NewSong Bangkok Blog

We have been studying the letter of Paul to believers at Philippi. It was written about 2,000 years ago while he was under house arrest at his own expense for two years in Rome. (Acts 28:30) Not an easy assignment.

The main reason Paul wrote was to say thanks for a gift of money that the church had sent through the hand of Epaphroditus. It was really about time they helped out their founder. No one likes to forgotten in bad circumstances. But without any rankling Paul writes someytthing so heartfelt and encouring,

Ch 4: ¹⁰I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

That's the kind of contentment and joy we have been teaching our members for the last while. The church really needs more joy, the contagious kind. Joy is needed to become more resilient in our daily lives. Joy is needed if we ever want to encourage others. Only the joyful know how to encourage! And the Book of Philippians is by far the most joyful letter Paul ever wrote. Sixteen times in four short chapters he uses some form of the word joy.

Each week we have been asking this pertinent question to you "But Can You Be Happy?"

Know this Joy is a mark of maturity in Christ. I am not talking about fun and jokes. I am not talking about a religious grin that comes off so fake and contrived. I am talking about the condition of the heart and mind that has a consistent uninterrupted overflow of joy. If you want to know how strong your faith is, look at the disposition of your heart when you go through a hard time.

The reason why I truly love this book is because it is a living illustration of the life of a man who learned to handle life's disappointments without getting bitter, but actually getting better. We can't simply say "wow" on our soft chairs from an adoring distance though. We've got to enter into the joy of Jesus somehow. That's right, we have got to get there!

As we all know life is full of broken dreams. Pain is a part of the human experience. So many things that should and maybe could have happened, but simply didn't. From the day Paul became a Christian to the time he wrote this letter he had more than his fair share of hardships. Someone said that Paul's picture is in the dictionary right beside the word 'victim." But Paul never doubts God's love. He never gets bitter with being forgotten. He never plays the victim and cries, "Woe is me!"  Listen to some of his words:

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Ch 4:13

"Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say it, rejoice!" Ch. 4:4

"For me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better." Ch. 1:21

Hardly the words of an 'Eeyore" personality! These awesome testimonies of his joy have been a source of inspiration for over a billion Christians since Paul wrote them. Aren't you glad that Paul never ever just gave up and lied down to die? Even restricted to prison he gives us His best cheerful words...

Who can't learn about church life from Philippians 2?

I am amazed at how fitting these verses are in our present situation. Our world here in Bangkok over the last two months has been incredibly difficult, perhaps the ugliest in terms of anger and frustration expressed. We have never seen anything like it in our almost 20 years we have lived here. There are a lot of layers to this present conflict that has shook the foundations of Thai culture, character and Thai values. One of the easy lessons we learn from this conflict is that when deep divisions occur, nobody is a winner.

I'd like to start out by reminding us of that again today. If you have ever been in an environment full of bad feelings and vibes, you know it sucks out the energy and joy.

 We should hate apathy in our lives and in the life of the church. But the thing we should fear the most in the church is division.

Pay attention! Newsong is a wonderful community of people that we I love. As a leader I do my best to express how much I love you and believe in you. You guys are quality! (Last Sunday morning we had three different people lead worship! Nok and Paul took turns in sharing and translating each other.) Lots of gifted people here.

Likewise when Paul writes to the church in Philippi, we need to know that he is writing to quality people and good quality leaders. This church had a special place in his heart and in chapter one he keeps affirming that.

"Every time I think of you I break out in exclamations of thanks to God." 1:3

 In fact this is the only letter written to a church that he doesn't have to correct the church about wrong doctrine.  And there is no mention of immorality in the church that needed confronting. This was a good group of people.

But there was this one thing that was lurking in the shadows. It is the same thing that can shake destroy a nation... it is the hissing slippery snake of disunity. As a spiritual leader the issue of unity is the thing I think about more than any other issue. When divisions occur nobody is a winner. We can have good teaching. We can be zealous for God. We can have all the gifts of the spirit. But those things alone do not guarantee that we will walk together in the true spirit of inward unity. History bears that out!

We need ‘inward unity'! We can maintain an outward unity quite easily, but it is not true unity. True unity can never be imposed from the outside. Religion and politics is famous for this. Lots of superstitions were made up to keep people in line.So hear me inner unityis not people being united because they're in the same container. Inner unity is a people who are literally attracted to each other because they're pulled by the same power from the inside out. It has to come from the inside.

Let me illustrate that for you: If you have a bag filled with billiard balls you have a certain unity. they can be packed together and squished together by the bag. But that which binds them into unity is the outward container. It's something on the outside that holds them. As soon as you tear the bag look out... the balls bounce in every direction! No intrinsic strength to keep them together.We have had to face controversy, disagreements and criticism as a "Newsong Container."

We need to face it: Christians will never see eye to eye on all points. It is so easy for us to take sides on all kinds of issues. It is so easy for us to make comparisons about each other. It is easy for us to be hurt by words and actions and then allow the hurts to poison the love that used to be tender and strong.

So how can we have unity?

Paul is going to teach us that it is by having the ‘mind or the attitude of Christ.'

So take a look at this: If you have a magnet and you put that magnet into some metal screws, the screws will all adhere to the magnet. Not because there is an external container but because there's an internal force. And they are pulled to each other because they are all pulled by the same force pulling through each other.

 And that's how the church is to be, it is not a collection of billiard balls in the same bag, it is people who are pressed against each other because they're all magnetized by the same force, which is the power and mind of Jesus Christ. That's the internal unity of the church. We are pulled to each other by the power that connects us together, which is Christ.

And therefore Paul begins chapter 2 by giving us 4 internal motives of why we should consider unity:

Four ‘ifs'

I am not a Greek scholar, but the experts who know this language say  it really means, ‘if and it is true.'

It could be better translated "since" or "because".

Ch.2:1  "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion..."

Yes it's true; Christ has come into my life and His presence influences my way of living and seeing all the time.

Yes way man!  His love cheers me up all the time and makes a difference in my life!

Of course, being a part of a community is a big part of what it means for me to keep going strong.

Yes, true, we actually do care about each other.

This is not theology here; it's more about our personal experience.

Paul says, I am joyful right now, but if you want to really add to my joy...

Ch.2:2  "Then make me truly happy" (Make my joy complete)

• Being like-minded.
• having the same love.
• being one in spirit and purpose.

This makes for one happy church!

I love the tone of Paul's words here, it wasn't "shut up and listen to me...or else!"   There are no threats from Paul. He speaks like the best Dad in the world to a son or daughter who has been a little selfish and disruptive with the siblings. So Dad says, "Sweetheart, have your mom and I not fed you great food every day, played Yahtzee with you and nurtured you? During bedtime have we not prayed for you and sang your favorite songs and rubbed your back? Have we not provided for your education? Have we not made sure your room has a nice bed, clean sheets, fluffy pillow and air con? Have we not been patient in those times you were so screamy? Sweetheart, since all those things are true, isn't it reasonable that we ask you get along with all your brothers and sisters so that this home will be a wonderful place of joy?

 It's pretty reasonable, isn't it? You should hear a yes after each of the father's questions, right? Be pretty hard for a child to not want to please, given that all those things were true. And that becomes the basis for our inner unity...the love of the Father through Christ... the unselfish attitude of Christ. Oh if we could only learn this, then maybe there would be a lot less division in the church. When unity happens, everyone wins!