Speaking to a Church's Heart

For those of us who have trusted Jesus for salvation and follow Him day by day we find that there are some serious struggles. It’s not all a bowl of cherries and rainbows and unicorns, is it? There is still the difficult stuff of life to deal with. In our passage for this morning, the Apostle Paul was addressing some of these difficult things that the church in Philippi was dealing with.

Churches are not immune to struggles. We are not immune to problems. Everyone that is part of this church is a human with a sin nature. We are bound to run into problems. We are going to disagree on some things. The way of the world is to walk away.

Do you remember when you were a little kid and you were playing with the neighborhood kids. If someone had a disagreement or didn’t get their way, they would say something to the affect of, “I’m taking my ball and I’m going home.”

But as those who belong to the kingdom of God, we are to handle our lives and our struggles DIFFERENTLY than the world. Yes, we face trouble but we are to handle trouble as those submitted to the Lordship of Christ and not the same as people who don’t know Jesus. A very real concern of mine is people who claim to know Jesus but live like they have never heard of Him.

Part of this is just people giving into their fleshly desires. Some of it is that in many churches there are people who have somehow become members and are unregenerate. That means you have church members who don’t really know Christ. They have been allowed into the church but they have not repented of their sin and trust the good news of Jesus’ death in their place for their sins and risen from the dead. When a sinner repents and trusts Jesus for salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and empower us for godly living. We still feel the fight of the flesh but have the power to be obedient to the Lord only by the power of the Lord.

Today’s passage is not about those who are not truly Christians. This passage is about those who have already trusted in Christ. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I would love to talk to you later.

Let’s read together from Philippians 4.

READ:

Philippians 4:1–9 ESV

1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. 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. 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.

Paul’s love and longing for the Philippians is evident yet again in this first verse.

I. Stand firm in the Lord.

The first thing we need to look at is what it means when Paul says “in the Lord.” There are three times when he says that in this passage alone and another instance that is worded differently but carries the same meaning.

What it means to be in the Lord.

The phrase, “in the Lord,” is a favorite of Paul to use. It’s referring to that intimate union and fellowship of the Christian with the Lord Jesus Christ. This union gives us the basis for all Christian relationships and conduct. It is distinctive of the Christian life and gives that life a specific character. Paul sometimes uses a different version of this to mean the same thing.

“in Christ Jesus”

“in Christ”

John uses it as “being in Christ” or “abiding in Christ”.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says that this phrase denotes

- The motive, quality, or character of a Christian duty or virtue, as based on union with Christ.

- the ground of Christian unity

Consistent with the Christian life.

Paul says to stand firm in the Lord. Stand firm in your living the Christian life. Don’t let all these other things, false teachers and the cares of the world distract you. Stand on the truth of the that which you have learned and which has proven itself to have sanctifying work in your life. Stand firm in your relationship with the Lord.

We have to be cultivating this relationship. That means being in the Word. That means prayer. That means being a regular, active, member of a local Gospel centered church.

Next, Paul turns his attention to two women, Euodia and Syntyche, who were quarreling. Paul wants the church to:

II. Encourage these ladies to agree in the Lord. (v. 2-3)

They were Christians.

Do you see yourself as a threat to the unity of your church?

You should and so should I.

They were servants. This ought to cause us to be watchful of our own hearts and lives.

They had labored with Paul in the gospel.

They needed help.

Paul asks for what he calls his true companion to help them. They aren’t figuring this out on their own so someone needs to step in to maintain the unity of the church. They needed a moderator to help them figure out their quarrel. I don’t know what their quarrel was exactly but this verse was brought up earlier this past week at a conference I was at when the men on stage were discussing people’s varying responses to Covid and the government and the arguments that have happened even among Christians. Paul wants a godly individual to help these two dear women figure out their differences. Notice the focus on maintaining unity.

Will you ask for help?

Are you prepared to give help? To step into awkward conversations?

Paul encourages unity, one of his themes of this letter. In dealing with this disagreement in a letter to the whole church, he is also showing the need for holding each other accountable.

Merida rightly states that, “It requires grace-filled humility.”

Third, In verses 4 though 7, Paul gives the Philippians and us some help with moving forward. How do you live actively in the Lord.

III. Live forward. (v.4-5)

Rejoice in the Lord - always… he says it again. Rejoice! Be happy and satisfied in your relationship with the Lord.

Be reasonable. - gentle, kind, tolerant. Reasonableness.

The Lord is at hand

Pray (v.6)

because He is at hand - don’t be anxious about anything but pray. God is at hand. He is near.

The result of your prayer

The peace of God

surpasses all understanding

Will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

IV. What you should think about. (v.8)

Philippians 4:8 ESV

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.

I used to tell my students to use this verse as a filter for what kinds of entertainment they allowed themselves to enjoy. What Paul is doing here is telling the Philippians what to focus on. They are to think of things that are:

true

honorable

just

pure

lovely

commendable

excellence

anything worthy of praise

Lastly, we come to verse 9 where Paul again turns to the idea of imitation.

V. Imitate what Paul lived and taught. (v. 9)

He tells them to imitate that which they had:

- Learned

- recieved

- heard

- Seen in him

Conclusion:

If you are a Christ follower, you have power for living the Christian life day in and day out. God has not left us to our own but provided us with the Holy Spirit and His Word to show us what it looks like to live everyday as a follower of Christ. And He provides the power to live out those commands by the Holy Spirit.

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