Our sermon text today is Philippians chapter 4, verses 1 through 7.
Philippians 4, 1 through 7.
I read this trusting it as God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, authoritative word for you, His people.
If you receive it that way, then you can respond at the end.
Thanks be to God.
Philippians 4, 1 through 7.
Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and my crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also.
And the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I will say, rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to all.
The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
This is the word of the Lord for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
You may be seated.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of the Lord stands forever.
Luke 1, 37.
No word from the mouth of God shall be void of power.
Let's pray.
Amen.
God, we ask that your Holy Spirit will please shine the light of Christ on these words
and apply them to our lives, to our minds, our hearts, our attitudes, especially toward other Christians.
We ask, Lord, that you will show us the power of Jesus Christ
and how his power over his people changes everything.
For your glory we pray.
Amen.
Well, I was hearing a report from one of these pastors
about how four different Reformed Baptist pastors
were invited to a church in the Midwest,
and they spent one week there.
Each one of those four pastors worked for 80 hours on one project.
By the end of that one laborious week,
each pastor had a binder like this full of handwritten notes
from all of the people they had talked with,
trying to understand and uncover the problem
that they were called to work on.
What was their work that they had to do?
What was this project?
There was conflict, interpersonal conflict,
within the congregation of another church,
and they needed help.
One of those pastors who I've learned a lot from on this topic,
his name is Brian Borgman of the great state of Nevada,
and he has so much experience, but he very humbly said
there's not a lot of helpful books on interpersonal conflict
within the church that he found useful in that situation,
but what God did make very useful
and what God did cause him to study more in depth over time
was these two or three verses in the letter of Philippians
that we just read.
My sermon for us today,
it's about conflict,
but I want to point out to you,
in this passage we read,
these seven verses,
I think there's battle language once again.
It should be no surprise by this point,
knowing Paul and knowing his audience in Philippi.
Would you look at verse one?
He says in verse one,
stand fast.
That's military language.
I'll do my best to show you why here in a moment.
Stand fast.
That's verse one.
Now look at the end of this little inclusio.
Verse seven,
God will guard you through Christ Jesus.
That's the two bookends.
It's military language for battle.
Stand fast.
God will guard you.
And what's in the middle of this little sandwich?
It's a conflict within the church.
So what can this teach us about conflict among Christians?
Well, my message for you today from this passage
is how Christ conquers conflict.
Christ conquers conflict.
With God's help,
I hope to show you how he wants us to see conflict among Christians,
what we must discern in such conflicts,
two instructions we have on getting through the conflict,
and finally,
what we must trust as we work through a conflict within the church.
So number one,
see the conflict with spiritual eyes.
He begins this thought by reminding the church of who they are in the eyes of God.
In verse one,
you,
Christian,
are beloved.
That other Christian that you have bad feelings toward,
they are beloved.
They are the bride of Christ.
And he calls them very personally,
my longed for brethren.
My brothers and sisters that I long for.
My heart toward every one of you is to be with you.
I long for you.
He calls them my joy.
When I think of the church,
these individuals,
this body,
that's the source of my greatest joy.
Not anything this world can give me.
And he calls them my crown.
So see one another through spiritual eyes.
Beloved.
Jesus Christ is the lover of the soul of his church.
And the church is the beloved of Christ.
Every single one of the New Testament authors refers to the church as the beloved of Jesus Christ.
He says,
longed for brethren.
Maybe you have a moment where you remember missing one of your siblings.
My brother and I and my sister too,
we were very close.
And I remember,
I'm the oldest,
when I went off to college and just was going to come back,
how much I longed to be with them.
Just really missed my family,
my brothers and sisters.
I miss them.
And he calls them my joy.
My joy is being with God's people.
When I'm with God's people,
my brothers and sisters,
the one that Christ loves,
that's when I get the taste of heaven.
That fellowship we share here on earth with the brethren,
that's my joy.
That's what I want more than anything else.
And he calls them my crown.
I think this is,
is Paul taking almost like a grandfather,
paternal,
loving care over all the Christians in this little congregation.
Proverbs 17,
17,
six says,
children's children are a crown to the aged.
You want to see a grandpa or a grandma light up?
It's when they look at their grandkids and they see them doing something.
It's their crown.
You know,
all my other achievements,
whatever else I did with work,
I,
I am so proud of my grandkids.
That's my crown.
I think that's how Paul is expressing his Christ-like love toward the church.
Okay.
If all of this is true,
why is there such big conflict that it makes it into this letter?
You can only address so many things in four short chapters.
Well,
whatever is true of us as Christians in the,
the spiritual realm,
that's the already that Christ has already secured for us.
It's true.
It's our reality.
It's that Roman sevens tension.
So we still have a not yet aspect of living in this flesh in the body.
There's still remaining sin in the flesh of every single Christian.
So we could really make it simple as others have helped me to see whenever there's conflict among Christians,
it's because the not yet aspect of our salvation is eclipsing the already part.
In other words,
what Christ has done is,
is secure,
but I'm still being sanctified.
And there's a lot of me that's not yet conformed to Christ.
That's why we're pressing on together.
We're not fully there yet.
That's what conflict is.
It's,
it's really pretty simple.
He also reminds them not only of what they are,
but what they are not.
Fellow believers are not your enemies.
Would you please keep this finger right here in Philippians four,
but also turn to Ephesians and then put a marker in Ephesians six.
We're saving Philippians four and returning to Ephesians six,
verse 12.
This is helpful because it's our same author.
It's a similar church full of Gentiles and Greeks and Romans and Jewish converts as well
that live in another city.
And his instruction in this spiritual battle is,
is helpful and is very similar.
Notice what Paul says to the church in Ephesus,
Ephesians six,
12.
Church,
we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.
Fellow believers,
even the ones you're in conflict on,
they are not your enemy.
They're not the true enemy.
We do have a real enemy.
Now back to Philippians four,
look at verse one.
This is the context.
I think we need to read that first verse.
Stand fast in the Lord.
We do have a true enemy.
To stand fast in the military.
That's a holding position.
You only want to hold the high ground.
Once you've already conquered it,
there's nothing more to conquer.
Christ has conquered the high ground.
He puts his church on the high ground.
Stand fast.
Hold what Christ has purchased and accomplished.
What he has been victorious over.
See,
Satan came into this world and took the authority that God delegated to Adam.
And Jesus warns us that Satan is the ruler of this world.
Don't get entangled with this world.
It's under the dominion of the enemy of Satan.
But when Jesus Christ came,
he said,
I came to bind the strong man.
And Christ has bound him up by crushing the serpent's head on the cross.
And now the gospel goes forth to all the nations,
to all the Gentiles,
because Satan is no longer able to deceive them.
And so our battle,
it's not against flesh and blood,
but there's still a retreating enemy,
so to speak.
We're still in this world.
Satan no longer has power over Christ and his church,
but the Christians are in this world,
and we need to stand fast.
There's a war going on.
Flip back to Ephesians 6 again.
Verse 12 continues,
Our battle is against principalities,
against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against the spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.
There is a real spiritual battle.
And when there's conflict within a church,
that's what's really going on.
There is a spiritual dimension to conflict among Christians.
So Ephesians 6, 11,
put on the whole armor of God.
Why?
To stand firm.
The same instruction as Philippians 1, 4-1.
Stand firm against the devil's schemes.
Satan will scheme.
He will try to deceive and confuse.
And he will try to stir up strife and trick Christians
about who the real enemy is.
Stand fast.
Stand firm in Jesus Christ.
So how Christ conquers conflict
is by teaching Christians
to view a conflict with spiritual eyes.
Number two,
Paul sets an example for the church and for all of us.
We are to ask God
for great discernment about conflict.
You notice how Paul is very concise
in how he deals with it?
But you can also just sense
like a veteran grandfather
who's helped so many churches and believers
and has been a missionary,
you know, planting congregations
that are thriving and bearing gospel fruit.
He has so much experience,
and that's partly why he's very direct
and to the point.
Ask God for great discernment.
This is what God has given Paul,
and we can see his example.
In two short verses,
just verses 2 and 3 of Philippians 4,
we can discern at least six insights here.
In verse 2, Paul writes,
I implore Euodia,
and I implore Syntyche.
Remember, this is a letter,
Philippians 1.1,
to the whole congregation,
to the elders, the deacons,
and the whole congregation
of the church in Philippi.
And in this letter to the whole church,
he's imploring two specific individuals.
Why?
Well, apparently the whole church
already knows about this conflict.
And it's big enough
that it needs to be addressed,
even from the Apostle Paul.
What does he implore these two individuals?
He says,
I implore you to be of the same mind
in the Lord.
Paul was never shy
to address ethical problems
within the church,
like think of Corinthians,
where there's messed up relations
going on among the church.
He'll address that very clearly,
straight on.
So, it's most likely
not an ethical issue.
He also is not shy
about addressing doctrinal issues.
Think of his tone
in the letter to the Galatians.
We are not going to dance around here.
This is the true gospel.
We won't take any compromise
on ethics or doctrine.
It's also most likely
not a legal matter between them.
In 1 Corinthians 6,
he says,
you shouldn't be taking
a legal case, you know, outside.
You should be able
to handle even that.
So, he'll address legal issues
when those exist.
So, what can we conclude?
It's most likely
an interpersonal conflict.
It most likely deals with
a relationship
that's very broken now.
A broken trust,
hurt feelings,
things that have been said.
Most likely,
one person feeling
the other one has
a plank in their eye
and the other one
probably feeling the same.
Well, they're the one
with a plank in their eye
and we're stuck.
So, Paul discerned
this is an important
interpersonal matter
that must be addressed publicly.
But number two,
he discerned
that he ought not
to take a side
with either one.
Do you notice how
it's perfectly proportional?
It's measured
equally on both sides.
I implore this person
and I implore that person.
I'm keeping it
neutral and balanced.
I'm imploring you both
have the mind of Christ.
In conflict,
no one likes to back down.
I feel on my point,
I'm right,
I'm going to dig my heels in
and now it's personal
because my pride
is attached to this position
that I took.
At least maybe
that's just me.
But that's the tendency
of our flesh.
And then it's really hard
because whoever hears
the story of either side
is going to think,
you know,
I can see that
and then this side hears
this side,
well, I can see truth
in that too.
So before you know it,
you've got families
and groups within the church
taking one side
or the other
and we end up with
a massive divide
within the congregation.
You can almost hear
one person saying,
you know,
Syntyche,
whose name means fortunate,
she's a godly woman.
We were really sick
and she brought a meal
over to our family.
Of course,
I have to side with her.
You can hear another family
saying,
well,
I know Euodia very well.
Her name means
sweet fragrance
and her name alone
makes me want
to take her side.
So before you know it,
we've got opinions.
And then,
the snowball continues
to grow.
This person over here
is stirring up
some conflict
with another family
over here on this side
and those wounds
that maybe had been addressed,
you thought they were resolved,
all of a sudden,
new conflicts
are opening up.
We've got a big issue
on the hands
of the church.
Paul discerned
he ought not
to necessarily
take a side
in this interpersonal
conflict.
Number three,
Paul discerned
it was urgent.
This is urgent.
We can't keep delaying.
We can't avoid conflict.
This is my time
to help them
walk out Matthew 18
of deal with the conflict.
Deal with what
we have to address.
It's urgent.
The word implore,
it carries that tone
of don't put it off.
Do this right now.
In Mark 5, 23,
we're told of a person
who begged Jesus earnestly
saying,
my little daughter lies
at the point of death,
but if you come,
she will live.
That's the same
Greek word.
I beg you
earnestly
to do this.
Paul implores.
To implore someone
can be a formal address.
It's to plead with,
to beseech,
to entreat,
to urge,
exhort,
admonish.
We've got to deal
with this.
So Paul discerned
it was urgent.
Number four,
Paul discerned
that he must
minimally
but directly
address it.
He tells them,
be of the same
mind in the Lord.
You are to reconcile
with each other
in such a way
that you come
into harmony
with one another
so you can again
strive together
and march together
as he's been
calling the church
to do.
You see,
this conflict
is preventing
not only you
but likely others
within the church
from doing the very thing
Christ has made clear.
Strive together.
March on.
Press on together.
Don't be divided
and distracted
because that's what
the enemy wants
to do in the church.
Humble yourselves
as Christ
humbled himself
for you.
Be of the same
mind
of Jesus Christ.
It's most likely
that wonderful
glorious passage
in Philippians 2
where we saw
Christ's great
dissension
and humility
as a slave
and then his
ascension
being exalted
by God the Father
for his obedience.
That's the theological
point of this letter
with this conflict
as being part
of the occasion
for which this letter
needed to go back.
Paul discerned
he must address
it directly.
Number five,
Paul discerned
that this was
also a case
where a local
in-person mediator
would be helpful.
Look at verse three.
It says,
I also urge you
true companion.
Maybe it's a reference
that everyone
would have understood
to one of the
local officers
or something like that
or possibly a Greek name.
What it literally means
is genuine
yoke fellow
which is great
even if it's his
actual name.
I mean,
what providence
is yoked up
with Paul
pulling in the same
direction
and plowing this field
that God has given
them to cultivate.
So I urge you
to true companion
help.
Help these women
who labored with me.
Help them.
The word help,
it carries with it
the meaning of
bringing two things
together.
So help them
by putting them
back together.
Sometimes in any
relationship,
especially the most
intense relationships
like marriage,
they just need help.
Need someone to help
bring us back together
with one another.
One of the most
clever titles
for a book on marriage
biblically is called
When Sinners Say
I Do.
Isn't that exactly
what's going on
in marriage?
Two saved sinners
saying I do
to one another.
There's the already
that we're in Christ
but there's also
plenty of not yet
in both of our lives.
One of the chapters
is called
The Fog of War.
When it feels like
in a relationship
you're at war,
picture 200 muskets
firing the gunpowder
on one side,
the same from the other,
and there's that
black smoke.
It's really hard
to discern
and see clearly
what's our way
forward here.
It's foggy
and it's really helpful
to have an objective
third party,
someone else
that can come in
and ask
and listen.
Now,
the fact that he
has to tell them
and not only tell them
but tell the whole church
and tell his fellow
yokemen
to help them,
it can reveal
something to us,
doesn't it?
They had not gotten
help yet
or if this person
was in a position
to help,
the help had been
rejected.
We need an apostolic
authority saying
you need help
and this man
is going to have
the authority
to help you.
Why is it that
in our flesh
we oftentimes
don't want help?
We don't want
to be told
that we were wrong.
I don't want
to have to sit there
and have someone
else tell me,
Jason,
here's the plank
in your eye,
brother.
lovingly in the Lord.
How about you
let the Holy Spirit
work on you,
Jason,
on that plank
right now?
That's humbling
and once my pride
has gotten attached
and it's become
public,
my flesh
is never going
to choose that
but God in his grace
he calls us
back to that
and that's what
a helper
bringing two together
is going to have
to do,
speak the truth
and love
to both sides.
Most likely
there's something
each side
must repent of
to the Lord
and there can be
no peace
with one another
until that happens.
Think about this
when Jesus
in John 5, 6
he walked
by
and saw
a crippled man
lying there
for a long time
the Bible says
adding that detail.
Notice Jesus'
words to that man.
Do you
want
to be healed?
Do you
want
to be healed?
Jesus
expected
this man
to give
a verbal
answer
before he
brought the
healing power
that only
he could
bring.
So in
conflict
a mediator
a local
in-person
helper
sometimes
will need
to do that.
Ask each side
do you
want
help?
Do you
want
to be
healed?
Or do you
want to
continue
with this
miserable
conflict?
Well number
six
Paul discerned
it is
wise
to also
publicly
affirm
both
women.
He tells
the church
outdo
one another
in showing
honor to
one another
within the
church.
The church
should be
so generous
in lavishing
honor on
all those
who work
out of love
for Christ.
Look at what
he says
in verse
three.
These
women
they labored
with me
in the
gospel.
They are
my fellow
workers.
Remember
how he
called Epaphroditus
his fellow
worker?
He's
putting
that same
title of
honor on
both of
these women
publicly.
Imploring to
both of
them publicly.
Honoring both
of them publicly.
He's attaching
his reputation
to each one
of them
to try to
help.
He's trying
to clear
both names
of any
potential
slander.
Proverbs
10
18
says
whoever
conceals
hatred
with lying
lips and
spreads
slander
is a
fool.
Paul
is giving
a fresh
start
so to
speak.
He's
saying
like
Proverbs
18
17
the one
who
states
his
case
first
seems
right
until
the
other
one
comes
and
examines
him.
Remember
who you
are
in
Christ.
Ask
for God
to help
you
discern
what's
really
going
on.
What
are
all
the
layers
that
need
to
be
dealt
with
here.
And
let's
humbly
have
the
mind
of
Christ
and
be
reconciled
together.
Well
you might
be wondering
is this
possible
for God
to help
a church
or help
an individual
or help
me
this much?
And I
encourage you
to look
at the
promises
of Scripture
that God
promises
to give
discernment
and wisdom
to those
who belong
to him.
In Proverbs
10
18
I apologize
Proverbs
2
1
through 6
he says
if you cry
out for
discernment
and lift
up your
voice for
understanding
if you
seek
discernment
as silver
and search
for her
as for
hidden
treasures
then you
will
understand
the fear
of the
Lord
and you
will find
the knowledge
of God
for the
Lord
gives
wisdom.
So we
need to
follow this
example
and ask
God
for great
discernment
in the
midst of
conflict
among
Christians.
I love
what Paul
does next
in verses
3
through 7
he
gospels
the church
through the
conflict.
He
gospels
them
through
conflict.
I think
everything
that follows
in the rest
of our
passage
verses 3
through 7
these are
safeguards
to protect
the local
church
from conflict.
I think
that's what
we read
here.
In verse
3 he
says rejoice
brothers and
sisters
your names
are in
the book
of life.
Your names
are in
the book
of life.
You are
Christians.
Maybe you've
got a couple
of sons
and you
walk in
and they're
just wrestling
each other
throwing each
other
yelling at
each other
do you want
to just sit
them down
and say
you are
Christians
stop it.
Both of your
names are the
book of life.
Revelation 12
10 says
now have
come the
salvation
and the
power and
the kingdom
of our
God and
the authority
of his
Messiah for
the accuser
of our
brothers and
sisters who
accuses them
before our
God day
and night
he has been
hurled down.
Your names
are in the
book of life.
The accuser
no longer
can blame
you one
another.
What's at
stake here
he's telling
them is this.
Does the
work of
Jesus
for you
make any
difference in
your relationships
with one
another?
That's what's
at stake
here.
Your names
are in
the book
of life.
Will the
reign of
Christ make
any difference
in the way
that you
live now
and treat
one another?
In verse
4 he says
rejoice in
the Lord
always.
The quote
goes that it
takes 72
muscles to
frown but
only 13
to smile.
Aren't you
tired of
wearing yourself
out over
this conflict?
Rejoice in
the Lord.
It's hard to
be in
conflict when
you're always
rejoicing in
the Lord.
But these
emotions are
hard to
shake.
I think
they're
actually
impossible to
just say I'm
going to not
think about
these bad
emotions toward
this person
for a while.
How do we
replace this
negative emotion
with something
positive like
joy?
It's only
with the
presence,
the indwelling
life of
Christ himself
moving into
the believer
once again
filling your
mind,
filling your
heart.
He fills
you with
his joy.
He says
rejoice in
the Lord
always.
I will say
it again
rejoice.
Verse 5,
I think verse
5 is in the
context of the
conflict.
Let your
gentleness be
known to
all.
Let your
gentleness be
evident to
all who are
watching in
the church and
outside of the
church.
It's hard to
fight against
someone who's
as gentle and
docile as a
lamb, isn't
it?
Proverbs 15
1 says a
harsh word
stirs up
anger but a
soft answer
turns away
wrath.
And he
tells them in
verse 5,
the Lord is
at hand.
Rejoice in
the Lord.
Let his
mind be in
you.
Let his
joy fill
your heart
and push
out those
bad emotions
toward other
Christians.
The Lord
is near.
The Lord
is at
hand.
I was a
little surprised
to find out
what does that
mean, that
phrase, is
at hand.
I learned
that the
rabbis use
this term
to make
nigh or
to say
something is
being made
near.
They use
that to
describe making
a convert
or making
a disciple.
So how
do we
put that
together?
So Paul
is telling
this church
and these
individuals in
conflict, the
Lord is
near.
And it's
also a
phrase saying
the Lord
is discipling.
The Lord
is handling
you.
The Lord
is the
one overseeing
this
relationship.
Your names
are written
in the
book of
life.
Rejoice
together in
this, this
great thing.
Jesus
said in
Matthew
18, 20,
where two
or three
are gathered
in my
name, there
I am
with them.
And you
know Matthew
18, the
context is
in resolving
conflict.
So the
context of
this great
promise that
where two
or three
are gathered
in the
name of
Jesus, he
is near, he
is handling, he
is ministering,
he is working
out what only
he can do
among you.
Christ's
presence brings
refreshing, it
brings peace,
joy, comfort,
it's ice
melting warmth
when Jesus
is near his
people.
Why is
that?
It's because
of who Jesus
is.
First Peter
2 tells us
in verses 22
and 23, it's
because Jesus
Christ committed
no sin, nor
was deceit,
found in his
mouth, the
opposite of
Satan.
And when he
was reviled, he
did not revile
and return.
When he
suffered, he
did not
threaten, but
he committed
himself to
him who
judges
righteously.
In our own
flesh, we will
never want to
do that, but
if Jesus is
handling you,
discipling you,
he is near
you, he
will help you
do that.
His joy will
replace that
anger.
So we
gospel ourselves
through conflict.
Christ is here
ministering.
Number four is
we pray through
conflict with
thanksgiving.
He says,
pray with
thanksgiving.
Be anxious for
nothing, but in
everything by prayer
and supplication
with thanksgiving.
Paul is saying
to the church,
when you're
really in
conflict, what's
going on is a
spiritual battle,
but you can
stand firm.
Christ has
already conquered
conflict.
You can rejoice.
He is with you,
his people.
In Christ, you
are strong, you
are victorious.
You can stand
firm in Christ
together.
And when you
have that confidence
in Christ, you
will have to be
anxious for
nothing.
But in
everything by
prayer and
supplication, with
thanksgiving, make
your requests
known.
Isn't it true that
when there is
tension in a
relationship or
conflict, it's
hard to pray about
anything else until
I feel like that's
resolved?
And so, when
you're in conflict
and you're praying
and bringing your
requests to the
Lord, you're
praying for him to
help you.
Help me resolve
this to the best
of my ability to
be at peace with
all men.
Help me, Lord,
on my part.
And it's really
hard when it's
conflict with
someone that you
care about.
The more deeply you
care about them, the
harder it is.
But it's also
impossible to
remain angry or
mad at someone when
you're praying for
them.
You're praying for
God's will to be
done in their life
as in yours.
He says to pray
with thanksgiving.
It's not, Lord,
make my brother
repent.
Teach him the
lesson the hard
way.
You need to teach
him because I've
tried.
That's not it.
It's to pray with
thanksgiving.
In Matthew 7, 4, and
5, you can say to
your brother, let me
take a speck out of
your eye when there's
a log in your own.
Jesus says if you do
that, you're a
hypocrite.
He says first take the
log out of your own
eye.
What happens when God
takes a log out of my
own eye?
I'm so thankful.
I feel horrible.
I had this massive
blind spot.
God forgave me.
He gospeled me
through it once more.
His righteousness
covers all my flaws.
And that's the way
that we minister
Christ to one
another.
1 John 5, 4.
Everyone who has
been born of God
overcomes the
world.
Rejoice.
Give God thanks
that the enemy
will not win.
He will not prevail.
He will not bring
division and
destruction between
brothers and sisters
or between a church.
Christ has overcome
the world by the
power of his work
and his life.
We're told in
Ephesians 6, 17,
take the helmet of
your salvation.
Rejoice that you're
saved, brothers and
sisters, and take the
sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of
God, praying always
with all prayer and
all supplication in the
Spirit.
It's battle when we
pray over conflict,
when we remind
ourselves we are
saved by God's grace
alone, and we're
battling the enemy,
but the enemy will
not win here.
He will not cause
this division.
Pray through conflict
with thanksgiving.
And the fifth heading,
the last one for today,
is trust in God's
promises with each
next step.
In verse 7, he says
this wonderful promise
that the peace of God,
which surpasses all
understanding, it will
guard your heart and
your mind through Christ
Jesus.
The peace of God.
Relational shalom.
To be reconciled with
God and with our
neighbor, that's the
peace of God.
There can be no peace
with a brother or
sister until there is
peace with God.
God.
In Romans 5.1, we read
that we have been
justified by faith, and
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Jesus gives this
wonderful promise in
Matthew 5.9,
Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they
shall be called sons of
God.
A child of God does the
work of the Father.
A child of God sees a
conflict between brothers
if they're called in to
help, and they can be
be a peacemaker.
Remembering that there's
no peace among man with
one another until there's
peace with God the Father
through Jesus Christ.
It's to be an evangelist.
It's to be a peacemaker.
And to reconcile conflict
among Christians is to be
one who gospels brothers and
sisters in the truth of who
they already are in Jesus
Christ.
And the peace of God which
surpasses all understanding.
It's greater than your flesh.
It's the spiritual reality of
your soul.
It's the mystery that you
can't explain, but anyone
looking at your life or this
situation, they can't deny it.
It's a powerful work that
passes all understanding.
This work that Christ does in
his people.
Well, you can likely look at
your family member or your own
life by God's grace and you can
see the Holy Spirit has been so
patient with me.
If I compare my life now
compared to 10 years ago, I
would never on my own be who I
am now.
I am so different.
I'm more gentle, not all the way
gentle that I want to be.
I'm more humble.
And if someone would have
treated me the way that I was
treated just now 10 years ago,
they probably would have had to
call the cops, you know.
God's been working on me.
That passes all understanding.
It must be that the reality of
the gospel of Jesus Christ in me
is eclipsing my flesh a little
bit more.
All glory be to God.
The peace of God, we're told this
wonderful promise, it will guard
your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.
Satan wants to deceive our hearts,
to stir up anger, resentment,
bitterness, keeping a list of
wrongs against me.
But God is the God of peace.
Christ in me.
He fills me so much that there's
no room.
God is the one guarding our hearts
through Jesus Christ.
He dwells in our hearts.
Satan can't bring hatred into my
heart if Christ is filling it.
Christ is living there.
That's what it means to be
perfectly safeguarded in the heart
by Christ Jesus.
The powers of darkness, they want to
tempt me, to dwell on my bad
thoughts in my mind, to scheme evil,
to act manipulatively, to protect my
own pride.
But God, by his grace, his Holy Spirit,
he keeps lifting my thoughts to God,
to new heights of God's spirit.
He's reminding me over and over how
much God has saved me from.
That's what it means to be perfectly
safeguarded in your mind through
Jesus Christ.
When we think of Christ's love for
his church, for our brothers and
sisters, how much Christ loves that
person, his faithfulness to each one
of us, and how much God is
sanctifying them just like he
sanctified me, then there's really no
room left in my thoughts against a
brother or a sister with God's help.
He fills our minds with more of
Christ.
And the peace of God truly passes all
understanding.
See, man can be pretty clever.
Man can tickle the ear of the flesh.
But there's no wisdom like the wisdom
of the gospel.
And there's no power like the power of
the blood of Jesus Christ.
When believers are brought around the
foot of the cross once again,
and he just takes us one by one,
360, looking up at the person and
work of Jesus and our need for him.
There's no greater wisdom.
There's no greater power than the
blood of Jesus Christ for his people.
My prayer for us is that God will use this
very pointed text to the church in
Philippi to hedge us off to shelter,
to protect, to put up a tower and a
wall to prevent any further division or
conflict that the enemy will try to
bring in on this little body.
And also that he will spur us on to deal
with it.
If there is something that needs to be
dealt with, that we can do it in a
biblical way.
Reminding one another of how much Christ
loves each other.
Confessing any sin in my own life to
make it right.
Let me own my part of it and confess that
humbly before you and before the Lord.
And we can strive together that the mind
of Christ will work out in his people
because Christ has already conquered all
conflict among Christians.
Let's pray that he'll do that for us.
Father, thank you for your word.
Thank you for your power, for your Holy
Spirit that's at work among your people.
Lord, we pray that you will protect us and
we thank you that you have conquered the
conflict among brothers and sisters.
But it still needs to be worked out.
I pray that you will work it out among
us and that you'll also protect us, Lord.
As conflict does come up, we'll understand
this is part of life in the flesh in this
world and that we can take steps to let
you conquer it once again so that you'll
be glorified in your church.
We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ,
our Lord.
Amen.