Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together ---Vesta Kelly
Philippians 2:1-4 (March 2) Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (vs. 5-11 on Easter)
Our song “One” that we hold hands and sing each Sunday during this sermon series is derived from this passage. As you sing these words they are likely being imprinted upon your heart, and are bonding you to one another.
“Being of one mind / having the same love / Being of one accord / having the same heart”
I wonder is that song meaningful to you? Why is that?
What is it about unity that produces those feelings of warmth and joy when we experience it?
This morning I would like to explore that a bit, as well as examine how we might become more and more united as a church family.
As I pondered the results of brothers and sisters being united, I came up with a couple of results that show up here and in other scripture passages:
Unity leads to God being glorified. (which is brought out in verse 10-11). It is His intention for us to be unified. I believe that when we feel that warm sense of joy, what we are actually feeling is the “pleasure of God.”
It results in the family being built up and strengthened. Unity is like cords of a rope being intertwined and braided, which makes it stronger with each additional braid of cord.
It proves to the world that we belong to Christ.
"Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:35).
The apostle Paul has a pastor’s heart for the church in Philippi. He asks them to make his joy complete by doing a number of things. Boiled down, he is asking them to be united in all things. Lets look closer at this passage and at what he is asking the Philippians (and us) to do.
The first thing Paul asks them to be is to “be of the same mind.”
"Thinking the one thing." Like clocks that strike at the same moment.
It is also “being in one accord” (Acts 5:12) which means to be in musical harmony (different chords, but in harmony)
1 Cor 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
He asks them to “Maintain the same love” (love of Christ, love for Christ) and to “Be united in spirit” –
This is used to describe souls that beat together, in tune with Christ and with each other. This word is made up of two words "sun" (together with) and psuchos (soul, self, inner life, or the seat of the feelings, desires,affections). So the word refers to being united in spirit or harmonious.
Thus Paul desired the Philippians to be united in their affections - one in Christ in all desires!
What, may I ask, holds our affections? What is that we desire?
And then Paul asks them to be “Intent on one purpose” or to agree on what they live for.
Uniting around a central purpose or vision is essential for a reduction in conflict.
When we are pulling our own way, seeking our own agenda, wanting what we want instead of what God wants, we fracture the family of God and tear it in pieces.
Of course, the opposite is true. When we are all rowing the boat in the same direction, we get there quicker!
Jesus is the One we serve and His purposes for our church are to worship Him with joyful enthusiasm, grow in knowledge of Christ, and to share our faith and love with others.
Where we tend to fracture is that we have different ideas of what those three goals look like.
Max Lucado, in his book In the Grip of Grace tells the story of the family of God in the form of a parable. He writes, “God has enlisted us in his navy and placed us on his ship. The boat has one purpose — to carry us safely to the other shore. This is no cruise ship. . . . We aren’t called to a life of leisure, we are called to a life of service. Each of us has a different task. Some, concerned with those who are drowning, are snatching people from the water. Others are occupied with the enemy, so they man the cannons of prayer and worship. Still others devote themselves to the crew, feeding and training the crew members. Though different, we are the same. Each can tell of a personal encounter with the captain, for each has received a personal call. He found us among the shanties of the seaport and invited us to follow him. Our faith was born at the sight of his fondness, and so we went. We each followed him across the gangplank of his grace onto the same boat. There is one captain and one destination. Though the battle is fierce, the boat is safe, for our captain is God. The ship will not sink. For that, there is no concern.
There is concern, however, regarding the disharmony of the crew. When we first boarded we assumed the crew was made up of others like us. But as we’ve wandered these decks, we’ve encountered crew members with strange appearances. Some wear uniforms we’ve never seen, sporting styles we’ve never witnessed. ‘Why do you look the way you do?’ we ask them. ‘Funny,’ they reply, ‘we were about to ask the same of you.’
The variety of dress is not nearly as disturbing as the variety of opinions. There is a group, for example, who clusters every morning for serious study. They promote rigid discipline and somber expressions. ‘Serving the captain is serious business,’ they explain. It’s no coincidence that they tend to congregate around the stern. There is another regiment deeply devoted to prayer. Not only do they believe in prayer, they believe in prayer by kneeling. For that reason you always know where to locate them, they are at the bow of the ship. And then there are a few who staunchly believe real wine should be used in the Lord’s Supper. You’ll find them on the port side. Still another group has positioned themselves near the engine. They spend hours examining the nuts and bolts of the boat. They’ve been known to go below deck and not come up for days. They occasionally are criticized by those who linger on the top deck, feeling the wind in their hair and the sun on their face. ‘It’s not what you learn,’ those topside argue. ‘It’s what you feel that matters.’
And then there is the issue of the weekly meeting at which the captain is thanked and his words are read. All agree on its importance, but few agree on its nature. Some want it loud, others quiet. Some want ritual, others spontaneity. Some want to celebrate so they can meditate, others meditate so they can celebrate. Some want a meeting for those who’ve gone overboard. Others want to reach those overboard but without going over board and neglecting those on board. And, oh, how we tend to cluster.
The consequence is a rocky boat. There is trouble on deck. Fights have broken out. Sailors have refused to speak to each other. There have even been times when one group refused to acknowledge the presence of others on the ship. Most tragically, some adrift at sea have chosen not to board the boat because of the quarreling of the sailors.
Paul tells us in his letter to the Colossians, that the people of God should “clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” He said, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
The real problem with the average American church is that people who desperately need God are not attracted to it since it looks like any other organization with its politics, cliques, and strife.
Someone has compared the church to Noah’s ark saying, “The only thing that made them able to tolerate the stink inside was the storm that was raging outside.”
Let that not be the case with us!
May we be such a people that others are attracted to the sweet aroma of Christ! Amen?
Paul then begins to instruct them on some of the how(s) of unity: He tells them to “Do nothing from selfishness (selfish ambition) or empty conceit.”
For the Christian, the question should not be, "How can this benefit me?" but "How can this benefit the Kingdom of God?"
Self is all about the individual. But the Kingdom is about the Family of God.
Crucified self is required for unity.
Ephesians 4:4 says, "We are all one one body."
The Church isn’t made up of a lot of disconnected people.
The pride that prompts people to push to get their own way -Selfish ambition says, "I am not getting my way and I am mad about it."
“Do nothing from selfishness” – the literal Greek means to “stop electioneering” or courting people’s favor for your own interests. (This word is found before NT times only in Aristotle where it denotesa self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means.)
Electioneering would be like trying to IMPRESS others or to court their favor. We see plenty of that with elections coming up don’t we?
We do it as Christians to other Christians, trying to sound holy, trying to look good, so we will be accepted or acceptable among the church family.
I recall visiting a church when I was a new Christian where everyone said, “praise God this and that.” They would talk to each other in Christianese. I wondered, how do they talk outside of this place when they are around people who don’t understand them? Do they act one way here and another way at work?
Why would we need to do that? If you are family, you should already be accepted.
If I feel I need to impress you, then one of two things are wrong.
Either I am insecure with who I am, or I feel I must somehow meet standards that you have set for me.
So ultimately, either I am unsafe or the church family environment I am trying to enter is unsafe.
So what should the church family do?
We can make the environment safe by showing you that we love you the way you are.
We make the environment safe by not putting on airs, religiosity or holier than thou language. We act the same in church as well as outside of church. That’s really important!
Empty conceit - when we start putting our glory and desires ahead of God’s.
Leonard Bernstein, the late conductor of the New York Philharmonic orchestra, was once asked to name the most difficult instrument to play. Without hesitation, he replied, "The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm – that’s a problem. And if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony."
Paul further instructs the Philippians and starts his next sentance “With humility of mind……” He is giving practical steps to achieve unity.
So how would humility build unity?
Humility is a proper appraisal of yourself. Don’t think too highly of yourself! I like to think of humility as seeing yourself the way God sees you! (not the way you want people to see you or even the way others see you. The only opinion that matters is God’s!)
Pride produces factions, strife and division, polarization both in family and church families.
When we think that we are better than others, we destroy the unity of the church family.
Imagine what would happen if a family member comes home from their first semester at college and begins acting like they know everything! They got smart at college and now everyone else is inferior! Folks don’t want a lot to do with someone who thinks they are better than everyone else.
Humble people remember how they got to where they are, they base their worth solely on God’s grace. When people forget who they got there, they become prideful, thinking themselves better than others.
Regard others as more important than yourselves:
“important than yourself” literally view them as being of superior rank,
Have you ever known someone who treated people as more important than themselves?
When you have a conversation with them they would ask you questions about yourself instead of talking about themselves.
They ask you what your opinion was and not just use the conversation as an opportunity to vent their own opinion.
Your value comes from who made you and not what you have done or haven’t done.
NEW YORK (AP) — A man who paid $5 for a 19th-century painting he bought at a garage sale has sold it to a museum for $1 million, an art publication reported. The unidentified 29-year-old actor found Joseph Decker’s (search) "Ripening Pears" wrapped in a blanket at a Los Angeles garage sale three years ago, the report in ART newsletter said. “The woman who sold him the painting said it had been sitting in her garage for more than 60 years, the publication said. Decker painted it around 1884 or 1885. The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., bought the painting in February for $1 million, said Meredith E. Ward, who served as the man’s broker. The painting hung on the man’s kitchen wall for two years before he decided to do an Internet search on Decker.
The painting was not valuable because of where it was located (it was in a garage). It was not valuable because of who owned it (a 29-year-old actor). It was valuable because of it’s creator.
That is true with you and me. It is NOT who we are, nor where we live, nor who our parents are, our job or education that make us valuable – it is our Creator, and his work in our lives.
And when we give over control of our lives to God, He sees us as very valuable. Valuable enough to sacrifice his Son, Jesus for – to die for. He loves us that much. THAT is where your value comes from.
* You might be here today and you might not feel very loved (for whatever reason). God loves you. You are valuable.
* You might not feel like your life is worth a lot – it is worth more than you can imagine (it cost Jesus his life to give you yours).
Paul concludes this piece of instruction with “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests but also for the interests of others.”
The Greek says “Don’t just “contemplate” or “fix your attention on” your own needs.
You can be concerned for your own needs, but go BEYOND that.
Not just the good of ourselves, but the good of the WHOLE family.
Examples of what this looks like or doesn’t look like in a natural family.
You consider the needs of others. One of the family members is unable to get around, so you cook meals for them.
You add a room on your house so you can care for an in-law so they don’t have to go to a nursing home.
You don’t serve mushrooms because one family member doesn’t like them.
You fix someone’s favorite dessert even though you don’t like it yourself.
You take a family member to the airport even though you must miss your favorite football game or tv show.
Church family
You go to watch one of the kids in your SS class’s football game or music recital.
You go to the graduating youth’s graduation party.
You call shut-ins and check up on them.
You visit church members in the hospital.
In other words, you treat others like dear family members.
These actions build unity.
I have to tell you, one of your offered to take my family to the airport Sunday when we had to go for Jennifer’s dad’s funeral. That is the kind of love we need to show one another.
It is transforming, unifying and “others more important” kind of love. It is the love that tells us we are loved and that we are IMPORTANT, not only to God but to others.
A.W. Tozer. “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all turned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship” (The Pursuit of God).
Conclusion
Do you enjoy that warm feeling that comes when we are unified as a church family? Of course you do. But the moment you chase the feeling you will lose it. We do not gain unity by focusing upon unity but by focusing upon Jesus. He is our tuning fork.
Lord’s Supper
