Read Philippians 2:1-4:
1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. 3 Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not [only] for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
How does your relationship with Christ affect who you are? What motivates the way that you serve and lead? This second chapter of Philippians begins in the middle of his line of thought which backs up to chapter one verse 27. The overall theme of this section is the natural unity that is to be found within the church. Quickly this takes the form of a discussion of the role that the humility of the individual plays in the unity of the church.
It is likely that verses one and two are intended more as an emotional plea than as a rational point by point arguement. Paul desrcibes in verse one how the very nature of the believer's relationship with Christ is the grounds for this unity-building humilty. In verse two, his plea turns personal; that his own joy would be completed or fulfilled if the Phillipian church expressed unity. His description of unity in the second have of this vierse is quite valuable: he focuses on oneness in thinking, affection, and purpose - all of which should the church. To put this into a negative application, what would it look like for those who serve/lead in technology to have a contradictory purpose, different affections, or incompatible thinking from the rest of the church? Surely the type of unity which Christ tells us will be a great witness to the world (John 13:35) will not be the result.
Moving to a more instructive tone, Paul begins in verse three to address the issues of the heart that form our motivations. He specifically targets selfish ambition - a difficult issue to pinpoint within our motives. Often the line bewteen our godly ambition (that Christ be glorified, people saved and discipled, etc) and seflish ambition, only is discernable when things do not go the way we plan them to go. The idea that we should consider others more important than ourselves is key to Paul's understanding of humilty. Notice he is not sugessting that we hate or devalue ourselves (for we are loved and valued by Christ such as to motive His work on the cross), but that we should see the love of God for others and seek to value them accordingly.
In verse four we find essentially a practical summation of the wisdom the precedes. In looking out for one anothers interests, we are taking on the perspective of others - a vital element of of humility. The effect is that selfishness dies and our love becomes that which Paul says "does not seek its own." (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Surely this section was intended to apply to the daily workings and life of the church - both the spiritual and the practical. As such, the applications for the modern church are endless. Perhaps a vivid one for church technical serveants might be the interworkings of our relationships with those serving in the music ministry. Often filled with conflict due to various factors such as a lack of understanding one another, competing priorities (think loud guitar amp), and sadly sometimes the basic sin-problem of pride.
Sources: Silva, M (1992). Philippians: Baker Exegetical Commentary. Grand Rapids Michigan: Baker Book House.Hawthorne, G. (1983)Phillipians: Word Biblical Commentary. Waco, Texas: Word Books
Application Questions:
1) What would church relationships (especially the music - technology relationship) look like if colored by oneness in thinking, affection, and purpose?
2) How can the meaning of this passage be applied within the leader/volunteer realationships so vital to church technology ministry?
Group Discussion Questions:
1) How can we as a church, we as a technology team better exemplify the exhortations of Paul in this passage?
2) What is at stake if we do this poorly?
