Soulfood

Agree in the Lord

Shai Linne

As Shai was preparing and preaching sermons on Philippians in 2014 multiple blacks were killed by police (Eric Garner, the guy at Walmart, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice) and the riots went on. Working as the only black man in the congregation he was lonely. He came to Philippians 4 in a time of pain and sorrow.

I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow coworkers, whose names are written in the book of life.

This is serious – it required a mediator. It is between believers – they both had their names written in the book of life. They were in vital ministry together – they worked side by side with the apostle Paul!

Paul affirms their worth and ignores whatever the conflict actually was. They need to agree!

Phil 2:1-5 is the context for Paul’s “agree in the Lord” (“having the same mind” in 2:2). In a way, the whole letter is building to this exhortation to Euodia and Syntyche to apply the gospel.

Labor to develop a Spirit-cultivated affection and sympathy for the other.

Labor! This is work. It is hard. We can’t lay back and expect it to happen.

Spirit-cultivated – affection and sympathy comes from the work of the Spirit in our hearts – we don’t do this naturally.

Affection is the fuel that helps us continue to lean in to this labor even when it is hard. Affection leads us to trust that the other is well-intentioned.

Sympathy is necessary for us to understand and love the other. We learn sympathy for each other as we share life together.

The “other” is the person we wouldn’t normally like or enjoy hanging out with. Our names are all in the book of life together. (Rev 13:8) Phil 4:3

When we agree in the Lord we are saying something true about the God of the universe. When we refuse to agree we are telling falsehoods about the Lord.

How can I cancel somebody that Jesus thought enough of to write her name in the book of life? Our first thought when we think of those we disagree with is that we are in Christ together and will spend life eternal together.

What better model do we have than Jesus Christ? He was more other from us than any of us could be from each other. Out of his infinite treasure of affection and sympathy he humbled himself and entered into our suffering, and being found in human likeness he became obedient even to death. Oh that we would love each other with the affection and sympathy of Christ Jesus!