Putting the Peace of God into Practice

Have you ever gotten yourself in a situation where it seemed impossible to be able to be at peace? When you were in that situation were you ever tempted to turn against all of those who were around you? Where you tempted to focus on all the wrong things?

One summer while I was in college I worked at Northland Camp and Conference Center in upper Wisconsin.

On a particular Sunday we were trying to find something to do and one of my friends suggested we should drive up to Iron Mountain, MI and check out the ski jump.

• (pic 1 ski jump)

We raced to the top of the ski jump.

• (Pic 2 top of ski jump)

Then I realized, I need to get down from up here. Normally, you are supposed to go down like this.

• (pic 3 ski jumper)

But it was summer, I did not have skis, I would never look good in tights like those, and if I tried to jump it would end poorly.

Suddenly, I could feel the wind up there.

I became aware of the distance to the ground.

I realized that the only way I felt safe was to sit down and slowly bounce down one step at a time while clung on to the railing.

I was frozen with fear and needed to be reminded that I could make it down safely.

This year we have been enjoying a study on Growing in Gospel Gratitude.

I really hope that you have enjoyed the incredible opportunity that we have had to study the book of Philippians together. I have the unique privilege of preaching almost every week when I am not in this service in the family service that we hold in the Community Center at 11 am.

I really believe that this particular study as laid out by the various pastors has been an incredible study through the book.

We have seen repeatedly how the Gospel is the central theme through which Paul has viewed every detail of his life.

He was stuck in prison – It’s alright the Gospel is being proclaimed

He was being talked poorly about by jealous preachers – It’s alright the Gospel is being proclaimed

He might die for his loyalty to the Gospel – It’s alright, he will see the Gospel fulfilled in his life.

He might be spared by the courts – It’s alright, he will just keep on living for the Gospel.

And as if Paul’s example is not enough we get the ultimate example as found in Christ in chapter 2.

We have a plea for the unity within the church and we discover that this is achieved by having the mind of Christ.

Who left his rightful place in heaven to take on the form of His creation.

And as if that is not enough, Christ humbled Himself to ultimately die for His very creation that rebelled against Him.

Then in chapter 3 we have had a lot of discussion on how to grow in our spiritual lives.

We are warned to watch out for those who are ultimately the “enemies of the cross.”

With all of those reminders in place let us look our passage to study together today. This is one of the power passages in this book that could easily be 3 sermons, but today we are going to be talking about Putting the Peace of God into Practice.

Please turn with me to Philippians 4:1-9. That is page 156 of the back section of the Bible located under the chair in front of you.

Let’s read:

Philippians 4:1–9 (NASB95)

Think of Excellence

1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.

3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Let’s look this morning at 3 ways we are called to pursue peace.

Our passage today starts with a word that instantly gives us a clue to look around at the passage before it. The last time I preached in this service we had the same word, therefore. “Any time you see a Therefore, stop and see what it is therefore.”

In chapter 3 we have been warned about different attacks that are being waged against the church.

• Attacks from those who are teaching a false Gospel (putting their trust in the things they can achieve through their own flesh) in 3:1-6.

• Attacks from those who are enamored with the things of the flesh (whose end is destruction, whose god is their ^1aappetite, and whose ^bglory is in their shame, who ^cset their minds on earthly things.^[1]) in 3:18-19.

• Instead we have to remember that our citizenship is not of this world, but is of heaven.

Now with that foundation laid Paul sets in to have a serious chat.

Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

Beloved- is the adjectival form of the richest, deepest, and strongest Greek word for love.

Have you ever had to say some really serious and hard things to someone and you start the conversation with a phrase like, Now you know that I love you, but…

This is kind of like that reminder before the really hard stuff is presented..

My joy – Paul was not finding his joy in his circumstances, but rather in the people who partnered together with him in the Gospel.

My Crown - Stephanos (crown) does not refer to a royal crown, but to the laurel wreath given to victors in athletic events, or given to those honored by their peers, much as trophies and plaques are today. Such an honoree would be given a feast, where he would receive his wreath. The Philippians were Paul’s trophy or wreath of honor; they were the proof of his effective service.^[1] – John MacArthur

Now the command that leads to the 3 ways to pursue peace. Stand firm in the Lord.

It is time to dig in and not be moved.

It is time for the church to come together in the Lord.

It is time to not be swayed by the many attacks that are hurled at the church.

It is time to be unified as a church

Friend, I believe these words are not just for the Philippian church, but for Faith Church as well.

I believe that we must stand firm and not be moved.

I believe that we must come together in the Lord. Our nation, our world is so separated and divided.

We must not be swayed by the many attacks that are hurled at us.

We must be united.

The first way we do this is to…

I. Develop Peace Among the Believers (2-3)

Philippians 4:2–3 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life,

We are not sure exactly what the conflict was that was going on between Euodia and Syntyche, but it was obviously severe enough that Paul was afraid it would affect the unity of the church.

Paul refers to the fact that these ladies at one point shared in his struggle for the cause of the gospel. This points to the fact that these ladies did not appear to be fighting over a false Gospel, but rather it was some other conflict that ultimately impacted the unity of the church.

“The tragic conflict between Euodia and Syntyche reveals that even the most mature, faithful, and committed people can become so selfish as to be embroiled in controversy if they are not diligent to maintain unity.^[2]” – John MacArthur

I am not sure if you have picked up on this yet from the book of Philippians, but Paul seems to be obsessed with the unity of the church.

Philippians 1:27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Philippians 2:14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

Have you noticed how easy it is to find a way to disagree with people that you fundamentally stand with for the Gospel?

Think through the last year about all the different conflicts you have seen over the last year among your social media friends that all claim to love the Lord. I could say simple phrases and could get some folks kind of fired up even this morning.

Or think about this, do you know how many different ideas have been shared during the strategic ministry planning process.

I believe that the majority of the people filling out the surveys have the same basic goal, how can Faith Church use the next 3 years to better advance the Gospel in our community both now and in the future.

Can you imagine though if at the reveal of the initiatives we had a whole bunch of Euodias and Syntyches running around grumbling and complaining about the things that did not get chosen that thought were super important. Or imagine if a whole bunch of Euodias and Syntyches forgot about the goal of the advancing the Gospel and instead ended up being angry and grumbled and complained against the leaders of the church.

We must in the midst of these attacks that we will face, stand firm and pursue peace by Developing Peace Among the Believers.

We also Pursue Peace by determining to…

II. Guard Your Heart with the Peace of God (4-7)

These verse give us some practical ways to grow in the Peace of God.

Grow in the Joy of the Lord (4)

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

What is this idea of joy?

Is it an emotion?

If so why are we being commanded to grow in an emotion? I mean you are not just told to grow in it one time in this passage you are instructed in these 10 words to grow in your joy twice.

Joy is the Christian virtue; happiness is the virtue of the world. There is all the difference in the world between them. Happiness is entirely external. It is circumstantial. We have all seen the Charlie Brown cartoon that defines happiness as a warm puppy. But suppose there is no puppy. Well, then, there is no happiness. Happiness depends on the things we have or can acquire. For some it is money. For some it is fame. For some it is power or good looks. These are all external. When they go, happiness goes with them.

It is not that way with joy. Joy issues from the nature of God, and it is intended to well up within those in whom God’s Spirit dwells. It is not external; it is internal. It does not hinge upon circumstances. Things may happen to the Christian that no one, including the Christian, would be happy about. But there can still be joy. The Christian who is filled with this supernatural, abounding joy will not be finding grounds for disagreement with fellow Christians.^[3] – James Montgomerie Boice

How do I grow in my joy then?

By finding your delight in the things of the Lord.

Psalm 1:1–3 (NASB95)

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

I can make you this promise this morning. If you find your joy in the things you try to acquire or bring to the table you will never find the kind of joy that can give you peace and help you unite with others to stand firm.

But if you find your delight in the law of the Lord and you meditate on that every day, then you will ultimately grow in your joy and this will lead to peace.

Be Content (5a)

Philippians 4:5a Let your gentle spirit be known to all men.

The word translated here as a gentle spirit is a difficult word to fully understand with just one word in the English language.

Perhaps the best corresponding English word is graciousness—the graciousness of humility; the humble graciousness that produces the patience to endure injustice, disgrace, and mistreatment without retaliation, bitterness, or vengeance. It is contentment.^[4] _ John MacArthur

Notice how the Apostle Paul has been an example of this idea even here in this book.

He was content even in the midst of prison, even not knowing whether he would live or not, and even while be being slandered by others.

Why? How?

Because he recognized that the fact the Gospel had granted him reconciliation with God, and the bonus of eternal life. And no matter what he did he could never have pride in what he brought to the reconciliation process. He was humbled knowing what he deserved.

Friend, have you reached a point in your life where you have humbly admitted your need for a Savior?

{Develop the Gospel}

This ultimate contentment led to Paul saying in just a couple of verses from now.

Philippians 4:11 (NASB95)

11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Trust in the Lord (5b-6a)

Philippians 4:5b–6a The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing,…

Ultimately a persons view of the nearness of the Lord is directly tied to their anxious nature.

Matthew 6:25 -34 (we do not have the time to go this passage and fully take it apart) warns us of the uselessness of our anxiety. And the cure for anxiety according to that passage is to…

Matthew 6:33 (NASB95)

33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

The Lord who is near is the almighty, true, and living God revealed in Scripture. Those who delight themselves in His holy power, love, and wisdom and cultivate a deep knowledge of Him by studying and meditating on His Word will live by the foundation of that truth and be spiritually stable. Because of the presence of God, believers are to be anxious for nothing. Nothing is outside of His sovereign control or too difficult for Him to handle.^[5] – MacArthur

D. Pray with Thanksgiving (6b – 7)

Philippians 4:6b–7 but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Prayer is the Christian’s antidote for anxiety.^[6]

When we pray we acknowledge our dependence on the one who is ultimately in control.

When we pray we take our focus off of our own strength and instead lay our trust in God’s strength.

When we pray we take our worries/fears/anxieties and place them with the only hope we have to face them.

1 Peter 5:7 (NASB95)

7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

How do we go to the Lord in prayer?

With thanksgiving.

Back to Paul writing a book on joy and thanksgiving in the middle of prison.

This leads us to the third way to pursue peace,…

III. Guard Your Mind with the God of Peace (8-9)

So the third and the second point seem very similar to each other and they are.

We just talked about guarding our mind with the Peace of God.

• So we were focusing on the ways that God gives us peace,

• Now we are talking about the God of Peace.

• We can have greater peace when we turn our attention to the one who gives us that peace.

We Guard our Mind with the God of Peace in 2 ways.

Think on the things of God (8)

Philippians 4:8 (NASB95)

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

This verse gives us 6 things we need to focus on. Let’s define these things that will ultimately lead us to understand God better.

(Each of these a separate click please, so term and definition on the same click for each definition. PowerPoint only not handout)

True = reading, analyzing, and meditating on the Word of God.

Honorable = Believers must not think on what is trivial, temporal, mundane, common, and earthly, but rather on what is heavenly, and so worthy of awe, adoration, and praise.

Right = It describes whatever is in perfect harmony with God’s eternal, unchanging standards, again as revealed in Scripture. Believers are to think on matters that are consistent with the law of God.

Pure = Things that lead us to be holy.

Lovely = Believers must focus their thoughts on what the Bible says is pleasing, attractive, and amiable before God.

Good Repute = Believers’ thoughts are elevated by Scripture to fix on the loftiest themes.^[7]

Where do we find all of these things that we are to be focusing on?

The Bible.

Is it any wonder that the Bible and the interpretation of the Bible is constantly under attack?

God inspired His Word and gave it to us to read and grow and learn from it.

One of the things that drew me to Faith Church and Faith Bible Seminary and Faith Biblical Counseling was your strong stand on the sufficiency of Scripture.

And I love that passages like this passage in Philippians reinforce the idea that we must train our thinking to be focused on the things that are true about God and we find those things in the Word of God.

Follow Those Who Follow Christ

Philippians 4:9 (NASB95)

9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

One of my goals in life is to be able to say like the Apostle Paul…

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NASB95)

1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

¹ Lit belly

^a Rom 16:18; Titus 1:12

^b Rom 6:21; Jude 13

^c Rom 8:5f; Col 3:2

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Php 3:19.

^[2] John F. MacArthur Jr., Philippians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2001), 273.

^[3] James Montgomery Boice, Philippians: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 235–236.

^[4] John F. MacArthur Jr., Philippians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2001), 276.

^[5] John F. MacArthur Jr., Philippians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2001), 279.

^[6] James Montgomery Boice, Philippians: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 239.

^[7] John F. MacArthur Jr., Philippians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2001), 290.