THE UNITY THAT PRODUCES JOY
Philippians 4:1-4
Proposition: The unity that produces joy will impact our world when determination is shown resulting in harmony and happiness and point people to Jesus Christ since He is the Head of our church.
Objective: My purpose is to challenge God’s people to promote unity which results in harmony and a heartfelt happiness.
INTRODUCTION:
Illus: During a business meeting in a small country church, one of the deacons said, "Pastor, I think we need a chandelier for the church." Another deacon stood up and said, "No, I’m against it!" "Why don’t we need a chandelier, brother deacon?" asked the pastor? The deacon answered, "Well first, nobody in the church can spell it. Second, nobody in the church can play it. And third, what this church needs more than anything else is more light!"
Peace and harmony is critical both to church survival and outreach. Unity is essential if the Holy Spirit is to produce joyfulness. Paul reveals his deep affection for the Philippian church. He did not derive his joy from circumstances, but his fellowship with fellow-believers. Paul deals with the disunity that he has been told about the church by challenging God’s people to experience unity with determination, harmony and happiness. This will show the spiritual stability so that the integrity of their testimony is not destroyed.
Illus: There was a church in Louisiana with a roof that’s green on one side and red on the other. This was done because some members of the church adamantly wanted green and other members adamantly wanted red. The disagreement was so intense that the church was going to split because of it. Finally, a compromise was reached. Unfortunately, the red and green roof is a monument to the community of the kind of dysfunction that the church experienced. We need the spirit of the church in Jerusalem when Luke writes, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one accord in one place.”
I. DETERMINATION (v. 1) “Stand fast in the Lord”-- The word "stand firm" in the original was used to describe a soldier standing firm in the midst of battle, with the battle surging about him. The believers were in the midst of the "enemies of the cross of Christ" (3:18).
1. Concern “Therefore my beloved and longed-for brethren”-
Notice first of all the care, the affection Paul expresses for the church at Philippi. He calls them beloved twice in this verse. He calls them longed-for brethren. He cared deeply for them. Preaching from unloved lips never does any good. It irritates, or leaves untouched. Affection melts and opens the heart to the entrance of the Word.
2. Crown “My joy and crown”-- The drabness of the prison was
relieved by the joy he felt when his thoughts turned to his friends gathered in the Lord’s name at Philippi. As he thought of them, the prison walls melted away. Picturing himself answering to his name at the roll call of the judgment of Christ, he heard the Lord’s "Well done!" and saw himself receiving a crown. The word "crown" has two backgrounds. It was the crown of the victorious athlete at the Greek games. It was made of wild olive leaves, interwoven with green parsley and bay leaves. To win that crown was the peak of the athlete’s ambition. Also, the crown with which guests were crowned when they sat at a banquet, at some time of great joy. It is as if Paul said that the Philippians were the crown of all his toil.
Illus: When we are in heaven, how many will be able to say, "I am here
because of you?" That will be a real joy.
3. Challenge “So stand fast in the Lord”— One is to stand fast
as a soldier standing fast in the heat of battle with the enemy surging down upon that one. Here Paul unites the appeal for responsible Christian living to a reminder of our dependence on the Lord (cf. 1:27). One can only stand firm because one is "in the Lord."
Illus: John W. Yates shared this letter from a missionary who had gone
into the jungles of New Guinea: “Man,” he said, “it’s great to be in the thick of the fight, to draw the old Devil’s heaviest guns, to have him come at you with depression and discouragement, slander, disease! He doesn’t waste time. He hits good and hard when a fellow is hitting him. You can always measure the weight of your blow by the one you get back. When you’re on your back with fever and at your last ounce of strength, when some of your converts backslide, when you learn that your most promising inquirers are only fooling, when your mail gets held up and some don’t bother to answer your letters, is that the time to put on your mourning suit?
“No Sir! That’s the time to pull out the stops and shout hallelujah! The old fellow’s getting it in the neck and he’s giving it back. And all of heaven is watching over the battlements: ‘Will he stick it out?’ And as they see who is with us, as they see around us the unlimited reserves, the boundless resources, as they see the impossibility of failure with God, how disgusted and sad they must be when we run away. Glory to God! We’re not going to run away. We’re going to stand.” (John W Yates II, “Overcoming Discouragement,” Preaching Today.
II. HARMONY (vvs. 2-3) “Be of the same mind in the Lord”- It is very clear to everyone here that we can accomplish little for God unless we do it together. How many of us would want to go to the concert hall and listen to the orchestra play when we knew before hand that the strings would be playing what they wanted to play, and the horns would play what ever they wanted to play? Or what would it be like if in the middle of the concert the percussionist decided to play by his own beat, not according to the directions provided by the conductor?
Ours is a purpose loftier than creating a harmonious sound or winning the World Series or whatever task we are trying to accomplish? Our work, when done well, will result in the saving of lives for eternity, and making it possible for people here and now to live successfully.
1. Plea (v. 2a) “I implore”-- Note the double use of "implore" here.
This is probably being used to add emphasis. Also though, it helps us see that both parties must make concessions for there to be real unity. We don’t know who is at fault here and Paul does not pursue placing the blame on either party. The thing he is primarily interested in is the restoration of unity. And so he exhorts both sides to resolve their differences and to become of one mind..
2. Pursuit (v. 2b) “Be of the same mind”— 99% of church splits
are not over theology, but over personality. It is as if personality is some kind of blank check for acting like an idiot. Too often, personality is an excuse for not changing. "Hey, this is just the way I am." It’s as if personality is not a spiritual or weighty issue. Well, we can’t just wiggle off the hook that easily, as if we couldn’t help it since it was a personality issue. Jesus picked, I think intentionally, a politically diverse group in order to prove that unity is based upon something other than sameness (uniformity). Yes, what you have experienced is valid, and what you feel is important, but so is God’s work, a work which can only be accomplished when we learn to pull together. And whether we like it or not, this "pulling together" must be done under the leadership that the Lord has ordained for us at this time. I can just see one of these women suggesting a new way of doing something and the other saying “we’ve never done it that way before, we’ve always done it this way.” Harmony is defined as follows: Harmonious mutual understanding: accord, agreement, concord, concordance, concurrence, consonance, rapport, tune, unity.
Illus; In music, to understand harmony, you first need to understand
melody. Melody is a group of notes played one after the other. Melody is the tune. It’s often the easiest part of music to remember, the part that you hum. Harmony is also a group of notes, except these notes are played behind, beneath, and around the melody. Harmony supports the melody and gives the music texture or mood. Harmony in the church is when the Body of Christ supports the message and mission of the church with unity and singleness of mind enhancing and deepening the beauty of life in Christ.
3. Practice (v. 3a) “Help those women” -- Paul’s appeal is to "pull together" to Euodia (means "a prosperous journey") to Syntche (means "a pleasant acquaintance"). His plea is that they make things right between them. It is easy to let pride, stubbornness and ambition for prominence be displayed. Opinion differ-ences, personality differences, doctrinal differences and procedural differences can lead a church to face a major crisis in their fellowship. The work of the church comes to a halt because nobody can agree on anything. Being of the same mind in the Lord does not necessarily mean that we cannot have differing ideas about many things. But it does mean that we cannot squabble about our differences. Being of one mind does not mean we tolerate doctrinal error concerning the person of Christ, the person and work of the Holy Spirit or other essentials of the faith. So Paul says, "Euodia and Syntche, get your act together. Let the servant’s spirit prevail in your relationship with each other."
Illus: I heard of a man who couldn’t pronounce these names but read them this way, "I entreat Odius and I entreat Soontouchy to agree in the Lord."
Illus: It may have been a case like the three burly fellows on motorcycles that pulled into a cafe. There was this little fellow sitting on a stool quietly eating his lunch. The three burly fellows walked over to where he sitting, grabbed his food away from him, ate it, and then laughed in his face. The little fellow got up, paid for his food, and walked out without saying a word. One of the burly fellows said, "Boy, he sure wasn’t much of a man, was he?" The waitress replied, "He’s not much of a driver either. He just ran over three motorcycles."
4. Prospect (v. 3b) “whose names are in the Book of Life” –
He requests his yoke-fellow (whether Ephraphoditus, Timothy, Lydia, etc.) and Clement and all believers with their names in the Book of Life to bring about peace in the body. This is a lovely way of expressing the eternal and unspeakable blessedness that attaches to faith in Christ and service for Him.
Harmony in a church doesn’t have to be destroyed by a bitter business meeting or a church wide controversy. Harmony in the church can be affected by a couple of members that fall out with one another.
A good thing to remember
And a better thing to do,
Is to work with the construction gang
And not the wrecking crew.
Illus: During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to
unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ’s commands. Then they came together. Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, “What did you do then?” “We were just one,” he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred. When love prevails among believers, especially in times of strong disagreement, it presents to the world an indisputable mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ.
III. HAPPINESS (DELIGHT) (v. 4) “Rejoice in the Lord always”- The note of joy runs throughout the letter. If Christ is who we hold Him to be, then Christ offers more to make us glad than anyone or anything else can do to make us sorry. Paul can issue the call to rejoice as they remember his suffering and imprisonment at Philippi on his first visit was the occasion of an impressive victory of faith and joy over despair (Acts 16:25). It is the Philippians "faith in the Lord" that makes rejoicing even in the agonizing struggle with opposition a glorious possibility.
1. Privilege “Rejoice”—Rejoicing is a privilege. Christian joy is a mood independent of our immediate circumstances. 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 Savior; they may rejoice in 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.
2. Presence “in the Lord”—Our joy points to the Joy Giver. Rejoicing in the Lord influences others to rejoice. The secret of his exhortation is found in the words “in the Lord.” No matter how dark the circumstances of life may be, it is always possible for the Christian to rejoice in the Lord. No matter how dark the circumstances of life may be, it is always possible for the Christian to rejoice in the Lord.
3. Persistent “always”-- Rejoicing in the Lord influences others to rejoice as well. 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. Be continually happy; but this happiness you can find only in the Lord.
4. Perseverance “Again I will say, rejoice”—Our rejoicing should focus on God. It is as if having said, "Rejoice!" there flashed into his mind a picture of all that was to come. Joy in God is a duty of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be again and again called to it. If good men have not a continual feast, it is their own fault. He himself was lying in prison with almost certain death awaiting him; the Philippians were setting out on the Christian way, and dark days, dangers and persecutions inevitably lay ahead. So Paul says, "I know what I’m saying. I’ve thought of everything that can possibly happen. And still I say it--Rejoice!" Christian joy is independent of all things on earth because it has its source in the continual presence of Christ. Where then is real joy found? -- the answer is simple, in Christ alone.
Illus: As a woman in Chillicothe whose car was found in the Illinois River who had been distraught about the death of her husband as well as business problems wrote: "Don’t hate me and then be mad at me. I love you guys, but I’m just so tired of this." She was not experiencing the joy that Paul knew.
CONCLUSION: In closing, let us remember that:
1. It is human problems that can break fellowship among God’s people! We must remember that this is God’s church, not my Church. He is the one that is to be preeminent.
2. It is God’s grand purpose that to build fellowship among His people.
3. It takes God’s people committed to Him and His will to build the proper fellowship.
Illus: Several years ago, there was a Dennis the Menace cartoon that grabbed my attention. Dennis is walking away from the next-door neighbors’ house, the home of Mr. And Mrs. Wilson, with Joey, his younger friend for whom Dennis served as kind of a mentor. Both of the lads have their hands loaded with cookies. Joey asks, "I wonder what we did to deserve this?" And Dennis responds with these words of profound wisdom: "Look, Joey, Mrs. Wilson gives us cookies not because we’re nice, but because she’s nice." And that’s the Gospel. God so loved the world . . .
Illus: Sometime back two women appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Both of the women appeared to be 40ish. They were nice looking. One was blonde and slender. The other was brunette and a little heavier. But there was a strange bond that linked the two women--for you see, the brunette, heavier-set lady had killed the blonde lady’s daughter. This sounds more like Jerry Springer than Oprah, doesn’t it? The brunette lady is an alcoholic who has finally gotten her life together. But not before she had done some tragic damage to people around her. She’s a mother herself with three children. While alcohol had her in its grip, she tragically neglected her children. Even worse, she got behind the wheel of a car one day in a drunken state and plowed into a car carrying the other woman’s young daughter and killed her. How would you feel toward a drunk who had killed your only daughter? How would you feel toward the person whose irresponsibility had robbed you of the one person you loved most in the world? What would you do with the grief, the anger, the rage? I don’t know what you or I would do in this situation, but here is what this lady did: she forgave the woman who had killed her daughter. She not only forgave her in her mind; she reached out in love to this sad woman who had taken her daughter’s life. She helped this woman deal with her own remorse, helped her break her dependence on alcohol, helped her take control of her life and become a loving mother and a responsible member of the community. And Oprah asked in obvious awe, "How did you do this? How did you forgive this woman who had done you such a terrible wrong?" And this nice-looking blonde lady said, "I had to." Then she added, "Because Someone once forgave me." Then she added, "I have experienced the unconditional love of God in my life," she said, "and I had to share it with someone else." Wow! "I have experienced the unconditional love of God."
Have you ever experienced unconditional love? Love without strings, love without expectations, love given to you not because of something you’ve done great, but simply and solely because you are you. THIS IS THE DEEPEST NEED THAT HUMAN CREATURES HAVE--TO EXPERIENCE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
Prepared by: Gerald R. Steffy
6206 N. Hamilton Rd., Peoria, IL 61614
E-Mail: grsteffy@yahoo.com to receive
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