I delivered this talk at a Bible College chapel service in 2025.
I recently memorized Philippians 4. Memorization forces word-by-word study, so it reveals things I miss in general reading. I want to share with you this morning three things I discovered in Philippians 4 that I missed before.
First, I had previously overlooked the verse between two oft-quoted verses. Those verses are: first, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice,” (Philippians 4:6) and second,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Do you know the verse between them? It is: “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5) I found it odd yet revealing that I missed it. A few years ago, I went through marriage problems, and my wife and I sought counseling. The counselor’s primary advice to me was, “Charles, you must be more kind and gentle.” Since that observation, the Lord has revealed to me many verses where he commands gentleness. As I memorized 1 Timothy 6, Paul commands gentleness in his final words:
“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)
It’s a fruit of the spirit:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
And, here, I had discovered it in Philippians. I must listen to the whole counsel of God, and especially the parts that demand change. Perhaps you, like me, could use the reminder of gentleness: perhaps in the way you treat your spouse, your child, your brother, your sister, your friend, the stranger, the annoying one. And the motive, though brief, makes sense: “The Lord is near.” Remember that God is not far away; he observes every word you say. Would you really use those harsh words if the Lord were in the room? And I will give you one help. To give yourself a mind toward gentleness, learn empathy. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Try to understand what makes them not live to your standard. By understanding them better, you have a better chance of treating them gently. Be ready, be ready for his return, and be gentle.
Second, Paul says,
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
This wasn’t something I missed before, but placing every word into my mind was something I had. By focusing on every word in the phrase, it naturally brought up the very things Paul advised: the true, the noble, the right, the pure, the lovely, the admirable. And given its key repeated word is “whatever,” there are plenty of other excellent and praiseworthy things I thought on and should still think on. I’m a pessimist; I focus on problems. While that may be beneficial in my field as an engineer, it places my emphasis incorrectly in the kingdom. Our God reigns, not Satan. Christ achieved victory in his resurrection. And he will ultimately bring his kingdom over all the earth. The things that are excellent and praiseworthy will ultimately be the norm. Where does your mind go? Do you, like me, focus on the problems, what’s in the way? Then take this verse to heart. First, remember that God is over all, and his kingdom will overcome. Correct your wrong thinking. Remember Christ’s sacrifice for you on the cross. Be grateful for the many bastions of truth that still prevail in our world. Thank the Lord that he’s gifted you his word of truth. Be grateful for teachers and officials who cling to truth. Thank the Lord for your beautiful land, the trees, the grass, the rain. Praise the Lord for the good musicians and artists in your land. Thank the Lord for your friends and relatives who care for you. Be grateful for brothers and sisters in Christ who reflect his love to you. Smile at the child who finds joy in something new. Praise the Lord when you see a married couple embrace. In all things, rejoice in the good and love as the Lord loves you.
Third, Pauls says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) I’ve heard this oft-quoted to those in need, but the context suggests a different audience. The paragraph where this verse exists begins with Paul thanking the Philippians for their generosity. They sent aid when he set out from Macedonia (15); they sent him aid again and again (16); and, they sent him aid while he was imprisoned in Rome (14). And, with that backdrop, Paul promises that God will meet all their needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. So, applying this verse to anyone is a stretch; more likely, it applies just to the generous. And therefore, it is limiting. Yet, it also implies a promise. Most likely, it implies that if you are generous, the Lord will be generous to you. How is your generosity? And I do not just mean just finances; I mean talents. First, set your mind correctly: all you have and all you are was given you by God. Your talents were given. Your achievements were aided. Your money was granted. Therefore, give as the Lord gave you. Help the poor. Aid the elderly across the street. Spend time with the lonely. Encourage your brothers and sisters with your musical gifts. Use your cooking abilities to nourish others. Strengthen the weak. Be kind to children. Give of yourself. Do not hold back. You were made to serve. Be generous.
This morning, I shared with you new discoveries I made in Philippians, and I challenged you in three areas: being gentle, thinking on excellent and praiseworthy things, and being generous. And I gave numerous examples of each. After such a broad talk, we tend to commend ourselves for the examples we do well and ignore the examples we do poorly. We don’t like change. Yet, the Christian life isn’t about comfort; it’s about conforming to Christ’s image: casting off our old self with its practices and being transformed in the image of Christ. Don’t ignore the things you do poorly from this talk. Instead, name the one area you are most deficient, that area you ignored. Then, repent to God for your past deficiency, ask him for a new mind and a new spirit, and go and sin no more.
And now I will close with one of Philippians’ final verses: “To our God and Father be glory forever and ever, Amen.” (Philippians 4:20)