Being a Community In Christ; Philippians 4:4-9

 

Rev. George Miller

June 5, 2022

Philippians 4:4-5

 

Once upon a time, not too long ago, there was a newly shaven pastor who was part of a newly shaven Council who gave an Easter Message that said the Resurrection was about creating community.

 

This newly shaven pastor who was part of a newly shaven Council was blessed to belong to a quaint, quiet southern community located in the middle of everywhere.

 

For this Easter message, the pastor pointed to Peter who went from fear to fishing.  Thomas who valued logic over mob mentality. 

 

Business savvy Lydia.  Paul, the one who went from persecuting the church to proclaiming Christ’s name.

 

Back then, in mid-April and early May things seemed a bit…saner. 

 

Sure there was a pandemic, but back then we still had Baby Formula, a sense of reproductive rights, and those in Buffalo and Texas were still alive.

 

It seemed a bit easier to preach about Camaraderie.  Community.  Coming together.  Finding courage to move on.

 

Back on that Easter morning, we were gleefully in John chapter 21, watching how a rag tag group of disciples had begun the healing process.

 

Leaving behind their fear filled room, going fishing, out in public, unafraid.

 

But now people are afraid.  Will women lose their liberty?  Will inflation continue to soar?  Is World War 3 right around the corner?

 

When will the next Buffalo or Texas take place?

 

We’ve already been through SunTrust, PULSE and Parkland- can we really endure another?

 

… Once upon a time, not too long ago, there was a newly shaven pastor who was part of a newly shaven Council who gave an Easter Message that said the Resurrection was about creating community…

 

…and that message is just as important as back then.

 

Today we come to the end of our time with Paul in an unknown jail, writing his letter to the people of Phillippi.

 

It’s a letter filled with hope, filled with light, and filled with Christ.  Paul has come to the conclusion that he will use his situation to preach the Gospel.

 

And preach he does, to whoever he can- guards, inmates.  When he’s not speaking, he’s writing this letter to folk he know and folk he loves.

 

Not only does his letter play a role in creating and maintaining community, it gives an idea of what the community can look like.

 

Rejoice, Paul writes.

Let your gentleness be known.

 

Pray, being thankful when communicating with God.

 

Think about truth; Think about honor;

Think about what is just.

 

In doing so the peace of God

will surpass everything.

In doing so, the peace of God

will look over your heart and mind.

 

Paul writes to the community “keep doin’ what you’re doin’ and the God of peace will be with you.”

 

It feels like we need that message today.  Maybe it’s a bit naïve, maybe it’s a bit unreachable.  But right about now it sounds better than what we got and where so many in America are.

 

This part of Paul’s letter is as if the 10 Commandments, the essence of Micah, and the teachings of Jesus have been mixed up as one.

 

Paul is saying to a community that could easily be torn apart “Speak to God, be gentle, be true, be just, and you will find peace.”

 

2,000 years, across the continents, from an unknown jail, there’s a lesson to glean as Paul is ministering to us.

 

We know that right now there is so much to worry about.  We know our nation continues to be pulled into at least 2 very different directions.

 

We know that some of us want to do it all, and don’t know what can be done.

 

We know some of us just want to rest- you’ve done enough, you’ve worked, you’re retired.

 

But when storms sweep over the country, what can we do?  Perhaps Paul would say “cling to your community.” 

 

We may not be able to march on Washington, be in Buffalo, prevented what took place in Texas.

 

But here, in the walls of our church, we can each make the individual choice to speak to God, be gentle, be true, be just, and find peace.

 

Here, on the corner of Hope and Hammock, we can make the choice congregationally to speak to God, be gentle, be true, be just, and find peace.

 

Here, in the sun soaked, center of the state, we can communally make the choice to speak to God, be gentle, be true, be just, and find peace.

 

And perhaps for now that is enough.  Perhaps that is the best we can do.

 

Paul’s letter isn’t very worldly.  He’s not talking about 10 different topics with 30 different solutions.  Paul does not go from cause to cause to cause.

 

Instead Paul is focused on a few things-

how to share Christ, how to behave in a way that is Christ like, and how to rejoice.

 

Paul does so through community.  The one he’s with in jail.  The one he is writing to.

 

This simple, laser focused letter not only did that, but 2,000 years later it speaks to us, shaping us, creating community.

 

The problems of today’s world seem so HUGE, and the steps we take may seem so small.

 

But our steps matter.  Our steps create community. 

 

Our steps celebrate that Christ is real, no matter what the current situation may say. 

 

Amen.