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The God of Peace and the Peace of God

Sunday, June 25, 2023
Pastor Jojo Ma

Weekly Bulletin | Worship Lyrics

Philippians 4:2-7

 

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement 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 reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

“To live above with the saints we love, that will be glory. But to live below with the saints we know, well that’s another story.”

I.         The call to unity [v2]
II.        The call to joy [v4]
III.       The call to gentleness [v5]
IV.       The call to prayer [v6]
V.        The call to peace [v7]

I.         The call to unity [v2]
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Do everything you can to work out rifts and disputes and conflicts with anoth person as quickly as possible. Don’t let problems fester and build up. Both sides should look at the log in their own eye, pray, and ask where there is personal fault, then go and graciously and humbly seek reconciliation.

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

II.        The call to joy [v4]
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

This tells us joy and the command to rejoice is not primarily an emotion but an attitude. The Bible teaches that joy is a basic and constant orientation, mindset, of the Christian life. Joy is the fruit and evidence of a relationship with Jesus.

Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters: “Rejoicing in the Bible is much deeper than simply being happy about something…to “rejoice in the Lord always” cannot mean “I always feel happy”. To rejoice is to treasure a thing, to assess its value to you, to reflect on its beauty and importance until your heart rests in it and tastes the sweetness of it. Rejoicing is a way of praising God until the heart is sweetened and rested, and until it relaxes its grip on anything else it thinks it needs.”

1 Pet 1:8-9 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

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

III.      The call to gentleness [v5]
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.

2 Cor 10:1 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

Gentleness is a relational quality that rejoicing produces. So when we rejoice in the Lord we can then display the quality of gentleness to others. In other words, Christian joy produces Christian gentleness.

Prov 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.

This is a good reminder that in all our fears, troubles, and problems, what we need most is a person, Jesus. We need him. We need his nearness. And then we can be okay.

IV.       The call to prayer [v6]
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Matt 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.

Matt 6:34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

1 Pet 5:7 Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. [LSB]

Are you anxious? Turn to God in prayer. Lean into the Lord. Ask Him for help, healing, and hope. Ask Him for strength to persevere. Ask Him for bread, He will not give you a stone. And don’t give up asking. Keep knocking, keep asking, keep requesting and do so with thanksgiving.

V.        The call to peace [v7]
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

“It is the serenity in which He exists in Himself.”

Jn 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

He knew the peace of God because he knew the God of peace --- Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.