Homily Pastor Dan Neary

Joy in Christian Unity

You need to know that this church, this fellowship of believers committed to Christ and each other, is a significant cause of thanksgiving in my life. I am thankful for you… and I understand, probably just in some small way, when the Apostle Paul describes the believers in church he founded as his “joy and crown.”

This book demonstrates a deep, beautiful relationship between Paul, the Apostle and church planter and pastor, and this group of friends in Philippi.

The theme we’re seeing that ties the book together is Joy.
Joy is the hallmark of the Christ-centered life.

In Chapter 1 – Joy in all Circumstances

• Paul is writing while under arrest
• They call this a “Prison Epistle” because Paul was in jail
• He was suffering persecution because of his faith in Christ
• Joy is more than happiness… it is greater than a reaction to circumstances
• Circumstances are irrelevant to true joy

In Chapter 2 – Joy in Humility

• Joy doesn’t come from demanding our happiness
• It comes from humbly serving
• Following Christ’s example to
• Be humble before God
• Humble among mankind
• And then God exalts the humble
• Humility is the road to joy

In Chapter 3 – Joy in The Lord

• Joy is found in The Lord
• We are encouraged to follow Paul’s example
• And count everything, outside of his relationship with the Lord, as rubbish
• The Lord is the only source of joy

And now finally in Chapter 4 – Joy in Christian Unity

• This is a great picture
• With Chapters 1-3 as the base
• Paul turns back to his friends, and explains
• Unity is where joy is best enjoyed

Exhortation to Stand Firm in Unity

• Genuine affection (v.1)
• Brethren
• Love and long for
• Joy and crown
• Dear friends

Exhortation (v.1) to Application (v.2)

• If it was a doctrinal issue, Paul would have characteristically addressed it “head on”
• Probably hampered their work
• Paul is telling these two women, and the Church, that we simply must “get along”

As an aside, it is good to point out that these were, indeed, women

• It was worth-it to Paul
• We are purposeful about women being involved in leadership in our church
• This is consistent with the way women were involved in the broad range of Church life from the very beginning
  

From The Word in Life Study Bible

From an Exhortation to Unity…

To a specific exhortation to Christian Virtues

Rejoice always

No matter what… Rejoice!

It put me in mind of Winston Churchill’s famous speech, “Never Give Up”

The story goes that on October 29, 1941, U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School to hear the traditional songs he had sung there as a youth, as well as to speak to the students.

It is said that Churchill stood before the students and said, "Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." Then he sat down.

That is a myth.

In reality, he made a complete speech that included words similar to what are often quoted.

Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.

Just as Churchill wrapped-up a statement about resolve in wartime with the simple word “never,” Paul wraps-up this Christian life in this one word: Rejoice!

And more specifically Rejoice in the Lord.

Let your gentleness be evident to all.

From Joy, to Gentleness, to Peace
in vs. 6,7

Paul concludes this passage with a call to virtue…

The Whatevers

• Good
• Heard (Learned)
• Seen (Practiced)

So what?

In chapter 2 we identified attitudes and actions that destroy joy:

Selfish Ambition (v.3)

Vain Conceit (v.3)

Complaining (v.14)

Arguing (v.14)

This passage identifies another condition that saps Joy from life: Anxiety

Whereas these conditions described in chapter 2 could spring from an unwholesome pursuit of happiness (demanding happiness)…

Anxiety comes from an unhealthy position of fearfulness, insecurity and apprehension.

We have the antidote… prayer and petition.

In a few minutes, Christian will lead us in our time of Intercession. This is one of the ways this church expresses itself in Christian Unity.

We minimize anxiety through prayer and petition together… and thus magnify joy!

Today I want to encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Come to the Lord in prayer… and bring us, your church family, along to stand with you.

Let us pray.