Unity in the family. What a noble goal that is.
How hard to attain it. My mother, on numerous
occasions, voiced to us children, when she was
gone, she wanted us to stay in touch with each
other. I think she... felt especially keen about
that because she had been, as the only daughter
of five children, the one who had sought for
years to keep her siblings together. Mostly,
her efforts ended in failure. And she was concerned
that when she left this earthly scene, that her
children not repeat that same pattern, that natural
tendency of drifting away from each other. Unity
in the family is a wonderful thing. It produces
a lot of joy when it happens. And when it's missing,
there's a lot of heartache. I imagine there are
some people here in this auditorium this morning
who have known the joy of family unity at some
point in your life. Maybe it was when you were
a child and you haven't known it since then.
Or perhaps it's been this morning that you have
sensed that unity and you've come to church with
your heart charged up because of the excitement
and the joy of sensing the oneness that's there.
But there are others of us that have not experienced
that kind of joy for a long, long time. And we
ache for it. God's heart is much like the heart
of every parent. God desires for His children
to be at one with each other. God wants His family
together, together in unity. In our families,
there are natural pressures that tend to pry
us apart. There's individualism. We believe in
the individual. God created us as individual
people. But individualism is that idea gone to
seed. We live in a world today that emphasizes
the individual over the common good. Our nation
was founded that together we as a people might
seek the common good, but that is an idea that
has long since departed. And today the emphasis
is not upon the common good in our country, but
upon individual rights. And our nation is decaying
partly because of that. And we sense that in
our own families. Individualism. I'm going to
do my own thing. And then there's mobility. The
pressure of mobility. We have the freedom and
sometimes the necessity to move where we want
to. And most of us will move several times in
our lives. And the result of that is that we
get separated from family. And then there's the
pressure of busyness. Our schedules are demanding.
We have so much going on. Our lifestyle is saturated
with things to do. And we don't really have the
time that it takes to get together with other
people. Now all of those things that affect our
earthly families affect us as well as the family
of God. Unity has been a problem among God's
children. since the first century. Amazing parts
of the New Testament are devoted to that subject
of unity. And one of the sections is the book
of Philippians and the third chapter where we're
going to turn now for our scripture reading this
morning. Beginning in verse 17, join with others
in following my example, brothers. And take note
of those who live according to the pattern we
gave you. For as I have often told you before,
and now say again even with tears, many live
as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny
is destruction. Their God is their stomach. And
their glory is their shame. Their mind is on
earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven,
and we eagerly await for a Savior from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that
enables Him to bring everything under His control
will transform our lowly bodies so that they
will be like His glorious body. Therefore, my
brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy
and crown. That is how you ought to stand firm
in the Lord, dear friends. I plead with Euodia
and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each
other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal
Yoke fellow, help these women who have contended
at my side in the cause of the Gospel, along
with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers
whose names are in the Book of Life. Paul is
pleading with the Philippians to experience unity
in their fellowship. God wants that. It is an
honorable goal for God's people. But as in our
natural family, so in God's spiritual family,
there are pressures that can pull us apart. George
and Frank talked about some of those this morning
as we listened in on their thoughts. Aren't you
glad people can't really listen to your thoughts
like that? And whatever the pressures were that
pulled them apart, they couldn't really identify.
But the fact is that here they were, leaders
in their church, serving communion, and they
were at odds with one another in thinking the
way they were. There are pressures that tend
to pull us apart. But unity in the family of
God, unity provides joy. Joy to the heart of
God and joy to our own hearts. It provides a
joy which is supportive, especially in times
of adversity. Paul was encouraged and wrote back
to the Philippians, you also rejoice in the Lord
because of the unity that He had with them. He
felt supported by them. When you and I pass through
tough times, we need unity with the family of
God to provide a joy that will help support us
and see us through those difficult times. It
is always such an encouragement to me to hear
how pockets of people within our church, sometimes
in small churches and sometimes in formal groups,
who come to the aid of someone else who's going
through a difficult time, That bond of oneness
is expressed that way. You need that kind of
unity with God's people, and so do I. So that
that joy that comes from it will support us in
our tough moments, and we all have them. As Paul
thinks about unity in this text, he gives us
two important insights into the unity of God's
family. And these insights can be well applied
to our earthly families as well, though we will
focus on the former. We're going to cover one
insight this morning and, the Lord willing, the
second insight this evening. The first insight
that we gained from God's Word regarding unity
in the family is that it is based upon relationship.
It is based upon relationship. We can't have
unity where there is no relationship. And Paul
expresses this relationship beautifully by calling
them, twice in the text we've read this morning,
brothers. Brothers. And six other times in this
short book, he calls the Philippians by that
same special term. It is not a sexist term. He
is not thinking merely of the men. It is a generic
term, speaking of men and women in the Philippian
Church. They are brethren. The word in the original
comes from the idea of being born from the same
womb. And so spiritually we are those who have
been born from the womb of the love of God for
us. We are brothers. In contrast to the brothers
who have relationship, Paul speaks about another
group whom he calls many. in verse 18. And he
says regarding them they live as enemies of the
cross of Christ. There's not unity with everybody
you see. It's only with those where there is
relationship. Where there's the brotherhood.
Who are these that Paul speaks of as enemies
of the cross? Most probably, they were professing
Christians. People in that day who called themselves
followers of Christ, but whose lives denied the
reality of that profession. It was a hollow,
empty claim. They were not really Christians,
though they claimed to be Christians. And Paul
terms them the enemies of the cross of Christ.
The cross, you see, is what we are called to
as the brothers. We are called to a life of purpose,
a life of sacrifice, a life of distinction that
is different from the world. We are called to
a life of death, if I may put it that way. A
life of death to self -centered living. That's
what it means to be followers of the cross of
Jesus Christ. We are called to follow Him who
died for us and in so doing to lay down our lives
for Him. Paul says on the other hand, there are
the enemies. Where there is not relationship,
there cannot be unity. Paul is not pleading that
there be unity with the enemies of the cross.
The Philippian believers could not be one with
those who were in reality on the other side of
the equation. But he pleads with them to have
unity among themselves. It is good for us to
understand that unity is based upon relationship.
And where there isn't relationship, there cannot
be unity. Occasionally we read and hear about
events that occur within the Twin Cities, which
are intended to show Christian unity. I'm always
glad for events that express genuine Christian
unity. I'm glad when we can reach outside of
our own church to link up with people in other
churches who believe the same essentials that
we do. And together we can express to the community
our oneness in Jesus Christ. Although we may
differ on some secondary, non -essential doctrines,
on the basics we agree and we express our unity.
I believe in unity, but I am not an ecumenicist.
There is a limit to the unity. We cannot have
unity with those who do not share our relationship
with Jesus Christ. We recently were notified
about an event this summer and encouraged the
church to participate in it Which was it says
on the flyer to express Christian unity to the
Twin Cities But as I look down the list of people
who are apparently sponsoring this event it has
a very broad group and There are people who are
a part of that who do not believe the same things
that we believe about the essentials The sufficiency
of the work of Jesus Christ. The salvation is
by grace alone apart from works. Those are basics.
And we cannot reach out and join hands in unity
where there's no relationship based on the essentials.
The point is that family unity is based upon
relationship. We together within this family
of God at Grace Church have a relationship that
is based upon our common faith, the doctrine
that we say we believe together, and the mission
that God has given us as a body of people, what
we're to be about. That forms the relationship
for us. The same thing is true in a natural family.
There can't be unity where there isn't relationship.
Isn't it strange that some of us can feel closer
to other brothers and sisters in Christ than
we feel to our own natural brothers and sisters?
Although we have been born of the same parents,
there's something missing in that relationship
that is present in the relationship we have with
the children of God. And so my question is, what
defines that kind of relationship? What makes
that relationship with God's family so different,
so much deeper than is present often with our
own natural siblings? Well, I think Paul tells
us something about that in our text, and that's
what I want to talk about this morning. I believe
in the first place he tells us that relationship
involves a common lifestyle. a common lifestyle.
Notice that he speaks to them and says, join
with others in following my example. He says,
take note of those who live according to the
pattern that we gave you. Paul is talking here
about lifestyle. When we talk about relationship,
we're talking about having a lifestyle in common.
That's why sometimes it's so hard to develop
relationship with even your own brothers or sisters.
Because the lifestyle is different. In the family
of God, there's to be a commonness of lifestyle
and that commonness is based upon the pattern
of the Word of God. Paul says, we gave to you
the example. Take note of those who are following
that example. He says, you walk and live and
conduct yourself like I did when I was among
you. And he tells us a little about that, even
in this epistle. How he walked in humility. How
he saw his life poured out as a sacrifice on
their behalf. He lived for others. He is saying
to them, now you conduct yourself the same way.
That's the commonness of lifestyle, you see.
It's a life that has lived... for the sake of
others, looking out for their concerns as well
as our own. Relationship is based partly upon
a common lifestyle, but there's a deeper question.
Where does lifestyle come from? It seems to me
the answer to that is that lifestyle flows out
of our values. And so we have to say, secondly,
that relationship involves common values. What
are values? Those are the life directing principles
that we believe. It's what we really believe
is important. And because we really believe that,
it affects the way that we conduct ourselves.
Sometimes it has little to do. with our Christian
faith, sadly. The ideal is that we as God's people
will have a common value system because it's
based upon the Word of God. Paul talks a little
bit about his values in this book, in fact. We
live in a world today that emphasizes who you
are and what you've attained. Who you were born
to. Are you a blue blood? What are the things
in life that you've accomplished? Our world values
those things. What does Paul think about them?
He says they're refuse. All of those things amount
to a pile of manure. Strong language. He says
the most important value in my life is knowing
Jesus Christ. and pressing on to the mark of
the prize for which He's called me heavenward.
He says that is the most important thing. Not
these things that the world says is important.
When we value that, as Paul did, that knowing
of Christ and pressing on, it impacts our lifestyle.
In chapter 4 he talks about how he values material
things. and we live again in a world that places
a lot of value in how much money you make, in
the kind of home you live in, in the car you
drive, in the toys you can buy. Paul says, it
doesn't make any difference whether I have just
a little or a lot. My value is contentment. I've
learned to be content in whatever state I am.
It makes no difference. If I abound and I have
plenty, that's wonderful. If I have nothing,
that's equally as nice. Because I have found
contentment to be the highest value. When you
and I begin to develop these kinds of lifestyles
like Paul had, or values rather, like Paul had,
then our lifestyles will be in common too. We'll
be making our life choices based upon common
values. But we have to ask a deeper question.
Where do values come from? We could answer that
several ways, but I think that in the text, we
need to answer it this way. Our values arise
from what we are looking for, anticipating, expecting.
Our values come out of our hope. Let me illustrate
on the negative side. If I see myself as a product
of evolution and I am just a higher form of animal
life, and I believe that I have no personal significance
in this world and that this world is all there
is, then what am I going to live for? I am going
to live for the here and now, because that's
it, brother. And like the enemies of the cross
of Christ, My God will be my lusts, my appetite,
my stomach. And whatever I hunger for and I crave
for, I'm going to go get that. I might as well
get it now because there's nothing later. You
see, my hope is in this world. And if I do shameful
things according to the Bible, so what? I can
boast in those things like the enemies of the
cross. I can mind and will mind earthly things
if my hope is in this life. But on the other
hand, if I have a different hope that transcends
life and goes beyond this world, it will impact
my values. Paul says we're not looking at the
earthly things. No. We're citizens of heaven
from where we're looking for a Savior to come.
the Lord Jesus Christ, who is all powerful. And
when He comes, He is going to change our lowly
bodies, these bodies of humiliation, these worm
-like cocoons in which we live, to be like His
glorious body. That's what we look forward to.
That's our common hope as believers in Christ.
And because that is our hope and we understand
that there's a judgment to come, and we understand
there's a reason to live for Christ in this world,
because we understand the values of eternity,
therefore we will conduct ourselves in a godly
lifestyle. And when we do that, it produces relationship.
When common values are absent, when lifestyle
is different, when you have a different hope,
you can't have unity. You can't have it. There's
nothing there for unity to be built on. But when
you have common hope and common values and a
common lifestyle, that honors God, then there
can be relationship. And with the development
of that relationship, there's unity. And there's
joy to see us through the dark hours of life.
There are some of you who are genuine Christians,
but you have not valued Relationship with other
Christians. Now, you haven't valued that because
you haven't taken the time and the effort to
develop it. Because if you really valued it,
you would see that relationships are developed.
But the relationships aren't there. And so when
you come to the tough times of life, There's
just you. You have no support system. There is
not the joy of unity with other people of God
to give you strength in that tough time. That
isn't God's plan. We're saying we are one in
the bonds of love. We are one in the bonds of
love. And it is true, God gives us the privilege
of that bond, but it's only as you and I choose
to develop those relationships that we will experience
the unity and the oneness with God's family that
He wants us to have. God's heart longs for His
children to be one. So don't go flying off in
your own way. Don't say I'm too busy to look
after that detail of life. Understand today the
importance of relationship for you. The benefit
it brings to you. You say, how can I have relationships?
Well, there are ways to do it within the program
of our local church. That's what small churches
are about. That's why they meet two hours on
Sunday mornings here in this building as well
as on our East Campus to help develop relationships.
That's why flocks exist. That's why there are
Bible studies in homes. And then there are other
informal networkings of people within the church
so that relationships can happen, but the point
is they won't happen unless you set a priority
on them. And my plea with you today is to do
that. To make it a priority to develop relationships
within the family of God where you have the common
lifestyle, the common values, the common hope.
Where you can have that unity that will produce
joy that will give you strength in the tough
times. Some of you are passing through the valley.
And you desperately need some people around you.
And as a child of God, you feel alone. And you
may be tempted to say, who has failed me? When
in fact, it's your own failure. Because you've
not made it a priority in your life to develop
the relationships that will make you one in God's
family, in fellowship. Would you pray with me,
please? I'm going to ask you to stand where you
are. And as you stand, I hope there is within
your heart a deep desire to respond to what I've
talked about this morning. Now it may be that
there are hundreds of you that feel connected
and networked and plugged in and You feel at
one with at least a part of the family of God,
so you're not alone. But I am talking to scores
of people, maybe even hundreds, who haven't come
to that place. And I hope in standing this morning
with the rest of us, you would say in your heart
to God, Lord, I want to set this as a priority.
And whatever it takes, whatever it means in changing
my schedule, in doing what I need to do, I am
going to seek out the way to get plugged in and
to develop relationships in your family. Lord,
we have sung about the bond of love. May it be
a reality in every heart, everyone who knows
Jesus. May every one of us who has been born
into your family and who is therefore one of
the brethren Know the unity that Paul pleads
for in the Philippian Church. May that be true
of us in our church. And Father, if there be
someone here who doesn't know Jesus, but in whose
heart the Holy Spirit is working to bring under
conviction of sin and wooing that one to Jesus,
may there be that response of faith even this
morning. that would cause that one to be given
birth, the new birth into your family. In Jesus'
name, Amen.