Philippians 4:1-5
At first, when we read chapter 4, verses 1-9, we see Paul rifling off a number of exhortations. And it seems that none of them are connected. They all seem to come rapidly and unrelated - almost like his candle was running out late at night. Maybe, that at the time he wrote this letter, since he was chained to a guard at the wrist 24 hours a day and under house arrest, the guard was sick and tired of listening to him and told him to wrap up this letter.
But as we take time to look more closely at these verses we find that Paul has a theme, and that these are all very connected exhortations. He spends 9 verses speaking to different aspects of the peace we are to have as believers. In verse 7 he mentions the peace of God, and in verse 9 he mentions the God of peace. All 9 of these verses are very connected with the issue of peace, both internally and externally.
We’re going to focus today on the first 5 verses, which apply more to the external peace -- the public aspect of peace within the church. We’ll come back again in a couple weeks and pick up verses 6 through 9 which focus more on the internal peace of the individual Christian.
Peace is a Greek word that means to join back together that which was broken or divided. We use phrases like, “He just fell apart”, or, “She just came undone”. These describe a sense of chaos, and unraveling, and disturbance. But, the word for peace - the joining together - has the sense of serenity that comes from “having it all together”.
This makes sense when we begin to think about how Paul commands the believers in Philippi to live with each other. When peace reigns, we are together. When there is no peace, our relationships come undone and corporately we begin to fall apart.
Peace is an attribute of God, and, so it should be an attribute of His people as well. If for example we were to look at Galatians chapter 5 we would find a list given to us. That list is known as the “fruits of the Spirit”. Those 9 traits are attributes of God that are manifest in godly believers. They are “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Peace makes the top 3, and Paul is saying that peace and all these other characteristics of God are to be evident in the lives of God’s people. Paul says “live by the Spirit … and we keep in step with the Spirit”. To live in peace is a command given over and over in the NT writings because to do so is to live with others the way God lives with us. The peace we have received from God now becomes the peaceful way we relate to others.
When there is no peace there is hostility, unrest, anxiety, fear, discontentment, worry, rivalry, discord, quarreling. These things will cause disunity.
And that is Paul’s concern here - the unity within the Philippian church. He said in chapter 2 verse 2, “Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” And now in chapter 4 he picks back up and gives them an essential ingredient to maintaining unity in the body of Christ: Peace. Peace between believers is necessary for the unity of the believers. Paul told the Ephesians in his letter to them to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Peace is the glue; it is the JB weld; it is the stuff that sticks us together. Peace is the bond that keeps unity among us as believers.
Peace also is Paul’s way of greeting. Of the 27 NT letters, Paul wrote 13, and in every single letter including Philippians he introduces himself and immediately says, “Grace and PEACE TO YOU from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul says this first in all his letters because it is the most important blessing his readers can have. And it’s not Paul’s peace, it’s God’s peace. They have peace with God, but, now, above all, he wants them to have the peace of God among them.
Peace is the purpose for which God sent His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus came to be our peace with God. In Ephesians chapter 2 Paul, speaking of Jesus Christ, said “For He himself is our peace ….. His purpose was to make peace, and in his body to reconcile men to God through the cross.” Paul says it again in his letter to the Colossians “through him - that is, Jesus God reconciled to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross.” The peace that we have with God has been made possible by Jesus death on the cross. God initiated the reconciliation between us and Him by sending Christ. He made peace with us. Christ is our peace with God.
[[The peace we now have with God is to be the peace we have with each other. We are both capable and commanded to have peace with each other because we have peace with God.]]
Let’s look at some ingredients Paul gives the Philippians to have a godly peace among themselves.
Stand Firm
Verse 1 says, “Therefore my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.”
Paul says to stand firm. Standing firm together is a trait of a church where God‘s peace is the rule.
This word for “stand firm” is the word, “steko”, and it means to persevere, or to continue in the state you are in. Paul used the word earlier in chapter 1, verse 27 when he said, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.”
In chapter 1 Paul was urging them to stand together and stand strong under the persecution that was coming from unbelievers. Stand firm by continuing to contend for the faith; you Philippians have been brave all along but don’t stop your speaking the gospel message now - even despite the abuse you’re taking.
Now Paul is using the word again to call on the Philippians to persevere not against outside persecution, but, against inside perversion. He’s saying, “Not only are you to stand firm by contending for the faith, but, stand firm in your character.”
In chapter 1 Paul described conduct that is worthy of the gospel. He said it is to stand firm, united against outsiders who persecute you whereby you maintain your unflinching witness for Christ. Now he says worthy conduct is standing firm against the perverted, unrestrained behavior of those who call themselves Christians.
You may remember a couple of weeks ago we discussed these people. At the end of chapter 3 Paul was warning the Philippians not to follow the example of people who claim to be Christian but live immorally, fulfilling all their own pleasures and living completely for their own physical desires - they don’t just ignore Jesus Christ in the way the live, they disgrace His Name.
Here‘s the point of this context: people who are divisive in the church, are self-centered just like the immoral people in chapter 3. Both are selfish.
Listen to how Paul describes these people: They are “enemies of the cross” because they think the cross is a license to live in sin instead of power to live to God, Romans 6. “Their god is their stomach, their glory is in their shame, their mind is on earthly things.” Their kind of living, their kind of attitude is a “ME-centered” attitude. It’s all about me. It’s all about what’s in it for me. It’s all about their wants, and fulfilling their wants. If it feels good DO IT. The whole lifestyle is about gratifying whatever personal lusts they might have. It is a self-centered, and not a Christ-centered lifestyle.
That same attitude is the kind of self-absorbed attitude that contentious Christians have, it just manifests it‘s selfishness differently. The self-centered sin nature that produces self-gratifying behavior, is the same self-centered sin nature that drives divisive, disruptive, and peace-breaking behavior within the church body. Which is what we will see in verses 2 and 3 of chapter 4.
Peacemakers
Paul says to stand firm against the immoral, unrestrained lifestyle of those who live as enemies of the cross. Living for sin never produces peace within the body of Christ.
We are also to be peace-makers. Notice verses 2 and 3, “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Soon-too-kay to agree with one another in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are found written in the book of life.”
Shooting the Saints --It is said that when the British and French were fighting in Canada in the 1750s, the commander of the British fleet was told to anchor outside Quebec. He was given orders to wait for the British land forces to arrive, so that he could support them when they attacked the city.
Well the commander arrived early with the navy. And as he waited, he became annoyed by the statues of the saints that were all along the towers of a nearby cathedral. So he commanded his men to shoot at them with the ships’ cannons.
No one knows how many rounds were fired or how many statues were knocked out, but when the land forces arrived and the signal was given to attack, the admiral was of no help. He had used up all his ammunition shooting at the “saints.”
It’s unfortunate, but, sometimes within the Church there is shooting at the saints too. The disputes that can arise between believers can have devastating effects on church unity. That’s why Paul wants the Philippians to be Peace-Makers, not peace-breakers. And here, in chapter 4, he is addressing a division between at least 2 women in the Philippian church. “Euodia” means “prosperous journey,” and “Soontookay” means “pleasant acquaintence”. Hardly living up to their names here.
First of all, we can rule this out as a disagreement on doctrine, because Paul doesn’t take sides or correct a wrong teaching. It is very likely a clash of personalities. These are believers who have done very commendable work; women who worked right alongside of Paul in the work of the gospel.
But, somewhere along the way they fell into a dispute, and have not been able to resolve it. Unfortunately, sometimes very good Christians can cause dangerous problems for unity and peace in the church. Which is why Paul urges them to be in agreement.
It’s important to note that Paul does not mention the issue that they disagree on, and, he doesn’t take sides. I think this is very important for us because Paul doesn’t want us to be aware of their problem, so much as he wants us to apply the principle in resolving the problem. Whatever differences we might have with each other in our day-to-day relationships with each other, we are to earnestly seek peace and agreement in the Lord.
If Paul had mentioned these women‘s specific disagreement, our tendency would be to think that we only have to agree on that issue they struggled with. But, by not identifying what they were quarreling about, we learn that the same pressure Paul puts on them to be at peace is the same pressure on us. Regardless of the problem, when there is a disagreement, we are - as believers - to apply the principle of pursuing peace whatever the price.
How? Well, notice Paul’s appeal, “agree with each other IN THE LORD”. The word Paul uses for agree is the Greek word “phroneo”, and it means to have the same mind, or, to think the same thing. He used the word back in Chapter 2 verse 2 when he said that in order for his joy to be complete, they must be “like-minded”. This does not mean having the same answers; this is having the same attitude. As we understand the answers of who the Lord is, our attitudes become conformed to that of the Lord, which brings our attitudes into harmony.
Paul is saying to the women, “if you can’t find agreement on this, remember that you agree on the Lord. You don’t get along in this, but, you certainly get along and think the same thing about Jesus Christ. Certainly you both know that He has risen from the dead, that you’re both recipients of God’s grace by faith in Him, and that you are now God’s children, made holy and justified in Christ. Certainly you agree on that. Certainly you both know that you are both prayed for now by the Lord, you both have the Spirit of God in you, that both your names are written in the book of life …..”
In other words, if you share these things in common, if that’s what you have together, if these things have bonded you as sisters in the Lord, then make the most of that -- And consider this lesser issue not worth being hostile to each other over. Maximize, focus, shift your attention to your agreement on Christ, and minimize your disagreement on this other issue. Forbid this from taking center stage, forbid it from spoiling your bond of unity together. Agree on the Lord. Agree in the Lord. As Romans 14 says, “Make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.”
The specific disagreement between these two women is secondary to the bigger danger of disunity that is developing. Most often disunity between 2 people will spread ………… Knowing this, Paul employs the help of someone else in the church.
Paul not only appeals to each of these women to come together, but, he appeals to the loyal yokefellow to help these women come together. This man’s name in the Greek means “one who carries the same load”, or “yokefellow“. It’s the picture of two oxen hooked by the same yoke, pulling the same load. Paul is appealing to this man as an equal in the work of the gospel; both under the same yoke, carrying the same load, of equal partners in the work. Paul’s not pushing his apostolic authority around with him, but, humbly exhorting this man to help these two women get along just as Paul would himself if he were there.
Which brings a second point to being a peacemaker. Not only is there a responsibility we have to get along with each other and maintain peace, but, we all have a responsibility to the greater peace of the church by helping others be at peace.
Rejoicing
So Paul says to stand firm, to agree in the Lord with each other. Then he says in verse 4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” The word for rejoice means to maintain an ongoing spirit of joy.
Paul is brimming over with joy and sharing it with the Philippians. He rejoiced in chapter 1 verse 18 because the gospel was being preached more and more. In chapter 2 verses 17 and 18 he rejoiced because of all the work for the gospel he and the Philippians were doing. In chapter 3 verse 1 he breaks out with the command again to rejoice -- right before he reassures them that as believers in the gospel, they were the true worshippers of God and not the religious Jews. And here in chapter 4 he says to rejoice as he gives them exhortations for living in peace within the body of Christ.
He is emphasizing that the maturing Christian life is one of constant joy. Always a spirit of joy being made manifest in us.
That might sound impossible, after all, life has all kinds of ups and downs. Things happen - bad things. And we may ask, “How on earth can we have joy in the pain, in the trials, in the valleys, in the droughts of life?”
It depends on where you go for your joy. What you seek joy from. When we are looking to things of this world - external, temporary, changing things - for joy, then the joy we find will be temporary and changing and fleeting. But, Christian joy does not come from a “what” found this world, it comes from a Who found in heaven.
Christian joy - Real joy - is not robbed because of circumstances, situations, events, disappointments, and setbacks in our lives. Instead, our joy is based on someone. Someone who never changes. Someone who Hebrews 13 verse 8 says is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus Christ doesn’t change so our joy never changes -- if we get our joy from Him.
It only changes when we try to find our joy in our success, our sense of purpose and accomplishment, our image, our possessions, other people, or whatever you can think of that is not Jesus Christ that people look to for joy.
There is an important principle in Christian Joy: what and how much we know about Jesus Christ is going to determine how much we can rejoice in Him. Or I might say it this way, the more you know Him, the more you can rejoice in Him. Paul spoke of this in Colossians 2, “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart, and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
The person who cannot find joy in Christ knows very little of Him, if at all. Grow what you know of Him and you will grow your joy in Him.
And that joy is very closely related to peace. When we the Church find our joy in Christ, we are joined together in that joy, and that joy works out unity and brings peace in Him.
Charles Spurgeon says this, “People who are very happy, especially those who are very happy in the Lord, are not apt to either give offense or take offense. Their minds are so sweetly occupied with higher things, that they are not easily distracted by the little troubles which naturally arise among such imperfect creatures as we are.”
People who rejoice in the Lord are more at peace with everything and everyone else in life.
CONCLUSION
Standing firm in godly living ……. Being peace-makers within the church body …… and Rejoicing in the Lord …… These are Key ingredients for peaceful Christian living with each other.
God is the God of peace, and He has called us, as the Church to be at peace with each other. If there is someone who you need to make peace with, then I urge you to go and make that peace. In Romans 12 we are commanded to live in harmony with each other, and to do everything within our power to be at peace with everyone. Take the peace you have received from God in Jesus Christ, and go give it to that person.
Someone here may need to go and give peace, but, there may be some of you who need to receive it. Not man’s peace, but, God’s. The Bible says that you are an enemy of God because of your sins. But, God has offered you peace with Himself, and He did it by His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ paid your debt, He died on the cross, so that your sins would be forgiven. By believing in Jesus Christ, your sins can be forgiven. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The key there is faith. In order to have peace with God, and to have the debt of your sins settled, you must put your faith in Jesus Christ, and no one else. That is the way God has made for peace with Him.
At first, when we read chapter 4, verses 1-9, we see Paul rifling off a number of exhortations. And it seems that none of them are connected. They all seem to come rapidly and unrelated - almost like his candle was running out late at night. Maybe, that at the time he wrote this letter, since he was chained to a guard at the wrist 24 hours a day and under house arrest, the guard was sick and tired of listening to him and told him to wrap up this letter.
But as we take time to look more closely at these verses we find that Paul has a theme, and that these are all very connected exhortations. He spends 9 verses speaking to different aspects of the peace we are to have as believers. In verse 7 he mentions the peace of God, and in verse 9 he mentions the God of peace. All 9 of these verses are very connected with the issue of peace, both internally and externally.
We’re going to focus today on the first 5 verses, which apply more to the external peace -- the public aspect of peace within the church. We’ll come back again in a couple weeks and pick up verses 6 through 9 which focus more on the internal peace of the individual Christian.
Peace is a Greek word that means to join back together that which was broken or divided. We use phrases like, “He just fell apart”, or, “She just came undone”. These describe a sense of chaos, and unraveling, and disturbance. But, the word for peace - the joining together - has the sense of serenity that comes from “having it all together”.
This makes sense when we begin to think about how Paul commands the believers in Philippi to live with each other. When peace reigns, we are together. When there is no peace, our relationships come undone and corporately we begin to fall apart.
Peace is an attribute of God, and, so it should be an attribute of His people as well. If for example we were to look at Galatians chapter 5 we would find a list given to us. That list is known as the “fruits of the Spirit”. Those 9 traits are attributes of God that are manifest in godly believers. They are “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Peace makes the top 3, and Paul is saying that peace and all these other characteristics of God are to be evident in the lives of God’s people. Paul says “live by the Spirit … and we keep in step with the Spirit”. To live in peace is a command given over and over in the NT writings because to do so is to live with others the way God lives with us. The peace we have received from God now becomes the peaceful way we relate to others.
When there is no peace there is hostility, unrest, anxiety, fear, discontentment, worry, rivalry, discord, quarreling. These things will cause disunity.
And that is Paul’s concern here - the unity within the Philippian church. He said in chapter 2 verse 2, “Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” And now in chapter 4 he picks back up and gives them an essential ingredient to maintaining unity in the body of Christ: Peace. Peace between believers is necessary for the unity of the believers. Paul told the Ephesians in his letter to them to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Peace is the glue; it is the JB weld; it is the stuff that sticks us together. Peace is the bond that keeps unity among us as believers.
Peace also is Paul’s way of greeting. Of the 27 NT letters, Paul wrote 13, and in every single letter including Philippians he introduces himself and immediately says, “Grace and PEACE TO YOU from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul says this first in all his letters because it is the most important blessing his readers can have. And it’s not Paul’s peace, it’s God’s peace. They have peace with God, but, now, above all, he wants them to have the peace of God among them.
Peace is the purpose for which God sent His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus came to be our peace with God. In Ephesians chapter 2 Paul, speaking of Jesus Christ, said “For He himself is our peace ….. His purpose was to make peace, and in his body to reconcile men to God through the cross.” Paul says it again in his letter to the Colossians “through him - that is, Jesus God reconciled to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross.” The peace that we have with God has been made possible by Jesus death on the cross. God initiated the reconciliation between us and Him by sending Christ. He made peace with us. Christ is our peace with God.
[[The peace we now have with God is to be the peace we have with each other. We are both capable and commanded to have peace with each other because we have peace with God.]]
Let’s look at some ingredients Paul gives the Philippians to have a godly peace among themselves.
Stand Firm
Verse 1 says, “Therefore my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.”
Paul says to stand firm. Standing firm together is a trait of a church where God‘s peace is the rule.
This word for “stand firm” is the word, “steko”, and it means to persevere, or to continue in the state you are in. Paul used the word earlier in chapter 1, verse 27 when he said, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.”
In chapter 1 Paul was urging them to stand together and stand strong under the persecution that was coming from unbelievers. Stand firm by continuing to contend for the faith; you Philippians have been brave all along but don’t stop your speaking the gospel message now - even despite the abuse you’re taking.
Now Paul is using the word again to call on the Philippians to persevere not against outside persecution, but, against inside perversion. He’s saying, “Not only are you to stand firm by contending for the faith, but, stand firm in your character.”
In chapter 1 Paul described conduct that is worthy of the gospel. He said it is to stand firm, united against outsiders who persecute you whereby you maintain your unflinching witness for Christ. Now he says worthy conduct is standing firm against the perverted, unrestrained behavior of those who call themselves Christians.
You may remember a couple of weeks ago we discussed these people. At the end of chapter 3 Paul was warning the Philippians not to follow the example of people who claim to be Christian but live immorally, fulfilling all their own pleasures and living completely for their own physical desires - they don’t just ignore Jesus Christ in the way the live, they disgrace His Name.
Here‘s the point of this context: people who are divisive in the church, are self-centered just like the immoral people in chapter 3. Both are selfish.
Listen to how Paul describes these people: They are “enemies of the cross” because they think the cross is a license to live in sin instead of power to live to God, Romans 6. “Their god is their stomach, their glory is in their shame, their mind is on earthly things.” Their kind of living, their kind of attitude is a “ME-centered” attitude. It’s all about me. It’s all about what’s in it for me. It’s all about their wants, and fulfilling their wants. If it feels good DO IT. The whole lifestyle is about gratifying whatever personal lusts they might have. It is a self-centered, and not a Christ-centered lifestyle.
That same attitude is the kind of self-absorbed attitude that contentious Christians have, it just manifests it‘s selfishness differently. The self-centered sin nature that produces self-gratifying behavior, is the same self-centered sin nature that drives divisive, disruptive, and peace-breaking behavior within the church body. Which is what we will see in verses 2 and 3 of chapter 4.
Peacemakers
Paul says to stand firm against the immoral, unrestrained lifestyle of those who live as enemies of the cross. Living for sin never produces peace within the body of Christ.
We are also to be peace-makers. Notice verses 2 and 3, “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Soon-too-kay to agree with one another in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are found written in the book of life.”
Shooting the Saints --It is said that when the British and French were fighting in Canada in the 1750s, the commander of the British fleet was told to anchor outside Quebec. He was given orders to wait for the British land forces to arrive, so that he could support them when they attacked the city.
Well the commander arrived early with the navy. And as he waited, he became annoyed by the statues of the saints that were all along the towers of a nearby cathedral. So he commanded his men to shoot at them with the ships’ cannons.
No one knows how many rounds were fired or how many statues were knocked out, but when the land forces arrived and the signal was given to attack, the admiral was of no help. He had used up all his ammunition shooting at the “saints.”
It’s unfortunate, but, sometimes within the Church there is shooting at the saints too. The disputes that can arise between believers can have devastating effects on church unity. That’s why Paul wants the Philippians to be Peace-Makers, not peace-breakers. And here, in chapter 4, he is addressing a division between at least 2 women in the Philippian church. “Euodia” means “prosperous journey,” and “Soontookay” means “pleasant acquaintence”. Hardly living up to their names here.
First of all, we can rule this out as a disagreement on doctrine, because Paul doesn’t take sides or correct a wrong teaching. It is very likely a clash of personalities. These are believers who have done very commendable work; women who worked right alongside of Paul in the work of the gospel.
But, somewhere along the way they fell into a dispute, and have not been able to resolve it. Unfortunately, sometimes very good Christians can cause dangerous problems for unity and peace in the church. Which is why Paul urges them to be in agreement.
It’s important to note that Paul does not mention the issue that they disagree on, and, he doesn’t take sides. I think this is very important for us because Paul doesn’t want us to be aware of their problem, so much as he wants us to apply the principle in resolving the problem. Whatever differences we might have with each other in our day-to-day relationships with each other, we are to earnestly seek peace and agreement in the Lord.
If Paul had mentioned these women‘s specific disagreement, our tendency would be to think that we only have to agree on that issue they struggled with. But, by not identifying what they were quarreling about, we learn that the same pressure Paul puts on them to be at peace is the same pressure on us. Regardless of the problem, when there is a disagreement, we are - as believers - to apply the principle of pursuing peace whatever the price.
How? Well, notice Paul’s appeal, “agree with each other IN THE LORD”. The word Paul uses for agree is the Greek word “phroneo”, and it means to have the same mind, or, to think the same thing. He used the word back in Chapter 2 verse 2 when he said that in order for his joy to be complete, they must be “like-minded”. This does not mean having the same answers; this is having the same attitude. As we understand the answers of who the Lord is, our attitudes become conformed to that of the Lord, which brings our attitudes into harmony.
Paul is saying to the women, “if you can’t find agreement on this, remember that you agree on the Lord. You don’t get along in this, but, you certainly get along and think the same thing about Jesus Christ. Certainly you both know that He has risen from the dead, that you’re both recipients of God’s grace by faith in Him, and that you are now God’s children, made holy and justified in Christ. Certainly you agree on that. Certainly you both know that you are both prayed for now by the Lord, you both have the Spirit of God in you, that both your names are written in the book of life …..”
In other words, if you share these things in common, if that’s what you have together, if these things have bonded you as sisters in the Lord, then make the most of that -- And consider this lesser issue not worth being hostile to each other over. Maximize, focus, shift your attention to your agreement on Christ, and minimize your disagreement on this other issue. Forbid this from taking center stage, forbid it from spoiling your bond of unity together. Agree on the Lord. Agree in the Lord. As Romans 14 says, “Make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.”
The specific disagreement between these two women is secondary to the bigger danger of disunity that is developing. Most often disunity between 2 people will spread ………… Knowing this, Paul employs the help of someone else in the church.
Paul not only appeals to each of these women to come together, but, he appeals to the loyal yokefellow to help these women come together. This man’s name in the Greek means “one who carries the same load”, or “yokefellow“. It’s the picture of two oxen hooked by the same yoke, pulling the same load. Paul is appealing to this man as an equal in the work of the gospel; both under the same yoke, carrying the same load, of equal partners in the work. Paul’s not pushing his apostolic authority around with him, but, humbly exhorting this man to help these two women get along just as Paul would himself if he were there.
Which brings a second point to being a peacemaker. Not only is there a responsibility we have to get along with each other and maintain peace, but, we all have a responsibility to the greater peace of the church by helping others be at peace.
Rejoicing
So Paul says to stand firm, to agree in the Lord with each other. Then he says in verse 4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” The word for rejoice means to maintain an ongoing spirit of joy.
Paul is brimming over with joy and sharing it with the Philippians. He rejoiced in chapter 1 verse 18 because the gospel was being preached more and more. In chapter 2 verses 17 and 18 he rejoiced because of all the work for the gospel he and the Philippians were doing. In chapter 3 verse 1 he breaks out with the command again to rejoice -- right before he reassures them that as believers in the gospel, they were the true worshippers of God and not the religious Jews. And here in chapter 4 he says to rejoice as he gives them exhortations for living in peace within the body of Christ.
He is emphasizing that the maturing Christian life is one of constant joy. Always a spirit of joy being made manifest in us.
That might sound impossible, after all, life has all kinds of ups and downs. Things happen - bad things. And we may ask, “How on earth can we have joy in the pain, in the trials, in the valleys, in the droughts of life?”
It depends on where you go for your joy. What you seek joy from. When we are looking to things of this world - external, temporary, changing things - for joy, then the joy we find will be temporary and changing and fleeting. But, Christian joy does not come from a “what” found this world, it comes from a Who found in heaven.
Christian joy - Real joy - is not robbed because of circumstances, situations, events, disappointments, and setbacks in our lives. Instead, our joy is based on someone. Someone who never changes. Someone who Hebrews 13 verse 8 says is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus Christ doesn’t change so our joy never changes -- if we get our joy from Him.
It only changes when we try to find our joy in our success, our sense of purpose and accomplishment, our image, our possessions, other people, or whatever you can think of that is not Jesus Christ that people look to for joy.
There is an important principle in Christian Joy: what and how much we know about Jesus Christ is going to determine how much we can rejoice in Him. Or I might say it this way, the more you know Him, the more you can rejoice in Him. Paul spoke of this in Colossians 2, “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart, and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
The person who cannot find joy in Christ knows very little of Him, if at all. Grow what you know of Him and you will grow your joy in Him.
And that joy is very closely related to peace. When we the Church find our joy in Christ, we are joined together in that joy, and that joy works out unity and brings peace in Him.
Charles Spurgeon says this, “People who are very happy, especially those who are very happy in the Lord, are not apt to either give offense or take offense. Their minds are so sweetly occupied with higher things, that they are not easily distracted by the little troubles which naturally arise among such imperfect creatures as we are.”
People who rejoice in the Lord are more at peace with everything and everyone else in life.
CONCLUSION
Standing firm in godly living ……. Being peace-makers within the church body …… and Rejoicing in the Lord …… These are Key ingredients for peaceful Christian living with each other.
God is the God of peace, and He has called us, as the Church to be at peace with each other. If there is someone who you need to make peace with, then I urge you to go and make that peace. In Romans 12 we are commanded to live in harmony with each other, and to do everything within our power to be at peace with everyone. Take the peace you have received from God in Jesus Christ, and go give it to that person.
Someone here may need to go and give peace, but, there may be some of you who need to receive it. Not man’s peace, but, God’s. The Bible says that you are an enemy of God because of your sins. But, God has offered you peace with Himself, and He did it by His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ paid your debt, He died on the cross, so that your sins would be forgiven. By believing in Jesus Christ, your sins can be forgiven. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The key there is faith. In order to have peace with God, and to have the debt of your sins settled, you must put your faith in Jesus Christ, and no one else. That is the way God has made for peace with Him.
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