Philippians 3: - 4:1
December 30, 2007
Paul again says to rejoice in the Lord. The refrain reverberates throughout the epistle. In the first two chapters alone, Paul refers to joy or rejoicing at least nine times. So, again, he says to rejoice. He says it is no trouble for him to write it, and it is a safe thing to say. That means that it is a worthy saying that brings comfort to those who remember it.
3:2 – Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil doers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh…
In verse 2 and on, Paul is telling the readers to watch out for the “dogs” who do evil among the followers. Personally, I do not feel that dogs are objects of fear, of evil, in fact, I like dogs. So, who are the dogs Paul is talking about? Paul uses this visual to give the image of vicious packs of dogs that roam through the cities and cause havoc among the people. He isn’t talking about Rover. Dogs, in that part of the world, would roam the cities, looking for easy food to take, whether it was scraps on the ground, refuse in the garbage dumps, a quick bite at the market, or, sometimes, grabbing a baby left alone. Those dogs, those kinds of dogs, are not domesticated, but have reverted back to their wild side. They are vicious, self serving, capable of much terror and destruction. Those are the type of dogs Paul is referring to. Not Fido.
Paul is singling out those who intend to do evil to the followers of Christ. They come in the guise of Leaders of the church who seek, not the good of Christ, but their own wealth, glory, and adulation. They are self seeking, not selfless. They are those who try to insert their own ideas, beliefs and actions into the life of the church to the detriment of the church, itself. They use extra-biblical methods and beliefs to sway people to their side. They will mistranslate scripture to make it appear that their belief is the correct one. They make you feel that, because you don’t do it the way they do, if you do not believe the way they do, you are somehow inferior, un-Holy, or even lost to Christ. Has anyone come across people like this? Can you give an example? Those are the dogs Paul is talking about. That is why Paul praised the Berians for their diligent searching of scripture. They didn’t blindly follow what Paul wrote and said, but searched out the scripture to make sure it was truth.
It is the same in our church. None of the elders expect you to blindly follow us if we teach or preach on something. Search the scriptures to see if what we say is true. Keep your Bible open, checking to make sure we are not spreading untruths. We encourage you to search the scriptures as often as you can. If you have a question about something we said, come ask us for an explanation. We can search the Bible together.
One of the phrases Paul uses is “mutilator of the flesh”. What he is talking about are those who insisted that the followers had to become circumcised before being allowed to worship. How is this wrong, you may ask? Didn’t God command the Israelites to do this? Turn to Romans 2: 25-29. The outward sign of circumcision should be a reflection of what is inside your heart. The people of Israel were counting on circumcision as a means of salvation, a works righteousness. In other words, if they were circumcised, they had a step up on everybody else. What Romans is saying is that circumcision of the heart (Spiritual rebirth) is of great value, but circumcision of the flesh is of no value to God. The Israelites were counting on mutilated flesh, not a changed heart, to aid them in gaining heaven. People mutilate themselves; God changes the heart without mutilation.
(Read Deut. 30:6) The outward signs were worthless, as Paul found out. It was what was inside that mattered.
Paul says in verse 3 that they, the followers of Christ, were the real circumcision, who worship God by the Spirit, who glory in Christ Jesus, who put no confidence in the flesh. Again, this is talking about a difference between faith and works, trusting in God verses doing it yourself.
In verse 4, Paul gives a rundown of his credentials. A man who writes might give a list of publications; a lawyer or doctor would have letters behind their name, signifying their education; religious leaders are sometimes called Pastor, Preacher, Priest, Reverend, Bishop, or Pope to signify their position in the hierarchy. Their title establishes their level of attainment, their standing among the learned. Credentials establish authority, knowledge, ability. A highly credentialed person is one who should be listened to, who should have the wisdom and understanding to make a difference when you seek their help. Credentials are important, to a point. If you are going to have surgery, you want to make sure the doctor has the ability to fix you. You want to have confidence that he has sufficient knowledge to perform the task. You look for his credentials. Say you have a choice between a surgeon who has written books on the subject; asked to talk at symposiums; a graduate of Johns Hopkins, or a general practitioner who received his degree from ITT Peterson School of Doctoring? Who would you choose? Paul’s credentials are impressive. Let’s look at what Paul had achieved. He was born a Jew, circumcised on the eighth day, meaning his family was also Jewish and observant, followers of the Law; of the tribe of Benjamin, meaning he was living close to Jerusalem, able to attend Temple worship; a Pharisee, meaning he was very legalistic in following the Mosaic Law and the traditions imposed by the leaders; zealous in persecuting those who followed “The Way”, Christians; as for following the Law, spotless, perfect, blameless.
Paul was well on his way to becoming a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious leadership. Paul studied under some of the greatest and most respected teachers of his time. He zealously defended his religion from those he thought were destroying it. Paul was on the ladder to success and climbing fast. He was on his way to heaven, or so he thought. In the book of Acts, in chapter 7 we find the stoning of Stephen. Stephen was preaching the good news to those in attendance at the Sanhedrin, and got stoned for his words. The first verse of Chapter 8 says that not only was Paul (then called Saul) there during the stoning, he was giving his approval. In Chapter 9, Saul asked approval from the high priest to go to Damascus, hoping to go to the temples there and seek out any followers of Christ, in order to take them as prisoners. He was zealous in his defense of his church. It was on the road to Damascus where Paul found out the worth of his credentials.
Paul writes, “whatever gain I had, I counted it as loss for the sake of Christ.” Everything Paul achieved, everything Paul had worked for, everything he strived to attain, were now counted as loss. Worth nothing. His whole reason for living, totally gone.
All his knowledge, respect from his peers, admiration from those lower than him, all the glory he received from his zealousness were now counted as rubbish, garbage. He could take the plaques off the walls, erase the letters behind his name, and turn in his badge of authority. They were worthless to him, now. God had changed him. All he had worked for, the striving, the gaining of the glory of God, he now attained, without his effort, without his work.
He now had Christ, gained Christ, not of his own righteousness, but the righteousness from God that depends on faith, not works. He now knew the love of his savior, given freely to him, not earned for his own great works.
Paul realized that God doesn’t want righteousness through our works, he wants faith in his Son and the works He did. If anybody could have attained heaven from their own works, it most likely would have been Paul. And yet he counted it as rubbish. It is not works that save, it is faith in the Son of God, Jesus, who died for our sins, who washes away the sins of the flesh so that our soul is right with God.
There are those who say we must work toward our righteousness. They believe that we cannot come to God until we are holy and blameless first. We must go through rituals and purifications before we even think of praying to God. These are the “dogs” Paul is warning about. These are the ones who put barriers blocking the way to God, adding extra-biblical works to those who are seeking God.
There are some, maybe even in this church, who feel that they are not worthy to come and worship God, because they are not yet blameless, pure. They strive to become better people, trying to be nicer, to work harder, to show themselves as good people. The problem with that is, they will never feel as if they are worthy, because they are counting on their own actions, their own efforts, their own works to be acceptable to God. Paul realized all his efforts were worthless, and so are the efforts of those who try to attain God through their own effort.
Next week will be communion. A time to commune with, to be with, the God most high. To sit and feast with God. Who should take communion? The one who says, I am ready, I am worthy, I have made myself worthy of sitting with God? Or rather, the one who says, Father, thank you for including me, thank you for loving me, thank you for accepting me as one of your own even though I am a sinner? Which one? On our own effort, we will never be worthy, never be acceptable, never dare to sit with God on high.
So, what are you to do, if you have this feeling, this desire to work towards God’s acceptance? Nothing. There is nothing you can do, except believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and his love for you. You are not perfect, and you will never be perfect, as long as you are on this earth. Listen to this… you cannot make Christ your own, because he has already made you his own. You are already God’s child, if you believe in his Son. Paul say to forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. Forget that you were lost to God, that you sinned against God. Forget what you were, you are now a new creation, changed forever from what you were to a child of God. Take off the old, take on the new. REJOICE. That is the message of Philippians, rejoice in God, rejoice in the Lord. Do not take on the countenance of one who is lost, be joyful, for you are found.
This time of year is when people take stock of their lives and make vows to change. They may decide to lose weight, they may vow to be happier, they may decide to change their spending habits, whatever. The fact is that people desire to change, they are not happy with the way they are. For the most part, these things fail. Why? Because we are still sinners; and sin controls the flesh.
Instead of trying to do it yourself, look to God for help. Seek out God, and you will be better able to defeat the desires of the flesh. Let the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you, help you with your desires. Want to lose weight? Save money? Practice self control. Want to feel loved? Practice love, kindness. Tired of being angry, bitter, anxious? Practice patience, gentleness. Want more happiness? Practice joy, goodness. Want more of God and less of you? Practice faithfulness in reading his word and praying to him. Want less anxiety? Let the peace of God come upon you. Are you dissatisfied with your life? Seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. (Luke 12:31)
I want to lose a lot of weight, I need to lose a lot of weight. I need to control my blood sugar. Instead of worrying about it, instead of grumbling and complaining about the foods I can or cannot eat, I am going to seek God. He can help me say no to bad food and yes to good food. I will pray that he helps me exercise. I will be more diligent in my prayers, seeking the will of God, not the will of Jeff. As Paul said, “ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Less of me, more of God. More of God, less of me.
We are to imitate those who follow Jesus, those who do the right things. Paul says to imitate him, to follow his example and of those who walk in the same way. Do not follow those who walk as enemies of Christ. They act according to their own wishes, their own desires, their own pleasures. Destruction will be their end, regardless of how much they seem to prosper. They glory in things of the flesh, they worship the body. They revel in the things that are unnatural, shameful. Their mind is set on those things that are earthly. We see it all the time. It is almost a source of pride how open and free we are. On the TV and in the movies, Christians are found to be the ones who are stupid, bigoted, arrogant, crazy, or the worst of the sinners. The name of the Lord is no longer reverent, it is a swear word. Sexuality runs rampant is commercials, movies, books, and in fashion. A girl recently petitioned Nordstom’s to start selling more modest clothing. Why? Because modesty wasn’t the “in” fashion, and all they were selling were bare midriff, low cleavage, short short fashions, and these were for the 13 year olds. Do you remember reading about that? Homosexuality is being slammed in our faces. Unless a TV show has a homosexual on it being depicted in a favorable light, it probably won’t even get on the air. Advertising goes out of its way to make you feel that you are lacking in whatever they are selling. You are made to feel as if you will be a social outcast if you do not use their product. Everyone is encouraged to be dissatisfied with their life. If you don’t have the latest new thing, if you don’t go buy it NOW, NOW, NOW, you are somehow deficient. How many of you feel we are of the world too much?
We are to be in the world, but not of the world. Praise God that our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth. Seek those that are following God, not man. Imitate them, not sinful man. Do not look to those who appear to be wealthy in material things, instead, seek out those who are wealthy in Spiritual things and imitate them.
While we are in the world, we wait. We wait for the Savior, the one who will transform our lowly bodies into heavenly, imperishable bodies. By the power of Jesus, we will be transformed. Therefore, stand firm in the Lord, knowing that he has the power that enables him to change our bodies as he has changed our hearts.
How can we not rejoice? How can we not give thanks to the Lord our God? He has changed our hearts, and he will change our bodies to everlasting bodies that will see no impurity, no disease, no death. Rejoice. Our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth. Rejoice. It is not by our works, but by the power of the Holy God, that we are saved. Rejoice. We are not yet holy; we are still a work in transition, being transformed by God every day. Rejoice.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Philippians 2:1-11
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
When Paul says “so”, he is referring back to his previous statements. Let’s take a look at what was said. He said that they, the people of Philippi, and by extension, you and I, should let their lives be worthy of the gospel of Christ. In other words, live a life that reflects the values and examples that Christ lived. Love one another, sacrifice for one another, serve each other. Be one in mind and Spirit. In one mind strive for the faith of the gospel.
So… if you then have these things that Paul is talking about, the encouragement in Christ, the comfort of love from one another and from God, the participation in the Spirit… what is meant here is fellowship with one another in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, if you have these things, and we all should if we are walking in Christ, work together in one mind, in full accord with each other. No backbiting, no gossip, no whisper campaign against any one. The ones who, in the first chapter, were talking Christ so that Paul would suffer were particularly being encouraged to make amends, to turn from their harmful ways. He says to make his joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. You can’t do that if you are working at odds with other people. Work with each other, not against each other.
If you were to take two magnets and hold them close to each other, you will notice one of two things. They will either quite vigorously join together or they will push against each other, trying to create a space between them. This is because they have opposite poles, a positive and a negative. When the magnets are placed in a way that the poles are similar, they join together. If you try to put the magnets in such a way that the poles are contrary to each other, they will not join together. They will repel each other. It is the same way with us. We either work together as a church, or we end up repelling each other and our efforts are wasted.
Ephesians 4 says “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” That is what we must be about, striving for unity in the Spirit. We have enough on our plates to have to fight each other. Let us love, instead, as Christ demands.
Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significantly than yourselves. Paul is talking to all of us, but he is mainly speaking to those who were working for Christ, but against Paul. He says in Philippians 1 “The former (those working to do Paul harm) proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” Again, this is not unity of the Spirit if you are harming a brother. Look to your attitude toward each other. Do you feel you are superior in some way? Are you more blessed? More honored, more lovable? Are you wiser or more learned than your fellow church members? Do you look down on others because they do not measure up? Do you neglect to tell others about Christ because maybe you feel they are not worthy, not important, not your style? If that is your attitude you need to step back and reassess yourself in Christ. What is keeping you from witnessing to others? Is it your own attitude? Fear? Laziness? What is it? Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Ephesians 5 says to be imitators of Christ, as beloved children. To walk in love as Christ loved us. Can you honestly say you are doing that if you think of yourself as superior to others? Christ didn’t look to his own interest, he instead looked to our interest. He humbled himself, he made himself nothing. Humble yourself, as Christ did.
Verse 5 says “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, talking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of man.” Jesus humbled himself. He was superior, but made himself a servant. He was Lord, but made himself a sacrifice.
I looked at the phrase “…a thing to be grasped,” for a long time. I could not get out of my mind those old silent movies with Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin, where they would be on a precipice, or dangling from a ladder on a speeding truck, or even holding onto the hands on a clock tower clock, holding on for dear life. Clinging with a death grip, afraid to let go. Grasping with all their might, fearing that they would fall to their death. The other thought was about going around on a merry-go-round, trying to get the brass ring, stretching and reaching as hard as you can as you go around the circle, trying to grasp that which was out of your reach.
But that isn’t what the text is saying, not at all. Jesus wasn’t holding on to his Godhood for dear life, trying to hold on, afraid to fall, afraid to lose that which he already had, nor was he grasping at something he could not reach, something unattainable. No, he let go of his position, he gave up his grip on that which he already had, to become a servant to man. He who was everything made himself nothing.
Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Have we humbled ourselves enough to sacrifice for others? Jesus sacrificed for those who hated him. He was obedient to God the Father, as God the Son. Jesus is the example we must follow.
God has exalted Jesus and has placed him on high. Because of his obedience, Jesus has been bestowed the name above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God. READ REV.5 The Lion of Judah, sacrificed as a Lamb, seated at the right hand of God the Father. At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow.
Therefore… this is like the word “so” that we began this evening with, in other words, because of what has preceded this, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This does not mean, as most Arminians would say, to work toward your own salvation. You have salvation, bought by Jesus when he died on the cross, given to you by the grace of God. No, this phrase means that you should not neglect the gift given to you, that you work, with awe and respect, those things that God has given you to do. Because of what Christ has done, live in love with each other, respect each other, live in unity with each other. Sacrifice yourselves for each other. Seek the will of God. Imitate Christ, for it is God who works in you, both to will and work for his good pleasure.
Is it God’s good pleasure that you, obedient servant that you are, grumble about what you have to do? “Great, another session meeting, where are the toothpicks so I can keep my eyes open?” “Oh no! Here comes Hortense, she is probably going to tell me about her upcoming lumbago surgery again. Maybe I can hide in the crowd so she will talk to someone else.” Or, “why do they always ask me to wash the windows, I hate washing windows.” “Talk to my neighbors? Are you sure you want them here?” Please note all these examples are fictitious, except maybe the session one.
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be found blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. Are we in a twisted generation? Gay rights, gay marriage, divorce rates skyrocketing, prayer taken out of school, Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, disobedient kids, disrespected parents, the list goes on.
It was the same in Paul’s era. Look at Romans chapter 1 starting with verse 22. Are we, as a society giving approval for these kind of things? Are we approving of gay marriage, disrespect of parents and the like? Are we raising disobedient kids? Yes. I was reading an article the other day about how much the role of fathers in TV and the movies has changed in the last few decades. Remember Leave it to Beaver? Father Knows Best? In those shows and many others of that generation, the father was kind, wise, loving and encouraging. He was the person you went to when you needed to talk, when you needed comfort or a word of wisdom. What do they have today as a father figure? Fathers who are unable to put two thoughts together without grunting, fathers who are bunglers, bumblers, or who are not even there for their children. What kind of role model is that for a child to grow up with? What are we to do?
We need to be different. In this twisted generation we are to shine as a light to this world, holding fast to the word of life. Show respect, love, and honor to those who lead you, be it a father, step-father, a pastor, a mother, a teacher, whoever has a measure of control over you. Respect them for what they have to do. Be obedient to the word of life, the Bible. In this generation, the Bible is not politically correct, not hallowed or revered. It is instead merely a guide for many, a rule book to some, and completely ignored by most people who claim to be Christian. Hold fast to the word of life.
Earlier, I told of Jesus not grasping as if he had a death grip, but here it is different. Hold on for dear life to the word of God. Grasp it in your mind by studying its purity, memorizing and meditating on it, grasp it in your body, as you are obedient to its commands, not sinning but overcoming sin, and grasp it in your soul, believing the word of God and trusting what it says. Be obedient to what the word has to say.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
When Paul says “so”, he is referring back to his previous statements. Let’s take a look at what was said. He said that they, the people of Philippi, and by extension, you and I, should let their lives be worthy of the gospel of Christ. In other words, live a life that reflects the values and examples that Christ lived. Love one another, sacrifice for one another, serve each other. Be one in mind and Spirit. In one mind strive for the faith of the gospel.
So… if you then have these things that Paul is talking about, the encouragement in Christ, the comfort of love from one another and from God, the participation in the Spirit… what is meant here is fellowship with one another in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, if you have these things, and we all should if we are walking in Christ, work together in one mind, in full accord with each other. No backbiting, no gossip, no whisper campaign against any one. The ones who, in the first chapter, were talking Christ so that Paul would suffer were particularly being encouraged to make amends, to turn from their harmful ways. He says to make his joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. You can’t do that if you are working at odds with other people. Work with each other, not against each other.
If you were to take two magnets and hold them close to each other, you will notice one of two things. They will either quite vigorously join together or they will push against each other, trying to create a space between them. This is because they have opposite poles, a positive and a negative. When the magnets are placed in a way that the poles are similar, they join together. If you try to put the magnets in such a way that the poles are contrary to each other, they will not join together. They will repel each other. It is the same way with us. We either work together as a church, or we end up repelling each other and our efforts are wasted.
Ephesians 4 says “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” That is what we must be about, striving for unity in the Spirit. We have enough on our plates to have to fight each other. Let us love, instead, as Christ demands.
Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significantly than yourselves. Paul is talking to all of us, but he is mainly speaking to those who were working for Christ, but against Paul. He says in Philippians 1 “The former (those working to do Paul harm) proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” Again, this is not unity of the Spirit if you are harming a brother. Look to your attitude toward each other. Do you feel you are superior in some way? Are you more blessed? More honored, more lovable? Are you wiser or more learned than your fellow church members? Do you look down on others because they do not measure up? Do you neglect to tell others about Christ because maybe you feel they are not worthy, not important, not your style? If that is your attitude you need to step back and reassess yourself in Christ. What is keeping you from witnessing to others? Is it your own attitude? Fear? Laziness? What is it? Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Ephesians 5 says to be imitators of Christ, as beloved children. To walk in love as Christ loved us. Can you honestly say you are doing that if you think of yourself as superior to others? Christ didn’t look to his own interest, he instead looked to our interest. He humbled himself, he made himself nothing. Humble yourself, as Christ did.
Verse 5 says “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, talking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of man.” Jesus humbled himself. He was superior, but made himself a servant. He was Lord, but made himself a sacrifice.
I looked at the phrase “…a thing to be grasped,” for a long time. I could not get out of my mind those old silent movies with Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin, where they would be on a precipice, or dangling from a ladder on a speeding truck, or even holding onto the hands on a clock tower clock, holding on for dear life. Clinging with a death grip, afraid to let go. Grasping with all their might, fearing that they would fall to their death. The other thought was about going around on a merry-go-round, trying to get the brass ring, stretching and reaching as hard as you can as you go around the circle, trying to grasp that which was out of your reach.
But that isn’t what the text is saying, not at all. Jesus wasn’t holding on to his Godhood for dear life, trying to hold on, afraid to fall, afraid to lose that which he already had, nor was he grasping at something he could not reach, something unattainable. No, he let go of his position, he gave up his grip on that which he already had, to become a servant to man. He who was everything made himself nothing.
Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Have we humbled ourselves enough to sacrifice for others? Jesus sacrificed for those who hated him. He was obedient to God the Father, as God the Son. Jesus is the example we must follow.
God has exalted Jesus and has placed him on high. Because of his obedience, Jesus has been bestowed the name above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God. READ REV.5 The Lion of Judah, sacrificed as a Lamb, seated at the right hand of God the Father. At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow.
Therefore… this is like the word “so” that we began this evening with, in other words, because of what has preceded this, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This does not mean, as most Arminians would say, to work toward your own salvation. You have salvation, bought by Jesus when he died on the cross, given to you by the grace of God. No, this phrase means that you should not neglect the gift given to you, that you work, with awe and respect, those things that God has given you to do. Because of what Christ has done, live in love with each other, respect each other, live in unity with each other. Sacrifice yourselves for each other. Seek the will of God. Imitate Christ, for it is God who works in you, both to will and work for his good pleasure.
Is it God’s good pleasure that you, obedient servant that you are, grumble about what you have to do? “Great, another session meeting, where are the toothpicks so I can keep my eyes open?” “Oh no! Here comes Hortense, she is probably going to tell me about her upcoming lumbago surgery again. Maybe I can hide in the crowd so she will talk to someone else.” Or, “why do they always ask me to wash the windows, I hate washing windows.” “Talk to my neighbors? Are you sure you want them here?” Please note all these examples are fictitious, except maybe the session one.
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be found blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. Are we in a twisted generation? Gay rights, gay marriage, divorce rates skyrocketing, prayer taken out of school, Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, disobedient kids, disrespected parents, the list goes on.
It was the same in Paul’s era. Look at Romans chapter 1 starting with verse 22. Are we, as a society giving approval for these kind of things? Are we approving of gay marriage, disrespect of parents and the like? Are we raising disobedient kids? Yes. I was reading an article the other day about how much the role of fathers in TV and the movies has changed in the last few decades. Remember Leave it to Beaver? Father Knows Best? In those shows and many others of that generation, the father was kind, wise, loving and encouraging. He was the person you went to when you needed to talk, when you needed comfort or a word of wisdom. What do they have today as a father figure? Fathers who are unable to put two thoughts together without grunting, fathers who are bunglers, bumblers, or who are not even there for their children. What kind of role model is that for a child to grow up with? What are we to do?
We need to be different. In this twisted generation we are to shine as a light to this world, holding fast to the word of life. Show respect, love, and honor to those who lead you, be it a father, step-father, a pastor, a mother, a teacher, whoever has a measure of control over you. Respect them for what they have to do. Be obedient to the word of life, the Bible. In this generation, the Bible is not politically correct, not hallowed or revered. It is instead merely a guide for many, a rule book to some, and completely ignored by most people who claim to be Christian. Hold fast to the word of life.
Earlier, I told of Jesus not grasping as if he had a death grip, but here it is different. Hold on for dear life to the word of God. Grasp it in your mind by studying its purity, memorizing and meditating on it, grasp it in your body, as you are obedient to its commands, not sinning but overcoming sin, and grasp it in your soul, believing the word of God and trusting what it says. Be obedient to what the word has to say.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Philippians 1:12-30.
Paul is in a bad situation. He is a prisoner, in chains, with a constant watch over him. Not just prison guards, mind you, but he is held prisoner by the Imperial Guard. So, what do you think he did? Did he sit there and sulk, did he whine and complain about how bad he had it? No, he took the opportunity to advance the gospel. He couldn’t go to the neighbors with a coffee cake, like we can. He was stuck in prison. He couldn’t go to the market square to pray and sing so that others would desire to hear more, he was still stuck in prison. So he took the opportunity that was available to him. He spread the gospel to those he was chained to. He talked to the guards. He showed them the truth about God. They were changed. Forever. What are your chains? Is it work? Personal time? TV time? What is keeping you from spreading the gospel? You can, and should, spread the gospel wherever you are, in whatever circumstances, like Paul did. Using Paul’s example, others became bold in speaking God’s truth.
In verses 15-18, we find that some are not spreading the gospel out of love for others, but for self-aggrandizement. They are doing it to promote themselves, and in doing so, purposely causing Paul more harm in prison. Some were working to spread the gospel out of love. Paul’s concern even then was that the gospel is spread, that the truth of Christ was proclaimed. Please note that the truth was being spread, not false gospel. Paul continually teaches about those that spread false gospel. See Titus 1:9-11. We should be constantly checking what is said and comparing it to the Bible. The Berians were commended because they checked everything from scripture, even the word from the pulpit. Don’t take my word for it, check it out. The message being told from the pulpits while Paul was in prison was the truth, but told in such a way that those against Paul were getting glory, and Paul was getting punished. Even so, Paul was rejoicing that the message was being spread, the gospel was being heard, and the churches were growing.
To live is Christ, and to die is gain.
I have spent the last three weeks mulling over this verse. The “to die is gain” part is easy enough to understand, but the first part, “to live is Christ”, that has been a difficult sentence to understand. To live is Christ. Finally it hit me, to live is Christ means to live, to be alive, is to live with Christ. Before I was alive in Christ, I was dead. Dead spiritually, dead emotionally, captured in a dying body. To be fully alive took Christ. I now know what joy is. I now know what love is. I now know what to live is. It is Christ. A person apart from Christ is dead. For them, to live is dying. A popular saying is “The day you are born, that is when you start to die.” This is a true statement in one sense, that is, our bodies are in the process of expiring. Our bodies grow for a while, but eventually they wear down to the point of final collapse. It is also true in a spiritual sense, too. From the time we are born, we are slaves to sin. Our spirit is affected by the sin of Adam, and we do nothing our entire lives that will save us. Until we are born again, until we live Christ resurrected, we are dying. But for me, to live is Christ.
I made a mental list of some of the things that mean “to live is Christ”.
If you have joy, to live is Christ.
If you have peace in your life, peace where there should be worry and fear, peace unexplainable, to live is Christ.
If you have hope, hope of the resurrection, hope of live ever after, hope that gives encouragement to carry on through thick or thin, to live is Christ.
If you have salvation, to live is Christ.
If you have encouragement when others despair, to live is Christ.
Can you think of any others?
Read Matthew 14:22-33.
I keep thinking of Peter, in the boat, watching Jesus walk on the water. Now Peter was a fisherman, fully aware of the nature of water and what floats and what doesn’t. He knows he doesn’t. He knows, in his mind and probably through experience, that what Jesus was doing was not the norm. When Jesus calmed them with encouraging words, Peter asked if he could come out to him. Jesus said “come.” Peter got out of the boat. Against all his learning and experience, against the laws of Newton, and physics, and Congress and anybody else out there that makes up laws, Peter got out of the boat. He didn’t sink. Why? Because at that point, he was in Christ. All of his focus was on the Lord. Not only didn’t he sink, but he walked to Jesus. He walked on water. Now, at some point he became aware that what he was doing wasn’t natural. The Bible says he “saw the wind.” He may have seen the wind, but what he didn’t see was Jesus. He let himself be drawn into his situation, he began to be afraid. As soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus and onto the fact that he wasn’t in the boat and there was no solid footing, he began to sink. Aren’t we like that? We come to church, we praise God, we worship, our focus is on God, and then we get home and the bills are piled up, and the dog needs a bath because he rolled in something, the boss wants you to come in early, your spouse is complaining about the condition of the house, and soon you are sinking in a whirlpool of despair, worry, and depression. What do you do when this typhoon hits you?
Peter did the same thing we need to do at such a time. He appealed to the Lord to save him. Jesus reached out his hand and carried Peter to the boat. When he did, the wind ceased.
When you appeal to Jesus in the midst of your whirlpool of trouble, the wind will cease for you, too. Your troubles may still be around, there will still be many things yet to do, but instead of sinking, Jesus is there to carry you. To live is Christ.
To live is Christ means to be alive in Christ, to desire to spread the gospel, to work for no reward except to be a blessing to others, to pray for one another, to encourage one another. To live in Christ means to live for the betterment of others, not yourself. To live in Christ means to be Christ-like. Self-sacrificing. To live is Christ.
This was Paul’s conclusion, also. Even though he had a great desire to see Christ, even though to be with Christ is the very best thing that could happen to him, he knew that Christ had work for him to do. Look at verses 22-24. His work was for the betterment of others. He was denied, for the time being, living with Christ to live Christ. His self-sacrifice gave others a chance to grow in the faith.
When we look at the “to die is gain” part, we understand that it means to be in heaven with Christ. That is gain enough. However, there is so much more to being with Christ. Think of it! Never to be hungry again. Never to have to lose weight, or even be concerned about it. Never feel sick, never tired, never worry, never fear, never have a bad hair day. Our bodies will never see corruption, our minds will never be dwelling in sin, our hearts will never be broken, never will a tear course down our cheek. To die is to gain! But we can’t go there yet, we still have work to do here. There are still neighbors who haven’t heard the word, there are still children who need to be taught. There are the sick to pray for, the homeless to shelter, the starving to feed, the homebound to help. All for the glory of God. To live is Christ.
Paul is in a bad situation. He is a prisoner, in chains, with a constant watch over him. Not just prison guards, mind you, but he is held prisoner by the Imperial Guard. So, what do you think he did? Did he sit there and sulk, did he whine and complain about how bad he had it? No, he took the opportunity to advance the gospel. He couldn’t go to the neighbors with a coffee cake, like we can. He was stuck in prison. He couldn’t go to the market square to pray and sing so that others would desire to hear more, he was still stuck in prison. So he took the opportunity that was available to him. He spread the gospel to those he was chained to. He talked to the guards. He showed them the truth about God. They were changed. Forever. What are your chains? Is it work? Personal time? TV time? What is keeping you from spreading the gospel? You can, and should, spread the gospel wherever you are, in whatever circumstances, like Paul did. Using Paul’s example, others became bold in speaking God’s truth.
In verses 15-18, we find that some are not spreading the gospel out of love for others, but for self-aggrandizement. They are doing it to promote themselves, and in doing so, purposely causing Paul more harm in prison. Some were working to spread the gospel out of love. Paul’s concern even then was that the gospel is spread, that the truth of Christ was proclaimed. Please note that the truth was being spread, not false gospel. Paul continually teaches about those that spread false gospel. See Titus 1:9-11. We should be constantly checking what is said and comparing it to the Bible. The Berians were commended because they checked everything from scripture, even the word from the pulpit. Don’t take my word for it, check it out. The message being told from the pulpits while Paul was in prison was the truth, but told in such a way that those against Paul were getting glory, and Paul was getting punished. Even so, Paul was rejoicing that the message was being spread, the gospel was being heard, and the churches were growing.
To live is Christ, and to die is gain.
I have spent the last three weeks mulling over this verse. The “to die is gain” part is easy enough to understand, but the first part, “to live is Christ”, that has been a difficult sentence to understand. To live is Christ. Finally it hit me, to live is Christ means to live, to be alive, is to live with Christ. Before I was alive in Christ, I was dead. Dead spiritually, dead emotionally, captured in a dying body. To be fully alive took Christ. I now know what joy is. I now know what love is. I now know what to live is. It is Christ. A person apart from Christ is dead. For them, to live is dying. A popular saying is “The day you are born, that is when you start to die.” This is a true statement in one sense, that is, our bodies are in the process of expiring. Our bodies grow for a while, but eventually they wear down to the point of final collapse. It is also true in a spiritual sense, too. From the time we are born, we are slaves to sin. Our spirit is affected by the sin of Adam, and we do nothing our entire lives that will save us. Until we are born again, until we live Christ resurrected, we are dying. But for me, to live is Christ.
I made a mental list of some of the things that mean “to live is Christ”.
If you have joy, to live is Christ.
If you have peace in your life, peace where there should be worry and fear, peace unexplainable, to live is Christ.
If you have hope, hope of the resurrection, hope of live ever after, hope that gives encouragement to carry on through thick or thin, to live is Christ.
If you have salvation, to live is Christ.
If you have encouragement when others despair, to live is Christ.
Can you think of any others?
Read Matthew 14:22-33.
I keep thinking of Peter, in the boat, watching Jesus walk on the water. Now Peter was a fisherman, fully aware of the nature of water and what floats and what doesn’t. He knows he doesn’t. He knows, in his mind and probably through experience, that what Jesus was doing was not the norm. When Jesus calmed them with encouraging words, Peter asked if he could come out to him. Jesus said “come.” Peter got out of the boat. Against all his learning and experience, against the laws of Newton, and physics, and Congress and anybody else out there that makes up laws, Peter got out of the boat. He didn’t sink. Why? Because at that point, he was in Christ. All of his focus was on the Lord. Not only didn’t he sink, but he walked to Jesus. He walked on water. Now, at some point he became aware that what he was doing wasn’t natural. The Bible says he “saw the wind.” He may have seen the wind, but what he didn’t see was Jesus. He let himself be drawn into his situation, he began to be afraid. As soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus and onto the fact that he wasn’t in the boat and there was no solid footing, he began to sink. Aren’t we like that? We come to church, we praise God, we worship, our focus is on God, and then we get home and the bills are piled up, and the dog needs a bath because he rolled in something, the boss wants you to come in early, your spouse is complaining about the condition of the house, and soon you are sinking in a whirlpool of despair, worry, and depression. What do you do when this typhoon hits you?
Peter did the same thing we need to do at such a time. He appealed to the Lord to save him. Jesus reached out his hand and carried Peter to the boat. When he did, the wind ceased.
When you appeal to Jesus in the midst of your whirlpool of trouble, the wind will cease for you, too. Your troubles may still be around, there will still be many things yet to do, but instead of sinking, Jesus is there to carry you. To live is Christ.
To live is Christ means to be alive in Christ, to desire to spread the gospel, to work for no reward except to be a blessing to others, to pray for one another, to encourage one another. To live in Christ means to live for the betterment of others, not yourself. To live in Christ means to be Christ-like. Self-sacrificing. To live is Christ.
This was Paul’s conclusion, also. Even though he had a great desire to see Christ, even though to be with Christ is the very best thing that could happen to him, he knew that Christ had work for him to do. Look at verses 22-24. His work was for the betterment of others. He was denied, for the time being, living with Christ to live Christ. His self-sacrifice gave others a chance to grow in the faith.
When we look at the “to die is gain” part, we understand that it means to be in heaven with Christ. That is gain enough. However, there is so much more to being with Christ. Think of it! Never to be hungry again. Never to have to lose weight, or even be concerned about it. Never feel sick, never tired, never worry, never fear, never have a bad hair day. Our bodies will never see corruption, our minds will never be dwelling in sin, our hearts will never be broken, never will a tear course down our cheek. To die is to gain! But we can’t go there yet, we still have work to do here. There are still neighbors who haven’t heard the word, there are still children who need to be taught. There are the sick to pray for, the homeless to shelter, the starving to feed, the homebound to help. All for the glory of God. To live is Christ.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
I just got back from the “Happiest Place on Earth”, or so they say. My wife and I, and another couple from church spent eight days and a whole bunch of money at Disneyworld. These are my reflections on the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
Disney goes out of its way to make you happy. The colors are festive, the people are friendly, the grounds are immaculate, even the weather cooperated (I know, I know, they had nothing to do with that).
From the time we checked in until the time we checked out, the people of Disney were there to make us happy. And for the most part, we were.
Now for the rest of the story, as it were. It is my contention that children under the age of five should NOT go to Disneyworld, unless it is for one or two days AT THE MOST. We saw babies in strollers, toddlers on leashes, children of all ages asleep in their parent’s arms. Whining, crying, whimpering, and screaming children were found around every corner. For them, and their parents, this was not such a happy place.
It was even worse on those who did not have any children there. Like me. I hate to see children suffering through days of 85 deg heat with no relief. Cajoling parents asking for one more smile for the camera while their ofspring struggled to escape the weird characters dressed in costume. Sugar coated sugar was par for the course for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The interminable waiting in line for a 3 minute adventure ride only made things worse for parent and child.
Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of happy children there, but for the most part, those were over the age of five. Five year olds have a greater attention span than the normal two year old, and more stamina. For a five year old, it is an adventure, a chance to see some of their favorite friends from TV. For a two year old, it is more a chance for the child to see the parent’s favorite characters from their past.
The trip to Disneyworld was the meat of our vacation. The bread of this vacation sandwich consisted of two Sundays at a local church in Tampa. The first Sunday we were able to relax from the plane flight down from Seattle, worship our Lord, hear a preacher expound the word of God, and visit with friendly churchgoers afterward who gave us excellent directions to a local beach with glistening white sand. The next Sunday, at the same church, we again enjoyed a good sermon and worship our Lord. After church we went out to lunch with a couple from the church and talked for a couple of hours. We left that evening to come home.
In a way, this was the most exciting part of the trip. Coming to a new church, worshipping with people who we had never met and yet were not strangers, singing songs of joy to our Lord, rejoicing in God together, these things were exciting.
I don’t want to knock Disneyworld, they are trying hard to make your vacation as fun as possible. It is truly a very happy place. In spite of the crying and screaming, I am sure most of the children enjoyed it also. However, I am firmly convinced that where two or more are gathered in His name, that is the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
Disney goes out of its way to make you happy. The colors are festive, the people are friendly, the grounds are immaculate, even the weather cooperated (I know, I know, they had nothing to do with that).
From the time we checked in until the time we checked out, the people of Disney were there to make us happy. And for the most part, we were.
Now for the rest of the story, as it were. It is my contention that children under the age of five should NOT go to Disneyworld, unless it is for one or two days AT THE MOST. We saw babies in strollers, toddlers on leashes, children of all ages asleep in their parent’s arms. Whining, crying, whimpering, and screaming children were found around every corner. For them, and their parents, this was not such a happy place.
It was even worse on those who did not have any children there. Like me. I hate to see children suffering through days of 85 deg heat with no relief. Cajoling parents asking for one more smile for the camera while their ofspring struggled to escape the weird characters dressed in costume. Sugar coated sugar was par for the course for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The interminable waiting in line for a 3 minute adventure ride only made things worse for parent and child.
Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of happy children there, but for the most part, those were over the age of five. Five year olds have a greater attention span than the normal two year old, and more stamina. For a five year old, it is an adventure, a chance to see some of their favorite friends from TV. For a two year old, it is more a chance for the child to see the parent’s favorite characters from their past.
The trip to Disneyworld was the meat of our vacation. The bread of this vacation sandwich consisted of two Sundays at a local church in Tampa. The first Sunday we were able to relax from the plane flight down from Seattle, worship our Lord, hear a preacher expound the word of God, and visit with friendly churchgoers afterward who gave us excellent directions to a local beach with glistening white sand. The next Sunday, at the same church, we again enjoyed a good sermon and worship our Lord. After church we went out to lunch with a couple from the church and talked for a couple of hours. We left that evening to come home.
In a way, this was the most exciting part of the trip. Coming to a new church, worshipping with people who we had never met and yet were not strangers, singing songs of joy to our Lord, rejoicing in God together, these things were exciting.
I don’t want to knock Disneyworld, they are trying hard to make your vacation as fun as possible. It is truly a very happy place. In spite of the crying and screaming, I am sure most of the children enjoyed it also. However, I am firmly convinced that where two or more are gathered in His name, that is the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
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