Being The Church 8

Philippians 2.1-11

Paul’s Concern

Immediately, you realise that these Christians have a problem that Paul is working on: There is a lack of harmony in their relationships with each other.

Here is the point: It is NOT sufficient for a church to have programmes, routines, strategies and roles in place. It is the relationships between the believers that are critically important. Jesus made this clear when he was giving instructions to his disciples before he left them to go to the cross to make it possible to follow them!

John 13.34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Paul’s message to the Philippian church and to this Onehunga church is that the quality of the relationships is where you see a manner of life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Everything else that is good flows from this.

Go look at Christ

In order to get this right, Paul says we have to go and take another look at Christ. He asks them a series of rhetorical questions. This is not a quiz – he is probing their hearts for repentance. He figures that if they are brought face to face with the love of Christ, it will put their self-centredness to shame and draw them into the rich depth of genuine love.

Here are his questions.

If you are a follower of Christ,

§ is there any encouragement for you in Christ?

§ is there any comfort for you to experience from Christ’s love?

§ is there any participation in the Spirit for you through Jesus?

§ is there any affection for you from him?

§ is there any sympathy for you from Christ?

Of course the answer to these is a resounding YES. YES, my life is full of this encouragement, comfort, love, Spirit, affection and sympathy from Christ. I experience over and over. I live in it. I swim in his grace towards me at all times.

Paul says, ‘Well, if YES, its time for that grace to overflow between you for each other.’

Complete my joy by being of the same mind (as Christ) – having the same love (v2). And a little further down (v5) he says that mind is yours in Christ Jesus.