Have you had a strong relationship fall apart? A close friend realizes you don't see eye-to-eye on everything. We've all experienced unity in relationships beginning to crumble. What is true unity? How do we develop it and protect it? Even a healthy church, like the church in Philippi, was experiencing some disunity, so Paul gives them clear instructions on how to develop unity in the church.
Whether we realize it or not, we’re concerned about our reputation. We wonder what people think of us. Home is different than in public. We worry about how others see us. But Paul calls the Philippians to live for a greater purpose. Rather than worrying about their reputation, he calls them to live worthy of the gospel. Living this way frees us from fear and brings unity to the church.
What do you live for? As Christians, we say, "Jesus!" We may think so, or feel obligated to say it, but often our lives tell a different story. Things creep in and nudge Jesus aside. We drift into living for work, sports, family, money, good health, pleasure, comfort...for me. But Paul's testimony in Philippians 1:18-26 is a wakeup call. As believers, everything should be for and about Jesus.
Few things are as frustrating as adversity! Just when we are making progress, something hinders us. Worst of all, sometimes the affliction comes from those closest to us. But when Paul faces adversity - even from believers - he rejoices in the advance of the gospel! His focus on our mission keeps him from getting derailed by hardships.
What do you want most in life? Ask yourself, "What do I pray for?" Our prayers reveal our strongest desires. Paul said, "to live is Christ." The most important thing was to live like Jesus, so that's how he prayed for the Philippian believers. The greatest desire believers ought to be to glorify God by growing into the image of Christ, and it ought to be the way we pray for one another.
"I have you in my heart." I'm sure you can say that about some people in your life. But could you say it about everyone in the church? In his opening to the letter Philippians, the Apostle Paul says that he loves them all in this way. What created such love and affection? Paul's relationship with them was rooted in the gospel.