Sermons

How to Live in Love and Unity

Philippians 2:1-4

 

Let’s turn to Philippians 2:1-4. If you need a Bible, please raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Philippians 2 is on page 980 in the Bibles we are passing out.

 

In today’s passage Paul calls us to love and live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. So look around the room. Here are your brothers and sisters in Christ. And think of those in your home group. They are your brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

And keeping them in mind, think about what God’s word says about our love and unity together –

• In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul says that if we don’t have love, nothing else we do counts for anything before God.

• In John 17 Jesus says our loving unity will help people see the truth of who he is and why he came.

• And in 1 John 3 we read that one way we know we are saved is because we love our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

So it’s of massive importance that we love and live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. And that’s what Paul calls us to in Philippians 2:1-4 –

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

 

Notice that verses 2-4 are full of commands, and verse 1 has no commands. So let’s ask – what is the point of verse 1? Let’s read it again –

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

 

In the Greek language the word if can often have the meaning because. And that’s what most commentators say it means here. So Paul is saying – because there is encouragement in Christ, because there is comfort from love, because there is participation in the Spirit, because there is affection and sympathy – that’s how it’s possible for you to live in love and unity with each other.

 

So verses 2-4 show that we are supposed to live in loving unity. And verse 1 shows how it’s possible. It’s like verses 2-4 tell us where the car should go, and verse 1 tells us how to put gasoline in the tank. The car of love and unity described in verses 2-4 won’t go anywhere without the gasoline of verse 1. So what is the gasoline that powers love and unity?

 

Let’s look at each of these phrases one by one.

 

First, Paul says that what powers our love is the encouragement we have in Christ. Think of all we have in Christ – he is our Savior, friend, God, provider, strength, forgiver, comfort, joy, peace, hope. When we see all that we have in Christ, our hearts will be filled with encouragement -- like putting gas in the gas tank.

 

Second, Paul says our love will also be powered by the comfort we have from love. Whose love? I think it’s Christ’s love, because the first phrase talked about how we receive encouragement from Christ, so I think the second phrase is talking about the comfort we receive from Christ -- specifically, from Christ’s love.

 

Think about Christ’s love for you. Because you are trusting him, you are forgiven for all your sins, and right now he is feeling intense care and compassion for you. And you can see the depth of his compassion and care in the fact that he was willing to die for you. So when we see Christ’s love for us, we will be deeply comforted, and that comfort will be like gasoline powering love.

 

Third, Paul says our love is also powered by our participation in the Spirit. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ -- to work in our hearts so we see and feel his glory.

 

So when you pray, and set your mind on Scriptures about Jesus Christ, you will have times when the Holy Spirit helps you see and feel the glory of Christ. And that will so fill your heart that you will love everyone around you.

 

Then fourth, Paul says our love is also powered by affection and sympathy. Again, the question is – whose affection and sympathy? Since the other three phrases all describe something we receive from Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit, I think the same is true here. I believe this is talking about God’s affection and sympathy which comforts and fills and satisfies us.

 

So what Paul is saying is that because we have such encouragement in knowing Christ, such comfort in his love for us, such participation in the Spirit’s work of glorifying Christ, and a God of such affection and sympathy – all of that works together to power our love and unity toward all of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

So verse 1 shows us the gasoline that will fuel the car of love and unity. So then let’s raise this next question – what would it look like to live in love and unity? To answer that, let’s read verses 1-4 again --

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

 

Let’s take each phrase in verses 2-4 one at a time.

 

First, Paul calls us to be “of the same mind” with each other. That means we overlook nonessential differences and focus on what we share in Christ. Now there are essential differences, like the deity of Christ, the Trinity, salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone. If someone differs with us on those essential truths, we still love them, but we will not be able to be of one mind with them. But being of the same mind means overlooking nonessential differences and focusing on what we share in Christ.

 

Here’s an example. Let’s say you have studied and studied and studied and come to the conclusion that the rapture, when Jesus comes back to the earth to take us all home, occurs after the tribulation. But someone in your home group thinks the rapture comes before the tribulation. And you set up a time to have coffee to help them see the light. But even though you went through all the passages, they still don’t see it.

 

But Paul calls you to be of the same mind with this person. Which means overlooking nonessential differences, like when the rapture occurs, and focusing on what we share in Christ. If you let your views of the rapture create a division between you, that shows that the date of the rapture is more important to you than Christ.

 

So what can you do? Get fueled up, by setting your heart on the encouragement you have in Christ, being comforted his love, experiencing the work of the Spirit, and knowing God’s affection and sympathy. When you set your heart on all you have in Christ, the date of the rapture will be less important, and you will be in unity with this brother, because what’s most important to both of you is all you have in Christ.

 

Second, Paul calls us to have the same love. That might be a reference to our love for each other. But I think it’s a reference to our love for Christ. The reason I say that is because the previous phrase has to do with our mind for Christ, so it makes sense to think Paul is talking on the same lines here by speaking of our love for Christ. So Paul is talking about us sharing the same love for Christ together.

 

For example, let’s say that at home group this week somebody brings tuna casserole, someone else brings Subway sandwiches, someone else brings Kentucky Fried Chicken, and you bring your favorite pizza. And you been looking forward to that pizza all day. So the pizza starts getting passed around, but by the time it gets to you, it’s all gone.

 

And you are fuming. Angry. Bitter. Because at that moment you are not sharing with them in loving Jesus. You are loving pizza more than Jesus. So what can you do? Get fueled up, by praying silently to yourself, and asking God to help you. Ask for the Holy Spirit to help you see and feel all that you have in Christ. And as he does that, you will be able to celebrate with everyone all that you have in Christ, and enjoy the tuna casserole.

 

Third, Paul calls us to be in full accord and of one mind. This means being united together in one purpose -- the purpose of glorifying Christ, strengthening each other’s faith, and bringing others to faith. When all our hearts are set on that one purpose, we will be in unity. But if not, we will be divided.

 

Let’s say your favorite television show starts at 830 on your home group night and your DVR is broken. Now home group usually wraps up at a little after eight, so you are able to get home on time. But imagine that this week, right at the end of the meeting, someone shares a major burden, and the leader has you all gather around this person for a lengthy time of prayer. And the prayer is going on and on, and you’re looking at your watch, and your frustration level is rising and rising and rising.

 

What’s the problem? The problem is that you are not in full accord and of one mind with them. They are intent on one purpose -- encouraging this fellow believer. But you have a different purpose -- watching your TV show. But Paul would call you to be in full accord and of one mind with them – by sharing the same purpose.

 

So what can you do? Go back to verse one. The problem is that you are looking to your TV show for encouragement and comfort. But your TV show can only give you a millimeter of encouragement and comfort compared to the miles of encouragement and comfort that Christ will give you. So take your heart off the TV show, and put it onto Jesus Christ. Ask him to help you. Ask him to change your heart. He will. You will once again see Christ as your encouragement and comfort, and that you will have far greater joy praying for your needy brother in Christ, than watching the coolest television program.

 

Fourth, Paul calls us to do nothing from rivalry or conceit, which means trying to make ourselves superior to others around us. Instead, Paul calls us to humbly count others more significant than ourselves.

 

Let’s say a bunch you go out to lunch today. And while you are eating someone tells the story of how they proposed to their wife – maybe they had a picnic overlooking the bluffs at Pacific Grove. And while they are telling their story you are thinking you’ve got a much better story. You are thinking that right after they finish their story, you can jump right in with your story, and impress everyone.

 

But that would be rivalry and conceit. That would not be humbly counting that person as more significant than yourself. So what’s the problem? It’s that you are seeking your comfort and encouragement not from Christ, but from the group’s applause.

 

So what can you do? Silently pray and ask for God’s help. Set your heart on Christ. And as you do that you will see that there is far more encouragement and comfort in Christ than in applause. And Jesus will so fill your heart that you will long to affirm and encourage and bless the person who just told their proposal story.

 

Fifth, Paul calls us to look not only to our own interests, but also the interests of others. Let’s you’ve had a brutal day at work, and would like nothing more than put your feet up and see what’s on TV. But it’s home group night. And you really don’t want to go.

 

So what would Paul call you to do? He would call you to look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others. But deep down inside, you’d rather stay home. You really don’t want to go.

 

So what’s the problem? It’s that your gas tank is empty. You need to fill it up with verse 1. Pray for more of the Spirit’s work in your heart. Be encouraged by all you have Christ. Be comforted by his love. Be strengthened by God’s affection and sympathy for you.

 

As you do, God will give you such comfort and encouragement that you will feel your heart filling up. And when your heart fills up, you will start to care about the interests of your fellow brothers and sisters. You will start to think -- I wonder how Bill’s job interview went? How did Jane’s lunch with her unbelieving neighbor go? How has Sally’s sleep been, since we prayed for her last week?

 

Your heart will change, and you will want to go to home group. You will want to look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

 

Questions?

 

Paul’s description of love and unity is beautiful. And when we look to all the we have in Christ, trusting him, and relying on him, the Holy Spirit will give us this kind of love.

 

So, let’s look at all we have in Christ. And let’s love each other.