Day 6 - Practicing Scripture
Alright, this is the final day of our journey together. Hopefully this is just the beginning of the rest of your life in studying scripture. What have you learned or gleaned from this week? Please share! I will make a special post with anonymous input from our fellow apprentices.
Today is Chapter 4, the final Chapter in Philippians and it is a great one! Let’s go ahead and jump in!
1Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.
“Stay true” means to stand firm or persevere in the original language. Paul encourages ones he loves to be firm and continue on their journey of faith.
Once again Paul speaks with affection about these people. They are his joy, his delight, and his crown. They make Paul proud and these are people he loves! Why? It seems he continues to affirm them in that fact that they don’t stray from his teachings. Other churches had many more problems than these people. This group has seemed to stay on the right path for the most part!
2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.
Paul appeals to two women who have been arguing for one reason or another. From the context of the rest of the book, they are arguing over something that is not a big deal or something that “really matters” in Paul’s eyes.
Also, notice that Paul is addressing these women as ministers of the Gospel WITH him. The original language used is as co-workers or colleagues. Soooo, if you don’t believe in women in ministry, your might disagree with Paul here.
Paul is imploring these people to stop fighting and live in unity. He is also doing this publicly and telling the people around them to help! Community helps others live in unity.
4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Again, the guy in house arrest is telling everyone to be full of joy “in the Lord.” That’s the only way true joy will work.
The word “considerate” here actually means moderate or gentle. This flies in the face of our culture today in many ways!
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
The word worry here in verse 6 means concern OR even “self interest.” This is on par for what many people’s worries are! We are concerned about retirement, paying bills, finding significance, etc… Paul says not to worry but…
Pray about EVERYTHING you need. I did the work here and looked at the original greek. Everything means EVERYTHING. Go figure. Nothing too small, nothing too big. Bring your petition to the Lord as Him to intervene.
After we thank Him for all He has already done, we will experience peace that is beyond understanding.
Interesting note here is that peace that doesn’t “make sense” typically doesn’t make sense because the circumstances are not resolved in the way we expected.
A note from Chuck Smith’s Commentary: You will experience such peace. "Hey, what are you going to do?" "Well, I have prayed about it." "Yah, but what are you going to do about it?" "Well, I have already done it, I have prayed." "Yah, but you can't just pray; you have got to do more than that." "Now God is going to take care of it. I have peace. It is in God's hands; I have turned it over to Him. I am not struggling with it anymore. I am not wrestling with the issues anymore; I have turned them over to God, and now I am going to rest in Him. I am going to have an experience." That peace that passeth human understanding, passes your own understanding. You can't understand how that you can feel such peace in the midst of such turmoil.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
This verse always challenges me to reconsider what I am watching on Netflix. I love great shows as much as anyone else does, however, all things are not profitable. Especially in our culture where we can binge a couple seasons of our favorite show which consumes HOURS of our time… What are these things making us dwell on?
Additionally, what’s my attitude at work. Am I dwelling on honorable and admirable thoughts towards my coworkers?
Paul points out a “practice” of living life. I preached about this Sunday. There are practices that we can glean from those we want to model our lives after. Something tells me, Paul spent some time in prayer, reading God’s word and listening to what God had to say.
10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.
Paul is impressed with the Philippians because of their generosity. This comes at a time of hardship for all in the church. Christians all over the world at this time were misunderstood and endured persecution for many different reasons. This is something that affected people’s ability to give money when needed. Paul commends the Philippians for giving in the midst of poor economic conditions personally and corporately. He appreciated their help
Paul also says he is content in many different circumstances… abundance and lack. The Gospel is for the the rich and the poor. It works for everyone.
18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
21 Give my greetings to each of God’s holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings. 22 And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household.
23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
A beautiful closing.
When is the last time you showed someone appreciation?
That’s the end! What are your thoughts? Text them in now!
See you all at church tomorrow
-Pastor Brian
