Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Keeping first things first.”
Our Bible verse for today: “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.” Philippians 4:2-3 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Avoid petty squabbles.”
Have you ever wondered who Euodia and Syntyche were, and what it was they were fighting about? We don’t know anything about them other than that Paul knew them and he was aware of the fact that they were on opposing sides of a public conflict. They were probably the cause of the conflict, and perhaps even leaders of opposing factions within the church.
So in this letter to the church in Philippi he calls these women out publically, and urges the church to help them resolve the conflict and to be reconciled to one another. Paul was also pretty explicit in pointing out that they were not keeping first things first.
In verse two he reminds them that they are Christian sisters and therefore they have to strive for unity and agreement in the Lord. Second, he reminds them that in the past they worked alongside each other, and with Paul, and with the other Christians, for the sake of the Gospel and for the cause of Christ. But now they were obviously allowing some petty secondary issue to disrupt the unity of the church and to distract themselves and others from the things that really mattered.
It was so much of an issue that Paul felt the need to address it in this public record which would ultimately be preserved for all time in the Bible. Ouch. I don’t know about you, but I would prefer to be remembered for other things rather then for being petty and small.
This Sunday, as we gather with our church families, I encourage all of us to give careful thought to the things we will focus on and to how much importance we will assign to them. Only one thing really matters and that is to exalt Jesus and to advance His kingdom. Everything else is small potatoes. I urge you to keep first things first.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 