Philippians 4

The Serbians HATE the Albanians. The Macedonians hate them both. The Americans and the French and the Germans and the English don’t HATE anyone at the moment but they’re dropping their bombs anyway.

BUT IT’S NOT JUST THERE. Take a look at Indonesia. Where 165 people have been killed because people in West Kalimantan don’t want to share their island with anyone from MADURA. And Borneo is at flashpoint with riots. Or Northern Ireland. Still racked by killings. Even after they say they’ve found peace.

Trouble is, PEACE isn’t easy to find, is it. Seems like there’s a deep well of fear, a deep well of hate, a deep well of suspicion that SETS UP A WALL. Between anyone who’s different from anyone else.

You can see it closer to home as well. Petty rivalries at work. And HOMES. Families torn apart, turned into war zones. With marriages breaking down in record numbers. Husband against wife. Wife against husband. Kids in the firing line. PEACE isn’t easy to find.

And the bad news is, often it looks like CHURCHES are just as bad. I’m sorry to raise this sort of stuff on a day we’ve got so many visitors. Specially if you’re the cynical type already. But let’s call a spade a spade. Let’s be honest. You hear stories, all the time, don’t you. Of churches that split – right down the middle – on all sorts of stupid issues. One church I know down in New South Wales – it’s a safe distance away – they’re having a fight over whether the BIBLE should get CARRIED INTO CHURCH at the start of the service. Or should just sit in there ALL THE TIME.

The church I moved here from, and this one’s SAFE TO TALK ABOUT TOO, because it happened a long time ago – when they introduced ORGAN MUSIC, people LEFT THE CHURCH. A huge barney. Because they said ORGAN MUSIC made church sound like a PLAYHOUSE. A theatre. These days you get the same sort of arguments about GUITARS.

But on top of the silly little issues like that, you get the PERSONAL STUFF. Personal hurts. Damaged pride. The petty little disagreements and rivalries over who does what. Who’s important. Who makes the decisions. Who does the flowers. Pecking order.

And that’s the issue in this part of the bible we’re looking at this morning. The last section of the letter from the Apostle Paul to this church he’d started up in Philippi. Time’s gone by. And there’s a WAR ON… a war in the church. Two thousand years ago. Funny isn’t it. Nothings changed. There’s a WAR on, between two women who should have known better; two women who have been IMMORTALISED. Who’ll never be forgotten. For all the wrong reasons.

There are lots of ways to get NOTICED, I guess. Like the guy a couple of weeks back who went for a swim in the floodwaters down the coast. Ended up stuck in a tree, stark naked. And they had to send in a rescue crew to save him. Brought back to safety in the glare of the lights from the TV cameras. Absolutely starkers. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the next day, denounced by the DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER… for wasting tax payers’ money.

Well, if you reckon that’s bad, how would you like to have your names on display for all time… IN THE BIBLE. How would you like your name there in verse 2 at the top of the page, instead of Euodia. Or Syntyche. Two women who’d worked with the apostle Paul; who’d stood along side him telling people about FOLLOWING JESUS. And now they’re AT EACH OTHER. To the point where Paul has to PLEAD WITH THEM PUBLICLY… to BEG THEM… to put things right. And their names have been there in black and white in the pages of the Bible for the last 2000 years. How embarrassing.

Have a look at it, right at the top of the page if you’re following on the sheet; it’s verse 2, and it’s in bold type. Where Paul says, I PLEAD with Euodia, and I PLEAD with Syntyche … to AGREE with one another IN THE LORD.

I mean, it’s obvious, isn’t it. A lot of you here this morning, it might be the first time you’ve been to church in years, but IT’S EVEN OBVIOUS TO YOU, isn’t it? That people who CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS, people who SAY THEY FOLLOW JESUS… they should AGREE WITH EACH OTHER. And Euodia and Syntyche don’t. Can’t. Won’t. Who knows. And it’s funny, isn’t it, you notice he doesn’t even mention the issue. Not even interested what they’re fighting about. And he doesn’t TAKE SIDES. Because that’s not what matters. What matters is, they’re at WAR WITH EACH OTHER… and it shouldn’t be that way.

It’s a thread that’s been running all the way through the letter. If you’ve been here the last couple of weeks, you’ll remember – that as people who follow Jesus, we’re called to UNITY. To put every other issue aside; say it DOESN’T MATTER. Because there’s something BIGGER that holds us together. Our commitment to Jesus.

Paul asks his other friends in Philippi to help out. To make peace. Verse 3, he asks someone he calls his LOYAL YOKEFELLOW, maybe the church leader there, to help out. Help them. Which is a big ask, isn’t it. It’s easy as anything to make war. A lot harder to make peace. But the good news is, if you keep reading you’ll see a FOUR PRACTICAL POINTERS that are going to help make peace in the best possible way. The ONLY possible way. Which is, by making PEACEFUL PEOPLE. And that’s the key, isn’t it. The only way to REALLY MAKE PEACE… it to make PEACEFUL PEOPLE.

So here they are. Four keys to making peaceful people. You’ll see them listed there on your outline.

Practical pointer number 1. Remember that Bobby McFarrin song, Don’t Worry Be Happy? The guy who sang it got so depressed he SHOT HIMSELF.

Well, Paul’s not being quite that glib. He says they need to rejoice. But it’s not just a matter of DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY. He says, instead of tearing into each other, you girls ought to be REJOICING. Which you’ll say, is easier said than done, isn’t it. I mean, there’s a lot to be depressed about, isn’t there. Those medical tests. The problems at work. The loan payments. Problems the kids are having at school. Things that have happened to you that have left you hurt and confused.

But will you notice with me when you look at the words there in verse 4, when you look at what he’s actually saying, there’s more to it. Because it’s not actually the REJOICING that’s the focus of what he says. It’s what you REJOICE IN.

That’s how rejoicing works, isn’t it. It’s not just an ABSTRACT. You REJOICE IN something. An exam result, like Maurie through the week. Rejoice in a new dress. Rejoicing in the fact you’re getting together with an old friend. Rejoicing in the fact you feel IMPORTANT or VALUED or SIGNIFICANT. Paul says to Euodia and he says to Syntyche, he says if you want to AGREE WITH EACH OTHER… rejoice in what you should be rejoicing in. Rejoice IN THE LORD. Rejoice IN THE LORD JESUS.

Read the words there - verse 4. Rejoice IN THE LORD. I’ll say it again. REJOICE. Rejoice in the fact the MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE has come to planet earth; rejoice in the fact that the one who was IN VERY NATURE GOD, has had himself NAILED TO A CROSS to pay for your sin; rejoice that he’s been RAISED FROM THE DEAD; rejoice that YOU KNOW HIM. Rejoice IN THE LORD.

Which kind of puts everything in perspective, doesn’t it? Forget the petty issues you try to make yourself look BIG with, that you stand on your rights about, that you count as MORE IMPORTANT that a years-old friendship. That’s the sad thing, isn’t it. Euodia and Syntyche have been friends for years. Used to work side by side with Paul. And all that’s gone. Because somehow an issue has got out of proportion. Get it in perspective. Rejoice IN THE LORD. That other stuff DOESN’T MATTER. And let your gentleness be evident to all, verese 5, because the Lord is near.

PRAYER with a PURPOSE…

Well, principle number 2 for being a peaceful person, and we need to move through these fairly quickly; we fret about things, don’t we. So easily get in a pickle. If you want to be a PEACEFUL PERSON, he says, instead of being anxious, PRAY. In everything. Present your requests to God.

But will you notice it’s prayer with a PURPOSE. It’s prayer that’s looking for a particular result. Which you’ll see spelled out in verse 7. I don’t know what you’re anxious about at the moment. And I don’t know what sort of answer God’s got in mind for the specific things you’re going to pray about. But will you notice the one thing that’s guaranteed – the one result that’s PROMISED - and that’s PEACE. The PEACE OF GOD.

A peace that goes beyond understanding. A peace that’s going to PROTECT YOUR HEART AND MIND, that’s going to keep you trusting JESUS. Focussed where you should be.

Read what he says. Verse 7. He says, don’t be anxious. Ask God about it. And the PEACE OF GOD, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

A prayerful person is a PEACEFUL PERSON. You ever notice that? And the promise is, a prayerful person will be a JESUS FOCUSED person.

THINK PURE THOUGHTS

Let’s move on to the third point. Because if you’re going to be a PEACEFUL PERSON, you’re going to have to work on CONTROLLING YOUR THOUGHTS.

A few years back they talked a lot about THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING. This isn’t about that. There’s another trend, they call it POSSIBILITY THINKING. Dream the dream. Name it and claim it. This isn’t about that either. If you look at verse 8, it’s not about POSITIVE THINKING. And it’s not about POSSIBILITY THINKING. It’s about PURE thinking.

Funny, isn’t it. People these days, it seems like there’s no concept you can actually DO THAT. But you CAN. Monica Lewinski, I saw her being interviewed on the TODAY show the other day. Steve Leibmann says to her, Monica, have you LEARNED ANYTHING from having an affair with the President of the United States? She said, I THINK SO. He said to her, "Monica, would you ever HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH A MARRIED MAN AGAIN?" And she said, "NO." Then a pause. Then "God willing."

Well, let me tell you, God’s ALWAYS willing for Monica not to have an affair with a married man. The question is, IS MONICA WILLING. In the end it’s an ACT OF WILL. Guide your thoughts. And your thoughts will guide your actions. DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. Keep you thinking PURE. Don’t even ENTERTAIN IT. And you won’t do it.

So verse 8, the way to be a PEACEFUL PERSON, is THINK ABOUT THE RIGHT STUFF. Pure thinking. See what it says. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is NOBLE, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is PURE… whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.

Control your thinking. PURE THOUGHTS. Try it. He says, watch what I do, remember what I taught you… DO IT. And the result… the bold print again at the end of verse 9, the middle of the page… THE GOD OF PEACE will be with you.

One more to finish.

And that is, LEARN TO BE SATISFIED.

Now the apostle Paul, he’s writing this letter. And you’ll remember from the first chapter a couple of weeks back, he’s writing from PRISON. Things are tough. In prison for SPREADING THE WORD about Jesus. And he’s just said, watch me. Learn from my example.

And he goes on here in verse 11 and 12 to highlight THIS ONE PARTICULAR POINT… that he wants us all to learn from. And it’s one of the biggest factors of all in being a PEACEFUL PERSON. Contentment.

Mick Jagger sang I CAN’T GET NO SATISFACTION. And it’s elusive, isn’t it. That quiet sort of happiness with things being the way they are. Instead of some way else.

A contented person is a peaceful person. And Paul says this. He says it in verse 11. He says it again in verse 12. He says, I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it’s like to HAVE PLENTY as well. Pick it up in the bold type. I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or living in want.

Have you learned that yet? Because you’re not going to be a PEACEFUL PERSON til you do. And the secret comes in verse 13. That in all he has and all he does, he’s looking beyond himself. To someone else. In all he is… in all he achieves… it’s not for PERSONAL GAIN. Or status. Or pride. Or any of the things that pit us against each other. He’s doing it all for the ONE HE SERVES. And his CONTENTMENT comes from there. He says, The reason I can say I’m content, the reason it doesn’t matter to me if I’m well fed or hungry, is that I do what I do for someone else. Verse 13. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Friends, can I just finish by making one more quick observation. Because a lot of what I’ve said so far this morning, you could get it from your local therapist. Or out of the advice columns in NEW IDEA. Maybe they’ll tell you to MEDITATE rather than pray. Think POSITIVE thoughts instead of pure thoughts. But in one way if you’re looking to become a peaceful person, this sort of stuff’s pretty logical.

So what I want to leave you with is this. And again, it’s not deep. It’s obvious. I said before, you don’t really need a theology degree, do you, you don’t really need to be some sort of EXPERT… to know that somehow, in a world at war, in a world where PEACE IS SO RARE… one place you SHOULD FIND IT… is among CHRISTIANS. It’s JARRING, isn’t it, when you get the Euodia and Syntyche sort of thing happening.

And the thing that marks out everything we’ve just seen is that JESUS CHRIST needs to be CENTRAL. Or otherwise, we’ll lose the plot.

Verse 4. Not just REJOICE. Be happy. But REJOICE IN JESUS. Have him RIGHT AT THE CENTRE. Prayer. Verse 7. What’s it going to do? Bring the PEACE OF GOD… that he says is going to GUARD YOU HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS. Help you keep CHRIST JESUS right where he belongs. Right at the centre.

Contentment. Have a look down at verse 19. Here’s the REAL KEY… "And my God will meet all your needs, according to his GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS."

If you reckon you’re going to find REAL CONTENTMENT in the new Porsche, or a Pentium III computer, or a new marriage, or even in bringing up your family… it’s NOT THERE. Real contentment is only in KNOWING CHRIST. Keeping him central.

So can I say to you, if your name’s EUODIA. If it’s SYNTYCHE. If you’re part of the church and you’re NOT AT PEACE… refocus on the one you SERVE. Rejoice in HIM. Instead of in whatever else has taken your attention. And if you’re not part of the church, if you’re a visitor here this morning, and if you’re looking for REAL PEACE… can I say, ultimately, you need to do the same. Look to the only one… who can bring TRUE CONTENTMENT. Something REAL to rejoice in. So that you can be a peaceful person too. Right from the heart.