Everything's Possible - Day 8

Philippians 2:1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

This week we are studying one of the most famous passages that Paul ever wrote. It begins in Chapter 2 and spans the chapter. You have probably heard this in many church services, weeks of prayer, weddings, and even funerals. It is a phenomenal text at the surface, but as you study it more in depth, it becomes even more profound. We will break this text down very slowly this week.
 
It starts, in most translations, with a “therefore” or a “so”, connoting that there was something important that had an effect on what he is about to say. Many scholars believe the chapter designations are a bit unfortunate as this thought completes the thoughts previously stated. The NLT translates it with out the words that might more powerfully connect the two thoughts, and I wish they had kept those words of stronger connection. However, as we study, we can understand that when there is a “so,” or a “therefore,” it essentially means that “for this reason. . . “

The very next few phrases are a tip of the hat to the trinitarian understanding that Paul had of Jesus. He asks three questions: 1) A question about belonging to Christ. 2) A question about God’s love for them. 3) A question about fellowship in the Holy Spirit. (While #2 does not refer specifically to God, there is a strong implication the love he is speaking about is the love God has for us.)

Paul has a concern to his appeal that you would have to be pretty hard-pressed not to understand. The reason for this is that he repeats his concern three times (repetition), in different words but with the same point.
 
The first key word in the appeal, and indeed in the letter is the verb Phroneo, which is repeated in the first and third instances, and has to do with the set of one’s mind, or how one is overall disposed toward something. In other words, “set your mind. . .” meaning to have them be in the same mindset in order to be in harmony and unity. What he is basically saying is that he wants the Philippians to be one in the same mind.

In the second phrase, we see he wants us all to have the same love, moving in the same direction. It is clear that the Philippians had a great deal of love for one another, but Paul wanted to make sure that they didn’t lose that love or let it die due to some internal friction they were dealing with.
 
The last phrase; “loving and working together in one purpose” reminds us that we are to put other’s needs in front of our own in order do the work that Christ has given us, and to make His joy complete.

1. Has your joy ever been complete?
2. What do you think that means?
3. How can you make sure you have “set your mind” on those things that God wants you to?
4. How can we be more in unity with those in our community?