Well may the Lord be pleased
to bless us together then this evening as we continue our meditation
in the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians and the second chapter
tonight and we will meditate on the first two verses. That's
the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians chapter two and reading verses
one and two and we'll read them. If there be therefore any consolation
in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the
Spirit, if any bowels and mercies. Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be
like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord of
one mind." I'm sure we know that the Apostle's great desire was
for the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and that in
their considerations that the name of the savior Jesus Christ
might be lifted up and might be honored and glorified. He comes and says if there be
therefore any consolation in Christ. We might think this word
consolation really means a exhortation or entreaty. So if there be therefore
any consolation or exhortation or entreaty in Christ, let us
note of course that the apostle directs us to the need for it
to be in Christ, not out of Christ, but in Christ. Meaning therefore
that the Savior is central in such a consideration. What a beautiful thought and
knowledge it is, if Christ is therefore our consolation and
that we join together in that true desire. When the apostle
wrote to the Hebrews and in the sixth chapter in verse 18 we
read that by two immutable things, that means things that can't
be changed, in which it was impossible for God to lie, and that's a
wonderful truth, isn't it? To know that God never lies. Everything that he says, everything
in his word is complete truth, not the smallest vestige of an
untruth. We might have a strong consolation,
a strong consolation with Christ, in Christ, who have fled for
refuge till they hold upon the hope set before us. Well, it
is a blessing if the whole Church of God, as they will, come to
that refuge, the refuge for sinners, the gospel makes known. And there
is that unity of spirit, therefore, in this true desire that there
may be that joining together in Christ, not out of Christ. if you and I are in Christ and
desire to be in Christ, so many other things will pass away and
be irrelevant. Also we're told when he wrote
to the Thessalonians, a very similar statement he tells us
in the second epistle and in the second chapter in verse 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself
and God, even our Father, which has loved us and has given us
everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. Well, what a mercy that is, if
the Lord has indeed given to us. We as individuals can join
together in love, realizing there is this consolation which joins
us together the desire to exhort the name of the Saviour. What
a mercy that is, what a blessing that is, if we are favoured to
be among such. If there be therefore any, any
consolation in Christ, we might think perhaps the smallest amount
or the greatest amount, but if there's any consolation in Christ,
then he goes on say if any comfort of love and that means love to
Christ and love to the brethren again there's a great link up
here a great unity because if we truly love the Savior because
he wonderfully loves us we shall love the brethren it is a very
clear indication we are one of the Lord's, where there is that
wonderful unity of spirit. And indeed it is a comfort to
us as we journey on to know this blessing of love. So the apostle
says, if any comfort of love, that means really if there is
not any comfort of love, then there is really no consolation. But if there is, what a mercy
what a blessing there is. He tells us in John's Gospel,
the 13th chapter, verse 34. A new commandment I give unto
you, that ye love one another. Don't hate, but we love one another. As I have loved you, that ye
also love one another. If there's no love, surely There's
no indication that we know Christ's love in our hearts, but surely
there will be this wonderful pattern. If the Lord has loved
us, we will love him and we will love the brethren. So what an
encouragement it is to realize this blessing and says, therefore,
if any comfort of love and then if any fellowship of the Spirit. And that means that we are joined
together in fellowship. We speak about fellowship, don't
we? Fellowship one with another. But there is a joining together. What a mercy there is. And when
the Apostle wrote to the Ephesians, this is what he said in the fourth
chapter in the third verse. Endeavoring to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There will be the endeavouring,
therefore, to keep unity of the Spirit, the Spirit of Christ,
and not allow any separation, not allow anything to come in
to spoil this unity which the Lord graciously and wonderfully
gives to His Church. And therefore, if any fellowship
of the Spirit..." He goes on also, when he wrote to the Corinthians,
a very Similar statement in the first epistle and the 12th and
13th verses. For by one spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether
we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one
spirit. That truly sets before us unity
of Christ. And of course If we are blessed
with this wonderful favour of drinking into one Spirit, surely
it means that we are partakers of the body and blood of the
Saviour. And as the Lord says, unless
ye eat the flesh and drink the blood, the Son of God, there
is no life in you. So we see the importance then
of the unity of the Spirit what a mercy it is if you and I found
therefore together in this blessed situation if any fellowship of
spirit if any bowels and mercies well bowels of course is a word
which we don't use very much today but really what it means
is pity or sympathy so if any pity or simplicity or sympathy
again amongst the brethren, the brothers and sisters in Christ,
to pity them, to have sympathy towards them. If we know and
see them passing through times of trouble, we don't stand aloof,
but we understand the glorious parable that Jesus spoke of the
Good Samaritan, because the Good Samaritan came where he was.
And we know, of course, that represents the Saviour coming
to us, but nonetheless we don't want to be the Levites and the
Pharisees who pass by on the other side. What a mercy then
there is, if any pity or any sympathy, and really this next
word follows on, mercies, to show mercy one to another. All these things unite, love,
fellowship, spirit in the spirit, and then pity and sympathy and
mercies. What a mercy it is for us tonight,
if we can trace out the evidence of that in our lives. And then
the second verse tells us, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded,
having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. And it's really the evidence
of the fruit of the Spirit, as we read in Galatians in the fifth
chapter, about the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness. These are the things that bind
us together. And reading Matthew Henry, he
makes this comment, which is a very succinct statement really. He says, for if one loves Christ,
another antichrist, if one loves one doctrine, another the opposite
to it, if one loves a teacher of the law, another a preacher
of the gospel, if one loves one gospel minister, and one loves
another, in distinction from the opposition to the other,
if one loves the rich and not the poor, if one loves men of
great gifts and graces and neglects the meaner saints, when this
is the case, they cannot be said to have the same love, nor can
there be harmony, concord and agreement. Well, that's a good
statement, really, which proves what we read in the second verse.
Fulfill ye my joy. Joy for the apostle when he observes
this lovely unity of the fellowship of the true church of God, that
ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord
of one mind and then perhaps just finally one last reference
in the Corinthians again and the first chapter verses five
and six the apostle says for as the sufferings of Christ abound
in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ and whether
we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation, which
is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which
we also suffer. For whether we be comforted,
it is for your consolation and salvation." I'm sure we can appreciate
the desire the Apostle had for unity of the Church. He sets
it before us in these two verses. There's much more in this chapter,
but this is how this commences, and we are thankful for it, and
we pray that the Lord may apply it to our souls, for our eternal
good, for the church's good, and for the honour and glory
of our God. Amen.