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Sermon
Philippians

How To Be Steadfast

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January 29, 2023
Philippians 4:1-3
Steven Lee
Pastor for Preaching & Vision

Christian Unity

Perseverance of the Saints

Identity in Christ

Transcript

0:06Well, good morning. It's good to be together as we gather and open God's word as Sam said this is the last sermon of the north campus of Bethlehem Baptist Church and next week. We will be the North Church and I want to just point your attention to one thing next week. We won't have some big celebration but on March 5th a month from now March 5th on Sunday, we're gonna call that our celebration Sunday. And so we want to have you get that on your calendars and plan to join us and it's gonna be a special time as we look back on God's grace to us. And then look forward to where God is taking us. So March 5th put that in your calendar and then many of us know but we have 200 of our students and volunteers who are away at camp Lebanon and they're going to be hearing God's word this morning as well. So why don't you join me as we pray for them and then pray for us as we look at God's word.

1:06Father in Heaven, whether we're gathered here or we're gathered up there. We pray that Your word would cause us. To see more clearly that by the power of your spirit. We would put that word into practice in our lives so that you would receive glory and that we would look more and more like your son Jesus. We pray all these things in Jesus name. amen What is one of the greatest threats? That will undermine the future of the church or of this church. What kind of comes to mind what would be the greatest threat that would undermine our church you might think of various things both of this church or of the broader Global Church things like the political climate that we live in the violence in some of our cities maybe secularization.

2:07The sexual Revolution maybe Global instability or if you think outside of the US you might think or in the US the Prosperity Gospel persecution or theological illiteracy. Or nominal Christianity and all those things are threats. But this morning I might suggest that one of the greatest threats to the church. Is infighting and division from within the church and that's precisely what Paul calls out in our passage this morning in Philippians 4 verses 1 to 3. Paul has warned the Philippians of all sorts of people so far in the book He's warned them of opponents and enemies and false teachers and self-serving so-called believers.

2:56And then now in this passage, he turns to address the infighting that threatens to divide their Unity. So he's saying beware not just of the things out there, but we wear of the division that could creep in from within. Now last week we saw Paul's preoccupation with Christ and the hope of future Glory that he's living single-mindedly for Jesus. Awaiting the transformation of his Earthly lowly body to be like the Glorious Body of Christ. And so we might say Paul is very Heavenly minded and yet Paul is not living up in the clouds. He's not so hyper spiritual that he doesn't understand where most of us live every day that we have jobs to go to on Monday morning. We have doctors appointments that were anxious about that. We have problems that we deal with we got bills to pay.

3:56So Paul is not just so high and lifted up. But he's now calling out a pressing issue within the church, which is a public disagreement and the main point of our passage this morning is this stand firm by being united in the gospel stand firm by being united in the gospel. We see Paul's exhortation right there in verse 1 stand firm and then his entity to agree in the Lord in verse 2. And so what Paul wants is for his beloved friends to persevere in their faith. And before we jump in why is this important? Why is it important for us to beware of what can tear apart the bride of Christ? well many churches have gone through lesser things than what we've gone through in the last.

4:5218 24 months and have shut down as a result of it. The greatest threat to our church comes from within in the form of conflict and quarreling or gossip and animosity can become like a cancer that eventually overcomes the vital organs within the body. And so the aim of this sermon is to call us to reconcile any outstanding conflicts. And secondly to guard against the disunity that destroys. the unity of the church and so we can just see Paul's logic last week have the mind of Christ. We're awaiting a savior. Our lowly bodies are going to be transformed like Christ's glorious body. And in light of that let's make sure we deal with our own house first. Let's deal with the relational tensions that we might feel.

5:51I think the reason he does this is because we can't stand firm as a church if you have a broken ankle or a broken femur, you can't stand up much less. And so that's the picture that he's painting for us. We have to be fully whole United in order to be able to stand firm. So the question Paul answers for us this morning is how do we be steadfast? How do we reconcile disagreements within the church? And so our passage is broken down into two main parts the first we get the command to call the stand firm call the stand and chapter 4 verse 1 and then an appeal to agree in verses 2 and 3. So look with me at verse 1 again here we get this call the stand.

6:37It reads therefore my brothers whom I love and long for my joy and Crown stand firm thus in the Lord my beloved now Paul has addressed the Philippians as brothers seven times throughout this letter and he's talking to the entire church. So he means brothers and sisters both men and women and therefore here refers to their Heavenly citizenship chip and the expectation of Christ's returns looking back there and then it's looking forward. And so the idea is that as we await Jesus return and our glorification now, we stand firm in these truths. The same format appears in Philippians 2:12 because Jesus is highly exalted over all things now therefore work out your salvation with fear and trembling for his God who works in you both to Will and to work for your good pleasure for his good pleasure.

7:28So Paul's command is rooted in what Christ has already done and will do what would his highlighting here is that Grace proceeds and empowers The Obedience that he's going to call for? Because we're already in Christ. destined to be with Jesus forever Now we can address what's going on within the body now notice in verse 1 the five Terms of Endearment that Paul uses. Do you see all five of those first? He says Brothers and then he says whom I love this is the same exact word as beloved that we see later and then he says whom I long for and then my joy and Crown and then he says my beloved. So what he's trying to say here is I really really love you the Philippians. He calls them beloved twice in that same verse in chapter one. He wrote a yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. Why is this important?

8:32Well Paul's commands and his warnings to them flow out of the context of his deep Abiding Love for them. Paul really loves the Philippians and that's what motivates him to call them to stand firm. Love isn't just total acceptance without discernment. But it's Tethered to truth. So this is in direct contradiction to our cultures general definition of love. If you love me, you'll just agree with me and not give me any hard words what Paul is doing is saying is because I love you so very much Philippians that I'm gonna say some really hard things in the following verses. Now in that list of affectionate terms joy and Crown is perhaps the one that's a little bit unusual. What does he mean that they are his joy in Crown. He says something similar in first Thessalonians to 19 and 20, which he says for what is Our Hope or Joy or crown of boasting before our lord Jesus at his coming is it not you for you are our glory and joy?

9:47So the idea here is that when Christ returns Paul will have the Philippians as the very living evidence of God's grace at work through him. They will be the evidence that Paul has walked in a manner worthy of the gospel. And so their presence is an occasion for rejoicing. So let me ask this question for each one of us. Who is your joy and Crown? Who are you discipling? Who are you befriending for opportunities to engage in spiritual conversations? Who are you evangelizing? Who are you mentoring? Paul has called them to walk in a manner at worthy to stand firm to live out their faith. And one of the ways he does that is he says you are the evidence of me doing that and in the same way he wants to call them to walk out their faith so that they too would say look.

10:52this person I've been laboring and praying and evangelizing so that they too might become mature in Christ. Now the main command of verse 1 is to stand firm. This means to be steadfast as citizens of heaven or to remain loyal to our Heavenly Allegiance remain loyal to King Jesus Hold On To The Cross of Christ. But how does Paul want them to do this? He wants them to stand firm together. This is not just for individual Christians. This is not the singular. This is in the plural the command is to the entire church. I want you to stand firm together as a church family. We saw similarly in chapter 1 verse 27 just look back with me there.

11:44Where he said these same exact things chapter one verse 27. He said only let your manner of Life be worthy of the Gospel so that whether I come and see you or am absent. I'm a hear that you are standing firm in one spirit in one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel and not frightened in anything by your opponents. So the church is to be United together not just individually standing firm, but all together in one mind and one heart and one Spirit where to stand firm. holding on to Jesus in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation and so Paul's appeal for the Philippians is that he did not want them?

12:30To be ignorant of the things that could tear them apart that could undermine their Unity undermine their ability to stand and so now we transition to verses 2 and 3 here we have this appeal to agree. He says I entreat udia and I entreat singtiki to agree in the Lord. Yes. I asked you also True Companion help these women who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers. Whose names are in the Book of Life notice that Paul addresses three different people. He addresses udia sintiki and then this True Companion in this letter written to the entire church. The first thing we notice is that Paul entreats them or he appeals or implores or urges them. He doesn't just command them. He doesn't rebuke them, but he pleads with them to be reconciled and he invites them with tenderness and gentleness.

13:29Now we might be wondering why Paul called out these two women publicly. Imagine if your disagreement with a fellow church member was called out on a Sunday morning. That would be kind of embarrassing right? Or in this case. It's memorialized in scripture forever. You can ask UDA and syntaki when you get to heaven how they feel about that. But Paul addresses it publicly because the disagreement probably had already gone public everyone knows what's going on already people are taking sides and it was threatening to divide the entire church. And so when Paul calls them by name everyone knows that this is a big disagreement within the church.

14:16And Paul calls them to agree in the Lord. This word means to judge the same way or have the same mind. He wants them to possess the humility of Christ that he called out in Chapter 2 have this mind among yours, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Exhibit the very humility of Jesus and how we deal with one another. I want you to think like Jesus and act like Jesus because of your shared identity in Jesus. So this argument? I think wasn't just over who had the better Cream of Mushroom hotdish recipe for the church potluck. These women are dug in that they're becoming obstinent. The disagreement had probably gone on for weeks and months.

15:04Paul had heard about it from the messenger that brought their letter motives have been questioned and hurtful words have been spoken. And so what does Paul point to? In calling them to agree. He calls them to agree in the Lord. He appeals to their shared and common identity in Christ because they Are both awaiting a savior they are both awaiting the transformation of their lowly bodies to be like the Glorious Body of Christ. He appeals to them because you're going to be together in heaven forever and ever and ever start that now and get along. He says in the Lord agree in the Lord. The main teaching of our passage. Is this our shared identity in Christ calls us.

15:57To live in harmony with fellow Believers are shared identity in Christ calls us. Commands us beckons us urges us to get along with one another. Drive for Unity with fellow Believers within the same church. hear the words of first John 4 This for me was one of the most convicting passages when I was in college. What we love because he first loved us if anyone says I love God and hates his brother. He is a liar. For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen and this Commandment that we have from him. Whoever loves God must also love his brother. That's first John four 19 to 21.

16:56It's not just love anyone everywhere. But within this church family, we're called to love fellow Believers. And if we say that we love God and we don't love fellow believers. We're telling a lie. Now Paul solicits the help of this True Companion in verse 3. He says yes, I ask you also True Companion help these women who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers. Whose names are in the Book of Life. First thing we don't know who this True Companion is. Some think maybe Timothy or papparditis or Silas or Lydia maybe even Luke, but we don't know the Philippians probably did know and he solicits this person's help because he figures that these women are so dug in they're so divided that they're not going to be able to resolve this themselves. And so he's recruiting help to help these women reconcile so that this dispute wouldn't spread further and we don't know exactly what Paul had in mind of how this True Companion would bring these two women together. But what we do learn is that we learn several things about these women that they labored with Paul in the gospel that they are fellow workers.

18:17In the truth that their names are written in the book of life. So this means that these two women labored side by side with Paul in the advance of the gospel. Maybe they provided Hospitality. Maybe they themselves suffered for the gospel. Maybe they hosted this missionary band as it came through. Whatever it was they labored with Paul in the gospel and their names are written in the book of life. So Paul is saying I'm affirming both of them as true Disciples of Jesus. And yet two true disciples are of Jesus who love the gospel. are sadly divided disagreeing and it's probably not about some theological heresy because Paul probably would have corrected one and encouraged both to submit to the Lord and to the church.

19:11This is probably some lower level belief that caused their division and Paul calls them to agree in the Lord by elevating not their disagreement and their dispute but elevating their shared identity in Jesus. their shared destiny to be with Jesus forever in heaven first Peter 4:8 says above all keep loving one another earnestly since love covers over a multitude of sins. So this passage is fairly straightforward our the church the Philippian church and our church is to stand firm by uniting around Christ and the gospel these women in particular are to be reconciled and to resolve their conflict because they're on the same team.

20:04They're destined to be in heaven together forever. So what I want to do now is transition to some extensive application and for some of you this is going to be a little bit uncomfortable and that's okay because that's what we need. We need God's word to pierce through bone and Marrow and expose the areas where we need God's help. So let me just try to head off any misunderstanding and Miss application. First thing we see is that Paul is not so Heavenly minded that he's no of no earthly good. We've heard that phrase before right? We think someone who's just so up in the clouds that they just don't know how real life Works instead. It's because of Paul's Heavenly mindedness his Christ centeredness that he's actually willing to get his hands dirty and to call the church into areas that need to be addressed. And in fact Paul is trying to get UDA and sin to key and the church as a whole to be more Heavenly minded the very thing that they need is not to talk more about They're disagreeing about but he's saying remember that you are both in the Lord and destined to be with each other forever as the very people of God that reality changes how we live.

21:24And so the church would be a better place if we were all a little more Heavenly minded. And I just want to say something for us as a church. You know, we're on the cusp of being the North Church. This is the very last. Sermon that will have as the north campus of Bethlehem in God's Providence. We get to look at one of these really practical passages. And as we become a new church, there's going to be so many. opportunities to misjudge one another question each other's motives to disagree. To divide to cause deep fractures that threaten to tear apart the church. The elders will not do everything perfectly. We will not do everything perfectly towards one another there will be changes that we might not like and yet I believe that the word from the Lord for us this morning.

22:19Is that for us to stand firm together as one church as one people is to remain United around Christ and the gospel. Let's keep the main thing. the main thing there's lots of little things that we could fight about. I don't like the color of the carpet or the the music or whatever else and lots of other things. And let's keep the main thing the main thing we're United around something. Not just good, but glorious. We've been washed by the blood of Jesus. And we will dwell with him forever and ever. Ephesians 4:2 and 3 says to walk with all humility and gentleness with patience bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace because we have one God one savior one Spirit. We are members of Christ One Church The Blood Bought Unity of the church is a precious thing.

23:28Now, let me close one of the sheep Gates that might be coming in to your mind. This passage to agree in the Lord is not an absolute command. Meaning you have to agree with everyone you come across. Why do I say that? Well because of Paul's own example. When we preach through acts we remember acts 15 Paul had a disagreement with Barnabas and Barnabas wanted to bring along John Mark. Paul didn't want to bring him because he had abandoned them on an earlier journey and so Acts 15:39 says and there arose a sharp disagreement so that they separated from each other Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus Paul chose Silas and departed so such a sharp disagreement that they decided. It's just better if we part ways and we're no longer part of the same traveling team.

24:21of missionaries or in Galatians Paul writes that he opposed Peter to his face because he stood condemned because he was withdrawing from eating with some of the Gentile Believers. So Paul is not conflict adverse. In fact, I think Paul would be the opposite. He was ready for a fight whenever there was one. So what do we do with Paul's exhortation here agree in the Lord? And then his own example of disagreeing with fellow believers. I think this is where the idea of theological triage is helpful. I mentioned this back when I preached Philippians 2 1 to 4, but he's warning against unwarranted disunity. There are first level doctrines like the Trinity or the deity of Jesus that are worth contending for and protecting and if someone doesn't believe in some of these things we would say, I don't even think you're a Believer and so who we don't just agree with others who minimize foundational doctrines for the church and then their second level doctrines that are important for the health and unity of the local church like how to administer baptism.

25:32And generally we have to agree on these things to be part of the same church just for practical purposes of how we live out our commitments and then there's third level doctrines like your view of the end times. That should not divide Believers and I think in this particular instance in Philippians 4 what Paul is addressing is probably a third tier or more likely even a fourth tier issue that is threatening to divide the church.

26:02But what he's calling our attention to? Is that church Unity really matters? the argument that you have with a fellow believer or the anger that you hold towards and fellow believer affects the entire body. This is why he calls it out in front of the entire church. Disagreements are not just a private matter. And we know this don't we? when You don't get along with your son-in-law your daughter-in-law. It's not just oh between two people leave it A Private Matter it affects everybody. The extended family and the kids and the grandparents and everyone's trying to figure it out and the Brokenness just ripples out when there's some sort of dispute some falling out.

26:51some estrangement and the reality is true here in the church as well. It affects relationships. It affects Ministry together affects our trust. It impacts our ability to worship or to pray. It affects our ability to be United when we need to stand firm as one body. and yet if we have a broken leg as a church, we won't be able to stand. Now someone might object and say pastor. What about intractable differences like what about? Really big things like not just that there are Packers fan, but we have some fundamental differences of how we think about politics or parenting. and I think Romans 12:18 helps us here Paul writes if possible so far as it depends on you live peaceably with all so we're to have attitudes that are eager to reconcile and to agree in the Lord. We never want to compromise truth, but we want to maintain Unity on the things where good Christians can agree to disagree.

28:00Like on baptism we disagree with our Presbyterian friends and we'll be just fine when we get to heaven and the Lord validates us and tells us we've got it right. And mostly kidding there, but I do think we're right but we love our Presbyterian brothers and sisters. And we're saying we're not going to divide on That We're Not Gonna misjudge you we're not gonna talk down to you. We're not gonna point fingers at you. But because we're part of the same team we are gonna be destined to be in heaven forever. Now we can affirm that someone is a Christian even if we question their wisdom on a gray area that scripture doesn't directly address.

28:41So, how do we strive to get along in light of our shared Unity? We we don't just write people off. but we seek to find Unity because of our shared identity. Let's not disagree over relatively minor things within the church and one of the things I want us to do. As the North Church as we move forward is to develop a culture. Where we are gracious towards one another where we are quick to listen. Slow to anger and slow to speak. If someone brings jello salad to the potluck, I'm gonna eat it. I'm gonna have a healthy portion of it, right? We're not going to make little things. the things that we divide upon Paul is calling us to exhibit the humility of Jesus to seek and to serve others and to even suffer for the spiritual good of others.

29:48Now what is our culture say about Unity? Our broader culture says we can only be your friend. If you agree with me we can only be friends if we have the same views or or only keep you around in my life if you can affirm and celebrate. All of Me My Lifestyle my choices my perspectives and the culture increasingly calls for uniformity and yet the gospel sets forth a different culture Doesn't it it says no matter your age or gender or ethnicity or nationality or family background or your educational choices or your socioeconomic status or any other characteristic you are united as part of this one body because of the blood of Jesus.

30:43and those we disagree with we say we'll pray for them those that we don't fully understand. We want to understand we want to befriend those unlike us. We want to pray even for our enemies. We want to labor for the Salvation of those who hate us. This morning if you're not trusting in Jesus. It should be obvious in this sermon already, but I'll make it explicit Christians are not perfect. We are sinners we fight we disagree we divide just like the world at times. But when it does happen. What we look to is our Eternal hope in Christ. Our Only Hope in this life and in the next is because of the grace of the Lord Jesus we forgive because we have been forgiven much we're motivated by the lavish Grace of Jesus which he poured out at the cross for Sinners we fall short which is why we run to Jesus And so this morning we invite you if you're here with us this morning to find Grace and forgiveness and hope in Christ our sins condemn us all.

31:57And we know that we fall short we misjudge others. We fight amongst ourselves and yet our hope is the grace of the Lord Jesus so that we might walk in obedience to his commands. So what I want to do now is to probe in. To three areas for us as a church. It will be like the radiation Lord willing that destroys the cancer cells so that we can become stronger and healthier long-term. So I want to ask this question. in a group the size in a church the size. Chances are that there is someone that you have had a falling out with? Chances, are you walk down the hallway? And you think oh there they are. Let's go this way chances are you've picked a small group or a Sunday school? So that someone else is conveniently not in the same one. Let's sit on this side of the sanctuary because so-and-so is on that side of the sanctuary.

32:58So this morning do you need to ask someone for forgiveness? Have you held a grudge? Have we judged their intentions? Have we questioned their motives unjustly? Have we read into their social media posts? Have we gossiped about them? Have we spoken poorly about them? if we have I would encourage us. Be reconciled to them today. For us to move forward as a church. We don't want broken legs and broken arms. We need all of us to be reconciled with one another so that we're able to stand firm together.

33:47secondly Are you are we developing a church culture where we judge one another charitably? That we think highly of one another that we encourage one another that we're eager to call out the evidences of Grace in one another. Earlier in the prayer room someone was talking and they said that we wouldn't be a people that just picks at things all the negative things and it just reminded me of when I had a little baby when we had little kids and you guys remember you guys know what cradle cap is it's weird like this. It's kind of gross. It's the skin of the head that just starts to peel and every time I held everybody I would just want to pick at it. You know, it's just it's probably there's a weird thing about it probably but I just wanted to pick at it because it was anyways.

34:39This was not written in to the manuscript and some of us are like that. We're just critical. We just want to pick at stuff. Like I wish Dan would do this differently. I wish Steven would do this differently. I wish I wish I wish I wish and we just want to pick on stuff all the time and I get it that there are things that can be improved that we can move towards greater Excellence. But are we eager to judge one? Another terribly are we eager to call out evidences of Grace? Are we eager to say look how good God has been to us as a church family. Look how God has been at work in you look how God Is uniting Us and drawing us together.

35:23Or are we just picking at scabs so that we continue to bleed? And then third are there some things we need to bring before the Lord in Repentance. apps that other person doesn't know but you just don't like them. They didn't say anything to you. You didn't have a falling out but they just rub you the wrong way. you just don't like them that you're harboring some hostility. There's some resentment maybe Envy. Have you brought this hostility before the Lord in Repentance? And in all of these things, I'm not thinking of anyone specifically or any specific situations. But I think we can all search our own hearts and say Lord search me and try me so that we would be a church.

36:14that is keeping short accounts and has clean conscience. Let's be a church that address our disagreements by actively calling to mind and prioritizing not the disagreement, but are shared identity in Jesus. Jesus has taken hold of us made us his children redeemed Us by his blood and United Us by his spirit. Oh how good and pleasant it is when Brothers dwell in unity. It's like The Fragrant anointing oil that overflows lavishly. So the hope of glorification Spurs us on to resolve any disputes that we have here in this life. We're going to be side by side together in Heaven someday worshiping together around the Glorious Throne of Jesus.

37:12And today we are side by side here in this room. And I don't want anyone. I don't want anyone to feel like there's unresolved conflict. That keeps me from singing from worshiping from approaching the throne of grace. If you're believing in Jesus, your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life, and we will dwell with Jesus forever. So let's seek to contend for the gospel and Proclaim Christ to the very ends of the Earth. John 13:35 says by this the world will know that we are your disciples. That we have love for one another and so when people on the outside walk in what do they see what message are we giving them? If they walked into your small group? If they heard you in the privacy of your own home or in the privacy of your own thoughts. What would they see and I'm eager that they would see a beautiful compelling picture of Jesus and of his grace That Forgives us and then draws Us near so that we can worship together at his throne. Let's pray.

38:26father We are. eager to see Christ's magnified in our Miss. To be a church that stands firm. stands together because we have been United by Jesus and that we will dwell with you forever. So if there's any reconciliation or forgiveness or getting right with one another that needs to happen this morning, I pray that you would make it happen Lord. And that you would use this time even to continually move us. To be a church family that is shaped by the gospel. That is more Heavenly minded and that prioritizes. Our shared unity in Jesus. We pray that in Christ's name. amen

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Sermon Text

Philippians 4:1-3

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