Philippians 4:1-3
Syzygus was nervous. He paced back and forth, biting his lower lip as he thought about the task that lay before him. In a little less than an hour he would be meeting with a group of believers in his home. Two women would be there. One was Euodia, who had been one of the first converts in Philippi. She had graciously opened her home, so the followers of Christ would have some place to meet for worship and for teaching. Syzygus had admired her courage and leadership from the first. He was the leader of this group of Christians. He’d been put in charge by Paul himself. But Euodia was the backbone of this little congregation.
A problem had arisen, and Syzygus wasn’t sure how he was going to handle it. It was time for him to step forward and take charge of the situation. Syzygus thought through how it had all began, hoping he would find a way to bring the situation under control.
Two months ago, a younger woman was brought to church by Euodia. Syntyche was her name. Euodia had been talking to Syntyche about Jesus and the group of believers who met in her home. It seemed to be an ideal situation--the older, wiser Euodia, gently bringing this young woman into the fold. Even though Syntyche lived on the other side of the city, Euodia was going out of her way to make almost daily contact with her young friend.
Syzygus remembered back to the night that Syntyche gave her life to Christ. There were a number of people who had come to Euodia’s house wanting to find out more about Jesus. Syzygus had preached about how Jesus had changed his life. Many of the two dozen believers shared how Jesus had touched their lives also, and how they had come to believe. Stories of dramatic turn-arounds were shared. Questions about Jesus were asked and answered. Several times that night the group stopped their story-sharing for prayer. The Holy Spirit was moving amongst that little collection of believers and seekers.
Then it happened. Syntyche stood up, weeping and holding herself, and cried out, “I want to have Jesus in my life! I want the salvation of Jesus! I want to be free of my sin and my past. I want to live! I want to live with Jesus!” Euodia quickly moved to her side. Syzygus asked two of the other believers to bring a bucket of water from the well. Euodia was leading the people in prayer, saying a line, and then all would repeat it. The others who were still not sure about these Christians, watched everything that was happening with expressions that were a mixture of fear and wonder.
Those with the water bucket came hurriedly into the home, spilling water as they came. Syzygus asked everyone to step outside, where they all gathered around him, Euodia and Syntyche. Syzygus reached out and held Syntyche by the shoulders and said, “Syntyche, you have expressed your faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life. Do you now wish to be baptized in his name?”
Through a tear streaked face, she shook her head, “Yes.”
Syzygus then said, “Under this water you will be with Jesus in his death. When you rise up from this water, you will rise up with Jesus in his miraculous Resurrection. The person you once were, you will be no longer. The person you are and are to become in Jesus is now who you will be. Sin and the past will no longer be the master of your life. Only Jesus will be your Master. Is this what you want?”
“Yes!” Syntyche burst out. “With all of my heart!”
Syzygus motioned for the bucket of water. Euodia had Syntyche kneel, then backed away a step. Syzygus held the bucket over Syntyche’s head and began to pour. The water cascaded down upon the kneeling and praying form of Syntyche while Syzygus spoke, “Syntyche, I baptize you in the name of Jesus our Savior. Receive the Holy Spirit.” When all the water had been poured out upon her, he reached down his hand, and said, “Arise, Syntyche; arise in Christ our Resurrected Lord.” She stood, a beaming smile upon her face. Euodia led everyone in a responsive hymn, and then they all congratulated Syntyche, welcoming her into the faith and their little body of believers.
Syzygus stopped his pacing, closed his eyes and paused his remembering so he could say a quick prayer of thanks to God for that wonderful night. But then other memories interrupted his praying. Memories of how a rift had grown between those once close women. Soon the two women would be gathering with other believers Syzygus had asked to come and be part of the healing. He began pacing again, wondering how it would go.
Syzygus had asked everyone to come to his home. He had received a letter from Paul, and everyone should come hear it, was the word Syzygus had put out. No one would want to miss hearing Paul’s letter read, including the two feuding women. They had both come, but they were sitting in opposite sides of the room, surrounded by their supporters, as if they were two wrestlers ready to come out of their corners when the gong sounded.
Syzygus knew what was in the letter. He had read it earlier. He had sent word to Paul about the situation between the two women, and had been anxiously awaiting a reply. He held the papyrus scroll in his hands. It was not as much as he had hoped, but he realized the little Paul had written was full of wisdom. Would the women hear it? Better yet, would they listen to it?
The room was silent as Syzygus opened the scroll and began to read Paul’s flawless handwriting. Slowly, Syzygus read his way through the letter, getting nods of approval and thoughtful expressions on the faces of those gathered. Syzygus felt like he had a live bird in his belly and it had grown in size as he neared the place in the letter. He took a deep breath, swallowed the bird down out of his throat, and continued reading:
My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don’t waver. Stay on track, steady in God.
I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn’t want his children holding grudges.
And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you’re right there to help them work things out, do your best with them. These women worked for the Message hand in hand with Clement and me, and with the other veterans—worked as hard as any of us. Remember, their names are also in the Book of Life.
Syzygus stopped reading, but kept staring at the words on the scroll, afraid to look up, and really afraid to look in each of the corners of the room where the women sat.
“How did Paul find out,” a voice asked. Syzygus knew it was Syntyche’s.
“I wrote to him,” Syzygus confessed
“I did, too.” Syzygus’ head snapped up to see who had spoken. It was Cletus, one of the original converts who had first heard the gospel from Paul.
“And so did I,” said another. Three others raised their hands pointing to themselves, signaling that they also had brought the situation to Paul’s attention. Syzygus’ shoulders relaxed quickly as he pleasantly realized he was not carrying this burden alone. Others were bothered by it as well. Syzygus would have much welcome support in the process he was about to lead.
Syzygus took advantage of this revelation. “Do you see what this means?” he spoke to the two women. They both quickly avoided his looking at them and did not speak. “It means,” he continued, “that your arguing and divisiveness affects us all. It isn’t just between you two--it is about us all.” Still they would not meet his look, nor would they speak. “Your feuding defines us all. We are no longer concerned about growing in our faith, but instead whose side we are on. Jesus no longer occupies our thinking. You two, and your gossipy bickering have taken over that spot. I believe, as your leader, given my authority by Paul, that this fight can not be resolved simply by you two alone, but must involve all of us. This is not just your problem; this is our problem.” Syzygus paused to let his words sink in to all those listening.
“And what’s worse,” Syzygus started in again, “is that it took Paul to remind you two, to remind us all, to whom we belong. We belong to the Lord Jesus. We think that Jesus is only part of our worship and our praise, and forget that Jesus is a part of our everyday lives also. And that includes our arguing and bickering and behind the back gossiping. Do you understand that?” Syzygus had rehearsed this speech over and over in his head ever since he got Paul’s letter, but now in the moment, he wasn’t sure it was coming out like he intended.
“Euodia,” he said looking her straight in the face. Then turning his head to the other side of the room, “Syntyche,” he said. “Listen to Paul’s words. ‘You belong to the Lord.’ Do you believe that?” They both nodded, “Yes.” “Do you know what that means?” he asked. No response from either woman.
Then Euodia spoke. “I believe it means we are not our own. I believe it means that we don’t get to do how our inclinations lead, but instead we are to move in the direction that our Lord leads. I believe,” she said slowly, “it means we involve Jesus in everything we do, both the good and the bad. I believe,” and now everyone gathered was repeating after her as if she were leading them in a unison reading, “that what we have as our common unity is Jesus the Lord. I believe, that every time we argue, we are not just tearing the fabric of our relationship with each other, we are tearing Christ. That is what I believe.” And there she stopped talking.
Syzygus allowed the silence to do its work.
When the silence crossed the line and became uneasy, Syzygus cleared his throat and said, “You know what I was remembering this morning? I was remembering the night of your baptism, Syntyche. It was one of the most moving experiences of faith that I have witnessed. I was remembering who was standing by your side the whole time--the same person who first told you about Jesus. As I remembered, I wished that the two of you could be like that again. I wished that that memory of the night of your baptism wouldn’t be smeared by the sight of you both in opposition to each other now. With our dear friend, Paul, I add my weight to his pleading, knowing I can’t force you two to reconcile. I can only beg of you to see clearly in this. For our sake as your brothers and sisters in Christ. For your own sake. And for the sake of the Lord Jesus to whom you both belong and binds you together.”
And then he stopped talking. He simply stood waiting and watching for any movement from either corner of the room.
No comments:
Post a Comment