PHILIPPIANS 4:1-5 STANDING FIRM IN SHAKY TIMES

Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. 2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

            In poetic terms Rudyard Kipling summed it up as well as anyone when he wrote these familiar words, "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too; if you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about don't deal in lies, or being hated don't give way to hating and yet don't look too good nor talk too wise; if you can dream and not make dreams your master; if you can think and not make thoughts your aim, if you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same; if you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch the things you gave your life to broken and stoop and built them up with warn-out tools; if you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings not lose the common touch; if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; if all men count with you but none too much; if you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run; yours is the earth and everything that's in it and which is more, you'll be a man, my son."

The theme of these verses is spiritual stability

John 16:33 In this world you shall have tribulation

Jesus said, " Mt 26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."."

1 Peter 5:8 The devil moves around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

There was selfishness in the church,

There was self- interest in that church,

That there were people who had stumbled and fallen from their spiritual stability into conceit and pride

In verse 3 he has to ask somebody to fix it up which means apparently the leadership of the church had not really done what they should have done in dealing with the problem

There were some people who weren't trusting God.

There were some people who weren't thankful. In other words, it was a church...just a plain ole church, just like every church.

2Peter 2:14 he wrote about false teachers and agents of Satan who were always attempting to entice unstable souls.

2Peter 3:16 says...untaught and unstable people and they distort the scriptures to their own destruction.

James warned about the same thing. James said that the spiritually unstable are the double minded.

James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

They don't know what they believe, they don't know what is right. They can't make decisions.

Genesis 49 Reuben, you are my first born, my might and the beginning of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power." And then he said this, "Unstable as water, you shall not have the preeminence

1. The Command
2. Stand firm in the Lord

Chapter 1:28, "In no way be alarmed by your opponents."

Verse 29 he says, "It's been granted to you for Christ's sake not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake."

In verse 30 he says they were experiencing the same conflict they had seen in him.

Chapter 2:2, he commands them, "Be of the same mind."

Chapter 1:27 he says to them, "Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, standing firm in one spirit with one mind."

Chapter 2:14 indicates that there was some grumbling, and some disputing going on

Chapter 2:18, and start rejoicing instead of fretting

Chapter 3:16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

Chapter 3:18 tells us that they were encountering the enemies of the cross.

Chapter 1:27, "Standing firm in one spirit." This is the second time he calls them to stand firm.

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

• The first word is "therefore"

To summarize the third chapter we could summarize it this way, you remember it well, and we are pursuing Christ's likeness which is both the goal and the prize of our Christian life. And we are waiting for that upward call of God in Christ Jesus. We are waiting for that day when we as heavenly citizens meet the Lord Jesus Christ, and then verse 21, and are transformed into conformity with the body of His glory.

• The pastoral spirit of Paul.
• V1"My beloved brethren, whom I long for, my joy and crown...." and then he concludes, "My beloved It is his heart.

He uses the strong word for love, the rich and deep word for love.

1 Thessalonians in 2:19, he says, "Who is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you?"

V 20, "For you are our glory and joy."

Then he says, "You're my crown."

So…. it means thus, or in this way.

And then he goes on to explain how. And verses 2 through 9 are extremely basic practical principles

2 Peter 3:17 he says, "You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest being carried away by the error of unprincipled men you fall from your own steadfastness." Peter says don't fall, stay firm.

Acts 14:22 Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God

2 Thessalonians 2:15, "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught." Don't waver from the truth.

Corinthians 15:58"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,"

V2-3 Be Unified

V4 Be Joyful

V5 Be Humble

          Martin Luther became a public and controversial figure when he published (October 31, 1517) his Ninety-Five Theses, Latin propositions opposing the manner in which indulgences (release from the temporal penalties for sin through the payment of money) were being sold in order to raise money for the building of Saint Peter's in Rome. They caused great excitement and were immediately translated into German and widely distributed. Luther's spirited defense and further development of his position through public university debates in Wittenberg and other cities resulted in an investigation by the Roman Curia that led to the condemnation (June 15, 1520) of his teachings and his excommunication (January 1521). Summoned to appear before Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in April 1521, he was asked before the assembled secular and ecclesiastical rulers to recant. He refused firmly, asserting that he would have to be convinced by Scripture and clear reason in order to do so and that going against conscience is not safe for anyone. There he said "Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise,” Condemned by the emperor, Luther was spirited away by his prince, the elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony, and kept in hiding at Wartburg Castle. There he began his translation of the New Testament from the original Greek into German.