Verse 17

Paul says here to “join” which is really a continuance of verse 16, where Paul said “hey, walk by the same rule.”  What’s interesting to me is how he said it.  He used a very descriptive Greek word to convey the idea of harmony and order “same rule”.  Paul uses the word stoicheo (stoy-he-o).

 

Stoicheo literally means to walk in a row….as in a row of houses, a rank of soldiers, a wall of trees and so on.  In the feminine, stoicheo was the word used by the Greeks for the alphabet since it is composed of an orderly row or arrangement of letters.  So what you may say…

 

In all these instances the words imply an ordered and harmonious arrangement.  And so as Paul writes this epistle in this type of language, what he is implying is that as Christians, as disciples of Christ, there should be a sweet harmony in our lives as we follow the same Lord. 

 

Remember a few weeks back I said 100 pianos tuned to the same tuning fork are all also tuned to each other?  How true that is as we all seek the Lord yet so often we let petty differences, emotions, offenses drive us apart and divide the body of Christ, cause us to not take hold of the peace that we are to experience as we grow in God’s grace. 

 

I recently read of a prominent church split that was the result of a dispute over the proper pronunciation of a Jewish letter!! 

 

I also ran across a story of a family that was driving home from church services, discussing the service…the mother commented, "The worship was
awful this morning." The father commented, "The teaching was too long."  Their 7-year-old daughter added, "You've got to admit though it was a pretty good show for a dollar!” 

 

 

 

How telling is that?  It is the condition of our own hearts that shape our reality you see.  If you choose to love, if you choose a deeper walk with the Lord, man then these petty offenses, these mortal differences, how meaningless they really are…

 

In Galatians 6 (15-16) Paul says “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncirumcision avails anything, but a new creation…and as many as stoicheo (stoy-he-o) according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them…”  Our silly differences and improper perspectives of ourselves, man, that causes us to squander peace…and mercy/love they just become a church words.    Love becomes what we can feel rather than a commitment to what is noble, right and God honoring.  

 

It should not be so…and so Paul continues his exhortation to his spiritual kids there at Philippi by saying brothers, sisters join me and note, take notice, be on the lookout for those who are also tuned to the Lord as you are because fellowship is essential to our walks and essential to us growing in our relationship with the Lord.

 

He continues in verse 18.

 

Paul weeps over the lost and the false teachers as he calls them enemies of the cross of Christ. 

Why the enemies of the cross?  Why not just enemies of Christ?  Because the cross signifies sacrifice.  The cross epitomizes love.  John 15:13 says there is no greater love then when one lays down his life for his friends.  1 John 3:16 says by this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

 

Sacrifice…love….The cross signifies death to self.  The world, the lost, live after the flesh…getting this, and wanting that and always seeking that next happiness fix…but Paul is also talking about wolves in sheep’s clothing.  You see, even today, there are those even within the church, who are living after the flesh.

 

The idea of being crucified with Christ, the death of the old life, is irritating to them.  These are the folks that teach that you ought to be prosperous, you ought to be successful, you ought to live in luxury…whatever you want just insist your will on God…hey you’re a King’s kid after all…this pattern of thought is tragic and indicative of a mind and heart apart from God. 

 

Self-denial, sacrifice and suffering for the sake of righteousness…these are the marks of true fellowship with Jesus.  And Paul goes on to show us the destination of those that fight for their right…...that idea of, you gotta get yours but homie I gotsta get mines…destruction.

 

He says, their god is their belly.  Their fleshly pangs…and they glory in their shame.  What they take glory and pride in are actually the things that will ultimately bring disgrace or humiliation to them…

 

He says here is the symptom…because the disease is a life apart from the Lord, but here is the symptom that you doctors can identify in order to properly diagnose or as Paul says “note”…their minds are on earthly things. 

 

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the here and now.  You know, my career or my next home remodeling project or my next car upgrade project or this or that…and really there’s nothing inherently wrong in these things…

but the bible says that we are in the world but as Christians, born again into close relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ, we are not of the world. 

 

And so listen, these things in and of themselves are fine however Paul says the preoccupation of your mind should be on the lost.  Not on the endless cycle of this physical life.  A rich man was once asked, how much is enough…his answer, just a little more….that’s always the answer when that is your focus….and that little bit more, never comes…

 

Our focus needs to be (for our own good) on your walk with the Lord and when you slip into a mind that is fixed on earthly things, man shame and destruction are at the door.

 

Paul goes on in verse 20.  He says hey, we are not citizens of this world, we are missionaries.  This is not our home.  If we spend our days nesting here on this earth then our excitement for the Lord may be affected…

 

 

The more comfortable we are here, the more we have everything exactly as we like it here, the less we’re going to be excited that it’s all going to pass away….the bible says blessed are those that love the coming of the Lord…why?  Because we are eager for verse 21….

 

BOOM!  We know that there is a substantial upgrade coming!!   Jesus in resurrected.  And so shall we be.  Jesus is alive, and so shall we be.  And more than that, we’re counting on it…the upgrade…its kinda like my blackberry….

 

And so there is nothing wrong with adding decorations to your house and finishing that basement and all these things…it’s simply a matter of perspective.  These things are secondary to a God honoring life…these things are drastically unimportant compared to your mission…reaching the world in the name of a Good Father who desires all men to be saved….walking worthy of the Gospel of Christ as Paul said  back in verse 27 of Chapter 1, and knowing Him…the Truth.

 

The order, the stoicheo (stoy-hey-o) of our lives as Christians is the Lord, His calling and His purposes…then others, their needs and ministry and love to them and then finally, taking care of yourself.  Apart from that, then we are slipping into a position where we can easily find ourselves despising the cross of Christ…living for our bellies and racing towards shame and destruction.

 

Chapter 4 verse 1 is really the conclusion of Chapter 3.  He began the chapter by saying “Finally my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.”  And now he ends with the result of rejoicing in the Lord….standing fast in Him.

 

He went on to say be mindful and beware of those that seek to complicate the gospel and lay some trip on you…and now he tells us the result of our diligence in protecting that precious gift…our faith > we will stand fast  in Him.  We will not be moved, we’ll say of the Lord, You are my Shield, my Strength, my Portion, my Deliverer…

He proceeded to say that not only certain people out there will try to diminish your focus on the true gospel but also things like your qualifications, your achievements…yourself….but stand in opposition to pride because the bible says that a man that thinks he is something knows nothing…stand in opposition to unrighteousness and if you do…therefore, you will stand fast in the Lord.

 

He said look kids, you’re not yet perfect, I’m not yet perfect but I don’t live for yesterday.  I don’t live for yesterday’s mistakes but I move on, I am a pattern of forgiveness…God forgave me, I forgive them and I forgive me and if I walk in that pattern, therefore….I will stand fast in the Lord.

 

To top it all off Paul reminds us of who we are and what is our mission.  He says we are citizens of heaven and our mission > to eagerly wait for the Savior.  (renters)  If we focus on who He is, what that makes us and where He is taking us when He returns, then friends, we shall stand fast in the Lord. 

 

And so Paul says, in light of these practical truths, in light of these spiritual facts, stand fast family…the best is yet to come.