4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
4:2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
4:3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they
have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of
my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
4:5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
4:8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is
just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any
excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
4:9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and
seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
I love this text.
In the midst of what is not peaceful, arguments among those who are not of the same mind, Paul proclaims peace which surpasses all understanding...
If this country further engages in the conflicts from which we are already suffering, we will need to understand God's peace as a presence even in the midst of no peace on earth, just as the peoples in the Middle East have had to do for so long.
What about the abused person who does not even know peace in his/her own home?
May the peace that surpasses all understanding be yours in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Michelle
As a dedicated lectionary preacher I am struggling with melding this text, also one of my favorites, with the Matthew text, not one of my favorites. Does anyone see a possibility of these two texts supporting each other. So Far I only see contrasts of how to -or not to-live in christ.
Pastor Lori
Lori: I see the connection between the two texts in the admonition here at v. 4:8-9. Focusing on and doing "whatever is true ... honorable ... just ... pure ... pleasing ... commendable ... excellent ... and worthy of praise" is the manner by which we clothe ourselves in the wedding garment. I'm still working on this, but I think that's where I can make the connection.
Blessings,
Eric in KS
Pastor Lori,
I agree with Eric, that is a good way of melding these texts. However, the lectionary is not built with a necessary connection between epistle and gospel during the ordinary season, it is mostly coincidence when they do. Might be a good idea to use the wedding garment imagery as a link point, and then preach the lesson that is touching your heart at this time.
It may be that in three years, the other one will be closer to the Word God's Holy Spirit inspires you to preach. Let the struggle grow your faith!
Michelle
To connect the two texts - the Matthew text and the Philippians text may be difficult, at best. The "hue" of each text is so different - one that seems to be bathed in soft light, the other a bit harsher. The Philippians text seems to have the color of soft greens, blues - the Matthew text more firey (reds, oranges, yellows).....and yet, both contain an interesting challenge. The Matthew text seems to leave the reader with some level of anxiety - an anxiety that could be born in the statement, "many are called, few are chosen." "Which one of those am I?" one might respond. However, there seems to be a certain level of anxiety, as well, posed by the Philippians text - how can one continue to look at all the positive, beautiful things as talked about in verse 8? How can one have such a "positive outlook", given all that one sees happen in the world, and, in their own lives? How does one balance suffering and peace? Simply by only focusing on the positive? I wonder if peace is realized when one looks past the opposites - past the either/or - past the differences - to the One that is beyond the either/or, and, who unites all things in One grand and glorious reality? Life itself!
R. Roberts
Chaplain
Iowa
The admonition not to worry about anything seems to me to be the link with the Matthew text. Those first invitees have got all kinds of other things on their minds, that they think are more important. Are they? What could be more important than to be in the presence of the king?
JRW in OH
I think I am going to title my sermon, "Why the Joy?" What visable reason did Paul have to be so joyful? He was in prison! He was being criticized harshly by various competitors. His life wasn't easy. But he is joyful, none-the-less.
I like how Paul encourages the two women to work out their differences and then moves on. He doesn't dwell on it. He knows the hearts of these women and he expects that they will rise above any petty disagreements they may be having.
What Paul is experiencing is the joy of his salvation. What Psalm is it that says, "return to me the joy of my salvation?" That verse was my mantra when I was going through a very difficult time with one of my former churches.
Grace and Peace,
Mel in NE
Psalm 51:12 NRSV "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit." What a powerful verse. Paul knew the joy of his salvation and he had allowed God to mold his spirit into a willing spirit.
Mel in NE
It seems to me we have to move beyond mere "positive thinking" when reading/hearing Paul's message here--and such movement can be difficult when we have seen and heard so much (Oprah and others) on how to "accentuate the positive" and "walk on the sunny side of life."
But what Paul is pleading for here is not "do-able" on our own; it's not a natural trait, this preoccupation with what is good, virtuous. In order to dwell and meditate on, live, breathe, and move in all that is "true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy"--one must first know the "true" from the "false," the "honorable" from the "dishonorable," and so forth. Such action and knowledge take something special--not just posters and slogans, or speakers and seminars. A certain COMMUNITY is required--a group of people who deliberately seek God's own presence and power, people who desire and seek to be changed by God, so that they will know what true "virtue" is. A certain CHARACTER is needed, too--a mind not "conformed to the world" but "transformed," so that one has the moral fiber it takes to resist the schooling in the world's ways we all come by so easily. Finally, nothing less that CHRIST is needed--for if we could do it all ourselves, then the events at Horeb (the Exodus reading) would never have happened; apparently, forgetful of the lightning and thunder, the people return to "default mode"; before the law has scarcely been given, it is broken, so even the 10 Commandments are not enough to change the heart.
One approach here would be to use the "default" mode image--the word made so popular by computers, referring to the preferred, pre-set operating patterns--and explore how Paul points us to God's "higher ways" and what is needed.
TK in OK
Having overdosed on the Commandments in preparation for teaching Confirmation...what about this connection
"refusing" to take garment is our failure to fear love and trust God above all other things
therefore, when Paul writes: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
or to take it to its lowest bumper sticker theology:
Trust God, Know Peace
chaos
TK in OK You are on a roll with these lessons! Thanks for your Community,Character, Christ points--it moves us out of individualism and into Body. I am also appreciative your reminder about the "flip side" of the positives. It seems valuable to acknowledge-without getting fixated on-- the experienced reality of the distortions and darkness, the heavy cost of living from the other side of Paul's list, the taxing nature of keeping our thoughts and energies attached to what is NOT Lifeward.
Hmmm...because of all the good work on all of these texts I'm having a hard time finalizing the focus of the sermon! Aslanclan
To Aslanclan:
your observation about the "cost of living" and the "taxing nature" of the "other side." This has great potential for preaching! We have had a steady of diet of "change your attitude--change your altitude" and "your attitude is your parachute" and "it's all about attitude" and the like over the past 30 years or more--so I think we have to be careful about making this into just another "feel good" and "power of positive thinking" sort of sermon.
Two things will help here, I think: (1) to remember that Paul is in chains here--while his attitude certainly helps him deal with such degradation and desolation, Paul's attitude does not come just from inside himself: rather, it is the gift of the "community" and the "character" and the "Christ" Paul has been baptized into. (Here's a thought: ask what kind of Christian prisoners OUR churches would produce, if push came to shove!). (2) Paul's "optimism" not only comes from a SOURCE greater than his own reservoir--it is in SERVICE to a cause far greater than his own interests--Paul beams his "positive thinking" radar onto the lived situation of the Philippian church: it is THEIR struggles, THEIR conflicts, THEIR success, THEIR journey that occupies Paul's energies. (If we really "covet the best gifts" such as this, maybe we should be praying for MORE trouble, not less!)
I agree--it's tough to decide on just one "dish" from the "biblical buffet" this week!
TK in OK
chaos,
I like that, when we fail to fear, love, and trust God above all things, we refuse to wear the garment. Yet we need to be careful that we don't slip into an attitude of works righteousness. To bring in an example from the first Harry Potter book-- The three children get stuck in a vine with tentacles that latch onto them, and the best way to get free is to relax, let go, and you slip right through. What we need to do is to let go of our own egos, our need to do it ourselves, and trust God with an awe that makes trust almost impossible if it were not for God's love.
There was a bumper sticker some time ago that said, "Let go. Let God." As far as our own salvation goes that is perfect. Too often, however, we tend to let go even of our responsibilities in this world. We don't reach out. We don't feed the hungry. We don't share the invitation.
Let God take care of our salvation. Let us follow God's call to serve in the world.
Michelle
Because we have been invited to the banquet, we will strive for the truth in all things. We will strive for honor, justice, and purity. We will accept the call to behave in a worthy manner at the feast of the King. We will accept the garment of truth, honor, justice, and purity, and we will wear it with confidence that this is what the King, what God intends for us.
But sometimes, that garment of truth, honor, justice, and purity will slip. We may lose it altogether, for we do still fall to the temptations of sin. Then what shall we do when the King finds us exposed, wearing our sin like fig leaves, or like armor?
Will we be speechless? Defensive in our sin? Or will we start to look around, “I had it here, somewhere. It was a gift given to me in baptism, I know it can’t be far. Help me to find it. Wash away my sin. Cleanse me, and clothe me in your righteousness.”
