Advent 3
Devotional
Water From the Rock
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle C
Object:
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
-- Philippians 4:7
Far too many congregations succumb to the temptation to squabble and fight among themselves and fail to experience the joy that can be theirs in the faith. This is not a recent phenomenon within the church. Paul spent a great deal of energy counseling congregations about their internal fights. As we squabble, however, we seem to reflect more of the world's way of behaving than the gospel that brings us together. Immediately prior to this passage, Paul actually named names in commenting on an apparent quarrel within the church at Philippi. Paul was concerned about two women who were church leaders but who had apparently caused a rift within the church. He acknowledged their prior contributions to the building of the church and urged them to "be of the same mind in the Lord." He then asked others to help them come to an accord. He proceeded to offer his practical advice to the church in such events. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near."
At first that may seem like superficial advice in our problem-solving world. We have been schooled to believe that conflict must be resolved by techniques that force us to face the problem clearly and to seek a workable compromise. Yet Paul was illustrating the practical implications of his earlier admonition to "let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). When a church is in conflict, there is a need to shift the focus from the problem that divides it to the Lord who saved the church and to rekindle the joy that the church felt in receiving the gift of faith.
Members of churches have a tendency to allow issues to become so important that they are willing to allow the issues to divide the body of Christ and thus participate in the crucifixion again. It is difficult, but a significant step of faith, to trust that God will help the church to discern the truth in time. "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." When a congregation does not know how to resolve a conflict but is willing to trust God, it begins to experience that "peace of God, [that] passes all understanding...."
-- Philippians 4:7
Far too many congregations succumb to the temptation to squabble and fight among themselves and fail to experience the joy that can be theirs in the faith. This is not a recent phenomenon within the church. Paul spent a great deal of energy counseling congregations about their internal fights. As we squabble, however, we seem to reflect more of the world's way of behaving than the gospel that brings us together. Immediately prior to this passage, Paul actually named names in commenting on an apparent quarrel within the church at Philippi. Paul was concerned about two women who were church leaders but who had apparently caused a rift within the church. He acknowledged their prior contributions to the building of the church and urged them to "be of the same mind in the Lord." He then asked others to help them come to an accord. He proceeded to offer his practical advice to the church in such events. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near."
At first that may seem like superficial advice in our problem-solving world. We have been schooled to believe that conflict must be resolved by techniques that force us to face the problem clearly and to seek a workable compromise. Yet Paul was illustrating the practical implications of his earlier admonition to "let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). When a church is in conflict, there is a need to shift the focus from the problem that divides it to the Lord who saved the church and to rekindle the joy that the church felt in receiving the gift of faith.
Members of churches have a tendency to allow issues to become so important that they are willing to allow the issues to divide the body of Christ and thus participate in the crucifixion again. It is difficult, but a significant step of faith, to trust that God will help the church to discern the truth in time. "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." When a congregation does not know how to resolve a conflict but is willing to trust God, it begins to experience that "peace of God, [that] passes all understanding...."
