Episode 9: Gladly Finding Contentment in Christ (4:2-23)

28 Jun

Contentment. That Christian buzzword that feels ever so elusive, and yet as we reach the end of Philippians, Paul shows us the way to truly find contentment with joy. It’s our penultimate episode in our Philippians study - do join us as we wrap up the season next time.

1. How do these verses help guard against disunity?
2. How are these verses changed as you read them in context?
3. What does it look like for a heavenly mindset to continue shaping your relationships, responses and values?
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Sarah: You're listening to the Two Sisters and a Cup of Tea podcast, a 20-minute burst of Bible chat over a cup of tea and an English-style biscuit as we make our way through a Bible book over the course of the season and drive it to our hearts. Whether you've been listening for a while or have just found us, we are so pleased you're here. We love going through a catechism in our family, and the illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism from Christian Focus is a beautifully illustrated hardback book structured around questions and answers.

Catechisms are a great way of instilling big theological ideas in little hearts, whether you go through week by week or whether you dip in for a season. And this particular catechism would make a wonderful addition for any family's devotional life. Pick up your copy wherever you get your books.

Felicity: Welcome to Two Sisters and a Cup of Tea. My name is Felicity and I'm in the States. I'm here with my sister, Sarah. She's in the UK and we're excited to be getting back into Philippians together today. We're gonna be in chapter four. First of all, Sarah though, I have a good and it's not an unusual cup of tea, but it's just a little off my Yorkshire norm. I was wandering through, when I was back in London, a market and I came across a store, a stall that was called Bird and Blend and they marketed their tea that they had as the Great British Cupper and it's quite a claim. Well that's exactly it, it's quite a claim isn't it? They did also have a whole range of other teas. They even had one that was like a cream egg tea. I tried it and I thought I don't like this enough to actually spend money on it. Cream egg? I know and it actually did taste like a cream egg in a cup of tea. Yeah.

Sarah: Is it? Oh no. No. Cream egg?

Felicity:I know. This one, however, I've just got the classic English breakfast tea and it has on its packet. I just quite enjoyed the packaging. So this is from Bird & Blend Tea Company who are based in Brighton. And it says, contains one cup full of happiness may cause big smiles and sighs of relief. I just thought that was quite a lovely description of what happens when you have a good cup of tea. Maybe not the great British cuppa right here, but a good solid cup of tea.

Sarah: Oh, that's nice. Wow, that's just really lovely, isn't it?

Felicity: Isn't it? That's what I thought. Yeah. And alongside drinking cups of tea and enjoying talking about the Bible, we have this season been talking a lot about partnership that comes out of Philippians, but also in relation to the podcast. And our hearts have been thrilled, haven't they, by the ways in which people have been partnering with us over the course of us doing this podcast, really. And let's just reflect a little bit, like, in what way have we seen people partner with us? outwork this partnering that we see here. Can you give us some insight into that?

Sarah: To be honest, I think it's left us quite speechless, hasn't it? The way, particularly as we've kind of sought for people to partner with us over the course of this season, to see a real outpouring of that. We're just, I still sit here astounded actually as to how the Lord has been encouraging people to give towards what we're doing and people are getting behind what we're doing. But the amount of people who, the amount of messages that we receive, the amount of prayers that people are praying, and then people choosing to financially give towards what we're doing and see the value of what we're doing. I think we're just, yeah, speechless is actually the right word for how I'm feeling at the moment.

Felicity: It is. It is, isn't it? I, you know, there is. We're so, so grateful for all the financial partnering, but really, the comments that come with, you know, when people donate and then there's a little comment box, I was just literally crying as I was reading some of these comments, just the way in which people have been encouraging us and praying for us. I'm just really, I'm just, yeah, heart-thrilled. the way in which people pray for us. It really does feel like Philippians chapter one doesn't it? As we pray with joy with thankfulness for our listeners as they engage and partner with us and we're just so encouraged so we're just really thankful.

Sarah: Yeah, no, it's been a real gift. So I'll go next. Well, this end part of the letter really kind of pulls zones back in on partnership, doesn't it, in the gospel, and we're gonna really see that. So, Flisty, why don't you read it for us, and then we're gonna be thinking about that today.

Felicity: Love to you. Okay, we're in chapter four and we're going from verse two all the way down to the bottom. I plead with Eudia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers and sisters whatever is true whatever is noble whatever is right whatever is pure whatever is lovely whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice, and the God of peace will be with you. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. Whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only. For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I desire your gifts that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God, and my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet all God's people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God's people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Sarah: Amen.

Felicity: Amen, amen indeed. It is like, I thought it was helpful actually to be reading this. I know this makes perfect sense, like we're at the end of the letter so I found actually it really helpful to remember that it is part of a whole letter and we're about to get into a bunch of commands, aren't we? And it's maybe helpful just to flick back to the start of chapter two where we have

Felicity: Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, any comfort from his love, any common sharing in the spirit, that we were talking about at the start of chapter two, because we are in Christ, we do have encouragement, we do have love, we have Jesus. And so as we get into these commands, it's out of that, out of our union with Christ that we in any way want to do these things and might then even be able to do these things.

Sarah: Yeah, big time. And also, we're flowing out of what he's just been kind of imploring them to think with a heavenly mindset. Well, the whole way through the letter he has, hasn't he? But I think it's just really striking that here we see a heavenly mindset really does, it impacts their relationships, it impacts their responses to life and to one another, and to what unity looks like, and it impacts their values, it impacts their wallets, it impacts how they're gonna kind of press forward in life. And...I think that's just really helpful because I think, and you'll agree with me here, that this is one of those passages of scripture where a lot of these verses are plucked out of context and we do see them on our walls, we do see them on post-its, we do see them everywhere. But actually in the framework and in the context of this heavenly mindset they do take on more weight, more value, more depth, and I've really enjoyed seeing them in context.

Felicity: No, I think that's right. And it's just much more, it's more encouraging in context because I feel like, okay, I'm not just supposed to somehow not be anxious. But as I see, I'm not gonna jump straight into that one. Let's start at the, we've got these two women who are disagreeing. And I think just out of that, I thought, they're not, they're clearly not, we're not talking about enemy of the gospel and someone who's...

Sarah: Yeah. Now let's.

Felicity: in with Jesus. We're talking about two women who are like-minded, who are gospel-minded, who have been contending for Christ's name. And so, but as they struggle to agree, that heavenly mindset, in fact that Christ mindset of putting others before yourself of those things is going to mean that you might then be able to unite and not be so kind of shipwrecked by the disagreement.

Sarah: Yes, I think that's helpful. And what Paul's been saying before is that actually those who are mature in their mindset will take a heavenly view of things and that will aid unity and their witness is impaired as they don't take a heavenly mindset on things. I think that's kind of what he's driving. I don't think he's intending to shame them. I think he's just kind of saying, be of the same mind because...That's how you stand in a manner worthy of the Gospel together and keep striving and pressing forwards towards heaven. That actually heaven shapes your relationship with one another.

Felicity: Yeah, I didn't- Yeah, and that we've seen it all the way through, haven't we? This partnership is a key part of actually persevering, of keeping going. And so as they are able to agree with one another, they're more likely to be able to keep pursuing Christ and heaven, heavenward things. Yeah. OK, and then we come on to this rejoicing again, which takes us right back to the start of Chapter three. So rejoice in the Lord always. We know it's really important. That's what we were thinking about in Chapter three, weren't we?

Sarah: Yeah. And again, it's a safeguard, isn't it? And here, I think it is again, it's this kind of safeguard against disunity as well. Because actually, as you have this heavenly mindset and as it shapes your responses to situations that enables you then to be united with one another and to keep the main thing the main thing, doesn't it? And yeah, I just think it's just really helpful to remember that. With the kind of constant background of

Felicity: Yeah.

Sarah: being united in one spirit, one faith, one gospel together and seeing these situations in light of the future. So he says don't be anxious about anything. Actually, that's not easy, is it? It's not easy. But as we see our situations in light of heaven, it does help us to take that command and go, okay, I'm going to pray and I'm going to ask the Lord with thanksgiving.
present my request to him and then trust him because heaven is in view and that helps.

Felicity: Yeah. Yeah, I did. That's really, it's not that he's saying we won't be anxious. Like I think anxiety is a part of life. But as we are anxious, we can do something with that. And that's when we know the Lord is near, we know, yeah, we just have that perspective. We take the right view of things as we were talking about in chapter three. Yep, and then this verse seven, I mean, and the peace of God which transcends

Felicity: hearts and your minds and the outworking of that because actually that is very heavenly minded isn't it that is a mindset kind of thing your heart and your mind will be guarded in Christ Jesus as you bring everything to the Lord and it's all a part of that heavenly mindset that we've been seeing all the way through the letter so it fits it's not I think what I was thinking it's not it's not oh suddenly you're gonna get this peace that's just kind of somehow random actually this is all part of having that heavenly mindset

Sarah: Yeah, yeah, which then when you kind of flip over to verses eight and nine, and he asks you to think about all that is good, all that is lovely, all that is excellent and praiseworthy, again, it's this mindset of thinking of ongoingly treasuring Christ, treasuring what's going to be in heaven, what is it, you know, heavenly values.

Felicity: Thanks for watching.

Sarah: again that shapes how we respond to the now, doesn't it? And it shapes our values for the now as well. And again, that's like, those two verses are just like everywhere, aren't they? Every poster, and every poster, whatever it is. But actually, with Heaven in View, it takes a slightly different shape, do you think?

Felicity: Yeah. I think that's exactly it, because think about such things that essentially think about that which is as lovely as Jesus, as noble as Jesus, like that these things that reflect Christ, and as we dwell on that, then we are safeguarded and we are pursuing heavenly things. We are, our perspective is entirely shaped, and that perspective starts in the heart and the mind. You can't just kind of...add it on, it's not a tag on to just living normal life. It's not that, oh, we're a Christian, therefore, we're just gonna do life very like our unbelieving friends, and then we're just gonna just really try not to be anchored. So we're just gonna try and think about these things. But actually, as we heart level, mind level, engage with the gospel and dwell on Jesus, then the kind of, it's. spills out of that, it's an overflow of that. And it's a whole different lane, isn't it? Like we are, we're on that, what we was thinking about back in chapter three, we are pressing on towards those heavenwards things. And that is just running in a different direction. And the way in which we stay in that lane, the way in which we keep running is through this mindset, which is bolstered and which is built up by thinking on these things. And it's just, it all feeds off each other, doesn't it?

Sarah: Yeah, yeah, big time. And then that overflows into where we put our money. Basically, he's what he's saying, isn't he? Like where we choose to invest our present kind of things and stuff. He's kind of now using them. He's kind of been using himself as an example through the letter, but at this point, he then shifts to saying, well, actually you've been an example in investing in heaven. in this heavenly mindset and putting your money where your mouth and your prayers are. I just think that's really heartening at the end of the letter. I've been wrestling through with why is this here? Why is he choosing to end the letter in this way? But it is just really heartening, isn't it, that he drives it home with a, well, this is what contentment looks like for me and actually this is what contentment seems to be for you in that you're able to throw your money at heavenly endeavours. because you're wholeheartedly kind of the same mind as me. Would you say that? I mean, like, why do you think this is here?

Felicity: Yeah, yeah, and I, no, I think that's exactly it. I think this is, as we see them giving in this way, they are demonstrating that heavenly mindset, but more than that, that actually then goes back in and builds up the heavenly mindset. So if you see in verse 17, not that I desire your gifts. So it's not that Paul's saying, come on, I just really need money. What I desire is that more be credited to your account and that all your needs are met as you invest in heavenly things as you put your heart and your mind in this direction as you're running in this lane and So this very act of partnership which takes us right back to the very start of the letter doesn't it? I feel like this is a kind of a book ending of partnership to the letter and at the start Paul is saying I pray with thanks because of your partnership in the gospel and here we have the Exact kind of outworking of that. This is their partnership in the gospel As they partner in the gospel, they are built up even more in their gospel mindset and in their gospel living and in everything. It's just, it's different, I think, to how we think about giving. As we think about giving, and this is just a part of Christian discipleship, isn't it, to think about that with our money as well. But I think the difference here is, it's not that we're just supposed to just give our money and just not really think about it. It's actually the heart level engagement with gospel endeavours that then as we give money to it, we are built up in that, as are the people that we're partnering with. And that's pretty radical, I think.

Sarah: Yeah, it's kind of, you're giving opportunity for people to serve Jesus by giving, enabling the serving of Jesus to continue for those who are working in those particular endeavours. And that, I think that's really heartening. And I love that, like, the way that he finishes the letter, he just, it's a reminder, isn't it, that these people matter to him. In the last few verses, greet all of God's people, the brothers and sisters, like, God's people here send you greetings. Like...It's just a kind of one big hello and goodbye and oh we just really love you and we're just so thankful for you and it's all because of God's grace that I can write this and kind of, you know, encourage you to keep going and yeah it's just a really heartening end to the letter actually isn't it?

Felicity: really is, really is. We were saying just before we pressed record how nice it would be to go back to the beginning and just kind of work it through again and kind of sink into this mindset more. But that's it, isn't it? As we're in the word, as we're in this letter particularly, then that heavenly mindset, I feel like it's being sharpened every time I get in the letter. And as I get towards the end of it here, it's actually really helpful to have these quite specific.

Sarah: Yeah, I know. big time.

Felicity: things to really kind of wrestle with. Okay, well, what does it look like? Do I really have a heavenwards mindset? And if I do, then what does it look like when I feel anxious about something or when I'm struggling to rejoice? Like, why am I going to seek to rejoice in that? So I think it's been good to have a kind of nitty gritty kind of, okay, what does this look like on the ground as we're in this last chapter here?

Sarah: Really good. We pray for us, Listy, as we close.

Felicity: Father we praise you for Jesus. Thank you that as we dwell on him that we just, our eyes are lifted and we have this heavenly mindset. We praise you that through him we can even begin to think this way and to run this way and to walk this way. And so Father, we pray that you'd grow that in us. Please, would you grow us in a heavenly mindset that we would be able to bring our anxieties to you to pray without ceasing to give with our money, to think on these things, all the ways in which we see in this chapter. We pray, Father, that as we seek to do this, would you continue to build us up in that mindset Just be pressing on heavenwards because of Jesus and we pray this in your name. Amen

Sarah: Well, what a joy. We're going to come back next Friday though to round up the book as we so often do. It's really helpful to take some time to just review the book and just to really kind of think a bit more deeply on how it's hit our own hearts. And so we hope you'll join us for that final episode of season 11 next Friday. And we just want to say a massive thank you again for everyone who has chosen to partner with us over the course of this season, over the course of this year. We are just immensely thankful. We are deeply encouraged and we, yeah, we cannot wait to press on in this endeavor, but we look forward to seeing you next week as we round up the season. We'll see you then. Bye bye.

Felicity: Yeah. Absolutely. See you then, bye bye.

Sarah: This season has been sponsored by Christian Focus.