Philippians Study - Session 17

Philippians Study – Session 17

Philippians 4:14-23

This is our 17^th and final session in our journey through Philippians.  Paul ends this letter to what was arguably his favorite church with some wonderful words of affirmation for his friends and fellow believers in Philippi.  The thing about the closing verses of Philippians that stands out to me is how affirming and uplifting they are.

Philippians 4:14-20

In this section Paul praises the Philippians for sharing with him their material resources.  One thing the Bible makes clear about God is that He is a giving God...it is God’s nature to give...He has given us the gift of life itself...He has given us a beautiful world in which to live...He has given us all that is necessary to sustain life...and when we rebelled against him and fell into sin, God gave us the most precious gift of all, “For God so loved the world that He gave--He gave his only begotten Son...”  And because it’s God’s nature to give, it should be the natures of those who follow Him to give as well...and while Christian giving should not be limited to just the giving of money, it should not exclude the giving of money either...this section is a wonderful overview of the benefits of sharing with others…

I.       As we share, obviously others are blessed

1.      Paul begins this discussion of giving by saying in v.14, “You have done well to share with me...”...that can be paraphrased, “You have done a good thing...”...and in these verses Paul spells out some good things our giving does for others...our sharing--

--Encourages others - In v.14 Paul speaks of the Christians in Philippi “sharing in my affliction” through their giving... Paul’s affliction was that he was in prison...his physical freedom was lost...the spirit of concern represented by the giving of the Philippians was a great comfort and encouragement to Paul...

--Expands the ministry of others - In vv.15-16 says that the church at Philippi was the only church to send Paul financial support to assist in his ministry...their support made it possible for Paul to continue on to places like Thessalonica in northern Greece and Corinth in southern Greece and Ephesus in Asia Minor...the giving of the Philippians greatly helped Paul in his work and helped changed the Christian landscape of the 1^st century world...

--Meets needs of others - In v.18 three times Paul tells them their gifts met specific needs in his life...

2.      Point of all that is one reason we should give is that others are benefitted by our giving...

II.    As we share, God is blessed

1.      May sound like strange, even absurd thing to say...how can God, the Creator and Owner of all things, possibly benefit from our giving?... but that’s exactly what Paul says giving does...look at how he describes the giving of the Philippians in v.18...he calls their giving “...a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God...”

2.      The phrase “...a fragrant aroma...” is very important...a similar phrase is used more than 40 times in the OT to describe a sacrifice in which God finds delight...for example, in Leviticus 1 where the Israelites are given detailed instructions on how to prepare and offer a sacrifice to God...and in Leviticus 1 three times the phrase “...a soothing aroma to the Lord...” is used to describe a sacrifice properly made...

3.      And the clear meaning of “...a fragrant aroma...” in Phil.4:18 is that as we give, God is blessed and pleased...sharing with others is one way of expressing our love for God and acknowledging that we understand that all we have comes from Him...

III.  As we give, we are blessed

1.Look at v.19...it’s one of the great promises in the Bible...”And [that is, as a result of your faithful giving which blesses others and blesses God] my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”... 

2.      That is a wonderful promise...notice how positive, how affirming it is...not “...my God...

--might supply...”

--could supply...”

--ought to supply...”

But “...my God shall supply...”...no question...no doubt...no wavering...it is an absolute certainty...

3.      What is it that God shall supply?...not “...my God shall supply all your wants...desires...”  But “...my God shall supply all your needs...”

4.      I like what one writer says about this promise...”God has not promised to supply all our ‘greeds.’  When the child of God is in the will of God, serving for the glory of God, then He will have every need met.” [Wiersbe, Be Joyful, p.140]

Philippians 4:20-23

These verses are a beautiful benediction to this letter.  In these verses Paul lays out in rapid fire fashion some basic principles he wanted to drive home to the Christians in Philippi.

·         Principle 1 – All believers in Christ are members of the same spiritual family

Notice the phrase “our God and Father” in v.20...in the previous verse Paul had referred to God as “my God”...but as he closes the letter he reminds his readers that God is not the Father of a select few...He is “our God and Father”...all the redeemed are His children...we all have equal standing before Him...we should love each other and care for each other and treat each other with dignity and respect because we are members of the same spiritual family...

·         Principle 2 – We must not lose sight of the basic nature of God

We are to view Him as “Father”...there’s a beautiful thought in the phrase “God and Father”...the word translated “God” is theos which is the basic Greek word for God...word translated “father” is pater which is the normal word used to describe an earthly father...in linking those two words together, as he often did, Paul is saying that God is not some distant, uncaring, unreachable far away deity...instead He’s as close to us and as compassionate toward us as our earthly fathers...

·         Principle 3 – We must keep in focus our most basic response to God

We are to give Him “glory”...the word for glory is doxa from which our word “praise” comes...healthy believers are characterized by vibrant, meaningful, healthy praise of or worship of God...there is nothing a Christian does that is more important than or should take priority over worship...we must give worship our highest priority and our best effort...if we fail in worship, we undermine the very foundation of the our relationship with God...[In the classic Arabian Nights Sinbad warned his shipmates of a great magnetic rock said to have been in the Indian Ocean...the legend was that the magnetic pull of this rock was so strong that it would pull the nails and bolts out of passing ships and the ship would come apart and sink to the bottom of the ocean...there is a sense in which the powerful influence of the world acts upon Christians like that magnetic rock acted upon those ships...it seeks to pull us apart...to loosen our grip on things which are eternal...and it is the act of worship week after week which tightens the bonds which hold us together and tightens our grip on things which are important...healthy, dynamic, meaningful worship keeps our lives together...]

·         Principle 4 - We are to be considerate of each other - Notice the repeated use of the word “greet” in v.21... ”Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.  The brethren who are with me greet you.  All the saints greet you...”...that is one of Paul’s favorite words...in his writings in the NT Paul uses this word more than 50 times...it means much more than just to acknowledge someone’s existence...it carries the ideas of welcoming and accepting...of making others feel at home with you...we are to treat people in such a way that they are glad, not sad, to see us coming...

·         Principle 5 - Every person in the fellowship is important - Notice the first part of v.21...”Greet every saint...”...don’t exclude anyone...don’t overlook anyone...don’t leave anyone out...God’s people are to be inclusive toward each other...that’s a theme which permeates Philippians...no less than 14 times in the four chapters of this letter Paul uses the word “all” in referring to the Philippians...he didn’t want anyone to feel left out...and from that we should learn that there are not second class citizens in God’s kingdom...every single person is important and vital to the fellowship...

Now look at the last verse of Philippians – “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”  Paul ends this letter where he began – reminding his readers that they are the recipients of God’s grace.  The Greek word  is “charis” and it essentially means unmerited favor.  It has been said, and I think correctly so, that the word “grace” sums up Christian theology.  One writer defines the word as “the free and undeserved giving by God to [people] what they cannot achieve themselves” [Moulton, quoted by Vaughan, p.20].  And because we are the recipients of the blessing of “grace” of God, it is possible for us to live in joy, in spite of the outward circumstances of our lives.  And that is the main theme of Philippians.

Philippians Study - Session 16

Philippians Study – Session 16

Philippians 4:10-13

In the last part of Philippians 4:11, Paul makes one of the most amazing statements to be found in Scripture.  He wrote, "...I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am."  Not many people can honestly make statement like that!

The word translated "content" in that statement is one Paul borrowed from the Stoic philosophers of the first century.  It was used to describe a person who was entirely self-sufficient, one who was completely removed from the need for any person or anything.  To the Stoics, being content meant eliminating all emotion from life, denying all feelings, getting to point where you do not care about yourself or anyone else.  One Stoic philosopher put it this way:  "Begin with a cup or a household utensil.  If it breaks say, 'I don't care.'  Go on to a horse or a pet dog.  If anything happens to it say, 'I don't care.'  Go on to yourself.  If you are hurt or injured in anyway say, 'I don't care.'  If you go on long enough, and if you try hard enough, you will come to a stage when you can watch your nearest and dearest suffer and die and say, 'I don't care.'"...

That's how Stoic philosophers defined contentment.  But Paul took their word, a word with which Philippians would have been familiar, and gave it new and distinctly Christian meaning.  He says in Philippians 4:10-13 that for Christian contentment doesn't come from having a radical "I don't care" attitude.  It comes from living in the awareness of our dependence on each other and our dependence on Christ.  Look at Philippians 4:10-13.

T.S. -Immediate context of these statements about contentment has do with Paul receiving some type of gift from Christians in Philippi... however, Paul is speaking here about much more than being content with physical/material things...talking about being content with life as a whole... want you see two things he says about that...

I.    To be content we must maintain meaningful relationships with people

1.   This entire discussion about contentment begins with Paul saying that his relationship with the Christians in Philippi was source of great joy to him...look at first part v.10 again..."But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me..."...it wasn't merely physical gift they sent Paul which made Paul rejoice...was what gift represented...the gift reminded Paul of the good relationship he had with the Philippians Christians...

2.   Sure most, if not all, of you have some things you keep, not because they have monetary value but because of there sentimental value...you keep the items because were given to you by someone special to you and they remind you of the relationship...

3.   Kind of sentiment Paul expressing these verses...contentment came not from the physical gift...it came as result of meaningful relationships from which the gift had come...

1.      Important truth here...contentment can never be found in things...it comes from relationships with people...one of great temptations of life, especially in our culture, is temptation sacrifice relationships for things...don't do it!...it's horrible trade!...things can never do for you what meaningful relationships can...

II.  To be content we must maintain a meaningful relationship with the Lord

1.   Philippians 4:13 is one of most well-known verses in Bible... it's beautiful statement of faith..."I can do all things through Him [Christ] who strengthens me."...

2.   To understand that statement, must read it within context in which Paul made it...talking about how be content in any life circumstance...previous verse spoke of being content--

--with humble means or prosperity...

--with being filled or hungry...

--with having abundance or suffering need...

Paul says secret is his relationship with Christ...

--while Stoic philosophers stressed self-sufficiency, Paul stressed Christ’s-sufficiency

--while Stoic philosophers stressed finding contentment in own power, Paul stressed relying on Christ's power...

3.   Literally the verse reads, "As to all things I am inwardly strong in the One empowering me."...Paul had faced wide variety of life situations...and in every situation found the empowering presence of Christ to be more than adequate...the person who walks with Christ and lives in Christ can deal with anything, no matter how difficult, life has to offer...

1.      Have you ever thought that the most important thing about a tree is the part you cannot see, the root system...apart from a healthy root system which goes down deep into the ground and draws up nourishment from the soil, a tree will not be strong...and the most important part of a Christian’s life is the part only God sees ...apart from a deep, genuine, abiding, real, dynamic relationship with God through Christ, we can never say with integrity what Paul said in Philippians 4:13 - “As to all things I am inwardly strong in the One empowering me...”

2.      And it’s that relationship with Christ which makes it possible for us to be content in any and all life situations....

CONCLUSION

1.      I’ve shared with you before that my dad fought in Germany during WWII...he has always been very reluctant to talk about his experiences during the war, but knowing that he was their has motivated me to read a number of books specifically about Nazi Germany and the fighting in Europe...one of the most interesting books I have read on that subject is Inside the Third Reich by Albert Speer...Speer was Hitler’s personal architect who became Minister of Armaments and War Production for Germany...in his book Speer tells about Hitler’s confrontation with a courageous German pastor named Martin Niemoller...Hitler was furious because Niemoller openly criticized him and his policies...in 1937 Hitler ordered Pastor Niemoller arrested and placed in a concentration camp...he stayed there 8 grueling years until the war ended...

2.      After the war, Albert Speer and the other Nazi leaders were placed on trial at Nuremberg...one day a bus stopped in front of the compound where Speer was being held and it was rumored that the bus contained former concentration camp prisoners and that pastor Martin Niemoller was among them...among the former prisoners who got off the bus was a frail, bent, white-haired man wearing a black suit...Speer assumed that must be Niemoller and he felt sympathy for him because he was so visibly marked by those 8 hard years in the concentration camp...

3.      One of Speer’s friends decided to approach the old man and apology for the ill-treatment he had received in prison...when he walked over and said to the man, “Pastor Niemoller?”...the old man replied, “I’m not Pastor Niemoller.”...then he pointed and said, “He’s standing over there.”...and in his book, here’s how Albert Speer describes Martin Niemoller: “There he stood looking youthful and self-possessed, an extraordinary example of how the pressures of a long imprisonment can be withstood.”

4.      I submit to you that Martin Niemoller had learned the secret of being content in whatever circumstances in which he found himself...the secret?...

--maintaining meaningful relationships with people...

--maintaining a meaningful relationship with God...

Philippians Study - Session 15

Philippians Study – Session 15

Philippians 4:4-9

            All Scripture, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, is inspired by God.  In that sense, there is no part of Scripture that is more or less important than any other part.  However, in another sense, there are parts of God’s Word that seem to stand out in importance and value to our lives.  They are like peaks in a majestic mountain range.  In our journey through Philippians we have come to one of those passages.  Philippians 4:4-9 is one of the great statements in the Bible, and it is packed with useful instruction for us.

            Philippians 4:4-9 consists of two paragraphs that are similar in structure.  Each paragraph begins with a series of instructions and ends with ends with a wonderful promise of peace.  The promise of the first paragraph is “the peace of God” (v.7), and the promise of the second paragraph is “the God of peace” (v.9). 

            This is such an important and beautiful part of God’s Word, I think the best way to approach it is simply to work through it word by word and phrase by phrase.

Philippians 4:4-7

Verse 4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

The word “rejoice” literally means to be full of joy.  Given Paul’s situation when he wrote this letter, that was an incredible thing for him to say.

·   He was locked away in a Roman prison...his very life was in question...

·   His friends in Philippi were embroiled in some kind of deep disagreement, and he couldn’t be there to help them...

·   The Christian community in Rome, where Paul was being held was divided...

·   Some of the Christians in Rome were jealous of Paul and were using the occasion of his imprisonment to attempt to undermine his leadership of the church...

And apparently Paul anticipated his readers questioning the wisdom of that statement.  I think Paul could envision them asking, “Has Paul gone absolutely mad?  Doesn’t he realize where he is?  Doesn’t he know what might happen to him?” And so for emphasis and clarity Paul repeats the statement  “...again I will say, rejoice!”

That statement is a reminder that while we cannot always choose our circumstances, we can choose how we respond to our circumstances.  Even in times of difficulty, it is possible for God’s people to rejoice.  The ability to rejoice, even in the hard times of life, does not come from naïvely burying our heads in the sand and pretending that everything is alright.  Instead, it is the recognition that we are never alone in our suffering.  As Psalm 31:7 puts it, “I will rejoice and be glad in Thy loving-kindness, because Thou hast seen my affliction; Thou hast known the trouble of my soul.”

Verse 5a – “Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men.”

The word translated ­­“forbearing” is one of the great words of the New Testament.  It means  to be humble, gentle, reasonable, patient, and courteous.  Instead of being characterized by the kind of conflict Paul felt compelled to address in Philippians 4:2-3, he urges believers to be “forbearing.”  This same word is translated “gentleness” in that wonderful list of qualities in Galatians 5:22-23 called “the fruit of the Spirit.”

Verse 5b – “The Lord is near.”

That phrase can be interpreted in one of two ways.

·         It could mean the Lord is near in the sense of His continuing presence in our lives.  Taken that way, this statement would be an echo of the promise that Jesus made to His disciples in Matthew 28:20 - “...I am with you always, even until the end of the age.” 

·         Or it could mean the Lord is near in the sense that His return to this world is near.  The New Testament view is that we have been living in the last days since the ascension of Jesus back to heaven.  The next great event in God’s redemptive history is the return of Christ.

Whichever way you interpret the phrase, the point is that it is the nearness of the Lord that motivates us to be “forbearing.”

Verse 6a – “Be anxious for nothing…”

The word translated “anxious” is a very graphic word.  It means to be pulled in different directions or to go to pieces.  And the wording of the phrase “Be anxious for nothing...” indicates the readers were in the grips of anxiety.  In effect Paul says to them, “Stop worrying...stop being pulled apart...stop focusing on your problems and focus instead on God...”  Best definition worry I have ever read was written by Norman Vincent  Peale.  He described worry as "...the destructive process of occupying the mind with thoughts contrary to God's love and care."

Verse 6b – “…but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Instead of worrying about any­thing, we’re to take everything to God in prayer.  There is a wonderful thought in that word “everything.”  He is saying that there is ­nothing—

·         So big that God cannot handle it...

·         So small that God is not interested in it...

Just as a child can be sure a loving parent is interested in whatever happens to him/her, so we can be sure our loving heavenly Father is vitally concerned about all cares and anxieties in our  lives.  I Peter 5:7 says it well... "Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for  you."

Verse 7 – “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

The word "guard" in phrase "guard your hearts" is a military  term.  It was used to describe a Roman soldier, weapon in hand, standing in ­­­front of a door keeping anyone from entering.  The result of following the commands of verses 4-6 is that we experience in our lives the “peace of God.”  We have a sense of inner well-being that can only be explained by God’s presence in us.

Philippians 4:8-9

One of the great unexplored frontiers which we are just beginning to discover is the frontier of the mind.  We are only in the infancy of understanding the amazing on-board computer God has put in our heads.  However, even in our limited understanding, we do know that our lives are radically impacted by what we allow to be fed into our minds and what we do with the information once it is there.  That’s not a new revelation.  Hundreds of years ago the writer of Proverbs wrote, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” [Pro.23:7]  Ralph Waldo Emerson put it this way:

“Sow a thought, reap an action.

Sow an action, reap a habit.

Sow a habit, reap a character.

Sow a character, reap a destiny.”

What he was saying that what we think and how we think, to a large degree, determines our destiny.

The basic command of Philippians 4:8 is found in the phrase “...let your mind dwell...” at the end of the verse.  The verb translated “...let your mind dwell...” in the NASB and “...think on...” in the KJV is logizomai.  It carries the idea of careful, thoughtful reflection.  It is referring to something much deeper than just a fleeting thought.  Instead, it means to ponder, to give proper weight to, or to concentrate with all the mental power we can muster.

Now look at the first part of v.8 at the list of things on which the minds of God’s people should dwell.

·         True - This means things upon which we can rely, which will not fail us, will not let us down...in Jesus’ great prayer in John 17 He prayed that God would sanctify His followers in the truth and then he explained what He meant by saying, “Thy word is truth...”...and to occupy our minds with what is true means to occupy our minds with God’s Word...

·         Honorable - Carries idea of things that are worthy of reverence...instead of being consumed by things that are cheap, flippant, trivial, unimportant, we should be consumed by the dignified, respectable, important things of life...doesn’t mean that we never laugh or joke or enjoy life...think Jesus lived with twinkle in His eye...it means that we are not to focus our lives on things which are dishonorable...

·         Right - Idea is giving to God and to others what is due them...we are to focus on doing what is right in relation to God and to other people...

·         Pure - This word carries idea of morally pure or undefiled...world is filled with things that are sordid, shabby, smutty...God’s people are to avoid those things...we are not allow our minds to become saturated by things that are impure...

·         Lovely - This word means love-inspiring...instead of filling our minds with things which arouse ill feelings toward others, we are to focus on things which cause us to love others...

·         Good repute - Barclay describes this as “...the things that are fit to hear...”...the world is full of words that are not fit to hear--not just the obviously profane words, but also words that are false, deceptive, and demeaning of others...we are to focus on things which are worth talking about and which we can take into the very presence of God...

·         Excellent/worthy of praise - The translated “excellence” is from classical Greek and is used nowhere else in NT...was used to describe excellence in every form--mental, moral, and physical...we are to focus on those things which motivate us to doing very best we can do, not on those things which allow us to settle for less than our best...

Those are the types of things which should occupy the minds of God’s people.

Now look at what the first part of verse 9 – “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things...”... there are two very significant things in that statement want you to see...

·         Paul had the courage to say, “Look at my life.  What you see in me, practice yourself!”...tragically, very few Christians can make a statement like that with integrity...we have to say just the opposite...”Don’t look at my life; just listen to my words.  Do what I say, not what I do!”...however, Paul was well aware that people learn by example, and he made sure his example was right...this is second time in this letter Paul invited his readers to look at his life and do as he did...in 3:17 he challenged the Philippians to “...join in following my example...”...and now, in 4:9, he issues to them the same challenge...

·         This statement is a reminder that the great responsibility of being a Christian is living like a Christian!...not saved by right living...saved by faith in Christ...but once we have made that faith commitment of our lives to Christ, right living is the evidence that you really are a Christian...

There’s a beautiful promise at conclusion of this paragraph…as we fill our minds with the right things and live our lives in the right way, then ”...the God of peace shall be with you...” That doesn’t mean there is ever time when God is not with us...but if we fill our minds with the wrong things and if we live our lives in total disregard of God’s will, we will find ourselves in the position of being calloused to, insensitive to the presence of God with us...on the other hand, as we fill our minds with the right things and live our lives in the right way, we become keenly aware of God--the God who brings peace and contentment--being in our lives…

Philippians Study - Session 14

Philippians Study – Session 14

Philippians 4:1-3

            There is a great old story about man went to doctor because bitten by dog...decided test dog for rabbis...doctor came in and gave man bad news that dog was rabid...ask for pen and paper and began write furiously...thought making out will and tried calm man by saying while serious wasn't fatal...man said I’m not writing will, making list of people I'm going to bite!...

            Many people seem to go through life with that kind attitude...go through life constantly looking for someone to bbbite...always in conflict, always at odds with someone...basically, their lives are miserable and those who come into contact with them aare miserable as well...the church at Philippi must have had some people like that…

            In our continuing study of Philippians have come to a passage which introduces us to two women in the church at Philippi who may have been like that...they were locked in conflict, and apparently their conflict was spilling over into and becoming harmful to the fellowship and mission of the church...Throughout the letter of Philippians Paul makes some thinly veiled references to some conflict which was dividing that church...over and over he encourages the Philippians to rise above the conflict...for example--

--1:9 ‑ Paul says, "I pray that your love may abound  still more and more in real knowledge and all  discernment..." implying that their love for each other was not what should be...

-1:27 ‑ Encourages them to stand "firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together..."

--2:2 ‑ Instructs them to be "of the same mind, maintaining the  same love, united in spirit, intent on one  purpose..."

--2:14‑ Tells them to "do all things without grumbling or disputing..."

All those statements are indirect references to conflict that existed in the church at Philippi…now, in Philippians 4:1-3 addresses the conflict directly...

            It is interesting how Paul addresses the conflict in the Philippian church.  Before dealing with the situation directly, he directs a very encouraging word to the entire church.  Look at Philippians 4:1 – “Therefore, my beloved brethren, whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”  I want you to notice two things about that statement.

Notice how positive Paul was toward the Philippians

1.      Christians in Philippi certainly weren’t perfect...they had their faults and shortcomings...but you would never know it from reading Philippians 4:1...Paul could have thought of many negative things to say about them...

--had divided fellowship...apparently was some intense conflict within the church...could have chastised them for that...

--had theological error in their fellowship...were some people among them Paul considered “enemies of the cross of Christ” as he put it in the previous chapter...could have criticized them for allowing the false teaching to continue...

--had spirit of discouragement in their fellowship...their leader was in prison and they had lost some of their missionary zeal...could have degraded them for their lack of faith...

2.      Paul could have said any number of negative things about the Christians in Philippi...but he didn’t...he left the negative unsaid... instead, in 4:1 he makes four great positive statements about the people who first received this letter...

--”my beloved brethren” - Literally text says, “Brothers of mine, dearly beloved ones...”...word translated “beloved” is word used elsewhere in Scripture to describe God’s sacrificial love for us...it is plural, meaning that it applies to all of them...in effect Paul said to them, “I want you to now I love you--each and every one of you--with the same kind of love which God in Christ has expressed to us!”

--”whom I long to see” - The phrase could be read this way: “Brothers of mine, dearly beloved ones and intensely longed for ones...”...Paul was saying, “I don’t want to love you from a distance.  I want to be close to you.  I yearn to have fellowship with you.  I desire to see you face to face.”

--”my joy” - Paul was not in a joyful place when wrote these words...was in prison, probably in Rome...I’ve seen the prison where Paul may have been held there...is dark, foreboding place...certainly not place would associate with joy...but Paul says to the Philippians, “Even in a place like this, just thinking of you brings joy to my heart.”

--”my crown” - There are two basic words for crown in Greek...one is diadema and refers to a royal crown, a crown of kingship...the other is stephanos...it refers to the wreath placed on the head of a winner in an athletic contest...that’s the word Paul uses here...in effect he is saying, “You are my award, my prize for Christian service...I treasure you!”

3.      Can you imagine how Philippians must have felt when whomever was reading this letter aloud to the assembly got to 4:1...when they heard Paul refer to them as “...brothers of mine, dearly beloved ones and intensely longed for ones, my joy and my crown...” they must have thought, “Is this the right letter?  Could that be us he is talking about?  You mean we’re beloved and longed for and a joy and a crown?”...what a lift these words must have given the beleaguered Christians in Philippi...

4.      There is a lesson here about having healthy relationships we must not miss...if you want to have good relationships with others, look for things in them to praise instead of to criticize...most people don’t have a great need for others to point out their faults and weaknesses...generally, we are very aware of those...most of us need people to remind us of our strengths and abilities...If we would develop the habit of focusing on the positive attributes of others and leaving the negative alone, we would improve the quality of our relationships in every area of life...

Notice how encouraging Paul was toward them

1.      Obviously these two ideas go hand in hand...

--if we are positive in spirit toward others we will encourage them...

--conversely, if characterized by negative attitude toward others we will discourage them...

2.      Paul was a great encourager...Philippians 4 is one of the most encouraging passages in the Bible...the basic thrust of this chapter is to encourage those who read it “in the Lord”...three times in the first 4 verses Paul uses that phrase...

--v.4 - “...rejoice in the Lord...”

--v.2 - “...live in harmony in the Lord...”

--v.1 - “...stand firm in the Lord...”

Word rendered “stand firm” is stekete...military term...it pictures a soldier standing firm in the heat of battle...the soldier does not--

--retreat from the charge of the enemy...

--buckle under the pressure...

--give up and run [Harbour, Philippians Notes]

3.      There’s a beautiful picture in this statement...in prison, under constant guard, living in very difficult conditions, the great Apostle tells his friends, “I am not giving up...not overwhelmed by my circumstances...not discouraged...and I want to encourage you to stay with it as well...”

4.      There’s just something in us which draws us to people who are encouragers...it was William Arthur Ward who made this famous statement: “Flatter me, and I may not believe you.  Criticize me, and I may not like you.  Ignore me, and I may not forgive you.  Encourage me, and I will not forget you.” [Illustrations A-Z]

            After that positive word of encouragement in verse 1, in verses 2-3 Paul deals directly with the conflict.  These verses provide an interesting insight here into role women in New Testament church...generally in Greek culture women stayed very much in the background...for example—

--in most places respectable women would never appear in street alone or with head unveiled...

--women had own private living quarters in houses and never even joined male members of the family, even for meals...

--women had no part in any public life…

And in places where would have been deemed disgraceful for women to do otherwise, Paul urged  them to maintain background role in church...Corinth, located in Achaia in southern Greece is good example of that kind of place...

            However, things were different in Macedonia where Philippi located...woman enjoyed a freedom and a place in life  there didn't have elsewhere in Greece...and that freedom is reflected in churches...

‑‑Paul's first convert in Macedonia was woman...Lydia,  a successful business woman, who became leading  figure in church at Philippi...

‑‑In Macedonian cities of Thessalonica and Berea, was the leading women of the cities who first came to faith in Christ and who became leaders of the churches...

‑‑And it’s not surprising that in Philippi find two women,  Eudoia and Syntyche, were having a significant impact on church...

            Even though there are no no other references to Euodia and Syntyche  in the Scripture, their names provide us a clue to personalities...

‑‑EUODIA means "prosperous journey"...probably woman who had gotten somewhere in life...was an achiever...she was probably kind woman could have been successful in anything decided do...

‑‑SYNTYCHE means "pleasant acquaintance, happy chance, good luck..."...probably one of those pleasant, affable  people who find it easy get along with everybody...in  social circles no doubt known as good mixer...

For whatever reason, these two capable, powerful women were locked in some type of conflict and it was hurting the church.  In addressing the situation, Paul gives us a formula for dealing with conflict.  Want you to see what Paul did not do and what he did do in responding to the conflict in the Philippian church...first notice what didn't do‑‑

‑‑Didn't ignore the problem ‑Didn't say, "If look  other way, bury head in sand, will go away..."...many  problems which can be easily dealt with in early  stages become almost insurmountable if allowed  fester and grow...

‑‑Didn't take sides ‑ Very carefully worded his  statement...took great care say exact same thing to  each..."I urge Euodia" and "I urge Syntyche"...rather  awkward way wording...but from how Paul addressed them it was impossible for either to claim with integrity, "Paul is siding with me..."

‑‑Didn't attempt Lord it over them ‑ When wrote he was recognized leader of church...could have chosen exercise apostolic authority and be very harsh and demanding…but instead said, "I urge you..."... word  means "exhort, beg, plead with..."...instead of exercising his authority, in meekness and humility  said, "Please stop what you're doing. You are  destroying the church and you're hurting  yourselves."

Now notice what Paul did do in response to the conflict...

--He appealed to their higher motives - Paul urged them to "live in harmony in the Lord"...wasn’t asking them to think alike, to have the same preferences, have same tastes...but he reminded them that Christians should be bound together by a  common commitment to the Lord...one person said this about phrase "live in harmony in  the Lord..": “Sometimes it is only "in the Lord" that  people can get together.  Even within the church, there are personality differences and incompatibilities which make it difficult to have a harmonious fellowship.  When we commit these tensions to Christ, however, we can learn to love and appreciate each  other in spite of the differences.”

--He urged others to serve as peacemakers - In v.3 Paul instructs those who read this letter “...to help these women...” ...there’s an important lesson in that...when people around us are in conflict we can either fan the flames or attempt to cool things down...God’s people should always be looking for ways to build bridges of peace and reconciliation between people in conflict...

Following Paul’s example will help us deal with conflict in a redemptive way...

CONCLUSION

            Jesus told disciples: "A new commandment I give to you,  that you love one another.  Even as I have loved you,  that you love one another also.  By this all men will  know that you are my disciples, if you have love one  for another."

In letter of I John told "...the one who does not love  his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he  has not seen."...

            Of all people, Christians should love each other...live in peace and harmony with each other...avoid unnecessary conflict...doing so is credit to you and credit to the kingdom of God...