Philippians 2:1-4
Opening Statement:
Whenever there is disunity in the church, danger is on the horizon. Disunity is very seldom because of external forces or persecution, rather disunity comes because of a personal agenda by one or more persons in the body of the Christ.
I) Christian Fellowship is motivated by God’s love for us. (V.1)
The four realities Paul raises here are experienced by all Christians, and they form the basis of Christian fellowship.
A) If you have any encouragement in Christ.
So, first Paul says: “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ.” The word consolation means encouragement. As a Christian do you have any encouragement from being united with Christ? Any at all?
B) If you have any comfort from God’s love.
Once again, the answer is yes, a thousand times yes. This is the experience of anyone who has come to God through Jesus Christ. Of course, we have comfort in our lives from knowing God’s love.
C) If you have any fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
Once again Paul is appealing to our Christian experience here. As Christians we all share together in the gift of the Holy Spirit, and we have all experienced this wonderful fellowship with the Spirit.
D) If you have any inside affections.
II) Christian Fellowship is united around the gospel of Christ. (v. 2)
Paul is already full of joy as he prays for the Philippians and as the gospel is preached in Rome. But now he asks the Philippians to make his joy complete, to fill his cup of joy to the brim, by uniting around the gospel of Christ. And he does this by asking them to do three things.
A) Being likeminded
Paul is encouraging them to be like-minded, to be unified in their thinking, to think the same thing when it comes to life’s ultimate priority. He is calling them to unite around the gospel of Christ. We too should not allow anything to take our focus off spreading the gospel.
B) Having the same love
A Christian community is a supposed to be a loving community. You cannot have Christian fellowship without love. And each person in the body of Christ should have the same love for each other. Fellowship is not a one-way street. There is a back-and-forth, there is a reciprocal love and relationship in the body of Christ.
C) Being one in spirit and purpose
This last phrase brings out the idea of a common goal once again. Being of one accord and of one mind refers to being united as one soul, one person for a common task. Now in the face of inner division he encourages us to stand strong as one man united around a common goal or purpose – the gospel of Jesus Christ.
III) In Christian Fellowship we humbly serve each other. (vs. 3-4)
Paul gives us three instructions here.
A) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit
Now selfish ambition was exactly the problem Paul addressed back in chapter one. There is no room for competition or rivalry in the Christian faith.
B) Consider others better than yourselves
Rather than selfish ambition or vain conceit we should practice humility and consider other betters than ourselves. This is true in marriage, it is true in parenting, it is true in relationships, and it is definitely true in the church.
C) Look to the interests of others, not just yourself
What are you focused on in life? Your own needs or others? In Christian fellowship each person puts the needs of the other people first.
Once again, your attitude should be the same as Christ who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
In Closing:
But it is worth it, for the unity of the church and for the glory of God.
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