Be Strong

Series on Philippians

IX Exhortations to Steadfastness, Unity, Prayer and Proper Thought

A Standing Firm, Text: 4:1

Title: Be Strong

Introduction

Even though there are multitudes in our post-modern society that never take a stand on anything, many enthusiastically defend causes. Protect the manatees, protect the Florida Panther, protect the environment and more importantly protect the unborn. We are probably have more license plates for people who are taking a stand than any other state. Unfortunately, although these are worthy causes, in the end they will all pass away, even the protection of the unborn. While it has eternal consequences, ultimately it too will come to an end. There is one stand that will not. As the old Gospel hymn states, in verse 4, “Stand up stand up for Jesus the strife will not be long, today the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song. To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be. He with the king of glory shall reign eternally.” Paul uses the word stand, or stand firm in writing to the Romans, the Corinthians, the Galatians, the Philippians, the Colossians and the Thessalonians, but perhaps the most memorable passage is Ephesians 6: 10-18, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devilís schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. So standing firm is not an option, it is a necessity. Let’s look at the challenge.

I The Company

The command to stand firm is addressed to a company of believers, Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! Paul uses the word beloved in this verse twice. The New International Version translation “dear friends” obscures that fact. In this place he calls them dearly beloved a second time and says he longs for them. We are never asked to stand alone. In one of my favorite Peanuts cartoons, Lucy demands that Linus change TV channels and then threatens him with her fist if he doesn’t. “What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?” asks Linus. “These five fingers,” says Lucy. “Individually they’re nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold.” “Which channel do you want?” asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, “Why can’t you guys get organized like that?” We should remember that sanctification is not taught in the New Testament as an individual experience. If it is not communal, it isn’t real growth. We have acquaintances who profess to be Christian but who have no connection to the visible church. They cannot grow. Listen to what Paul says in Ephesians 4:11-16 It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

II The Crown

Paul says my joy and crown. The Greek word for crown here is to be distinguished from another word from which we get our word diadem. This is not a kingly or priestly crown. It is the victor’s crown at an athletic contest. This is a metaphor that Paul has employed in this letter. He says in Chapter 3:12-14, Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. In I Corinthians 9:24,25 Paul writes, Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. The key thing is that Paul’s crown is not a physical reward. I am proud of my children. To me they are a crown of glory. In the book of Proverbs we read that a virtuous woman is a crown to her husband. And “children’s children are the crown of old men.” It is the time you invest and the blessing you bring to others that is the real crown. When you bring joy and hope to others through your witness in word and deed, you have something much more valuable than a crown of diamonds and gold, or material success or fame. You have a joy and crown that will not fade away.

III The Command

That is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! We have already seen Paul’s frequent emphasis on standing fast in his letters. Now I want to emphasize the phrase “in the Lord.” This is more than just a pietistic reference. When Paul says THAT is how you should stand fast he is referring back to his own testimony in Chapter 3. In fact the paragraphing of the New International Version includes this verse as part of the last paragraph of Chapter 3. Paul’s testimony emphasizes the atoning sacrifice and righteousness of Christ. In all of his letters Paul is battling for the truth of the Gospel for Jew and Gentile as the fulfillment of the Old Testament. When Paul says stand fast in the Lord, he means in the truth of the Gospel and the communion of the Holy Spirit through that Gospel. Standing firm is not individual, nor is it directed at your reward for personal righteousness. Standing fast means that you should work together with your Brothers and Sisters for the ultimate triumph of the Gospel. Sometimes this is difficult to do. Paul proceeds immediately to a conflict in the church. But when we worship the Lord and repeat the Apostle’s Creed, or the Nicene Creed, together we are affirming our common confidence in Christ and asserting that it is our job to work together. I have a scrapbook full of letters of appreciation and commendation and some more hanging on the wall of my study. But my standing firm in the Lord has not come from these. It has come from the saints of Christ and their fellowship. Their progress in the gospel and their commitment is my real joy and crown.