Christ is God’s gift to the world. The church is Christ’s gift to the world. When faithful to its calling, Christ’s Church brings joy to the lost, broken, suffering, overlooked children of God. Wounds are healed, hopeless lives become hope filled, dead-end lives are raised to new beginnings. Worship and Fellowship are celebrations of being loved by God and loved by brothers and sisters in Christ. This is Christian Joy. This is the joy Paul hopes that the Philippian church, and churches in all times and all places experience.

“If there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete… how? Be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind… Be like Christ in your attitudes and actions toward others…”

Then Paul quotes a beautiful hymn that was sung in their services…

Talk about extremes! The very best place to be is in a church that is unified and handling well the threats to unity. The very worst is a church that is splintered into factions, getting worse each year.

The former is a healthy, risk-taking place, where people care deeply, but are also caring. In a splintered church factions center on personal preferences, rather than ministry.

Paul wrote to the Philippian believers, specifically requesting they be unified in their relationships and purpose. Paul wrote to humans; he knew there would be threats to unity.

Common sense tells us that where there is good, evil will eventually clash. Throughout the last two thousand years churches have had only one main problem, disunity.

To remain in God’s will you must be in unity in a world that breeds division. Our question, of course is: How in the world can we do that?

The answer to unity isn’t easy, but it can be easily stated: Be Christ like!

Paul beautifully describes Christ likeness in order to spell-out the spiritual disciplines that lead to unity.

First, PERSONAL FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST 2.1A. It is impossible to follow Christ in attitude and actions if you do not WALK WITH Christ! Believers who get away from a close walk with the one who is the WORD OF GOD cannot reproduce Christ likeness.

Paul said that the encouragement (strength) the Philippian church had was from being united in Christ. William Barclay says it differently, “If the fact that you are in Christ has any power to influence you…”

However you care to phrase this, the reality on the bottom line is that belonging to Christ daily will produce a natural “belonging-ness” with each other that transcends our sinful nature.

The spiritual principle is that it is impossible to be in genuine fellowship with the Christ, when you are out of fellowship with anyone Christ died-for.

2. HEARTS OF CHRISTLIKE COMPASSION 2.1B.Tenderness and compassion are the same word in Greek, which Paul uses here.

Christian compassion is a matter of being vulnerable enough with each other and the needs of the God’s suffering people.

Those being crushed by their personal brokenness and sinfulness, or victimized under the principalities and powers of the world, AKA the evils of human institutions, their cries are heard by God who so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son…

And now the Son who is our LORD and SAVIOR gives us the SPIRIT so that we are moved emotionally and volitionally to do something about those needs.

God in freedom and love, created and called First Christian Church to be the body of Christ— with ears to hear the cries of the suffering, with eyes to see those overlooked and passed over, with the heart to feel and be moved to act, with a mind to create new ways to minister mercy and compassion, with strength to do righteous and just actions, with a spirit to celebrate and bring Christ’s joy to the world. Heschel’s teaching on pathos of God…

Our Church’s vision statement— To be the hands, feet, and beating heart of Jesus in a fragmented world by serving and welcoming all.

Our methods may conflict at times, but our vision and goal will always keep us united.

Examples… You cannot be Christ like without compassion. For the Spirit makes a hardened heart tender and compassionate.

Thirdly, Joy through COOPERATION 2.2. That is, seek being united in spirit and purpose. Have you ever heard how they act in Japanese factories? At shift changes the oncoming workers are cheered by the ones finishing their time. They get together and sing the company song.

It is done as a symbol of their singleness of purpose – the cooperation of people engaged in a task with a common goal.

When I think of cooperation my mind always flashes to a scene where men are attempting to move the piano. They’re in the middle of the staircase.

The man on the bottom yells to the man on top, “Hey, put a little muscle to this thing – we’ll never get it up these stairs.” Says the little guy on top, “UP?”

It is critical for us to be on the same wavelength if we will be the kind of church Christ calls us to be. Christ likeness demands that we check-in with the head of the church, Jesus.

Lastly, Suffering in Service/Cross Bearing leads to Crown-Wearing 2.9-11. Paul uses a play on the sound of words in verse 8 and 9. The Greek words “humbled“ and “obedient” come from the same root; while “exalted” sounds just like them.

There is a definite and proportionate relationship to these. The principle is as follows: YOU WILL BE LIFTED BY CHRIST IN HEAVEN TO THE SAME DEGREE YOU HAVE LIFTED HIM HERE ON EARTH.

In the Kingdom of God, things are always reversed from the way they were in the world’s order.

Jesus, the WORD OF GOD declared: That which was high will be made low. The first shall be last. The rich, self-indulgent man went to Hades, the poor beggar Lazarus went to Heaven. And “…whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Mt 16.25)

This is unity, where the spirit of Christ has taken over. Where Christ has taken over, there is joy and thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, always loving and forgiving; always compassionate and affirming, we bring our prayers to you.

We know that you always listen with great care. In your way and in your time, you respond to us!  Help us to be ready, open and always attentive.

In these days, our lives seem to be so full. We feel like we have far too much to do. Settle us down; help us to center upon you and your will. Calm our spirits and refresh our energies.

When we are sorrowful and troubled, send your comforting Spirit. When we are lonely and isolated, send your encouraging Spirit. When we feel tension and dis-ease, send your peaceful Spirit. When we are lost and perplexed, send your guiding Spirit. When we are sick and ill, send your healing Spirit. When we are confused and filled with doubt, send your faithful Spirit. When we are worn out and hassled, send your calming Spirit. When we are at war or in anger, send your loving Spirit.

Almighty God, we don’t always have the courage to follow where your Spirit leads. Make us your courageous people. When we are tired and frightened, help us to rely on your courage and your strength, that we might once again be ready to hear your voice and follow your lead, as Moses did long ago.

In all the seasons of our lives, your Spirit is always available to us and for us. Teach us that all we need to do is simply ask you, great God, for your Spirit to come upon and over us.

Come Holy Spirit, come upon us!  Descend upon our hearts and our minds. We pray this prayer in the name of your Son and our Lord, Jesus the Christ, who taught us all to pray, saying:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.