Philippians 4:10-9.  We are at the end of Paul’s letter to the believers in Philippi.  As I read this section so many thoughts came to my mind.  I hope I can remember them.  Remember that it is about 61 AD.  Paul is somewhere around 60 years old and has spent the last fifteen years or so traveling around the Mediterranean world telling people about Jesus.  Paul probably gave his life to Jesus about 37 AD (Acts 9:1-19) and his first trip around the Mediterranean world was around 46 AD.  From the beginning of his new relationship with God though he was telling people about Jesus (Acts 9:20-22).  In the story in Acts 9 the Jewish people in Damascus plotted to kill Paul (Called Saul in that part of the story.  See ”What’s in a Name”) but he escaped.  The story in Acts then has him in Jerusalem but according to Galatians 1:15-20 this happened 3 years later after he had spent some time in Arabia.  Paul may have been using an old way of thinking about time when he said he spent “three years” in Arabia and it may have been closer to a year.  Sometimes in those days when a person said they did something for “three days” or “four months” or “two years” they mean they spend parts of those days or months or years doing whatever.  In Paul’s case it may have been part of one year, the whole second year and part of the third year. We still talk like that today, “I went to school five days this week” when we really only spent part of those five days in school.  Some scholars believe that Paul was “laying low” and rethinking all he had learned as a Jew during this time while others think he was still telling people about Jesus.  I think this is probably more likely since Paul wasn’t a guy to just sit around, one day on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians and within a few days he is in the synagogue in Damascus telling people to believe in Jesus.  He was a guy on a mission.  During Paul’s third journey around the Mediterranean world he spent a lot of time in Macedonia and Achaia (two Roman provinces which made up much of what is modern day Greece).  Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth are three cities in that area.  While on hat journey Paul took up an offering for the church or group of believers in Jesus back in Jerusalem.  According to a letter he wrote to Corinth from Philippi during this journey the churches of Macedonia (including Philippi) were coming up with a lot of money for Jerusalem, more than they could really afford actually (2 Corinthians 8:1-3).  When Paul returned to Jerusalem with this gift he was arrested.  That was the beginning of his current imprisonment which was eventually transferred to Rome.

According to Philippians 4:10 the church in Philippi must have been feeling worn out by this time (3-4 years later) but now they have sent a gift to Paul and for that he is very happy.  But his joy is not why you might think.  First of all he makes it clear to them that he knows that they have always cared about him and that they just were not able to help him before.  He also wants them to know that they don’t need to feel guilty about not sending money (and help in the form of Epaphroditus) sooner.  He tells them that he knows how to get along with very little and surprisingly he also tells them he knows how to live when there is plenty to go around.  That part seems a little odd to me, isn’t it easy to live when there is plenty of money for the bills and whatever else you might want?  Supposedly the first person ever to become a billionaire, John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), was asked how much money was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.”  The story may not be true but many people certainly feel they could use a little it more.  The problem is that we usually want it to spend on ourselves, Paul indicates that it is tricky having a lot because we need to spend it the way God would want us to spend it.

In Luke 12:13-21 Jesus was asked to settle a dispute between a person and their brother.  The person wanted Jesus to tell the brother to split the family inheritance with him, the person wanted a little bit more.  Jesus asked the man why he came to him, was he a judge?  It’s an interesting question because under Jewish law the religious leaders were supposed to settle this sort of disagreement.  If the man really thought that Jesus had the authority to settle this problem then he also must recognize that Jeus had spiritual authority too.  Jesus doesn’t wait for an answer, he really didn’t want one.  Jesus wanted the guy to think about his authority.  Instead Jesus told a story to get the person thinking about why they wanted “just a little bit more”.  The story was about rich man who’s land was very productive.  S he got more and more from his land he built bigger barns to hole it all.  Finally he felt secure, that he had enough to kick back and relax.  The problem was that the very night he decided he had enough he died.  Someone else now owned all his riches and he faced eternity.  In verse 15 he had told the person that life is not in the stuff you own.  After telling the story of the rich man Jesus continued to talk to his follower.  He told them to save real treasure in Heaven.  Pat of his instruction of how to do this was to use the things they had in a generous unselfish way, he wanted them to care for needy people; and this care needed to be spiritual as well as physical.

Theses ideas come together in Paul’s final words to the believers in Philippi when he basically tells them that he could have lived without the gift but he is happy they sent it because it shows that they care about more than just themselves.  They have become like Jesus who didn’t selfishly hold onto his power and authority but became a servant.  Paul recognized how much the Philippian church had served others and was happy for the Heavenly treasure (the profit in verse 17) they were saving up.  Paul also calls their gift a fragrant aroma, this is a reference to incense which people would burn as offerings to a god or God.  Paul saw their care for him as a true offering to God.

In this ending Paul does not ignore how hard this has been on them though.  He uses the fact that he too has suffered to encourage them; “been there done that” is what he is saying.  But he also tells them how he survived, by trusting in God, Jesus has given him the strength (v. 13).  In verse 19 he also tells them that Jesus can be their strength and source of supply too.  He concludes the letter by encouraging them to keep up the good work; they need to greet every believer, they need to stick together and then God will be honored.  As an example of the power of God Paul even mentions that some members of Caesar’s own household have turned to Jesus.  His final words show he cares about their feelings when he hopes God’s wonderful gift will encourage their spirits.

If they really were the words of John D. Rockefeller then it is pretty interesting.  The phrase “just a little bit more” has been used recently by our president with respect to rich people and taxes.  Unlike Rockefeller’s supposed statement which indicated he wanted to get or keep “a little bit more” our president thinks the rich need to give a “little bit more”.  Sounds sort of like what Jesus was saying about the rich man, but it is not!  In fact it is the exact opposite.  Carl Marx (one of the founders of modern day communism) is often credited with the saying, “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”  Supposedly the exact saying traces back to an earlier “socialist” thinker Louis Blanc (1839).  The ideas go back even further and are found in the writings of French thinker Etienne Morelly (1717-?).  Beyond that some scholars try to trace the idea back to the book of Acts in the New Testament and that is where we must point out the error of their thinking.

In the book of Acts we see the early church in Jerusalem sharing what they have with each other (Acts 4:32).  In Acts 5:1-11 we have an important story related to what was going on; the story  of Ananias and Sapphira.  IN Acts 4 we see that several people in the church in Jerusalem had land.  Those people were selling their land and bringing the money to the early church leaders; the original followers of Jesus, the apostles.  The money was then being used to help others in the church who were in need.  No one was claiming that the stuff was theirs but that it was common property.  “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need”, right?  Not really.  In Acts 5 Ananias and his wife, Sapphira decide to sell some land and bring the money to the apostles, too, but they brought only part of the money.  Peter (one of the apostles) then confronts Ananias about the gift, he didn’t give all the money from selling the property.  But red the story very closely and you will find that that was not the real problem.  Peter confronts Ananias about trying to “lie to the Holy Spirit”.  Evidently Ananias had told God or someone that he was going to give all the money to God but then kept some of it.  Notice that Peter tells Ananias that the property was his to sell or not sell and that after he sold it the money was his to do with as he wished.  The problem was in trying to act like he was giving it all, maybe even telling God he was going to give it all and then not following through.  As a result Ananias fell down dead.  Sapphira came in later and tried to give the same story as her husband (whom she did not know was dead) and she died too.  The important point for us is that the things God has given us he has given to us and we have control over them.  They are gifts from God to you and he wants you to use them in a way Jesus would use them.  God wants us to share!  The problem with the communists, the socialists, and our current president is that they are not allowing the rich to share they are forcing them to give up their money.  Notice in the story in Acts that the people were bringing the money to the apostles willingly, Peter even told Ananias that he didn’t have to bring the money that he had every right to decide what to do with it.  When our current president talks about the rich “giving just a little bit more” he is really talking about taking more from the 10% of the population who are already supporting 80-90% of the expense of or government.  Taking is the exact opposite of giving and it has the opposite effect spiritually too.  Instead of theses people having the opportunity to willingly serve others they are being forced to support them.  Not only are they left without their money here on earth they also have not had the opportunity to “lay up treasure in Heaven” and their has not been a “profit in their spiritual account” (Philippians 4:17).

We need to share, that is very clear.  We need to not just look out for our won interests but also the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).  But is something we need to do not something that needs to be done to us.  When it is we do not wind up having the same “attitude that Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5).  Being like Jesus is the goal then all the rest will fall into place.  What the world needs is Christians not Communists.  Share with someone today spiritually and physically and let the world see that Jesus is the solution.  To God be the glory.

God be honored in my life today.  Help me help others.  Let me share what you have given me.  Let me be a giver.  Let me be a servant like you are.  Let me be gracious to those around me and encourage their spirits today.

Philippians 4:1-9.  While yesterday’s reading focused on truth today’s reading focuses back on the second problem that seems to have been happening in the Philipppian church, sticking together.  Chapter four starts out kind of the same as chapter three did, Paul is calling the people in the group his brothers.  But in chapter three he encouraged them to have joy in God now he is telling them that they are the source of his joy and that he really really really wants to come visit them.  He also calls them his crown.  In 1 Thessalonians 2:19 Paul uses similar language when describing the church in that city.  In those verses he says that the Thessalonian believers will be their “crown of bosting” when Jesus returns (a reference to the “day of Jesus” or “day of the LORD”).  In several other places in the New Testament the crown is called a “crown of righteousness”, a “crown of life”, and a crown or glory”.  In all of these cases the crown is given to believers by Jesus and all of them relate to the time when Jesus comes and sets up his kingdom on earth (the “day of Jesus” or the “day of the LORD”).  So Paul in Philippians 4:1 is painting a very personal picture about his feelings toward these believers, he feels very connected to them.  Because he is so connected to them and cares for them so much he wants them to “stand firm” in Jesus.

The idea of “stand[ing] firm” may have been a reference to the military past of some of these people’s fathers or grandfathers.  Remember that the city had been colonized by Roman veterans about 90 years earlier.  Roman military tactics were less about charging the enemy and more about maintaining a position.  In close combat squads of Roman soldiers (about 8 men) would form a square with two men on each side facing out.  As the enemy attacked they would “protect each others back” and were taught to “stand their ground” or “stand firm”.  If the Philippin believers had heard stories from their parents or grand-parents about this form of fighting the words of Paul would have communicated to them the importance of holding on to the truth about Jesus (the “ground” they were defending) and of having each other’s backs (sticking together).

If you read the “Intro to Philippians” you would know that the church was started with a few people Paul found praying by a river.  It seems that several of the original members were women.  In the early church several women had important roles.  The early church usually met in homes.  Most people would have had rather small homes, too small for the church to meet in.  Richers members of the group might have homes large enough to meet n and would use their houses for that purpose.  The New Testament indicated that several of these early “hosts” were women.  Here in Philippians 4 we see that there is some sort of a dispute between two women in the church.  We do not know what the issue was but it was out in the open and threatening the whole group.  In light of the “stand firm” comment Paul tells these women to lie in harmony, to have the same “mind”.  We might say he wants them on the “same page” and he tells them that they page they should be on is all about Jesus.  Paul then tells an unidentified member of the group that if they cannot get their act together that he (or she) needs to help them work it out.  Some people like to make a big deal out of some sort of church structure here.  The see leadership and structure but I think that is a stretch.  Paul doesn’t mention the “leader” by name but he does mention another “mystery” person, Clement, and the whole group and includes the two women as part of the whole group.  Paul also does something very unusual for him, he declares that all of them, including the two women, have their names written in the “book of life”.  In Revelation 20 we see this book again and it is used to evaluate who winds up in Heaven, so Paul is telling them that he knows they are all part of God’s forever family.  Euodia and Syntyche are not part of the false teachers who are troubling these believers but are part of the group.  The point here is that they all need to stick together, it’s not about individual power or some structure it’s about being a squad, a squad for God.

What ever was going on really was working against the group because in verses 4-7 Paul tells them to have a good outlook on their situation and to hang on.  If they are worried they need to pray.  The word supplication means to let someone know what you need or want, in this case they were to let God know what they needed.  They were also told to be thankful while asking.  It’s good to remember what God has already done for us.  By remembering God’s care for us and letting him know what we are afraid of and need we should have peace.  Both remembering and asking have to go together though.  I also like the fact that both their hearts and minds are protected.  Our relationship with God is just that, a relationship, and it involves feelings but it is also based on truth, the truth of who God is and what he has done and will do for us.

Verses 8-9 contain both of these ideas, truth and feelings, when Paul encourages them to think about their relationship with God.  Paul tells them to remember and to follow his example, the faithful trusting example of one who has suffered for God, and then they will have peace.

We need to remember what God has done for us.  We also need to remember that he is gathering a group to populate his forever kingdom and be a part of his forever family.  We need to see each other as part of that group and stick together.  We need to have each other’s backs.  Those soldiers would face their enemy and fight.  If they kept looking over their shoulder out of envy or distrust to see how good or bad the person behind them had it they would be overtaken and the whole squad would fall.  God has given each of us a unique part in his family based on his loving knowledge of how he has made us.  He has also given us power through he Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).  He is also available, prayer is the original “instant message” system, and willing to meet our needs.  That should give us hope and peace no matter what we face for him.

God thank you that there have been those who have gone before me.  Help me see the things you have done fore all those believers in the past.  Help me also remember what you have done for me.  When I star to worry help me bring my worries to you.  Let me be faithful in the job you have given me to do and not compare myself or my situation to anyone else.  Help me have peace and not envy.  Thank you for making me a part of your forever family.  Thank you that my name is in your “book of life”.  Let me live for the family and for you.