I invite you to turn with me to the book of Philippians. We'll begin chapter 2 this morning together. Philippians chapter 2, beginning in verse 1. If there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interests of others. Let's pray. Father, once again, we have gathered together under Your Word. We ask that now in this moment, You would speak to us by Your Word. Minister to our hearts, to our minds. We come empty, we come broken, we come thirsty and hungry and needy. We ask that You would fill us up with the glorious truth of the very Word of God. I pray that You would help me in this moment, I would say what you would have said to your people. Nothing more, nothing less. In all this we ask, in the name of Christ, Amen. Last week we began to look at what a life that is lived worthy of the Gospel of Christ looks like. That's one thing for Paul to say, live worthy of the Gospel of Christ, but he goes on to sort of practically give them what that life truly does look like. very directly connected to a life lived worthy of the Gospel, is the necessity of the church in the life of a believer. It is implied in what we looked at last week, and it's implied once again in what we look at this morning together. Last week, Paul called them to be of one mind and of one spirit, striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel. And what's the implication? The implication is that believers are to be a part of a church. That's the implication. There does exist in our day what appears to be a great disdain for the church, for any institution, for any authority for that matter, and especially for the church. a disdain for anything having to do with the church and what we do as the church. And I'm not just talking about from the world, I'm talking about from people who would claim to be a part of the church. There is a disdain for the church from professed Christians as well. Some may say that they feel this way because they have been mistreated by the church in the past. And so that's why they feel the way they do now. Some may say it's because they've been mistreated by a leader in the church in the past. And so that's why they feel the way that they do now. Some may say that they simply don't like the preacher, or they don't like the pastor, or they don't like this person or that person. And so they say that they no longer attend based on that. It used to be understood that if you identified yourself as a disciple of Christ, then that by necessity meant that you went to church. And there's a reason for that, but that is no longer the case. Evangelicalism has become infatuated with the concept of our own personal relationship with Christ. Now, it is true that the believer has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. But that part has been so emphasized that we have lost one of the most precious truths of Scripture in Evangelicalism, and that is the importance of the local church in the life of a believer. We are not saved corporately. You understand that. We are saved individually. The path to salvation, the road to salvation, the narrow gate is a gate that you alone can enter through. No baggage, no friends, no mob mentality to get into the Kingdom. It is a narrow gate. And it only allows one person at a time. And that person may or may not be you. Salvation is something that happens between myself and God alone. That is a reality. But what happens is that God doesn't just save us. He saves us into something. He doesn't just save us and leave us on our own. He saves us into a body. He saves us into a people. He saves us into a kingdom. We become brothers or sisters of Christ through faith. He saves us into a family, the family of God. And that family of God shows itself visibly in the world through the local church. And if you want to try to say that the local church isn't important, then why is Paul writing this letter to a church? Paul clearly thinks the church is important because he writes most of his letters to churches or to pastors of churches. A few years back I read a book entitled Pagan Christianity. It's a book by George Barna. He's the studies guru, you know, the statistic guru that you'll hear about anytime you hear about, well, this percentage of Christians believe this or that. It's usually Barna that's behind that. But it was written by George Barna and Frank Viola. It's called Pagan Christianity. In this book, they basically challenge aspects of the church and beliefs within the church that have been held since its inception. They call to church to re-evaluate aspects of church, such as the sermon, and worship, and the office of pastor, and tithing, and baptism, and the Lord's Supper. In the place of these, what they envision is a new type of church that is less formal, less institutional, and more community-driven. All this in an attempt to redefine a biblical view of what the local church is to do when they gather together. A biblical local church is not less than the formal gathering that we do here on Sundays, but it is certainly more than the local gathering of what we do here on Sundays. The Bible tells us a different story than what they propose and what others propose. The local church is essential to the growth and development of each individual Christian. The local church is essential to the means by which God has chosen to reach the nations for the Gospel. The Great Commission was given to the apostles before Jesus ascended. And then they take it and they extend that commission to the mission of the church. That's what the church is to be doing, making disciples of all nations and baptizing them. Romans 10, 14, how then will they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they're sent? How beautiful the feet of those who preach the good news. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. The church is a part of that mission. But secondly, the church is vital for the building up of believers. Not only for going out and preaching the gospel and baptizing the nations, but also teaching them all that I have commanded you. The building up of believers. Hebrews 10, 24, let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. In the book of Colossians, in Paul's letter to the Colossians, when he's talking about the false teachers, he says something very interesting when you consider what it implies about the local church. Listen to what he says about the false teachers. He says in chapter 2, verse 19, that they don't hold fast to the head, which is Christ, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows the growth that is from God. One of the problems with the false teachers is that they don't hold fast to the head. They aren't a part of the body, and therefore they aren't a part of the joints and ligaments through which the head supplies the growth and the nourishment for the body. Later on in Colossians chapter 3, he tells them, that let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing songs and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God." The local church is not just a throwaway thing. It's not just an optional thing for the Christian. It's not just a wonderful add-on that we can just experience whenever we feel like it. So important is the local church in the mind of Christ that when he confronts Paul about his own persecution of the church at the moment of his conversion, you remember what he asks him? He says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Christ identifies Himself when He appears to Saul before His conversion with the very persecution that is being handed down to the church. The church is near and dear to the heart of Christ, it is near and dear to the heart of God, and it is near and dear to the heart of Paul as he writes this letter. which is why when he writes out of such concern for the Philippians, he lingers over the importance that they remain united in the face of opposition, in the face of struggle, that they remain strong, that they remain one. That's what this passage is about, these few verses. The unity of the church. First, what he does in verse 1 is give them foundations for unity. Foundations for unity. He says, so, if there is. So, or therefore. So we know that He's building on what He has been saying already back at the end of chapter 1. He knows He's building on His command to be of one spirit and of one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel. So, if. There he is. The if, the so points back to what he's already said. And the if points forward to the need to examine a potential present reality. On the basis of what I've said, look for this within your people. He's about to make a conditional statement. If, then. Right? If this, then that. If there exists these things, then do this. So we'll get to the then in a moment. Right now we're on the if. If. He gives them four foundations for unity. We'll take them one at a time. If you have these foundations, then do something. First off, if there is any encouragement in Christ. Any encouragement in Christ. Paraklesis. It's literally comfort or consolation, encouragement. It's actually closely related to the word that he uses next in reference to love. Any comfort from love, they're very close, they're almost synonyms, but it is two different words. Another closely related word is the word used by Jesus, Paracletan, to talk about the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John, when he says, Alas, the Father, He will give you another Helper, or Comforter, some of them translate it as. It's the same rude word, a Comforter, an Encourager, to be with you forever. John 14.26, with the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 15.26, when the Helper comes, John 16, 7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I don't go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. It denotes a coming alongside someone. It's what Jesus is promising here to send a helper, to come alongside. And that's what Paul is calling the Philippians to, to encourage each other, to come alongside one another for the purpose of comfort, for the purpose of counsel, for the purpose of perhaps even exhortation, to speak the truth of God's Word into them. It's to come alongside someone who is in need of encouragement and comfort. It is the kind of thing that is shown by the Good Samaritan in the parable of the Good Samaritan, to come alongside one who needs something. That's what Paul is going after. Find this in yourselves as you look at your church, if there is any encouragement in Christ. That's foundation number one. Foundation number two is any comfort from love. As I said, this word for comfort is a close synonym to the word that is used for encouragement. This particular form of this word is only used here in Philippians and all of the New Testament. It denotes an attitude of coming alongside someone with words that are intended for encouragement or consolation. The word for love is the agape type of love, the unconditional love that is spoken of in Scripture. It's the same type of love that Jesus gave to His disciples when He gave them one command in John chapter 13. By this all people will know that you are My disciples if you love one another. One command I give you, love one another and everyone will know you are My disciples. Agape love, unconditional love. It's also used to speak of God's love for us. God showed His love for us, and then while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, the same kind of love, agape. It is also used to speak of Christ's unshakable love for His people, for His bride, who shall separate us from the love, agape, of Christ. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword, as it is written, we are being killed all day long, counted as sheep to be slaughtered? No. In all these things we are more than conquerors." The unshakable agape of Christ. It's also used, as we see here in our passes, to denote the same love that Christians should have for one another. It is agape love that Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. Agape is patient, agape is kind, and so forth and so on. It seeks not its own. It holds no record of wrong. Romans 13, 10, love. Agape does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore, agape is fulfilling the law. Unconditional love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. If there is any encouragement in Christ, number one. If there is any comfort from love, number two. Number three, if there is any, participation in the Spirit. Participation in the Spirit, or fellowship with the Spirit, or communion with the Holy Spirit. He's telling you to seek out and ask yourself, is the Spirit of God at work in this place among these believers? That's what they are to look for. The Holy Spirit is the source of spiritual power for the Christian. We are filled with the Spirit at conversion, according to Ephesians 5. And Ephesians 5.18, don't get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit. You know what he's saying there? Don't let anything take control of your faculties, including drink, except the Holy Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. Let Him guide you and control you, and let nothing else guide you and control you. The Spirit is the source of the fruits of the Spirit. Love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and gentleness and self-control, Paul says in Galatians 5.22, are fruits of the Spirit. These are spiritually bestowed emotions and feelings and reactions to the world. These are not natural to man. Although many people do sometimes display them, it is only because of the common grace of God in restraining evil. But we understand these are the fruits of the Spirit of God working in the hearts of believers. Going back to what we said about agape love just a minute ago. I mean, you don't just love people like that naturally. We are selfish to the core. We'll get into that in a moment. We are prideful and selfish, self-righteous and indignant to others, but by the Spirit we can love one another and we can have joy and we can have peace and patience. According to Romans chapter 8, it is by the Spirit that we put to death the deeds of the body. It is by the Spirit that we mortify sin. This is not a fleshly, natural battle. This is a spiritual battle to kill your sin in your own heart. It is by the Spirit that we do this. The Holy Spirit is a guarantee to us of our inheritance that is to come, according to Ephesians chapter 1. In Him also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory. When you see the Spirit at work in you, when you see the Spirit working within you to convict you of sin, to mortify your sin, to desire to love someone even when they're being unloving, to desire to be more like Christ, it is a reminder of the guarantee of your salvation. For you have been sealed in Him. He is the source of power to be a witness to Jesus according to Acts chapter 1 verse 8. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the end of the earth. Believers are spoken of as being able to grieve the Spirit because of their sin, according to Ephesians 4.30. Don't grieve the Spirit. Going back to unity, Paul tells the Ephesians this in chapter 4, Beginning in verse 1, I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Very similar language to what we're looking at here in Philippians. With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called into one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." That's a lot of ones. The unity of the Spirit. So look for encouragement in Christ amongst yourselves. Look for comfort from love amongst yourselves. And thirdly, look for participation or communion with the Spirit together. Finally, the last one, if there is any affection and sympathy. and sympathy. Affection is that word splagnon. It's the term for the bowels, the innermost parts of the body. The only time it's used that way in Scripture, by the way, is Acts chapter 1 verse 18 when Judas hanged himself and his bowels spilled out. Other than that, it is used as a metaphor in Scripture to mean the innermost seat of the affections, the innermost seat of the heart, the deepest part of our emotions. It is also used to speak of the mercy of God, Luke 1.78, because of the tender mercy of our God. It's the same word. It's the same word He used back in chapter 1, verse 8 of Philippians, God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ. The deepest part of His emotions, He yearns for them with the affection of Christ. If there is any affection or sympathy Mercy, compassion, can be used to denote the mercy of God Himself. Romans 12.1, Therefore I plead with you by the mercies of God, present your bodies as living sacrifices. He brings both of these terms, by the way, in Colossians chapter 3. He brings both of these terms together to describe one aspect of what it means to be A Christian together. Colossians 3.12, put on then as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts. Same two words. Put together to reinforce one another. Compassionate hearts. What's the point of all this? Paul is giving them foundations upon which to build their unity. Find these things within your fellowship. Search for them and cultivate them within your fellowship. Encouraging one another in Christ. Comforting one another in love. Communing together with the Spirit. And showing affection and sympathy to one another. If these things, then do what? So those are the foundations. Now here's the flow of unity. I use flow as it starts with F, and I wanted all of them to start with F. The flow of unity. Here's the command, complete my joy. That's the command, which I find strange, because he could have just said, if you see these things, then be unified. He says, no, complete my joy. by being of the same mind. He doesn't just tell them to be one or to be unified. He connects their unity directly to His own joy in them, which is another motivation, by the way. As your spiritual Father, this will make me happy. This will make me joyful in Christ, that you will be found to be one. Make it full. That's what it means. Complete my joy. Make it full. Make it whole. Make it to where it lacks in nothing. Remember how John opened his first epistle, 1 John 1.1, that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands concerning the word of life. The life was made manifest. We have seen it and testified to it and proclaimed to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us. that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, and we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete." True leaders, true apostles, true disciples, witness and desire that others would come into this body of Christ, because this is a part of completing our joy in Christ. You know, the Christian life is in the kumbaya life. You just sit around a campfire and sing kumbaya, just me, my Bible, and my Lord. It is an extreme source, a supreme source of joy, To see others come to faith. Is it not? It is a source of joy to see others come into this fellowship with us. And in the same way it's a source of joy for Paul that he see this church united, unified as one. That's the kind of emotion, this joyful emotion. that Paul is going for here. So what's the flow? Well, I'll call it the flow of unity. Well, it starts somewhere and then it kind of circles back around to the same place as we move through this. So, complete my joy by what? Being of the same mind. Being of one mind. This does not mean that they simply agree. It means that they have the same mind because they know the same truths. It's about knowledge. It's about striving together side by side for something specific, which you just said in chapter 1, for the faith of the Gospel. To know and to understand the truth as it is given and in that way being of the same mind. You know, we can be of the same mind and it be about the wrong things. Our culture is full of people who have the same mind about things. And they are directly opposed to what God would have for the betterment of society and human flourishing. There have been cults that have led hundreds, thousands, even millions into error that will only end in the destruction of the people who follow these leaders. But they have the same mind. They were in agreement. Paul calls us, and the Spirit calls us to something different. He tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. What does this mind look like? He tells us in verse 5, which we're not going to get to this morning, but in verse 5 he tells us, have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus. And oh, that will be a fun trip to take in the glory of the humiliation of Christ in leaving His throne and becoming one of disrepute. The mind of Christ, though, is what the mind that we are to strive for looks like. And even in chapter 4, He gives a list, a very practical list of things that this mind looks like. Finally, brothers, this is verse 8 of chapter 4. Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. You think with your mind. That's what the mind looks like, one mind. We know the truth, we understand the truth, and we believe the truth. And in the truth, be of one mind, be of the same mind. Flowing directly out of this one-mindedness, have the same love, be of the same mind having the same love, or maintaining the same love. This is that agape love again which we just spoke about. Have that same love together and for each other. A love that seeks the good of others. Agape love, get this, is an emotion that flows from the will. It's an emotion, brotherly love, that seeks to show hospitality and concern and compassion and care because you have thought about the truth and come to the conclusion that you will love your brothers and sisters. Because let's be honest, if it is simply a love that is meant to be a natural reaction to the way that others treat us, it will not take us long to fall out of love with each other. We're all sinners. And we will all fall short. Agape love is an emotion of the will. It is born out of a mind that is fettered to the truth of God. And it results in action, not merely words. 1 John 3.18, little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth. Both. We love in word, we love in talk, but we also love in deed and in truth. So be of this, or having, maintaining the same love, being in full accord, literally that is united in one spirit. One mind, one love, one spirit. Which again, Paul said back at the end of chapter 1, having one spirit and one mind, united in the Spirit, joined together in our souls with the very Holy Spirit of God. And the SV says, one mind again, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind. More literally, it's intent on one purpose, one goal. It's basically synonymous with one mind. You can't have one purpose with someone else without having one mind, and that's why it loops back around to the same concept. Again, this isn't a linear chain, it's a circular chain. One mind, one love, one spirit, one purpose. That's what He's calling them to, that's what this unity looks like. One mind, love, spirit, and purpose. Now what does this unity in the church look like? Sort of, you know, elbow grease level, living day to day, what does this look like? Well, that's our last point, the fruit of unity. The fruit of unity. Verses 3 and 4 don't need much explanation, I don't think. Let me read them to you. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Now, I think that's pretty straightforward. what the unity that Paul wants them to have looks like. And really, when you think about it, this makes perfect sense. If you have all of verse 1, if you have encouragement in Christ, and comfort in love, participation in the Spirit, affection and sympathy, if you have one mind, and one love, and one Spirit, and one purpose, If you have all of those things, then you would think that verse 3 and 4 would just flow naturally out of that and be the natural fruit that is born upon the branches of this church that is unified like this. I think that's exactly what Paul expects here. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, he says. This is very personal for him, by the way, in light of, remember what he said back in chapter 1 about these teachers who are teaching Christ, but they're doing it from rivalry and conceit? He is no stranger to the selfishness of the world. Selfishness, selfish ambition, conceit and covetousness. These things are polar opposite of godly affections. It was due to the selfishness of Adam and Eve that they ate of the fruit of the tree. and plunged the world into darkness. It was due to the pride and selfishness of Satan himself that he fell from heaven when he tried to ascend to the throne of God. They are the very polar opposites. If you have the godly emotions on one end of the spectrum, selfishness and pride and covetousness and envy are at the exact other extreme. Selfishness also never stays passive. You don't see selfish people sitting on the sidelines with their selfishness. It's always active. Their ambition and their conceit and their covetousness is always active in this world, to always acquire for itself what it is that it desires, to always acquire more for me, to feed my own desires and my own hunger and my own wants and my own desires. That's what selfishness does. It's never passive. You never see someone who's selfish sitting off to the side, just content to be selfish in their own mind. You know when people are acting selfish. Because it's active. And if a little leaven leavens the whole lump, like Paul told the Corinthians, then selfishness is perhaps the most powerful form of leaven that can infiltrate the church. But instead, Paul gives an alternative. Do nothing from Selfishness or ambition, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. The polar opposite of selfishness, conceit and covetousness and pride is humility. Humility is a key virtue for the believer in both of the Testaments, in all of Scripture. Psalm 138, 6, For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar. Proverbs 11, 2, when pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. That familiar passage that Peter writes in his first epistle, chapter 5, verse 5. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, unto the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time He may exalt you. Humility, the opposite of pride and selfishness. In humility, do what? Count others more significant than yourselves. Some translations say regard. Regard others more significant than yourselves. Let me tell you about this, because this is, you've got to get this, this does not mean that you walk around pretending to count others as more significant than yourself, even though in your heart you really don't. This is not a call to put on a mask of humility. This is a call, this means that you have once again, same mind and the truth, you have thought about your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and you have in your heart and in your mind come to a conclusion based on a well thought out argument that the others around you are more important than yourself. You don't pretend like they are. and in your heart harbor resentment or whatever else you might harbor. But you have come to the real conclusion and conviction that you, in your own heart, are less important than the people around you. That's what it means. So that's a little deeper, right? It's a little bit different than maybe we're used to hearing it. And you say, well, what about me? How am I going to get fed or ministered to or whatever if I'm like that? Well, if everybody's like that, then you've got 29, 35 or so other people that think about you as more important than them. That's the way this thing works. Everyone else is less important than you, and in their mind, you're more important than they are. And so we minister to each other's needs. Humility, a humble attitude is the corrective for pride and for selfishness. And then he makes a parallel statement very quickly, let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Look, the not only there, let each of you look not only to his own interests. That voids the concept of asceticism, severity to the body. as Paul calls it in Colossians. The concept that it is a greater spiritual piousness to cause suffering to yourself. To maybe inflict pain upon yourself. To give up things for yourself. That's a higher plane of spirituality. The fact of the matter is, he says, not only look to your own interests. Sometimes we have to look to our own interests. There are times when it's time to eat. There are times when it's time to rest. Even Christ took time to rest during His earthly ministry. And if we are not properly taken care of, if we don't properly take care of ourselves and feed ourselves and clothe ourselves and take care of our bodies and rest, then we will not be able to effectively minister to others as we consider them more important than we consider ourselves. So look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. What's at stake here is focusing so much on ourselves that we forget about others. When we're forced to make a choice between, for example, our own comfort and someone else's need, according to verse 3, we regard them as more important. That's the issue. Romans 15-1, we who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. We have an obligation to bear with the fact that there are those who are weaker around us, for whatever reason. Maybe they're physically weaker, maybe they're spiritually weaker, maybe they're mentally weaker. We have an obligation not to please ourselves, but to bear with their failings. to bear with their shortcomings. And we all have them. Galatians 6, to bear one another's burdens and therefore fulfill the law of Christ. So that's the fruit of this unity of the church. You have the four foundations that He gives in verse 1. Four things that are the flow, the circular flow of the unity in verse 2. And then you have the fruit of that unity of being of one mind, one love, one spirit and one purpose in verses 3 and 4. Let's pray. Father, we do pray that here in this church we would look like this. That we would be people of one mind, one heart, one love, one spirit, one purpose. Help us to regard others as more important than ourselves. Help us to love others as Christ has loved the church. And we pray that as we do this more and as we do this better by the power of Your Spirit, we pray that the world would see our love and know that we are disciples of Christ. Help us to be that shining city on a hill, salt of the earth and the light of the world. In all this we ask, in Jesus' name, Amen.