May 11, 2025
Study in Philippians
Philippians 4:1-3
“Quit your fussing”
INTRO: Today, we’re going to talk about fussing. Not the “little baby who’s hungry or wet” kind of fussing, but the kind that adults love to do. To fuss with each other. But before we do this, I want you to try something.
Imagine, you are sitting in the crowd in Philippi during the meeting of the Church. You’ve been listening to the reading of this letter from the Apostle Paul. You’ve really been enjoying it, partly because you were a big part of the work that was done when the Church was founded. Paul is your friend, and you are proud of him. You are also proud that you were able to be a part of the team that worked with him.
The reader of the letter gets to what we now call chapter four. Paul is concluding his argument that we need to “adjust our attitudes” to be in line with what God wants us to do. “Great advice!” you think to yourself. Paul concludes his thoughts on that matter with these words. “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”
“We are Paul’s JOY!!!” We are Paul’s CROWN!!! We are his BELOVED!!! We are so awesome… Paul gets that about us!
You get a little more comfortable in your chair as the next part begins…. And WHAM! There it is! The reader is reading YOUR NAME! And it isn’t being read in reference to something you are doing well, but instead, it is a rebuke! “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”
WOW! Paul called these ladies out! But WHY did he do this? Was he just being mean?
- Paul “called these women out” because he cared about them.
- They have “Shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel!”
- These ladies were instrumental in Paul’s Ministry when he was in Philippi.
- (It’s possible that they worked with Paul somewhere else, but the context seems to indicate Philippi.)
- Exactly what did they do?
- We don’t know, but these are the ONLY people that Paul ever says this about.
- They have been very important to the work of sharing the Gospel!
- When we work together as Christians in Ministry, strong bonds are often formed between us!
- Paul “called them out” because their names are in the book of life.
- They aren’t “playing” at being Christians! They are REAL Christians!
- We are supposed to help our brothers and sisters reconcile when there is a problem between them!
- This is not something most of us WANT to do!
- Sometimes, we are called to do things we have no desire to do.
My Dad was a Military Policeman. He used to say that the worst calls for police are domestic disputes. People who were fighting each other could quickly turn on you!
- But sometimes it’s necessary!
- Don’t go alone!
- This is a lesson I’ve learned the hard way.
People take sides, and they all assume that as someone who tried to help “sort things out,” you are on the “other” side.
- They are not living in harmony!
- Is that really such a big deal? Who really cares if Euodia and Syntyche are mad at each other?
- “Euodia is sitting on THAT side of the Sanctuary, so I’ll sit over here!”
- “Syntyche is going to the Tuesday night Bible study, so I’ll go to the Thursday morning bible study instead to avoid her!”
- “We can make this work!?!?!”
- But does it work? NO!
I asked the question, “Is that really such a big deal?
- YES! IT IS A BIG DEAL!
- When Christian Brothers & Sisters are at odds with each other, other Christians will take sides.
- They might not mean to, but they will.
- There will be “us” and “them.”
- When a Church is divided, it hurts the people who are that Church!
- People take sides, which leads to them being hostile to one another, which leads to the sides digging in even deeper.
- “How could “those people” be like that?!?!”
- “Why can’t they understand how wrong they are?”
- Drawing a line down the center of any group is never good for the group. It certainly is bad for a Church!
- It’s hard to be positive about your Church when you are angry at people who are a part of it.
- It’s hard to share Jesus when the body of believers is “biting and devouring one another.”
Galatians 5:13–15 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
- When the Church is divided, the community knows!
- They KNOW! They are always hungry to hear about trouble in the Church!
- But, how do they know?
- Because Christians “air their dirty laundry.”
- Don’t be a person who gossips about your church family!
- Don’t gossip about anyone, but especially your church family! Not even on “social media!”
- Because they see people who are normally at church functions, skipping church functions!
- “Aren’t you usually at Bible study on Wednesday night?”
- Because they see us avoiding people that we normally associate with.
- “If that’s what Christians do, why would I want to be one?”
Conclusion: What can we learn from this “fuss” from so long ago?
- Those of us who see it need to care enough to do something about it.
- If we really love other Christians, we’ll do our best to bring them back together.
- Do it for Euodia and Syntyche’s sakes.
- Even if this is an uncomfortable thing to do.
- Do it in service to Jesus!
- If the Lord puts it in front of you to do, DO IT for HIM!
- Do it right.
- Don’t try to be the Lone Ranger.” Take Tonto along.
- You might just save yourself from having your character assassinated.
- Do it for the sake of the Church and Do it for the sake of the lost!
- The Church needs to heal from these wounds when it happens!
- People need to be brought back together.
- The reputation of the Church is important.
- If people don’t trust the people of the Church, how will they ever trust Jesus?
- Bringing people to Jesus IS our job!
- All this is good, but the best solution is to take care of “fusses” before they become a problem.
- Is it a question of doctrine?
- If it is, deal with it in a loving way.
- If it’s a matter of opinion, “Let it go.”
- Most “fusses” aren’t over anything that important.
- If they are important enough, agree to disagree, agreeably!
- God’s work is too important to let squabbles interfere.
Acts 15:36–41 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
- Two Godly men had a disagreement.
- Instead of allowing their disagreement to stop them from reaching out, they made two teams!
NEVER LET OUR DISAGREEMENTS HINDER THE SHARING OF THE GOSPEL OR OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER IN JESUS’ CHURCH!
