Making Context Enjoyable and Fruitful!

[Jayne]

I did a lesson on context a couple of weeks ago in Sunday School because the Sunday before I accidently taught two lessons in a row back to back.  I should have done half of 2 Timothy 2 and hadn't really looked at the chart and taught the whole chapter by error.  

So I was stuck with a Sunday without a lesson and needed a filler.  Contextual skills are always good - so we did some of that:  John 3:16; Jeremiah 29:11, and Philippians 4:4.

I like to share the Philippians 4:4 context exercise that we did together.

Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the LORD always and again I say, rejoice".

If you are like me - it's hard sometimes to rejoice. So many things interfere with joy.  And it's hard to just force it and "be" joyful.  So what can help?  Context.

Good context skills calls for looking at verses before and afterward to increase the understanding of even simple verses like this one.

• The verses before doesn't initially seem to provide much in the way of explaining or adding to verse 4.
•  But the verses afterward do.
  •  Verse 5 - "let your gentleness be known".  When we are calm enough to be truly gentle with others, that helps our own joy AND vice verse - the more we live in God's joy - the more gentle we will be with others.  I know when I am angry or put out - the far less gentle I am.
  •  Verse 6 -  "Don't fret and worry."  That will certainly crush your joy in the Lord.  Take those fears and anxious thoughts to the LORD and in your "praying and pleading with God" do so in a spirit of "thankfulness and gratitude".  Approaching the LORD with grateful thanks and casting our burdens on him will definitely give way to rejoicing unhindered!
  •  Verse 7 - Then "the peace of God" - a peace that "transcends" our understanding will do us some true good.  What good?  It will "guard our hearts and minds" IN Christ Jesus.  If we experience that peace because of what we do in verses 5 and 6, the how wonderful that the peace of God will GUARD our hearts and mind from all that robs us of God's joy and our ability to "rejoice in the LORD always"!
  •  Verse 8 - Finally, Paul says that our thoughts should rest in some very specific things:  true things, pure things, things of good report, and more.  When that happens - our joy cannot help but come naturally and increase in strength.
  •  Verse 9 - Here's the homework!  LOL! - Paul says to "practice these things" and the "peace of God will be with you."  

So there's more to "rejoice in the LORD always and again I say rejoice" than meets the eye.

And what about those verses before verse 4 that seemingly didn't have anything to do with rejoicing?

Verses 2 and 3 - Well, apparently two faithful women who had been a great help to Paul in his ministry were having a disagreement over something.  Paul ask the recipient of the letter of Philippians to "help" these women and another person.  You can't help people with a spiritual burden if you are burdened yourself and not in a spirit of gentleness, peace, understanding and JOY in the LORD [which is not giddiness].

The more in tune you are and the more obedient you are to Philippians 4:4-9 - the more God can use you to "help" other brothers and sisters in Christ who need encouragement.

I urge you to practice these contextual skills in your private studies.  I've learned to enjoy them so very much.