Coming into Focus

Coming into Focus
Philippians 4: 4 – 9.

Introduction

I just knew this would never happen to me.  All my life, I have had perfect vision and never had a need for eyeglasses. But, when I turned 42, something happened.  The words on the page got smaller.  The lights seemed dimmer.  And my arms seemed too close to my eyes.

It’s really funny how it happened.  Our laptop computer at home stopped charging.  We decided to buy a new charger on the Internet.  Shauna looked for a charger for our computer model.  The website asked her for the model number on the charger.  I flipped the charger over and looked for the number.  Then, I said, “They print these numbers a lot smaller than they used to.”  I was in complete denial. 

Then, I noticed that I was having a hard time reading at home.  I could read just fine in my church office, because I sit next to a window with lots of sunlight.  But, I had a hard time reading at home.  I figured it was these new light bulbs—the ones that are shaped like a pigtail.  The new light bulbs are just not as good as the old incandescent bulbs.  I was in complete denial.

I was talking to Shirley Ladd about it one Sunday.  She suggested I try on her glasses.  I said (what any self-respecting man would say), “I do NOT need glasses.”  But I put them on.  Everything was out of focus.  She told me to look at the bulletin.  When I looked at the bulletin, something miraculous happened.  I could see the words.  Nothing was blurry.  Nothing was out of focus.

I went out the next day and bought a pair of reading glasses.  If I wear them down on the tip of my nose, I can read a book and look over the top of the lenses to see what is going on around me.

There are a couple of ways we can use the word “focus.”  So far, I have been using “focus” in a very literal sense to describe a physical function of our eyes.  When our eyes do not focus, the words on the page appear blurry.  When our eyes do focus, the words on the page appear clear and distinct…we sometimes say the words “come into focus.”

We also use the word “focus” in a more figurative sense.  Figuratively, the word “focus” can be used to describe an intellectual function of our minds rather than a function of our eyes.  Sometimes, we use the word “focus” to describe how well we are able to concentrate on a specific task—as in the expression, “There are too many distractions.  I just can’t ‘focus’ on my work.”

In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul calls us to “focus” on the things of God rather than the things of this world.  This kind of “focus” is not a function of our physical eyes as much as it is a function of our spiritual (and intellectual) lives.  We are to focus our spiritual attention (and spiritual affection) on the things that are truly important (matters of eternity), rather than allow the worldly activities around us to distract us.

Philippians 4: 4 -9… 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Last Sunday we read Philippians 4: 2 – 7, which contains part of the Scripture I read this morning.  One way to interpret this section is to think of it as a kind of “sandwich.”  Philippians 4: 2 – 3 describes a church conflict between two women leaders.  Philippians 4: 4 – 7 describes true Joy and true Peace.  Philippians 4: 8 – 9 describes the kind of pure thoughts and pure living Christians ought to demonstrate in daily life.

The reason I say this is a “sandwich” is the way these three sections fit together.  The first section describes a church conflict.  The last section describes a church united in pure thought and pure living.  The middle section describes how we can get from conflict to unity.  The way to move from conflict to unity is to “focus” on God.

The Lord Is Near

Verse 4 begins with a command to “Rejoice in the Lord always.”  For Christians, Joy is not optional.  Joy is commanded and ought to be an integral part of our daily lives.  This does not mean we are supposed to live sad and dreary lives interrupted by brief moments of fleeting Joy.  No.  The Christian life is supposed to be an ongoing experience of Joy in all circumstances…regardless the circumstances…despite the circumstances.

According to Paul’s words in Philippians 4, there are two reasons that Christians can find Joy in all circumstances. 

First, we find our Joy “in the Lord” and not in our circumstances.  Paul almost exclusively uses the word “Lord” to refer to Jesus Christ.  Therefore, Paul is telling us to find our Joy in Jesus and no other source.  If we find Joy “in the Lord Jesus,” then the world neither gives us Joy nor takes Joy away from us.  Paul invites us to remember what Jesus gives us that the world cannot provide. 

I don’t believe I could ever give an exhaustive list of all that Christians receive from Jesus.  But, speaking in broad categories, we can list three gifts that Jesus gives and the world cannot take away from us:  Salvation, Abundant Life and Eternal Life.  The death of Jesus on the cross gives us forgiveness of sins and overcomes the great divide that stands between sinful humanity and a holy God.  Faith in Jesus gives us a life worth living—life that has meaning and purpose as a beloved child of God with a reason for living.  The Resurrection of Jesus is more than proof that Jesus is the unique Son of God.  It is also the promise of eternal life for anyone who places their lives in God’s hands through faith in Jesus.

In verse 5, Paul says there is a second reason Christians can rejoice always.  It is because the Lord is near.

Some people see this as a reference to the Second Coming of Jesus.  They suggest Paul encourages Christians to find Joy in the midst of difficult circumstances by trusting that Jesus will return before things get more difficult than we can handle.  But, that does not fit with the way this same phrase is used in the Old Testament.

Psalm 145: 18 – 19…  18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

Paul is not telling us to find Joy because Jesus is coming soon.  Paul tells us to find Joy because Jesus is already here.  Jesus is near whenever we call on him.  Whatever circumstances we are facing, all we have to do is call on the Lord.  Jesus is near us…Jesus is with us whenever we pray.

Prayer

It is possible to make prayer more complicated than it has to be.  The simplest definition of prayer is “calling on the Lord.”  Any time we call on God, we are praying.  When we whisper “thank you” after surviving a difficult or dangerous situation, we are praying.  When we call out “help me” before making a decision or facing a hardship, we are praying.  Prayer is very simply “calling on the Lord.”

Some people believe prayer is a sign of desperation.  As long as we can handle the circumstances of life, there is no need to pray.  If I can do it on my own, I don’t need to pray.  But, if circumstances are out of my control…if life is too difficult for me to handle with my own strength and intelligence, then I need to pray.

And that is exactly what prayer is.  The only people who pray are desperate and needy people.  The problem is that we don’t usually recognize how desperate and needy we truly are.  The fact is, we cannot provide for our own needs without the Lord’s intervention.  We do not have the strength (or the wisdom) to face the decisions and situations of life without God’s resources.  We do not have the will power to resist temptation without the ongoing presence of God in our lives.

According to Paul’s words in Philippians 4: 6, prayer is the only way to face the anxieties of life.  He tells us not to be anxious about anything, but to pray about everything.  Notice the way he uses the words “anything” and “everything.”  Do not be anxious about “anything.”  But, pray about “everything.”  In other words, Paul believes that prayer is the antidote to worry and anxiety.

People who pray recognize that God is in control of the outcome.  People who worry THINK they are in control.

People who worry focus only on their problems.  People who pray focus on God, who is bigger than (and can handle) whatever problems we might face.

When we pray, we receive two benefits from God.  As we just read in Psalm 145, “The Lord is near to all who call on him…”  And, now Paul tells us that people who pray have the “peace of God, which transcends all understanding.”  We have Peace, because the Lord is near, and because we recognize God can handle our problems.

Prayer is a matter of focus.  Prayer helps us take our focus off of ourselves and to focus on God.  We take our focus off of our own strengths, our own wisdom and to focus on God’s strength and God’s wisdom.

Put into Practice

In verses 8 – 9, Paul shifts his focus from the spiritual realm to the intellectual realm.  Our spiritual lives are to focus on the Lord, who is our source of Joy and Peace.  Our thought lives are to focus on all things virtuous.

Notice that Paul uses the word “whatever” over and over in these verses: whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.  This tells me that Paul believes virtue can be found outside the church (as well as inside the church).  It also tells me that Paul believes that regular Christians have the discernment we need to determine the difference between virtue and vice.

When I was a teenager, these verses were often used by my youth minister and other Christian adults as a way to keep our youth group from watching movies and listening to secular music.  The idea was that Christians are supposed to withdraw from the world so that we will not become like the world.

Actually, I think Paul has the opposite point of view.  If Christians withdraw from the world, then there is no way we can affect the world.  Withdrawing from the world is like saying we have given up on the world.  We are going to Heaven, and the rest of the world can go to Hell.

Paul never gave up on the world, because God never gave up on the world.  God sent his Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the world. After Jesus ascended into Heaven, God placed the church in the world with the assignment to continue the work of Christ.  Ultimately, the Christian faith is a world-transforming faith.

Changing the world is not an intellectual exercise, accomplished by thinking about virtuous things.  No.  Paul makes a strong connection between our thought life and the way we live in the real world.  Filling our minds with virtuous thoughts will lead to a virtuous life.  Filling our minds with things that are not virtuous will lead to a life that is not virtuous.

A person will begin to resemble whatever he or she admires.

Conclusion

There is an old Quaker story told about a king who asked for an inventory to be taken of all the flowers in his kingdom. He sent out a census taker with a clipboard to count all his flowers. Then he realized that the information would be of little value to him unless he had something to compare it with. So he called for a second census taker. This one was asked to count all the weeds in the kingdom.

Before long, the first census taker came back, floating into the king’s chamber, draped in smiles and warmth. “King, whatever you do, don’t ever transfer me or my family out of this kingdom. It has to be the most beautiful kingdom in the world. It is overrun with flowers.” 

Just then the door slammed and the second census taker came stomping in, threw down his clipboard and demanded an immediate transfer to another land. “King,” he shouted, “this has got to be the worst kingdom in the world. It’s overrun with weeds. I didn’t even get past the drawbridge and I couldn’t count all the weeds in this kingdom. I want out!!” 

The moral of the story is that in this life you are going to see what you are looking for, and it will affect your feelings and behavior. If we look for the things that are excellent and good, we will excel and be good. Look for the junk, and you will feel and behave junky.

Where is your focus?  When we focus on the difficulties of life, our lives are filled with worry and anxiety.  When we focus on the Lord (through prayer), we find true Joy and true Peace.

When we focus on the weeds and vices of the world, we will become like what we admire.  When we focus on the flowers and the virtues of the world, we will become like what we admire…in this case, we become more like Jesus—our Savior and Example.

Church: Real and Ideal

Church: Real and Ideal

Philippians 4: 2 – 7

Introduction

It is hard for me to imagine this.  I have been serving churches as a minister since 1991.  That is 23 years as a youth minister, college minister, associate pastor or pastor.  I must have started when I was seven years old.

Actually, I started as a sophomore in college.  That year, I was a religion major, received a ministerial scholarship and working as a part time youth minister.

One of my college professors offered a piece of advice for the religion majors who were planning to go on to seminary.  He encouraged us to find non-church jobs (like waiting tables or selling shoes) to work our way through seminary.  I did not follow his advice.  Instead, I took a job as a college minister in a Waco church.

Some of my friends did have non-church jobs through seminary.  But, I felt like I had an advantage over them.  One advantage was that I was able to build up my résumé and gain experience during school.  Another advantage was that (at the time) I thought of my church job as a kind of “lab.”  Just like a biology student takes biology class and biology lab to put into practice what they learn in class, I considered my church job as my “seminary lab.”  I was able to put into practice what I was learning in school.

At the time, I thought of my church job as a seminary lab.  But, now I think of it differently.  At the time, I thought I was putting into practice what I was learning in school.  Now, I realize it was something else.  I was able to learn about the “ideal church” and the “real church.”  The “ideal church” is the church in our minds and in our theories about church.  The “ideal church” is made up of “ideal Christians” with “ideal pastors.”  The “ideal church” does not exist in the “real world.”

Since there is no such thing as an “ideal Christian,” and there is certainly no such thing as an “ideal pastor,” that must mean that there is no such thing as an “ideal church.”  Real churches are made up of real Christians and real pastors—or, we might say imperfect Christians and imperfect pastors.

Of course, we are the only ones to deal with the tension between the “ideal church” and the “real church.”  And, we are certainly not the first Christians to notice a difference between “real” and “ideal.”  In many ways, I think Paul was facing this tension when he wrote the Book of Philippians (and half of the New Testament).

In Philippians 3, Paul made a confession about his personal spiritual life.  He confessed that he had not yet “been made perfect.”  But, he was continuing to press on toward the goal…that one day, Paul would be made perfect…and his life would look like the life of Jesus, his Lord.

In our Scripture today, Paul implies a similar thought about the Christian Church at Philippi.  The church has not yet been made perfect.  But, the church should strive for perfection.  The real church should press on toward the ideal of what a church is supposed to be.

Philippians 4: 2 – 7…  2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I always get a little nervous when people make statements about the New Testament church.  Sometimes people will leave one church and go looking for a church that better reflects the New Testament church.  Now, I have read the New Testament…and I have never found a perfect church in the New Testament.  The church in Galatia had been taken over by false teachers.  The church at Ephesus was locked in a spiritual battle with the spiritual forces of evil.  The church at Corinth—don’t get me started about the church at Corinth.  And, now we learn that the church at Philippi was not perfect either.

Some people believe this is the primary reason Paul wrote the Book of Philippians.  He needed to settle an argument between two women in the church.  Of course, we don’t really know why Paul wrote Philippians; and we don’t really know how bad the disagreement was between Euodia and Syntyche.  All we know is these women had some sort of disagreement, and their disagreement was big enough that it made it into the Bible!  More than likely, this means it was affecting the entire church.  Therefore, Paul brought the matter before the whole church by mentioning it in his letter.

There are a couple of important things to note about the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche. 

First, notice that Paul never chose a side.  He never told Euodia to get over it.  He never told Syntyche to stop acting like a child.  Instead, he asked them to work out their differences like Christian adults.

Second, notice that Paul actually praises these women and indicates that they were important leaders in the church.  One clue to their importance is the fact that Paul mentioned them by name.  Like a lot of ancient writers, Paul only names his friends in his letters.  He never gives names to his opponents.  Another clue is the fact that Paul specifically describes Euodia and Syntyche as “women who have contended at my side in the cause of the Gospel.”  This means that Euodia and Syntyche had either traveled with Paul, spreading the Gospel around the world or that they had helped Paul spread the Gospel around the city of Philippi.

Even during New Testament times, the “real church” didn’t always look like the “ideal church.”  Real churches have to learn how to deal with conflicts and disagreements.

Agree in the Lord

Ideally church leaders and church members will “agree in the Lord.”

I am not one to believe that every church member is supposed to think exactly alike.  There will always be different opinions among church members.  In fact, one of my favorite jokes about Baptists goes like this…You can always tell a Baptist…But you can’t tell him much.  (In case you need help understanding that joke, Baptists are generally pretty opinionated and are known to express their opinions.)

When a person becomes a member of our church, we don’t ask them to agree with every member of this church on every matter.  No.  Our members have different opinions and different preferences.  Yet, despite our differences, we can find agreement “in the Lord.”  The key to interpreting this kind of agreement is the qualifying statement, “in the Lord.”

We may not agree on the color of carpet for the sanctuary.  We may not agree on the music we sing in worship.  But, we agree “in the Lord.”

It’s probably a little simplistic to compare this to the way a parent relates to a young child.  But, with children, parents have to learn how to pick their battles.  Some things are worth the battle.  Other things are not worth the battle.

Perhaps a better way to think of this is to think in terms of eternity.  Does this difference of opinion or difference of preference have an eternal impact?  We need to agree on eternal matters.  We need to agree that salvation is through Christ alone by his crucifixion and Resurrection.  We need to agree that God is Personal and reveals himself through Scripture.  We need to agree on the reality of Heaven and Hell.  But most of our differences are not about eternal matters.

This is captured in a famous quote about Christian belief.  Surely someone first said this as an original quote, but I have seen it attributed to at least a half-dozen Christian theologians…  “In essentials, unity.  In non-essentials, liberty.  In all things, charity.”

Rejoice in the Lord

Just as the “ideal church” will find agreement “in the Lord,” the “ideal church” will also find a reason to rejoice “in the Lord.”

Notice that Paul does not tell us to rejoice in our circumstances or to rejoice in the way the world treats us.  Sometimes we have a reason to rejoice in our circumstances.  Sometimes we have a reason to rejoice in the way the world treats us.  But, we always have a reason to rejoice “in the Lord.”

In Paul’s theological worldview, the Lord refers to Jesus Christ.  Therefore, Jesus is the source of all our reasons to rejoice.  Paul finds reason to rejoice over the salvation he has received through Jesus…Salvation includes forgiveness of sins and the promise of the Resurrection life.  Paul also rejoices in the presence of Jesus…Paul experienced the presence of Jesus in the good times and especially in the bad times. 

Peace in the Lord (Christ Jesus)

Paul closes out this section with a reference to Peace in the Lord.  Technically, he doesn’t actually use the phrase “in the Lord.”  Instead, he specifically tells us that our Peace is “in Christ Jesus.”  (Again, in Paul’s theological worldview, the Lord is Christ Jesus.  So this phrase basically rounds out our Scripture with three references to “in the Lord.”)

Remember that in Philippians 3, Paul trotted out his theological résumé by describing his Jewish pedigree.  Paul was circumcised on the eighth day; of the people of Israel; of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; a Pharisee; a persecutor of the church; and faultless in the eyes of the Law.  With this kind of Jewish background, I imagine that Paul thought of the Hebrew word “shalom” when he wrote the Greek word for “peace.”

We typically translate the Hebrew word “shalom” as peace.  But it means much more than our contemporary understanding of peace.  We talk about peace as the absence of conflict.  Shalom comes from the Hebrew word for “whole,” or “complete.”  Therefore, I like to think of Christian Peace as more than the absence of conflict.  Instead, true Christian Peace can only be found in the Presence of God.  The Presence of God makes us whole or complete.  The Presence of God fills up all that we are lacking.  The Presence of God completes us like nothing else this world has to offer.

Conclusion

I wonder if the Presence of God just might be the difference between the “real church” and the “ideal church.”

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that God is everywhere.  At least God is everywhere God’s people are.  The Holy Spirit lives inside each Christian.  To have faith in Jesus is to place your life in God’s hands and under God’s control.  God is present with each of us.  He leads us.  He provides for us.  He comforts us in times of grief.  He gives us reasons to rejoice.  He gives us Peace despite our circumstances.

Oftentimes we ask the wrong question about the Presence of God.  We ask ourselves, “How much of God do I have in my life?”  Perhaps a better question would be, “How much of my life does God have?”  Or, we ask the wrong question about our church.  Instead of “How much of God does our church have?” we should ask, “How much of our church does God have?”

The ideal Christian is a man or woman who is wholly surrendered to God.  The ideal church is a church wholly surrendered to God.

Imitation Christians

Imitation Christians

Philippians 3: 17 – 4: 1

Introduction

What do you think of when you hear the word “imitation?”  Most of us associate the word “imitation” with something negative—a knock off of the original or a cheap substitute.

When we cook, we use imitation vanilla or we eat imitation crab meat.  The original is expensive or difficult to find in our region of the world.  So, we have developed a cheaper substitute—something that is almost as good as the genuine article.

I have never been to New York City.  But, I have heard that there are street venders in New York selling Rolex watches and Coach purses for prices too good to believe.  Perhaps these street venders got a really good deal by purchasing watches and purses in bulk.  Or, perhaps these watches and purses are not exactly genuine…they might be imitations.

Of course, there is a second way we can use the word “imitation” that is much more positive.  Think of the way babies learn how to talk and walk.  Children learn through a process of imitation.  They imitate their parents and the other children they see at church, childcare and school.

However, imitation does not end with childhood.  To varying degrees, we are all imitators.  Hairstyles and clothing styles change.  So, we change the ways we look to imitate the styles of the day.  Television commercials feature movie stars and professional athletes pushing cars, shampoo, deodorant and potato chips to encourage us to imitate celebrity buying patterns.

In biblical times, imitation was the primary method of education.  The ancients did not have schools like we do today.  Instead, a young person would find a mentor—someone who was outstanding in their occupation—and become his disciple. 

In every use of the word “disciple” outside the New Testament, the disciple was a man or woman who was closely associated with one teacher.  The disciple did everything in his or her power to learn from their teacher by imitating the teacher’s methods.  Some disciples learned philosophy and therefore imitated the teachings and arguments of their master.  Some disciples learned music by imitating the musical style of their master.  Other disciples learned a craft—such as carpentry—and practiced building things that looked like the things their master had built. 

Disciple is a good word for Jesus’ followers as long as we don’t think Jesus was trying to teach us a religious system or a new way of thinking about the world (or even a philosophy).  NO!  Jesus called disciples and invited them to imitate the way he lived his life.  In the same way, modern day Christians grow and develop through imitation.

In fact, this idea of imitation is one of the important themes of the Book of Philippians.  Paul used a familiar worship hymn to invite the Philippians to imitate Jesus.  Then, Paul wrote about Timothy and Epaphroditus as two real-life Christian examples to imitate.

In today’s Scripture, Paul gives us one more real-life Christian example.  It just might surprise us who Paul thinks we should imitate.

Philippians 3: 17 – 4: 1… 17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. 1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!    

Is Paul Being Arrogant?

We might read this as a rather ironic passage of Scripture.  Thus far in Philippians, Paul has emphasized humility as a Christian virtue. 

Jesus was an example of humility.  At his very essence, Jesus is divine.  Yet, Jesus did not think this status was something to be held onto.  Instead, Jesus humbled himself by coming to earth as a man and even took on the nature of a slave to serve others and eventually died a shameful death on the cross.

Timothy and Epaphroditus were examples of humility.  They sacrificed their own lives to spread the Gospel and to serve the church.  As members of the church, we ought to follow their examples of humility by putting more emphasis on church unity than on demanding our individual rights.

Now, after listing three examples of humility, Paul lists himself as an example of Christian faithfulness.  Some people might accuse Paul of needing a dose of humility himself.  After all, it seems kind of arrogant (and not exactly humble) to set yourself up as an example of Christian faithfulness.

Keep in mind what true humility is.  Humility is not thinking less of yourself.  Humility is thinking of yourself less.  There is a subtle but important difference.

We get a sense of this from the context of Paul’s statement.  In Philippians 3: 12 – 14 (which we read last Sunday), Paul told us that he does not consider himself to be perfect and knows that he has not yet received God’s ultimate reward.   Therefore, Paul continues to press on toward the goal to win the ultimate prize.

Paul is not being arrogant when he sets himself up as an example.  In fact, this is a very humble statement.  Paul is a man who realizes that he is not perfect and has not yet received God’s ultimate reward.  But, Paul is going to press on by continuing to live a faithful and obedient life.  Since Paul is not willing to give up on his pursuit of faithfulness and obedience, we ought to follow his example.

Also notice what a difficult standard Paul has just set up for himself.  Paul’s standard for himself sounds nothing like the standards we are used to hearing from modern day leaders.  We are used to hearing people say things like this: “Do as I say and not as I do.” 

There is a difference between knowing what is right and doing what is right.  Some people think it is more important to know what is right.  Paul is demonstrating that he places an equal emphasis on believing and doing.  It is not enough to believe the right things.  It is not enough to do the right things.  Instead, there needs to be a consistency between what you believe and how you behave.

Paul is not content with teaching other Christians what to believe.  He also models the proper Christian behavior.  Ultimately, Paul holds himself to the same standard of believing and behaving.  And, Paul is willing to live out his faith publicly as a Christian role model.

Don’t Imitate the Wrong Example

One of the reasons we should not be so critical of Paul is the fact that we are surrounded by other people who set themselves up as role models.  Paul sets himself up as an example of Christian faith and warns us to be careful as we look for a role model.

Philippians 3: 19 describes the bad role models we are faced with every day…

Philippians 3: 19… Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

Destiny is destruction…  Paul knows that his own ultimate destiny is the Resurrection life and eternal life in the new Heaven and new earth.  This destiny is only possible through faith in Jesus as Lord.  Anyone who does not place faith in Jesus as Lord is destined for destruction.  This may not be very popular, but it is an important part of Paul’s theology and a biblical understanding of eternity.  Hell is a reality for those who die without Jesus.  As we search for good role models, this should be our first priority.  Do not model your life after someone who is destined for the destruction of Hell.

God is their stomach…  Literally, this might be a reference to the Jewish dietary laws.  The Jews of Paul’s day were obsessed with maintaining a Kosher diet in a pluralistic Roman world.  Their dietary requirements were different from the rest of the world.  As Jews became a minority in the ancient world, it became increasingly more difficult to find Kosher food.  Symbolically, this could be read as a reference to indulgence in general.  Non-Christian people do not live with the Christian understanding of sin and obedience.  Therefore, they live according to their “gut”—doing whatever is pleasurable, placing selfish desires over obedience to God’s standards.  As we search for a good role model, model your life after someone who is obedient to God, not their gut.

Glory is their shame…  Literally, this might be a reference to the Jewish practice of circumcision.  For Jewish people in Paul’s day, circumcision was something to be proud of.  For Gentiles in Paul’s day, circumcision was shameful.  Symbolically, this could be read as a reference to shameful behavior—or what the Bible calls sin.  We live in a world which likes to brag about sin and criticize Christians as “unenlightened” or “old fashioned.”  Our culture takes pride in their sinfulness, they “glory in their shame.”  As we search for a good role model, model your life after someone who glories in obedience, not shame.

Mind is on earthly things…  I believe Paul uses this phrase to summarize everything he has just listed about the world and to transition to the next verse.  Destiny is destruction, god is their stomach,  and glory is their shame all indicate that they are thinking only about earthly concerns.  BUT…Paul is different from the world…

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

A New Citizenship

I think Paul intentionally spoke about citizenship, knowing that it would resonate with his Philippian audience.  Historians tell us that Philippi was a Roman colony which operated like a smaller version of the city of Rome.  Roman culture and customs were a part of everyday life in Philippi.  There was also a large Roman military base in Philippi.  As a result, the Philippian population had a large number of both active and retired military.  This tells us there were a lot of Roman citizens living in Philippi.  Of course, not everyone in Philippi was a Roman citizen…Not everyone in the Roman Empire was a Roman citizen.

In the ancient world, Roman citizenship was a very valuable thing to have.  Citizenship brought several privileges that noncitizens did not enjoy.  Roman citizens did not have to pay Roman taxes.  Roman citizens were promised due process when they got in trouble with the law. The Book of Acts tells us that Paul was a Roman citizen, who appealed to his citizenship several times to make sure that he received a fair trial.  (Acts 16 tells the story of Paul and Silas in Philippi.  They were arrested and held in prison overnight.  The next morning, the Romans wanted to release Paul and Silas quietly.  But Paul appealed to his Roman citizenship and insisted that they could not go away without due process.)

Even though Paul was a Roman citizen, he didn’t go around bragging about his status.  He didn’t tell the Philippians that they needed to do everything in their power to gain Roman citizenship like his.  No.  In passages like this, Paul is teaching us that there is another citizenship which is infinitely more valuable than being a citizen of the most powerful nation in the world.

We might even make a case that Paul held dual citizenship.  On one hand, he was a citizen of Rome.  And Roman citizenship was valuable to Paul.  It helped him get out of some sticky situations.  On the other hand, Paul was a citizen of the Kingdom of God.  And, this was the citizenship most valuable to Paul.  An eternal citizenship which can never be taken away is more valuable than any earthly citizenship.

This is the key to understanding Paul’s instructions.  To the Philippians, Paul says: “If you have to choose between being a good Roman citizen and a good citizen of the Kingdom of God, choose the Gospel over Rome.”  To American Christians like you and me, Paul says: “If you have to choose between being a good American citizen and a good citizen of the Kingdom of God, choose the Gospel over America.”

American citizenship is a wonderful thing.  I wouldn’t want to be a citizen of any other nation.  We value freedom and respect for all people.  And, there is nothing wrong with being a citizen of both the United States of America and a citizen of the Kingdom of God…as long as the two are not at odds.  When American values conflict with Christian values, we need to follow Paul’s instructions to place the Gospel above all other values.

Our ultimate citizenship is the Kingdom of God.  We belong in Heaven and are foreigners in this world.  As we search for a good role model, model your life after a citizen of the Kingdom of God, a citizen of Heaven.

Conclusion

I am proud to be an American citizen.  By the Grace of God, I was born an American citizen.  That means a couple of things.  I can run for President of the United States of America.  It also means that I don’t have to go through the process of naturalization to become a citizen.

According to U.S. Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services becoming a U.S. citizen is a process.  A person has to apply for residency, live in the U.S. for five years, file a bunch of paperwork, take a test and take an oath of citizenship.  I think the oath of citizenship could easily be translated into an oath of Christianity…

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."[1]

Who will you imitate as your role model?  It depends on what kind of citizen you want to become.  If you want to be a citizen of this world, then follow the example of worldly citizen.  If you want to be a citizen of Heaven, then follow the example of someone who has renounced allegiance to and influence from this world…imitate someone who lives as a foreigner in a foreign land and waits for the coming of the Lord Jesus to transform our lives.

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[1] http://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/naturalization-test/naturalization-oath-allegiance-united-states-america

A Year of No Regret

A Year of No Regret

Philippians 3: 12 – 14

Introduction

For thousands of years, people have been making New Years Resolutions.  (And, I would like to add…For thousands of years, people have been breaking their New Years Resolutions!)

The tradition of New Years Resolutions can probably be traced back to the Roman Empire and (maybe) even the Babylonian Empire.  These ancient peoples began a new year by making promises to their gods.  Their promises sounded a lot like our New Years Resolutions.  They promised to live better lives and to accomplish all sorts of good in the world.  I wonder if they were any more successful than we are with all our promises and good intentions.

Did you make any New Years Resolutions this year?  Have you had a chance to start working on them yet?  Exercise, eat right, get organized, read more books, read the Bible through in a year…  If you haven’t started, don’t worry.  There hasn’t been a Monday yet.  I think you have to wait until Monday to make any significant lifestyle changes.  My diet always starts on Monday.

One way to approach New Years Resolutions is to set a lofty goal and use the new year as an opportunity to accomplish that goal.  Like reading the Bible through in a year…  You can’t read the entire Bible on a Sunday afternoon.  But, you can read it through over the course of 365 days.

Another way to approach New Years Resolutions is to focus on a small behavioral change with no real thought about the long-term goal.  Like eating less junk food or exercising a couple of times each week.  The long-term result will be a healthier body / life.  But, we can achieve that by taking small steps along the way.

A third approach to New Years Resolutions is to quit or to stop doing something.  Two very popular New Years Resolutions are to quit drinking alcohol and to quit smoking.

What if we set a New Years Resolution this year to stop doing things we regret?  Or, we could state this in a more positive way by saying we want to live a life of no regret. 

What would that look like?  A life of no regret.  Perhaps we could look to the Apostle Paul as our example.  Paul was a man who came to the end of his life with no regret.

Philippians 3: 12 – 14 …12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

As we have read the Book of Philippians together, we have discovered from chapter one that Paul wrote this letter “in chains.”  I believe Paul was being held under house arrest in Rome and was awaiting a decision from Caesar about his future.  The Jews had accused Paul of inciting a riot in Jerusalem, so Paul was arrested and sent to Rome to appear before Caesar.  Caesar could do one of two things with Paul.  If he found Paul innocent of the charges against him, Paul would be released.  If he found Paul guilty, Paul would be executed by beheading.  So Paul waited, knowing he faced the very real possibility of death.

If we place Philippians 3: 12 – 14 in this context, we can hear that Paul is thinking about his death but has no real regrets about his life.

Paul knew that he was not perfect.  He admitted that in verse 12.  Since he was not perfect, he could have made his own New Years Resolutions.  Paul could probably stand to lose a little weight.  His toga was a little tighter than it was five years ago.  His cholesterol was probably higher than Dr. Luke wanted it to be (although he probably did follow the Mediterranean Diet). 

Paul knew he was not perfect, but he also knew that God did not expect him to be perfect.  God expected Paul to be faithful.  Faithfulness is what Paul had in mind when he said that he presses on “toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Paul was not perfect, but Paul had no regrets.  He continued to live faithfully in an effort to do the work God had called him to do and to be the person God had called him to be.

In 2012, a Hospice nurse in Australia wrote a book about her experiences working with people who knew they were facing death.  (I haven’t read the book, but I have recently found a couple of articles based on the book).^[1]  She had gotten to know her patients and had meaningful conversations with them.  She learned a couple of very interesting things about the last days and weeks of life.  She writes about how people seem to have true clarity of what is most important in life when we know we are at the end of life.  She also observed that many people express regrets about the way they lived their lives.  In fact, she summarized these regrets in her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.

1.        I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2.        I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

3.        I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4.        I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5.        I wish I had allowed myself to be happier.

Authentic Life

I wish I had lived a life true to myself and not the expectations of others…

Young people have dreams of what they want to be when they grow up and ways they want to change the world.  But somewhere along the way we stop dreaming and we start meeting the expectations others place on us.

As Christians, we are not supposed to give up on our dreams.  That is to say, we should not give up on our dream to be the man or woman God wants us to be.  God has created each of us with a unique set of spiritual gifts, passions, dreams and life experiences.  No one is exactly like you.  God has a plan for YOU that is different from God’s plan for me or for anyone else.

Paul knew what God’s plan was for his life.  God called and gifted Paul to be the missionary to the Gentiles.  God wanted Paul to leave the geographical and religious boundaries of Israel.  God wanted Paul to travel to non-Jewish places and tell non-Jewish people about God’s love and salvation.  Paul lived a life of no regrets, because he was faithful to that calling.  He lived up to God’s expectations and not the expectations other people placed on him. 

Balanced Life

I wish I hadn’t worked so hard…

This was the number one regret of men who were facing the end of life.  They felt like they had missed out on their children’s life and had neglected their wives because of all the time they spent at work.

I don’t think men (or women for that matter) should stop working altogether.  There is something satisfying about a hard day of work and knowing that you can provide for your family financially.  Instead, I think we could all benefit from a more balanced approach to life.  There is more to life than work, because there is more to life than money.

Jesus talked about this in the Sermon on the Mount…

Matthew 6: 19 – 21… 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

There are two problems with living an unbalanced life.

Anything we sacrifice for the sake of work is something less valuable to us than our work.  Some people sacrifice family for work.  Some people sacrifice their own health and life for work.  Some people sacrifice their relationship with God for work.

Jesus also said something about a second problem with living an unbalanced life…

Matthew 6: 25 – 27…  25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 

Jesus used the birds as an illustration of what it means to depend on God.  Later, Jesus made a similar point using the wildflowers as an illustration.  Birds and wildflowers depend on God to meet their needs.  Humans are no different from birds and wildflowers.  We depend on God to provide the food we eat, the air we breathe and the life we live.

When our lives are out of balance, it is because we think we are in control.  We think the world depends on us.  We live as if we do not need God to provide for our needs.

Deep Life

I wish I had expressed my feelings…

Many people go through life living very shallow lives.  A shallow life encounters many people but does not experience deep relationships with anyone.  This is shallow, because it does not meet our very basic desire to know and be known by other people.  Knowing and being known is more than just intellectual knowledge.  It also involves sharing our deepest emotional needs with others.

There was a time in my life when I was very suspect of emotions.  I thought logic and reason were superior to emotion.  For some reason I didn’t realize that God created our emotions in the same way that he created our ability to reason.

Connected Life

I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends…

Human beings were not created to be alone.  This concept is revealed in the story of Creation in Genesis 1 – 2.  After God created the heavens and the earth, God filled the earth with plants and animals.  Then God created the first man.  After each of God’s creations, God said, “It is good.”  But that is not what God said after creating the first man.  Instead, God said, “It is not good…”  God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”  God created a partner for the first man, so he would not be alone.

It also shows up in God’s words when he created the first man.  In Genesis 1: 26, we read, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image…’”  I find it significant that God speaks in the plural—“Let US make man in OUR image.”  God speaks in plural, because God is Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  As Trinity, God lives eternally in relationship with the Trinity.  Therefore, God created you and me in the image of God—to live eternally in relationship.

Have you ever wondered why the worst punishment a prisoner can face is solitary confinement?  That is because it is unnatural for a human being to be isolated from others. 

Have you ever wondered why we spend our developmental years in families?  That is because God intends us to interact with others and know how to get along.  This is best learned in community.

Have you ever wondered if church is important?  Yes, church is important.  That is because we develop and grow in community with others and because it is unnatural for a Christian to be isolated from other Christians.

Joyful Life

I wish I had allowed myself to be happier…

Happiness is elusive.  People who pursue happiness discover that it does not come easily.  And when we do find happiness, it does not seem to last very long.  This is why it is better to speak about Joy than happiness.

For Christians, there is a difference between happiness and joy.  Happiness can be affected by circumstances (or by how much money is left in the checking account).  Joy is different.  Joy is a gift from God.  Joy can be received, but it cannot be achieved.  The world does not give us joy, and the world cannot take it away. 

Joy is the result of having a relationship with God…of ordering our lives and priorities according to God’s will…or, as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, to seek first the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 6: 31 – 34… 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Conclusion

According to the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, people who are facing their own death have an incredible sense of clarity about what is truly important in life.  I wonder…Why do we have to wait until we are facing death to understand what is truly important?  Why can’t we live in 2014 with that kind of clarity?  Why can’t we begin right now living a life of no regret?

When you come to your deathbed, what will you regret?

No one says, “I wish I had spent more time at work.”

No one says, “I wish my house had been cleaner.”

No one says, “I wish I hadn’t spent so much time at church.”  Or, “I wish I hadn’t spent so much time reading the Bible and growing closer to Christ.”

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[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying/print and http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevincashman/2013/12/10/the-5-principles-of-no-regrets-leading-and-living/