September 17, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”  (Philippians 2.1-2)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

In the midst of all the tragedies which seem to be occurring at an ever-increasing rate, the push remains that the solution is developing stronger relationships. And there is a lot of truth to be gained in that. The Apostle Paul was sharing that same kind of thought with the Phillipians two thousand years ago. In the verses which I have been reflecting upon from the beginning of Phillipians, chapter 2, and sharing with you, mighty ones of God who are and who are yet to be, Paul asks that they start to embrace their situations sympathetically (having a common or shared experience by which to relate to one another.) Taking that sympathetic posture between themselves was the catapult to having a stronger relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We mentioned such commonality, the development of a common union, in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper as we considered the deeper meanings and applications of remembrance and discernment of the body. The Phillipians were aware of the struggles and hardships which Paul faced because of His commitment to serve the Lord. There was a connection between their community and the one in Thessalonika. The stories had been shared as the letters which Paul wrote during his imprisonment in Rome were delivered from him to them. Many of those experiences would have been foreign to most among the churches in Asia Minor that Paul had served. They were his experiences. Yet Paul knew they were having experiences of hardship and tribulation as well. In that shared experience, he could sympathetically connect with them even from prison. For some there would be a same experience of injustice, imprisonment, beatings and the like. They would have connected empathetically (the sharing of a same experience) and feel the power of his conviction as the invitation to identify that same power for themselves. These are examples of the like-mindedness Paul urged them to experience among themselves.

Why would he ask this? We can safely assume that he had heard there was disconnect and discontent among them. They may have been willing to be connected to Paul. They may have even sent aid to him during his travels and his imprisonment. We hear many times of such messengers from those churches sent to Paul as an encouragement. We may even consider that they were compassionate to those in need within their own home community and provided for their needs. They held on to that sense of outreach just as Paul had asked them to participate in “the contribution to the saints.” Those were the believers who were in Jerusalem as part of the true first community of faith in Jesus Christ. They were at ground zero of a true persecution by Jews who remained as Paul had once been when his name was Saul. It is easier to be generous from a distance. Even these writings posted in Facebook, on WordPress.com and from time to time in other venues such as Instagram or Indeed in response to someone struggling for truth are offerings from a distance. What is the greatest challenge is sharing these “offerings” of faith and testimony to those within our circles of influence such as the local church and our own families. There is no doubt that Paul was aware of how Jesus had reconciled Peter back into the circle of faith in a powerful way. Peter may have been the leader because of the disciples’ initial call to gather with Jesus in Galilee. He was bold and brash and committed to the truth of the gospel. Peter also faltered to keep the faith in the early morning hours when Jesus had been arrested and was now being tried by both the leadership of the Temple (Caiaphas) and of Israel (Pilate and Herod). When confronted with his Galilean identity and association with the arrested, Peter denied it and finally disappeared into the shadows in shame as the prophesied rooster crowed. He wasn’t the only one of them who hid in timidity and fear. Now, even in the witness of Jesus’ resurrection, Peter felt disassociated from the disciples and his Lord. In the closing chapter of John, Peter is with only some of the disciples. We do not know where the rest of them might have been at the time. We do know they were not altogether nor of like mind. It was time to bring them all together. Jesus did this by bringing emotion, psychological and spiritual healing to Peter. He had to put all the bits of Peter together again into one solid foundation. This He did by reminding Peter of Peter’s love for Jesus. Jesus began to weave the threads which would bind them all to one another. Jesus demonstrated there and then the very function of the new commandment He gave to them: Love one another. He wanted them to be sympathetically, at the very least, and empathetically, the ultimate goal, connected. We see that happening in Acts 2.42 as the believers who were gathered in Jerusalem after the great Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit shared what they had with one another having “all things in common.”

The strength of the Church is this like-mindedness with one another and sharing all things in common to build one another up into the full measure and stature of Christ. In times of trial and tribulation, the Church must evidence its unity within the body of Christ without fail. There should be no discontent and disparagement within the community of faith. Jesus knew it wouldn’t be easy so He prescribed the pattern of discernment, correction and ultimate reconciliation. His desire was “that none should be lost” The enemy would seek to attack God’s people at any level of weakness and let doubt, fear and want become a festering wound. Jesus, the good shepherd, knew He was accountable for those who had been given Him. There had to be an accounting of responsibility for every one of them. Mighty ones, we are made shepherds, too, just as Peter was that day when Jesus reconciled him back into the flock as a shepherd and not merely as a sheep. In this Jesus reminded Peter of the critical like-mindedness necessary to fulfill his calling and to share the gospel with all the world building relationships of spirit and truth.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.