEN WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE INVOLVED*

* *

Paul has already alluded to a problem when he wrote,

* *

/ “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.”

/

/ /

Jesus prayed and died for unity and this church had unity…but with some disagreements.

* *

*GOD’S GIFTS AND OUR RESPONSILITIES *

* *

/“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others”/- Philippians 2:1-4.

Unity is made possible and rejuvenated by the four qualities we read about in the “/if/ /you have,”/ clauses.

It is important for us to recognize that while we can read four /ifs/ in the section, there is really no /uncertainty /about this.

This word carries the meaning of /since/, and that changes everything.

These people are /saints in Christ Jesus/ and with that comes a plethora of spiritual blessings.

This paragraph highlights four gifts that “/come down from the Father of lights/.”

Christ brings us /encouragement/, Love results in /comfort/, the Holy Spirit authors the /fellowship/ we enjoy, so we are moved to practice /tenderness/ and /compassion./

Let’s see just what the advice involves.

1.

For an earthling to be united with Christ the Messiah would naturally be a source of encouragement.

Paul uses a word which is a noun describing the help given by another.

It is literally help that comes from one /called alongside to assist/.

God encourages us by uniting us with His Son, or Savior.

God is on our side.

2.

To be loved in such a way as to have heaven speak to earth through the sacrifice of God’s own Son, and that for us personally, is a reason for our comfort.

This word can also be rendered encouragement.

God is in the positive encouragement business with regard to His children.

3.

Fellowship carries with it the idea of /sharing/.

While we share with others of like precious faith, this passage reminds us that we are participating with the Holy Spirit in God’s work on the earth.

Praise the Lord!

Here we have more encouragement.

From his same prison cell Paul wrote, “/make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit”-/Ephesians 4:3

 

4.

The last /if/ clause contains two charming characteristics that all churches should have in abundance.

They are “/tenderness”/ and “/compassion/.”

Tenderness is a translation of the word for intestines.

This is  because the ancients believed the heart, lungs, liver, etc. were the seat of emotions, so they spoke of affection this way.

In Philippians 1:8 Paul is heard saying “/how I long for you with the affection of Jesus Christ.”

“Affection”/ translates the same word as in our text.

Compassion is the standard word for mercy and concern.

“/Tenderness”/ describes the sensitivity one has towards the feelings of another, while “/compassion”/ speaks of the ability to feel the sorrow of another person and working to alleviate it.

The picture is this: God gave and continues to give.

This should result in unity in the body.

The affection and mercy is also an indirect result of God’s dealing with us.

How much easier it then becomes to help people who possibly are a threat to unity of the body and the Joy of Jesus when we have tender compassion.

Imagine coming together regularly with those who are not only of “/like precious faith/,” but who speak encouragement, practice agape love, share openly, as that is the meaning of fellowship, and have this all take place in tenderness and compassion.

Wow!

 

*THE COMPLETION OF PAUL’S JOY*

 

Here, in verse 2, is the second part of Paul’s “/If…Then”/ approach to possible unity wreckers.

He continues, “/Then, make my joy complete.”/

The apostle lives with Christ’s joy in spite of circumstances.

He presently possesses joy and will have that joy even in the shadow of death -2:17.

He wants them to rejoice also.

But, his joy is still at an incomplete level.

There is joy and complete joy.

Allow me to illustrate.

When an auto mechanic replaces the brakes on your car, the last thing he will do is to make sure the brakes are /“bled”/ properly.

This simple procedure involves one person applying pressure on the brake pedal in the car and one person opening the little valve at just the right time under the car.

At the signal the pedal is depressed and held to the floor while the mechanic under the car observes a squirt of brake fluid out of the line.

A job well done.

Well, maybe not.

They then must test the brake pedal for a spongy effect.

If the pedal does not feel reasonably firm at the end of its travel, there still must be a small amount of air in the line.

No air bubbles are observable, but the condition that can be dangerous, must be fixed.

Until all the air is eliminated, the mechanic is not completely satisfied with the job.

His joy is not complete.

John the Baptist said, “/The bride belongs to the bridegroom.

The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.

That joy is mine, and it is now complete.”-John

3:29.

/ The reason is in John 1:29

 

John the Apostle wrote: “/I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”-