STAND STRONG
STAND STRONG
9.9 - Finding Joy in Each Other, Part 1
In the final chapter of this letter, we find Paul encouraging specific Christians to "agree in the Lord" so that they can work together as sisters in Christ. In this episode, we also work to understand the importance of being filled with the things of God.
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Paul and Noah both preach and teach with the Cedar Park church of Christ in Cedar Park, TX. You can visit our site at: https://www.cedarparkchurchofchrist.org/
Good morning and welcome back to the Stand Strong podcast. We are nearing the end of season nine. Paul, we've been in Philippians for a number of weeks now. Trying to. You know, dig as much as we can out of this beautiful letter, this letter of joy. At least as much as we can in a reasonable amount of time. We could have spent a lot longer in this book than we have if we, if we felt like it. But we have made our way to chapter four, so we are closing in quickly on the, on the end of the letter. It. And we're coming off of chapter three where Paul has talked a lot about this this idea of confidence in Christ identity in Christ, the citizenship that we have in heaven. And he contrasted that to the, those who had turned their back on Christ and they'd made their God their to be their belly and they'd glory and shame, that kind of a thing. And Paul ends that by saying, therefore, my brothers whom I love and long for my joy and my crown stand firm, thus in the Lord. Mm-hmm. My beloved. That's chapter four verse one that I see that as kind of a conclusion to the previous section of the letter where he's been encouraging them and challenging them and that gets us into a part of the letter that I think we just. Yeah. Oftentimes kinda lump in with the end. Yeah. There's a lot of, there's a lot in chapter four that are well-known verses quotable verses like chapter four, verse 13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me or verses eight and nine, which is the, you know, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, and so on and so forth. Think on these things or think about these things. There's a lot of richness in here, but because of that, I think we sometimes. Parcel it up.
Paul:Right.
Noah:And don't see it as the conclusion of this letter, which it is. And so hopefully we'll be able to cut through some of that noise today and discuss this in a little more detail.
Paul:Yeah. You know, the, the theme that we've put to this is finding joy. Finding joy in the things that brought the Apostle Paul Joy. Mm-hmm. He wanted those in the Church of Philippi to find joy in this as well. And it's interesting, as you said, the flow of thought moves into Paul's admonition and he says, you are my joy.
Noah:Yeah.
Paul:But he says, I want you to stand fast or firm in the Lord. Mm-hmm. Part of that standing firm in the Lord. Is also a standing together. Yes. What will help us to stand firm is to stand together and he's used the language, so like he uses beginning in verse two and he mentions two sweet ladies by name. And he says, be of the same mind or other translations live in harmony. And he urges this, that language to be of the same mind is this is not the only place. Yeah, Paul talked about that in chapter one and 27, back in chapter two verse two, back in chapter three, verse 16. So this idea of, of finding joy. In standing fast, the fellowship there of being in a relationship with the Lord. What's gonna help us in that is the kind of relationship we maintain with one another.
Noah:Yes.
Paul:And so why does he mention two women by name? He calls him
Noah:out. Yeah. Name calling right there. Well, I, I think that it comes back to you just used the word just a moment ago, maintain. Mm-hmm. The way we maintain our relationships. I think a big misconception that has been spread in, in the modern culture is that relationships that are good should take little to no maintenance. Hmm. And I understand where people are coming with that. I think there may even be an element of truth to that, right? We are in a good relationship. Grace is extended, misunderstandings are overlooked, so on and so forth. So things that might ruin other relationships don't ruin good relationships. But where does that kind of resilience in a relationship come from? It comes from work, right? It comes from an idea of maintaining the relationship, and I think that that's part of what we're seeing here. In Paul specifically calling these two ladies out. I, you know, I can make an argument for this seems like it was probably a pretty public fallout between, or dispute between these two women. Otherwise, I don't think Paul would've had it read publicly in front of the entire church. I, I don't know if that's true, but that, that would be my inclination. But it's interesting that. He also calls upon a third party this true companion. Mm-hmm. There in verse three to help, to assist, to aid. And so what, what we see in this picture right off the bat is this is a relationship and it's gonna take work. But with work, it will bring God glory. That's, that's what Paul wants to come out of this. And so I think Paul Co specifically naming them is because he sees a problem, he's heard about a problem and he says, this needs to be fixed. Y'all need to figure it out. So andSo needs to help you figure it out. We don't know that person's name. Right. Y'all need to maintain. So this, this goes back to some of our discussion in Ephesians, right? Maintaining the unity of the spirit. You need to maintain your relationship in Christ,
Paul:right?
Noah:In this case, he says, you need to agree in the Lord.
Paul:Yeah. It is, you know, I love the fact that he says, I urge, I implore. Mm-hmm. It's just that important. And he says, I, I, I want help in this. Mm-hmm. I want you to see it as important. And then what, whatever the reason or the reasons he, he refers to these two ladies as those who had been very beneficial and helpful to him. Yeah. In, in the struggle, the cause of the gospel. But his point is, get this resolved.
Noah:Yes.
Paul:And that's a, that's a life lesson for us is sometimes, even though our names are written in the book of life mm-hmm. Even though that things are okay in the final analysis, oh, I'm headed for heaven. Right. Yeah. But there's an issue here, the church. Let's address this, let's get this resolved. Was this him saying There needs to be a mediator, somebody come and mediate between them, but get it resolved, get it work out, and Paul was confident that they would.
Noah:Yeah. I'm so glad you said that because one of the things that I think just comes off the pages, Paul is confident that they could and that they would. Mm-hmm. This is, it's taken for granted in his addressing of the situation. That this is something they're capable of doing. Mm-hmm. And that should, I think, resonate in a, in a, in a way with us because sometimes we are likely to question if we're having a rough spot in a relationship. Well, is this worth it? Should I continue on is this reconcilable? And I'm, obviously, this is a specific situation. We can't use it to apply a general rule across all. Differences and disagreements and dissensions. But Paul, from a distance, knowing these two women and knowing their love for Christ and that they had labored alongside him, assumes you can get through this. And I think that there's a, a lesson in there for us to, to try to work at this type of reconciliation between people.
Paul:Yeah. And he brings up joy again, Noah. Mm-hmm. Rejoice, verse four. In the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Let your gentleness. What, what's the ESV in verse five? Besides other than gentleness?
Noah:Reasonableness. Yeah, reasonableness.
Paul:Interesting. Your reasonableness your forbearing spirit. Maybe some translations be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. That's important there. Then probably was very familiar us in, in chapter four is verse six. Be anxious in nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your request be moan known of God, peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Lot, lots of lots there about praying.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:He connects that to rather than worry. In fact, I, I know this can be oversimplified, but it's been helpful to me. Worry about nothing, pray about everything.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:Now somebody says, what do you worry about? Nothing. Well, in the context, Paul just says. Be anxious for nothing or in nothing,
Noah:right?
Paul:And nothing be anxious. And again, in this podcast, there's no way for us to cover the, the subject of anxiety or worry and even the subject of prayer. But it's interesting, he says, rather than the do this. Do this. Yeah.
Noah:Well, the, the contrast that I think we do have the ability to pull out in this context, even in a short amount of time, is similar to the one that we would pull out if we were covering, for instance, the Sermon on the Mount. And we get to Matthew chapter six. Mm-hmm. Jesus, when he's talking to Matthew chapter six, what he contrasts in the idea of anxiety and worry is, do you trust your father? Do you have confidence in your father to provide? And I would say that some of what Paul has to say here, and even what he has to say about his own life later in the chapter about his own ability to endure. Mm-hmm. What we see is Paul saying, not that anxiety will never come. But that your confidence in God can be greater than your anxiety or your worry. And that really bridges some of what we've talked about from chapter three, where we find our confidence, confidence in the flesh versus confidence in God. And again, where Paul will go later in chapter four about how he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. Well, really what he's saying is I can endure all things through Christ who strengthens me. And here he's, he's encouraging the same thing in his readers. Whatever your anxieties are, you can trust that the God that you are confident in, that you trust in bigger than that.
Paul:Yeah. I love that. I wish I knew more about, again, verse five gen, let your gentleness, your forbearing spirit, your reasonableness. Yeah. I wish I knew more about that. I can tell you. As somebody the older guy in the room here and, and I had to learn this more from my failure and getting older. Sometimes I can say this about me, my level of anxiety is connected to my attempt to control what really I could not control and I should not have tried to control.
Noah:Right?
Paul:We don't mean to to be that way. And he says the Lord is at hand. So here, there's, here's a situation where you, your, your, your reasonableness is not there. And so it's, it's accelerating your anxiety. I. The Lord, the Lord's got this. Mm-hmm. The Lord is aware of this. The Lord is at hand. He, he is sovereign. He will rule. He will do what he wants to do in this, and he will do what he wants to do in use. So. Rather than worry about this, pray about this. And I know people says, oh, that just sounds so simple or simplistic.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:Not according to Paul.
Noah:Right.
Paul:And in and when, when we take that to God in prayer, he says, we have a right to do this and we need to do this and do this with Thanksgiving.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:Now you're not saying thank you, God, for this situation in my life that has created anxiety. This is wonderful God, and I want to give you thanks for that. It's not his point, but his point is when we realize what we have in the relationship with our Heavenly Father and who he is, we have every reason to regularly give thanks.
Noah:Yes. Yeah. So in, in this context, he connects both the concepts of joy and peace Yes. To the idea of prayer. And Thanksgiving. And as like you said, it may sound simplistic, but the fact is, if we want joy and if we want peace, and we're trying to find those things outside of God and communication with God and thankfulness and gratitude toward God, we're not gonna find the joy in the piece that Paul's talking about here. Right. True.
Paul:And we need that. He says, we've got that piece. It's available for the asking. And it's there because of the relationship, but you need to ask.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:And trust God for this. And he says that his peace will stand guard over the two areas that create the greatest inward turmoil. How we, how we feel, and how we think. Our heart in our mind.
Noah:Yeah. Yeah. Well then Paul says, finally. I think this is the second time that he's said finally in this letter, I think the last time was in chapter three, verse one. Yeah,
Paul:he's just messing with us. Ain't no. Finally
Noah:here. Finally and this is, this is where we get into, again, one of these sections that's just very well known in and of itself, outside of the context that it's in. He says, finally, brothers, whatever is true. Whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received, and heard and seen in me. Practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. Now I, I was reading from the ESV Paul does the new King James say, meditate on these things or think on these things?
Paul:Yeah. It says it says meditate. Yes. End of verse eight is Meditate.
Noah:Meditate. Okay. Yeah, I, I've seen different translations. Some just say, think on these things. ESV says, think about these things. Others says, meditate on these things, which obviously gives a little bit more of an intense connotation to it. But I would say that the, the clear picture, regardless of. The exact translation there in verse eight. The clear picture is that, that there's this idea of filling ourselves up with mm-hmm. This type of thing. And we can take the metaphor too far, but I've, I've said from the pulpit and I've said in lots of conversations, garbage in, garbage out. What we put in. Is gonna have an effect on what we put out. And interestingly though, that's not Paul's first concern here. Hmm. The, the, what we put out as far as, if you think of it from the standpoint of, well, if we put these things out, then we'll, or put these things in, then we'll put the same things out for others or toward others. That's not really what Paul's getting at in this context. And we can dive a little bit deeper into verse eight as far as what kinds of things he's saying. We should be thinking on and filling ourselves with. But the kind of output that Paul seems to be concerned with is that we practice these things and then he comes back to the God of peace will be with you.
Paul:Yes. Yeah. I, I love that. Do these things, practice these things, but we always move in the direction of our mind.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:Action follows thought. Exactly. He had already dealt with the heart and the mind, and we need God's peace there to guard. That's gonna help us with the worry. So Right. Wright praying, Paul talks about that. Yeah. Now he's gonna talk about right. Thinking.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:Because he's trying to get to what you just talked about. Right. Action.
Noah:Yes.
Paul:And so, you know, how, how we think affects how we live. I like the translation, Noah, that says, dwell on these things.
Noah:Yeah.
Paul:Because I think people get a better sense of what Paul is trying to emphasize with the word dwell rather than meditate. We don't use meditate always. Yeah. In the way I think it should be used. But the, and again, I'm not a Greek guy. Or a Greek scholar at all. But I, I know a few who, who are in the truest sense, Greek scholars, and they keep talking about the Greek language. One member we have here was talking to me about the Greek syntax. Mm-hmm. It's like, okay, I'm gonna let you talk a little bit more. But he made the point years ago, I, I had, I had not thought about this and language is intentional. Get the Greek out and see. What's there? And you have the whatever.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:Whatever. And, and the Greek syntax is whatever, is this, whatever is this to emphasize all of these
Noah:mm-hmm.
Paul:Need to be, we need to dwell on not just some of these are one or two of these. Right. Again, because what's Paul interested in? He's interested in, in the outcome. Right. So. We know this. Proverbs 4 23 above all else guards your hart for it is the wellspring of life. It affects everything you do.
Noah:Right?
Paul:Right. So think think on these things. True, honorable, just pure, lovely, commendable.
Noah:Yeah.
Paul:There's a reason he
Noah:talked about that. These, these are the things of God. Yes. And I, Paul doesn't explicitly call them that. But I think that that's a fair description of what he's talking about. When we think about the characteristic of God, the characteristics of God that he is, he is just, he is merciful, he is the standard of moral excellence. He is the standard of morality. Or if we look around at the world around us and we think about how he created the beauty and the, the, the lovely things that are around us. He is an example of holiness and, and therefore purity. It, these are the things of God. What we're, what he's encouraging us to dwell on is anything and the types of things that align with who God is. Mm. I like that. Yes. And so in the end, getting to what you were talking about, when we fill ourselves with the things that align with the character of God. Then we are working to align ourselves with God, our hearts with God to submit our hearts more fully to who he is, and that's why we see the good result of action. Right? Paul says, these are the things that. They had learned and received and heard from him and seen in him. So he had taught them and he had set an example for them. Mm-hmm. And his admonition is then do these things, practice these things. The idea is that we change the inside. You said this just a moment ago. You change the inside and the outside will follow.
Paul:Yeah. People do what they see more than what they hear.
Noah:Mm.
Paul:Paul didn't say what? Just simply what you heard, what you've heard and seen in me. That's, that's a powerful lesson. I, I have tried to communicate, was communicated to me very early on as a parent communicated in our churches, people do what people see. Mm-hmm. More than they do what they hear. Now they, they ought to do what they hear. I ought to do what I. What, what we teach, what we preach. Yeah. What people hear does matter. Go back to the situation. Maybe there's a part of this with what he had just said, and he waits till the end of the letter to mention these two ladies.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:He waits till the end of the letter to reinforce the being of the same mind. Live in harmony. What is it gonna take to live in harmony? Alright. Don't be ruled by worry. The Lord is in hand. You know where prayer fits in in your everyday life because of your relationship with God. What a blessing that will bring you joy. But understand we, if we're gonna have right action
Noah:mm-hmm.
Paul:Then we've got to have right thinking and think about the world that we live in today. That's so opposite of what we're seeing here in chapter four. There is so much out in the world today, and I'm not even gonna get started on the social media garbage'cause I don't want people to think that, that everything about social media and our modern craze with this is, is, is terrible. It can be used in a lot of good ways, but I can be. So easily influenced to be negative in my thinking, critical in my thinking. And so I can look at a person in the local church and say, this is, they're terrible.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:Look, look at what they did last week. That's just who they are. They're gonna let you down. They let me down. They're gonna let you down. And I can be so critical, so negative. I can begin to think in ways that are not just, that are not lovely. Yep. See, we tend to, I used to read this and think, well, Paul's trying to tell him, don't send, don't, don't be a fornicator and don't be a murderer, and don't, how do you, how do you treat others?
Noah:Yeah.
Paul:It's, it's the result of how you see others.
Noah:Mm-hmm.
Paul:And sometimes because my mind has been poisoned. I'm not saying bury your head in the sand and ignore reality, but I am saying it's possible for me to miss the pleasant and the beautiful because I'm so conditioned for the negative. Yeah, they failed here.
Noah:Yeah. Yeah, that's a good point. It's interesting where Paul goes with this is that he says he, he finishes this and says, and the god of peace will be with you. Mm-hmm. But he specifically connects that. He connects that idea of God, the God of peace being with us to the idea of practicing these things. And I don't want to, I don't want to try to overstate the connection here, but here's, here's what I'm reading in what Paul is saying here. You need to think on these things, but simply thinking about them. Simply spending time contemplating or dwelling on good things is not what is not in and of itself, evidence of being connected to God. In fact, if we dwell on those things, if we dwell on the characteristics of God. But that does not change how we live. Mm-hmm. Then that actually indicates that we do not have a connection to God. We're engaged in an intellectual exercise at that point, and instead he says, you dwell on these things and then you practice them, not because it earns you God's favor, but because that is the evidence. That's the outflow of what's going on on the inside, and so. Again, I don't wanna, I don't wanna overstate the connection. I, I, I wanna be careful about that, but I think we should recognize that he connects, he does connect the God of peace being with us, with us, practicing the things of God, not just thinking about the things of God.
Paul:I like that. I like that. Paul, Paul was intentional in, in wanting this church to understand that whatever the call to action is. You can expect God's aid.
Noah:Mm.
Paul:We forget that sometimes If this matters to God and this is important to God, and now you've got an apostle saying, I want, I want you to see it this way. I want you to practice this. He said, God, God will be with you. Mm-hmm. Oh, the peace of God. It'll be with you. Let that rule God of peace. Peace of God. If you're gonna work out your own salvation, that's a pretty big charge. He had said earlier in the book, right, you've always obeyed now, not just when I was there, even much more in my absence. Now I want you to work out your own salvation with fear. Andre Link. You gotta be kidding me. That's a, that's a huge task there, Paul. He'll. Oh, there's God who works in you both the will and to do, he doesn't leave God out of the equation. Yeah. If God causes people to action, he will give his aid. Well, thank you for those who have listened today. You can tell you get two preachers in a room and we think about, we've gotta get through a whole chapter, but we're gonna do this. We've committed ourselves. We're gonna finish up chapter four, Lord willing, next week in this finding joy in each other. We got down to the end of. Verse nine. So we'll pick up for those who are following us. Lord Will next week, verse 10 of Philippians chapter four. Thank you today, and we are, we're prayerful that the Lord will continue to do what he wants to do in you. We just wanna partner with him, but until then with his help, we'll stand strong.
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