This post is much longer than normal. It is a sermon I preached on 8NOV09 and will take 10 minutes to read. If you just read the bold print it will take about 3 minutes of time.
All scripture marked ESV: The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S.
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Have you ever started a jig-saw puzzle, only to find that it didn’t have all of the pieces?
Have you ever read a book that you lost before you finished reading it?
Have you ever watched a season finally of a TV show—only to find out that it is a cliff-hanger?
Don’t you feel incomplete?
It isn’t finished—there is still more to see, do, or experience!
We are looking this morning at Philippians 2. If you have your Bibles you can turn there or, if not, there is a Bible in the pew in front of you.
We see in Philippians 2 that Paul is faced with a dilemma—much like mine, in that his joy was incomplete. In this passage Paul explains his incomplete joy, what would be complete joy, and then how to fulfill this joy.
Look with me at Philippians 2:
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2, 1-11, ESV)
As we first look at this passage, we see that Paul has an
1. Incomplete Joy.
It is obvious in the very first verse he says:
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
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2 complete my joy…(Phil. 2, 1-2a, ESV)
He is saying to the Philippians church—and I like how the King James Version translates this:
1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ,
if any comfort of love,
if any fellowship of the Spirit,
if any bowels and mercies, (Phil. 2:1, KJV)
These are all wonderful things—all blessing of coming to know Christ and living and walking with him. Paul says rhetorically IF all of these things are true and do exist, then in the first words of verse two:
Complete my Joy.
While all of these things are wonderful—Paul’s joy is incomplete, it is unfinished in some way.
In 1822, Franz Schubert set out to write a symphony—Symphony Number 8 in B Minor. The symphony was to be four movements, or sections.
The first two movements “Allegro Moderato”—or moderately fast and “Andante con moto”—or moderately slow, were completed.
Then the third movement, the scherzo—or rapid triple time, only has the first two fully written. The rest is written only for the piano.
The fourth movement which would, then, complete the symphony, doesn’t exist.
Schubert’s symphony number 8 is known as the “Unfinished Symphony”. Many articles and books have been written on why the “Unfinished Symphony” was never finished. It is a mystery, but it will never be solved nor will it ever be complete.
Paul wants his joy complete. He doesn’t want a day to go by without this. His joy is like the “Unfinished symphony” as masterful beautiful musical work, but incomplete.
Paul show us that with all the good things that he has the encouragement in Christ, the comfort from love, the participation in the Spirit, the affection, the sympathy—the joy is incomplete.
There is something missing.
So, if it is not complete, how do you complete it?
What would bring
2. Complete Joy ?
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (Phil. 2:2, ESV)
Paul says this is what would complete his joy—this is what would make him happy. That the church would be of the same mind, have the same love, to be in full accord (or in full harmony) and of one mind.
This is what would complete his joy.
My favorite candy, by far, is a bag of M&Ms. In our kitchen we have a big glass jar full of M&Ms that we keep stocked for the kids and for me. At night, I love to get a little Dixie cup—3 ounces—and dip in into the jar and sit and eat the Colorful candies as I read my comic books.
My wife doesn’t understand this, but there is a certain way to eat M&Ms—which also applies to Reece’s Pieces as well.
When I eat M&Ms, I separate them, or select them, by color as I eat them. It is not good to eat different colored M&Ms together. So when I get to the bottom of the cup, all of the M&Ms are the same color.
They are in perfect harmony, and my joy is then complete.
Paul is looking for this in the Philippian church. He is looking for them to be in harmony.
We are all different.
Paul writes in Romans 12 that we are all members of one body;
4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Rom 12:4-5, ESV)
We are all different and bring different skills and gifts to the table, but we are all to be of the same mind.
Paul is looking for the church to sync together.
He says, in verse two;
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (Phil. 2:2, ESV)
The church today needs to hear this call.
We are not of the same mind and we are not in full accord. We have many competing to be the biggest, to be the best behaved, and to look the best. All to flaunt it before others in false humility—while the hurting still hurt and get trampled on all the more. These empire building, financial furnishing, and ego satisfying motivations and strategies are all from the pit of hell.
We need to get on the same page. We need to be of the same mind and in harmony—to get more of God than more of anything else. We need to stop all of that foolishness, so that we can serve those who need Christ—who need true hope in their lives.
But how is this done?
How do we find
3. Fulfilled Joy?
Paul writes in verse 3;
3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:3-4, ESV)
Paul sees the nature of man. We are competitive and arrogant—we like to take care of number one. But, we have a new nature in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21) and through him we can shed the old nature for one of humility.
A good example of this is the Church in Jerusalem following the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fell upon them, in acts Acts 2.
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47, ESV)
The people of the church praised God and broke bread with one another. They began to take care of one another—taking care of needs as they saw them. They place other peoples needs before their own. They were not looking for praise on their part—they rejoiced in being able to give to others.
Paul says in verse four
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:4, ESV)
He doesn’t say complete abandon your own interests. We have our own responsibilities and ministries to pursue. But, we are to look also at the interests of others. To help them along the way. To carry them if we need to.
If you really want to make an impact in your world for Christ, if you really want to lead people to Christ, if you really want to grow this chapel—the formula is here.
Look out for the interests of others.
People come to my office crying for somebody to look out for their interests. People need a Christian to come beside them—not to coddle them—but to truly put the time and energy into looking out for their interest.
It is through this that we complete the joy that Paul is begging for us to do.
To not leave the gospel at the encouragement and love of Christ—but to be of the same mind to take care of needs to reach out to one another in love and humility and to look out for one another’s interests.
Paul says;
Have this mind among yourselves.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2, 5-11, ESV)
This mind is available through Christ alone. We can try to encourage it—we can talk about it, but it is available through Christ.
We all have a nature that is sinful. Sin is anything you think, say, or do that makes God unhappy. This is arrogance and selfishness is sinful—but we can have this mind of humility and thoughtfulness and submission to others through Christ Jesus.
He set an example for us through his death on a Christ and through his payment of our sin he can take away our sin full nature and make us new.
If we place our trust in him.
Have you placed your trust in Him this morning?
You can do this by simple asking him in faith to become your salvation.
You may have done that, but you still struggle with being in one accord with other Christians. Victory over this struggle is available too through Christ Jesus. We are not perfect. We have our own warts and blemishes. Through confessing our sin and allowing Christ to move in our lives we can become a people of humility, of generosity, of one accord.
We must trust in Christ to work in our lives to do this.
Only then will our joy be made complete.
Let us pray.
fr.bruce gossett says
i saw an advertisement it said America supports you.. I apologoze as a citizen a viet nam vet and a caring father…thanks for a great job and thanks for the sacrifice of of family and life and all you have done for us(US) +fr.bruce