The Peaceful Church
Philippians 4:1-7
How do Christians and churches have peace? We do not live in a peaceful world. The Society of International law in London states this incredible statistic: since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than 8% of the time. Over the last 4000 years of history, only 268 years saw peace. Moreover in excess of 8000 peace treaties have been made and broken. In the last 3 centuries there have been 286 wars on the continent of Europe alone!
The central point of our passage is the peace of God. This passage is speaking to Christian believers, not to unbelievers. Unbelievers do not have peace with God. They reject, question, deny, curse, and oppose God. God feels no peace between Himself and an unbeliever. No matter how mild the unbeliever’s questioning and rejection is, it is still questioning and rejection and not peace. But when an unbeliever surrenders his life and accepts Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior, peace is made between him and God. Peace rules both within and between the person and God. In fact, God causes a flood of peace to surge through the heart and life of the new believer.
In the NT, the word for peace means “to reconcile or join.” Some missionary Bible translators were working very hard to find a word for peace in a particular tribal language. At last, a native who was working with them found a combination of words that captured the concept—“a heart that sits down.” When the heart sits down with Jesus—when we join with God through his Son—there is peace.
Dr. Billy Graham said, “I know men who would write a check for a million dollars if they could find peace. Millions are searching for it. But we Christians have found it! It is ours now and forever. We have found the secret of life!”
In our text the Apostle Paul is speaking to the church of Philippi. They were a great church a joyous church, and yet they still were not perfect. He wanted them to be at peace with God and with each other.
I am firmly convinced that no church or Christian is perfect. I also believe that when a Christian is at peace with God they will have peace within and be at peace with other brothers and sisters in Christ.
The question is this: once we have the peace of God flooding our lives, how do we maintain that peace? How do we keep the peace of God ruling and reigning within our souls? How do we stay aware that God’s very own presence is within us—stay aware that the God of peace lives within our very being? This is the discussion of this passage: the steps to peace.
I. Peace comes through Standing Fast (v.1)
It is the picture of a soldier standing fast against the onslaught of an enemy. He refuses to give ground no matter the pressure and strength of attack. He does not flinch; he is not unstable and he is never defeated. The Christian believer is to stand fast...
• no matter how great the trial
• no matter the pressure of the temptation
• no matter the influence, offer, and allurement made by others.
But how does a believer stand fast? When the temptation to surrender is so appealing and the trial is so terrible, where can the believer find the strength to stand fast? There are two places.
A. The Source of our strength
Matthew Henry said, “When Christ died He left a will in which He gave His soul to His Father, His body to Joseph of Arimathea, His clothes to the soldiers, and His mother to John. But to His disciples, who had left all to follow Him, He left not silver or gold, but something far better—His PEACE!”
There is only one place the Christian can stand fast, and that is “in the Lord.” We must be living and moving and having his being in the Lord. When we are walking in the Lord throughout the day, our minds and thoughts are upon the Lord so when the temptations and trials come, we are conscious and aware of the Lord’s presence and strength.
B. The Family of God
Paul calls them “my beloved and longed-for brethren” they were his brothers and sisters in Christ. They had all trusted Christ as their Savior and become sons and daughters of the family of God. They were all brothers and sisters of the Lord and Paul is reminding them of this relationship. Therefore, they should all stand fast in the Lord.
He says that he longs to see them. He is in prison and unable to be with them, but his heart is with his dear family, the family of God.
It was the 5 year anniversary last week in what the news called "The Miracle at Quecreek," nine miners trapped for three days 240 feet underground in a water-filled mine shaft "decided early on they were either going to live or die as a group."
The 55 degree (Fahrenheit) water threatened to kill them slowly by hypothermia, so according to one news report "When one would get cold, the other eight would huddle around theperson and warm that person, and when another person got cold, the favor was returned."
"Everybody had strong moments," miner Harry B. Mayhugh told reporters after being released from Somerset Hospital in Somerset. "But any certain time maybe one guy got down, and then the rest pulled together.
And then that guy would get back up, and maybe someone else would feel a little weaker, but it was a team effort. That’s the only way it could have been." They faced incredibly hostile conditions together -- and they all came out alive together. What a picture of the family of God! Peace comes through standing fast in the Lord and with the family of God:
II. Peace comes through Unity (v.2-3)
Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, did not live up to the meanings of their names. “Euodia” means a “prosperous journey.” “Syntyche” means a “pleasant acquaintance.” Since Paul pleaded with these two to agree with each other in the Lord, it seems that they were causing division in the church.
It doesn’t matter who you marry, you will have conflict, it doesn’t matter where you work or where you go to church you will always have conflict. Whenever 2 or more people are present there is always the potential for conflict.
Christian Counselor Larry Crabb said in his book, “The Safest Place On Earth, “The difference between spiritual and unspiritual community is not whether conflict exists, but is rather in our attitude toward it and our approach to handling it. When conflict is seen as an opportunity to draw more fully on spiritual resources, we have the makings of spiritual community.”
A. We work for the same Master (v.2)
Paul wrote in v.1 to stand fast in the Lord now he writes, be of the same mind in the Lord. The name Lord means the one to whom we belong, the Master, the Supreme one. We belong to Jesus there is no other way folks for us to here this than to say we as Christians are at the bidding of the Master. We serve Him.
B. We work for the same Mission (v.3)
These ladies once helped Paul labor for the gospel. They were probably Godly people who at one time sacrificed for Jesus and the church. But now they have taken their eyes off of why we are a church.
Our mission is to spread the life changing message of Jesus Christ. If we keep our eyes on the mission we can still love each other even when we disagree.
There is a story about George Whitefield and John Wesley, two of the greatest preachers in the 1700’s til now. They disagreed on doctrinal matters, very sharply. One person asked Wesley if he expected to see Whitefield in heaven. Wesley said no. The person replied, ‘You don’t think Whitfield is saved?’ Wesley replied back, “Of course he’s saved but he’ll be so close to the throne and I so far away that I will never see him. They disagreed yet maintained unity through Christ in order to advance the Gospel. (Be Joyful-Weirsbe) **v.4**
III. Peace comes through Rejoicing Always (v.4)
Paul is writing this from prison and he not only says rejoice but in case you didn’t here me rejoice and when you don’t feel like rejoicing, rejoice.
The word means to be glad, or to rejoice exceedingly. Billy Graham said in his message “Saved or Lost” in Texas in 1965. “..one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. You might not be able to work up joy yourself, but God the Holy Spirit living inside of you can produce this joy supernaturally, and a Christian is to have joy. He went on to say, “But a Christian is to have joy. That’s one of the great characteristics of the Christian is the joy that we have, and if you don’t have this joy and if you don’t have this peace that Christ gives, you had better search your heart and find out if you really know Christ. SOURCE: Billy Graham, “Saved or Lost” in Texas in 1965.
It is not my place to judge if a person is a Christian or not Jesus is the only righteous judge. But folks how can anyone be a Christian and not have joy in their heart. Not have a smile on their face when they talk about Jesus. Be so cold and indifferent when it comes to worshipping the one who died on the Cross so we may live. Rejoice and when you don’t feel like it shout He still loves me even when I frown. Turn to your neighbor and say…He still loves me even when I frown.
IV. Peace comes through Gentleness (v.5-6)
The word gentleness means fair, mild calmness when dealing with people. Notice that the Bible tells us to have this gentleness to all men. We are not to be impatient or intolerant when we deal with others. This mindset remember he said be of the same mind is the mindset of Jesus clear back in chapter 2 verse 5 the Bible told us “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ”...v.7 says there “He made Himself of no reputation.” Now what does that do for us?
A. We won’t worry (v.6a)
When you and I are walking rightly with the Lord we really don’t care what others think. Our reputation doesn’t really matter we won’t be anxious about work, or school when Jesus is the Master He is all we seek to please.
After all folks, what have we to worry about?
During an earthquake some years ago, the inhabitants of a small village were generally very much alarmed, but they were at the same time surprised at the calmness and apparent joy of an old woman whom they all knew. At length one of them, addressing the old woman, said, “Mother, are you not afraid?” “No,” said the woman, “I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world.”
B. We won’t wander (v.6b)
Notice where our focus is when we are not worrying: In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. We won’t be out of God’s will when we pray and the word supplication means a seeking after God. We need to get back to seeking after God, because as the hymn says we are “prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the one I love.”
I can have this gentleness when I fill my life with prayer and make my requests to Him. I can be assured He hears and then gives me peace that passes all comprehension of the world.
Conclusion: We live in a world that doesn’t understand peace. Unfortunately we as believers in Jesus Christ often don’t exhibit peace ourselves. God wants His peace to guard our hearts and minds according to v.7.
But there is part of a verse in our text I think we overlooked. It’s the reason why we need as Christians to “maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” as Ephesians 4:3 says.
Do you see the phrase in v.5, why the church needs this peace? Why you and I in our relationships shouldn’t snap at people or operate in our flesh. Do you see it because this must come through church—THE LORD IS AT HAND!
If the church today doesn’t stand fast in the Lord’s strength as a family of God,
If the church isn’t united working together for the same Master and on the same mission,
If the church isn’t rejoicing and spends it’s time complaining,
If the church isn’t gentle and worries and wanders, Then who is going to tell them THE LORD IS AT HAND?
Church we’re it! Jesus doesn’t have a plan B. Jesus said in the greatest sermon ever recorded, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (KJV)
His peace working through us is proof we are His.
Do you have his peace today?
PRAY
