What motivates a person seems to be the million-dollar question these days. Is it more money at work? Is it having your kids earn a college scholarship? Is it getting all your responsibilities covered so that you can take a much-needed vacation? Is it the potential embarrassment of looking foolish as you get up to offer your speech in school? What is it? Everyone in some way is motivated by something or someone.
When I was in junior high, my dad started buying hockey tickets for me and him. I remember the first time I went to an NHL game to see the Red Wings play the Boston Bruins. It was quite an experience! Quickly, my dad learned that I deeply enjoyed hockey games, and he took me to more games. As an incentive, he used school as motivation. In other words, if I “kept my grades up,” he would take me to games. In fact, one time in particular, I remember the incentive revolved around my final exams. I was deeply motivated. Everyone is motivated by something.
As the Apostle Paul continued his letter to the Philippians, he understood that there was something that could sabotage their ultimate impact for Christ – disunity! Philippi was a cosmopolitan city with great diversity. It was home to the Via Egnatia which was a trade highway linking the Aegean and Adriatic Seas. Many people had to travel through Philippi to get to Rome. The church in particular was filled with a lot of diversity. From a rich businesswoman named Lydia to a slave girl to a Roman jailer, there were Jews, Romans, and Greeks all worshipping the same God. Of course, lots of backgrounds, opinions, dialects, etc. filled the Philippian church. Paul knowing all of this, he reminded them of what SHOULD motivate them to continue in Christ.
What should motivate them and us in unity for the cause of Christ you might ask? It’s the undeserved benefits that we have received from Christ. Paul started with the word “if” in front of four statements of fact. In other words, you can read verse one replacing the word “if” with the word “since” or you can follow each condition with the phrase “which you do.” Here is what it looks like one way or the other...
Since you have encouragement from being united with Christ...
Since you have comfort from his love...
Since you have common sharing in the (Holy) Spirit...
Since you have tenderness and compassion (from God)...
-or-
If you have encouragement from being united with Christ...which you do!
If you have comfort from his love...which you do!
If you have common sharing in the (Holy) Spirit...which you do!
If you have tenderness and compassion (from God)...which you do!
When you begin to realize that God is there alongside of you to help you, it will change how you treat and view people. When you begin to realize that God “whispers” comfort into your ear in difficult times, it will make you want to offer the same to others. When you realize that the “ultimate team” is not at work, school, or the neighborhood but with Christ, you will want to be a part of it. When you experience the tenderness and compassion of a loving God, it will inspire you to share the same love with others.
What Paul was trying to say to the Philippians was that how Jesus has loved them is how they need to love each other. Think about it from a parental perspective. You are always looking for your children to love you as you love them. Part of that expectation is for them to love their siblings in a sacrificial way. Why is that? It’s because you love each one of them in the same way with the same benefits afforded to them. You don’t “play favorites!” At least you shouldn’t. I think you get my point. As a father, it brings great joy to my heart when I watch Zach praise Hope for her grades, or Tori prays for Zach over a big decision coming his way, or Hope encourages Tori when she’s had a rough day, etc. The Apostle Paul, as the Philippians spiritual father, desired that they would “get along” for the greater good of the Gospel.
Take a few minutes and read the “unity challenges” that Paul gave to the churches, and ask yourself the question: “If God cares so much about his church “getting along,” shouldn’t we?
Read: Romans 15:5-6, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Ephesians 4:1-6
What is motivating you towards unity?
When I was in junior high, my dad started buying hockey tickets for me and him. I remember the first time I went to an NHL game to see the Red Wings play the Boston Bruins. It was quite an experience! Quickly, my dad learned that I deeply enjoyed hockey games, and he took me to more games. As an incentive, he used school as motivation. In other words, if I “kept my grades up,” he would take me to games. In fact, one time in particular, I remember the incentive revolved around my final exams. I was deeply motivated. Everyone is motivated by something.
As the Apostle Paul continued his letter to the Philippians, he understood that there was something that could sabotage their ultimate impact for Christ – disunity! Philippi was a cosmopolitan city with great diversity. It was home to the Via Egnatia which was a trade highway linking the Aegean and Adriatic Seas. Many people had to travel through Philippi to get to Rome. The church in particular was filled with a lot of diversity. From a rich businesswoman named Lydia to a slave girl to a Roman jailer, there were Jews, Romans, and Greeks all worshipping the same God. Of course, lots of backgrounds, opinions, dialects, etc. filled the Philippian church. Paul knowing all of this, he reminded them of what SHOULD motivate them to continue in Christ.
What should motivate them and us in unity for the cause of Christ you might ask? It’s the undeserved benefits that we have received from Christ. Paul started with the word “if” in front of four statements of fact. In other words, you can read verse one replacing the word “if” with the word “since” or you can follow each condition with the phrase “which you do.” Here is what it looks like one way or the other...
Since you have encouragement from being united with Christ...
Since you have comfort from his love...
Since you have common sharing in the (Holy) Spirit...
Since you have tenderness and compassion (from God)...
-or-
If you have encouragement from being united with Christ...which you do!
If you have comfort from his love...which you do!
If you have common sharing in the (Holy) Spirit...which you do!
If you have tenderness and compassion (from God)...which you do!
When you begin to realize that God is there alongside of you to help you, it will change how you treat and view people. When you begin to realize that God “whispers” comfort into your ear in difficult times, it will make you want to offer the same to others. When you realize that the “ultimate team” is not at work, school, or the neighborhood but with Christ, you will want to be a part of it. When you experience the tenderness and compassion of a loving God, it will inspire you to share the same love with others.
What Paul was trying to say to the Philippians was that how Jesus has loved them is how they need to love each other. Think about it from a parental perspective. You are always looking for your children to love you as you love them. Part of that expectation is for them to love their siblings in a sacrificial way. Why is that? It’s because you love each one of them in the same way with the same benefits afforded to them. You don’t “play favorites!” At least you shouldn’t. I think you get my point. As a father, it brings great joy to my heart when I watch Zach praise Hope for her grades, or Tori prays for Zach over a big decision coming his way, or Hope encourages Tori when she’s had a rough day, etc. The Apostle Paul, as the Philippians spiritual father, desired that they would “get along” for the greater good of the Gospel.
Take a few minutes and read the “unity challenges” that Paul gave to the churches, and ask yourself the question: “If God cares so much about his church “getting along,” shouldn’t we?
Read: Romans 15:5-6, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Ephesians 4:1-6
What is motivating you towards unity?