This is the message I gave at our YDJ's winter retreat. Some of it may not make sense since I had a powerpoint to go with it, but I hope you are encouraged through reading.
Happy New Year and welcome to the 2014 YDJ Winter Retreat! I’m so glad to see all of you here, and I’m very happy to see a lot of people I don’t normally see at these retreats. I don’t know about you guys, but 2014 seemed to go by so fast. It’s been super busy for me, as I have been taking on many different responsibilities, including becoming a YDJ leader. Even in the midst of all my busyness, there is so much that I am thankful for in the past year. I won’t share those thanksgiving topics now, since I’ll probably do that in my New Year’s testimony. Even before we start looking at the passage today, I just want to encourage you as you reflect on this past year to first find what you are thankful for. It’s very tempting to reflect on all of the bad that has happened, or the things you wanted to do and couldn’t; but I think we should first give thanks to God for the good He has done. I once read a story that I want to quickly share with you guys now. A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it." Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were lucky that they were not blind. You can bring so much joy to your life if you remember to simply give thanks. Anyway, I just felt like that should be said, but now let’s move on. Today we’re going to look at Philippians chapter 2. The key verse that I chose is verse 5. Let’s read that together please. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (verse 5)”. (Prayer)
I want all of you guys to take a look at verse 1. What is the most important word in verse 1? This is a question that the youth group teachers really liked to ask. The answer is the word “therefore”. What does the word “therefore” mean? It means “for that reason” or “consequently”. In other words, you have to take into account what has been said beforehand. The book of Philippians is written by Paul when He is in prison. He writes this letter in order to encourage the Philippians to continue to preach the gospel. In Philippians chapter 1, Paul talks about his imprisonment, and how it is actually helping advance the gospel. Paul is thankful for his chains, since it is encouraging his fellow believers to continue serving Christ. Paul in verse 27 says “whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27)”. Paul rejoices because of the faith of the Philippians and encourages them to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. It’s quite amazing that even though Paul is in prison, he is rejoicing. I believe it is because he remembers to be thankful, rather than be upset at his situation.
So what does Paul have to say now in chapter 2? Let’s read verses 1 and 2 together. “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind (v. 1-2).” As we just talked about, Paul rejoices that the Philippians have been proclaiming the gospel. Now he urges them to make his joy complete by being united. I always thought it is interesting that Paul places so much emphasis on unity, since he seemed to never really belong to any church. One of my favorite passages on unity comes from 1 Corinthians 12. I will read for you verses 12-31. “12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts (1 Corinthians 12:12-31).” In a nutshell, Paul is saying that the church is the body of Christ. Every part is unique, but every part is important. The body functions best when all of the parts work together. Paul says that He would be most joyful if the Philippians were to become united as one body.
So how can the Philippians be united? How can we be united? How many of you know what an “if” statement is in programming? I have provided the logic of an “if” statement for you guys on the slide here. An “if” statement is very simple, and pretty intuitive as well. The basic idea is that the statement is never executed unless the condition is met. Let’s again take a look at verses 1 and 2. I have outlined the condition in red and the statement in yellow. We have already looked at the statement, “make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind (v. 2).” Now let’s take a look at the condition. “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion (v. 1)”. Paul is saying that we cannot be united unless we meet these conditions. We must be encouraged in our unity with Christ, we must take comfort from His love, we have to have fellowship in the Spirit, and have tenderness and compassion. In other words, our motivation for unity must come from Christ, His love, and His spirit.
Paul mentions another way in which we can promote unity in the church. Let’s read verses 3 and 4 together. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (v. 3-4).” Humility is absolutely necessary for good unity. Paul tells us that we cannot work together if we act selfishly or conceitedly. Let’s remember the analogy of the church as Christ’s body. Imagine if your hand only cared for itself. Imagine if you had to tend to a wound on your leg, but your hand refused to place the bandage. How ridiculous would that be? And how detrimental to your body’s health would that be? If that example is too abstract for you, let’s think of a sports team. My favorite sport is basketball, so let’s use that as an example. If one particular player, let’s call him “Kobe Bryant”, decides to never pass the ball, how do you think the team is going to do? Terrible, of course! No matter how great the player is, eventually the team will begin to suffer because of that player’s selfishness. Furthermore, the team will get frustrated at that player and lose their desire to play defense or get rebounds. The key to unity is humility, and looking to the interests of others above your own. Does anyone know who won the NBA Finals last year? It was the San Antonio Spurs. I am totally convinced that the reason they won is because every player was willing to put the team above themselves. They weren’t looking to better themselves, but the team. The Spurs won because they passed the ball well, and were able to get great shots as a result.
-Smart
-Smart
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