John 17:20-21 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
It was Jesus’ prayer that we as the body of Christ should be "one" - unified - a whole. Yet today Christ’s body seems anything but one - we have denominations who go to war with each other over interpretations of Scripture - we have churches broken into a million pieces over petty disagreements of non-existent issues. We have lives torn down and destroyed because pride was more important than humility and forgiveness.
It’s amazing that we should even think that the body of Christ could ever be unified - its made up of such a diversity of people. So is the answer that we should all get brain-washed and simply agree because we have to? That isn’t unity - it’s a wax museum. I think the Lord actually has something a lot better for us - and believe it or not, it’s joy.
John 15:10-13 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
So Jesus gave us the key - He wants us to have "complete" joy - and the way is to love one another and give of yourself to one another. Jesus gives the key, Paul unlocks the door here in Philippians.
There are four basic messages in this chapter:
1. Get along together with one mind
2. Help each other to become stronger in the Lord
3. Stop arguing and complaining - get to work spreading the gospel
4. Welcome my brothers as an example of what you should be
The only way the gospel can effectively go out from the church is if its members are united.
1 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, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
Verse 1: "Encouragement" is the same word used for the Holy Spirit - and can mean "comfort" or "exhortation." We have all received comfort from the fact that we have been taken out of darkness and placed into the body of Jesus Christ - the Light of the World.
"Comfort" - the word is related to "encouragement" but is slightly different. "Encouragement" means "to call near" whereas "comfort" means "to tell alongside." So in a way you might say that Jesus came near to us through His death (thus encouragement) and told us of His love (comfort).
"Fellowship" is Koinonia - that "interconnectedness" that is the result of the encouragement and comfort of the love. We are bound together - no longer "going our own way."
Paul wants his joy to be "made complete" or "fulfilled" in the King James. It means "To cram the net full" - in a sense Paul is saying that all the things in verse 1 are wonderful - but to make his joy complete or filled up - he desires unity in the body of Christ. This is the same word Jesus used in John 15 to say He desires for our joy to be "complete."
Paul says
1. Be like minded
It means "to think the same thing." That is, make what Jesus did the basis for how we think - think like He thinks.
2. Have the same love - act like He acts.
3. Being one in spirit and purpose
The result is that we desire the same thing and thinking precisely the same thing.
What he’s talking about is unity - unity is not the absence of opposition. Unity is not that everyone just thinks like you do! In fact in normal groups of people, unity doesn’t exist - even in churches! People are different. So how do we unify? Around the commonality of Jesus Christ and the purpose of self sacrificial love - a love that considers others "better than yourself" and a love that drives us towards not worrying about the differences so we can concentrate on sharing the gospel.
This kind of character is laid out plainly in verses 3-11
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Don’t act because you are trying to get ahead or because you think you are "something on a stick."
"consider others better than yourselves" really does say that - others are "to be held higher" or "rank higher" than us. I don’t think it is to shame or lower ourselves - but what kind of a world would we have if we always though of others as of a higher priority than ourselves?
The idea in verse 4 of "look" is to "gaze intently" - not to find fault with another, but to see what someone really needs - what will make them joyful what will help them do better - what is in their best interest?
Notice it says "look not only" - we aren’t to neglect ourselves - but also look out for others interests.
Paul puts this into perspective - we are to have the mind of Christ - so what was in His mind?
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This is thought to be one of the earliest worship choruses the church ever had.
There is so much here -
Jesus was the very nature and character of God (morphe)
Unlike Adam and Eve, Jesus didn’t need to be equal with God
Instead He "morphed" into a servant - added this to His character
He became totally human
He did God’s will above His own
So God didn’t leave Him in grave but resurrected and gave Him authority
It’s the gospel message - and one day every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord - though not all will make him their Lord.
And it’s the message of unity and humility. Jesus typified what Paul says in the first verses of this chapter - you don’t need to pull yourself upward - you have everything you need already to do God’s will by giving of yourselves to others - add Jesus’ character of a servant to your character.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
The "therefore" ties verses 12 & 13 with the previous section - so as Christ willingly gave up his "due" in order to love us, so too we should give up our "due" and love others - seeing God work this new life inside of us and changing us to be "like minded."
The Message says "Be energetic in your life of salvation"
The "your" there is plural - Paul is talking to the church as a whole. We need to help one another to work together for the common good, seeing Christ’s life worked out in our lives and the lives of those around us.
"Fear and trembling" the words of a slave to his master - what we’re doing is serious stuff - eternal stuff - and it should be taken seriously.
Look how he ends the thought - God IS working in you - doing things that give Him pleasure - you can be sure that He is not leaving you alone to fend for yourself and that He will do everything to make sure you do His will - you are not going to miss it by accident.
So he sums it up this way:
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
How can you go about "working out your own salvation"? By working together and not complaining about each other.
I know that sounds pretty basic but I believe that 90% of the problems facing the church would be solved if we would only do this one thing.
We waste so much energy thinking and acting in ways that cut each other down and doubt each other and question each other - instead we need to rally to each other, helping and working together for the common purpose of sharing the Lord!
Paul says "no matter what happens in the circumstances - if I can see the life of Jesus worked out in you I’ll have cause to be proud on the day of salvation"
So for the rest of the chapter, Paul gives some updates on folks important to both of them. In some ways it is like extra material - but we can also glean some things from the two men mentioned here:
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
The qualities that Paul described in verses 1-18 are lived out in the life of Timothy. Timothy was a young pastor that Paul discipled.
1. He takes a genuine interest in your welfare (ie: consider others better than yourselves)
2. "he has served with me in the work of the gospel" ("being of one spirit and purpose")
This covers verses 1-4
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.
Epaphroditus was probably an elder in Philippi. He delivered a financial gift from the church to Paul in Rome - he apparently became quite ill while in Rome - but recovered to take this "thank you letter" back.
This man, like Jesus, was willing to lay down his life for the Lord (verses 5 - 11)
Conclusions
Do an attitude check (have you been a complainer or a helper)
Do an environmental check (are there those who need you that you have not noticed or ignored?)
Do a values check (are you willing to let go in order to serve?)
Unity does not mean agreement - it doesn’t mean you have to swallow every bad doctrine out there. If there are theological problems - you should speak up, firmly - but still in love.
Jesus IS Lord - but is He YOUR Lord?
For more Bible studies and an audio copy of this message, please visit: www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org.
