Philippians 2:12-13; Integrity Check

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, (13) for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

A man was pulled over for speeding. His dialogue with the police officer went like this:

Police officer: “Sir, why were you speeding?”

Driver: “Well officer, because I didn’t see you.”

And that’s the truth isn’t it?  I think its human nature to try to get away with as much as can.  How fast can I drive without getting caught?  How much can I “adjust” my taxes without raising eyebrows at the IRS?  How far can I go with my significant other without having consequences?  How much can I fudge my hours without the boss noticing?  Opportunities to be disobedient abound…

And all disobedience matters; not just the big ones.  Lying is lying, cheating is cheating, and stealing is stealing.  The bank robber and the person who orders a water at the counter but gets a Sprite at the drink station have the same motivation: I want something and I don’t want to pay.  The heart behind the big sin is the same as the heart behind the small sin; and God is most concerned with our heart.

Take a hard look at your life – are there areas where your integrity is slipping.  Are you telling half-truths to put yourself in a better light?  Do you take anything that doesn’t belong to you?  Do you tell the truth or what people want to hear?  And to go a little deeper, do you live and speak according to biblical truth, or do you float along the tide of the world?  Do you approve of sinful behavior in yourself and others?

There are many things that only Christ can do in our lives, but there are some things we can do.  And being honest is one of them.  As followers of Christ, we need to do the right thing in every situation, no matter how small.  We need to be obedient to the commands of God, whether we are sitting next to our pastor or by ourselves.  Because really…we are never by ourselves.

“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters” – Albert Einstein

“To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.” - Gandhi

Philippians 2:9-11; Every Knew Will Bow

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

As I have mentioned before, anytime you see the word “therefore”, you need to ask, “What is it there for?”  “Therefore” means that what is about to be said is directly related to what was said previously.  So in this case, God exalted Jesus to the highest place because Jesus humbly obeyed God.  Which teaches us an awesome truth: God rewards faithful service to Him.  And His rewards are much greater than our sacrifices in His name: you cannot out-give God!

The following are two things that will happen one day:

-          Every knee will bow, in heaven, earth, and under the earth

-          Every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus is Lord

Don’t you look forward to that day?  I cannot comprehend how awesome it will be when EVERYONE – the jihadist Muslim, the angry atheist, the Buddhist, the nature worshiper, politicians, movie stars, hipsters, you name it – bows and confesses that Jesus is Lord.  What a day!  That day is coming, it is a rock solid guarantee.

Since we know that WILL happen, there is only one thing to decide: will you bow down and confess joyfully with thanksgiving, or like a defeated enemy?  How about your roommates, your friends, your family, the guy who drives your shuttle bus, the gal who serves your coffee?  One of our main purposes on earth is to bring as many people to Jesus as we can…that is something I so often forget.

We will all acknowledge that Jesus is Lord one day, but whether that confession brings joy or terror depends upon your belief and submission to Him today.  Faithfulness today brings joy eternal in days to come!

Philippians 2:6-8 III; Choices

“Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (7) rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

Our society doesn’t really have the position of servant anymore.  We have employees who serve, but not servants.  Unlike an employee, a servant had no rights.  I guess that isn’t exactly true…a servant had the right to do whatever his master told him to do at any moment of the day.  More often than not, a servant was overworked, overlooked, unappreciated, and uncompensated.  More of a slave than an employee…a show of hands to sign up for that?

Well, like it or not, you have signed up for that.  Don’t believe me?  Check this out:

“Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” – Romans 6:16

You are a slave to what you obey.  And there are only two choices: God or something other than God. If you don’t actively choose Christ, you will become a servant of sin and self.  In our fallen nature, sin and selfishness are our default settings, not righteousness.  We need Christ to make us righteous…

One last thought: The life and lifestyle of a servant was totally dependent upon the character of the master.  If a servant had a kind, God-fearing master, she would be well taken care of – often better than she could take care of herself.  If a servant had a mean and heartless master – his life was probably miserable and perilous.

So why would Jesus choose to become a servant?  Because He knew His Master.  And while Jesus’ task was a hard one (the definition of understatement), He trusted the love and character of the Heavenly Father.  Being the servant of a loving, trustworthy Father is a joy, not a hardship. 

Do you trust God enough to spend your life in obedient service to Him?  Or do you prefer to be a slave to yourself…which is nothing more than sin disguised as freedom.  I understand myself well enough to know that I am not worthy to be my own master.  How you figured that out yet?

“The bottom line in the Christian life is obedience, and most people don't even like the word.” - Charles Stanley

Philippians 2:6-8 II; Leverage says I

“Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (7) rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

This passage has been described as the humiliation of Christ, and the next passage (v.9-11) is known as the exultation of Christ.  That is the way things work in God’s economy: you humble yourself and God exalts you.  James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”  The inverse is true as well, “The Lord detests all the proud of heart.  Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished.” – Proverbs 16:5  

Jesus, the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, existed before the world was created (John 1:1).  The world was created through Him and for Him and is sustained because of Him (Rom. 11:36).  While he was on earth, Jesus had power over creation, over illnesses, over blindness, and deafness; he could forgive sins, cast out demons, and raise the dead.

While Jesus exercised His power and taught the truth of who He was, he lived out his infinite power in humble obedience to God.  He only said what God told him to say and he was absolutely obedient to his Heavenly Father (John 5:19).  Jesus never leveraged his authority for personal advantage, instead, he leveraged his rights for the advantage of others.

That last sentence convicts me to the core…I didn’t even like typing it.  I don’t want to give up my rights and I sure don’t want to give my rights to others (Hey – those are MY rights!).  But that is what Jesus did.  He was (and is) the Son of God, but he put His rights of Sonship aside so that we could become sons and daughters of God through His actions.  He was cursed so that we might be blessed.

What privileges are you clinging to?  Where do you refuse to give way for another’s benefit?  How are you leveraging your rights, authority, and resources for the benefit of God’s Kingdom?  Those are hard questions.  Why not take a few days to prayerfully consider them and ask God to change your heart when it comes to “your” rights…

“I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to Him.” ― Charles H. Spurgeon

Ps – The title, “Leverage says I,” is nothing profound…it’s just a quote from Pirates of the Caribbean.  Unless you found something profound in it, then that is what I meant.

Philippians 2:6-8; A Reminder

“Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (7) rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

As we begin one of my favorite passages, allow me to remind you of something critically important.  It would be easy to teach this passage like so:

1.       Jesus humbled himself, served others without a thought to his rights, and was obedient…even to death.

 

2.       We should be like Jesus.

3.       So be humble, serve others without thought to your rights, and be obedient…even to death.

It’s nice and simple…but completely impossible!  We cannot try harder, do more, or buckle down to be like Jesus.  As Jeff Warren reminded us this summer, if Jesus is the example we must live up to, that isn’t good news, that is crushing news.  Jesus was PERFECT – we cannot be like Him. 

If you strive to be like Jesus in your own strength, you will either become a self-righteous prig, ignoring your sins while pointing out the sins in others (been there), become exhausted and joyless striving for a goal you cannot attain (done that), or you will give up (ditto).  That sounds like a lot of church-goers doesn’t it?

But there is hope.  While we cannot work harder to be like Jesus, God can sanctify us/transform us into the image of Christ by His Spirit.  We can become more mature, more loving, and more humble as we focus on the finished work of Christ and allow His Spirit to transform us into the likeness of Christ.  Anything Jesus-like in our lives comes from the Spirit of God, not our own effort.

So, as we work through this passage, remember that you cannot do what Jesus did by simply working harder or trying more.  You can only become like Jesus through the power of His Spirit working in your life.  Only God can transform us into the image of His Son!  (Don’t skip the verse below…)

“Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" (29) Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." – John 6:28-29

Philippians 2:5; Mindset

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”

Read that verse again…nice and slow.  Do you have a purpose for your relationships?  A purpose for your relationship with your parents?  Your siblings?  Your roommate?  Your boyfriend/girlfriend?  Your co-workers?  Your boss? 

Paul says our relationships should be purposeful.  Not that we have ulterior motives for befriending people, but that we are intentional with the relationships we have.  The purpose is the same for all of our relationships: to demonstrate the mindset of Christ. 

That will look different in each relationship, but in general, we should follow the example of Christ and love others through humble service.  A few practical questions to get you thinking about purposeful relationships:

“How can God use me for His glory in this relationship?”

“Does this person have a relationship with Jesus?”

“What needs does this person have that I can meet for God’s glory?”

“How can I encourage this person to grow closer to Jesus?

In our relationships, we should seek God’s will/glory and then the needs of the other person.  We shouldn’t seek what we can get out of a relationship (which is exactly what we often do); we trust that God will fulfill our needs so we are free to meet the needs of others.

Something for you to chew on until next time…

Philippians 2:3-4; Self v Others

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

If I could instill one attitude into everyone who serves at the ranch (including myself) – this would be it.  Imagine the quality of your life, your relationships, and your service to God if you looked to the interest of others instead of yourself, valued others above yourself, were humble, and had no vain conceit or selfish ambition.  Dear God I want to live like that!

What keeps us from living like that?  One simple word:  Self.  Self is the root of all sin; it is what causes us to say, “My will be done,” instead of, “Thy will be done.”  Self is what makes us look away from those in need, or worse yet, not even notice them because we are so absorbed with ourselves.  Self is what makes us complain that our IPAD isn’t working when people in the world are starving to death.  Self is what keeps us in bed instead of getting up to spend time with the Lord.  Self is a devious little devil.

As a task oriented person, the “self” that trips me up the most is self-rule.  I want to do the things I want to do when I want to do them.  I am so focused on my agenda – my to-do list – that I don’t pay attention to the needs of others – God’s to-do list.  We all have things that we need to get done, but we have to remember that God calls us to look to the interests of others.  As we take care of our business, we have to keep an eye open to help others along the way.

So, what is the “self” that gets in the way of you living a Philippians 2 kind of life? If you need a prompt, here are six types of selfishness (there are many more) that we all struggle with to some extent.  I borrowed this list from an article online, if you would like to read the whole thing, here is the page… www.redmeatforthesoul.com/article/six_types_of_selfishness_that_jesus_died_to_kill

1. Self-focus: I lose interest in a conversation that's not about me or in a story that I'm not telling.
2. Self-glorification: I do what I do to make a name for myself, to get noticed, to get recognition, or to be seen as someone important.
3. Self-obsession: My internal dialogue is all about me. How do I look? How do I feel? What should I do? Why didn't so-and-so acknowledge me? 
4. Self-rule: Me determining the rules of my life, silently or not so silently demanding that others keep my commandments.
5. Self-righteousness: Thinking I am better than others, or the “mature Christian” version: looking down my nose at people who don't realize they're sinful like me.
6. Self-reliance: Living as if I don't need divine intervention to do life, which especially manifests itself in pockets of prayerlessness.

You are selfish.  I am selfish.  Thanks be to God who loves us in spite of ourselves!  Take some time and pray about your selfishness, ask God to reveal areas where you are more important than Him, repent of those things and reset your focus on others.  God empowers us to do the things He calls us to do!

“And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” – 2 Corinthians 5:15

Philippians 2:1-2; Cause and Effect

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”

Do you ever consider your responsibility to act according to the grace you have been given?  You should, because God’s grace ought to affect the way we live our lives.  In this passage, Paul gives us an insight into his expectations for the Philippians and all Christians.

Paul says in light of the encouragement and love we receive from Christ and the sharing of His Spirit that leads to tenderness and compassion, we should live like this:

Then make my joy complete by (1) being like-minded, (2) having the same love, (3) being in one spirit and of one mind.

First, Paul calls the Philippians to be like-minded, which means to have the same goal, strive harmoniously for the same outcome, or to be unified.  As we discussed in chapter one, the church desperately needs to be unified to accomplish God’s work on earth.  If you are ever at a loss for something to pray for, pray for unity among God’s people. 

Second, Paul calls them to have the same love.  First and foremost, their first love should be Jesus Christ.  After that, they should love what Jesus loves: people.  Having the same love looks a lot like the greatest commandment:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40

Third, Paul says they should be in one spirit and one mind.  This sounds pretty similar to his first exhortation, is he repeating himself for emphasis?  Possibly.  But I think being like-minded focuses on unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ while being one in spirit and mind is aligning your mind and spirit with Christ.  One emphasizes the horizontal relationships within the church and the other the vertical relationship with God.  Of course, it is the love of Christ that binds it all together.

So, Paul has given us a three point description of what every Christian should look like.  We should be like-minded with our brethren (and sistren for that matter), we should love Christ and others, and we should be of one mind and spirit with God.  Followers of Christ may differ in theology, worship styles, and many other things – but these three ideals should be evident in the life of every follower of Christ.

Unity, love, and spirit.  How are you doing with these three areas? 

Philippians 1:27-28; Citizens II

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel (28) without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.”  

Do you think of the word “frightened” when you consider Paul’s life?  I sure don’t.  I picture him as fearless, standing for Christ in the face of persecution from Jews and Gentiles alike.  I see him as bold and resolute – a force of nature.  While he was incredibly courageous, he also knew that fear could be debilitating.

For many of us, fear is a companion in one way or another.  We fear that we will fail, we fear other’s opinions, or we fear ridicule or persecution; not to mention our fears of flying, terrorists, disease, spiders, the economy, and thousands of other scary things.  Yet “Fear not”, or a similar phrase, is stated 107 times in the bible (NASB) – so despite all the scary things, God says, “Don’t fear”.

The obvious question is, how do we “not fear”?  First, 1 John 4:18a says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear...” Who is perfect love?  God.  So God drives out fear, or to say it another way, God is greater than our fear.  When He is present, there is no reason to fear…and He is always present; we forget that sometimes.

Second, in this passage, Paul gives us a prescription to help counteract fear.  Take your focus off yourself and put it on God, serve others in the fellowship of believers, and strive to bring about the Kingdom of God above all else. 

When you do these things, your experience with God will give you confidence in Him and drive away your fear.  From my experience, sometimes fear will dissolve like mist, other times, our confidence in God will give us the courage to overcome our fear. Courage is not an absence of fear, but acting faithfully despite fear.

When you look at Paul’s life: floggings, shipwrecks, and attempts on his life – he knew fear.  But more importantly, he knew Jesus.  It is our relationship with Christ and the indwelling of His Spirit that gives us the ability to overcome fear so we can be effective servants in God’s Kingdom. 

Fear is one of the enemy’s greatest weapons.  Combat it with an intentional relationship with Jesus Christ and faithful service with other Christians busy about God’s work.  If you focus on Jesus and are busy serving Him, you won’t have time to notice the scary things around you…

 “Some say if only my fears and doubts will leave then I will get to work. But instead you should get to work and then your fears and doubts will leave.” – Dwight L. Moody

 

PS – for those who find the last sentence in that passage a little strange…

“This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.”  We seldom know what to do when the bible talks about people being destroyed.  One of my commentaries summarizes the passage like this:

“The meaning here is, do not be alarmed at anything which they can do. Maintain your Christian integrity, notwithstanding all the opposition which they can make. They will, in the end, certainly be destroyed, and you will be saved." 

Those who oppose the word of God and His people will be destroyed and those faithful to God will be saved by God Himself. There will be a reckoning one day.  Thank God for your salvation and pray for those who persecute you (Matt 5:44); it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrew 10:31).  We shouldn’t wish that on anybody…

Philippians 1:27-28; Citizens

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel (28) without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.”  

“Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”  That is an intimidating phrase isn’t it?  The gospel is by grace alone and we are incapable of earning even a portion of it – how then can we live to be worthy of that gospel?  Well, we can’t.  But Paul is not calling us to be worthy of the gospel as in, “earn the gospel”; the phrase literally means, “behave as citizens”. 

In the ancient world, civic pride and duty was incredibly important.  Possibly building on that thought, Paul exhorts the Philippians to behave as citizens of the gospel.  The faith that had transformed their lives should be lived out in public.  It should be a conscious decision to live according to the gospel, to represent their true home to the best of their ability.

What does living as a citizen look like?  I could spend the rest of year writing about that, but I’ll simply say this:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” – Philippians 2:3-4

That should be enough to keep us busy for a while…

“I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.”  When we behave as citizens of the gospel, we will be unified in the faith and work of the gospel.  We also will not be afraid of opposition because we are striving together as one man.  I love that picture! 

I see it over and over during the summer when a group of staff are working on the same project – 6 or 8 or 10 people working as one to accomplish a task.  It is a beautiful thing!  That is what the body of Christ, the church, should look like.  Thousands upon thousands of believers striving side by side as one to accomplish the work of Christ!  What could we do if we would just work together?  Or more appropriately, what couldn’t we do? 

Poverty eliminated…orphans adopted…the bible translated…slavery eradicated… unreached people groups reached…you name it – as Christ directs and empowers, we, the Body of Christ could achieve if we worked together.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…and last I checked, “all things”, means EVERYTHING!

That was a bit of a rabbit trail, but one I thought was worth chasing.  I’ll finish up this passage next time… Something to consider as you go through your week: I Googled “Christian Mission Organizations in Africa” (and could have chosen anywhere) and came up with page after page of missions.

Do you think we would be more effective if the ministries that deal with orphans or microfinance or whatever pooled their resources and worked together?  Or at least partnered together? Frankly, I don’t know – but feel free to consider…

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” – Philippians 3:20

Philippians 1:22-23; Bullets

“If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! (23) I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (24) but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (25) Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, (26) so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.”

This is the summation of Paul’s musings about life and death in Christ.  Considering all that we have discussed in the past few weeks – it pretty much speaks for itself.  A couple of bullet points to consider:

-          Paul knew his purpose in life – do you know yours?  Hint: your purpose is the same as his.  Are you actively pursuing that purpose?

-          Are you living such a purposeful life with your family and friends that their joy in Christ Jesus overflows on account of you?

-          Fruitful labor: Fruit benefits those around the tree, not the tree itself.  Are you using your gifts for the benefits of others?  While a fruit tree does not benefit from its fruit, it is proof that it is healthy.

-          Paul was willing to forego his greatest desire (to depart and be with Christ), so that he could continue to minister. Are there personal desires you need to give up so you can focus more clearly on others?  Do you love others enough to deny yourself?

Take a few minutes and prayerfully ponder those thoughts and questions.  Allow the Spirit some time to work in your life.  Create some quite moments in your life so you can learn to hear His voice.  I desperately need that in my life and I bet you do to.

Paul loved Jesus so much that he didn’t care if he lived or died.  Paul loved the Philippians so much that he sacrificed his desires for their benefit.  Paul was so committed to the ministry of Christ that he ignored everything else. May we follow his example!

“Follow my example, as I follow the example Christ.” – Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1

Philippians 1:21 III; To Die

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

To die is gain. That is not a phrase you hear very often.  Death is the end of everything…our existence on earth is over.  How is that gain? 

For Paul, death would be gain for several reasons. First, he would leave the sinful and fallen world where Christ is denied, the evil prosper, and the righteous suffer.  Second, in death he will leave behind his wretched body of death (Romans 7:24) where he sees Christ through a mirror dimly and only in part (1 Corinthians 13:12).  Third, on the other side of death, he will spend eternity in the presence of the Christ He worships and adores, with a new body, untainted by sin, where he will know and be known forever.  That sounds a bit like gain doesn’t it?

I believe God looks at death much differently than we do.  We see it as the end of life; but God sees it as the beginning of real life.  We see it as a departure; God sees it as a homecoming.  For us, death is shrouded in the question, “Why?”, for God, the question is “Why not?”  Why would we not want to leave this sinful and painful world for eternity in perfect peace and joy?  Seriously!  For the follower of Jesus, death is something to celebrate.  As it says in Psalm 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

(Not so for the unbeliever, which is why we should spend our life loving people and taking opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus.)

Don knows a family whose grandmother was gravely ill in the hospital.  During a visit with her family, her heart stopped, the monitors beeped, and doctors rushed in.  The family was ushered out of the room as the staff frantically tried to resuscitate her.  The doctors were successful, everyone was allowed back in the room as they hugged, cheered, and cried for joy.  Several minutes later their grandmother opened her eyes, looked around, and said: “Don’t you EVER do that again!  I was there – I saw the light – why did you bring me back?  If I die again – let me!” 

That is the truth of our future home.  Instead of thinking of the despair of death and the great unknown, why not think of the joy of heaven and the guarantee of meeting Jesus face to face?  We need not fear death.  It is simply the door was pass through to reach Jesus.

When you acknowledge that your life has been bought by Christ – you will live every moment for His glory.  When you acknowledge that life is short and that today might be your very last day on earth – you will make the most of every minute.  When you acknowledge where you will spend eternity – you will ignore the fleeting treasures of the world to store up treasures in heaven. 

Your life will become about giving instead of taking, serving instead of demanding, love instead of hate, joy instead of despondency, peace instead of chaos, confidence instead of fear, and grace instead of shame. That is living!

And when we live for Christ, to die is gain! 

Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of East Northfield, is dead. Don't you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now; I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal- a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body.” – D.L. Moody

Philippians 1:21 II; Life

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

I could spend many days discussing this verse, but I’ll try to constrain myself to last week and this week…and maybe next week too.

To live = Christ.

If you want life, it must be spent for and filled with Christ.  Conversely, a “life” spent on anything other than Christ is not life. That is the essence of what Paul is saying…and that is exactly the opposite of what most people believe – even Christians.  We think that God is the cosmic kill-joy constantly thinking of ways to remove enjoyment from our lives. Such a lie!

Who created the moon and stars for us to gaze at every night?  Who decided that oranges should be so refreshing and taste completely different from bananas, blueberries, or strawberries (all also delicious)?  Who created humans with a sense of humor so we could laugh and joke with each other?  Who created love to allow us to live beyond our selfishness? 

Who created beaches to lounge on and waves to surf?  Who created mountains to climb up and to ski down?  Who created lightning bugs, frogs, and snakes to chase and catch?  And who created humans – in His own image – to appreciate, enjoy, and benefit from all these creations?  Who sent His only Son to live and die for our sins so that we might live forever with Him?  God did.  He longs to give us life – real life.

The problem is that we have been tricked into thinking that death is life.  The world says, “Chase after the big job – life is found in money and status.”  It is not.  “Life is found in sex, you will not have life until you are sexually active.”  Not true.  “Life is found in being popular, or having power, or becoming self-actualized…”  False.  “Life is found in following your heart!”  Don’t believe it.  Life is found only in Jesus, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that you may have life to the full.” (John 10:10)

We often turn our back on the fullness of life that God offers because we are too busy chasing the un-life that the world offers.  As CS Lewis says:

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

There are really on two choices: life or death.  There is no, “kind of life” or “partial life” – you are either actively choosing to live for Christ or you are choosing death.  And if you choose not to choose, then you are choosing death by default. 

Which one are you choosing today?

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?” – John 11:25-26

Philippians 1:21; Fill in the Blank

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

How simple is that?  I love it!  One of the recurring themes in this first chapter is Paul’s singular focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul’s main purpose in life was simply to glorify Jesus. That was it – he wasn’t distracted by money, power, influence, popularity, or even family (he was single).  Wouldn’t you like to have such a singular focus?

Answer this question: “For to me, to live is ________________.”  Seriously, how would you answer that?  We all know the Sunday School answer, but I want you to really consider if the Sunday School answer matches up with your life.  I’ll give you a few minutes to contemplate…

“For me, to live is _________.”  What you write in that blank determines every decision you make: how you spend your time, what you spend your money on, what you think about, the people you hang out with, and on and on.  It’s a question you desperately need to get right.

Before you can fill in that blank sincerely, you have to be brutally honest with yourself.  We must be willing to admit that our life does not always match up with that ideal.  One of the great failings of most Christians is self-deception; an unwillingness to be honest with yourself. I’ll let you in on a secret: God already knows the truth; so you might as well admit the truth and let Him help you.

If you are like me, there are many things that distract me from Jesus.  When I was little, I lived to play.  When I got to high school, I lived to be liked.  When I got to college, I lived to do what I wanted (which is still a challenge).  After college, I lived to acquire things I wanted.  Now, I have to be very careful or I will live for Lynda, Levi, and Wren. None of those blank fillers are bad, but they are not the best.

The only goal worthy of your entire life is Jesus Christ.  And the first step to living for Jesus is identifying the things that you are tempted to live for instead of Him.  So I exhort you to take a hard look at your life and be honest with yourself.  If you are living for pleasure, a relationship, for money, or anything else – confess it, repent of it, claim the forgiveness Christ bought for you on the cross, and then intentionally refocus your life on Jesus. God is gracious to forgive and restore!

Below is a link for a good article on self-deception…

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Meditations/Self-Deception/self-deception.html

Philippians 1:20; Grace for Today – 2.06.2013

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

An old seminary professor was terminally ill, but was still teaching his classes.  One day a student asked him after class, “Professor, is it scary knowing that you could die any day?”  The old professor responded, “You know, God has given me grace to live every day and I bet that He will give me grace to die on my final day.”  Keep that in mind as you read on…

You have to pay attention to realize the seriousness of Paul’s situation.  It’s easy to get caught up in the cheerful phrases like, “eagerly expect and hope” and “Christ will be exalted” and miss the kicker, “whether by life or death”.  As Paul was writing this letter, his life was tenuous: he didn’t know if the knock on the door was dinner or a soldier coming to execute him. 

How do you function with that kind of uncertainty?  It’s an important question because we all have uncertainty in our lives, though thankfully most of us are not in Paul’s position.  But Paul answers that question for us in the second half of the verse: “Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

God gives us the grace and strength to handle whatever comes our way.  We are never overwhelmed because the eternal God of infinite mercy lives within us – He is the source of our strength in good days and bad days.  So it doesn’t matter how bad the circumstances get in your life, the Holy Spirit residing within you is more than enough to get you through it.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…”

By the way, this verse makes a great prayer to begin your day – “I have no idea what today will bring, but I am confident that You will grant me courage so that You will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” 

The age old question, “What am I here for?” and “What should I do with my life?” are answered succinctly in this verse: “Live so that Christ will be exalted in your body, whether by life or death.”  That is the mission statement of the life of every Christian.

Regardless of what this day will bring; God will give you the courage to meet it.  And not just meet it, but to become victorious over it so that Christ will be exalted through you!

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him.” – Lamentations 3:22-24

Philippians 1:18b-19; Rejoice

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, (19) for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.”

Paul rejoiced that the gospel was being shared, even while he was in prison. Don’t forget that all this rejoicing is happening IN PRISON.  Paul’s temporary circumstances didn’t matter to him because he had an eternal perspective.  The sufficiency of Christ allowed Paul to rise above his circumstances and to truly rejoice in midst of suffering!

 

A side note: I want Paul’s outlook. If I have a cold, which I do right now, I am mopey, miserable and a big baby (ask Lynda), the world is bleak and desolate and nothing can convince me otherwise.  Why can’t I have perspective like Paul?  “Hey I feel terrible, but Christ is being preached, my name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, God is on His throne…this is a good day!”  I pray for that attitude…and probably need to do a little work on it myself.

In verse 19, Paul quotes Job 13:16, “Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance…” In effect, Paul is saying, ‘I believe, as Job did, that the end of my present affliction will be some great good.  I am in prison and exposed to enmity and misunderstanding, but God always protects those who put their trust in Him.”

Paul based his attitude on God’s truth, not on his feelings and circumstances. God is in control and He will turn trials into something good, so Paul rejoiced.  (Sounds a bit like Romans 8:28 doesn’t it?)  How would your life be different if you based your attitude on God’s truth instead of on your circumstances? 

This is a great mystery to me: the prayers of the Philippians were part of Paul’s deliverance. Somehow, our prayers matter to God.  And somehow, our prayers are important and bring about real action from God.  If God knows everything, why does my prayer make any difference?  It’s not like I’m bringing up a situation that He is unaware of or suggesting a course of action that He has already considered. 

Regardless, our prayers matter to God and they are effective in the lives of others. “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)  The prayers of the Philippians were effective and your prayers are effective as well. God hears and acts on the prayers of His children.  Isn’t that reason enough to rejoice today!

“You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” – John 14:14

Philippians 1:15-18; What Really Matters – 1.23.2013

“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. (16) The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. (17) The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. (18) But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

Just because someone is preaching the gospel doesn’t mean that they are trustworthy.  That is an important truth to remember.  I would like to think that the vast majority of pastors and preachers are faithful servants of the Lord, but I know that there are some who have ulterior motives. 

Some are looking to create their own kingdoms, to earn God’s favor, or just like to be “the man”.  And I suspect there are a very few (hopefully) who are seeking to destroy the church from the inside out.  God will deal with those whose motives are impure, but you and I are still responsible for our beliefs.  As it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test everything. Hold onto the good.”  In Acts there is a great example of this:

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” – Acts 17:11

Paul was sharing new ideas with the Bereans. While they were excited to hear him, they searched the scriptures to make sure what he was saying was true. We should follow their example.

Never assume that everything you hear from your pastor, read from a Christian author, or listen to on a podcast is absolutely true.  As I said earlier, some may be seeking to deceive, but apart from that; everyone makes mistakes.  It is easy to say something the wrong way, or for you to hear something the wrong way.  We need to keep our brains turned on when others are teaching us God’s Word.  If there is something that doesn’t sound quite right, go to the bible and check it out for yourself and ask others what they think about it.  You are responsible for your beliefs.

Paul informs us that not everyone preaches Christ with honest motives; then he tells us that it doesn’t really matter.  What matters is that Christ is preached; that people hear the good news of the gospel. The power of the gospel is in the gospel itself – not the charisma, articulation, giftedness, or even motivation of the speaker.  Paul said in Romans 1:16,

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew and then for the Gentile.” 

The gospel is the power – it doesn’t matter if it is preached by a gifted orator or read without inflection by your Economics professor.  What matters is that Christ is preached – God will do the rest. So let’s get busy preaching Christ with our lives and our words!

“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” – Isaiah 55:11

Philippians 1:14; Pressure

“Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”

Peer pressure is an amazing force. You probably know that it is very difficult for guys to back down from these four words: “I bet you won’t…” Of course, that story typically ends with the guy telling an EMT that if the shopping cart wheel hadn’t fallen off, he would have landed safely on the back of his buddies moving pickup or some other shenanigans/chicanery/tomfoolery.

But peer pressure is not inherently bad, although the bad gets the most press. Some peer pressure is good – let’s call it, “peer influence”.  If you want to skip class to go see a movie, and your friends don’t want to miss class, you will probably go to class – that is positive peer influence.

Paul preached the gospel boldly and was thrown in jail for it.  Instead of dissuading other Christians, it actually spurred them to speak more boldly.  Why do you think that happened?  I believe Paul’s band of brothers believed, like Paul, that it is more important to obey God than anything else in the world.  They also believed these words of Jesus,

“Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:12

Paul surrounded himself with likeminded brothers and sisters who took the words of Jesus seriously and encouraged one another in faithfulness.  They influenced one another into carrying out the work of Jesus despite the cost.  That is why Paul’s ministry was picked up by others when he was put in prison.  I can hear the brothers saying, “They put Paul in prison?  I’m not going to let that stop the work of Jesus!  I’m going to be even bolder in sharing Christ.  If I get put in prison, so be it, great is my reward in heaven!” 

I hope I would respond like that, wouldn’t you?  I want to stand up and be accounted as faithful.  I want to care more about God’s Kingdom than my own. Like Paul, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” - Philippians 3:10-11

One of the most important steps in becoming that type of believer is to surround yourself with those who believe as you do.  Because as much as I want to live like Paul, the other half of me doesn’t want anything to do with persecution, self-denial, or sacrifice.  So we desperately need to surround ourselves with people who will draw out the Christ in us instead of drawing out the self in us.

We all have peers that affect our thoughts and behavior in one way or another. Your friends are either a stepping stone or stumbling block to your relationship with Christ. The important question is this: what peers are you being pressured by?

“Be yourself today…but be your best self.” – Will McCay’s mom