Body Building: Lord Help me Like the Women at My Church Session 1

Wanted to be able to share with those of you who couldn’t be with us as we started our summer series.  Thank you to so many who were serving our body this weekend in many ways! Didn’t want you to be left out so please take a look at what we covered and join us for the next class and some of the times of fellowship.  Watch for the dates to be posted.
So let me tell you about two ladies in the church: a little background they were working side by side together serving the Lord, they heard the same messages, worshipped and sang together and when others saw them they probably thought of them as good friends.
Then they fell into a trap—they had differing views on something and a disagreement arose between them. Perhaps it was something small, but with time and the fuel of selfishness and unforgiveness it grew to a point where it not only affected them but began to hurt the entire church.
You may know of similar circumstances. The people I'm referring to, however, were a part of the early church at Philippi. The apostle Paul gives specific pastoral instruction to them in the book of Philippians. He doesn't provide much detail about these ladies, but we can get part of the picture if we look at the verses carefully.
Please turn to Phil 4:1-3 
Verse 1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
Paul knows and loves this church, what precious words he uses.  Paul ministered at Philippi during his second missionary journey, spending about three months in this city. Paul shared the gospel and brought many to faith in Christ. These people would form the core of the flourishing church in the city. Among them was Lydia, a businesswoman who opened her home to Paul and his coworkers (Acts 16:13–15). Women were a vital part of the early church even when women's status and freedoms were severely limited by Jewish law and custom in ancient Israel, as they were in essentially all other cultures at the time.
The exhortation itself: So stand fast in the Lord. Being in Christ, the church must stand fast in Him and be even and steady in their walk with Him. To stand fast in the Lord is to stand fast in his strength and by his grace; not trusting in ourselves, or any sufficiency of our own. We must be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Ephesians 6:10
Right after expressing his heartfelt feelings toward this body of believers and encouraging them in the Lord we hear:

² I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.          

Disagreement had arisen between these two women, and it concerned Paul enough to address it in this public letter.

Euodias (yoo-OH-dih-uhs) and Syntyche (SIN-tih-kee). Euodias means “a pleasant scent”; Syntyche means “fortunate.”

These two sisters certainly had an admirable side, for Paul describes them as “women who labored with me in the gospel” (verse 3). This suggests they were prominent in the church doing Christian work. Their very prominence may be one reason why Paul endeavored to deal publicly with the conflict. Let’s stop here and ask: How does this conflict affect: new believers, fellow workers, leaders and even the Apostle Paul (not present at the church)

Paul does not take sides—he addresses both women in the epistle. Both needed to do something about their behavior, which had been disruptive enough to reach the ears of the distant apostle Paul.
Notice also that Paul addresses both women. This shows that both needed to change, as is the case in most disagreements. Notice he tells them "be of the same mind in the Lord," (4:2).  And verse 3 states whose names are in the Book of Life, these women are believers in Jesus Christ.
How do others see you in the church? Is there something in your behavior that needs to change? These questions were posed in last week’s blog.

• I know she doesn't like me so I'll just be cordial and keep my distance
• They don't like me
• What did she mean by that comment about my blouse?
• She just thinks she is so.....
• I'm too progressive of a thinker for these women
• I don't measure up
• They don't measure up
  These thoughts are planted by the evil one.  His goal is to keep us from thinking the best of one another and covering each other's faults with love.
  Take a few minutes and think about where you need to change and then pray and ask the Lord to help you in this. An great extra step would be to reach out to another sister and encourage them to take a look at this post then you can pray for one another.
  Paul knew that true joy comes only through humble faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ, joining ourselves in harmony with His followers, and serving others in the name of Christ. This was the life experienced by the Philippian believers, and it is a life available to us today. Allow the joy you find in Christ to keep you from useless quarrels and divisions and to instead guide you into harmonious relationships with God’s people.  As we spend time together this summer we will encourage one another to “put on love”!