Philippians 4

Hope everyone had a wonderful time at the retreat.
I saw some of the pictures that were taken from last couple of days.
It seems like you all had good times together.
I hope that we can continue to grow from this experience of being together and really be unified as the church.

As we have announced last week, starting next Sunday, our worship services will be divided into two.
One in English and one in Korean.
But once a month, we will be coming together in joint worship.
We want to keep the unity of the church, and not be separated according to language groups.

For that you all must do your part.
Come and help other group, and be part of them.
Actually, they are not “other” group.
We are all brothers and sisters in Christ
We need to do this together, if we are truly to keep our Vision 2020 going.

Unity is something that God desires and Jesus prayed for.
God desires unity among diversity, and he always existed in the truest expression of Unity among Diversity in Trinity.
And that is what Paul is urging Philippian Church as well.
Even though we do not have all the details, there were some disagreements between two women of the church: Euodia and Syntyche.
Paul is urging them – v. 2 – to agree in the Lord.
What Paul is saying is, all the things he talked about in chapters prior to chapter 4, put it into practice.
If we have any hint of love of God in us, then we need to think about the needs of others before us.
We need to meet their needs.
Even when others are seemingly doing the wrong things, rather than judging them, we need to gently guide them back.
v. 5 – Let your reasonableness – NIV says Let your gentleness be known to everyone.

Be gentle to each other.
And do everything in prayer.
Think of God, others, and then your needs.
When we do that God’s peace will be upon us.

Do not seek after temporal things of this world.
But seek after things that are higher.
Look at verse 8 and 9.
Paul is saying first think about these things – because your thinking affects your actions.
And then, Paul says put it into practice.

Lastly, Paul urges the church to be satisfied with God’s provisions.
One of the perhaps most misunderstood passages of Scriptures is Philippians 4:13.
In Christ, we can do ALL things?
Actually, Paul is talking about all things in the context of vv. 11 and 12.
What is Paul saying?
He is content and thankful in whatever situation he is in.
Whether he has a lot or very little, Paul learned to be thankful and is satisfied with what God has given him.
How could he be?

Paul’s life was full of trials and sufferings.
He was perhaps married but lost his spouse at one point in his life (through either divorce or death, we don’t know for sure).
He had physical ailment that God would not heal.
He was jailed several times, and even is jailed right now.
He was flogged 40 minus 1 lashes.
He was in a ship wreck that almost took his life.
He had his fellow Jews tried to kill him.
The churches he planted deserted him at times.

Yet Paul is saying in all those situations, he is content and have the peace of God in his heart.
How?
Because Paul knew that there is greater prize waiting for him.
There is this hope of spending eternity with God.
And as long as through his life, he can please God, he is content.

This amazing peace in Paul’s heart is only possible because it is the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
To give us this peace, Jesus came, lived, died, and rose again.
He ascended into heaven and gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit.
May this peace be upon all of us as we go back to our lives and seek to live it for Christ’s glory!
God speed!